The past 12 months have been a tumultuous time for automakers, with tariffs, cyberattacks, emissions laws, tax incentives and an influx of new brands all impacting the new-car market.
Locally, we saw some big – seriously big – vehicle launches, including the covers being pulled off a new Toyota HiLux, while arch-rival Ford bet the house on its new Ranger Super Duty.
With Toyota and Ford the top two brands, a replacement for next-best Mazda’s most popular model – the CX-5 SUV – was also revealed, while a Nissan Navara, new in more ways than one, landed.
Here’s what didn’t provide any wind beneath our wings in 2025.
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Paul Maric: HiLux, low effort
I was surprised by how little effort Toyota put into the new HiLux.
It feels more like a substantial facelift than a truly brand-new model, but the bizarre move of rolling back to a narrower track – after so much effort was put into widening it for improved stability and performance – is an odd decision.
It feels like it was rushed to market to meet the December 1 Euro 6b emissions deadline to avoid the requirement for AdBlue, and because of that, perhaps Toyota couldn’t quite fit everything it wanted into the platform.
Sean Lander: Show lacking shine
What was my biggest disappointment of 2025? The Tokyo Motor Show. After seeing what Chinese marques had on display at the Shanghai show in April, Tokyo proved the Japanese industry still has work to do.
The event felt like a showcase of “what we could do, not what we will do”, with the majority of vehicles on display remaining concepts that will never reach production – save for notable exceptions like the new Mazda CX-5, Toyota RAV4 and Honda Prelude.
The Chinese are moving fast – something I wrote about after the Shanghai trip – while the Japanese seem almost unaware of the threat. I hope the next Japan Mobility Show proves me wrong.
Marton Pettendy: The ‘new’ Navara
Everyone knows Nissan is on shaky financial ground, and we already knew Mitsubishi had been tasked with developing a new ute for both Japanese brands under their alliance with Renault.
Still, the reveal of a Nissan-badged Mitsubishi Triton shocked most observers, myself included.
Changes amounting to little more than a grille and badging attracted widespread media criticism and may well disenfranchise a generation of Navara owners.
Let’s hope the Premcar chassis magic can at least make it ride and handle better than the Triton.
William Stopford: Toyota continuing to withhold products
Dare I question mighty Toyota? After all, it’s been Australia’s number-one brand for two decades, and by a considerable margin – whoever sits second in any given year is always a distant runner-up.
Toyota Australia’s product misfires are few and far between – Avalon, Rukus, Fortuner … am I missing any? And the company’s unwavering devotion to hybrids has proved shrewd, even if its lone electric offering here lags well behind EV sales leaders.
But this Japanese giant could expand its market share further if it simply confirmed more vehicles for our market.
The LandCruiser FJ seemed like a no-brainer when it was first reported, but when it was officially revealed this year with an old-tech 2.7-litre petrol four-cylinder, it was promptly ruled out for Australia.
There went an opportunity to bring buyers chasing a small off-road SUV back into the Toyota fold. And there are plenty more Toyotas sold overseas that could fill gaps here.
A Prado Hybrid? A no-brainer. A 4Runner? An obvious replacement for the mediocre Fortuner. A right-hand drive Tacoma could slot neatly between HiLux and Tundra. The Prius, Corolla Touring, Alphard/Vellfire and broader Crown range would all be low-volume plays, but they’d still add depth.
What makes this especially galling is that many – though not all – of these are already available in right-hand drive.
I feel like I’m rooting for Goliath here, but when Toyota has such a diverse global portfolio and we miss out on so much of it, it’s hard not to be disappointed.
Damion Smy: An F1 fumble and no answer to ‘Y’
Oscar Piastri missing the F1 title due to silly things; and the Tesla Model Y update. Suspension tuning is still an art, not a science. As is team leadership, which Oscar learned.
Ben Zachariah: Minimum ‘HiLux’
As a previous owner of two Toyota HiLux utes, I’ve long been a fan, but the latest model feels like it didn’t push the needle enough.
Despite the terrible ride quality, it remains a very good ute, but it’s essentially a facelift of a decade-old model – and it comes across like Toyota has done the absolute bare minimum to keep it viable in today’s crowded ute market.
James Wong: Mazda’s backwards step
I know it’s not on the road yet, but I was thoroughly underwhelmed by the reveal of the new Mazda CX-5 and early details of what is the brand’s top-selling model globally.
A design that I personally regard as a step backwards, no movement in the powertrain space at launch, and falling into the trap of removing physical buttons all had me scratching my head.
For a company that has been on a strong run in terms of design and tech integration, it feels like the new CX-5 – which isn’t due here for another 12 months – could be on the back foot before it even lands Down Under.
Yes, Mazda is promising big things from its all-new Skyactiv-Z petrol engine with an in-house hybrid system in 2027, but that’s still a long way off. In the meantime, the CX-5’s direct competitors will be offering a mix of mild-hybrid, hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains – not to mention electric alternatives.
I hope Mazda Australia is pushing for a fast-tracked rollout of electrified technology for its new mid-size SUV, and that there’s enough supply of the ageing current model to bridge the gap until the replacement arrives.
Josh Nevett: Jaded Japanese
Given the influx of Chinese rivals over the past few years, you’d think Japan’s best would be keen to put their best foot forward in Australia. It seems not – at least in the case of Toyota and Mitsubishi.
One could argue Toyota has little to worry about given its enormous market share, but that doesn’t excuse the ‘new’ HiLux, which was revealed to a collective groan back in November.
While brands like BYD are shaking up the ute segment, Toyota is launching a HiLux built on 21-year-old underpinnings. And that ageing platform still houses a 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel carried over from the previous model. Come on, guys – seriously? And to think we waited 10 years for this.
Mitsubishi, on the other hand, committed a slightly different sin. Months after killing off half its lineup due to new safety regulations, the Japanese brand announced a replacement for its best-selling ASX – a rebadged Renault Captur.
That isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The old ASX was clearly past its prime, and Renault makes a decent car.
However, for some reason Mitsubishi decided it could slap a European price tag on its once budget-friendly light SUV. The result is an unremarkable runabout that’s roughly 50 per cent more expensive than it used to be. The ASX now starts from $37,740 before on-road costs and tops out at nearly $47,000 – more than most rivals, including hybrid and electric alternatives.
Time will tell whether either the HiLux or ASX succeeds locally, but both give the impression of established brands going through the motions in the face of intensifying competition.
Max Davies: Victoria’s car theft crisis
It’s deeply disappointing, disheartening and frankly sickening to witness the level of car-related crime in Victoria. Car theft is nothing new, but the fact many of today’s cars appear easier to steal than those from 30 or 40 years ago is absurd.
I’ve become acutely aware of the issue after buying one of my (unfortunately vulnerable) dream cars this year, and seeing others lose theirs is genuinely saddening.
The lack of care shown for relics of Australia’s car-making heritage is especially painful, particularly when it’s Holdens being destroyed for a quick buck. Of course, it’s no better for people who’ve just invested in a new Toyota or Subaru.
What’s worse is how long it’s taken manufacturers – particularly Toyota – to publicly acknowledge the issue, even if many have been working on solutions behind the scenes. That said, I don’t place most of the blame on the brands.
Instead, it’s Victoria’s justice system that’s allowing this problem not only to continue but to flourish. Not to get political, but when repeat offenders are repeatedly bailed only to reoffend, it speaks volumes.
It shouldn’t be up to manufacturers to compensate for systemic failures. I hope the situation improves, but given how little has changed over the past three years – and with the issue now spreading to Queensland – I’m not optimistic.
Alborz Fallah
Having to sit in the back of a Polestar 2 whenever I catch an Uber from the airport. There’s so little leg room, and then I have to explain to the driver what a horrible mistake they have made. It can be exhausting, but it’s a worthy cause.