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Audi A3
The new cars to look out for in 2022
From the new Subaru WRX to the reimagined Jeep Grand Cherokee, there's a bevy of new and exciting vehicles due to launch in 2022. Here are just some of the exciting prospects.
2022 is shaping up to be a huge one for the Australian automotive sector, with the shortage of semiconductors tipped to ease and production line staffing rates returning to normality.
From supercars to smart buys, most manufacturers have a deluge of new and/or facelifted models they hope to tempt buyers into showrooms with.
Here are just some of the most exciting prospects for 2022.
The up-and-coming cars of 2022
Audi A3
Audi’s popular hatch and sedan is reinvented for 2022. No surprise to note a hybrid version is included as the world gravitates away from pure internal combustion engines.
The “mild hybrid” is dubbed the 35 TFSI and uses a 1.5-litre turbo four-cylinder engine with 110kW/250Nm to power the front wheels. Prices start at $46,300 before on-road costs.
The A3 40 TFSI houses a 140kW/320Nm 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic to power all four wheels. Prices start at $52,900.
As before, performance fans are catered for with the 228kW/400Nm S3 priced from $69,900 and the 294kW/500Nm RS3, starting at $91,400.
BMW i4
Expected in the first quarter of this year, BMW’s electric i4 will set buyers back $99,900 for the rear-wheel-drive eDrive 40, before on-roads and options.
Opt for the all-wheel-drive grip and grunt of the M50 _ the first battery-powered BMW fettled by the company’s performance arm _ and you’ll need $124,900
The eDrive 40 operated with a single 250kW/430Nm motor on the rear axle, coupled to an 80.7kWh battery that can run for up to 590km.
The M50 has motors front and rear and pumps out 350kW/730Nm. Range drops to a claimed 510km.
Ford Ranger
Australia’s favourite 4x4 ute is due for replacement midway through the year.
The exterior styling has been overhauled, it boasts a digital driver’s display and a tablet-style infotainment screen in a range of sizes.
The bi-turbo petrol engine carries over, but there’s a new 2.0-litre turbodiesel on base versions and a V6 turbodiesel that should keep towing types content.
Expect the marketing campaign to (rightly) highlight how the vehicle was designed and engineered in Australia. Expect Toyota to react by tweaking prices and probably rolling out more limited edition versions of the HiLux.
Honda HR-V
Honda’s baby SUV is adding a hybrid version when the new model hits showrooms early this year. Local pricing and specifications haven’t been revealed but expect a bump over the existing car’s prices given the extra technology and physically larger size of the new vehicle.
Ineos Grenadier
Ineos is going back to the future with the Grenadier, a car that was inspired by the original Land Rover Defender.
It is unashamedly aimed at off-roading enthusiasts, with a ladder-from chassis, live axles and coil springs for maximum mobility.
The project was conceived and funded by British chemical industry billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who named it Grenadier as an homage to his preferred pub in London.
Early indications are the two-seat version will cost around $64,500 before on-road costs, with the five-seater adding $1000 to the price.
Buyers can choose from petrol and diesel 3.0-litre six-cylinder engines for the same price.
Jeep Grand Cherokee
Jeep has been refreshing its existing Grand Cherokee for the past decade but it is finally getting a new flagship SUV.
The diesel engine has been ditched for this generation, with buyers being offered the choice of the “Pentastar” 3.6-litre V6 petrol or the 4Xe hybrid, which pairs a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with two electric motors.
The resulting 280kW and 637Nm is directed to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Buyers will also have the option of a seven-seater this time around. That version will arrive in the first half of this year, with the five-seat variants due a few months later.
The EV6 is Kia's first dedicated battery electric vehicle
Kia EV6
Kia’s will debut its dedicated electric platform early this year in the form of the EV6 SUV. The platform is shared with Hyundai’s Ioniq 5, though Kia has adopted a more conventional look than its stablemate.
Equipment details are yet to be released , though Kia has confirmed the vehicle will be available in base, GT-Line and GT versions.
Buyers can choose from rear or all-wheel-drive variants, both being powered by the “long-range” 77.4kWh battery pack.
The top-spec dual-motor, all-wheel-drive EV6 GT is good for 430kW and 740Nm and a 0-100km/h time of just 3.5 seconds. Expect that version to come close to six figures.
Mercedes-Benz EQE
If you can afford the projected $150,000 cost, Mercedes is wheeling out an E-Class sized electric sedan late next year. The Mercedes-Benz EQE comes with some impressive tricks, from a 55-inch “Hyperscreen” display across the entire facia of the car to a driving range of more than 600km.
The EQE350 is powered by a 215kW/530Nm electric motor driving the rear wheels. A 90kWh battery pack built provides between 545km and 660km of range and is capable of accepting a 170kW recharging rate, which should see the car fully charged in just over 30 minutes.
Nissan Z
The Z isn’t expected to arrive until the back end of 2022 but it will be cause for celebrations when it does. The two-seat sports car replaces the venerable 370Z and, while pricing has yet to be announced, is tipped to cost more than $70,000.
A 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 sends 298kW and 475Nm to the rear wheels through either a six-speed manual gearbox or nine-speed automatic transmission. A mechanical limited-slip diff is standard fit.
Interior niceties include an eight-inch infotainment screen, heated seats and a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display with three modes to match the driving mood (Normal, Enhanced and Sport).
Range Rover
The arrival of a new Rangie is always well received, even if most buyers will never tap the luxury SUVs profoundly good off-road abilities.
This time around the British marque will have a hybrid version on offer, pairing a six-cylinder petrol engine with a 105kW motor and a 38.2kWh battery pack that is good for up to 100km of electrified driving.
If you have to ask the price, you can’t afford to shop for one. For the record, they start at $220,200 and climb as high as $304,700.
Subaru WRX
The WRX epitomised affordable performance sedans when it launched in 1992. The fifth generation of the iconic all-wheel-drive sedan will arrive mid-year. There’s still the signature boxer engine but displacement is up to 2.4 litres producing 202kW and 350Nm. Buyers will have the choice of a six-speed manual gearbox or a continuously variable auto transmission.
Inside there’s there an 11.6-inch infotainment screen with inbuilt satnav and Android Auto/Apple CarPlay connectivity.
Subaru says this version has 28 per cent more torsional rigidity than the previous model and revised suspension geometry and components for reduced body roll and improved handling. Adaptive dampers and a mechanical centre diff will be available on high-end variants.
Toyota Corolla Cross
The Toyota Corolla Cross is tipped to land in the second half of 2022 and will showcase the latest version of the company’s hybrid powertrain.
The vehicle’s dimensions position it between the C-HR and RAV4 and it will be sold in front and all-wheel-drive versions.
Toyota says the lithium-ion battery pack system is more powerful and 40 per cent lighter than before.
The front-wheel drive 2.0 litre hybrid powertrain generates 146kW, delivering 0-100km/h acceleration in 8.1 seconds.
The AWD version adds a 30.6kW electric motor to the rear axle, which automatically engages in low-grip conditions.
Volkswagen Caddy California
COVID-19 restrictions have eased but most Australians are still wary of jumping on a plane and flying overseas. That’s why caravan and campervan sales have soared and Volkswagen has set up camp to satisfy the domestic travel demand with the arrival of the Caddy California.
Built off the Caddy Maxi people-mover variant, the California is powered by a 90kW/320Nm diesel engine hooked up to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
The vehicle is fitted out with a pair of folding seats that convert to a double bed, window curtains and flyscreens for the driver and front passenger windows, along with a fold-out table and a pair of chairs.
The Caddy California follows last year’s launch of the Multivan California. VW was allocated 150 of the $100,000 vehicles, and sold out before they’d hit our shores.
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