Car news today, 3rd March ’25: Kia electric car offensive, quirky Cybertruck-like ute confirmed, VW delivers on EV promise and BYD Shark 6 gets top safety marks

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Thanks for joining us on Monday March 3rd. Kia revealed its electric van and cut-price EV2, new Chinese brand confirms quirky ute, Volkswagen delivers on price promise and the BYD Shark swims through ANCAP safety testing with five stars.

Browse this issue:

• Kia’s electric car offensive continues
• New Chinese brand’s quirky ‘ute’ confirmed
• Volkswagen’s Tesla Model Y rival priced
• Full safety marks for BYD Shark 6 plug-in hybrid
• MU-X gets a makeover: 2025 Isuzu MU-X review

Kia’s electric car offensive continues

• Kia has shown off its cut-price EV2 hatchback and potentially revolutionary PV5 electric van. The future production version of the EV2 is headed to Europe but an Australian launch is unlikely due to the brand sourcing production from Slovakia. 

• The PV5 is on Kia’s wish-list but is not confirmed for our market. Various configurations including cargo van, people mover and more will be available and Kia looks to revolutionise the configurability of commercial vehicles. Pricing looks sharp in the UK, where it’s parity with a diesel Ford Transit. 

New Chinese brand’s quirky ‘ute’ confirmed 

• Have you ever wanted the comfy interior of a five-seat SUV fused with the practicality of a ute? Well, Deepal might have just what you want. Meet the genre-bending E07, with a tray-like boot and sliding glass roof. 

• Stats are pretty convincing, the E07 punching out up to 440kW and 645Nm in twin-motor EV guise. A 90kWh battery pack should allow for 520km driving range (WLTP combined).

• Also coming this year is S05, which is a more conventional and smaller sibling of the S07 coupe-like SUV. Single and twin motor models are available overseas. Expect an even cheaper price for the 4.6-metre long SUV. Sub $50K? It’s likely. 

Volkswagen’s Tesla Model Y rival priced

• A price shock in a good way, Volkswagen has delivered on its promise of bringing an electric family car in at price parity with petrol. The 210kW rear-drive ID.4 Pro starts at $59,990 before on-road costs, $600 less than a Tiguan 162TSI R-Line. 

• Standard kit is pretty extensive, including adaptive Matrix LED headlights, 19-inch alloy wheels, a 12.9-inch multimedia touchscreen, glass roof and more. 

• A flagship GTX variant with 250kW is available in the ID.5 coupe-like body style. Sales start in mid-2025 and more variants join in July. 

Full safety marks for BYD Shark 6 plug-in hybrid

• The BYD Shark 6 plug-in hybrid ute has been awarded five stars in ANCAP safety testing. 

• Both child and adult occupant protection in the event of a crash was generally praised by the independent safety testing body, as were most of the safety assist features. The Shark was knocked down a few points due to poor compatibility with other vehicles. 

MU-X gets a makeover: 2025 Isuzu MU-X review

• Contributor Iain Curry takes a look at the new Isuzu MU-X range which has been facelifted, revised and given a new X-Terrain flagship off-roader. 

• Iain praised the X-Terrain’s tougher looks, while the rest of the range has improved on-road manners and driver-assist features. Off-road capability remains very much intact. 

• Less impressive is the engine, missing equipment in the top trims and a price hike. Better than Prado and Everest? A comparison will be needed to find out. 

The next issue of Car News Today will be published on Tuesday 4th February at 4.30pm Sydney time.