Car news, 02 Apr ’24: Toyota Land Cruiser Prado Hybrid unveiled, Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Cup racecar revealed for new electric race series, and more
Olek Novak
Journalist
Every important car news story breaking today, one convenient read
Thanks for joining us this Tuesday April 2nd 2024. Notably in car news today: Chasing Cars checks out the new Toyota Land Cruiser Prado Hybrid in New York, and Hyundai spins a racecar off the red-hot road-going Ioniq 5 N.
Toyota Land Cruiser Hybrid unveiled at New York Motor Show
Toyotadebuted its surprise Land Cruiser Prado Hybrid that forgoes diesel power for a turbo-petrol four-cylinder hybrid powertrain.
Revealed at the recent New York International Auto Show, the hybrid Prado will adopt the i-Force Max-branded 2.4-litre powertrain, with outputs reportedly 243kW and 630Nm is some regions’ tunes.
Toyota has debuted the hybrid variant of its new Land Cruiser Prado
It has been confirmed to Chasing Cars that the Prado Hybrid will be coming to Australia ‘in time’ though it’s not expected to debut in conjunction with the diesel version set to launch in the coming months (mid-year).
The fifth-gen Prado’s 150kW/500Nm 2.8L diesel all-wheel-drive lineup will launch in Australia in GX, GXL, VX, Kakadu and off-road focused Altitude variants.
Toyota Land Cruiser Prado Hybrid spotted. Would you choose the 243kW (326hp) turbo petrol electric I-Force Max over the 150kW diesel? #toyota#landcruiser#prado
Hyundai has pulled the covers off its Ioniq 5 N eN1 Cup racecar at one of the marque’s recent N Festival events in Korea.
Developed for a new electric eN1 race category, the track-only Cup version of the roadcar outputs 478kW combined using 166kW front and 282kW rear electric motors.
Hyundai has revealed its Ioniq 5 N Cup electric racecar
Using an 84kWh battery, the 400v/800v multi-charging infrastructure is said to yield a 10-80-percent charge in up to 18 minutes for the 1970kg racer.
A redesigned bodykit, overfenders, high-downforce aero, adjustable suspension, slick rubber, and user customisable N Active Sound technology all feature in the bespoke racing machine.
Kia Tasman ute interior spied
New spy pics have surfaced online giving a further preview of the interior of Kia’s highly anticipated Tasman ute.
Published by South Korean YouTube channel Healer TV, the latest images include a look at both the first and second row interior design of the chunky new dual-cab ute which is expected to launch in Australia next year.
Spy pics have surfaced online of the Kia Tasman’s ute interior (Image credit: Healer TV)
Though much of the front row is covered up, a front door, seats and rear of the front centre console are visible, revealing half-cloth/half-leather – or perhaps faux leather – trim and A-pillar grab handles.
The images are the latest in a long-running and slow reveal following a teaser campaign launched on Australia media last month, with exclusive details on the new ute published by Chasing Cars not long before that.
Toyota could consider EV/PHEV Tacoma and Tundra
Toyota has said that it is considering expanding its US pick-up lineup with electric and plug-in hybrid iterations of its Tacoma and Tundra models.
Speaking with America’s CNBC, Toyota North America executive vice president Jack Hollis said the brand is considering electrified options with regard to the aforementioned pickups based on factors such as customer demand and emissions regulations.
Toyota has said it is considering BEV and PHEV iterations of its Tundra pickup
As well as confirming that the brand is “in the evaluation of both” BEV and PHEV formats, Hollis added: “I do think there’s room to grow our entire truck footprint. Whether it be Tundra, Tacoma or something else in addition to the lineup”.
While the Tacoma is not sold in Australia, 300 Tundras are currently undergoing testing as part of a conditional lease with selected customers locally before the vehicle is expected to go on sale in 2025.
GWM Tank 500 2024 reviewed
Chasing Cars contributor Daniel Gardner first drive of the 2024 GWM Tank 500 was published, giving us our first look at the brand’s next shot at the premium SUV category.
Gardner praised several aspects of the Tank 500 such as solid ride quality, spacious cabin, generous equipment and seven-year warranty and roadside assistance.
Chasing Cars has published its first review of the GWM Tank 500
However, Gardner also noted a few areas of improvement, including the occasional clunky transition between the petrol-electric hybrid system, an over-zealousness to some of the driver assistance systems, as well the fact that too many controls were buried in the touchscreen menu, amongst other areas for improvement.
While Gardner noted key areas for improvement, he found that the value-packed new player did deserve consideration in the competitive seven-seat market.
