Honda revives sporty name from the past for first model on new EV platform
Instead of being a sporting-ish three-door coupe, the new RSX is a high-riding five-door SUV with an 'expressive coupe-like silhouette'.
Scheduled to make its in-the-flesh debut at Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance this weekend, the RSX Prototype is in true Honda fashion a very thinly disguised version of the production vehicle, with the wing mirror design likely the only change. Supplied Credit: CarExpert
It will be the first production model based on Honda's new in-house EV platform, and will be manufactured in the company's Ohio factory. Sales of the new RSX will begin in the second half of 2026.
According to Acura, the production RSX will have a dual-motor all-wheel drive system, double wishbone front suspension, and Brembo brakes as standard. No word yet on outputs, performance figures, battery capacities, or range.
It will also feature the company's new Asimo OS that controls not only the infotainment system, but also driver assistance, autonomous driving, and basic hardware functions.
Likened to a smartphone operating system — not to mention OSes in other brands, such as Tesla and Rivian — Asimo OS supports over-the-air updates, high levels of driver customisation, connected services, and machine learning to adapt to the driver's entertainment and driving preferences. Supplied Credit: CarExpert
The RSX is the second model name Acura has brought back from the dead for an electric SUV; the ZDX holds the honour of being the first.
While the second-generation ZDX stayed true to the coupe SUV silhouette of the original, it and the closely related Honda Prologue are actually Honda designs on top of GM's BEV3 platform. Both not only use GM's EV technology, but are built by the General.
Acura began mining its nameplate history in 2022 when it released the Integra liftback, basically a lightly restyled Honda Civic equipped with its most powerful engines. Supplied Credit: CarExpert
Sold for just one generation from 2002, the original RSX (above) was a rebranded fourth-generation Integra. Unlike the Integra, which was available in both three- and five-door liftback guises, the RSX only ever came with three doors.
When it departed the scene in 2006, it became the last-ever non-NSX coupe from the brand, and ended the brand's opening era where it deliberately courted young enthusiasts.
The shift from Integra to RSX came at the tail end of the marque's dumping of its original model names: Legend for RL, Vigor for TL, and Integra for RSX. The shift to letters was reportedly due to a desire to focus owners' affections on the overall marque rather than individual models.
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Honda Australia currently sells only five models – the small Civic hatchback, the mid-size Accord sedan, and the HR-V small SUV and ZR-V and CR-V mid-size SUVs – but it recently outlines a future product plan including the release of more hybrid powertrain options for its best-selling CR-V lineup to tackle the top-selling, hybrid-only Toyota RAV4. It also confirmed the born-again Honda Prelude sports car – with a hybrid powertrain – for Australian release in 2026, when it will also launch its first electric vehicle (EV). While Mr Thorp and Mr Joseph confirmed the company is keen on the Honda 0 Series range of EVs for Australia, they cautioned that the 0 Series (and the Prelude) won't be volume-sellers. Instead, the Honda Australia leadership team pointed to hybrid-powered mid-size SUVs, specifically the CR-V, as its biggest growth potential. "We know that the CR-V is the best vehicle in this segment – the CR-V hybrid is the absolute best vehicle in the segment in terms of driving performance and versatility, and the overall value proposition," Mr Joseph said. "When we look at how we take care of the customer after the sale – low-cost servicing, resale value – when you look at all of that together, aside from the fact it's the best driving vehicle in its segment… if it's the best vehicle in its segment, why wouldn't it be the best-selling vehicle in that segment? "I think that's the starting point. We look at those things and then if we can make the adjustments that can be the best-selling vehicle in the segment."That's our potential. That's how we look at that – and that's what we should achieve." To July this year the CR-V has notched up 3592 sales (down 11.2 per cent year-on-year), while the RAV4 – Toyota Australia's top-selling model and the nation's favourite SUV in 2024 – found 28,449 new homes (down 9.2 per cent). MORE: Explore the Honda showroom Content originally sourced from: Honda says it's not a 'volume brand', but it's not using its upmarket status as a reason not to grow sales in Australia, where it says the CR-V has the potential to topple the Toyota RAV4 from its throne. The Japanese brand's local sales in the first seven months of 2025 have put Honda on target to sell more than 15,000 vehicles this year, which would would be its best result since adopting a controversial agency sales strategy in the middle of 2021, a year in which it sold 17,562 vehicles. But that's still a far cry from its pre-COVID days when it consistently sold more than 40,000 vehicles annually, including a peak of over 60,000 sales in 2007. While the switch to agency sales, which introduced fixed drive-away prices nationally and ownership of vehicles by Honda rather than its dealers, came with a lower annual sales forecast of around 18,000 vehicles, Honda Australia is still to reach that number. However, under the new leadership of CEO Jay Joseph and managing director Rob Thorp, both of whom took up their respective positions in April 2025, Honda says it has no intention to become a volume brand once again. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new Honda. Click here to get a great deal. "We've earned this niche of not just being a mainstream brand that's just selling volume on price, but because of the inherent qualities and tech innate qualities of our products," Mr Joseph told CarExpert. "We've earned a spot where there are premium mainstream products. Honda is not trying to reposition itself as a volume brand – that is not our aspiration – but as far as the space we occupy here, we don't behave like a volume brand because we don't need to, because our value proposition is not just the product and not just the price, but it's how we take care of customers. "[But] Don't get me wrong – we have volume potential." Mr Joseph spoke of "aggressive" sales growth for the brand, but – while many auto brands including new Chinese entrants publicly state their sales forecasts and even their desired rank on the Australian sales charts – Honda will not. "We're not putting a number on it, but we're quite ambitious with our growth plan," Mr Thorp told CarExpert. "We think we've got a current product portfolio, plus a range of models that we're able to bring to market that's going to give us the opportunity to extract more growth out of this brand, and particularly the growth I think it deserves. "It all comes down to our ability to execute on the quality of the product that we're going to have access to – that becomes the challenge in the current environment." Honda Australia currently sells only five models – the small Civic hatchback, the mid-size Accord sedan, and the HR-V small SUV and ZR-V and CR-V mid-size SUVs – but it recently outlines a future product plan including the release of more hybrid powertrain options for its best-selling CR-V lineup to tackle the top-selling, hybrid-only Toyota RAV4. It also confirmed the born-again Honda Prelude sports car – with a hybrid powertrain – for Australian release in 2026, when it will also launch its first electric vehicle (EV). While Mr Thorp and Mr Joseph confirmed the company is keen on the Honda 0 Series range of EVs for Australia, they cautioned that the 0 Series (and the Prelude) won't be volume-sellers. Instead, the Honda Australia leadership team pointed to hybrid-powered mid-size SUVs, specifically the CR-V, as its biggest growth potential. "We know that the CR-V is the best vehicle in this segment – the CR-V hybrid is the absolute best vehicle in the segment in terms of driving performance and versatility, and the overall value proposition," Mr Joseph said. "When we look at how we take care of the customer after the sale – low-cost servicing, resale value – when you look at all of that together, aside from the fact it's the best driving vehicle in its segment… if it's the best vehicle in its segment, why wouldn't it be the best-selling vehicle in that segment? "I think that's the starting point. We look at those things and then if we can make the adjustments that can be the best-selling vehicle in the segment."That's our potential. That's how we look at that – and that's what we should achieve." To July this year the CR-V has notched up 3592 sales (down 11.2 per cent year-on-year), while the RAV4 – Toyota Australia's top-selling model and the nation's favourite SUV in 2024 – found 28,449 new homes (down 9.2 per cent). MORE: Explore the Honda showroom Content originally sourced from: Honda says it's not a 'volume brand', but it's not using its upmarket status as a reason not to grow sales in Australia, where it says the CR-V has the potential to topple the Toyota RAV4 from its throne. The Japanese brand's local sales in the first seven months of 2025 have put Honda on target to sell more than 15,000 vehicles this year, which would would be its best result since adopting a controversial agency sales strategy in the middle of 2021, a year in which it sold 17,562 vehicles. But that's still a far cry from its pre-COVID days when it consistently sold more than 40,000 vehicles annually, including a peak of over 60,000 sales in 2007. While the switch to agency sales, which introduced fixed drive-away prices nationally and ownership of vehicles by Honda rather than its dealers, came with a lower annual sales forecast of around 18,000 vehicles, Honda Australia is still to reach that number. However, under the new leadership of CEO Jay Joseph and managing director Rob Thorp, both of whom took up their respective positions in April 2025, Honda says it has no intention to become a volume brand once again. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new Honda. Click here to get a great deal. "We've earned this niche of not just being a mainstream brand that's just selling volume on price, but because of the inherent qualities and tech innate qualities of our products," Mr Joseph told CarExpert. "We've earned a spot where there are premium mainstream products. Honda is not trying to reposition itself as a volume brand – that is not our aspiration – but as far as the space we occupy here, we don't behave like a volume brand because we don't need to, because our value proposition is not just the product and not just the price, but it's how we take care of customers. "[But] Don't get me wrong – we have volume potential." Mr Joseph spoke of "aggressive" sales growth for the brand, but – while many auto brands including new Chinese entrants publicly state their sales forecasts and even their desired rank on the Australian sales charts – Honda will not. "We're not putting a number on it, but we're quite ambitious with our growth plan," Mr Thorp told CarExpert. "We think we've got a current product portfolio, plus a range of models that we're able to bring to market that's going to give us the opportunity to extract more growth out of this brand, and particularly the growth I think it deserves. "It all comes down to our ability to execute on the quality of the product that we're going to have access to – that becomes the challenge in the current environment." Honda Australia currently sells only five models – the small Civic hatchback, the mid-size Accord sedan, and the HR-V small SUV and ZR-V and CR-V mid-size SUVs – but it recently outlines a future product plan including the release of more hybrid powertrain options for its best-selling CR-V lineup to tackle the top-selling, hybrid-only Toyota RAV4. It also confirmed the born-again Honda Prelude sports car – with a hybrid powertrain – for Australian release in 2026, when it will also launch its first electric vehicle (EV). While Mr Thorp and Mr Joseph confirmed the company is keen on the Honda 0 Series range of EVs for Australia, they cautioned that the 0 Series (and the Prelude) won't be volume-sellers. Instead, the Honda Australia leadership team pointed to hybrid-powered mid-size SUVs, specifically the CR-V, as its biggest growth potential. "We know that the CR-V is the best vehicle in this segment – the CR-V hybrid is the absolute best vehicle in the segment in terms of driving performance and versatility, and the overall value proposition," Mr Joseph said. "When we look at how we take care of the customer after the sale – low-cost servicing, resale value – when you look at all of that together, aside from the fact it's the best driving vehicle in its segment… if it's the best vehicle in its segment, why wouldn't it be the best-selling vehicle in that segment? "I think that's the starting point. We look at those things and then if we can make the adjustments that can be the best-selling vehicle in the segment."That's our potential. That's how we look at that – and that's what we should achieve." To July this year the CR-V has notched up 3592 sales (down 11.2 per cent year-on-year), while the RAV4 – Toyota Australia's top-selling model and the nation's favourite SUV in 2024 – found 28,449 new homes (down 9.2 per cent). MORE: Explore the Honda showroom Content originally sourced from:
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Indeed, the first wave of Chinese brands from 2009 into the 2010s saw various brands come but eventually go, including JMC and ZX Auto. That wave also included the first attempts in the Australian market by Chery and Geely, both of which left but have re-entered this decade with factory-backed operations. And as Mr Dillon notes, some Chinese brands have even failed or appear close to death in their own market, including HiPhi, Hycan and Weltmeister, and the Evergrande Group-owned Hengchi. The latest deluge of Chinese brands into Australia has far surpassed that of this earlier era in our market's, however. In 2023, Chery returned to the Australian market to join existing existing players BYD, GWM and MG. Above (clockwise from left): Geely EX5, GAC GS3 Emzoom, Leapmotor C10, Chery Tiggo 4 Leapmotor, Deepal, JAC, Xpeng and Zeekr followed in 2024, with Geely and Omoda Jaecoo commencing deliveries this year, and Foton soon to give it another crack after having previously exited our market. GAC is also set to enter the Australian market this year, and even more brands are expected to come. That will see well over 60 brands competing for a market that, compared to more populous nations like the US, is small fry – around 1.2 million vehicles were sold here last year. Almost all of the new brands entering our market come from China, with automakers from that nation eager to enter the fray here. They're doing so in many cases not only to eke out a share of the Australian market, but also to use our market as a test bed for other markets (as Chery has confirmed) and to help bolster their global presence – something particularly crucial as competition among Chinese brands in their home market becomes ever more brutal. They're also typically coming here with sharp pricing that undercuts established brands from Japan, South Korea and other countries. Many of those Chinese brands "undoubtedly" pose a threat to legacy brands like Suzuki, said Mr Dillon. "The legislation's almost leaning towards them, isn't it?" he added, referring to the federal government's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) emissions scheme, which he argued was poorly thought-out. "When you see if the NVES has the impact that it probably will have, does that mean everything else other than the Chinese stuff starts getting more expensive? "It doesn't mean that over the next two years there's going to be a dip in the national sales of cars. Do we go from 1.1 million to a number less than that, once the shock of price increases? "That said, looking at the recent VFACTS, some of their brands are certainly rapidly increasing in volume but the overall Chinese share of the national market isn't increasing that quickly I don't think. "There are still some people that prefer to stay with a legacy brand." Sales of vehicles built in China were up by 8.6 per cent in 2024, after having overtaken sales of Korean-built cars in 2022. But while brands like BYD and Chery have soared, overall sales growth for Chinese-built cars isn't as impressive as it was in 2023, when their sales increased by 57.5 per cent, or in 2022 when they rose by 61 per cent. And since 2021, Suzuki has managed to maintain a total share of our market of between 1.4 and 2.0 per cent, though this year it may struggle thanks to interrupted supply of key vehicles like the Jimny. Suzuki finished 16th overall in our market in 2024 with 21,278 deliveries, finishing behind Chinese brands MG (seventh place, 50,592 deliveries) and GWM (10th, 42,782 deliveries) and just ahead of BYD (17th, 20,458 deliveries). So far this year, Suzuki is behind all three of those brands, plus Chery. It's sitting at 9653 deliveries, down 21 per cent year-to-date, while Chery has overtaken it with 17,272 deliveries, up 235.2 per cent. Moving forward, Suzuki will also need to keep an eye on rapid risers like Geely in its rear-view mirror, while new entrants like GAC will be competing in some of the same segments as the Japanese brand. Suzuki Australia, which manages the sale and distribution of Suzuki vehicles everywhere in Australia bar Queensland and the Northern Rivers region of NSW, says it won't start a price war with purveyors of affordable Chinese vehicles. "We offer products that are good value for money that can be applicable to most buyer types around the world. And that's part of Suzuki's philosophy: to produce a car for everybody," Suzuki Australia general manager Michael Pachota told CarExpert. "With that said, there's no compromise ever on quality, so you get what you pay for. "With respect to that, I don't think it's a race to the lowest price if a competitor is down there. It's based on producing a vehicle that's right for the consumer, and it's a quality product without any compromise. "We own our lane. We're good in it. We're the small-car specialists, and we deliver – and I keep saying it – undeniably reliable, quality product." MORE: Australia's new emissions regulations are poorly thought out, says local car brand boss MORE: Suzuki Australia won't start price war with Chinese rivals Content originally sourced from: The boss of Suzuki Motor Corporation's distributor in Queensland and northern New South Wales predicts some automotive brands will withdraw from the Australian market, including some of the newer Chinese entrants. "I think there'll definitely be brands that don't make it [in Australia]. I think there'll be brands in China that won't last – they're cutting each other's throats over there at the moment already," the general manager of Suzuki Auto Co, Paul Dillon, told CarExpert. "If you talk to [Pitcher Partners automotive analyst] Steve Bragg, somebody like that in that part of the industry, their advice to dealers is just to be very careful about which Chinese brands they take on and spend money developing their dealership for. Are they going to be there in the future? "We've already seen Chinese brands come in and go previously." CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Indeed, the first wave of Chinese brands from 2009 into the 2010s saw various brands come but eventually go, including JMC and ZX Auto. That wave also included the first attempts in the Australian market by Chery and Geely, both of which left but have re-entered this decade with factory-backed operations. And as Mr Dillon notes, some Chinese brands have even failed or appear close to death in their own market, including HiPhi, Hycan and Weltmeister, and the Evergrande Group-owned Hengchi. The latest deluge of Chinese brands into Australia has far surpassed that of this earlier era in our market's, however. In 2023, Chery returned to the Australian market to join existing existing players BYD, GWM and MG. Above (clockwise from left): Geely EX5, GAC GS3 Emzoom, Leapmotor C10, Chery Tiggo 4 Leapmotor, Deepal, JAC, Xpeng and Zeekr followed in 2024, with Geely and Omoda Jaecoo commencing deliveries this year, and Foton soon to give it another crack after having previously exited our market. GAC is also set to enter the Australian market this year, and even more brands are expected to come. That will see well over 60 brands competing for a market that, compared to more populous nations like the US, is small fry – around 1.2 million vehicles were sold here last year. Almost all of the new brands entering our market come from China, with automakers from that nation eager to enter the fray here. They're doing so in many cases not only to eke out a share of the Australian market, but also to use our market as a test bed for other markets (as Chery has confirmed) and to help bolster their global presence – something particularly crucial as competition among Chinese brands in their home market becomes ever more brutal. They're also typically coming here with sharp pricing that undercuts established brands from Japan, South Korea and other countries. Many of those Chinese brands "undoubtedly" pose a threat to legacy brands like Suzuki, said Mr Dillon. "The legislation's almost leaning towards them, isn't it?" he added, referring to the federal government's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) emissions scheme, which he argued was poorly thought-out. "When you see if the NVES has the impact that it probably will have, does that mean everything else other than the Chinese stuff starts getting more expensive? "It doesn't mean that over the next two years there's going to be a dip in the national sales of cars. Do we go from 1.1 million to a number less than that, once the shock of price increases? "That said, looking at the recent VFACTS, some of their brands are certainly rapidly increasing in volume but the overall Chinese share of the national market isn't increasing that quickly I don't think. "There are still some people that prefer to stay with a legacy brand." Sales of vehicles built in China were up by 8.6 per cent in 2024, after having overtaken sales of Korean-built cars in 2022. But while brands like BYD and Chery have soared, overall sales growth for Chinese-built cars isn't as impressive as it was in 2023, when their sales increased by 57.5 per cent, or in 2022 when they rose by 61 per cent. And since 2021, Suzuki has managed to maintain a total share of our market of between 1.4 and 2.0 per cent, though this year it may struggle thanks to interrupted supply of key vehicles like the Jimny. Suzuki finished 16th overall in our market in 2024 with 21,278 deliveries, finishing behind Chinese brands MG (seventh place, 50,592 deliveries) and GWM (10th, 42,782 deliveries) and just ahead of BYD (17th, 20,458 deliveries). So far this year, Suzuki is behind all three of those brands, plus Chery. It's sitting at 9653 deliveries, down 21 per cent year-to-date, while Chery has overtaken it with 17,272 deliveries, up 235.2 per cent. Moving forward, Suzuki will also need to keep an eye on rapid risers like Geely in its rear-view mirror, while new entrants like GAC will be competing in some of the same segments as the Japanese brand. Suzuki Australia, which manages the sale and distribution of Suzuki vehicles everywhere in Australia bar Queensland and the Northern Rivers region of NSW, says it won't start a price war with purveyors of affordable Chinese vehicles. "We offer products that are good value for money that can be applicable to most buyer types around the world. And that's part of Suzuki's philosophy: to produce a car for everybody," Suzuki Australia general manager Michael Pachota told CarExpert. "With that said, there's no compromise ever on quality, so you get what you pay for. "With respect to that, I don't think it's a race to the lowest price if a competitor is down there. It's based on producing a vehicle that's right for the consumer, and it's a quality product without any compromise. "We own our lane. We're good in it. We're the small-car specialists, and we deliver – and I keep saying it – undeniably reliable, quality product." MORE: Australia's new emissions regulations are poorly thought out, says local car brand boss MORE: Suzuki Australia won't start price war with Chinese rivals Content originally sourced from: The boss of Suzuki Motor Corporation's distributor in Queensland and northern New South Wales predicts some automotive brands will withdraw from the Australian market, including some of the newer Chinese entrants. "I think there'll definitely be brands that don't make it [in Australia]. I think there'll be brands in China that won't last – they're cutting each other's throats over there at the moment already," the general manager of Suzuki Auto Co, Paul Dillon, told CarExpert. "If you talk to [Pitcher Partners automotive analyst] Steve Bragg, somebody like that in that part of the industry, their advice to dealers is just to be very careful about which Chinese brands they take on and spend money developing their dealership for. Are they going to be there in the future? "We've already seen Chinese brands come in and go previously." CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Indeed, the first wave of Chinese brands from 2009 into the 2010s saw various brands come but eventually go, including JMC and ZX Auto. That wave also included the first attempts in the Australian market by Chery and Geely, both of which left but have re-entered this decade with factory-backed operations. And as Mr Dillon notes, some Chinese brands have even failed or appear close to death in their own market, including HiPhi, Hycan and Weltmeister, and the Evergrande Group-owned Hengchi. The latest deluge of Chinese brands into Australia has far surpassed that of this earlier era in our market's, however. In 2023, Chery returned to the Australian market to join existing existing players BYD, GWM and MG. Above (clockwise from left): Geely EX5, GAC GS3 Emzoom, Leapmotor C10, Chery Tiggo 4 Leapmotor, Deepal, JAC, Xpeng and Zeekr followed in 2024, with Geely and Omoda Jaecoo commencing deliveries this year, and Foton soon to give it another crack after having previously exited our market. GAC is also set to enter the Australian market this year, and even more brands are expected to come. That will see well over 60 brands competing for a market that, compared to more populous nations like the US, is small fry – around 1.2 million vehicles were sold here last year. Almost all of the new brands entering our market come from China, with automakers from that nation eager to enter the fray here. They're doing so in many cases not only to eke out a share of the Australian market, but also to use our market as a test bed for other markets (as Chery has confirmed) and to help bolster their global presence – something particularly crucial as competition among Chinese brands in their home market becomes ever more brutal. They're also typically coming here with sharp pricing that undercuts established brands from Japan, South Korea and other countries. Many of those Chinese brands "undoubtedly" pose a threat to legacy brands like Suzuki, said Mr Dillon. "The legislation's almost leaning towards them, isn't it?" he added, referring to the federal government's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) emissions scheme, which he argued was poorly thought-out. "When you see if the NVES has the impact that it probably will have, does that mean everything else other than the Chinese stuff starts getting more expensive? "It doesn't mean that over the next two years there's going to be a dip in the national sales of cars. Do we go from 1.1 million to a number less than that, once the shock of price increases? "That said, looking at the recent VFACTS, some of their brands are certainly rapidly increasing in volume but the overall Chinese share of the national market isn't increasing that quickly I don't think. "There are still some people that prefer to stay with a legacy brand." Sales of vehicles built in China were up by 8.6 per cent in 2024, after having overtaken sales of Korean-built cars in 2022. But while brands like BYD and Chery have soared, overall sales growth for Chinese-built cars isn't as impressive as it was in 2023, when their sales increased by 57.5 per cent, or in 2022 when they rose by 61 per cent. And since 2021, Suzuki has managed to maintain a total share of our market of between 1.4 and 2.0 per cent, though this year it may struggle thanks to interrupted supply of key vehicles like the Jimny. Suzuki finished 16th overall in our market in 2024 with 21,278 deliveries, finishing behind Chinese brands MG (seventh place, 50,592 deliveries) and GWM (10th, 42,782 deliveries) and just ahead of BYD (17th, 20,458 deliveries). So far this year, Suzuki is behind all three of those brands, plus Chery. It's sitting at 9653 deliveries, down 21 per cent year-to-date, while Chery has overtaken it with 17,272 deliveries, up 235.2 per cent. Moving forward, Suzuki will also need to keep an eye on rapid risers like Geely in its rear-view mirror, while new entrants like GAC will be competing in some of the same segments as the Japanese brand. Suzuki Australia, which manages the sale and distribution of Suzuki vehicles everywhere in Australia bar Queensland and the Northern Rivers region of NSW, says it won't start a price war with purveyors of affordable Chinese vehicles. "We offer products that are good value for money that can be applicable to most buyer types around the world. And that's part of Suzuki's philosophy: to produce a car for everybody," Suzuki Australia general manager Michael Pachota told CarExpert. "With that said, there's no compromise ever on quality, so you get what you pay for. "With respect to that, I don't think it's a race to the lowest price if a competitor is down there. It's based on producing a vehicle that's right for the consumer, and it's a quality product without any compromise. "We own our lane. We're good in it. We're the small-car specialists, and we deliver – and I keep saying it – undeniably reliable, quality product." MORE: Australia's new emissions regulations are poorly thought out, says local car brand boss MORE: Suzuki Australia won't start price war with Chinese rivals Content originally sourced from: The boss of Suzuki Motor Corporation's distributor in Queensland and northern New South Wales predicts some automotive brands will withdraw from the Australian market, including some of the newer Chinese entrants. "I think there'll definitely be brands that don't make it [in Australia]. I think there'll be brands in China that won't last – they're cutting each other's throats over there at the moment already," the general manager of Suzuki Auto Co, Paul Dillon, told CarExpert. "If you talk to [Pitcher Partners automotive analyst] Steve Bragg, somebody like that in that part of the industry, their advice to dealers is just to be very careful about which Chinese brands they take on and spend money developing their dealership for. Are they going to be there in the future? "We've already seen Chinese brands come in and go previously." CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Indeed, the first wave of Chinese brands from 2009 into the 2010s saw various brands come but eventually go, including JMC and ZX Auto. That wave also included the first attempts in the Australian market by Chery and Geely, both of which left but have re-entered this decade with factory-backed operations. And as Mr Dillon notes, some Chinese brands have even failed or appear close to death in their own market, including HiPhi, Hycan and Weltmeister, and the Evergrande Group-owned Hengchi. The latest deluge of Chinese brands into Australia has far surpassed that of this earlier era in our market's, however. In 2023, Chery returned to the Australian market to join existing existing players BYD, GWM and MG. Above (clockwise from left): Geely EX5, GAC GS3 Emzoom, Leapmotor C10, Chery Tiggo 4 Leapmotor, Deepal, JAC, Xpeng and Zeekr followed in 2024, with Geely and Omoda Jaecoo commencing deliveries this year, and Foton soon to give it another crack after having previously exited our market. GAC is also set to enter the Australian market this year, and even more brands are expected to come. That will see well over 60 brands competing for a market that, compared to more populous nations like the US, is small fry – around 1.2 million vehicles were sold here last year. Almost all of the new brands entering our market come from China, with automakers from that nation eager to enter the fray here. They're doing so in many cases not only to eke out a share of the Australian market, but also to use our market as a test bed for other markets (as Chery has confirmed) and to help bolster their global presence – something particularly crucial as competition among Chinese brands in their home market becomes ever more brutal. They're also typically coming here with sharp pricing that undercuts established brands from Japan, South Korea and other countries. Many of those Chinese brands "undoubtedly" pose a threat to legacy brands like Suzuki, said Mr Dillon. "The legislation's almost leaning towards them, isn't it?" he added, referring to the federal government's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) emissions scheme, which he argued was poorly thought-out. "When you see if the NVES has the impact that it probably will have, does that mean everything else other than the Chinese stuff starts getting more expensive? "It doesn't mean that over the next two years there's going to be a dip in the national sales of cars. Do we go from 1.1 million to a number less than that, once the shock of price increases? "That said, looking at the recent VFACTS, some of their brands are certainly rapidly increasing in volume but the overall Chinese share of the national market isn't increasing that quickly I don't think. "There are still some people that prefer to stay with a legacy brand." Sales of vehicles built in China were up by 8.6 per cent in 2024, after having overtaken sales of Korean-built cars in 2022. But while brands like BYD and Chery have soared, overall sales growth for Chinese-built cars isn't as impressive as it was in 2023, when their sales increased by 57.5 per cent, or in 2022 when they rose by 61 per cent. And since 2021, Suzuki has managed to maintain a total share of our market of between 1.4 and 2.0 per cent, though this year it may struggle thanks to interrupted supply of key vehicles like the Jimny. Suzuki finished 16th overall in our market in 2024 with 21,278 deliveries, finishing behind Chinese brands MG (seventh place, 50,592 deliveries) and GWM (10th, 42,782 deliveries) and just ahead of BYD (17th, 20,458 deliveries). So far this year, Suzuki is behind all three of those brands, plus Chery. It's sitting at 9653 deliveries, down 21 per cent year-to-date, while Chery has overtaken it with 17,272 deliveries, up 235.2 per cent. Moving forward, Suzuki will also need to keep an eye on rapid risers like Geely in its rear-view mirror, while new entrants like GAC will be competing in some of the same segments as the Japanese brand. Suzuki Australia, which manages the sale and distribution of Suzuki vehicles everywhere in Australia bar Queensland and the Northern Rivers region of NSW, says it won't start a price war with purveyors of affordable Chinese vehicles. "We offer products that are good value for money that can be applicable to most buyer types around the world. And that's part of Suzuki's philosophy: to produce a car for everybody," Suzuki Australia general manager Michael Pachota told CarExpert. "With that said, there's no compromise ever on quality, so you get what you pay for. "With respect to that, I don't think it's a race to the lowest price if a competitor is down there. It's based on producing a vehicle that's right for the consumer, and it's a quality product without any compromise. "We own our lane. We're good in it. We're the small-car specialists, and we deliver – and I keep saying it – undeniably reliable, quality product." MORE: Australia's new emissions regulations are poorly thought out, says local car brand boss MORE: Suzuki Australia won't start price war with Chinese rivals Content originally sourced from:
