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The Advertiser
3 days ago
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
How Hyundai Australia's new boss plans to reverse Korean brand's sales slide
Hyundai Australia has a new boss – Don Romano – and his mission is simple: turn the brand's fortunes around amid an onslaught of new challenger brands and the looming threat of federal emissions regulations. Mr Romano turned down retirement to join the local arm of Hyundai as the first-ever non-Korean CEO seven weeks ago, after successfully heading up Hyundai Canada for 11 years. By his own admission, he has faced a multitude of challenges in his roles elsewhere, but none quite compare to what he's up against Down Under. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. In 2025, auto brands in Australia have to contend with a saturated market containing no fewer than 60 separate brands – dozens more than you'll find in other major markets – with many more to come. Hyundai was among the nation's top brands until a few years ago, selling in excess of 100,000 vehicles between 2014 and 2016, before its sales declined to about 75,000 in 2023 and then 71,664 in 2024, placing it sixth on the league ladder behind Toyota (241,296 sales), Ford (100,170), Mazda (95,987), sister brand Kia (81,787), and Mitsubishi (74,547). Additionally, this year marks the start of the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), which includes a set of stringent emissions targets designed to reduce the carbon footprint of Australia's new vehicle market. Those factors, in combination with a host of other economic pressure points, render Australia a difficult place to do business according to Mr Romano. "There's nothing quite like it – you're talking 70 brands, whereas the markets I've worked in have had anywhere from 20 to 30 brands," said Mr Romano. "So we definitely have a unique challenge here that we don't see in other markets. I think the challenge is greater, but you also have a few brands that are very dominant here, more dominant here than they are in other markets. They're more dominant even though you have more brands, which is very unusual to me. "So the question is, how do you build a brand that can future proof itself sustainably against an onslaught of new entries?" "When it comes to NVES, there's going to be a lot of brands that are going to start falling apart because they're burying their heads in the sand." Mr Romano joins Hyundai Australia at an important juncture for the automaker, after annual sales declined by 4.7 per cent last year. Plans to reverse the trend include an injection of marketing investment, expansion of the model lineup, and a renewed focus on dealer engagement. Mr Romano will oversee the launch of several key models in the coming months and years, including the Inster compact electric vehicle (EV), the Ioniq 9 large electric SUV, and the next-generation Palisade large SUV and Nexo fuel-cell vehicle. Speaking with the media at the launch of the Inster, Hyundai's smallest and cheapest EV so far, Mr Romano said he planned to stop the sales decline and "not to go right up to 100,000, but to start growing again". "I'm not going to commit to any number other than growth – we're not going to go backwards," he said. "We've been going back for five, six years and we need to turn that corner. We're going to do it this year, and we're going to start going the other way sustainably and cautiously, through good brand management and ultimately new products." However, Mr Romano said the required sales growth wouldn't come from new battery-electric like the Inster and Ioniq 9 alone. EVs accounted for just 3.7 per cent of Hyundai's Australian sales last year, with a total of 2665 sales across its Kona, Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 lines. The clock is ticking for Mr Romano, who expects to hold the Korean brand's local CEO role for no more than three years before transitioning towards retirement. "We need to future-proof our business, and that's why I'm here," he told CarExpert. MORE: Everything Hyundai Content originally sourced from: Hyundai Australia has a new boss – Don Romano – and his mission is simple: turn the brand's fortunes around amid an onslaught of new challenger brands and the looming threat of federal emissions regulations. Mr Romano turned down retirement to join the local arm of Hyundai as the first-ever non-Korean CEO seven weeks ago, after successfully heading up Hyundai Canada for 11 years. By his own admission, he has faced a multitude of challenges in his roles elsewhere, but none quite compare to what he's up against Down Under. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. In 2025, auto brands in Australia have to contend with a saturated market containing no fewer than 60 separate brands – dozens more than you'll find in other major markets – with many more to come. Hyundai was among the nation's top brands until a few years ago, selling in excess of 100,000 vehicles between 2014 and 2016, before its sales declined to about 75,000 in 2023 and then 71,664 in 2024, placing it sixth on the league ladder behind Toyota (241,296 sales), Ford (100,170), Mazda (95,987), sister brand Kia (81,787), and Mitsubishi (74,547). Additionally, this year marks the start of the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), which includes a set of stringent emissions targets designed to reduce the carbon footprint of Australia's new vehicle market. Those factors, in combination with a host of other economic pressure points, render Australia a difficult place to do business according to Mr Romano. "There's nothing quite like it – you're talking 70 brands, whereas the markets I've worked in have had anywhere from 20 to 30 brands," said Mr Romano. "So we definitely have a unique challenge here that we don't see in other markets. I think the challenge is greater, but you also have a few brands that are very dominant here, more dominant here than they are in other markets. They're more dominant even though you have more brands, which is very unusual to me. "So the question is, how do you build a brand that can future proof itself sustainably against an onslaught of new entries?" "When it comes to NVES, there's going to be a lot of brands that are going to start falling apart because they're burying their heads in the sand." Mr Romano joins Hyundai Australia at an important juncture for the automaker, after annual sales declined by 4.7 per cent last year. Plans to reverse the trend include an injection of marketing investment, expansion of the model lineup, and a renewed focus on dealer engagement. Mr Romano will oversee the launch of several key models in the coming months and years, including the Inster compact electric vehicle (EV), the Ioniq 9 large electric SUV, and the next-generation Palisade large SUV and Nexo fuel-cell vehicle. Speaking with the media at the launch of the Inster, Hyundai's smallest and cheapest EV so far, Mr Romano said he planned to stop the sales decline and "not to go right up to 100,000, but to start growing again". "I'm not going to commit to any number other than growth – we're not going to go backwards," he said. "We've been going back for five, six years and we need to turn that corner. We're going to do it this year, and we're going to start going the other way sustainably and cautiously, through good brand management and ultimately new products." However, Mr Romano said the required sales growth wouldn't come from new battery-electric like the Inster and Ioniq 9 alone. EVs accounted for just 3.7 per cent of Hyundai's Australian sales last year, with a total of 2665 sales across its Kona, Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 lines. The clock is ticking for Mr Romano, who expects to hold the Korean brand's local CEO role for no more than three years before transitioning towards retirement. "We need to future-proof our business, and that's why I'm here," he told CarExpert. MORE: Everything Hyundai Content originally sourced from: Hyundai Australia has a new boss – Don Romano – and his mission is simple: turn the brand's fortunes around amid an onslaught of new challenger brands and the looming threat of federal emissions regulations. Mr Romano turned down retirement to join the local arm of Hyundai as the first-ever non-Korean CEO seven weeks ago, after successfully heading up Hyundai Canada for 11 years. By his own admission, he has faced a multitude of challenges in his roles elsewhere, but none quite compare to what he's up against Down Under. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. In 2025, auto brands in Australia have to contend with a saturated market containing no fewer than 60 separate brands – dozens more than you'll find in other major markets – with many more to come. Hyundai was among the nation's top brands until a few years ago, selling in excess of 100,000 vehicles between 2014 and 2016, before its sales declined to about 75,000 in 2023 and then 71,664 in 2024, placing it sixth on the league ladder behind Toyota (241,296 sales), Ford (100,170), Mazda (95,987), sister brand Kia (81,787), and Mitsubishi (74,547). Additionally, this year marks the start of the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), which includes a set of stringent emissions targets designed to reduce the carbon footprint of Australia's new vehicle market. Those factors, in combination with a host of other economic pressure points, render Australia a difficult place to do business according to Mr Romano. "There's nothing quite like it – you're talking 70 brands, whereas the markets I've worked in have had anywhere from 20 to 30 brands," said Mr Romano. "So we definitely have a unique challenge here that we don't see in other markets. I think the challenge is greater, but you also have a few brands that are very dominant here, more dominant here than they are in other markets. They're more dominant even though you have more brands, which is very unusual to me. "So the question is, how do you build a brand that can future proof itself sustainably against an onslaught of new entries?" "When it comes to NVES, there's going to be a lot of brands that are going to start falling apart because they're burying their heads in the sand." Mr Romano joins Hyundai Australia at an important juncture for the automaker, after annual sales declined by 4.7 per cent last year. Plans to reverse the trend include an injection of marketing investment, expansion of the model lineup, and a renewed focus on dealer engagement. Mr Romano will oversee the launch of several key models in the coming months and years, including the Inster compact electric vehicle (EV), the Ioniq 9 large electric SUV, and the next-generation Palisade large SUV and Nexo fuel-cell vehicle. Speaking with the media at the launch of the Inster, Hyundai's smallest and cheapest EV so far, Mr Romano said he planned to stop the sales decline and "not to go right up to 100,000, but to start growing again". "I'm not going to commit to any number other than growth – we're not going to go backwards," he said. "We've been going back for five, six years and we need to turn that corner. We're going to do it this year, and we're going to start going the other way sustainably and cautiously, through good brand management and ultimately new products." However, Mr Romano said the required sales growth wouldn't come from new battery-electric like the Inster and Ioniq 9 alone. EVs accounted for just 3.7 per cent of Hyundai's Australian sales last year, with a total of 2665 sales across its Kona, Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 lines. The clock is ticking for Mr Romano, who expects to hold the Korean brand's local CEO role for no more than three years before transitioning towards retirement. "We need to future-proof our business, and that's why I'm here," he told CarExpert. MORE: Everything Hyundai Content originally sourced from: Hyundai Australia has a new boss – Don Romano – and his mission is simple: turn the brand's fortunes around amid an onslaught of new challenger brands and the looming threat of federal emissions regulations. Mr Romano turned down retirement to join the local arm of Hyundai as the first-ever non-Korean CEO seven weeks ago, after successfully heading up Hyundai Canada for 11 years. By his own admission, he has faced a multitude of challenges in his roles elsewhere, but none quite compare to what he's up against Down Under. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. In 2025, auto brands in Australia have to contend with a saturated market containing no fewer than 60 separate brands – dozens more than you'll find in other major markets – with many more to come. Hyundai was among the nation's top brands until a few years ago, selling in excess of 100,000 vehicles between 2014 and 2016, before its sales declined to about 75,000 in 2023 and then 71,664 in 2024, placing it sixth on the league ladder behind Toyota (241,296 sales), Ford (100,170), Mazda (95,987), sister brand Kia (81,787), and Mitsubishi (74,547). Additionally, this year marks the start of the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), which includes a set of stringent emissions targets designed to reduce the carbon footprint of Australia's new vehicle market. Those factors, in combination with a host of other economic pressure points, render Australia a difficult place to do business according to Mr Romano. "There's nothing quite like it – you're talking 70 brands, whereas the markets I've worked in have had anywhere from 20 to 30 brands," said Mr Romano. "So we definitely have a unique challenge here that we don't see in other markets. I think the challenge is greater, but you also have a few brands that are very dominant here, more dominant here than they are in other markets. They're more dominant even though you have more brands, which is very unusual to me. "So the question is, how do you build a brand that can future proof itself sustainably against an onslaught of new entries?" "When it comes to NVES, there's going to be a lot of brands that are going to start falling apart because they're burying their heads in the sand." Mr Romano joins Hyundai Australia at an important juncture for the automaker, after annual sales declined by 4.7 per cent last year. Plans to reverse the trend include an injection of marketing investment, expansion of the model lineup, and a renewed focus on dealer engagement. Mr Romano will oversee the launch of several key models in the coming months and years, including the Inster compact electric vehicle (EV), the Ioniq 9 large electric SUV, and the next-generation Palisade large SUV and Nexo fuel-cell vehicle. Speaking with the media at the launch of the Inster, Hyundai's smallest and cheapest EV so far, Mr Romano said he planned to stop the sales decline and "not to go right up to 100,000, but to start growing again". "I'm not going to commit to any number other than growth – we're not going to go backwards," he said. "We've been going back for five, six years and we need to turn that corner. We're going to do it this year, and we're going to start going the other way sustainably and cautiously, through good brand management and ultimately new products." However, Mr Romano said the required sales growth wouldn't come from new battery-electric like the Inster and Ioniq 9 alone. EVs accounted for just 3.7 per cent of Hyundai's Australian sales last year, with a total of 2665 sales across its Kona, Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 lines. The clock is ticking for Mr Romano, who expects to hold the Korean brand's local CEO role for no more than three years before transitioning towards retirement. "We need to future-proof our business, and that's why I'm here," he told CarExpert. MORE: Everything Hyundai Content originally sourced from:
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Perth Now
How Hyundai Australia's new boss plans to reverse Korean brand's sales slide
Hyundai Australia has a new boss – Don Romano – and his mission is simple: turn the brand's fortunes around amid an onslaught of new challenger brands and the looming threat of federal emissions regulations. Mr Romano turned down retirement to join the local arm of Hyundai as the first-ever non-Korean CEO seven weeks ago, after successfully heading up Hyundai Canada for 11 years. By his own admission, he has faced a multitude of challenges in his roles elsewhere, but none quite compare to what he's up against Down Under. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Current Hyundai models Credit: CarExpert In 2025, auto brands in Australia have to contend with a saturated market containing no fewer than 60 separate brands – dozens more than you'll find in other major markets – with many more to come. Hyundai was among the nation's top brands until a few years ago, selling in excess of 100,000 vehicles between 2014 and 2016, before its sales declined to about 75,000 in 2023 and then 71,664 in 2024, placing it sixth on the league ladder behind Toyota (241,296 sales), Ford (100,170), Mazda (95,987), sister brand Kia (81,787), and Mitsubishi (74,547). Additionally, this year marks the start of the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), which includes a set of stringent emissions targets designed to reduce the carbon footprint of Australia's new vehicle market. 2026 Hyundai Palisade Credit: CarExpert Those factors, in combination with a host of other economic pressure points, render Australia a difficult place to do business according to Mr Romano. 'There's nothing quite like it – you're talking 70 brands, whereas the markets I've worked in have had anywhere from 20 to 30 brands,' said Mr Romano. 'So we definitely have a unique challenge here that we don't see in other markets. I think the challenge is greater, but you also have a few brands that are very dominant here, more dominant here than they are in other markets. They're more dominant even though you have more brands, which is very unusual to me. 2026 Hyundai Nexo Credit: CarExpert 'So the question is, how do you build a brand that can future proof itself sustainably against an onslaught of new entries?' 'When it comes to NVES, there's going to be a lot of brands that are going to start falling apart because they're burying their heads in the sand.' Mr Romano joins Hyundai Australia at an important juncture for the automaker, after annual sales declined by 4.7 per cent last year. Plans to reverse the trend include an injection of marketing investment, expansion of the model lineup, and a renewed focus on dealer engagement. 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 9 Credit: CarExpert Mr Romano will oversee the launch of several key models in the coming months and years, including the Inster compact electric vehicle (EV), the Ioniq 9 large electric SUV, and the next-generation Palisade large SUV and Nexo fuel-cell vehicle. Speaking with the media at the launch of the Inster, Hyundai's smallest and cheapest EV so far, Mr Romano said he planned to stop the sales decline and 'not to go right up to 100,000, but to start growing again'. 'I'm not going to commit to any number other than growth – we're not going to go backwards,' he said. 'We've been going back for five, six years and we need to turn that corner. We're going to do it this year, and we're going to start going the other way sustainably and cautiously, through good brand management and ultimately new products.' 2025 Hyundai Inster Credit: CarExpert However, Mr Romano said the required sales growth wouldn't come from new battery-electric like the Inster and Ioniq 9 alone. EVs accounted for just 3.7 per cent of Hyundai's Australian sales last year, with a total of 2665 sales across its Kona, Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 lines. The clock is ticking for Mr Romano, who expects to hold the Korean brand's local CEO role for no more than three years before transitioning towards retirement. 'We need to future-proof our business, and that's why I'm here,' he told CarExpert. MORE: Everything Hyundai
7NEWS
3 days ago
- Automotive
- 7NEWS
How Hyundai Australia's new boss plans to reverse Korean brand's sales slide
Hyundai Australia has a new boss – Don Romano – and his mission is simple: turn the brand's fortunes around amid an onslaught of new challenger brands and the looming threat of federal emissions regulations. Mr Romano turned down retirement to join the local arm of Hyundai as the first-ever non-Korean CEO seven weeks ago, after successfully heading up Hyundai Canada for 11 years. By his own admission, he has faced a multitude of challenges in his roles elsewhere, but none quite compare to what he's up against Down Under. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. In 2025, auto brands in Australia have to contend with a saturated market containing no fewer than 60 separate brands – dozens more than you'll find in other major markets – with many more to come. Hyundai was among the nation's top brands until a few years ago, selling in excess of 100,000 vehicles between 2014 and 2016, before its sales declined to about 75,000 in 2023 and then 71,664 in 2024, placing it sixth on the league ladder behind Toyota (241,296 sales), Ford (100,170), Mazda (95,987), sister brand Kia (81,787), and Mitsubishi (74,547). Additionally, this year marks the start of the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), which includes a set of stringent emissions targets designed to reduce the carbon footprint of Australia's new vehicle market. Those factors, in combination with a host of other economic pressure points, render Australia a difficult place to do business according to Mr Romano. 'There's nothing quite like it – you're talking 70 brands, whereas the markets I've worked in have had anywhere from 20 to 30 brands,' said Mr Romano. 'So we definitely have a unique challenge here that we don't see in other markets. I think the challenge is greater, but you also have a few brands that are very dominant here, more dominant here than they are in other markets. They're more dominant even though you have more brands, which is very unusual to me. 'So the question is, how do you build a brand that can future proof itself sustainably against an onslaught of new entries?' 'When it comes to NVES, there's going to be a lot of brands that are going to start falling apart because they're burying their heads in the sand.' Mr Romano joins Hyundai Australia at an important juncture for the automaker, after annual sales declined by 4.7 per cent last year. Plans to reverse the trend include an injection of marketing investment, expansion of the model lineup, and a renewed focus on dealer engagement. Mr Romano will oversee the launch of several key models in the coming months and years, including the Inster compact electric vehicle (EV), the Ioniq 9 large electric SUV, and the next-generation Palisade large SUV and Nexo fuel-cell vehicle. Speaking with the media at the launch of the Inster, Hyundai's smallest and cheapest EV so far, Mr Romano said he planned to stop the sales decline and 'not to go right up to 100,000, but to start growing again'. 'I'm not going to commit to any number other than growth – we're not going to go backwards,' he said. 'We've been going back for five, six years and we need to turn that corner. We're going to do it this year, and we're going to start going the other way sustainably and cautiously, through good brand management and ultimately new products.' However, Mr Romano said the required sales growth wouldn't come from new battery-electric like the Inster and Ioniq 9 alone. EVs accounted for just 3.7 per cent of Hyundai's Australian sales last year, with a total of 2665 sales across its Kona, Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 lines. The clock is ticking for Mr Romano, who expects to hold the Korean brand's local CEO role for no more than three years before transitioning towards retirement. 'We need to future-proof our business, and that's why I'm here,' he told CarExpert.
Canberra Times
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Canberra Times
Australia's Luxury Car Tax could be removed gradually
But the proposed abolition of the LCT has been met with criticism from at least one of Labor's opponents, on the basis the government would be removing a tax from more expensive vehicles while also getting ready to impose penalties on brands that sell more popular, higher-emitting vehicles such as utes and SUVs as part of its New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES).
The Advertiser
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
How emissions laws finally forced Nissan Australia to launch another EV
Nissan's local boss has admitted the company held off on launching the Ariya mid-size electric SUV until new emissions laws were introduced. Speaking to media including CarExpert at the Nissan Casting Australia Plant in Victoria, Nissan Oceania boss Andrew Humberstone explained the NVES [New Vehicle Efficiency Standard] played a key factor in the timing of the Ariya to local shores. It's due during the second half of 2025. "For me – when's the right time to bring that car [Ariya] in?" Mr Humberstone said. "I've delayed that [the introduction of Ariya] as much as I could in terms of saying, 'Do I really need to bring in that car yet?'. There comes a point when absolutely you have to offset that from effectively an NVES perspective." 100s of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. "For me it was a conscious decision – you've got to decide when you put your foot on the gas, so to speak." The Ariya was unveiled in July 2020 before production kicked off in October 2021, making its scheduled arrival in Australia later this year, much later than many other markets. The NVES was introduced on January 1, 2025 and sees progressively stricter emission regulations over the next five years for car manufacturers, with failure to meet them resulting in fines being issued. The enforcement of the fines does not come into effect until July 1, 2025. Emissions are calculated as a fleet average across a brand's entire lineup, which means the Ariya's zero tailpine emissions can help offset the Patrol four-wheel drive and Navara ute. Record sales of the V8 Nissan Patrol in Australia came after it was announced the off-roader would follow the rival Toyota LandCruiser by dropping V8 power. The next-generation Y63 Patrol will use a twin-turbocharged six-cylinder petrol engine when it hits showrooms in 2026. "So we've got to manage that and offset that not just with hybrid technology … and our e-Power space, but actually also look at the fully electric and say 'When's the right time to bring it in'?" said Mr Humberstone. Other automakers such as Kia have also said electric models enable petrol/diesel-engine volume sellers – such as the highly anticipated diesel-powered Kia Tasman dual-cab ute – a place in local showrooms under the NVES rules. Pressed if NVES was the reason for the later introduction of Ariya to Australia, Humberstone replied: "Largely, yes." "Because … if you look at our curve of Patrol sales – it's going up and up over 8000 [sales per month] – you've got the new one coming, so there's a massive demand for the [existing] eight-cylinder in the market," he added. "It starts to get to a point when we say, in terms of where NVES is, 'at what stage are we bound to introduce the electrification to offset those?'." Would the Ariya be coming to Australia without the introduction of NVES? "I wouldn't say the car wouldn't be here," Mr Humberstone said. "I'd just say, is the infrastructure? Is the market ready for it? And it depends at what price. We've just had to deal with tariffs from the US [where the Nissan Pathfinder SUV is sourced] we've had to deal with foreign exchange. "You've got to build your business around success, and when you can see the writing on the wall, you need to be strategic." MORE: Everything Nissan Ariya Content originally sourced from: Nissan's local boss has admitted the company held off on launching the Ariya mid-size electric SUV until new emissions laws were introduced. Speaking to media including CarExpert at the Nissan Casting Australia Plant in Victoria, Nissan Oceania boss Andrew Humberstone explained the NVES [New Vehicle Efficiency Standard] played a key factor in the timing of the Ariya to local shores. It's due during the second half of 2025. "For me – when's the right time to bring that car [Ariya] in?" Mr Humberstone said. "I've delayed that [the introduction of Ariya] as much as I could in terms of saying, 'Do I really need to bring in that car yet?'. There comes a point when absolutely you have to offset that from effectively an NVES perspective." 100s of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. "For me it was a conscious decision – you've got to decide when you put your foot on the gas, so to speak." The Ariya was unveiled in July 2020 before production kicked off in October 2021, making its scheduled arrival in Australia later this year, much later than many other markets. The NVES was introduced on January 1, 2025 and sees progressively stricter emission regulations over the next five years for car manufacturers, with failure to meet them resulting in fines being issued. The enforcement of the fines does not come into effect until July 1, 2025. Emissions are calculated as a fleet average across a brand's entire lineup, which means the Ariya's zero tailpine emissions can help offset the Patrol four-wheel drive and Navara ute. Record sales of the V8 Nissan Patrol in Australia came after it was announced the off-roader would follow the rival Toyota LandCruiser by dropping V8 power. The next-generation Y63 Patrol will use a twin-turbocharged six-cylinder petrol engine when it hits showrooms in 2026. "So we've got to manage that and offset that not just with hybrid technology … and our e-Power space, but actually also look at the fully electric and say 'When's the right time to bring it in'?" said Mr Humberstone. Other automakers such as Kia have also said electric models enable petrol/diesel-engine volume sellers – such as the highly anticipated diesel-powered Kia Tasman dual-cab ute – a place in local showrooms under the NVES rules. Pressed if NVES was the reason for the later introduction of Ariya to Australia, Humberstone replied: "Largely, yes." "Because … if you look at our curve of Patrol sales – it's going up and up over 8000 [sales per month] – you've got the new one coming, so there's a massive demand for the [existing] eight-cylinder in the market," he added. "It starts to get to a point when we say, in terms of where NVES is, 'at what stage are we bound to introduce the electrification to offset those?'." Would the Ariya be coming to Australia without the introduction of NVES? "I wouldn't say the car wouldn't be here," Mr Humberstone said. "I'd just say, is the infrastructure? Is the market ready for it? And it depends at what price. We've just had to deal with tariffs from the US [where the Nissan Pathfinder SUV is sourced] we've had to deal with foreign exchange. "You've got to build your business around success, and when you can see the writing on the wall, you need to be strategic." MORE: Everything Nissan Ariya Content originally sourced from: Nissan's local boss has admitted the company held off on launching the Ariya mid-size electric SUV until new emissions laws were introduced. Speaking to media including CarExpert at the Nissan Casting Australia Plant in Victoria, Nissan Oceania boss Andrew Humberstone explained the NVES [New Vehicle Efficiency Standard] played a key factor in the timing of the Ariya to local shores. It's due during the second half of 2025. "For me – when's the right time to bring that car [Ariya] in?" Mr Humberstone said. "I've delayed that [the introduction of Ariya] as much as I could in terms of saying, 'Do I really need to bring in that car yet?'. There comes a point when absolutely you have to offset that from effectively an NVES perspective." 100s of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. "For me it was a conscious decision – you've got to decide when you put your foot on the gas, so to speak." The Ariya was unveiled in July 2020 before production kicked off in October 2021, making its scheduled arrival in Australia later this year, much later than many other markets. The NVES was introduced on January 1, 2025 and sees progressively stricter emission regulations over the next five years for car manufacturers, with failure to meet them resulting in fines being issued. The enforcement of the fines does not come into effect until July 1, 2025. Emissions are calculated as a fleet average across a brand's entire lineup, which means the Ariya's zero tailpine emissions can help offset the Patrol four-wheel drive and Navara ute. Record sales of the V8 Nissan Patrol in Australia came after it was announced the off-roader would follow the rival Toyota LandCruiser by dropping V8 power. The next-generation Y63 Patrol will use a twin-turbocharged six-cylinder petrol engine when it hits showrooms in 2026. "So we've got to manage that and offset that not just with hybrid technology … and our e-Power space, but actually also look at the fully electric and say 'When's the right time to bring it in'?" said Mr Humberstone. Other automakers such as Kia have also said electric models enable petrol/diesel-engine volume sellers – such as the highly anticipated diesel-powered Kia Tasman dual-cab ute – a place in local showrooms under the NVES rules. Pressed if NVES was the reason for the later introduction of Ariya to Australia, Humberstone replied: "Largely, yes." "Because … if you look at our curve of Patrol sales – it's going up and up over 8000 [sales per month] – you've got the new one coming, so there's a massive demand for the [existing] eight-cylinder in the market," he added. "It starts to get to a point when we say, in terms of where NVES is, 'at what stage are we bound to introduce the electrification to offset those?'." Would the Ariya be coming to Australia without the introduction of NVES? "I wouldn't say the car wouldn't be here," Mr Humberstone said. "I'd just say, is the infrastructure? Is the market ready for it? And it depends at what price. We've just had to deal with tariffs from the US [where the Nissan Pathfinder SUV is sourced] we've had to deal with foreign exchange. "You've got to build your business around success, and when you can see the writing on the wall, you need to be strategic." MORE: Everything Nissan Ariya Content originally sourced from: Nissan's local boss has admitted the company held off on launching the Ariya mid-size electric SUV until new emissions laws were introduced. Speaking to media including CarExpert at the Nissan Casting Australia Plant in Victoria, Nissan Oceania boss Andrew Humberstone explained the NVES [New Vehicle Efficiency Standard] played a key factor in the timing of the Ariya to local shores. It's due during the second half of 2025. "For me – when's the right time to bring that car [Ariya] in?" Mr Humberstone said. "I've delayed that [the introduction of Ariya] as much as I could in terms of saying, 'Do I really need to bring in that car yet?'. There comes a point when absolutely you have to offset that from effectively an NVES perspective." 100s of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. "For me it was a conscious decision – you've got to decide when you put your foot on the gas, so to speak." The Ariya was unveiled in July 2020 before production kicked off in October 2021, making its scheduled arrival in Australia later this year, much later than many other markets. The NVES was introduced on January 1, 2025 and sees progressively stricter emission regulations over the next five years for car manufacturers, with failure to meet them resulting in fines being issued. The enforcement of the fines does not come into effect until July 1, 2025. Emissions are calculated as a fleet average across a brand's entire lineup, which means the Ariya's zero tailpine emissions can help offset the Patrol four-wheel drive and Navara ute. Record sales of the V8 Nissan Patrol in Australia came after it was announced the off-roader would follow the rival Toyota LandCruiser by dropping V8 power. The next-generation Y63 Patrol will use a twin-turbocharged six-cylinder petrol engine when it hits showrooms in 2026. "So we've got to manage that and offset that not just with hybrid technology … and our e-Power space, but actually also look at the fully electric and say 'When's the right time to bring it in'?" said Mr Humberstone. Other automakers such as Kia have also said electric models enable petrol/diesel-engine volume sellers – such as the highly anticipated diesel-powered Kia Tasman dual-cab ute – a place in local showrooms under the NVES rules. Pressed if NVES was the reason for the later introduction of Ariya to Australia, Humberstone replied: "Largely, yes." "Because … if you look at our curve of Patrol sales – it's going up and up over 8000 [sales per month] – you've got the new one coming, so there's a massive demand for the [existing] eight-cylinder in the market," he added. "It starts to get to a point when we say, in terms of where NVES is, 'at what stage are we bound to introduce the electrification to offset those?'." Would the Ariya be coming to Australia without the introduction of NVES? "I wouldn't say the car wouldn't be here," Mr Humberstone said. "I'd just say, is the infrastructure? Is the market ready for it? And it depends at what price. We've just had to deal with tariffs from the US [where the Nissan Pathfinder SUV is sourced] we've had to deal with foreign exchange. "You've got to build your business around success, and when you can see the writing on the wall, you need to be strategic." MORE: Everything Nissan Ariya Content originally sourced from:
