Verstappen set to stay in driver's seat with Red Bull
Team adviser Helmut Marko said on Monday (Tuesday AEST) that the four-time defending F1 champion would return to the team in 2026, despite reported interest from Mercedes.
A widely reported exit clause in Verstappen's Red Bull contract would have allowed him to leave the team at year's end if he were fourth or lower in the championship standings as of the Hungarian Grand Prix, which takes place this Sunday.
After Australian Oscar Piastri's victory at the the Belgian Grand Prix last Sunday, Verstappen sits in third place in the standings and far enough ahead of fourth-placed George Russell (28 points) that he cannot be caught in Hungary.
The understanding of Verstappen's situation was confirmed when Marko spoke to German outlet Sport.De.
"Yes, I can confirm that Max Verstappen will drive for Red Bull in 2026," Marko said.
Mercedes' cars are currently occupied by Russell and potential rising star Kimi Antonelli, but team boss Toto Wolff has not denied looking into pursuing Verstappen, the most successful F1 driver since his first championship in 2021.
This month, Red Bull abruptly dismissed team principal Christian Horner and replaced him with Laurent Mekies.
Verstappen's agent told a Dutch outlet at the time that Verstappen remained committed to the team despite the change.
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7NEWS
an hour ago
- 7NEWS
Statement issued after Formula One star Max Verstappen throws towel from car at Hungarian Grand Prix
Lando Norris completed an impressive practice double over his McLaren teammate and championship rival Oscar Piastri at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Friday. Norris trails Piastri by 16 points heading into Sunday's round at the Hungaroring - the final race before the summer break. But the British driver laid down an early marker in the first running of the weekend when he beat Piastri to top spot by just 0.019 seconds. He then extended his advantage to 0.291 seconds in the day's concluding session. Norris' world championship bid suffered a setback at last weekend's rain-hit Belgian Grand Prix when Piastri overtook him on the first racing lap and went on to claim a comfortable win. Piastri is happy to be back in Hungary where he enjoyed his breakthrough F1 victory last year. The 24-year-old Melburnian has developed into a genuine title contender over the last year and said on Thursday: 'I have a lot of confidence in myself that I can do it. 'The pace in the last few weekends, especially (Belgium), I've been very confident in and very proud of. I'm more than capable of continuing that for the rest of the year.' However, it was Norris - never previously out-qualified by a teammate in six visits to the Hungaroring - who stole an early advantage with an impressive performance on Friday at a circuit he has declared among his favourites on the calendar. There was one moment of concern for Norris when he ran wide at the final turn. But he managed to retake control of his McLaren, and survived without ending up in the wall. Charles Leclerc finished third for Ferrari, four-tenths off the pace, but three places clear of team-mate Lewis Hamilton. In the first session, Hamilton complained his car didn't 'feel good', and ran off the road at the first corner following a major lock-up. He was then beaten by both Aston Martin drivers in the second running. Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso were fourth and fifth respectively - the latter returning to his cockpit after he missed the opening session with a back injury - while George Russell ended the running in seventh. Max Verstappen, who ended speculation on Thursday that he could leave Red Bull at the end of the year, finished a distant 14th in practice, more than 1.1 seconds slower than Norris. Red Bull were then reprimanded for a bizarre incident involving a face towel which Verstappen threw out of his car and on to the track. The four-times world champion was summoned after the second session at the Hungaroring as stewards reviewed the video evidence. 'Shortly after Car 1 was released from its garage, the driver of Car 1 (Verstappen) was observed to have thrown a towel out of the cockpit,' they said in a statement. 'The driver explained that while in the garage, the face towel had slipped from his lap to the side of the seat and the team was unaware that it remained in the cockpit. 'When the driver realised it was there, he moved to the far right of the track and attempted to throw it as far away from the car and the track as possible.' The towel landed on the asphalt, however, and remained there to the end of the session. The stewards accepted that the towel was more dangerous inside the car than out, with the potential to become lodged in the footwell and interfere with Verstappen's ability to control the car fully. They also ruled that Red Bull had therefore released the car in an unsafe condition, although less serious than leaving a hard object in the cockpit.
The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Australia's road toll hits 15-year high
New figures showing Australia's road toll reached a 15-year high in the 12 months to June 2025 is more evidence that the National Road Safety Strategy has failed, according to the country's peak motoring body. The AAA's quarterly Benchmarking the Progress of the National Road Safety Strategy (2021-30) report shows that 1329 people have died on Australian roads in the year to June 30, and that no state or territory is on track to meet its target of halving fatalities by 2030. In fact, rather than reducing the road toll by 50 per cent, the strategy agreed to by all Australian governments in 2021 led to a 21.1 per cent increase in road fatalities over the following four years, with road deaths up 3.3 per cent in the year to June 2025, and at their highest level for any year-to-June period since 2010. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. "Our National Road Safety Strategy is clearly not working as planned and governments cannot expect to get better results by pursuing the same failed approach," said Michael Bradley, the managing director of the Australian Automobile Association (AAA), which represents the state-based motoring clubs and their 9.5 million members. At a time when many Australian states and territories are raking in record revenue from speed camera fines following routine increases in penalties, the AAA's most recent Benchmarking Report shows almost all states and territories posted an increase in road deaths in the past 12 months (except for South Australia and the Northern Territory). It shows there were 192 pedestrian deaths in the year to June – up 15 per cent from 167 in the 12 months to June 2024, when 38 cyclists died (up 11.8 per cent) and fatalities among motorcyclists fell by 5.4 per cent to 264. The Northern Territory had the highest rate of deaths per 100,000 residents, at 19.1, followed by Tasmania (8.3), Western Australia (6.1), Queensland (5.3), South Australia (4.4) NSW and Victoria (4.2) and the ACT (1.7). Source: Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics statistics The AAA's Benchmarking Report uses Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE) figures to track the progress of Australian states and territories in meeting their respective targets for reducing road trauma. The organisation has long called on state and federal governments to publish the various road trauma data they collect, in order to "de-politicise road funding and to enable evidence-based safety interventions". In a press release this week, it commended the NSW Government for last weekend releasing the state's previously secret safety ratings of its road networks that have been assessed using the Australian Road Assessment Program (AusRAP). The data showed 71 per cent of NSW roads were rated three out of five stars under AusRAP's road assessment scheme. This scheme rates roads based on analysis of risk factors such as average daily traffic, speed limit, number of lanes in each direction, lane width, shoulder width, presence or absence of roadside barriers and rumble strips, gradient and curvature, quality of line markings, skid resistance, whether the road is single or dual carriageway, and provisions for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. "This national leadership is to be congratulated, and it will save lives by improving transparency, accountability, and by ensuring road investment dollars get spent where they are most needed," said Mr Bradley. "All Australian states and territories use AusRAP to rate the safety of their networks, and the AAA calls on all jurisdictions to follow the lead of the NSW Government and publish all ratings. "The Commonwealth has in recent months begun playing a constructive role, by linking its funding of state roads with the provision of road safety crash data, however, it too needs to do more to publish and analyse the valuable information it is now collecting." Content originally sourced from: New figures showing Australia's road toll reached a 15-year high in the 12 months to June 2025 is more evidence that the National Road Safety Strategy has failed, according to the country's peak motoring body. The AAA's quarterly Benchmarking the Progress of the National Road Safety Strategy (2021-30) report shows that 1329 people have died on Australian roads in the year to June 30, and that no state or territory is on track to meet its target of halving fatalities by 2030. In fact, rather than reducing the road toll by 50 per cent, the strategy agreed to by all Australian governments in 2021 led to a 21.1 per cent increase in road fatalities over the following four years, with road deaths up 3.3 per cent in the year to June 2025, and at their highest level for any year-to-June period since 2010. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. "Our National Road Safety Strategy is clearly not working as planned and governments cannot expect to get better results by pursuing the same failed approach," said Michael Bradley, the managing director of the Australian Automobile Association (AAA), which represents the state-based motoring clubs and their 9.5 million members. At a time when many Australian states and territories are raking in record revenue from speed camera fines following routine increases in penalties, the AAA's most recent Benchmarking Report shows almost all states and territories posted an increase in road deaths in the past 12 months (except for South Australia and the Northern Territory). It shows there were 192 pedestrian deaths in the year to June – up 15 per cent from 167 in the 12 months to June 2024, when 38 cyclists died (up 11.8 per cent) and fatalities among motorcyclists fell by 5.4 per cent to 264. The Northern Territory had the highest rate of deaths per 100,000 residents, at 19.1, followed by Tasmania (8.3), Western Australia (6.1), Queensland (5.3), South Australia (4.4) NSW and Victoria (4.2) and the ACT (1.7). Source: Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics statistics The AAA's Benchmarking Report uses Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE) figures to track the progress of Australian states and territories in meeting their respective targets for reducing road trauma. The organisation has long called on state and federal governments to publish the various road trauma data they collect, in order to "de-politicise road funding and to enable evidence-based safety interventions". In a press release this week, it commended the NSW Government for last weekend releasing the state's previously secret safety ratings of its road networks that have been assessed using the Australian Road Assessment Program (AusRAP). The data showed 71 per cent of NSW roads were rated three out of five stars under AusRAP's road assessment scheme. This scheme rates roads based on analysis of risk factors such as average daily traffic, speed limit, number of lanes in each direction, lane width, shoulder width, presence or absence of roadside barriers and rumble strips, gradient and curvature, quality of line markings, skid resistance, whether the road is single or dual carriageway, and provisions for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. "This national leadership is to be congratulated, and it will save lives by improving transparency, accountability, and by ensuring road investment dollars get spent where they are most needed," said Mr Bradley. "All Australian states and territories use AusRAP to rate the safety of their networks, and the AAA calls on all jurisdictions to follow the lead of the NSW Government and publish all ratings. "The Commonwealth has in recent months begun playing a constructive role, by linking its funding of state roads with the provision of road safety crash data, however, it too needs to do more to publish and analyse the valuable information it is now collecting." Content originally sourced from: New figures showing Australia's road toll reached a 15-year high in the 12 months to June 2025 is more evidence that the National Road Safety Strategy has failed, according to the country's peak motoring body. The AAA's quarterly Benchmarking the Progress of the National Road Safety Strategy (2021-30) report shows that 1329 people have died on Australian roads in the year to June 30, and that no state or territory is on track to meet its target of halving fatalities by 2030. In fact, rather than reducing the road toll by 50 per cent, the strategy agreed to by all Australian governments in 2021 led to a 21.1 per cent increase in road fatalities over the following four years, with road deaths up 3.3 per cent in the year to June 2025, and at their highest level for any year-to-June period since 2010. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. "Our National Road Safety Strategy is clearly not working as planned and governments cannot expect to get better results by pursuing the same failed approach," said Michael Bradley, the managing director of the Australian Automobile Association (AAA), which represents the state-based motoring clubs and their 9.5 million members. At a time when many Australian states and territories are raking in record revenue from speed camera fines following routine increases in penalties, the AAA's most recent Benchmarking Report shows almost all states and territories posted an increase in road deaths in the past 12 months (except for South Australia and the Northern Territory). It shows there were 192 pedestrian deaths in the year to June – up 15 per cent from 167 in the 12 months to June 2024, when 38 cyclists died (up 11.8 per cent) and fatalities among motorcyclists fell by 5.4 per cent to 264. The Northern Territory had the highest rate of deaths per 100,000 residents, at 19.1, followed by Tasmania (8.3), Western Australia (6.1), Queensland (5.3), South Australia (4.4) NSW and Victoria (4.2) and the ACT (1.7). Source: Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics statistics The AAA's Benchmarking Report uses Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE) figures to track the progress of Australian states and territories in meeting their respective targets for reducing road trauma. The organisation has long called on state and federal governments to publish the various road trauma data they collect, in order to "de-politicise road funding and to enable evidence-based safety interventions". In a press release this week, it commended the NSW Government for last weekend releasing the state's previously secret safety ratings of its road networks that have been assessed using the Australian Road Assessment Program (AusRAP). The data showed 71 per cent of NSW roads were rated three out of five stars under AusRAP's road assessment scheme. This scheme rates roads based on analysis of risk factors such as average daily traffic, speed limit, number of lanes in each direction, lane width, shoulder width, presence or absence of roadside barriers and rumble strips, gradient and curvature, quality of line markings, skid resistance, whether the road is single or dual carriageway, and provisions for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. "This national leadership is to be congratulated, and it will save lives by improving transparency, accountability, and by ensuring road investment dollars get spent where they are most needed," said Mr Bradley. "All Australian states and territories use AusRAP to rate the safety of their networks, and the AAA calls on all jurisdictions to follow the lead of the NSW Government and publish all ratings. "The Commonwealth has in recent months begun playing a constructive role, by linking its funding of state roads with the provision of road safety crash data, however, it too needs to do more to publish and analyse the valuable information it is now collecting." Content originally sourced from: New figures showing Australia's road toll reached a 15-year high in the 12 months to June 2025 is more evidence that the National Road Safety Strategy has failed, according to the country's peak motoring body. The AAA's quarterly Benchmarking the Progress of the National Road Safety Strategy (2021-30) report shows that 1329 people have died on Australian roads in the year to June 30, and that no state or territory is on track to meet its target of halving fatalities by 2030. In fact, rather than reducing the road toll by 50 per cent, the strategy agreed to by all Australian governments in 2021 led to a 21.1 per cent increase in road fatalities over the following four years, with road deaths up 3.3 per cent in the year to June 2025, and at their highest level for any year-to-June period since 2010. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. "Our National Road Safety Strategy is clearly not working as planned and governments cannot expect to get better results by pursuing the same failed approach," said Michael Bradley, the managing director of the Australian Automobile Association (AAA), which represents the state-based motoring clubs and their 9.5 million members. At a time when many Australian states and territories are raking in record revenue from speed camera fines following routine increases in penalties, the AAA's most recent Benchmarking Report shows almost all states and territories posted an increase in road deaths in the past 12 months (except for South Australia and the Northern Territory). It shows there were 192 pedestrian deaths in the year to June – up 15 per cent from 167 in the 12 months to June 2024, when 38 cyclists died (up 11.8 per cent) and fatalities among motorcyclists fell by 5.4 per cent to 264. The Northern Territory had the highest rate of deaths per 100,000 residents, at 19.1, followed by Tasmania (8.3), Western Australia (6.1), Queensland (5.3), South Australia (4.4) NSW and Victoria (4.2) and the ACT (1.7). Source: Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics statistics The AAA's Benchmarking Report uses Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE) figures to track the progress of Australian states and territories in meeting their respective targets for reducing road trauma. The organisation has long called on state and federal governments to publish the various road trauma data they collect, in order to "de-politicise road funding and to enable evidence-based safety interventions". In a press release this week, it commended the NSW Government for last weekend releasing the state's previously secret safety ratings of its road networks that have been assessed using the Australian Road Assessment Program (AusRAP). The data showed 71 per cent of NSW roads were rated three out of five stars under AusRAP's road assessment scheme. This scheme rates roads based on analysis of risk factors such as average daily traffic, speed limit, number of lanes in each direction, lane width, shoulder width, presence or absence of roadside barriers and rumble strips, gradient and curvature, quality of line markings, skid resistance, whether the road is single or dual carriageway, and provisions for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. "This national leadership is to be congratulated, and it will save lives by improving transparency, accountability, and by ensuring road investment dollars get spent where they are most needed," said Mr Bradley. "All Australian states and territories use AusRAP to rate the safety of their networks, and the AAA calls on all jurisdictions to follow the lead of the NSW Government and publish all ratings. "The Commonwealth has in recent months begun playing a constructive role, by linking its funding of state roads with the provision of road safety crash data, however, it too needs to do more to publish and analyse the valuable information it is now collecting." Content originally sourced from:
The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Suzuki Australia 'ready' for new emissions regulations
Despite Suzuki's relatively slow rollout of electrified vehicles, the brand's local arm says it's prepared to deal with Australia's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) as it readies additional mild-hybrids and its first electric vehicle (EV). Suzuki, like every other manufacturer operating in Australia, is now obliged to meet set average carbon emissions targets across its fleet each year, or be penalised $100 per g/km of CO2 for every vehicle that exceeds the target. The brand's entire Australian fleet falls into the Type 1 passenger car category, which means each car is subject to a CO2 limit of 141g/km for 2025. This limit will drop to 117g/km in 2026, 92g/km in 2027, and eventually 58g/km in 2029. Though Suzuki's Australian lineup currently features only two mild-hybrids and no EVs, general manager Michael Pachota maintains NVES is simply another regulatory hurdle for the brand to overcome. "We've been here for a long time. We're not going anywhere," he told CarExpert. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. "NVES is just another thing that we have to adapt and evolve our product portfolio to meet. With that said, the Australian consumer will decide." Suzuki's model range in Australia is currently undergoing a revamp after several vehicles fell victim to new safety regulations last year. With its up-to-date cars, Suzuki is, on average, in the clear for 2025 – the Swift Hybrid has maximum claimed emissions of 90g/km of CO2, while the Fronx Hybrid produces 113g/km. Only the Jimny exceeds the target with a minimum of 146g/km across its lineup. The defunct S-Cross, Vitara, and Swift Sport are all on the bubble of the current 141g/km target, while the Ignis is on par with the Fronx Hybrid. Only limited dealer stock of these models remains. The emissions of these vehicles means Suzuki will likely exceed the average fleet-wide CO2 limit in three year's time, which means more efficient models will be required to offset the 'dirtier' ones. These efforts will be bolstered by the Vitara Hybrid – albeit with mild-hybrid or 'strong' hybrid powertrains as-yet unconfirmed – and electric eVitara in early 2026, while Suzuki could look overseas for additional hybrid models. In the UK, Suzuki sells the Across plug-in hybrid (PHEV) – a rebadged version of the outgoing Toyota RAV4 – that produces a claimed 26g/km of CO2. There's also the full-hybrid Swace – a rebadged Toyota Corolla Touring Sports wagon – with claimed emissions of 102g/km. This, in theory, could provide Australian customers with more choice in Suzuki models than ever, and Mr Pachota maintains buyer attitudes will shape the brand's direction beyond its initial plans. "Our plan is quite good, I've gotta say. We're ready for it," he told CarExpert. "As the market changes or there's different conditions in the market with competitors and so forth, and if that actual measurement of NVES changes because it's constantly up in the air, or whatever it may be, we'll adapt and evolve, and we're very prepared to do so." Mr Pachota's confident sentiment is in contrast with recent comments made by Suzuki Queensland – a separate entity in charge of the Sunshine State and New South Wales' Northern Rivers region – general manager Paul Dillon. In a separate CarExpert article published this week, Mr Dillon claimed NVES will boost Chinese brands, raise prices, punish makers of small cars, and end up forcing many buyers to shop for less efficient used cars. "I would say, 'Would you consider a Suzuki to be a reasonably efficient car?'," Mr Dillon told CarExpert. "And to consider that next year there will be penalties on cars like Fronx, for a 1.5-litre hybrid vehicle with [an integrated starter generator], there are still penalties on that car next year." He continued by saying Suzuki Queensland would have to raise the prices of its vehicles if NVES fines begin to stack up – a fate he also expects to befall other non-Chinese carmakers – making cheaper Chinese cars look more appealing. "The legislation's almost leaning towards [Chinese brands], isn't it?" Mr Dillon said. Asked whether the eVitara would be able to offset Suzuki's average CO2 emissions, Mr Dillon says he believes "there will be a small market for EVs". "Unfortunately, I don't think the government fully considered that. I think there's issues with the NVES they haven't fully considered, unless they specifically are out to raise more tax from the consumers." MORE: Australia's new emissions regulations are poorly thought out, says local car brand boss MORE: Suzuki Vitara electric, hybrid SUVs locked in for Australia MORE: What the first federal emission standard means for Aussie car buyers MORE: Everything Suzuki Content originally sourced from: Despite Suzuki's relatively slow rollout of electrified vehicles, the brand's local arm says it's prepared to deal with Australia's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) as it readies additional mild-hybrids and its first electric vehicle (EV). Suzuki, like every other manufacturer operating in Australia, is now obliged to meet set average carbon emissions targets across its fleet each year, or be penalised $100 per g/km of CO2 for every vehicle that exceeds the target. The brand's entire Australian fleet falls into the Type 1 passenger car category, which means each car is subject to a CO2 limit of 141g/km for 2025. This limit will drop to 117g/km in 2026, 92g/km in 2027, and eventually 58g/km in 2029. Though Suzuki's Australian lineup currently features only two mild-hybrids and no EVs, general manager Michael Pachota maintains NVES is simply another regulatory hurdle for the brand to overcome. "We've been here for a long time. We're not going anywhere," he told CarExpert. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. "NVES is just another thing that we have to adapt and evolve our product portfolio to meet. With that said, the Australian consumer will decide." Suzuki's model range in Australia is currently undergoing a revamp after several vehicles fell victim to new safety regulations last year. With its up-to-date cars, Suzuki is, on average, in the clear for 2025 – the Swift Hybrid has maximum claimed emissions of 90g/km of CO2, while the Fronx Hybrid produces 113g/km. Only the Jimny exceeds the target with a minimum of 146g/km across its lineup. The defunct S-Cross, Vitara, and Swift Sport are all on the bubble of the current 141g/km target, while the Ignis is on par with the Fronx Hybrid. Only limited dealer stock of these models remains. The emissions of these vehicles means Suzuki will likely exceed the average fleet-wide CO2 limit in three year's time, which means more efficient models will be required to offset the 'dirtier' ones. These efforts will be bolstered by the Vitara Hybrid – albeit with mild-hybrid or 'strong' hybrid powertrains as-yet unconfirmed – and electric eVitara in early 2026, while Suzuki could look overseas for additional hybrid models. In the UK, Suzuki sells the Across plug-in hybrid (PHEV) – a rebadged version of the outgoing Toyota RAV4 – that produces a claimed 26g/km of CO2. There's also the full-hybrid Swace – a rebadged Toyota Corolla Touring Sports wagon – with claimed emissions of 102g/km. This, in theory, could provide Australian customers with more choice in Suzuki models than ever, and Mr Pachota maintains buyer attitudes will shape the brand's direction beyond its initial plans. "Our plan is quite good, I've gotta say. We're ready for it," he told CarExpert. "As the market changes or there's different conditions in the market with competitors and so forth, and if that actual measurement of NVES changes because it's constantly up in the air, or whatever it may be, we'll adapt and evolve, and we're very prepared to do so." Mr Pachota's confident sentiment is in contrast with recent comments made by Suzuki Queensland – a separate entity in charge of the Sunshine State and New South Wales' Northern Rivers region – general manager Paul Dillon. In a separate CarExpert article published this week, Mr Dillon claimed NVES will boost Chinese brands, raise prices, punish makers of small cars, and end up forcing many buyers to shop for less efficient used cars. "I would say, 'Would you consider a Suzuki to be a reasonably efficient car?'," Mr Dillon told CarExpert. "And to consider that next year there will be penalties on cars like Fronx, for a 1.5-litre hybrid vehicle with [an integrated starter generator], there are still penalties on that car next year." He continued by saying Suzuki Queensland would have to raise the prices of its vehicles if NVES fines begin to stack up – a fate he also expects to befall other non-Chinese carmakers – making cheaper Chinese cars look more appealing. "The legislation's almost leaning towards [Chinese brands], isn't it?" Mr Dillon said. Asked whether the eVitara would be able to offset Suzuki's average CO2 emissions, Mr Dillon says he believes "there will be a small market for EVs". "Unfortunately, I don't think the government fully considered that. I think there's issues with the NVES they haven't fully considered, unless they specifically are out to raise more tax from the consumers." MORE: Australia's new emissions regulations are poorly thought out, says local car brand boss MORE: Suzuki Vitara electric, hybrid SUVs locked in for Australia MORE: What the first federal emission standard means for Aussie car buyers MORE: Everything Suzuki Content originally sourced from: Despite Suzuki's relatively slow rollout of electrified vehicles, the brand's local arm says it's prepared to deal with Australia's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) as it readies additional mild-hybrids and its first electric vehicle (EV). Suzuki, like every other manufacturer operating in Australia, is now obliged to meet set average carbon emissions targets across its fleet each year, or be penalised $100 per g/km of CO2 for every vehicle that exceeds the target. The brand's entire Australian fleet falls into the Type 1 passenger car category, which means each car is subject to a CO2 limit of 141g/km for 2025. This limit will drop to 117g/km in 2026, 92g/km in 2027, and eventually 58g/km in 2029. Though Suzuki's Australian lineup currently features only two mild-hybrids and no EVs, general manager Michael Pachota maintains NVES is simply another regulatory hurdle for the brand to overcome. "We've been here for a long time. We're not going anywhere," he told CarExpert. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. "NVES is just another thing that we have to adapt and evolve our product portfolio to meet. With that said, the Australian consumer will decide." Suzuki's model range in Australia is currently undergoing a revamp after several vehicles fell victim to new safety regulations last year. With its up-to-date cars, Suzuki is, on average, in the clear for 2025 – the Swift Hybrid has maximum claimed emissions of 90g/km of CO2, while the Fronx Hybrid produces 113g/km. Only the Jimny exceeds the target with a minimum of 146g/km across its lineup. The defunct S-Cross, Vitara, and Swift Sport are all on the bubble of the current 141g/km target, while the Ignis is on par with the Fronx Hybrid. Only limited dealer stock of these models remains. The emissions of these vehicles means Suzuki will likely exceed the average fleet-wide CO2 limit in three year's time, which means more efficient models will be required to offset the 'dirtier' ones. These efforts will be bolstered by the Vitara Hybrid – albeit with mild-hybrid or 'strong' hybrid powertrains as-yet unconfirmed – and electric eVitara in early 2026, while Suzuki could look overseas for additional hybrid models. In the UK, Suzuki sells the Across plug-in hybrid (PHEV) – a rebadged version of the outgoing Toyota RAV4 – that produces a claimed 26g/km of CO2. There's also the full-hybrid Swace – a rebadged Toyota Corolla Touring Sports wagon – with claimed emissions of 102g/km. This, in theory, could provide Australian customers with more choice in Suzuki models than ever, and Mr Pachota maintains buyer attitudes will shape the brand's direction beyond its initial plans. "Our plan is quite good, I've gotta say. We're ready for it," he told CarExpert. "As the market changes or there's different conditions in the market with competitors and so forth, and if that actual measurement of NVES changes because it's constantly up in the air, or whatever it may be, we'll adapt and evolve, and we're very prepared to do so." Mr Pachota's confident sentiment is in contrast with recent comments made by Suzuki Queensland – a separate entity in charge of the Sunshine State and New South Wales' Northern Rivers region – general manager Paul Dillon. In a separate CarExpert article published this week, Mr Dillon claimed NVES will boost Chinese brands, raise prices, punish makers of small cars, and end up forcing many buyers to shop for less efficient used cars. "I would say, 'Would you consider a Suzuki to be a reasonably efficient car?'," Mr Dillon told CarExpert. "And to consider that next year there will be penalties on cars like Fronx, for a 1.5-litre hybrid vehicle with [an integrated starter generator], there are still penalties on that car next year." He continued by saying Suzuki Queensland would have to raise the prices of its vehicles if NVES fines begin to stack up – a fate he also expects to befall other non-Chinese carmakers – making cheaper Chinese cars look more appealing. "The legislation's almost leaning towards [Chinese brands], isn't it?" Mr Dillon said. Asked whether the eVitara would be able to offset Suzuki's average CO2 emissions, Mr Dillon says he believes "there will be a small market for EVs". "Unfortunately, I don't think the government fully considered that. I think there's issues with the NVES they haven't fully considered, unless they specifically are out to raise more tax from the consumers." MORE: Australia's new emissions regulations are poorly thought out, says local car brand boss MORE: Suzuki Vitara electric, hybrid SUVs locked in for Australia MORE: What the first federal emission standard means for Aussie car buyers MORE: Everything Suzuki Content originally sourced from: Despite Suzuki's relatively slow rollout of electrified vehicles, the brand's local arm says it's prepared to deal with Australia's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) as it readies additional mild-hybrids and its first electric vehicle (EV). Suzuki, like every other manufacturer operating in Australia, is now obliged to meet set average carbon emissions targets across its fleet each year, or be penalised $100 per g/km of CO2 for every vehicle that exceeds the target. The brand's entire Australian fleet falls into the Type 1 passenger car category, which means each car is subject to a CO2 limit of 141g/km for 2025. This limit will drop to 117g/km in 2026, 92g/km in 2027, and eventually 58g/km in 2029. Though Suzuki's Australian lineup currently features only two mild-hybrids and no EVs, general manager Michael Pachota maintains NVES is simply another regulatory hurdle for the brand to overcome. "We've been here for a long time. We're not going anywhere," he told CarExpert. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. "NVES is just another thing that we have to adapt and evolve our product portfolio to meet. With that said, the Australian consumer will decide." Suzuki's model range in Australia is currently undergoing a revamp after several vehicles fell victim to new safety regulations last year. With its up-to-date cars, Suzuki is, on average, in the clear for 2025 – the Swift Hybrid has maximum claimed emissions of 90g/km of CO2, while the Fronx Hybrid produces 113g/km. Only the Jimny exceeds the target with a minimum of 146g/km across its lineup. The defunct S-Cross, Vitara, and Swift Sport are all on the bubble of the current 141g/km target, while the Ignis is on par with the Fronx Hybrid. Only limited dealer stock of these models remains. The emissions of these vehicles means Suzuki will likely exceed the average fleet-wide CO2 limit in three year's time, which means more efficient models will be required to offset the 'dirtier' ones. These efforts will be bolstered by the Vitara Hybrid – albeit with mild-hybrid or 'strong' hybrid powertrains as-yet unconfirmed – and electric eVitara in early 2026, while Suzuki could look overseas for additional hybrid models. In the UK, Suzuki sells the Across plug-in hybrid (PHEV) – a rebadged version of the outgoing Toyota RAV4 – that produces a claimed 26g/km of CO2. There's also the full-hybrid Swace – a rebadged Toyota Corolla Touring Sports wagon – with claimed emissions of 102g/km. This, in theory, could provide Australian customers with more choice in Suzuki models than ever, and Mr Pachota maintains buyer attitudes will shape the brand's direction beyond its initial plans. "Our plan is quite good, I've gotta say. We're ready for it," he told CarExpert. "As the market changes or there's different conditions in the market with competitors and so forth, and if that actual measurement of NVES changes because it's constantly up in the air, or whatever it may be, we'll adapt and evolve, and we're very prepared to do so." Mr Pachota's confident sentiment is in contrast with recent comments made by Suzuki Queensland – a separate entity in charge of the Sunshine State and New South Wales' Northern Rivers region – general manager Paul Dillon. In a separate CarExpert article published this week, Mr Dillon claimed NVES will boost Chinese brands, raise prices, punish makers of small cars, and end up forcing many buyers to shop for less efficient used cars. "I would say, 'Would you consider a Suzuki to be a reasonably efficient car?'," Mr Dillon told CarExpert. "And to consider that next year there will be penalties on cars like Fronx, for a 1.5-litre hybrid vehicle with [an integrated starter generator], there are still penalties on that car next year." He continued by saying Suzuki Queensland would have to raise the prices of its vehicles if NVES fines begin to stack up – a fate he also expects to befall other non-Chinese carmakers – making cheaper Chinese cars look more appealing. "The legislation's almost leaning towards [Chinese brands], isn't it?" Mr Dillon said. Asked whether the eVitara would be able to offset Suzuki's average CO2 emissions, Mr Dillon says he believes "there will be a small market for EVs". "Unfortunately, I don't think the government fully considered that. I think there's issues with the NVES they haven't fully considered, unless they specifically are out to raise more tax from the consumers." MORE: Australia's new emissions regulations are poorly thought out, says local car brand boss MORE: Suzuki Vitara electric, hybrid SUVs locked in for Australia MORE: What the first federal emission standard means for Aussie car buyers MORE: Everything Suzuki Content originally sourced from:
