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Here’s what you can expect to enter the Australian market this year, and when!
We said it in 2017, and in 2018, and we can safely say it again: last year was a big one for new model reveals, and 2019 is shaping up to bring more of the same.
With new-car sales numbers having fallen short of a record effort in 2018, the 60-or-so brands operating in Australia will be hoping their latest offerings inspire more interest among local buyers.
Much of the year’s calendar is still to be fleshed out, given we’re still in the early days of 2019, but we have a fairly clear idea of what’s coming in the next couple of months. Beyond that, our list breaks down to more of a crystal ball view, with launches blocked into quarters and halves.
We’ll endeavour to update this list each month, to keep you abreast of all that’s due in Australia this year. What’s arrived already, and what’s to come? Read on.
LAUNCHED
January
Honda CR-V VTi-E7 (pricing)
Lexus RC facelift (pricing)
STILL TO COME
January
Alfa Romeo Stelvio Q (pricing) (media launch in March)
Kia Cerato hatch (pricing)
Kia Picanto GT (detailed)
Mitsubishi Triton (pricing) (review)
Suzuki Jimny (revealed)
Suzuki Vitara update (revealed)
February
Audi RS5 Sportback (revealed) (pricing)
BMW i3 120Ah (revealed)
BMW X2 M35i (revealed)
BMW X5 xDrive40i (revealed)
Citroen C3 Aircross (review)
Porsche Macan (revealed) (review) (pricing) (pricing for S model)
Volkswagen Caddy Beach (pricing)
March
BMW 3 Series (revealed) (review)
BMW 8 Series (review) (M850i pricing)
BMW X7 (revealed)
BMW Z4 (review)
Ford Focus Active (pricing)
Ford Focus Titanium (pricing)
April
Toyota Prius (revealed)
Toyota RAV4 (review)
May
No launches confirmed
June
No launches confirmed
July
No launches confirmed
August
No launches confirmed
September
No launches confirmed
October
No launches confirmed
November
No launches confirmed
December
No launches confirmed
WHAT’S THE PLAN, STAN?
These are the models we know to be launching in Australia this year, but without specific confirmed timing. It’s a long list, but it will be made sharper as each brand begins to confirm its launch plans over the weeks and months ahead.
Audi A1 (review) – due second quarter 2019.
Audi A6 (review) – due here in the first quarter of 2019.
Audi e-tron (review) – due here in the third quarter of 2019.
Audi Q3 (review) – It’ll be here in mid-2019.
Bentley Continental GT Convertible (revealed) – second quarter.
BMW 330e (revealed) – second half of 2019 looking likely.
BMW M340i xDrive (revealed) – second half of 2019 looking likely.
BMW X5 xDrive45e iPerformance – Anticipated for late-2019, but not confirmed.
Citroen Berlingo passenger van (revealed) – no word yet on an Australian launch.
Citroen C4 Cactus update (revealed) – unclear.
Citroen C5 Aircross – second half, 2019.
Ferrari 488 Pista – all local examples sold already, deliveries begin in 2019. (Pricing and details)
Fiat 500X (revealed) – Fiat’s little SUV was given a stylish makeover in August. Still no word on local timing, though.
Ford Fiesta – the Fiesta ST is coming to Australia in the second quarter of 2019 (review), but the rest of the range is dead.
Ford Mondeo (spied) – second quarter, 2019.
Genesis G70 and Genesis G80 (Australian details) (review) – originally May 2018, then the third quarter, then the fourth… now sometime in early 2019.
Haval H6 update – not the new model shown here, that’s confirmed as a China-only offering. We’ll get cosmetic tweaks, upgraded safety and upgraded powertrains for the current model.
Haval H2s – Still no word on whether these more refined designs will ever replace the H2 we currently have…
Haval H7 – a 2018 launch had been expected, but the brand’s local says it is now awaiting confirmation.
Honda Accord – Thanks to a delay in right-hand-drive production, late 2019 is looking to the most likely arrival date.
Hyundai i30 Fastback N – regular models a no-go for Australia, but N variant confirmed.
Hyundai Kona EV – first quarter.
Hyundai Veloster – late 2019. (Details)
Infiniti QX50 – Originally late 2018, now moved to mid-2019. Details here.
Jeep Renegade – facelift revealed last year, but FCA has still to confirm Australian plans.
Jeep Gladiator – the new Wrangler-based ute, revealed in November, will be here… in 2020.
Jeep Wrangler (revealed) – demand in the US has pushed Australian-market production back, so we’re now told to expect it sometime in the first quarter.
Kia Niro – local arm is hopeful on the all-electric version, but no confirmation yet.
Lotus 3-Eleven 430 – not certified for road use in Australia, but track orders will be entertained.
Mazda 3 (revealed) – mid-year, 2019.
McLaren 720S Spider (revealed) – first half, 2019.
Mercedes-AMG A35 (review) – Late 2019.
Mercedes-AMG GT 4-door (review) – second quarter, 2019.
Mercedes-Benz CLA – third quarter, 2019.
Mercedes-Benz E-Class updates – Australian timing still to be confirmed.
Mercedes-Benz GLE (review) – Second quarter, 2019.
MG GS (revealed) – late 2019.
Mini Cooper S E Countryman All4 – second quarter, 2019.
Nissan Leaf (review) (basic details)- mid 2019.
Nissan Terra (revealed) (review) – revealed, but not likely to come to Australia. Reborn Pathfinder, it ain’t!
Peugeot 508 (revealed) – second half, 2019.
Porsche 911 (revealed) – second quarter.
Range Rover Evoque (revealed) (prototype review) – mid 2019.
Range Rover SV Coupe (revealed) – Australian deliveries expected in the first quarter of 2019. JLR Australia has requested 20 of the 999 planned builds.
Renault Kadjar – incredibly, Renault has confirmed this one for Australia. It’s due here sometime in 2019, but we’re waiting on Renault to say when.
Skoda Scala (revealed) – Late 2019, if not early 2020.
Subaru Ascent – no Australian launch planned, developed with US market as the focus.
Tesla Model 3 – not expected to land until the middle of this year, but we’ve now driven it.
Toyota Supra – second half, 2019.
Volkswagen Jetta – revealed, but not expected to come to Australia.
Volkswagen Tarok – not happening.
Volkswagen T-Cross (revealed) – either late-2019 or early-2020.
Volkswagen T-Roc – Australia likely a no-go until later this year, but not confirmed.
Volkswagen Touareg (review) – second quarter
Volvo S60 (review) – early fourth quarter, possibly the third.
Volvo V60 (review) – third quarter.
Volvo V90 – They reckon it’s still coming, but they keep putting it off. I have a feeling we’ll never see it, but it’s hard to get them to admit that…
Reckon we’ve missed any new models? We might’ve: there’s a lot to remember! Sing out in the comments below if you think of any.
Now that you know what’s coming, how do you decide which car is best for you?
In terms of model and manufacturer choice, Australia has one of the biggest new-car markets in the world.
It is also one of the most sophisticated car markets in the world, with all manufacturers offering several variants of each model. At the time of writing, there are 67 manufacturers offering 205 models, divided into 23 different categories.
These categories include micro, light under $25k, light over $25k, small under $40k, small over $40k, medium under $60k, medium over $60k, large under $70k, large over $70k, Upper large under $100k, upper large over $100k, people movers under $60k, people movers over $60k, Sports cars under $80k, Sports cars over $80k, Sports Cars over $200k, small SUVs under $40k, small SUVs over $40k, medium SUVs under $60k, medium SUVs over $60k, large SUVs under $70k, large SUVS over $70k, upper large SUVs under $100k, upper large SUVs over $100k.
Just reading the list of new-car categories gives you an idea of how confusing it can be to select the right car for you. After all, not all buyers are checking in with CarAdvice every morning and night. Even within these categories of new cars you have the option of hatches, coupes, sedans, convertibles and station wagons.
When you have decided on the body style, you need to consider how many people you are going to be carrying on a regular basis. Does your new car need to have two, four, five, seven or even eight seats? If you need more than eight seats, you should start looking in the mini-bus people-mover category, which is a whole other world. Will your new car need to carry child seats, and how many? Does it need to have a big luggage capacity? Obviously, these factors will have a bearing on which new car suits your needs.
And all of this is before you even consider the engine size or type! Do you want your new car to be powered by a petrol or diesel engine, or are you looking for something greener like a hybrid or even electric? Where is the car going to be driven, and how many kilometres are you going to be driving each year? Will you take it off-road or even out of the city limits?
It’s no wonder so many find buying a new car a daunting task. So, how do you find the best new car for you, or even keep up with all the latest models hitting the market virtually weekly? Right here, CarAdvice provides a great record of all the latest models due to be released and when. It also is a great source of all the latest news in the lead up to the release of these new model.
If the manufacturer is planning to fit a new engine, new technology – either safety or for entertainment, CarAdvice will provide comprehensive coverage of all those changes. But, most importantly, CarAdvice prides itself on driving every new car so it can provide you with all the information you will need when it comes your turn to make a new car purchase.
Whether you are looking for a small and cheap hatch to simply get you to the shops and back, or for a large SUV capable of towing a boat, caravan or horse float or a people mover that will carry a growing family you will find all the information you will need on CarAdvice.
We don’t just test new cars, we put them into real life situations so we can tell you how they perform, towing or tackling the toughest outback tracks. We also take them shopping, use them to drop the kids off at school, and when the right vehicle arrives we even take them out on a racetrack to see just how well they perform.
Just as importantly, we pit them against their closest competitors so you can see how they stack up in regards to features, new technology, driveability, useability and, one of the most important considerations when it comes to purchasing your new vehicle, price.
So, no matter what type of new car you are looking for, or are interested in, CarAdvice can provide you with all the relevant information you need to help you make the right choice for you and your family.
And, right here on this page, our new car listing is also a great way to keep an eye on the latest models coming onto the market and what new cars manufacturers are planning to launch in the future.
So, whether you’re looking to buy your first or tenth new car, or you’re simply a motoring enthusiast who wants to keep up with all the latest cars coming onto the market, the CarAdvice New Car Calendar will keep you up to date with every new car from every manufacturer.
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