Top five news stories of 2020

There was plenty going on in the Australian automotive industry this year, and it wasn’t all pandemic-related.

In a year when new-vehicle sales plummeted and then rebounded in line with lockdowns, particularly in Victoria, there was a large number of new model launches – especially in the booming dual-cab 4x4 ute segment.

But one particular new model was head and shoulders above the rest when it came to interest from you, the reader.

5. Hyundai ute shapes up

Hyundai has been studying the Australian ute business since 2012 and we’ve documented its progress in at least 20 news articles since then.

But our most widely read news of the Korean car-maker’s first pick-up this year dates back to April, when a smart new speculative render accompanied word that the all-new dual-cab 4x4 ute could be powered by a Genesis-sourced 200kW inline-six turbo-diesel.

4. Nissan 400Z to out-power Toyota Supra

Likewise, this year alone we published 22 news stories about the new-generation Nissan Z, and it was one of the earliest – also way back in April – that attracted the most attention.

That’s when we reported that the all-new Z-car’s twin-turbo six-cylinder engine (since confirmed by Nissan) will easily output 300kW – enough to out-power its most direct rear-drive compact coupe rival, the Toyota Supra.

3. New Toyota HiLux will be ‘unbeatable’

The facelifted 2021 version of Australia’s top-selling vehicle for the past four years – the Toyota HiLux – generated more news than any of the several other new or upgraded utes released this year.

But no article attracted more attention than the news that Toyota Australia expects it to remain the nation’s top-selling ute, despite new or updated arrivals from Ford, Mazda, Nissan, Isuzu and Great Wall.

2. Holden Commodore VF prices surpass $100,000

The shock announcement in February that General Motors would axe Holden by the end of this year created ripple effects that continue to this day.

Aside from the fallout for Holden dealers and owners, the biggest among them remains the spike in resale values – or at least the prices being asked by speculators – of final homegrown MY17 Commodores, especially limited-edition VFII V8s.

1. Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series just months away

Of the 10 news stories we published this year about the upcoming 2021 Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series, by far the most popular was our report outlining its release timing next year.

In fact, the news was read by at least 50,000 more people than our next most popular news article in 2020, when we also covered news of the next-gen LandCruiser’s V6-only powertrain line-up and Toyota’s plan for Rugged X and GR versions.