Letter from the Editor

From the Editor

Editor Mal Flynn and his partner have welcomed a third small member of their family. So, as our fearless leader reacquaints himself with the ins and outs of operating a baby, I’ve stepped in to cover the editorial update for this issue. As years go, 2020 is unlikely to rank on many people’s Top 10 lists. Just about everyone on the planet has been thrown off kilter to some degree by the health, social, and financial impacts generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. That said, the CarsGuide editorial team has been fortunate in maintaining the ability to work in a remote structure. Even with our news team and several key contributors further constrained by tight lockdowns in Melbourne and other parts of Victoria, we’ve managed to keep internal and external lines of communication open. In fact, we’ve seen traffic on the CarsGuide platform running at record high levels, ranking #1 in Australia for automotive editorial as of July, August and September*. And after a forced break from video production, we’re back in business on YouTube in a big way, which is just as well, because August in particular was a monster month for significant new product launches. They don’t come much bigger than the Toyota HiLux (and its Fortuner SUV sibling), with an all-new Isuzu D-Max also arriving to stir an already boiling pot in the hyper-competitive ute segment. Land Rover released its new Defender locally, the muchanticipated ‘British to its bootstraps’ 4x4 having immense shoes to fill after its long-serving predecessor departed the scene a few years ago. Audi launched new A4 and A5 line-ups, as well as an S8 performance sedan at the top of the market. Toyota chipped in again with a fourth-generation version of its city-sized Yaris hatch, and Mercedes-Benz rolled out its GLA compact SUV. In a ‘normal’ month any one of those arrivals would be a big deal, so all of them in one burst was a stretch. But our team of journalists and publishers bent its collective back, working with an established roster of photographic and video specialists to produce a staggering amount of written and visual content, as always, designed to help in-market car buyers make the most informed decision possible. But despite the new product onslaught our hand has been forced by COVID-19 in deciding to postpone this year’s CarsGuide Car of the Year Awards. Pandemic-related restrictions hindered our ability to run an evaluation program that meets our criteria and expectations. Rest assured, our intention is to bring the awards back on track in 2021. At the same time, with international travel a likely no-go zone for a while, it’s no surprise there’s been renewed interest in domestic holiday options, and we’re beefing up our Adventure section to help those keen to head off the highway, for the first time or the hundredth time..

Adventure Editor Marcus ‘Crafty’ Craft and his crew of seasoned experts provide information on everything from selecting the right 4x4 or SUV, to building a campfire, off-road driving tips, or deciding on a camper-trailer or caravan. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. With still more new vehicle launches scheduled in coming months we’re determined to keep the momentum going, and if all goes to plan, Mal will be back to bring you up to speed next time around.

James Cleary Deputy Editor, CarsGuide