The Week That Was: Mazda MX-5, Volvo XC90, Audi Q7

The long wait for Mazda enthusiasts ended this week when the carmaker’s all-new MX-5 finally arrived in Australia.

Local customers will have a choice of both Roadster and Roadster GT specifications, with either a 1.5 litre or, available soon, a 2.0 litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine.

Starting from $31,990 for a 1.5 litre manual roadster, the new MX-5 is substantially cheaper than before at over $15,000 less expensive than the outgoing NC MX-5.

Volvo launched its all-new XC90 SUV range in Australia this week as part of a staggered roll-out, with petrol and diesel models on sale now and a plug-in hybrid to follow early next year.

Pricing for the new range starts at $89,950, making the new XC90 slightly more expensive than prestige players like the BMW X5 (from $84,200) and Mercedes-Benz ($83,900).

To help offset the difference, the XC90 range offers features like seven seats as standard, with all-wheel-drive across the range and a high level of standard appointments and safety features.

the week that was.