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Jaecoo is axing the regular, petrol-only versions of its J8 large SUV in Australia as it prioritises zero and low-emission vehicles. With this change, only a single, range-topping plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version of the Jaecoo J8 will remain on sale. It’s priced from $59,990, before on-road costs. This effectively raises the entry asking price for the Jaecoo J8 by $10,000. Demonstrator versions of the Jaecoo J8 petrol grades are still available at dealers, but only while stock lasts. The Jaecoo J8 first launched in Australia in 2025 as a larger stablemate to the mid-size J7 SUV. The two petrol-only trim levels were powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine. It produces 180kW and 385Nm and, depending on the trim level, was front- or all-wheel drive. The petrol-only versions of the J8 notably only had five seats. This changed when the PHEV with seven seats launched earlier this year. The Jaecoo J8 SHS-P has a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine and dual electric motors for a total system output of 315kW. It also has a 34kWh lithium-ion battery pack allowing for a claimed electric range of 169km. The main driver for Jaecoo discontinuing the petrol-only J8 grades in Australia is seemingly the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES). Carmakers are being pushed to introduce more low or zero emission models as the fleet CO2 targets get lower with every year. Jaecoo is far from the only brand to be pivoting to hybrid-only model line-ups. For example, a number of Toyota models, including the Yaris, Corolla, C-HR, Camry, RAV4 and Kluger are hybrid only, as is the Nissan Qashqai and forthcoming, next-generation Kia Seltos. While Jaecoo still offers petrol powertrains in the smaller J5 and J7 SUVs, both of these models come with hybrid, PHEV or electric powertrains.

Volkswagen’s new China strategy is in the works, and it could be a game-changer for the brand in Australia.  The German carmaker is evaluating selling some of its China-only models in Europe, according to a report from UK outlet Autocar.  It comes as brands face increasing pressure to offer models at competitive prices to fight off ultra-affordable Chinese competition.  “For the future, we’re getting ready for bringing one or more vehicles in from China,” Volkswagen Chief Executive Officer Thomas Schafer told Autocar.  Volkswagen Group remains one of the biggest carmakers in the world, with its footprint spanning Audi, Cupra and Skoda, among others. Volkswagen Group Chief Executive Officer Oliver Blume said in October 2026 the company is under “enormous pressure” from Chinese competition.  VW positions itself as a high-volume, low-margin company, but Chinese carmakers like BYD and Chery are eating into this segment because of high European production costs.  Consultancy firm AlixPartners recently said Chinese brands can build EVs for $11,000 less than European rivals, giving them a competitive advantage on pricing.  Volkswagen has a deep China presence via major joint ventures with SAIC Motor, owner of MG and LDV, as well as FAW and Volkswagen Anhui. VW will now look to lean into this presence that has seen them build cars in China at an affordable enough price to compete with Chinese peers.  The brand has already started to sell China-developed models globally, including in Australia, such as the Cupra Tavascan mid-size SUV.  "We’ve radically rethought the vehicles and worked with partners here and there ,” Schafer said.   “We’ve set up vehicles that are completely cost-competitive in the Chinese market. “We’re starting now to export to the global south and countries that have easier access from China than Europe, such as Australia and the Middle East.” It’s unclear what China-only models are under consideration for Europe. The VW boss promised any new models would not replace the current crop of offerings on sale in Europe.  Autocar speculated new European models could include the ID. Unyx 09 electric sedan co-developed with XPeng and the ID. Aura T6 large size SUV. Schafer ruled out the ID. Era upper-large SUV for the European market as it would be unsuitable due to its size. It’s unlikely Australia will see the impacts of this move for some time. The announcement does mean some previously China-only EVs will be built in right-hand drive, easing any local arrival. China is a left-hand drive market, so engineering to right-hand drive often requires substantial and sometimes prohibitive investment.  This news follows dramatic reports in July 2026 that VW Group is targeting up to 50 per cent fewer models. A spokesperson for Volkswagen Australia told CarsGuide at the time this decision would have no immediate impact on the local branch.  It’s likely to be a similar story with this latest announcement, but any models under consideration could provide the local branch with some renewed momentum.  Volkswagen sales are down more than 23 per cent to the end of September 2026 compared to September 2025, while Audi, Porsche and Skoda have also suffered declines.  VW models imported into Australia from China should be cheaper than those imported from Europe, and could provide buyers with some further affordable European-influenced choice.

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and Chery have confirmed the global plans for their joint-venture, the Freelander 8. The 2027 Freelander 8 has now been shown to international media in the global-market spec that will first make its way to the UAE, then to Australia and New Zealand, before it heads to Europe and the UK. The British-derived and Chinese-built model draws on the heritage of the original off-roading SUV from Land Rover, but is being developed and built in China with input from JLR. While not fundamentally different in many ways, the left-hand-drive (LHD) global specification features a 2.0-litre twin-turbo petrol engine paired with a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system instead of the 1.5-litre engine range-extender EV drivetrain in China. With specifications for right-hand markets yet to be confirmed, Australian details for the Freelander, including its price, will be confirmed closer to its launch date. Given the timing laid out by Freelander International CEO Lucia Mao, Australia should expect details of the model sometime ahead of its Australian launch, which will follow the UAE’s Q1 2027 launch. The Freelander 8’s LHD global drivetrain boasts a 460kW/662Nm output that allows the large SUV to hit 100km/h in a claimed 5.8 seconds. Clearly speed isn’t the goal, but the 110km electric-only driving range and its 886km total driving range with a fully charged battery and fuel tank (under CLTC testing) join what the brand calls a ‘world-first’ intelligent off-road system in a luxury adventure vehicle. Compatriot rivals like BYD and Geely have also used similar terms for describing their tech-forward off-road systems before. Its 34.12kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery can be charged from 20 to 80 per cent in 20 minutes or less according to Freelander, though again these specifications apply to the UAE with Australian details to be confirmed. Head of Freelander for Australia and New Zealand Kym Mellow spoke to international guests at the reveal of the global Freelander 8 in Wuhu, Chery’s home city in China. His short speech detailed two potential customers he spoke with about Freelander 8 who were looking for a more tech-forward off-roader. “They don’t want to give anything up,” Mellow said, “they want to keep the design and the capability they love and add the intelligence and comfort they’ve been missing.” The tech in the Freelander 8 is certainly a statement, with a huge 1.2-metre long 46.3-inch 8K LED screen and a 15.6-inch centre display in the front, as well as a 17.3-inch optional entertainment screen for rear passengers. Zero-gravity seat options, the choice of a five-seat or plush six-seat layout and the use of Nappa leather and real wood aim to make the cabin feel a step above other compatriot premium brands.

Mercedes-Benz is entering a new era in Australia. The fully electric Mercedes-Benz C400 will start from $105,700 (before on-road costs) as the first ever C-Class EV. This means it's $8800 more expensive than the base BMW i3 40xDrive ($96,900), but $7200 cheaper than the flagship i3 50xDrive ($112,900). However, it's $17,900 more expensive than the base petrol-powered C-Class and $7500 more than the plug-in hybrid version. The electric C-Class is available to order now and is due to arrive in showrooms in early 2027. The C400 uses two electric motors to produce 360kW and 800Nm to all four wheels, which means it can complete the 0-100km/h sprint in four seconds. It is equipped with a huge 100kWh battery pack, offering up to 753km of driving range, according to WLTP standards. The BMW i3's base grade offers 710km of range, increasing to 912km in its top grade. Riding on an 800-volt platform, the car can DC charge at up to 330kW, so it can add 325km of range in roughly 10 minutes. DC charging from 10 to 80 per cent is expected to take around 22 minutes. Inside, the C400 has Mercedes-Benz’s standout 'superscreen' across the dashboard. It comprises a 10.25-inch digital driver display, 14.0-inch central touchscreen and 14.0-inch front passenger display. The C400 has over-the-air update capabilities as well as ChatGPT, Microsoft Bing and Google Gemini artificial intelligence agents embedded into the multimedia set-up. Seats are wrapped in the brand’s in-house synthetic leather, to complement a birch wood centre console. Buyers can pay an extra $8200 to add climatised front seats, heated rear seats and a ‘hyperscreen’ that spans the full length of the dashboard. Additional air suspension with intelligent damping control and rear-wheel steering is available for $5200. Look up, and there’s a high-tech panoramic glass roof with individually adjustable segments to control the level of shade allowed into the cabin. The C400's boot capacity is 470L, but its new EV status means there is also now an extra 101L front storage space.

A new brand is edging closer to Aussie buyers.  Two models from Chery sub-brand Jetour have just been approved for sale Down Under.  The brand’s T1 mid-size and T2 large SUVs look likely to be Jetour’s first models to hit showrooms from 2027.  The pair will provide competition for two of the most fiercely contested SUV segments, tackling everything from the Toyota RAV4 to the GWM Tank 300. The T1 and T2 will be the newest affordable SUVs to hit the Aussie market.  The T1 is a size up on the hugely popular RAV4, with dimensions of 4700mm long, 1967mm wide, 1840mm tall and a 2800mm wheelbase.  It will be available with standard petrol and plug-in hybrid set-ups.  The petrol-powered model uses a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine, producing 180kW paired with a seven-speed automatic transmission.  Jetour has opted against selling the 125kW/270Nm 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine variant available in other markets.  Plug-in hybrid grades are fitted with a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that makes 255kW in front-wheel-drive guise and 430kW in the all-wheel drive.  Other details remain scarce at this stage, but buyers can expect more information ahead of their anticipated launch in 2027.  The T2 is 4827mm long, giving it similar proportions to the BYD Sealion 6 and the Kia Sorento, but it’s more adventure-focused than those rivals.  It will be a more direct boxy hybrid competitor to the larger BYD Ti7 that is strongly linked with an Australian arrival, with ‘Ti7’ already trademarked.  It will be a different rival to the strong-selling GWM Tank 300 as well. It uses a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, producing 105kW and three electric motors, boosting power to 445kW. The car also has an electric 4WD system, giving increased off-roading potential, even if it rides on a car-based monocoque chassis. Approval documents don’t show the battery size in the T2, and it’s unclear whether it will receive the recently updated choices available. The T2 has just been updated in China with 27kWh and 45kWh battery options, offering driving ranges of 140km or 251km, calculated under generous CLTC standards. The previous generation T2 has 18kWh, 27kWh and 43kWh units, with an electric-only driving range of up to 161km (WLTP).   Jetour will launch in Australia in 2027, but the brand will reveal further details ahead of its arrival.  Buyers can expect these models to be available from an affordable price point, given the T1 starts from 110,000 yuan (about $A15,000) and the T2 from 140,000 yuan (A$29,000).  They are likely to be 20-to-30 per cent more expensive in Australia to account for import costs and other related taxes. 

BYD’s answer to the G-Wagen could be on its way to Australia. BYD sub-brand Yangwang's U8 ultra-luxury 4WD has just been approved for sale in Australia as the new brawler gears up to tackle the high-end segment. The U8 measures up at 5319mm long, making it substantially longer than the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series (4980mm). It's a rival to the Range Rover ($281,527) and the Mercedes-Benz G-Class ($214,900), both before on-road costs. Yangwang is BYD’s luxury sub-brand, meaning it will likely be the brand's most expensive model to date. Government documents show the U8 will use a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, making 145kW, and an electric motor set-up. The U8 is a range-extender hybrid, so the engine exclusively powers the battery, while four electric motors drive the wheels to produce 880kW. This range-extender set-up is more powerful than the recently announced Geely Battleship 700's tri-motor plug-in hybrid system that produces 830kW. BYD hasn’t revealed the official torque figure, but it’s expected to be mega, because in China it registers more than 1280Nm. The U8 has a rugged four-wheel-drive system and sturdy ladder-frame chassis, riding on either 20-inch or 22-inch wheels. It can tow the industry standard 3500kg with a braked trailer and 750kg unbraked. At this stage, the U8 will only be available in a five-seater configuration Down Under. There is no news on the size of the U8's battery, but it’s equipped with a 49kWh unit in China. This offers an electric-only driving range of 180km, according to generous CLTC standards. Aussie buyers can expect the U8's total range figure to be more than 800km in the real world when it gets here. BYD has featured the U8 in a range of high-profile stunts, including a bizarre test where it dropped tree trunks onto the roof of the 4WD. Sales approval documents don’t always confirm a car will go on sale in Australia, but it dramatically increases the likelihood of it arriving here. Gaining Australian Design Rule (ADR) approval is expensive, so it’s rare for a brand to go through this process and then not sell the car. It’s unclear exactly when the U8 will land in Australia, however, it could be in 2027 as Yangwang’s first model offered here. A spokesperson for BYD Australia declined to comment about the Yangwang brand and the U8’s potential Aussie future. We won’t get an indication on Aussie pricing until closer to the U8’s arrival, but it starts from roughly 1.1 million yuan in China, which is about A$235,000. Cars imported from China to Australia are more expensive when they get here, so it could be closer to the $300,000 mark. This means it will be substantially more expensive than Geely’s Battleship 700 that is expected to sit in the $70,000 - $100,000 range.

From Australia's most slow-and-steady car brand to two major launches – at opposite ends of the segment spectrum – in a matter of months, Mitsubishi is entering a new era. And while the reborn Pajero will steal most of the headlines, it's the Mitsubishi ASX VR-e that is arguably the more interesting model, given it will be one of the most globe-trotting EVs to launch in Australia this year. The small SUV (4315mm/1535mm/1885mm) was developed by Foxtron, the auto division of Taiwanese iPhone manufacturer Foxconn (the ASX VR-e is known as the Foxtron Bria in other markets). It was designed by famed Italian auto styling house Pininfarina. It was tuned and tested at the Lang Lang Proving Ground in Victoria. And it will be badged and sold by Mitsubishi in Australia. There's little doubt what the VR-e represents for Mitsubishi. The brand was among the first to the EV market with the ahead-of-its-time i-MiEV way back in 2010, before pivoting to a plug-in hybrid strategy that it's stuck to ever since. This is step one of its fight back in the EV space. To do it, it turned to Foxtron and the Bria, which, when it arrives in Australia later this year wearing the VR-e badge, will launch in four trim levels – LS, Aspire, Exceed and GSR. All share the same 57.7kWh LFP battery, and all but the GSR get a single, rear-mounted electric motor delivering 171kW and 350Nm. Stepping up to the GSR earns you a second front-mounted motor, which not only ups the grunt to 342kW and 700Nm, but its 3.9-second sprint to 100km/h makes it the fastest production Mitsubishi ever sold in Australia. Charging is less impressive, with DC charging capped at 134kW, and AC limited to 6.6kW.  All were tuned at the Lang Lang Proving Ground in Victoria where Mitsubishi engineers laid out their ride and handling requirements for Australian conditions. "This collaborative process resulted in suspension and steering upgrades and tuning, creating a unique Mitsubishi-ness on the Foxtron platform and improved ride and handling on Australian road conditions," says Tim Clarke, Mitsubishi's Product Strategy Manager.  One thing it won't be, however, is cheap. While Mitsubishi is yet to detail pricing, the brand told CarsGuide it considers its newest model a rival for legacy brands, rather than cut-price Chinese newcomers, and that Mitsubishi's legacy and dealership network would go some way to offsetting any price premium. In New Zealand, the VR-e opens at NZ$57,990 (A$47,050), and climbs to a substantial $NZ72,990 (A$59,220) for the flagship GSR. "We understand that the current EV market in Australia is very competitive. When we price this vehicle, of course we are looking at the broader range of competitors, and we evaluate our product strengths, and our brand strengths as well, including the after-sales network strengths," says Shunichi Kihara, Mitsubishi Australia CEO. "So with all those elements considered, we will finalise our pricing, and we will announce it very soon. We don't necessarily say this is a rival to a particular brand, but... we think our primary target is more like a legacy automaker. So using all those considerations, we can finalise the pricing." The 2026 Mitsubishi ASX VR-e specifications include: ASX VR-e LS Single-motor, rear-wheel drive 18-inch alloy wheels Five-stage regenerative braking adjustment (including full single pedal mode Flush door handles Black/grey cloth seat trim Six-way driver seat manual adjustment Four-way passenger seat manual adjustment 2nd row 60/40 split fold flat Rear parking sensors Rear-view monitor Dual-zone climate control Six-speaker audio 57.7 kWh LFP battery CCS2 DC Charging – maximum 134 kW Type 2 AC Charging – maximum 6.6 kW Vehicle to load (V2L) via external Type 2 AC charging port LED headlights with auto high beam  LED daytime running lamps LED tail-lights 9.2-inch Digital Driver Display 15.6-inch multimedia touchscreen Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity ASX VR-e Aspire Automatic flush door handles Black artificial leather seat trim Eight-way driver seat power adjustment Driver seat memory Driver seat heating and cooling Four-way passenger seat power adjustment Passenger seat heating and cooling 64-colour interior ambient lighting Front trunk with electric bonnet release Adjustable height rear cargo floor Adaptive high beam Six front parking sensors Six rear parking sensors Surround-view monitor with 360-degree camera Autonomous parking ASX VR-e Exceed 20-inch two-tone alloy wheels Panoramic glass roof Electric tailgate with hands-free operation 12-speaker SEAS sound system ASX VR-e GSR Dual-motor all-wheel drive Black artificial leather with microsuede seat trim Blue stitching on seats Two-tone paint

“This is my personal belief. I don’t think all Chinese brands will survive… We've seen that in the past. As history tells us, we'll get a proliferation, and then people start merging because the volume is just not there, and efficiency isn't there.” That’s a widely held belief within the car industry, but it’s unusual to hear it directly from the mouth of a Chinese car brand executive. Specifically, it’s Andy Hoang, head of Leapmotor, the joint-venture with US-European giant Stellantis. But that partnership hasn’t led to an initial surge of sales, and Hoang’s admissions about the unsustainability of the Chinese brands is particularly striking when you consider Leapmotor is currently only the 40th best-selling brand in Australia, with just 1168 sales year-to-date to the end of September. Only Foton, Deepal, JAC, Farizon and the brand-new Forthing are the Chinese brands selling less than Leapmotor. But Hoang is, unsurprisingly, confident that Leapmotor has what it takes to not only survive, but grow and thrive in the Australian market. “If you just look at the base that we're going off, we've got one of the fastest growing brands in China, one of the fastest growing brands in Europe,” he said.“We know that from a product standpoint, the product stacks up and what we want customers to do is to compare every brand on its own merits. “You compare the product. What are the things you normally look for? You look for price, you look for features, you look for value, you look for safety, you look for independent reviews, you look at past success. “To us, when customers do that, we know Leapmotor will come out .” Leapmotor’s first car only rolled off the production line in 2019, so it formed a joint-venture with Stellantis to help accelerate its growth and knowledge. Stellantis owns 14 brands, including Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Peugeot, Jeep, Dodge and Opel, and it was this side of the operation that led the development of the all-new B05 hatch for the brand. But despite the long history of these brands in Australia, don’t expect to see Hoang and the Leapmotor team try to leverage the connection when trying to woo customers. “Look, the reality is that Stellantis itself doesn't have as big awareness here in Australia as it does in Europe, right? The strength in Europe is, you ask every second person and they know who Stellantis is, with a network of thousands of dealerships,” he says. “We don't have that here in Australia and if anything the customers that do know Stellantis here probably haven't had the best experience with some of the brands under our umbrella. So it kinda works both ways from that perspective.” BYD is the best-selling Chinese brand in Australia at the time of publication, year-to-date to the end of September. It has sold 76,614, GWM is next with 44,959 with Chery selling 38,022 and MG the final Chinese brand in the top 10 sellers with 36,832 sales.

Jetour has just launched a massively updated version of its BYD Ti7-rivalling T2, with plug-in hybrid tech boasting 250km of electric driving range ahead of the new Chinese brand’s Australian debut next year. The battle of long-range hybrid SUVs is set to become more intense with Jetour officially releasing its updated T2 SUV with a huge 45kWh battery offering a claimed electric driving range of up to 251km (CLTC). The question is - will we get the new updated version in Australia or the previous one? Known as the Traveller 7 in China and T2 in export markets, it has been given a major overhaul featuring new styling and a large battery for its plug-in hybrid system. In China the updated T2 will launch in two petrol variants and a plug-in hybrid version with a choice of two batteries. The petrol variants consist of a 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre engine with a seven-speed dual-clutch auto transmission or eight-speed traditional automatic transmission. The plug-in hybrid has a 1.5-litre petrol engine and an electric motor with a choice of 26.61kWh or 45.12kWh batteries. The smaller of the batteries is claimed to offer an electric driving range of up to 140km (CLTC), while the bigger has up to 251km (CLTC) according to Chery. CLTC is the Chinese standard of measuring energy consumption and it's often higher than than the benchmark WLTP system. Generally WLTP is more real-world so a 251km CLTC range is likely to be about 200km, which is still impressive. Measuring 4827mm in length, 2006mm wide and 1875mm tall the T2 has kept its boxy looks but has had styling changes to its front end with the old, square headlights replaced with circular headlights joined by an LED lighting strip much like we’ve seen on the Ford Bronco. Now exclusively a five-seater, the T2’s interior has also been given a freshen-up with a chunkier more rugged design, and higher resolution 15.6-inch display. Pricing in China starts at A$30,000 - A$37,000 but we could expect the price for us in Australian to be about $50,000. Jetour is auto giant Chery’s rugged brand and it will launch in Australia in 2027. We’ve seen Chery win over Aussies with models such as the Tiggo 4 small budget SUV and models from its other brands such as the more premium Jaecoo and its remarkably Range Rover-looking the J5. The next stage of Chery’s plan appears to be a move into the lucrative off-road segment with its Jetour range of rugged SUVs in much the same way that BYD has launched its Denza brands. Despite the rugged looks the T2 won't have the off-road capability of the Denza B5 or Toyota Prado and will see its true rivals as the Kia Sorento or Hyundai Santa Fe. The T2 is very likely the model that Jetour will launch with when it comes to Australia, but will we get the new and updated model with the big battery for the PHEV variant or will the previous version? CarsGuide has reached out to Chery Australia to ascertain if and when the T2 will arrive and whether it will indeed be the updated version that’s launching in China.

If you can’t beat them, join them. That’s the strategy of Toyota, which has long shunned high-tech features that are at the heart of new Chinese rivals, but it is preparing to catch up at break-neck speed. News outlet Nikkei Asia reports Toyota is now planning to turn all 50 of its current cars into software-defined vehicles. Software-defined vehicles is a fairly new auto industry buzzword, but it is taking the new and old guard by storm. It effectively means the vehicle has switched from being primarily a mechanical instrument to a software-powered device. This means software forms the core of the vehicle and enhances nearly all features — from advanced safety tech, autonomous driving, over-the-air updates, connected to everything, detailed vehicle telematics and intuitive software-powered comfort items. These features are easier to integrate into electric cars as they ditch many of the mechanical elements of petrol and diesel cars. The electric motors, battery management and transmission are all programmed rather than hardwired. Toyota has developed its own proprietary Arene software, which is already in use in the new Toyota RAV4, for example. The main function will be to roll out over-the-air updates, which have been a mainstay of Teslas and Chinese vehicles from BYD, GAC, XPeng and Zeekr, among others for years now. These over-the-air software updates work just like they do with a smartphone and fix bugs, roll out new features and enhancements while the vehicle is not in use. Nikkei Asia also reports the software will be installed in robots, homes, powerpoles and other infrastructure, which means if linked the car could turn on your house lights, open garage doors and start air-conditioning as you approach. It has previously been reported Toyota is looking to massively increase profit through post-purchase options, including software updates, a focus on genuine spare parts and used car sales. Toyota wants to boost its profit from outside new car sales by 40 per cent, and this is how they plan to do it. That means Toyota is planning to slug customers more than $26 billion annually for the services rivals - such as Tesla - give for free.