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LDV is set to muscle in on the rapidly-expanding plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) ute segment in Australia with a two-pronged strategy covering all bases and budgets.Unveiled in Beijing late last month, the T70 PHEV and Terron 9 PHEV are both expected to land locally sometime next year, though importer Ateco Automotive has yet to confirm this.The cheaper of the two will be the T70 PHEV. As a substantial update of the existing, 10-year-old T60 ute (it may retain the old name for Australia), it is expected to match and even undercut other similarly-electrified dual-cab utes also from China.These include the just-announced JAC Hunter PHEV that starts from $50,000 before on-road costs, the GWM Cannon PHEV that is due in Australia from August with pricing yet to be confirmed, as well as the as-yet-unnamed Chery ‘KP31’ that is being prepared for launch in a few months.Meanwhile, the Terron 9 PHEV will be the more-premium choice, taking on the BYD Shark 6 PHEV that kicks off from $57,990 before on-road costs in Premium grade (though a recently-released Cab Chassis version costs $2000 less).GWM’s larger second ute option, the Cannon Alpha PHEV that starts from $61,490 drive-away in base Lux guise, as well as the coming Nissan Frontier Pro PHEV, may also be in the larger LDV PHEV’s crosshairs.In contrast, Australia’s best-selling vehicle over the past two years, the Ford Ranger, is not even in the hunt against these Chinese alternatives, with the PHEV (imported from South Africa instead of Thailand like the rest of the range) commencing from $71,990 before on-road costs in XLT specification, soaring to $86,990 for the Stormtrak flagship.Despite anticipated sharp pricing, the LDV’s powertrain promises to be advanced, combining a petrol engine and an electric motor to offer both mechanical and electric four-wheel-drive capability.Other PHEV details, including powertrain outputs, battery size and range, will be revealed at a later stage.So, what are the other changes to the latest, facelifted T60/T70 series?More than just a makeover, it appears that almost every exterior panel is new from the windscreen forward and the rear window-back, including the sheetmetal and nose cone.And while the basic centre section carries over, the interior has also come in for a complete redesign, with its restyled dashboard incorporating a sizeable central touchscreen/instrumentation display, mimicking that of the Terron 9.Speaking of which, the latter is also set to donate its 163kW/520Nm 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine to the smaller ute, replacing the 160kW/500Nm 2.0-litre unit as found in the existing T60 in Australia. Whether the same power and torque outputs also carry through is not known at this stage.The coming PHEV is not the first electrified LDV ute to be sold in Australia.The existing T60 has gone down in history as the first ute to offer a battery electric vehicle (EV) option as the eT60 back in 2022.But stratospheric pricing (from nearly $100,000), rear-drive only (so no 4x4 availability) and low carrying capacity scuppered any chance of success, leading to the EV's discontinuation in 2024. That failure seems to have also delayed the eTerron 9 EV indefinitely.LDV is unlikely to make the same mistakes with either the Terron 9 PHEV or T60/T70 PHEV if/when they get the green light for Australia.Watch this space.

China’s rise in Australia does not threaten the existence of Honda, the company says, as the historic brand highlights its solid model range, aftersales and heritage as points of difference to newer rivals.The comments come just weeks after BYD announced it was about to flood the Australian market with 30,000 new cars in the coming months, as it and other Chinese brands - namely GWM, Chery and MG - push further into Australia’s top 10 sales charts.China’s aggressive plans to be the world’s top automotive producer has already had some impact on Honda’s global plans.In a statement announcing the cancellation of the ‘0’ Series EVs in March, Honda said Chinese buyers’ shift of focus from hardware to software-based features and shorter model development cycles has “intensified the competition”.“In such a difficult competitive environment, Honda was unable to deliver products that offer value for money better than that of newer EV manufacturers, resulting in a decline in competitiveness.”When asked by CarsGuide if Japanese carmakers can still compete with China given the speed with which Chinese brands change tech and update models, Honda Australia Director - Automobiles Robert Thorp acknowledged China has “ a number of competitive advantages that they're rightly exploiting”.He said they’re doing a good job of bringing products to market and connecting with customers quickly, but added that Honda continues to be competitive in many areas.“Just because they have that, it doesn't actually mean we can't compete with that. We have other advantages within our global business, and even advantages here locally that we think that we need to exploit too. So we have a brand and a heritage that, in Australia, has been close to 60 years, globally, closer to 80, that is built on us demonstrating to customers that when you buy a Honda, we'll look after you.“Whether that's a vehicle, whether it's a motorcycle, whether that's a power product or a marine engine. And you can't build that trust overnight. It takes years and years,” he said at the 2026 CR-V launch.Thorp highlighted Honda’s strong points, some of which have been serious weak points for Chinese brands like BYD, GWM and MG.“You can't build the sort of supply chains that we have and the ability to look after customers long after they've built the vehicle. So that, you know, there's an absolute peace of mind. The relationship we have with our Honda centers and our network is built over a number of years, and the heritage and connection and emotional connection… we have with our customers, that's built over a number of years.”Aftersales and customer care has been an issue for many newer Chinese brands in Australia as sales growth outpaced companies’ ability to build parts distribution centres and supply chains. This left a lot of customers without parts and allowed frustration to build. Each of those brands is in the process of addressing the shortfall.Thorp explained how Honda’s reputation for quality and refinement will also ensure the brand remains competitive.“There's a quality in the drive and the quality of the vehicles that you can tangibly see and touch and feel, and you can see on the spec sheet, but there's those other elements that are harder to explain. It's that sort of feeling you get when you actually sit in a car and drive a Honda that I think allows us to hopefully demonstrate that, yeah, we actually have a number of winning features that allows us to compete.”“So whilst, yeah, it's tough, it's challenging, but we're very comfortable that with the total package that we can provide to our customers, we've got a compelling proposition that can succeed in this market.”If there was still any doubt about Honda’s long-term prospects, Thorp said Honda’s global HQ is “100 per cent” committed to the Australian market.Despite Honda’s current line-up receiving almost exclusively positive coverage from experts, and being loved by owners, Thorp admitted Honda still has work to do to get more people into its models.Asked what the reason more people aren’t buying Honda’s despite the impressive product and aftersales offering, Thorp said: “Look, there's a thousand things, and you can't really narrow it down to one or two, but it's a combination of factors.“Certainly our marketing, I think our marketing and our brand positioning, we maybe weren't skilled at that as what we should have been. And I think what we've been doing the last sort of 12-to-18 months, we've, we've basically brought in a brand new team. We've got internal experts. We've actually recast our agency partners. We're recutting our website, and I think that you're starting to see some of the fruits of that come through.”A new advertising and marketing campaign has just rolled out and Honda Australia has launched a much-improved new website. You can even buy a Honda online now.

Toyota has just released the pricing for its new 2027 hybrid LandCruiser four-wheel drive, and it will be the most powerful variant yet.It will start from $156,060 (before on-road costs) for the GR Sport grade and $156,810 (before on-road costs) for the Sahara ZX.This means a hybrid LandCruiser costs around $9000 more than the highest grade of the diesel-only model.It is a significant step up in price on the recently-announced Denza B8 plug-in hybrid off-roader, which starts from under $100K. Toyota's hybrid LandCruiser announcement is also an early warning shot to the returning Mitsubishi Pajero, which we will learn more about before the end of the year.The LandCruiser hybrid will be powered by a 3.5-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 engine along with a single electric motor.The hybrid system has been adapted from the Tundra full-size pick-up, which itself offered some serious power and torque.The addition of an electrified boost to the LandCruiser has seen substantial improvements in power, now producing 341kW and 790Nm, up from 227kW and 700Nm. These new figures boost the car’s power beyond that of the soon-to-be phased out V8-powered Nissan Patrol. Toyota said this hybrid transition for the LandCruiser was designed to improve performance as opposed to efficiency like on other models such as the Camry sedan and RAV4 SUV.On the inside, there are leather-accented seats, with the front and outward rear ones heated and ventilated. Elsewhere, the car gets a 12.3-inch central touchscreen and a 14-speaker premium JBL audio system.The GR Sport grade comes with front and rear lockable differentials as well as electronically-controlled suspension for increased rugged off-roading capabilities.Sahara ZX models have a rear limited-slip differential, for added poise on the road. The car’s new hybrid set-up allows for a rear auxiliary power socket, which is capable of powering small appliances.The new LandCruiser hybrid will arrive in showrooms in the middle of this year.2027 Toyota LandCruiser 300 hybrid pricing  

BMW’s performance M3 sedan is expected to achieve close on price parity between its electric and petrol variants.Electric vehicles generally still carry a hefty premium compared to internal combustion and hybrid models, but it looks like that could be all about to change.A report in UK publication AutoCar states the new electric M3 will be priced similarly to the petrol version of the car, following an interview with BMW’s sales director Sylvia Neubauer."The good news is that from a pricing perspective, they are in the same ballpark,” Neubauer told AutoCar.There is no news yet on what the price of the new M3 will be, but it is expected to exceed the current near $160K price tag in Europe, which will be closer to $200K in Australia.The electric M3 will offer 745kW from a quad electric motor set-up, which is significantly more than any M3 model currently on the market.It is even more powerful than the full-blooded 4.4-litre plug-in hybrid turbocharged V8 found in the bigger M5.It will be based on the recently-announced i3, getting a newly-designed platform from the brand’s ‘Neue Klasse’ revamp.The new petrol M3 will be a continuation of the current generation, utilising the same platform, but getting a new design under ‘Neue Klasse’.There are no details yet on the new generation M3’s future in Australia, but it can be speculated it might arrive later on in 2027, following its European launch. We should learn more about the new M3 in the fourth quarter of this year.Right now in Australia, the manual variant of the M3 starts from $169,100 (before on-road costs), with prices rising up to $253,900.There are several M3 variants currently on sale in Australia, which all use a 3.0-litre six-cylinder twin-turbo petrol engine, producing up to 405kW and 650Nm.

JAC is taking the plug-in hybrid ute game to the BYD Shark 6, unveiling its cheaper Hunter rival. It will start from less than $50,000 (before on-road costs), making it around $8000 cheaper than the base dual-cab pick-up variant of the Shark 6. It is not just BYD’s ute the Hunter will take on, with the GWM Cannon also confirmed to be gaining a PHEV set-up to compliment the more expensive Cannon Alpha. There is a PHEV version of the best-selling Ford Ranger on sale in Australia, which is in excess of $20,000 more expensive than the Hunter. The Hunter will also have company from Chery’s codenamed ‘KP31’ diesel PHEV ute coming before the end of the year, with a petrol example following in 2027. JAC’s PHEV ute is powered by a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine and dual electric motors, producing 360kW and a likely near 1000Nm. These figures eclipse even those of the new performance variant of the Shark 6, which launched earlier this year with a price tag of nearly $13,000 more than the Hunter. The Hunter boasts a highly-sort-after 3500kg braking towing capacity, with a payload of 915kg, highlighting its towing potential is in line with diesel rivals, while carrying capacity is little behind. According to the brand, the car has been tested extensively in Australia, facing harsh conditions such as extreme heat and rough unsealed roads.  In conjunction with a 31kWh battery, the ute offers more than 1000km of total driving range, at least according to more generous NEDC testing. Fuel consumption sits at 1.6L/100km, so long as the battery is charged. It has also been given some serious off-roading ability, with a full-time four-wheel drive system as well as front and rear differential locks. Other useful features include vehicle-to-load capabilities, which enables large devices to be charged and powered directly from the car. The Hunter gives JAC an alternative to its diesel-powered JAC T9 ute, which has endured a slow sales return in the competitive ute segment. Reservations on the car open later today.

BYD’s big bet is about to pay off.The Chinese electric vehicle and plug-in hybrid maker has 30,000 vehicles on the way to Australia in the next two months, and it looks like it will arrive just in time to feed its booming demand.BYD sold 7702 vehicles in April, which was only beaten by the dominant Toyota (15,185).The Chinese brand leapfrogged Kia to improve on its third place finish in March. BYD sales are up more than 110 per cent compared to the first fourth months of 2026 and are up 140 per cent compared to April the past year.Its Sealion 7 electric mid-size family SUV was the best-selling EV in the nation, with 1780 sales beating the Tesla Model Y (1225). BYD experienced sales growth across all its models in April.Kia took third place in April with 6450 sales, followed by Hyundai (6002), Ford (5748) and Mazda (5636).These were followed by a trio of Chinese brands: GWM (4717), Chery (4322) and MG (3678).Toyota has finally knocked the Ford Ranger off its perch with the new RAV4 taking pole position in April.The hybrid RAV4 registered 3729 sales, followed by the Ford Ranger (3661) and Toyota HiLux (2835) utes.Chery’s cut-price Tiggo 4 small SUV continued its strong performance with 2379 registrations, which was good enough for fourth spot. Followed closely by the Isuzu D-Max (2195), Hyundai Kona (2158), Toyota Prado (1870) and the BYD Sealion 7.Long-time favourites such as the Toyota Corolla, Mazda CX-5 and Mitsubishi Outlander have fallen out of the top 10 sales list.The Federal Government just announced its Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) exemption for electric cars will be extended to March 2029, but will now mostly benefit vehicles under $75,000.This move will likely see BYD, Kia, Geely, Tesla and Zeekr continue to dominate electric car sales for years to come.The head of the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries Tony Weber said the increased supply of EVs since the introduction of the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) has helped stimulate demand in tandem with the FBT exemption “There are around 110 EV models available to Australians, and the supply of EVs continues to increase. The Electric Car Discount has provided important stimulus to the market, and its continuation will support the growth of EVs,” said Weber.Australians bought 15,459 electric cars in April, beating the March result and accounting for more than 16 per cent of all the 94,049 vehicles sold in the past month.Sales of hybrids and plug-in hybrids were also significantly higher, with plug-in hybrids almost tripling registrations compared to April 2026.Top 10 vehicles April 2026 Top 10 car brands April 2026  

The latest data has revealed Tesla has experienced a serious sales downturn in Australia.The brand managed 1225 sales in April, compared to 3485 sales the previous month.Year-to-date sales remain positive for Tesla, with more than double for April 2026 compared to April 2025.The Model Y remains Tesla’s best-selling car, but the brand sold around 2000 less units of its popular SUV in April than in March. It was a similar story for the Model 3 sedan, selling roughly 400 units, down from more than 600 for the previous month. The Model 3’s sales are also down comparing April 2026 and April 2025, meaning it is an EV that has gone backwards over the past year.Tesla Australia said the sales decline was down to delivery cycles on vehicles coming into the country.Tesla could experience a pick-up in sales when its six-seater Model Y L SUV, with deliveries beginning at the start of this month.This news comes at a time when EV sales are booming in Australia, due to skyrocketing fuel prices. Many brands are reporting increasing electric vehicle registrations, with them making up greater proportions of total sales.Kia said 40 per cent of all sales currently are coming from full EVs. Chery said 70 per cent of total sales are coming from electrified set-ups, which includes hybrids, plug-in hybrids and EVs. The EV boom has resulted in an increasingly diversified market for buyers, with more choices than ever in the segment. Most brands now have EV options across their range, while many Chinese brands are bringing cheaper options, which are proving popular.Rivals such as the Zeekr 7X SUV have put down solid roots in Australia, along with several BYD models like the Atto 1 hatch - a car still holding the cheapest EV in Australia title.BYD has already signalled its intention to dominate the EV market Down Under, with all of its models among the best sellers in the electric category. 

The federal government has called time on its generous EV incentives.The Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) exemption on electric cars will end by March 2029.Vehicles priced more than $75,000, but below the luxury car tax threshold of about $91,000, will no longer be eligible from April next year.Instead the more expensive EVs will have to pay 75 per cent of the FBT from that date, and all EVs will be slugged with the same tax rate from the 2029 end date.“The new rules will encourage manufacturers to offer more affordable and cheaper to run EVs in the Australian market,” said treasurer Jim Chalmers and energy minister Chris Bowen via The Guardian.“The current new vehicle efficiency standards have seen a dramatic increase in the availability of affordable EV models, so now is the right time to focus the FBT exemption on these cars.“We will continue to provide support for families who choose to switch to EVs as we transition to a permanent 25% discount on FBT for these cars.”This means top-selling EVs such as the Tesla Model Y, BYD Sealion 7 and Kia EV5 will be covered until 2029.The move also encourages automakers to keep their vehicles priced below $75,000, which is a boon for Aussie electric vehicle shoppers.The tax break has been a huge hit, with the scheme costing more than 10 times what the government had forecasted. There were calls for the scheme to be axed to help alleviate the predicted budget deficit, and it is perceived to help a greater proportion of well-off Australians.National Automotive Leasing and Salary Packaging Association (NALSPA) CEO Rohan Martin said the continuation of the scheme shows the government is helping to ease pain at the bowser for motorists.“The EV Discount has already helped more than 100,000 Australians overcome the upfront cost barrier to switching to a cheaper‑to‑run vehicle. Without it, many outer‑suburban families, essential workers and cost‑conscious households simply wouldn’t be able to make the switch,” said Martin.This new timeline ties with the government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), which came into effect last year and comes to fruition in 2029.The NVES levels fines on vehicle manufacturers at a rate of $100 per gram of CO2 permitted over a certain threshold for every vehicle sold. The thresholds get lower every year until 2030.Carmakers can offset fines by selling EVs and plug-in hybrids and they can carry-over EV credits to offset sales of more polluting vehicles in following years.NVES has forced carmakers to bring in more fuel efficient vehicles with most manufacturers bringing in conventional hybrids, plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles in greater numbers since the fines started to bite last year.Electric vehicles sales skyrocketed in March, with about 15,000 EVs finding a new home, which was double the same month the previous year. This trend is expected to continue into April.Kia Australia CEO Damien Meredith said he expected electric vehicle sales to settle into between 20 and 30 per cent of new car sales going forward. Previously EV sales had made up about 10 per cent of all new car registrations.

Hyundai has released the pricing and specifications for a new ballistic electric car called the Ioniq 6 N. It will start from $115,000 (before on-road costs), which is nearly $20K more than the most expensive Ioniq 6 variant on sale in Australia, but a similar price to the Ioniq 5 N SUV. The car shapes up as a rival to other electric performance sedans, such as the Tesla Model 3 Performance, BYD Seal Performance and the Polestar 2.The Ioniq 6 N is a sizeable step up in price on those competitors, which sit in the $80K bracket. Hyundai’s example trumps many of its competitors when it comes to output, with 478kW and 770Nm.It can shift from 0-100km/h in 3.2 seconds, which is 0.3 seconds quicker than the Ioniq 5 N. The Ioniq 6 N has a top speed of 257km/h.It has an 84kWh battery, which offers 10-80 per cent charging in 18 minutes and has a total driving range of 487km. The car features Hyundai’s torque distribution system, which is able to distribute torque between the front and rear wheels, or all four together. It also comes with huge braking power, courtesy of 400mm front disks and 360mm rear disks. The Ioniq 6 N is already available in showrooms.2026 Hyundai Ioniq 6 N pricing Australia 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 6 N engine and efficiency 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 6 N standard features Head-up displaySatellite navigationHeated and ventilated front seatsWireless phone chargerPower tailgate 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 6 N safetyThe Ioniq 6 N is currently unrated under the ANCAP testing system. Standard safety features: 6 airbagsBlind spot assistLane change assistForward collision avoidance assistEvasive steer assistLane keep assistFront, rear and side parking sensorsAdaptive cruise control2026 Hyundai Ioniq 6 N dimensions 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 6 N warranty and servicingThe Ioniq 6 N is covered by a fiver/unlimited-kilometre warranty. This can be extended to a seven-year warranty when all services are conducted on time at an authorised dealer.There is also an eight-year/160,000km battery warranty. 

Zeekr has confirmed plans to add fully electric versions of its much-anticipated 8X and 9X luxury hybrid SUVs in the near future.Originally debuting as plug-in hybrids, the two models use a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine on top of massive batteries. Both use a hybrid transaxle system in the front mating the engine to powerful electric motors, while they have a fully independent electric rear motor (or two for the performance grade).The regular version of the 8X already produces an impressive 660kW/935Nm, according to Chinese specifications, while the high-performance tri-motor version produces up to 1030kW/1410Nm.Both cars ride on the flexible SEA-S platform, which supports both hybrid and fully electric layouts, and can wield a 900-volt electrical architecture for ultra-rapid charging and ultra-high power outputs.Zeekr Europe’s Chief Engineer for Mechanical Architecture, Kennet Pettersson, said both vehicles were originally designed as full battery-electric platforms, making the EV spin-offs “relatively straightforward".Adding to Pettersson’s comments, Zeekr Group Vice President, Mars Chen, said: “Over three years ago when we had big success with 001 and 009, in that moment we were sure about one thing especially when it comes to international models, and that one very important thing was that the world will not always be ICE (internal combustion engine) or BEV (battery electric vehicle).“We have to have the two in our family, so knowing the reality, the company decided to prepare some hybrid models, because you know Geely (Zeekr’s parent company), is coming from the ICE industry. So we realised that there are some models which are very successful in this segment - Li Auto, Aito using range extenders.”“It’s not something we simply wanted to replicate, so actually, our hybrid system which you see placed in the 9X and 8X today, it's not just a range extender or just a plug-in hybrid, it’s a mix.“The experience we want to give the customer is more electric, which means silent, huge torque, and without any latency.“But this car still has an engine, it still has the capacity, and for range, you don’t need to worry. So that’s why we made that decision for big cars.“I switched to a hybrid car, but frankly speaking, I want to go back to an EV because in my scenario, I only did more than 350km a day once in the last two years. I only need to charge once a week and that’s it.”“So, it’s not a technical choice, it's more of a commercial choice. But I’m very happy to share with you that the version is coming.”Mr Chen also shared that we’d see at least one battery electric version of either the 9X or 8X before the next Chinese auto show (roughly a year), but wouldn’t say which model. He confirmed any design changes between the hybrids set to launch in Australia imminently and the fully electric version would be minimal.As it is, the 8X is already set to cost in excess of $85,000 in Australia, with the 9X likely starting at around $100,000.Expect the fully electric versions to likely have similar, if not higher, power outputs, and with correspondingly larger batteries.Currently, even the hybrid version of the 8X has either a 55kWh battery allowing a 320km range, or a 70kWh battery allowing a 410km range. In fully electric format, expect at least a 90kWh battery, although it wouldn't be surprising to see the brand target one of the industry’s longest driving ranges for a five-meter-plus SUV.Zeekr has shot to the mainstream from relative obscurity in 2026 in Australia thanks almost entirely to its sharply priced and impressively specified 7X fully electric mid sizer which has shot to the top of the sales charts in its category.The brand will no doubt be hoping the 8X, due to arrive in 2027, will live up to the hype it is already generating.Expect to see the 9X hybrid SUV join the brand’s range before the end of the year, with the 7GT Euro-style electric wagon also slated for a late 2026 or early 2027 launch.The brand also showed an updated version of its 009 people mover with significant under-the-skin changes at the Beijing Motor Show.