Car Reviews

The Suzuki Swift Hybrid is the company’s first electrified passenger vehicle sold in Australia, and coincides with the sixth-generation of the long-lived supermini series since 1983.

Electrification has arrived in the world of supercars, and the newest entrant is McLaren's plug-in powerhouse, the Artura Spider. But this drop-top has more to offer than a little fresh air, with more power, better braking and better handling, all designed to help take the fight to the Ferrari 296 GTB. So, is this $500,000 convertible the pick of the plug-in supercars?

The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon sits at the top-of-the-range and it’s available in a two-door body style for $83,950 and four-door for $90,450.Coming standard on the Rubicon grade are LED headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels, proximity key and push-button start, Nappa leather upholstery, power and heated front seats, 12.3-inch media screen, sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a nine-speaker Alpine sound system and dark tint windows.Powering all Wranglers is a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder making 200kW and 400Nm. An eight-speed automatic transmission shifts gears and sends the drive to all four wheels.The Wrangler has three-star score from a possible five-star ANCAP safety rating.

The Jeep Wrangler Overland sits in the middle of the range with a list price of $84,950.Coming standard on the Overland grade are LED headlights, 18-inch alloy wheels, proximity key and push button start, premium McKinley power and heated front seats, 12.3-inch media screen, sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a nine speaker Alpine sound system and dark tiny windows.Powering all Wranglers is a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder making 200kW and 400Nm. An eight-speed automatic transmission shifts gears and sends the drive to all four wheels.The Wrangler has three-star score from a possible five-star ANCAP safety rating.

The Calligraphy is the new top-spec grade in the Hyundai Santa Fe line-up, replacing the outgoing Highlander badge.

The Jeep Wrangler Sport S is the entry-point into the range with its list price of $75,950. Standard features include LED headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels, proximity key and push-button start, heated front seats, A 12.3-inch media screen, sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a nine-speaker Alpine sound system and dark tint windows.Powering all Wranglers is a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder making 200kW and 400Nm. An eight-speed automatic transmission shifts gears and sends the drive to all four wheels.The Wrangler has three-star score from a possible five-star ANCAP safety rating.

The Elite is the mid-grade version of Hyundai's new Santa Fe range.

Volkswagen revealed the facelifted Touareg in May 2023 and the Australian arm swiftly confirmed the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) R performance model would headline the local range for the first time.

The facelifted Volkswagen Touareg has finally arrived in Australia 12 months after its European debut. A tweaked four-strong range runs from $86,790 to $129,990 before on-road costs, and the tested 170TDI is the most affordable.

The flagship GT-Line ($70,680 petrol, $72,910 diesel) sits atop the Kia Carnival range in Australia, and such builds on the other models’ equipment list with dual-projection headlights, a heated steering wheel, a 12-speaker BOSE sound system, ventilated seats up front, a big head-up display and a digital rear-view mirror, along with a slightly better interior treatment and the return of the auto window and powered seat to the passenger side of the car.There is seating for up to eight, and at 175cm, there was ample room for me in the middle row, and you can configure the cabin to your liking, too. You can slide the row on rails, for example, to prioritise leg room where you need it, and the middle seat folds down to reveal cupholders in a kind of hard plastic travel tray.But even in the third row I could easily get comfortable, though head room begins to get a little tighter. There are cupholders and USB connection points, too, and I can honestly say you could send full-size humans back there and not feel overly guilty about it.The petrol engine is what I reckon is the lesser of the two ICE options — a 3.5-litre petrol V6, producing a rev-happy 216kW and 355Nm. The better option, I think, is the 2.2-litre, four-cylinder diesel, which makes 148kW and 440Nm, and just suits the nature of the car a little better.Both pair with an eight-speed automatic, and send their power to the front tyres.