EV Reviews

For more than 70 years the Chevrolet Corvette has been a sports car icon and the current eighth-generation version comes to Australia in factory right-hand drive form. The petrol-electric hybrid Corvette E-Ray is arguably the most interesting version and we spent a week behind the wheel to see how 'America's sports car' fares in local conditions.

The Renault Symbioz Esprit Alpine is the flagship model in the new small SUV’s line-up. Priced from $45,990, before on-road costs, the Esprit Alpine combines luxury and sporty touches to differentiate it from the Techno hybrid below it in the range.Naturally, the Esprit Alpine is loaded with the most equipment, including auto headlights, a wireless smartphone charger, heated steering wheel and automatic climate control. Plus there’s a 10.25-inch digital driver display as well as a 10.4-inch central multimedia touchscreen connected to a nine-speaker Harman Kardon sound system. Not only does it have wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto included, but also Google Automotive Services, which means it can act like an extension of your Android smartphone in many respects.Other niceties include performance seats that are heated and electronically adjustable and red, white and blue stitching on the steering wheel plus a power tailgate.The Symbioz is based on Renault’s latest design language, which gives it a distinctive European look. The Esprit Alpine gets some unique exterior design elements, including chrome exterior trim as well as a more muted grille and badge treatment.Inside there is a small ledge ahead of the stubby gear selector, with the wireless charging pad hidden underneath it. There are two cupholders and a small lidded console box as well, plus small door pockets, which makes for a very practical cabin.In terms of space for people, up front the seats are comfortable and roomy, while in the rear the back of the driver and passenger seats have been heavily sculpted out to create a good amount of kneeroom.The Symbioz Esprit Alpine uses the first hybrid powertrain offered by Renault in Australia, a 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and electric motor that makes 116kW of power and 265Nm of torque.With a 48-litre fuel tank and claimed fuel economy of just 4.7L/100km the Symbioz has a theoretical driving range of more than 1000km on a single fill.In terms of safety, the Symbioz Techno has a good level of active driver assistant systems that are better calibrated than many small SUV rivals, plus there is a single-button function to switch off the systems you don’t want to use. However, the Symbioz has not been rated by ANCAP and has a four-star (from a possible five) crash test score from Euro NCAP. The Symbioz Esprit Alpine is covered by Renault’s standard five-year/100,000km warranty, The company offers ‘Assured Servicing Pricing’ which covers the first five years or 150,000km, whichever comes first. This will cost you a total of $2715 for the hybrid during that time.

The all-new Renault Symbioz small SUV range begins with a mild hybrid variant in the Techno trim, priced from $36,990, before on-road costs. The Techno mild hybrid comes equipped with 18-inch alloy wheels, auto headlights, a wireless smartphone charger, heated steering wheel, automatic climate control and 10.25-inch digital driver display plus a 10.4-inch central multimedia touchscreen connected to a six-speaker sound system. Not only does it have wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto included, but also Google Automotive Services, which means it can act like an extension of your Android smartphone in many respects.Renault’s designers have created a surprisingly spacious and well-considered interior for such a small SUV. Up the front there are plenty of small item storage spaces. There is a small ledge ahead of the stubby gear selector, with the wireless charging pad hidden underneath it. There are two cupholders and a small lidded console box as well, plus small door pockets.In terms of space for people, up front the seats are comfortable and roomy, while in the rear the back of the driver and passenger seats have been heavily sculpted out to create a good amount of kneeroom.The rear seat slides to provide a trade-off between boot space and rear occupant space, so it does have an impressively large cargo capacity if you don’t need to take passengers.The mild hybrid Symbioz is powered by a 1.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and makes 104kW of power and 245Nm of torque.The mild hybrid has a fuel economy rating of 6.4L/100km, which provides a theoretical driving range of more than 750km thanks to its 48L fuel tank.In terms of safety, the Symbioz Techno has a good level of active driver assistant systems that are better calibrated than many small SUV rivals. However, the Symbioz has not been rated by ANCAP and has a four-star crash test score from Euro NCAP. The Symbioz Techno mild hybrid is covered by Renault’s standard five years/100,000km warranty. The company offers ‘Assured Servicing Pricing’ which covers the first five years or 150,000km, whichever comes first, and the total cost for the period is $2695.

As more manufacturers chase buyers looking for an accessible entry into EV ownership, the challenge is no longer simply getting the price down. It's finding an electric car that doesn't make too many compromises along the way. That's what the updated MG4 Essence 64 is promising. But does it deliver?

The Geely EX2 Inspire is the top-spec version of Geely’s entry into the small EV market, competing with the likes of the BYD Atto 1, GAC Aion UT and MG4.Starting from $30,990, before on-road costs, the Inspire is $4500 pricier than the base Complete but gains plenty of features. Standard on the EX2 regardless are: Auto LED headlights and tail-lightsPowered seat adjustment14.6-inch multimedia touchscreen 8.8-inch driver displayWireless Apple CarPlay and Android AutoUSB-A and USB-C portsFour-speaker sound systemDigital radioGeely connected servicesKeyless entry and startLED interior lightingFeatures added when you upgrade to the Inspire are: Coloured ambient interior lightingWireless phone chargingPower tailgateHeated front seats and steering wheelDecorative metallic trim Contrast black roofRain-sensing wipersIt’s 4135mm long, 1805mm wide and 1580mm tall, with a 2645mm wheelbase. There’s a segment-defying 450L of luggage space between the 375L boot and 75 under-bonnet storage or ‘frunk’.Upgraded from the Complete in terms of its drivetrain, the EX2 Inspire is powered by a 85kW/150Nm motor, mounted at the rear axle. Geely claims it is able accelerate from 0-100km/h in 11.5 seconds and it’s limited to 130km/h.A 47kW battery provides power, while the EX2 Inspire uses a claimed 15.5kWh/100km, which results in a driving range of 345km according to Geely. DC Charging is 80kW, while AC is just 6.2kW.Geely says it was designed with current ANCAP testing protocols in mind and expects a maximum five-star rating later this year, though this is yet to be determined. Regardless, the list of standard safety features in the 2026 EX2 includes:Seven airbagsOccupant sensor and reminderSurround-view camera Rear parking sensorsHigh-beam assistPedestrian alert (low speed)Traction and stability controlHill-descent controlAdaptive cruise controlFront- and rear-cross traffic alertFront and rear collision warningBlind-spot monitoring Driver monitoringEmergency lane-keepLane-change assistTraffic sign detectionGeely offers a seven-year, unlimited km warranty on the EX2, with eight years' coverage for the high-voltage battery.Roadside assistance for seven years is standard and the option to buy up to seven years' of prepaid servicing at $1642 also provides peace-of-mind, the latter saving you $410 compared to the $2052 it costs paying per service. Intervals are every 12 months or 20,000km.

Renault is back with an all-new contender in the highly-competitive small SUV market. The Symbioz brings European style and a polished driving experience, along with hybrid powertrains. But we review it to see if it has what it takes to compete against a diverse array of rivals from Chery, Hyundai, Mazda and more.

The latest generation of GWM's Haval H6GT PHEV introduces Hi4 all-wheel drive technology plus significant interior and multimedia upgrades, but does this sporty flagship hit a sweet spot for SUV buyers?

The Geely EX2 Complete is a budget-friendly entry into the EV market from fast-growing brand Geely, competing with the likes of the BYD Atto 1, GAC Aion UT and MG4.Starting from $26,490, before on-road costs, the base Complete comes with plenty of features as standard including: Auto LED headlights and tail-lightsPowered seat adjustment14.6-inch multimedia touchscreen 8.8-inch driver displayWireless Apple CarPlay and Android AutoUSB-A and USB-C portsFour-speaker sound systemDigital radioGeely connected servicesKeyless entry and startLED interior lightingIt’s 4135mm long, 1805mm wide and 1580mm tall, with a 2645mm wheelbase. Between the 375L boot and 75 under-bonnet storage (or ‘frunk’) there’s a segment-defying 450L of luggage space.It’s powered by a 60kW/150Nm motor, mounted at the rear axle, which Geely claims is able to drive the EX2 from 0-100km/h in a sluggish 14.2 seconds. It’s limited to 130km/h.Drawing power from a 35kW battery, the EX2 uses a claimed 15.9kWh/100km, which results in a modest driving range of 252km according to Geely. DC Charging is 60kW, while AC is just 6.2kW.While there’s no ANCAP rating for the EX2 yet, Geely says it was designed with current testing protocols in mind and expects a maximum five-star rating.The list of standard safety features in the 2026 EX2 includes:Seven airbagsOccupant sensor and reminderSurround-view camera Rear parking sensorsHigh-beam assistPedestrian alert (low speed)Traction and stability controlHill-descent controlAdaptive cruise controlFront- and rear-cross traffic alertFront and rear collision warningBlind-spot monitoring Driver monitoringEmergency lane-keepLane-change assistTraffic sign detectionGeely offers a seven-year, unlimited km warranty on the EX2, with eight years coverage for the high-voltage battery.Seven years of roadside assistance and the option to buy up to seven years' of prepaid servicing at $1642 also provide peace-of-mind. Intervals are every 12 months or 20,000km.

Electric delivery vans are getting cheaper, and there's a bit of an arms race on now to see who can get their EV van on to the market at a sub-$50,000 price-tag. A new brand called Cavan is the latest to weigh in with a van called the C1 which promises a lot for a small outlay. But does the reality of the C1 match the hype? And can you feel where the money has been engineered out of it?

Audi has officially launched the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version of its new, third-generation Q5 mid-size SUV in Australia.Dubbed the Audi Q5 e-hybrid, it has launched much earlier in the model lifecycle this time around. There are still the classic SUV and swoopier ‘coupe’ SUV body styles.Competition in this segment is fierce and this new Q5 e-hybrid has to compete against the likes of the BMW X3, Lexus NX, Mercedes-Benz GLC and Volvo XC60, all of which now offer PHEV variants.The 2026 Audi Q5 SUV e-hybrid is priced from $96,818, before on-road costs, whereas the Q5 Sportback e-hybrid is $3500 more at $100,318, before on-road costs.This notably brings price parity with the Q5 TFSI quattro 200kW. It follows a similar structure Audi introduced when it launched the A5 e-hybrid last year and it’s a great motivator to incentivise electrification.The pricing also sees it compete with the following:Lexus NX450h+ F Sport: $96,090 before on-road costsMercedes-Benz GLC350e: $99,817 before on-road costsVolvo XC60 Ultra T8 PHEV: $101,990 before on-road costsIt costs a little less than the BMW X3 30e xDrive ($107,700 before on-road costs).Standard equipment for the Audi Q5 SUV e-hybrid includes:20-inch alloy wheelsMatrix LED headlightsPanoramic glass sunroofHands-free power tailgate11.9-inch digital instrument cluster14.5-inch touchscreen multimedia systemThree-zone climate controlLeather-appointed upholsteryHowever, opting for the e-hybrid brings unique features like:Sport suspensionBlack exterior packagePrivacy glass for the rear windowsRed brake calipersAuxiliary air-conditioningMultiple charging cablesOn top of standard the equipment, you can very easily add thousands to the asking price with optional extras:Premium pack: $5900Tech pro pack: $5400Winter pack: $1350Adaptive air suspension: $4650Ventilated front seats: $2200Front dash cam: $1000The 2026 Audi Q5 e-hybrid is powered by a familiar 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor. Total system outputs are an unchanged 270kW and 500Nm.It’s a step up in power over the Q5 TFSI quattro's 200kW and brings it in-line with the V6-powered SQ5. The claimed 0-100km/h sprint is 5.1 seconds. There’s plenty of oomph on tap, but when the petrol engine revs harder, the note isn’t awe-inspiring.Feeding the electric motor is a 25.9kWh lithium-ion battery pack that allows for up to 88km of WLTP-claimed electric driving range. This is up from 55km in the previous-gen car.AC charging has been upped from 7.2kW to 11kW, but fully charging the battery still takes 2.5 hours due to its larger size. There are no DC fast-charging capabilities.For 2026, all Q5s gain physical scroll wheels on the steering wheel. They’re easy to use and have a tactile feel. It feels like Audi should have had these from the start.However, it’s disappointing there still aren’t many physical buttons around the cabin. You’re required to use the touchscreen to change the climate control settings, for example. The few physical buttons are glossy piano black, meaning they easily attract fingerprints with use.Another difference is the new multimedia interface. It looks nice on the central touchscreen and the additional apps give the optional passenger display more use, but configurability on the digital instrument cluster has been reduced. It’s a big step back as Audi used to lead the game on this front.The rest of the Q5 e-hybrid’s interior is virtually identical to the regular Q5. However, boot space is reduced due to the placement of the battery. There is 438L in the SUV and 433L in the Sportback, expanding out to around 1300L with the seats folded for both.Like many PHEVs, there is no spare tyre available. There’s only a tyre repair kit which isn’t helpful if you have a proper puncture.The Q5 e-hybrid is a comfortable and serene place to be while driving around. It’s inherently quiet in EV mode and you barely notice when the petrol engine fires up.As standard there is sport suspension with frequency-selective dampers, but you can option adaptive air suspension which further irons-out road imperfections and allows the ride height to change.I’d personally save my cash as the standard set-up is compliant and supple enough.The Q5 gains a long-range radar for 2026 and it can occasionally be overly sensitive when using adaptive cruise control. Additionally, there is finally active lane-keep assist, but it tends to ping-pong within the lane.The Q5 e-hybrid comes with the following safety equipment:Nine airbagsAutonomous emergency braking (AEB)Blind-spot monitoringRear cross-traffic alertAdaptive cruise controlLane-keep assistFront and rear parking sensorsSurround-view cameraSOS emergency callingLike all Audis, there is a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. Logbook servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km. Pricing hasn’t been confirmed yet.There are a total of 82 Audi dealer and service centres in Australia.