EV Reviews

It’s been a favourite of growing families for a couple for decades but the Volvo XC90 has just had its life extended. A significant late-life update has arrived in Australia, headlined by a plug-in hybrid version, but is the big seven-seat Volvo still the king of the private school drop-off brigade?

Chery Motors only returned to Australia in 2023 but its already planning a huge expansion with both the Omoda and Jaecoo brands aiming at the more premium end of the market. The Omoda 9 Virtue Super Hybrid is the first offering from that brand, but can this plug-in hybrid SUV offering enough to woo buyers away from the likes of Mazda, Volkswagen and others?

Nine may not logically follow five and six, but in the world of Hyundai's EV sub-brand the large, three-row, dual-motor Ioniq 9 SUV has joined its existing pure-electric Ioniq 5 and 6 stablemates. With a price tag to match its substantial scale it propels the South Korean maker into new territory in the local new car market. Will it make an impact? Andrew Chesterton is on a mission to find out.

It's unusual for the cheapest and smallest member of a car company's line-up to be the most impressive. Indeed, it's like preferring the acting of the Hemsworth whose name no-one can remember, but there's just something surprisingly attractive about Cadillac's Optiq, which will be the entry point for Cadillac's all-EV offering when it arrives later this year. We went to Detroit for a drive.

They call it the Toyota LandCruiser (two words) but to Australian eyes it looks like what we affectionately call a Prado. But it’s what’s underneath the surface, beyond the name, that makes this car so interesting.

Chery's Tiggo 7 plug-in hybrid might be a plug-in price leader, but the Tiggo 8 ticks even more boxes.

All it takes is one look at the size and function of this car’s 1.2-metre long rear doors to realise its primary focus is on the rear occupants rather than the person behind the wheel.Not that the Genesis Electrified G80 Signature’s driver is ignored… far from it, and we’ll get to that soon. But once you clock the auto close and soft-shut functionality of those immense rear openings, its VIP A-to-B purpose is clear.And the way it perfectly leverages the smooth, effortless power and serene refinement delivered by its dual-motor, pure-electric powertrain further confirms this car as more luxurious limo than driver-focused touring sedan.At $155,000, before on-road costs, it lines up against other luxe (often commercially-operated) electric people carrying options like the BMW i5 Sedan ($155,900), Mercedes-Benz EQE350 4Matic Sedan ($154,900) and Zeekr 009 6-seat ($139,900).Updated just last month, this already large EV’s wheelbase has been extended by no less than 130mm, and now at over 5.1m end to end, it shows.The G80’s exterior is familiar, although car-spotters should look for this Electrified’s brushed metal inserts filling in the signature honeycomb grille, uniquely dished 19-inch alloy rims and a tweaked rear bumper.The interior is awash with quilted Nappa full-grain leather on the seats, highlight trims in the doors and lush carpets on the floors.And it’s not just the coverings. Dialling in the heating, cooling, recline and massage functions on the (front and rear) seats is a reminder that relaxation and comfort are key Genesis G80 objectives.And when I say rear seats, it’s just the outer ones. Technically you can slide someone into the centre rear position but that’s more of an afterthought. The huge fold-down centre ‘armrest’ unit is the size of a carry-on suitcase and contains everything from seat adjustment (including recline, heating, cooling and massage functions) and media controls to wireless charging and extra storage.Controls on the rear centre console, available only to the rear ‘VIP’ position behind the front passenger, allow its occupant to remotely push and tilt the front passenger seat forward, which allows for a comfy recline angle and a leg rest to swing up, creating the best seat in the house. Add climate control at the back of the front centre console, a power-operated rear window and screen curtains, plus drop-down illuminated vanity mirrors in the roof, and you have a comfortable automotive cocoon at your disposal. No surprise the extra millimetres in that wheelbase stretch were dedicated exclusively to rear seat space. A ‘small’ disappointment is the boot, which despite power opening and closing (with hands-free operation) offers only 354 litres of volume (70L less than its internal-combustion counterparts), which could be awkward when well packed passengers need a ride to the airport. Compounding the issue is the fact the rear seats don’t fold, so what you see is what you get, except for a small ski-port-style door in the centre.But what was that comment about aspirations of a driver-focused touring sedan taking a ‘back seat’? Despite its substantial footprint and roughly 2.3-tonne kerb weight, the Electrified G80 accelerates, steers and stops ridiculously well.The dual motors combine to produce 272kW and 700Nm, which is enough to propel this big beastie from 0-100km/h in just 5.1 seconds and there’s always plenty of punch lurking under your right foot.The electronically controlled suspension system features a front camera and GPS-based preview function designed to smooth the ride. And it not only does that but keeps the car balanced and composed in quick corners.All-wheel drive and rear-wheel steering also play a role here, helping the car turn in rapidly and corner accurately and road feel is surprisingly good. The fat Michelin Pilot Sport 4 rubber (245/45 fr - 275/40 rr) grips firmly yet remains admirably quiet.But that near-silence (thanks in part to active road noise control) can be broken in the best possible way courtesy of the standard 17-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system. It cranks hard and is managed (save for physical volume controls on the console and steering wheel) via one half of a sleek 27-inch dual-screen OLED display covering instruments and multimedia.On the other side of the performance coin the recent update brought a larger 94.5kWh battery pack (up from 87.2kWh) and WLTP range now sits at a useful 570km (up 50km).The car’s 800V electronic architecture means an ultra-fast charge can boost the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in a handy 25 minutes and WLTP energy consumption is quoted at 15kWh/100km. Over a week of city, suburban and some freeway running, using all the climate control, seat (and steering wheel) heating and massage functions available, we recorded an average of 20.5kWh/100km, which is more than reasonable for an EV of this scale.And then there’s the ownership promise that fits hand in glove with the Genesis G80’s premium positioning.How about a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and eight years/160,000km cover on the drive battery? Not exceptional, but in line with its key competitors. Then there’s 10 years’ roadside assist and ‘Genesis Concierge’ pick-up and delivery at service time with a Genesis courtesy vehicle handed over in your car’s place. But here’s the kicker. Recommended service interval is relatively short (for an EV) at 12 months or 15,000km, but who cares because the first five years’ servicing is free of charge.And on top of that, you have the choice of a five-year Chargefox subscription or a home AC charger with installation. Zero cost ownership for the first five years? Nice.As you’d expect, active (crash-avoidance) safety is top-shelf and the G80 boasts a maximum five-star ANCAP assessment from testing in 2021. The airbag count runs to 10, including a centre and side bags for the front seats. Final random thoughts include a big tick for the inclusion of V2L (Vehicle To Load) capability to power or charge house-power appliances via an adapter attached to the plug area in the car’s nose, a big cross for a repair/inflator kit rather than a physical spare wheel, the ‘star’ button on the steering is a welcome shortcut to switching off the annoying over-speed warning, the four-level regenerative braking (including a single ‘i-Pedal’ mode) works smoothly and the four-wheel steering helps make slow-speed manoeuvring easy.

Audi dropped its R8 supercar for an unlikely new performance hero - the e-tron GT electric sports sedan. Now, the updated model has arrived in Australia and it's packing the biggest punch ever from an Audi production car. We drive the new RS e-tron GT Performance, RS e-tron GT and S e-tron GT to find out if it can take the fight to the Porsche Taycan and others.

Lexus has introduced the RX plug-in hybrid, but does this refined SUV deliver the power and polish required to match its price tag?

A luxury, three-row, six-seat SUV that packs more punch than a Porsche 911? It must be an EV, and one with quite the battery and aggressive dual motors - meet the very large, very impressive-looking Cadillac Vistiq, coming to Australia in early 2026. We flew to Detroit for a preview drive.