EV Reviews

Hatchbacks are experiencing a renaissance in Australia, with a flood of new models hitting our shores, mostly from brands you might not be familiar with.It’s a market segment that's been increasingly abandoned by legacy brands, with nameplates like the Nissan Pulsar, Ford Focus and Suzuki Baleno disappearing to make way for lesser known models like GAC Aion UT, GWM Ora and MG4, and the car we’re looking at for this quick drive, the Geely EX2.These new challengers share a lot in common. They’re fully electric and ultra-affordable, opening up a world of low-running-cost opportunity, but where does Geely’s EX2 fit in? Let’s take a look.We tested the EX2 at a Geely drive event in China where we had limited time with the vehicle, and little information on Australian specification. But we got a little wheel time for a first impression.We know it will arrive in the third quarter of 2026, although we’re not sure how much it will cost. At this stage, we understand it is likely it will come in at least two battery sizesIn China, where it's known as the Geome, the EX2 is is smaller and priced lower than the GAC Aion UT (from $31,990 before on-road costs), but it's priced higher and is a size up from the BYD Atto 1 (from $23,990 BOC).With its bubbly styling, it will also fill a gap left by the departure of the GWM Ora hatch (from $35,990) later this year. Chinese prices range from the equivalent of $A14,121 to $20,276. It opens the possibility of sub-$30k starting price.The two battery sizes currently offered in China are a 30.1kWh unit, providing 310km or a 40.2kWh unit providing up to 410km range, although these are to the more lenient CLTC cycle.While this isn’t confidence inspiring for the kinds of ranges some of its rivals might be capable of, the CATL-sourced LFP batteries are at least water cooled in all spec levels, unlike the BYD Atto 1, which is good for maintaining range in cold or hot days, as well as the longevity of the battery. Charging speed is quoted from 30-80 per cent in 21 minutes, which suggests a slow but appropriate charge speed between 50 and 80kW. We hope Australian-delivered vehicles come with at least 6.6kW AC charging, meanwhile the China-delivered EX2 gets 6.6kW vehicle-to-load, too.Inside, this little car is quite clever in how space efficient it is. The front seat is an unmistakably small car, but offers enough adjustability for me to find a comfortable seating position at 182cm tall. The same goes for the back seat, which benefits from an EV-first platform and a nice flat floor, giving the EX2 above average space for a car in this category.There’s also lots of clever storage areas. It has a 70-litre frunk, which is a good starting point, as well as a 375-litre boot, and there's storage in the pass-through underneath the centre console. The console itself will look a little different in Aussie-delivered cars, as we understand it, because our right-hand-drive models will get a stalk shifter rather than the digital shifter on the left-hand drive versions we tested. A large storage bay up front makes the mistake of orienting the wireless charger right in the middle, wasting otherwise useful space.The 14.6-inch screen in our test cars looks good for a small vehicle, but I hope there’s been some significant software improvements to the brand’s ‘Flyme Auto’ software, which was a bit befuddling in the EX5 I drove in Australia recently. As usual, a lack of physical controls isn’t promising either.Things are good on the driving front though. This cute little hatch has a bit of attitude. It has two motor options, either a 58kW/130Nm, or 85kW/150Nm unit, both of which drive the rear axle rather than the front.This combines with a relatively light weight from the small battery capacities to make for an easily chuckable and cheeky little car.The steering wheel is even ultra compact, making it feel sharp to steer. The heavily electrically assisted rack isn’t as disconnected as the EX5, for example, making this car a sweet little thing to throw around the obstacle course set in front of us.Grip from the factory LingLong tyres wasn’t great (this made it extra fun to slide about in tight corners, but maybe not so great in every day scenarios where you actually want grip) which is something the local division might have some sway over before the car is delivered to Australia.The fully independent suspension front and rear no doubt helps with the handling, and the EX2 felt a little firmer than some of its competitors in our limited time with it.In terms of the drive experience, how nice this car is on the road will depend heavily on how invasive its safety kit is. We will hold off on judging that until we get to drive it on Australian roads.

The 2026 Toyota RAV4 Edge is a mid-size SUV available only in all-wheel drive, rather than having a front-wheel drive option like much of the RAV4 line-up. It’s priced from $55,340 before on-road costs.It comes with plenty of the RAV4’s standard features like LED headlights, privacy tinting, eight-way powered driver’s seat, dual-zone climate control, a 10.5-inch touchscreen display for multimedia, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless smartphone charger, a six-speaker audio system and five USB-C ports plus wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also has a full-size spare wheel.The Edge has a unique (to the RAV4 line-up) 20mm wider wheel track and its own front-end design plus 18-inch dark matt grey metallic alloy wheels.Under the bonnet, a series-parallel hybrid 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine produces 143kW and 221Nm. It powers all four wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT).Toyota claims it uses 4.6L of petrol (now 95RON instead of 91RON minimum) per 100km of driving.The RAV4 is yet to be crash tested by ANCAP, but Toyota anticipates five stars thanks to extensive safety kit including eight airbags, auto emergency braking (AEB) pre-collision, emergency steering assist, full-speed active cruise control, front and rear-cross traffic alert, lane trace, automatic high beam, parking support brake and blind spot monitor. All this is standard across the range.Toyota’s standard five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty can be extended to seven years if you maintain your logbook servicing with Toyota, plus capped-price servicing (every 12 months or 15,000km) costs just $325 per service for five years or 75,000km. 

You may have never heard of this brand before, but if I say it rose from the ashes of SsangYong, things likely make a little more sense.The KGM Actyon, which has roots as a SsangYong model dating back to 2005, is now a mid-to-large SUV based on the smaller, yet still mid-size Torres SUV.It launched initially with petrol power last year, but now a new fuel-sipping hybrid powertrain is on offer.Pricing currently starts at $50,000 drive-away for the entry-level Hybrid K50 and extends to $53,000 drive-away for the flagship Hybrid K60. The latter is on test here and it’s $3000 more than the equivalent petrol model.It's worth noting there are hybrid versions of the Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage and Honda CR-V that are cheaper, but aren't as well equipped.Standard highlights include LED headlights, 20-inch alloy wheels, a hands-free power tailgate, dual 12.3-inch displays, dual-zone climate control, black leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, plus heated outboard rear seats.Stepping up to the Hybrid K60 brings a surround-view camera, panoramic glass sunroof, rear door pull-up sunblinds and a wireless charger.One of the few things that's missing is wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. You’re required to plug your phone into one of the USB-C ports which feels a little outdated now. However, it’s good peace of mind knowing your phone will reliably charge.In terms of the interior, the Actyon Hybrid is virtually identical to the petrol-powered equivalent. It’s minimal, screen-heavy and looks nice, however it can be a hassle to use certain functions, like climate control, on the move. I wish there were more physical buttons on the centre stack.What I do like is the vast amount of interior space, especially in the second row and the boot. The only catch is that the hybrid misses out on a spare wheel because that's where the high-voltage battery pack goes. You get a tyre repair kit instead, sadly.The hybrid powertrain features a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor for a total system output of 150kW, which is 30kW more than the petrol trims.This is mated with an electric dedicated hybrid transmission (e-DHT) with drive sent to the front wheels only. No all-wheel-drive version is on offer.While 150kW may seem like a decent amount of power, it doesn’t feel it in practice, especially in ‘Normal’ drive mode. The throttle calibration is too tapered, making the car feel sluggish off the mark.Select ‘Sport’, however, and it’ll almost spin the front tyres if you’re not careful. A little too hot or cold for my liking.It doesn't help that the hybrid powertrain has a lazy logic. The system prioritises electric power, but it leans on it too much, especially at higher speeds, causing the battery charge to deplete sooner than you’d think.As a result, the petrol engine fires up to charge up the battery pack. You can’t hear or feel the engine start from behind the wheel, but it’s not great to have it idling away when you’re stopped at a traffic light.It just feels like this hybrid system isn’t as smart or intuitive as a Toyota, Kia or Honda hybrid.This reflects the fuel consumption. KGM claims the Actyon Hybrid consumes an average of 5.5L/100km, according to ADR 81/02 combined testing, which is roughly 2.0L/100km less than the petrol equivalent.In practice I saw figures close to this when driving in the city, but on my 1050km road trip, which included plenty of rural highways, I achieved an average of 6.6L/100km. Not as efficient as a Toyota or Honda hybrid…There are the other aspects of the driving experience that are mediocre. The steering has an indirect and artificial feel and the suspension is largely compliant, but gets unsettled and bouncy over bigger bumps.There are plenty of other cars that are more enjoyable to drive, especially on long-distance journeys.The KGM Actyon hasn’t been crash-tested by ANCAP and is therefore unrated. Standard safety equipment includes eight airbags, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, driver attention warning, as well as front and rear parking sensors.Owners are covered by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty with five years of roadside assistance. This warranty term is becoming much more common for mainstream carmakers and doesn't push the boundaries like it once did.Logbook servicing is required every 12 months or 10,000km, which isn’t ideal if you do long-distance driving. The first seven services are capped and total $2903, which averages out to around $414 per service.While this may be cheaper than a Hyundai or Kia to service, Toyota and Honda cars are cheaper again.

The 2026 Toyota RAV4 GXL is a mid-size SUV available in front- or all-wheel drive from $48,990 before on-road costs in 2WD guise or in AWD for $52,340.Standard features for the GXL include 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, privacy tinting, eight-way powered driver’s seat, dual-zone climate control, a 10.5-inch touchscreen display for multimedia, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a wireless smartphone charger, six-speaker audio system and five USB-C ports plus wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also has a full-size spare wheel.A 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with series-parallel hybrid produces 143kW and 221Nm, just like in the rest of the range, and in both 2WD and AWD versions. It drives either the front or all four wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT).Toyota claims it uses 4.5L of petrol (now 95RON instead of 91RON minimum) per 100km of driving, the AWD 4.6L.There’s no ANCAP rating for the RAV4 until later this year, but Toyota anticipates five stars thanks to it being what it calls the “safest RAV4 ever”.Safety kit is extensive, with eight airbags, auto emergency braking (AEB) pre-collision, emergency steering assist, full-speed active cruise control, front and rear cross-traffic alert, lane trace, automatic high beam, parking support brake and blind spot monitor all standard across the range.Toyota’s standard five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty can be extended to seven years if you maintain your logbook servicing with Toyota, plus capped-price servicing costs just $325 per service for five years or 75,000km. Intervals are every 12 months or 15,000km.

The 2026 Toyota RAV4 GX is the entry-level variant of the mid-size SUV, available in front- or all-wheel drive from $45,990 before on-road costs in 2WD guise or in AWD for $49,340.Standard features include 17-inch dark grey alloy wheels, LED headlights, dual-zone climate control, a 10.5-inch touchscreen display for multimedia, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, fabric upholstery, six-speaker audio system and five USB-C ports plus wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.It also has a space-saver spare wheel which costs $300 to upgrade to a full-sizer.Its 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with series-parallel hybrid produces 143kW and 221Nm, both in 2WD and AWD variants, and drives either the front or all four wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT).Toyota claims it uses 4.5L of petrol per 100km of driving, the AWD 4.6L, but note it now needs 95RON as opposed to the 91RON the last generation was able to sip.Toyota doesn’t have an ANCAP rating for the RAV4 yet, expect that later this year, but it anticipates five stars.Eight airbags, auto emergency braking (AEB) pre-collision, emergency steering assist, full-speed active cruise control, front and rear cross-traffic alert, lane trace, automatic high beam, parking support brake and blind spot monitor are all standard across the range.Toyota’s standard five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty covers the RAV4, which can be extended to seven years from delivery if you maintain your logbook servicing with Toyota.Capped-price servicing costs $325 per service and is available for five years or 75,000km, with intervals every 12 months or 15,000km. 

Kia's evolution from affordable outsider to mainstream brand is complete, but can it now become a genuine premium offering? The new EV9 GT pushes the brand in terms of performance, luxury and price. We drive this new, opulent, six-seat SUV to find out how it stacks up as both an electric vehicle and a luxury brand alternative.

In early 2026 Geely did something it really needed to. It updated the EX5 electric mid-sized SUV with a bigger battery offering more driving range.That’s the car we're tested here, the EX5 Extended Range in top-of-the-range Inspire guise.Traditionally, model updates bring cosmetic changes like a different wheel design, restyled front bumper, a larger touchscreen inside, but Geely has addressed the biggest issue with the previous EX5 - the limited driving range.The previous EX5 had a smallish 60.22kWh battery which offered 410km of WLTP driving range for the Inspire, according to Geely.That’s pretty low compared to rivals such as the Leapmotor C10 which offers up to 510km. The updated EX5’s 68.39kWh battery has a range of up to 475km in the entry grade Complete and 450km in the Inspire.I asked Geely Australia why the difference in range and was told it comes down to the Inspire’s heavier weight (it has a big glass roof) and its larger wheels.The bigger battery is really the only change made to the model in this update and a cargo cover for the boot has been added plus a mode 2 charging cable.The Inspire lists for $45,990 before on-road costs, which is $4000 more than the Complete. Those prices are up by about $1000 compared to the previous model.Standard features are identical to the pre-update model and while the Inspire gets more, it doesn’t get much more. I think the Complete is the better buy for less money and more range with almost the same equipment.Both grades have LED headlights, proximity unlocking, 15.4-inch touchscreen and 10.2-inch instrument cluster, climate control, sat nav, wireless phone charging, power and heated front seats, vehicle-to-load and vehicle-to-vehicle capability and selectable drive modes.The Inspire adds 19-inch alloy wheels (the Complete has 18s) 16-speaker Flyme stereo, power tailgate, panoramic sunroof, 256-colour ambient lighting, ventilated front seats with massaging function and front parking sensors.There’s nothing on the Inspire’s extra features list that seems essential to me. If anything the panoramic sunroof makes the cabin too hot in Aussie summer, power tailgates are too slow, and yes the stereo is good but the six-speaker unit in the entry grade is fine.Our car wears the new 'Jungle Green' paint which looks stunning when the sun catches and the interior was the 'Cloud White' which is a tone only available on the Inspire.The other standard interior colour for the Inspire is 'Midnight Black' and that’s the only colour offered on the Complete grade, too. The darker upholstery is probably the smarter choice if you have kids like me or wear fake tan like me, too.It’s a lovely cabin with comfortable and plush seats, and clean and uncluttered surfaces with a modern minimalist styling throughout. The big screen houses almost all controls and that is frustrating when it comes to changing the temperature or fan speed. Even the headlights are controlled through the screen.Fortunately speed displayed in the driver instrument cluster and in the clear head-up display, which is great for navigation.Cabin storage is excellent with an area under the floating centre console to store a handbag or small backpack. There are deep door pockets front and rear along with four cupholders. A large centre console bin is also good for stowing items away and under cover.The boot is sectioned into two layers with a total capacity of 410 litres which falls short of other electric mid-sized SUVs such as the Leapmotor C10 EV (581L).The EX5 is 4615mm long, making it about the same length as a Toyota RAV4 or Subaru Forester.The smooth exterior styling gives off a prestigious vibe, and while its not hugely different to other SUVs, I think it looks stylish and modern. Both EX5 grades are front-wheel drive with an electric motor which makes 160kW and 320Nm. While that’s not a huge power figure, acceleration in the Inspire is still decent with 0-100km/h coming in 7.6 seconds. That makes leaping out into traffic easy, while overtaking can be done with confidence.Most of the driving was done in the city and suburbs, along with my review test loop. After 301km of driving, the ride is impressively comfortable, but possibly overly cushioned. The dynamics are affected by body roll when pushing the vehicle harder into corners.A car like this won't often be driven that way though. The reason I do this is to see how stable it will be in an emergency situation that requires a quick lane change. It’s just not super agile and sporty, which isn’t on its to-do list, anyway.The EX5 is quiet, smooth, comfortable and easy to drive. I love the gear shifter mounted on the steering column stalk, which makes it easy to change from drive to reverse and back again.Visibility is excellent, the pedal feels good and the steering, while a little light and artificial feeling, is accurate. During my time with the EX5, my average energy consumption according to the tripmetre was 15.5kWh/100km. That's less than the 16.9kWh/100km Geely says you should see. I’m impressed with that. I normally exceed consumption claims.The maximum DC charging rate is 100kW which is fine but not particularly quick these days. This will allow the battery to be charged from 30-80 per cent in 20 minutes. The charging flap is next to the right front wheel guard.  

Australia's cheapest-ever EV is here, in the striking shape of the perfectly-timed BYD Atto 1 Essential from $24,000. And even the up-spec Premium, as tested here, from $28,000 promises price parity with petrol equivalents. But, behind the breakthrough is a talented and refined yet ultimately flawed supermini from China. So, while the Atto 1 is inexpensive, does it represent great value?

The 2026 Toyota RAV4 needs to be bang-on exactly what customers want, because it’s not only Toyota’s most popular model globally, it was the most popular new car in the world last year. Has Toyota done enough to convince Australia its family SUV is still worthy of its top position? We head to the most important Aussie launch this year to find out.

Initially a 1.6-litre four-cylinder plug-in hybrid, Peugeot's 408 is now a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder mild 'plug-less' hybrid with $10K slashed off its price tag and fuel economy to frighten the mainstream medium SUV players it now competes with. We spent a week behind the wheel to see if the new package gives this niche player more market bite.