Luxury Reviews

What people mover costs a quarter of a million dollars? The Lexus LM 500h does and we tested it to see if it's the ultimate family car.

The Audi A3 is a popular premium hatchback in a market increasingly interested in SUVs, so can it continue to hold the small car fort after a mid-life update?

Audi have launched the performance grade for the Q6 SUV line - the SQ6 e-tron. Is this the taste-test for what to expect from their high-performance RS that Audi has teased for the future? Only time will tell.

The M badge here tells you that this is the high-performance member of the new X3 family.

The 30e version of the BMW X3 family SUV doesn’t just fill a medium price-point (in this case $104,100) it’s the model that most fully adopts the mantra of electrification for this model. Instead of a mild hybrid, the 30e goes all the way with a plug-in hybrid driveline based on a 2.0-litre petrol engine, an electric motor and a 19.7kWh battery pack.

The entry-level price-point in the new X3 range, the 20 costs $86,100 before on-road costs and is a full-sized SUV with two rows of seats for a total of five passengers. There’s no seven-seat version.

The Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 4Matic+, for now, serves as the CLE flagship. That means no V8, but a 'double charge' turbo and electric compressor enhanced 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder mild-hybrid petrol engine that nearly matches the Audi RS5 and BMW M4's outputs. All-wheel drive, four-wheel steering and adaptive dampers provide further grand-touring credentials – but does it drive like an AMG should?

BMW's X3 has arrived in fourth-generation guise and its bigger than the very first X5! It's also hybrids across the board this time around and it ushers in a bold new design. But is it enough to keep Audi and Mercedes-Benz worried?

The second-gen Mercedes-AMG GT coupe looks similar but changes substantially compared to before. The now larger body gains more seats and a larger boot, dramatically improving practicality. Performance is in the supercar league. 4WD and 4-wheel steering are standard, replacing the old rear transaxle layout, and a 50:50 weight balance aids handling. But is this enough to beat a Porsche 911?

The Q4 e-tron 55 is the more-expensive version, and – like the base 45 rear-wheel drive – the 55 is offered in two body styles: a boxy and more-family orientated SUV wagon and racier Sportback.Taking aim at higher-end versions of the BMW iX1, Mercedes-Benz EQA, Polestar 4, Volvo EX40 and Tesla Model Y, the Q4 e-tron 55 has two electric motors – one on each axle. This provides it with all-wheel drive that Audi famously markets as quattro.Being a flagship, the 55s are well equipped, with heated and electric front sports seats with driver’s side memory settings, a 360-degree camera, Matrix LED headlights, dynamic indicators, three-zone climate control, an electronic instrument display, an 11.6-inch touchscreen, full wireless multimedia connectivity, eight-speaker premium audio, satellite navigation, folding/heated/kerb-side-view exterior mirrors, automatic parking, a gesture-controlled powered tailgate, roof rails and 20-inch alloy wheels.AEB, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control and front, side and curtain airbags are also fitted as part of an extensive safety package. The Audi has earned a five-star ANCAP crash-test rating.However, no spare wheel is available. Owners must make do with a fiddly tyre-repair kit.Over the rear axle of the 55 is a permanently excited synchronous motor. Paired with another electric motor over the front axle, it delivers a combined 250kW of power and 545Nm of torque to all four wheels via a single-speed transmission, for a 0-100km/h sprint of 5.4s, on the way to a top speed of 180km/h.Every Q4 e-tron for Australia leverages an 82kWh Lithium-ion battery pack, nestled within a 400-volt EV-only architecture dubbed MEB, offering 77kWh of useable capacity.The Sportback 55 brings the most range to the table, with 503km, versus the 55 SUV’s 488km. Similarly, the combined average consumption figures are 17.5kWh/100km (Sportback 55) and 18.1kWh/100km (55 SUV).Note that Audi offers a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, with six years of roadside assistance and eight years/160,000km coverage for the battery. Service intervals are every 24 months or 30,000km.