Articles by Chris Thompson

The Ford Ranger plug-in hybrid ute does not have a very long electric driving range, and it’s something that’s been a sticking point for some since its launch earlier this month.

Volkswagen Group seems to be in the midst of developing and launching a series of small electric cars to satisfy its European markets, according to reports.

Mazda Australia has set up trademark requests for a series of badge names that point to a potential influx of electric cars.Five filings with IP Australia consist of anticipated or possible electric cars names from the brand, including the Mazda CX-6e and Mazda 6e, which already exist in some markets.The Mazda 2e and 3e filings suggest light and small electric cars could be on the way, while the CX-5e name points to another mid-size SUV model.While brands sometimes register trademarks to protect model names that fit in their style but don’t apply to an existing car, the choices by Mazda to register these limited but specific names seems more deliberate.The Mazda 6e and CX-6e have already been around for a short while, starting life as the EZ-6 and EZ-60 respectively in China, built by joint venture Changan-Mazda.The 6e and CX-6e model names are applied to the cars for international markets and brand recognition, with the 2026 Mazda 6e already locked in Europe and available with details for each market.The CX-6e is not yet confirmed under that name, but it’s possible that it will be the EZ-60’s international name if not deemed too similar phonetically to ‘CX-60’.As for the 2e, 3e and CX-5e, all have been trademarked in the EU by Mazda so it’s possible there are more announcements to come from Mazda regarding future EVs, even if not entirely relevant to Australia.It would make sense that if 2e and 3e come to fruition, they’d be Mazda2 and Mazda3-sized. There’s also a chance the CX-5e name has been registered in anticipation of the next-gen CX-5, if electrification ends up being on the cards.CarsGuide has contacted Mazda Australia for comment on the trademark filings.

The fourth-generation Nissan Leaf has been detailed, with an Australian arrival already confirmed and a new SUV-style body shape for the car that put Nissan at the forefront of electric cars more than a decade ago.The 2026 Nissan Leaf will come to Australia in the 2026 Japanese fiscal year, or between April 1, 2026 and March 31, 2027.When it arrives, it will boast more than 600km in range thanks to a large battery, a respectable 160kW/355Nm power and torque output and a striking departure in styling from the Leaf hatchback we know.Those range and power figures are for the longer-range 75kWh battery variant, with a smaller 52kWh battery version set to join it.The shorter-ranged Leaf is yet to be rated for range, though even the 600km+ figure is estimated for Japan and Europe, so could change before its launch.Depending on the market, the size of the new Leaf varies, but the Japanese version will be 4360mm long, 1810mm wide and 1550mm tall with a 2690mm wheelbase, putting it roughly in the same playing field as the new Kia EV3.An estimated drag coefficient of 0.26Cd goes some way to explaining its impressive range and slippery smooth design, but even with the sloping rear the Leaf can hold 420L in its boot, according to Nissan.It’s a big step up for tech over the current Nissan Leaf e+ and its 385km WLTP range, although outputs remain pretty similar - the e+ coming in at 160kW/340Nm.The Leaf’s DC fast charging is now 150kW, with Nissan saying it can charge from 10 to 80 per cent in “as little as 35 minutes”.Inside, the new Leaf gets a big redo, doing away with the dated interior and bringing in a pair of large screens, either dual 12.3-inch or dual 14.3-inch units depending on the grade.Other niceties include a 10-speaker Bose sound system, ambient lighting, wireless phone charging, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, but some shortcut menus and physical controls remain for ease of use.More details for the new Leaf will be confirmed for each market closer to their launch dates, with the first to be North America.The original Leaf started production in 2010 but only arrived in Australia in mid-2012. The second-gen was an overhauled version of the first and it landed here in mid-2019. For a time the Leaf was the world's best-selling EV until it was toppled by the Tesla Model 3.

One of Toyota’s joint-ventures in China has confirmed at a tech conference that its next-generation Highlander SUV - the Kluger to Australians - will be available with a range-extender or plug-in hybrid (PHEV) system.GAC Toyota, the two-decade-old Chinese joint-venture between GAC Group and Toyota Motor Company, announced in a presentation that a number of plug-in hybrid models are in development for the Chinese market, many of which may not be necessarily relevant to global markets.But the next-generation Toyota Kluger is a model that will yield high interest here in Australia, so whether the Chinese market development becomes available outside GAC Toyota’s home market is something Australia is likely to have an eye on.Seen on slides at the 2025 GAC Toyota Technology Day via images published on AutoHome, the next-gen Kluger and Sienna people mover both form the range-extender EV (REEV) and plug-in hybrid part of the brand’s multi-pathway approach in China.While the ‘multi-pathway’ term will sound familiar to anyone following Toyota’s global move towards the next generation of powertrains - be that EV, hybridisation, or even hydrogen - in China it might be a more localised version of the philosophy.According to reports, Toyota is decentralising its product planning to better compete in the fast-moving Chinese market, meaning Japan will have less direct involvement in deciding what the GAC Toyota line-up looks like.Traditional hybrid and full BEV models are both a large part of the plan, with the former set to be moving into its sixth generation of development alongside the proliferation of its fifth generation. Toyota’s EV model line-up on the other hand is set to expand, with solid-state batteries to be mass-produced as soon as possible.GAC Toyota exists in China alongside FAW Toyota, which also imports and produces a relatively established line-up of Toyota models for the market and has also existed since the early 2000s. Both GAC and FAW’s Toyota joint-ventures sell a version of the Kluger in China.Toyota is also set to work with Chinese brands like Xiaomi and Huawei to develop technology for future models, while it’s already a couple of years into a joint venture with EV and hybrid car giant BYD (on products like the bZ3 sedan).As recently as 2024, Toyota North America’s General Manager David Christ told CarBuzz that BEVs would be a big part of the US product plan, with the outlet confirming the Highlander (Kluger) would be available as an EV model. It’s not clear if this is still the case, nor whether it would be available in other export markets like Australia.Currently, Australian market Klugers with their hybrid 2.5-litre four-cylinder powertrains are produced in Toyota’s Motor Manufacturing Indiana plant in the US, along with the related Lexus TX and the Toyota Sienna people-mover.CarsGuide has contacted Toyota Australia for comment regarding the next-gen Kluger and potential collaboration with China.

Will these local additions give the Tasman additional visual flair?

Could Australia be next for this iconic Chinese off-roader?

The long-awaited electrified Ford Ranger has arrived. The Blue Oval's plug-in joins a very short list of partly battery-powered rival utes, but Ford Australia says the Ranger hasn't been compromised for the sake of its new EV ability. We're here to find out if that's true.

Hyundai has confirmed the reveal date for its second high-performance electric car, the Ioniq 6 N, alongside a shadowy teaser image.The 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 6 N, according to a brief press release from the brand, will be revealed at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed.Hyundai said the Ioniq 6 N will build on the benchmark success of the Ioniq 5 N, so expect similar performance aspirations from the incoming electric car.The teaser images show the swoopy sedan in its most aggressive form, with Hyundai confirming lighter wheels, a wider stance and a notable wing mounted to the rear in addition to the existing ‘duck-tail’ style spoiler the standard Ioniq 6 wears.Based on the facelifted Ioniq 6, the N should also share approximately the same platform as the Ioniq 5 N, though Hyundai hasn’t confirmed technical details beyond the teaser as yet.This means it’s not certain if the brand has pushed any further than the Ioniq 5 N’s mega 478kW power output.It’s likely Hyundai will confirm these details upon the reveal of the Ioniq 6 N at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July.“Ioniq 6 N will once again disrupt the high-performance EV segment to deliver exciting driving experiences to our fans,” said Joon Park, Hyundai Vice President and Head of N.“We chose to debut the Ioniq 6 N at Goodwood Festival of Speed to be as close to our fans as possible.”

Ford Australia has just launched the highly anticipated Ranger plug-in hybrid, with the Blue oval soon to boast two plug-in hybrid models in its commercial vehicle range.