Articles by Chris Thompson

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.

If you feel like you’ve seen Toyota pumping up its campaign for the Tundra, you’re not imagining things.The 2026 Toyota Tundra is being advertised more widely after its proper launch, with the full-size American ute appearing regularly on TV ads, particularly during AFL games with Toyota the major sponsor.Toyota admits the advertising push is simply due to its full-size ute not making the big waves it had hoped for upon its arrival.In 2024, when the Tundra was ‘soft-launched’ with participating customers rather than taken to a full retail launch, Toyota Australia’s then-Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations, Sean Hanley, told media he believed the Tundra was “going to have a good start, no problem”.But at the launch of the new Toyota RAV4, Hanley’s replacement as Toyota’s VP, John Pappas, told CarsGuide the reception to the Tundra has been generally positive, but awareness of the model hasn’t met expectations.“The feedback we were getting on Tundra was that it was only a personal import, and because we haven't brought in Tundra under the official distributor route for a long time… now we've noticed that awareness of the vehicle being an official vehicle across the dealer network has been very low.“So that's why you've seen the increased advertising and awareness, because we've got a job to do there, to make people aware that they can walk into a local dealer and actually go and have a test drive.“We did a massive activation over the Gather Round weekend together with the AFL on the Tundra, where we drove vehicles from Victoria to South Australia, and we had an activation at the Gather Round.“And so we're trying to do a lot. We've got the Supercars going on where we've got Tundra also there. So we're trying to do a lot to raise awareness. But it is going to take us some time.”So far, the Tundra hasn’t exactly put the full-size ute, or pick-up, market on notice. Its 2025 figures saw its 837 sales just beat the Ford F-150 (792), the latter down massively on the previous year (2428) as it has been beset by quality issues and pauses on sales.In the first quarter of 2026, the Tundra’s 262 put it well behind its peers the Chevrolet Silverado (462), Ram 1500 (545) and, yes, even the F-150 (577) which has snuck into first place for the year so far.When asked if more awareness of the Tundra will make it properly competitive with its US compatriots, Pappas told CarsGuide “absolutely”.“The Tundra is a great truck. I get a lot of feedback from reviewers or customers about the performance of the vehicle.“The fact is that we need to get the awareness out there, and that's really our prime motive right now. And then we're very confident that once people are aware of it and they test drive it, then we're confident that it will be successful.”

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. 

The car Toyota is calling the “safest car” in its line-up has launched this month without an official safety rating from the nation’s independent vehicle safety authority.The 2026 Toyota RAV4, the new generation of not only the brand’s most popular car globally but the most popular passenger car in Australia, has launched without a rating from ANCAP (the Australasian New Car Assessment Program) after the brand was caught out by changing safety standards.Originally set for a late 2025 launch and designed to score full marks in ANCAP’s 2025 testing procedures, the RAV4 was delayed until 2026, which means a new set of testing criteria has been introduced.It means the car that’s got the best chance of turning Toyota’s rare sales dip is missing a key selling-point for not only private customers, but more crucially for commercial buyers including fleets that have requirements for five-star ANCAP ratings.The RAV4 will be updated later this year ahead of its eventual testing, with some changes to the car apparently needing to be physical to score top marks against new criteria. Toyota Product Planning Specialist Peter Phan wouldn’t reveal what the changes would be specifically, but said they would apply to “passive and active safety systems, but structurally the vehicle will not change”. The changes to the RAV4 later this year won’t be able to be retrofitted to cars already purchased.It means cars bought before the update will remain unrated, and customers will have no way to know if their RAV4 would actually achieve five stars under ANCAP’s testing.It’s an unusual move for ANCAP to agree to delay testing a new model, especially for one so popular, as it means thousands of new RAV4s will be untested.While Toyota’s new Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations John Pappas said the brand expects sales of the new-gen RAV4 to stay healthy despite the lagging safety rating. He said the brand will sell about 40,000 RAV4s in 2026.“Before we wholesaled the car, we had about 10,000 orders already taken,” Pappas told CarsGuide at the new generation RAV4’s launch.“So that gives us a good indication on the demand at that early point before actually launching it.”He said the lack of ANCAP rating isn’t as important as making sure customers are aware of the RAV4’s safety credentials.“The most important thing for us, first and foremost, is safety,” said Pappas.“This RAV vehicle, from a safety point of view, now becomes the safest car… in our line-up.“It's not only the safest RAV, but it's actually the safest car we've actually got in it from what it's got in it, from a package point of view. First car with the new multimedia, first car with the new Arene software, first car with Toyota Safety Sense 4.0.“For us, that's what's most important, because we know with these features and benefits in the vehicle, we know that customer safety is at that level.”Pappas added the brand is working closely with eventual customers of the RAV4 in the commercial sector, keeping them up to date with the progress and scheduling orders based on requirements for safety ratings.“With those fleets that have a five star ANCAP policy, we're working with those fleets very closely in terms of their orders, when they're placing their orders based on five-star. So we're very transparent. And that's what we do at Toyota, we're very transparent. “Number one is all about what safety is in the car. Number two, make sure we're transparent, and, you know, satisfy our customer.”Toyota seems extremely confident in the RAV4’s chances of achieving five stars under the new testing criteria, but with the update and testing yet to happen, we asked whether a four-star result would be unacceptable for Toyota.“It's not about four-star. It's about making sure that we satisfy what's important to our customer. That's what's important to us,” Pappas said.“And let's not forget, every single year, whether it's RAV, whether it's HiLux, whether it's another car, we have tech changes, we have minor changes, we have big changes.”While Pappas wouldn’t be drawn on how the brand would react to a result less than five stars, he implied Toyota’s regular updates to its models would address it as soon as possible.“And within those milestones, we always look at upgrading features and benefits on the car, whether it's safety, whether it's over-the-air updates, whether it's going to be aesthetic changes, whatever. “We continuously do that on every one of our cars. That's not new. So, yeah, later this year, there will be a tech change on RAV, but that's not new for us, yeah, and I just want to stress about the safety in the car.”

Porsche has confirmed the coupe version of its latest model, the all-important Cayenne Electric.Porsche says the 2026 Porsche Cayenne Coupe Electric, which debuted at the Auto China 2026 show in Beijing, is visually inspired by the Porsche 911’s roofline.Set to launch with three variants, the Cayenne Coupe Electric’s reveal comes about five months after the unveiling of the Cayenne Electric.The introduction of the Coupe versions of the Cayenne Electric doubles the number of variants, with the Coupe matching up with existing versions: the base Cayenne Electric, the Cayenne S Electric, and the Cayenne Turbo Electric.Starting from $173,600 before on-road costs, the base Coupe is $5800 more expensive than the equivalent SUV.That grade comes with the same 300kW drivetrain as the standard (good for 100km/h in 4.8 seconds), much like the other two mirror their SUV counterparts.The Cayenne S Coupé Electric has a 400kW drivetrain, with a 490kW overboost function and 0-100km/h in 3.8 seconds.The Turbo Coupe Electric also boasts 630KW like the SUV with its 850kW launch control overboost output, and manages 0-100km/h in 2.5 seconds.Top speeds are 230km/h, 250km/h, and 260km/h respectively.Dual-motor, all-wheel-drive set-ups are featured across the range, plus adaptive air suspension with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) as standard, but another feature unique to the Coupe makes it better than the SUV body style in one major way.The Cayenne Coupe Electric’s lower drag coefficient of 0.23Cd (versus 0.25 in the SUV) means its 669km range (WLTP, base Coupe) is 18km longer than the SUV.Like the SUV, it features active aerodynamics to improve performance and handling or efficiency, depending on the situation.Its huge 113kWh battery charges at up to 400kW with peak conditions and suitable DC charging, while the standard 11kW AC charger can be upgraded to an optional 22kW AC charger.Additionally, a Lightweight Sport package reduces the EV’s weight by up to 17.6kg by adding a carbon roof, inserts, and specific lightweight 22-inch wheels.The Cayenne Coupe Electric joins its standard SUV siblings in Australia and is available to order now.2026 Porsche Cayenne Electric price Australia   

Chinese electronics company and electric car brand Xiaomi has confirmed a high-performance version of its second model, an electric SUV, will launch this year.The 2026 Xiaomi YU7 GT has already been seen to some extent in Chinese government documents as well as spied testing, but the company confirmed its imminent launch at the Beijing Auto Show at the weekend.The YU7 as a model overall is a rival to the likes of the Tesla Model Y and Zeekr 7X, though the high-performance GT version comes with a series of upgrades that include a 738kW combined output and 300km/h top speed, according to Chinese media.The Xiaomi YU7 GT is set to be unveiled in late May, a report by CarNewsChina says, however photos of the car undisguised testing at the Nurburgring Nordschleife and available snippets of information mean the car’s reveal might only confirm much that’s already known.According to information gleaned from the Chinese Government's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) via media, the YU7 GT is 5015mm long, 2007mm wide, 1597mm wide and sits on a 3000mm wheelbase.It weighs in at 2460kg, but with that 738kW dual-motor drivetrain and all-wheel drive traction, don’t expect it to be slow.In fact, Xiaomi’s testing at the Nurburgring could bear fruit in the form of some impressive lap times, the brand has already set its Xiaomi SU7 Ultra loose at the Green Hell and netted a lap record as the fastest four-door car to do so.The YU7 is set to feature plenty of tech gleaned from this including active air suspension with stability control, high-tech traction control and torque vectoring.According to available information, a CLTC electric driving range of 705km means that a more realistic figure closer to (but likely north of) 500km should be achievable under regular driving.Chinese media is predicting a price point approaching 500,000 yuan, which converts to roughly A$100,000.So far, Xiaomi has no concrete plans for an Australian launch, so don’t expect to see this or any of the brand’s other models here for a couple of years at least.

Two new Nissan plug-in hybrids have been unveiled at the Auto China 2026 show in Beijing, one with an off-road bent and the other destined for the city.The Nissan Urban SUV PHEV Concept is fairly self-explanatory, but it’s the Terrano PHEV Concept that is sure to draw interest from Nissan fans.Both are due to be put into production within a year, with the Terrano “intended for selected global markets”.The Terrano nameplate will be familiar to many as the predecessor to the Nissan Pathfinder and SUV sibling to the Navara, and this new concept seems to have similar intentions.As a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) SUV, the Terrano departs from its roots, seemingly as an SUV sibling to the new Nissan Frontier Pro.No concrete details have been confirmed aside from its PHEV status and its exterior design, but chances are it’ll have something like the Frontier Pro’s 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine and electric motor, together good for “over 300kW of power and up to 800Nm”.Nissan says the “Terrano builds on Nissan's off-road heritage while addressing the dual needs of outdoor adventure and urban commuting”.True to this, Nissan’s concept for the SUV sits on particularly rugged off-road tyres and features roof racks with a side ladder, chunky side-steps, and a big spare tyre on the rear.Given Nissan Australia’s seemingly receptive approach to the Frontier Pro, the Terrano is a chance for the future.The Urban SUV PHEV Concept is, however, seemingly a China-only proposition at the moment, with the brand saying it’s “designed for young Chinese customers”.“Its design draws from philosophies of the NX8 and Nissan’s future SUV lineup, blending advanced electrification technology with urban daily driving performance.”There’s less indication for the details on this one, but Nissan says it also intends to launch “three additional NEV models in China within a year” as well as sending other new Chinese-built models like the N7 sedan and NX8 SUV to global markets.“China plays two distinct and important roles as Nissan’s three lead markets, alongside Japan and the United States,” says the brand in a statement.“First, China serves as a strong domestic market, delivering clear and compelling value for Chinese customers. Second, it functions as a global innovation and export hub, leveraging China’s innovation and speed to develop competitive technologies and products globally.”

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.

GWM Australia has officially confirmed a larger version of its Ora will land in Australia this year, with a first showing at the Melbourne Motor Show this weekend.The 2026 GWM Ora 5, an SUV version of the electric car that hasn’t quite set the sales charts alight, is what the brand refers to as the “next phase” of its electrification in Australia.It went on sale in Thailand, also a right-hand drive market, last month, with prices starting at the equivalent of about $31,000. This puts it head-to-head with the BYD Atto 2.The Ora 5 is also available as a hybrid overseas.While the car on display and earmarked for Australia is being referred to as an “all-electric small SUV” by GWM Australia at the moment, it’s not clear if there are plans to bring its hybrid version here.“HEV represents a new addition to the ORA range expanding beyond its existing BEV offering,” a GWM spokesperson said. “At this stage, the only information we can share is that all options remain under investigation for the ANZ region.”Features like a panoramic glass roof, power tailgate, 18-inch alloys and LED headlights are standard for the Ora 5, while a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine is the unit helping power the hybrid version.Claimed range for the EV is “up to” 430km tested under WLTP methods, which means it could be a realistic 400km+ EV range.The GWM Ora 5’s reveal at the Melbourne Motor Show will feature alongside displays of the plug-in hybrid versions of the Tank 500, new Tank 300, Cannon Alpha, Haval H6 and the Haval H6GT.

Subaru has confirmed a three-row, large electric SUV will launch later this year, with underpinnings borrowed from a model from common collaborator Toyota.The 2026 Subaru Getaway, a seven-seat electric car sharing its platform with the Toyota Highlander EV, was initially revealed on April 1 in the US.But it’s no April Fools’ joke, even though Subaru Australia General Manager Scott Lawrence had indicated to CarsGuide just weeks prior that the brand wasn’t looking to Toyota to make a Subaru seven-seat SUV happen.“I can't quite comment on that,” Lawrence said when asked about rumours that Subaru would use a rebadged version of the Highlander EV, the North American-built sibling to the Kluger.“I think there are some really exciting options in that space of seven-seat … That's not one of the priorities to get the seven-seat (across the line).”CarsGuide has contacted Subaru Australia for comment, but the international reveal of the Highlander confirmed the brand is indeed sharing a platform with Toyota.The interior of the Getaway, for a start, is a direct pull from the Toyota Highlander electric SUV. Its specs also mirror the Highlander in many ways, including the two battery options being a 77kWh or 96kWh unit. The long-range 96kWh version (technically 95.8kWh) will be the only one available from launch.Subaru claims the long-range version of the Getaway will be capable of an electric driving range of more than 480km, with a 150kW maximum DC charge rate for 10-80 per cent charging in about half an hour.The Japanese brand also confirms the Toyota-clone interior will have the same 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 14.0-inch multimedia touchscreen, plus as much as 1290 litres of luggage space with the third row folded. That last point is something Subaru of America is happy to claim is “more than the Kia EV9”, and on paper it’s correct.While Subaru claims the Getaway will have 313kW and a 0-60mph (0-97km/h) tim of under 5.0 seconds, the entry level’s specs are yet to be determined.It’s not known if the Getaway will ever land in Australia, given Toyota has nixed the idea of the Highlander EV, and the models are built in left-hand drive for North America."The latest Subaru global unveilings are exciting, and while they’ve generated plenty of interest, we’re unable to comment on future product," said a Subaru Australia spokesperson.