Articles by Dom Tripolone

A new automotive battleground is forming, with brands such as BYD, Zeekr, Leapmotor and now even Volkswagen joining the fray.All are developing, or about to launch, mega petrol-electric SUVs in China that put US supersized family haulers to shame.Volkswagen has confirmed its new ID.Era 9X extra-large SUV for China, which is developed with its partner SAIC that also owns MG.It is pitched as a rival to the Zeekr 9X, Leapmotor D16, BYD Tang 9 and IM LS9, which all deliver luxurious interiors, premium looks and huge batteries than deliver massive EV driving range rangeThe ID.Era 9X is a monster, measuring 5207mm long, 1997mm wide and 1810mm tall, which would dwarf the Nissan Patrol and Toyota LandCruiser.It also has a wheelbase — the distance between the front and rear axles — of more than three metres. This means it will have an absolutely cavernous interior with acres of space in all three rows.The ID.Era 9X uses an extended range hybrid set-up, which pairs a petrol engine and electric motors with a sizable battery.The petrol engine is used purely as a generator for the battery, with the wheels being driven by the electric motors only.This is unlike a plug-in hybrid, which has the same elements, but it can be driven by electric, petrol or blended power.The ID.Era 9X is available in three different set-ups.The first is a single 220kW rear motor paired with a roughly 51kWh Lithium-Ferro-Phosphate (LFP) battery that delivers 267km of electric range.Next grade up uses a more sophisticated and larger circa-65kWh Nickel-Manganese-Cobalt (NMC) battery that delivers a 340km EV driving range.Range-topping examples use the same NMC battery but add dual-motor power, which ups power to 380kW and reduces EV driving range to 321km.All driving ranges are calculated via the WLTC test regime, which is more lenient than the benchmark Worldwide Harmonised Light-Duty Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) more commonly used in Australia.

Chinese brand LDV has slashed the price of its D90 seven-seat family SUV.The range now kicks off at $39,990 drive-away for the two-wheel-drive Mode grade, which is a saving of about $4000.That new entry price undercuts newer Chinese rivals such as the MG QS ($46,990 drive-away), but it is pipped to the post by the Chery Tiggo 8 ($38,990 drive-away).It is also significantly cheaper than big name rivals such as the Kia Sorento ($51,630 before on-road costs) and Toyota Kluger Hybrid ($62,410 before on-road costs).Other off-road-focussed cut-price rivals like the Mahindra Scorpio (from $48,990 drive-away) and KGM Rexton (from $52,000) are also pricier.The rest of the D90 remains priced the same, with the better equipped two-wheel-drive Executive grade priced at $47,884 drive-away and the range-topping 4WD Executive variant costing $51,568. ABN holders can shave about $2500 off the price of those two.All models are powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that makes 184kW and 410Nm. It is matched to an eight-speed automatic transmission.LDV claims it has a braked towing capacity of up to 3000kg.All D90s get a heavy dose of interior tech and active driver aids. This includes dual 12.3-inch displays - one for the multimedia and the other for the driver’s instruments - and rear cross-traffic alert, blind spot monitoring and auto emergency braking.LDV covers its vehicles in Australia with a seven year/200,000km warranty and a five year/unlimited km roadside assistance package is included.The D90 requires its first service at six months/5000km with the following intervals stretching to 12 months/10,000km.2026 LDV D90 price

Chinese carmakers have got the jump on the Europeans, with the emerging brand delivering superior electric cars at cheaper prices. Now German carmakers are finally ready to fight back.BMW is preparing its new iX3, which is the first vehicle off its much ballyhooed Neue Klasse electric vehicle platform.First deliveries commence in Europe in coming months before its Australian arrival mid-year.It appears to be a smash hit before a single order has been filled.According to Autonews, demand has far exceeded expectations and BMW has been forced to introduce a second production shift at its factory in Hungary to catch up.This kind of fever pitch sales run mimics that of some of the most popular alternatives in China.Vehicles such as the Xiaomi YU7 electric SUV, which would be a rival to the iX3, received more than 200,000 orders within minutes of going on sale.BMW sales chief Jochen Goller said customer interest in the iX3 had been “overwhelming”.On paper the iX3 is the most impressive electric car from a Euro maker to date, with some deeply compelling stats.Leading the charge is its WLTP-verified 805km driving range, which leaves a lot of petrol cars in the shade.Next up is its 400kW max charging rate, which BMW claims can pump 350km of range back into the battery in 10 minutes, or recharge from 10 to 80 per cent in 20 minutes.The first grade confirmed for Australia is the 50 xDrive, which has dual motor performance to push out 345kW and 645Nm. This enables it to complete the benchmark 0-100km/h sprint in under five seconds.CarsGuide got to test the new iX3 in Europe in 2025, and can confirm it lives up to the hype.It now appears European buyers think the same, with the iX3 sold out until next year on the continent.Mercedes-Benz also revealed its answer to the iX3 at the 2025 Munich motor show, the GLC EV.It isn’t quite as impressive on paper as the iX3, but its 700km-plus range, up to 330kW charging speed and 4.3 second 0-100km/h time make it no EV slacker.Chinese-owned Volvo is preparing to launch its impressive EX60 this year, too.It’ll match the iX3 in several key areas such as driving range and charging speed.

Carmakers could soon be handing interiors back to the driver in a win for the good guys.A recent interview with Audi's new creative boss Massimo Frascella by Top Gear magazine gave a hint of the future of car interiors."Tactility is very important. Big screens are not the best experience. It's technology for the sake of technology. For us, technology is there when you need it, not there when not needed,” he said“It's not about taking things out, it's just offering the technology and the functionality in a way that's beneficial for the customer. And is premium.”Modern cars - including some Audis — are a mass of screens that run the length of the dashboard or are stacked in the centre dash. Front and rear passenger screens have also risen to prominence.Audi’s recent Concept C show car previews a cabin where the screen is no longer a dominant feature, with only a small one in front of the driver to show the car’s vitals.The concept also prioritised high-end materials and expert precision in the fit and finish.Audi might not be doing this out of the goodness of its own heart, but has read the tea leaves with regulators planning a crackdown on distracting items in cars.Euro NCAP, which is the continent’s crash test and safety authority, is going to push for car brands to keep physical controls for basic functions.According to a report from The Times, NCAP plans to implement test requirements that would encourage cars to have five key functions accessible as easy physical buttons or controls: the horn, indicators, windscreen wipers, hazard lights and a call for SOS.ANCAP — the Australian version of Euro NCAP — will enforce these measures in Australia."In line with our next planned step-change in protocols being introduced from 2026, ANCAP will discourage manufacturers from locating key vehicle controls such as indicators, hazard lights, horn and windscreen wipers within touchscreens,” said ANCAP boss Carla Hoorweg."Physical buttons or stalks to operate these key vehicle controls will be encouraged through scoring, with manufacturers awarded points for the prioritisation of physical controls."Tesla led the charge by moving nearly all functions within the central screen, such as gear selection, mirror and seat adjustment and to turn on the wipers or open the glove box.Tesla isn’t alone, with many Chinese brands that are software-focused following a similar route.It’s not just the removal of screens either, now carmakers are planning on returning physical buttons and dials to dashboards.Volkswagen — which is the parent company of Audi — has been panned for the removal of most physical buttons in cars but it is bringing them back.It showed of its new ID.Polo electric hatchback with a wide array of physical controls.The automotive world is pushing back on going fully digital and will blend the best of both worlds.

Rumours are circling about BYD’s next-generation plug-in hybrid technology that could blow the competition out of the water.Chinese motoring media are reporting the set-up will be called DM-i 6.0, but there is no official word from BYD yet.This new plug-in hybrid set-up is believed to deliver an all-electric driving range of up to 300km, according to the more generous China Light-duty Test Cycle (CLTC).That is a jump of about 50 per cent on BYD’s longest legged plug-in hybrids that it claims can travel about 200km.That kind of range pushes plug-in hybrids closer to full EV capability. Most other plug-in hybrids struggle to hit the 100km mark for full EV driving.A new version of BYD’s Lithium-Ferro-Phosphate (LFP) battery is the key to this huge boost.This new battery is rumoured to be a new version of a “semi-solid state” battery, which is nothing like a solid state battery.It differs from regular batteries, which have a gel or liquid electrolyte, by adding a few floating chunks into the mix.The result is slightly improved energy density, but still a long way off what is promised for solid-state batteries.Hyper fast charging is expected thanks to the addition of 900-Volt electrical architecture, which could result in charging speeds exceeding 400kW.A more powerful electric motor is expected  and improvements to the petrol engine are believed to make it more fuel efficient and reduce emissions.BYD is rapidly expanding its range of plug-in hybrids in Australia.In the past 12 months the company has launched the Shark 6 ute to complement its Sealion 6 mid-size SUV.These two will be joined by the Sealion 8 large SUV, Sealion 5 compact SUV and a new Seal 6 sedan and wagon that have been approved for sale in Australia.BYD’s premium sub-brand Denza is adding the off-road focused B5 and B8 plug-in hybrids to take on the Toyota Prado and LandCruiser this year, too.

The current Toyota Corolla is almost done for, it is eight years old now and a new version is just around the corner.Toyota previewed the next-generation small car at the 2025 Tokyo Mobility Show, with a head-turning concept car.A production version will feature watered down looks from the edgy and wild looking concept — as is the case with most concept to production transitions.New digital renders from KDesign AG on Instagram shows the next-gen Corolla adopting the company’s hammerhead design with its distinct C-shaped headlights, wide mouth frill and pinched front end.There aren't many concrete details on the new Corolla, but we know there will be something for everyone.It will be the new people’s car, available with the option petrol hybrid, plug-in hybrid, electric and even hydrogen power in the future.Toyota is working on a new series of turbocharged petrol engines, which could be installed in the petrol, hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of the Corolla. These engines are supposed to be high output units that are compatible with carbon neutral fuels.The most obvious one would be the 1.5-litre four-cylinder unit, with the 2.0-litre motor rumoured to make up to 300kW when paired with hybrid power.The final look isn’t known but it will likely follow a similar design path as the Camry and C-HR, which is shown in the digital renders.The renders show the Corolla in a sedan shape, but it has a softer shaped rear end with the sloping rear roofline better integrated into the boot, giving it more of a liftback than sedan appeal.This new look also ties into recent images of a new Corolla-sized sedan in China.There is a good chance the Chinese version is different from the one we will see, as it is built by the company’s joint venture with FAW.It is not unusual for China to get unique looking vehicles compared to the rest of the world.Expect to learn more about the next-gen Corolla over the course of 2026.

Nissan was an electric car pioneer, but you probably have never heard of, or seen, its latest EV.The Nissan Ariya had a rocky start, after being blocked from sale in Australia for several years due to it not meeting Australian Design Rules for a rear middle child seat anchor point.Nissan Australia wanted the federal government to bend the rules. It didn't, and eventually the factory implemented the change and it was cleared for sale here.This means Australia doesn’t get a new model but one that has been on sale overseas since 2022.Now that it's here we’ve got the chance to test the range-topping Evolve over the next three months to see how it fares in the real world.The Ariya arrives in Australia as a four-tiered range with the choice of two battery sizes and front or all-wheel drive.It is priced similar to rivals such as the Kia EV5 and Tesla Model Y.Prices start at $55,840, before on-road costs, for the Engage grade and jump $4000 to the Advance variant.Both are fitted with a 63kWh battery that powers a single motor, which sends 160kW/300Nm to the front wheels and delivers a driving range of up to 385km.The $63,840 Advance+ and $71,840 Evolve AWD variants use a bigger 87kWh battery, with the Evolve adding a second motor for all-wheel drive.The single motor in the Advance+ makes 178kW/300Nm and the dual-motor all-wheel drive ups the ante to 320kW/600Nm.That extra grunt drops the claimed driving range from 504km in the Advance+ to 487km in the Evolve.All grades have a max charge rate of 130kW when connected to a DC fast charger, which will fill the battery from 10-80 per cent in 35 minutes in small battery versions and 40 minutes for the larger battery variants.The AC charging limit for the 63kWh battery versions is 7.4kW, which will top the car’s cells up from 10-80 per cent in nine hours. This jumps to 22kW in the 87kWh versions — which is an optional extra in the Advance+ and standard in the Evolve — and drops the 10-100 per cent charge time to four and a half hours.The DC charging times are fairly middle of the pack and are about the same as the Kia EV5, but behind the Tesla Model Y and Volkswagen ID.4.Our Evolve AWD is packed with kit, along with a plush and well sorted interior fitout.Passengers are greeted by blue Nappa leather wrapped seats that are heated and ventilated up front with the heating function extending to the rear window seats.The driver’s seat is 12-way power-adjustable and the front passenger’s is eight-way moveable.There are high-end items such as blue suede on the dashboard, door trims and front centre arm rest.A huge panoramic sunroof lets the light in, and crucially has a proper headliner cover to block the summer heat.Dual 12.3-inch digital screens dominate the dashboard, with one controlling the multimedia functions and the other the driver’s instruments. The driver’s display isn’t as customisable or high-tech as some newer EVs.A head-up display complements the screens and projects vital information onto the windscreen in front of the driver such as travelling speed and the prevailing speed limit.It rides on 20-inch wheels — a jump up from the 19-inch units on other grades — with aerodynamic wheel covers.There is LED lighting front and back and a two-tone paintwork, with our test vehicle finished in copper with a black roof.The Ariya has the typical modern electric SUV look, which resembles an egg or computer mouse, a style that promotes aerodynamics over good looks.The Ariya is a mid-size SUV, about the same size as a Toyota RAV4. It feels larger inside thanks to its flat rear floor and wheels pushed to all four corners, which helps liberate cabin space.The boot is on the smaller side for a mid-size SUV, holding just 408 litres in our Evolve. This is about 60 litres less than the other variants due to the extra space needed for the second motor.As with nearly every electric car there is no spare tyre, just a fiddly tyre repair kit.Initial impressions from our first month on the road put the Ariya in the middle of the pack in terms of dynamics, but its range is sub-par.After about 500km of driving we are probably looking at 380 to 400km on a single charge in the real world, which is not ideal and well behind rivals, especially considering the size of the battery. We are regularly seeing energy usage of more than 21kWh per 100km.On the road it is a sweet machine with well-weighted and direct steering and there is excellent pedal feel, which combine to deliver confident motoring.I’m a big fan of the single pedal drive mode, too, which ups the regenerative braking to boost energy fed back into the battery and reduces the need to use the brake pedal with the driver just lifting off the accelerator to start slowing down.The suspension struggles at times to control the Evolve’s more than 2200kg kerb weight. The two-wheel drive big battery version weighs about 150kg less and that makes a big difference.It’s not overly fast despite its ample outputs, but this is a family SUV not a red hot performance car, so I think its acceleration is just where it should be — peppy but not extreme.One thing that needs to be mentioned is Nissan's 10-year conditional warranty. If you service your Ariya at a Nissan dealer you'll be covered by an industry-leading 10 year/300,000km guarantee. That's built-in value that is hard to beat.There is also cost-effective servicing, with logbook maintenance required every 20,000km or 12 months costing $299 for each of the first five workshop visits.Next month we’ll dive into more of the Ariya’s practicality and expand on the drive experience after more time behind the wheel.2026 Nissan Ariya Evolve AWD Acquired: December 2025Distance travelled this month: 471kmOdometer: 6214kmAverage energy consumption this month: 21.4kWh/100km

BYD has updated its tough looking SUV, the all-electric Fang Cheng Bao Titanium 3.The Titanium 3 is the more road-focused little brother to the capable Denza B5 and B8 4WDs, which have just launched in Australia.There is no word on if the Titanium 3 will come to Australia, but BYD and Denza — which draws in models from a range of BYD sub brands such as Fang Cheng Bao in Australia — have made clear they want to aggressively expand their line-ups and grow sales.The Titanium 3 is fully electric, where the B5 and B8 are plug-in hybrids.Despite only being revealed last year the Titanium 3 has been given a big power boost, with single motor versions making 240kW, a rise of 80kW.Dual motor, all-wheel drive examples now make 375kW and 510Nm, a jump of 65kW.Battery size is not yet known, but the outgoing versions used a circa-65kWh in single motor versions and a roughly 72kWh or 79kWh pack for all-wheel drive variants.Fang Cheng Bao claims every model had a driving range of about 500km, but this was calculated by the generous China Light-duty Test Cycle (CLTC) rather than the benchmark WLTP test cycle.One of the other big upgrades in China is the addition of Lidar technology. This tech is crucial for semi-autonomous driving, which is a must-have feature in China.The Titanium 3 is a mid-size SUV, with about the same proportions as a Toyota RAV4.It has tough exterior styling that gives it strong off-road appeal, but it isn’t nearly as capable as the B5 and B8 sold in Australia. Think of it more as an SUV with the ability to handle a dirt road.BYD has had huge success with its Fang Cheng Bao range in China. The larger Titanium 7 sold 50,000 units in just 80 days. BYD has debuted the Titanium 7 in Thailand at the Bangkok motor show, which bodes well for an Aussie arrival in the future as Thailand is also right-hand drive.BYD also builds some Aussie-bound vehicles in Thailand, which could expand to the Titanium 7.The Titanium 7 is much bigger than the 3 at almost five metres long.It also ditches full electric power for plug-in hybrid grunt. It uses a familiar set-up with a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and two electric motors. A 35.6 kWh battery pack provides up to 200km of electric driving range.

Ford and BYD could be working together, and people are not happy.The Wall Street Journal reported Ford is considering using BYD batteries in its hybrid vehicles built in overseas factories.These vehicles would be shipped all over the world, including the US.Ford is already using BYD’s Lithium-Ferro-Phosphate (LFP) batteries in some of its Chinese built vehicles such as the Bronco New Energy electric SUV and range extender hybrid.CarsGuide understands the Bronco New Energy range extender hybrid is coming to Australia this year.Now the recent report shows Ford might be deepening its ties with China just as the US is trying to separate itself from the global powerhouse.US Treasury Secretary Peter Navarro expressed outrage on X.“So @ford wants to simultaneously prop up a Chinese competitor's supply chain and make it more vulnerable to that same supply chain extortion?  What could go wrong here?,” he posted.“Did @ford forget the rare earth extortion already?  BYD is the latest predatory pricing kid on the block.  Aim is to control global EV production--@tesla will be a footnote if this keeps up.”The move by Ford is likely an attempt to shield itself from the waning demand of electric cars. Ford and many other carmakers have axed plans to build several electric models as customers — and governments — turn their back on the technology.Ford has invested heavily in new battery factories in recent years. This includes a new factory to build LFP batteries in the US.This factory will still go ahead and will create cells to power its new range of affordable electric cars.Ford’s global boss Jim Farley has previously confirmed the first model off its new Universal EV Platform would be a pick-up, which he said would be unlike anything we’ve seen before.“I would say it’s a new silhouette. What I mean by that is that it has more room than a RAV4, the bestselling passenger car in the US. That doesn’t include its frunk and pickup truck bed. It is very fast, it’s rear-wheel drive, it’s super fun to drive, and it has a digital experience that no one’s seen—even in China,” Farley told  The Verge’s Decoder podcast last year.

Kia could be working on a new ute.Hot on the heels of the recent Tasman dual-cab ute launch, the South Korean maker could have another ute in the works.The big reason for this? The US.The Tasman is unlikely to be sold in the US due to crippling tariffs, but the brand still wants and needs a ute to sell in one of the company’s largest markets.Sister brand Hyundai has already confirmed it is developing a ute, which is unlikely to be based on the current Tasman.This opens the door to a completely new workhorse developed by Hyundai but spawning a new Kia ute.Digital artist @Theottle on YouTube has crafted some new renders to show what a potential Telluride-styled pick-up truck could look like.The Telluride is Kia’s big SUV, which is a smash hit in the US, but isn’t sold in Australia.The renderings borrow the front end styling from the new large SUV, which give it a nice boxy silhouette paired with a large front grille and huge vertical headlights.There is no clunky side cladding or oddly shaped headlights and grille, which have led to many dumping on the current Tasman styling.It is likely any other Kia ute would be aimed at the US market, so it should use petrol or hybrid power rather than diesel grunt preferred by Australians.The new Kia ute had initially been expected to be a fully electric workhorse, but waning demand for battery powered utes globally, and especially in the US, forced the company to ditch their plans.Kia isn’t alone in ditching its large EV ute plans, with Ford, GM and Ram all ditching the idea in the short term.There is a chance the new Kia ute could be a large American-style pick-up, but it is more likely to be a mid-size ute in a similar vein to the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux.The Kia Tasman already fills that space in Australia, and it has the potential to add hybrid, plug-in hybrid and even electric power in the future, which likely cancels it out for Down Under.We will more likely see this ute wearing a Hyundai badge.Hyundai Australia boss Don Romano has vowed to have a ute here before the end of 2028.“ My work permit goes for another two and a half years. I'm not leaving until it's coming,” Romano told CarsGuide late last year.“If they produce what we're talking about at this stage and what we're working on, it's gonna be mind blowing, it's gonna be great. And I really mean that, I'm not just blowing smoke.“I just think when you come out with a ute, you know, you can't come out with the same thing. You've got to look at the best vehicles in the market, the best utes in the market, who are the two biggest players. We all know who they are and that's who you have to position yourself with. But you have to bring in some new technology, because a lot of that technology they're using has been there for a while.”