Articles by Jack Quick

Mazda’s new-generation CX-5 mid-size SUV split opinion when it was unveiled a few months ago, but the carmaker claims it took direct feedback from Australians.

Isuzu has already revealed plans to launch an electric version of its D-Max ute in Australia in 2026, but Mazda has confirmed it won’t follow suit just yet.

China’s Geely launched the Radar King Kong EM-P plug-in hybrid (PHEV) dual-cab ute earlier this year, but it has now detailed a version that’s even more affordable.

Renault has just launched the global version of the Dacia Duster SUV in Australia, but there are big plans for the model over in Europe.

Mazda has just introduced new, cut-price versions of its Audi Q5 and BMW X3-rivalling CX-60 in Australia that has seen the asking price dip below $45,000 for the first time.

The electric van segment is finally starting to heat up in Australia as companies look to go green and invest in EVs for their fleet. With options like the LDV eDeliver 7 and Volkswagen ID. Buzz already available, how does Geely's entrant from a new brand stack up?

Tesla has officially revealed its updated version of the Model Y Performance in Europe.

Tesla has announced it’s revealing something today over in Europe and if reports and speculation are accurate, it could be the return of the Model Y Performance.The US carmaker published a short teaser video on social media captioned, “Spoiler alert”. It shows a close-up shot of a red car with what appears to be a pronounced rear spoiler.Currently, the Tesla Model Y ‘Juniper’ is without a sporty Performance trim in the line-up. There are only regular RWD and Long Range AWD trims in Australia.A Model Y Performance was offered in the pre-update guise and it has been expected to rejoin the line-up at some point. It was around a year before the Model 3 ‘Highland’ received its current Performance trim.It’s expected the new Model Y Performance will have a dual-motor all-wheel drive set-up, though total system outputs are unclear. The pre-update model could do the 0-100km/h sprint in 3.7 seconds.The current Model 3 Performance’s dual-motor all-wheel drive set-up produces 380kW and 740Nm, which is good for a 0-100km/h sprint in 3.0 seconds.For now we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.Tesla just announced it’ll soon launch Full Self Driving (Supervised) in Australia.No exact timeline has been detailed yet, but it will be rolled out first to Model 3 and Model Y vehicles with the latest ‘Hardware 4’ camera systems.Older Teslas with ‘Hardware 3’ tech will need to get the newer cameras retrofitted.This will finally allow owners to take advantage of the Level 2 semi-autonomous driving aid that costs an additional $10,100 to purchase.Tesla sales have been fluctuating in Australia in 2025, though over the first seven months of the year it has sold 15,063 vehicles, which is down 41.4 per cent year-on-year.The brand’s best-seller is the Model Y (10,986 sales YTD) by far, followed by the Model 3 (4077 sales YTD).

China’s Chery has introduced an update for its mid-size Tiggo 7 for model year 2026 (MY26) that has brought new looks and a different powertrain, among others.Now simply called the Chery Tiggo 7, the ‘Pro’ moniker has dropped from the name as part of a wider shift that started with the top-selling Tiggo 4 earlier this year.The local Tiggo 7 line-up contains two variants: Urban and Ultimate. They’re priced from $29,990 drive-away and $33,990 drive-away, respectively. This pricing is notably unchanged from the pre-update model.Under the bonnet is now a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, which produces 108kW of power and 210Nm of torque. This is 29kW and 65Nm less than the pre-update car’s 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine.This less powerful engine is also mated to a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, compared to the pre-update car’s seven-speed unit.It’s worth noting this new powertrain and transmission combo is the same one that now powers the Chery C5 (previously known as the Omoda 5).Chery claims the MY26 Tiggo 7 has a combined fuel consumption of 6.9L/100km. For context, the pre-update model was claimed to consume an average of 7.0L/100km.On the outside, the Tiggo 7’s design now matches what the recently introduced Tiggo 7 Chery Super Hybrid (CHS) plug-in hybrid has. It features slimmer LED headlights and a full-width tail-light set-up.Standard equipment for the Tiggo 7 Urban includes 18-inch alloy wheels, dual 12.3-inch screens, wired and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, six-speaker sound system, dual-zone climate control and manually adjustable front seats.Stepping up to the Ultimate gains a power tailgate with a retractable cargo blind, puddle lights, panoramic glass sunroof, 50W wireless charger, colour-selectable interior ambient lighting, synthetic leather upholstery and power-adjustable front seats.Safety equipment across the line-up includes seven airbags, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, rear parking sensors, reversing camera and tyre pressure monitoring.Stepping up to the Ultimate gets you front parking sensors and a surround-view camera.2026 Chery Tiggo 7 pricing: 

China’s BYD has been spied testing a right-hand drive version of the premium Denza B8 in Australia ahead of an expected local launch.Photos and short videos of this camouflaged prototype were uploaded to the BYD Denza B5 & B8 Australia Facebook group. It was parked on the side of the Pacific Highway in Brooklyn, New South Wales.A vehicle registration search confirms this car is a black Denza B8 “evaluation vehicle”.As previously reported, BYD is launching its Denza premium off-shoot brand in Australia before the end of 2025.The first Denza model to be offered locally is the B5 plug-in hybrid SUV, which is smaller than the three-row B8. It’s around the size of a Toyota Prado.At this stage the company hasn’t confirmed whether the B8 will join Denza’s Australian model line-up, but it’s believed there is a strong chance it’ll head our way.The B8, along with the B5, were also confirmed for a launch in Africa and the Middle East from the third quarter of 2025.Known in China as the Leopard 8 under the Fengchengbao off-road brand from BYD, the Denza B8 has a slightly different front grille design, along with Denza badging all around.CarsGuide got a chance to drive a left-hand drive Fengchengbao version earlier this year in China.Measuring in at 5195mm long, 1994mm wide and 1905mm tall with a 2920mm wheelbase, the B8 is a large three-row SUV that’s larger than a Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series and more on par with the likes of the Land Rover Defender 130.Power comes from a PHEV powertrain that includes a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine and two electric motors for total system outputs of 550kW and 760Nm. It’s claimed to be able to do the 0-100km/h sprint in 4.8 seconds despite a kerb weight of 3.3 tonnes.The two electric motors are fed by a 36.8kWh ‘Blade’ lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery that’s claimed to offer 100km of electric range, according to WLTP testing.All up there’s a claimed range 1200km, according to lenient CLTC testing.The Denza B8 is built on a body-on-frame chassis with double wishbone independent suspension that also features ‘DiSus-P’ air suspension.Ground clearance is 220mm in normal mode and increases to 310mm when lifted up. The B8 has a wading depth of up to 890mm, approach and departure angles of 34 and 35 degrees, respectively, as well as a low-speed four-wheel drive mode, three automatic diff locks and a long list of off-road modes.