Articles by Jack Quick

Nissan is set to confirm a new model for Australia on October 8 and it will be its first plug-in hybrid (PHEV). The Japanese carmaker has published a single teaser image showing the front end of the vehicle with an illuminated Nissan badge. Using the teaser image and available imagery, it looks very much like it is the Frontier Pro/Navara Pro PHEV. This Chinese-made dual-cab ute will be a key rival to the likes of the BYD Shark 6, GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV and upcoming Chery Stockman. Nissan says this forthcoming new vehicle has “electrified performance and new levels of capability”. It's also claimed to be "tailored to the needs of Australian customers in a key segment". Additionally Nissan claims this new model has been “extensively tested and tuned for local conditions”. Prototype examples of the Frontier Pro/Navara Pro PHEV have been spied in Australia over the last few weeks. Nissan hasn’t been shy about leveraging its joint-venture partnership with Dongfeng in China and Australia has been identified as a key market. The Frontier Pro/Navara Pro PHEV comes with a 2.0-litre petrol engine and dual electric motors for total system outputs of 320kW and 800Nm. It also offers up to 135km of CLTC-claimed electric range. Both turbo-petrol and turbo-diesel engines are available in the Frontier Pro/Navara Pro globally. It’s unclear whether these are on the radar for a local launch. Beyond the Frontier Pro/Navara Pro, Nissan also offers a series of other Chinese-made models for export markets. These include the NX8 electric and range-extender (REEV) SUV and N7 electric sedan, among others.

Chery has confirmed more details about its new Stockman diesel plug-in hybrid (PHEV) ute as pre-orders begin ahead of first deliveries in February 2027.

The first-generation Toyota C-HR was popular in Australia, however the second-generation model hasn’t yet lived up to its predecessor when it comes to sales. One of the main reasons is because the current C-HR, which launched in 2023, is considerably more expensive. This is primarily due to it being built in Turkiye, rather than Japan, which in turn attracts import tariffs. The 2026 Toyota C-HR line-up is currently priced as follows: C-HR GXL Hybrid: $46,940 C-HR Koba Hybrid: $53,890 C-HR GR Sport Hybrid: $58,890 All prices are before on-road costs On test here is the mid-spec Koba Hybrid with the optional two-tone paint and panoramic glass roof ($2700). This brings the as-tested price to $56,590, before on-road costs, or $62,107 drive-away in Victoria. This is a lot of money for a mid-spec, mainstream, small SUV. It’s considerably more expensive than the Hyundai Kona Hybrid, Honda HR-V Hybrid and even the larger and more practical Toyota Corolla Cross. At this price point it's even more expensive than the European Volkswagen T-Roc and is somewhat in line with the larger UK-sourced, hybrid-only Nissan Qashqai. Another reason why the current C-HR is more expensive is because it's hybrid only. In Koba form there is a 1.8-litre hybrid powertrain with a total system output of 103kW. This may sound mediocre, but around town there’s plenty of oomph. The majority of the low-speed driving is handled by the electric motor and it will occasionally dip into EV mode at highway and freeway speeds. Toyota claims the C-HR Koba consumes an average of 4.0L/100km, which is very low. Surprisingly, fuel figures like this are achievable in the real-world too. I saw as low as 3.7L/100km in the city and around 5.5L/100km on the freeway. There is a 43L fuel tank which allows for a theoretical total range of up to 1075km. A minimum of 91 RON regular unleaded petrol is required. While the C-HR is zippy in urban areas, building up speed requires it to engage the petrol engine more. There is enough power to make do, but the engine sound above 80km/h is coarse and unrefined. It’s not helped by the road and tyre noise that enters the cabin at higher speeds. Given the price tag this is disappointing, but many European rivals also suffer the same issue. Even though the hybrid engine’s performance isn’t awe-inspiring, the way the C-HR drives is. It’s built on Toyota’s TNGA-C platform which it shares with the current Corolla and Prius, among others. This small SUV is nimble and fun to drive, even in your everyday commute. There’s an element of the driving experience that is similar to the go kart-feel of a Mini Cooper. Even the suspension is compliant, though the large 19-inch alloy wheels transmit harsher bumps into the cabin. Thankfully as the car is so small, you can typically dodge big potholes. Unlike many new-generation cars, this version of the C-HR is actually 30mm shorter than the original. However, it’s 37mm wider, allowing for more shoulder-to-shoulder passenger space. The exterior design looks sophisticated and upmarket for Toyota, however the flush door handles are a faff to use. Interestingly though, there’s no rear wiper, which is annoying. Inside there is a lovely cockpit feel with all the key touchpoints within easy reach of the driver. The front seats also have a sporty look and hug you in nicely. The second row clearly isn’t the main focus, but compared to the original C-HR it's not as claustrophobic. However, amenities are extremely limited. There’s only a single cupholder on each door. No rear air vents, no centre armrest. There is 388L of boot space with the rear seats upright, which doesn’t sound amazing on paper, but in practice it’s decent. The current Toyota C-HR Koba has a five-star ANCAP safety rating based on testing conducted in 2024. The following safety equipment is standard: 10 airbags Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) Blind-spot monitoring Rear cross-traffic alert Lane-keep assist Adaptive cruise control Driver attention monitoring Surround-view camera Front and rear parking sensors Semi-autonomous parking assist The C-HR is covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, and the high-voltage battery is covered for eight years or 160,000km. Servicing at Toyota dealers also allows the driveline and battery warranty to be extended out to seven and 10 years, respectively. Logbook servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km. The first five services are capped at $275 each, which is competitive for the segment.

GWM Australia has confirmed the pricing and specifications of its new Cannon Hi4-T plug-in hybrid (PHEV) dual-cab ute. Thanks to a limited-time offer that allows $2000 off that runs out on October 31, 2026, the 2026 GWM Cannon Hi4-T line-up starts at $47,990 drive-away for ABN holders or $48,990 drive-away for private buyers. This undercuts the likes of the JAC Hunter PHEV and BYD Shark 6, making it Australia's cheapest PHEV ute. The 2026 GWM Cannon Hi4-T PHEV has differing pricing for ABN holders and private buyers. The line-up is priced as follows: All prices are drive-away In lieu of the $2000 promotional drive-away bonus, customers can instead choose to receive a $2000 fuel card. The 2026 GWM Cannon Hi4-T PHEV has a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that’s paired with an electric motor for total system outputs of 310kW and 750Nm. The electric motor is fed by a 33.1kWh battery that allows for up to 115km of NEDC-claimed electric range. Adding the 75-litre fuel tank, the overall claimed range is 1037km. This battery pack allows for DC fast-charging at rates up to 110kW, meaning a 30 to 80 per cent charge can take as little as 18 minutes. There is a nine-speed hybrid transmission with drive sent through a torque-on-demand four-wheel drive system. There’s also an electronic rear differential lock as standard. Despite the big battery, the Cannon Hi4-T PHEV still offers a 3500kg braked towing capacity. Payload is 835kg, gross vehicle mass (GVM) is 3420kg and the gross combined mass (GCM) is 6400kg. The 2026 GWM Cannon Hi4-T PHEV comes in two trim levels, Lux and Ultra. The Lux come standard with the following: 18-inch black alloy wheels Full-size steel spare wheel Exterior black pack LED headlights Rear privacy glass 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster 15.6-inch touchscreen multimedia system Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Six-speaker sound system Electric park brake Wireless phone charger Synthetic leather upholstery Six-way manually adjustable driver’s seat Four-way manually adjustable front-passenger seat The Ultra adds the following: Electronic sunroof Interior ambient lighting Footwell lamp USB for dashcam Auto-dimming rear-view mirror Heated steering wheel Leather-accented upholstery Six-way power-adjustable driver’s seat Four-way power-adjustable front-passenger seat Heated and ventilated front seats While the regular diesel-powered versions of the GWM Cannon have a five-star ANCAP safety rating, the Hi4-T PHEV versions haven’t been tested yet and remain unrated for now. The following safety equipment is standard: Seven airbags, including centre airbag Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) Blind-spot monitoring Rear cross-traffic alert Lane-keep assist Adaptive cruise control Driver attention monitoring Reversing camera Rear parking sensors Stepping up to the Ultra brings the following: Surround-view camera Front parking sensors

Forthing is yet another new Chinese brand that has officially arrived Down Under. It's being imported by Ateco Automotive which also sells Renault, Ram and LDV in Australia. Forthing's first model in Australia is the Taikon 5, which is a mid-size SUV available in both electric and range-extender hybrid guises. Does it have enough pull to draw your attention away from a BYD, Chery or Geely?

The first model from GWM’s premium sub-brand, Wey, has been approved for sale in Australia ahead of its expected launch in the fourth quarter of 2026. This is the GWM Wey G9, which is a people mover that has been offered in China since 2023. At this stage GWM hasn’t officially announced that the Wey G9 will be launching in Australia, but if it does it will form as a rival to the likes of the BYD M9, GAC M8 and Kia Carnival, among others. According to government approval documents, the GWM Wey G9 has been approved for local sale in both hybrid and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) guises. The hybrid powertrain pairs a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with dual electric motors. Total system output is 263kW. The PHEV powertrain, on the other hand, pairs a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with dual electric motors. Despite having a smaller engine, it has a higher total system output of 325kW. Given the dual electric motors on each axle this means that both versions of the Wey G9 are all-wheel drive. The approval documents don’t list the battery pack the PHEV version will havem, but globally there is a 38kWh and 44.5kWh unit available. This offers up to 140km and 170km of electric range, respectively, according to lenient CLTC testing. There is little else new information about the GWM Wey G9 in the local approval documents beyond the weights and dimensions. The hybrid version has a tare mass of 2504kg and a gross vehicle mass of 3165kg, whereas the PHEV version has a tare mass of 2759kg and a gross vehicle mass of 3355kg. The hybrid version has a braked towing capacity of 1500kg, whereas the PHEV isn’t allowed to tow at all. The GWM Wey G9 measures in at 5055mm long, 1985mm wide and 1925mm tall, with a 3085mm wheelbase. This makes it slightly shorter but taller than the Kia Carnival. According to the local approval documents, all versions of the Wey G9 will come with 18-inch alloy wheels. GWM has confirmed it will launch the Wey sub-brand in Australia in the fourth quarter of 2026 and it’s expected the G9 people mover will be the first model given it has now been approved for local sale. It’s expected the G9 won’t be the only Wey model on offer Down Under. It has previously said that large SUVs and people movers will be the focus. The brand recently launched the V9X large SUV in China. It debuted a new architecture called the GWM ONE platform. It’s powered by a PHEV powertrain that in top-spec form offers total system outputs of up to 550kW and 930Nm, as well as a battery pack that’s up to 80kWh in capacity. This allows for up to 470km of CLTC-claimed electric range. If the GWM Wey V9X comes to Australia it will form as a rival to the Denza B8 and Zeekr 8X, as well as the Range Rover and Mercedes-Benz GLS.

BYD is recalling 32,009 examples of its Shark 6 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) dual-cab ute in Australia due to the potential abnormal wear of the spare wheel assembly. This recall affects BYD Shark 6 examples produced between August 29, 2024 and June 15, 2026. BYD has clarified that this recall doesn’t relate to all Shark 6 examples and only certain examples. “For involved vehicles, BYD has identified that in certain circumstances incorrect installation of the spare wheel, incorrect positioning of the spare wheel tray or insufficient fastening torque may cause abnormal wear of the spare wheel support cable,” said BYD Australia in its recall notice. “Continued movement and friction during vehicle operation may cause the cable to fail, resulting in spare wheel detachment. “This may create a hazard to other road users and potentially cause serious injury or death.” If you own an affected vehicle, BYD will replace the spare wheel lifter assembly with an updated design, free of charge. BYD estimates that this fix will take around 30 minutes, but this depends on the dealer’s work schedule. BYD Australia is urging Shark 6 owners that are affected by this recall to remove the spare wheel from their vehicle if they wish to continue driving it. The company will contact affected Shark 6 owners and provide details regarding the recall. It urges owners to keep their contact information up to date. This notification will come via an email, but customers with the BYD app may also receive a notification there. From here you will be prompted to contact your BYD dealer as soon as possible. If you have further questions, you can contact BYD Customer Care on 1800 888 298 from Monday to Friday 9:30am-5:30pm AEST.

Kia has sharpened the price for one of its most popular SUVs. The outgoing version of the Kia Seltos is now in run-out in Australia and the company is offering a series of drive-away pricing offers. These drive-away pricing offers span the entire line-up and are valid until September 30 and while dealer stock lasts. With this in mind, the 2026 Kia Seltos line-up is currently priced as follows: Kia Seltos S FWD: $33,990 Kia Seltos Sport FWD: $37,590 Kia Seltos Sport+ FWD: $40,690 Kia Seltos Sport+ AWD: $43,940 Kia Seltos GT-Line FWD: $46,790 Kia Seltos GT-Line AWD: $49,640 All prices are drive-away Beyond the Seltos, Kia Australia is offering plenty of other offers and deals on the Picanto, Stonic, K4, EV3, EV4, EV5, Sportage, Sorento, Carnival and Tasman. The outgoing Kia Seltos is currently available in four trim levels - S, Sport, Sport+ and GT-Line. All versions are available with a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine that produces 110kW and 180Nm. It’s mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with drive sent to the front wheels only. The Sport+ and GT-Line trims can also be had with a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that produces 146kW and 265Nm. It’s mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission with drive sent through an all-wheel drive system. There is no hybrid powertrain available, like many of its rivals, but this will change with the new-generation model that will land soon. The outgoing Kia Seltos first launched in 2019 and it received a facelift in 2022. A new-generation model was revealed in 2025 and will launch in Australia before the end of 2026. Locally this new-generation model will be hybrid-only and be direct competition to the Toyota Corolla Cross and Hyundai Kona, among others. According to local approval filings, both front- and all-wheel drive hybrid versions have been approved for sale. Both come with a 1.6-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor set-up. Total system output is 118kW for the front-wheel drive and 169kW for the all-wheel drive. The Kia Seltos has historically been one of the South Korean carmaker’s best-selling vehicles. In 2025 a total of 9223 Seltos examples were sold, which is up 18.6 per cent year-on-year. It was only outsold by the Kia Carnival (10,948 sales) and the Sportage (19,137 sales). Until the end of August, a total of 4458 examples have been sold, which is down 27.3 per cent year-on-year. For context, a total of 16,916 Hyundai Kona examples, 15,033 GWM Haval Jolion examples, 11,822 MG ZS examples, 8779 Toyota Corolla Cross examples and 5210 Subaru Crosstrek examples were sold over the same period.

MG is temporarily giving $2000 cash back on its MG4 Urban electric hatchback so it now starts under $30,000. Until September 30, the MG4 Urban line-up is priced as follows: MG4 Urban Essence 43: $29,990 MG4 Urban Essence 54: $32,990 All prices are drive-away This promotional drive-away pricing for the MG4 Urban Essence 43 makes it more affordable than the GAC Aion UT Premium and puts it on par with the entry-level BYD Dolphin Essential. However, it’s worth noting the Geely EX2 and BYD Atto 1 are both available for cheaper, but they offer less range. MG Motor Australia has also announced it will have a stall at the Everything Electric show in Sydney from September 18-20. If you place an order for an MG4 Urban you’ll also get a $500 charging card in addition to the cash back offer. Beyond this, if you put down a $1000 deposit at the show for an MG IM5 sedan or IM6 SUV, you’ll get access to a $5000 cashback. This adds the existing $3000 cash back offer with an additional $2000 Everything Electric cash back offer. This will price the MG IM models as follows: MG IM5 Premium: $55,990 MG IM5 Platinum: $62,990 MG IM5 Performance: $72,990 MG IM6 Premium: $55,990 MG IM6 Platinum: $62,990 MG IM6 Performance: 72,990 All prices are drive-away The MG4 Urban is the Chinese carmaker’s newest entry-level electric vehicle (EV) and it sits below the standard MG4. It launched locally earlier in 2026 as a more city- and budget-focused offering to compete against the likes of the BYD Dolphin, GAC Aion UT and Geely EX2, among others. All versions of the MG4 Urban are front-wheel drive, unlike the rear-wheel drive MG4, and there are two different battery packs available, a 43kW and a 54kWh unit. They offer up to 316km and 405km of WLTP-claimed electric range, respectively. Until the end of August a total of 2604 MG4 Urban examples were sold. Over this same time a total of 3838 BYD Atto 1 examples, 3068 BYD Dolphin examples, 1753 Geely EX2 examples and 572 GAC Aion UT examples were sold.

Toyota Australia has introduced a factory-backed solution to help prevent theft of its vehicles. A secondary immobiliser genuine accessory is now available to purchase for current-generation LandCruiser 300 Series and Prado 250 Series vehicles at Toyota dealers for $1735 fitted. Toyota is currently studying whether it will widen the number of models it’s offering this factory-approved secondary immobiliser to. The Japanese carmaker has been rolling out improvements and enhancements to its vehicle security systems. These not only include the LandCruiser 300 Series and Prado, but also the HiLux and RAV4. The secondary immobiliser system is claimed to enhance the security offered in the standard, factory-fitted immobiliser. It provides an additional layer of vehicle start authentication and is designed so the vehicle cannot be started without the immobiliser key fob in range. There’s also an independently powered siren with a battery backup. It’s designed to activate in response to unauthorised actions and provides an audible deterrent even if the vehicle’s primary electrical power is disconnected. Although this secondary immobiliser does provide another layer of vehicle security, Toyota claims it still doesn’t guarantee complete theft protection. The introduction of this secondary immobiliser genuine accessory comes off the back of rising vehicle thefts. According to the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA), motor theft claims rose 2.5 per cent nationally in 2025. Victoria in particular recorded a 25 per cent increase in 2025. Many vehicles, including Toyota vehicles, with keyless entry systems have been targeted recently as there are devices that allow thieves to get around the vehicle’s security system. Toyota Australia says it is still collaborating with law enforcement agencies, industry and government agencies to promote the banning of devices used to facilitate vehicle theft. Toyota Australia still promotes the regulation of legitimate devices used by locksmiths, mechanics and other automotive professionals.