Articles by Laura Berry

In early 2026 Geely did something it really needed to. It updated the EX5 electric mid-sized SUV with a bigger battery offering more driving range.That’s the car we're tested here, the EX5 Extended Range in top-of-the-range Inspire guise.Traditionally, model updates bring cosmetic changes like a different wheel design, restyled front bumper, a larger touchscreen inside, but Geely has addressed the biggest issue with the previous EX5 - the limited driving range.The previous EX5 had a smallish 60.22kWh battery which offered 410km of WLTP driving range for the Inspire, according to Geely.That’s pretty low compared to rivals such as the Leapmotor C10 which offers up to 510km. The updated EX5’s 68.39kWh battery has a range of up to 475km in the entry grade Complete and 450km in the Inspire.I asked Geely Australia why the difference in range and was told it comes down to the Inspire’s heavier weight (it has a big glass roof) and its larger wheels.The bigger battery is really the only change made to the model in this update and a cargo cover for the boot has been added plus a mode 2 charging cable.The Inspire lists for $45,990 before on-road costs, which is $4000 more than the Complete. Those prices are up by about $1000 compared to the previous model.Standard features are identical to the pre-update model and while the Inspire gets more, it doesn’t get much more. I think the Complete is the better buy for less money and more range with almost the same equipment.Both grades have LED headlights, proximity unlocking, 15.4-inch touchscreen and 10.2-inch instrument cluster, climate control, sat nav, wireless phone charging, power and heated front seats, vehicle-to-load and vehicle-to-vehicle capability and selectable drive modes.The Inspire adds 19-inch alloy wheels (the Complete has 18s) 16-speaker Flyme stereo, power tailgate, panoramic sunroof, 256-colour ambient lighting, ventilated front seats with massaging function and front parking sensors.There’s nothing on the Inspire’s extra features list that seems essential to me. If anything the panoramic sunroof makes the cabin too hot in Aussie summer, power tailgates are too slow, and yes the stereo is good but the six-speaker unit in the entry grade is fine.Our car wears the new 'Jungle Green' paint which looks stunning when the sun catches and the interior was the 'Cloud White' which is a tone only available on the Inspire.The other standard interior colour for the Inspire is 'Midnight Black' and that’s the only colour offered on the Complete grade, too. The darker upholstery is probably the smarter choice if you have kids like me or wear fake tan like me, too.It’s a lovely cabin with comfortable and plush seats, and clean and uncluttered surfaces with a modern minimalist styling throughout. The big screen houses almost all controls and that is frustrating when it comes to changing the temperature or fan speed. Even the headlights are controlled through the screen.Fortunately speed displayed in the driver instrument cluster and in the clear head-up display, which is great for navigation.Cabin storage is excellent with an area under the floating centre console to store a handbag or small backpack. There are deep door pockets front and rear along with four cupholders. A large centre console bin is also good for stowing items away and under cover.The boot is sectioned into two layers with a total capacity of 410 litres which falls short of other electric mid-sized SUVs such as the Leapmotor C10 EV (581L).The EX5 is 4615mm long, making it about the same length as a Toyota RAV4 or Subaru Forester.The smooth exterior styling gives off a prestigious vibe, and while its not hugely different to other SUVs, I think it looks stylish and modern. Both EX5 grades are front-wheel drive with an electric motor which makes 160kW and 320Nm. While that’s not a huge power figure, acceleration in the Inspire is still decent with 0-100km/h coming in 7.6 seconds. That makes leaping out into traffic easy, while overtaking can be done with confidence.Most of the driving was done in the city and suburbs, along with my review test loop. After 301km of driving, the ride is impressively comfortable, but possibly overly cushioned. The dynamics are affected by body roll when pushing the vehicle harder into corners.A car like this won't often be driven that way though. The reason I do this is to see how stable it will be in an emergency situation that requires a quick lane change. It’s just not super agile and sporty, which isn’t on its to-do list, anyway.The EX5 is quiet, smooth, comfortable and easy to drive. I love the gear shifter mounted on the steering column stalk, which makes it easy to change from drive to reverse and back again.Visibility is excellent, the pedal feels good and the steering, while a little light and artificial feeling, is accurate. During my time with the EX5, my average energy consumption according to the tripmetre was 15.5kWh/100km. That's less than the 16.9kWh/100km Geely says you should see. I’m impressed with that. I normally exceed consumption claims.The maximum DC charging rate is 100kW which is fine but not particularly quick these days. This will allow the battery to be charged from 30-80 per cent in 20 minutes. The charging flap is next to the right front wheel guard.  

Ford Australia has recalled the F-150 full-size pick-up due to a software fault that could prevent a trailer’s brakes from operating while towing.The notice issued by Ford on April 22, 2026, at vehiclerecalls.gov.au  lists the vehicle identification numbers (VINs) of the affected 6832 F-150 trucks made between 2021-2026.According to the statement, the fault is software related and involves the Trailer Module.“Due to a software defect, the Trailer Module (TRM) may lose communication with the vehicle when a trailer is connected. This can result in a loss of trailer braking performance and the turn signal lights not operating as intended,” the notice reads.“A loss of trailer control whilst driving and/or signal lights not operating as intended, may increase the risk of an accident causing serious injury or death to vehicle occupants and/or other road users."Owners will be contacted by Ford Australia in writing requesting they contact an authorised Ford dealer to have the fault rectified with a free software update.This is the latest in a series of recalls which have plagued Ford’s F-150, with the previous recall being for a fire risk due to fuel vapours.

Leapmotor’s B05 small electric hatch has been approved for Australia, according to Federal government documents seen by CarsGuide.Just six months after its Munich motor show debut, the Leapmotor B05 has now been cleared to land in Australia where it will rival the MG4 and BYD Dolphin.The Australian Federal Government Road vehicles standards website published approval details on April 20 of a vehicle made by Leapmotor with the “marketing designation” B05. Publishing the approvals notices is the normal transparent process for all imported vehicles and typically indicates that a model will soon arrive in Australia. The document also lists some details which help us find out in advance a few specifications of the upcoming vehicle.   According to the published approval documents the vehicle is fully electric with a 160kW motor;  it’s a four door, five-seater measuring 4430mm in length; and has multi-link rear suspension.That 160kW output is identical to the power produced by the two other electric models Leapmotor currently sells in Australia - B10 small SUV and C10 mid-sized SUVWhile the B10 and C10 are both SUVs the B05 is a small hatchback and Leapmotor boasts that it has a 50:50 weight distribution and that even balance is a good sign the car will be fun to drive.Ahead of the B05’s debut in Munich Leapmotor’s vice president Cia Li said the car would be a “gift” for young people  "We want to build a dream car for young people who refuse to settle, conform, or be ordinary!" Li said.Leapmotor has been in Australia since late 2025 arriving first with the C10 mid-size SUV. Since then the brand has added the B10 small SUV and a hybrid version of the C10 to its local line-up.Pricing is yet to be announced for the B05 but Leapmotor will likely price it to be competitive with the MG4 which starts at $37,990 driveaway and extends to $55,990 for the top grade.

BYD’s Atto 3 mid-sized SUV is getting a cabin redesign which will have a more conservative look resembling the interiors of the rest of the model’s in the brand’s line-up according to leaked spy images.The spy shots surfaced in China and show a more toned-down cabin in the Atto 3 with the curved and free-flowing feel of the current model’s dashboard replaced with horizontal lines that bring a broader, more refined look.Gone, too, are the quirky, circular elements with the rotating interior door handles replaced by more conventional pull type. The gill-like central air vent design has been switched to regular slat styling and fans of the guitar-string door pockets will be sad to hear they're now gone in favour of regular plastic-moulded versions.BYD will likely launch a new version of the Atto 3 in China next month. Along with this redesigned interior the vehicle will also have new-generation batteries along with rear-wheel drive variants.Whether or not this Atto 3 from the spy images will be sold in Australia is not clear.What appears more likely is that Australia will get the version of the Atto 3 which went on sale this month in the United Kingdom. Known as the Atto 3 Evo it's an updated version which has the same cabin as our current car but with overhauled engineering - the biggest change being a switch from front-wheel drive to rear- and all-wheel drive.A larger 74.8kWh battery in the Atto 3 Evo gives a longer driving range of 510km and 800V architecture allows DC changing at up to 220kW. Australia’s current Atto 3 is offered only in FWD with two batteries - the largest being 60.48kWh with a maximum DC charging rate of 88kW.Power output is also much higher in the UK versions with the top grade producing up to 330kW. The most powerful Australian Atto 3 variant makes 150kW. CarsGuide reached out to BYD Australia for clarity regarding which Atto 3 would arrive locally - the Evo sold in the UK or the Chinese Atto 3 with redesigned cabin - but was told it was too early to speculate.Given the approval compliance documents for the import of a BYD Atto 3 with an output of 330kW were published in February this year on the Australian Federal Government's road vehicles standards website it appears likely the Evo is coming here soon. 

There’s a huge Chinese carmaker cage fight going on right now between 22 different brands in Australia and not all will survive, but knowing what we know here’s five we think will beat the others to become Aussie favourites for a long time.Before we start, let's have a few ground rules — Chinese brands such as MG, GWM and LDV aren’t included in this because they are already established brands with large dealer networks and their future in Australia is almost certainly assured.The brands we’re really focussing on here are the more recent arrivals who have made massive inroads in a relatively short period of time.Here’s the big five in no particular order.Chinese superstar brand BYD knew its way into Aussie hearts when it arrived in 2022 quickly winning us over with electric SUVs such as the small Atto 3 and mid-size Sealon 7, and the Shark 6 plug-in hybrid ute.BYD has gone from battery maker to world’s biggest electric car producer and continues to impress by offering outstanding EVs at low prices.March saw BYD entering the top 3 best-selling car brands in Australia and is now a major threat to established car makers such as Honda, Mitsubishi and Nissan.There is no doubt that as BYD's lineup grows and its presence solidifies here, the company will be around in Australia for a long time to come.Geely is a giant — it makes three million cars a year globally — and it brought that enormous manufacturing firepower to Australia in 2025 and launched its EX5 mid-sized SUV.Slow to arrive, Geely appears to be taking its time, but has since launched the Starray EM-i plug-in hybrid SUV and has the small electric EX2 SUV coming soon.Geely may be gigantic but it needs to hurry up, because rival Chinese brands appear to be throwing everything they have into our market.  Speaking of throwing everything it has into our market, Chery has made the comeback of all comebacks launching five models since returning to Australia in 2023 after an eight-year hiatus.The Tiggo 4 small hybrid SUV is Chery's biggest selling model but the brand will soon launch its off-road diesel hybrid ute soon, which could become the brand's most successful vehicle and potentially beating the Ford Ranger at its own game.The most impressive part of Chery’s comeback has been the multitude of sub-brands it’s in the process of bringing here such as Jaecoo, Jetour, Lepas and now Freelander.Zeekr is owned by Geely, but we’re singling it out here because it’s seriously outperforming its parent company in Australia.Zeekr arrived here in 2025 with its little X SUV and then the 009 people mover, but it wasn’t until it launched the mid-size 7X SUV that the brand took off. The 7X is now the best-selling premium mid-sized SUV in Australia.Coming soon from Zeekr will be the 8X and 9X plug-in hybrid SUVs. Watch this space, we're expecting big things. Denza is BYD’s high-performance and luxury sub-brand and despite only setting up shop here in 2025 has launched strongly with the B5 and B8 plug-in hybrid off road SUVs.Denza isn’t just doing off-road luxury vehicles it also has the D9 people mover and the upcoming Z9 GT - an electric wagon with a range of 1000km and monstrous power and speed.Denza may not outsell BYD but it will offer a more premium and sporty alternative for buyers also in the market for a Zeekr.  

Just when you thought electric vehicles were getting more affordable and accessible for everyone - here’s an EV that costs $13 million.Rolls Royce would never call it a 'special edition' but the limited run of 100 electric convertibles codenamed Project Nightingale will each sell for about $13 million.Produced by the British brand's new Coachbuild Collection, Project Nightingale is an electric reincarnation of the Rolls Royce 17EX Torpedo complete with the long tail and oozing Art Deco elegance.More than just a very collectible Rolls Royce, Project Nightingale is expected to showcase the future of the company’s design.“Project Nightingale is built on the design principles that define this marque at its most compelling – grand proportions, absolute surface discipline, and a clarity of line that rewards the closest attention,” Domagoj Dukec, Director of Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars said. “And yet, it takes them somewhere entirely new. For me, this landmark motor car feels both inevitable and completely unexpected, and it will shape everything that follows.”  Full specifications haven't been released for Project Nightingale but Rolls Royce is reported to have said that it will share much of the same engineering under its Spectre - the brand's first  EV.The Spectre has a 107kWh battery and dual electric motors making 430kW and 900Nm. That oomph can throw the three-tonne super luxury vehicle from 0-100km/h in 4.4 seconds.At 5.76m long Project Nightingale is the same length as the brand’s flagship Phantom saloon.The example you can see in the images is painted in a pale hue called Cote d’Azure Blue with a red metal flake. The interior is finished in two tone pastel Charles Blue with a Grace White and Deep Navy seat inserts. Rolls Royce expects the vehicles to be bespoke to each of the buyers’ desires, and this will push that asking price into the stratosphere.While called Project Nightingale for now, an official name for the exclusive drop-top will be chosen soon, as will be the owners. Yes, Rolls Royce has already handpicked the new owners for each of the 100 cars. 

Toyota’s new-gen Corolla Cross will be here in less than two years and it’ll look exactly like a baby RAV4, according to the almost-always-right Japanese motoring publication Best Car.Sure, Toyota has only just given the current Corolla Cross an update with a redesigned grille and upgraded cabin features, but Japan’s Best Car magazines’s latest issue reveals the totally new next-gen will arrive in 2028 and look just like it’s big sister - the RAV4.Dubbed "Baby RAV4" by Best Car, it adopts the new RAV4’s C-shaped LED headlight and daytime running light styling and grille treatment along with other exterior design elements.The magazine’s front page shows an artist's impression of the Corolla Cross looking a bit sleeker than the taller and larger RAV4 but the resemblance is striking — from the grille, which varies depending on the grade, to the tough looking black moulded wheel guards and sloping rear pillar.Best Car got word from those in the know that the new Corolla Cross will be slightly longer and wider. Currently the little SUV is just 4460mm long, 1825mm wide and 1620mm tall, or about the same size as rivals like the GWM Haval Jolion or Kia Seltos. Best Car says the next-gen Corolla Cross will be 4650mm long and 1850mm wide tall, but a smidge shorter in height at 1600mm. These new dimensions will give the Corolla Cross a sleeker, beefier, more planted look, and apart from having more visual appeal could help handling and dynamics, but what would it do to headroom inside?Best Car also hears the next-gen Corolla Cross GR Sport will have a new 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a plug-in hybrid system and share the same suspension as the new Corolla GR Sport with front struts and rear double wishbones.All new-gen variants of the new Corolla Cross will also use an upgraded version of the TNGA-C platform, with a sixth-generation hybrid system.The Corolla Cross is one of Toyota's best-selling models with 1687 sold in march this year, but that’s not enough to put it ahead of cheaper rivals such as the GWM Haval Jolion, Chery Tiggo 4 or Hyundai Kona. A new sportier look for the Corolla Cross and more fuel efficient powertrains would possibly go a long way to closing the sales gap.So when can we expect to see the new gen Corolla Cross in real life? Well Best Car reckons it will come not long after the arrival of the next-gen Corolla which we might see in late 2027. Best bet is 2028 and of course, we’ll only truly start to know what it looks like when Toyota starts testing it out in the wild.

If you haven’t bought an EV yet, how much more convincing do you need given what’s happening in the world right now?The fuel crisis has shown us just how ridiculous our traditional energy choices are and the urgent need to switch to electricity to power our cars.The choice to get an electric car used to be about them being better for our environment with zero tailpipe emissions reducing pollution in cities. And while that should absolutely be the core reason for the choice to buy an EV, the war in Iran has exposed another very real and urgent need to go electric - fuel security.Australia sources 90 per cent of its refined fuel from overseas, specifically from South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia. These countries get most of their crude oil from the Middle East and nearly all passes through the now infamous Strait of Hormuz, which as you know has been used by Iran as its one and only, but hugely powerful bargaining chip. Like a tap, Iran can turn nearly all of Australia’s petrol and diesel supply on and off.The situation is going to get worse. See, even if the Strait of Hormuz returns to normal operation again, because the ships carrying the oil move so slowly (30km/h max) and with there already being a hold up of more than a month, plus the backlog of waiting tankers, we’re going to experience a shortage unlike anything we’ve seen since the 1970s, or possibly ever.Again this will be temporary and the situation will right itself again… eventually. But it's a warning, to change our ways.In the meantime you need to commute to work, drop the kids at school, drive to doctors appointments — in other words, live your life normally. And freight needs to move around Australia normally. Food needs to get from the producers to storage, and from there to supermarkets. I’m putting it very simply here, but you know where this is heading.All of this will stop without petrol and diesel. Australia will be brought to its knees in a matter of months. The Australian government knows this and you’ll likely see another address by the Prime Minister announcing a move to Level 3 in its plan to manage fuel use. Level 3 in the government's plan is for targeted action and will focus on ensuring essential services have the fuel it needs while asking the public to limit its usage to preserve what’s left.If only there were cars that didn’t need petrol or diesel. Oh yeah… there’s hundreds of them. Well, there’s 110 different electric models to choose from and that number is growing every month, and so are the sales.March, 2026 saw the highest number of EVs sold in a month ever, with 15,839 finding a new home. That’s almost double the number sold in the same month the year before. The total number of petrol cars and SUVs for March this year totalled 34,694, down 20 per cent on March 2025.The argument that there isn’t a type of EV that suits your needs or lifestyle is becoming redundant. Looking for a small hatchback as an alternative to a Suzuki Swift or Toyota Yaris? There’s the BYD Atto 1. Oh, but you don’t get Atto 1 for the price of the Swift or Yaris. That’s right, Atto 1 costs less than the Swift and Yaris, and by thousands of dollars.Small SUVs instead of a Kia Seltos or Honda HR-V there’s the MG S5, BYD Atto 2, Hyundai Kona Electric. The Toyota RAV 4, Subaru Forester, Nissan X-Trail and Mitsubishi Outlander have long been the rulers of the mid-sized SUV world and while all offer hybrid powertrains, all still need petrol. There’s fully electric SUV choices galore. There’s BYD’s Atto 3 and Sealion 7, the Geely EX5, Leapmotor C10, Deepal S07 and the Skoda Elroq.Large electric SUV? There’s Kia EV9, Hyundai Ioniq 9, Deepal E07 and Polestar 3, with more models coming in the next 12 months.The choice for fully electric off-road vehicles, both utes and large SUVs, is limited currently, but they’re coming. Toyota’s electric Hilux ute arrives mid-2026 and will join a growing list of others including the LDV eTerron 9 and MG U9 EV.The numbers of new EVs coming to Australia especially from China will continue to grow, and the conflict in the Middle East and the fuel shortage will fast track the uptake of these vehicles. Is the infrastructure currently in place to cope with a huge uptake of EVs? Absolutely not. But if I’ve learnt anything about humans during my time on the planet we only do things if we have to and private enterprise is champing at the bit to take the lead here and install chargers on anything that doesn't move. Is the grid capable of handling the load? You ask a lot of questions. But that’s a good one. I’m no electrical grid expert but I can tell you charging a car at my place is the equivalent of running two air-conditioners all night. And going by the power outages caused by cooling homes over summer, then the answer is no. But the grid can be upgraded to be more robust — because it’ll have to be and can be. So that’s my rant done. If you live in the city and you drive less than 50km a day an EV is a must. Burning petrol or diesel to sit in traffic makes as much sense as a petrol-powered toaster.

The Subaru Crosstrek rivals the likes of the Honda HR-V, Hyundai Kona, Mazda CX-30 and Toyota Corolla Cross, but there are areas where it's better and some where it's not. We investigate the fuel efficiency, practicality, driveability and value-for-money of this small SUV.

Chery has revealed the interior of its KP31 concept ute showing off a plush, tough and super modern looking cabin ahead of the production model’s Australian launch.While Chery’s KP31 is still in concept form we’re told there won’t be too many changes in the design between now and when the ute goes into production so you can have a lot confidence in what see here being very much what you'll be able to buy soon. Luxurious quilted leather-like upholstery to the seats up front and the bench in the rear are complemented by wide screens, as well as chunky dials and buttons in this dual cab ute.This interior is similar to what we’ve seen in models from Chery’s high-end Jetour off-road brand with the G700 SUV’s cabin resembling the layout in KP31, although the ute’s insides are even more tough and practical looking. There are physical dials for volume and switches for climate control, plus beefy grab handles either side of the dashboard which features diagonal and hexagon shapes with rivets for a robust look.A wireless phone charging pad sits atop a floating centre console, that houses storage underneath, with a large and low gear shifter flanked by buttons for off-road controls and selectable EV and hybrid mode.   The BYD Shark 6 ute is firmly in Chery’s sights. Like the Shark 6, Chery’s ute will be a plug-in hybrid but instead of a petrol engine it will have a diesel, in a rare layout the brand says will be better for towing.A new 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel is to be combined with one electric motor or possibly two for monster torque. And that’s part of the very big appeal for Aussie’s looking to tow.Chery Australia Chief operating officer Lucas Harris told CarsGuide the upcoming ute needed to have the capability Aussies demanded and that includes a 3500kg braked capacity and one tonne payload - which the Shark 6 doesn't currently have.“I believe Chery has one chance to prove that we can build and deliver a highly capable ute,” said Harris.“And so to do that, it needs towing capability, payload capability, all-terrain capability. Particularly all-terrain capability, you know, you get people towing caravans on the beach. You really do need the torque and power delivery that a diesel gives you down low to be able to do those things.”Front, centre and rear diff locks will ensure this ladder on frame ute will have the expected off-road capability too.The "Super Hyrbid" powertrain will ensure good fuel economy - as long charging happens regularly.No date has been announced for the Chery’s ute to launch but it could before the end of the year and as for the name the company recently held a competition, which is now closed, for Aussies to come up with the name themselves. According to Chery’s website a short list of names will be coming soon.