Articles by Tim Nicholson

Leapmotor hasn’t had the greatest start in Australia, with its first model, the C10, receiving a lukewarm response at best.Since then, each new model has represented a big leap, if you will, over that car. The B10 small SUV has been well received and the B05 hatch that’s coming soon promises to be more of a driver’s car.Later this year Leapmotor will introduce a smaller all-electric SUV, the B03X, that should further improve the brand’s fortunes.It’s already a hit in its native China where it dethroned the Tesla Model Y as the country’s favourite electric SUV after a 15-month reign and European orders are also strong.It faces a challenge in Australia, though, as its competitors include the popular BYD Atto 2 and Jaecoo J5 EV. It is shorter in length than those two models, but roughly the same height and width. It will also be cross shopped with electric hatchbacks like the BYD Dolphin, GAC Aion UT, Geely EX2 and MG4 Urban.Leapmotor is ready for a fight, however. The brand confirmed the B03X will start from $30,000, drive-away, which will instantly make it the cheapest electric SUV in Australia when it arrives in the fourth quarter of 2026.Full pricing and spec is being kept under wraps until closer to the launch but the little EV will be offered in two model grades, both packing a 53kWh battery.Standard gear is generous and while we don’t quite know what each grade will get, it should be offered with LED lights all around, remote entry via an app or NFC card, power folding and heated exterior mirrors, auto air conditioning, synthetic leather seats, heated front seats and steering wheel, power adjust front seats, ambient lighting, rain-sensing wipers and scheduled charging.Tech is covered with a 14.6-inch multimedia display housing most vehicle functions, an 8.8-inch driver’s display, sat-nav, over-the-air updates and a 12-speaker audio system.In news that will be a relief to some, the B03X will also come with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, unlike Leapmotor’s first Australian model, the C10 SUV.Safety wise it comes with seven airbags and no less than 21 advanced driver assistance features as well as front and rear parking sensors and a 360-degree camera.Lookswise it follows Leapmotor’s design philosophy to a T. More than many other newer Chinese brands, Leapmotor’s design flows neatly through each new model. There’s a clear link between the C10, B10, B05 and now the B03X.It’s a clean design and on the B03X that means no sharp lines - it’s a rounded look at the front with an appealing headlight signature. Side on it looks tall with a chunky C-pillar and blacked out pillars and frames for a floating glasshouse look.Thankfully the B03X has hidden rather than pop-out exterior door handles which is a win. That’s likely a response to China’s crackdown on pop-out handles.The adorable LED tail-light signature looks like an open mouth and eyes, but not in a creepy way.The cutesy vibe continues in the cabin. You’ll find a smiley-faced Leapy character - Leamotor’s mascot - hidden in a number of spots in the front of the cabin.The interior design is relatively well executed. It’s not groundbreaking but at least it adds a bit more than the cheap minimalism found in some rivals.There’s plenty of soft-touch material on the doors and dash and the interior colour choices include darker hues as well as light greys mixed with a royal blue.Leapmotor claims there are 33 storage spaces in the entire car. I didn’t count but that sounds like a lot.The power window switches are counterintuitive because you press up to put the window down and vice versa.The front seats don’t have a huge amount of upper or lower body bolstering so they’re not particularly supportive but they are comfortable.The gear shifter is on the steering wheel which is becoming common and it frees up console space. That centre console sits a little too high for me.Storage wise there is a long, deep centre bin and an open space under the console. On top there’s a phone charger next to two narrow cupholders.You can fit bottles in the door cavities but not wide ones.Virtually all vehicle functions are housed in the large 14.6-inch multimedia screen, or via two toggles on the steering wheel.Tesla started this nonsense and it seems a bunch of mostly Chinese brands are happy to play follow the leader.The frustrating lack of buttons means diving into menus to find things and spending time to work out how to move your mirrors.However, the multimedia screen is logically laid out and it has clear, crisp graphics. The screen is customisable so you can curate your own home screen. The 8.8-inch driver display is small but clear.The rear seat is surprisingly spacious, with ample head, toe and legroom, but there’s not a huge amount of room across the bench. Two large adults would be fine in the back but three would be a stretch.There’s no fold-down armrest in the centre and no air vents of any kind in the rear which was noticeable on our drive as we had a third person in the rear seat. You do get a USB-A and -C port.The rear seats are flat but comfortable and there’s a handy feature Leapmotor should probably thank Honda for - Magic seats! Pull a lever on the seat base and it flips up on both sides to allow more space to load tall items.Leapmotor says the boot can swallow 510 litres, but I suspect that’s with the multi-level boot floor in its lowest position. That’s more space than the last Australian-made Holden Commodore, by the way.Underneath that is another neat feature - a 105L waterproof bin with a plug so you can hose it out. However, it means you don’t get a spare wheel of any kind. There was no tyre repair kit to be found in our test cars, so presumably you would need to put your charge cables and the repair kit in that under-floor storage.The Leapmotor B03X is a single motor, front-wheel-drive EV delivering 145kW of power and 200Nm of torque.It can cover 0-100km/h in 8.6 seconds and has a maximum speed of 160km/h.The 53kWh battery is good for a WLTP driving range of 382km, which is a bit more than the BYD Atto 2, while energy use is 15.7kwh/100km.There’s an 11kW onboard charger for AC charging but DC maxes out at 133kW. At that rate you should be able to top up from 10 to 80 per cent battery power in roughly 21 minutes.The B03X has vehicle-to-load capabilities meaning you can charge or run small appliances with your car.On the road the Leapmotor is quite a competent car. The 8.6sec acceleration time is solid for a car like this. There’s no point in a six second 0-100km/h time for an urban SUV. It can be a little sluggish off the mark which is surprising for an EV. This was evident pulling into traffic via the short motorway on-ramps of Southern Spain where the launch program was held.Ride quality is mostly good but the roads we drove on are pretty smooth. Some uneven road sections proved it’s not all smooth sailing in the B03X but overall it’s compliant. We will reserve final judgement on ride quality until we drive it on Australia’s deeply average roads.Steering is light and dull but that’s not a major issue in an urban runabout and many potential buyers likely won’t care. However, Leapmotor has listened to feedback and will roll out an over-the-air update in a couple of weeks that aims to address the lifeless steering.There are three drive and steering modes including Sport, as well as three regenerative braking modes.We drove this car on some twisty Andalusian mountain roads and it handled much better than expected. It’s certainly a massive improvement over the dreadful Leapmotor C10. It won’t corner like an Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica but it’s also half the price. It’s more in line with an Atto 2.Some wheel skidding and traction loss is possible when accelerating hard or changing direction at the last minute - not surprising given the FWD’s 200Nm of torque - but the Yokohama 18-inch wheel and tyre package does a decent job.Leapmotor says it has a tight 10-metre turning circle and it’s an absolute breeze to park.The advanced driver assist systems (ADAS) are not as loud as some of its rivals, but it is still intrusive, despite Leapmotor working hard on ADAS calibration. The over-speed warning in particular is incessant. But thankfully you can change the levels or turn most ADAS functions off completely via the settings.There’s no Euro NCAP rating just yet but Leapmotor says it is hoping for a maximum five stars.

Leapmotor’s C10 is set to get a big update in 2027 that could help reverse the electric SUV’s fortunes in Australia.The C10 was Leapmotor’s first model to go global beyond China but it has struggled to gain traction in Australia in the face of intense competition.A key Leapmotor executive said an update was coming early next year.“Of course, there might be an evolution of C10 coming in the beginning of next year. I don't know necessarily in Australia, but this is what we are currently discussing.”That’s the word from Danilo Annese, Vice President Commercial Operations Europe Leapmotor International.When asked to clarify what he meant by “evolution”, he confirmed it was not a new-generation car, but rather the update would introduce new hardware and software.“The full model change is something for later on,” he said.“There is a piece of hardware, and of course, software comes with that piece of hardware. But it's not, I don't expect MCA (mid-cycle action) or big facelifts.”Annese did not detail what the changes were, but it could be an update to finally include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in the C10.Leapmotor made the decision to offer the C10 from launch without CarPlay or Android Auto as it wanted to highlight its own native multimedia setup. This is something Tesla has done for years.The Stellantis-backed carmaker has since changed tack, offering Apple and Android connectivity on new models launched since the C10 like the B10 small SUV, upcoming B05 electric hatchback and the forthcoming B03X electric compact SUV.The C10 was just updated in China in June, with Leapmotor rolling out a tweaked look with a new ‘Sky Light’ headlight design, refreshed grille and new colour scheme inside, as well as a tech update including a 60-inch head-up display, 17.3 inch multimedia display and a Qualcomm 8295P cockpit chip as well as another chip for full navigation assistance.It’s unclear if this is the same update that will roll out to global markets in the New Year.The C10 - offered as an EV and a range-extender electric vehicle (REEV) - has failed to make an impact in Australia since its launch, while other newer Chinese brands have had greater success in the medium SUV segment.To the end of August this year, Leapmotor has shifted just 331 examples of the C10, which is a 13 per cent drop over the same period last year. It is one of the slowest selling vehicles in the segment, only outselling the KGM (formerly SsangYong) Actyon, Peugeot 3008 and Skoda Karoq so far this year.Contrast that with rival Geely which has sold 10,737 EX5 EVs and a further 6669 Starray plug-in hybrids in the same period.As well as the lack of Apple and Android connectivity, the C10 has faced criticism relating to its on-road performance. Clumsy tech, poor ride and handing, poorly calibrated throttle response and overly intrusive advanced driver assistance systems are just some of the complaints.CarsGuide contributing journalist Andrew Chesterton lived with a C10 REEV for as a long-term press loan and discovered many of these issues.Whether this coming update addresses any of those key issues remains to be seen.The C10 did not benefit from the same level of scrutiny as subsequent models. Leapmotor International parent company Stellantis launched the C10 soon after setting up the deal with Leapmotor China, without making significant changes to help it perform better on roads outside of China.However, reviewers noted a big improvement with newer models like the B10 and B05, both of which have had engineering input from Stellantis HQ.

Chinese brand Leapmotor will soon have bragging rights with confirmation that its new small SUV will be the cheapest electric SUV available in Australia.The B03X will kick off from about $30,000 drive-away when it lands in the fourth quarter of this year and it will be offered in two model grades.Full pricing and Australian specification won’t be revealed until closer to launch but this indicative pricing is a warning shot to its mostly Chinese rivals that Leapmotor is about to ramp up.The B03X is slightly shorter in length, but roughly the same width and height as a BYD Atto 2 and Jaecoo J5 EV.Currently the BYD kicks off from $31,990 before on-road costs, while the Jaecoo is $36,990 drive-away.Other potential rivals include the Chery E5 ($37,990 d/a) and the new GWM Ora 5 (from $33,990 d/a), while other small electric SUVs like the MG S6, Hyundai Kona Electric and Kia EV3 all start from in the $40,000 bracket.Leapmotor’s other small SUV, the larger B10, kicks off from $37,888 before on-road costs, leaving plenty of space for the B03X as an entry point to the Stellantis-backed carmaker’s line-up.Buyers might also look at small electric hatchbacks like the Geely EX2, BYD Atto 1 and Dolphin, which all undercut the B03X SUV.From launch the B03X is EV only, but Leapmotor International Vice President Commercial Operations Europe Danilo Annese, told Australian journalists the brand has not ruled developing a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) or range extender electric vehicle (REEV) version of the B03X, if there is sufficient global demand.Annese said a number of European countries have requested a hybrid version, adding there were no limitations on the new front-wheel-drive B platform.He said the company could justify the investment if demand came from outside Europe.“Potentially, yes. It's not a measure. We hope that the countries outside Europe will be in the position to justify an investment. This is what we really look forward. If Brazil, if Australia, if Mexico will be on the projected size to justify an investment, why not?“So it does not exclude that we will look into that and try to bring something on a decent timescale. I don't know how long,” he said.Leapmotor offers both battery electric and REEV versions of the C10 mid-size SUV and B10 small SUV, but the incoming B05 hatch is EV only.A further development of the platform is expected with Leapmotor confirming at the B03X launch that it would reveal the international version of the B03 at this year’s Paris motor show in October.Dubbed A05 in China, the B03 is a light b-segment hatchback related to the B03X that will sit under the B05 hatch in its international line-up.However, CarsGuide understands the B03 is unlikely to make it to Australia given the challenges of the light hatch segment.

Leapmotor is still actively considering developing a ute and Australia is a key factor in whether it will go ahead.The Chinese brand has been open about the possibility of a ute model in the past but it sounds like those conversations are getting more serious.Speaking at the global launch of the B03X compact EV, Leapmotor International Head of Product and Marketing Francesco Giacalone highlighted the importance of the Australian market in Leapmotor’s global strategy before hinting at a possible ute model.“I mean, I don't want to say too many things, but this morning we had a very, very interesting conversation about Australia and what we as Leapmotor can do to create products that fit that market and for which maybe another market there is no demand, and you can guess what type of products they are.”When pressed by CarsGuide if he was talking about a pick-up, Giacalone responded, “I never say so.”But he said there is demand for a ute in some key South America markets as well as Australia, which could prompt Leapmotor to develop a pick-up model.“The regionalisation of our strategy implies that there are demands that, in this moment, are not European centric. Europe is not a pick-up market. Brazil is. Australia maybe.“So of course, Australia right now represents, from a volume point of view, not as such strong arguments to build a standalone car for one market, but within the Leapmotor strategy to go global and be present global - in South America and Brazil is 30% of the market in terms of registration.“So there could be interest to develop that things. But there are a lot of ideas. I mean, the same way there are ideas about vans, the same ideas about even bigger, large SUVs.”Asked if that meant Leapmotor would look at developing a large off-road-focused ladder-frame SUV, to compete with the forthcoming Geely Battleship 700, Giacalone said that was unlikely as it doesn’t fit with the Leapmotor brand.“If it will be in the Leapmotor DNA. Leapmotor will not be the right… is not the right off-road brand. It is not that one. But from a visual design point of view, that direction is being considered.”That means a rugged looking large SUV is on the cards, but without the off-road capability. This could sit above the D19 SUV that the company confirmed would be shown in global spec at the upcoming Paris motor show.If Leapmotor greenlights a ute, it will enter an incredibly competitive segment in Australia that is stagnating when it comes to sales volume.Year-to-date sales figures to the end of August show the 4x4 pick-up segment down by 13.6 per cent, with last year’s top seller, the Ford Ranger in 4x4 guise, down by 12 per cent. The Toyota HiLux 4x4 sales are also down by 6.4 per cent.A number of predominantly Chinese newcomers have failed to fire in the ute segment in the past couple of years, with the JAC T9, MG U9 and related LDV Terron 9, as well as the Foton Tunland all recording modest sales.The BYD Shark 6 has been the clear exception to the rule, becoming a huge sales hit in Australia.More competition is set to arrive soon, too, with Chery’s hyped diesel plug-in hybrid Stockman landing in the coming months, while Geely is also developing a PHEV ute.

Could a Jaecoo-badged version of the upcoming Chery Stockman ute be on the cards for Australia?The Chinese-made Chery workhorse is set to enter the super competitive dual-cab market later this year and it will be the first ute powered by a diesel-electric plug-in hybrid powertrain.Being part of the massive Chery Group, Omoda Jaecoo could potentially offer its own version of the ute if it can make a business plan stack up.Omoda Jaecoo Australia Chief Commercial Officer Roy Munoz told CarsGuide Chery Group shares platforms and tech, but he was coy on whether his brand was developing its own version of the ute.“So because we're part of Chery as a group, obviously we share platforms, we share powertrains, we share R&D and technology. So it's always possible that we could have our own version, but nothing's been confirmed at this stage,” he said at the recent Jaecoo J8 launch.When asked if he thought a ute would be a good fit for the brand in Australia, Munoz quickly said “yes.”“I always think that there's always room for another option for the Australian market, and yeah, ultimately the customer will decide whether that product belongs or not.”While not officially confirmed, a Jaecoo ute makes sense given the positioning of the brand. Under the wider Chery banner, Jaecoo is positioned as the adventure brand, although the coming iCaur brand is also undoubtedly an adventure brand.Yet another Chery brand, Jetour, has already detailed its version of the Stockman, dubbed the F700 for China.The Stockman’s powertrain combines a 2.5-litre turbocharged diesel engine with an electric motor delivering 350kW/800Nm sent to all four wheels.It has an EV-only driving range up to 100km, but this is calculated via the more lenient NEDC test cycle. Expect closer to 80km when tested to the WLTP cycle.Chery Group Australia’s management must also be looking at dual-cab ute sales and considering whether further growth is even possible.The 4x4 dual-cab ute segment has stagnated with year-to-date sales figures to the end of June down 11.1 per cent, or close to 12,000 units. A number of new ute models that have arrived in the past 12 or so months have failed to fire, including the MG U9 and its LDV Terron 9 twin, the JAC T9, Foton Tunland (all from China) and Kia’s Tasman.The only new ute that’s struck a chord with buyers is the BYD Shark 6 plug-in hybrid (PHEV), which is now Australia’s third best-selling 4x4 dual-cab behind the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux.The Chery Stockman’s strong design and innovative diesel plug-in hybrid setup could help it buck the trend in the ute segment, but could a Jaecoo version do the same? Time will tell.Regardless of whether Jaecoo opts for a ute based on the new ladder-frame platform that underpins Stockman, there is a possibility that the brand could use it to form the basis of a large premium SUV - something Chinese marques are increasingly focusing on.Munoz wouldn’t be drawn on whether a new SUV model built on the platform was in development, but left it open to possibility.“It's certainly always appealing. I wouldn't be able to comment on whether there is something coming or not, but certainly, the powertrain now exists, the platform exists, so anything is possible.”Carmakers typically don’t spend millions developing new platforms and powertrains for a single model, so expect the diesel plug-in hybrid ladder frame to surface somewhere new soon.

GAC’s forthcoming ute is expected to forego diesel power in favour of electrification.Rather than trying to compete with the established internal combustion engine (ICE) offerings in Australia’s ute scene like the Toyota HiLux, Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max and Mitsubishi Triton, the as-yet unnamed GAC ute will only be offered as an electrified model.GAC Australia CEO Kevin Shu confirmed the ute’s powertrains at the recent announcement of GAC’s sponsorship of Melbourne City FC.“We're focusing on the new energy I think, rather than the traditional engine,” he told CarsGuide.‘New energy’ is a term largely used by Chinese carmakers that refers to electrified drivetrains like hybrid, plug-in hybrid or battery electric.When pressed on what that meant for the ute specifically, Shu said: “Plug-in hybrid or REEV.”REEV refers to a range-extender electric vehicle (sometimes called EREVs, or extended-range electric vehicles), which uses an internal combustion engine to generate power for an electric motor. Leapmotor’s C10 is an example of this, while fellow Chinese challenger XPeng is also planning to roll out the technology.He added that while a number of traditional rivals stick with pure internal combustion power for utes, GAC would chase new demand.“Competitors focus on diesel, petrol. We have to use customer demand.”The runaway success of the plug-in hybrid BYD Shark 6, also from China, suggests this could be a smart strategy from GAC. The BYD is currently the third best-selling 4x4 pick-up in Australia, according to January to June sales figures.Chery has also confirmed its diesel-electric plug-in hybrid Stockman ute for a late 2026 launch.Shu reiterated that GAC is planning a further four new models for Australia next year. One of those could well be the Yue 7 SUV that will share underpinnings with the as-yet unnamed pick-up. However, it could push into early 2028.As reported by CarsGuide, the Yue 7 is a five-seat SUV that counts rivals including the Toyota Prado and Denza B5. It will be powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 125kW, with dual electric motors (one on each axle) for a total system power output of 400kW.It will be fitted with a 46kWh battery pack allowing for an EV-only driving range of 188km on the lenient CLTC standard. There’s also a smaller 28.3kWh battery, with 116km of driving range.GAC says it stands apart from its rivals as it offers buyers four different powertrain options - pure internal combustion (ICE), hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicle.Shu also dismissed spinning off sub-brands from the GAC parent brand.In the UK, for example, Aion is its own sub-brand. In some markets it also offers Hyptec, while Trumpchi is a China-market brand. There’s also the recent tie-in with Huawei, called Qijing in China or Aistaland internationally.Shu said the reason for maintaining GAC in Australia rather than launching so many sub-brands was because of ease of communicating GAC’s offer.One of GAC’s main competitors in China and Australia is Chery, which, famously, has multiple sub-brands and more on the way. They include Omoda Jaecoo, Lepas, Jetour, iCaur and Freelander.

Owners of European premium brands are trading in their cars for more affordable Chinese-branded cars, according to Omoda Jaecoo’s local boss.Chery’s burgeoning offshoot, Omoda Jaecoo, has experienced significant growth in the past 12 months, rolling out three models with multiple powertrain variants in quick succession.Capitalising on Australian buyers’ hunger for more affordable, feature-packed cars, Omoda Jaecoo sales have increased by a whopping 1177 per cent year on year, albeit off a lower base and fewer models.With four models available - the Omoda 9 and Jaecoo J5, J7 and J8 SUVs, the brand is now outselling bigger names like Honda, Suzuki, Lexus and another rising Chinese marque, Zeekr.Those sales have to come from somewhere, and Omoda Jaecoo Australia Chief Commercial Office Roy Munoz says while not many people are coming in and cross shopping with other Chery brands, he has some idea of the brands they’ve nabbed buyers from.“Not much of a Chery cross shop, surprisingly, and it's a mixed bag at the moment. We don't have specific data, but what we can see from the past 12 months are the vehicles that are being traded in,” he told CarsGuide.“So you might have a buyer from a legacy volume brand. You might have buyers from legacy premium brands also. So the likes of BMW, Mercedes, Audi, even JLR (Jaguar Land Rover) customers maybe stepping into the likes of a (Jaecoo) J8 or an Omoda 9 or even a J7 as well, even down to J5. So it's hard to pinpoint exactly where they're coming from, but customers are responding well just to that value proposition of these products.”Being one of the fastest growing brands by sales not just in Australia, but globally, is a solid flex, but Munoz explained it doesn’t come without challenges, especially in relation to customer experience.“Well, customer experience, it's always easier to say is the primary focus and hard to do in practice, right? So, I guess in establishing ourselves, yes, being a fast-growing brand, it's not necessarily just about the sales. So, you could be fast growth in terms of sales, but are you fast growth in service? And by that I mean, are you fast to respond? Do you have parts readily available? Are customers generally happy? So for us, growth in terms of sales, yes, that is important. But sustainable growth, to be able to service and support your growing customer base is probably even more important for us.”Munoz acknowledged the new auto brand still has a ways to go when it comes to building a robust aftersales program, but highlighted where it is investing.“We still have a bit of work to do, and the work is being done as we speak. We're investing in not just human resources, but in our parts warehousing as well, parts supply, technician training, and ensuring that, because aftersales sells your second, third, fourth car. Sales sells your first car, primarily. So that customer advocacy is something that you don't build overnight. It’s built over time, and it's built through every customer interaction. So we treat each one as seriously as each other.”Munoz wouldn’t be drawn on sales targets for Australia, and he also said there’s no hierarchy within Chery Group dictating that Chery must be the top brand with others like Omoda Jaecoo, Lepas and iCaur sitting behind. This was once Hyundai Group’s strategy years ago - Hyundai was the main brand and Kia the smaller sister brand.“No, I guess we've got our own sort of strategies and growth ambitions. Certainly, as long as it's a Chery brand, we'd love to see it on top. Chery on top. Sorry, had to throw that in there. But certainly, I think you'll find when you look at the global data… in some markets Chery might be selling better, in other markets Omoda Jaecoo might be selling better. It really depends on how the market responds to those brands. But I've said it before: as long as a customer has purchased a Chery Group product, they're a winner.”

Proving the current popularity of plug-in hybrids (PHEV), one of Chery Group’s many brands, Omoda Jaecoo, is giving buyers another option. Following the launch of the petrol-powered J8 large SUV a year ago, Jaecoo has added the J8 SHS (Super Hybrid System).It’s a plug-in hybrid and, unlike the petrol J8, this one has seven seats. Jaecoo says it’s more of an occasional seven-seater, rather than a dedicated three-row family hauler. More on that later.It’s available in one highly specified Summit grade from $59,990, before on-road costs (BOC), which is the same price as the mechanically identical Chery Tiggo 9 Ultimate Super Hybrid.The Summit is a $5000 bump over the priciest petrol J8, but it is compelling when lined up against other three-row large PHEV SUVs like the BYD Sealion 8 ($56,990-$70,990 BOC), Kia Sorento ($71,175-$86,115 BOC) and Mazda CX-80 ($55,700-$93,419 BOC).Jaecoo has loaded the J8 Summit with standard gear including heated and ventilated front seats with a massage function, head-up display, 14-speaker Sony sound system (two speakers are housed in the driver’s headrest), a 50-watt wireless charger, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto via one of the two 12.3-inch displays, a panoramic sunroof with a sun shade, acoustic glass and luxuries like quilted leather seats, ambient lighting and a built-in fragrance system.Design wise, the Jaecoo J8 is not an unattractive car, it just lacks anything that helps it stand out or identify it as a Jaecoo. The brand is still finding its feet when it comes to design.Inside, the speakers, door-mounted seat controls, air vents, dash panels and even the quilting on the leather seats look to have been borrowed from Mercedes-Benz. It’s not an unpleasant space, it’s comfortable and looks good, but there are issues.The integrated dash element that flows into the door is misaligned. Not a great look. I couldn’t find my perfect driving position because the driver’s seat doesn’t lower far enough. The centre console is too wide and sits too high, meaning you feel a bit hemmed in.But the lovely looking steering wheel feels nice in hand and has clearly identifiable controls. Storage wise you get a huge central bin with a cooling function, under-console space, big door bins for bottles and more.It has dual 12.3-inch screens - exactly the same size as Hyundai/Kia’s setup - and the driver display is clear and well calibrated. The central display is not intuitive and you have to dig through menus or swipe down for high-use functions.Beyond the dial on the console, the drive mode set-up is confusing and takes some time to navigate, while my co-driver and I could not find the regen braking settings, despite deep dives into the menus.The system’s processing speed is excellent, so it responds quickly to inputs and the graphics are good. I don’t need an automated voice shouting when changing drive modes, however.The second row is well appointed, with air-con vents at knee and chest level, some climate controls, big door bins, central armrest and cupholders, USB ports and more. You also get sun shades for second-row windows and the panoramic sunroof has a solid blind.There’s no transmission tunnel so the middle seat is useful. The second-row seat base slides and the backrest reclines slightly which is a neat feature. However, the Jaecoo has a big flaw that impacts its status as a seven seater.The 60/40 split-fold second row is configured for left-hand drive markets - the J8 is built in China - so the single-seat entry point offering the best third-row entry is on the driver’s side of the car, which, in Australia, is the road side.This should have been changed to the kerb side so it’s safer for parents to get their kids in and out of that third row. You can climb over the seats on the kerb side, but it’s cumbersome. The J8’s Chery Tiggo 9 PHEV twin has the same issue.Boot size is a J8 strong point, swallowing 200 litres with all three rows in place, expanding to 738L with the third row folded. There are hooks, lights and power outlets in there, too. But there’s another packaging issue. There’s no spare wheel and because the PHEV mechanicals take up so much space, there’s no under-floor storage. So the tyre repair kit and charge cable sit in the boot with other luggage.Powering the J8 is a plug-in hybrid powertrain consisting of a 105kW/215Nm 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine combined with three electric motors - two at the front and one at the rear. The total system power and torque is hefty 315kW/580Nm, the same as the Tiggo 9.This set-up allows for all-wheel drive traction and it uses a three-ratio dedicated hybrid transmission. Maximum braked towing capacity for the PHEV is 1600kg, but, oddly, the petrol J8 is not rated for towing.Jaecoo has not tested for WLTP EV driving range so could only provide the NEDC figure which is more lenient. It is a healthy 169km, with 1000km possible factoring in the petrol engine’s 70-litre fuel tank.The 34kWh battery can be charged up to 70kW on a DC fast charger. Energy consumption is 19.3kWh/100km and Jaecoo says the official combined cycle fuel use figure is 1.2 litres. As with any PHEV, take that figure with a big grain of salt as it requires the battery to always be charged.The 6.6kW Type 2 charge port is on the rear passenger side of the car and charging from 10 to 100 per cent takes five-and-a-half hours.That powertrain is one of the Jaecoo’s most impressive features. It is technologically advanced, powerful, offers a useful driving range and is mostly smooth.However, on the road the J8 is a mixed bag.It is very quick off the mark, hitting 100km/h in just 5.8 seconds. So straight-line performance is solid. But when accelerating out of a tight corner or a roundabout there’s some hesitation from the powertrain.The J8 SHS has adaptive dampers as standard, which is usually a good thing, but combined with the size and heft of the car, it makes for a wallowy, floaty ride. Go over a speed bump and the front end will feel like it’s bouncing up and down.At urban speeds on completely flat roads, the Jaecoo is composed and lovely to drive. But at higher speeds on a highway or motorway with bends, that boat-like floatiness reappears.Of the three drive modes - Normal, Mid and Sport - the latter is best at keeping the big SUV more tied down, but it never loses the wallowy feeling entirely.It’s not a fan of corners, leaning heavily even on pretty average bends. This is one top-heavy vehicle, and you feel it in the cabin, moving around as it leans.On the flipside, it handles potholes and road imperfections well, mostly soaking up some sizeable holes. It rides on Michelin tyres hugging the 20-inch alloy wheels.Steering lacks any real engagement or connection to the road but it has a bit more feel in Sport mode. Chery Group Australia would benefit from a local ride, handling and steering tune similar to GWM and Kia’s programs.The Jaecoo standard safety list is impressive, and the advanced driver assist systems (ADAS) are not as intrusive as some rivals. The lane keeping aid can get a bit excited but you can adjust the level of some ADAS features via settings. There’s no ANCAP crash rating for the Jaecoo as yet.A big tick for the Jaecoo is its warranty and servicing offer. It comes with an eight-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, eight-year battery warranty, eight years of roadside assistance and eight years of capped-price servicing.The schedule is every 12 months of 15,000km, whichever occurs first. Service pricing ranges from about $300 to $670, depending on the year, but it will cost a total of $3881 all up. That’s pretty competitive pricing when lined up against the BYD Sealion 8 and Mazda CX-80.

Porsche has continued the rollout of model grades for its all-electric Macan and the latest is the GTS. GTS grades are often the sweet spot of any Porsche model range, usually adding an extra dollop of performance and grade-specific styling.There aren't many high-end electric SUVs of this size in Australia, except for the Audi Q6 e-tron. And judging by the sales figures, Australians haven’t warmed to the electric version of the Macan. Porsche has sold 308 to the end of May this year, a 75 per cent drop compared with the same time last year.But perhaps the sportier and sexier GTS can grab premium buyers’ attention.Compared with the sleek internal combustion Macan with its hunkered down stance and hatchback-like rear, the new EV version looks much bigger on the road. But the design has grown on me and the GTS styling helps enormously.The GTS gains flourishes like wider side skirts, different front and rear aprons, a pronounced diffuser and gloss black inserts.My test car was also Carmine Red and combined with the black elements, and gorgeous but expensive ($4860) 22-inch RS Spyder Design wheels in Anthracite Grey (up from the standard 21-inch wheels), it all makes for a menacing, sexy look.The Macan gets the GTS treatment inside as well with signature red seat belts and a few other additions.The horizontal dash feels quite upright, as does the seating position. The design is appealing and functional without taking any risks.The positioning of the gear shifter on the dash is great for freeing up space and the Macan has decent storage. The device charger can be closed which is good for security.The multimedia system isn’t super intuitive - you have to drill down to multiple menus to find things. Some menu items overlap with the always-on side menu. That’s not very premium, Porsche! Even the Apple CarPlay was a little glitchy. Thankfully, air con has its own panel on the dash.There’s not a lot of knee room in the rear behind my (183cm) driving position, but lots of toe room. The middle seat feels like an afterthought, especially as the front centre console leaves virtually no legroom. But the rear seats are bucketed and super comfy.The boot can swallow 480L, down from 540L in lower Macan grades. There’s no spare wheel, just a tyre repair kit, and a massive Bose subwoofer consumes the underfloor storage. It has handy levers in the boot to lower the 60/40 rear seats and a button that lowers suspension to load heavy items.Elsewhere, the Macan GTS comes with a smallish 10.9-inch multimedia screen and this example was fitted with a passenger side digital display ($2810).Which brings me to one of my biggest issues with this car - the optional extras. The base price of a Macan GTS is $171,100 before on-road costs. That’s already pricey when you consider rivals like the Audi SQ6 e-tron (from $151,400), Hyundai Ioniq 5 N ($115,000) and upcoming BMW iX3 50e ($109,900). Then there’s the eye-watering options list.My test car was fitted with items that shouldn’t cost any extra, like $560 for black badging and $220 for ‘preparation for Porsche dashcam’. Then there’s the downright ridiculous $10,730 for the GTS Interior Package.Rear-axle steering at $3510 is understandable, but $4120 for the augmented reality head-up display that I turned off because it was too intrusive is just taking the mickey. My test car had $38,000 worth of extras, bringing the total price to $209,110.Porsche’s German rivals (Audi, BMW, Mercedes) have all improved their standard features offering in recent years, but Porsche clearly still lags.As the second-most potent Macan Electric grade under the Turbo, the GTS gains an extra helping of performance. It features permanent magnet synchronous motors on the front and rear axles, offering 380kW of power and a maximum 955Nm of torque with overboost.This is enough for a 0-100km/h sprint in a blistering 3.8 seconds on the way to a top speed of 250km/h.Porsche says the Macan GTS’s 100kWh high-voltage lithium-ion battery can be charged from 10-80 per cent capacity via a 120kW DC charger in about 46 minutes, while using its maximum charge power will take just 21 minutes. An 11kW AC home charge should take about 10 hours. One handy feature is two charge ports, one on each side of the car.Porsche claims the Macan GTS’s electric driving range is 513km. The official energy use figure is 20.6–18.5kWh/100km and after a week of mostly urban commutes and a quick back-road blast, I recorded 21.5kWh.It is incredibly quick off the mark, forcing you back into your seat when you floor it. Sport mode, which alters the chassis and ups acceleration, is brutal.Steering in any mode is super sharp and doesn’t require much input to get a response.The Macan GTS is a big, heavy electric SUV but it has a surprising nimbleness to it. It’s taller than the ICE version but it’s chuckable to a certain degree, with very little roll in corners.The grippy tyres aid roadholding and strong brakes help pull up the big SUV, too.Ride quality is undeniably firm and you feel and hear harsher corrugations and bumps. It’s far from jarring, but don’t expect a cushy ride.The Macan has a tighter turning circle than you’d think (11.1m down from 12.1m thanks to the rear-axle steering), making it surprisingly easy to park.Road noise is noticeable on coarse chip surfaces but otherwise most external noise stays out of the cabin.Another huge tick for the Macan is the advanced driver assist systems (ADAS), which works away in the background. It only kicked in once when I merged onto a new lane on a freeway and even then the steering intervention was subtle.Porsche covers the Macan with a three-year/unlimited kilometre warranty which is well behind the five-year terms of most premium rivals. The service schedule is every two years or 30,000km which is great and Porsche offers service plans of three ($1995), four ($3695) or five years ($3995). This is quite a bit more than Audi’s offer for the SQ6 e-tron ($2080 for six years).

Peugeot Australia has lost its local distributor, but fans of the French brand will be pleased to know all is not lost.Inchcape, which distributes Foton, Deepal and Subaru has handed back the keys to the selling rights of Peugeot after nearly a decade.It is understood Peugeot will remain in Australia, but whether it will fall under its parent company Stellantis’ Australian arm or another distributor is still under a cloud.“As part of Inchcape's standard approach to portfolio management, we continuously review our partnerships to ensure we have the right portfolio of brands for our business, aligned with our strategic growth objectives,” Inchcape Australasia said in a media statement.“As a result, Inchcape Australia and Stellantis have mutually agreed to end their distribution partnership for Peugeot in Australia, with the final date to be confirmed following a transition period. Stellantis has confirmed the Peugeot brand will continue in Australia and will provide updates on its local plans in due course.”Inchcape said it is working with Stellantis to ensure a smooth transition, as it continues to support owners, dealers and other partners.“Inchcape will continue to support the sale of existing stock, warranty and servicing during the transition period, while working closely with Stellantis as it progresses future distribution arrangements in Australia.“Throughout this time, customers will continue to have access to factory-trained technicians, genuine Peugeot parts, and ongoing servicing, including recall campaigns and diagnostic updates.”An Inchcape spokesperson told CarsGuide all new-vehicle orders will be fulfilled and added that potential Peugeot customers can still buy new or demonstrator stock via the dealer network.Inchcape has streamlined its range of brands in recent years, after jettisoning Peugeot's stablemate Citroen in 2024, and focusing on new Chinese brands Deepal and Foton. Inchcape has been the Australian distributor for Japanese marque Subaru for many years.When Inchcape dropped Citroen from its portfolio, the company said the niche French brand’s customers could continue to have their vehicles serviced at Peugeot dealerships.The writing was on the wall for Peugeot after a string of tough years that culminated in 373 sales through the first five months of this year, which was down 35 per cent compared to the same period last year.This follows a circa-29 per cent drop in 2025, and losing a quarter of sales in 2024.Peugeot last posted a positive result in 2023, when it grew sales by 20 per cent for a total of 2516.Peugeot’s Australian model line-up includes the 308 and 408 hatchbacks, 2008, 3008 and 5008 SUVs and a range of commercial vehicles including the Partner, Expert and Boxer vans.In late 2024, Peugeot put a pause on its Australian EV rollout plans for SUVs and passenger cars and dropped all plug-in hybrid models, instead focusing on hybrids. It continues to offer EVs in its van portfolio.Whether Stellantis Australia picks up Peugeot remains to be seen. Stellantis’ Australian arm counts Fiat, Fiat Professional, Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Jeep and new Chinese brand Leapmotor in its stable of brands.While Peugeot, Ram and Maserati fall under their umbrella globally the latter two brands are distributed by independent importer Ateco Group in Australia.Regardless of whether Stellantis Australia officially takes on the distributorship of Peugeot, a company spokesperson said in a statement that the company is committed to Peugeot’s Australian future.“Peugeot has a strong future in Australia, supported by a robust product pipeline and a clear long-term strategy. We intend to maintain continuity of distribution in Australia and will provide updates as arrangements progress.“We remain committed to our customers and partners throughout this period and are confident in the brand’s long-term prospects in the Australian market,” they said.