Articles by Tom White

2026 has been a massive year of change for Australia’s new car market. The tide has turned against diesel, and global affairs have pushed more buyers than ever to hybrid and electric cars and into the arms of new brands with more competitive offerings.This has been disastrous for old favourites. In a market where the forever steadfast and market-leading Toyota has taken a nearly 25 per cent hit to its sales figures, something is definitely changing in the mindsets of buyers.Chery, BYD, Geely and Zeekr are up staggering amounts and are stealing sales from Subaru, Mitsubishi and Nissan, which are now looking at a future as former top-10 marques.There are still a handful of big name brands continuing to post gains. It’s a diverse group ranging from Mercedes-Benz to Hyundai.Let’s take a lookAfter years of nosediving down the Aussie new car sales charts, thanks to what the brand would probably describe as a tactical retreat to a more limited footprint and ‘agency’ sales model, Honda seems to have stabilised.The Japanese brand has posted a 5.1 per cent gain year-on-year accounting for a mere 52 units.It’s not a great story looking at the by-the-model numbers, with every car in the brands range posting declines apart from its best-selling CR-V posting a 4.4 per cent gain year-on-year, the ZR-V is up a very modest 0.8 per cent year-on-year and the brand-new Prelude sports car posted an additional 142 units.The Accord sedan has shrunk to a handful of units off of an already-low-base, while the Civic also posted a near 30 per cent decline.Hyundai has had a pretty decent year, even though its initial trailblazing range of EVs have had it tough in the face of new rivals.Up 5.1 per cent for the year, Hyundai’s gains come from its ageing Tucson mid-sizer and high-performing Kona small SUV, which is available with the choice of petrol, hybrid and pure electric power.It also posted solid gains from the addition of the Chinese-built Elexio to its range.The fully electric Hyundai Inster city car, which initially had a tepid reception, has surged back thanks to price-cuts and a renewed interest in electric cars off the back of the fuel crisis. The brand’s once-headline-grabbing Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6, with their advanced E-GMP 800-volt platforms, continue to lose their shine.The loss of the i30 has also put a dent in the brands range, while the Venue also continues to tumble down the charts as it struggles to compete with keen new Chinese rivals such as the Chery Tiggo 4.Kia has proven to be a success story in 2026, with its well-received range of electric cars and Tasman ute forming a significant part of the brand’s additional volume.A gain of just 2.7 per cent isn't all good news. The Sportage has not quite enjoyed the same sales growth as its Hyundai Tucson relation, down over a thousand units year on year.The loss of the Cerato has been more than compensated for by the arrival of the K4, which has posted a massive gain of 1958 units year-on-year. The once-heavy-hitting Sorento has lost nearly half its volume.The EV3, EV4, and EV5 have all done well, but the EV6 and EV9, which are its most expensive EVs, have posted steep declines.The controversial Tasman ute is barely doing half the volume Kia had predicted pre-launch, it is still a significant volume-add for the brand, with more than 2000 units sold so far this year.The brand is up 3.4 per cent for the year, accounting for an additional 295 units. It is some of the older models from the brand’s line-up kicking goals.The A-Class and related GLA SUV posted solid gains alongside the electric EQA and EQB, while the GLC mid-size and GLE large SUVs have also done well.It’s not good news for the rest of the brand’s range. Its larger electric vehicles have failed to resonate with buyers. The EQE SUV was the hardest hit so far, down 383 units for the year, and the EQE, EQS and EQS SUV ranges all posted significant declines.Volvo’s story of steady-but-surely continues, posting a modest 2.4 per cent gain in 2026.The ever-popular XC40 continues to kick goals for the Swedish brand, with the model up 16.6 per cent year-on-year despite its age. The soon-to-be replaced XC60 also posted a small 1.8 per cent gain.The EX90, the brand’s new large fully electric SUV, is up 46.2 per cent off a very low base. The new SUV is still outsold at a ratio of three-to-one by its XC90 internal-combustion engined predecessor.The EX30 small SUV, which is a platform-share with the Zeekr X, posted modest gains, up 6.3 per cent.

Geely’s popular EX5 will receive some major upgrades in 2027, with a new update leaked ahead of its Chinese launch.The new information, which comes from the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, shows a significant EX5 update, with images revealing a refreshed design, new wheel choices and a substantial upgrade to power outputs.The current car, which is one of the best-selling EVs in the country this year, is powered by a 160kW/320Nm electric motor, but the new version scores a significantly more powerful unit rated at 245kW, according to the certification documents.There are minor changes to the vehicles overall dimensions, in large part due to its redesigned front and rear bumpers.Like the related Starray EM-i plug-in hybrid, the new EX5 features a more contemporary ‘GEELY’ typeface across the rear bumper under the light strip. The new EX5 also gets traditional doorhandles rather than the sunken pop-out ones, which appear on the current Australian version.This is because of new Chinese regulations, which crack down on flush or sunken door handles due to safety issues, particularly in low temperature climates where they were freezing shut. Some outlets are also reporting the charging port has migrated from the front three quarter panel to the rear, although this isn’t evident from the MIIT images.The updated EX5’s interior is yet to be fully revealed, with only glimpses in the regulatory filing images, but expect an array of minor changes and perhaps even an increase in the array of physical buttons available, which is another area Chinese regulators are looking to crack down on.The new car also appears with a LiDAR pod on the roof suggesting it will come with an upgrade to its safety functions, although these high-end autonomous driving features for the Chinese market are usually left out of export versions.The EX5 has been one of the electric car success stories of the year in 2026, having moved an impressive 4453 units, nearly double that of the BYD Atto 3 or Kia EV5, and ten times the volume of the Leapmotor C10. In the mid-sized electric segment, it ranks only behind the Tesla Model Y and BYD Sealion 7.The current version has already received significant updates since its launch in 2025, as the brand moves to quickly address buyer concerns and roll-out improvements, including significant software upgrades, and a recent update that brought a larger battery to the mid-size electric SUV.

GWM’s next model under its Ora electrified sub-brand has appeared in regulatory filings in China, as a sporty new station wagon.Dubbed the Ora 7, this car made its debut in concept form at the Shanghai Motor Show in 2025.It was called the Lightning Cat Travel Edition, and was pitched as a spin-off of the sportback model, which never launched in Australia.Thanks to the new filings, which have appeared via the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, it appears the production version of the car will instead adopt Ora’s new numerical naming system, and will be pitched above the incoming Ora 5 small SUV.At 4820mm long, 1850mm wide and 1520mm high, the new Ora model competes directly with the incoming BYD Seal 6 plug-in hybrid, which is available in both sedan and wagon form.Unlike the Seal 6, the Ora 7 is a pure electric model, with dual motors producing 160kW and 150kW. The old Lightning Cat was previewed as having a combined output of 300kW/680Nm.What does seem to have evolved since the Lightning Cat is the battery chemistry, which appears to have swapped from the more expensive and higher-output NMC chemistry to a more affordable LFP unit, according to Chinese media.The car remains almost entirely faithful to the concept shown at Shanghai, all the way down to the sporty gloss black wheel package, although notably the flush door handles have been swapped for traditional ones in keeping with new Chinese regulations that ban flush or sunken door handles for safety reasons.The interior is yet to be revealed, but expect it to come with similar new-generation updates as seen on the recently-launched Ora 5, including the brand’s latest two-spoke steering wheel design, stalk-mounted gear shifter, minimalist centre console and new software hosted on larger screens.At this stage it is unclear whether Australia will see this station wagon model.

Subaru has reportedly confirmed it plans to continue building comparatively affordable sports cars with manual transmissions in the future.According to Japanese media, which was present at the NAPAC Fuji 24 Hour Race, Subaru held a press conference confirming its plans to forge ahead with affordable, manual versions of its next sports car offerings.Reportedly, this will be across three new models, including the next WRX, next BRZ, and a new-generation hatchback model, which is said to “change the direction” of the WRX nameplate.According to Auto Sport Web Tetsuro Fujinuki, Executive Vice President and Chief Technical Officer of Subaru said the brand’s ‘TY85’ six-speed manual transmission, currently used in STI-branded performance models, would be revived in next-generation form, with the capability to "accommodate future increases in power output.”The renewed manual transmission plans will also necessitate some upgrades to the centre differential and EyeSight safety systems, according to the publication. It was spurned on by 9000 expressions of interest in a limited-edition, manual-equipped version of the current car (dubbed the WRX STI Sport# in Japan), where only 600 units were available.This new transmission will be deployed at very least in the next WRX and BRZ, although what will power the upcoming next-generation hatchback model is yet to be confirmed.Subaru said the new models demonstrate a “desire to break down preconceived notions about the increasing price and emphasis on high-power in sports models, and offer cars that are more accessible and enjoyable”.To that end, the brand said it was looking into weight reduction, simplified equipment, and different materials to increase agility and performance, rather than massive upgrades to power.It is unclear how wide-reaching these new plans will be, but expect to learn more before next year, as the brand’s roll-out plans for the reveals of these cars will be before then.Temper your expectations for an array of performance models for Australia, as Subaru is one of the brands most exposed to Australia’s recently-implemented new vehicle efficiency standards (NVES), which closes the vice on high-emitting vehicles over the coming years until 2030.The brand’s signature flat ‘boxer’ engines have long been high-emitters, and have proven difficult to electrify. Early attempts didn’t reduce emissions or fuel consumption by a significant amount despite adding a significant sum to the price.More recent hybrid offerings cut fuel consumption and subsequent emissions by a deeper amount, although it puts a Forester, for example, just on the line for attracting an NVES penalty, rather than well over for standard 2.5-litre variants.

Mitsubishi has thrown the covers off its next fully electric model, marking the return of the Eclipse name, again.The new model for 2027, now called the Eclipse Sportback, is a re-badged and partially re-styled Nissan Leaf as part of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance.While it shares its overall design with the new-generation Leaf, it features a more dramatic front bumper, a new ‘grille’ design, a tweaked rear bumper, Mitsubishi badgework, and bespoke wheel designs. The interior is yet to be revealed.It will likely share the bulk of its specifications with the new-generation Leaf, including a 160kW/355Nm electric motor, either a 75kWh or 52kWh battery pack, and a driving range that is claimed to exceed up to 600km.The new Mitsubishi Eclipse Sportback appears to be a North American market exclusive for now, and the brand says it forms part of its ‘Momentum 2030’ strategy to expand its footprint in the USA with new electrified models.It is not the only model sold under the Eclipse name, with the brand also offering a re-badged version of the Renault Megane E-Tech dubbed the Eclipse Cross exclusively for the European market.The Eclipse nameplate was originally a two-door sports coupe manufactured for the North American market across four generations from the 1990s to the early 2010s, the Eclipse name was re-booted for a small SUV dubbed the Eclipse Cross in 2017 and launched in Australia in 2018.The model ran until 2025 when it was discontinued locally because its ageing chassis and on-board safety tech no longer complied with Australian Design Rules.It is likely Australia will never see the new Eclipse Sportback, as Mitsubishi has had to make more strategic decisions for Australia where it faces tough competition from aggressive Chinese newcomers. The brand has confirmed Australia will instead receive a new yet to be named fully electric model, which Mitsubishi is developing based on a car from Taiwan’s Foxtron brand.The brand recently confirmed it is on-track to see this fully electric crossover model launch in Australia before the end of the year. It will need to be aggressively priced in order to help the brand bring down its potential penalties under Australia’s recently-implemented New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES).Nissan has pulled back on its plan to launch the Leaf in Australia, saying it will be more competitive on the hybrid front, rather than trying to compete with aggressive rivals in the price-sensitive and highly competitive electric small SUV space.It is not the only Mitsubishi alliance model unlikely for an Australian launch. The brand also offers the Renault Symbioz-based new-generation Grandis as a mid-size SUV.Mitsubishi's XForce hybrid small SUV and XPander MPV from South East Asia have been ruled out for Australia as they prove uneconomical to upgrade to comply with Australia’s stringent safety requirements.

GAC has revealed details of its upcoming boxy hybrid 4WD, the Yue 7.The new model, which recently debuted at the Beijing Motor Show after a camouflaged teaser campaign, will follow in the footsteps of the Denza B5 that came before it, cashing in on an exploding trend of hybrid off-roaders from Chinese brands.Like those other models, GAC’s offering is a boxy SUV, with styling clearly inspired by segment greats like the Toyota Prado and Land Rover Defender.The brand told Chinese media it intends to launch the Yue 7 as soon as the third quarter of this year.Some specifications were also revealed thanks to filings with the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. These confirm imposing dimensions 5045mm long, 2030mm wide, and 1933mm tall with a wheelbase of 2900mm. It weighs 2810kg, and has reasonably rugged off-road specifications, with an approach angle of 30 degrees and a departure angle of 33 degrees.It is strictly a five-seater for now, placing it in direct rivalry with the Toyota Prado and Denza B5, and it will feature a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 125kW, with dual electric motors on each axle combining to produce a total claimed 400kW of power.The brand said it will be equipped with a 46kWh battery pack good for a pure electric driving range (according to the more lenient CLTC standard) of 188km, although regulatory filings also reveal a smaller 28.3kWh battery, which provides 116km of driving range to the same measuring standard.According to Chinese media, the company said the Yue 7’s all-wheel drive system is capable of sending traction to just one wheel at a time, and is capable of using a simulated low-range setting. Its rear tailgate was shown at Beijing with a full-size spare tyre and significant off-road equipment added.The company also shared some closer-to-production images online as the model draws closer to its Chinese domestic launch. It debuts a new styling direction for GAC, completely distinct from the rest of its range of cars, as seen on Australia with the Emzoom small SUV or Aion UT or Aion V from the company’s fully electric sub-brand.While GAC is yet to comment on the Yue 7’s chances for arrival in Australia specifically, the SUV is understood to be likely to spawn a ute on the same platform, which would certainly have a likelihood for an Australian launch given the company’s ambition to have 10 new models on sale in five years.GAC’s local CEO Kevin Shu told CarsGuide: “For next year we will have three models, including a larger SUV and a pick-up truck.”This suggests both the Yue 7 and its likely ute spin-off could be on sale locally before the end of 2027.The Yue 7 would make an appealing addition to the brand’s local line-up as hybrid 4WDs attract more attention in Australia primarily thanks to the success of the BYD Shark 6.Other brands, like Geely, also have boxy hybrid off-roaders in development as the market for them explodes in China and overseas, with Australia a prime target for them to test their mettle against entrenched local favourites.

Subaru is considering exporting its largest car from the USA, according to reports.The Ascent, which is the brand’s three-row SUV a size-up from the Forester and Outback, is also built on the same SGP platform as the rest of the brand’s offerings, but is yet to be offered outside of North America.According to Nikkei Asia, Subaru is now considering exporting the car to Japan as part of a wider automotive push to balance imports and exports to the US as manufacturers aim to avoid the ire of US regulators and potential further tariffs.Other brands, including Nissan with its US-built Murano, Toyota with its Tundra, Camry and Highlander (Kluger) and Honda with its Ridgeline ute and Pilot SUV, are considering similar plans.To make this so-called ‘reverse-importing’ process easier, Japanese regulators announced they would set up a simplified certification system for cars built in the US to make it faster for them to be able to be sold into the Japanese market.Subaru Australia has frequently expressed its interest in the Ascent, as it has not had a large three-row SUV since the Tribeca was discontinued in 2013, but the news does not necessarily mean the SUV will be built in right-hand drive to be made available in Australia.The models being ‘reverse-imported’ for ease-of-access to the Japanese market will be sold in left-hand drive, as regulations allow for left-hand drive vehicles to be sold alongside the domestically-built right-hand drive cars.Cars sold in left-hand drive in Australia are heavily regulated, and are generally only conditionally registrable.The new boss of Subaru Australia Scott Lawrence told CarsGuide there was “a really live conversation with the Subaru Corporation” on how a seven-seat SUV could come to life from the brand locally.He said the Ascent wasn’t the only option the company was looking at, but hinted that a badge-sharing arrangement with its Toyota partner was not “one of the priorities” when it came to a seven-seat offering.“I'll leave it there, but there are some really exciting Subaru plans in that space,” he said.What could come to Australia in the future is a next-generation Ascent, as the current model is due for a full overhaul following on from new-generation versions of the Outback and Forester. This could open the door for more global production and new audiences for Subaru.

Mitsubishi has signalled its intent to experiment with more factory-backed Triton variants, including a GVM upgrade following on from the success of the Ford Ranger Super Duty and the popularity of such upgrades in the aftermarket.The company’s GM of Product Strategy and PR Bruce Hampel earmarked “something more customised” to buyer needs was coming.“We’re letting money walk out the door if they go to ARB or Ironman,” Hampel said of a potential factory GVM upgrade, which would take the Triton above 3500kg GVM.“It’s something we’re in discussions with MMC [Mitsubishi Motors Corporation HQ in Japan] about to upgrade suspension, either genuine from-the-factory, or a licensed accessory similar to what competitors are doing at the moment. We haven’t got a formal agreement at the moment, but it’s under study.”“It’s similar to what Raider does. It offers dealers the ability to offer customers a more tailored solution to what they’re looking for in the intended usage of their Triton.”“If we can’t offer it in the dealership then they’ll just go to the aftermarket. But that’s an inconvenience to them because then they take on all the risks and voiding the warranties and these types of things. So it is more attractive if we can offer it to them at the point of sale," he said.Of course, another, but perhaps less likely opportunity for the brand to provide something above of the usual dual-cab category will come from the brand’s just-announced plan to build an American pick-up as a platform-share with the Nissan Frontier, part of a refreshed tilt to secure market share in the USA and Canada.The tepid success of already-locally-converted and factory-backed projects, the Toyota Tundra and Ford F-150, may make a locally-upgraded Triton a more appealing alternative.Hampel said “many eyes in Japan” were following the progress of the new locally-developed Raider variant with its significant off-road focused suspension overhaul from Premcar. He said “when it is a success” it could open the door to more localised variants.“ this style of program is something they can trust distributorships with local expertise - we’re leading the way of going down that path,” Hampel added.“There will be opportunities to go further.”His comments not only apply to a potential GVM upgraded version, similar perhaps in intent (but maybe not with the same deep chassis upgrades) as the Ford Ranger Super Duty, but also even more hardcore off-road versions with even deeper capability further up the price scale.While Ford’s take on the heavy duty model completely re-engineers the Ranger chassis to be heavier gauge, and reaches into its international parts catalogue for upgraded drivetrain components, it seems more likely a heavy-duty Triton would be more limited to suspension components.The brand has earmarked further electrification in the future as a source for more power, rather than an engine from MMC’s Fuso commercial division or a local tune for the current 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel unit, which was been labelled prohibitively expensive by Hampel - even if the brand were to lean on the existing expertise of its Premcar partner.As to what this could look like we may have to wait and see what the brand does with the long-mooted return of the Ralliart brand, which is expected to be the next step for the current Triton.Hampel confirmed there would be no Ralliart without an increase in power, which could open the door to more opportunities for the brand.“We’re in constant discussion with them, working on those next-level programs, but we’ve got to prove what we can do, and what we’ve done so far,” he said.“With the change to electrified options as well, that opens up a different path to having a step-up in performance level.“As we transition into HEVs, PHEVs, and ultimately BEVs and these types of vehicles, we could use electrification as the differentiator.”As to how far Mitsubishi will end up going - you’ll need to watch this space. Discussions were preliminary enough the brand admitted that it hadn’t considered a GVM upgraded Triton being exempt from Australia’s tough new emissions regime (NVES), as such an upgrade could move it into commercial-vehicle-exclusive classification territory alongside the Ranger Super Duty.In the meantime, Mitsubishi will have plenty on its hands for the remainder of 2026 as it gears up for the arrival of its much-hyped next-generation Pajero as its flagship 4WD offering, as well as a new fully-electric small SUV from its partnership with Taiwan’s Foxconn.

For the first time in Australia, electric cars are outselling diesel ones in what appears to be a major turning point for the Australian market.The latest data, compiled from both the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) and the Electric Vehicle Council, shows registrations of electric cars have more than doubled year-on-year, and now account for just under 20 per cent of Australia’s new car market.This is the culmination of multiple factors, including an influx of affordable Chinese models as the country’s behemoth manufacturers seek export markets to flee tough local conditions, and Australia’s new vehicle efficiency standards (NVES) heavily incentivise lower-emissions models, either to avoid fines or rack up credits.On top of this, skyrocketing fuel prices have clearly made many Australians think twice about committing to another combustion car, and the prospect of government incentives ending further down the track as outlined in the latest federal budget has no doubt only bolstered the latest figures.Digging into the data and one thing becomes obvious - amongst the 10 best-selling EVs, all of them were built in China. In what should come as a warning to legacy automakers yet to embrace “China Speed” as part of their business model in our market, even the most successful models from Tesla and Kia are built in China.This trend looks to continue, with Mazda the next brand to introduce Chinese joint-venture models via the Mazda 6e sedan and CX-6e SUV, both of which use Changan platforms. The Japanese giant will no doubt be betting heavily on these two models to reduce its market-leading projected fine under the new NVES rules.Nissan will also begin to introduce its array of successful-in-China Dongfeng-based models in the coming years, with Suzuki, Toyota and Volkswagen potentially being left behind as they continue to source cars from more traditional manufacturing locations like Japan, Thailand and Europe.May in particular was a bumper one, not just for market leader Tesla, but also for keen newcomers Jaecoo and Geely. BYD dominates nearly half of the top-10 charts, including the Atto 2 and Atto 1, which both arrived in 2026.EV Sales May 2026The year-to-date numbers paint a slightly different, but overall familiar story, with the Model Y managing to maintain its lead over the Sealion 7.Some year-to-date surprises include Geely’s EX5 rising to third place and Jaecoo’s aggressively-priced J5 has largely captured the entry-level EV space.Zeekr has had a huge year off the back of the launch of its 7X as it keeps up with its big order bank, and Kia has managed to hold onto 9th place with its relatively popular EV5.The Tesla Model 3 is in seventh place and is the only sedan on the list.EV sales year-to-date 2026It is hard to say what this chart will look like by the end of 2026, although the complete and ongoing re-shuffle of Australia’s favourite cars looks to continue. One thing is for sure though, China has the market well and truly cornered on fully electric cars in Australia.

Hyundai has sharpened the price of some of its sought-after electric cars, with both the Kona EV small SUV and Ioniq 5 mid-size SUV having their entry-point slashed by up to $8,000.The new Kona Electric Standard Range variant now kicks off the range, starting from $46,000, which notably undercuts the entry-point to the EV3 (from $47,600) from its sister brand, Kia.It is also more keenly priced than the entry-level Suzuki eVitara ($49,990) and Zeekr X RWD ($48,900).This still places the Hyundai Kona above popular entry-point rivals from China, which include the BYD Atto 3 ($39,990), Leapmotor B10 ($37,888) and Jaecoo J5 EV ($35,990), the latter was the second most popular EV in the country in May.The price cuts to the entry-level Kona Standard Range also come with a reduction in standard equipment, with the entry-level variant now not including a heat pump for more efficient climate management, electrochromatic rear-vision mirror, V2L port in the cabin, or a standard wall plug charging cable.Hyundai has also expanded the Kona Electric range, adding a new mid-grade Elite variant to the line-up. Priced at $53,000, it sits between the Extended Range ($50,000) and Premium ($60,000) grades. The Elite grade maintains the same 150kW electric motor and 64.8kWh battery as the Extended Range variant, but adds synthetic leather interior trim, 19-inch alloy wheels, powered driver and passenger seat adjustment, privacy glass, heated front seats, and an electrochromatic rear vision mirror.Specifications for the rest of the Kona Electric range remain the same.See the full pricing scheme in the table below.Hyundai has also modified its Ioniq 5 pricing structure, with the new entry-point to the range being the RWD version at $68,200, also an $8000 price cut on the outgoing version.It also comes with reduced equipment levels, with the brand removing the standard wall socket charging cable and interior vehicle-to-load port.The price cut places the Ioniq 5 in closer proximity to the mid-grade version of the ever-popular Tesla Model Y (Long Range AWD - $68,900), high-grade versions of the Toyota bZ4X Touring and its Subaru Trailseeker twin (both $69,990), as well as high-trim Volkswagen ID.4 GTX AWD ($69,990) or the Skoda Enyaq Sportline 85 ($68,990).It handily undercuts its sister car, the Kia EV6, which in base Air RWD form is still $72,660.The other three variants of the Ioniq 5 range have had their pricing revised with the same equipment levels as before, with the wall plug charger curiously removed from the flagship Ioniq 5 N, which has not had its price altered as part of this swathe of updates.See range pricing in the table belowIt was quick to the electric space, but sales of Hyundai’s range of EVs has been sluggish as the competition picks up.Both aggressively-priced new brands from China and new offerings from legacy players are squeezing the Korean brand, with Ioniq 5 sales sliding 38.5 per cent year-on-year, racking up just 224 registrations.The brand’s new Elexio mid-size SUV, which shares its platform with the popular Kia EV5 and is also built in China, has already racked up more than double the Ioniq 5’s registrations this year, with 549 units on the board.