Articles by Tom White

MG has released full details including pricing for its MG07 range ahead of its Chinese launch.A fully electric four-door coupe is designed as a spiritual successor to the 1965 MGB GT while also tapping into the success of Chinese contemporaries like the Xiaomi SU7 and incoming Geely TT.Measuring in at 4886mm long, 1900mm wide and 1485mm tall, the MG07 is a relatively large liftback and an electric alternative to the MG7 combustion car currently sold in Australia.It features two battery sizes, either 67kWh at 400 volt or 91kWh at 800V granting it more than 600km or 800km of range respectively. Both batteries are from CATL and use semi-solid-state chemistry.All variants are front-wheel drive, with the base version producing 176kW/300Nm for a 6.9-second 0-100km/h sprint, while the 800V high-grade versions produce 235kW/350Nm, good for a claimed 5.9 second 0-100km/h sprint.Outside it features a new design direction for MG with clamshell-style front lights, and a bar-style rear light. It also features wheel options with white inlays clearly inspired (alongside other parts of this car) by the Porsche Taycan, and features an automatically deploying rear spoiler on the tailgate.Inside, the MG07 borrows high-end switchgear, hardware, and trims from SAIC’s IM luxury brand, while dressing it down slightly for MG’s lower price point.It still features a 15.6-inch 2.5k central multimedia touchscreen complemented by an 8.9-inch digital instrument cluster, over-the-air connectivity, dual phone charging bays and 256-colour ambient lighting.It features a 697-litre boot with an underfloor area that can be equipped with a 30-litre fridge/freezer, as well as a 168-litre frunk.The MG07 is priced between the equivalent of A$27,000 and $35,250 in China, suggesting a $35,000-$45,000 price tag once the usual premiums are added for the Australian market, if it were to launch here.If so it would serve as a rival to the likes of the Tesla Model 3 (from $54,900) and BYD Seal (from $46,990).Deliveries of standard 67kWh versions of the four-door liftback will start by the end of August in China, with long range 91kWh versions starting delivery in October.The MG07 is the latest in a trend of sporty Chinese domestic models designed both to move domestic brands upmarket, but also compete more directly with foreign brands in China.MG Australia has been contacted for comment to see if the MG07 is in line for an Australian arrival.As it stands, MG offers the MG7 2.0-litre turbo combustion equivalent (from $44,990), as well as the IM5 luxury electric sedan (from $60,990) locally.It begs the question - which of these trendy sporty models will be the first to launch in Australia? Geely’s recently-unveiled TT shares a similar format, but isn’t in the local division’s short term plans.The Xiaomi SU7 has been so successful in China that the carmaker can’t build cars fast enough to keep up with domestic demand, with waiting lists measuring in the hundreds of thousands of units.As to what’s next for MG in Australia, the future is unclear. The brand is expected to offer the LS8 and/or LS9 luxury large SUVs from its IM division as range-extender hybrids in the futureThe brand also revealed a new city-sized hatchback and lifted wagon destined for the European market at this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed.MG has had a decent year in 2026, up 6.8 per cent (to 23,146 units) in the first half, but this leaves it only holding its ground against a surge of fellow Chinese rivals.It now sits behind the successful BYD (52,335 units), GWM (30,359 units) and Chery (24,964 units).

Audi has revealed the Q9 as its largest and most luxurious SUV yet.A brand new nameplate to sit above the previous Q7 and Q8 flagships, the Q9 is by far the biggest Audi ever built measuring in at over 5300mm long.Not only is it designed to take on (and even out-size) Audi’s traditional rivals, like the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS, but this new offering will help the brand fend off much-hyped large SUV offerings from China like the Zeekr 9X and IM LS9, both of which are due in Australia before long.The Q9 will enter new price territory for Audi’s combustion SUV range, with price tags starting at the equivalent of A$177,792 in Europe. For context the current Q8 TDI starts from $144,400 and the Q7 starts from $108,742.The Q9 will be offered with one powertrain at its European launch, a 3.0-litre diesel V6 with the brand’s MHEV Plus technology. This system uses 48-volt electrics to drive an electric motor mounted to the eight-speed automatic transmission which can provide up to 18kW of additional power. It will be available in two states of tune, either 220kW/630Nm or 180kW/500Nm.The engine also features an electrically-powered compressor which reduces turbo-lag. Audi says this combination will consume between 7.4L/100km to 8.0L/100km.The range-topping SQ9 will join the range at a later date, powered by an updated version of the brand’s 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbo petrol engine, producing 440kW/800Nm. The all-wheel drive system on both cars is a rear-biased system, with the SQ9 also being equipped with wider tyres at the rear for additional grip. It will also come with an electronically-controlled rear differential lock.A petrol turbo V6 will also complement the line-up, at least in the USA, although specs are yet to be revealed. All derivatives are expected to be able to tow 3500kg depending on local regulations. On the outside, the Q9’s design features an enormous grille, which can be optionally equipped with LED fittings. The headlights, DRLs and tail light fittings feature curved LED tech, while the expansive body panels are designed to enhance the car’s presence and to “emphasise a sense of calm and refinement” with a “clean aesthetic”.It can optionally be equipped with a much more aggressive-looking S Line trim package and up to 23-inch alloy wheels. The wheels are so big the brand has also included acoustic deadening inside them to reduce road noise.Inside, the Q9 is offered either with six or seven-seat layouts, with fully electric control of all seats, and an entry mode, which automatically folds the second row out of the way for third-row passengers. In addition, the Q9 is the first Audi to be offered with automatic doors which can detect obstacles.A panoramic sunroof and ambient interior lighting is standard, and there are noise-cancelling features in the sound system.Other standard features include the brand’s signature Matrix LED headlights and automated high-beam feature, dual 12.3-inch screens for the digital instrument cluster and passenger screen, a 14.5-inch central multimedia touchscreen, dual wireless phone chargers, and several seat trim options ranging from synthetic leather and suede through to Nappa leather with extensive customisation. An Audi Australia spokesperson confirmed to CarsGuide the local division is closely evaluating the flagship Q9.“Given Australia’s ongoing appetite for SUVs, we would consider any future model which is the right fit in terms of customer demand," said the spokesperson.Further updates on the Q9 for Australia have been promised at a later date.The brand is 11.2 per cent down in the first half of 2026. It is faring the worst out of the German ‘big three’ despite a surge of new model launches in the last 12 months with BMW down 8.0 per cent, and Mercedes holding steady with a small 1.7 per cent decline.The Q9 is an obvious tilt at the US market, with Cadillac Escalade-rivalling dimensions and will serve as a spiritual successor to the recently-discontinued A8 large sedan.The new enormous luxury SUV arrives as Audi’s parent company Volkswagen faces deep profitability troubles and a need to reduce its manufacturing footprint and model range to compete with the rise of Chinese rivals the world over.

The boss of the largest auto parts business in Thailand is on the frontline of Chinese expansion, and he has explained why Chinese companies are beating Japan and Europe at an alarming rate.Speaking to Nikkei Asia, Yeah Swee Chuan, CEO of Aapico Hitech, predicted the rise of Chinese automakers will lead to a rapid re-ordering of the industry, with the market share of combustion-engined (ICE) vehicles falling by about a third in the coming years.“They will win the war for sure” he told Nikkei, “You know why? All the people in the world, whether it’s European or anybody, they think of ICE and ICE and ICE. They are all ICE brain.”“The Chinese started up from EV. Their brain is EV, EV, EV.”China is now the dominant country of origin for new vehicles in Australia thanks to a massive array of new brands offering affordable and desirable products, with BYD, GWM, MG and Chery storming the top-10 vehicle charts.A big part of this rise is not just cheap cars like the small SUV segment-dominating Chery Tiggo 4, but also the rise of electric vehicles. As of July, EVs are now at a 16.4 per cent market share overall, with July alone seeing electric vehicles accounting for 36 per cent of sales.A similar story is playing out across our South East Asian neighbours, with EV market share reaching 15 per cent in Indonesia, 23 per cent in Thailand. The advance of electric vehicles has been less of a slam-dunk in Malaysia where market share is at 6.8 per cent (H1 2026), and the dominant market player is still Toyota-aligned Perodua, which has a 38.7 per cent market share.Even there EV market share has more than doubled year-on-year with Geely-aligned Proton holding second place in the market, and Jaecoo also leaping up the charts.Yeap predicts legacy automakers will need to increase their collaboration with Chinese automakers in order to survive.Yeap told Nikkei he thinks this explosive growth is because the perception of Chinese cars is turning in many of the markets his company operates in.“Three years ago when the Chinese cars came to Thailand everybody said they were junk but today, it’s not junk anymore. Their cars, the electronics, their systems and all that. Very advanced and the kids and young people love it,” he said.Yeap was of the opinion that the only market able to resist the surge of electrified vehicles from China would be the US as it increasingly uses trade barriers to isolate itself from the global auto market.Chinese automakers are storming the charts both here and overseas, it’s not necessarily good news for everyone, with the boss of Bartons Motor Group in Queensland, Mark Beitz, telling CarsGuide recently all is not well in the Australian market behind the glossy sales figures.He warned EV market share figures in July, which boosted market share to historic highs was largely due to artificial inflation thanks to deliveries being fulfilled that month from orders placed when fuel prices temporarily skyrocketed during the opening weeks of the Iran war.He also said profitability in the industry was hitting unprecedented lows due to huge amounts of inventory being dumped into the market by automakers and intense competition by “way too many brands”.While he alluded to the idea that some might not work in the long term, he was more positive about the chances of so-called legacy automakers like Nissan, who he predicted would adjust with new Chinese-built products, or Mitsubishi which would play to its strengths with the incoming and highly-anticipated Pajero 4WD and tactical adjustments to the Triton ute range. Both models are built in Thailand.Beitz agreed that the surge of Chinese automakers was changing buyer preferences, and ultimately once-giants from Japan would shrink in dealer footprint alongside their market share.Globally, Japanese giants are aware of the existential crisis facing them. Nissan has chosen to re-structure its business and orient its manufacturing footprint more towards its successful Chinese joint-ventures. Even bosses from Toyota are shaken, with Japan Automobile Association Chairman and Toyota Chief Industry Officer Koji Saito telling Automotive News “unless things change, we will not survive”.2026 is a year of a car industry in flux in Australia, with a major re-shuffling of the top-10 underway. It will be unsurprising to see four or five Chinese automakers supplant once-favourites from the list before the end of the year.

Affordable cars from China have overrun the Australian market, forcing once favourites from Japan out of the top-10, and putting pressure on the rest hailing from South Korea to Europe.Yet amongst this, one Indian manufacturer is hoping to ride the affordable Chinese wave as an alternative.Mahindra has had a resurgence in Australia, releasing an array of surprisingly competitive new products as part of a renewed global push toward a wider audience.The car we’ve nabbed for this long-term test, the oddly-named XUV 3X0 is the brand’s latest.It’s a crossover SUV which represents the entry-point to the Mahindra line-up, starting from a very keen $23,990, drive-away.As rival Chinese brand Chery might know, though, just being affordable isn’t enough. The cars have to be good, too.Does the XUV 3X0 have what it takes or will you be wishing you spent a little more? Read on to see what I found in my first month.Okay, let’s set the scene before we get into impressions. You can have one of these from the aforementioned starting price, but the one we have is top of the two-variant range, the AX7L, which is priced at $26,990, drive-away.For exactly the same money, you could get into the best selling Chery Tiggo 4, also in top-spec Ultimate form, with the larger MG ZS Turbo (basic Vibe form, $25,990, drive-away), and Haval Jolion (basic Premium form, $26,990, drive-away) also options.If you’re looking for something from a longer established brand, your options include the ageing Hyundai Venue (auto - $25,750, before on-roads) or the Suzuki Fronx ($28,990, before on-roads), both of which are more size-appropriate in this city crossover space.So your choices are a larger, better equipped car from China, an older car from Korea, or a more expensive car from Japan.Some food for thought is the equipment list, which stays just on the right side of good, with a few omissions.The 3X0 ticks all the key boxes - 17-inch alloys, LED headlights, synthetic leather interior trim, dual 10.25-inch screens for the digital dash and the multimedia touchscreen, wireless phone connectivity and charging, as well as a panoramic sunroof, 360-degree parking camera, and Harman Kardon premium audio on this top-spec one.It might not have a few luxuries such as heated and power adjusting seats like a high-spec Tiggo 4 for example, but for a small basic car it feels the part.Looking at the 3X0 from the outside, I’m pretty impressed with its sharp design. From a brand once known for its particularly hideous takes on the standard SUV archetypes, the 3X0 is maybe its best looking car yet, featuring sharp contemporary headlight designs, a cohesive design front to rear (the larger Scorpio is yet to feel so tidy), angular design motifs with some nice highlight detailing and trendy touches like the two-tone roof and diamond-cut alloys.You could hardly tell from the outside that the 3X0 is an older Korean car underneath. Yep, that’s right, the 3X0 can trace its underpinnings back to the SsangYong Tivoli thanks to the South Korean automaker’s time being owned by Mahindra.It’s much more obvious inside, where some switchgear is identical to the SsangYong, while other bits, like the lower portion of the centre console also share a familiarity.The digital dash and multimedia touchscreen, however, feel much more modern, giving the cabin an up-to-date touch courtesy of Mahindra’s latest software, which is easy to use.Aesthetically, the screens are pretty much the only thing keeping the 3X0’s interior in this decade, with old-school plastics and too much of the much-maligned piano black cladding the dash, but there’s something refreshing about the simplicity of it all.Those paying attention would have noticed the glorious abundance of buttons and dials making everything in this car easy to control and proving you can still build an affordable car without hiding all the climate functions in touchscreen sub-menus.My initial impression continues behind the wheel where the 3X0 feels like a car from 10 years ago but somehow in a good way.Let me explain. Too many compact SUVs in this class are dynamically a mess and dull to steer thanks to their continuously variable transmissions (CVTs), or are otherwise unintuitive in daily traffic thanks to fuel-saving dual-clutch automatics.Generally, you have to splash for something more expensive or to a hybrid to make many options in this class nice to drive.Not so in the 3X0. Don’t get me wrong, this car isn’t particularly special in what it offers, but it’s the refreshingly straightforward combination of a gruff little 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine (82kW/200Nm) and a real old-school six-speed automatic transmission which makes it a surprising pleasure to steer.Its relative light weight and firm suspension keep it tidy in the corners, while little boosts of turbo surge are enough to put a smile on your face without getting out of sorts.Even the steering is a straightforward power assisted set-up without an annoying amount of artificial software weighting as in some of its Chinese rivals.I even found myself not needing to scroll through a bunch of sub-menus to turn off the usual array of poorly-calibrated safety systems. The 3X0 either doesn’t have them, or they’re not annoying enough to warrant turning off.In a way, this is a brand new car for someone who wants an old car. Tired of the annoyances of many modern vehicles, the 3X0 is a fun, basic little car to hop into as a palette cleanser.Our little crossover isn’t doing so great on the fuel consumption front. According to my calculations (which I had to do because the computer only shows the consumption in km/L rather than L/100km), the 3X0 is drinking around 7.4L/100km which is too high for such a compact unit.Perhaps it's the fact I drive it a little more aggressively than I would otherwise, as I try to push the turbo surge and resulting fun out of the meagre 82kW on offer, but it’s still a number I’d expect to see out of an older non-turbo model.One cost of having a six-speed auto, it seems, is driving style will weigh more heavily on how much fuel you use.It’s also a bit of bill shock having to refuel this car sooner than expected and during a fuel crisis. The roughly 450km travelled on my first tank of fuel cost me a whopping $61.33 at the pump, three times what it might cost me to travel the same distance in a larger EV.Next month we’ll talk about practicality, some quirks I’ve found and see if we can drill down on that fuel consumption a little more.Acquired: June 2026Distance travelled this month: 446kmOdometer: 6880kmAverage fuel consumption this month: 7.4L/100km

The boss of a major dealer group has told CarsGuide how competing forces and the state of the economy is taking its toll on the new car industry despite record sales in 2026.Mark Beitz, the managing director of Bartons Motor Group said the record registration numbers released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries in its monthly VFACTs data wasn’t a true reflection of car sales in June as “excess inventory”, which was building up at an alarming pace on dealer lots gets cleared out.“There were a lot of cars which were already sold months prior being delivered in June, so that accounted for a massive spike, particularly in EV and plug-in hybrids,” he said.“There is an adoption trend for EV, we can see that - so for the first quarter you were seeing that natural sustainable growth in EVs.”But, referencing the wave of attention for electric cars in the last three months that stemmed from high fuel prices due to the war in Iran and Strait of Hormuz crisis, he said while dealer groups had "never seen anything like it" it wasn't a sustainable pace for EV sales in the long run.“People were only buying EVs for a month or so” he said.“There was a lot of aged EV stock in the country, this big surge, the panic buying, really cleared that up - but we sold those cars back in April and what we're seeing in VFACTs is deliveries.”“What we’ve seen since then - in May it started to wane and now new order intake is nothing like what we saw in April.”But with many global stockpiles of fuel, which were released onto the market to ease prices, reportedly set to run thin in the coming months, does Beitz think there could be a renewed rush on EVs and plug-ins?“My feeling is no” he said.“I think as a country what we’ve experienced is what’s going to happen - I don’t feel we’ll run out of fuel, there wasn’t Armageddon like people thought there was going to be, so I don’t see another huge surge. I don’t think we’ll see anything like that second quarter for the rest of the year.”“I think it will instead be an average of the first half of the year for the second half.”He said conditions going forward looked more bleak for the industry, as a combination of factors would make numbers seen in the first six months of 2026 more difficult to replicate going forward.“The industry is seeing some real challenges. The profitability is the lowest it’s ever been - overall the industry has had the lowest return in decades for the first half of the year - that’s unheard of."“There’s a number of factors. The economy is taking its toll - there’s excess inventory everywhere. You’ve only got to drive to the ports, there’s cars everywhere. So there’s an excess inventory issue that’s affecting our ability to retain revenue. Margins have fallen through the floor.”“The other thing which is a massive issue is that there are way too many brands, and only the same amount of buyers. Year-to-date there’s a small growth but it’s bugger all, and 65 per cent of the market is still ICE vehicles, and even there it’s declined.”But despite the intense competition and ultra-low price points coming to the market from new Chinese brands, Beitz was reasonably positive about the survival chances of so-called ‘legacy brands’.“They’ll find a way forward,” he said.“Nissan is a good example, they’ll have a portfolio, which resembles their traditional products like Navara and Patrol, but next year they’ll be bringing across a range of Chinese manufactured options.”He agreed that levels of interest for incoming Chinese-built cars from brands like Nissan seen across automotive media was being replicated by buyer interest at a dealer level.“I think they’re responding but they struggle to move as fast as the Chinese brands are arriving. But legacy brands are coming back, I think they might hold on to where they sit currently."However, he also added their footprint has likely permanently shrunk when it comes to retail space: “It will result in a re-allocation of already limited space for dealers like me.”Despite promising signs for EVs going forward - with many more younger buyers being attracted by lower price points from new brands, Beitz pointed out that non-EV market share is still 75 per cent of the total market, and 78 per cent for his network specifically.He believes combustion vehicles (including plugless hybrids) will continue to make up the majority of the market for years to come.

A new report has shed light on which electric vehicles (EVs) maintain the highest percentage of battery life over time.Swedish car marketplace Carla has published results from a study into battery life of electric cars, using data from 10,000 battery tests on EVs in Sweden between 2022 and 2026.The results may come as a surprise to some, with the best brand for battery health after 10,000km travelled being Kia, and the second best being Hyundai with 96.8 per cent and 95.4 per cent battery health, respectively.The next brands down were premium marques Mercedes-Benz (95 per cent) and BMW (94.5 per cent), with Ford (94.3 per cent) sitting above Geely Group brands Volvo (94.2 per cent) and Polestar (93.7 per cent).Volkswagen Group vehicles took up the next four positions, which in order included Audi (92.9 per cent), Skoda (92.6 per cent), VW (92.4 per cent) and Porsche (90.9 per cent).Tesla, which is often quoted as a brand with impressive battery degradation figures in other studies placed 12th in the Swedish study, with its cars maintaining 90.2 per cent battery health after 10,000km.The grouping of various brands together comes as little surprise given each parent company will source batteries from similar places and use familiar chemistries and heat management methods.Another graph from the same study shows average battery degradation between the first 50,000km (94.39 per cent) and the next 50,000km was negligible, at just over 2 per cent. Average battery health of the 10,000 cars tested by 100,000km was 92.35 per cent.More interesting is the breakdown by model, with the study showing the car with the least overall battery degradation was the Kia Niro EV, which maintained 97.25 per cent of its battery capacity.The Hyundai Kona Electric and Kia EV6 also scored well, with the next model down being the Volvo XC40 Recharge and Polestar 2.The popular Tesla Model Y also maintained 92.18 per cent of its battery capacity on average over 10,000km, although ranked 18th in the study, below many VW Group, BMW, and Geely Group products.It is worth noting that this study does not simply transfer across to the Australian market. Many of the EVs delivered to Sweden are built in Europe which often use different battery suppliers to the versions of the cars sold here.In addition, Sweden’s cool climate may produce different results to our hot climate, with different demands placed on temperature management systems, and different pressures placed on batteries while discharging or charging.However, more Australian cars using batteries from Chinese suppliers may actually be an advantage. Lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) batteries from CATL (China’s largest battery supplier) are now pervasive across EVs from many brands sold in Australia. The Swedish study compared the performance of these Chinese CATL LFP batteries, Korean LG Chem batteries and two different types of Japanese Panasonic batteries, all in the Tesla Model 3 to control for model differences.The CATL cells had the highest average battery health, maintaining 93.3 per cent, the LG Chem cells were next at 91.5 per cent, and the Panasonic NMC batteries ranked lower at 89.8 and 88.2 per cent respectively.One factor worth keeping in mind is BYD’s lack of a major footprint in Sweden despite launching there in 2022, leaving it off the study. Not only does this exclude BYD from the ranking system, but it also leaves its batteries out.BYD sells its signature LFP ‘Blade’ batteries to many brands for cars sold in Australia, including Kia, KGM, and even entry-level versions of the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y.The study confirms several things - battery degradation is often over-stated, with almost all cars maintaining over 90 per cent capacity at the 100,000km mark, and newer chemistries and temperature management systems are having a notable improvement on battery life across all makes and models.Previous stories of cars losing up to 50 per cent of their capacity were often limited to early-generation NMC batteries using air-cooled technology. Almost all new EVs sold, particularly in Australia, use liquid-cooled cells.In other good news for Aussie EV owners and those considering a second hand EV, the Carla study is not the first time EV batteries have performed better than expected when surveyed en-masse.In Australia, auction house Pickles recently shared data based on its battery health scoring which showed EVs with between 80- and 120,000km were maintaining a battery health score of around 91 per cent.

Honda has renewed its partnership with GAC in China, after months of speculation it would pull out of the agreement when its original 30 year contract ended.The GAC/Honda joint-venture in China has struggled for market share, even amongst other foreign partnerships. With the rise of China’s automakers such as BYD, Geely and SAIC, not to mention even smaller players XPeng and Xiaomi soaking up domestic market share, even once-successful joint venture players such as Volkswagen (the longest serving and most successful of all) are faltering.Nikkei Asia reports Honda’s market share in China has fallen 60 per cent last year, with GAC Honda specifically fallen to 340,000 units. While that might seem enormous given the brand’s mere 15,383 unit tally in Australia last year, it makes it a relative minnow in the enormous Chinese market, where annual sales for the biggest brands are frequently measured in the millions.Honda has renewed its agreement with the Chinese giant for a further 10 years, a Honda spokesperson told Nikkei Asia.“We’ve made this decision in order to assess the business environment,” the spokesperson said.An executive from one of the JV’s suppliers told the outlet, "this is Honda sending a message that it won't give up on China".It is notable the Honda/GAC operation currently has less joint-venture models than most rivals, and only one purely electric model in a market, which is demanding more zero-emissions options.GAC Honda currently sells the Honda Breeze (a re-styled CR-V), ageing Avancier coupe SUV, and a sedan Integra (not related to the coupe sold in Australia) all as unique combustion models, while also selling Chinese domestic versions of the Accord, Odyssey, and HR-V (as the Vezel).The only electric car the JV sells is the P7 mid-size SUV in an EV-hungry market, while the Dongfeng joint venture sells its own version, dubbed the S7, and the more affordable e:NS2 crossover. Despite showing several concept models at Chinese motor shows in previous years, new and more desirable models are yet to materialise in the fast-moving market.Even GAC’s joint venture with Toyota was significantly more successful last year, moving around 756,000 units, with popular JV models including the bZ3X, which shares its platform with the GAC Aion V.The bZ3X has since become available in right-hand drive form for Hong Kong. Toyota Australia hasn’t ruled the China-built model out for our market either, given it will need to sell more electric vehicles in the near future to comply with the strict new vehicle emissions standards (NVES), which closes the vice on hybrid models before long.As for Honda using the sought-after ‘China Speed’ manufacturing for more cost-effective export models, it is only just testing the waters resurrecting the Insight nameplate for a version of the China-built e:NS2 from its Dongfeng venture sold in Japan.Meanwhile rivals are forging ahead with Chinese partnerships for export, with Kia and Hyundai already selling the Chinese-built EV5 and Elexio in Australia respectively, and Nissan announcing its intention to make its Dongfeng joint-venture models like the Frontier Pro PHEV ute and NX8 large SUV available globally.

Hyundai’s much anticipated new off-road flagship SUV, as previewed by the Boulder concept in New York earlier this year, has appeared in patent documents in India.The filing, which provides no additional detail on the model, appears to iterate on the design of the original concept. It shows what appear to be more functional headlights and wing mirrors, physical door handles that didn’t appear on the concept, tweaked designs for the window profile, new black plastic overfenders and a re-designed bumper.Other new details from the single low-resolution image include control arms for the front suspension previously not seen on the concept, as well as a roof platform.The SUV maintains its blocky profile and huge wheel and tyre package, which appears to offer ultra-aggressive approach and departure angles as well as a very high ground clearance.It is unclear at this stage whether the design application filed with the Indian intellectual property office is a later stage concept, or a preview of the eventual production model.As it stands, the changes between this filing and the concept appear to move it much closer to production specifications, while adopting the bar-style LED light designs as seen on other upcoming Hyundai models like the Ioniq V, which is about to launch in China, and the upcoming next-generation Avante (i30) sedan.The Boulder SUV is expected to share its next-generation body-on-frame underpinnings with the also much-speculated-upon Hyundai ute, which will be a bespoke proposition from the Kia Tasman from its sister brand.As to what we can expect to power this dual-pronged expedition into the hotly contested 4WD space, the brand has said multiple times before that it is working on new range-extender hybrid technology, which will have the new off-roaders drive the wheels via electric motors, while having an engine on board serving only as a generator.Hyundai’s local CEO Don Romano previously told CarsGuide this EREV technology is “option number one” for the company’s upcoming ute.He also said there was a lot of considerations for the new product, including difficulties over where it will be built (as a potentially US-first product, it may be built there, which brings up cost competitiveness issues for the Australian market). It may also be built somewhere in the Asia Pacific region for markets in the eastern hemisphere. Hyundai currently has facilities in Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam, on top of its home factories in South Korea.Romano also told CarsGuide the ute model at least may take longer than expected, saying the brand would rather “get it right than fast.”By 2030 is currently the expectation, according to the brand.Having both a ute and an SUV as well as hybrid tech from the outset would certainly give Hyundai a unique selling point over the currently diesel-only Kia Tasman.It also has the luxury of monitoring the success of the ute from its sister brand in our market, as well as a growing range of Chinese hybrid off-roaders headed to Australia between now and 2030.The smash-hit BYD Shark, which introduced plug-in hybrid tech to the dual-cab space will soon be joined by an array of rivals, including from storied brands like Nissan, which is expected to launch its highly anticipated Chinese joint-venture Frontier Pro (also known as the Navara Pro in some markets) as a plug-in hybrid in 2027.

After an extended pre-launch campaign, the Haval H10 has finally received a price tag for the Chinese domestic market.Starting from the equivalent of A$45,500, and stretching to A$50,000 in China, the H10 sits perched atop the Haval SUV line-up. This pricing, with the usual premium added by the time it arrives in Australia, would see the SUV start at around $60,000+ locally, if it comes.The H10 rides on the company’s new GWM One architecture which it currently shares with the Wey V9X.It uses the latest iteration of the company’s signature all-wheel drive Hi4 system, but doesn’t have the same rugged hardware as the alternate Hi4-T system despite its clear off-road aspirations.Hi4 pairs the front 1.5-litre engine to the wheels via a hybrid transmission and four-speed gearbox, while the rear axle is purely electric, leaving room under the floor for a large battery pack. In contrast, the Hi4-T system used on various Tank and Cannon models from GWM’s range trades away the larger battery size for a proper longitudinally-mounted transmission and transfer case, with a hardware link to the rear axle and differential.As such, the H10 has a massive 42.8kWh battery granting the over-five-meter-long SUV a pure electric driving range of up to 232km, according to the more lenient Chinese measuring standard.The engine produces 123kW/243Nm, while the front transmission-mounted electric motor produces 100kW and the rear motor produces 220kW. GWM claims total system outputs for the H10 are 440kW/722Nm.The brand says the huge SUV will sprint from 0-100km/h in 4.9 seconds, and uses 6.6L/100km of fuel even when the battery is drained.Despite not being equipped with Hi4-T, the H10 still has an approach angle of 24 degrees, a departure angle of 25 degrees, a breakover angle of 20 degrees and unladen ground clearance of 220mm. It features an electronic crawl mode in place of hardware low-range, and features a differential lock inside the rear motor for more intense off-road scenarios.The suspension features electromagnetic adaptive dampers with a double wishbone front and multilink rear set-up with coils all round. Notably the car features Continental tyres rather than the usual Giti tyres which ship on many GWM models.Interestingly, and as previously revealed in regulatory filings, the H10 is available in two body styles, almost like the Land Rover Defender from which it clearly sources inspiration. One is a 5138mm long five-seat version, while the other is a 5299mm long six-seat version, with the extra length applied to the frame beyond the rear axle.Both share a 3000mm long wheelbase, 2050mm width and 1970mm height. The five-seater has a boot capacity of 815 litres, while the six-seater gets 316 litres which expands to 1056 litres with the third row folded.The interior features all of GWM’s latest kit, including a 15.6-inch central touchscreen and 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster running the brand’s latest ‘Coffee OS3’ software. At least one trim level features a 17.3-inch roof-mounted entertainment screen for rear passengers, paired with a 7.1 format 1560W 21-speaker audio system.While Australia has been identified as a priority market for GWM and the brand has previously told CarsGuide the H10 could be a go locally, representatives have said the brand may have trouble with the overlap between products like the H10 and other boxy SUVs from its Tank off-road brand, particularly the LandCruiser-esque Tank 500 which currently occupies this space.What may be more likely for an Australian arrival, at least in the short term, is the company’s far more luxurious Wey V9X.Wey will sit atop GWM’s portfolio as a luxury brand to rival the likes of Denza and Zeekr in Australia. Stay tuned for more on GWM’s aggressive new model plans for the remainder of 2026 soon.

The list of Australia’s favourite off-road SUVs is set for a massive shake up in the coming years, as a 4WD-obsessed boom in the Chinese market starts to overflow to Australia.The GWM Tank 300 and Tank 500, as well as Denza’s B5 and B8, might have been the first to tackle ever-popular legends, the Toyota LandCruiser, Nissan Patrol and Ford Everest, but they will soon be joined by new offerings from GAC, Geely and Chery.Below is a list of the five off-road hybrid SUVs either confirmed to be heading to Australia or highly likely for an Australian arrival with the intention to unseat some of the world’s most popular 4WDs.Also known as the Geely Battleship 700, this large hybrid off-roader is part of an all-new family of flagship products for the Geely brand.It will debut a new off-road architecture for Geely, which can be equipped with either a 1.5-litre or 2.0-litre engine mated to a front electric motor, and dual rear electric motors that feature a mechanical differential lock.There is no mechanical connection between the front and rear axles, with that space taken up by a 47kWh battery pack, which grants it up to 185km of CLTC driving range, according to preliminary specs out of China.Combined power for its tri-motor system is a headline-grabbing 830kW, and the boxy off-roader has luxurious interior fittings which take Geely into new territory. Pricing is yet to be revealed, and while the Galaxy Cruiser hasn’t been confirmed for an Australian arrival, it is slated for a UK arrival, confirming right-hand drive production.Read more about the Geely Galaxy Cruiser hereWith styling more reminiscent of the Toyota Prado rather than the Defender-esque look of the Geely, GAC’s upcoming Yue 7 was recently revealed at the 2026 Beijing Motor Show.Also a plug-in hybrid with no mechanical connection between the engine and rear axle, the over-five-meter-long SUV boasts formidable off-road angles.It is not as punchy as the Geely claims to be, with a mere 400kW of combined power on tap from its 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and dual electric motor set-up, which is a familiar formula for these Chinese 4WDs.It will be offered with either a 28.3kWh or 46kWh battery pack, which grants it either 116km or 188km of CLTC electric driving range, respectively.The computer-based 4WD system is said to be capable of sending power to just one wheel at a time if needed and simulating low-range driving.While GAC Australia is yet to comment on the arrival of the Yue 7, the company is plotting 10 new models in our market in just five years, with the local boss telling CarsGuide recently this will include a large SUV and a pick-up truck.Read more about the GAC Yue 7 hereThe Chery sub-brand’s flagship off-road machine is squarely designed to target rivals like the Tank 500 and Denza B5, according to executives.Unlike some of its rivals here, the V27 doesn’t ride on a ladder-frame platform and instead rides on a car-line monocoque underpinnings.This isn’t an indicator of its off-road performance, with prior iterations of the famous Mitsubishi Pajero and current Land Rover Defender also based on unibody platforms.The V27 uses a range-extender hybrid system (meaning the 1.5-litre engine is not mechanically connected to the front or rear axles), being purely electrically driven at the wheels.It uses a 34.3kWh battery pack which grants it 150km of electric driving range to an also lenient NEDC standard and power outputs from its dual-electric motor set-up combine for a total of 335kW/505Nm.Despite being over five meters in length, the V27 is only a five-seater, but has a cavernous boot area, and like the above GAC Yue 7 is able to be equipped with a tailgate mounted full-size spare.Expect to learn more later in 2026 as the iCaur brand gears up for its Australian debut.Read more about the iCaur V27 hereYou may remember Freelander as a Land Rover nameplate from the 90s, but it has now been spun off as a new sub-brand and joint-venture between Land Rover and Chery, as the British company embraces ‘China Speed’ for best use of its intellectual property.Utilising a Chery platform and Huawei cabin tech, the Freelander 8 large SUV also wears iconic elements of the Freelander nameplate’s British design.A far cry from the original Freelander of the 90s, which was a relatively small but capable SUV, the new model is a large three-row offering chasing the trendy boxy bodystyle trend in the Chinese market.Also using a 1.5-litre engine in a range-extended set-up, the brand has at least confirmed that it will have some kind of tough off-road ability despite an over-three-meter long wheelbase.Power figures are yet to be confirmed, but it will get over 200km of electric driving range from an enormous 60.33kWh battery pack, while promising 2000kg of towing capacity and at least a central differential lock.Read more about the Freelander 8 hereGWM’s long-expected off-road monster is still on the cards for an Australian launch. The good news is, the brand is strongly considering an upcoming updated model featuring the company’s new 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbo engine.The bad news is this update, which is expected to be the first version of the 700 available in right-hand drive, isn’t due until 2028.The Tank 700 is available in both rugged Hi4-T form, which maintains the mechanical linkage from the engine to the rear axle, maintaining a low-range transfer case and placing the electric motor in the transmission, as well as new-age Hi4-Z form that forgoes the mechanical connection for a larger battery and more electric driving characteristics.As for specs the latest Hi4-Z version produces a combined 720kW/1375Nm, according to Chinese specs. Its 59kWh battery pack grants it a WLTC-measured 190km EV driving range.Expected to be priced well north of $100,000 in Australia (perhaps even more in its ultimate V8 form), the Tank 700 would move GWM into new pricing territory and test the limits of what its buyers are prepared to pay. Even so, GWM is expected to debut a Tank model even higher up the price scale, with an expected Tank 800 to be launched on the same GWM One platform as the flagship Haval H10 and Wey 9X from the Chinese giant’s other sub brands.Read more about the GWM Tank 700 here