Articles by Tom White

Nissan has confirmed price and specs for its updated and now hybrid-only Qashqai range for 2026.Not only has the 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine been dumped from the range, but the hybrid has been made more affordable with a new entry-level variant, the ST-L e-Power which starts from $45,640 before on-roads.However, the discontinuation of the previous entry-level combustion car has made the entry-point to the Qashqai range now over $10,000 more expensive than before.Nissan’s e-Power system flips the hybrid formula on its head, with only the electric motor driving the wheels, and the 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine acting only as a generator.2026 Nissan Qashqai pricingThe Qashqai range now starts from the ST-L e-Power and tops out with the N-Design e-Power. See the refreshed pricing structure (with pricing before-on-roads) for the now-four-variant range below.2026 Nissan Qashqai powertrain and efficiencyThe hybrid-only Nissan Qashqai range is front-wheel drive only, and features the latest version of the e-Power set-up which is more fuel and emissions efficient than the previous version. In addition, it is also capable of a 10kW boost when in the Sport driving mode.2026 Nissan Qashqai standard featuresWhile the price has increased significantly for the entry-point to the Qashqai range, standard equipment inclusions have also scored a boost.Standard on all versions of the 2026 Qashqai are:18-inch alloy wheels12.3-inch multimedia touchscreenWireless Apple CarPlay and Android AutoOver-the-air connectivityWireless phone charging360-degree parking cameraKeyless entry with push-start ignitionDual-zone climate controlLED headlightsHigher grades score synthetic leather seats and larger alloy wheel designs among other upgrades. 2026 Nissan Qashqai safetyThe full safety suite is present on even the base versions of the new Qashqai, bar lane keep assist and blind spot monitoring which is only available on the Ti grade and above. The surround parking camera feature is now standard across the range.The 2026 Qashqai should carry over its maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating it was awarded in 2021, which is due to expire in December 2027. The ANCAP rating applies to both the hybrid variants and the outgoing combustion variants.2026 Nissan Qashqai warranty and servicingThe Qashqai is covered by the brand’s 10-year/300,000km warranty which is conditional on servicing inside the brand’s dealer network. Otherwise the warranty reverts to the brand’s previous five-year/unlimited warranty.Service pricing is yet to be confirmed for model year 26 versions of the Qashqai, but the outgoing car is covered by a fixed-price servicing regime, which is set at $399 per yearly visit.2026 Nissan Qashqai dimensionsThe new version of the Qashqai will maintain the same dimensions as the outgoing version, see these in the table below2026 versions of the Nissan Qashqai are due to hit dealerships in March.

XPeng's P7+ sedan with impressive specs gets confirmed for Europe - but there's a catch.

So, you’re looking for an affordable electric mid-size SUV, but you don’t want to buy a Chinese car?This might be the alternative you’re looking for. The KGM Torres EVX is a mid-sized fully electric SUV from the Korean automaker formerly known as SsangYong. A good value but niche player in the Australian market, does KGM's first EV have what it takes to keep it on your list of considerations in a rapidly changing market?Let’s take a look.Wearing a sticker price of $58,000 drive-away, the Torres EVX would have been a great value EV even just a year or two ago, but it’s now in one of the most hotly contested market segments.The trouble for the Torres EVX is it’s far from the most affordable option in the space. For that, you should be looking at the Geely EX5 (from $40,990), Leapmotor C10 (from $45,888), BYD Atto 3 (from $39,990), and now the GAC Aion V (from $42,590), all from China.If those options don’t float your boat, there are other options, like the frequently underestimated Skoda Enyaq (from $54,990 drive-away) and the more mainstream Kia EV5 (from $56,770), while the ever-present Tesla Model Y is only a few thousand more once you add on-roads (from $58,900).There's plenty of options, and the reality is the KGM Torres EVX isn’t the best value amongst them.Regardless, you get all the equipment available on the Torres in the single electric grade, including 18-inch alloys, some pretty cool Tron-style LED lights in the front, full synthetic leather interior trim, dual 12.3-inch screens for the digital dash and multimedia screen, a sunroof, 360-degree camera and front seats with heating and ventilation.While many of this car’s Chinese rivals will blow you away with comparatively giant screens, over-the-top software, gimmicky features (do frameless doors really need to make a comeback?), and crazy design flourishes, the Torres EVX, even with its funky exterior look, seems to just work.Yes, in some ways it feels a bit old fashioned compared to some rivals, but almost everything in this car is refreshingly simple to use.There’s a multimedia suite with mercifully straightforward menus, cabled Apple CarPlay, a digital dash with the right information displayed, and even traditional buttons to adjust your mirrors and seats.The sunroof has a manual shade, the door handles are where they should be and things are labelled consistently (this shouldn’t be a selling point in 2026, but here we are).The active safety equipment is good, too. This car doesn’t constantly chime, you don’t have to spend two minutes turning frustrating systems off, and even the lane keep assist feature, which is pretty heavy handed, can be switched off just by holding a button on the steering wheel.The Torres even gets a few things that exceed expectations, like the excellent 360-degree camera, sun blinds built into the rear windows, and vehicle-to-load to power external devices from its battery. It’s not without its flaws though. The designers at KGM have seen fit to remove physical hardware for climate controls, so you have to make do with a slide-out tray for the touchscreen. This is usually right near the driver’s left hand, so is easily within reach, but not if you have Apple CarPlay going. It takes up the whole screen and you have to navigate out of CarPlay to a climate menu to adjust anything. Annoying, but not bad enough to be a dealbreaker.When the Torres was revealed with its strange array of accoutrements glued to its exterior, like the fake bonnet latches, aesthetic-only blocky bumper pieces, and the tailgate with a fake spare wheel housing and a latch that implies it opens sideways (when it actually opens upward), I’m not sure anyone in the office was taken with it.To me it’s a playful take on the early days of SUVs. At least it dares to do something different, and the electric variant gets a unique take on the blocky Torres formula.The interior is a little derivative, but still a big step up. A sea of black brittle grey plastics in this car’s predecessors have been replaced by a more modern look and feel.It still doesn’t feel as cutting edge as some Chinese rivals which are even more adventurous in the interior, and it also feels a step behind its Korean contemporaries.On the whole though, I appreciate KGM trying to stand out from the pack.It’s not a bad thing to drive, but it also feels a little behind the pace in some ways.Again, this car is straightforward. With 150kW/339Nm on offer, it’s not insanely rapid like a Tesla Model Y, but still plenty quick enough.However, the EVX feels like a previous-generation EV in some ways. The motor torque can easily overwhelm the front tyres, suggesting better traction software wouldn’t go astray, and its regenerative braking modes feel a bit wonky, leading me to drive it with the regen turned down or off most of the time.This car’s Hyundai Group rivals do a much better job of blending the electric driving characteristics a bit more seamlessly, while Teslas and some Chinese cars do a better job of dealing with overwhelming electric motor torque.While the ride is generally decent, it can be a tad crashy or floaty at the limits, due to the weight of its relatively large 80.6kWh battery. For most daily commuting it’s a balanced and comfy place to be though, not too soft like a lot of Chinese cars, or as brutally stiff as Teslas used to be.The steering tune is great. It’s on the lighter side, but full of feel and not overly electrically assisted like many of its rivals. Sound levels are okay. It’s quiet at commuter speeds, but tyre and wind noise noticeably picks up around 100km/h.Who does the EVX suit? A buyer who wants their EV to feel similar to an internal combustion engine SUV.On paper, yes. The official driving range is 462km and my general rule is when you’re getting around the 450km mark, you’re not going to have range anxiety in most scenarios.However, At 80.6kWh the battery should offer more range, and the reason it doesn’t is because the Torres isn’t very energy efficient. Our car consumed 18.2kWh/100km in my week of mixed driving conditions and that’s simply not good enough. Many larger and more powerful EVs perform better. Our car indicated a range closer to 417km based on my driving time.Charging is decent at 130kW on DC, allowing a fast charging time as low as 37 minutes, while 11kW on AC means a full charge in around eight hours.

In the age of increasingly dominant Chinese car brands, how can Japanese favourites stand out?

Surely, you'd think there's no more room in Australia's market for more Chinese brands, but we think these ones would still have a place.

I know what you're thinking. Surely we don't need any more Chinese cars, but you'd better bet some of the best ones still aren't in Australia.

BYD is plotting hybrid versions of its latest small electric cars - but here's why they might not make it to Australia.

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BYD has confirmed two new flagship models will launch in early 2026 to top out its range in China.

Smart is poised to return to its roots with an ultra-compact city car, according to new spy images.Smart's fifth model since its Mercedes-Benz and Geely re-boot, the #2 has already been teased in Chinese social media as the ForTwo’s successor, but new ‘spy pictures’ shared via the brand’s official channels confirm it will even follow the original Smart car’s aesthetic and proportions.Built on a new platform dubbed ECA (Electric Compact Architecture), and equipped with just two doors, the #2’s design will be be led by the Mercedes-Benz design team. Smart confirmed the car would be built in China and is targeting global export markets.Specifically, the brand teased the #2 at the Munich motor show, with a European release slated for 2027.Due to its ultra-compact dimensions, Chinese media is speculating a battery size of roughly 30kWh, equivalent to other ultra-compact vehicles sold in Australia like the BYD Atto 1 (From $23,990, 30kWh, 220km range) or Hyundai Inster (From $39,000, 42kWh, 327km range).Smart’s reboot looks to continue full steam in Australia, with the brand following up on the #1 crossover and #3 small SUV with the recently-revealed-in-Australia #5 mid-sizer, which is likely to be the first Smart offered in Australia as a plug-in hybrid.It is unclear whether Australia will see the recently-revealed #6 sedan, which looks to be a hybrid-first proposition equipped with a 1.5-litre plug-in hybrid drivetrain.The two-seat #2 which returns the brand to its low-cost and ultra-compact origins may be a perfect fit for markets like China, Japan, Korea and Thailand, but it is unclear whether the brand will take another shot at the poorly-served city car segment in Australia.Generally, cars with ultra-compact dimensions are difficult to comply with Australia’s stringent design laws, and many brands often don’t want to roll the dice with such a car receiving a sub-five-star ANCAP safety rating.However, the segment has again received more interest locally, as brands look to exploit an under-served space that's well suited to electric vehicles. BYD’s Atto 1 recently bucked the trend of associating low safety with ultra-compact vehicles, scoring a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating.BYD’s affordable offering is yet to put its first runs on the board, but Hyundai’s more expensive Inster has thus far chalked up 426 registrations in Australia. Meanwhile, Smart is not a member of the FCAI and its sales numbers do not appear in the VFACTs industry report.The original Smart ForTwo was sold in Australia between 2004 and 2007 equipped with a 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine. Its line-up expanded over time to include the ForFour hatch and even a roadster model.