Articles by Tom White

Geely has detailed its upcoming TT halo four-door sports coupe.Sharing its name with a famous Audi, the Geely TT is instead a fully electric sports coupe with a similar layout to the Porsche Taycan or Audi e-Tron GT.Measuring nearly five meters long and featuring an 800-volt electric platform, the TT is available in either rear-wheel drive form with 245kW or all-wheel drive from nearly doubling power to 425kW.Three battery sizes will be available, according to previous data filings with the Chinese government, including a base 52.4kWh version, a 63.8kWh version and a 75.2kWh version with driving range up to 725km according to the more lenient CLTC scale.The Galaxy TT is part of a new halo range of Geely models from its Galaxy sub-brand, which incorporate new design elements for the brand, alongside the incoming and much-hyped Galaxy Cruiser off-roader.Geely has also now revealed the TT’s interior, which has significant crossover with its Zeekr premium arm, including a familiar dash layout, digital instrument cluster, and steering wheel design to vehicles like the Zeekr 7GT.It also features Geely’s new in-house Flyme Auto 2 software for its large central touchscreen unit, and like other cars in this class has a giant fixed glass roof and active spoiler piece at the rear.It even has a 110-litre frunk and a 5.2-litre refrigerated or heated drawer under the centre console, which itself shares a split-console feature and sunken cupholders similar to those which appear in Zeekr models.While the TT moves Geely’s Galaxy sedan range in a new performance direction and features a lot of premium Zeekr hardware, Chinese media is speculating that it will be more affordable than its direct rivals, which include the overwhelmingly popular Xiaomi SU7, which was the original Chinese four-door sports coupe success story, and the new Chinese-market MG07 which follows a similar format.Both the Geely and the MG are chasing the success of the Xiaomi which set Chinese sales charts on fire and was celebrated by global Ford boss Jim Farley who imported one to the US to personally drive as “fantastic”.CarsGuide understands the Geely TT isn’t currently on the schedule for an Australian launch, but isn’t ruled out for a future arrival either as the company rapidly expands its sales footprint Down Under.Its EX5 mid-size electric SUV has quietly become one of the best-selling electric cars in Australia, and the Starray EM-i plug-in hybrid spin-off is also one of the best-selling plug-ins.The company will next launch its fully electric EX2 hatchback, which has garnered lots of interest in the lead-up to its arrival. Geely will also launch both the Camry-rivalling Emgrand hybrid sedan and an unnamed three-row SUV in 2027.Geely's Zeekr premium arm has also been a resounding success in 2026, with its smash-hit 7X mid-size electric SUV outselling its primary rivals and causing a renewed surge of interest in both the updated X small SUV and incoming 8X plug-in hybrid large SUV.

XPeng’s new segment-bending Mona L03 SUV has been caught testing in Australia just after going on sale in China.Spotted by CarsGuide’s own Byron Mathioudakis on Victoria's Great Ocean Road, the SUV remains heavily camouflaged but still identifiable as the L03 thanks to its partially exposed signature front headlights, tail-lights that form part of its rear spoiler piece and partially exposed alloy wheels with XPeng logos.Glimpses of a steering wheel on the right-hand side can be identified, which is the first time the L03 has ever been spotted in this configuration.The L03 sits below XPeng’s only current model in Australia, the G6 mid-sizer SUV, which competes with the Tesla Model Y. The L03 will compete with more affordable SUVs such as the Geely EX5 (from $41,990), BYD Atto 3 (from $39,990) and GAC Aion V (from $42,590).It shares a familiar minimalist interior treatment to many of its Chinese contemporaries, with modern touches like a large central multimedia touchscreen, oval steering wheel and floating central console, with its key differentiator being its slinky fastback-style rear.The L03 is available overseas in electric form, with a 183kW/280Nm rear-mounted motor and either a 56kWh or 69kWh battery pack for up to 625km of range, according to lenient Chinese standards.A range-extender hybrid model will follow, using a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine and a 37.2kWh battery pack.The L03 was spotted alongside another unknown XPeng model, which appears to be a hatchback or crossover. It could be a third member of the Mona family, with the L03 being an SUV and the M03 being a sedan.It stands to reason that XPeng would launch a hatchback as the brand has been active in the European market for some time. It would follow in the footsteps of the original MG4, Leapmotor's B05 hatchback, both created specifically for the European market, or BYD and its Euro-focused plug-in hybrid derivatives of the Atto 1 and Atto 2.The M03 sedan has been previewed in Australia in left-hand-drive form under XPeng’s previous distributor, and has gone on to become a popular low-cost vehicle in China, but it is unclear whether XPeng’s new factory-backed operation will follow through with plans to launch it in Australia now the company’s model range has evolved overseas.The freshly spotted car seems to have more in common with the SUV design, featuring a bar-style tail-light rather than the individual light clusters of the M03 sedan, while its hatch-style tailgate is a new profile for the brand.CarsGuide understands the L03 is due in Australia in 2027, and the spotted SUV is likely undergoing validation testing for the Australian market.The hatchback model is likely undergoing initial testing and will launch further down the track.XPeng is seeking to get its business back on track in Australia amid an ongoing legal stoush with its former distributor TrueEV.The now factory-backed brand currently only offers the updated G6 on its website, with the X9 people mover listed as coming soon.It is yet to comment locally on the L03 and CarsGuide has sought clarity on the hatchback model.

XPeng has detailed and priced its Mona L03 in China. The keenly-priced new mid-size coupe SUV will rival the Geely EX5 and BYD Atto 3 when it arrives in Australia.The L03 is available with both hybrid range-extender and fully electric powertrains in China, and it sits below the G6 SUV in its line-up.It features a coupe roof profile, similar to the Tesla Model Y rather than the traditional SUV shape of the Geely EX5 or BYD Atto 3.Its interior design typical of Chinese SUVs, with a minimalistic dash layout, a large 15.6-inch central touchscreen devoid of buttons and dials, a floating centre console with dual phone pads and an oval-shaped steering wheel.It features a panoramic glass roof, a 102-litre additional storage frunk and large alloy wheel choices, but unlike some it swaps a digital instrument cluster for a 26.8-inch head-up display.Both the range-extender hybrid and fully electric versions share a 183kW/280Nm rear-mounted electric motor. The electric version is capable of the 0-100km/h sprint in 6.6 seconds, while the range extender can complete it in 6.8 seconds.The electric version is backed by either 56kWh or 69kWh LFP battery, which offer either 525km or 625km of range (although this is according to the more lenient CLTC procedure). The range extender is equipped with a 1.5-litre engine producing 70kW.XPeng says the range extender can travel up to 315km in pure electric mode on its 37.2kWh battery and has a 5.2L/100km fuel consumption when the battery is depleted. Its official combined range comes in at 1330km, according to Chinese standards.The electric version has a claimed energy consumption of 11.9kWh/100km and can charge from 10 - 80 per cent in roughly 19 minutes.Some variants will be have adaptive damping shock absorbers, while all versions will get the brand’s full semi-autonomous active safety suite.The Mona L03 is priced from between the equivalent of $31,000 to $34,000 in electric form, which when the usual import premium is added for the Australian market will place it in competition with the Geely EX5 (from $41,990), BYD Atto 3 (from $39,990) and GAC Aion V (from $42,590).Right hand-drive versions are yet to be revealed, and more is expected to be learned about the model when it makes its international debut later in 2026.XPeng’s new factory-backed division in Australia has been approached for comment about the L03, although CarsGuide understands it is not due on our shores until 2027.The factory-backed operation is expected to deliver on the facelifted mid-sized G6 imminently, and has said previously it will also make good on the previously-expected X9 people mover and G9 large SUV.XPeng has made waves with its much-hyped halo models, including the new P7 sedan and GX flagship SUV in China.

Hyundai’s Staria people mover seemed destined to live in the shadow of its segment-dominating cousin, the Kia Carnival.Now though, Hyundai is rolling out a serious overhaul to the Staria van range, including the long-awaited introduction of fuel-sipping hybrid variants.The new Lounge grade we’re looking at seems expressly targeted at Carnival buyers. But in a people-mover segment that's suddenly been re-invigorated by a range of options from new brands, does the Staria have what it takes to stand out?Let’s take a look.First and foremost - pricing. While you can get a hybrid version of the cargo-hauling Staria Load delivery van at an appealing price point compared to some rivals, the people-mover version is only offered in this new top-spec Lounge variant, for now.A higher trim level than ever before, the Lounge moves the Staria into previously unseen levels of luxury, but it comes at a steep price.At $73,740 before on-road costs, the Lounge is nearly a $20,000 jump over the base people mover, making it a tall order not just to justify the leap to hybrid, but also among its core rivals.This is especially true since Kia has rolled out its version of the same hybrid technology to its Carnival, and you can now get into a base Carnival S HEV from just $56,310.Like-for-like when it comes to spec though, you’d be looking at a Carnival GT-Line, which costs $76,840.If you’re keen on what this taller and in some ways more spacious Hyundai offers, it might be worth waiting for more affordable versions. Hyundai will need a wider range of hybrids at more affordable price points imminently as it's facing tough fines under Australia’s recently implemented New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES).Standard kit on this new Lounge grade includes refreshed LED headlights with an integrated light bar across the front and unique 18-inch alloy wheels. Inside it scores Nappa leather seat trim, heating, ventilation, and power adjustment for the first two seating rows, near fold-flat relaxation mode for the second row, suede headlining, privacy glass, acoustic lamination for the windscreen, and integrated sunshades for the windows in the rear rows.It’s a lovely place to be, and that’s before we mention the overhauls to the dash design. The pre-update Staria was already ahead of the pack, but the new version takes it to new heights with a fresh sporty steering wheel, a bigger digital dash, the re-introduction of physical buttons for the multimedia and climate controls (previously they were touch-capacitive), a stalk-mounted gear shifter from the brand’s EV range, and an update to the all-new software suite.The Lounge also gets a few extra bits of the interior clad with soft-touch finishes compared to the cargo van, particularly in the door cards, although this comes at the cost of dash topping and overhead storage areas.On the practical side, the Staria Lounge and its high roof and seven-seat layout (2 + 2 + 3) means access to the third row is one of the easiest of its contemporaries. You can just stroll between the second-row captains' chairs and room in all three seating positions is more than generous, with all three rows on rails for adjustability.The boot, as is the case with many van-based people movers, is not long, but it is tall and wide. This can be a challenge with baggage when all three rows are in use, as you’ll need to stack upward, but more room can also be found in the cabin behind the front seats. Some brands offer a shelf accessory for the boot to help with this. Hyundai does not.The Lounge only offers a tailgate rear. It provides nice shelter in the rain, but it's sheer size means there are limits as to where you can open it.One dire cost of the hybrid powertrain is its lack of any kind of tow rating.On the road, the Staria Lounge is unmistakably a van, missing out on the passenger-car feel of its Carnival cousin, but it’s still by far one of the best vans to drive.Visibility is commanding from the front two positions, while the inputs come with all the panache of other Hyundai vehicles. There’s nice organic steering and good feedback from the pedals, making it surprisingly confident on curvy stuff. The suspension, specifically improved for this version of the Staria, improves ride quality all-round, and the front-drive hybrid powertrain (180kW/304Nm) offers both strong electric torque and whisper-quiet operation at commuter speeds.Like other plugless hybrid systems though, the 1.6-litre turbo-charged four-cylinder engine can be noisy under load, at freeway speeds, and when travelling up steeper hills.It’s certainly more refined than any diesel offering though, and significantly more convenient than having to plug in as you do with rivals from China like the GAC M8.Fuel consumption isn’t as low as some hybrid SUVs, rated officially at 6.5L/100km. It’s a huge improvement on the 10.5L/100km of the previous V6 petrol version, but only a little better than the diesel (7.2L/100km), which can also tow. If you’re spending a lot of time on the freeway, the diesel may actually be better. Something to ponder.A boost to ownership costs, the hybrid costs an average of $487.80 per year under the five-year service schedule, which is slightly more affordable than the petrol or diesel.The warranty is seven years or unlimited kilometres, unless used for a commercial purpose, then it reverts to five years or 160,000km.Hyundai is conducting testing for the hybrid version with the hope it will be covered by the Staria’s maximum five-star ANCAP rating. It comes packed with all the expected safety gear at this price.

Omoda Jaecoo has confirmed pricing for the upcoming seven-seat version of its J8 large SUV, which will serve as the Jaecoo flagship model.Previously a rare large SUV, only available with a five-seat layout in its original 2.0-litre turbo combustion form, the J8 is now available as a plug-in hybrid with seven seats in a new halo Summit variant.Priced at $59,990, before on-road costs, the J8 SHS Summit is only a few thousand dollars more than the previously top-spec Ridge variant, which is priced at $54,990 (although this is drive-away).Not only does it offer an additional row of seating, the SHS swaps the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine for a new 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo plug-in hybrid set-up, producing a combined 315kW/580Nm. It represents a significant jump over the 183kW/385Nm combustion AWD version. It swaps that car’s eight-speed automatic for a three-speed hybrid transaxle.It is a tri-motor system, using two electric motors in the front, and one on the rear axle, which are supported by a 34kWh battery which grants it a driving range of 169km according to the more lenient NEDC testing protocol.Jaecoo says the battery can be charged at a rate of 70kW on a DC charger for a roughly 30 minute top-up time, while on a slower AC charger it can top-up at a rate of 6.6kW for a 10-100 per cent charge in 5.5 hours.It also maintains a towing capacity of up to 1600kg with a braked trailer (or 750kg without brakes), although only with a maximum towball download of 75kg.Fuel consumption is rated at just 1.2L/100km although the turbo engine requires 95 RON unleaded petrol.Standard features include 20-inch alloy wheels clad in Michelin tyres, dual 12.3-inch screens for the digital instrument cluster and multimedia touchscreen, LED headlights, leather seat trim, power-adjustable front seats with heating and ventilation, heated and ventilated outboard second row seats, a panoramic sunroof, ambient interior lighting, dual-zone climate control with a fragrance system and air quality management, an auto dimming rear vision mirror, an acoustic windscreen, a 12-speaker Sony-branded audio system, a 50W wireless phone charger and a head-up display.It is also equipped with adaptive dampers, tyre pressure monitoring and offers multiple off- and on-road drive modes.The J8 SHS also comes with a tyre repair kit under the boot floor, and is available in four colours - blue, silver, white, and black.The new variant’s boot measures 200 litres with all three rows up, or 738 litres with the third row folded flat.As with all Omoda Jaecoo products, the J7 SHS is offered with an eight-year, unlimited kilometres warranty for the car and traction battery, with a matching eight-year capped price servicing program and eight-years of roadside assist, predicated on the vehicle being serviced within the brand’s network.Going into battle against some tough competition in the form of the Hyundai Santa Fe hybrid (from $57,650), Kia Sorento HEV (from $59,675, before on-roads) and Toyota Kluger (from $62,410, before on-roads), the J8 also shares many of its components with its sister car, the Omoda 9 Virtue ($61,990, before on-roads), which offers more coupe-like styling and a five-seat layout with a more powerful version of the same plug-in hybrid system.

Suzuki needs you to buy its first EV in Australia, but is it really priced to compete with rivals?

Polestar has been banned from selling cars in the USA after the 2027 model year due to the country’s new ‘Connected Vehicle Rule’.The new rules in the US crack down on cars with technology sourced from China, including over-the-air connectivity features, with US regulators citing concerns around the amount of sensitive data being collected on its citizens.It is part of a wider protectionist regulatory push in the US to effectively ban Chinese vehicles to protect its large domestic auto industry.Polestar fell afoul of the new rules despite the Polestar 3 being built inside the US and the Polestar 4 being built in South Korea.Volvo, Polestar's sister brand under the same Geely ownership, was granted a specific exemption to the new rules.Policies like the Connected Vehicle Rule can effectively ban individual models or entire brands from sale in the country, but high tariffs are also wreaking havoc on the financials of both the Hyundai Motor Group and the biggest Japanese brands, including Toyota, Nissan and Honda, which all have partial manufacturing footprints in the US and now need to scramble to localise more parts or models.Polestar issued a statement confirming the US made up only a small portion (six per cent) of its current sales footprint, and that it would re-focus on the European market where it says nearly 80 per cent of its sales volumes are centred.The brand also re-committed to Latin America and Canada as important markets in the future.The company said it would sell the remainder of its Polestar 3 and Polestar 4 stock in the US and then wind up its sales operation, continuing to support existing owners through its service network.Polestar noted it is still committed to its future product line-up, which includes the Europe-built Polestar 7 small SUV (expected to share its underpinnings with the Volvo EX30 and Zeekr X) as its next key volume seller.It will also continue to roll-out the Polestar 5 grand tourer and launch a next-generation Polestar 2 in 2027.The future of the Polestar 3 mid-sized performance SUV, which is currently built in the US, is up in the air. The version of the car sold in Australia is still built in China.Polestar’s share price has taken a battering thanks to a range of recent events, which has seen the company’s once global aspirations shrink down to a strategic focus on just a few markets.The brand has closed all of its retail stores in China, where much of its range is built, after selling only a handful of vehicles in 2025. Instead it has shifted to a by-order-only online approach.Despite these developments, the brand reported its highest ever Q1 sales result earlier this year, off the back of stronger sales in Australia, Germany, Sweden, South Korea and the UK.

Chery sub-brand Jetour has detailed its Chinese F700 ute, which is a spin-off from the Stockman diesel-hybrid due to launch in Australia.Sporting tough and angular styling a little different from the rounded-headlight look of the incoming Chery ute, the Jetour F700 shares the same newly-developed and hybrid-first platform and underpinnings.Unlike the Stockman, which will launch with a diesel hybrid powertrain specifically designed to set it apart in the Australian market, the F700 will use a 2.0-litre petrol plug-in set-up instead.The F700’s 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine produces 155kW/340Nm and is expected to follow in the footsteps of the G700 SUV that came before it. This means maximum combined power could be as high as 665kW/1135Nm.This could preview the future petrol plug-in hybrid version of the Stockman, which is due to launch in Australia in 2027.The space between the front and rear axles will be taken up by an Lithium-Ferro-Phosphate (LFP) battery pack, which maximises EV range over mechanical capability. The related G700 SUV has an electronic front and rear differential, with a software-simulated centre differential.If the F700 follows in the footsteps of the G700, it will use a 34.1kWh battery pack. In the G700 this grants it a 150km EV-only driving range and a 1400km combined driving range according to the CTLC standard. Jetour confirmed via its social media that the F700 will have a 1300km driving range and a combined fuel consumption of 1.39L/100km.While it appears the F700 will also use independent coil-sprung rear suspension instead of a solid rear axle, data filings with the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information technology confirm it will have a towing capacity of 3500kg.The new ute’s interior hasn't been fully revealed, but one teaser image shows a far more tech-heavy cabin than the Stockman. It features a large 15.6-inch central screen, and a second dash-topping panel which extends the entire length of the vehicle, acting as both an information screen and a digital instrument cluster.We know it will have wheel sizes of either 18- or 20-inches and an 800-volt electrical platform, which supports ultra-fast charging with confirmation of a V2L system.Jetour is expected to launch in Australia in 2027, although its range of boxy off-roaders will be distributed separately from its Chery parent company, which includes the Omoda, Jaecoo, and Lepas sub-brands.It will directly compete with GWM’s Tank and Cannon brands, with its products also squaring off against BYD’s smash-hit Shark 6 plug-in hybrid ute and the related Denza B5 SUV.Stay tuned for more on Jetour as the brand gears up for an Australian launch. It has been hiring staff locally for some months.

This month we farewell our Hyundai Inster after several months. Are we glad to see it go or is this a pleasantly charming little city car?Before we continue, it’s worth noting that we did get the Extended Range variant back after it had been crashed into shortly after our second month of testing began. Read our second chapter for more on how it compared to the Standard Range, but we managed to finish our testing with this version of the car which, at least on paper, seems to be the pick of the range.As mentioned in the previous chapter though, the Standard Range version (which is $3500 cheaper than the $42,500 Extended Range we have) is completely fine, and in some ways superior.Having recently driven many of this car’s more price-savvy rivals from China, I noticed how nice and relatively unobtrusive the Inster is to drive.While some more affordable cars, even a size up from the Inster, are full of invasive driver aids, annoying ergonomic features or controls, and sub-standard software, the Inster is refreshingly easy to get along with, and does a bunch of the no-brainer EV driving stuff really well.For example, there are four levels of adjustable regenerative braking, from barely noticeable, to full single pedal mode, and these are nicely tuned so that they feel natural, whatever level of electric motor feedback you might be comfortable with.I’ve already mentioned the nice steering and ride in previous chapters, which makes this car feel a cut above its size bracket let alone its price bracket.The active safety features which helped the Inster earn a four-star ANCAP safety rating (harder than you might think for a car this small) are relatively unobtrusive, or at the very least, easy to turn off.The lane keeping aid, which at times can be a bit heavy handed, can simply be turned down by holding a button on the steering wheel for a few seconds, rather than having to dig through menus on the touchscreen. The rest of the safety kit is relatively tame, saving you menu-diving time on start-up.Then there’s the cabin practicality on offer. The Inster is a car seemingly very aware of its limited footprint. To that end, while you don’t get a centre console box, there are bag hooks hidden everywhere, like on the passenger side of the dash and there are fold-out hooks hidden at the edge of the armrest. Clever.I mentioned in the first chapter how surprisingly spacious the cabin feels in both rows of seating, but one trick this car has is a second row on rails.This means you can roll the seating row forward to either reduce or entirely remove legroom and expand the boot capacity massively.It’s a rare feature on most city cars delivered to Australia, but much more common on Asian-market models, like Kei cars from Japan.It means you can have kids or pets in the second row which don’t need as much space, while maximising boot space, or passenger room when you’re not carrying as much stuff. This makes it versatile, but as you might imagine the airport run isn't it's strong suit.Upsettingly though, there’s no frunk. While it might seem gimmicky, frunks can actually be a useful place to put charging cables when the under-floor storage is hard to access because you’re carrying luggage.I took the Inster for a spirited drive before I returned it to really test out its driving chops, and walked away impressed.The amount of grip on offer and the solid feeling of the suspension is backed up with a good amount of agility in corners. It combines nicely with a bit of drivetrain punch in Sport mode to make for a fun little car to really push, even if the Hyundai N-style carbon-fibre-look digital dash overhaul is a bit ill-fitting.It took a significant amount of work to get the tyres to eke out a squeal, to my surprise, and the suspension travel is limited enough that much of the uncomfortable feeling when the battery starts to ‘float’ the whole body of the car on undulating roads isn’t present.Sure, it’s not objectively fast, but probably quicker than you expect, and it’s always better to drive a slow car at 110 per cent than a fast car at 10 per cent.Efficiency wise, the Inster did pretty well. The final number I pulled from the car after around 1500km behind the wheel was 13.8kWh/100km. It’s lower than many of its larger rivals, which do between 14.5 and 17kWh/100km.As for charging, it can be annoying that the port is on the front of the car, because it means you need to go nose in to some spots. At least it’s on the kerb side for when you're using outdoor roadside chargers.The maximum charging speed is quoted at 120kW, but I’ve never seen it go faster than roughly 70kW, even on stacks capable of 150kW. For what it’s worth, it doesn’t need it. The battery is so small it still charges in half an hour or less.Ownership looks like a decent story, too. Not only will this car cost a lot less in charging compared to a fuel alternative, but the Inster only requires a service every two years or a whopping 30,000km.Unfortunately, Hyundai charges $655 per visit. A head-scratcher given a combustion alternative like the Yaris Cross with so many more expendable fluids and moving parts is more affordable to look after.

Mitsubishi has admitted the new-generation ASX is not living up to expectations as the brand loses ground to aggressive Chinese rivals in the small SUV space.“It’s not desirable,” Mitsubishi Australia GM of Product Strategy and PR Bruce Hampel said of current ASX sales.“We never set the target for the new model to be at the same level. It’s positioned to target a different kind of customer compared to the previous one,” he recently told CarsGuide.Before the new ASX launched Mitsubishi said its targets were lower, but the volume has taken more than a significant hit.The new Renault Captur-based version is doing roughly 10 per cent of the volume of the previous model year-on-year. So far in 2026 the nameplate has racked up just 513 registrations, while at this point last year it had managed 4484.So what does the company plan to do about it?“The volume isn’t meeting our expectations. Is it just overpriced? That’s the easy thing to say. With the end of financial year offer we’re dropping the entry price down and hopefully that will get people actually experiencing the car,” Hampel said.But with an entry point of $34,990 even on discount for the current base LS grade, an entry-level version of the top-selling Chery Tiggo 4 is still more than $10,000 cheaper at $23,990 drive-away.Chery has managed to sell nearly 10,000 Tiggo 4s in 2026, while the previous price-leading Chinese challenger, the MG ZS also continues to perform well, racking up 6021 registrations so far this year.Hampel seemed aware of this stark reality facing the brand.“Go back five years and the ASX was the entry point to the Mitsubishi brand but there are customers looking for just cheap vehicles so that’s where that cross shopping happens.“What we’re trying to do with the Mitsubishi brand is offer value, and we’re trying to hold on to those loyal customers with things like the Diamond Advantage [10-year warranty and capped price servicing].”One seemingly obvious answer to Mitsubishi’s price-related woes lies overseas in the shape of the successful XForce. A ‘true Mitsubishi’ which uses an updated version of a dated in-house platform, the small SUV is available in both combustion and plugless hybrid forms.Recently, this model was confirmed to join the line-up in New Zealand, where it will be named the Outlander Sport and sold exclusively as a hybrid.Sadly though, the tough Australian Design Rules (ADR) will rule it out for a local launch, even if the Australian division wanted it.“They’re lucky they can import that vehicle,” Hampel said of Mitsubishi New Zealand. “We’d love to have it, but it was never designed to meet Australian requirements.“But we’re working hard with Mitsubishi to offer a similar product,” he said.“We’re pushing for a full range of electrification and we’re part of the alliance - Renault, Nissan, and now Foxtron . The business case is a big part of the challenge.“There are various options we can source, but it becomes challenging, so we have to be careful with what we select.”Hampel added a mid-term plan will be announced in the coming months, and the company needs to navigate Australia’s tough emissions laws once its full range of new products has arrived.Before the end of the year, Mitsubishi confirmed the fully electric Foxconn-based small SUV will go on sale, as will the next-generation Pajero, which promises to be a volume seller that replaces the Pajero Sport.Still, with that model more likely than not to be a turbo-diesel, at least at launch, it creates a short-term issue for the Japanese giant in terms of racking up fines under the federal government's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES).“Customers are still preferring diesel in a lot of cases,” Hampel said. “They’re not quite ready to embrace PHEV (plug-in hybrid) in certain vehicle classes. There isn’t really an easy answer for how we’re going to get a lot of credits, but we’re trying to work within what the government wants.“The need for battery electrics is one element, but you need enough volume and to get it, customers have to actually want to buy those products,” he said.