Articles by Tom White

MG’s luxury division, IM Motors, has revealed another ultra-luxury large SUV, which will join its range in the coming year.The LS8 is a large three-row SUV, which will sit above the IM6 that is currently sold in Australia, but below the flagship LS9 revealed in 2025.Information recently filed with the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), we know the LS8 is more than five meters long, exactly two meters wide, and 1817mm tall with a 3060mm wheelbase.The LS8 will be a range-extender plug-in hybrid, combining a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine acting independently of electric motors on each axle. IM models currently sold in Australia are electric-only.The MIIT information shows IM is planning two massive battery sizes, either 52.1kWh or 65.9kWh, for an electric driving range between 268km and 335km according to the more lenient CLTC testing cycle.The new exterior pictures show a boxy large SUV design, which is distinct from the more curvy design language on the IM5 and IM6 sold in Australia.It shares many similarities to other upcoming luxury large SUVs from rival brands, like the Leapmotor D16 and Denza N9 from BYD’s luxury arm, suggesting strong demand for luxury hybrid SUVs in the Chinese domestic market.It features a contemporary light strip and Kia-style vertical LED fittings at each corner in the front, and a matching light strip across the rear. It has a raked roofiline with contrasting black panels in very similar style as popularised by cars like the Range Rover Sport and Velar.The interior is yet to be revealed, but is expected to mirror the designs seen in the LS9No Chinese brand has yet launched one of these luxury large hybrids in Australia.The closest option currently comes from BYD’s Denza, which offers the more off-road focused Denza B5 that is roughly Prado-sized, or the Denza B8 flagship that is more LandCruiser 300-sized.IM Motors has previously told CarsGuide that every new model developed by the luxury arm are aimed at global markets, so the LS8 and LS9 could very much be on the cards for an Australian launch.The brand’s previous CEO Peter Ciao said the company is planning a strong line-up for 2026, with IM Motors forming a part of that planning, so expect an expansion on the range soon.

We're running Hyundai's tiny new electric city car as a long-termer. Here are our first impressions.

Toyota is aiming to have its range of vehicles be at least 30 per cent built from recycled materials by 2030, as new EU regulations are expected to target more than just tailpipe emissions in the next decade.Toyota is focusing on recycled metals, such as re-forged steel used from crushed or deconstructed vehicles as part of an extensive ‘circular economy’ push and to reduce waste.A strategy document shows various initiatives Toyota will be undertaking, which includes up to 25 per cent recycled plastics used in new vehicles by 2030, a declaration on the content of recycled metals (including steel, aluminium and magnesium) for its vehicles by 2028, and future designs will be easier to deconstruct when they reach end of life.The brand flags 19 parts including catalytic converters, bumpers, EV batteries and motors to be designed to be easily removed from scrap vehicles and deconstructed future range of vehicles.Part of this push is to comply with existing and incoming European regulations on materials use and recycling for cars. Regulations around end-of-life products require 25 per cent of plastics used in cars to be from recycled materials, while battery regulations require “recycled usage rate” targets for key materials like lithium, cobalt, nickel and lead.In total, Toyota is “aiming to achieve a recycled material rate in its vehicles sold in Japan and Europe of 30 per cent or more by 2030”. The 30 per cent figure is not by number of parts but by total weight of the vehicle.The report notes there are easier gains to be made toward this goal in the recycling of steel in order to reduce new raw materials used, plastics, meanwhile, are much more difficult to process due to the differences in materials used, and volatile components within them which make them expensive to re-process into new materials.Thanks to this new initiative, Toyota’s Gosei plastics manufacturing subsidiary has developed materials with a 50 per cent recycled plastic content and performance equivalent to newly-made plastics, which it says is a world-first. Examples of this material being used are in the glovebox and grille-backing material in the new Euro-market Camry.Other new Toyotas using recycled plastics include the incoming new-generation RAV4 and the Crown Sport SUV.As the majority of Toyota models sold in Australia are built in Japan, we can expect at least some of its more popular vehicles the RAV4, Corolla, and Camry to be made of this 30 per cent-by-weight recycled materials.While the goals seem to apply at a global level for the brand, it is unclear at this stage whether the targets for vehicles built in Europe and Japan will also apply to vehicles built in Thailand, like the ever-popular HiLux ute.Other brands will have to have similar targets for materials recycling in order to continue to sell vehicles in Europe, with regulators also expected to come after other non-exhaust particulate matter, like tyre waste and brake dust.As a result, many manufacturers are experimenting with re-introducing drum brakes, which capture waste, or using brake systems that heavily rely on regenerative braking via electric motors with back-up friction brakes contained in the motor assembly (inboard brakes), rather than discs on the wheel hub.One of the leaders in the sustainability space, Polestar, issues a sustainability report claiming its new Polestar 4 has the lowest lifecycle emissions in its entire range, despite it wielding a massive 100kWh battery pack. The brand says this is largely due to advances made in using recycled aluminium and steel in the car’s frame, as well as renewable energy power used in its factory and by suppliers.Nissan is also aiming for a 30 per cent recycled material target, while BMW is aiming for a 50 per cent recycled material content by 2030.

In what seems to be an obvious end-game as part of its team-up with Leapmotor, Stellantis could be set to lean on its Chinese partner for hybrid technology to bolster its other brands in Europe.Ultimately, according to a new report from Autocar, this will mean the range extender hybrid tech from Leapmotor’s C10 and B10 will be deployed in at least Peugeots and Fiats.Autocar quotes Leapmotor’s international CEO Tianshu Xin as saying the company is “exploring the possibilities” to use range extender hybrid tech in other Stellantis brands, as part of the group finding “synergies by using each other's technology.”The international boss also earmarked future platform sharing as the direction in which the partnership was moving.Stelllantis, which was born from a merger between the America-focused Fiat Chrysler and Euro-focused PSA Group, has had a disparate array of products built for an array of different markets on a range of platforms which didn’t start out with a lot of commonality between them.The brands under the group include Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroen, Dodge, DS, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Ram and Vauxhall.While this initially made it challenging for the group, it has gradually begun to rationalize its platforms into a handful to be used across its global range. For passenger cars this includes the 'STLA' small, medium, and large architecture, 4x4s and utes ride on the SLTA Frame platform.Leapmotor, which is 19.99 per cent owned by Stellantis, uses a separate 'LEAP' architecture for its vehicles, developed separately from Stellantis in China. Leapmotor is now also building cars in EuropeMr Xin’s comments on future platform sharing seems to indicate there could be future cars from European brands on the LEAP platform, or future Leapmotor cars underpinned by an STLA platform.Either way, Leapmotor’s range-extender hybrid technology solves a problem for Stellantis in rolling out a consistent range of hybrids in emissions-sensitive markets, or potentially even for the American market where EVs are floundering thanks to the removal of incentives.For Australia, it could lead to a range of appealing range-extender hybrids wearing a wider array of badges, whether they are Fiats, Peugeots or even Jeeps.Jeep in particular is embattled in Australia, down a whopping 33.3 per cent until the end of 2025, moving just 1585 units for the year. Its range of products has been cut down significantly, with the brand discontinuing the new-generation (and significantly more expensive) Grand Cherokee after a slow sales run.This strips its range down to just the Wrangler off-roader and its related Gladiator ute, as well as the Euro-sourced Avenger electric compact SUV and outgoing previous-generation Compass mid-sizer.Peugeot is also embattled in Australia, having taken a 28.8 per cent sales hit over the course of 2025. It moved just 1350 units for the year, as it faces stiff competition from rivals new and old.Even Leapmotor’s fledgling effort in the Australian market has struggled to find traction. The brand offered the mid-size C10 in both EV and range-extender hybrid forms, and yet managed to sell 644 new vehicles over the course of the year.In comparison, its most direct rival, Geely and its EX-5 and Starray EM-i hybrid spin-off, moved over 5000 units in the same period.Next for Leapmotor’s Australian efforts is its B10 small SUV, initially in electric and later hybrid form. Internationally, the brand has also debuted the C16 large SUV and A10 crossover in China, as well as the B05 Golf-sized hatchback in Europe.

Mazda has pushed back its in-house EV plans to 2029 as it focuses development of its incoming in-house hybrid drivetrain, according to a new report.Mazda had planned to launch its next-generation Japanese-developed electric car in 2027, but had pushed back to 2028 and now 2029. According to industry source Automotive News this is because hybrid demand is booming in the US, while electric vehicle incentives are being removed.The outlet quoted Mazda’s CEO Masahiro Moro as saying the brand expects EV sales now to only account for 25 per cent or less of its global sales due to changing market forces, particularly in the US.This revises Mazda’s original expectations of 25 - 40 per cent of global volume to be fully electric by 2030.However, while a significant portion of the brand's sales remain in North America and Japan, a significant portion remains in markets like Europe and Australia. Australia is the third largest market by volume for Mazda globally, after the US and Japan, forcing the brand to adapt to our conditions.This means sourcing more low emissions vehicles in the interim to comply with our Euro-inspired New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES). This recently-introduced regulation tightens the vice on carbon emissions based on manufacturer’s vehicle sales, under threat of fines for every unit sold which pushes them over a pre-defined CO2 limit.Mazda is one of the most exposed brands in Australia currently. It offers only a limited array of hybrid models, with the majority of its sales still being pure combustion vehicles, like the ever-popular CX-5.A next-generation CX-5 is due, although it will continue on with a petrol engine until the hybrid variant launches in 2027. Unlike the hybrid Mazda CX-50 available in America, which borrows its hybrid tech from Toyota, the new CX-5 will use an in-house Mazda-developed hybrid system the brand calls SkyActiv-Z.In the interim, Mazda has confirmed it will sell the China-built fully electric 6e sedan and CX-6e, both are platform-shares with Changan’s Deepal brand. The brand has earmarked even more models to potentially spawn from this tie-up.Potentially this could include a Mazda take on Deepal’s S09 over-five-meter-long large SUV, or a small SUV based on the more compact S05, which would sit beneath the CX-6e to compete with the likes of MG’s S5.In another potential blow to Mazda in Australia, there are also fresh reports out of Japan that its two entry-level models, the Mazda 2 and CX-3, will cease production over the course of 2026.While these two cars are the oldest models in Mazda’s line-up, they continue to sell well in Australia thanks to regular updates. The removal of these accessible models plus the delay on a hybrid CX-5 could see Mazda tumble down the sales charts in 2026, making the roll-out of its Chinese-built models ever more important. However, Japanese media are also reporting a small car successor is due based on the Vision-X compact car shown at Tokyo Motor Show in 2025. The model will reportedly be built in Thailand as part of a push by Mazda to make the country a new export hub. Again, if this model does come to Australia, it could be as far out as 2028, making Mazda’s short term outlook for 2026 and 2027 more challenging.Mazda has told CarsGuide in 2024 its order of priorities are the new CX-5, its hybrid version, and then “small architecture cars.”Stay tuned for more on Mazda’s plans for 2026 as it faces a rapidly changing new car market. In particular it will need to fend off an aggressive new model strategy from an ambitious BYD, which is plotting a top-three market position by the end of the year.

GWM has teased its upcoming flagship SUV, which, at well over five meters long, will be one of the largest vehicles in its line-up.It’s a three-row SUV to compete in the same size-bracket as the Hyundai Palisade or Kia EV9, and appears to show a boxier and more refined design language.The SUV seems most likely to live either under the Haval SUV brand or the Wey premium brand, which is yet to debut in Australia.The incoming vehicle will be the debut product for the brand’s next-generation platform, dubbed GWM One.This platform is designed to support internal combustion, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, fully electric and hydrogen fuel-cell power. It also has the flexibility to be single-axle or all-wheel drive and support several different form factors.The platform will also support an 800-volt architecture, with the new SUV using a 2.0-litre turbocharged plug-in hybrid set-up, according to presentation slides shown by GWM at an event in China. Its electric motor looks to have a peak output of 270kW.The brand also said it will achieve up to 363km in fully electric mode, or up to 1393km in combined mode, according to the more lenient WLTC cycle. In addition, it will consume 6.3L/100km when the battery is drained, and is said to sprint from 0-100km/h in as low as 4.4 seconds.Of the other powertrains this platform will support, the brand said it would even be launching both a plugless hybrid and a diesel hybrid, which is a not-often explored technology.Diesel hybrid tech seems to be a new direction some Chinese manufacturers are investigating, with Chery’s upcoming dual-cab ute also plotting a diesel hybrid variant for superior off-road and heavy duty performance as well as low emissions and fuel consumption.Other features of the platform include more “AI-enabled” software features, which reportedly take in various powertrain, chassis, and driver assistance data to optimise vehicle performance.In addition the brand is plotting its future product range on this platform to have a high level of parts commonality for a higher parts commonality and lower assembly cost.GWM is on a winning streak locally, after fighting its way to the top of the pile of local Chinese brands. In 2025, it placed seventh on the charts of Australia’s favourite automakers, placing behind Mitsubishi. In 2026 it will face a tough challenge from BYD, which placed just behind it last year, in eighth position.To hold its position GWM will be launching its Wey premium brand with its Wey 80 people mover, opening the door to its range of premium plug-in hybrids available overseas. It will also update and expand on its range of Ora electric vehicles, and don’t be surprised to see deeper upgrades across its Haval range of SUVs, too.In addition, the brand has made no secret of its plans to top out its Tank range with something like the Tank 700 PHEV, although it might not be until an update is due in 2027.GWM's flagship SUV offering looks to face tough competition with its rivals, with BYD plotting a similar range-topper, and Zeekr has also already revealed its luxurious hybrid 9X.

Ford might be the most exposed to the changed auto landscape forced by Australia’s tough new emissions laws.The Blue Oval is the number two brand in Australia thanks to impressive sales of its Ranger ute and Everest 4x4 SUV, and more than 90 per cent of its sales are turbo diesels.To make matters worse for Ford, the brand has globally discontinued the smaller but strong-selling 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel, making the higher-emitting new 3.0-litre turbodiesel V6 likely to be the brand’s best seller going forward.Australia’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) places fines on brands that sell too many vehicles above a C02 limit.Ford’s Australian Marketing Director Ambrose Henderson explained how Ford is being driven by customer demand rather than emissions limitations going forward, as it doubles down on its top-selling internal combustion powered models.“When we look at a vehicle and our business, and the decision on whether we bring that vehicle or not, of course NVES is an ingredient to that. But, it’s only one factor in a really broad range of things we assess and we need to work with,” he explained.“There’s exchange rates and material costs and labor rates and all sorts of things around the world which impact the business case for a vehicle.“What it comes down to is what do customers want? What do they actually need? If you don’t deliver on that then it doesn’t matter what equation you come up with, you can’t sell it. So it has to be about that."Henderson said one of Ford’s unique advantages in Australia is its local division, which remains substantial even in the era of post-local manufacturing.“We’re the largest automotive employer in Australia and we have our designers and engineers right here in Melbourne, more than 1500 of them, who design and engineer Ranger and Everest for the world - and they’re seeing success around the world.”“We understand Australian customers, Australian roads and Australian environments and that’s allowed us to achieve that success.”Henderson said the plan to transition to more emissions-friendly models would continue to be driven by buyers, and said Ford thinks there are limitations with electrified technologies in Australia.“We’ll obviously transition over time as our customers are able to get the capability and the experience out of the cars that they’re really looking for.”“We have the broadest range of powertrains available in the ute segment out of any other brand - we have a four-cylinder diesel, a six-cylinder diesel, the performance petrol engine in the Raptor and the hybrid powertrain available in Ranger PHEV. We’ve done that specifically to provide the choice and those options that our customers are actually seeking,” he said.What would really help Ford in the short term is a better performing pure electric model.The brand’s Mustang Mach-E continues to struggle on the sales charts, moving just 483 units in the last year.“If you think about where Ford does really well - providing that capability to travel around Australia and provide the ability to do those kinds of 4x4 activities - for those types of applications there still needs to be more investment from an infrastructure point of view to make those things more viable.”The brand’s success in the 4x4 market could be its downfall in the long run. The Everest remains the top-selling large SUV, and is diesel only, with no PHEV model to be seen yet. The Ranger PHEV is noticeably limited on the EV range front compared to its primary rivals the GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV and smash-hit BYD Shark 6.At least one relief for Ford executives is the Ranger Super Duty, which is in a category above the usual ute crop, and is immune from being counted against the brand's C02 total for the year.It could be the emissions-forward knowledge from China, which helps Ford in the short-term, as it’s hard to see any emissions-friendly models from its European range landing a knock-out blow in any segment in Australia.Sources have told CarsGuide Ford will bring a Chinese-built version of the Bronco monocoque SUV to Australia, offering the brand a blocky off-road styled mid-sized SUV right in a popular sales segment the brand needs to bring its fleet average down.The Chinese Bronco adopts the trendy blocky styling of the rest of the Bronco range, whilst offering either fully electric or range-extender hybrid powertrains, both of which could serve to carve chunks out of Ford’s local emissions footprint.When again asked about models like the Bronco from the brand’s Chinese line-up, Henderson had nothing to add to comments made to CarsGuide earlier about the model.“We’re always evaluating what we’ve got in the global portfolio,” he said. We have nothing to announce for today, but we’ll continue to assess that.”

Chinese giant Dongfeng, which has joint-venture projects with Nissan and Honda, has announced it is entering late-stage trials for a new solid state battery, which it predicts will be in a production car by 2027.The brand says its new battery will grant electric cars a range of 1000 kilometres, and has established a limited production line for its new technology.Solid state batteries are still seen as the holy grail of electric car technology, promising to unlock massive driving range thanks to higher energy density, ultra-fast charging times, the ability to deal with temperature extremes and a safer, longer service life.The brand’s latest testing was for batteries with a 350Wh/kg density (current battery technology ranges from 180 - 300Wh/kg) in extreme cold, and the brand claims its testing sees the batteries maintain 72 per cent of their energy capacity at temperatures as high as 170 degrees celsius.Its next round of testing will see the batteries subjected to real-world conditions in the far north of China in temperatures as low as -40 degrees.The brand is aiming energy densities as high as 500Wh/kg, which would make them twice as dense as some EV batteries currently on the market. It also showcased an ultra fast charging 1200-volt electric platform concept, which is said to add 2.5km of range when charging every second.This will require a 2MW charger, which is unbelievable in Australia but much closer to reality in the Chinese domestic market where 1MW chargers already exist.Currently the fastest EV chargers in Australia are around 350kW, and even these are limited by high costs to install and rely on the local power grid being able to support such outputs.Dongfeng plans to put these new solid-state batteries in pre-production cars before the end of 2026, with a production run expected by 2027.The batteries are likely to debut in a vehicle from Dongfeng’s Yipai brand (styled eπ). The passenger sedans from the brand share their Tianyan platform with the Nissan N7, which has shot to relative popularity for the brand in its Chinese home market.Nissan also partners with Dongfeng to make the NX8 large SUV and the much-hyped Frontier Pro dual-cab plug-in hybrid ute, which many see as Nissan’s potential answer to the BYD Shark 6.Dongfeng is not the only brand that claims to be close to cracking the solid state battery code. MG is fitting semi-solid state batteries in its IM luxury cars and even its upcoming re-worked MG4. The brand has said the tech isn’t set for an Australian launch imminently, as it was still a work in progress for markets outside of China.China-based CATL is the world's biggest electric car battery maker and only expects to have small scale production of solid state batteries in 2027. It told Chinese media late in 2025 that large scale production is still as far away as 2030.Even Toyota is working on solid state, which it says will solve a lot of electric car problems in “a single stroke”. The Japanese giant has cast doubt on whether the technology will eventuate in the way we expect, with the brand’s Executive Vice President Hiroki Nakajima saying “development is always unpredictable. Franky, there’s no telling if it will work out or not”.Toyota’s aim was to have solid state technology in cars by 2027, while its rivals over in Europe have also been making progress, with prototypes being tested in some vehicles in the BMW and Mercedes-Benz line-ups.

The mainstream mid-size SUV segment is one of the most hotly contested in the Australian market, as the prevailing family car of choice for so many.We’re truly spoilt for choice, with options available at many price points, and with the choice of hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fully electric, as well as from both old favourite brands and new challengers.While this has generally been a boon for buyers, it has also made this congested segment more difficult to shop in than ever before, so as part of our ongoing 2026 CarsGuide Car of the Year awards, we’ve distilled a top-10 shortlist of our highest-rated Medium SUVs starting under $60K.Our top three and winner will be announced on February 6, but you can see the alphabetically ordered shortlist below.The Cupra Terramar serves as the Spanish brand’s take on the Volkswagen Tiguan formula - a true mid-size SUV, although it offers a truly sporty take over the Tiguan’s more wide appeal.Priced from $53,990, it’s a surprising value player considering its sporty look and feel, although if you want the full performance on offer, you’ll have to spend north of the $70K mark to get the spicy VZ version.Still Cupra continues to impress us with its edgy designs and impressive driving dynamics compared to its other Volkswagen Group relations.Perhaps a candidate for the most improved model on sale in Australia, the new GWM Haval H6 moves up in the world from simply a value player to a more impressive mainstream offering.Packed with standard kit and tweaked across the board when it comes to drivability and tuning, this Chinese rival takes more direct aim at the segment-leading Toyota RAV4 than ever before.Available as a 2.0-litre turbo as well as a 1.5-litre hybrid in plugless or plug-in form, it also covers the gamut of powertrain options Aussie buyers are looking for.While the sharply-priced Lux is impressive value, the plugless hybrids are the pick of the range with their trim fuel efficiency and smooth electrified transmission.One of the original nameplates which kicked-off the mid-size SUV segment altogether, the CR-V continues to this day to be a stellar offering in the segment, with Honda as always doing an impressive job of moving with the times.The CR-V is also one of the better value options in Honda’s current range, priced much closer to its rivals than the HR-V or ZR-V which sit below it.Again, the pick of the range is the e:HEV hybrid, although you’ll have to fork out for the pleasure with the hybrid powertrain still only sitting atop the mid-sizer’s range, priced at $59,900 drive-away.While it exudes quality like other Honda models, it also isn’t as efficient as some of its rivals, and doesn’t offer a plug-in or all-wheel drive in its hybrid form.Another impressive car from Honda, the ZR-V is a right-sized SUV to fill the increasingly large gap between the ever-growing CR-V and the still diminutive HR-V below.Again sporting the same Honda characteristics of great build quality, sharp driving dynamics and a practical interior space, with a smaller overall footprint than some of its rivals the ZR-V should be on any buyers shortlist.However, while it is marginally more affordable than its CR-V sibling, the ZR-V suffers from the same problem of only offering the sleek and efficient hybrid system on only its top-spec LX variant, eliminating savings from its fuel sipping powertrain via a much higher starting price ($54,900 before on-roads).Hyundai’s current-generation Tucson now has a few years behind it, but continues to be a strong seller thanks to gradual updates and price tweaks which keeps it high on the consideration list alongside its Kia Sportage sister vehicle and the segment-leading Toyota RAV4.Now strongest-selling as a fuel-sipping hybrid, the Tucson continues to be offered in a range of variants at many different price-points, with both front- and all-wheel drive options.The latest major updates synced the mid-sizer up with the rest of Hyundai’s range in offering a new interior design approach with fresh software, and even an array of buttons and dials for climate and volume controls we always like to see.Nissan has been embattled by rivals in recent years, but its ever-improving X-Trail continues to deserve a look-in as possibly the brand’s most competitive current offering.Spacious, modern, offered with up to seven seats, and with an innovative electric-first e-Power hybrid option, the X-Trail has a lot to offer buyers as a rival specifically to the RAV4 or Honda CR-V.Plus, it gets ergonomic fundamentals right, as well as a good level of refinement and a solid array of well-calibrated safety kit to keep newcomers at bay.Czech brand Skoda, as always, flies under the radar, and the Elroq is certainly worth your consideration thanks to a myriad of factors, not least of which is its surprisingly sharp starting price of (now) $49,990 drive-away. Did we mention it’s fully electric?On top of that, the Elroq is right-sized, with a modest but well-utilised footprint, which is laden with the brand’s clever touches like plenty of storage areas, an umbrella hidden in the door, and plenty of storage organisation options in the boot.The Elroq rides on Volkswagen Group’s MEB platform and is offered with either a long-range 85kWh battery, and now a standard-range 60kWh option. All versions are rear-wheel drive, keeping them efficient, with the longer-range one said to travel up to 529km on the WLTP cycle.The Enyaq is the Elroq’s larger sibling in Skoda’s two-pronged mid-size electric SUV range, offering a sportier look and feel.Recently updated to wear the brand’s latest and more futuristic design language, the Enyaq also inherits a lot of the same brilliant packaging as its smaller sibling. It also offers the same battery variants, which are still relatively long range considering their capacities, with the smaller version travelling 410km on the WLTP cycle, and the larger one travelling up to 548km.Not as affordable as the Elroq, but still good value in the segment, the Enyaq has a lot of the right ingredients to tempt buyers away from other popular offerings in this electric space like the Tesla Model Y or Kia EV5.To be clear here, the RAV4 being considered for our Car of the Year is the current generation, as the next-gen model hadn’t arrived in time for consideration.As dated as this top-seller may be though, it’s remained a top-seller for a reason, namely that it’s well laid out, comfortable, versatile and backed by Toyota’s ever-sturdy reputation.Its quality finish and ever smooth hybrid drive are still some of the best on the market, emulated by many to varying degrees of success.The RAV4 still bests them all in the sales charts though, and some may even argue the styling of this outgoing car is more appealing than the new one, which will also bring with it a long-awaited plug-in hybrid.Zeekr’s long-awaited third model has proven to be its most hyped. The Zeekr 7X is a fully electric premium SUV at the price of a high-end mainstream combustion or hybrid one.Despite its keen price-tag, this is still an impressively specified vehicle, with plenty of high-end features, a big battery with long driving range, and dynamics on par with much more expensive rivals.It also impresses on the design front, with Zeekr’s studio in Sweden next door to those of Polestar and Volvo making the Chinese newcomer feel like much more than a first attempt.

Like a few brands lately, Polestar made waves when it arrived in Australia, but has since struggled to capitalise on the original hype.One of its issues is that it arrived with just the one product, the Tesla Model 3-rivalling Polestar 2, which seemed inherently limited in how well it could do.But the brand has fleshed-out its range now with the sporty Polestar 3 mid-size SUV, and the car we’re looking at for this review - the Polestar 4. Does it have what it takes to keep building this premium challenger brand in an increasingly tough landscape? Let’s find out.First up, what exactly is the Polestar 4? The Swedish brand pitches this EV up as a direct rival to the new electric Porsche Macan, but one glance at the pictures and you might have noticed that this car isn’t an SUV.After driving it, I find the assertion that the Polestar 4 is some kind of ‘crossover’ even harder to believe. Really it’s a slightly pumped-up segment-bender which is definitely closer to an executive sedan than a standard mid-size SUV. Then again, its long roof and high bootline make it feel like some sort of coupe.I am all for this. SUVs are a dime a dozen, and cars like this with genuinely interesting proportions are hard to come by. Plus, as I’ll explore later, it has benefits when it comes to actually driving it.We also have to talk about the rear window. The Polestar 4 doesn’t have one, instead forcing you to rely on a digital rear vision mirror. You get used to it but it never seems to make up for the missing depth perception a real mirror provides.How much does the Polestar 4 cost? The car we're driving is my pick of the range. It’s a Long Range Single Motor with the pricey (but worth it) Plus Pack.The Long Range is, in fact, the base car, starting at $78,500 before on-roads, while the Plus pack adds a further $8000 of kit bringing the total to $86,500.Once you’ve ticked the boxes to get to this point, Polestar tries to tempt you into a Dual Motor - which doubles your power (from 200kW to 400kW) for $88,350 - but don’t go for it. Once you add the missing items, you’re at almost $100,000 and at that price this car makes a bit less sense.Having said that, the Polestar 4 impresses compared to rivals. The aforementioned Porsche Macan EV starts from a whopping $129,800 while only offering slightly more power and range. Based on the segment-bending design of the Polestar 4, I’d also consider its closest rivals to be the BMW i4 (eDrive 35 - $88,000), Mercedes-Benz EQE (300 - $136,600), or perhaps even the equally strange Hyundai Ioniq 6 in specced-up Epiq guise ($82,000). Interestingly all of those options offer similarly long driving ranges, but it certainly makes the value case for the Polestar and its 620km WLTP range evident.Standard kit at this money is fine, you get the recycled(ish) interior trim, big screens, big wheels, ambient lighting - basically the lot - but it’s worth splurging for the Plus Pack because you just get so many luxurious and convenient additions it makes it hard to say no.Sure there’s the (very good) Harmon Kardon audio system, but you also score the fancy illuminated door trims, cool-looking light grey contrast trims, high-end LED headlights, auto-dimming exterior mirrors, tri-zone climate, additional power adjustments for the front seats, a heated steering wheel and heated seats, as well as 22kW(!) AC charging capability.I mean, come on. I know they ‘get you’ with it - the Plus should have been its own trim level, but seriously, if I was already spending this much I’d be ticking that box.Maybe the real sell is this car's driving range, though. The Polestar 4 can travel ridiculously far on a single charge. It feels nearly akin to just driving a petrol car. In my time with the car covering a significant distance, I was always impressed with how much range was left every time I turned it on.I even took to charging it like I use a petrol car - just once every week or two as required. Thankfully, despite its enormous battery, it also charges relatively quickly. The maximum charging speed of 200kW should see the Polestar 4 charge from 10 to 80 per cent in around half an hour, but on the more prolific 150kW charging stations, I was seeing around 40 minutes.The 22kW AC charging rate available on the Plus Pack is a rare addition - only a handful of cars in Australia can do this. Unfortunately, there are fewer chargers that can, which makes this more of a future-proofing feature.Of the WLTP-claimed 620km range, my car was reporting closer to 590km in the real world according to my back-of-the-napkin numbers. With this much driving range you won’t notice the small deficit. I scored 16.4kWh/100km of energy consumption, which is not bad for a car this size.Here's some food for thought on the battery front though: Polestar claims to be the sustainability brand, and yet this car seems emblematic of the brand’s mission butting heads with its need to be a luxury automaker.Sure, a 100kWh battery gives it an enviable driving range, and the brand publishes a quite thorough emissions report which claims that the Polestar 4 is more carbon efficient than a combustion car or even a plug in hybrid (if you go by BMW’s similar emissions report for its 530e, for example).My issue with this is that 100kWh could be three or four plug-in hybrids instead of one Polestar 4. Which of those two options will theoretically remove more carbon from the atmosphere over 20 years? The maths kind of speaks for itself.The Polestar 4 is very nice to drive, giving off big luxury sedan vibes rather than the occasionally overbearing nature of some SUVs in this class. As you sit comparatively low in it, it hides the weight of the batteries well, and its 200kW motor provides plenty of immediate thrust while not being as overwhelming as, for example, the Tesla Model 3 Performance.So it’s a better tourer than a lot of EVs in my opinion. It’s also pretty quiet on the open road, and the attention to detail in the driver feedback and inputs is as European as they come, whether it's the sleek steering feel, or the smoothly integrated regenerative braking. Not too much, not too little.The ride is also relatively plush, offering a degree higher comfort than we’re usually used to from EVs with batteries this big. It’s not perfect though, and some terrain can catch it off-guard, making you feel the heft for a harsh moment.Still, it’s an impressive machine which manages to avoid the extremes.A final note on the ownership piece for this car. Polestar offers a five year and unlimited kilometre warranty with matching roadside assist, which is only really okay these days. However, it will cost you nothing to service the car for those first five years or 100,000km, which is pretty compelling, especially when combined with potentially ultra-low running costs from a home solar system.