The age of SUVs is firmly upon us, and carmakers are rolling out high-riding wagons at an astonishing rate.
There is something for everyone: from little to giant, petrol to electric and everything in between.
These are the best SUVs coming to Australia in 2026
Kia EV9 GT - January
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Kia’s high performance seven-seater monster electric SUV arrives early in 2026.
We thought the EV9 GT line’s output was high at 283kW but the incoming GT dual motors make a ridiculous 374kW.
With 0-100km/h rushing towards you in 4.3 seconds and simulated gear shifts, the GT takes family SUVs to the electric supercar level.
Toyota RAV4 Hybrid - Q1
The new RAV4 adopts a more rugged exterior look with somewhat busier styling than the previous model. An equally tough-looking cabin comes with a large 12.9inch media screen on the Edge grade.
Power from the 2.5-litre series-parallel hybrid system is down slightly with an output of 143kW in both front- and all-wheel drive.
KGM Actyon Hybrid - Q1
KGM’s (formerly Ssangyong) Actyon Hybrid arrives early in 2026, and uses a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine combined with a dual-motor hybrid transmission system and a 1.83kWh battery.
Combined output is 130kW and 300Nm and that goes to the front wheels only, claimed fuel consumption is 6.7L/100km.
Suzuki Vitara Hybrid - Q1
Suzuki’s Vitara small SUV will arrive early in 2026 with a hybrid powertrain. Well, it will be a mild hybrid meaning a 48 volt system and not an electric motor which actually powers the vehicle's wheels.
The Vitara hybrid will have a 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine predicting 95kW and 235Nm. Fuel consumption is expected to be between 5-6L/100km.
Volvo EX90 (800-volt) - Q1
Volvo’s big three row seven seat electric SUV has been buffered up with 800V architecture and that means faster charging, a higher motor power output with better acceleration and quicker computer processing capabilities.
It will continue to use a 111kWh battery, feeding twin motors that make either with 300kW/770Nm or 380kW/910Nm, both with up to 570km of range.
Leapmotor B10 - Q1
The fully electric Leapmotor B10 arrives early in 2026 as a rival to the MG S5 EV and Hyundai Kona Electric.
Two variants are on offer - a Style and Design.
The entry grade Style has a 56.2kWh battery for up to 361km of range while the Design gets a larger 67.1kWh battery for up to 434km.
Jaecoo J5 EV - February
The Jaecoo J5 EV will arrive slightly ahead of its combustion powered and hybrid twins in early 2026.
Powered a 150kW electric motor and a 61.1kWh battery with a claimed range of up to (WLPT).
The five-seater small SUV will join the rest of its Jaecoo siblings — the J7 mid-sized SUV and J8 large SUV — and rivals the likes of the MG S5 EV.
Jaecoo J5 ICE - March
Chery’s luxury sub-brand Jaecoo will add the J5 small SUV to its range in early 2026. The J5 arrives as the entry grade into the Jaecoo range joining the J7 mid-size SUV and J8 large SUV.
The J5 will be offered with three different power soures: petrol, hybrid and full electric.
The ICE version will have a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine making 108kW and 210Nm, and will be front-wheel drive.
Jaecoo J5 Hybrid - March
The Jaecoo J5 Hybrid will arrive at the same time as its combustion sibling but will pair a 1.5-litre petrol engine with a dedicated hybrid transaxle.
The J5 Hybrid small SUV will join the rest of its family including the J7 mid-size SUV and J8 large SUV.
Rivals to the J5 Hybrid include the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid and Haval Jolion Hybrid.
Leapmotor B10 REEV - Q2
Leapmotor will add an extended range hybrid version of the B10 to its line-up next year.
A range extender is essentially a hybrid but one which uses a petrol engine to charge the onboard electric motor which powers the electric motor and drives the wheels.
Suzuki e Vitara - Q2
Suzuki will bring the fully electric e Vitara small SUV to Australia before the middle of 2026.
The e Vitara will have a choice of two batteries - 48kWh and 61kWh, with the larger offering up to 500km. A single motor variant and an all-wheel drive dual motor version will come to Australia, too..
Toyota bZ4X Touring - Q2
Toyota’s bZ4X Touring arrives before the middle of 2026 bringing more space than the mid sized SUV it’s based on.
Toyota took the bZ4X and stretched it by 140mm so that it now measures 4830mm end-to-end.
It is all-wheel drive only and its dual motors make a combined 280kW. A 74.7kWh battery is expected to provide about 500km of driving range.
Mazda CX-5 - Mid-year
Yes, it looks almost identical to the current CX-5 but this third generation version of the popular SUV is all-new as they say in the business.
The new exterior design of the next-gen CX-5 brings it more in line with the luxo CX-50 with a more refined and premium look, while the interior is vastly different looking to the previous model.
BMW iX3 - Mid-year
This new-gen iX3 model is a ground up purpose-built EV, and the first BMW to lead the brand into its Neue Klasse era.
The Neue Klasse platform is BMW’s secret weapon to beat the Chinese electric carmakers and boasts 800V architecture and a claimed driving range of up to 805km. This makes it one of the best electric SUVs on the market.
Toyota RAV4 PHEV - Q3
The new RAV4 will be Toyota first plug-in hybrid in Australia. This will combine a 2.5-litre petrol engine with either one or two electric motors depending on if it is front- or all-wheel drive.
It will have a 22.7 kWh battery, with a maximum charge rate of 50 kW DC and 11kW AC and an EV-only driving range of up to 100km.
Kia Seltos - H2
Kia’s Seltos is the brand’s small but large-for-the-class SUV and its new generation is due in the second half of 2026.
We’re expecting a very different, rugged and boxy look for the new Seltos which will share its underpinnings with the Hyundai Kona.
The Seltos will also be available with a hybrid system also borrowed from the Kona, but an EV version isn’t likely given that Kia already has the EV3.
Alfa Romeo Tonale - H2
Alfa Romeo’s small SUV has been subtly updated with fresh styling to the front and rear, plus new features as part of a mid-life revamp.
Expected to land in the second half of 2026 the new Tonale will be available in a petrol variant and a plug-in hybrid version despite the PHEV version being discontinued in the US.
A rival to the Lexus UX300h, the Tonale sits above the Junior and below the Stelvio in Alfa Romeo’s SUV range.
Kia EV2 - H2
Kia’s little EV2 electric SUV will arrive late in 2026 and take its place in the brand’s line-up under the EV3.
The EV2 has a 40kWh battery in the standard grade, while a long range variant will have the same 58kWh battery as the EV3 with up to 482km of range.
Depending on the price the EV2 could easily be one of the best small SUVs on offer.
Mercedes-Benz GLC EV - H2
Mercedes-Benz’s answer to the BMW iX3 is the GLC EV due in the second half of 2026.
The fully electric GLC EV replaces the EQC with a dramatically different new look and tech.
The top-of-the-range GLC400 4MATIC with EQ Technology is powered by two electric motors providing all-wheel drive and a combined output of 360kW.
Haval Jolion Max - H2
The Haval Jolion Max is a larger version of, you guessed it, the Haval Jolion, and it’ll land towards the end of 2026 in both plug-in hybrid and EV versions.
The Jolion Max is about 130mm longer than the Jolion and will take on the likes of the Chery E5 and BYD Atto 3.
Jaecoo J8 SHS - late 2026
Jaecoo will launch a lug-in hybrid version of its five-seater J8 large SUV.
Jaecoo calls it the Super Hybrid System (SHS) and it’s already available on the small J7, but the J8 will have a more powerful setup.
Omoda 7 SHS - Late 2026
Omoda is another of Chery’s sub-brands, and the Omoda 7 SHS plug-in hybrid mid-sized SUV will arrive in late 2026.
The Omoda 7 SHS uses the same platform as its Jaecoo J7 SHS, which means a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine combined with an electric motor and 18.3kWh battery.
Genesis GV60 Magma - 2026
Hyundai’s luxury sub brand Genesis has made its first seriously high performance vehicle - the GV60 Magma.
Genesis has taken the same wild platform that underpins the ballistic Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and given it to the GV60 Magma. That means it uses dual motors to produce 478kW and 790Nm allowing it to reach a top speed of 264km/h.
It has been equipped with bigger brakes, more sophisticated electronically controlled suspension and an electronic limited slip differential.
Hyundai Nexo - 2026
Hyundai’s small hydrogen SUV Nexo is ahead of its time — and we mean that in the truest sense, as current hydrogen infrastructure is nowhere near ready to support a vehicle like this properly.
Still we are all cheering for Nexo and the new-gen model doesn’t just look great but it’s larger, has a longer 826km range from its bigger hydrogen fuel cell battery which takes five minutes to fill.
Now, just need to find a place to fill up…
Other new models coming in 2026
Want to know what other new models are due in 2026? Check out our rolling coverage by clicking on the links below.
