2026 Chery Tiggo 4 Reviews

The Australian car industry is in the middle of a major shake-up and not all brands are likely to survive it. In fact, I’d go so far as to say some of the biggest name brands, car makers we have loved for decades, may disappear within the next five years.That’s the hard reality of the dramatic change that is sweeping the industry. The new wave of Chinese car brands have arrived and quickly established themselves with solid market share. But that share has to come from somewhere and the reality is, the brands that are feeling the squeeze more than any other are those smack dab at the heart of the market.Looking at the sales data for the first half of 2026 it’s clear who are the biggest winners and losers. Geely is up 494.6 per cent, BYD has risen 124.1 per cent and Chery sales are 76.8 per cent improved, plus both GWM, MG, Omoda-Jaecoo and Zeekr are also increasing their presence.So where are those buyers coming from? Well, Toyota is down 21.4 per cent, Mazda is 17.2 per cent down and Ford has dropped 10.6 per cent. But I’m not suggesting any of those brands are doomed, Toyota is confident of a second half bounce back and Ford remains atop the all-important ute market. Instead, the bigger concern are the brands in the middle and lower half of the top 10, which are shedding sales at a higher rate and face increasing and long-term pressure from the newer arrivals. Nissan has dropped 32.8 per cent, Mitsubishi is down 25.7 per cent, Subaru down 25.6 per cent and Volkswagen has dropped 16.5 per cent, and there is no clear pathway for them to regain so much lost ground.While I’ve been talking strictly in sale percentage terms, the raw numbers don’t make good reading for those brands. BYD is obviously having a huge year, notching over 52,000 sales, but it’s brands like Geely (10,970 sales), Omoda-Jaecoo (8808) and even Zeekr (5835) that are starting to make serious in-roads on the likes Subaru (14,817), Nissan (13,854) and Volkswagen (12,333).In simple terms, the Australia new car pie is only so big, it typically hovers around the 1.2 million mark each year, so the slice of pie for each brand will get smaller as more and more brands enter the market. Short of a sudden and dramatic expansion of the number of people buying new cars, all of the established brands will need to get comfortable selling less volume. Brands will need to adapt to this new world order to survive and not just the so-called ‘legacy’ brands like Nissan, Subaru, etc, but also the new, predominantly Chinese brands. Since 2021 there have been more than a dozen new brands enter the market from China alone and there are more coming, with Forthing, Lepas, iCaur and Jetour all confirmed for Australia.There simply aren’t enough buyers to make more than 70 car brands viable in Australia so get used to hearing announcements like we have recently with Peugeot and Fiat about ‘reevaluating’ or ‘restructuring’ or just plain ‘leaving’ the Australian market for good.Ultimately who survives and who doesn’t will come down to you, the new car customer, as your choice will dictate which brands maintain enough sales to remain viable - and which ones fade away.

Chery’s comeback from zero to hero in Australia is truly remarkable, but what has been the secret to its second-time lucky success?  Did Chery stumble onto a genie’s lamp while it was lost in the wilderness and wish for sales success? Because somewhere between 2015 and 2026 the car company, which left Australia with a reputation for low-quality, unsafe vehicles, returned a decade later with a line-up of outstanding cars that have won over Australia.Australian sales until the end of July show Chery to be the eighth best-selling car brand in Australia, with 29,579 vehicles sold. The Tiggo 4 small SUV was the fifth most popular car in Australia last month.This means Chery has overtaken mainstream brands such as Nissan, Mitsubishi, Volkswagen, Honda and Subaru. It is even starting to creep into the Mazda (currently on 46,960), Hyundai (45,581) and Kia (48,399) bracket.Chery will get even closer to these brands, as they are losing sales and Chery’s market share is increasing. And its ute hasn’t even arrived.When the Chery Stockman arrives it won’t just be another ute, it’ll likely have the same success as BYD’s Shark 6 because it’ll offer the benefit of being a plug-in hybrid (PHEV). The edge the Stockman will have over the Shark 6 is it’ll be a diesel PHEV, not a petrol, which will make it popular for off-road use and towing. The addition of Stockman will increase Chery’s sales by at least 1000 per month. Whether it catches Hyundai, Kia and Mazda before the end of the year is yet to be seen, but Chery has come from a lot further back.This time last year Chery had sold only 17,272 cars, and the current year-to-date sales represent a doubling in market share to 4.2 per cent.Toyota is the final boss of the Australian car market and its year-to-date sales of 115,550 make everybody else’s results seem minuscule, even BYD that has reached 60,192. Chery is probably not gunning for the top spot right now, unless that was specifically wished for when it found the magic lamp.For Chery to even reach where it is today in the three years since it returned to Australia in 2023, with one car and no sales in almost a decade seems nothing short of magical.The truth is Chery’s stellar comeback is down to five factors: elevating quality perception through design but keeping retail pricing low; hiring outside automotive designers and engineers from European, United States and Korean car companies; investing big in next-gen electric and hybrid platforms, and mostly important and the reason for all of this - focussing on exports.That’s it! Oh, and just add excellent timing and money, lots of money.The importance of Chery’s export focus can’t be overstated. Exports bankroll the business. Not a lot of profit is made in Chery’s local Chinese market, while bigger than our Australian brains can comprehend, it’s so cut-throat that vehicle manufacturers are struggling to make a decent profit. So ruthless was the price war that in February this year the Chinese government banned car makers from selling below production cost, which they had been doing just to compete with each other. The stomach was eating itself.Chery realised this and put most of its energy into exports and this meant lifting the quality to a standard oversea markets had become accustomed to set by Japanese car makers such as Toyota, Honda and Mazda.This meant hiring designers and engineers from outside China, senior executives from European, Korean, Japanese and American car companies    Steve Eum, Korean born but raised in the United States, is now Chery’s Vice President and General Manager of Global Design having worked for Kia, Hyundai, General Motors and even Ford where he was based in Australia and worked on the Falcon.Eum succeeded Kevin Rice, who had worked on the MX-5 and helped develop the BMW 3 Series and 4 Series.Keeping that premium feel but pricing the vehicles to be among the most affordable vehicles offered in a market is guaranteed to be a sales winning combination anywhere, especially in Australia.Chery’s been smart enough to add sub-brands such as Jaecoo, Omoda and Lepas, which bring more luxury, sportiness and premium electric choices. The Jaecoo J5 for instance is often mistaken for a Range Rover when spotted on the road. That the hybrid and electric technology is outstanding, was also important. Chery’s super hybrids such as the Tiggo 9 and Tiggo 8 are incredibly fuel efficient.   Chery’s timing of having a wide range of affordable electric and hybrid vehicles at precisely the same time as Australian buyers were switching to EVs in record numbers was also key. The fuel crises caused by the war in Iran pushed EV sales to more than 23 per cent of all new cars sold in June and continued through July when it was above 21 per cent.In July 2026 Chery became the first Chinese car maker to surpass 20 million global sales. Sales in Europe for Chery were up by more than 200 per cent and in the UK Chery came in at No.2 for sales in July beating local favourite Ford.And the company hasn’t even started selling in the United States yet, but it will within the next two years.Chery has been very fortunate this time around, but luck is only when opportunity meets skill as they say.Or maybe Chery did find a genie’s lamp. In which case I wonder what its two other wishes were? 

Chery’s new Stockman diesel plug-in hybrid (PHEV) ute is arriving soon, but we’ve been given a hint about what to expect from its follow-up act.The Chery Stockman will initially arrive with the headline-grabbing 2.5-litre turbocharged diesel engine with an electric motor set-up, which will deliver 350kW and 800Nm to all four wheels.It can drive up to a claimed 100km under electric-only power and is packed full of tough off-road hardware.But this is just the beginning according to Chery Australia’s Chief operating officer Lucas Harris.Harris has told CarsGuide previously the Stockman will add a petrol plug-in hybrid to its line-up in 2027.The new petrol plug-in ute promises to match the diesel’s capabilities with a 3500kg braked towing capacity, which matches the BYD Shark 6 Performance.It will likely be a more urban-focused ute, while the diesel option will be better for off-roading and long-range touring.But we now have an idea what might be lurking under the bonnet of this petrol plug-in hybrid, thanks to one of Chery’s many sub-brands.Jetour is Chery’s tough, off-road focused sub-brand and it has a new petrol plug-in hybrid ute based on the Stockman.Dubbed the Jetour F700, it has been revealed in China with an enticing price equivalent to about $63,000, and the petrol Stockman will likely use its plug-in hybrid set-up.The F700 packs a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine matched to two electric motors - one on each axle for all-wheel drive - that combine for a monster 665kW and 1135Nm. That leaves the BYD Shark 6 Performance’s 350kW/700Nm in the rear-view mirror.It can drive up to 150km on electric power, but this is calculated on the generous CLTC cycle. Expect closer to 100km on the benchmark WLTP test.It can drive a claimed 1300km on a full battery charge and tank of petrol.A front and rear locking differential shows it can handle the rough stuff and it will use an off-road battery developed by Chinese battery giant CATL.

Australians are still buying cars in greater quantity than ever before, despite tough economic conditions.The new vehicle market recorded its strongest ever July result off the back of the same feat in June. Toyota has had a resurgent month up against its Chinese challengers BYD and Chery, led by its new-generation RAV4 SUV. Electric car sales are also showing no signs of slowing down in Australia, accounting for more than one-in-five cars sold. Chinese brands are becoming a staple high up the sales charts in Australia, with many budget-focused models continuing to drive sales. Toyota achieved 20,409 registrations for July, more than double what BYD managed.The Japanese juggernaut has taken out the top-two spots for July with its RAV4 family SUV and HiLux ute.The RAV4 has shot up the sale charts to take out pole position, with 5564 units, wrestling back against early supply issues plaguing the new version of the hugely popular family model. Plug-in hybrid variants of the RAV4 have received some serious attention from buyers, accounting for nearly 40 per cent of the SUV's total sales.Toyota's HiLux ute was not far behind, boasting 4721 units and overtaking the Ford Ranger (4042) in July. The brand also experienced its best month in 2026 for its Land Cruiser Prado and 300 Series 4WDs.Fully-electric cars represented more than one-fifth of all sales in July, with rising fuel prices continuing to influence buyer choices.The Tesla Model Y registered another month as the best-selling EV in Australia, with 4644 units in July between its five- (2215) and six-seater (2429) variants according to EV Council data. BYD’s Sealion 7 mid-size SUV was another strong performer, with 2548 examples sold last month, keeping its tag as the brand’s best-selling model for another month.The Geely EX5 (2034) made another appearance in the top 10 best sellers, followed by the Zeekr 7X (1892). The Chery Tiggo 4 (2156) small SUV has continued its run as one of the best-selling small SUVs, holding off competition from the Hyundai Kona (2096) and Mazda CX-5 (1836).BYD held onto second position in the overall sales standings for July (7857), despite a noticeable drop-off from June. In addition to the Sealion 7, its Shark 6 plug-in hybrid ute registered another confident registration figure, with 1216 units, along with the Atto 2 small SUV (1214).Chery, Geely, GWM and MG all made the top 10 best-selling brands for the month.

Chery is tapping a local engineering firm to sharpen its incoming Stockman ute into a real-life Toyota HiLux and BYD Shark 6 smasher.Aussie outfit Premcar, which already turns Nissan Patrols and Navaras into 4WD beasts, will undertake extensive local testing and validation to get the Stockman ready for Aussie roads and adventures.Chery Australia Chief Operating Officer Lucas Harris previously said the brand had one chance to get the ute right, and it appears it is throwing everything but the kitchen sink at it to make it a proper success."Australia is one of the world's most demanding ute markets, and we know our customers expect a vehicle that performs confidently across everything from urban streets to highways, construction sites and remote off-road tracks," said Harris.Premcar boss Bernie Quinn said Chery had very clear vision on what it wanted from its Stockman ute.“Chery has gone the extra mile with its first-ever Stockman ute,” he said.The move to undertake a comprehensive ride and handling program is a change of course for the brand, which previously told CarsGuide it doesn’t need to tune its cars in Australia to get a better result.“I think as long as we have the intelligent and educated input, whether we do that work in China or Europe or North America is irrelevant,” Harris said previously.“As long as the request is right of the spec we want and how we want it to behave and then a local validation of whether we got what we asked for. You don’t need a facility here to do that.”The importance of getting the Stockman right for Aussies appears to have changed that.The Stockman is due to go on sale by the end of the year, and will be powered by a diesel plug-in hybrid set-up. Not even Toyota - the master of diesel utes and hybrids - has delivered this set-up.The Stockman combines a 2.5-litre turbocharged diesel engine with an electric motor to deliver 350kW and 800Nm sent to all four wheels.It can drive up to 100km under electric-only power, but this is calculated via the more lenient NEDC test cycle. Expect closer to 80km when tested to the benchmark WLTP cycle.A petrol plug-in version will join the range in 2027.The Stockman will be a proper work truck, with leaf spring rear suspension paired with more sophisticated double wishbone hardware up front.It will have a 750kg unbraked and 3500kg braked towing capacity. Chery has not revealed payload yet.The Stockman will wear all terrain tyres as standard and will have 247mm of ground clearance.It is a big unit measuring 5450mm long, 2010 wide and 1890 tall. It’s wheelbase is a large 3250mm. The tub is 1560mm long, 1560mm wide and 500mm high.Chery has also previously said it would have front, centre and rear diff locks, and it should have low gearing for proper off-roading.

KGM, formerly SsangYong, has received a large investment from Chery as the Chinese giant looks to secure a long-term strategic presence in South Korea.Chery has pledged a US$75 million (over $107 million) investment in Korea’s third largest automaker, following on from a previously-announced deal to build a mid-size and large SUV using Chery platforms in South Korea.Both brands will also deepen collaborations on software, electrical architecture and autonomous driving features.The deal will grant KGM access to Chery platforms, which will give it a boost on the electrification front, and accelerate product development cycles. For Chery it will potentially open up a manufacturing base in South Korea, which can have several trade benefits, particularly to markets like Europe in the future.The previous strategic agreement between the brands will result in a co-developed vehicle (code-named SE-10) on the Chery T2X platform, which currently underpins the Tiggo 9 large SUV. The Tiggo 9 is currently Chery’s flagship offering in Australia.This platform will give KGM access to desirable plug-in hybrid tech, which is a notable omission from its current line-up.KGM said the SE-10 will be in the upper large segment and “continue the Rexton’s legacy”. It also said the joint-venture vehicle will launch in early 2027 globally and will be available both as a plug-in hybrid and 2.0-litre petrol turbo.It is unclear whether this model will live alongside the Musso-based Rexton, which KGM dubs “Korea’s only ladder frame SUV” or replace it entirely. The latter would mean no replacement Rexton based on the new-generation Q300 Musso.The Korea Times reports Chery said it was open to the idea of launching the Chery brand in South Korea, but for now was focused on its partnership only.Chery is not the only manufacturer eyeing South Korea as an important and globally strategic manufacturing base. Geely and Renault share resources and build cars at the former Renault/Samsung plant in Busan, including the new-generation Grand Koleos and Polestar 4.For KGM the investment is critical as it seeks to be more of a global player after years of financial turmoil under the SsangYong brand.The automaker languished under its previous owner Mahindra and for a long time struggled to find a buyer, which has had the knock-on effect of delaying new model roll-out plans. This is part of the reason the brand has long lived in the shadow of Korea’s most famous duo, Hyundai and Kia.Now owned by South Korean chemical and resource giant KG, the company has since paid its debts and launched a range of new models, including the mid-sized Torres and Actyon SUVs, and has spun-off its Musso ute range into a sub-brand, launching the Musso EV and next-generation Q300 diesel ute.Under the SsangYong brand, the Korean company had significant staying power in Australia despite a relatively small operation thanks to a cult following for its affordable and unassuming diesel Musso ute which continues to be its best-seller.While KGM has struggled with the rise of affordable Chinese rivals in the Australian market, it will no doubt be pinning its future sales success Down Under on the Q300 Musso which launches here later in 2026.Meanwhile Chery has surged up the charts locally, now ranking amongst Australia’s top-10 automakers thanks largely to the success of its ultra-affordable Tiggo 4 small SUV and Tiggo 7 mid-sizer.Chery also looks set to flood the market with its sub-brands building on the existing success of Omoda/Jaecoo (albeit largely via the Jaecoo J5 EV).Not only will it launch Lepas in Australia later this year, but the arrival of the off-road focused Jetour and blocky iCaur lifestyle brands are also expected.While many headlines are drawn to BYD, and SAIC (MG, LDV) has been established for longer in Australia, Chery is China’s largest vehicle exporter, sending 1,146,350 vehicles overseas, nearly doubling its tally from last year.Its deal with KGM is just one of a range of strategic investments, with others around the world including with Jaguar Land Rover (which has spawned a re-boot of Freelander as a new joint-venture brand) and also a memorandum of understanding with Indian giant, Tata Motors.It also plans to utilise part of Nissan’s Sunderland plant in the UK to build Chery models for the UK and Europe.

Could a Jaecoo-badged version of the upcoming Chery Stockman ute be on the cards for Australia?The Chinese-made Chery workhorse is set to enter the super competitive dual-cab market later this year and it will be the first ute powered by a diesel-electric plug-in hybrid powertrain.Being part of the massive Chery Group, Omoda Jaecoo could potentially offer its own version of the ute if it can make a business plan stack up.Omoda Jaecoo Australia Chief Commercial Officer Roy Munoz told CarsGuide Chery Group shares platforms and tech, but he was coy on whether his brand was developing its own version of the ute.“So because we're part of Chery as a group, obviously we share platforms, we share powertrains, we share R&D and technology. So it's always possible that we could have our own version, but nothing's been confirmed at this stage,” he said at the recent Jaecoo J8 launch.When asked if he thought a ute would be a good fit for the brand in Australia, Munoz quickly said “yes.”“I always think that there's always room for another option for the Australian market, and yeah, ultimately the customer will decide whether that product belongs or not.”While not officially confirmed, a Jaecoo ute makes sense given the positioning of the brand. Under the wider Chery banner, Jaecoo is positioned as the adventure brand, although the coming iCaur brand is also undoubtedly an adventure brand.Yet another Chery brand, Jetour, has already detailed its version of the Stockman, dubbed the F700 for China.The Stockman’s powertrain combines a 2.5-litre turbocharged diesel engine with an electric motor delivering 350kW/800Nm sent to all four wheels.It has an EV-only driving range up to 100km, but this is calculated via the more lenient NEDC test cycle. Expect closer to 80km when tested to the WLTP cycle.Chery Group Australia’s management must also be looking at dual-cab ute sales and considering whether further growth is even possible.The 4x4 dual-cab ute segment has stagnated with year-to-date sales figures to the end of June down 11.1 per cent, or close to 12,000 units. A number of new ute models that have arrived in the past 12 or so months have failed to fire, including the MG U9 and its LDV Terron 9 twin, the JAC T9, Foton Tunland (all from China) and Kia’s Tasman.The only new ute that’s struck a chord with buyers is the BYD Shark 6 plug-in hybrid (PHEV), which is now Australia’s third best-selling 4x4 dual-cab behind the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux.The Chery Stockman’s strong design and innovative diesel plug-in hybrid setup could help it buck the trend in the ute segment, but could a Jaecoo version do the same? Time will tell.Regardless of whether Jaecoo opts for a ute based on the new ladder-frame platform that underpins Stockman, there is a possibility that the brand could use it to form the basis of a large premium SUV - something Chinese marques are increasingly focusing on.Munoz wouldn’t be drawn on whether a new SUV model built on the platform was in development, but left it open to possibility.“It's certainly always appealing. I wouldn't be able to comment on whether there is something coming or not, but certainly, the powertrain now exists, the platform exists, so anything is possible.”Carmakers typically don’t spend millions developing new platforms and powertrains for a single model, so expect the diesel plug-in hybrid ladder frame to surface somewhere new soon.

Sharply-priced deals can be the best way for buyers to get into a new car in Australia. Car sales are surging, with June 2026 an all-time monthly Australian record. Brands continue to put enticing deals on the table, even for their most popular models.From SUVs to utes and hybrid to electric, there are plenty of cars on offer at a cut price. Here are some of the best ones we’ve found. Ford is currently offering $3000 off and five free general services on select Ranger ute and Everest SUV models until the 30th of September. The 2.0-litre diesel Ranger XLT 2WD top-spec dual-cab model is now available from $49,990, before on-road costs. The V6-powered Wildtrak grade of the 4WD dual-cab pick-up is available from $72,090.The 4WD XLS and XLT cab-chassis grades start from $55,450 and $63,590, respectively, as part of the offer. Two grades of the V6 Everest SUV are also eligible for the $3000 discount, with the Sport starting from $73,990, while the Tremor starts from $76,990. These deals are only available on the Blue Oval’s MY26.5 stock.Peugeot is offering some serious discounts on its hybrid SUVs as it parts ways with its local distributor Inchcape. The 2008 compact SUV is available on a drive-away offer of $39,990, with it previously on sale from $42,990, before on-road costs. The mid-sized 3008 starts from $48,990, drive-away, down from $52,990 (before on-road costs). Peugeot’s 5008 large SUV has a drive-away price of $48,990, contrasting its $52,990, before on-road costs, price tag. Leapmotor has put a series of sharp deals on the table for its electrified SUV range until September 30. The mid-sizer C10 range-extender hybrid has a $42,990 drive-away offer, with a $3000 cash-back offer reducing that price to $38,990. The car normally retails from $43,888, before on-road costs. EV versions of the C10 are also available on a drive-away deal of $47,990, with an additional $3000 cash back decreasing the price to $44,990. This is a sizeable discount on the $45,888 before on-road costs starting price. The smaller B10 EV is available from $38,990, drive-away, down from $43,888 (before on-road costs).BYD continues to add competitive deals across its line-up in Australia. Shark 6 cab-chassis and Premium examples are available with a $2500 cash-back until July 31. This reduces before on-road costs pricing on the cab-chassis price to $52,500, and $60,500 on the Premium. The cash-back offer extends to its Sealion 5, Sealion 6 and Sealion 7 SUV range, with the Atto 3 electric SUV eligible for a $2000 cash back. Chery similarly has $2000 cash-back offers on most of its range including the Tiggo 4, Tiggo 7, Tiggo 8 and Tiggo 9 SUVs. This deal is only available until 31 August on cars built in 2025.Nissan has slashed the price of its Navara ute range until August 31. There are heavy discounts on lower grade Navara units, with the base car available from $49,990 (drive-away), down from $53,348, before on-road costs. The range-topping Navara Pro-4X ute is just $63,990, drive-away, compared to its original $68,418, before on-road costs pricing. Existing Nissan customers are also eligible for a $2000 loyalty bonus. 

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

Aussie buyers could soon get their hands on a cheap new EV.The Chery QQ3 is a budget-focused electric hatchback that would rival the BYD Atto 1 for the title of the cheapest electric car on sale Down Under. It is substantially bigger than the Atto 1, and closer in size to the BYD Dolphin and incoming Geely EX2.The China-built hatch is about to hit Indonesian showrooms in right-hand drive as a potential final stepping-stone before landing in Australia.It is currently under review for Australia, but it seems to be only a matter of time before Chery confirms its arrival. Chery Australia’s Chief Operating officer told CarsGuide at the start of this year the brand was keen on introducing a car from the QQ series.“I think having a very small and then a small hatchback would be a game changer,” Harris said.“So if we could bring something like the QQ, I think it’d be a huge amount of opportunity.”Here is what we know so far about the QQ3 as it pushes towards an Australian launch. The QQ3 is available in China in rear-wheel drive, with a single electric motor producing either 58kW/90Nm or 90kW/115Nm.It is offered with 29kWh and 41kWh battery units, and a driving range of up to 420km, according to lenient CLTC standards.The Indonesian model has a driving range of 400km, according to the more reliable, but still outdated, NEDC cycle that is still not reflective of real-world figures. DC charging from 30 to 80 per cent takes less than 17 minutes. The QQ3 features similar elements to the petrol-powered first-generation QQ city car.It is substantially bigger than the first generation, measuring up at 4195mm long, 1811mm wide, 1568mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2700mm.It has a bubble-like overall design, with a rounded headlights and side mirrors.There is a crossed-over ‘X’ wheel design, with two vertical strips, contrasting a spoked alloy set-up. The interior has a 15.6-inch central touchscreen and 8.8-inch digital driver display, along with a six-speaker audio system. It also boasts plenty of storage space for a small car, including up to 1450L of boot space and a 70L front storage compartment.The QQ3 is pitched as a budget electric car, so it will have to be competitive with the BYD Atto 1 starting from $23,990, before on-road costs.It is priced in Indonesia from 200,000,000 rupiah, which is roughly $16,000. It costs 68,920 yuan ($14,500) in China, so it could potentially be offered from less than $25,000 in Australia.  The QQ3 has still not been officially confirmed for Australia, but its right-hand drive status accelerates its path here. The car also underwent hot-weather testing in Australia at the start of 2026.It is unlikely we will see the car Down Under this year, with 2027 a more likely prospect.