2007 Hyundai Trajet Reviews

It’s 2026, and this year will mark a decade since Ford ended manufacturing in Australia, with Holden and Toyota also ending local production a year later. So, who’s making the cars we love now? And by who, we mean which countries?Here are the top five countries that made our favourite cars in 2025.Australia’s love of European cars is ongoing but that appears to be coming off the boil slightly with 2025 sales of cars built in Germany dropping to 54,905, down by 2639 units on the year before.Doing the heavy lifting are models such as the Volkswagen Tiguan and Golf, along with the Mercedes-Benz GLC and GLA SUVs which are made in Germany for Australia.It’s unlikely Aussies will stop treating themselves to cars from Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Volkswagen anytime soon, if ever. But as you will see the gap between prestige-niche (prest-niche?) and mainstream models could grow increasingly larger as Chinese offerings head further upmarket while keeping prices low.Hyundai and Kia are the big two Korean carmakers, with KGM (formerly SsangYong) struggling but still hanging on. Between the three they made 149,966 of the cars bought by Aussies in 2025. That’s down from 157,760 in 2024.Australians love models such as the Hyundai Kona and Santa Fe and Kia Sportage which are all made in Korea for our market. The drop in the number of Korean-made cars we bought could be attributed to the biggest mover in the top five manufacturers. Enter China.Number three today, number two tomorrow? Possibly sooner. The popularity of Chinese-made cars accelerated dramatically from 2024 to 2025, the overall number going from 176,159 to 221,699. Yes, an increase of 45,540 cars (+26 per cent), almost the total amount of German-made cars sold in 2025. Impressive.Chinese-made models such as the BYD Shark 6 ute, GWM Haval Jolion and MG ZS SUV have been snapped up by Aussies in their tens of thousands.As with any race, the battle between third and second place is often more riveting than what’s going on in first and China is breathing down the neck of Thailand right now.It might surprise you (or not at all) to know that Thailand came in second place for 2025. But only just, with 249,958 cars made for Aussies, which is down from 272,139 in 2024.What cars does Thailand make? Pretty much every ute on sale in Australia and utes are hugely popular here.Yep, from the Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max and Mazda BT-50 to the Mitsubishi Triton, Nissan Navara and Toyota HiLux. Thailand is a ute powerhouse.Japan is our winner for 2025 as the country which makes more cars that we buy than any other nation. Japan made 358,981 of the cars Aussies bought and that’s up from 241,296 in 2024. Carrying the heavy end of this big number is Toyota with firm Aussie favourites such as the RAV4, Corolla, Camry, Corolla Cross, Land Cruiser and Prado.By now you know the Toyota HiLux is made in Thailand, but did you know the Kluger is built in the United States for Australia? You do now.

The Australian new car market is going through one of its biggest changes to date.A wave of budget-focused Chinese brands has washed over the market in the past two years, eating away into the sales of many established carmakers.The emergence of new technologies such as hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles will change the cars we drive forever.Despite that, some things have stayed the same. Diesel-powered utes and 4WDs are the dominant force in Aussie motoring, but new models are snapping at their heels.Here are the best selling 100 vehicles in Australia during the past year.

Hyundai has placed heavy discounts across its range of electric Kona compact SUVs.

Hyundai spent 2025 making a series of behind-the-scenes changes to turn around its sales slide of recent years.So in 2026, the brand needs to deliver.While the most notable changes have been the arrival of the new Palisade, Inster and Ioniq 9, the most important changes have been the fresh negotiations between recently-installed new CEO Don Romano and the Hyundai dealers.And that should be the bit that actually impacts you — the potential Hyundai customer.If Romano and his team have been successful, you'll find Hyundai dealers are more motivated to sell you a new car, now that red tape and other hurdles that previous management put in place have been removed.“ Well, we’re bringing out new products, right?,” Romano told CarsGuide in June, 2025. “There’s gonna be a few more… But the real goal that I have is to regain the confidence of our dealers and make sure that Hyundai becomes top of mind. This was a strategy we put together in Canada, when Canada had the same exact scenario where our sales had declined we had lost the confidence of the dealer body. And I think that’s first and foremost, that dealers right now have 70 different brands out there that they’re juggling. And where does Hyundai stand in that line-up, making that one of their top priorities? That’s exactly like my goal has always been to look at who’s number one and see how they interact with their dealer body as one team, and that’s absolutely my goal is to work closer with the dealers than before.”The timing couldn't be better, as Hyundai has been headed in the wrong direction on the sales charts for the past few years. Hyundai was the third biggest brand in Australia in 2021, but has been going in reverse since then, dropping to sixth in 2024. While there was some progress in 2025, climbing back to fifth place, the reality is Hyundai’s overall sales numbers have been relatively flat for the past several years and that suggests change is needed.The brand has definitely focused on pushing more upmarket in recent years, launching the Palisade in a single, high-grade Calligraphy trim as well as the six-figure Ioniq 9, but while that can be profitable the brand still needs volume to grow.That’s why there are some crucial new models coming this year, starting with the Elexio, its first Chinese-built electric vehicle. While Hyundai has been one of the most proactive ‘legacy’ brands when it comes to EVs — offering the Inster, Kona, Ioniq 5, Ioinq 6 and Ioniq 9 — they make up less than three per cent of the brand’s total sales.And Romano wasn’t afraid to admit it, when he spoke to us last August, saying: “ We do a terrible job with our EVs. On the record. We are not doing the job we should be.”He added: “Our market share of electric vehicles is extremely low relative to our market share of total vehicles, and the only explanation for that is that we haven’t put enough focus on it because I can see other companies that are selling electric cars that are doing a much better job with their EVs than they do with their ICE (internal combustion vehicles). We’re the opposite.”The Elexio won’t be the brand’s cheapest EV, but it has the potential to be the best-value, as the Kia EV5 twin-under-the-skin should be able to take advantage of the same elements that have allowed brands like MG, BYD and Geely to offer cheaper, more popular EV models.Of course, while EVs attract plenty of attention, the core volume models for Hyundai have traditionally been its small and mid-size SUVs as well as its hatchbacks. The i30 hatch is on its last legs, though.So there will be a need to transition buyers into other options, such as the Venue and Kona, which both enjoyed growth in ‘25.The Tucson remains a solid performer and the Santa Fe is picking up steam, but Hyundai will likely need more than just the addition of the Palisade XRT Pro to get its biggest SUV selling in bigger numbers again.Whether these elements are enough to get Hyundai to grow its sales and improve its position on the charts by the end of 2026 remains to be seen, but the pressure will be on after so much change in 2025.

Hyundai has announced the pricing and specifications for its Elexio all-electric mid-size SUV. The Elexio comes in a single variant and is priced at $59,990 drive-away as a launch introductory offer. It will compete against the Tesla Model Y, Kia EV5, XPeng G6 and the Geely EX5.The Elexio is similarly priced to the XPeng G6, which ranges from $54,800 to $59,800 (before on-road costs).It is more expensive than the Geely EX5, which starts at $40,990, before on-road costs, but cheaper than the Tesla Model Y that starts at $58,900 (before on-road costs).Its single electric motor produces 160kW and 310Nm and there is a range of 546km (WLTP) from a 88kWh lithium-ion-phosphate battery.DC charging from 10-80 per cent takes 38 minutes.The Elexio will only launch in Australia with the 'Elite' single motor variant and not the dual motor all-wheel drive variant available overseas. When contacted for comment, a spokesperson for Hyundai Australia said the Elite grade will be the only option for buyers in the future at this stage.The Elexio is built in China as a product of Beijing Hyundai, which is a joint venture between Hyundai and BAIC Motor.  The car has undergone an Australian-specific tune, with suspension and steering tweaked to tackle demanding roads.The Elexio has been edging towards an Australian launch over recent months, with Carsguide spotting the SUV on the back of a truck in December 2025. It will join Hyundai’s increasingly growing electric SUV range in Australia, sitting in between the smaller Kona and the bigger Ioniq 5.Hyundai said it expects the Elexio to launch in Australia in the first quarter of 2026. 2026 Hyundai Elexio pricing Australia 2026 Hyundai Elexio electric motor and efficiency 2026 Hyundai Elexio standard features20-inch alloy wheelsHeated and power folding side mirrorsPower tailgate4-spoke leather steering wheelHeated steering wheelLeather appointed seatsHeated and ventilated front seatsKeyless entry and startWireless phone chargingRain sensing wipers27-inch digital driver and central touchscreen displayHead-up display6-speaker audio system2026 Hyundai Elexio safetyThe Hyundai Elexio has not been crash tested.9 airbagsLane keep assistBlind spot assistHigh beam assistHighway driving assistLane departure warningForward collision avoidance assistIn-cabin camera for driver monitoringParking collision avoidance assist2026 Hyundai Elexio dimensions  2026 Hyundai Elexio warranty and servicingThe Hyundai Elexio comes with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, which can be extended to seven years if all servicing is with Hyundai and on time. There is an eight-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty for the high-voltage battery. Hyundai's 'Genuine Service Plan' is available with the car. Pricing has not been disclosed yet.

These are officially Australia's favourite cars.

A ute from Hyundai could be in the works and it might signal a new direction for the brand.

We’ve already looked at the most important cars coming in 2026, but what about the ones that may not be big sellers but will generate a lot of excitement?Well, there’s plenty of those to choose from (because there’s no shortage of new models to choose from in the jam-packed Australian new car market anyway), but we’ve narrowed it down to the five most notable examples. These may not be the most popular newcomers, but they are the new offerings that make the biggest statement about the brand’s intent. Toyota RAV4 PHEVToyota was adamant for over a decade that its conventional hybrid system was all it needed to keep buyers happy. But with plug-in hybrid sales more than doubling in 2025 it has finally decided that the time is right to join the party.The RAV4 PHEV won’t land until later in the year, months after the rest of the range goes on sale, but it will bring with it a new flagship GR Sport variant. This will be powered by a dual-motor all-wheel drive plug-in hybrid powertrain that will make 227kW and be capable of driving up to 100km on electric power alone.There will also be a single-motor, front-wheel drive option, on the more affordable mid-spec XSE trim line, which should ensure the PHEV has appeal to a reasonable amount of the market.The biggest challenge for Toyota will be ensuring the RAV4 PHEV is price-competitive against its Chinese rivals, such as the BYD Sealion 6 (from $42,990), GWM Haval H6 (from $44,990) and MG HS (from $49,690).Mazda 6e Will it be second time’s a charm for Mazda with electric cars? And, perhaps even more curiously, is there still a market for the sedan?Local management has made no secret that its first electric offering, the MX-30, was a niche player that had limited appeal at its size and price. But that’s not the case for the 6e, which is a very different proposition on every level and therefore holds great potential - for better or worse - for the brand.For starters, the 6e is the product of Mazda’s partnership with Chinese carmaker Changan, makers of Deepal. That has allowed Mazda to confirm a starting price of “less than $55,000” for the 6e, which is pretty competitive for a mid-size sedan, regardless of powertrain. However, both electric cars and mid-size sedans are still niche propositions, so the combination of both makes for a significant challenge for Mazda to overcome. If the price and specification levels are appealing, perhaps the Mazda badge can help lure buyers away from a Tesla Model 3 and BYD Seal, but even if it does that successfully the 6e will likely be a modest seller.But what makes it so exciting is the potential it has to define Mazda’s future. If it does well, Mazda will likely continue to explore more EV options. But if it doesn’t, the brand will need to pivot and focus on its PHEV powertrains for the foreseeable future.Hyundai Palisade XRT ProHaving enjoyed huge success with its sporty ‘N’ brand, Hyundai is trying to expand its portfolio into the off-road space with ‘XRT’. We’ve already seen accessories packs for the Santa Fe, but in 2026 the brand will take the next step and offer the Palisade XRT Pro as a specific trim grade.While the Santa Fe XRT package was style focused, the Palisade XRT Pro takes everything a step further. There’s a unique grille and lower bumper that incorporates twin, chassis-mounted tow hooks, as well as new side skirts and rear bumper, all of which improves its approach, breakover and departure angles.There is a new XRT Pro-exclusive rear electronic limited-slip differential for better off-road capability as well as downhill brake control and new terrain modes for mud, sand and snow, plus 18-inch alloy wheels with all-terrain tyres. But Hyundai has stopped short of modifying the suspension, so it is unlikely to convince true off-roaders to make the switch.But it shows Hyundai is serious about making XRT Pro another element of its arsenal and we’ve seen there is scope for more XRT and XRT Pro models in the future, assuming the Palisade makes an impact.Denza B5 and B8 Perhaps the biggest problem Hyundai faces competing with the LandCruiser and Everest is actually these two new arrivals. Denza, a spin-off from BYD, is also aiming to become an alternative to the current large SUV kings.The Prado-sized B5 and LandCruiser rivaling B8 are both powered by potent plug-in hybrid powertrains while still being capable of towing up to 3000kg and 3500kg, respectively.As evidenced by the success of the BYD Shark 6, Australians are open-minded about plug-in hybrid utes, so it makes sense for Denza to see if the same is true for the rugged SUV market.With the entire range all priced below $100,000, and the B5 kicking off from a highly-competitive $74,990, Denza has positioned itself well to try and attract Aussie adventures to its new offerings.Nissan PatrolIt’s been a long, long time coming but the Patrol is inching closer to Australia. It’s still not 100 per cent locked in for a 2026 showroom arrival, but it’s still the most exciting new model for Nissan in a long time.After a difficult 2025 thanks to the company's financial troubles, Nissan Australia could do with a positive boost this year. The new Patrol drops the old V8 and replaces it with a twin-turbo V6 that makes even more performance, a very healthy 317kW/700Nm.It may not be Nissan’s biggest seller, but the new Patrol will be a big and, more importantly, positive addition to the line-up which makes it very exciting.

Amid the seemingly endless influx of new cars coming our way there are some that are simply more important than others.

Amidst all the excitement of new car brands arriving in Australia (seemingly by the day), it's easy to forget that not every member of the class of 2025 will be joining us in the new year.