2024 Lexus UX300H Reviews

Hybrid power is now mainstream for Aussie buyers.  It's an important choice for buyers transitioning from petrol- and diesel-powered cars to full EVs.Hybrid-powered cars are also important for brands as they seeks alternatives to internal combustion cars that incur fines under the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES).There are broad categories of hybrid cars in Australia, and each one has its own benefits for buyers.Here's a look at what hybrids are available, and which one might suit you best.Mild hybrid power is the first stage of electrification for cars.Mild hybrid cars can't drive on EV power alone, because they only use a small, low-voltage battery (usually) 48-volt, with a less than 1kWh capacity.The electric motor usual powers certain electrical features and the starter motor.They don't need to be charged, but they also don't offer noticeably better fuel efficiency than standard petrol- and diesel-powered cars.The popular Toyota HiLux ute is available with a 48-volt mild hybrid system, while Suzuki and Renault offer mild hybrid set-ups on some of their models.Conventional hybrid, plug-less hybrid or self-charging hybrid cars are popular in Australia.The engine works seamlessly with a bigger electric motor to maximise fuel efficiency.A conventional hybrid usually runs on electric-only power at low speeds or for short distances when cruising at higher speeds. The engine will kick in at higher speeds or when more power is needed, blending petrol and electric power.This makes fuels efficiency in urban environments or star-stop traffic better than what a petrol- or diesel-powered car would achieve.The battery in a conventional hybrid is charged by the engine and from regenerative braking, meaning the car doesn't need to be plugged in.The conventional hybrid car's battery is smaller than those in plug-in hybrid and fully-electric cars, and still requires a petrol engine to run.Toyota provides conventional hybrid set-ups on the vast majority of its Australian line-up, including its RAV4 SUV and Camry sedan.Other popular brands Kia, Hyundai and others also have affordable conventional hybrid variants on its popular models.Plug-in hybrids or PHEVs take hybrid power to the next level because they are equipped with a much larger battery and a more powerful electric motor set-up.PHEVs have a long electric-only driving range, with some capable of exceeding 200km, before the engine is needed to drive the wheels. Most new PHEVs have an EV range of at least 100km.This means daily commuters will rarely have to fill-up on fuel if they charge the battery every night.PHEVs also boast significant combined driving range as they have a regular sized fuel tank to power the engine, resulting in ranges of north of 1000km before the fuel tank and battery are depleted.Carmakers often claim PHEVs drink less than 2.0L/100km of fuel, but that requires owners to constantly charge their batteries and never let it deplete.Once the battery is depleted fuel use will skyrocket, as the small engine has to move around a heavy vehicle weighed down by the battery and electric motors.PHEVs suit a buyer with access to charging facilities, who also want outstanding fuel efficiency.Bigger Chinese vehicles usually employ PHEV set-ups, including the BYD Shark 6 ute and incoming Zeekr 8X and 9X.Range-extender hybrids, also known as Range Extender Electric Vehicle (REEV) or Extended-Range Electric vehicle (EREV), are gaining popularity globally.They are feature similar hardware to PHEVs, but work in a different way.The engine in a REEV's is used as a generator for charging the battery, and the wheels are driven by the electric motor, or motors, only.REEV's have an EV-sized battery that can also be plugged in to charge, giving these cars a driving range comfortably exceeding 1000km.Leapmotor's B10 and C10 SUVs use REEV set-ups in Australia, but the incoming Forthing Taikon 5 and the XPeng L03 will also employ the set-up when they hit showrooms.Nissan’s ‘e-Power’ hybrid system in the X-Trail and Qashqai SUVs employ REEV tech on a smaller scale, using the engine to power a small battery that powers the wheels, but this battery cannot be plugged in to charge.

If you’re an EV buyer in 2026, you need to know about this. The Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) has revealed the state of play for electric and plug-in hybrid cars in Australia in 2026. This is the 10th year of the ‘State of EVs’ report as more buyers bought EVs than ever before Down Under. The report analysed the 2025-26 financial year, and how buyer trends and infrastructure, among other things, have changed in that time. It called for several policy reforms, including targeted equity-based policy to assist economically-disadvantaged Aussies reap the benefits of EV driving.Australia’s charging landscape is diverse, it is also complex and fragmented and needs major investment, according to the report. In June 2026, there were 4268 public charging locations, which is 235 per cent more than June 2025There were 11,602 public charge points in June 2026, up 175 per cent compared to June 2025The EVC said there needs to be more research into how owners charge EVs and where they need them most. “Australia still needs substantial public charging investment, but the task is not as simple as just installing more fast chargers,” the report reads.  “Most charging happens where vehicles already park—at homes, apartment buildings, workplaces, destinations, kerbsides and depots.”The report calls for a nationally-coordinated charging roadmap and scaled infrastructure deployment.This news comes after NRMA spokesperson Peter Khoury told CarsGuide in December 2025 Australia’s charging infrastructure was lagging behind. “We’re nowhere near. We’ve got nowhere near enough public charging,” NRMA spokesperson Khoury said. “There are lots of areas that don’t have energy that comes from outside the energy grid so you’ve got to create energy sources at those locations.”The EVC is calling for the government to implement a range of new rules in Australia. It wants a targeted equity-based policy to help all Australians use EVs and take advantage of the cost savings with EV adoption.The report states that EVs have lower running costs than petrol- and diesel-powered cars, with less maintenance, seeing a typical driver saving roughly $3000 per year. The EVC said this figure did not include the substantial increases to fuel prices in 2026, with savings calculated today even higher. It said the federal government needs to implement an updated New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) for cars sold beyond 2029 to align with 2035 emissions reduction targets. NVES is a set of emissions rules that imposes fines on cars sold that emit high levels of CO2 into the atmosphere. Developing a car takes a brand several years to complete, meaning carmakers need to know the rules these models will need to follow.It also said there should be a national road-user charge that does not deter EV uptake.This would differ from the current system proposed by the New South Wales government from 2027 that the EVC said would slow EV sales.The New South Wales government wants a road user charge to make up for lost fuel excise revenue and ensure all road users contribute to maintenance. The EVC found a fully-electric or PHEV car was bought every 100 seconds on average in the first half of 2026, with one in four new car sales using an electric powertrain.The report reads cost-of-living pressures, soaring fuel prices and greater EV choice has contributed to a sharp increase in electric car uptake in 2026. Fully-electric and PHEV sales accounted for 25.8 per cent of new car sales up to June 2026, increasing from 12.1 per cent up to June 2025There are 196 combined full EV and PHEV models on sale, compared to 153 models in 2025There were 157,957 electric and PHEV sales in H1 2026, up 177 per cent from H1 2025Australia’s EV uptake is now in line with the global average, according to the International Energy Agency“So, at a time when fuel prices are fluctuating and cost-of-living continues to bite, it’s no surprise that EVs have become a popular choice,” the report states. “As of June 2026, drivers have never had a greater choice of EVs in Australia.”Australia recently got its new cheapest electric car in the BYD Atto 1 that is being offered from $19,990 (drive-away) until December, 15 2026.

Lexus has unveiled an upgraded version of its NX mid-size SUV featuring subtle design tweaks, a revised hybrid system and new battery tech as well as improved body rigidity and better ride quality.Offered across 300h, 350h and 450h+ variants in Japan, it’s likely the same line-up will be offered locally when the new car hits Aussie showrooms in the first part of 2027.The 300h is a 2.0-litre, front-wheel drive series-parallel hybrid with an overall output of 145kW, the 350h is a 2.5-litre hybrid in front- or all-wheel drive producing 140-180kW, with the 2.5L AWD plug-in hybrid flagship 450h+ delivering 215-240kW (with an EV-only driving range of 140km in Japan). At 4690mm, the new NX is 30mm longer than the model it replaces with width (1865mm), height (1660mm) and wheelbase (2690mm) unchanged. An exterior design refresh includes integrating reshaped headlights and DRLs with a raised mesh grille which is claimed to improve aero and cooling performance. Car-spotters should also look out for exterior mirror covers in black rather than chrome and LED tail-lights featuring a ‘Double L Signature’ graphic.Inside, a 12.3-inch instrument display is joined by a 14-inch navigation/multimedia panel with a ‘Sensory Concierge’ combining ‘linear illumination’, music, air conditioning, seat temperature, fragrance and ‘indirect lighting’ to “create a calm and sophisticated atmosphere.”The new car’s compact ‘e-Axle’ which integrates the transaxle, motor and PCU (Power Control Unit) now uses silicon carbide (SiC) in the inverter's power elements to enhance efficiency and improve fuel economy.At the same time the flagship NX450h+ features a new battery pack boasting eight per cent higher output and a 30 per cent capacity increase for additional range and even faster DC charging.By changing battery cell orientation from longitudinal to lateral, body rigidity has been improved and the car’s centre of gravity lowered for improved handling dynamics.Torsional strength has also been improved across the board through “reshaping of the engine block and increased rigidity of the transaxle and engine connection using reinforcing materials.” This also contributes to reduced noise, vibration and harshness (NVH).Floor rigidity has been improved by approximately 25 per cent and the suspension towers have been integrated more thoroughly with connected components.The claim is a 30 per cent improvement in overall rigidity “resulting in improved handling, ride comfort and reduced road noise.”In fact, Lexus said the new NX’s performance characteristics have been fine-tuned at the Toyota Technical Centre Shimoyama, west of Tokyo and Germany's Nürburgring.New dampers feature ‘ultra low-speed valves’ for a better balance between handling response and ride comfort.The variable-ratio steering set-up has been recalibrated to adjust to changing demands faster and accelerator control has been revised for a more linear response. The steering wheel itself is also 10mm smaller in diameter.Standard wheels are 18-inch alloy shod with 235/60 rubber with F Sport grades stepping up to 20-inch rims and 235/50 tyres.Active (crash-avoidance) safety has also been “evolved to recognize objects more broadly and from a greater distance, expanding the range of accident scenarios it can address.”Other safety systems have also been upgraded, including:Active cruise controlLane-change assistPre-collision safetyDriver monitoringAdaptive high-beamBlind-spot monitoringPanoramic overhead 3D view Pricing and exact specification will be confirmed closer to the new car’s launch date but for reference the existing line-up starts at $71,830, before on-road costs, for the 350h 2WD Luxury and tops out at $96,090, BOC, for the 450h+ F Sport.  

Toyota is getting serious about its EV plans.The Japanese carmaker will build a new-generation electric car in China using a revolutionary manufacturing process, according to a report in Nikkei Asia.The SUV model will be sold under Toyota’s luxury division Lexus and will be built in the company’s new plant in Shanghai.This marks a huge shift for Toyota - a brand that has historically developed its new technology for vehicles in Japan before exporting globally.This time it will develop the technology in China and then potentially bring it back home.China is a hub for EV manufacturing, with local and now legacy brands.Toyota is the latest example, although only a small scale at this stage.Gigacasting is a game-changer for EV production because it makes cars lighter, stronger and cheaper to build.Electric cars are heavier than petrol- and diesel-powered equivalents, so reduced weight boosts driving range significantly. Gigacasting is a process where a large die-casting machine moulds the body components of a car into a single piece, rather than welding many individual steel parts. It could reduce the overall body weight by as much as 20 per cent, while also being cheaper to build overall.Tesla and Xiaomi were early adopters of the technology, with other brands like Toyota now exploring it.  Many Tesla Model Y’s feature gigacasting on front and rear underbody elements, while the rear underbody of the very popular Xiaomi SU7 is also produced using a single piece. This new EV could be the production version of Lexus' LF-ZL Electric SUV concept revealed in 2023.Lexus also revealed a sedan concept called the LF-ZC at the same time.Lexus said at the time both models were designed to be built using gigacasting.Toyota will begin production of its new Lexus-badged electric car in the first quarter of 2027. The brand plans to produce 1000 units each month for the first year, before expanding to tens of thousands per year by 2028. If Toyota is successful with its gigacasting project in China, it is likely to be brought back to Japan for mainstream use on its cars to save the company money and time.Don’t expect to see this Lexus EV in Aussie showrooms any time soon, because Australia is more likely to receive other Toyota vehicles built with gigacasting in the coming years. 

Lexus launched its first fully-electric car in Australia back in 2023, but it’s fair to say the RZ has hardly made an impact on the electric car scene.Cursed at the time by high pricing, low driving range and a lack of features many EV adopters were looking for, the RZ seemed destined to sit at the bottom of the electric pecking order.Determined to turn its fortunes around, Lexus has refreshed the RZ for 2026 with drastically lower pricing and tweaked specs which it hopes will grant it a second look in the eyes of buyers.Does it have what it takes? I took a top-spec RZ 550e F-Sport for a week to find out.First things first, pricing. Lexus has slashed prices from the RZ range for its latest update to the point where this sporty top-spec one at $105,000, before on-road costs, is now more affordable than the base variant (which cost over $123,000!) when it first arrived in 2023.As a dedicated EV which shares its underpinnings with the Toyota bZ4X, the RZ’s closest rival is the Genesis GV60 from Korea, although comparisons are now difficult, because the GV60 in rear-drive form is $88,000. To get AWD like this RZ 550e you need to splash for the higher-performance GV60 Magma ($130,000).It also needs to face-off against the Audi Q4 e-tron (AWD from $99,818), BMW iX3 ($109,900 in AWD guise) and most problematically for Lexus, the smash-hit Zeekr 7X from China which costs from just $72,900 in Performance AWD trim.While the price-cut is welcome, and this top-spec car gets a bigger battery than before, it still feels like a let-down on range which remains a key consideration for many electric car buyers.Officially this higher-performance 550 e F-Sport version has 437km of driving range according to the WLTP measuring standard, on the back of an official 18.9kWh/100km energy consumption and a slightly larger 77kWh battery pack.My real-world test had the car’s computer reporting 410km of range, with the trip computer showing my most efficient trip being 18.8kWh/100km. It’s within a reasonable margin of error to the claim, but still disappointing in a market where many rival EVs will do 460km+ in the real world.There are other improvements. While the RZ maintains its somewhat middling 150kW DC charging capability for a half hour (10-80 per cent) charge on a compatible station, AC charging capacity has doubled from 11kW to 22kW.Power has also taken a jump, with total outputs now hovering at 300kW combined power for this 550e F-Sport. Unfortunately, though, all RZs are all-wheel drive, so range is a persistent issue no matter which variant you pick.On the styling front, the changes are also subtle, with this luxury mid-sizer maintaining a similar futuristic look to the pre-update version, complete with a grille-free face, and spiky aero coupe rear with twin protrusions on the roof and an interesting split spoiler atop the tailgate.The elephant in the interior is of course the 550 e F Sport’s yoke steering wheel. It’s strange to look at and bizarre to use.We’ll get to that in a moment, but the rest of the interior continues the futuristic theme with the asymmetrical stepped dash design, high beltline for the doors and weird little button door handles.The multimedia screen is a good size at 14 inches, and there’s a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster sunken into the dash complemented by a holographic head-up display for the driver.Despite its tech overload in the interior one advantage this Lexus maintains is physical dials for the dual-zone climate control and even an audio volume dial, with a handful of shortcut buttons, too.The steering wheel also features an array of initially very confusing buttons and controls which you get used to.Software in the RZ is pretty basic. While it isn’t burdened by some of the gimmicks of Chinese rivals, it’s also a bit too simple for a modern EV, not featuring some of the genuinely useful innovations of some of its rivals like pet mode or detailed energy consumption data screens.The back seat, while offering plenty of space behind my own (182cm) driving position, feels devoid of specific luxuries. The dark trim makes it feel small, but there are air vents and USB ports on the back of the centre console along with rear seat heating.The boot is a decent but not stellar 522 litres and there’s no spare wheel. Nor is there a vehicle-to-load system.Where this 550e variant shines, though, is behind the wheel, but it will take some getting used to.The yoke steering can’t turn a full 360-degrees, so the steer-by-wire control makes the wheels turn to full lock after just half a rotation.This, combined with almost zero feedback from the front wheels, is a confusing feeling. Even after a week, I couldn’t get used to the steering ratio. I found myself constantly having to correct after steering too far or too little.Take it on a bendy back road though and you’re in for a treat. The all-wheel drive system and brilliant torque management on offer in the RZ give this swoopy EV cat-like reflexes, mind-bending amounts of grip and healthy dollops of power despite relatively modest on-paper figures.This car highlights where Japanese automakers still maintain an advantage over their Chinese rivals. It’s brilliant to drive in unexpected and delightful ways.Like other Lexus products, the supple suspension and gentle cabin ambiance makes for a serene place to be and the safety tech proved refreshingly non-invasive.An important consideration is the Lexus ownership piece which is pretty good.A five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty is middling these days, but Lexus’ Encore ownership club, which you get five years' membership to as part of your service also includes things like loan cars at service time, as well as invites to events and track days and a range of deals with partner organisations.Service for the RZ is required once a year or every 15,000km and for the first five years it's fixed at $395. This is good for any car, but great for a luxury brand.

In a world of monstrously big SUVs and terrifyingly giant utes, there still exists the super large saloons for those who prefer to maintain a powerful presence with class and sophistication. We're talking limos - not the party kind - we mean the luxurious transport for business executives or those who prefer to be driven rather than drive.We've put together the top 5 largest cars currently sold in AustraliaLength: 5139mm Width: 2241mm Height: 1464mmA Lotus was not on my list of possible big-car candidates, but here we are with the fully electric 5139mm long Emeya four-door lift back. The Emeya is the first of its kind from a brand that forged its iconic reputation by building tiny sportscars in a shed. Things have changed and Lotus is now owned by Chinese manufacturer Geely, and the Emeya is built in China. While not the longest car here, the Emeya is actually the widest with its wing mirrors out. Despite its enormous exterior dimensions the Emeya isn’t particularly voluminous on the inside, but there are four seats and a 509-litre boot. Dual motors make 450kW and 710Nm, 0-100km/h in 4.1 seconds. The starting price is $190K.Length: 5139mm Width: 1900mm Height: 1450mmSecretly loving that a Toyota, sorry Lexus, quietly slipped into this top 5 elite party. At 5235mm end-to-end the LS isn’t small, and nor is it short on luxury.Lexus positions itself as a Benz or BMW on a budget, but with a starting price of $200,000 the LS isn’t all that cheap. The value is outstanding, however, compared to the others here, and while rolling up in a Lexus to meet business executives at the airport doesn’t have the same impact as a BMW 7 Series, but as a car girl, I honestly think the LS is more opulent.Powered by a V6 hybrid the LS is without a doubt the most reliable and cheapest to maintain limo here.Length: 5391mm Width: 1950mm Height: 1544mmBMW’s 7 Series is seriously imposing, a cliff face on wheels, with its gigantic grille and its sheer vertical drop, but it’s not just all front - this beast is 5.39m end to end. As a reference the Australian design rules state a car park space must be 5.4m long and 2.4m wide. So it’ll fit… just.   Updated for 2026/27 with BMW’s next-gen Neue Klasse design the 7 Series looks even more menacing and futuristic, while the interior is sporty and hi-tech with screens everywhere. As for powertrains you can burn fossil fuel with a 3.0-litre inline 294kW/580Nm six-cylinder engine on offer but the electric i7’s enormously powerful and torquey motors (making up to 400kW and 745Nm) and seamlessly brutal ability to get out of its own way suits the big BMW limo better.  The 7 Series starts at a list price of $272,900.Length: 5469mm  Width: 2109mm  Height: 1510mmThe Mercedes-Maybach S-Class is a super luxury version of the S-Class and it’s even longer than one too. A regular S-Class long wheelbase is 5289mm end to end while the Maybach version stretched 180mm at 5469mm in length.While more or less the same car as the S-Class the Maybach offers more legroom, more decadence and more engine - with a V12 offered on the higher grades.The Maybach is also more expensive - almost double the price of an S-Class LWB at about $630,000Length: 5982mm, width: 2154mm Height: 1656mmOf course the biggest car sold in Australia is a Rolls-Royce and it’s not just the Phantom Extended, it’s also the Ghost Extended at 5715mm and the Spectre Series II at 5453mm. But if we had included them, then the top 5 biggest cars would have all been Rollers.So we’ve gone for the largest Rolls-Royce car, the Phantom Extended, which at 5982mm is more a train than a car and 220mm longer than the standard wheelbase Phantom.While there are only four seats in a Phantom Extended they are the size of lounge chairs in a sumptuous hotel lobby and legroom is, well you can literally lie down back there because the seats become beds.In Australia the Phantom Extended starts at more than $1.1m but as with most Rolls-Royce’s the customers will want to personalise it with bespoke touches taking the final price much higher. 

This V8-powered Japanese coupe is being phased out in Australia. Lexus has confirmed the LC is approaching the end of its lifecycle Down Under. A special edition LC 500 will hit Aussie shores in the second half of this year as the final examples of the car.Lexus said allocation for the car has already been exhausted, with only a small number of units provided.A spokesperson for Lexus Australia also confirmed the you can no longer order any model from the LC lineup anymore.So what is next for the iconic sports car? The LC 500 is Lexus’ flagship two-door sports car, available in hard-top coupe or convertible form.It carried a more than $200,000 price tag in Australia, having launched globally in 2017 as a direct rival luxury grand-touring coupes like the BMW 8-Series.The rear-wheel drive LC is fitted with either a 5.0-litre V8 petrol engine, producing 351kW/540Nm or a 3.5-litre hybrid petrol engine, with 264kW and 350Nm. Lexus originally planned to halt production for the car in late 2025, but this latest special edition batch will now be its final iteration.It is the bigger sibling of the RC compact sports car that was discontinued in 2022. A spokesperson for Lexus Australia said they could not comment on what would replace the LC 500. It does seem like the full-blooded V8 engine will be a thing of the past for the Lexus sports car.Speculation in 2024 suggested the LC’s replacement would ditch V8 and non-hybrid V6 set-ups to be powered by a 3.5-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 hybrid engine or fully-electric alternative. Lexus also unveiled an electric sports car concept at the Japan Mobility Show last year that could provide a glimpse into what is coming. The concept provided few details other than its striking looks, but it did feature multiple electric motors and batteries, according to the brand. An electric successor to the LC is more likely as Lexus targets an electric-only lineup by 2030. We could learn more of this new potential model in the coming months, and into 2027.

A deadly 6.8-magnitude earthquake in Japan has halted production at multiple facilities across two major domestic car brands, Toyota and Nissan.As it currently stands 13 people have been killed in the earthquake and, as reported by Automotive News, production output of more than 5000 vehicles could be lost due to the facility shutdowns.One of the affected production facilities is Toyota’s Miyata assembly plant, which produces many Lexus vehicles. These include the ES sedan, as well as the UX, RX and NX SUVs.One shift was reportedly suspended at the Miyata production plant on July 28, following the earthquake. Production then restarted in the morning of July 29, but was suspended again in the afternoon.A decision was reportedly made to suspend production until July 31."Lexus Australia is currently assessing the impact of the recent Kumamoto earthquake in Japan on production and supply of vehicles for the Australian market," said a Lexus Australia spokesperson."While this is still an emerging issue, we can confirm that currently production for NX, UX, ES and RX has been suspended since 28 July, 2026 pending safety assessments and supplier impact."Lexus is currently studying the impact of this suspension and in the process of developing a recovery plan."Two facilities that manufacture components for Toyota vehicles reportedly suspended production following the earthquake.This reportedly includes Aisin Kyushu, which produces suspension components for Toyota vehicles, as well as engine components and doors. Ahrestry Corporation is also reportedly affected and it is an automotive diecast component maker.At this stage neither company has reportedly given a clear indication of when production output will resume at full capacity.Nissan partially suspended production at its Nissan Shatai Kyushu and Nissan Motor Kyushu facilities following the earthquake.The former produces the Nissan Patrol/Armada and Infiniti QX80 SUVs, as well as the Elgrand people mover.The latter, on the other hand, produces the Kicks and X-Trail SUVs, as well as the Serena people mover.“I can confirm that Nissan Motor Kyushu and Nissan Shatai Kyushu have partially suspended production this week due to earthquake-related parts supply delays,” said a Nissan Australia spokesperson.“At this stage, we have not received any information to suggest there will be any interruption to the supply of vehicles destined for Australia. However, the situation remains fluid, and we will continue to monitor developments closely.”

Buyers still love 4WDs in Australia. It remains a big-selling segment, but some of its biggest hitters are suffering losses.China is starting to get a foothold in the market with budget offerings posing a serious threat to established regulars.Emissions-heavy vehicles such as 4WDs are also coming under fire from increasingly stringent rules in Australia.Here is the rundown of the best-selling 4WDs up to June 2026. The Ford Everest large SUV is up front with more than 11,000 sales in 2026 so far, despite a near 10 per cent year-on-year drop. It is based on the Ford Ranger, which is the best-selling ute in Australia.The Toyota Prado takes second place with more than 9000 sales so far this year, but it has experienced an even sharper drop of nearly 42 per cent year-on-year.The Prado is a scaled down version of the LandCruiser 300 Series, using a 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, as opposed to the more powerful V6. Isuzu’s MU-X is third, making 7564 sales up to June, but it too experienced a more minor slump of 3.2 per cent. The LandCruiser 300 Series is currently fourth on the standings, and is the only car in the top five to have experienced a substantial growth in sales. Its 6451 sales constitutes a 26.3 per cent rise compared to first six months of 2025.Toyota also released a performance petrol hybrid V6 variant earlier this year.The Suzuki Jimny rounds out the top five as a much smaller and cheaper competitor to those above it. Priced from $31,990, before on-road costs, the Jimny is down 11.1 per cent compared to this time last year, while still amassing 3882 sales. The Nissan Patrol is down nearly 25 per cent compared to its sales result up to June 2025, with 2843 sales so far in 2026. The current Y62 petrol V8 Patrol will cease production next month, and order books for a new twin-turbo V6 will open later. GWM’s Tank 300 mid-size SUV off-roader has continued to surge up the sales charts in 2026, with 2759 sales so far.The Tank 300 is available in petrol, diesel, plug-less hybrid and plug-in hybrid set-ups - more varied than any of its competitors. BYD’s Denza sub-brand is another Chinese rival experiencing a solid sales return in Australia.Its B5 plug-in hybrid SUV has already accumulated 1445 sales this year, having only gone on sale in December 2025.Its bigger sibling the B8 is also approaching the 1000-unit mark midway through this year. The ultra-luxury GMC Yukon Denali from the United States is starting to pick up momentum in Australia. The V8-powered eight-seater Yukon Denali went on sale in the middle of last year, but 2026 has seen sales explode by nearly 190 per cent. It remains a low-volume model with only 202 sales, as it carries a $174,990 price tag. The 4WD segment is about undergo some serious changes in the next few months, including an influx of new models.The Mitsubishi Pajero will return to Australia, along with several new Chinese competitors likely to join it over the next 18 months.The anticipated Geely Galaxy Cruiser is slated for a UK launch, meaning Australia could its next step, while the GAC Yue 7 also seems to be on the way. 

The Lexus ES has never been regarded as a blue-blooded Lexus, being so clearly Toyota Camry-based. But that changes with the eighth-generation ES, ushering in a redesigned body and interior, fresh tech, a stronger platform, sharper steering, new suspension and adaptive dampers for the electric version as tested here in ES350e guise. Collectively, do they transform the Japanese luxury sedan?