Hatchback News

The Cupra Raval has been created to be the small electric car you'll actually love to drive when it arrives in Australia in 2027.The first of four battery-powered small cars developed by the Volkswagen Group, the pint-sized Cupra Raval shares its MEB+ platform with the Volkswagen ID. Polo, ID. Cross and Skoda Epiq, with all four to be manufactured in plants in Spain.Built to battle the Mini Cooper Electric and Renault 5 EV available in Europe and coming Chinese small EVs such as the Geely EX2 and Nio Firefly, Cupra has priced the unashamedly sporty Raval from €26,000 (A$43,400), which means it will command a big five-figure premium over some of the cheapest Chinese EVs Down Under.The Spanish brand hopes you'll think it will be a price worth paying, with the small EV adopting features and levels of personalisation normally associated with more expensive premium offerings. Most will be attracted by the baby Cupra's striking looks, which were previewed by the 2021 UrbanRebel concept.Matching the show car's muscular proportions, the small Cupra's trademark shark nose front end, along with hidden door handles, front air curtains, active grille shutters and a rear spoiler and diffuser, all bless the Raval with best-in-class aerodynamics.Measuring in at 4046mm long, 1784mm wide and 1518mm tall with a 2600mm wheelbase, despite its small footprint, space is impressive within, with rear adults able to squeeze themselves behind the driver in the second row although the 430-litre boot is only average for a highly competitive segment.Behind the wheel, Cupra says the Raval will drive like nothing else in the segment and, to ensure it has the edge over the pair of Volkswagen and Skoda stablemates, the Raval comes with the firm's 'progressive' variable ratio steering, special wheel carriers, front and rear brake discs, and a wider front axle, for a sharper, grippier drive more akin to a hot hatch.Driving the front wheels is the choice of either an 85kW or 98kW e-motor that is combined with a modest 37kWh battery for a 300km range.Faster versions bag 155kW and a larger 52kWh battery that boosts the range to 400km, while the most powerful 166kW motor is reserved for the sportiest Raval VZ that gets large 19-inch alloy wheels electronic limited-slip differential and adaptive dampers and is claimed to launch from 0-100km/h in less than seven seconds.The sportiest suspension set-up sees the Raval sit 15mm lower, with a further 10mm wider front and rear track, while the adaptive dampers sharpen up handling further.New tech includes a brake-by-wire e-brake system that is said to herald improved feel and enhanced regeneration when slowing.If that doesn't sound sporty enough, an insider told Carsguide that the MEB+ has been engineered to swap out its rear torsion beam suspension for a multi-link set-up that makes room for a second motor, adding extra power and all-wheel drive.Expect the more powerful Raval to pump out more than 250kW and share its dual-motor powertrain with the rumoured ID. Polo R, which means it should sprint from 0-100km/h in less than five seconds.Relying on 400-volt electrics means charging speeds for the 37kWh power pack is limited to 90kW, with a 10 to 80 per cent top-up taking 27 minutes. The bigger battery, meanwhile, accepts a 130kW charge for a brisker 23-minute 10-80 per cent refill.Vehicle-to-load (V2L) is available allowing you to power small domestic appliances on the move.The first Cupra to come with an Android-powered operating system, the Raval combines a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster with a larger 12.9-inch infotainment that launches with apps for YouTube, Spotify and other streaming services.As standard, the Raval comes with seven speakers, with the option of a more powerful 475W 12-speaker premium Sennheiser sound system.Elsewhere equipment levels are high. All models come with a 15W wireless phone charger and high-speed USB-C chargers, including in the rear, that top up at up to 90W.Dual-zone climate control, trick ambient lighting, remote park assist, rear traffic alert, 360-degree surround view and loads of standard safety kit, that includes seven airbags, adaptive seatbelts and interior cameras monitoring driver fatigue, should ensure a full five-star ANCAP rating.New safety tech includes a pre-crash function, that prepares the car for impact by closing windows and sunroof while activating hazard warning lights and tensioning the front seatbelts will also be offered for the first time.There's even onboard tech that can detect if you confuse the accelerator with the brake pedal at low speed and prevent a nasty impact.More big car tech includes adaptive cruise that works without painted roads, that slow the cars for speed bumps and even detects traffic lights.Available in seven exterior colours, including matte finishes, as well as a new iridescent paint finish, along with the option of a black or grey roof and up to eight different alloy wheel choices, Cupra says the Raval will get levels of personalisation well beyond any of its rivals.Lowering insurance costs is an ECU and data recorder that can estimate the severity of damage and make a workshop call to streamline the repair process, while deformable elements in the front and rear bumpers lower the cost of repair.Confirmed for an arrival in Australia, full timings and specification of the Cupra Raval we'll get will be locked in closer to its expected 2027 introduction in our market.

The iconic Smart car has been spied in camouflage ahead of its return in China.The Smart #2 is a tiny electric two-seater city car, and will be the closest thing to the iconic Smart ForTwo made by the brand since.The original Smart ForTwo was on sale in Australia in the mid-2000s, equipped with a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine.It is expected to be officially unveiled at the Beijing Auto Show later this month, with a European launch scheduled for 2027.Smart Australia has confirmed there are no plans for the car to launch domestically at this stage, with an immediate focus on Chinese and European markets.If it ever did come to Australia, it would have to be one of the most affordable electric cars in the country to be competitive. It would need to challenge the BYD Atto 1, which has a starting price of $23,990 (before on-road costs). The budget EV space has been growing in Australia, with more offerings representing competitive deals around the $30K bracket.The incoming MG4 Urban and just-launched GAC Aion UT both start from $31,990, while the Chery QQ3 is anticipated to launch with a similar, if not cheaper, price tag. However, the Smart #2 is even smaller than these rivals. This means it would almost be in a league of its own if it were to launch Down Under.There is limited other confirmed information available about the car, but it is rumoured to have a single rear-mounted electric motor producing 30kW, according to CarNews China. It measures up at less than three metres long, with a wheelbase of less than two metres. The #2 is the latest of the brand's reboot, which has seen several vehicles spawn as the product of a joint venture between Geely and Mercedes-Benz. Smart currently has two models on sale in Australia which are the #1 hatchback and the #3 crossover. The more rugged #5 SUV is expected to join the range later this year.

BMW has slashed the prices of its iX1 and iX2 electric SUVs in Australia.The iX1 will start from $77,900 (before on-road costs), while the iX2 will start from $79,900 (before on-road costs).There is a new variant of the iX1, which has a national drive-away price of $79,900.These prices mean both cars are now noticeably cheaper than they were. The previous iX1 started from $86,800 (before on-road costs) and the iX2 started from $87,600 (before on-road costs). This new variant of the iX1 comes with a ‘Sport Collection’ trim level, which includes features such as 19-inch alloy wheels and a white exterior paint. On the inside, there are synthetic leather seats, with the front ones heated, along with a head-up display. These deals make the iX1 and iX2 more price competitive with key rivals in the segment.The Volvo EX40, which recently picked up a price drop of its own, now starts from around the same drive-away price, although only for the single motor variant.Both BMW models are powered by dual electric motor set-up, producing 230kW and 494Nm. All models come as standard with an all-wheel drive system.  They also now come in substantially cheaper than the Mercedes-Benz EQA and Audi Q4 e-tron, which have starting prices of more than $80,000.One of the main changes on the iX1 and iX2 is hardware updates, which BMW said has enhanced power density and battery range. Official driving range for the new iX1 and iX2 have not been revealed just yet, but expect minor improvements on 464km and 395km, respectively as WLTP standards. The current generation of the pair can charge from 10-80 per cent in less than half an hour.The iX1 continues to be an important part of BMW’s EV range, claiming its best-seller status for the past few years. The iX2 has also been a good EV seller for the brand.BMW's X1 range (including the iX1) won the CarsGuide Car of the Year 2026 award for the small car sub-$80K.2026 BMW iX1 and iX2 pricing Australia 

They cost too much. They cause range anxiety. There aren’t enough chargers.There is still a lot of negativity and anxiety around electric vehicles (EVs) and it has kept sales at approximately 10 per cent of the market for several years now. There have been attempts to increase sales of EVs from both the car makers and governments around the country, but regardless the sales have always hit that invisible 10 per cent cap, more or less.But that could be about to change. In fact, if it doesn’t change in the very near-future, we may be waiting a decade or longer before EVs truly become mainstream.Put simply, if EVs are to take a leap forward in terms of sales, it’s now or never (or at least, now or in the distant future).That’s because interest in EVs (and hybrids) have never been higher as fuel prices have spiked since the US and Israel began the conflict with Iran, which has had a major impact on the price of oil and the global supply chain.It has also raised the questions of Australia’s fuel security, with local refineries not currently capable of producing fuel to the same standards as the fuel we import.Geo-politics aside, Australian motorists are simply feeling the financial pain at the pump with unleaded over $2.50 per litre in much of Australia and diesel above $3 per litre and running low in supply in many areas.Searches on CarsGuide classifieds for EVs rose 230 per cent since petrol prices spiked, while searches for hybrids are up a whopping 943 per cent. Autotrader is reporting a 631 per cent jump in people searching for a new EV to buy, with a 221 per cent increase in those looking for a hybrid.Obviously these search results won’t translate to a one-for-one sale increase, but the next few months will be telling for how much Australians are willing to embrace EVs to save at the pump.Skoda happened to launch more-affordable variants of its Enyaq and Elroq EVs in mid-March, which is seemingly perfectly timed to take advantage of the current trouble times. But Skoda Australia director, Lucie Kuhn, cautioned about getting too excited too quickly on a potential dramatic sales shift towards EVs.“Maybe short term, if you're speaking about the conflict in the Middle East, of course it triggers the customers if they shouldn't start considering an electric vehicle as their future car,” she said.“If increased interest will last to such an extent, I think it depends how long the crisis will take.“But already before it has happened, we observed that out of this, in the market 65-70 per cent of customers are still driving combustion .I think already 70 per cent out of them consider, for the next purchase, to start thinking about the electric vehicle.“It doesn't mean that they will necessarily buy an electric vehicle, but they give it a serious thought and we observe that. Many customers in spite maybe in the end go for a combustion engine or maybe for the PHEV as an interim step, they at least consider having and purchasing an EV.” But what this fuel crisis may do, is get those people who have considered an EV or hybrid previously but hesitated because of the above-mentioned concerns about price, charging or range anxiety.The reality is EVs are now on-par, or in some cases cheaper, than petrol or diesel models. For example, the new MG4 Urban EV is cheaper than the similar-sized Toyota Corolla Hybrid. That doesn’t mean all EVs are cheaper than petrol or diesel equivalents, but the criticism that EVs are for “snobs that live in the eastern suburbs”, as NSW Premier Chris Minns said recently, is simply not true.Range anxiety feels like a hangover from the earlier EVs, which had less than 200km of range and needed regular charging. Most EVs on sale today are capable of 300km or more, which means a weekly charge is most likely what’s required for the majority of Australian motorists.While the concerns over the lack of public charging infrastructure is also overblown in the minds of many, with more than 1250 spread across the nation. Are there as many EV chargers as petrol bowsers? Of course not, but given the current rate of EV sales growth, the public network is growing accordingly.If you live in an urban area, there is likely to be several public chargers available, assuming you don’t have off-street parking so you can’t simply charge at home (which many Australians are capable of doing). So if you look beyond the anti-EV sentiment and put your prejudices aside, the reality of actually owning an EV is starting to look more and more appealing. They are increasingly cost-effective and help Australia wean itself off foreign oil dependency, so it’s a win-win in many respects.No, they still aren’t for every or every market (electric utes are likely to remain as popular as a steak at a vegan restaurant) but for many, namely those in urban areas, now might be the ideal time to make the switch. Whether they will or not remains to be seen.Fuel prices began to increase at the very end of February and March sales date won’t be available until after the Easter long weekend. Even so, March figures aren’t likely to show the full extent of the potential switch to EVs and hybrids. Instead, we will have to watch closely in the coming months to see if the current crisis has a significant and lasting impact on the popularity of EVs in Australia.

Last year saw a paradigm shift in Australia’s new-car market.The introduction of the government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) catapulted Australia’s emissions regime from the 1980s into the 21st century, and many brands began re-thinking their line-ups in Australia as the clock started on tough fines.Perhaps the biggest and most unprecedented change was the rise of the BYD Shark 6, which pretty much single-handedly proved the dual-cab ute class can be electrified, while the Chinese juggernaut stormed its way up the charts, helping to permanently re-shape the make-up of Australia’s favourite automakers.In the first months of 2026, the shift has continued. China has now become the number one source of new cars to Australia, finally taking over from Japan and Thailand.But what can we expect to look back on by the end of this year? What will change and how will your new car buying experience be re-shaped?Making predictions is always dangerous, but with another fuel crisis hitting hard, we can be fairly certain of at least a few outcomes — let’s see what we think.The dawn of the diesel-hybridChery’s headline-grabbing news from the past few months has been the confirmation of its upcoming diesel hybrid ute, codenamed KP31, for Australia.The upcoming and much-hyped Chery ute will bring what many buyers are asking for - diesel capability with plug-in hybrid fuel consumption.We know more about this upcoming ute thanks to its reveal in China under Chery’s commercial arm, Rely.It will use a new ground-up ‘Kaitan’ platform, and will maintain solid links to the axles - more like GWM’s Cannon Alpha PHEV than the BYD Shark 6.It will also be hoping to seize on the plug-in hybrid ute trend, which BYD has kick-started, and many of its rivals are now seeking to emulate. Whether the extra capability and allure of diesel is enough to make it the next hot thing in dual-cabs remains to be seen.More storied automakers will look to China for helpNissan has made it fairly clear that it will look to China for help, with its appealing range of Chinese-built vehicles benefitting from Chinese hybrid and EV know-how and rapid development cycles. The latter, which has become known as ‘China Speed’ in the industry, will cut the time it takes to do things that once meant long waits, like the conversion to right-hand drive and the various changes required to meet compliance regulations in obscure markets like Australia.No doubt Nissan’s most sought-after Chinese-built model will be the Frontier Pro plug-in hybrid dual-cab, long suggested by executives to be an emissions-friendly alternative to be sold alongside the Mitsubishi Triton-based new-generation Navara in the Australian market.Nissan’s Chinese portfolio doesn’t end there. The brand also has an array of well-received-in-China electric cars, including the N7 sedan and upcoming NX8 SUV as ideal replacements for its ageing Pathfinder, and NVES-friendly supplemental models to the hybrid X-Trail and Qashqai.Nissan certainly isn’t the only brand that might be forced to turn more to China to bolster its line-up. Ford, facing a particular cliff with NVES in the coming years thanks to its diesel-heavy sales footprint of Rangers and Everests might need to import cars like the Chinese ‘New-Energy’ plug-in hybrid Ford Bronco (related to the American Ford Bronco in design only) as a more appealing emissions-friendly option for its more adventure-curious buyers.Even Toyota, whose line-up is already heavily hybrid may need to turn to its Chinese joint-ventures for more price-sensitive zero emissions models like the GAC Aion V-based bZ3X which was recently announced in right-hand drive for the Hong Kong market. Watch this space.The top-10 will continue to be re-shapedAt the end of 2025 there were three Chinese brands in the top 10 in Australia: GWM in seventh position, BYD in eighth position, and MG in 10th.Already in the first few months of 2026, this ranking has continued to shift. BYD has already unseated GWM as Australia’s favourite Chinese brand and has vaulted Mitsubishi, landing in sixth position through the first two months of the year.This puts it within striking distance of Hyundai in a tightly contested race for a top-three position (there are less than 1000 sales between Mazda, Ford, Kia and Hyundai in the next four positions below Toyota), which BYD bosses bravely predicted for 2026.GWM is holding position in seventh, but Mitsubishi might not be able to hold it at bay for long.Chery is one to watch in 2026, as it has managed to leapfrog MG and clinch eighth position so far this year.Other more recent arrivals from China also have brave top-10 predictions. GAC could be the next brand to leap up the charts following in the footsteps of its contemporaries. While it may seem farfetched now, the Toyota-allied brand has access to the right products at similarly aggressive prices, with hybrids and plug-ins featuring heavily in its line-up, which the brand recently told CarsGuide is set to include a large SUV and ute before long.China-owned MG, too, will be playing defence, launching a range of more affordable vehicles as it looks to hang on to its top-10 position.Thailand is down, but not outThailand at various times has been one of the locations from which most Australian cars are sourced. Toyota, Honda and Ford have historically sourced many models from there, with the current top-selling Ranger, HiLux and D-Max all being sourced from the country.It has dropped down the list, as Chinese-built cars have increasingly been sourced for Australia from both new and historic brands. With even the Kia EV5 and Hyundai Elexio being Chinese-built Korean cars for the Australian market.But Thailand’s importance looks to be re-asserted as more Chinese brands establish strategic manufacturing facilities in the South East Asian auto hub.Obvious advantages are the fact that cars are built there on dedicated right-hand drive production facilities, freeing up space in Chinese factories to focus on other left-hand drive markets, while favourable government kickbacks, a free trade agreement with Australia, and a domestic market with an increasingly large taste for electrified vehicles will keep Thailand important for years to come.Big SUVs will be the next Chinese automaker battlegroundIn case you haven’t noticed, many big Chinese brands have shifted their focus. While utes and affordable hatchbacks and small SUVs continue to be all the rage, in their quest to actually generate profits, many Chinese brands have thrown huge amounts of resources into developing large luxury electric and plug-in hybrid models.The five-meter-long SUV space looks to be the next major battleground for these automakers, with Zeekr’s much-hyped plug-in hybrid 8X large SUV earmarked for an Australian arrival, and no doubt MG’s luxury IM marque will be looking to import versions of its LS8 or LS9.GAC has announced its next move will be a large SUV (likely the car known as the GS8 in China), while Leapmotor will move into new territory with its D16 and BYD’s Great Tang flagship have created some major buzz.Will they sell in Australia? With more fuel-conscious than ever new car buyers still crying out for more affordable electric options than the Kia EV9 for example (from $97,000) and Chinese automakers heavily incentivized to seek higher profit margins in markets like Australia, it seems possible we could be inundated with models like this in the latter part of the year.

It may be a new manufacturer to Australia, but Chinese giant GAC has one leg up which many of its rivals can’t claim - its deep ties with Toyota.

Cheaper Mazdas are here to stay.The 2 hatchback and its CX-3 little SUV spin-off have both had a stay of execution in Australia. Mazda has confirmed availability of the current generations will continue well into next year, giving the Japanese brand continuing presence in the lower-end of the new-car market.This is despite recent reports stating that the CX-3 and 2 will be phased out this year in Japan, with production of the latter ceasing last month in favour of higher-profit vehicles at the Hofu plant.Mazda Australia Managing Director Vinesh Bhindi said production out of Thailand will continue as it has with both models for most of their long lives, with consistent supply guaranteed for out market into 2027.“The current Mazda2 and CX-3 are here to stay, even though there are some articles out there suggesting otherwise,” he told CarsGuide.“It is depending on region, but in Australia, both those vehicles will stay because the Thailand production facility is still continuing. So even though they are to be discontinued in Japan, they will (still) get to us. (Production) continues.“I'm not sure about what happens in Japan. But for Australia, we source both those cars out of Thailand, from our factory in Thailand, and we will continue to do so.”The 2 Evolve automatic from $27,290 (all prices are before on-road costs) in both five-door hatchback and four-door sedan guises, is currently the cheapest new Mazda in Australia, while the CX-3 Pure 2WD auto starts from $30,670.In March, 2026, the average Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of a new Mazda vehicle in this country was about $56,740.With the 2 and CX-3 released in Australia back in 2014 and 2015 respectively, they remain two of the oldest models on sale today.Small specification updates and some safety upgrades along the way, as well as a minor facelift for each late last decade, are about the extent of any meaningful changes, while both models have maintained their original petrol engine choices the entire time.Bhindi also refuted speculation that newer rules surrounding Australian Design Rule and ANCAP crash-test requirements are forcing Mazda Australia’s hand in discontinuing these models.“No, we will have (2 and CX-3) all this year and all of next year,” he reiterated.“(They) comply with the ADR. And as long as they are (still) being manufactured in right-hand drive, we will have them.”Last year, Mazda shifted 4346 2s, coming in at second place behind the MG3 at 8350 sales, to command nearly 23 per cent of total light-car volume against the latter’s 44 per cent. And while that was a 19 per cent decline over the year before, it was ahead of the total segment fall of nearly 28 per cent.More impressively, the CX-3 led the Light SUV class convincingly, with 15,429 registrations for a 29 per cent market share.While that was down 16.4 per cent in a segment that fell by only five per cent, the Mazda managed to stay ahead of the far-newer, second-placed Toyota Yaris Cross’ 10,928-unit tally (for a 20.5 per cent share), which was actually up by 33 per cent year-on-year.With that sort of growth potential, it is clear that Mazda Australia wants to keep a strong presence in the light SUV corner.Watch this space.

Euro carmaker Renault has slashed the price of its Megane E-Tech electric hatch in Australia.The car will now start from $49,990 (drive-away), representing a more than $15,000 decrease on its original launch price.When it arrived the E-Tech started from $64,990 (before on-road costs) in late 2023.Renault’s small SUV is a European rival to the likes of the Hyundai Kona Electric and the Kia EV3, with this latest deal undercutting both. It also comes in cheaper than the Mini Countryman EV, which starts in the low $60K bracket. The deal will run until the 30th of June 2026, while stocks last. It only applies to models with solid white paintwork and a black roof, with metallic paint costing an extra $400 and alternate two-tone paint adding an extra $800.Renault sold 207 examples of the Megane E-Tech in 2025, which represented a drop on 2024 numbers. It trails the EV3 and Kona on the sales charts, with Chinese rivals such as the Zeekr X also besting it. The car has experienced a couple previous price cuts since it went on sale, and was available from $54,990 (drive-away), before this latest cut.The base variant of the Megane E-Tech has a single electric motor set-up, producing 125kW and 280Nm, with its 60kWh battery, offering 454km of driving range (WLTP). On the inside, the car has a 12.3-inch digital driver display and 12.0-inch central touchscreen. The Megane E-Tech is one of several electrified models forming part of Renault’s ‘International Game Plan 2027’ for overseas markets.The brand recently brought across its Scenic E-Tech SUV to Australia earlier this year, with the plug-in hybrid Filante also a possibility Down Under at some stage.

Australia is getting short changed on some of the world’s cheapest electric cars.High fuel prices are pushing people who never would have looked twice at an EV to consider the zero-emissions tech, but Australia is missing out on some of the most affordable electric cars.China is rife with circa-$10,000 electric cars that provide decent driving range and fast charging in a small and cheap package.The latest model to launch in China is Wuling’s next-generation Hongguang Mini EV, which is priced the equivalent of about $9000.It is a mini four-seater that has a claimed driving range of more than 300km — calculated on the more generous Chinese test cycle — thanks to a super low energy consumption of 8.9kWh per 100km.DC fast charging allows you to top the battery up to 80 per cent in about half an hour.It is very little, measuring 3268mm long, 1520mm wide, 1575mm tall and has a wheelbase — the distance between the front and rear wheels — of 2190mm.That put its in Japanese 'Kei Car' (city car) territory, and its single electric motor makes only 30kW.The Hongguang Mini EV isn’t alone, there is a booming market in China for this type of vehicle.The QQ Domi from Chery was revealed last year.It is a pint-sized electric hatchback measuring just 3.7m long and 1.7m wide, which is just bigger than a Kia Picanto but smaller than a Suzuki Swift.Its nearest EV competitor would be the larger BYD Atto 1, which is called Seagull in other markets.In China it launched at the equivalent of about $13,000. Chinese cars are usually 20 per cent more expensive here than the home market, which would mean it could lob in at about $16,000.Chery’s QQ3 is another budget friendly EV, which is priced to the equivalent of $14,000.It has a circa 300km driving range, and is much bigger than the Wuling. There is a choice of either a 58kW and 90kW electric motor.Chery has been testing one of its QQ models Down Under as part of its global development.The Chinese brand’s Australian Chief Operating Officer Lucas Harris is very interested in something from that range.“I think having a very small and then a small hatchback would be a game changer,” said Harris.“I think there’s a huge amount of potential in those segments, and at the moment I think those segments are a little bit stale and not that interesting.“So if we could bring something like the QQ, I think it’d be a huge amount of opportunity,” he said.There is one thing standing in the way of these tiny cheap electric cars… Australian Design Rules (ADRs).Mitsubishi recently considered its little eK X EV Kei Car for Australia but it wouldn’t meet safety regulations and it would be too expensive to bring it up to scratch with ADRs."The reality is that the car meets Japanese safety regulations. The reality is that it does not meet ANCAP five star, and will not meet ANCAP five star. We'd probably get three stars," said former Mitsubishi's Australian CEO Shaun Westcott back in 2024.The Hongguang Mini EV only has two airbags and electronic stability control in its safety arsenal, which doesn’t cut the mustard here.It also lacks side impact protection, which means it won’t meet ADRs. This same rule forced Lexus to axe the IS sedan and Nissan to discontinue the GT-R.

It might so far only be known for a single dual-cab ute, but Chinese brand JAC has big plans for Australia, recruiting the dynamics engineer behind models like the VE and VF Commodore to prep its vehicles for local conditions.Michael Barber, now of Multimatic but formerly of Holden, has been tasked with tuning the model's next ute, the T9 Hunter plug-in hybrid, for sale in Australia, but the project will likely balloon from there, with JAC confirming a host of new vehicles on the cards for Australia. "There's a huge range, including trucks. There are passenger cars. There are small electric vehicles, which we're also considering," says Ahmed Mahmoud, Managing Director of JAC Motors Australia."We can access the majority of those. We just need to make sure they're fit for purpose, five-star ANCAP, all of those things."They're the requirements of the average Australian. You can't just bring junk into the country, right? "If you're going to bring something in, you've got to make sure that it fits the brand and what we're trying to do. But it's also not going to be ripped apart from an ANCAP or a driving perspective."Next to arrive for the brand will be a Ford Everest-style ute-based SUV that rides on the T9 platform, though it's unclear whether it will take the diesel powertrain or the new and potent plug-in hybrid system. It is expected to arrive within the next 12 months.Beyond that, the brand says "we have options for small passenger cars and SUVs in that hybrid or full electric space".Top of the list would surely be the JS6 PHEV - a mid-size SUV that pairs a to deliver a 120km all-EV driving range, and a total 1150kms on a tank of fuel and a charged battery. A bigger JS8 SUV offers three-rows of seating.Also on the table is the smaller E30X city EV, a direct rival to models like the BYD Atto 2 and GWM Ora. With a Holden flavour to the ride and handling, and a growing product portfolio, it makes JAC the latest Chinese brand to lean on local expertise to produce fit-for-purpose vehicles in our market."(Barber) is contracted to do a lot of the testing," Mr Mahmoud says.