Hybrid News

The list of Australia’s favourite off-road SUVs is set for a massive shake up in the coming years, as a 4WD-obsessed boom in the Chinese market starts to overflow to Australia.The GWM Tank 300 and Tank 500, as well as Denza’s B5 and B8, might have been the first to tackle ever-popular legends, the Toyota LandCruiser, Nissan Patrol and Ford Everest, but they will soon be joined by new offerings from GAC, Geely and Chery.Below is a list of the five off-road hybrid SUVs either confirmed to be heading to Australia or highly likely for an Australian arrival with the intention to unseat some of the world’s most popular 4WDs.Also known as the Geely Battleship 700, this large hybrid off-roader is part of an all-new family of flagship products for the Geely brand.It will debut a new off-road architecture for Geely, which can be equipped with either a 1.5-litre or 2.0-litre engine mated to a front electric motor, and dual rear electric motors that feature a mechanical differential lock.There is no mechanical connection between the front and rear axles, with that space taken up by a 47kWh battery pack, which grants it up to 185km of CLTC driving range, according to preliminary specs out of China.Combined power for its tri-motor system is a headline-grabbing 830kW, and the boxy off-roader has luxurious interior fittings which take Geely into new territory. Pricing is yet to be revealed, and while the Galaxy Cruiser hasn’t been confirmed for an Australian arrival, it is slated for a UK arrival, confirming right-hand drive production.Read more about the Geely Galaxy Cruiser hereWith styling more reminiscent of the Toyota Prado rather than the Defender-esque look of the Geely, GAC’s upcoming Yue 7 was recently revealed at the 2026 Beijing Motor Show.Also a plug-in hybrid with no mechanical connection between the engine and rear axle, the over-five-meter-long SUV boasts formidable off-road angles.It is not as punchy as the Geely claims to be, with a mere 400kW of combined power on tap from its 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and dual electric motor set-up, which is a familiar formula for these Chinese 4WDs.It will be offered with either a 28.3kWh or 46kWh battery pack, which grants it either 116km or 188km of CLTC electric driving range, respectively.The computer-based 4WD system is said to be capable of sending power to just one wheel at a time if needed and simulating low-range driving.While GAC Australia is yet to comment on the arrival of the Yue 7, the company is plotting 10 new models in our market in just five years, with the local boss telling CarsGuide recently this will include a large SUV and a pick-up truck.Read more about the GAC Yue 7 hereThe Chery sub-brand’s flagship off-road machine is squarely designed to target rivals like the Tank 500 and Denza B5, according to executives.Unlike some of its rivals here, the V27 doesn’t ride on a ladder-frame platform and instead rides on a car-line monocoque underpinnings.This isn’t an indicator of its off-road performance, with prior iterations of the famous Mitsubishi Pajero and current Land Rover Defender also based on unibody platforms.The V27 uses a range-extender hybrid system (meaning the 1.5-litre engine is not mechanically connected to the front or rear axles), being purely electrically driven at the wheels.It uses a 34.3kWh battery pack which grants it 150km of electric driving range to an also lenient NEDC standard and power outputs from its dual-electric motor set-up combine for a total of 335kW/505Nm.Despite being over five meters in length, the V27 is only a five-seater, but has a cavernous boot area, and like the above GAC Yue 7 is able to be equipped with a tailgate mounted full-size spare.Expect to learn more later in 2026 as the iCaur brand gears up for its Australian debut.Read more about the iCaur V27 hereYou may remember Freelander as a Land Rover nameplate from the 90s, but it has now been spun off as a new sub-brand and joint-venture between Land Rover and Chery, as the British company embraces ‘China Speed’ for best use of its intellectual property.Utilising a Chery platform and Huawei cabin tech, the Freelander 8 large SUV also wears iconic elements of the Freelander nameplate’s British design.A far cry from the original Freelander of the 90s, which was a relatively small but capable SUV, the new model is a large three-row offering chasing the trendy boxy bodystyle trend in the Chinese market.Also using a 1.5-litre engine in a range-extended set-up, the brand has at least confirmed that it will have some kind of tough off-road ability despite an over-three-meter long wheelbase.Power figures are yet to be confirmed, but it will get over 200km of electric driving range from an enormous 60.33kWh battery pack, while promising 2000kg of towing capacity and at least a central differential lock.Read more about the Freelander 8 hereGWM’s long-expected off-road monster is still on the cards for an Australian launch. The good news is, the brand is strongly considering an upcoming updated model featuring the company’s new 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbo engine.The bad news is this update, which is expected to be the first version of the 700 available in right-hand drive, isn’t due until 2028.The Tank 700 is available in both rugged Hi4-T form, which maintains the mechanical linkage from the engine to the rear axle, maintaining a low-range transfer case and placing the electric motor in the transmission, as well as new-age Hi4-Z form that forgoes the mechanical connection for a larger battery and more electric driving characteristics.As for specs the latest Hi4-Z version produces a combined 720kW/1375Nm, according to Chinese specs. Its 59kWh battery pack grants it a WLTC-measured 190km EV driving range.Expected to be priced well north of $100,000 in Australia (perhaps even more in its ultimate V8 form), the Tank 700 would move GWM into new pricing territory and test the limits of what its buyers are prepared to pay. Even so, GWM is expected to debut a Tank model even higher up the price scale, with an expected Tank 800 to be launched on the same GWM One platform as the flagship Haval H10 and Wey 9X from the Chinese giant’s other sub brands.Read more about the GWM Tank 700 here

Zeekr has given a glimpse inside one of the most anticipated new SUVs coming to Australia. Zeekr will introduce its flagship 9X large SUV to the Australian market this year, and will offer a seriously high-end experience for rear-seat passengers. The 9X is expected to carry a $100,000-plus price tag when it lands in Australia, giving the BMW X7 and top-spec Range Rover models a run for their money. It has been shown off in a plush five-seater configuration, with the seats covered in a supple maroon leather. It boasts up to 1.4m of legroom for rear-seat passengers, with seats also featuring reclining and zero-gravity.Physical control panels in the rear doors control functionality.The middle seat back folds down to provide a comfy armrest and reveal more rear cabin controls.There is a central tablet control panel to set the temperature and monitor other car features from the back.  The car has already launched in China, where it is also offered in a six-seater configuration. It is available with two powerful plug-in hybrid set-up choices.Both have a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine, paired with either two or three electric motors, offering 660kW/935Nm or 1030kW/1410Nm.It can shift from 0-100km/h in roughly three seconds. The car has a fittingly huge battery of up to 70kWh, expected to offer an all-electric driving range of more than 300km. Zeekr will hope the 9X can build on the momentum of its cars already making waves in Australia. The 7X mid-size electric SUV has been a revelation for the brand.  It has quickly garnered significant attention from buyers as it looks to hunt down the record-breaking Tesla Model Y.Its smaller X sibling has also started to gain some traction Down Under, with a mass of new orders for its recently-updated model. 

This Aussie favourite budget SUV is getting hybrid power.Jaecoo has announced a hybrid version of its J5 small SUV will join the electric and purely petrol variants from August.It will start from $34,990, drive-away, meaning it is only $2000 less than the hugely-successful EV, but $9000 more than the base petrol-powered J5.This new J5 will be more expensive than hybrid variants of the Chery Tiggo 4, GWM Haval Jolion and MG ZS that are all available from $29,990.Omoda Jaecoo is a sub-brand of Chery and is pitched as a semi-premium alternative to traditional budget Chinese carmakers.The car comes in a single ‘Summit’ grade, with no plans to introduce a cheaper hybrid grade of the J5 in the future.Prices for petrol-powered and EV examples will stay the same despite the addition of a hybrid option.It has a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine and electric motor set-up, producing 165kW and 295Nm, making it the most powerful J5 in the lineup.It has substantially more performance than its petrol sibling (108kW/210Nm) and represents a marginal increase on the 155kW/288Nm in the EV.Its performance also trumps its closest competitors.The new set-up is also more efficient, reducing fuel consumption to 5.6L/100km from 7.5/100km on the petrol-only car.The car will be front-wheel drive like the rest of the J5 lineup. Omoda Jaecoo said this improved efficiency and performance is courtesy of a new iteration of Chery's hybrid technology.  A spokesperson for Omoda Jaecoo Australia would not confirm whether this is a version of its next-generation ‘Super Hybrid’ DHT160 set-up announced earlier this year. The J5 Hybrid has a similar exterior look to the petrol variant, but has been given a different design for its 18-inch alloy wheels. Its interior features synthetic leather seats, with the front ones heated and ventilated, as well as a fixed panoramic sunroof. There is a 13.2-inch central touchscreen and 8.8-inch digital driver display, as well as a 50W wireless phone charger.The car boasts other convenience features such as a powered tailgate and 360-degree camera.This hybrid variant completes the J5 lineup in Australia for Omoda Jaecoo. The EV is the strongest-selling J5 variant, with cheaper recently-launched petrol-powered variant having a positive start to life in Australia as well.

Freelander, the Land Rover spin-off brand, has teased more details for its debut Freelander 8 three-row hybrid SUV ahead of its Chinese launch.Already confirmed for Australia, the Freelander 8 revives the once-budget Land Rover nameplate as a true Chinese joint-venture vehicle.Riding on a Chery platform, the new SUV inherits key design motifs from the original Freelander, which launched in 1998.As part of a wind-up to its Chinese launch, the brand has revealed an array of new images on its Chinese social media channels, teasing its interior, revealing details of its tech suite, and also showing off various trim packages and colours which will be available.Teasing the interior in an abstract image, Freelander confirmed the new car will have “the largest surround-view gallery” screens in its class, with a large 16.5-inch central touchscreen, a dash-spanning 46.3-inch digital information screen, which includes the driver’s instrument cluster, and a sought-after Qualcomm 8397 central processing chip.Several software widgets were also shown, with an array of off-road displays, showing pitch and yaw angles, a compass, differential lock status, battery status, as well as steering angles.It is available in an array of eight colours including two silvers, gold, purple, black, copper, white, blue, and will offer both two-tone wheel designs, as well as a more contemporary black-pack look.The Freelander 8 is due to hit the market in China imminently and comes alongside news that Jaguar Land Rover will stop manufacturing its mainline vehicles (from the actual Jaguar and Land Rover brands) in China.The factory that once produced these vehicles is being retooled for the Freelander brand project. It is expected to spawn an entire range of vehicles using tech from both Chery and Huawei.The Freelander 8 measures 5118mm long, 2050mm wide and 1898mm tall with an enormous wheelbase of 3040mm.It will be sold exclusively as a plug-in hybrid using a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine (115kW)  mated to at least two electric motors, but technical specifications on power outputs are yet to be revealed as the brand trickles information out on the SUV as it nears its launch.The battery is confirmed to be an 800-volt 60.33kWh unit, which grants the large SUV up to 221km of range according to the more lenient WLTC measuring standard.Chinese specs confirm the six-seater will have a 2000kg towing capacity, and we now know it will have at least some form of centre differential lock.Yin Tongyue, Chairman of Chery Auto told Australian media in May the Freelander brand will be introduced to both Australia and New Zealand. Interestingly it will be established as a brand independent of both Land Rover and Chery in Australia.

Hyundai is bulking up its big family SUV range in Australia.The new flagship Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy Black Ink has landed Down Under as a family-hauler with attitude.Based on the current Calligraphy, the Black Ink variant brings a blacked-out theme throughout.Buyers can expect a black grille, window surrounds, lower bumpers, beltline and Hyundai badges and emblems.This is joined by gloss black 21-inch alloy wheels, black roof rails and the choice of black or white paint all over.Inside it brings the same dark effect with supple black leather Nappa leather with metallic black finishes throughout.The Black Ink version costs about $2500 more than the standard Calligraphy and is available in seven- and eight-seat layouts.Eight-seats are standard, with it costing an extra $1000 to remove one seat.It is powered by the same hybrid set-up as the rest of the range, with a 2.5-litre petrol engine paired with an electric motor to make a combined 245kW and 460Nm sent to all four wheels via a six-speed auto.Hyundai claims the Palisade drinks 6.8-litres per 100km, which is decent for a monster SUV. It can also use the cheapest unleaded petrol.The Palisade Black Ink is due in dealerships this month.The current Palisade has been a success for Hyundai, with sales up 38 per cent this year.2027 Hyundai Palisade prices  

Xiaomi has finally revealed its highly anticipated new SUV sub-brand, SkyNomad, as details of its first model are revealed via regulatory filings.The N90 is 4960mm long, 1998mm wide and 1765mm tall placing it firmly in the large SUV category. It features a seven-seat version to rival to the likes of the GWM Tank 500 and BYD Sealion 8. There is also a five-seat version which could be more of a rival to the hotly anticipated Zeekr 8X that's due in Australia next year.Like the 8X, the SkyNomad N90 is exclusively a plug-in hybrid in contrast to Xiaomi’s previous two fully electric offerings, the SU7 GT and YU7 SUV. It uses a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 112kW mated to either a single electric motor (210kW) or dual electric motors (210kW rear + 100kW front).Like other recent Chinese hybrid large SUVs, the SkyNomad N90 uses large batteries, either a 52kWh or 76kWh unit for driving ranges of either 270km or 380km respectively to CLTC standards. Fuel consumption with the battery at reserve charge level (a required metric in China) ranges from 5.7L/100km to 6.1L/100km.Off the back of the filing reveals, Xiaomi has shared official images of the new car on its social media and opened a pre-order web portal.Unlike the sporty vibe of the 8X or the off-road focused bent of the GWM range, the SkyNomad N90 instead focuses on lifestyle, featuring a camping edition with a pop-up roof tent as part of its initial approvals.Its styling is also a massive departure from the sleek sporty lines of its SU7 and YU7, moving to a more traditional luxury SUV shape. The only related feature is the DRL strip which cuts through the middle of the front light clusters, while the side profile and rear box light fitting is more in keeping with Chinese luxury SUV trends.Inside it features a plush leather-clad design, and an unusual seating arrangement for three-row versions of 2 + 2 + 3. Images show reversible front seats and a centre console that transforms into a table.While the interior is yet to be fully unveiled, the images also show the usual large central touchscreen and digital dash, with a centre console that features its own touch control panel for middle-row passengers.The camping version, meanwhile, features a projector built into the roof of the boot, and a corresponding screen that unfurls from the roof above the front seats.Regulatory filings also show an array of wheel designs, from high-end 20-inch two-tone versions to a smaller 19-inch design with plastic aero covers.Xiaomi’s auto division has been overwhelmingly successful in China, with the SU7 and YU7 having attracted a massive waiting list as orders have exceeded production capacity by hundreds of thousands of units.As such, export markets have been bottom of the brand’s priority list for the time being. This may not be the case forever, as it invests with its BAIC partner on expanded capacity at new factory units.Even still, the brand has said it has global aspirations at some stage in the future.Stay tuned for more on Xiaomi and its new SkyNomad sub-brand as it nears its official Chinese launch.

Toyota in Australia has laid out its vision for its GR performance brand, assuring the range will grow as it looks to tap "performance hybrids" as the power source that will propel it into the future.The seeds have already been sown with the bonkers GR GT, which pairs a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 with a hybrid system for total system outputs of more than 478kW and 850Nm. Its top speed is in excess of 300km/h.The GR GT is expected to launch in 2027, but will also form the blueprint for Toyota's other GR models, with hybridisation coming to next-gen models."Efficiency hybrid is about matching existing performance, but has a significant improvement in fuel consumption. Performance hybrid is saying we take an existing ICE powertrain, and then the way to get a lot more power with effectively the same fuel efficiency is electrification on top. GR GT is an example," says Ray Munday, the Senior Manager Product Planning and Pricing at Toyota in Australia."A large, powerful ICE engine plus electrification is where we see looking forward."The concept of performance hybrids electrifying the future of GR ties neatly with reports out of Japan that the brand will launch a new hybrid engine in its Yaris GR and Corolla GR hatchbacks, with Best Car reporting the plan has been in place since 2024.At a 'multi-pathway workshop' that year, Toyota reportedly unveiled a petrol-electric engine that would redefine the brand's performance cars. The 2.0-litre turbo-hybrid set-up will reportedly produce 294kW and 500Nm, an uplift over the current GR Yaris’ 221kW and 400Nm."The GR side of the business is extremely exciting," says Toyota Australia VP of Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations John Pappas. "Going forward into the future, GR is going to play a bigger role across the family of Toyota Motor Corporation. We haven't determined how that looks or feels, and what that's all going to mean for what products and all the rest of it going forward. But it is very exciting in terms of what the company's planning to do with GR."While he wouldn't be drawn on details, Mr Pappas confirmed that meant the lineup would grow beyond the GR Yaris and GR Corolla in Australia as the performance sub-brand takes on new importance."Going forward globally, we've obviously articulated the role of GR about performance and really learning from motor sport and performance testing. So we're very excited by that here. And we're working out how that's going to look for Australia."

A third model has been revealed as part of Chery’s iCaur sub-brand, set to head to Australia imminently.Expected to join the already revealed iCaur V23 and V27, the 2027 iCaur V25 is a mid-size range-extender hybrid electric vehicle (REEV) sharing strong boxy design links with the smaller V23.Coming in at 4636mm long according to data published by the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) in its home market and seen by CarNewsChina, the iCaur V25 sits about halfway between the V23 small SUV and the V27 large SUV in terms of size.It features a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that makes 115kW and charges a 33.68kWh battery pack, providing the off-roader with an electric driving range of around 150km.Under WLTC testing, the V25 has a claimed efficiency of between 1.52L to 1.54L/100km depending on the model grade.At a little over 2.2 tonnes, the iCaur V25’s towing capacity is 1800kg, if an optional towing kit is included.According to the MIIT’s details, the V25 is also 1920mm wide, 1855mm tall, rides on a 1820mm wheelbase and has a track width of 1635mm at the front, 1642mm at the rear.Overhangs of 736mm at the front and 1080mm at the rear are also quoted, though an approach angle of 28 degrees and a departure angle of 24 degrees have also been reported.In Australia, Chery’s iCaur sub-brand, which focuses on electrified off-road vehicles, is set to launch in the second quarter of 2027.The local arm of the business is currently hiring senior members of its team to run sections of the business like marketing, branding, and PR, with advertisements for a number of roles live at the time of writing.

Geely’s 830kW 4WD beast is taking shape.Key technical details of its Galaxy Battleship plug-in hybrid SUV have appeared in Chinese technical approval filings which come shortly before vehicles go on-sale in the country.There is no official news on the car’s future in Australia, but it could be part of the brand’s plans from next year as its first entry into the 4WD space.It would tackle the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series, Nissan Patrol and soon-to-launch Mitsubishi Pajero.It measures in at 5085mm long, 1999mm wide, 1895mm tall and has a wheelbase of 2900mm, shaping up similarly to BYD’s Denza B8 with which it would directly compete.The B8, for reference, is priced from $91,000 before on-road costs locally. The Geely 4WD has been confirmed for sale in the United Kingdom, meaning it is already available in right-hand drive, improving its chances of an Australian introduction.Geely Australia has been contacted for comment to see if the Galaxy Battleship will launch Down Under. The car will be available with 2.0-litre or 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engines, producing 120kW and 160kW respectively. The engine will be paired with three electric motors, producing up to a maximum combined 830kW which far exceeds the power of its key rivals. Its torque figure has not been revealed yet.The Galaxy Battleship is equipped with a 47kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery.This offers an all-electric driving range of 165km, 170km, or 185km depending on the variant, all to the more lenient CLTC measuring.Expect it to boast a monster total driving range figure above the 1000km mark as well.The car has been given some major off-roading potential.It has generous approach/departure angles (30-degrees/31-degrees), and 233mm of ground clearance.It also features a standard rear differential lock between its two rear electric motors and a front tow hook.Based on its platform reveal at the Beijing Motor Show earlier this year, the 4WD is closer in its design to the Denza B5 and B8 using dual electric motors at the rear, with the engine and third electric motor mounted at the front.It has no mechanical linkage from the engine to the rear axle, making it a different layout from a traditional 4WD or from GWM's Tank 500 and Cannon Alpha PHEVs.Geely also recently revealed interior pictures for its new off-roader. It will have seats covered in a plush material as well as soft-touch materials elsewhere in the cabin.The gear selection mechanism is similar to a throttle control found on a jet airliner, and the 4WD introduces new features as part of Geely's evolving design language it previewed in Beijing.

Toyota in Australia has detailed its comparatively sluggish first-half sales results, saying its internal delivery issues, rather than competition from newcomer Chinese brands, is holding it back.Last month saw a staggeringly close – and, over the past 20 years, unheralded –brawl between Toyota and BYD for top spot on Australia's sales ladder, with the Chinese brand finishing just 243 sales short of Toyota's 19,124 deliveries.But Toyota insists it isn't feeling the rush of new Chinese brands is hurting orders, instead saying a strong second half of the year is coming as production frees up."I don't mean that in a disrespectful way," says Toyota's Vice President, National Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations, John Pappas. "We respect all our competitors and what they do."When you've got long lead times, at the end of the day, you need to be able to have a realistic short lead time for your customer. That's what we've been focused on. Because if we can do that, we know our loyalty is very, very high."We respect that with our customers, we never take that for granted, but we've really been focused on trying to reduce that lead time for our customer, together with our TMC colleagues. because we know that competition's fierce."We know that there's all these brands. We know, and we want to make sure that we can keep our customers happy by trying to reduce that lead time."Toyota has managed just 95,141 sales across the first six months of 2026, which if sustained, would see them sink below 200,000 sales for the year. But Pappas says the issue is supply, not demand, and a new pipeline of production will deliver more vehicles to customers in the second half of the year. The brand is targeting around 230,000 sales this year."Our biggest downfall this year has actually been our supply at the start, because we knew last year that we were coming into this year with a Q1 into Q2 shortfall, because we were launching the RAV4 later than we had liked," Pappas says."So the RAV4 is in our top two selling vehicles. We're only doing 40,000 RAV4s (compared to 52,000 in 2025) this year. "We'd like to do more than that because we know that car's good enough and we've got customer demand over a 12-month window to do more than that amount. So therefore, we're only really getting like a nine-month runway on RAV. So we're missing out a whole quarter of new RAV4 sales. "That's our biggest shortfall. And we knew that going into the year. So now the fact that we've been able to secure more production from the global allocation, particularly on hybrids and bZs and other vehicle lines, including Hilux, it's great because that enables us to shorten lead times for customers."