Sedan News

I recently saw the new BMW i5 electric sedan and… zzzzzzzzzz Sorry, I fell asleep because the new i5, like so many modern electric sedans, is pretty dull to look at. Apologies to BMW because there are plenty of other homogeneous four doors on the market today, starting with the Tesla Model 3 as well as the Mercedes-Benz EQE and EQS, Genesis G80 and Hyundai Ioniq 6 to name a few.

While electric cars and traditional hybrids have exploded in popularity, plug-in hybrids have remained a relatively niche alternative. By the middle of 2024, though, sales are up 130 per cent, from 3582 sales in 2023 to 8223 thanks to more models becoming available and improved vehicle supply. Driven by the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and new BYD Sealion 6, the plug-in hybrid landscape is only going to become more populous in the coming months, including when BYD launches the first PHEV ute to be sold in Australia. Plug-in hybrids offer a unique combination of electric mobility but without range anxiety. Their battery packs, typically between 10-20kWh in capacity, offer between 50-150km of electric-only range, matching early electric cars. There is the added benefit of a combustion engine that can kick in when you run out of battery. This means long distance road trips, like Sydney-Melbourne, require less charge stop planning than in a battery electric car. The technology is only improving, too. Manufacturers are fitting larger battery packs, more efficient motors and adding DC fast-charge capability to their plug-in hybrids. BYD is heavily invested, releasing its fifth-gen Dual Motor intelligence (DM-i) system in China with claims of 2100km total driving range and nearly 200km from the battery alone. It is not a perfect solution. Owners need to be diligent with charging to get anywhere close to the official fuel consumption ratings, typically below 3L/100km. Dragging the extra battery weight around often means similar fuel consumption to a petrol vehicle when out of charge, too. In its first month on sale, the new BYD Sealion 6 medium SUV notched up a healthy 482 registrations – it’ll be quick to challenge the established Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (2422) and Eclipse Cross PHEV (1482, both year-to-date).Following the mainstream nameplates come some more premium options, including the Mazda CX-60 (460 to end of May), Volvo XC60 (390), Cupra Formentor (313), MG HS Plus EV (307), Porsche Cayenne e-Hybrid (304), Audi Q5 (301), Lexus NX (175) and Mercedes-AMG C63 (163).Expect plug-in hybrid sales to easily reach beyond 15,000 this year. That’s still a long way off projected electric car (100,000) and hybrid (160,000) sales, but it is a big increase for the powertrain style. Also helping to drive sales are the current FBT exemptions for novated leasing on plug-in hybrid vehicles making them more attractive to buyers. This benefit will end on April 1, 2025. Hybrid hero Toyota sells a selection of plug-in hybrid models overseas, including the RAV4 and Prius Prime. Having committed to a 100 per cent hybrid or electric passenger car line-up (excluding GR) in Australia, Toyota may also join the fray. “As we evolve and battery technology evolves, there will be certain benefits that PHEV can offer that will also fit into those top three categories. Eventually, we'll have plug-in hybrids. What variants? We will have to decide,” Toyota Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations Sean Hanley told CarsGuide in May.

Audi is changing the way it names its cars. Kicking off with the new Audi Q6 e-tron electric car, Audi will ditch the numerical references  to power outputs (such as 30 TFSI or 40 TDI) that defined which variant was which, as well as altering the assignment of model numbers like ‘A4’ or ‘Q5’ depending on drivetrain.

It's telling that the number of launches for hatchbacks, sedans in and people movers 2024 is not huge. But what's more telling is the sheer number of them that are for EVs or plug-in hybrids.

Our ultimate list of hybrids worth waiting for in 2024.

BMW has revealed a second mid-life update  for its iconic 3 Series sedan, with more range for plug-in hybrid models, new technology and extra grunt for M models.

The Skywell Skyhome could be the most luxurious little electric limo not much money can buy

BMW has piled on extra performance, technology and standard specification in a model year upgrade of its M3 performance sedan and M3 Touring wagon.

Kia’s next electric car has had its production start date delayed to March 2025, but it has been spied by Shorts Car in Korea ahead of its official release. The heavily camouflaged EV4 liftback looks an awful lot like the concept shown off by Kia in October 2023 – that’s nothing new for the design-forward Korean brand. It’s difficult to see any details of the body’s flanks but poking through is a twin rear spoiler, vertical LED lighting details at the rear and a dramatically sloping roofline. The liftback barely has a horizontal boot surface and is almost EV6-like. The unique aero alloy wheels with a tri-spoke polished face appear as though they may make production, too. The EV4 will be longer than the just-revealed EV3 but a little smaller overall than the EV5. Much like those two products, the Kia EV4 is pitched as a more affordable electric car for Kia. That means it will almost certainly use Kia’s front-wheel drive E-GMP variant with 400-volt architecture and smaller battery sizes than the flagship EV6 and EV9.The EV3 packs an 81.4kWh NCM battery in long range trim and a 58.3kWh battery in the standard range.Given it will share many parts with the EV3 and EV5, vehicles coming to Australia could be built in China and utilise more affordable and stable Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery chemistry as the EV5 will for local consumption. Kia Executive Vice President Woo Jeong Joo put a lot of pressure on the brand’s electric cars succeeding back in January.  “Electric vehicles are the biggest influence on Kia’s sales and profits. We plan to flexibly respond to market changes in the medium to long term,” he said.“The EV3, EV4, and EV5 will be launched sequentially, and we are determined to make these three models successful.”  Details like price are yet to be announced, however the Kia EV3’s starting price in its home market is 39.95 million won, equivalent to $43,200 here. An EV4 would be a little more expensive but could still start around the $50K mark.When production beings in 2025, the EV4 could be a very unique proposition as the only ‘small’ electric sedan. With the electric mid-size sedan segment proving popular here with the circa 4.8m-long BYD Seal and Tesla Model 3, the EV4 could be set for success. CarsGuide has contacted Kia Australia for further information. We will know more closer to the EV4’s full release expected for the first half of 2025. 

The new 2025 BMW M5 is coming to Australia and, even though it’s gone hybrid, it still has eight cylinders under the bonnet.