SUV News

A new adventure-focused SUV is now available in right-hand drive.The Jetour T1 from Chery's off-road sub-brand has gone on sale in Malaysia, a common stepping stone for Chinese brands on the way to Australia. The T1 is on the larger end of the mid-size SUV segment, measuring at 4705mm long, 1967mm wide, 1840mm high, with a wheelbase of 2800mm.It is dimensionally similar to the GWM Tank 300 affordable off-roader that has been a confident seller in Australia so far. The T1 could take on a similar mantra to the Subaru Forester as a boxy SUV for urban or all-terrain activities.This version of the T1 is equipped with either a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, producing 125kW/270Nm or a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol unit, with 180kW/375Nm. It will be available in either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. Both are paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. It is a scaled down version of its bigger off-road-ready sibling that is powered by a hefty plug-in hybrid set-up. The smaller T1 also features an electrically upward swinging powered tailgate as opposed to a side-hinged one. Inside, there is a 12.8-inch central touchscreen and 10.3-inch digital driver display as standard, along with an eight-speaker audio system and 50W wireless phone charger. The AWD variant upgrades cloth seats to synthetic leather and adds a panoramic sunroof.It also introduces a 15.6-inch central touchscreen and 10.3-inch digital driver display, as well as a premium Sony nine-speaker audio system. The T1 has officially launched in Malaysia, but it is unclear whether it will make its way to Australia in the future. Jetour is scheduled to launch in Australia next year as its own operation. It will not be directly connected to the Chery Group set-up like Omoda Jaecoo and the incoming Lepas sub-brand.Its Malaysia arrival confirms it will be available in right-hand drive, which improves its chances of a local launch, but its petrol-only set-up could attract emissions fines.The PHEV T1 could be a better fit for our market.Expect more details on the T1’s potential Australian future in the next few months as Jetour gears up to tackle the market Down Under. 

The Mitsubishi Pajero has got an official launch window, with the brand promising the model will make its global debut in the Japanese autumn, so between September and November this year.That sets the clock officially ticking for the hugely anticipated model's arrival, as its chief engineer vows "this project will be successful".That's the word from Takaaki Matsumoto, the new Pajero's Chief Vehicle Engineer, who has published a series of statements in the lead-up to the Pajero's launch.In them, he promises the new model will be "amazing", and has already silenced doubters inside the company."When it was decided to take on this heavy responsibility as the person in charge of development, it was a strange feeling of a mixture of expectations and anxiety," he says. "You can design a model that symbolises Mitsubishi Motors. There is no more rewarding a job than this. At the same time, can it create something that exceeds the weight of Pajero's history, the thoughts of employees in various positions, and above all, the expectations of fans who are eager to revive around the world? I still remember well that various emotions were intertwined."The most difficult thing for the development was that all the staff involved in the development shared 'what Pajero should be like' and put it into a specific plan. Since you call yourself Pajero, there is a performance that must be achieved."Where do I need to rebuild to do that? It is a (difficult) process to check them one by one and move forward step by step while absorbing the company's policies. At first, some staff members would have been hesitant."However, as the skeleton of the design was decided and it was dropped into the parts, I felt that the development team was making something amazing. And when I felt that the development team was full of confidence when I saw the first prototype car, I was also able to be convinced that this project will be successful."The chief engineer went on to describe the feeling he wanted the Pajero to deliver, promising a car that blends comfort with capability, and that allows anyone to tackle off-road tracks. "In the development of the new Pajero, we aimed to inherit and evolve the vulnerability and comfort that successive Pajeros have been about," he says."This is the embodiment of Pajero, which developed the 4WD, which was for working cars until now, as an all-round 4WD that anyone can run comfortably on any road. On top of that, we worked together to make a big jump up in how to make this Mitsubishi Motors' flagship."In order to shape the designer's commitment to the interior, we considered various construction methods with the design and production departments. And with the skills of craftsmen, we were able to embody an elaborate design that is difficult for mass-produced cars."I can confidently say that the new Pajero has been able to raise both static and dynamic quality to a very high level. If you open the door and get into the car, you should want to stay in this car forever, drive forever, and own it forever."It's a thought echoed by Mitsubishi's chief product specialist, Kunitoshi Itagaki, who says the new Pajero will be ready for adventure."A sense of high-quality quality, as a Mitsubishi Motors SUV, the driving performance and reliability that anyone can go anywhere with confidence, and the fact that all occupants can enjoy moving comfortably. Each of these leads to a sense of security that this car is fine, and it boosts the desire to go with adventure and challenge, just like the Pajero so far," he says.Finally, Norihiko Yoshimine, the Pajero program design director, promises that the Pajero blends history with evolution, and will pull the brand from now on. "I aimed not only to inherit Pajero's design philosophy, but also to evolve it to lead to the future," he says."Since the start of development, we have accumulated inheritance and innovation, and we were finally able to put it together into one package called the new Pajero."The new Pajero will definitely be the one who will pull Mitsubishi Motors from now on. We would like not only those who know the successive Pajero, but also the younger generation to experience the new Pajero."

Nissan has revealed a sharp price for its newest performance-tuned electric car.The Leaf Nismo just hit Japanese showrooms as a performance grade of the strong-selling Leaf small electric car.Nissan relaunched the Leaf in January as an SUV, marking a shift from its two previous hatchback generations.Nismo is Nissan’s performance arm tasked will adding sporty credentials to its cars.The Leaf Nismo shapes up as a size-up rival to the MG4 XPower hatch.It carries 6.6 million yen (or roughly $60,000) price tag in Japan, which is about a 33 per cent hike on the standard Leaf.While the Leaf Nismo has the same 160kW/355Nm single electric motor front-wheel drive set-up as up-spec Leaf variants, it receives plenty of other technical improvements.Its rethought suspension system introduces new springs, stabilises and select member bushes to provide greater rigidity and improved steering response.The car has beefed up shock absorbers to reduce body roll during hard cornering in conjunction with a specialist-tuned chassis.It rides on 19-inch alloy wheels, fitted with special Michelin tyres, aiding grip and control. The Leaf Nismo sits on the larger end of the small SUV scale, measuring up at 4415mm long, 1810mm wide, 1550mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2690mm.It weighs just under 2000kg.It also has up to 135mm of ground clearance. The Leaf Nismo’s is equipped with either a 52kWh or 75kWh battery, offering a driving range of more than 500km, according to WLTP standards.The new-generation Leaf is not currently in Nissan Australia's plans.The brand postponed its introduction after it failed to meet the business case.This means it is unlikely we will see the Leaf Nismo in Australia any time soon.However, with EVs forming more important parts of brands’ lineups, it is not entirely out of the question for a future launch.If it arrives in Australia it will likely be a touch pricier than the $60,000 equivalent Japanese starting point, coming in more expensive than the MG4 XPower.

If you can’t beat them, join them. Volkswagen has long resisted the urge to add conventional, Toyota-style hybrid power to its cars, but not anymore.The German maker is rapidly expanding its petrol-electric range, diversifying from the petrol, plug-in hybrid and fully-electric options currently available.Now it has revealed European prices for the VW Golf hatchback and T-Roc SUV hybrids, which would rival the popular Toyota Corolla and Corolla Cross.Prices start at €41,400 ($67,000) for the Golf and €44,470 ($72,000) for the T-Roc. Both models are only available in the top-spec R-Line specification, and represent about a €4000 ($6500) premium over the petrol models.Petrol R-Line versions cost about $50,000 before on-road costs in Australia, so a hybrid version could cost about $60,000 on the road in Australia. That would put it about $20,000 more than the cheapest equivalent Toyota hybrids.Volkswagen Australia has previously been unable to confirm if the hybrid Golf and T-Roc will arrive in Australia, but the company said it is always evaluating opportunities for our market.The hybrid Golf and T-Roc combine a tried-and-tested 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine, two electric motors and a 1.6kWh battery.VW claims this set-up produces 125kW/309Nm, a jump of 15kW/59kW over the petrol Golf’s 110kW/250Nm max outputs.It also uses about 4.6-litres per 100km of fuel, which is slightly more than Toyota's claim.Hybrid options are becoming increasingly important to brands in Australia as purely petrol powered vehicles are starting to fall foul of Australia’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES).The NVES levels fines against carmakers for every gram of CO2 a sold vehicle emits over a certain threshold. This threshold gets lower every year until 2030.The fines can be offset by sales of EVs and plug-in hybrids.Purely petrol cars will soon become prohibitively expensive, with hybrids also attracting moderate fines in the coming years.The NVES is also putting Australia at the front of the queue for international brands to get low emissions or electric vehicles.Volkswagen Australia for years struggled to get its electric cars sold in Europe and other parts of the world, as our market wasn’t considered an emissions critical one that needed these vehicles. This is no longer the case.All this works in favour of Volkswagen bringing its latest hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles here.

China’s XPeng has confirmed its plan to launch five new or updated vehicles in Australia over the next six months.Including the updated G6 electric mid-size SUV and the recently launched X9 electric people mover, the Chinese carmaker has locked in a local launch for the L03 coupe SUV in the fourth quarter of 2026.This latter XPeng vehicle was only just revealed in Europe last week and it signals the brand’s intention to bring new cars to Australia more quickly and in sync with China.Then the G9L large SUV and the L05 mid-size SUV are all coming Down Under within the next six months.Additionally, XPeng has confirmed the flagship GX SUV is coming to Australia, however concrete launch timing is yet to be locked in. It’ll likely also need a different name as Lexus already sells a model with this name locally.All XPeng models to date offer pure electric (BEV) powertrains, however the Chinese carmaker is set to introduce range-extender hybrid (REEV) powertrains in Australia in 2027.XPeng hasn’t fully disclosed which of its models will be offered with a REEV powertrain in Australia, however it’s understood that the L03 coupe SUV will be the first. It’ll be offered with both BEV and REEV powertrains.Other XPeng models will likely follow with offering both powertrain technologies.The Chinese carmaker also plans to introduce its semi-autonomous driving software in Australia. It’s already available in other markets and it’s currently targeting a local launch before the end of 2027.This will finally give Tesla a rival on the semi-autonomous driving front. It’s the only carmaker to offer a similar level of technology currently in Australia.Lastly, XPeng is currently planning an Australian pilot for vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology.It is still in discussions with potential partners and will disclose the models it’ll be offered on and the timeline at a later date.As it currently stands, XPeng has 25 showroom locations within Australia and New Zealand but it’s looking to ramp this up to 50 within six months. It also plans to have three flagship experience centres.The Chinese carmaker is also setting up offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Auckland to act as support hubs for the dealers.It has established a national parts warehouse with delivery through a partnership with FedEx, plus has a customer care support network with a dedicated call line and roadside assistance.It’s clear that XPeng is going hard in Australia now that the factory has officially taken over direct operations from the previous distributor, True EV.There are still ongoing legal disputes however between XPeng and True EV and a trial is set to begin locally in October.

Mercedes-Benz Australia has introduced two new versions of its mid-size GLC SUV including the pure-electric GLC400 4Matic as well as the performance-focused AMG GLC 53 4Matic+, the latter in traditional SUV wagon and Coupé form.Adding the GLC400 4Matic Electric battery electric vehicle (BEV) to its most popular model line slots the dual-motor all-wheel drive SUV into the heart of the three-pointed star’s local line-up, delivering 360kW/800Nm, 0-100km acceleration in 4.3 seconds and a (WLTP) driving range of up to 630km.Underpinned by a dedicated platform featuring an 800-volt electronic architecture, the GLC400 is fitted with a 94.4kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) battery and boasts a DC fast charging capacity of up to 330kW, which allows it to take on 300 kilometres of range “within 10 minutes.” Maximum AC charge rate is 22kW.WLTP tested energy consumption on the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle is 17.1kWh/100km; the new EV running a two-speed transmission on the rear axle with a Disconnect Unit (DCU) on the front axle, which allows the drivetrain to decouple at the front to reduce mechanical drag-induced efficiency losses.Carspotters should look out for an illuminated grille, AMG aprons front and rear, 21-inch AMG alloy wheels and Night Package Styling elements including high-gloss black exterior accents.Inside, the MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) Superscreen stretches across the dash incorporating instruments, vehicle information and multimedia functions in one display. And Mercedes-Benz claims the optional 39.1-inch MBUX Hyperscreen is the largest screen ever offered in a Mercedes-Benz production vehicle.The electric GLC’s wheelbase is 84mm longer than its internal–combustion engine (ICE) siblings which is claimed to have increased head and legroom front and rear with luggage capacity at a handy 570 litres (rear seats upright) expanding to 1740L (rear seats folded). There’s also a 128-litre frunk in the nose.Standard equipment includes the AMG alloy rims and MBUX Superscreen as well as synthetic leather upholstery, Burmester 3D surround sound audio, an AMG Line Sport Seat Package (heated and power-adjustable with memory function in the front), open-pore birch wood interior trim, a panoramic roof, privacy glass and more.The GLC400 4Matic electric is on sale now at $112,200, before on-road costs. And a limited Launch Edition version offers a slightly lower entry-point thanks to deletion of the MBUX Superscreen at $110,000, BOC.The Mercedes-AMG GLC53 4Matic+ manages to hit the magic 100km/h mark a tenth of a second faster than its new electric stablemate (at 4.2 seconds), but its means of propulsion is dramatically different.A 3.0-litre, in-line six-cylinder turbo-petrol engine is supported by a mild-hybrid starter-generator unit to produce 330kW/600Nm (plus an extra 40Nm for 10sec on overboost).Drive goes to all four wheels via a nine-speed dual-clutch auto transmission (featuring a double-declutching function to allow multiple downshifts) and a fully variable all-wheel drive system.AMG Ride Control adaptive suspension is onboard as is rear-axle steering and the AMG Dynamic Plus Package incorporating an electronic rear-axle locking differential, dynamic engine mounts and the Race Driving Program (including Drift Mode).Euro muscle car devotees will surely love the “special resonators” in the exhaust system to “amplify the sound experience (with) characteristic crackling on throttle lift-off.”Standard features include 21-inch forged alloy rims (in matt black with a high-sheen rim flange), dark chrome AMG badging and grille elements, a front lip spoiler, black roof rails, MBUX multimedia, ‘metal structure’ interior trim elements, leather upholstery, heated front sport seats (with memory and four-way lumbar support), a panoramic sliding sunroof, head-up display, Burmester 3D surround sound and heat-insulating dark-tinted glass.A Golden Accents Package, Performance Ergonomic Package and Plus Package are optionally available.Like the Mercedes-Benz GLC400 4Matic, the Mercedes-AMG GLC53 4Matic+ is on sale now with before on-road costs pricing of $140,600 and $151,300, respectively.2027 Mercedes-Benz GLC pricing2027 Mercedes-AMG GLC pricing  

The new Range Rover GT is the British SUV brand's most car-like creation ever.Sleeker, lower, longer and wider than the firm's Velar, the all-electric Range Rover GT is a shock for fans of the luxury brand's more typical SUVs, even when supposedly disguised in camouflage.Built to be a fifth member of the Range Rover family, the new GT doesn't replace any existing model, execs told CarsGuide at a recent media event held at JLR's powertrain plant near Wolverhampton in the UK.Instead, the swoopy SUV is primed to sit above the Evoque and Velar but below the Range Rover Sport and flagship full-size Range Rover.Officially, Land Rover's posh brand won't tell us anything about its new GT as its full reveal is penned in for later this year, so we don't know if it will be a rival for the inbound BMW iX4 or the larger unannounced BMW iX6, but an unscientific walkaround suggests dimensions not far off the Range Rover Sport.In the flesh, it's hard not to draw parallels between the striking four-door SUV-coupe and the smaller Polestar 4, although we'll need to see it when stripped of its disguise.What we do know is that the new GT has been created to be nothing less than the most technologically advanced Land Rover ever.The first of many to be based on JLR's all-new flexible Electric Modular Architecture (EMA), the GT launches with all-electric power, but the platform can support electrified combustion engines, with a plug-in hybrid or range-extender hybrid version already in the pipeline.Although it sits low to the ground, the new car-like Range Rover will deliver on the brand's trademark comfort and refinement with even the promise of real off-road capability – although we expect it will need height adjustable air springs to jack its body high away from harm.Like the latest Jaguar Type 01, the Range Rover GT should come with powerful 800-volt electrics and a large battery over 100kWh.Expect ultra-fast DC charging beyond 350kW and, if you factor in its slippery styling, a range of more than 700km could be possible.Land Rover remains tight-lipped about how many e-motors the GT will come with, but all-wheel drive and, at least dual motors should be standard, although later on a hot SV variant might rock up with a triple-motor setup that's lifted from the Jaguar Type 01.Spy photographers have already caught what now looks like a Shooting Brake wagon version of the GT, but some reports suggest the more practical body style could be a replacement for the ageing Velar.Inside the Range Rover GT designers have applied their famed reductive approach to create the car-maker's most impressive cabin yet.Accessed via large frameless doors, perhaps the bravest decision was not to follow the trend of plastering the dash with screens that stretch from pillar-to-pillar.Instead, one designer told us they used the very smallest screens they could get away with and then attempted to hide as much of the onboard tech as they could.The result, Range Rover claims, is a calmer lounge-like atmosphere that doesn't even offer a passenger touchscreen as an option, offering instead the full digital detox experience for your co-pilot.As standard, the GT comes with four seats, but a more practical five-seat version is also available for families.Unusually for a Range Rover leather is absent. Instead, wool-rich blend materials cover the seat backrests, while ultrafabric is stretched over the simple-form seats. The approach helps slash the carbon footprint of the cabin while saving weight, with the fabrics weighing half as much as animal hides.The real reason for the lack of leather is the look, one designer told me, natural hide doesn't stretch in quite the same way, so it wouldn't achieve the show car's clean, minimalist look.From the woven textiles used on the dash that sneakily hide the speakers, to the metallic vertical strips on the door cards, or copper coloured centre console, to the 1970s-inspired steering wheel, the Range Rover GT feels stylish and special and makes some of the German rivals’ cabins feel overwrought in comparison.It's also been designed to be easy to use.There's an advanced AI-powered natural speak voice assistant, while above that ultra-cool oval-shaped steering wheel is a clear thin instrument panel that sits freestanding on the dash and provides the speed, estimated range and battery charge.It's hard not to read into the concept's dash reading 288 miles (464km) at 80 per cent charge, with the suggestion that a full 100 per cent charge would equate to a total range of 580km.As well as being stylish, climb into the rear pews and there's also plenty of headroom in the for the tall, while legroom is claimed to be on par with the firm's largest Range Rover.All models will also come with a full-width panoramic roof that turns opaque at the touch of a button.Thoughtful touches for the second row include two large rear air vents and a touchscreen control panel between the seats.Confirming the Range Rover GT will land later this year, Land Rover's luxury arm will reveal full details then, including powertrain specification, pricing and positioning, as well as local timings.Commenting on the new GT, the Range Rover brand's boss, Martin Limpert, said: "The Range Rover GT will redefine the grand-touring segment with the ability to deliver beautiful and engaging GT poise, proportions and long-distance refinement while offering capabilities no conventional GT can match. "We have spent the last few years working obsessively on the fundamentals of the GT formula, reinterpreted in a sophisticated, uniquely Range Rover way. The result is the most car-like, yet unmistakably capable."Its blend of effortless EV performance, first-class long-haul refinement and all-terrain capability is pure Range Rover; while its calming interior previews our vision of a modern grand tourer."

Details of Chinese carmaking giant GWM’s upcoming ‘next-size-up’ Ora 7 sportback-style wagon have finally emerged, just after the pure-electric Ora 5 compact SUV launched in Australia.Displayed as a production-ready ‘concept’ at last year’s Shanghai motor show, filings with the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) have filled out the technical picture for the new BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle).To be named Ora Lightning Cat in its home market, it’s likely the mid-size five-seater will replace the existing Porsche Panamera ‘inspired’ coupe-style sedan version of the car.Measuring just over 4.8m long, a little more than 1.8m wide and around 1.5m tall with a 2870mm wheelbase, the new Ora 7 is in the same size ballpark as medium BEV sedans, including the BYD Seal, Kia EV4 and Mazda 6e. The new wagon will be offered with a choice of 58.3kWh and 68.9kWh NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) battery packs across single-motor, front-wheel drive and dual-motor, all-wheel drive variants. The current Ora 07 sedan uses LFP (Lithium iron Phosphate) batteries. A 150kW/340Nm motor on the front axle is used on two FWD versions, which is joined by a second 160kW unit at the rear for a combined 300kW/680Nm on the flagship AWD.Range claim for the base FWD version is 560km (to the more lenient CLTC - China Light-duty vehicle Test Cycle protocol), with a large-battery long-range FWD variant expanding that number to 630km and the heavier dual-motor AWD using the same pack coming in at 535km.Three tyre sizes are quoted - 225/50R18 (FWD standard), 235/50R18 (FWD long range) and 235/45R19 (AWD).And it’s interesting to note the concept version’s flush door handles have been swapped for traditional pull-out units in the production car in line with the Chinese MIIT’s ban on new vehicles models with flush handles applying for approval starting January 1, 2027.If the newcomer was to land here it will have to match or better that previously-mentioned EV sedan trio on price - BYD Seal (from $49,888), Kia EV4 (from $49,990) and Mazda 6e ($49,990), all prices before on-road costs.CarsGuide contacted GWM Australia for comment on the new Ora 7 wagon’s potential for local sale and a spokesperson told us, "Our current focus is on the Ora 5 platform and the opportunities to expand that range."As confirmed at the recent Ora 5 launch, a touring/wagon variant is already on the roadmap which we feel would be more aligned to Australian market requirements," they said.

Honda has renewed its partnership with GAC in China, after months of speculation it would pull out of the agreement when its original 30 year contract ended.The GAC/Honda joint-venture in China has struggled for market share, even amongst other foreign partnerships. With the rise of China’s automakers such as BYD, Geely and SAIC, not to mention even smaller players XPeng and Xiaomi soaking up domestic market share, even once-successful joint venture players such as Volkswagen (the longest serving and most successful of all) are faltering.Nikkei Asia reports Honda’s market share in China has fallen 60 per cent last year, with GAC Honda specifically fallen to 340,000 units. While that might seem enormous given the brand’s mere 15,383 unit tally in Australia last year, it makes it a relative minnow in the enormous Chinese market, where annual sales for the biggest brands are frequently measured in the millions.Honda has renewed its agreement with the Chinese giant for a further 10 years, a Honda spokesperson told Nikkei Asia.“We’ve made this decision in order to assess the business environment,” the spokesperson said.An executive from one of the JV’s suppliers told the outlet, "this is Honda sending a message that it won't give up on China".It is notable the Honda/GAC operation currently has less joint-venture models than most rivals, and only one purely electric model in a market, which is demanding more zero-emissions options.GAC Honda currently sells the Honda Breeze (a re-styled CR-V), ageing Avancier coupe SUV, and a sedan Integra (not related to the coupe sold in Australia) all as unique combustion models, while also selling Chinese domestic versions of the Accord, Odyssey, and HR-V (as the Vezel).The only electric car the JV sells is the P7 mid-size SUV in an EV-hungry market, while the Dongfeng joint venture sells its own version, dubbed the S7, and the more affordable e:NS2 crossover. Despite showing several concept models at Chinese motor shows in previous years, new and more desirable models are yet to materialise in the fast-moving market.Even GAC’s joint venture with Toyota was significantly more successful last year, moving around 756,000 units, with popular JV models including the bZ3X, which shares its platform with the GAC Aion V.The bZ3X has since become available in right-hand drive form for Hong Kong. Toyota Australia hasn’t ruled the China-built model out for our market either, given it will need to sell more electric vehicles in the near future to comply with the strict new vehicle emissions standards (NVES), which closes the vice on hybrid models before long.As for Honda using the sought-after ‘China Speed’ manufacturing for more cost-effective export models, it is only just testing the waters resurrecting the Insight nameplate for a version of the China-built e:NS2 from its Dongfeng venture sold in Japan.Meanwhile rivals are forging ahead with Chinese partnerships for export, with Kia and Hyundai already selling the Chinese-built EV5 and Elexio in Australia respectively, and Nissan announcing its intention to make its Dongfeng joint-venture models like the Frontier Pro PHEV ute and NX8 large SUV available globally.

A Chinese brand rivalry is heating up in Australia.Chery Group is one of the largest growing carmakers in Australia but it is now facing competition from within its own ranks. Omoda Jaecoo has burst onto the Australian car scene with its Jaecoo J5 small electric SUV, which claimed the best-selling small SUV title for May 2026. It even outsold the Chery Tiggo 4, which is the best-selling SUV so far this year.The Tiggo 4 starts from $23,990 (drive-away), making it the cheapest in its segment. The J5 EV carries on this budget mantra, starting from $36,990 (drive-away).This makes it much cheaper than many of its legacy rivals like the Hyundai Kona Electric ($54,000, before on-road costs). A petrol J5 has just gone on sale and a hybrid is on the way, bringing Omoda Jaecoo’s important model into direct competition with the Tiggo 4. The petrol variant is priced from $25,990 (drive-away), making it $2000 more than the Tiggo 4, but it is marketed as a more premium version of its closely-related sibling.Omoda Jaecoo by Australian Chief Commercial Officer Roy Munoz emphasised the importance of the J5, describing it at the brand's 'hero' model.Munoz said the Chery Group brands need each other to be successful in Australia, but rivalry still exists between them.“There’ll always be competition,” he told CarsGuide.  “We can’t win them all. They can’t win them all, but together we can win a big share of the market.“So as long as we’re still both up there, that’ll keep everyone happy.”The Chery Group rivalry will heat up further in the coming months with the arrival of Lepas that will debut in Australia with its L6 electric mid-size SUV. Lepas will be joined by Freelander and iCaur from 2027 as the Chery Group sub-brand collection grows. Chery Group subsidiary Jetour has also been confirmed for Australia, but it will operate under its own steam as opposed to forming part of what has already been established Down Under.