SUV News

BYD tried to buy a share of Renault in a dramatic shot at a foothold in Europe, according to a new report in French media outlet Les Echos.According to the publication, BYD sought not just a joint production or factory deal, as Chery has secured in some locations with Renault’s partner Nissan, but actual ownership in the French giant as a shareholder.The deal didn’t work out under former CEO Luca de Meo, who was famous for guiding a re-structure of the previously dysfunctional Renault Nissan Alliance.According to several outlets, this was because Renault had already entered into an agreement with Geely to save its ailing Korean factory (formerly the Renault Samsung Motors factory), which now produces both Renaults and Polestars for Asian markets.Geely and Renault also co-own Horse Powertrain with Saudi Aramco, a spin-off of both company’s combustion engine divisions, which builds both engines and hybrid transmissions for future models both inside those two companies and for sale to other manufacturers outside of them.When BYD had a second crack at a Renault deal, it was turned down with involvement from French president Emmanuel Macron, with the government controlling 30 per cent of Renault voting shares and fiercely protective over its manufacturing footprint on the continent.The key benefit for BYD in this deal was obviously a way to avoid a tough tariff structure for Chinese built cars in Europe, while Renault would have access to its signature affordable Blade batteries, which it already sells to other manufacturers Tesla, KGM and Hyundai Group.Renault’s rejection of a BYD ownership stake won’t be a fatal blow for the Chinese giant in Europe. BYD already has a factory in Hungary and is seeking to establish a second base, with many analysts believing it will be in Spain and possible locations also including France and Germany.BYD needs such a foothold as it seeks new global opportunities off the back of a shrinking new car market in China over the course of 2026, and major profitability issues for even some of the biggest groups after a bruising domestic price war.

A new affordable European 4WD has just been revealed.Renault-owned Dacia has announced it will launch an off-road capable model called the Striker and it is expected to go on sale in Europe later this year.The Toyota RAV4-sized SUV will come with an affordable price tag of under 25,000 euros (about $41,000).This pits it against the much-anticipated Toyota FJ LandCruiser that went on sale in Japan recently.It is unclear whether the Striker will make its way to Australia.It will be launched in the United Kingdom, meaning it is available in right-hand drive so that could smooth an arrival path. Dacia models are rebadged under the Renault name in Australia, so expect it to be called the Renault Striker if it gets here.Renault Australia has been contacted for comment to see if the Striker will launch in Australia. It will be available with two separate mild hybrid set-ups for two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive variants. The 2WD variants are powered by a 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that produces 81kW, along with an electric motor, producing 37kW, and a high-voltage starter-generator.This set-up is paired with a 1.4kWh battery.The 4WD combines a front-mounted 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine, producing 103kW and 230Nm with a rear-mounted electric motor, producing 23kW and 87Nm.The pair combine to produce a total 110kW and 230Nm, and are complimented by a smaller 48-volt battery.  Dacia said this 4WD hybrid set-up can drive on just electric power for 60 per cent of driving time in and around cities.At 4620mm long, the Striker measures up closely to the FJ LandCruiser, but it is much shorter at 1530mm, enabling a sleek coupe-like design.Dacia has made the Striker an eager off-roader.It has 200mm of ground clearance and five different driving modes catering for surfaces like snow, mud, sand and general off-roading. The car gets 17-inch steel wheels as standard that are upgraded to alloys further up the range.On the inside, there is a 10.1-inch central touchscreen and 7.0-inch digital driver display.Higher grades of the Striker swap to 18-inch alloy wheels, while adding a panoramic sunroof and a 10-inch digital driver display.Dacia’s Striker move is driven by the brand's desire to increase sales in the SUV space.The brand unveiled its Bridger concept earlier this year, which is also a smaller SUV. It will initially target the Indian market.

Alfa Romeo’s stylish and refreshed hybrid SUV is here. The brand has announced pricing and specifications for its updated Tonale small SUV in Australia. It will be offered as a petrol mild hybrid, with prices starting from $64,990 9before on-road costs), which is the same as before. Plug-in hybrid power is now an extra $1500, with prices starting from $78,990.The Tonale is similarly priced to the BMW X1 that is available in petrol ($66,700) and PHEV ($79,500) set-ups. It will also tackle the revamped Cupra Formentor that just got a sizeable $7000 price cut in Australia ($53,990). PHEV variants of the Formentor are $4500 cheaper than the comparative Tonale, starting from $74,490. The petrol mild hybrid Tonale is powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, producing 128kW and 240Nm, supplemented by a small electric motor and 48-volt battery.The PHEV also has a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, but adds a larger electric motor to boost power to 198kW and 270Nm, along with an all-wheel drive system.Its 15.5kWh battery has an all-electric driving range of 59km, according to WLTP standards. The car has received a new sharpened design as part of its refresh, including a re-thought front grille and new 19-inch alloy wheels. It also has several new interior features as standard.Seats are covered in a synthetic leather, and the front ones are electrically adjustable, with heating, ventilation and memory function. The steering wheel and windscreen washer nozzle are also heated. Elsewhere in the cabin, there is a 12.3-inch digital driver display and 10.25-inch central touchscreen, along with a wireless phone charger.It comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.There other convenience features like an electrically operated tailgate with hands-free function, and keyless entry and start. Alfa Romeo has introduced special edition variants of its Tonale and Junior SUVs, called the Ibrida Sport Speciale. The Junior is priced from $51,990, while the Tonale starts from $68,990, so they are both more expensive than base versions of their respective models. The Junior is a compact SUV, powered by a 1.2-litre turbo-petrol mild-hybrid system, producing 107kW and 230Nm. It sits under the Tonale in Alfa Romeo’s range. The special edition flair to these models adds synthetic leather and Alcantara seats, as well as a sunroof and a glossy black body kit. 

BMW’s incoming iX3, which wears the brand’s dramatic Neue Klasse design aesthetic, is the first car to be tested to ANCAP’s new safety regime.The iX3 scored a maximum five stars, scoring relatively highly across the safety body’s four new categories.The new categories include, Safe Driving (which rates driving support systems), Crash Avoidance (which rates hazard mitigation technologies), Crash Protection (which rates the vehicles crash structure and physical safety hardware) and Post Crash (which rates how well the systems on board the car assist first responders following a crash).“Over three decades of ANCAP influence, this is the most comprehensive ratings framework we’ve applied. We have again stepped up our assessment to capture and evaluate the many ways a modern car can protect its occupants and other road users,” ANCAP Chief Executive Carla Hoorweg said.“The BMW iX3 is the first model we’ve put through this new rating process, and its specification and performance have captured the essence of the new requirements.”It is unsurprising the BMW iX3 ranked so highly to the new standards, as it is designed to comply with EuroNCAP safety procedures, which ANCAP’s procedures are largely based. The iX3 was physically tested in Europe for the EuropNCAP score, which was applied to the ANCAP scale.ANCAP’s new rating system places more emphasis on safety systems calibrated well enough that car buyers are likely to leave them on.“Systems that irritate rather than improve the drive experience will be marked down, with lane keep systems now assessed on how naturally they interact with the driver, including steering response and driver override effort,” said Hoorweg.“The ‘smart coupling’ of driver alertness with safety system intervention is also now assessed. Vehicles that enhance – or minimise – their response according to the driver’s level of alertness are rewarded,” she addedIn what may come as a relief to many new car buyers, the Safe Driving pillar also scrutinises the existence of physical controls, although for now it is limited to only core functions like indicators, hazard lights, horn, gear selector and headlights.Some of the most frustrating touchscreen-based systems, like climate and multimedia controls, will get a free pass.The safety body also now ranks the accuracy of speed limit assist systems, which are also a frequent source of irritation in new vehicles.The iX3 ranked well enough for Safe Driving (71 per cent), marked down for the lack of some occupant detection features, some distraction monitoring function, and the adaptive cruise not responding entirely to road features like roundabouts.It ranked more highly in Crash Avoidance (83 per cent), with its auto emergency braking and lane keep systems scoring highly across most categories.It also scored well for Crash Protection (86 per cent) - which now involves extra crash dummies for more thorough testing. It was marked down slightly for vehicle-to-vehicle compatibility for presenting a “moderate risk to occupants of an oncoming vehicle if struck”.The Post Crash Pillar was the iX3’s highest ranking category (95 per cent), scoring high across all categories including its eCall feature, high-voltage battery isolation function and door handle functionality.Other new elements of ANCAP’s testing regime for the next few years include a new crash barrier test, more robust avoidance assessments, the assessment of rollover injuries, new “pothole” test which assesses the ability of the driver to maintain control of the car when avoiding road hazards, more intense whiplash testing, a motorcycle t-bone test, and “serious component failures” also carry a more dire penalty.The five-star ANCAP rating applies to both the 50 xDrive and 40 variants of the new iX3.

Polestar is prepping a new luxury electric SUV and it has the Porsche Macan in its sights. A new Polestar 4 variant will go on sale in Europe this September with a new SUV body shape. It is expected to launch in Australia before the end of the year. Polestar said this new SUV will provide a more practical alternative to the strong-selling four-door fastback model. It gives Polestar a more direct rival to the Porsche Macan which starts from $129,800 (before on-road costs). There is no news on price, but we can expect it to sit around the $80,000 price point in reasonably close proximity to the existing model. Other potential rivals include the Tesla Model Y Performance ($89,400, before on-road costs) and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N-Line ($83,700).The biggest challenge for the new SUV could be the Zeekr 7X from Polestar's Chinese sister brand under common Geely ownership, priced from just $57,900 before on-roads.It is likely the Polestar 4 SUV will be available in rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive forms with the latter producing up to 406kW when it arrives in Australia.It will ride on the same 400-volt architecture as the existing Polestar 4, as opposed to the Polestar 3's 800-volt underpinnings.Driving range has been boosted by 10km to 630km for the rear-wheel drive variant, according to WLTP standards.Polestar has only revealed one teaser image of the car so far, showing the rear quarter.We will learn more about the Polestar 4 SUV in the coming weeks ahead of its September launch date. The four-door coupe variant recently got an update and a price cut in Australia, with that model arriving later this month. Its single-motor variant continues to start from $78,500, before on-road costs, while the dual-motor grade now starts from $86,350, which is $2000 cheaper. It has proved to be the brand’s best-selling model in Australia, and it will continue to be offered alongside the new SUV. Polestar is plotting more models in the coming years, including a Polestar 2 successor in 2027, and a Polestar 7 compact SUV in 2028.

The Tesla Model Y has just had its biggest sales month in Australia, and it has put it among the best sellers of all time, including the legendary Holden Commodore.The Model Y achieved 8072 sales in June 2026.Its sales have almost doubled year-on-year, up 95.5 per cent, with nearly 10,000 more than what it achieved in the whole of 2025. Tesla’s most popular model eclipsed the sales results of the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux by more than 2000 units in June. It is also the first fully electric car to top the sales charts in a single month.The Ranger and HiLux ute duo usually comfortably sit at the top of the charts in Australia each month, but the Model Y has shot ahead of them.It’s not just established players the Model Y is taking down. It’s even chasing the records of heroes past. The Holden Commodore was one of Australia’s most popular models ever, and by the late 90s and early 2000s was reaching its peak with the VT, VX and VY versions.It achieved more than 9000 sales in a month on three separate occasions between 1998 and 2000.It peaked with 9667 sales in October 2002. Model Y sales could continue to rise in Australia due to soaring fuel prices and emissions regulations.  The Model Y has led the way for EVs for some time in Australia, and it continues to bat away hugely popular alternatives like the Zeekr 7X.The ongoing Iran war and fuel price increases have no doubt impacted its increased popularity in Australia, along with many other EVs. This sales increase has also coincided with the arrival of the Model Y L six-seater, which the brand said "capturing a significant share" of sales. Tesla usually delivers every vehicle that is shipped to Australia that month, but something the shipping cycles don't lie-u to the same amount every month, which can result in unusually low or high results in any particular month.Tesla sold about around 2000 units less of the Model Y in April 2026 than it did the previous month, which Tesla Australia said was down to the delivery cycles of the vehicles. The brand said it has been able to satisfy increasing demand through the production capability of the Shanghai Gigafactory.

The Jaecoo J5 has a revamped electric SUV rival in Australia.The MG S5 has been updated in Australia and will now be offered with a condensed range, bumping up the entry-level price.The base variant of the S5 has been cut from the lineup, meaning the car is roughly $2500 more expensive than it was before, starting from $42,990 (drive-away).The long-range variant of the car is $3000 more expensive, starting from $47,990 (drive-away), with the cheaper grade no longer available. The S5 will continue to be available as a rear-wheel drive exclusive model. MG said the reason for the model change-up is due the greater interest in the higher specification models.The top-grade Essence variants equate for more than 80 per cent of orders.The S5 tackles the larger end of the small SUV segment, which includes the sales-smashing Jaecoo J5 EV ($36,990, drive-away) and the BYD Atto 3 ($39,990 (before on-road costs). The S5 is a cheaper alternative to the Hyundai Kona Electric ($46,000, before on-road costs) and Kia EV3 ($47,600). The base S5 still has the same performance from its single electric motor (125kW/250Nm), but the range-topping car has seen its set-up tuned to produce 150kW and 350Nm.The increase in power results in a faster 0-100km/h time of seven seconds. Driving range on the top grade has also increased up to 450km from its 62kWh unit, according to WLTP standards.The cheapest variant has remained at 335km from its 49kWh battery.The car’s interior features a 12.8-inch central touchscreen and 10.25-inch digital driver display, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto now as standard. There is also a leather steering that is heated, along with an electrically adjustable driver seat, with both front seats heated. Other new additions to the standard feature list include a hands-free power tailgate. 2027 MG S5 pricing Australia 

The Zeekr 7X has a renewed Australian rival.The updated XPeng G6 has been priced in Australia ahead of its arrival in showrooms next month.This model is only available through the factory-backed XPeng ANZ operation and has no connection to the previous distributor, True EV.True EV was appointed XPeng's exclusive importer, distributor, and retailer for Australia in 2024.True EV commenced legal action against XPeng in the Federal Court of Australia earlier this year, with hearings scheduled for October.  The new G6 will be priced from $51,800 (before on-road costs) for the rear-wheel drive, while the new all-wheel drive variant is available from $63,800. This means the range kicks off from $3000 less than it did previously.The G6 is now more than $6000 cheaper than the hugely popular Zeekr 7X ($57,900), and roughly $5000 cheaper than mainstream rivals like the Kia EV5 ($56,770).It will also be more affordable than the Tesla Model Y ($58,900) that is currently experiencing a huge sales surge in Australia.The RWD standard range has a single electric motor, producing 185kW and 440Nm, with the long range boosting power to 218kW/440Nm.The new AWD variants have dual electric motors pumping out 358kW and 660Nm. The base variant of the G6 has a 69kWh Lithium-Ferro-Phosphate (LFP) battery, offering a driving range of up to 480km, according to WLTP standards. All other variants have an 81kWh unit, with a maximum driving range of 525km, but AWD examples only have 510km.The G6 rides on an 800-volt platform, enabling DC fast charging from 10 to 80 per cent in 12 minutes. On the inside, there is a 15.6-inch central touchscreen and 10.25-inch digital driver display, with two wireless phone chargers. The cabin also features an 18-speaker audio system, while Apple CarPlay and Android Auto both come as standard.It can be optioned with synthetic leather seats that are heated, ventilated and have a massage function. The G6 also launches with the range-topping Black Edition. It adds 20-inch black wheels and brake callipers, and exclusive black exterior paint, with other black elements elsewhere.2026 XPeng G6 pricing Australia  

All automatic versions of the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series are available to order once again in Australia as the company makes some subtle tweaks to reduce emissions.The LC70 Series now comes with a 20-litre AdBlue tank across the line-up, which allows the 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine to comply with Euro 6 emissions regulations.The AdBlue system uses the vehicle’s selective catalytic reduction process to inject AdBlue into the exhaust to help reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions.In 76 Series wagon, 78 Series Troopcarrier and 79 Series dual-cab chassis grades the AdBlue refuelling port is located above the front left wheel arch and has a lockable lid.79 Series single-cab chassis grades, on the other hand, have the AdBlue refuelling port between the cab and rear wheels on the passenger side.The 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine produces an unchanged 150kW of power and 500Nm of torque.The 78 Series Troopcarrier grades now receive a smaller 130L diesel fuel tank with this update, bringing it line with the rest of the 70 Series line-up. It previously had an 180L unit.While all versions of the LC70 with the six-speed automatic transmission are back on sale, including the 76 Series GXL wagon automatic, which had a sales pause since 2025, grades with the five-speed manual transmission are unavailable for the time being.At this stage Toyota hasn’t given a timeline for when manual-equipped versions of the LC70 will return to Australian shores.“After pausing orders for certain LandCruiser 70 Series in 2025 to manage customer expectations around vehicle supply challenges, we are excited to say that order books are now back open,” said Toyota Australia Vice President Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operation John Pappas.“The addition of the AdBlue system will also ensure the vehicles meet the latest Euro VI emission standards.”Toyota hasn’t detailed pricing for the LC70 yet with the inclusion of the AdBlue system.The line-up currently starts at $75,600 before on-road costs for the 76 Series Workmate wagon automatic, and extends to $83,500 before on-road costs for the 79 Series GXL dual-cab chassis automatic.It’s likely pricing may rise incrementally but we’ll have to wait and see if this is the case.

Hyundai's premium brand Genesis has detailed its plan to supercharge sales, with the group's local CEO suggesting deliveries could more than triple under a new strategy.Genesis launched in Australia under a direct model, in which the brand itself held the limited retail spaces (just one store each in a handful of capital cities) and sold the vehicles direct to customers without enlisting a dealership network.New Hyundia Group president and CEO Don Romano has previously labelled the strategy a "distraction", and vowed to return to a more traditional national network of dealer locations he refers to as agencies.Now Romano has forecasted the results it could deliver, telling CarsGuide 500 sales a month was a possible target, which would mean annual sales of 6000. Last year, the brand managef 1602 total deliveries."We're moving from a direct model to an agency model," Romano says."We've opened two stores that are operational right now, and we're opening a third hopefully next week. A fourth, we're just finalising the design plans."It is the direction that we're going to head in. It doesn't mean we're not going to keep the direct stores, because we invested all that money and they're in certain strategic locations, so we're still kind of working both at the same time."We could continue to do that, or we could convert those stores to dealer (owned), it simply depends on the development of the brand and the rate it develops. But right now the main focus is just to expand through the country with agencies owned by dealers."Even now, with five stores operational, Mr Romano says Genesis is massively underrepresented in Australia, which is hampering the brand's advertising spend that he describes as "wasting money" given the current location penetration."I think right now we're a niche brand. We're not advertising or promoting because we don't have the coverage necessary to be able to go out and tell the story," he says. "With five stores across a country of this size, it makes no sense. So we just need to go on the path we're on right now. But we don't want to force it because it's Genesis, not a mass-market brand, so it's best that we get the right dealers in the right place at the right time and if it takes two to three years longer that's fine."For us to take that next leap we've got to tell the story, and to tell the story, we have the resources to do it, but I'd be wasting money, because if you're for instance in Adelaide it means nothing to you because there's no representation. If you're in parts of Sydney, parts of Melbourne, parts of Perth, we just don't have the proper coverage to service the customers."Genesis has always been loath to talk about sales targets, instead referring to customer loyalty as a target, but Mr Romano says that, once the network is in place, monthly sales of at least 500 would be a viable goal.Hitting it would at last put Genesis on the premium-brand map, though one with plenty of work still to do to catch its closest legacy competitor in terms of sales, Lexus, which is managing around 1000 sales per month at the moment. It would also be well-timed to take advantage of the brand's new performance focus under its Magm Magma performance division."I'm not as focused on the volume growth as I am on the loyalty and the customer service ratings to get the word of mouth to help get the exposure, but I would say...double and triple would be the minimum if we had full coverage," he says. "Because right now we're doing 150 a month, so we should be able to do 500 absolutely, but probably way down the road when it's done organically and not done with incentives and prices and dumping vehicles and demos – I don't want to get near that."