SUV News

Freelander, a new joint-venture brand between Land Rover and Chery, has detailed its upcoming debut model thanks to regulatory filings in China.The Freelander 8 was previously confirmed to be a large SUV, measuring 5118, 2050mm wide, and 1890mm long, with an enormous wheelbase of 3040mm, featuring a luxurious six-seat layout, as is popular in China.This makes the new Freelander-branded SUV about the opposite of the original Land Rover Freelander, where it played a role as the company’s smallest and most affordable vehicle.It was also known that the Freelander 8 would exclusively be a range-extender hybrid at launch, meaning it will drive the wheels only via electric motors, keeping a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine on board to serve only as a generator for its battery.New technical filings, which are required for vehicles to apply for tax exemptions in China, confirm the Freelander 8 will use an EV-sized circa-60kWh battery, allowing it a 221km pure electric driving range (seemingly a preliminary CLTC figure, more lenient than the WLTP standard more widely used in Australia), built by CATL, the world’s biggest battery manufacturer.Its 1.5-litre engine has a power output of 115kW, although no torque figure or combined outputs from its dual-motor set-up is available yet.In addition, the Freelander 8 will have a new all-terrain software system and will also feature a front mechanical differential lock, and a simulated electronic centre differential (with no mechanical linkage between the front and rear motors), and a rear electronic limited slip differential.As previously reported, the Freelander 8 will also feature dual-chamber air suspension. In addition, the large SUV will feature the latest Huawei-developed active safety and self-driving system in its Chinese home market. It will also feature a towing capability, with its capacity for the Chinese market set to 2000kg.Other new details include a battery-drained average fuel consumption of 8.18L/100km, and an apparent overall weight of 2980kg. The battery alone weighs 372kg.A full battery electric version of the car is expected to follow at a later date.The Freelander 8 is the first in a range of new Freelander vehicles, and the brand is expected to expand globally after its launch in China in the second half of 2026.According to Chery's local operation, the Freelander brand is confirmed for Australia, although it won’t be distributed by the local Chery factory-backed arm and will operate independently. It has said the same about its off-road focused own brand, Jetour, which has a similar range of boxy hybrid SUVs.Chery will need to work hard to separate its array of brands which are on the way with the ones it already offers in Australia. Currently it offers products under the Chery brand, and has a separate operation which sells cars under the Omoda/Jaecoo brands.Lepas, another passenger car marque which will use the same platforms and technology as Chery and Omoda/Jaecoo vehicles is set for an imminent launch, while Jetour is expected to follow at a later stage.Stay tuned for more information on the Freelander brand including its Chinese launch as well as its launch plans for Australia imminently.

Mini's biggest car is getting a smaller range, as the updated model comes with less options.The Mini Countryman small SUV will also come with a mild hybrid set-up. The 2027 Countryman will start from $54,490 (before on-road costs), but was previously available from just under $50,000 in Australia.The cheapest AWD grade starts from $60,490, while the range-topping petrol variant starts from $75,490. The mild hybrid Countryman is cheaper than the Volvo XC40 ($54,990). Electric variants of the Countryman have also increased in price, with it now $4000 more expensive for the base car (from $68,990), while the top of the range is now an extra $1000 (from $73,990). This means the Countryman is even more expensive than before compared to the rival Renault Megane E-Tech, which recently saw its price dropped to $49,990 (drive-away).Base mild hybrid variants of the Countryman have received a boost to performance, with its 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine now producing 125kW and 280Nm. There is also more power for the AWD grade, with its 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine producing 160kW and 360Nm.The new mild hybrid system has not resulted in better fuel efficiency for the Countryman, but it does appease more stringent emissions requirements in Europe.EV variants of the Countryman have received a subtle increase to driving range. Two-wheel drive variants offer 501km (WLTP), while AWD has 467km. The updated Countryman has become available in Australia after debuting in Europe earlier this year.2026 Mini Countryman pricing Australia  

Not suitable for our vast landscape, too slow to charge and not practical enough are the usual tropes used to dismiss electric cars in Australia, but a new breed of EVs are blowing those arguments away.BMW's ballyhooed new iX3, which is built on its futuristic Neue Klasse EV platform, has achieved an astonishing feat.It has completed a real-world test of more than 800km, which actually beat its claimed 805km WLTP certified driving range.The test was completed in China using a long-wheelbase version of the iX3 50 xDrive, with the standard wheelbase version that uses the same battery and electric motors arriving in Australia in the coming months.The test was completed on public roads across a decent cross section of conditions. It went up and down mountains, through snow, rain and low temperatures, which can all have adverse effects on battery range.Key to this was the big 108kWh battery and advanced electric motors, energy management tech and regenerative braking that increases the car’s overall efficiency.Proof that an EV can achieve a driving range of more than 800km means range anxiety can finally be put to bed.No one should be driving 800km straight without a break.When you do stop at the slowly increasing number of fast chargers, the iX3 can soak up a max DC charge rate of 400kW.This would theoretically allow you to add 350km of charge in just 10 minutes, or to recharge from 10 to 80 per cent in 20 minutes.The new iX3 is 4782mm long, 1895mm wide, 1635mm tall and has a 2897mm wheelbase — the distance between the front and rear axles. That plants it in the mid-size SUV category, but its long wheelbase means it’ll be roomier inside than any petrol- or diesel-powered alternative.It’s fast, with its two motors pumping out 345kW and 645Nm. This ensures all-paw grip and a brisk 0-100km/h dash time of 4.9sec.The biggest hurdle to the iX3 is the price. This 50 xDrive version will cost $109,900 (before on-road costs) in Australia, which is more expensive than most can afford.There is a cheaper 40 variant with 635km of range, and a $89,900 price tag that makes it eligible for generous tax incentives.As with all car tech, this will trickle down into more affordable cars sooner rather than later.And this is just the start.Volvo will bring its new EX60 with more than 800km of range soon, and there are numerous Chinese makers with similar tech waiting in the wings.This is proof the age of electric cars is right now.

There’s no worse feeling than showing up to the party just as it’s winding down and everyone else is leaving. Well, perhaps showing up a day too early and missing all the fun entirely.I imagine that must be what it feels like for the people that designed the cars on this list. In recent weeks we’ve looked at how timing is crucial in the car industry, with electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid sales spiking as fuel prices soared in March and April, brands like Tesla and BYD have benefited from having the right cars at the right time.And as we’ve also looked at recently, sometimes car makers just completely miss the mark and introduce the wrong car and it was never going to succeed.But today we’re looking at the most unfortunate of vehicles - the cars that had the right concept and had the potential for success, but arrived either too early or too late to make an impact.We took a deep dive into the premature arrival of the Volt, but it’s worth reiterating that Holden was way ahead of the curve when it came to plug-in hybrids (PHEVs). Unfortunately, too far ahead.Sure, the Volt was overpriced (starting at $59,990 in 2012), but the technology wasn’t far away from what the likes of BYD and GWM are having huge sales success with today. Perhaps if Holden had pursued this technology further, or subsidised it to get more vehicles on the road, things might have turned out differently, but we’ll never know…The arrival of the MG4 Urban is a textbook demonstration of the right car arriving at the right time - a small and affordable EV at a time when people were feeling the pain at the pump. The Chinese brand’s MG7, on the other hand, will likely be a case study in getting the timing wrong.It’s hardly breaking news that sedans (and liftbacks, such as the MG7) are no longer in hot-demand in Australia… or really much demand at all.The BYD Seal and the Toyota Camry are the only exceptions and despite the MG7 looking great, having a punchy turbocharged petrol engine and a competitive asking price, it is likely to sell in very small numbers. MG Australia has sold less than 100 in the first five months of 2026, so it’s likely to be a rare sight on the roads.Buyers are simply too focused on SUVs to consider a sedan.Of course, the sedan was not always an unloved, niche corner of the market. The glory days of Holden and Ford saw Commodores and Falcons dominate Australian driveways. Towards the end, the performance-orientated models, such as the Commodore SS and Falcon XR6/XR8, became beloved, so much so Kia saw an opportunity.The Stinger was a direct rival to the local sports sedans, with a twin-turbo V6, rear-wheel drive layout that gave it solid credentials. The initial ride and handling tuning was slightly off, making it a bit more ‘skid happy’ than a family sedan should be, but overall the Stinger was a good car.Unfortunately its arrival almost perfectly coincided with the beginning of the end of the local sports sedans and the customers Kia was hoping to find had simply moved on.As the likes of Tesla, BYD, MG and Geely dominated the discussion around EVs, it’s easy to forget that Nissan was right at the forefront of this technology. If Nissan launched a small, electric hatch for $39,990 today it would be a great addition for the brand and give its Chinese rivals something to think about.Unfortunately the Leaf arrived too early, before the wider car-buying public had EVs on their radar, and initially launched with a $51,500 price - which was much too much money for a hatchback.In the end, Nissan did give the Leaf plenty of time and opportunity, spending more than a decade on sale, but it was never the right moment for it to find major sales success.A compact SUV, built in India to give it a competitive asking price is arguably exactly what Ford Australia needs now. Unfortunately, they launched the EcoSport way back in 2013.What makes the EcoSport really earn its place on this list is it somehow managed to be both ahead of its time and arrive too soon.When it launched in 2013 it was one of the first compact SUVs on the market, beating the likes of the Hyundai Venue, Kia Stonic, Mazda CX-3 and Suzuki Jimny. But Ford slightly missed the mark with the EcoSport, building a pint-sized SUV rather than a jacked-up hatchback, which is ultimately what the market decided it wanted a decade ago.But Ford would be well-served to have a sub-$30k, fuel-efficient compact SUV at this particular moment in time, especially one that is a bit more rugged and less hatchback, like the EcoSport was, to fit with its Ranger/Everest image.

Mazda is preparing a hybrid-led onslaught with a difference, starting with its most popular model in the world, the CX-5.The all-new, in-house-developed 2.5-litre SkyActiv-Z petrol-electric hybrid technology will be unveiled sometime later next year, ahead of an Australian launch in 2028, and will supplant the current, G25 2.5-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder petrol/all-wheel drive (AWD) powertrain, democratising the technology for the masses.Mazda has already signalled the high performance/low consumption dual capabilities of this Euro-7 emissions-meeting hybrid.This means it could potentially replace two powertrains that have already been retired in the new KM-series CX-5: the G35 2.5-litre turbo-petrol internal combustion engine (ICE) flagship, as well as the slow-selling D22 2.2-litre turbo-diesel that was dropped in 2023.But we now understand that the SkyActiv-Z’s thermal-efficiency and ultra-lean combustion breakthroughs suggest that it may not need to rely as much on heavy electrification tech like batteries, motors and inverters.It could end up being a lighter, simpler and more cost-effective solution to a traditional hybrid set-up like Toyota’s.This may allow for multiple versions and applications for the SkyActiv-Z tech, including one that could fill in for the discontinued G20 2.0-litre front-wheel drive powertrain in the 2028 CX-5 line-up as the series opener. That honour currently resides with the new G25 Pure AWD from $39,990 before on-road costs.According to Mazda Australia Managing Director Vinesh Bhindi the intention is to make the CX-5 hybrid as competitive as it can be in the market so there will be no limitations placed in terms of accessibility or reach.“We haven’t locked down any specifications on front-wheel or all-wheel drive,” he explained to CarsGuide.“But I can confirm that we will have a more broad offering, as opposed to limiting (hybrid) to either the mid or high series (grades).“We will have a broad offering of the hybrid technology.”Whether the SkyActiv-Z hybrids render the remaining G25 2.5-litre unit obsolete remains to be seen.Given this has been the mainstay engine of the earlier CX-5 generations since 2013 in Australia (accounting for nearly 60 per cent of total volume last year), it will likely enjoy a stay of execution for some time yet to come.This is despite the big four-cylinder petrol engine’s advancing years and comparatively high emissions and the potential penalties that Mazda Australia will face keeping it on sale here due to the increasingly-stringent New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES).“But, alongside (the coming CX-5 hybrids), we think there will be a market for ICE for a long period yet,” Bhindi added. “Pure ICE.“And the way we're looking at it is, when you look at Mazda's portfolio of what we offer and will offer in the medium SUV segment, we will cater for the three categories of customers that I think will generally be available in the marketplace.“There will be a category that will say, ‘what's the most efficient?’ And that'll be battery electric vehicle (EV), and our CX-6e will be a very compelling option in the marketplace.“On the other side, we will have CX-5 ICE along with the hybrid, and then we also will have CX-60, which is offered in four powertrains – a 2.5L petrol, the inline six-cylinder diesel, inline six-cylinder petrol, and the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).”Bhindi believes offering a wide spectrum of choice gives Mazda the unique opportunity to tailor the sort of hybrids that will work best for the CX-5.“The reason why we have asked the program team to design something different to what's available in the marketplace with a hybrid,” he explained.“Because we have that broad coverage, and we want something that will be… special for Mazda customers, and that takes time and resources for the engineers to work out.”While Mazda Motor Corporation CX-5 Program Manager, Koichiro Yamaguchi, declined to divulge specific details about the hybrid, he did reiterate how on-brand it will be.“We want to make sure that our hybrid system delivers excellent performance elements, but we want to make sure that this is a very uniquely Mazda signature hybrid system that you will enjoy driving,” he told CarsGuide via an interpreter.“It should be a fun-to-drive hybrid.”With a back catalogue that includes the RX-8 rotary grand-touring sports car, wildly-successful second-generation (BL-series) 3/Axela small car and well-received CX-30 small SUV, the hybrid is in good hands with the 34-year Mazda veteran.“The SkyActiv-Z engine will match the technology of the gasoline engines… and at low revs-per-minute driving situations an electric system will strongly support this engine, and make sure that the fuel economy of this engine will satisfy customer expectations,” Yamaguchi-san said.“And we’re also pursuing Mazda’s unique signature driving fun, as that is something we are sticking to.”Asked if SkyActiv-Z will be a traditional series-parallel hybrid set-up like Toyota’s, more of a range-extender EV set-up as per the Nissan e-Power hybrid, or an in-between arrangement like Honda’s e:HEV, Yamaguchi said it will be its own thing.“Our system will be similar to none of those,” he revealed.“We are trying to get similar characteristics to the series-parallel system. But we are also aiming to offer a hybrid that has a driver-focused feeling, with an instant connection that is very good for the driver.”

A key affordable electric and range-extender hybrid family SUV has been given a refresh in China, and it could be headed to Australia next.The Leapmotor C10 has undergone noticeable design changes, with a generally boxier overall shape and an additional 10mm in length.There have been more changes inside the cabin.The C10 now gets a panoramic head-up display spanning the length of the dashboard.To accommodate a bigger 17.3-inch central touchscreen, there is a now a smaller 8.8-inch digital driver display now.The car has also gained more speakers for its audio system as well as heated, ventilated and massaging front seats.The C10 will continue to be available in range-extender and fully-electric set-ups, both of which are on sale in Australia.It appears there won’t be any changes to the performance of these models.The range-extender hybrid has a 1.5-litre petrol engine to charge the battery, and an electric motor producing 158kW and 320Nm.EV versions have an electric motor producing 160kW and 221Nm.It is unclear whether this update will see the car increase in price. The range-extender currently starts from $43,888 (before on-road costs), while the EV starts from $45,888.The C10 competes against the BYD Sealion 6 plug-in hybrid and Sealion 7 EV.The brand just announced a range-extender version of the smaller B10 SUV would join its Australian lineup.The B10 range-extender was priced the same as its fully-electric sibling, so could be the same deal with the updated C10 when it gets here.Earlier this year, Leapmotor brought across a special edition high performance variant of the C10, boosting power and torque to 440kW and 760Nm.It was the first C10 to feature an all-wheel drive, but it doesn’t look like the updated base model will have the system available.The new C10 will launch in China later this month, more information from an Australian perspective likely to come later on in 2026.

The Subaru Trailseeker is the Japanese carmaker’s newest electric vehicle (EV) in Australia, but in other markets it has a different, more familiar name.In Europe and the United Kingdom this model is called the E-Outback, building off the all-terrain wagon legacy the nameplate has become known for.Subaru Australia General Manager Scott Lawrence explained to CarsGuide why the brand opted for the Trailseeker name instead.“The Outback nameplate stands for something, particularly in Australia, and those that have seen the new-generation Outback, it really has the presence of Outback,” said Lawrence.“Trailseeker, the character of Trailseeker will lend itself to the name.“We love the name Trailseeker and … the models live side by side, not compete, so we thought it was the best call to separate them and have their own lives within a model range.”Despite being an SUV, there are clear indicators the Trailseeker has lifted all-terrain wagon design cues, which the Outback has historically been known for. These include the elongated and boxy roof line, as well as the pronounced roof rails.The new-generation Outback is much more upright and SUV-like, despite having the aforementioned design cues.The Trailseeker now brings Subaru’s local EV line-up to three in Australia. It shares the showroom floor with the Solterra and Uncharted EVs.They are all based on the same e-SGP dedicated electric architecture, plus they were co-developed with Toyota, meaning there are Toyota-badged equivalents of every model.The Trailseeker is powered by a dual-motor all-wheel drive set-up with a total system output of 280kW. This is enough to send it from 0-100km/h in 4.5 seconds, making it Subaru’s fastest production car ever in Australia.Locally there are two trim levels offered, the AWD and AWD Touring. Pricing was slashed last month ahead of its arrival by $4000, meaning the line-up now starts at $63,990 before on-road costs.Despite being roughly the same size as the Kia Sorento, the Trailseeker is only offered with five seats. Subaru hasn’t offered a seven-seat vehicle in Australia since the Tribeca was axed in 2013.

Geely’s popular EX5 will receive some major upgrades in 2027, with a new update leaked ahead of its Chinese launch.The new information, which comes from the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, shows a significant EX5 update, with images revealing a refreshed design, new wheel choices and a substantial upgrade to power outputs.The current car, which is one of the best-selling EVs in the country this year, is powered by a 160kW/320Nm electric motor, but the new version scores a significantly more powerful unit rated at 245kW, according to the certification documents.There are minor changes to the vehicles overall dimensions, in large part due to its redesigned front and rear bumpers.Like the related Starray EM-i plug-in hybrid, the new EX5 features a more contemporary ‘GEELY’ typeface across the rear bumper under the light strip. The new EX5 also gets traditional doorhandles rather than the sunken pop-out ones, which appear on the current Australian version.This is because of new Chinese regulations, which crack down on flush or sunken door handles due to safety issues, particularly in low temperature climates where they were freezing shut. Some outlets are also reporting the charging port has migrated from the front three quarter panel to the rear, although this isn’t evident from the MIIT images.The updated EX5’s interior is yet to be fully revealed, with only glimpses in the regulatory filing images, but expect an array of minor changes and perhaps even an increase in the array of physical buttons available, which is another area Chinese regulators are looking to crack down on.The new car also appears with a LiDAR pod on the roof suggesting it will come with an upgrade to its safety functions, although these high-end autonomous driving features for the Chinese market are usually left out of export versions.The EX5 has been one of the electric car success stories of the year in 2026, having moved an impressive 4453 units, nearly double that of the BYD Atto 3 or Kia EV5, and ten times the volume of the Leapmotor C10. In the mid-sized electric segment, it ranks only behind the Tesla Model Y and BYD Sealion 7.The current version has already received significant updates since its launch in 2025, as the brand moves to quickly address buyer concerns and roll-out improvements, including significant software upgrades, and a recent update that brought a larger battery to the mid-size electric SUV.

China may hog much of the automotive headlines nowadays, with its aggressively and allegedly heavily-subsidised cheap vehicle-export strategy.But it is the South Korean carmakers Hyundai, Kia and even KGM (formerly SsangYong) that have come of age this decade, through engineering excellence, bold design, visionary product planning and sheer value for money that is the envy of the rest of the world.In fact, every year since 2020, a Korean vehicle has stood out above all others in some way, showing up anything Japan, Germany, France, Italy and America can do.Korea is the actual fear of the rest of the world, and here’s why.China dominates the electric vehicle (EV) segment in many parts of the world with unfeasibly inexpensive models that have democratised the technology.But the Hyundai Motor Group (HMG), which includes Kia, that makes the best affordable EVs, due to progressive technologies that, in models like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, have included faster-charging 800-volt architectures, Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) tech and other advancements that were the provenance of high-end European marques like Porsche.And let’s not forget the brilliant ballistic missile that is the Ioniq 5 N, a performance grand-touring hot hatch that redefines what an EV can do.HMG invested billions in electrification well before most other mainstream carmakers during the 2010s, gaining experience with early EVs like the original, Toyota Prius-esque Ioniq, Kona Electric and Kia Niro EV, allowing Korea to forge ahead with next-gen models nowadays.Sticking with the Ioniq 5, this is an incredibly talented mid-sized SUV for a number of other reasons besides breakthrough EV engineering, such as for design, interior packaging and overall sophistication.It still turns heads with crisp, timeless design that plays lip service to Hyundai’s first in-house-developed production car (the 1970s Pony), while it has a loping, relaxed refinement that embarrasses most other SUVs, period.For us, the Ioniq 5 remains a leading candidate for the car of the decade, even though it launched back in 2021.In 2026, the Kia EV3 is arguably the best small SUV EV for the money on a number of fronts, especially where Chinese vehicles struggle with, including unintrusive advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS) tech, user-friendly vehicle controls, regional steering and suspension tuning and Australia-wide servicing access.More than the sum of its parts, the EV3 simply behaves and drives like a good car should, with few vices or frustrating surprises.Everybody remembers the Kia Stinger of 2017, an ambitious but ultimately doomed final attempt at a large, rear-drive family sedan in the mould of the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon.A glorious failure, it cemented Kia a place in the hearts of performance family sedan fans.Except… its spirit lives on in the award-winning Kia EV6, the just-as-talented but far-sleeker cousin to the Ioniq 5, melding the packaging, practicality and performance of, say, a VF SS or Falcon XR6 Turbo, within an EV proposition.And, guess what, with Millennials and Gen Z buyers rejecting SUVs and crossovers as daggy and boring, it is Kia that is poised to step up with a cool, sleek and sophisticated liftback. So much more mature and charming than a Tesla Model 3.For most of this decade, it has been Korea that has offered Australia’s cheapest new car in the Kia Picanto.Yes, it’s old and one of the smallest on the market, but the Picanto’s proven reliability, solid engineering, decent safety specification, long warranty, dealer-network back-up and decent dynamics make it a dependable and enjoyable runabout.Nowadays the improved second-gen MG 3 is nipping at the Kia’s heels, but Kia has no intention of abandoning the bargain basement in Australia… we hope.Kia has obviously shot itself in the foot with the Tasman because of its kooky, oddball styling.But the sole Korean body-on-frame one-tonne ute is currently the best in its diesel-powered class, with a lovely, refined and roomy interior, excellent workhorse capability, a powerful yet proven and efficient powertrain and pleasing servicing back-up.The Tasman is also impressive to drive, and we do not hesitate to recommend one over its rivals – especially as a long-term ownership proposition.No DPF issues like the Toyota HiLux or engine-belt and transmission problems that reportedly afflicts the Ford Ranger, either. The Kia is a better vehicle than either of these segment best-sellers in our estimation.In North America, the Ford has prised open the car-based, monocoque-bodied, dual-cab ute market wide open with the SUV-derived Maverick, and that’s a deserved success for the hybrid and turbo-petrol-powered pick-upYet it is Korean minnow KGM that has pioneered the similar concept, but as a battery electric ute, with the Musso EV.Along with being a good-looking, comfortable and refined five-seater family car, it is keenly priced, well equipped, decent to drive and everyday-useable thanks to a WLTP range of between 380km and 420km.Plus, and, in keeping with the Musso heritage, there is some ute functionality on offer, including AWD availability and an 1800kg braked towing capacity.There’s nothing even remotely like it in Australia right now that combines all of the above, except from KGM. Which shouldn’t be too surprising, given that the original Korando all the way back in 1983 was named for the contraction of the term “Korea can do”.

GWM’s next model under its Ora electrified sub-brand has appeared in regulatory filings in China, as a sporty new station wagon.Dubbed the Ora 7, this car made its debut in concept form at the Shanghai Motor Show in 2025.It was called the Lightning Cat Travel Edition, and was pitched as a spin-off of the sportback model, which never launched in Australia.Thanks to the new filings, which have appeared via the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, it appears the production version of the car will instead adopt Ora’s new numerical naming system, and will be pitched above the incoming Ora 5 small SUV.At 4820mm long, 1850mm wide and 1520mm high, the new Ora model competes directly with the incoming BYD Seal 6 plug-in hybrid, which is available in both sedan and wagon form.Unlike the Seal 6, the Ora 7 is a pure electric model, with dual motors producing 160kW and 150kW. The old Lightning Cat was previewed as having a combined output of 300kW/680Nm.What does seem to have evolved since the Lightning Cat is the battery chemistry, which appears to have swapped from the more expensive and higher-output NMC chemistry to a more affordable LFP unit, according to Chinese media.The car remains almost entirely faithful to the concept shown at Shanghai, all the way down to the sporty gloss black wheel package, although notably the flush door handles have been swapped for traditional ones in keeping with new Chinese regulations that ban flush or sunken door handles for safety reasons.The interior is yet to be revealed, but expect it to come with similar new-generation updates as seen on the recently-launched Ora 5, including the brand’s latest two-spoke steering wheel design, stalk-mounted gear shifter, minimalist centre console and new software hosted on larger screens.At this stage it is unclear whether Australia will see this station wagon model.