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BYD’s latest flagship has just been spotted in China. Pictures of the incoming Dynasty-D three-row SUV have appeared in a report from Car News China.The brand revealed late last month the car’s launch was going to be delayed until the second quarter of 2026, after being originally scheduled for the end of 2025. It was seen for the first time in April 2025 as a concept car at the Shanghai Auto Show.We already know that it has a plug-in hybrid set-up consisting of a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine paired with front and rear mounted electric motors. The electric-only driving range will be more than 200km.The car has now been spotted in China during road testing where its exterior was kept mostly camouflaged. In keeping with the concept car designs, the large SUV features a sleek body with a sloped roof line and rear spoiler. Curiously, pictures show hidden door handles on the Dynasty D, which are about to be prohibited in China.Mostly notably the images reveal the car will come with rear wheel steering to aid manoeuvrability, given it's over five metres long. With BYD looking to capitalise on its domestic market share, the Dynasty-D has the highest-end equipment, featuring the latest version of BYD's signature autonomous driving software. The system has a LiDAR sensor, 12 cameras and a speedy Nvidia Orin-X computer processing chip. There is also a continuous damping suspension system.The Dynasty-D is not the only large SUV BYD will launch in China next year, with the brand also launching a seemingly similar-sized Sealion 08 in early 2026.Confusingly, the Chinese-market Sealion 08 is distinct from the Australian-delivered Sealion 8 three-row SUV, which is a re-badge of the China-market Tang L SUV.We do not know yet if the Dynasty-D will be launched in Australia, but given BYD’s serious export PHEV push as well as its intention to land a top-three position in the Australian market it is a possibility. The brand has already brought across its Sealion 6 SUV and Shark 6 ute as PHEVs, both of which have been sales successes.A new Sealion 8 SUV will join in January of 2026. There will also be a Sealion 5 mid-size SUV PHEV launching in the first half of next year as a budget option in the BYD range.

BYD is plotting hybrid versions of its latest small electric cars - but here's why they might not make it to Australia.

Kia has detailed a timeline of when to expect key updates for its Tasman ute, including its long-awaited Ford Everest-fighting SUV version and a petrol-hybrid powertrain.

Nissan is pulling out all the stops as it tries to lift itself out of the doldrums.

BYD has confirmed two new flagship models will launch in early 2026 to top out its range in China.

China’s XPeng is pushing further into export markets, especially right-hand drive markets, but a new deal could see this become even easier.The Chinese carmaker has set up a partnership with Malaysian manufacturing group EP Manufacturing Berhad (EPMB) to begin localised production of vehicles in Malacca, Malaysia.The vehicles will be built using the semi-knocked down (SKD) model with mass-production currently aimed to commence during 2026.This new localised Malaysian production deal is the third time XPeng has set up overseas production collaborations. It already has deals with Magna Steyr in Austria and Handal Indonesia Motor in Indonesia, both also using the SKD production model.XPeng has noted the vehicles built at this new Malaysian production facility will be for ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) markets, though it hasn’t explicitly said for which ones outside of Malaysia yet.Malaysia is a right-hand drive nation, like Australia, though it’s unclear whether any Malaysian-produced XPengs will be offered locally. All Australian-market XPengs are currently made in China."Establishing local production project in Malaysia is a significant milestone in XPeng's global strategy and underscores our long-term commitment to the ASEAN region,” said XPeng Vice President James Wu."EPMB's proven capabilities and shared vision make them an ideal partner."This initiative allows us to be closer to our customers, accelerate market responsiveness, and systematically introduce our intelligent technologies, driving forward our mission of 'Democratizing Technology' on a global scale."XPeng says its "sales and service network now spans 52 countries and regions worldwide".From January to November this year it claims to have delivered a total of 39,773 vehicles in overseas (non-Chinese) markets, which is up a claimed 95 per cent year-on-year.XPeng doesn’t currently report vehicle sales in Australia, though it launched locally in late 2024 and now claims to have more than 2000 vehicles on the road.The Chinese carmaker currently only offers the Tesla Model Y-rivalling G6 mid-size electric SUV, though that’s soon set to change.Late in the first quarter of 2026 XPeng will launch the updated version of the G6. It’ll bring tweaked looks, more power and torque, and a longer driving range thanks to a larger lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery.In mid-2026 XPeng will launch the X9 electric people mover, with customer deliveries expected to commence in the second quarter of 2026.This will be a key rival to the likes of the Zeekr 009, Volkswagen ID.Buzz and LDV Mifa9. The local line-up, pricing, or specification details haven’t yet been confirmed.Lastly, in the third quarter of 2026, XPeng is expected to announce the next-generaton G9L large electric SUV for Australia. Customer deliveries will follow in the fourth quarter of 2026.Beyond these three new or updated XPeng models that are already locked-in for Australian launch during 2026, the company’s local distributor, TrueEV, has confirmed it has its eye on “two to three new global models” that are currently in “advanced development”.It’s unclear what these vehicles could be, though it offers a wide-ranging vehicle line-up. The company has previously expressed interest in bringing passenger cars like the XPeng P7 and Mona M03.

Geely’s namesake brand has confirmed it’ll launch a third model to its line-up in Australia during 2026.

Nissan is making no bones about the fact that it needs more models to sell in greater numbers in Australia, with China emerging as a key supplier moving forward. With the current range coming from Thailand (Navara), Japan (X-Trail, Ariya, Patrol), United Kingdom (Qashqai, Juke) and North America (Pathfinder), a lower-cost source is seen as a solution to one of the company’s biggest hurdles.