SUV News

Despite an already huge year for new model launches, there are still some key mid-size SUVs slated for Australia in the tail end of 2026 which might be worth waiting for.So far this year, new-generation versions of top-selling mid-size SUVs like the Toyota RAV4 and Mazda CX-5 have arrived, among a swathe of new contenders from challenger brands.If you’re not a huge fan of what’s currently on the market though, there may be something coming that better suits your lifestyle, budget or tastes.Here is a rundown of the five best mid-size SUVs that are still to come. They’re in alphabetical order and span both the mainstream and premium mid-size SUV segments.The current GWM Haval H7 has flown under the radar since it launched in 2025 and the Chinese carmaker is planning to hit reset with a new-generation model.GWM has confirmed it will launch the new Haval H7 in the second half of 2026 and it will feature hybrid and all-wheel drive plug-in hybrid (PHEV) power.Front and rear differential locks are also confirmed for the flagship variants, which is a major upgrade to the off-road capabilities compared to the current front-wheel drive hybrid model.Overall there’s a tougher and boxier look that’s more in keeping with the Tank models.Mazda is finally launching a rival to the likes of the Tesla Model Y and Zeekr 7X in Australia.The CX-6e is the brand’s first electric mid-size SUV and it quickly follows on the heels of the Mazda 6e electric liftback launching locally.Both vehicles have been co-developed with Changan and are built in China. The CX-6e in particular is built on the same platform as the Deepal S07, which is already offered in Australia.Locally the CX-6e will only be offered with a battery electric (BEV) powertrain, however in other markets a range-extender (REEV) hybrid is available.Mercedes-Benz is set to launch a new-generation version of the GLB SUV in Australia. Final details haven’t been locked in yet.Globally the new GLB is offered with both mild-hybrid and BEV powertrains, like the new GLA and CLA it shares componentry with.This new GLB is larger in every dimension and notably features a 60mm longer wheelbase. It’s available with both five- and seven-seat configurations.Another highlight is the ‘MBUX Superscreen’ which comprises a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, as well as dual 14.0-inch touchscreens for the central multimedia system and front passenger display.Skoda launched the regular Elroq electric SUV in 2025, but later in 2026 it’s readying the hotter RS version.Power comes from a dual-motor all-wheel drive set-up with total system outputs of 250kW and 545Nm. This is enough to send it from 0-100km/h in 5.4 seconds.The electric motors are fed by an 84kWh lithium-ion battery pack which allows for up to 550km of claimed range, according to WLTP testing.The Elroq is essentially a shortened version of the Enyaq electric mid-size SUV. It is already offered in RS form locally with both the typical SUV and ‘coupe’ SUV body styles.Volvo fans have been waiting for an electric counterpart to the top-selling XC60 mid-size SUV for years now and later in 2026 it’ll arrive in Australia.The Volvo EX60 is based on a new platform called SPA3 and it has an 800V electrical architecture.In Australia two versions of the EX60 will be offered initially, the Ultra P6 RWD and Ultra P10 AWD. They’re priced from $86,990 and $101,990, before on-road costs, respectively.It’s understood that the range-topping P12 AWD trim, as well as a more affordable, entry-level grade will arrive in 2027.

Mitsubishi has thrown the covers off its long-awaited electric crossover, dubbed the ASX VR-e.The new ASX, built in Taiwan in partnership with electronics giant Foxconn, will continue to be sold alongside the French-built and Renault Captur-based combustion ASX which launched locally late in 2025.The new model’s VR-e name is a reference to the Galant VR-4 from Mitsubishi’s past, said to be earned through the new car’s “sporty performance and responsive handling.”The brand said that it has undergone extensive local testing and tuning by both global and regional teams.Mitsubishi didn’t confirm any technical details on the car at this time, other than it will arrive in four familiar variants, LS, Aspire, Exceed, and GSR.However, specifications for the Foxtron Bria on which it is based can give us an idea of what to expect.Overseas this car is equipped with a single 57.7kWh LFP battery option in either rear- or all-wheel drive layouts. The RWD versions produce 171kW, while the AWD version produces 299kW. The latter can sprint from 0-100km/h in just 3.9 seconds according to Foxtron.Range is 516km for RWD variants or 466km for the AWD variant although this is to the more lenient NEDC measuring standard. All cars can charge at a max rate of 134kW on DC for a roughly 30 minute 10-to-80 per cent charge.On the styling front the car shares largely the same key elements as the Foxtron Bria, but has unique lighting signatures as well as Mitsubishi badgework and wheel designs.Inside is also said to feature unique Mitsubishi touches, while featuring a large central touchscreen and small digital instrument cluster, alongside a floating centre console and other contemporary design motifs.The ASX VR-e will be added to the brand’s local line-up in the fourth quarter of 2026. Expect more detailed local pricing and specifications closer to its launch window.The new EV, Mitsubishi’s first pure electric model since the experimental i-MiEV city car which launched in 2010, will be crucial for the brand in helping it keep on top of potential penalties under Australia’s new vehicle efficiency laws.Its line-up continues to be heavily combustion-weighted, currently consisting largely of the Triton ute and Outlander mid-size SUV.The highly anticipated return of the Pajero nameplate, slated to arrive at a similar time to the ASX VR-e, is expected to be diesel powered at launch although recent news that the company is investing in upgrades for the Thai plant at which it is built suggests electrification may be on the way.

GWM is rolling out its new 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine imminently in Australia, but it’s already exploring electrification to further reduce emissions in the future.This electrified 3.0-litre diesel engine may take the form of either a hybrid or plug-in hybrid (PHEV), or both.It is expected to launch locally around 2028 to offset tightening emissions standards.“Fuel consumption has a direct relation to emissions, and we've been able to get low enough to pass the current emission standard without needing AdBlue,” said GWM ANZ Product Planning Manager Timothy Leong to CarsGuide.“In about 2028, that's when it's going to change. But even then, we haven't decided whether it's AdBlue or hybrid or what other technology we might be putting in.”It’s understood GWM is working on more diesel hybrids and PHEVs beyond the ones based on the 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel.This likely includes electrified versions of GWM’s existing 2.0-litre and 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engines.It’s understood these electrified diesel engines will be used in body-on-frame vehicles in both the Hi4-T and Hi4-Z PHEV configurations. The former is more off-road focused and retains a mechanical four-wheel drive system, while the latter is more on-road focused motor and prioritises electric performance.The GWM Cannon Alpha, Tank 500 and Tank 300 are already offered with both Hi4-T and Hi-4Z petrol-electric set-ups globally. Only the Hi4-T versions are offered in Australia.It’s understood these future electrified diesel engines may be used in a transverse orientation in other two-wheel drive vehicles across GWM’s line-up.It appears the main reason why GWM is exploring electrified diesel engines is to further reduce CO2 and NOx emissions.The forthcoming GWM Tank 500 and Cannon Alpha with the regular 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine are claimed to consume 7.1L/100km and 7.3L/100km, respectively, according to ADR 81/02 testing.Claimed CO2 and NOx emissions figures for the 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine haven’t been published yet.Another potential benefit GWM may be targeting with its electrified diesel engines is additional performance. Electric motors are known for producing peak torque from a standstill and this may improve initial acceleration and low-speed response.GWM won’t be the only carmaker to be offering electrified diesel engines if it does roll them out in 2028.Chery is launching the Stockman dual-cab ute in Australia before the end of 2026 with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel PHEV. It’s claimed to have total system outputs of 350kW and 800Nm and offer up to 100km of NEDC-claimed electric range.A petrol-electric PHEV version of the Stockman will follow and will rival the BYD Shark 6, GWM Cannon Alpha Hi4-T PHEV and Ford Ranger Hybrid.Audi, BMW, Mazda and Mercedes-Benz, among others, currently offer diesel mild-hybrid powertrains.Mercedes-Benz does offer diesel PHEV powertrains globally in a number of models, but none have ever been offered in Australia.

Let’s get a couple of things out of the way here.First, we know electric cars are fast, Tesla fans haven’t stopped talking about this since the mid-2010s and there have been countless videos with evidence of the Model S leaving supercharged V8s in the dust at drag strips.Even ‘slow’ EVs feel quick due to their instant application of torque from stand-still. An electric car with a 0-100km/h time of 6 seconds can feel fast because of it.And since I’ve mentioned 0-100km/h, that’s the method we’ll be using to rank which of the electric cars available in Australia is fastest - not their top speed, given you’ll almost never be able to do anything with that.Finally, we are talking about production cars currently available through manufacturers in Australia, so hypercars like the YangWang U9 or anything Rimac is cooking up are off the list.Some of you will be happy to know this means you’re not seeing a photo of the Ferrari Luce here.Conveniently, this means we have five electric cars with a claimed 0-100km/h acceleration figure in under three seconds. Porsche’s frontiering Taycan might soon be on the chopping block according to rumours of an incoming VW model cull, but for now you can still get to 100km/h in a couple of smidgeons over two seconds. That’s if you have almost $300K to spare, given you’ll probably tick one or two boxes on the options list over its $419,000 before on-roads asking price.The Taycan draws power from a 93kWh battery, making 815kW and 1340Nm for all four of its wheels, and even without the Weissach pack removing some weight it’ll manage the run to the tonne in 2.3 seconds.Only second on this list because of alphabetisation, the top-spec Audi e-tron (the Audi RS e-tron GT Performance to give it the proper name) hits 100km/h in a claimed 2.5 seconds, on par with another Porsche.You won’t be surprised to know the e-tron shares a platform with the Taycan, though its most powerful version isn’t quite as vicious - 680kW and 1027Nm draw from a larger 105kWh battery, and it’s not quite as pricey either. A relative bargain at  $309,900 before on-roads, in fact.Tied for second place is this absolute unit, two-and-a-half tonnes of Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen (built in Bratislava, Slovakia, though) capable of hitting 100km/h in 2.5sec thanks to some frankly silly numbers.Its 850kW and 1500Nm outputs are available from even less than the two cars preceding it on this list, $272,100 before on-roads, and the 113kWh battery means the family SUV can travel up to 623km on a single charge, Porsche says.An oil-cooled rear motor, active aero, a drag coefficient of 0.25 and even the ability to tow 3500kg make the Cayenne Turbo a one-of-a-kind family car.England’s Lotus has ruffled feathers by ‘going electric’, likely something that would indeed upset founder Colin Chapman, but staying relevant in the 2020s probably required moving on from popping superchargers on Toyota engines and using them to power (extremely dynamic) cars about the size of shopping trolleys.Lotus claims the top-spec version of the Emeya, a $259,990 four-door grand-tourer with 675kW and 985Nm up its sleeve, can hit 100km/h in a very specific 2.75 seconds. It does weigh around 2.5 tonnes, so imagine how quick it would be if you took the classic quote often attributed to Chapman “simplify and add lightness” to the Emeya.Apologies to anyone hoping for variety in this list - we’ve got three Volkswagen Group cars and two Lotuses with essentially the same specifications.The Lotus Eletre R is two tenths slower to 100km/h according to the manufacturer, but the SUV uses the same 675kW/985Nm dual-motor drivetrain and 112kWh battery, it’s just a little heavier thanks to its SUV shape.It’s also a little more expensive, asking $20,000 more at $279,990 before on-roads.

Nissan has confirmed its incoming Y63 Patrol will have six variants to choose from in Australia.The carmaker confirmed the line-up after it accidentally sent placeholder information live on its public website but has since been taken down, according to a Nissan Australia spokesperson.Images of the six-tier line-up were shared on social media showing the potential choices.“While the content was not intended for public release and included placeholder information used during website development, we can confirm the all-new Patrol will be offered in six well-specified grades in Australia,” said a Nissan spokesperson.“The grade names may not be exactly as shown in the screenshots, and some of the information is placeholder content rather than final product details. “We'll share the official model lineup and key specifications later this month.”It is no coincidence that it matches the six-tier Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series, with the two expected to go toe-to-toe for Australian 4WD customers.The Patrol appears to top out with a luxury focused version, with the more off-road focused Pro-4X variant one rung down.This flips the script on the LandCruiser, which tops its line-up with the rough-and-tumble GR Sport grade with the full fruit Sahara ZX next variant down.There is no Nismo version, which is available in the US and the Middle East, shown in the leaked line-up. And Australia is expected to gain a Warrior version created by local outfit Premcar in time.CarsGuide spotted an uncamouflaged version of the Patrol was spotted driving through Melbourne CBD this week ahead of its early 2027 launch date.This is after numerous sightings of covered-up versions undertaking local testing ahead of its on sale date.The brand confirmed order books for the new 4WD will open before the end of August, with prices and full specification to be reveal then.Nissan swaps out the Y62’s 5.6-litre eight-cylinder petrol unit for a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol making 317kW and 700Nm, or 19kW and 140Nm more than before.The Y63 Patrol is built on a new platform and is bigger in almost every way. It is now 5205mm long (+35mm), 2030mm wide (+35mm), though the 1955m height remains unchanged.It’s also bigger in the third row, thanks to the rear section and boot being 30 per cent wider than in the Y62.It’s got some high-tech suspension too, with the air suspension system allowing the car to raise up an additional 70mm. This helps improve approach and departure angles when tackling properly tough terrain.

Chery’s comeback from zero to hero in Australia is truly remarkable, but what has been the secret to its second-time lucky success?  Did Chery stumble onto a genie’s lamp while it was lost in the wilderness and wish for sales success? Because somewhere between 2015 and 2026 the car company, which left Australia with a reputation for low-quality, unsafe vehicles, returned a decade later with a line-up of outstanding cars that have won over Australia.Australian sales until the end of July show Chery to be the eighth best-selling car brand in Australia, with 29,579 vehicles sold. The Tiggo 4 small SUV was the fifth most popular car in Australia last month.This means Chery has overtaken mainstream brands such as Nissan, Mitsubishi, Volkswagen, Honda and Subaru. It is even starting to creep into the Mazda (currently on 46,960), Hyundai (45,581) and Kia (48,399) bracket.Chery will get even closer to these brands, as they are losing sales and Chery’s market share is increasing. And its ute hasn’t even arrived.When the Chery Stockman arrives it won’t just be another ute, it’ll likely have the same success as BYD’s Shark 6 because it’ll offer the benefit of being a plug-in hybrid (PHEV). The edge the Stockman will have over the Shark 6 is it’ll be a diesel PHEV, not a petrol, which will make it popular for off-road use and towing. The addition of Stockman will increase Chery’s sales by at least 1000 per month. Whether it catches Hyundai, Kia and Mazda before the end of the year is yet to be seen, but Chery has come from a lot further back.This time last year Chery had sold only 17,272 cars, and the current year-to-date sales represent a doubling in market share to 4.2 per cent.Toyota is the final boss of the Australian car market and its year-to-date sales of 115,550 make everybody else’s results seem minuscule, even BYD that has reached 60,192. Chery is probably not gunning for the top spot right now, unless that was specifically wished for when it found the magic lamp.For Chery to even reach where it is today in the three years since it returned to Australia in 2023, with one car and no sales in almost a decade seems nothing short of magical.The truth is Chery’s stellar comeback is down to five factors: elevating quality perception through design but keeping retail pricing low; hiring outside automotive designers and engineers from European, United States and Korean car companies; investing big in next-gen electric and hybrid platforms, and mostly important and the reason for all of this - focussing on exports.That’s it! Oh, and just add excellent timing and money, lots of money.The importance of Chery’s export focus can’t be overstated. Exports bankroll the business. Not a lot of profit is made in Chery’s local Chinese market, while bigger than our Australian brains can comprehend, it’s so cut-throat that vehicle manufacturers are struggling to make a decent profit. So ruthless was the price war that in February this year the Chinese government banned car makers from selling below production cost, which they had been doing just to compete with each other. The stomach was eating itself.Chery realised this and put most of its energy into exports and this meant lifting the quality to a standard oversea markets had become accustomed to set by Japanese car makers such as Toyota, Honda and Mazda.This meant hiring designers and engineers from outside China, senior executives from European, Korean, Japanese and American car companies    Steve Eum, Korean born but raised in the United States, is now Chery’s Vice President and General Manager of Global Design having worked for Kia, Hyundai, General Motors and even Ford where he was based in Australia and worked on the Falcon.Eum succeeded Kevin Rice, who had worked on the MX-5 and helped develop the BMW 3 Series and 4 Series.Keeping that premium feel but pricing the vehicles to be among the most affordable vehicles offered in a market is guaranteed to be a sales winning combination anywhere, especially in Australia.Chery’s been smart enough to add sub-brands such as Jaecoo, Omoda and Lepas, which bring more luxury, sportiness and premium electric choices. The Jaecoo J5 for instance is often mistaken for a Range Rover when spotted on the road. That the hybrid and electric technology is outstanding, was also important. Chery’s super hybrids such as the Tiggo 9 and Tiggo 8 are incredibly fuel efficient.   Chery’s timing of having a wide range of affordable electric and hybrid vehicles at precisely the same time as Australian buyers were switching to EVs in record numbers was also key. The fuel crises caused by the war in Iran pushed EV sales to more than 23 per cent of all new cars sold in June and continued through July when it was above 21 per cent.In July 2026 Chery became the first Chinese car maker to surpass 20 million global sales. Sales in Europe for Chery were up by more than 200 per cent and in the UK Chery came in at No.2 for sales in July beating local favourite Ford.And the company hasn’t even started selling in the United States yet, but it will within the next two years.Chery has been very fortunate this time around, but luck is only when opportunity meets skill as they say.Or maybe Chery did find a genie’s lamp. In which case I wonder what its two other wishes were? 

The much-anticipated new-generation Kia Seltos small SUV is one step closer to Aussie buyers, with it now approved for sale Down Under. The car’s homologation filing to the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts confirmed key details ahead of its arrival later this year.Seltos is one of Kia’s most popular names and is the brand’s fourth best-selling model on sale in Australia in 2026.The Seltos shapes up similarly to the Hyundai Kona Hybrid and ($36,950) and Toyota Corolla Cross ($37,440). It will also pose a new challenge to the best-selling Chery Tiggo 4, with hybrid variants starting from $29,990.Kia has officially kept Australian details close to its chest, but now some crucial details have been exposed in new government filings.We now know the hybrid-only Seltos will be available in front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive layouts.Both are powered by a 1.6-litre naturally-aspirated petrol engine and electric motor set-up, making either 118kW or 169kW, which is more power than South Korean examples.This will be Kia's first Seltos model to feature a hybrid set-up in Australia.Kia has provided no indication the overseas petrol models of the new Seltos will ever make their way to Australia.Measuring 4430mm long, 1830mm wide, 1600mm high and with a wheelbase of 2690mm, it is a similar size to its rivals the Kona and the Corolla Cross. The sunroof and power mirrors will be optional extras for the car.The Seltos has been officially slated for a Q4 2026 release, with CarsGuide previously reporting October as a more specific time frame. The base petrol grade Seltos is available in South Korea from around 25 million won, or roughly $25,000, with the hybrid closer to the equivalent of $30,000.Kia models incur a price hike on South Korean equivalents, meaning the more expensive hybrid Seltos is likely start in the mid-$30,000s range.

We’re more than halfway through 2026 and I can definitively say that this year's new cars are the ugliest to date.Sure you can argue the plastic fantastic cars of the late 1990s and early 2000s, or the asthmatic land yachts from the mid-to-late 1970s looked the worst, but so far this year what carmakers have been revealing is an assault to the eyes.Suspect number one is the Ferrari Luce.The Italian carmaker’s recent car design has been rather indistinguishable from model to model. For example, if you told me to tell you the difference between a 849 Testarossa and 12Cilindri and Amalfi, I’d really struggle. I say this as a die-hard car fan.But the Luce marked a jagged change in direction for Ferrari. It was designed by creative collection LoveFrom, which was founded by former Apple exec Sir Jony Ive.I’ll admit the interior of the Luce is stunning and the blending of digital and analogue elements is ingenious, but the exterior is a bloated mess. It’s made even worse with the fact it has a Ferrari badge on it.The Luce would make so much more sense with any other badge attached to it.This is just the tip of the iceberg. Five days before the Luce was revealed, Mercedes-AMG revealed its all-new AMG GT 4-Door.Mercedes did receive some negative press regarding the AMG GT 4-Door’s design, it was arguably saved by the reveal of the Luce as the news cycle and people’s attention shifted very quickly.Its design deserved to be roasted more. Like the Luce, the new AMG GT 4-Door is all-electric and it looks just as horrific. The Mercedes is much more flashy and tacky, though.I’ll admit that the overall silhouette is slick and low-sprung, like a performance car should, but the front grille and lighting signatures are a hot mess.Then inside, if you take the Mercedes-Benz badge away, the AMG GT 4-Door doesn't have anything distinguishing it specifically as a Mercedes model.Sure you could argue that the circular air vents or the screen set-up is a Mercedes design trait, but there is more to design language than this.Lastly there’s the new Nissan Juke, which is all-electric and a European-focused model, meaning it’s not coming to Australia.The Juke has always had a polarising design, but this new-generation takes it to the next level.There are so many creases and lines on the outside that it looks like the car has been pre-crashed or perhaps hasn’t fully rendered yet.I will admit that with certain colour combinations the new Juke does look cool, but the lighting, especially the tail lights look silly. They’re mounted so low and are too large.While the new Juke stands out too much, there are a plethora of gargantuan Chinese SUVs with range-extender (REEV) powertrains that are indistinguishable from each other. They’re all large blobs on wheels with ginormous grilles.Examples that have been revealed so far in 2026 include the IM LS9 Hyper, Wey V9X, XPeng GX and the Zeekr 8X. Many more will likely pop up before the end of the year.Although there have been some shockingly bad-looking cars revealed this year, there are still some diamonds in the rough. 2026 also seems to be the revival of the wagon.Some highlights include the new Audi RS5, which is available in liftback and wagon, as well as the new A6 allroad, which has some of the best and most exaggerated rear wheel arches that I’ve seen on a production car for a long time.The new Dacia Striker is a beautiful-looking car that has just the right amount of wagon and crossover SUV design elements. It’s segment-busting in the same way as the Peugeot 408 and previous-generation Subaru Outback are.It’s worth noting once again that 2026 is only halfway through and there is still another six months to go. There’s still time to turn things around in terms of new car design, but I’ll believe it when I see it.

Geely has powered up the sales chart in July, making the top 10 best-selling brands for the month.The Chinese brand launched in Australia in March 2025, and has approached the local market with a more methodical approach than its competitors. It has only introduced three models so far, contrasting BYD that already has more than 10 models on sale since its distribution takeover in July 2025.Despite this relatively small footprint, Geely captured 3.6 per cent of total new car sales in July.Geely has grown by more than 500 per cent in the first seven months of the year, compared to the same period in 2025.  Geely's success has largely been driven by the EX5 electric mid-size SUV that managed 2034 registrations last month - its best month yet. The Toyota RAV4-sized EX5 is Geely’s best-selling car on sale in Australia, with nearly 9000 sales so far this year.Starting from $41,990 (before on-road costs), it continues to outsell the smaller BYD Atto 3 ($39,990) and eat into the sales of petrol rivals such as the Mazda CX-5 ($39,990).There are limited other fully-electric rivals with similar dimensions to the EX5, potentially giving it an edge in showrooms. It’s not just the EX5 selling well for Geely, with its smaller EX2 sibling registering 474 examples in its first few weeks on sale.The brand only introduced its new hatch with a sharp $26,490 price tag in late July, making it one of the cheapest electric cars on the market. The EX2, which is the most popular car in China, even managed to shift more units than the BYD Dolphin ($29,990) in July.The Starray Em-i plug-in hybrid mid-size SUV is Geely’s other model on sale in Australia, also enjoying a strong sales return, with 1177 units finding new homes last month.It poses as a direct threat to the BYD Sealion 6 ($42,990) and the recently-launched Toyota RAV4 plug-in hybrid ($59,515), but is noticeably cheaper at $37,490. Geely will continue to introduce new models at its own pace, with potential for some activity before the end of the year.  The brand is expected to launch a mid-size and a large SUV in the first half of 2027, followed by the Emgrand plug-in hybrid sedan later on in the year. The Galaxy Cruiser large rugged 4WD is also expected to land Down Under before the end of next year. 

Carmakers are looking to save costs and the environment, which means they will be using more recycled materials in their vehicles.This is being further reinforced by new European Union regulations, which require a minimum amount of recycled plastics used in cars and key battery materials such as lithium, cobalt and nickel, among others.This means more and more carmakers will be diving into the skip bin to grab crucial materials to put into your next car.The German giant is the latest to tout its recycling handiwork, reducing CO2 emissions from production of its new X5 SUV by using second-hand materials and renewable energy.A big part of this is electric arc furnace steel (EAF), which sounds absolutely badass, and it is. It effectively uses electric currents to melt scrap metal into new liquid steel that can be reshaped into car parts.BMW uses recycled materials in a range of components such as wheel rims, rear axle supports and brake calipers. The doors consist of 35 per cent reused materials and the headliner is made of 100 per cent recycled plastic bottles.In the electric iX5 60 XDrive, about a third of its weight, or 940kg, is made up of recycled materials.BMW has reduced the materials it sends to landfills by 88 per cent in the past 20 years.Toyota is aiming to have its range of vehicles be at least 30 per cent built from recycled materials by 2030.The brand flags 19 parts including catalytic converters, bumpers, EV batteries and motors to be designed to be easily removed from scrap vehicles and deconstructed future range of vehicles.Toyota’s Gosei plastics manufacturing subsidiary has developed materials with a 50 per cent recycled plastic content and performance equivalent to newly-made plastics, which it says is a world-first. Examples of this material being used are in the glove box and grille-backing material in the new Euro-market Camry.Other new Toyotas using recycled plastics include the incoming new-generation RAV4 and the Crown Sport SUV.