Electric Reviews

The all-new Porsche Cayenne Electric range begins with this ‘entry-level’ model priced from $167,700 before on-road costs for the SUV body style and $173,500 for the Coupe. While that is a price premium over the existing petrol and hybrid models, it does come well specified. Standard equipment includes: 20-inch alloy wheels Matrix LED headlights Illuminated ‘Porsche’ lettering on the bootlid Panoramic glass roof Dual-zone climate control Eight-way adjustable sports seat 10-speaker sound system Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto This new electric version has the same basic silhouette of the previous Cayenne, but the details give it a distinctive look, this new model is longer and lower than the internal combustion versions. The details of the design also give it a sharper, more modern look too.  Inside, for all the hype around Porsche performance, one of the brand’s standout features, at least in my opinion, has always been interior design.  This new Cayenne looks really interesting inside, with curved screens for the digital instrument display and the multimedia system, as well as the option to add a third screen in-front of the passenger. The overall level of fit and finish, the detail and quality of the materials is exactly what you’d expect from a premium brand and an SUV at this price point. The Cayenne Electric is powered by a dual-motor, all-wheel drive powertrain that makes up to 325kW of power and 835Nm of torque. That’s enough for it to launch 0-100km/h in just 4.8 seconds.  The Cayenne is powered by a Porsche-built 106kWh battery that provides 542km of range. In terms of safety, the Cayenne Electric is equipped with all the features that have become expected, including speed limit warning, autonomous emergency braking, lane keeping assist and full airbag protection.

Toyota has launched the first full-electric version of its iconic HiLux workhorse, but does it offer the right mix of price and practicality to be a realistic alternative to its diesel stablemates?

If at first you don't succeed... Porsche is trying again with turning a popular SUV electric. But after the disappointment of the Macan, will the brand have better luck with its bigger Cayenne. We test drive the new Porsche Cayenne Electric on-road, off-road, through sand dunes and even down an airstrip to put it to the ultimate test.

“Wow, is that a Bentley?” Our week with Hyundai Motor Group luxury brand Genesis’ GV60 provided its fair share of surprises. Yet the fact that onlookers mistook it for one of Britain’s (via Volkswagen Group) finest wasn’t actually one of them, given the blatant similarity with the badging and cross-hatch grille. Recently facelifted with a substantially lower starting price, the new base GV60 Series II enters a busier class of small electric SUVs from when the original launched in 2021. How does it play out today?   Kicking off from $88,300 (all prices are before on-road costs), the GV60 Advanced rear-wheel drive (2WD) is now the most affordable new Genesis in Australia. But it remains a bit more expensive than most direct and more popular premium small electric SUV rivals, despite enduring a dramatic power cut from 234kW to 168kW. This includes the BMW iX1 AWD (from $77,900), as well as the substantially cheaper Mini Countryman SE, Renault Megane E-Tech, Volvo EX40 and Zeekr 7X. The Advanced claps back in a number of ways, however. For starters, it’s one of the few electric SUVs in this class (along with the Renault and Zeekr) using a dedicated EV architecture (E-GMP), instead of sharing a platform with an internal combustion engine (ICE) sibling. This cuts compromise and pays dividends for efficiency. Secondly, the GV60 features 800-volt electrification rather than almost every other rivals’ 400V system, substantially speeding up charging. This is a remarkably sophisticated machine. And, thirdly, convenience items abound, with walk to/away central locking, heated front and rear outboard and vented electric front seating, a toasty steering wheel and powered tailgate. Other GV60 features include: A (bigger) battery at 84kWh offering 561km of WLTP range A (significantly larger) widescreen display at 27 inches A heat-pump heater with driver-only zoning to help range Multi-level single-pedal drive using regenerative braking via paddle shifters Vehicle to Load (V2L) external appliance powering Five years free servicing Backup Light Guide – a reverse-gear light projection on to the gutter to help avoid alloy wheel rash The consensus is the Advanced neither looks nor feels like an entry-level proposition. Expensive, but worth it.   The facelifted GV60 remains an attractive, rounded compact SUV/crossover with a sporty premium hatch look. For 2026 it ushers in redesigned lighting elements, reprofiled bumpers, more body coloured trim, revised alloy wheels and a new underbody cover for improved aero efficiency. But the GV60 has always lived in the shadow of its somehow more glamourous E-GMP siblings, the elegant Hyundai Ioniq 5 and racy Kia EV6. Particularly as they cost significantly less. At least Genesis has been able to meet brand expectations inside.   The GV60 seems more compact inside than other electric SUVs in its class, and even against the Ioniq 5 and EV6. However, the new elongated touchscreen with its improved graphics (whilst retaining button access functionality), sumptuous front seats, lovely steering wheel and quality materials do elevate it. Again, there’s nothing base about the Advanced. Genesis also provides plenty of surprise and delight items, like that anti-gravel-rash kerb illuminator, drawer-style glovebox, tunnel storage under the centre console, strange swivelling gear-lever ball and secret storage thanks to a compartmentalised boot floor. Cargo capacity is limited by the coupe-like styling, so can’t match a BMW iX1, though with 432 litres VDA (expandable to 1460L), it is far better than, say, a Mazda3 or Toyota Corolla. However, the lack of a spare wheel is a disappointment.   Under the bonnet is 53L of additional ‘frunk’ storage, so that’s also helpful. That’s because the 168kW/350Nm electric motor is on the rear axle, driving the rear wheels. This layout gives the Genesis an unexpected athleticism, which in turn makes it fun to drive fast. Acceleration is still very brisk despite the power downgrade, and in Sport throttle response is downright rapid, while the smooth power delivery is matched by the linear, controlled steering, that provides a decent degree of feedback. In the wet it’s easy to momentarily break rear-wheel traction. And while the suspension possesses a sporty edge, the Advanced’s ride quality is also supple enough when comfort is a priority. The E-GMP’s chassis sophistication really shines through. If you’re a driving enthusiast, the small premium you pay for a GV60 is worth it for the dynamic flair delivered.   Being an E-GMP EV, the efficiency’s not too bad at all, especially considering how much we enjoyed the Advanced out on our rural road drive. Our average was 15.8kWh/100km (indicated), and were on track to achieve about 485km range from the big 84kWh battery. The WLTP range is 561km. More sedate commuting would see that improve markedly.   Scoring a five-star ANCAP rating in 2022, the GV60’s update saw the addition of a broader amount of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) tech – namely improved lane-support capabilities. Along with autonomous emergency braking (AEB), the Advanced includes 10 airbag, surround-view cameras, safe-exit assist and what Genesis calls Full Micro Lens Array LED headlights for better nighttime illumination. Still on security, Genesis offers a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty (130,000km for fleet buyers) with roadside assistance, trailing Kia and Hyundai’s seven-year guarantee. Why not all for one and one for all? On the other hand, servicing is free for the first five years.

When the Cadillac Lyriq launched in Australia, it was met with mixed opinions from the road testers of this publication. The style, the price, the apparent target market - question marks above the latter in particular. Would anyone bite? Now, Cadillac’s first EV in Australia has been updated and it brings a new model grade into the fold. This is the 2026 Cadillac Lyriq-V.  The V denotes the American brand’s V-Series performance models, think of it like BMW’s M. What it means is the mid-size electric SUV now has the option of some bite, even if it lacks the bark, as well as a slightly more menacing look and some other little inclusions. Its dual-motor all-wheel-drive system boasts 459kW and 880Nm instead of ‘just’ 384kW/720Nm, useful for launching near-2.7 tonnes of US-sourced EV (built there in right-hand drive) to 100km/h in just 3.4 seconds. You’d expect to be paying a fair chunk for that then, especially given the Lyriq originally launched at more than $120,000 (though now $90,000). Not quite - Cadillac has managed to keep even the quicker version of the Lyriq under the six-figure mark at $99,000 before on-roads. One way it’s managed this is keeping a fairly identical specification between the Sport and the V when it comes to the features and interior. It shares a 92kWh Lithium-ion battery with the Sport grade, now the only other Lyriq available with the Luxury grade gone, though the extra power at hand in the V means a 471km WLTP range instead of the 503km in the Sport. Cadillac says with its 7.4kW AC charging you can add around 32km of range an hour, or 98km per hour of charging with three-phase 22kW AC charging. When using its max 130kW DC charging, ten minutes will add 107km of range, though the brand doesn’t supply a charge time for the standard 10-80 per cent charge. We’d estimate about half an hour. Inside, the inclusions run almost the same as the Sport: Electrically adjustable heated and ventilated front seats with massage function Heated rear seats Nappa leather upholstery Heated steering wheel Ambient interior lighting Acoustic windshield Tri-zone climate control  33.0-inch curved multimedia touchscreen with 9K capability Rotary multimedia control 23-speaker AKG sound system with Dolby Atmos 3 USB-C ports Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay Wireless phone charging Where it differs is one of the five drive modes - V-Mode with performance settings and launch control. There’s also a set of adaptive dampers rather than the passive single-mode set on the Sport, plus the brakes are painted red. Sporty! The styling also features darker 22-inch wheels instead of silver 21s, and body-colour trim instead of the Sport’s chrome. Of course, there’s V-badging and interior trim elements too. Black Nappa leather and a combination of chrome, silver and wood-style trim makes the Lyriq’s interior feel more classically upmarket than high-tech, but that seems to suit the brand. There’s a wide screen that incorporates the driver display and multimedia touchscreen which is low and doesn’t impact visibility while also fitting in nicely with the interior, plus there are plenty of physical buttons for controls including the climate and the multimedia. The latter includes a panel of buttons in the centre console and a scroll wheel, which feels like BMW or Mazda was the inspiration - not in any way a criticism as those systems were some of the best. There’s also a Dolby Atmos feature in the already excellent sound system, though the highest quality audio can only be accessed through the native Amazon Music app and not via a phone mirroring player, which is a shame. It shares the Sport’s set of safety features including the six airbags, a little on the low side for a car this size with no front-centre airbag, plus adaptive cruise with lane centering and lane-keep, intersection auto emergency braking (AEB), cyclist alert, front and rear park-assist and automatic park assist. It doesn’t have an ANCAP rating, but its advanced driver assist systems (ADAS) don’t interfere much so it’s a case of swings and roundabouts. The five-year/unlimited km warranty and free roadside assist period is five years, which is now about standard for a premium brand. There's also the usual extra warranty on the high-voltage battery, eight years or 160,000km, whichever comes first. Service intervals are a very comfortable 24 months or 24,000km, whichever comes first, but Cadillac’s servicing costs are case-by-case, with no published estimated pricing or capped-price offers. Essentially, despite a couple of missing pieces, Cadillac has fulfilled the premium brief of the Lyriq. But what about the performance brief of the V? A week behind the wheel including one long drive in the twisty surrounds of Melbourne revealed a car that’s a little more nuanced than expected. The standard Lyriq was already fairly brisk for a mid-size SUV at almost 2700kg with its 4.9sec sprint to 100km/h, but the extra power afforded to the V means people watching you take off from the lights are genuinely surprised, especially given the Cadillac’s luxury lean. The acceleration isn’t brutally instantaneous, not shoving you back into your seat as much as quickly spooling into play, and there’s a paddle for ‘regen on-demand’ which can be pulled as firmly as needed to engage the regenerative braking at the desired strength. The SUV’s weight comes into play during enthusiastic driving, but its adaptive suspension does a decent job of balancing comfort on rough roads with control in tight cornering. There’s less body roll and pitching than you might expect from something this comfortable on a highway drive, though the Lyriq-V is still not a super-focused sports car.

Forthing is yet another new Chinese brand that has officially arrived Down Under. It's being imported by Ateco Automotive which also sells Renault, Ram and LDV in Australia. Forthing's first model in Australia is the Taikon 5, which is a mid-size SUV available in both electric and range-extender hybrid guises. Does it have enough pull to draw your attention away from a BYD, Chery or Geely?

Leapmotor hasn’t had the greatest start in Australia, with its first model, the C10, receiving a lukewarm response at best. Since then, each new model has represented a big leap, if you will, over that car. The B10 small SUV has been well received and the B05 hatch that’s coming soon promises to be more of a driver’s car. Later this year Leapmotor will introduce a smaller all-electric SUV, the B03X, that should further improve the brand’s fortunes. It’s already a hit in its native China where it dethroned the Tesla Model Y as the country’s favourite electric SUV after a 15-month reign and European orders are also strong. It faces a challenge in Australia, though, as its competitors include the popular BYD Atto 2 and Jaecoo J5 EV. It is shorter in length than those two models, but roughly the same height and width. It will also be cross shopped with electric hatchbacks like the BYD Dolphin, GAC Aion UT, Geely EX2 and MG4 Urban. Leapmotor is ready for a fight, however. The brand confirmed the B03X will start from $30,000, drive-away, which will instantly make it the cheapest electric SUV in Australia when it arrives in the fourth quarter of 2026. Full pricing and spec is being kept under wraps until closer to the launch but the little EV will be offered in two model grades, both packing a 53kWh battery. Standard gear is generous and while we don’t quite know what each grade will get, it should be offered with LED lights all around, remote entry via an app or NFC card, power folding and heated exterior mirrors, auto air conditioning, synthetic leather seats, heated front seats and steering wheel, power adjust front seats, ambient lighting, rain-sensing wipers and scheduled charging. Tech is covered with a 14.6-inch multimedia display housing most vehicle functions, an 8.8-inch driver’s display, sat-nav, over-the-air updates and a 12-speaker audio system. In news that will be a relief to some, the B03X will also come with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, unlike Leapmotor’s first Australian model, the C10 SUV. Safety wise it comes with seven airbags and no less than 21 advanced driver assistance features as well as front and rear parking sensors and a 360-degree camera. Lookswise it follows Leapmotor’s design philosophy to a T. More than many other newer Chinese brands, Leapmotor’s design flows neatly through each new model. There’s a clear link between the C10, B10, B05 and now the B03X. It’s a clean design and on the B03X that means no sharp lines - it’s a rounded look at the front with an appealing headlight signature. Side on it looks tall with a chunky C-pillar and blacked out pillars and frames for a floating glasshouse look. Thankfully the B03X has hidden rather than pop-out exterior door handles which is a win. That’s likely a response to China’s crackdown on pop-out handles. The adorable LED tail-light signature looks like an open mouth and eyes, but not in a creepy way. The cutesy vibe continues in the cabin. You’ll find a smiley-faced Leapy character - Leamotor’s mascot - hidden in a number of spots in the front of the cabin. The interior design is relatively well executed. It’s not groundbreaking but at least it adds a bit more than the cheap minimalism found in some rivals. There’s plenty of soft-touch material on the doors and dash and the interior colour choices include darker hues as well as light greys mixed with a royal blue. Leapmotor claims there are 33 storage spaces in the entire car. I didn’t count but that sounds like a lot. The power window switches are counterintuitive because you press up to put the window down and vice versa. The front seats don’t have a huge amount of upper or lower body bolstering so they’re not particularly supportive but they are comfortable. The gear shifter is on the steering wheel which is becoming common and it frees up console space. That centre console sits a little too high for me. Storage wise there is a long, deep centre bin and an open space under the console. On top there’s a phone charger next to two narrow cupholders. You can fit bottles in the door cavities but not wide ones. Virtually all vehicle functions are housed in the large 14.6-inch multimedia screen, or via two toggles on the steering wheel. Tesla started this nonsense and it seems a bunch of mostly Chinese brands are happy to play follow the leader. The frustrating lack of buttons means diving into menus to find things and spending time to work out how to move your mirrors. However, the multimedia screen is logically laid out and it has clear, crisp graphics. The screen is customisable so you can curate your own home screen. The 8.8-inch driver display is small but clear. The rear seat is surprisingly spacious, with ample head, toe and legroom, but there’s not a huge amount of room across the bench. Two large adults would be fine in the back but three would be a stretch. There’s no fold-down armrest in the centre and no air vents of any kind in the rear which was noticeable on our drive as we had a third person in the rear seat. You do get a USB-A and -C port. The rear seats are flat but comfortable and there’s a handy feature Leapmotor should probably thank Honda for - Magic seats! Pull a lever on the seat base and it flips up on both sides to allow more space to load tall items. Leapmotor says the boot can swallow 510 litres, but I suspect that’s with the multi-level boot floor in its lowest position. That’s more space than the last Australian-made Holden Commodore, by the way. Underneath that is another neat feature - a 105L waterproof bin with a plug so you can hose it out. However, it means you don’t get a spare wheel of any kind. There was no tyre repair kit to be found in our test cars, so presumably you would need to put your charge cables and the repair kit in that under-floor storage. The Leapmotor B03X is a single motor, front-wheel-drive EV delivering 145kW of power and 200Nm of torque. It can cover 0-100km/h in 8.6 seconds and has a maximum speed of 160km/h. The 53kWh battery is good for a WLTP driving range of 382km, which is a bit more than the BYD Atto 2, while energy use is 15.7kwh/100km. There’s an 11kW onboard charger for AC charging but DC maxes out at 133kW. At that rate you should be able to top up from 10 to 80 per cent battery power in roughly 21 minutes. The B03X has vehicle-to-load capabilities meaning you can charge or run small appliances with your car. On the road the Leapmotor is quite a competent car. The 8.6sec acceleration time is solid for a car like this. There’s no point in a six second 0-100km/h time for an urban SUV. It can be a little sluggish off the mark which is surprising for an EV. This was evident pulling into traffic via the short motorway on-ramps of Southern Spain where the launch program was held. Ride quality is mostly good but the roads we drove on are pretty smooth. Some uneven road sections proved it’s not all smooth sailing in the B03X but overall it’s compliant. We will reserve final judgement on ride quality until we drive it on Australia’s deeply average roads. Steering is light and dull but that’s not a major issue in an urban runabout and many potential buyers likely won’t care. However, Leapmotor has listened to feedback and will roll out an over-the-air update in a couple of weeks that aims to address the lifeless steering. There are three drive and steering modes including Sport, as well as three regenerative braking modes. We drove this car on some twisty Andalusian mountain roads and it handled much better than expected. It’s certainly a massive improvement over the dreadful Leapmotor C10. It won’t corner like an Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica but it’s also half the price. It’s more in line with an Atto 2. Some wheel skidding and traction loss is possible when accelerating hard or changing direction at the last minute - not surprising given the FWD’s 200Nm of torque - but the Yokohama 18-inch wheel and tyre package does a decent job. Leapmotor says it has a tight 10-metre turning circle and it’s an absolute breeze to park. The advanced driver assist systems (ADAS) are not as loud as some of its rivals, but it is still intrusive, despite Leapmotor working hard on ADAS calibration. The over-speed warning in particular is incessant. But thankfully you can change the levels or turn most ADAS functions off completely via the settings. There’s no Euro NCAP rating just yet but Leapmotor says it is hoping for a maximum five stars.

Subaru has launched an Outback... as an EV. The Trailseeker combines the Subaru adventuring spirit with electric capability. Is it a combo that will work? Time will tell.

Three months with the MY26 Skoda Elroq Select 60 have come and gone in the blink of an eye. The segment-straddling, fully-electric SUV has been a pleasure to ‘own’ because of its city-friendly size that would surely make Goldilocks blush. But there is more to the Elroq story than its practicality, as its European nature should mean it is also one for the keen drivers. But is it? That is what we are going to find out in this third instalment of our long-term review of the entry-level Select 60. In part one we detailed its relatively keen pricing and surprisingly high specification, while the second explored its Euro design and aforementioned practicality. To find out more click the links directly below. Now, it is time to go for a drive before I deliver my overall verdict on the Elroq. Let’s go! Simply put, the Elroq is a joy to drive. A lot of EVs these days are not particularly engaging behind the wheel, but this Czech model flips the script with its well-balanced ride and handling. The Elroq Select 60 may lack adaptive dampers, but its MacPherson-strut front and multi-link rear suspension delivers a level of suppleness over potholes and speed bumps – without being too soft like a lot of its new Chinese competitors. Some would say it is firm, but it is definitely not jarring. At the same time the Elroq maintains good body control when pushed hard through your favourite set of corners, enough that you will want to drive around them again. Handling in general is strong, offering plenty of confidence, with grip plentiful despite the rear-wheel drive set-up, which is a rarity in the small-car segment. RWD is much more fun than front-wheel drive, as you’re pushed out of corners rather than pulled, plus there is, generally, the benefit of a tighter turning circle, which is perfect for the city. The electric power steering is nice and direct, albeit on the lighter side when it comes to weighting, but I don't mind it around town, where it makes low-speed manoeuvres, like parking, much easier to execute. The steering wheel is a little too thin for my liking, but I got used to it quickly enough. The MY26 Select 60 on test here only produces 150kW and 310Nm from its single electric motor, which is a significant 60kW/235Nm short of other Elroq variants. As a result, the Select 60’s 0-100km/h sprint time of eight seconds flat is 1.4 seconds slower than the other Elroq variants, which you will certainly notice when merging onto or overtaking on the highway. But the reality is most of your acceleration in the Select 60 will be to 40-60km/h and in those instances it will feel very spritely, as most EVs do. Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH) levels are predictably good, given the Elroq is an EV that operates almost silently. Some road and tyre noise can be heard at higher speeds, but it thankfully never drones. Where the MY26 Elroq disappoints, though, is with its regenerative braking. Two levels are on offer, with the default the equivalent to engine braking in an internal-combustion model, while the B mode for the single-speed automatic transmission offers stronger energy recuperation. That said, the B mode is still not the equivalent of one-pedal driving, which is an EV signature I have sorely missed over the past three months. Thankfully, Skoda Australia has confirmed the Elroq’s MY27 update introduces a one-pedal option, meaning new owners will be able to drive by just modulating the accelerator pedal. The performance of the friction brakes is strong, should you need to properly use the left pedal. However, the blending between the regenerative and friction braking could be better. Also, the friction brakes start to bite when the right pedal is partly depressed, which takes some getting used to. In what seems to be a shock these days, the Elroq’s advanced driver-assist systems are rather pleasant in the real world. The lane-keep and steering assist functions are relatively well measured, while the adaptive cruise control is nicely calibrated – although it is not particularly energy efficient if you are trying to maximise your driving range (more on that in a moment). There are also no incessant over-speed or driver-attention warnings to combat – hooray! That said, it is a shame surround-view cameras are unavailable in the MY26 Select 60, even as an option. And the reversing camera you do get is shockingly low-resolution, which should not be a thing in 2026. The front parking sensors are also intermittently a little too sensitive in traffic, but it is by no means a deal-breaker. In my third and final month behind the wheel of the MY26 Elroq Select 60 my average energy consumption was 15.8kWh/100km over 1068km, a slightly higher proportion of which was in the city. This more efficient environment meant that result was 0.1kWh/100km and 0.3kWh/100km better than I managed in months one and three. My three-month average was 15.9kWh/100km over 2797km, which equates to a real-world driving range of 371km, based on the MY26 Select 60’s useable battery capacity of 59kWh. That is just 24km short of the MY26 claim and still good enough for a regular urban commuter, but I would personally be paying the premium for the long-range MY26 Elroq, which promises up to 529km between charges. Acquired: May 6, 2026 Distance travelled this month: 1068km Odometer: 3755km Average energy consumption this month: 15.8kWh/100km

Premium electrified people movers are growing in popularity, propelled by the VW ID. Buzz EV, as well as Chinese brands like Zeekr and Denza. The XPeng X9 is the latest, with comparatively keen pricing, a huge list of standard features and impressively advanced tech, including air suspension. Great on paper, but we have doubts on some fronts, given our experiences with the Performance AWD model.