Hatchback Reviews

Ford's latest special edition Mustang is aimed at those who want a sharper, more dynamic driving experience. Does it live up to its lofty ambitions?

Ford's Focus redefined how good a hatchback could be over 20 years ago. It's still doing it, too. The Focus Active is an attempt to cash in on the ongoing sales dominance of SUVs without having to go full SUV. It probably shouldn't work, but Ford is good at this sort of thing.

Nissan was one of the first car brands to champion electric cars in Australia, launching its first Leaf way back in 2012. Over a decade later , competition is stiffer than ever, with more and more brands committing to tailpipe emissions-free models, but Nissan is hoping its Leaf e+ will be enough to keep rivals at bay.

Up until recently, the Nissan Leaf was the best-selling electric car in the world. But with a crop of fresh EVs entering the market, it needs to step up again. Enter the new long-range Leaf e+. It certainly improves the formula, but not quite enough.

Hyundai has progressively improved the i30 over three generations , with the current model launched in 2017 providing a broad spectrum of choice to suit different needs. With its turbo petrol engine and independent rear suspension, the N-Line provides rousing performance and fine dynamic qualities, without spilling into hot-hatch territory. In Premium guise there's plenty of luxury to enjoy, too.

Hyundai's Ioniq range is nothing if not a flex in the face of Toyota. Sure, Toyota has a dominating position in the Australian market, with its well-received range of hybrid models, but what happens after hybrid? Hyundai takes on the blocky Prius formula with not only a directly competing hybrid model, but a plug-in and a fully electric version, too. This expansive range is as though Hyundai is trying to demonstrate it's ready for any future, near or far, and guess what, Toyota? Anything you can do; the Korean juggernaut thinks it can do better. These cars aren't really designed to sell so much as they are offerings for early adopters, but a few years after its launch, with a host of rivals set to take it on, and an entire sub-brand based on the Ioniq just around the corner, is Hyundai's top-spec Ioniq electric  worth a look? I took one for a week to find out.

Subaru is a brand that was built on making alternatives to traditionally shaped SUVs, and on the back of the Impreza sedan. It still does make a range of slightly different off-roaders, and its XV is a huge seller, but it also still offers the Impreza, which has just been updated. So does it still have a place in the market, and how good is it?

Just when you though the GR Yaris was the ultimate Toyota hot hatch, along comes the Rallye to up the go-fast ante again. An already-hot hot hatch fitted with even more performance equipment? Sounds like a good deal to us.

The Prius, an eco-punk icon, now seems retro, yet it's still being built, even as it gives way to a wave of popular, affordable Toyota hybrids. Could it still be the best hybrid anyway? Let's find out.

Since the Starlet's 1996 launch, Toyota superminis have long been inexpensive but quality, dependable urban runabouts. But the latest Yaris costs up to $7000 more than before, raising doubts of the series' validity. However, an ambitious push to improve the breed sees big strides in safety and efficiency , and nowhere is that more obvious than in the incredibly frugal SX hybrid. Europe, take note.