Hybrid Reviews

Toyota's LandCruiser has gone electric! Not quite. But it has joined the ranks of the new wave of hybrid vehicles with a powertrain that combines a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine and an electric motor. The 'i-Force Max' set-up, from the Tundra, produces substantial increases in power (up 114kW) and torque (up 90Nm), but is this Cruiser better off-road than its turbo-diesel stablemate?

Renault has updated the Arkana, introducing a mild-hybrid set up for its small SUV. With a lot of its rivals now sporting full hybrid systems, is this a case of 'too little, too late'?

Hyundai has recently introduced a hybrid powertrain option for its popular Staria Load van but does this new petrol-electric technology offer the right mix of performance and economy to win new customers in the mid-size commercial van market?

Say what you like about the new Chinese brands infiltrating every volume market sector right now. Because love them or hate them, they are pushing down the price of admission to those segments. The plug-in hybrid dual-cab ute segment might be a relatively new one, but it's already a hotly contested battleground. And with the Australian-ised JAC Hunter PHEV now rolling in, it just got hotter.

The BMW X1 won the Best Small Car starting under $80,000 category in CarsGuide's 2026 Car of the Year awards, and the line-up has just received a shake-up.While petrol and electric (iX1) versions of this small SUV are still on offer, there is now a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variant.Dubbed the X1 xDrive25e, it’s priced from $79,900, before on-road costs. It’s almost $9000 more than the petrol-powered sDrive20i M Sport ($70,962 BOC), which is only front-wheel drive.This sees it compete against other plug-in hybrid rivals like the Mercedes-Benz GLA250e ($78,800 BOC) and Cupra Formentor VZe ($68,990 BOC). Audi hasn’t launched a PHEV version of its new-generation Q3 in Australia yet.Our test car is fitted with the Enhancement Package ($5700) which adds the following:Metallic paintPanoramic glass sunroof12-speaker Harman Kardon sound systemHeated steering wheelThere is a 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine that powers the front wheels with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, as well as an 80kW electric motor on the rear axle. Total system outputs are 180kW and 477Nm which is good for a 0-100km/h sprint in 6.8 seconds.There’s plenty of power on tap. Around town the electric motor handles almost all of it on its own, but lean harder on the accelerator or deplete the battery charge and the petrol engine steps in to assist.When the petrol engine first fires there can be slight hesitation as the powertrain shuffles how the drive is sent. It’s brief and then things smooth out.The three-cylinder petrol engine has a fun, perky but you can tell it's working hard to shift 1855kg of small SUV.Feeding the electric motor is a 16.3kWh (14.2kWh usable) lithium-ion battery pack which allows for up to 86km of WLTP-claimed electric range. During my urban real-world testing I saw closer to 55km, which isn’t very much by today's standards.BMW claims the X1 xDrive25e has a combined fuel consumption of 3.3L/100km, according to ADR 81/02 testing, though your usage will depend on how often you charge. When the battery was depleted I saw an average of 9.5-10L/100km, which is a fair bit for a car of this size.There is a 47L fuel tank that requires a minimum of 95 RON premium unleaded petrol.Charging up the battery pack can only be done by a Type 2 plug that’s on the front-left quarter panel and allows for AC charging at rates up to 11kW. With this a full charge is claimed to take 1.75 hours.Even though it can feel like the turbo three-cylinder engine is working hard, it’s aided by the electric motor. When you boot the accelerator there's plenty of oomph available, plus if you’re feeling frisky, there’s also a ‘Boost’ mode that turns everything to 11.Once the need for speed is over, it’s surprising just how fun this car is to drive, even around town. This is primarily thanks to light, yet direct steering.This version of the X1 comes with the M Sport package as standard, which means it has a sportier suspension set-up with adaptive dampers. It’s generally comfortable and compliant, though harsher bumps can transmit into the cabin with a jolt.There’s a lot of polish to this car and it’s clear it's still a segment benchmark, at least from a dynamic standpoint.The BMW X1 still has a striking cabin with its dual screen set-up, though the 10.7-inch touchscreen multimedia system does look a touch small now compared to some of its competitors.Looking elsewhere there's the classic chunky BMW steering wheel, a generous amount of open storage under the centre console, a handy clamp to hold your phone on the wireless charger, as well as a comically small centre armrest storage spot.Despite being a small SUV, there’s still a generous amount of space in the second row. Plus, the floor is virtually flat, meaning the centre seat isn’t a terrible place to sit. Though the centre seat has a roof-mounted seatbelt which does eat into rearward visibility.Adding to the segment-defying space, it has 490L of boot space with the rear seats upright, expanding to 1495L when folded. Surprisingly for a PHEV there’s even underfloor storage for the charging cables, however there’s no spare wheel.Petrol and electric versions of the BMW X1 have a five-star ANCAP safety rating. It’s unclear whether this will be extended to the PHEV.The following safety equipment is on offer:Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)Blind-spot monitoringRear cross-traffic alertLane-keep assistAdaptive cruise controlLane-change assistSurround-view cameraFront and rear parking sensorsParking assistDashcamAll of the safety systems are well-calibrated and don’t interfere with the driving experience, unless required.Like all BMWs, the X1 xDrive25e is covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, which is standard for luxury carmakers but lacking when compared to mainstream counterparts. The high-voltage battery is also covered for eight years or 160,000km.BMW offers three- and five-year pre-paid service packages which are priced at $1466 and $2493, respectively. The latter equals about $500 per service, which is typical for a European luxury car of this size.

Chinese carmaker Chery Group loves a sub-brand and its Jaecoo nameplate arrived here just over 12 months ago as a more premium option relative to its Omoda sibling. Stand by for Lepas hitting Aussie showrooms any minute as well as iCaur and Freelander in 2027.Think of Jaecoo as a mainstream Hyundai, Kia and Toyota alternative and the J5 on test here as a sharply priced small SUV challenger to the Kona, Seltos and Corolla Cross.At $34,990, drive-away, the J5 SHS-H Summit is a (series-parallel) hybrid five seater promising compelling value, family focused practicality and miserly fuel consumption. And we spent a week behind the wheel to see if it has what it takes to upset the established order in one of the Aussie new-car market’s most hotly contested segments.Elaborate decoration is notable by its absence when it comes to the Jaecoo J5’s exterior. Broad, largely unadorned surfaces give this SUV a clean, solid, no fuss look with the bold waterfall grille and flower petal-style 18-inch ‘Aero’ alloy wheels the closest things come to embellishment.The interior is similarly minimalist although some visual interest is added via configurable ambient lighting, white perimeter piping and cross stitching on the seats, a diamond pattern on the upper section of the dash and a piano black finish on the front centre console and around the multimedia screen. The colour palette is multi shades of grey, although off-white headlining lifts things a bit. For its sub-$35K drive-away price the J5 Summit is loaded with standard equipment, the highlights being:All LED exterior lightingIntelligent high beamRoof railsRain-sensing wipersHeated and power-folding exterior mirrorsGlass sunroof (with power sunshade)Power tailgateSynthetic leather trimSix-way power-adjustable (heated & ventilated) front seatsDual-zone climate-controlInterior ambient lighting8.9-inch digital instrument display13.2-inch multimedia touchscreenEight-speaker audioWired & wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlayIntelligent voice commandWe’ll get to safety equipment soon, but without even going there that list of included features is as good or better than pricier hybrid rivals like the Hyundai Kona (from $36,950) or Toyota Corolla Cross (from $37,440), both before on-road costs. At just under 4.4m long, less than 1.9m wide and a bit over 1.6m tall with a 2620mm wheelbase the Jaecoo J5 packs a lot of capacity into a relatively compact footprint.No shortage of breathing room upfront and the rear is surprisingly roomy with ample headroom and decent legroom (for me sitting behind the driver’s seat set for my 183cm position).The synthetic leather trim is claimed to “stand up to pet claws and everyday spills” and our always enthusiastic doggo put it to the test without any immediate signs of damage.Heaps of storage with everything from generous door bins (front and rear) to storage bays and boxes, multiple cupholders, pockets and power sources including wireless charging, USB-A and -C ports as well as 12V outlets (front and boot).Speaking of the boot, it boasts an average 314-litre volume to the top of the rear seatbacks, 410L to the roof and even more with the 60/40 split-folding rear seat lowered. There's a big black mark against the lack of a physical spare, though, compounded by the fact Jaecoo puts it right in your face with a spare tyre-shaped cavity under the boot floor and the 12-volt battery plonked in the middle of it. Boo. The Jaecoo J5 is offered in Australia in petrol internal-combustion, pure-electric and as tested here, series-parallel hybrid form.The SHS-H in the car’s name stands for ‘Super Hybrid System-Hybrid’, which is a self-charging powertrain consisting of a 1.5-litre (105kW/215Nm) turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine working in concert with a single (150kW/310Nm) permanent magnet synchronous motor which together send 165kW/295Nm to the front wheels through a dedicated hybrid transmission.The Jaecoo J5 SHS-H Summit’s official fuel-economy figure on the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle is 5.6L/100km and over a week of city suburban and some freeway running we saw an impressive average of just 4.6L/100km which equates to a range of more than 1100km. Wow.This hybrid feels more electric than petrol with plenty of surge from rest and more than enough grunt for the cut and thrust of city traffic and easy freeway cruising.It’s commendably quiet, although the ride from the strut front, multi-link rear suspension is firm and sensitive to smaller, high-frequency bumps and thumps.Steering is accurate and road feel is okay, the standard Continental EcoContact 7 rubber is quiet and grippy but the brakes are relatively abrupt on application unless you consciously focus on greasing them in.All around vision is clear and the inclusion of a quality reversing camera and 360-degree overhead view makes parking a breeze.Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) tech is extensive covering everything from auto emergency braking (AEB) to rear cross-traffic alert with any warning, assist, detection and prevention measure you can think of in between. The airbag count is seven, including a front centre bag.Most of the crash-avoidance systems work well enough, although lane keeping in adaptive cruise mode is manic with micro adjustments constantly tweaking the wheel in your hands. And the driver monitoring system is overly zealous, which is doubly annoying as it typically slaps you on the wrist with a visual and audible alert when you’re digging into the central screen for functions like ventilation that would be better handled by physical controls. Grrr.Jaecoo Motor Australia covers its cars with a competitive eight-year/unlimited km warranty (including the traction battery) with an initial 12 months of roadside assistance extended for another year each time you carry out a scheduled service at an authorised Jaecoo dealership. Recommended service interval is 12 months/15,000km and eight-year/120,000km capped-price servicing can be locked in for an average of just over $426 per workshop visit. Not the lowest when you consider a Toyota Corolla Cross service will set you back $255 for each of the first five years.There are around 50 Omoda Jaecoo dealers in Australia covering all states and territories except the NT.

As with its Hyundai Tucson cousin, the last two generations of Kia Sportage have long been good cars in search of better petrol powertrains.The old 2.0-litre atmo unit lacked spark and the 1.6-litre turbo was too highly strung for a family runabout.The petrol-electric hybrid vehicle (HEV) that usurps both, on the other hand, strikes the right chord, but wasn’t available in base guise – until now.The entry-level S Hybrid, from $44,490, drive-away, puts the base Sportage right in the Chinese electrified mid-sized SUV heartland.Inevitably, several plug-in hybrid (PHEV) rivals cost less and yet bring more equipment, like the BYD Sealion 5, Chery Tiggo 7, Geely Starray and Jaecoo J7. But cheapness is their main attraction and most suffer from some worrying deficiencies.Oddly, though, the S overlaps with some hybrid-only alternatives from China, like the GWM Haval H6 and MG HS, though again, both require more development.The Kia undercuts Japanese base-grade hybrid equivalents, such as the Nissan X-Trail e-Power, Honda CR-V e:HEV and, of course, the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid that begins from about $6000 more.That said, the S isn’t scant on spec, with much of the expected convenience basics, like climate control, a reversing camera, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and alloy wheels.You’ll also find:A space-saver spare wheel – thank you, KiaSeven years of free Kia Connect remote app services accessKeyless entry and startA 12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android AutoAdaptive cruise controlFront and rear parking sensorsIn other words, all you need and a bit more besides. There’s no wireless phone charger or heated front seats at this price point, though.Now in its fifth generation since 1993, today’s Sportage has been an especially strong seller worldwide.Maybe that’s why last year’s facelift is subtle. An obvious difference is the removal of the fussy inverted ‘V’ LED lighting up front, connecting the mid-sized SUV to some of its younger SUV siblings.Similarly, the Sportage’s cabin presentation has also weathered well.At first glance, you’d be hard pressed to pick this as the entry-level Sportage.Yes, the seats are cloth instead of modish synthetic leather (though vinyl belongs in record sleeves not in SUVs) and the driver’s side lacks lumbar adjustment. But these are the only real concessions to cost cutting.Dominating things is Kia’s classy, curved dual-display dash, which remains visually contemporary and operates smartly, swiftly and smoothly, while a row of fixed virtual buttons below responds on the first touch and are paragons of clarity. China (and Mazda CX-5), please heed, since the Hyundai Motor Group knows how to balance dashboard design and ergonomics effectively.The front seats provide adequate comfort and support, the driving position is faultless, the ventilation works fine, there is an abundance of storage and the quality of execution stands out.As with the spacious front row, back-seat entry and egress is effortless. The Sportage’s roomy rear features cushions are fixed, but remain adequately comfy, aided by backrests that recline a little. Also present are air vents, cupholders, USB-C ports and a folding armrest. Not bad for a base bus.Further back, even with the spare wheel, VDA luggage capacity is a decent 586 litres, expanding to 1872L with the 60/40 split-fold backrests dropped. Electrification need not compromise practicality.The S Hybrid 2WD uses a 132kW/265Nm 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol hybrid engine, paired to a 47.7kW/264Nm electric motor, driving the front wheels via a six-speed torque-converter automatic.Combined outputs are 173kW and 367Nm, while a 1.49kWh lithium-ion battery is located by the multi-link rear axle.The result is remarkably velvety performance, from stepping off the line in EV-first mode, to maintaining a strong and steady pace at speed once the internal-combustion engine seamlessly pipes in.A world away from the wheezy old 2.0L unit, the Sportage is especially adept at delivering immediate, muscular throttle response, especially in Sport mode, for satisfyingly instant overtaking, though it’s also refined enough to be licence-losingly rapid even before the driver notices. Beware.This fluid ease also describes the handling set-up, with engagingly linear steering for quick yet controlled cornering capabilities aided by finely calibrated brakes (not always a given in hybrids).While not as supple as, say, the latest CX-5’s, the S Hybrid's suspension tune remains acceptably firm. And, save for the tiring speed-sign warnings, the ADAS tech is sufficiently calibrated for Australian roads. Again, not a given nowadays.Fixes for the next model should include grippier tyres than what the Nexen Roadian rubber provide in the wet and a tighter turning circle.Still, the S Hybrid shows that the Sportage has evolved and matured remarkably. A far cry from the dynamic calamity of the earliest generations.Pump-to-pump, we averaged 5.8 litres per 100km over a week’s worth of often-spirited inner-urban, freeway and performance-testing driving, against 5.2L/100km on the trip computer and Kia’s claim of 4.9L/100km.In theory, the Hybrid 2WD is capable of 1060km between refills of (91 RON standard) petrol.Finally, tested back in 2022, the Sportage garnered a maximum five-star ANCAP rating, largely for “good” occupant protection.The long role call of ADAS tech includes multi-faceted autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and lane-support systems, blind-spot collision-avoidance assist and safe exit warning.Meanwhile, there’s a seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty and up to eight years of roadside assistance if serviced at Kia. Intervals are every 12 months or 10,000km.Capped-price servicing is listed at $353, $561, $422, $880, $397, $703 and $716 over the first seven years, totalling $4032. That’s $1185 more than the albeit-$6K-costlier base RAV4 over the same period.

For more than 70 years the Chevrolet Corvette has been a sports car icon and the current eighth-generation version comes to Australia in factory right-hand drive form. The petrol-electric hybrid Corvette E-Ray is arguably the most interesting version and we spent a week behind the wheel to see how 'America's sports car' fares in local conditions.

The Renault Symbioz Esprit Alpine is the flagship model in the new small SUV’s line-up. Priced from $45,990, before on-road costs, the Esprit Alpine combines luxury and sporty touches to differentiate it from the Techno hybrid below it in the range.Naturally, the Esprit Alpine is loaded with the most equipment, including auto headlights, a wireless smartphone charger, heated steering wheel and automatic climate control. Plus there’s a 10.25-inch digital driver display as well as a 10.4-inch central multimedia touchscreen connected to a nine-speaker Harman Kardon sound system. Not only does it have wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto included, but also Google Automotive Services, which means it can act like an extension of your Android smartphone in many respects.Other niceties include performance seats that are heated and electronically adjustable and red, white and blue stitching on the steering wheel plus a power tailgate.The Symbioz is based on Renault’s latest design language, which gives it a distinctive European look. The Esprit Alpine gets some unique exterior design elements, including chrome exterior trim as well as a more muted grille and badge treatment.Inside there is a small ledge ahead of the stubby gear selector, with the wireless charging pad hidden underneath it. There are two cupholders and a small lidded console box as well, plus small door pockets, which makes for a very practical cabin.In terms of space for people, up front the seats are comfortable and roomy, while in the rear the back of the driver and passenger seats have been heavily sculpted out to create a good amount of kneeroom.The Symbioz Esprit Alpine uses the first hybrid powertrain offered by Renault in Australia, a 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and electric motor that makes 116kW of power and 265Nm of torque.With a 48-litre fuel tank and claimed fuel economy of just 4.7L/100km the Symbioz has a theoretical driving range of more than 1000km on a single fill.In terms of safety, the Symbioz Techno has a good level of active driver assistant systems that are better calibrated than many small SUV rivals, plus there is a single-button function to switch off the systems you don’t want to use. However, the Symbioz has not been rated by ANCAP and has a four-star (from a possible five) crash test score from Euro NCAP. The Symbioz Esprit Alpine is covered by Renault’s standard five-year/100,000km warranty, The company offers ‘Assured Servicing Pricing’ which covers the first five years or 150,000km, whichever comes first. This will cost you a total of $2715 for the hybrid during that time.

The all-new Renault Symbioz small SUV range begins with a mild hybrid variant in the Techno trim, priced from $36,990, before on-road costs. The Techno mild hybrid comes equipped with 18-inch alloy wheels, auto headlights, a wireless smartphone charger, heated steering wheel, automatic climate control and 10.25-inch digital driver display plus a 10.4-inch central multimedia touchscreen connected to a six-speaker sound system. Not only does it have wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto included, but also Google Automotive Services, which means it can act like an extension of your Android smartphone in many respects.Renault’s designers have created a surprisingly spacious and well-considered interior for such a small SUV. Up the front there are plenty of small item storage spaces. There is a small ledge ahead of the stubby gear selector, with the wireless charging pad hidden underneath it. There are two cupholders and a small lidded console box as well, plus small door pockets.In terms of space for people, up front the seats are comfortable and roomy, while in the rear the back of the driver and passenger seats have been heavily sculpted out to create a good amount of kneeroom.The rear seat slides to provide a trade-off between boot space and rear occupant space, so it does have an impressively large cargo capacity if you don’t need to take passengers.The mild hybrid Symbioz is powered by a 1.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and makes 104kW of power and 245Nm of torque.The mild hybrid has a fuel economy rating of 6.4L/100km, which provides a theoretical driving range of more than 750km thanks to its 48L fuel tank.In terms of safety, the Symbioz Techno has a good level of active driver assistant systems that are better calibrated than many small SUV rivals. However, the Symbioz has not been rated by ANCAP and has a four-star crash test score from Euro NCAP. The Symbioz Techno mild hybrid is covered by Renault’s standard five years/100,000km warranty. The company offers ‘Assured Servicing Pricing’ which covers the first five years or 150,000km, whichever comes first, and the total cost for the period is $2695.