Hybrid Reviews

Hyundai has taken its well-established three-row large SUV and given it a hybrid powertrain. Is it the winning combo?

Still don’t reckon diesel is on the chopping block in Australia? Well strap in, because another nail in its coffin has just arrived in the shape of the JAC Hunter PHEV.And with it comes a like-for-like comparison. See, the Hunter shares its underpinnings with the diesel-powered T9 ute, giving the brand’s customers a choice – take the new petrol-electric version, or stick with the cheaper diesel.And having driven both, the people in the latter camp should be able to be counted on one hand. It’s not that the Hunter feels like the best ute in its segment, it’s more that the combination of petrol power and electric propulsion massively improves the drive experience compared to the one with a diesel donk.But more on that in a moment. For now, let’s dig deeper into the details.The Hunter has been JAC’s long-promised volume play, and while we test drove this one in Australia, it’s not actually the ute that will be launching here wearing a sub-$50k price tag later this year.For perspective, the cheapest BYD Shark 6 ute, the Premium, is $57,900, while the Ford Ranger PHEV Stormtrak is currently around $73k drive-away. So the Hunter is sharp.JAC has also commendably joined the localised-ride-and-handling community (like GWM, and Kia and Hyundai before it), recruiting former Holden chassis engineer Michael Barber to fine-tune the Hunter for our conditions.We’re talking more than a nip and tuck here. Barber says he went through 50 damper rebuilds to get the Hunter where he wanted, which was a ute that feels tighter, more responsive to inputs and more confidence inspiring than the JAC products to have come before it.The catch is that, while the work is reportedly done, it hasn’t entirely made its way to the vehicles we’ve tested. Some changes are present (notably a focus on noise, vibration and harshness and the fitment of better acoustic glass), but not all of them. And the brand says the cars that eventually go on sale here will drive very differently to these ones.What we can tell you, though, is a bit more about the powertrain, and how it works. The PHEV system here pairs a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine with twin electric motors (one at each axle) to produce a total 360kW. It doesn’t feel like that much power, to be honest, though the progress is smooth and definitely doesn’t feel underpowered once underway. It is a slow-ish getaway from a standing start, though – we were recording (very unofficial) runs to 100km/h of around 8.5 seconds.Part of the slower-than-expected take-off, I think, is that the different power sources all kick in at different times. The on-screen display suggests the rear motor starts first, which is then joined by the front motor, and then – at around 30km/h – the petrol engine kicks in, adding a noticeable boost in performance. Again, it does not feel underpowered, and the power delivery provides a constant urge when everything is humming along altogether. And it’s infinitely smoother and more predictable than the diesel-powered alternative.The other focus for JAC has been proper work-ready performance. The Hunter will tow 3.5 tonnes no matter the battery state (I think because the software won’t let it fall below 20 per cent charge), combined with a 915kg payload, front and rear diff locks and five pre-programmed off-road modes. Clearly JAC is taking the demands of the Aussie market seriously.On board is a V2L connection, while a 31.2kWh LFP battery (with 45kW DC fast charging) delivers an all-electric driving range of around 100kms, and contributes to the total driving range (so with a full battery and a full tank) of more than 1000kms on the NEDC cycle.Our brief preview test included what I would describe as moderate off-road challenges, including a couple of deep gullies and some pretty steep dirt climbs, and the Hunter did it all easily enough that it felt like it had plenty more to give. Interestingly, it’s also very quiet off-road – I had to check whether the petrol engine was running a couple of times, and it was.On the road, the Hunter feels a marked improvement over the diesel T9, even if it doesn't feel as spritely under foot as some of its plug-in rivals. The transition from electric power to petrol power feels subtle and unobtrusive, and the steering is good for the segment, too – though even on my very brief trip I was desperate to turn off the overzealous driver attention monitor, which loved a happy beep and bong.It also has that kind of jittery ride quality a lot of unladen utes have, but it's impossible to pass judgement on that stuff yet, as we haven't driven the finished product. On price and spec alone, the Hunter looks as though it will draw plenty in for a look. And if Mr Barber can deliver an Aussie masterclass in ride and handling, it should attract plenty more.But for that we'll have to wait and see.

If bigger really is better, then Leapmotor might be onto something with the D19. Because the Chinese brand’s newest flagship SUV is a monster.Just launched in China, the D19 is a three-row, six- or seven-seat large SUV offered in either full BEV (with two or three electric motors) guise, or as a plug-in hybrid REEV, or range extender electric vehicle, which is the one we’ve tested.At more than 5.2m long and almost two metres wide, we’re talking bigger than a LandCruiser 300 Series here, but while the hulking Toyota is designed to reduce mountains to mere molehills, the D19 fulfills another brief entirely.This one is about space, and lots of it. Which is fitting really, given our brief test in China revealed a drive experience that felt a bit like being in zero gravity, only with fewer George Clooneys and Sandra Bullocks. But more on that in a moment. Before we get into the details, can I just put my cards on the table. I reckon that, in the three-row-SUV world, six seats are infinitely better than seven. I love the two-seat second-row layout in everything from this to the Hyundai Ioniq 9 and Tesla Model Y L. Unless you absolutely need every seat you can get your hands on, then six seats is the way to go.  Now, to the D19. In typical Chinese fashion there’s a lot of stuff. The standard features list includes 20-inch alloys, air suspension, a massive 15.6-inch central screen up front and two 9.0-inch touchscreens in the back. The first and second row seats are heated, ventilated and offer a massage function, too. For the record, this thing costs the equivalent of around $A45k in China, and it’s stacked. There’s even an 8.1-litre fridge, and a 21.4-inch rear screen that folds down from the roof, meaning you can kick back with a cold drink and a movie while someone else drives.The REEV philosophy, as opposed to traditional plug-in hybrids, relies only on the electric motors to drive the wheels, using a smaller ICE engine (in this case a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol) to recharge the battery or provide power to the motors. In short, it drives like an EV, but for longer.In the case of the D19, a lot longer. While something like a Chery Tiggo 9 Super Hybrid is fitted with a 34kWh battery — meaning an all-electric driving range of around 170kms — the Leapmotor is fitted with a choice or 63.7kWh or 80.3kWh LFP batteries, with the latter delivering an all-electric driving range of up to 500kms under CLTC testing.We’ll lose some of that range by the time we convert the promise to WLTP in Australia, but that should still be in the region of 400kms before you need to plug it in.All up, the petrol engine and twin electric motors produce 300kW and 520Nm, enough for a claimed sprint to 100km/h in six seconds, though we managed closer to 10 seconds, admittedly with four adults on board.Built on Leapmotor’s 4.0 platform, the D19 REEV runs an 800v architecture (the BEV version is 1000v), which means fast charging. The brand hasn’t gone too deep into specifics, but promises 30 per cent to 80 per cent in around 20 minutes if plugged into a high-speed DC charger. Leapmotor also hasn’t confirmed the D19's arrival in Australia, but it’s no doubt coming, and could be here in as little as nine months.“In Australia, it could work,” the brand tells me. ”Definitely it's a flagship right now. And wherever there is appetite, we will try to be there. The localisation for overseas is nine-to-12 months after what has happened in China. If tomorrow morning we say, ‘you know what, we want D19’, that is nine months.”So, to the drive. Our wheel time was limited to a rented track near Leapmotor’s Chinese headquarters, and challenging it was not. Corners are an endangered species here, and the only time we got the D19 shifting its weight was through a slalom course the brand set up for us. And let's be honest, at more than 2.5 tonnes, there is a lot of D19 weight to shift, and it feels it. Like a lot of Chinese products, it feels soft in its suspension, giving occupants that sort of weightless bouncing feeling as though walking on the moon.The steering does have a little bit of nice weight to it, though, and the power delivery is nice and smooth. It doesn’t leap off the line, the D19, but rolling acceleration is ample, and it will keep pushing well north of 100km/h.But the short version is this is not set up to feel anything like a performance car. Comfort is the order of the day in this, and that can mean something entirely different in China to the rest of the world.Stellantis (of Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Peugeot fame, among many others) owns 51 per cent of Leapmotor International, and the brand says the cars launched outside of China are tuned in Europe, and drive very, very differently to the butter-soft ride quality demanded in Leapmotor’s home market.A Euro-style drive with China-style pricing and equipment could make the D19 a player if (though we think it’s ‘when’) the big bruiser arrives in our market.

Holidays at home have never looked better from a global crisis point of view. But increasing fuel prices threaten to put the brakes on that, as well, especially when diesel is up to a dollar a litre more than petrol. Enter the GWM Tank 300 plug-in hybrid. It promises a performance-to-running costs ratio that will really take some beating. And the sticker price is pretty sharp, too.

The 2026 Toyota RAV4 Cruiser is the top-spec model in the new RAV4 line-up priced from $56,990 in front-wheel drive or $60,340 as an AWD before on-road costs.It features high-end inclusions like high-grade LED headlamps, leather-accented seat trim, head-up display, digital rearview mirror, four heated seats, two wireless phone chargers, plus a sunroof, a premium nine-speaker JBL audio system and 20-inch alloy wheels.It also comes with plenty of the RAV4’s standard features like LED headlights, privacy tinting, eight-way powered driver’s seat, dual-zone climate control, a 10.5-inch touchscreen display for multimedia, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, five USB-C ports plus wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also has a full-size spare wheel.Powering either the front or all four wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT) is a 143kW/221Nm series-parallel hybrid 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine, which Toyota claims uses 4.5 (2WD) or 4.6L (AWD) of petrol per 100km of driving. It also now needs 95RON instead of the previous minimum 91RON.Toyota expects a five-star ANCAP rating, though will not find out until later in 2026.Eight airbags, auto emergency braking (AEB) pre-collision, emergency steering assist, full-speed active cruise control, front and rear cross-traffic alert, lane trace, automatic high beam, parking support brake and blind spot monitor are all standard across the range.The brand’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty can be extended to seven years if you maintain your logbook servicing with Toyota. Capped-price servicing ($325 per service) comes every 12 months or 15,000km - this lasts five years or 75,000km. 

Zeekr is one of the most interesting brands in Australia right now.The Chinese premium arm of Geely, Zeekr skyrocketed from relative obscurity to mainstream acceptance with its sharply priced and nice-to-drive 7X mid-size electric SUV earlier in 2026.Now though, it’s set to make a bigger, bolder impression with a car that's getting an incredible amount of hype.This is the Zeekr 8X. Imagine a Range Rover Sport, but at likely half the price with more innovative features and a sought-after EV-first hybrid powertrain.Sounds like it’s too good to be true? We’ve sampled it briefly in China to find out, so please read on to see what we think. Oh and a side note: Updated timing suggests we won’t see it hit Australian shores until 2027.First up, let’s talk about positioning and price. The thing that surprised me the most about seeing the 8X in the metal is its sheer scale. This is a massive SUV at more than five meters long. It even eclipses the dimensions of fellow five-seat rivals like the Range Rover Sport, having the visage of something that should have three rows of seating.Instead, the 8X leans into gratuitous interior space and an imposing style which will really set it apart on the road.The asking price? Expect the 8X to start north of where the 7X currently tops out, at $72,900, before on-road costs. For reference, in China, the large hybrid SUV starts from the equivalent of $A77,420 to the equivalent of $A106,183, so we wouldn’t be surprised to see prices north of at least $85,000 locally, topping out well in excess of $100,000.Despite its comparatively enormous price, even for the Chinese market, the 8X has generated massive hype there, preselling more than 10,000 units in the first 30 minutes of going on sale in a result the brand will no doubt be hoping to replicate in Australia. The 7X, which also generated quite a bit of hype, managed to amass more than 2000 pre-sales in Australia.One thing's for sure, even at its relatively high price for a Chinese car, the 8X will make a mockery of the pricing of traditional premium rivals. The most affordable hybrid Range Rover Sport comes in at $181,018, while Audi’s plug-in hybrid Q8 is $154,284 and BMW’s X5 xDrive 50e PHEV is $154,900. Mercedes doesn’t even offer a plug-in hybrid GLE in Australia.If the absurdly plush front seats with dash-spanning multimedia screens and even a leather-clad interior console that seems to reference the Porsche Cayenne isn’t enough to convince you, the VIP-style rear seating with electrically adjustable outer seats complete with footrests should seal the deal.In the Chinese domestic market it even has the option of a slide-out drawer in the centre console that acts as a fridge or heater with a temperature range of -6 to +50 degrees celsius, and a drop-down entertainment screen in the roof mounted between two sunroof fittings, both with powered shades.It’s just a lot of car in every way, and will certainly go for shock factor on the showroom floor.Perhaps one of the most interesting things about it is how conventional it feels compared to some of its Chinese-market contemporaries. It gets traditional door handles, a traditional luxury SUV shape, and a relatively tame approach to its switchgear, even maintaining an array of physical controls to go with its very wow-factor software.If it weren’t for the over-the-top screen real estate, this interior could be in any Euro-market SUV.Okay, you’re wondering, but how does it drive?A fair question. After all, the 8X backs its gratuitous interior with a lot of hardware underneath. The Chinese market version of this car is available with either a 55kWh or 70kWh battery (which, if you keep track of this new era, are sizes normally reserved for fully electric vehicles).These offer either 320km or 410km of pure electric driving range, ignoring the fact that this car also packs a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine on top.Power is monstrous, starting from a total 660kW/935Nm and topping out at a terrifying 1030kW/1410Nm for the Performance grade. Even the turbo-petrol engine on its own produces an impressive 205kW/410Nm to back the electric motors.The 8X is primarily electrically powered, with either one or two electric motors on the rear axle depending on the grade, and an additional electric motor housed in a hybrid transaxle on the front, which also mates the engine to the front wheels.To drive, the 8X is an impressive machine. We had a brief test on a high-speed brake and acceleration course, which also featured a “moose-test” agility exercise.Despite its enormous kerb weight of at least 2660kg the 8X lurches forward with incredible, silent pace, living up to its claim of 3.7 seconds to 100km. As with previous Zeekr products, the steering is also a highlight, feeling every bit as European (if a little overly electrically assisted) as its Polestar and Volvo cousins.Its sheer heft seems to be its primary vice though. The frequency-responsive suspension took a moment to adjust to a speed bump test, while the test-drive staff stopped the car every lap to check its brakes weren’t overheating from the brake test, despite regen no doubt playing a significant role.At least it rode surprisingly flat and confident through the left-right-left agility test, if anything busting a cheeky touch of oversteer on the way out, putting to bed the idea it would feel front biased despite no mechanical connection from engine to rear wheels.

The 2026 BYD Sealion 5 is a mid-size SUV that just happens to be the most affordable plug-in hybrid available in Australia during a fuel crisis. That alone is enough to draw in plenty of potential buyers, but whether the Sealion 5 is actually good enough to convert that interest into sales is another story.

The 2026 Toyota RAV4 XSE is an all-wheel-drive, mid-size SUV priced from $58,340 before on-road costs.It features high-end inclusions like synthetic leather and suede sports front seats with contrast stitching and three-stage front seat heating and ventilation, plus a sunroof and 20-inch alloy wheels.It also comes with plenty of the RAV4’s standard features like LED headlights, privacy tinting, eight-way powered driver’s seat, dual-zone climate control, a 10.5-inch touchscreen display for multimedia, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless smartphone charger, a six-speaker audio system and five USB-C ports plus wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also has a full-size spare wheel.Powering all four wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT) is a 143kW/221Nm series-parallel hybrid 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine.Toyota claims it uses 4.6L of petrol (now 95RON instead of 91RON minimum) per 100km of driving.Toyota anticipates the new RAV4 will score five stars thanks to extensive safety kit, but it is as yet unrated, that comes later in 2026.Eight airbags, auto emergency braking (AEB) pre-collision, emergency steering assist, full-speed active cruise control, front and rear cross-traffic alert, lane trace, automatic high beam, parking support brake and blind spot monitor are all standard across the range.A five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty covers the RAV4 and can be extended to seven years if you maintain your logbook servicing with Toyota. Capped-price servicing comes every 12 months or 15,000km and costs just $325 per service - this lasts five years or 75,000km. 

The Suzuki Vitara nameplate is edging towards 40 years in the Aussie new-car market. And as it’s grown in size and sophistication over four generations, so has the depth of competition it faces.Small SUV heavy-hitters like the Chery Tiggo 4, GWM Haval Jolion, Hyundai Kona, MG ZS and Toyota Corolla Cross outsell it by ratios of up to 60 to one (in the case of the Tiggo 4).So, this just-released Turbo Hybrid variant is an important addition to the Japanese maker’s line-up, aimed at snatching extra market share in a hotly contested segment with what Suzuki promises is “enhanced fuel efficiency, reduced emissions and refined on-road performance”.We spent a week with the top-spec ‘AllGrip’ all-wheel-drive version to see if it has what it takes to steer you away from the big guns. If you asked someone to describe a ‘typical’ small SUV, I’d argue the Suzuki Vitara would perfectly align with their response nine out of 10 times… and be pretty close on the 10th.Launched here way back in 2015, the current Vitara received a ‘Series III’ update earlier this year, which included the hybrid’s introduction, and its clean, neatly-wrapped exterior design stands up well, although it’s not as adventurous as more rugged rivals like the Subaru Crosstrek or Toyota Corolla Cross.Inside, there’s a slightly larger 9.0-inch multimedia touchscreen, but things like analogue instruments, a single USB-A socket (in the front) and a manual handbrake still date the car.And then there’s the elephant in the room... hiding behind a dollar sign. The price.This flagship Vitara Turbo Hybrid AllGrip will set you back $45,990. Okay, it’s a drive-away deal, but that’s enough for a Hyundai Kona Premium 1.6T N-Line AWD, Kia Seltos GT-Line AWD, Mazda CX-30 G25 Astina AWD or Toyota Corolla Cross Atmos Hybrid.And the Suzuki struggles to match that competitive set in terms of equipment bang for buck and perceived quality.Standard feature highlights include 17-inch alloy wheels, auto LED headlights, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, a reversing camera, panoramic sunroof, adaptive cruise control and climate control. But that bundle‘s pretty much cost-of-entry when you’re in upper-$40K territory.And the air-con is single-zone, the audio system has six speakers, and the car’s general look and feel isn’t spectacular.That old adage of kicking the tyres and slamming the doors when shopping for a car is relevant here, because the Vitara’s doors feel insubstantial, quivering slightly when opened and closed.  And while soft-touch material across the dashtop is fine, hard plastics on the doors don’t sit well with the price tag. But things pick up once you get underway. The 1.4-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine has enough oomph to get the 1275kg five-seater off the mark cleanly and allow it to keep its head above water in traffic or on the highway.Power delivery is linear and the ‘mild-hybrid’ set-up incorporates a 48-volt integrated starter generator which takes some of the ancillary load off the engine and tips in an extra 50Nm of pulling power when required. Overall outputs are 81kW and a handy 235Nm.The strut front, torsion-beam rear suspension does a great job of keeping this compact and relatively light SUV composed over bumpy urban surfaces. Electrically assisted steering is accurate and road feel qualifies as excellent. When you need to push into the upper rev range engine, exhaust noises start to make their presence felt in the cabin. But overall, the Vitara Hybrid is a surprisingly comfortable ride.At just under 4.2 metres long, the Vitara is a ‘small’ small SUV and while the front part of the cabin is reasonably roomy with plenty of storage options, the back seat ranks as okay in the context of the category. Sitting behind the driver’s seat set to my 183cm position, legroom is reasonable and headroom is generous but best not to try folding three full-size adults in there too often. There are no adjustable vents, power outlets or a fold-down armrest for back-seaters, and getting in and out is an effort.Boot volume is a reasonable 362 litres, available with the 60/40 split-folding backrest up, that figure expanding to 642 litres with it folded.And there’s a range of thoughtful bins, anchors and hooks back there, as well as a 12-volt outlet and an adjustable floor for the option of a flat load space plus a space saver spare underneath it. Bravo.When it comes to fuel efficiency the Vitara Turbo Hybrid’s official combined cycle (urban/extra-urban) figure is 5.9L/100km and over a week of mainly urban driving with some highway running thrown in we saw a real-world average of exactly that – 5.9L/100km. That’s pretty handy in the current fuel price era, but bear in mind the minimum requirement is 95 RON premium.The Vitara is currently ‘unrated’ by ANCAP but includes a decent suite of ADAS (Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems) crash-avoidance features including Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), adaptive cruise, lane departure warning, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and front and rear parking sensors. And it all behaves well in operation.The airbag count runs to six (dual front, front side and side curtain) and there are three child seat top-tether points across the second row with ISOFIX anchors on the outer positions. All to be expected in the category and at this price point.Service is recommended every 12 months/10,000km, which is relatively frequent in terms of distance, but an average of $397 per workshop visit for the first five years is far from outrageous.

The 2026 Toyota RAV4 Edge is a mid-size SUV available only in all-wheel drive, rather than having a front-wheel drive option like much of the RAV4 line-up. It’s priced from $55,340 before on-road costs.It comes with plenty of the RAV4’s standard features like LED headlights, privacy tinting, eight-way powered driver’s seat, dual-zone climate control, a 10.5-inch touchscreen display for multimedia, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless smartphone charger, a six-speaker audio system and five USB-C ports plus wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also has a full-size spare wheel.The Edge has a unique (to the RAV4 line-up) 20mm wider wheel track and its own front-end design plus 18-inch dark matt grey metallic alloy wheels.Under the bonnet, a series-parallel hybrid 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine produces 143kW and 221Nm. It powers all four wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT).Toyota claims it uses 4.6L of petrol (now 95RON instead of 91RON minimum) per 100km of driving.The RAV4 is yet to be crash tested by ANCAP, but Toyota anticipates five stars thanks to extensive safety kit including eight airbags, auto emergency braking (AEB) pre-collision, emergency steering assist, full-speed active cruise control, front and rear-cross traffic alert, lane trace, automatic high beam, parking support brake and blind spot monitor. All this is standard across the range.Toyota’s standard five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty can be extended to seven years if you maintain your logbook servicing with Toyota, plus capped-price servicing (every 12 months or 15,000km) costs just $325 per service for five years or 75,000km.