SUV Reviews

Sales of fully electric cars are booming in Australia at the moment, having accounted for a record one in five new vehicles sold in May 2026.It is good timing, then, for Skoda to launch the first sub-$50,000 European EV to be sold Down Under, the 2027 Skoda Elroq Select 60 small-to-medium SUV.When the Elroq launched with its mid-range Select 85 and flagship 130 Years Edition variants in September 2025, it quickly established itself as one of CarsGuide’s favourites in the segment, having been shortlisted for the Medium SUV Under $60K category in our 2026 Car of the Year awards.But the entry-level Select 60 has since arrived to tempt buyers who crave European style and driving dynamics as much as they crave value and zero emissions.But is the Elroq Select 60 actually any good to own?I have got the keys to a Timiano Green example for the next three months to find out.In this three-part long-term review, I will detail the Select 60’s pricing, specifications, efficiency and aftersales support.The second instalment will deep-dive the Elroq’s design inside and out, as well as its all-important practicality, while the third will be headlined by our full driving impressions and overall verdict.With further ado, let’s get into it!As mentioned, the Elroq 60 Select is Australia’s first sub-$50K European EV.How much cheaper than $50K is it, though?The answer is just $10. Yep, the Elroq 60 Select costs $49,990 drive-away, which makes it $10K and $20K more affordable than its aforementioned 85 Select and 130 Years Edition siblings, respectively.That said, the Select 60’s relatively low price has it well positioned against its competition.Before I go too much further, though, it is worth noting that the Elroq is 4488mm long, which makes it large for a small SUV, and small for a medium SUV.Point being, the Select 60 has rivals all over the place, including one of our 2026 COTY award winners, South Korea’s brilliant Kia EV3 and its similarly priced range-opening Air Standard Range ($47,600 plus on-road costs, 4300mm long).Then there is the more affordable but similarly sized MG S5 EV Essence 49 ($42,990 d/a, 4476mm long) and Zeekr X RWD ($48,900 d/a, 4432mm), both of which are Chinese.Do not make the mistake of thinking that Skoda took a lot of ‘goodies’ out of the Elroq to make the Select 60 a sub-$50K proposition.Its list of standard equipment still includes:Keyless entryMetallic paintworkDusk-sensing LED lightsRain-sensing wipers19-inch Proteus alloy wheels with 235/55 tyresAuto-dimming side mirrors with power foldingLED puddle lightsBlack window surroundsBlack roof railsRear privacy glassKeyless start13.0-inch touchscreen multimedia systemWireless Apple CarPlay and Android AutoBluetoothDAB+ digital radioEight-speaker sound system5.0-inch digital instrument clusterWireless smartphone chargerFour 45W USB-C portsOne 12V power outletHeated front seatsHeated steering wheelDual-zone climate controlAuto-dimming rearview mirrorFabric upholsteryLED ambient lightingMeanwhile, the Select 60’s safety features include:Autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian, cyclist and junction detectionLane-keep assistSteering assist with emergency functionalityAdaptive cruise control with stop and go functionalityHighway assistBlind-spot monitoringDriver attention alertRear cross-traffic alertA reversing cameraFront and rear parking sensorsSafe exit alertTyre pressure monitoringA tyre repair kitSeven airbags (front-centre and dual front, front-side and curtain)Two ISOFIX child-seat anchorage points (rear outboard)Three top-tether child-seat anchorage pointsThe Select 60 has one option, with the tempting $6000 Signature package adding:Dynamic Matrix LED headlightsPower tailgate with handsfree operationDynamic LED tail-lights12-speaker Canton sound system with a subwooferHead-up display with augmented realityPower-adjustable driver’s seat with memory functionalityRear sunshadesSurround-view camerasDual rear-side airbagsFor reference, aside from a larger battery and a more powerful electric motor (more on both of those in a moment), over the optionless Select 60 the Select 85 adds:19-inch Regulus alloy wheels with mixed tyres (235/55 front, 255/50 rear)Dark-chrome window surroundsDark-chrome roof railsLED rear foglightsThen the 130 Years Edition goes the whole way the further addition of:Dynamic Matrix LED headlightsHeated windshield21-inch Supernova alloy wheels with self-healing tyres (235/45 front, 255/40 rear)Power tailgate with handsfree operationDynamic LED tail-lights12-speaker Canton sound system with a subwooferHead-up display with augmented realityTri-zone climate controlPower-adjustable front seats with memory functionalityMassaging front seatsHeated outboard rear seatsRear sunshadesFabric/artificial leather upholsteryExtended LED ambient lightingPark assistSurround-view camerasSo, what is the Elroq missing?Well, the 130 Years Edition’s surround-view cameras should be standard range-wide – it is strange to see a car of this size without them.Vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality is also missing action, which campers and workers on the road are sure to miss.The Select 60 is powered by a single permanent magnet synchronous electric motor, which is fitted to its rear axle.It produces 150kW of power and 310Nm of torque, enabling a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 8.0 seconds, which is quite brisk in its EV reality, where instant torque is king.That said, the Select 60 falls short of the heartier 210kW and 545Nm, which the Select 85 and 130 Years Edition output for a triple-digit sprint time of a hot-hatch-like 6.6 seconds.Select 60 buyers will not be left wanting, though, because its straight-line performance is more than satisfactory.So too is its single-speed automatic transmission, which will make most drivers realise how much they do not miss a traditional gearset.The Select 60 is fitted with a 63kWh lithium-ion (NMC) battery, which has a useable capacity of 59kWh.That enables a WLTP-rated driving range of 395km on the combined-cycle test, which is a little underwhelming for an EV in 2026, when 500km-plus claims are increasingly becoming the norm.It is good news, then, that Select 85 and 130 Years Edition up the ante with an 82kWh NMC battery (79kWh net) that boosts the Elroq’s claimed driving range to a more acceptable 529km, albeit at a $10K or $20K premium.The Select 60’s claimed energy consumption is 15.9kWh/100km on the combined-cycle test, which is exactly what I averaged in reality over 729km of driving in my first month of ‘ownership’, which included a good portion of inefficient highway mileage.Based on the Select 60’s useable battery capacity, that equates to a real-world driving range of 371km, which is just 24km short of that particular claim.I must admit, though, that a long weekend away from Melbourne to Venus Bay proved that long-distance EV driving is far from care-free in a sub-400km model like the Select 60.Personally, I would be paying at least $10K more for the peace of mind – and higher performance – provided by its long-range siblings.The Select 60 does have the 85 Select and 130 Years Edition beat, though, when it comes to DC fast charging, with its power peaking at 165kW for a 10-80 per cent charge in a respectable 24 minutes, compared to their 135kW peak and 28-minute duration.That said, it is an even playing field when it comes to AC charging, with an 11kW peak shared, which is perfect for an overnight wallbox charge at home or abroad, at 6.5 hours in the Select 60 or eight hours in the 85 Select and 130 Years Edition.Like all Skoda Australia models, the Elroq comes with a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, which is the best a European brand offers Down Under.That said, we are increasingly seeing eight- and 10-year terms from both Chinese and non-Chinese brands, so Skoda’s offering is by no means the absolute best.As is the case with nearly every EV in Australia, the Elroq’s battery is covered by a separate eight-year/160,000km term.Similar to other Skoda EVs, the Elroq also comes with two years of roadside assistance, which can be extended for a further two years each time it is serviced at an authorised dealership.Speaking of servicing, the Elroq’s service intervals are nice and long, at every 24 months or 30,000km (whichever comes first).A capped-price service pack is available for eight years/120,000km for $1750 (an average of $437.50 per visit), or 10 years/150,000km for $1990 ($398.00 average), both of which are rather good value.And with that we have reached the end of the first part of this long-term review of the 2027 Skoda Elroq Select 60.As mentioned, the upcoming second instalment will focus on its design and practicality.See you then!Acquired: May 6, 2026Distance travelled this month: 729kmOdometer: 1686kmAverage energy consumption this month: 15.9kWh/100km

Volkswagen's spicy Spanish brand, Cupra, is finally launching the updated version of its Formentor small SUV in Australia. It's now offered in more flavours than ever, ranging from mild to extra hot.

Time’s up! Our three-month long-term test of the Volkswagen ID.5 Pro is over and I have so many thoughts about this electric car. It does some things way better than its rivals but misses the mark slightly in other areas.This is the stuff you learn over a longer period of time as an owner would discover, too.The Volkswagen ID.5 is one of the best mid-sized electric SUVs I’ve driven. The emphasis is on the word "driven", however.Sure Volkswagen might not be the first brand you think of when it comes to EVs, especially given the enormous variety offered by Chinese brands, but the company’s cars are nearly always excellent to drive and the ID.5 is no different.Some EVs are just quick at accelerating but the rest of the driving experience feels half baked, from the ride and handling to the steering and driving position.The ID.5 isn’t all that quick when it comes to accelerating (0-100km/h in 6.7 seconds) compared to some EVs, but all the components that make a superb driving car are there.The steering is accurate and well weighted, the suspension setup offers both a comfortable ride and sporting handling, the seating position makes you feel part of the car, and, being rear-wheel drive, the ID.5 Pro benefits from better traction, good balance and a sporty feel.The next best ID.5 Pro takeaway is the 543km driving range which is equal to many petrol SUVs. For city dwellers like our family who only do between 60 and 150km a week, it was enough to last a couple of weeks between charges.This month, for example, we only travelled 238km. But keep in mind we have two cars in our family - the one we own and the car I’m testing. If we were a one-car family, then you might find the ID.5 needs to be charged weekly.Batteries are very different to petrol tanks and charge can be used up faster, depending on the type of driving. Motorways tend to deplete the charge, whereas lower-speed city driving with lots of braking will conserve the charge. The ID.5 does well on this front. Official energy consumption is 16.3kWh/100km, but we averaged 18.8kWh over three months. Still, many electric SUVs hover above 20kWh and I’m sure with more conservative driving the ID.5 would easily hover around the official consumption figure.And my final best bit of the ID.5 is the design. I wasn’t sold on the styling at first and I still think this car looks inflatable and odd, but it’s such a refreshing change from all the SUVs that seem to look the same. With this unique design the ID.5 oozes premium car quality inside and out. The ID.5’s biggest drawback is the lack of cabin practicality, and not just in terms of outright space. It feels like VW didn't prioritise storage solutions, which isn't great for a medium sized SUV that'll be considered by families.Seriously, I have driven two smaller electric SUVs recently with far more space and cleverer interior packaging than the ID.5. This lack of clever storage is unusual for a Volkswagen which is a brand that prides itself on its utility.Electric cars don’t have drive shafts and transmission tunnels eating into cabin space so there really is no excuse.The boot’s usability is reduced due to the sloping coupe roofline and there’s no front boot here, either. The mechanically identical ID.4 has a more practical boot. With 549 litres on offer, the boot is large enough for shopping, just don't try to fit anything too tall in there.Yes, there are door pockets and cup holders, but that’s about it. A family needs trays, large covered areas, hidey holes and deep wells for all of the bits and pieces that follow them.Add to this a cabin without physical buttons, but with touch-sensitive haptic controls instead for everything from volume to temperature control, and the car loses points for functionality.The ID.5 would suit people without children or those whose children have flown the nest. But for busy parents the ID.5 doesn’t offer the kind of help needed in terms of space and practicality. If only there was a fully electric version of the Volkswagen Tiguan! This would be perfect. That said, the ID.5 really is lovely to drive and for those looking at buying an electric car that is as good to pilot as the best combustion cars, this is it. This electric SUV is also appealing thanks to its unique design that differentiates it from the same-same design of so many modern EVs. Acquired: March 2026Distance travelled this month: 238kmOdometer: 2633kmAverage energy consumption this month: 18.1kWh/100km

It's easy to make a vehicle work on the road or off-road, but it's much harder to make it excel in both situations. But that's precisely what Range Rover did with the Sport model which combines effortless cruising with genuine off-road ability. It even looks great. But that's where the cheering stops, because this is a vehicle with a very patchy reliability record. But should you ignore it now?

Suzuki needs you to buy its first EV in Australia, but is it really priced to compete with rivals?

A little over three months has come and gone and I’m parting ways with the Kia EV3 GT-Line.The little electric SUV was awarded Best Small Car Starting Under $50,000 at CarsGuide’s 2026 Car of the Year awards in February. But living with a car really reveals its strengths and weaknesses. Is the EV3 still deserving of the title?There are a lot of items in the positive column for the EV3, but it’s not without its flaws.I’ve covered a lot of this in my first two review instalments with the first one looking at how it stacks up for value-for-money, especially compared to its rivals, and what the aftersales experience is like.Part two focused on how practical the EV3 is, as well as looking at efficiency.In this final instalment I deep dive into the drive experience and give my final verdict.Let’s get to it!Kia’s current model line-up is pretty solid. I’m yet to drive a modern Kia that’s not great behind the wheel. From the K4 and Sportage through to the Sorento and even the Tasman ute, Kia knows how to build a driver’s car.That’s helped by the fact Kia continues to develop local ride, handling and steering tunes through a dedicated localisation program led by renowned specialist, Graeme Gambold.The purpose of this is to improve the global tune of a model to ensure it performs well on Australian roads.Thankfully the EV3 doesn’t deviate from this proven formula. While many EVs can feel like generic whitegoods on wheels, the EV3 engages the driver. It’s not a performance car, but it’s engineered to add some joy to the small electric SUV set.It is an SUV so you do get some level of ride height in the EV3, and the amount of seat and steering wheel adjustment means you should easily find your perfect driving position. Visibility is mostly good, too.One thing the EV3 does well is accelerate. So many EVs have an unnecessary amount of power and torque and when paired with cheap tyres, it results in chirping tyres and an unpleasant experience.But with 150kW and 283Nm from the permanent magnet synchronous motor, the EV3 GT-Line delivers smooth, linear acceleration. It’s not jerky, just pleasant, and will dash from 0-100km/h in 7.9 seconds, which is more than fine.Do note though the tyres can spin when accelerating too enthusiastically in wet conditions.Steering has a light feel but it is sharp and engaging. With a 10.4-metre turning circle, the 4.3-metre long EV3 GT-Line is also a dream to park. You can easily navigate tight urban streets and small parking spaces. The only letdown on that front is the fact that there’s no front parking camera or a surround camera view. This is a surprise, especially for the flagship grade.The EV3 doesn’t feel top-heavy in corners so there’s minimal body roll. That can make driving on a dynamically challenging road more fun than you might think. Again, it’s no hot hatch, but there’s enough there to keep you interested.The ride is compliant and the EV3 handles crappy Australian roads pretty well. There’s that local tune shining again. It’s hard to escape the impact of harsher bumps, but day to day it’s hard to fault.However, on undulating patches of country roads at speed, the EV3 bounces a little. That’s when you feel the two-tonne weight of this car. This sensation is not unusual for an EV with the battery pack under the floor. But, carmakers are getting better at addressing this so it is something for Kia to work on.In the three-and-a-bit months I have lived with the EV3, I have done multiple country road trips and with the exception of a few things like the aforementioned bounciness, it’s proven to be an excellent highway, freeway and backroad cruiser. It has surprised me how at home it feels on a road trip.It’s, unsurprisingly, a deeply competent city car as well. Not just on the road, but the overall interior packaging I detailed in part two, as well.The Kia EV3 was awarded a maximum five-star ANCAP rating in 2025. It scored pretty well across all four crash categories, including 83 per cent for Adult Occupant Protection, 86 per cent for Child Occupant Protection, 78 per cent for Vulnerable Road User Protection and 81 per cent for Safety Assist which covers advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).I detailed the standard safety equipment in part one of the review series and it’s packed with gear, although the lack of front camera or spare tyre let it down a little.On the road, the lane keeping aid is okay - not perfect, not terrible. It does tug at the wheel a little too much to keep you in the lane, and it tends to drift to the left more often than not. But it’s the other driver aids that leave a bad taste.The overly sensitive overspeed warning is infuriating. If left on, it beeps loudly as soon as you’re 1.0km over the limit and doesn’t shut up. Thankfully you can turn the overspeed warning off by holding the steering wheel volume button for a few seconds.In ridiculous news, the driver attention and distraction monitor is distracting. It beeps even when you’re not remotely distracted. For example, when checking your blind spot or looking left at an intersection. It has even activated when I've been staring straight ahead and not at all tired.To turn this off, you have to create a shortcut via the ‘favourite’ icon on the wheel to ADAS in the Settings menu, select Driver Attention and turn two toggles off. I also turned the overspeed warning off while I was in this menu as it made more sense.The problem is, I had to do this every single time I drove this car. If a safety feature is distracting, is it safe? No, it’s not.I appreciate Kia is far from alone and there are plenty of brands that have awful calibrations of these systems. Sister brands Hyundai and Genesis use the same systems and deserve a dressing down, too. But Kia was once a leader in this technology and now it’s worse than many new Chinese brands on this front.Most European carmakers and some Japanese brands have managed to develop this tech so it doesn’t annoy the driver. It can be done. Kia, please look into this.I didn’t drive as much in the final month as I did in previous months, but I ended up with an average energy efficiency figure of 16.6kWh/km. That’s a little more than Kia’s official claim of 16kWh, but not by much. Over the three months, it’s stuck pretty closely to the claim and there’s no reason to doubt these figures.According to our calculations, this month’s real-world driving range was 470km, factoring in useable capacity and efficiency.Each time I charged at home using our 7.0kW wallbox the screen would show a figure in the high 500s, which is ideal for city driving and the odd road trip. Acquired: February 2026Distance travelled this month: 355kmOdometer: 7286kmAverage energy consumption this month: 16.6kWh/100km

Honda’s HR-V hasn’t been a consistent member of the local new-car community. While Honda launched the original HR-V in early 1999, before 2002 was out, the badge had disappeared from showrooms. And it wasn’t until 2015 that the HR-V made its return to Australia.In the meantime, the local market had changed with the cult of the SUV sweeping all before it. Which meant the new HR-V, rather than trading on the novelty of its 1999 original, hit the market as just another compact SUV.Mind you, this wasn’t just an HR-V thing, the whole aura around the Honda brand had also pretty much dissipated during those years, making the new HR-V’s job even more difficult.With its hidden rear door handles, the CR-V at first glance looked like a three-door, but was actually a five-door in line with buyer expectations in 2015. Even so, the rear seat was pretty cramped and if the HR-V is destined for family-car duties it will suit younger families with smaller kids best.There was only one driveline offered, a 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol engine mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The engine did not feature turbocharging as many did by then, but instead used Honda’s 'V-Tec' variable valve timing system which helped boost output. But the numbers tell the story and with just 105kW of power and 173Nm of torque, the HR-V was definitely on the mild side. All HR-Vs were front-wheel drive.Trim levels started with the VTi, VTi-S and the flagship VTi-L. Honda updated the vehicle in 2017 to include sat-nav, but the basic car remained unchanged.Within Honda, this model HR-V is known as the 'RU5'.The HR-V is a good car generally, although the accommodation has come in for some criticism over the years. The main complaints are that tight rear seat, but the front seats have also been criticised for a lack of comfort.But all is forgiven when the HR-V shows off its party piece, its clever rear seat which sees the cushions fold up to meet the backrest and you suddenly have a space wide and tall enough to swallow a push-bike.Reliability seems to be up to Honda’s usual high standards with very little in the way of known, recurring faults.The HR-V seems to follow Honda tradition here by being a pretty solid deal. Some owners have reported problems with the electronics, however, so a close check of all the buttons and switches is important before handing over the money.The biggest shadow is the one that lurks over every car with a CVT - the prospect of transmission woes in the future.The most common mechanical issue we uncovered concerns the HR-V’s CVT. But it’s worth noting even though the CVT is the main contributor to repair bills, it’s by no means a big chance to run amok. In fact, compared with the CVTs used by many other manufacturers, the Honda’s unit is a much better durability proposition.This is possibly because, unlike many carmakers, Honda doesn’t just buy in its CVT. Instead, the company designed and engineered its own CVT to take advantage of its efficiency potential without the long-term reliability hassles. And it seems to have worked.That said, some HR-V owners have reported juddering on take-off, a whining noise from the CVT and even slippage as the car tries to accelerate or travel up a hill. In some cars, these symptoms would symbolise the beginning of the end. But in the Honda’s case, the good news is the fix is usually quite simple.Those problems are very often caused by nothing more challenging than contaminated transmission fluid. This is crucial stuff in a CVT as the fluid not only cools the transmission, but also provides the driving force and the friction the steel belts need to make the whole thing work. Which is why a change of fluid in a HR-V has often fixed all these problems at once and for good.For the record, the experts reckon changing the fluid in your Honda CVT every 40,000km at the outside is the way to go, and should keep any problems at bay.Beyond that, some owners have reported the multimedia system freezing, but Honda dealers can usually fix that with a re-boot or a re-flash of the computer.The RU5 Honda HR-V is almost completely clear of safety recalls. The only one listed for the car was for examples built between 2018 and 2020 which could have had a faulty fuel pump. The pump had the potential to suddenly fail without warning, leaving the vehicle stranded wherever it was when the failure occurred.A Honda dealer will be able to tell you whether a particular HR-V was affected and whether the pump has been replaced as per the recall.Since Honda left the mechanical package alone as the HR-V aged, there’s not much to choose between the various years of manufacture. Instead, the HR-V we’d avoid would be one with a tow-bar fitted.The CVT lacked sufficient cooling for the HR-V to be a tow-vehicle, although there’s a chance (a very slight one) some owners added a transmission cooler to get around this. In any case, a tow-bar is not what you want to see on a second-hand HR-V.Hondas have long had a reputation for going the distance and the HR-V seems to echo that. There are plenty still getting around with 200,000km-plus on their odometers and performing well.As with any second-hand car, however, you need to buy one with a complete and up to date service history, or you’re taking a bigger punt than you need to. Modern Hondas seem to follow the dictum that they’ll be good long-term prospects provided they’ve been serviced correctly, and potentially problematic if not. Fortunately, Honda owners seem to understand this.The price difference between the various specifications was a decent chunk of change when new, but these days, the difference between a VTi and a VTi-L is much less. So the smart money says buy the highly specified version and enjoy the trinkets and convenience items.On a more practical level, the VTi-S and VTi-L were fitted with autonomous emergency braking (AEB) which worked up to 32km/h, while the VTi didn’t have this feature. That makes the higher-spec models even more appealing if it’s a younger driver who is going to be using the vehicle.The cheapest RU5 HR-Vs around now will be relatively high-milers with an early build-date. The starting price seems to be around the $10,0000 to $12,000 mark, but be prepared for the car to have covered 200,000km or more. Clearly, though, the HR-V is capable of this sort of mileage without becoming too much of a gamble.A late-build example in decent specification with very low kilometres on board can be had for around the $30,000 mark, or perhaps a little more.As well as traditional parts stores, Hondas are generally very well looked after by online sellers when it comes to repair and service parts. The Honda brand also has a huge enthusiast following, making parts and service even easier in this country.Just be careful when buying from overseas online sellers you haven’t dealt with before. But that goes for any make and model, not just the Honda.Honda’s changes to the way it retails cars a few years ago, also came with a slashing of the number of dealerships. In Melbourne alone, 10 dealerships were closed leaving just three at the time. These days, there are about 90 Honda dealerships across Australia, with around 60 of those in regional areas which is a high percentage for a brand like Honda.The HR-V was never a huge seller here, although you will find anything up to 300 for sale on the bigger online websites. The problem is its stablemate, the larger CR-V with the option of seven-seats, was seen by many families as the better way to go, leaving the HR-V somewhat ignored.

Testing a family car isn’t all road trips and beach vacations, it’s the little things, the short trips, the meat and potatoes of life.That’s exactly what this month was about with the Geely Starray plug-in hybrid doing the daily daycare and preschool drop offs, shopping runs, work commutes and everything in between to find out how the Starray is to live with day in, day out.It’s a mid-size SUV, which rivals the BYD Sealion 6, Toyota RAV4 and Mazda CX-5. It measures 4740mm long, 1905mm wide, 1685mm high with 2755mm between the front and rear axles.There’s a reason this size of vehicle is the most popular in the nation, it balances the need for interior space with the ability to handle our compact city streets.I fit the Starray into my 1960s era carport, but I can only open one door the entire way, the other about halfway.The Starray's design doesn’t rock the boat. It is intentionally inoffensive from nearly every angle, with its rounded front and rear ends, sharp headlights, blocky G-E-E-L-Y badging on the rear tailgate and stylish 19-inch alloy wheels. It won’t turn too many heads, but it won’t furrow a brow either.Keyless entry grants access to the car as you approach and locks as you walk away. It makes a nice little musical sound as it locks and turns off - it’s an instant hit with the kids, they laugh every time.There is no starter button, the car turns on when it senses the key, you’ll just need to engage drive with the steering column-mounted gear selector. To turn off, select park, get out and walk away.Inside, the Starray’s inoffensive theme continues.The Starray follows the same trend as many of the new wave of Chinese cars that have landed on our shores in the past years.It has a slick looking interior that glitters on the showroom floor and jumps off the spec sheet, but after a few months living with it the lustre starts to rub off a little.The synthetic leather wrapped seats are comfy and the six-way adjustment means most will find the right spot to sit. Throw in the memory function for the driver and a multi-house can all steer in comfort. There are also speakers built into the driver’s headrest for phone calls, it sounds odd at first but I’m into it. It makes hearing with big and small kids in the car much easier.The steering wheel also has good adjustment, which will accommodate drivers of all shapes and sizes.Heating and ventilation functions for front-seat passengers are appreciated. As is the head-up display that projects vital information such as prevailing speed limit and travelling speed onto the windscreen in front of the driver.One of the Starray’s weak points is nearly all functions are controlled through the large 15.4-inch central multimedia screen. This means to you’ll need to jump into the screen to adjust most features.It wins back some points with a few shortcut buttons for the demister, internal air and auto air-con, plus a rotary dial for volume control.There are decent storage options with a two-tier centre console. The top deck has two cupholders, wireless device charger, and smallish covered bin. Underneath there is a large open area ideal for a handbag. Large bins in the doors can hold a water bottle and more.One thing that has constantly infuriated me is the Around View Monitoring (AVM) camera. This view is designed to help you not bump into things when you are turning.It switches on every time you engage your indicator, with the camera view taking over the central screen, which turns off CarPlay. Not a great user experience when you are relying on regular map directions, or have a toddler screaming for a song.It also just seems completely unnecessary when stopped at the lights waiting to make a turn.There is plenty of room in both rows. Front and back-seat passengers are spoiled for head, shoulder and legroom.The back seat during my test has been occupied by a forward and a rear-facing child seat, but a small adult has ridden in the middle seat with relative comfort.Rear seats have their own dedicated air-con vents, with two directional controls. And there is a USB-A and -C charging port for the bigger kids.A huge panoramic sunroof with a proper sunshade lets the light in when needed, and has been ideal to distract a fussy baby on the move.A power tailgate grants access to a 428-litre boot, which is an ok size. A full-size pram takes up a large portion of the space, but it can absorb a travel pram, baby bag and the weekly shop easily.It is a good shape — wide and not too deep — which means shorter people can reach all corners of the cargo area.You can remove the floor to boost capacity to 528 litres. This is because there is no spare tyre, which is one of my biggest gripes with modern cars. The fiddly repair kit is only good for small punctures, and is confusing for first-time users.Overall the Starray handles the family duties with aplomb, and will put some of the big names on notice.Next instalment I’ll cover how the Starray is to drive and give a final verdict. Stay tuned.2026 Geely Starray EM-i Inspire Acquired: March, 2026Distance travelled this month: 339kmOdometer: 3115kmAverage fuel use this month: 6.5L/100km

This month we farewell our Hyundai Inster after several months. Are we glad to see it go or is this a pleasantly charming little city car?Before we continue, it’s worth noting that we did get the Extended Range variant back after it had been crashed into shortly after our second month of testing began. Read our second chapter for more on how it compared to the Standard Range, but we managed to finish our testing with this version of the car which, at least on paper, seems to be the pick of the range.As mentioned in the previous chapter though, the Standard Range version (which is $3500 cheaper than the $42,500 Extended Range we have) is completely fine, and in some ways superior.Having recently driven many of this car’s more price-savvy rivals from China, I noticed how nice and relatively unobtrusive the Inster is to drive.While some more affordable cars, even a size up from the Inster, are full of invasive driver aids, annoying ergonomic features or controls, and sub-standard software, the Inster is refreshingly easy to get along with, and does a bunch of the no-brainer EV driving stuff really well.For example, there are four levels of adjustable regenerative braking, from barely noticeable, to full single pedal mode, and these are nicely tuned so that they feel natural, whatever level of electric motor feedback you might be comfortable with.I’ve already mentioned the nice steering and ride in previous chapters, which makes this car feel a cut above its size bracket let alone its price bracket.The active safety features which helped the Inster earn a four-star ANCAP safety rating (harder than you might think for a car this small) are relatively unobtrusive, or at the very least, easy to turn off.The lane keeping aid, which at times can be a bit heavy handed, can simply be turned down by holding a button on the steering wheel for a few seconds, rather than having to dig through menus on the touchscreen. The rest of the safety kit is relatively tame, saving you menu-diving time on start-up.Then there’s the cabin practicality on offer. The Inster is a car seemingly very aware of its limited footprint. To that end, while you don’t get a centre console box, there are bag hooks hidden everywhere, like on the passenger side of the dash and there are fold-out hooks hidden at the edge of the armrest. Clever.I mentioned in the first chapter how surprisingly spacious the cabin feels in both rows of seating, but one trick this car has is a second row on rails.This means you can roll the seating row forward to either reduce or entirely remove legroom and expand the boot capacity massively.It’s a rare feature on most city cars delivered to Australia, but much more common on Asian-market models, like Kei cars from Japan.It means you can have kids or pets in the second row which don’t need as much space, while maximising boot space, or passenger room when you’re not carrying as much stuff. This makes it versatile, but as you might imagine the airport run isn't it's strong suit.Upsettingly though, there’s no frunk. While it might seem gimmicky, frunks can actually be a useful place to put charging cables when the under-floor storage is hard to access because you’re carrying luggage.I took the Inster for a spirited drive before I returned it to really test out its driving chops, and walked away impressed.The amount of grip on offer and the solid feeling of the suspension is backed up with a good amount of agility in corners. It combines nicely with a bit of drivetrain punch in Sport mode to make for a fun little car to really push, even if the Hyundai N-style carbon-fibre-look digital dash overhaul is a bit ill-fitting.It took a significant amount of work to get the tyres to eke out a squeal, to my surprise, and the suspension travel is limited enough that much of the uncomfortable feeling when the battery starts to ‘float’ the whole body of the car on undulating roads isn’t present.Sure, it’s not objectively fast, but probably quicker than you expect, and it’s always better to drive a slow car at 110 per cent than a fast car at 10 per cent.Efficiency wise, the Inster did pretty well. The final number I pulled from the car after around 1500km behind the wheel was 13.8kWh/100km. It’s lower than many of its larger rivals, which do between 14.5 and 17kWh/100km.As for charging, it can be annoying that the port is on the front of the car, because it means you need to go nose in to some spots. At least it’s on the kerb side for when you're using outdoor roadside chargers.The maximum charging speed is quoted at 120kW, but I’ve never seen it go faster than roughly 70kW, even on stacks capable of 150kW. For what it’s worth, it doesn’t need it. The battery is so small it still charges in half an hour or less.Ownership looks like a decent story, too. Not only will this car cost a lot less in charging compared to a fuel alternative, but the Inster only requires a service every two years or a whopping 30,000km.Unfortunately, Hyundai charges $655 per visit. A head-scratcher given a combustion alternative like the Yaris Cross with so many more expendable fluids and moving parts is more affordable to look after.

Mitsubishi was a pioneer in the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) space, launching the first PHEV SUV back in 2013, the Outlander PHEV.Thirteen years on the Japanese carmaker still offers the Outlander PHEV. It’s a new-generation model, however the fundamentals are still there.For 2026, the Outlander PHEV received an update that brings a larger 22.7kWh (up from 20kWh) lithium-ion battery pack, increasing the NEDC claimed range to 103km (up from 84km). That translates to 86km on the more real-world WLTP protocol.Additionally there’s a higher total system output of 221kW (up from 185kW).Other changes include a new Australian-specific ride and handling tune, new power steering mapping, new steel bonnet fenders, as well as new Bridgestone Alenza 001 tyres. These mirror what the Outlander petrol line-up received last year.A lot of changes are well received and do improve the driving experience. Most notable is the new ride and handling tune and updated power steering mapping. The ride is much less bouncy and brittle, plus the steering doesn’t feel overly light anymore, especially at higher speeds.However, the ride still isn’t perfect and there’s a lot of head toss in the cabin when you go over pimply urban roads and big bumps. Part of this is likely due to the large 20-inch alloy wheels in this Exceed Tourer trim, though I’ve driven plenty of other similarly sized SUVs with wheels this big and generally they aren’t as crashy.Another change that isn’t the best is the price. The Outlander PHEV is now up to $2700 more expensive than it was, depending on the trim level.As a result this top-spec Outlander PHEV Exceed Tourer is now priced from a mind-blowing $74,490 before on-road costs. For context, this is around $10,000 more expensive than the top-spec Chery Tiggo 9 and Omoda 9 from China, and the forthcoming Toyota RAV4 PHEV.For this price you get adaptive LED headlights, a hands-free power tailgate, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, larger 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system, 12-speaker Yamaha sound system, two 240V powerpoints in the cabin and leather upholstery.Notably the Outlander PHEV Exceed and Exceed Tourer trims are exclusively offered with five seats now. If you want a seven-seat version you need to opt for the cheaper Aspire trim.The lack of third-row seats at this level isn't great, but they have always been crammed and basically for kids only.In the cabin it’s nice to have the larger 12.3-inch touchscreen which better suits the dashboard compared to the pre-update model. I also appreciate how many physical buttons there are for key functions, including the climate controls.In the Exceed Tourer there is brown leather upholstery as standard which is a little light and dull for my liking. I much prefer the black leather-appointed upholstery that comes in the Exceed.The extra electric range is welcome, but compared to rivals it’s still lacklustre. The Chery Tiggo 9 offers 170km of NEDC claimed range, the Omoda 9 offers 169km (NEDC), and the Toyota RAV4 PHEV offers up to 154km (NEDC).A full battery charge offers around 80km of real-world electric urban driving with an as-tested energy consumption of 20kWh/100km.Mitsubishi could likely eke more electric range by doing away with the dual-motor all-wheel drive. The amount of power the car currently produces is more than enough and for the most part it’s wasted in urban environments.When the battery runs out of charge, the Outlander PHEV does a good job of operating as a hybrid as it leaves a fair chunk of reserve charge for tootling around EV mode at low speeds, but when its 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine fires up it sounds like a buzzy vacuum cleaner from the cabin.Fuel consumption isn’t a strong suit. The engine frequently consumes around 10L/100km so it can charge up the battery pack, though it switches off again once there’s enough charge or if you're coming to a stop.AC charging is available with a Type 2 plug at rates only up to 3.6kW, meaning a full charge takes up to 6.5 hours. Not bad if you can plug it in overnight while you sleep but not great if you’re in a rush.For DC fast-charging there’s still a CHAdeMO plug. The Outlander PHEV is now the only new car sold in Australia with this plug standard. It has been phased out in favour of the more popular Type 2/CCS combination plug.It’s getting harder to find chargers that have CHAdeMO plugs at public stations, but if you do, a full charge will take 32 minutes.For safety, the Outlander PHEV has a five-star ANCAP rating based on testing conducted in 2025. It features all the expected safety features and picked up an emergency SOS calling function with this latest update.Like all Mitsubishis, there is a 10-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, but that's conditional provided you service within the dealer network. If you don’t this drops back to five years of coverage. There’s also 10 years of roadside assistance.Logbook servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km and the first 10 services are capped. They total $5498 which averages out to $549.80 per service. That’s a lot compared to its rivals.