Car News

Nissan Australia has shown just how good hybrid cars are after completing a 1300km lap of Tasmania on a single tank of fuel in its Qashqai e-Power hybrid.It’s a shot across the bows of $40-55K hybrid rivals the Honda HR-V e:HEV, Hyundai Kona Hybrid, MG ZS Hybrid, Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid and Toyota Corolla Cross, which all deliver a driving range of 1000km or less.  The Qashqai e-Power is a Range Extender Electric Vehicle (EREV), with its 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine operating as a battery generator only.Its official fuel consumption figure of 4.1L/100km and 55-litre tank convert to a theoretical range of 1341km, so the Tassie lap confirms that distance between fills as a real-world possibility.Nissan said the journey began with the car brimmed in Geelong, Victoria before boarding the Spirit of Tasmania car and passenger ferry for the trip to Devonport on Tasmania’s north coast.According to Nissan no ‘hypermiling’ techniques were applied, with the subsequent fuel stop-free clockwise lap including a mix of open road running, urban congestion “and a number of challenging hillclimbs” all covered in accordance with posted speed limits.Highlights included Launceston, the Bay of Fires and Freycinet to the state’s capital Hobart, the Huon Valley on the southern tip and a return to Devonport via the wild west coast.The Qashqai e-Power’s trip meter sat at 1209.2km when it arrived back in Geelong and ultimately travelled 1303km before refuelling. Indicated average fuel consumption was 4.5L/100km (which can vary from an actual pump-to-pump figure).Commenting on the exercise, Nissan Oceania Managing Director Steve Milette said, “This trip isn’t laboratory testing, this is the real world and real conditions.“Now more than ever Australian drivers are looking for fuel efficiency that doesn’t compromise driving enjoyment, and this 1300km real-world journey shows the Nissan Qashqai e-Power delivers,” he said.

Lotus is powering its way back into the supercar game with its new ballistic sports car, and it has just been confirmed for Australia.The codenamed Type 135 appeared in a teaser video ahead of its scheduled launch in 2028.It will be a V8-powered hybrid, producing at least 725kW, putting it up against high-profile supercars such as the V12-powered Lamborghini Revuelto plug-in hybrid. It would also be up against other V8 hybrids in the segment, such as the Lamborghini Temerario. Lotus Australia has confirmed the car will make its way to Aussie shores. It has already received several inquiries, with potential for it to land in Australia around 2030. There are limited other details available on the Type 135 at this stage, with an official name still to be revealed. There is speculation this car will revive the ‘Esprit’ name, given Lotus renewed the trademark three years ago.The Type 135 will be the first V8-powered car made by Lotus since the Esprit, which concluded production more than 20 years ago.The car matches a Lamborghini’s wide posture, with a poised stance to highlight its high-performance potential.  It has dual exhausts mounted halfway up the back of the car, giving it a striking presence. We do not see a front shot of the car in the teaser video, but expect it to be mid-engined like Lotus' other models.We should learn more about the Type 135 before the end of the year. The brand, which is now owned by Chinese giant Geely, currently sells its fully-electric Emeya and Eletre as well as the petrol-powered Emira Down Under. We can expect the Type 135 to be the most expensive model on sale when it gets here, eclipsing the range-topping Eletre’s price tag of $279,990 (before on-road costs). Lotus is shifting its focus towards PHEVs, with the Type 135 potentially the first model of this new direction. 

GWM will give its Cannon Alpha dual-cab ute and its very closely-related Tank 500 SUV a handy performance and economy boost with a big new internal combustion engine (ICE) transplant.Due in August, the 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel unit is a coup for the local distributor, as Australia will be the first market in the world to receive it, according to a company spokesperson.Final specifications and outputs are yet to be divulged, but in the Chinese-market 2027 models, the big four-pot diesel will deliver around 170kW of power and 620Nm of torque, pushed to the rear or all four wheels via a beefed-up version of the company’s in-house nine-speed torque-converter automatic transmission.This will be the first diesel application of any description in the 500 SUV, which has only been available here with a 258kW/615Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol hybrid since its 2024 Australian release and, more-recently, a 300kW/750Nm plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) option dubbed Hi4-T.The same plug-in hybrid set-up is also available in the Cannon Alpha, which is the larger and newer of two Cannon utes GWM sells in Australia, but the 3.0-litre unit will supplant the existing 135kW/400Nm 2.4-litre turbo-diesel, suggesting that price rises are coming as a result of the switcheroo.As announced at last month’s China Auto Show, hybrid and PHEV diesel versions will also be offered in various models across each of GWM’s sub-brands, as required, in the near future, including with the 120kW/400Nm 2.0-litre turbodiesel unit serving the entry-level P300 Cannon utes.“Maybe the first quarter of 2027,” according to GWM Chief Technology Officer Nicole Wu. “That really depends on the real situation in each market.”The company has already released some data pertaining to the 2.4-litre TD hybrid as found in the 2027 Tank 500, making a combined 145kW and 500Nm, though electric motor outputs have not yet been announced.Local timing for these electrified iterations has yet to be confirmed.That said, the latest diesel seems very efficient.In both the Cannon Alpha and Tank 500 versions that will launch in China later this year, the 3.0-litre engine is actually more economical than the 2.4-litre, according to the (comparatively lenient) Chinese combined average fuel-consumption cycle numbers.In the ute it returns 7.1 litres per 100km with 2WD and 7.3L/100km with 4WD, as opposed to 8.1L/100km in the smaller diesel 4WD alternative, while the SUV’s equivalent 3.0-litre versus 2.4-litre figures are 8.4 and 8.6 respectively.As a result, the coming 3.0-litre hybrid and PHEVs stand to be very frugal.Better still, the big diesel slices nearly 5.5 seconds off the P500 Alpha 2.4-litre TD’s 0-100km/h sprint time, coming in at 10.6s. In the Tank 500, the corresponding figures see a 4.4s drop, to 10.1s.Note, however, that the Hi4-T PHEV in both vehicle types is still the sprint champion of the range at just 7.4s (Alpha) and 6.9s (Tank 500), while still being able to return a theoretical 1.7L/100km and 2.2L/100km respectively.Which probably makes offering the 2998cc 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo petrol engine option in the Cannon Alpha and Tank 500 redundant for our market, particularly with record-high fuel prices, but GWM has left the door open by revealing that it is “…not decided yet for Australia.”For the record, in the SUV, it makes 260kW and 500Nm, manages the 0-100km/h time in 7.3s and averages 11.5L/100km.

Geely Australia’s CEO Alex Gu confirmed the brand was considering the company’s new i-HEV technology for our market.Geely’s i-HEV tech, which is a new-generation hybrid set-up consisting of a 1.5- or 2.0-litre engine mated to a hybrid transmission system (DHT), is claimed to be one of the most fuel efficient production plugless systems on the market.The brand declared at the Beijing Motor Show it had achieved a fuel consumption as low as 2.22L/100km when tested in an Emgrand sedan, and claims it can drive under electric power up to 80 per cent of the time despite not needing to be plugged in.Gu said that unlike its Chinese rival brands, Geely wouldn’t be bringing combustion models to Australia and will instead consider i-HEVs as an option to sit alongside its existing fully electric EX5 and upcoming EX2 SUVs, and its plug-in hybrid Starray SUV and Emgrand sedan, with the latter is due in 2027.“For Geely we don’t have a plan to do ICE , but we are planning for the i-HEV,” he said.“For this, we benchmarked Toyota actually. This is very friendly for emissions. It will be in a sedan, SUV, and so on,” said Gu.Gu said it was Geely’s attitude that plug-in systems will be able to “move forward together” in global markets, rather than have plug-ins outright replace ICE and HEVs as they have in some other markets.“This will be the entire way to enter the market. We’re making it very balanced,” he said.Gu wouldn't confirm when the first hybrid models would arrive in Australia.“So far I’m not sure.” he said.“We will have to see what is planned for the global market. So for me, I will push for the Australian market to be the first market to bring i-HEV models,” he said.The Emgrand is not the only car in Geely’s product catalogue that has the new i-HEV hybrid system at the brand’s stand at the Beijing motor show.It also showed off its larger sibling, the Preface sedan, as well as an updated version of its Monjaro mid-size SUV.Both cars, which ride on Volvo’s Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) platform, pair a 1.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor driving the front wheels via a hybrid transmission.The Preface sedan consumes 3.98L/100km, while the Monjaro mid-size SUV drinks 4.75L/100km according to the slightly more lenient WLTC method, which cuts fuel consumption nearly in half compared to the turbo dual-clutch versions of both cars.Offering all three levels of electrification will help set Geely apart from its main Chinese rivals, most of which are either plug-in exclusive like BYD, or are also leaning on ultra-affordable combustion models like Chery, MG or GAC.Next for Geely in Australia will be the introduction of the EX2 hatchback, due in the third quarter of 2026, while the Emgrand will join the line-up in 2027. Gu also outlined a seven-seat SUV, something along the lines of the M9 the brand showed at the Melbourne Motor Show, would debut in 2027. In the longer-term Geely has aspirations to offer both a 4x4 and a ute, and would be “studying the market” closely in the meantime.

The cheapest LandCruiser will start at the equivalent of just $40,000, with pricing for the incoming LandCruiser FJ being reported in Japan.That makes it the cheapest LandCruiser in the family by some margin, and Toyota clearly expects it to make a splash, with Thailand manufacturing almost doubling, and production expected to expand to India.That's the latest from Japanese media, where Creative 311 has the scoop on the FJ's price tag in Japan, which is expected to be officially confirmed on May 15.In Japan, the FJ will start at around $4.5m yen, which converts to just under $40,000. That kind of pricing would position the FJ below its Chinese rivals in the space, including the GWM Tank 300 ($48,990).But... there is a sizable catch. The LandCruiser FJ isn't confirmed for our market, where Toyota executives have suggested the model's 2.7-litre petrol engine wouldn't meet its regulation standards, specifically the fact it meets Euro 5 standards.“The LandCruiser name in Australia would be very appealing, but the hardcore reality we are facing in our country… variable regulations, new criterias, new vehicle efficiency standards,” the brand's then VP of Sales and Marketing Sean Hanley has previously told us.“We have to look very carefully at our product portfolio. What do we think we’re going to need? What are we going to sell in numbers? What do customers want and need?"Clearly aimed at tackling rough stuff on a budget, the FJ is equipped with a proper part-time 4WD system and a rear diff lock as standard kit. Also interesting is that, in Japan, only the paint colour is an option, with the Toyota otherwise delivered in a standard trim level.Would the LandCruiser FJ work in Australia as a cut-price off-road option?

Is your family prepped for the apocalypse, yet? If not then perhaps you need a Fortress - a military-inspired tactical ute built by United States custom car builder Rezvani.The Fortress is the latest model to be built by Rezvani. Only shadowy teaser images have been released ahead of its reveal in a month's time, but if the company’s previous models are anything to go by the this will be a very wild truck.From what we can see the Fortress is a large dual-cab pickup with futuristic styling, but unlike the Tesla Cybertruck it has what appears to be an open tray bed without a large canopy. As with all of Rezvani’s creations the vehicles use a base car for the foundations before being heavily modified. In the case of the Fortress, Rezvani may have used the Jeep Gladiator as it has with past models.From what we can see in the images, the Fortress features a high bonnet crowned with an enormous air intake scoop.Minimal LED lighting is seen in the form of a roof top light bar, small headlights and strip lighting across the grille’s top edge and at the rear minimalist taillights take the form of elongated vertically positioned arrows.Set to be revealed in June the Fortress is billed by Rezvani as the “ultimate tactical off-road truck” and is said to be available with a range of James Bond style enhancements including electrified door handles, smoke screen function and body panel armour.If you think that all sounds a bit over the top, you should check out Rezvani’s past models. There’s the Jeep Wrangler-based Tank which Rezvani calls an XUV or Xtreme Utility Vehicle which looks as though it's been pulled off a sci-fi movie set.The Tank which lists in the US for more than A$500,000 comes with some extreme options, too, including protection of electromagnetic pulse weapons. There’s also the Dark Knight SUV which is based on the Lamborghini Urus; or the Beast which uses the Corvette C8 sports car as a starting point; and then there's the Hercules which is a heavily customised Jeep Gladiator but with, wait for it… six-wheel drive.Will the Rezavni Fortress come to Australia? It’s unlikely that it would pass our strict Australia Design Rules, especially those with electrified door handles. 

GWM is preparing to add more grunt to its tough Tank 300 4WD, with the Ford Everest now in its sights.A new V6-powered Tank 300 variant has just appeared in Chinese sale approval documents ahead of its full launch before the end of 2026.Its 3.0-litre turbo-petrol engine produces 265kW, which is a decent step up on the 2.0-litre unit's 162kW available in Australia. It has not been confirmed for Australia, and without hybrid power, it will have a tough time slipping under our emissions regulations.It is also expected to only be available in left-hand drive due to engineering restrictions. The V6 Tank 300 sports a different honeycomb front grille design to other variants, but it otherwise bears a similar resemblance to its siblings. It would continue to rival the diesel-powered Ford Everest and Toyota Prado, along with BYD sub-brand Denza’s new B5 plug-in hybrid SUV. GWM’s Australian approach could be more likely to include the diesel hybrid and plug-in hybrid set-ups planned for next year.The Tank 300 should receive these new engines, but it is unclear whether they will come Down Under.GWM has regularly tinkered with its Tank 300 lineup in Australia, which at one stage had petrol, diesel, hybrid and PHEV options.Having now cut the hybrid model, there could be room for the more powerful V6 in the range to accompany the soon-approaching 3.0-litre diesel.GWM also filed details of an updated 2.0-litre turbo-petrol version, boosting power from 162kW to 175kW.

Audi has finally revealed some details of its incoming Q9 flagship three-row large SUV.The Q9 is an all-new nameplate for Audi, which is expected to fight back against the new wave of more than five-meter long luxury SUVs from Chinese automakers Zeekr, BYD and GWM.Audi says its new large SUV will feature either six- or seven-seat interior layouts, with “premium materials, variable seating with individual electric seats in the second row, and automatic doors”, among other features.The brand said the Q9 aims for “business-class comfort” when chosen in six-seat format, and features a 1.5 square meter panoramic sunroof, standard ambient interior lighting and surround sound.There will be an extensive range of optional interior trims and colour schemes.Practicality will include dual wireless charging pads up front, a new rail system in the boot for securing cargo “in three dimensions” and every variant will include a roof rack as standard.Elsewhere other familiar themes can be seen, with the Q9 featuring a similar steering wheel and tri-screen dash layout as the Q6. The centre console also features a handful of driving function shortcut buttons, although it appears climate and multimedia functions will continue to be controlled primarily via the central touchscreen.The Q9 will be the next Audi to ride on the brand’s new PPC platform and will rival the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS in Europe. Elsewhere in the world it will also have to face a rising tide of five-meter-long three row SUVs from China such as the Zeekr 9X, Wey V9X and BYD Sealion 08.The new flagship will be fully revealed in July and will form part of a new product offensive from Audi, which will include a re-booted A2 e-tron crossover, next-generation Q7, facelifted Q4 e-tron and the RS5.European media has been speculating the Q9 will continue to offer the brand’s signature 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, based on Audi specifically calling out the model’s importance to the US and the Middle East, both less emissions-sensitive markets.In the case of the SQ8, this powertrain produces 373kW/770Nm. Stay tuned for more on the Q9 and its chances for the Australian market. If it does arrive, expect pricing to be north of the Q8’s current $144,400 entry price.

Move over, Denza B8!Arguably China’s most-convincing answer-yet to the Mercedes-Benz GLS, Lexus LX, Range Rover and other European and Japanese upper-large luxury SUVs is looming for Australia, with most conceivable luxury features for half price.Revealed in early March and debuting at last month’s China Auto Show in Beijing, GWM flagship brand Wey’s V9X has yet to be confirmed for Australia.However, according to a company spokesperson speaking to CarsGuide at the company’s vast headquarters in Baoding, it could follow on from the G9 luxury people mover that is scheduled to finally arrive sometime in the second half of this year.“The V9X is under very serious consideration for Australia,” he said. “We have not yet made the decision… and it would be priced over $100,000.”That would make the GWM more expensive than the Denza B8, that starts from $91,000 and nearly $98,000 for the seven-seater and six-seater models respectively.To help justify that, the Wey SUV is designed, packaged and specified to go up against the higher-grade versions of its competitors.This means including luxuries like GWM-first air suspension with three comfort settings, four-wheel steering with a “Crab Mode” for a tighter turning circle, AI assistance inside, next-level autonomous driving tech where legal, powered doors, massaging seats (with captain’s chairs and ottomans in the second and third row), expansive multimedia systems accessed by various huge touchscreens, multiple conductive charging surfaces for devices and more.A colossal amount of individualisation is available, within two body lengths (5.2 metres and 5.3m) and wheelbase sizes (3050mm and 3150mm). Kerb weight ranges from 2740kg to 2930kg.Built on GWM’s all-new ONE Platform, the electrified architecture supports internal combustion engine (ICE) in hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) formats branded Hi4, as well as coming EV power using battery and - later on - fuel-cell hydrogen applications. Even the Hi4 is available in faster-charging 800 volt as well as 400V configurations.For now, the V9X is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol Hi4 PHEV-only proposition, using a three- or four-speed dedicated hybrid transmission (depending on spec), paired to two electric motors and a choice of battery packs in around 55.5kWh, 66kWh and 80kWh sizes, for China-rated CLTC range of 240km, 312km and 363km respectively. Not bad for a massive electrified SUV.Full details are still scarce, but the 400V PHEV with the 55.5kWh battery delivers a combined 510kW of power and 862Nm of torque to all four wheels, for a 0-100km/h time of 4.9 seconds on the way to a 210km/h top speed, while the 800V PHEV’s numbers are 550kW, 930Nm, 4.6s and 225km/h.To help keep all that performance in check, the V9X features intelligent-torque-distribution all-wheel drive and electronically-controlled air suspension for the double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension systems.More information, including full data specs for the whole range, will be revealed later this year.

Australia’s cheapest electric SUV right now is poised to gain an even-cheaper hybrid (HEV) sister model before long.The Ora 5 EV lands in showrooms later this month from a headline-making $33,990 (all prices are drive-away), but the Ora 5 HEV may cost considerably less, even dipping below $30,000 for the entry-level Lux grade.For now, parent company GWM refuses to confirm the HEV is even a definite starter for Australia, stating instead that it needs to concentrate on getting the retro-themed sub-brand’s first EV SUV off the ground.This comes after the consistently poor sales of the now-discontinued Ora hatch (that inexplicably cost $2000 more than the Ora 5 EV SUV) in this market.“Our focus right now is on launching the Ora 5 SUV (EV),” said GWM Australia Head of Marketing and Communications Steve Maciver.“We think it's the right car at the right time. We've been pretty aggressive in terms of our positioning and our pricing. We see an opportunity, so that's why we've done that.“But… the way we've positioned the Ora 5 SUV, has been intentional in terms of where that's going to position other models around that as well. So, read into that what you will. We’re pretty happy with Ora pricing right now. It is resonating, but it does leave us options either side of it.”With the uncertainty surrounding fuel prices, the booming popularity of EVs may be short-lived, meaning that GWM is probably hedging its bets by offering broader electrification choices for consumers in Australia like the Ora 5 HEV.“There will be further expansions that come in the Ora range this year,” Maciver added. “You’re going to see possibly one and even two additional Ora models to land in Australia this year as well.“(But) at this stage, Ora is focused on EV. There may be hybrid options in there as well… we’re not committing one way or another, but again, we’ve got plenty of options. We’ve just got to work out what the right one for us is.”There may be further, different Ora models coming beyond the 5 SUV, though what these are remain a tightly-held secret. Predictions include a larger SUV and a city-sized runabout.“There are other vehicles which we have seen, which were very keen on, which have not yet been reviewed publicly, which are very much on our radar to add to the Ora portfolio,” Maciver teased.In China, the Ora 5 is available with three powertrain choices.The EV features a 150kW/260Nm electric motor and 58.3kWh battery pack for a range claim of about 430km (all figures are WLTC).The HEV pairs a 1.5-litre petrol engine and electric motor for a combined 164kW of power and 476Nm of torque, averaging 5.1 litres per 100km for over 1000km of range.The solely internal combustion engine variants come as either a 105kW/210Nm naturally-aspirated or 118kW/270Nm turbo versions, for a 6.7L/100km rating.Along with the different powertrain, the Ora 5 HEV comes with reduced cargo capacity, falling from the EV’s 422 litres to 390L without a spare wheel, or from 362L to just 272L with one.Maciver added that he is buoyed by the pre-launch reaction to the Ora 5 EV’s pricing.“That’s had a really, really strong reception so far, taking a good amount of orders within the first couple of weeks,” he said.“We've said all along that, with Ora, if we can get an EV powertrain into an SUV bodystyle, we will do well with it. Now, obviously, the timing for us has been very fortuitous right now, but that car has really hit the ground running.”The Ora 5 EV’s $33,990 pricing undercuts all rival EV SUVs, including the BYD Atto 2 from around $35,500, Jaecoo J5 EV from $36,990 and ageing Chery E5 from $37,990.There are cheaper non-SUV EVs, such as the BYD Atto 1 hatchback from around $27,100, not-so-small MG 4 Urban hatch from $31,990, GAC Aion UT hatch from $32,990 and BYD Dolphin hatch from about $33,400.