Family Cars

Aussie buyers have a new favourite passenger car, and it’s an EV.  The Tesla Model Y has had a monster 2026, but it’s now claimed the scalp of one of Australia’s stalwarts.  The Model Y has shifted 39,035 units up to October 2026, outselling the Toyota RAV4’s 35,927. It marks a sustained change in Australia’s new car buying market, with an EV claiming the best-selling passenger car spot.  With 2026 edging towards its conclusion, it looks like the Model Y will solidify the historic feat.  Soaring fuel prices and increasing fuel insecurity have encouraged many buyers to make the jump to an electric car, and the Model Y has been at the forefront for this transition. The Electric Vehicle Council’s ‘State of EVs’ report found one in every four cars sold were either electric or plug-in hybrid.  The Model Y has broken record after record in Australia.  In May 2026, it became the first-ever fully-electric car to claim the title for the best-selling car in a single month, toppling the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux diesel ute duopoly.  In June 2026, it achieved the highest monthly sales since the Holden Commodore in the early 2000s with 8072 deliveries.  Tesla also added more variety to its Model Y line-up when it released a six-seater variant called the Model Y L in March 2026.  This three-row Tesla prompted substantial buyer interest and outsold the standard two-row Model Y in July and August 2026.  The Japanese brand launched its next-generation Toyota RAV4 in Australia in March 2026, but it wasn’t smooth sailing to get to that point.  Wait times on new Toyotas have been a major talking point in Australia recently, especially for popular models like the RAV4.  The brand is seemingly still grappling with the aftermath of COVID-19 lockdowns that ravaged its supply chains.  The much-anticipated new-generation RAV4 suffered from significant delays of almost a year, partly caused by a slow production process.  The Model Y has had no such issues.  The majority of Model Y units are built in China using high-tech gigacasting to mould large pieces of the bodywork into a single piece instead of slower individual welding.  Tesla also delivers to Australia on a quarterly cadence, which has allowed them to keep up with increased demand.  Toyota’s sales dipped substantially in the first half of 2026, with the new RAV4 holding the key to the juggernaut turning its fortunes around.  Buyers tend to hold off buying a current generation of a car when the new model is just around the corner. This proved to be the case for the RAV4, with the SUV down more than 70 per cent year-on-year up to March 2026.  The RAV4 has since surged up the sales charts, but it’s been unable to hold off the unstoppable Model Y that keeps getting more popular. 

Nissan axed its entry-level vehicle in Australia earlier in 2026 and a new one is under study as its replacement. The Nissan Kicks has historically been an affordable, small SUV for North and South America, among other markets, though the second-generation has been launching in more international markets. “This is one where it’s under study,” said Nissan Australia Managing Director Steve Milette to CarsGuide. “I think as a company we understand that something of that size, a product entry of that size would be important for a brand. “It is a fast-growing segment in Australia, so we are studying options in that category.” In addition to being produced in Brazil and Mexico, the second-generation Nissan Kicks is now being made in both Japan and the UK. This means that right-hand drive production of the Nissan Kicks is already available. In Japan the Kicks is offered with a new, third-generation e-Power hybrid set-up, like the Qashqai. It’s available in single-motor front-wheel drive or dual-motor all-wheel drive forms. All versions have a 1.4-litre three-cylinder petrol engine that acts purely as a generator to top up the battery pack. In Australia, the Japanese carmaker has axed the Juke and Pathfinder SUVs and indefinitely delayed the new Leaf electric crossover. As a result, the smallest Nissan model in Australia is the UK-made Qashqai small SUV. It’s now only offered with an e-Power hybrid powertrain and starts at $45,850, before on-road costs. Despite being larger, the most affordable Nissan model currently in Australia is the entry-level X-Trail mid-size SUV. It starts from $38,305, before on-road costs. If the Nissan Kicks does come to Australia, it will likely become the brand’s new cheapest model. In Australia sales of small SUVs have been on the rise, especially amid the ongoing cost of living crisis. A total of 163,323 small SUVs have been sold until the end of September this year, which is up 5.6 per cent year-on-year. The top-sellers in the segment are the Chery Tiggo 4 (19,865 sales), Hyundai Kona (18,533 sales), GWM Haval Jolion (17,051 sales) and MG ZS (13,627 sales). It’s a far cry from the amount of Nissan Qashqai examples sold over the same period (1027 sales) and more than Nissan’s best-selling model locally, the X-Trail (10,086 sales). A key point of difference between the Qashqai and the top-selling small SUVs is the entry asking price. If Nissan can offer a new, entry-level model, like the Kicks, at an affordable price, this may see it become the brand’s best-selling vehicle locally.

Zeekr insiders have spoken to Chinese media, saying the brand is plotting a Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen rival to debut before 2030. According to Chinese outlet Sina, the insider said the company was currently sourcing suppliers for the project and the design had not yet been finalised. They also said the current timeline would have what will presumably be a boxy 4WD arriving in 2028 or 2029. It will apparently have a “semi-monocoque chassis” with independent electric motors. At this stage, whether the Zeekr 4x4 shares its underpinnings with its parent company Geely’s Battleship 700 remains to be seen. This development builds on comments Mars Chen, Vice President of Zeekr International, made to CarsGuide in May of 2026. “Hardcore off-road is definitely one direction - we’re doing the research but whether we create a G-Wagon style, you know, box SUV, for now that’s unclear. If we cannot create enough differentiation, of course we won’t do it,” he said. He ruled out the idea of any export-only offerings, as the successful BYD Shark 6 was for BYD for a period of time. “For Zeekr, I think we’re going to consolidate more. Every model needs to be global. It makes no sense to customise models just for one country. Even in China,” said Chen. Chen pointed out how the traditional luxury large SUVs were on the downswing globally, but the Defender and G-Wagon continue to perform on the sales charts. “What’s the most interesting option? Number one - G-Wagon, number two Defender.” “Audi is declining a lot, Cadillac almost moving out, even Range Rover is not doing that well.” “But Defender is really strong.” “So if we want to be in that segment, we have to be a global product.” On the topic of 4x4s and pick-ups, Chen said Zeekr wouldn’t bother unless they could “redefine" the segment. “We’ll definitely be checking how disruptive we can be if we enter,” he said. Despite promising signs, like quad motor capability, Zeekr will face tough barriers to entry. Not only will it have to compete with such storied traditional offerings, from the Defender and G-Wagen to the Toyota LandCruiser, it will also face its ambitious contemporaries who are already in the ‘boxy’ SUV space. The obvious example is the Denza B5 and B8, which share their hybrid running gear and ladder frame with the BYD Shark 6, but Zeekr will also have to compete with GWM and its new flagship range. Based on its latest ‘GWM One’ platform, the brand now offers an array of high-end off-roaders in China, including the Haval H10 and Wey Blue Mountain 4x4 flagships. Both are offered with plug-in hybrid power. Other box-style off-roaders are also on the way from GAC and potentially new luxury entrant HongQi. All these new offerings are part of a major push by Chinese automakers to offer more high-end products, as they seek better profit margins outside of their domestic market where sales have been shrinking and a brutal price war amongst brands have harmed the balance books. Things are particularly looking up for Zeekr though. Geely’s luxury arm has been well received in Australia (and other markets) and is looking at the real possibility of being our market's top luxury brand by the end of next year.  That is, if it can overcome potential production bottlenecks to fulfil its volume plans for the upcoming 8X and 9X large hybrid SUVs. Demand for which, the brand says, is exceeding its expectations.

Toyota flexes its muscles as it dominates the top of the sales charts in October. Australians bought a little more than 100,000 new cars in the past month, but one in five of them wore a Toyota badge. The Toyota HiLux was the best selling vehicle with 5954 examples finding a new home and the RAV4 was the third best seller with 4718 registrations. These two bookended the Ford Ranger (4841). Tesla Model Y was the best of the rest with 3105, followed by the electric BYD Sealion 7 (2524), Toyota Prado (2397), Chery Tiggo 4 (2178), BYD Atto 2 (1943), BYD Shark 6 (1843) and Geely EX5 (1789). Toyota is still the dominant force in Australian new cars, but there is no other Japanese or Korean model in the top 10 sellers list. Outside of Tesla, the rest of the top 10 were Chinese brands, with BYD mimicking Toyota with three entrants in Australia’s favourite new car list. BYD sold more than 10,000 vehicles in the past month, which was a feat usually reserved for Mazda or Ford at their peak. The October sales also showed Australia’s love affair with utes and SUVs was stronger than ever, with those two body shapes making up the entirety of the top 10 list. China also maintained its top position as the biggest source of new cars in Australia. More than 35 per cent of all new cars sold were imported from China, followed by Japan (22.3 per cent), Thailand (17.9 per cent) and South Korea (9.2 per cent). Almost one in four new cars sold in October was electric, which is about three times higher than it was in the same month last year. The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries boss Tony Weber said electric car sales were driven by high fuel prices and government subsidies such as the FBT tax exemption. “Consumers are making rational choices and are attracted to options that reduce their costs. Despite continuing pressure on household budgets and higher borrowing costs in 2026, the October result shows there is extraordinary resilience in new vehicle demand," said Weber. “This increase in new vehicle demand, especially BEVs, must be supported by reliable and accessible charging infrastructure that keeps pace with demand.”

GWM is about to launch a new alternative to the Toyota RAV4. The GWM Haval Jolion Max has just been approved for Australian sale as it gears up to tackle the ultra-competitive mid-size SUV segment. The larger Toyota RAV4-sized Jolion Max will join the smaller petrol- and hybrid-powered Jolion that has been a strong seller in Australia in 2026. Filings show the Jolion Max will be available with fully-electric or plug-in hybrid power, so it will rival the Geely EX5 ($41,990) and GAC Aion V ($42,990) EVs, as well as the all-wheel drive-only Toyota RAV4 PHEV ($58,840), all before on-road costs. The Jolion Max will launch in Australia in the first quarter of 2027. Fully-electric variants of the Haval Jolion Max will use a single electric motor that produces 150kW, which is a step up in power on both petrol (105kW) and hybrid (140kW) Jolion models. The PHEV set-up boosts power again, with a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, producing 240kW. Both Haval Jolion Max variants are front-wheel drive, with no AWD option listed in sales approval filings, differing from some of its key competitors. Details inside the cabin are scarce at this stage, but overseas examples boast a connected 12.3-inch central multimedia screen and 7.0-inch digital driver display. It has a six-speaker audio system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. Top-spec grades receive a wireless phone charger, panoramic sunroof and electrically-operated tailgate. The local branch’s Chief Operating Officer John Kett told CarsGuide in September 2026 the Haval Jolion Max would launch in the fourth quarter of 2026, but GWM has now pushed it back to the first quarter of 2027. A spokesperson for GWM Australia did not provide more exact timing when contacted for comment. Kett said the Jolion Max will play an important role in pushing GWM towards the top of the SUV segments. "Between H7, H6 and then of course Jolion Max toward the end of the year Ora 5 Touring - we're not even playing in 20 per cent of the segment which is now EV,” Kett told CarsGuide. “So for us, those four vehicles will take us to top three to top five in the segment." “That's where we want to get to, so if we get that right and H6 continues to do what it's doing now with Jolion Max on one side and Ora 5 Touring on the other that puts us in the position to really make some inroads into that segment.” GWM will reveal pricing closer to the car’s 2027 launch, but it’s likely to be more expensive than the current Jolion hybrid priced from $32,990 to $38,990 (drive-away). The Jolion has been one of the best-selling cars in Australia in 2026, and is GWM’s biggest seller across its line-up, however it plays in a different size-segment, against rivals like the Nissan Qashqai, Kia Seltos, and Hyundai Kona.

Ford has confirmed a new ute for international markets that will be cheaper than the Ranger. “Next year, we will be launching our affordable mid-size pick-up for international markets,” said Ford Motor Company CEO Jim Farley at the company’s third quarter earnings event. “We expect the base material cost for this truck to be 20 per cent lower than today's Ranger. “Just as Maverick has done in the US, this truck is designed to bring new customers into the Ford truck lineup internationally at a cost structure that allows us to compete, in this case, with the Chinese.” At this stage Ford hasn’t given any indication of what this “affordable mid-size pick-up” will be yet but given it will launch next year, a reveal is expected to be imminent. It appears it won’t be a new version of the Maverick and also likely won’t be an international version of the forthcoming Fathom electric ute. Given it’s a mid-size pick-up, this likely means it will be a similar size to the current Ranger. Farley’s comment on this forthcoming ute being priced to compete with Chinese-made utes, floats the potential of it also being made in China. Ford already has joint-venture partnerships with Geely, Changan and JMC. The latter partnership has already spawned the Ford Bronco Basecamp and Transit City, which are both launching in Australia. Given Farley specifically said this forthcoming ute is for international markets, it means an Australian launch may be on the cards. We’ve reached out to Ford Australia and will update this story once we hear back. Locally the Thai-made Ranger and Ranger Super Duty, as well as the US-made and locally converted F-150 utes are the only Ford utes offered. There hasn't been a ute smaller than the Ranger since the car-based Falcon ute was discontinued in 2016.

A new and improved Kia Tasman is coming soon, with a production date locked in. Leaked documents have detailed the company’s future product plan, including production of an improved Tasman ute and an expansion of Tasman derivative models. The documents originate from Kia’s Employment Stability Committee, which is a management body formed between Kia and the union representing Kia factory workers. This body is responsible for negotiating factory allocation, Korean factory investments and more. The documents state the Hwaseong factory, which is responsible for building the Tasman, is slated to review the new Tasman and its derivatives in 2028. This follows Kia Australia telling CarsGuide to not expect the upgraded Tasman until 2028 at the earliest. Australia’s importance to the Tasman success means we will likely be one of the first markets to receive it. Despite its poor sales to date, Kia won’t be speeding up the crucial mid-life update despite it already testing components here, according to Kia Australia. "That's part of the process. There's a normal Product Enhancement process applied to it like any other car. So that's happening now, if you like," says Kia Australia’s Chief Ride and Handling Engineer Graeme Gambold. "And that's not just facelifted exterior styling. That's also different shock absorber technology, probably powertrain options, and a whole lot of things. "We've got some bits here that we've got to test, or that has asked us to test. So if we like those parts, they'll come to market when we're facelifting. So there's a lot of ongoing things happening with . But that's the same for any car – it doesn't just stop once we launch it." The future production plans show Tasman model derivatives, which could be the rumoured new SUV-bodied 4WD to take on the Mitsubishi Pajero, Toyota Prado and Ford Everest. Kia has previously said an SUV-bodied version of the Tasman was a possibility, but it wasn’t a priority right now. It appears it might be more of a priority in a few years with an upgraded Tasman to base it on. Model expansion also could mean a hybrid and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) options, which will help it meet tightening emissions laws around the globe but also meet buyer demand that is gobbling up Chinese rivals with petrol-electric power. This would also make it more palatable for an SUV-bodied version, which can compete with future plug-in hybrid versions of the Mitsubishi Pajero and Nissan Terrano 4WDs.

Hyundai has increased the pricing of many of its combustion-powered models in Australia as CO2 emissions regulations continue to crunch. Pricing for the pure combustion-powered Hyundai i30, Sonata, Venue, Kona, Tucson and Santa Fe vehicles increased by up to $500 as of October 1, 2026. “The price increases are due to global economic factors, manufacturing, logistics and local policy,” said a Hyundai Australia spokesperson. Many of the affected Hyundai models also feature electrified powertrains and with the price rise for the petrol versions, this narrows the price difference. Not every pure combustion-powered Hyundai model received a price rise. All versions of the Staria, Staria Load, as well as the new Palisade XRT Pro aren’t affected. Pricing for the affected Hyundai vehicles is now as follows: Going back to Hyundai Australia’s statement, there’s a clear link to what “local policy” is causing the price rise of the pure combustion-powered models. The Australian Government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) has been in effect now for almost two years and the CO2 emissions targets are continuing to clamp down each year. In 2025 Hyundai Motor Company Australia (inclusive of Hyundai and Genesis) generated a fine amount of $4.2 million for going above its fleet CO2 emissions target. It was the fourth worst-performing brand, behind Mazda, Nissan and Subaru. With tougher CO2 emissions targets this year and even harder ones coming into effect in 2027, Hyundai may be at risk of accruing more fines, unless it can import more zero- to low-emissions vehicles (ZLEVs) or purchase credits from other carmakers.

The Suzuki Fronx has been on sale in Australia for almost 18 months and it hasn’t necessarily flown off the shelf. Until the end of September a total of 1186 examples of this Chery Tiggo 4, Hyundai Venue, Kia Stonic and Mahindra XUV3XO-rivalling light SUV were sold. For reference, Suzuki sold almost five times as many Jimnys over the same period. However, Suzuki is still offering the Fronx in a single, range-topping trim for an appealing $29,990, drive-away. At this price point, the uber-popular Chery Tiggo 4, as well as versions of the GWM Haval Jolion are essentially lineball. The Indian-built Suzuki Fronx was hit with a one-star (from a possible five) ANCAP safety rating late in 2025, just months after it launched. The Australian independent vehicle crash-testing authority noted the Fronx performed poorly in adult and child occupant protection during testing. Additionally, the rear passenger seatbelt retractor failed during one of its tests, sparking a recall and Suzuki warning to not use the rear seats. This has thankfully been rectified and a modified component has been introduced at the production facility. While the Fronx’s physical crash-test safety performance isn’t high, it does have the standard fare of safety features. These include: Six airbags Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) Blind-spot monitoring Rear cross-traffic alert Lane-keep assist Adaptive cruise control Traffic sign recognition Surround-view camera Rear parking sensors Notably lacking is a driver attention monitoring system and intelligent speed limit assist. Both are usually culprits of annoying chimes in other vehicles. Annoyingly, Suzuki markets this car as the Fronx Hybrid, which isn’t technically correct as it's a 12V mild-hybrid, not a Toyota-style series-parallel hybrid. The 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine is augmented with a tiny electric motor for total system outputs of 75kW and 136Nm. There’s not enough oomph for electric-only driving and this renders the mild-hybrid bits as glorified engine idle stop-start. With the petrol engine there’s only just enough performance to keep up with urban traffic. Once out on the open road the transmission is always kicking back a gear to keep up pace. On the flipside, claimed fuel consumption is fantastic. It’s 4.9L/100km on the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle, with its 37-litre fuel tank allowing for a theoretical total range of 755km. During my testing I saw an average of 5.7L/100km, which is higher than the claim, but considerably less than more powerful rivals. Proper series-parallel hybrids, like the Toyota Yaris Cross, use less though. Despite the lack of grunt, there’s a quaint charm to the Fronx, like many Suzukis. It’s humble and honest. Around town the car feels nimble thanks to its circa-1000kg kerb weight. It’s a joy to chuck around in the bends, though the steering does have a vague feeling off-centre. A bugbear with the mild-hybrid powertrain is the regenerative braking can engage with a shunt when easing off the accelerator. Then when coming to a complete stop the regen disengages at around 25km/h, requiring an alteration in brake pedal pressure. You get used to it but it takes a while to get your head around. The ride and comfort in such a small car defies its exterior dimensions. It’s settled even at higher speeds, though a considerable amount of road and tyre noise enters the cabin. In terms of equipment Suzuki has chucked everything it can at the Fronx to make it stand out from the crowd, including: 16-inch alloy wheels LED headlights 9.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Six-speaker sound system Head-up display Wireless charger Paddle shifters Electric park brake Climate control Keyless entry and push-button start Black and brown leather-accented upholstery Heated front seats Despite the generous list of included features, there’s no escaping how plasticky the interior is. It cheapens the feel, though having numerous physical buttons is a godsend. Space in the second row is decent for a light SUV, though there aren’t many amenities. There are two USB ports, as well as a cavity for storage. No air vents or fold-down armrest. With the rear seats upright there’s 304 litres of boot space, which isn’t outstanding, but this expands out to 1009 litres with the rear seats folded. Frustratingly there is no spare wheel due to the high-voltage battery components. There’s only a tyre repair kit. The Fronx is covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, which is mediocre now, especially among mainstream brands. There’s also five years' of roadside assistance provided you service at Suzuki dealers when required. The first five services are capped-price and total $2005, or $401 on average per service. That's pretty pricey for a light SUV; almost double what you’d pay to service a Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid. Though the Toyota is more to buy initially.

The 2026 Polestar 5 Performance is the top-spec version of this new flagship electric grand tourer (GT) in Australia. It’s priced from $193,000, before on-road costs in Australia. While this isn’t a small amount, it’s around $65,000 less than the Porsche Taycan GTS, which offers comparable levels of performance. Power comes from a dual-motor all-wheel-drive set-up with outlandish total system outputs of 650kW and 1015Nm. The 0-100km/h sprint is claimed to take just 3.2 seconds. The electric motors are fed by a sizeable 112kWh lithium-ion battery pack, which allows for up to 565km of WLTP-claimed range. Thanks to an 800V electrical architecture, peak DC fast-charging is available at rates up to 350kW, whereas AC charging is offered at rates up to 11kW. Standard equipment includes the following: Gold exterior and interior highlights 21-inch forged alloy wheels MagneRide adaptive dampers Matrix LED headlights Brembo brakes Panoramic glass sunroof 4+1 seating configuration 9.0-inch digital instrument cluster 14.5-inch touchscreen multimedia system Google Built-in and Google Gemini Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Head-up display 21-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system Digital rear-view mirror Microsuede headliner 'MicroTech' upholstery made from recycled materials 12-way power-adjustable front seats Heated front seats Heated rear seats Heated steering wheel Even though this is a lot of standard equipment, if you want genuine Nappa leather, you’ll need to fork out an additional $12,000. Like many luxury cars, there are a series of other cosmetic-related optional extras too which further inflate the price. The Polestar 5 hasn’t been crash tested by ANCAP or EuroNCAP yet and is therefore unrated. However, a full suite of safety kit comes as standard across the line-up. This includes the following: Eight airbags Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) Blind-spot monitoring Rear cross-traffic alert Lane-keep assist Lane-change assist Adaptive cruise control Driver attention monitoring Intelligent speed-limit assist Front, side and rear parking sensors Surround-view camera The Polestar 5 is covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, whereas the high-voltage battery is covered for eight years or 160,00km. This is fairly standard for premium brands. Every Polestar 5 comes with five years of roadside assistance and logbook servicing is required every 24 months or 30,000km. At this stage Polestar hasn’t announced servicing pricing for the Polestar 5.