Family Cars

Three months with the 2026 Zeekr 7X RWD have come and gone at an alarming rate.But I’ve immensely enjoyed my time with the fully electric mid-size SUV, which impresses on so many fronts.The 7X is so impressive, in fact, that it was recently awarded CarsGuide Car of the Year 2026 – Best Medium SUV Under $60K, which you can read more about here.In the first two instalments of this three-part long-term review, I covered a lot of the reasons why the 7X has been so successful since its Australian arrival last year.In the first edition I detailed its keen pricing, high specification and strong powertrain and efficiency, while the second saw me deep-dive its fetching design and genuine practicality. You can check out both in the links above.As promised, this third and final look at the 7X will be headlined by drive impressions and overall verdict.So, how does the Chinese newcomer stack up behind the wheel? Let’s find out!From the moment I picked up the ‘keys’ to the 7X RWD I was struck by how it could easily be mistaken for a European car, and not just design wise.Nearly every Chinese-branded car I’ve driven to date has been underwhelming to drive, but the 7X shows how far these marques have come in such a short period of time.In some instances these carmakers have started to catch up with the rest of the world.It no doubt helps that Zeekr can tap into the expertise of its Geely Group parent company, which also owns Sweden’s Volvo and England’s Lotus.Point being, there is a legacy element that Zeekr can make the most of, and it certainly has with the 7X.Yes, the 7X RWD on test here still delivers a relatively soft ride – which is a Chinese-brand signature as passenger comfort is front of mind – but it does so in a relatively controlled manner.The RWD goes without the air springs and adaptive dampers of its Performance sibling, yet its balance will satisfy most, with small bumps dealt with aplomb.It can become unsettled over larger imperfections, but it is more composed than its more expensive Polestar 4 cousin – and it is arguably half European!Handling-wise, the 7X separates itself from the Chinese-brand pack with stronger body control when turning into a corner at low or high speed.Being a high-riding SUV, though, physics cannot be denied, so there is some roll when tipping in the 7X, but the beauty of the RWD variant is its rear-wheel-drive dynamics.Being pushed out of a corner rather than pulled is a nicer sensation, as is oversteer in general.When it comes to the 7X’s electric power steering, it has three settings, with Comfort feeling too dead off-centre for my liking. Standard strikes the best balance when it comes to feedback, while Sport is too heavy for regular low-speed use.That said, the 7X still isn’t the most engaging model to drive in its segment, as that honour still belongs to the facelifted Tesla Model Y, which offers quicker steering and even stronger body control.Straight-line performance is another 7X RWD strong suit, with its single, rear-mounted electric motor delivering a relative high 310kW of power and a more modest 440Nm of torque.This enables a brisk 0-100km/h acceleration time of six seconds flat, which can be achieved when putting its Acceleration mode into Sport.The Standard setting is better balanced with energy consumption, so that is my pick, but you also have a Comfort option that dials down the performance too much for my liking, although it may please your passengers the most.There are two settings for the 7X’s regenerative braking, with Standard akin to engine braking in an internal-combustion model, while Sport has a noticeably higher level of deceleration, but it is still not strong enough in my books.A one-pedal drive mode is a separate option for bringing the 7X to a complete stop without the use of its actual brake pedal, but I found myself regularly using my left foot because the regenerative braking was not slowing things down quickly enough – even with some serious thought put into it.When it comes to noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels, the 7X benefits from being a fully electric vehicle with near-silent operation.That said, some wind noise over the side mirrors can penetrate the cabin at highway speeds, but it can be drowned out by the RWD's excellent 10-speaker sound system.Advanced driver-assist safety systems rightly cop a lot of flack these days for being poorly tuned and obtrusive in many instances, but the 7X’s overall package is one of the better ones.The driver attention alert springs into action when required, but I personally find it to be distracting in itself, although the good news is that when you turn it off it stays off.It is a similar story with the intermittent but mostly inaccurate drowsiness alert.With those two features turned off, the only intermittent challenge is the emergency lane keeping, which is occasionally overly cautious, providing steering-wheel resistance when you try and make what it deems to be an unsafe manoeuvre – but it can be physically overpowered.The forward collision warning is also a little too sensitive for my liking, but it’s not necessarily wrong when it does spring into action, if you get what I mean.As for the less exciting stuff, the 7X is a relative breeze to park, with a lot of the credit going to its clear, detailed surround-view camera, which has a handy steering-wheel shortcut button, which is seldom seen.In my third and final month with the 7X RWD my average energy consumption was 15.6kWh/100km over 655km of driving, which was a fairly even combination of city and highway trips.This compares to the 15.2kWh/100km and 15.9kWh/100km that I achieved in months one and two, respectively, all of which combine to 15.6kWh/100km over a total distance driven of 2383km.Given the 7X RWD’s useable battery capacity of 71kWh, that equals a real-world driving range of 455km, which again is very close to its WLTP claim of 480km – that’s a big win. Acquired: January 21, 2025Distance travelled this month: 655kmOdometer: 5415kmAverage energy consumption this month: 15.6kWh/100km

Looks can be deceiving. The all-new iCaur V27 might appear to be a distant relative of the Mercedes G-wagen but beneath its rugged, good looks lurks a large SUV that's happier on-road than extreme overlanding out in the bush.On sale in Australia from February next year, the iCaur V27 will be the first of a full range of models that will also include a still-to-be-released smaller mid-size V25 and, later on in 2028 or 2029 the baby Suzuki Jimny-rivalling V23 should rock up.Proving to be a hit worldwide, in little more than two years the baby V23 has gone on to sell 160,000 and Chery hopes its huge popularity will translate over in Australia.Measuring in at 5045mm long, 1976mm wide and 1894mm tall, the V27 shares a footprint with the GWM Tank 500 and is a little bigger than the Denza B5 (4888mm long, 1970mm wide and 1920mm tall).It's the latter, that one exec from iCaur told CarsGuide is the real rival it is targeting Down Under.Which is a bit odd as on paper at least, the iCaur V27 isn't a real match.Not only is the V27 based on a more car-like monocoque, it lacks height-adjustable air suspension which means ground clearance is limited to a paltry 224mm. Both the approach (24-deg) and departure (23deg) angles are also severely lacking compared to the Denza's 39 degrees.iCaur says its V27 can wade water depths up to 600mm, a little off the 790mm the Denza B5 can traverse.Available with only a range-extender hybrid powertrain, in some markets a 185kW rear-wheel-drive version will be an option but in Australia we think we'll just get the all-wheel-drive V27.Unlike a typical plug-in hybrid, the small 1.5-litre four-cylinder combustion engine only acts a generator when the 34.3kWh battery is depleted. Combined with a pair of electric motors driving each axle, total power is 335kW, while torque is around 505Nm for a quick 0-100km/h dash of 5.9 seconds.That's more than a second adrift of the more powerful Denza B5 that can also tow 3000kg, compared to the 1600kg the V27 can haul.With a full charge, iCaur says the V27 can cover up to 150km on EV power alone on the NEDC test cycle, while a 60-litre tank extends the total range to around 995km.Usefully, the battery is capable of DC charging up to 60kW, although a 20-80 per cent top-up still takes around 30 minutes.Vehicle-to-load charging or powering of domestic appliances is also available at up to 6kW.Naturally, the chunky exterior styling is reflected within, with a stepped dashboard, large rotary dial and proper physical controls. Like other Chery brands, the driver gets a pillar-box slim 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster, but taking pride of place is a freestanding 15.4-inch infotainment that's runs a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295 processor.Both wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included.Like the smaller V23, there are toggle auxiliary switches on the roof ready for accessories like an additional light bar.Dual wireless chargers are also present, as well as 50 different storage compartments, and a large 715-litre boot that includes a hidden 40-litre compartment for valuables.Perhaps disappointingly, considering its size, a third row of seats isn't even an option but handily if you drop the second row you open up a cavernous near-two-metre-long load area with up to 1818 litres of space.It's hard not to like the twin-pane panoramic roof, plus the generous head- and legroom in the second row. Overall, the V27 impresses in and out.Giving us a limited chance to experience the iCaur V27 behind the wheel, we tested the large SUV over a muddy and slimy obstacle course with a car shod with grippier all-terrain tyres.As soon as we eased the V27 off the line, the first iCaur destined for Australia instantly impresses, mainly because of the nature of its powertrain as it feels just like an EV, as only the electric motors drive all four wheels.That means there is instant torque, with plenty of power off the line. Over the lumps and bumps the magnetic adaptive dampers did a good job of providing a decent ride.Driving only in a mud-friendly off-road mode (there's are eight other driving modes available), traction was remarkable thanks to its locking electronic rear differential, although grippier tyres probably did most of the heavy lifting.We weren't allowed to try the tank turn feature, nor even permitted to escape the facility and drive on public roads, so our first positive impressions should be taken with a healthy pinch of salt, but precise steering and those car-like underpinnings, proper multi-link rear suspension and the smooth, punchy powertrains bode well for Australians.If you tow heavy loads or go further off-road, the Denza B5, Land Rover Defender or default Toyota Prado will all prove a better bet, with the V27 only able to haul 1600kg (braked). For reference the B5 can tug 3000kg.There is no word on how iCaur will kit-out its flagship SUV locally, but expect a power tailgate, LED front and rear headlamps, electric-fold mirrors, a trick multi-colour ambient lighting and six-way adjust heated and ventilated synthetic seats to all be standard.With seven airbags, a 540-degree surround camera, lane departure warning, lane-keep assist, front and rear collision alert and blind-spot warning, plus an advanced adaptive cruise control, iCaur has designed its V27 to achieve full marks in future Euro NCAP and ANCAP testing.iCaur has been timed to land just a few months after fellow Chery-owned Lepas will rock up in Australia. Even though there has been no official confirmation, we'd be amazed if the 4x4 brand didn't match the eight-year/unlimited-kilometre vehicle warranty Jaecoo models come with, even though it will be sold via a different dealer network.Locally, the V27 is priced from just 200,000 Chinese yuan (A$40,000), but it's not known what the range will kick off from. The insider told CarsGuide that its V27 will be positioned lower than the Denza B5 ($74,990-$79,990), with the prediction it could trouble small mid-size SUVs with a price tag of around $65,000 plus on-roads.

Ford has slashed the entry price of its struggling plug-in hybrid Ranger ute, as the rival BYD Shark 6 continues to put runs on the board and new competitors from China close in.The refreshed Ranger Hybrid range slashes pricing by nearly $10,000 or more per variant, and re-works the line-up to include a new entry-level XL grade as part of a set of tweaks to the dual-cab’s range.The Ranger continues to be the most popular 4x4 ute in the country by some margin, amassing 15,023 units for the year, but CarsGuide understands the Hybrid version continues to make up only a tiny fraction of sales. It is believed to be a long way behind the electrified ute market leading BYD Shark 6, which has amassed 4851 sales in the same period.Ford’s significant price discounts to the Ranger Hybrid are no doubt an effort to make the ute more competitive as tough new emissions regulations close in.The Ranger Hybrid was previously priced from $71,990 (before on-road costs) for the entry-level XLT.  The refreshed line-up dumps this mid-tier trim level from the range, replacing it with a significantly more affordable base XL grade, which starts from just $59,000 drive-away. This represents a price cut of more than $12,990, and thousands more once on-roads are included. See prices for the refreshed line-up below.2027 Ford Ranger Hybrid price2027 Ford Ranger hybrid powertrain and efficiencyThe Ranger Hybrid continues to use a 2.3-litre petrol turbocharged engine mated to a hybrid motor (75kW) and 10-speed automatic transmission for a total power output of 207kW/697Nm.All versions of the Ranger Hybrid continue to be dual-cab 4x4 only, and also persevere with a small 11.8kWh battery, which grants it a WLTP electric driving range of just 49km and fuel efficiency of 2.9L/100km. However, the plug-in Ranger variants maintain the combustion version’s 3500kg towing capacity and over 800kg payloads per variant. Unlike the Shark 6, the Ranger hybrid also maintains its traditional transmission and low-range transfer case with mechanical links from the engine to rear axle.2027 Ford Ranger Hybrid standard featuresStandard features have been tweaked slightly per variant for the refreshed Ranger hybrid line-up.The Ranger Hybrid XL includes:17-inch alloy wheelsAll-season tyresTray bedliner12.4-inch digital instrument cluster12-inch multimedia touchscreenCloth interior trimCarpet flooringDual-zone climate controlRear air ventsSteel underbody protectionHalogen headlights and DRLsThe XLT has now been dumped from the PHEV line-up, with the next grade up being the Sport.This mid-grade trim level is now priced at $66,000 drive-away, representing at least a $9,990 discount on the outgoing PHEV Sport model, which was priced from $75,990 (before on-roads), and this is despite it adding new features.The Ranger Hybrid Sport includes:18-inch alloy wheelsAll-season tyres12.4-inch digital instrument cluster (up from 8.0-inches)12-inch multimedia touchscreen360-degree cameraTrailer back-up assistSports barSide stepsLED headlights w/auto high-beamsPuddle lampsSynthetic leather seatsWireless phone chargerPowered auto-folding wing mirrorsAuto-dimming rear vision mirrorPerimeter alarmThe Wildtrak grade continues to top-out the Ranger’s array of plug-in hybrid variants, now priced at $70,000 drive-away, a minimum $9,990 discount from the previous version ($78,990 before on-roads).The Ranger Hybrid Wildtrak includes:Matrix LED headlights w/auto-levelling18-inch alloys12.4-inch digital instrument cluster12-inch multimedia touchscreenAll-season tyresPower roller shutterTrailer back-up assistHeated front seats10-speaker Bang & Olufsen premium audio2027 Ford Ranger Hybrid optional featuresA handful of optional features continue for the Ranger Hybrid, with refreshed pricing and some new features for the base XL grade. See the option packages belowFull-size Spare (NCO)Adventure Pack ($500 - includes cargo management system and auxiliary switches)18-inch wheels and all-terrain tyres (for XL grade - $950)Vinyl floor (for XL grade $100)All-terrain tyres (Sport and Wildtrak - $700)Flexible rack system ($1990)Style canopy ($4500)Commercial canopy (white or black - $4700)2027 Ford Ranger Hybrid coloursThe Ranger Hybrid is available in an array of refreshed colours including:Frozen White ($0)Agate Black ($750)Iconic Silver ($750)Carbonised Grey ($750)Blue Lightning ($750)Lucid Red ($750)Command Grey (Sport only - $750)Ignite Orange (Wildtrak only - $750)2027 Ford Ranger Hybrid safetyThe Ford Ranger Hybrid continues to maintain a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating carried over from previous iterations, which it was awarded in 2022.It scored 84 per cent for Adult Occupant Protection, 93 per cent in Child Occupant Protection, 74 per cent in Vulnerable Road User Protection, and 83 per cent for Safety Assist.2027 Ford Ranger Hybrid warranty and servicingThe Ranger Hybrid continues the same ownership scheme as before, including a five-year and unlimited kilometre new vehicle warranty, with a separate warranty covering the high-voltage components for eight-years or 160,000km. The brand also throws in up to seven years of roadside assistance if the ute is serviced inside its dealer network.2027 Ford Ranger Hybrid dimensionsThe Ford Ranger Hybrid measures 5403mm long, 1924mm wide, and 1870mm tall with a wheelbase of 3270mm.Its tray measures 1605mm long, 1523mm wide, and 498mm tall, with a 1217mm width between the wheel arches.2027 Ford Ranger Hybrid launch timingThe new Ranger hybrid will join the line-up in the third-quarter of 2026 as part of rolling updates to Ford’s popular ute range.

The Audi Q3 150kW quattro is the mid-range model of the new small SUV range.The 150kW is priced from $70,200 for the SUV and $72,700 for the Sportback and comes with adaptive LED headlights, ambient interior lighting, keyless entry and ignition, leather-appointed upholstery, a 10-speaker sound system as well as adaptive dampers and 19-inch alloy wheels.This model is powered by a 2.0L turbo-petrol four-cylinder, producing 150kW/320Nm. It is paried to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission with quattro (all-wheel drive).Fuel economy for the 150kW quattro is a claimed 7.3L/100km.Audi claims this is the safest Q3 ever, with more safety equipment than before to ensure it meets modern customer demands.There’s a 360-degree camera set-up, reversing camera, adaptive cruise control and a host of other active safety features. But perhaps more importantly than just having these systems, they are locally tested and calibrated for local conditions.The Q3 is covered by Audi Australia’s standard five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. This includes five-years of roadside assistance too.

There's something newer and far more advanced on the horizon, but does the BMW i4 electric liftback still have enough appeal in 2026?

Well this is strange. What started as a long term test with an SUV I didn’t want to like, turned out to be one of our favourite cars I’ve ever tested. Now it’s time for the Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid to go back leaving all of us in my family missing it already.Fuel for thoughtThere were lots of pleasant surprises when we began our long-term test of the Chery Tiggo 8 Ultimate more than three months ago, but probably the most impressive finding was the fuel efficiency.Until I met the Tiggo 8 plug-in hybrid my experience with PHEVs hadn’t been good. I found the batteries ran out of power quickly and fuel use went through the roof. They weren't a good combustion car, nor a good hybrid.Then we reached the end of the first month with the Tiggo 8 and it made it through without needing a tank refill and on closer inspection the trip computer said we’d travelled 869km. That was a record for my testing and I hadn’t even charged the Tiggo 8 regularly. While the official fuel economy is 1.3L/100km that month we measured 6.1L/100km. Imagine how far we could have gone on a tank if we’d charged it more often! The secret to the Tiggo 8 plug-in hybrid’s long-haul ability is a large 60L tank, a big 18.4kWh battery and a clever hybrid system that never lets the battery run completely flat while using the engine as a generator on the go.Alas we never managed to test how far we could go on a full tank and a regularly replenished battery, but perhaps that could be a challenge for you, dear reader, to accept?This month we did fewer miles - only 409km - and our fuel consumption was 6.9L/100km.Lounge roomTwo more surprises were the Chery Tiggo 8's spaciousness and comfort.While not an overly large SUV at just over 4.7m long the Tiggo 8 has seven seats with the third row folding flat to offer a decent sized boot - 117 litres with all three rows in place and 479L with the third row stowed.The second row offers great space for adults and big kids and there's plenty of room for the front passenger even with our bulky forward-facing child car seat directly behind.Cabin storage is outstanding, so too are amenities with items like USB ports and a second-row climate zone. Those leather upholstered seats are luxuriously comfortable, supportive, hard wearing and easy to clean, too. Premium bargainThe Chery Tiggo 8 Ultimate Super Hybrid is $49,990 drive-away and the standard equipment list is mountainous. Highlights over the past few months have been keyless entry, which doesn’t need the door handle to be touched to lock and unlock, the excellent Sony sound system, privacy glass in the rear, wireless phone charging, heated seats and a head-up display.The upholstery and trims feel high quality, while the styling of both the interior and exterior is high-end looking.The value, plus the premium look and feel, is outstanding. Drive modeFinally we’ve been impressed with how easy and comfortable the Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid is to drive.If you keep the battery charged, this SUV feels like an EV most of the time at lower speeds - smooth, quiet and with instant and strong acceleration when needed.And while this isn’t the most agile and sporty SUV, the suspension does a great job of keeping the vehicle composed and comfortable.Not all greatThe Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid isn't perfect. I’ve mentioned the handling not being sporty but the driving position feels way too high (even on the lowest setting) and this leads to partial vision obstruction from the sun visor and rear-vision mirror.Also, while I love column-mounted shifters, the Tiggo 8 requires the driver to simultaneously step hard on the brake pedal to shift from Drive to Reverse. Like really hard. Otherwise the vehicle shifts in neutral and rolls. That annoyed me.The lack of tactile buttons and controls is also frustrating to live with daily. Climate, volume, almost everything is done through the media screen and while that means the cabin looks clean and minimalist it's ergonomically bad. Acquired: December, 2025Distance travelled this month: 409kmOdometer: 8676kmAverage fuel consumption this month: 6.9L/100km (measured at the pump)

The entry-level model in the new-for-2026 Audi Q3 range is now known simply as the 110kW.It is priced from $61,600 for the SUV and $64,600 for the Sportback variant.Standard equipment includes 18-inch alloy wheels, adaptive LED headlights, ambient interior lighting, keyless entry and ignition, leather-appointed upholstery and a 10-speaker sound system.It is powered by a new 1.5-litre four-cylinder mild-hybrid, turbocharged petrol engine, which makes 110kW/250Nm and sends all that performance to the road via the front wheels through a seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission.Fuel economy is rated at 5.8L/100km for the 110kW model.Audi claims this is the safest Q3 ever, with more safety equipment than before to ensure it meets modern customer demands.There’s a 360-degree camera set-up, reversing camera, adaptive cruise control and a host of other active safety features. But perhaps more importantly than just having these systems, they are locally tested and calibrated for local conditions.The Q3 is covered by Audi Australia’s standard five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. This includes five-years of roadside assistance too.

Zeekr has made quite a name for itself for its range of aggressively priced premium performance SUVs.The 7X and upcoming 8X and 9X have generated quite a lot of hype. It seems though, that this Chinese brand has more to prove. It doesn’t just want to undercut established premium brands on the SUV front, it wants to appeal to rusted-on enthusiasts with its upcoming fully electric 7GT wagon.That’s right, a brand-new sporty station wagon designed to take aim at the likes of the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Audi S5 in 2026.Does this Euro-flavoured Chinese wagon have what it takes to impress? We briefly drove one in China to find out.First things first, what do we know about the 7GT for Australia?For one, it’s been locked judging by recent comments from the Australian division's boss, Frank Li. He said it was difficult to tell what order the brand’s range of cars will arrive, but with the 9X flagship SUV due before the end of 2026, it seems likely we’ll see the 7GT either very late in 2026, or early 2027.Interestingly, the 7GT (known as the 007GT in China) has a sedan variant as well (simply the 007 in its home market) although the brand hasn't said much about it, suggesting it will be a wagon-only offering in Australia.As for the price? The 7GT starts from the equivalent of around A$42,000 and tops out at around A$52,000 in China, suggesting a range of around A$55,000 - $70,000 by the time the car lands in Australia.Price wise, this could put it in a similar league to mainstream wagon offerings like the Skoda Octavia (from $66,000), Subaru WRX (from $58,490) and Cupra Leon (from $69,990).Like the 7X SUV which came before it, it will be an upgrade on those mainstream rivals by offering fully electric power with significant driving range, while also significantly undercutting premium wagons like the BMW 3 Series (from $98,800), Audi A5 (from $92,900) and Genesis G70 (from $80,265).It is unclear whether the 7X will be offered in a single high-performance specification or if Zeekr will also offer an entry-level price-leading variant.The powertrain choices in China include a rear-wheel-drive version (still offering a whopping 370kW/545Nm and a 0-100km/h sprint time of 4.8 seconds) or an all-wheel drive with 585kW/812Nm and 0-100km/h sprint in just 2.85 seconds (faster than a Porsche Taycan Turbo).The entry-level version of the 7GT is powered by a 75kWh battery pack offering up to 702km of driving range, with a larger 103kWh battery pack offering up to 880km of driving range (both driving ranges calculated to the more lenient CLTC measuring standard).With a 900-volt electrical architecture, the 7GT can charge ultra fast, 10 to 80 per cent in as low as 10 minutes on a compatible DC charger, according to the brand.Penned in Europe at Geely’s Gothenburg, Sweden, the 7GT gets European proportions with a split spoiler topping off the roof, and a ducktail shaping the boot line. Sadly, Australian Design Rules will prohibit the character-enhancing animated DRL clusters above the headlight strip, as is also the case for the 7X.Sitting in the 7GT and you’d be forgiven for thinking you were sitting in a Volvo or a Polestar - two other Geely-owned brands. The commitment to interior materials and cabin ergonomics has always put Zeekr a cut above its Chinese contemporaries, doubly so in the 7GT which sits nice and low and sports a rising console platform, which culminates in a large but not excessive central touchscreen.There’s even a control dial and a couple of shortcut buttons below, which can’t be said for a lot of this car’s Chinese rivals.Space is good in both the front and rear seats for me at 182cm tall, and the 7GT also has a surprisingly large boot despite its coupe-looking roofline.We only had a chance to briefly drive the 7GT on a small test circuit in a car park in China, which consisted of a 0-100km/h sprint, brake test, and a moose-test style slalom, however, I’ve also driven this car’s sedan version, the 007, on Geely’s actual racing track in Ningbo, which gave a bit more insight into its performance and limitations.Quite predictably, it’s blisteringly fast, with the kind of silent, brutal acceleration anybody who has driven a Tesla will be familiar with.As soon as you go to turn a corner though, the Euro flavour for the Zeekr again helps to set it apart. The steering in the 7GT feels much more natural, like something you’d experience in a Volvo or Polestar as opposed to the lifeless or overly electrified feeling you get from some otherwise-good EVs.Judging the suspension is difficult as the drive was on curated and perfectly flat tarmac surfaces, but riding lower than its SUV siblings, the 7GT feels comparatively slick when attacking corners and chicanes.Perhaps the biggest issue facing anything electric is weight, and while the 7GT might hide it well at commuter pace, the track sessions in the 007 were frequently slowed down after only a handful of laps to manage heat in the brakes. This is worth noting if you’re thinking about a family car that also makes short work of more expensive combustion cars at a track day.

BYD is about to deploy the ace up its sleeve.The Chinese behemoth recently confirmed it would be building its own Flash charging network in Australia, with the first sites at Denza dealers in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide ready to go at the end of the year.BYD’s flash chargers are capable of delivering up to 1500kW of juice to electric cars and replenishing batteries from 0 to 97 per cent in nine minutes.That’s almost four times the power of the most powerful electric charger in Australia, with the first of Ampcharge’s 400kW pylons recently installed at Sydney’s Eastern Creek and Evie's 400kW chargers also being installed in Sutton Forest between Sydney and Canberra.BYD said it would be building the network in major cities, not rural areas.Now BYD — and its Denza sub-brand vehicles — are rolling out flash charging compatible versions of popular models in China.The latest to break cover overseas is flash charging compatible versions of the Denza B5 and B8 plug-in hybrid 4WDs. These models are known as the Fangchengbao B5 and B8 in China.This would give the Chinese brand a big advantage over conventional 4WDs such as the Toyota LandCruiser, incoming Nissan Y63 Patrol and new Mitsubishi Pajero.The plan is for BYD and Denza branded models to all get flash charging capabilities when they are available for Australia. Denza Australia wouldn't confirm when that would be for the B5 and B8.These updated models also come with bigger batteries, according to Chinese reports.The pair gain a new circa-46kWh battery that can help deliver a total driving range of close to 1400km when the battery and fuel tank are drained.More powerful electric motors, one front and one rear, boost combined power to 505kW/760Nkm for the B5 and 550kW/760Nm for the B8.Styling remains the same, with the rugged boxy shape staying put. Chinese models gain a range of Lidar tech that will assist autonomous driving, but this upgrade is unlikely for Australia where the tech isn’t as desirable.The rollout of ultra fast charging vehicles would remove the final hurdle for plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles in Australia.The ability to quickly charge makes travelling around this vast nation less of a mental barrier for many motorists considering making the switch. 

Lexus has added hybrid power to its hulking LX range. With fuel costing so much, is this the perfect solution for the big Japanese off-roader?