Green Cars

Kia has teased its electric Carnival alternative overseas. The brand has provided a glimpse at its new PV7 van ahead of an official debut on 14 September 2026 at the IAA Transportation.  The PV7 is the bigger sibling of the PV5 that launched in Australia this year. It will tackle the Ford E-Transit Custom van as well as the Hyundai Staria Electric people mover. It would shape up as a cheaper alternative to luxury Chinese competition such as the Denza D9 and Zeekr 009 in Australia. Details are scarce at this stage, with Kia only providing a preview before it receives an official unveiling next month. The PV7 is expected to be available in both cargo and passenger configurations, as Kia stated it is adaptable across commercial and lifestyle applications. The PV7 concept was nearly 5.3m long, which is a little longer than the diesel- and hybrid-powered Carnival.From the outside, it sports a rounded front look, similar to the PV5, while it also features an angular headlight design.Its rear headlights are assembled in a vertical shape, with a chrome-look rear bumper. It will be the brand’s second model to use its dedicated all-electric E-GMP.S platform, following the PV5. Kia has not confirmed what will power the PV7, but the PV5 employs a single electric motor producing 120kW and 250Nm. More details will be revealed in the coming weeks. There is no official word on the PV7 in Australia, but it seems likely Kia would be eager to add another electric people mover to its line-up. The PV7 will launch in the UK next year, so it will be built in right-hand drive, smoothing its potential launch here.Kia recently launched the smaller PV5 Down Under, with the cargo variant arriving first followed by the people mover that has just been approved for local sale.An Australian arrival for the PV7 would come after it launches globally in 2027.We can expect more concrete information around the PV7’s Australian future when it’s officially unveiled next month.

If you’re looking for an electric mid-sized SUV but don’t really want to drive another BYD, Geely or Zeekr just like everybody else seems to, then the Cadillac Optiq probably has your name all over it. Well, you’ll know if it does after you read this quick review. Yes, American brand Cadillac is back in Australia although you may not have missed it because it was the 1960s that the brand was here last. Now it’s back but this time with an all-electric line-up.Cadillac is General Motors' luxury sub-brand. Think Lexus to Toyota, only with way more history and a strong, glitzy show-biz connection. Elvis had more than 100 of them, although would he have an electric one today?So the Optiq is a little upmarket, a little bit luxurious even, but hoping to win over Aussies at a competitive price. Oh and yes that is Optiq with a “q”.In Australia the Optiq range consists of one grade and it lists for $80,000, before on-road costs. That prices it above many affordable, mainstream electric SUVs like the Geely EX5 or BYD Sealion 7 but not quite as high as the Mercedes-Benz EQB, Polestar 4 and BMW iX3. Instead the Optiq competes with the pricer end of Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 range, Skoda Enyaq and Zeekr 7X.Standout features include the 33-inch display which stretches from the centre of the dash to the driver’s side for media and the instrument cluster. The standard 19-speaker AKG stereo is excellent. The seats are heated up front and in the second row. The panoramic glass roof is expansive and opens, plus there’s a thick screen to close and keep the glare out.The Optiq has two electric motors - one at the front and the other at the rear - making this SUV all-wheel drive. The combined output of the motors is 224kW and 480Nm which isn’t huge especially considering its rather hefty 2379kg weight, so a 0-100km/h time isn’t outstanding for a sporty EV at 6.3 seconds.According to Cadillac the 75kWh battery provides 425km of driving range and energy consumption of 19.9kWh/100km.My own testing saw our car use slightly more at 21.2kWh/100km. The range is relatively normal compared to other EVs this size, as is the consumption.The Optic feels lower to the ground than most SUVs but also more solid and planted than a lot of its rivals. That said the steering feels heavy and acceleration isn't nearly as brisk as some rivals.But this is a super comfortable car - from the seats to the ride and dynamically, the Optiq is impressive for its weight and size.Adding to the serene driving experience is a super quiet cabin with active noise cancellation.A head-up display would make driving through Sydney’s ever-changing speed zones easier and the overly enthusiastic safety alerts are annoying - from the seat belt chimes the moment you get into the car to the driver distraction and speed warnings. The Optiq isn’t small at 4820mm end-to-end l but it is sleek rather than tall and boxy, and this reduces its cargo carrying ability.The boot is large at 744 litres, but the large sloping hatch means it’s deep rather than high. Oh and the Optiq is a five-seater only.Rear seats are comfortable and head and legroom is great back there, even for me at 189cm tall. Cabin storage is also impressive with big door pockets, a cleverly designed wireless phone charger, along with shelves and lots of storage under the floating centre console.So as a sleek and low SUV the Optiq is surprisingly practical. We lived with it for a week with my young family of four and I am happy with almost everything… but there are some things I’d change on this car.The Optiq is a nicely crafted, comfortable SUV, but there’s a few things I’d have trouble living with having spent a week testing this car. First, the door handles would be high on my list of things to change. The thin, stick-like handles just made opening these big heavy doors so hard for me and impossible for my children. Second, the Optiq has vibrating seats - yes, you read that right. They vibrate as parking sensors to let you know how close you’re getting to objects and also in conjunction with  blind spot warning. It’s gross and I don’t like it.Third, the styling. I don’t mind the Optiq from the front, but the side profile is very awkward to my eyes, while the rear is ungainly.It’s disappointing. A Cadillac should have a large, confident, show-stopping presence with a hint of Hollywood and the Optiq really misses the mark in the style stakes. Cadillac offers a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty in Australia with an eight-year/160,000km warranty on the EV battery. Servicing is required every 12,000km and 12 months.

An unexpected carmaker is poised to achieve a historic first in Australia and it may happen as soon as next year.In a first for a legacy – or long-established – carmaker of volume, Skoda is set to have its best seller switch from an internal combustion engine (ICE) model to an electric vehicle (EV).This will beat out other much larger manufacturers to the punch in this country like Toyota, Nissan and Hyundai.Speaking to the Australian press at a snow/ice-driving event near Queenstown in New Zealand, Skoda Australia Brand Director, Lucie Kuhn, revealed that the Enyaq mid-sized SUV is closing in fast on the venerable Kodiaq seven-seater large SUV for the firm's number one slot.“The Kodiaq still remains our best-selling (vehicle),” she said.“But I’m quite sure Enyaq will join it on stage in this electric era, and we will most likely have two heroes… (Skoda is currently) selling 700 units together year-to-date.”Pitch-perfect timing has played a big role in the rise of the European EV, not just in Australia, but also in many other parts of the world, with Skoda essentially relaunching the Enyaq at facelift time to appeal to a wider audience than before.For Australia, that happened when the extensively upgraded Series II models arrived near the end of last year, brandishing a broader model range as well as a long list of improvements.Among these has been the addition of a more conventional SUV Wagon shape to the earlier, higher-spec-only SUV Coupe series.Along with providing a more practical and some say prettier alternative, that also included the arrival of a new entry-level grade with a smaller battery known as the 60 Select, which started from around $55,000 drive-away.Aided by the closely related Elroq EV, which is essentially an Enyaq but with a shorter rear overhang for a more-compact SUV-style appearance, the order influx that Skoda has experienced since the beginning of the Middle Eastern war in March caught it short on stock.In fact, that record could have been broken this year had production supply kept up with demand for the company’s EVs.“(Our sales in Australia) would have been more if we had a better supply of EVs during the little surprises dating from March to June, let’s say,” Kuhn revealed.“It would definitely have been better than last year overall and better than (today’s) numbers.”Kuhn added that, in the second quarter of this year when oil prices spiked to record-highs, the order banks for its two EVs ran as high as 80 per cent, though that has since settled to around 45 per cent.However, the continuing geo-political uncertainty means that demand for electric Skodas may skyrocket soon.“I think every brand that has a mixed portfolio (of ICE and EVs) faced this customer behaviour changes,” Kuhn explained.“The same of course, applies for us, particularly during the period of March to June, let's say, when our EV share boomed up to 80 percent almost, which, of course, caused empty stocks and longer waiting times for fresh production (of EVs).“Now it's stabilising across the industry, and it's stabilising also for Skoda.“So currently we are around 40 to 45 per cent.”Skoda will double the number of EVs it sells in Australia from next year.Already confirmed is the Epiq, which will be its cheapest ever EV in this country (and likely a brand best-seller contender), as well as the Peaq seven-seater SUV, earmarked by 2028. 

Volvo is reportedly working on a next-generation version of its plug-in hybrid (PHEV) technology and it’s understood it will be applied to a series of vehicles.While it’s virtually guaranteed that this new Volvo PHEV system will make its way into a number of SUVs, new information indicates that it may power a successor to the S60 sedan.Tentatively dubbed the S70, a heavily camouflaged prototype has been spied in China. It’s understood to be based on the Lynk & Co 10.Official details are few and far between for now, but it’s understood it could be revealed before the end of 2026 and may initially be for the Chinese market, like the XC70 SUV.Based on this, digital artist Sugar Design has whipped up some renders of this forthcoming PHEV sedan.The digital renders of the forthcoming, so-called Volvo S70 show it has some design similarities with the XC70 PHEV SUV.There’s a faux front grille, large diamond-cut alloy wheels, flush door handles, as well as an elliptical tail-light design.Another notable design point is the LiDAR mounted on the roof which indicates that the car may have some level of semi-autonomous driving capabilities.No renders of the interior have been made yet, however a spied prototype showed it will have a central roller and button cluster like the new XC70, EX60 and ES90.At this stage we’ve only seen a sedan version of this forthcoming Volvo, however Sugar Design has mocked up what a wagon counterpart would look like.Tentatively dubbed the V70, it looks virtually identical to the S70 renders, but has a longer roofline, as well as a more upright tailgate and tail-lights that look more like the XC70.It’s unclear whether Volvo actually intends to produce a wagon version of the forthcoming S70.If it does, it could be a successor to the V60 which was axed during 2025.No official details about what may power the Volvo S70 and V70 have been confirmed yet, however PHEV power is likely.Given reports have indicated that the Lynk & Co 10 may form the basis of these cars, this potentially points to what may be on offer.The Lynk & Co 10 is powered by a PHEV set-up combining a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with two electric motors. Total system output is 390kW.The electric motors are fed by either an 18.4kWh or 38.2kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack, allowing up to 100km or 192km of CLTC claimed electric range, respectively.It’s understood that the forthcoming Volvo S70 sedan could be revealed before the end of 2026.Like the Volvo XC70, it’s expected the S70 will likely be aimed primarily at the Chinese market where sedans are still popular. However, export markets may be on the cards.While the S70 seems closer to production reality, it’s unclear whether Volvo actually plans to produce a wagon counterpart. No spied prototypes have been caught yet.If Volvo does plan to launch a new electrified sedan and wagon, the pair would form as successors to the S60 and V60.

As with its Hyundai Tucson cousin, the last two generations of Kia Sportage have long been good cars in search of better petrol powertrains.The old 2.0-litre atmo unit lacked spark and the 1.6-litre turbo was too highly strung for a family runabout.The petrol-electric hybrid vehicle (HEV) that usurps both, on the other hand, strikes the right chord, but wasn’t available in base guise – until now.The entry-level S Hybrid, from $44,490, drive-away, puts the base Sportage right in the Chinese electrified mid-sized SUV heartland.Inevitably, several plug-in hybrid (PHEV) rivals cost less and yet bring more equipment, like the BYD Sealion 5, Chery Tiggo 7, Geely Starray and Jaecoo J7. But cheapness is their main attraction and most suffer from some worrying deficiencies.Oddly, though, the S overlaps with some hybrid-only alternatives from China, like the GWM Haval H6 and MG HS, though again, both require more development.The Kia undercuts Japanese base-grade hybrid equivalents, such as the Nissan X-Trail e-Power, Honda CR-V e:HEV and, of course, the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid that begins from about $6000 more.That said, the S isn’t scant on spec, with much of the expected convenience basics, like climate control, a reversing camera, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and alloy wheels.You’ll also find:A space-saver spare wheel – thank you, KiaSeven years of free Kia Connect remote app services accessKeyless entry and startA 12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android AutoAdaptive cruise controlFront and rear parking sensorsIn other words, all you need and a bit more besides. There’s no wireless phone charger or heated front seats at this price point, though.Now in its fifth generation since 1993, today’s Sportage has been an especially strong seller worldwide.Maybe that’s why last year’s facelift is subtle. An obvious difference is the removal of the fussy inverted ‘V’ LED lighting up front, connecting the mid-sized SUV to some of its younger SUV siblings.Similarly, the Sportage’s cabin presentation has also weathered well.At first glance, you’d be hard pressed to pick this as the entry-level Sportage.Yes, the seats are cloth instead of modish synthetic leather (though vinyl belongs in record sleeves not in SUVs) and the driver’s side lacks lumbar adjustment. But these are the only real concessions to cost cutting.Dominating things is Kia’s classy, curved dual-display dash, which remains visually contemporary and operates smartly, swiftly and smoothly, while a row of fixed virtual buttons below responds on the first touch and are paragons of clarity. China (and Mazda CX-5), please heed, since the Hyundai Motor Group knows how to balance dashboard design and ergonomics effectively.The front seats provide adequate comfort and support, the driving position is faultless, the ventilation works fine, there is an abundance of storage and the quality of execution stands out.As with the spacious front row, back-seat entry and egress is effortless. The Sportage’s roomy rear features cushions are fixed, but remain adequately comfy, aided by backrests that recline a little. Also present are air vents, cupholders, USB-C ports and a folding armrest. Not bad for a base bus.Further back, even with the spare wheel, VDA luggage capacity is a decent 586 litres, expanding to 1872L with the 60/40 split-fold backrests dropped. Electrification need not compromise practicality.The S Hybrid 2WD uses a 132kW/265Nm 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol hybrid engine, paired to a 47.7kW/264Nm electric motor, driving the front wheels via a six-speed torque-converter automatic.Combined outputs are 173kW and 367Nm, while a 1.49kWh lithium-ion battery is located by the multi-link rear axle.The result is remarkably velvety performance, from stepping off the line in EV-first mode, to maintaining a strong and steady pace at speed once the internal-combustion engine seamlessly pipes in.A world away from the wheezy old 2.0L unit, the Sportage is especially adept at delivering immediate, muscular throttle response, especially in Sport mode, for satisfyingly instant overtaking, though it’s also refined enough to be licence-losingly rapid even before the driver notices. Beware.This fluid ease also describes the handling set-up, with engagingly linear steering for quick yet controlled cornering capabilities aided by finely calibrated brakes (not always a given in hybrids).While not as supple as, say, the latest CX-5’s, the S Hybrid's suspension tune remains acceptably firm. And, save for the tiring speed-sign warnings, the ADAS tech is sufficiently calibrated for Australian roads. Again, not a given nowadays.Fixes for the next model should include grippier tyres than what the Nexen Roadian rubber provide in the wet and a tighter turning circle.Still, the S Hybrid shows that the Sportage has evolved and matured remarkably. A far cry from the dynamic calamity of the earliest generations.Pump-to-pump, we averaged 5.8 litres per 100km over a week’s worth of often-spirited inner-urban, freeway and performance-testing driving, against 5.2L/100km on the trip computer and Kia’s claim of 4.9L/100km.In theory, the Hybrid 2WD is capable of 1060km between refills of (91 RON standard) petrol.Finally, tested back in 2022, the Sportage garnered a maximum five-star ANCAP rating, largely for “good” occupant protection.The long role call of ADAS tech includes multi-faceted autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and lane-support systems, blind-spot collision-avoidance assist and safe exit warning.Meanwhile, there’s a seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty and up to eight years of roadside assistance if serviced at Kia. Intervals are every 12 months or 10,000km.Capped-price servicing is listed at $353, $561, $422, $880, $397, $703 and $716 over the first seven years, totalling $4032. That’s $1185 more than the albeit-$6K-costlier base RAV4 over the same period.

Plug-in hybrids aren’t the future - they’re the present.That’s the view of one car company leader, which is backed up by new car sales data from the first half of the year. Audi Australia Director Jeff Mannering believes the time is right for plug-in hybrids (PHEV) to take over from traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. It has started already, with Mannering pointing to the latest A5 Avant, with the PHEV accounting for 85 per cent of all sales of the wagon.“ So the consumers answered your question,” Mannering told CarsGuide. “They're actually moving to that car because it’s a better customer outcome.” Industry-wide, PHEV sales are up 118 per cent in the first half of 2026 with more than 64,000 sold.Unsurprisingly, and despite Audi’s positivity, it is the Chinese brands leading the way.BYD, Chery, GWM and Geely lead the way in terms of PHEV volume sold. BYD has the three best-selling PHEV models - the Shark 6 ute followed by the Sealion 8 and Sealion 6 SUVs. Mannering is also seeing a change at the top end of the market. Audi Australia has also achieved price parity between its latest Q5 ICE and PHEV models, showing the closing gap between the two technologies.Mannering admitted the petrol-engined Q5 is likely to be dropped in the near-future, as it no longer makes as much sense to customers when you can by a more powerful but more efficient PHEV for the same money.One of the primary reasons for this is the impact of the Federal Government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standards (NVES), which has pushed car makers to offer more affordable low emissions vehicles, like PHEVs and electric vehicles (EVs).“ Yeah and that's why we fought for the price parity, and it was with NVES because we, as a brand, want to be NVES compliant because we don't want to be in a position of paying fines; it's not a great look,” Mannering said.“And we've got our directive to be compliant, and currently, because the levels go down it will automatically change. Now, what happens in the next five years with the government, who lobbies the government on if there's any changes to, what the level is, will determine the mix of all the segments or the mix of the powertrains.”Audi will also continue to push its EV offerings, with the refreshed Q4 SUV to launch in Australia in September.

The new Nissan Patrol Y63 has given Aussie 4WD buyers some serious thinking to do. Nissan recently revealed pricing and key specifications for the new-generation Patrol.There are some huge changes for the Patrol in 2026, but Nissan has done its best to trump the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series.So, how does it shape up to its sparring partner on the numbers?2026 pricing (before on-road costs)Pricing is pretty close, with both models skirting on the edge of the $100,000 mark to start, despite the Patrol being about $2500 more expensive than its outgoing V8 sibling. The Patrol undercuts the LandCruiser across the range, with Nissan’s 4WD kicking off from $350 less.The biggest gap comes in the sport-focused variants, where the Patrol Pro-4 X is more than $10,000 cheaper compared to the GR Sport grade of the LandCruiser. Hybrid LandCruisers are the most expensive, with a near $11,000 gap on the most expensive Patrol variant.  This round goes to the Patrol, but there might not be much in it for buyers on base price.Nissan made the big decision to ditch its much-loved naturally-aspirated 5.6-litre V8 petrol engine for a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 unit.The good news is the Patrol’s petrol V6 boasts even more power than the V8, producing 317kW, compared to 298kW on the outgoing model. This blows the LandCruiser 300’s twin-turbo diesel V6 engine out of the water on power because it only produces 227kW.It's debatable how much difference this will make in the real world as torque often proves more important for 4WDs when it comes to off-roading and towing capacity.Both the Patrol and LandCruiser 300 pack 700Nm in a dead heat.The LandCruiser 300 Series Hybrid edges the Patrol, making 341kW and 790Nm, although it does come at a price premium as covered above. The Patrol’s engine is paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, while the LandCruiser 300 uses a 10-speed unit. Nissan claims its new Patrol can tow 3700kg, which is 200kg more than the industry standard and what is offered for its Toyota rival. Nissan has not revealed the fuel efficiency of the Patrol, so it cannot be compared with the LandCruiser 300's 8.9L/100km. The Patrol’s fuel tank is 13L smaller than the LandCruiser 300, and is a noticeable step down on the Y62 model, impacting how far it can travel between fill-ups.Fuel efficiency will be an important point to compare, especially with fuel prices continuing to surge.The Y62 returned claimed fuel consumption of more than 14L/100km, so the Y63 will need to offer a substantial improvement to remain competitive.The Patrol trumps in power numbers and has superior lugging capacity, so it is the winner on the figures for now.The Patrol features much of the equipment and interior luxuries available on the LandCruiser 300 as standard.All variants are equipped with a joint 12.3-inch central touchscreen and 12.3-inch digital driver display.By contrast, buyers need to upgrade to higher grades of the LandCruiser to receive a 12.3-inch digital driver display. The Patrol also rides on 18-inch wheels as standard, compared to the LandCruiser 300's 17-inch examples.The Patrol edges the LandCruiser 300 when it comes to standard equipment, but there’s not much in it again.Nissan’s 10-year/300,000 conditional warranty is hard to go past, but services must be completed at an authorised Nissan dealership to be eligible. Toyota offers a similar deal, adding an extra two years of warranty for the car’s engine and driveline when serviced at dealerships. Nissan offers capped price servicing at $499 per visit for the first five appointments, working out roughly $2000 less than the LandCruiser over its first five years. Without authorised dealer servicing, the Patrol’s warranty reverts to a five-year/unlimited kilometre promise, which matches the LandCruiser’s standard one.Nissan’s stacks up a better deal than Toyota’s seven-year engine and driveline alternative, and it’s also cheaper.If buyers don’t opt for capped price servicing, the pair can’t be separated.  Nissan has put forward a compelling proposition for its Y63 Patrol. It’s cheaper, more powerful and better equipped as standard than the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series. The Patrol’s real test will be whether it can match the LandCruiser’s reliability record, but a 10-year/300,000km conditional warranty shows Nissan is backing its 4WD to do the business. Only time will tell whether the Patrol can provide a serious threat to Toyota’s iconic name. It’s undeniable it's already doing so on paper. 

Let’s skip to the good part. If you read my earlier dispatch on the Toyota bZ4X, you’ll know that, thanks to a big price cut, better driving range and more modern tech, it finally stacks up with the heavyweights of the electric SUV space, like the Tesla Model Y and BYD Sealion 7. Well, on paper at least. And now we are at last up to the exciting bit where I tell you if it stacks up in the real world, too. And... it does.Don’t get me wrong, this is a very different car to something like the Model Y, and I have no doubt it will appeal to a very different buyer. While the Tesla is all stripped back minimalism (sometimes annoyingly) and bleeding-edge tech, like Full Self-Driving (Supervised), the Toyota is the opposite. It feels, and there’s really no better way to say this, like an electric Toyota. It’s familiar, the cabin layout is easy to immediately understand, and even though the tech on offer is high by Toyota’s recent standards, there are no lessons required in how it all works. You just get in, select Drive, and go. That familiarity extends to the drive experience, too. While some EVs make a big song and dance about supercar levels of instant performance, the bZ4X does the opposite. It’s simple, steady motoring, and while the power and torque is ample, and it benefits massively from not having a modern and whiny continuously variable transmission (CVT), it feels sensible, and not overly exhilarating.The positioning of the electric motor in this two-wheel-drive version at the front tyres does result in some front-wheel slipping and scrabbling at times, but it’s further evidence of where Toyota positions this bZ4X – a sports car it ain’t.But there's still a sense of connection from behind the wheel that is always refreshing to find these days. Yes, it can be a bit jittery over bigger bumps, the ride can feel too firm in places, and it does feel heavy. It definitely lacks the kind of all-around polish and resolve of something like a RAV4 hybrid, for example, but there's still a lot to like about the way this car goes about its business.There’s something else it lacks in the RAV4 comparison, too, and that is boot space. Open the bZ4X’s boot and you'll find 452 litres of storage, which is down on the 500 litres-plus you'll find in something like a RAV4, despite the formers gargantuan dimensions. And because we can't really lower the seats because of the baby capsule, the usable space in the boot is important to us.Don’t get me wrong; it’s not tiny, it’s more that when we had our giant pram in there taking up most of the space with little room for anything else. The flipside, though, is that there's ample room in the backseat. That babyseat I mentioned has apparently been modelled on giants, and in some cars it can push the front passenger seat forwards, but that's not the case here.Two more quick quirks. Actually, the first one is almost a positive. The bZ4X has (mostly) one of the most unobtrusive safety systems I’ve encountered recently. No chimes, no alarms, no fighting the steering wheel. I’m sure they’re all there beavering away in the background, but I was blissfully unaware of them.Well, unaware of most of them. An almost deal-breaking feature is the backseat occupant alarm, which usually reacts when weight is sensed on the backseat, setting off an alarm so you don’t accidentally lock your bub or dog in the back. Sensible, important stuff.But the Toyota can’t distinguish between an empty baby capsule and one with my baby still in it, which means just about every time I lock the car the loud, multi-beep alarm would sound. I even removed the capsule for the final CarsGuide video (which you should definitely watch if you haven't already) with the bZ4X, and the alarm was still going off – it turned out to be a water bottle I’d left on the seat, which was enough to trigger the sensors.Quirk number two, and I grant you this is a bit of a weird one, is the fact the front doors catch on absolutely everything, and specifically I mean the thick plastic strip at the bottom, which has actually popped off a couple of times when I've gone to close the door over the course of my time with the car. Happily for me, and Toyota, it's easy to pop back in.Now, we get a lot of cars through the garage, obviously, and I don't recall it ever happening this much before, or at least at the frequency it happens with this. I think it's a combination of quite a big door and quite a low ride height that means gutters are really not your friend. Still, the good massively outweighs the bad with the bZ4X, which I do really like. And given the size of Toyota's national footprint, and the fact that its specs and range and all those kind of things now really stack up, the bZ4X has definitely elevated itself into the conversation with brands like BYD and Tesla in the electric SUV space.For mine, this very car is the pick of the range. There’s no substitute for range in the EV world, and given the two-wheel-drive variant also never feels like it's lacking for grunt, it’s the one I’d be shopping for. Acquired: June 2026Distance travelled this month: 590kmOdometer: 5257kmAverage energy consumption this month: 13.5kWh/100km

Geely’s Xiaomi SU7 rival is a smash hit in China.The Geely Galaxy TT has already had more than 20,000 pre-orders in China in its first two weeks on offer, ahead of its September 2026 launch date.The Galaxy TT is an electric coupe-style sports sedan - a segment gaining huge amounts of fanfare in China.The rival Xiaomi SU7 sold out 15,000 units in just 34 minutes earlier this year.These sedans are viewed as cheaper alternatives to the Porsche Taycan and Audi e-Tron GT, with the Galaxy TT priced from 145,900 yuan (or about $30,000). This places it about 50,000 yuan (or roughly $10,000) cheaper than the Zeekr 007 GT wagon, which will be known as the 7GT when it arrives in Australia later this year. Cars imported from China incur a 20 to 30 per cent increase compared to what they cost when put on sale here.Based on this., the Galaxy TT would likely be offered from less than $50,000 if it ever lands Down Under. The Galaxy TT is 4999mm long, 1919mm wide, 1479mm high and has a 2920mm wheelbase, so it is a little bigger than a Toyota Camry.It is powered by single and dual electric motor set-ups, with the front motor pumping out 180kW, while the rear motor makes 245kW, combining for up to 425kW in total. Acceleration from 0-100km/h takes as little as 3.8 seconds, going on to a top speed of 210km/h.Top-spec variants are equipped with a 75kWh CATL battery with up to 725 km of driving range, according to lenient CLTC testing. Its 800-volt platform allows for a DC fast charge from 10 to 80 per cent in 12 minutes, with capacity to add 400km of range in a little over 10 minutes. The Geely’s Galaxy TT is not the local branch's short-term schedule currently, but it has not categorically ruled out an arrival down the line. Its early success in China could prove a catalyst for Geely to explore global expansion, including to right-hand drive markets like Australia. Geely has slowly increased its model range in Australia, meaning we could see the Galaxy TT in local showrooms in the coming years.  

Mazda’s next-generation CX-3 is confirmed for production as soon as 2027, and is an important part of the brand’s turn-around strategy.The CX-3 is part of a wide-ranging renewal strategy for Mazda which kicked off with the latest CX-5 and China-built 6e and CX-6e.It most recently appearing in a shadowy preview in a slide deck accompanying the brand’s latest (and somewhat dire) financial figures.Now, this shadowy preview has been brought to life thanks to YouTube channel AutoYa, which frequently posts renders of upcoming new models based on available imagery.It combines the shape of the shadowy preview with the design cues of the existing Vision X Compact concept shown in 2025 to preview the new small car family, as well as including elements of the CX-6e and new CX-5.The channel has also taken the liberty to imagine the interior as a shrunken down version of the new CX-5’s interior, albeit with a smaller set of screens.What we can tell you about the CX-3 is that it will be built in Thailand (like the current model), which is an advantage for the Australian market as it will be cheaper to build and ship here and will naturally be in built in right-hand drive.It will be the first new-generation CX-3 in 12 years after a long run of facelifts and model year updates for the still-popular crossover.It will also be an important model for Mazda as it fights off newer competition, including an upcoming next-generation Hyundai Kona, and aggressive new manufacturers from China like Jaecoo with its J5 and BYD with its Atto 2.As per the brand’s current new model strategy, it is expected the new small SUV will be available in both combustion and plugless hybrid forms. It is expected to use Mazda’s new in-house SkyActiv-Z technology, as opposed to using a Toyota-sourced system like the US-market CX-50.This system will debut on the CX-5, although the company has said it is not due in Australia until 2028.By then, the lack of electrification across Mazda’s range will be causing the brand significant issues with Australia’s new vehicle efficiency laws (NVES), which impose fines on automakers whose fleet CO2 emissions are above a certain threshold.Mazda is one of the most exposed manufacturers under the new rules. It is a big part of the reason the company has been so quick to the market with its Chinese joint-venture 6e and CX-6e, and plans to offer them with very competitive pricing.Meanwhile the company told CarsGuide in 2025 that its ‘small architecture cars’ like the Mazda 2 and CX-3 would be its next priority after its CX-5 plans come to fruition.The current Mazda 2 and CX-3 are slated to continue in Australia, at least until the new CX-3 debuts in 2027. The future of the related Mazda 2 remains uncertain, although the Vision X concept shown in 2025 at Tokyo was notably a hatchback, not an SUV.In other recent news from Mazda on the small car front, reports out of Japan claim the next-generation CX-30 is set to debut in 2030, 11 years after the current and original version launched.Little is known about the upcoming CX-30 replacement, other than it is also slated to adopt SkyActiv-Z hybrid tech, and that CEO Katsuhiro Moro said the car will adopt cost-saving measures first introduced in the CX-5 for the new model to keep it price competitive.