Hybrid cars

Five biggest cars in Australia
By Laura Berry · 07 Aug 2026
In a world of monstrously big SUVs and terrifyingly giant utes, there still exists the super large saloons for those who prefer to maintain a powerful presence with class and sophistication. We're talking limos - not the party kind - we mean the luxurious transport for business executives or those who prefer to be driven rather than drive.We've put together the top 5 largest cars currently sold in AustraliaLength: 5139mm Width: 2241mm Height: 1464mmA Lotus was not on my list of possible big-car candidates, but here we are with the fully electric 5139mm long Emeya four-door lift back. The Emeya is the first of its kind from a brand that forged its iconic reputation by building tiny sportscars in a shed. Things have changed and Lotus is now owned by Chinese manufacturer Geely, and the Emeya is built in China. While not the longest car here, the Emeya is actually the widest with its wing mirrors out. Despite its enormous exterior dimensions the Emeya isn’t particularly voluminous on the inside, but there are four seats and a 509-litre boot. Dual motors make 450kW and 710Nm, 0-100km/h in 4.1 seconds. The starting price is $190K.Length: 5139mm Width: 1900mm Height: 1450mmSecretly loving that a Toyota, sorry Lexus, quietly slipped into this top 5 elite party. At 5235mm end-to-end the LS isn’t small, and nor is it short on luxury.Lexus positions itself as a Benz or BMW on a budget, but with a starting price of $200,000 the LS isn’t all that cheap. The value is outstanding, however, compared to the others here, and while rolling up in a Lexus to meet business executives at the airport doesn’t have the same impact as a BMW 7 Series, but as a car girl, I honestly think the LS is more opulent.Powered by a V6 hybrid the LS is without a doubt the most reliable and cheapest to maintain limo here.Length: 5391mm Width: 1950mm Height: 1544mmBMW’s 7 Series is seriously imposing, a cliff face on wheels, with its gigantic grille and its sheer vertical drop, but it’s not just all front - this beast is 5.39m end to end. As a reference the Australian design rules state a car park space must be 5.4m long and 2.4m wide. So it’ll fit… just.   Updated for 2026/27 with BMW’s next-gen Neue Klasse design the 7 Series looks even more menacing and futuristic, while the interior is sporty and hi-tech with screens everywhere. As for powertrains you can burn fossil fuel with a 3.0-litre inline 294kW/580Nm six-cylinder engine on offer but the electric i7’s enormously powerful and torquey motors (making up to 400kW and 745Nm) and seamlessly brutal ability to get out of its own way suits the big BMW limo better.  The 7 Series starts at a list price of $272,900.Length: 5469mm  Width: 2109mm  Height: 1510mmThe Mercedes-Maybach S-Class is a super luxury version of the S-Class and it’s even longer than one too. A regular S-Class long wheelbase is 5289mm end to end while the Maybach version stretched 180mm at 5469mm in length.While more or less the same car as the S-Class the Maybach offers more legroom, more decadence and more engine - with a V12 offered on the higher grades.The Maybach is also more expensive - almost double the price of an S-Class LWB at about $630,000Length: 5982mm, width: 2154mm Height: 1656mmOf course the biggest car sold in Australia is a Rolls-Royce and it’s not just the Phantom Extended, it’s also the Ghost Extended at 5715mm and the Spectre Series II at 5453mm. But if we had included them, then the top 5 biggest cars would have all been Rollers.So we’ve gone for the largest Rolls-Royce car, the Phantom Extended, which at 5982mm is more a train than a car and 220mm longer than the standard wheelbase Phantom.While there are only four seats in a Phantom Extended they are the size of lounge chairs in a sumptuous hotel lobby and legroom is, well you can literally lie down back there because the seats become beds.In Australia the Phantom Extended starts at more than $1.1m but as with most Rolls-Royce’s the customers will want to personalise it with bespoke touches taking the final price much higher. 
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2000km range hybrid you never knew about
By Laura Berry · 06 Aug 2026
The Nissan Qashqai SUV has just set a Guinness World Record with the longest distance travelled on a single tank of fuel covering almost 2000km.The long-distance efficiency record of 1980km was set by Nissan using a Qashqai e-Power — the brand’s small hybrid SUV — driving from Bogota to the Caribbean coast in Colombia from July 14-17, 2026.Nissan says the almost 2000km route took in a multitude of driving conditions from heavy traffic to open roads. Guinness World Record judges certified the feat and every stage of the route was independently monitored.The Qashqai e-Power is not a plug-in hybrid, but uses an electric motor fed by a 1.8kWh battery that is charged by a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine.Operating like an electric vehicle most of the time the electric motor drives the wheels unless extra power is needed or if charge in the battery has reached a level too low.The fuel tank in a Qashqai e-Power is 55 litres in volume and requires a minimum of 95 RON premium unleaded petrol.Travelling 1980km on 55 litres means the record-setting Qashqai used an average of 2.78L/100km, which is way better than the official Nissan fuel consumption claim of 4.1L/100km after a combination of driving conditions.CarsGuide’s own testing of the Qashqai and other hybrid vehicles has found low-speed city driving without sudden or rapid acceleration will conserve fuel use significantly.This is not the first time the Nissan Qashqai has set a Guiness World Record. In 2024 the Qashqai set the record for the world’s highest bungee jump in a car.Yes you read that right. The record was performed by Nissan France in Paris and saw a professional stunt driver successfully pilot a Nissan Qashqai e-Power off a platform 65m high while connected to a large bungee cable.The Nissan Qashqai e-Power received an update in 2025 and the now all-hybrid line-up currently starts at a list price of $45,850.
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Real reason RAV4 Hybrid prices are going up
By Andrew Chesterton · 06 Aug 2026
Toyota has finally spilled on why its new models are copping price increases around the world, with one executive suggesting the brand "can't compete" with China at the entry-point of the market, and so is instead moving into a more premium space.The news came from South Africa specifically, where executives were questioned as to why the new RAV4 Hybrid is more expensive than the model it replaces. The reason, says Toyota South Africa Motors senior public relations manager Riaan Esterhuysen, is China."We intentionally moved it into a more premium space. It occupies or plays in the higher part of the segment now, and that is intentional," he told BizCommunity."We can't compete with the emerging Chinese brands directly on an entry-level price point. They have changed that market. They have shaped the market or changed the shape of the market by driving customers down to a lower and mid-tier of the segment or taking used car buyers and upselling them."Toyota in Australia hasn't mentioned China in the positioning of the refreshed RAV4 range in our market, instead pointing to an increase in value, but the prices have also increased here markedly.The entry-level to the range, the GX, climbed $3730 to $45,990, while the Cruiser grade has increased by up to $5930, to $60,340. The new-to-market RAV4 PHEV sets a new price ceiling for the model, at $66,340 for the GR Sport.Whatever the reason in Australia, the price shift hasn't hurt sales, with the RAV4 the country's best-selling vehicle in July, with a total 5564 deliveries – and 40 per cent belonged to the RAV4 PHEV.It marks something of a bounce back after a comparatively slow start to the year for Toyota in Australia. But it has previously told CarsGuide that supply constraints, not competition from China and elsewhere, was to blame.A new RAV4 and a new HiLux launched at around the same time, and the brand says it has been fighting for more supply to meet demand."Our biggest downfall this year has actually been our supply at the start, because we knew last year that we were coming into this year with a Q1 into Q2 shortfall, because we were launching the RAV4 later than we had liked," John Pappas, Toyota's Vice President, National Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations, told CarsGuide."So now the fact that we've been able to secure more production from the global allocation, particularly on hybrids and bZs and other vehicle lines, including Hilux, it's great because that enables us to shorten lead times for customers."
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New Chinese brand's Aussie start exposed
By Tim Gibson · 06 Aug 2026
GAC launched in Australia late last year, but the brand’s local progress has largely been kept under wraps.Its July sales results appeared in the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries' VFacts sales data for the first time.GAC shifted 1008 units between its four models in Australia.A spokesperson for GAC Australia told CarsGuide the brand is making steady progress in Australia.“We are satisfied with our progress since launching in the Australian market,” they said.“Our strategy has focused on building a strong foundation through the expansion of our dealer network and the establishment of the GAC brand locally.“We are confident that our activities and product initiatives during the second half of the year will further strengthen our sales performance.”GAC said in November it was aiming for a spot in the top 10 best-selling brands in Australia by the end of 2028.Here is how it has fared so far.The budget-focused GAC Emzoom is the brand’s best-selling model, with 422 units in July. The Emzoom is a petrol-powered small SUV and is the cheapest GAC available, offered in a single variant starting from $25,590, before on-road costs.It tackles the increasingly important budget SUV segment, competing with the Chery Tiggo 4 ($23,990) and MG ZS ($22,990).It still has plenty of work to do to catch up to those two rivals that feature at the top of the segment's standings.The Emzoom’s success could pose an emissions rules challenge for GAC, leaving the brand exposed to fines. The Aion V electric mid-size SUV is GAC’s second-best selling model in Australia, with 373 sales in July.Starting from $42,990, it has a similar price tag to the Geely EX5 ($41,990), but has not experienced the same surging sales.The Aion UT budget-focused electric hatch is the slowest seller of GAC's car-based vehicles, achieving 148 units sold in July. GAC Aion UT is priced from $31,990 (drive-away) until September 2026, but managed less than half the sales of segment-leading BYD Dolphin ($29,990, before on-road costs).The Aion UT is an important model for GAC, with the budget EV space proving popular in light of high fuel prices and stringent emissions rules. The M8 plug-in hybrid people-mover has unsurprisingly shifted the fewest examples for GAC at 65. The luxury-pitched MPV, starting from $76,590, has a limited buyer base in a segment dominated by the diesel- and hybrid-powered Kia Carnival ($56,540). It has outsold electric competitors the Denza D9 ($95,990) and Zeekr 009 ($115,990), representing a cheaper electrified alternative in the people mover space. GAC hinted at new products coming in the second half of the year, with the brand likely to make announcements in the coming weeks. It has already confirmed a cheaper Aion UT variant is on the way to better rival the BYD Dolphin and incoming Geely EX2 ($26,490). We expect this to be priced below the $30,000 mark when it gets here in late 2026.GAC aims to have more than 10 models on sale in Australia by 2030, so it could introduce as many as four new cars next year.There are two large electric SUVs due in the next 12 months, but confirmed details on them remain scarce.The luxury-pitched Aion Hyptec HT could potentially be one of these models as it is GAC's only fully-electric large SUV on sale.An even bigger, potentially three-row, SUV is expected to also arrive next year. GAC is planning to introduce a hybrid or electric ute before the end of the decade.
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BYD Seal 6 Premium 2026 review: snapshot | Skoda Octavia wagon rival tested
By Chris Thompson · 05 Aug 2026
The 2027 BYD Seal 6 is a plug-in hybrid rival to the Toyota Camry with a competitive price and a long driving range available either as a sedan in Essential grade, or as a wagon (Touring) in Premium grade. The Touring Premium starts from $39,990 before on-road costs and comes with extra features and an upgraded drivetrain over the sedan.While the Essential comes with a decent amount of standard kit, including wireless phone mirroring, synthetic leather upholstery, power-adjustable front seats and a 12.8-inch multimedia touchscreen, the Touring Premium adds features like a panoramic sunroof and heated and vented front seats.It’s powered by a hybrid system consisting of a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine that helps an electric motor drive the front wheels, drawing power from a 19kWh battery to deliver 163kW and 260Nm in total.The battery is good for 100km of electric driving under WLTP conditions, and when combined with a full 65L fuel tank means a driving range of well over 1000km overall. Consumption ranges from 0.8L/100km to 4.1L/100km with either a full or depleted battery.The BYD Seal 6 boasts a five-star ANCAP rating, with seven airbags and a safety suite including adaptive cruise control with forward collision warning and automatic braking intervention.BYD has a six-year/150,000km warranty, plus an eight-year/160,000km warranty for the battery.Servicing is every 20,000km or 12 months, with the first five services totalling $2775, an average of $555 a visit.
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Affordable new Nissan SUV teased
By Tom White · 05 Aug 2026
Nissan has teased yet another Chinese-built SUV as part of its tie-up with Dongfeng, which could serve as a cut-price replacement for the Ariya.Dubbed the NX7, Nissan shared a single teaser image of the new model on its Chinese social media channels ahead of its reveal.In line with the naming practices used on cars in China, the NX7 will serve as a mid-size SUV, a segment below the five-meter long NX8 which has just hit the market overseas.While no details of the car are available yet, the shadowy teaser shows a car with similar design traits to the NX8, with split light clusters, a filled-in front panel and an illuminated Nissan badge. Its lower light fittings are distinct from the strip-style lights featured in the NX8’s design, while traditional wing mirrors and a Lidar cluster on the roof also feature.If it follows in the footsteps of the NX8, expect the NX7 to be offered with both a purely electric (EV) and range-extender (REEV) hybrid option.The NX7 will build on the success of Nissan’s Dongfeng joint venture, which has thus far produced the Frontier Pro PHEV ute as a BYD Shark 6 rival (expected to be called the Navara Pro in Australia), as well as the N6 and N7 sedans, which join the NX8 as important wins for Nissan as it experiences a shrinking footprint elsewhere in the world.While the company had a head start in the electrification space with the pioneering Leaf hatchback, it has struggled to remain competitive since the rise of Tesla and cut-price Chinese alternatives.To that end, under the leadership of relatively new CEO Ivan Espinosa, Nissan has stated it will lean more heavily into its successful Chinese joint venture to leverage ‘China Speed’ product development for the global market.The NX7 is the next in what the company said will be 10 new Chinese models to be revealed by 2027. To our count, the brand is up to five new models, or seven if you include the recently updated combustion models from the joint venture, the Teana sedan and Pathfinder large SUV.Locally, the NX7 could be more price competitive than the car which Nissan already offers in this mid-size space, the Ariya.Starting from $55,840, before on-roads, the Ariya goes head-to-head with the Tesla Model Y (from $58,900), BYD Sealion 7 (from $54,990) and Toyota bZ4X (from $55,990), although all of those rivals offer a longer driving range in their most basic forms.This leaves Nissan without a car to compete at the entry level of the mid-size SUV space, with the likes of the Geely EX5, GAC Aion V, and Leapmotor C10, all from the mid-$40k mark.It would also open the door to Nissan offering a REEV model to compete with the likes of the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and BYD Sealion 6 at a competitive price.Nissan has been approached for comment on the new model’s chances for an Australian launch. While the company has alluded to exporting the Frontier Pro PHEV and NX8 to Australia in the past, it is yet to confirm timing for the models.
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Australia a ‘tough environment’ says Mazda
By Tom White · 05 Aug 2026
The extent of Mazda’s transforming business has been made evident in its latest quarterly financial report which details global sales up until March of 2026.Key takeaways from the report include Mazda pinning much of its future global growth on the launch of its Chinese-built electric duo of the Mazda 6e liftback and CX-6e SUV, with the incoming next-generation CX-3 also predicted to be a big driver for markets like South East Asia and Australia in 2027.The brand also noted strong demand for the plugless hybrid CX-50 in North America. While this model isn’t headed to Australia, it bodes well for the future CX-5 hybrid which is due in Australia in 2028.The company spent minimal time on the results for its large platform vehicles (CX-60, CX-70, CX-80, and CX-90) which were previously a big investment for Mazda in moving to a semi-premium price space, debuting a new rear-drive architecture and family of inline-six engines.The CX-70 and CX-90 were both down significantly in the North American market they were expressly designed for.The company said the CX-60, however, had been performing notably well in Australia, up 13 per cent year-on-year, against the backdrop of a 22 per cent decline year-on-year.Mazda’s global operation described Australia as a “tough environment” citing strong demand for “low-priced battery EVs and HEVs amid rising fuel prices,” alluding to cut-price Chinese rivals leaping up the sales charts.Again, the company called out the 6e and CX-6e as a particular vector for “expanding sales” in Australia as models which meet “market demand and environmental regulations.”Australia has long been one of Mazda’s strongest markets globally, although our market’s influence looks to be waning as the Japanese brand’s share shrinks in the face of said “tough” conditions.For the first quarter of 2026, which this global report details, Mazda’s sales in Australia amounted to 19,000 units, down 22 per cent, while the brand’s sales in China were headed in the opposite direction, up one per cent to 18,000 units year-on-year.Meanwhile in Europe, which also depends on electric sales of the Chinese-built electric models, sales were up significantly to 43,000 units, more than doubling the brand’s tally in Australia over the same time period.With Mazda’s China operation soon to overtake Australia, and its European operation in significant growth, the company may shift its priorities away from our market as it senses growth to be had elsewhere.The USA, which is Mazda’s largest market, is also up but largely due to the domestically built CX-50 hybrid which does heavy lifting in dodging a challenging tariff environment and coming with an in-demand plugless hybrid drivetrain.After the launch of the CX-6e in Australia imminently which is priced from a competitive $53,990, before on-road costs, Mazda will bridge the gap to the long-awaited CX-5 hybrid with the next-generation CX-3 small SUV.The company reiterated in its financial results that CX-3 production will begin in Thailand before the end of the year and will go on sale in markets like Australia in early 2027.As to Mazda’s larger models, the brand acknowledged the need to put them back on track if it wants to replicate the success of models like the CX-7 and CX-9 which they replaced at a more premium price-point.The company’s North American CFO said the large SUV situation is “not acceptable” in comments reported by industry source Automotive News, adding deeper upgrades would be on the way to make the CX-70 and CX-90 specifically more competitive.Details on what these upgrades may include or when they might arrive for the Japan-built pair are yet to be confirmed.Locally, the CX-60 is down 7.0 per cent year-on-year according to more recent local VFACTs numbers, with Mazda introducing price tweaks and a new base G25 four-cylinder variant to the range in order to increase its appeal.The CX-80, the smaller of the two three-row options in the range is also performing decently after a significant price cut earlier this year, while the CX-70 and CX-90 are also languishing in our sales charts despite also receiving price adjustments.
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New ute to eat HiLux, Shark 6 for breakfast
By Dom Tripolone · 04 Aug 2026
Chery is tapping a local engineering firm to sharpen its incoming Stockman ute into a real-life Toyota HiLux and BYD Shark 6 smasher.Aussie outfit Premcar, which already turns Nissan Patrols and Navaras into 4WD beasts, will undertake extensive local testing and validation to get the Stockman ready for Aussie roads and adventures.Chery Australia Chief Operating Officer Lucas Harris previously said the brand had one chance to get the ute right, and it appears it is throwing everything but the kitchen sink at it to make it a proper success."Australia is one of the world's most demanding ute markets, and we know our customers expect a vehicle that performs confidently across everything from urban streets to highways, construction sites and remote off-road tracks," said Harris.Premcar boss Bernie Quinn said Chery had very clear vision on what it wanted from its Stockman ute.“Chery has gone the extra mile with its first-ever Stockman ute,” he said.The move to undertake a comprehensive ride and handling program is a change of course for the brand, which previously told CarsGuide it doesn’t need to tune its cars in Australia to get a better result.“I think as long as we have the intelligent and educated input, whether we do that work in China or Europe or North America is irrelevant,” Harris said previously.“As long as the request is right of the spec we want and how we want it to behave and then a local validation of whether we got what we asked for. You don’t need a facility here to do that.”The importance of getting the Stockman right for Aussies appears to have changed that.The Stockman is due to go on sale by the end of the year, and will be powered by a diesel plug-in hybrid set-up. Not even Toyota - the master of diesel utes and hybrids - has delivered this set-up.The Stockman combines a 2.5-litre turbocharged diesel engine with an electric motor to deliver 350kW and 800Nm sent to all four wheels.It can drive up to 100km under electric-only power, but this is calculated via the more lenient NEDC test cycle. Expect closer to 80km when tested to the benchmark WLTP cycle.A petrol plug-in version will join the range in 2027.The Stockman will be a proper work truck, with leaf spring rear suspension paired with more sophisticated double wishbone hardware up front.It will have a 750kg unbraked and 3500kg braked towing capacity. Chery has not revealed payload yet.The Stockman will wear all terrain tyres as standard and will have 247mm of ground clearance.It is a big unit measuring 5450mm long, 2010 wide and 1890 tall. It’s wheelbase is a large 3250mm. The tub is 1560mm long, 1560mm wide and 500mm high.Chery has also previously said it would have front, centre and rear diff locks, and it should have low gearing for proper off-roading.
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Why your next Korean car could be a Chery
By Tom White · 04 Aug 2026
KGM, formerly SsangYong, has received a large investment from Chery as the Chinese giant looks to secure a long-term strategic presence in South Korea.Chery has pledged a US$75 million (over $107 million) investment in Korea’s third largest automaker, following on from a previously-announced deal to build a mid-size and large SUV using Chery platforms in South Korea.Both brands will also deepen collaborations on software, electrical architecture and autonomous driving features.The deal will grant KGM access to Chery platforms, which will give it a boost on the electrification front, and accelerate product development cycles. For Chery it will potentially open up a manufacturing base in South Korea, which can have several trade benefits, particularly to markets like Europe in the future.The previous strategic agreement between the brands will result in a co-developed vehicle (code-named SE-10) on the Chery T2X platform, which currently underpins the Tiggo 9 large SUV. The Tiggo 9 is currently Chery’s flagship offering in Australia.This platform will give KGM access to desirable plug-in hybrid tech, which is a notable omission from its current line-up.KGM said the SE-10 will be in the upper large segment and “continue the Rexton’s legacy”. It also said the joint-venture vehicle will launch in early 2027 globally and will be available both as a plug-in hybrid and 2.0-litre petrol turbo.It is unclear whether this model will live alongside the Musso-based Rexton, which KGM dubs “Korea’s only ladder frame SUV” or replace it entirely. The latter would mean no replacement Rexton based on the new-generation Q300 Musso.The Korea Times reports Chery said it was open to the idea of launching the Chery brand in South Korea, but for now was focused on its partnership only.Chery is not the only manufacturer eyeing South Korea as an important and globally strategic manufacturing base. Geely and Renault share resources and build cars at the former Renault/Samsung plant in Busan, including the new-generation Grand Koleos and Polestar 4.For KGM the investment is critical as it seeks to be more of a global player after years of financial turmoil under the SsangYong brand.The automaker languished under its previous owner Mahindra and for a long time struggled to find a buyer, which has had the knock-on effect of delaying new model roll-out plans. This is part of the reason the brand has long lived in the shadow of Korea’s most famous duo, Hyundai and Kia.Now owned by South Korean chemical and resource giant KG, the company has since paid its debts and launched a range of new models, including the mid-sized Torres and Actyon SUVs, and has spun-off its Musso ute range into a sub-brand, launching the Musso EV and next-generation Q300 diesel ute.Under the SsangYong brand, the Korean company had significant staying power in Australia despite a relatively small operation thanks to a cult following for its affordable and unassuming diesel Musso ute which continues to be its best-seller.While KGM has struggled with the rise of affordable Chinese rivals in the Australian market, it will no doubt be pinning its future sales success Down Under on the Q300 Musso which launches here later in 2026.Meanwhile Chery has surged up the charts locally, now ranking amongst Australia’s top-10 automakers thanks largely to the success of its ultra-affordable Tiggo 4 small SUV and Tiggo 7 mid-sizer.Chery also looks set to flood the market with its sub-brands building on the existing success of Omoda/Jaecoo (albeit largely via the Jaecoo J5 EV).Not only will it launch Lepas in Australia later this year, but the arrival of the off-road focused Jetour and blocky iCaur lifestyle brands are also expected.While many headlines are drawn to BYD, and SAIC (MG, LDV) has been established for longer in Australia, Chery is China’s largest vehicle exporter, sending 1,146,350 vehicles overseas, nearly doubling its tally from last year.Its deal with KGM is just one of a range of strategic investments, with others around the world including with Jaguar Land Rover (which has spawned a re-boot of Freelander as a new joint-venture brand) and also a memorandum of understanding with Indian giant, Tata Motors.It also plans to utilise part of Nissan’s Sunderland plant in the UK to build Chery models for the UK and Europe.
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New range of anti-utes incoming
By James Cleary · 04 Aug 2026
Volkswagen Australia is rapidly expanding its commercial vehicle portfolio with the introduction of a stripped back ‘Runner’ version of its large Crafter van, a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powered Multivan scheduled to arrive in mid-2027 and a PHEV version of the compact Caddy van also looking likely for arrival next year.Pitched at $59,990, drive-away, the Crafter Runner Van returns in the current-generation version of VW’s ‘big box’ workhorse, sitting more than $10K under the Crafter 35 MWB Van TDI360 it’s based on ($72,600, before on road costs).Positioned by VW as “optimised for basic needs” the Runner is offered exclusively in (103kW/360Nm) turbo-diesel, front-wheel drive, mid-wheelbase form with changes including:Black rather than a painted front bumperBarn doors without windowsBase seats (two) in synthetic leather (rather than three-across ‘Comfort’ seating)But it retains the technical specs of the Crafter 35 MWB Van TDI360.The Runner’s sliding door aperture is a generous 1311mm, it boasts four-Euro pallet load capacity, a low (570mm) load sill, 2.5-tonne braked trailer towing capacity and a partition with fixed windows and grille.At the same time Volkswagen Australia Commercial Vehicles Head of Marketing & Product Michelle Rowney has confirmed mid-2027 arrival timing for the PHEV Multivan eHybrid.The current T7-generation Multivan eHybrid is powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, working in concert with an electric motor to deliver a combined 180kW/350Nm to all four wheels via a six-speed dual-clutch transmission and VW’s ‘4Motion’ drive system.It features a 19.7kWh (net) NMC battery for a maximum pure-electric driving range of 93km (WLTP) and a 50kW DC charge rate allows a 10-80 per cent top up in around 26 minutes. AC charge rate is up to 11kW.Zero to 100km/h acceleration is a sprightly 8.9 seconds with a top speed of 200km/h (130 km/h in pure-EV mode).And Ms Rowney has also hinted that the Caddy eHybrid is a strong candidate for local sale, telling CarsGuide, "We're in the planning stages of that."Using essentially the same 1.5-litre petrol engine/electric motor powertrain as its larger Crafter sibling the Caddy extends pure-electric range out to 122 km (WLTP) and also supports 50kW DC fast charging.
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