Long term reviews

Leapmotor C10 2026 review: Design REEV long-term | Part 3
By Andrew Chesterton · 24 May 2026
It’s time to say goodbye to my Leapmotor C10 REEV, which has been my family transport for the past three months or so.And if you’re thinking about putting one of these on your shortlist, then read on, because I’m going to tell you what I liked, and what I didn’t about life with the Leapmotor.And this is one you don’t want to miss. Because the things I like about this car, I really like. But the things I don't? Well, those I really, really hate.So, let’s take a closer look, shall we?So, the things I like. Let’s kick off with the design. I'm surprised not everyone agrees with me on this, but I like the way this C10 looks. And that’s because I see it as a bit like a haircut.This is, basically the automotive equivalent of a bloke asking for a short back and sides. You’re not going to walk out of the hairdresser turning heads. But equally, you’re not going to look back at photos of yourself 10 years from now and think ‘a top bun with an urban mullet – what the hell I was thinking?’.This is simple, straightforward car design that is clean and likely to age well.And that’s true in the cabin, too, where the C10 offers a simple, screen-forward design language that doesn’t inspire but doesn’t offend.Some cars you just know are going to look like real fashion choices within a few years, but I don’t think that’s the case here. What do I like number two? The space. There’s a lot of it. The C10 maximises its dimensions in the back seat and in the boot, which has been incredibly valuable given we now have a 18-month old for whom we always have to pack heavy, whether we're going to the shops or for a weekend away.The back seat is the real superpower of the C10 REEV, which uses its 4.7m in length and 1.9m in width to maximise space for the rear riders.I’m 175cm, and I had heaps of knee and headroom, but the real test for us is always our baby’s massive child seat. In some cars, the room is too tight so the front of the child seat pushes into the back of the passenger seat. But that’s not the case in this, with the front seat rider able to get comfy with room to spare.The boot is decent, too, with 546 litres on offer with the rear seats in place and 1375L with them folded flat. I wish there was a better dedicated charger storage area, though. There is some space under the boot floor, but the charger doesn't sit flush, so it pushes the floor up. What do I like number three? The powertrain is clever, even if it doesn’t deliver the fuel savings I was hoping for.This is a REEV, or Range Extender Electric Vehicle. And this one pairs a rear-mounted electric motor with a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that acts as a mobile power generator for the C10’s 28.4kWh lithium iron phosphate battery.In simple terms, it drives like an EV, but when charge is low the engine kicks in to provide power to the battery, with a bunch of drive modes that control when and how the battery is recharged.Okay, so onto the bad stuff. And by far the single biggest annoyance is the fact it all feels needlessly complicated and frustratingly slow.That begins with the credit-card-style key, which may well be the worst system I've ever encountered. To unlock and start the car, you need to hold it against the driver's wing mirror. And you need to do the same everytime you get out to turn the car off and lock it.Now, I want you to imagine getting out of the car, grabbing a baby from the back seat, groceries from the boot, and then having to carry both back to the driver's door mirror where you then fumble for the key card to turn off the car. It’s ferociously annoying. And, because there’s no push-button start, you need to rest the keycard on the wireless phone charger to select a gear, too.Yes, there’s a phone app and a passcode system that means you can circumvent the card. But I found the app’s proximity lock and unlock to be woefully hit-and-miss and the passcode entry system is slow and clunky. And because it can take ages for the screen to wake up, you can find yourself sitting there for ages waiting to be able to enter the code to start the car.That system is emblematic of my Leapmotor C10 REEV experience. Everything is complicated. Everything lives within the screen menus and everything is slower than it should be.Number two on my don’t like list. It’s not as efficient as expected. I’ve tried charging lots, driving gently, and I cover lots of long-distances and I can’t get the fuel use to be as good as a regular hybrid SUV. There are four driving modes available – 'EV+', 'EV-normal', 'Fuel mode', 'Power+' – all of which control when the petrol engine should kick in.Over my final 670km with the car, I averaged around 6.9L/100km. That's not horrific for a car this size – especially given it sips the cheapest E10 fuel – but it's also not as good as you might find in something like a RAV4 Hybrid, which you would also never need to plug in.If you plug it in every night and use that EV mode as much as possible, that number will plummet. But that felt like a lot of work, especially given the 28.4kWh battery will only give you around 100km or so of pure-EV driving.The final item on my don’t-like list? It just doesn’t feel polished enough to compete in Australia. I know that sounds harsh, but I like the smaller Leapmotor B10, so I know the brand can do it. The C10 REEV, for me, just isn’t it.The truth is the C10 found a way to annoy me in some way on just about every trip, whether it was how long it took for the reversing camera screen to wake up, or the proximity unlocking deciding when to work and when not to, or the phantom honking of the horn when it incorrectly thought there was still a baby in our baby seat.In a time filled with affordable newcomer brands in Australia, there are just a few too many quirks aboard the C10 REEV for me.
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Volkswagen ID.5 2026 review: Pro long-term | Part 1
By Laura Berry · 23 May 2026
A month ago we said goodbye to our Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid long-term test car and hello to our current one, the Volkswagen ID.5 SUV.Alongside its ID.4 sibling, the ID.5 is Volkswagen’s first electric SUV and it's the first time I’ve driven one, so I entered this long-term test the same way you walk into a supermarket while on holiday - a bit lost, even if everything looks the same.The ID.5 is a mid-sized electric SUV and the Volkswagen rival to the Toyota bZ4x, Tesla Model Y, Geely EX5 and the mechanically related Skoda Enyaq.The ID.5 is the not-so identical twin to the ID.4, the difference being the ID.5 has a swoopier, coupe-like profile while the ID.4 has a boxier shape.Both the ID.5 and ID.4 are offered in two grades, the Pro and the sporty, top-of-the-range GTX.The ID. 5 Pro is the car we are testing and it lists for $62,990 before on-road costs.The standard features list includes heated and massaging front seats, three-zone climate control, a panoramic sunroof, a head-up display, proximity unlocking and LED headlights.The ID.5 has a 77kWh battery and a range of up to 543km. There’s one motor and it makes 210kW and 543Nm.What’s interesting is that Volkswagen created completely new models for its first electric SUVs rather than just making an electric variant of its combustion powered Tiguan mid-sized SUV.Frankly, I think an electric Tiguan would have been a better idea and I’ll tell you why later.My first impression is that the ID.5 isn’t really an SUV but just a large-ish, round-ish car. Some people told me they loved the way it looked, but I have trouble seeing its beauty. Although I admit it is uniquely designed compared to many SUVs.I immediately appreciate the quality feel of every touch point, from the door handles through to the seats and steering wheel. The ID.5 doesn’t look like any Volkswagen that went before it, but the materials and craftsmanship are very much on-brand even if the styling is new.I was concerned the ID.5 might not be big enough for my family. It doesn't seem particularly spacious or practical for a family of five.Getting our child into the car and buckled up has been hard on my back, largely because of the coupe-like roofline. Higher-riding SUVs with taller door openings make this job easy, but the ID.5’s shape doesn’t help. Halfway through putting my daughter into her car seat in the pouring rain at night, I wished Volkswagen had just made a Tiguan EV. At least the ID.4 has a boxier shape.However, the space back there for head and legroom is actually very good. Our forward-facing child seat fits well with room for our daughter’s legs without the front passenger having to squash themselves against the dashboard.Storage is good with big door pockets but the adaptable cup holder area is a waste of space (literally) and the wireless phone charger lives in a pokey little cave down there, too.The boot is big at 549 litres but, again, the sloping roofline means tall objects won't fit under that hatch. Again, I miss the practicality of the Tiguan with its draws and utility. At this point I feel like VW has forgotten its ethos of maintaining practicality.Finally, while the volume and climate control functions are physical they're haptic buttons which sometimes work and sometimes don’t. It’s already making me go a bit bananas.The best thing about the ID.5 so far is energy efficiency. Also, the way the ID.5 drives, too. It’s smooth, comfortable, planted and quick. And we’ve spent more than a thousand kilometres behind the wheel - 1142km to be exact.But really if there's one thing that impresses me the most, it’s the SUV's efficiency. Some EVs I've lived with have given me such range anxiety. They've stayed home in the driveway while we’ve taken our own combustion car instead if we are traveling far and the availability of chargers is scarce.But the ID.5 uses its charge quite frugally. Officially, the combined energy use is 16.3kWh/100km but we’ve done even better at 15.8kWh. In the coming months I’ll attempt to calculate exactly how far we can get on a full charge because I might be able to beat the 543km range.I know I’m going to regret saying that…The headlights perform an unsettling movement when the car detects the key within range. It’s a sort of shifty side-eye action that is a bit too life-like for me.The other thing is the ID.5's accelerator pedal has a 'play button’ icon embossed on it and there’s a pause button on the brake pedal. I don’t like this nor do I like the person who thought it was cute, whoever they are. Acquired: March 2026Distance travelled this month: 1142kmOdometer: 1848kmAverage energy consumption this month: 15.8kWh/100km  
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Hyundai Inster 2026 review: Standard Range long-term | Part 2
By Tom White · 21 May 2026
Tragedy strikes, as our Inster from chapter one gets side-swiped.Thankfully, not while I was driving it, and also, the damage, mechanically, was fairly minimal even though the torn-off bumper looks a bit dramatic.So, what happens next? The car goes back to Hyundai to be repaired and in the meantime we were offered up a Standard Range version in its place. It’s the perfect opportunity to see the difference between the two grades, and evaluate whether it’s worth spending the extra to get into the Extended Range we started with.The price separating the two cars? Just $3500 with the main difference being the battery size.The regular Inster we’re hopping into has a 42kWh battery, which according to the more accurate WLTP standard offers 327km of driving range, while the Extended Range gets a 49kWh battery pack, offering a 360km range.However, the Extended Range also comes with bigger wheels, and can optionally have the brown houndstooth interior the previous car had.I kind of prefer the black pack interior on the Standard Range model we've substituted into, and I even think you’re better off with the smaller wheel and larger tyre package, as it makes the ride noticeably more comfortable and probably contributes to additional driving range despite the smaller battery.There is also a slight difference in the tune of the electric motor, with the Extended Range scoring slightly more power to compensate for its modest weigh increase. For what it’s worth, the increase in power is barely perceptible due to the change in weight.I do wonder what the point of having both grades is in Hyundai’s range, as the battery sizes and even the prices are so close together. It’s not as though anyone considering even the more expensive version of the BYD Atto 1 at $27,990 is going to be convinced to buy an Inster at nearly $10,000 more.Then again, there are some things which you should be thinking about at this entry-level part of the EV market.For example, as alluded to in my first chapter, the underpinnings of the Inster feel far more sophisticated than pretty much any city car I’ve driven in the past, with robust steering and good suspension calibration. And there are finer technical details which should make this car age better than some of its contemporaries.The primary one is its liquid-cooled battery, where the Atto 1 gets only an air-cooled unit (with some assistance from the air conditioning). If you’re not across the differences, liquid cooling is generally associated with much better battery ageing over time. The older-generation Nissan Leafs (Leaves?) and Mitsubishi Outlanders had air-cooled units which cut their range in half after 15 or so years.Plus, the relatively tame tech in the Inster is actually to its benefit. Sure you can get bigger, fancier screens and software in a whole list of new Chinese cars at this price point, but a lot of them are quite annoying to use in the real world.For all its last-gen visual appeal, there’s something to be said for simple software and an array of physical buttons and dials which just work.Back to the difference between the two Inster grades, and I’m quite surprised to find I don’t miss the Extended Range version at all.I’m using the Inster in a way I assume it was intended to be, either as a city-exclusive vehicle, or as a second car. In the midst of a fuel crisis, it’s very nice to be able to hop into something and not have to think about how much it is costing you just to drive to the shops which are otherwise just outside of walking distance.I prefer driving the Inster anytime I’m in or around the denser parts of the city where I know parking will be at a premium. It’s great to leave my personal Forester, or any other vehicle I might have on loan which is larger, at home when I know I’m going to be hunting for kerbside parking.In this context, the Extended Range version of the car starts to make less and less sense. I’m doing comparatively so few kilometres and charging so infrequently despite the lesser range. When it comes to charging, Hyundai’s spec sheet earmarks an impressive 120kW charging ability, but the fastest I’ve seen, even on a 150kW stack is around 70kW. With such a small battery though, you turn around and it’s half charged.It won’t be convenient on a road trip, perhaps, but most people buying this diminutive hatch as a second car won’t notice because they’ll spend most of their time charging it seamlessly overnight.Other benefits of the Standard Range include better ride quality, as previously mentioned, and still plenty of pep, with the lack of weight (for an EV) and skinny tyres making it chuckable around corners. It also uses a bit less energy. I’m seeing 11.4kWh/100km on the dash, compared to the Extended Range, which was doing closer to 14kWh/100km.As to what others are thinking of the Inster, it’s a real love/hate divide, with the styling make-or-break for family and friends who seem to either love it or hate it.Nobody is a fan of how plasticky the interior feels, however I’m yet to receive a complaint that the screens are too small…In good news for me, the Extended Range version will be returned to me for next month’s chapter after being repaired.I did 457km in the Standard Range, only needing to charge it twice, and get this, according to my calculations, I was going to get exactly the claimed range of 327km from a full charge. I don’t think that’s happened before.Tune in next month for our farewell chapter and video.Acquired: March 2026Distance travelled this month: 467kmOdometer: 5207kmAverage energy consumption this month: 11.4kWh/100km
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Zeekr 7X 2026 review: RWD long-term | Part 3
By Justin Hilliard · 18 May 2026
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
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Nissan Ariya 2026 review: Evolve e-4orce long-term | Part 3
By Dom Tripolone · 05 Apr 2026
In the past three months I’ve spent more than 40 hours behind the wheel of the Nissan Ariya e-4orce covering more than 1300km in the process and something has become pretty obvious.The Ariya is an all-rounder. It gets a lot of pass marks, a few please explains, but one feature is hard to ignore.Its greatest selling point is its amazing ownership credentials.Nissan backs its cars with a conditional 10 year/300,000km warranty, which is the best in the game.Buyer beware, though, you need to service your vehicle at a Nissan dealership for every scheduled visit or it reverts to a five-year/unlimited km guarantee.This also applies to Nissan’s roadside assistance program that can be extended for the same 10-year period.Nissan further sweetens the deal with a capped price servicing deal for the first five workshop visits, that will set you back $299 a pop. There isn’t really another area where the Ariya paces the field.Our dual-motor Ariya has an 87kWh battery, which continually falls short of its claimed 487km driving range. We’d bank on about 400km from a full charge.Even if we compare the claimed range with some key competitors — the Tesla Model Y, Kia EV5 and Zeekr 7X — the sub-500km limit isn’t good enough.It also doesn’t have any cost advantages, especially against newer rivals.Our range-topping Evolve e-4orce grade costs $71,840, before on-road costs, which is more than the Model Y Premium ($68,900), and about the same as the Kia EV5 GT-Line ($71,770) and Zeekr 7X Performance ($72,990).The Model Y and 7X have a significantly longer range, more hi-tech features and are faster, while the EV5 is arguably more luxuriously equipped on paper.Electric cars are meant to feel hi-tech, but the Ariya doesn’t feel much different from a petrol, diesel or hybrid SUV.When charging there are next to no readouts to show the progress or applications to whittle away the time as you wait to fill up.DC charging speed is okay at 130kW maximum, but well below the rate rivals can accept.One area the Ariya does show up some of its rivals is build quality.The Ariya we lived with no doubt had a hard life with a year’s worth of weekly media loans with often mechanically unsympathetic motoring journalists behind the wheel.But our test car had no noticeable rattles, no heavily worn surfaces or electrical quirks.The cabin is well put together with top-shelf material used throughout. A particular highlight is the synthetic suede material that covers the dash and door trims. It is soft to touch and breaks up the hard faux wood veneer and plastic surfaces, leaving a premium feel throughout the cabin.It is also good to see the quality extend to the back row, which is where carmakers usually try to cut costs.The cabin is also extremely spacious, with a completely flat floor and giant panoramic sunroof giving it a light and airy feel.I managed to fit two child seats — one front and one rear facing — with ease and the back row has its own aircon vents and charging ports for older passengers.There is a lack of storage options up front. The two narrow glove boxes in the dash are handy, but the top deck of the centre console only has two cupholders and a wireless phone charger with no easily accessible spots for nick-nacks.The boot is on the smaller side. A full size pram will take up most of the space and you’ll likely have to take out the parcel shelf to fit it.For a weekend adventure up the coast I made do with a plane-compatible pram, a range of overnight bags and some totes. Some smaller items needed to be fitted on the front passenger seat floor.As with most electric cars there is no spare tyre, with owners forced to make do with a fiddly repair kit. It simply isn’t good enough for a family car.On the road the Ariya is a solid performer. It exerts great body control through the corners thanks to all the weight of the battery under the floor.Over consistent bumps on the road that weight can get very unsettled, with suspension struggling to keep the car’s circa 2200kg mass in check. A brief drive of the single motor version previously showed a more settled and comfortable ride, thanks to its lighter weight.That weight also dulls its performance. Despite its 320kW and 600Nm the Ariya Evolve e-4orce completes the benchmark 0-100km/h sprint time in 5.6 seconds.I’m okay with that, as this is a family SUV not a potent performance car. So, I would say its performance is right where it needs to be.There are several drive modes, including 'Eco', 'Normal' and 'Sport' that can adjust how the power is delivered and the bite of the regenerative braking.The single pedal drive mode — called 'e-pedal' in Nissan speak — is a winner. It allows you to drive with just the accelerator pedal, where you push down to go and lift off to stop. It is easy to get used to and the increased regenerative braking will help add more juice to the battery while you come to a stop.2026 Nissan Ariya Evolve AWD Acquired: December 2025Distance travelled this month: 300kmOdometer: 7042kmAverage energy consumption this month: 21.5kWh/100km
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Kia EV3 2026 review: GT-Line long-term | Part 1
By Tim Nicholson · 30 Mar 2026
Kia’s EV rollout has been a lot more rapid than most of its mainstream, non-Chinese rivals. It now sells the Kia EV3, EV4, EV5, EV6 and EV9 and only recently discontinued the electric version of the underrated Niro small SUV. In short, there’s plenty of choice if you’re a Kia fan that wants an electric car.Fresh off its win for the Best Small Car Under $50,000 category in the 2026 CarsGuide Car of the Year awards, I will be living with a top-of-the-range EV3 GT-Line for three months. We are very confident in our award protocols, but a long-term review like this is a great way to see what it’s like to live with the EV3 day to day and to find any chinks in the armour.This review will cover how much the EV3 costs, standard features, driving range and more. Subsequent reviews will highlight how it drives and how practical the interior is.With the oil crisis hitting petrol prices across the country, many buyers are looking for an alternative to a petrol car. Is the Kia EV3 the right first for you?Read on to find out.The Kia EV3 fills the slot left by the Niro EV in Kia’s line-up and it does it with a bit more of an edge.Design is a huge part of the EV3’s appeal and I will cover my thoughts on that in the next instalment of this long-term review. But it’s fair to say it's caught the attention of a lot of my neighbours.The EV3 line-up consists of the Air, Earth and GT-Line grades, with the Air offered in Standard and Long Range. The Earth and GT-Line - my test vehicle - are exclusively Long Range.Pricing ranges from $47,600 before on-road costs for the Air Standard Range and tops out with the GT-Line I am testing at $63,950.There’s a growing list of EVs with similar dimensions and pricing. From the Hyundai Group stable there’s the Hyundai Kona Electric (from $54,000-$71,000), from Europe there’s the Renault Megane E-Tech ($54,990 drive-away) and the rest are from China.There’s the freshly launched Leapmotor B10 (from $38,990 d/a), Jaecoo J5 ($from $35,990 d/a), Chery E5 (from $36,990) and BYD’s Atto 2 (from $31,990 BOC). All of these are a fair bit cheaper than the EV3. But does that automatically mean they are better value?Sitting at the top of the line-up means the GT-Line gets all of the standard gear you’d expect and want. And it would want to given you’re looking at $65k d/a for a small SUV.Here is just some of the standard kit you’ll get at this level:Flush door handlesPower adjustable, heated and folding door mirrorsSteering paddles for regenerative brakingFour USB-C ports12-volt power outletWireless phone chargerVehicle-to-load charging12.3-inch digital driver display and integrated 12.3-inch multimedia displayWired and Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with voice recognitionSat-navDigital radioOver-the-air updatesDual-zone climate controlRetractable luggage screenKeyless entry and startThese features are exclusive to GT-Line or GT-Line and Earth 2WD Long Range:Grade-specific 19-inch alloy wheel designGT-Line two-tone artificial leather seat trim10-way power adjustable driver and front passenger seatsDriver’s seat memoryHeated and ventilated front seatsHeated steering wheelFull LED tail-lights and indicatorsDynamic welcome lightsRear privacy glassSunroofPower tailgateAmbient lightingAlloy sports pedalsThree spoke sports steering wheelExtendable table top in the front consoleEight-speaker Harman Kardon sound systemHead-up displayAuto-dimming rear-view mirrorAnd this is the standard safety gear:Auto emergency braking with car, pedestrian, cyclist and junction detectionLane keep assistLane follow assistBlind spot collision assistRear cross-traffic assistDriver attention warning and forward attention monitorOver-speed warningAdaptive cruise controlHaptic steering feedback for lane departureRear occupant alertRear view cameraFront and rear parking sensorsSeven airbagsWhat it doesn’t get is a temporary or full-size spare wheel. You have to make do with a very unappealing tyre repair kit. And it could do with a front view camera which is common in top-spec models.But overall, this is a very generous features list and adds to the value of the little Kia. There’s not much difference between this and rivals of an equivalent grade, but aside from those omissions, you wouldn’t be wanting for anything.All Kia EV3 are two-wheel drive but there are two electric powertrain options. Only the base Air grade is available with the Standard Range, which includes a 58.3kWh lithium-ion battery and a 436km driving range.The Air, Earth and my GT-Line Long Range come with a much larger 81.4kWh battery paired with a 150kW/283Nm permanent magnet synchronous motor.Interestingly, the Standard Rage EV3 is quicker from 0-100km/h than the Long Range, 7.5sec versus 7.9sec in the GT-Line. Might be because the Standard Range is 85kg lighter than the Long Range.The suspension is McPherson Strut up front and a multi-link setup at the rear.There are five selectable drive modes - Sport, Normal, Eco, Snow and My Drive.Kia says the EV3 GT-Line has a WLTP driving range of 563km, but when topped up to 100 per cent, the screen shows 596km. That’s closer to the EV3 Earth Long Range’s figure of 604km.Either way, 560-600km of range is confidence inspiring. My personal preference for an EV is a driving range that starts with at least a five.Around town the multi-mode regenerative braking helps recover some energy, and it never feels too strong, even in the highest setting.Kia says the EV3’s energy consumption is 16.2kWh/100km, but my recorded figure for the month is 16.3kWh, which is pretty spot on. Around town I have seen it drop to 14.I’ve done a bit of regional highway and freeway driving in this first month and those long stretches of road without braking tend to impact efficiency. As a result the range drops faster on the open road.With that in mind, using the battery's usable capacity 78kWh with my average efficiency, I calculated an average driving range this month of 479km. That's a far way off the claim but, again, that included a lot of long motorway driving without stopping.The EV3 has a CCS Type 2 charging port on the driver’s side front fender. AC charging is at 6.9kW for single phase and 10.5kW for 3 phase.Using a common 50kW DC fast charger to boost the EV3 from 10 to 80 per cent capacity will take 79 minutes, according to Kia. But note its charging power maxes out at 127kW.Full disclosure, I have an EV wall charger at home and have not needed to use a public charge station yet. I will do that in the coming months.At seven years/unlimited kilometres, Kia’s had one of the best warranty terms in the business for years now and while it can’t match the 10-year terms of some rivals, many of those are conditional based on servicing at an OEM dealer. I’m looking at you, Nissan and Mitsubishi.The battery warranty is seven years or 150,000km, whichever comes first. You’re more likely to see eight-year terms with rivals.Roadside assistance is offered free for the first year, but that gets extended each year you service at a Kia dealer, for up to eight years.The servicing schedule is every 12 months or 15,000km.Kia offers the EV3 with a choice of three pre-paid servicing plans. Three years for $688, five years for $1308 and seven years for $1929.This service pricing is pretty competitive. In fact, it’s more affordable than the Leapmotor B10 as well as the EV3’s Hyundai Kona Electric cousin.So far, so good. Next month I will go into a lot more detail about the practicality of the EV3 GT-Line, as well as design and a few other key points. But purely based on this first month of living with it, I have to say the EV3 is deeply appealing. More detailed drive impressions will come in part three of this long-term test, but so far it is an absolute pleasure to drive around town and on country roads.Stay tuned for more on the EV3 GT-Line in the coming months. Acquired: FebruaryDistance travelled this month: 810kmOdometer: 5963kmAverage energy consumption this month: 16.3kWh/100km
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Zeekr 7X 2026 review: RWD long-term | Part 2
By Justin Hilliard · 24 Mar 2026
In month two of ‘owning’ a 2026 Zeekr 7X RWD, it has proven to be very easy to live with, which is something you can’t say about a lot of new cars these days (hello, annoying safety alerts).I introduced the all-electric mid-size SUV last month in part one of this three-part long-term review, covering its pricing, features (including safety), powertrain, efficiency, warranty and servicing.But in this second instalment, I will be deep-diving the 7X’s design inside and out, as well as its all-important practicality.Without further ado, let’s get to it!From certain angles, you could mistake the Zeekr 7X for any number of Chinese electric SUVs.That said, its signature design element is arguably the ‘eyebrow’ that connects its LED headlights together and wraps around the front wheelarches.This black panel is more apparent if your exterior paint isn’t also black, but it helps to break up the otherwise grille-less, concave wall of body colour.A full-width daytime running light (DRL) bisects the eyebrow, providing even more visual punch.Look a little closer and you’ll notice the 7X has a clamshell bonnet, which is seldom seen.Its haunches are muscular, a theme that carries over to the side, which has mostly smooth door panels with the obligatory pop-out door handles.For the RWD, the latter automatically opens the doors slightly when a hand is placed on them, significantly reducing the effort to open them fully.The windows are frameless, adding to the luxury feel, while the arms of the side mirrors are unusually separated and stacked to accommodate some cameras and sensors for the safety systems.Underneath the RWD’s well-defined wheelarches are a nice-looking multi-spoke set of 19-inch alloy wheels.The roofline avoids the headroom-reducing ‘coupe’ trend and remains relatively boxy, although its C-pillars spruce things up with floating elements.At the rear, the 7X is at its most anonymous with its full-width LED tail-lights and large, black bumper insert, although the former sits just below a ducktail spoiler of sorts, which is borne of the rear wheelarches and contributes to the concave theme that carries over there.Inside, the 7X RWD makes a very strong first impression.Instantly, you’ll find yourself searching for the spec sheet to double check its sub-$60K price, such is the high level of its perceived quality.This genuine sense of luxury carries all the way through the cabin, with soft-touch materials used on seemingly every surface.Covering the seats, armrests and door inserts, the RWD’s artificial leather upholstery is so supple that I initially thought I’d accidentally picked up the keys for the flagship Performance, which has high-end Nappa coverings.A textured vinyl is the secondary material, which is applied to the dashboard, centre console and door inserts.The door shoulders and cards are even stitched to make things that little bit fancy.Rubberised bottoms and felted sides elevate the door bins, while layered LED ambient lighting links the dashboard with all four doors, creating a wraparound effect.The general interior design is otherwise full of straight lines and features plenty of layers, resulting in a structured feel.And then there’s the technology, with a 13.0-inch digital instrument cluster ahead of the driver, providing all the key information they need, but without the level of customisation that some may want.Located to the left, the 16.0-inch touchscreen draws eyes with its ‘floating’ style and relatively thin bezels.However, the large display misses the mark with its positioning, as in most driving positions the left side of the steering wheel conceals the far end of its right side, which is where a number of shortcut buttons are displayed, whether you’re using the default multimedia system or wirelessly smartphone mirroring. Whoops.The multimedia system itself is easy enough to use once you’re familiar with it.Specifically, you will find yourself having to learn Zeekr’s names for some common functions, but once you are there you can confidently find what you need.It is great to see Zeekr include a row of physical controls below, but it is a shame that none of them are for operating the dual-zone climate system.Granted the touchscreen’s controls are omnipresent in its bottom row, but nothing beats the ease of something physical, which is a big reason why the increasingly rare steering wheel buttons here work so well.Another climate-related annoyance is the fact that the direction of the front air vents can only be controlled via the touchscreen.There are a multitude of options, but it would be nice to physically move the air to just the right spot – like the good, old days!I would also like it if the indicator stalk clicked into place when in use, as that physical feedback is currently missed.Visibility is also compromised via the wedge-shaped side mirrors and letterbox-shaped rear window, which is further compromised by the protruding second-row headrests.And then there is the square-shaped key fob, which inexplicably lacks an attached point for a key ring or the like, making it easier to lose than it should be.Other than that, the 7X’s interior is a practicality masterclass for a mid-size SUV.Up front, the seats are extremely comfortable. Perhaps Zeekr tapped into some of the expertise of its sister brand, Volvo.Amenities wise, the door bins accommodate up to three regular bottles, while there are two cupholders in the centre console, complete with a sliding lid.Behind them is a very deep central storage bin, which has a lid that opens from either the driver or passenger side.In front are two wireless smartphone chargers, which complete the bridge design, with a large, open storage tray located below, alongside two USB-C ports.The wide but shallow glovebox can only be opened via the touchscreen, which is becoming a bit of a trend these days.There is no overhead sunglasses holder in an otherwise faultless first row.In the second row things are arguably even more impressive, with a ridiculous amount of legroom available behind my 182cm driving position.Headroom is also generous, at more than two inches with the panoramic sunroof’s sunblind in place.Three adults can sit abreast in relative comfort, too, with the almost flat floor affording them plenty of foot space, while the availability of power reclining is a rare win alongside the B-pillar air vents that deliver vastly better upper-body ventilation.Three top-tether and two ISOFIX anchorage points are on hand for fitting child seats, a task that is made easier with the rear doors, which open up to a handy 90 degrees.When it comes to amenities, there are map pockets affixed to the front seat backrests, while the rear of the centre console features a small, pop-out cubby.The door bins can accommodate two regular bottles at a pinch, while the fold-down armrest features two cupholders and USB-A and -C ports.Behind the power tailgate is a generous 539L boot, which can expand to a cavernous 1978L by stowing the 60/40 split-fold rear bench, an action that can be done from behind with the available pull tabs.Either way, the boot floor is flat, with the lack of a load lip making loading bulkier items that little bit easier.Underfloor storage is also present and accounted for, with the front section featuring a deeper bin that happily swallows up EV charging cables, while the rear area is shallower but still useful.Loose loads can also be secured with either the four tie-down points or two bag hooks, while a 12V power outlet is on hand for a vacuum to clean up any messes.And there’s even more storage space in the 7X RWD’s 62L frunk, which can be accessed via the touchscreen inside.There is no additional latch to open, while gas struts mean the bonnet holds itself up. Nice.In my second month with the 7X RWD, my average energy consumption was a slightly higher 15.9kWh/100km, which equates to a real-world driving range of 447km.That is just 33km shy of its WLTP claim, which is seriously impressive considering my 932km of driving for the month included a long, relatively inefficient highway drive from Melbourne to Phillip Island.And with that we’ve reached the end of this second instalment of my long-term review of the 7X RWD.The third and final part will see me deliver my long-awaited driving impressions in full, as well as my overall verdict.See you then!Acquired: January 21, 2025Distance travelled this month: 932kmOdometer: 4760kmAverage energy consumption this month: 15.9kWh/100km
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Leapmotor C10 2026 review: Design REEV long-term | Part 2
By Andrew Chesterton · 21 Mar 2026
I’ll tell you, if there was a time to be winning CarsGuide’s long-term lottery, now is that time. I don’t know if you’ve been following the news, but the USA appears to have declared war on cheap petrol, or something, which has sent the pump prices soaring across Australia.People are hoarding petrol like its Covid-era toilet paper, and – as I write this – the price for the cheapest E10 fuel is $2.32 per litre. A month ago, it was $1.66. Now is not the time to be running a long-term vehicle with an engine that has any kind of ‘V’ in front of it, and a diesel dual-cab would make you weep, given diesel is even more expensive (and in fact sold out in many places right now).But not I, for my long-term chariot is the humble Leapmotor C10 REEV (in Design trim, currently $47,888, drive-away), which promises to properly sip fuel, given its pocket-sized petrol engine is only used to charge the battery or to provide power to the electric motor, but never to drive the actual wheels.An EV with the backup of a petrol engine should you run out of power. Or that’s the promise, at least. But there is one catch.If you read my first dispatch, you’ll know I treated the C10 REEV's power supply like an afterthought over our first month together, topping it up when I could but not overly stressing when it was running low on power or fuel, and trusting the universe (or Leapmotor’s engineers) to get me to where I was going. My fuel use was predictably higher than you might expect, averaging a pretty ordinary 7.3L/100km of fuel. But this month I tried, really I did, to make amends.I charged the C10 more frequently, either via my home wallbox or using Australia’s surprisingly expensive DC charging infrastructure. And my fuel use… got worse. Over the past 480 kilometres, my fuel use has been 8.9L/100km. Now to be fair, I haven’t been fiddling with the drive modes, though I will this month. I've just been letting the hybrid brain do its thing, but still, that's not great.But I think I have identified the issue. See, the C10 REEV’s 28.4kWh battery is way smaller than the EV version’s 69.9kWh, and so its all-electric driving range is somewhere between 100kms and 150kms. Now that’s pretty good for a plug-in hybrid, but if you do a lot of driving – and I do – you find that the battery can be depleted pretty quickly.And then it gets weirder still. Because this is designed to drive as an EV, when the battery is depleted you find you have almost no power underfoot while the petrol engine does double duties in charging the battery and providing power to the motors. It's a weird, perhaps even dangerous, feeling, when you pull out onto a busy road and not much of anything happens. Once the battery takes on a little charge things do return to normal.If you have a home charger, and plug in with zeal, then a microscopic fuel bill will be your reward. In fact, CarsGuide reader David tells me that he is averaging 4.2L/100km using higher-octane 98RON fuel, and that a careful charging schedule sees him using even less. But if you're a bit like me, then you can expect to see numbers slightly worse than a good hybrid mid-size SUV. Elsewhere, I’m finding the Leapmotor C10 REEV a little hit and miss in places. You’ve heard my rant about the key before (which you have to tap on the wing mirror to unlock, lock and turn off the vehicle), and it’s true that the Leapmotor app is a massive improvement.But I find the proximity lock and unlock function takes a pretty laissez-faire approach to its job, working sometimes, and then simply deciding not to. And the curse that is the key card continues to haunt my life. Even with the app enabled, you still need to place the credit card-style key on the wireless charging pad to actually start the car, which kind of defeats the purpose of using the app in the first place. The air-conditioning can take ages to chill on the hottest of Sydney days, and I find the lack of buttons infuriating. The wireless charge pad is only slightly less powerful than a sun dial (my phone has gone flat while sitting on it), and it also occasionally mistakes my empty baby seat for an actual baby, and honks the horn when I try to walk away. At least I think that’s the reason, though it’s possible it just doesn’t like me.The flipside, though, is its sharp pricing, clever powertrain, ferociously generous equipment list, oodles of space, and pretty agreeable driving dynamics in town. The cabin is impressively quiet, the ride pretty comfortable, and – with the battery charged – the acceleration is plenty perky, too.It's also amazing how quickly we've gotten used to equipment that was, until recently, reserved for only the most expensive cars. My C10 Design is less than $50k on the road, and arrives with heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, an air purifier, an integrated dashcam recorder – the list goes on.There are some quirks to iron out, though. It's onto the next month.Acquired: January 2026Distance travelled this month: 480.1kmOdometer: 8974kmAverage fuel consumption this month: 8.9L/100km
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Zeekr 7X 2026 review: RWD long-term | Part 1
By Justin Hilliard · 24 Feb 2026
Zeekr? I hardly know ‘er.And if you think you do, no, we’re not here to talk about a virus.Part of Chinese automotive conglomerate Geely Group, Zeekr is a premium electrified car brand, which is aiming to cut BMW and Mercedes-Benz’s lunch – but at mainstream prices.Zeekr launched in Australia in late 2024 with the X small SUV, and followed in September last year with the 7X mid-size SUV, which recently won its category in our 2026 CarsGuide Car of the Year awards.The 7X is the subject of this long-term review, which will be comprised of three parts over the next few months.This introductory first instalment will focus on the 7X’s pricing, key specification, safety features, powertrain, charging, warranty and servicing, while part two will deep-dive its design and practicality.The third and final chapter will be headlined by my driving impressions and overall verdict, while I’ll be providing energy consumption updates along the way.Let’s get to it, shall we?The 7X line-up spans three variants, with the ‘standard range’ RWD on test here priced from $57,900 plus on-road costs.Adding a larger battery and a longer list of standard equipment (more on those later), the mid-spec Long Range RWD costs $6000 more, while the flagship Performance AWD adds another $9000 in exchange for a second electric motor and even more features.At this pricing, the 7X is almost half the cost of some of its similarly specified premium competitors, including the Audi Q6 e-tron (from $99,900), Lexus RZ (from $121,059), Porsche Macan Electric (from $129,800), Genesis Electrified GV70 (from $132,800) and second-generation BMW iX3 (yet to be priced), making it far better value pound for pound. Only the Polestar 4 (from $78,500) comes close.To be fair, though, buyers will inevitably cross-shop the 7X with mainstream rivals like the ubiquitous Tesla Model Y (from $58,900) in spite of its premium ambitions.Either way, there’s no denying that the 7X jumps out on paper in a very positive way.As mentioned, the entry-level 7X RWD already comes with a long list of features, which is sure to impress both mainstream and premium buyers.Standard equipment includes:Speed-sensitive electric power steeringSteel suspension (double-wishbone front and independent five-link rear) with passive dampersDusk-sensing LED exterior lightsRain-sensing wipers19-inch alloy wheelsPower-folding side mirrors with heatingPower tailgatePanoramic sunroofKeyless entry and start13.0-inch digital instrument cluster16.0-inch central touchscreen multimedia system with voice controlWireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto supportDigital radioDual 50W wireless smartphone chargersZeekr Sound 10-speaker sound systemTri-zone climate control14-way power-adjustable driver seat with heating & memory functionality10-way power-adjustable passenger seat with heatingHeated steering wheelPower-reclining rear seats with heatingArtificial leather upholsteryAmbient lightingSafety features include:Seven airbags (dual front, side and curtain, plus front-centre)Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)Lane-keep assistAdaptive cruise controlSteering assist, including auto lane changeTraffic sign recognitionBlind-spot monitoringFront and rear cross-traffic alertPark assistSurround-view camerasFront and rear parking sensorsDriver monitoringSentry ModeAside from its larger battery that I’ll detail in a moment, the 7X Long Range RWD adds:Rear privacy glass36.2-inch head-up displayZeekr Sound pro 21-speaker sound systemCooled and massaging front seats14-way power-adjustable passenger seatPower-adjustable steering wheelExcluding its dual-motor powertrain, the 7X Performance AWD adds:Single-chamber air suspension with adaptive dampers21-inch forged alloy wheelsAutomatic doorsPower rear sunshadesFull-grain Nappa leather upholsterySo, what’s the 7X missing? Well, there’s very little, although I would not reasonably expect cooled rear seats at this price point.Either way, the base RWD is undoubtedly the pick of the line-up value-wise.The 7X RWD and Long Range RWD both feature a rear-mounted electric motor, which produces a heady 310kW of power and 440Nm of torque, and enables a brisk 0-100km/h acceleration time of six seconds flat.Step up to the 7X Performance AWD and it adds a 165kW/270Nm electric motor to the front axle for combined outputs of 475kW/710Nm. That colossal set of numbers reduces the triple-digit sprint to a supercar-scaring 3.8s.I would argue you could save at least $9000 and not get the Performance AWD as you’ll never come close to testing the limits of its, uh, performance unless you plan on regularly taking it to a racetrack. And let’s be honest, you won’t be.The 7X RWD is fitted with Zeekr’s 75kWh ‘Golden Brick’ LFP battery, which enables a WLTP-rated driving range of 480km that is reasonable for an entry-level model.If you are planning on travelling long distances regularly, the 7X Long Range RWD might be more your speed with its 100kWh ‘Qilin’ NCM battery and confidence-inducing 615km driving range.If you opt for the 7X Performance AWD instead, you get the same large battery, but its driving range drops to a still useful 543km, which is the price you pay for dual-motor performance.That said, it’s the RWD that offers the better charging performance, with its 800V electrical architecture supporting 450kW DC fast chargers, which can charge its battery from 10 to 80 per cent in just 13 minutes.To put that into perspective, Australia’s existing public infrastructure tops out at 350kW in limited locations, so you can’t currently fully utilise the RWD’s charging power.Because of their different battery chemistry, the Long Range RWD and Performance AWD can ‘only’ DC fast charge at up to 420kW, with its 10-80 per cent charge taking 16 minutes.Either way, the 7X has a maximum AC charge rate of 22kW, which is great news if you want to charge at home using a wallbox but need to get back on the road relatively quickly.Note the 7X also supports 3.3kW V2L (vehicle-to-load) charging, meaning either of its battery options can be used to power large appliances while away from home. It could be the ultimate campside companion.In my real-world experience with the RWD, I averaged 15.2kWh/100km over 796km of driving in month one. This equates to a driving range of 467km, based on its useable battery capacity of 71kWh. That’s rather impressive considering I spent plenty of time on the highway, not to mention the closest I’ve ever come to an EV’s WLTP claim.Like all Zeekr Australia models, the 7X comes with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre vehicle warranty, with its battery covered by a separate eight-year/160,000km warranty. Both are on par for the premium and EV segments, respectively, but fall short of the seven-plus years we now regularly see in the mainstream.The 7X also makes its presence felt with five years of roadside assistance and long recommended service intervals, at every 24 months or 40,000km (whichever comes first).That said, a free first service at 12 months/20,000km is on offer alongside optional visits at 36 months/60,000km and 60 months/100,000km.If you opt for the annual schedule, the 60-month/100,000km capped-price servicing plan costs $2385 or $477 on average per visit, which is relatively good in the premium segment.Acquired: January 21, 2025Distance travelled this month: 796kmOdometer: 3828kmAverage energy consumption this month: 15.2kWh/100km
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Chery Tiggo 8 2026 review: Ultimate Super Hybrid long-term | Part 2
By Laura Berry · 20 Feb 2026
Two months into the long-term test of the Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid now and I know this car so well it could put me down as a referee next time it applies for a job. So here’s the reference so far, and while this large plug-in hybrid SUV is excellent in many ways there are a couple of personality traits you’d want me to tell you about. In the first instalment last month we discovered what the Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid does best - not use much fuel. We travelled 869km on a single 60-litre petrol tank. That was a record for me in all my time testing vehicles and average fuel consumption worked out to be 6.1L/100km.The catch, as with all plug-in hybrids, is you have to charge it regularly. I found if the charge in the battery fell below 40 per cent the fuel consumption started to climb fast as the engine worked to keep the battery charged and drive the wheels.This month we drove 510 kilometres with half a tank left - I refilled to full and put in 27.7 litres. That works out to be 5.4L/100km. So while I didn’t break any long distance personal bests, I probably would have, had I driven it more. The reason I didn’t drive it further is because in the past week I’ve been testing the Toyota GR Yaris which is so fun to drive I chose it over the Tiggo 8 for every trip we did. And that brings me to the first not-so-great thing about the Tiggo 8 - the way it drives.The Tiggo 8 isn’t bad to drive, it’s just not great, if that makes sense. I will say it’s comfortable but to the point where the suspension is so soft and ‘bouncy’ that there are times when the SUV doesn’t feel as planted as it should be. This is especially noticeable in bends with mid-corner bumps where it can become unsettled. Acceleration can overcome traction, too, causing the tyres to squeal just because you didn’t dab the accelerator with the pressure of a feather. This takes some getting used to but it’s not a deal breaker.The driving position might be a deal breaker for you, though. The driver’s seat is too high, even on the lowest setting. I think this might be to do with the battery under the floor eating into the cabin space.But I think the worst characteristic of the Tiggo 8 is the gear shifter which requires so much force to be placed on the brake pedal when shifting from Drive to Reverse otherwise neutral is engaged. The number of times I’ve been half way through a three-point turn and holding up traffic because I keep rolling back in neutral is beyond a joke.It’s not all bad, I promise. Actually it’s mostly all good - especially the way Tiggo 8 unlocks itself, opens the door handles, switches the LED headlights on and turns the climate control on as it detects the key but before you even reach the car. The reverse goes for when you leave the car - it locks itself automatically. No need to get the key out or even touch the door handle. The boot’s hands-free ‘foot-sweep’ gesture control function also works really well. Even today with my hands full of grocery bags I didn’t have to put them down to open the tailgate.This month the Tiggo 8 has been hauling a variety of cargo from large boxes to grocery shopping. I’ve been impressed constantly by its boot capacity and even the space behind the third row is excellent.  The design of the floating centre console is outstanding with storage underneath and wide open area on top to charge your phone. There’s nothing worse than cars which have hidey holes for phones to charge, making them hard to retrieve.People space is also great and having the option to move the front passenger seat forward from the rear row using controls mounted on the seat is so helpful as a parent trying to get small children into their own seats.Well, that’s it for this month - this next instalment you read will be the last and hopefully I’ll be able to drive enough to get my 869km from a single tank. Acquired: December, 2025Distance travelled this month: 510kmOdometer: 8267kmAverage fuel consumption this month: 5.4L/100km (measured at the pump)
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