Plug-in hybrid

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

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

Chery one day hopes its fresh Lepas brand will evolve into a proper BMW or Mercedes-Benz rival.Until then, when sales kick off from late this year, it hopes that buyers of cars like its mid-size Lepas L6 will appreciate its European-inspired looks, classier cabin and advanced tech and pay a small premium of around five per cent over the equivalent Omoda or Jaecoo model.Getting off to the best possible start, the L6 introduces the brand's smooth curvy new design language that has been tailored to European buyers' tastes.Beneath the skin, the L6 is also on Chery's next-generation LEX platform and bags the Chinese car giant's EEA 5.1 electrics.When the Toyota RAV4-sized SUV lands Down Under it will be available with either a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) or all-electric power.Before the end of the year, the L6 will be joined by a small L4 SUV that shares powertrains with its bigger brother, while later on in 2027 the larger L8 PHEV SUV will also land.Instead of sharing showroom space with Chery or Omoda Jaecoo, the Lepas brand will launch its own network of dealers.The brand separation is because Chery believes Lepas will attract different customers to the rest of its brands.Inside, the L6 looks like it shares hardware with the latest Jaecoo J5, sporting both the same 8.8-inch digital instrument panel and a 13.2-inch infotainment, although the latter is mounted portrait style, rather than landscape in the J5.Below the screen is a slim strip of shortcut buttons that sit above a wireless charging pad and twin cupholders.The steering wheel is also lifted from the Chery parts bin, but the dash architecture is new and features a strip of vents that stretch from pillar to pillar.Premium materials like synthetic leather and a metallic-style dash finish attempt but ultimately fail to conjure up Audi levels of perceived quality but the L6 still feels a cut above other Chery models.Our car also had heated and ventilated synthetic leather seats that are comfortable on a long drive, while even with four up there's plenty of space within, with a pair of rear air vents and dual USB ports for rear passengers.Luggage space is also average for the class, although there's no wheel well beneath the boot floor.We had a brief spin in the new EV, which features a single motor that drives the front wheels and produces 178kW and 275Nm of torque for decent getaway off the line.The electric L6 also is a quiet and refined companion, although its 67kWh battery, 400-volt electrics and 450km WLTP range won't set new standards for range or charging speeds within its class.More time was spent behind the wheel of the plug-in hybrid L6 that also impressed with its levels of refinement which meant it was almost impossible to detect when the small 1.5-litre petrol kicked in.There's also brisk acceleration off the line and enough might to generate some unruly torque steer as the front tyres struggled, which is a shame.Another gripe of the PHEV powertrain is an unwanted thump occasionally at speed when breathing on the throttle.Featuring a sophisticated multi-link rear suspension, the L6 has no excuses to not match the best in the class.To ensure it will be able to compete with its most talented rivals in the future Lepas will provide a special European suspension tune and, if the range of SUVs have a warm reception Down Under, buyers will also be treated to a local suspension tune.In China on smooth well-surfaced roads it was difficult to properly assess the L6's ride and drive other than to note it felt like engineers had opted for soft springs and reactive dampers that could be unnerved by speed bumps and the odd pothole.We think the steering could do with more tuning too, as it is overly light in Comfort mode and still pretty lifeless in Sport. When it comes to handling balance, unfortunately our driving route didn't include any proper country roads where we could explore the L6's handling balance. We'll have to wait until it lands on home turf.With clearly marked lanes, the Lepas driver assist tech was unobtrusive – which is a compliment – and even the muted speed limit assist didn't annoy too much, although the system desperately needs a shortcut to turn it all off, as it's fiddly and requires navigating through multiple menus.There's no word on what the Australian Lepas L6 line-up will look like but our car came with a heated front screen, panoramic sunroof (with a proper electric sunshade), an electric tailgate, dual-zone climate control, 50W wireless charger, synthetic leather six-way adjustable heated and ventilated electric seats, plus 360-degree surround view cameras all standard and a Sony sound system.While Lepas models are offered with a five-year/150,000km warranty in markets like South Africa, we'd be amazed if the new Chery brand didn't at least match the eight-year/unlimited-kilometre vehicle warranty Jaecoo models come with.It's been hotly tipped that when the Lepas L6 arrives in Australia it will command a five-10 per cent premium over the Jaecoo or Omoda models, which suggests a price point of at least $40,000 drive-away in Australia.

Mazda is walking back its electric car plans as it shifts resources to hybrid vehicles.The Japanese brand’s CEO Masahiro Moro said the company will move the launch of its dedicated electric vehicle platform back to 2029, according to Autonews.Instead Mazda will redirect staff to focus on its new range of hybrid vehicles powered by its in-house developed 'Skyactiv-Z' setup, which will debut in the new CX-5 SUV late next year.“Regarding internal man-hours, we are shifting resources back from electric vehicle-related work to internal combustion engines and hybrid vehicles,” said Moro.“When paired with the Skyactiv-Z, our in-house hybrid system creates an excellent combination with an engine that offers exceptional performance and efficiency.”Mazda told CarsGuide during a briefing at its research and development centre in Tokyo in 2025 it will have its own electric car platform, which was to bear fruit by 2028.The company was going to use the next few years to transition to electrification with a focus on battery tech development and procurements before the first dedicated electric car rolls off the production line.Mazda is developing a new way of producing cars that would allow one production line to make internal-combustion engined vehicles, hybrids and electric vehicles depending on demand.This would help it adjust to lulls in EV demand without having to mothball production lines, which has impacted other major makers such as Ford and Volkswagen.Mazda’s partnership with Chinese carmaker Changan has bought it some time to get its own in-house developed vehicles up to speed.The 6e sedan will launch in Australia in the coming months, followed by the CX-6e SUV. Mazda also has plans for at least three more vehicles from the partnership.Moro also announced the company was reducing its EV sales target from as much as 40 per cent of sales to just 15 per cent by 2030.Mazda will instead focus on hybrids, which have also experienced strong growth, especially in the US, which is Mazda’s biggest market by some margin.Mazda fans can expect the new hybrid tech to be fitted to a wide range of vehicles.The company said the hybrid engine will be the core power source for its line-up in the electrification era over the next decade.Mazda hasn’t committed to what models will use the hybrid, but said it could be introduced to any model and it could become mainstream.That means we could see a next-generation CX-30 or Mazda3 hybrid in the coming years, as Mazda’s Chief Financial Officer, Jeff Guyton, said the next-generation small cars were the next priority after the brand finishes its hybrid development.Mazda also confirmed a new CX-3 SUV, which is due in 2027 and could be the next model to go hybrid.

Sedans aren’t dead, as it turns out, with newcomer brands breathing life into the ailing segment in recent years.The issue for brands like MG, BYD and now Geely, as always, is the venerable Toyota Camry which absolutely dominates the sales charts.How do you knock such a legendary vehicle off its perch? Geely reckons it might be onto something with its hybrid-first Emgrand, set to hit our shores in 2027. Let’s take a look.First up, let's see where the Emgrand sits, and how it might be priced to succeed.At 4806mm long, this offering from Geely is bigger than a traditional small sedan like a Kia K4 or Hyundai i30 sedan, but a little smaller than a Camry. It’s a good format, and with a long wheelbase and seemingly ample interior and boot space, it certainly has the right ingredients.Geely’s people tell us the Emgrand is set to start life in Australia initially as a plug-in hybrid using the brand’s EM-i system, which combines a 1.5-litre engine and hybrid transaxle with a pretty sizeable battery pack under the floor.The version of this car sold in China (from Geely’s hybrid and electric Galaxy arm which also sells the EX5 and Starray SUVs) is priced at the equivalent of $A24,600, reaching up to the low-$30k mark at the more premium end of the spectrum.It's doubtful we’ll see the entry-level car make it to Australia though, so a starting price of around $30k wouldn’t be surprising.For reference, the Kia K4 hybrid is $32,090, the Hyundai i30 sedan hybrid is $33,250, the soon-to-launch BYD Seal 6 starts from $34,990, and the Toyota Camry is priced a little higher, at $39,990, all before on-road costs.As the Emgrand will be a plug-in hybrid first, its closest rival will be the BYD, and this is where things start to get a little technical for the Geely, because it will need to be specified and priced just right to thread the needle between its plugless and plug-in rivals.In my opinion, though, launching with the plug-in isn’t quite the right move, and the Emgrand would be better served using Geely’s new plugless hybrid i-HEV setup instead.This system claims to use as low as 2.2L/100km in the Emgrand (to lenient Chinese measuring standards) and can drive more than 80 per cent of the time in fully electric mode, despite not needing to plug in.Geely’s Australian boss, Alex Gu, told CarsGuide the system was very much on the radar, despite our tough new emissions laws making it difficult for plugless hybrids in the future.What makes more sense for the primary audience of this car though?A ride-share driver would much rather have the convenience of the plugless system doing hundreds of kilometres a day, compared to the inconvenience of needing to plug in.At least the EM-i system this car is set to launch with is claimed to consume as low as 2.9L/100km even when the battery is at the reserve level, so perhaps it won’t matter.The styling is pretty sharp. If you think it looks a little reminiscent of a Volvo S60 with its tall, sharp belt line, distinctive grille, and tidy European proportions, that's because Geely owns Volvo and has no doubt called on its design expertise.Inside things are remarkably restrained compared to some rivals, with an elegant dash layout and nice material choices.It includes a combination of a 14.6-inch multimedia touchscreen with the brand’s Flyme software, and 10.25-inch digital dash cluster, both of which are present in the EX5.A big bonus compared to the EX5 though, is the presence of a control dial and a few shortcut toggles on the centre console, which help to reduce the dependence on the touchscreen for everything.For what it’s worth, Geely’s software looks a bit better than some of its rivals, but is still clumsy to use with odd menus and poorly used screen real estate.Despite wielding a decent battery size, the Emgrand had plenty of room for my 182cm frame in both the front and rear seats, even with the front seat set to my comfortable driving position.Unlike plug-in sedans I’ve driven in the past, the Emgrand’s GEA platform places the battery under the cabin floor rather than the boot, so it maintains a generous 609 litre boot space. Great for the airport run, no?Powering the Emgrand is a 1.5-litre non-turbo four-cylinder engine (82kW136Nm) mated to a hybrid transaxle with an electric motor producing 120kW/210Nm and driving the front wheels. It is backed by either an 8.5kWh or a 17kWh battery pack which provides either 60km or 125km of pure electric driving range, according to the more lenient CLTC measuring standard.It’s hard to see the 8.5kWh version having much of a run in Australia, but 17kWh is much more appropriate. Charging speed is 35kW on DC for the larger battery, allowing a 30-80 per cent top up in 20 minutes. All versions of the Emgrand are capable of vehicle-to-load at 3kW.How does it drive? In our limited test which involved an agility exercise and a 0-100km/h sprint with a moose test, the Emgrand proved remarkably sharp. Its tidy, lower-riding chassis and surprisingly responsive steering is no doubt helped along by a long wheelbase and firmer suspension to make for a fun jaunt compared to an SUV.It’s also quite rapid in a straight line thanks to the primarily electric drive, and like the better batch of plug-ins, the Emgrand seems to maintain enough reserve charge not to take the wind out of the motor’s sails when it’s needed most.Time will tell, however, how the final product fares on more challenging Australian roads, especially when it comes to active safety calibration, which can ruin an otherwise great car.

The Zeekr 9X will be Australia’s first ultra-luxury car from China, but will it find an audience?That’s the question I’m asking myself at the brief Chinese preview drive of the monster three-row large SUV that will top the brand’s line-up in Australia later this year.It looks like it has the panache of a Rolls Royce Cullinan or Bentley Bentayga, but on a significantly tighter budget, and with a much more modern approach to what powers it.I'm keen to learn if these are ingredients for success or perhaps a bridge too far for an ambitious luxury brand with only five years of history.First, where will it sit in the hierarchy of Australian luxury SUVs?At a whopping 5239mm long and with a wheelbase of more than three meters, the 9X is an imposing beast of a car, something rammed home by its expansive bodywork, huge chrome grille and boxy roofline.It also has three rows of seating, putting it up against the Audi Q7 ($108,815) at one end of the price spectrum, or the full-size Range Rover (which you need to spend at least $321,000 to get three rows of seats) at the other.Of course, its enormity and grandiose styling would have Zeekr wanting you to think it’s more akin to something like the Bentley Bentayga (from a cool $412,600) or Rolls Royce Cullinian, which will leave you little change from a million dollars.The 9X, meanwhile, starts from the equivalent of A$95,400 in its Chinese home market, suggesting a starting price a bit over $100,000, perhaps even north of $120,000 by the time it lands locally.Zeekr also takes the 9X in a completely different direction from its aforementioned segment rivals, which are powered by everything from 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesels to 6.7-litre V12s, instead offering a dual- or tri-motor plug-in hybrid system, backed by a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine and a massive battery pack.The result is either 660kW/935Nm of combined power for the base two variants, or 1030kW/1410Nm for the top-spec car, as well as between 300 and 380km of fully electric driving range without even needing the engine.The all important 0-100km/h sprint time? As low as 3.1 seconds. Not bad for a three-tonne SUV.Like I said in my review of its smaller Zeekr 8X sibling, it’s just so much car, even at more than $100k.Every version of the 9X offered in China gets air suspension and a 900-volt architecture, allowing the battery to be charged in nine minutes on a fast enough DC pylon.Every version is clad in lavish full Nappa leather trim and there’s even active noise cancellation.Inside feels impressive, too. The 9X gets a different cabin layout and even a unique steering wheel from the rest of the Zeekr range, befitting its flagship role.Space is gratuitous in all three seating rows, with the third row perhaps surprising me the most. Having spent a decent amount of time in the third row of a Zeekr 009 people mover as part of this same trip, it’s worth asking if you need something this large when the 009 people mover offers a slightly better third row and is fully electric at an equivalent (or perhaps slightly cheaper) price.Still, there are so many luxuries in all three rows. Everything is electrically adjustable, heats, cools and massages you, and there’s shades for all the windows.To top a swish interior off, despite the fact that I fit in all positions at 182cm tall, there’s still 470 litres of boot capacity, and it even has a super suave split tailgate like an old Range Rover. Awesome.Vehicle to load (V2L)? Yep, got that. Full-size power outlet in the cabin? Got that too. Of course, the list of safety kit is exhaustive, but it remains to be seen if the Australian-spec version will also be exhaustive.You don’t want for included kit then, but how does this monolith of an SUV drive?Shock and awe is the answer. A 0-100km/h acceleration test was an expletive-laden experience, with the huge, circa-three-tonne SUV leaning back on its haunches and hurtling forward with terrifying alacrity. It is one of the most intense bouts of acceleration I have experienced in recent memory.The body certainly feels its dimensions when rounding a corner, and interestingly the steering feels a bit more detached than that of the 8X.The 9X stayed surprisingly composed and rode relatively flat during the 'moose test' part of the exercise set up for us during our brief test drive, no matter how unwieldy it looked from outside. Clearly, the air suspension does a lot of dynamic heavy lifting.The enormous monoblock-style wheels transmitted a noticeable amount of thud to the cabin before the adaptive suspension wised up to the speed bump test we subjected it to.But just like the 8X below it, the sheer weight and size of the 9X appears to be its primary drawback. There’s only so much suspension magic that can make up for the sheer density on offer here, and I can’t imagine it’s going to be easy to reliably find 5.2-meter-plus parking spots for such a car in the centre of the city.

Toyota's new CEO says the world's biggest automotive brand would engage in some big changes as it battles shrinking profits in a tough global economy.Chief Executive Officer of Toyota, Kenta Kon, said while Toyota had strong results thanks to “marketing efforts” in several key markets, including the USA where it had a record sales result, the company was expecting operating income to continue to decline due to the conflict in the Middle East and ongoing challenges with US tariffs.Importantly,  Kon earmarked several big areas of change. One is to reduce the amount of time it was taking the brand to deliver new hybrid models, something Australian buyers of the new-generation RAV4 (or even the previous RAV4 during production shortages of COVID) will be familiar with.“Our hybrid customers have been waiting a long time to receive delivery, so we must deliver to these customers more reliably. That’s the first thing we must achieve, because as a manufacturer, that is our biggest mission,” Kon said at a press conference announcing its 2025 full year financial results.Currently, the new RAV4 has a three-to-six month waiting period, depending on model grade.Toyota Australia's Vice President of Sales Marketing and Franchise Operations, John Pappas, recently told CarsGuide the increase in complexity for the new model range across 2WD, AWD, and now plug-in hybrid variants would have an impact.As a result of these delays, plus a dip in supply between the runout of the old model and launch of the new version, Toyota’s Australian sales dropped 19.3 per cent in March, marking an overall drop of 23 per cent down for the quarter year-on-year.Toyota’s long-touted multi-pathway strategy, which has seen the Japanese auto giant move slowly on its roll-out of battery electric vehicles, is something Kenta Kon will be looking to “accelerate” as part of a new mission to “re-organise our production models".This could mark a big change for the company. As to what Kon means, he said while Toyota was “fortunate” to be in a financial position to keep providing its buyers the “convenience” of hybrids, going forward the brand will need to undertake a “review of the model mix".“As we pursue along the line of multi-pathway, that will naturally increase the number of models and that means an increase in the number of parts and specifications which will make this even more complex for customers” Kon said.“So I believe that if we can review that complexity, that would have a major impact.”However, responding to a question on globally plateauing EV demand, Kon said the company’s strategy would still include increased battery electric sales.“Whatever the cars that our customers want, we would like to deliver - if our customers want BEVs we will deliver them good BEVs and that will remain the fundamental part of our strategy,” he said.Adding to Kon’s comments, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Toyota, Yoichi Miyazaki, said the company had to “adjust the sales numbers to actual demand and in areas where BEVs will grow".Interestingly, he noted the brand would continue to lean into its joint-venture operations for fully electric sales success.Miyazaki noted China, which is already a “mainstream market to begin with for BEVs” was already a success story for Toyota off the back of its FAW and GAC joint-venture models like the bZ3X.He also said Toyota’s strategy to roll out both its own and joint-developed models with Suzuki will continue in Europe. Interestingly, he also earmarked the USA as having strong potential for battery electric growth.Miyazaki also declared one thing Toyota won’t do as part of its strategy going forward, despite the need to repair its profits.“There was a time when we only pursued volumes. We will never go back to that, and each of our employees understand that,” he said.Stay tuned to see what impacts Toyota's global strategic changes will have on the local product offering, as Australia's new emissions laws for passenger vehicles inevitably have an impact on the brand's line-up.

We’ve hit peak ute and the only way is down as Aussies abandon the diesel-guzzling workhorses.

Chinese carmaker BYD is making history as it rockets its way up the Australian sales charts that could see it finish in second place by the end of the year.Year-to-date BYD has sold 25,243 vehicles in Australia. Perennial top five seller Hyundai has recorded 25,103 so far, while Ford, the second-best selling brand in Australia last year, has managed 25,920.What’s so impressive is not just how many cars BYD selling, but the speed of its conquest of our market. This time last year BYD had sold 11,974 cars and somehow in the space of a year the brand has pushed past nearly every other carmaker in the country and looks to be headed to finishing second in 2026.The brands that still stand in BYD’s way are Kia with (27,080 cars sold so far in 2026), Mazda (27,526) and of course Toyota (59,675).Toyota is like the final big boss of the Aussie car game and BYD is one hundred per cent not going to beat it this year or possibly ever. It would be fun to entertain the idea that BYD could beat Toyota at some point in the future, but the only way that could happen is if Toyota tripped so badly in the sales race it couldn’t get back up again.We have seen huge brands rise and fall. Holden was once Australia’s top selling brand and today… well, it doesn’t exist.So Toyota’s is a lock for top spot this year, and the reality of BYD taking the silver medal is a very real possibility.That would send shock waves through the industry and mark the end of time for established brands such as Ford, which relies almost entirely on one model — the Ranger ute — to keep it on top.Ford would be anxious and brands such as Mazda, Kia and Hyundai would be feeling the heat, too.   Monthly sales for BYD show just how quickly the brand is striding ahead. In April BYD sold 7702 cars in Australia. Kia sold 6450, Hyundai 6002, Ford 5748 and Mazda 5636.Toyota, by the way, sold 15,185 cars in April.Are we living in unusual times? Interesting times, but not unusual. It seems that every 10 to 15 years a new big force arrives. Kia and Hyundai were the previous big force. Now it’s the Chinese brands' turn, and they're currently elbowing each other out the way to get to the front while the old guard scratches its head wondering what just happened. The catalyst for change has been the switch to electric cars and with Toyota, Ford, Mazda, Nissan and Mitsubishi hardly having an EV between them, Chinese brands have swooped in to offer what people want.BYD, Chery, MG, GWM, Geely and Zeekr are offering outstanding and affordable electric cars and hybrids from hatches and sedans to SUVs and utes.MG and GWM were first on the scene, and both have become a part of Australia’s automotive landscape.BYD has won over Aussies even quicker.Four years ago almost nobody in Australia had heard of BYD, or Build Your Dreams as it was known then. As motoring journalists we were aware of the new brand from China, but hardly saw it as an immediate threat to the likes of MG, which had already won over Aussies with models such as the MG ZS. Nope, in 2022 BYD appeared to be just another Chinese brand hoping to ride the wave of interest in EVs that had taken off in Australia.The popularity of BYD models such as the Shark 6 plug-in hybrid ute, Atto 3 small electric SUV and Sealion 7 electric SUV have been central to the brand’s success. Crucial to the brand’s continued rise is bolstering its line-up with a multitude of other models, such as the Atto 1 electric hatchback, Atto 2 electric small SUV, Sealion 5 compact plug-in hybrid SUV, Sealion 6 mid-size plug-in hybrid SUV and Sealion 8 seven-seat plug-in hybrid SUV.BYD could just make it to second spot this year, but how long it can stay there is another story. Hyundai or Kia could make a comeback, but what is looking even more likely is a challenge from a fellow Chinese brand such as Chery. Chery only has five models but sold 4322 cars in April, and this year it will launch its diesel hybrid ute to rival the BYD Shark 6 and that could add an extra 1000 sales a month. Then again the ute market appears to be headed into troubled waters - again, another story for another day.For now it’s BYD time in the sun and while that might not mean being number one, number two would do.

Still don’t reckon diesel is on the chopping block in Australia? Well strap in, because another nail in its coffin has just arrived in the shape of the JAC Hunter PHEV.And with it comes a like-for-like comparison. See, the Hunter shares its underpinnings with the diesel-powered T9 ute, giving the brand’s customers a choice – take the new petrol-electric version, or stick with the cheaper diesel.And having driven both, the people in the latter camp should be able to be counted on one hand. It’s not that the Hunter feels like the best ute in its segment, it’s more that the combination of petrol power and electric propulsion massively improves the drive experience compared to the one with a diesel donk.But more on that in a moment. For now, let’s dig deeper into the details.The Hunter has been JAC’s long-promised volume play, and while we test drove this one in Australia, it’s not actually the ute that will be launching here wearing a sub-$50k price tag later this year.For perspective, the cheapest BYD Shark 6 ute, the Premium, is $57,900, while the Ford Ranger PHEV Stormtrak is currently around $73k drive-away. So the Hunter is sharp.JAC has also commendably joined the localised-ride-and-handling community (like GWM, and Kia and Hyundai before it), recruiting former Holden chassis engineer Michael Barber to fine-tune the Hunter for our conditions.We’re talking more than a nip and tuck here. Barber says he went through 50 damper rebuilds to get the Hunter where he wanted, which was a ute that feels tighter, more responsive to inputs and more confidence inspiring than the JAC products to have come before it.The catch is that, while the work is reportedly done, it hasn’t entirely made its way to the vehicles we’ve tested. Some changes are present (notably a focus on noise, vibration and harshness and the fitment of better acoustic glass), but not all of them. And the brand says the cars that eventually go on sale here will drive very differently to these ones.What we can tell you, though, is a bit more about the powertrain, and how it works. The PHEV system here pairs a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine with twin electric motors (one at each axle) to produce a total 360kW. It doesn’t feel like that much power, to be honest, though the progress is smooth and definitely doesn’t feel underpowered once underway. It is a slow-ish getaway from a standing start, though – we were recording (very unofficial) runs to 100km/h of around 8.5 seconds.Part of the slower-than-expected take-off, I think, is that the different power sources all kick in at different times. The on-screen display suggests the rear motor starts first, which is then joined by the front motor, and then – at around 30km/h – the petrol engine kicks in, adding a noticeable boost in performance. Again, it does not feel underpowered, and the power delivery provides a constant urge when everything is humming along altogether. And it’s infinitely smoother and more predictable than the diesel-powered alternative.The other focus for JAC has been proper work-ready performance. The Hunter will tow 3.5 tonnes no matter the battery state (I think because the software won’t let it fall below 20 per cent charge), combined with a 915kg payload, front and rear diff locks and five pre-programmed off-road modes. Clearly JAC is taking the demands of the Aussie market seriously.On board is a V2L connection, while a 31.2kWh LFP battery (with 45kW DC fast charging) delivers an all-electric driving range of around 100kms, and contributes to the total driving range (so with a full battery and a full tank) of more than 1000kms on the NEDC cycle.Our brief preview test included what I would describe as moderate off-road challenges, including a couple of deep gullies and some pretty steep dirt climbs, and the Hunter did it all easily enough that it felt like it had plenty more to give. Interestingly, it’s also very quiet off-road – I had to check whether the petrol engine was running a couple of times, and it was.On the road, the Hunter feels a marked improvement over the diesel T9, even if it doesn't feel as spritely under foot as some of its plug-in rivals. The transition from electric power to petrol power feels subtle and unobtrusive, and the steering is good for the segment, too – though even on my very brief trip I was desperate to turn off the overzealous driver attention monitor, which loved a happy beep and bong.It also has that kind of jittery ride quality a lot of unladen utes have, but it's impossible to pass judgement on that stuff yet, as we haven't driven the finished product. On price and spec alone, the Hunter looks as though it will draw plenty in for a look. And if Mr Barber can deliver an Aussie masterclass in ride and handling, it should attract plenty more.But for that we'll have to wait and see.