SUV

Mercedes-Benz has added new plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variants to its local GLE large SUV line-up with the arrival of the GLE450e 4Matic in Coupe and traditional SUV wagon form. The newcomer is powered by a 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder turbo-petrol engine and a single 135kW electric motor integrated into the nine-speed automatic transmission, sending a combined 320kW/680Nm to all four wheels via the three-pointed star’s 4Matic all-wheel drive system. That’s enough to propel the 2.7-tonne five-seater from 0-100km/h in just 5.6 seconds. A 25.7kWh lithium-ion battery gives the sleek coupe version an electric-only range of 91km (WLTP), with the more upright wagon good for 87km. Both are capable of up to 140km/h in EV-only mode. Standard charging set-up is 11kW AC for a zero to 100 per cent top-up in under three hours.  An optional onboard DC charger ($1100) accepts 60kW for a 10-80 per cent recharge time of around 29 minutes. On sale from today (October 15, 2026), the Mercedes-Benz GLE450e 4Matic plug-in hybrid SUV and Coupé are priced at $156,900 and $160,900, respectively (both before on-road costs). Car-spotters should look out for AMG Line exterior styling and Night Package elements, jointly bringing: AMG front apron Matt black roof rails Gloss black exterior mirror caps Star pattern radiator grille Horizontal louvres in the nose air intakes Dark chrome faux underguard Tinted rear windows 20-inch AMG five-spoke alloy wheels (SUV) 21-inch AMG five-twin-spoke alloy wheels (Coupé) Inside, standard features include heated front seats, synthetic leather trim in the SUV (synthetic leather and microfibre on AMG Line sports front seats in the Coupé) and a new steering wheel marking the return of rocker switch and roller controls. Existing GLE standard features include: Three 12.3-inch screens (under single glass surface) Head-up display Burmester 3D surround sound Memory Package Keyless-Go Comfort Package (with hands-free access) 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE450e 4Matic option pricing:

Avatr has confirmed that the 07L electric vehicle (EV) will not be the only new model that the brand is preparing for Australia next year. The large-sized SUV rival to the popular Zeekr 7X will also be joined by the 06T mid-sized wagon, and that’s set to launch several months after the 07L’s second quarter arrival, probably towards the end of 2027. While no pricing or specification details have yet to be revealed, both models will feature an elevated level of technology and features expected by buyers in Australia. The Avatr 06T is the wagon – or shooting brake – version of the 06 four-door mid-sized luxury sedan released in China last year. Already sprung in Australia and exposed on various social media platforms, the five-door model mirrors its fastback counterpart by offering EV and range-extender EV hybrid powertrains. In the EV models, the base model features a rear-mounted electric motor with rear-wheel drive, while more money buys all-wheel drive, courtesy of two additional motors (two on the back axle, one over the front axle). In China, the most powerful of these makes 712kW of power and 996Nm of torque, for a 0-100km/h sprint time of under 2.8 seconds. Just as impressively, if range is your thing, Avatr claims the most efficient is capable of averaging a staggering 741km, though that is using the more-lenient CLTC, not WLTP, methodology. According to Changan Automobile Australia Head of Brand and Marketing, Andrew Haurissa, both the 06T wagon and closely related 07L SUV will position the Chinese brand directly against premium and luxury offerings. Along with Zeekr (part of Geely), these include Denza (part of BYD), Wey (part of GWM), IM (part of MG), Tesla and others, like BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz. “Definitely in the premium segment to begin with (is our goal),” Haurissa said. “So, the Germans (definitely)… and we’re coming in as an emotive luxury proposition for Avatr. “I would like to think (it will sit higher than Zeekr… but) the public will decide. The kit itself is there. It has all the pedigree to compete.” Expect the 07L (pronounced Zero Seven L – and L is for long wheelbase) to mirror the 06T by offering single-motor rear-wheel drive and tri-motor all-wheel drive guises, as a laser-focused alternative to the 7X. Looking beyond next year, Avatr is set to offer up to five different models in Australia by the end of 2028, though what they are remain a tightly guarded secret. “The indication we’re getting right now, is that… a lot of the products coming out of Avatr moving forward will be a new generation. Because Avatr has been around for five years now," said Haurissa. “We’re planning four to five models. There’s a lot in the pipeline that needs to be decided. For right-hand-drive (RHD) markets, it needs to be decided cohesively with other RHD markets, similarly to the other Chinese brands coming in. Along with the Nevo mainstream brand that is also coming next year, Changan is aiming to launch with up to 50 dealers around Australia, with around 10 of these dedicated Avatr outlets in line with luxury consumer expectations.

At the 2026 Paris motor show Plenty of brands provided a preview of what’s to come for buyers . Some of the world’s biggest carmakers put their work on display from ultra-affordable EVs to retro reboots of past successes.  Here is some of the biggest news to come out of the show.  Smart has revealed a new compact EV called the #2.  Boasting a two-door and two-seat layout, it’s roughly 1200mm shorter than a BYD Atto 1 and slightly bigger than the original Smart ForTwo.  It has a 330km driving range, according to WLTP standards and can DC fast charge from 10 to 80 per cent in 20 minutes.  BYD sub-brand Denza has unveiled its answer to big hitters like Ferrari and Lamborghini with its Z electric sports car.  A close rival to the Mercedes-Benz SL Class, the Z is BYD’s first full-on performance model.  It will use a three electric motor set-up, producing 880kW, with a 0-100km/h time of less than two seconds.  Another Chinese brand is destined for Aussie shores.  Ultra-luxury brand Avatr showed off its T09 large plug-in hybrid SUV concept for the first time. It is due to launch in Australia in 2028 or 2029.  Citroen’s electric 2CV successor has landed.  The compact EV is due for launch in 2028, at 3760mm long shaping up slightly shorter than its petrol predecessor but still boasting a roll-top fabric roof.  It’s expected to be offered from a very affordable price point in Europe, but we’re unlikely to see it Down Under.  Fiat has revealed a bold new concept called ‘multiplay’, which can transform between a people mover, SUV and ute.  Measuring 4450mm long, the car shares a similar footprint to the BYD Atto 3. It features a sliding rear roof and C-pillar to enable conversion from a three-row family car, to a ute or an SUV depending on its specific requirements.  Alfa Romeo has given its iconic V6 engine a hybrid twist. Its Cuorerosso concept uses a conventional hybrid set-up, comprising a 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 engine as well as some electric motor assistance.  The Italian brand developed the concept to show off the future direction of its Quadrifoglio sedan.  Renault unveiled two futuristic EV concepts.  The E-Space concept is an electric reboot of the Espace van and people mover.  The E-Space is similarly sized to the current Espace van on sale, but uses a fully-electric set-up and features a standout sleek design.  The French brand also showed off its radical Renault 5 Turbo 3E that is a limited-run production EV version of the Renault 5 Turbo.  Its electric motor set-up produces 410kW, while riding on a fast-charging 800-volt platform.  Renault will only build 1980 examples of the car to pay homage to the original birth year of the Renault 5 Turbo.  Peugeot provided a look into its future.  The rally-inspired E-T16 concept is a nod to the 1980s 205 T16 Group B rally car, and its three electric motor set-up, makes around 600kW. Its aggressive styling and blacked out accents are said to be a showcase into future styling for Peugeot.  The RCZ Vision concept is an electric sports car based on the original 2+2 sports coupe.  It features plenty of cutting-edge technology, including a solid-state battery with 10 to 80 per cent fast charging in under 10 minutes.  The car’s electric motor set-up produces 373kW, while a curved ‘double bubble’ roof is a reflection of the original design. 

Nissan has confirmed the new-generation X-Trail mid-size SUV will launch locally late next year. This means that the Australian launch of the new-generation Nissan X-Trail will follow about 12 months after the US launch of the Rogue, which is the same car but with a different name. “This current generation that we’re in, I think we were two model years after the launch of the first left-hand drive ,” said Nissan Australian Managing Director Steve Milette to CarsGuide. “With the way the platform principles are now working at the global level from a product development , between the first left-hand drive and first right-hand drive, it’s been condensed quite significantly. “It’ll be a year or less, which is good news.” In contrast Nissan has taken more than two years to bring the Patrol to Australia after it went on sale in left-hand drive markets. Nissan already offers one e-Power hybrid-only model in Australia, the Qashqai small SUV, and it’s unclear whether the brand will expand this to include the X-Trail to further reduce the fleet CO2 emissions. “It’s a possibility,” said Milette when posed with the question. “I can’t confirm that that is definitely going to happen, but we know that the hybrid market has expanded globally, but especially here. “I would say even in our current-generation X-Trail, we’ve gone from very low percentages to now 33 per cent is e-Power, and by the end of December, it’ll be closer to 50 per cent.” At this stage Nissan Australia hasn’t confirmed the local specifications for the next-generation X-Trail, however the new US-specification Rogue gives an indication of what to expect. There’s a new e-Power hybrid powertrain that’s claimed to be quieter and more efficient. The dual-motor, all-wheel drive e-Power is also 11kW more powerful than the current version, with a total system output of 168kW. A 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine will also be offered as a pure-combustion engine option in the US. A version of this engine is already offered in the outgoing model. In addition to the e-Power hybrid all-wheel drive, the current, outgoing X-Trail is offered with a 2.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine in Australia, as well as a new front-wheel drive e-Power hybrid powertrain. Nissan Corporate Executive of Family, Products & Components Strategy Richard Candler previously told CarsGuide there is a “very large amount of new”, despite still being underpinned by an iteration of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance CMF-CD platform the current model rides on, For example, the structure is claimed to be completely different and much stiffer than before. Additionally, there is a fresh design and a reworked strut front, multi-link rear suspension set-up with a wider track width. All Rogue trims feature 90-degree opening doors, LED headlights, dual 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and touchscreen multimedia system (14.3-inch on higher grades), a wireless charger, 64-colour interior ambient lighting, as well as multi-zone climate control.

The Mercedes-Benz GLB is back for its second generation and this time it’s available with either a mild-hybrid or battery electric powertrain. It’s also packed with new tech. Is the EV the pick of the line-up?

How confidently can you drive on hardened snow, or in icy conditions? And what about electric vehicles (EVs)? Are they better or worse? The answers very much depend on the model of vehicle in question, as well as the level of advanced driver assistance technologies (ADAS) fitted. That’s because modern vehicles are immeasurably better at steering and braking control on very low grip surfaces, and are able to react far quicker than a human ever can. A high-grip or sticky road (usually dry and warm) has a high mu (denoted by the Greek letter m), while low mu represents a low-grip, low-friction surface like ice, snow or on a wet steel plate. Before the advent of safety aids like traction control, electronic stability control (ESC), anti-lock brakes, ADAS and all-wheel drive (AWD), vehicles in low mu situations required exceptional driving skills just to keep it from veering off uncontrollably into the scenery. Basically, the driver would often become the passenger. Now, in concert with advances in tyres and chassis engineering tuning, an electronic driving mode can be chosen according to the prevailing environment and conditions, for far-safer travel. It’s all the difference between progress and ploughing into something. Just as importantly, there are degrees of electronic intervention to allow for a variety of different ways to travel over low-mu surfaces, according to the level of driver skill. Here’s where Skoda steps into the picture. To demonstrate just how far modern vehicles have come, the Volkswagen Group brand organised a demonstration for a small number of Australian motoring media on a special closed circuit on an ice field in New Zealand. To keep it interesting, both vehicle types were performance-orientated grades of popular family-sized AWD SUVs that people might reasonably be expected to drive up to snowy regions during a ski season. Or navigate an ice-storm in on a freezing night on the other side of the globe. You never know. In this case, they were the 2026 Skoda Kodiaq RS 4x4 from $70,590 (all prices are before on-road costs) and a 2026 Skoda Enyaq RS 4x4 from $76,590 – with the latter being the go-faster EV version that is also known as the vRS in other markets. They wore winter tyres, a common addition in Europe, North America and other cold-climate regions, but not so in Australia due to our temperate climate. Several revealing demonstrations were prepared, and all on ice that looked like soft snow due to flurries but, in reality, revealed a mu surface as slippery as you’ll ever likely to experience out in the real world. Here we were shown the most basic level of ice-driving car control: attempting a low-speed cornering manoeuvre, without spearing off into a snowbank, and with limited ESC intervention. This introduced us to the three basic rules we would always have to adhere to: easing in intricate steering inputs, precise throttle control and very gentle tapping of the brake pedal, to allow momentum and the laws of physics to take the vehicle through the turn. Super difficult to achieve at first, and barely at walking pace initially, the speed was increased slowly over repeated exercises, until the balance and behaviour of driver and vehicle were in unison with the road and environmental conditions being negotiated. During these, we learned to importance of understanding and controlling ice-driving understeer (where the vehicle’s front wheels lose grip and then ploughs ahead whilst cornering regardless of steering angle) and ice-driving oversteer (where the rear wheels lose grip and the vehicle’s tail slides out to eventually spin out of control). After that, there was more of the same, but this time with a series of road twists and sharp turns combined with long straight pathways, with the goal of inducing controllable oversteer where possible in order to achieve the smoothest and cleanest route through a particular driving course. Note that understeer in such conditions is never desirable as it impedes progress. Sounds fun, is cool, but not as easy as the professionals on hand make it look. Especially at higher speeds Here’s the exception to the general rule of gently-gently car control. Sat in the Enyaq RS with nothing but icy snow behind, we were instructed to straighten the wheel, select reverse and floor the throttle, before tugging the wheel left or right once reaching 60km/h, then tapping the brake as the vehicle spins around 180 degrees backwards and slows to a momentary halt, before selecting drive and powering forward. The aim here is for a seamless transition turning the car from reverse to forward in a rapid getaway situation, as per every action movie involving a heist of some sort ever made. This was the highlight of the day. After countless exercises learning to control a vehicle better on ice than we ever thought possible thanks to the advances in electronic technologies like ADAS, we were driven to another location with two Skodas with all electronic systems switched off and instructed to temporarily forget about everything we had learned that day about smart, safe yet speedy ice driving. No ESC. No traction. No ADAS. And no safety net. Instead, we were told to drive around a point in the centre of a large field, but in a constant oversteer motion where the rear was sliding out to help pivot the vehicle around. In other words, we were told to drift our hearts out! With a cool and collected professional our only safety net in the seat next to us, the only instruction was full throttle and eyes fixed on the centre point. Doing that, with foot planted firmly down on the accelerator, resulted in a long, continuous circular drifting, yet within a chosen path and without losing control. This was the culmination of very particular steering and throttle inputs, designed to create spectacular drifting manoeuvres. Since these instructions require to do the very opposite of the extremely precise steering and throttle inputs that are the core of safe modern-vehicle ice-driving techniques, we do not recommend you try this on public roads. But, in the off-chance you have a private circuit away from danger for you or any other road user, it might be the most fun you’ll ever have on ice. And the Skodas behaved exactly as instructed, without missing a beat.

While the future of the current Toyota Kluger remains uncertain, the Japanese carmaker has confirmed the Kluger nameplate will carry over. “Firstly with regard to nameplate of Kluger, we will continue,” said Toyota Australia Vice President National Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations John Pappas to CarsGuide. “So, we have no plan on discontinuing the Kluger nameplate. “Regarding the BEV … right now we have nothing to confirm or announce on that BEV, but … Kluger will continue.” The current-generation Toyota Kluger (Highlander in other markets) has been produced in the USA since 2019. Reports from the US indicate that production of the current Kluger will finish up before the end of 2026. It’s unclear if this is just for US-specification Highlander models or globally. The outgoing Kluger/Highlander will be replaced by a new, all-electric model called the Highlander BEV. If it launches locally it will likely be called the Kluger BEV as Hyundai owns the trademark for the name ‘Highlander’. The Highlander BEV is set to launch in the US in 2027. At this stage it’s unclear whether a local launch will happen, but this is a potential way for the Kluger name to carry on in Australia. Toyota already offers the larger Grand Highlander that’s built on the same TNGA-K platform as the regular Kluger. Right-hand drive production for this model has never been confirmed. While Toyota Australia hasn’t confirmed the launch of the Highlander/Kluger BEV, Lexus has just announced it is launching the new TZ in 2027. The Lexus TZ is based on the same TNGA-K EV platform as the Kluger BEV. There’s also a Subaru version of this car called the Getaway, but for now this is only confirmed for North America. In the US, the new Kluger BEV will be available with two electric motor configurations, as well as two battery packs. A single-motor, front-wheel drive version produces 164kW, whereas a dual-motor, all-wheel drive set-up has a total system output of 252kW. A 95.8kWh lithium-ion battery will be available first, with a smaller 77kWh unit to be offered later. If Toyota did bring the new electric version of the Highlander to Australia and badge it as the Kluger, it would be the Japanese brand’s largest EV to date. Beyond the related Lexus TX, key rivals that are large three-row electric SUVs include the Kia EV9, Hyundai Ioniq 9, Tesla Model Y L, Cadillac Vistiq and the Volvo EX90. There’s also the new Mercedes-Benz GLB, which offers both an electric powertrain and three rows of seating, but it’s a considerably smaller vehicle. Toyota has been ramping up its EV sales thanks to the addition of the bZ4X Touring and it’s aiming to have 30 per cent of its overall local sales be EVs, PHEVs and FCEVs by the end of 2030.

Isuzu says it will look to trade emissions credits with other manufacturers and attempt to share the extra cost between dealers, its local head office and its international HQ to keep selling the diesel D-Max and MU-X in Australia without jacking up prices. The brand is in a tough spot when it comes to the federal government's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) in Australia, with two models sharing diesel engines, and no form of electrification either here or coming in the immediate future. But it also says the segments it competes in – namely the ute and off-road SUV spaces – aren’t embracing electrification, even if it had powertrains to offer. That leaves it with little option but to buy credits from other lower-emitting manufacturers. Part of the government’s NVES policy is that manufacturers who exceed their fleet emission target end in credit, while those who miss theirs end with a deficit, but brands can trade to balance their ledgers. “The strategy is that we’ll do everything we can to make the impact as low as possible on the end user,”  says  Rod Caldwell, Executive General Manager - MD Office and Internal Audit Office. “If that means we need to buy credits, we're not saying that we won't do that. "If that means that it protects the consumer from any excessive price increases or whatever, but it gives them the lowest impact, then that's what we'll do. Some brands say they won't, we're saying that's an option we will seriously consider.” Caldwell says the brand would attempt to share any cost increases across the vehicle suppliers, rather than pass them onto the customer, though he concedes that might not be entirely possible. “We're trying to trim expenses at the same time, and we've got a number of parties involved in our process,” he says. “We've got the manufacturer, we've got our owner, we've got us. So we’ve all got a job to do to make sure that the customer doesn't have to wear the brunt of it.  “We want to minimise the impact. We will have to absorb some, the factory will have to absorb some. At the end of the day, the factory is the one responsible for the penalty, not us, but we've got to come to an arrangement on how we share this burden. “It's not going to be long term. We are going to have new technology in the future, for sure.”

The new BMW iX3 is the first production model to arrive on BMW’s new Neue Klasse EV architecture. Has BMW actually managed to make its next generation of EVs feel like a proper Bimmer?

Volkswagen finally has the firepower to take on China, with its new ID.Tiguan electric SUV. The new ID.Tiguan will replace the current ID.4 and ID.5, which are currently still on sale in Australia. Both have been met with lukewarm success and have been comprehensively outsold by the Tesla Model Y, Zeekr 7X, Geely EX5 and more. The mid-size electric SUV moves to the company’s upgraded electric car platform, dubbed MEB+. This brings a number of updates including faster charging capabilities, better batteries and more efficient electric motors. The new ID.Tiguan brings more road presence than the outgoing ID.4 and ID.5. It looks less like it was designed to impress a wind tunnel and more to look good in a driveway. It has chunkier styling with a more boxy silhouette, with broad haunches and a blocky rear end. Sharp LED lights joined by a light bar that runs the length of the bonnet gives it a modern EV feel. There are just enough body creases to give it some visual appeal, along with various alloy wheel designs. Inside is where the magic really happens. Buttons, glorious buttons, have made a return to a Volkswagen interior. There are physical controls for climate functions underneath the central multimedia display, and the steering wheel has plenty of real buttons, not haptic feedback touch controls of cars past. This doesn’t mean the ID.Tiguan is old-school. The ID.Tiguan can come with three screens, including a 15-inch central multimedia screen, 10-inch driver display and a 12-inch front seat passenger screen. This means the screens run the length of the entire dashboard. It appears the austerity years that ripped out the high-end feel of Volkswagen interiors might be over, with the ID.Tiguan looking plush and comfortable inside. The ID.Tiguan is available in three layouts: two single-motor, rear-wheel drive and one dual-motor all-wheel drive. The base rear-wheel-drive version uses a 140kW motor and 58kWh battery delivering a WLTP range of up to 450km. A beefier 210kW rear-wheel drive version is paired with a 77kWh battery that provides a driving range up to 600km. The range is topped off with a 220kW all-wheel-drive version that uses the same 77kWh battery to push the car up to 560km. The bigger batteries can accept up to 165kW of DC power and the smaller version up to 105kW. All can absorb 11kW from an AC connector. The ID.Tiguan can even tow, with the smaller battery version capable of pulling up to 1800kg and the others can shift 2000kg. Volkswagen Australia has not confirmed if the ID.Tiguan will be sold in Australia, but it is almost certain it will arrive here to replace the ID.4 and ID.5. Pre-sales start in select European countries this month, but Australia is usually a decent chunk behind the continent. Volkswagen has just announced a series of substantial updates for the ID.4 and ID.5 in Australia, which will likely point to it being on sale for another year at least. So, expect it to arrive towards the end of 2027 at the earliest. In Germany it starts at the equivalent of about $68,000.