SUV

The South Korean brand debuted the new tiny Inster electric SUV at the 2024 Busan motor show and it’s due in Australia early next year.

Nissan in the USA has finally lifted the lid on the next-generation Nissan Patrol's launch timing, confirming that the American version – the Armada – will hit dealerships before the end of the year.

Electric 4X4 anyone? It kind of makes sense that, as the rest of the car market transits towards an EV future, that the four-wheel drive market would, too. It is, of course, not that simple. The term all-wheel drive electric car is not specific enough, just for starters.

After testing cars for 15 years Richard Berry has dicovered what could be the best car ever made, after Kia's EV9 Earth came to stay with the family for three months.

We know the next-gen Mazda CX-5 is coming. What it will be called, its powertrain offering and underpinnings remain a mystery, though. 

Alfa Romeo has revised details of the Veloce version of its Junior small SUV.It is the new pure electric halo for the Audi Q2, Mercedes-Benz EQA, BMW X2 and Lexus LBX rival.The Italian marque has upped power from an initial 180kW rating to 207kW while torque sits at 345Nm from the single front-mounted electric motor.Choosing the 207kW figure was no accident, with the Junior small SUV's outputs then matching Veloce versions of the Giulia sedan and Stelvio medium SUV.Along with 27kW more power, Alfa has retuned the Junior Veloce's chassis, adding sharper steering, 25mm lower springs and firmer anti-roll bars.No stopping there. The Veloce also features larger 380mm front brake rotors clamped by four-piston brake calipers, a Torsen locking differential OEM-tweaked tyres fitted to 20-inch alloy wheels.Alfa says the same teams that worked on the Audi RS4, BMW M3 and Mercedes-AMG C63-rivalling Giulia Quadrifoglio sports sedan have been involved in the process.This is not a full-fat Quadrifoglio version of the Junior, though. There have been no announcements of that nature.Underneath the Junior's sharply-styled bodywork sits a 54kWh battery pack – identical to the Peugeot E-2008 and Jeep Avenger with which it shares its 'Common Modular Platform' (CMP) – giving it a circa-410km driving range.Fast-charging is capped at 100kW (DC) for sub-30 minute 10-80 per cent recuperation.A petrol-electric hybrid version producing 100kW is also part of the range along with a detuned 116kW electric version.The Junior – previously known as Milano – is expected in Australia in the second half of 2025. Full pricing and detailed specifications will become available closer to the Junior's release.

The Nissan Qashqai e-Power is full of promises - a lower fuel bill, an EV-like drive experience without needing to plug in and recharge, all wrapped up a sleek, compact urban SUV. But does it live up to its claims? We put the Nissan Qashqai Ti e-Power to the long-term test to find out.

Fisker is the latest EV start-up to fail, placing the blame on "market and macroeconomic headwinds."

Arguably BMW’s most important model, the X3 SUV, is moving into a new generation. Already confirmed for Australia in two variants from launch, the 2025 BMW X3 is higher tech, higher class and larger in size. 

Mini has revealed Australian pricing for its new Aceman electric SUV.The little high-rider will slot in below the Countryman SUV in the carmaker’s local line-up.It will be available in two grades: Aceman E Classic and Aceman SE Favoured.Prices start at $55,990 (before on-road costs) for the E Classic and the SE Favoured trim costs an extra $5000.That starting point is $9000 less than the bigger Countryman electric and $2000 more than the electric Cooper hatchback.It’ll compete against city focused electric cars such as the Cupra Born, Volvo EX30 and coming Kia EV3.Both models use a single electric motor that produces 135kW and 290Nm in the base versions and 160kW/330Nm in the SE.The base version is fitted with a circa-42kWh battery that provides a driving range of up to 310km and the Aceman SE has a bigger 54kWh unit that boosts driving range to 406km.It’s not the speediest electric car to charge, though.The entry-level Aceman can accept a maximum charge rate of 75kW, enough to replenish the battery from 10-80 per cent in 28 minutes.Aceman SE examples can absorb up to 95kW, which tops up the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in 31 minutes.The fastest charging EVs from Hyundai, Kia and Porsche can take up to 350kW of juice.When hooked up to an 11kW AC wallbox charger the Aceman can go from flat to full in a number of hours.The Aceman E Classic has cloth and synthetic leather wrapped sport seats that are heated in the front row, a panoramic sunroof, sports steering wheel, 19-inch alloy wheels and two tone paint.Stepping up to the Aceman SE Favoured nabs you a 10-speaker Harman/Kardon stereo, power adjustable John Cooper Works front seats, full synthetic leather upholstery and augmented reality navigation.Mini is big on the sustainability of the Aceman.The entire Mini range is now Chrome and leather free, and it uses up to 70 per cent of recycled aluminium in the alloy wheels.The interior trim is made from mostly recycled materials that the brand said reduces its production greenhouse emissions by 98 per cent.