SUV

The 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale Veloce PHEV Q4 is out to show what the Italian brand can bring to the plug-in hybrid game. When it comes to the driving experience specifically, the new small SUV delights with its sharp handling, but is that enough to overcome the universal PHEV compromises?

Fiat has revealed its new pint-sized SUV in an attempt to fend off the advances of new affordable Chinese cars.Dubbed the Grande Panda, the little SUV will be available as a fully electric car or as a hybrid.It follows the same formula as the new Citroen C3, its twin under the skin.The Grande Panda’s bold design is sure to turn heads and win it a cadre of new fans.It brings the same digital, retro cool vibe as the Hyundai Ioniq 5, with pixel-effect headlights and front grille. Edgy 17-inch alloy wheels, 'Panda' embossed on the side panels and 'Fiat' on the rear hatch will help it stand out from the crowd.It will measure less than four metres long, which makes it shorter than nearly all cars on sale in Australia including the micro Mazda2 and Hyundai Venue SUV.Fiat hasn’t confirmed whether the vehicle will make it to Australia, but they have referred to the Grande Panda as the “first model of the new global line-up”.It will first be launched in Europe, Middle East and Africa but a further global expansion could be on the cards. The third generation Fiat Panda was briefly sold in Australia between 2013 and 2015.Fiat hasn’t provided details but expects the Grande Panda to use the same power sources as the Citroen C3.The electric version will use an 82kW motor fed by a 44kWh battery that provides a driving range of up to 320kkm.Hybrid examples use a 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor.Carmakers are starting to bring cheaper electric cars on line to help drive up sagging demand.Currently only a handful of Chinese brands sell electric cars under $40,000, but big name legacy makers such as Volkswagen, Hyundai and Jeep have plans in the works for cheaper alternatives.VW has confirmed a ID.1, which will be the same size as the former VW Up micro hatchback. Hyundai has teased its new Inster SUV, which will be the brand’s cheapest electric vehicle. Kia will have a version of this car too in the future called the EV2.Jeep has confirmed it is resurrecting the Renegade as a sub $35,000 electric SUV. It is due to go on sale by 2027.

The Land Rover Discovery Sport introduces a plug-in hybrid powertrain to its line-up and while its engine specs are good on paper, what's it like in the real world?

A short 15 years ago, the Hyundai Getz was available for as little as $12,990 drive-away, but the cheap end of the new-car market has nearly evaporated today. 

The new Toyota LandCruiser Prado will be entering into some tough competition when it officially launches in Australia, with two new off-road SUVs ready to take the icon's crown.The current-generation LandCruiser Prado has legend status in Australia, and

Jeep is the latest carmaker to confirm it’ll launch an affordable electric car.The American brand is aiming to build a sub-US$25,000 (A$37,700) electric SUV by 2027. This would undercut the cheaopest EVs on sales right now such as the BYD Dolphin and MG4.An investor day presentation from Stellantis – Jeep’s parent company – revealed the plan to resurrect the little Renegade as an EV. Jeep axed the Renegade in Australia in 2020 and dumped nameplate globally in 2023.Stellantis boss Carlos Tavares said the electric Renegade will need to use lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) batteries instead of traditional lithium-NMC ones to achieve the low cost.LFP batteries aren’t as energy dense as lithium-NMC units but do without expensive and hard to source rare earth metals. They are also less prone to fires.BYD is one of the world’s leading producers of the LFP batteries and its power packs are found in a range of cars including Teslas.The Chinese carmaker detailed its next-generation LFP batteries earlier this year, which it claims can achieve a driving range of more than 1000km.BYD has managed to increase battery capacity by more than 30 per cent according to reports.Stalling electric car sales in the giant European and the US markets has forced carmakers to pivot to more affordable alternatives to drive demand.Established carmakers are now preparing to roll out an array of cheap, small EVs targeted at the everyday driver.Volkswagen has confirmed it’ll build a circa-$30,000 EV with its coming ID.1 hatchback, which is about the same size as the Kia Picanto or defunct VW Up.That price puts it in the same ballpark as an entry-level Mazda3 or a fully-loaded Mazda2.This will join the the Volkswagen Polo-sized ID.2, which will also spawn the Cupra Raval and a Skoda EV of the same size.Citroen is rolling out little EVs at a similar price and Kia will launch the EV3 small electric SUV in Australia next month.Kia and Hyundai both have mini EV SUVs in the works with the EV2 and Inster.Tesla appears to be resisting the move to cheaper EVs.The company has reportedly mothballed its Model 2 hatchback for the foreseeable future as it focuses on its Robotaxi business.

One of Australia's most celebrated automotive designers and executives has asked local car buyers to not do to what "Australians have a habit of doing", and instead reserve judgement on the newest entry to our auto landscape.

The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon sits at the top-of-the-range and it’s available in a two-door body style for $83,950 and four-door for $90,450.Coming standard on the Rubicon grade are LED headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels, proximity key and push-button start, Nappa leather upholstery, power and heated front seats, 12.3-inch media screen, sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a nine-speaker Alpine sound system and dark tint windows.Powering all Wranglers is a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder making 200kW and 400Nm. An eight-speed automatic transmission shifts gears and sends the drive to all four wheels.The Wrangler has three-star score from a possible five-star ANCAP safety rating.

Isuzu has revealed its much-anticipated facelifted MU-X off-road SUV in its defacto home market of Thailand.

This might seem controversial, but really it’s just logical. If the idea of switching to electric vehicles instead of using combustion-engined cars was entirely about reducing the amount of CO2 produced, it stands to reason car companies would design EVs to be as small, and light, as possible, which, at first, they did (witness the Nissan Leaf, which was, for some time, the world’s biggest-selling