Toyota Stout Reviews

Toyota in Australia has laid out its vision for its GR performance brand, assuring the range will grow as it looks to tap "performance hybrids" as the power source that will propel it into the future.The seeds have already been sown with the bonkers GR GT, which pairs a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 with a hybrid system for total system outputs of more than 478kW and 850Nm. Its top speed is in excess of 300km/h.The GR GT is expected to launch in 2027, but will also form the blueprint for Toyota's other GR models, with hybridisation coming to next-gen models."Efficiency hybrid is about matching existing performance, but has a significant improvement in fuel consumption. Performance hybrid is saying we take an existing ICE powertrain, and then the way to get a lot more power with effectively the same fuel efficiency is electrification on top. GR GT is an example," says Ray Munday, the Senior Manager Product Planning and Pricing at Toyota in Australia."A large, powerful ICE engine plus electrification is where we see looking forward."The concept of performance hybrids electrifying the future of GR ties neatly with reports out of Japan that the brand will launch a new hybrid engine in its Yaris GR and Corolla GR hatchbacks, with Best Car reporting the plan has been in place since 2024.At a 'multi-pathway workshop' that year, Toyota reportedly unveiled a petrol-electric engine that would redefine the brand's performance cars. The 2.0-litre turbo-hybrid set-up will reportedly produce 294kW and 500Nm, an uplift over the current GR Yaris’ 221kW and 400Nm."The GR side of the business is extremely exciting," says Toyota Australia VP of Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations John Pappas. "Going forward into the future, GR is going to play a bigger role across the family of Toyota Motor Corporation. We haven't determined how that looks or feels, and what that's all going to mean for what products and all the rest of it going forward. But it is very exciting in terms of what the company's planning to do with GR."While he wouldn't be drawn on details, Mr Pappas confirmed that meant the lineup would grow beyond the GR Yaris and GR Corolla in Australia as the performance sub-brand takes on new importance."Going forward globally, we've obviously articulated the role of GR about performance and really learning from motor sport and performance testing. So we're very excited by that here. And we're working out how that's going to look for Australia."

Is Australia ready for the return of a modern, big single-cab ute?GWM admits it honestly does not know.But the Chinese brand might be willing to take a punt on the two-door coupe utility version of the body-on-frame P300 Bakkie – as the Cannon range is known in South Africa and some other markets – should Australian consumers demand it.Or, in other words, a spiritual successor to the iconic Ford Falcon RTV Rugged Terrain Vehicle – a raised and more-rugged version of the BA through BF II series ute made and sold in Australia from 2003 until the FG series arrived in 2008.Two-door coupe-utility models have largely disappeared from mainstream one-tonne ute price lists in Australia, even though they are commonplace elsewhere.The P300 Bakkie is available as both a Single Cab 2WD and 4WD across the globe.Speaking to CarsGuide at the recent China Auto Show in Beijing, GWM Australia and New Zealand Head of Marketing and Communications, Steve Maciver, revealed that his company is bold enough to take on a chance if an opportunity does exist.“Personally, I love it,” was his reaction after pointing to one at the motor show.“It looks good. Whether there's a big market for it. Who knows?“But I think, in terms of being a brand able to take brave decisions, do something a little bit different, right, potentially bring something in and test the market (it could work in Australia).”Maciver also agreed that there might be a niche to exploit now that Toyota has abandoned the bottom end of the base 2WD low-rider tray market with the deletion of the old 2.7-litre four-cylinder petrol engine in the latest version of the HiLux Workmate range.“Yes,” he said. “But we do have to think about complexity... and that makes it challenging at times for consumers and challenging for our dealers.”Released in 2019 in China and a year later in Australia, the P300 series Cannon is GWM’s global workhorse ute, and is offered in a range of four-cylinder petrol, turbo petrol hybrid and turbo diesel models.

Toyota has adopted a slow and steady approach to electric vehicles, with the new bZ4X Touring only its second battery-powered model. The new, more spacious SUV goes head-to-head with the likes of the Tesla Model Y, BYD Sealion 7 and Subaru Trailseeker. We put the bZ4X Touring to the test to see how it rates for value, practicality, performance, safety and more.

Modern-day off-roaders are impressive, no doubt about that: they’re generally quite comfortable on-road and often quite capable off-road.But are they so good at doing 4WD things that they effectively rob any off-roading challenge of, well, the challenge part? Are they such a great blend of driver-assist tech and 4WD mechanicals that the driver is merely along for the ride?Read on.Off-roading in a contemporary off-roader (AWD or 4WD) can be such smooth sailing that you’d be forgiven for thinking “What’s all the fuss about?”Driver-assist tech with direct off-road applications – such as the 360-degree camera or vehicle-info read-out (displaying driveline/diff lock indicators, steering, pitch and roll angles etc) – is taking on ever more significant roles as it all improves.But invasive technology, finely-tuned off-road traction control and even overbearing drive modes can turn what might have been a technically difficult section of 4WDing into almost a point-and-enjoy-the-ride kind of driving experience because new off-roaders are simply that good.Don’t get me wrong, driver-assist tech is great, especially when it works as it should: being consistently effective when it really counts.Off-road traction control, hill-descent control, track cameras, transparent bonnet functions and more are welcome additions to any off-road vehicle.The Kia Tasman is a good example of a 4WD with an off-road traction control system that is so smoothly well calibrated the driver is nigh-on redundant.But if a vehicle’s off-road traction control system is patchy in its application, safe controlled momentum from a reliable base of traction is difficult to accomplish or sustain – and that can be annoying at best and dangerous at worst.The flip-side of that issue is that if the off-road traction control system is so finely tuned the only danger may be that the driver is rendered near-obsolete. The onboard tech does all the thinking for the driver, as well as adjusting engine output, transmission settings and traction control to best suit the terrain. So if you’re the driver you have an existential crisis on your hands in the form of “Why am I even here?”The same goes for hill-descent control; if you’re not in charge of modulating the vehicle’s speed and direction down a hill then shouldn’t you be in a passenger seat enjoying the view?Can you even call yourself a 4WDer if your vehicle does all the work for you?And what if your off-road vehicle has its own eyes watching the track ahead?A track camera (aka 360-degree view camera, or surround-view camera) has the potential to greatly enhance driver vision while you’re 4WDing on bush tracks, cresting steep hills, or traversing sand dunes on beach adventures.What started as more of a novelty for me, the track camera has taken on an increasingly important role. Sure, I still prefer to get out of the vehicle and check the track ahead myself or get a human spotter to do the work for me, but the view afforded by a track camera / 360-degree view camera will usually help the driver to maintain vision, especially if forward visibility is compromised, say for instance up and over the crest of a steep rocky hill, or if your vehicle is edging towards a steep rocky drop into a creek bed and you can’t discern your driving line.Helpful, but still robbing the 4WDer of another bit of responsibility, purpose and challenge.The same can be said for the transparent bonnet function. Can’t figure out what that is even though the tech’s function is literally in its name? (Literally.)Let me explain.This driver-assist tech is designed to help the driver see the correct driving line to take through challenging terrain or over an obstacle without being able to see with their naked eyes what’s under them.Being able to see the track in front of your vehicle is a definite advantage and visibility in some off-roaders is impacted due to the forward-view-restricting design of the cabin or the size of the vehicle’s bonnet, but the transparent chassis function is designed to address that issue.As with onboard cameras, I still prefer to stick my head out the window and have a look at the track, or actually stop the vehicle, get out and have a decent look at the track ahead before I proceed.If your off-road vehicle is working the gears for you, adjusting the speed for you and even looking for you, then how dare you have the audacity to sit in the driver’s seat.The problem with all of this tech – beyond its annoying over-effectiveness – lay in the fact that it’s all more difficult to address failures or damage in the great outdoors than it is to bush-repair an older traditional 4WD.Modern 4WDs are a mass of electronics, sensors, wiring, motherboards etc and those components may be vulnerable to damage, especially in harsh Australian conditions.And the efficacy of driver-assist tech may be impacted by the ingress of bulldust, mud or water. If onboard sensors are compromised or damaged in some way, then you’re at the mercy of nature.Imagine this: You and your family are on a weekend trip away in the bush and you’re currently 80km from the nearest town. You drive through an innocuous-looking creek crossing – the water seems to be about shin-deep. However, some of that muddy water splashes onto one of the vehicle’s onboard sensors and your 4WD automatically goes into the equivalent of ‘limp home’ mode.Bloody uh-oh.Old-school 4WDs can be more easily fixed in remote areas as opposed to trying to get a new vehicle running again which may require someone in your touring group to have a computer engineering degree or have a team of specialists choppered in from Germany.And that’s why old-school 4WDs – or even new old-school 4WDs (like the Suzuki Jimny or Jeep Wrangler) – continue to enjoy such enduring popularity and still fetch sky-high prices on the second-hand market.A real purpose-built 4WD with a full ladder-frame chassis, rigid (live) axles front and rear, and diff locks has always been admired by those in the know; basic and solidly reliable powertrain and mechanical components are the way to go.Any serious 4WDer has a soft spot for something like a Toyota LandCruisers (70, 80,100 Series, anyone?), Nissan Patrol, Land Rover Defender (the old ladder frame kind), Mitsubishi Pajero, even Jeep Gladiator. The old way of doing things is even sought after by some newer examples on the market like the Ineos Grenadier, Jimny and Wrangler.Resolving issues on those old-school 4WDs can be completed with a little bit of common sense, some ingenuity and a bit of hard work. A stack of spares, duct tape, cable ties and some welding skills will help you get a whole lot further than nothing at all and you’ll likely be able to patch up your 4WD, continue your trip and reach civilisation or at least the nearest town.The good news is no matter how clever your off-roader’s software, cameras and sensors are, it’ll still need you to press the ‘Start’ button.Or will it?

Toyota in Australia has detailed its comparatively sluggish first-half sales results, saying its internal delivery issues, rather than competition from newcomer Chinese brands, is holding it back.Last month saw a staggeringly close – and, over the past 20 years, unheralded –brawl between Toyota and BYD for top spot on Australia's sales ladder, with the Chinese brand finishing just 243 sales short of Toyota's 19,124 deliveries.But Toyota insists it isn't feeling the rush of new Chinese brands is hurting orders, instead saying a strong second half of the year is coming as production frees up."I don't mean that in a disrespectful way," says Toyota's Vice President, National Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations, John Pappas. "We respect all our competitors and what they do."When you've got long lead times, at the end of the day, you need to be able to have a realistic short lead time for your customer. That's what we've been focused on. Because if we can do that, we know our loyalty is very, very high."We respect that with our customers, we never take that for granted, but we've really been focused on trying to reduce that lead time for our customer, together with our TMC colleagues. because we know that competition's fierce."We know that there's all these brands. We know, and we want to make sure that we can keep our customers happy by trying to reduce that lead time."Toyota has managed just 95,141 sales across the first six months of 2026, which if sustained, would see them sink below 200,000 sales for the year. But Pappas says the issue is supply, not demand, and a new pipeline of production will deliver more vehicles to customers in the second half of the year. The brand is targeting around 230,000 sales this year."Our biggest downfall this year has actually been our supply at the start, because we knew last year that we were coming into this year with a Q1 into Q2 shortfall, because we were launching the RAV4 later than we had liked," Pappas says."So the RAV4 is in our top two selling vehicles. We're only doing 40,000 RAV4s (compared to 52,000 in 2025) this year. "We'd like to do more than that because we know that car's good enough and we've got customer demand over a 12-month window to do more than that amount. So therefore, we're only really getting like a nine-month runway on RAV. So we're missing out a whole quarter of new RAV4 sales. "That's our biggest shortfall. And we knew that going into the year. So now the fact that we've been able to secure more production from the global allocation, particularly on hybrids and bZs and other vehicle lines, including Hilux, it's great because that enables us to shorten lead times for customers."

We are living in an unprecedented era of automotive innovation and change that is constantly reshaping what and how we drive.For that we should be grateful, since the ongoing electrification of everyday cars, SUVs and utes means we have cleaner air, quieter streets, safer vehicles that are cheaper to run and less reliance on petrol stations.But in Australia, we’ve also lost as well as gained due to this relentless march of progress.For proof, look at any new-car guide from 10 years ago. What’s gone is shocking.Here are seven reasons why motoring in 2016 was better than it is today.In 2016, Australians could buy a handful of new small cars costing under $20,000 when converted to today’s money.Sure, we’d steer clear of the Mitsubishi Mirage from $11,990 and Holden Barina Spark from $12,890, but the Suzuki Celerio from $12,990, Nissan Micra from $13,490 and Honda Jazz VTi, Hyundai Accent Active, Mazda 2 Neo and Toyota Yaris Ascent from $14,990 apiece back then all offered comfortable, capable and reliable transport for not much money.But the only new car under $20,000 in 2026 is the Kia Picanto Sport manual from $19,190 (all prices are before on-road costs unless otherwise stated), though the MG 3 Vibe from $21,990 drive-away is actually marginally cheaper in some states after taxes.Plus, all the old entry-level small cars have vanished from Australia except for the Mazda2 (which is essentially exactly the same car) and Yaris (one generation newer), coming in at a rude $27,290 and $29,190 respectively today.It’s worth noting that a number of light SUVs do cost less than the cheapest back in 2016 (Mazda CX-3 Neo manual from $19,990, or nearly $28K today), including the Chery Tiggo 4, MG ZS, Hyundai Venue, Mahindra XUV 3XO, GAC Emzoom, Jaecoo J5 and Haval Jolion, but still cost more than the aforementioned small cars did a decade ago.At the start of 2016, there were 36 small cars of Toyota Corolla size available in Australia; that number has halved today. And they’re hanging around a lot longer than before.Toyota recently announced that it was extending the lifespan of most models from seven to nine years.We’d already noticed. The current Corolla launched in 2018 and is still going. The previous one was done in six years, while four years was common before that.Meanwhile, the Mazda 2, CX-3 and Mazda 3 arrived in 2014, 2015 and 2019 respectively and are still on-going. The Hyundai i30 hatch surfaced in 2017. As did the existing Volkswagen Polo. And even today’s VW Golf 8.5 is a reskin of the 2012 Mk7.What’s happened? Buyers have abandoned passenger cars for SUVs, so carmakers have been forced to keep their models in production longer for a better return on investment. Or, as in Ford’s case with the Fiesta, Focus and Mondeo, they drop them altogether, relying on utes and SUVs instead.In 2016, buyers could purchase a new large, rear-wheel-drive family car designed, developed and built in Australia, like the Ford Falcon or Holden Commodore from under $50,000 in today’s money, or the slightly-smaller, front-drive Toyota Camry-based Aurion as a locally-made alternative.Along with the Skoda Superb that is the only one left standing in 2026, all were defined by their size, space and power.Too large for you? There were another 16 mid-sized sedans that offered almost as much, for a little less. Camry, Honda Accord and Hyundai Sonata are the only names that are hanging on today.Chrysler, meanwhile, imported the 300 series, while in the upper-large segment, the Holden Caprice faced the Hyundai Genesis and, from the following year, the woefully underrated Kia Stinger. Such sedans are now history.Likewise, consumers can no-longer buy a monocoque-bodied workhorse/weekend-plaything ute as defined by the Holden and Ford Falcon utes, though the KGM Musso EV is the start of something new.And there’s more. Where have all the coupes gone since 2016? There were nearly 30 under $100,000. Why are there only four convertibles left under $100K? And from a dozen people movers under $60,000, that number has also plummeted to four, losing icons like Tarago, Odyssey and Stavic along the way.All have been replaced by dozens of EVs in hatchback, liftback/sedan or SUVs of differing sizes, with sleek, homogenised silhouettes, screen-heavy dashboards featuring minimised buttons, silent electric powertrains and every shade of white through black, or silvery blues, greens and browns.Just remember: 20 years ago, your Commodore could be had as a sedan, wagon, Monaro coupe, Adventra crossover wagon, ute, cab-chassis, Crewman dual-cab ute and long-wheelbase Statesman or Caprice, in regular or HSV performance upgrade guises, some with all-wheel drive and all with V8 options to the standard V6, with the latter also offering a liquid petroleum gas alternative. Today Holden is history.Besides the locally-designed and developed Falcon and Commodore, we also had the Falcon-derived Ford Territory to call Australia’s Own (and only-ever) SUV.These vehicles, along with the T6 ute-based Ford Ranger, Ford Everest and Mazda BT-50 made in Thailand and elsewhere, were created and engineered across this country, and were thus better-suited to our environment than their imported alternatives.And many supported Australian suppliers as a result. Most of all that has now since also gone.This one’s heartbreaking for car enthusiasts – or those who want to feel more connected with their vehicle.In 2016, we counted over 170 different makes and models available with a manual gearbox. Today that number is down to around 30 and falling.Both tallies include everything from Morgans to Mahindra Pik-Ups.Earlier we said the least expensive Toyota today – the Yaris – started from nearly twice as much as the 2016 Ascent manual’s $14,990. At least it’s a much better model than back then. And hybrid to boot.But that’s nothing compared to how much the least-expensive new Ford costs today.The 2016 Fiesta Ambiente kicked off from $15,825 (about $21,300 in 2026), while its cheapest passenger vehicle equivalent today is the Everest Active 4WD SUV from $58,990.And if it’s a non-commercial vehicle-based Blue Oval product you desire, that would be the Mustang Mach-E Select from $65,990.The proliferation of touchscreens, with their distracting sub-menus and absorption of buttons that would previously have controlled the climate system, drive modes, side mirrors or even the glove box, has been so widespread – and we have Tesla to thank for starting this craze – that independent safety organisations like EuroNCAP now penalise new vehicles it tests that do not offer clear and unimpeded access to important functions.You wouldn’t read a book whilst driving along a highway. Staring at a screen instead of the road is much the same thing.The 2026 Toyota RAV4, meanwhile, scores highly for its user interface but then drops the ball with an infuriating trigger-happy and never-ending driver-distraction warning. No thanks.Countless other new vehicles suffer from advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) interference technologies. Designed to help, they also serve to harass and annoy the driver, leading to greater fatigue and further risk of distraction.Stupid electronic door handles that just do not work intuitively are another sore point, as is the deletion of a spare wheel because the electrification technology takes precedence over personal security when stranded with a blowout far away from home.Thoughtless excuses to help carmakers save money, this is not progress but the devolution of the car we never saw coming back in 2016.

Reports out of the US overnight point to a significant delay in the start of production for the all-new, pure-electric Toyota Highlander large SUV, marking another faltering step in the Japanese giant’s shift towards broader adoption of battery-electric models.According to American automotive marketplace Cars.com, a Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) spokesperson told it the company is making “additional adjustments to the vehicle prior to launch.” Toyota uses the name Highlander in the USA and selected export markets while the Kluger nameplate is well established in Japan and Australia, with local Klugers coming out of Toyota’s Princeton, Indiana plant.The top-spec all-wheel drive 2027 Highlander has two electric motors, producing 252kW/438Nm and there are two battery options - 77kWh for a 462km range and 96kWh for 515km between charges. Initially set to launch in North America before the end of the year, a “minimum eight week delay” to production ramp up means the new-generation battery electric vehicle (BEV) may not hit showrooms there until early 2027.With no confirmation of revised launch timing for the new Highlander, TMNA also advised the current 2026 model will stay in production through to the end of the year.It’s worth noting while the Kluger is hybrid-only in Australia, the current Highlander is offered in pure-combustion and hybrid form in the States and US Highlander sales are currently strong, especially for hybrid variants. In fact, Cars.com has theorised part of Toyota’s motivation for holding back the new model is to “enjoy some extra profits on the fast-selling, top-dollar Highlander hybrids to keep that cash machine ringing while RAV4 production continues to slowly ramp up.”There’s no doubt a production extension for the current car will be welcomed by Toyota Australia, its dealers and Kluger buyers. Local sales for the first half of this year were down 46.3 compared to the same period in 2025, but additional supply could add a much needed boost.The new-gen Highlander EV is currently off the agenda for Australian consumption, with a Toyota Australia spokesperson previously telling CarsGuide there are no current plans to add a Kluger version to the range Down Under.But we’ve heard that line before, so don’t write off the Hyundai Ioniq 9, Kia EV9 and Volvo EX90 competitor for Australia just yet.On side note, the hold up will surely upset launch plans for the Lexus TZ, the Highlander’s premium counterpart and the Subaru Getaway, based on the upcoming model’s platform and basic architecture, both initially planned for 2026 introduction.After single-mindedly sticking to its long-term hybrid-led new energy vehicle (NEV) strategy Toyota has gradually moved towards EVs, introducing the bZ4X and more recently the bZ4X Touring and Electric HiLux locally, with the C-HR+ EV locked in for 2027.The plug-in hybrid RAV4, just-released in Australia, is on the same TNGA-K platform as the 2027 Highlander, which also opens the door to a future EV version.

This is a big moment for Toyota in Australia. The biggest in recent memory, even.Because it’s not just when, at last, its best-selling model, the RAV4, scores one of the fastest-growing powertrain choices in Australia, the plug-in hybrid. It’s also the brand tip-toeing into the powertrain solution that will no doubt eventually end up driving all of its icons, from HiLux to LandCruiser and everything in between. And there's another way to look at it, too, and that is that many of the rush of new brands in Australia – BYD, Geely etc – have arrived with a mid-size plug-in in their arsenal. This is Toyota returning serve.Well, kind of. If you're expecting Chinese pricing, think again. The RAV4 PHEV is currently offered in three guises across two grades, with the XSE 2WD ($58,840), the XSE AWD ($63,340) and the new big dog of the range, the GR Sport AWD ($66,340).The RAV4’s biggest competitor these days is probably the BYD Sealion 6, which tops out below where the plug-in Toyota starts, with the Premium listed at $52,990 before on-road costs. Something like a Geely Starray EM-i is even cheaper, starting at less than $38,000. The Toyota does start below something like a VW Tayron eHybrid, in which the Elegance starts from $62,390.In terms of bang for bucks, the XSE trims mirror their non-plugged sibling – and we have a story detailing all the equipment here – while the GR Sport adds a unique exterior package, including a new grille, bumpers and a rear spoiler. There’s also a whole bunch of mechanical stuff you can’t see, too, like a 20mm wider track, sportier front damping, extra rear bracing for better lateral stiffness and a shift-by-wire continuously variable transmission (CVT).The big difference between the two grades, at least in terms of look, is the front-end treatment, with the XSE cars getting the perforated-style grille that reminds me a little of a chain-link fence, and the GR Sport scoring the deeper mesh grille with far more gloss black. Now I would never be so bold as to tell you which one you should like better, beauty being in the eye of the beholder and all that, but I will say this; if it’s not the GR Sport, then you’re wrong.The plug-in power here comes from the combination of a 2.5-litre petrol engine, a 22.7kWh battery, and a front electric motor in 2WD spec, and a second rear electric motor in the AWD trims. Toyota doesn’t quote a combined torque figure, but power is at 201kW for the single motor, and 227kW for the AWD, officially making this the most potent RAV4 we’ve ever seen in Australia. The GR Sport, for example, will clip 100km/h in a brisk 5.8secs – provided the battery is topped up.Like most makers of plug-in hybrids, Toyota's claim of 0.7L/100km on the combined cycle are fanciful, you will never get close to that. We were averaging around 3.0L with the battery topped up, which is good. But if you want to use no fuel, Toyota says the 2WD version will travel 121kms on electric power alone, while the AWDs will take you 113kms.The rest is fairly RAV4, so we’ll summarise before we get to the good stuff. The PHEV models benefit from the tech upgrade delivered on the rest of the new RAV4 range, and it makes the interior a far nicer, more modern-feeling space. The backseat is sparse but spacious, though the tunnel does cut into the middle-seat leg room, and I had no problems getting my 175cm frame comfy in the window seats. And the boot is slightly smaller, now at 655L VDA rather than the regular hybrid’s 705 litres. Kudos to Toyota, though, for fitting a space-saving spare wheel.OK, caught up? Let’s drive this thing. Climb behind the wheel of the RAV4 PHEV and – and I know this is going to sound a little bit boring – you’ll find it drives a lot like a RAV4 Hybrid, only with a plug. That is not a criticism of this car, it’s consistently among our best-selling vehicles for a reason.The GR Sport is the grade we spent the most time in, and it gets the wider track, the sportier ride and handling and, of course, all the power, at 227kW with the battery fully charged. And the end result is an SUV that is actually really fun to take around corners. There is a balance and a composure to this car that is simply not present on some plug-in hybrid products.Now there is a catch, of course, that’s 227kW with everything topped up. I spent a fair chunk of the test in a vehicle with its battery depleted, which meant I was relying on ICE power above all else, and it felt slower (particularly under rolling acceleration) and you could certainly hear the engine and the gearbox working away under heavy revs.The other catch is that once the battery is depleted, there's no coming back. Some plug-in hybrids have a charge function, where you can use the petrol engine to recharge the battery on the fly. That's not the case here. It will recoup some charge from the regenerative braking, but nowhere near enough to fully charge the battery. You need to plug it back to meaningfully top it up. The only minor downside to the drive experience, or the thing that differs a little bit from the regular RAV4 Hybrid, is the weight of this vehicle. Using round numbers, there appears to be around 250kg in extra weight on board the plug-in hybrid version – pushing the kerb weight to around two tonnes – and you can feel it around you at times.They have upgraded the brakes on the PHEV vehicles to deal with the extra weight, but it doesn't disguise it completely. It can feel heavy under braking when you're on a slippery downhill into a corner, which takes a little bit of getting used to.The other quirk is that, in some of vehicles we tested, when you put your foot down you could hear the faintest whine of what seemed to be the electric motor spinning, which, if you're a bit like me and a tiny bit OCD about these things, might eventually drive you crazy.Final quirk – and it’s a complicated one, but I’ll try and sum it up quickly – is that the RAV4 PHEV was developed for 2025 ANCAP protocols, not 2026, but a launch delay saw it miss that testing window. Updates are being made, and the brand is confident it will be issued a five-star rating later this year, but that won’t be retroactive. The cars now are unrated, and will remain so, even after a new ANCAP result is issued this year. Whether that's a problem is a decision for you. 

We are halfway through the year, and what a half it has been for the Australian new-car market.The biggest story of the year has been the superstar rise of BYD, and the fall of a few Japanese stars.Electric car and plug-in hybrid sales have surged on the back of sky-high petrol prices and the growth of affordable options.And Australians continue to fall out of love with utes.So what’s in store for the rest of the year? These are our predictions.BYD had a monster June selling 18,881 vehicles, but despite that monster effort it was still 243 sales behind Toyota. That epic result for BYD was fuelled by the arrival of its own car carriers packed to the gills with BYDs and Denzas.It coincided with Toyota struggling to get production of the RAV4 and HiLux up to steam.Toyota has said it has now secured an additional 20,000 vehicles to arrive in the second half of this year, with the majority being RAV4s and HiLuxes.It is now predicting it will sell 230,000 vehicles for the full year. That means it will sell 22,500 vehicles every month for the rest of 2026.That kind of volume puts BYD’s challenge to bed … for this year at least.Toyota's former Head of Sales and Marketing Sean Hanley called it a few years ago, but the data now backs it up — ute sales have peaked.Sales of the volume - and profit making - four-wheel-drive utes are down 11 per cent for the year. And crucially they were down 14 per cent in June, which is typically one of the strongest months for ute sales as the End of Financial Year wraps up.This is despite a range of new models dropping in the past 12 months, including an updated Toyota HiLux, Kia Tasman, MG U9 and a next-generation Nissan Navara, among others. None have lit the sales charts on fire.Not even BYD’s plug-in hybrid Shark 6 can save the segment, with its sales down about nine per cent this year.That’s bad news for carmakers planning a ute assault in the coming months.Chery’s ballyhooed diesel hybrid Stockman is headed our way this year and could replicate the Shark 6’s success.Hyundai is already keeping its options open. Hyundai Australia CEO Don Romano told CarsGuide recently there were lots of variables that could affect the timing of the new ute."It's definitely going to happen. The timing is really the issue, because if it's built in the US... and if the FX (foreign exchange rate) is favourable, it would be sooner. But if it's not, we don't need another ute that's priced too high," said Romano."I'd say we're still looking at between now and 2030. There's a timeframe, but even that isn't a guarantee and it would be subject to us saying 'that's the right ute for Australia', and I haven't got to that point yet that anything we're doing at this stage is a guaranteed right vehicle for Australia."It appears a ute is no longer the guaranteed success it once was.The rise of BYD, Chery, GWM and MG has forced a few long-time big sellers to the back of the pack.It is hard to see Subaru, Nissan and Mitsubishi turning it around. All have had their lunch cut by cheaper, and flashier, Chinese alternatives.All have few electric or plug-in hybrid options, which means they will likely be slugged with fines under the federal government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES).This will likely lead to higher car prices, which will further erode their position against cut-price Chinese brands with a high level of electrification across the range.Even the mighty Mazda isn’t immune after a tough June, and Aussies will have to wait another 18 months at least to get their hands on a hybrid version of the CX-5, its most popular model.Mazda does have a range of EVs coming from its Chinese partner Changan.Nissan will follow a similar path with EVs and plug-in hybrids from its Chinese partner, Dongfeng, after denying Aussies the new Leaf and Juke EVs.Mitsubishi has paired up with Taiwanese brand Foxconn, which is a sub-division of the company that produces iPhones, to make its electric cars, with little to no plans to make EVs themselves.Subaru has a bunch of EVs co-developed with Toyota, but has walked back plans to make some of its own.EV sales boomed in the past three months off the back of high fuel prices caused by the Iran war.Most carmakers are claiming inquiries have returned to normal after a bumper few months.It is still unlikely that we will see a return to sub-10 per cent market share for EVs as more and more options become available across all price pointsGeely is about to launch its EX2, which is the most popular EV in China, and more brands are focusing on the volume-selling segments as the cost of making EVs drops.So we won’t see the massive surge from the past month, but there will be real sustainable growth in the next six months.

All automatic versions of the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series are available to order once again in Australia as the company makes some subtle tweaks to reduce emissions.The LC70 Series now comes with a 20-litre AdBlue tank across the line-up, which allows the 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine to comply with Euro 6 emissions regulations.The AdBlue system uses the vehicle’s selective catalytic reduction process to inject AdBlue into the exhaust to help reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions.In 76 Series wagon, 78 Series Troopcarrier and 79 Series dual-cab chassis grades the AdBlue refuelling port is located above the front left wheel arch and has a lockable lid.79 Series single-cab chassis grades, on the other hand, have the AdBlue refuelling port between the cab and rear wheels on the passenger side.The 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine produces an unchanged 150kW of power and 500Nm of torque.The 78 Series Troopcarrier grades now receive a smaller 130L diesel fuel tank with this update, bringing it line with the rest of the 70 Series line-up. It previously had an 180L unit.While all versions of the LC70 with the six-speed automatic transmission are back on sale, including the 76 Series GXL wagon automatic, which had a sales pause since 2025, grades with the five-speed manual transmission are unavailable for the time being.At this stage Toyota hasn’t given a timeline for when manual-equipped versions of the LC70 will return to Australian shores.“After pausing orders for certain LandCruiser 70 Series in 2025 to manage customer expectations around vehicle supply challenges, we are excited to say that order books are now back open,” said Toyota Australia Vice President Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operation John Pappas.“The addition of the AdBlue system will also ensure the vehicles meet the latest Euro VI emission standards.”Toyota hasn’t detailed pricing for the LC70 yet with the inclusion of the AdBlue system.The line-up currently starts at $75,600 before on-road costs for the 76 Series Workmate wagon automatic, and extends to $83,500 before on-road costs for the 79 Series GXL dual-cab chassis automatic.It’s likely pricing may rise incrementally but we’ll have to wait and see if this is the case.