What's the difference?
Toyota’s smallest SUV has picked up a few subtle styling and tech tweaks as part of a minor model year update.
It goes up against familiar names like the Nissan Juke and Kia Stonic in the light SUV segment, as well as hybrid rivals like the newer Suzuki Fronx and Chery Tiggo 4.
But does the Toyota still have enough appeal this late in its life cycle?
GWM’s second attempt at launching the Ora brand in Australia seems much better planned than the first.
While the electric Ora hatchback wasn’t expensive, divisive styling and some messy ergonomics plagued what felt like an undercooked model both in terms of dynamics and packaging.
So this, the 2026 GWM Ora 5 SUV, is ‘take two’.
It arrives with similar pricing but updated tech, more features and an Australian ride and handling tune.
Can this ensure GWM’s cutesy electric car brand is taken seriously and help it catch up to its cousins Haval, Tank and Cannon?
We drove a Flamingo Pink example from inner-Melbourne out into the scenic Yarra Valley for its Australian launch to find out.
The Toyota Yaris Cross Urban is a city-savvy SUV that’s easy to park, nimble in traffic, and relatively fun to drive. It’s cute as a button on the outside, but the cabin doesn’t quite match the price, and some of the tech feels a little behind the times compared to rivals. The hybrid powertrain definitely earns it points but is it worth the jump in price over its rivals? A hesitant yes, because who doesn't like efficiency? But it needs a cabin upgrade to stay truly competitive in our market.
While the Ora 5 still has a relatively divisive design that will turn off a chunk of those looking for a small electric SUV, the improvements made when compared to the hatch launched years ago make it worth a second look.
The interior is much more user-friendly, there are more features and a more sensible variant line-up, and the ride and handling localisation means you might actually want to drive it out of the city on occasion.
Regardless, the Ora 5 needs to be a lot more competitive than the Ora hatch was, because the market is so much busier with affordable rivals now. Fortunately, the value proposition is indeed much better than before, especially given the Ultra is only $3000 more than the Lux.