Seltos pricing for the all-new Kia Seltos HEV, due to hit dealer showrooms this month.

Launching from $39,990 Drive Away, all-new Seltos arrives as a hybrid only, with all variants featuring a 1.6 HEV paired with a 6-speed dual-clutch transmission. In a first for Kia Australia’s hybrid lineup, the all-new Seltos introduces e-AWD technology, exclusive to GT-Line AWD trim.

Detailed local specifications will be available soon.

Pricing:

* Overseas production model has been photographed

 Kia Seltos HEV Australian Debut MAY 2026

• The all-new Kia Seltos makes its local debut, arriving Q4 2026
• All new model will offer Hybrid only powertrain
• All Seltos variants have received Kia Australia’s local R&H suspension and steering tune

After making its global debut in late 2025, the pre-production Seltos display vehicle has arrived down under offering Kia Australia the opportunity to provide a first local look of its soon-to-be-launched small SUV.

The all-new Seltos will be sold in Australia in a mixture of variants to suit a wide range of customers’ needs and budgets, with all models being sold with a hybrid powertrain only. This is due to this powertrain meeting Euro 6d emission standards, future-proofing the model.

“Kia Australia is confident all‑new Seltos will build on the strong reputation of this familiar nameplate, while meeting the evolving needs of Australian new‑car buyers, many of whom are now seriously considering the move to a hybrid vehicle for the first time,” said Kia Australia Chief Executive Officer, Damien Merideth.

“We are confident that production from Korea factory ensures we can deliver a consistent and high-quality product, that our customers have come to expect from a Kia vehicle.”

“This new generation of the Seltos reinforces Kia’s commitment to expanding our electrified vehicle portfolio, delivering a more advanced package that will appeal to both private and fleet customers.”

Bold and progressive exterior design

Featuring Kia’s Opposites United design language, the all-new Seltos features a wide grille with Kia’s star map lighting, flush door handles, floating roofline and new rear taillight signature and design. Exterior dimensions have grown, allowing for a more spacious cabin and enhanced visual appearance.

Premium, connected and smartly packaged interior

The interior of the all-new Seltos has been heavily redesigned, bringing it up to date with the wider Kia range. Filled with premium materials, Seltos includes features such as two 12.3-inch screens, over-the-Air (OTA) software updates, column-type Shift-by-Wire (SBW), and second row reclining seats adjustable by a total of 24 degrees (12 degrees forward and backward).

Driving performance, dynamics and safety

All-new Seltos will arrive exclusively with a hybrid-only powertrain across all variants, introducing Kia’s Smart Regenerative Braking System 3.0. Australian specification Seltos will not include V2L but will instead offer a space saver spare on 2WD trims.

Built on Kia’s latest K3 platform, the new Seltos has undergone Kia Australia’s long-established local Ride & Handling Program, resulting in excellent ride and handling across both urban and rough country roads.

The all-new Seltos will come with a full suite of advanced driver-assistance systems, as customers would expect to see in a new Kia model – targeting a dual 4/5 star ANCAP rating.

Australian arrival

With all-new Seltos expected to reach Australian shores in Q4 2026, full specifications, features and pricing will be announced closer to launch.

Size Comparison to Seltos SP2 and All-new Seltos (SP3)

Kia unveils the all-new Seltos: December 2025

• The all-new Kia Seltos makes its global debut through an online world premiere themed ‘The Protagonist’
• Redesigned with authentic SUV styling and practical functionality
• Strengthens Kia’s SUV lineup, reaffirming its role as a key global model
• Empowers users to discover their true selves like a protagonist through a unique experience

Kia Australia is pleased to confirm the all-new Seltos will launch locally in Q4 2026. Local suspension tuning is to commence in early 2026, with further details on powertrains, trim variants, features and pricing to be announced in due course.

Kia today unveiled the all-new Kia Seltos, the second generation of its globally successful subcompact SUV. Representing a bold evolution of one of Kia’s key models, the new Seltos underscores the brand’s design leadership and commitment to delivering refined practicality and advanced usability for modern lifestyles.

As a strategically significant global product, the all-new Kia Seltos has been re-engineered to offer a more confidence-inspiring driving experience and smarter everyday usability. Building on its reputation for value and reliability, the new model combines authentic SUV presence with intelligent technology and enhanced comfort, setting a new benchmark in the subcompact SUV segment.

The Protagonist: mobility for living as your true self

Kia debuted the all-new Kia Seltos through an online world premiere themed “The Protagonist.” The brand film presented at the launch portrays three individuals pursuing a new achievement, freedom and deeper connections with loved ones, reflecting how the Seltos empowers drivers to realize their passions and live as the protagonists of their own story.

“The Kia Seltos has always represented best-in-class value, and the next-generation model builds on that legacy with an enriched offering that resonates with the diverse passions of our customers. Its expanded global presence and abundant practical and stylish features underline Kia’s commitment to meeting diverse mobility needs worldwide.” – Ho Sung Song, President and CEO of Kia Corporation.

The Outstanding SUV: practical yet stylish and confident

The all-new Kia Seltos embodies Kia’s vision of a confident and versatile subcompact SUV that blends bold design, intelligent packaging and seamless connectivity. As a core model in Kia’s global SUV lineup, Seltos reflects the brand’s bold and progressive identity — functional, comfortable and ready for any lifestyle.

Designed for those who value individuality and versatility, the all-new Kia Seltos combines urban agility with family-ready practicality. Improved cabin space and smarter convenience features make daily driving both effortless and enjoyable.

Bold and progressive exterior for every dimension of life

Developed under Kia’s Opposites United design philosophy, the all-new Kia Seltos embodies the spirit of the Relentless Innovator — harmonizing rugged SUV strength with refined modernity. Its wider stance, precise surfaces and structured forms express capability and confidence from every angle.

Key exterior highlights include :

• Dimensions: 4,430 mm (L) × 1,830 mm (W) × 1,600 mm (H); wheelbase 2,690 mm — enabling a spacious cabin.
• Front design: Wider grille with Kia’s star map lighting signature and dynamic welcome light sequence; flush door handles for enhanced aerodynamics and visual sophistication.
• Side design: Diagonal character lines, a floating roofline and strong shoulder contours create a dynamic silhouette that conveys forward motion even when stationary. Contrasting cladding and satin silver colour accents emphasize durability and refinement.
• Rear design: Vertical tail lamps extend across the tailgate to emphasize width and stability.
• Trims: X-Line, with its dark gun metal finishes and reinforced lower garnishes, projects rugged capability, while GT-Line delivers a sportier aesthetic with sleek body-colored accents.

At the world premiere, Kia will unveil three standout colours — Iceberg Green, Gravity Gray and a bold matte Magma Red — showcasing a palette that ranges from modern sophistication to strong, expressive hues.

Together, these elements present a subcompact SUV that merges practicality with expressive design — a bold and progressive companion built to complement every dimension of modern life.

A modern, connected and intelligently optimized interior space

The interior of the all-new Seltos has been reimagined to meet the evolving needs of modern mobility — whether commuting, travelling with family, or exploring beyond the city.

A low, horizontal dashboard enhances forward visibility and creates a sense of openness, while optimized packaging ensures generous headroom and legroom for all passengers. The adoption of a column-type Shift-by-Wire (SBW) system frees up the centre console, enhancing functionality and contributing to a more open cabin environment. An uncluttered layout with premium materials convey both modernity and comfort throughout the interior.

Convenience and comfort highlights include :

• Wide panoramic sunroof for an open, airy atmosphere
• Customizable 64-colour mood lighting to enhance in-car ambience
• Second-row reclining seats adjustable by a total of 24 degrees (12 degrees forward and backward)
• Premium Harman Kardon and Bose audio systems delivering immersive, high-fidelity sound optimized for the cabin’s acoustic architecture
• Kia Connect Store for digital personalization and entertainment options, including collaborations with Disney and NBA

Driving performance and powertrain

Built on Kia’s latest K3 platform, the new Seltos delivers confident, refined and versatile driving performance. Enhanced body rigidity, improved noise insulation and balanced chassis tuning ensure smooth and stable handling, while optimized suspension and steering contribute to stability and control.

The all-new Seltos offers a balanced range of powertrain options, delivering strong everyday performance, long-distance usability and efficiency to meet diverse customer needs across global markets.

• 1.6-litre T-GDI turbocharged petrol engine (Standard Output): 180 PS and 265 Nm, offered with 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) or 6-speed manual transmission (MT)
• 1.6-litre T-GDI turbocharged petrol engine (High Output): up to 193 PS and 265 Nm of torque, paired with 8-speed automatic transmission (AT)
• 2.0-litre petrol engine: 149 PS and 179 Nm, optimized for fuel efficiency and smooth everyday driving

Optional all-wheel drive, paired with a multi-link rear suspension and Terrain Mode — offering drive settings for Snow, Mud and Sand — enhances stability and control in challenging conditions. Drive Mode Select (Eco, Normal, Sport) adapts performance for diverse environments, from city streets to rougher roads, while maintaining composed handling and comfort for all occupants.

A hybrid variant will join the lineup in 2026 bringing higher efficiency and expanded everyday usability. Along with Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) functionality for powering external devices, the hybrid model will introduce Kia’s Smart Regenerative Braking System 3.0 — a next-generation technology that automatically adjusts regenerative braking based on traffic flow and navigation data to optimize energy recovery.

Technology, safety and convenience in harmony

The all-new Seltos prioritizes safety through advanced structural engineering and a comprehensive suite of driver-assistance technologies. Extensive use of ultra-high-strength and hot-stamped steel enhances body rigidity and occupant protection.

A full suite of advanced driver-assistance systems enhances confidence behind the wheel, helping the driver maintain control and awareness in diverse driving environments.

• Highway Driving Assist 2 (HDA 2)
• Lane Following Assist 2 (LFA 2)
• Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist 2(FCA 2)
• Safe Exit Warning (SEW)
• Surround View Monitor (SVM)
• Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist-Reverse (PCA-R)
• Parking Distance Warning-Front/Side/Reverse (PDW-F/S/R)

Head-Up Display (HUD) projects key driving information directly onto the windshield for improved awareness and safety. Together, these systems help ensure peace of mind for drivers and passengers alike.

Following its safety-first foundation, the Seltos integrates intuitive technology to enhance everyday convenience:

• Panoramic display combining two 12.3-inch screens with a dedicated climate control panel
• AI Assistant powered by generative AI for natural, conversational interaction
• Over-the-Air (OTA) software updates to keep systems current
• Digital Key 2 for secure smartphone-based vehicle access and sharing

With a class-leading luggage capacity of 536 litres (VDA) and flexible storage configurations, including a foldable dual-level cargo board, the Seltos supports both daily life and weekend adventure. Kia’s AddGear accessory system further enhances everyday usability by allowing customers to attach modular storage accessories that help customers keep everyday essentials neatly organized.

Global rollout

Global production of the all-new Seltos begins in December 2025 starting with India, followed by launches in Korea, North America, Europe and China throughout 2026.

All-New Kia Seltos HEV Specification

※ Specifications may vary by market.

The post Kia Seltos HEV- 2027 model everything you need to know appeared first on Eco Car Guide.

• Nissan’s first plug-in hybrid for Australia and first electrified ute 
• Specifications tailored for Oceania: Engineered, tested and validated for the demands of Australian conditions.
• Oceania-specific powertrain: 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, 8-speed transmission with integrated electric motor, 300kW and 800Nm
• Genuine capability: mechanical 4×4 system and differential lock, up to 1,000kg payload* and 3,500kg braked towing capacity^‡

All-new Navara Pro PHEV

Nissan has developed and extensively evaluated the all-new Navara Pro PHEV with the specific requirements of Oceania customers in mind, and it is Nissan’s first electrified ute globally, while it will also be Nissan Australia’s first plug-in hybrid model. “The all-new Navara Pro PHEV represents exactly the kind of product-led momentum that our Nissan Vision Strategy is built on.

Developed with our partners in China and engineered to meet the specific requirements of our region, it shows what Nissan is capable of delivering and what our customers can expect from us as we move forward,” said Steve Milette, Managing Director, Nissan Oceania.

“Utes have been central to Nissan in Australia for decades, with the Navara now spanning five generations. As the sixth generation of the Navara nameplate, the all-new Navara Pro PHEV is the next expression of that commitment — combining the capability and versatility customers expect from a Navara with new electrified technology, while opening a new chapter for Nissan’s ute offering in Australia.”

Specifications tailored for Oceania, tested for real-world capability

Australia has played a central role in the development of the all-new Navara Pro PHEV for Oceania.

This has been considerably more than a validation exercise. Australian and New Zealand customer needs have directly influenced the evaluation and specification of the vehicle, drawing on Nissan Australia’s experience across five generations of Navara and its deep understanding of local customer expectations, vehicle dynamics and commercial vehicle tuning for Australian conditions.

The first Navara Pro PHEV prototype vehicles arrived in Australia in 2025, beginning an extensive local development and evaluation program.

Teams from Nissan Australia, Nissan Motor Limited (NML Japan) and Zhengzhou Nissan Automobile (ZNA) have worked together throughout the program to assess the vehicle against the demands of the region, with insights fed through to Nissan Motor Limited (NML) and Nissan’s Light Commercial Vehicle development centre in Zhengzhou City.

Five development and prototype vehicles have been brought to Australia throughout the program. Collectively, they have currently travelled more than 20,000 kilometres in Australian conditions, with testing continuing.

Refined key elements of the Navara Pro PHEV,

The program has evaluated and refined key elements of the Navara Pro PHEV, including powertrains, suspension, ADAS calibration, terrain and drive modes, tyres, differential-lock configurations, towing and load performance.

Powertrain development included evaluation of both the globally announced 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol PHEV drivetrain and a new 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol PHEV drivetrain. Extensive assessment of the two options against local customer expectations — particularly around towing, payload and sustained performance — led to the selection of the 2.0-litre powertrain for Oceania.

“Australia wasn’t simply where we tested Navara Pro PHEV. It was one of the markets helping shape it. The depth of local evaluation and the collaboration between our teams in Australia, Japan and China reflect the importance of Oceania to the development of this vehicle,” said Steve Milette.

“We have tested the vehicle through thousands of kilometres of real Australian conditions because we know what customers here expect from a ute. The result is that we developed the Navara Pro PHEV specification specifically to deliver electrification without compromising the capability that defines the segment.”

Navara Pro PHEV – Electrified performance

The Oceania-specification Navara Pro PHEV pairs a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine with a high-output electric motor integrated into an 8-speed automatic transmission.

The system delivers a preliminary 300kW of combined power and 800Nm of combined torque (subject to homologation), providing the performance and flexibility expected from a serious 4×4 workhorse while adding the efficiency and performance benefits of electrification.

The 8-speed transmission also provides broad versatility, including low-range crawling capability for demanding off-road conditions and low-rpm cruising at highway speeds for relaxed and efficient long-distance driving.

The Navara Pro PHEV will offer four selectable drive modes (ECO, Standard, Sport & Slippery) and seven terrain modes (Standard, Deep Snow, Mud, Sand, Rock, Wading & Expert). Each mode adjusts the vehicle’s powertrain, steering and traction-control mapping to optimise performance across a broad range of driving conditions and requirements.

Available Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) capability will provide access to electrical power on the go, adding further versatility for work, touring, camping and recreational use.

Genuine 4×4 capability

The Navara Pro PHEV has been designed first and foremost as a genuine 4×4 workhorse — not simply a ute with a plug-in hybrid powertrain.

Its off-road capability is underpinned by a mechanical 4×4 system, extensively tuned terrain and drive modes, and mechanical differential-lock capability.

As part of the extensive local evaluation program, Nissan has tested and validated mechanical front, rear and combined differential-lock configurations, alongside different suspension and tyres, to establish a specification suited to the region’s diverse requirements.

The Navara Pro PHEV will offer approximately 1,000kg of payload* and a 3,500kg braked towing capacity^‡ as traditionally expected by buyers in this segment, subject to final homologation.

The combination of electrified performance, genuine four-wheel-drive capability, towing capacity and payload is designed to address the combination of work, towing, touring and off-road driving that defines the Australian and New Zealand ute market.

Suspension and local testing

As part of the local development program, Nissan has extensively assessed suspension configurations for the Oceania market, including both leaf-spring and multi-link coil-spring rear suspension. The final suspension configuration for Australia will be confirmed closer to the start of sales next year.

Driver assistance systems have undergone local testing and calibration, while terrain and drive-mode systems have been evaluated and extensively tuned for Australian and New Zealand conditions.

Design inspired by Nissan heritage

The Navara Pro PHEV pays homage to a specific design element from Nissan’s ute heritage, chiefly, the three-slot hood opening of the 1980s D21 Hardbody pickup.

The Navara Pro PHEV reinterprets the D21’s spirit through a trio of horizontal LED elements positioned above the grille — a contemporary lighting signature that evolves the original three-slot motif into a new era.

This modern execution not only pays homage to the vehicle’s heritage, but also uses illumination to signal the Navara Pro PHEV’s advanced, electrified capability and forward-looking identity.

Versatility for work and weekends

The Navara Pro PHEV has been designed as a genuine dual-purpose pick-up — as capable of supporting a working week as it is of a weekend off-road camping adventure.

The five-seat dual-cab configuration is complemented by a range of available technology and comfort features.  Technology and features vary, depending on grade. But can include a large central touchscreen and digital instrument cluster, panoramic sunroof, heated and ventilated front seats.

Refined materials and extensive soundproofing throughout reflect the Navara Pro PHEV’s premium brief. While V2L capability provides additional practical functionality for customers who need portable electrical power.

The team will confirm the final equipment and specifications for the Australian-market vehicle ahead of launch. “This isn’t a work ute with some tech bolted in. The all-new Navara Pro PHEV has been built from the outset for buyers who expect a premium experience. Whether they’re on the highway or on an outback track,” said Steve Milette.

Calibrated specifically for Australia and New Zealand

The Navara Pro PHEV arriving in Oceania will not be an off-the-shelf global specification.

The selection of the 2.0-litre turbocharged engine and integrated 8-speed electric-motor transmission. Reflects the importance of towing, payload and long-distance capability to customers in Australia and New Zealand.

Thousands of kilometres of local development testing have helped Nissan assess the vehicle across real-world conditions. While extensive collaboration between Nissan teams in Australia. Japan and China has allowed local insights to be fed into the vehicle’s development.

The result is a Navara Pro PHEV specification specifically selected for Oceania. Electrified performance combined with genuine 4×4 capability. Serious towing and payload credentials, and extensive local engineering validation.

Confidence for the long haul

The Navara Pro PHEV will be backed by Nissan’s commitment to ownership confidence. Including the Nissan MORE 10-Year, 300,000km extended warranty . (whichever occurs first, when servicing with Nissan),^{^} and Nissan’s extensive dealer network across Australia.

For customers, that means the capability to go further. Backed by the support and confidence of Nissan behind them. Well beyond the confines of the major metropolitan cities.

More information, including final specifications, equipment, pricing and estimated EV-only driving range. Will be provided closer to its arrival in retailers across Australia and New Zealand next year.

Disclaimers

*Payload is the GVM minus the Kerb mass. The kerb mass does not include passengers, luggage, cargo, any accessories fitted or any towball download (as appropriate). Payload is distributed across both the front and rear axles. Never exceed the GVM or the axle limits.

‡ Towing capacity is subject to towbar/towball capacity and is based on the fitment of a Genuine Nissan towbar. Towing capacity figure described is a maximum figure. Actual towing capacity depends on the laden mass of the vehicle. As well as driving conditions, fitment of any accessories or towing equipment limitations including the maximum towball download.

^ Up to 10 years or 300,000km (whichever occurs first), when servicing at authorised Nissan dealers.If you do not service the vehicle through Nissan or if you cease to service it at Nissan, we will not add additional years, so the 10 year/300,000km warranty (whichever occurs first) may not apply. You will retain the 5 year/unlimited km warranty, plus any additional service activated years you previously added. Conditions apply. Find full terms at Nissan.com.au/warranty.

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Jaguar Type 01 background 

Type 01 inaugurates a new era for Jaguar.

The team designed, engineered, and crafted Type 01 in the UK; it is the first production Jaguar that they created on Jaguar Electric Architecture (JEA), a dedicated platform enabling an entirely new approach to design, proportions, and occupant experience.

A luxury four-door GT, Type 01 embodies Jaguar’s renewed vision of modern luxury, combining dramatic design, craftsmanship and innovation to create an unmistakable presence and emotional connection.

Type 01 is the first of a new generation of Jaguars. Its name references both Jaguar’s legendary lineage and its all-electric future: “Type” nods to iconic predecessors, “0” signifies zero tailpipe emissions and “1” marks the first of a new generation.

Australian pricing will begin from approximately $300,000 plus on‑road costs. Details regarding Australia’s 2027 order opening and first client delivery timing will be communicated in due course.

Jaguar Type 01 signals new era with New York world premiere October 7 2026

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The 2026 Mitsubishi ASX Aspire is a small SUV built on the Renault Captur, priced at $42,690 before on-road costs. It looks sharp, it matched its 6.4L/100km fuel claim over my week of commuting, and Mitsubishi backs it with up to 10 years of warranty, servicing and roadside assist. Worth weighing up before you buy: it’s petrol only in a class full of cheaper hybrids, the cabin is snug for the size of the car, and the reversing camera is poor at this price. We scored it 6.9 out of 10.

The Mitsubishi ASX Aspire is $42,690 before on-road costs, or around $46,800 drive-away depending on your state. I spent a week with one in Crystal White, mostly commuting between jobs. I also drove a grey 2017 ASX for years as an Uber car, so I know the old one well.

The new ASX is a Renault Captur underneath, with Mitsubishi’s grille, tuning and warranty on top. It sells in Australia’s busiest class, against the Toyota Corolla Cross, Hyundai Kona, MG ZS, GWM Haval Jolion and Chery Tiggo 4, and it costs about $13,000 more than the old ASX did. That’s hybrid money for a petrol car, and it’s the question hanging over everything else here.

A week with the Mitsubishi ASX Aspire

My week with the ASX was a working one. Most days I do a near-circle, home to one job, over to the second, then home, 60 to 70km a day on a mix of highway and normal roads. The ASX averaged 6.4L/100km doing it, which is exactly what Mitsubishi claims, and after seven days the tank still had about two fifths left. It takes 91, and I never once thought about fuel.

The feature I used most was the driver’s display. One of its layouts puts Google Maps straight into the 10.25-inch cluster, so your speed and the next turn sit in the same glance. I set it early and never changed it. Plenty of dearer cars still can’t do this.

The gearbox won me over too, which I didn’t expect to write on an eco site. It’s a seven-speed dual-clutch, so you can hold a gear as long as you want, feel the shift, then ease back into the acceleration. There’s a sense of flow to it that you never get in an EV or a hybrid, which are more on and off.

The controls took the longest. I switched the hazard lights on by accident and had to hunt for how to turn them off, and I’d changed the volume twice before I found the volume stalk. It’s Renault switchgear and it takes learning. It faded rather than festered, and by the end of the week the stalk was one of my favourite things in the car.

At some point I started wondering what it would be like to Uber in one of these. I got about 7.8L/100km out of my 2017 doing rideshare, so seeing the fuel consumption improve was nice. But the snug interior kept making me think about what kind of car I was in.

What does the Mitsubishi ASX Aspire look like?

The facelift is impressive. What sold me is the contrast: Crystal White paint against the black grille and the black details along the side skirts. It looks like Mitsubishi has widened the front around the fog lights too, and it gives the car real presence. My fiancée liked it straight away, and the old grey one has been sitting in our driveway for comparison the whole time.

The Aspire gets 18-inch alloys and privacy glass. Most of the shape is Renault’s, but the Mitsubishi front wears it well, and the whole thing hangs together far better than the boxy old model ever did.

What is the Mitsubishi ASX Aspire like inside?

It’s snug in here. My first word for it was claustrophobic, which is harsh, but the car feels sizable outside and doesn’t carry that through to the cabin. Part of it is the contrast with the barer, more open 2017 car.

The trim does its job: gloss black, grey cloth seats, ambient lighting, a heated steering wheel, and height adjustment on both front seats. The mirrors were fiddly to line up, and the extra convex section on their outer edge didn’t add much. The win is the buttons. Mitsubishi kept physical controls for most everyday functions, so I hardly went through the menus all week. I connected my phone and that was about it.

Storage

The front console floats, with the e-shifter on top and a shelf underneath holding the wireless charging pad. Below that there’s a bin with a sliding armrest, plus door bins, two cup holders and four bottle holders. Sensible rather than clever, which suits the car.

Rear seat and boot space

Rear legroom is something I know about in an ASX. I used to drive mine up to the Central Coast for Uber work, because there were fewer drivers and better surge rates, and you could tell the locals from the Sydney riders: locals sat up front, Sydney riders in the back. I adjusted that front seat for legroom so often I learned to push it back one-handed and let the brakes slide it forward again.

The new one would keep me in practice. Push the front seats back and there isn’t much room left behind them, so front occupants need to shift forward to give the back row space. The 60/40 bench slides fore and aft, which helps. I didn’t sit in the back myself this week, so I won’t tell you how it feels.

The boot is 484 litres, or 1,596 with the seats folded. One large suitcase fits lying down; add a second and it starts to block the view out the back window. There’s a split-level floor with hidden storage underneath, and no spare wheel, just an inflation kit, with a space-saver available as an accessory.

Technology and connectivity

The screen is the odd one out in this class, and my workmates said as much when I ran them home. It’s a 10.4-inch portrait touchscreen while everyone else goes wide, and I think Mitsubishi has it right. It’s not so tall that it blocks your view, and it’s big enough to use the Android Auto controls easily. Google is built in, so you get Maps, the Play store and “Hey Google”, plus wireless CarPlay and Android Auto.

The sound system surprised me. Six speakers, better than average for the class, though not enough for an audiophile. The reversing camera is the worst thing on the car: blurry, smudgy, and it catches light poorly. At this price it shouldn’t be.

The volume stalk deserves a mention once you’ve found it. Pressing volume up and down together to mute feels natural, and the rotary knob for changing selections is enjoyable to use, but dangerous if you like fidget spinners.

Highlighted Features

• Google Maps in the cluster: turn-by-turn directions render in the driver’s display, not just the central screen.
• Directional safety audio: alerts play from the speaker nearest the hazard, so a warning on your left comes from your left.
• Welcome lighting: the “Hello and Goodbye” lighting and startup animation are a genuinely cool touch.

Engine and drivetrain

Every Australian ASX gets the same drivetrain: a 1.3-litre turbo four making 113kW and 270Nm, a seven-speed dual-clutch, front-wheel drive. No hybrid and no AWD anywhere in the range. It runs on 91, claims 6.4L/100km and 142g/km of CO2, and carries a 48-litre tank. The rest of the numbers live in the tables below.

What’s the Mitsubishi ASX Aspire like to drive?

Sensible. That’s my one-word summary. The 113kW turbo is adequate, it helps the car get moving when you need it, and it’s good enough to get everyone and more from A to B. It’s not thrilling and it’s not trying to be. The ride is quite soft despite the 18s, with a nice quiet way about it, and it soaks up speed bumps well.

The assists are gentle and stay out of the way. I did feel something limiting how much the wheels turn into a corner at times. I’ll treat that as an impression rather than a fact, because it’s most likely the stability systems working quietly.

The one thing I’d change is the driven wheels. I prefer AWD and think a car this size would suit it. No ASX here offers it, and neither do most of the hybrid rivals, so that’s my preference rather than a missing spec.

The dual-clutch is the interesting bit. The 2017 had a spongy but sensitive throttle that was hard to learn: too little and it crawled, too much and it lunged down a gear. This one is far better calibrated, though it still hangs on downhills, the classic dual-clutch habit. And there’s that flow from earlier, which I genuinely enjoyed. Does it feel like a $47,000 car from behind the wheel? Ehh, close but not quite.

Is the Mitsubishi ASX Aspire safe?

The ASX carries a 4-star ANCAP rating from 2025, based on Euro NCAP’s testing of the Renault Captur it shares a structure with. The old ASX had 5 stars, but that was earned under 2014 protocols, so the two don’t compare directly. ANCAP marked the new car down for weak driver chest protection in the frontal offset test, and named the missing centre airbag as the barrier to a fifth star. Child occupant protection scored 83 per cent.

On the road the systems are well judged. The collision detection isn’t over the top, and nothing nagged me all week. Standard kit includes:

• Mi-Pilot semi-autonomous assist, bundling adaptive cruise, traffic jam assist and lane centering
• Forward Collision Mitigation with pedestrian detection, plus emergency lane assist
• Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Safe Exit Assist
• Traffic Sign Recognition, driver attention alert, and front, rear and side parking sensors

How much does the Mitsubishi ASX Aspire cost?

The Aspire is $42,690 before on-road costs, around $46,800 drive-away, between the LS at $37,740 and the Exceed at $46,490. The problem is what else that money buys. The GWM Haval Jolion, Chery Tiggo 4 and MG ZS all offer hybrids from the high $30,000s drive-away, and the Toyota Corolla Cross hybrid starts at $37,440 before on-roads. All of them use less fuel.

The equipment list is genuinely long: 18-inch alloys, privacy glass, Google built in, the 10.25-inch digital cluster, wireless charging, a heated steering wheel, ambient lighting, height adjustment on both front seats and the full Mi-Pilot safety suite. There isn’t much missing. What’s missing is a hybrid badge and a lower price.

How much does the Mitsubishi ASX Aspire cost to run?

Mitsubishi’s answer to the price is the Diamond Advantage program: up to 10 years or 200,000km of warranty, 10 years of capped-price servicing, and up to 10 years of roadside assist. The condition is that every annual service happens at a Mitsubishi dealer, or the warranty drops back to 5 years and 100,000km. Services fall every 12 months or 15,000km, and cost $1,595 over five years or $3,893 over ten. No rival offers backing that long.

Fuel is honest. I saw the claimed 6.4L/100km on the trip computer over a week of real commuting, which at around $1.73 a litre for 91 works out to about $11 per 100km. The Corolla Cross hybrid claims 4.3, and over a 15,000km year that gap costs about $550 at the pump.

Final thoughts

If a mate asked me whether the ASX is worth the money, I’d say it depends on what you’re going after. If you care more about how it looks and drives than having a large interior, it’s not a bad choice. I just wouldn’t recommend it to large families.

On the rebadge question, I’ve been burned before. I bought a Holden Viva second-hand once without knowing it was a rebadged Daewoo, and I got the problems to match. The ASX handles that worry better than any rebadge I can think of, because ten years of warranty and servicing means someone else is carrying the risk, and European cars last well when they’re serviced on schedule.

It’s worth being honest about what that warranty is covering, though. The old ASX was bulletproof because it was simple. This one is a turbo engine and a dual-clutch, more complex and less proven, and dual-clutches have a fussy history. You’re not buying the old car’s durability for more money. You’re buying a new bet, with Mitsubishi backing it.

For value or economy, drive the GWM Haval H7 first. It’s near-identical money for a much bigger, more powerful hybrid with the same size boot, and the ASX’s only answer is the longer warranty. The Alfa Romeo Junior Ibrida is the closer match if you want European character with a hybrid drivetrain, at more money again.

It’s quirky, and its clever designs are done so that you worry less, on road and off it.

Mitsubishi ASX Aspire — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the new Mitsubishi ASX a rebadged Renault?
Yes. The all-new ASX is built on the Renault Captur and shares its European underpinnings, 1.3-litre turbo petrol engine and much of its cabin. Mitsubishi adds its own Dynamic Shield front, its 10-year warranty and servicing program, and local tuning.

How much does the Mitsubishi ASX Aspire cost?
The ASX Aspire is priced at $42,690 before on-road costs, which works out to approximately $46,800 drive-away depending on your state. It sits in the middle of the range, between the LS at $37,740 and the Exceed at $46,490 (both before on-road costs).

How much fuel does the ASX Aspire use?
Mitsubishi claims 6.4 litres per 100km on the combined cycle, and over a week of mixed city and highway driving the ASX matched that figure almost exactly. It runs on 91 RON regular unleaded and carries a 48-litre tank.

Why is the Mitsubishi ASX only rated 4 stars by ANCAP?
ANCAP awarded the ASX 4 stars in 2025 using Euro NCAP data from the Renault Captur it shares its structure with. It was marked down for weak chest protection for the driver in the frontal offset test, with the absence of a centre airbag cited as the barrier to a fifth star. Child occupant protection scored a strong 83 per cent.

Is the Mitsubishi ASX Aspire worth buying?
It depends on what you value. The ASX is a peace-of-mind buy: sharp to look at, sensible to drive, and backed by a 10-year warranty, servicing and roadside program no rival matches. But it is petrol-only and asks similar money to hybrid rivals that use far less fuel, so value hunters should also drive the cheaper hybrids before signing.

For the latest pricing and to book a test drive, head to the official Mitsubishi Australia site.

The post Mitsubishi ASX Aspire 2026 Review appeared first on Eco Car Guide.

The 2026 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Exceed is a 221kW all-wheel-drive family SUV with a claimed 103km of electric range, priced at $71,640 before on-road costs. It’s roomy, it rides beautifully for its size, and a normal week of driving needed just a couple of overnight charges and barely moved the fuel gauge. Worth weighing up before you buy: the DC port is CHAdeMO, so treat it as a charge-at-home car, several rivals undercut it by $15,000 or more, and the third row is oddly reserved for the cheaper Aspire. We scored it 7.4 out of 10.

The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Exceed is $71,640 before on-road costs. I spent a week with one in Red Diamond and covered 432.9 kilometres, mostly on electricity. It came with a full tank and went back with an almost full one.

This is the updated 25MY car, with a bigger 22.7kWh battery, 221kW of combined output and a claimed 103km of electric range. The Exceed sits second from the top of a four-model range, and it’s landed in a class that’s become crowded and cheap. The BYD Sealion 6, MG HS Super Hybrid, Chery Tiggo 8 and the GWM Haval H6 PHEV all sit well below it on price, and the Kia Sorento PHEV matches it almost to the dollar while offering seven seats.

A week with the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

My afternoons are spent working in a freezer warehouse, and I usually run a couple of workmates home after the shift. This week that meant two adults and their bags of freezer gear in the back of the Outlander. There was plenty of room and no one was struggling for space. Up front you get heated seats and a heated steering wheel, which after a freezer shift you appreciate more than most reviewers would. The heated rear seats are Exceed Tourer only, so the back row makes do with its own climate zone and vents.

The week’s numbers: 432.9 kilometres, 14 and a half hours of driving, and a trip computer showing 3.0 litres per 100km alongside 20.8kWh per 100km. The measurement I trust more is the fuel gauge, which honestly didn’t move enough to notice. It was a mix of suburban running and a fair bit of highway, and I mostly just left it in EV mode and let the car sort out the rest.

Charging was a trickle charge overnight from a portable charger, once, maybe twice. That’s it. I never plugged in anywhere else, and here’s the thing, I couldn’t have. The DC port is CHAdeMO, and the public network is CCS2 now. Mitsubishi’s 32-minute fast-charge claim might be true, but good luck finding a charger to test it on. For me it didn’t matter, because an overnight charge covered the week. It just makes the choice very simple: this is a charge-at-home car.

What does the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV look like?

I really like the look of this car, especially in the red. With lots of cars these days going for shades rather than colours, this one pops. The front is my favourite part. The large black grille and the silver trim connecting the headlights give it a meaner look, but it doesn’t tip over into aggressive, and it doesn’t look soft either. It keeps that boxy shape with lines in the right places, so it never reads as a box.

The side shows you how long the car actually is, 4720mm of it, and the length flatters it. The 20-inch two-tone alloys fill the arches, and for a family car it has a lot of road presence. The rear is the letdown. It doesn’t do anything out of the ordinary and doesn’t really fit the front’s stance, bland and generic compared to the nose. The back half looks like it was signed off on a Friday.

What is the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV like inside?

The cabin is nice, and the leather appointed seats give it a premium feel. They’re also easy to clean, which matters more than the brochure stuff when your passengers have been handling frozen stock all afternoon. Mitsubishi’s fine print says “leather appointed” is a mix of genuine and artificial leather, which is fair enough at this price.

You get a 12.3-inch driver display, a 12.3-inch touchscreen and a colour head-up display projected onto the windscreen, with its position adjustable to suit the driver. Add a panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats and seat memory on both front chairs. But the detail I rate most is that Mitsubishi kept physical buttons. Climate, volume and drive modes all have real controls, and that’s why the menus never became an issue all week. Physical buttons are always a win.

Storage

Storage is straightforward: a decent console box under the armrest, door pockets front and rear, seatback pockets, four cup holders, six bottle holders and a wireless charging pad in the front tray. There’s also a hidden storage box under the boot floor.

The clever bit is the two 240V household power outlets, one in the console and one in the boot, good for 1500W combined. A laptop, a kettle, camping lights, whatever. Of all the Outlander’s electric party tricks, this is the one that actually works in Australia today.

Rear seat and boot space

The Exceed is a five-seater, full stop. If you want the third row you have to step down to the cheaper Aspire, which is a strange way around for a range to work, and worth knowing before you sign anything. The second row you get instead is genuinely roomy, with reclining backrests, a 40:20:40 split, rear vents and its own climate zone. My back-seat test was two adults with bags of gear, and nobody complained.

The boot is 472 litres to the top of the back seats and 1392 litres to the roof folded, with a wide, flat floor between the arches. The tailgate is hands-free and you can set its opening height for a low garage, which is a thoughtful touch. Less thoughtful: there’s no spare wheel at all, just a repair kit, which is fine right up until it isn’t.

Technology and connectivity

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, and most of the time I just used Android Auto. The menus weren’t a problem anyway, because the physical buttons cover the everyday stuff, but it says something that I never felt the need to explore.

The Yamaha stereo actually surprised me. Good sound, not great, but much better than a lot of the Chinese competition manages. The Exceed gets the eight-speaker Premium system; the twelve-speaker version with a subwoofer is reserved for the Exceed Tourer. One-pedal mode is smooth too, not the nodding-dog calibration some rivals ship, and the 360-degree camera is a small win when you’re parking something this size.

My one real gripe all week was the cruise control, which wants its buttons pressed in an order only it knows. It’s not as intuitive to use as other cars, and on the Exceed that matters, because it’s the full MI-PILOT system with lane keeping and traffic jam assist. A headline feature you have to fight is a headline feature at half strength.

Highlighted Features

• Two 240V household power outlets: console and boot, 1500W combined, for camping, work gear or a blackout.
• Super All-Wheel Control with seven terrain modes: Mitsubishi’s full-time AWD system with Active Yaw Control.
• Innovative Pedal Operation: one-pedal driving with paddle-adjustable regen, and it’s smooth.
• Digital rear-view mirror: a clear view behind even with the boot packed to the roof.

Engine and drivetrain

The setup is a 2.4-litre petrol engine and two electric motors, one on each axle. The motors do most of the actual driving. Around town the engine mostly works as a generator, topping up the battery while the motors turn the wheels, and at highway speeds it clutches in and drives the wheels directly. That’s also why my petrol figure wasn’t lower: a fair bit of my week was highway, which is exactly when the engine earns its keep. On outputs, the engine makes 98kW, the front motor 85kW and the rear motor 100kW, and Mitsubishi quotes 221kW combined. The numbers don’t simply add up, they never do with hybrids, because the electronics cap what the system can deliver at any moment.

Charging is the honest-conversation part. A household socket does a full charge in about 10 hours, a 15-amp connection in 6.5, and that 6.5-hour figure tells you the onboard charger tops out around 3.5kW, so there’s no point paying for a 7kW wallbox. DC fast charging exists on paper, 80 per cent in 32 minutes, but the plug is CHAdeMO and Australia’s public network standardised on CCS2 years ago. There’s also a Battery Charge mode that refills the pack from the engine, a handy escape hatch if you can’t plug in for a stretch, even if charging a battery with petrol is a bit like buying ice to cool the fridge.

What’s the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV like to drive?

It coasts along nicely. That’s my one-line summary and I mean it as a compliment. The power goes down smoothly and linearly, with none of the electric snap that makes some plug-in hybrids feel busy.

Does 221kW feel like 221kW? Not really, once you factor in the 2142kg it’s hauling. Just over 100kW per tonne means it’s not slow, but it’s not the quickest car either, and it’s not the kind of car where you’d pin the gap. Mitsubishi doesn’t publish a 0 to 100 time, and I can see why nobody bothered.

The ride is the standout. I can understand the hullabaloo about the Australian suspension tuning, because this is a very smooth ride for something so large, and on 20-inch wheels that’s no small feat. The really hard speed bumps still make it through, just with the edges sanded off. I didn’t take it on rough roads, so I won’t pretend to know how it handles them, and the seven terrain modes went untested beyond knowing the switch is there.

Is the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV safe?

The Outlander holds a five-star ANCAP rating, originally awarded in 2022 with scores of 83 per cent for adult occupants, 92 per cent for children, 81 per cent for vulnerable road users and 83 per cent for safety assist. ANCAP re-affirmed the five stars in 2025 under its current, tougher protocol for PHEV variants built from July 2025, with extra crash tests to verify the high-voltage battery’s integrity.

Seven airbags are standard, including a front-centre airbag, plus two ISOFIX points and three top tethers. What I’ll vouch for personally is that the systems were there but not intrusive. No constant bonging, no wheel-wrestling, just quiet background cover, which is exactly where you want it.

• Forward Collision Mitigation with pedestrian, cyclist and junction detection
• MI-PILOT adaptive cruise with Lane Keep Assist, Traffic Jam Assist and Speed Limit Assist
• Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and rear automatic emergency braking
• 360-degree Multi Around Monitor, front and rear parking sensors, driver monitoring

How much does the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV cost?

The Exceed is $71,640 before on-road costs, which works out to approximately $76,000 drive-away depending on your state. Mitsubishi doesn’t publish a national drive-away figure. The wider range runs from the $58,990 ES through the $66,790 seven-seat Aspire to the $74,490 Exceed Tourer, and this update added $2,350 to the Exceed’s price.

To be fair, it comes with all the bells and whistles. Panoramic sunroof, head-up display, digital rear-view mirror, ventilated and heated front seats, hands-free tailgate, tri-zone climate, the lot, with nothing significant left on an options list. The catch is the company it keeps at this money: the Kia Sorento PHEV is a bigger seven-seater for $71,130, and a top-spec BYD Sealion 6 is around $56,990.

How much does the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV cost to run?

The headline is Mitsubishi’s 10-year warranty, and the fine print is that it’s conditional. Service anywhere other than a Mitsubishi dealer and it reverts to 5 years and 100,000km. Servicing itself is capped for 10 years but isn’t cheap at $2,123 over the first five, and Mitsubishi recommends PHEVs go to a PHEV Specialist Service Centre, worth checking if you’re not near a capital city. The drive battery gets its own 8-year, 160,000km warranty with a 66 per cent capacity guarantee.

Energy is where it wins the money back. My week’s 20.8kWh/100km costs about $6.90 per 100km at a typical 33c home rate, or under $2 on a cheap overnight EV plan. Take the trip computer’s 3.0L/100km at face value and petrol adds about $5.20 per 100km, though the barely-moved fuel gauge suggests the real burn was less than that. So call it $12 per 100km at the very worst, or under $7 if you charge overnight on the cheap rate, against roughly $13.80 for a petrol SUV this size. A full charge of the 22.7kWh battery is about $7.50 at home.

Final thoughts

This is definitely a family car, and a bit of an all-rounder at that, which makes the who-shouldn’t-buy-it question the harder one to answer. It’s quite a large car, so anyone tight on garage or parking space should measure first. Anyone who needs seven seats has to step down to the Aspire, oddly. And anyone who can’t charge at home should think twice: Battery Charge mode means you’re never stranded, but with the public network effectively off-limits you’d be better served by a self-charging hybrid like the GWM Haval H7 or the Nissan Qashqai e-POWER, which skip the plug entirely.

For everyone else there’s honestly not a lot stopping you, except the price. Of the rivals I’ve driven, the Haval H6 PHEV is definitely the cheaper one, and the BYD Sealion 6 outsells the lot. What the Mitsubishi has over them is the 10-year warranty, twenty-odd years of plug-in hybrid experience, proper all-wheel drive and a ride none of them match yet. Whether that’s worth the extra spend is the only question left, and after a week that barely moved the fuel gauge, I can see plenty of buyers deciding it is.

2026 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Exceed — Frequently Asked Questions

How far does the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV go on electricity?
Mitsubishi claims up to 103km of electric-only driving from the 22.7kWh battery on the Australian ADR 81/02 test. My week returned 20.8kWh/100km, which points to roughly 100km of real electric range from a full charge. When the battery runs out, the 2.4-litre petrol engine takes over.

How much does the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Exceed cost in Australia?
The Outlander PHEV Exceed AWD is $71,640 before on-road costs, roughly $76,000 drive-away depending on your state. Mitsubishi doesn’t publish a national drive-away price. The range runs from $58,990 for the ES to $74,490 for the Exceed Tourer, all before on-road costs.

Can you fast-charge the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV in Australia?
Not really. The DC port is CHAdeMO, and nearly every public fast charger built in Australia now is CCS2, so the 32-minute rapid-charge claim is close to theoretical unless you buy a third-party adapter. Treat it as a car you charge at home overnight, which a normal week only needs once or twice.

Is the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Exceed worth buying?
If you can charge at home, yes. A household power point covers a normal week, and mine barely moved the fuel gauge across 432.9km. If you can’t plug in, or price is the deciding factor, rivals like the BYD Sealion 6 and GWM Haval H6 PHEV cost $15,000 or more less. We scored it 7.4 out of 10.

For the latest pricing, the servicing schedule for your build date, or to book a test drive, visit Mitsubishi Motors Australia.

The post Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Exceed 2026 Review appeared first on Eco Car Guide.

The 2026 Leapmotor B10 Design Long Range is a rear-wheel-drive electric SUV with 160kW, a 67.1kWh battery and 434km of claimed range, and until 30 September 2026 it’s $41,990 drive-away. The ride is quiet and smooth, impressive at the price, my week averaged 13.1kWh/100km, and the glass roof, 360-degree camera and 5-star ANCAP rating are standard on both grades. Worth weighing up before you buy: the 12-speaker stereo tears from about a third of the volume, too much day-to-day stuff lives in the touchscreen, and without the phone app set up you’re tapping a keycard on the mirror to get in. We scored it 7.4 out of 10.

I drove the bigger Leapmotor C10 last year, and a week in the Leapmotor B10 Design Long Range felt very familiar. Same family look, same feel, same behaviour, just a bit smaller. The front space barely changed. The back seat is where the size went. Otherwise it behaves and feels like a smaller C10, which is no bad thing.

It’s $40,888 before on-road costs, and until the end of September 2026 Leapmotor is selling it for $41,990 drive-away in Light White or Starry Night Blue, which is what mine was. That puts it among the cheapest electric SUVs in Australia, in the same money as the BYD Atto 3, MG S5 EV, Geely EX5 and Kia EV3. Most of those drive their front wheels. This one doesn’t.

A week with the Leapmotor B10

The keycard got irritating. I never set up the phone app, so getting in meant tapping the NFC card on the driver’s mirror. You don’t realise how much you rely on walk-up unlocking, or opening the boot from a distance, until you can’t do it with a card. The app gives you a Bluetooth key. Without it, you tap. By the end of the week I’d developed a relationship with the driver’s mirror.

Charging was a non-issue. I plugged into a DC fast charger mid-week at 16 percent with 69km showing, and the screen said 1 hour 20 minutes remaining. Finding a fast charger is getting easier, with more servos adding them, and I had no range anxiety in this car.

The home screen at the end of my run read 121.6km, 4 hours 21 minutes of driving and 13.1kWh/100km, in ordinary mixed driving. Leapmotor’s WLTP figure is 17.3kWh/100km. A trip computer and a lab test don’t measure the same thing, but 13.1 is very good for an SUV.

The stereo got a proper go, because I care about sound and 12 speakers with a boot woofer looked promising on paper. It’s serviceable at best. And the ambient lighting is OK but a little dull, even maxed out.

What does the Leapmotor B10 look like?

It looks like a shrunken C10. Full-width LED light bars front and rear, flush door handles, clean sides, 18-inch alloys. At 4,515mm long and 1,885mm wide it’s a small SUV. Mine was Starry Night Blue, one of five optional colours. Light White is the only no-cost paint, though the current drive-away deal covers the blue as well.

Nothing gives away how little it costs.

What is the Leapmotor B10 like inside?

Inside is familiar Leapmotor, much like the C10. A minimalist dash with the 14.6-inch touchscreen and an 8.8-inch driver display, a floating centre console, and green-ringed air vents. The Design gets perforated TechnoLeather seats in light grey, heated and ventilated up front and power adjusted on both sides, plus a heated steering wheel. They punch above the price.

The glass roof is the best bit. It’s fixed, it runs over both rows, it has an electric blind, and it’s standard on both grades. At this price it’s a great inclusion.

The ambient lighting is OK but a little dull, even maxed out. The brochure calls it multi-colour. Maxed out, it’s more of a suggestion. Space up front is good, and barely changed from the C10.

Storage

The floating console leaves an open shelf underneath. Up top there’s a wireless charging pad, two cupholders, a covered console box and door bins. Under the bonnet Leapmotor quotes 25 litres, which is a frunk in the same way a glovebox is a wardrobe, and both a Mode 2 and a Mode 3 charging cable come with the car. Vehicle-to-load runs at up to 3.3kW.

Rear seat and boot space

The back seat is where the size went. It’s trimmed like the front, in the same perforated TechnoLeather, with a fold-down centre armrest and cupholders, rear air vents, a USB-A and a USB-C port, ISOFIX points and top tethers. It doesn’t have the stretch-out room of the C10 a size up.

The boot is 490 litres with the seats up and 1,475 litres with the 40/60 split folded, on a flat floor behind a power tailgate that’s standard on the Design. There’s a luggage cover, and a tyre inflator kit in the floor rather than a spare wheel.

Technology and connectivity

The screen runs almost everything, including the things a button did perfectly well for the last forty years. For mundane tasks that’s a chore. Too much is buried in the 14.6-inch touchscreen. Android Auto is wired, not wireless. I don’t mind that. Wired drops out less than wireless does. The 360-degree camera doubles as a dashcam and is standard on both grades. Built-in navigation, DAB+ radio, in-car Wi-Fi and over-the-air updates are all in.

The audio is not good, and I say that as someone who cares about sound. On paper it’s 12 speakers and a woofer in the boot. In practice it’s serviceable at best. From about 30 percent volume you can hear it tearing. It can’t hold the highs up while the bass is playing low. It manages the mids and a touch of bass, then gives out on the highs. Crank it and it just stops getting louder. Twelve speakers, a woofer in the boot, and a volume ceiling they all seem to have agreed on. Fine for day-to-day background music. Not a system you’d want to turn up and blast your favourite song on.

Highlighted Features

• Panoramic glass roof: fixed, full-length, with an electric blind, standard on both grades.
• 360-degree camera and dashcam: surround view with a see-through chassis view, and it records.
• Vehicle to load: up to 3.3kW of household power out of the car.
• Rear-wheel drive: a single rear motor, where most rivals at the price drive the front wheels.

Engine and drivetrain

A single permanent-magnet motor on the rear axle makes 160kW and 240Nm, for a claimed 0 to 100km/h of 8.0 seconds and a 170km/h top speed. The battery is 67.1kWh of lithium iron phosphate, a chemistry that’s happy being charged to 100 percent regularly, and Leapmotor claims 434km on the WLTP cycle at 17.3kWh/100km. The cheaper Style has the same motor with a 56.2kWh pack for a claimed 361km.

Charging is respectable for the class. DC peaks at 168kW, and Leapmotor quotes 30 to 80 percent in about 20 minutes on a charger that can deliver it. On the 150kW units most Australian sites run, budget a little longer. The onboard AC charger is 11kW, so a full charge on a home wallbox takes about six and a half hours, and there’s a heat pump for cold mornings. The charge port sits in the front-left guard.

What’s the Leapmotor B10 like to drive?

It’s quiet and smooth. Not thrilling, but not trying to be. Sensible and composed. The ride is the standout, and it’s impressive at the price. There’s enough pace when you need it, a bit behind it for making a gap or overtaking, without being a performance car.

The rear-wheel drive is noticeable and welcome. You can sense it pushing you along rather than pulling, a different sensation to a front-driver, and it makes slow, tight turns feel less touchy. No tug through the wheel from the front tyres. It’s a small thing, until you go back to a front-driver and notice the steering wheel has opinions again.

There are three levels of regen, three accelerator modes and three steering modes, all set through the screen. The lane centring did a fairly good job. Quietly competent, not tugging, not annoying. The bings and bongs were OK too, which isn’t true of every rival.

Is the Leapmotor B10 safe?

The B10 carries a 5-star ANCAP rating from 2025 that covers both grades: 93 percent for adult occupant protection, 95 percent for child occupant protection, 84 percent for vulnerable road users and 86 percent for safety assist. The rating runs to December 2031. Seven airbags are standard, including a far-side airbag between the front seats, plus ISOFIX and top tethers in the back.

Leapmotor calls the driver-assist suite LEAP Pilot, and it’s the same 17 features on both grades. It didn’t nag. The alerts weren’t intrusive.

• Autonomous emergency braking, front collision warning and multi-collision braking
• Adaptive cruise control, lane centring, traffic jam assist and emergency lane keeping (Level 2)
• Blind spot detection, rear cross traffic alert with braking, rear collision warning and door opening warning
• Intelligent speed assist, driver drowsiness and distraction warning, hands-off detection, tyre pressure monitoring and the 360-degree camera

How much does the Leapmotor B10 cost?

The Design Long Range is $40,888 before on-road costs and the Style is $37,888. Right now Leapmotor’s drive-away sale has them at $41,990 and $38,990, on new and demonstrator cars in Light White or Starry Night Blue, for cars bought and delivered by 30 September 2026 or while stocks last. Government and rental buyers are excluded. After that, expect the drive-away figure to move, because these offers come and go.

The extra $3,000 for the Design buys the bigger battery, faster DC charging, the 12-speaker audio, TechnoLeather, power front seats, the heated wheel and heated and ventilated front seats, a power tailgate, privacy glass and the ambient lighting. Leapmotor has spent nearly all of the $3,000 on things you can see. The glass roof, the 360 camera, the 14.6-inch screen, vehicle to load and the full safety suite are standard on both.

How much does the Leapmotor B10 cost to run?

The ownership package is strong for the price. Every B10 gets a 6-year, 150,000km warranty, with the high-voltage battery covered for 8 years or 160,000km. Servicing is every 12 months or 20,000km, capped for eight years, with visits between about $296 and $441 and an average of roughly $369 a year. Roadside assistance runs for eight years alongside it.

The efficiency was one of the good surprises. At the 13.1kWh/100km I saw, charging at home on a typical 33 cents a kilowatt hour works out to about $4.32 per 100km. On a cheap overnight EV plan at 8 cents it’s about $1.05. Public DC at around 75 cents is closer to $9.83. Use Leapmotor’s WLTP figure of 17.3 instead and the home number is about $5.71. Either way, charging at home is where the savings are.

Final thoughts

This is a practical, sensible everyday car for someone who wants to see what EV ownership is like without breaking the bank. That’s who it’s for. It’s quiet, it’s efficient, and the rear-drive makes it nicer at low speed than the front-drivers it’s up against. The glass roof, the safety rating and the running costs are the draws at the money.

The stereo and the keycard are the two things I’d want you to know about before you sign. If the back seat is going to carry adults regularly, the C10 is the natural step up. If you want smaller and cheaper again, the Hyundai Inster is there, and the Xpeng G6 is the value pick a size up. The Atto 3, the S5 EV and the EV3 are the ones to cross-shop at this money, and the EV3 is the only one of them I’ve driven.

As a first EV, it’s one of the easiest ways in.

2026 Leapmotor B10 — Frequently Asked Questions

How far does the 2026 Leapmotor B10 Design go on a charge?
Leapmotor claims 434km on the WLTP cycle from the Design Long Range and its 67.1kWh lithium iron phosphate battery, at 17.3kWh/100km. In our week of mixed driving the trip computer showed 13.1kWh/100km over 121.6km, which points to roughly 500km of real-world range on a gentle run. The cheaper Style uses a 56.2kWh battery for a claimed 361km.

How much does the 2026 Leapmotor B10 cost in Australia?
The B10 Design Long Range is $40,888 before on-road costs and the Style is $37,888. For cars bought and delivered by 30 September 2026, Leapmotor is offering the Design Long Range at $41,990 drive-away and the Style at $38,990 drive-away, on new and demonstrator cars in Light White or Starry Night Blue. Either way it is one of the cheapest electric SUVs on sale in Australia.

Is the Leapmotor B10 rear-wheel drive?
Yes. Every B10 uses a single rear-mounted permanent-magnet motor, so it is rear-wheel drive, where most rivals at this price drive the front wheels. Both grades make 160kW and 240Nm, with a claimed 0 to 100km/h time of 8.0 seconds and a 170km/h top speed.

Is the Leapmotor B10 safe?
Yes. The B10 carries a 5-star ANCAP rating from 2025 that applies to both grades, with 93 percent for adult occupant protection, 95 percent for child occupant protection, 84 percent for vulnerable road users and 86 percent for safety assist. Seven airbags and 17 driver-assist features, including autonomous emergency braking and lane centring, are standard.

For the latest pricing and to book a test drive, head to the official Leapmotor Australia site.

The post Leapmotor B10 Design Long Range 2026 Review appeared first on Eco Car Guide.

The 2026 Jaecoo J5 EV Summit is one of the cheapest electric SUVs in Australia, a 155kW front-drive small SUV with 402km of claimed range, and it’s $35,990 before on-road costs. My week of commuting returned 16.4kWh/100km and 300km from a full charge to 9 percent, and the glass roof, ventilated seats and 360-degree camera all come standard at that price. Worth weighing up before you buy: the seats feel designed for smaller people, the aircon struggled on a 30-degree day and keeps switching itself back to its default mode, and the eight speakers turn metal tinny. We scored it 7 out of 10.

The Jaecoo J5 EV is $35,990 before on-road costs. I had the single-grade Summit for a week in early September, in Stone Grey. It did my 36km commute all week, with coworkers dropped home along the way.

It’s a well priced EV for the features it has, and that’s the pitch. On price it sits under the Leapmotor B10, the BYD Atto 3, the MG S5 EV and the Geely EX5, and a long way under the Kia EV3 Earth I drove earlier this year. Of that lot I’ve driven the B10 and the EV3, and the B10 is the one this car kept reminding me of.

A week with the 2026 Jaecoo J5 EV

Walking up to it on pickup day, what hit me was how plain it looks. There’s an easy way to tell an EV and that’s the lack of a grille, and having grown up around cars with grilles, it looks odd to me without one, and on this car it stood out. I could tell straight away it was a Chinese EV, and nothing about it made me go, wow, that’s a nice car. The price is where I can be more forgiving, because for about $36,000 it’s a beggars can’t be choosers situation.

I have a very narrow driveway that I go up and down every day, so I’ve got a good sense of how much room there is on either side, and I’m used to proximity sensors going off. I was zipping down it in reverse the way I normally do when the car came to a complete stop, with nothing directly behind it. Every day down that driveway without incident, and the J5 has decided that was luck.

Strugglimg A/C

It was a 30-degree day and the aircon struggled to cool the car down, even at full blast with the ventilated seats going and the sunshade shut. I spend my afternoons in a freezer warehouse, so I notice how quickly a car’s aircon does its job, and this one took its time. I had to switch it from smart mode to rapid cooling to get a noticeable change, and even that took around 20 minutes. It also keeps changing itself back to smart mode, so the fix had to be redone, and because changing it means looking at the screen, the driver monitoring told me off for being distracted while I did it. The car changes its own aircon, then flags the driver for changing the aircon. Someone in that cabin is distracted, and it isn’t me.

The numbers: 300km from a full charge down to 9 percent, and 16.4kWh/100km on the trip readout, mostly commuting with a stint in Sport and a stint in the most conservative mode. The car’s own long-run counter, which nobody had reset since it joined the press fleet, showed 16.8kWh/100km over 3,246km, so my week was a touch better than its average. Ten minutes on a 75kW charger, the only one I could get to, took it from 9 to 30 percent. At around 75 cents a kilowatt hour, the going rate at public fast chargers, that works out to about $9 of electricity.

A coworker I was dropping home asked what the sound was. It was the speed-limit chime, which makes a little honking noise, and that was the only second opinion the car got all week.

What does the 2026 Jaecoo J5 EV look like?

It’s plain. There’s a panel where the grille would be, with active air flaps behind it, but it reads as no grille. The best angle is low and straight on from the front, and the rear three-quarter isn’t bad, but the front three-quarter is the one I don’t like. It doesn’t sit right with the rest of the car, and that’s usually the angle every car looks best from.

At 4,380mm long, 1,860mm wide and 1,650mm tall on a 2,620mm wheelbase it’s a small SUV. Roof rails, a rear spoiler, LED projector headlights and LED tail lights are standard, and it rides on 18-inch aero alloys with 235/55 Continental EcoContact 7 tyres. Stone Grey is the only no-cost colour, and Arctic White, Carbon Black and Stormy Blue cost extra.

What is the 2026 Jaecoo J5 EV like inside?

The interior is plain too, a light synthetic leather with blue piping. I liked the blue lining, though not everyone will. Jaecoo calls the seats pet-friendly, with a TÜV SÜD certificate for scratch resistance and easy cleaning. The 13.2-inch centre screen is vertical, which I like, because it doesn’t stick up above the sightlines and it uses the whole centre of the dash. The driver’s cluster is 8.88 inches, and I chuckled when I first saw it. I’ve been spoilt by cars that run a display across the whole dashboard, and this one is tiny in comparison. It works the same, it just feels different to look at. It’s small, but it’s there. It does everything the big ones do, at a size you have to go looking for.

The seats don’t suit me. I’m 6’3″ and the six-way powered driver’s seat doesn’t go down far enough, and the cushion feels designed for smaller people, to the point where it feels like I’ve got things in my back pocket when I’m sitting in it. The seat has a shape in mind, and it isn’t mine. Heated and ventilated front seats are standard, and the ventilation got a workout.

The steering wheel buttons work, but they feel a bit tacky compared to competitors, and you have to press them with intention for anything to happen. There are no physical buttons for the screen, and the gear selector is a column stalk. The glass roof is massive and spans most of the car, with a powered sunshade, and the visibility from the big front and side windows was one of the good surprises.

Storage

The centre console has an armrest with a storage box underneath, two cupholders, a 50W wireless charging pad, a USB-A port for data and a fast-charge USB-C. There’s a 12-volt outlet up front and another in the boot, map pockets on the front seat backs, two coat hooks and door bins. The spec sheet doesn’t list any storage under the bonnet.

Rear seat and boot space

The back seat gets air vents in the console and at foot level, a USB-A port, a folding centre armrest with two cupholders, two ISOFIX points and three top tethers. Getting in behind my own driving position was a struggle, and I bumped my head jumping into the back in a hurry. It feels a bit claustrophobic back there with the front seat back fairly far, so a shorter driver’s passengers will have more room.

The boot is 384 litres to the cargo cover and 480 litres to the roof, with a 60:40 split, and it’s big enough that my duffle bag and backpack fit, plus a coworker’s gear. The power tailgate opens from the key and has a button on the lid for closing. There’s a tyre repair kit rather than a spare wheel, but the well under the floor looks like it could fit one, and the floor cover sits at two heights, so there’s a bit of extra space to squeeze out. Towing is 750kg unbraked or 1,250kg braked, with a 75kg towball limit.

Technology and connectivity

The aircon is done through the 13.2-inch screen, but a swipe up from the bottom brings up the quick options, so it’s easy to get to. CarPlay and Android Auto are wired and wireless, and Android Auto worked, though it dropped out about three times and once took about 15 minutes to reconnect. That’s not specific to this car, a lot of wireless Android Auto setups do it, but it happened. There’s a Hello Jaecoo voice assistant, DAB radio, Bluetooth and a 360-degree camera, which I wasn’t expecting at this price.

The aircon has four modes: smart mode as the default, rapid cooling, rapid heating and smart deodorisation. Rapid cooling is the one that works on a hot day, and the car keeps changing itself back to smart. The speakers barely do the job. There are eight of them, four speakers and four tweeters, and EDM works, but metal, which uses the highs and lows, comes out tinny. Vehicle-to-load is listed, through an adapter, but I went looking for an outlet in the usual spots inside the car and couldn’t find one, so ask about the adapter if you want it.

Highlighted Features

• Glass roof with powered sunshade: spans most of the car and is standard on the only grade.
• 360-degree camera: surround view with front and rear parking sensors, standard.
• Heated and ventilated front seats: both powered six ways, standard at $35,990 before on-road costs.
• Vehicle-to-load: household power from the battery through an adapter.

Engine and drivetrain

A single motor drives the front wheels with 155kW and 288Nm, and Jaecoo quotes 7.7 seconds to 100km/h. The battery is 58.9kWh of lithium iron phosphate under the floor, so charging to 100 percent is normal, and the claimed range is 402km WLTP. There are three regen levels and Eco, Normal and Sport drive modes, plus an Extreme Energy Saving mode below Eco that got me a few extra kilometres out of each percent.

DC charging peaks at 130kW, with 30 to 80 percent claimed in about 28 minutes. I could only get to a 75kW charger, which it held the whole time, going from 9 to 30 percent in 10 minutes, so the peak went untested. AC is 6.6kW single-phase or 10.3kW three-phase, so a full charge takes around nine hours on a single-phase wallbox and a bit under six on three-phase, while at home on my trickle charger it only pulled 1.5kW, so that’s a top-up, not a full charge. The charge port is on the driver’s side front guard.

What’s the 2026 Jaecoo J5 EV like to drive?

Competent. That’s my one word for it. The ride is OK, nothing special or of note, and it does the job without feeling spongy. Road noise is there, not crazy loud but more noticeable than in other cars, and on a particularly windy day on the highway there was wind buffeting on top of it. With the aircon off there’s also a white noise from somewhere in the car. The longest single drive was home to work, about 36km of highway and normal roads, and I felt fine getting out, though it’s only 36km.

It doesn’t like to put the power down straight away, building up to it instead, and I noticed the front wheels scrabbling for traction a couple of times on a rolling start around a corner. In Sport the accelerator is a lot more touchy, which I’d expect, and the scrabbling is more obvious, but it’s surprisingly quick for the cost. The Leapmotor B10 is the closest thing I’ve driven to it, the same size and price, but it drives the rear wheels and pushes you along rather than pulling. Seeing the difference between front and rear drive in the same size car was interesting, and the J5 feels a little quicker off the mark.

The regen takes some getting used to. Even on level 1 there’s no coasting, so lift off and it starts slowing almost instantly, and you keep slight pressure on the accelerator to hold speed. On level 3 you have to be super light, because let off too much and your head rocks. It doesn’t stop the car, so it isn’t one-pedal driving. In the Extreme Energy Saving mode with level 3 regen I got a few extra kilometres per percent, but my head was rocking back and forth like I was at a concert. Level 3 slows the car with real conviction, and the passengers with it.

Is the 2026 Jaecoo J5 EV safe?

The J5 EV hadn’t been crash-tested by ANCAP at the time of writing, so it carries no rating, though Jaecoo has said it’s aiming for five stars. Seven airbags are standard: driver and passenger, two front side, a front centre airbag between the front seats and two curtains. Two ISOFIX points and three top tethers are in the back.

The driver-assist list is long, and the car is fairly relaxed with its warnings. The reverse braking is the exception, and it’s the one that stopped me in my own driveway. The driver monitoring is OK, not too intrusive, but it false flagged a couple of times and once told me off for changing the aircon, and the speed-limit chime is there, not overly loud or overbearing, with a little honking sound.

• Autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning and multi-collision braking
• Adaptive cruise control, traffic jam assist, integrated cruise assist, lane departure warning and prevention, and emergency lane keeping
• Blind spot detection, lane change assist, rear collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert and braking, and door opening warning
• Speed limit information, speed control assist, driver monitoring, front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera and a 360-degree camera

How much does the 2026 Jaecoo J5 EV cost?

There’s one grade, the Summit, at $35,990 before on-road costs. At the time of writing Jaecoo was running a $36,990 drive-away offer on the Summit in Stone Grey with no options. It launched in January as a first-1,000-cars deal and has been extended more than once, so check what’s current before you buy. Stone Grey is the no-cost colour and the other three cost extra. The Leapmotor B10 Design is $41,990 drive-away on its own offer, and the Kia EV3 Earth is around $63,000 drive-away, with the EV3 GT-Line dearer again.

The kit list is longer than the price suggests. Glass roof with a powered sunshade, heated and ventilated powered front seats, the 13.2-inch screen with wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, a 50W wireless charger, a 360-degree camera, a power tailgate, dual-zone climate, LED lighting, the full driver-assist suite and vehicle-to-load are all standard. There’s no options list. The price on the sign is the price, which is rarer than it should be.

How much does the 2026 Jaecoo J5 EV cost to run?

The ownership package is the strongest part of the deal. The warranty is 8 years with unlimited kilometres, and the high-voltage battery gets the same. Servicing is every 12 months or 20,000km, capped for 8 years or 160,000km at $155 and $225 alternating, which is $1,520 over the full 8 years and an average of $190 a year. Roadside assistance runs up to 8 years, one year included and renewed at each dealer service.

At the 16.4kWh/100km I saw, home charging at a typical 33 cents a kilowatt hour is about $5.41 per 100km, on a cheap overnight EV plan at 8 cents it’s about $1.31, and public DC at around 75 cents is closer to $12.30. A full charge of the 58.9kWh battery at home on the flat rate is roughly $19. Charging at home is where the savings are.

On range, 300km from 100 down to 9 percent points to about 330km in the real world rather than the 402km on the sticker. Budget on the smaller number.

Final thoughts

It’s a solid budget EV, just try the seats and sound system first. That’s what I’d tell a mate. It’s for people looking for an entry into the EV market without breaking the bank on luxury, and the range, the running costs, the warranty and the kit are all ahead of the price. I’d be walking past if you can afford to spend more on a more refined brand.

The closest rival is the Leapmotor B10. They’re similar cars and both have their strengths: the J5 feels a little quicker off the mark, it comes with a physical key, and it’s fairly relaxed with its warnings apart from the reverse brake. The B10 just edges it out. The Kia EV3 Earth is the nicer car and a long way up the price list, and if you want smaller again, the Hyundai Inster is there for similar money. The Atto 3, the S5 EV and the EX5 are the other cross-shops at this price, and I haven’t driven them.

2026 Jaecoo J5 EV — Frequently Asked Questions

How far does the 2026 Jaecoo J5 EV go on a charge?
Jaecoo claims 402km on the WLTP cycle from the J5 EV’s 58.9kWh lithium iron phosphate battery. In our week of commuting the trip readout showed 16.4kWh/100km and the car covered 300km from a full charge down to 9 percent, which points to roughly 330km of real-world range in mixed driving.

How much does the 2026 Jaecoo J5 EV cost in Australia?
The Jaecoo J5 EV comes in a single Summit grade at $35,990 before on-road costs, which makes it one of the cheapest electric SUVs on sale in Australia. Jaecoo has run a $36,990 drive-away offer on Stone Grey cars since launch, so check what is current before you buy. The three other colours are premium paint at extra cost.

How long does the Jaecoo J5 EV take to charge?
Jaecoo claims 30 to 80 percent in about 28 minutes on a DC charger that can deliver its 130kW peak. In our week a 75kW charger took the battery from 9 to 30 percent in 10 minutes. On AC the onboard charger runs at 6.6kW single-phase or 10.3kW three-phase, so a full charge on a home wallbox takes around nine hours single-phase or a bit under six hours on three-phase.

Does the Jaecoo J5 EV have a spare wheel?
No. The Jaecoo J5 EV comes with a tyre repair kit rather than a spare wheel, and it has a tyre pressure monitoring system with a display. Boot space is 384 litres to the cargo cover and 480 litres to the roof, with a 60:40 split-fold rear seat and a power tailgate.

For the latest pricing and to book a test drive, head to the official Jaecoo Australia site.

The post Jaecoo J5 EV Summit 2026 Review appeared first on Eco Car Guide.

It’s a sedan shape in a market drowning in SUVs, it glides along quietly, the standard 14-speaker Sony stereo sounds like it belongs in a dearer car, and my week of Sydney driving covered 400km on a single charge. Worth weighing up before you buy: the 337-litre boot is modest for a car this long, and the lane centring tugs at the wheel rather than nudging it. We scored it 7.7 out of 10.

The Mazda 6e GT is $49,990 before on-road costs. I spent a week with one, in a light grey with the warm beige interior, mostly around Sydney. I was surprised to see this as a Mazda wearing a 6 badge, because it looks a whole lot nicer than the ones I grew up with in the early 2000s.

It’s refreshing to see a sedan at all when the general trend has been towards big and small SUVs like the Xpeng G6. Mazda calls the 6e a five-door hatchback, but it looks like a regular sedan, and I’ll treat it as one. The electric sedans that do exist, the BYD Seal and the Tesla Model 3, sit either side of it on price. Drive-away, Mazda’s own delivered pricing runs from about $52,666 in the NT to $56,296 in WA.

A week with the Mazda 6e GT

The bit that stuck with me all week was the front end at night. There’s a series of LEDs that glow around what would have been the grille. Most EVs don’t need a grille and often look a little odd without one, just a flat front face. The LEDs surrounding this one make it look normal, and after dark the glow is a genuine highlight.

I ran the battery down to 8 percent and plugged into an Ampol charger. It took 59.382kWh in 26 minutes and 44 seconds and cost me $44.28 including GST. The car was pulling 150kW until someone else plugged in beside me and it dropped to 133kW, so the charger was the limit, not the car. Before that stop I’d covered 400 kilometres around Sydney and still had 8 percent showing.

The niggle that never went away was the voice-assistant button on the steering wheel. Have your hands at the wrong point of the wheel while turning and it activates on the slightest of nudges. The other one: the left side of the driver’s display kept telling me to “Check and setup navigation app on main screen before using”, because I prefer Android Auto over the built in navigation, and I couldn’t find a button to change that.

What does the Mazda 6e look like?

The sporty look was a bit of a shock for what I’ve always known as a modest family sedan. The front three-quarter looks good, as it does on most cars, but the rear three-quarter looks equally good, and that’s the rarer thing. It comes across as sleek rather than awkward.

The spoiler got the inner child in me excited. It’s a “Veyron like” wing that dips into the boot and rises when you unlock the car. Our car wore a light grey over the 19-inch alloys; Mazda offers seven colours, three of them at extra cost.

What is the Mazda 6e like inside?

The interior surprised me. It feels more like a Mercedes than a classic Mazda sedan. The warm beige seats with black finishes and silver accents give it a real premium feel, and they fooled me: they feel like leather, but they’re Maztex, Mazda’s synthetic, and a $1,000 option exclusive to the GT. Real leather is Atenza-only.

Both front seats are power adjusted, heated and ventilated, the steering wheel is heated, the driver’s seat has memory, and a panoramic sunroof with a powered blind is standard. There are 64 colours of ambient lighting, for the four you’ll actually use.

Storage

The cabin is sensibly sorted: a covered centre console, wireless charging pad, bottle holders in all four doors, cupholders front and rear, a 12-volt outlet, and USB-A plus USB-C up front with another USB-C in the back. Under the bonnet there’s a 72-litre frunk, which happens to be the right size for the charging cables.

Rear seat and boot space

The back seat gets its own air vents, a USB-C port, a fold-down armrest, adjustable head restraints and a 40/60 split fold, with two ISOFIX points and three top tethers. The roof slopes hard into the tail, and I didn’t sit back there during the week, so I’m not going to tell you how it feels.

The boot is the weak spot. 337 litres with the seats up is modest for a car nearly five metres long. Fold the seats and it opens to 678 litres to the parcel shelf, or 1,074 to the ceiling. The liftback tailgate means the opening is never the problem; the 337 litres behind it is. There’s no spare wheel, just an inflation kit, which is fine on a car like this because you’ll generally be within quick NRMA distance if it’s too bad. Braked towing is 1,500kg.

Technology and connectivity

The Sony sound system was great. There’s a sub in the back, and while it’s not as good as an aftermarket system, it’ll suit almost everyone without feeling like you have to upgrade. Cranking the bass was enjoyable, you can feel the hum of the rhythm, and it adds to an already good driving experience. The closest comparison I can make is the Genesis I drove earlier this year, and that car costs roughly three times as much, which tells you how much stereo fifty grand is buying here.

A 14.6-inch touchscreen runs the infotainment, with a 10.2-inch driver’s display and a head-up display that projects 3D arrows onto the road when you use the built in navigation. I don’t know whether that’s useful or a gimmick, but it was a nice surprise. CarPlay and Android Auto are both wireless.

The catch is the one from earlier: the driver’s display will only show the built in navigation’s map. Prefer Waze or Android Auto and you’re choosing between your map on the centre screen or Mazda’s map with the 3D arrows. Other cars are happy to show Waze in the driver’s dash. This one isn’t.

Highlighted Features

• Electric rear spoiler: sits flush in the bootlid and rises when you unlock the car.
• Augmented-reality head-up display: projects 3D directional arrows onto the road ahead, using the built in navigation.
• Vehicle to load: up to 3.5kW of household power out of the car via an adaptor.

Engine and drivetrain

A single motor drives the rear wheels with 190kW and 290Nm, fed by a 78kWh lithium iron phosphate battery. Mazda claims 560km of range and doesn’t publish a 0 to 100km/h time, so I won’t invent one. The full numbers live in the tables below.

Charging is a strong suit. The DC ceiling is 194kW, and most public fast chargers in Australia top out at 150kW, so unlike a car rated at 350kW that spends its life disappointed, the 6e takes everything a typical charger has to offer. Mazda quotes about 24 minutes for 10 to 80 percent, and my 8 to 80 percent stop took 26 and a half while sharing the site’s power. At home, a full charge takes about eight hours on an 11kW wallbox.

What’s the Mazda 6e like to drive?

It’s smooth, with minimal road noise, and the drive feels like a glide. Planted is the other word. Two tonnes sounds alarming until you notice it’s exactly why the car feels nailed down; I didn’t feel the road too much, and in the times I didn’t have music blasting, I didn’t really hear anything either, even on highways.

It definitely looks faster than it is, but it’s no slouch either. It won’t throw you back in your seat, but there’s some pace behind it, even in Comfort, where I left it most of the week. The drive modes are more subtle changes than big ones. And with the power coming from the back, it steers nicely, with none of the tugging you get when the front wheels are doing both jobs.

Rear-wheel drive is something you don’t see these days, even more so on an EV. Plenty of JDM icons started life as ordinary family cars, and I couldn’t help thinking this might be one of those cars in 20 or 30 years, purely because it’s rear-wheel drive. Drifting one wasn’t something I’d do in a test car, but I did wonder what it’d be like in the right hands.

My main gripe is the lane centring. With cruise control on, the car wants you dead centre of the lane, and it’s willing to insist: on any deviation you feel it tugging you back across, as opposed to a beep or a gentler nudge.

Is the Mazda 6e safe?

The 6e carries a five-star ANCAP rating with a 2025 datestamp, applying to all variants: 93 percent for adult occupant protection, 93 percent for child occupant protection, 74 percent for vulnerable road users and 79 percent for safety assist. Worth knowing: it was assessed against ANCAP’s 2023 to 2025 criteria rather than the tougher 2026 protocols, so it’s not directly comparable with a car rated under the newer rules. The rating runs until December 2031.

• Smart Brake Support with pedestrian and cyclist detection, plus rear crossing support
• Blind Spot Monitoring with vehicle exit warning, and rear cross traffic alert
• Emergency Lane Keeping with road keep assist and blind spot assist, plus lane-keep assist
• 360-degree view monitor with see-through view, front and rear parking sensors, driver monitoring and traffic sign recognition

Airbags run to front, side front and rear, curtain front and rear, and a far-side bag for the driver. The driver monitoring wasn’t very noticeable in a week of driving, which isn’t true of every system of its type.

How much does the Mazda 6e cost?

The GT starts at $49,990 before on-road costs, the Atenza at $52,990. Mazda publishes a recommended delivered price by state, covering rego, CTP, stamp duty and dealer delivery: from about $52,666 in the NT to $56,296 in WA, with NSW at $54,817. Our test car had the $1,000 warm beige interior, a GT-only option, taking it to $50,990 before on-roads.

For that you get 19-inch alloys, the 14.6-inch touchscreen, the head-up display, the Sony audio, a 360-degree camera, the panoramic sunroof, heated and ventilated front seats, a heated wheel, a powered tailgate, the rising spoiler, wireless charging and vehicle to load. The Atenza adds tan leather, a leather wheel and suede trim, and nothing mechanical. Everything that makes this car good is already on the GT, which makes the cheaper one the pick.

How much does the Mazda 6e cost to run?

Mazda covers the 6e with a five year, unlimited kilometre warranty and eight years of high-voltage battery cover, though it doesn’t publish a distance cap on the battery term. Servicing is every 12 months or 20,000km at capped prices of $220, $318, $726, $318 and $220, so $1,802 over five years, or $2,846 over seven. The dear visits are the fluid services at years three and six. Mazda’s 6e page advertises five years of Premium Roadside Assistance.

The trip computer showed 15.5kWh/100km over the week, against Mazda’s 15.9 claim. At a typical home rate of about 33 cents a kilowatt hour that’s roughly $5.12 per 100km, dropping to about $1.24 on a cheap overnight EV plan. Public DC is another story: my $44.28 Ampol stop works out closer to $14 per 100km. Charge at home and this is a very cheap car to run. Rely on public fast chargers and it isn’t.

On range, be realistic. I covered 400km and still had 8 percent showing, which points to about 435km in the real world rather than the 560km on the sticker. Respectable for heavy urban running, but budget on the smaller number.

Final thoughts

Buy the 6e if you’re looking for a premium sound system and a sedan-like shape. It’s quiet, well equipped for the money and cheap to service, and the GT is the one to have, because the Atenza adds trim and nothing else.

Walk past it if you need the amount of room you get from an SUV. Something like the Kia EV5 gives you far more boot for similar money. The BYD Seal and Tesla Model 3 are the obvious cross-shops, and the Mazda undercuts the Tesla on list price while matching the BYD. If you want an electric sedan with far more pace, the IM5 Performance exists, at a much higher price.

The sedan is a shape I feel is sorely missed, and this is a good one to bring it back.

2026 Mazda 6e GT — Frequently Asked Questions

How far does the Mazda 6e go on a charge?
Mazda claims 560km on the WLTP cycle from the 78kWh lithium iron phosphate battery. In our week of mixed suburban and motorway driving in Sydney we covered 400km with 8 percent charge remaining, which points to a real-world range of roughly 435km.

How much does the Mazda 6e cost in Australia?
The 6e GT starts at $49,990 before on-road costs and the Atenza at $52,990. Mazda’s recommended delivered price for the GT ranges from about $52,666 in the Northern Territory to $56,296 in Western Australia, depending on state charges.

How long does the Mazda 6e take to charge?
Mazda quotes approximately 24 minutes for a 10 to 80 percent DC fast charge at up to 194kW. On our test an 8 to 80 percent charge took 26 minutes and 44 seconds on a 150kW public charger while sharing site power. A full AC charge takes about eight hours on an 11kW wallbox.

Is the Mazda 6e GT worth buying?
Yes, if you want a well equipped electric sedan rather than an SUV. The GT includes a 14-speaker Sony stereo, an augmented-reality head-up display and a panoramic sunroof as standard, and costs $1,802 to service over five years. It is less convincing if you need boot space, at 337 litres with the seats up.

For the latest pricing and to book a test drive, visit Mazda Australia.

The post Mazda 6e GT 2026 Review appeared first on Eco Car Guide.

It’s smooth, quiet and sprightly, the cream cabin calms the drive, the back seat took me at six foot three, and the rotary controls keep your fingers off the 27-inch screen. Worth weighing up before you buy: 10.3 litres per 100km claimed, on 95 RON, an ANCAP rating from 2021 that expires in December 2027, and the Signature’s Bang & Olufsen, rear climate and heated wheel aren’t on this grade. We scored it 7.9 out of 10.

Turbochargers are meant to make cars more efficient. That’s the whole reason there’s a 2.5-litre four under the bonnet of the Genesis GV70 2.5T Advanced instead of the 3.5-litre V6, and it’s why a petrol SUV is getting a week on Eco Car Guide. Genesis claims 10.3 litres per 100km for the four against 11.3 for the six, with 224kW instead of 279kW.

The Advanced is the entry point to the GV70, at approximately $80,300 before on-road costs, and it lands among the BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLC, Audi Q5, Lexus NX and Volvo XC60. The electric version of the same car, the Electrified GV70, sits more than $50,000 above it on current listings.

A week with the Genesis GV70

The interior was the standout of the week. The cabin is cream leather, brushed aluminium and one 27-inch OLED panel running from behind the wheel to the middle of the dash, and it gave the car a calming sensation while it was driving. That’s not a line about the ride. It’s the cabin doing the work.

I ran the screen from the rotary controller on the console and the thumbwheels on the wheel, and flicked between the driver-display views the same way. It was intuitive, it did the quick tasks well, and I got through the week without putting my fingers all over the screen. In 2026 that counts as a luxury feature.

I sat in the back, and at six foot three it wasn’t claustrophobic. The seats were comfy and the privacy shutter on the rear door was a nice addition. The boot took my gym bag, which is full of my freezer work gear and goes everywhere with me, so it’s my standard frame of reference for boot space. It fitted with room to spare.

I didn’t note the trip computer, so there’s no fuel figure from me in this review. Genesis’s own claim is the number in the tables, and it’s labelled as a claim.

What does the Genesis GV70 look like?

It seemed like a luxury sedan front with an SUV rear. The front is the crest-shaped double-mesh grille with the two-line headlights either side, and the back is a sloping tailgate with two-line tail lights and GENESIS spelled out across it. Genesis dropped the GV70 badge for 2026, so the wordmark is all you get. It’s a luxury sedan and an SUV joined somewhere around the B-pillar, and it works.

The front lower three-quarter or the low straight-on front looks best. Mine was a metallic grey-blue on the Advanced’s 19-inch wheels, with chrome on the grille, window line, sill strip and bumper blade. At 4,715mm long, 1,910mm wide and 1,630mm tall on a 2,875mm wheelbase, it’s a size up from the small SUVs and a size under the seven-seaters.

What is the Genesis GV70 like inside?

Cream leather-appointed seats, a cream dash and doors with contrast stitching, brushed aluminium on the console and door armrests, and an oval bar of physical buttons and two knobs under the screen. The driver’s seat is 12-way power with four-way air lumbar and memory, the passenger’s is power too, and both are heated and ventilated. A dual-panel panoramic sunroof with a power shade is standard.

The 27-inch OLED is one panel doing two jobs, cluster on the right and navigation on the left, with a head-up display on the windscreen as well. Genesis quotes 980mm of front headroom and 1,048mm of legroom, and the numbers feel right from the seat.

What the Advanced doesn’t get is the Signature’s Nappa leather, suede headlining, 18-way seats with the stretching function, heated steering wheel, heated rear seats or the aroma diffuser. The headlining here is cloth. None of that stopped the cabin being the standout.

Storage

Up front there’s a covered console box with a removable tray, two cupholders, a phone slot with cooled Qi wireless charging, a lockable glovebox, a sunglasses holder, door bottle holders and map pockets, plus two USB-C ports and a 12-volt outlet. The back gets cupholders in the fold-down armrest, seatback pockets, door bottle holders and two more USB-C ports. The boot has a 12-volt outlet, a luggage net, a side storage recess with its own net and an underfloor compartment.

Rear seat and boot space

I did sit in the back, and it wasn’t claustrophobic. The seats were comfy, and the manual privacy shutter on each rear door was a nice addition. Genesis quotes 972mm of rear headroom and 945mm of legroom, with a 60:40 split, a centre armrest, rear vents through the console and floor ducts, two ISOFIX points and top tethers on all three seats. Rear passengers get vents but no temperature control of their own on this grade.

The boot is 542 litres with the seats up and 1,678 litres folded, on a flat floor behind a hands-free power tailgate you can set for height and speed. There’s a retractable blind, and under the floor a temporary alloy spare, which is rarer than it should be at this price. My freezer-gear gym bag went in with room to spare, and that bag is my yardstick.

Technology and connectivity

The driver cluster customisation and the way you use it were the good surprise. The cluster side of the 27-inch OLED switches between trip, driving-assist and turn-by-turn views, and the circle controls, the rotary dial on the console and the wheels on the steering wheel, flick between them without a touch. It was intuitive, and it did the quick tasks without fingerprints.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, satellite navigation with an augmented-reality view, DAB+, and a nine-speaker Genesis audio system are standard. The 16-speaker Bang & Olufsen is Signature-only. Fingerprint authentication starts the car and loads your profile, Digital Key 2 puts the key on your phone, and Genesis Connected Services is free for five years with an SOS button, remote climate and over-the-air updates.

Highlighted Features

• 27-inch OLED display: cluster and navigation on one panel, run from a rotary controller and thumbwheels rather than touch.
• Remote Smart Parking Assist 2: parks and unparks itself from the key fob. You stand on the footpath and supervise.
• Fingerprint start and Digital Key 2: your finger or your phone, no key required.
• Blind-Spot View Monitor: a camera feed of your blind spot in the cluster when you indicate.

Engine and drivetrain

The 2.5-litre turbocharged four makes 224kW at 5,800rpm and 422Nm from 1,650 to 4,000rpm, through an eight-speed automatic with paddles to all four wheels. Genesis claims 7.2 seconds to 100km/h on the Advanced’s 19-inch wheels, 240km/h flat out, and 10.3 litres per 100km combined on 95 RON from a 66-litre tank. The 3.5T V6 has 279kW and an electronic limited-slip differential, and claims 5.2 seconds and 11.3 litres.

The chassis is MacPherson strut and multi-link up front, five-link at the rear, on passive dampers here, with the adaptive Road Preview suspension reserved for the V6. Brakes are 360mm ventilated discs with four-piston monobloc calipers in front, and the tyres are 235/55R19 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUVs. Towing is 2,200kg braked, and the turning circle is 11.5 metres.

What’s the Genesis GV70 like to drive?

Smooth and quiet, and quite a sprightly car. That’s the drive in one line. The 2.5T has enough in it that you don’t miss the V6, and the eight-speed gets on with it in the background.

The interior gave it a calming sensation as it was driving. That sounds like an odd thing to say about a drive, but it’s the truth of the week. The cabin is quiet enough and the seats are good enough that the car settles you, and the sprightly bit is there when you ask for it.

Compared to its EV counterparts, you’d be hard pressed to tell the difference. It’s as quiet as an EV but it takes fuel, so the long trips are never a hassle. The only giveaway is that the trip ends at a servo instead of a queue.

Is the Genesis GV70 safe?

The GV70 holds a five-star ANCAP rating awarded in 2021, covering the 2.5T petrol and the Electrified but not the 3.5T V6: 89 percent for adult occupant protection, 89 percent for child occupant protection, 64 percent for vulnerable road users and 87 percent for safety assist. It was tested under the 2020 to 2022 protocol, so it isn’t directly comparable with a 2025 or 2026 result, and the rating expires in December 2027.

Eight airbags are standard, including a front-centre airbag and a driver’s knee airbag, plus an active bonnet for pedestrians. I don’t remember any real nags from the driver-assist systems over the week.

• Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist 2 with junction turning and crossing, lane-change oncoming and side detection, and evasive steering
• Highway Driving Assist 2 with navigation-based smart cruise, stop and go, lane following and lane change assist
• Blind-Spot Collision Avoidance with Blind-Spot View Monitor, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Avoidance and Safe Exit Assist
• Surround View Monitor with 3D view, Remote Smart Parking Assist 2, Parking Collision Avoidance front, side and reverse, and Driver Attention Warning with an in-cabin camera

How much does the Genesis GV70 cost?

The 2.5T Advanced is approximately $80,300 before on-road costs, which works out to roughly $86,000 drive-away depending on your state. Genesis doesn’t publish a national drive-away price. The 2.5T Signature is approximately $89,228, the Signature Sport approximately $91,228, and the 3.5T V6 grades start at approximately $99,728. Matte paint is $2,000; gloss colours are no cost.

The Advanced is the one without the Signature’s Nappa leather, Bang & Olufsen audio, 21-inch wheels, heated wheel and rear seats, and rear climate zone. What it does have is everything that made my week: the 27-inch OLED, the head-up display, the rotary controls, the panoramic roof, heated and ventilated front seats, the full driver-assist suite and the fingerprint start.

How much does the Genesis GV70 cost to run?

Genesis pays for the first five years or 75,000km of scheduled servicing, at 12-month or 15,000km intervals, and collects and returns the car from within 70km of a Genesis location while it does. The warranty is five years with no kilometre limit, roadside assistance runs five years, and Connected Services is free for five. Capped prices after year five aren’t published.

The fuel is the cost. At Genesis’s claimed 10.3 litres per 100km and about $1.80 a litre for 95 RON, that’s roughly $18.50 per 100km. The V6’s 11.3 claim adds about $1.80 to that, which is the whole of the turbo-four efficiency argument in dollars. For contrast, an electric SUV using around 17kWh per 100km costs about $5.60 per 100km at a typical 33-cent home tariff. I didn’t record a figure of my own, so the table below carries the claim only.

Final thoughts

It’s definitely for a more upmarket family, one wanting the finer things but also the practicality. That’s who it’s for, and the Advanced covers the brief without the Signature’s extra $9,000. The cabin is the standout, the controls are the best kind of old-fashioned, and the back seat and boot passed my own tests.

The people who should walk past it are anyone wanting an EV or a hybrid, because this is neither. The turbo four is more efficient than the V6 it replaces, and that’s the limit of the claim. The closest thing to it that I’ve driven is the IM6 Performance, an electric SUV at about $77,990 before on-road costs, bigger at 4,904mm and a different kind of quick. The Electrified G80 I drove earlier this year shows what Genesis itself does without a fuel tank, at almost twice the money, and the Audi Q6 e-tron is the premium electric SUV a step up, at more than $120,000. Against the X3, GLC, Q5, NX and XC60, the Genesis argues on cabin, kit and five years of free servicing.

Compared to its EV counterparts, you’d be hard pressed to tell the difference from the driver’s seat. It’s as quiet as an EV. It just takes fuel.

2026 Genesis GV70 2.5T Advanced — Frequently Asked Questions

How much fuel does the Genesis GV70 2.5T use?
Genesis claims 10.3 litres per 100km combined for the GV70 2.5T on the Australian ADR 81/02 test, split 15.1 urban and 7.5 extra-urban, on 95 RON premium unleaded. The 3.5T V6 claims 11.3. We did not record a trip-computer figure during our week, so we cannot quote a real-world number. The tank holds 66 litres.

How much does the 2026 Genesis GV70 2.5T Advanced cost in Australia?
The GV70 2.5T Advanced AWD is priced from approximately $80,300 before on-road costs, with the 2.5T Signature from approximately $89,228, the Signature Sport from approximately $91,228 and the 3.5T V6 grades from approximately $99,728. Matte paint adds $2,000. Genesis includes five years or 75,000km of complimentary scheduled servicing.

Is the Genesis GV70 2.5T Advanced safe?
Yes. The GV70 2.5T holds a 5-star ANCAP rating from 2021, with 89 percent for adult occupant protection, 89 percent for child occupant protection, 64 percent for vulnerable road users and 87 percent for safety assist. The rating expires in December 2027. Eight airbags and the full Genesis Active Safety suite are standard; the 3.5T V6 is unrated.

Does the Genesis GV70 come with free servicing?
Yes. Every new GV70 comes with five years or 75,000km of complimentary scheduled servicing at 12-month or 15,000km intervals, a five-year unlimited-kilometre warranty, five years of roadside assistance and Genesis To You, which collects and returns the car for service within 70km of a Genesis location. Capped prices beyond year five are not published.

For the latest pricing and to book a test drive, head to the official Genesis Australia site.

The post Genesis GV70 2.5T Advanced 2026 Review appeared first on Eco Car Guide.

BYD M9 Details

Set for appearance in BYD showrooms across the country during Q4 2026, the BYD M9 expands BYD’s growing local lineup with a comfortable, premium people mover with the latest technology and long-distance touring capability to meet the demands of both Australian families and fleets.

The M9 range will launch with a seven-seat Premium variant, with an eight-seat Dynamic variant to follow.  Both will be offered in front-wheel drive only.

DM-i 5.0 Super Hybrid powertrain

BYD’s latest and ultra-efficient DM-i 5.0 Super Hybrid powertrain combines a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine and electric motor to deliver a blend of performance, efficiency and long-range capability – up to 145km¹ of EV range and up to 850km¹ of combined range for the top-spec M9 Premium according to the WLTP testing procedure.

The M9 Premium makes use of a 36.60kWh BYD Blade Battery, the Dynamic with a 20.39kWh Blade Battery. Both grades support AC and DC charging, as well as Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) functionality.

Measuring 5,145mm long, 1,970mm wide and 1,805mm high, and riding on a 3,045mm wheelbase, the BYD M9 delivers generous accommodation across all three rows.

Exterior design

The BYD M9’s exterior design draws inspiration from a traditional Chinese garden, with strong horizontal and vertical lines creating a distinctive presence. A dragon-inspired front and elongated silhouette combine to deliver a design that is both elegant and understated.

Interior Comfort and space

Inside, the BYD M9 has been crafted to deliver a premium cabin experience for every occupant. Premium variants feature

• heated and ventilated front seats,
• while second-row captain’s chairs offer heating, ventilation and
• a near zero-gravity seating position.

The BYD M9 pairs generous passenger accommodation with everyday practicality. Offering 470 litres of luggage capacity with all seats in place. A 1,500kg³ braked towing capacity further enhances its versatility.

Safety

Safety was a key focus throughout the M9’s development. With 73 per cent of the vehicle structure made from high-strength steel for enhanced crash performance. It also offers

• up to nine airbags,
• a 360-degree camera system,
• five millimetre-wave radars,
• eight ultrasonic sensors and
• a comprehensive suite of advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) technologies.

BYD M9 expands Australian Model range

BYD Australia Chief Operating Officer Stephen Collins said the M9 marks an important addition to BYD’s Australian lineup.

“The BYD M9 will be well suited for Australians needing space and practicality. While also expecting efficient performance with BYD’s advanced DM Super Hybrid powertrain technology.

“The M9 offers superb EV-only driving for daily commutes and exceptional touring range for longer trips. It is perfectly suited for Australian families as well as fleets seeking low operating costs.”

Further details regarding Australian pricing and specifications will be announced closer to the BYD M9’s Australian launch in Q4 2026.

The post BYD M9 premium people mover – everything you need to know appeared first on Eco Car Guide.