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.

Close to $20,000 more than the entry car, and it is not the one that travels the furthest, because the lighter front-drive Long Range does more kilometres on a charge. So it makes most sense if you want the comfort and the all-weather security of all-wheel drive and will use what you are paying for. If outright range or the lowest price is your main goal, just know the flagship is not built to chase either.

It lands in the busiest corner of the market, the mid-size electric SUV, where buyers are spoilt for choice and value counts for a lot. At around $76,000 drive-away (about $71,770 before on-road costs, depending on your state), the GT-Line AWD sits right at the top of the family and well into the money some pricier rivals ask. I had already spent a week in the cheaper front-drive EV5, so the jump to the dual-motor flagship was the thing I most wanted to weigh up.

What does the Kia EV5 GT-Line look like?

The EV5 is all upright and boxy, and it wears it well. At 4,615mm long, 1,875mm wide and 1,715mm tall on a 2,750mm wheelbase, it has the square-shouldered “baby EV9” look that Kia’s electric SUVs have made their own, and it reads as a proper mid-size family car rather than a tall hatch.

The catch is that the GT-Line barely looks like the flagship. Park it next to a cheaper EV5 and you would struggle to tell them apart. The giveaways are small: 20-inch alloys in place of 18s or 19s, gloss-black bumpers, skid plates, roof rails and beltline, auto-flush door handles, privacy glass and LED dynamic indicators. It is tastefully done, but if you want the badge to show what you spent, this is not the car for it. The real upgrade is inside, at the steering wheel.

It looks best from the front three-quarter, where the vertical “Star Map” lighting and the clamshell bonnet give it some presence. Mine was blue, one of several in the range, and it split the room: I was not sold on it, and a colleague took one look and loved it. Which is about the most useful thing I can tell you about a paint colour.

What is the Kia EV5 GT-Line like inside?

Inside is where the GT-Line finally feels like the flagship. The cabin is open and airy, with twin 12.3-inch screens running the driver’s cluster and the central display, a separate 5-inch climate panel below, and a clean, horizontal dashboard in two-tone artificial leather with white and silver trim. It is calm and grown-up rather than flashy, and none the worse for it.

The seats are the standout. The driver’s chair gets eight-way power adjustment, proper lumbar support and a two-position memory, plus a relaxation function that reclines it and lifts your legs on powered rests, which you do not expect at this money. Both front seats heat, cool and massage, so you feel the difference on a longer drive. The materials are solid where your arms fall, and there is a heated steering wheel to finish it off.

Storage

Cabin storage is sorted. There are four cupholders, bottle holders in all four doors, a covered console, a front tray, a wireless charging pad and a 12-volt outlet, with USB-C for both rows. Under the bonnet there is a 67-litre frunk rated to 25kg, which is just the right size for the charging cables so they are not rolling around in the boot.

Rear seat and boot space

The boxy shape pays off in the back. The flat floor and long wheelbase free up genuine legroom and headroom, the rear bench reclines, and this grade adds vents on the door pillar and heated outer seats. Behind it sits 513 litres of boot, growing to 1,714 litres with the 60:40 seats folded, which is competitive for the class and easily enough for a family’s weekly load.

My week with it was mostly a solo affair, so I cannot tell you how it copes with a full load of passengers or a boot stuffed for a road trip. On the numbers, and from time spent climbing around it, the packaging is exactly what you would want from a square, purpose-built electric SUV.

Technology and connectivity

The twin 12.3-inch screens are quick and logical, and the EV5 keeps both wired and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, so you are not forced to live in Kia’s menus. A head-up display, a Harman/Kardon eight-speaker system with subwoofer, satellite navigation with ten years of map and traffic updates, over-the-air updates and fingerprint authentication are all standard on the GT-Line, and Kia Connect handles remote control and monitoring from your phone.

The best bit, though, is in the back. Under the rear of the centre console is a sliding box that heats and cools, which is to say a small fridge for the back seat. It sounds like a gimmick right up until the first warm afternoon you reach in for a cold drink, at which point it quietly becomes your favourite feature.

Highlighted Features

• Heated and cooled rear console box: a small fridge or warmer built into the rear of the centre console, exclusive to the GT-Line.
• Premium relaxation driver’s seat: reclines with powered leg rests, plus heating, ventilation and massage.
• Vehicle-to-Load (V2L): an interior power socket, with an exterior adaptor included on the GT-Line, to run appliances or tools off the car’s battery.

Engine and drivetrain

The GT-Line AWD runs a 160kW motor at the front and a 70kW motor at the rear, for a combined 230kW and 480Nm and a claimed 0 to 100km/h of around 6.3 seconds. Power comes from an 88.1kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery under the floor, a chemistry that is tough and happy being charged to 100 per cent as often as you like.

The price of the all-wheel-drive hardware and the 20-inch wheels is range. The GT-Line claims 470km on the WLTP cycle at 21.0 kWh/100km, where the lighter front-drive Long Range manages up to 555km. Charging is a strong point: the EV5’s 800V-capable architecture does a 10 to 80 per cent DC top-up in around 40 minutes on a typical 150kW public charger, or about 38 minutes on a 350kW unit, and the 11kW three-phase onboard charger fills it overnight at home. There is Vehicle-to-Load too, so the car can run appliances or tools when you are away from a socket.

What’s the Kia EV5 GT-Line like to drive?

The EV5 GT-Line’s best quality is refinement. It glides. The ride is the highlight, soaking up Australian roads with a calm, settled gait, and it holds that composure even on the 20-inch wheels, where plenty of rivals turn brittle on big rims. Over a week of mixed driving I had no complaints.

The all-wheel drive makes a real difference over the front-drive EV5. Instead of the front-driver’s sense of being pulled along, the GT-Line feels moved along, planted, with no scrabbling for grip in the wet and confident hill starts. There is a genuine lift in both grip and pace, and while 230kW will not pin you to the seat, Sport mode gives it real urgency.

One quirk is worth knowing. In Eco and Normal the car leans on the front motor to save energy, so to drive it as a consistent all-wheel drive I found myself picking Snow mode, which sends smooth, even power to all four wheels. It is a workaround rather than a fault, but it is the one thing you keep having to think about in a car that is otherwise effortless. One word for the drive? Smooth, though at its best it is closer to gliding.

Is the Kia EV5 safe?

Yes. The EV5 has a 5-star ANCAP safety rating from 2024, with strong category scores: 88 per cent for adult occupant protection, 86 per cent for child occupant protection, 74 per cent for vulnerable road user protection and 82 per cent for safety assist. As the flagship, the GT-Line piles extra assistance on top of an already comprehensive suite, and in daily driving the systems get on with their job without the constant nagging that spoils some rivals.

• Autonomous Emergency Braking with car, pedestrian, cyclist, junction and oncoming detection, plus Lane Keeping and Lane Following Assist and Highway Driving Assist 2
• Blind Spot Collision Avoidance, Rear Cross Traffic Collision Avoidance and Safe Exit Warning
• GT-Line additions: Surround View Monitor with 3D, Blind Spot View Monitor, Parking Collision Avoidance and Remote Smart Park Assist 2
• Driver Attention Warning, Intelligent Speed Limit Assist, front and rear parking sensors, and nine airbags including a front-centre airbag

How much does the Kia EV5 GT-Line cost?

The EV5 GT-Line AWD is the top of the range at roughly $71,770 before on-road costs, which works out to around $76,000 drive-away depending on your state. That is a big step up from the entry EV5 in the high $50,000s, so the GT-Line has to make its case on equipment and comfort rather than badge alone. It is worth pinning down the exact figure with Kia’s online pricing tool, as drive-away pricing moves with state charges and any current offers.

What you get for the money is a long list of standard equipment, which is the GT-Line’s strongest argument. The highlights: 20-inch alloys, a panoramic sunroof, the twin 12.3-inch displays, head-up display, Harman/Kardon audio, the heated, cooled and massaging relaxation seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, the cooled rear console box, a power tailgate, wireless charging and the full suite of driver-assist tech. Very little is left on the options list, so what you see is essentially what you get.

How much does the Kia EV5 GT-Line cost to run?

Ownership is where Kia’s coverage shines. The EV5 comes with a 7-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, a 7-year or 150,000km battery warranty (to 70 per cent capacity), and roadside assistance that starts at 12 months and renews for another year at each scheduled service, up to a maximum of eight years. Servicing falls every 12 months or 15,000km. Electric Kias sit outside the capped-price program the petrol cars get, so the EV5 uses a prepaid EV service plan instead: five services run to $2,389, or about $478 a year, which is fair for the class.

Running costs are the real win. At the claimed 21.0 kWh/100km, charging at home on a standard tariff around $0.33/kWh costs roughly $6.93 per 100km, and on a cheap overnight EV plan near $0.08/kWh that drops to about $1.68 per 100km. Lean on premium public DC charging at around $0.75/kWh and the same 100km climbs past $15, so if you can charge at home, do. I did not need to charge it during my week with it, so these figures are based on the claimed consumption rather than a figure off the trip computer.

Final thoughts

The EV5 GT-Line AWD is the EV5 at its most polished: comfortable, quiet, well equipped and genuinely pleasant to spend time in, with an all-weather composure the front-drive cars cannot match. The seats, the ride and that daft, brilliant little fridge in the back are what stuck with me.

The catch is that the flagship is not the EV5 that goes the furthest, and from the kerb it barely looks different to grades costing a good deal less. So it makes most sense for the buyer who wants the comfort, the kit and the security of all-wheel drive and will actually use them. If your priority is outright range or value, the flagship is not where the EV5 makes its strongest case, and that is worth being honest about. Buy the GT-Line for what it adds inside and underneath, not for the way it looks in the driveway.

How does the Kia EV5 GT-Line compare?

The most useful comparison here is within the EV5 family itself, because the question most buyers face is not Kia versus a rival, but which EV5 to choose. The Kia EV5 Standard Range we reviewed earlier is the value entry point; above it sits the front-drive Air Long Range, quietly the distance champion of the family at 555km; and the GT-Line AWD sits on top with the power, all-wheel drive and the luxury kit. The revealing part is the range row. The GT-Line costs close to $20,000 more than the Standard Range, yet thanks to its all-wheel-drive hardware and 20-inch wheels it covers fewer kilometres between charges than the cheaper Air Long Range. You are buying the flagship for comfort, security and equipment, not for how far it goes.

Kia EV5 GT-Line — Frequently Asked Questions

How far does the 2026 Kia EV5 GT-Line go on a charge?
The Kia EV5 GT-Line AWD has a claimed WLTP range of 470km from its 88.1kWh LFP battery. That is less than the cheaper front-drive Long Range models, which claim up to 555km, because the all-wheel-drive system and the larger 20-inch wheels use more energy.

How much does the 2026 Kia EV5 GT-Line cost in Australia?
The EV5 GT-Line AWD is priced at approximately $71,770 before on-road costs, or around $76,000 drive-away depending on your state. It sits at the top of the EV5 range.

Is the Kia EV5 GT-Line worth buying over the cheaper grades?
It depends on your priorities. The GT-Line adds all-wheel drive, a long list of luxury equipment and a more comfortable, quicker drive, but it costs more and travels fewer kilometres on a charge than the front-drive Long Range. If you want maximum range or outright value, a lower grade makes more sense.

Is the Kia EV5 safe?
Yes. The EV5 carries a 5-star ANCAP safety rating from 2024, scoring 88% for adult occupant protection and 86% for child occupant protection. The GT-Line adds a surround-view monitor, a blind-spot view monitor and remote smart park assist on top of the standard driver-assist suite.

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

Kia EV5 GT-Line — Buyers could also look at:

• Kia EV5 Standard Range
• Hyundai IONIQ 5
• Xpeng G6 Long Range

The post Kia EV5 GT-Line AWD 2026 Review appeared first on Eco Car Guide.

That is quick-car pace and genuinely frugal running in the one easygoing family SUV. It is smooth, quiet and barely on speaking terms with a petrol station, and it makes a lot of pricier cars look ordinary.

It lands in the fast-filling mid-size plug-in class, where the BYD Sealion 6 has been cleaning up, and undercuts most established petrol and hybrid family SUVs on power for the money. The Ultra AWD sits at the top of the H6 PHEV range, with the twin-motor Hi4 system, a panoramic sunroof, a 14.6-inch screen and the full kit as standard. There is one real catch, which we will get to, but on smoothness, pace and outright value the H6 makes a serious case.

What does the 2026 GWM Haval H6 PHEV look like?

The H6 wears a bolder face than the car it replaces, and it is all the better for it. Up front there is a huge “signature” gloss-black grille, layered like chain-mail, flanked by slim LED headlights and vertical daytime running lights stacked into the bumper. My test car came in grey on gloss-black 19-inch alloys, part of a blacked-out look that suits its size. Head-on, that grille fills the frame and gives the H6 real presence for a mid-size SUV.

In profile it balances SUV height with a mildly coupe-like roofline that slopes into a full-width tail light bar and GWM lettering across the tailgate. It is a clean, grown-up shape rather than a fussy one, and there is no mistaking what is underneath: the tailgate carries H6, PHEV and Hi4 badges, in case anyone wondered.

What is the 2026 GWM Haval H6 PHEV like inside?

Step inside and it punches above its badge. The dashboard is minimalist and built around a 14.6-inch central touchscreen, with a slim 10.25-inch digital cluster ahead of the driver and a head-up display on top. A panoramic sunroof stretches well past the front seats and floods the cabin with light, and the perforated two-tone Comfort-Tek seats lift the ambience a clear notch above what the price suggests. For a car at this money, it feels genuinely rich.

The kit list backs that up. The Ultra gets a nine-speaker stereo, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless charging, a heated wheel, heated and ventilated front seats, a 6-way powered driver’s seat with memory, and dual-zone climate. The one thing to know is that GWM leans hard on the screen: almost everything lives in the touchscreen, and the steering wheel uses touch-style control pads rather than proper buttons, which take a little learning.

Storage

Practical touches are dotted through the cabin. There is a wireless charging pad up front, twin USB ports front and rear, cupholders in the console, a padded armrest and deep door bins with textured trim. It is a sensibly laid-out family cabin rather than a clever one, but nothing important is missing, and there is room for the daily clutter of phones, bottles and the school run.

Rear seat and boot space

The back seat is where a family SUV earns its keep, and the H6 delivers. The 2,738mm wheelbase opens up a wide, flat-floored rear bench with proper adult legroom, rear air vents and charging outlets, and the panoramic roof makes it feel airy from the second row. The boot holds 560 litres with the seats up, expanding to 1,445 litres with the 60:40 rear seats folded, and there is a powered kick-sensing tailgate and a retractable cargo blind as standard. It is a genuinely usable, square load space that swallows a pram and the weekly shop without fuss.

Technology and connectivity

The 14.6-inch screen is the hub of the cabin, running wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, DAB radio, voice control and the settings for the hybrid system. A quick-controls page puts the E-pedal, head-up display, drive modes and EV priority mode a tap away, and the 360-degree camera pairs a reversing feed with a clear top-down view that makes tight parking painless. The nine-speaker stereo is a genuine step up on the class norm at this price.

It is a responsive, feature-rich system. The trade-off, as in most cars going this route, is that folding the climate and most functions into the screen means a few things take an extra tap or two that a physical button would not, and some of the safety chimes are eager. Neither is a dealbreaker, but both are worth a test drive before you commit.

Highlighted Features

• Hi4 twin-motor all-wheel drive: a front and rear electric motor plus the turbo-petrol engine combine for 268kW, 760Nm and genuine surefooted grip.
• Vehicle-to-Load (V2L): run 220-240V appliances straight off the battery, handy for camping, tools or a power cut.
• EV priority and single-pedal driving: hold electric-only for the commute, or drive largely on one pedal with adjustable regen around town.

Engine and drivetrain

This is the clever part. The Ultra PHEV AWD pairs a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine with two electric motors, one on each axle, fed by a 19.09kWh LFP battery through GWM’s Hi4 plug-in hybrid system. Together they make 268kW and 760Nm, which is why a two-tonne family SUV can crack 100km/h in 4.8 seconds. GWM quotes up to 100km of electric-only range on the NEDC cycle; that cycle is optimistic, so in the real world budget closer to 75 to 85km, which is still enough to cover most people’s daily driving on electricity alone.

Charging is where the H6 has an edge over some plug-in rivals: as well as home AC charging at 6.6kW (a full top-up in around three hours), it can DC fast charge, taking about 28 minutes from 30 to 80 per cent. The DC rate is capped at 34kW, so it is no road-trip rapid-charger, but the option is there. Run the battery flat and it settles into a frugal hybrid, using a claimed 5.3 litres per 100km, and it runs happily on 91 unleaded.

What’s the 2026 GWM Haval H6 PHEV like to drive?

The headline from my week with it is how smooth and quiet it is. The switch between electric and petrol is so seamless you barely notice it happen, it is hushed around town and stays settled at speed, and for the most part you drive it as a quiet electric SUV. It is tuned for calm family duty first, and it does that well.

Then there is the pace. The headline is a 4.8-second 0 to 100km/h, which the launch control will genuinely deliver, though off a normal roll it feels more relaxed than that number suggests. Either way there is real urge on tap whenever you want it, and the H6 will surprise cars that cost a lot more away from the lights. That performance is a bonus rather than the point: at nearly two tonnes this is a comfortable cruiser, not a back-road weapon, and it is happiest wafting than being hurried. But it means the H6 never feels underdone, which is not something you could always say about a family SUV at this money.

Is the 2026 GWM Haval H6 PHEV safe?

This is the one real catch, and it needs stating plainly. The plug-in hybrid H6 is currently unrated by ANCAP. The petrol and hybrid versions of the H6 hold a 5-star rating from 2022, but that rating does not automatically extend to the heavier PHEV, which has not been crash-tested. For some buyers that will not matter; for others, particularly families, it is a genuine reason to wait for a rating or to look at a 5-star rival.

What the H6 does have is a comprehensive suite of standard safety equipment, the same active systems fitted across the range:

• Autonomous Emergency Braking with pedestrian, cyclist and intersection detection
• Adaptive and intelligent cruise control with Traffic Jam Assist
• Lane Keep Assist, Lane Centring, Lane Departure Warning and Emergency Lane Keep
• Blind Spot Monitor, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert and Braking, and a 360-degree camera
• Seven airbags including a front-centre airbag, plus a driver fatigue monitor

How much does the 2026 GWM Haval H6 PHEV cost?

The range-topping Ultra PHEV AWD lands at around $50,990 drive-away. The plug-in range opens lower, at about $47,990 drive-away for the Ultra PHEV 2WD, and the wider H6 line-up starts from the mid-$30,000s for the petrol. That makes the AWD plug-in one of the cheapest ways into a genuinely quick, electric-capable family SUV, and it undercuts most established rivals on power for the money. At the time of writing GWM is also running sharp drive-away campaigns that have brought the plug-in range down to around $45,990, so it is well worth checking the current offer for your postcode before you buy.

For that price the Ultra wants for very little: the 14.6-inch screen, 10.25-inch cluster and head-up display, panoramic sunroof, nine-speaker audio, heated and ventilated front seats, a heated wheel, 360-degree camera, powered tailgate, wireless charging and the full safety suite are all standard. Just about the only cost option is premium paint, at $495. In a class where the German and Japanese names charge separately for half of this, the value is the whole point.

How much does the 2026 GWM Haval H6 PHEV cost to run?

Ownership is covered by GWM Care: a 7-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, an 8-year battery-pack warranty, 5 years of roadside assistance and 5 years of capped-price servicing, with visits due every 12 months or 15,000km. For a brand still building trust in Australia, that is a genuinely reassuring package, and among the longest warranties in the class.

Like any plug-in, what it costs to run comes down almost entirely to how you use it. Charge it overnight and keep to shorter trips and you will run on electricity for most of them, at roughly $6 per 100km on a standard home tariff around $0.33/kWh, or far less on a cheap overnight EV plan. Let the battery go flat and it reverts to a frugal hybrid at a claimed 5.3 litres per 100km, about $9 per 100km on 91 unleaded near $1.73 a litre. The worst case here is still cheaper than most petrol SUVs; the best case barely troubles a servo at all.

Final thoughts

The 2026 Haval H6 Ultra PHEV AWD is one of the most compelling value stories in the family-SUV market right now. It is quick enough to embarrass cars costing twice as much, it will run most of the week on electricity, it is loaded with kit, and it is smooth and quiet in the way that actually matters day to day. For a lot of families, that combination at around $50,990 drive-away will be very hard to ignore.

The honest reservation is the ANCAP-unrated status of this plug-in variant. If a five-star rating is non-negotiable, the BYD Sealion 6 is the obvious 5-star alternative, and you would wait to see how the H6 PHEV eventually tests. But if you can look past that, the H6 gives you more power, more equipment and more electric range for the money than almost anything else in the class. It is exactly the sort of car that is quietly changing what buyers expect for their money.

How does the 2026 GWM Haval H6 PHEV compare?

The obvious cross-shop is the BYD Sealion 6, the car that has set the pace in the mid-size plug-in class, and which holds the 5-star ANCAP rating the H6 PHEV lacks. It is worth weighing against the H6’s own Ultra Hybrid AWD too, which drops the plug and the DC charging but saves you money if you cannot charge at home. The figures below are indicative and drawn from manufacturer sources, so confirm drive-away for your postcode.

2026 GWM Haval H6 PHEV — Frequently Asked Questions

How far does the GWM Haval H6 PHEV go on electric power?
GWM quotes up to 100km of electric range on the NEDC cycle from the 19.09kWh battery. That cycle is optimistic, so budget closer to 75 to 85km in the real world. It charges on AC at 6.6kW and, unlike some plug-ins, can also DC fast charge at up to 34kW, taking about 28 minutes from 30 to 80 per cent.

How much does the GWM Haval H6 PHEV cost in Australia?
The range-topping Ultra PHEV AWD is around $50,990 drive-away. The plug-in range opens lower, at about $47,990 drive-away for the Ultra PHEV 2WD. Always confirm the drive-away figure for your postcode.

Is the GWM Haval H6 PHEV safe and ANCAP rated?
The plug-in hybrid H6 is currently unrated by ANCAP. The related petrol and hybrid H6 holds a 5-star rating from 2022, but that rating does not extend to the PHEV, which has not been tested. It does come with a comprehensive suite of standard safety equipment, including autonomous emergency braking, a 360-degree camera, blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control.

Is the GWM Haval H6 PHEV worth buying?
For the money, yes, if outright value is your priority. Around $50,990 drive-away buys a quick (0 to 100km/h in 4.8 seconds), well-equipped, all-wheel-drive family SUV that can run most of the week on electricity. The main reservation is that this variant is ANCAP-unrated, so safety-first buyers may prefer the 5-star BYD Sealion 6.

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

2026 GWM Haval H6 PHEV — Buyers could also look at:

• Kia EV5 Standard Range 2025
• Leap Motor C10 Design 2025
• Xpeng G6 Long Range 2025

The post GWM Haval H6 PHEV Ultra AWD 2026 Review appeared first on Eco Car Guide.

“This review focuses on the sole-variant GWM Haval H7 Vanta Hybrid 2026. As someone who tests everything from budget commuters to luxury off-roaders, I see a lot of cars trying to blend in. The H7, however, is trying to stand out.This mid-size SUV takes the proven hybrid running gear of the popular Haval H6 and wraps it in a much cooler, rugged package designed to steal sales from the Toyota RAV4 and Hyundai Tucson.

Physically, the H7 is a chunky, squared-off family hauler measuring just over 4.7 metres long. However, it arrives with a highly compelling proposition: a drive-away price of approximately $46,990 fully loaded. In my experience, this isn’t just a generic family crossover; it is a stylish, feature-packed alternative for buyers who want the ‘tough off-roader’ look without sacrificing hybrid efficiency or city driving comfort.

What does the GWM Haval H7 Vanta Hybrid look like?

The H7 adopts a brilliant ‘modern retro’ design language. Known in overseas markets as the “Big Dog,” it features a squared-off silhouette, tight overhangs, and prominent black wheel-arch cladding that gives it a seriously purposeful stance. At 4705mm long and 1908mm wide, it has excellent road presence without being too large to park in the city.

The highlight of the exterior is the classic round LED headlights set into a bold, matte black grille. It rides on dark 19-inch alloy wheels that complement the rugged vibe, proving you don’t need a dedicated 4×4 to look ready for the weekend.

What is the GWM Haval H7 like inside?

The interior perfectly balances the rugged exterior with modern family comfort. The dashboard features industrial-chic elements like grab handles and exposed bolt motifs, but the materials are soft to the touch. The front seats are trimmed in premium synthetic leather and, remarkably for this price, are both heated and ventilated.

The cabin feels incredibly airy and bright, largely thanks to the massive panoramic sunroof that comes as standard equipment, flooding the dark-themed interior with natural light.

Storage

Practicality is a strong suit here. The floating centre console offers a huge storage tray underneath, perfect for bags or larger items. The door bins are wide and accommodating for large water bottles.

A uniquely brilliant touch is the cup holders in the centre console. Which feature elastic strap retainers instead of flimsy plastic clips, ensuring your morning coffee is held securely no matter the cup size.

Because this is a hybrid, there is an engine under the bonnet, so you don’t get a ‘frunk’, but the cabin storage more than makes up for it.

Rear seat and boot space

Thanks to its boxy roofline and 2810mm wheelbase, the second row offers superb headroom and legroom. Three adults can sit across the back comfortably, and rear passengers get their own air vents and USB-C ports.

The boot offers a usable 483 litres of space. While it isn’t the absolute largest in the class, the space is perfectly square and highly practical. The rear seats fold flat to expand the cargo area to 1362 litres, making it incredibly easy to slide in bulky camping gear or furniture.

Technology and connectivity

Stepping inside the H7 reveals a highly digitized cabin that punches well above its price tag. Visually, the dashboard is dominated by a crisp 14.6-inch central infotainment touchscreen, paired with a 10.25-inch digital driver display. Functionally, the system is responsive and features seamless integration with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Complementing this main display is an integrated Head-Up Display (HUD) that beams your speed and navigation directly onto the windscreen. Consequently, you rarely need to look away from the road; instead, your vital driving information is always squarely in your line of sight.

Beyond the screens, the car designers packed it with creature comforts usually reserved for luxury European models. They included an 8-speaker sound system, electric memory seats, and a powered tailgate. Finally, they neatly integrated a wireless phone charging pad into the centre console, ensuring your devices are always topped up.

One-Touch Features:

• Powered Tailgate: Open and close the boot with a simple press of a button or the key fob.
• Smart Climate Control: Easily activate the heated and ventilated seats via the main touchscreen interface.
• One-Touch Sunroof: A single press retracts the massive panoramic glass roof and the electric sunblind.

Engine and drivetrain

Unlike a pure EV, the H7 Vanta is a traditional ‘self-charging’ hybrid. It pairs a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with a potent electric motor. Combined, they push out a hefty 179 kW of power and a massive 530 Nm of torque—figures that blow the equivalent RAV4 Hybrid out of the water.

All this grunt is sent through a Dedicated Hybrid Transmission to the front wheels. Because the battery charges itself via regenerative braking and the petrol engine, you never need to plug it in. The official combined fuel consumption is a very respectable 5.7 L/100km, giving you a theoretical range of nearly 1000km from its 61-litre tank.

What’s the GWM Haval H7 like to drive?

Despite its tough-guy looks, the H7 is incredibly civilized on the road. The suspension does a stellar job of soaking up terrible Australian road surfaces, making it a brilliant and comfortable daily commuter.

Because of the massive 530 Nm of torque, it feels wonderfully punchy off the line as the electric motor does the heavy lifting. The petrol engine chimes in smoothly when you need more power for highway overtaking. While the front wheels can occasionally scramble for grip if you pin the throttle from a standstill, driven normally, it is an effortless, quiet, and refined cruiser.

Safety features

The H7 is heavily equipped with modern active safety technology, though some drivers might find the warning chimes a bit over-eager. The standard suite includes:

• Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection
• Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Keep Assist
• Blind Spot Monitoring and Rear Cross Traffic Alert
• A high-resolution 360-degree camera system (excellent for tight parking)
• Driver Attention Detection and Traffic Sign Recognition

Owner benefits

GWM backs the Haval H7 with one of the best ownership packages in the business: a 7-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.

You also get 5 years of roadside assistance, provided you service the vehicle within the network. Owners need servicing every 12 months or 15,000 km (after an initial 10,000 km check). And the capped-price servicing scheme keeps running costs entirely predictable and affordable.

Final thoughts

The GWM Haval H7 Vanta Hybrid brings genuine character to a segment usually defined by boring, jellybean-shaped SUVs. It gives you the tough, adventurous styling people love, but pairs it with a highly sensible, comfortable, and efficient hybrid powertrain.

At roughly $46,990 drive-away, it undercuts its major rivals while offering significantly more standard equipment and interior luxury. If you want a family SUV that actually stands out in the school car park, the H7 is a remarkably smart buy.

The post GWM Haval H7 2026 Review appeared first on Eco Car Guide.

We’re reviewing the base model, the Nissan Ariya Engage Standard Range. It costs $55,840 plus on-road costs. This is cheaper than rivals like the Tesla Model Y. It has a smaller battery and is designed mostly for city driving.

What does the Nissan Ariya Standard Range look like?

The Ariya looks very modern and smooth. It has a sleek front with slim headlights and a shield-like grille.

It has a sporty shape with a sloping roof. The standard model comes with aero hub cap covers that look good on the car. Unlike some plain-looking electric cars, the Ariya has sharp lines that give it a strong style.

What is the Nissan Ariya Standard Range like inside?

The interior is the best part of the car. It feels fancy and open, with a suede like finish.

The dashboard is simple and clean, with a wood-look panel across the front. The buttons for the air conditioning are built into this wood panel. They are invisible when the car is off and light up when you turn it on.

The seats are designed to be very comfortable, even on long trips. The quality of materials feels expensive, even in this cheaper model.

Storage

There is good storage inside. You get a wireless phone charger and cup holders in the centre.

There is a normal glovebox and big pockets in the doors. However, there is no front boot (frunk) under the bonnet. That space is used for car parts.

Rear seat and boot space

The back seat is very spacious because the floor is flat. Three adults can sit comfortably. There is plenty of legroom. Rear passengers also get air vents and USB ports to charge their phones.

The boot has 466 litres of space. It is a useful square shape. You can move the floor panels to separate your bags or make it flat. If you fold the back seats down, the space grows to about 1350 litres.

Technology and connectivity

The dashboard has two large 12.3-inch screens. One is for the driver’s speed and instruments, and the other is for maps and music.

The system works well and includes wireless Apple CarPlay and standard Android Auto. It is easy to use. This model comes with a standard 6-speaker sound system.

Engine and drivetrain

This model has a 63 kWh battery. It has one electric motor that drives the front wheels. It produces 160 kW of power.

The official driving range is 385 km. This is enough for city driving and weekly commutes. If you want to drive long distances interstate, you might need to plan your charging stops more carefully than with the bigger battery model.

It can charge at home or use fast public chargers. A fast charger can fill the battery from 10% to 80% in about 35 minutes.

What’s the Nissan Ariya Standard Range like to drive?

The Ariya is built for comfort, not speed. It goes from 0 to 100 km/h in 8.0 seconds, which is fine for normal driving.

The ride is excellent. The suspension is smooth and soaks up bumps very well. The cabin is also very quiet, blocking out wind and road noise. It feels relaxing and easy to drive.

Safety features

The Ariya has a 5-star ANCAP safety rating. It comes with Nissan’s ProPILOT safety features, which include:

• Emergency braking (stops for cars, people, and cyclists)
• Lane keeping assist (helps you stay in your lane)
• Blind spot warning
• Rear cross-traffic alert (helps when reversing)
• Smart cruise control

Owner benefits

Nissan gives a 5-year / unlimited-kilometre warranty on the car. The battery is covered for 8 years / 160,000 km.

You need to service the car every 12 months or 20,000 km.

Final thoughts

The 2025 Nissan Ariya Engage is a great choice if you want a stylish car. Its 385km range and low towing capacity (750kg) are not the best in class.

However, if you don’t drive huge distances every day, the Ariya offers a beautiful interior and a very smooth ride. At $55,840, it feels like a luxury car for a good price.

The post Nissan Ariya 2025 Review appeared first on Eco Car Guide.

Designed according to the concept of ‘Dignified Performance’, Mazda has crafted the CX-70 with a focus on dynamic involvement and features expressive and sporting styling, abundant space and exemplary levels of in-cabin luxury to match.

This striking design extends inside the CX-70, with a two-row cabin that is brimming with Takumi craftsmanship as well as sophisticated technologies and appointments.

A load space offering up to 923 litres of seats-up capacity and a vast 2,015 litres in total when the second row is folded down enables owners to pursue their passions with no compromise.

At launch, the First-Ever, All-Hybrid Mazda CX-70 offers two compelling powertrain options. Mazda’s latest 3.3-litre turbocharged six-cylinder engines, available in either petrol or diesel, deliver assertive performance and impressive efficiency.

Mazda’s advanced e-Skyactiv G turbocharged petrol is the brand’s most powerful mass-production powerplant, delivering up to 254 kW of power and 500 Nm of torque. Alternatively, the 187 kW e-Skyactiv D turbocharged diesel unit offers up to 550 Nm of torque from as low as 1,500 RPM. Both engines are supported by Mazda’s M Hybrid Boost 48V mild hybrid technology and utilise Mazda’s eight-speed Skyactiv-Drive automatic transmission.

Rear-biased i-Activ all-wheel drive (AWD) is standard across the range, as is front double wishbone and rear multi-link suspension to ensure an engaging, entertaining drive that emphatically delivers a Jinba Ittai experience.

Mazda CX-70  Model details

The flagship two-row CX-70 SUV is offered in two generously equipped model grades: GT and Azami.

Mazda CX-70 GT

The CX-70 GT is equipped with the following features:

• 12.3-inch full colour widescreen display (Mazda Connect) and 12.3-inch TFT LCD multi-information meter display
• 21-inch Black metallic alloy wheels
• Adaptive LED Headlamps (ALH)
• Panoramic sunroof
• Personalise system (auto restoration of settings)
• Premium Bose^® amplifier with 12 speakers
• 360° view monitor
• Active driving display
• Apple CarPlay^® and Android Auto (wireless and USB)
• Hands-free remote operated power tailgate (open/close)
• Leather seats with power adjustment (driver & passenger) and position memory (driver)
• Heated seats (front and rear)
• Heated steering wheel
• Piano black side door handles (a feature unique to the CX-70)

Mazda CX-70 Azami

The range-leading CX-70 Azami adds:

• 360-degree View Monitor with See-Through View
• Ambient lighting
• Black nappa leather or optional Burgundy nappa leather seat trim with quilting (at no extra cost)
• Body-coloured wheel arches and lower cladding
• Cruising & Traffic Support (CTS)
• Frameless interior mirror
• Interior foot lamp (front and rear)
• Personalise system with Easy Entry & Driving Position Guide
• Ventilated seats (front)
• Body-colour exterior side door handles

Optional SP Package

Customers opting for the CX-70 Azami can also add the optional SP Package, which comprises:

• Tan nappa leather seat trim
• Suede finish dashboard panel
• Two-tone colour steering wheel

Safety features

The CX-70 is equipped with an array of safety technologies, including Mazda’s Lane Keep Assist System (LAS), Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) with Vehicle Exit Warning, and Smart Brake Support for when turning across traffic, for pedestrian and cycle detection, for when reversing, and for Rear Crossing.

An intelligent new Mazda feature debuting on the CX-70 is Unresponsive Driver Support as part of Cruising and Traffic Support (CTS). If the system detects closed eyes or continued distraction, it will alert the driver in stages, but if no action is taken, the vehicle is able to slow down and bring itself to a stop to prevent a serious accident.

Mazda Connected Services also integrate seamlessly with the MyMazda app across the entire CX-70 range and offer useful features such as Vehicle Status and Health, Stolen Vehicle Assistance, Remote Lock, Flash Lights functionality, Vehicle Locator services, Curfew Notification, Geofencing capability and Emergency SOS services integration.

A total of eight colours are available to specify on the CX-70; Rhodium White Metallic, Zircon Sand Metallic, Soul Red Crystal Metallic, Deep Crystal Blue Mica, Polymetal Grey, Machine Grey Metallic, Jet Black Mica and the visually arresting Melting Copper Metallic.

More details

“The First-ever, All-hybrid CX-70 is Mazda’s all-new flagship five-seat SUV, sitting at the very top end of our range,” said Vinesh Bhindi, Managing Director of Mazda Australia.

“Combining exceptional refinement and cutting-edge technology with a dynamic package that is wrapped up in athletic styling, in-cabin luxury and Takumi-level quality, the CX-70 also offers the undeniable luxury of space – ensuring customers have the freedom to do more of what they love.”

The First-Ever, All-Hybrid Mazda CX-70 is now on sale at dealerships across Australia, with first customer deliveries commencing later this month.

2024 Mazda CX-70 price list

The post Mazda CX-70 Everything you need to know appeared first on Eco Car Guide.

Kia now has four different powertrains for the Sorento, diesel, petrol, hybrid electric and plug in hybrid electric.

Now I have taken many a long trip over the years in the Kia Sorento, It’s an excellent long distance cruiser, but this was the first in a hybrid and I was curious to see how it went.

 TO LISTEN TO THE Sorento Hybrid RADIO REVIEW CLICK BELOW

This particular vehicle was a front wheel drive version and as usual for KIA they packed a heap of luxury, comfort and safety features in there. I especially appreciated the heated electric seats with additional lumbar support as the trip was cold and wet and long.

Sorento Hybrid is powered by a 1.6l petrol engine that produces 132kW and 265Nm from 1600rpm. The electric motor adds another 44kW and interestingly 264Nm from 0-1500rpm. That’s instantaneous torque.

The beauty of hybrid engines is that there is no range anxiety, they drive like a normal petrol engine but with better economy. We ran at around 7.9l/100k over the trip which was ok. However long distance trips don’t showcase the hybrids qualities best.

Priced from $66,750 the Kia Sorento HEV GT-Line is good value as a family SUV

This is a Motoring Minute

Im Rob Fraser

Some Other Sorento Articles

• 1- Kia Sorento GT Line PHEV 2022 Motoring Minute Review
• 2 – Kia Sorento Sport Plus AWD SUV 2021 Review
• 3 – Kia Sorento PHEV AWD SUV 2021 Review
• 4 – All-new Kia Sorento Plug-in Hybrid – PHEV
• 5 – Kia Sorento Plug-in Hybrid added to model range
• 6 – Kia Sorento GT Line 3.5L Petrol SUV 2021 Review
• 7 – Kia Sorento GT-Line AWD 2021 Review
• 8 – Kia Sorento GT Line 2021 Radio Review
• 9 – Kia Sorento Radio Review

Also Look At

• Hyundai Santa Fe
• Peugeot 5008 GT
• Skoda Kodiaq
• Mazda CX-8
• Haval H6 Hybrid
• Toyota Kluger Hybrid

*MLP Includes GST and LCT but excluding statutory charges, dealer costs and dealer delivery. See your dealer for RDAP. Does not include price of options. Some features mentioned in the article are options. RDAP means Recommended Drive Away Price (without options but including all other charges)

Motoring Minute is heard around Australia every day on over 50 radio channels through the Torque Radio network. 

Our Motoring Minute has an average daily audience of over 550,000 listeners and they are also syndicated through various news sites around Australia.

Additionally Motoring Minute is also broadcast as part of Overdrive Radio Program, which is broadcast through the Community Radio Network across Australia.

Kia Sorento Hybrid (HEV) Model Details

Released in April 2022, the Hybrid (HEV) GT-Line FWD and AWD has joined the Sorento range locally. This addition sees Sorento as the only vehicle available in Australia to offer naturally aspirated petrol, diesel, PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid) and HEV variants.

“Sorento already provided one of the most versatile, practical and spacious large SUVs on the market and now in an industry first, it also offers Australian buyers the most diverse powertrain lineup to choose from within a model range,” said Kia’s Chief Operating Officer, Damien Meredith.

“The addition of PHEV and HEV options to the popular Sorento range is another example of Kia’s progress in vehicle electrification. Along with the recently launched and award winning EV6, and the next-generation Niro range of electric vehicles arriving in the very near future, Kia Australia is offering a variety of choices in its contribution to a greener future.”

 Sorento Hybrid engine details

The Sorento Parallel Hybrid System is comprised of a Smartstream 1.6 litre turbo petrol engine offering optimal fuel efficiency with impressive power (132kW) and torque (265Nm). 

An electric motor producing 44kW and 264Nm of torque is mounted between the petrol engine and transmission.  This arrangement allows the full output of both the petrol engine and/or electric motor to be transferred in parallel through the transmission, with minimal energy loss.

Combined Petrol + Electric output is 169kW and 350Nm.

Combined Fuel Consumption is 5.3L/100km (FWD) and 5.8L/100km (AWD) respectively on the ADR 81/02 combined fuel cycle.Energy storage is managed by a high voltage 1kWh Lithium-Ion polymer battery located under the vehicle floor.

Mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission, the Sorento HEV FWD and AWD are available in GT-line specification only and offer a wide array of safety, comfort and convenience features, including an intelligently designed, customisable 12.3” Driver Digital Cluster providing the status of the hybrid charging system. Its high-resolution screen makes it easy to read with a wealth of information at a glance.

 Sorento Hybrid Features

Designed to improve visibility for blind spots, the Blind-spot View Monitor (BVM) uses the side cameras so that when you indicate left or right, the cluster will show the view of the road in your blind spot.

The 10.25” Audio Visual Navigation unit displays charging station locations and information.  The screen can be split in two for easy access to different apps, vehicle information and multimedia content, and allows the control of the 12-speaker BOSE^® premium surround system, which is compatible with wired Android Auto^TM and Apple CarPlay^TM.

 Kia Sorento Range Pricing

*MLP (RRP) Includes GST and LCT but excluding statutory charges, dealer costs and dealer delivery. See your dealer for RDAP. Does not include price of options. Some features mentioned in the article are options. RDAP means Recommended Drive Away Price (without options but including all other charges)

**Due to the complexity of drive away pricing which varies state by state, particularly when it comes to electric vehicles, national drive away pricing is not available on Sorento HEV and PHEV variants. A drive away price estimation, calculated by state, is available on the Kia website.

The post Kia Sorento Hybrid GT-Line FWD 2022 Review appeared first on Eco Car Guide.