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SUBARU TRAILSEEKER – THE NEXT OUTBACK?

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Trailseeker is the Subaru version of the all-wheel drive Toyota bZ4X Touring (the 140mm longer version of the bZ4X). Sibling, the Solterra, is the Subaru equivalent of the standard or shorter bZ4X (this one comes in front- or all-wheel drive). In Europe and the UK, Trailseeker is badged as the E-Outback, suggesting it will eventually replace Outback as Subaru moves towards full electrification. It’s got the same look and feel as the Outback (well, maybe not feel), but for the time being at least — Subaru says the two will… Read more

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C10 STEPS UP TO CHALLENGE THE MARKET

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Leapmotor is as good as its name, launching the C10 SUV Down Under. The new Chinese brand backed by Stellantis, the parent company of Jeep, Ram and Peugeot, has introduced Australia to two variants – the Style and Design. The company is serious about taking on the market, with the pair starting at $45,888 for the Style and $49,888, the Design, boasting a range of 420 kilometres from its single lithium-ion battery charged motor. The debutants have since been joined by a range-extender vehicle (REEV) pushing out to a claimed… Read more

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MG S6 ESSENCE … AN EV THAT JUST WORKS

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  The MGS6 is the largest of the company’s EVs. It joins the smaller MGS5, MG4 and MG4 Urban, as well as the Cyberster sports car and the IM5 sedan and IM6 SUV, the latter built by MG but not badged as MGs. It’s confusing, but welcome to the new face of Australian motoring where the landscape changes from month to month. MG says the five-seat MGS6 has been created for drivers seeking an elegantly designed, comfortable and capable mid-size SUV that supports school runs, city commutes, weekend escapes and… Read more

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TWEAKS FOR EV TRENDSETTER

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Launched in 2022 and dropped in Down Under two years later the Kia EV6 set a trend as an edgy non-fossil-fuelled star. Now, after a four-year run, the Korean maker has given the model a facelift. Not a kilometre too soon, it appears, with rivals, especially from China, snapping at its heels. An enhanced vehicle inside and out, the new EV6 further advances comfort and technology, all four grades keeping in step with Kia’s other EVs for $70 of ‘loose change’. All variants debut Kia Connect and Over-The-Air updates. Across… Read more

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MG4 EV ESSENCE – A GOOD THING MADE BETTER

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Isn’t it nice when car companies actually listen to feedback and respond. Such is the case with the MG4 EV, the cute little four-door coupe that really made people sit and take notice of the Chinese car maker with the fondly remembered British name. To wit, the second generation MG4 is a much better offering than the car it replaces, as appealing as the original might have been. Launched in 2022 and updated in July last year, MG has obviously listened and made the appropriate changes, and it shows —… Read more

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MAZDA 6e E SMART MOVE A START

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There’s a touch of Jekyll & Hyde about the new Mazda 6e. On the one hand it has the looks of a fashion magazine cover model, on the other, the innovative EV has made a complete surrender to the infotainment touchscreen. I will admit I’m a fan on the first count. And I’m not alone in that, as the svelte sedan, Mazda’s first mainstream electric vehicle, attracted votes from close to t00 motoring journalists to be named 2026 World Car Design of 2026. Built by Changan Mazda in China –… Read more

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HYUNDAI INSTER IS CUTE, CUDDLY BUT PRICEY

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Inster is Hyundai’s smallest and most affordable SUV. Built on the same platform as the Picanto from Hyundai’s sister company Kia it’s marginally larger but more than double the price. Most of that price premium is because Inster is any EV on a compact SUV body whereas Picanto is a 1.2-litre petrol hatchback. Inster is effectively a fully-electric version of the petrol-powered Hyundai Casper SUV that went on sale in its home South Korean market in 2021 but never made it to Australia. Inster’s closest Kia rival is the EV3… Read more

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HONDA HYBRID LOOKS DOWN THE ROAD

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 Median strip to Monaco and much more in between, Honda has it all pretty-well covered. The powerplant specialist is a cut above with its premium mowers, and under sweeping new regulations in Formula One, has looked to the future of the automobile through extended electrification and the use of sustainable fuels. As far as cars are concerned, Honda was at the front of the grid with its Insight, in 1999, among the first to bring electric power to the production automobile. However, Insight was soon out of sight as the… Read more

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MAZDA CX-90 MOVES TO MATCH EUROPEAN ARISTOCRATS

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  Mazda has been hard at it to match the European haute couture of SUVs from the likes of BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Range Rover. Now, the Japanese automobile manufacturer has paused to take stock of its high-end ambitions. The move is intended to enhance equipment at the same time as paring prices for the Mazda CX-60, CX-70, CX-80 and CX-90 models, resulting in MY26 3.3 litre inline-six petrol and diesel variants priced the same across all grades. At more than five metres long, the wide-body CX-90 is a seven-seater in… Read more

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GWM HAVAL H6 ULTRA PHEV REVIEW

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A mid-sized SUV, the Haval H6 is the best-selling model from Great Wall Motors (now GWM) with total global sales in excess of 4 million. First sold here in September 2016 the current, second generation, version replaced it in April 2021 with a 3rd Gen due to arrive in January 2027. Originally powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, a 1.5-litre turb- petrol/electric hybrid was added in April 2022 with a new plug-inn (PHEV) hybrid variant as part of an upgrade in mid-2016. The PHEV is this week’s review. H6… Read more