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JAECOO J5 – BETTER THAN THE PRICE SUGGESTS

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If you’re in the market for a small SUV that’s not going to break the bank, the Jaecoo J5 could be the answer. But be sure to check out the competition, because parent company Chery markets what is essentially the same car under different names with different price tags, including the Chery C5 and Chery Tiggo 4. The J5 is available in petrol, hybrid and EV form, but both the hybrid and EV cost considerably more. Setting the trio apart are styling and equipment levels. STYLING The J5 is a… Read more

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PRELUDE TO A HYBRID WAY OF LIFE

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The new Prelude is something of an enigma. The Honda that rolled out all-wheel steering in the late 1980s, and a decade later, the Insight, one of the first to bring electric power to the production automobile, has just come on to the market as if standing still, for after 25 years, innovation is sparing in the MY26 generation sports coupe. The Prelude e:HEV rolls on a Civic Hybrid platform with the same 135kW powertrain and rides on a Type R-based suspension and Brembo brakes. More Civic than savage, at… Read more

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PLENTY STILL GOING ON WITH MAZDA CX-5

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  It may have been the runt of an exclusive Mazda SUV pack, but the CX-5, in its 14-plus years on the road, led a storied life. Since its inception in 2012, the mid-size has been revered around the world, recently amassing five million sales. Locally, more than 325,000 sales have made the CX-5 a household name, topping the Mazda Australia range, except for the Mazda 3, for the past seven years. The third generation beckons. Vinesh Bhindi, managing director of Mazda Australia, says the CX-5 will continue to hold… Read more

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CHERY TIGGO 9 PHEV – SUPER IN NAME ONLY ELITE

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  Let’s get something straight. Wheels magazine (is it still a magazine?) may have recognised the Chery Tiggo 9 as Australia’s best value large SUV. But they’re talking about the top of the range Ultimate model, not the entry Elite which is the one most punters will end up buying at this end of the market. And the Elite is a quite different beast, front-wheel drive, with a smaller battery, less powerful drivetrain, less electric only range and of course less equipment. But it costs less and it still seats… Read more

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AZAMI FLAGS UNIQUE MAZDA SUV COLLECTION

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For some reason Australia is the only market to get all four Mazda cathedral-like ‘Large Architecture’ SUVs – the CX-60, CX-70, CX-80 and CX-90. Indeed, Oz stands alone as the only right-hand drive market in the world to get the CX-70. The CX-70 is basically a CX-90 with two rows of seats rather than three and comes only in two trims – GT and Azami – with an optional SP Package and the G50e inline six- cylinder petrol engine. Introduced in 2024 as a sportier, two-row alternative to the CX-90,… Read more

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UTE PICKS UP WAY TO THE FUTURE

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  South Korea’s KG Mobility (KGM), formerly SsangYong, unlike rivals, has broken the mould by ignoring passenger vehicles and relying on a ute to carry forward electrification of its brand. The Musso EV is purely an electric dual-cab ute unrelated to the turbodiesel Musso and is more closely related to the car-based Actyon and Torres SUVs. It marks KGM’s first electric ute in Australia, replacing the diesel-powered Musso with a fully electric dual- cab model. Available in front-wheel and all-wheel drive variants, pricing starts around $60,000 for the Musso 2WD… Read more

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SUBARU CROSSTREK 2.0S HYBRID

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Crosstrek is the smallest model in the Subaru SUV range. Previously branded as the XV it sits below the mid-sized Forester and larger Outback. In between are the Solterra and Trailseeker, both of which are EV only, as is the sportier Uncharted hatchback. Crosstrek competes against vehicles such as MG ZS, Mitsubishi ASX, Kia Seltos and Mazda CX-30. Five Crosstrek variants are offered: 2.0L, 2.0R, 2.0S (petrol), plus Hybrid L and Hybrid S, with prices ranging from $34,990 to $45,090 plus on-road costs. Our test was in the top-spec Hybrid… Read more

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AUDI RINGS THE CHANGES WITH THE NEW FAMILY FAVOURITE

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While an ever-growing cohort of electric vehicles continues to ‘froth the coffee’ of automobile sales, there are still fossil fuelled ICE (internal combustion engine) alternatives stirring under the surface. One such stalwart of the ‘old order’ is the Audi Q3 SUV and Sportback, one of the German marque’s best-selling models worldwide and a cornerstone of Audi Down Under. The next generation has just landed with a broader model range aimed at city folk seeking a versatile premium all-rounder for everyday living. Available in SUV and Sportback styles, calling on three… Read more

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ATTO 2 EV FILLS A GAP IN THE BYD SUV RANGE

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  The spectacular growth of Chinese vehicles in the Australian market continues. So far in the first seven months of 2026 vehicles sourced from China total sales totalled 208,785 vehicles, well ahead of the 170,722 coming from Japan. Leading the way is BYD (aka Build Your Dreams) which has moved into second place behind Toyota in July 2026 YTD sales. Our review thus week is on the Atto 2, a fully-electric compact SUV. Atto 2 joins the slightly larger Atto 3 which pioneered the BYD brand back in 2022 and… Read more

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VITAL EV SWITCH FOR SUZUKI VITARA

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First introduced in the 1980s, the Suzuki Vitara helped pioneer the compact four-wheel drive and built a reputation for capability, efficiency and durability on and off road. Now, with the Japanese brand’s first fully electric SUV for Australia, the e Vitara has taken on the task of upholding the tradition. The e Vitara is offered in two variants – Motion, two-wheel drive with 344km range and Ultra, the test vehicle, featuring Suzuki’s All Grip all-wheel drive system, and 395km range. Pricing could be a problem with the e Vitara Motion… Read more