The August 2026 issue of Wheels is headlined by an in-depth examination of one of Australia’s fastest-growing vehicle segments, with four Chinese plug-in hybrid SUVs – the Chery Tiggo 7, BYD Sealion 5, GMW Haval H6 and Geely Starray EM-i – subjected to a demanding 700km real-world comparison to determine whether they truly deliver on their promises of low running costs and impressive electric driving range.

The cover story puts the latest generation of plug-in hybrid SUVs (below) through a comprehensive mix of city, suburban and highway driving, measuring real-world EV range, fuel consumption and overall usability. As more Australians consider plug-in hybrids as an alternative to conventional petrol, hybrid and fully electric vehicles, the test explores which models offer the best balance of efficiency, practicality and value.

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Comparison testing continues with a showdown between two of Australia’s most popular compact hybrid SUVs (below), while engineering meets high performance in a feature exploring the Australian-developed 604kW Herrod Mustang Dark Horse.

Elsewhere, Wheels sits down with General Motors president Mark Reuss for an exclusive interview. The former Holden executive reflects on GM’s future, discusses the company’s global strategy and reveals why he considers the Pontiac Aztek one of the company’s biggest missteps.

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Guest writer Ellen Hill also offers a deeply personal perspective on going from classic analogue car to one of today’s technology-laden vehicles – with the help of her son – while this month’s Modern Classic revisits the Porsche Cayman and explains how the once-overlooked coupe became one of the finest-handling sports cars of its era.

The First Drives section delivers detailed reviews of the new Toyota RAV4 PHEV, Mazda 6e, Bovensiepen Zagato, GWM Ora 5 SUV, Hyundai Staria Lounge, BYD Atto 1 and Toyota HiLux EV.

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Regular sections include highlights from the 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed, opinion columns from Michael Stahl and Paul Gover, long-term Garage updates featuring the Honda Prelude and Chery Tiggo 9, Marketplace’s analysis of BYD’s pursuit of Toyota in the Australian sales race, the comprehensive Buyer’s Guide with pricing and reviews for more than 1900 vehicles, and the Wayback Machine, which looks back at Toyota’s little-known Camry Coupe from July 1990.

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