Performance takes centre stage in the October 2026 issue of Wheels, headlined by a fascinating showdown between two very different interpretations of the modern performance car.

The cover story pits the electric Hyundai Ioniq 5 N against the Honda Civic Type R, asking whether a powerful battery-electric SUV can genuinely match one of the finest front-wheel-drive hot hatches. It’s a contest that goes beyond outright speed, examining whether the Ioniq’s electronic trickery can deliver the involvement and entertainment traditionally associated with the lighter, petrol-powered Honda.

Two sporty cars parked nose-to-nose on a sunny road with a clear blue sky and green hills in the background.
1

Keeping the performance theme running, Dan Prosser gets behind the wheel of the Nichols N1A (below). Created by former McLaren F1 designer Steve Nichols and inspired by the 1960s McLaren M1A Can-Am racer, the 522kW road car brings old-school proportions and philosophy to a thoroughly modern performance machine.

The Modern Classic spotlight falls on another competition-inspired hero, the Toyota Celica GT-Four, revisiting the rally-bred homologation special that helped transform perceptions of Toyota.

Blue vintage open-top sports car speeding along a winding countryside road with blurred scenery behind it.
1

At the more practical end of the spectrum, Wheels selects its Best Large SUVs for 2026, covering everything from value and hybrid or electric power to luxury, family practicality and serious off-road ability.

There’s also a celebration of the humble delivery van, looking at the best-selling workhorses that became such familiar sights on Australian roads they ultimately transcended their commercial origins.

Two-page magazine spread: left page with headline 'Toyota Celica GT-Four' and descriptive blurb, right page shows a red Toyota Celica GT-Four viewed from above in a concrete setting.
3

This month’s Wheels Interview features former Kia Australia chief and the man who pushed hard for the Tasman ute for Australia, Damien Meredith (below), who reflects on his automotive career and considers how established manufacturers can respond to a rapidly changing industry.

First Drives brings another diverse selection of new metal. The all-new Lexus ES attempts to step further out of the Toyota Camry’s shadow, while GWM bucks industry trends with its new 3.0-litre diesel engine. The Kia EV4 faces its first assessment, Honda’s petrol-only ZR-V is reconsidered in an increasingly electrified market, and the Jaecoo J8 gains seven seats and plug-in hybrid power.

Older man in a blue checkered shirt and sunglasses leaning on a gray Kia pickup truck in a driveway.
1

Rounding out the group is the updated Mercedes-AMG GLC 53, which swaps its four-cylinder engine for six-cylinder power.

Regulars include the Garage, Marketplace, Buyer’s Guide and Wayback Machine, which returns to October 1975 to revisit Datsun’s challenge to Holden.

Wheels magazine cover October 2026 showing a blue sports car and a silver car racing along a coast, with the headline 'Performance Showdown' and the subhead 'Old school petrol vs new age electric'
1

Subscribe here and gain access to 12 issues for $109 plus online access to every Wheels issue since 1953.