Chery Australia has announced the arrival of the new TIGGO 4 Hybrid, an electrified addition to its award-winning compact SUV line-up.

Scheduled to land in local showrooms from July 2025, the new hybrid model will offer Australian drivers an eco-friendly yet practical option at an accessible price point.

The Urban variant of the TIGGO 4 Hybrid will start at $29,990 driveaway, while the top-tier Ultimate model will retail for $34,990 driveaway. This move positions the hybrid SUV as one of the most competitively priced in its segment.

Under the bonnet, the TIGGO 4 Hybrid features a 1.5-litre petrol engine in a series-parallel hybrid configuration, engineered to deliver an impressive combined fuel economy of 5.4L/100km.

Designed with urban efficiency and weekend versatility in mind, the vehicle is offering the promise of smooth hybrid performance along with contemporary style and everyday functionality.

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“Adding hybrid power to our most accessible SUV is a natural next step in making advanced technology available to more Australians,” said Lucas Harris, Chief Commercial Officer at Chery Australia. “The TIGGO 4 Hybrid combines smart design, real-world efficiency and unbeatable value – all in one package.”

Full specifications for the new model are expected to be released closer to launch. In the meantime, Chery’s hybrid debut in the TIGGO 4 range signals a broader push toward electrified offerings in the Australian market.

Ferrari etched another glorious chapter into its motorsport legacy with a third consecutive overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, clinching the 2025 edition of the iconic endurance race in emphatic style.

The #83 Ferrari 499P, run by the privateer AF Corse team, took the chequered flag, marking not only the Scuderia’s 12th overall win at La Sarthe, but also the first privateer triumph since 2005.

Driven by Robert Kubica, Yifei Ye, and Phil Hanson, the #83 entry wrote itself into the record books with a trio of firsts: Kubica became the first Polish winner, Ye the first Chinese victor, and Hanson joined a select group of British drivers – only the third to win for Ferrari since its maiden victory in 1949.

The result capped a remarkable story of redemption for Kubica and Ye, who had previously suffered late-race heartbreak in 2021 due to a mechanical failure, and for Ye again in 2023, when he crashed while leading in a privateer Porsche.

The win completes Ferrari’s Hypercar-era hat-trick following factory team victories in 2023 and 2024 with the #51 and #50 cars respectively. This time, however, the AF Corse squad claimed the spoils in a race that many had expected to be far more closely contested. Despite fierce competition from Alpine, Toyota, BMW, Cadillac, and Porsche, Ferrari’s dominance was rarely in doubt, particularly after the first few hours.

Pre-race hopes for a varied battle were fueled by a Cadillac front-row lockout and strong qualifying from Porsche and BMW, while Ferrari’s best-placed car started only seventh. But suspicions of Ferrari “sandbagging” proved accurate. The red cars surged through the field, eventually leading a 1-2-3 train after five hours. However, penalties and a single safety car reshuffled the deck overnight, leaving the #83 as the lone frontrunner by dawn.

A defining moment came when Alessandro Pier Guidi spun the #51 Ferrari into the gravel, costing it the lead and elevating Ye to the front. Kubica then delivered a relentless three-and-a-half-hour closing stint –despite a failed cooling system – to keep Porsche’s Kevin Estre at bay in the charging #6 963. Though the Porsche closed the gap, Ferrari held firm, with Estre’s heroics only good enough for second. The #51 Ferrari rounded out the podium.

The victory cements Ferrari’s resurgence at the pinnacle of endurance racing and underscores its dominance in the World Endurance Championship, where it has now won every round in 2025. For rivals, the wait for Hypercar glory continues – while Ferrari basks in a three-peat that will echo through Le Mans history.

Chevrolet is poised to take a bold new step for one of its most famous models with the impending debut of the Corvette Zora, a hybrid hypercar that promises to be the most powerful and technologically advanced Corvette ever produced.

Named in honor of Zora Arkus-Duntov – the visionary engineer often referred to as the “father of the Corvette” – the Zora is set to make its official unveiling on June 17, 2025.

In an Instagram post on its official channel featuring just the date – 6.17.25 – and the Corvette flags transformed into a stylized X, a caption underneath reads: “The hype is real. A new Corvette is coming.”

Building upon the formidable foundation of the 2025 Corvette ZR1, which boasts a 5.5-litre twin-turbocharged LT7 V8 engine delivering 794 kW and 1122 Nm, the Zora integrates an electric motor on the front axle, derived from the Corvette E-Ray’s hybrid system.

The addition of the front-mounted electric motor not only amplifies power but also introduces all-wheel-drive capabilities, enhancing traction and handling. This set-up is anticipated to enable the Zora to accelerate from 0-100km/h in under 2.0 seconds, positioning it competitively against elite hypercars.

Spy shots have captured camouflaged prototypes of the Zora undergoing rigorous testing at the Nürburgring, often alongside benchmarks like the Ferrari SF90 Stradale. These images reveal distinctive features, including a unique radiator configuration to accommodate the hybrid system, aggressive aerodynamic elements, and a prominent rear spoiler.

While official pricing has yet to be announced, industry analysts estimate that the Zora will command a premium over the ZR1, potentially starting around US$204,995. This price point reflects its position as the flagship model in the Corvette line-up.

The Corvette Zora represents a significant milestone in Chevrolet’s evolution, blending traditional American muscle with modern hybrid innovation.

General Motors (GM) has taken a major step back from its once-bold pledge to sell only electric vehicles (EVs) by 2035, opting instead for a more balanced production strategy. The Detroit automaker revealed this week that it will invest $4 billion in expanding production of petrol-powered vehicles, a move industry analysts see as effectively shelving the original EV-only ambition.

Though GM continues to assert its belief in an “all-EV future,” the new investment signals a recalibration in response to changing political, economic, and consumer dynamics. “They’re not abandoning EVs, but this investment shows they no longer see 2035 as a realistic target,” said Sam Abuelsamid, an auto analyst at Detroit-based research firm Telemetry told Politico.

GM’s revised strategy reflects broader challenges in the EV sector. Since the company unveiled its goal in 2021, momentum has slowed. The initial optimism under the Biden administration, which introduced EV incentives and green infrastructure plans, has given way to a more conservative stance under President Trump. Federal support for EVs has been reduced, new tariffs have been introduced, and public enthusiasm has cooled, prompting automakers to hedge their bets.

Despite the strategic pivot, GM reported 37,000 EVs sold in Q1 2025, securing its position as the second-largest EV seller in the U.S. behind Tesla. Still, analysts suggest the 2035 pledge was more symbolic than practical. “It was always aspirational,” said independent analyst Alan Baum. “They’ve outperformed many competitors, but policy gaps and market reluctance are limiting growth.”

GM’s current restructuring includes relocating production of petrol vehicles from Mexico to U.S. plants to dodge new tariffs. The company’s Orion plant in Michigan will now handle full-size SUV and pickup production, while the Equinox will shift to Fairfax, Kansas, and the Blazer to Spring Hill, Tennessee.

Meanwhile, EV manufacturing will continue at Factory Zero in Detroit, though it is operating below capacity. That plant will produce electric Silverados, Sierras, Escalades, and the Hummer EV. The upcoming Chevrolet Bolt reboot will be built in Fairfax.

In another telling sign, GM recently cancelled plans to produce electric motors in Buffalo, New York, redirecting nearly $900 million into V-8 engine production instead. These investments suggest GM expects internal combustion engines to remain part of its lineup well beyond 2035.

“Given the current market and regulatory climate,” Abuelsamid concluded, “GM’s pivot is not surprising – it was always a long shot.”

Viva Energy has unveiled Australia’s first publicly accessible, commercial-scale renewable hydrogen refuelling station at its Geelong Energy Hub, marking a new milestone in the country’s energy transition.

The new facility is set to become the centrepiece for a fleet of hydrogen-powered, zero-emission commercial vehicles servicing the Geelong region.

With the inclusion of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) such as prime movers, buses, and rubbish trucks, the project is designed to showcase how hydrogen can play a vital role in decarbonising Australia’s heavy vehicle fleet.

A cornerstone of the initiative is the on-site 2.5-megawatt electrolyser, which produces renewable hydrogen using recycled water from Barwon Water’s Northern Water Plant. This makes the Geelong site not only a hydrogen hub but a model of circular resource use.

The station also offers fast-charging facilities for commercial electric vehicles, integrating hydrogen and battery-electric technologies at one site. Diesel refuelling remains available as part of multi-fuel offering to support a gradual transition to net-zero emissions.

Viva Energy’s approach included securing demand ahead of infrastructure development. Four major partners – Toll Group, CDC (ComfortDelGro Corporation Australia), Cleanaway, and Barwon Water –committed early to hydrogen adoption with support from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). These organisations have introduced hydrogen-powered vehicles into their operations in the Geelong region, underlining the project’s practical viability.

Chief Strategy Officer Lachlan Pfeiffer said the initiative demonstrates Viva Energy’s broader strategy to diversify its energy portfolio. “By providing hydrogen as an alternative fuel, we are aiming to reduce emissions and contribute to the development of a more sustainable heavy transport sector in Australia,” he said. Pfeiffer noted that collaboration with government, industry, and local communities was critical to the project’s success.

The launch event was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and Victorian Minister for Climate Action, Energy and Resources Lily D’Ambrosio, highlighting the project’s national significance.

FAST FACTS:

• Electrolyser capacity: 1000kg of hydrogen per day – currently the largest in Australia.
• Hydrogen dispensing: 300kg in under two hours; designed to refuel at least 10 trucks consecutively.
• Project funding: $34 million from ARENA and $1 million from the Victorian Government.
• Commercial reach: Ability to sell hydrogen to other commercial customers.

Viva Energy plans to announce additional hydrogen partners soon, broadening the hub’s impact across Australia’s clean transport landscape.

After years of absence, Peugeot’s revered GTi badge returns in electrifying fashion with the unveiling of the new E-208 GTi – the first true performance model from the brand since the Peugeot Sport Engineered era.

Known for its rich hot hatch heritage spanning four decades, Peugeot is steering clear of crossovers this time, embracing a more traditional (and enthusiast-approved) performance hatchback layout – this car is inspired by the 1984 Peugeot 205 GTi.

What sets the new GTi apart is its all-electric heart. Built on the same platform as the Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce and Abarth 600e, the E-208 GTi delivers a thoroughly modern performance punch while staying true to its roots.

It features a front-mounted electric motor producing 206 kW, propelling the car from 0-100 km/h in just 5.7 seconds, with a top speed of 180 km/h.

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The E-208 GTi retains the 54 kWh battery found in the standard E-208, offering a WLTP-rated driving range of 350 kilometres. But this is more than just a powertrain upgrade. Peugeot engineers have given the car a full performance makeover, including a limited-slip differential, sports suspension with specific hydraulic stops, and a ride height lowered by 30 mm. For improved handling, the front and rear tracks have been widened by 56mm and 27mm respectively.

Peugeot has wrapped Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres around uniquely styled 18-inch alloy wheels – a modern homage to the pepperpot wheels from the iconic 205 GTi 1.9. Not just for looks, these wheels also aid in brake cooling. Additional visual tweaks include muscular wheel arches, red accents in the grille and headlights, and a prominent rear spoiler that signals the car’s sporty intent.

Inside, the cabin features GTi-branded performance seats with retro stitching, as well as red detailing on the i-Cockpit steering wheel, maintaining a visual link to the car’s lineage while embracing a modern aesthetic.

Peugeot has yet to announce official pricing or a launch date, but the E-208 GTi is expected to hit showrooms before the end of 2025. Will electric tech give make the E-208 GTi a thrilling new chapter in the GTi story? Time will tell.

This was a scoop so fantastic that few readers believed it.

Did Holden really conjure an electric-powered supercar, a rival for the Bugatti Veyron, that also just happened to be a ute?

All true. And here’s the proof.

Until now, the Wheels, September 2016 cover story scoop, revealed by Toby Hagon after sighting a grainy image of the car on a GM Facebook page, has only been seen in digitally enhanced copies created from the video.

Now, thanks to research by the archivists within GM’s American Heritage Centre, we can confirm the existence of Holden’s outrageous skunk works Super Ute program by laying bare photographs of the models developed during the creative process. The scale models – first one-third, then Holden’s full-size clay, plus another handmade, full-size hard model built in Detroit – confirm that the project was, for a time in 2007-2008, at least semi-serious. They also verify the remarkable accuracy of Wheels’ images.

The story of the Super Ute goes back to 2006, two years before General Motors was to celebrate its centenary. GM asked each of its global brands, not least Holden, to create a show or concept car to be displayed at an international centenary event planned for Florida in 2008. Tony Stolfo, then Holden’s design boss, asked his team for ideas – wild or otherwise – for Holden’s contribution. The gates were open, and the designers took every opportunity to express their fantasies.

Ewan Kingsbury, then a young Holden designer, wondered if it was possible to combine the idea of an EV supercar that merged sleekness with a level of practicality that invoked Australia’s much-loved ute body style.

The idea wasn’t original; Kingsbury remembered Isuzu’s 1991 Como F1 concept. Styled by Simon Cox, who later designed several memorable Cadillac concept cars (Cien, Converj), the Como was powered by a new Isuzu 3.5-litre V12 (intended for Lotus’s F1 car), mounted amidships. More importantly, in Kingsbury’s mind, Como also featured an elongated and covered tray area behind the engine to essentially create a ute.

Ewan, aware that GM’s Chevrolet division was working on a revolutionary plug-in hybrid and
extended range EV vehicle, that became the Chevrolet Volt, pondered the possibility of using this powertrain for his supercar. The Volt, first shown as a concept in 2008, took three years to reach production in 2011. Kingsbury wanted to combine two Volt powertrains, with one electric motor at the front and one at the rear, in his supercar. (The Volt was briefly sold in Australia as a Holden from December 2012).

His radical supercar sketches, proudly wearing a bold Holden lion badge, attracted the attention of
Peter Hughes, his manager. Quickly, two other Holden designers – Andrew Harrison and Warrack Leach – were sketching the same theme, based around Kingsbury’s concept. The idea was sold up the design chain to Stolfo. Julian Broadbent, director of Holden’s advanced portfolio planning, became involved on the technical side. Richard Ferlazzo, Holden’s last design boss, remembers there were discussions around the powertrain. If not an EV, why not a V12? This stillborn engine layout, cultivated by Michael Simcoe, for an ultra-long wheelbase limousine Holden (or even a Cadillac) and created by the amalgamation of two Holden Alloytech V6s on a common crankshaft to create a possible 7.2-litre 12-cylinder engine, was briefly considered during the VE Commodore’s development. At Holden in the 2000s (at least until the GFC), nothing was too ambitious.

“In 2007, we were thinking about the future of Holden,” says Kingsbury, “beyond the VE, beyond a bogan burner, we wanted something with a sporting cache.”

At the time, despite losses in the years immediately preceding the Global Financial Crisis, Holden under new CEO Mark Reuss (now GM’s President), was optimistic, its design and engineering groups openly searching for new ideas, especially in exploring alternative propulsion solutions. Design, having for decades been positioned within engineering, was now included in design boss Ed Welburn’s global
organisation and he increasingly encouraged pioneer advanced design solutions. Post the GFC, Holden
design would go on to create a long list of proposals for GM’s overseas brands, including a few that were made public like the Opel Excite GT concept, and Buick Avista and Avenir show cars.

“We wanted something that was super low, a sports car, yet not just another supercar…what about a
super ute?” says Ferlazzo today. “Almost an (automotive) pun, something that was iconically Australian, yet didn’t fit our portfolio.”

Eventually, after much debate, it was decided to combine the three different designer sketches in creating the model to take to the scale model stage: Kingsbury’s cab-forward nose, Harrison’s midsection and Leach’s stretched rear end.

The result, with its tiny front and rear overhangs and radical, rear-hinged lift-up scissor doors, was pure and extreme supercar. Except that its profile proportions with its extended tail mirrored a Commodore ute. Because it was an EV, few intakes – that add enormously to drag – were required, meaning the coefficient of drag could be kept remarkably low, though as far as we can gather no wind tunnel tests were performed. On looks alone, you’d expect to see a longitudinally mid-mounted monster V12 housed in the extended rear. Instead, under the small, bath-like tray area, would be a bank of lithium-ion batteries. The idea was to have the Volt’s modest 1.4-litre four-cylinder engine behind the two-seat cabin and ahead of the batteries. Wombat would be recharged by this onboard power source, just like the Volt.

Hagon believes the decision to use the Volt generator and electrical architecture was “a tactical move to prove to Detroit that Holden could work within the carmaker’s globalisation framework”.

It was Hughes and Kingsbury who came up with the Wombat label for their Ferrari-beating concept.
“It was a joke,” says Kingsbury, “but people started to call it Wombat and that’s what it became. It wasn’t really a ute, the tray was so shallow.”

Harrison and Broadbent took over the project, though Ferlazzo says it was never an official program, and in 2007 a silver one-third scale model was built in Holden’s Port Melbourne studios before being photographed in design’s famous courtyard. When the green light was given to develop a full-size rolling clay model, Kingsbury, remembering the wild 1969 Holden Hurricane concept, decided Wombat should resurrect the Hurricane’s orange exterior colour.

Built with technical support from Ken Rutherford, a former F1 engineer (Benetton and Arrows) who now runs M-Sport Design in Melbourne, the full-size model wore 22-inch wheels wearing 365mm wide rear rubber (the fronts were smaller), was just 106cm high, over two metres wide and just under five metres in length. Engineering simulations revealed that Wombat would be capable of hitting 100km/h in just 2.3 seconds, two-tenths faster than the Bugatti Veyron, then the world’s fastest supercar, and only 0.15 behind Ferrari’s new F80. Top speed? It’s not known if GM did any simulations, but conservatively, we’d say at least 300km/h.

The orange full-size clay was trucked to Lang Lang, Holden’s proving ground, to be photographed and
reviewed by senior management on the skid pan. The decision was taken to cautiously proceed with the project. However, a seating buck was never built, so the doors were not real and could not be opened. The designers sketched interiors, but these came to nothing.

Bob Lutz, then GM’s global product boss and a firm supporter of Holden’s role as GM’s home of rear wheel drive development, saw the full-size clay in 2008. Predictably, it was Lutz who advocated for a production version that he believed could also be badged Cadillac, Opel and Chevrolet as well as, of course, Holden. Welburn also monitored development from Detroit and ensured Holden’s full-size clay was digitally scanned for any future CAD-CAM developments.

In late 2008 Lutz, seeing Wombat as an ideal hero car to sit beside the Volt in GM’s global showrooms, approved for the digital data to be transferred to Detroit to be made into a hard model. (It’s believed that Holden’s full-size clay was recycled in Australia, though it may have been one of the models lost in floods that later devastated the basement of Holden’s Technical Centre). The hardboard model was machined out of Ureol, a type of board material of polyurethane and epoxy resin, known for its use in modeling and tool making. This model, built to motor show standards, is believed to have been shown to senior GM brass at a leadership summit in 2008 or 2009. Kingsbury admits to never seeing this model. Still, respecting Holden’s Hurricane heritage, the American Wombat was also finished in gold.

Hagon quoted one Holden insider saying, “We’d sourced batteries, electric motors….all the components needed to build the vehicle. We did a lot of the architectural validation and simulation work.”

But it was not to be. After decades that saw GM’s market share inexorably decline from a peak of over 50 per cent during the 1960s to just over 20 per cent in 2008, and losses grow, GM filed for bankruptcy protection on June 12, 2009. High fixed costs and debt, combined with falling sales, forced GM to seek a government bailout. A new company was formed and brands such as Pontiac, Saab, Saturn and Hummer were abolished, while many global production programs were eliminated. Narcissistic projects like Wombat, unable to bring in serious money, were ended.

Realistically, at least in my view, the concept of a supercar truck was not just outrageous, but ridiculous. There’s a reason why Isuzu didn’t proceed with Como and it’s not just because the 477kW (640bhp at 12,500rpm) V12 was too expensive to build at a time when Japan’s economy was in free fall. Nobody, not even if it’s badged Ferrari, is going to be interested in a supercar ute. Isuzu or Holden, the idea is contradictory and just plain silly.

Yet Wombat proves, again, the enormity of what Australia lost with the end of local manufacturing and Holden’s highly productive and enormously creative local design studio and advanced engineering sector. In part, the revolutionary electric supercar, intended to showcase Holden’s design and engineering talents within GM’s world, achieved its aim but arrived just as General Motors was declared bankrupt. In such circumstances, Wombat had no chance.

Does the full-size model survive in GM’s huge heritage fleet? Christo Datini, who heads GM’s archive told me, “I checked the inventory of vehicles/properties retained then placed in Australian museums by GMA. The Wombat does not appear on it.”

What happened to the young designers responsible for Wombat? Kingsbury is now creative design manager at Toyota Australia and has worked on vehicles like the GRS Hilux, the Yaris facelift and a Toyota taxi for India; Warrack Leach moved from Holden to become a design manager at Ford Australia in 2019; while Andrew Harrison is exterior design manager at Bentley having shifted to the UK in 2013. To confirm his enthusiast credentials, Kingsbury’s daily drive is a Lexus NX, but he keeps a Series 2 Lotus Elise for track days.

This article originally appeared in the June 2025 issue of Wheels magazine. Subscribe here.

The Kia Sportage is the brand’s best-selling model both worldwide and in Australia, with almost 9000 sold locally so far this year. While that’s still less than half than that of its Toyota RAV4 arch rival, it’s still enough to place it fourth in the biggest-selling car segment in Australia.

Why the Sportage sells so well is easy to see: it’s very practical that makes it perfect for families, it’s good value for money and it provides a wide range of powerplants to suit a variety of buyers. Does the more expensive facelifted model hit the same highs?

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Price and equipment:

Like the pre-updated Sportage, the new model is available in S, SX, SX+ and GT-Line models, with pricing starting at $37,990 plus on-road costs. That’s $4995 more than before, but part of that is shelving the formerly available manual transmission – boo! – with like-for-like models climbing up to $2995 thanks to new standard equipment across the range.

We tested the top-spec GT-Line Hybrid AWD ($60,370 plus on-road costs) for this review.

2025 Kia Sportage pricing (plus on-road costs):

Sportage GT-Line Hybrid standard equipment:

• 18-inch alloy wheels with a space-saver spare wheel
• Dusk-sensing automatic LED headlights
• Rain-sensing automatic wipers
• Rear privacy glass
• Panoramic sunroof
• LED interior lighting, including 64-colour ambient mood lighting
• Keyless entry with push button start
• 12.3-inch digital driver’s display
• 12.3-inch touchscreen with Kia Connect and over-the-air updates
• Satellite navigation with live traffic
• AM/FM/DAB+ digital radio
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Wireless phone charger
• 4x USB-C ports
• Harman Kardon eight-speaker sound system
• Heated synthetic leather steering wheel
• Dial transmission selector
• Leather upholstery
• Electric front seat adjustment with heating, cooling and driver’s memory functionality
• Dual-zone automatic climate control with rear air vents
• Head-up display

Sportage GT-Line Hybrid safety features:

• 7x airbags (including a front centre unit)
• Autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian, cyclist and intersection assistance
• Lane keeping assist with lane follow assist
• Adaptive lane guidance
• Adaptive cruise control including highway driving assistant
• Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert (both with braking)
• Blind-spot monitoring camera feed
• Safe exit assist
• Low-speed rear automatic braking
• Rear occupant alert
• Traffic sign recognition
• Driver attention monitoring with lead vehicle departure alert
• 360-degree camera
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Tyre pressure monitoring
• Auto high beam

The pre-facelifted Kia Sportage was awarded a five-star ANCAP safety rating with scores of 87 per cent for adult protection, 87 per cent for child protection, 66 per cent for road user protection and 74 per cent for safety assist. The facelifted model added more safety features so would likely maintain the five-star rating against newer testing standards.

Interior comfort, practicality and bootspace

The interior of the Kia Sportage is one of the most stylish and practical in the mid-size SUV segment and the updated model is more of the same, though it feels elevated in quality and more expensive thanks to the new curved dual-12.3 inch screens. The overall quality is good, with plenty of soft touch materials and expensive-looking ambient lighting – we also like the new wood-like trim on the central console – though there are still some cheaper materials that work against the better ones. Overall, a Nissan X-Trail Ti-L e-Power feels more expensive inside.

Used in other Kia models such as the Sorento and EV5, the facelifted Sportage’s new infotainment screens with its latest ‘ccNc’ infotainment system is very easy to use, quick and well appointed with features such as wireless smartphone mirroring, digital radio, satellite navigation with live traffic, over-the-air updates and access to the Kia Connect smartphone app. We’d call it one of the best tech systems in the market thanks to ease of use and its rich feature list.

The screen is a bit dark, however, and the driver’s display isn’t configurable at all. But the Harman Kardon sound system is punchy and the wireless charger – which features an ‘island’ to accommodate for the huge cameras on modern smartphones -– is quite effective in charging.

The Sportage’s cabin is also quite practical with a large open storage section on the centre console, a big box underneath the central armrest and big door bins. Front seat comfort is excellent thanks to ample electric adjustment for the driver’s seat, though it would be nice to see the seat go lower to reduce the feeling of sitting on the seat and not in it. Rear vision could be better thanks to small windows, though the large side mirrors help, as do the blind-spot cameras.

The rear seat of the Sportage is one of the most spacious in the mid-size SUV segment, with ample room for two taller adults and the space to fit a third for quick trips as well. There are a lot of amenities on offer as well, with air vents, map pockets, bottle holders in the doors and central armrest and two USB-C ports, though no heated seats, third climate zone or window shades.

The boot of the Sportage Hybrid is one of the largest in the segment thanks to its healthy 586-litre capacity – 43 litres more than petrol models thanks to the hybrid’s space-saver spare wheel versus the petrol/diesel’s full-size unit – which opens up to a huge 1872 litres with the rear seats folded. The Sportage GT-Line Hybrid’s boot includes under-floor storage, a dual-level floor, remote releases for folding the rear seats and a quick electric tailgate.

Performance and fuel economy

While the Sportage is also available with naturally aspirated 2.0-litre and turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol and 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engines, we’re testing the turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder hybrid that’s now also available in all-wheel drive form (the pre-updated model was front-drive only). It makes a total system output of 173kW of power and 367Nm of torque, and is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

Kia claims combined fuel consumption of 5.3L/100km for the all-wheel drive hybrid (4.9L/100km for the front-drive model) and CO2 emissions of 121g/km (110g/km) – we got 6.1L/100km from the all-wheel drive model without trying. The hybrid can use 91RON regular unleaded fuel and it features a 52-litre fuel tank.

On the road

As we’ve seen with Kia products since 2008, the Sportage’s ride and handling balance is excellent thanks to its local ride and handling tuning program. On the 18-inch wheels of the GT-Line Hybrid, the Sportage’s ride is fantastic and we’d say best in class. It’s not too soft like a Geely EX5 or too firm like a Mazda CX-60, it’s perfectly taut and while you feel bumps, the car doesn’t take three or four goes to react to them.

It’s also relatively fun to drive, with quick steering and an agile chassis, despite its porky 1762kg tare weight. While a Mazda CX-5 is even more fun to drive, the Sportage is more comfortable and most people will appreciate the Sportage’s driving dynamics.

The Sportage’s hybrid drivetrain is refined, efficient and gutsy, and while the diesel offers more torque and would likely be more efficient on a highway, the hybrid is a better option for purely urban driving. Its six-speed automatic transmission is seamless, helped further by the electric motor’s torque that’s available from 0rpm. While the engine can be a bit vocal at higher revs or under full throttle, in normal driving it’s quiet and likes to switch off as much as possible to conserve fuel.

As before, Kia’s range of active safety features is generally quite well tuned and actually helps the driver, unlike some brands on the market. The lane keeping assistance is a bit too keen to correct your driving, however, and the speed warning is quite annoying – thankfully, a quick hold of the volume button mutes it, though only until the car is switched off again.

Service and warranty

The Sportage is covered by a seven-year/unlimited km warranty with a seven-year/150,000km warranty for the battery. It’s also equipped with 12 months of roadside assistance that’s extended up to eight years in total with each dealer service.

How much the Sportage costs to service depends on which drivetrain is chosen. The hybrid costs $2666 to service over five years/50,000km ($533 per service), and it must be serviced every 10,000km, which is shorter than the industry average of 15,000km.

Verdict: Should I buy a Kia Sportage GT-Line Hybrid?

If you’re after a hybrid mid-size SUV, your choices are growing by the day in this segment. Kia isn’t new to the game, though its Sportage Hybrid now offers all-wheel drive, like its main competitors. It’s also now better equipped, better looking and more tech-rich than before, and remains one of the best options in the mid-size SUV segment.

However, while the hybrid gives the best overall fuel consumption in the Sportage range without even trying, its cost versus other drivetrains is just too high. The Sportage GT-Line Hybrid AWD is over $6000 more expensive than the Sportage GT-Line 1.6-litre turbo-petrol AWD, and almost $4000 more than the also-efficient GT-Line diesel. The Kia Sportage remains one of the best mid-size SUVs available – but do your sums to make sure that the hybrid makes financial sense.

Sportage GT-Line Hybrid AWD rivals:

• Hyundai Tucson Premium Hybrid
• Toyota RAV4 Cruiser AWD
• Nissan X-Trail Ti-L e-Power

Specifications

Chery Australia has announced that it will add two new plug-in hybrid SUVs to its lineup, with both the Tiggo 7 mid-size and Tiggo 8 large seven seater gaining a new 1.5-litre turbo plug-in hybrid system with up to 95km of electric driving range. Pricing starts at $39,990 drive away for the Tiggo 7 and $45,990 drive away for the Tiggo 8.

To be offered in entry-level Urban and top-spec Ultimate models for both the Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8, the new plug-in hybrid drivetrain uses a 105kW/215Nm turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that’s combined with a 150kW/310Nm electric motor, which draws power from an 18.3kWh LFP battery for up to 93km of range (NEDC – 95km for the Tiggo 8). Both send their power to the front wheels through a single-speed transmission.

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The system can be DC fast charged at up to 40kW for a 30-80 per cent charge in as little as 20 minutes, while in hybrid mode, gives a range of more than 1200km. Above 30 per cent charge, the system can run as an EV up to 120km/h and the Tiggo 7 is rated at just 1.4L/100km for combined fuel consumption and the larger Tiggo 8 slightly less at just 1.3L/100km.

Both the Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8 introduce revised styling and naming structure with the former ‘Pro’ and ‘Pro Max’ part of their names respectively shelved, like the recently updated Tiggo 4 .

Standard equipment on the Tiggo 7 Urban hybrid ($39,990 drive away) includes 18-inch alloy wheels, LED exterior lighting, synthetic leather upholstery, dual 12.3-inch touchscreen and driver’s displays, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a six-way electric driver’s seat and safety features including eight airbags, autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assistance, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and driver attention monitoring.

The upper-spec Ultimate ($43,990 drive away) further adds a panoramic sunroof, selectable cabin ambient lighting, heated and cooled front seats, an eight-speaker Sony sound system and a 360-degree camera.

Meanwhile, the Tiggo 8 Urban hybrid ($45,990 drive away) adds larger 19-inch wheels, a larger 15.6-inch touchscreen, a 10-speaker sound system and an extra airbag to the Tiggo 7 Urban’s equipment list, and the Ultimate ($49,990 drive away) further adds headrest speakers for the driver, massaging functionality for the driver’s seat and a head-up display to the Tiggo 7 Ultimate.

Both the Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8 hybrids will be covered by Chery’s seven-year/unlimited km warranty
with seven years of capped price servicing and up to seven years of roadside assistance.

Chery Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8 plug-in hybrid pricing (drive away):

The Chery Tiggo 7 and 8 plug-in hybrids will go on sale in Australia from next month, with
deliveries due to commence then.

Don’t worry. The new Ford Ranger PHEV still does Ranger things. Proper off-roading and towing up to 3500kg? You’re sorted. Don’t sweat it. So what else does it do?

While that might appear a flippant dismissal of the technical challenges involved in engineering the new plug-in hybrid Ranger to offer a reflection of the its internal-combustion sibling’s abilities to roll it’s sleeves up, it’s a measure of the thoroughness we’ve come to expect from Ford. After all, Ranger is now the third biggest selling nameplate globally after the F Series and Transit, so it can’t really afford to go at this half-heartedly.

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All of which makes you wonder why, after fully charging its battery, the dashboard is telling me that I have an electric range of an almost laughable 36km. Or why after less than an hour’s highway driving in hybrid mode, said charge level reads zero. If I’d taken the effort to put the Ranger in my garage overnight, charge it up and that was the payback, I’m not sure I’d be particularly impressed. Especially if I was paying between $3150 and $4650 over the price of a diesel V6 alternative.

So let’s dig a little deeper. Ford has equipped the Ranger PHEV with an 11.8kWh (useable) battery to complement its 138kW/411Nm 2.3-litre Ecoboost petrol engine. Together they develop a healthy-looking system output of 207kW/697Nm. But make no mistake, that battery is tiny. It’s just over half the size of the 20kWh cell pack you’d get in a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and a long way shy of the 29.58kWh blade battery you get in a BYD Shark 6.

Some compensation comes in the range of smart control settings you get, the Ranger PHEV offering four PHEV drive modes. Auto EV takes care of when and where the battery cuts in and out. EV Now forces electric running and locks out the engine. EV Later sparks up the engine and attempts to hold battery state of charge while EV Charge uses the engine as a generator to replenish the battery. It’s easy to understand and ought to act as a simple template for all plug-in EV manufacturers.

There have been a number of detail changes to the Ranger to accommodate the plug-in hybrid tech. The motor is located between the engine and torque converter in what Ford calls its Modular Hybrid Transmission so, in effect, you retain control of the 10-speed automatic transmission regardless of power source. The leaf springs have been modified and damper rates have been tuned accordingly, with the weight distribution nudging a little more rearwards than in the V6 diesel. Some of that is due to the battery location, with less weight in the nose also playing a part. As a result, the Ranger PHEV’s steering feels a little different to other Rangers, but the trademark ride quality hasn’t been sacrificed. It helps here if you opt for all-terrain tyres. The test vehicles rode notably better on the 255/65 R18 General Grabber A/T rubber than they did on the more road-biased Continental ContiCrossContact in the same size, largely due to more give in the sidewall of the former.

There’s not a great deal of perceptible torque fill when motoring along in hybrid mode. Maybe that’s a good thing because the system output of the powertrain is certainly nothing to sniff at. Ford claims the engine can recharge the battery in about two hours, so we tested the claim. On a depleted battery, the Ranger will return around 9L/100km while highway driving and in that scenario will return 13kW per hour to the high voltage battery. In conditions where there’s more braking or heavy deceleration, the (non-adjustable) re-gen rate would be higher and may well match or beat the two-hour claim.

Being a plug-in hybrid, there’s scope for powering equipment using what Ford dubs Pro Power Onboard (PPOB). This uses the high voltage battery to power two 3.45kW power outlets in the tray, with an additional 2.3kW outlet in the cabin. It’s a boon for running fridges, lighting or air pumps when camping and can be used on remote building sites to run anything from area floodlights (an 800W draw) right up to machinery like an angle grinder (3000W).

Four variants are offered. The range opens with the fleet-targeted XLT at $71,990, but inspect the spec sheets and it’s clear things aren’t 100% lineball with the equivalent non-PHEV Ranger. Where that gets LED headlamps, the PHEV XLT gets lower specification halogen lights, which perhaps highlights some of the budget-trimming Ford has had to do to bring this product to market at this price. The end of the fringe benefits tax exemption on plug-in hybrids, which expired on March 31, 2025, has thrown the pricing of PHEVs under additional scrutiny, and in order to get bums on seats and trim its group emissions, Ford has had to take cost out of the Ranger PHEV where possible.

Above the XLT are the three consumer-focused models. They’re all mechanically identical, so you don’t miss out on crucial bits like the auto 4WD system or the locking rear differential. In ascending order, you get the Sport at $75,990, the Wildtrak at $79,990 and the flagship Stormtrak at $86,990. Leaving aside the purely cosmetic trim parts, key highlights of the Sport (over XLT) include LED lights, 18-inch alloys, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, traffic sign recognition heated front seats and leather-accented seating trim.

Go for the Wildtrak and there’s a power-operated tub roller shutter, 10-speaker B&O stereo, a 360-degree camera and the clever Pro Trailer Backup Assist. The Stormtrak is chiefly a dress-up kit for the Wildtrak, but also adds a full-sized spare, a cargo management system, and an auxiliary switch bank. In other words, you could probably mosey around the Ford options list and add many of the Stormtrak bits for far less than the $7000 model premium. The spare wheel is an odd one, Ford claiming that the tyre repair kit fitted to the XLT, Sport and Wildtrak is there to maximise payload on paper as it reduces weight.

It’s also worth noting that Frozen White is the only no-cost colour. Iconic Silver, Carbonised Grey, Lucid Red (a ringer for Ferrari Rosso Mugello), Blue Lightning, Agate Black, and Cyber Orange are all listed as ‘prestige’ finishes which carry a $700 charge.The Stormtrak’s Chill Grey paint finish is unique to that model.

Towing is rated at 3500kg, naturally, and payloads vary between 973kg for the 2527kg XLT to 808kg for the chubbier 2692kg Stormtrak. Gross Combination Mass is rated at 6580kg for those looking to tow big loads. It’s also worth noting that due to the configuration of the hybrid drive, the load box design is marginally different on the Ranger PHEV, with an undershot front wall which now allows lengths of up to 1600mm to be carried. Bonus. The battery is protected by extensive underbody armouring, and the wading depth remains at 800mm.

Would the Ford Ranger PHEV have been a better vehicle with a bigger battery? Yes. Did the entire launch event feel like an exercise in demonstrating what a BYD Shark 6 couldn’t do? Also yes. But what initially seemed like an underwhelming and underbaked product that had arrived late to the party served to endear itself with its capability the more we drove it.

Taking the Sport model as an example, you’ll pay a premium of $4650 over the equivalent V6 diesel. That buys you a vehicle that’ll go everywhere the V6 diesel will in the rough, tow the same weight but it’ll be more refined, more economical, cleaner, with more power and torque, while featuring the not inconsiderable benefit of Pro Power Onboard. Couch it in those terms and the Ranger PHEV doesn’t sound such an unreasonable ask at all. Have the discipline and facility to charge it nightly and it earns a guarded thumbs up. If that’s not you, stick with the diesels.

Specifications