On the face of it, the Mini Cooper ought to be a prime beneficiary of the switch to electrification. Small, punchy, cheeky and ideally suited to the cut and thrust of city driving, an electric motor would certainly seem preferable to an internal combustion engine.

As we’ve seen in some electric city cars, however, the compromises that come with a necessarily modest battery can severely hobble all-round practicality. So is the new Cooper SE a case of all show and very little go? That’s what we needed to establish.

Those of you with longer memories will know that this isn’t Mini’s first stab at a hatch with a battery pack. You can be forgiven for letting any recall of the old Mini Cooper SE from 2020 slip from your temporal lobe because it was a fundamentally forgettable thing: overpriced and underwhelming would be a fair summation.

Its main problem was its tiny BMW i3-derived 33kWh battery, which while keeping weight down to just 1365kg, offered up only 230km of range. What’s more, BMW demanded $54,800 for the privilege.

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JUMP AHEAD

• How much is it and what do you get?
• How do rivals compare on value?
• What’s it like to drive?
• Interior comfort, space and storage
• How much fuel does the Mini Cooper SE use?
• How safe is the Mini Cooper SE?
• VERDICT

How much is it and what do you get?

This time round Mini offers way more for your money. The Cooper SE now sells for $58,990 but packs a far bigger battery, the 54kWh pack being fully 64 percent larger than its predecessor.

There’s also the less powerful Mini Cooper E available, a vehicle which we did not get to drive, retailing at $53,990 with a 41kWh battery pack. It seems worth the five grand outlay to get a quicker and more rangy vehicle.

It certainly seems to offer a good deal more for the money than an Abarth 500e in terms of physical size and capability. The Cooper SE is built in Mini’s Zhangjiagang plant in China and sits on a chassis that’s related to the GWM Ora 03, courtesy of a joint venture between Mini and GWM called Spotlight Automotive.

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From 2026, it’ll also be built in the UK and will therefore be able to sidestep any putative tariffs on Chinese-built vehicles. It’ll also be sold alongside ICE-engined Cooper variants, which run on a very different floorpan, so there’s something for everyone.

First impressions from walking around the new car are mixed. The way it’s packaged is excellent, with real aggression in the way the wheels are pushed to each corner with minimal overhangs. That pays dividends in terms of interior space, more on which later.

Design director Oliver Heilmer is happy to invoke the philosophies of Sir Alec Issigonis when discussing this vehicle, claiming that its pared-back exterior detailing is a tribute to the minimalist approach of the original.

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Decluttering exterior designs is something that appeals to a certain strand of designer vanity, but I’m not sure that buyers of this car ever draw particular parallels with the original Mini.

Rather they’ve come to expect a degree of design adornment with these retro-themed reissues and there are elements of the new Cooper SE that look a little plain, especially in darker colours where the shape and tension in the flanks isn’t so obvious.

Curiously, while Mini had also excised a lot of the chromework from the exterior, it had then somewhat ruined the effect by fitting some of the fussiest alloy wheels imaginable to the SE.

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The two-tone 18-inch ‘Night Flash Spoke’ wheels also look a nightmare to keep clean and there’s no other option on offer. The Union Jack rear lights carry over, although we’ve heard whispers that there’s a way of switching them out if you so desire.

Buyers can choose from five colour combinations: Nanuq White with a Jet Black roof, Midnight Black II with a body coloured-roof; Chili Red II with a glazed white roof, British Racing Green IV with the white roof and the spec that we drove, Blazing Blue with white roof.

As we were driving European-market vehicles, not all of the specs matched up exactly with the ‘Classic’ trim level we’ll see in Australia, but it was enough to get a representative feel for what’s coming in quarter three of 2024.

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How do rivals compare on value?

The Abarth 500e clearly can’t hold a candle to the Mini Cooper S’s blend of qualities.

The key rival will likely be the excellent $59K Cupra Born, which delivers more battery and therefore more range, but is correspondingly heavier and slower off the mark than the Mini. Beyond that, what else is on offer at this price point for the design-driven EV buyer? We can’t see Cooper SE prospects cross-shopping an MG4, as good as the Long Range 77 model is.

The problem with this price point is that it nudges at the event horizon of the Tesla Model 3 RWD, which has just had another haircut on its sticker price. Agreed, it’s not apples for apples, but if buyers start to become swayed by more practical factors, it’s hard to ignore the Model 3’s attractions. All Mini really needs to do, however, is get prospects to test drive the two cars and it’ll have an unanswerable case in its favour.

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What’s it like to drive?

The Mini Cooper SE is probably the most fun electric car to drive this side of a Hyundai Ioniq 5 N.

Like the all-conquering Korean, there’s a sense that its designers have thought long and hard about how to engage the EV driver in a way that many of its rivals simply haven’t. Bottom line? It’s one of those rare EVs that you’d take for a spirited zip just for the hell of it.

Drop into the cabin and the driving environment will put a smile on your face. There’s something reminiscent of a BMW i3 (albeit built down to a price) about the interior fabrics that run across the dash top.

There’s a concept car boldness to the knitted recycled polyester swatches of fabrics, the decorative watch-strap motif that you see on the dash, the steering wheel and the storage bin lids and, of course, the frisbee-sized circular centre display.

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There’s only a modest amount of rake and reach adjustment on the steering wheel, but the driver’s seat can be adjusted low at its cushion, and the low scuttle height affords decent visibility. The mirrors, both internal and external, are pretty small though.

Prod the car into life and you’ll be aware that Mini has spent a lot of time on how this car sounds. It’s equipped with seven intriguing drive modes or, in Mini-speak ‘Experiences’, that can be cycled through via a physical switch. Some examples?

Core delivers a futuristic Jetsons-style swoosh under acceleration, where Balance has a curious cicada-like chirrup as you tip into the throttle. Vivid silences the car and prioritises your choice in music, a feature that is certain to be widely copied.

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There’s a muted Green setting and an unusual Timeless setting that aims to replicate the sound of the original Mini at idle and low speeds, building to a more modern sound as you accelerate.

Then there’s Go-Kart mode which has a bassily intense top end timbre and a cute overrun burble as you throttle off in the upper registers.

The car sits on passive dampers, so there’s no adjusting the ride quality which is firmish. Mini’s test route sent us out on onyx-smooth roads, but we were able to deviate and find some scabbier and lumpier stretches of bitumen and it’s… busy.

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Not harsh, but certainly something that’d probably get your attention on a typical Aussie B-road. We’ll reserve full judgement for when we get hold of one locally.

The corollary of that is that body control is extremely good. The kerb weight of this model is just a sniff over 1600kg, so it’s no featherweight, but it controls its masses very adeptly. Mini points out that it has kept a lid on that figure, but also points out that ride comfort has been helped by the ratio of sprung mass to unsprung mass.

Click out the stability control and lift-off oversteer is easily controlled by the crisp (2.2 turns lock to lock, fixed ratio) steering. In Go+Kart mode, the ESC can be switched between a default Sports mode into a playful Sports Plus (think BMW’s M Dynamic mode) or all the way off.

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All of the basics for the forthcoming hot JCW version look extremely promising.

That car will doubtless run on a more focused tyre than the somewhat milquetoast Michelin e-Primacy 225/40 R18 rubber that the Cooper SE is supplied with. These tend to chirp with wheelspin out of tighter corners and remind you that the handling limits would doubtless be a good deal higher with more focused rubber.

I questioned Mini’s dynamics engineer Patrick Haussler on the choice of this tyre and he shrugged and said “It’s a Label A, it’s a rolling resistance tyre. It’s a must-have, we have to deal with it.” If Mini fitted a Label C (such as a Michelin Pilot Sport) or a Label D tyre, Haussler reckoned that this would knock “something like 20 to 30 kilometres” from the overall range.

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“The tyre producers have learned a lot. I remember five or six years ago when we had the first generation of Label A tyres, it was hard to find a tyre that was good for our car. This time we have had a lot of tyre testing, but in the end, I’m pretty happy about the tyres.”

Mini also worked hard at finessing the feel of the brake pedal, smoothing the handover between regen and friction braking. The Cooper SE does without re-gen paddles, and the various drive modes offer different levels of re-gen.

Users can also select different levels of recuperation or leave the car in adaptive mode, which utilises the car’s camera system to gauge the level of re-gen for any given situation. The single-piston front brakes look a bit puny but work well enough in road usage, although a spell on a race track would probably find their limits in fairly short order.

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Power is rated at 160kW, with torque at 330Nm. Mini quotes a 0-100km/h time of 6.7s, but pick-up off the line feels initially quite soft.

In the Sport drivetrain setting, it’s possible to lean against the brakes in order to build some tension in the drivetrain. The steering wheel is obnoxiously fat-rimmed but, like the rest of the cabin, does a good job of packaging some physical controls so that you’re not always diving into the touchscreen on the move.

The infotainment system contains the ubiquitous voice assistant, an interesting augmented reality element to the satellite navigation (in jaw-dropping resolution from the front camera), wireless Android and Apple integration, and myriad different skins corresponding to the different drive modes.

Refreshingly, the physical and the virtual are well integrated. You can swipe up to bring up a ‘toolbelt’ of favourite functions, or assign a favourites button on the steering wheel to do likewise. A button on the lower dash also displays the ADAS systems, so lane assist and speed limit warnings can be killed fairly painlessly.

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• What is a Powertrain or Drivetrain?
• Power vs torque
• Car suspension explained
• Automatic transmissions (‘gearboxes’) explained
• Chassis control systems explained
• Car vs Ute vs SUV: How the vehicle you buy should guide the way you drive
• What is the WLTP emissions and range test?

The cabin really is what will sell this generation Mini. Put simply, it’s a lovely place to spend time.

Even for a lanky bloke like me, there;s never a problem with headroom; amazing given that this car features a full-pane glass roof that also robs a couple of centimetres of overhead real estate. The JCW-spec vegan leather sports seats offer decent levels of support and get a heating function to complement the memory settings.

Indeed, the spec sheet shows that the wheelbase of the electric versions of the Cooper and fully 31mm longer than that of the ICE variants. You’ll feel that inside, with reasonable rear legroom for small adults and kids.

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Given that this is a three-door car (step up to the Aceman or Countryman if you want five doors), rear seat space wasn’t a key design priority. Neither was luggage space which, at 210 litres, isn’t stellar.

Flip the rear seats down and that grows to 800 litres, but there’s no electrical assistance for the tailgate. Mini’s weight-saving quest saw to that. You’ll also search in vain for a spare wheel, Mini instead providing a mobility foam kit if you catch a flat.

The detailing of the interior is worth poring over. The rose gold finish for the harman kardon speakers and the interior door pulls is a lovely bit of visual sleight of hand that distracts you from the hard plastics that surround them. The low-key integration of the air vents is also very slickly done, and there’s even a decent amount of interior stowage space.

There’s a deepish central bin, reasonable door pockets, and grippy central wireless charging pad for your phone. The centre armrest moves with the driver’s seat which may cause an interloping passenger a little angst.

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How much fuel does the Mini Cooper SE use?

Mini quotes a WLTP range figure of 403km for the Cooper SE, a hefty step up from the 305km showing of the lesser Cooper E model.

Of course, given that this was a press launch on some fairly tasty hill routes, we endeavoured to find some sort of worst case energy consumption figure and returned a 23.2kWh/100km figure, which means that even if you drive as if your trousers are on fire, you’ll still get over 200km from a charge. Drive in a more measured fashion and over 300km is easily attainable, Mini quoting a 14.7kWh/100km energy consumption figure.

Both Cooper E and SE models come equipped with DC fast charging capabilities enabling them to reach 0-80 percent charge in 28 minutes and 30 minutes, respectively. The peak DC charging rate of 95kW is so-so. When using a standard 11kW AC charger, the Cooper E achieves that same state of charge in 4.5 hours and the Cooper SE in 5 hours and 15 minutes.

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How safe is the Mini Cooper SE?

We don’t have an ANCAP rating yet for the Mini Cooper SE,but it’d be a genuine surprise if it doesn’t score a five-star rating.

It’s packed with gear to make driving that little bit safer, The Driving Assistant Plus package is fitted as standard and includes radar-based driver assistance systems such as cruise control, lane change warning with blind spot detection and rear crossing traffic warning with brake intervention. It backs this up with camera and ultrasonic assistance to enable functions like Active Cruise Control with Stop&Go functionality, Collision Prevention, Surround View and

Remote 3D View, as well as a Parking Assistant. There’s also a standard and delightfully crisp and configurable Head-Up Display.

Tyre pressure monitoring is a standard feature as are driver and passenger front and side airbags, and side airbags for rear passengers.

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VERDICT

Overall, it’s hard not to love what Mini has done with the Cooper SE. It’s a vehicle overflowing with personality, it’s fun to drive, it’s great just to sit in and there’s clearly been a great deal of measured consideration that’s gone into figuring out who will buy this car and how it’ll be used.

Spending $60K on a Mini might grate with some, but when you look at what else is offered at this price point, it’s possible to make a convincing case for the Cooper SE.

Clearly we’ll reserve full judgement until we’ve assessed its ride quality on Australian roads, but there’s a lot to like about this package. If you’re not sold on the benefits of its electric drivetrain, Mini also offers an ICE version of the Cooper S with a 150kW/300Nm two-litre turbo four that’s lineball in terms of pace.

Why not try both? That has the makings of a fascinating exercise but I’m willing to bet that the Cooper SE would make its piston-engined sibling feel a long way behind the curve.

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How are boot spaces measured?

Boot space, unfortunately, is not measured in by length and width; it’s either litres, or the cubic-foot measurement equivalent of a litre.

This does not help if you need to fit a 2.0-metre-long Ikea flatpack or a couple of chairs, and also does not take into account a narrower space, wheel arches eating into the cargo area, or how high one can stack one’s stuff.

So when car-hunting, be aware of what you will be carrying and have a tape measure handy to ensure the boot accommodates your needs.

Light SUVs

Renault Captur

536 litres

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The Captur has one of the biggest boots in its class and is able to fit up to 536 litres. This is mostly achieved by the forward-sliding rear seats that can increase load length by 110mm (at the expense of legroom). With the 60:40 split seats folded down, it can hold up to 1275 litres including objects up to 1.57m long.

Volkswagen T-Cross

455 litres

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The second row of seats in the T-Cross can slide 140mm fore and aft which can vary boot space between 385-455 litres. Folding the rear seats flat expands cargo-carrying capacity to 1281 litres. They also fold individually in a 60:40 split which adds flexibility for combining rear passengers with long loads.

Nissan Juke

422 litres

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The Juke features deep boot space that holds up to 422 litres, which is 158 litres more than the Mazda CX-3. Folding the rear seats down increases capacity to 1305 litres and if you need to carry more there is a handy 1250kg braked towing capacity.

Toyota Yaris Cross

314/390 litres

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The front-wheel-drive Yaris Cross versions come with a very handy 390-litre boot while opting for all-wheel-drive traction brings just 314 litres. The front drivers gain the extra space via a 60:40-split false floor that provides more depth. All versions feature a 40/20/40-split rear seat with each individual section able to be folded flat to increase the rear luggage space up to 1097 litres.

Hyundai Venue

355 litres

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With the second-row seats upright, the Venue’s cargo bay holds 355-litres with cover in place, which is just 6.0-litres less than its bigger Kona sibling. Boot capacity is helped by the two-stage floor that can be lowered. The parcel shelf can be tucked away neatly behind the rear seats with ease to accommodate taller items. With the rear seats down it can carry up 903 litres of stuff.

Kia Stonic

332/352 litres

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The Stonic’s cargo area is 28 litres bigger than the Rio hatchback on which it’s based. Putting both 60:40 split/fold seats expands capacity to 1155 litres. The boot space itself has a deep floor due to only having to fit a space-saver spare wheel underneath.

Mazda CX-3

264 litres

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The CX-3 certainly lives up to its compact SUV tag when it comes to storage space. An excellent car with a dynamic drivetrain, its boot space has come off -best to the second row of seats. It may be roomy for the human occupants, but its cargo volume is just 264 litres (231 for the G20 Akari). The seats do split-fold to open the area up to 1174 litres, but if you need to carry two kids or a dog with a worth of weekend’s luggage, you may need to invest in roof racks.

Other light SUVs

• Ford Puma – 410L litres
• Citroen C3 Aircross – 410L
• Suzuki Ignis – 271L
• Suzuki Jimny – 85L

See all boot images in the gallery

Small SUVs

Haval Jolion

430 litres

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The Jolion is significantly larger than the H2 it replaces, starting from the boot, which offers an impressive 430 litres of capacity on petrol models with the seats in place and 1133 litres with the rear seats folded.

Nissan Qashqai

429 litres

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The recently refreshed Qashqai features a storage compartment under the boot floor for bits and bobs to bring cargo storage to near class-leading size. The tailgate opens quite high too, making it even easier to use. Fold the rear seats down brings up to 1524 litres.

Toyota Corolla Cross

425 litres

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Measuring 4460mm in length and 1825mm in width, the Corolla Cross is one of the larger small SUVs available. The Corolla Cross starts with a cargo capacity of 425 litres, but this is reduced when all-wheel drive (AWD) and amenities like additional speakers are added.

If you’re considering other hybrid options, boot space is lower ranging between 380 litres and 425 litres depending on the grade.

Hyundai Kona

407 litres

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Its Kona’s boot space is just 12 litres shy of the i30 hatchback’s volume, which doesn’t sound bad on paper yet the shallowness and shortness of the crossover’s boot make it trickier to fit a pram or suitcases compared with the i30.

With the rear seatbacks down the cargo-carrying capacity extends to 1241 litres. The Kona Electric has an additional 27L cargo area in the front as well for a total cargo area of 434L.

Mitsubishi ASX

393 litres

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The ASX’s exterior shape hides a big, boxy boot with a large opening for access. The boot does have some awkward bulges near the wheel arches that eat into the physical boot space ever so slightly; if you need a certain width in the cargo area, take a tape measure to the showroom. With the second-row seats down the capacity varies between the manual and automatic versions at 1193 and 1143 litres respectively, but each will accommodate an object up to 1.47m long.

MG ZS

359 litres

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The MG ZS’s boot space is shallow and narrow but manages to hold a handy 359 litres, which expands up to 1166 litres with the rear seats folded down. The ZS EV has the same sized boot as the petrol versions as does the more powerful ZST.

Mazda CX-30

317 litres

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Opening the CX-30’s tailgate reveals a 317-litre boot space that’s a little tight for a small SUV, however extra storage under the boot floor extends capacity to 430 litres. The rear seats can split 60:40 to help you carry up to 1406 litres.

Honda HR-V

304 litres

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The new HR-V offers 304 litres with the rear seats in place, 956 liters with the rear seats folded and luggage loaded to the window line, and a total of 1274 litres when loading to the roofline with the rear seats stowed.

Other small SUVs

• Jeep Compass – 438L
• Kia Seltos – 433L
• Mercedes-Benz GLA – 421L
• Lexus UX – 419L (UX300e 413L)
• Volkswagen T-Roc – 445L (R-Line 392L)
• Toyota C-HR – 388L
• Suzuki Vitara – 375L
• Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross – 405L (Eclipse Cross PHEV 359L)
• Subaru Crosstrek – 291L

See all boot images in the gallery

Medium SUVs

Volkswagen Tiguan

615 litres

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With the seats up in the standard position, the Tiguan’s boot space is a cavernous 615 litres. This translates to 850mm between the seatback and boot lip, 1000mm between the wheel arches and 460mm between the boot floor and parcel blind. Folding the second down brings up to 1655 litres.

Nissan X-Trail

585 litres

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The X-Trail always has been popular for its pure practicality, and the back end does not disappoint. There is capacious and stackable storage at 585 litres with just the five seats, while seven-seaters get a 465-litre boot. Fold all flat, and the space is close to 2000 litres. Storage drawers under the floor are handy for messy or fiddly gear, and a sweet ‘Divide ’n’ Hide’ stackable storage system for the five-seaters lets you partition the boot for multiple items.

Toyota RAV4

580 litres

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Toyota has always been big on the storage solutions, and the big-selling RAV4 is no exception with the cargo area up by 33 litres from the previous model to 580 litres or 542 litres with the optional full-sized spare tyre in the entry-level GX version. Folding the rear seats will let you haul up to 1690 litres of cargo.

Ford Escape

556 litres

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The Escape has a big 556-litre boot and you can carry up 1478 litres with the 60:40 split rear seatbacks lowered using quick-release levers. There’s a 12-volt socket in the boot to run a car fridge or other appliances and you’ll find a space-saver spare wheel under the floor.

Kia Sportage

543 litres

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The new-generation Sportage is bigger than the previous model, which is reflected in its boot space that’s up almost 100 litres from 446 to 543. Folding the rear seats down brings up to 1829 litres of space.

Hyundai Tucson

539 litres

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The Tucson’s boot holds 539 litres with a full-sized spare wheel under the boot floor, so it compares well with the Toyota RAV4, which holds 542 litres with the optional full-sized spare. Folding the Tucson’s rear 60:40-split seatbacks down brings up to 1860 litres.

Subaru Forester

498 litres

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With the rear seats in place, the Forester’s boot accommodates 498 litres of stuff and expands to 1768 litres with the 40:60-split seats folded. The load opening measures 1258mm wide between the tail-lights and the widest point of the luggage area is up to 1300mm – enough to fit a golf bag sideways.

Mitsubishi Outlander

478 litres

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The Mitsubishi Outlander is another medium SUV that manages to fit seven seats in the back of some variants, though, unlike the X-Trail, it has a pretty tight 478-litre boot to begin with, which means there are just 163 litres to play with all three rows in use. With the second-row seats folded capacity increases up to 1461 litres. The entry-level ES with five seats has a 485-litre boot.

Mazda CX-5

438 litres

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Like most Mazdas, the CX-5 is below par compared to its main rivals when it comes to boot space. With the seats up, the boot is narrow but it does have a trifold second row, so families with two car seats can still stow all the skis. With no one in the second row, you can carry up to 1340 litres.

Other medium SUVs

• Haval H6 – 600L
• Mercedes-Benz GLC – 620L
• Honda CR-V – 589L
• Mercedes-Benz GLB – 565L
• BMW X3 – 550L
• Genesis GV70 – 542L
• Audi Q5 – 520L
• Lexus NX – 520L
• Renault Koleos – 493L
• MG HS – 463L

See all boot images in the gallery

Large SUVs

Isuzu MU-X

1119 litres

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The seven-seat MU-X has a handy 311 litres of boot space behind the third row that expands to a whopping 1119 litres as a five-seater, with a nice flat load space and under-floor storage. Folding down the middle row brings a van-like 2138 litres.

Ford Everest

898 litres

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Folding down the Everest’s third-row seats allows you to store 898 litres and up to 1823 litres in van mode.

Mazda CX-9

810 litres

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The luggage space behind the CX-9’s third row is 230 litres, which is slightly less than you get in a Mazda2 hatchback. In five-seater mode, however, with the 50:50 third-row backrests folded flat, there’s a substantial 810 litres, which really is a family-sized cargo hold. And in van mode, with both the third and (60:40) second rows folded away, you get a decent 1641 litres of space.

Hyundai Palisade

704 litres

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Like the Isuzu MU-X, the Hyundai Palisade has a decent 311 litres of space behind the third row seats. With five seats in play, it holds 704 litres with a full-sized spare wheel under the floor, which extends to 1297 litres with the second row down.

Toyota LandCruiser Prado

620 litres

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The Prado has all the hallmark advantages of a Toyota 4×4 – ability, reliability, affordable running costs, storage absolutely everywhere – without the enormous exterior dimensions (or price tag) of the full-blown Landcruiser 200 Series. However, its boot size, while substantial, is considerably less than the Mazda CX-9, which would surprise some. With three rows up there is just 120-litres of space, and with the third and second rows down it will carry up to 1833 litres.

Kia Sorento

608 litres

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The Sorento holds 608 litres with the third row of seats folded down. With the third row in use, available cargo space is just 179 litres. .

Folding the second-row seats extends carrying capacity to a capacious 1996 litres.

Hyundai Santa Fe

571 litres

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The minimum cargo space in the outoing Santa Fe with all three rows up is 130 litres. That expands to 571 litres when the third row is folded flat. Fold the second row down and Hyundai says it will hold 1649 litres worth of cargo.

Subaru Outback

522 litres

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One of the few five-seat large SUVS, the Outback’s 60:40 split seats fold down to increase boot space from 522 litres to up to 1267 litres – this can be done easily when standing at the tailgate using quick-release latches. The boot is deep and wide but a little shallow if using the pull-out cover. There are pop-out hooks to secure your load, a 12-volt socket to plug in a car fridge or other appliances and a bright LED light.

Other large SUVs (5-seat configuration)

• Nissan Patrol – 1413L
• Toyota LandCruiser 300 – 1131L (5 seater)/1004L (7 seater)
• Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace – 760L
• Mazda CX-8 – 742L
• SsangYong Rexton – 641L
• Mitsubishi Pajero Sport – 502L
• Toyota Kluger – 552L

See all boot images in the gallery

The updated Volkswagen Touareg large SUV has arrived with a revamped range – headlined by both a plug-in hybrid R and sharpened value for diesel variants.

VW Australia’s first ever plug-in hybrid (PHEV) costs $129,900 before on-road costs and arrives as the German brand’s most powerful production vehicle yet.

The Volkswagen Touareg R features a 3.0-litre turbo petrol V6 plug-in hybrid powertrain with 340kW and 700Nm. That’s enough to rocket the big SUV 0-100km/h in a claimed 5.1 seconds yet still achieve 3.1L/100km in the ADR combined efficiency cycle.

At the other end of proceedings, the German brand has focused on adding value to the entry-level 170TDI with clever new headlights that feature 19,200 LEDs, a 15-inch ‘Innovision’ touchscreen as standard, and more. VW says the additions are worth $10,000 while the base Touareg’s RRP drops from $89,240 to $86,790.

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Two mid-range 210TDI variants, featuring an uprated turbo diesel, also bring improved value. The Elegance is pared from $108,240 to sit a fraction under $100K while the higher-specced R-Line falls by a similar amount to $109,990.

Volkswagen’s largest SUV remains a five-seater only, leaving seven-seater duties to the Tiguan Allspace – which in 2025 will be replaced by the Tayron.

Touareg’s rivals include the Mazda CX-90, Jeep Grand Cherokee, and the Volvo XC90, though the current-generation model has proved worthy of comparison with luxury-brand large SUVs such as the Audi Q7, BMW X5 and Lexus RX.

The VW is well set up for recreational use, with all powertrains bestowing the SUV with a 3500kg braked towing capacity. The max towball download varies between models. The 170TDI has the highest at 280kg, followed by the R (220kg) and then 210TDI (215kg).

2025 Volkswagen Touareg Pricing

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2025 Volkswagen Touareg: Model by model features guide

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Beyond the 170TDI, the 210TDI is also available packaging 40 more kilowatts from the same basic 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 and air suspension as standard.

The 210TDI will be offered in luxo Elegance and sporty R-Line trim, with spec differences outlined below.

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As for the flagship Touareg R, it’s the brand’s most powerful production vehicle ever, producing 9kW more than the Phaeton W12 (2004–2011) despite half the cylinder count.

It also boasts 51km of electric-only driving range and ships with both mode 2 (home) and mode 3 (public/wallbox) charging cables. And again, it’s more affordable than the old V8 R-Line it effectively replaces.

Inside, there’s blue contrast stitching on the Puglia leather upholstery and the same screen set-up as the rest of the Touareg range including the fresh digital driver’s display.

Options

A panoramic roof costs $3300 extra for diesel models while standard on the R. Same applies to a Sound & Comfort Package ($8000 R-Line, $8500 170TDI and 210TDI Elegance), which adds several goodies including Dynaudio 730-watt audio, electrically adjustable steering wheel, 18-way electric front seats with heating, heated outer rear seats, tyre pressure monitoring, and a head-up display.

VW also charges $2200 for metallic paint, or $2700 for premium metallic paint.

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The 2024 Tesla Model 3 sedan has become one of Australia’s best-selling cars, displacing the Toyota Camry for ultimate four-door honours and taking second place in the EV sales race.

Yet with such regular pricing changes, it’s tricky to keep track of how much the Model 3 costs. This is no longer unique to Tesla, with other marques (including BYD, MG and GWM) all engaging in EV price battles.

Current Tesla Model 3 pricing

At May 21, 2024

It seems like the ‘ink’ has barely dried on our price update last month as Tesla has again lowered the cost of entry to its popular EVs.

This time the Model 3 sedan (as well as the related Model Y SUV) has dropped to its most affordable price yet – from just $54,900.

You can find more details for the full Model 3 price range (and Model Y) in the article below.

April 23, 2024

Prices for the 2024 Tesla Model 3 electric sedan have fallen – again.

Tesla Australia has slashed $3000 from the Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive and Long Range AWD variants ahead of the imminent launch of the updated Performance AWD flagship.

It follows a $1000 price cut applied to the Long Range AWD earlier this month, announced at the same time as reductions of up to $8500 for the related Model Y midsize SUV.

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The Model 3 now starts from $58,900 before on-road costs, which is $1500 more than its lowest-ever price of $57,400 in pre-facelift form in July 2023.

It has been a chaotic month for the American electric vehicle brand, which has cut prices globally – including in Europe and China – as it faces increased competition and less demand than usual.

Last week, Tesla cut 10 per cent of its global workforce and announced a safety recall for the Cybertruck after owners reported a loose accelerator pedal cover could cause their vehicle to drive at full speed.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk also denied reports that it had cancelled its US$25,000 (AU$40,000) ‘Model 2’ project.

Jordan Hickey

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April 4, 2024

The Tesla Model 3 Long Range variant has been given a $1000 price cut, just five months after the local launch of the facelifted line-up.

It’s not likely to be a dealmaking change for most buyers, and realistically it’s more of a realignment with earlier pricing – in January, the Model 3 Long Range variant’s price increased by $1500 when compared to its July 2023 sticker.

The Long Range is now priced from $70,900 before on-road costs. That’s $76,592 drive-away in NSW and $76,799 drive-away in Victoria – or as Tesla quotes on its own website, by its own calculations, $72,299 after you factor in five years of fuel savings.

If the price change results in a boost for Tesla, it’ll likely be a welcome one. In the first quarter of 2024, Tesla posted its biggest drop in quarterly deliveries.

Mike Stevens

January 2024

From a high watermark in April 2020 (when the Model 3 Performance cost over $100K), Tesla prices have been fluctuating in a downward trend.

With the latest update bringing enhancements to ride, handling, and interior equipment (including standard seat ventilation and rear-seat infotainment, but ditching indicator stalks) it’s little wonder prices have lifted.

However, compared to January 2023, both variants currently on sale are more affordable demonstrating how Tesla has managed to streamline production and delivery processes.

Tesla Model 3 pricing charted

For the visual learners, here’s an illustration of how Model 3 pricing has fluctuated since its September 2019 launch.

2023 Tesla Model 3 features

The successor to the Lamborghini Huracan will be powered by a clean-sheet V8 twin-turbo petrol engine revving to 10,000rpm alongside three electric motors.

Lamborghini announced the all-new engine will be fitted to the replacement for the 5.2-litre V10-powered Huracan – codenamed ‘634’ – and due for a late 2024 launch.

The new 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 will produce a peak power output of 588kW between a shrieking 9000 and 9750rpm – a significant jump over the outgoing Huracan Evo’s 449kW – and revs to 10,000rpm.

There’s also a massive gain in torque, with 730Nm between 4000 and 7000rpm compared with the naturally aspirated V10’s 560Nm in the Huracan.

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The electric components are position between the V8 and the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission – introduced on the all-wheel-drive Lamborghini Revuelto, the successor to the V12 Aventador – delivering 110kW and 300Nm on its own to ensure standing-start capability.

Lamborghini says it has worked hard on ensuring the powertrain delivers a salivating engine note, with the engine running a flat-plane crankshaft.

“The characteristics of the new V8 intensify in a crescendo that at high revs reaches its peak in terms of volume and frequency content and this, in harmony with the vibrations transmitted to the chassis by the flat-plane crankshaft, creates an all-encompassing sensory experience,” said Lamborghini.

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The yet-to-be named 634 is part of the Italian car maker’s High Performance Electrified Vehicle (HPEV) line-up kicked off by the hybrid Revuelto.

It’s due in Australian showrooms in 2024 with the Urus SE plug-in hybrid SUV due in 2025.

Lamborghini announced its ‘Direzione Cor Tauri’ road map to electrification in 2021, targeting an all-electrified line-up by the end of 2024.

The strategy also included a plan to introduce the first fully electric Lamborghini by the end of the decade.

UPDATE: Toyota’s go-fast division will add an automatic option for the 2024 GR Corolla “if there is customer demand”, according to company boss Tomoyo Takahashi.

The move, which seems logical given the smaller GR Yaris is now available as either a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic, would give Toyota a genuine rival for the mighty Volkswagen Golf R and the popular Hyundai i30 N.

A self-shifting GR Corolla would also help to improve its 0-100km/h time and broaden its appeal to a wider customer base, leading to an increase in sales.

While Takahashi stopped short of confirming an automatic GR Corolla is coming, he told Wheels: “If there is customer demand, maybe it will be developed.”

Toyota Australia’s vice president of sales and marketing, Sean Hanley, followed Takahashi’s remark by confirming a two-pedal GR Corolla would sell well Down Under.

“Data would indicate people would gravitate towards an auto if one was available,” said Hanley.

Alex Inwood

January ’24: It was only natural to ask Toyota Australia at the reveal of the facelifted 2024 GR Yaris whether the GR Corolla would get the same updates as its smaller sibling, the key change being that new eight-speed automatic transmission.

We received a typical protective answer from the local team, but we can’t begrudge them for that.

A spokesperson from Toyota Australia told Wheels: “We have no announcements to make today on any future updates to GR Corolla and the introduction of automatic transmissions.”

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Still, it’s clear Toyota would be missing an opportunity if it didn’t offer the ‘Gazoo Racing Direct Automatic Transmission’ in the otherwise larger, more usable GR Corolla that’s also sold in North America (where the GR Yaris is EU/Japan/Australia only).

It would undoubtedly bolster appeal, giving Toyota not only a rival for the manual-only Civic Type R but also the auto-only VW Golf R.

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How serious is Toyota about this GR-developed Auto?

You don’t have to look hard to see GR’s intentions with this automatic powertrain. At Tokyo Auto Salon, Toyota’s luxury arm Lexus was showing off a GR Yaris-powered LBX concept, known as the RR Morizo.

The story goes that Akio Toyoda wanted to build a car that blended Lexus’ signature comfort and luxury with GR’s ‘fun-to-drive’ ethos. That it will make production seems unlikely, but stranger things have happened – you just have to look at the Lexus LFA.

Instead, it’s much more likely the transmission will make its way into the GR Corolla in a mid-life update. The car was lightly tweaked late last year for North America, with small changes to the suspension, steering, and battery grounding. Australia, however, only received a new ‘Eclectic Blue’ paint colour for 2024.

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The GR Corolla manual’s 0-100km/h sprint is 5.29 seconds (claimed). With a close-ratio auto on board, that should fall into the high 4.0-second range.

For reference, a Golf R with its seven-speed DSG transmission and extra 14kW (but additional 50-or-so kilos) gets to 100km/h in 4.8 seconds.

In the GR Yaris, the automatic transmission only adds 20kg to the kerb weight, which would bring the GR Corolla auto up to a still-reasonable 1505kg.

Along with the extra straight-line speed, GR is most excited about the auto’s ability to free up mental aptitude when driving fast – allowing novice drivers to come closer to professional’s lap times.

Along with an auto, a mid-life GR Corolla update is likely to bring similar upgrades (or even more) as made to the facelifted 224kW/400Nm GR Yaris. Improved cooling, better cabin ergonomics, and software revisions all feature.

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Pricing is yet to be confirmed for the facelifted GR Yaris, but we expect an increase for the auto compared with the manual even though Toyota managed to keep the price unchanged for its manual Supra.

We’re tipping the new GR Yaris to cost about $65K on the road, so expect an auto GR Corolla to climb into the vicinity of $70-75k.

Would you be more inclined to buy a GR Corolla with an eight-speed auto than the six-speed manual? Share your thoughts below.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe large SUV has landed in Australia in three hybrid variants.

Prices for the fifth-generation Santa Fe start from $55,500 before on-road costs – a $9450 increase over the previous starting point – with the Toyota Kluger, Kia Sorento and Skoda Kodiaq rival now arriving in Australian showrooms.

The significant price rise over the previous entry point is due to the carmaker’s decision to ditch 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel and 3.5-litre petrol V6 options in favour of an all-hybrid line-up for the new model.

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There is also more standard equipment than before for the entry-level Santa Fe – in addition to the added cost of an electrified drivetrain.

The previous Hyundai Santa Fe – available in petrol, diesel or hybrid – was priced between $46,050 and $69,550 before on-road costs.

Hybrid versions of the Santa Fe continue to feature a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol-electric hybrid setup, matched to a six-speed torque converter automatic transmission. It now produces 172kW and 367Nm – up 3kW and 17Nm.

Combined fuel consumption is rated at 5.6L/100km – but it is unclear if this applies to the front- or all-wheel-drive Santa Fe Hybrid, or both. The previous Santa Fe Hybrid AWD consumed 6.0L/100km.

A more powerful but less efficient 207kW/422Nm 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol will arrive in Australia in December 2024, with a lower price than hybrid variants expected.

The 2.5-litre turbo-four – familiar to the Sonata N Line sedan and some Genesis vehicles – is matched to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic and is available with front- or all-wheel-drive in other markets.

At launch, the eponymous Santa Fe entry-level model will be offered in front- or all-wheel drive, while the mid-spec Elite and top-of-the-range Calligraphy are limited to an all-wheel-drive configuration.

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Like the larger Hyundai Palisade, the Santa Fe Calligraphy succeeds the outgoing Highlander flagship, while base and Elite versions carry over from the previous model.

The Santa Fe hybrid AWD is $3000 more than the front-drive version at $58,500 before on-road costs, while the Elite is priced from $65,000 plus on-roads – a $2000 increase over the previous Elite hybrid.

Santa Fe and Elite variants are seven-seaters, and the Calligraphy will be offered with a six-seat configuration allowing for second-row captain’s chairs or a conventional seven-seat layout with a second-row bench seat.

The seven-seat Calligraphy is available for $75,000 before on-roads – $5450 more than the previous Highlander hybrid – while the six-seat version adds a further $500 to the list price at $75,500.

Measuring 4830mm long, 1900mm wide and 1720mm tall, with a 2815mm wheelbase, the fifth-generation Santa Fe is 45mm longer and 35mm taller, its wheelbase has been stretched 50mm, and it is no wider than before.

The new model is up to 240 kilograms heavier than before, and while it has a blockier shape, the Santa Fe’s coefficient of drag has improved from 0.33Cd to 0.29Cd.

Standard equipment includes 20-inch alloy wheels, a 12.3-inch CCNC infotainment system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, dual-zone climate control, an electric tailgate, and a full suite of Hyundai Smartsense safety features.

Hyundai has fitted 10 airbags to the new Santa Fe – up from seven in the previous model – including curtain airbags that now cover the third row. The rearmost seats also gain top-tether anchor points to allow for the fitment of child seats.

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A specification list for each Santa Fe variant can be found below.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe is on sale now.

2024 Hyundai Santa Fe pricing

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2024 Hyundai Santa Fe features

2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Elite features

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2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy features

The 2024 Tesla Model 3 sedan and 2024 Tesla Model Y midsize SUV have received more price cuts.

It is the third price reduction applied to the Model 3 and Model Y since April 1, which combined have seen the cost of Australia’s best-selling electric cars fall between $7000 and $9100 for some variants.

The latest price reductions are focused on popular Rear-Wheel Drive and Long Range AWD versions of the Model 3 and Model Y, with the Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive down $5000, Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive down $4000, and Model 3 Long Range AWD down $3000.

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There have been no price reductions for the Model 3 Performance, Model Y Long Range AWD or Model Y Performance, after Tesla dropped $8500 from the last two in April.

The recently-launched Model 3 Performance – priced from $80,900 before on-road costs – is down $2500 over the pre-facelift model last offered in September 2023.

VFACTS new-car sales data reveals Tesla is Australia’s most-popular electric vehicle brand – and the 10th highest carmaker overall – with 14,866 cars sold to the end of April 2024, split between 8001 Model Ys and 6865 Model 3s.

Electric vehicle sales in April 2024 decreased over the same month in 2023 – down five per cent with 6194 sold – but year-to-date registrations are 32 per cent higher at 31,662 compared to 23,926 in 2023.

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2024 Tesla Model 3 pricing – as of 21 May 2024

Tesla Model 3 Australian pricing history

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2024 Tesla Model Y pricing – as of 21 May 2024

Tesla Model Y Australian pricing history

If you’ve been waiting for a more powerful, high-performance version of the Toyota HiLux to battle the Ford Ranger Raptor, we have some bad news.

It’s not going to happen. At least not for a while…

The man in charge of Toyota’s GR performance division, Tomoya Takahashi, is currently visiting Australia and during a media round-table, Wheels asked about the prospect of a flagship Toyota HiLux GR to sit above the current HiLux GR Sport.

Just like AMG and BMW M, which have ‘sport’ sub brands that sit beneath faster ‘full fat’ performance models, the 165kW/550Nm HiLux GR Sport is positioned a rung below the more hardcore, 292kW/583Nm Ford Ranger Raptor.

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But while that might seem to leave room to add an even faster, more powerful version of the HiLux, Takahashi firmly rejected the idea.

“Maybe a GR special car? No,” he said. “Only GR Sports.”

For absolute clarity we asked again if a rival for the Ranger Raptor might come in the future but the response was a shaking head, along with “No”.

Pretty unequivocal, then, from the man who makes the key decisions — Takahashi is GR Company President — but there’s also no doubt that the Ranger Raptor currently gives Ford a key advantage here in Australia.

The Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger are bitter rivals on the Aussie sales charts, often swapping places to be the nation’s best-selling vehicle. But while both dual-cab utes shift serious metal each month, the Raptor currently has the lucrative high-performance market all to itself.

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Despite a lofty price tag of $90,440 Raptor sales are so strong that Ford is reluctant to share exactly how many it sells.

We do know more than 10,000 units of the first-generation Raptor found homes in Australia, while the second-gen ute had more than 5000 pre-sales before it even hit showrooms. Ford sells the Aussie-developed Raptor to key markets around the globe including the United Kingdom, South Africa and Thailand.

“Ford Australia is thrilled at the customer response to the current generation Ranger Raptor since its launch in 2022,” a Ford spokesperson told Wheels.

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Popularity of the Ranger Raptor speaks for itself, and we are proud of how it has pushed new frontiers in terms of performance in the mid-size ute segment.

The Ranger Raptor is not only a local success story, being engineered and designed by Australians for Australians, but a global one as well being sold on every continent bar Antarctica.”

The good news is that while a full-blown GR version of the HiLux seems off the cards, Takahashi did say Toyota’s fleet of SUVs are ripe to receive the go-fast treatment.

Toyota has re-opened the order books for the popular GR Yaris and also announced a new ‘first in-first out’ approach to allocating cars that could slash wait times.

The new order system, which will allocate cars to customers based on the date they place their order, will first be trialled on all GR performance models from June production, but Toyota already has plans to roll it out to models from its regular range too.

The hope is the change will help reduce the long wait times that still impact several of Toyota’s most popular model lines.

“Here’s an update for GR Yaris enthusiasts,” Toyota Australia’s vice president of sales and marketing Sean Hanley told Wheels. “From today, we’re re-opening the order books. They’ve been closed so the really great news is that we’ve got stock in dealerships right now.”

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Hanley confirmed the new arrival of stock is for the current GR Yaris, with the heavily updated and more powerful 2025 model slated to begin production later this year.

“Having sports cars in hot demand is fantastic, we’re proud, we’re enthusiastic about it,” added Hanley, “although it can pose a challenge as to how you allocate the limited stock you have. I’d like to say that’s just about GR but quite frankly it’s been for Toyota as well generally speaking.”

The new ‘first in/first out’ ordering system comes as a direct learning from the huge supply disruptions that hit Toyota during the Covid-19 pandemic, says Hanley.

“We’ve learned a lot on that journey,” he said. “It hasn’t all been bad for us and it’s great having the demand. What we do need to do is getting at how we allocate and how we manage that experience. That’s the learning we’ve taken out.

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“We always strive for a customer-first approach… so I’m pleased to announce that – for all GR performance cars – we’re moving to a first-in-first-out approach. That means – effective July production – we’ll be prioritising the delivery of cars to customers, based on the date they place their order.

It’s the fairest way given the normalisation of supply. And we are deploying that across a number of Toyota models as well right now but it’s a process because have legacy systems we have to change.”

Toyota has enjoyed huge demand for its GR models in Australia. Since launching the brand here in late-September 2019, Toyota has sold 1171 examples of the GR Supra and almost 2600 units of the GR Yaris.

The GR 86 has moved 22,000 cars, while the GR Corolla has found more than 800 homes so far.