Car news today: Volkswagen Tiguan PHEV on the cards, new plug-in Toyota RAV4 debuts globally, and more – 21 May 2025

Thanks for joining us this Wednesday, Might well Twenty first 2025. Notably in automobile news this day: Volkswagen Australia is “corpulent throttle” chasing PHEV for designate spanking contemporary Tiguan, and all-contemporary Toyota RAV4 will get a global debut

Browse this scenario:

• Tiguan PHEV a possibility for Australia
• All-contemporary Toyota RAV4 surfaces and now offers PHEV
• Nissan situation to unveil its electrical Micra this day
• Geely flagship clear SUV caught in sorting out

Volkswagen Tiguan PHEV on the cards for Oz

• Volkswagen Australia is working hard to add a mosey-in hybrid model of the all-contemporary third-generation Tiguan that has arrived in native showrooms this month. Until now, it’s been reported that the PHEV powertrain possibility, known as eHybrid in some markets, became once now not being idea to be for the mid-size SUV’s native release.

• Chatting with Chasing Cars at the contemporary mannequin’s native birth in Adelaide, Volkswagen Australia Ticket Director Piergiorgio Minto talked about that “we are engaged on [PHEV for Oz]…it’s one thing that we judge would match perfectly within the [Australian] market. We’re, let’s hiss, ‘corpulent throttle’ with Germany in repeat to test it and to sight whether or now not it is a ways excellent as a industry case.”

• The contemporary eHybrid PHEV systems combine an 85kW electrical motor and the (Euro-spec) 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol four, the latter accessible in both 152kW or R-Line-particular 202kW guises. Its 25.7kWh (tainted) battery enables up to roughly 100 kilometres of pure EV riding range.

• With PHEV off the native menu, the gen-three Tiguan launches in a 5-variant, all-turbo-petrol line-up, with 110kW, 150kW and 195kW alternatives paired variously with Lifestyles, Magnificence and sporty R-Line natty phases, priced from round $45K and honest over $70K. Cease tuned for our corpulent range review next week!

Toyota unveils contemporary RAV4 – with PHEV! – scheduled for June release

• Toyota has launched a comprehensive first secret agent at its upcoming contemporary-generation RAV4, which capabilities a brand contemporary, cutting-edge originate language and unusual suite of powertrain alternatives.

• For the first time within the Australian market, Toyota will offer a mosey-in hybrid possibility, which mixes a 22.7kWh lithium-ion battery with a 150kW entrance electrical motor and a 2.5-litre petrol engine.

• The RAV4 will proceed to present a more life like 143kW assortment-parallel hybrid machine, which is effectively matched with both 2WD and AWD configurations. Toyota claims the machine could per chance salvage improved battery and electrical motor efficiency over the outgoing RAV4.

• Last year, in 2024, Toyota’s RAV4 became once Australia’s handiest selling midsize SUV, and second-handiest selling automobile overall, transferring over 58,000 models. A brand contemporary-generation RAV4 could per chance glance the Jap designate all over but again rob the title of Australia’s handiest-selling automobile.

READ: 2026 Toyota RAV4 to scenario BYD Sealion 6 and Mitsubishi Outlander with mosey-in hybrid model

Nissan builds hype for designate spanking contemporary-generation Micra

• Nissan Australia has posted global invitations to an unprecedented online press release, the save this may occasionally likely per chance honest unveil an all-contemporary compact electrical Micra.

• The digital unveiling, streaming on YouTube, is scheduled to birth up at 5pm AEST this day on Nissan’s reliable global channel. The livestream is public, welcoming all viewers to head looking for to salvage a brand contemporary generation of Micra.

• Nissan’s contemporary Micra can be constructed on Renault‘s CMF-BEV EV platform, viewed within the contemporary Renault 5. The Micra will likely offer the identical 40kWh and 52kWh battery alternatives, which yield a unfold of 305 or 399 kilometres (WLTP).

• We look ahead to pricing for the Micra to be between $30,000 and $40,000, which would perhaps per chance per chance enviornment the Micra in competition with the GWM Ora, upcoming Volkswagen ID1, and BYD Dolphin.

Contemporary Geely clear SUV spied on Chinese roads before native birth

• Geely is anticipated to birth a contemporary flagship clear SUV to the Chinese market, likely to be named both the M9 or Starship 9. Contemporary explore shots from Chinese publication Auto House salvage printed the auto being tested on public roads sooner than its reliable birth.

• The Geely M9 can be constructed on a contemporary ‘GEA Evo’ modular structure platform, which became once currently printed at the Shanghai Auto Grunt. The GEA Evo platform introduces a unfold of contemporary capabilities to the designate, including rear-axle steering and entrance double-wishbone suspension.

• Primarily based totally on the explore shots, the M9 is likely to be a mosey-in hybrid, as it capabilities a gasoline filler door on both aspect of the body along with rear exclaim pipes. Assign a query to of a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine and lithium iron phosphate brief blade battery.

• In the period in-between, Geely has no public plans to release the M9 within the Australian market, the save it would compete with fellow Geely owned flagship the Volvo XC90 PHEV, and lengthy-time Aussie current, the Kia Carnival.

The next scenario of Car News At the moment time can be printed on Thursday, 22nd Might well at 4.30pm Sydney time.