Celine Nolan

Audi tonight pulled the covers off the all-sleek RS5 — its halo midsize performance automobile, and fans can breathe no longer decrease than a partial whisper of relief: the vaunted Porsche–Audi 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol has been retained.

No AMG-style four-cylinder faux pas right here. As a substitute, the sonorous six ekes out 15 percent vitality by itself — producing 375kW/600Nm — however total vitality for the sleek RS5 measures a mega 470kW/825Nm.

That is courtesy of a broadly expected and RS-explicit toddle-in hybrid gadget pairing a 130kW/460Nm electric motor with a 22kWh (usable) 400-volt battery.

Interior the broader A5 fluctuate, the 470kW/825Nm RS5 will contain an apex spot, sitting loftily above the gentle-hybrid S5 (270kW/550Nm) and standard A5 (up to 270kW/500Nm in PHEV layout).

Question pricing to take a seat effectively north of the S5 ($114,900 plus on-freeway costs). The outgoing RS5 Sportback price $168K ahead of on-roads.

Ingolstadt has resorted to PHEV vitality basically to hurry the RS5 via phenomenal European (and Australian) CO2 emissions regulations however it absolutely’s a case of making lemons out of lemonade.

The RS5 may well perchance perhaps weigh in at a (Euro) kerb weight of around 2350kg however it absolutely deploys its full of life-cooled battery and snappy-reacting e-motor to devastating enact in ‘RS Torque Rear’ — a euphemism for lunge in conjunction with the drift mode.

If the conception that of Audi leaning into vitality oversteer in a midsize automobile wasn’t ample of a shock, put collectively for the return of the RS5 sedan…of kinds.

The RS5 is the non secular successor to the RS4, which is mostly obtainable only as an Avant, or spot wagon.

Audi has fussed with mannequin naming programs for years and there is now advise of the RS5 — and the underlying A5 and S5 — being renamed A4, S4 and RS4 in a mid-lifestyles update.

But no longer only will an RS5 Avant be offered, however this may well perchance very effectively be joined by what Audi is calling the RS5 sedan. Level-headed, that product is truly a Sportback, with a hatchback-style tailgate.

No matter the physique style, the RS5 picks up exaggerated haunches and the physique is a nine centimetres wider than a standard A5.

With non-obligatory carbon mask trimming, indispensable grey or gloomy 20- or 21-scramble wheels, large matte grey oval tailpipes and aero aplenty, there is rarely this form of thing as a missing the RS5.

The general form is pleasantly comely and there is small doubt that Audi hopes to scoop up some displaced AMG clients as unhealthy-country rival Mercedes makes an try to transform its performance automobile plans.

A key rival to the RS5, the Mercedes-AMG C63 sensationally dropped its V8 engine for a toddle-in hybrid four-cylinder, though Benz is now reversing direction with a six-pot, non-hybrid C53.

Each Audi and BMW decided to preserve away from that quagmire. Whereas the RS5 retains its six and picks up PHEV tech, the next (petrol) M3 is anticipated to be a gentle hybrid six-cylinder.

Befriend to the RS5: inner, sport seating comes standard with cloth/Dinamica (no longer decrease than in Europe) with leather-basically based mostly more seemingly the default risk in Australia, in gloomy or grey.

The A5’s traditional 14.5-scramble OLED touchscreen carries over with RS-explicit whisper including detailed racetrack evaluation.

That repeat furthermore permits for careful witness of lunge in conjunction with the drift accuracy when the utilization of RS Torque Rear mode.

Stepping out the rear is more seemingly to be more easy thanks to an all-sleek transaxle with electromechanical torque vectoring taking into fable terribly quickly (5ms) torque transfer between the 2 rear wheels.

An updated Quattro centre differential is constantly partially locked and permits up to 85 percent of total torque — or a staggering 700Nm — to be sent to the rear wheels.

Driven delicately, the RS5 V6 PHEV can arrange 84km electric fluctuate ahead of delivering gasoline economy of about 10L/100km on a depleted battery.

Engage both of the automobile’s sportiest modes, though, and effectivity is thrown to the wind with the petrol engine put to quickly price the battery to 90 percent in repeat to direct max vitality constantly.

Stopping all that momentum is a job for standard metal brakes (with 420mm discs on the entrance) or non-obligatory carbon ceramics with 440mm entrance and 410mm rear discs.

European deliveries kick off in mid-2026, and Chasing Autos is utilizing the RS5 imminently. Stand by for a full first force portray.

Swedish Tesla rival Polestar will extra than double its most modern showroom line-up by 2028 by alongside side a Polestar 7 minute SUV, a 2d-technology Polestar 2 sedan, a extra life like version of the Polestar 4, to boot to this year’s Polestar 5 powerful tourer.

All four automobiles may perchance be battery electrical, with Polestar CEO Michael Lohscheller telling Autocar that Polestar “[isn’t] even alive to about” alongside side internal combustion automobiles to its differ. “No, we is no longer going to live a hybrid”, he talked about.

Chronologically, the offensive has already begun, starting with the enviornment starting up of the five-metre-lengthy Polestar 5 fastback that may perchance change into a Porsche Taycan rival. That car turn into accessible to repeat in December final year, launching with two mannequin grades and a starting mark of $171,100 earlier than on-road charges.

Deliveries of the Polestar 5 are anticipated to open by mid-year. Extra on that car here.

Subsequent to reach from the Chinese language-owned (by Geely), Swedish-operated EV specialist is a brand original variant of Polestar 4 – Polestar’s world most productive-seller. Few technical minute print are known in relation to the original variant, though Polestar claims this could “target a powerful wider customer pass by providing extra versatility”.

A teaser direct released by Polestar shows its original ‘4’ will debut an all original wagon-model body form, this time with rear glass, so as to combine “the placement of an property… the versatility of an SUV [and]… the dynamic performance that is Polestar”. The most modern Polestar 4 ‘coupe’ makes employ of a digital rear-stare camera in lieu of a rear window.

Early in 2027, Polestar will follow with a replacement for its Polestar 2 sedan, the firm’s most reasonable mannequin, its first ever world mannequin launched in 2020, and 2d most productive-seller in the neighborhood.

Polestar described the two as, “The automobile that we turn into known for [and] a key perform of our future success.” Count on this Tesla Mannequin 3 rival to retain a relatively reasonable entry point and lengthy differ / performance offerings when it’s miles up to this point next year.

Finishing in 2028, Polestar’s mannequin offensive will cease with the introduction of a brand original, compact SUV in most cases known because the Polestar 7.

The Polestar 7 is anticipated to market in the pinnacle fee minute SUV segment as a key rival to the BMW iX1 and Mercedes-Benz EQA, which initiate from $80,600 and $80,700 respectively. Alternatively, remarks from Polestar counsel the ‘7’ may perchance be its cheapest car yet.

“We’re convinced that we are able to supply customers a revolutionary performance-pushed car for a surely resplendent mark point, in-built Europe.” A comment from a Polestar press starting up read.

The Polestar 7 is a the fundamental vehicle for Polestar globally, in particular in Europe, the assign the compact SUV market accounted for one-third of total electrical vehicle gross sales in 2025. For 2026, Polestar expects to issue “low double-digit retail quantity development” with the starting assign of its world rollout.

Geely-owned Polestar has struggled with financial difficulties in its early years however grew gross sales critically in 2025 – by 34 percent globally to appropriate over 60,000 items. In Australia, Polestar gross sales elevated by nearly 40 percent to 2373 items.

The fifth-abilities Hyundai Tucson mid-dimension SUV is readying for open, seemingly later this year.

Whereas undergoing sizzling weather durability testing in the Victorian High Country, Chasing Vehicles noticed a camouflaged model of the unique Tucson and an up so a long way Santa Fe SUV.

The Tucson is due for a brand unique abilities by subsequent year, having launched globally in 2021 and coming in for a facelift in 2024. We rely on the camouflaged Tucson to destroy quilt in production guise in slack 2026 or early 2027.

This automobile is an unprecedented extra dramatic commerce than the increased Santa Fe, being a brand unique abilities mannequin that wants to compete with Toyota’s refreshed RAV4, the incoming Mazda CX-5 and a host of unique names from China comparable to the BYD Sealion 6.

Like the Santa Fe, the overview automobile’s amount plate carries a affirmation it’s the unique ‘NX5’ Tucson (one of the up-to-date automobile’s code is ‘NX4’) and that it weighs 1797kg.

There modified into as soon as extra conceal obstructing the Tucson’s body traces, in conjunction with what perceived to be size gear on the rear window. The Tucson also has an unfinished-attempting employ protruding from the rear bumper.

Tremendous, graceful alloy wheels counsel the mannequin testing is a excessive-smooth example.

It is a transparent departure from the rounded, organic shapes of one of the up-to-date Tucson and a step in direction of squarer, bluffer styling following the hydrogen gasoline cell (FCEV) powered Nexo‘s produce language.

Under, the fifth-abilities Tucson will debut a brand unique, software program-defined architecture referred to as Pleos OS, primarily based fully on KoreanCarBlog, which will seemingly spy extra great processing at some stage in the cabin.

What’s no longer sure is if the unique Tucson will seemingly be made in brief and lengthy wheelbase guises for more than just a few markets. European-delivered Tucson objects measure 4500mm lengthy whereas Australian and North American examples are currently 4650mm from tip to tail.

The Tucson currently comes with a 2.0L four-cylinder petrol in inappropriate grades although a smartly-liked hybrid model, making 172kW, will seemingly be on hand. Quiz the electrified powertrain to continue in the unique automobile.

In in a abroad country markets the Tucson is equipped with a slip-in hybrid that might be on the playing cards for Australia. The expend of a little-ish 13.8kWh battery, North American-market Tucson PHEVs are rated to go about 50km on electric vitality in EPA testing.

If Hyundai is able to catch the worth correct, a slip-in hybrid Tucson might seemingly possibly be advantageous below Original Vehicle Emissions Requirements (NVES) to boot to providing a rival for the rising different of PHEV family SUVs, in conjunction with the Geely Starray EM-i, BYD Sealion 6, Mitsubishi Outlander and further.

We rely on the unique Hyundai Tucson to destroy quilt later in 2026.

Why is Hyundai testing cars in Australia?

Hyundai, along with linked companies Kia and Genesis, possess lengthy viewed impress in Australian accelerate and coping with tuning for their autos, however this is no longer that.

As an different, there is currently a expeditiously of 20 Hyundai, Kia and Genesis autos in Australia for summer season durability testing.

Chasing Vehicles understands the mix of excessive altitude and sizzling weather found in the Victorian alpine achieve of dwelling in summer season is of explicit ardour to Korean engineers when it involves turbo petrol engines.

Moreover, the Australian time zones line up better with South Korea than those in the US.

Hyundai is readying a facelifted Santa Fe seven-seat SUV and new-expertise Tucson mid-dimension SUV for originate, presumably later this year.

Chasing Vehicles spotted camouflaged versions of the new Tucson and Santa Fe while the pair were present process sizzling weather sturdiness making an strive out in the Victorian High Nation.

While the Hyundai Santa Fe has carried out outstandingly in freeway tests and took house the accumulate at Chasing Vehicles automobile of the year, no longer all is neatly for the seven-seater.

In Australia, Hyundai’s new model was once outsold by the older and smaller Kia Sorento as neatly as the Toyota Kluger in 2025. As proper kind as the new automobile is, right here and in a foreign country its controversial styling appears to be like to be hurting its attraction.

What’s altering for the 2027 Hyundai Santa Fe?

We know the pictured automobile is an updated Santa Fe for a number of reasons. The acquainted alloy wheels have Hyundai’s ‘H’ trademarks on the centre caps and the number plate unearths this automobile is a Hyundai ‘MX5’ evaluate automobile, weighing 1906kg and registered from 14 Jan 2026.

Unheard of of what’s beneath the metal will remain, including in style proportions with the equal A-pillar and roof-line and carryover mirrors.

Korean sources recommend it will likely be belief to be one of many most radical mid-existence updates and the heavy disguise appears to narrate this. There’s padding and shaded masking the bonnet, lights, rear discontinuance and even the doorways, which is strange for a mid-existence exchange.

Depend on the Santa Fe to chase in direction of Hyundai’s ‘Art work of Steel’ kind language, as shown on the boxy Nexo hydrogen gasoline cell EV.

What we will likely be conscious are what appear to be all-new lighting particulars, including headlights mounted manner out on the facet fancy a Kia Tasman — and losing their H-formed LEDs — and original, vertically-organized hind lights.

This will likely be to tackle the most controversial feature of the present, those low-mounted, horizontal hind lights.

We did not obtain a conclude witness inside, nonetheless previous survey shots have shown a new, squared-off steering wheel and cloak structure in the entrance of Hyundai’s seven seater.

It was once evident the Santa Fe we observed was once both hybrid, or a PHEV, as it took off on electrical energy before the petrol engine might perchance perchance well also be heard up the steep hill.

There are no main changes anticipated beneath the bonnet for the Santa Fe, with the 1.6-litre four-cylinder-based mostly completely hybrid producing 172kW and 367Nm more likely to continue.

Petrol autos are anticipated to ditch the eight-bustle dual-grab for a torque converter automatic based mostly completely on buyer concepts.

The brand new-witness Santa Fe is anticipated to conclude for the 2027 model year, so expect a cloak in direction of the tip of this year.

Why is Hyundai making an strive out autos in Australia?

Hyundai, alongside with connected companies Kia and Genesis, have lengthy seen worth in Australian lunge and handling tuning for their autos, nonetheless right here’s no longer that.

As an alternative, there might perchance be at cloak a hasty of 20 Hyundai, Kia and Genesis autos in Australia for summer season sturdiness making an strive out.

Chasing Vehicles understands the mix of high altitude and sizzling weather cloak in the Victorian alpine pickle in summer season is of particular ardour to Korean engineers in terms of turbo petrol engines.

Additionally, the Australian time zone lines up better with South Korea than, remark, Loss of life Valley in California, USA.