Celine Nolan

Mitsubishi Motors North The USA has confirmed this would well debut an ‘off-avenue focused’ variant of its upcoming Outlander gentle-hybrid mid subsequent year. Despite being a step-up from the gift US-grade Plug Edition, this almost at the moment-to-start out-roader leaves many wishing for added.

Three years ago, there had been murmurs of a rally-bred, 285kW, tri-motor Ralliart model. It’s tranquil yet to look, even supposing sorting out became confirmed and a spokesperson suggested Chasing Autos in 2023 “we in actual fact desire to assemble that roughly skills for manufacturing vehicles.”

One can imprint our disappointment then, when the truth of a recent off-avenue mannequin sets in. Largely, the indisputable truth that this would well exercise the identical 135kW/245Nm 1.5-litre gentle-hybrid as the rest of the U.S. Outlander vary.

Further small print are yet to be confirmed however the as-yet unnamed variant will feature recent, off-avenue particular bodywork (perchance reprofiled bumpers and dim wheel arch mouldings), and an upgraded model of the Outlander’s ‘S-AWC’ all-wheel force blueprint.

As for Australian plans for Mitsubishi‘s Toyota RAV4 Edge, Subaru Forester Desolate tract and Nissan X-Plug N-Crawl rival, a spokesperson suggested Chasing Autos:

“We imprint there is Aussie buyer ardour in this kind of automobile and we’re evaluating how a extra adventure-focused Outlander may perchance well ogle in due course, for our market. Nonetheless, no plans are confirmed at this moment.”

The recent US-certain off-avenue Outlander builds upon the recently released Outlander Plug Edition, also abnormal to US markets. That mannequin starts from US$39,295.

In Australia, that tag would translate to around $60,500 sooner than on-avenue prices — roughly the tag of an Outlander Exceed Tourer.

US-market Plug Edition Outlander fashions form upon the middle-grade SE, equal to our ‘LS’, including 18-inch wheels, exterior physique protectors, roof-rails, mud flaps, and blacked-out suggestions including a bonnet decal, door handles, mirrors and grille-neat.

US-market 2026 mannequin Outlanders will transition from exercise of a 135kW/244Nm 2.5-litre engine (the accurate same unit offered in Australia) for a 135kW/245Nm 1.5-litre gentle-hybrid, marketed alongside an updated Outlander toddle-in hybrid blueprint.

Talking to Mitsubishi Australia, it became confirmed that an improved toddle-in hybrid Outlander will reach in January, however the likelihood of a gentle-hybrid stays off the desk for now. More on those powertrains right here.

Jaecoo Australia has confirmed its unique J5 minute SUV will delivery within the community in February next year.

The Jaecoo J5 is successfully an upmarket model of the Chery Tiggo 4, within the within the period in-between Australia’s cheapest and preferred minute SUV.

With the Tiggo 4 starting at $23,990 driveaway, we watch for its ritzier relation to enter at round $28,000 mirroring the Jaecoo J7’s step up from its linked Chery Tiggo 7 excessive automotive.

The Jaecoo J5 will gain the the same petrol and hybrid powertrains of the Tiggo 4, which implies a 108kW/210Nm 1.5L turbo-petrol four-cylinder using the entrance wheels, or a more atmosphere friendly hybrid model essentially essentially essentially based round a non-turbo four-cylinder with round 150kW.

A battery electric (BEV) model of the J5 has additionally been confirmed. No minute print were published for this model past a using vary of 402km (WLTP).

We watch for the BEV J5 to be closely linked to the Chery E5 minute SUV. That automotive produces a most of 155kW, drives the entrance wheels, has a spread of 430km (WLTP) and charges from 30-80 percent in 28 minutes. E5 pricing begins from $38,990 pressure-away.

Unlike the Tiggo 4 which  touts all-out price as a diversified promoting level in opposition to competitors, the ‘budget luxurious’ Jaecoo J5 will wish to switch past the GWM Haval Jolion and MG ZS.

As a replacement, Jaecoo will wish to deal with the Hyundai Kona, Volkswagen T-Roc and Toyota Corolla Spoiled.

In South Africa, the J5 measures 4380mm prolonged, 1860mm huge and 1650mm tall — 73mm longer and 35mm wider than the Tiggo 4, with a 10mm longer wheelbase. Dimensions are but to be confirmed for Australia.

Resultantly, the J5 boasts more cabin dwelling, with chuffed seating for five adults, says Chery. Boot dwelling additionally increases, up from 380 litres within the Tiggo 4 to 480 litres.

Whereas the J5’s touchscreen is bigger, measuring 13.2 inches, and the speaker depend is six as commonplace, the 8.0-tear digital driver’s show cloak is smaller than the Tiggo 4’s 10.25-tear item.

Extra specifications and minute print of the upcoming Jaecoo J5 minute SUV will be published nearer to its February 2026 delivery. We watch for pricing to delivery from $27,990 driveaway.

Right this moment, Nissan confirmed that the next period of Navara will doubtless be publicly published to global markets on the nineteenth of November. The Japanese automaker furthermore confirmed that Aussies and Kiwis will doubtless be ready to characterize a fifth-period Navara by mid-2025.

The announcement became as soon as paired with a transient teaser video, which exiguous print the history of Nissan utes in Australia, and claims the next-period model will ‘defy customary’.

What’s been promised is a motive-constructed ute for the Australian market, one which builds on the aptitude and robustness of old generations, its maker claims. What each person is conscious of is that the contemporary Navara will doubtless be largely per the most contemporary-period Mitsubishi Triton.

Already confirmed for the next period of Navara is a one-tonne payload functionality, a recent contemporary face, a recent “enhanced” infotainment system, and a collection of latest driver assistance solutions no longer supplied in the most contemporary period.

That’s a gross sales pitch we’ve heard before, with Toyota’s hotly anticipated next-period Hilux furthermore having a stumble on to be a comprehensive facelift in want to a wholly contemporary beast.

Both of these cherished Japanese utes will should always expose themselves in opposition to competent contemporary-blood rivals Ford Ranger, Kia Tasman, and the BYD Shark 6, which is able to develop to be increasingly more relevant as a PHEV ute benchmark following tighter emission authorized guidelines.

We are in a position to picture from the silhouette that the next-gen Navara will proceed to market as a dual-cab, bath-tray, fleshy-dimension ute, and we’re having a wager on either Mitsubishi’s upmarket 150kW/470Nm ‘four or Nissan’s 140kW/450Nm ‘four to be below the bonnet. Both engines are turbo-diesels.

Nissan hasn’t published which gearbox will prevail in the next-period Navara. Across Mitsubishi and Nissan, there’s a collection of six- or seven-roam automatics, or a six-roam handbook. Quiz on hand solutions to be paired with a rugged four-wheel-drive system, naturally.

Both the Navara and Triton have been toying with the concept that of tear-in energy, and a next-period is also the kick in the pants to see this thought reach to mild. We’ve already seen an completely operational Nissan PHEV ute on expose at Auto Shanghai.

That ute, assuredly known as the Frontier Professional, has no ties to Mitsubishi, and as an different looks a competent re-modelling of China’s Dongfeng Z9. We’ll soon stumble on if this powerplant is on the playing cards.

In Mitsubishi’s case, the Triton PHEV is an thought that has been publicly acknowledged, with a Mitsubishi spokesperson telling Chasing Cars closing year that “PHEV and utterly different kinds of hybridisation are below see for Triton”.

Chasing Cars anticipates that many powertrain, styling, and automobile dynamics questions will doubtless be answered when the Navara is formally published on the nineteenth of November this year.

Three models from one other original Chinese language price will hit Australian roads next month, with GAC — short for Guangzhou Automotive Crew Firm — field for a November 2025 launch.

Folk that know their Chinese language-market brands might maybe perchance perchance additionally recall GAC as a primary three device partnership accomplice of Toyota and Honda, however the producer has its absorb vary of sub-brands.

Below the GAC head price, Australia will originally accept three models in total, sourced from Chinese language sub-brands Trumpchi and Aion, with the head price Hyptec badge off the cards for now.

Specifics take care of pricing, retail areas, guarantee and servicing arrangements absorb no longer been printed this day but are expected to be announced within the coming weeks — with simplest a temporary turnaround between now and the expected price launch date.

Curiously, GAC’s launch vary will consist no longer simplest of three models but additionally three definite powertrain styles.

Smallest — and slither most fee-effective — of the launch field is the Emzoom tiny SUV. Known in China as the Trumpchi GS3, the Emzoom is a Haval Jolion, Omoda 5, Kia Seltos and Toyota Corolla Inferior rival.

Measuring 4410mm lengthy, 1850mm huge and 1600mm high, the Emzoom is pure-petrol, with its 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 130kW/270Nm, paired with entrance-wheel force and a seven-trot wet-variety twin-grab computerized.

The Emzoom has a 10.25-lumber touchscreen internal, besides to an on hand panoramic sunroof. Below the skin, it uses a torsion beam rear suspension — despite the truth that some markets ranking a superior multi-hyperlink self reliant rear.

From the Emzoom, it’s a step into the more top price Aion V midsize SUV — which, as the title suggests, hails from GAC’s dedicated EV sub-price Aion.

The Aion V is 4605mm lengthy, 1876mm huge, and 1686mm high, using atop the AEP 3.0 platform. It is on hand with a unfold of CATL ‘Journal’ batteries, mentioned to forestall the unfold of thermal runaway.

In China, 62kW, 64.5kWh and 75kWh lithium iron phosphate battery sizes are equipped, in conjunction with a longer-vary 90kWh nickel manganese cobalt pack, with the 64.5 and 75kWh LFP models expected to be equipped in Australia with spherical 500km (WLTP) vary.

Inner, a 14.6-lumber rectangular touchscreen sits apart an 8.8-lumber digital instrument cluster. In some markets, a warmth pump and cooled and heated refrigerator are on hand, with the Kia EV5 shaping as much as be a key rival.

Within the kill, GAC will become one other contender within the burgeoning luxurious minivan location by approach of the GAC M8 folk-mover, identified as the Trumpchi E9 in its dwelling market.

Measuring an infinite 5212mm lengthy, 1893mm huge and 1823mm high (on a lengthy 3070mm wheelbase), the M8 packages twin powered sliding doors and 2nd-row captain’s chairs with rub down, heating, cooling and vitality ottomans.

The M8 might maybe perchance perchance be essentially the most attention-grabbing hybrid within the vary at launch, teaming a 140kW/330Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol four-cylinder engine to a 134kW/300Nm entrance electrical motor and two-trot hybrid transmission.

Machine outputs are mentioned to be spherical 278kW/630Nm, with a 25.5kWh traction battery offering spherical 85km electrical vary (WLTP estimate), with a whole using vary of spherical 825km.

Competition to the M8 will be within the construct of autos take care of the Kia Carnival, Lexus LM, Zeekr 009 and, most straight away, the coming near near Wey G8 lunge-in hybrid from rival conglomerate GWM.

Fresh-child Chinese forte ute price JAC has confirmed this is in a position to also merely lengthen the native differ of its sole T9 twin-cab mannequin with the introduction of a variety-topping Osprey grade and two trim ranges of an all-modern cab-chassis physique.

The cab-chassis physique, a first-rate for JAC, will protect the four door twin-cab physique seen on existing T9 units, however will substitute its used bath with a flat alloy tray, which JAC says can pork up a payload of 1165kg (rather than the load of the tray).

So far, JAC has confirmed two mannequin variants of T9 cab-chassis; the snide Tradepro and as soon as-snide Oasis, which stays the lowest specification for bath-trayed T9 units.

It’s unclear whether or not the flat tray, pictured in JAC’s marketing topic cloth, is incorporated with the T9 cab-chassis, with JAC pitching the physique as a ‘smooth canvas’ ideal for a fitout of ‘a provider physique, personalized toolboxes, or a specialised equipment’ fitout.

Introducing more kind to the T9 mannequin differ will absolute self belief drive sales of the mannequin, particularly within the hasty market, helping the twin-cab newcomer to search out a footing in opposition to a frequently growing list of low-cost competitors.

That growing list is headlined by China’s $forty five,253 LDV T60, $34,490 GWM Cannon, and quickly-to-originate $39,990 Foton Tunland, while Korea affords a lower-mark KGM Musso for $40,140. All costs listed are sooner than on-boulevard charges.

To add gas to the fire, JAC is furthermore offering diminished-mark drive-away offers on its present MY24 stock of Oasis and Haven T9s up to October Thirty first. Those units have been dropped from $42,662 and $forty five,630 sooner than on-roads to $39,990 and $43,990 drive-away, respectively.

Meanwhile, at the different end of the size, JAC’s modern Osprey grade adds additional equipment over the as soon as flagship T9 Haven. Predominant enhancements embrace a energy sunroof and a ‘top price suspension tune’ – what that entails is not yet known.

Optioning additional to the Osprey X will furthermore add blacked-out functions on its exterior, darkening the form of the front badge, wheels, roof bars, cruise mirrors, door handles and facet-vent surrounds.

Top price, yet cheap, competitors to the T9 Osprey embrace the quickly-to-liberate $52,990 MG U9, $53,674 LDV Terron 9, and the quirky $64,900 Deepal E07 Multitruck.

JAC claims the Osprey’s 980kg payload restrict has been intentionally engineered to protect it below the one-tonne novated leasing ceiling – a well-known component for horny hasty investors.

No topic trim level or physique, all T9 units will continue to be powered by a125kW/410Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine mated to a mature eight-velocity automated and competent four-wheel-drive intention.

Pricing and additional specifications for each and every cab-chassis T9 units, as nicely as the differ topping bath-trayed Osprey grade, are yet to be revealed. JAC claims these critical points will be revealed nearer to the originate date of the units, which is one month away.

Cupra has launched the return of its five-cylinder powered Formentor VZ5 performance SUV — and this time it’s traipse for Australia.

Borrowing Audi’s renowned 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo petrol from the RS3 to originate something without a doubt particular, the fresh VZ5 produces 287kW and 480Nm — about the the same as earlier than.

Restricted to factual 4000 units globally, the Cupra Formentor VZ5 additionally boasts wider wheel arches, grade-explicit bumper and splitter front and rear, copper-trimmed diagonal use tricks, and 20-creep copper-colored alloy wheels.

More bright is the proven truth that Cupra’s freshest Formentor to this level is confirmed for Australia, though factual how many units will reach our shores is but to be finalised.

Aussies missed out on the first generation VZ5 when it debuted in 2021, and needed to draw raise out with the admittedly rather excellent 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder powered VZx, rising 228kW and 400Nm.

Cupra Australia confirmed that the Formentor VZ5 will enter production within the first quarter of subsequent one year, with local arrivals slated for ‘later within the one year’.

Tentatively set apart that as early into Q4 2026.

Audi fans is commonly familiar with the 2.5-litre five cylinder ‘TSI’ turbo petrol engine below the bonnet of the VZ5 – a longstanding staple show in numerous performance Audi units.

It produces a wholesome claimed 287kW and 480Nm, nearly about the same to the outgoing Audi RSQ3, and delivers vitality to all four wheels by job of a seven-velocity twin grab computerized and trick built-in torque splitter with lateral torque encourage an eye on.

The principle iteration of VZ5 modified into able to sprinting 0-100km/h in 4.2 seconds.

The vitality output of the Formentor VZ5 is over 50kW and 80Nm earlier than the competition, making light work of the $ninety 9,000 Mercedes AMG GLA, which produces 225kW and 400Nm, and BMW’s $92,900 X1 M35i xDrive, which pushes out 233kW/400Nm.

Pricing for Cupra’s restricted numbers Formentor has no longer but been confirmed. Anticipate a sticker somewhere between $90,000-105,000, focused on the extremely the same Audi RSQ3 began at $104,215 earlier than it modified into discontinued earlier this one year. All prices above are earlier than on-freeway prices.

Extra facets for the Cupra Formentor VZ5 include ‘Cupra’ branding, ambient lighting, and bucket seats on the inner, and a ramification of 5 paint colours in both matte or gloss on the skin.

Those colours are Nighttime Shaded, Darkish Void, Magnetic Tech Matte, Century Bronze Matte, and Enceladus Grey Matte.