<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?><rss xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" version="2.0">
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        <atom:link href="https://www.carsguide.com.au/feed/rss/car-reviews" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/>
        <title>CarsGuide - Car Reviews</title>
        <link><![CDATA[https://www.carsguide.com.au/feed/rss/car-reviews]]></link>
                <description>Browse over 9,000 reviews &amp; road tests published by the top motoring journalists in Australia. Search by Make, Model or Bodytype to find the most up to date and in-depth review of your favourite vehicles. With daily reviews, videos and news of all the latest models our experts can help you find the perfect car for any situation.</description>
        <language>en-US</language>
        <pubDate>Wed, 08 Jul 2026 03:51:38 +0000</pubDate>

                <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Denza B8 2027 review: 6S]]></title>
            <link>https://www.carsguide.com.au/family/denza-b8-6s-102015</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The Denza B8 introduces a luxury plug-in hybrid to the upper-large SUV segment but does it make enough of a splash to stand out against its heavy-hitting rivals?]]></description>
            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Emily Agar]]></dc:creator>
            <guid>https://www.carsguide.com.au/family/denza-b8-6s-102015</guid>
            <pubDate>Tue, 07 Jul 2026 17:00:00 +1000</pubDate>
                            <dc:category>Family</dc:category>
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                <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Cupra Formentor V 2027 review: snapshot]]></title>
            <link>https://www.carsguide.com.au/urban/cupra-formentor-v-102041</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The 2027 Cupra Formentor V is now one trim level up from the entry-level model.It was previously the entry-level model and is now priced from $57,490 before on-road costs.Power comes from a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine producing 150kW and 320Nm. This is 10kW more than the pre-update model.This is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with drive sent through an all-wheel-drive system.Cupra claims the Formentor V can do the 0-100km/h sprint in 6.7 seconds. Launch control is standard.The Formentor V is claimed to consume an average of 7.0L/100km, according to ADR 81/02 testing. There is a 55L fuel tank which requires a minimum of 95 RON premium unleaded petrol.Using the claim, this car has a theoretical total range of 786km.Standard equipment includes 19-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, a hands-free power tailgate, 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, 12.9-inch touchscreen multimedia system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charger, interior ambient lighting, three-zone climate control, fabric upholstery, electrically adjustable driver&rsquo;s seat and heated front seats.Optional is a panoramic glass sunroof for $2000 and the $2200 Leather and Sound package which adds a 12-speaker Sennheiser sound system, leather-appointed upholstery and front-passenger electric adjustment and memory.The Cupra Formentor originally received a five-star ANCAP safety rating in 2021 and this has been renewed for the updated model based on testing conducted by Euro NCAP in 2025.There are 10 airbags including rear-side and front-centre airbags as standard, plus autonomous emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control with lane centring, a surround-view camera, as well as a parking assist.The Formentor, like all other Cupras, is covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, which is a little lacklustre for a mainstream brand now as many have moved to eight or 10 years.Logbook servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first.There are three- and five-year pre-paid service packages available that are priced at $1090 and $2190, respectively. In the latter case, this means each service averages out to almost $440 which is fairly average for a European car.]]></description>
            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jack Quick]]></dc:creator>
            <guid>https://www.carsguide.com.au/urban/cupra-formentor-v-102041</guid>
            <pubDate>Mon, 06 Jul 2026 17:00:00 +1000</pubDate>
                            <dc:category>Urban</dc:category>
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            <title><![CDATA[Porsche Macan 2027 review: GTS]]></title>
            <link>https://www.carsguide.com.au/luxury/porsche-macan-gts-101933</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Porsche has continued the rollout of model grades for its all-electric Macan and the latest is the GTS. GTS grades are often the sweet spot of any Porsche model range, usually adding an extra dollop of performance and grade-specific styling.There aren't many high-end electric SUVs of this size in Australia, except for the Audi Q6 e-tron. And judging by the sales figures, Australians haven&rsquo;t warmed to the electric version of the Macan. Porsche has sold 308 to the end of May this year, a 75 per cent drop compared with the same time last year.But perhaps the sportier and sexier GTS can grab premium buyers&rsquo; attention.Compared with the sleek internal combustion Macan with its hunkered down stance and hatchback-like rear, the new EV version looks much bigger on the road. But the design has grown on me and the GTS styling helps enormously.The GTS gains flourishes like wider side skirts, different front and rear aprons, a pronounced diffuser and gloss black inserts.My test car was also Carmine Red and combined with the black elements, and gorgeous but expensive ($4860) 22-inch RS Spyder Design wheels in Anthracite Grey (up from the standard 21-inch wheels), it all makes for a menacing, sexy look.The Macan gets the GTS treatment inside as well with signature red seat belts and a few other additions.The horizontal dash feels quite upright, as does the seating position. The design is appealing and functional without taking any risks.The positioning of the gear shifter on the dash is great for freeing up space and the Macan has decent storage. The device charger can be closed which is good for security.The multimedia system isn&rsquo;t super intuitive - you have to drill down to multiple menus to find things. Some menu items overlap with the always-on side menu. That&rsquo;s not very premium, Porsche! Even the Apple CarPlay was a little glitchy. Thankfully, air con has its own panel on the dash.There&rsquo;s not a lot of knee room in the rear behind my (183cm) driving position, but lots of toe room. The middle seat feels like an afterthought, especially as the front centre console leaves virtually no legroom. But the rear seats are bucketed and super comfy.The boot can swallow 480L, down from 540L in lower Macan grades. There&rsquo;s no spare wheel, just a tyre repair kit, and a massive Bose subwoofer consumes the underfloor storage. It has handy levers in the boot to lower the 60/40 rear seats and a button that lowers suspension to load heavy items.Elsewhere, the Macan GTS comes with a smallish 10.9-inch multimedia screen and this example was fitted with a passenger side digital display ($2810).Which brings me to one of my biggest issues with this car - the optional extras. The base price of a Macan GTS is $171,100 before on-road costs. That&rsquo;s already pricey when you consider rivals like the Audi SQ6 e-tron (from $151,400), Hyundai Ioniq 5 N ($115,000) and upcoming BMW iX3 50e ($109,900). Then there&rsquo;s the eye-watering options list.My test car was fitted with items that shouldn&rsquo;t cost any extra, like $560 for black badging and $220 for &lsquo;preparation for Porsche dashcam&rsquo;. Then there&rsquo;s the downright ridiculous $10,730 for the GTS Interior Package.Rear-axle steering at $3510 is understandable, but $4120 for the augmented reality head-up display that I turned off because it was too intrusive is just taking the mickey. My test car had $38,000 worth of extras, bringing the total price to $209,110.Porsche&rsquo;s German rivals (Audi, BMW, Mercedes) have all improved their standard features offering in recent years, but Porsche clearly still lags.As the second-most potent Macan Electric grade under the Turbo, the GTS gains an extra helping of performance. It features permanent magnet synchronous motors on the front and rear axles, offering 380kW of power and a maximum 955Nm of torque with overboost.This is enough for a 0-100km/h sprint in a blistering 3.8 seconds on the way to a top speed of]]></description>
            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Tim Nicholson]]></dc:creator>
            <guid>https://www.carsguide.com.au/luxury/porsche-macan-gts-101933</guid>
            <pubDate>Mon, 06 Jul 2026 17:00:00 +1000</pubDate>
                            <dc:category>Luxury</dc:category>
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            <title><![CDATA[MG HS Super Hybrid 2027 review: Essence]]></title>
            <link>https://www.carsguide.com.au/family/mg-hs-super-hybrid-essence-101943</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Being a mid-size SUV means the MG HS Super Hybrid is placed in one of Australia’s most competitive segments. But does it do enough to earn a spot on your shortlist?]]></description>
            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Emily Agar]]></dc:creator>
            <guid>https://www.carsguide.com.au/family/mg-hs-super-hybrid-essence-101943</guid>
            <pubDate>Sun, 05 Jul 2026 17:00:00 +1000</pubDate>
                            <dc:category>Family</dc:category>
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            <title><![CDATA[Mazda 6e Atenza 2027 review: snapshot]]></title>
            <link>https://www.carsguide.com.au/ev/mazda-6e-atenza-102033</link>
            <description><![CDATA[If you&rsquo;re missing the Mazda6 and looking for a new electric car - then Mazda may have the perfect car for you. The all-new Mazda6e Atenza is the flagship of its new electric vehicle (EV) range, with the CX-6e SUV due later this year.The Atenza grade is priced from a very competitive $52,990 and comes equipped with 19-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry, tri-zone climate control, ambient lighting, heated and ventilated front seats, a 14.6-inch central touchscreen and a 10.2-inch digital driver display plus a 14-speaker Sony audio system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. And to make it feel more premium inside there are leather and synthetic suede seats, a two-tone leather-wrapped steering wheel and more synthetic suede on the dash and doors.The 6e Atenza is motivated by a single, rear-mounted motor which produces 190kW of power and 290Nm of torque. It&rsquo;s equipped with a 78kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery, which Mazda claims is good for an impressive 560km of range.Mazda has included a long list of safety features, including autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, blind spot monitoring and 360-degree cameras.&nbsp;The 6e is covered by the same five-year/unlimited km warranty as the rest of the Mazda range, with the battery getting eight years and 160,000km of extended coverage.Service intervals for the 6e are every 15,000km/12 months, whichever comes first, and the car is covered by a seven-year/140,000km capped price servicing plan.&nbsp;]]></description>
            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Stephen Ottley]]></dc:creator>
            <guid>https://www.carsguide.com.au/ev/mazda-6e-atenza-102033</guid>
            <pubDate>Sun, 05 Jul 2026 17:00:00 +1000</pubDate>
                            <dc:category>EV</dc:category>
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            <title><![CDATA[Cupra Formentor S 2027 review: snapshot]]></title>
            <link>https://www.carsguide.com.au/urban/cupra-formentor-s-102040</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The 2027 Cupra Formentor S is the entry-level version of this small SUV line-up in Australia.It&rsquo;s priced from $49,990 before on-road costs.Power comes from a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with 48V mild-hybrid assistance and total system outputs of 110kW and 250Nm.This is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with drive sent to the front wheels only.Cupra claims the Formentor S can do the 0-100km/h sprint in 9.0 seconds. Launch control is standard.The Formentor S is claimed to consume an average of 5.5L/100km, according to ADR 81/02 testing. There&rsquo;s a 50L fuel tank which requires a minimum of 95 RON premium unleaded petrol.Using the claim, this car has a theoretical range of up to 909km.Standard equipment includes 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, a hands-free power tailgate, 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, 12.9-inch touchscreen multimedia system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charger, interior ambient lighting, three-zone climate control, fabric upholstery, electrically adjustable driver&rsquo;s seat and heated front seats.Optional is a panoramic glass sunroof for $2000 and the $2200 Leather and Sound package which adds a 12-speaker Sennheiser sound system, leather-appointed upholstery and front-passenger electric adjustment and memory.The Cupra Formentor originally received a five-star ANCAP safety rating in 2021 and this has been renewed for the updated model based on testing conducted by Euro NCAP in 2025.There are 10 airbags including rear-side and front-centre airbags as standard, plus autonomous emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control with lane centring, a surround-view camera, as well as a parking assist.The Formentor, like all other Cupras, is covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, which is a little lacklustre for a mainstream brand now as many have moved to eight or 10 years, conditional.Logbook servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first.There are three- and five-year pre-paid service packages available that are priced at $1090 and $2190, respectively. In the latter case, this means each service averages out to almost $440 which is fairly average for a European car.]]></description>
            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jack Quick]]></dc:creator>
            <guid>https://www.carsguide.com.au/urban/cupra-formentor-s-102040</guid>
            <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2026 17:00:00 +1000</pubDate>
                            <dc:category>Urban</dc:category>
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            <title><![CDATA[Audi Q3 2027 review: Sportback TFSI 195kW]]></title>
            <link>https://www.carsguide.com.au/luxury/audi-q3-sportback-tfsi-195kw-101861</link>
            <description><![CDATA[It feels like Audi&rsquo;s Q3 has been with us since the dawn of automotive time, but it&rsquo;s only 15 years since the compact five-door SUV began following in the wheel tracks of its larger Q7 and Q5 siblings.And this Sportback TFSI quattro 195kW is the current flagship of the third-gen version above the front-wheel-drive TFSI 110kW and mid-range AWD TFSI quattro 150kW.At $84,400, before on-road costs, it lines up against upper grades of its traditional German &lsquo;Big Three&rsquo; rivals, the BMW X1 and Mercedes-Benz GLA as well as other premium contenders like the Lexus UX and Volvo XC40.For that kind of money it&rsquo;s fair to expect a healthy list of included features and this Q3 tips in 20-inch Audi Sport alloy rims, an &lsquo;S line&rsquo; exterior styling package, keyless entry and start, three-zone climate control, all LED exterior lighting, a big panoramic glass sunroof, a power tailgate, heated electric sports front seats and leather-appointed seat trim.There&rsquo;s also multi-colour interior ambient lighting, a heated leather-trimmed steering wheel, 12-speaker 420W Sonos audio, an 11.9-inch digital instrument display, central 12.8-inch multimedia touchscreen, built-in nav, a head-up display, adaptive cruise, a 360-degree camera view and more, including exterior mirrors that do everything except sit up and beg, suspension with damper control and privacy glass.That&rsquo;s a huge wodge of standard equipment for the category and to top it all our test car featured Madeira Brown matt effect paint for $6370, an Advanced lighting package (Digital Matrix LED headlights with selectable light signatures and animations) at $4225, a Black Exterior package ($2080) and different S design 20-inch alloys ($650). All up, $97,725, including GST.It may be a product of latent colour-blindness but I see this Q3&rsquo;s eye-catching matt finish as a charcoal grey rather than brown. But either way, when combined with the angular slimline headlights, sweeping coupe-style profile and jagged tail-lights it gives the car a distinctive, borderline menacing personality.The standard S line treatment includes specific front and rear bumpers while a thin red light strip across the rear and illuminated four rings logo on the tailgate add a vibrant after-dark lighting signature.The cabin is clean, contemporary and brilliantly functional. A widescreen dashtop array houses the configurable digital instrument cluster and media display touchscreen. Ventilation control is via the screen but in typical Audi style there&rsquo;s a physical dial for audio volume and other functions including the &lsquo;drive select&rsquo; system.The steering wheel is flat on the top and bottom and the controls for indicators on the left and gear position on the right are more flat paddles than conventional stalks. A (successful) space-saving measure, it takes some getting used to but quickly becomes second-nature.Partial leather trim looks and feels quality, the sports front seats are top shelf and details like semi-floating armrests are a cool design touch while making it easier to close the doors.The Q3 measures just over 4.5m long but there&rsquo;s plenty of room in the front and (for me at 183cm) a surprising amount in the rear. Lots of storage options around the cabin for cups, bottles and other bits and pieces with power and connectivity including a pair of USB-C sockets in the front and another pair in the rear.The boot holds a handy 488 litres with the 40/20/40 split rear seat upright, increasing to 1289L&nbsp;when folded. Not only that but the reclining rear seat slides for extra load flexibility.It&rsquo;s also worth noting the Q3 can tow a 2.1-tonne braked trailer, which is pretty handy and a physical temporary spare is a much better option than the increasingly common repair/inflator kit.As its name implies, the Q3 Sportback TFSI quattro 195kW is powered by a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine sending 195kW/400Nm to all four wheels via a seven-speed]]></description>
            <dc:creator><![CDATA[James Cleary]]></dc:creator>
            <guid>https://www.carsguide.com.au/luxury/audi-q3-sportback-tfsi-195kw-101861</guid>
            <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2026 17:00:00 +1000</pubDate>
                            <dc:category>Luxury</dc:category>
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            <title><![CDATA[Mazda 6e GT 2027 review: snapshot]]></title>
            <link>https://www.carsguide.com.au/ev/mazda-6e-gt-102032</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The Mazda 6e is a crucial new model for the Japanese brand, ushering in a new era of collaboration with its Chinese partners, Changan Automobiles. As such, this is not only the brand&rsquo;s first Chinese-built model offered in Australia, but only its second electric vehicle.The good news is Mazda has done a very impressive job positioning the 6e in what is a highly competitive electric mid-size sedan market, with the 6e GT priced from $49,990, plus on-road costs.The GT comes standard with 19-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry, tri-zone climate control, ambient lighting, heated and ventilated front seats, a 14.6-inch central touchscreen and a 10.2-inch digital driver display plus a 14-speaker Sony audio system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.While the underpinnings of the 6e are shared with the Deepal L07, another major plus is Mazda has had a big influence on the design. That means it looks and feels like a Mazda inside and out, albeit with some unique features that make it stand out a little from the current line-up.The 6e is powered by a single, rear-mounted motor which produces 190kW of power and 290Nm of torque, paired with a 78kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery, which Mazda claims is good for an impressive 560km of range.While Mazda has included a long list of safety features, including autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist and more, unfortunately they are not as well-calibrated as they could be for comfortable real-world driving.The 6e is covered by the same five-year/unlimited km warranty as the rest of the Mazda range, with the battery getting eight years and 160,000km of extended coverage.Service intervals for the 6e are every 15,000km/12 months, whichever comes first, and the car is covered by a seven-year/140,000km capped price servicing plan.&nbsp;]]></description>
            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Stephen Ottley]]></dc:creator>
            <guid>https://www.carsguide.com.au/ev/mazda-6e-gt-102032</guid>
            <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2026 17:00:00 +1000</pubDate>
                            <dc:category>EV</dc:category>
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            <title><![CDATA[Skoda Elroq 2026 review: 60 Select long-term | Part 1]]></title>
            <link>https://www.carsguide.com.au/ev/skoda-elroq-60-select-long-term-part-1-101854</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Sales of fully electric cars are booming in Australia at the moment, having accounted for a record one in five new vehicles sold in May 2026.It is good timing, then, for Skoda to launch the first sub-$50,000 European EV to be sold Down Under, the 2027 Skoda Elroq Select 60 small-to-medium SUV.When the Elroq launched with its mid-range Select 85 and flagship 130 Years Edition variants in September 2025, it quickly established itself as one of CarsGuide&rsquo;s favourites in the segment, having been shortlisted for the Medium SUV Under $60K category in our 2026 Car of the Year awards.But the entry-level Select 60 has since arrived to tempt buyers who crave European style and driving dynamics as much as they crave value and zero emissions.But is the Elroq Select 60 actually any good to own?I have got the keys to a Timiano Green example for the next three months to find out.In this three-part long-term review, I will detail the Select 60&rsquo;s pricing, specifications, efficiency and aftersales support.The second instalment will deep-dive the Elroq&rsquo;s design inside and out, as well as its all-important practicality, while the third will be headlined by our full driving impressions and overall verdict.With further ado, let&rsquo;s get into it!How much does the Skoda Elroq cost?As mentioned, the Elroq 60 Select is Australia&rsquo;s first sub-$50K European EV.How much cheaper than $50K is it, though?The answer is just $10. Yep, the Elroq 60 Select costs $49,990 drive-away, which makes it $10K and $20K more affordable than its aforementioned 85 Select and 130 Years Edition siblings, respectively.That said, the Select 60&rsquo;s relatively low price has it well positioned against its competition.Before I go too much further, though, it is worth noting that the Elroq is 4488mm long, which makes it large for a small SUV, and small for a medium SUV.Point being, the Select 60 has rivals all over the place, including one of our 2026 COTY award winners, South Korea&rsquo;s brilliant Kia EV3 and its similarly priced range-opening Air Standard Range ($47,600 plus on-road costs, 4300mm long).Then there is the more affordable but similarly sized MG S5 EV Essence 49 ($42,990 d/a, 4476mm long) and Zeekr X RWD ($48,900 d/a, 4432mm), both of which are Chinese.What does the Skoda Elroq come with?Do not make the mistake of thinking that Skoda took a lot of &lsquo;goodies&rsquo; out of the Elroq to make the Select 60 a sub-$50K proposition.Its list of standard equipment still includes:Keyless entryMetallic paintworkDusk-sensing LED lightsRain-sensing wipers19-inch Proteus alloy wheels with 235/55 tyresAuto-dimming side mirrors with power foldingLED puddle lightsBlack window surroundsBlack roof railsRear privacy glassKeyless start13.0-inch touchscreen multimedia systemWireless Apple CarPlay and Android AutoBluetoothDAB+ digital radioEight-speaker sound system5.0-inch digital instrument clusterWireless smartphone chargerFour 45W USB-C portsOne 12V power outletHeated front seatsHeated steering wheelDual-zone climate controlAuto-dimming rearview mirrorFabric upholsteryLED ambient lightingMeanwhile, the Select 60&rsquo;s safety features include:Autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian, cyclist and junction detectionLane-keep assistSteering assist with emergency functionalityAdaptive cruise control with stop and go functionalityHighway assistBlind-spot monitoringDriver attention alertRear cross-traffic alertA reversing cameraFront and rear parking sensorsSafe exit alertTyre pressure monitoringA tyre repair kitSeven airbags (front-centre and dual front, front-side and curtain)Two ISOFIX child-seat anchorage points (rear outboard)Three top-tether child-seat anchorage pointsThe Select 60 has one option, with the tempting $6000 Signature package adding:Dynamic Matrix LED headlightsPower tailgate with handsfree operationDynamic LED tail-lights12-speaker Canton sound system with a subwooferHead-up display with augmented realityPower-adjustable]]></description>
            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Justin Hilliard]]></dc:creator>
            <guid>https://www.carsguide.com.au/ev/skoda-elroq-60-select-long-term-part-1-101854</guid>
            <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2026 17:00:00 +1000</pubDate>
                            <dc:category>EV</dc:category>
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            <title><![CDATA[Ram 1500 2027 review: Express Black Edition – Australian first drive]]></title>
            <link>https://www.carsguide.com.au/tradies/ram-1500-express-black-edition-102047</link>
            <description><![CDATA[If you were considering a new American ute from one of the brands doing factory-backed conversions here in Australia, you might be about to save yourself some money.This is the new Ram 1500 Express Black Edition, and the brand reckons it&rsquo;s so affordable people might even consider it over a top-end mid-size ute.If you&rsquo;re in the market for a proper big ute and you want to spend less than $110,000 before on-roads, this is your only factory-backed option. But not by much, in fact it sneaks in by just $50.The Ford F-150 XLT is $5000 more expensive before you jump twenty grand to the Chevy Silverado.But there is a decent list of features given you&rsquo;re still paying six-figures for what would be a work ute in the US.There&rsquo;s LED headlights and fog lights, 20-inch wheels, spray-in bed liner for the tub, and the &lsquo;Power Bulge&rsquo; sports bonnet.Inside, an 8.4-inch touchscreen is smaller than you get in the rest of the line-up, as is the 7.0-inch driver display. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and a six-speaker sound system keep entertainment covered, and there&rsquo;s cloth seats, unlike other variants.An electric rear window, damped tailgate, remote start, and a decent set of safety kit including collision alert, auto emergency braking (AEB), rear cross-traffic alert and lane-keep aid ensure the 1500 Express feels current decade.No prizes for guessing what colour a lot of the trim on the Black Edition is. The grille, the badges, the exhaust tips, the wheel covers, even the body paint.You can get the Express Black Edition in red, white, or blue - very American - as well as grey, silver, and of course black.It doesn&rsquo;t look much like a base model from the outside, especially with the aforementioned &lsquo;Power Bulge&rsquo; bonnet. But a little giveaway is the plastic covers on the 20-inch alloys, which are actually alloy wheels but the covers are there for the looks.Another giveaway is the cloth trim inside. That and the smaller screens are pretty noticeable compared to other variants of the Ram 1500.That&rsquo;s not to say it looks &lsquo;cheap&rsquo;, especially when I couldn&rsquo;t reach the passenger door from the driver&rsquo;s seat even if I wanted to.The central storage bin and additional trays for storage means it's less cupholder and more &lsquo;mealholder&rsquo;. It really is an interior so spacious the European mind could not comprehend.Even if the screens aren&rsquo;t as big as other variants, the tech is straightforward and phone mirroring means not having to mess around if you prefer your own apps and settings. The more basic driver display is probably preferable for people who don't want big screens everywhere.Also, the more old-school, manually adjustable seats are comfortable and finding a seating position is easy. The cloth itself is also preferable to leather when it gets hot.The rear seats are similarly very comfortable and there&rsquo;s no shortage of space, plus if you need more room than the tub will afford you there&rsquo;s the option of folding up the rear seats for some interior space.At the back, there&rsquo;s even a little kick-down step for easier access to the tub if you need to reach the tie-down points or grab something out without climbing in.The Ram 1500 also retains its 4.5-tonne towing capacity with the Hurricane engine as long as you use a 70mm towball, and the engine itself feels like it&rsquo;s certainly up to the task.It&rsquo;s a 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline-six unit that makes 313kW and 635Nm, sent through its eight-speed torque converter auto to the rears, or all four wheels if you engage the part-time 4WD.It comes with a fuel consumption claim of 10.7L/100km from Ram, and on our short test loop we averaged 12L according to the computer.The new engine is also more powerful and torquier than the 5.7-litre V8 it replaces (291kW/556Nm) and, while there is just something &lsquo;correct&rsquo; about the sound of the Hemi V8 as you put your foot down in]]></description>
            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Thompson]]></dc:creator>
            <guid>https://www.carsguide.com.au/tradies/ram-1500-express-black-edition-102047</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2026 17:00:00 +1000</pubDate>
                            <dc:category>Tradies</dc:category>
                    </item>
                <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Hyundai Staria 2027 review: Hybrid – Australian first drive]]></title>
            <link>https://www.carsguide.com.au/ev/hyundai-staria-hybrid-102052</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Hyundai&rsquo;s Staria people mover seemed destined to live in the shadow of its segment-dominating cousin, the Kia Carnival.Now though, Hyundai is rolling out a serious overhaul to the Staria van range, including the long-awaited introduction of fuel-sipping hybrid variants.The new Lounge grade we&rsquo;re looking at seems expressly targeted at Carnival buyers. But in a people-mover segment that's suddenly been re-invigorated by a range of options from new brands, does the Staria have what it takes to stand out?Let&rsquo;s take a look.First and foremost - pricing. While you can get a hybrid version of the cargo-hauling Staria Load delivery van at an appealing price point compared to some rivals, the people-mover version is only offered in this new top-spec Lounge variant, for now.A higher trim level than ever before, the Lounge moves the Staria into previously unseen levels of luxury, but it comes at a steep price.At $73,740 before on-road costs, the Lounge is nearly a $20,000 jump over the base people mover, making it a tall order not just to justify the leap to hybrid, but also among its core rivals.This is especially true since Kia has rolled out its version of the same hybrid technology to its Carnival, and you can now get into a base Carnival S HEV from just $56,310.Like-for-like when it comes to spec though, you&rsquo;d be looking at a Carnival GT-Line, which costs $76,840.If you&rsquo;re keen on what this taller and in some ways more spacious Hyundai offers, it might be worth waiting for more affordable versions. Hyundai will need a wider range of hybrids at more affordable price points imminently as it's facing tough fines under Australia&rsquo;s recently implemented New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES).Standard kit on this new Lounge grade includes refreshed LED headlights with an integrated light bar across the front and unique 18-inch alloy wheels.&nbsp;Inside it scores Nappa leather seat trim, heating, ventilation, and power adjustment for the first two seating rows, near fold-flat relaxation mode for the second row, suede headlining, privacy glass, acoustic lamination for the windscreen, and integrated sunshades for the windows in the rear rows.It&rsquo;s a lovely place to be, and that&rsquo;s before we mention the overhauls to the dash design. The pre-update Staria was already ahead of the pack, but the new version takes it to new heights with a fresh sporty steering wheel, a bigger digital dash, the re-introduction of physical buttons for the multimedia and climate controls (previously they were touch-capacitive), a stalk-mounted gear shifter from the brand&rsquo;s EV range, and an update to the all-new software suite.The Lounge also gets a few extra bits of the interior clad with soft-touch finishes compared to the cargo van, particularly in the door cards, although this comes at the cost of dash topping and overhead storage areas.On the practical side, the Staria Lounge and its high roof and seven-seat layout (2 + 2 + 3) means access to the third row is one of the easiest of its contemporaries. You can just stroll between the second-row captains' chairs and room in all three seating positions is more than generous, with all three rows on rails for adjustability.The boot, as is the case with many van-based people movers, is not long, but it is tall and wide. This can be a challenge with baggage when all three rows are in use, as you&rsquo;ll need to stack upward, but more room can also be found in the cabin behind the front seats. Some brands offer a shelf accessory for the boot to help with this. Hyundai does not.The Lounge only offers a tailgate rear. It provides nice shelter in the rain, but it's sheer size means there are limits as to where you can open it.One dire cost of the hybrid powertrain is its lack of any kind of tow rating.On the road, the Staria Lounge is unmistakably a van, missing out on the passenger-car feel of its Carnival cousin, but it&rsquo;s still by far one of the best vans to]]></description>
            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Tom White]]></dc:creator>
            <guid>https://www.carsguide.com.au/ev/hyundai-staria-hybrid-102052</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2026 17:00:00 +1000</pubDate>
                            <dc:category>EV</dc:category>
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            <title><![CDATA[Cupra Formentor 2027 review – Australian first drive]]></title>
            <link>https://www.carsguide.com.au/urban/cupra-formentor-102035</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Volkswagen's spicy Spanish brand, Cupra, is finally launching the updated version of its Formentor small SUV in Australia. It's now offered in more flavours than ever, ranging from mild to extra hot.]]></description>
            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jack Quick]]></dc:creator>
            <guid>https://www.carsguide.com.au/urban/cupra-formentor-102035</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +1000</pubDate>
                            <dc:category>Urban</dc:category>
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            <title><![CDATA[Mazda 6e 2027 review – Australian first drive]]></title>
            <link>https://www.carsguide.com.au/ev/mazda-6e-102023</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Mazda has been a slow starter in the electric car race, but the brand is accelerating with the arrival of its all-new 6e sedan. Sourced from its Chinese joint-venture, this new addition offers good value and proven EV technology wrapped up in Mazda's trademark design.
But is that enough for it to succeed in the competitive EV market? We drive it to assess its merits on-road and judge its value.]]></description>
            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Stephen Ottley]]></dc:creator>
            <guid>https://www.carsguide.com.au/ev/mazda-6e-102023</guid>
            <pubDate>Wed, 01 Jul 2026 10:00:00 +1000</pubDate>
                            <dc:category>EV</dc:category>
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            <title><![CDATA[Volkswagen ID.5 2026 review: Pro long-term | Part 3]]></title>
            <link>https://www.carsguide.com.au/family/volkswagen-id5-pro-long-term-part-3-102014</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Time&rsquo;s up! Our three-month long-term test of the Volkswagen ID.5 Pro is over and I have so many thoughts about this electric car.&nbsp;It does some things way better than its rivals but misses the mark slightly in other areas.This is the stuff you learn over a longer period of time as an owner would discover, too.The best bitsThe Volkswagen ID.5 is one of the best mid-sized electric SUVs I&rsquo;ve driven. The emphasis is on the word "driven", however.Sure Volkswagen might not be the first brand you think of when it comes to EVs, especially given the enormous variety offered by Chinese brands, but the company&rsquo;s cars are nearly always excellent to drive and the ID.5 is no different.Some EVs are just quick at accelerating but the rest of the driving experience feels half baked, from the ride and handling to the steering and driving position.The ID.5 isn&rsquo;t all that quick when it comes to accelerating (0-100km/h in 6.7 seconds) compared to some EVs, but all the components that make a superb driving car are there.The steering is accurate and well weighted, the suspension setup offers both a comfortable ride and sporting handling, the seating position makes you feel part of the car, and, being rear-wheel drive, the ID.5 Pro benefits from better traction, good balance and a sporty feel.The next best ID.5 Pro takeaway is the 543km driving range which is equal to many petrol SUVs. For city dwellers like our family who only do between 60 and 150km a week, it was enough to last a couple of weeks between charges.This month, for example, we only travelled 238km. But keep in mind we have two cars in our family - the one we own and the car I&rsquo;m testing. If we were a one-car family, then you might find the ID.5 needs to be charged weekly.Batteries are very different to petrol tanks and charge can be used up faster, depending on the type of driving. Motorways tend to deplete the charge, whereas lower-speed city driving with lots of braking will conserve the charge.&nbsp;The ID.5 does well on this front. Official energy consumption is 16.3kWh/100km, but we averaged 18.8kWh over three months. Still, many electric SUVs hover above 20kWh and I&rsquo;m sure with more conservative driving the ID.5 would easily hover around the official consumption figure.And my final best bit of the ID.5 is the design. I wasn&rsquo;t sold on the styling at first and I still think this car looks inflatable and odd, but it&rsquo;s such a refreshing change from all the SUVs that seem to look the same. With this unique design the ID.5 oozes premium car quality inside and out.&nbsp;The not so good thingsThe ID.5&rsquo;s biggest drawback is the lack of cabin practicality, and not just in terms of outright space. It feels like VW didn't prioritise storage solutions, which isn't great for a medium sized SUV that'll be considered by families.Seriously, I have driven two smaller electric SUVs recently with far more space and cleverer interior packaging than the ID.5. This lack of clever storage is unusual for a Volkswagen which is a brand that prides itself on its utility.Electric cars don&rsquo;t have drive shafts and transmission tunnels eating into cabin space so there really is no excuse.The boot&rsquo;s usability is reduced due to the sloping coupe roofline and there&rsquo;s no front boot here, either. The mechanically identical ID.4 has a more practical boot. With 549 litres on offer, the boot is large enough for shopping, just don't try to fit anything too tall in there.Yes, there are door pockets and cup holders, but that&rsquo;s about it. A family needs trays, large covered areas, hidey holes and deep wells for all of the bits and pieces that follow them.Add to this a cabin without physical buttons, but with touch-sensitive haptic controls instead for everything from volume to temperature control, and the car loses points for functionality.Would I buy it?The ID.5 would suit people without children or those whose children have flown the nest.]]></description>
            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Laura Berry]]></dc:creator>
            <guid>https://www.carsguide.com.au/family/volkswagen-id5-pro-long-term-part-3-102014</guid>
            <pubDate>Tue, 30 Jun 2026 17:00:00 +1000</pubDate>
                            <dc:category>Family</dc:category>
                    </item>
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            <title><![CDATA[Used Land Rover Range Rover Sport review: 2013-2022]]></title>
            <link>https://www.carsguide.com.au/family/land-rover-range-rover-sport-101860</link>
            <description><![CDATA[It's easy to make a vehicle work on the road or off-road, but it's much harder to make it excel in both situations. But that's precisely what Range Rover did with the Sport model which combines effortless cruising with genuine off-road ability. It even looks great. But that's where the cheering stops, because this is a vehicle with a very patchy reliability record. But should you ignore it now?]]></description>
            <dc:creator><![CDATA[David Morley]]></dc:creator>
            <guid>https://www.carsguide.com.au/family/land-rover-range-rover-sport-101860</guid>
            <pubDate>Mon, 29 Jun 2026 17:00:00 +1000</pubDate>
                            <dc:category>Family</dc:category>
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            <title><![CDATA[Suzuki e Vitara 2026 review: Ultra]]></title>
            <link>https://www.carsguide.com.au/ev/suzuki-e-vitara-ultra-101977</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Suzuki needs you to buy its first EV in Australia, but is it really priced to compete with rivals?]]></description>
            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Tom White]]></dc:creator>
            <guid>https://www.carsguide.com.au/ev/suzuki-e-vitara-ultra-101977</guid>
            <pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 2026 17:00:00 +1000</pubDate>
                            <dc:category>EV</dc:category>
                    </item>
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            <title><![CDATA[Ford F-150 2026 review: Platinum SWB - off-road test]]></title>
            <link>https://www.carsguide.com.au/adventure/ford-f-150-platinum-swb-101851</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The Ford F-150 Platinum is the new top-grade variant in the company’s F Series truck range.
This full-sized dual-cab ute has a refreshed exterior, a 3.5L twin-turbo V6 petrol engine, and 4500kg towing capacity and is taking on the likes of the Ram 1500, Chevrolet Silverado, and Toyota Tundra. 
But at $164,000 (excluding on-road costs) does this big rig justify its price-tag?]]></description>
            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Marcus Craft]]></dc:creator>
            <guid>https://www.carsguide.com.au/adventure/ford-f-150-platinum-swb-101851</guid>
            <pubDate>Sat, 27 Jun 2026 17:00:00 +1000</pubDate>
                            <dc:category>Adventure</dc:category>
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            <title><![CDATA[Kia EV3 2026 review: GT-Line long-term | Part 3]]></title>
            <link>https://www.carsguide.com.au/ev/kia-ev3-gt-line-long-term-part-3-101986</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A little over three months has come and gone and I&rsquo;m parting ways with the Kia EV3 GT-Line.The little electric SUV was awarded Best Small Car Starting Under $50,000 at CarsGuide&rsquo;s 2026 Car of the Year awards in February. But living with a car really reveals its strengths and weaknesses. Is the EV3 still deserving of the title?There are a lot of items in the positive column for the EV3, but it&rsquo;s not without its flaws.I&rsquo;ve covered a lot of this in my first two review instalments with the first one looking at how it stacks up for value-for-money, especially compared to its rivals, and what the aftersales experience is like.Part two focused on how practical the EV3 is, as well as looking at efficiency.In this final instalment I deep dive into the drive experience and give my final verdict.Let&rsquo;s get to it!What's the 2026 Kia EV3 GT-Line like to drive?Kia&rsquo;s current model line-up is pretty solid. I&rsquo;m yet to drive a modern Kia that&rsquo;s not great behind the wheel. From the K4 and Sportage through to the Sorento and even the Tasman ute, Kia knows how to build a driver&rsquo;s car.That&rsquo;s helped by the fact Kia continues to develop local ride, handling and steering tunes through a dedicated localisation program led by renowned specialist, Graeme Gambold.The purpose of this is to improve the global tune of a model to ensure it performs well on Australian roads.Thankfully the EV3 doesn&rsquo;t deviate from this proven formula. While many EVs can feel like generic whitegoods on wheels, the EV3 engages the driver. It&rsquo;s not a performance car, but it&rsquo;s engineered to add some joy to the small electric SUV set.It is an SUV so you do get some level of ride height in the EV3, and the amount of seat and steering wheel adjustment means you should easily find your perfect driving position. Visibility is mostly good, too.One thing the EV3 does well is accelerate. So many EVs have an unnecessary amount of power and torque and when paired with cheap tyres, it results in chirping tyres and an unpleasant experience.But with 150kW and 283Nm from the permanent magnet synchronous motor, the EV3 GT-Line delivers smooth, linear acceleration. It&rsquo;s not jerky, just pleasant, and will dash from 0-100km/h in 7.9 seconds, which is more than fine.Do note though the tyres can spin when accelerating too enthusiastically in wet conditions.Steering has a light feel but it is sharp and engaging. With a 10.4-metre turning circle, the 4.3-metre long EV3 GT-Line is also a dream to park. You can easily navigate tight urban streets and small parking spaces. The only letdown on that front is the fact that there&rsquo;s no front parking camera or a surround camera view. This is a surprise, especially for the flagship grade.The EV3 doesn&rsquo;t feel top-heavy in corners so there&rsquo;s minimal body roll. That can make driving on a dynamically challenging road more fun than you might think. Again, it&rsquo;s no hot hatch, but there&rsquo;s enough there to keep you interested.The ride is compliant and the EV3 handles crappy Australian roads pretty well. There&rsquo;s that local tune shining again. It&rsquo;s hard to escape the impact of harsher bumps, but day to day it&rsquo;s hard to fault.However, on undulating patches of country roads at speed, the EV3 bounces a little. That&rsquo;s when you feel the two-tonne weight of this car. This sensation is not unusual for an EV with the battery pack under the floor. But, carmakers are getting better at addressing this so it is something for Kia to work on.In the three-and-a-bit months I have lived with the EV3, I have done multiple country road trips and with the exception of a few things like the aforementioned bounciness, it&rsquo;s proven to be an excellent highway, freeway and backroad cruiser. It has surprised me how at home it feels on a road trip.It&rsquo;s, unsurprisingly, a deeply competent city car as well. Not just on the road, but the overall interior]]></description>
            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Tim Nicholson]]></dc:creator>
            <guid>https://www.carsguide.com.au/ev/kia-ev3-gt-line-long-term-part-3-101986</guid>
            <pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2026 17:00:00 +1000</pubDate>
                            <dc:category>EV</dc:category>
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                <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Audi Q4 e-tron 2027 review: International first drive]]></title>
            <link>https://www.carsguide.com.au/ev/audi-q4-e-tron-101974</link>
            <description><![CDATA[A top-seller in France, Germany and in the UK, Audi Q4 e-tron volumes have never quite made an impact Down Under.It's not exactly hard to work out why.First introduced back in 2021 in Europe, Audi Australia waited until 2024 before it rolled the Q4 e-tron SUV and swoopier Sportback variant out locally. When it arrived, the premium all-electric compact SUV attempted to woo buyers with its stylish looks and upmarket cabin but its high price ruled out a challenge to the high-grade Tesla Model Ys that still account for most EV sales.Originally ripe for a replacement in 2027, Audi has recently admitted delays to the next-generation platform that should underpin the sequel to the small EV have meant that its current Q4 e-tron will have to soldier on until 2030.Later this year, the Q4 e-tron will be joined by the new A2 e-tron, yet another small crossover that is similar in size but be positioned under the entry Audi SUV.To keep the Q4 fresh, Audi will continually update Q4 e-tron from now on, with faster and cheaper variants already in the pipeline but the latest facelift is one of the biggest model upgrades yet carried out to any Audi, says its maker.Not that many will spot the body-coloured single-frame grille, revised lower bumper design, or even the fresh digital LED headlamps.At the rear, another new bumper and rear OLED tail-lights smarten up the Q4, but it's inside where designers and engineers blew the development budget.Climb in and you're now greeted by the same 'digital stage' hardware as the bigger, pricier Q6 e-tron.You'll love the new 11.9-inch digital instrument cluster that lives behind a single piece of glass alongside a 12.8-inch multimedia setup, and admire how smooth and intuitive all the tech is and appreciate the augmented reality head-up display.For the first time there's even the option of a 12-inch passenger display, which is unheard of in its class, Audi says.Sadly, you'll probably hate that designers have deleted the physical controls for the climate control, but to help compensate, there's a new round steering wheel that replaces the old car's squared-off tiller, and it features proper buttons and rotary controllers to help control some of the tech without having to dive into sub-menus.All the new tech runs the brand's latest Android Automotive operating system that introduces a ChatGPT-powered personal assistant.Under the skin, engineers have added a vehicle-to-load (V2L) charging capability, that allow owners to charge laptops, or an e-bike via a power socket in the rear boot, plus a vehicle-to-home (V2H) feature that can see the Q4 e-tron sell energy back to the grid, power your home, or be topped up using solar.In a bid to boost efficiency, the Audi Q4 e-tron is among the first VW Group vehicles to come with its latest APP350 e-motor that is lighter, features less internal friction and is blended with a trick silicon carbide inverter, new power electronics and fresh software that slashes energy use by 10 per cent.For now, it powers a new 150kW entry version that is paired with a 59kWh battery that provides for a 440km range for the wagon shape and an 8.1 second 0-100km/h sprint.A better bet for Australians is the Q4 e-tron Performance that misses out on the eco-donk but gets a single 210kW rear-mounted e-motor and a larger 77kWh battery for the longer 592km range that is combined with a brisk 6.6-second 0-100km/h dash.Also available will be the fast all-wheel-drive Q4 e-tron Performance that produces 250kW and sees the small Q4 e-tron launch from 0-100km/h in just 5.4 seconds, although the distance it can travel on a single charge falls to 554km.When it comes to charging speeds, the entry and mid-spec Q4 e-tron can only be topped up at 160-165kW, while the all-wheel-drive flagship can now handle a top-up of up to 185kW.All take around 27 minutes for a 10-80 per cent top-up, which means the Q4 e-tron is about to be humbled by the inbound Mercedes-Benz GLA that arrives later this year, which should]]></description>
            <dc:creator><![CDATA[John Mahoney]]></dc:creator>
            <guid>https://www.carsguide.com.au/ev/audi-q4-e-tron-101974</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2026 08:01:00 +1000</pubDate>
                            <dc:category>EV</dc:category>
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                <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Used Honda HR-V review: 2015-2022]]></title>
            <link>https://www.carsguide.com.au/family/honda-hr-v-101839</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Honda&rsquo;s HR-V hasn&rsquo;t been a consistent member of the local new-car community. While Honda launched the original HR-V in early 1999, before 2002 was out, the badge had disappeared from showrooms. And it wasn&rsquo;t until 2015 that the HR-V made its return to Australia.In the meantime, the local market had changed with the cult of the SUV sweeping all before it. Which meant the new HR-V, rather than trading on the novelty of its 1999 original, hit the market as just another compact SUV.Mind you, this wasn&rsquo;t just an HR-V thing, the whole aura around the Honda brand had also pretty much dissipated during those years, making the new HR-V&rsquo;s job even more difficult.With its hidden rear door handles, the CR-V at first glance looked like a three-door, but was actually a five-door in line with buyer expectations in 2015. Even so, the rear seat was pretty cramped and if the HR-V is destined for family-car duties it will suit younger families with smaller kids best.There was only one driveline offered, a 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol engine mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The engine did not feature turbocharging as many did by then, but instead used Honda&rsquo;s 'V-Tec' variable valve timing system which helped boost output. But the numbers tell the story and with just 105kW of power and 173Nm of torque, the HR-V was definitely on the mild side. All HR-Vs were front-wheel drive.Trim levels started with the VTi, VTi-S and the flagship VTi-L. Honda updated the vehicle in 2017 to include sat-nav, but the basic car remained unchanged.Within Honda, this model HR-V is known as the 'RU5'.Is the Honda HR-V a good car?The HR-V is a good car generally, although the accommodation has come in for some criticism over the years. The main complaints are that tight rear seat, but the front seats have also been criticised for a lack of comfort.But all is forgiven when the HR-V shows off its party piece, its clever rear seat which sees the cushions fold up to meet the backrest and you suddenly have a space wide and tall enough to swallow a push-bike.Reliability seems to be up to Honda&rsquo;s usual high standards with very little in the way of known, recurring faults.Honda HR-V reliabilityThe HR-V seems to follow Honda tradition here by being a pretty solid deal. Some owners have reported problems with the electronics, however, so a close check of all the buttons and switches is important before handing over the money.The biggest shadow is the one that lurks over every car with a CVT - the prospect of transmission woes in the future.Honda HR-V problemsThe most common mechanical issue we uncovered concerns the HR-V&rsquo;s CVT. But it&rsquo;s worth noting even though the CVT is the main contributor to repair bills, it&rsquo;s by no means a big chance to run amok. In fact, compared with the CVTs used by many other manufacturers, the Honda&rsquo;s unit is a much better durability proposition.This is possibly because, unlike many carmakers, Honda doesn&rsquo;t just buy in its CVT. Instead, the company designed and engineered its own CVT to take advantage of its efficiency potential without the long-term reliability hassles. And it seems to have worked.That said, some HR-V owners have reported juddering on take-off, a whining noise from the CVT and even slippage as the car tries to accelerate or travel up a hill. In some cars, these symptoms would symbolise the beginning of the end. But in the Honda&rsquo;s case, the good news is the fix is usually quite simple.Those problems are very often caused by nothing more challenging than contaminated transmission fluid. This is crucial stuff in a CVT as the fluid not only cools the transmission, but also provides the driving force and the friction the steel belts need to make the whole thing work. Which is why a change of fluid in a HR-V has often fixed all these problems at once and for good.For the record, the experts reckon changing the fluid in your Honda CVT every]]></description>
            <dc:creator><![CDATA[David Morley]]></dc:creator>
            <guid>https://www.carsguide.com.au/family/honda-hr-v-101839</guid>
            <pubDate>Wed, 24 Jun 2026 17:00:00 +1000</pubDate>
                            <dc:category>Family</dc:category>
                    </item>
                <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Geely Starray 2026 review: EM-i Inspire long-term | Part 2]]></title>
            <link>https://www.carsguide.com.au/family/geely-starray-em-i-inspire-long-term-part-2-101970</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Testing a family car isn&rsquo;t all road trips and beach vacations, it&rsquo;s the little things, the short trips, the meat and potatoes of life.That&rsquo;s exactly what this month was about with the Geely Starray plug-in hybrid doing the daily daycare and preschool drop offs, shopping runs, work commutes and everything in between to find out how the Starray is to live with day in, day out.It&rsquo;s a mid-size SUV, which rivals the BYD Sealion 6, Toyota RAV4 and Mazda CX-5. It measures 4740mm long, 1905mm wide, 1685mm high with 2755mm between the front and rear axles.There&rsquo;s a reason this size of vehicle is the most popular in the nation, it balances the need for interior space with the ability to handle our compact city streets.I fit the Starray into my 1960s era carport, but I can only open one door the entire way, the other about halfway.The Starray's design doesn&rsquo;t rock the boat. It is intentionally inoffensive from nearly every angle, with its rounded front and rear ends, sharp headlights, blocky G-E-E-L-Y badging on the rear tailgate and stylish 19-inch alloy wheels. It won&rsquo;t turn too many heads, but it won&rsquo;t furrow a brow either.Keyless entry grants access to the car as you approach and locks as you walk away. It makes a nice little musical sound as it locks and turns off - it&rsquo;s an instant hit with the kids, they laugh every time.  @carsguide.com.au Driving range is a letdown but the 2026 Geely Starray PHEV impresses! Thankfully an updated version is about to roll into dealerships that increases the range. That will improve the appeal of this mid-size plug-in hybrid family SUV as it faces rivals like the BYD Sealion 6, Chery Tiggo 7 and MG HS PHEVs. #geely #starray #EV #cartok #fyp &#9836; original sound - CarsGuide.com.au   There is no starter button, the car turns on when it senses the key, you&rsquo;ll just need to engage drive with the steering column-mounted gear selector. To turn off, select park, get out and walk away.Inside, the Starray&rsquo;s inoffensive theme continues.The Starray follows the same trend as many of the new wave of Chinese cars that have landed on our shores in the past years.It has a slick looking interior that glitters on the showroom floor and jumps off the spec sheet, but after a few months living with it the lustre starts to rub off a little.The synthetic leather wrapped seats are comfy and the six-way adjustment means most will find the right spot to sit. Throw in the memory function for the driver and a multi-house can all steer in comfort.&nbsp;There are also speakers built into the driver&rsquo;s headrest for phone calls, it sounds odd at first but I&rsquo;m into it. It makes hearing with big and small kids in the car much easier.The steering wheel also has good adjustment, which will accommodate drivers of all shapes and sizes.Heating and ventilation functions for front-seat passengers are appreciated. As is the head-up display that projects vital information such as prevailing speed limit and travelling speed onto the windscreen in front of the driver.One of the Starray&rsquo;s weak points is nearly all functions are controlled through the large 15.4-inch central multimedia screen. This means to you&rsquo;ll need to jump into the screen to adjust most features.It wins back some points with a few shortcut buttons for the demister, internal air and auto air-con, plus a rotary dial for volume control.There are decent storage options with a two-tier centre console. The top deck has two cupholders, wireless device charger, and smallish covered bin. Underneath there is a large open area ideal for a handbag. Large bins in the doors can hold a water bottle and more.One thing that has constantly infuriated me is the Around View Monitoring (AVM) camera. This view is designed to help you not bump into things when you are turning.It switches on every time you engage your indicator, with the camera view taking over the central screen, which turns off CarPlay. Not]]></description>
            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Dom Tripolone]]></dc:creator>
            <guid>https://www.carsguide.com.au/family/geely-starray-em-i-inspire-long-term-part-2-101970</guid>
            <pubDate>Wed, 24 Jun 2026 16:00:00 +1000</pubDate>
                            <dc:category>Family</dc:category>
                    </item>
                <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Hyundai Inster 2026 review: Extended range long-term | Part 3]]></title>
            <link>https://www.carsguide.com.au/urban/hyundai-inster-extended-range-long-term-part-3-101962</link>
            <description><![CDATA[This month we farewell our Hyundai Inster after several months. Are we glad to see it go or is this a pleasantly charming little city car?Before we continue, it&rsquo;s worth noting that we did get the Extended Range variant back after it had been crashed into shortly after our second month of testing began. Read our second chapter for more on how it compared to the Standard Range, but we managed to finish our testing with this version of the car which, at least on paper, seems to be the pick of the range.As mentioned in the previous chapter though, the Standard Range version (which is $3500 cheaper than the $42,500 Extended Range we have) is completely fine, and in some ways superior.Having recently driven many of this car&rsquo;s more price-savvy rivals from China, I noticed how nice and relatively unobtrusive the Inster is to drive.While some more affordable cars, even a size up from the Inster, are full of invasive driver aids, annoying ergonomic features or controls, and sub-standard software, the Inster is refreshingly easy to get along with, and does a bunch of the no-brainer EV driving stuff really well.For example, there are four levels of adjustable regenerative braking, from barely noticeable, to full single pedal mode, and these are nicely tuned so that they feel natural, whatever level of electric motor feedback you might be comfortable with.I&rsquo;ve already mentioned the nice steering and ride in previous chapters, which makes this car feel a cut above its size bracket let alone its price bracket.The active safety features which helped the Inster earn a four-star ANCAP safety rating (harder than you might think for a car this small) are relatively unobtrusive, or at the very least, easy to turn off.The lane keeping aid, which at times can be a bit heavy handed, can simply be turned down by holding a button on the steering wheel for a few seconds, rather than having to dig through menus on the touchscreen. The rest of the safety kit is relatively tame, saving you menu-diving time on start-up.Then there&rsquo;s the cabin practicality on offer. The Inster is a car seemingly very aware of its limited footprint. To that end, while you don&rsquo;t get a centre console box, there are bag hooks hidden everywhere, like on the passenger side of the dash and there are fold-out hooks hidden at the edge of the armrest. Clever.&nbsp;I mentioned in the first chapter how surprisingly spacious the cabin feels in both rows of seating, but one trick this car has is a second row on rails.This means you can roll the seating row forward to either reduce or entirely remove legroom and expand the boot capacity massively.It&rsquo;s a rare feature on most city cars delivered to Australia, but much more common on Asian-market models, like Kei cars from Japan.It means you can have kids or pets in the second row which don&rsquo;t need as much space, while maximising boot space, or passenger room when you&rsquo;re not carrying as much stuff. This makes it versatile, but as you might imagine the airport run isn't it's strong suit.Upsettingly though, there&rsquo;s no frunk. While it might seem gimmicky, frunks can actually be a useful place to put charging cables when the under-floor storage is hard to access because you&rsquo;re carrying luggage.I took the Inster for a spirited drive before I returned it to really test out its driving chops, and walked away impressed.The amount of grip on offer and the solid feeling of the suspension is backed up with a good amount of agility in corners. It combines nicely with a bit of drivetrain punch in Sport mode to make for a fun little car to really push, even if the Hyundai N-style carbon-fibre-look digital dash overhaul is a bit ill-fitting.It took a significant amount of work to get the tyres to eke out a squeal, to my surprise, and the suspension travel is limited enough that much of the uncomfortable feeling when the battery starts to &lsquo;float&rsquo; the whole body of the car on undulating]]></description>
            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Tom White]]></dc:creator>
            <guid>https://www.carsguide.com.au/urban/hyundai-inster-extended-range-long-term-part-3-101962</guid>
            <pubDate>Tue, 23 Jun 2026 17:00:00 +1000</pubDate>
                            <dc:category>Urban</dc:category>
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            <title><![CDATA[Mitsubishi Outlander 2026 review: Plug-in Hybrid EV Exceed Tourer]]></title>
            <link>https://www.carsguide.com.au/ev/mitsubishi-outlander-plug-in-hybrid-ev-exceed-101825</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Mitsubishi was a pioneer in the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) space, launching the first PHEV SUV back in 2013, the Outlander PHEV.Thirteen years on the Japanese carmaker still offers the Outlander PHEV. It&rsquo;s a new-generation model, however the fundamentals are still there.For 2026, the Outlander PHEV received an update that brings a larger 22.7kWh (up from 20kWh) lithium-ion battery pack, increasing the NEDC claimed range to 103km (up from 84km). That translates to 86km on the more real-world WLTP protocol.Additionally there&rsquo;s a higher total system output of 221kW (up from 185kW).Other changes include a new Australian-specific ride and handling tune, new power steering mapping, new steel bonnet fenders, as well as new Bridgestone Alenza 001 tyres. These mirror what the Outlander petrol line-up received last year.A lot of changes are well received and do improve the driving experience. Most notable is the new ride and handling tune and updated power steering mapping. The ride is much less bouncy and brittle, plus the steering doesn&rsquo;t feel overly light anymore, especially at higher speeds.However, the ride still isn&rsquo;t perfect and there&rsquo;s a lot of head toss in the cabin when you go over pimply urban roads and big bumps. Part of this is likely due to the large 20-inch alloy wheels in this Exceed Tourer trim, though I&rsquo;ve driven plenty of other similarly sized SUVs with wheels this big and generally they aren&rsquo;t as crashy.  @carsguide.com.au The 2026 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is the last of its kind in Australia. Many vehicles like the Nissan Leaf and Lexus UX300e used a CHAdeMO charger but these have both been axed in Australia. Although there are still examples of the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross PHEV at dealers, the Outlander PHEV is now the only new vehicle sold with a CHAdeMO charge port. @Jack Quick #mitsubishi #outlander #hybrid #cartok #fyp &#9836; original sound - CarsGuide.com.au   Another change that isn&rsquo;t the best is the price. The Outlander PHEV is now up to $2700 more expensive than it was, depending on the trim level.As a result this top-spec Outlander PHEV Exceed Tourer is now priced from a mind-blowing $74,490 before on-road costs. For context, this is around $10,000 more expensive than the top-spec Chery Tiggo 9 and Omoda 9 from China, and the forthcoming Toyota RAV4 PHEV.For this price you get adaptive LED headlights, a hands-free power tailgate, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, larger 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system, 12-speaker Yamaha sound system, two 240V powerpoints in the cabin and leather upholstery.Notably the Outlander PHEV Exceed and Exceed Tourer trims are exclusively offered with five seats now. If you want a seven-seat version you need to opt for the cheaper Aspire trim.The lack of third-row seats at this level isn't great, but they have always been crammed and basically for kids only.In the cabin it&rsquo;s nice to have the larger 12.3-inch touchscreen which better suits the dashboard compared to the pre-update model. I also appreciate how many physical buttons there are for key functions, including the climate controls.In the Exceed Tourer there is brown leather upholstery as standard which is a little light and dull for my liking. I much prefer the black leather-appointed upholstery that comes in the Exceed.The extra electric range is welcome, but compared to rivals it&rsquo;s still lacklustre. The Chery Tiggo 9 offers 170km of NEDC claimed range, the Omoda 9 offers 169km (NEDC), and the Toyota RAV4 PHEV offers up to 154km (NEDC).A full battery charge offers around 80km of real-world electric urban driving with an as-tested energy consumption of 20kWh/100km.Mitsubishi could likely eke more electric range by doing away with the dual-motor all-wheel drive. The amount of power the car currently produces is more than enough and for the most part it&rsquo;s wasted in urban environments.When the battery runs out of charge, the Outlander PHEV does a good]]></description>
            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jack Quick]]></dc:creator>
            <guid>https://www.carsguide.com.au/ev/mitsubishi-outlander-plug-in-hybrid-ev-exceed-101825</guid>
            <pubDate>Mon, 22 Jun 2026 17:00:00 +1000</pubDate>
                            <dc:category>EV</dc:category>
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            <title><![CDATA[Subaru Trailseeker AWD Touring 2026 review: snapshot]]></title>
            <link>https://www.carsguide.com.au/ev/subaru-trailseeker-awd-touring-101910</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The 2026 Subaru Trailseeker AWD Touring is the flagship version of this electric SUV line-up in Australia.It&rsquo;s now priced from $69,990, before on-road costs, following a $4000 price cut it received before its arrival.This flagship version is priced identically to the related Toyota bZ4X Touring which is only offered in a single, range-topping trim.It&rsquo;s still priced competitively against many rivals like the Skoda Enyaq, Tesla Model Y, Volkswagen ID.4 and Zeekr 7X. There are cheaper rivals out there but they typically don&rsquo;t offer all-wheel drive.Power comes from a dual-motor all-wheel drive set-up with a healthy total system output of 280kW. This is enough to send it from 0-100km/h in just 4.5 seconds, making it the fastest production Subaru model ever offered in Australia.The electric motors are fed by a 74.7kWh lithium-ion battery pack sourced from CATL. Claimed range for this entry-level model is 488km, according to WLTP testing, which is notably less than the entry-level model due to its larger 20-inch alloy wheels.Standard equipment includes LED headlights, a hands-free power tailgate, 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster, 14.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 10-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, dual wireless chargers, a digital rear-view mirror as well as blue and black leather-appointed upholstery.The Subaru Trailseeker received a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating based on testing conducted by Euro NCAP on the related, European-spec E-Outback and Toyota bZ4X in 2025.The entire line-up receives the full safety suite, which is great peace of mind. Highlights include autonomous emergency braking (AEB), blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, driver attention monitoring, front and rear parking sensors as well as a surround-view camera.Like all Subarus, the Trailseeker is covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, which is getting rather lacklustre for a mainstream brand now.The warranty coverage for the high-voltage battery is eight years or 160,000km, which is standard across many brands.Logbook servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first. The first five services are capped and total $984.18, averaging out to around $197 per service.]]></description>
            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jack Quick]]></dc:creator>
            <guid>https://www.carsguide.com.au/ev/subaru-trailseeker-awd-touring-101910</guid>
            <pubDate>Mon, 22 Jun 2026 17:00:00 +1000</pubDate>
                            <dc:category>EV</dc:category>
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            <title><![CDATA[Mazda CX-5 Akera 2026 review: snapshot]]></title>
            <link>https://www.carsguide.com.au/family/mazda-cx-5-akera-101897</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The Mazda CX-5 Akera is flagship model grade in the newly redesigned and enlarged version of the Japanese brand&rsquo;s global best seller.Priced from $54,990 before on-road costs, the Akera builds on the GT SP&rsquo;s equipment stash of adaptive LED headlights, a 360-degree monitor with under-car view, leather trim, a powered front passenger seat, heated rear outboard seats, 12-speaker Bose audio, ambient lighting, glossier trim and 19-inch alloys with a 15.6-inch central touchscreen, panoramic sunroof, vented front seats, gesture-activated powered tailgate, personalised driver-settings memory, paddle shifters and more.Also standard are heated front seats, a powered driver&rsquo;s seat with memory, a head-up display, heated windscreen, heated steering wheel, 10.25-inch instrumentation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a smartphone charger, heated/folding exterior mirrors, a powered tailgate and unique 19-inch alloys.There is plenty of safety too, including advanced driver assist systems (ADAS) like autonomous emergency braking (AEB), front and rear cross-traffic alert, lane support systems, a blind-spot monitor, adaptive cruise control and traffic sign recognition.Under the bonnet is Mazda&rsquo;s long-lived G25 2.5-litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine. If you use regular petrol it makes 132kW of power and 242Nm of torque, but those numbers are bumped up by 6kW and 15Nm to 138kW and 257Nm respectively if using 95 RON-plus premium petrol.As with all CX-5s, drive is sent to all four wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission and part-time AWD system that, in Sport mode, distributes torque more evenly for more grip. There is also an Off-Road mode for gravel, sand or snow situations.The Akera&rsquo;s combined average fuel consumption number is 7.4 litres per 100km, for a carbon dioxide emissions rating of 173g/km. This engine is tuned to operate on 91 RON standard unleaded petrol.From 2028 the Mazda will gain its first strong hybrid, to better take on the Toyota RAV4 hybrid and Nissan X-Trail e-Power.]]></description>
            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Byron Mathioudakis]]></dc:creator>
            <guid>https://www.carsguide.com.au/family/mazda-cx-5-akera-101897</guid>
            <pubDate>Sun, 21 Jun 2026 17:00:00 +1000</pubDate>
                            <dc:category>Family</dc:category>
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