Hyundai’s new Palisade is a tour de force of technology, bold design, luxury feel, and refined drive at a price that should have some of the premium brands sweating.

Price

Initially, the Palisade was launched in the top spec Calligraphy, but now there’s a base model available that costs $18,000 less than the high-end option. The cheaper option is also available as an eight-seat or seven-seat configuration, with a choice of eight exterior colours and four interior trims.

We tested the Calligraphy, and it’s a strong contender for a very specific buyer. If you’re one of the rare parents who needs a genuinely large family SUV for growing teenagers and extra luggage – and have the budget for a $100,000 vehicle – then the Palisade is a solid choice.

The first impression is that the Palisade combines luxury and modern design with plush finishes. The twist-action gear selector is mounted on the steering column which also houses the engine start button, freeing up centre console space. Drivers can start the car with the key, via a biometric fingerprint recognition button in the console or from their phone.

There aren’t too many SUVs under $100,000 that are genuinely big enough to accommodate adults in the third row, but passenger space is where the Palisade excels.

Inside

The Palisade is an eight-seater in standard trim, but for a premium of $1000, you lose one of the middle-row seats for a pair of luxurious captain’s chairs.

Even with all rows occupied, there’s plenty of space in the luggage bay because the full-size spare tyre has been slung underneath the vehicle. There are also two 100W USB-C outlets for each row, and tri-zone climate control ensures all occupants remain comfortable. You’ll also find a 240-volt (max 3.6kW) power outlet in the cargo area to charge devices and power household-type appliances.

On the road

The Palisade’s 2.5-litre turbo engine has a small capacity. However, when integrated into the hybrid system’s six-speed transmission – which houses two electric motors and a larger 54kW motor for driving and regenerative braking – it delivers EV-like acceleration and power.

The Aussie Hyundai design team has again done a great job of getting the ride and handling package right for Australian conditions. The quietness in the cabin is achieved using tyres with internal sound deadening, thicker interior carpeting, added soundproofing of the engine bay and acoustic laminated glass.

A combination of hybrid regeneration and a traditional braking system means the brake pedal has a slightly different feel that you need to get used to. And, although the Palisade has all-wheel drive capability with a 187mm ground clearance, it’s really a mud, snow, and sand car only.

Who does it suit?

The Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy is a genuine premium large SUV, and given the tech, features, and refinement, anyone in the market for a seven- or eight-seat SUV needs the Calligraphy on their shopping list.

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SUV who? At $39,290 before on-road costs, Volkswagen’s evergreen base Golf makes the case for an excellent small hatch, even if the price of an entry-level model isn’t quite what it used to be.

Price

We’ve entered an age where many car brands are doing away with hatchbacks to make way for SUVs. But one of the original arbiters of the humble hatch, Volkswagen, is still carrying the torch for this much-loved type of car.

A new Mk8.5 Golf has arrived on Aussie shores and is available in five grades, from the base $39,290 Life we tested to the range-topping, $71,990 R.

Interior

The Golf Life comes with all the tech you would want in 2026, with a few small, thoughtful touches. Wireless phone charging and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is standard, and VW now fits a small air-conditioning vent in the wireless charging tray to prevent your phone from overheating as they can be prone to do in an Aussie summer.

The base Life comes with the same 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster used across the Golf range, and it works well. The Life gets a smaller 10.3-inch central infotainment touchscreen, but it’s more than big enough.

While some owners will rue the lack of physical air-conditioning and audio buttons and dials, the screen software is easy to figure out.

If you’re not confident at parking, the Life comes with VW’s superb automatic reverse parking feature as standard.

The first thing you notice when you sit in a Golf is a lovely sense of quality. The front seats are excellent, and whether you’re accessing the boot, sitting in the back or trying to do something like pair your phone, everything just works.

There’s plenty of space in the front and back, complemented by a useable 374-litre boot. Endlessly practical, the Golf Life would blend invisibly into the background of however your life looks, in the best of ways.

All Golf models come with a long list of standard safety equipment, including a front-centre airbag and full autonomous emergency braking (AEB), active lane-keeping and blind-spot monitoring. Importantly, VW’s active safety systems all work well, and you aren’t encouraged to go looking for their ‘off’ buttons.

On the road

If you’ve owned an SUV for the last couple of years, driving a low-slung hatchback could be slightly revelatory. In the VW Golf Life, roundabouts somehow require less effort and are more fun.

The Golf Life is a very easy, quiet and refined car to drive. In the corners, the steering and handling are superb for what is a humble passenger hatch.

Who does it suit?

VW has sold 37 million Golfs for very good reason, which continue to be evident in the excellent Life. Highly equipped with standard features, don’t be tricked by the Golf Life’s manual, cloth front seats – this is not a base model like it used to be. That can also be said of the price.

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Kia’s Tasman is setting new benchmarks for dual-cab utes in the areas of interior space and design, tray size and off-road ability. However, its exterior is polarising.

Pricing

The dual-cab pick-up range starts at a very competitive $42,990 for the S 4×2 trim. There are another 11 variants available, with the X-Pro 4×4, which we tested, topping the range at $77,990. On top of the purchase price, there’s a five-year service package available for about $2800, based on 12-month/15,000km servicing intervals.

Design

The Tonka truck-esque external design, with its chunky wheel-arch flares, is divisive among the motoring community and the look might deter some buyers. Once you’ve overcome the exterior shock and hop in the Tasman, you’ll find it has one of the best interiors for a ute. In fact, the Tasman’s interior is more akin to an SUV than a work ute.

There’s lots of space, with wide seats in the front and back. The rear-occupant space is very good and includes heated seats, and the distance between the driver and vertical windscreen adds to the feeling of space. There is 45 litres of storage under the rear seats, enabling smaller items to be stored in the cabin out of view.

There’s also glovebox-sized storage built into the exterior of the right rear wheel arch for tie-down straps and other bits and pieces. However, it would’ve been safer and easier if the storage space was on the other side of the vehicle, so you’re not standing on the traffic side when accessing the area.

The Tasman is a big car at 5.4 metres long and takes some getting used to when parking. The upside of the Tasman’s length is that it has one of the largest tubs for an Australian ute. There are adjustable tie downs and 240-volt power outlets in the lined tub area plus an outlet inside the cabin behind the centre console.

Technology

Kia has the right mix of switches and touchscreen buttons. Three screens – a 12.3-inch driver display, five-inch climate-control screen and 12.3-inch multimedia screen – are seamlessly joined to create an integrated panoramic display. The steering wheel is a squarish design, leaving a bit to be desired.

Performance

The Tasman is based on an all-new ladder chassis platform and sits on an Aussie-developed suspension package consisting of leaf springs on the rear and coils on the front. This provides a quiet and refined ride and exceptional handling for such a tall vehicle.

Most utes need some weight in the back to control the suspension but the Tasman rides well, even without a load. The Tasman has a 3.5-tonne towing capacity and one-tonne payload and comes standard with an integrated trailer brake controller if you want to install a towbar.

The 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel engine is well matched to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The single-turbo design does contribute to a little bit of turbo lag on take-off.

Off road, the Tasman is very capable with various drive modes. It has an electronic locking differential with a dedicated switch, high ground clearance and good underbody protection for the fuel tank.

For a first crack at making a ute, Kia has got the Tasman pretty well right, it’s just a pity about the looks.

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It makes sense that a born-again Volkswagen Kombi is all-electric, given the views of the tie-dyed t-shirt wearing, Beach Boys-blasting drivers who embraced the original in the 1960s.

While more Kombi in spirit than name, Volkswagen’s new all-electric ID Buzz people-mover is now on sale in Australia, offered in four versions.

There’s a short wheelbase five-seater with a 79kWh battery pack and up to 422km of range; a long wheelbase 86kWh seven-seater with up to 452km of range; and a more powerful flagship, all-wheel-drive seven-seater that can travel up to 450km.

For environmentally aware tradies, there’s even a utilitarian cargo model with a three-up bench front seat and room for a pallet in the back.

Only available as an EV, the ID Buzz can be topped up from 10 to 80 percent charge in 26 minutes at a public DC fast charger.

Appealing to original Kombi fans, there are 13 colour options ranging from surf-inspired light turquoise to eyeball-searing tennis ball yellow, to Cherry Red.

The Interior

The ID Buzz invokes the 1960s with its exterior, but the interior is straight out of 2026. The vehicle has a simple design focused around a large 12.9-inch central touchscreen, clearly displaying Apple CarPlay and Android Auto wirelessly.

A smaller 5.3-inch screen behind the steering wheel gives you key info like range and your speed.

It’s hard to not wish Volkswagen had extended the retro touches to things like a knob for the volume and a dial for the air-conditioning, but you get used to using the screen.

As a mostly urban family runabout, the ID Buzz would be superbly practical with its gargantuan 1340-litre boot. Choose the long-wheelbase model and even adults in the third row have ample space, making this electric van a terrific seven-seater.

On the road

The first thing you notice when driving the ID Buzz is the enormous, wide and flat windscreen making you feel like you should be putting Cactus Beach into the GPS system.

A high, almost bus-like seating position grants a commanding view. You’ll be trying to spot yourself in shop windows as you drive past or catching the abundant smiles and turning heads as the ID Buzz radiates good vibes everywhere it goes.

The ID Buzz drives like almost every other EV ever made which is to say it’s smooth, refined and quiet – and very easy to drive.

Two powertrains are available, one with a single, rear-drive electric motor offering 210kW and 560Nm; and a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive version with a grunt-packed 250kW and up to 590Nm.

Even the single-motor version is brisk with its instant electric torque, giving you the flexibility to safely zip across intersections and away from the lights.

Final word

If you need a people-mover, the head might tell you to get a silver Kia Carnival as the top-spec GT-Line Hybrid is about the same price as the entry-level ID Buzz. But buying the reborn electric Kombi would be a no-brainer for the heart.

While the real-world range of about 400km could make Christmas road-trips a tad tricky, as a suburban runabout, you’d always look forward to a drive in the ID Buzz. It also might give you an excuse to wear the old, tie-dyed shirts and give the kids a vehicle they’ll still be talking about in 20 years.

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Kia’s Sportage has had a mid-life refresh, with a couple of hybrid EV (HEV) versions now on offer.

This is particularly important given the increasing popularity of hybrid vehicles as a safe ‘each way’ technological bet before taking the next step to an EV.

The mid-size SUV market is the largest segment in Australia, making it very competitive. Despite the Kia Sportage rising in cost, the new model is still well-priced considering the level of standard equipment and the value of the seven-year warranty.

From the 13-model range, we tested the SX hybrid EV variant, which is about $6000 more than the similar internal combustion engine (ICE) version.

Interior

The SX has most of the nice-to-have features, such as rain-sensing wipers, lumbar support (two-way for the driver), satellite navigation, a remote folding second-row seat, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry, push-button start, and the convenience of connected services.

The Sportage is a mid-size SUV, so entry into the spacious cabin is made easy by the convenience of a Goldilocks seat height – higher than a sedan and lower than a large SUV.

The lower-spec model we tested has a comfortable and roomy interior, but the hard plastic and fabric seats leave a little to be desired.

The 12.3-inch screen provides a high-tech look, but no wireless phone charger is a bit of a shortcoming.

Rear seats recline, allowing occupants a rest on longer drives. There are other handy features, such as a configurable cup holder that adjusts for various-sized containers.

On the downside, the Sportage hybrid’s 1.49kWh battery sits under the rear seat, so there’s only enough room in the HEV models for a space saver spare tyre.

On the road

The SX sits on 18-inch alloy wheels, and the Australianised suspension and steering engineering provides a refined, category-leading ride and predictable handling package.

The Sportage’s electric motor is compactly housed inside the transmission, so you still feel gear shifts, unlike other hybrids that use continuously variable transmission (CVT).

The combination of a 1.6-litre turbo ICE and electric motor delivers maximum power of 169kW, with a useful 450Nm of torque to provide quiet power delivery and good acceleration.

Kia has added value and tech to the Sportage in this mid-model refresh, albeit at an increased price, but it’s still a car worth the cash.

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With a cheaper, new entry-level four-cylinder CX-60, Mazda is fighting back against cost-of-living pressures. But with no hybrid system on offer, is this mid-size SUV simply too thirsty for its own good?

Mazda’s mid-size CX-60 SUV sits just above its best-selling CX-5 and there are no fewer than 18 variants between its four powertrains and five grades.

While there isn’t an entry-level hybrid, there’s a mild hybrid 3.3-litre, straight-six in turbo-petrol and turbo-diesel guises.

Mazda also offers a 2.5-litre, four-cylinder plug-in hybrid, and the 2.5-litre non-hybrid four-cylinder G25 which we tested.

At $44,240, before on-road costs, the four-cylinder, rear-drive G25 Pure kicks off the CX-60 range.

Features

Unlike other brands, Mazda has resisted the temptation to attach a few iPads to the dashboard and call it a day. The slim, 10.25-inch central infotainment screen is smartly incorporated and sensibly positioned. Even the base Pure variant comes with head-up display.

Buttons and dials – for features like audio volume and air-conditioning fan speed – abound in the CX-60’s interior in the best possible way. The CX-60’s Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both wireless.

Our only gripe is that the central display is not a touchscreen, but you do get used to using the BMW-style hand controller.

The wide Lexus-like interior means you’ll never touch elbows with the front passenger, while the driver’s seating position is spot on. The overall design – with its unapologetic European influence, straight lines and mix of materials – looks smart and grown-up. There’s plenty of space in the back seat, the boot is a generous 570 litres, and there’s a space-saver spare wheel.

Safety

All CX-60s come with 10 airbags, a 360-degree surround-view parking camera, front and rear autonomous emergency braking, lane-departure warning and blind-spot monitoring, and almost every other safety feature you could want or need in 2026. On the road, none of the CX-60’s active safety aids are annoying or obtrusive, so you aren’t tempted to turn them off.

Final word

For the most part, the CX-60 is easy and enjoyable to drive with its perfectly sized leather-wrapped steering wheel.

Unfortunately, with no hybrid option, the four-cylinder CX-60 is a thirsty beast. With a full, 58-litre tank, our G25 test car predicted a range of just 350km. On the motorway, we recorded an impressive 5.5 litres per 100km but during normal suburban driving, fuel consumption was double.

Choose your spec and pay an extra $6000 for the turbo-petrol G40e which adds all-wheel-drive, a mild hybrid, substantially more grunt and a healthy dollop of six-cylinder desirability. It might even use less fuel.

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Hyundai’s Inster is an interesting looking car that has more space on the inside than it appears from the outside; and as Hyundai’s smallest electric vehicle (EV), it might be popular if you can look past the price.

There are three variants and we tested the base model which, at close to $40,000, isn’t cheap for a very small EV.

Hyundai must be betting on its reliability and reputation in the market to charge a premium compared to emerging and potentially short-lived Chinese brands which are at a lower price point.

The standard five-year unlimited kilometre warranty can be extended to seven years unlimited kilometres if all scheduled services are completed at an authorised Hyundai dealer.

Interior

Hopping into the driver’s seat, the interior has some fairly ordinary cloth, but it’s good to see the Inster has buttons to control the functions instead of endless screen menus on a touch screen.

Talking of screens, there are two: the centre screen allows access to the less often needed functions such as charge regime, calendar access and internet-connected GPS, and the driver’s screen has all the traditional information like speed, dynamic range calculator and tyre pressure. The tech extends to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto but only via a cable connection.

The Inster is equipped with connected car services as standard. These services are complimentary for the first five years of new-vehicle ownership, after which a subscription fee is charged. Over The Air update technology allows the car’s software to be updated remotely instead of visiting a workshop.

The Hyundai has a large wheelbase for a small car, allowing for a slightly better ride and more interior space for four occupants. The 60/40 rear seats slide to give either more cargo or more leg room, and because there’s no spare wheel, there’s space for the charging cable in under-floor storage in the boot. Overall, the tall boxy design allows for good headroom and a wide view out of the car.

On the road

The single-motor, single-speed electric motor isn’t quick for an EV but it’s still adequate for city driving. Charging for the 42kWh battery is via a front grille mounted port and supplies a 327km range. There’s an extended range model available that increases the range to 360km.

The stated energy consumption of 15.6kWh is around the mark in the real world. Inster’s Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) functionality also lets you charge or power devices such as electric bicycles, scooters and camping equipment.

The on-road handling, even on 15-inch alloy wheels, is pretty good and has the right balance of good ride and cornering stability. The longer wheelbase helps with these attributes but seems to have come at the cost of a slightly larger turning circle. Unfortunately, the drive is only spoilt by some of the annoying safety systems intervening.

The Inster is a lot of car in a little package, but the price may affect its competitiveness in the very active EV market.

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The Subaru Forester helped launch the SUV craze in 1997. Since then, more than 300,000 Foresters have hit Aussie roads.

They’ve reliably shuttled around young couples, families, empty-nesters and, eventually, been handed down to new drivers – sometimes all within the same family.

In 2025, there’s a new, sixth-generation Forester. It faces stiff mid-size SUV competition from the best-selling Toyota RAV4 Hybrid and also a slew of new, cheaper and hard-working Chinese rivals.

Features

Can it keep up? Subaru calls it “all-new” but in reality, the latest Forester has had a heavy facelift with new styling inside and out and is slightly longer and wider. In big news, buyers can now choose a hybrid option.

Prices start at $43,490 for the non-hybrid base model and go up to $55,990 for the top-spec Hybrid Touring (before on-road costs). The internal combustion engine model used 8.3 litres per 100km during our testing – quite high for a vehicle this size.

The hybrid uses less, but its claimed combined consumption of 6.2 litres per 100km falls well short of the RAV4 Hybrid’s 4.8 litres per 100km.

Inside, there’s a smart yet robust, but not overly luxurious vibe. To an existing Subaru owner, it will feel familiar.

While plenty of functions live in the large 11.6-inch central portrait touchscreen, Subaru has mercifully used hard buttons and dials for controlling functions such as the air-con temperature and audio volume.

On the road

At 1830mm wide, the Forester is on the narrower side for a mid-size SUV and you do notice it a little bit inside. But at 4655mm long, there’s plenty of leg room in the front and rear, and the boot is a generous 496 litres (484 litres for the hybrid).

The non-hybrid Forester comes with a full size spare wheel, but the hybrid makes do with a puncture repair kit.

On the road, the Forester is one of those cars that feels right to drive even within the first five minutes. The controls feel spot-on, the active driver aids only intervene when you need them, and it’s comfortable and surprisingly quiet.

The Forester could, and would, invisibly blend into the background of your life. It’s quite good in the corners. For life or work, if you regularly find yourself driving in the Hills and are confident, the Forester’s impressive dynamics is where it outshines its Chinese rivals.

Final word

The Forester remains a solid option, and the $46,490 base hybrid is the pick of the bunch. It’s safe, spacious, drives well, and is, overall, a low-risk vehicle. Its interior continues to balance form and function sensibly, and while the hybrid isn’t as efficient as other hybrids, for families it will tick plenty of boxes over long-term ownership.

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