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Australia is one of the most fiercely-contested sales arenas in the world today, with more than 60 brands and counting fighting for a modest 1.2-million-unit market annually.Tough doesn’t even start to explain the situation.Now, with the recent Climate Change Authority’s recommendation that electric vehicle (EV) sales jump from today’s 10 per cent market penetration to at least 50 per cent by 2035 to achieve emissions targets, it is vital that Australian buyers willingly take the leap into full electrification.To that end, here are five EVs not-yet available locally that could lure consumers in. Let’s go.Built at the old Fiesta supermini factory in Germany, the inexplicably-named Explorer EV (no relation at all to the larger, non-electric American Toyota Kluger-sized SUV with exactly the same badge – are there no other names, Ford?) is not what it seems.Under the boxy exterior is a Volkswagen ID.4 mid-sized EV SUV. This is a strong basis for any family-friendly electric car, offering a pleasing depth of quality engineering. Ford’s contribution has been in its unique styling inside and out, as well as on-brand dynamic tuning.Launched last year, initial sales in Europe tanked, but demand has really started to pick up lately, as consumers respond to the Explorer’s chunky styling, involving handling and sophisticated interior. With up to 600km of WLTP range available, efficiency is also impressive.This Euro Explorer is exactly the sort of EV Ford Australia needs: handsome, athletic, capable and clean.Especially as the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) will increasingly penalise carbon-heavy polluters like diesel-powered utes and SUVs – which is what Ranger and Everest are respectively, making up about 90 per cent of total local Ford sales.But there are no plans for Explorer EV to be imported. It seems like a no-brainer. What a shame.The retro-chic Renault 5 E-Tech city car is a sales and critical success, and deservedly so, offering an alluring blend of style, affordability and technology. Europeans are going gaga over this French supermini, and all indications suggest we soon will be, too. Fingers crossed.But its big brother, the Renault 4 E-Tech, might be an even-better fit for Australia, given it is a higher-riding SUV/crossover, with proper practicality lurking underneath that utilitarian design. With only hints of the original, ground-breaking R4 of 1961 – widely considered to be history’s first volume hatchback – the 2025 reimagining treads a fine line between post-modern-cool and ultra-contemporary-funk.Fun fact: unlike the original Renault 5 supermini of the 1970s, Australians could actually buy the first R4, from 1963 to 1967, and it was even manufactured in Melbourne.Chinese giant Geely has the resources and might to stamp its authority in the bottom end of the EV market in Australia with this – the Geome Xingyuan.And an anticipated sub-$30,000 entry price wouldn’t be the light urban crossover’s only strength.Aimed at the BYD Dolphin, GWM Ora and Hyundai Inster, the Geome has gone gangbusters back in China, with buyers liking and subscribing its cutesy organic styling, surprisingly spacious cabin and ease of operation – aided by plenty of pep, perky handling, decent range and a generous wad of safety tech. What’s not to like from an EV that, in China, kicks off from well-below $20K? At $25K the Geome would rule.With a name like that, this European EV supermini sounds like it should be Chinese, but the Grande Panda is very much an elegant – and thoughtful ­– slice of Italian design.Based on Stellantis’ Smart Car Platform that supports internal combustion engines as well as battery electric tech, accessibility was high on the Grande Panda’s engineering brief, meaning that, were it to join its glamorous 500e supermini sister in Australia, it should be priced very competitively. Like history’s best Fiats have always been.This is the sort of fun and fiery yet ultra-functional city car that the company is famous for – and the retro styling that harks back to the beloved, Giugiaro-penned 1980 Panda original makes no bones about that. Interesting detailing, great proportions and an inviting interior presentation are further drawcards, proving that Italy still knows how to make cracking small cars. And did we mention the Grande Panda was designed to be attractively priced?OK. This is little more than the high-flying Renault 5 E-Tech wearing a 2000s-era Mk3 Micra-esque face with adorable semi-circular LEDs to set it apart.But, in an era of capable if unexciting SUVs, ageing utes and even-older 4WDs, Nissan deserves to offer something fresh and youthful.And, anyway, until the late 2010s and Tesla Model 3, the brand’s Leaf small car was the most successful EV in history. Whether lightning strikes twice with the vital third iteration from next year remains to be seen, but in the meantime, the Micra EV proves that there is real heart as well as a sense of fun at Nissan. Even if it is so clearly little more than a badge-engineered R5. But there could be worse cars to be based upon.

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Chinese auto giant Chery may have kick-started the Chinese push into the Aussie new-car market, but in recent years a slew of other challengers from China have joined it.How’s this for a laundry list of newcomers within the last few years? BYD, Deepal, Foton, Geely, a ramped up GWM Haval, JAC, Jaecoo, LDV, Leapmotor, MG, Omoda, Smart, XPeng and Zeekr, with Aion, Avatr, GAC, Jetour, Lepas, Lynk & Co, Skywell and others waiting in the wings.Phew! Talk about an onslaught… and that’s not even taking into account other arrivals like Cupra from Spain, a reinvigorated Mahindra from India and a reborn Smart from Germany (via China).So, as an established competitor in this market do you adopt a siege mentality, pull the doona over your head and hope it all goes away or embrace the fluidity and look for opportunity in chaos?Clearly Skoda Australia Director Lucie Kuhn is an opportunity seeker because when recently asked about the dynamics of the current market, she told CarsGuide, “The Chinese will be with us. We can’t avoid it.“I think it is obvious that for every OEM in the Australian market right now the situation will be quite challenging. “But it will be for everyone, it’s not only for Skoda. It will also be for the big players a challenge to face mainly an influx from China.“It’s a matter of how you take this topic. Do you perceive it as a threat or an opportunity?” she said.And Kuhn sees Skoda’s relatively small scale as a potential advantage.“When you operate in rather niche volumes the threat of getting somehow harmed is smaller than maybe for the brands that have really significant market share.“The Chinese will grow pretty strong and get their market share; this is obvious. The next three years will be intensive for everyone.” And when asked if the brand’s ‘clever’ positioning still does enough to stand the Czech brand apart with so many new players coming in, her position is clear.“We believe so. I think in (the next three years) we have something to offer, to empower the brand, to increase the awareness, to offer this European value, consistency in products, safety, servicing, the customer experience that is around it. “I am quite sure that we will keep going and growing our sales, as well,” she said. And with a recent product refresh up and down the local Skoda range her confidence appears to be well placed.New products coming into the local Skoda portfolio include the recently launched MY26 Kodiaq (now with a flagship RS version), updated Octavia RS, fourth-gen Superb and the just-arrived Elroq compact EV SUV arriving in tandem with the updated Enyaq medium EV SUV.And soon enough they will be joined by the city-sized Epiq EV SUV and a production version of the large three-row Vision 7S, both confirmed for Australian sale by 2027.

Toyota will introduce its first plug-in hybrid (PHEV) in Australia in the first half of 2026, the RAV4 PHEV, and it hasn’t been shy on saying more will be coming down the track.Toyota Australia Vice President of Sales and Marketing Sean Hanley said PHEV technology is “scarily convenient”.“I think plug-in hybrid is going to be a tremendously big seller over the next five years and with battery technology evolving, it offers a big, broad scope of capability,” said Hanley.While Hanley didn’t give any specific examples of what the additional PHEV models will be, he noted they’ll likely be SUVs or passenger cars.“ think less in the commercial space, more in the SUV, passenger space,” said Hanley.Globally Toyota offers plug-in hybrid versions of the Prius liftback, C-HR SUV, Crown Sport crossover and Crown Signia wagon.At this stage it doesn’t offer any plug-in hybrid commercial vehicle, with Hanley noting hydrogen will likely be better suited for these types of vehicles in the long term.“Not to say it’s impossible, but I think hybrid technology in those vehicles is probably better at the stage suited.“Then I think ultimately in that 10-year horizon … it’s hydrogen. That’s the ultimate for those heavy commercial vehicles.”Hanley hasn’t been afraid to say that hydrogen will likely overtake diesel in the future.However, PHEVs are currently surging up the sales charts even though the Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) exemption for novated lease buyers ceased earlier this year.In the first eight months of 2025, a total of 33,550 PHEVs have been sold, which is up 47.3 per cent year-on-year.This is primarily thanks to emerging Chinese players like BYD, Chery and GWM. The BYD Shark 6 PHEV ute, for example, cracked the top 20 best-sellers list in August 2025.When the Toyota RAV4 PHEV arrives next year in new-generation guise, it will be far from the first in the segment to have this kind of powertrain technology, but this mid-size SUV is already incredibly popular.Earlier in 2025 it was tracking to be the best-selling vehicle in Australia, however now the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux utes are outselling it.Toyota is set to offer the RAV4 PHEV on two trim levels and with two different configurations.A front-wheel drive version available only on the mid-spec XSE trim pairs a 2.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor producing a system output of 200kW.Then an all-wheel drive version available on the XSE and top-spec GR Sport trims gains an additional electric motor on the rear axle boosting the system output to 227kW.All RAV4 PHEVs get a 22.7kWh lithium-ion battery pack. EV range and claimed fuel consumption hasn’t been confirmed yet.

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Toyota Australia has released an ‘Aero Performance Package’ option for the flagship GTS grade of its rally-inspired GR Yaris hot hatch.Scheduled to arrive towards the end of this year, the new treatment includes a large duct and grille on the hood to enhance engine cooling, a manually adjustable rear spoiler, a lip spoiler on the nose, fender ducts located between the front wheels and doors as well as ducts on each side of the rear bumper and a new floor undercover to smooth airflow under the car. According to Toyota, design of the new elements has been directly influenced by the brand’s current involvement in the Japanese Rally Championship and Super Taikyu endurance racing, with input from professional driver Kazuya Oshima (who also competes in Super Formula and Super GT categories in Japan).Toyota Australia Vice President Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations Sean Hanley said the new Aero Performance Package showed how learnings in motorsport fed into the development of Toyota sports cars.“We’ve always said that Toyota Gazoo Racing expertise is used to make ever-better production cars and the GR Yaris GTS Aero Performance Package is clear evidence of just that.“These upgrades make the dynamic GR Yaris even more potent, helping to increase grip, braking and overall performance, while also adding some serious visual flair,” he said.The GR Yaris is powered by a 1.6-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine sending 221kW/400Nm to all four wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox or eight-speed automatic transmission and Toyota’s ‘GR-Four’ AWD system. Claimed combined cycle (urban/extra-urban) fuel economy is 8.2L/100km for the manual and 9.1L/100km for the auto. The 50-litre fuel tank should be filled with 98 RON premium fuel.Leather and suede accented heated sports front seatsEight-speaker JBL audio (with digital radio)Climate control air conditioningLeather-trimmed heated steering wheelLED headlights, DRLs & tail-lights12.3-inch digital instrument display8.0-inch multimedia touchscreenSatellite navigationAlloy pedal covers18-inch BBS forged alloy wheelsMichelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres (225/40)High-performance suspensionFront and rear Torsen LSDGlacier WhiteLiquid MercuryTarmac BlackFeverish RedWhile the Toyota Yaris has a maximum five-star ANCAP rating from assessment in 2020, the GR Yaris (which launched in Australia in 2021) is unrated. But standard active and passive safety is comprehensive.Active cruise controlLane Departure AlertPre-Collision Safety SystemRoad Sign AssistLane Trace AssistAuto high beamBlind Spot Monitor & Safe Exit AssistReversing camera (with guidelines)Front & rear parking sensorsRear cross-traffic alertSix airbagsThe Yaris GR is covered by Toyota Australia’s five-year/unlimited km warranty. If your car is serviced on schedule at an authorised Toyota dealer, powertrain cover is extended to seven years. Emergency assistance is included for seven years. Service interval is six months/10,000km with each service costing $310 over the first five years.The GR Yaris is 3995mm long, 1805mm wide and 1455mm tall with a 2560mm wheelbase.

Volkswagen have added to the Polo range with the CityLife offering, an upgrade from the entry-level Life.The CityLife starts from $32,790, which is $2000 more than the Life.It is powered by the Polo’s familiar 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine that produces 85kW of power and 200Nm of torque delivered to the front wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch auto. At 5.5L/100km, the CityLife is more fuel efficient than the 2.0-litre engine in models that drink at a rate of 6.7L/100km. The CityLife borrows some of the kit from the more expensive Style grade such as keyless access and 16-inch alloy wheels. It features a proactive occupant protection system and park assist. Sitting in the middle of the Polo range, the CityLife pitches to buyers looking for something to bridge the gap to more expensive options.The Polo CityLife will be available in dealerships from November. The Polo has kept its two engine options with the 1.0-litre and 2.0-litre turbo-petrol units.8.0-inch multimedia screen15-inch alloy wheelsDarkened rear tail lights clustersHeat insulating tinted glassCustomisable digital cockpitApple CarPlay and Android Auto (wireless and USB)Automatic dimming rear-view mirrorElectrically foldable, heated and adjustable exterior mirrorsLeather steering wheelMetallic gloss inlays on dashboard, front centre console and door trimsWireless device chargerSix-speaker stereo16-inch alloy wheelsKeyless accessWireless phone charger Carpet front and rear floor matsNavigation, audio and telephone connectivityComfort sport front seatsComfort sport cloth upholsteryInterior chrome elementsLower air intake with chrome trim18-inch alloy wheelsBush stainless steel finish accelerator and brake pedalsRed inlays on dashboard, front centre console and door trimsGTI sports cloth upholsterySports seats with additional side bolsteringExtended Electronic Differential LockRear roof spoilerDiffuserSeven airbagsDriver attention alertLane keep assistFront and rear parking sensorsRear view cameraAdaptive cruise controlPark assistSide assist with rear traffic alertProactive occupant protection systemVolkswagen covers its vehicles with a five year/unlimited km warranty. Volkswagen offer a pay as you go capped price servicing program (see table below) or you can prepay for a three or five-year service packs. Three years costs $1566 or $2870 for five years, which both deliver savings on the pay as you go. 

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