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2025 was an enormous yr for brand spanking new mannequin launches, and 2026 is ready to see one other inflow of recent product on Australian shores – and never all of it’s from China.
There’s every part from new generations of top-selling autos just like the Mazda CX-5, Subaru Outback and Toyota RAV4, by way of to high-end fare like the primary electrical Porsche Cayenne and the Aston Martin Valhalla.
Throw in some intriguing new choices just like the Honda Super-One and Xpeng X9, in addition to the return of the
Honda Prelude, and there’s one thing for everybody.
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Here are the brand new vehicles, utes and SUVs that the members of the CarExpert group are most excited to get behind the wheel of in 2026.
Paul Maric: Ford Ranger Super Duty
I’m excited to spend some extra time with the Ranger Super Duty.
It’s a important automobile for Ford – it’s the model’s probability to steal enormous market share from Toyota within the LandCruiser 70 Series area.
It will in the end depend on reliability – one thing that Ford has struggled with prior to now and that fleets paying this type of cash received’t stand for.
Alborz Fallah: Toyota Century
I’m ready to position my order on a Toyota Century. Failing that, I’m eager to see the supercars coming from Hyundai and the plethora of Chinese manufacturers.
Marton Pettendy: Ford Ranger Super Duty
At the very least, the hardest manufacturing facility Ranger ever is a flex for the ingenuity and perseverance of Australia’s ongoing automotive engineering business.
At the very most, the primary Super Duty-badged Ranger has acquired so many upgrades at a elementary chassis degree that it most likely deserves its personal distinctive mannequin identify and exterior design, however it’s comprehensible why Ford would need to leverage the nameplate of Australia’s best-selling mannequin for the previous two years.
Either method, it’s excessive time that Toyota’s trusty – however successfully 40-year-old – LandCruiser 70 Series had some competitors, and that Aussies who want or need an outback-, mine- or farm-ready workhorse had an alternative choice.
James Wong: Cupra Formentor VZ5
In a world the place distinctive engine notes are quick changing into a factor of the previous, Cupra Australia has dedicated to releasing the five-cylinder Formentor VZ5 subsequent yr.
As we’ve come to like from Audi Sport’s ‘RS’ steady, the two.5-litre five-cylinder turbo-petrol engine within the VZ5 will supply a particular five-pot soundtrack to go along with its hyper hatch-rivalling efficiency. If something, this engine is greatest suited to the Formentor’s baby-Lamborghini appears.
Zero to 100km/h tempo in simply over 4 seconds mixed with the Formentor’s eager dealing with must be a bloody hoot. The evaluations out of Europe for the unique had been overwhelmingly constructive, and I hope to get a steer of 1 – ideally on a racetrack (trace trace Cupra Australia) – in 2026.
William Stopford: Cadillac Lyriq-V and Lexus ES
Okay, so the Cadillac Lyriq-V isn’t the kind of V-Series Cadillac I’ve been hoping would come right here for over 20 years – it’s not a sedan and there’s no spicy combustion engine beneath the bonnet.
Still, the Lyriq-V takes Cadillac’s already spectacular middle-child electrical SUV and dials up the efficiency whereas protecting aesthetic adjustments to a tasteful minimal.
It’s the one one of many three Cadillacs due right here subsequent yr – the others being the superb Optiq and Vistiq – that I didn’t get to drive within the US again in June. General Motors has some gifted engineers, so I’m eager to see how properly they’ve crafted a high-performance electrical SUV.
I’m eager to drive the brand new Lexus ES as properly. I do get pleasure from a pleasing luxurious sedan, and I discovered myself surprisingly taken with the most recent Toyota Camry.
The new ES is the primary era to supply a alternative of each hybrid and electrical energy, and the dual-motor all-wheel drive ES500e sounds significantly attention-grabbing.
But I’ve some critical reservations in regards to the new ES. Its exterior is one way or the other a mixture of overstyled and generic 2020s Chinese sedan; its inside has gone full Chinese with an enormous display screen and just about no buttons.
Beggars can’t be choosers, although. Lexus nonetheless doesn’t have a brand new era of IS, and we haven’t even gotten the present one for a number of years in Australia. With the LS limo seemingly on its method out (sacrilege!), this can be Lexus’ solely sedan right here quickly.
I’ll additionally throw in a point out to the Denza Z9 GT, an opulent sports activities wagon by BYD’s premium model, supplied with plug-in hybrid or electrical energy. Denza Australia hasn’t formally confirmed it but, however it positive looks like a fait accompli, and I’d like to expertise China’s reply to the Porsche Panamera and Taycan.
Damion Smy: Jaguar Type 00, Honda Prelude
Who is aware of if it should seem in 2026, however I’m completely fascinated with the reinvention of Jaguar and what that may deliver.
Of vehicles which are truly locked in, the Honda Prelude could possibly be the beginning of some nice new showroom battles, even when the primary abroad evaluations aren’t raving about it. Hello Celica, MR2…
Sean Lander: Ford Ranger Super Duty
No remark required, I simply need one.
Josh Nevett: Genesis GV60 Magma and Hyundai Ioniq 6 N
Performance EVs are nonetheless a tough promote for many individuals together with myself, however Hyundai is likely one of the few manufacturers to have efficiently lower by way of that skepticism with the bonkers Ioniq 5 N.
And subsequent yr, the Korean automaker guarantees to enhance on that recipe.
For one, it should introduce a sedan model – the Ioniq 6 N – which brings sleeker appears and superior aerodynamics.
Then there’s the Genesis GV60 Magma, a barely softer, extra luxurious, and really orange model of the Ioniq 5 N that we’ve come to know and love.
Neither are more likely to promote in nice numbers, however the few who do make the leap aren’t more likely to remorse it.
Ben Zachariah
Toyota has but to substantiate precisely what’s within the pipeline, however there are rumours of the corporate reviving the Starlet – doubtlessly to switch the Yaris – with unconfirmed studies of a spicy GR Starlet in growth.
Though it’s unlikely to make it into dealerships in 2026, it’s doable we’ll see some thrilling reveals from Toyota and Gazoo Racing within the new yr, and I’m right here for it.
Max Davies: Lexus ES
Perhaps I’m an previous man at coronary heart.
When the next-generation ES was revealed on the Shanghai motor present in April, I used to be excited that Lexus wouldn’t solely be constructing a brand new sedan at the same time as sedans decline in reputation, however that it will additionally make it electrical.
I’ve been saying a luxurious electrical sedan from Lexus can be a improbable prospect since I reviewed the UX300e small electrical SUV in 2024, and I’m glad the model clearly took my recommendation to coronary heart.
We already know that Lexus Australia will supply each hybrid and totally electrical powertrains within the new ES; the one factor that may make it higher is bringing the all-wheel drive possibility on high. Wishful considering maybe, however it’s the closest we’ll get to a brand new rear-drive luxurious Lexus sedan.
But anyway, the poise of the current-gen ES certainly signifies that Lexus will be capable of make a beautiful motorized vehicle as soon as once more. The solely factor I can grumble about is that it isn’t as attractive because the mannequin it’ll change.
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