Best Electric Cars by Price, Size & Category in Aus

And so the time has come to say goodbye to ‘my’ Nissan X-Trail e-Power Ti. It’s been four months since I collected keys and it’s been a memorable ‘ownership experience’, with the 'Scarlet Ember' test vehicle subject to the trials and tribulations of urban life.It’s been about two months since I provided my second update on the X-Trail e-Power, three weeks of which I was lucky enough to spend holidaying in Japan.But it’s otherwise been hard at work, so much so that during that time it actually found itself being part of a comparison review led by one of our many wonderful contributing journalists, Byron Mathioudakis.Senior Journalist Richard Berry previously compared the X-Trail e-Power with the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV in a test of different approaches to hybrid technology, but in this new (yet to be published) comparison review it went tyre to tyre with a segment newcomer, the Honda ZR-V e:HEV.At the risk of spoiling Byron’s written and video pieces on the head-to-head, it was enlightening to drive the X-Trail e-Power back-to-back with a fellow low-emissions mid-size SUV, particularly from a driving dynamics point of view, which brings me to the main focus of this third and final instalment of my EVGuide long-term review of the Nissan.So, just how well does the X-Trail e-Power drive? Well, it’s safe to say it’s an accomplished vehicle with its own mixture of positives and negatives, which I’ll get to right now.It should go the whole way, though, just like the Nissan Leaf EV does. However, you can flick the gear selector into B mode, which levels up the combined regenerative braking, albeit not noticeably.Straight-line performance, though? Well, the X-Trail e-Power comes into its own there, with its dual electric motors delivering predictably smooth and silent acceleration – unless pedal inputs are heavier, at which point the petrol generator (a 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine) quickly springs into action to charge the relatively small onboard battery that links the two propulsion methods in this series hybrid powertrain. It operates at least two different speeds, depending on the load.If you do go hard, you get to experience every single one of the X-Trail e-Power’s combined 157kW of power. It’s deceptively quick off the line, such is its overall refinement.Either way, with the 'Sport' drive mode engaged, you can sprint from a standstill to 100km/h in seven seconds flat, which was hot-hatch levels of performance not that long ago.And there’s no traditional transmission interrupting drive with gear changes. Make no mistake, electrification makes everyday commuting that much better.That EV factor grows stronger when it comes to Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH) levels – in fact, it excels. Point being, the X-Trail e-Power’s occupants are treated to near-silent operation, until its petrol generator intermittently kicks in and drones at a consistent speed, which can grow tiresome when it happens while stopped at the traffic lights, where the noise generated is relatively high.It’s also worth noting the X-Trail e-Power’s advanced driver-assist safety systems are very mature, with Nissan having refined its 'ProPilot' suite over the years.For example, the lane-keep assist isn’t too intrusive, which is increasingly rare these days. If you turn on the adaptive cruise control and engage steering assist, it gets even better, with autonomous steering inputs well-measured and in-lane positioning just right, the combination of which makes highway driving a breeze.Now, for the third and final time, let’s talk about the X-Trail e-Power’s fuel consumption. Again, the whole premise of a series hybrid powertrain is greater efficiency, so how well has this one performed over the past two months?Well, I averaged 7.0L/100km over 1344km of driving, which included more high-speed stints than my two previous efforts. Point being, petrol use was predictably higher, although not by that much.Either way, that brings my total result to 6.9L/100km over 2822km behind the wheel. As a reminder, 6.1L/100km is the claim here, and given my driving style, that delta is rather good. But the overall numbers still trail that of the RAV4 Hybrid. Acquired: August 7, 2023Distance travelled this month: 1344kmOdometer: 7214kmAverage fuel consumption this month: 7.0L/100km

Lexus has released a revamped version of its smallest electric SUV, the UX300e and I’ve been driving the Sports Luxury grade this week with my little family of three.This model sees a few key upgrades to its battery performance, driving range and technology.These improvements should see it continue to be a solid competitor for its rivals, the BMW iX1 XDrive 30 M Sport, Mercedes-Benz EQA 250 and Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric. 

Most people that are wealthy enough to be ferried around in a car or limo choose a long luxurious sedan like a Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7 Series or a Lexus LS. Of course, there are now also SUVs that are used for the same purpose.But what about a plush people mover? There are very few of these available in Australia and they don’t sell in huge numbers. But Lexus believes there is a market for such a model and it has just launched the big and bold LM. The hybrid-only range is a unique proposition and the LM should hold appeal for limo and tourism operators, and larger cashed-up families. This initial launch drive was a slightly different format to usual. Given the intended use of the lounge-like model, Lexus arranged for us to be collected in the LM by a chauffeur and ferried from Melbourne to the Mornington Peninsula. From there we got behind the wheel for a brief drive, but many of my impressions will focus on the passenger cabin experience.Note too that the LM500h does not land until early 2024, so we only sampled the LM350h AWD.So jump aboard and let’s see if this Lexus can do everything the LS can do - and maybe even a little bit more.