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Seven seats or less, these are the large SUVs making their way to Australia in 2024. Which will be the most compelling for Aussie car buyers? Read on...
Looking for something a little smaller? Check out our Medium SUV and Small SUV lists to see what's coming for those segments in 2024.
JUMP AHEAD
- Cadillac Lyriq (electric)
- Chery Tiggo Pro 8
- Hyundai Santa Fe
- Skoda Kodiaq
- SsangYong Torres
- Genesis GV80 Coupe + SUV facelift
- GWM Tank 500
- Isuzu MU-X
- Lexus GX
- Lotus Eletre
- Mazda CX-80
- Mercedes-Maybach EQS
- Mitsubishi Pajero Sport
- Polestar 3 (electric)
- Toyota Prado
- VW Touareg R
- Volvo EX90 (electric)
Cadillac Lyriq – Late 2024
Spearheading the Cadillac comeback – which will be an all-electric brand in Australia – is the $150k Lyriq, which despite its Large SUV measurements is being pitched as a mid-size luxury SUV.
With elegant styling and attention to detail inside and out, the Lyriq is the brand’s first foray into the luxury EV SUV segment globally.
It rides on General Motors’ Ultium scalable architecture which allows batteries from 50kWh to 200kWh capacity – the Lyriq uses a 102kWh version.
While the local line-up is yet to be finalised, the Lyriq is offered in three trim levels in the US, starting with the Tech, then mid-spec Luxury and range-topping Sport.
The Tech uses rear-wheel drive and a single-motor powertrain in the US.
The Sport shown to Wheels in November 2023 wore a ‘600e4’ designation, for 610Nm, electric and dual-motor four-wheel drive.
Cadillac claims a 505km range for the Lyriq rear-wheel drive, and 10km less for the all-wheel drive.
Chery Tiggo 8 Pro
Chery has lifted its game considerably since its first models were sold here more than a decade ago, with the Tiggo 8 Pro large SUV the third vehicle in its line-up since the brand’s 2022 return.
With Urban, Elite and Ultimate trim levels expected to mirror the smaller Tiggo 7 – on sale since September – the Tiggo 8 a seven-seat alternative to the Mitsubishi Outlander and Kia Sportage.
Both Tiggos are older vehicles in Chery’s global line-up and lack the freshness and tech of the Omoda 5. The 8 is expected to use a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
Pricing is expected to be around $60K.
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Hyundai Santa Fe – Q2
The Hyundai Santa Fe arrives with its Land Rover-esque design in a package that’s larger in almost every dimension.
The seven-seat SUV takes full advantage with a much roomier interior, with more second-row and third-row legroom, while there’s what Hyundai says is best-in-class third-row headroom.
A larger tailgate opens into a bigger boot space, while there’s a sweeping dash design with twin 12.3-inch screens up front and heated/cooled seats on high-spec models.
The 207kW/422Nm Theta III 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder is expected to replace both the petrol and diesel V6 engines currently offered, with an efficiency-focused hybrid powertrain confirmed for launch initially.
Skoda Kodiaq – Late 2024
The second-generation seven-seat Kodiaq is bigger, sleeker, and adds a hybrid powertrain to its global line-up but will start off with a single petrol model when it arrives in Australia.
An evolutionary design plays host to a 150kW/320Nm version of the familiar 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder EA888 engine – up from 132kW – and is teamed with a seven-speed dual clutch automatic.
The cabin sees the gear selector relocated to the steering column, freeing up space, where there’s a larger 12.9-inch centre screen and wireless charging with seven seats and nine airbags standard.
There’s a larger cargo area, up from 270 to 340 litres, expanding to 845 litres with the third-row down, while a new Dynamic Chassis Control system will be optional.
SsangYong Torres – TBC
What would be the first new SsangYong in Australian showrooms for more than five years, the Torres is a mid-sized SUV to rival the Toyota RAV4 and Hyundai Tucson.
Torres’ styling has clear Jeep influences but also harps back to SsangYong’s Musso sold here in the late 1990s, but unlike the Musso, the Torres – we’re led to believe – runs an updated version of the Korando platform, making it a monocoque chassis.
While it’s offered with petrol engines overseas, an electric version using BYD supplied batteries was announced in March 2023 – and it’s on the Australian arm’s hit-list.
Dubbed ‘Torres EVX’, the electric SUV uses a 73.4kWh battery pack and 150kW motor on the front axle for a claimed 500km WLTP range
Genesis GV80 Coupe + SUV facelift
The largest SUV from Hyundai’s luxury brand until the GV90 lands, the updated GV80 receives styling tweaks – but keeps the trademark split head- and tail-light theme – and will be joined by the new coupe body style.
The GV80 Coupe gives an answer to the BMW X6, with its own front-end styling touches including a larger air intake and Active Air Flap, with Coupe-specific alloys up to 22-inches.
The Coupe’s has its own rear styling treatment and Berling Blue as an exclusive colour, with three new colours across the GV80 line-up.
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Both present an opulent cabin with a continuous 27-inch OLED display stretched across the dash combining instruments and infotainment, while there’s no word on cargo capacity between the SUV and Coupe body styles.
Pricing is expected to be $120-130k, with Genesis expected to confirm the same 279kW/530Nm 3.5-litre petrol V6, which in the Coupe sees an electric supercharger bump to 305kW/549Nm.
GWM Tank 500 – TBC
There’s a new Toyota Prado coming – and there’s new Prado rivals, too, including the GWM Tank 500.
It’s set to offer LandCruiser 300 Series size for Prado price, and a polished Prado at that.
The Tank 500 adds 100mm in length to the smaller Tank 300 – already on sale here – and uses a 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 petrol mild hybrid set up with a 9-speed automatic.
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Yet while it lacks the diesel power of key rivals, the Tank 500 has a luxury tilt inside – as opposed to humble family ethos – with four sculpted bucket seats, leather upholstery surrounded by brushed-aluminium and woodgrain-look trims.
A modest price for the not so modest off-roader would mean less than Prado’s $62k jumping off point.
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Isuzu MU-X
New for the MU-X in 2024 is the addition of the 1.9-litre turbo-diesel introduced to its D-MAX stablemate in 2021.
The 110kW/350Nm commonrail diesel will give the MU-X a more affordable to buy and cheaper-to-run option compared to the existing 140kW/450Nm 3.0-litre turbo-diesel.
That could see an entry-level MU-X dip below its current $49k starting price, along with a facelift similar to the D-MAX’s mildly tweaked front-end that will arrive in showrooms as much as 12 months ahead of the MU-X.
Lexus GX – Q2
The luxury version of the new Toyota Prado will arrive in dealerships before the vehicle it’s based on.
The first time the nameplate has been offered in Australia, the three-row GX sits between the RX – which no longer offers seven seats – and the LX in the Lexus line-up and will be priced accordingly.
The means a GX price broadly between $100-$150k, with the LX range kicking off at $156k.
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The GX can be had in five-, six- or seven-seat guise, with individual captain’s chairs offered in the second row.
The Overtrail variant is sold as a five-seater with all-terrain tyres, black wheel arches, skid plate and the Electronic Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System from the 300 Series Landcruiser.
The GX will arrive with a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 and 10-speed auto, ahead of a 2.4-litre turbo-petrol hybrid expected to be added later on.
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Lotus Eletre – timing TBC
Famed British sports car brand Lotus is making a genuine comeback – finally – and is showing it means business with the Eletre luxury SUV.
While it’s made in China, the Eletre – which means ‘coming to life’ in Hungarian (!) – uses the new Lotus-developed Electric Premium Architecture (EPA) and brings a convincing exterior and cabin finish.
Three variants – the $240k Eletre, $269k Eletre S and $315k Eletre R – use a 109kWh lithium-ion battery pack, with 450kW/710Nm in the entry level model bumped up to 675kW/985Nm for the Eletre R, which has a 0-100km/h claim of 2.95 seconds.
Eletre is uncharacteristically heavy for a Lotus, weighing up to 2640kg, but it also breaks with tradition with usable storage space in a 688-litre cargo area split between a boot and frunk (front-trunk).
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Mazda CX-80 – timing TBC
Mazda’s ‘premium push’ continues with the CX-80, a three-row SUV that, in tandem with the CX-90, replaces the 2017 Wheels Car of the Year, the Mazda CX-9.
The seven-seat CX-80 sits between the five-seat CX-60 and three-row CX-90 in terms of size and price, with all three using the same large SUV architecture and muscular styling direction.
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2024 Mazda CX-80 imagined by Theottle | © Wheels Media
That means an estimate $70k starting price, while powertrains are expected to include the 3.3-litre inline six-cylinder petrol engine that makes 187kW/550Nm in the CX-60, and 254kW/500Nm in the CX-90.
The plug-in hybrid powertrain from the CX-60 – a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and 17.8kWh battery – may also be offered.
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Mercedes-Maybach EQS – mid year
The ultra-luxury Maybach brand’s first electric model, the 5.2-metre long EQS 680 SUV sports the signature two-tone exterior colour scheme, dripping with chrome accents and 22-inch wheels polishing its vault-like look.
The Nappa leather-laden cabin steps up Mercedes’ opulence by adding a Maybach mode that animates the digital instrument cluster, with the back seat serving up twin 11.6-inch touchscreens which allow passengers to modify the navigation, among other commands.
Maybach claims the all-wheel drive electric powertrain delivers 484kW/950Nm and approximate 600km range, with the price expected to be well above $400k – cheap for a Maybach, really…
Mitsubishi Pajero Sport
More space, more pace: a new Mitsubishi Triton means a new Pajero Sport SUV spin-off, with the SUV to take full advantage of Triton’s wider track, longer wheelbase and refreshed powerplants.
That means the same 2.4-litre diesel four-cylinder and eight-speed automatic, with 150kW (+17kW) and 470Nm (+40Nm), with improved towing capability – potentially 3500kg compared to the current car’s 3100kg – given Triton’s added muscle.
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2024 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport imagined by Theottle | © Wheels Media
The line-up is expected to be the same, with the starter GLX 4x2 price leader through to the sport-tiled Pajero Sport GSR 4x4.
More cabin space and improved refinement should be by-products of the larger dimensions, but the question is – will there be a follow up to those wild taillights?
The only question is whether we'll see the new Pajero Sport in 2024 or 2025?
Polestar 3 – Q2
The Polestar 3 is an electric luxury SUV twinned with parent company Volvo’s EX90, both vehicles riding on the SPA2 platform as they weigh in on the Audi Q8 E-Tron, BMW iX and Mercedes-Benz EQE SUVs.
Offered in a single spec priced at $133k, the 3 uses a CATL 111kWh 400-volt lithium-ion battery pack providing energy to a dual-motor system – one motor at each axle providing all-wheel drive.
That brings an official 0-100km time of 4.7 seconds with 250kW DC charging topping up 80 per cent of charge in 30 minutes, or 11 hours for a full charge in a standard AC charger.
With a full battery, the 3 can cover 610km (WLTP) in Long Range form, which drops to 560km with the $9000 Performance Pack optioned – which increases power to 380kW/910Nm, 20kW and 70Nm.
It also brings 22-inch alloys and gold accents…
Toyota Prado – Mid 2024
The first new Prado in 14 years arrives in mid-2024 with a squared-up muscular look for the 300 Series LandCruiser-based SUV. Badged ‘LandCruiser 250’ in some markets, the Prado name will continue in Australia.
While two styling themes were revealed last August, one with circular and one with square headlights, Toyota Australia has confirmed the latter for local showrooms.
The new Prado is longer, wider and taller than the outgoing model, and uses the latest TNGA-F body-on-frame platform with double-wishbone front suspension and a four-link rear some models.
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There also electric power steering in place of the current Prado’s hydraulic system, with full-time four-wheel drive.
Powertrains are yet to be confirmed, but Prado is expected to use the mild-hybrid turbo diesel powertrain coming in the HiLux in mid-2024 which offers a claimed 10-percent improvement in fuel efficiency.
Oh, and there could be a ute spinoff, too…
VW Touareg R – Q1
Who would’ve thought Volkswagen’s first plug-in hybrid sold in Australia would be the hot version of its Touareg?
The $130k Touareg R – the full-fruit version distinct from the lower-spec R-Line – brings a 240kW/450Nm 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged petrol V6 teamed with a 100kW/400Nm electric motor and 14.1kWh battery.
The combined 340kW/700Nm is more power but less torque than its turbo-diesel predecessor (310kW/900Nm) but sends the Touareg R from 0-100km/h in 5.1 seconds and enables a 51km electric only range.
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The only option is the colour choice, with standard fare including gloss black 22-inch wheels, matrix LED headlights and air suspension taking care of a menacing exterior look, with leather seats, 15.0-inch centre touchscreen and head-up display inside.
Touareg R will also debut exclusive Night Vision thermal imaging camera to highlight pedestrians and wildlife in the dark, just like escapees on your favourite police show.
Volvo EX90 – Late 2024
The Volvo EX90 is the electric alternative to the diesel-powered XC90.
It rides on the dedicated electric SPA2 architecture that enables a host of advances including bi-directional charging and a LIDAR scanner enabling full self-driving capability down the track.
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The EX90 will launch here packing a single powertrain using a dual-motor system producing 380kW/ 910Nm with a 111kWh battery pack and all-wheel drive.
Volvo says it has a 600km range but is yet to confirm charging rate – or performance figures, both expected to be similar to the Polestar 3’s – but its bi-directional charging means it could power your home for set periods.
Pricing is expected to be around $140k.
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