Today’s Drive: Value Hybrids Hit Hard, Japan’s RAV4 Gets the Fun Bits, and Australia Welcomes a Monster Maserati

Some mornings the car world feels like a caffeine shot. Today’s blend: a value-busting hybrid SUV that wants your school run, a Japan-only RAV4 with the tasty trimmings we don’t get, a secret-sauce HSV ute about to break hearts and bank accounts, and Maserati’s most powerful track toy inbound for Aussie garages with very patient neighbors. Oh—and Ram’s Hemi era refuses to go gentle into that good night.

Value Play: Chery Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid turns up the heat

Chery’s Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid has rolled in with the sort of price-and-spec swagger that makes the established mid-size crowd shuffle uncomfortably. The pitch is simple: electrified efficiency with a generous features list at a number that undercuts the usual suspects. I’ve noticed a steady improvement across the latest Chinese SUVs I’ve tested—ride polish, cabin materials, the lot—and the Tiggo 7’s job is to translate that progress into showroom traffic.

• Hybrid power with a focus on frugality and easy commuting.
• Equipment-first approach: think driver assists and comfort tech where rivals charge extra.
• Target buyer: families cross-shopping mainstream hybrid staples but watching the budget.

Bonus momentum: several new Chinese models have just scored top marks in local safety testing. That confidence matters when you’re strapping child seats in and planning holiday drives. It also puts pressure on legacy brands that used to wave the safety banner uncontested.

Hybrid SUV watchlist: who’s promising what right now

Japan’s market shuffle: RAV4 gets the goodies, and the U.S. sends cars east

Japan’s freshly updated 2026 Toyota RAV4 arrives with a twist: it’s getting equipment and accessory packs (including those crowd-pleasing, design-forward add-ons) that other markets may never see. It’s the classic Toyota move—same solid recipe, regionally tuned flavor. If you’ve ever eyed the Japanese catalog and thought, “why don’t we get that bumper, those wheels?”—this is one of those moments.

In parallel, there’s a trans-Pacific plotline: America’s best-selling car and other U.S.-built models are heading to Japan. It’s a tidy reminder that supply chains are now about flexibility as much as geography. Built in the States, sold in Japan—because why not, if the spec and demand line up?

• RAV4 Japan: bespoke kits and trims we’re unlikely to see locally.
• U.S.-built models in Japan: smart logistics meet niche demand.
• Takeaway for buyers: expect more market-specific flavors from big brands.

Fast things: Maserati’s most powerful track car heads Down Under

Maserati is sending its most powerful track-only machine to Australia. No plates, no pretense—just a carbon-fiber storm built for private track days and bragging rights. I’ve done enough hot laps in Italian exotica to know the brief: loud, merciless, and easier to drive at 8/10ths than you’d think, provided you respect the tire temp window and keep your braking tidy. If you’re the type who plans Phillip Island days around tide charts and wind direction, this is your catnip.

• Track-only: built for circuit sessions, not coffee runs.
• Collector appeal: limited numbers, big power, bigger presence.
• Australia-bound: expect to see them at private days and charity laps, cameras out.

V8s won’t die quietly: Ram’s Hemi demand spikes

While many brands gently usher V8s toward the museum, Ram can’t build Hemi engines fast enough. It’s the same real-world behavior I’ve seen at truck stops from Nevada to New South Wales: torque wins arguments, and the sound seals the deal. Even as electrification expands, a chunk of buyers still wants eight cylinders under an old-school throttle. The market doesn’t move in straight lines—it zigs, zags, and occasionally does a smoky burnout leaving a Bunnings car park.

Nostalgia with a bidding paddle: HSV GTSR W1 Maloo heads to auction

Australia’s cult-hero ute is back in the headlines. A “secret” hotted-up HSV GTSR W1 Maloo—rare as hen’s teeth and twice as much chat at the pub—is primed to fetch a monster result. The ute-plus-super-sedan mashup was peak Aussie mischief, and every time one of these surfaces, you feel the room tilt. It’s not just the performance; it’s the story: a send-off to local muscle, built when burnouts were still a love language.

• Ultra-rare spec means serious collector money.
• Cars like this compress a whole era into one set of plates.
• Driveway reality: you’ll be photographing it more than you’ll be driving it.

Meanwhile, Lancia makes… vibes

Lancia’s latest move isn’t a showroom launch; it’s a cultural one—content, concepts, brand theater. As an owner of a finicky Italian coupe in a former life, I’ve got a soft spot for the brand’s romantic side. But even romantics need keys in hands. Call me when the beautiful ideas become cars we can argue about on a Sunday morning drive.

What it means for buyers right now

• If you’re shopping a hybrid mid-sizer: put the Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid on the test-drive list and judge the ride and cabin quality for yourself on rough roads.
• RAV4 fans: keep an eye on Japan’s options—sometimes special-edition cues trickle out, sometimes they don’t.
• Track rats: Maserati’s track-only special is lottery-winner stuff, but its arrival means local support and parts will exist. That matters.
• Truck shoppers: if you want a Hemi, don’t snooze. Demand like this tends to pull delivery times into next quarter.
• Collectors: the HSV W1 Maloo is a barometer. If it goes stratospheric, expect ripple effects across Aussie V8 metal.

Conclusion

Hybrids are sharpening their value play, Japan is keeping some very cool toys for itself, and the performance world hasn’t lost its appetite for big horsepower or bigger nostalgia. It’s a messy, wonderful moment to be into cars—where a quiet commute and a loud track day can happily coexist on the same calendar.

FAQ

• Is the Chery Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid worth a look over established rivals? Yes—if the price and features land as promised, it’s absolutely worth a back-to-back test drive against your short list.
• Will the Japan-only RAV4 upgrades come to other markets? There’s no guarantee. Toyota often keeps certain styling packs and trims region-specific.
• Can I register Maserati’s new track car for the road? No—it’s a track-only special meant for circuit use.
• Why is Ram still selling so many Hemis? Demand for V8 character and capability remains strong even as electrified options grow.
• What’s special about the HSV GTSR W1 Maloo headed to auction? It’s an ultra-rare, high-spec performance ute—catnip for collectors and a milestone for Aussie muscle fans.