BYD isn’t slowing down — it’s just changing gears. Literally. The Chinese EV giant has decided that electrons alone aren’t enough for everyone, so it’s given its smallest crossover, the Atto 2, a petrol-powered helping hand. Meet the Atto 2 DM-i, a plug-in hybrid that’s about to become Europe’s dinkiest PHEV.
The move makes sense. Even BYD — the company that eats lithium for breakfast — knows that Europe’s charging infrastructure is about as reliable as a 1990s Alfa Romeo handbrake. So, while demand for full EVs wobbles, the firm’s sprinkling some unleaded into the mix. And it’s working: the Seal U PHEV is already BYD’s biggest European hit, recently joined by the Seal 6 PHEV estate. Clearly, hybrids are having a bit of a moment.
Now, the Atto 2 DM-i joins the lineup with a clever new powertrain that can run for 56 miles on electric power alone — that’s more than enough for your weekday commute and the occasional “forgot to charge it again” moment. BYD will offer two flavours of Atto 2 DM-i, mirroring the EV’s twin-trim setup, with different battery sizes and power outputs. The company’s keeping mum on engine details for now, but expect performance on par with the EV’s 174bhp or 201bhp options and a 0–62mph dash of 7.9 seconds. Nippy enough for the school run, then.
You’ll spot the hybrid thanks to a reworked front end — there’s now a larger grille to help the petrol bits breathe, plus a few badges so your neighbours know you’re not entirely electric. Oh, and BYD’s throwing in a Midnight Blue paint job exclusive to the PHEV, because every eco-warrior deserves a bit of drama.
At 4.3 metres long, the Atto 2 DM-i will officially become the smallest PHEV on sale in Europe — though that title may be short-lived, as the Jeep Renegade 4xe (currently smaller) is about to bow out. Deliveries are pencilled in for early next year, so expect to see these zipping silently — and occasionally not so silently — around European cities before long.
So, while BYD’s rivals are still arguing about whether EVs or hybrids are the future, the Chinese brand is simply doing both. Clever, isn’t it?
You can almost hear the collective sigh of relief from petrolheads: finally, a Porsche EV that remembers its roots. The new Macan GTS isn’t here to save the planet – it’s here to scorch it, one apex at a time. This is Stuttgart’s latest entry into the increasingly crowded ring of electric SUVs, and while it hums quietly, it bites like a Carrera GT on espresso.
The Letters That Matter
Three letters. GTS. To Porsche people, that badge carries weight – the sort of weight that comes from decades of balancing precision, performance and pure driver obsession. From the 904 Carrera GTS of 1963 to today’s electric bruiser, it’s shorthand for the sweet spot: not the raw madness of a Turbo, not the restraint of a base model, but the pure, distilled essence of Porsche-ness.
Now, for the first time, those three letters sit proudly on an all-electric Macan. And Porsche insists it’s not just a trim level. It’s a statement.
Power, Meet Poise
Underneath that sculpted bodywork lies up to 420 kW (571 PS) of overboost power and a neck-stretching 955 Nm of torque. That’s enough to fling the Macan GTS from 0–100 km/h in 3.8 seconds, and on to a 250 km/h top speed. For context, that’s quicker than a 911 Carrera GTS from not so long ago – and this thing seats five and tows 2.5 tonnes.
At its heart sits Porsche’s most powerful rear-axle electric motor to date, a 230 mm monster mated to a silicon carbide pulse inverter. Sounds geeky? It should. This is the sort of electric sorcery that makes the Macan GTS feel alive, not appliance-like.
And if you’re worried about range anxiety: don’t be. Porsche quotes up to 586 km WLTP, with 10–80% charging in just 21 minutes if you can find a 270 kW charger. That’s just enough time for a double espresso and a smug glance at your reflection in the window.
Handling Like a Proper Porsche
Forget the ‘SUV’ bit for a second. This is a Porsche first and foremost. Engineers dropped the ride height by 10 mm, stiffened the dampers, and fine-tuned the PASM active suspension for agility that belies its size. Add in rear-axle steering, Torque Vectoring Plus, and a rear-biased 48:52 weight split, and you’ve got something that corners like it wants to audition for the next GT3.
Then there’s Track Mode – lifted straight from the Taycan – which cools the battery and keeps power consistent under full abuse. Porsche calls it “derating prevention.” We call it “license-endangerment mode.”
Silent, but Deadly
Electric cars aren’t known for soul-stirring soundtracks, but Porsche’s Electric Sport Sound tries its best. The GTS gets its own pair of profiles, one for ‘Sport’ and another for ‘Sport Plus’. Think more menacing hum of a fighter jet than whirr of a dishwasher. It’s synthetic, sure, but surprisingly satisfying.
Looks That Kill (Quietly)
This is the most aggressive-looking Macan yet. Black details dominate – from the Matrix LED headlights and airblades to the diffuser and adaptive rear spoiler lip. Even the taillights are tinted. Standard wheels are 21-inchers in Anthracite Grey, but let’s be honest: you’ll want the 22-inch RS Spyder Design set.
And because Porsche knows its customers love options almost as much as lap times, the GTS introduces three new colours – Crayon (back again), Carmine Red, and the brilliantly punchy Lugano Blue. Go wild with Paint to Sample, and you’ll have nearly 60 hues to choose from.
Inside the Beast
The interior is a tactile celebration of performance. Think Race-Tex suede everywhere, carbon trim, and enough red stitching to make a Ferrari jealous. The GT Sports steering wheel feels like it belongs in a 911, while the 18-way adjustable seats keep you anchored when electrons attack.
New for the GTS is the Interior Colour Package, letting you match your cabin to the exterior – Carmine Red, Slate Grey Neo, or Lugano Blue. Even the ‘GTS’ embroidery and seatbelts coordinate. It’s detail-obsessive in that Porsche way that makes you forgive the optional extras list being longer than a Tolstoy novel.
Digital But Distinctly Porsche
Inside, the digital cockpit reflects your car’s exterior hue in the on-screen model. Lap timing and telemetry come courtesy of the standard Sport Chrono Package, while new toys include the Porsche Digital Key, AI-assisted voice control, and even in-car gaming (because, why not?).
The Macan GTS is proof that Porsche hasn’t forgotten how to make electric cars feel exciting. It’s the EV for people who miss engines – the one that reminds you that electricity doesn’t have to mean emotionless.
It’s fast, focused, and unashamedly Porsche. Or, as we’d put it in TopGear terms: the best driver’s SUV you can buy that doesn’t drink a drop of fuel – and might just make you forget it ever needed to.
It’s back. After years of whispers, teasers, and blurry spy shots taken through the foliage of rural Japan, Toyota has finally done it — the FJ name is reborn. Only this time, it’s not the chunky retro bruiser you remember. No, this is the baby Land Cruiser — think Defender 90-sized, but with that unmistakable Toyota sense of indestructibility baked into its DNA.
Meet the New Kid in the Cruiser Clan
The new Toyota FJ — short for Freedom and Joy, which sounds like a wellness retreat but actually describes a small 4×4 that could probably drive through one — is Toyota’s latest addition to its sprawling Land Cruiser family. Sitting below the 250 Series (the one currently sold in the UK), the FJ shrinks the formula but keeps the rugged spirit intact.
At 4,575mm long, 1,855mm wide, and 1,960mm tall, it’s within a whisker of the Land Rover Defender 90 — which is exactly the point. Toyota wants to lure a “new generation” of buyers into the Land Cruiser fold: people who want mountain-goat ability and retro charm, but in a package that fits into multi-storey car parks and modern lifestyles.
Mini Cruiser, Major Capability
Underneath, it shares its bones with the bigger 250, but with 270mm lopped out of the wheelbase. That makes it tiny by Land Cruiser standards — yet Toyota swears it’s just as capable off-road. Ground clearance and approach angles are nearly identical to the 250’s 215mm and 31 degrees, and a 5.5-metre turning circle should make light work of tight trails (or supermarket car parks).
Power comes from a humble 2.7-litre naturally aspirated four-pot pushing out 161bhp and 181lb ft — numbers that won’t make your pulse race but will, crucially, still run after the apocalypse. Drive goes to all four corners via a six-speed auto, and you can bet it’ll clamber over almost anything you point it at.
Chief branding officer Simon Humphries calls it “a minimal footprint with a new dimension in driving performance and manoeuvrability.” Translation: it’s small, scrappy, and built to go anywhere.
Designed to Get Dirty (and Look Good Doing It)
Visually, the FJ looks like someone threw a Land Cruiser and a Tonka truck into a blender — flared arches, squared-off bumpers, and a stance that screams ready for action. The modular bumpers can be removed and swapped out for custom ones, or just replaced when they inevitably meet a rock. There’s a smorgasbord of customisation options too: round headlights for retro lovers, cargo panels, even a snorkel if you plan to use it as Noah’s Ark.
Inside, it’s a refreshingly honest cabin. There’s a 12.5-inch touchscreen flanked by actual buttons — remember those? — and a tough, utilitarian layout that looks ready for muddy boots and rough roads.
Global Reach, Local Absence
The FJ will be built in Thailand and launched first in Japan mid-next year, before heading to Africa, Asia, South America, and the Middle East — the markets where Toyota’s off-roaders are practically family members.
Bad news for us in the UK: according to chief engineer Masaya Uchiyama, there are “no plans for America or Europe”. But given how quickly Toyota’s product plans evolve — and how much we love a compact off-roader with proper heritage — don’t count it out just yet.
If it does make the trip here, it’ll likely need a hybrid powertrain to keep the emissions people happy. Toyota already sells the 250 with a mild-hybrid diesel, so a small petrol-hybrid FJ wouldn’t be much of a stretch.
The Future of the Family
Toyota insists the Land Cruiser “will continue to evolve to meet societal demands while supporting the lives of customers around the world.” That’s corporate-speak for there’s more coming, and we’re here for it.
Because if this little FJ delivers on its promise — go-anywhere ability, indestructible engineering, and a whiff of old-school charm — it could be the most fun Land Cruiser in years.
Small in size, big in spirit, and named after Freedom and Joy. Sounds like the perfect antidote to a world obsessed with crossover clones.
