We’re seeing a big change in the world, as automakers from all over the globe have been using China as. production source for years but we’ve now started to see it coming out of China.
The 2004 Volkswagen Polo Classic is the first model of a non-Chinese brand in Australia to be Chinese-built model, but it took some time for such vehicles to appear on our roads.
Then, there was a rush of offerings – Tesla switched to Chinese sourcing for our market, and BMW started exporting the iX3 from China, as did Chinese-owned Volvo and Polestar with various models.
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More recently, Kia started sourcing the EV5 from China, while sister brand Hyundai locked in the Elexio and Mazda and Nissan confirmed their own Chinese models.
So, that’s where we’re now – non-Chinese brands are starting to sell models here made mostly for Chinese market. They sometimes use Chinese-developed platforms, even for some of these vehicles.
This is the latest in Australia last year when Chinese-built vehicles overtook Thai-made cars for sales. China is now the second largest producer of new cars in Australia, behind only Japan and Japan, that’s why s say it has become the biggest source for new vehicles.
Kia EV5 and Hyundai Elexio
The Kia EV5 and Hyundai Elexio are mid-size SUVs that are offered here with a lower base price than Korean-built models like the EV6 and Ioniq 5.
The Elexio comes from the Beijing Hyundai joint venture, while the EV5 is produced by Jiangsu Yueda Kia Motors.
The two competing electric SUVs are marketed by the two Hyundai Motor Company brands, which say they use the corporate E-GMP dedicated EV platform. Yet it has been confirmed for a “slew of international markets” that the EV5 will be produced in Korea and Australia and China, but so far only is the Elexio confirmed by both sides.
In short, it’s the Hyundai that’s more China-focused, having been developed primarily for that market.
But the securing of right-hand drive production has proved a boon for Hyundai Australia, which can plug the Elexio – its first Chinese-built vehicle – in the gap between the Kona Electric and Ioniq 5.
Although we still don’t know whether it will sell in EV5 volumes, it is not yet known that it’ll be sold in the same way. last year The Kia is the fourth best-selling EV in Australia to date, and outsold all other electric Kian combined.
While the Elexio is on sale in the first quarter of 2026 in a single Elite trim with front-wheel drive and an 88kWh battery, unlike the one that was offered here for two batteries (and also as far as rear- or all- wheel drive)?
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Mazda 6e and CX-6e
Japanese brands are turning to China more than ever before, and chief among them is Mazda.
It has been a long-time “laggard” in the EV space, and its Chinese joint-venture partner Changan (owner of Deepal) is now used for launching’separate pair of models’ with it.
Like other Japanese-branded models on Chinese underpinnings, including the Toyota bZ3X, Mazda’s new EVs will be widely exported with Australia among these markets unlike many of its competitors.
These new Mazdas are more than mere rebadges, but they use Chinese platforms and powertrains.
They help fill a huge gap in Mazda’s lineup, with the disappointing MX-30 small electric SUV dead in most markets (including ours) and the company’s own new EV platform delayed to 2028.
The 6e liftback, due here in mid-2026, effectively replaces the combustion-powered Mazda 6 which has now been axed in almost every global market, while the CX-6e crossover SUV serves as an electric counterpart to the combustion-powered CX-5 and CX-60 mid-size SUVs.
The CX-6e, also due here this year, will enter arguably the most competitive segment in the Australian market, where it’ll also face off against its Deepal cousin, the S07.
Mazda has yet to announce pricing for the CX-6e, and it is still unclear how much of a premium it’ll pay over the Deepal S07.
The 6e, in contrast, has been confirmed to have a base price under $55,000. That’ll see it priced competitively with the Tesla Model 3 sedan, which starts at $54,900 before on-roads.
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Mazda 6e: China-made EV confirmed for Australia with Tesla-rivalling price
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Nissan Frontier Pro
The BYD Shark 6 has enjoyed immediate sales success in Australia, and it’s clearly made other brands sit up and take notice.
It was the first plug-in hybrid ute in Australia, narrowly beating the Ford Ranger PHEV and GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV, and despite being offered in a single variant with a single powertrain it outsold some established ute players last year in Australia… and that included Nissan’s own Navara.
The Japanese brand has therefore locked in the Frontier Pro as a Chinese-built PHEV counterpart to its new Mitsubishi Triton-based Navara, confirming to dealers in December that it’s due here in 2027.
The PHEV model will be Nissan’s first ever car in the world and its first electrified ute, but it is an adaptation of Dongfeng Z9 (a Chinese joint-venture partner) developed Frontier Pro by Nissan’s Chinese counterpart Don GfENG.
The deal, which is said to be the first in a number of models Nissan Australia sources from that partnership, will enter an increasingly growing plug-in hybrid ute segment where entries are soon coming from Chery and JAC.
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Thanks for reading The Japanese and Korean auto brands leaning on China for help in Australia
