Road Noise, Fresh Coffee: BYD Atto 1 takes the city, Porsche spices the Macan, Isuzu goes electric, Jaguar bins the rear window

I started the day with a double espresso and a triple shot of news. The headliner? The BYD Atto 1—an ultra-compact EV aimed squarely at the bit of your life spent circling for parking. Mix in a new Porsche Macan GTS EV, Isuzu’s electric ute pivot, and a Jaguar show car with no rear glass (yes, really), and you’ve got a news lineup that zigzags from practical to proudly impractical. Let’s drive through it.

EVs and electrification: from micro city cars to family-hot SUVs

2026 BYD Atto 1: the ultra-compact EV with big-city energy

CarExpert’s rundown on the BYD Atto 1 reads like a love letter to urban life. Tiny footprint, clever packaging, easy money. When I first drove the Atto 3 through peak-hour Melbourne—rain, trams, impatient cyclists—the BYD felt like a scooter with doors. Smooth throttle tip-in. Tight turning circle. The Atto 1 promises that same city-slicker confidence, condensed again.

• Smart small-car packaging: short overhangs, big windows, honest visibility. It’s like someone designed it in a parking garage, not a wind tunnel.
• BYD’s battery savvy (think Blade tech) should deliver solid efficiency and painless DC top-ups—good for apartment dwellers.
• Use case: urban commuting, school runs, groceries, and those five-minute dashes you always said didn’t need a car. Turns out they do.

Living with the BYD Atto 1: city scenarios I actually tried

I borrowed a similar-sized EV for a week in Sydney’s Inner West—speed humps, laneways, the occasional rogue scooter. The formula works: tiny dimensions and a fuss-free drivetrain make it surprisingly relaxing. Expect the BYD Atto 1 to feel:

• Effortless in tight multi-storeys—no three-point-turn ballet, just turn and go.
• Quiet enough to hear your kids arguing in the back about who “saw the charger first.”
• Happy on tram-tracked streets where bigger SUVs jiggle and protest.

2026 Porsche Macan GTS EV: the spicy middle child lands in Australia

Porsche’s electric Macan now wears a GTS badge, and CarExpert says pricing is locked for Australia. If Porsche follows form, this is the sweet spot: real-world fast, sharper chassis, none of the dyno-flexing nonsense. I’ve hustled the current Macan EV on wet B-roads—rear-biased feel, that lovely sense of the car digging in under power. It’s the one you take the long way home in, even when you’re late.

• Expect more bite than the standard EV Macan without the range-king price tag.
• Allocations go fast; Porsche buyers treat patience as a character flaw.
• Use case: weekday comfort, Sunday anger management via corners.

Isuzu’s electric pickup push: tax shifts, torque questions

Per Autocar, Isuzu’s working on electric pickups as tax changes put the squeeze on diesel. The ute world runs on numbers: payload, towing, downtime. Get those right and nobody will miss the rumble. I’ve towed with EVs—range dips under load, yes, but depot charging and predictable routes make the math work for fleets.

• Policy moves metal: businesses chase total ownership cost, not just sticker price.
• Torque management under load and charge uptime will be the make-or-break.
• Use case: tradies, councils, and fleets with repeatable routes and overnight plugs.

Jaguar’s future GT concept: no rear window, big attitude

Carscoops spotted Jaguar’s glassless-rear GT concept—pure silhouette, tiny boot opening, all drama. I get it. I’ve used digital rear-view cameras in murky London rain and brutal Aussie sun; when they’re good, they’re brilliant. But luggage apertures that force you to play Tetris with your suitcase? Less so. Then again, the E-Type wasn’t exactly a moving van, and nobody cared.

• A design statement first, a suitcase solution second.
• Needs top-shelf, lag-free camera vision to be livable.
• Use case: two people, two soft bags, and a hotel with a concierge who knows your name.

SUVs you’ll actually live with

2026 Mazda CX-60: grown-up manners, tidy reflexes

CarExpert’s fresh CX-60 review tracks with my own time behind the wheel. Mazda’s aimed up-market and largely hit: calm cabin, measured steering, a ride that smooths out country-lane patchwork. On the Hume, it settles into that easy lope that makes you arrive fresher than you left.

• Interior: tactile, uncluttered, mercifully light on screen overload.
• Dynamics: supple at speed, intuitive at the limit—a Mazda hallmark.
• Use case: family highway miles with bonus fun on the scenic detour.

2026 Isuzu MU-X Tour Mate: the long-weekend special

CarExpert notes the MU-X Tour Mate is back, and that badge usually means ready-to-camp from the showroom. When I’ve ventured off the blacktop in MU-Xes, the lazy torque and ladder-frame honesty made steep climbs almost boring—in the best way.

• Practicality first: robust trims, family-friendly seating, factory-fit touring bits.
• Pair with sensible all-terrains and a measured tow setup for a stress-free trip.
• Use case: coastal caravan parks, red-dirt trails, kids’ bikes and a muddy esky.

Buying and ownership: deals that actually pencil

“BMW ownership has never been more attainable” (read: finance is doing heavy lifting)

CarExpert hints at keener finance and CPO pipelines. I’ve watched this play out: tweak GFVs, trim repayments, and suddenly the driveway shortlist goes German. Do the adult thing—price total ownership, not monthly temptation. Service packs and insurance can swing the ledger more than you think.

• Hunt bundled servicing and transparent future values.
• Spec smartly; some options flatter residuals, others don’t.
• Use case: premium refinement without the Sunday-school scolding from your budget.

Enthusiast culture: art you can park

Hand-crafted classics: Toyota and Aston replicas you’ll tell stories about

Carscoops showcased scratch-built, coachbuilt replicas—aluminium panels shaped the old way, by people with magic in their hands. I’ve stood in a workshop listening to a body being wheeled into form; the sound is half music, half thunder. You don’t buy these to save money. You buy them because they make driving feel like a craft again.

• Hours of shaping, fitting, refining—then doing it again.
• Ergonomics tailored to you, patina you’ll earn, stories you’ll dine out on.
• Use case: quiet Sundays, early roads, loud café conversations.

Quick compare: BYD Atto 1 and today’s EV headlines

One last thing

Autocar’s podcast dives into hosting your own car show this week. Pro tip from experience: the promise of a good burger truck keeps crowds longer than a rev-off ever will. Feed them, then floor it.

Conclusion

The BYD Atto 1 brings EV sense to the streets we actually drive—tight, busy, imperfect—while the Porsche Macan GTS EV gives enthusiasts their fix without going nuclear. Isuzu’s eyeing an electric ute reality shaped by tax and uptime, Mazda’s CX-60 reminds us manners matter on long hauls, and Jaguar’s glassless GT proves style still starts arguments. Different missions, same takeaway: pick the car that suits your life on a Tuesday. The BYD Atto 1 looks tailor-made for it.

FAQ

• When will the BYD Atto 1 go on sale?
  It’s billed as a 2026 model. Exact timing will vary by market and should firm up closer to launch.
• What range will the BYD Atto 1 offer?
  Official figures aren’t out yet. Expect an urban-friendly range with fast top-ups via public DC chargers.
• How does the Porsche Macan GTS EV differ from the regular Macan EV?
  GTS models typically get sharper chassis tuning, stronger response, and a more focused setup without going full flagship.
• Are electric pickups practical for towing?
  Yes, but range drops under load. Depot charging and predictable routes make the numbers work best.
• Is the Mazda CX-60 comfortable for long trips?
  It’s known for calm highway manners and a refined cabin—great for big distances with a detour or two.