2026 Forthing Taikon 5: Dongfeng-Backed SUV Offers 1,000+ km Range From $36,990

Forthing, a new-energy sub-brand backed by Chinese state-owned giant Dongfeng, has landed in Australia and New Zealand with the Taikon 5, a medium SUV sold as either a full battery-electric vehicle or a range-extender hybrid the brand calls "Super Hybrid." The BEV is good for an estimated 400-plus km on a single charge, while the range-extender version can run up to 183 km on electric power alone before its 1.5-litre petrol engine kicks in purely as a generator, stretching total range past 1,000 km. Pricing in Australia starts at $36,990 drive-away for the entry Range Extender Hybrid Luxury, undercutting the BYD Sealion 6 the brand has been positioned against. New Zealand buyers have been able to order since April 2026, with Australian deliveries following from June. Both powertrains share the same body, a 7-year/200,000 km warranty, and a 14.6-inch touchscreen, but reviewers in both markets have already flagged some rough edges beneath the aggressive pricing.

Performance & Specs

The Range Extender Hybrid ("Super Hybrid") pairs a rear-mounted electric motor making 120 kW (240 Nm, about 161 hp) with a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine rated at 75 kW (130 Nm, about 101 hp). Crucially, that engine never drives the wheels — it only spins a generator to top up the 31 kWh LFP battery once it runs low, so the car always drives like an EV. Forthing quotes a 12.5-second 0-100 km/h time for this version. The fully electric Taikon 5 swaps in a larger 64 kWh LFP pack and a single front-mounted motor making 150 kW and 340 Nm (about 201 hp), driving the front wheels only. Forthing has not published an official 0-100 km/h figure for the BEV; independent Australian testers have estimated it in the region of 8 seconds, with a top speed listed around 180 km/h. Both versions ride on 235/55 R19 tyres and share a 1,500 kg braked towing rating.

Powertrain	Range-extender EV (REEV)
Power	120 kW (161 hp)
Torque	240 Nm
0–100 km/h	12.5 s
Battery	31 kWh LFP
Range	Up to 183 km EV / 1,000+ km combined

POWERTRAIN TYPE	BEV or Range-Extender EV (REEV)
HORSEPOWER	161 hp (REEV) / 201 hp (BEV)
ACCELERATION	12.5 s (REEV) / ~8 s est. (BEV)
TOP SPEED	Not confirmed (REEV) / ~180 km/h (BEV)
DRIVETRAIN	RWD (REEV) / FWD (BEV)
BATTERY	31 kWh LFP (REEV) / 64 kWh LFP (BEV)
ELECTRIC RANGE	Up to 183 km (REEV) / 427 km (BEV), both WLTP
COMBINED RANGE	1,000+ km (REEV)

Dimensions & Practicality

Length	4,600 mm
Width	1,860 mm
Height	1,680–1,700 mm
Wheelbase	2,715 mm
Ground clearance	180 mm

At 4,600 mm long on a 2,715 mm wheelbase, the Taikon 5 sits in the same medium-SUV bracket as the BYD Sealion 6 and Geely EX5. Boot space is quoted at 541 litres with the rear bench up, extending to a claimed 1,480 litres with the 60/40-split seats folded flat, and the car carries a 180 mm ground clearance figure typical of a road-biased crossover rather than an off-roader. Height varies slightly by powertrain — 1,700 mm for the REEV, 1,680 mm for the BEV — a byproduct of the underfloor battery packaging. Kerb weight is 1,820 kg for the REEV and 1,920 kg for the heavier-battery BEV, both riding on 19-inch wheels wrapped in 235/55 R19 rubber.

LENGTH	4,600 mm
WIDTH	1,860 mm
HEIGHT	1,680–1,700 mm
WHEELBASE	2,715 mm
CARGO VOLUME	541 L (1,480 L seats folded)
KERB WEIGHT	1,820 kg (REEV) / 1,920 kg (BEV)

Charging & Battery

Both powertrains use lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells, which Forthing says have passed more than 90 individual safety tests across four protective layers, including a 24-hour water-submersion test. The BEV's 64 kWh pack (quoted at up to 427 km WLTP in Australian testing) accepts up to 11 kW on AC and 80 kW on DC, with a 30-80% top-up taking around 30 minutes on a suitable fast charger. The REEV's smaller 31 kWh pack charges at up to 40 kW DC, also around 30 minutes for a 30-80% top-up, and is backed by a 43-litre, 91RON petrol tank for the generator engine. Electric-only range for the REEV has been quoted at up to 183 km WLTP by Forthing and New Zealand outlets, though Australian-market WLTP testing reported by local reviewers has returned a more conservative 170 km for the same pack — both figures come from the same 31 kWh battery, just tested under each market's own local WLTP protocol. Combined range with a full tank and charge is marketed as "over 1,000 km," with Australian outlets citing a specific 937 km WLTP figure. The BEV also supports vehicle-to-load (V2L) discharge of up to 3.5 kW on the REEV variant, useful for powering tools or camping gear.

BATTERY	31 kWh LFP (REEV) / 64 kWh LFP (BEV)
AC CHARGING	11 kW
DC FAST CHARGING	40 kW (REEV) / 80 kW (BEV)
DC 30-80% TIME	~30 min (both)

Design & Interior

Forthing describes the Taikon 5's styling as shaped with German engineering input, aiming for a "dynamic" look built around a high beltline, slim split headlights, and a heavily sculpted front fascia with faux intake vents flanking a body-coloured lower grille. It is a clean, technology-forward shape rather than a dramatic one — some Australian reviewers have called the exterior design competent but generic, closer to a design-by-committee crossover than a standout. Inside, the cabin is built around twin displays: a 14.6-inch central touchscreen and an 8.8-inch digital driver's cluster, flanked by physical climate-control buttons and conventional indicator stalks, a deliberate departure from the touchscreen-only approach of some rivals. A "crystal"-style gear selector and chrome-effect trim lift the perceived quality, and every variant gets a ventilated and massaging driver's seat as standard, an unusual inclusion at this price point. Reviewers have been less complimentary about some of the harder cabin plastics and switchgear, describing them as behind established Japanese, Korean, and European rivals on tactile quality, though the fundamentals — screen placement, physical shortcuts, seat comfort — have been praised as sound.

Technology & Features

The 14.6-inch touchscreen runs Forthing's own infotainment software layered with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, so most buyers are expected to lean on phone mirroring rather than the native interface, which reviewers describe as functional but basic with no built-in satellite navigation. Standard equipment includes bi-LED headlights and an electronic parking brake, while the Exclusive grade on both powertrains adds a panoramic sunroof, a 360-degree camera, a wireless phone charger, and a leather-trimmed steering wheel. Forthing has confirmed that remote smartphone-app connectivity is not available at launch, with an over-the-air update expected to add it in 2027. A spare wheel is fitted standard on the BEV Exclusive, unusual for an EV at this price, though not confirmed across every other variant.

Safety & ADAS

Every Taikon 5 variant ships with autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist with lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, front and rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, door exit warning, six airbags, and tyre pressure monitoring. New Zealand quotes a five-star VSSR safety rating, but the car has not yet been independently crash-tested by ANCAP in Australia or New Zealand at launch; Forthing has said it plans to add driver-monitoring hardware to support a future ANCAP submission. Reviewers have noted the lane keep and departure warning calibration as usably unobtrusive rather than the overly aggressive tuning sometimes seen on new Chinese-market entrants.

ADAS LEVEL	L2 driver assistance
ADAS FEATURES	AEB, ACC, LKA, LDW, BSM, front/rear cross-traffic alert, traffic sign recognition, door exit warning

Available Versions

VERSION	POWER	TORQUE	0-100	TOP SPEED	DRIVETRAIN	BATTERY	EV RANGE	COMBINED RANGE	PRICE	KEY DIFFERENCES
Range Extender Hybrid Luxury	161 hp	240 Nm	12.5s	—	RWD	31 kWh	Up to 183 km	1,000+ km	$36,990 AUD	Bi-LED headlights, 14.6in screen, ventilated/massage driver's seat
BEV Luxury	201 hp	340 Nm	~8.0s est.	~180 km/h	FWD	64 kWh	427 km	—	$38,990 AUD	Same equipment as REEV Luxury, full-electric powertrain
Range Extender Hybrid Exclusive	161 hp	240 Nm	12.5s	—	RWD	31 kWh	Up to 183 km	1,000+ km	$40,490 AUD	Adds panoramic sunroof, 360° camera, wireless charger, leather wheel
BEV Exclusive	201 hp	340 Nm	~8.0s est.	~180 km/h	FWD	64 kWh	427 km	—	$42,490 AUD	Same Exclusive kit plus full-size spare wheel

Pricing & Availability

Forthing entered New Zealand first, with the Taikon (marketed there without the "5" suffix) on sale for immediate delivery from April 17, 2026, priced from NZ$39,990 for the Super Hybrid Luxury up to NZ$47,990 for the EV Exclusive, plus on-road costs. Australia followed via distributor Ateco Group — which also imports RAM, Renault, Maserati, and LDV — with drive-away pricing announced ahead of showroom deliveries from June 2026: $36,990 for the Range Extender Hybrid Luxury, $38,990 for the BEV Luxury, $40,490 for the Range Extender Hybrid Exclusive, and $42,490 for the BEV Exclusive, with metallic paint adding $600 across the range. Every Taikon 5 carries a 7-year/200,000 km vehicle warranty and an 8-year/200,000 km battery warranty. Notably, the Taikon nameplate has drawn trademark pushback in at least one market: New Zealand reporting has noted objections from Porsche (over similarity to Taycan) and Volkswagen (over similarity to Tayron), and some Australian retail listings and the brand's own local website market the car simply as "Forthing Electric" or "Forthing Range Extender Hybrid" rather than using the Taikon 5 name, even though "Taikon" badging still appears on the cars themselves. In several export markets, including Israel (Capital Motors lists it at ₪194,990, about $64,570) and Pakistan, the BEV is sold simply as the "Forthing Friday" — the same car under yet another badge, not a different model.

How It Compares

Australian coverage has explicitly framed the Taikon 5 as an under-cutting rival to the BYD Sealion 6, our own catalog's closest EREV/PHEV match — on paper the Sealion 6 offers more power (200 hp vs. 161 hp) and a similar 1,000 km combined range, though its $28,628 figure reflects Chinese domestic pricing rather than an Australian drive-away price, so the two aren't a direct apples-to-apples currency comparison. Against pure-electric rivals from our catalog like the BYD Sealion 06 EV and XPENG G6 — both quicker and longer-range on paper, again at China-market pricing — the Taikon 5 BEV's case rests less on outright specs and more on landing in Australia and New Zealand at a genuinely low local drive-away price with a long warranty, at the cost of slower DC charging and a less refined driving experience than the more established players it's chasing.