Volkswagen Advice

The most economical car argument is still a valid one, despite the fact that oil prices have stabilised around the world.

What is the fastest P-plate legal car in Australia? There’s no hard and fast winner when it comes to what is the fastest legal p-plate car, as each state has differing rules about what is allowed.

The hot hatch is in hot demand these days.

Q: What are the most reliable car brands you can buy in Australia? A: It’s a heck of a question – but a popular barbecue discussion point - and there’s no definitive answer, mainly because there are so many variables (not to mention the sheer number of available car makes and models).

What is the average width of a car?The average width of a car is 1.94 metres.That figure comes from averaging the width of popular vehicle types spanning the Australian new car market.The average width of a small/compact SUV is about 1800mm, the average width of a medium SUV is about 1840mm, the average width of a large SUV is about 1860mm, the average width of an upper large SUV is about 1980mm, the average width of a ute is about 1870mm, and the average width of a US pick-up is about 2300mm.One of the most crucial factors you must take into account when buying a car is whether it will fit in the allocated place in which you plan to park it when it’s not being used – whether that be a resident-only car park, your driveway, garage, car port, etc. And, of course, a vehicle’s width is part of this.So, how wide are cars? Whether you’re buying a hatchback, a sedan, a wagon or a full-size US pick-up, you must know the dimensions of your potential purchase in order to ensure you’re able to safely house it at your home.Car widths differ depending on the vehicle type, for instance a Hyundai i30 (1795mm) is not anywhere near as wide as a Ram 1500 pick-up (2465mm).Note: for the purposes of this yarn, we’re focussing on commercially available mainstream passenger vehicles.So, what is the average width of a car? As the old saying goes: how long’s a piece of string?Read on.The width of different vehicle models within the same realm – hatchbacks, sedans, wagons, SUVs, utes, pick-ups, etc – does not vary as greatly as length may. By its very nature, a motor car has to accommodate at least two seated people across its width.How much do vehicles differ? Not a whole lot, really. Models that occupy the same section of the market will be within 150mm of each other in terms of width.A small urban car, perhaps well suited to a couple or a couple and their labradoodle, will need less people- and cargo-space than a gargantuan, bush-based, horse-trailer-towing US pick-up that regularly carries five people (and two dogs in the tub).So, it’s logical the city runabout vehicle will take up less physical space – and so offer less room – than something like an outback load-lugger.But generally speaking, cars within the same realm – hatchbacks, sedans, wagons, SUVs, utes, pick-ups – will have similar measurements.And remember, a carmaker’s listed vehicle specifications will often include two width measurements: without the wing mirrors extended (which we will use throughout this yarn), and with the wing mirrors extended.Of course there is, and which one you prefer – wider or narrower – mostly boils down to your lifestyle and specific vehicular needs.The main advantage of having a narrow(er) car (hatchback, etc) is its ease of parking in urban areas. For your reference, the minimum dimensions of a small car parking space in Australia (as per the Australian Standard AS 2890) is listed as 2.3 metres wide by 5.0m long. So, there’s that…The main advantage of having a wider car (wagon, van, ute) is the fact that its extra width translates into more interior room and cargo space, meaning (hopefully) more comfort and greater people- and/or cargo-carrying ability.How much do car widths differ by within the same category? Well, I reckon there’s about a maximum 150mm difference between the narrowest and widest in each vehicle type. Reckon I’m incorrect? Good for you. Feel free to push back in the comments section.In Australia we use the metric system of measurement. In this feature, we’ll refer to a car width in millimetres, which is a standard specification measurement in the vehicular world, rather than listing a car width in metres or an average car width in cm or, god forbid, feet.The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) defines selected vehicle types on their footprint (defined as length - mm x width - mm, rounded).This is a more considered way of calculating how much space a vehicle occupies, rather than merely thinking about only its width or length.First up, micro, light or small cars* – we’re talking about vehicles such as Kia Picanto, Suzuki Ignis, Toyota Yaris, Hyundai Kona and the like.(* Micro: “Hatch, sedan or wagon with a footprint < 6300mm”; Light: “Hatch, sedan or wagon with a footprint range 6301-7500mm”; or Small: “Hatch, sedan or wagon with a footprint range 7501-8300mm”, according to the FCAI.)The narrow Picanto is listed as “from 1595mm” across, according to our dimension experts here at carsguide.com.au. The wide-for-a-small-car VW Polo is listed as having a width “from 1751mm”, by the CG mob.CarsGuide has listed the Subaru Impreza width as “from 1775mm” wide, and the Ford Focus is listed as “from 1825mm" wide.The average width of a small SUV (with a length - mm x width - mm less than 8100mm) in this part of the vehicular market, according to CarsGuide measurement experts, falls somewhere between 1760mm wide (Kia Stonic) and 1819mm wide (Volkswagen T-Roc).Let’s jump to medium SUVs – (with a FCAI-defined footprint of 8101mm-8800mm) – which includes vehicles such as Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-5, Mitsubishi Outlander, Toyota RAV4, Nissan X-Trail, Volkswagen Tiguan, etc. These vehicles are referred to as “medium” or “mid-size” and may have five or seven seats.The average width of a medium SUV falls somewhere between 1800mm (Mitsubishi Outlander, as listed by CarsGuide) and 1883mm wide (Ford Escape, as listed by CarsGuide).Large SUVs can carry up to seven people; upper large SUVs are able to carry up to eight passengers.The average width of a large SUV (with an FCAI-listed footprint of between 8801mm and 9800mm) such as Toyota Prado, Land Rover Discovery and their ilk, falls somewhere between 1815mm (Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, as noted by CarsGuide) and 2008mm (Land Rover Defender, as noted by CarsGuide).Upper large SUVs have a FCAI-defined footprint bigger than 9801mm. Think 300 Series LandCruiser (“from 1970mm wide”), Hyundai Palisade (“from 1975mm wide”), and Nissan Patrol (“from 1995mm” wide).Utes are classified as light trucks, which are “vehicles designed principally for commercial but may include designs intended for non-commercial applications."They’re available as two-wheel drive (4x2) or four-wheel drive (4x4) vehicles, and as a cab chassis or with a tub at the rear.These vehicles can legally carry up to five people in the cabin, depending on the body type, and have a FCAI-defined footprint of between 9001mm and 9501mm.The average width of a ute available in Australia falls somewhere between 1815mm (Mitsubishi Triton, as listed by CarsGuide) and 1954mm (VW Amarok, as listed by CarsGuide).Pick-ups are like utes on steroids and the availability of these US 'trucks' is no longer restricted to Australia's grey imports market.Pick-ups – we’re talking about the likes of the Ram 1500, the Ram 2500, the Chevrolet Silverado, the Ford F-150, etc – are now available via mainstream distributors. The average width of these vehicles falls somewhere between 2063mm wide (Chevrolet Silverado, as listed by CarsGuide) and 2630mm wide (Ram 3500, as listed by CarsGuide).If you’re reading this yarn on the CarsGuide website – and not on some dodgy website that’s pilfered our content and is pretending it’s their own – then look up at the menu bar at the top of the page and tap ‘Pricing and Specs’. That will take you, yes, to the ‘Pricing and Specs’ section. Also, feel free to visit the appropriate car-maker’s website and download any specification sheets that are relevant to your particular choice of vehicle. Make sure you look at the correct make-model-variant details.

When you’re buying a car there are numerous factors to take into account but perhaps the most important question you have to ask yourself before buying your new or second-hand vehicle is: how long is it?

The T-Roc small SUV is a key model for Volkswagen, which sits between the compact T-Cross and mid-size Tiguan SUVs.The T-Roc will continue to be more important for the brand into the near future, as in 2022 it overtook the Golf in Australia to become VW’s fourth best-selling model, after the Tiguan, Amarok, and T-Cross.With an update in late 2022, though, the T-Roc now offers an expanded range of variants and a significant shift in its standard equipment and pricing. To understand the current range, see our full layout 2023 Volkswagen T-Roc specs below:The Volkswagen T-Roc is currently available in three main trim levels, the base Style which costs from $37,100 before on-road costs, the R-Line which costs from $45,200 before on-roads, and the top-spec R from $60,300. There is also a limited R Grid Edition variant, which trims the price slightly for the performance variant to $54,300 before on-roads.2023 Volkswagen T-Roc prices before on-road costsThe T-Roc is available with a variety of standard equipment depending on the grade. The base Style scores 18-inch alloy wheels, an 8.0-inch multimedia touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a new digital instrument cluster, wireless charger, ambient interior lighting, rear window tint, leather steering wheel, digital radio, LED headlights and sport front seats with a synthetic suede material.Options for the Style include a 'Sound and Vision' package ($2000) which includes an upgraded digital instrument cluster, improved multimedia suite with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as a 300W Beats audio system, a Nappa leather interior trim option ($3450), a sunroof ($2000), and a powered tailgate ($600).The mid-grade R-Line scores an 18-inch wheel in a sportier design, a sportier suspension with matching ‘progressive’ steering tune, an enhanced digital instrument cluster and improved multimedia suite with built-in navigation, as well as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.Options for the R-Line include Vienna leather interior ($3950), a sunroof ($2000), or a powered tailgate ($600).At the top of the range is the T-Roc R. Aside from its larger engine and all-wheel drive system, the R scores larger 19-inch alloy wheels, new drive modes, a revised suspension tune, the electric tailgate included as standard, premium dash cluster and larger 9.2-inch multimedia touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, improved LED headlights and taillights, as well as bespoke R seats and interior trims.Options on the R include the sunroof ($2000), black style pack ($1200), Beats audio ($750), and signature blue interior highlights ($250).The T-Roc has three variant-dependent engines. The base Style has a 1.4-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine mated to an eight-speed traditional torque converter automatic transmission. It drives the front wheels only and has maximum outputs of 110kW/250Nm.The R-Line is equipped with a larger 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine, which is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, and the brand’s ‘4Motion’ all-wheel drive system. In this configuration, maximum outputs are 140kW/320Nm.At the top of the performance tree, is the T-Roc R. The R also has a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, seven-speed dual clutch transmission, and all-wheel drive system, but has much higher total outputs of 221kW/400Nm.Is the T-Roc offered in diesel?No, unlike its larger Tiguan sibling, the Volkswagen T-Roc is not offered with a diesel engine.Fuel consumption for the 2023 T-Roc range will depend heavily on the variant chosen, with official numbers ranging between 6.3L/100km for the base Style to 8.3L/100km for the performance-oriented R.Boot space in the T-Roc range varies between 440 litres for the base Style, or 392 litres for the R-Line and R.USB-C connectivity is standardised throughout the cabin, as are items like cupholders.The T-Roc has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating dated to 2017, before the car arrived in Australia.Standard equipment carries across most of the range, although due to supply constraints, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert will not be available on all cars delivered over the course of 2023.Cars which do not get this equipment will come with a $650 discount. The top-spec R will continue to maintain standard blind-spot monitoring and rear-cross traffic alert.Current standard equipment across the T-Roc range includes freeway-speed auto emergency braking, lane keep assist with lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. There are also six airbags and the standard array of stability, brake, and traction systems.Available colours for the T-Roc include the standard (zero cost) 'Pure White', as well as optional metallic shades - 'Indium Grey', 'Kings Red', 'Petroleum Blue', 'Pyrite Silver' and 'Ravenna Blue'. The T-Roc R adds the option of 'Deep Black Pearl'.

Let’s talk urban myths: If you want to be protected in a car crash, you need to be driving a vehicle that’s bigger than the one you collide with.

'Dune buggy', or the more Australian 'beach buggy', is a pretty broad descriptor these days. As well as a new wave of recreational single-seater buggies and two-seat side-by-sides, there have been any number of home-made contraptions that have passed for a beach buggy over the years. Most of them have been crude, most have been fun machines and all of them have been dangerous.

To modern Australian families, the SUV is what a Commodore or a Falcon used to be - the sensible, obvious and most common choice of family vehicle.