Articles by David Morley

Given the way so many four-wheel drives have morphed into performance SUVs over the years, it’s no surprise Range Rover had its own take on a high-spec, high-stepping wagon. The difference being, of course, that with a Range Rover badge, the end result needed to be sporty(-ish) and capable of plugging through the worst forest tracks and trails imaginable.The product of that thinking became the Range Rover Sport.Although the badging and high-end interior materials said Range Rover, the platform with its semi-monocoque construction said Land Rover. Land Rover Discovery 3, to be precise. But when you started to explore the Sport’s on- and off-road abilities and its tremendous looking body, any misgivings might have been scratched.The range kicked off in Australia in 2005 as the L320 series and included a huge range of mechanical packages. They started with the 2.7TDV6 which used a 2.7 litre turbo-diesel V6 with a six-speed automatic. With 140kW performance was okay, but importantly, the L320 used a proper two-speed transfer-case with permanent four-wheel drive.There was also a 4.4-litre petrol V8 option with 220kW and a storming 4.2-litre supercharged petrol V8 with no less than 287kW at its disposal. Both of those also had six-speed automatic transmissions and all V8 models had a locking rear differential for more off-road prowess.A year after the model’s launch, Range Rover added a 3.6-litre twin-turbo diesel V8 model with 200kW.The Range Rover badge decreed that luxury could not be forgotten, so every version of the Sport featured 18-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, cruise control, LED lighting and leather upholstery. The 4.4-litre V8 version added a CD stacker, bi-xenon headlights, and rear parking sensors, while the diesel V8 carried the same specification but with 19-inch alloys. The supercharged Sport added 20-inch wheels, Brembo brakes, front parking sensors, memory seats and mirrors as well as hydraulically controlled anti-roll suspension.Air suspension was a much hyped part of the Sport deal with the (on-paper) ability to make the independent suspension work as if the vehicle had solid axles in tougher off-road settings.Range Rover gave the L320 a facelift (to Series 2 spec) in 2009 with new engines and improved suspension as well as interior improvements to make the driver’s job easier.The new engines started with a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6, while the V8s were replaced by a 5.0-litre petrol V8. Available in either naturally aspirated or supercharged form, the new V8s were good for 276kW and a massive 375kW.The model was eventually replaced in 2013 by the L494 model Range Rover Sport. The short answer is yes, and no.The Range Rover Sport is a pretty amazing thing dynamically, able to combine high-speed stability with good comfort and even exceptional off-road abilities. That’s the ‘yes’ part.The ‘no’ comes in the form of a litany of serious mechanical and electrical problems that have surfaced over the years, tainting the Sport’s reputation.This car is a classic case of buyer beware, but if you do get lucky and find one that is reliable, the driving experience is hard to match. The problem is picking a good one, because the odds aren’t great that it will be clear sailing. In a nutshell, not great. In fact, not even close. Too many owners have had expensive, often catastrophic failures to make any other judgment. The problems are wide and varied, too, so there’s no short-cut to finding one that won’t necessarily break the bank.The rusted-on fans out there will beg to differ, but the facts are the facts, and this vehicle’s a gamble at best. This is no short list and the Range Rover Sport’s reputation for fragility and dud engineering is based on many years of turning motorists into mechanics.Let’s start with the real elephant in the room, the 2.7 and 3.0 litre V6 turbo-diesels. These have a pretty shocking record for destroying themselves due to problems with the bottom end bearings. Speculation is that the bearings themselves were either fitted incorrectly at the factory, or that they could wear and 'spin' in service. Either way, once you hear the warning noises from under the bonnet, you had a handful of seconds to pull off the road, shut the engine off and call a tow-truck. Any longer and you were likely to destroy the engine completely as the crankshaft failed due to the bearing problem.Symptoms that you have those precious seconds remaining include a knocking noise that gets louder as you load the engine, and a low oil pressure warning on the dashboard. Ignore it and you’ll soon have the con-rods on the ground under the car. Not nice.Scandalously, despite this being a known problem affecting the very earliest L320 cars, it took Land Rover until 2012 to sort a fix with a revised bearing design.Early examples of this engine also had a major design flaw in the oil pump assembly which was too weak to support the tensioner for the rubber timing belt that was mounted on the pump casing. This often showed up straight after a new timing belt was fitted and the added tension of the new belt exceeded the integrity of the pump casing.At that point, all hell boke loose as the timing belt jumped ship, allowing the pistons to collide with the valves and reducing the engine to scrap in milli-seconds. A revised pump casing design fixed things, but not before plenty of owners were replacing entire engines.The single turbocharger unit fitted to the 2.7-litre V6 was also prone to internal wear. Lots of white smoke from the exhaust was a sign that this was the case. Replacing the turbocharger unit was the usual fix. EGR valve failures on this engine are not unknown, either.The 5.0-litre supercharged V8 was not without problems and it often developed a rattle or ticking noise. This was usually traced to the timing chain tensioner, requiring the tensioner and the timing chain to be replaced. An improved design of the chain and tensioner helped, but didn’t arrive until the 2012 model.The Sport’s air suspension has also caused its share of grief with many owners returning to their vehicle to find it lying almost flat on the ground. The cause is usually the air suspension’s compressor system which can either fail to maintain the required ride height or simply allow all the air to escape the suspension units. One theory holds that the compressor itself was too small and was overworked, leading to failures.We’ve also heard of a few instances where the suspension units themselves have failed requiring costly replacement. But even the plastic plumbing for the air suspension seems underdone in the sense of a car designed for off-road work.Those are by no means the only faults associated with this make and model, but they’re the ones that keep surfacing over time. None of them are minor. Again, this is a long list because the Range Rover Sport has been far from immune from safety recalls to fix things that should never have gone wrong.Let’s start with the transmission which could sometimes refuse to select Park. This affected very early build L320s.Then there was the ABS sensor which could chafe its wiring on the wheel under extreme cornering and suspension travel situations. Again, this affected early (2005 and 2006) models.Perhaps the recall with the greatest potential for mayhem was one for V6 turbo-diesel vehicles built between mid-2004 and mid-2009. In those, there was a chance the vacuum system and the entire braking system could fail, leading to a total loss of brake performance. And again, that’s an awful lot of cars to be affected by such a serious defect.The L320 was also recalled at various points in time to correct faulty crank angle sensors that would stop the engine in its tracks, door latches that wouldn’t (latch) and fuel pumps that could fail prematurely.You can find out more by visiting https://www.vehiclerecalls.gov.au/ Later built cars were definitely better than earlier-build examples, purely because Range Rover had time to sort things out (not that it always did). But the one vehicle we’d avoid would be the turbo-diesel in any of its forms as these were the ones with the dicky bottom end. This is a vehicle where the fewer kilometres covered, the better. That said, you do see the odd one with better than 400,000km on board still getting around, but it would be very interesting to find out how much of a grandfather’s axe it is. Those high-milers are also almost always turbo-diesel cars, too, but that’s as much a function of the fact that this vehicle arrived in Australia when diesel was the new black, and people were flocking to it. It’s very difficult to recommend this make and model unless you’re an expert in diagnosing and fixing them and don’t mind a bit of down time. The non-supercharged petrol V8 stands a better chance of going the distance, but even it lives in the shadow of air suspension failures and other maladies. A high-mileage turbo-diesel can be had for comfortably less than $10,000 these days. In fact, you see them advertised for as little as $5000 which still makes them a punt, but a much lower-stakes punt.There’s a wide spread of prices after that with something like a supercharged V8 version with 100,000km showing for between $45,000 and $50,000. The one thing in the Sport’s favour as a long-term proposition is the magnificent repair and parts industry that has sprung up around the brand. You could argue that’s a function of necessity to keep a flawed product on the road, but it also reflects the fanaticism the Range Rover brand has created for itself.There’s a legion of specialist workshops that know these vehicles backwards and can supply pretty much every part needed. Independent specialists are also usually a lot cheaper than Range Rover dealership repairs and servicing.The better news is that every time a Range Rover Sport is pensioned off or scrapped its parts help keep other Rangies on the road. There’s no way of knowing how many L320 Range Rover Sports were sold during the model’s eight years on sale. But we can tell you that the bigger online sales sites have between 50 and 140 L320s available for sale.The vast majority of those are turbo-diesel V6 variants.

A new entry-level engine is the big news in Ford's latest upgrade of the Ranger dual-cab. Gone is the old two-litre turbo-diesel with its twin turbochargers and 154kW, and in comes a simplified, unit with one less turbo and 29 fewer kiloWatts. But the pay off should be in long-term ownership cost. But what does that mean in the meantime? And does this make the V6 diesel even more attractive?

Ford's Everest off-road SUV has been a good performer for Ford, but sometimes not so good for its owners. Now, Ford has moved to address the biggest potential reliability issue by switching to a lower-tech, lower-output four-cylinder turbo-diesel for entry-level Everest variants. But is the new engine up to the job? And does the Everest keep pace with the competition with such a mild facelift?

Lexus has added hybrid power to its hulking LX range. With fuel costing so much, is this the perfect solution for the big Japanese off-roader?

There was a time when Honda was considered by some (and itself) to be the Japanese version of BMW. Sporty, prestige cars that were distinctive and high-end. How things changed.Frankly, Honda lost its mojo somewhere around the turn of the century, and while there have been glimpses of that former aspirational brand, many of Honda’s products in the meantime have been cannon-fodder stuff. And into that mix, you could probably toss the CR-V.It’s not that the CR-V was a bad car, just that it lacked the old sparkle. The fifth generation of the CR-V SUV failed to change that perception or Honda’s unenviable sales trajectory.A shift to Thailand production didn’t help, either, and somehow the CR-V has struggled along. Which is not to say it isn’t worth a look as a used-car buy, because in terms of ride quality, cabin fit and finish and interior space relative to its exterior dimensions it’s still a Honda. In other areas, not so much…Dubbed internally the 'RW' series CR-V, this car was available in Australia in a bewildering range of models and driveline layouts. That started with the entry-level VTi which was a five-seater, front-wheel drive variant. The range then moved up to the better equipped VTi-S, still with five seats, but a choice of front- or all-wheel drive. The range-topper was the VTi-LX which was a five-seater and AWD only and then, just to confuse us, Honda also dropped the VTi-L into showrooms with its FWD platform but seven seats.Which ever variant you bought you got the same powertrain; a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine driving through a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). Unless, of course, you bought the most affordable model which Honda quietly slipped into showrooms in 2019. Called the Vi, this was a stripped-out version designed to get a car on to the market at under $30,000, As a result, the turbo engine was dropped in favour of a gutless, low-tech SOHC 2.0-litre, four-cylinder with but 113kW. Add the same CVT auto and you had a recipe for humdrum.

Holidays at home have never looked better from a global crisis point of view. But increasing fuel prices threaten to put the brakes on that, as well, especially when diesel is up to a dollar a litre more than petrol. Enter the GWM Tank 300 plug-in hybrid. It promises a performance-to-running costs ratio that will really take some beating. And the sticker price is pretty sharp, too.

The Forester has definitely been a winner for Subaru in Australia. Often the brand’s best-selling model year to year, the Forester’s magic is that it blurs the line between a conventional station wagon and the now ubiquitous SUV.In that process, the Forester has built up a huge following of devoted fans who can see the logic and practicality in the overall design.For 2013, Subaru gave us the fourth-gen Forester, or SJ model as it’s known internally.The same packaging remained as before, although the SJ model was a little longer, higher and had more wheelbase than the previous gen, but the new car was only 1mm wider, maintaining its appeal to inner-city dwellers who didn’t need or want a bigger Subaru (there was the Outback for that, anyway).The range kicked off with the 2.0i and 2.0i-L which used a 2.0-litre engine with 110kW and a six-speed manual transmission. The next step up the model ladder was to the 2.5i, 2.5i-L and the 2.5i-S, all of which were fitted with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with 126kW and a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT).There was also a turbo-diesel option in this generation, dubbed 2.0D, 2.0D-L and 2.0D-S, which had a bit less power at 108kW and was six-speed manual only. Finally, there was the big talking point, the XT and XT Premium, which were fitted with a 2.0-litre, 177kW turbocharged petrol engine and a CVT.That all sounds pretty complex, but what it meant was that there were basically three trim levels and four drivelines from which to choose. And either way, you got that boxy but practical wagon body, slightly jacked-up suspension and Subaru’s trademark all-wheel drive.That changed a bit for the Series 2 version of the Forester SJ, with Subaru taking the opportunity to simplify the model range and sneak an uprated turbo-diesel engine on to the market. The simplification took the form of dumping the previous base models (2.0i, 2.0D and 2.5i).The diesel upgrade came with new technology and construction for better performance and efficiency, but it remained a manual-only proposition, blunting its market appeal somewhat.Finally, a Series 3 version of the SJ Forester arrived in 2016, with a slight facelift and some subtle changes to the interior. Revised damping rates and improved steering were also part of the upgrade.

Subaru’s Forester is one of the brand’s most important models. In fact, based purely on sales, it’s Subaru’s number-one seller, but it’s also a model that has helped bring new buyers to Subaru showrooms. And it’s been doing that for almost three decades.The model we’re looking at here is the 'SK' model, or fifth-gen version, sold here from 2018 to 2025 when it was replaced by the all-new sixth-gen.Gone was the turbocharged Forester XT option, and every member of the SK family (apart from the hybrid variant) was powered by the then-familiar 'FB' series of engines measuring 2.5 litres.The model line-up started with the base-model 2.5i, then moved to the 2.5i-L, then the 2.5i Premium and finally the 2.5i-S. The differences were in the level of standard equipment and safety gear, because mechanically, they were the same including the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) and Subaru’s trademark all-wheel drive platform.The 2.0-litre petrol-electric hybrid was the odd one out, with less power and performance and a slight fuel economy advantage if you could be bothered. Is Subaru Forester a good car?The beauty of the Forester is that it combines all the good bits of an SUV (higher ride height, ease of access and all-wheel drive grip) with the convenience and practicality of a conventional station-wagon. The car could have been one big compromise, but never has been and those who bought one often pony up for a second or third Forester as the years pass. That’s how good the basic premise is.While it’s not an off-roader by any stretch, the Forester’s all-wheel drive and slightly better ground clearance give it great gravel-road abilities. This is part of the reason first responders such as country fire authorities and regional patient transport services absolutely love the Forester (and its Outback big brother).That all-wheel drive platform also infers a decent degree of safety, and that’s paired with a knee airbag and side-curtain airbags in every variant, as well as autonomous emergency braking (AEB), and Subaru’s 'Eyesight' safety aids including blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assistance and rear cross-traffic alert. That makes for a better-than-average safety deal and, in turn, makes the Forester a good choice for younger drivers who still need a decently sized wagon body. Subaru Forester reliabilityMany other manufacturers would kill for a reliability record and reputation to match Subaru’s. And while the Forester is not perfect, most owners seem to have a pretty good run with their Subarus, including the ability to turn the odometer past that expected of the opposition.The one proviso is the vehicle has been serviced absolutely by the book. The Subaru engine has lots of small oilways which can become clogged if the oil isn’t kept fresh and clean. Details like the condition of the rubber boots on the four driveshafts are crucial, too, so they’re not exactly maintenance-free. Then again, neither is any other car.The lack of a turbocharger on the Forester helps keeps things simple and unstressed and that’s always good for reliability.The hybrid’s more complex petrol-electric driveline imposes a few more complexities and EV battery-life can be a concern. A pre-purchase check of the EV battery pack is a good idea. Subaru Forester problemsThe bad old days of head gasket failures in Subaru engines were, unless you were really unlucky, a thing of the past by the time this model rolled around. The engine also uses life-of-engine timing chains instead of a rubber belt that needs periodic replacement.Early versions of the FB (Subaru’s in-house code-name) were sometimes guilty of excess oil consumption which was usually traced to either a poor Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) valve design or faulty piston rings. The good news is these issues had been addressed by the 2015 model-year, so a 2018 or later Forester shouldn’t be affected. We’d still check the car’s service history, however.Although CVTs have a somewhat less than stellar reputation in the trade, the Subaru unit has proven itself to be less troublesome than other brands. Some owners have complained about a jerkiness in the CVT in traffic and at low speeds, however.Beyond that, the big thing to watch for is the sort of trim and exterior damage often inflicted in the normal course of family-car duties. Car park dings should be easy to spot, milky drinks spilled between the seat cushions less so. Subaru Forester recallThe SK Forester has a pretty clean rap sheet when it comes to safety recalls. Some cars built in 2019 were recalled to replace a Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) valve that could fail, and another batch of cars made between 2017 and 2020 were recalled to check the integrity of the bolts holding the rear stabiliser bar.A batch of cars built in 2018 and 2019 was recalled for a potential fuel pump failure that could stop the car in its tracks and some MY2023 cars were also recalled to check for faulty front driveshafts.You can find out more about these recalls by contacting a Subaru dealer and providing the car’s VIN, or online at www.vehiclerecalls.gov.au/.  Subaru Forester years to avoidNo one year is better than any other in the fifth-gen Forester, so buy on service history, kilometres and condition rather than build-year.But the one version we probably wouldn’t bother with is the hybrid. Frankly, it feels underpowered to drive and the extra complexity of the hybrid platform just isn’t borne out by the small fuel economy gain. Truth is, this is a mild-hybrid rather than a meaningful one and we’d go for the upmarket, conventional-driveline Forester with more standard equipment for the same money. Subaru Forester how many kilometresSubarus tend to keep on keeping on and the SK appears to continue that tradition. Search online, and you’ll find plenty of SK Foresters for sale with 250,000km or more showing, still with life left in them. Again however, this promise of useful life remaining is entirely dependent on that service record being intact and complete.  Subaru Forester best modelSince there’s less price difference between the base model and the upmarket versions now than when they were brand new, the temptation today is to opt for a fully-equipped model and enjoy the luxe bits for not much more money.Since there’s no real mechanical differences between the various non-hybrid versions that advice holds true and, at the same time, gets you into a car with more standard safety kit. That said, every SK Forester had all-wheel drive, seven airbags, autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and Subaru’s 'Eyesight' safety cameras, so even the base-model is hardly lacking.  Subaru Forester resale valuePrices for high-milers start at the mid-teens or even a bit less, but there’s probably better value to be had with an example with closer to 150,000km (or less) on board for around the high-teens or $20,000 mark.There’s also good value to be had by spending a closer to the high-20s or even $30,000 and looking for a later model Forester with around 50,000km showing on the odometer. At which point, you should be buying a car that will last the next decade or even more. Subaru Forester partsSubaru has about 120 accredited service centres across Australia, the vast majority of which are also dealerships. But a good independent workshop should be able to tackle pretty much any job on what is, after all, a fairly conventional car. Even the CVT shouldn’t trouble a transmission specialist.Parts are readily available from traditional outlets as well as an army of online sellers. Just be careful buying from offshore online sites you don’t know. Subaru Forester salesThe success of the Forester as a best-selling model for Subaru in Australia, means there are lots of them out there. In 2025 alone Subaru sold more than 15,000 Foresters so the car is well understood and in plentiful supply. In fact, a quick online check reveals there are literally thousands of Foresters for sale right now, many of them the SK model.

Thanks to the runaway success of the models that went before it, Mazda’s take on the 3 hatch and sedan for the 2014 model year was another fine effort. Even though it was facing strong sales headwinds thanks to the then-emerging cult of the SUV, the 3 was still able to keep Mazda in the headlines for all the right reasons.Here, we’re looking at the 3s sold new from late 2013 until 2019, namely the BM and BN series cars in Mazda-speak. Like many models, the 3 had started to grow up and out by this stage. There was a new, fresh corporate look, as well as a more sophisticated range of powertrains and expanded trim options.So, starting with the BM model, the 3 could be had as a five-door hatch or a four-door sedan, with trim levels starting at Neo, then moving through Maxx, Touring, SP25, SP25 GT and SP25 Astina. The first three of those were fitted with a new 2.0-litre engine using Mazda’s then-novel 'SkyActiv' technology of direct-injection and high compression. All the SP25 variants got a 2.5-litre SkyActiv engine with 138kW (114kW for the 2.0L) and there was also a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel which, for the first time in a Mazda 3, could be had with an automatic transmission. Finally, all 3s were now available with a six-speed manual or a six-speed conventional automatic.The facelift, the BN was pretty much more of the same, arriving in 2016. Mazda fiddled with the specifications a little, turning the Neo and Maxx into the Neo Sport and Maxx Sport, respectively, adding autonomous emergency braking, improving cabin acoustics and dumping the slow-selling diesel engine option. Is Mazda 3 a good car?The short answer is yes. Quality was better than ever before with the move to the BM and BN models, and things like interior noise had been somewhat addressed (although the Mazda was still no class-leader in this area). Even better, the fuel consumption concerns of the previous models were also handled with the BM and BN. And the SkyActiv technology marked a big improvement in performance and efficiency for Mazda’s smaller cars generally.Interiors and things like paint quality were also lauded at the time, and the Mazda is one of the models that helped elevate the image of Japanese cars generally at a time when South Korean and Chinese cars were redefining buyer expectations.Safety was good, too, with a comprehensive suite of driver aids that helped make the 3 an obvious choice for new drivers.Our only quibble would be the cab-forward styling language Mazda adopted about this time. It makes for a sportier look, but it compromises the luggage space in the hatchback.Mazda 3 reliabilityThe quality image the Mazda 3 has earned has a lot do to with its mechanical reliability. Very few recurring problems seem to crop up, and while a few cars needed replacement automatic transmissions in the early days, the problem wasn’t a huge one overall. And many would-be buyers appreciate the fact that Mazda fitted a conventional torque-converter automatic rather than a dual-clutch or Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).Some owners of manual cars reported hard shifting into some gears and a tendency for the car to jump out of third gear. In those cases the transmission design was at fault and by late 2014 Mazda had redesigned the gearbox to avoid these dramas.The diesel variant of the 3 was probably the most likely to give trouble, mainly with the turbocharger. These could die young and replacing them was the only fix.Mazda 3 problemsThe major problems you’re likely to encounter with second-hand Mazda 3 now will be down to the abuse and neglect of the previous owner. These were great first cars for younger drivers with good safety and reliability built in. But that meant they were often neglected in terms of routine maintenance and repairs, as well as often driven by the inexperienced.So watch out for kerbed wheel rims and mangled bumpers. If you can see where repairs have been carried out they’ve not been done properly. Some colours seemed a bit more susceptible to fading and peeling, too, so check black and metallic coloured cars closely for signs of paint degradation.Mazda 3 recallThe Mazda 3’s track record is pretty good here, with very few recalls to worry about.Both the BM and BN models were recalled to fix a potential fault with the windscreen wipers that would see them stop working, as well as a wiring problem that could have led to dramas with the rear view camera.Beyond that, the BM was recalled to check for carbon deposits inside the turbocharger that could cause engine damage and the BN for a fuel pump problem that would see the engine shut down.You can check out the full details of these recalls by visiting: https://www.vehiclerecalls.gov.au/Mazda 3 years to avoidIt’s not really a year-specific thing, but the Mazda 3 we’d give a miss would be the turbo-diesel version. While it makes good power and torque and could finally be had in automatic form, some owners have reported a problem that has since gone on to plague many a modern diesel with a diesel particulate filter (DPF).What happens is the car decides it needs to regenerate this filter by getting it hot and burning off the soot inside. But many owners never drove fast or far enough to get the exhaust system hot enough, so the car would than take matters into its own hands, injecting extra diesel into the engine to make everything hotter and instigate the filter regen. The problem was that some of this extra diesel found its way into the engine (past the piston rings) where it diluted the engine oil, with the potential for major engine damage.Then there’s the issue of the turbocharger requiring replacement and the cost involved in that now the car is well and truly out of warranty.Aside from anything else, right now diesel is a lot more expensive than petrol, making the diesel 3 even less attractive.Mazda 3 how many kilometresHow a car fares over the longer term is entirely down to how it’s been (or hasn’t been) maintained and how it’s been driven. But based on a car with a good, solid service record, it’s not unreasonable to expect to see 200,000km on the odometer before repairs start to be required. And if you check the classifieds you’ll see 3s from this era for sale with more than 250,000km showing and still looking pretty good.The SkyActiv petrol engines are reasonably highly strung with high compression ratios, but they’re not turbocharged, so they aren’t as highly stressed as some of the competition with trendier turbo-motors and extra performance. Mazda 3 best modelIf the budget will stretch, the SP25 is the best variant to have now. The larger engine makes for more performance (a surprisingly amount, in fact) and that makes the automatic transmission work better. If you enjoy a manual gearbox, then the SP25 is the best way to do that, too.And as is the way of all second-hand cars, the price-gap between the most basic and the flashest version now, won’t be anything like it was when the car was brand-new. The only catch there is that the SP25 wasn’t the best seller at the time. Since the 3 was seen as a fairly basic, small car, many buyers opted for the cheaper variants, so there are more Neos and Maxxes out there now as a result.Regardless of the trim level, for practicality’s sake, we’d take a five-door hatchback version of the 3 over the four-door sedan, even though the styling reduces the luggage space in the hatchback.  Mazda 3 resale valueYou’ll find the odd bargain among private buyers now and then, but the car’s good overall reputation means values have held up pretty well even though the Mazda 3 is a conventional hatch or sedan rather than a trendy SUV.Cars with lots of kilometres showing start below $10,000, and things go up from there. A clean, well maintained BM SP25 is closer to $25,000, and for that, you should be getting a minty-fresh car with low kilometres and a used-car warranty. Mazda 3 partsMazda has something like 150 dealerships dotted around Australia, so service and parts should not be hard to find. There are plenty of independent workshops who can deal with a conventional car like the Mazda, too, and spare parts are available at traditional parts stores and online.The good news is that thanks to the car’s durability, you may not need much in the way of spares. Mazda 3 salesExact sales figures across the BM/BN model are hard to pin down, but most reckon Mazda easily sold more than 100,000 of them in this country. That means there are lots to choose from and, on carguide.com.au right now, there are more than 250 cars for sale from this range.

The Subaru Outback has a hard-won reputation for family-focused practicality blended with all-wheel drive light off-road ability. We help you decide if it's a solid used car bet.