Articles by Owner Review

The Toyota RAV4 has lots of cool stuff like maps, music and connecting to your phone. It keeps you safe, too. It warns you if you're about to crash or if you're drifting out of your lane. Plus, it adjusts your speed to keep a safe distance from other cars.The inside of the Toyota RAV4 is made to be really useful. There's lots of space for people to sit comfortably, and you can adjust the seats to fit just right. Plus, the back area can fit all kinds of stuff, like groceries or luggage, because the seats can fold down. It's great for trips or just running errands.Driving the Toyota RAV4 feels really nice. It's smooth and comfy, even on bumpy roads. The steering is easy to control, so driving around town or on curvy roads is no problem. Plus, it's got enough power to get on the highway or go up hills without any trouble. Overall, it's a great mix of comfy and fun to drive for everyone in the car.The running costs of the Toyota RAV4 are generally reasonable. Its fuel efficiency varies depending on how you will drive. Routine servicing costs are affordable for five years as fixed $230, and Toyota's reputation for reliability can reduce unexpected maintenance expenses. Insurance rates are typically competitive, reflecting the vehicle's safety features. Overall, it's a cost-effective choice for everyone.The reliability of RAV4 is excellent because people trust the Toyota brand. It is tough build and works well for long time. I say that it is the most reliable car out there. I as a owner love it and recommend everyone to buy it if you can afford to.

Five airbags. AM/FM radio. CD player. Don't know how to use anything else. It has a screen, but not sure how it works. Keyless remote broke after five years and is far too expensive to replace. So as I cannot lock it, I don't leave valuables inside. Suits me fine.As it is a utility, it is perfect for my business. Perfect for carrying one tonne of weight (e.g. 1sqm of rocks or a pallet of pavers). Interior is basic but has everything that is needed. Air-con, electric windows, nice driving position, great vision, easy turning and parking.The easiest car (utility) to drive. Heaps of power (2.7 petrol). Five-speed manual with perfect gearing. Light. Great cornering. Good brakes. Drives better with a not-so-heavy load in the back. Armrest at the right height. Everything is positioned for effortless driving. Steering is light but direct and safe.With petrol at roughly $1.90 per litre on average, and a 60L tank, it costs over $100 to fill from empty. But the distance is a miserable 450-500km on a full tank. My previous two Hiluxes would achieve 600km on a full tank. Maybe emission control?One word: Toyota. This is the 6th Toyota (three Corollas and three Hiluxes) I have owned. The most reliable car on the road. Starts first time every time, and when it doesn't start first time, you know the battery will need replacing soon enough. Just keep regular servicing of the vehicle.

Five-star safety rating. Airbags everywhere. Seat belts self tighten. Car will not drive with door accidently open, just drops back into N. Lane auto correction and vibration warning through steering. Brilliant brakes with never any hint of overheating. Top-class positive steering and handling. Comes with wonderful runflat tyres (more later). Harman Kardon sound system top class with six quality speakers. Easy pairing of phone and whatever you want. Will retain played CD in its memory of favorites if desired.All the controls for the driver are in easy reach, including dash-mounted (e.g. heating and air-con and sounds system). Steering wheel controls are easily operated and more than adequate. Steering column and steering wheel adjustments are electric. Boot space is quite adequate for most motoring, although the height is low at the rear, owing to the rear hatch sloping down. There is quite a useful cavity under the boot floor, where the spare wheel would be if one was included. You can leave the floor panel out of you wish for more room. If traveling a lot with children, you may find the space a bit restricted, but you would probably go for an X3, the X4's brother. You can purchase a spare wheel if desired. Of.course, the backs of the rear seats fold forward for much more space if needed, if no rear passengers are on-board.Absolutely perfect! Every part of the driving is what you would expect from a quality car. This the third BMW I have owned (previously X5 4.2L V8 and X3 M35i. I also own at present an X5 xDrive35d. The X4 is quieter, smoother and better drive then either of the other three. In all fairness, the X5 I also have now is a diesel, so it's a bit unfair to compare the two. The driving experience is unreal if you like a bit of boogy! At 385hp from a 3.0-litre engine, you would want no more. They have a governed top speed of 255km/h if you feel you need it? The exhaust noise on starting up is quite loud but soon quietens down to an acceptable level. Also, if you use Sports mode for driving, it has a very different tone. Not sure how all that works but the young guys love it. I can truthfully say out of many many cars I have owned and company cars I've had to drive, this X4 is by far the best. At 79 years of age now and starting driving at 15 years, there's been a lot. I drove Ford Escort RS1600 and RS1800 rally cars for 14 years and used to think how fast they were. This car would eat them!Fuel usage is very good for the performance available: 9.6L/100km often. Of course, if in a hurry, high 12s are usual. And if towing as I have done a 21ft caravan: 15L/100km. By the way, it runs on 91 octane fuel quite safely and well. With free servicing for three years, I have only paid for one fairly major service, which was near to $600. Since then it has had in my estimation an unnecessary brake fluid change at $130, but that was a serviced item. Something quite disturbing to me as a lifetime mechanic from new, the first service was due at a ridiculous 30,000k? I questioned this and was told that's what it is. When explaining my disapproval of this and offering to pay for a oil and filter change myself, it was refused. I changed the oil and filter myself. 4000km and again at approx 18,000km. I do notice now since the free services are over, the intervals have come down to 10,000? Funny? Insurance premiums are relativity more than acceptable for a $128,000 car and about $40 a month cheaper than our new $84,000 caravan? Both have a $400 excess.Very, very good. Only two warranty items have been needed doing in 4.5 years of the five-year period. A new coolant top up bottle leaked slightly and a lane change sensor and motor needed replacing. A bit disturbing was the wear rate of the huge 21-inch rear tyres. The center of the tread was unacceptable by our WOF standards here in NZ at 28,000km. These are not cheap at $830 for non-runflats each to $910 each for runflats. This was the only real disappointment of the whole car. And I did lower the recommended tyre pressures by 4lbs with little difference? 

Safety has been taken very seriously in the SX+. It has all the modern safety equipment, including lane assist and front and rear parking sensors. I find some safety options to be very sensitive and there are lots of beeping, but I think that’s the case with most modern cars. The multimedia display is very easy to use and looks great, and the steering wheel controls are also easy to use. The cars interior is very practical. Seats are very comfortable and easy to adjust. Lighting is good. There’s space to put bottles and phones. Dash display is easy to navigate. The phone charging ports are in good locations, and there is plenty of space for a family. Boot space is also good with lots of room for prams or bags to go on holidays. Driving the Kia is unfortunately not the best. I also have a Toyota Camry and the Camry drives a lot smoother in terms of acceleration and suspension. The main problem is the gearbox is not smooth in transitioning gears and acceleration is jerky especially on hills. Going down hills, the motor sounds like it’s going to blow up it’s that loud. Driving on a flat road isn’t too bad and I use Sports mode, which makes it a bit more responsive. I was expecting the 1.6-litre turbo to have better fuel efficiency than it does. It also uses more than advertised by Kia. Dropping the kids off at school or doing the shopping uses in between 9.5 and 10.5L/100km and freeway driving uses 8 to 8.5L/100km. so freeway driving isn’t to bad. We only use premium 98, so it isn’t cheap, but it could be worse. Reliability so far has been very good. We have just had a warning symbol come up on the car, so it needs to be looked at. But apart from that, there has been no problems with the car. Build quality seems good, so I’m confident the car will last. I am hoping the warning symbol is nothing serious and can be resolved quickly.

Multimedia is extremely easy to use. We have stored three mobile phones on the system and we are able to switch between the three and play music/Spotify very easily. The speakers are super sharp and provide plenty of sound for front and rear passengers. Built in car navigation system is not as user friendly as I hoped. I tend to use Google maps with my phone in the holder instead. To have the map updated I had to take it into Subaru. I wish this was possible to do at home over Wi-Fi or something similar. I would have been happy to pay for this. The EyeSight technology and multiple airbags makes me feel very comfortable while driving.  The same can be said for the blind-spot assistance, which lights up to show cars in my blind spot. The Cruise control is amazing. Safety and Subaru go hand in hand. Main reason I bought the car.Very practical car. It’s been perfect for those city driving. Taking the kids to and from school, and to and from sport. I have used the car both on- and off-road. We have had beach days and driven onto the beach. The car handled beautifully. We have also taken it out bush and once again it was a smooth ride AND practical as we could go off-track. In the city it’s big enough and small enough. Big enough to carry everyone and equipment etc. in the cargo. But small enough to get around traffic and find parking etc.From a drive perspective, it’s smooth and super safe. The many safety options have saved me. The EyeSight assist is a welcomed addition as well as the ability to go into different modes and change the traction control to assist when driving in rough or slippery conditions. In the city it drives like a normal sedan. It’s the perfect blend of SUV/sedan and has the versatility to switch between the two with ease.From a servicing point of view I have only speny on the regular servicing costs. I take it in every 10-15ks. I have had no issues with the car for 6.5 years running. It has been perfect. The insurance is approx 1400-1500 per year with NRMA, which is reasonable. From a fuel point of view, it’s wonderful. It’s much cheaper than my old 4WD and eats fuel like a standard sedan which is amazing!In 6.5 years I have never had a single reliability issue with the car. It has stood up to every test I have thrown at it. From off-road to on-road, it has been the most reliable car I have owned. I have only ever had to complete the regular services. I would be looking to buy the upgraded / latest version soon as I love the car.  It was super reliable in the bush and on the beach. As well as in the city commuting from school to sports etc. If it’s reliability you are after, then this is the perfect car.

Multimedia solely relies on CarPlay and not a lot functioning system for a car that price.The interior design is modern with a comfortable seating system. The back seat needs a bottle holder for children, but that is missing. Passenger seat is a hassle to adjust.The driving experience is smooth. Easy switch to Sport mode while driving.The car is efficient in fuel consumption. Insurance premium is a bit pricey, and it usually costs $80 to fill it up.Very reliable car. Always on the road and I haven’t had any reason to service it.

Heads-up/Teslogic magnetic phone point above steering wheel. Very interactive and easy to use.Huge boot space with extra tub, frunk, door and console storage and locked glovebox. Exhilirating drive. Precise and fun. Functionality is incredibly easy and sits on the road like a sports car.Under five dollars a day to recharge at home, driving 240km (30kWh x 16c/kWh= $4.80). I save $900 a month on lost money to pay for fuel. paid $60 to rotate tyres x3 in eight months.Haven't had any problems. Great car to drive and wasn't too bad either using fast chargers on longer trips. It's all a mindset and can't complain about the Tesla. 

Mostly good, but as mentioned previously, the omission of active crusie control while almost all the other safety suites are included - such as lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and radar-monitoring forward collision means that the omission of ACC was either a bean counter being cynical or that the technology was not available - I’m going to guess it was the former. Cargo space in the Equinox is brilliant - the seats fold perfectly flat and the access is simple. The rear compartment, however, does not come with a cover - meaning my scooter is always exposed to potentially being stolen, so I need to cover it with a blanket.The Equinox is a relatively fast and smooth vehicle. Noise suppression is excellent for the price and the car steers and breaks with confidence. The engine is slightly overpowered for the available traction to the front wheels, but a smooth driver will overcome this, even in the wet. Overall, I really enjoy how the Equinox moves.I recently drove a modern Honda SUV and when I got back into my older vehicle I was surprised how it holds it own in the company of much newer car. Clearly GM made this model as world car and it shows. This is a very decent car to drive - not perfect, but I never expected perfection. For most part it’s exceeded my expectations as far as refinement and comfort as well as handling and road manners.So far it’s been pretty good. I’ve only needed to do scheduled maintenance.Never had anything that remotely resembles unreliability. I woke to a puncture one morning. That is as close to the car letting me down as I have experienced. Of course, it was a nail in tire, so as far as the car goes in the reliability stakes it scores a perfect score.

Having owned a few VW Group products, both the safety tech and infotainment system have been quite familiar to myself. That being said, the tech is excellent even when compared to the newer (more problem-prone) MK4 Octavia range. I've rarely had any issues with the infotainment display, while the wired CarPlay connectivity never skips a beat. The 9.2" infotainment display is paired with a sharp 10.25" digital drivers display, both of which pretty quickly for a system that was updated many years ago. Only bug bear is CarPlay doesn't feed through GPS directions to the driver display, something available in the more recent generation.On this specific 2020 model, I have Travel Assist, Lane Assist, Blind Spot Monitor, Adaptive Cruise and Emergency Brake Assist, leading the car to travel semi-autonomously on those long slogs across town on the M1. It all works brilliantly, though it can be confused with roadwork zones and poor line markings.If I could rate the practicality of this car beyond a 10/10, I would - it's simply the most practical, brilliant interior of any vehicle I've ever had. There's all the space you come to except from a wagon (heaps of head and shoulder space across the rear bench, loads of leg room front and rear, a super practically shaped boot).Then there's everything to delight you, such as the two-sided boot liner that means you can hose out the floor after a beach day, or the numerous tie-down hooks and standard netting that keeps your groceries secure. We inspected quite a few SUVs, and yet none of them came close to the space we have in the Octavia.It's simply a brilliant machine and I wish more families took advantage of the space a wagon.Trading up from a Polo GTI, we were keen for another sporty vehicle with a load more practicality. On that front, the RS 245 delivers in spades - heaps of punch off the line, loads of torque in the middle bands for overtaking on highways, and very reasonable efficiency around town (currently averaging 8L/100km in our long-term average). Picking this car up second-hand, the standard 19" rims had already been swapped out for the 18" rims featured here and I believe the ride has improved as a result of this - something to consider if you picked one up.Only issues I've really had with the driving experience of this vehicle have been in regards to road noise (still coarse on most freeways or highways, even with Pilot Sport 4s on the car), and some typical DSG lag when crawling at low speed with the stop-start system flicked on (I usually have it off in traffic).Is this as cheap as a Camry Hybrid to run? Definitely not. It's an excellent quality vehicle and the servicing requirements match this. That being said, Skoda dealers have fixed-price servicing and you're often fairly aware of what you'd be looking at in advance.Fuel economy has been great (currently averaging 8L/100km), insurance is reasonable in the current environment and overall running costs are very reasonable overall.Only major issue I've had occur so far has was a ripped-off oil sump after hitting a particularly nasty pothole on the Mornington Peninsula. Aside from this, nothing has so far gone wrong or had any failures.

The infotainment screen has a lot of different driving options, from the lane-keeping assist function, active cruise adjustment and MG Pilot. FM and digital radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The car will not drive unless the driver seat belt is fastened. The driver is able to adjust most driving functions to suit their driving needs through the infotainment touchscreen, which needs to be a bit more reactive.The cars interior is minimalist as most of the controls has to be accessed through the touchscreen. There are a control buttons for the radio volume, air-conditioning on/off only, front and rear window demister. and home screen reset. The front seats are comfortable in this model. In the Essence, the drivers seat has electric adjustment, which in our case is very handy. There are two cup holders and ample storage. The rear seat has 60/40 split rear and the cargo has ample area for storage but no spare wheel.Driving the MG Essence puts a smile on your face. With rear-wheel drive, 150kW and 250Nm, the MG is very responsive from the start, and to have to change lanes there is always enough response.One pedal driving is a great option as it saves the wear and tear on the brakes and can add charge back to the main battery.The running costs of the MG compared to our last car is like chalk and cheese. I charge the MG on average once a month from home. I run the battery 80% to 20%. The charging takes about 20 hours from a normal domestic power outlet. I get approximately 250km between charging at a cost of approximately $10.The servicing is every two years at approximately $1200 over a four-year period.Insurance for the MG was a bit of a challenge to start with as when I bought the car in September not all insurance companies had this model on their books, but it finished ok.I have had quite a few new cars over my driving years. Comparing the MG EV to the ICE-powered cars is probably not fair as there is a lot less to have problems with on EVs as they are more electronic than mechanical. But I have been driving this car now for five months and the only complaint I have is the infotainment touchscreen is a bit slow to react.