What's the difference?
There's a hell of a lot riding on the shoulders of the Hyundai Elexio, which is shaping as the brand's best shot to date at taking on Made In China models like the BYD Sealion 7 and Tesla Model Y.
While the Ioniq family sits atop the EV tree at Hyundai, the Elexio is a very different proposition. It's priced more sharply (the brand is quick to point out that it's only about $8 a week more expensive than a Sealion 7 on a novated lease), and it's the first Hyundai vehicle offered in Australia that's produced in the brand's Chinese factory through its Beijing Hyundai joint venture.
In short, it feels a lot like Hyundai is ready to take on BYD at their own game in Australia.
So, is the Elexio the pick of the Made In China bunch?
The Volkswagen Polo is about to turn 30 in Australia but, by 1996, it was already 21-years and three generations old in Europe.
As the least-expensive jumping-on point for the brand here today (RIP VW Up!), the Polo has deftly juggled affordability with the premium pricing that its German engineering demands.
But, at nine-years old, and in an era of newer, hybrid and electric vehicle (EV) and often cheaper alternatives from China and elsewhere, is the ageing Polo as convincing?
We test the mid-spec CityLife to find out.
The Elexio doesn't really push any boundaries in terms of its exterior design, its powertrain, or its battery. It doesn't drive itself. It doesn't look like a spaceship. And apart from some interior quirks, it's all pretty familiar in the way it goes about its business.
And I think maybe that's the point. Maybe that's what people are really looking for. Because Hyundai says this will be its best-selling EV in the country. And on our short test, we can't find too many reasons to disagree.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with accommodation and meals provided.
Note: The author, Andrew Chesterton, is a co-owner of Smart As Media, a content agency and media distribution service with a number of automotive brands among its clients. When producing content for CarsGuide, he does so in accordance with the CarsGuide Editorial Guidelines and Code of Ethics, and the views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
The VW Polo may be getting old, but it still shines on a number of fronts, including design, interior packaging and presentation, driving sophistication, efficiency and quality.
But, the ride can be too firm and the turbo/DCT lag frustrating, it is also expensive and not fully equipped enough in CityLife grade as tested, undermining the German’s value-for-money equation somewhat.
Haggle hard, though, and you’ll end up with a fine and mature urban hatch.