Hyundai Trajet Reviews

Hyundai let CarsGuide in on why its Australian division gets special attention from its South Korean parent company.“We’re quite a small percentage of global volume but the level of support we get from Korea is always higher,” said Bill Thomas, Hyundai Australia’s GM of Corporate Communications.“Australia is a hugely competitive market and if you’re doing well here, you will, in theory, do well in a number of different markets which are less competitive.“Also, in terms of customer sentiment, there’s a mixture of European and American buying behaviour.”“So there’s interest from in the makeup of the market, both the competitor set and the customer demand for various types of vehicles.”Globally, Hyundai’s Australian arm outperforms compared to other markets where the South Korean giant plays.“If you look at our market share compared to some of the markets across the world, you’d find that we’re certainly up there amongst the better performing markets,” said Hyundai Australia's General Manager of Product Planning Jonathan Lam.Australia is not just important to the company as a vector for high sales either. Our market has seen the introduction of right-hand drive exclusives, like the first-generation Palisade large SUV, or the last-generation Veloster hatchback.There are new factors drawing Korea’s attention to Australia. Our market has become one of the most competitive in the world off the back of Chinese automakers using Australia as a stepping stone to Europe.It presents an opportunity both ways, as Hyundai has a chance to compete with these new brands often before they debut in larger markets.“The competitiveness of this market means that, yes, we are getting a lot of focus from headquarters,” continued Lam.“So that does actually make our job a bit easier, but at the same time it’s not like we can just ask for something and get it.“We have to make a strong case for every product. Head office won’t accept just anything, we have to be very detailed and structured in terms of the business case.”Lam said that the explosive amount of competition in Australia wasn’t boxing Hyundai into particular price points or segments for its range.“It’s not necessarily just the number of competitors here or how cheap they are” he said.“You could have a segment with fifty competitors, but it’s more to do with which are the ones actually selling in volume.”“We feel our pricing is competitive. Obviously there are competitors which will be cheaper, and there will be some which are more expensive, but I think for us it’s never just pricing which is what is driving market share or sales. Actually if it was just about pricing that would make my job a bit easier.”Lam said "intangible benefits" of the Hyundai brand, whether it was buyer familiarity, dealer and service network, or vehicle design and quality, are helping the company keep close to the front of the pack despite the ambition of new brands in the top-10 rankings.Lam said there were even products in Hyundai’s portfolio which didn’t have to sell in the kinds of volumes which rivals, Chinese or otherwise, might be aiming for.He conceded the Palisade XRT Pro, as a monocoque adventure-focused large SUV was a “quite niche” offering intended to make up around 10 per cent of the model’s volume.Even the Hyundai Inster city-sized electric hatch, which is priced significantly higher than something like the BYD Atto 1, was something the brand was keen to keep around as an alternative for buyers.“Niche products have their place in our portfolio. It’s not a car which is going to appeal to all consumers, but it has a very specific buyer subset who still really likes that car.”

Hyundai's flagship family electric SUV is under investigation for a safety concern in Australia, following similar reports overseas. The South Korean brand is looking into an issue on its Ioniq 9 in Australia over a potentially dangerous problem with the second-row power-folding seats.It relates to the seat assemblies failing to detect passengers or objects on the seats and continuing to close even when using excessive force.This can lead to the seats squashing occupants and cause serious injury or worse.The Ioniq 9 is Hyundai’s most expensive car on sale, and is its biggest electric SUV offering Down Under.Virtually every Ioniq 9 sold in Australia could be affected by the issue, with more than 100 vehicles being looked into.The issue is expected to be able to be fixed with an over-the-air software update like in other markets, or owners can option to have it resolved at a Hyundai dealer.Owners should take extra care during the folding of seats in the meantime, according to the brand. In the United States, 5360 Ioniq 9 examples have been recalled, according to reports.The brand said all vehicles recalled have the fault. It’s not just the Ioniq 9 impacted in the United States, with it also linked to power-folding seats in the Palisade and the Telluride SUVs. At this stage, only the Ioniq 9 is under investigation in Australia.

Just days after Hyundai unveiled the next generation Tucson, details of the mid-size SUV have been confirmed for the South Korean market.Giving us a glimpse at what we might expect from the 2027 Hyundai Tucson when it lands here next year, drivetrains, design elements and features of the SUV have been outlined for its home market.Already known was the new styling and design language, which Hyundai calls ‘art of steel’. The mid-size SUV adopts the ‘H-shape’ lights, which are becoming more common on Hyundai’s new models, with the Tucson overall more upright and squared-off.At 4700mm long, 1905mm wide and 1685mm tall, the length, width, and wheelbase increased by 60mm, 40mm and 30mm, respectively for more interior space, with 1031mm of second-row headroom.Along with being overall bigger and more spacious, the Tuscon takes on a tougher look, with an XRT grade available from launch, with a unique front grille, wheel arch and skid plate for extra protection if off-roading.The biggest confirmation from South Korea is a choice of two powertrains, both with a turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine but one with hybrid assistance.In Australia, hybrids are becoming increasingly important for the brand, so it wouldn’t be at all surprising to see the Tucson go hybrid-only. If that’s the case, a 180kW total output from the engine and electric motor is the international specification as is a 5.7L/100km combined fuel consumption rate, though those could be slightly adjusted for Australia.Hyundai also says despite the overall larger SUV, the drag coefficient has been lowered from 0.33Cd to 0.30Cd, achieved through active air flaps.Hyundai has also confirmed its AI assistance program called ‘Gleo AI’, described as “an integrated agent powered by a large language model”, will understand “natural, continuous conversation” rather than only simple commands as has been the case with automotive voice controls.New safety features like a redundancy system for the door locks to allow escape and rescue of occupants in emergency situations or a system to brake if the driver mistakenly presses the accelerator should be appealing to the ANCAP-types, while a ‘Memory Reverse Assist’ remembers the vehicle's trajectory during manoeuvres to assist in tricky parking situations.The 2027 Hyundai Tucson is set to be globally revealed in the USA before the end of the year, at which point we expect to learn more information about its Australian arrival.

Forget what you think you know.

Hyundai’s Australian arm expressed cautious optimism about the company’s range of new ladder-frame 4WD products, despite the announcement at the brand’s recent investor day that they would be designed and built in the USA.Speaking to CarsGuide at the launch of the Palisade XRT Pro, Hyundai Australia General Manager of Product Planning Jonathan Lam said he wasn’t concerned about the CEO’s announcement for what could be a key new product for the brand.“The way we typically approach it is that we don’t worry too much about sourcing first, we worry about the product first," he said.“What head office does is they look at, okay, what does Australia want, what does Europe want, what does America want and so on.“They put all of that together and take a look. Where do the major markets have overlaps? If we distil one product into two or three projects or even a singular project that’s flexible enough to adapt to these markets around the world, then what would that look like?“Then, based on where the project is going they decide where it should be built in our many factories around the world.“So sourcing isn’t the be all and end all of it, it’s almost really the last step.“Think of it from a different perspective. Even in our current portfolio, there are cars that are built in multiple plants all across the world. So say, Santa Fe, we take it from the Korean plant, but they also manufacture them in America so just because it’s out in public that a certain model might be being designed and manufactured in America, doesn’t mean that it’s automatically off-limits for the rest of the world.”The upcoming family of ladder-frame products from Hyundai has been teased by the Boulder and Crater 4WD concepts.The new frame architecture they use will sit above the brand’s current matrix of H platform city cars (Venue, Inster), K platform small cars (Kona, i30), N platform mid-sizers (Tucson, Santa Fe), and e-GMP platform EVs (Ioniq 3 to Ioniq 9).The company’s global President and CEO Jose Munoz said recently the upcoming frame family, which is also expected to spawn a ute, will account for 50 per cent of the company’s growth aspirations until 2030.The new 4WDs are all expected to use new range-extender hybrid powertrains. The first implementation of this system will be on the updated Santa Fe early next year.While Lam couldn’t comment further on the future 4WD products for Australia, including what they might be or when we might see them, General Manager for Corporate Communications, Bill Thomas, added that Australia in particular gets a helping hand from South Korea.“Over the years, I’m always surprised by the high level of support we get from head office. In theory we’re such a small percentage of global volume, but the level of support we get is always higher.”On the topic of sourcing for Hyundai, when asked if the brand was more open to more vehicles manufactured in China, like the recently launched Elexio mid-size EV, Lam said many factories around the world still had potential to serve right-hand-drive cars to Australia.“We’re not averse to sourcing cars from other countries outside of just South Korea. It’s a big proportion of our current sourcing, but we’re open to sourcing cars from China, Czech Republic, Türkiye.“What’s more important is whether the product is right for our market and whether there’s a financial case to be made for it.”While Hyundai Australia has been lucky to secure some right-hand-drive exclusives, like the first-generation Palisade and the second-generation Veloster hatchback, it has also been forced to make some tough decisions.Recently, this included culling the well-received i30 hatchback from the line-up, as the cost of sourcing the latest version from Europe, where it is built, became prohibitively expensive.Now stripped down to only the go-fast N hatch and sedan range sourced from South Korea, this looks set to continue into the future, with the next-generation sedan already having been spied testing in Australia.Next for Hyundai will be the introduction of the Ioniq 3 electric crossover, next-generation i30 Sedan, and next-generation Tucson mid-sizer, all of which are expected in Australia in the first half of 2027.

Hyundai’s new electric van has landed. The Hyundai Staria Load Electric has become the latest in a growing list of electric van choices for buyers. It starts from $70,990, making it cheaper than the smaller Ford Transit Custom Electric ($77,890), but it will also tackle its mechanical sibling the Kia PV7 due in Australia before the end of 2027. This equates to a more than $20,000 jump on the base diesel grade, and more than $9000 extra compared to previous range-topping hybrid. The Staria Load Electric will make its Australian debut at the Everything Electric event in Sydney that starts from 18 September, 2026. The brand has already confirmed a people mover variant of the Staria Electric is not under consideration at this stage. The Staria Load Electric is powered by a single electric motor, producing 160kW and 350Nm.Diesel variants produce 130kW/430Nm, while hybrid variants produce 180 kW/304NmThe van is equipped with an 84kWh battery, offering a total driving range of 450km, according to WLTP standards. It consumes 20.7kWh of power for every 100km driven, according to the brand. Riding on Hyundai’s 800-volt E-GMP platform it can DC fast charge at up to 350kW, meaning a 20-80 per cent juice up takes 20 minutes. The Staria Load Electric has a braked towing capacity of 2000kg (500kg less than diesel variants), and a 1005kg payload. The van’s cargo capacity is 4935L, but it also has a 23.9L front storage area. It can also use its battery via vehicle-to-load to power tools and other devices directly with a standard three-pin electrical outlet. The Staria Load electric only comes in a two-seat configuration. Elsewhere in the cabin, there is a 12.3-inch digital driver display and 12.3-inch central touchscreen as well as a wireless phone charger. It has a leather steering wheel, while seats are wrapped in a black cloth material.The van boasts keyless entry and a push-button start. Buyers can choose from either liftback or twin outward-swinging rear doors at no extra cost for added practicality. The Staria Load Electric has a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre manufacturer's warranty as well as an eight-year/160,000km warranty for the high-voltage battery. The van is available with a capped-priced servicing deal, with servicing occurring every two years or 30,000km. 

Hyundai has entered a new era, with the debut of its off-road focused XRT Pro sub-brand to live alongside its already-successful N performance arm.Despite many of Australia’s off-road and towing-focused buyers considering diesel a non-negotiable, Hyundai says choosing to leave the fuel type behind won’t cost it sales.Hyundai Australia's General Manager of Product Planning Jonathan Lam said diesel was never part of the next-gen Palisade’s design from the beginning, despite acknowledging diesel power made up the lion's share of the previous-generation's sales.“I don’t think this generation Palisade was ever designed with a diesel engine available,” he said.“We think that that was more due to the 2WD being available with petrol and the all-wheel drive only being available with diesel,” he said.“Now that we have all-wheel drive petrol, all-wheel drive hybrid, based on consumer sentiment I think that is working well for our market.”“If you look at why customers are purchasing diesel, it’s mainly about low-end torque, fuel consumption, overall cost of fuel and so forth, but we also think that we can tick a lot of those boxes with hybrids," Lam continued.“So with hybrid available across more of the models in our range, instead of offering diesel as a powertrain or in some cases even as the default powertrain, we’re aiming to switch those buyers over to hybrid.“I’d say it’s working. Our hybrid mix is growing year after year.”The brand said its latest hybrid mix had grown to a whopping 57 per cent across its line-up, meaning Hyundai Australia is already almost achieving the company’s global aspiration to be 60 per cent electrified by the end of this decade.Australia’s recently-introduced New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), which introduced penalties for high-emitting engines, are one of a similar array of laws across the globe that have caused Hyundai to stop development on new diesel powertrains into the future.Lam said the band wasn't hearing from dealers that customers were missing a diesel option.“For cars where we’ve switched diesel out, we haven’t seen that we’re actually missing out on a big part of the market,” he said.The brand admitted there are a few unknowns for the XRT Pro, and it was yet to be seen how such a unique vehicle would be received in the market.Lam expects roughly 10 per cent of Palisade sales to be toward the $79,900 (before on-roads) XRT Pro, which sits in the middle of the large SUV's range.The monocoque-based XRT Pro is playing at a similar price to popular diesel ladder frame SUVs, while offering turbo petrol power and less towing capacity, with at least some off-roading capabilities thanks to lifted suspension, a more rugged bodykit, all-terrain tyres, new drive modes and an electronic rear differential lock.While the brand boosted towing capacity for this variant specifically, it is only by 200kg, bringing the total to 2200kg, significantly short of the industry 3500kg benchmark for most large SUVs.The upgrade, Hyundai said, was largely in the combination of the turbocharged petrol engine and eight-speed automatic transmission in place of a de-tuned turbo engine and gearbox-mounted electric motor for the rest of the Palisade range.Yet, the towing uptake is said to be “considerably high” across the existing Palisade range, so the brand considered it important to bring it up to the “maximum we can achieve on this platform,” suggesting these limitations wouldn’t be helped along by the inclusion of a diesel powertrain anyway.Hyundai's representatives also added that the carryover 3.5-litre naturally-aspirated V6, which is still an option for the Palisade in the USA, was never made available in right-hand drive format.Hyundai’s representatives explained that the brand is “certainly looking at other powertrain options for XRT Pro” in the future, although they weren’t prepared to elaborate further.A fair assumption is future XRT Pro models may use the much-touted range-extender hybrid technology, which Hyundai has globally said will be its next chapter, and will debut on an updated Santa Fe overseas imminently.The range-extender system will also be the primary powertrain for its upcoming larger ladder-frame products.The ladder-frame project, expected to be built in- and serve the American market primarily, will spawn various vehicles previewed by the Boulder and Crater concepts. It will also spawn a pick-up model.The brand said at its recent investor day the ladder-frame vehicles would account for 50 per cent of Hyundai’s sales growth, cashing in on the boxy off-road trend.As for more XRT Pro variants locally, Lam said it would be “fair to assume” the next logical step would be a properly toughed-up Santa Fe, so keep an eye out for that in the near future.

We’re not sure exactly what was going on in Hyundai’s marketing department at the end of the first decade of this century, but somebody was definitely having two bob each way.Up until 2010, the Tucson had been Hyundai’s mid-sized SUV entrant, but that badge disappeared the same year as the ix35 hit showrooms as the Tucson’s replacement. But after just five years on sale, the ix35 was itself replaced by none other than the Tucson.Confused? Us too, but to keep it simple, if you’re shopping for a Hyundai-made mid-sized SUV built between 2010 and 2015, the ix35 is the badge you need to look for.Meantime, leaving nomenclature out of it, the LM (as it was known internally) ix35 was a bread-and-butter kind of family SUV with familiar overall proportions and nothing too confronting mechanically.It could be had in three trim levels (Active, Elite and Highlander, in that order) and with a range of driveline options. There was a 2.0-litre petrol engine with 122kW, a 2.4-litre petrol with 130kW and a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel with 135kW and lots more torque than the petrol variants.The 2.0 petrol was available with either a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission and was front-drive only. The 2.4 petrol and the turbo-diesel were fitted exclusively with the six-speed automatic and were all-wheel drive, although they used on-demand AWD, and operated as front-drivers in most conditions.Conventional wisdom says late-model Hyundais are pretty stout things, even if they don’t offer much in the way of driving excitement. The ix35 makes sense if all you want is a roomy (for its size) box with which to move people and their belongings. But even then, there are some reliability problems to note, and driveability was never anything better than average.Overall, there are better, more entertaining choices in a second-hand SUV of this type.Again, it goes against the mood for this brand, but the ix35 did have some serious reliability issues that, even though they didn’t affect every example, should make you weigh things up carefully before making a purchasing decision.Something very wrong was going on in Hyundai’s engine department at this point in history. All three of the ix35’s engines suffered (to some extent) with some serious issues that saw Hyundai replacing entire engines under warranty in an attempt to stay in favour with its customers.The problems mainly centred around engines that consumed excess oil (to the point where some owners were caught out with empty sumps between services) and rattling engines that were signalling their death knock.The consensus is these problems were caused by poor manufacturing accuracy, leading to cylinder scoring, at which point the engines became noisy (particularly when cold) and started to burn oil. The fix was to either rebuild the engine with a new crankcase or, more commonly, replace the whole engine.Other issues reported over the years have been interior trim peeling (most notably steering wheel covers) and flaking paint caused by a bad batch of paint that affected other carmakers (including Toyota) and was traced to the top coat not adhering properly to the undercoat at the factory.This model Hyundai has had its share of recall notices over the years, some of them more serious than others, but a couple posing a definite safety risk. They include a recall to check the seat belt tensioning system, and a driver’s airbag that could have been assembled incorrectly and not deploy as it was designed to.Leaks were another ix35 recall theme, with oil leaks from the sump, fuel leaks and transmission fluid leaks all creating recall notices. There was also a recall to check some cars for a brake system that could allow brake fluid to contaminate the ABS module, leading to braking problems.You can check out the full details including what batches of cars were affected at: https://www.vehiclerecalls.gov.au/If you’re buying a petrol ix35, the ones to avoid on the basis of the engine problems and oil burning were the ones from the first generation built between 2010 and 2013. If, however, you’re after a diesel version, the post-facelift cars (2013 to 2015) seem to be the problematic ones.Either way, you’d want to know the service history of any second-hand ix35 and be prepared to shell out for a pre-purchase inspection which would include a compression test and perhaps even a bore-scope examination of the engine.The number of ix35s still floating around with 250,000km on board, or even more, suggests the engine problems were a bit random and clearly didn’t affect every car.We’d still be a lot happier, though, with an example with less than 160,000km on its odometer, along with an up-to-date and complete service history as some proof of it having a chance at going the distance. A car with a factory replacement engine (and documentation to support this) would also be preferable to one with no history.The turbo-diesel ix35 was always the better one to actually drive thanks to its beefier power and torque delivery. The added safety of all-wheel drive only reinforces this view. The petrol versions do the job, but they can feel breathless and stretched a bit tight at freeway speeds when fully loaded.Right now, you’ll find sellers with early-built, high-mileage examples of the ix35 with an asking price of about $5000 or even less. But these are best left to speculators. Better value is to be found in the $8000 to $10,000 price range where you start to find diesel examples with much more moderate mileage showing. Don’t forget that service history.Hyundai is a big brand not just in Australia, but globally. So, spare parts are not hard to find. Neither is a workshop that can navigate what is, fundamentally, a pretty straightforward vehicle.There’s a huge online market for parts to suit cars like this one, but be wary of online sellers you haven’t used before. Don’t rule out parts recycling yards for spares like body panels and some mechanical parts.Despite the problems some owners experienced with this car, Hyundai managed to sell plenty of them here, with sales peaking at about 18,000 per year at one point. That gave it a huge chunk of the market in its segment, but those mechanical problems took their toll, leading to the badge being replaced by the revived Tucson model in 2015.Some owners were forced to walk away from their ix35s when the cost of repairs became more than the value of the car itself. But the sheer sales figures when things were looking good mean there are at least a couple of hundred ix35s for sale on the bigger online sites.

For a long time, there has been ‘proper’ off-road SUVs and then everything else.If you were an off-road enthusiast, you’d only ever consider a ladder frame offering, like a Prado or an Everest, for example.Big, rugged, diesel and sometimes not the most comfortable thing to keep, they offer unmatched capability.Meanwhile, if you just wanted a comfortable family SUV there are no shortage of options, but almost all of them, AWD or not, are close to useless when the gravel gets loose or the mud is rutted.What if you wanted something in between, though? A comfortable family SUV with just enough ability to get you to some of the more adventurous places?That’s what Hyundai is asking with this new Palisade XRT Pro.This more capable version of the Palisade heralds a new era for Hyundai in Australia. It introduces the XRT Pro badge to our market, which Hyundai says is the off-road equivalent of its performance N division.Standard XRT cars will be option-packed to look a bit tougher, while XRT Pro versions will be distinct model grades with genuine enhancements to off-road ability.To that end, the XRT Pro sits in the middle of the Palisade line-up. Priced at $79,900, before on-road costs, it is more expensive than the base Elite hybrid, but below the luxury-spec Calligraphy grades. It is only available in the mainstream eight-seat (2+3+3) layout.It’s tough to pick rivals for the Palisade because it’s unique in the market now the Nissan Pathfinder and VW Touareg are gone. It offers more interior space than a Ford Everest (Tremor - $79,990) or Isuzu MU-X (X-Terrain - $77,100) which it competes with on price, but doesn’t quite offer that level of off-road ability despite its enhancements.This new Palisade has a raft of enhancements and changes from the Elite or Calligraphy. One of the biggest ones is that it introduces a new engine option.Gone is the 2.5-litre turbo-petrol hybrid set-up (245kW/460Nm combined) paired with a six-speed automatic. In its place is a more traditional 2.5-litre turbo-petrol non-hybrid (207kW/422Nm) and eight-speed automatic transmission.To enhance its off-road abilities, the XRT Pro also gets an automatic electronic limited slip differential on the rear axle, increased clearances (see table below), additional traction modes in the software (Mud, Sand and Snow), topped off with some excellent Continental all-terrain tyres from the factory, cladding modest 18-inch wheels.It even has real chassis-mounted recovery hooks as part of its revised bumper design.In addition, its eight-speed auto allows additional towing capacity, but only by 200 kilos to a new total of 2200kg (albeit with a 160kg tow ball download).Outside, it gets a unique bodykit to help enhance its clearances, while inside it gets synthetic leather trim with XRT graphics and seat stitching.So, do all those enhancements make a difference, and does it compromise the Palisade on-road to get there?We sampled the car on- and off-road to find out.The big SUV’s upgrades make a big difference. While it might not have the same wheel travel and lacks low-range gearing or a manually-lockable rear differential which define the ability of most diesel ladder frame options, the XRT Pro will get you in and out of some tough terrain.The enhancements to ground clearance gives it a surprising amount of ability to clamber over objects, while the tyre package offers a much better level of grip on loose surfaces than the usual SUV tyre which ships on a car like this.The limited slip rear differential is the real star of the show, though. It’s a shame it is automatic, as a manual locking mode would allow more control in hairy situations, but it was the main factor for the big SUV climbing up slippery, angled surfaces, including muddy and rocky ones we tested it on.The drive modes help alter the traction response, how quickly the diff locks, and how keen the SUV is to shift, which can all help make a difference on particular surfaces. They are no substitute for low-range gearing, though.In addition, while the bodywork has been tweaked to help offer a bit more clearance, this isn’t quite the same as offering rock sliders, underbody protection or frame rails to take big hits. Getting outside the Palisade’s ability could end in expensive damage.With knobbly all-terrains, a switch away from electrified hybrid power, and tweaked suspension, it’s easy to see how this XRT Pro could be compromised as a big luxury tourer.However, I was largely impressed to find this isn’t the case. The Continental tyres are super quiet, offer good grip on dry tarmac and don’t seem to impact the well-weighted steering, the locally-tweaked ride is excellent, and the turbo engine is very quiet at the lower end of the rev range and shifts nice and smoothly with the eight-speed auto.The 2.5 turbo is noisy and harsh at high revs, but the biggest downside is fuel consumption. At 11.5L/100km officially (and what I saw in my limited testing) it’s painful in an environment of fuel costing $2.00+ a litre. At least it takes 91 RON.The Palisade XRT Pro is covered by the brand’s seven year/unlimited kilometre warranty, with a matching service price schedule. It comes to an average of $536 a year which is neither cheap nor expensive for something in this class.

We now know the truth about how long a car battery will last.Austrian battery diagnostics specialist Aviloo has worked out which vehicles perform best when it comes to an EV battery’s state of health (SoH) over time and distance.In its 2026 Certified EV Battery Report the company has analysed more than 500,000 Aviloo ‘Flash Test’ results from 2022 to 2026 across 20 high-volume electric car models in North and South America, Europe, Australia and Asia to determine the best performers.The flash test is a three-minute diagnostic check that assesses the health and performance of an electric vehicle's high-voltage traction battery.Rather than registering a value reported by the car's on-board battery management system, the flash test “independently calculates SoH using a statistical model trained on hundreds of thousands of comparable used vehicles, factoring in mileage, age, (charge) cycle count, cell voltage spread, energy counters and other diagnostic signals.”In releasing its results Aviloo made the point that, buyers of used internal-combustion cars rely on odometer readings and service records, but was not the most accurate way to tell an EV battery's state. “The battery is the single most expensive component of an electric car, and the one with the widest variation from vehicle to vehicle.“Two used electric cars with 50,000 kilometres on the odometer might present in what appears to be identical condition but can differ by up to 10 percentage points in battery SoH,” it said.The data reflects three mileage milestones (50,000, 100,000 and 150,000 kilometres), identifying the SoH range covering 99 percent of all independently tested vehicles of that model. The company made the point, “Battery health varied within each of the 20 models tested, between models and, above all, between individual vehicles of the same model. An average per model therefore says little about a specific car."SoH can vary by up to 13.5 percentage points between the best and weakest examples of the same model,” it said.As a result the median serves as the reference point in each case.The spread across the 20 models tested was already clear at the 50,000km mark with four examples highlighted for more detailed analysis in line with their different sizes, typical use and battery types.Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 had the best SoH of the four models, with range barely falling from 335 to 321km and a spread of 37 kilometres between the extremes recorded.As one of Europe’s best-selling EVs, the VW ID.4’s potential range fell from 373 to 355km, with up to 44km between the best and the weakest vehicle at 150,000km.The Tesla Model Y, the world's best-selling car for the last three years, saw its real-world range fall from 379 to 361km at 150,000km, with a 46-kilometre difference between the best and the weakest example tested.The Nissan Nissan Leaf ZE1, with the smallest (40kWh) battery of the four models highlighted the finding that smaller batteries with more frequent charging cycles age faster on average. Across all three mileage levels analysed, the Nissan had the lowest SoH of the four models examined in detail, with its real-world range dropping from 195 to 185km.Other models that performed well after 150,000km travelled were the Mercedes-Benz EQA (93.97 SoH), BMW i4 (93.62), Hyundai Kona EV (92.95), Volvo XC40 Recharge (92.79), Ford Mustang Mach-E (92.53) and Polestar 2 (92.46).Some that didn't fare as well were the Renault Zoe (87.33) and Tesla Model 3 (88.94).Commenting on the report Aviloo CEO Dr. Marcus Berger said, “The truth in this data is that averages hide a lot. “Yes, electric car batteries age better than the myth of rapid wear suggests, but that is not the most important finding. “What matters is that battery health varies widely between models, and even more widely between individual vehicles of the same model,” he said.The Aviloo Certified EV Battery Report will now be published twice a year, drawing on the company’s global diagnostics database, which holds more than one million independent tests.