What's the difference?
When it comes to choosing a family car, sedans are often overlooked for their long-legged wagon or beefy SUV cousins.
They're a bit of a forgotten hero but they'll always hold a piece of my heart for their practicality and (often) sexier kerb-side appeal.
If you can get used to your body cracking like a glow stick when you get in and out of them, the sedan may make a comeback!
The new Mercedes-Benz C-Class, in entry-level C200 form, has definitely tempted my family to consider a sedan in the future – it looks stately and refined but the driving experience also makes it fun.
Let's see what else it did right and if there was anything that could be improved.
Did I mention, I'm fond of sedans... ?
We appear to have reached a tipping point in the acceptance of electric vehicles in this country. The early adopters have made their switch but the technology has become more widely accepted, so now carmakers need to woo buyers with conventional means.
That means the tried and tested methods for making any car more appealing to a customer - lower cost and more equipment.
No car demonstrates this better than the BYD Atto 3, which is one of the most popular electric vehicles in Australia. But after an initial surge of buyers happy for a more affordable EV, BYD needs to find fresh ways to attract new customers.
So, for this updated 2024 Atto 3, BYD has made it cheaper and added some key new equipment, while retaining its previous strengths in terms of value and technology.
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class C200 is such a stylish sedan and I would totally have one. The driving performance, luxurious features and practical size made it a winning combo for my family. The price point is definitely up there but you do get a high-end build for the cash. I've seen bigger boots in other sedans and not being able to fit a third child seat will limit some families, but this still easily earns an 8.5/10 from me.
My son really loved this one. The ambient lighting was the highlight for him and he thought it looked like a "space car" inside. He gave it a 9/10.
BYD hasn’t made dramatic changes to the Atto 3 for 2024, but has it done enough to lure in more buyers?Â
The additional equipment, namely the larger infotainment screen and new tyres, will certainly help make the Atto 3 more appealing. And the technology behind EVs is more understood by the average motorists, so the barriers to making the switch to electrification are dropping.
But the single biggest factor is likely to be the price. At a time when inflation (and other reasons) is driving the cost of new vehicles up, having your updated model go in the wrong direction will only help make potential buyers take notice.
Especially when you consider Toyota’s closest rival to the Atto 3, the bZ4X, starts at $66,000, while the Tesla Model Y is priced from $55,900, making both significantly more expensive propositions. Heck, the cheapest Toyota RAV4 hybrid model starts at $42,260, only marginally cheaper than the Atto 3 Standard Range.
So, if BYD can make its value argument strongly it will help lure more new buyers to take the plunge into the world of EVs.