SUV

The latest hot shot electric car from China is due in Australia and comes with an enticing price, depending on how you look at it.

It might share its name with a famous Ford, but this plug-in hybrid SUV from Haval could be destined shake up the mid-size SUV order in Australia.

Volkswagen said Australia won’t see hybrid versions of the new Tiguan family SUV, despite new efficiency laws taking effect.

Toyota has globally revealed the new, sixth-generation RAV4 mid-size SUV ahead of its local introduction in the first half of 2026.

One big selling point for us was the presence of physical buttons for major functions such as temperature control, radio, other media, and the maps. Many other settings can be controlled via the 12.3-inch touchscreen, which is seamlessly integrated with a second 12.3-inch instrument cluster in front of the driver. There are plenty of USB-C charging points present in the front and back. One of the USB connectors in the front can be changed by pressing a switch, from a charging function to a USB media connector to allow playing music or video via USB. There are none of the older USB connection points, so we had to buy an adapter to use our older USB sticks.When we bought the Kona it had wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but by the time we got it home an over-the-air (OTA) update (yes, the Kona also has OTA update capability) had changed these to wireless. CarPlay. Works quickly but we have not had the opportunity to test Android Auto. The Kona EV comes with Hyundai's 'Bluelink' connectivity via an app. This can remotely control things like charging, climate control, locking, battery conditioning, and heating or cooling the seats. It works well and is easy to use. Safety features are many in the Kona EV. These include smart cruise control, lane-keeping warning and assist, passing car alert when opening doors, forward and reverse automatic braking when detecting a collision, a 12-inch head up display, and dual projector LED headlights. Reading some reviews about recent Hyundai vehicles in general, many people get annoyed with the continual beeps they get from the safety systems such as speed limit detection or lane changing. Yes, it can get annoying at times and even if you turn the sounds off, they return when the car is turned back on. A solution we found was to create a shortcut to turn the sounds off via the steering wheel shortcut button. Two button presses when you start the car and they are gone! Another, of course, is to turn the radio up – then you don’t hear them!One feature found on the premium model is a blind-spot camera that shows up when you indicate. This appears in the instrument cluster. Other cameras on the car provide a 360-degree 3D image which turns on when parking or in reverse, and can also be manually activated at any time. The first thing that impresses about the Kona is the interior layout. It is just a peasant place to be. The seats are very comfortable and have full electric adjustment for both driver and passenger up front. The rear seats are equally comfortable and have a two-position reclining function, albeit manually operated. Both front and outboard rear seats are heated, and the front are also ventilated. The steering wheel is also heated. All can be pre set via Hyundai’s Bluelink app. There are some hard plastics in the cabin, but you wouldn’t really know it. All the soft touch stuff is where it really counts, where you rest your arms while driving. The steering wheel has a nice feel, too.Storage-wise, there is plenty of space in the Kona. Unlike the first model, which was very limited in the luggage area, this has plenty of boot space for several suitcases or whatever else you want to put back there. Indeed, one of our criteria for selecting the Kona was that it could fit our sporting equipment without folding the car seats down. When you want more storage the rear seats are split 40/60. The boot floor has two levels, and one big surprise is that under it all there is a space-saver spare tyre. None of this tyre-repair stuff! Under the bonnet is a storage trunk (frunk) big enough to hold our spare cables and other small things.Speaking of the bonnet, it is supported with hydraulic struts. The boot is electronic, which I suppose is a good thing and it does work well. Even has an automatic hands-free function. I am a bit old fashioned, though, and still prefer to open the boot myself!The Kona EV also has V2L functionality. This is via a power point in the back seat area. I have only tested it briefly so far and it ran a vacuum cleaner and some power tools without a problem. Still to try making coffee! It also has external V2L capability via the charge port and we have an adapter on order (this is an extra of about $500), so it will be interesting to see how this works.The driving experience is where the Kona stands out among other EVs we took for test drives. The power rating of the 2024 Kona EV is the same as the outgoing model at 150kW, but the torque has been significantly reduced from close to 400Nm to 255Nm. Despite this, it is still comparable to most other EVs and has enough oomph to quickly get off the mark and overtake with ease. Having owned a 2021 Kia Niro with similar outputs to the previous Kona, the lowering in torque is barely noticeable and does make for a more pleasant drive. The ride is very smooth and reminds us of a late model Citroen C4 we recently owned. Cornering feels safe; it is firmly planted and it irons out bumps very well. In fact, we had a 2023 Hybrid Kona as a courtesy car during our first service and this felt very firm and rough in comparison. So too did several other makes of EV we took for test drives. Another plus for the driving experience is how the Kona deals with some of the safety systems in place. Although it has lane keeping with steering assist, this is definitely not as aggressive as some others we have experienced. Haptic feedback, rather than an audible alarm can be set to warn when straying off line and this is gentle rather than violent. Steering assist is generally accurate and works with or without cruise control. In our experience so far, the Kona has not exhibited any ‘phantom braking’, something that has happened in several other EVs we have driven.The efficiency of the Kona Premium is not too bad, as it certainly suits our needs. We live outside of Launceston in Tassie, so it is a bit hilly, and a large proportion of our driving is at highway speeds of 100 – 110km/h. All our driving is with the climate control on. After about 3000km, the overall efficiency rating is at around 17kWh/100km, so that gives a realistic range of about 370-380km with our sort of driving. The official rating for the car is about 444km and this, and possibly more, would easily be achievable around town. We often see a usage of 13-14kWh/100km with town use. These are similar amounts to what we were seeing on our previous Kia Niro, and we had driven it from Tassie to Adelaide several times without any range anxiety. One thing that is disappointing is that the Premium model comes with 19-inch wheels and cannot be optioned with the 17-inch wheels of the standard model Kona EV. With 17-inch wheels the official range is over 500km. Not sure why Hyundai don’t offer this as an option because we certainly would have taken it. The 19-inch wheels do look good, though.Cost-wise, our charging is largely done at home, either using solar or off peak rates. If the battery were completely empty, it would only cost around $10 to ‘fill’. We usually top up once or twice a week at home using the slow charger supplied with the car, which uses a domestic 10amp powerpoint. This is adequate for most of our driving and we only use public fast chargers on trips over 350km.Obtaining insurance was no problem and is similar to a previous four-cylinder petrol car we owned and less than our previous EV which was a 2021 Kia Niro.Servicing is every two years or 30,000km.Reliability of the Kona EV Premium is difficulty to speak to as we have only driven it for 3000km.All seems pretty good so far, though. There are no rattles or squeaks suddenly appearing, and you would certainly notice these as the cabin is very quiet at all speeds. All the panels fit well and everything works as it should. The multimedia screen is responsive and both Apple Maps and the maps on the vehicle work without any glitches. As well as being able to operate the usual voice commands in Apple or Android, the Kona has its own voice control for systems such as heating, sunroof, radio, or maps, and this works well once you know what commands to use!

Electric windows, heated seats, heated mirrors, traction control, digital tyre pressure, cruise control and steering wheel buttons. Black material interior. No cuts or stains. Non-smoking car. In good, clean condition for the age of the car. Car drives perfectly. Very smooth ride. Changes gears smoothy. $80-$95 full tank. General service every three months costs $300. Can't get a more reliable car then this. Never let me down. It's never missed a beat. Never had any issues with it.

Adequate cabin protection, area alerts and charge connections considering age. Fabulous in-cabin. Plenty of nooks and crannies in spare wheel well. Tailgate has a boxy shape compared to current acute-angle design limiting height/depth. Near flat when seats folded. Comfy and supportive command seating with folding arm rests.Torquey diesel is excellent for highway and off-road. Excellent steering feel and response. Good turning radius. Good entry and exit angles. Reassuring 4WD with options. Corners of car discernable.My second FL2, interspersed with a Disco Sport.  When retired I sold the Disco (no spare) for the current FL2. None have let me down, with only a fuel pump replaced on current FL2 due to dodgy fuel. Otherwise excellent reliability with regular service intervals. Spare brake pads still in garage.Fabulous. All electrics continue to work properly. Replaced a fuel pump, rear cylinder head thermostat, housing, brake pads, air filter and pollen filter.

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-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.