Toyota Problems

You are assuming that the problems have come about as a result of the work done on the car under the recall. While it is possible that you are correct, you cannot be sure until the problems are diagnosed. If the problems are a result of something the dealer has done then they should be responsible for fixing it; if they are not caused by what the dealer did then you would be responsible. First, you need to establish the cause of your problems, and then you can deal with them.

There is nothing sinister or underhand here. Car companies rotate their plates on to their newest models to make life a little easier for their fleet administrators.

It's hard to make recommendations without knowing much about what you want. The choices of vehicles for a family of four are many and varied, as you say. I would consider a Kia Sportage SUV, Toyota Camry mid-sized sedan, or a Ford Falcon is you want a large sedan. You would certainly be better off shopping for a one to two-year-old used car.

There are plenty of SUV choices to look at, such as a Toyota Prado or Jeep Grand Cherokee. Both should serve your needs well.

You will get great value and a classy car in the Suzuki Grand Vitara. The CR-V also goes well and is slightly better value than a RAV4.

The Camry Hybrid is a very good car that gets The Tick from me. On the battery front, companies don't talk about the cost because they are expected to last for the life of the car and they generally provide assistance if there are dramas. I know of Toyota Prius taxis in Queensland that have covered more than 350,000km on the original battery.

The Sorento is a long-term CarsGuide favourite and one of the best things is the basic package is so good you don't have to spend big to get a car that will work well for the long haul. It definitely gets The Tick.

Two choices that get The Tick from me are the Toyota Camry sedan, which can be quite punchy with the 2.5-litre petrol engine and is great value, and the Kia Sportage SUV with turbo diesel.