Toyota Problems

We've recently reviewed the mid-sized frontrunners, which is where they should be looking, and the Toyota Camry wins on quality, driving and value. But if they need more space, then point them to the Skoda Superb, which lives up to its name and gets The Tick.

Our class favourite is the Mazda6 but the Toyota Camry, which is often overlooked despite getting The Tick, is great value at the moment and would be a smart choice.

I don't believe they are having you on. You might experience some small amount of rollback when the brakes are released, and the noise you are hearing is most likely the traction control working.

The CX-5 is the best vehicle in your line-up and gets The Tick from me.

If Toyota has agreed to help you out with the repairs I would stick with them and have the car repaired, but if they haven't you could approach the government consumer affairs people and ask their advice on what action you could take. You could also consult a solicitor and consider sending them a latter requesting they take action to resolve the issue.

Reputation is one thing, reality is another. There was a time when Toyota stood alone but those days are gone and you pay too much for a T badge on the bonnet, although it still has easily the best aircon in the business. For me, Hyundai and Kia match Toyota in almost every area, plus they have a far better value package.

The Estima wasn't sold new in Australia by Toyota, so official fuel numbers aren't readily available. From our research I would expect that you could get on average 10.5-11.0L/100 km.

It's a lost cause. It's 25 years old, and past its use-buy date. If you had the skill to do the work yourself it might be worth doing the repairs needed, but it's not worth spending a lot of money on.

The Kia Carnival gets The Tick, every time, in that price range. And with four kids you will find that a proper people-mover gives far more flexibility than an SUV or even a converted van.