Your questions answered: Are Chinese cars safe?

There’s no let-up in ute-related questions in the carsales mailbox, especially relating to the new Ford Ranger and upcoming Volkswagen Amarok.

Despite knowing plenty about these two, there’s clearly no shortage of interest.

This week we’re also looking at what an average SUV driver can expect if they make a switch to a dual-cab utility.

We’re looking at cars for taller drivers and when EVs will get serious on towing.

Plus, there’s an important safety theme running through our letters this week, from whether EVs pose an unacceptable fire risk in large apartment blocks to whether the latest cars from Chinese brands are safe.

Question: Years ago there was lots said about Chinese-made cars and their sub-standard safety. Have things improved? I’m looking at a Haval because it seems to be very good value, but I want to make sure I’m not buying something that is off the pace from a safety perspective. – Betty C

Answer: There was certainly a lot to be concerned about with many of the early cars sent to Australia from China. The rush to undercut the competition in some cases meant cutting corners on safety. But things have improved markedly, especially with new-generation cars.

GWM Haval is one car-maker that has seriously lifted its game. As well as many active safety systems to keep an extra eye on things – autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and blind spot warning among them – the core structure of the cars has improved, even scoring high rankings in recent independent ANCAP crash tests.

There are, of course, exceptions to the rule. Some of the current cars with older designs still lack some of the safety basics we now expect in even cheap city runabouts. The MG3, which goes without a current ANCAP crash safety rating since updated in 2018, is an example.

And even though a car has a five-star ANCAP rating doesn’t always mean its active safety systems are top notch. We’ve had some issues with some where they’re a tad too keen to hit you with warnings, leading to an occasionally frustrating driving experience.

Question: I’m open to buying an EV, but from what I can tell not many of them can tow. And the ones that can tow don’t seem to be able to tow much. When will we start seeing EVs that can tow as much as my Mazda BT-50? – Andy K

Answer: If you live in America you can already buy EVs that can make your BT-50’s 3.5-tonne tow capacity look undernourished. The Chevrolet Silverado EV tows a little over 3.6 tonnes and Chevy is currently working on a version designed to tow about nine tonnes. The Rivian R1T also tows about five tonnes. But that doesn’t help you in the land Down Under…

The EV currently on sale with the highest tow capacity is the BMW iX. It can lug up to 2500kg, which is certainly decent. Other popular EVs can also tow respectable trailers. The Hyundai IONIQ 5, Kia EV6 and Tesla Model Y, for example, are all rated to tow 1600kg, while the Polestar 2 can take 1500kg.

You’ll start seeing more EVs that can tow big weights as more of the larger electric cars start heading to Australia. America is currently leading the way on EV towing.

There’s another piece to the EV towing puzzle: where to charge. Most electric car charging stations we’ve encountered aren’t up to charging while you’ve got a trailer hitched up. That means you may have to unhitch down the road before getting your top-up of electricity. Here’s hoping some of the thousands of new stations promised around the country will take into account the needs of those with a trailer in tow.

Question: Why would I buy a Volkswagen Amarok over a Ford Ranger? From what I’ve read, they’re basically the same vehicle. – Kyle T

Answer: There are certainly lots of similarities beneath the skin and the two were developed together. But there are also big differences.

On a quick glance, the main reason you may opt for the Volkswagen over the Ford is styling, price and features. Despite sharing an architecture and many mechanical components, Volkswagen has different model grades with different feature sets.

We’re also yet to learn about pricing and tuning of things such as suspension and steering for the Amarok, which could bring about more differentiation.

Volkswagen is also offering a 2.3-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine for Australia, something currently not offered locally in the Ranger. We’ll obviously bring you all the details as we learn more.

Question: I’m six-foot-ten and am looking for an SUV that can cope with all of my head and shoulders. I’m currently driving a Mazda CX-5 that only just deals with my extremities. Why is it that humans seem to be growing but cars don’t seem to be growing with us!? – Dylan H

Answer: It’s true that people have generally been getting bigger. But rest assured that cars have been growing, arguably at a faster pace than the general population. You’re above the norm at around 208cm, which towers above the average driver. And car-makers love looking after averages!

We’ve generally found some of the German brands provide excellent headroom and good fore-aft adjustability to the driver’s seat to cater for larger frames. Even in mid-size sedans there can be some serious space for taller bodies.

Conversely, some of the Japanese models aren’t always great for driver space. Some Subaru models, for example, tend to be borderline for me at six-foot-two-inches tall.

So, have a look at some Mercedes-Benz models (C-Class, GLC, etc) and if the budget doesn’t stretch that far (prices have been shooting up) then a Volkswagen of some sort – the Volkswagen Tiguan or even the Golf – should also nicely cater to your tallness. You could check out the Skoda range too.

Question: I’m looking at a used Mercedes-Benz C 200 and have been told it did not come with leather trim. But most of the cars I’m looking at seem to have leather trim. Or is it something else? How do I know which one is the real leather? – Kathryn S

Answer: Leather was once a near-mandatory addition to a luxury car. That’s not the case these days.

The push to contain costs has seen many traditional luxury brands utilise fake leather on more affordable models.

The message has also gone beyond that and now focuses more on sustainability. Tesla was one of the first to switch to vegan interiors, which have a material that’s very obviously not from a cow but somehow makes the cars more appealing to buyers who are increasingly aware of a vehicle’s environmental credentials. Many top-end luxury cars are also switching away from leather, something that’s proving popular for younger buyers.

As for how to tell whether the specific one you’re looking at is the real leather or the fake stuff (Mercedes-Benz markets it as Artico), check the exact model against specifications listed in RedBook.com.au which will list interior features such as leather seats. Another option is contacting a dealer with the VIN (vehicle identification number), which they should be able to use to look up the specs of individual cars.

You can also look at the condition of the seats. Real leather tends to crack and crease sooner, whereas ‘leather-look’ seats often pull up looking newer after many thousands of bums have slid and squished them.

Don’t be too fussed if the car you’re looking at has Artico. In our view it’s a very good imitation and plenty of owners suggest it’s hardier than cowhide.

Question: I’m one of the many who drove an Australian-made large car for decades. More recently I’ve been in a large SUV. But I’m tempted by the new breed of utes. While I don’t want to join the masses for the sake of it, I am keen on the idea of being able to throw big (and dirty!) things in the back. My question is: what will I miss from my SUV by switching to a ute? Will there be much of a difference in the way it drives? – Diane G

Answer: You’ll definitely notice a big difference in the way each drives, especially if you’re driving one of the more city-focused SUVs – Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-9, Volkswagen Tiguan, etc.

It comes down to what’s underneath. Utes are commercial vehicles deigned to be punished, often in unforgiving terrain. They’re also usually engineered to carry about a tonne, which means rugged suspension and a tough structure.

Many modern SUVs are effectively passenger cars with a more rugged-looking body on top. They’re designed to drive very much like a passenger car, with crisp steering, a comfortable ride and flat cornering dynamics. While their adventurous spirit might run deep in the marketing, it doesn’t usually translate to much beyond some basic gravel or snow.

So, short story is there are compromises that come down to how the vehicle was constructed and what it’s designed to do.

Even the best utes won’t match a decent city SUV in terms of agility, comfort and cornering precision. So be prepared to go backwards on that front.

But at least the modern ute crop has mostly lifted its game from a safety perspective when it comes to active safety systems and occupant protection, although their ability to avoid a crash is arguably lower compared with most SUVs and passenger cars due to those dynamic compromises.

Question: The story floating around our residential apartment block is that EV charging is a fire risk and will not be permitted in underground car parks or enclosed spaces for that reason. True or false? – Anthony P

Answer: Cars with 50 or 100 litres of petrol in their tanks are also a potential fire risk, but we’ve learned to manage those risks and live with them. Yes, EVs can catch fire and when they do it can be dangerous, but the early global stats suggest they’re a lower risk of catching fire than something filled with liquid fuels.

Given the lengths car-makers go to protect battery packs and monitor individual battery cells – controlling temperature and voltage – an e-bike or electric scooter is arguably a bigger fire risk than an electric car. There are many other things in your house – toasters, hair dryers and air-conditioning units – that are also potential fire risks. Again, we’ve learned to reduce and manage those risks.

You will never eliminate all risks of a fire, but EVs have plenty of safeguards to ensure they’re not all about to go up in smoke.

Got a question but don’t know where to find the information you need? Email us at editor@carsales.com.au

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