Your questions answered: Is the Ford Everest V6 good for towing?

SUV sales are booming and so is SUV interest among Australian buyers, as demonstrated by the questions fired into the carsales mailbox this week.

From value-packed second-hand alternatives to the best for towing a caravan around the country, there are people bursting to buy a new high-riding wagon.

And one buyer in the SUV space is ready to take the EV plunge.

We’ve also got someone wondering why a performance car needs to be warmed up in the morning and an EV buyer asking about the best infrastructure to charge their new arrival at home.

Question: My wife and I purchased a second-hand 2014 Audi Q7 in 2019 in the hope that it would be a good family car which could tow our 3000kg caravan. We have had nothing but trouble with it, spent thousands on it, and now all of the electrics seem to be playing up!

Answer: Yes, older European luxury models can cost plenty when things start going wrong. As well as lots of tech to have issues with, brands such as Audi never had the reputation for longevity of Toyota or Lexus.

As for the Ford Everest, it’s a great car. Not particularly clever in terms of its interior packaging, but smooth, quiet and handy at towing. The V6 can be thirsty once you’ve got it loaded, something that will obviously be relevant once you’re towing.

That said, anything being asked to shift three tonnes is going to need more energy to get the job done. You’ll be going backwards on on-road driving manners, mainly because the Q7 was more a high-riding passenger car whereas the Everest utilises ute underpinnings evolved for its four-wheel drive duties. Still, for that style of vehicle it’s a terrific machine.

Check out carsales’ tow test on the Everest V6 for a deep-dive into how the latest Aussie-developed Ford SUV performs hitched up with a van.

As for hybrid alternatives, there’s not a lot of options right now. There are some that will tow around half what you need them to (Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorento, etc) but for now anything lugging three tonnes really needs diesel propulsion. We’d expect that to change in the next couple of years.

Question: I’m looking at the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid. What’s your experience with the drive compared to the petrol and diesel models? Is it worth the premium? (I’d be happy with the V6 but cautious as it’s FWD). Any longevity issues you’re aware of? – Grant W

Answer: Torque is your friend in a large SUV and while the V6 petrol engine in the Hyundai Santa Fe (and Kia Sorento – they’re the same thing beneath the skin) may win on power, the diesel has it covered with torque. It makes the smaller four-cylinder diesel a nicer thing to drive.

You’ll also use less fuel in the diesel and it’s all-wheel drive. The front-drive layout in the V6 is mainly an issue on slippery surfaces; uphill starts on a wet road require more finesse, for example. Still, it’s another tick in the direction of the diesel.

The hybrid Santa Fe treads some nice middle ground. It’s a small petrol engine but works well when teamed with electricity – plus it drives all four wheels. The negative is it’s only offered on the more expensive Elite and Highlander models and, as you’ve noted, it comes with a price premium over other engine variants. As for whether it’s worth the premium, it’ll depend on how far you drive. If you’re doing big kilometres – especially in suburban areas – then the hybrid would make sense. For lower kays or a lot of rural driving, the diesel may be a better option.

Question: I would like some advice regarding changing over my 2009 Toyota Kluger front-wheel drive KX-S V6. I have owned it since 2012 (bought it with 60,000km) and it now has nearly 300,000km on it. We are very happy with the Kluger, especially the level of comfort in the driver’s seat. I previously had a small Corolla which I drove to work for about 10 years, and I’m sure it added to my sore back issues I have suffered over the years. Getting in and out of the Kluger is easy, which suits me, and the driver’s seat is quite comfortable. I’m now 61.

I would like a 4WD, and hope to be able to spend some time towing a van or our camper trailer at some stage in the future, but don’t have any serious/heavy-duty four-wheel driving in mind. We have previously mostly owned Toyotas (Taragos, Corollas and the Kluger) mainly due to their reliability.

I was interested in a 4WD Kluger, or Prado (but I have heard the Prado’s driver’s seat is not that good if you have a dodgy back). A Ford Everest is also on the radar as it sounds like a very good vehicle, however a Mitsubishi Pajero has also been recommended by a neighbour and another friend as a good-value vehicle and comfortable drive. Another friend who is a 4WD enthusiast has recommended an Isuzu MU-X or Volkswagen SUV. I am thinking of spending around $40,000-plus on a second-hand vehicle (or is a new Pajero worth considering?) and would very much value your thoughts and advice. – Ian D

Answer: The Mitsubishi Pajero hasn’t been available in showrooms for a couple of years now, so you won’t be grabbing one of those new. There’s the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, which is slightly smaller and not overly convincing at that end of the market (although it ticks the reliability box).

We’re not aware of the Toyota Prado being an issue with dodgy backs. We’ve always found them very comfortable on long drives. A lot of that can come down to individual tastes. You’ll also have to get a well-used one if your budget is circa-$40K.

A Ford Everest is well worth a look, although as with everything mentioned so far, it’s a proper 4WD. That means you’ll have all the hardware it sounds like you won’t be using as well as the compromises that brings (dynamics that aren’t as sharp or on-road-friendly as a Kluger, for example).

Also check out a Hyundai Santa Fe or Kia Sorento. Both have great diesel options and decent towing credentials (they won’t tow as much as proper 4WDs but still carry two tonnes, or more in the Santa Fe).

Question: I currently have a Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan. But with teenagers, sports and musical instruments the car is sadly becoming a bit small! I’d like suggestions on an SUV with possible seven seats and good boot space which can do both city and country driving. I drive about 50-100km a day. I spend about two days city driving, the rest is country driving which can include potholes, stones etc. I’d like some mod-cons such as 360-degree camera, wireless Apple CarPlay and head-up display. – Ping C

Answer: Geez, the wireless Apple CarPlay is one of the biggest challenges with your request list. I was fast heading down the route of recommending a Hyundai Santa Fe or Kia Sorento, but both require you to plug the phone in on higher-end models.

A Volvo XC60 would be fantastic for that luxury experience (but no wireless CarPlay) or you could try the new Lexus RX, which does allow your iPhone to connect wirelessly.

Also check out the Toyota Kluger, or you could wait for the upcoming Mazda CX-60 (it’s only a five-seater, although the CX-90 will have seven seats, albeit with a luxury price tag to match).

Some EVs would also be worth considering, although none have a spare wheel, which could be a challenge over those potholes. Good five-seat options include the Kia EV6, Hyundai IONIQ 5 and Tesla Model Y. Also check out the Kia EV9 that’s due late in 2023 – it’ll be a seven-seater.

Question:

Answer: Any high-performance engine doesn’t like being driven hard when it’s still cold. It builds up a lot of heat very quickly, which leads to expansion of components very quickly. While it won’t kill an engine doing it once, twice, three times, after years of harsh treatment you’ll likely wear the engine out sooner than one that has been given time to build up to temperature.

It sounds as though your neighbour is very keen to look after the engine as much as possible, at least when it’s cold. That said, you could easily get pretty much the same result by driving it gently for the first few kilometres. Perhaps he wants to get straight into the cut ’n’ thrust of city traffic while extracting every kilowatt from that boxer turbo…

Question: I have owned my 2002 Holden Executive station wagon since 2006. Serviced regularly, runs like a charm (420,000km ‘on the clock’). Reluctantly am thinking (read: my partner is) it might be time to update. Looking for a wagon that has plenty of space in the very back. Don’t want big four-wheel drive, am wondering if you could suggest some vehicles l could consider.

Have thought about Nissan X-TRAIL, Subaru Outback, Kluger (not sure who makes them) and Toyota RAV4. 2017 is as old as l would like to go and $25,000 is max to spend. I would like a vehicle with a full-size spare wheel too. – Amanda S

Answer: Good effort with the Commodore. Most haven’t travelled anything like that far.

As for a replacement, you’re looking in the right end of the market, although scratch the Kluger (it’s a Toyota) because it’s edging towards the big 4WD territory you’re trying to avoid. The Toyota RAV4 will be a challenge because they’re hot property on the used car market, so prices can be higher than you’d expect.

The latest Nissan X-TRAIL is a terrific car, but the one before it (which is the car you’ll be looking at) is a lot less impressive. The Subaru Outback is a lot more convincing and should give you that space in the boot. Just be prepared to go backwards on performance compared with your Commodore; the four-cylinder engine in the Outback is fine around town but won’t have the effortless mid-range pull of a V6 Holden.

Two more to stick on your list are the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson.

Question:

Answer: We haven’t driven the Ford Mustang Mach-E on home soil yet, but check out carsales’ first drive in Detroit late last year – which didn’t see the high-riding pony car cover itself in glory. Another to stick on the shortlist is the Kia EV6, which is among the best-driving mid-size SUVs and judged carsales Car of the Year 2022. There’s some genuine talent and it’s also strong in other areas.

Where the Tesla wins is in value, bang-for-buck, tech and interior space. Granted, the cabin design can be polarising, and while it’s a great car to drive it’s not as engaging as some others. As for the price limit, it sounds as though your accountant is trying to take advantage of the fringe benefits tax exemption on EVs, which is currently capped at the luxury car tax (LCT) threshold of $84,916 (exclusive of government charges). The good news is that LCT limit increases on July 1 to $89,332.

Question:

Using the charging cable supplied with the car that has an inline box and a standard 10A plug we are only getting a 6A or 1.4kW charging rate. We have pressed the button on the inline box and the charge rate flashes at 8 or 10 amps for a few seconds and then reverts to 6A. The same occurs when we plug into the 15-amp GPO.

We don’t have a suitable cable with a 380-415V plug for the 3-phase outlet so we have not attempted to charge from it so far. We would like to be able to charge from say 10am to 2pm when there might be say 5kW of solar power available directly from our roof.

What do the proprietary wall chargers do? What is their advantage over simply plugging into a 3-phase outlet and letting the onboard 11kW vehicle charger look after the charging rate and curtailing the charge rate as the car battery approaches 100% charged? – Neil M

Answer: An AC home wallbox charger will produce 7.4kW when connected to a single-phase outlet. Hooking it up to a three-phase connector will supply up to 22kW, although your Kia Niro will only accept 11kW of that.

The main advantage of a dedicated wallbox over a three-phase connector is that it looks neater. Plus, if you get a smart charger it can have added functionality, such as solar matching, which can be set to only take the excess solar, so as not to draw from the grid.

But given you’ve got a three-phase outlet already there it’s a quick and easy way to go.

As for slowing the rate of charge, don’t bother because 11kW may be fast by home charging standards but is still slow by EV charging standards. Batteries will be fine taking 11kW for the whole charge.

But… the Niro has an NMC battery (one of the types of lithium-ion batteries) and the manufacturer recommends only topping it up to 80 per cent for daily driving. There will be a setting in the car that allows you to set the max to 80 per cent. For the sake of long-term battery condition, we’d recommend using that for all but those longer road trips when you need the longer range.

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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