Your questions answered: Is there a new Toyota RAV4 Hybrid coming?

Supplies are freeing up for the Toyota RAV4, particularly the top-selling hybrid version, after a long period in which Australian customers have been stuck on waiting lists.

But that has also prompted one carsales reader to ask why so many RAV4 Hybrids are now available, and is it worth staying on the (shorter) waiting list if there’s a new generation coming soon?

We also have a reader who’s interested in the just-launched all-new BYD Sealion 6 (previously known as the Seal U) – a plug-in hybrid rival for the RAV4 – and another who’s shopping for an affordable hatch and wondering why there are so many Hyundais to choose from.

Plus, two new EV owners are keen to know what cables they need to keep the electricity flowing.

Question:

They claim that wait times have reduced because some people don’t want their car until 2026 and some order cancellations. What do you think is going on here?

I am a bit suspicious that demand is dropping and they are trying to run out some vehicles at max price before the 2025 model arrives. Do you have any info on changes in demand, should we wait for the 2025 or grab the current model now? – Wayne

Answer: It sounds like what’s going on is the dealer you ordered through gave you a ludicrously long estimated wait time. Toyota has been chronically short of RAV4 Hybrids for years and demand has been steadily increasing.

During the rush it appears some dealers were over-eager to sign new business, in turn telling people they could get hold of a car a lot sooner than they actually could. Unsurprisingly, there were some unhappy customers, some of whom decided not to be Toyota customers any more.

This year Toyota is getting hold of a lot more stock, which is helping ease those wait times, too. You should be able to get hold of one pretty quickly these days. While demand may have dropped slightly, it’s still very healthy, so I wouldn’t be too worried about that.

The main issue is trying to work out when an all-new model is due. The current-shape RAV4 went on sale here in 2019 and that model usually works to a model life of about six years. So a new RAV4 is theoretically due about in 2025.

That said, Toyota is still being inundated with demand for the current car, so may theoretically not be in a mad rush to replace it. And with Toyota playing catch-up on EVs, the company may be focusing more efforts in that direction.

All of which is speculation, obviously, and another way of saying the sixth-generation Toyota RAV4 could arrive later next year – or push out to 2026.

However, it is fair to say the current RAV4 is in the twilight of its existence.

Question: Do you know when the BYD Seal U hybrid will go on sale? What will the EV range be? What are the various charge times to capacity? Trickle charge from home solar? Thank you very much. I’m keen. – John

Answer: It’s here now, John, launched today in fact, but it’s not called the Seal U in Australia. It’s now known as the BYD Sealion 6 (yes, there will be other Sealions down the track).

You can read our full launch review and our pricing and specs news.

The Sealion 6 is offered as a front-drive or all-wheel drive, the latter with more power.
Both get an 18.3kWh battery, so charging from a household power point would take about nine hours (that’d be the easiest way to do the solar trickle charge thing).

If you’re using a wallbox charger, a full charge should take less than three hours.

Unusually for a plug-in hybrid car, the Sealion 6 can be recharged using DC power. While that would ordinarily mean a rapid charge, in this case the maximum charge power is capped at 18kW, so it would take a little over an hour for a full charge.

In terms of range, the EV-only distance between charges is claimed at 92km for the front-drive Dynamic model and 81km for the all-wheel drive Premium. In each case you can probably shave at least 10 per cent off that for the real world.

Obviously, part of the appeal with the Sealion 6 – and the imminent influx of new plug-in hybrids, including the incoming 2025 BYD Shark ute – is not just the potential fuel savings but also the potential to package it in a novated lease to take advantage of the government’s fringe benefits tax (FBT) exemption. It applies to battery-electric vehicles until at least 2027, but is only currently on offer on PHEVs until April 2025.

Question: I am in the market for a used car and have been keeping an eye on used car sales. A couple of questions: Can you tell me why there are many Hyundai Accents coming on the market – five years old, less than 100K kms and under $10,000? Do you think it’s because production has been discontinued? Same with Hyundai i20s starting to show up. Also, plenty of Suzuki Swifts. Never owned a vehicle made by Suzuki, so doubtful about their quality. But appreciate your input on that.

My price range is $7500 to $10,000 (could go up to $11,000). I’m looking for a Mazda2 or Toyota Corolla, seven-plus years old, around 100,000km on the clock. What do you think? – Robyn Anne

Answer: The Hyundai Accent was always a popular car and some of them naturally ended up on rental fleets, so I wouldn’t be surprised if some of those cars have been involved in that. But it’s also the sort of car that sold in big numbers to private owners and so was always going to be a popular used car when people came around to selling them.

Similarly, the Suzuki Swift often ended up on rental fleets, which could explain some of the cars you’re seeing online. But, again, it was a popular hatch with first-car buyers so may just be coming around to a natural cycle of upgrades for some buyers. Don’t worry about Suzuki and reliability: the brand has an excellent reputation, so a well-looked-after car should have many years of motoring ahead of it.

Similarly, the Mazda2 and Toyota Corolla are also solid buying. You could also throw the Kia Cerato into the mix; it comes with a seven-year warranty so could still have some factory coverage if you buy one just under seven years old.

And the Hyundai i30 also comes highly rated, taking out carsales’ Best Used Small Car for 2024.

Question:

Answer: We haven’t sampled it yet but any updates would likely be a step in the right direction. But there are other issues with the CX-60, one of which you have mentioned: price. In short, it doesn’t wholeheartedly play to the traditional Mazda strength of affordable value and instead heads into luxury territory.

The CX-60 also feels unpolished in other areas. The hybrid drivetrain is not a great example of a hybrid, with some clumsiness in the way the petrol engine and electric motor work together. And the auto transmission in six-cylinder models is also underwhelming in the way it goes about its business.

Short story is the CX-60 doesn’t quite live up to what we’ve expected from Mazda for many years.

Question:

Answer: As you now no doubt know, your Tesla Model Y doesn’t come with any charging cables. As for which cables you’ll need, it’ll really depend on where you’re going. If you’re sticking to vaguely popular routes with plenty of fast-charging options, then you could get away without any cables. But if you’re planning on staying in caravan parks or going to lesser-travelled areas then you’ll definitely need something to keep the electricity flowing.

The Tesla UMC (universal mobile connector) is a good place to start. It comes with two tails: one that plugs into a regular power point and one that plugs into a 15-amp outlet (the ones with a longer earth pin). The latter can provide more power, in turn lowering the charge time. However, in both instances it’ll be a slow charge (think something like 30 hours for a full top-up).

You should also consider a Type 2 to Type 2 charge cable, which allows you to plug into public AC electric car charging points where you have to supply your own cable. They’re rare, but having the cable along for the ride could come in handy.

If you want to cover all your bases then something that plugs into a three-phase power outlet is also handy. A Juice Booster is a great option and would allow you to ditch the regular power point charger as it comes with different tails to plug into different outlets, including standard power points.

Before all of that, check the PlugShare app or website to work out what charging options there are along your planned route. When filtering the plug types you can either enter your car type or toggle the following plugs: CCS/SAE, Tesla, Tesla (fast), Type 2, three-phase, caravan mains and wall (AU/NZ).

Question:

Answer: A Type 2 to Type 2 cable can be handy for charging on the run when you come across an AC charger where you have to supply your own cable. We’d recommend getting one rated to 22kW, which is the maximum they can take. If you get one rated at 7.4kW it could limit your charging.

That said, most new charging stations being installed are either faster DC chargers (all of which have inbuilt cables) or AC chargers with their own cables, so while the Type 2 to Type 2 is nice to have, you may not end up using it much.

As for brands, we haven’t independently tested them. So I guess it’s the usual caveats of buying from a reputable supplier. EVSE or JET Charge is a good place to start.

Also check with the dealer as to whether they sell a cable. They will obviously purchase it from a supplier but if it’s covered by the manufacturer warranty (as some accessories are) then that could be longer than what typically comes with the cable.

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