Your questions answered: Should I buy a BYD Shark 6 for a P-plate driver?

There’s still loads of interest in the BYD Shark 6, including from a father looking to buy a car that his soon-to-be-P-plate son could one day drive.

But with so much power, the legalities of provisional drivers getting behind the wheel depends on where you live.

We’ve also got one Toyota driver who’s been waiting months for a part on his small SUV. It’s a crazy situation, but one that is looking like (finally) being resolved after we made some calls.

Plus there’s one SUV buyer wondering if Toyota will bring the 4Runner Down Under.

And, yes, we’ve got plenty of EV interest – as well as someone looking for a hairy-chested replacement for a V8 Jeep.

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

Question: I need to buy something that can go off-road to visit our hobby farm on weekends. I was looking at the BYD Shark 6, which I could also charge off solar when it’s parked.

Is that a good choice? My son is also learning to drive so I figured he could drive it too. – Scott

Answer: The Shark 6 is a great option in the ute market. It’s not quite as capable off-road as the likes of the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux, but it’ll surprise with its capability and the sorts of tracks it’ll devour.

And it’s excellent on cabin space, value and driving performance generally.

There’s about twice as much power as you have in normal utes and it’s far easier to access given it has two electric motors doing most of the work (there’s also a petrol engine that can create more electricity).

Just make sure you check the P-plate restrictions in your state or territory.

We checked a few weeks ago and NSW had banned the Shark 6 for provisional drivers. The Transport NSW website briefly suggested that’s under review but has now said the car is banned again for P-platers.

But Victoria allows P-platers to drive it and Queensland looks as though it hasn’t made up its mind yet.

Question: I purchased my Toyota Hybrid C-HR in April last year and I had a small accident on September 12, 2024.

Since then I have not had my vehicle back, as Toyota is saying it can't bring out some of the parts because the car is still too new. That includes the fuel tank.

Toyota has been stringing us along, saying that the parts were coming mid-October, then mid-November and then December. Now it is saying mid-March.

I spoke to the dealer as my insurance company suggested to me that they should be able to help me with a car, but they said they cannot help even though it’s a Toyota issue.

I've had to beg and ask for favours from different people to use their car since September.

Do you think there is somebody in Toyota that may be able to help? – Denny

Answer: Australian Consumer Law stipulates that the retailer “will make available repair facilities or spare parts for a reasonable time”.

That refers to the availability of parts for years after the car was purchased (it’s vague and the length of time may vary depending on the part and the car). It doesn’t stipulate how quickly parts should be delivered, but clearly it should be quicker than five months.

We’ve talked to Toyota about your case and were told the fuel tank on a C-HR is not a commonly replaced part, so it is not stocked locally. That meant ordering it from overseas, presumably from where it’s produced in Turkey.

When informed of the estimated wait (it turns out the repairer didn’t order the part until October) the company said it would expedite the freight of the new tank, which should hopefully roll up in the next couple of weeks.

Toyota says it will not be supplying a loan car, though, because it’s an insurance issue rather than a warranty repair.

But given that ACCC requirement for manufacturers to supply parts we reckon that’s harsh. The least they could do is keep you on the road when they couldn’t supply a part in what most would consider a reasonable time.

Question: The automatic transmission on my 2007 Honda Jazz, which I love, is failing. May I ask you to recommend some small EVs as a replacement?

My criteria in a vehicle include reliability, quality interior design, easy access into and out of the vehicle, and a 400km-plus range.

A vehicle that attempts to wrench away control would alarm me. I need to be able to easily and permanently switch off any unhelpful ‘nanny driver-assist’ features. – Jane

Answer: The 2007 Jazz was in the early days of CVTs (continuously variable transmissions) and Honda had some issues with them. Early on Honda was making the repairs relatively affordable, although I’m not sure if that’s still the case.

Either way, it sounds like you’re up for a fresh set of wheels.

As for which to buy, your criteria make it tricky.

First let’s tackle the driver aids, or ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems).

All modern cars have them and none get them perfect. Lane departure systems can steer when you don’t want them to and auto braking systems beep or dab the brakes when they’re not required.

If I’m generalising, the European, Japanese and Korean brands tend to do them best.

With your other criteria, a small SUV seems the most logical option to give you that easier accessibility due to the higher seat height.

So, as for which EV to get.

The BYD Atto 3 is a decent choice and has recently scored a price reduction.

The Volvo EX30 is also good buying, albeit with a premium price tag.

The upcoming Kia EV3 would also be an interesting option, although Kia hasn’t announced pricing yet (the car is due in a couple of months).

Some of the new Chinese brands are also doing decent cars, although the ADAS systems on some could do with some tuning.

The Zeekr X is a great option. It shares its underpinnings with the Volvo EX30; both brands are owned by Geely.

Question: I’m wondering if the Toyota 4Runner is a chance to come to Australia? Perhaps to replace the Fortuner?

I’m looking to buy a GWM Tank 300. However, I would wait if there was a possibility of the 4Runner. DPF issues prevent me from buying a diesel (I’m a city slicker with fortnightly to monthly drives to the bush for enduro dirt bike riding). – Cam

Answer: Toyota has said it is interested in the 4Runner for Australia but hasn’t confirmed if it will come or when that could happen.

As you’ve pointed out, it’s similar in size and intent to the Fortuner we already get here, a car we’d expect to be replaced in the next 18 months or so (its underpinnings are shared with the HiLux, a new version of which is due soon).

The Fortuner has never achieved what Toyota wanted it to from a sales perspective locally and with the recently arrived Prado 250 Series stepping up so much in price there’s a lot more clear air in the serious off-roader space for Toyota to play in with a Fortuner or 4Runner.

The question is which one we will get – something on which we currently have no clarity.

The latest generation 4Runner looks terrific. Along with the design of the new Prado, it shows Toyota has finally worked out how to leverage its heritage with its off-road vehicles.

We’d expect the new HiLux and Fortuner to follow suit. None of which gives you clarity on whether to wait or buy a car now.

If you need a car before the end of the year it may be worth jumping now with the models we know. However, if you can hold out a bit longer, we should get more clarity on what’s happening with the Fortuner replacement.

Question: For the past four-and-a-half years I’ve been driving a 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT and I have loved every minute of it!

I joke that it is my ‘mid-life crisis car’, but in reality it is my reward for years of hard work and not having much of a life outside running our own business … my little refuge and release to and from work each day.

Having previously owned a Falcon XR6 Turbo ute in the 2000s, then having to convert to the ‘sensible family car’ for the next 13 years (a well-loved Subaru Tribeca), I longed for something with space and grunt and I reckon I hit the jackpot with the Jeep, especially for the money.

I suppose I’m a closet petrol head … I love the performance of these types of cars but know nothing of the mechanics! And I’d have to say, I’d never longed for the rumble of a V8, but the roar from the 6.4L Hemi when you put your foot down is really quite addictive.

But I’m now beginning to wonder what I should be doing with the Jeep, as the end of the five-year new car warranty draws closer and it currently has 87,000km on the clock. Jeeps haven’t had a good rap at times in relation to reliability, plus the fixed price servicing will come to an end too. I’ve had a fuel pump issue which left me stranded a few times and the rear diff literally blew apart the casing back in 2021.

The question is, what would I replace it with? I need something with space – I often carry a lot of stock for work and I still have a household of four that will travel together at times.

But I like something with some decent performance. My wife has been driving a Volvo XC40 Recharge pure electric twin motor for past two years (I call it my ‘carbon credits’), and I love the acceleration of that too, but I don’t think I’m prepared to have both of our cars electric just yet … especially if a more remote road trip is in the offing again.

Can you suggest anything equivalent to the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT for space, performance and price? And do you have an opinion on keeping it versus trading it in sooner rather than later?

I kept the Tribeca for 13 years with 255,000km, so that doesn’t phase me, as long as it doesn’t cost the earth to keep it going. – Dave

Answer: There’s no shortage of high-performance SUVs, although not many get close to the wildness of the Grand Cherokee SRT.

Some of the European brands can easily match it on pace, but that raw American V8 is harder to replicate.

And with any of those Europeans you’ll be paying a lot more than you did for your Jeep. The Audi SQ7, for example, is $174,815 plus on-road costs and the BMW X5 M60i is $172,900 plus on-road costs.

If the budget stretches (think $200K-plus) then a V8 Porsche Cayenne is a fantastic option.

If you want something that goes off-road that makes the decision trickier again. I’d be sticking the Lexus GX550 somewhere near the top of your list.

It’s an excellent middle ground that should deliver on reliability and give some fun factor along the way (albeit not as much as the Jeep).

It has a fantastic V6 turbo petrol engine (not exactly fuel efficient, but it’s punchy!) and a practical cabin. Plus it’ll go further off-road than your Jeep did.

A left fielder could be the Genesis GV80. Again, it’s not going to match the hairy-chested flavour of your Jeep, but its V6 turbo engine delivers on performance and you’ll certainly have more luxury.

Or you could look at a Nissan Patrol Warrior. It’s got a V8 (not as grunty as your Jeep, but it’s still pretty good – and it sounds great) and heaps of space.

If you are prepared to consider an EV, check out the Polestar 3. It’s only got five seats but has decent space and heaps of pace as well as a claimed range of up to 706km.

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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