Your questions answered: Should I buy an older prestige car or a newer mainstream one?

This week’s questions perfectly encapsulate the diversity of Australia’s new-car market.

From someone ready to trade in a well-loved Holden Commodore to another looking for an affordable EV, there’s a bit of everything.

We’ve also got one dad looking for an affordable SUV for his daughter – provided it can be delivered quickly.

Plus, there’s the age-old question of whether to get a more upmarket older car or stick to something newer and more mainstream.

And another reader is looking for a new tow vehicle to take them on an adventure around the country.

Question:

Answer: I presume you’ll be buying a used car since there’s not a lot available in the new-car market with auto for under $25K on the road.

The good news is used car prices have more or less dropped back to pre-COVID levels and there are more of them available at the moment. And for $25K you’d certainly get a good, reliable, low-km, high-spec small car with auto that’s less than five years old and has travelled less than 100,000km.

Check out popular models such as the Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Hyundai i30 and Kia Cerato. Each ticks all those boxes, and we’d certainly recommend them over anything older or more premium.

While some may expect the older luxury model to come with more equipment, the reality is the newer mainstream car may better suit the bill. That’s because the boom in electronics, connectivity and driver assist systems has benefited newer models.

Also, with an older European car you could be buying into someone else’s issues and mechanical repairs can get expensive.

Question: When it comes to buying an EV or hybrid I am a bit hesitant and unsure which do I choose? My current usage is about 100ks a day for work and I drive to Canberra twice a month to see my family (I live in Newcastle, NSW). I don’t need a big vehicle, usually only two passengers and occasionally a couple of grandkids. Any help would be greatly appreciated. – Mark M

Answer: The 100km per day you do is not an issue and can easily be handled with an overnight charge, assuming you have access to power and off-street parking. You’d even be able to charge from a standard power point.

But the trip to Canberra obviously requires some more thought. The circa-440km journey would require a charge with most EVs, because they’ll likely only get about 80 per cent as far as the on-paper EV range figures suggest. So if it’s a 500km claimed range, for example, we’d be budgeting for about 400km on that freeway trip.

Fortunately, there are plenty of fast-chargers along the way. So check out PlugShare for some options along the way and factor in a circa-half-hour stop.

As for vehicles, it’s tough to go past the Tesla Model 3. There are currently some of the soon-to-be-replaced models going for around $58K and you should be able to get a $3000 rebate from the NSW government if you buy before the end of the year.

Otherwise check out the Hyundai IONIQ 5, which now has a more affordable model variant.

Then there’s the BYD Atto 3, which is also good buying.

Question: I am a 77-year-old female parting with my 2008 Holden Calais. I sort of like a Kia Sportage because the screen is not so prominent, local dealer has a RAV4 Sport in next month, two-wheel drive, feel as though on country roads need all-wheel drive? It is a hybrid, was thinking old-school petroleum or diesel, your thoughts? I am just short at five-feet tall, used to do a lot of long drives from Coonabarabran to Port Macquarie but have family in Sydney. – Margaret B

Answer: The Kia Sportage is an excellent choice and if you’re doing lots of country driving the diesel engine makes sense. That engine only comes with all-wheel drive, so it’ll tick that box for you.

Also look at the Hyundai Tucson, which uses the same mechanicals as the Kia (Hyundai and Kia are part of the same company).

But the RAV4 is also a tempting option. We wouldn’t be too concerned about all-wheel drive if you’re driving on mostly bitumen. At country road speeds the benefits of AWD are less pronounced, especially in a RAV4 Hybrid (the petrol engine never drives the rear wheels, it’s only an additional electric motor providing mild assistance to those back wheels).

Given the wait lists on RAV4 Hybrid, though, it’s worth trying to nail the dealer down on an exact delivery date. Everything we’re hearing is that the wait times for a RAV4 Hybrid are closer to two years, so to be able to get one within a month or so seems out of the ordinary. So get the dealer to give you a more accurate delivery estimate.

Question: My 21-year-old daughter wishes to purchase a new small SUV around the $25K - $27K price range, no need to be hybrid, petrol is desired given city/country driving in Western Australia. Keen to know your opinion on the best value out there for immediate delivery … she has no patience!!! – Paul S

Answer: You’ll be glad to hear that the whole supply and demand imbalance is sorting itself out post-COVID, to the point where in some instances there are actually some discounts and other incentives creeping back into the market.

The bad news is that there’s not a whole lot of SUV action below $27,000 – and what is there has only basic engine options that will need to be driven harder for country cruising.

But check out a Kia Stonic or Hyundai Venue. There are also demos of each, which could work well given your budget.

There are some Ford Puma demonstrators around, too, and it’s a great little compact SUV for the money. You could see if there are any deals on a Nissan Juke, although you may have to stretch the budget a few grand to make it work.

Other than that, check out some used options of the models above and also throw a Hyundai Kona and Mazda CX-3 into the mix.

Question:

Answer: Charging power for EVs in Australia currently varies from 2.3kW (out of a household power point) up to 350kW at an ultra-rapid charger. Anything from 50kW and over is considered a fast-charger while the 350kW ones are ultra-rapid chargers (fun fact: no EV currently available in Australia can suck the full 350kW).

Charging an EV very fast adds more heat to the circuitry and battery pack due to the resistance so many electrons come up against in the electrical system.

While there’s no issue with ultra-rapid charging occasionally – such as when on road trips – doing it at every charge will eventually degrade the battery sooner than it would by slow charging (some form of battery degradation will occur with any EV).

Exactly how much degradation you can expect from constantly super-fast charging isn’t fully known, mainly because the EV market is still in its infancy.

But short story is, try to leave most of that ultra-rapid charging to road trips.

Question: We are looking to purchase in the near future a second-hand vehicle to tow our hybrid camper trailer on trips around Australia. The camper weighs approx 1200kg unladen up to 1750-1800kg with water, equipment, etc thrown in.

We don’t have unlimited funds and were hoping to spend around $35,000 - $40,000. We currently have a Ford Territory that does a great job although it is getting a bit long in the tooth and will not take us off-road if we choose to.

I have read the Toyota Fortuner becomes very thirsty when towing as it won’t get out of fourth gear. The Everest and the MU-X seem to be the pick of the bunch but the price is possibly prohibitive. The Pajero Sport has a small diesel engine although it is matched to a 10-speed auto. With all the info out there it is hard to know what will best suit our situation.

Although all of this is based on towing the 4WD will also be my daily driver when based at home just out of Bendigo.

Answer: Whatever you choose you don’t want to be towing close to the tow limit of the vehicle, because in many instances it’ll seriously limit how much you can carry in the car. So we’d recommend a minimum 2500kg tow capacity for your requirements.

We hadn’t heard that about the Fortuner, although obviously it’s worth remembering that any time you’re towing 1.8 tonnes you’ll need a fair bit more fuel to get the job done. So don’t expect anything to be frugal.

In terms of options, the Ford Everest is arguably the pick for its all-round driving talent and decent value. You’ll sneak some in for your budget, although make sure you check them for wear and servicing history.

Another great pick is the Toyota Prado, especially because it has a 150-litre fuel tank that means fewer visits to the servo. But you’ll have to look at an older one to get something in your budget.

A left-fielder is the Holden Trailblazer. With the demise of the Holden brand there’s been less love on the used car market for cars like the Trailblazer (which was a worthy upgrade from the Colorado 7). That means prices are subdued, which makes them better value as a used vehicle. You’ll easily get one for your budget and it packs plenty in for the money.

Of course, there’s the question of where to get servicing and parts. Holden still has some service centres, where you can also get parts. But the reality is you can get the car serviced by any qualified mechanic.

Question:

Answer: The BYD Atto 3 is a solid EV choice. BYD is one of the global leaders in the electric car space. And while it’s not as convincing as a Tesla, it’s obviously more affordable.

The Extended Range refers to the car’s driving range, which increases as a result of a larger battery pack. It takes the range from 345km (according to the WLTP cycle) to 420km.

As for towing, the BYD Atto 3 is rated to tow 750kg, which would limit you to small trailers only.

Check out carsales’ Best Electric Car 2023 for our detailed assessment of six of Australia’s newest and most popular EVs.

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

Find more of Your Questions Answered by carsales