Your Questions Answered: Should I buy the new 2026 Toyota RAV4?

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I am in the market for a new medium SUV and want to get something a bit smaller and more efficient than my old V6 Pathfinder. I like the look of the new Toyota RAV4 and given this is going to be my last car, I like the idea of an SUV big enough to tote the grandkids around and with reliability and parts being easy to get. Is this 2026 model RAV4 hybrid worth a look, and if I decide to buy one, is there a long wait time? - Roger

Answer: As you’ve probably seen, Roger, the 2026 Toyota RAV4 has just been released, and our review of it just dropped yesterday.

While it is based on the same platform as the previous model (introduced here in 2019) it has been given a significant pull-through with plenty of new tech and features.

While it is far too soon to lay a claim on the new RAV4’s reliability, Toyota has the gold standard for it (slightly tarnished by the 2.8-litre Prado and HiLux DPF issues).

The RAV4 is expensive to buy, but so far has had excellent resale value, with Toyota claiming its current owners are seeing up to 75 per cent resale value after four years.

While it is an improvement in many ways, the new RAV4’s powertrain is down 20kW over the old model, and price is up more 10 per cent for some variants.

You are likely going to have to wait a bit – Toyota is quoting a three-month lead time, with 10,000 orders already taken.

I am really interested in a Jaecoo J5 EV as it looks like a bargain EV. I have heard different wait times by dealers, anything up to three or four months. How long would I have to wait – and is it worth the wait – or can you suggest another similar EV that is available to buy sooner? - Margaret

Answer: Hey Margaret, the Jaecoo J5 EV is going gangbusters because of its incredible value for money at the moment ($36,990 drive-away on orders taken to the end of April).

It has more conservative styling than some other EVs that many Aussies prefer, great apparent fit and finish, it’s loaded with features and has good interior packaging.

Nothing else at its price point (for electric SUVs, at least) can match the Jaecoo’s 402km WLTP range.

The problem is that Jaecoo is struggling to keep up with orders, and some of the dealer network (like other newer brands to our market) would appear to be struggling with the sheer volume of new buyers and cars coming through for preparation and delivery.

The talk online is a wait of four to six weeks for some buyers, while others claim they have been waiting 11 weeks and still haven’t seen their car turn up.

Omoda Jaecoo is working on streamlining the order system to improve dealer communications with buyers and the factory has upped production for Australia to try to keep up with demand.

If you are not prepared for a potentially months-long wait though, have a look at the GAC Aion V which is larger and has longer range than the J5, faster charging and a similar features list.

It is more expensive – from around $46K drive-away – but it does come with a free 22kW wall charger and otherwise similar aftersales provisions as the Jaecoo.

I own an older diesel 4WD that is getting costly to fix and expensive to fill, given recent diesel price hikes. I had expected to get another couple of years out of it before downsizing to a small or medium electric SUV but now that is looking unlikely without big repair bills. I can’t do novated leasing, as I run my own small business with few car tax deductions. It seems like the worst time to have to buy a new EV, but it looks like I really need to get on with it. Should I buy a new or just-used petrol SUV instead of electric? Maybe better value and I’ll save $10,000 or more (over a new EV) – or is that just kicking the can down the road? Is it a good idea to just purchase an EV now, or buy a petrol now, an EV next time, in say, five years? Would battery technology and value be better then? - Moh

Answer: Hi Moh, that’s not an easy one to answer without a crystal ball!

On paper, the move to battery-electric now would seem like the sensible one, depending on your vehicle use. Fuel prices and fuel security has obviously been drawn to front-of-mind with many Australians, and EVs are therefore rushing out the door.

The multiple new Chinese brands arriving, with great features and technology at relatively low cost also draw into sharp relief the legacy brands similarly priced petrol/diesel alternatives appear by comparison.

If you are more conservative in your approach and are looking for value, there is a strong argument for buying a petrol SUV from a popular brand that is about three years old (having depreciated 30-40 per cent from its new value), potentially with at least a couple years of factory warranty remaining.

The aftersales quality of legacy brands is known, unlike new brands. Resale values, while not a given, are also more certain (than new EV brands). But the appeal of having more luxury features and tech, cheap EV ‘refuelling’ and a long warranty for not much money from one of the new players, can’t be denied.

I am in the market for a new EV and am lost with what it takes to keep it fed with power. All this business about amps, kilowatts, 80 per cent recharging and three-phase is doing my head in. It’s like I need a degree in electrical engineering to own an EV when all I want is to get from A to B cheaper than I do now on petrol. Is there a cheat sheet for all this stuff? - Tan

Answer: Ha! Tan, you’re not the only one! It does seem complicated when all we’ve ever needed to do is front up at a servo, fill-up, and get on with our day.

Running an electric car does require a re-think. Check out our extensive library of simple, straight forward EV advice articles here.

I am in the market for a used family 4WD wagon for commuting and weekends away in the bush. I like the look of the WK2 Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel, you can get one fully loaded with luxury gear for less than $20K for a car that is under 10 years old. Is it a good, reliable car? - Daniel

Answer: Good question Daniel, and the answer, like many older cars, depends on who’s fixing it.

The WK2 Grand Cherokee 3.0 EcoDiesel was very popular when new for a short period, in around  2014. Great looks, loaded with luxury features in premium models, with the option of a powerful and economical V6 diesel, the Grand Cherokee was also a good drive.

Caravanners loved them; they would tow 3500kg like it was not there. With a strong Aussie dollar, it was a bargain at the time, too, but by the end in 2022, the Grand Cherokee was slow-selling, its price advantage long gone and it had the dubious record of most official Australian mandatory vehicle recalls of all time (21 of them!).

So great in theory, but not a totally trouble-free experience in practice. There are still owners who love them and swear by them; but many more owners or ex-owners who learned the hard way just how much it costs to get a Grand Cherokee fixed when it starts to play up.

You would have to treat the Grand Cherokee as you would a used prestige European SUV; there is a fair bit of complexity going on (DPF-equipped diesel, air suspension on some models, and more); many genuine replacement parts are cripplingly expensive; finding mechanics who are willing to work on them is not easy; and those mechanics who are, are certainly not always cheap.

Look, if you find a well-looked after example, have the time and ability to work the spanners yourself, are willing to track down more affordable aftermarket parts and keep on top of maintenance, WK2 Grand Cherokee ownership can be a good thing.

But if you’re not mechanically minded, please don’t do it, unless you are not afraid of spending big on maintenance and repairs.

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