Your questions answered: Should I choose wheels for looks or performance?

The poor condition of many Australian roads, particularly in the countryside, has long claimed its share of wheels and tyres – as well as vehicle wear and tear.

No surprise, then, that the accelerating trend to big wheels and low-profile sports tyres – even on SUVs and utes – is contributing more than ever to punctures, road noise and excessive wear.

Question:

Answer: Finally, someone with sense. Get the 18s. Why? Superior ride comfort, less road noise, less susceptible to punctures and likely better wear. Get the 18s only. There is no need to change anything as the car will be calibrated to work with both sizes of tyres.

Question:

Answer: Your child should, where possible, be strapped into the back seat of any vehicle until they are out of car seats at about eight years old. So, the Mitsubishi Express loses there, for a start. Then there is the questionable safety of that style of van in general. As work vehicles go, there are others with much better safety scores.

Question:

Answer: The Hyundai Kona has been awarded carsales’ Best Small SUV for the past two years. The slightly smaller Hyundai Venue and Kia Stonic are also excellent choices and good value, but there are also substantial waiting lists for most variants. If they can afford a bit more then also look at the Subaru XV for an earlier delivery.

Question:

Answer: The new Hyundai Tucson is near the top of the class and an excellent vehicle. But there is a giant waiting list, especially for the fully-loaded Highlander because it requires a lot of computer chips to build. Hyundai has better stocks of mid-grade Tucson models. In our recent Best Mid-Size SUV mega-test, the Kia Sportage narrowly defeated the Tucson. Alas, the Kia is also in tight supply.

Question: I have a 1991 Toyota Celica SX hatchback which has done approximately 325,000km and is still going well. I’m wondering how much it would be worth now and would it be classed as a classic car? Additionally, when the car dies I would prefer it to go to someone that invests in these cars as I don’t want it to end up as scrap metal. The interior of the car is perfect and the exterior is quite good. – Lesley-Anne F

Answer: It’s not worth much, probably only around $3000 and definitely not considered a classic. It might still be a good first car for someone and the sort of car that a young enthusiast might want to drive and perhaps modify. Perhaps reach out to the Celica Car Club of Australia and see if there are any takers.

Question:

Answer: If you’re already happy with your XV then you will get a good benefit from the new hybrid version in short-haul running around the city and suburbs. Unlike the Toyota, which runs a parallel hybrid system, the Subaru is a mild hybrid. But two years is a very long wait for the RAV, and it’s larger and also quite costly. Toyota also offers a hybrid version of the Toyota Yaris Cross, which is about the same size as the XV. You could also take a look at the new-generation Kia Niro that arrives soon, or if you want the space of the RAV4 take a look at the Kia Sportage, which will likely soon be offered in a hybrid version.

Question:

Answer: We’ve only heard good things from owners. It’s not cheap for a ute, however, and given its age you should cross-shop against the high-spec versions of the all-new Ford Ranger. FYI: the next-generation Amarok has been co-developed with the Ford and will replace the existing Volkswagen Amarok. So you may also like to wait…

Question: I am tossing up between the new Genesis GV70 in the twin-turbo V6 and the Porsche Macan. I was wondering which, in your opinion, would be a better option? – Hugo K

Answer: If you’re a keen driver, want rock-solid resale value or always craved a Porsche, then the Macan is obviously the one to buy. But if you’re really just looking for a comfortable and plush prestige SUV, with the bonus of great warranty and value, the Genesis is worth a look.

Question: My 2010 Mazda BT-50 has only done 84,000km in 12 years and I’m worried about the timing/drive belt. The service book states belt replacement to be done at 120,000km. My query is whether drive belts also have an age limit for their change time. There is no mention of such thing in the Mazda handbook, it just mentions kilometres. I have searched the internet on timing belt replacement in general and I get conflicting reports as some say change after seven years and some say go by kilometres. – Albert B

Answer: Get it changed. Parts deteriorate with time as well as distance. If you check the service book for the vehicle it will have regulation service intervals based on time/distance and the timing belt might be at 120,000km, but you should also check what date is applied to that work.

Question:

Answer: Whether you use an OEM service department or well-credentialed independents, always get your car serviced ‘by the book’ – for the work involved and also factory-quality parts. And yes, not doing so will affect resale value or at the very least your ability to sell the car for the best price… That said, you should shop around, because anyone offering services with such a huge price disparity – and no official record – is not playing fair.

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