Your questions answered: What is the best used 4WD for $40,000?

There’s plenty of adventure in this week’s carsales e-mailbox. The rush to explore Australia is still very much alive – and plenty of people are looking for the perfect vehicle to do it in.

We’ve also got one reader chasing an economical and spacious hatch to replace an ageing Audi, as well as someone who’s questioning recently signing up to a four-cylinder Porsche.

There’s also still plenty of EV interest but some hesitation about readiness of the tech, especially in light of often unreliable and infrequent public chargers.

Question:

So… do you have any thoughts? Santa Fe off-road capabilities? Pajero vs Prado? Older vs newer? Do the kms matter between the 4x4s? Any other options to consider for $40K? What would be the best car to still be driving in five years’ time? – Christopher N

Answer: If you’re looking at doing proper off-road adventures then you need something with good clearance and capability. The Hyundai Santa Fe is a terrific SUV, but it’s not going to go tackling serious beach driving. So scrap that off the list first up.

The Toyota Prado is solid buying but, as you’ve realised, there’s huge demand for them on the used car market, which makes them pricey. That said, a well-treated one will still have hundreds of thousands of kays left in it; check the service history and also try to ascertain how it’s been used by checking for dust and off-road scars underneath.

The Mitsubishi Pajero Sport is basic motoring – it’s not as complete a package as the Prado – but honest and capable. But it’ll be a compromise on-road.

Also stick a Ford Everest on your shortlist. It’s a bit of an underdog but one that does a lot right. It’s one of the better off-roaders when driving on-road but is still hugely capable in rugged terrain.

As for mileage, it matters on any car. So does how it’s been treated. If a four-wheel drive has been doing hard-core off-roading and/or heavy-duty towing then it’s had a much harder life than one that has been cruising the suburbs.

Question:

Answer: The Kluger Hybrid certainly has decent fuel use credentials, with claimed consumption of 5.6 litres per 100km. In the real world we’ve found it closer to 6.5-7.0L/100km in real-world driving.

That’s decent given the size of vehicle and performance on offer. Keep in mind, though, that the Kluger Hybrid is only offered in Australia with an all-wheel drive system. The more affordable front-drive model is not sold here.

As for country road driving in a hybrid… Certainly a hybrid does its best work around town where the battery can capture the kinetic energy of the vehicle when decelerating to later use it to power the electric motors when accelerating.

There will still be some opportunities for energy regeneration in country driving in most situations. They just won’t be as pronounced as for suburban running.

In our experience we’ve found the fuel use of Toyota hybrids doesn’t change markedly between city and freeway running.

Question: I would like to replace an 11-year-old Audi A3 hatch with a new hatch of similar size. Which petrol (ICE) make and model do you suggest? Note, at the moment an electric car is not an option as I don’t have off-street parking or ability to charge a vehicle at my residence.

Following is some features I prefer: stylist exterior and interior, good fuel economy (mainly city driving), good resale at year four or five, wide vision through rear window, light coloured interior ceiling (ie. not black), spacious interior, large boot space, space-saver spare tyre. — Rachael S

Answer: It’s great to see you know what you want, although packaging everything into the one car could be tricky. We’ll give it a crack…

The one thing you don’t mention is if you’re wedded to a luxury badge, which could have a bearing on the recommendations.

The latest Audi A3 is worth consideration, although it lacks some of the premium feel of some rivals. For that you could check out the BMW 1 Series or Mercedes-Benz A-Class; if you’re looking for something sportier then the AMG-tweaked Mercedes-Benz models (including the A 35) are great fun, but at the cheaper end of the market the BMWs win.

Also check out newcomer Cupra. It has some terrific offerings, with the Formentor being at the top of that list. It’s also available as a plug-in hybrid, so can give you some electric running with the option of petrol as a backup. But without regular charging options the straight petrol model would be a better bet.

Some of the small SUVs could also tick the box for your hatch requirements (it’s a fine line between some hatches and SUVs these days). Check out the Volvo XC40 for something spacious, practical and fun to drive. The BMW X1 and X2 are also worth a look.

Or if you’re happy to step back from the luxury sphere then check out the Hyundai Kona, Kia Seltos as well as the Kia Niro and Toyota Corolla Cross, the latter two available with a frugal hybrid system.

Also, keep in mind that those fuel figures you see in brochures and on the windscreens of new cars are often difficult to achieve in the real world. Add around 10-30 per cent (depending on your driving) for a more realistic idea of how much fuel you’ll use.

Question: We currently have a Jeep Grand Cherokee which we use as a general purpose around-town vehicle and also tow a 21-foot, 2800kg caravan. We’ve had a great experience with this car.

We are not off-road-type people and rarely tow on gravel. I’m looking to update but have a couple of restrictions: I’m 70 and don’t really want to wait 12 months for a vehicle; my wife, the main driver, has some mobility issues, she almost fell out of a Ford Ranger when we looked at it but it’s a nice car; I don’t want to go any larger than the Jeep due to parking, etc.

The other two I looked were the Landcruiser (too big) and Ford Everest (too long a wait). I’d love an EV but that’s a longer wait. – Bryan M

Answer: Certainly a V6 in the Ford Everest will be a long wait, although theoretically not as long as the new Toyota LandCruiser.

There’s one big difference with the Touareg you’re looking at: underneath it has the architecture of a passenger car rather than an off-roader. That means it’s a lot better on-road but will not go as far off-road. All of which sounds ideal for what you’re after.

The Touareg also holds up brilliantly against large luxury SUVs from Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. The only real area it falls short is the badge; the VW logo has nothing like the cachet of BMW or Audi.

The V6 turbo-diesel is also strong and smooth with loads of torque, so is good for towing. Just be aware that the Touareg only has a space-saver spare wheel, which will be limiting if you do want to venture off-road or are a long way from a repair.

Question:

Answer: The four-cylinder engine in the 718 Boxster and Cayman was a controversial move when Porsche first offered it in 2016.

From a performance perspective it’s fine, with plenty of mid-range pull from the turbocharger. But the engine ultimately lacks the character of the boxer six-cylinders that have long defined Porsche sports cars.

In short, the six-cylinder models are far more enjoyable to drive, with the GT4 at the top of that tree.

That said, you’re still buying one of the most engaging sports cars for the money.

And good on you for lining up for the EV version in future. Given Porsche’s sports car history and the terrific job it’s done with the Taycan EV we’re hoping the 718 electric borrows DNA from each. We can’t wait to drive it!

Question: Would a hybrid diesel be safer than normal fuel hybrid, mainly fire risk? Are there any available in Australia? – Jeff W

Answer: Diesel should be less likely to catch fire when exposed to hot exhaust systems or other elements. But, of course, it relies on the fuel tank or fuel lines being pierced in the first place, something that typically requires a big impact.

The second challenge is availability. Some European brands, including Mercedes-Benz and Peugeot, have offered diesel-electric systems overseas.

But they’re a rarity and none are offered here. That’s in part because diesel is gradually going out of favour in passenger cars and many SUVs.

Question: What is the best car in the $25,000 to $35,000 price bracket. Not EV and preferably an SUV? And is petrol or diesel best? Thank you. – Amber L

Answer: The best sub-$35K SUV is a dwindling breed. Price rises in recent years have shifted the sweet spot of the market to the $40,000-$45,000 bracket.

But there are still some good buys. Check out the Toyota Yaris Cross, which is available as a hybrid. It’s basic but practical and decent to drive.

Also have a look at the Kia Seltos. If you can stretch to the all-wheel drive version with a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo engine it’s a much better bet.

As for petrol or diesel, the answer these days is almost certainly petrol at that end of the market. Diesel really only makes sense if you’re travelling big distances (upwards of 30,000km a year) and/or towing regularly.

Besides, you’ll struggle to find a diesel-powered EV at the compact end of the market. Tightening emissions regulations and improvements to petrol tech means that petrol is the default choice. So stick with petrol!

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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