Your questions answered: Where is the hybrid Toyota HiLux?

Hybrid sales are booming in Australia and hybrid interest is also heading to the stratosphere.

Those petrol-electric options dominate the carsales mailbag this week, with plenty looking at options that will lower fuel bills without compromising driveability.

And while the hybrid action has been on SUVs and passenger cars, one reader wants to know why a proper electric-assisted Toyota HiLux (not just the mild-hybrid version now available) is taking so long. Good question!

There are also readers wanting to know which hybrid is right for them and when certain vehicles will get to the fuel-saving petrol-electric tech.

Plus, we’ve got the obligatory Tesla question, one that is indicative of the current storms brewing in the EV market.

Question:

Answer: There’s a very (very) mild hybrid system available in the latest Toyota HiLux, but Toyota doesn’t refer to it as a hybrid. Instead, it’s marketed as V-Active Technology. There’s a tiny electric motor as part of a 48V system (most hybrids run a 400V system) that allows more stop-start of the engine and provides mild driving assistance.

As for a proper hybrid HiLux, that’s a great question. There’s one on the way, but it could be a few years off – although Toyota is also fast-tracking some of its electrification projects.

Toyota has promised a hybrid of every major model line by 2030. Here’s hoping it can come sooner.

Keep in mind there’s lots happening in the hybrid ute space outside Toyota dealerships. Ford says it will have a plug-in hybrid version of the top-selling Ford Ranger available in about six months. And newcomer BYD also has its Shark ute on the way, another PHEV.

Question:

Also, are the batteries in these models of similar quality? BYD is a major battery manufacturer so presume no issues there but what about MG and Chery? Also, will Chery for example just quit Australian market if sales are sluggish leaving a buyer with a car no one can service?

It would be good to cover these types of issues for those on a budget wanting to take the EV plunge. – Tamara

Answer: Anecdotal reports suggested BYD had some aftersales support issues early in its Aussie life, but the brand has worked hard to rectify that.

We’re not aware of issues with MG parts supply. And with Chery, the brand has made parts supply a key part of its Australian business, so I wouldn’t imagine you’d have any issues there.

Keep in mind that with parts that aren’t replaced often, or after extreme events affecting many cars such as a major hailstorm, it can take a while to source them from any brand.

Short story, I wouldn’t be differentiating between those brands on parts supply.

As for battery quality, as you point out, BYD is a major battery manufacturer and supplies to other brands, including Tesla, Toyota and Kia. Other major battery manufacturers include LG, CATL and Panasonic, each of which has a broad range of brands they supply quality batteries to.

There have been individual issues with batteries, such as a Hyundai recall that required diagnosis and often battery replacement, and early Nissan LEAF EVs that could experience excessive degradation. But generally EV batteries tend to be of a high quality.

As for brands potentially packing up and leaving the country, the same could be said for Mazda, Isuzu, Suzuki and others. In each case, Australian Consumer Law still stands. It stipulates that the retailer – typically the dealer who sold the car – is responsible for aftersales support.

That would usually come with manufacturer support, as it has most recently with Holden, Opel and others.

And keep in mind that Chery is huge in China and has global ambitions, so it’s unlikely to want to leave a sour taste anywhere.

Question: Please help with choosing a medium [small] petrol SUV. I am a 77-year-old widow living 300km from my family in Melbourne so don’t feel going electric is for me. I have looked at Nissan QASHQAI, Hyundai Kona, Mazda CX-30, Kia Seltos. I am currently driving a Skoda Octavia, which my late husband purchased in 2015. I could really do with some advice. – Loris

Answer: Some on your shortlist are great options, although they’re technically small SUVs, even if they’re towards the larger side of the small ledger.

The Hyundai Kona and Kia Seltos are standouts and the Nissan QASHQAI isn’t bad buying either. The Seltos gets a seven-year warranty but the Hyundai is slightly fresher so gets ahead by a nose.

Also check out the Toyota Corolla Cross, which has an excellent hybrid option.

Shame you’re not open to an EV because you’d easily be able to make one work for that 300km drive. If you’re prepared to take the plunge, check out the MG4, although for those longer trips you’d need the 64 model with the 64kWh battery.

Question: I was looking to buy a Tesla but keeping reading negative headlines suggesting no one wants them anymore. Should I hold off? I don’t want to get burned. – Angela

Answer: Tesla sales have eased in the last couple of months, in part because competition has ramped up. Whereas Tesla was the default choice, now there are some viable options and it seems EV shoppers are weighing up their options.

It also hasn’t helped that new vehicle sales generally are easing, with the exception of Toyota.

As for Tesla, the stories kicking around pointed to a couple of thousand cars sitting on the docks. At the current sales rate, that’s about 2.5 weeks’ worth of Teslas.

It’s not unusual for car-makers to be sitting on much longer supplies of stock than that – and plenty are building stock buffers with the current tougher market.

It’s also worth remembering that Tesla is still the 10th best-selling brand in the country, with two of the best-selling cars.

But… don’t limit yourself to a Tesla. The Volvo EX30 is a great new EV arrival and the Kia EV5 is looking solid (we don’t know pricing yet).

Question:

Answer: Don’t worry about the forthcoming New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) impacting your current cars (or any cars sold in 2024 or earlier). The emissions scheme will only impact new cars sold from next year and will only impact cars at the point of sale.

It looks at the average CO2 emissions of each vehicle and any models that breach the cap can incur a fine, something that would likely be incorporated into the price when you buy the car. It will have zero impact on the Everest you’re looking to buy.

As for the Everest, it’s a terrific choice and would be somewhere near the top of our list for that style of off-roader. But there’s also a new Toyota Prado coming soon and you may notice more used examples hitting the market as people upgrade.

It’s also a terrific option, especially with the big fuel tank (look for models with the spare wheel on the back) that extends how far you can drive between top-ups.

Question: I was wondering if the Kia Cerato is set to come in a hybrid option in the future? I currently have a Cerato and am very happy with it, but would prefer a hybrid. I see Kia have a new hybrid coming soon, but am not interested in an SUV. – Lyn

Answer: There’s a new Cerato on the way… sort of. It just won’t be called Cerato. Due early in 2025, the new small car for Kia is called K4 and was unveiled globally a couple of months ago.

It’ll be offered overseas with a hybrid drivetrain – many new models are these days – and while the local line-up hasn’t been confirmed you can all but guarantee we’ll get the hybrid, especially with the imminent introduction of the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES).

If you can’t wait until 2025, check out the Hyundai i30 Hybrid. Hyundai and Kia are sister brands so share underbody components.

And, obviously, you could look at some of the Toyota options, the most obvious of which is the Corolla Hybrid.

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