Your questions answered: Which is the best EV for $80,000?

Another week, another batch of question on electric vehicles, although this week the enquiries also venture onto two wheels.

We also tackle the issue of bargain versus value with a new compact SUV, plus one reader wants to know about the Toyota DPF class action and someone else is sniffing out the best used car for $28,000.

Answer: The Federal Court recently dismissed Toyota Australia’s appeal against its April 2022 decision to force it to pay compensation to the owners of almost 265,000 Toyota HiLux, Prado and Fortuner owners due to defects linked to diesel particulate filters (DPFs) in their vehicles.

But it did reduce the amount payable from 17.5 per cent of the vehicle’s estimated value to 10 per cent – and told the original judge to take Toyota’s 2020 ‘field fix’ into account when considering customer compensation.

That means Toyota could still be liable for a damages bill of up to $1 billion, and owners of vehicles bought between October 2015 and April 2020 could receive compensation payments of anything between $3000 and $9000.

Visit the Toyota class action website here for more details.

Answer: The Victorian EV tax is one of the most ill-thought-out taxes in Australia today. Given our occasionally clumsy taxation system, that’s quite the achievement.

But to answer your question, despite some confusion since the “road-user charge” was announced (much of it within Victoria’s government offices) it turns out the tax does not apply to motorcycles, as stated here at the VicRoads website.

That’s not to say it won’t in future. However, the tax itself may disappear because the federal government isn’t particularly chuffed that the states (led by Victoria) are trying to scoop up some EV revenue in the wake of the outdated fuel excise that only applies to vehicles powered by fossil fuels.

Let’s hope whatever long-term tax we get to fill that inevitable revenue hole – yes, there needs to be some form of road-user charge – is done federally and also takes into account the increased wear and tear put on the roads by larger, heavier vehicles (something the current tax misses completely).

We could also hope that it taxes hybrid vehicles as well, given they’re currently paying as little as half the fuel excise of non-hybrid models. Better still, bring in a federal road-user charge for all vehicles and scrap fuel excise altogether.

Answer: The Kia EV6 and Tesla Model Y are the standouts in the $80K EV market. The Tesla has a more spacious interior, better technology and better on-the-road charging because you can access the entire Tesla charging network as well as all the other public chargers available for other EVs. But the Kia has better driving dynamics and more comfortable ride quality.

The Hyundai IONIQ 5 is also worth a look. It shares its underpinnings with the Kia, although its suspension isn’t quite up to the EV6’s standard because it wasn’t tuned in Australia.

The Polestar 2 and Volvo XC40 are also worth a look, especially if you want more of a premium feel in the cabin. 

And regarding three-phase charging, most EV owners won’t need that. It’s great that your house has it so you may as well utilise it because it’ll provide up to 22kW of charging power.

That said, most EVs will only accept 11kW of that 22kW – and most people will find the 7.4kW provided by single-phase power ample for an overnight charge.

Answer: All new EVs use a Type 2 plug for home charging. Any Type 2 charger will work fine. The Tesla charger is one of the most affordable, at $750. But there are others available through companies such as EVSE and JetCharge, which will also do the trick.

It’s worth chatting to an electrician before you go shopping, too. If you only have access to single-phase power at your house then there’s no point splashing out on a three-phase charger.

A single-phase charger can provide up to 7.4kW, which is ample for charging all modern EVs overnight. Three-phase can provide more power (although not many EVs will take the full 22kW) if you need to charge within a few hours rather than overnight.

If your budget stretches a bit further then consider a connected charger, which you’ll be able to monitor and control remotely.

The final consideration is whether you want a charger that communicates with your solar system to only take the excess solar generation rather than drawing from the grid. Both those latter options will cost more.

Answer: Sounds like it’s technically a 2022 model you may be looking at because the Baleno has been discontinued in Australia and none have come into the country this year.

As for the car itself, the Baleno is basic motoring done well. It doesn’t have much in the way of active safety equipment of cabin snazziness.

But it has a willing and eager 1.4-litre four-cylinder engine that should soldier on for many years if you look after it properly.

It’s not particularly powerful, though, so you’ll be working it hard for those country drives.

Also consider a Kia Rio – if you can still get one – or a larger used car such as a Hyundai i30 or Mazda3.

Because of budget constraints I was thinking the MG ZS and was wondering what you think of the MG. They seem to be quite cheap so am I doing the right thing? I love my Mazda but can’t afford to go Mazda again. 

Also would you know what I could expect to get for trade-in price – ballpark? Apart from just driving around my local area of Tea Gardens I do a few trips to Sydney and Dubbo. Thanking you in advance. – Judi P

Answer: There are two MG ZS models available in Australia: the regular ZS and the ZST.

The regular ZS gets an undernourished 1.5-litre engine that’ll be busy on those drives to Sydney and Dubbo. It also misses out on the latest active safety features, including autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and blind spot warning.

As well as some design and structural tweaks, the ZST picks up that extra safety gear and also has the option of a peppier 1.3-litre turbo engine, so the ZST is a better bet than the ZS.

If you can stretch the budget, the Toyota Yaris Cross is a much better small SUV, plus it’s available as a fuel-sipping hybrid (although the hybrid benefits won’t be as great on your country trips). Also have a look at the Kia Seltos.

Question: I bought a 2019 Outlander new and am now wanting to downsize as my kids – bar one – are now driving themselves. 

I have loved the car and would like to trade it in for a smaller car with very low kilometres that is around the same changeover price – $28,000? I was hoping though to find one that has very good fuel economy and will hold its value if possible.

I know… not asking for much! Have looked locally at Mazda 3s and a Nissan Juke. Would love some of your suggestions. – Cherryn A

Answer: The used-car market has been bloated over the past couple of years due to a shortage of stock – something that has seen used car prices surge significantly.

Fortunately that’s receding, so you should be able to sniff out some better bargains. And if you’re flexible on brands and models – and it sounds like you are – then you could benefit by shopping around.

The trick with used cars is to find something that’s either been over-stocked as a new car or not particularly popular as a used model (the two are often related). The result is the same: there are often more people selling than trying to buy.

You’re looking in the right area, although the older Nissan JUKEs weren’t particularly exciting. The Mazda3 is a good option because it was hugely popular as a new car but is being shadowed a bit these days by compact SUVs that have more appeal and lots of buyers.

Check out a second-hand Kia Seltos, which offers the benefit of a seven-year warranty. Also look at a Nissan Dualis, Hyundai i30 and Kia Cerato.

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