Ask The Expert: Paul Gover on Hybrid vs Turbo SUVs, a Reliable Tradie Ute, and the Best First Car for Your Grandkids

Ask the Expert with Paul Gover

Got a question for Paul? Email him at [email protected]

Q: We are looking at purchasing a Hyundai Kona Elite and trading in our Kia Sportage 2019 model with 72,000 kilometres. I have looked at the petrol and hybrid models and there is about a $4000 difference between them. As we currently travel about 10,000 kilometres a year I cannot see the savings by going for a hybrid, so what are your views? We are 80 years old, so this will be our last car. Are there other cars in this range you would recommend?

Peter Brain

A: There are literally dozens of mid-sized SUVs that will do the job for you. A hybrid does cut fuel costs and will be better on resale, although that’s probably not a priority. Most importantly, the Kona is a good car and you will enjoy it. I would suggest a test drive in the Kona, back-to-back with the Nissan Qashqai hybrid and Toyota Yaris Cross hybrid, to give you a clear picture. One of them will make you smile.

Q: Would appreciate your thoughts on a workhorse vehicle for my son who needs a reliable vehicle for his job – a jack-of-all-trades doing carpentry, grass cutting, concreting etc. Something under $25,000. We’re currently looking at a 2017 Isuzu D-Max with around 145,000 kilometres. We know nothing about Isuzu so any ideas or suggestions on other makes or models would be greatly appreciated.

Jim C

A: Isuzu has a good reputation and you won’t get the ’Toyota tax’ by going for a HiLux. For comparison, good value and reliability in the used ute usually comes from Nissan and Mitsubishi.

Q: You have given me great advice in the past so can I please have your opinion again? Just looking at a 2019 Mazda CX-5 turbo with 64,000 kilometres and comparing with 2021 CX-5 non-turbo 65,000.Both are the GT model and same changeover price. I am also considering any variant of Subaru Forester with similar kilometres, just haven’t found one yet. I’m a bit concerned the CX-5 Turbo will need more maintenance and become costly. I live rural Victoria, travel 20,000km per year and keep vehicles for a long time. I live eight kilometres up a gravel road, drive 30-40km/h on the gravel to avoid wildlife.
Janet

A: Given the gravel road, I’d avoid the Turbo in the CX-5 as you don’t need the performance and it could be a bit too ‘excitable’ on a slippery surface. For me, I’d go Forester over the CX-5 every time – so keep looking.

Q: My 34-year-old daughter is considering purchasing a 2020 Ford Escape Vignale with 50,000 kilometres on the clock. She has heard that some Escapes have had transmission issues but has driven the car and quite likes it. Should she be concerned about potential transmission problems or any other issues you may be aware of?

Adrian Weiss

A: The Escape is surprisingly good and under-appreciated. There were reports of transmission troubles in the earlier days of the compact Ford, but not in 2020.

Q: My grand-daughter will be getting her license at the end of this year and would appreciate your advice on what car(s) you would recommend.  Either new or used in the range of $20-25,000.

Mike

A: Definitely not a Toyota Corolla, as they were once the default purchase but now cost too much and are no better than a Kia Cerato or Hyundai i30 as a secondhand purchase. There is very little now in the new-car range at your price, and definitely nothing Chinese for a first car. Surprisingly, the Mahindra 3XO, an SUV from India, is worth a look as a new car. Otherwise, Kia or Hyundai in either a hatchback or SUV will serve you well.

Q: I currently have a 2022 Toyota RAV4 hybrid with 122,000 kilometres and I’m looking at new RAV4 Cruiser hybrid.  Would the plug-in hybrid be a better option as I cover from 1200 to 2000 kilometres a week.  And when is the battery due to be replaced in hybrid cars?

Pete Dawson

A: The plug-in will be best if you do a lot of stop-start and suburban running, as it will run fully EV for more than 100 kilometres between re-charging. Otherwise, the regular hybrid will be fine. The batteries in hybrids are much smaller than pure EVs and are generally fine for up to 10 years – although I’ve heard many reports of Toyota Prius with more than 250,000 kilometres without needing a battery swap.