Ask the Expert with Paul Gover

Got a motoring question for Paul? Send it to community@startsat60.com

Q: Just wondering what you think of the Tesla for an electric car? And what your opinion is of plug-in hybrids?

Kim

A: Tesla ignited the boom in battery-electric motoring and still sets the pace for many people, despite the public opinion of Elon Musk. Tesla builds good, not great, cars and their reputation in the aftermarket is growing. Plug-in hybrids are leading a new boom with people who wanted pure EV commuting with the ability to run combustion for longer distances and weekends. A PHEV is a good choice for someone who is not ready, or able, to go full EV – but don’t be fooled by the Chinese brands marketing them as ’super hybrid’ vehicles.

Q: I saw you recommend the Kia EV3  as a mid-size car or SUV. Are you still happy with this electric car? We have a Mazda CX-30 hybrid, which is great. But we now have  baby seat in it and need a second car.

Josh Sher

A: I stand by my rating, and my belief that the Kia is the best mid-sized electric SUV. If you’re ready for a full battery car it’s a great car from a proven brand.

Q: I’m looking for a new mid size EV SUV around $50,000. I want strong regenerative braking, for genuine one-pedal driving, to put charge back into the battery.
Also ease of getting in and out of the car, with a driver’s seat high off the ground. Could not feel BYD Atto3 regen braking at all but Kia3 regen braking was excellent.
Any other suggestions please?

Patrick Key

A: If you like the EV3 then go no further than your nearest Kia dealership. There are dozens of other contenders, but you’ll just get confused by trying to compare each and every one.

Q: I’m looking for a retailer who will update the satnav in my 2018 Mazda3 as my Mazda dealer don’t do it. I’ve rung the national office as they say you can do this online. However my sister tried it and she had trouble getting it to work – and she is very tech savvy. I’m happy to pay for this, but can’t find anyone to do it. What do you suggest?

Sharon Karasmanis

A: Don’t waste the time or effort. All factory satnav systems now have huge lag in the system, and most are not being updated for Australian roads. Far better to use smart-phone mirroring, through CarPlay or Android Auto, with a real-time App like the excellent Waze. If your 2018 Mazda doesn’t have mirroring, then update the ‘head’ unit in the dashboard, a job that can be easily done at most aftermarket parts places.

Q: I wonder if you could please help with some suggestions for a second hand car for my soon to be 18-year-old son.  He has saved up about $18,000. He would like an SUV that is going to be reliable and not too expensive to service/insure and run. And of course I’d love him to have a safe car. He’s quite tall too so it need to be something comfortable for long legs. We went through a similar process for our daughter and that was so much easier as she was happy for a small car so she got a 2012 Corolla with only 60,000 kilometres on the clock. It’s much harder to find cars that tick all the boxes and still appeal to men.

Vanessa Lyndon

A: For a start, you should be going for something much newer than 2012 on the safety front. Best value and reliability will come from a Suzuki Vitara – not a Jimny. If you want the security of a Toyota then your should get a high-mileage RAV4 with that budget. But likely a Kia Sportage will be the best all-round choice.

Q: Just thought you might be interested in something I’ve stumbled on – it appears to me that Australia has imposed unrealistically strict requirements regarding minimum tread depth, for decades. Our Federal standard was rectified in 2018, and it’s been trickling through to state legislation since. NSW (where I reside) updated in 2019, but has yet to update the Authorised Inspection Station procedures. I’m alerting as many people as possible and I’ve posted about it on Reddit I’m a chauffeur, in Sydney.
Greg Sullivan

A: This is one of many instances where legislators trail technology, and where State and Federal bodies are not aligned. In the case of tyres, measuring tread depth in the historic way – across the full face of the tyre – does not work when asymmetric tread designs, and even asymmetric rubber compounds, are becoming more common.