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In-depth Car Reviews
Our resident car expert, Cameron, walks you through everything you need to know before pulling the trigger on your next purchase!
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Based on 16,985 reviews
Mitsubishi Pajero
4.3 (254) Summary
- Starting Price $49,990 to $63,990
- TransmissionAutomatic and Manual
- Drive TypeFour Wheel Drive (4WD)
- Fuel TypePetrol and Diesel
- See all
Joseph P. 4 posts
NSI love my Pajero!!!!I don’t know where to start with this thing. I bought it a few months back and have not looked back since. I absolutely love this rig. The possibilities are endless.
Suzuki Swift
4.3 (201) Summary
- Starting Price $15,990 to $27,490
- TransmissionAutomatic, Manual and Continuously Variable (CVT)
- Drive TypeFront Wheel Drive (FWD)
- Fuel TypePetrol
Horsesrule 25 posts
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GreatMy 2015 Suzuki Swift is great with excellent fuel efficiency (around $70 to fill up), making it a cost-effective choice for daily commuting. Its nimble maneuverability allows for easy navigation through tight spaces, but its ... Read morelow height raises concerns about scraping on uneven surfaces, particularly in the country side where I live. While it excels in practicality and fuel savings, cautious driving is essential to avoid potential ground clearance issues. It has no issues, however it hasn’t been driven a lot. Brakes work really well.
Toyota Camry
4.2 (413) Summary
- Starting Price $26,490 to $43,990
- TransmissionAutomatic, Manual and Continuously Variable (CVT)
- Drive TypeFront Wheel Drive (FWD)
- Fuel TypePetrol and Hybrid
- See all
John Barret NSW
ASV70R / GSV70R Ascent Sport 2.5 L HybridSynthesis of Style, Performance, and InnovationUnder the hood, the Camry delivers a spirited performance, offering a dynamic driving experience with responsive handling and efficient fuel economy. Whether navigating city streets or cruising on the highway, the Camry's performance is reliable and enjoyable. Show details
Mazda 3
4.2 (537) Summary
- Starting Price $20,490 to $41,499
- TransmissionAutomatic and Manual
- Drive TypeFront Wheel Drive (FWD)
- Fuel TypePetrol
- See all
Tom Barton AU 20 posts
BPA lovely and well-finished car but with some caveatsI love my SP 25. It has loads of torque and has loads of sheer grunt. In fact you have to be careful on low speed roads as the car tends to cruise away and over the limit unless you keep an eye on the head-up display. The ... Read morefit and finish, especially of the interior, is just excellent. Typical Japanese quality. My only negatives are as follows:
-The entertainment unit always turns on automatically when you start the car. You have to manually turn it off each time if you want a quite drive. There is no permanent stop to this and I think Mazda should do a software update to rectify this.
-Similarly Istop comes on when you start the car and you have to turn it off if you don't want to use the feature. You cannot set it permanently to off. Again, a software update should be provided to rectify this.
-The low speed ride is a bit harsh...it seems it's either full power or nothing. The dealer has offered to re-calibrate my transmission on the next service so I will see if this fixes it.
-If you are on the ground cleaning the lower bumper area whatever you do DON'T lean on the lower bar to help yourself up. It seems to bring the front bumper clips apart at the front wheels. The only way to fix it is to push the bumper back into place and then lift that very same lower bumper which seems to bend things back into place.
-The body panels are worryingly thin. If anyone wants to rest their backside on the car, especially on the rear quarter panels, tell them to take a flying leap and leave the car alone. Mazda has used very thin steel in an effort to keep body mass low but I think they have made it too thin.
-My car is that beautiful "Soul Crystal Red" colour and it is a gorgeous colour indeed, especially with the black mag wheels BUT... if you scratch the car by accident forget about touching it up or even getting a detailer to touch it up. Mazda uses a special paint process to create this colour involving a primer, a base coat of one colour, the more candy-apple red as the next coat, a tinted clear coat and then a final clear coat. It seems to be impossible to touch up and if you do the repair will stand out like a dog's gonads. The only answer is to have the whole panel resprayed. This seems to be a common problem with metallic finishes on cars these days so next time I will buy a plain Jane colour because they are a cinch to touch up. Stone chips can be touched up if they are small.
-The over-shoulder rear visibility is very poor due to the tiny windows at the rear quarter panel. You will find yourself relying on the blind spot monitor a lot.
Apart from all of the above the car is wonderful to drive, handles as if it is being magnetically held onto the road and is quiet inside, save for the lovely throaty roar from the exhaust. It is, indeed, a fun little pocket rocket.
Honda Civic
4.3 (262) Summary
- Starting Price $21,490 to $51,990
- TransmissionAutomatic, Manual and Continuously Variable (CVT)
- Drive TypeFront Wheel Drive (FWD)
- Fuel TypePetrol and Hybrid
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sierragrande02 QLD 5 posts
8th GenGreat 1st Car - it will be missed!Just traded in my used 2007 Honda Civic VTI-L Auto between 2019 and 2023. I only used the car to drive short distances around Brisbane for work/errands each day or so. Since the day I test drove it, it drove like it was new. ... Read moreIt has a quiet engine and is well-insulated from road noise, and it is a smooth ride (in my opinion). Considering the age, having AUX, cruise control and auto climate control was great too! Loved the split dash design and digital speedometer. Practically, it is as good as a small sedan could be. I found it very easy to manoeuvre with minimal blindspots and a short bonnet.
In my time of owning this vehicle, it never failed me. It started every time and drove really nicely despite its age. I serviced it every 6 months during ownership.
I did not have many dislikes or major issues with this car. The only small thing I personally wasn't fond of was the front seats, which were pretty firm and not comfortable for long drives, but the back seats were really comfortable. Also, fuel economy wasn't the greatest, and it felt a bit on the slow side but not underpowered. That being said, the car did everything that was expected and fuel economy is really subjective based on lots of variables. The reason I bring it up is that even doing freeway driving 1hr away from home, it still burned through a lot of petrol compared to my friend's Hyundai i30, which used significantly less on the same trip and has the same size engine. Also, I think the paint used on Honda's may be a bit soft. I maintained my car's exterior really, really, really well, and it was undercover 98% of the time, but I noticed in the time of owning it that the roof and boot started fading and were no longer shiny compared to the rest of the body panels.
That being said, my car was nearly 17 years old so chances are these are things that just happen naturally when a car gets old.
To summarise, I would 100000000% recommend this car/Honda and would re-consider purchasing another Honda again if it came to it. For 2007, it was a very good quality car and I could only imagine that newer models would be even better. I upgraded to a 2018 Mazda 3 because my Honda Civic required expensive repairs to keep it in good condition; it was not worth it (in my opinion) when considering the car's value + age.
Toyota Yaris
4.3 (195) Summary
- Starting Price $16,190 to $26,190
- TransmissionAutomatic, Manual and Continuously Variable (CVT)
- Drive TypeFront Wheel Drive (FWD)
- Fuel TypePetrol and Hybrid
Mahasin Malek NSW 3 posts
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My dream car can’t live without itLove love my new dream car and I love love it sooo much thanks and I have used my dream car driving to places to and from home. I parked my car across the street from my house
Toyota Corolla
4.3 (200) Summary
- Starting Price $32,217 to $41,992
- TransmissionAutomatic, Manual and Continuously Variable (CVT)
- Drive TypeFront Wheel Drive (FWD)
- Fuel TypePetrol and Hybrid
- See all
Feroze K. 3 posts
CorollaCar is decent... but paint keeps peeling offBought a used Toyota Corolla from a car dealer. Within 3 years, the paint kept peeling off at multiple places. Took it to the Toyota dealer at Melton, VIC and they had it reviewed. Toyota did confirm that it was the original ... Read morepaint but said that they will come back to me after checking with HQ. They did not respond for multiple weeks. After a few follow-up emails, they finally replied (after a few months) stating that Toyota would not fix it - giving excuses that it is not covered by warranty. One would expect basic car stuff (such as paint) to be of good quality but no - not with Toyota.
Checked around and found that this was a common problem on many of their cars. There is even a facebook page on this (same issue reported by multiple car owners). But Toyota does not want to fix it - and in this matter, I experienced bad customer service too.
Mitsubishi Lancer
4.2 (246) Summary
- Starting Price $19,500 to $28,490
- TransmissionAutomatic, Manual and Continuously Variable (CVT)
- Drive TypeFront Wheel Drive (FWD)
- Fuel TypePetrol
- See all
Daniel D. QLD
CJLancer hatchback vr 2011I love the engine never had a problem knocking on wood. Paint is shocking it started peeling after i had the car for a year and mitsibishi would not fix it. The breaks squeel when reversing and everyone said thats fine but i ... Read morehate it. And slowly things started to break like automatic windscreen wipers play up 1 of my back side door doesnt lock. Amd now my aircon has gone so im done ive had it for just over 10 years and im done with it. So flimsy i have so many dints from people opening their doors on it. Im more than happy to be getting rid of it.
Mazda 6
4.3 (215) Summary
- Starting Price $32,990 to $49,990
- TransmissionAutomatic and Manual
- Drive TypeFront Wheel Drive (FWD)
- Fuel TypePetrol
Hannah NSW 3 posts
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Handles like a dreamMy first new car. Have had my eyes on it fora while. Love the interior and drives smoothly.
Mazda 2
4.3 (184) Summary
- Starting Price $15,320 to $24,150
- TransmissionAutomatic and Manual
- Drive TypeFront Wheel Drive (FWD)
- Fuel TypePetrol
- See all
Andrew S. 7 posts
DJReally easy to live withI have owned my April built 2023 Mazda2 G15 Pure manual (the only way you can get a manual) for 5 weeks and have taken it on two long trips totalling 1800 kms. The car has a slick shifting six speed manual gearbox (the best m... Read moreanual I have owned) and I have found it a delight to drive. I traded a 2010 Mazda3 SP25 manual. It is snowflake white with tinted windows (included in the price and floor mats).
The car is a 1.5 litre engine with a mild hybrid (only available on the manual) and for the Pure (base model) it has manual controls for the air conditioning and wired apple car play. It also has blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, lane keep assist, lane departure warning and smart city brake support (rear). Not bad for just over $21 000.
On the open road the car kept up with the traffic and shifting the manual box was a delight. Keeping it in the power band (over 2000 rpm) allowed for brisk overtaking and the beautifully communicative steering always kept me informed as to the placement of the front wheels. The small 15" alloy wheels never felt underdone especially in tight corners and the car averaged between 5.4 and 6 litres per 100ks and it begs to be driven spiritedly.
One of the best inclusions on this car is the LED headlights which illuminate the road very well. Reviewers have often criticised the MZD connect infotainment system, yet I always had Apple Carplay and the reversing camera was easy to see. At night I turned the instrument brightness down and this helped the camera display the surrounding area without glare.
There are some quirks in this car, first if you leave the LED lights on then when you turn the ignition off the headlights go off and when you open the driver's door the parking lights go off. A neat inclusion is the ability to set the headlights so they come on when you unlock the car but the headlights must be in the on position on the stalk. The wipers are excellent both front and rear and I am happy to determine what speed I would like them to operate.
Overall, a truly excellent city and highway car. I am really happy with it.
SsangYong Musso
4.3 (139) Summary
- Starting Price $30,490 to $35,990
- TransmissionAutomatic and Manual
- Drive TypeFour Wheel Drive (4WD)
- Fuel TypeDiesel
- See all
Mark QLD 8 posts
MussoSsangyong best ute for the moneyFully features with leather seats, heat and cooled. Excellent camera full surround view. Comfort and quiet ride, plenty of power. Engine layout very tidy. The extra long back is huge and fits a lot in. Show details
Toyota RAV4
4.1 (297) Summary
- Starting Price $29,450 to $55,203
- TransmissionAutomatic, Manual, Continuously Variable (CVT) and Semi-Automatic
- Drive TypeFront Wheel Drive (FWD), Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) and All Wheel Drive (AWD)
- Fuel TypePetrol, Diesel, Electric and Hybrid
- See all
Sandeepa K. VIC 2 posts
RAV4 XA50 AWD 2.5L Hybrid CruiserOverall Better but not the Best Interior or Features, Kinda Disappointed on Tech and Convenient Aspects2023 RAV4 Cruiser Hybrid AWD, still sunroof need to be opened by hand like 2005/08 while other brands offer switch options even back then and looks cheaper and quite outdated.
At the same time, interior designs and protecti... Read more
ve factors of interior parts really outdated compared to styles and materials used in Chinese cars with good quality over plastic covers here and there. Doors handles do not have pockets to close doors with minimum efforts and convenient ways like CHR. Need to lean a bit outside and grab the big old handlebar of the door to pull the door with all power like a lorry door. Women with average body types find it hard to deal with the matter and men might have no exceptions. There is no head up display and this offer by all Korean basic cars nowadays. Extremely disappointed for its adaptation to latest basic tech features. No options to upgrade for a factory fitted dashcam with subscription method to proceed with or quick connecting points for Dash cam installation rather wiring the whole car with the whole dashcam wires up and down like old days. Having dashcams and a cam system similar to Tesla Cam is a must with rising car related crimes plus real time communication methods & cloud storage options. It is an added value and love to have those features, so no need to worry about third party cam systems or what to buy. Dash cam is the biggest concern that comes right away after purchasing the new car for any car buyer. Also, it could be integrated to the system through the production process by the manufacture quite easily over what to trust or spend on from the customer end. Haval offers quick connect point for dashcam and its smart as well convenient rather wires are hanging here and there or middle of the phone charging space like an Asian communication centre within the car. Almost all other aspects are better and worth to go for, but above those are real downsides, if you compare same range SUV by Korean or Chinese manufactures with enormous features and tech Intergrations.Ford Mondeo
4.3 (126) Summary
- Starting Price $29,990 to $49,340
- TransmissionAutomatic and Dual-Clutch (DCT)
- Drive TypeFront Wheel Drive (FWD)
- Fuel TypePetrol and Diesel
- See all
Sam J. 3 posts
MABest everTraded in an old BMW and paid $10k Australian in 2013. Lasted 10 years without a single fault. 2 batteries, tyres and servicing. Lent it out to a friend 6 months ago and the other week it stopped on him. Mechanic says engine ... Read moreis gone. Not sure exactly how but for 10 years of straight use without problem and high kms (plus I was not good with servicing), this was the best car I have ever owned. Always intended to keep it as a spare when I bought another car 5 years ago, and said I would only get rid of it once it died. Well it time is up, but what a great car it was.
Mitsubishi ASX
4.1 (226) Summary
- Starting Price $23,990 to $38,640
- TransmissionAutomatic, Manual and Continuously Variable (CVT)
- Drive TypeFront Wheel Drive (FWD) and Four Wheel Drive (4WD)
- Fuel TypePetrol and Diesel
- See all
Mice 13 posts
XBGood value service for the time of ownershipBought for wife as demo christmas 2013. Aspire turbo diesel auto (the proper 6 speed auto, not CVT). Now has 240K and still going strong. Has done a couple of rear wheel hubs, but they are cheap enough for quality aftermarket... Read more, and easy to replace (for me at least). Balance shaft drive can rattle, changed with a improved version out of UK. Recently had a EGR cooling solenoid giving intermittent problems and changed. Interior plastics are a bit cheap looking, but hardy.
Isuzu MU-X
4.2 (152) Summary
- Starting Price $47,900 to $65,900
- TransmissionAutomatic and Manual
- Drive TypeRear Wheel Drive (RWD) and Four Wheel Drive (4WD)
- Fuel TypeDiesel
- See all
John W. 3 posts
MU-X 2nd Generation 4WD 3.0L Diesel LS-TThe car that cries wolf - continuously !Supposed safety features are dangerous - slams brakes on. Parking sensors go off repeatedly sitting at traffic lights. Diesel inlet too small for hi-flow nozzles. Auto tailgate operation terrible... wont open with a trailer p... Read morelugged in. Had it try to close on me. No blue tooth for android auto needs a cable. Beeps all the time locking who knows why. Allowed driver to to travel 50kms with no key. Decent vehicle ruined by bad technology design decisions. Fuel gauge and distance to empty unreliable. Drops and holds in low gears on highway descents.
Kia Sportage
4.3 (112) Summary
- Starting Price $30,990 to $52,370
- TransmissionAutomatic, Manual and Dual-Clutch (DCT)
- Drive TypeFront Wheel Drive (FWD) and All Wheel Drive (AWD)
- Fuel TypePetrol and Diesel
- See all
JM E. NSW
Sportage NQ5 FWD 2.0L Petrol SXKia Sportage QL SX 2019 Sparkling SilverGood car: engine 2.0L is ok but needs more grunt. Not fuel efficient. 12-14L per 100km city driving on average.
Paint work on door mirrors,sor handles, roof racks, rear spoiler delaminates in less than 3 yrs!. Same issue als... Read more
o with the headlights, oxidarion and flaking. Kia needs to get better parts manufacturer for their headlights and review their painting process. Interior is ok, more on the plastic side. Infotainment is excellent. Great value car still but pls improve paint and headlights quality. Braking needs improvememt. Not even close to Toyota, Mitsubishi, Mazda engineering.Subaru Forester
4.0 (355) Summary
- Starting Price $28,990 to $51,441
- TransmissionManual and Continuously Variable (CVT)
- Drive TypeAll Wheel Drive (AWD)
- Fuel TypePetrol and Diesel
- See all
Lib08 AU 3 posts
Forester S5 2.5i-LFirst and last time I’d ever buy Subaru0/5 if that were an option.
This car has caused so much stress and expense, I couldn’t recommend anyone buy one.
Firstly, had to replace most of the 4 year old air-con... Read moreditioning system at hundreds of dollars cost to me. Subaru would only pay for labour, but not the parts. Next, the daily engine failure and stress of wondering if the car would start that day. Roadside assistance explained on their numerous visits that the engine was somehow draining the battery. Then began the daily drives to keep the battery charged up. Subaru couldn’t find what was wrong with the engine as I was told they didn’t have the right equipment and I was told I’d have to go to an auto electrician. To add to this, the car on-off engine would often just not turn back on at traffic lights, and many times I’d be left in busy city traffic having to turn off the engine completely and hope it would re-start, meanwhile cars are honking for blocking the roadway. It was often a very unsafe situation. No reply necessary, Subaru, just informing other potential buyers of my experience.
This car has caused so much stress and expense, I couldn’t recommend anyone buy one.
Firstly, had to replace most of the 4 year old air-con... Read moreditioning system at hundreds of dollars cost to me. Subaru would only pay for labour, but not the parts. Next, the daily engine failure and stress of wondering if the car would start that day. Roadside assistance explained on their numerous visits that the engine was somehow draining the battery. Then began the daily drives to keep the battery charged up. Subaru couldn’t find what was wrong with the engine as I was told they didn’t have the right equipment and I was told I’d have to go to an auto electrician. To add to this, the car on-off engine would often just not turn back on at traffic lights, and many times I’d be left in busy city traffic having to turn off the engine completely and hope it would re-start, meanwhile cars are honking for blocking the roadway. It was often a very unsafe situation. No reply necessary, Subaru, just informing other potential buyers of my experience.
Lexus RX
4.5 (58) Summary
- Starting Price $82,753 to $120,927
- TransmissionAutomatic and Continuously Variable (CVT)
- Drive TypeFront Wheel Drive (FWD) and All Wheel Drive (AWD)
- Fuel TypePetrol and Hybrid
Ay NSW 15 posts
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So far so goodJust bought the new rx so far so good i choose 2.0lt turbo thought it will bu underpowered but its not since i realize the 350nm torque coming @ 1600rpm at low rpm.
Enough for city driving and economical. Like the f sport badge all digital and tdt speedometer like race car Show details
Enough for city driving and economical. Like the f sport badge all digital and tdt speedometer like race car Show details
Honda CR-V (2017-2024)
4.1 (150) Summary
- Starting Price $30,990 to $59,900
- TransmissionContinuously Variable (CVT)
- Drive TypeFront Wheel Drive (FWD), All Wheel Drive (AWD) and Four Wheel Drive (4WD)
- Fuel TypePetrol, Electric and Hybrid
- See all
John B. WA
Verified CR-V 2WD e:HEV RSStay away from the New CRVGood car but terrible experience so far for brand new car. Two weeks on having the vehicle it has develop a knocking noise when braking which has been confirmed by the dealership and they has advised us that they have experie... Read morence the same issues on a different vehicle on same model. Between the dealership and Honda Australia they don't know how to fix it. Both Honda Australia and the Prestige Honda can't even give us a replacement vehicle and we are now stuck with a car they can't confirm if it's safe to drive and worst part is No one seems to be helping us on 6 weeks us
old Honda..! I would not recommend buying this Car and stay away..!
Subaru Liberty
4.2 (101) Summary
- Starting Price $30,240 to $43,140
- TransmissionAutomatic, Manual and Continuously Variable (CVT)
- Drive TypeAll Wheel Drive (AWD)
- Fuel TypePetrol
- See all
zeekaz NSW 24 posts
4GENThe most reliable car everI can't praise my Subaru highly enough. Had since new and has never let me down. Show details · 1
Toyota Prado
4.0 (292) Summary
- Starting Price $49,170 to $96,186
- TransmissionAutomatic and Manual
- Drive TypeAll Wheel Drive (AWD) and Four Wheel Drive (4WD)
- Fuel TypePetrol and Diesel
- See all
Amar SA 5 posts
J150 VX 4 Cylinder, 2.8 LitreGood reliable carJune 2023 VX - bought brand new. Replaced our 3.5L V6 Kluger with 2.8L 4cyl Prado so can feel the difference in pickup, it is bit slow but does speed up quite quickly once above 60kms.
Pros:
Amazing ride quality.
Decent sou... Read more
Mazda CX-5
4.0 (342) Summary
- Starting Price $37,240 to $51,790
- TransmissionAutomatic and Manual
- Drive TypeFront Wheel Drive (FWD) and All Wheel Drive (AWD)
- Fuel TypePetrol and Diesel
- See all
leovalansi VIC
CX-5 KF Akera AWD, 2.2L DieselEngine Oil Bad IssueIf you use your car on 15 min trip, don’t buy it!! Mazda technicians say it is normal for Mazda have a high oil level if you don’t do long trips everyday. I see as a very bad issue, but they say it’s the way it is. So think t... Read morewice before taking your car to service every 4 months to fix what they call normal! It’s very annoying, frustrating and a complete waste of time, once your warranty runs off, you’ll be paying it from your own pocket!
Honda Accord
4.3 (77) Summary
- Starting Price $31,690 to $58,990
- TransmissionAutomatic and Manual
- Drive TypeFront Wheel Drive (FWD)
- Fuel TypePetrol
- See all
Doug L. VIC 3 posts
9th Gen VTi-LBest Honda I have hadI have had 6 Honda's over the last 20 odd years. This has proven to be the best. It drives well, comfortable for long journeys and city/suburban driving. Averages 8.7 litres per 100 kls. Speedo reading is now a spot under 100… Read more · 1,000 kls, I have just replaced original tyres. I bought it new in 2016 and have had it regularily serviced, although during COVID it was difficult as the dealership I bought the car from was removed as a preferred Honda Dealership and Honda wouldn't honour my warranty when the front drivers seat developed a small tear in the leather. I finally had it repaired by a automotive upholsteror at a cot of $300. The vehicle still responds well when required and is still serviced with Honda parts. One major drawback is the GPS, which is out of date and expensive to update.
Mitsubishi Mirage
4.3 (86) Summary
- Starting Price $12,990 to $17,990
- TransmissionAutomatic, Manual and Continuously Variable (CVT)
- Drive TypeFront Wheel Drive (FWD)
- Fuel TypePetrol
Mirage owner
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Great little car!I bought mine new in 2016. It's done almost 200,000 clicks, travelled from Sydney to Broken Hill a few times and lot's of places in between. Hasn't broken down once in all this time. I just keep up the regular servicing and it keeps delivering. Go Eric!! (that's what we've named it). Show details
Honda HR-V
4.1 (177) Summary
- Starting Price $31,990 to $47,000
- TransmissionContinuously Variable (CVT)
- Drive TypeFront Wheel Drive (FWD)
- Fuel TypePetrol, Electric and Hybrid
- See all
Francoise WA 4 posts
2015 Release VTiBest middle size carI use this car mainly for work and school drop offs, perfect for our family. I drive this car everyday. I usually service the car every 10000km or within 6months. I have had this car for almost 3 years now and have not had any issues with it. I have driven this car on a holiday trip that is more than 500km one way and had no issues with it. Show details
Lexus IS
4.4 (64) Summary
- Starting Price $49,500 to $83,500
- TransmissionAutomatic, Manual and Continuously Variable (CVT)
- Drive TypeRear Wheel Drive (RWD)
- Fuel TypePetrol and Hybrid
Austin R. WA 5 posts
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Mechanical excellence combined with disgraceful interior and cosmetic parts failingI've had this car for over 5 years now, I purchased it from a stint of European cars, with the intention to have a sensible and reliable car whilst I save for some important things. At the tail end of owning this car, it has ... Read morebeen absolutely rock solid mechanically. I loved getting it back from each service with a generally minimal list of repair notes. Apart from expensive rear tires, (F Sport 2012, $500+ AUD a pop) it's been a breeze. It has one of the best sound systems that I've heard. In terms of costing me for essential things such as keeping it roadworthy, it's been a gem.
Driving wise, it's a relatively smooth ride. The brakes are good, the seats are comfy and most of the interior is a nice place to be. Performance wise though it's uninspiring. RWD is lovely however the engine, whilst very smooth, is thirsty as all heck and is by no means fast. The car can barely hold country speeds up a hill, without having to shift in to a lower gear and hit 3500+RPM. The transmission I will comment as excellent. Very smooth and relatively responsive however spoiled by a boring engine. This is the IS250.
Now onto the annoying things. It kills me that this list is so high for what was a relatively expensive Lexus. Some of these issues should not exist, especially on one of the final years of this generation of Lexus.
-4 out of 4 door lock actuators failed. This is a well documented issue that Lexus refuse to accept. The front actuators I bought 3rd party for roughly $100 each and installed them myself. The rear ones were going to be over $250 each so I did some research and found that it's just a tacky motor that almost always failed. I have since pulled apart the rear actuators, replace the motors and got them working again. I will highlight here that if I was to do this in the dealer, I know that the actuators went for at least $400 a pop and that's minus labor.
-The F Sport spoiler has abysmally thin paint. Whilst the rest of the car has stood up great to the WA sun, the spoiler was an eyesore and I ended up repainting myself.
-The sunroof has 2 separate rattles. I was quoted a simply hilarious $5,000 to repair this. Seriously, Lexus?
-The leather seats are a joke. Both front seats have major tears and require re-upholstering. A local leather shop is doing this and commented on how many F-Sport's he sees with this exact issue. This should not be happening in a car as prestigeous as Lexus. Note I maintain my seats religiously, the car came to me with the seats in decent condition too.
-Sticky Dash. Yep. On a 2012. This was supposed to be fixed. This is a recent issue that has crept up and Lexus are refusing to acknowledge that their "Fix" dash is also a pile of garbage. Feel free to give this one a google, it's widespread.
-Typical crap Toyota grade headlights. Be ready to have to de-cloud these every few months. They are garbage.
To sell my car for what it is truly worth in good condition, I've had to invest nearly $3000 on repairs that shouldn't be happening in the first place. I totally get that this is not a new car but some of these issues are just unacceptable.
I did reach out to Lexus of Australia with the above list, to which I was promised a "reasonable quote" to rectify the issues by Lexus of Perth. That was promised 2 months ago and now they are dodging my emails.
I'm now jumping back to team Europe for my next car. I'm aware that I will likely be going back to spending more money on maintenance and repairs however I'm OK with this.
Toyota Tarago
4.4 (62) Summary
Jon Sydney 10 posts
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Loved this car, just a little heavy on fuelI only owned my Estima 2007 G for 12 mths, but I loved driving it. Incredibly powerful V6 3.5L engine on the open road is magic, but round town was very heavy on fuel (its a trade off).. but it had every possible feature you ... Read morecould want and it was great to drive. No body roll for a big car, good suspension, nimble in acceleration... if you have kids, it's the perfect car. If I had a hybrid version I would have kept it for the next 20yrs, fantastic car
Toyota Prius
4.5 (52) Summary
- Starting Price $36,440 to $43,900
- TransmissionContinuously Variable (CVT)
- Drive TypeFront Wheel Drive (FWD)
- Fuel TypeHybrid
Jack QLD 4 posts
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Toyota quality that lastsThese cars are so bloody good no wonder taxi companies love them. I've had mine for 10 years and done 180,000. Nothing wears out,Toyota have done a fantastic job with their hybrids. Show details
Nissan X-Trail
3.9 (394) Summary
- Starting Price $27,990 to $62,360
- TransmissionAutomatic, Manual and Continuously Variable (CVT)
- Drive TypeFront Wheel Drive (FWD) and Four Wheel Drive (4WD)
- Fuel TypePetrol, Diesel, Electric and Hybrid
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Ole M8 VIC 24 posts
T30Inspections a MustMy Customer purchased this
2003 Nissan XTRAIL
she has had for approximately 3MTH,s has had a few issues
First off I'm a qualified motor mechanic and have ... Read morea good 45+years experience Basically it hasn't been serviced regularly and has deteriorated, Head gasket week 1,due to radiator tank cranked Week 3 Transmission just broke in the middle of a roundabout They do break drive steel belts in the box common issues Week 6 heater core,coolant leaking internally on the floor Poor lady it happens, you can buy a lemon on this occasion My advice would be to have the vehicle what ever your purchasing inspected by a qualified mechanic vehicle tester to give you a full report Thanks and Best of luck on your next vehicle
2003 Nissan XTRAIL
she has had for approximately 3MTH,s has had a few issues
First off I'm a qualified motor mechanic and have ... Read morea good 45+years experience Basically it hasn't been serviced regularly and has deteriorated, Head gasket week 1,due to radiator tank cranked Week 3 Transmission just broke in the middle of a roundabout They do break drive steel belts in the box common issues Week 6 heater core,coolant leaking internally on the floor Poor lady it happens, you can buy a lemon on this occasion My advice would be to have the vehicle what ever your purchasing inspected by a qualified mechanic vehicle tester to give you a full report Thanks and Best of luck on your next vehicle
Hyundai i30
4.1 (110) Summary
- Starting Price $19,990 to $55,204
- TransmissionAutomatic, Manual and Dual-Clutch (DCT)
- Drive TypeFront Wheel Drive (FWD)
- Fuel TypePetrol and Diesel
- See all
Cameron NSW 110 posts
Fastback NOnly worth buying if you like how it looks...otherwise just get a i30N hatchThere was no noticeable difference between the build quality of the Fastback versus the hatchback or even the sedan.
The sports bucket seats, upgraded performance pieces, bodykit and trim all fit nicely together and are exa... Read more
ctly what you’d expect for the price you’re paying. The starting price for the i30 Fastback N is $49,000 before on-road costs for the manual, and $52,000 for the dual-clutch automatic pictured here. For a 200+kW, front-wheel drive hot hatch, it’s a fair price for the equipment and performance you’re getting in return. Hyundai offers its 5 year/unlimited kilometre warranty with the i30N, with services being capped over this period. Service intervals are 10,000km or 1 year. Plus, if anything mechanical fails during a track day, Hyundai won’t void your warranty claim, thanks to an included track day warranty. Prepaid servicing plans can be purchased for 3 years/30,000km for $1,005, 4 years/40,000km for $1,340 or 5 years/50,000km for $1675. One word comes to mind when driving in the i30 Fastback N: rambunctious. At low speeds, there’s a deep rumble emanating from those massive cannon exhausts. Turn the car on to the full fat N mode, and you’ll have this car producing pops and bangs exceeding 100dB! It’s so loud that an owner in the United States was pulled over and fined for having an excessively loud exhaust, even though it comes from the factory like that. The maximum power output from the 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder unit is 206kW (276hp) and 392Nm in overboost. Also, the 0-100km/h time is claimed to be just 5.4 seconds! This thing feels quick. The turbo is quick to spool and you always feel like you have more than enough power at your disposal. Traction is my only issue here; there’s only so much you can do to combat front wheel slip, which can be hard to avoid when using launch control. N Grin Shift (NGS) is how you access that overboost, providing 10 seconds of more power to use to launch out of a corner, or perform a daring overtake. There’s no denying the i30 Fastback N is a spectacular car in the handling department. Adjustable dampers allow you to avoid a constantly stiff ride, and you can even tailor the Individual drive mode to have a softer riding car without compromising on performance. I saw fuel figures between the 10-13L per 100km mark when daily driving. The claimed fuel efficiency is 8.8L per 100km combined. It’s not the most fuel efficient hot hatch, but it’s also not going to break the petrol budget either. The i30N Fastback has the same interior to the i30N hatch, which is all very conventional but with some sporty flair. With the rear seats up, you’re getting more boot space than the hatchback. You’re looking at 436L of storage, and a total of 1337L with the seats folded. It doesn't get in the way of boot space, and it’s cool to see the exposed rear strut that helps keep the car more rigid. Rear head room is impacted most due to that sloping roofline, especially when compared to the hatchback design. At 5'11", my head touches the roof if I place it against the headrest and sit upright. If you’re in love with the design of this car, it’s absolutely worth grabbing one while you can, as this is a limited model. If this design isn't your thing, then the hatchback is a great alternative. There isn’t that much difference between this car and the hatchback, so it all comes down to personal preference. You can’t beat the manual transmission as an option, but if that scares you for daily driving, the DCT is an equally and somewhat superior option when it comes to performance. If you want the fastest i30N, you’ll need to opt for the more angular sedan, which some might argue is the better alternative to the Fastback. *Disclaimer - I work for ProductReview as their independent car and motorbike expert. I borrow new cars and motorbikes from manufacturers and owners to review. I am not paid or incentivised by these brands to post reviews. I write and create content to provide insight and information about any new or used vehicle I can get my hands on.
The other wonderful thing it does is switches itself onto recirculated air during a trip. You're driving along and notice how stuffy it has become ... especially if you have a few passengers. Its some... Read more
thing to do with external temp relative to display temperature. Some designer thought this was a good idea ? Great when road safety campaigns are reminding drivers to stay alert and avoid fatigue and you're nodding off from a lack of fresh air. Go your own way .. I dont think so ... go its way !!