Best Electric Cars

Tesla charges thousands for features that don’t work — and when they fail, they refuse to take responsibility. In 2022 I paid $10,000 for Smart… Read more

Summon and FSD. Years later, Tesla now calls it “Dumb Summon” until "Actual Smart Summon" is available. Which is it? Smart Summon when you’re taking my money, or Dumb Summon now that you’ve admitted it doesn’t work?

When I used the feature in a wide, close to empty car park, my Tesla — under its own control — swerved hard left and hit a parked car that was parked DIRECTLY next to it. From where I stood, I could see it moving but had no reason to think it would clip the vehicle beside it until it actually did. That simple manoeuvre caused over $5,000 in damage to two cars. Tesla’s only response: “The sensors are working fine.” If the sensors were fine, why did the car still drive directly into a stationary object it could clearly see? Just imagine if that were a toddler or a child!

I reported it, it was investigated, and they found 'no fault' with the car. I then requested escalation to senior management and asked for an urgent callback. That was over two weeks ago. No one has even bothered to contact me, and they closed the service request.

And this isn’t the first failure. On my mother’s Tesla, Sentry Mode failed to capture two separate hit-and-run incidents. Despite the car being damaged and Sentry active, Tesla claimed “no issues found” and refused to act without third-party video TWICE. Meanwhile, Sentry drains huge amounts of power and adds to daily charging costs, yet it can’t be trusted to record major impacts. A basic dashcam does the job better.

Two cars, two serious failures, the same outcome: Tesla doesn’t stand behind its products. Their technology is unreliable, and their customer service is nonexistent.

If it's not safe, the technology shouldn't be implemented.

And now they want us to trust their Assisted Full Self-driving at the cost of $10k? Just IMAGINE what they WON'T do if there is an accident whilst that is engaged.

Great ideas, great cars (when they work), appalling service and care for their customers. I was on the hunt for a new performance Y, which is now off the table. I cannot support a company that only cares for its customers up until the cheque clears.

The much maligned Telsa has a driving feature few others have in Australia. Touted as autonomous driving features....well almost. One MUST be in full… Read more

control, ready to take action when necessary to avoid accident of injury or traffic fines......completely normal right? In the good ól US of A, it seems to be on the brink of full automation, with many reports of drivers reporting having not even touched the steering wheel in months of regular even cross-country travel. The car can drive you to your destination, drop you off, and go find a parking spot by itself. Alas, here Downunder, we have neither the data nor the Gov approval......yet. Things will change, but the question is when. So I took the opportunity to have a drive first hand, went online and booked a "drive along" where a Tesla staffer would show me the ropes, and accompany me. We drove from the Chatswood Showroom to Willoughby Park, only a few klms away. The car was very cautious, and very courteous....streets were quite narrow, and it was bin day.....the car waited patiently as the oncoming garbo did his rounds, and only when safe to do, the car moved forward and around.....perfect! We did a parallel park manoeuvre and the car shimmied its way to a perfect spot, and we returned to the office...my 30 min was up, Way to short for a real taste of the software. I politely asked If I could extend the test ride, and ....if I could take the car without the staffer....Yes, a bold request!! I quick check on the scheduling for that day, and a check with the boss, and off I went, with wife and sister in tow, I set the destination as Eastwood. Straightaway, 100m from the Tesla office, the car unexpectedly entered a roundabout infront of a vehicle already in the roundabout, after waiting for 3 vehicles prior.....personally I would've wait for this 4th. Anyway, this reinforced in my mind, that I really needed to pay attention at all times. FSD performed brilliantly, maybe a little slower than myself driving, but certainly safe...ultra safe. Seeing Eastwood is one of my regular shopping destinations, I wanted to see how the car would handle the local conditions. For those that know Sydney, we travelled vis Eastern Valley Way, along Boundary Rd, turned left onto Pac H'Way, and right into Fullers Rd/Delhi Rd, then onto Epping Rd. The car's navigation continued past Balaclava Rd, where I normally turn left, and elected to head towards Epping station. Iet it do it's thing. Nearing Epping Station, the car moved to the left turn only lane, but the mapping showed it was to enter High St, which is the first road over the rail bridge, however, I knew the correct path was to turn into the road BEFORE the rail bridge, Blaxland Rd, which incidentally, was the correct lane we were in. The lights turned green.....trucks and cars on my right, moved straight ahead, my Tesla attempted also to drive straight ahead (following the projected incorrect mapping), crossing unbroken lane markings and into traffic. I had to take immediate control....a critical intervention so to speak, otherwise, there would've been a fender-bender in my opinion. The staffer from Tesla mentioned that should an intervention be required, I should hold the microphone button, and record verbally , what had just happened. The cameras would fill in the rest. After rounding the corner, and entering Blaxland Rd, I re-engaged FSD, and the car returned us to the Tesla showroom, with only one comment.....driving through Chatswood, and I knew we'd have to turn right at Boundary Rd.....this turn requires one to get into the right hand lane, at least two blocks early, as it often get banked up......the car stayed in the centre lane until only 160m before the intersection, I manually pushed the turn signal, initiating an auto lane change. Back at the showroom I made my reports, FSD was like a learner driver, unfamiliar with certain situations, and expecting "late lane changes" would be normal, and got confused when Google maps (used by Tesla) conflicted with GPS/vision. I think this was a local incident, and FSD had never been at the intersection before. Here lies my main issue, FSD needs a lot more practice in Australia to be really useful. I've been told that log trips, FSD is a real boon, and if one travels a certain route regularly, like going to work and home, the car will learn all the nuances of that route, and will drive you better that what you could yourself....eventually. I've got a new Tesla Model y, and I love it, but do I want to spend $10100AUD on a system which, in Australia , has a lot of learning to do......There is an option to subscribe as a monthly price of $150, but this WILL rise in time, and the outright purchase option is going away real soon...end of Feb 2026?? Oh and one last thing, when purchasing, it payment must be made in one transaction..... Yep, I found out and wanted to buy it after the test ride, I was impressed, but alas, my credit card limit would not allow this purchase.

Good news, I bought it on Thursday night 12th Feb.

So yesterday, my Tesla drove me from my home, on Sydney's Northern Beaches, to Centennial Park, in the Eastern Suburbs with only two minor adjustments (non-critical interventions). It drove me along Boundary Road, Roseville, left at Pacific Highway, then right into Longueville Road. The mapping, (and voice navigation), indicated we were to turn left at Centennial Ave, Lane Cove, but the car's lane choice was incorrect, remaining in the left turn only lane heading towards Burns Bay Road. I had to prompt the car to move to the middle lane, by manually clicking the indicator stalk to merge right. The car merged safely by itself. Again, a similar issue when, after the Cross City Tunnel, we crossed the Anzac Bridge, and entered the CBD along Bathurst Street, it moved to the right-most lane, turned into Elizabeth Street, but needed to immediately turn left into Liverpool Street. There are two lanes turning right into Elizabeth Street, and the car should've remained in the left lane to turn right, in order to immediately turn left into Liverpool St. The remainder of the ride to The Column Gardens coffee shop was perfect, with the car parallel parking itself after I selected a spot. Note, my route preferences are to avoid tolls. In summary, I would rate it over 90%-95%, and it's early days. It was 100% safe, was a little slow at times,... I didn't know there were so many 30Kph, 40Kph and 50Kph zones in Sydney's suburban streets!!! If you "know" Sydney's streets, and know when and where to merge into appropriate lanes, then this software is fantastic. My insurance company, YOUI, also agreed to include cover for the software package. (an extra $56pa)

Vehicle had 96 kilometres on the odometer when picked up new from dealer. Excessive? Very poor/unsafe low beam pattern - <10 meters illuminated when… Read more

switched from high to low beam. Improved following a 276 kilometre round trip to a MYD service outlet - for a $100.00 fee!

Overall, I enjoyed the acceleration, drive. It has excellent suspension. The visibility from inside at times is limited. I found the following points… Read more

anoying with this car:

1. Interior Console Glare The surface around the gear selector is highly reflective and produces significant glare in bright sunlight.

2. Electrical Lockout Issue The vehicle’s electrical system sporadically locks the ignition, preventing startup. Screenshots of the dashboard notification are available upon request.

3. Tight-Space Maneuverability The turning circle is too wide, making it difficult to steer in confined parking areas. I’m happy to provide additional details if needed.

4. Audio System Quality The sound system lacks clarity and definition, likely due to the use of lower-grade speakers

I bought the car 18 months ago. A couple of months ago I noticed a bad smell but didn't know what it was. Eventually i was taking out the child… Read more

safety seat and saw mouse droppings under it, I realised mice had been living in the cabin and that was the cause of the smell. I always leave the car locked because it is the only way to turn the car off, I have never had rodents in a car before (I am 66yo). Next we were finding rat droppings. They were getting in somewhere, traps didn't work, the smell was terrible so I used wax block bait. The smell got worse. I took the car to the service department of the MG dealer. They denied that animals getting in the cabin was a fault, seemed to think it was a normal thing to expect. They did a service and found a dead rat and nest in the cabin air filter, charged us $100 to clean it out. They could not tell us how the animals were getting in the cabin. I have never had this happen before with any car I have owned, now I am worried about venomous snakes, which are common in my area. If you have rodents in your area, don't buy an MG, they can get into the cabin fairly easily.

There's a reason this car won world car of the year 2022 - it is very good. Show details

Make America Great Again More like make Tesla Great Again Nothing but issues sold within 3 months at 28 thousand loss bad cars should have bought BYD much better Show details

I’ve owned my BYD Seal Performance for almost 18 months, and overall don’t regret buying it. It looks good, is moderately comfortable, drives… Read more

beautifully, accelerates like a bat out of hell, handles and brakes well, and has a reasonable battery range of ~ 560km. So why only three stars?

Because the electronics were clearly designed by unbelievable geeks who don’t give a toss about the people who have to use their product; the scheduled service software updates or the rare Over The Air updates haven’t fixed any of the problems, or done anything else good that I’m aware of; and because the BYD service and support in Australia is a sorry and virtually useless joke.

Where to start? The biggest and most dangerous problem is with the Blind Spot Warning system - the flashing yellow warning lights in your rear mirrors if there’s anything approaching on either side from behind. It mysteriously and capriciously switches itself off every one, two or three days. For no apparent reason. And that’s dangerous if you’ve been relying on the system before lane changing. Easy enough to fix once you notice it’s not working: you just go into Settings and switch it on again - for the fiftieth time. Also the Lane Keeping Assist switches itself on and off for no apparent reason, even when travelling on highways with terrific lane markings. So you can’t rely on it and have to stay in constant control of the wheel.

Among the “just annoying” complaints: the door locking is erratic. Sometimes, when you lock the car, the wing mirrors fold in and the car gives a little “Beep”. Or not. Mostly, either the mirrors don’t fold in, or it doesn’t Beep, or both. The passenger side button to make the door handles pop out sometimes works, and sometimes not, and you have to walk around to the Driver’s side to open the doors.

The tyre pressure warning system is also very erratic. It’s potentially a great system that will tell you the pressure and temperature of each tyre, but it it’s easily triggered into alarm mode. It’ll suddenly light up and point out a tiny difference in tyre pressures, like 39.8 psi on one tyre compared at 40.2 on the other three, and go into warning mode. Sometimes it fixes itself and the warning lights eventually switch off. Other times it stays on for several days, and then fixes itself. Sometimes you have to pump up that tyre to get the lights to switch off. It’s also confused about which tyre it’s reading. It told me after a recent ruptured sidewall, that the RH rear tyre was rapidly losing pressure. I stepped out into speeding traffic to check the RH rear and it looked fine, so I got back in and drove off only to pull up again after 100m after realising there was something very wrong with the sound and steering of the car. It was in fact the LH FRONT tyre that had ruptured on the edge of a pothole, not the RH rear.

The charging system also has some annoying minor issues. The charging cable sometimes isn’t released when you unlock the door. You have to lock it and unlock it again, and only then can you disconnect the cable. I always charge the battery off the solar panels on my roof and have programmed the car to usually start charging at 8am and finish at 5pm. But say you come home one night after 5, and your battery is a bit low and you want to charge it up overnight, as often happens. There is a little blue button on screen labelled Charge Now and then a screen asks you whether you want to change your normal presets, or whether you want to change it just this once. I always click on Just Once, but guess what? The next day I have to re-programme my scheduled charging, my preferred times having been wiped.

There are other annoying little quirks. On every journey, a woman’s voice from somewhere inside the dashboard warns me: ”For your own safety, please select low beam”. And she’ll say it at any time of day or night, especially in bright sunlight when the lights aren’t even on. I generally liken the electronics and the user interface of this car to living with a wilful, petulant, capricious and troublesome teenage girl.

And I have very little kind to say about BYD service currently in Australia. I paid $260 for a rubber boot liner when specifying my new car purchase, but never received it. It was out of stock at the time, but the salesman promised they’d get it to me as soon as they came in. 18 months and three or four phone calls later, and I’ve given up waiting.

Talking to their support team in Brisbane has also been a total waste of time. The call centre people have - in the few times I’ve called them- had almost no knowledge of anything they’ve been asked about, and have defaulted to “Well you’d better bring it in to our Service Centre”. Without considering that would mean a full day wasted in driving more than 300km and waiting around for their technicians. To be fair, they now have a new service centre that’s a bit closer to me - only a 170 km round trip. More often than not, the problems have fixed themselves, or I’ve worked out how to fix it.

Despite the salesman assuring me the Complimentary Roadside Assist was for the full four years of the Warranty Period, when I needed a tow truck recently because of that ruptured tyre mentioned above, National Roadside Assist informed me that the cover was only for one year, and had expired. No-one told me. When I complained to BYD Support, they said I should have received an email just before it expired, but predictably, Nope. Sorreeee, was all I got from them.

When the tow truck driver was puzzled about what setting was required to safely move the car, we tried the On Screen Users Manual. But clicking on the Search bar didn’t bring up a keyboard so we gave up on that. The towie couldn’t find anything on line on his phone, so I rang BYD Support but the person I spoke to also had no idea. I asked him to ask his colleagues if anyone else there knew…another blank. In the end, the towie worked it out, no thanks to BYD.

And they’re not in the good books of my panel beater. My car was in his shop for almost one month, with him getting very frustrated when despite repeated attempts, he says BYD wouldn’t tell him for almost 2 weeks how to safely weld on a new body panel without scrambling the electrics or electronics. I also heard some horror stories about BYD parts and service from a staff member at a MyCar that I went to for a regular service.

I could go on, but to cut a very long story short, it’s a great car -sadly let down by the electronics and by the Australian distribution/service network.

Alright so the car overall is excellent however it’s the after sales service that leaves a lot to be desired, it’s that bad it’s relatable to having… Read more

a thick shake when you’re lactose intolerant. Here are the reasons: Car is a year old and since I have had it I have had battery issues. My mileage is below par and talking to Customer “lack of” Care just does nothing. I’ve done email after email, talking on phone everything. There’s more chance of Johnny Bairstow stepping out of his crease than Customer Care actually caring. Recent diagnostic from a very helpful salesperson confirmed the battery has locked 35% for non use however BYD hasn’t done a d>mn thing to sort it out. To make matters worse I have clicking in the front end that also needs to be checked out. No assistance with having car fixed no care. BYD sell a great car but have next to no after care I mean after sales service. If I had my time again and knew about the poor after sales service I would’ve gone with another brand. Unfortunately Warrenty terms and conditions do not exist with this mob. If they really want to make a positive impact in the Australian market after sales service is a must..

Great EV but just a little too expensive – The Kia Niro GT-Line brings in higher quality feeling materials, like better seat materials than the entry level Niro and elevated different interior… Read more

trim materials.

Over bumps and uneven roads, the Niro never generated a squeak that sounded out of place.

Priced from $72,100 before on-road costs and incentives, this electric Kia is slightly more affordable than the EV6.

It boasts 460km of WLTP range; that’s a competitive range against similarly priced cars. Although, if you can sacrifice the SUV body shape, you’ll get better value in a sedan shape offered by Tesla and Polestar.

If you don’t need that much range, the MG ZS EV will provide the electric SUV experience for nearly $30,000 less.

This electric Kia comes with a 7 year/unlimited kilometre warranty, and high voltage parts are covered by a 7 year warranty, but only up to 150,000km.

Over seven years, the Niro EV will only cost you $1754 to service over 7 yearly services, or every 15,000km. That’s a whole lot less than the hybrid alternatives.

Noise isolation felt superior, particularly thanks to the fact there was no petrol motor onboard.

The upgraded speaker system in the Niro GT-Line helped increase cabin isolation and immersion, and the upgrade is absolutely worth it.

There was some noticeable electric motor noise under heavy acceleration, but nothing out of the ordinary. If you’re looking for a silent daily driver, the Niro is an excellent introduction into electric car ownership.

Adjustable regenerative braking is available via the paddle shifters on the steering wheel. You can coast, use one-pedal driving mode, or simply hold a paddle to let the car decide for you in Auto mode.

I loved the one-pedal driving experience here, making it just a little easier to live with when driving around town. Trust me, you feel like you’re taking a step back when you drive a car without the ability to brake once you lift off the throttle.

Don’t expect a rival to a Tesla or a Polestar when it comes to acceleration. There’s no ludicrous mode, but there is a Sport mode.

The electric motor is found between the front wheels, making the Niro EV exclusively front-wheel drive. This motor produces 150kW (201hp) and 255Nm, allowing this family SUV to hurdle to 100km/h in 7.8 seconds.

That instant torque feels a lot faster than a petrol equivalent with the same specifications.

I really enjoyed the look and feel of the rotary shift dial in the Niro EV, however that’s about it.

The lower centre of gravity helps the Niro EV corner a whole lot better than its petrol-powered counterparts.

I found that it was extremely entertaining in corners, and composed when daily driving in the city. The extra weight can make the Niro feel like a more substantial car, but it also will cause the car to ‘crash’ harder on potholes and harsh speed bumps.

The only issue I found when handling was the instant torque to the front wheels. If it’s particularly slippery, and if you give it too much throttle mid-corner, those front wheels will squeal. This is a reason why I prefer rear-wheel drive electric cars.

Kia claims 16.2kWh per 100km of driving. You’ll achieve that in bumper to bumper traffic and on small highway stints. However, I found it closer to 19kWh per 100km in my combined tests. And as mentioned, there’s a claimed 460km of electric range when at 100% charge.

I found the real world range to be just above 400km per charge. It’s not as fast charging as the Kia EV6, which is capable of receiving 350kW of DC charge. The Kia Niro will only accept up to 80kW of DC charge, meaning charging from 0 to 80% will take 45 minutes from a 100kW charger. That’s a little slow considering the rest of Kia and Hyundai’s electric cars are adopting faster charging batteries.

Clearly inspired by the Kia EV6, the Niro’s interior brings all the right features and design cues to fix what was a very bland interior.

I especially love the seat design, steering wheel, centre console design and the curved displays that all help to make the Niro feel just like an EV should: futuristic.

There’s 475L of boot space in the Niro EV, with an additional 20L found in the front boot, AKA the froot or the frunk.

You’re considering this because the idea of a small SUV is the most appealing for you. You want a little extra range, warranty and features, and that’s why you’re looking at this Niro EV compared to something like a MG ZS EV or a BYD ATTO 3.

You’ve got stiff competition from Hyundai with the Kona EV, which has a brand new update coming soon that’ll make Kia shake in their tyres.

If you don’t need a lifted car like this crossover, I’d suggest buying a Tesla Model 3 or a Polestar 2 because of their superior battery technology and slightly better driving experience for less money.

*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.

A class leading luxury electric SUV that needs a little more range – It’s not just the bright matte copper paint that impressed me the most about this electric Genesis. I believe Genesis has just dropped one of the… Read more

best midsize luxury EVs you can buy, and I’m not sure if anyone really noticed.

Genesis offers impressive build quality for a relatively new luxury brand, but what else would you expect from a car this expensive?

The exterior build quality is wildly accurate with the placement of trim and body panels. Move onto the inside, and you could close your eyes and feel like you’re in something that could easily be double the asking price of this EV.

Priced from $127,800 before on-road costs and incentives, the GV70 is well within the realm of the luxury SUV and luxury EV segment. This matte paint will add $2000 to your price tag too.

It’s over $45,000 more than the equally brilliant GV70 twin-turbo petrol V6, but that’s only an option if you prefer gas stations over charging stations.

You also get the choice of 5 years complimentary charging with Charge Fox EV chargers, or a free installation of an AC fast charger for your garage. I’d pick the AC charger.

The warranty is 5 years/unlimited kilometres, and 8 years/unlimited kilometres for high voltage parts. Service intervals are every 12 months or 20,000km, whichever comes first.

Servicing is complimentary for 5 years, and if you live within 70km of a Genesis Studio, your car will be picked up and a service loan car will be provided until your car is ready to be dropped back to you.

In addition, you’ll also get 10 years roadside assist and map updates, which is important, seeing as charging station locations are stored here.

The sound isolation inside the GV70 Electrified is next level.

Aside from the usual sound deadening and silent cabin you’d expect in a luxury EV like this, Genesis have added active sound cancellation. Just like a pair of over-ear headphones, the car will play opposite frequencies to the outside world to enhance cabin quietness.

On top of that, this Infinity-branded audio system is possibly the best complement to this cabin’s silence.

You have some presets to adjust the sound to how you want it to fill the interior, but it’s simply one of the best ways to listen to your music in the level of detail you could only get with a set of high quality headphones.

Miss engine sounds? Don’t worry, Genesis has got you covered with a selection of generated sounds to mimic the sound of a futuristic electric motor.

Regenerative braking can be adjusted via paddles on the steering wheel, and it operates perfectly. It’s not quite as aggressive as I’d have liked in its highest setting, but I preferred to leave it in Auto and let the car decide what's best.

Here’s the fascinating part: you get a max output from a set of dual electric motors of 360kW (482hp) and 700Nm. This power is reserved for Boost mode, which is activated for 10 seconds at a time via the large ‘Boost’ button on the steering wheel.

That’ll catapult this GV70 to 100km/h in just 4.2 seconds. It feels every bit as fast as that figure sounds. Power is dialled back for Eco, Comfort and Sport, but aside from Eco mode, you won’t feel like you need more power than what’s offered outside of Boost mode.

The presentation of the crystal rotary shift dial adds to the cabin look and feel; it has a great weight to it as you twist the car into gear.

A single forward gear is used in the GV70, and it's an intoxicating feeling to simply sail at a range of speeds without interruption from any gears.

The selection of drive modes in the GV70 really help transform this SUV from lounge room to performance SUV.

In Eco and Comfort, the car effortlessly coasts over the road and will neatly make its way through corners. That lower centre of gravity thanks to that battery pack really enhances the grip and body roll here too.

The car will also read the road ahead via a set of cameras onboard and prepare the suspension for any speed bumps or potholes in the road - something you don’t see often at this price.

The biggest benefit when buying this EV is its battery pack. It’s a 77.4kWh battery that runs on a 800V battery architecture system - the same tech you’ll find in something like a Porsche Taycan. It’s a more efficient battery, making it quicker to charge and slower to discharge.

The claimed consumption is 19.2kWh per 100km. Around the city you’ll see figures as low as 17kWh per 100km, while on the highway you’ll be cresting 20kWh per 100km.

The claimed range is 445km (WLTP), with a real world range closer to 400km as indicated by the vehicle itself.

Charging can take as little as 18 minutes when charging from 10 to 80% from a 350kW charger. There aren’t many of those, so if you encounter a 50kW DC charger instead, it’ll take you just over an hour to recharge to that same level.

A massive 12-inch touchscreen sits atop the dashboard, and the driver gets a traditionally designed 3D capable digital display. You can interact with the infotainment with a dial or by reaching just a little further forwards to physically touch the screen.

You’re also getting a heads up display and a display for your climate controls.

There’s 503L of boot space with the second row up, and 1678L with that row folded. There’s another 22L under the bonnet thanks to the inclusions of a frunk (or a froot, if that's what you prefer to call it).

And guess what, there’s a spare tyre! Under the boot floor you get a space saver spare, which is very rare to find in modern day EVs. It’s plenty of space to fill up for a road trip and move around any bulky items (like a push bike) if needed.

Need an electric SUV that feels like a normal car, but doesn’t compromise in any form? Well, the GV70 Electrified gets the highest recommendation for me.

Yes, you are spending more money than a standard GV70, but you’re an early adopter of EV technology. It’s a somewhat future-proofed setup that also comes with stress free aftercare support too.

You can get less expensive EVs that come close to how luxurious this feels, but they can’t quite compete with the overall package Genesis is presenting with this - dare I say - class-leading family electric SUV.

*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.

We bought our BYD dolphin about a year ago and we like the car although there have been some small challenges that were slow to be fixed. Not really… Read more

a problem just minor annoyance.

Recently we have been unable to charge the car with the charger that came with the car. It has taken 4 days and many many calls and emails (and as you can imagine serious frustration) to finally get an appointment to have the car looked at and it will take another week before we can find out why it isn't charging and hopefully have it fixed. And we were told that if the charger that came with the car is faulty it is not covered under warranty (which is for 1 year only) it would cost $1000.00 for a new charger.

Seriously not happy. I don't think I have ever worked with a car company that has been so slow to respond.

I guess it is a good car but I would not buy another.

2 Months in and happy as! Over 6000km Comfort, Capability, Refinement and Cost of ownership are all good. We are rural and live on a road with… Read more

corrugation that most cars don't last well on. We use the shark for almost 100% of our running around. Negatives - high beam, but not a deal breaker and granny charging. Installation of a 7kw charger should be factored in to your purchase of your buying one. The vehicle is stock meaning no add ons. I will endeavour to update every service interval.

Avoid the GWM Ora at all costs. This has been the most frustrating and disappointing car ownership experience we’ve ever had. Our brand-new Ora… Read more

suffered a serious fault within weeks of purchase. The car left us stranded twice, required two emergency roadside assistance callouts, and had to be towed because the charging port locking pin malfunctioned. It failed to disengage when the vehicle was unlocked—making it impossible to plug the charger back in.

This isn’t some isolated incident. There are multiple cases online of the exact same issue—yet GWM continues to insult its customers by blaming it on user error. That excuse is not only technically incorrect, it’s completely absurd. The locking pin must disengage to allow charger removal or insertion. If it was "released", as GWM claims, the pin was not engaged and therefore could not be damaged. The actual issue—confirmed by their own roadside technicians—is that the pin failed to disengage when unlocking the vehicle. That’s a product fault, plain and simple.

Rather than owning the issue, GWM's service team at GWM Mildand kept our car for over four weeks, gave us no courtesy vehicle, barely communicated, and ultimately denied anything was wrong. We had to escalate to Consumer Protection just to be taken seriously.

If this is how GWM handles a warranty fault on a brand-new EV, imagine what happens when something major goes wrong. It might be affordable up front, but the real cost is the incompetent support, denial of responsibility, and total lack of customer care.

The GWM Ora might look good on paper, but it’s unreliable, poorly built, and backed by a company that refuses to stand behind its product—even when clear evidence and repeated cases show otherwise.

Do not make the same mistake we did. Avoid GWM completely.

I Hired this fairly New Car of 8,000kms today as my own car was getting serviced. It has Heaps of Power and a Great turning circle but that is the… Read more

end of anything positive I have to say about this poor excuse for a Car. The first thing when you get in you notice how cramped up and blocked in you are. It's like being locked in a small capsule with no access to the other passengers. The driver seat has a mind of it's own and wont stay in the one position automatically moving in and out each time to turn the car on.The computer is constantly mumbling non coherent messages and the internal Mirror is like on an LSD trip giving double vision with the camera overlay over the actual mirror making it impossible to see anything clearly. The air-conditioning is nonexistent and with all the glass you toast up quickly even on a cold day. The driver assist will fight the steering wheel out of your hand when you want to change lanes like it has its own destination in mind and the speed zones showing up in the display are just wrong if you bother to read the actual signs on the road that is. My passenger could not raise her seat high enough to see over the bonnet. My advice to Subaru is, seriously, go back to the drawing board, and to potential buyers , Buyer Beware.