Best Sports Cars

One of the best combinations in the automotive world is a naturally aspirated V8 shoved into the front of a sporty coupe complete with rear wheel… Read more

drive.

It’s a recipe for nirvana. And it’s a formula that Ford hasn’t strayed from ever since they popped a V8 in the Mustang.

I’m a huge fan of the Mustang for it simply existing. But I needed to know what it was like to actually drive and live with. So I borrowed a few from Ford, and was thoroughly impressed.

Sure, you’re seeing average fuel consumption figures of around 12-16L per 100km, and sure it’s far from being the most practical car to have as the only pony in your stable. But, it’s the pure emotional value of driving this thing that drives sales and internal rationalisation as to why you must spend over $100,000 on one.

Yes, that’s right. For 2025, a healthy spec on the Mustang GT will now set you back over $100,000. So much for being every man’s sports car. And it’s why we’ll see more buyers opt for older examples, or cheaper performance alternatives to this.

It’s why the Mustang is seeing a slow sales decline in the US. Which is a sad thing, but at the same time, Ford needs to evolve the formula.

I for one, wish it could stay as it is, but it’s clearly not compatible with a younger audience who can’t afford a six figure Mustang and probably can’t afford to fill it with the amount of fuel it requires every week.

I think Ford has done an incredible job of updating this Mustang with better driver aids, innovative performance technology like a ‘drift brake’ and dual intake manifolds.

I understand that the Mustang is a halo car for the Ford Performance brand, but it only seems to be going in the way of the 911. With model derivatives being exclusively upmarket and limited (i.e. Dark Horse and GTD).

Ultimately, the Mustang is a special breed. I would enjoy owning one, and find ways to justify the running costs just because it brings just a little bit more excitement in my day every time I fire up that 5.0L Coyote V8.

However, when met with the reality of buying a Mustang GT for over six figures, it’s not just not special enough. That’s when I’d be more than happy to skip buying one, and wait for a special edition such as the ‘Dark Horse’ to appear which helps justify a higher asking price.

If you’re simply after that special combination of a naturally aspirated V8, stuffed into a sporty coupe sending all of its power to the rear wheels - then there is no alternative for any less money than what Ford is asking for a Mustang GT.

10/10 – This car slaps hard, it’s increased my drift points by hundreds! In all seriousness quality car, never had issues, had since day 1 about 10 years ago Show details

Updated in all the right ways – This new BRZ has more power, new styling and other mechanical updates that make it appealing on paper for those looking for an upgrade from their old… Read more

BRZ.

It’s a rare beast too. There’s no turbocharger, it's rear-wheel drive, and it's a two-door sports car, all for a reasonable asking price.

The BRZ was never known for being built like a luxury vehicle. It’s an affordable sports car that puts it’s R&D budget towards driving dynamics first, followed by everything else in this car.

The second generation BRZ has seen a big step up in quality in the form of additional padding, leather/cloth seats, new screens and even more stitching.

The new BRZ starts from $40,290 for the entry-level manual transmission model through to this model. This is the BRZ S - it’s the automatic, and it tops the range at $45,390 before on-road costs.

Despite recent price increases, the BRZ is a sharply priced product. There’s a suite of safety features added to the new car and there are meaningful mechanical upgrades thrown in there too.

I wouldn’t recommend buying this specific model, unless you really want the few safety features the automatic transmission brings to the BRZ.

All Subarus come with a 5 year/unlimited kilometre warranty and a capped price service program. Surprisingly, Subaru’s sports car has better coverage over its capped price service program than the Forester. You’re covered for 5 years or 75,000km (whichever comes first) and the total cost of servicing during this period is $2,474.70.

The speaker system in the new BRZ is a fine way to enjoy phone calls, music or podcasts. It’s not going to create a sense of total immersion, but at least these speakers resist rattling or distorting the sound they produce.

Something you need to be acutely aware of is that road noise is very apparent on the highway. There aren’t many cars that I make a point to inform potential buyers about excessive road noise, but the BRZ is one of them.

If you’re looking for a shouty exhaust note, you’ll need to go aftermarket. There’s an artificial engine sound that can only be disabled at a Subaru dealership. This is all done to compensate for that extremely quiet exhaust sound, despite there being two very real exhaust exits.

Braking is a little more important in a car like this. I’m pleased to say that although these brakes look basic, they perform with few flaws.

The set up and initial bite is a smooth transition, allowing for steady control without upsetting the car's chassis, even at high speeds. For day-to-day use, and even track use, the BRZ’s brakes are extremely in tune with what this car is trying to achieve.

The stereo cameras behind the rear vision mirror - known as Subaru’s ‘EyeSight’ camera system - also offer a safety net in the form of autonomous emergency braking. Initially this system will be only offered in cars fitted with the automatic transmission and omitted from manual transmission cars.

Power and acceleration have always been a controversial point in Subaru’s sports cars. The original 2.0L flat four motor produced a mediocre amount of power, and struggled to put power to the ground with its skinny economical tyres.

The big news with the new BRZ is its new motor. We now have 2.5L on hand, 174kW and 249Nm of power! It’s not just power that’s good about this motor, it’s the fact that Subaru flattened the torque dip around 4,000rpm to avoid any unnecessary impact to performance. That torque dipped has been flattened and raised so that its trough is higher than the peak torque produced by the previous engine.

Acceleration is quoted at 6.3 seconds for the manual, and 6.8 seconds for the automatic - yet another reason to buy the manual.

The automatic 6-speed transmission isn’t the most engaging option you can pick to complement the BRZ.

It’s easy to use day to day, and it’s a comfortable drive. There’s even a set of paddle shifters on the steering wheel to add a little more engagement. Yet, this is still the dull transmission option for this car. It’s slow to change gears, semi-responsive on downshifts and doesn’t even have a sequential shifting pattern for manual mode.

Regardless of how improved the automatic transmission feels, I'd only be opting for the manual if I was buying a new BRZ.

The underlying reason why anyone would buy a BRZ over any sports car below $100,000 would be its chassis’ design and construction.

There’s been a rework in rigidity - so much so that the new BRZ is 50% more stiff than the previous generation. Add in the fact this has one of the lowest centres of gravity in any front-engined sports car and you have a recipe for handling success.

Sending power solely to the rear wheels allows the front wheels to focus on steering, and encourages the driver to exit corners at a higher rate of speed.

The BRZ is able to translate what’s happening with the car and how it’s interacting with the road through to your seat and steering wheel. It’s a sensation that’s so rare to find in cars these days, as more and more cars become disconnected from the actual drive and focus more on comfort.

I was especially fond of the suspension setup in its ability to keep the car flat through hard corners, while also being softly sprung enough to not feel like a weekly trip to the chiropractor was needed.

This is an addictive car to drive, and you’ll want to find roads with plenty of turns to exploit what makes the new BRZ so great.

When you combine the added power, a naturally aspirated motor, a rigid chassis and rear-wheel drive, you end up with a recipe no other car can match at this price point. That is, unless you want two fewer seats and a soft top convertible.

With a claimed consumption of 9.5L per 100km, the BRZ is relatively fuel efficient if you’re not heavy on the throttle.

With no turbocharger on hand, fuel consumption might look a little high on occasion. However, we achieved figures around 9-10L per 100km of driving during our week with the BRZ.

What’s not so appealing is the fact this motor only accepts 98 octane fuel, so you’re going to be buying top shelf fuel. It’s a little strange considering higher output engines from other brands can accept lower octane and cheaper fuels.

The interior design of the new BRZ is sparse, but not without meaningful changes.

A digital driver’s instrument cluster in the shape of a boxer engine design starts the experience with a unique starting animation. There’s a centre touchscreen that looks like it came straight from 2008, however it sports Subaru’s infotainment software, which is wildly useful.

I especially appreciate how you can turn off the screen to focus solely on the drive.

Seat design up front is excellent for a stock seat. There’s plenty of lateral support, and adjustability to get comfortable for a range of conditions.

Add in the fact that you have Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, heated seats and radar cruise control, and you can see why the BRZ appeals to such a broad range of owners.

Fold the rear seats down, and you have one of the best features of the BRZ. The car is designed to house another set of wheels and tyres with the space the boot and folded seats provide. Although, I really wish there was a cover for the spare tyre that’s bolted and exposed in the rear boot.

I’m certain that this is the pure benchmark for driver engagement and enjoyment for under $100,000. There’s only one other car doing the same thing, and that’s the Mazda MX-5. Amongst a plethora of turbocharged hot hatches, the BRZ is the driver's choice, as you’re able to feel connected to it in all the right ways.

I hope just as many buyers order the new one as they did with the previous generation, as we need to send a message to automotive manufacturers to continue to make affordable sports cars just like this - just make sure you order it as a manual.

*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.

Best bang for buck car I've owned – The 3.2 Litre V6 does not only sound awesome, the build quality is fantastic and reliable over the 4 cylinders. I had the MK1 TT and while the… Read more

original is more iconic and more unique, whereas the MK2 shares some parts from other Audis, the MK2 is more practical due to its size and has more creature comforts.

I also drive a diesel G05 BMW X5 and while it doesnt have self drive cruise control, I can say it is more pleasant to drive on the freeway due to less road noise. It also is more fuel efficient doing around 8L/100 on freeway but is thirsty around town average 12-15l/100 in city and traffic.

Given it also shares the engine from the R32 in a more luxurious and attractive package, im confident this will be a future classic.

So far has been exceptional to own, maintenance has been very affordable going to European specialists instead of Audi for servicing and I think it's held up well for its age both in terms of look and styling.

Wouldn't hesitate to buy another one - perhaps a TTRS next

I ordered a new Nissan Z in April, it's now August It was delivered to the dealer with 109km on the clock this week. Still in sports mode!!! … Read more

Nissan Australia say, it was delivered that way from Japan. Due to emissions testing.

I refused delivery. VIN JN1GBAZ34A0240015

It felt dodgy, Nissan Australia say it was randomly chosen for emissions testing in Japan prior to delivery. When I asked how many undergo this test before they enter Australia...

"I'm not a statistician"

The dealer....yeh na, never seen it. (His already returned it as can't sell as new)

Nissan "the dealer needs to be educated"

1000% felt dodge.

Probably an awesome car. I'll never know,.

I could write to NISSAN in Japan with its VIN, prove the emissions testing is rubbish or not ..So what?

If verbal rubbish. Don't trust Nissan Australia to deliver me a new car.

If It's NOT verbal rubbish. Don't trust Nissan Japan to deliver a new car.

Either way, no choice. Don't touch it right!

What a waste of four months of excitement.

Nissan Australia CEO, should be aware of this

Without direct oversight of the CEO of Nissan... wouldn't even contemplate a purchase.

Bloody shame.

Top value for money – I had 2 of the late models twin turbo vvti and got rid of 1 but im still keeping one and i cant fault this car its very true japanesse sports machine… Read more

for anyone interested in getting into the sports car scheme without getting a huge loan and i tell you its the most reliable car ive had, ive also had about 12 toyotas in past which include lots of soarers all ( turbo of course) mark ii turbos and i drove them like lunatic and i never had to see mechanic because they bloody never broke down on me, but i had to have the king of course Supra and i kept the excellent example it has 76000 on clock with twin turbo vvti and it puts me smile everytime i get into this power house i know i can push as hard as i want and i know it want brake down on me, in my house im from perth wa no other car comes in our garage if its not made in japan and yes they are old, and yes they still outperform all those fancy looking new toys out there in any way. i had bmw before, i had mercedes and they are puffy cars because every month i had to see mechanic and pay through the nose for repairs for owing that bloody merc,bmw badge. no more.

Great car for the price! – Upgrading from my first car (Mitsubishi 380), I wanted something sporty, but not too expensive. For around $15,000, this is the best looking car,… Read more

with great handling/performance car I believe you can buy. I looked at many other cars such as an E90 325i, Mazda RX8, Mazda MX5,b but for the price, nothing could come close to a Z4. Buying new may be a different story, as I believe these depreciate pretty quickly. But for a used E85, I couldn't be happier!

Shudder in Transmission – Transmission is causing car to shudder. HSV and all over the internet know this is a common fault but have been told to pay $500 to change transmission fluid and if that doesn't work replace or rebuild at my costs. Show details

A refined luxury coupe with an old-school motor – Main competitors in this space include BMW, Mercedes and Audi. These types of cars represent the old-school aspirations of those looking for a sporty… Read more

car that can also allow you to commute to your job as a business executive, while providing both daily comfort and a bit of flair for the weekend drive.

Lexus’ best foot forward is its build quality and high attention to detail. This is an essential part of Lexus’ success in the luxury car market, and it's certainly a highlight in the RC. The panel gaps are kept to a minimum, reflecting the high attention to detail on the outside. There’s a considerate use of quality paint and materials that impress you before you even step inside. The interior of the RC is the absolute highlight of this car. The craftsmanship found throughout the cabin is divine, with the quality and accuracy of the stitching being the biggest giveaway. The doors are trimmed with what feels like an art installation of leather with flowing stitches that just leave you gawking at the door trim. No squeaks or rattles can be heard even when cruising over the bumpier surfaces.

The whole cabin allows the front passengers to almost be in a reclining position, never really having to lift an arm past their reach. All of your controls are easily reachable and found when driving, without having to strain yourself to reach for buttons or a distant touch point on a screen. There’s an infotainment display far off into what feels like the distance. In reality, it's a non-touch full colour display that possesses all the information you’d expect in a car like this (navigation, audio controls, DAB, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto).

Controls for the screen are found just in front of the arm rest, and you operate this system like you would a laptop. Swiping on the Lexus branded trackpad is greeted with a haptic response, to help confirm your input.

It was priced from $70,739 before on roads, which was a fair price back then.

I say fair, as even though this is a relatively special engine in today’s world, not many people are going to appreciate the V6 over the similar performance they might get from a 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder motor. Therefore, if you’re not looking for a unique power plant, you might find a better deal on either the cheaper RC200t ($67,990) or even some cheaper European variants.

Lexus offered a strange ‘in between’ warranty of 4 years/unlimited kilometres, which is more than the European 3 years, but less than others offering 5 years or more.

I was astounded at the level of sound isolation the RC was capable of. You really are in your own world when driving around in an RC. There’s minimal bleed of road noise and no wind noise intruding on the cabin’s ambiance.

The RC’s powerplant is able to remain at low revs when cruising, even under mild acceleration. The gearbox does its job effectively to ensure that the V6 delivers a premium sound experience when you don’t want to be listening to it roar. When listening to music, you’re engrossed in whatever you’re playing thanks to absolute clarity, depth and minimal amounts of distortion of this audio system. Adjusting the balance of the system, you’re able to get ridiculous levels of bass - enough to rattle your mirrors and shake your core.

There’s enough brake feel in the Lexus to give you the feedback to come to a complete stop seamlessly. There’s no need for a jerky initial brake bite, instead, you’ll have a buttery smooth stop at the lights - how elegant. This is a heavy car, weighing in at over 1700kg. This means under heavier braking you will start to feel the mass of this vehicle.

As I’ve alluded to already, the RC350 possesses a 3.5L naturally aspirated petrol V6, producing 232kW and 380Nm. As per a few publications, 0-100km/h times are claimed to be in the low 6-second range; around 6.2 seconds to be precise. Despite lacking a turbocharger, the V6 has plenty of get-up-and-go, as the engine rewards you when revving through to the redline, where you’ll access all of this motor’s power.

The 8-speed automatic used in the RC was a perfect pairing with this engine and platform. Similar to the brakes, you’re able to get the RC to perform with relative smoothness and precision when driving around town or out on the highway. What really sells the driving experience in the RC is its suspension and handling. This suspension setup is one of the best I’ve been in a while. Almost magic in its performance, you are kept in total comfort travelling down a bumpy street- you glide over speed-bumps, and traverse driveways seamlessly. I’ve been in plenty of cars down my own street, but none have performed quite as well as the Lexus RC did. It surprises me, as in tighter corners, you’re able to have the RC show off its performance chops as it can become direct in its handling. This is all thanks to possessing adaptive suspension, which changes depending on which drive mode you’re in. This allows for that duality of comfort and cornering performance.

Unfortunately, a unique motor like this is not long for this world due to its ability to guzzle petrol. This V6 was able to return some respectable consumption figures, but not without its moments. There’s a claimed consumption of around 9.1L/100km, but I just don’t think many city-dwellers will see this figure. Most of the time I was in the realm of 16L/100km, and only after some more conservative driving and highway stints, I saw that figure rest at around 10L/100km.

You’re greeted with 374L of boot space when you open the boot of the RC350. The boot is manual in its operation, however you can release the boot from either the key, the latch or from inside and it’ll ‘spring’ open. There isn’t a bunch of room back there, as the opening for the boot space is limited, unlike some vehicles that possess a hefty trunk. Rear seats can fold down in a 60:40 split, even though the second row houses only 2 seats. There’s enough space in here for a couple of suitcases or golf bags, but not quite enough for more than 2 people to head away on a long trip.

The RC offers you, the buyer, a financially more palatable version of the drop-dead gorgeous LC. For that, you get a car with style and plenty of substance.

I’d certainly recommend you go out and buy an RC against its current competitors for these reasons. If that fuel bill concerns you, I’d then skip any hybrid options and move onto getting an EV instead.

*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.

I've driven half way around our great continent in this car. The hybrid is very fuel efficient. You don't feel bumps like you do in the BMW X5. She's a keeper. Show details

Awesome car, awesome engineering, average value for money – We have a 2018 Audi TT, which is used as a daily driver to and form work, which is a 15km drive each way. The car is amazing fun and really well… Read more

made. It looks gorgeous and feels unreal to drive.

It did have a problem early in, but Audi fixed it under warranty. The water pump.

The wheels are so nice, but they wear pretty quickly from regular driving.

Resale is absolutely woeful as well.

Otherwise the car itself is very nice, if you ignore the money side of things.

Window regulators – In 12000klms have had to replace 3 window regulators. 2 packed up while having a service. the first one at 5000klms. what a joke. in 45 years of driving , has never happened before

no spare parts – I hit a POTHOLE in NSW.. the tyre was ruined and no one had any tyres. This car does not have a spare ! I had to get the only one available in… Read more

Melbourne especially brought up . Secondly I lost my key card. Lexus no longer make replacement key cards , nor do they stock them and they do not have any key Fobs either, nor can they obtain any. My car cost $230,000 and they do not have spare keys!! Say I was in Alice Springs !! These cars are not suited to Australia in my opinion

Mercedes W220 S320 ... the Best or Nothing? – I've owned many cars over the years & if you read my other reviews favor former Australian made cars like Holden. But I have a soft spot for… Read more

Mercedes. I've owned a W126 420 SEL, W140 S500 and now a W220 S320.

First of all good, clean examples of this model are hard to find at a 'reasonable price' without needing work.

The W220 is a much maligned model where Mercedes accountants overruled the engineers, hence reliability and quality come into question.

You can read about this elsewhere in detail, on the net.

These cars ARE COMPLICATED with multiple computer systems from rain detection windscreen wipers to infrared radar distance control on later models.

There were so many options that no W220 S Class is ever the same.

There is an S280, S320, S350, S430, S500 and the ultra rare S 55 AMG.

Mine is a series one S320 V6 M112 engine, 5 speed automatic with 190 000 kms on the clock.

I picked up my car at a cheap price as the airmatic system had failed and had multiple oil leaks.

But the body was exceptional as was the interior & the air cond had been replaced (by the previous owner) at great cost.

All the work I did myself & saved thousands in labor costs alone.

My high end scan tool determined where the airmatic suspension leak was.

I replaced the rear struts & an air line from the compressor to the air block (This distributes air to all four corners of the cars suspension).

My scan tool also recalibrated the suspension which needs to be done after strut replacement.

There are some common oil leaks which are easy to fix on the V6 M112 engine if you are prepared to get your hands dirty.

The previous owner had spent so much and simply could not afford the multiple repairs that were needed. So for me, it was a bargain.

The drains on the sunroof need to be kept clean as do the drains below the wipers. There can block, leak into the interior and fry the ECM, so check the footwells and pillars for dampness.

There are excellent aftermarket parts but do your homework and OEM Mercedes parts can be hunted down at good prices.

The V6 holds just over 8 litres of oil (yes eight) and there are two spark plugs per cylinder.

That aside ... everytime I drive this car it feels special.

There airmatic ride is exceptional, even with 18 inch low profile tyres, the 1999 infotainment system is ancient but retro cool and the factory Nokia analog phone is always a treat to show people.

The seats are extremely comfortable and if you are on the larger side you will love them.

These cars even mine were $100 000 plus when new ... so remember they are luxury cars (maintenance costs can be high if you can't wrench yourself).

In all honesty, many modern Toyota's, Kia's etc have many of the options these cars had (and more), are much cheaper to run and VERY reliable ...

But that's not what the W220 S Class is about ... it's about how it makes you feel ... it really is special ...

But go into ownership with your eyes wide open ... and invest in a high end scan tool that can read/diagnose the multiple systems that these cars have. It will save you much money and will pay for itself in no time.

Is there less than 1 star? I had a BMW 316i 2015 start falling apart as soon as its hit 75000kms. Everything went wrong from coolant, leaking oil and… Read more

now drivetrain. BMW refused to help although the car has been serviced by them until now. My friend had a Deawoo which is a better car than this BMW. Please avoid buying this so call luxury prestige car waste of money. No service and no quality. I refused to buy another BMW even if they sell it to me for $10000. Lots of stresses the day I got this lemon BMW. Less stress dont own a BMW

Quality is Slipping for BMW – I have owned the M2 Competition (purchased new) for a few years. Like the M3 before, it is a beautifully balanced and suitably powered sports sedan.… Read more

It has not broken down on the side of the road, so it is reliable. However, does it live up to the $120K price tag? It depends on who you ask.

I've had the clutch replaced due to a squeaking rubbing noise and shudder that everyone in the vehicle felt. But in their 'wisdom', the flywheel wasn't replaced. I think it is common knowledge among technically minded people that you only replace the brake pads with the rotors, as they are two halves of the same component. So, for the maximum benefit, the clutch and the flywheel should have been replaced together. The noise and shudder remain, but BMW Australia says it's within spec. The dreaded term - 'within spec' - can explain away all issues about a vehicle and refuse warranty work, even excessive oil consumption.

So, when the hill assists brake paddle started to 'click' loudly after the first 18 months of ownership, that was explained away with the familiar, 'within spec'.

Do the squeaks and rattles drive you nuts? Then, the BMW may not be the brand for you. Not anymore. This time, the explanation was, 'You have to expect that from firm suspension'. I owned a Renault RS 265 with a firmer suspension without any NVH (Noise, vibration, and harshness) issues experienced with the M2C. Oh, and get this. BMW says the NVH issues must be reported within the first month of delivery. After that, the warranty doesn't cover it. What if the noise develops after that period?

I still enjoy driving the car, and opening up sensibly onto the highway onramp does put a smile on my face. Then it starts to rattling and squeaking. I guess this is quality engineering at its pinnacle.

Best Car I have ever driven – This is a drivers car with a very responsive 3 litre Twin Turbo 6 cylinder automatic (also with Flappy paddle). So many drivers aid options you can… Read more

only get on more recent model cars. Eco/Sports mode. Lane assist, park assist. I drive this car for fun although occasionally i like to ferry the in-laws so it suits both racing and cruising. Fuel economy is always around 9.5 litres per 100 km although on the sedate long freeway runs i have attained 7.4 litres. I have had the car for 3 years and am still discovering all the features (like retuning automatic transmission). My criteria for a motor vehicle was it had to be rear wheel drive, with a bit of power that was fun to drive. Not disappointed in any way. Genuine parts and servicing can be on the expensive side though. My $1200 service at Mercedes cost $400 with local mechanic.

Look the care is probably well intentioned. however the company has clearly extended the features beyond their skillset and the design is dreadful,… Read more

so things just don't work. Every time I take it out it feels like I have to fight my car.

This is my third - I owned a C350e and a C300e before but the new 2025 C350e is nothing like its predecessors. The designers have attempted to make the car so sophisticated without thinking things through that a previously wonderful model is one you will regret buying. I've gone from a brand-loyal advocate to a "never again" person who wants my 5-year old trade-in back.

There is no enjoyment with this car - driving/fighting it is a high stress experience in which you have to assume it's about to do something st^pid and that is not what you want.

For example:

1. It's supposed to be a hybrid but it often does not charge because the company remotely sends updates and every time they run they delete all my preferences and resets the vehicle to a factory default ("do not charge the battery"). Might sound like a little annoyance but the controls are so enormously complex that it takes a good half hour to turn charging back on. Not only that but having the vehicle silently reset itself to "default no charge period - 24 hours" is just so st^pid that it illustrates the poor level of design thinking inherent in the model. Worse, it means you leave it on charge and then take out out only to find you may not have the miles you expected because there is no warning that "I decided to stop being a hybrid last night".

2. Aside from charging, other settings just randomly reset. For example recently it just turned off folding the wing mirrors - no warning. It was dangerous and again took a good half hour to fix.

3. Tyres are very expensive and low quality. The first blow out was less than a day after collection. I had to get the vehicle towed as there is no spare. No dealers stock their tyres so I had to buy not one but TWO tyres - one to drive me to a place to get the Mercedes one. It cost well over a thousand dollars and I was left stranded by a road for hours.

4. I've given up attempting to use the radio. It is so hard to turn it on or off that it's a hazard.

5. It has an "answer phone" button. yesterday my phone had an incoming call. the car detected it - ringing was even brought up on the overhead display (and the system speakers) but the "answer" button on the steering wheel did nothing. Instead you need to click through about 5 or 6 screens on the console and even if that *were* possible before the call diverts to voicemail (it isn't) it's hazardous.

6. It randomly slams on the brakes and comes to a stop with sirens blaring as if you have hit a wall. It turns out it has an "emergency brake" that is triggered by all sorts of normal environmental things including a change in the angle of a road. My driveway is not a particularly steep one, but because an angled drive meets a level road, the brakes slam on at the bottom of the drive with screaming sirens designed to leave you shaken for the rest of the trip. It has already left me with a cut head by slamming on the brakes so hard while I was doing a shoulder check I was thrown against the window. It has slammed brakes on for other things too - I don't know what they are but you can be doing 40 and suddenly go from 40 to 0 (with screaming alarms and being thrown against windows) for no obvious reason at all. Fortunately that's less common but it does happen. Probably because the camera mistook something.

7. You literally have to "log in" to the vehicle to use it. There is an (undocumented) setting buried way down inside that lets you tun that off but it's the stupidest setting ever. You want to get in the car and drive it, but no. it wants you to enter your password? Seriously?? Don't ask me how I turned it off - I could never repeat the process but it did take multiple calls and a good hour of hunting.

8. It claims to read speed signs. It doesn't. It's right maybe 70% of the time but is wrong often enough that you just can't assume it's right ever so it's simply a distraction when it starts flashing at you for "speeding" when you aren't or randomly decides that it wants to go at 20kph more than the top speed limit anywhere in the state! Since you simply cannot use it, what's the point of this feature at all??

I could go on...

Frankly the 2025/6 C350e is a poorly designed and unsafe car due to the level of stress it delivers. Don't buy it and wait until they fix its design flaws.

BMW 125i E82 Auto review – I bought a 125i auto brand-new back in the day. I have since had brand new 425i coupe and now own a brand new 330e. I would say my favourite car to… Read more

drive to date has been the 125i (I had an auto version). Absolutely no complaints and no problems during my two years owning it. If you are driving it hard around old bits of twisty road, it will be a bit twitchy on hitting bumps. I would advise being careful with right foot - especially in wet weather (same as any powerful rear wheel drive car).

Unreliable nightmare – Required a new engine after less than 30k. I knew there was a problem with oil consumption but was repeatedly fobbed off by Audi Richmond who told… Read more

me that using 1L of synthetic oil per week was “normal” :-). After repeat visits to the dealers they finally admitted that there was a problem and kept my car for 8 weeks whilst the engine was replaced. I found the service arrogant and irritating. I’ll never buy Audi again.

This car is somewhat comfortable, but in my experience the features and ownership experience don’t justify the ~$95,000 price point. Range /… Read more

interstate travel: As an EV, interstate driving became a major frustration. In real-world conditions, I found the effective range to be around 280 km per charge depending on conditions. On a Melbourne–Sydney trip, charging stops, limited charger availability and queues made the trip blow out significantly — in my case it took around 17 hours, including roughly 8 hours spent charging/charging-related delays. That made long-distance travel impractical for me.

Charging experience: 0–99% charging takes roughly 70–80 minutes in my experience, and charging slows down noticeably as it approaches 100% (it’s not a simple “0–80%” story). Even on fast chargers, the maximum charging speed I personally saw was about 90 kW, and it dropped quickly as the battery level increased.

Features vs price: For the money, I was surprised at the lack of some “basic” driver-assistance features I expected to be standard, such as active lane keep assist / lane-centering style assistance (at least in the way it’s implemented in many other cars). Having to pay substantially more for higher trims/options to get what feels like a more complete package is hard to justify.

Reliability / major failure: The biggest issue for me was reliability. Within the first year, the car suffered a sudden failure while driving and stopped on the road with multiple warning messages, degraded braking and acceleration, and what I believe was a serious safety risk. It had to be towed to a dealership and was diagnosed as a DSC unit failure. The process took around three months to resolve, and I was only provided a courtesy car after escalation (supplied through SIXT, a basic Kia).

Depreciation: Depreciation has also been a concern. Based on what I observed in the market and the buy-back discussions I had, the value appeared to drop sharply within the first year, which is something buyers should consider. (About half the original price)

Overall, between the real-world range limitations, slow/variable fast charging, missing features for the price, the major breakdown and the after-sales experience, I wouldn’t purchase this model again.