The Toyota Fortuner has established itself as a distinctive model since its debut in 2015, known for its dependable and rugged nature, capable of handling both urban roads and challenging off-road terrains.
This substantial SUV, built on the foundation of the top-selling Hilux ute, is exclusively available as a seven-seat configuration.
The Fortuner GX, serving as the entry-level option in the lineup, presents a combination of durability, practicality, and Toyota’s renowned reliability.
Within Toyota’s SUV range, the Fortuner finds its place in the middle, positioned between the city-oriented Kluger and the higher-priced Prado and LandCruiser models, catering to families seeking an off-road-capable vehicle.
However, in a competitive segment with numerous contenders, let’s delve into what you can expect from the middle-spec Fortuner variant.
There are three available grades in the Fortuner range: GX, GXL and Crusade.
All versions come equipped with the same 2.8-liter diesel engine, delivering 150kW and 500Nm of torque, while achieving a combined fuel economy rating of 7.6L/100km. Buyers have the sole option of the standard part-time 4WD setup.
The Fortuner’s impressive off-road capabilities stem from a straightforward set of features, which include a low-range setting for its six-speed automatic transmission, a rear differential lock, and a substantial 216mm of ground clearance. Additionally, it can seamlessly switch between two-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive modes.
In real-world driving scenarios, the Fortuner typically achieves an average fuel consumption of around 11 liters per 100 kilometers, spanning various driving conditions. During relaxed highway cruising, it can even reach as low as 9.0 liters.
The braked towing capacity has been consistent at 3100kg across the range since the 2021 update.
Standard features from the GX includes 17-inch alloy wheels, grey fabric seats, manual air conditioning, and an 8-inch touchscreen equipped with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, keyless entry and start, LED daytime running lights (DRLs) and headlamps, a six-speaker audio system, and body-coloured retractable door mirrors.
This substantial SUV achieved notably high scores, with a remarkable 95% rating for adult occupant protection and an 84% rating for child occupant protection.
Toyota Safety Sense suite of features is available across the range, which includes high speed active cruise control, lane departure alert and road sign assist.
Buyers also benefit from the inclusion of seven airbags, vehicle stability control, downhill assist control, a reversing camera, and front and rear parking sensors.
The top-tier Crusade variant offers even more advanced safety features, including rear cross-traffic alert, a panoramic view monitor, and blind spot monitors.
Notable ute-based large SUV’s include:
The 2023 Toyota Fortuner GXL proves to be a reliable option for individuals in search of a robust SUV that doesn’t sacrifice essential qualities.
However, the GX remains our pick between the two with many of the additional spec of the GXL being design changes.
The more desirable features are exclusive to the top of the range Crusade such as the additional safety and creature comforts.
The Toyota Fortuner has carved a niche for itself since arriving in 2015 as a reliable and rugged SUV, capable of handling both urban streets and challenging off-road conditions.
The large SUV, based on the top-selling Hilux ute, is available only as a seven-seat offering.
The Fortuner GX, as the entry point to the lineup, offers a blend of durability, practicality, and Toyota’s renowned reliability.
Positioned in the Toyota line-up in the middle of their SUV line-up, the Fortuner sits between the city-focused Kluger, and pricier Prado and LandCruiser as an off-roading family car.
But in a segment with many strong contenders, let’s see what you’ll pick up in the most affordable Fortuner on offer.
There are three available grades: GX, GXL and Crusade.
All variants share the same 2.8-litre diesel producing 150kw and 500Nm with a combined fuel economy of 7.6L/100km. Buyers only have the choice of the standard part time 4WD set up.
In practical driving situations, the Fortuner typically achieves an average fuel consumption of approximately 11L per 100 kilometers across various driving conditions. During relaxed highway cruising, it can even achieve as low as 9.0 litres.
Braked towing capacity is 3100kg across the range since the 2021 update.
Standard features include 17-inch alloys, grey fabric seats, manual air conditioning and an 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Further specs include keyless entry and start, LED DRL’s and headlamps, six speakers and body coloured retractable door mirrors.
When you fold down the third-row seats and slide the second-row seats forward, the Fortuner’s cargo space expands from 654 liters to a generous 716 litres.
The Fortuner’s impressive off-road capabilities are the result of a straightforward set of features, including a low-range setting for its six-speed automatic transmission, a rear differential lock, and a substantial 216mm of ground clearance. It also has the ability to transition between two-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive modes.
The large SUV scored an extremely impressive 95% score for adult occupant protection 84% for children.
Toyota Safety Sense suite of features is available across the range, which includes high speed active cruise control, lane departure alert and road sign assist.
Buyers also gain 7 airbags, vehicle stability control, downhill assist control, a reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors and
The range-topping Crusade gains more advanced safety such as rear cross traffic alert, a panoramic view monitor and blind spot monitors.
Other ute-based large SUV’s include:
The 2023 Toyota Fortuner GX is a solid choice for those seeking a rugged SUV that doesn’t compromise on essentials.
While it might not have the luxury features of its higher-end siblings, it offers a balanced mix of performance, safety, and practicality.
If you’re in the market for a seven-seater SUV that can handle both city challenges and off-road adventures, the Fortuner GX is a worthy contender.
It’s a hard expectation to break: pumping in litres of fuel within minutes.
However, think about what you can do during recharging and there’s essentially no need to deliberately wait.
And, consider: if you’re going on a long road trip, you’ll likely need that time for a rest stop regardless, especially when with children.
The same applies if you’re eating, doing a grocery shop or exploring other nearby amenities while charging.
However, it can be inconvenient if you’re not preoccupied with anything else – particularly if you only rely on today’s patchy public EV charging infrastructure – which is the more expensive method to run an electric car.
A standard three-pin domestic socket will trickle charge enough driving range for most Australians’ daily needs and can fully replenish in one to three nights (when electricity is cheapest).
Using an installed single-phase 7kW AC wall box can guarantee a full recharge in one night for most models (if required).
The rate of electricity is expressed as kilowatts (kW). Each model has separate caps for slow AC charging power and fast DC charging power.
For example, the MG 4 Excite 51 has a peak 88kW DC charging capability.
However, plug in at a pricier 350kW DC ultra-rapid station and it’s limited to taking in a maximum of 88kW under optimum conditions.
Conversely, if you plug in a Tesla Model Y RWD – which features a 170kW DC charging capability – on a 50kW DC public fast charging station, it will only peak at 50kW under optimum conditions.
Importantly, the battery management system (BMS) software also throttles charging speeds if the pack is outside its ideal temperature range (i.e. too hot or too cold) and when it’s at a higher percentage.
There are charging losses in the energy transfer process to the vehicle, too, especially when slow AC charging (an inverter needs to convert AC to DC power).
Therefore, owners will rarely achieve the maximum charging rate when plugged in at a compatible station, at least for an extended period.
The following serves as a rough guide only. The real-world charging time will differ depending on the aforementioned limitation factors.
| MG 4 Excite 51 (max 6.6kW AC/88kW DC) | Tesla Model Y RWD (max 11kW AC/170kW DC) | Kia EV6 (max 10.5kW AC/350kW DC) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8kW AC (home plug) | u223c20 hours (estimated) | u223c22.5 hours (estimated) | u223c29 hours (estimated) |
| 7kW AC (single-phase wall box) | u223c5.5 hours (estimated) | u223c6 hours (estimated) | u223c7.5 hours (estimated) |
| 11kW AC (three-phase wall box) | u223c5.5 hours (estimated) | u223c4 hours (estimated) | u223c5 hours (estimated) |
| 50kW DC (fast public charging station) | 40 minutes* | u223c50 minutes (estimated) | 73 minutes* |
| 350kW DC (ultra-rapid public charging station) | 37 minutes* | u223c20 minutes (estimated) | 18 minutes* |
| *Official quoted claim from manufacturer | |||
Simply divide the usable battery capacity (kWh) by the charging rate speed (kW) to gain an rough time estimate. For example:
If you want to know how long you’ll need to charge to travel a certain distance, the charging speed (kW) is roughly the same value as the kilometres you’ll get from 10 minutes of charging. For example:
But, for most people and in most cases, it shouldn’t be something that should weigh on your mind.
Similar to your smartphone, plug the car in when you get home and it’ll be ready to go in the morning – if not sooner – with enough charge for the majority of owners’ daily driving needs.
It’s certainly safer to keep them to yourself. At the recent launch of the Porsche 718 Spyder RS, I was sitting at dinner with a crack team of Porsche engineers, when the subject got round to why there was no manual option on the Spyder.
The conversation took some technical meander via the current 911 GT3. Then the following words, quite unbidden, fell out of my mouth.
“People who buy a 992 GT3 with a manual gearbox can’t think for themselves.”
Maybe it was the fatigue and jetlag that had made me wilfully ignore the residual value case. There were some translations going on at the other end of the table. Some were nodding in agreement.
Others visibly reddened. I wondered how they’d fare with “the 4.0-litre engine in your Cayman GTS is not very good” and I’m reasonably sure I could have induced a thrombo with “I think the 993 is the ugliest 911”.
But that’s the thing about unpopular opinions. They’re unpopular for a reason – sometimes as an inconvenient truth, but usually because they’re wrong.
The Jaguar E-Type is a curiously proportioned car. Caterham owners are best avoided. A Golf R is dynamically better than a GTI. Daniel Ricciardo is motorsport’s most irritating personality. BMW E30 M3s are usually disappointing to drive.
I think I was actually smiling to myself when in moseyed the belief that one man couldn’t have designed both the Miura and the Countach, that Mercedes should have given up on the AMG One a long time ago, that the Jeep Grand Cherokee might be the worst-driven vehicle on Australian roads and the new BMW M3 is better-looking than an Alfa Giulia Q. I’m sorry, it was late.
What’s more, they often seem to have a natural home: an internet comments section where there’s some reassuring semblance of anonymity.
Several of my colleagues abide by the stern edict ‘never read the comments’. Some will never read direct messages sent to them on the likes of Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. I, however, have a thick skin and a morbid curiosity, so I can’t help but dive in.
My very favourites are the champs who make some proclamation that merely underlines the fact that they haven’t read the feature or watched the video they’re opining on.
Most are quite content to parrot the opinions of others, aware that putting your head above the parapet can be hazardous. Autocar’s Matt Prior, one of the best in the business, has decided to own the venom of commenters with his Instagram bio which quotes a reader thus: “You, sir, are the worst car reviewer on the internet.”
I’ll stand by my opinions. They might be unpopular but at least they’re mine.
But then, the 8 Series is a car that has a rare ability to catch you off guard. Despite none finding customers during the ’80s, it’s viewed by many as a quintessentially ’80s BMW – yet the technology that underpinned this car was anything but a throwback.
Its genesis can be traced back to the mid-’80s. In the early ’80s, ex-Ford and Audi stylist Pavel Hušek was commissioned by BMW design chief Claus Luthe, to submit early proposals for a flagship coupe.
By 1985, the E24 6 Series coupe had been on sale for a decade, having been facelifted in 1983.
Rather than reach for a new lexicon of design language, Hušek, probably best known for his work on the Skoda Favorit and Honda Beat, reimagined Paul Bracq’s E24 6 Series as sleeker and more aerodynamic, while retaining much of the classic form factor. It was deemed not radical enough by BMW’s board and rejected.
By 1985, the E24 6 Series coupe had been on sale for a decade, having been facelifted in 1983. It had also just enjoyed its greatest period in motorsport, having claimed the European Touring Car Championship twice, DTM once, both the Australian Touring Car Championship and the Australian Endurance Championship as well as a brace of victories in the Spa and Nürburgring 24 Hours events.
It became apparent that this would not to be a like-for-like replacement. The boom era of the ’80s demanded something far more ambitious, something that would elevate the brand beyond anything that rivals Mercedes-Benz could counter.
Sporting aspirations went out of the window. Rather than some sort of snarling factory lightweight, the new car needed to be a showcase for BMW’s technological reach.
Luthe was the man overseeing what became the E31 project. Like all good bosses, he knew how to delegate, tasking rising star Klaus Kapitza with the styling of the exterior and Hans Braun with the cabin architecture.
The man who designed the Audi 50 (a design which went on to become the original VW Polo), the NSU Ro80 and the BMW E36 3 Series was sentenced to 33 months behind bars.
The budget for the E31 project was vast, rumoured to have been around 1.5bn Deutsche Marks, so expectations for the car were similarly elevated. Not only was it the first production car designed using CAD (Computer Aided Design) but it also pioneered the use of CAN-bus tech, effectively the car’s central nervous system, enabling communication with a number of ECUs throughout the vehicle.
Discrete nodes such as the engine, the transmission and the brakes could now transmit data frames to all other nodes using a robust and simple electrical architecture. The effect was to make what was previously impossible relatively straightforward.
That was far from the end of the innovations. The 8 Series was the first car to feature a six-speed manual gearbox attached to a V12 engine, a pairing which is all sorts of right. It was also the first to have active rear steer, a co-development between BMW and Bosch called Aktive Hinterachskinematik (AHK) as an option.
The standard 850i featured the clever Integral Rear Axle, which featured an elastokinematic multi-link rear end to induce a degree of passive rear steer. This aided stability but was always subject to phase shift, a reactive delay that reacts to what has happened rather than what is happening.
By the time the car arrived in Australia in late 1990, it wore a sticker price of $222,000
Fitting the rear axle with a computer-controlled electrohydraulic actuator which could actively steer the rear wheels was a game changer, but development on AHK wasn’t the work of a moment, finally arriving in 1991 as an option, and fitted as standard to the 1992 850CSi was introduced which had AHK as standard equipment so the AHK introduction is often linked to that of the 850CSi. In many regards it was a precursor to electronic stability control, improving vehicle stability at speed.
The 8 Series’ official debut was at the 1989 Frankfurt Motor Show. BMW’s usual billing of ‘The Ultimate Driving Machine’ was quietly replaced by the tagline for the big coupe; ‘The Supreme Synthesis of Technology and Design’.
By this stage the cost of the project, build planning and market expectations had combined to give the E31 an eye-watering price tag in many markets. By the time the car arrived in Australia in late 1990, it wore a sticker price of $222,000 plus on-roads. Adjust that for inflation and it’d be a half-million-dollar car today.
This M70 engined model (later called the 850Ci) made up fully two-thirds of the total E31 production figure of 30,621 units. The second most popular variant was the eight-cylinder 840Ci, with the 4.0-litre M60 engine accounting for 4728 units and the more powerful 4.4-litre M62 successor mopping up 3075 sales.
Between 1994 and 1999, the 850i was treated to a 5.4-litre M73 V12, good for 243kW, while the flagship model was the 850CSi, sold between 1992 and 1996, which utilised the 277kW 5.6-litre S70 V12 mated to a six-speed manual gearbox – an M car in all but name. These accounted for 1218 and 1510 units respectively.
The rarest of all the production E31 models was also the humblest. The 830i, built between March and July 1992 used a 3.0-litre M60 V8 engine. It’s even rarer now than it was in 1992 because all 18 prototype cars were destroyed by BMW, who felt that 160kW was perhaps a bit of a knee-jerk response to sales that were dipping as a result of tough market conditions.
Other rarities? There were 24 8 Series cars built under licence at BMW’s Rosslyn plant in South Africa. Then there are the Alpina B12 Coupe versions. These came in two distinct flavours: the B12 5.0-litre and the B12 5.7-litre, which were, perhaps unsurprisingly, spun from the 850i and 850CSi, respectively.
The B12 5.0 featured a lightly breathed-on M70 V12 generating 261kW which drives through a four-speed automatic box. The B12 5.7 retained the 850CSi’s three-pedal set-up but its bored block was good for a hefty 310kW and 570Nm. These remain the most sought-after roadgoing versions of the E31.
Whereas a modern 8 Series is all curves, complexity and bellicosity, the E31 is a simpler shape, the absence of the B-pillar focusing the eye on the organic shape of the glasshouse and the way the chamfered box arches swell into a low, flat rear end that suggests enormous potency, like a cartoon bottle rocket.
This impression is helped by a low front end that carries the eye the length of the car via a rising beltline and the subtlest of Hofmeister kinks in the rear side window. It can look slightly underwheeled by today’s standards, but then so does the current M4, a car which also lacks the redeeming feature of pop-up headlamps.
Most cars will have some sort of damage to their plastic nose-cones and check wheel-arches, brake lines, door bottoms, sunroof panels and the leading edge of the bonnet for rust. Both the V8 and V12 engines are relatively tough units.
Early V8 engines had trouble-prone Nikasil liners but any issues with these should have been sorted a long time ago by now. Check for misfires, usually attributable to ageing lambda sensors or throttle bodies that are out of sync. It’s best not to run an E31 on fully synthetic oil as it tends to be too thin and is consumed quickly.
Don’t let water levels drop either, as this can cause air locks that will destroy the head gasket. Engine ancillaries such as the viscous fan, water pump and cam-cover gaskets are hotspots for failure and are usually larger jobs than they appear. Check suspension bushes and dampers as a front-heavy two-tonne car tends to chew through them.
The bravery and ambition of the 8 Series cements it to a time and a place while lending it a lasting significance
The key issue to keep an eye open for is electrical integrity. Remember, this was a first stab at CAN-bus technology and while the concept has proven sound, the initial execution resulted in a few teething issues with the many ECUs within the car that can and do fail and are not cheap to replace.
Pixels on the LED displays often fail and a botched HID headlamp upgrade (the standard dip beam lamps are jaw-droppingly feeble) can create a cascade of electrical issues. Finally, at no point should you jump-start an 8 Series with a flat battery without some form of spike protection as this can sizzle multiple ECUs instantly.
It can seem daunting, buying a German car with this amount of complexity, and it should. There are some cars that are an easy recommendation for those who want a hands-off modern classic, but the E31 8 Series is not one of them.
In managing to make the Mercedes-Benz SEC look positively antediluvian, BMW succeeded in its quest to establish technological superiority over its key rival. Today, that faded one-upmanship doesn’t count for too much.
Yet the bravery and ambition of the 8 Series cements it to a time and a place while lending it a lasting significance. That’s the mark of a great classic and it’s entirely likely that the 8 Series’ best days are still ahead of it.
Not exactly. BMW completed a skunkworks project in 1991, developing an M8 prototype with a 410kW S70/1 V12 and next-gen chassis tech. Unlike the engine that would end up in the production 850CSi – a 5.6-litre S70B56 unit – the S70/1 featured two cams per bank of cylinders, 48 valves and a capacity of 6064cc.
BMW engineer Paul Rosche approached Gordon Murray to enquire about supplying an engine and Murray confirmed that the S70/1 was too large and too heavy.
After much reworking, the Motorsport division’s final engine, the S70/2, met Murray’s 600mm length requirement, but it overshot the weight target by 16kg. Given that it was 6.4 percent too heavy but exceeded McLaren’s power requirement by 14 percent, it got the green light from Murray.
| BMW E31 850i specifications | |
|---|---|
| Engine | 4988cc V12, sohc, 24v |
| Max power | 220kW @ 5200rpm |
| Max torque | 450Nm @ 4100rpm |
| Transmission | 4-speed automatic |
| Weight | 1790kg |
| 0-100km/h | 6.3sec (claimed) |
| Price (now) | from $55,000 |
Despite rising electricity and fuel prices, recharging electrons in kilowatt-hours (kWh) is often cheaper than refuelling a petrol or diesel car in litres (L). Therefore, this helps recoup and surpass the extra purchase price premium (if applicable).
The more you drive and charge, the more money you save in the long run.
However, the cost to charge an electric vehicle varies, depending on the source of electricity – just as fuelling a car at different locations and with different brands might save you money. What are the latest EV charging cost rates and what should owners expect to pay with each recharge?
| Home electricity plan | Cost rate range (as at October 2023) |
|---|---|
| Time-of-use (off-peak tariff) | ~$0.15 to $0.30 per kWh (estimated) |
| Time-of-use (shoulder tariff) | ~$0.20 to $0.30 per kWh (estimated) |
| Time-of-use (peak tariff) | ~$0.30 to $0.50 per kWh (estimated) |
| Demand rate (smart meter required) | ~$0.20 to $0.30 per kWh + demand charge (estimated) |
| Single rate | ~$0.20 to $0.40 per kWh (estimated) |
| Note: Electricity rates can significantly differ depending on the plan, provider, and location. Check your electricity bill for the latest rates. | |
Typically recharging overnight during the cheapest off-peak electricity tariff is cheapest – usually between 10pm to 7am – but energy costs can differ significantly depending on the location, provider and plan.
According to the Australian Government’s Energy Made Easy [↗] comparison site, typical off-peak pricing for time-of-use plans can be up to 50 per cent cheaper than if you charge during peak times in the afternoon and evening.
Owners can set a scheduled AC charging timer on most EV models or ‘smart’ trickle charging cables and wall boxes, so all you need to do is plug in when you get home.
Some electricity providers also offer dedicated EV charging plans with ultra-low cost tariffs ($0.05 to $0.15 per kWh), free energy periods, or bill credits.
However, be sure to look at the fineprint as general home usage rates could be overall higher-than-usual depending on the provider.
Select AC wall box charger models can even take the guesswork out by automatically charging when there’s solar generation.
Meanwhile, buildings with battery storage systems installed can charge EVs for free during night-time – if there’s excess energy – and bidirectional vehicle-to-home (V2H) and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology is also emerging.
Therefore, if you can plug in at home, public charging is rarely needed – unless you’re on a long road trip.
| Charging network and station type | Cost rate (as at October 2023) |
|---|---|
| Chargefox-owned 50kW DC | $0.45 per kWh |
| Chargefox-owned 350kW DC | $0.60 per kWh |
| Evie Networks 50kW DC | $0.50 per kWh |
| Evie Networks 350kW DC | $0.65 per kWh |
| BP Pulse 75kW DC | $0.55 per kWh (variable at some locations) |
| Ampol AmpCharge 150kW DC | $0.69 per kWh |
| NRMA 50-150kW DC | $0.54 per kWh (all locations by end of October) |
| NRMA 175kW+ DC | $0.59 per kWh (all locations by end of October) |
| Tesla Superchargers 150kW/250kW DC (Tesla vehicles only) | ~$0.40 to $0.85 per kWh (variable at some locations)* |
| Tesla Supercharger 150kW/250kW DC (non-Tesla vehicles) | ~$0.75 to $0.85 per kWh** |
| *Price depends on location. Selected sites change pricing depending on the time of day and demand. | |
| **Price depends on location. Non-membership pricing shown. Only select locations are open to all EV models. | |
For the most accurate pricing rates, check the charging network’s smartphone app or alternatively PlugShare [↗].
Charge point operators mainly charge by the kilowatt-hour (kWh) of energy delivered – including charging losses – but some may be based on per minute or hourly fees.
Some networks also adopt variable pricing at select locations – which changes the charging cost rate depending on the time of day – and select stations have ‘idling fees’ to encourage good etiquette.
For example, all Tesla Superchargers impose a $0.50 per minute charge when the location is at least half full or $1.00 per minute when fully occupied. The overstay fee starts if the vehicle is plugged-in – but finished charging – after five minutes.
Some state government- or council-backed EV chargers can be even cheaper, and there are charging stations offered by some energy companies (eg: Yurika, Synergy, Horizon Power, etc.), motoring clubs (eg: NRMA, RAA, etc.), and local businesses.
Most operate under the Chargefox or Exploren network, but aren’t owned by them and therefore free to set their own fees.
For state motoring club members, select Chargefox-owned fast charging sessions are eligible for a 20 per cent discount, and NRMA members receive a 10 per cent discount on the motoring club’s network.
Some organisations may even offer free charging, with some exceptions, potentially time limits, and other etiquette rules. Also, higher-end EV models from brands, such as Audi, Lexus and Genesis, come with free Chargefox fast charging for use within a certain time period.
| MG 4 Excite 51 (35.56 / 50.8kWh) | Tesla Model Y RWD (40.25 / 57.5kWh) | Kia EV6 (51.8 / 74kWh) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home ($0.25/kWh) overnight off-peak tariff assumed) | ~$9 (estimated) | ~$10 (estimated) | ~$13 (estimated) |
| Chargefox-owned 50kW DC | ~$16 (estimated) | ~$18 (estimated) | ~$23 (estimated) |
| Chargefox-owned 350kW DC | ~$21 (estimated) | ~$24 (estimated) | ~$31 (estimated) |
| Evie Networks 50kW DC | ~$17 (estimated) | ~$20 (estimated) | ~$26 (estimated) |
| Evie Networks 350kW DC | ~$23 (estimated) | ~$26 (estimated) | ~$34 (estimated) |
| BP Pulse 75kW DC | ~$19 (estimated)* | ~$22 (estimated)* | ~$28 (estimated)* |
| Tesla Supercharger 150kW/250kW DC | ~$26 – $30 (estimated)** | ~$16 – $34 (estimated) | ~$39 – $44 (estimated)** |
| *Prices are based on the fixed rate on most BP Pulse sites. Some locations may change pricing depending on the time of day. | |||
| **Non-Tesla EV charging fees (without subscription) apply. Superchargers are only open to all EV models at select trial locations. | |||
It’s worth noting that EVs typically require around 10 to 15 per cent more electricity than the battery size.
Therefore, you’ll also need to pay for any charging losses in the energy transfer (and conversion from AC power to DC) process, use of vehicle electronics, and battery management systems (BMS) such as active thermal cooling.
Most manufacturers recommend charging up to 80 per cent only to avoid prolonged charging wait times – regardless of the battery type – and maintain good battery health on lithium-ion type packs.
Keep in mind that charging speeds will be limited by both the power source output and maximum AC or DC input capabilities of the EV model, so choosing a pricier ultra-rapid station may not be money-wise since your vehicle may only be able accept much less.
Wheels Media thanks David Bonnici for the original version of this story.
Uncovered by The Kilowatts [X ↗], the listing revealed the Plaid badge for the rear tailgate of the upcoming electric sedan.
While it displays the ‘dual motor’ badge placed underneath, it is a diagram to depict every individual badge part available regardless of variant. The Plaid badge should be standalone, per the Tesla Model S and Model X Plaid sold overseas.
Also listed is a new alloy wheel design, which appears thinner with fewer spokes than the outgoing model’s 21-inch ‘Überturbine’ wheels.
It appears Tesla has now pulled the listing.
Reservations for the upgraded 2024 Tesla Model 3 electric sedan opened in September, but only in base single-motor rear-wheel drive (RWD) and dual-motor Long Range variants.
The top-selling EV was previously offered in a flagship dual-motor Performance variant producing an estimated 393kW and 660Nm, with a claimed 0-100km/h acceleration in 3.3 seconds (but with a one-foot rollout subtracted).
Overseas, the Model S Plaid large liftback can do the 0-100km/h sprint in just 1.99 seconds (rollout subtracted) thanks to a tri-motor setup producing 760kW combined.
A Track Package for the Model S Plaid also debuted earlier this year, bringing larger carbon ceramic brakes, Goodyear Supercar 3R tyres, and updated software.
If the Model 3 Plaid becomes a reality, it would further differentiate itself from the upcoming BYD Seal Performance, anticipated Hyundai Ioniq 6 N, and Polestar 2 Long Range Dual Motor with Performance Pack.
The facelifted 2024 Tesla Model 3 RWD and Long Range are due to launch in Australia early next year.
Two packs are on offer, depending on the variant.
If you order a pre-facelift 2023 Polestar 2 Standard range Single motor or 2023 Polestar 2 Long range Single motor (catchy names yes?), you’ll get the $3400 Pilot Lite pack and a choice of the $2750 EVnex home charger including installation, or three years of charging on the Evie network – listed at $2500 in value.
If you go for the 2023 Polestar 2 Long range Dual motor with Performance pack, the Performance part – valued at $8000 – is included free.
As with the lower-spec models, you’ll also get the same choice of EVnex home charging or three years of Evie network charging.
This deal is only good while MY23 stocks last, of course, but it’ll otherwise end on November 30.
Keen on the upgraded 2024 model? Get the full details at the linked story below – or keep reading for all the MY23 details, published in April 2022.
Mike Stevens (deal spied by Henry Man)
The Polestar 2 electric vehicle has received a model year update for 2023, bringing new paint colours and interior trims – but at a cost, with prices rising across the line-up.
The model, Polestar’s first to come to Australia, now costs in excess of $60,000 – $4000 more than it did when it launched in November last year.
The changes for the 2023 model year are aesthetic only, there are no mechanical differences to any of the three variants.
The 2023 Polestar 2 range now starts from $63,900, $4000 more than when it went on sale in Australia in February.
Both the mid-range Long Range Single Motor and top-spec Long Range Dual Motor have also increased in price by $3500 each.
The new pricing now more closely matches the cost of a Tesla Model 3, which has also risen multiple times in recent months, also now starting at $63,900 for the rear-wheel-drive variant.
| Variant | Pricing |
| Standard Range Single Motor | $63,900 |
| Long Range Single Motor | $68,400 |
| Long Range Dual Motor | $73,400 |
The new update for the Polestar 2 is headlined by the introduction of two new exterior paint colours – space, which replaces void, and Jupiter, which swaps with moon. Magnesium is now the default standard colour with no cost.
New for 2023 are also new designs for the standard 19-inch wheels and optional 20-inchers, as well as a ‘zinc’ colour for the ventilated Nappa leather upholstery – which replaces the previous barley trim and is now available with a light ash decor, which in turn trades places with the former reconstructed wood.
Minor additions include; a removable sunshade for the panoramic glass roof, an improved heat pump (included in the Plus Pack) for a more optimal temperature range, and an advanced cabin filter and upgraded interior particulate matter sensor – with a new in-car app that quantifies exterior air quality improvement in the cabin (also part of the Plus Pack).
The Polestar 2 now also includes blockchain traceability of mica, in addition to cobalt that is already traced in its batteries. The blockchain technology allows Polestar to trace risk minerals from material source to finished product.
The aluminium tray that carries the battery casing for all versions will see a CO2 reduction of 750 kilograms per car, thanks to the decision to only purchase aluminium for this component from smelters that use renewable energy.
“A first pilot has been rolled out, replacing the aluminium in the wheels with low-carbon aluminium that is produced using renewable energy. We expect this to result in a 600kg CO2 reduction per car for Polestar 2 in the second half of the year. Together with the improvements to aluminium in the battery tray, we’re expecting to see a total reduction of around 1,350 kg per car,” said Fredrika Klarén, Polestar’s Head of Sustainability.
As standard, the Polestar 2 range now has:
| Infotainment |
|---|
| Infotainment system powered by Android Automotive OS |
| Google built-in (Google Assistant, Google Maps, Google Play Store) |
| Progressive 12.3-inch digital driver display |
| 11.15-inch centre display |
| 4 u00d7 USB-C connectors: 2 front, 2 rear |
| 8-speaker premium audio system, 250W |
| Digital radio DAB+ |
| Bluetooth telephony (all phones compatible) |
| Connectivity |
|---|
| Integrated e-SIM with constant lnternet connectivity |
| Google service connectivity included for 3 years |
| Ownership |
|---|
| Over-the-air (OTA) updates for life |
| Polestar Connect |
| Polestar app with vehicle functionality (beta) |
| Polestar Digital Key (beta) |
| Charging |
|---|
| Charge cable 6m, IEC 3P 230V, 16A 11kW, Type 2, Mode 3 |
| Charge cable 7m, IEC 1P 230V. 10A 2 3kW Schuko, Type 2, Mode 2 |
| Comfort and convenience |
|---|
| Rain sensor |
| Electric tailgate with soft closing |
| Keyless entry with handsfree tailgate opening (with extra-wide foot sensor) |
| Semi-electric front seats with driver’s seat memory |
| 4-way power adjustable lumbar support, front seats |
| 4 cup holders (2 front, 2 rear) |
| Rear seat 40/60 split |
| 12V power outlet in boot |
| Front storage compartment (35-41 litres) |
| Front and rear parking assist |
| Rear view camera |
| Driving characteristics |
|---|
| One pedal drive (regenerative braking), adjustable |
| Adjustable steering force |
| Climate |
|---|
| Electronic climate control, 2-zone |
| CleanZone with pre-ventilation, multifilter |
| Parking climate including scheduled preconditioning |
| Heated front seats |
| Safety |
|---|
| Collision Avoidance and Mitigation with braking and steering support; vehicle, cyclist and pedestrian detection |
| Run-off Road Mitigation |
| Forward Collision Warning |
| Oncoming Lane Mitigation |
| Lane Keeping Aid with steering support |
| Post-Impact Braking |
| Road Sign Information |
| Driver Alert |
| Connected Safety |
| Cruise control and adjustable speed limiter with speed sign support |
| Hill Start Assist |
| Electronic Stability Control (ESC) |
| Indirect Tyre Pressure Monitoring System |
| AVAS (Acoustic Vehicle Alert System) |
| 8 airbags, Driver and front passenger, dual side, dual curtain |
| Whiplash protection, front seats |
| Alcolock preparation |
| ISOFIX rear seats |
| Euro NCAP rating: 5 stars |
| Security |
|---|
| Alarm with interior alarm motion sensor |
| Double-locking door locks |
| Alarm inclination sensor |
| One remote key fob and one waterproof activity key tag |
| Tyre repair kit |
| First aid kit |
| Warning triangle |
| Lighting, mirrors and wheels |
|---|
| LED headlights with Active High Beam |
| Thor’s Hammer daytime running lights |
| Full-LED rear light bar with persistent light automatic dimming |
| Frameless side mirrors, electric and heated |
| Automatic dimming interior mirror |
| Mid-level interior illumination |
| 19-inch 5-V spoke alloy wheels, diamond cut |
| Interior |
|---|
| Charcoal headlining |
| Embossed textile upholstery (vegan) with 3D Etched deco |
| Hexagonal shaped gear selector with illuminated Polestar symbol |
| Textile floor mats |
A $3400 Pilot Pack Lite adds a number of safety features for all variants. This includes:
| Driver awareness |
| Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) with steering support |
| Cross Traffic Alert (CTA) with brake support |
| Rear Collision Warning and Mitigation |
| Driver assistance |
| Adaptive Cruise Control |
| Pilot Assist with acceleration, braking and steering support up to 130km/h |
| Emergency Stop Assist |
| 360u00b0 surround view camera |
| Automatic dimming exterior mirrors |
| Pixel LED headlights with Adaptive High Beam |
| Active Bending Headlights with Cornering Lights |
| LED front fog lights with cornering function |
| Front and rear light sequences |
Pixel LED headlights with active bending, upgraded fog lights with cornering (bending) functionality, and unique front and rear light sequences were previously included in the original $5000 Pilot Pack, but have since been removed due to the ongoing semiconductor shortage.
The $6000 Plus Pack includes:
An $8000 Performance Pack, available on the Dual Motor only, adds:
| 20-inch forged alloy wheels, 4-Y spoke design, diamond cut |
| Continental SportContactu2122 6 (245/40R20) |
| Brembo 4-piston brakes with ventilated and drilled front discs (375x35mm) |
| Olins Dual Flow Valve (DFV) manually adjustable dampers |
| Golden brake callipers, valve caps, seat belts |
Individual options for all models include premium paint ($1500) and 20-inch alloy wheels ($1400). Nappa leather upholstery with ventilated front seats are available in conjunction with the Plus Pack.
The Polestar 2 electric fastback has a line-up comprising three variants offering varying performance and range.
The Standard Range Single Motor produces 170kW and 330Nm from its 69kWh battery, with a quoted driving range of up to 470 kilometres (WLTP cycle).
The mid-range Polestar 2 Long Range Single Motor is capable of travelling up to 540km with its 78kWh battery and 170kW/330Nm electric motor.
Meanwhile, the Long Range Dual Motor features an electric motor on each axle to produce 300kW and 660Nm. It has a quoted driving range of up to 480km and is the fastest Polestar 2 model with a claimed 0-100km/h time of 4.7 seconds. This compares with 7.4 seconds for the Single Motor variants.
Polestar’s most expensive 2 undercuts Volvo’s first ever fully-electric production car, the XC40 Recharge Pure Electric priced from $76,990.
However, the Polestar 2 Long Range Dual Motor has significantly less equipment than the Volvo with which it shares its platform and electric drivetrain.
The $5000 Pilot Pack is needed to match the electric XC40, which includes key active safety aids such as; adaptive cruise control, surround view camera and blind-spot monitoring – a move which has drawn some criticism from car enthusiasts for such features not being fitted as standard.
Polestar vehicles come with a five-year warranty as well as five years of complimentary roadside assistance and servicing. The inclusive five-year maintenance plan is another point of differentiation from its parent brand.
Single-motor versions of the Polestar 2 are eligible for $3000 EV rebates being offered by New South Wales and Victoria for electric cars costing less than $68,750/$68,740. NSW will also reimburse stamp duty.
The updated 2023 Polestar 2 is available to order online now.
See full pricing and features at the linked story below.
The new Ioniq 5 is priced line-ball with the rear-drive Model Y (also $64,500) and, although the Tesla offers 71km more WLTP range, the larger Hyundai hits back with a greater amount of cabin space.
The new Ioniq 5 base variant is also available with the larger battery for $70,500, undercutting the old Dynamiq by $1500. Pricing moves up by $4000 for the new Dynamiq, with the Epiq now $981 less owing to the digital mirrors becoming optional. Meanwhile, the mid-spec Techniq has been dropped entirely.
Visually, the Ioniq 5 continues unchanged after its late 2022 update when new alloy wheels and digital mirrors became available along with the larger 77.4kWh battery pack. For 2024, the range swells from three to six variants, when ignoring the high-performance Ioniq 5 N.
“An enhanced line-up for 2024 Ioniq 5 makes our multi-award-winning EV even more appealing and accessible to customers, accelerating progress towards our vision for clean mobility,” said Hyundai Motor Company Australia CEO, Ted Lee.
Hamstrung thus far by limited production, Hyundai’s medium SUV is currently the 10th best-selling electric vehicle with 526 registrations so far this year. It sits behind its Kia EV6 platform relation (702), and a long way adrift of the Model Y (17,332).
The other motivation for a more affordable entry model is to take advantage of various state government subsidies and stamp duty exemptions. With added impetus from a more affordable entry grade and help from home base in South Korea, Hyundai has a goal of hitting 6000 electric vehicle sales in Australia by the end of 2024.
| Variant | Pricing (before on-road costs) | Price change |
|---|---|---|
| Ioniq 5 RWD 58kWh | $64,500 | (new model) |
| Ioniq 5 RWD 77.4kWhu00a0 | $70,500 | (new model) |
| Ioniq 5 Dynamiq RWD 77.4kWhu00a0 | $76,000 | Up $4000 |
| Ioniq 5 Epiq RWD 77.4kWhu00a0 | $79,500 | (new model) |
| Ioniq 5 Dynamiq AWD | $80,500 | (new model) |
| Ioniq 5 Epiq AWD | $84,000 | (Down $981) |
| Ioniq 5 N | $111,000 | (new model) |
| Digital mirror package (Epiq only) | $3000 | N/A |
| Matte paint | $1000 | N/A |
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| Hyundai Ioniq 5 features | |
|---|---|
| 19-inch Alloy wheels | 235/55 Michelin Primacy 4 tyres |
| Heat pump | Battery heating system with pre-conditioning function |
| Auto LED tail and rear combination lights with highbeam assist | Column-mounted shifter |
| Paddle shifter for regenerative braking | Smart key with push-button start |
| Remote start via phone smart key | Heated and power-folding side mirrors |
| Automatic wipers | Satin chrome door and bumper trim |
| Sliding glovebox u2013 9.4L capacity | Acoustic laminated side window and windscreen glass |
| Wool yarn/eco-processed leather upholstery | Cloth knit headlining |
| 12-way power adjust driver’s seat | 6-way manual passenger |
| Six-speaker sound system | 12.3-inch touchscreen |
| Wired AppleCarPlay and Android Auto | Qi wireless charging pad |
| 12.3-inch digital driver’s display | Dual-zone climate control |
| Adjustable LED ambient lighting | 2 x 12V socket (front and cargo area) |
| 4x USB charging ports | Sliding centre console |
| Virtual engine sound system | Vehicle-to-load (V2L) function |
| Rear air vents | 60:40 fold back seats with recline and slide |
| Cabin air filter | 527L boot + 57L under bonnet storage |
| Hyundai Ioniq 5 Dynamiq features, in addition to base | |
|---|---|
| 20-inch alloy wheels w/ Pilot Sport EV tyres | Luggage net |
| Satellite navigation | Alloy pedals |
| Eight-speaker Bose sound system | Heated steering wheel |
| Heated front seats | Eco-leather upholstery |
| Augmented reality head-up display | Power-operated tailgate |
| Hyundai Ioniq 5 Epiq features, in addition to Dynamiq | |
|---|---|
| Premium u2018relaxationu2019 front seats with heating, ventilation, memory | Heated and power-adjustable rear seats |
| Rear door sunshades | Vision panoramic sunroof |
| Heated steering wheel | Rear door sunshades |
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As before, all five-star ANCAP rated Ioniq 5 variants are fully featured when it comes to safety technology – not something that can be said for rivals such as the Polestar 2 and Tesla Model Y which require option boxes to be ticked for a full complement of driver assistance features.
Additionally, for the MY24 update the Epiq does without camera mirrors as standard. Instead, a $3000 pack includes the camera side mirrors as well as a new digital interior rear-view monitor that provides a wider 50-degree view of the road behind.
| Hyundai Ioniq 5 safety features | |
|---|---|
| Adaptive cruise control with stop & go | Lane trace/lane follow assist |
| Driver attention monitoring | Rear cross-traffic alert with braking |
| Leading vehicle departure alert | Foward AEB with car, pedestrian, cyclist |
| Safe-exit assist | Junction and turning AEB |
| Rear occupant alert | Blind-spot monitoring |
| Evasive steering assist | Blind-spot view camera |
| Intelligent speed limit assist | 360-degree surround-view monitor |
| Automatic parking with remote function | Front and rear parking sensors |
| Low-speed reverse AEB | Automatic high-beams |
| Tyre pressure monitoring | Seven airbags |
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Available overseas since 2021, the new Australian base model Ioniq 5 features a rear-mounted 125kW/350Nm motor paired with a 54kWh (58kWh gross) lithium-ion battery pack.
The rated WLTP driving range is 384km from a charge and it’s capable of hitting 100km/h from rest in around 8.5 seconds. With the E-GMP platform’s 800-volt electric architecture, rapid charging from 10-80 per cent takes 17 minutes in the smaller battery.
All other Ioniq 5 variants retain the 74kWh (77.4kWh gross) battery, good for between 454km (AWD Epiq) and 507km (RWD Dynamiq) of driving range in the WLTP cycle. Taking the per centage from 10-80 takes 18 minutes for the bigger battery Ioniq 5.
Vehicles fitted with the larger battery get more power – the rear-wheel drive gets 168kW and the same 350Nm torque figure for a 0-100km/h sprint in 7.3 seconds. The all-wheel drive models get a second 74kW motor mounted on the front axle for combined outputs of 239kW and 605Nm for a 5.1-second standard sprint.
The updated Ioniq 5 has been announced, but Hyundai has yet to confirm when customer deliveries will begin in Australia.
Today, only two remain.
As every car enters a new generation, gets updated or simply progresses unchanged into a new model year, the price tag invariably goes up.
Thanks to inflation, interest rates and currency changes, supply shortages, fewer sharp deals, marked-up showroom prices, and a generally increasing cost of living against stagnant wage growth, new cars aren’t quite as accessible for many of today’s buyers.
Previously owned cars aren’t quite the save they used to be, either, with delays in new-car deliveries having an obvious flow-on effect of creating a seller’s market for used cars.
Car brands such as MG, Kia and Mitsubishi have committed to keeping entry-level base models as cheap as possible with fewer safety and convenience features, while most others have gone upmarket by packing in more standard equipment to help buyers swallow the higher price.
And, while switching to an EV can significantly ease the cost of ownership pressure, most carmakers only sell big-battery models in Australia to offer maximum driving range, instead of offering the cheaper, small-battery options available overseas.
She eventually found a dealer willing to sell it at Kia’s suggested $20,400 drive-away price, but despite costing around $5000 more for fundamentally the same vehicle, she told WhichCar: “I guess like everything, it just keeps going up and up.”
“New safety features and Apple CarPlay are good. But, we still need a basic model for people that just want a nice reliable car,” Jane said.
“Nothing too flash, but I want the warranty mainly for peace of mind – cheap running costs and good on fuel [efficiency].”
Most new cars now include more features as standard, including advanced technologies, a range of safety assistance systems, alloy wheels, a leatherette steering wheel, and LED headlights in some cases.
However, Volkswagen Group Australia communications manager Daniel DeGasperi told WhichCar there have been a variety of factors contributing to higher new-car prices.
“What we’ve seen is an enormous investment in additional passive and active safety technology, and a preference from Australian consumers for models that are better equipped than they were even five years ago,” Mr DeGasperi said.
“That preference comes from liaising with our dealers and seeing that there is limited interest for [lower-spec entry-level] models.
“We say it and then occasionally we will offer a model with less equipment, but buyers tend to buy the middle-spec or the higher-spec model.
“It’s not just the recommended retail price. We have made enormous strides at Volkswagen in terms of cost of [improving] ownership elements [warranty and servicing]. That’s been a focus.”
“Simple reality”
The carmaker’s insights have been supported by a study from Savvy, which found about half of Australians prioritised a 360-degree camera system and blind-spot monitoring in their next car purchase.
However, only about one-third preferred auto emergency braking and adaptive cruise control, and lane-keep assist was the least favoured.
DeGasperi added the COVID-19 pandemic has also impacted supply chains for all carmakers, with shipping costs “enormously higher than they were five years ago” and the “simple reality” of increased commodity and supplier costs.
Mazda Australia managing director Vinesh Bhindi told WhichCar in August that increased iron ore, steel, and energy market prices – all critical for manufacturing a vehicle – have also driven prices up.
| 2018 model | 2018 starting price (before on-road costs) | 2023 model change | 2023 starting price (before on-road costs) | Five-year difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MG 3 | $15,990 drive-away | No change | $19,990 drive-away | 20% |
| Kia Picanto | $14,190 | Updated | $16,290 | 13% |
| Toyota Yaris | $15,390 | New gen, larger, more features, auto only | $24,800 | 38% |
| Mazda 2 | $14,990 | Facelifted twice, more features | $22,410 | 33% |
| Suzuki Swift | $15,990 | Facelifted | $23,990 | 33% |
| Volkswagen Polo | $17,990 | Facelifted, more features, auto only | $28,990 | 38% |
| Skoda Fabia | $16,990 drive-away | New gen, top-spec auto only | $38,990 drive-away | 56% |
| Hyundai Accent | $15,490 | Replaced by Hyundai Venue SUV | $22,000 | 30% |
| Ford Fiesta | $15,825 | Replaced by Ford Puma SUV, auto only | $30,840 | 49% |
| Renault Clio | $16,990 | Replaced by Renault Captur SUV, auto only | $33,000 | 49% |
Table scrolls horizontally to reveal more columns. Prices are accurate as at the time of publication.
Other than the Picanto, Jane only considered the Volkswagen Polo but said the circa-$30K base price – $8500 higher to enter than five years ago – was too high, even if it has more standard features.
While DeGasperi admits its brands, including Volkswagen, Skoda and now Cupra have a more premium positioning, he said significantly raised median incomes in the past few decades means its circa-$30K Polo and Scala small cars are still affordable and represent good value in context.
Yet Australians’ average income hasn’t kept up with inflation in the past five years due to the ripple effects of COVID-19.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) [↗], the Consumer Price Index (CPI) – which is a measure of inflation – has increased by 65 per cent from June 2018 to 2023.
In comparison, ABS data [↗] outlines that wages have grown by around 36 per cent in the same period.
For example, the $19,990 drive-away MG 3 is Australia’s best-selling light hatch that doesn’t feature any advanced active safety assistance systems, while the new MG 5 small sedan has a sharp $24,990 drive-away starting price with only low-speed front auto emergency braking as standard and the rear seatbelt reminder light is reserved for the top-spec variant.
MG Australia chief executive Peter Ciao previously denounced the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) for its stringent testing criteria: “We can provide any model with five-star [credentials] but that costs money… and now in Australia this safety requirement is now so high it’s ridiculous.”
Moreover, Mazda Australia has said it won’t re-submit the facelifted Mazda 2 to ANCAP – which now includes a safety assist tech suite but is structurally the same as the original 2014 model – while Mitsubishi Australia has echoed MG’s sentiments to let the public decide ‘what is an acceptable level of safety’.
“Now is not the right time for vehicle brands to be suggesting that safety should be sacrificed for the sake of cost savings”
However, ANCAP CEO Carla Hoorweg told WhichCar in a statement that the safety of new cars should be the priority for manufacturers, especially when affordable small cars are more vulnerable in road accidents and safety is “only one relatively small component” of prices.
“Manufacturers suggesting that ANCAP is driving up costs are encouraged to consider the safety of their customers and the life-saving benefits that these technologies have been demonstrated to deliver,” Hoorweg said.
“Unfortunately the number of lives lost on Australia’s roads continues to grow … Now is not the right time for vehicle brands to be suggesting that safety should be sacrificed for the sake of cost savings.”
According to the Australian Road Deaths database [↗], 1240 road-related fatalities were recorded to the end of September this year – a nearly five per cent increase compared to the same period in 2022.
This includes Level 2 assistance systems: auto emergency braking (with vehicle, pedestrian, cyclist and intersection detection), blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic assist, lane-keep and lane-centring assist, adaptive cruise control, and rear- or 360-degree cameras.
DeGasperi said developing and calibrating these active safety systems to perform reliably and accurately for each model requires a substantial investment that needs to be recouped over time.
“Front and rear autonomous emergency braking, lane assist – these are very sophisticated technologies that not only require sensors, radars and cameras to be able to detect these things as correctly as they can, but you have a duplicate effect of the hardware cost with the development cost,” DeGasperi told WhichCar.
Volkswagen also added a front-centre airbag to the facelifted Polo light car – following the new-generation Toyota Yaris – which helped it achieve a higher adult occupant protection rating from ANCAP.
DeGasperi notes a reversing camera isn’t standard on the Volkswagen Golf R hot hatch in the United Kingdom. The same applies to base models of the MG 4 electric car, Mazda CX-5 medium SUV, and Toyota HiLux ute in some countries.
But, unlike Europe and soon Australia, the UK hasn’t mandated the need for a reversing camera in new vehicles.
Despite some overseas markets offering more de-specced entry-level variants, Australia is still one of the cheapest countries to buy and own a vehicle.
For example, the base Kia Picanto ‘1’ in the UK – which unlike Australia doesn’t include a touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, reversing camera and sensors, and a rear middle seat – is priced from £13,665 (AU$25,912).
Based on the exchange rate at the time of writing, that’s around $10K more to buy than the Picanto S in Australia, not to mention higher average incomes than those in the UK.
In Australia, most carmakers only sell large battery EVs at launch – which is a key contributor to driving up price tags – compared with other countries.
Likewise, EVs are often more highly featured compared to their combustion engine equivalents.
However, some Chinese-made models already match the price of comparable combustion engine vehicles, with the cheapest EVs now costing from around $40K including the BYD Dolphin, MG 4 and GWM Ora.
“We’re a very affluent country and there’s money to be made”
Tasmanian-born social enterprise The Good Car Company was founded in 2019 to bring more accessibly-priced EVs to Australia. It primarily imports used examples from Japan and the United Kingdom, where there is more choice of variants with smaller batteries and/or lower specs available.
Co-founder Anthony Broese van Groenou told WhichCar it’s an ‘important service’ for carmakers to sell long-range EVs to help address perceived buyer concerns, but larger batteries have a higher initial carbon footprint and most Australians don’t need the extended range every day.
“We’re a very affluent country and there’s money to be made. I think it’s just simple economics if [carmakers] can sell vehicles into a market where people are willing to pay that [higher] price,” Broese van Groenou said.
“The idea is not to buy a bigger battery with a bigger environmental footprint and a much bigger capital outlay if you only really need that [long range] once or twice a year.
“One side of it is helping to alleviate some of those psychological barriers that people have when they haven’t considered how far they actually commute on an average daily basis.”
However, Broese van Groenou said car brands that choose not to bring more affordable EV options here risk inequitable access for Australians.
“The reality is that, while we are going through a cost-of-living crisis, the people at the lower end of the socioeconomic scale are less likely to be buying an EV because they just don’t have that disposable income,” he told WhichCar.
“Whereas, where the sales continue to increase, it’s people that are very asset rich and doing quite well in this cost-of-living crisis, who are able to afford those bigger range vehicles.”
For example, locally the Kia EV6 electric SUV is only available with a long-range battery, the Nissan Leaf hatch is only sold as a high-spec model with two battery size options, and the Cupra Born warm hatch and upcoming Volkswagen ID.4 SUV are only offered with the largest battery and most powerful motors at launch.
“Currently the best strategy is to provide those longer range offerings with high specification and good performance”
DeGasperi told WhichCar this is a strategy for attracting buyers to make the electric switch.
“Buyers expect a level of standard equipment if they’re investing in a battery-electric vehicle,” DeGasperi said.
“Particularly given Australia is growing in terms of electric vehicle infrastructure, currently the best strategy is to provide those longer range offerings with high specification and good performance.
“That’s how to talk to Tiguan customers about moving to an [ID.4] electric vehicle.
“As we progress through, these things will not be fixed forever to a particular battery size or range. But, this is really the start of quite an enormous rollout of electric vehicles and, at this particular time, that’s what will most resonate with buyers.”
However, in the lead up to the federal government mandating ‘fuel efficiency standards’, some car brands have expanded their line-ups with lesser-specced variants to be eligible for the fringe benefits tax (FBT) exemption and select state incentives.
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is now available with a smaller standard range battery as part of an expanded six-prong line-up two years after its launch, the facelifted Volvo XC40 Recharge received a lesser-powered single motor variant, and likewise the BMW i4’s new eDrive35 entry variant.
Yet the most popular EVs in Australia – the Tesla Model 3 sedan, Model Y and BYD Atto 3 SUV – are fully featured to offer the best value on the base variant. The only choices are different battery sizes and drivetrains.
Yet Australia remains one of the most affordable countries globally to buy and own a vehicle, with higher-than-average earnings – demonstrated by the popularity of pricier SUVs and utes, with a million-plus new cars being registered every year.
DeGasperi told WhichCar: “When you look at that and the fact that – at least our customers at Volkswagen and Skoda – want more richly equipped models, then the argument for a model with hubcaps and no leather steering wheel just to get it in a [lower] price really does evaporate.
“Because we could do it. But nobody wants it,” DeGasperi said.
“We could do it. But nobody wants it”
It remains particularly difficult for those on a tight budget and first-car buyers who simply need a dependable new vehicle to get from A to B, although the likely return of sharper drive-away discounts may give some reprieve.
But with a new-generation MG 3 and facelifted Kia Picanto coming next year, it’s possible that there soon won’t be any new cars priced under $20K in Australia.
As Jane said, “I guess like everything it just keeps going up and up.”
