By Paul Gover.
Q: My car was rear-ended and written-off so I need to buy something new.
I love everything about the Hyundai Kona except their dreadful colour range.
I don’t want another black car and, although I like most of the reds that I see in the road, the Kona red does not do it for me.
I’m wondering if there is likely to be a new model, with better colours, coming out soon?
Marion J
A: If you don’t like the colours at Hyundai, duck into a Kia showroom and have a close look at the Seltos. It’s a Kona under the skin so you should like it and perhaps they have the right colour for you.
Q: Shopping for a sub-compact SUV, I am impressed with the Toyota CH-R
Apart from the blind spot at the rear when changing lanes.
Although the upgraded model has a sensor for this, CH-R forums report flaws in the sensor which dealers can’t fix.
I do like the Toyota quality.
Sue S
A: Many SUVs have poor visibility in the rear three-quarters, thanks to trendy designs, and it will impact on parking and manoeuvring as well as lane changes. The CH-R is particularly bad and a Hyundai Kona or Kia Stonic would be better in that area. As for Toyota quality, it’s not nearly as impressive as it was in the past and Kia and Hyundai are both a close match on that front so you would not be losing.
Q: My eldest daughter has a Honda HR-V and is thinking of trading it in on the Hyundai Kona Active.
Her main reason is she wants more gadgets, especially the Apple play.
Is she on the right track or is there a better vehicle that would suit her needs as a mature mother who loves driving and loves gadget?
Bob C
A: The Kona is a smart choice and the Elite will give her all the toys she wants. It gets The Tick from me.
Q: My son is looking for a first car and wants a Holden ute or Ford wagon but we think they are too big.
We’re trying to persuade him to go for a new MG, cheap and Chinese but around $17,000 with a 7-year warranty
It’s hard to beat, except 3-Star ANCAP safety of course.
What do you think please?
Chris D
A: Definitely not the big Aussie stuff for a first-timer as they can be difficult to handle and are heavy on fuel and tyres. For his budget, and with safety as the top priority I would not recommend the MG3 but go for a near-new Hyundai i30 or Kia Cerato as a good way to learn and stay safe.
Q: I’m contacting you for your advice on a car for my daughter who just turned 18.
I’m leaning towards a 2018-2019 Toyota Corolla hatch or a Mazda3.
Should I wait until Xmas or is the car market going to continue to rise?
A: Anthony S,
The Mazda3 will be better value than the Corolla, which older folks knew and loved as bulletproof and good value from the 1970s. But also take a look at the Hyundai i30, which is the modern equivalent of the Corolla but without the premium for a Toyota badge. There is no sign that car prices will drop any time in 2021.
Q: Could you please give me your impression of the Toyota Yaris Cross?
This is for my son, who has an all-wheel drive Skoda station wagon and is worried about petrol costs as he travels a lot.
Neville B
A: Staying in the Skoda family, to improve trade-in pricing, the baby Fabia will give sensational economy even if it’s not a trendy SUV shape. In the baby SUV class, the Toyota is quite costly and I would steer more towards the excellent Kia Stonic.
Q: I’m looking to replace my Ford Territory Titanium which has covered 335,000 kilometres.
I’m looking at three vehicles, secondhand with low kilometres, from 2013 to 2017.
They are the ML 350 Mercedes, BMW X5 and Range Rover Discovery Sports.
Usage would be for general driving, carting my drums to play and towing a trailer or boat.
Damian M
A: The X5 would be my choice. From that era it has the best all-round package and seems to be solid on reliability.
Q: I’ve just picked up my new Ford Ranger Wildtrak X 2-litre 10-speed, after a five-month wait, and I’m curious regarding the auto engine off function when stopped.
A friend is trying to tell me that this would be no good for a diesel engine but I’m guessing that Ford would know more than him.
David M
A: Stop-start systems are used to cut emissions while vehicles are idling and do no damage to a vehicle.
If you have a question for the Car Doctor, send an email to [email protected]
