CAR ADVICE

Does Honda’s no-haggle medium SUV have what it takes to dethrone the current king? Let’s find out. Overview Mid-size SUVs are the Goldilocks of the auto industry. Half of all the new vehicles bought by Australians each year are SUVs, and mid-sizers like the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V are, by far, the biggest market segment. That popularity with consumers means it is also one of the most heavily populated marketplaces, with 20 different vehicles vying for buyers’ attention. The Toyota RAV4 is the current and clear king, followed by the Mazda CX-5 in second. Then there’s a gaggle of contenders vying for third, including the Mitsubishi Outlander , Hyundai Tucson , Nissan X-Trail and Subaru Forester . The Honda CR-V may only be tenth, but it has one thing that none of the others do: fixed pricing. Honda’s no-haggle strategy could be perceived as a boon for buyers who don’t like negotiating, but it’s not working out that way yet because Honda’s products are sli...

Toyota topped global vehicle sales last year after stockpiling semiconductors at the beginning of the coronavirus crisis, and minimising interruptions to production. Toyota is the biggest car company in the world – by sales volume – for the second year in a row after extending its lead over Germany’s Volkswagen Group to take out global honours – and ending General Motors’ 90-year run at the top of the US charts. Japanese car giant Toyota reported 10.496 million vehicles as sold in 2021 – including its luxury division Lexus and small-car specialist Daihatsu.  It was a 10 per cent increase compared to the prior year – though not an annual global sales record for the company – as Toyota initially was unaffected by production slowdowns during the global coronavirus pandemic  Of that tally, more than 8.3 million Toyota vehicles were sold outside Japan – including in Australia where Toyota has been the top-selling car company for 19 years in a row. The Vol...

Skoda has compressed the roofline of its first dedicated electric car, creating the more aerodynamic Coupe body style – and in doing so introducing its most powerful car ever. The 2022 Skoda Enyaq Coupe iV has been revealed, as the sleeker-styled, coupe-inspired version of Skoda’s debut dedicated electric car – but there’s no firm word on when it will reach Australian showrooms. Due on sale in Europe later this year, the Enyaq Coupe iV rides on the same MEB modular electric architecture as Skoda’s standard Enyaq iV – but from the rear door back gains a sloping ‘coupe-styled’ roofline delivering styling and aerodynamic benefits. The Coupe body style also ushers in a new RS performance variant , with dual electric motors that develop 220kW combined – granting the electric SUV the title of Skoda’s most powerful production car . Thanks to its sleeker roofline – and a subtle flick in the shape of the tailgate – the Coupe claims a drag coefficient of 0.234, boosting the WL...