Archive for May, 2020
Will Car Ownership Rise in the Post-COVID Era?
New car sales have slumped all across the world due to the impact of COVID-19. Australia’s result last month, showing a near 50% drop in new car registrations, paled in comparison with some of those seen overseas, where the dive in sales was upwards of 95%.
With lockdowns keeping motorists at home, as well as the economic repercussions associated with job losses also weighing on sentiment, there has been an abrupt halt in sales across the industry. That’s not to say the local market was showing signs of growth beforehand, with two years of month-on-month declines setting the backdrop.
However, while it’s not yet being translated into sales at showrooms across the country, there is a growing sense of interest and buying intent being recorded among potential new car buyers.
Interest returning to the market
Just a few weeks ago, between April 18 and April 27, Carsales surveyed more than 3000 Australians. The company noted that 45% of non-car owners have changed their views regarding primary transport preferences.
In addition, the company’s findings suggested that 58.5% of respondents were more likely to consider buying a car, including 38% of all participants who are keen to buy a car right now. On the other side of the equation, just 21.9% of non-car owners were less likely to consider buying a car.
Rounding out the results, a significant 36.8% of non-car owners signalled they will probably use public transport less, with another 17.8% more likely to avoid using ride share services.
What’s driving demand?
From a position of financial standing, those who can still afford a car in this current financial climate have greater scope to negotiate a bargain due to excess stock. Add in record-low interest rates and those who have been holding off for a while are now in a good position to start shopping around.
More prominently, however, amid the pandemic it’s no surprise that people’s habits and perceptions of safe behaviour are changing. With social distancing being instilled into communities everywhere, it’s all but set to stay for the foreseeable future. This comes even with evidence that Australia has handled the health crisis far better than most other countries around the world.
There are two driving forces here. On the one hand, there will likely remain underlying health and hygiene anxieties among many, particularly those with existing health conditions that they may wish to manage. Convenience is also sure to prove a driving factor, with public transport set to come with hurdles in terms of limited supply and reduced capacity.
What does it all mean for the market? It certainly looks like Australians could shift back towards car ownership, despite slipping in recent times.
How do you feel about the near and mid-term outlook for commuting to work? Do you have concerns around sharing public transport and are you more likely to consider looking for a new car?
2020 SsangYong Korando ELX And Ultimate: Private Fleet Car Review.
This Car Review Is About: The mid and top level 2020 SsangYong Korando. The car has been given a complete makeover inside and out. No longer does it look like a poor cousin to the curvy Korean sourced and no longer available Captiva. Rather it’s now a vehicle of its own styling, and yet there’s a whiff of familiarity as well.
How Much Does It Cost?: The three model range starts at $26,990 with the EX, $30,990 for the petrol ELX and $36,990 for the petrol Ultimate. All prices are driveaway. There is a diesel available for the ELX and Ultimate for a $3,000 extra cost.
Under The Bonnet Is: A rorty and exuberant 1.5L turbo petrol engine. Power and torque are rated at 120kW and 280Nm from 1,500rpm through to 4,000rpm. It’s got a nature very much like an excited puppy, with a free revving nature, plenty of pull when it’s up and running, and will have the front wheels scrabbling for grip from a hard launch. But there’s a price to pay and that’s at the petrol pump. We didn’t see anything under 9.0L/100km at any time. Ssangyong quotes only a combined figure and that’s 7.7L/100km, an indicator the suburban drive is over 9.0L/100km. The fuel tank is just 47L,
The transmission is a six speed auto and drives the front wheels. There is a transmission tunnel visible in the rear seat section, suggesting the Korando has been engineered for AWD later. And being a six-speeder also means it’s starting to be left behind considering the now virtually standard eight speeds found elsewhere.
On The Outside It’s: Squarer, boxier, and more assertive looking than the original. There’s a hint of Suzuki Swift and Volvo XC40 at the rear with the fin-shaped pillar insert, a touch of Volkswagen at the front with the layered horizontal lines in the centre.
A chromed strip runs across in a line just under the leading edge of the bonnet, dipping down under each self-leveling headlight. The Ultimate sports a triple-tiered driving light cluster underneath; the ELX has blacked out inserts. Both have a triple layered set of lines in the main air-intake which echoes the driving lights in the Ultimate.
The rear lights mirror the front, with three chevrons either side and another chromed strip that runs under each cluster. Solid looking black polycarbonate finishes off each end whilst the sides and flanks have heavily sculpted lines to ease a slightly slabby look. The wing mirrors are folding and heated, a nice touch on those coolish, foggy days.
Good looking tuning fork style 18 inch alloys on the ELX have Kumho Crugen 235/55 rubber. The Ultimate has double spiral alloys at 19 inches in diameter and rubber from Hankook at 235/50.
Overall it’s compact in size; 4,450mm in total length is shorter than it appears. A wheelbase of 2,675mm sits inside that. It’s tall at 1,620mm and broad at 1,870mm. It’s not excessively heavy at 1,435kg dry.
On The Inside It’s: Classy in the Ultimate, only a little less so in the ELX. The Ultimate has a full LCD display for the driver; on startup two spinning discs become the speed and rev counter displays. The look can morph into a couple of other looks depending on information required.
For The ELX it’s traditional analogue yet still good looking. There are options to change the dial lighting and for both daytime and night time running in choice. Sadly the centre dash touchscreen is severely lacking in comparison. No DAB, no satnav, no real menu structure…It’s worse than basic, looks as dull as dishwater, and frankly detracts strongly from the Korando’s otherwise quite enjoyable ambience. 
The centre stack is piano black, the aircon controls are laid out cleanly, and in the case of the Ultimate are soft touch rocker-switch style tabs. A slightly odd touch is the size of the door handles inside. Very slimline and the kind a slippery finger would easily slide over and off.
The manually adjusted for reach and rake steering wheel is on the larger side to hold. That’s not entirely a bad thing as it makes for easier push-pull driving. The Ultimate has it as heated as well, along with the leather seats being heated and vented. For the ELX the cloth clad seats do the job, and nicely thank you, with perhaps both needing a little more under thigh support.
Both have a drive mode selector dial in the centre console, with Sport and Winter modes available. The buttons around the gear selector for the Ultimate look burrowed from the brand’s Korean cousins. The tiller is also familiar in look, if not heft.Room isn’t a major issue all round. The boot is 551L and grows to 1,248L. Headroom is 1,011mm and 987mm.
On The Road It’s: A bit of fun. The steering and ride quality are twitchy; the steering requires constant input, the Lane Keeping Assist is, like its Korean counterparts, over-eager, and the ride is a little on the firm side. The front suspension crashes through at times, rather than providing initial compliance before dialing out impacts. But the steering is just light enough that you can feel a little bit sporty hustling the Korando through switchbacks and adjust for the slight oversteer and medium range velocities.
Actual engine engagement is solid. As mentioned it’s an eager thing and will happily chirp the front rubber. Once hooked up, there’s decent acceleration from a smallish turbo engine in a decent small-mid sized SUV. The auto, for “all” of its a six-speeder, is slick, changes well up and down through the cogs, and only occasionally felt as if it was in the wrong place. It also engine brakes downhills nicely, and a gentle tap of the paddle shifters at the bottom brings everything back into line.
The brakes are a touch on the soft side. There’s some space between the touch and push before engagement is felt and it’s a soft press still from there. But they do grab and haul up the Korando well enough, and stopping distance can be judged once some time with the car has been taken. Suspension wise, the Ultimate had a “feel” that it was more aligned with the sporting driver.
What About Safety?: AEB or Autonomous Emergency Braking is standard across the range, along with Forward Collision Warning. Lane Keep Assist is standard for all three, whereas Lane Change Assist isn’t for the EX. The Ultimate is the one to receive Adaptive Cruise Control, all three also get Lane Departure Warning, Driver Alert Warning, and seven airbags including driver’s knee. The EX dips out on Blind Spot Warning and Rear Cross Traffic Alert. Ultimate also gets Tyre Pressure Monitoring.
What About Warranty and Service?: Warranty is class equaling; seven years and unlimited kilometres. Service intervals are 12 months or 15,000 kilometres and are capped at $295 per service across the seven years for the Korando petrol. Roadside assistance is available for those seven years.
At The End Of The Drive. SsangYong have delivered a pretty decent vehicle in the form of the Korando ELX and Ultimate with petrol power. Sure, there’s some utterly unnecessary quirks but the lack of DAB and satnav is bordering on unforgivable. The poor user interface for the touchscreen makes accessing the apps on smart phones virtually impossible. The upside is the really cool driver’s display in the Ultimate, a ride quality and handling package that isn’t terribly unenjoyable, decent room, and good looks outside.
Some dollars by their marketing arm wouldn’t go astray as the car, and the brand, are invisible to the daily driver. That’s a shame as, aside from the quirks, the vehicles in the range are viable alternatives….or is it the quirks that stop the sale?
Dive into the Korando here.
2020 Toyota Camry Ascent Sport Hybrid: Private Fleet Car Review.
This Car Review Is About: One of the increasing range of hybrids from Toyota. In this case, their large sedan range and the Camry Ascent Sport Hybrid, which, because the petrol engine is a four cylinder, is classified as a medium category vehicle.
Under The Bonnet Is: The aforementioned four cylinder, at 2.5L in capacity, and a battery & electric motor. The petrol engine produces 131kW and 234Nm of torque, and with the electric engine, together they make for a total of 160kW and a slightly detuned 221Nm. Fuel is 95RON minimum. Transmission is Toyota’s e-CVT.
Economy is superb. We loaded up and went on a socially distanced sanctioned drive to the NSW south coast and back. The average was a wonderful 5.0L/100km, with a best at one point of 4.8L/100km. That’s with four humans, a mid sized pooch, and luggage for two days.
How Much Does It Cost?: The Camry range has 4 variants, starting with the Ascent, Ascent Sport, the SX (V6 only) and topping out with the SL. The entry price for a Camry Ascent Sport Hybrid is region dependent; for our area it’s $34,435 with plain white colouring. $34,950 is what the bank balance will lose with any of the seven metallic colours including the Steel Blonde shade our test car had.
On The Outside It’s: Really a big car. Total length is knocking on the door of five metres overall. It’s also more a shortened bootlid, longer bonnet, and sits or at least looks as if it sits lower in roof height than Camrys of the last fifteen years. This measures 1,445mm. It looks sporty and aero simultaneously. It definitely has a lower clearance and combined with the softer, comfort oriented suspension tune, would invariably scrape the black polyurethane protective material exiting some very gently sloped tarmac. All due care was taken to avoid this but it was unavoidable.
The wheel and tyre combo are ten spoke alloys and Michelin Premia 215/55/17.
With the redesign that the Camry received a couple of years ago, the front end became noticeably slimmer and allowed for a more assertive look. The headlights in the Camry Ascent Sport aren’t full LED but do have the LED driving lights integrated. They try to minimise the somewhat heavy handed look for the grille and bumper. The rear is taut and tight in comparison.
On The Inside It’s: Benefited from the extension in body and wheelbase (2,825mm). There’s ample legroom for the rear seat passengers even with the seats moved back to accommodate 180cm front seat occupants. Cargo space isn’t an issue, with a boot capacity of 524L belying the rear window line making it seem the boot is smaller.
We’ve bemoaned the heavy nose styling, and we’ve bemoaned the heavy dash styling inside. The passenger faces a multiple of folds, four in number, and it looks horrible. The driver doesn’t quite have the same issue. There’s been a clear effort to provide a cockpit feeling, complete with chrome line that wraps a slab of black and falls away at an angle from the top, This then arrows towards the passenger. This line and angle are mirrored in the driver’s display. The two dials on either side have miniaturised versions of this hook motif.
Otherwise it’s standard user friendly Toyota. The audio is app connected, there’s a DAB tuner with strong reception via the 8.0 inch screen, and the typically clean, ergonomic, layout expected from Toyota…except for that messy section the front seat passenger sees.
The driver has a powered, eight way adjustable, pew. No need for heating or cooling thanks to the cloth covering. This, by the way, is a tasteful shade of black-grey. Only the front seats have access to a USB port, and one only at that.
On The Road It’s: Simple to drive. It’s a push button start after entering the cabin and being greeted with muted whiners and clicks as the computer system awakens from its slumber. Foot on the brake, hit the starter, and in typical electric hybrid mode there’s nothing to indicate anything is happening. Hit the go pedal and it’s battery power up to 20kph before the petrol cuts in. And that’s irrespective of pressing the superfluous EV MODE button in the centre console. Use that and press the accelerator as normal and the system automatically disengages the EV. Try it at speed and you’re going too fast…
Under way the system will automatically kick the petrol engine in and out of the room as driving conditions see fit. There’s only a hint of vibration from the Priceline when the petrol engine is engaged, making the transitions smooth and seamless. There is a Sport mode for the engine but that also really is superfluous.
Ride quality is on the plush side, and this isn’t entirely a bad thing. Some of the NSW back roads are on the, ahem, rough side, yet the Camry Ascent Sport tended to glide over these with only the truly coarse surfaces intruding and upsetting the suspension. There were occasional rear end skips, one or two front end bump steers, otherwise the ride was smooth and luxurious. Certainly not a sporting oriented ride.
The steering goes the other way. Driven at highway legal speeds the steering is well and truly en pointe. There’s no need for constant adjustment in corners, even in the tightening radius turns. The nose simply goes where the wheel says it wants to. It’s light enough for easy pedaling in tight areas, heavy enough to have minimal input on the road.
We drove back to Sydney via Cobargo, the NSW town devastated by bushfire in the early part of 2020. Either side of this heartbreaking sight are some truly magnificent driving roads, and suitable for exploring the dynamics of a car such as the Camry. There’s ample urge from the hybrid drivetrain, the transmission is sweet and smooth, and the occasional “backlash” is when the car is at low speed and the e-CVT is a little confused as to where it needs to be, providing a small “bump” as it sorts itself out.
What is also sorting itself out is nature. The regrowth in some areas is nothing short of spectacular.
The touchscreen has a display that shows energy distribution on the fly. At rest there’s no movement, naturally. Accelerate hard and the flow is from the petrol engine to the electric and battery system. Ease off as the car comes to a set of traffic lights or downhill, and the flow shows energy going into the battery. There’s also a graphic that shows the level of battery charge.
What About Safety?: There’s the basic but for the Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Blind Spot Alert, you’d need to upshift to the SL. Otherwise there’s the Toyota SafetySense package. Lane Departure Alert, Pre-Collision Safety System with pedestrian detection, Automatic High Beam and All-Speed Active Cruise Control. is what you’ll find. Seven airbags are also standard.
What About Service And Warranty? Toyota says: “We’ll increase the standard guarantee on your new Hybrid battery to up to 10 years as long as you undertake your annual inspection as part of routine maintenance according to the vehicle logbook.” Check with your dealer for conditions. For the driveline: “Stick to your annual service schedule, and we’ll extend your engine and driveline warranty from five to seven years, so you can drive stress-free for longer.” Standard warranty is five years.
At The End Of The Drive. Toyota is the leader when it comes to getting the hybrid message out there. With strong rumours swirling the next LandCruiser will pack a hybrid, and the update to the fuel-thirsty Kluger will include hybrid, the Japanese company is spreading the message far and wide. The Camry Hybrid offers a a rare chance to get into an easily accessible hybrid and by being a sedan, rather than a SUV, it continues to offer that alternative. Find out more here.
Motoring Matchmaking: More For The Blokes
Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder
OK, so you’re a guy who wants to get a new car but you’re not sure what to get that will suit your situation. Your heart wants a brand new Lamborghini supercar but that’s probably not actually going to be possible with your budget… and the boot space thing might be an issue. So what’s right for you?
Here, we return to our series where we take (stereo)typical people and set you up with a set of wheels that suits your situation down to a T. This time, we focus on guys working in essential industries. Apologies in advance, but a Lambo isn’t one of the options, even if you deserve one for all your hard work during this weird time.
The Sheep and Cattle Farmer: Dave’s day may start at dawn and sometimes goes on half the night, but you can’t say that it’s boring. A typical day involves shifting stock; checking and fixing fences, water supplies and feed levels; and ensuring that the animals stay alive for long enough to bring in a profit. Any set of wheels owned by Dave has to be versatile enough to provide a nice shady place to eat lunch (and keep said lunch somewhere where the dogs can’t get at it); cart around dogs, sacks of feed, fencing equipment and sick sheep; and maybe carry a carcass on the roof when the shotgun has had to come into play. Given the terrain where the vehicle has to go no matter what the weather is, decent 4×4 ability and ground clearance are a must. When the time comes to head to town, there may or may not be a trailer involved, but it’s got to be able to take a load, and that includes the kids who wanted to come for the ride or need to get to netball practice or pony club. Looks are secondary factors but Dave wouldn’t mind something that scrubs up well… but not literally, as dirt and dust prove that you’re the real deal not some wussy city boy who only plays at offroading in the weekend.
Suggested vehicles for Dave:
Ford Ranger, Mitsubishi Triton, Nissan Navara, Toyota Hilux, VW Amarok, Mazda BT-50, Mercedes Benz X-Class Ute
Mitsubishi Triton Ute
The Freight And Logistics Expert: Many years ago, Martin was a truckie but he’s now got his own trucking, freight and logistics company, and only drives the trucks if the business is getting a bit short-handed. Most of Martin’s days are spent behind the desk, negotiating contracts and doing all the thinking, negotiating and arranging parts of the job. When it comes to heading to the office, Martin likes his comfort to make up for all those years of driving trucks with dodgy air conditioning back in the 1980s. He also likes to drive something that looks sleek and smart – yes, it’s getting a teeny bit into show-off territory but he’s worked hard for this and he’s the boss. All the same, a little sports car just isn’t him: they’re just too low down and small, and Martin feels like he just can’t see anything properly or safely when you’re down that close to the road, a legacy of all those years of actual trucking work.
Suggested vehicles for Martin:
RAM 1500, Ford F-150, Audi Q7, BMW X5, Volvo XC90, Ford Ranger, Range Rover Sport, Mercedes Benz GLE SUV, Mercedes Benz GLS SUV, Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Porsche Cayenne, Ford Everest, BMW X6, Lexus LX 570
Audi Q7 SUV
The Healthcare Worker: As a male nurse, Tony’s popular with all the older gentlemen who feel a bit uncomfortable about having women deal with their bedpans – and he’s also popular with some of the women who appreciate a bit of eye candy when they’re in hospital. All the same, Tony isn’t there to flirt but to work, and the work’s pretty demanding. In fact, by the end of his shift, Tony’s wiped out. Coffee helps but Tony knows only too well what can happen if you nod off at the wheel in a vehicle that hasn’t got a high ANCAP rating – he’s had to help deal with the results. This means that Tony wants something with all the active and passive safety features just in case. A good stereo for blasting some energetic music is also greatly appreciated. Because he does a job that, in the past, was considered to be a bit girly, Tony also wants a car that’s definitely masculine in its looks rather than some dinky-wee hairdresser’s car – he doesn’t want to turn up on somebody’s gaydar by mistake, thank you very much.
Suggested vehicles for Tony:
Subaru Levorg, Holden Commodore, Ford Mondeo, Mazda 6, BMW 5-Series, Alfa Romeo Giulia, Holden Colorado, Audi A4, Audi A5, Audi A6, Hyundai Sonata, Hyundai Santa Fe, Lexus RC-F, Volvo V50, Volvo V60, Volvo S60
Volvo S60
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