For every Ford Ranger or Toyota RAV4 topping the sales charts, there are a multitude of relatively lackluster vehicles in Australia.
Some of these vehicles are significantly more popular in other markets and hardly move the needle here for any reason.
This week’s question for auto expert The group is: which of these vehicles should actually sell better in Australia?
For this exercise, we looked at means of:
- Currently have a market share of less than four percent in their respective VFACTS segments
- In their current generation, debuted at least two years ago
- Not about to be replaced
That leaves us with a list of over 60 (!) vehicles, but as you’ll see below, not every member of auto expert the team had a different car.
Alborz Fallah: Genesis GV80
When Lexus launched in Australia, it faced years of trying to fend off the Germans, and even decades on, the Japanese luxury carmaker still couldn’t beat BMW, Audi or Mercedes-Benz.
Hyundai’s luxury brand, Genesis, is in a similar boat, except it is in the early stages of its journey and has a long way to go. The difference, however, is that the Genesis makes some of the absolute best cars in its class, and the GV70 and GV80 are two of my favorite luxury SUVs.
Exceptionally well-equipped and priced, these cars are a step ahead of the Germans in fit and finish and if you love the bold Bentley look of either of these cars, they’re the cars. must drive car before you buy another luxury SUV.
It remains to be seen how long Genesis will take to become a major player in the luxury car segment in Australia, but I doubt that if it can maintain its current edge in technology, design and powertrain. , it will overtake Lexus in the next five years. years after the establishment of the brand and the number of cars on the road has increased dramatically.
What I’m saying is, test drive the GV80 if you’re after the X5, GLE and Q7 and come back and let me know if you’re not surprised by the quality and luxury.
Paul Maric: Exploring Land Rover
For me, the most prominent is the Land Rover Discovery.
It feels like one of those vehicles that have lost their way in Australia as the design completely changes. Even a small facelift doesn’t really fix it.
It’s an SUV that’s suitable for any profession and is also great to drive. Let’s hope that Land Rover can solve it soon!
Scott Collie: Volvo V60 Cross Country
The Volvo V60 Cross Country is an excellent car and fulfills a lot of the criteria that midsize SUV buyers want.
It has high ground clearance, a large trunk, and all-wheel drive, but it’s just much more stylish than a crossover. Sure, Subaru makes the Outback and Volkswagen makes the Passat Alltrack, but neither is as stylish as the Scandinavian specifically.
Get the most comfortable seats fitted to a car on sale in Australia today, a powerful sound system and a suspension tuned for comfort instead of sportiness. , and you’ve got the perfect Grand Tourer.
Anthony Crawford: Too many to mention
My God, there are so many vehicles that deserve to outsell in Australia, it seems really unfair to pick just a few, but let’s get started. (A couple? You are asked to choose only one! – Editor)
In the more affordable category, I can’t fathom how the Honda HR-V has a special package. And, as I also pointed out in my review, it’s not the most expensive in its class, but it’s excellent in performance and handling compared to other makes and models in its class and has Lots of good accessories to boot.
The fact it’s only a four-seater means it won’t be for everyone, but if you can get past that and the fact that it only has a four-star safety rating (but still equipped with active safety features), you I will love it.
The Ford Escape is another worthwhile proposition thanks to its good aesthetics, wide range of accessories, and a superbly powerful four-cylinder turbocharged engine that delivers good performance.
Same with any Skoda. More interesting in my opinion than the VW equivalent.
In terms of credibility, I was overwhelmed by what Genesis was doing. In particular, the G80 four-door sedan in Makalu Gray Matte. Forget Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz – the G80 is almost on another level when it comes to quality, materials and level of detail.
It reminds me of Bentley more than any other make/model – it’s also tens of thousands cheaper than its direct rivals. Not to mention it has one of the most refined twin-turbo V6s I’ve ever experienced. Paint alone would be a $10,000 option with any other brand in the same league. Genesis only charges $2000 – and that is the only option.
I also have a soft spot for the Alfa Romeo Giulia – the Quadrifoglio hi-po is a great car in many ways from its design to its superb performance.
Credentino Pearl: Ford Escape
I think I’ll have to take the Ford Escape. In particular, PHEV is very underrated.
In my opinion, the Escape PHEV is the perfect vehicle for those who want to add an electric vehicle to their garage.
It has plenty of space, drives great, offers value for money and Ford really has them in stock!
It’s a shame that Ford has decided to remove the Escape line from its lineup after 2023.
Derek Fung: Honda Accord
Quite a few people have been talking about the poor reception of the Ford Puma and Escape in Australia, so I won’t go there.
Instead, let’s learn about the Honda Accord. Designed to take on the Camry in the battle for America’s favorite sedan, the Accord is arguably the better car in terms of handling, handling, and interior design.
Thanks in part to the Camry’s popularity among fleets, taxis, and rentals, Toyota has taken the lead in the US with about 100,000 units a year during the pandemic (around 300,000 to 200,000). This gap increases to nearly 150,000 vehicles by 2022 (295,201 to 154,612), due in part to the Accord’s generational shift.
In the same year in Australia, the Accord only achieved sales of 165, 90 and 96, while the Camry reached 13,727, 13,081 and 9538.
Why? Well, in Australia you might not be able to go to an outbuilding without stumbling across a Toyota dealer, and there’s the legacy of the Camry’s long local production, but that’s mostly down to the price.
The Accord is available in a top-spec priced from $57,000 to $60,000 depending on the powertrain, while the Camry can be had for as little as $36,000. Even just comparing the Accord Hybrid to the top-of-the-line Camry SL Hybrid, the Accord has a premium of around $7000. For reference, in the US, an Accord usually costs $1000 more than a Camry with similar specs.
It seems that only Australians who cling to the notion that Honda is the “Japanese BMW” are willing to shell out dollars for an Accord.
William Stopford: Ford Escape and Puma
Imagine retreating from the mid-size SUV segment, the top-selling segment in Australia, in 2023.
that is exactly what Ford Australia is doingand doesn’t give a clear reason why. Supply is at least partly to blame, but Ford Australia has long struggled to gain traction in the mid-size SUV segment despite having a really good product.
The current Escape can use some finesse, but it makes a strong case for itself in a particularly crowded segment thanks to its powerful turbocharged four-cylinder engine, plug-in option hybrid is quite stable and dynamic, packaging and technology competitive.
The idea for this week’s question actually came after I drove a Ford Puma for the first time in a while.
It’s rare that I walk into a small SUV and think, “God, I can really see myself owning it,” but Puma always makes me think so.
I find it more enjoyable to drive this vehicle along Mount Glorious Road than the more expensive, more powerful vehicles. It’s easily the most enjoyable vehicle to drive in the light and small SUV segment, even if it only has 92 kW to generate from three turbochargers.
Second-place runners-up include the Hyundai Palisade, which I find both stylish and well-packaged, and the Genesis G80, which offers a stylish and well-equipped alternative to its European rivals.
Jack Quick: Volkswagen Passat Alltrack
If I had to choose my favorite shoddy new car that’s currently on sale, I’d have to choose the Volkswagen Passat Alltrack. It currently holds 0.3% of the small market share in the large SUV segment of VFACTS.
This choice really comes as no surprise given how enamored I am with the Subaru Outback XT.
For example, the Passat Alltrack has an extremely bulky trunk and is said to be more practical and sexy than the Tiguan Allspace, for example.
I’m also a huge fan of the familiar but outdated 2.0-litre ‘162TSI’ turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, seven-speed dual-clutch and all-wheel drive. It would be great if Volkswagen Australia still offers a diesel version.
I understand that Volkswagen has struggled with parts shortages over the past few years, but there’s no denying the fact that the Tiguan Allspace now outsells the Passat Alltrack by almost 19 times.
If we don’t get over this forklift soon, I wouldn’t be surprised if it leaves the Australian coast.
James Wong: Ford Puma
I often make the mistake that we have so much choice in Australia but the buying public tends to follow trends and overlook some of the iconic diamonds in the rough – there are many of them.
The car that I really think deserves a better sale is the Ford Puma, and I call it a car that stands out from the rest because of how important the compact SUV segment is today.
Often, when brands create crossovers from passenger car platforms, that comes at the expense of dynamic performance and interaction. While the Fiesta is a little pocket rocket, the Puma actually holds that core DNA.
The Ford Puma is the best handling small SUV out there, no matter what. And we didn’t even get the super-fast Puma ST in Australia – come on Ford, give us that little green car!
It’s also pretty solid value in a world where prices keep rising; grab the entry-level Puma FWD (from $30,840) with the $990 Parking Package that will get you a tech-filled small SUV with a powerful three-cylinder engine and class-leading dynamics for under $37,000 on the road.
Special mentions to the VW Passat Alltrack and Volvo V60 Cross Country – we need to keep these crossover wagons alive.
