If you’re chasing a car that will transport big families in luxury, tow the boat, be safe for all road users and tread lightly on the environment, then stop looking. The perfect car doesn’t exist – and it never will.
Cars are a compromise, no matter what part of the market you’re shopping in.
Utes do a great job hauling heavy loads and carrying bulky things, but they’re short on covered storage and can be cumbersome to drive. Supercars are fast and slick through corners but impractical and expensive. Somewhere in the middle are cars most Aussies buy.
With that in mind, here are some of the cars that straddle the middle ground nicely.
Small SUVs
SUVs don’t have to be big and brash, as the Hyundai Kona proves. One of several small SUVs that aren’t particularly small, it can easily cater for two-child families. And with the underpinnings of a small hatchback (it’s often a grey area between the two), there is familiarity for those used to city cars. Buyers can choose between petrol, hybrid or electric propulsion; from a value perspective, the hybrid is the pick. A nearly flat floor means those in the back aren’t short-changed on legroom, and the Kona comes packed with tech to match its modern exterior.
The Toyota Corolla Cross is also an excellent choice with a terrific hybrid system. While the base GX misses out on some gear, splash out on the GXL, and you’ll get a nicer machine.
People movers
People movers tend to be big and bulky, but the Kia Carnival is cleverer than your average family bus. Many people movers are essentially commercial vans with extra seats, but the Carnival was designed with only people in mind. And it can seat up to eight, one more than most large SUVs. Where SUVs with three rows of seats rarely have room for the luggage of a full load of passengers, the Carnival’s deep boot space makes full-house airport runs a possibility. A recently introduced hybrid system keeps fuel bills low and sets the basis for a people mover that’s good to drive.
The key with people movers, of course, is ensuring you are regularly filling most seats. If you’re driving it solo, all that extra metal is dead weight.
Small EVs
If you want a small hatch, all-electric options are now cheaper than rivals from Toyota and Mazda.
At less than $35,000 drive-away, the MG4 represents solid value, especially once you factor in a 10-year warranty. Dedicated EV architecture maximises interior space. With a single motor driving the rear wheels, it also drives with pizazz. The 350km of claimed range (think more like 310km in the real world) will limit its weekend-away usefulness, but for those with home charging, it’s a good choice.
The BYD Dolphin is cheaper again and gets more equipment, as well as a deceptively spacious interior EVs do so well. It’s not as sharp to drive and not particularly powerful, but the accessible pulling power and near-instant zip of an electric motor make it a handy around-town companion.
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Electric SUVs
Electric cars are often bigger on the inside than they appear on the outside.
The Tesla Model Y is a good example: it’s a mid-sized SUV with five seats and looks after those occupants well, with generous leg and headroom. Plus, there are 854 litres of luggage space behind the back seats, some of it beneath the floor. That’s loads more than most petrol-powered rivals (the Toyota RAV4 has a 580 litre boot) even without the 117 litre of under bonnet storage. An updated model that hits the road soon will also get a bonnet that pops up in an impact to protect pedestrians.
If you want something a little less spaceship but with plenty of EV goodness, the Kia EV5 is a good place to start.
And if you’re chasing some luxury and lashings of tech, the Polestar 4 is a great option.
Mid-sized SUVs
If you want a large SUV that does its best work around town but can still tackle light duty tracks, the Hyundai Santa Fe is a good option. At its core is a 1.6-litre four-cylinder hybrid system that uses a claimed average of 5.6 litres per 100km, less than some small cars. The cabin is brimming with USB ports and cup holders, and there’s a rugged aesthetic that helps it stand out. It’s also comfortable and cruisy. Independent Australasian New Car Assessment Program crash testing gives it five stars, but the head protection for cyclists and pedestrians is only 12.14 out of 18.
Alternatively, the all-electric BMW iX3 is sharp buying, just sliding in under the luxury car tax threshold, which means it can leverage the fringe benefits tax exemption on EVs.