This year, a number of compelling vehicles exited the Australian market.

You can read a full list of every vehicle discontinued during 2023 here, but there’s really not a dud among them.

From affordable hatchbacks and family crossovers through to sports sedans and even a Ferrari, a number of compelling vehicles faced the chopping block this year.

Some discontinuations were more poignant than others. These are the vehicles we’re saddest to see go.

Anthony Crawford: Audi TT

When Alborz and I made up the entire staff at CarAdvice in 2006 (the year we kicked off), before Paul Maric joined as another stakeholder and partner, Audi was one of the first manufacturers to offer us cars to review.

I thought it was truly Christmas when the PR team handed me the keys to an orange TT 3.2L V6 Coupe. To me, at the time, it was just as good as a base model 911. And let’s not forget the design of the TT by Peter Schreyer is an auto icon.

It was also my wife’s favourite car.

Paul Maric: Kia Stinger

Kia Stinger. Since it was first launched, it has always been my go to SS Commodore replacement. Rear-wheel drive, turbo V6. It had the right formula for being a hoot to drive and a stack of fun.

Unfortunately it wasn’t a hit with consumers, but it’ll be missed!

Scott Collie: Audi TT

The Audi TT has been criticised since its conception for being a hairdresser’s car, but that doesn’t mean I won’t miss it.

It’s a style icon that still looks great today, and a lot of the things we take for granted in modern interiors can be traced back to the current TT’s debut in 2013.

High-resolution digital instruments? The TT introduced the Virtual Cockpit we take for granted in 2023. It was also early to the minimalist trend spreading across new cars in 2023, but managed to cut visual clutter without sacrificing usability thanks to some very clever engineering. Look no further than the air vents, which managed to integrate a temperature display and climate control dials into one unit.

The death of the TT comes as Audi ramps up its spending on electric cars, making it even sadder that we won’t get to hear the five-cylinder TT RS sing any longer.

Jade Credentino: Volkswagen Arteon

Unpopular opinion but I’ll miss the Volkswagen Arteon the most. This was one of the first cars I test drove and it just ticked so many boxes for me.

I understand why it left and sales were a large reason why but it’s so sad to see Volkswagen discontinue a car which was so niche and unique.

VW Australia also removed the wagon versions of the Golf and Passat which means VW’s customers need to move to Skoda or Audi if they want a Volkswagen Group wagon.

Jack Quick: Mercedes-Benz CLS

I’ve been enamoured with the Mercedes-Benz CLS ever since the first-generation model launched in 2004. I know it’s a glorified E-Class but I’ve always thought it was super cool.

I also never got to drive a brand-new one, which I’m very disappointed at. I suppose I could drive a secondhand one but it doesn’t quite have the same ring to me.

If I had to pick a CLS that I would really like to experience in particular, I’d have to go for the late model AMG CLS 53 with the 3.0-litre inline-six mild-hybrid petrol engine.

Hit me up if you’ve got one that you’d let me have a poke around in!

William Stopford: Kia Stinger

I love rear-wheel drive passenger cars that are practical and offer excellent performance. I’m also not a badge snob, and I love a good bargain.

The Kia Stinger, therefore, ticked so many boxes for me. It seemed like Kia had designed a vehicle just for me. And that’s why it’s so sad to see it go.

The Stinger seemed to be a vehicle aimed right at Australia, and while it never sold as well as the Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore for which it was a spiritual successor of sorts, its sales continued to grow over its run here. Alas, while the US appeared to be another market that would have been receptive to it, it was never a hit there, while a vehicle like this was never going to earn anything more than niche status in markets like China, Korea and Europe.

Skip the 2.0-litre turbo – most people did. The 2.5-litre turbo that replaced it elsewhere would have been good, but it still wouldn’t have deterred most Australian Stinger buyers from ponying up for that gutsy twin-turbo 3.3-litre V6.

This car was a performance car bargain, yet it was practical too with that big hatchback body. The interior naturally wasn’t as luxurious as its Genesis G70 cousin, but it was more spacious and still attractively presented, and in GT-Line and GT guise the Stinger had an exceptionally long features list.

When I was buying my used 2015 Hyundai Genesis, what I really wanted was a Kia Stinger GT but my budget couldn’t extend that far. Now I’m dating someone who wants one, so hopefully I’ll get some regular seat time in a Stinger soon… but it’ll have to be a used one.

James Wong: Volkswagen’s wagons

Why VolksWAGEN?! Why would you kill the wagons?!

The Golf and Passat Wagons were some of the last remaining affordable estates in the Australian market, offering a load-lugging alternative to the SUV pandemic but also some niche enthusiast cool factor.

As 2023 draws to a close, the wagon-bodied versions of VW’s iconic nameplates will be done, also spelling the end of the Passat in the Australian market. A crying shame.

VW Group Australia is compromising somewhat by offering the Octavia Wagon and Superb moving forward, which are great options in themselves, but they can’t fully replace the Golf and the Passat.

We don’t have a crystal ball, but we follow the automotive industry closely. After all, it is our job.

Consequently, we can see the direction car companies and markets are taking – though there’s always the opportunity for a surprise.

Here we share some of our predictions for the new year.

Anthony Crawford

Yes, the Chinese are here and they’re going to be bringing lots of EVs the like of which the world has never seen. Its akin to an industrial revolution on a scale we have not seen for decades or more.

Not only do they have science-fiction levels of technology on board, but they’re also priced tens of thousands of dollars less than the equivalent vehicle from the legacy brands.

Dynamically, though, they’re not quite on the same level as the Europeans, but if you look at what Hyundai has achieved with its performance N brand is just a few short years, it won’t be long before Chinese brands are the feature item on F1’s Drive to Survive.

The big question is, though, will some of the legacy brands finally fold under the onslaught of Chinese and Korean car brands and the speed at which they’re moving?

Paul Maric

Car sales will rebound as inflation softens, but the gloss is likely to wear off surging EV demand – at least until prices and certainty around resale settles.

Resale and depreciation are both points of concern raised by the likes of Hertz and Sixt, who rely on steady and predictable resale values.

We could see this as an entry point for further domination of Chinese brands and further sales declines for brands like Polestar, which fail to offer enough incentive on price and consumer interest to generate sales.

Scott Collie

Things are going to get much, much tougher for carmakers and dealers in 2024.

Every brand we’ve spoken to recently has said the latest VFACTS deliveries records are not representative of current demand, and instead are down to supply finally arriving to fulfil a massive backlog of new car orders from the last two or three years.

According to the executives we’ve spoken to, order cancellation rates are on the rise. Sometimes, that’s down to people ordering more than one car and cancelling their “backup” options when one of their prospective new cars finally lands. Others, it’s down to rising interest rates and the cost-of-living squeeze. Either way, it will lead to lower delivery totals on the VFACTS sales charts.

The good news? That means deals are finally coming back for new car shoppers. Slowing orders and strong supply mean dealers are going to be holding stock for the first time since about 2020, which will see the return of discounts, drive-away deals, and sweeteners like free servicing to entice prospective buyers.

Jade Credentino

Chinese electric car brands will continue to dominate our local market. The technology available in China and around the world is constantly improving.

Some brands have been able to offer highly technologically advanced products at a competitive price. There’s no question that while there are some consumers in Australia who swear to never purchase a Chinese vehicle, some have no choice because of the increased cost of living.

Chinese brands are constantly coming to Australia and challenging legacy brands. In particular, BYD and MG want to dominate our local market in the coming years and with competitive pricing, no stock shortages and consistent marketing they will continue to grow.

James Wong

Hyundai will challenge Mazda for 2nd place in the sales standings.

After a couple of years falling off the boil, it seems Hyundai is really going hard in Australia and with some big launches in 2024 the Korean brand could be snapping at Mazda’s heels for silver in the Australian market.

The mid-sized Tucson SUV has seen good growth this year despite not offering an electrified option – and that’s going to change next year when the facelifted range ushers in the Tucson Hybrid to take on the top-selling and supply-stricken Toyota RAV4 Hybrid.

There’s also the distinctive new Santa Fe on the way, which will launch solely with hybrid at launch and likely add a powerful turbo petrol option as well. With more space and electrification, it should be a better rival for the related Kia Sorento on the sales charts in 2024.

A full year of the new i30 Sedan Hybrid will be a good indication of whether Hyundai can compete with the Toyota Corolla, and the revamped i30 Hatch will bring mild-hybrid power courtesy of its European production switch too. There’s plenty going on in key volume segments.

Compared to sister brand Kia, Hyundai has shown it can get better supply and more diversity in its model ranges, particularly its hybrid and battery-electric vehicles. If it can continue this moving forward, I can see Hyundai really putting pressure on the other top-selling brands. Time will tell…

Jack Quick

I know that I’m not alone in anticipating this but I predict the Chinese carmakers will continue to dominate the Australian new car sales charts.

Take BYD for example, which already has the Atto 3, Dolphin and Seal. The company has already confirmed it’s introducing two plug-in hybrid vehicles locally during 2024, and I’m really interested to see how they are received.

In addition, there are so many different Chinese brands that are currently hinting at selling cars in Australia in the near future. It certainly is an exciting time!

William Stopford

Chinese brands will continue to grow.

Ok, so I’m not really going out on a limb by saying that. We’ve seen the meteoric rise of MG, followed not far behind by GWM and LDV.

The Chinese car industry has matured enormously from the days where it was peddling recycled Daihatsu Charades and knockoff Isuzus, and Chinese car buyers have come to expect a high level of safety and convenience technology as well as an increasing degree of electrification. A couple of duds aside, we’ve seen the array of Chinese cars sold here in turn become increasingly sophisticated.

And yet I was surprised to see just how massively BYD grew here in such a short space of time. This was a brand completely unfamiliar to most Australian buyers, and it got off to a rocky start too, and yet it’s now Australia’s second best-selling electric vehicle brand.

Then there was Chery. I took an even dimmer view of that brand at first, because although it did have some name recognition here, little of it was good. Its last crack at our market almost a decade ago saw it offer low-tech, bargain basement models, one of which was in old Chinese car fashion a blatant knockoff of another vehicle. Its sales were woeful, and it disappeared after just a few years.

Surely that would have corroded any potential goodwill from Australian buyers with that stint here. But no! The Omoda 5 is already outselling segment stalwarts, and its Tiggo 7 Pro may well do the same. Again, there’s a comparatively low price working in Chery vehicles’ favour, but nevertheless the company is offering an abundance of tech and five-star safety ratings.

Chery has also figured out the importance of a first impression, and its vehicles major on showroom appeal even if they can’t match the Japanese and Koreans in terms of dynamics. Give them time, though – the Chinese carmakers have proved quick learners. Remember, we Australians laughed at Japanese and Korean cars back in the day, too.

So, if Chery – not one of the Chinese Big 4, and with a dark past in Australia – can get off to a strong start, it feels like Australia is ripe for the picking by Chinese brands. We already know JAC and GAC Aion plan to come here, and I suspect there will be plenty more to come.

Buying your first car is a life-changing moment. It brings freedom and responsibility in equal amounts.

It’s also a graduation from bicycles, scooters and public transport – and walking – and opens a path to new possibilities.

Finding the right car at the right price is not easy, making it another test for a successful graduation – usually at the end of high school, or university, or moving out of home.

But it is exciting, can be fun, and is also a chance for bonding with family and friends.

A first car will never be perfect but it can easily feel that way on your first solo adventure.

Staying safe

Everyone crashes their first car. It happens.

It could be a minor scratch or scrape in the driveway or a carpark, or a full-scale disaster, but it’s important to plan for the chance that you will hit some early potholes on your motoring adventure.

It could be a simple scratch, but it could also be a major mechanical disaster.

So hope for the best, but plan properly to ensure the best possible start to your life with cars. That’s why safety should be the top priority for any first-car purchase.

But it’s not just about a five-star ANCAP score. They can be very misleading if you don’t know when the car was rated and the safety standards at the time, and only apply to new and near-new cars.

It’s far better to look at the real-world crash ratings compiled by the Monash University Accident Research Centre.

Very few first-timers are shopping with a big budget in a new-car showroom, so it’s about getting the best result – even if it’s something as simple as tyres with good tread on a secondhand car – whatever you have to spend.

There is one essential purchase, too, before you even think about that first car: proper driver training.

Things will go wrong and getting real education is a way to avoid a drama, or minimise any impact from a mistake – yours or someone else.

This isn’t about passing the driving test. That’s the easy part.

The hard part is learning the correct seating position, how to hold the steering wheel and the importance of looking well down the road – not just to the end of the bonnet – to identify the signs of an developing drama.

Three good places to start are Murcotts Driving Excellence in Melbourne, Driving Solutions in Sydney, and the Norwell Motorplex on the Gold Coast in Queensland.

If you don’t know what to do in a panic stop, or you’ve never felt the anti-lock braking system (ABS) in action, or you feel apprehensive when the road gets wet, then you definitely need to get some safety training.

MORE: The worst mistakes we make with young drivers

Pre-buying basics

Buying a car usually starts with a budget and a list of ‘must have’ items.

First time around, it’s more basic. You won’t know what you don’t know.

So it’s best to talk to family and friends, look at the cars they drive and why they drive them, and what they cost – not just to buy, but also to run.

Something from a classy European brand might look and sound great – even with a bargain-basement price – until you hear it needs super-expensive 98-octane unleaded fuel. Then there’s the price of a regular service and parts to consider, as well as insurance.

If you can, drive a few cars. Good ones and bad ones, cheap ones and a costly one.

The ‘pre-buy’ is about setting your wants and needs, as well as your ambitions, then measuring all the inputs against what you can afford.

Even the shortest test drive can highlight important things – are you comfortable at the wheel, can you cope with a manual or do you need an automatic, is there enough boot space?

Many P-platers buying their first car have been spoiled by their parents’ cars. They are bigger, newer, nicer, and the only short-term cost is petrol.

So keep your target in sharp focus. And one more thing – avoid a Toyota.

Why? Because anything with a T badge is going to cost more.

Toyota has been the dominant brand in Australia for a very long time, and for very good reason, but things have changed dramatically in the past 10 years.

The South Korean contenders, Kia and Hyundai, actually produce better cars in many categories and the other Japanese brands – Nissan, Mitsubishi and Suzuki for a start – have vehicles which do almost as well as an equivalent Toyota for a lot less money.

On the secondhand scene, where the Toyota Corolla has always been the gold standard, the price premium for a Toyota badge is even more obvious.

New or used?

The sales ratio for secondhand against showroom fresh in Australia is about seven-to-one. So, with just over one million brand-new vehicles hitting the roads each year, around seven million used cars change hands.

That’s a lot of cars and a lot of opportunities, but there are also many more chances to make a mistake.

If you’ve been saving well, or can rely on the Bank of Mum and Dad, then a new car makes plenty of sense. It comes with a new-car warranty, nothing is likely to go badly wrong in the early years, and nothing beats that ’new car smell’ in the dealership.

The newest cars also come with the latest technology, for safety, fuel economy and technology. But be aware…

The best new-car value is usually in the mid-range models, which get more equipment without the fripperies – sunroof, anyone? – of a flagship car.

A super-long warranty is often used as ‘permission to buy’ for low-grade cars and brands new to Australia. Would you pick it without the warranty?

Something that looks flashy in the showroom might not drive well. Never buy without a comprehensive test drive.

A secondhand car can be great value, since someone else has taken the first big hit on depreciation, but there is a sweet spot on value.

Too new and you’ll still be paying plenty, too old and you’re into the unknown area on reliability and repairs.

The best advice is to get the newest car you can afford, while keeping the kilometres below 160,000.

Size and price

The Toyota Corolla has been the benchmark for first-car buyers since the 1970s. It was solid, sensible, reliable and – if you could afford it – the air-conditioning was brilliant.

Now, moving deeply into the 21st century, a Kia Cerato or a Hyundai i30 is a smarter first-car buy. They are just as good, better value and have a longer warranty, though only the i30 can match the Corolla with the availability of a hybrid.

The Corolla also set the pattern for first-timers getting into compact hatchbacks.

But the world has changed and everyone wants an SUV – even at the bottom end of the car business – while only two cars, the MG 3 and Kia Picanto, are still below $20,000.

So, what do you really need in a first car? How many people will be riding with you, how far is a typical trip, do you have sports toys to bring along, do you have a dog?

That will give you the basic size. Then pick the most fuel-efficient engine you can afford.

For tradies, think hard about a first work vehicle. Look at people who do what you do, and what they drive. It could be a one-tonne pick-up, but it might also be a small van or even an older Ford Falcon ute in good condition.

Smart shopping

Forget the car and look at yourself. Do you have mechanical ability, do you enjoy driving, do you know how to change a spare tyre – because many youngsters do not.

These are the things that should influence what you pick and, more importantly, how you live with it.

If you’re a car klutz then pick something sensible with a good reputation, even if it means paying more, and getting a rock-solid motor club membership with roadside assistance. They will know how to change a tyre…

And you might even find a good-value Toyota from a family friend.

If you have a good idea about cars, and you have friends with experience, you can be way in front. It’s much easier to pick the faults in a car if you know how and where to look. And then you can haggle on the price…

Even a new-car choice is easier if you have friends or family to keep you focussed, ask questions and point out any potential hazards.

Buying a car can be a great family adventure, and one of them – or a friend – could have exactly what you need.

But, and it’s a very big ‘but’, never assume anything. Always check for faults, always investigate the financial history of a secondhand vehicle, and always look for a bargain.

Think outside the box

The Mitsubishi 380 is an underrated secondhand gem.

The locally made family sedan was never popular when it was new, which means the survivor cars have often been treated very well. Think of it as an ugly Toyota Camry. That makes it a very good buy.

There are cars with a questionable history, like the Volkswagen Golf with the troublesome early DSG gearbox, which can also be a good buy. Find one with the good gearbox and then haggle about the car’s reputation.

A Skoda is a Volkswagen from the Czech Republic, so they can be great value. They are new and used-car stars, and anyone who wants the cabin space of an old Holden Commodore or Ford Falcon should definitely go looking for a Skoda Superb.

Small European cars can be a trap but, equally, they can be a good value choice. Research the history, look closely at prices against something obvious – a Toyota Corolla – and find an expert garage who can help on the service side.

If you want something with the fun factor, there are many gems. The Ford Fiesta and Focus have both been withdrawn from Australia, but are an enjoyable drive, a good size, and quite affordable – just avoid ones with the troublesome Powershift automatic transmission.

Keep looking, keep thinking, and you’ll be surprised what you can find.

The little things

There are many traps for young players.

If you’re buying from a dealership, always remember selling cars is their job. You’re a first timer and they do it all day, every day. So if something looks or sounds too good to be true, walk away.

If you’re buying secondhand, question everything. Check everything, from the original build date to the last service details.

If a car doesn’t have a full, documented service history, walk away.

If you’re not confident yourself, there are helpers. A friend who is a mechanic, a relative who loves cars.

The best friends, though, are your local motoring organisation – NRMA, RACV, RACQ. They each provide a ‘pre-purchase inspection’ service, where they work through a giant checklist to rate the car. It will highlight each and every fault, assessed by an expert, and give you a genuine understanding of what can – or will – go wrong.

The bottom line

There is one final approach to first-car buying which is definitely not for everyone. It’s the clunker-junker solution.

Put simply, you set a super-low budget, eliminate any emotion, and buy rubbish cars.

Most cars, even the worst, will have around six months of life before they expire. When they are dead, they will still be worth $100 or more as scrap.

So go shopping with $1000, or as much as $3000, and see what you can get and how long it lasts.

It’s been a popular tactic for cash-strapped university students for decades and there are some surprising success stories.

Even if it goes wrong the hit on your pocket will be relatively small, and there are always plenty of junkers looking for a friend.

Eagers Automotive, Australia’s biggest automotive dealer group, has been struck by a cyber attack this week.

As reported by GoAutoNews Premium, some of the dealer group’s IT systems appear to have been compromised by a cyber attack that affects both its Australian and New Zealand operations.

Eagers told the publication the issue was “restricting its ability to trade within certain parts of its business in some operating locations”.

As a result, the company has warned its customers and associates to be wary of any suspicious activities in any of their IT interactions with the group.

Speaking with The Australian, an Eagers Automotive spokesperson said: “The company is investigating rapidly and, to this point, has not found any access to or misuse of customer or employee information.

“As part of our cyber security protocols, external incident response experts have been appointed to support the ongoing investigation and response.

“Maintaining the security and privacy of our customers’ data and our employees’ data is our highest priority and all efforts of the business are now focused on safely restoring our systems.

“At this stage, customers do not need to do anything but we ask them to remain vigilant of any suspicious activity.”

The company’s shares have been placed in a trading halt by the ASX while the cyber attack is investigated. GoAutoNews Premium says this incident coincides with Eagers attempting to enhance its cybersecurity and future-proof its digital business.

It has only been a matter of weeks since Nissan Australia also fell victim to a cyber security breach, which also severely affected its Nissan Financial Services partner firm.

The Japanese brand’s local division had several head office functions compromised including its emailing system, and was busily investigating whether customers’s personal information had been accessed during the breach.

Japanese small car specialist Daihatsu, a subsidiary of Toyota, has had its production lines screech to a halt amidst a government investigation into decades of falsified safety results.

According to a new report by ABC News, the Japanese brand has shut down production at all four of its factories after admitting to improper testing of 64 models, with some cases dating back over 30 years.

Daihatsu has also suspended all vehicle shipments within the domestic market as well as exports outside of Japan.

These closures are expected to have a significant effect on Japan’s economy, with ABC News quoting market research by Teikoku Databank that says Daihatsu’s factory supply chains include 8136 companies across Japan with sales totalling 2.2 trillion yen ($22.6 billion).

It’s reported the improper testing and data falsification affects some 64 models and three different vehicle engines, including 22 models and one engine sold by the Toyota brand. Some Mazda and Subaru models in Japan are also affected, as well as Daihatsu and Toyota export models.

ABC News reports an internal probe by Daihatsu found 174 new cases of irregularities in safety tests and procedures across 25 testing categories, on top of already known issues. The saga started in April of this year, when the Japanese company reported improper testing of door linings, which led to reports of improper side collision testing in May.

Daihatsu’s falsification of data and unauthorised test procedures in this area have been found to date back to 1989, according to reports. Daihatsu president, Soichiro Okudaira, told Japanese media the company acknowledges the cheating on safety tests and procedures, equating the conduct to neglecting safety certification entirely.

Further, Mr Okudaira attributed the misconduct to increasing pressure on the company’s workers to meet ambitious demands and tight development deadlines, according to the ABC News report.

In a media statement, the company says: “Daihatsu deeply apologise to our customers and other stakeholders for causing great inconvenience and concern with regards to the procedural irregularities in certification application”.

“We requested that an impartial Independent Third-Party Committee fully clarify the nature of these irregularities, analyse their true causes , and recommend measures to prevent recurrence, and we have cooperated fully with the investigations. We have now received the Independent Third-Party Committee investigation report.

“We recognise the extreme gravity of these irregularities , their causes, and the recommendations to prevent their recurrence identified during the Independent Third-Party Committee’s investigations.

“We will not only review and revise certification application operations, but we will also make sweeping reforms to our corporate culture by making compliance the highest priority to prevent occurrences of similar events in the future. We will also make company-wide efforts to regain the trust of our stakeholders.”

While no longer a player in the Australian market, Daihatsu remains a significant vehicle manufacturer in Japan with popular models including its compact Hijet trucks and vans, as well as Mira passenger vehicles.

Nameplates previously sold in Australia include the Sirion and Charade hatchbacks, the Terios SUV, and the Copen sports car.

The company manufactured around 870,000 vehicles across its four plants during the 2022 fiscal year.

Daihatsu hasn’t communicated a date for the resumption of its operations, though Japanese media is reporting that production will be suspended right through January at a minimum.

It’s unclear how the recent news will affect future-facing plans, after Daihatsu revealed a range of concepts at this year’s Japan Mobility Show and also announced it would be co-developing compact electric vehicles for Toyota.

One of these concepts was the Vision Copen Concept, a teaser for what could be the next instalment of the tiny Japanese sports car once sold in Australia.

The all-electric Uniform Cargo and Truck concepts, meanwhile, likely preview future zero-emissions replacements for the existing Hijet Cargo van and Hijet Truck compact commercials. Both feature removable interior and exterior parts and an external power supply function.

Meanwhile, the Daihatsu Osanpo concept is a high-riding electric convertible described as “a luxurious vehicle to slowly enjoy the nature around you in a pleasant breeze, as if taking a walk”.

In July 2022, Toyota announced key projects to further its hydrogen fuel-cell and battery electric vehicle ranges. The latter of these focused on kei-class electric vans which would include collaboration with Daihatsu as well as Suzuki.

Originally, these vehicles were planned to become available during the 2023 Japanese financial year (April 2023 to March 2024), with the first EV vans destined for “partners in social implementation projects in Fukushima Prefecture and Tokyo”.

The partnership was said to make use of “Suzuki and Daihatsu’s know-how in manufacturing mini vehicles with Toyota’s electrification technology”. Kei-class vans account for 60 per cent of Japan’s commercial vehicle fleet, and are often used in last-mile logistics, according to the Japanese auto giant.

However, the announcement highlighted three major issues with electrifying the kei segment, including higher purchase price, costs related to building out charging infrastructure, and the inconvenience of charging downtime.

Stay tuned to CarExpert for the latest

For decades the Skoda Octavia RS has been a favourite for practical car buyers who want something a bit sporty.

It remains one of the most convincing options for a buyer who wants to be pragmatic but also responsibly indulgent, with relatively attainable pricing and a wealth of clever features and smart packaging combining with an exciting drive experience.

The 2024 model year changes for the Octavia RS see a few adjustments in spec, and prices have once again been increased. But it now also comes with a seven-year warranty, which certainly adds to the value quotient.

How much does the Skoda Octavia RS cost?

The Octavia RS wagon is the most expensive Skoda midsize model you can get – priced from $58,490 plus on-road costs.

If you aren’t interested in driving quickly or having a faster-looking Octavia, that Style grade offers tremendous value, and it makes a lot of sense for those who aren’t likely to find excuses just to go for a drive. 

The Octavia RS is available with a $6600 Premium Pack, which adds stuff you might like, such as leather-accented seat trim, heated front seats with electric seat adjustment, those front seats also have a massage function and memory settings, heated second-row outboard seats, Canton 12-speaker sound system, a head-up display for the driver, three-zone climate control, and the optional package also includes adaptive suspension dampers.

But if you want other alternatives to consider, there are a few. First, the Subaru WRX Sportswagon ($50,990 to $58,990), which might not have the same engaging drive experience as WRXs of years gone by, but it is a quicker-than-average, sporty driving wagon with heaps of practicality on offer. 

Up until recently another good option would have been the Peugeot 508 Sportswagon, but that model is not a PHEV-only choice and has copped a huge price hike as a result (now $82,915 plus on-roads).

You could also check out the Mazda 6, which is available with a turbo-petrol engine and with the choice of sedan or wagon ($36,140 to $55,535). 

Or, if you can deal with a sedan body style and the Skoda Liftback isn’t doing it for you, maybe have a look at the vastly improved Hyundai Sonata N Line (from $55,500).

If you’re curious, the paint seen on this RS model is a variant-specific hue called Mamba Green, and it’s the only no-cost choice, too.

Other options include Magic Black Pearl, Race Blue metallic, Graphite Grey metallic, Brilliant silver metallic and Moon White metallic, all of which cost $770. Choose Velvet Red metallic and it’s a $1100 option.

2024 Skoda Octavia pricing:

• 2024 Skoda Octavia Style liftback: $42,490 (+$1500)
• 2024 Skoda Octavia Style wagon: $43,990 (+$1500)
• 2024 Skoda Octavia RS liftback: $56,990 (+$1000)
• 2024 Skoda Octavia RS wagon: $58,490 (+$1000)

Prices excluding on-road costs

What is the Skoda Octavia RS like on the inside?

It was nice to spend some time in an Octavia RS without any options boxes ticked for this review, because it gives you a great sense of what you get as standard, and how much value that optional pack really does add.

Purists will love the fact there’s manual seat adjustment for the cloth-trimmed, diamond-stitched sports seats, but having spent months in a previous RS wagon with the optional pack, I did miss the memory setting for the seats – my partner and I have a big seat disparity.

The sporty buckets are very comfy, though, with a good amount of bolstering and the cloth trim is nice and grippy. 

You get ambient lighting on the dash and a nice mix of materials through the cabin, and there is LED interior lighting too, while the driver gets a fully digital 10.25-inch instrumentation panel and there’s a 10.0-inch infotainment system with sat nav, DAB radio, wired/wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a heap of other features available, too.

In previous times with this-generation Octavia I’ve had a number of technical issues with phone mirroring, but this time around, it was a grimace-free experience, which is a nice improvement.

Though I still don’t love that there’s no dials for the infotainment system, and that you have to adjust some elements of the air-conditioning system through the screen, rather than using physical buttons.

For instance, there’s a home ‘bar’ at the bottom of the screen for climate controls including temperature adjustment, but there is no fan control button/slider there, so you have to adjust the speed of the air using the main screen – unless you’re one of those cretins that leaves it on “Auto” – I’m joking!

There are some oddly sized cupholders between the front seats, and a few loose item storage spots, too, plus you get flocked door pockets with bottle holsters, and in the driver’s door there’s a hidden umbrella for those unexpected and increasingly common storms.

And while I didn’t think I’d miss having a panoramic sunroof (a $1900 option), it does lighten up the cabin a lot, given the expanse of the black headlining which can make things feel a bit gloomy inside.

The rear seat has a heap of nice features that occupants (and parents) will love, such as retractable sun-blinds, a pair of USB-C ports, directional air-vents, map pockets with device nooks on the seat backs, lined bottle holders in the doors, a flip-down armrest with cup holders and storage, and there’s also a ski port.

Occupants will find there’s enough space to fit behind bigger front-seaters – at 182cm/6’0” I could easily slot in behind my own driving position, with enough knee, foot and head room to be comfortable. There’s also enough width that, if pushed, you could fit three adults across, being mindful of the transmission tunnel intrusion.

For the mums and dads reading this, you’ve got ISOFIX points in the window seats and three top-tether points, too, and – from experience – you can fit a rearward-facing capsule with room to spare for a parent in front.

Oh, and parents will also LOVE the fact there are proximity unlocking sensors on the rear doors as well as the front, meaning you can unlock the back door and load your child into their seat without having to make that annoying extra few-step journey to trigger the front doors to unlock. There’s also an electric tailgate, too.

Now, the boot space on offer in the Octavia RS is convincing, too. There’s either 600 litres (VDA) if you choose the liftback, or 640 litres (VDA) if you get the wagon. That’s easily enough to fit a larger pram and some extra bags.

Under the boot floor there’s a space-saver spare wheel, and the boot space features a reversible mat (rubber on one side, carpet on the other), which is handier than you’d expect. There’s also a set of nets to secure items in place, and remote rear-seat releases if you want to fold the seats down.

Just note, though, that there is a bit of an intrusion between the boot and the backseats, so it won’t be a fully-flat space – but there is 1700L VDA of space to play with.

What’s under the bonnet?

There have been no changes under the bonnet for the 2024 Skoda Octavia RS, and honestly, that’s no big deal – because this is a great powertrain.

The EA888 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine employed here has 180kW of power and 370Nm of torque, and that means this sporty wagon will do 0-100km/h in 6.7 seconds. 

There’s a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with paddle-shifters, and the RS is front-wheel drive. In other markets, there’s an AWD model, which we sadly miss out on.

Fuel economy is rated at 6.8 litres per 100km on the combined cycle, and you’ll need to fill it up with 95 RON premium unleaded, and it has a 50-litre fuel tank capacity. In my real-world testing across a week of mixed driving, I saw a return of 8.3 litres per 100km. 

How does the Skoda Octavia RS drive?

It drives beautifully, and it doesn’t need the adaptive dampers to do it.

That’s the thing that stood out most to me, having lived with a new-gen Octy RS for months on end. In that long-term loan, I was often fiddling with the adaptive suspension settings, trying to find the right balance for whatever surfaces I was encountering.

In this more basic example, the inherent qualities of the platform for this car shine through, as it possesses and exhibits a comfortable ride, which – admittedly – is a bit firmer than a standard Octavia, and it sits a bit lower to the ground due to its sports chassis setup.

But even so, it offers a comfortable and composed ride in most situations, while also offering the driver enough fun factor in corners, with a nicely stuck-down drive experience in most situations. The Octavia RS has a lovely driving character to it, and depending on the drive mode you’re in, it can be sedate and cruisy or more focused and sporty.

The minor gripe I have is that, at times, the engine can overpower the front tyres, especially if you dose it, which is simply a byproduct of having so much torque to get to the surface – but there’s a standard electronic differential lock to help you power out of corners.

The steering is lovely, too, with a quick ratio and great response in corners, while also offering a simple and very usable for boring driving, too, with a super predictable response for parking moves – if you don’t want to use the now-standard auto parking tech.

The powertrain also offers that brilliant duality, with a manageable urban driving experience (yes, even though the dual-clutch automatic transmission and engine start-stop system can interrupt proceedings in traffic), and yet with ample power delivered in a linear way, ample mid-range pulling power for zippy moves in traffic and overtaking, and enough zest to put hairs on your chest, if you want that.

The DSG doesn’t muck about when it comes to shifting gears at speed, either, with a prompt and predictable logic that almost never gets it wrong, especially if you’re giving it some hustle.

There are some things that could be improved in terms of the drive, though.

As with most MQB-based offerings from the VW Group, there is a lot of road noise intrusion into the cabin. Some extra sound deadening – especially for coarse-chip roads – would not go astray.

And further, while a reversing camera and all-around parking sensors is handy, family buyers would no doubt appreciate a surround-view camera system.

What do you get?

Octavia Style highlights:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• Space-saver spare wheel
• Matrix LED headlights
• LED fog lights with cornering function
• LED tail lights
• LED puddle lights
• Rain-sensing window wipers
• Privacy glass
• Chrome window frame surrounds
• Silver roof rails (wagon only)
• Power tailgate with hands-free opening
• Electric, heated and power-folding side mirrors
• 10.25-inch Virtual Cockpit digital instrument cluster
• 10.0-inch ‘Columbus’ infotainment system
• Satellite navigation
• Two USB-C ports
• Wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
• 8-speaker sound system
• Wireless phone charger
• Keyless entry and push-button start
• Dual-zone climate control
• LED ambient interior lighting
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Paddle shifters
• Rear door window sunshades
• Shift-by-wire gear selector
• Electric park brake
• Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
• Fabric upholstery

Octavia RS adds:

• 19-inch alloy wheels
• Electronically locking limited-slip front differential
• Sports suspension
• Progressive steering
• Black window surrounds
• Dual exhaust tips
• Gloss black exterior highlights
• Auto-dimming driver’s side mirror
• 10 airbags
• Blind-spot assist
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Adaptive cruise control with stop & go
• Lane Assist with Adaptive Lane Guidance
• DAB+ digital radio
• 5 x USB-C ports
• Drive mode selector
• Aluminium pedals
• Fabric upholstery with red contrast stitching

Is the RS worth $14,500 more to get that stuff? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!

Is the Skoda Octavia RS safe?

The Octavia was awarded the maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating in 2019.

It scored 92 per cent for adult occupant protection, 87 per cent for child occupant protection, 73 per cent for vulnerable road user protection, and 79 per cent for safety assist.

Standard safety features include:

• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
• Pedestrian detection
• Cyclist detection
• Lane-keep assist
• Adaptive cruise control
• Driver fatigue monitoring
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Reversing camera
• Tyre pressure monitoring
• Blind-spot assist
• Rear-cross traffic alert with braking
• Manoeuvre braking
  • Can brake the car if obstacles are detected at low speeds)
• Emergency Assist
• Park assist

Octavia RS adds:

• Adaptive cruise control with stop/go
• Crew Protect Assist
  • Pre-collision pre-tensioning and crash preparation
• Lane Assist with Adaptive Lane Guidance
  • *Part of option pack on base grade
• Emergency Assist
  • Will stop car and put hazards on if driver unresponsive
  • *Part of option pack on base grade

If you choose the Octavia Style, the car is fitted with eight airbags – dual front, front-side, front centre, driver’s knee, and full length curtains.

But opting for the RS model means you get 10 airbags, with all of the above plus rear side thorax airbags, too.

How much does the Skoda Octavia RS cost to run?

Skoda has made a seven-year, unlimited kilometre warranty standard on its model range, matching the likes of MG, GWM, Ssangyong and Kia, among others.

The brand also has decent service options on paper. Maintenance is scheduled at 12 months/15,000km, and there are a couple of ways you can go about servicing your car if you want to do so with Skoda.

Firstly, you can pay as you go. There’s a capped-price servicing plan available for the model range.

But the smarter choice is to prepay your servicing, and you can do so by either choosing a five-year/75,000km service plan ($2600) or a seven-year/105,000km plan ($3400) – either of those represents a saving of hundreds of dollars over paying as you go.

And, get this – if you service with Skoda, you can get up to nine years of roadside assistance included.

CarExpert’s Take on the Skoda Octavia RS

If there’s one thing that the Skoda Octavia does well, it’s pretty much everything.

It’s still the go-to sporty wagon for those who want a family-sized car that’s fun and fast.

It’s lovely to drive, and with seven years of warranty cover it makes an even stronger case now than in years gone by. 

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BUY: Skoda Octavia
MORE: Everything Skoda Octavia

Current Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen has been denied a Mercedes-AMG GT rental car from Sixt during a recent holiday to Portugal as he’s too young.

As reported by The Sun, the 26-year-old Dutch racing driver was denied the high-performance rental car as the company’s insurance policy requires drivers to be at least 30 years old.

Mr Vestappen flew into Algarve, Portugal last Monday with family and friends and had rented around 20 cars from Sixt at Faro Airport.

The party had also booked the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve racing circuit for two days.

“Max and the group went to Portugal for a fun racing trip and had booked the cars they wanted,” said an unnamed source to The Sun.

“When they got to the airport, Max was shocked when he was told he wasn’t allowed to drive the Mercedes he wanted.”

“He’s a seasoned F1 driver who’s used to handling powerful cars, so it’s quite astonishing to think he wasn’t allowed to get behind the wheel of this one — but those are the rules, so he abided by them.”

“The employees of our franchise partner in Portugal have only followed the rules that arise for insurance reasons,” said a Sixt spokesperson to The Sun.

“In order to find a customer-friendly solution on site, Mr Verstappen was provided with another premium vehicle.”

“However, there can be special circumstances that justify a deviation from rules. This is such a case.

“We apologise to Mr Verstappen. He can rent the car he wants from us at any time.

“There is of course no doubt at all about his driving skills and his experience with powerful cars.”

Mr Vestappen ended up taking a BMW 5 Series, though his manager Raymond Vermeulen drove the Mercedes-AMG GT.

Max Verstappen has won the last three Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championships. He has raced for the Red Bull Racing team since 2016.