What Body Type of Car Do You Drive?

Sleeqb7 on 09/03/2023 - 13:21
Last edited 09/03/2023 - 13:25

It's not a particularly hot take to say that big cars are becoming more common.

American XXXL vehicles are starting to make their way here, more SUVs being purchased than ever before, and even Utes like the Hilux has gotten larger in recent years.
Even personally speaking, I've had two colleagues in the last handful of months change out their sedans for SUVs. Neither of which will take them off road, and one of which will likely not carry anything more than a single occupant 99% of the time.

Given that I do not have a large vehicle, I now have less visibility when driving, and particularly when turning out of streets/driveways/etc, because these vehicles twice my size are in the entirety of my line of sight.
And that's ignoring the realities of fuel consumption of most larger vehicles too, which given current fuel prices seems rough.

As such, I'm curious as to the OzB representation.
What do you drive, and why?

For me, I have a hatchback because I live in a capital city and wanted something fuel efficient and easy to get into smaller car parks.
Lots of people say they buy a larger car for safety, which seems to just be at the expense of other people on the road. If you feel like some extra-curriculum viewing and have 40ish minutes spare, this video gives a mostly USA-centric insight to the state of larger vehicles over there, with some relevancy for here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jN7mSXMruEo

Poll Options

  • 70
    Coupe/Convertible
  • 285
    Sedan
  • 299
    Hatchback
  • 225
    SUV
  • 57
    Ute
  • 15
    Van
  • 91
    Wagon
  • 14
    Motorbike
  • 16
    Other
Automotive Car

Comments

  • herecomestheoost on 09/03/2023 - 17:27

    :D

  • Some Human on 09/03/2023 - 17:37

    I have a sedan because I like the look of it.

  • Brian McGee on 09/03/2023 - 17:38

    I saw that video the other day and love the conclusion, everyone that drive an SUV or a ute are selfish a55holes.

  • [Deactivated] on 09/03/2023 - 17:59

    Full blown 4wd, please add as option.

  • Haydos90 on 09/03/2023 - 18:31
    +2

    Hatchback, because nobody makes a manual wagon these days.

    • Commander Shepard on 11/03/2023 - 15:37

      I have a Levorg. Its such a shame its not a manual. But Mighty Car Mods proved that otherwise.

  • Drakesy on 09/03/2023 - 18:36
    +3

    Mine has four wheels.

  • Benoffie on 09/03/2023 - 19:09

    Only recently gone to a SUV after driving Suzuki Swifts for ever. Can certainly appreciate the comfort difference.
    That being said, nothing beats a zippy go kart for city driving.

  • juzza87 on 09/03/2023 - 19:18
    +2

    No People Mover?!

    • Sleeqb7 on 09/03/2023 - 19:26

      Is.. Is that not a van?

      • juzza87 on 09/03/2023 - 19:33
        +1

        No, a van can be much larger and doesn't necessarily have seats

        • Sleeqb7 on 09/03/2023 - 19:41

          Mmmm alright, got me there.

        • s1Lence on 10/03/2023 - 17:41

          Hmm, how about minivan then?

  • grog on 09/03/2023 - 19:23
    +2

    Suzuki mighty boy.

  • LanceVance on 09/03/2023 - 20:51
    +2

    Sedan's or Wagon's for me. Unless you're talking a very large one the ride quality in SUV's tends to be more jiggly and gives up a lot of handling composure for that extra ride height. In terms of usable space SUV's don't actually offer that much compared to a wagon, the vast majority of that is vertical which is rarely utilized.

  • Massive Flog on 09/03/2023 - 20:58
    +4

    I drive an old Falcon sedan. Hatchbacks are too small and girly. My car has to have a decent amount of space and a little bit of grunt, at least (V6).

    I will never own a 4WD/SUV. I detest them. As someone above me mentioned, they are a damn nuisance because they do significantly block visibility for anyone driving a normal (or what used to be consider normal) car.

    • Baysew on 10/03/2023 - 11:47
      +3

      I drive an old Falcon……little bit of grunt, at least (V6).

      I think you will find that it is not a V6.

      • Massive Flog on 10/03/2023 - 13:33
        -3

        It definitely is a V6. Not sure why you're making that assumption? Maybe because I said "old"? Old is a relative term. The car was manufactured 20ish years ago.

        • brendanm on 10/03/2023 - 14:32
          +3

          It's an inline 6 mate, go open the bonut and have a look. All the cylinders and in one line, not in a v shape.

          • Massive Flog on 10/03/2023 - 15:07

            @brendanm: Yes, it's an inline 6. Sorry, been playing too much Forza and engine swapping. 6 cylinder engine. V6 has become the catch-all term in my mind.

            And… bonut?

            • brendanm on 10/03/2023 - 17:05
              +1

              @Massive Flog:

              bonut?

              The bit at the front that covers the engine, you lift it up to check the oil etc.

            • Erwark on 11/03/2023 - 14:43

              @Massive Flog: Bonnet.

              And while like for like you're right, lots of new 4 cyl engines will have more power than old 6-cyls.

              Eg. The current Subaru FA24 in the "slow" BRZ/86 makes more power than the AU Falcon's I6 Intech. (granted less torque). I'm sure there are better examples, but technology has come a long way.

        • Euphemistic on 10/03/2023 - 14:38

          Some an engine swap at some point? Ford never put a V6 in a Falcon.

    • CowFrogHorse on 12/03/2023 - 18:33

      Yeh its so manly to spend 10 - 20 hours sitting in a v6 in the traffic. Especially when youa re at a red light, and then you can accelerate across the intersection so you end up behind another car in the jam.

  • bmerigan on 09/03/2023 - 22:37

    American SUV (Jeep Grand Cherokee), but if I didn't need to tow I'd have a Kia Stinger sedan.

  • Gunnar on 09/03/2023 - 22:45

    overpriced Toyota Sedan and a glorified Datsun coupe

  • CowFrogHorse on 09/03/2023 - 22:59
    -3

    Its amazing how many people who are not tradies buy utes. I just dont get how people can be that dumb, small cabin space and a tray that is always empty. The very definition of a someone who cant think for themselves and copies others because Kim told them.

    And yes it doesnt take a genius to figure out a pensioner isnt a tradie or a mum driving kids to school is not a tradie.

    • ssfps on 10/03/2023 - 03:30

      People drive utes for the ute-ility of it, or they are borrowing their husbands ute to drop kids off because the sedan is in the workshop, or they are driving their work vehicle, or they are retired but kept their old work vehicle, or they're a farmer, or or or…

      • CowFrogHorse on 10/03/2023 - 08:02
        -1

        So mum went to dad's work to get the ute, take the kids to school and then she took ute back to dad and does this every day twice ?

        Why are there tens of thousands of farmers driving utes in SydneY on a daily basis ?

        Any more insights ?

      • Matt P on 12/03/2023 - 00:41

        Moreso old mate builder/chippy/sparky etc.. has their spouses vehicle down as a business car and writing off income on the second car.

        • CurlCurl on 12/03/2023 - 09:32

          What's wrong with that?

        • CowFrogHorse on 12/03/2023 - 12:05

          So if Sydney is half SUV, your going to tell me they are all farmers ?

          WHy are there so many farmers driving SUV in sydney , when they should be on their farms ?

      • CowFrogHorse on 12/03/2023 - 12:06

        Most people are not too bright - why invent fantastic stories that are not true.

        Next your going to tell me, all SUV drivers are farmers, who just happen to be in Sydney. Tahts right there are a million farmers on a daily basis in Sydney.

        • ssfps on 12/03/2023 - 18:03
          +1

          You're right, everyone is stupid except you, and your perception is completely accurate. All those people are wasting money on utes who have no intention of ever touching the tray, thanks for pointing that out.

          • CowFrogHorse on 12/03/2023 - 18:31

            @ssfps: Please educate me.

            How often do people buy a new fridge or take something to the tip ?

            Next answer why are they buying a vehicle for something they only do X times ?

            Are people really taking fridges and beds to the tip dozens of times a year ?

            What are they moving on a monthly basis that they need a tray ?

          • CrowReally on 12/03/2023 - 19:01
            +1

            @ssfps: The worst part is they didn't even ask him for permission before they bought their utes, they just went and did it.

            Foolish and dangerous behaviour. Why make your own decisions based off free will when you can have someone with CowFrogHorse's intellect do all the thinking for you?

            • CowFrogHorse on 14/03/2023 - 23:21
              +1

              @CrowReally: Crow now be fair…

              I didnt demand anyone do anything.

              So why dont you answer my questions so we can see how much a typical person saves by having a ute to take stuff anywhere as opposed to paying someone else to do the work ?

              Why pay extra money for a tray which is basically empty 364 days a year instead of paying for a nice sedan with space ?

              How many days a year is thaat tray actually loaded up with stuff ?

              Would it be cheaper to pay someone else to take stuff away than buy a ute for a job that you do once every 5 years ?

              • CrowReally on 14/03/2023 - 23:56

                @CowFrogHorse: Putting aside the matter of free will and people buying whatever cars they want to, what's the difference between someone driving a ute around with an empty tray and someone driving around a "nice sedan with space" that would also be empty in the back as well?

                Aren't they both one (or two) people driving to where they need to go in an otherwise empty vehicle?

                "Hurr durr I don't like flat trays they're wasteful pick a nice sedan instead boys and drive that around empty instead" - Albert Einstein

          • CowFrogHorse on 14/03/2023 - 23:23

            @ssfps: Maybe a million Australians and many more around thew orld vape…

            Are you seriously going to tell me they are not stupid ?

            Want me to list many other dumb things many Australians do ?

            Like drink driving ?

            The masses are not always smart or right…feel free to ask for more examples.

    • Cheapo Moose on 10/03/2023 - 08:25

      So you see someone driving a ute with an empty tray and assume it's always empty.

      I'm not a tradie but had a Ford Ranger ute a few years back. It was just the wife and I at that stage so had no use for 2 cars with back seats. Monday to Friday it was used to commute but on weekends it was utilised extensively. Now that we have a few kids, the ute has been replaced with a more family friendly car along with a trailer.

      Oh how I miss the convenience and usefulness of the tray-back though.

      • CowFrogHorse on 10/03/2023 - 08:45
        -3

        I never said A which means ONE ute, i said MANY people driving MANY utes. Goto Sydney and watch the traffic, you will see many utes passing by and the vast majority of them have an empty tray, like 9 out of 10.

        • ConsumerAffairs on 11/03/2023 - 17:04

          Did you ever figure they'd pick up their loads after and before their commute from and to home? Depending what you're driving how can you even see what's in the trays and that's not even including the ones with tonneau covers

          • CowFrogHorse on 12/03/2023 - 12:03

            @ConsumerAffairs: No thats not how probability works.

            If they were moving loads, then half should be full driving to the tip and the other half should be driving back empty.

            Are you a used car sales person ?

  • p1 ama on 09/03/2023 - 23:38
    +14

    Lots of people say they buy a larger car for safety, which seems to just be at the expense of other people on the road. If you feel like some extra-curriculum viewing and have 40ish minutes spare, this video gives a mostly USA-centric insight to the state of larger vehicles over there, with some relevancy for here.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jN7mSXMruEo

    This is a great video - I was actually going to link this until I saw that you had already.

    As discussed in the video, SUVs are a problem - they are a problem for the driver (they are actually less safe in side-on crashes, which are more common), they are a problem for other road users as they take up more space, and they are a problem for everyone not in a car because they have much poorer visibility than a regular sedan or hatchback.

    The unfortunate truth is that SUVs have been aggressively marketed to people who don't know any better and who are usually just vain and trying to impress their neighbour / cousin / other people on the road, whatever. Let me try and debunk some commonly used talking points on SUVs.

    1] SUVs offer you better visibility because of the higher seating position.

    This is only vaguely true for being able to see "over the top" of the car in front of you. The issue is that this logic turns into an arms race until everyone has an SUV and you are back to square one because you're now at the same level as everyone else again.

    SUVs objectively have much poorer visibility in many other areas, e.g. because you sit up higher, the angle at which you need to look down to see things right in front of you (e.g. a person on a bike, a child crossing the street…etc.) is much sharper than it is in a sedan / hatch where you sit lower. This is basic trigonometry - think of two right triangles, where the bases are the same length, the triangle with the greater height will have a much sharper angle to look down at to see the object on the road. This means that your view is much more likely to be obstructed.

    Because SUVs are larger, visibility from all other angles is also much poorer - you have a larger "floor area" to be responsible for, you have poorer visibility out the back of the vehicle…etc.

    2] SUVs are safer.

    This is again only vaguely true. Yes, they may be safer for a direct head-on collision. However, the vast majority of crashes are not direct head-on collisions, they are more likely to be side impact, e.g. someone runs a red light into you, someone hits you when they're changing lanes on a freeway, someone t-bones you…etc.

    SUVs are much less safe for side impact collisions. Their higher centre of gravity means they are much likelier to roll and cause serious injury / death. The rate of rollover in a serious collision is over twice as much for SUVs (~37%) than it is for sedans and hatches (15%).

    SUVs are also very likely to roll from a side bump when travelling at high speed. For example, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnGmIEzayQM. If this is what a tiny Celica can do to a big SUV, do you still feel safe?

    Additionally, SUVs, being much larger and less manouverable means that should you find yourself in a dangerous situation, you have much less ability to "get out" of that situation. The load from the car in front comes loose and is heading right at you, in a small hatchback, you're more likely to be able to swerve and retain control. In an SUV, your car will take longer to react to your input (as it weighs more, so takes more time to turn), and the higher centre of gravity will make it lose grip (e.g. see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtQ24W_lamY)

    (Another interesting source: https://autojusticeattorney.com/suv-rollover-accidents/)

    3] SUVs are better for putting kids in and out of the back

    This may well be true for kids < 1.5 years. However, the moment that my son could climb stairs, he was able to get into the car all by himself once I opened the door. When he was 2, he could easily step into my car from a kerb (because this is the exact height a kerb is designed for) and pull himself up onto his seat.

    I was given an SUV as a hire car on a holiday, he could not haul himself into the car because it was significantly higher than the kerb and I had to lift him up. The funny thing is, when I'm at kinder pick-up, I still see parents lifting their 3 - 4 year old kids into their SUVs because it's too high for the kids to get in and pull themselves onto the seat. All the parents driving sedans and hatches just open the door and their kid jumps right in.

    4] SUVs are more practical

    Sure, they have more cargo space than a small hatchback, but that's a stupid comparison. For cars of a similar size, they do very poorly because they are not size efficient.

    If you want to transport things often, then a station wagon is a much better choice because it's easier to load things in and out.

    I remember loading a washing machine into a station wagon years ago, it was super easy because it was at the right height. I loaded a washing machine into a mate's SUV a few weekends ago and it was a real struggle because of how high we had to lift it in order to get it in the back.

    The fact that SUVs need to become more aerodynamic means that they are increasingly becoming "rounder" which makes the boot space less useful because most things we want to transport are square-based, not circle-based.

    SUVs suck in terms of every other measure of practicality. More difficult to get into tight parking spaces, more difficult to navigate on tight streets, just needing huge amounts of space to open doors and the boot, tight legroom because you're sitting upright as opposed to lower where it's easier to stretch out your legs (again, basic trigonometry, the higher you sit up, the more area you need to stretch out your legs). They use more fuel, tyres and brakes are more expensive…etc. the list goes on.

    And lastly, just an observation from me, SUVs lose their value like hotcakes because their target market is literally people who like new, shiny things. Buying a Euro SUV is just financially dumb - your car becomes literally worthless in 5 years because everyone who got their car on a loan is now offloading. SUVs are not cars that are built to last - every manufacturer is just churning out the cheapest crap possible to get people to buy into the brand. You think you're buying a Porsche Macan with the racing heritage of the 911, more like buying a marked up Tiguan.

    • xdigger on 10/03/2023 - 09:56

      Station wagon reminds people of a hearse though

      • Sleeqb7 on 10/03/2023 - 11:05
        +2

        As someone who had an emo phase when he was younger;
        Hell yeah, sign me up for a hearse.

    • Ghost47 on 10/03/2023 - 11:42
      +2

      It’s pretty amazing how easily an SUV will flip once hit in the back. I do recall seeing this a few times on DCOA videos.

    • seannami on 10/03/2023 - 13:01

      I wonder how much that depends on general SUV size- the smaller ones (Corolla cross, Kona, CX-3 some of the Kia/MG/Nissan jobbies) are kind of in the beefed up hatch category and are only slightly higher . The bigger basically-a-4WD (CX-30/MX-30, X-trails) ones you need to climb up into are definitely problematic.

      But yeah, the boxier shape even on the smaller ones isn't exactly the safest or smoothest. Learned to drive manual in a Terios when they were first coming out and it was like trying to throw a shoebox down a wind tunnel

  • miwahni on 09/03/2023 - 23:40

    I have a sedan. It suits me fine. Had a small SUV once and sold it while it still was within its free servicing period, I did not enjoy the experience.

  • YBAF Pilot on 10/03/2023 - 07:13
    +5

    I love ute's and will alway drive a ute. They are practical for me like most in my work life as well as personal life. I currently drive a Mercedes Progressive X350d and they are fantastic for towing. Even better I can routinely fit a standard size pallet between the wheel arches in the tub, unlike my useless Hilux beforehand. However, that said these new Yankee ute's (actually they should be called a truck over here as well, because thats almost what they are) have no business being on our roads. Our infrastructure is just not build for them, that is at least the case in all urban areas. If you live out in sticks on a farm or the like, then yes maybe there is a use case for them. But seeing these trucks parked at the local IGA in the suburbs, with half its arse sticking out of the car park because it doesnt fit is just idiotic.

    • brendanm on 10/03/2023 - 14:34

      Well done for buying the good X class.

  • deeevan on 10/03/2023 - 07:28

    SUV - with much reluctance due to most of the reasons listed above, but it was the body shape for what we wanted (PHEV, towbar, 2-3 years old, not $50k+)

  • thrillhouse on 10/03/2023 - 07:59
    +1

    Wagon, Golf R. I’ll have this until VW Australia pull their finger out and bring an EV Wagon here, so probably a while longer 🥲

    Wagons rule. I’ll die on that hill.

    • FocusRider on 10/03/2023 - 09:07

      I own one too! Best car I've owned spacious and packs a punch with a bit of mods.

      If I had unlimited funds I'd be driving an RS6.

    • Commander Shepard on 11/03/2023 - 15:41

      Do you think you could fit a large sized 29" mountain bike in the back of the Golf R Wagon without the wheels off? I plan to upgrade to one in the future. I currently own a Levorg and it just fits.

      • thrillhouse on 12/03/2023 - 07:52

        I have fit a road bike in the back with front wheel off. I think a full sized MTB with wheels on would be difficult, but maybe achievable?

        I put my bikes on the roof anyway. Not sure why people don’t just get roof racks? The wagon has roof rails fitted.

        • Commander Shepard on 12/03/2023 - 08:23

          Yeah I have roof racks on my car. Just the E Mtbs are so damn heavy to get on the roof. Even with the battery out.

          So for short trips I just put it in the boot. I will get a tow bar eventually

  • skillet on 10/03/2023 - 08:24
    +3

    SUV? Wait till a RAM or Ford 250 blocks your view.

    I saw an American SUV tried to park in our standard parking lot the front is sticking two feet out while the back is kissing the wall.

    • saltypete on 10/03/2023 - 08:46

      Saw one parked at a supermarket last year evenly spaced over four parks. It fitted quite nicely.
      Mind you - it was way out the back on a weekday and the area was almost empty.

    • Sleeqb7 on 10/03/2023 - 11:08

      Wait till a RAM or Ford 250 blocks your view.

      They already do, but I've not yet experienced pulling up to a traffic light and had one on all four sides of my vehicle yet.
      Yet.

  • saltypete on 10/03/2023 - 08:33
    +2

    Large SUV used almost exclusively for towing/4WD etc and a Station Wagon town car.
    But I love driving my 3t SUV - even in the city.
    My next town car will be an EV - but I would really consider something in the 3t class as a town EV. Big, heavy smooth and quiet - something like the Hongqi is definitely winking at me… 👍

    To misquote :
    ‘To each his own,
    It’s all unknown
    - if fuel is nearly free….’

  • Lurk Hartog on 10/03/2023 - 08:42

    SUV to fit a dog and a baby.

    Prior to that I had a two door Yaris.

  • shaybisc on 10/03/2023 - 08:51

    A lot of sedan and hatchback drivers here. If you look at new car sales it's 50%+ SUV and 20%+ Ute.

    • Sleeqb7 on 10/03/2023 - 11:11

      That's sorta why I posted here instead of Whirlpool/Reddit/etc, because the budget conscious tend to go for smaller, cheaper, more fuel efficient vehicles.
      I thought the demographic difference VS Australian averages might be interesting.

  • morebunnings on 10/03/2023 - 09:02

    Ute, for gardening/rubbish drop off and taking the dog to the beach. Thinking of switching to a van though.

  • singlemalt72 on 10/03/2023 - 09:43
    +2

    People Mover option? - I have a Series 3 Elgrand for shuttling family around, soon to upgrade to a smaller SUV as eldest has left home.

    Why big vehicles? Because people and their things take up space, no way could we cope with a smaller vehicle than a reasonable sized SUV - sure inner-city couples can cope with a little hatch or even a micro sized vehicle, but I like in Rural NSW, I travel long distances, I tow loads, I carry equipment.

    Second vehicle is a 10 year old Triton crew cap 4x4

  • Flying Ace on 10/03/2023 - 09:50

    Wagon - love it!

  • AUSTRALIAMATE on 10/03/2023 - 10:15
    +1

    I have two cars, a 4x4(Nissan Patrol) used exclusively off road, and a Mazda MX5 neither of which i drive to work.
    Best of both worlds, a huge car and a tiny car.

    • Kremleen on 10/03/2023 - 10:56

      Do you drive a company car to work then?

      • AUSTRALIAMATE on 10/03/2023 - 11:24
        +1

        Nope, public transport

        • Kremleen on 10/03/2023 - 12:32

          Oh I see. Glad your work place is public transport accessible

  • 2esc on 10/03/2023 - 10:22

    Can we click multiples? As i may choose from day to day between 3 vehicles i share with my wife depending on a range of factors, car pooling with co workers, shopping etc

    Audi TT roadster that i bought to flip that wife has claimed, The Ford ute that is good to move stuff and for dirtier jobs or the 2wd Dual cab Triton to get the family around.

    Actually i dont have any cars their all registered in the wifes name.

    • Commander Shepard on 11/03/2023 - 15:44

      Had both the first and second gen TTs. Such great cars. Great value for money compared to an equivilent GTI or Golf R too

  • seannami on 10/03/2023 - 10:48

    I'm not sure what body type you'd call a Prius, so I put other? Halfway between a wagon and sedan? I had absolutely 0 choice in the matter cause its a loaner. I'm about to get a small SUV, but again little choice in my price range for EV. Plus side for the small SUV is it is a good size for Bunnings runs (currently renovating) but not one of the giant mum-taking-kids-to-school tank things :p. I wouldn't have taken it if it was much bigger. Also in the plus column is no longer scraping the underside of the nose on steeper driveways and parking bollards. Prius is low enough that that's a real issue.

    I do like the form factor on the Prius mainly because it has been a godsend for Bunnings runs and my many moves. Need 2.4m long quad rails? chuck 'em in the Prius. Prius is too big for my general needs though. Before the Prius I had a Daewoo Kalos bubble hatch with a boot that was roughly 60cm deep and 1.2m across and it was really barely big enough for day to day shopping. Before that was Nissan Pulsar that was pretty much spot on size wise.

    I think if I had a full option range (and most cars being equal), I'd go for something in the larger hatch range- decent boot but smaller car with a good capacity with dropped back seats.

    • netjock on 10/03/2023 - 11:43
      +1

      Think Prius V is wagon.

      Prius is more like a hatch back purely because of how the back opens up which is better than a sedan for access.

      • seannami on 10/03/2023 - 12:16

        Yeah, was just thinking it's not a Prius C, which was definitely a hatch.

        Danged Toyota not conforming!

        • netjock on 10/03/2023 - 12:38
          +1

          You seen the new Prius which we would not get?

          Prius C is like Yaris class. It is probably a compact. Then Hatch > Sedan but you are kind of right. It is sedan size with a hatch for access which is actually quite good.

          • seannami on 10/03/2023 - 12:49

            @netjock: She is a good car, just getting past her time- "sedan with hatch access" is definitely the right descriptor. The new Prius doesn't look too dissimilar to my (13 year old) model shape wise, but with fancier tech. I'm not sure I'd go for one again if they did come here unless they went fully electric or at the very least plug in hybrid, primarily because I don' want to go back to primarily/fully ICE.

            • netjock on 10/03/2023 - 14:07
              +1

              @seannami: Corolla hybrid is a Prius with a different body only.

              Not sure what Toyota is going to do. It seems they are all over the place. They did have PRIME models that are plug in hybrids but none coming here.

              • seannami on 10/03/2023 - 15:38

                @netjock: They have an EV coming but it looks…. Sub par. Like they did it because they had to rather than put any care into it

                • netjock on 10/03/2023 - 15:41
                  +1

                  @seannami: BZ4X?

                  Like they did it because they had to rather than put any care into it

                  Probably. Which is not good.

    • frugalftw on 12/03/2023 - 15:04

      They are considered Sedan when I had mine registered. Strange body, too long for a small car; dash is too low for Australia sun (every device overheats, including my brain); can never see the front of the car no matter how many cushions I sit on. Cat like to sit on my shoulders when I drive, need to get a window attachment for him before the police stops me. Totally agree with the Bunnings runs and the occasional fb/gumtree pick ups. Biggest item I had was a cupboard, had to move the seat forward to drive home haha Great little car :)

      • seannami on 12/03/2023 - 19:40

        Not being able to see the front is such a PITA, especially if you have a shallow garage!

        Not sure the cat is the Prius's fault, though I'd probably get him a nice mesh carrier rather than a window hammock so he doesn't take an unexpected trip through the window! Mine are usually happy the settle into their carriers and sleep or look out the window.

        When I move house, I call the Prius the TARDIS cause so much would squash in there

        • frugalftw on 12/03/2023 - 20:35

          IKR? I have 'gently touched' so many objects… The sides aren't easy to see either, at least that's what my excuse for the scratches.

          lol Mine had jumped in front of the steering wheel twice on 40k roads, scared the crap out of me each time, hadn't done it again so I let him be anywhere really. He does not technically have a carrier, more of a leash cat who only wants to be carried lol I would take off his leash close to our home, and he wonders off to tease dogs and birds for a while before eventually returning home looking for food. One time I saw him talking to a senior cat, he was all excited (was about 7 months old then), but the wise oldie took a look at him then went back to napping. I called him, he ran to me and cried asif to say 'That kitty was mean!'. He was much less interested in cats afterwards 😂 Sorry I could talk about cats for days.

          Hahaha that is so fitting. I have moved a lot in the past few years, it has definitely been a major reason for the freedom I had experienced. Literally fit my life in my car :)

  • OzzyOzbourne on 10/03/2023 - 10:49

    Are vehicles such as the Hilux and Ranger still classed as utes? They are quite different to the classic Falcon and Commodore type Ute

    • Sleeqb7 on 10/03/2023 - 11:13

      I admit, the 'Ute' option is quite broad from a size comparison standard, but I wasn't sure how much specific sub categories I should put.

  • martyn on 10/03/2023 - 10:58
    +1

    Poll results show OzBargainers do not match the normal national demographic! Or OP's intro scared the ute and SUV drivers off.

    I drive a wagon and I love it, changed from an SUV that was functional but comparatively terrible to drive.

    • Sleeqb7 on 10/03/2023 - 11:16

      I think that the realm of smaller cars are more common with bargain hunters.
      Usually cheaper and more fuel efficient. Also, the majority of, say, hatchbacks, is like 5 different models are the vast majority. That makes parts cheaper too.

  • freshj1ve on 10/03/2023 - 11:07
    +1

    Sporty hatchback for it's handling and everyday practicality.

  • 91rs on 10/03/2023 - 11:23

    5mins in and that's where he admits he's been radicalized against car dependency (if the not just bikes wasn't enough of a give away).
    Will watch the rest of it but well if you already hate something and are making a video about it, I don't think there's gonna be a surprise twist at the end where he buys one.

    • Sleeqb7 on 10/03/2023 - 11:30

      Oh absolutely, his whole channel is about how we can improve cities to make society less car dependant.
      However, the video is well researched and at least partially relevant for the topic of larger vehicles. (I say partially because he focuses a lot on US standards/requirements)

      • 91rs on 10/03/2023 - 12:09

        Well he won't win that argument by sh!tting on basically everyone else who doesn't agree with him!
        You can kinda throw out the whole video based on his personal problems with these vehicles I feel.

        Not sure how we can directly compare SUV and XXXL American vehicles or just their "Light Trucks" as the video continues to refer to and show footage of larger American vehicles, something we have very few of in Australia (see my other post about 25k XXXL either RAM/Silverados sold here).
        Is your beef with those specific XXXL vehicles or SUVs like RAV4's, CRVs, Tucson's etc?

        The links he's making with pedestrian deaths is probably on the way to true, but well the increase in population from 5.7B in 90' to 7.88B' now will mean an increase in events before you discuss the lack of awareness from pedestrians has risen given the use of earpods and phones or devices on the go. Go to any city and watch people on devices nearly get hit all the time.

        Most of his examples are very one sided and made to make you want to hate them (SUV\LT owners), like the SUV\LT with the Trump signs all over it, the "one is designed to carry cargo and be small and efficient, one is designed to carry huge egos, goes on about how owners are "insecure with a cargo fetish", low inelegance and ability, "wine mums", "people cosplaying as a blue-collar workers", "sociopaths" etc it's less a discussion and more about just trying to insult people.

        His comparisons to USA / EU are also rather dishonest, you've got roads and streets that are hundreds of years old (or surrounded by buildings of those ages) meaning only regular or smaller sized vehicles are going to fit or be practical, Vs the USA where everything is paved or cemented, lots of space and big carpark's.

        Much of the mindset in EU comes from the practicality of the people and how they live, you can't say the same for the USA, also the cost of things in EU (those big XXXL vehicles) are prohibitive for most while being useless with the way their cities are.
        That's before you take in to consideration the cost of fuels in EU, waaaay more expensive.

        One of his solutions is taxing and higher fees for fuel, rego, licensing etc. So original.
        He seems to also agree with people letting tyres down on SUVs (LT) in protest, and insulting people and name calling for driving a particular vehicle to change behavior.
        Some of his issues could easily be addressed with better driver education and training in said vehicles (like the ability to know what you can and can't see and how to handle a vehicle) which is something we could also benefit from in Australia.

        There are discussions to be had, I'm all for good functional cities and cities that use tech to make driving better like the "Green wave" which tells drivers the speed they need to be doing to continue to get green lights on major sections of roads. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_wave
        Part of this again comes back to driver awareness and ability, given how poor and low the standard of driving is in Australia (especially Melbourne) its little wonder we have so many traffic related issues.

        And for the record I have a 4X4 (not an SUV, a real 4X4), sedan and hatch. But I'd take a mean fast wagon if the opportunity arose.

  • CallofClicky on 10/03/2023 - 11:43

    Can't vote for two?

    Sedan as my daily, coupe as my weekend toy.

    There is only 1 SUV I have ever really lusted after, and that's the Infiniti Qx70.. came close to buying the V8.

  • eddyah on 10/03/2023 - 12:05

    I bought 10 teslas -> where's the option for that?

  • RetroGameNerd on 10/03/2023 - 12:32
    +3

    Made a silly financial decision in buying a used Mustang last year. Haven't looked back.
    Doing it while I'm young and only have to get myself around.

    • Forskin on 10/03/2023 - 13:19
      +1

      Nice one mate, I picked up a '17 for the Mrs a few months ago. She's in love with it, though they are horribly slow!!!

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