Road test

The cooler weather is nearly here, but it’s not too cool for a road trip or two. In this edition, we’ve reviewed three cars – a new-age seven-seater, a budget-friendly family hybrid, and a safe and versatile used car.

Seven-seat EV

Budget-friendly hybrid

Safe, fun and reliable choice

Introducing the most expensive Kia ever sold in Australia – the all-electric EV9. Pitched as a large family car, you’ll need serious cash to park one in your garage, with prices starting at nearly $100,000. However, the lack of competitors in the seven-seat, all-electric SUV market could attract affluent buyers who haven’t considered a Kia before.

The EV9 comes in three variants – Air, Earth and GT-Line. The Air has a rear-wheel drive, single-motor powertrain with a 76.1kWh battery, giving it a range of about 440km.

The Earth and GT-Line variants have all-wheel drive, dual-motor powertrains, which feature a 99.8kWh battery and have a range of about 505km.

The upside of the EV9’s boxy exterior is the roomy interior. Stepping into the EV9, you’ll notice lots of rear leg and headroom. The split-and-slide middle seat can be adjusted – and laid flat – for more leg room in the front or space behind for third-row passengers.

The small EV start button – with fingerprint recognition – is integrated into the column-mounted gearshift, freeing up the centre console for more useable space.

There’s a massive tray between the front seats that extends to the second row. Even when using all three rows of seats, there’s still space for luggage in the rear, and you can fit more in the large storage area at the front of the EV9.

The EV9’s dash-mounted panoramic wide display has two 12.3-inch cluster and infotainment touch displays and a five-inch segment display, with at-a-glance climate control information.

The GT-Line model comes with digital side mirrors and a digital centre mirror. Despite its tech advantages, I prefer the wider view and easier-to-read conventional mirrors on the other models.

The EV9’s multi-charging 800-volt architecture gives it ultra-fast-charge capability. The 350kW charger means you can charge the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in as little as 20 minutes.

The EV9 features standard interior Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) functionality, so occupants can plug in and power their appliances or charge their devices wherever they travel.

The GT-Line goes one better, with its exterior V2L enabling users to charge devices when they’re outside the vehicle. The EV9 also uses the Kia Connect system with over-the-air (OTA) updates providing regular improvements to the vehicle.

The EV9’s standout features are its power, handling and comfort. At about three tonnes, the EV9 is a big car, yet loaded up it can still sprint from zero to highway speeds in between 5.3 and 8.2 seconds, depending on the model.

A suspension and handling package that can wrangle such a weight is a feat, but Kia has done it. The Australia-tuned suspension provides confident handling and foam-lined, sound-deadening tyres also add to the EV9’s quiet comfort.

We’re seeing the beginning of the next generation of large family cars entering the market. Although the EV9 is expensive, it’s the best value considering the tech and capability it delivers.

Reviewed by Mark Borlace

2023 Kia EV

Price

EV9 Air – $97,000 EV9 Earth – $106,500 EV9 GT-Line – $112,000

ANCAP safety rating

5 stars

Warranty

Seven-year warranty with unlimited kilometres and a seven-year/ 150,000km battery warranty

Budget-friendly hybrid family car

With a growing family, we decided it was time to look for a larger vehicle that would better suit our needs. With two children, we wanted a small to medium-sized SUV and were open to either an EV or a hybrid.

Major car brands like Mitsubishi and Toyota have hybrid offerings, however there’s an extended wait for delivery, and in recent years, the price of these vehicles has increased. With that in mind, we started looking at car manufacturers we wouldn’t usually have considered.

When my partner suggested we test drive the 2023 GWM Haval H6 Hybrid Ultra, I was sceptical. I’d heard of the Chinese car manufacturer Great Wall Motors but didn’t know much about the Haval.

The $44,490 price tag, and the fact the Haval was jam-packed with all the trimmings, was enough to convince me to at least give the mid-sized SUV a drive.

At first glance, the Haval looks like most other mid-sized SUVs. It’s attractively styled, and its unique front grill and rear-centre brake lights give it a modern look.

It’s finished with exclusive body side garnishes, GWM’s HEV (hybrid electric vehicle) badging, and an enormous sunroof. Inside, GWM has taken a minimalistic approach, which is both a pro and con. There’s plenty of legroom for the front passenger and those in the rear.

With the rear seats upright, the H6 has a boot capacity of 600 litres. Under the boot floor, there’s a tyre repair kit instead of a spare tyre. In place of the spare tyre, there’s a 1.8kWh battery pack, which is paired with the 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine and two-speed 130kW electric motor under the bonnet.

Sitting in the driver’s seat, I was instantly aware of the minimal buttons on the dash. GWM has instead incorporated these into the car’s 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment screen. While this reduces the number of buttons, it meant I had to burrow through the countless menus to adjust the air-conditioning or change the driving mode.

On the road, I was impressed. The Haval Hybrid offers a very different drive and feel from Toyota’s comparable hybrid SUV, the RAV4, and can take some getting used to.

While other hybrids start almost silently and run on EV power at low speeds, I found the Haval would cut in and out of EV mode even at higher speeds.

And, when accelerating from a standstill I had to gently apply pressure, otherwise the Hankook tyres and wheels would spin before gripping the road again.

Overall, the Haval Hybrid’s ride is soft and comfortable, and its handling is secure and competent. But it does have its quirks.

Where the Haval stands out is the all-inclusive features that other major manufacturers sell as added extras. This includes heads-up-display, heated and ventilated front seats, semi-autonomous parking assist and wireless phone charging.

While other hybrid manufacturers might be more well-known in Australia, the relatively unknown option has proven to be a good fit for our growing family.

Reviewed by Jeremy Rochow

2023 GWM Haval H6 Hybrid Ultra

Price

$44,490

ANCAP safety rating

5 stars

Warranty

Seven-year warranty with unlimited kilometres and eight-year warranty on the hybrid battery

A safe, fun and reliable choice

Subaru has established a solid reputation for vehicles that are safe, fun to drive and built to a high standard. The Japanese car manufacturer’s all-wheel-drive system gives its vehicles positive, sure-footed handling. These attributes are all embodied in the 2016 Liberty – the mid-size sedan that seems to be ageing well.

Wrapped in a safety package that was ahead of the pack when new, the 2016 Liberty – now at half its brand-new price – is even better value on the used-car market. Subaru servicing costs are generally high, and the 100,000km service can be expensive.

If you’re considering this model, try to find one that’s had the service completed, or you’ll get a nasty post-purchase bill. The 2.5-litre engine delivers good performance but is a bit thirsty on fuel, which will add to your ongoing costs.

Industry-leading safety technology is in Subaru’s DNA. Besides the standard autonomous emergency braking, the 2016 Liberty 2.5i Premium came with a vision assist system.

This has blind-spot monitoring, lane-change assist, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, high-beam assist, and rear cross-traffic alert, which detects passing vehicles when reversing from parking spaces. It was quite the package in its day.

The Liberty is spacious for a mid-sized vehicle and with folding rear seats, it’s particularly functional. The infotainment system can be finicky to use, so try to make sure it works properly as these repairs can be expensive.

The 2.5-litre flat four, boxer engine has ample power, delivered to all wheels via a CVT that gives six artificial gear shift points with selectable sports or intelligent modes.

The Liberty is comfortable to drive in the city and if you take it on winding roads, it handles a little like a sports car. However, unlike a sports car, it has a good ride across most road types.

This innate dynamic balance will help less experienced drivers cope with changing road conditions, especially out on SA’s regional roads.

Although SUVs are the used-car buyer’s sweethearts right now, a mid-size sedan like the Subaru Liberty is still a spacious and useful vehicle at an affordable price during these high cost-of-living times.