One other yr goes, going, gone within the automotive world.

Meaning it’s time to replicate on the nice, unhealthy, and ugly. Listed below are the tales, tendencies, and vehicles that almost all disillusioned the CarExpert crew in 2023.

William Stopford

The mid-sized SUV phase is Australia’s largest by quantity. These automobiles have develop into the de facto household automobile for therefore many Australians as mid-sized and huge passenger automobiles have disappeared. Virtually each mass-market model has a mid-sized SUV, some even two.

And but Ford has left this phase. The Escape has, properly, escaped, though it continues to be offered in markets like Europe and North America.

Critically, Ford?

The corporate has indicated this comes right down to not with the ability to get sufficient quantity. The Escape was at all times one of many lower-volume automobiles on this phase, however you’d be forgiven for pondering gross sales figures have been low as a result of Ford merely didn’t appear to market the factor.

No matter why it has been discontinued, it’s galling Ford now has no car on this phase, and it simply fuels the narrative the Blue Oval model is the Ranger Automobile Firm in Australia. Heaven forbid ute gross sales ever take a dive in Australia, as a result of whereas the likes of Toyota and Mazda have a diversified product portfolio, Ford is closely reliant on its ute.

The Escape itself wasn’t a category chief, nevertheless it had a lot going for it and I’ve really useful it to many individuals. In a phase stuffed with petrol engines which can be ample however no extra, the Escape’s punchy 2.0-litre turbo was refreshing – notably because it was even normal on the bottom mannequin.

The inside was a bit boring, the seats a bit crap and the styling a bit ‘bloated Focus’, however this was a automobile that deserved to promote a lot, a lot better than it did.

Ford wasn’t the one mainstream model to withdraw from this phase of late, as Jeep pulled its dated Cherokee final yr. However so far there’s no substitute for that automobile, so Australia isn’t alone in being with out a Cherokee (although wow, speak about an excellent greater strategic error by a automobile firm!)

There’s a wonderfully good Escape popping out of Ford’s Spanish manufacturing facility. There’s a Bronco Sport popping out of Mexico that might seemingly do even higher right here. Get on it, Ford.

James Wong

The dearth of initiative from producers round extra environment friendly and electrified automobiles. It’s no secret most manufacturers in Australia have numerous line-ups of fashions and powertrains out there abroad.

We’ve had heaps of commentary from executives calling for effectivity requirements or higher technique and legislative framework round lowering gasoline emissions and driving electrification uptake, however not a lot motion.

Criticise Toyota all you need, however at the very least the model has dedicated itself to providing reasonably priced, attainable electrified choices throughout its line-up – bar a few of its extra specialised industrial and 4×4 automobiles. Apart from the Chinese language manufacturers we’re but to see related widespread choices from different manufacturers.

If Australians need to take emissions discount critically, it must be a holistic strategy that covers all powertrain varieties and worth factors, beginning with hybridisation of lower-end components of the market and extra electrified alternative the place relevant increased up.

For instance, the place are the Volkswagen Group’s delicate hybrid and plug-in hybrid choices past restricted availability from Audi and Cupra? Why is Mazda pulling its M Hybrid merchandise from sale fairly than making them the usual powertrain? How come BMW and Mercedes-Benz are leaving half of their mannequin ranges (like PHEVs) abroad?

We needs to be getting extra Euro 6 choices with overseas-spec fuel-saving and emissions techniques as a base level. The truth that most mainstream producers are nonetheless bringing decade-old EU5 tech sans idle stop-start means the majority of Australian motorists are utilizing extra gasoline, and simply idling away emitting tonnes of CO2 and NOx on the lights daily.

Additional to that, whereas we’re probably the most aggressive markets with the widest vary of manufacturers out there to us, the dearth of alternative and the fixed axing of key fashions (cough Ford) actually grates.

Jade Credentino

That is tough as a result of it could possibly be a wide range of issues; I really feel just like the trade has modified a lot within the final 12 months.

My greatest disappointment is the Australian Authorities’s lack of effort to develop a charging infrastructure for electrical vehicles on the price customers require.

It appears to be up to a couple main corporations to construct networks round Australia, and when they’re constructed there’s restricted accountability for his or her reliability as a result of we haven’t legislated uptime requirements or upkeep necessities.

I’ve solely required a public charger on a handful of events this yr however on virtually each event there was a difficulty with the provision or situation of the charger once I rolled up.

I feel there’s a rising variety of Australians who would critically prefer to be an early adopter of electrical vehicles, however the infrastructure isn’t like it’s in components of Europe which hurts gross sales, and stops OEMs from releasing merchandise.

A number of surveys have concluded the most important issue stopping folks from shopping for an EV is vary nervousness. I’m not saying providing extra chargers goes to solely clear up this downside, however I feel extra will be finished to assist.

Scott Collie

I can’t consider a correctly game-changing automobile that debuted this yr.

Small vehicles are getting costlier and complex, placing them additional out of attain for common customers.

Blame tightening emissions requirements and a bloated record of obligatory inclusions from security our bodies like ANCAP for that; it’s onerous to make a automobile low-cost when it must characteristic seven million cameras and radars for autonomous braking to guard butterflies as they blow throughout the street.

The common household sedan, SUV, or dual-cab ute seems to be a lot the identical now because it did in 2022, or 2021, and even 2010, save for the proliferation of hybrids. It’s a step in the fitting path, however Toyota has been doing it regionally for the reason that present RAV4 launched again in 2018.

Within the luxurious world, it appears like manufacturers are operating out of concepts. We’ve seen plenty of fancy inside lighting and greater touchscreens, and marginally improved ranges of refinement, nevertheless it’s onerous to think about a segment-defining new automobile from a luxurious producer in current instances.

The brand new BMW 5 Collection is an instance. It’s pretty to drive, sensible to take a look at, and particular to sit down in – however none of that’s right down to vital innovation, it’s right down to the actual fact it’s now primarily a 7 Collection. No less than it’s extra attention-grabbing than what Mercedes-Benz is doing; the proliferation of creaky plastics and same-same screens is getting downright unhappy.

Numerous the brand new vehicles debuted in 2023 really feel stale, just like the automotive world is in a holding sample whereas carmakers gear up for the electrical revolution that’s being legislated into power abroad.

Right here’s hoping that adjustments in 2024.

Jack Fast

I bear in mind coming into this yr actually wanting ahead to experiencing Mazda’s new premium SUV choices, specifically the CX-60.

Now that the yr is coming to an finish and I’ve had an opportunity to drive the CX-60 in a variety of completely different flavours, it leaves me with a humorous style in my mouth.

In concept the CX-60 needs to be improbable with its out there inline-six petrol and diesel powertrains and rear-biased all-wheel drive system, however the actuality is the multi-clutch transmission is tremendous clunky and the suspension tune is approach too agency.

Hopefully Mazda can repair a few of these gripes with an replace of some selection.

Paul Maric

My greatest disappointment is manufacturers failing to learn the room on electrical automobiles. Toyota and Subaru have each simply rolled the arm over on the subject of electrical automobiles – and within the case of Subaru, is providing comical pricing on what seems to be a totally subpar electrical automobile based mostly on specs. It reveals how out of contact they’re.

Polestar’s pricing has been bonkers for a very long time, and it stays so excessive that you simply wonder if anyone at head workplace was conscious of a price of residing disaster. Possibly the model thought no person makes use of radar cruise management, which is why it’s nonetheless a part of an choices bundle that’ll set you again 1000’s of {dollars}.

It’s no surprise it sells barely any vehicles in Australia, and all of the vehicles I see are pushed by journey share operators – nearly guaranteeing a depreciation crash in years to return.

Tony Crawford

There are just a few obtrusive disappointments which have already been talked about, such because the Subaru Solterra, which can as properly be shelved solely or at the very least till its mid-life replace comes alongside given its monumental delay and out-of-date tech in contrast with cheaper choices from the likes of Tesla and BYD.

Should you have been going to spend that sort of cash on a top-spec Solterra ($83,690 excluding on-roads) I’d desire a brand new BMW iX3 from $89,100 with all of the cool tech and one of many one of the best dynamic setups within the EV phase.

Nonetheless, my most disappointing second of 2023 got here after I’d positioned a deposit on the brand new Mustang Darkish Horse – after reluctantly promoting my beloved 2018 Bullitt with suspension by Herrod Efficiency – on the again of its new-generation seems to be, know-how, and most of all its energy improve to 373kW and 567Nm… within the USA.

Then comes the information once we discover out it’s received simply 349kW and 548Nm in Australia, barely up on my previous Bullitt.

No thanks. I’ll be on the lookout for a used Mach 1 guide within the meantime, till I should buy again my Bullitt at some stage.