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This week on Chasing Cars: RAV4 reviewed, Toyota tight-lipped on 165kW Hilux and new car wait times revealed

 

Welcome back to your weekly wrap up of car news and reviews, where we find all the best stories of the week and condense them down into one easy read


Some years ago, cruel British tabloids dubbed the woman now known as the Duchess of Cambridge ‘Waity Katie’, because poor Kate Middleton was forced to wait so long for Prince William to pop the question.

While Ms Middleton now has a diamond-encrusted wonder on her ring finger, and her middle finger raised at the same tabloids who camp outside her home hoping to catch her gardening, it’s an experience I think many Aussie car buyers can relate to. 

Just like Waity Katie, they’re stuck in limbo – lumped with a deposit-sized hole in their bank account and nothing but a lofty idea of when their new lease on life will finally arrive. 

Still, at least we don’t have to worry about the paps. 

Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2022.jpg-2
The new-generation Mercedes-Benz C-Class range has been detailed for Australia

The whole issue is a huge pain in the arse and car manufacturers aren’t happy with the situation either, so we’ve nailed down the estimated wait times on some popular cars which you can read about below.

Elsewhere in the world of car news, we saw a spicy new electric option from Mercedes-AMG and the Australian range unveiled for the new C-Class sedan, both of which look pricey but impressive.

There was also a few important car launches in Australia this week, including the new-generation Lexus NX midsize SUV and updated Mazda BT-50 ute, and Chasing Cars has video and written reviews on both.

Toyota RAV4 Edge Hybrid 2022 thumbnail
Deputy Editor Nathan Ponchard reviewed the 2022 Toyota RAV4 Edge Hybrid

2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid reviewed

The 2022 update for the big-selling Toyota RAV4 midsize SUV isn’t hugely extensive but it has seen the introduction of a few new options including a hybrid variant for the top-spec Edge that was previously a petrol-only proposition.

We were able to get our hands on an Edge Hybrid this week to see if the electric assistance

 actually adds anything to the experience and in short, it absolutely does. In an era when fuel prices are skyrocketing beyond $2/litre, the Edge hybrid is perfectly timed.

Deputy Editor Nathan Ponchard also dived into the nuances of the 2022 RAV4 range and noted a few features on the Edge that you miss out on when compared to the cheaper Cruiser grade.

Toyota Hilux GR Sport 2022
The Toyota Hilux GR Sport puts out 165kW of power and 550Nm of torque

Toyota Hilux GR Sport gets 165kW

There are now four versions of the Hilux GR Sport available around the globe – none of which have yet been confirmed for Australia, despite it being our best-selling vehicle six years in a row.

The latest version, unveiled for the South African market, features the same 2.8-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder sold in Australia but with the wick turned up to 165kW/550Nm.

It also scores a tough new design that makes it stand out on the road, though the changes aren’t as extensive as a Ford Ranger Raptor’s.

Chasing Cars quizzed Toyota Australia on the potential future for the Hilux GR Sport for our market and while it steered clear of answering that question, a spokesperson noted it was keen to expand the local GR range.

So it seems like we will get a GR-branded Hilux of some kind in the future, but we really aren’t sure which one!

Subaru BRZ Coupe S 2022 side
Subaru BRZ buyers are facing extensive wait times in Australia

New car wait times for Aussie buyers revealed

In a situation that is evolving and highly dependent on multiple factors, we decided to nail down the estimated wait times on some of Australia’s most popular cars, SUVs and utes.

The situation is complex and can vary based on things such as the make, model, grade and even the state or territory you are trying to buy – so we’ve dedicated an article to each car to provide a full deep dive.

Updated wait times this week:

  • Subaru BRZ – dealers say a seven-month wait is expected for new customers but Subaru Australia has not confirmed this yet
  • Nissan Patrol 4WD – four to five months
  • Nissan X-Trail midsize SUV – ‘reasonable’ stock levels now, more on the way
  • Nissan Navara ute –  current stock levels are healthy
  • Mitsubishi Outlander midsize SUV – good stock of entry grades, three-month waitlist for mid-spec Aspire and top-spec Exceed and Exceed Tourer grades
  • Mitsubishi Triton ute – plenty of stock available in Australia
  • Mitsubishi ASX small SUV – two-month waitlist with current stock very limited 
2022 Hyundai i20 N hatch white exterior front 3/4
We put our Hyundai i20 N long-termer head to head with the new-gen Subaru BRZ

All the cars and SUVs we reviewed this week:

This week we covered a lot of big-name reviews on everything from plush family cars to some serious performance cars.

We held a comparison between our long-term Hyundai i20 N hatch and the second-generation Subaru BRZ coupe to find out which is the best performance car for around $40,000, with both excelling in very different areas.

Next up, deputy editor Nathan Ponchard reviewed a Ford Mustang GT and spoke at length about how the incremental changes over the years have made this a fantastic muscle car to drive and live with every day. 

Mazda is now selling a premium grade of the BT-50 ute known the ‘SP’ which we reviewed to see how it stacks up against established rivals such as the Ford Ranger Wildtrak.

Lexus NX450h PHEV 2022 grey front end
We also reviewed the new-generation Lexus NX

If you like the Toyota RAV4 but think it needs a bit more pizzazz then the new Lexus NX midsize SUV might be for you. Available with several hybrid options and loads of luxury, the all-new NX is well-positioned to take on its German rivals.

Sitting at the top of the NX tree is the 450h+ plug-in hybrid which deserved its own review due to its additional performance punch and pure-electric capabilities. 

Finally, videographer Alek Hoskins took the new Subaru BRZ to a dyno to find out what the real-world power and torque figures are – and the results were impressive and surprising.

Jeep Grand Cherokee L 2022 Summit
Jeep has detailed the Grand Cherokee L range in Australia, with a starting price of $82,250 (before on-roads)

Other car and SUV news we covered this week: