Blog Tag: Audi

ReDriven’s Lemon List: Worst cars to buy in 2023

What are some of the worst cars you can buy in 2023? Here are some of our picks.

You might love the cars on this, you may own one of the cars coming up and have never had an issue and that’s wonderful. But after trawling through reliability reports, customer satisfaction surveys, and talking to mechanics and auto industry experts, these are categorically some of the worst used cars you buy right now.

BMW 5 Series

In particular, the surveys and experts report that the 2004 to 2010 E60 series are the very worst of the BMW 5 Series generations. Considering that brand new, these were asking anywhere from $80,000 to $175,000, with used prices here in Australia ranging from as little as $5,000 to just under $25,000, we get that these may seem like a bargain. But they aren’t.

 

There’s a reason they have plummeted in value. Across the E60 range, BMW powered the car with what many experts claim to be some of the worst BMW engines ever. The 520i’s N43 commonly has timing chain issues thanks to the timing chain guides breaking off and damaging the oil pump, sometimes resulting in catastrophic engine failure. Then there are fuel injector problems and oil pressure issues so bad it can lead to engines seizing.

 

The 535i’s N54, which actually won multiple Engine of the Year awards when it was new, can now suffer from turbocharger issues and failures, seemingly endless oil leaks, and fuel injector failures. Speaking of injector issues, there are commonly reported injector defects on 525i and 530i models with the N53 petrol engine. The consequence of bad injectors can often require a complete engine swap.

 

When it comes to the V8 N62 in the 540, 545, and 550i, there are loads of reports of coolant hose leaks, oil gaskets leaking, and valve failures often due to the oil leaks. In the worst-case scenario, you’ll be replacing all 32 valves, which will be very costly. The turbo diesel N47 in the 520d can suffer from timing chain problems, which can eventually cause damage to the pistons or rods, requiring a full engine rebuild. Plus, there are DPF dramas and cooling system issues as well.

 

Even the flagship M5 with its S85 V10 can have issues. Throttle actuators failing, rod bearings failing, and all of the complications surrounding a hugely complex V10 engine, engineered with tight tolerances but built for the mass market. Even ignoring the engines, the windshields were prone to cracking, there are endless reports of interiors becoming more rattly than a maraca collection, door handles squeak, and the list of reported electronic gremlins goes on forever.

 

Yes, with fastidious maintenance, there are owners out there that have never had an issue. But if you’re buying a used one, how do you know 100% that the previous owners have maintained the car thoroughly? So, sorry, they’re just far too risky.

Kia Carnival

Remember many years ago when Kia was a manufacturer of cheap and nasty vehicles? Well, the first and second-generation Carnival, or Sedona depending on where you’re watching this from, is the epitome of this scenario.

 

To be fair, the second generation from 2006 to 2012 was marginally better, but even then, just don’t buy one; they’re still horrible. Mechanically, oil leaks, valve seal and head gasket leaks, engine bay plastics falling apart, causing all sorts of issues, electronic gremlins, multiple reports of catastrophic engine failures, even the exterior and interior are plagued with issues.

 

Honestly, the list of complaints surrounding these things is terrifying. Yes, they’re cheap, but they’re cheap for a reason. Do not buy an early Carnival, even if it means getting public transport or walking instead. Just don’t do it to yourself; you’re better than that.

 

In saying all of that, it is amazing just how far Kia has come from making these horrible early examples to the current Carnival, let alone the EV9.

Audi A6

Specifically, the problem child of the Audi A6 family seems to be the 4th generation C7, and in particular, early examples from 2012 to around 2015, funnily enough, before the mid-cycle update.

 

Various consumer and reliability reports awarded these A6 models with just 1 out of 5-star ratings, reporting brake squealing problems, steering issues, and engine issues across the range. But particularly with the hugely popular 3.0-litre turbo diesel, these engines potentially suffer from ECU gremlins causing a variety of issues. Failure of the fuel pressure regulator, failure of the serpentine belt, throttle bodies failing due to wear and tear, clogging, electrical problems, mechanical problems, and excessive oil consumption can all be an issue.

 

And aside from the mechanicals, there are reports of transmission issues and electronically, infotainment systems can fail causing display screens to freeze or go blank. Phone pairing, Bluetooth, voice control commands, steering wheel controls, and audio gremlins can all occur, and backup cameras and sensors can fail.

 

Now, again like the BMW, there are thousands of A6 owners out there that have never, and most likely will never, have an issue, and thorough maintenance should mitigate many potential dramas. But, if the previous owner or owners have mistreated it or cut some corners financially, which many have, with the cost of parts and often labor asking a premium here in Australia, is a used A6 really worth the stress?

Fiat 500

Let’s get something straight: the particular Fiat 500 we reviewed has never had an issue. Read through the comment section of that video, and you’ll see hundreds of messages from owners that have also never had an issue, in fact, many claiming the little Italian is the best car they have ever owned.

 

However, after speaking to Fiat technicians and Euro and Italian specialist mechanics, and reading through reliability reports and customer surveys, according to the experts, the 500 can be an absolute nightmare. The manual transmission examples seem to be marginally more reliable than the disaster that is the Dualogic automated manual thing, but even then, there are reports of faulty fuel-injector seals. Diesel-engined models can have odd clutch vibration issues; TwinAir engines can have poor sealing around the timing cover, resulting in oil leaks. There can be premature wear with the suspension, and there’s faulty engine mount dramas.

 

And yes, it is very funky, but underneath that cool body, the 500 is just a cheap little city runabout. Possibly thanks to it being so budget-conscious, there are all sorts of complaints regarding poor build quality and the associated issues with exterior and interior trim, not to mention ever-increasing electronic dramas.

 

Now we go into all of this and more in our full review video, but the overall takeaway is that it seems no two 500’s are ever the same. The build quality, and therefore reliability, can vary enormously depending on what moment it rolled through the production line.

 

The risk, if you’re buying a used Fiat 500, is then twofold: what mood were the Fiat workers in when they made yours, and how did the previous owners treat it? Because if they missed a service or have cut corners on maintenance, you could end up with an absolute lemon.

 

Ford Fiesta/Focus

 

The generations we’re referring to are the 2010 to 2016 WT and WZ Fiesta and 2011 to 2015 LW Focus but specifically those fitted with the Powershift six-speed dual-clutch transmission or DCT. Excluding the performance ST and RS variants which can be awesome, the manual non-performance versions aren’t anything special either. But the major issue here is that terrible DCT. Vibrations, shuddering, and hesitation before engaging gear, even when they “sort of” work correctly, but so many have failed completely resulting in huge repair bills. Then there are the associated issues due to the transmission, like engine mount dramas being regularly reported.

 

Thanks to this, Ford was fined $10 million in 2018, and according to the ACCC, our consumer watchdog here in Australia, even though Ford knew the shuddering was a quality issue with the vehicles, dealerships were apparently encouraged to tell customers that the shuddering was the result of the customer’s driving style. Now a court demand has forced Ford to review customer requests to refund or replace vehicles, but if you’re buying second-hand, why risk that at all? It’s not like they’re some amazing car worthy of ignoring this huge issue, in fact there is a long list of other commonly reported issues for these specific models too.

 

The good news, for the Focus at least, is that later models switched to an entirely different and far-less problematic six-speed torque-converter auto but the Fiesta, look unless it’s an ST, just don’t buy one.

Holden Astra/Cruze

Speaking of not buying one, for God’s sake do not buy a Holden Cruze or Astra. Let’s start with the Astra, which depending on the year model, many of you will know as the Opel, Vauxhall, Chevrolet or Saturn Astra or possibly Buick Verano or Buick Excelle, but which generation should you avoid, all of them.

 

The only exception is the VXR performance models but even then, look we haven’t fully reviewed one yet but, we have a feeling you’re better off just buying something else. Actually, if you do have a VXR and you’re in Sydney or Newcastle and you’d like to defend your Astra’s honour by having us feature it, let us know in the comments or message ReDriven on Insta or Facebook.

 

Anyway, besides the VXR, just steer clear of all Astras. According to many in the auto industry, the 4th-generation TS Astra is quite possibly the single greatest bucket of utter rubbish on the market. Dubbed by mechanics as the Disastra, some workshops even refuse to work on them as they are truly that bad. Poorly made, a list of common problems as long as the equator, the TS Astra is the epitome of mechanical crap.

 

And unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to get a whole lot better for later models. Reading through customer surveys and repair reports, everything from endless and mysterious electronic gremlins to interior and exterior trim seeming to self-destruct, to complete catastrophic engine failures, even with the right maintenance and with under 80,000 kms on the clock, and that’s for the most recent examples.

 

But amazingly, the Cruze is even worse, well done Holden you’ve outdone yourself, no wonder you don’t exist anymore. Ah the Cruze, apparently there are owners out there that have never had an issue with their Cruze but in saying that, there are all sorts of crazy conspiracy theories flying about these days so don’t believe everything you hear.

 

Now for the full details on just how horrible these are, we’ve made a full review video but as an overview, the Cruze was designed, engineered, developed, and built on the tightest of budgets and the cost-cutting shows. Early models suffered complete transmission failures and depending on what engine is loosely bolted into the front of the thing, problems ranging from oil leaks to electrical issues to faulty and glitchy sensors to water pump failures and coolant leaks, which of course leads to overheating, which of course can leads to an engine meltdown, to turbocharger failures, not to mention every piece of trim rattling or falling off, it’s just a very very poor car.

 

But to make things even worse, at least here in Australia, Holden doesn’t exist anymore so accessing parts will eventually be a headache and would you even want to spend the money to fix it at all? You shouldn’t.

 

We’ve reviewed versions of the cars on this list:

Check out our reviews of the Kia Carnival, Fiat 500, BMW 5 Series, Ford Fiesta, Holden Cruze, Audi A6.

ReDriven’s Lemon List: Worst SUVs to buy in 2023

Navigating the used SUV market can be a minefield for the unprepared buyer. Certain models that may seem attractive initially, prove to be more trouble than they’re worth due to their poor long-term reliability and high maintenance costs. Here’, we’ll be going through some of the worst SUVs on the used market today.

Nissan Pathfinder

Many owners out there love their Pathfinder and have never had an issue and that’s wonderful. But I had one of these 4th generation 2013 to 2020 Pathfinders as a long-term press car, and even back then when it was new I remember thinking, you’d only buy one of these if you had never test-driven anything else, because it is very bloody average.

 

It felt old even when it was new, they can be very average on fuel, the handling and suspension feels a bit soggy and the infotainment system is rubbish, even Nissan’s after-sales support is regarded as some of the worst out there.

 

But mechanically, things are even worse. Up until the early 2000s, Nissan maintained Japan’s reputation for making extremely reliable vehicles, but since the company’s merger with French motoring giant Renault, Nissan seems to have slowly lost its mojo.

 

This generation of Pathfinder tends to prove that. There are plenty of reports of higher-than-average and very annoying mechanical, interior and exterior trim and electronic issues, but the big failure point for the Pathfinder surrounds its continuously variable transmission or CVT.

 

The issue is that the belt or the chain, in this case, can wear prematurely or start slipping between the two pulleys. This results in shuddering and vibrations that can lead to damage and catastrophic failure, which can cost many thousands of dollars to repair.

 

Now to Nissan’s credit, Pathfinders did improve with each new year model and when these vehicles were under warranty, most of the fixes were carried out quickly and at no cost to the owner, but with Pathfinders finishing their new car warranty periods, just don’t run the risk, there are plenty of other SUVs out there that, even aside from the CVT dramas, are just better in every way.

BMW X5

Now, in a way, this one continues on from the BMW 5 Series that made the list in our Worst cars to buy in 2023 list, as the X5 is something of a jacked-up SUV version of the 5 Series, but in the X5’s case, the research shows that the 2014 to 2018 F15 is the worst of the X5 generations. In saying that, the 2007 to 2013 E70 X5 also has a long and often terrifying list of potential issues too.

 

But focussing on the third-gen X5, as well as pretty much every engine in the range reporting a range of common issues, the most popular powerplant across the F15 X5 lineup on the used market, is the 3.0-litre N57 turbo diesel straight 6, and it can commonly suffer from everything from turbo failures to fuel injectors failing to crankshaft damper issues to High-Pressure Fuel Pump problems, EGR complications and high oil consumption, which can all result in an engine just feeling grumpy through to complete catastrophic failure.

 

On top of that, many owners reported major issues with electronics, transmission faults, steering problems and even exhaust issues. Now, obviously, with fastidious maintenance, many of these problems can be avoided, but the risk is when you’re buying used, many examples haven’t received this level of care, and there are even some sellers out there falsifying documents and just blatantly lying, so it is critical to verify that any used X5 you look at has a genuine and thorough service history

 

Or just don’t take the risk and buy something more reliable to start with.

 

Nissan X-Trail

Now I’ve owned two Nissan X-Trails and I never had a problem with either, so surely the experts and our research are wrong. Well, unfortunately, just because my personal experience was great, that does not represent the entire market. And I do tend to love shit cars.

 

The major complaints tend to surround the 2013 to 2022 T32 and to a lesser extent the original 2000 to 2007 T30 Nissan X-Trails. The T32’s issues are very much like its bigger sibling Pathfinders. Various electronic gremlins like warning lights illuminating when there are no issues, air conditioning annoyances, fuel injection issues, engines not starting or stalling but the big problem is again, that bloody CVT.

 

Even though the transmissions do vary between the X-Trail and Pathfinder, the belt is steel in the X-Trail and chain-driven in the Pathfinder, the X-Trail can suffer the same shuddering and vibrations and potentially catastrophic failures as in the larger Nissan. While servicing and maintenance are absolutely critical to at least try to avoid these problems, a better way to avoid them is to not buy an X-Trail in the first place.

 

Then when it comes to the older original T30 model, these can potentially be a tough little nugget of an SUV and as I said, I personally never had an issue with mine, except for the crank angle sensor failure which happens to all of them, but the major problem occurring, surrounds the head gaskets letting go.

 

The drama here is, if you’re paying someone to fix it and there are complications, the cost of repair can sometimes be more than what the entire X-Trail is even worth, it might be just safer to buy an equivalently aged Toyota RAV4 or Honda CR-V instead.

 

Audi Q5

Unfortunately through our research, we found that both generations of the Audi Q5 are enthusiastic about waving red flags, in fact, two of the Audi technicians we spoke to both claimed one generation was worse than the other, they just couldn’t decide on which generation that was.

 

But let’s focus on the positives first, they’re lovely to look at and be in, they offer a wonderful driving experience, the levels of practicality, tech and safety are excellent and, Mexico continues to prove that they can excel when it comes to the levels of fit and finish. That’s right, the Q5 is made in Mexico, and last time I checked, Mexico isn’t in Germany, or even Europe.

 

Anyway, what goes wrong with them? First-gen Q5s can suffer from suspension and brake complications, electrical system issues and many customers even complained of faults with the bodywork.

 

Mechanically, diesel-engined Q5s account for more concerns than their petrol counterparts and specifically the 3.0 TDI Quattro engine can suffer from sensor issues, excessive oil consumption and oil leaks, throttle body dramas, serpentine belt issues, ECU gremlins, fuel pressure regulators can fail and the transmission can play up. But the petrol power plants don’t come away unscathed either.

 

The 2.0-litre turbo power plant can have timing chain complications that can result in catastrophic engine failures, there are water pump issues, excessive oil consumption, fuel flanges can leak and obviously, there’s all the various electronic gremlins, not to mention engine bay plastics that are now getting on the brittle side.

 

The second-generation Q5 does tend to fair a little better for mechanical issues, most likely because it’s a more recent vehicle so the issues haven’t had time to show themselves yet, and you’d like to think Audi or Volkswagen have tried to improve the mechanicals over time, but on the flip side, the reports show that electronic dramas are more prevalent in the newer generation.

 

As a disclaimer here, both of those owners close to me adore their Q5s and have honestly never had an issue, and that will be the case for many owners out there, but my friends have both owned their Q5s since new and both are perfectly maintained. But if you are buying used, are you 100% sure that the Q5 you’re looking at can claim the same sort of history because if it has missed a service or two, or if the previous owners have cut corners, be prepared for the worst.

 

Mercedes-Benz GL Class

Specifically, we’re talking about the first-generation, 2006 to 2012 X164  GL-Class which many are attracted to thanks to all the image bullshit that comes with luxury European brand names, like Mercedes-Benz. But the GL-Class wasn’t made in Europe, it was poorly bolted together in Tuscaloosa,  Alabama, and if you’re terrible at geography, that’s in America.

 

The list of common faults on these huge SUVs is ridiculous. Electrical problems like door look and tailgate locking mechanisms completely failing, sometimes even locking owners out of the car, powered tailgates not opening or closing, exterior lighting issues, sunroofs leak which results in all sorts of major electronic issues and your fancy SUV smelling like wet dog.

 

The air suspension can completely fail, infotainment systems can become glitchy and slow or just stop working. Engine-wise, diesel models suffer from the same problems seen in other modern diesels like EGR and cooler issues, DPF-related problems, leaking injector seals and choked-up inlet systems. Terrible transmission shudder and delayed gear selection issues are quite common. Hub and wheel bearing issues are becoming more common over time, generally caused by loose driveshafts, sometimes even ending in catastrophic wheel bearing failure.

 

The list goes on and on but the good news is, the parts and labour required to fix everything will cost a premium and with the GL-Class weighing more than most family homes, it’s also incredibly tough on the consumables like tyres and brakes, which being large and needing to be premium, will also be expensive.

 

Even better news is that these depreciate in value at an astounding rate so you won’t only spend thousands maintaining and fixing it, you’ll end up with an SUV worth a fraction of what you paid for it in the first place.

But some people just love their luxury brand names no matter what don’t they? It’s sad.

Range Rover / Land Rover

While researching this list, we realised it could have been made up of nearly purely Land Rover and Range Rover products. The Evoque, Discovery, Disco Sport, Range Rover Sport, Velar, big daddy Range Rover, and even the current Defender all have long and concerning lists of common complaints attached to them no matter what the generation. Maybe excluding some of the really early Discoverys but even then, for the majority of us, anything wearing a Land Rover or Range Rover badge really should be avoided.

 

But, let’s get something straight, not every single Land Rover or Range Rover out there is going to be a disaster, read through the comments on our review videos or check out the owner’s groups and there are thousands of owners that have had a completely flawless experience, the right Land Rover or Range Rover can be an exceptional SUV. The issue is, the difference between the good and the bad ones can be enormous and when buying used, especially without any or a rapidly concluding new car warranty, the chances of buying someone else’s problems tend to increase. And what problems might they be selling you?

 

Well thanks to the entire range sharing loads of components, all can be guilty of everything from endless and mysterious electrical gremlins to air-conditioning failures, brakes, fuel system, infotainment and suspension issues, interior and exterior trim issues, and mechanically, you name a problem, chances are it’ll happen to a Land Rover or Range Rover including far too many catastrophic engine failures.

 

To put into numbers just how bad these can be, many auto industry experts, including those that work for Land Rover/Range Rover, claim that the Discovery Sport is the very worst of the bad bunch and some stats show that over 35% of all Disco Sports sold, have reported major issues. And remember, Land Rover/Range Rover is classified as a premium brand so parts and labour costs, expectedly, do ask a premium.

 

If you’re a hardcore fan, either love working on your vehicle or are in the financial position to easily pay for the ongoing maintenance and repairs, and you have a second car to drive around in while your Land Rover or Range Rover is away getting repaired, absolutely, buy one because when they work, they can be phenomenal vehicles, but if you don’t meet that criteria, you’d be crazy to take those sorts of financial risks.

Holden / Chevrolet Captiva

Commonly referred to as the Holden Craptiva or ‘that piece of shit that’s broken down yet again’, the Captiva is about as bad as a modern vehicle can be. Suffering from extensive reliability and quality problems like catastrophic engine failures at worst, through to oil leaks, timing chain failures, camshaft problems, DPF and EGR issues at best, as well as transmission failures, electronic problems, poor wiring connections and faulty computer body modules that control many of the vehicle’s functions.

 

Even the ECU throws up incorrect codes, so when a mechanic is trying to diagnose a problem, having the car blatantly lie to them only makes matters worse and often ends up costing the owner more in labour charges. But again the disclaimer, apparently, I mean we’ve never actually met one of these people, but apparently, there are people out there that have never had an issue with their Captiva and they love them, and if that’s you, go buy a lottery ticket because luck is clearly on your side.

 

Otherwise, don’t buy one, you deserve to be happy, and the Captiva will deny you of this.

 

We’ve reviewed many of the cars on this list: Check out our reviews of the Nissan X-Trail, Mercedes-Benz GL-Class, Holden Captiva and Land Rover Freelander 2 & Land Rover Discovery.

 

 

 

 

Bargain Supercars

Supercars and bargains – two phrases that aren’t often used together. However, we have scoured the market to find some exceptional vehicles that offer great value (ignoring maintenance and upkeep costs, of course). For the purposes of this list, we define a supercar as a street-legal, high-performance luxury sports car.

Note that we have only included globally available models, so apologies to fans of TVR, Corvette, and Elfin. Anyway, here are our top five bargain supercars.

 

5. Aston Martin V8 Vantage (2005-2017)

Representing the front-engined rear-drive coupe category, we have the gorgeous Aston Martin V8 Vantage. This car is special and the Aston Martin brand is synonymous with luxury. With a 4.3-4.7 litre quad-cam 32-valve V8 engine, the Vantage was priced at around $250,000 when new in Australia.

 

However, today you can pick up a 2007 or 2008 model for around $80,000. In the US and UK, it’s even cheaper at $45,000 and $35,000 pounds, respectively. The Vantage can go from 0 to 100km/h in under 5 seconds, and boasts superb chassis balance, a luxurious leather interior, and an iconic design. Plus, it’s now more affordable than the base model AMG Mercedes and RS model Audis.

 

4. Porsche 996/911 Turbo (2000-2006)

No supercar list is complete without a Porsche, and our pick for this list is the 996 Turbo. While the 996 Carreras are more affordable, the Turbo offers genuine supercar performance with a 0-100km/h time of just over 4 seconds and a quarter-mile time in the 12s. As a 911, it’s easy to use daily, reliable, and all-wheel-drive for outstanding dynamics in any weather condition.

 

The price started at around $300,000 in Australia, but nowadays you can get behind the wheel for around $120,000. In the US, you only need to spend around $50,000, and in the UK, you’ll be in the mid-40,000 pound region. Although it’s aging, the 996 Turbo is hard to beat in terms of value and luxury.

 

3. Audi R8 (2006 – 2015)

The Audi R8, produced from 2006 to 2015, is a timeless supercar that delivers outstanding driving dynamics and a stunning mid-engined design. It was designed to compete with the Porsche 911, and it arguably outperformed it in many ways. The R8 has an understated coolness that makes it stand out, and its impressive chassis balance and driving dynamics are matched by its brilliant 4.2-litre V8 engine.

 

When the R8 was first introduced in Australia, it was priced at just under $300,000, but nowadays, you can get a first-gen R8 for as little as $110,000. In the US, the price is around $70,000, while in the UK, it is approximately 40,000 pounds. Although early R8s have some faults and may come with the controversial R Tronic automated transmission, they are still incredible vehicles that are worth considering.

 

2. Lamborghini Gallardo (2004 – 2014)

Coming in at second place on our list is the Lamborghini Gallardo, an Italian supercar that has become a household name. Although it might be stretching the definition of “bargain” a little, the Gallardo is an incredible value considering its capabilities. In Australia, you can find a Gallardo for around $150,000, which is a steal compared to the $450,000 price tag when it was new.

 

In the US, the Gallardo is even more of a bargain, with prices under $100,000. In the UK, pricing starts from around 60,000 pounds. Although you’ll likely have to settle for an E Gear-equipped base model Gallardo at this price, you’ll still get to experience the incredible naturally aspirated V10 engine that makes this car so special.

 

1. Lotus Evora (2010 – 2021)

While many car enthusiasts immediately think of a Lamborghini or Ferrari when discussing supercars, we believe the Evora deserves recognition as a true bargain supercar.

 

This Lotus model boasts impressive performance that matches the acceleration of high-end supercars such as the Gallardo and 911 Turbo, while outperforming the R8 and Vantage. The mid-engine rear-wheel drive layout, combined with its extroverted design and leather interior, gives the Evora a unique and special feel.

 

What sets the Evora apart from other supercars is its affordability. In Australia, you can own an Evora for around $75,000, making it nearly $100,000 cheaper than the flashy Italian models. Even when new, the Evora is a bargain compared to other supercars, with pricing averaging around $190,000 depending on year, trim level, and specs. In the US, early models can be purchased for less than $50,000, while UK buyers can get behind the wheel for as little as 28,000 pounds.

 

Finally, the Evora’s Supercharged Toyota V6 power plant ensures reliability, meaning that you won’t have to worry about high maintenance costs. Despite being overlooked by many, the Lotus Evora proves that you don’t need to spend a fortune to experience supercar performance and style.

 

In the market for a used car? Check out all our ReDriven Cheat Sheets.

 

Find all our video reviews over on YouTube.

 

NOTE: This article was originally published in August 2021, so some pricing information may have changed.

Sleepers (Looks normal, goes fast)

 

There’s not much cooler in the world of cars than the sleeper. A car that has the ability to wipe the floor with even the fastest supercars yet looks totally normal and completely understated. And there have been a host of awesome sleepers available over the years, but which do we think are the best? Here’s the ReDriven Top 5.

5. VW Golf R Wagon (Mk7 and 7.5)

In fifth, we had to have a wagon in this list, but will it be the only wagon? It’s the Mk7 Volkswagen Golf R wagon.

 

It may be able to hit 100 km/h from a standstill in just a touch under 5 seconds in standard form, but tweak the engine just a small amount and the Golf R Wagon will be embarrassing all but the very fastest cars out there.

 

Add to that its immense traction with a very intelligent all-wheel system, lightning-fast gear changes via its DSG transmission, and superb handling, and this brutally fast practical wagon will still fly under the radar as it looks nearly identical to a standard Golf wagon.

4. Audi RS6 Sedan (C6 2008-2010)

Still dabbling in the Volkswagen family tree, our 4th place winner is already well known for being a fast wagon, but it’s the sedan version that really nails the sleeper criteria. It’s the 2008 to 2010 C6 Audi RS6 sedan.

 

The recipe was insane but brilliant. Take the V10 engine from a Lamborghini Gallardo, bolt two turbos on it to make it the most powerful Audi engine to date, and then stick it in what essentially looked like a slightly lowered A6 fitted with some nice wheels.

 

But, Audi actually left some of the engine’s potential on the table, with a simple software tune, the standard 571 hp can be increased to around 650 hp, it is a weapon. Plus, only 1500 C6 RS6 sedans were ever produced, compared to the almost common, 14,000 Gallardos.

3. BMW M550i xDrive (2018-2021)

In third place, and like 5th and 4th, it’s another German, it’s the BMW M550i xDrive. The M550i recently received a boost in power, like it even needed it, going from 456 hp to 523 hp.

 

This propels the classy BMW from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.8 seconds. To put that into perspective, the iconic and ballistic McLaren F1 does the same 0 – 100 km/h sprint in 3.2 seconds, so this thing, with its 5 seats, multi-zone climate control, enormous boot, and lovely stereo, is just a smidge over half a second slower to 100 km/h than a multi-million dollar hypercar, incredible.

 

And then there are the looks, or lack of looks, as while it is undeniably a very attractive car, it looks almost identical to a base spec 5 series. And because 5 series BMWs are commonly driven by people that are, well, old, no one is going to expect it to have “rip your face off” levels of performance.

2. Volvo V70R (2000 – 2007)

No one is expecting these to be fast, it’s another wagon, it’s from Sweden, it’s the second-gen 2000 to 2007 Volvo V70R.

 

Ok, compared to the power levels the previous 3 cars had, the 300 hp V70R may seem a little on the weak side but where the Volvo beats the Germans is in its under the radar appeal.

 

Short of those in the know, hardly anyone is expecting a Volvo station wagon to be bloody fast and like the Golf R Wagon, with a few tasty tuning mods, these things can be seriously capable.

 

Add to it all wheel drive traction and sports tuned suspension but a massive boot, leather interior and that very cool Swedish design aesthetic and this is one awesome sleeper.

 

Plus, if you want one, they’re now really affordable, if you can find one for sale.

 

1. Ford Falcon G6E Turbo (2008 – 2014)

First, and look yes we’re getting a bit patriotic here but these things are seriously quick and bloody boring to look at, making them the perfect sleeper. In first place, it’s the Ford Falcon G6E Turbo.

 

If you’re into cars at all you’ll most likely know that Ford’s turbo charged 6 cylinder Barra engine, even when completely standard, is a weapon of a power plant.

 

But, with only minimal mods, these things can produce deep into the 500hp range and with some more serious modifications, they’ll easily top 1000hp.

 

Now, here in Australia, the Falcon was commonly associated with being a taxi or a hire car, and many Falcons were sold as part of fleet car packages for local businesses and governments and councils.

 

The G6E added some leather and chrome touches to make them feel a little classier but to have a car that looks so plain and unassuming yet is powered by this monster of an engine, surely must be one of the all time great sleepers.

 

Check out our review of the Golf R Wagon.

 

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Find all our video reviews over on YouTube.

Worst family SUVs Under $35,000

 

So you need an SUV to lug your kids, their friends and all their stuff around. If your priorities are that this SUV needs to be safe, reliable and dependable, then it sounds like you’re an excellent parent making responsible decisions.

But, if those priorities take a back seat to say, having a European badge, projecting a sense of superiority or having the ability to distract you from your immense lack of self esteem, steering you towards onlu a luxury SUV, then it sounds like you’re potentially a bad parent and you’re probably not going to like this list. Here are the Top 5 worst family SUVs under $35,000

 

5. Audi Q7

In fifth place, it’s the Audi Q7. While it might share its platform with the likes of the Bentley Bentayga, Lamborghini Urus and Porsche Cayenne, don’t be fooled into thinking that premium badge translates into premium quality.

 

For under 35 grand you’ll be looking at first-gen 2005 to 2015 Q7s. Unfortunately, we have read and heard countless reports of these Q7s suffering various electronic issues from just not starting to randomly going into limp home mode, to screens and infotainment systems just turning off to drive system errors, to start stop systems failing, even to parking sensors being faulty from new.

 

Then there are the multiple reports of diesel particulate filter faults, various oil and coolant leaks and ECU gremlins.

 

Also, don’t be fooled by the whole ‘made in Germany’ quality thing because Q7 was made in Slovakia, Russia or India.

 

4. Mercedes Benz ML350

In fourth place, another luxury German SUV that isn’t made in Germany, actually it’s not even made in Europe, it’s made in India, Indonesia, Thailand or the US, it’s the Mercedes Benz ML350

 

For 35 grand you’ll be looking at 2012 to 2015 ML350s and according to multiple consumer reports, the ML350 is one of the most complained about and problem riddled Mercedes Benzs of all time.

 

Oil leaks, electronic issues, transmission failures, melted motor mounts, stretched timing chains, and reports of these things just randomly giving up and stopping are common.

 

Then you have the cost of labour which is huge.

 

See, because Mercedes fits all the engine stuff into this beautifully engineered tight little unit to make it super efficient to manufacture, the problem is, getting into that tight little unit to fix all the stuff that goes wrong is incredibly difficult and takes loads of time and time is money, so repairing these, it generally costs a fortune.

 

3. BMW X5 

In third place, it’s yet another German Luxury SUV that, isn’t made in Germany. This one is from Mexico, Russia or the US, it’s the BMW X5… and… X6, but unless your eyesight is at Stevie Wonder levels of accuracy, you’ll obviously avoid the X6 because it’s as ugly as F….

 

For 35 grand you’ll be looking at the second-generation E70 series X5 but which exact variant and configuration of X5 should you avoid, well, all of them.

 

Engine failures, transmission failures, water pumps fail, oil leaks, coolant leaks, ECU, computer and electronic problems, injectors fail, timing chains fail, valve stem seals leak. The issues just go on and on.

 

Plus parts cost a fortune and like the Mercedes in fourth place, the labour costs will be horrific.

 

Also did I mention the X6 is ugly as F…

 

2. Range Rover Sport

In second place, and wow… haven’t these things turned into utter crap, it’s the first-generation Range Rover Sport.

 

Yet another SUV wearing a luxury badge doing its best to con you into thinking it’s worthy of some inflated sense of superiority. When in reality, it regularly finishes at the bottom of customer satisfaction surveys. The Range Rover Sport’s issues are immense.

 

Major suspension issues, engine failures, the electrics are terrible, air conditionings fail, gearbox drivetrain and diffs all have major problems or fail. 

 

Then are the copious leaks from the engine, interior trim failures, sunroof and tailgates that leak are also known issues.

 

In general, these things are just shit. The parts cost a fortune and we know of reports where repair work can take weeks to both diagnose and fix so the labour costs will send you broke.

 

Not only that, when we were researching this list, it was hard to choose which Land Rover or Range Rover product to include as they all have horrendous reputations for reliability, no matter which model or generation. 

 

1. Jeep Grand Cherokee

If you’ve done any research on the net about these, it’ll start to feel like the words unreliable and Jeep Grand Cherokee fit together like wealthy and Bill Gates, it’s the Jeep Grand Cherokee in first place.

 

For under 35 grand, the ones to avoid are the 2011, 2014 and 2015 Grand Cherokees, oh and the 2012, 2013, 2016….actually they’re all pretty bloody horrible. What goes wrong, well what doesn’t go wrong…

 

Engines blow up, transmissions fail, there seem to be endless electronic and ECU issues, interior trim falls apart, exterior trim falls apart.

 

These things are so shit there was actually a class action lawsuit filed against Jeep regarding the Grand Cherokee.

 

Then you have Jeep’s truly horrendous reputation for after sales service, trust us, do not buy a Grand Cherokee.

 

We’ve reviewed versions the Audi Q7 and the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

 

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Find all our video reviews over on YouTube.

 

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