Buying a new or used car is one of the biggest financial decisions many RACQ members will make.
But how do you decide which brand to choose from of the 70-plus competing for your hard-earned?
RACQ’s Used Vehicle Satisfaction Survey is a new initiative designed to complement our previous New Car Satisfaction Survey to assist members in choosing the best used vehicle brands for their needs.
RACQ’s Used Vehicle Satisfaction Survey provides member insights into vehicle reliability and owner satisfaction following used vehicle purchases.
It is designed to complement the 2021 New Vehicle Satisfaction Survey as well as other new car research programs the Club supports.
In total, 856 drivers provided insights into their satisfaction with the buying and driving experiences and reliability of their second-hand vehicles.
It is designed to complement the 2021 New Vehicle Satisfaction Survey as well as other new car research programs the Club supports.
In total, 856 drivers provided insights into their satisfaction with the buying and driving experiences and reliability of their second-hand vehicles.
The brands
In 2023, 460,140 used cars were sold in Queensland*. RACQ’s Used Vehicle Satisfaction Survey looked at the top 10 most-purchased car brands, which included: Ford, Holden, Hyundai, Isuzu, Kia, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Toyota, and Volkswagen.
Distance travelled
The average distance travelled by survey respondents was 415km per week, measured over a six-month period. Hyundai drivers drove more on average than other makes at 675.5km, while Volkswagen drivers drove the least at 209.7km.
Making the decision
Most respondents (69%) took one to four weeks from when they started looking before deciding on the exact vehicle they wanted. Most (64%) had an exact budget in mind, but many (46%) went over budget with their purchase.
Preferred fuel type
Petrol was the dominant fuel type preferred by 70% of survey respondents, followed by diesel (14.4%), petrol hybrid (12.4%) and electric (3.4%).
What matters most
Members were asked to rank the most important factors they considered when purchasing a used car. Unsurprisingly, reliability was the most important factor, overall.
Other important factors in descending order were price/repayments, type of car (sedan, hatch, 4x4, etc.), economical/fuel consumption, and cost of servicing/maintenance.
Dealer v private
The average buying experience rating was slightly higher for private sellers (8.7 out of 10) than for dealers (8.4), but respondents who purchased from dealers spent less on accessories ($945 v $1,537) and had a lower proportion requiring warranty or major repair (38.5% v 51.7%).
Repair and warranty
Outside of unknown issues, the top issues requiring repair across car makes were window/windshield issues (42%), replacing features or extras (22%), oil issues (18%), and engine and driving/steering issues (18% and 17%).
The podium
Based on combined results recorded in nine different survey categories, Nissan performed best overall, winning the equivalent of two gold, three silver and one bronze for a total of six medals. Next best was Hyundai, with one gold, two silver and two bronze for a total of five medals. Mitsubishi claimed third step on the podium with one gold, one silver and two bronze, for a total of four medals.
The ‘gold star’ winners
Nissan for average vehicle quality with 81% of respondents rating this excellent.
Hyundai for average driving experience with 85% of respondents rating this as excellent.
Kia for exceeding expectations of the greatest proportion of respondents (61%).
Kia for the lowest average time spent off-road for repairs (12.8 days).
Mitsubishi for the smallest proportion of vehicles requiring repairs (11%).
Nissan for the greatest satisfaction with dealer response on repairs with 83% of respondents rating this excellent.
Expectations and ratings
On average, Kia significantly exceeded driver expectations (61%) compared to other car makes. However, this did not translate to excellent driving (40%) and quality ratings (29%).
Hyundai scored highest on driving rating (85%) followed by Nissan (84%), but the tables were reversed when it came to the quality rating with Nissan scoring 81% v Hyundai’s 78%.
Repair and warranty
Nissan drivers were extremely satisfied when dealing with dealer warranty repairs (83%), followed by Mazda (63%) and Hyundai (62%).
However, Nissan reported the highest average number of days off road due to repairs.
Mitsubishi drivers rated their dealers less favourably, but a significantly smaller proportion reported requiring repairs compared to other makes such as Kia, Hyundai, and Toyota.
