Q: I own a 2019 Volkswagen Beetle Wolfsburg that has 59,000 miles on it. I bought it at the end of my four-year rental lease because I want to keep it for a very long time. I want to buy an electric car. I was thinking of the Bolt or a used Tesla. Should I wait a year or two? I don’t want to put too many miles on my Beetle! –Charles C.
A: Great decision to purchase it at the end of the lease. As for your choice of electric vehicles, to give you good advice, it would be important to specify the use you intend to make of it and the budget you wish to devote to its purchase. The autonomy of the Bolt is, one thing is certain, more than sufficient, but is less suitable than a Tesla (regardless of the model) for long journeys in terms of comfort (the EUV version is more comfortable) and speed of charging as long as you use the brand’s terminals. Note that the Bolt’s seats were partially redesigned in 2022. The Tesla cannot be directly compared to the Bolt. Its front seats are more comfortable, it sits better on the road and, depending on the version chosen, offers a four-wheel drive mode. On the other hand, the quality of the presentation and the painting is often uneven.
Q: I am 74 years old and currently own a 2010 Lexus HS250 H with 151,000 miles on the clock. Some increasingly expensive repairs appear on our budget. I understood that currently it would be better to buy a used car. To stay in the niche of a reliable and comfortable car, we considered a 2019 Lexus ES 300 or 350h. Could you give me your opinion? –Robert T.
A: Two great choices that will meet your criteria, but it’s better to go with the hybrid version. This will not increase your budget and will help to slow down global warming. That said, the ES is a larger sedan than your current HS. You could also consider the CT200h (it is hybrid), more functional with its opening tailgate, or the Toyota Prius.
Q: I would like to have your opinion on the disappearance of affordable models on our market linked to the upcoming arrival of Chinese manufacturers. By abandoning this niche, are manufacturers already well established in North America not leaving a door wide open to cars from China? There is clearly a very strong demand for “cheap” small vehicles. Or are manufacturers like Ford, Honda (Fit, photo), Volkswagen and others voluntarily abandoning the economical vehicle market knowing that the Chinese will be so competitive that they will not be able to compete with them? –Yvan T.
A: You raise some good points. There is, in fact, a place to be taken and China, like Japan in the 1970s and South Korea in the 1980s, will not fail to seize this opportunity to establish itself on the markets international. It’s the same story repeating itself, but each time with different actors. Manufacturers are abandoning this “economic” car market. They believe that, in the face of ongoing changes, the best strategy is to produce less and sell more expensively. A credo which confirms an observation that has become obvious: the car is once again becoming a luxury product.
Q: We are leasing a 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan that we like. It only has 25,000 km and we are due to return it in 2024. We are considering purchasing a hybrid or electric vehicle. Note that my partner has always had rented cars, because he anticipates expensive repairs. We disagree on this point, given the Tiguan’s low mileage. What do you think ? The residual value is approximately $20,000. – Danielle P.
A: The best move here is to purchase your vehicle at the end of the lease. Its current value is much higher (over $30,000) than the contract value. You must return it in 2024, so your vehicle will still be under warranty (4 years/80,000 km). The reliability of this model is slightly better than that of some other products of the brand. On a scale of 1 to 10, let’s give it a 6 or 7. A gesture for the environment is not limited to hybrid or electric vehicles. We are encouraged to change cars regularly in order to save energy and reduce CO2 emissions. Under the pretext of wanting to reduce our energy consumption, we are increasing our vehicle consumption. In doing so, we are wasteful! But waste is not good for the climate, the environment or biodiversity. Indeed, for each new vehicle (including electric) that we build, we consume large quantities of embodied energy (CO2 emissions). We are weakening natural resources, and we are releasing chemicals into the air, water and soil. Therefore, it is important to reassess our mobility needs and keep our vehicles as long as possible, prioritizing their maintenance. Your vehicle has only three years of service and 25,000 km.
