Now while we don’t publish as many opinion pieces as we do car news or reviews here at CarExpert, this year we published many that got the attention of you, our loyal readers.
Our opinion pieces are just that, opinion, but we open up the floor to you to share your views. On that note, let us know in the comments what your favourite op-eds were this year.
The car that killed Holden in Australia
“The story of Holden’s precipitous fall from being the number one brand to disappearing entirely is a long and tortuous one,” said William Stopford.
“There are many reasons why it lost its spot at the top, but one car encapsulates them more than most: the Holden Captiva, or the Craptiva as it’s derisively known.”
MORE: The car that killed Holden in Australia
The utes the CarExpert team would buy
Australians can’t get enough of utes.
Whether you call them utes, pickups or bakkies, you can’t ignore just how common they’ve become. No longer simply workhorses, these vehicles have become popular family vehicles in Australia – to the delight of some, and to the chagrin of others.
The members of the CarExpert team have shared what utes they would buy… even if we’re not all ute folk.
MORE: The utes the CarExpert team would buy
Has Subaru lost the plot with its electric car?
“Remember back in the late 1990s and early 2000s when Subaru was a brand many desired to own?” asked Alborz Fallah.
“Remember when the Japanese brand sold cars that genuinely turned heads and excited not only car people but the average consumer alike?
“As a former Subaru WRX owner, I can attest to the pull the brand had back 15 years ago, when it offered affordable cars across its range that were not only best in class but also highly desirable.
“But over the last few generations, it has seemingly done everything it can to become as generic as possible and now with the pricing of its new electric car, it appears the brand has completely lost the plot.”
MORE: Has Subaru lost the plot with its electric car?
What the CarExpert team would buy for the price of a new Ford Ranger
Australians love the Ford Ranger, but there’s a lot of other vehicles you can buy for the price of one.
In this op-ed, we looked at just what vehicles we would put our money on instead.
MORE: What the CarExpert team would buy for the price of a new Ford Ranger
It’s time for Australia to celebrate the unexceptional cars of its past
“I’ve been to plenty of lovely, welcoming car shows – Brisbane’s regular All-Japanese Day at Banyo is one of them – but others have given me the vibe some cars are more welcome than others,” said William Stopford.
“Imagine pulling up to an American car show brimming with ’65 Mustangs in a Chrysler Neon, for example, or a JDM car park meet packed with stanced Skylines in a Nissan Prairie.
“I can only imagine organising an event like The Festival of the Unexceptional is hard work, particularly finding a suitable venue. But I also reckon it’s high time we have a show like this in Australia, and I’d love to see it happen.”
MORE: It’s time for Australia to celebrate the unexceptional cars of its past
