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General car news

CHOICE helps you find your way through all you need to know about cars, to keep you on track for a happy and safe purchase.

Before you start kicking tyres or looking under the hood, there are some broader questions you might need to ask yourself. Do you want a new or used car? What safety features are important to you? Our general guide to cars will answer these questions and more, steering you carefully through the first part of this important – and potentially expensive – journey.

Meet the car experts

Buying guides

Car buying guide overview Deciding between a used or new car? Here are the pros and cons of each.

Articles

What to do if your car needs towing after an accident Don't get taken for a ride by dodgy towing companies and tow trucks.

The recall of Takata airbags: what Australians need to know FAQs on the largest recall in Australia's automotive history.

Mandatory recall of Takata airbags announced Nine car makers forced to recall cars, pushing the tally to 25 manufacturers replacing faulty airbags.

First Takata class action lawsuit filed against Toyota Seven car makers will face court cases for their handling of the Takata airbag recall.

Dangerous Takata alpha airbags found in popular Mazda cars The carmaker comes clean on alpha airbags.

Airbags that kill: Australia stalls on Takata airbag recall With over a million defective models yet to be replaced, will Australia's first fatality be its last?

Eleven car makers reveal their models caught in the Takata airbag recall They will recall 1.3 million cars, pushing the total cars recalled to 4 million.

'Fixed' dieselgate VWs are burning more fuel, test finds Real-world pollution levels still exceed Australian standards.

Record petrol margins costing drivers $750m a year The ACCC is rallying drivers to shop around so they're not slogged at the petrol bowser.

GoGet hacked, waits 6 months to inform customers Number of accounts affected still being determined.

ACCC takes Australia's largest caravan maker to Federal Court Jayco denied rights over major failures, ACCC claims.

Fatalities prompt quad bike investigation Government bodies band together.

We're spending thousands more on fuel, real world tests reveal Some cars use up to 59% more fuel than what's stated in the paperwork.

Dyson has been secretly working on an electric car It's in the early stages of development with a scheduled launch in 2020.

Volkswagen, under oath, will finally explain dieselgate software Lawyer leading a class action describes it as a "world first".

Car safety features Not all cars are made equal and the safety features are an important consideration.

Volkswagen ordered to notify Australians of 'dieselgate' class action Corporate websites and Facebook pages to clarify owner rights.

Car makers gouge drivers on repair costs: ACCC The industry hoards valuable information from independent mechanics to keep profits thick.

'Deeply concerning' car industry leads to ACCC push for refund rights Widespread use of non-disclosure agreements are among the findings that have left the ACCC concerned.

Lemon caravans and the law Angry owners of dodgy caravans are experiencing difficulties getting their consumer rights met.

Audi taken to court for using defeat devices Popular diesel models including the Audi A1, A3, A4 and TT are affected.

Emissions tampering: no comment from Jeep Australia on Grand Cherokees 17 Jan 2017 | Fuel discrepancies greater than 50%, finds a CHOICE published review.

Uber update enables location tracking 7 December 2016 | An update to Uber's app is sparking privacy concerns.

ACCC action for unhappy Jeep, Fiat owners 14 September 2015 | Consumer watchdog addresses numerous complaints about poor customer service.

ACT to legalise ridesharing services 30 September 2015 | Ridesharing services such as UberX will be legal in the ACT as of 30 October.

Car share services Should you jump on the car-sharing bandwagon?

Car makers like VW should come clean on fuel efficiency The Volkswagen emissions scandal is just one symptom of a flawed system.

Car fuel economy ratings don't pass the test Why your car may be guzzling more fuel than you were told it would.

GoCar launches as competitor to UberX A new ridesharing service, GoCar, has launched in Sydney as a competitor to UberX.

Lemon cars and the law Are Australians protected well enough by consumer law when it comes to dud cars?

Fuel discount offers don't always stack up They might save you money at the pump, but fuel discount offers can end up costing you more at the register.

More cars failing emissions test 20 January 2016 | Testing reveals dozens of vehicle models fail to meet pollution standards.

Car rear visibility ratings How well can you see out the back of your car?

Toyota recalls 98,000 RAV4 SUVs across Australia 19 February 2016 | Seatbelt flaw affects more than 2.9 million vehicles worldwide.

NSW government to legalise Uber? Controversial ride-sharing services could be allowed under new laws: reports.

UberX legalised in NSW The NSW government has given the green light to ridesharing services such as UberX.

UberX vs taxi – which is best? We trial UberX and taxi services to find out which performs best on price and reliability.

Volkswagen denies breaking the law 18 December 2015 | German carmaker doesn't agree it used illegal defeat devices in Australian cars.

VW scandal widens 5 November 2015 | Volkswagen admits over 800,000 more cars are affected.

VW recalls cars due to mechanical problems Mechanical issues cost customers thousands and potentially put lives at risk.

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The car experts

The CHOICE car experts don't want you to put the cart before the horse (or is it the car before the engine?) The road to purchasing a car can be littered with hazards. Our team helps you understand the basics so you don't take a wrong turn before you even hit the highway.