Three. That's how many examples of one particular brand new car were sold across the entire country of Australia last year. Not three thousand. Not three hundred. Three. As in, you could count them on one hand and have fingers left over. The manufacturer has now quietly paused sales of the model in this country, the dealers are pretending it never happened, and the buyers who did pay full price are sitting on what may go down as the worst depreciating new car investment of the decade. In this video I count down 8 brand new cars rotting on Australian dealer lots right now in 2026 — ranked from bad to absolutely brutal. Cars with safety scores that didn't reach the five-star ANCAP benchmark Australian buyers expect. Cars that have been recalled by regulators within months of launch. Cars where the manufacturer is being forced to limit how much you can charge the battery because of overheating risk. Cars with interiors reviewers have called cheap on price tags that start at sixty grand. And cars whose own manufacturers seem to have already given up — leaving the small number of buyers who trusted them holding the bag. Built from VFACTS sales data, ANCAP safety ratings, official manufacturer recall notices, and independent review evidence. Every claim has a public source behind it. Here's the twist: my number one is the brand new car that recorded just THREE sales across all of Australia in 2025 before the manufacturer quietly paused the model. The buyers who paid early are now sitting on cars that may struggle to find a second owner at any price. If you're shopping a brand new car in Australia, watch this BEFORE you sign anything. 🚗 What's covered: - The premium electric SUV with the Australian battery overheating recall - The Swedish-badged electric coupe with the depreciation collapse - The Spanish performance brand that landed a 4-star ANCAP rating at $80K - The Toyota EV that's being RENAMED to escape its launch stigma - The brand new car that sold just 3 units across all of Australia in 2025 🔔 Subscribe for honest Aussie car advice every week — local data, no overseas figures, no fluff. Every video could save you thousands. 💬 Have you bought one of these? Considered one and walked away? Or are you sitting in front of a salesman right now trying to convince yourself to sign? Drop your story in the comments — I read every one. #NewCarsAustralia #CarBuyingTips #WorstNewCars2026 #VolvoEX30 #CupraTavascan #Polestar4 #ToyotaBZ4X #LDV #CarBuyingMistakes #AustralianCarMarket #UsedCarsAustralia #ANCAP #VFACTS #CarBuyingAdvice #AustralianCars2026
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I’ll be keeping my 2001 VX Commodore 400,000 Kilometres and still the best car I have ever owned
I disagree about polestar. Australia I would say is a top 3 or 5 market for polestar sales. There are heaps of polestars on the road in Australia, and this year will see lease cars going onto the 2nd hamd market and they are selling between $40 to $30,000
There may be CVT transmissions that do have long lives; but so many do not that I am avoiding any car that has one.
Keep your old faithful people.
I wonder if Renault are partly struggling because they are selling 2024 cars. They are already 2 years old before they hit the showroom floor. In 2026 I would want a 2026 build not one already 2 years old. Yes I know they are complianced in 2026 but that doesn't help resale as they are still considered 2024 models. No way I'd pay$50k for a 2 year old car when you can get a brand new BYD cheaper with the same gizmos.
RIP legacy autos
Can you tell me a 7-seater that is reliable and under 35K? Cheers
As I see Electric Vehicles at this present time. EV powertrains are mechanically simpler (fewer moving parts than an Internal Combustion Engine). However, the battery pack is the single most expensive component, often accounting for 30–40% of the vehicle's total cost. While maintenance on these vehicles might be less, the upfront cost remains significantly higher than previous generation of cars. This pricing strategy has alienated Australian buyers who feel they are paying a "green tax" for unproven technology. Now the "Battery Issue" - If a battery fails out of warranty after 8–10 years, the replacement cost can range from $15,000 to $30,000, often exceeding the residual value of the car itself making the vehicle uneconomical to keep. Also if the batteries in vehicles suffer under the Australian heat they will wear faster. If a battery is prone to thermal runaway, insurance premiums will go up and possibly the retail value of the car could plummet. EV vs ICE - ICE Vehicle's mechanical wear is gradual and repairable. A 40-year-old Toyota can be fixed with common parts, but an EV vehicle relies on the complex software and proprietary high-voltage systems. When the software becomes obsolete or a specific battery module fails, there is often no "third-party" repair option. The vehicle becomes an expensive paperweight that is cheaper to scrap than to fix.
Wow after hearing that im keeping my old faithfull Mitshubishi Pajero 2010 NT T/Diesel till it falls apart maybe after after another 40 years
great video
Is the reason that these cars are not selling an indication that Australians are just not into electic cars?
the richer i get, the more upgrades my two 50 year old holdens get. I paid 4k and 3k for them, I'd easily get 80K for them if i ever sold them
I was sweating bullets until number 1 🤭 Got me a Skoda Enyaq, which isn't the best EV, but no issues yet (4 months in).
Not sure why you put the Polestar 4 on this list. 699 of them have been sold here in the first 5 months of this year and 1,295 were sold in 2025. There are only 15 Used and Dealer Demos for for sale on Carsales and they range from $76k to $117k. I don't see how this relates to a high rate of depreciation. You could have mentioned the Cupra Born and Mercedes-Benz EQE both only selling 1 this year. The Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV has sold 2 this year. The Genesis GV60 and Lotus Eletre have sold 3 this year. The Audi Q8 e-tron and Genesis Electrified G80 have sold 4 this year. The Audi e-tron GT and Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV have sold 6 this year.
Why doesn't the spineless ACCC step in on behalf of purchasers who paid good money for these lemons? Isn't that what most people think the ACCC for to protect every day hard-working Australians?
Are you aware that the Solterra and the bZ4X have been updated to new models that are big improvements on the original ones. Also the bZ4X has not had its name changed in Australia.
I bought a 2022 Kia Stinger GT and I'm loving it every time I get in it. Most underrated car you could have bought and then they stopped making it to focus on EV's. Go figure.
The EV market really is the wild west. Could you imagine a manufacturer telling people not to fill the tank on their petrol cars over 70%, and don't park near their house because of "fire risk"? Mobs would be picketing dealerships, and the ACCC would be down on them so fast their heads would spin. But somehow EV makers get away with an "oops, sorry about that."
i've heard that from next year i'll be slugged extra at rego [canberra] for driving an ice pollution-mobile. but apparently that's nothing like the hit i'd take in buying an ev.
I noticed you never once said where the batteries of the Volvo OR Lexus RZ AND THE LVD MIFA 9 are manufactured, why is that exactly? For those who would like the Answer, it is China, seems strange, to me, that the Country that is flooding the world with highly subsidized, cheap Electric cars, is producing and selling garbage batteries to their competitors, it also seems strange that you did not mention this pertitant fact, I will be looking forward to see your report on these Chinese imports with interest.