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Prices at fast-food giants Hungry Jack’s, McDonald’s and KFC surge as inflation and production costs rise

Prices at fast-food giants Hungry Jack's, McDonald's and KFC surge as inflation and production costs rise

If you thought your last fast-food order was a little more expensive than usual, you’re right.

A large chunk of the menu at fast food giants including Hungry Jack’s, McDonald’s and KFC have surged over the past year as inflation and production costs rise.

Even the cost of the humble soft-serve cone has increased as franchise owners admit they’re grappling with how to adjust prices.

There’s been uproar this week in the UK after McDonald’s, citing inflation, ended its 99p cheeseburger deal and lifted the price to £1.19.

Back home, a McDonald’s Double Quarter Pounder has increased 95¢ since last year from $7.65 to $8.60, while small and large soft drinks are up 40¢ each.

Hungry families or uni students looking to fill the fridge for the week are going to have to stretch a bit further at KFC this year for a bucket of 21 pieces of chicken — up $3.50 to $38.45, while a pack of six wicked wings is up $1 .

And at Hungry Jack’s, a Whopper is up to a whopping 60¢ and cheeseburger meals are up between $1 and $1.30.

Soft serve cones are now 70¢ at Hungry Jack’s, up from 60¢, and 75¢ at McDonald’s, up from 70¢.

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Elon Musk has filed a countersuit against Twitter over $65 billion deal

A composite image of a headshot of man with a six-o'clock shadow and a phone displaying a Twitter logo

Elon Musk has countersued Twitter, escalating his legal fight against the social media company over his bid to walk away from the $US44 billion (more than $65 billion) purchase.

While the 164-page document was not publicly available, under court rules a redacted version could soon be made public.

Musk’s lawsuit was filed on Friday, hours after Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick of the Delaware Court of Chancery ordered a five-day trial, beginning on October 17, to determine if Mr Musk can walk away from the deal.

Twitter did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Also on Friday, local time, Mr Musk was sued by a Twitter shareholder, who asked the court to order the billionaire to close the deal, finding that he breached his fiduciary duty to Twitter shareholders and awarded damages for losses he caused.

Elon Musk looks down at his smartphone.
The world’s richest man is also being sued by Twitter shareholder. (Reuters: Joe Skipper)

Mr Musk owes a fiduciary duty to Twitter’s shareholders because of his 9.6 per cent stake in the company and because the takeover agreement gives him a veto of many of the company’s decisions, according to the lawsuit, which seeks class action status.

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How to wipe out most of your mortgage repayment increases

How to wipe out most of your mortgage repayment increases

The speed and scale of interest rate rises have been, well, scary. They are calculated to be so – surging consumer prices need to be stopped.

However, rather than waiting in trepidation for the next upwards rate move – there will likely be another 50-basis-point Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) rise on Tuesday – you could probably give yourself a rate cut by taking a little pre-emptive action.

Refinancing to a lender offering a lower mortgage rate can save big money.

Refinancing to a lender offering a lower mortgage rate can save big money.Credit:stock

Despite recent mortgage rate rises, there remains a huge gulf between what the big-four banks are offering on their variable-interest rate mortgages and what can be found at some smaller lenders, who generally offer the best rates. And I mean huge.

If your home loan is on an advertised big-bank package mortgage interest rate, you are likely paying 2.67 percentage points more than the cheapest comparable product. If you are on the discounted package rate, you are still forking out 1.61 points over the odds. That adds up to a lot of money you are paying for nothing in your fast-rising monthly mortgage payments.

However, by simply switching home loans from a discounted big-bank rate to the best available, you would almost entirely undo the “damage” the RBA has so far done with your higher mortgage payments.

In case I haven’t got your attention yet, let’s put some dollar figures on this.

By switching from a big-bank mortgage rate to the best available, you could under the damage the RBA has done with your higher repayments.

The average national mortgage is $611,158; today, the big-four bank average discounted rate is 4.7 per cent (compared to the headline rate of 5.76 per cent), while the mortgage interest rate on the most competitive, the comparable product is at 3.09 per cent.

If you refinance that mortgage to the lowest rate – and $380 billion worth of home loans has been refinanced since the beginning of the coronavirus crisis – you would shave $540 a month off your repayments, cutting them to $2927 (based on a 25-year mortgage ).

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Carlton North terrace house fetches $1.4 million ahead of interest rates decision

Carlton North terrace house fetches $1.4 million ahead of interest rates decision

He said the reserve was about $1.38 million to $1.4 million.

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“[It’s a] pretty typical experience, I think the quoted prices are where things are at,” Roberts said.

He did not think the impact of interest rates had filtered through yet, and said the market was “very price-sensitive, but still good”.

“Vendors are selling and doing well and bringing things to the marketplace,” he said. “It’s about getting the pricing right.”

In Maribyrnong, a three-bedroom parkside home also sold in the vicinity of its price hopes, fetching $1,015 million. This was just above the top end of price guide of $900,000 to $990,000.

Most interested buyers were young families but a middle-aged couple won the competitive auction for 1 Nayook Lane, Biggin & Scott Maribyrnong’s Quentin Hinrichs said, beating three other parties.

It had a fluctuating reserve, but the vendors were hoping for about $1 million, he said.

“[The market is] certainly down from, way down from, where it was not long ago, price wise,” he said.

Not all homes sold under the hammer. A Brighton block with water views passed in on a vendor bid of $5 million.

The weatherboard house at 50 Esplanade was marketed as an opportunity for the buyer to build a dream home on the 903-square-meter parcel.

Kay & Burton Bayside Brighton’s Will Maxted said he was in negotiations with some parties post-auction, and his phone had not stopped pinging since, with potential buyers wanting to talk.

“They are just a bit gun shy to put their hands up, they want to negotiate afterwards,” he said.

A more affordable four-bedroom house in Frankston North soared above its reserve price, trading for $712,000 in front of a crowd of more than 90 onlookers.

An investor outbid another investor and two owner-occupiers for 5 Blackbutt Court, surpassing the reserve of $500,000 and price guide of $500,000 to $550,000.

Bidding began at the bottom of the price guide and went up in $10,000 increments, and cut back to $500 bids towards the end, OBrien Real Estate Frankston’s Mark Burke said.

He said it was on a large block of 837 square meters but not all homes could command a similar result in this market.

“I’m a bit more picky about what I auction but if you get the right property you can auction it,” he said.

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“Buyers are looking for better value for money and better bang for their buck – it certainly has an effect on prices.”

In Glen Waverley, a three-bedroom villa unit at 1/743 High Street Road sold for $836,000.

An investor beat three other parties, pushing the price above the $800,000 reserve.

“It was not a bad auction, there was quite a few people here which was a bit of a surprise for us for a main road property,” Barry Plant Monash’s Tony Ievoli said.

“At some of the other properties we have auctioned in recent times, there are much fewer buyers and much less activity.“

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South Melbourne Market stallholders face rent hike of up to 30 per cent from Port Phillip Council

South Melbourne Market stallholders face rent hike of up to 30 per cent from Port Phillip Council

“We’ve never ever queried about rental increases, and we’ve understood,” he said. “[But] it’s quite tough at the moment.”

Zahos acknowledged that the committee didn’t put his rent up during the 2020 and 2021 COVID-19 lockdowns and that he expected an increase this year.

However, he said after revenue loss due to the pandemic and increases in costs due to inflation, the suggested amount was extraordinary. He also declined to make the amount public.

Fresh produce stalls remained open during the lockdowns, while other stalls were forced to close.

The other stallholders who spoke to The Sunday Age did so on the condition of anonymity, out of concern it could affect negotiations.

One woman, whose rent could increase by about 30 per cent, accused the committee of being bullies.

“They are essentially going to send our businesses bust … during a recession, during a pandemic,” she said.

The woman said she felt pressured to provide her financial records.

“It’s outrageous, disgusting behaviour. We’re being treated like kids,” she said.

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Another stallholder, whose rent could increase by about 40 per cent, called the move a “shake down”.

“They’re trying to draw blood from a stone,” he said.

“Before you know it, the face of the market will change forever to a glorified food court because takeaway food or big chains will be the only thing that can survive.”

A fourth stallholder said prices could soon be as high as at the Stonnington Council-run Prahran Market, while another said the process had caused him extreme stress. “It’s been hell,” he said.

Port Phillip Council owns and operates the South Melbourne Market. The land it is on was made available under a crown grant for a general market in 1867.

Mayor Marcus Pearl said the council provided $1,193,725 in rental support to stallholders impacted by the COVID-19 lockdowns and that the rent increases were the first in three years.

“The reality is that it’s expensive to run and maintain a market of this size and complexity,” he said. “This means we have to increase rents to meet our obligation to ratepayers to keep the market financially sustainable.”

Pearl said the council aimed to keep rents as affordable as possible for traders and that most would face a 3.5 per cent rise.

He said the committee took into consideration the public benefit of the market and that financial records were requested to ensure the stalls could remain viable.

The committee’s charter calls the market one of the council’s “prime infrastructure assets” and notes its intention to develop it as a “premier shopping destination”.

“The market is an integral part of [the] council’s long term financial sustainability and, as such, must continue to operate profitably and competitively,” it says.

Shoppers Keren Amor, Terry Lees and Linda Pankhurst at South Melbourne market on Saturday.

Shoppers Keren Amor, Terry Lees and Linda Pankhurst at South Melbourne market on Saturday.Credit:Simon Schluter

On Saturday, the market was bustling with people, some there to do their weekly shop, others to browse or meet friends.

Terry Lees, who has been shopping at the market for 30 years and now visits three times a week, said if prices increased he would shop at other markets more often, including the Queen Victoria Market.

“Este [market] would be less competitive with Vic Market,” the local South Melbourne said. “It’s going to force some people out because they don’t want to put the prices up and [make the market] more expensive.”

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Keren Amore said she did her main shop at Preston Market, which had lower prices, and that she came to South Melbourne for a few select specialty goods. The local Northcote said she would still visit if prices increased.

Regular Linda Pankhurst, who lives on St Kilda Road, said she too would still shop at the market, but that she worried about people on lower incomes and for the stallholders.

“A lot of these guys have really struggled, especially over the last couple of years,” she said.

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Sydney couple build $1.2m property portfolio in just three months

Sydney couple build $1.2m property portfolio in just three months

A Sydney couple, who had been priced out of upgrading their family home, have managed to create a property portfolio worth $1.2 million in the space of just three months.

Amit Kumar and his wife Astha had bought a townhouse in the Sydney suburb of Quakers Hill for $610,000 six years ago.

Despite saving hard and their family home growing in value to $780,000, the couple who have two children aged three and five, discovered Sydney’s skyrocketing property market would mean it was impossible for them to find a new property in the city.
They had discussed the idea of ​​buying other homes but were nervous.

“It was the fear of the unknown,” Mr Kumar said. “You just don’t know what to do, you don’t want to overpay, you don’t want to buy the wrong place and then have it vacant for long periods and with no tenants,” he told news.com.au .

“You don’t know where the growth is going to be and you don’t know what the projects are in certain areas and things like that.”

But the couple met with a buyer’s agent and took the plunge in April, snapping up two properties in that month alone.

The first was in Adelaide in the southern suburb of Christie Downs, a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house.

They purchased it for $425,000 and it has already grown in value by approximately $60,000.

The second property was purchased in Toowoomba, Queensland – a three-bedroom house for $455,000, which has also jumped in value by $50,000.

“We were very nervous, particularly because they actually settled very close to each other… the settlement was two days apart,” he said.

“And also complicating things further was the Easter break and the Anzac Day long weekend happened as well, so it was all on short notice.

“I think at the time there was an election coming up, we didn’t know what the policies were going to be, we didn’t know what the interest rate was doing and how it’s going to affect us.”

But the gamble has paid off so far with Mr Kumar revealing they had 20 rental applications for the Adelaide house before the open home was even held.

“So we had a very large number of applications to actually choose from and we actually managed to get more than what we actually hoped to achieve in terms of rent,” he said.

“So when we bought the place, we were told $410 is a realistic expectation in terms of rent, but we actually ended up achieving $420.”

The Toowoomba home was already tenanted but Mr Kumar said it was at a significantly lower amount to the market rate.

They were told they would get $450 for the place, but after the previous tenant moved out, it was only empty for three days and then rented out for $470, he said.

Their latest buy has been in Bundaberg, a house for $387,000 snapped up in July, which is expected to rent out for $460.

All three properties were also bought sight unseen, Mr Kumar added, while the rents cover their mortgages.

The couple paid $65,000 to $70,000 for each place including stamp duty, using a 12 per cent “sweet spot” deposit recommended by their mortgage broker.

Mr Kumar, who works in sales, said the couple still plan to use their portfolio as a “stepping stone” to buy a bigger place in Sydney in the next 12 to 24 months, but they won’t stop there.

The 39-year-old never believed it would be possible to build a property portfolio but now the couple have a goal to buy eight to 10 properties in the next five to seven years.

He advised others to get into the property market as soon as they can, adding people shouldn’t be influenced by the market, but instead focus on the long-term goal of building value in their property.

“One of the things the buyer’s agent said to me and it’s just stuck out in my mind is that the earlier you buy, the sooner you buy, then the more time you’re allowing for capital growth and timing is not as critical as just getting into the market,” he said.

“Because if you buy the right property at the right price, timing is not such an important factor.

“All three properties that he’s bought for me, we’ve actually managed to get all of them under market value, so what it means is indirectly like even already now by the time we settle, we already have some equity.”

Read related topics:sydney

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Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy next week 31 July 2022

Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy next week 31 July 2022

A white and black clock face is shown with three hands saying Time to Buy reflecting Citi's view that it's time to buy ASX 200 banks

Image source: Getty Images

Last week saw a number of broker notes hitting the wires once again. Three buy ratings that investors might want to be aware of are summarized below.

Here’s why brokers think investors ought to buy them next week:

Coronado Global Resources Inc (ASX: CRN)

According to a note out of Goldman Sachs, its analysts have retained their buy rating but trimmed their price target on this coal miner’s shares to $2.15. Although Coronado delivered a second-quarter update that was short of Goldman’s expectations, it remains bullish. This is due to its “compelling” valuation and strong free cash flow generation. The latter is expected to underpin huge dividend payments in the next couple of years. The Coronado Global share price ended the week at $1.41.

Mineral Resources Limited (ASX:MIN)

Analysts at Citi have retained their buy rating and $73.00 price target on this mining and mining services company. Citi is positive on Mineral Resources due to its exposure to iron ore and lithium. Its analysts expect the price of the latter to stay higher for longer thanks to strong demand and tight supply. The Mineral Resources share price was fetching $53.74 at Friday’s close.

Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX:TLS)

Analysts at Credit Suisse have retained their outperform rating and $4.50 price target on this telco giant’s shares. The broker has been running the rule over the company’s impending Multi Operator Core Network agreement with TPG Telecom Ltd (ASX:TPG). It is expecting the agreement to be accretive to Telstra’s earnings if the ACCC gives the deal its approval. Outside this, the broker is positive on the telco partly due to favorable trends in the key mobile business. The Telstra share price ended the week at $3.89.

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First A321neo LR delivered, promising larger seats, longer range

First A321neo LR delivered, promising larger seats, longer range

Bigger seats, larger overhead bins and a quieter cabin are what passengers can look forward to when flying on Jetstar’s newest plane, the Airbus A320neo.

Eleven years after ordering the plane, Jetstar’s first A320neo touched down on Sunday at Melbourne Airport, after making its way from Hamburg, Germany, via Mumbai and Perth.

The jet, an A321neo LR (long range) variation of the A320neo, arrived to a crowd of Jetstar employees and their families with INXS’s New Sensation blasting throughout the hangar.

The jet’s engines are 15 per cent more fuel efficient than Jetstar’s current A320 fleet, and it is 50 per cent quieter and can fly up to 1200 kilometers further.

Fuel efficiency is a key selling point for Airbus (“neo” stands for “new engine option”), as airlines look to reduce emissions and fuel costs amid soaring oil prices.

“Even if the price of oil hadn’t changed, it’s essential,” said Jetstar chief executive Gareth Evans. “The biggest challenge for the industry as a whole over the next decade and the decades beyond is sustainability.

“We’ve recognized that, as the Qantas Group, with some of the most ambitious targets out there – 25 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030 and zero emissions by 2050. The neo is part of that journey along with sustainable aviation fuels.”

Evans said Jetstar had made other changes to the neo to reduce weight and fuel costs. There are lightweight galley carts and freight containers, and even the plane’s paint has been developed to lighten the load. The new paint cuts weight by 50 kilograms and, combined with other changes, removes 170 kilograms from every flight.

“This translates to a saving of 1.2 million kilograms of fuel annually, a reduction of almost 4000 tonnes of emissions,” Evans said.

He said Jetstar was operating roughly the same number of flights as before COVID, amid soaring passenger demand.

“We’re trying to manage supply, demand and obviously the impact of the fuel bill, so we have taken some capacity out,” he said. Reducing the number of seats available increases the loads on other flights, making them more cost-effective.

The A321neo LR is the widest single-aisle plane on the market, with Jetstar’s 232 economy seats on board offering seat pitch (leg room) of 74 centimeters, and 45.7 centimeters of width. That’s the same leg room as on other Jetstar domestic aircraft, but a marginally wider space.

Passengers will also have 40 per cent more space in the overhead bins, device-holders built into seats and a streaming entertainment service.

Unlike the airline’s Boeing 787 Dreamliners, there will be no business class.

“Primarily, these planes will be flying domestically,” Evans said. “This is an aircraft that is going to be able to move between the two networks [international and domestic]but at the same time we’ve made sure we’ve got good seat pitch and elements that improve customer comfort.”

The aircraft will first be deployed on the Melbourne-Cairns route in early September, before rolling out to other domestic routes and some international destinations including Bali.

Jetstar has ordered 38 of the A321neos. The first 18 are to arrive in the next two years, followed by 20 longer-range versions by 2029. Airbus has received 8,100 orders from more than 130 customers worldwide for the plane. About half the A321neo fleet will be based in Melbourne, Evans said.

See also: World’s largest twin-engine jet makes incredibly steep take-off

See also: Superjumbo comeback: The airlines still flying A380s to Australia

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Beware unregulated ‘quick fix’ pay advances

Beware unregulated 'quick fix' pay advances

Australians have been warned about using increasingly popular “pay advance” services over concerns they may be exposing themselves to excessive debt and unregulated products.

Pay advance services offer workers access to their pay ahead of time, with users able to withdraw anywhere between $50 to $2000, which they then repay – along with a flat rate or a percentage fee – to the lender come payday. The services operate similar to payday lending, albeit with fewer fees and shorter repayment timeframes.

Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones has said Labor will look to regulate buy now, pay later services and pay advance industry.

Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones has said Labor will look to regulate buy now, pay later services and pay advance industry.Credit:alex ellinghausen

A number of large pay advance companies have sprung up recently, including Australian Securities Exchange-listed Beforepay, MyPayNow, and Commonwealth Bank’s AdvancePay. Their number of customers has been rising, spurred on by a surging cost of living and higher interest rates.

However, despite their growing popularity, cash-strapped workers have been warned to avoid these services.

A spokesperson for financial regulator the Australian Securities and Investments Commission’s MoneySmart financial advice division said while they may seem like a “quick fix”, users should seek other options.

“If you need money quickly, a pay advance service may seem convenient,” the spokesperson said. “[However]using a pay advance service means that you’ll have less money in your next pay and, if you over-use it, it can be hard to keep up with repayments when managing other financial commitments”

“Keep in mind that every time you use the service, you are charged a fee. While pay advance providers have limits on what they can charge you, your bank might charge a fee if you don’t have enough money in your account to cover your repayment.”

Borrowing money through a pay advance service can also affect your ability to borrow money, such as a home loan, in the future, as lenders often take a dim view of pay advance and buy now, pay later services when assessing a borrower’s spending habits.

Another key concern of ASIC is that pay advance services are unregulated, operating under a loophole in credit laws which allows providers to bypass the need for credit checks or hardship processes.

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2022 Skoda Kodiaq Sportline review

2022 Skoda Kodiaq Sportline review

Skoda’s flagship seven-seater Kodiaq straddles the medium and large SUV segments and boasts clever use of space and strong driving dynamics.

Our family of four sampled the mid-grade Sportline, but does the brand and model still represent value and smarts?

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Jules: I’ve a serious soft spot for Skoda’s Kodiaq.

Iain: why?

Jules: It’s hard to pinpoint the rules of attraction. It’s imposing but not too big, stylish without trying hard and lives up to its “Simply Clever” ad slogan.

Iain: Well, quite clever. It just about seats seven and offers reasonable performance. Skoda’s still a fringe brand, so you feel less sheep-like than you would in a Toyota or Kia.

Jules: Our Kodiaq’s the bad boy. Being the Sportline it’s black on black on black.

Iain: Like a middle management Mafioso not yet able to get a black Mercedes AMG for school drop off.

Jules: If you like.

Iain: Goodies include Matrix LED headlights, animated rear indicators, 20-inch alloys and black grille, roof rails, mirrors and badging.

Jules: What’s this all costing me?

Iain: A reasonable $57,990 drive-away, but Skoda value ain’t what it used to be. Option packs quickly add to the bill, too.

THE LIVING SPACE

Jules: It’s seriously luxurious inside.

Iain: Because of the aforementioned options. It’s $1900 to upgrade from Alcantara sports seats to leather with ventilation; the panoramic sunroof’s $1900 and a $3700 Luxury Pack brings heated front and rear seats, an electric passenger seat and advanced driver aids. Without the latter, safety kit is really wanting.

Jules: So what’s the final bill?

Iain: Wait. There’s more. Paint is $700 and a $2900 Tech Pack adds adaptive chassis control, Canton audio, hands-free tailgate and parking assist. Try $69,160 to drive away.

Jules: Is that Kodiaq RS money?

Iain: It’s $74,990 with those options included, plus you get an extra 48kW from its 180kW 2.0-liter engine.

Jules: That’s me sold. The Sportline’s still lovely though. Great to have a digital dashboard, wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless charging and a 9.2-inch touchscreen.

Iain: It feels sporty. The steering wheel’s chunky, there’s faux carbon dash trim and racy red lighting in the driver display, doors and footwells.

Jules: There’s an umbrella in the door, as well as handy luggage nets and massive storage compartments.

Iain: Not so clever are central cup holders too small for my coffee cup or sports bottle. On the plus side, there’s good storage in the doors, which also house a small waste bin.

THE COMMUTE

Jules: I’m waiting for the Sport in Sportline.

Iain: Keep waiting. There’s only 132kW from the four-cylinder turbo petrol, and it’s got 1750kg to shift.

Jules: It’s an impressive cruiser. Quiet, comfy and the radar cruise control works with the banging sound system to keep me happy.

Iain: I found the seats overly firm, but driver aids are subtly non-invasive. Its dual-clutch gearbox is super slick when up to speed but jerky around town. It’s also sluggish off the line, which caught me out at junctions more than once.

Jules: No chance of a quick three-point-turn, something we mums need at school drop off. There’s a big delay getting between Drive and Reverse.

THE SHOPPING

Iain: They’re cost options, but the hands-free tailgate and birds-eye view camera are brilliant for the supermarket.

Jules: The normal reversing camera is surprisingly poor quality. The massive boot compensates and you can even fit a few shopping bags with all seven seats up.

SUNDAY RUN

Iain: It has impressive cornering skills. The optional adaptive drive mode adjusts things such as damping and steering in Sport mode.

Jules: I love those drive modes. Ambient lighting turns green in Eco, blue in Comfort and red in Sport. There’s even a snow mode and it all turns cool blue. That tickles me.

Iain: It’s good fun to throw into corners and the gearbox is at its best at speed. Steering wheel paddles are a welcome bonus. Grip from the Pirelli tires is good, but they’re quite skinny so you feel harsher bumps through them.

Jules: It is fun on back roads but ours is so closely priced to a Kodiaq RS I’d pay the extra for more power and theatre.

THE FAMILY

Iain: I worry our kids are being brought up in a heated leathery seat bubble.

Jules: They’re spoiled in the middle seats, which recline, slide back and forth and have mini foot rests. The sunblinds are handy, while the huge sunroof bathes the cabin with light.

Iain: Their own climate control is good, but do you know what’s simply not clever? Do not rear USB ports. For a family SUV? That just doesn’t make sense.

Jules: It’s also a bit of a mission accessing the two rear seats.

Yoain: They’re best for kids. I’m six foot and my head’s on the ceiling and knees are jammed in.

Jules: We averaged 8L/100km on the highway and 9.1L/100km overall. Not great as it needs 95 fuel, but at least a $1800 five-year service pack is decent value.

Iain: As for adventuring there’s scope for mild off-roading. It tows 2000kg but the downball weight’s a paltry 80kg.

THE VERDICT

Jules: The Kodiaq is striking to look at and beautiful inside, but those options make it feel expensive compared to Kia, Hyundai and Mazda rivals.

Iain: It’s superb to drive and behold but is missing some standard safety gear, there are no rear USB ports and it’s quite thirsty. It’s not the smart, value pick it once was.

SKODA KODIAQ SPORTLINE VITALS

PRICE From $57,990 drive away

WARRANTY AND SERVICE 5 years/unl’td km warranty, $1800 for 5 years

ENGINE 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo-petrol, 132kW and 320Nm

SAFETY Nine airbags, auto emergency braking, radar cruise control

THIRST 8.2L/100km

SPARE space saver

BOOT 270-765 liters

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