Category: Road Test

Road Test Review

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‘BLACK’ MAKES LIGHT WORK OF SUV CHALLENGE

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The auto industry continues to be awash with gismos that are increasingly taking the ‘drive’ out of driver. Sports utility vehicles – especially all-wheel drives – are particularly subject to systems that butt in. Welcome to the no-nonsense world of the Outlander Black Edition. While the mid-size Mitsubishi petrol and petrol / electric hybrid SUV, for 2024, has been given a leg-up in equipment standards – plus price rises – the former LS Black Edition has been let loose from the pack to stand on its own. Not that there’s… Read more

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MAHINDRA SCORPIO OFFERS EXCELLENT VALUE BUT WITH SAFETY CONCERNS

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Indian carmaker Mahindra has been in the mainstream Australian market since 2007 to a very limited extent, with only a couple of vehicles in its range, the Pik-Up utility and XUV500 SUV, both aimed at rural buyers. We assume that sales have been low but don’t actually know for sure because the company has chosen not to submit its numbers to the national VFACTS database. Mahindra is now looking to boost its Australian profile and expand into the urban market with the recent launch of a pair of SUVs, the… Read more

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ALFA ROMEO TONALE TI

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Right now, this is your cheapest ticket into the glamorous, alluring world of the Italian marque Alfa Romeo. The Tonale is a small SUV that is available at the moment only as a fuel-saving hybrid, which could be a real bonus depending on your perspective. Some drivers may hunger for something a bit spicier, say the larger more powerful 2.0-litre turbo from Stelvio. Named after a mountain pass in Northern Italy, Tonale sits on the same platform as the Jeep Compass and is a little brother to the mid-sized Stelvio,… Read more

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CHERY OMODA 5

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Chinese brand Chery is back with a couple of SUVs and the promise of more to come. The name hasn’t been seen in these parts for 10 years, not since its cheapo hatches and SUVs fell foul of the safety police. That was then and this is now, with its latest offering, a small SUV called the Omoda 5 scoring a full five stars for safety when crash tested by ANCAP. It’s got plenty of cut-through too, with a style and shape that makes it stand out in a crowded… Read more

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SUBARU CROSSTREK 2.0S HYBRID

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Crosstrek is the smallest of Subaru’s three SUVs, sitting below the mid-sized Forester and larger Outback. It competes against vehicles such as MG ZS, Mitsubishi ASX, Kia Seltos and Mazda CX- 30. While the name is new, Crosstrek has actually been on the Australian market since 2012 as the XV. Five Crosstrek variants are offered: 2.0L, 2.0R, 2.0S (petrol), plus Hybrid L and Hybrid S, with prices ranging from $34,990 to $45,090 plus on-road costs. Our test was in the top-spec Hybrid S. As with all Australian Subaru models, except… Read more

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SSANGYONG MUSSO ULTIMATE 4X4 DUAL CAB UTE

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Well, hello. We’d almost forgotten about the other Korean – you know, SsangYong. After some financial woes, restructure and change of ownership, SsangYong is back in business selling cars, with two SUVs and a 4×4 dual cab ute to offer. Originally launched here in 2004, Musso was available as both a ute and SUV, the former called the Musso Sports, which attracted buyers with a bargain price and Mercedes- sourced turbo-diesel. These days ute and SUV have parted company, but it’s the Musso 4×4 dual cab ute that we are… Read more

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THERE’S AN AURA AROUND GWM ORA

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Every now and then we get into a car that seems to grab attention wherever it goes. So it has been with the Great Wall Motors (GWM) Ora. Perhaps it was the combination of cute styling, a standout powder blue finish and then ew Ora badge that looks much like an exclamation mark. It drew comparisons with the New Beetle and old Nissan Micra and had us fielding questions throughout the week. Ora is GWM’s first EV and joins the growing list of affordable fully-electric compact vehicles to come out… Read more

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SSANGYONG REXTON IS AN IMPRESSIVE SEVEN-SEATER AT A BARGAIN PRICE

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Although Korean carmaker SsangYong has been in the Australian market for the past 20 years it has never been able to get close to the success of its compatriots Hyundai and Kia. The company has gone through financial difficulties over the years and been taken over at different times by SAIC, Daewoo, Mahindra and, earlier this year, by a new entrant in the automotive scene – KG Mobility. SsangYong currently has three models in its range, the Musso ute and two SUVs, mid- sized Korando and, this week’s test vehicle… Read more

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MG HS +EV REVIEW

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The MG HS +EV is a mid-sized SUV from the Chinese manufacturer that is making such an impact on the Australian market. The name can be a little misleading because it’s not fully-electric but rather a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and so comes with a petrol engine together with a battery that can be charged in the same manner as an EV. Plug-in hybrids are an excellent concept but in practice, at least at this stage of their development, they don’t make a lot of sense. Firstly, they are typically at… Read more

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TOYOTA CRUISER: NO SINKING FEELING . . . YET

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The Toyota LandCruiser dates back to the days when such vehicles were called wagons – none of this sports utility vehicle nonsense. Unfortunately, they behaved as though they, at worst, had wooden wheels with iron rims; at best, solid rubber tyres. One such ‘wagon’ was the LandCruiser, which made Aussie landfall in the 1950s on the Snowy Mountains Hydro Scheme. It has not looked back. The latest LandCruiser 300 came to market two years ago, with Toyota at pains to supply the vehicle with a stack of the latest automotive… Read more