Category: Road Test

Road Test Review

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GIULIA SET TO RESURRECT THE ALFA ROMEO BRAND

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Alfa Romeo Giulia arrived here in January 2017 with the arduous task of helping to resurrect the iconic Italian brand to the level that made it one of the world’s most respected carmakers. The Alfa Romeo 4C that went on sale in 2015 was certainly a positive sign but it was a small two-door coupe or convertible sportscar with limited impact on the general market. By contrast Giulia is a mid-sized family sedan albeit one with serious performance attributes. With SUVs dominating sales it’s getting harder and harder to find… Read more

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A ‘SPEC ‘N’ TECH’ SPRUCE-UP SPURS LUXE NX LEXUS

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“Not to be messed with”: that, we are told, is what the powers that be at Lexus wanted to get across with its upgrade to the NX line of luxury sports utility vehicles. Said one exec: “Improvements to the NX styling and dynamics will enhance its appeal by projecting a sportier character from what is already one of the sharpest luxury SUVs on the road.” And, like the genie in the bottle, the team tasked with the job, the boss’s wish was its command. Did it work? The ‘spec ‘n’… Read more

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LEXUS LX GETS TURBO-DIESEL OPTION

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Until now the large Lexus LX series SUVs have only been sold here with a 5.7-litre twin-cab petrol V8, if you wanted a turbo-diesel you had to opt for the LX’s close cousin, the Toyota LandCruiser 200. The reasoning being that diesels didn’t necessarily give the sort of near silence and refinement the upmarket Japanese marque has been renowned for. These days diesels are almost as refined as petrol units so Lexus has added a diesel LX, the 450d. With a capacity of 4.5 litres this twin-cam, twin-turbo V8 diesel… Read more

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2018 NISSAN PATROL Ti REVIEW

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Nissan has given its two-model Patrol range a little pep both inside and out. Little things, mind, but considered approaches to keep its largest SUV positioned as a value proposition. And let’s not forget fun. STYLING With this Nissan Patrol, big is definitely better. The Patrol is a hard vehicle to miss, as much for its presence as its size. Nissan has updated this loveable beast with a new bumper and grille pairing as well as revised triangular foglight housings and distinguishing 18-inch alloys. The look is bold and brassy… Read more

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JAGUAR’S NEW COMPACT SUV: THE E-PACE

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The Jaguar E-Pace is the upmarket British marque’s first entry in the compact SUV market. It joins the larger Jaguar F-Pace that has grabbed a good slice of this important market. The five-seat compact SUV stylists and engineers have aimed at giving it style and practicality in a body that has an almost coupe like rear end. “Our new compact SUV combines the interior space, connectivity and security that families expect with the kind of proportions, purity of design and performance not usually associated with such a practical vehicle.” Ian… Read more

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POWER AND PASSION FROM A DIFFERENT DIRECTION

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Kia Stinger GT

To Aussies a stinger is a nasty sea creature; the deadly box jellyfish, to be precise. Recently a new ‘animal’ was added to the lexicon and it is neither nasty nor deadly. The Stinger fastback sports sedan is touted by some as being the South Korean automaker’s Commodore and Kia Motors Australia chief operating officer Damien Meredith, says he is confident the Stinger has the attributes which will endear it to Australian drivers across a wide demographic. Mated with Kia’s own eight-speed automatic transmission driving the rear wheels via a… Read more

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DRESSED-UP tS MAINTAINS SUBARU BRZ TRADITION

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Faux aristocrats such as those who people places like TV favourite Downton Abbey don’t hold the exclusive right to dress for the occasion. Automobiles too have a long tradition of showing off what they are about. One example of this is the BRZ, Subaru’s iconic sports coupe. Born out of a relationship with Toyota by sharing clobber with the 86 to produce a modern motoring aristocrat of its kind. Now Subaru has thrown in new equipment all round but has come up with a new range-topping tS variant. For example,… Read more

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MAZDA SURPRISE PACKAGE THE GIFT THAT KEEPS GIVING

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As they say, life’s full of little surprises; some good, some bad. It’s a case of the former with the Mazda2 after an upgrade that sees the small hatchback or sedan lead small cars in standard safety. The maker has adopted the theory that size doesn’t matter, believing in, ‘providing the best possible driving experience in pursuit of the highest quality and ideals’ for its sub-compact. Mazda2 now has blind-spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert as standard equipment on high-spec grades. These i-ActivSense safety technologies join Smart City Brake… Read more

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2018 VOLVO XC60 T6 R DESIGN

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The Swedish people certainly don’t use planned obsolescence as a way of making extra dollars for their companies. And Volvo is a clear indicator of this sensible approach. It’s almost 10 years since the just superseded Volvo XC60 midsize SUV was launched, now we have a virtually all-new model with significant upgrades throughout. Wheels magazine is obviously impressed by the new Volvo SUV, giving it the prestigious Car of the Year award. New Volvo XC60 sold in three variants; Momentum, Inscription and R-Design. Our test Volvo for the past week… Read more

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2018 KIA STINGER Si REVIEW

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Comedians will tell you that timing can make or break an act. The arrival of the Stinger, just as the lights were turned off on the local production of certain well-loved Aussie legends, is testament to Kia’s impeccable timing. The Stinger is no laughing matter though, the rear-wheel-drive performance car that doubles as family chariot. It is not only the fastest production Kia, it may also mark the end of the badge snobbery that tends to follow in Kia’s stead no matter the talents the South Korean manufacturer displays. We… Read more