Category: Road Test

Road Test Review

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2018 RENAULT KOLEOS INTENS DIESEL

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Last year was one of Renault’s most successful in Australia with sales here almost doubling those achieved in 2016. The Koleos, the French marque’s five-seater medium SUV, can claim much of the credit for the increased interest. The new diesel arrival is likely to bolster that further. It is $3500 more than its petrol stablemate, but still presents good value when compared to the equivalents offered by the segment leaders – Mazda CX-5, Volkswagen Tiguan and the Nissan X-Trail. Renault Koleos has much in common with the Nissan X-Trail given… Read more

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HARD-CASE MAZDA HERO GIVEN A SOFT CENTRE

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Has the MX-5 gone soft? The ‘everyman’ Mazda, born in 1989 in the tradition of the compact British cloth-top convertibles of the post-war era from the likes of Triumph, Austin-Healey, MG and Lotus, was soon to become the best-selling sports car in the world and later became something of a cult. The lightweight two-seater with front engine, rear-wheel drive, had minimal mechanical complexity, limited only by legal and safety requirements, while being technologically modern, reliable and cheap. Since then, the MX-5, through a series of iterations, has maintained its spot… Read more

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HARD TO GO PAST THIS MAZDA SUV CHAMPION

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When it comes to handing out accolades in the automotive industry, not surprisingly, vehicle sales earn the most kudos. With that in mind, one undisputed market champion is the Mazda CX-5 sports utility vehicle. The latest version, the Next-Gen CX-5, is helping keep Australia’s most popular SUV for the past four years, in that coveted position. Launched in 2012 as Mazda’s first new-generation model featuring Kodo design – the Soul of Motion – and Skyactiv technology, the new CX-5, the second generation, Mazda says, refines every aspect of the company’s… Read more

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2018 HOLDEN EQUINOX LTZ REVIEW

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Holden has added an all-new vehicle to the already crowded family SUV Australian sales race. Though it’s similar in size to the ageing Captiva Holden tells us the Equinox isn’t a direct successor. In fact, some Captiva models will be sharing showrooms with the Equinox. We don’t anticipate that situation to last, but Holden is keeping its plans to itself. Equinox is certainly a far more modern vehicle than the Captiva in style, technology and safety. A five-seat vehicle, the Equinox will be complemented by a larger SUV, the Holden… Read more

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2018 BMW M240i COUPE REVIEW

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The BMW 2 Series range is closely related to the 1 Series, but comprises the sportier models, the coupe and convertible. There’s also a station wagon, the Active Tourer, though in the complex world of BMW this wagon is more 1 Series than 2. Anyhow, our test vehicle this week was the pick of the bunch, the hotrod BMW M240i coupe. We have always loved the BMW straight-six engines and this latest 3.0-litre turbo-petrol produces 250 kW of power and a great 500 Nm. At $76,510 it’s reasonably well priced… Read more

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STINGER SET TO BE A GAME-CHANGER FOR KIA

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  The end of local production of Commodores and Falcons has created a battle in the large family car market. The new German Commodore isn’t due till February, new Kia Stinger and Toyota Camry arrived earlier this year and both are pushing hard in the sales race while the Commodore slot is vacant. Kia Stinger is making a big deal on being rear-wheel drive, unlike Commodore which is either front- or all-wheel-drive, Camry is front drive only. Stinger is offered in four specification levels: S and Si with either four… Read more

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SUBARU SUPERSTAR STILL HAS ALL THE MOVES

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‘Move over, coming through’, might well be the thoughts running through the mind of a driver catching a WRX STI looming ever larger in the rear-view mirror. Yes, since the first generation set the standard in the late 1990s, the Subaru super sports sedan still has all the moves. Now, the WRX and WRX STI, the latter suffix alluding to Subaru Tecnica International, the company’s performance arm, have undergone a non-too major refit for model year 2018 with both mechanical and cosmetic upgrades. The all-wheel drive turbocharged twins share external… Read more

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2018 MASERATI LEVANTE S TURBO-PETROL

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When Maserati launched its Levante SUV in Australia in February it came only with a diesel engine. Why? Because at that time all petrol models were fitted with the steering wheel on the wrong side for Australia. A silly mistake that has now been rectified. Following pressure from Australia, the UK, South Africa and other countries where people drive on the left side of the road Maserati Levante is now available with a Ferrari-built twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 with 321 kW (430 horsepower) and 580 Nm of torque for the 2018… Read more

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MAZDA CX-9 IS A CLASSY PEOPLE MOVER

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Launched in July 2016 the second generation Mazda CX-9 has been a big hit in the people mover market in Australia. Not content to rest on its laurels, Mazda Oz recently introduced improvements to driving, safety and comfort for its flagship Azami, our test machine for the last week. STYLING With its neat and tidy look the big Mazda people carrier has a look of restrained confidence. From every angle things are in proportion and there are no fancy bits to spoil the minimalist look. The interior features quality materials… Read more

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2018 AUDI A5 CABRIOLET REVIEW

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A few months ago we drove a couple of Audi A5 Cabriolets with the their roofs open on a wet, windy wintery day in Adelaide – and were pleased to find the combination of heated seats, warm air being blown onto the back of our necks and an air blocker behind the front seats made life significantly more comfortable than expected. By way of sharp contrast we’ve just spent a most pleasant week at the wheel of an A5 Cabriolet in our home area on the Gold Coast, plenty of… Read more