Category: Road Test

Road Test Review

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2016 MAZDA MX-5 REVIEW

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Mazda’s evergreen MX-5 has weathered not one but two pretty impressive financial meltdowns – the huge Asian financial disaster in the nineties and the global crisis that is still causing drama. Cars like the MX-5 are usually the first to go during tough times, but has motored on to its much-anticipated fourth generation. What’s even rarer is a carmaker leaving alone a winning formula like the MX-5’s and cutting the price at the same time. It must be quite something… VALUE The ND series MX-5 comes in two trim levels… Read more

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2016 SUBARU FORESTER TS SPECIAL EDITION

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Subaru was one of the earliest Japanese carmakers to tackle the Australian market, with imports dating back to 1973. It did moderately well in the sales race in its initial years – then took off at breakneck speed with the introduction of the high-performance WRX in1994. The WRX’s stunning combination of turbocharged power and the road grip offered by all-wheel-drive grabbed the imagination of keen Aussie drivers and it’s no surprise that other hot models followed, including some based on the Subaru Forester SUV. We initially drove a Forester tS… Read more

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ALL-NEW MAZDA CX-9 SHINES

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The first Mazda CX-9 was launched here just before Christmas 2007 and despite its age has been selling pretty well, being a long time favourite on the family SUV market. In recent years, though, buyers have been asking Mazda Australia to update it. That somewhat overdue new CX-9 is finally here and has the latest technology in infotainment, powertrain and suspension technology and offered in a number of models and drivetrains. Australia continues to be Mazda’s biggest selling market on a population basis so several important guests, including Mazda CX-9… Read more

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TROPHY WINNER IN ‘HORSES FOR COURSES’ STAKES

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Horses for courses: it’s a throwaway line to explain something that doesn’t quite fit. The Renault Clio RS 220 Trophy is a case in point. With its added ‘horses’ – power, that is – the special edition is not always at home on the street. Compared with the Clio RS 200 EDC five-door hot hatch, the new limited edition features a more powerful engine with 15 extra kilowatts, up to 40 Newton metres more torque, a sportier chassis and an enhanced EDC (Efficient Dual Clutch) automatic transmission. The Clio RS… Read more

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AUDI’S ULTRA-HOT WAGON LEADS A DOUBLE LIFE

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Thoughts of a muscle car conjure up a redhot coupe or sedan – certainly not a station wagon – with power to burn. However, there are exceptions to this rule. Take the Audi RS 6 Avant, for example. The hot German wagon has performance in the supercar class with acceleration to 100 km/h from rest in just 3.7 seconds. A top speed of 305 km/h is claimed with the Dynamic Package Plus. The 4.0 V8 TFSI engine’s prodigious power is put to the road via an eight-speed tiptronic automatic transmission… Read more

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2016 MAZDA CX-3 MAXX REVIEW

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Small SUVs are all the rage at present and Mazda’s stylish new CX-3 is sitting high on the popularity list. Interestingly, both 2WD (front drive) and 4WD CX-3s are coming to us downunder. Mazda Australia feels some owners will want the added traction of all-wheel-drive for use in slippery conditions, such as in snowfields. Perhaps even in gentle off-road running when exploring forestry trails and the like. Two familiar Mazda model names, Neo and Maxx, are used for the CX-3, but are joined by two new ones; the upper-middle CX-3… Read more

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JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE IS A VERSATILE LARGE SUV

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The Grand Cherokee is the biggest and best-selling vehicle in the Jeep range, accounting for around half of total sales since the release of the current model back in 2013. Grand Cherokee now comes, for the first time, with a two-wheel drive (2WD) option. It’s only available in a single variant – the entry-level petrol Laredo. The latter also comes with 4WD as do all of the higher-specced variants – Limited, Overland, Summit and SRT8. Styling is less angular than other Jeeps and the big SUV has a neat and… Read more

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2016 BMW 330e HYBRID REVIEW

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BMW 330e is a petrol-electric hybrid that leans more in the direction of performance than economy. Which comes as no surprise given that the sporting German marque has long pushed its designs in the direction of handling and powertrain dynamics. To emphasise the point, this 3 Series hybrid has been introduced as the latest member of the BMW iPerformance range. Note that the BMW X5 xDrive 40e petrol-electric, which arrived only a matter of weeks before the 330e, is also listed as an iPerformance model. The X5 and 3 Series… Read more

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JEEP SPREADS WINGS WITH HIGH-FLYING TRAILHAWK

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The new Jeep Renegade Trailhawk lives up to its name by not fitting in with rival compact sports utility vehicles. Designed to desert the bitumen for some stiff off-road stuff, there’s nothing namby-pamby about this little Jeep. On the other hand, it’s no utilitarian bare bones transportation, owing little to Wells Fargo or Cobb and Co in the comfort and convenience department. Designed in the United States and put together by Fiat in Italy, it calls on high level automotive technology coupled with European style. In a bid by Fiat… Read more

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MAZDA FLAGSHIP FLOATS INTO SAFER HARBOUR

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Australia’s most popular mid-sized imported car, the Mazda6, has just ducked under 50 grand. As a bonus safety features have been added to the 6 Sport, Touring and GT models at no extra cost, while the range topping Atenza receives a price cut in view of the safety equipment added to the GT. The Atenza with the 2.5-litre petrol engine drops by $1030, while the 2.2-litre diesel alternative is down by $1380, making the entire Mazda 6 range now available for less than $50,000, without on-road costs. Mazda6 is available… Read more