HONDA CR-V 2007 – 2017

2013 Honda CR-V

Honda CR-V was an early entrant into the SUV market when it arrived Downunder 21 years ago. Since then it has pretty well followed the typical path of vehicles in this class. That is, it began as a reasonably serious small 4WD that had an external spare wheel and gradually morphed into a large station wagon with limited off-road ability. We are looking here at the CR-V Series 4 models from October 2007. These took a major step to being family wagons, with added interior space and slightly softer suspension… Read more

KIA RIO 2011 – 2017

2012 Kia Rio hatch

Kia Rio is a small South Korean car that has improved significantly in the generations being reviewed here. In fact it’s up with the best in its class from the 2011 third-generation car onwards. This is not only due to constantly improving build quality, but also to the fact that significant handling and suspension changes were made to the Rio following extensive work by Australian and South Korean engineers in this important field. Australians really do enjoy driving and pre-purchase test drives often swing them to Kias against others in… Read more

AUDI A7 2011 – 2017

2014 Audi RS7 Sportback

Tthe A7 Sportback in Australia in March 2011. A niche model, it’s based on the Audi A6 sedan but is a five-door hatchback with a sporty look and plenty of styling flair. The Audi A7 Sportback has a coupe-like shape and competes with Mercedes CLS and BMW 5 Series GT. Some feel the Porsche Panamera, a distant cousin of the Audi, can also be taken into consideration. This is purely a four-seat coupe, with the two rear units being individual seats. A smart move to our way of thinking because… Read more

TOYOTA COROLLA 2007 – 2017

2007 Toyota Corolla

Toyota Corolla is quite simply the biggest selling car of all time. In Australia it has often been the number one seller in the outright sales race. The latest Corolla landed in Australia in August 2018 and has led to many older models being traded in on the new (now up to the 12th generation) Corolla.Some dealers may be overstocked on the on trade-ins and will offered good deals to clear space. Combine these two facts and you will realise a huge number of Corollas is sale even in normal… Read more

FORD KUGA 2012 – 2017

2012 Ford Kuga

Ford Kuga is an SUV of the modern type, that is it’s aimed at the suburban user than the bush basher. However, some Kugas have have the added traction of all-wheel-drive and can be used tackle bush tracks and fire trails. Others are purely two-wheel drive vehicles. Kuga replaced the Ford Escape – which was a genuine 4WD – in February 2012. Ford Australia had been slow to realise buyers wanted crossovers and the 2012 model had been on sale in Europe for four years before it reached us downunder… Read more

HOLDEN CASCADA 2015 – 2017

Holden Cascada is the soft-top convertible version of the Holden Astra, both coming from Holden’s German affiliate, Opel. It was launched here in April 2015, but didn’t prove to be as popular as it deserved and was quietly slipped off the new-car price list midway through 2017. At almost 4.7 metres long the Cascada is significantly bigger than its European convertible competitors so can provide reasonable comfort for four full-sized travellers. As is common in this class, taller occupants in the back may have to do a deal with those… Read more

PORSCHE PANAMERA 2010 – 2017

2011 Porsche Panamera hybrid

Porsche Panamera is a large five-door sporting coupe that sits somewhere between a low-slung sportscar and a large luxury sedan. A grand tourer in the true sense of the words it can rapidly transport four in plenty of luxury over long distances. The first instruction to the designers of the Panamera was that it had to look like a Porsche. A statement that might not make sense to those with no interest in cars but one that means everything to people who care about marrying tradition with modernity. A major… Read more

A3 2004 – 2017

2005 Audi A3 Sportback

Upmarket German Audi was criticised by some when it chose to add a small, relatively low-cost model to its range in 1996. Critics said the new Audi A3 would devalue the prestige image. They were proven wrong because Audi used quality materials, comfort and high levels of driving ability to its small car. In the intervening years Audi has introduced an even smaller model, the A1, and fellow German makers BMW and Mercedes have successfully introduced similar sized cars. First generation Audi A3s are getting on in years so in… Read more

HYUNDAI SANTA FE 2006 – 2017

2012 Hyundai Santa Fe

The recent launch of the fourth generation Hyundai Santa Fe has created a lot of interest in this booming market segment. This has resulted in the many older Santa Fe models being traded in. If a Hyundai dealer has been overwhelmed by these trade in you might be able to pick one up at a lower than normal price as stocks are being cleared. No promises, though… Hyundai Santa Fe began its life in the early 2000s as a real 4WD, not simply an SUV. However, the South Korean giant… Read more

CITROEN C4 PICASSO 2007 – 2017

2007 Citroen C4 Picasso

Citroen C4 Picasso, is a stunning-looking seven-seat people mover from the famed French marque that does things very much its own way. It first arrived in Australia in April 2007. Although it’s not a mainstream model in Australia by any stretch of the imagination, those buyers who hate to be ordinary just love the Picasso. Picasso’s seven seats are all individual buckets, in a two-three-two formation. The two front rows are suited to adults but the third-row pair may be a little claustrophobic for young occupants as they sit quite… Read more