Category: Road Test

Road Test Review

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NEW SUV HAS SUBARU RACING INTO THE LEAD

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It appears Subaru has backed a winner with the new XV, with sales of the small sports utility vehicle up 139.0 per cent for August, pushing the maker to becoming the fastest growing top 10 brand in the automotive industry, according to official VFACTS figures. Subaru took a gamble with the XV, stepping out of the square with its sharper looks over the soft-skinned majority of the segment and augmenting this with technology designed to take on conditions other soft-roaders could only dream about tackling. The second-generation XV comes in… Read more

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SUZUKI SWIFT’S SMOOTH TRANSITION TO MODERN MOTORING

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The latest Suzuki Swift displays the Japanese company’s history of engineering excellence with a particularly well-sorted drivetrain. Its 1.2-litre four-cylinder engine, mated with an excellent CVT, is a real delight to sit behind. Our test car, the Suzuki Swift GL Navigator with Safety Pack, provided seamless and seemingly effortless operation in almost all circumstances. STYLING The new Swift has taken on a more assertive look, especially up front, with a wide open radiator and lower bumper grille making a positive statement. Fenders add more muscle to a lower and wider… Read more

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2017 HYUNDAI i30 SPORT REVIEW

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The new Hyundai i30 has already been ruffling a few feathers. The South Korean giant has positioned the small hatch as a premium offering that is stylish, better equipped and the most technologically savvy i30 yet. Hyundai i30 is already a firm favourite in Australia with 30 per cent of all i30s manufactured globally being sold here. It fights well alongside the Toyota Corolla, Mazda 3, Volkswagen Golf and other, smaller, players. Potential buyers will be spoilt for choice. The new i30 is offered in four variants, with two transmissions… Read more

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2017 HOLDEN ASTRA LTZ SEDAN REVIEW

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Holden is very serious about its small-to-medium Astra range. In December 2016 it launched a five-door hatch; a four-door sedan – the subject of this test in topline LTZ format – came out in June this year, and a station wagon will be added to before the end of the year. Sales of the hatch weren’t as high as GM-Holden anticipated and weren’t helped by the traditionally slow January / February holiday AND back-to-school periods. So recommended prices were dropped a few months after the launch to try and kick… Read more

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2017 SUBARU XV 2.0i-S REVIEW

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The Subaru XV has been a surprising charmer for the Japanese manufacturer, its distinctive looks and inherent sense of fun creating interest in whole new demographic. The latest version of the compact Subaru SUV aligns closely under the skin to the Subaru Impreza hatch and is looking to further improve Subaru’s growing market share in this segment. Offered in four variants with price-drops across the range, the XV starts at $27,990, and boasts a handy list of standard features. It challenges the Mazda CX-3, Nissan Qashqai, Honda HR-V and Toyota… Read more

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FORD EVEREST IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF AUSSIE KNOW-HOW

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Ford Everest is a big, rugged 4WD / SUV that’s been around in other countries since 2003 but didn’t arrive in Australia until the release of the third generation model in late 2015. Although it’s fully imported from Thailand it is an important model for Ford Australia as the company moves away from vehicle production while retaining local employment by providing technical input through its research and development investment. Although the arrival of Ford Everest almost dove-tailed with the departure of the popular Territory the two vehicles are quite different…. Read more

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2017 BMW 430i COUPE REVIEW

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Two-door coupes have a certain allure that seem to transcend the tricky access to the back seat. They feel sporty and fun and suggest a freedom that many of us crave. BMW’s 430i Coupe is no different. A spin-off from the 3-Series as the Bavarian manufacturer looked to capture a market that was looking for more lifestyle options than the everyday 3-Series, it has the luxury and performance to add credence to the deal. Now it has been updated with new lights, infotainment unit and adjusted suspension making for an… Read more

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2017 LEXUS LC 500 COUPE REVIEW

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Lexus has moved into yet another market segment, that of a luxury coupe. Once again the prestige Japanese car maker wants to challenge the big name Europeans at their own game. When the $750,000 Lexus LFA supercar was discontinued in 2012 the design team moved onto the Lexus LC project. Lexus LC 500 has recommended price of $190,000, to which on-road charges have to be added. A $15,000 enhancement pack is there for the person chasing even more in sporting performance. It has Lexus Dynamic Handling with four-wheel steering and… Read more

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INTERESTING: ‘PONY’ BUCKS THE TREND

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The Ford Mustang is a contrary car: beloved of Baby Boomers yearning for a re-run of a misspent youth; or 14-year-old schoolboys fuelled by raging hormones wishing they could own one. Wrong. Having spent time with a new ‘Pony 34’, (it’s rego number) most interesting was the appeal of the red GT Fastback shown by young adult females, snapping selfies and sitting behind the wheel, perhaps dreaming of cruising Rodeo Drive. Maybe I did not get it, but Ford certainly did. Here’s what one Blue Oval bloke thinks: “The visceral… Read more

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MAZDA CX-3 BEETLES AROUND WITH THE BEST

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If cars were creatures, the Mazda CX-3 would be a lady beetle with its distinct shape and stand-out colouring, buzzing around lush green meadows or summer gardens in full bloom. However, forget the bucolic backdrop, the pretty little sports utility vehicle is most at home in bustling urban centres. So much so that the ‘townie’ has become a market leader since it first came to Australia in March 2015. Following in the tracks of the Mazda2 light car, addition of i-Activsense safety technology makes the latest CX-3 update the first… Read more