Category: Road Test

Road Test Review

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FIAT 500X IS READY FOR ACTION

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Only the Italians could get away with a TV commercial that links a performance-enhancing ‘little blue pill’ with the transformer-like conversion of a small hatchback into a muscular SUV. That’s what Fiat has done in a brilliant ad that sees the pill eventually dropping into the fuel tank of a Fiat 500 hatchback and bulk it up into the 500X compact SUV with the closing line – “bigger, more powerful and ready for action”. Check it out on YouTube if you haven’t seen it. Great fun. The 500X was designed… Read more

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MAZDA3 JUST KEEPS ON KEEPING ON

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Mazda has been enjoying steady growth over the past decade on the Australian new vehicle market overtaking both Holden and Ford on its way to currently sitting second in the overall sales hierarchy, behind Toyota. The star performer throughout this period has been the Mazda3 small hatch and sedan which has been having a ding-gong battle with Toyota Corolla for top spot, initially in its category but in the past few years as Australia’s overall biggest-seller. Now into its third generation, launched here in January 2014, the Mazda3 first went… Read more

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2017 INFINITI Q70 S PREMIUM REVIEW

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Infiniti, the upmarket Japanese car maker operated by Nissan, is pushing hard at the moment with new models in several segments, particularly in the small hatchback and SUV arenas. Now, the Infiniti Q70 is joining the sales push, with major changes for the 2017 season. It has refreshed styling front and rear, as well as in the cabin as well as improved NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness) features that add to the upmarket feel. The Infiniti Q70 S Premium grade we have just tested also has suspension changes which not… Read more

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2016 VOLVO XC90 REVIEW

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Volvo’s all-new XC90 family SUV is finally here. It replaces the original model that was introduced way back in 2002 when it created quite a stir with its clever new packaging and technology. Though no one within the Swedish company really wants to comment on the long delay we understand it’s due to Ford’s control of Volvo from 1999 till 2008 and the US company’s decision to concentrate on its American SUV models. Ford sold Volvo to Chinese auto maker Geely in 2008 and we assume gave the Volvo people… Read more

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VOLVO V40: STYLE, SAFETY AND SPORTINESS

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The V40 is the smallest vehicle in Volvo’s Australian range. A five-door hatchback it competes in the premium small-medium category facing up against prestige German models such as Audi A3, BMW 1 Series and Mercedes-Benz A- and B-Class. Although the current V4 has been around in its current guise since 2013 it is one of the most stylish cars on the road as well as being one of the most intelligent and safest. The latter no surprise given the Swedish company’s long-established emphasis on safety. STYLING The sleek, almost coupe-like,… Read more

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2016 HYUNDAI i30 SERIES II SR

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Be afraid, be very afraid: that seems to be the message Hyundai is sending out to rivals of its best-selling i30, after the hatchback became Australia’s favourite vehicle for the first half of the year. Almost straight away the South Korean car maker fired a further shot across the small-car market bow by adding upgrades to the sporty Series II SR and SR Premium variants. Now it has taken the wraps off the next generation i30, to hit the streets early next year, which it says digs deep into the… Read more

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SWIFT SWITCH A WAKE-UP FOR LITTLE SUZY

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Once upon a time, the Suzuki Swift was small car among many. Then an epiphany; the little hatchback took on a more aggressive stance with a hands-on-hip look-at-me style. The Swift took off. Meanwhile, the company’s Vitara, eschewing the funky refashioning of some rivals, trundled on as a comfy, albeit conservative, compact sports utility vehicle. This year the Vitara was reinvented, taking on an up-to-date chic urban spirit. Not satisfied, the Japanese maker, who pioneered the genre, has added all manner of modern accessories and engine turbocharging which takes the… Read more

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HOLDEN SPARK IS CUTE AND COMPETENT

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Holden Spark replaces the company’s previous Barina Spark – and is significantly better thanks to having a considerable amount of Australian input. New Spark is built on an all-new, stronger platform. Engine size has increased from 1.2 to 1.4 litres; an efficient CVT automatic sits beside it, though there’s also a manual should you want one. The Holden Lang Lang proving ground south-east of Melbourne was used extensively during Spark’s design and testing stages. GM-Holden is keen to point out this facility will remain in operation as a key part… Read more

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BMW 440i CONVERTIBLE IS GREAT FUN

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Springtime, Gold Coast, Convertible – what a combination! To make life even better the convertible is a BMW powered by the most powerful engine in the range, the new 440i unit. Sometimes road testing can be a bit of a chore, it certainly wasn’t last week with the hot Bimmer sitting in the garage just asking to be fired up. And fired up it was, with several trips to the scenic hinterland behind the Coast during the week – to keep us away from the weekend roads crowded with wandering… Read more

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JEEP WRANGLER 75TH ANNIVERSARY

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Jeep Wrangler is a descendant of the World War II Jeep, which has been referred to as, “the car that won a war”. That versatile little 1941 4WD played a major part in communications and the movement of the men and equipment on all fronts during that horrible period. Jeep has introduced a 75th anniversary version of the Wrangler to celebrate that original military Jeep. Renegade, Cherokee and Grand Cherokee have also been built, but our road test vehicle this week is the Wrangler – the roughest, toughest Jeep of… Read more