Category: Road Test

Road Test Review

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JAGUAR F-PACE IS BEAUTIFULLY STYLISH

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Famed for making low slung sedans for many decades it’s no surprise that the British marque’s first every SUV, the F-Pace, takes the stylish low slung direction. Not low slung to the extent that it becomes impractical, the F-Pace sits somewhere between a conventional station wagon and a 4WD in its shape. We love it. Jaguar is far from alone in this hardest fought of all upmarket automotive market segments; Audi, BMW, Lexus, Mercedes, and Porsche are already there and making nice profits, thank you. STYLING The large grille with… Read more

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NEW HONDA CIVIC IS ON THE COMEBACK TRAIL

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Honda has unveiled its tenth generation Civic hatchback at the recent Paris Motor Show. It won’t arrive in Australia until next year but it does give us a good segue into our recent test of the gen-10 Civic four-door sedan that went on sale here a few months back. Civic has been a staple of the Honda range since it made its debut in 1973 Civic. Not only is it the Japanese carmaker’s all-time biggest seller, it also sits fifth on the list of the world’s all-time biggest selling passenger… Read more

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FORD TERRITORY TITANIUM

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Sadly, Ford is no longer making cars in Australia, so it seemed like a good time for us to carry out our final test of one of the best models Ford ever designed – the Territory. The big SUV completely designed and developed in this country so is better than any other in the class at meeting Australian drivers needs and desires. When the Falcon FG X was introduced in 2014 the Ford Territory received a major refresh using some of the latest Falcon components, particularly in technology. This saw… Read more

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2016 HOLDEN COMMODORE VF SERIES II SSV REDLINE

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Sadly, the VF Commodore Series II is likely to be the last ever Holden family car made in Australia, though Holden may surprise us by introducing a further update in the next 12 months. However, the VF II SSV Redline sedan we tested last week has the final major upgrades, any future versions are likely to be minor dress-ups perhaps with special editions. Given Australians love of driving it comes as no surprise that sales of the sporty Commodore models – SV6, SS, SSV and SSV Redline – are now… Read more

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SECOND-GENERATION MAZDA CX-9 IS A SUPER CRUISER

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CX-9 is the largest model in Mazda’s Australian SUV range ahead of its compact CX-3 and mid-sized CX-5 siblings. Unlike the two smaller models which sit on top of the sales charts in their respective categories, the ageing CX-9 has struggled to compete against its segment’s big guns headed by the Toyota Kluger. The arrival, in July 2016, of the second generation CX-9 looks likely to provide a significant boost to sales with noticeable improvements throughout the vehicle headlined by an all-new turbo-petrol engine. Seven-seat SUVs such as the CX-9… Read more

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NEW LEASE OF LIFE FOR HOLDEN CONVERTIBLE

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A convertible has been launched on the back of the Holden Astra range – it comes with the stand-alone name, Cascada and as a single model, priced at $41,990 plus on-road costs. A limited number of 50 special Cascada Launch Edition vehicles were made available to celebrate the return of the convertible body style to the Holden range. Buyers are spoilt with the luxury of premium Nappa leather appointed and ventilated front seats and a leather sports steering wheel. Other special treats include 20-inch alloy wheels, adaptive forward lighting and… Read more

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COMPACT WITH ADDED SPARK FROM HOLDEN

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Major Holden engineering input in the new Spark included the tuning of steering and suspension, and the continuously variable automatic transmission specifically designed for Australian conditions. A stronger body has enabled engineers to tune ride and handling more precisely, for a greater feeling of control and refinement, also engendering a quieter ride. This was achieved during thousands of kilometres over months of extensive work at Holden’s Lang Lang proving ground and on public roads. On top of that, the new model incorporates Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity across the… Read more

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2016 GRAND CHEROKEE SRT NIGHT REVIEW

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There is no such thing as a shy and retiring owner of a Jeep Grand Cherokee. It’s a big 4WD with tough styling that’s backed up by strong off-road ability. However, not everyone wants to go off the beaten track in their Grand Cherokee, preferring to cruise on the black stuff and impress other Jeep owners. Which bring us to the subject of this week’s road test machine – a Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT Night. It’s a factory produced special from SRT (Sport and Racing Technology) the high-performance division of… Read more

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2017 MERCEDES-BENZ E 220d REVIEW

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New Mercedes-Benz E-Class models are vitally important to the German giant car maker. As it moves down to lower-priced models, relatively speaking, it’s vital that the midrange E-Class Mercs retain the prestigious reputation it has enjoyed for many decades. New E-Class is longer than the superseded one, with increased wheelbase and wheel track. It’s also marginally lower and narrower. Weight has been reduced by about 75 kg, depending on the model. This has been achieved by the use of more high strength steel, making the body stronger. We attended the… Read more

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NO END TO THIS LONG CIVIC SERVICE

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Honda and Civic go together like fish and chips; have done since 1973. Ten generations later, the latest Civic landed in Australia this year with almost 200 pre-orders on the books. Already voted the 2016 North American Car of the Year, Honda’s best-selling car globally comes Down Under in five grades – VTi, VTi-S, VTi-L, RS and VTi-LX. Initial interest is centred on the RS at $31,790 and VTi-LX, $33,590, plus on-road costs. The line-up kicks off with the VTi at $22,390. Aimed to appeal to a wide range of… Read more