Category: Road Test

Road Test Review

No comments

SKODA FABIA: A LOT OF CAR FOR A SMALL PRICE

  By ,

Skoda Fabia is a European machine that’s offered at a lower price than anything in its class from that continent. That price is there to try and lift sales, something that seems to be working because Skoda sales in Australia have finally started to move upwards after years of sitting at too low levels. Skoda is built by the Czech marque with an automotive history that dates back over 120 years. These days it is part of the Volkswagen Group and most of the out of sight components are sourced… Read more

No comments

2016 MAZDA CX-3 AKARI REVIEW

  By ,

The Mazda CX-3 might have been beaten to the market by Nissan, Renault, Honda and Holden, but its late arrival doesn’t seem to have done it any harm at all. The mini-SUV joins a Mazda line-up of cars that is handing out bloody noses to its rivals using a combination of looks, pricing and specification. The CX-3 fits right in with the rest of the range while hopefully bringing with it the CX-5’s superior dynamics in a smaller package. VALUE There’s a slightly bewildering array of CX-3s, powered by either… Read more

No comments

PEAK PERFORMANCE FROM SERIES SEQUEL

  By ,

Even for motoring journalists European luxury cars are, well, a luxury. They are not an everyday occurrence. When the initial adulation wears off, familiarity sets in and so does a hint of nothing out of the ordinary. Some vehicles, however, hold something in reserve to keep an automotive world-weary scribe interested. Such a car came into my possession recently. With time, the BMW 320d could quite easily have become a Euro Camry. It didn’t. The latest iteration features sharper exterior design, the interior uses new material to create a premium… Read more

No comments

VW PASSAT WAGON IS PRACTICAL HAULER

  By ,

The eighth generation of the Volkswagen Passat mid-sized sedan and wagon, coded as the B8 series, arrived in Australia late in 2015. We have just spent a couple of weeks living with a Passat 132TSI station wagon in Comfortline format, and have come away impressed with its practicality and ease of use. New Passat uses the Volkswagen MQB platform which we have already experienced in several others in the latest VW range. The platform reduces weight and permits for a large number of vehicles to be built at the same… Read more

No comments

2015 ROVER DISCOVERY SPORT SD4 HSE REVIEW

  By

What to get if you like the Range Rover Evoque but need more space; like the Discovery but don’t have the readies; want a bit of Range Rover style and capability? Oddly enough, you buy a Land Rover Discovery Sport. The Freelander replacement has been with us for just over a year now and is finding plenty of homes with its pretty looks and the promise of mud-plugging shenanigans should the need arise. VALUE The Discovery Sport HSE SD4 is the mid-spec trim level, starting at $61,100 for the manual… Read more

No comments

TUCSON LEADS STRONG BID FOR SUV DOMINANCE

  By ,

As things go, it is likely SUVs could become the biggest selling segment in the passenger car market sometime during 2016. According to industry analyst VFacts research has shown that only five per cent of four-wheel-drive owners do any serious off-roading in their vehicles. However, they favoured the high-set seating position and the robust character of the bodywork made them feel protected inside an SUV. Automobile makers took note. They cut out the low mode of the 4×4 transfer case, leaving the vehicle, at first known as a soft-roader, able… Read more

No comments

BMW X1 2.0D: ATTRACTIVE SEQUEL TO BMW BEST-SELLER

  By ,

The second-generation BMW X1 continues to tick the box as only the Bavarian Motor Works can, with a newly designed interior with significantly more space and versatility, combined with premium surroundings. Latest-generation four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines and transmissions ensure segment leading performance and efficiency. X1 sDrive 20i and sDrive 18d models have front-wheel drive, while xDrive 25i and xDrive 20d benefit from BMW’s intelligent all-wheel-drive system in a new and improved form. The new X1 trumps its predecessor in standard equipment which includes LED headlights; rear view camera; driving… Read more

No comments

HOLDEN CASCADA HEADS FOR THE FUTURE

  By

The Cascada is one of the most important new models from Holden being aimed at seeing the company through the difficult period of shutting down Australian manufacture, then into the future of import-only cars. Holden has painted itself into a corner created by many people thinking that all cars with Holden badges have been made in this country. So the news that Holden is closing its factories has these folks thinking no Holdens will ever be sold again. Sales have slowed and the marketing guys are desperately trying to get… Read more

No comments

TOYOTA FRESHENS UP RAV4

  By ,

In hindsight it seems strange that Toyota’s decision to launch its first RAV4 model back in 1994 was considered something of a gamble. Until then most passenger vehicles with drive to all four wheels were seen either as a rural workhorse or an overweight and cumbersome suburban people mover. RAV4 was different. While still a 4WD and with a similar shape it was significantly smaller and lighter with the term ‘crossover’ being used prior to it being replaced by the now usually accepted ‘SUV’. Indeed the names SUV (for Sports… Read more

No comments

SPORTY POLO PLAYS TO ITS STRENGTHS

  By ,

With new, more aggressive styling, a new finely-tuned performance 1.8-litre four-cylinder 141 kW TSI engine, mated with either a six-speed manual or seven-speed DSG automatic, the new VW Polo GTI returns to the compact hot hatch segment with new-found flair. It’s as if the Volkswagen Polo GTI has gained enough self-confidence to step out of the shadow of its bigger brother – the iconic Golf GTI – and into the glow of its own making. Polo GTI comes with a grab bag of driver assistance and convenience systems. High-end automobile… Read more