VOLVO XC90: THE NEXT BIG THING IS HERE NOW

Volvo insists this is the start of something big: ‘this’ being the XC90 luxury sports utility vehicle. The new XC90 announces the beginning of the Swedish automobile maker’s immediate future product line-up. Three years in the making and part of a $US11 billion investment program, the all-new XC90 marks the beginning of a new chapter in Volvo’s history, setting out the design direction, incorporating its own range of new technology and making use of new architecture that can be scaled up or down. Volvo Car Australia shipped in examples of… Read more

CITROEN C4 PICASSO OOZES STYLE

Buyers looking for something that doesn’t follow convention and who appreciate a real touch of French flair should certainly have the latest Citroen C4 Picasso on their short (often very short) list of potential cars. Just what is the Citroen C4 Picasso? It’s hard to define, being a mixture of a tall hatchback and a people mover, with a touch of SUV thrown in for good measure. This is not the first Citroen that refuses to slot neatly into any category, nor will it be the last. We love the… Read more

2015 FERRARI FF REVIEW

The Ferrari FF is not the first car from Maranello to pop into the minds of a person with an average to middling interest in cars. When you tell people Ferrari are giving you an FF for the weekend, they screw up their nose and look at you a bit funny. When you explain it’s a four-seat, all-wheel drive V12 coupe, there’s a flicker of recognition before the light comes on. “Oh, you mean the one that looks a bit like a two-door wagon?” Yep, that’s the one. VALUE One… Read more

BMW’S 220i IS THE REAL DEAL

BMW 2 Series in convertible format is a pure BMW in the eyes of those who love the upmarket German marque. That’s because it has rear-wheel drive and is offered with a straight-six engine (though the test car reviewed here was a four-cylinder). Though it shares its ‘2 Series’ numbering system with some new BMW models that have a transverse engine and front-wheel-drive we can assure keen drivers the 220i convertible and its coupe brothers have a differential just where you want it – between the rear wheels. STYLING The… Read more

TOUGH-GUY IMAGE BLURRED IN NISSAN MICRA

As much as a small 1.2-litre three-cylinder hatchback could be considered aggressive, the new Micra is more so, according to Nissan. The city runabout has ‘a new style that delivers a stronger, more assertive and dynamic look,’ its maker opines. With almost seven million sales under its belt in more than 30 years, the Nissan small car now checks in with a long list of upgrades, including revised spec levels, a new look and a slew of technical innovations. The Micra, known as Nissan March in some countries, is built… Read more

2015 DODGE JOURNEY R/T BLACKTOP

Dodge is unusual in currently being a single-model brand in the country. In this case, it’s the seven-seat Dodge Journey in three trim levels – SXT, R/T and R/T Blacktop. It’s a curious thing to have just the one Dodge when the parent company is doing pretty decent business with the Jeep brand. But, as they say, smoke them if you’ve got them and in a world where niche cars can become surprise hits, why not? VALUE The Journey Blacktop is loaded with stuff for its relatively modest price which… Read more

QX80 PROVES THERE’S NOTHING BEYOND INFINITI

Infiniti: there’s no end to it. Since returning to Australia three years ago, Infiniti has planned to drop off a stream of new product, from sleek sedans to sporty coupes and crossover vehicles. Recently, a special edition has been added to the company’s QX70 crossover range. The QX70 S Design is based on the V6-powered top-grade QX70 S Premium variants and adds a number of stylish touches inside and out. Now, the QX80, which heralds the start of Infiniti’s next phase of new releases Down Under, is muscling in on… Read more

A LOT TO LIKE ABOUT MAZDA’S NEW KID

If the CX-3 were a child, it would likely be called precocious, so full of itself is the new Mazda compact crossover. However, I mean this in the nicest possible way. The first-ever CX-3 has plenty to say in all its offerings, from the most extensive range in its segment, MZD Connect; including Mazda’s new infotainment system on Maxx, sTouring and Akari, three of its four grades. Entry-level Neo is the odd man out. Two engines – a 1.5-litre diesel and a 2.0-litre petrol – are on offer. Available in… Read more

2015 HONDA CIVIC HATCH REVIEW

Honda Civic has a long and distinguished history in Australia. It has been on sale here continuously since 1973 and has grown from a tiny two-door 1.2-litre sedan which revolutionised the design of small cars in Australia through nine generations into one of the classiest and most respected small-medium cars on our local market. A truly global vehicle, the Civic hatch is manufactured in Britain and was developed with extensive testing throughout Europe. Its sedan sibling is built in Thailand. That ninth generation Civic has been on sale here since… Read more

2015 RENAULT MEGANE RS 275 TROPHY LIMITED EDITION

When Renault slaps an RS badge on a car, they’re generally not messing about. Built on the remains of the almost mythical (and soon-to-be-relaunched) Renault Alpine, the merry band of engineers at Dieppe punch out small fast cars with such regularity you could set your Breitling to them. The Megane RS is pretty much the undisputed king of the current hot hatch crop. Despite being not too far from its use-by date, the Megane is still getting plenty of attention. Which brings us to the 275 Trophy. VALUE At $57,990… Read more