Category: Road Test

Road Test Review

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2015 FERRARI FF REVIEW

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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

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BMW’S 220i IS THE REAL DEAL

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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

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TOUGH-GUY IMAGE BLURRED IN NISSAN MICRA

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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

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2015 DODGE JOURNEY R/T BLACKTOP

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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

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QX80 PROVES THERE’S NOTHING BEYOND INFINITI

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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

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A LOT TO LIKE ABOUT MAZDA’S NEW KID

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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

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2015 HONDA CIVIC HATCH REVIEW

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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

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2015 RENAULT MEGANE RS 275 TROPHY LIMITED EDITION

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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

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2015 FERRARI CALIFORNIA T REVIEW

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Ferrari California T in its latest iteration was launched in Australia over a year ago. So strong was the instantaneous response by well-heeled Aussies that all were sold out. Now we’ve finally been able to get into one for a road test. STYLING Penned by the Ferrari Styling Centre in conjunction with Pininfarina, the California T is a sensational Italian supercar. The front has the narrow lighting housings that are a feature of the latest Ferrari range. These work extremely well on the long bonnet of this front-engined machine. The… Read more

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2015 HONDA HR-V REVIEW

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When we told people we were driving a Honda HR-V, the almost universal response was, “Er, yuk.” When we reminded them that it wasn’t the tragically un-hip three-door breadvan thing of years back, but was instead a well-sorted, better-looking mini-SUV, the response changed. Suddenly there was interest. Has Honda got a car other than the CR-V the world will want to own? VALUE The HR-V range stretches from the $24,990 VTi, via the $27,990 VTi-S through to the $32,990 VTi-L. Our test car, the VTi, came equipped with climate control,… Read more