Category: Road Test

Road Test Review

No comments

2015 HYUNDAI SONATA 2.0T ELITE REVIEW

  By ,

It’s okay, it’s okay, hush now – things have changed. Hyundai has dusted off the nameplate it put out to pasture after adorning a series of fairly unspectacular mid-sized sedans, whipping off the covers of a much more attractive and capable car to take on a segment dominated by Toyota’s recently perked-up Camry, with Mazda’s 6 some way behind. The Sonata joins the i40 (which, oddly, is known as Sonata in the US) in the local range, offering two very different-looking cars in roughly the same segment. Confused? Don’t be…. Read more

No comments

LEXUS RC F IS A GREAT LOOKING SEMI-RACE CAR

  By ,

Lexus RC F Carbon is semi-race machine aimed at serious drivers who enjoy pushing themselves to their limits during track days. Interestingly, the Lexus is powered by a naturally-aspirated engine, a 5.0-litre V8. The German machines in this high-performance category are rapidly moving in the direction of turbocharged engines. No matter how good a turbo engine is, it’s never going to have the virtually instantaneous throttle response offered by an un-blown powerplant. The Lexus RS F coupe comes at a relatively modest price: $133,110 for the standard version and $147,110… Read more

No comments

VOLVO XC90: THE NEXT BIG THING IS HERE NOW

  By ,

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

No comments

CITROEN C4 PICASSO OOZES STYLE

  By ,

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

No comments

2015 FERRARI FF REVIEW

  By ,

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

No comments

BMW’S 220i IS THE REAL DEAL

  By , ,

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

No comments

TOUGH-GUY IMAGE BLURRED IN NISSAN MICRA

  By ,

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

No comments

2015 DODGE JOURNEY R/T BLACKTOP

  By ,

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

No comments

QX80 PROVES THERE’S NOTHING BEYOND INFINITI

  By ,

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

No comments

A LOT TO LIKE ABOUT MAZDA’S NEW KID

  By ,

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