Category: Used Car Review

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SUBARU WRX 2014 – 2018

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2016 Subaru WRX STI

Subaru’s WRX, aka ‘the Rex’, is a moderately-priced high-performance Japanese machine that has been a huge success in Australia since it first arrived here in 1994. The WRX has tremendous performance from its turbocharged four-cylinder boxer engine. Grunt that’s backed up by excellent road grip thanks to a sophisticated all-wheel drive system. Some felt that the WRX lost some of its in-your-face personality in the early 2000s, but the MY2015 edition launched in March 2014, revived its bad-boy attitude. Models from that period are the subject of this week’s used… Read more

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MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER 2012 – 2018

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2012 Mitsubishi Outlander

Mitsubishi Outlander is larger than average for its SUV class and can be ordered with five or seven seats. It’s been around since February 2003, in this review we will be looking at models from January 2012 as these are noticeably more refined than earlier ones. Early in the piece Mitsubishi had realised few buyers were buying ‘real’ 4WDs or SUVs, but wanted a spacious family wagon and so introduced Outlander. On-road the Mitsubishi Outlander is capable and generally quiet and comfortable to ride in. Some owners complain about the… Read more

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TOYOTA YARIS 2011 – 2018

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2017 Toyota Yaris

Toyota Yaris is a smaller brother to the big selling Corolla and is aimed at those primarily driving in the city and suburbs. It can be used on country trips, though you’re probably best to keep clear of unsealed roads. Even rough sealed surfaces can challenge the suspension and the ride can be pretty bumpy on occasions. It’s one of the top sellers in its class so there are plenty on sale at any one time. Use this to your advantage by picking and choosing between those on offer. Yaris… Read more

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BMW 3 SERIES 2012 – 2018

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2014 BMW 3 Series GT

BMW’s 3 Series is an upmarket small-medium German car. Like most vehicles it has grown in size over the years and the sixth generation launched in Australia in February 2012 is noticeably larger than the models it superseded. Meaning it can be used as a genuine family car even if the kids in the back are well into their teen years. It’s sold as a four-door sedan, five-door hatch and five-door wagon, the latter tagged as Gran Tourismo or GT. (See our notes later about other models to consider.) The… Read more

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AUDI A4 2008 – 2018

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2008 Audi A4 Avant

A major player in the trio of prestigious German cars Audi has become increasingly strong in its public image in Australia in the last decade or so. The Audi A4 is a midrange model that’s sold as a sedan, a two-door cabriolet and an Avant station wagon. A further variation is the A4 allroad quattro. Based on the Avant it has increased ground clearance, as well as added body and underbody protection. While the shape of the A4 was nothing to get excited about in early years, it leapt forward… Read more

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NISSAN TIIDA 2006 – 2013

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2010 Nissan Tiida

Nissan Tiida has come – and gone – from the Australian new-car market, on sale here only from February 2006 till February 2013. Were there problems with it? No, other than that it wasn’t called the new generation Nissan Pulsar and potential buyers were either confused, angry, or both. Marketing can be a weird business… The Tiida is far from being the best looking car ever sold here. But its boxy body results in a spacious interior. The front seats are almost as wide as those of a six-cylinder car,… Read more

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MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS 2007 – 2018

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2014 Mercedes-Benz C-Class

By EWAN KENNEDY, Marque Motoring CAPTION: A. B. C. BODY COPY Though they have has been built down to a price when compared with upper crust Mercedes models, the price trimming of the C-Class has been done intelligently. All the more so with each new generation. We are looking here at the third generation sold from July 2007. When the gen-four was released in August 2014 Mercedes made a point the designers had aimed at providing buyers with a smaller S-Class. Perhaps a slight exaggeration, but quality is very good…. Read more

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MITSUBISHI ASX 2010 – 2018

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2014 Mitsubishi ASX

Mitsubishi ASX has just entered its 10th year on the Australian market, that’s an eternity by the today’s standards of new vehicle releases. But with some upgrades and attractively low prices it continues to be a big seller on the new car market. Meaning there are plenty on the used car scene – take advantage of this by shopping around the many on offer. The Japanese Mitsubishi Corporation has been a major player in the heavy duty Australian 4WD and SUV field for many decades. However, the subject of this… Read more

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SUBARU FORESTER 2008 – 2018

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2008 Subaru Forester

Every Subaru that is not a full-on sportscar (i.e. the BRZ) sold in Australia since the mid- 1990s has all wheel drive (AWD). So the Japanese company has lengthy engineering experience in this important aspect of on- and off-road drivability and safety. Subaru Forester was launched Downunder in 1997 as a smallish relatively mild looking station wagon, later it morphed further and further into a medium SUV in styling. Just in time for the rush of Australians to enjoy the practicality and ease of driving of SUV ownership. In this… Read more

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VOLKSWAGEN GOLF 2009 – 2018

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2016 Volkswagen Golf GTI

Still regarded as a benchmark car in its class if you’re a keen driver, the Volkswagen Golf has had its ups and downs in recent years. Once famed for German build quality and long-term reliability it has experienced more than its fair share of problems in recent years. However, things now appear to be on the straight and narrow again and Golf’s reputation has gone pretty well back to normal. Golf 6 was a heavily revised version of the Golf 5, with better aerodynamics, a quieter ride and lower fuel… Read more