Category: Used Car Review

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TOYOTA TARAGO 1990 – 2015

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2012 Toyota Tarago

Toyota Tarago has been sold in Australia in large numbers since the early 1980s and was one of the earliest examples of what later became known as people movers. However the first Taragos were nothing more than delivery vans with extra seats, side windows and a bit of added trim. Toyota decided to make a complete change in direction and from 1990 Tarago was a pure people mover with all that means in the way of added comfort and safety features. Though so-called ‘Egg-shaped’ 1990s Taragos are getting on in… Read more

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AUDI A3 1997-2015

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When launched in Australia in 1997 the Audi A3 opened a new era in upmarket German car design – that of semi-affordable luxury cars. Prior to the Audi A3 you had to spend upwards of $65,000 to get into one of the big German brands. The A3 dropped the starting price to under $40,000. Many said that selling small cars would seriously harm the prestige ratings of the large expensive models. But Audi was proved to have made the correct decision and BMW and Mercedes-Benz began designing small cars. The… Read more

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HYUNDAI SANTA FE 2000-2015

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2000 Hyundai Santa Fe

Hyundai Santa Fe is a large wagon that began as a real 4WD, not simply an SUV. The South Korean company understood the way buyer preferences were heading and it became a comfortable SUV, but retained some unsealed-road capability. Hyundai Santa Fe first arrived in Australia in 2000. While some saw it’s somewhat over-the-top styling as a turn off others appreciated that the South Korean designers were having a go at being different. However, the all-new and larger model, launched in 2006, took a safer styling path, being more mainstream…. Read more

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HONDA CIVIC 2003 – 2015

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2009 Honda Civic

An all-new Honda Civic has hit the roads downunder and appears to be gathering a lot of buyer interest. So quite a few older models are likely to be traded in, perhaps so many that dealers will be keen to de-clutter their yards and offer lower prices than usual. No promises, but we suggest you get in quickly if you’re halfway interested. The Honda Civic had a reputation for build quality and reliability that once lifted it above the pack in the image stakes in Australia. This seems to have… Read more

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JAGUAR X-TYPE 2002 – 2010

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2008 Jaguar X-Type

By EWAN KENNEDY CAPTIONS: A. B. 2005 Jaguar X-Type Sport BODY COPY The launch of the midsize Jaguar XE last year has resulted in added interest being taken in the Jaguar X-Type. The X-Type is slightly smaller than the XE but can be used as a family car with kids in the preteen stage. The lowish-cost Jaguar X-Type wasn’t as successful its day (2001 to 2010) as had been anticipated, but quite a few did make their way downunder. There may be some bargains in used X-Types as not everyone… Read more

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FORD FOCUS 2002 – 2015

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2015 Ford Focus Titanium

Ford Focus is a small-medium European model that is huge in its home market, but has lagged in sales in Australia. Possibly because Ford saw itself as the ‘Falcon car company’ and has never put the marketing and sales work into the Focus that it thoroughly deserves. Hopefully that mindset is laid to rest when Falcon manufacturing stops. The Focus didn’t reach us downunder till September 2002, several years after its European launch. It appealed to keen drivers immediately as it’s very European in the way it rides and handles…. Read more

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NISSAN TIIDA 2006 – 2013

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2010 Nissan Tiida

Nissan Tiida is a small-medium car with the sort of interior space that can accommodate a family, and provide a smooth quiet ride with reasonable engine performance. It replaced the very successful Nissan Pulsar in February due to a clash of cultures. Australians think a new car should hold onto the same name as the one it replaces. Whereas the Japanese feel a significantly improved new car deserves a new name. Tiida (which incidentally we were supposed to pronounce ‘tee-eeda’) was a flop in the sales race, which was shame… Read more

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ALFA ROMEO MITO 2009 – 2016

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2009 Alfa Romeo MiTo

Alfa Romeo MiTo (named for the two Italian cities, Milan, where it was designed and Torino, where was made) is a small three-door hatch that’s big fun to drive. Even everyday trips are likely to bring a smile to the face thanks to the chassis dynamics and engine performance. Then there’s the gorgeous styling, one of the best shapes from the Italian marque renowned for beautiful bodies. Inside, there’s plenty of visually oomph in the shapes and colours offered. Okay, so this may sound predictable, but our favourite is hot… Read more

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LAMBORGHINI URRACO

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1972 Lamborghini Urraco

Although it was originally conceived as the Lamborghini designed to make an impact on the market sector dominated by the Porsche 911 and the Ferrari 308 its introduction, in fact, almost caused the collapse of the company. It certainly caused Ferruccio Lamborghini to depart from his company as bankruptcy loomed. There was no problem with the Urraco, it was just the fact that its creation took place at a most unfortunate time; in the midst of a fuel crisis, and its introduction absorbed a considerable amount of design and development… Read more

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KIA OPTIMA 2011 – 2015

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2011 Kia Optima

Kia Optima is a medium large four-door sedan from South Korea. Importation had been on and off in the Australian market for several years from its first introduction in 2001. Then an all-new model arrived in January 2011 sparked sales and things finally started to take off in the sales race. Firstly, the new shape was a work of automotive art from the company’s design studio headed up by German Peter Schreyer. Optima suddenly started to grab a lot of visual attention. The domed upper surface and high waistline are… Read more