Category: Used Car Review

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JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE 2011 – 2021

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The Jeep Grand Cherokee is a large 4WD aimed more at buyers of luxury station wagons rather than keen off-road drivers. We will start this used car checkout with the WK Series Grand Cherokee that launched in Australia in February 2011. Compared to previous models it was designed to better suit on-road conditions, with SUV-type suspension to give it a smoother, quieter ride. True to its roots Jeep Grand Cherokee is still a genuine 4WD and can tackle rugged off-road work that would stop most crossover wagons in their tracks,… Read more

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MERCEDES C-CLASS 2007 – 2021

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Mercedes C-Class is sold as a three-door coupe or cabriolet, a four-door sedan and five-door station wagon. It has rear-wheel-drive car with a north-south engine, so the front seats are set relatively far back to make space for the engine. People travelling in the back seats of sedans and wagons may find themselves a little cramped unless those in the front seats are willing to give up some space. This has improved over the years as the C-Class models have become slightly larger. The back seats in the coupe are… Read more

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HOLDEN CAPTIVA 2006 – 2018

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Holden Captiva is a medium sized SUV, buyers tell us they chose it because of its good interior space after comparison with competitors such as Ford Territory and Toyota Kluger. Sales were high from the time it went on sale in 2006 so there are plenty of Captivas to choose from in the used-car scene. Take advantage of this to find one in that suits your needs and budget. Though the Captiva is imported from the General Motors Daewoo factory in South Korea it has extensive Australian input in its… Read more

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FIAT FREEMONT 2013 – 2017

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The Italian Fiat Freemont was introduced in Australia midway through 2013. Its shape was somewhere between that of a people mover and SUV so buyers looking for the tough look of a 4WD didn’t have the Freemont on their shopping list. The Fiat Freemont comes with five or seven seats. The second row of seats can slide forward by up to 100 mm for relatively easy access to the rearmost seats. Theatre-style seating in seven-seat Freemonts ensures pretty good visibility for all. Built-in booster seats for children are standard on… Read more

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LEXUS IS 2013 – 2021

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Lexus IS is a relatively minor player in the Lexus range of upmarket cars. It can be an excellent used car buy, particularly if it has been maintained by the book and driven sensibly – many are. Quite a few used ones are sold by Lexus dealers which may make them more expensive, but it’s usually worth any added cost as the dealers will pick and choose which ones they keep, and which ones they move onto other car yards. Having been relatively sedate in their shape for many years… Read more

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ALFA ROMEO MITO 2009 – 2016

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The Alfa Romeo MiTo is a very Italian sporty three-door hatchback that has excellent styling, inside and out. It was overpriced when introduced here in July 2009 so sales were very slow. Though prices were reduced several times the damage had been done and sales didn’t really pick up. So, it was withdrawn from sale here early in 2016. Though it’s sold as a three-door hatch, MiTo’s interior is more coupe like in that it’s rather tight inside. The front seats have good legroom but some people may find headroom… Read more

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MAZDA MX-5 2005 – 2021

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The Mazda MX-5 was launched in Australia in October 1989 and was a hit straight away thanks to its styling and handling making it a genuine sports car. This is not simply a hot hatch with added power and some added-on body mods it’s a fair dinkum full-on sports machine. In this Used Car Checkout we begin with the almost all-new Mazda MX-5, the NC series, which arrived Downunder in September 2005. It was slightly larger than the model it replaced, though clever engineering meant that weight increases were kept… Read more

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HOLDEN / OPEL ASTRA 2004 – 2019

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The Astra was built by Opel in Europe but rebadged as a Holden. It was sold as the Astra AH from November 2004 until 2009. Interestingly Holden chose to sell the low-cost models of the superseded TS series when the AH series was introduced. These had the title of Astra Classic. In March 2007 it got a facelift and improved engine performance. The Astra AH models discontinued in 2010 to be replaced by cheaper Korean cars. Many Australian drivers didn’t like the dynamics of the Korean models so the Astra… Read more

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FORD MONDEO 2011 – 2020

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Ford Mondeo is a European car aimed very much at the family market. They were sold as five-door hatches (also known as five-door sedans) and five-door station wagons. The wagons were popular as they are good load haulers. Ford Mondeo from the period being examined here had the Ford Sync infotainment systems. So even the base Mondeo LX has voice activated controls at a time when only upmarket European cars had the feature. Sync2 is installed from the 2015 models onwards. Ford also added Bluetooth connectivity as it was trying… Read more

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SUZUKI KIZASHI 2010 – 2016

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Though Suzuki is usually better known for motorbikes it also makes cars. The Kizashi is a stylish machine with a powerful appearance that gives a look of sportiness. In August 2010 the Suzuki Kizashi Sport arrived Downunder. As befits its title this Kizashi has a full-on sports body kit, 18-inch alloys and lowered ride height that further enhanced its already strong appearance. It took the European route of being offered with all-wheel drive for better traction on slippery surfaces. Ice, snow or rain. However, it’s an AWD, not a 4WD… Read more