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SKODA RAPID 2014 – 2018

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Skoda Rapid, or Rapid Spaceback to give it its full title for the Australian imports, is a mainstream small-medium five-door hatch. It could be called a station wagon as it’s rear has a handy shape making it capable of carrying bulky loads. The Czech company has long had a policy of making space a feature inside its vehicles. There’s good room in the Rapid for rear seat passenger space, though two makes more sense than four if adults are being carried. Overseas travellers may have noticed four-door sedan versions of… Read more

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RENAULT KOLEOS IS A BIG AND BOLD SUV

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Koleos is the largest of the three-model Renault SUV range ahead of the small Captur and the recently-launched mid-size Kadjur. A product of the alliance between the French automotive giant and its Japanese partner Nissan, Koleos sits on the same platform and shares its 2.5-litre engine and transmission with the Nissan X-Trail. Adding to its multinational character Koleos is built at Renault’s Samsung factory in South Korea. Koleos first went on sale here in 2008, was upgraded in 2011 and 2013 with the current, second-generation, model arriving in 2016. For… Read more

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PLYMOUTH BARRACUDA

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The Plymouth Barracuda was first released in 1965 in response to the Ford Motor Company’s successful launch of the Mustang. This Ford completely rewrote the sales records of that time following its April 1964 launch. When the Mustang was released it became known as a ‘pony car’, a term which was used to describe new style sporty compact vehicles. Chrysler’s response was very quick but it was fortunate in having a suitable car, the Valiant, on which to base the new Barracuda. With some quick modifications to Valiant tooling Chrysler… Read more

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TOYOTA YARIS IS GOING HYBRID

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Toyota has been deeply into fuel-saving, clean-running hybrid vehicles for many years, with its Prius now being in its 20th year of sales in Australia. An all-new Yaris hybrid will reach us in May and will be Toyota Australia’s most fuel-efficient car. With a new 1.5-litre petrol / hybrid powertrain it will offer an official combined fuel consumption figure of just 3.3L/100km. Toyota Australia Vice President Sales and Marketing Sean Hanley said the addition of the hybrid drivetrain to the Yaris range would not only benefit customers with lower fuel… Read more

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SMALL CHANGE FOR BIG-MONEY PEOPLE MOVER

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It’s been a long journey for the Nissan Patrol since its inception, almost 70 years ago, taking it up to the big boys of the 4×4 market, especially the Toyota Land Cruiser. Now the rugged Nissan continues along the slip road to a quieter life with its MY20 model. In 2013, the Patrol took on the role of a flagship with a big brother in the shape of ST-L, Ti and Ti-L variants. Last year, the ST-L was retired, leaving the two petrol-only options carrying the load. For 2020, the… Read more

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PROJECTA COMPAC FOLDING SOLAR PANELS

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Projecta has launched two new COMPAC fast chargers and solar panels to produce power supply for a variety of equipment. The range begins with the PP10 that provides a direct charge for smart watches, phones, GoPros and the like, via its 1.6A port and included 3-in-1 charging cable. This unit weighs only 300 grams and when folded measures just 270 x 170 x 10mm, making it easy to store in a backpack. The larger PP15 Personal Folding Solar Panel, has its own in-built power bank. Typically it takes between six… Read more

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ROVER 2600

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The Rover 2600 was marketed in two model forms. The base S was a 4+1 door saloon which also came as an up-market Vanden Plas version. Unlike the popular Rover 2000, which used a four-cylinder engine, both models used the same six-cylinder OHV engine first developed for the Rover 2300. However its capacity was increased from 2350 cc which developed 88kW to 2957cc increasing its power to 97 kW at 5000 rpm and a torque of 206 Nm at 3750 rpm driving the rear wheels. The engine had a seven-bearing… Read more

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SEATS DO THE WALKING FOR YOU

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We seem to spend an ever increasing time in our cars these days. Heavy traffic is one cause, laziness is another – do you really need to use your car to drive one kilometre to the local takeaway? Sedentary lifestyles, which can shorten muscles in the legs, hips and gluteals causing back pain. The weakened muscles also mean you are more likely to injure yourself from falls or strains. You will be pleased to know the ‘morphable’ seat is being trialled by Jaguar Land Rover’s Body Interiors Research division. It… Read more

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KIA SPORTAGE 2005 – 2018

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Kia Sportage was what the purists call a ‘real’ 4WD when launched here way back in1996. That’s because it had a ladder frame chassis and dual-range 4WD system making it suitable for genuine off-road operations. Many 4WDs became increasingly softer so were retagged as being SUVs, and later crossovers. Kia was quick to follow the trend and from April 2005 the Sportage has a car-type monocoque body. However, there’s a fair bit of strengthening under the floor so it can handle hard dirt road running. Ground clearance is about midway… Read more

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NEW TOP OF THE RANGE FIAT 500

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Fiat Australia introduced new top of the range model to its iconic 500 range – the Fiat 500 Club. In addition to the new Club, the line-up includes the entry-level model, Lounge. The new Club features 16-inch alloy wheels, fixed glass roof with sun blind, DAB+ radio, chrome front grille surround, chrome rear bumper insert, chrome sill plates, automatic headlamps and wipers, and automatic climate control. The Club offers two different interior options; black fabric seats with white inserts and Bordeaux stitching, or white fabric seats with black inserts and… Read more