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2017 KIA SPORTAGE SLI DIESEL REVIEW

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Kia has tinkered with its Sportage, now a stalwart in the Korean manufacturer’s line-up, freshening it up both inside and out and giving it some of the impetus it needs to push back against numerous competitors. The range includes both petrol and diesel offerings in front-wheel and all-wheel-drive with a number of variants, too. Starting at $37,990, our diesel SLi is almost halfway between the entry level 2.0-litre Si petrol ($28,990) and the bells and whistles of the $45,990 Platinum diesel. STYLING The new Sportage features a bolder, more aggressive… Read more

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VOLVO C30 2007 – 2013

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Volvo C30 is a small coupe from the renowned Swedish car marque. Designed as part of its plan to get away from its ‘sensible but boring’ image it had styling that harked back to the P1800 of the 1960s and ‘70s . The C30’s styling was polarising, particularly the large sloping back window, when introduced in March 2007, but found favour later and sales on the used-car market are strong these days. There’s a fascinating model range, including a pretty quick T5 and an ultra-economy special. The C30 may be… Read more

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TOYOTA’S ULTRA-STYLISH C-HR

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Late last century Toyota took the chisel to several models and carved a series of cutting edge designs that had the automotive world sitting up: think the curvy Celica; Tarago ‘egg’ people mover, the first RAV4 and the Prius petrol / electric hybrid. Other than that the Japanese penned plenty of rather bland shapes. That has dramatically changed. In parallel with the rapid sales rise of SUVs, Toyota has come up with the radically-styled C-HR, standing for Coupe High Rider. To say the C-HR is different is the mother of… Read more

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TOYOTA COROLLA JUST KEEP ON KEEPING ON

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When the last Ford Falcon rolled off the company’s Broadmeadow production line in October last year it surrendered its title as Australia’s longest-running current passenger car. Replacing it on the number one place on the podium was the Toyota Corolla which has been on sale here since 1967 including around a decade in which it was locally-produced. Despite its longevity Corolla has never been more popular topping the annual passenger vehicle sales chart for each of the past four years. To celebrate its 50th anniversary Corolla sedan was given a… Read more

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2017 AUDI A5 COUPE

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Normally when I drive a new car into the townhouse complex where I live neighbours have a casual glance to see what car I’ve just picked up, then go back to whatever they had been doing. Not so with the bright read Audi A5 coupe; it stopped a five-way conversation, pulled all eyes in its direction and got folks wandering over to have a closer look and a chat. Audi continues to push hard in the Australian market, with its sights on BMW and Mercedes in every possible area of… Read more

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OUTLANDER IN PUSH FOR HIGH GROUND

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They say a characteristic of a generation Y person is that he or she wants everything; and they want it now. Sounds like perfect candidates for the upgraded Mitsubishi Outlander sports utility vehicle. While already well specified, the MY17 medium-size SUV has shifted up a notch or two, adding a new mid-range LS Safety Pack model with forward collision mitigation, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control and automatic high beam feature. Top model Exceed also adopts these features as standard, as well as advanced safety systems such as 360 degree… Read more

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FERRARI 275

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Ferrari’s two-seater Gran Turismo Berlinetta models were considered classics and the first model in the family was the 275. It was from this series of models that the marque’s later supercars developed. With a body by Pininfarina it introduced new features not previously seen in road-going Ferraris such as all-independent suspension and a five-speed gearbox mounted as a single unit together with the final drive so as to counterbalance the extreme forward positioning of the engine. First shown at the 1964 Paris Motor Show the Ferrari 275 featured a twin-OHV… Read more

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BMW 1 SERIES 2004 – 2015

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The smallest vehicle in the BMW car range, the 1 Series uses sporty engines driving the rear wheels. Like everything else produced by the German auto maker it’s aimed at those who enjoy driving, rather than people who treat it as a chore. However rear-drive inevitably steals cabin and boot space, something that’s more noticeable in the 1 Series than the larger models in the range. It’s probably better to regard a 1 Series as a two-plus-two rather than a full four seater. There’s good legroom in the front seats,… Read more

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SPACE SAVING SPARES

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I still continue to hear criticism of spacesaver spare wheels from many people. Much of it is unjustified and ill-considered in my opinion. Spacesaver wheel/tyre combinations are significantly narrower and slightly smaller in diameter than standard units. Their main reason for existing is to give more room in the boot. This is firstly, because of the increasingly large tyres being fitted to modern cars and secondly because, as people move down to smaller cars to save fuel and reduce emissions, they like to retain as much interior space as possible…. Read more

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SKODA WAGON ADDS UP TO A LOAD OF SENSE

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If today’s sports utility vehicles are the winkle-pickers (Google it) of the automotive world, all-wheel drive wagons are the lace-up brogues; what your mother might call ‘sensible shoes’. For those with little history, think Sean Connery, rather than Johnny Depp; ruggedly handsome, against off-beat and quirky. The Skoda Octavia Scout is a perfect example of the former; always has been. STYLING Octavia Scout maintains the robust character of its predecessor. There’s no missing the bold Scout-only bumpers and added body protection. The radiator grille now carries the Scout badge The… Read more