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SKODA FABIA: A LOT OF CAR FOR A SMALL PRICE

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Skoda Fabia is a European machine that’s offered at a lower price than anything in its class from that continent. That price is there to try and lift sales, something that seems to be working because Skoda sales in Australia have finally started to move upwards after years of sitting at too low levels. Skoda is built by the Czech marque with an automotive history that dates back over 120 years. These days it is part of the Volkswagen Group and most of the out of sight components are sourced… Read more

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RENAULT ALPINE

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Renault has had a long association with the specialised Alpine workshops at Dieppe, France. Back in the mid-1950s former racing driver Jean Redele used Renault 750 parts to build a rallying coupe which was named Alpine. From that time the name became strongly associated with Renault’s racing and rallying efforts. By 1970 Alpine became officially responsible for Renault’s entire competition program. Probably their greatest achievement was the team’s very strong win in the 1978 Le Mans 24-hour race. Although Renault used the Alpine name on several of its road cars… Read more

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TUCKER TORPEDO

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In the eyes of Preston F. Tucker, the American car of just after the end of World War II was totally out-of-date. Most car buyers at that time saw the Buick straight-eight – a large, heavy and conservative model – as the car they aspired to owning. With his 1947 Torpedo, Tucker offered a rear-mounted, flat-six engine with hydraulic valve actuation, sealed cooling system, torque converter-transmission, all-independent suspension and disc brakes. He also included special in-built safety features such as pop-out windscreen, crash padding and break-away mirror – a good… Read more

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2016 MAZDA CX-3 AKARI REVIEW

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The Mazda CX-3 might have been beaten to the market by Nissan, Renault, Honda and Holden, but its late arrival doesn’t seem to have done it any harm at all. The mini-SUV joins a Mazda line-up of cars that is handing out bloody noses to its rivals using a combination of looks, pricing and specification. The CX-3 fits right in with the rest of the range while hopefully bringing with it the CX-5’s superior dynamics in a smaller package. VALUE There’s a slightly bewildering array of CX-3s, powered by either… Read more

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BMW X5 2000 – 2015

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BMW X5 has been a big seller since it launch in November 2000. Though it does have more off-road ability than you might expect, particularly in its first generation, most X5 buyers are looking for a sporting wagon not an ‘real’ 4WD. Well aware of this, BMW calls later models SAVs (Sports Activity Vehicles) rather than an SUVs (Sports Utility Vehicles). The BMW X5 first reached Australia in November 2000. It immediately impressed by having on-road handling that is very good for a two-tonne wagon. It’s certainly no 5 Series… Read more

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CITROEN BERLINGO VANS ON TRACK

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What were two French delivery vans doing parked side by side at one of Australia’s premier motor racing circuits on a summer’s day with the temperature nudging 30 degrees? Good question. The pair – new Citroen Berlingos – were at Sydney Motorsports Park (nee Eastern Creek) where the motoring media were given an early Christmas gift of a go against the clock in Long Body manual and semi-automatic variants on a wet witches-hatted circuit representing the back streets of Paris after a summer shower. To add a touch of seasonal… Read more

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PEAK PERFORMANCE FROM SERIES SEQUEL

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Even for motoring journalists European luxury cars are, well, a luxury. They are not an everyday occurrence. When the initial adulation wears off, familiarity sets in and so does a hint of nothing out of the ordinary. Some vehicles, however, hold something in reserve to keep an automotive world-weary scribe interested. Such a car came into my possession recently. With time, the BMW 320d could quite easily have become a Euro Camry. It didn’t. The latest iteration features sharper exterior design, the interior uses new material to create a premium… Read more

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VW PASSAT WAGON IS PRACTICAL HAULER

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The eighth generation of the Volkswagen Passat mid-sized sedan and wagon, coded as the B8 series, arrived in Australia late in 2015. We have just spent a couple of weeks living with a Passat 132TSI station wagon in Comfortline format, and have come away impressed with its practicality and ease of use. New Passat uses the Volkswagen MQB platform which we have already experienced in several others in the latest VW range. The platform reduces weight and permits for a large number of vehicles to be built at the same… Read more

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2015 ROVER DISCOVERY SPORT SD4 HSE REVIEW

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What to get if you like the Range Rover Evoque but need more space; like the Discovery but don’t have the readies; want a bit of Range Rover style and capability? Oddly enough, you buy a Land Rover Discovery Sport. The Freelander replacement has been with us for just over a year now and is finding plenty of homes with its pretty looks and the promise of mud-plugging shenanigans should the need arise. VALUE The Discovery Sport HSE SD4 is the mid-spec trim level, starting at $61,100 for the manual… Read more

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HYUNDAI ACCENT 2000-2015

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Hyundai Accent arrived in Australia in June 2000 as a replacement for the Excel, a car that had proven to be a big hit downunder. Accent never did manage the huge sales of the Excel, but there are plenty of them out there in used-car land. There’s good interior room in this small-medium Hyundai and buyers with pre-teen children can use the Accent as a family car. The boot is roomy and easy to use and has a good shape that’s reasonably easy to load. Hyundai’s Accent has good handling… Read more