Tag: HEV

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CIVIC SERVICE INTO THE FUTURE

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With a heritage of more than half a century there is lots that can be said about the Honda Civic. No navel gazing here, though. Far from dreamy reminiscences about its-once popular product, the maker says the company is looking strictly to the future with the updated model as a bridge to total electrification of its vehicles. The entry-level petrol engine has been given the shove, with the new Civic e:HEV L hybrid filling the position, while the e:HEV LX variant is still available. Performance buyers have not been left… Read more

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CAMRY ASCENT A LONG TREK TO HYBRID HEIGHTS

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In Australia it was the halcyon days of the big ‘six’ family sedans from Ford and Holden when Toyota muscled in with Camry, a four-cylinder mid-size sedan, blowing the Falcon and Commodore off course. Fast forward to the late 1990s when the Japanese automobile giant pinned the future of the electrification of its vehicles on hybrid petrol/electric power with the Prius. Now a lost legend, the so-popular Prius was to become the staple of taxicab fleets around the world. Since, Toyota has stayed on script by backing hybrids across the… Read more

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MG3 ESSENCE

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The MG3 is a light hatch and the smallest model offered by the company. It’s a car built very much to a price, targeted at first time drivers and those who haven’t got much to spend. Although the latest model scores the same disappointing three stars for safety as its predecessor, ANCAP which tests the cars reveals it narrowly missed out on a four-star result and its comments are encouraging. With a little work perhaps, the company may be able to turn the result around (although the whole safety thing… Read more

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QASHQAI E-POWER TAKES THE HIGH ROAD

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Back in the ‘noughties’ the Pulsar hatchback was not pulling its weight in Europe, so the maker Nissan decided to beef it up and give it a new name: in this case the Qashqai, and a new identity, the compact SUV. Down Under it became the Dualis, before following in Euro-fashion with the Qashqai moniker. Now it has gone hybrid … but, Jim, not as we know it. While the popular petrol/electric hybrid these days uses both power sources to drive the vehicle, Nissan’s e-Power system leaves the internal combustion… Read more

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MIGRATORY SWIFT LANDS ‘HYBRID LITE’

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Among a plethora of petrol/electric powertrains – pure electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid – allied to automobiles, Suzuki has taken a different flight path with ‘hybrid lite’, an integrated starter generator for its fifth generation Swift. Unlike in some other EVs, where the electric motor can drive the wheels independently, the ISG in the top-selling compact swings into action to give the internal combustion engine extra shove when the accelerator is pressed. Taking power from a lithium-ion battery recharged when the brakes are applied, the ISG also kicks in under… Read more

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WINNING WAYS WITH SORENTO ENHANCEMENT

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Some sports utility vehicles are just big, others are bold. The 2024 Sorento PE, for Product Enhancement, taking a lead from the EV9 World Car of the Year, veers to the latter, cementing its place in Kia’s modern pantheon. The MY24 stays true to the outgoing model relying on the existing range of four powertrains. The 3.5-litre petrol front-wheel drive and 2.2-litre diesel all-wheel drive variants are available across four trim levels – S, Sport, Sport+ and GT-Line – with the last, home for the Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid. The… Read more

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POWER SURGE PUTS SPORTAGE IN SPOTLIGHT

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With hybrid buyers lighting up the EV market, great things are expected of the recent addition to the Sportage SUV range. Driven by the surge in hybrid sales, the Toyota RAV4 has overtaken the Ranger and HiLux to become the best-selling vehicle in Australia. So, it’s not before time that Kia has introduced a hybrid variant to its popular Sportage medium SUV range, which the company confidently anticipates, at 300 units per month, will contribute 20 per cent to total Sportage sales. “The Sportage range was already an excellent medium… Read more

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KIA SORENTO HEV AWD GT-LINE

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Sorento is the largest of Kia’s SUVs and the only large, mainstream SUV to offer three different drivetrains — petrol, diesel and petrol-electric hybrid (as well as plug-in hybrid). Now in its fourth generation, it comes in four grades, but if you want a hybrid — and who doesn’t these days — the choice is GT-Line or GT-Line. You can however save yourself a bit of money by getting the front-drive version, instead of all-wheel drive. Design elements from other models include a new ‘shark fin’ element on its rear… Read more

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HYUNDAI SANTA FE HYBRID SET TO CHALLENGE RAV4

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Hyundai has announced details of a new turbocharged petrol / electric hybrid version of its family sized seven-seat Santa Fe SUV. Due to go on sale later in November, Santa Fe Hybrid will introduce a first-ever turbo- charged petrol/electric hybrid powertrain that delivers an impressive combination of dynamic performance and fuel efficiency. Santa Fe Hybrid will come with the two highest trim levels, Elite and Highlander the lower- spec Elite priced at $63,000 and Highlander at $69,550. These prices are each just $3000 more than the equivalent AWD diesel models…. Read more