Tag: HEV

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CR-V DRIVING TO THE LETTER

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The folk at Honda, it seems, have long memories. Back in 1995 the Japanese company developed one of the first compact sports utility vehicles on the market – the Comfortable Runabout Vehicle, or CR-V, as we know it. Landing Down Under in 1997, in the 30 years since, the CR-V has sold almost a quarter of a million units here and won numerous awards, including Australian Car of the Year in 2023. Why wouldn’t anyone wish to continue to bask in the glow of such storied ancestry? Welcome to the… Read more

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CHERY PLAYS MUSICAL CHAIRS WITH ITS NEW OMODA BRAND

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It’s getting quite difficult to keep track of the constantly evolving brands and sub- brands within the giant Chinese Chery group. The most recent development is the establishment of what is effectively a new sister brand to Chery called Omoda Jaecoo, a premium brand that operates independently of their shared parent company. We recently reported on the two Jaecoo models (J7 and J8) that are currently on sale in Australia. This time we’re reviewing the first of the dedicated Omoda vehicles the Omoda 9 that went on sale here in… Read more

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FRONX … A UNIQUE NAME FOR AN APPEALING LITTLE CAR

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    Not sure what to make of the Suzuki Fronx. It shares a platform with the Suzuki Swift, so it could be described as the crossover version of Swift. The Fronx name is a portmanteau of “Frontier Next”, which was trademarked by Suzuki way back in 2014. They are a bit slow off the mark but apparently the idea was to create an SUV that is widely accepted by the market with existing resources, which could explain some things. Suzuki describes Fronx as the most comprehensively equipped Suzuki model… Read more

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NISSAN QASHQAI TI E-POWER .. A DIFFERENT TAKE ON THE HYBRID

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Qashqai is the not so small member of the Nissan lineup, sitting between the Juke and X-Trail, and sharing a platform with X-Trail. Originally known as the Dualis in Japan and Australia when it was launched way back when, it was called Qashqai in every other country where it was sold. The second generation, launched in 2013, was not sold in Japan and lo and behold was badged as the Qashqai everywhere this time, except that is for the United States where it was known as the Rogue Sport. Confusing?… Read more

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REAR VIEW IN FORESTER FOCUS

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The new Forester: Ah, that takes me back. While Subaru’s most popular model has taken up with the hybrid age, changes are mostly cosmetic, including cabin layouts that have not changed much over the past four years, no impediment to the many Forester fans of which there are many. Needless to say, there is an impressive list of standard equipment in the Forester, right down to the bargain basement. Things such as Subaru Intelligent Drive (Intelligent and Sport modes), X-Mode with hill descent, front cornering lamps and steering responsive headlights,… Read more

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LEXUS GX 550 . . . BUILT FOR THE BUSH, TARTED UP FOR TOWN

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If you look carefully, you can just make out the Toyota Prado that lurks under the skin of the Lexus GX 550. It’s more evident if you look at the car in profile, with its rising rear belt line, courtesy of the 1971 Holden HG Belmont wagon. Lexus has done a very good job disguising the Prado and the styling looks as though it has not strayed fast from the concept, especially the bold face with its spindle grille. The result is an arguably better-looking car than the donor, or… Read more

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SUPER HYBRID CHERY ON TOP

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The Chinese continue to carve off a sizable slice of the automobile cake worldwide, and with Chery on top, it’s hard to see this changing anytime soon. Last month the company claimed 3305-unit sales, putting it in the top ten Down Under. Now the fastest growing brand in Australia, Chery has done this on the back of the success of the Tiggo 4 and 7 SUVs, recently joined by the Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid, capable of travelling up to 1200 kilometres on one tank of fuel and a single charge…. Read more

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TOYOTA YARIS HYBRID … CHEAP LOW EMISSIONS TRAVEL

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Toyota’s small but practical Yaris is often overlooked in the rush to buy larger more powerful models. But for environmentally conscious buyers the hybrid-powered pocket rocket offers a very real alternative to fully electric vehicles. The three cylinder hybrid powertrain offers super low fuel consumption and with it incredibly low engine emissions. In many ways, you could say it is the perfect city car. STYLING Yaris has come a long way since the debacle over its name when introduced as the Toyota Echo back in 1999. It is now one… Read more

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LATE-COMER SPORTAGE HEV CATCHES UP WITH CURRENT TREND

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There is no question that the Sportage Hybrid came late (almost three years to be precise) to the table of electric power for Kia’s popular mid-size SUV. A shortage of cars only compounded the matter. Now, says Kia, things are on the move, with the petrol/hybrid expected to sell 300 a month, 20 per cent of total sales Down Under, and another step in the company’s progress of increasing electrified options to the Australian market. The Sportage HEV is available in two trims – SX front-wheel drive automatic and GT-Line… Read more

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PEUGEOT 3008 GT – PRICE IS THE HURDLE

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Peugeot’s latest 3008 mid-sized SUV is not just stylish, it’s a veritable work of automotive art. Finished in gleaming Obsession Blue (looks green guys) the styling is just a preamble to what you will find inside. The long, curved free-standing infotainment screen reminds us of a computer monitor, but that’s okay because in reality that is of course what it is. A centre console, shaped like a hockey stick, angles away from the driver, topped by a string of quick access buttons that remain just within reach. The surface of… Read more