Mitsubishi: Mitsubishi Outlander LS 4WD 2013 Review

March 13th, 2013 by darren

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The Outlander LS is the cheapest four-wheel drive version of the Outlander range. You can get a 2WD two-litre model for $39,990, and that would be fine if you’re trying to save money on petrol (its quoted fuel economy is 6.6l/100km vs the LS’s 7.5l/100km), but this 4WD LS develops more power and torque (126kW and 224Nm) which will make it better for towing, and it has the flexibility of a trick 4WD system. Both vehicles will tow the same amount (1600kg on a braked trailer).

Mitsubishi-Outlander-radio The Outlander has never really Continue reading “Mitsubishi Outlander LS 4WD 2013 Review” »

Road Tests / Car Reviews: Suzuki Splash Ltd 2013 Review

March 6th, 2013 by darren

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At a shade under 3.8m long and 1.7m wide, the Suzuki Splash is the perfect car for squeezing into those tight city car parks. The Splash is a supermini with the proportions of an MPV – it’s tall and boxy. This gives a great deal of room on the inside, despite its diminutive dimensions.

Suzuki-Splash-r-insideYou can fit five people in the Splash, although it’ll be a little cramped in the back. The seating position is upright which is better for older drivers (probably the very people that will purchase this car most).

The boot is quite small – just 178 litres (and 36 of those are Continue reading “Suzuki Splash Ltd 2013 Review” »

Road Tests / Car Reviews: Volkswagen Polo TSI R-Line 2013 Review

March 4th, 2013 by darren

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The Polo R-Line gives you a taste of what the hot Polo GTI might feel like, but with fewer trips to the petrol station and almost five grand remaining in your wallet. It only packs a 1.2-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine producing 66kW (figures that might cause us to point a finger in ridicule), but it manages to get the power down efficiently through the front wheels, accompanied by a satisfyingly raspy engine note.

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The main focus of the R-Line is Continue reading “Volkswagen Polo TSI R-Line 2013 Review” »

Kia: Kia Sorento R Premium 2013 Review

February 26th, 2013 by darren

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Kia’s new Sorento comes with a ‘premium’ moniker, but should Japanese and European vehicle manufacturers be concerned? Could it really be a premium SUV? Let’s look at it objectively: leather seats (heated and cooled in the front row, and heated in the back row), heated steering wheel, it parallel parks itself, there’s excellent fuel economy (7.3l/100km), mood lighting, a panoramic sun roof and a blinging set Continue reading “Kia Sorento R Premium 2013 Review” »

Holden: Holden Colorado 7 LTZ 2013 Review

February 22nd, 2013 by darren

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While most SUVs are tending towards the ‘soft-roader’ approach, Holden’s Colorado 7 will take you off the beaten path, along with up to three tonnes of whatever you want to pull.

Holden-Colorado-7-rq The seven-seater segment seems to be busting at the seams with options. We’ve recently had the Mistubishi Outlander and Mazda CX-9, and I swapped the Colorado for a Kia Sorento with seven pews. Who is having all these children? At least with the Colorado you Continue reading “Holden Colorado 7 LTZ 2013 Review” »

News: Nissan Line-Up Impresses at 2013 Qatar Motor Show

February 20th, 2013 by darren

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Nissan’s impressive trio of the 2013 Patrol, Sentra and the new Nissan Altima debuted to strong reviews at the 2013 Qatar Motor Show, which wrapped up earlier this month in Doha. The Sentra and Altima have been completely redesigned for 2013, while the Patrol – a luxury SUV that seems to keep getting better and better – has become a Middle Eastern favourite, and was actually designed with the Continue reading “Nissan Line-Up Impresses at 2013 Qatar Motor Show” »

Road Tests / Car Reviews: Toyota Corolla Levin ZR vs Corolla GLX (2013) Review

February 18th, 2013 by darren

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When it comes to popularity contests the Corolla Levin ZR and GLX are the Wills and Kate of the car world. The Corolla, a 5-door, front-wheel drive hatchback, is the biggest-selling car by quite a long way, eclipsing the Ford F-Series, Volkswagen Golf and Volkswagen Beetle with (probably) more than 40 million units sold by the time you read this, versus around 36, 27 and 24 million for the others, respectively.

Toyota-Corolla-Levin-f-interiorWhile the new Corolla doesn’t have anything as interesting to the masses as a Continue reading “Toyota Corolla Levin ZR vs Corolla GLX (2013) Review” »

Holden: Holden Commodore SV6 Sportwagon Z Series 2013 Review

February 13th, 2013 by darren

This is a car which is having its lunch partly eaten by SUVs and not really for any good reason. Recently Holden and Ford announced they would be phasing out their most popular large passengers cars in 2016: the Commodore and Falcon will be retired (at least in the form we know them).

Having spent a fairly enjoyable week with the Commodore, it irks me that one of the main reasons that it’s not selling so well any more is that Continue reading “Holden Commodore SV6 Sportwagon Z Series 2013 Review” »