The Aurion is the car that almost bridges the gap between Toyota and Lexus. You get the same 200kW, 336Nm, …full story
When you want one of the best-looking station wagons out there to have a little more pep than the base …full story
Everyone I told I was driving an MG assumed that I was writing for our sister title, NZ Classic Car and that I would be donning a flat cap and one of those jackets with elbow patches. They warned me that if it wasn’t leaking that meant it had run out. However, MG has been resurrected.
We have a mixture of fond and, well, less-than-fond memories with MGs, from the Read the full story »
To some people, saying Falcon and four-cylinder turbo in the same sentence would make their lip curl. Until now you could only have your Ford with six or eight cylinders (well, only eight in an FPV), not four plus a hair dryer.
After all, the Falcon is a big car; it’s a car that’s had a six or eight for a reason. To top it off, they’ve given it a green-sounding name – EcoBoost – that, for sure, means it’s going to accelerate like a kitten pulling a Read the full story »
The entry level model to BMW’s 3 series is surprising, mainly because if you’ve driven older base model 3s like the 318s from a few years ago you’d be expecting something kind of lacklustre and limp.
This obviously didn’t sit well with BMW. The base model is likely to be the best-seller, especially in Europe, where diesels are far more accepted, and you want to put your best precisely engineered Germanic foot forward.
BMW has cranked up Read the full story »
It’s ironic that the Lexus GS250 could be the best car for boosting fertility, but it’s mostly going to be purchased by those who have already procreated.
It’s a true story that a friend of a friend and his wife were trying to conceive and having some trouble. The doctor told him that he needed to keep his nether region as cool as possible to assist in the production of the little wrigglers required to seal the deal, and so it was that he traveled around in his car with the seat fans on full all the time.
Yes, the Lexus GS250 will blow cooling, life-giving air through the seat. One can only speculate that, given the Lexus comes from Japan where the population is in perilous decline (it will decrease from its current 126 million to less than 50 million within a hundred years unless young women stop buying and dressing up those annoying little dogs and start having babies), perhaps there’s some kind of government incentive. After all, the Toyota Land Cruiser we reviewed a couple of months ago also came with the same system.
Lexus has made the GS250 an exceptionally comfortable car to drive in and has given it a stereo of epic quality. Several times I found myself sitting in it after I’d turned the car off, just listening to the music. While the operation of the stereo is a little fiddly with the joystick on the centre console, the audible results are stellar. They are powerful and clear.
Twelve speakers wash you with sound via a 299W amp. Music input devices include all kinds of CD and media files, iPod and other MP3 players, radio data service, satellite radio (so you can listen to the BBC World Service) and just plain old terrestrial AM/FM. The system has voice recognition and you can connect your Bluetooth-enabled phone, as well as streaming music via Bluetooth.
The second audible aspect of the Lexus which I loved was the engine tone. If you are cruising along, you barely hear the engine at all – it’s exceptionally quiet – but bury the accelerator and the Sound Generator system (basically a couple of mufflers and intake manifold modification) takes you from a quite purposeful bassy tone at low revs through to a tone that sounds like the best of angry V6 engines with a hint of V8 Supercar thrown in.
The response of the engine is controlled by one of three modes: eco, normal and sport. Eco mode reduces the power, throttle response and air conditioning. In sport mode, the throttle response is enhanced and more power is available from the 2.5-litre V6 – up to 154kW and 253Nm. This gives a 0-100kph sprint of 8.8 seconds which is adequate for most overtaking needs.
The gearbox is a six-speed automatic with steering-wheel-mounted paddles. I expected it to be seven-speed, but the six-speed doesn’t seem to have any compromises. A snow mode is available.
Combined fuel consumption is quoted at 9.3l/100km. We managed 9.1 on a journey from Coromandel town to Auckland that included all the twisty awesomeness of the Thames Coast Road, plus an annoying late-night motorway closure at Papakura that delayed us and forced us through the back streets of Takanini after crawling along for 3km.
Being the baby of the range there are a couple of concessions. The cruise control is a budget one out of a Toyota. You can’t set a specific speed and it appears to wander up to 5kph from the set speed.
The satellite navigation, which displays on the 8-inch LCD, is easy enough to use once you’ve mastered the joystick and has a useful feature where you can retrace your journey. The maps were out-of-date, though. It didn’t know about the new Kopu bridge coming into Thames, so make sure you request an update if you’re purchasing one.
Given the GS250’s friendliness for creating children, they’ll be fine in the back until they are teens, at which time the lack of legroom will create problems. For short journeys there is enough, but you would not want to transport a sulky 15-year-old for any more than an hour or so. This does, however, allow for a slightly large boot than you might expect.
With all the noise, you also need poise. The Lexus stays flat through the corners, washing out into predictable understeer if you push it too hard. A cadre of electronics prevents you from kicking the back end out or getting into any kind of skid. There’s also a blind spot monitoring system to warn you if a vehicle is overtaking you on the left or right. If all these electronics can’t save you, nine airbags are the next line of defence.
While Lexus always does well in consumer surveys for satisfaction and reliability it’s comforting to know that the GS250 comes with a four-year unlimited kilometer warranty and a six-year corrosion warranty, fully transferable to new owners.
I really enjoyed the GS250. OK, it has a couple of minor issues, but the overall driving experience with its exhaust note, stereo quality and level of comfort are more than enough to negate them. If only I had an interest in having children!
Price: $102,900
Massimo Frascella’s chunky wheel arches and chopped roof design gives Kia’s Sportage Ltd the right attitude for a go-anywhere compact SUV.
The exterior is lead by Kia’s Tiger nose. LED daytime running lights underline the headlights, which themselves form a strong pointer along the prominent shoulder line extending to the rear lights. The design of the front is one that is very coherent where others can sometimes be messy and disjointed.
The side profile is enhanced by Read the full story »
The top of the range 2WD Holden Colorado is the LTZ, designed to appeal to urban tradespeople, those that need to tow large loads like race cars and boats, and those that won’t need the off-road capability of four-wheel drive.
The 2WD models are available in single cab or crew cab (4 doors); 4WD models have the option of a ‘space cab’ which is a 2-door, but with rear seats. Space cab gives an extra 300mm of tray space over the crew cab option.
Its urban leanings are confirmed with the additional kit you get over the more agricultural focused 4WD models, or the base model LX (which can be had for as little as $44,400). You’ll be up for $49,900 RRP and for that the additional exterior features include fog lamps, LED tail lamps, projector headlamps a sports bar in the tray and side steps.
The tray comes with a soft tonneau cover which Read the full story »
A highlight of the 2012 Paris Motor Show is Suzuki’s unveiling of the S-Cross—a concept car which heralds the company’s next-generation C-segment crossover model. The new crossover will be the first in an ambitious programme of annual European model launches which Suzuki will be starting in 2013.
Suzuki’s future model strategy
Suzuki has established a reputation for producing cars which make everyday life more exciting. These cars reflect a brand strategy which is expressed through the company’s slogan “Way of Life!”. Suzuki has always been focusing on creating models—such as the Alto—which are characterised by small environmental footprints and low running costs thanks to exceptionally low fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Now the company plans to launch models which top their segments in terms of environmental performance even more. The production model of the S-Cross concept will be one of those with the lowest CO2 emissions in the C-segment crossover cars.
The crossover pioneer
Since launching the Jimny (originally the LJ series) in 1970, Suzuki has expanded its lineup of off-road vehicles to include models such as the Vitara and Grand Vitara; the company has earned a reputation as the pioneer of compact sport utility vehicles (SUVs). Meanwhile, Suzuki has gained incomparable know-how in the development of compact passenger cars. And since the latter half of the 1980s, the company has been refining its performance technologies in the field of motor sport. In 2006, Suzuki united its advanced technologies in the form of the SX4 sport crossover—a vehicle which offers relaxing city driving and great performance on snow and rough roads. With the SX4 Suzuki created the crossover category in Europe and has driven its growth. Suzuki is the crossover pioneer.
Smart Crossover for more freedom in daily life
The new model heralded by the S-Cross will mark Suzuki’s full-scale entry into the market for C-segment crossovers. The new vehicle’s features and functions will be designed primarily for comfort. It will also offer a high degree of practicalityby providing one of the largest luggage areasfor C-segment crossover cars.
Suzuki is also ensuring that the new crossover inherits the on-road handling and performance excellence of the Swift series, the SX4 and the Kizashi. And Suzuki is adopting systems which represent an evolution in the four-wheel-drive performance that is part and parcel of its heritage.
The new model will offer drivability which encompasses gentle, fuel-saving driving, more sporty driving, and even driving on snow. It will maximize the enjoyment of day-to-day tasks
such as commuting or carrying children as well as the pleasure of longer trips at weekends; in short, it will allow people to get the most out of urban lifestyles. It will perfectly embody
Suzuki’s vision of a smart crossover for more freedom in daily life.
The new crossover will join the Alto, Splash, Swift, SX4, Kizashi, Jimny and Grand Vitara in a lineup which already includes A-, B- and C-segment passenger cars and SUVs. Suzuki will
continue to expand its range to meet a wider range of user needs.
The S-Cross design
Body colour
A specially created Crystal Green Metallic body colour has intensity and radiance which create a dynamic impression in the minds of onlookers. The image it evokes is one of “nature in the city and the city in nature”.
Specifications (mm)
Overall length 4,310
Overall width 1,840
Overall height 1,600
Wheelbase 2,600
Tyres 235/55R20
Mazda Motor Corporation will highlight “i-ACTIVSENSE” technologies in the all-new Mazda6 which will take centre stage at this year’s Paris Motor Show and make its Australasian debut at the 2012 Australian International Motor Show from 19th to 28th October.
i-ACTIVSENSE is a series of advanced safety technologies designed by Mazda to aid the driver in recognizing hazards, avoiding collisions and reducing the severity of accidents when they cannot be avoided.
Andrew Clearwater, Managing Director of Mazda New Zealand, says i-ACTIVSENSE brings with it a new standard in safety performance over a wide range of driving conditions.
“Mazda’s i-ACTIVSENSE is an exciting innovation for the company and for drivers of Mazda vehicles. Through the use of a full suite of new safety features, which make use of detection devices such as milliwave radars and cameras, Mazda is revolutionizing the driving experience. With safety one of the number one considerations for new car buyers, i-ACTIVSENSE makes the new Mazda6 and all new generation Mazda vehicles a simple choice,” says Clearwater.
At Mazda, the research and development of safety technology is based upon the company’s safety philosophy, Mazda Proactive Safety, which aims to minimize the risk of an accident by maximizing the range of conditions in which the driver can safely operate the vehicle.
Mazda’s i-ACTIVSENSE describes a group of advanced safety technologies, developed in line with Mazda Proactive Safety, including both active safety technologies that help the driver to recognize potential hazards, and pre-crash safety technologies which help to avert collisions or reduce their severity in situations where they cannot be avoided.
The Mazda6 with i-ACTIVSENSE will be available in New Zealand in early 2013.
Overview of i-ACTIVSENSE technologies
Control (MRCC): Judges the relative speed and distance to the car ahead, and works within a set speed range to maintain a safe following distance, thus alleviating some of the burden on the driver when driving on highways
Hazard Recognition Support and Forward Obstruction Warning (FOW):
Detects vehicles in front and alerts the driver to an approaching risk of collision early enough for the driver to brake or take evasive action
Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS): Detects lane markings on the road surface and warns drivers of imminent unintentional lane departures
Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM): Detects cars in the blind spot on either side or approaching from behind and alerts the driver to potential risks
High-Beam Control System (HBC): Detects oncoming traffic and vehicles in front and automatically switches headlights between high and low beam, improving visibility at night and aiding hazard avoidance
Adaptive Front-lighting System (AFS): Supports safe driving at night by turning the headlights based on the degree of steering input and vehicle speed to maximize illumination and visibility at curves and intersections
Collision Avoidance/ Damage Reduction Support and Smart Brake Support (SBS): Helps reduce the severity of a collision by automatically applying the brakes when a risk of frontal collision is detected while driving at speeds of 15km/h or more
