car buyer Archives • Peter Lloyd

Commodore & Astra Axed

Posted on January 15, 2020 by admin

Holden to move to SUV and UTE suite of vehicles in Australia IT’S OFFICIAL: The Holden Commodore is no more.Holden has today confirmed that its most iconic nameplate – a car intrinsic to Australian culture since its introduction in 1978 – will be retired at the of the year. The news comes as Holden revealed its 2020 portfolio will focus exclusively on SUVs and light commercial vehicles. That means the Holden Astra, another long-standing nameplate on Aussie roads, will also be axed....
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Large Luxury SUV Comparison

Posted on January 9, 2020 by admin

The new Mercedes GLE is up for a battle IT’S A cold, misty morning on Melbourne’s Chapel Street. Traditionally a location heralded as a hot-spot of fashionable excess, the famed strip’s gentrification has fostered an environment where expensive boutiques now mingle with commonplace stores filled with pragmatism. In a weird irony, the three luxury SUVs we’ve assembled reflect the street in which they’re parked. All are family-friendly, diesel-powered rivals that pro...
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Reviewing the Mercedes-Benz GLC 300

Posted on December 27, 2019 by admin

Ride, style and infotainment go up a notch..... Overall Rating Plus & Minus Plus - Massive infotainment boost; new petrol engines are perky; Exterior styling improvements Minus - Standard suspension falls short on Australian roads; cabin shows age; some MBUX features aren’t available. The Wheels Verdict: We criticised the pre-facelift GLC’s ride for being too firm on the car's standard steel-sprung suspension. The Series II facelift addresses that concern. The ...
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BMW – and Electric Vehicles

Posted on December 14, 2019 by admin

BMW believe Australia's not ready yet..... Plug-in hybrid is the strategy for now. Once seen as something of a halfway house en route to pure electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid (PHEV) technology is not only ‘right’ for the current market, but in demand with buyers. Speaking with Wheels at BMW Welt in Munich, Dr Heinz Treseler, who forms part of the powertrain team for the X5 PHEV, said that while EVs might be the future, they account for a tiny percentage of overall sales...
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Using a Car Broker

Posted on December 11, 2019 by admin

A hassle-free way to buy a car Josie Shaw had no idea that she could love the car-buying process. She wanted to buy a new car but her previous experiences in dealerships was leaving her feeling anxious. She was dreading the thought of running from dealer to dealer, looking to replace her 2015 Toyota Camry, when a personal vehicle-shopping service came to her attention. "I heard about car brokers from a friend who felt she wasn't getting the best deal at a dealership. I don't have time f...
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BMW M340i xDrive – What a fine car!

Posted on December 6, 2019 by admin

The 3 Series 6 cylinder - welcome back - you've been missed... What’s in the garage? We’re rubbish at suspense so, yes, it’s a BMW M340i xDrive. The Wheels garage has moved, albeit temporarily. The roller door we’re sliding up today is located in Gauteng province, South Africa. Or, to be more exact, the Kyalami Grand Prix circuit. This is wholly apt. BMW won its last F1 world title at this very circuit in 1983, Nelson Piquet just pipping Alain Prost to the driver’s crown in his Bra...
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We assess the Holden Acadia

Posted on December 4, 2019December 4, 2019 by admin

Holdens large SUV '- made in the USA...is it good enough? It has been three years since the large American-sourced Acadia SUV was confirmed to arrive in Australia rebranded as a Holden, with the big SUV finally launching Down Under 12 months ago. Expectations were high for the Acadia, set to join the market at a time when Holden needed a large SUV hero. Time then for Wheels to put the finger on the sales pulse to determine how things have progressed. The data in this article ...
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BMW X6 Twin Turbo M50i Review

Posted on November 19, 2019 by admin

Power-packed, premium and polarising – BMW’s third-generation X6 continues to shock and delight Overall Rating Plus & Minus Plus - Performance; interior quality; V8 soundtrack Minus - Polarising design; compromised practicality over X5; heavy The Wheels Verdict: In 2008, no-one knew they needed an SUV and a coupe in one vehicle. BMW came along and planted the seed before sitting back and watching the world’s automakers follow suit. However, the X6 is the genesi...
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2019 Ford Ranger Raptor Review

Posted on November 13, 2019 by admin

Does this vehicle fit in my normal comfort zone? Introduction: The Big Surprise FISH OUT OF water doesn’t quite cut it here. No, this is more deep-sea-tuna-on-top-of-Uluru kind of territory. Complete with Julian Assange-in-a-crowded-supermarket levels of discomfort. You see, I’m just not a dual-cab ute kind of guy. I can appreciate them in a detached kind of way, and understand that they’re exceedingly popular and thus exceptionally relevant to the average Aussie, yet they hol...
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Honda CR-V vs Nissan X-Trail

Posted on November 9, 2019 by admin

Combatant seven-seat Japanese SUVs. Which is for you? The contenders - Honda CR-V vs Nissan X-Trail We get it, sub-$40K seven-seaters aren’t much to get excited about, but the contemporary urban market tells us that crossovers have eclipsed wagons and vans as the choice for growing families. And they’re not all a bucket of boredom, despite the keen pricing of this petrol duo. Beyond the Mitsubishi Outlander – the dead horse that the Diamond Star continues to flog with succ...
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New D-Max vs Ranger

Posted on November 6, 2019 by admin

Let the 2020 fight begin! The top three spots on the sales charts are filled with dual-cab utes – they’re big business down under. So when new arrivals from Ford and Isuzu are announced, people take notice. While the Ranger is more of a spec update, the D-Max has received a significant overhaul and is ready to take on its traditional foes. Here’s how the D-Max vs Ranger stack up in key areas with what we know so far. Engine Isuzu has decided to retain the tried and true 3.0-li...
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Best Selling Cars in Australia

Posted on November 1, 2019 by admin

Brief verdicts of the top ten best selling cars in Australia Want the no-frills, straight-to-the-point info on the ten best selling cars in Australia* but don’t want to wade through pages of road tests? Look no further. Let’s count ‘em down 10. Mitsubishi ASX VERDICT: A compact SUV of decidedly modest talent, but don’t underestimate the pull of something that’s reliable, fairly spacious and extremely cheap. Walk into a Mitsubishi dealer ...
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SUV or Wagon – Which is Best?

Posted on October 28, 2019 by admin

There is a difference of opinion in our office... Wagon or SUV? If it were up to the buying public there is no contest, with SUV sales growing year on year at an incredible rate. But the buying public also meant the Minions movie grossed $1.16 billion US in 2015, so they have a proven record of poor decisions. For me, if there is an equivalently sized and priced wagon, I don’t see any good reason to opt for the SUV. Don’t get me wrong, there are good SUVs, the Whe...
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Hyundai Palisade is on the Way

Posted on October 8, 2019 by admin

8 Seat Flagship In Australia soon. Hyundai will be bringing a new flagship model to Australian shores in the near future, with the Palisade large SUV confirmed for local sale. Sitting above the Santa Fe, the Palisade will rival the likes of the Mazda CX-9, and Toyota Kluger for size, and offers genuine eight-person hauling ability just like the Toyota LandCruiser Prado. The Palisade was previously only build in left-hand-drive,...
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Hyundai Venue – Alternative to a Used SUV

Posted on October 1, 2019October 1, 2019 by admin

20 Sep 2019 Reviews Hyundai Venue - Cheap it is. Overall Rating Plus & Minus Plus - Bold styling; refined ride and keen steering; spacious cabin; generous equipment Minus - Lacklustre atmo engine; wind and road noise can be intrusive; tyres undersell chassis refinement The Wheels Verdict: The Venue is the cheapest SUV that we can recommend someone go out and spend money on and not feel guilty. While there are foibles, notably the gutless atmo engine,...
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New Supra on the Dragstrip

Posted on September 28, 2019 by admin

Against some worthy competitors? Toyota’s claimed 0-100km/h time for the new Supra is 4.3 seconds. That’s seriously quick. It’s identical to a Ferrari F40 or, if you want something a little more contemporary, a tenth quicker than a $218,800 Porsche Cayman GT4, the cover star of our August issue and, if certain other outlets are concerned, the greatest sports car ever conceived. The dyno plots for the A90 Supra also suggest that Toyota’s flagship coupe makes considerably mor...
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Mazda 3 G25 GT Sedan Review

Posted on September 20, 2019 by admin

Up-market GT sedan blends class and sportiness. Overall Rating Plus & Minus Plus - Upmarket interior; high spec level; engaging dynamics Minus - slow speed ride; cabin entry and egress; getting expensive The Wheels Verdict: The new 3 is a massive step forward for Mazda. Yes, it’s more expensive than before, but given the improvements to the product, the monetary increase feels about right. It seems those back at Mazda HQ have been taking lessons in German. ...
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Infiniti on Borrowed Time in Australia

Posted on September 17, 2019 by admin

Late 2020 marks the demise of Nissan’s luxury brand in this country. Infiniti is on borrowed time. Infiniti will no longer sell cars in Australia following a shock announcement released today. The luxury offshoot of Nissan has struggled with sales in recent years, and will wind down its operations before withdrawing from the Australian market completely in late 2020. An official company press release states that withd...
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Hyundai i30 New or a used Focus RS

Posted on September 11, 2019 by admin

New vs Used? Head vs Heart? Hot hatches can provide some of the biggest thrills of any performance car. Find the right road and they’re also devastatingly quick, something the two contenders here can attest. Hyundai’s first foray into the world of hot hatches came as a bit of a surprise – and not solely because of its South Korean badge. It’s more the fact that the i30 N is such a sorted product for something that’s considered genesis for the fledgling sporty N brand. ...
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RAV4 Edge vs Forester 2.5i-S Comparison

Posted on September 6, 2019 by admin

Two of the heavy hitters face off. One of the main attractions of SUVs isn’t just the practical considerations of a tall seating position and easy access to the boot and rear seat, but the promise they make of being the versatile chariot capable of taking you and your family out into the great outdoors for a long weekend Not all SUVs are created equal in this regard, but here we’ve got two midsizers that are arguably the best equipped in their segment as dirt-friendly adventure m...
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Best Service – Mazda Does It Again

Posted on August 30, 2019 by admin

Four play: Mazda has topped the JD Power CSI rankings for the fourth year running. MAZDA has solidified its status as one of Australia’s best brands for after sales service with its fourth consecutive win in the JD Power Australia Customer Service Index (CSI) study. While many of the leading brands underneath Mazda have changed position compared to 2018, all recorded an increase in their respective satisfaction score by an average of 24 points in the study, which ranks the satisfaction lev...
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Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Review

Posted on August 28, 2019 by admin

Carrera 4S - a great drive - despite the weight Of all the sports cars on sale today, the one that least needs all-wheel drive is the Porsche 911. The weight of that 3.0-litre twin-turbo flat-six pressing down on the rear axle ensures incredible traction in both wet and dry conditions. Nevertheless, since 1989 the Carrera 4 has been a pivotal part of the 911 range, particularly in markets prone to snow and ice, and even in new 992 guise it provides a subtly different driving ...
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Tesla Model 3 – Was it Worth the Wait?

Posted on August 26, 2019 by admin

Was it what we were waiting for? Overall Rating Plus & Minus Plus - Powertrain strength and refinement; EV range; Capable of 250kW DC charging; service costs Minus - Rear seat packaging; austere cabin ambiance; fit and finish; weight in hard driving The Wheels Verdict: The most affordable of Tesla’s now three-model-strong lineup demands you abandon preconceptions of how you interact with a car. The lack of conventional instruments, a purely screen-based use...
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Chevrolet C8 Corvette Offers Bang for Your Buck!

Posted on August 22, 2019 by admin

and the natural competitors line up.... It’s not due into the country until later next year, but already the Chevrolet C8 Corvette has tongues wagging, and GM fans saving their pennies. As Wheels understands, the C8 Corvette will be priced between $150,000 and $170,000 when it arrives on our shores in right-hook form. This gives us a well-defined price bracket to play in when it comes to finding its natural rivals. Before we get into some on-paper comparisons, we nee...
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Defender Going “Nicer”

Posted on August 19, 2019 by admin

The new Defender will be more mainstream ... no longer a 'farmers' vehicle Land Rover says that the new Defender will speak to a new audience, though remain a capable four-wheel-drive. Softer new Defender no longer a ‘farmer’s vehicle’ What is Land Rover’s DNA? For many, it’s an automotive helix spun around the farmer’s truck; a four-wheel-drive that was more comfortable in the paddocks than posing down High Street - even though la...
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Hyundai Santa Fe Highlander 3rd Row Seat

Posted on August 9, 2019August 9, 2019 by admin

Functionality and comfort make rear-row a peaceful exercise. For many families, the decision to upgrade to a seven-seat vehicle is taken soon after news of the impending arrival of a new addition. That third child never eventuated for us – unless you count a pampered and slightly deranged Cavoodle named Bailey – but the extra pew has always held some allure, if only for when extra kids or rellos need to be accommodated. On the occasions when the Santa Fe’s third row has n...
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BMW Looks At Electric Future

Posted on August 5, 2019 by admin

BMW looks at electric cars for the future

The goal is to offer 25 electrified cars by 2025, but other alternatives are in play. You would be forgiven for thinking that widespread global electric vehicle adoption was little more than a fantasy, many decades from the faintest likelihood. But it’s a very different story in almost every other developed part of the world with all the mainstream manufacturers - including BMW - responding to an explosion in electrified vehicle demand. Last year, the German car maker an...
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2019 Electric Vehicle Megatest – an Introduction

Posted on July 27, 2019 by admin

Electric Vehicle: Yes or No? EV's ... Do we take the plunge yet? IF THIS is the future you can keep it. I’m watching punters pull up to the bowser at the Shell servo in Euroa, fill up and nip off. Meanwhile, I’m faced with a bank of out of commission chargers and a Jaguar I-Pace, a BMW i3, a Nissan Leaf and a Renault Zoe that need charging. Only one of the four DC chargers works. The high-capacity ABB chargers’ software won’t talk to the battery array. The Zoe can’t charge here at ...
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The VW Beetle is No More

Posted on July 22, 2019July 22, 2019 by admin

THE FINAL VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE HAS ROLLED OFF THE PRODUCTION LINE 23m+ models later, the Beetle is no more VOLKSWAGEN is entering a new era as a car maker: for the first time since it restarted production after the Second World War, it won’t have a Beetle in its model range. Though the third-generation model you see here is only loosely connected to the original “people’s car”, the retirement of the long-running model brings to an end VW’s 81 year run of on-and-off Beetle production....
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Hyundai Genesis G80 – Return of the Undead

Posted on July 17, 2019July 17, 2019 by admin

Overall Rating Plus & Minus PlusComfort; discretion; great after-sales package MinusFeels old; no smartphone mirroring; questionable resale values The Wheels Verdict: Exhuming the Genesis and giving it a modest refresh and rebadge doesn’t seem a formula for success, but there’s a small market niche – and small is all that Genesis needs right now – that will adore the formula of this relaxed and refined highway cruiser. WHAT IS THE GENESIS G80?...
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