Motorist Archives • Page 7 of 11 • Peter Lloyd

SUV Coupe – WHAT is that?

Posted on March 27, 2019 by admin

As we wait patiently they will die...... We’re an inclusive bunch here at Wheels, celebrating cars in all shapes and sizes. Well, almost all. No matter how hard I try to be accepting of the things, I’m really struggling with SUV Coupes. You know the ones – high riding trucks with a gently raked rear window – that deliver the dynamic compromises of an SUV with the packaging shortcomings of a fastback. They’re like a perfect storm of ineptitude. Porsche is entering the fra...
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HSV Camaro Update

Posted on March 21, 2019 by admin

Some tweaks to looks and drive train! HSV has confirmed it will sell the updated MY19 Chevrolet Camaro 2SS in Australia later this year, with new styling and two new transmissions, one of which features a Mustang-shaming burnout mode. The updates accompany the arrival of the wild-new Camaro ZL1 and mean that Aussies will finally be able to access MY19 Camaros via HSV. The legendary US pony car was updated Stateside last year, but HSV has until now been converting pre-facelift ...
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Corolla Sales Dwindle

Posted on March 14, 2019March 14, 2019 by admin

Toyota Australia remains unconcerned.... Until recently, the Toyota Corolla has been a venerable sales juggernaut, providing Toyota Australia a license to print money. However, now sales have begun to slow, with rivals like the Mazda 3 and Hyundai i30 eating into the Corolla’s sales dominance. Worryingly for Toyota Australia, the introduction of a new generation Corolla seems unable to stop the slow-down, with a number of poor sales months since it was introduced l...
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HOW LEXUS DEFEATED THE ‘BEST CAR IN THE WORLD’!

Posted on March 9, 2019March 9, 2019 by admin

When Chris Goffey tested the Lexus LS 400 for Top Gear in 1990, he claimed that it was “petrifyingly good”. A rather appropriate turn of phrase, because the bosses at Mercedes, BMW and Jaguar must have felt a little petrified when Japan’s first global luxury car wafted into view at the 1989 Detroit Auto Show. Twenty years on, it would be easy to be a tad dismissive of the LS 400, maybe rolling out the tiresome reference to the ‘Japanese S-Class’ as...
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New Audi Q8 Review

Posted on January 24, 2019January 24, 2019 by admin

Another Prestige SUV Contender Lands in Australia. WHAT IS IT? Audi’s foray into large coupe-profiled SUVs. Not only is the Q8 an all-new model to join the four-ring fellowship, it accepts the mantle from the Q7 as the flagship of the SUV line-up. Audi is attempting to plug as many gaps in its high-rider range (and nomenclature) to avoid losing sales to the rapidly burgeoning portfolios on offer wearing BMW and Mercedes badges. WHY WE’RE TESTING IT In this weird...
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Subaru Forester vs 3 Rival SUVs

Posted on January 22, 2019January 22, 2019 by admin

New model Subaru improves the offering. YOU’RE a prospective medium-SUV buyer, lost, alone and confused in the woods, surrounded by a thicket of lookalike crossover choices. What do you do? Happily, we’re here to help, having already sorted through the good, the bad and the ugly to arrive at the cream of the crop as rivals for Subaru’s new, fifth-gen Forester, with not a dull or dreary drive in sight. The evergreen Subaru Forester has been rooted in the medium-SU...
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New Mercedes-Benz B-Class due Mid-2019

Posted on January 17, 2019January 17, 2019 by admin

A more spacious B-Class enjoyed by Europeans but slow to be adopted by Australians. WHAT IS IT? A-Class with altitude. Built on the same platform as Mercedes-Benz's new small hatch, the B-Class has the same wheelbase and uses identical core technologies, drivetrains included. While the B-Class's extra height increases roominess and flexibility, its proportions provide a tough challenge for the design department.... WHY WE'RE TESTING IT The inte...
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Mercedes-Benz V6 Ute Review

Posted on January 15, 2019January 15, 2019 by admin

L Slovenia serves as our intoduction to Merc’s V6 crew-cab ute. WHAT IS IT? This is the X-Class many people have been waiting for. Mercedes-Benz launched its Navara-based dual-cab ute at the end of 2017, but this V6-powered version, called X350d, is the first to get a proper Mercedes-Benz drivetrain rather than a carry-over four-cylinder engine and gearbox from Nissan. And it’s a radically different vehicle as a result, not only to the Navara but to the four-pot...
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How Does the M340i xDrive Stack Up?

Posted on January 8, 2019January 8, 2019 by admin

Germany's Big Three Barnstormers vs Others Fresh from its unveiling at the Paris Show, BMW’s latest G20-generation M340i looks to reassert Munich’s position as the driver’s choice in its class. In recent years that dominance has waned a little, but with a wider track, a lower centre of gravity, a chassis that’s 50 percent stiffer than before and a trick e-diff, the latest Three looks to be back and firing. We’ve yet to get behind the wheel of the M340i xDrive range toppe...
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VW Polo GTI vs Clio RS

Posted on December 29, 2018December 26, 2018 by admin

Mini Hot Hatch Comparison THE HOT hatch formula has always been a simple one. Take a diminutive chassis, plonk a relatively large engine under the bonnet, and let the good times roll. In recent years hot hatches have been in a renaissance, growing into brawlers with flared haunches and fire-spitting attitudes. Power has skyrocketed, with some next-gen models rumoured to be 350kW+ all-paw monsters. The physical size, and prices, of the enthusiast main stay have also become bl...
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New Model RAV4 in April

Posted on December 23, 2018December 23, 2018 by admin

Not a facelift - this is a new car! WHAT IS IT? The fifth-generation of the world’s best-selling SUV (811,000 in 2017), which is now offered in hybrid form for the first time. This all-new RAV4 adopts Toyota’s TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) engineering philosophy and brings an aggressive, truck-like appearance. It also provides further proof of the rise-and-rise of SUVs, as the RAV4 is now America’s most popular passenger vehicle outside of pick-ups. WHY WE'RE...
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SUV Comparison – Italy v Germany v Sweden

Posted on December 22, 2018December 22, 2018 by admin

Can the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Tackle BMW and Volvo? “The estate car market will never be quite the same again now that the Range Rover has been introduced. It is, after all, just as much an estate car as anything else…” – LJK Setright, Car, February 1971 WHETHER you like it or not, the SUV is the modern evolution of the wagon. Resist the temptation to aerate this messenger in a hail of bullets and consider that for a moment. Buyers have voted with their wallets and wagons now sit a ...
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We Compare German Coupe Blatburgers

Posted on November 12, 2018November 12, 2018 by admin

Is Audi's latest RS5 a concern for BMW and Mercedes? AUDI can’t build a sports car. Everybody knows that. Everyone apart from the engineers who built the revolutionary ur-Quattro, the borderline genius B7 RS4, the disruptive R8 coupe and the astonishing R10 TDI racer – a diesel that dominated at Le Mans even when Ingolstadt voluntarily used the same engines in the 24-hour race as it used in practice and qualifying. So it ought to be obvious that there’s a pool of hugely talented ...
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Car vs Road – Mercedes-AMG E53 Coupe

Posted on November 12, 2018December 10, 2018 by admin

AMG Straight 6 E Class Delight Sea to sky with AMG's superboosted straight-six “Because it's there,” was all the justification George Mallory ever needed to climb Everest. Our aspirations are a good deal more modest than old George's – and we're banking on a more gratifying outcome - but the rationale is much the same. Why would you drive from sea level to Australia's highest coach road? We'd prefer to ask why wouldn't you, especially when that road, from Lakes Entrance on Victoria's Gippsla...
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The Suzuki Jimny Has Returned

Posted on November 9, 2018 by admin

Welcome back many will say! Cute but tough, old-school but new, fun but infuriating… at least there’s nothing dull about Suzuki’s reborn icon. WHAT IS IT? The Suzuki Jimny first appeared on the scene in 1970, and became an instant classic with off-road enthusiasts, thanks to its small stature, and giant-killing ability off the beaten track. This all-new generation Jimny hopes to emulate its forefathers, while fostering a new love...
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7 Seat Holden Acadia

Posted on November 4, 2018 by admin

Acadia joins the mix in Australia's 7-seat Marketplace As the popularity of SUVs continues unabated, it is astonishing that, in a century of Australian vehicle manufacturing, Ford’s late and lamented Territory was the only one ever made here. Today, post shut-down, could the gap that the Ford’s demise has left in the Australian psyche, as well as in the seven-seater segment, be plugged by Holden. Enter the Acadia – a formidably fashioned wagon starting at a razor-sharp...
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Kia Stinger twin-turbo V6 for Queensland Police

Posted on November 1, 2018November 1, 2018 by admin

Holden and Ford high speed vehicles to be replaced by Stingers Queensland Police and Kia Australia have announced that the 2018 Kia Stinger 330 will replace Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon pursuit cars going forward. The 272kW/510Nm twin-turbo V6 sedans will be seen more frequently from now on, with a total of 50 Stinger to join the force between now and December. Assistant commissioner of road policing Mike Keating says factors such as costs and reliability, as well as...
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Mercedes-AMG C43 Coupe Review 2019

Posted on October 26, 2018 by admin

The C63's restrained, all-wheel-drive sibling receives a round of tech upgrades to keep it fresh WHAT IS IT? An updated version of AMG’s entry-level C-Class, now with more power from its V6 engine and lots of small, but important, changes inside and out. WHY WE’RE TESTING IT As much as we like the V8 brawn of AMG’s hugely exciting C63, its blinkered thrill-seeking isn’t easy to live with every day. The C43, however, has dialled back the extroversion to a more liveable lev...
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Chevrolet Camaro 2019 – Pricing for Australia

Posted on October 22, 2018 by admin

The HSV Camaro is more expensive than the Mustang, but it will be a lot more exclusive...... THE Chevrolet Camaro will cost nearly $86K. Yep, that’s a fair bit cheaper than most estimates but let’s not lose sight of the fact that Ford’s latest Mustang GT carries a sticker price that’s $20K more affordable, at a smidge over $66K. You’re going to need to ask yourself if exclusivity and novelty is enough to bridge that gulf. Of course, HSV is bullish about the car’s prospects ...
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We Compare 7-Seat Diesel Medium SUVs

Posted on October 16, 2018 by admin

If your tribe is expanding this is the category that could easily fit the bill. THE FUN thing about Wheels Car of the Year is that you line up 22 cars and then 21 of them lose. This, in turn, means that almost all of our readers will disagree with the final choice. Every year in the wash-up from COTY, we learn that we have lost all credibility, are liberal milquetoasts and have our heads lodged in our fundaments. But 2017 was different. We were expecting the usual online shellacki...
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2019 Cheerokee

Posted on October 15, 2018 by admin

Revamped style, bigger boot, and upgraded safety for this genuine off-roader says....look at me now! WHAT IS IT Cherokee is Jeep’s mid-size SUV. It sits above Renegade and Compass and below Grand Cherokee in the American brand’s SUV line-up. This is a refreshed version of the fifth-gen Cherokee that aims to right the styling wrongs of the polarising model launched here in 2014. Otherwise, it retains genuine off-road credibility and a V6 engine, which makes it unique in its class. ...
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2019 Subaru Forester: Points of Interest

Posted on October 3, 2018October 3, 2018 by admin

In September first shipments arrived on our shores. 1. Everything has changed But at the same time, it’s stayed the same. Forester now sits on the Subaru Global Platform that first appeared under the current Impreza and XV, and the rest of the car has been overhauled to suit. It’s a big step forward, but Subaru hasn’t thrown the baby out with the bathwater. Much of what has made the Subaru Forester appealing in the past to a legion of buyers has carried over. It may be all-new, but ...
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2019 Everest Review

Posted on September 24, 2018 by admin

Ranger Raptor’s turbo-diesel and other upgrades have taken Everest up a notch or Two! WHAT IS IT Ford Australia’s largest SUV has become an even more integral part of the portfolio since the demise of the much-loved Territory. Based on Ranger ute underpinnings, the Ford Everest has established a reputation as big and tough, if a little unsophisticated. Ford’s aiming to change that last point. WHY WE'RE TESTING IT With an all-new 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel engine that will sit above t...
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2019 Toyota Corolla

Posted on September 18, 2018 by admin

2019 Corolla Review Is there anything Toyota haven't changed? WHAT IS IT Toyota's 12th-generation small hatchback WHY ARE WE TESTING IT It's the Corolla! The world's best-selling car is now back and virtually everything about it is different, and it's now in Australia. Testing this car is simply non-negotiable. MAIN RIVALS Hyundai i30, Honda Civic, Volkswagen Golf, Mazda 3, Peugeot 308, Kia Cerato, Subaru Impreza. ...
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Allegheny Steel & Ford Motor Company

Posted on September 11, 2018September 11, 2018 by admin

In 1935, officials at Allegheny Ludlum Steel Division and the Ford Motor Company collaborated on an experiment that would become a legacy and a tribute to one of the most dynamic metals ever developed. Allegheny Ludlum, a pioneer producer of stainless steel, proposed the idea of creating a stainless steel car to Ford. The idea took shape in the form of a 1936 Deluxe Sedan . That car became the centerpiece of a campaign to expose the public to the new metal and its many uses. This is the...
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New Ford Focus on Focus

Posted on September 3, 2018 by admin

Euro handling and dynamics are excellent in the 4th generation Ford Focus small hatch. WHAT IS IT? The all-new fourth generation of Ford’s small hatch. WHY WE'RE TESTING IT Sales of the current third-gen Focus have trailed off to be a tiny fraction of those of segment leaders the Toyota Corolla and Mazda 3. The international launch in the south of France gave us a good indicator of this car’s chances to redress that when it arrives in Australia in November. MAIN RIVALS Mazd...
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New Mazda CX-8 Asaki vs Skoda Kodiaq Sportline 140TDI

Posted on August 30, 2018August 30, 2018 by admin

Seven-Seaters Head to Head It takes a solid all-round performance to make it onto the podium at Wheels Car of the Year but that’s exactly what the Skoda Kodiaq did at this year’s competition. It wasn’t quite enough to edge out the overall winner the Volvo XC60, but the Skoda’s combination of excellent practical features, compelling price and rewarding driving dynamics still rate it as one of the most versatile and best value vehicles on the market. Just a year before...
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2018 Audi Q5 Turbo Diesel V6

Posted on August 14, 2018August 14, 2018 by admin

How do you boost performance? Add 2 cylinders and 1 litre. Audi now has a Q5 for the owner who loves performance but doesn’t want to shout about it. WHAT IS IT? The most powerful non-Audi Sport model in the Q5 range. With an uprated 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 under its handsome snout, this is Ingolstadt’s mid-size SUV for buyers with a penchant for understated grunt. WHY WE ARE TESTING IT? Orders are already open for the sportiest diesel Q5 in Austra...
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2019 Audi Q3 Revealed

Posted on August 2, 2018 by admin

The popular SUV from Germany has a clean striking look. THE SECOND-GENERATION Audi Q3 has been unveiled in Germany, featuring bold design cues taken from the Q8 flagship to provide a more mature, but less dour look than its predecessor. Now able to pass on junior-SUV duties to the Q2, the new Q3 offers more family-friendly practicality and comfort than before, while sharing much of the infotainment, connectivity and latest advanced driver assist systems with the...
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Mini Cooper Ups the Ante

Posted on July 27, 2018 by admin

Major improvements across the board. The first major revamp of Mini’s current-generation hatch, which adds cosmetic tweaks, welcome technology embellishments, and under-bonnet improvements that save fuel WHAT IS IT? Mini’s most connected small car yet. This first major revamp of the gen-F56 Mini sees it adopt BMW’s ID5 generation of its Connected Services technology, which allows owners to monitor and control their car via a smartphone app. There are visual changes too, and ...
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