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New levels of maturity and civility make the M3 a better daily, but what about when the gloves come off?

3 0 D AY S / O V E R R U N

FIRST DRIVES

F E AT U R E S / T E S T S

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Buckle up for lift-off as Mazda soars upmarket, delivering an SUV with reardrive, inline six and Euro-baiting design

Striking exterior design wraps an interior with wow factor, but wheezy carry-over atmo 2.0-litre kills the vibe

Finally, Ford delivers a version of its muscle coupe that doesn’t turn into a pony ride when pointed at a racetrack

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We’ve sprung the lighter, harder version of BMW’s hero coupe, but will it have the chops to justify a circa-$35K premium?

Clever diffs and chassis upgrades headline the changes, so how much quicker is it than the regular version?

Korea sends in fresh metal in the form of the Hyundai Venue and Kia Stonic to take on Mazda’s ageing but excellent CX-3

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The Korean giant has grand plans for its N performance arm, and an EV with supercar grunt is just one part of it

One of the longest-serving EVs in Oz gets a bigger battery, more grunt, longer range and faster recharging. Enough?

Hardcore hero gets front suspension from the 911 RSR race car, and it’s just one part of a mega package

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Without a clear national EV policy, Australia’s states are going rogue in the grab for road taxes. Be concerned...

Oversize Italian ultra four-door has a Ferrari heart, but is that enough to get your own heart to rule your head?

Travis Hester is a former Holden golden boy now scaling the ranks at GM, and tasked with perhaps the biggest job of all

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A thorough overhaul kept the Beetle lively right into the ’70s until the Golf could take over. Today, its quirky charms endure

Small SUV is a sales phenomenon thanks to perky performance and a list of equipment as long as a very famous wall

M-B’s first clean-sheet EV lays a blueprint for its electrified future

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M3 COMPETITION AUSSIE THRASH

Can EV owners really rely on their car’s battery to last the life of the vehicle?

The dilemma: do you go auto for pure speed, or shift your own gears for max satisfaction? Inwood decides

MAZDA’S BOLD PLAN FOR CX-5

BMW M4 CS CAUGHT TESTING

THE FUTURE OF HYUNDAI’S N

AUSTRALIA’S EV TAX DEBACLE

MODERN CLASSIC: VW SUPERBUG

EXPLAINED: BATTERY LIFECYCLES

HYUNDAI TUCSON

TOYOTA GR YARIS RALLYE

NISSAN LEAF e+

MASERATI QUATTROPORTE TROFEO

MG ZST

PORSCHE CAYMAN GT4 PDK

RETURN OF THE MACH

SMALL-SUV COMPARISON

PORSCHE 992 911 GT3

GM’S AUSSIE-LED ELECTRIFICATION

MERCEDES-BENZ EQS

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We pound BMW’s new super sedan over one of Australia’s most epic roads

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DUAL-CAB UTE MEGATEST Eleven contenders cop the multidiscipline torture test; brace for blindside

BEST OF THE REST ȇȇȐ ED’S LETTER ȉȇ INCOMING ȉȉ INBOX ȉȌ MACKENZIE COLUMN ȉȎ CAREY COLUMN Ȉȉȇ GARAGE Ȉȉȋ DATABANK Ȉȋȋ RETRO Tatra 600 Ȉȋȍ DRIVEN TO EXTINCTION Alfa Giulietta @wheelsaustralia

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FROM THE EDITOR

Inwood

“ALFA ROMEO IS IN A SPOT OF BOTHER. MOST OF ITS EXCITING METAL IS EITHER DEAD, DYING OR ON SHAKY GROUND” IGNITION. RACE MODE. GUN IT. Lockdown life might be fading quickly in our collective rear-view mirrors but even now, months since our last round of hard restrictions, the view of an empty twisting stretch of tarmac gets my pulse racing.

Throw in the chance to reacquaint myself with some snorting Italian brio, in the form of an Alfa Romeo Giulia Q, and the freedom to explore and dissect both the road and machine feels just about perfect.

It’s been years since I’ve driven a Giulia Q. My last taste was at COTY 2018, when the then box-fresh Alfa – riding on its much-hailed and eye-wateringly expensive Giorgio architecture – delivered a driving experience akin to a shot of straight grappa. And it’s no different now; good grief, this is a brilliant car. The whip-crack steering, the hint of Ferrari magic to the punchy turbo six, that taut yet curvaceous body... even in 2021 the Giulia represents everything that is good about Alfa Romeo.

So imagine my surprise on discovering that Alfa has pulled the rug out from under it. Now under new ownership as part of the sprawling Stellantis group, Alfa has revealed it will kill off the Giorgio platform that underpins the Giulia and Stelvio because, incredibly, it wasn’t future-proofed for electrification.

Consider Giorgio was introduced in 2015 at a cost of more than ¤1bn and this seems an incomprehensible blunder.

So where does that leave Alfa? Well, in a spot of bother, I’d wager. Most of its exciting metal is either dead, dying or on shaky ground. The 4C is about to disappear, same goes for the beautiful and talented Giulietta (read more on p146), and I just can’t get excited about the Giulia GTA. $100K more than a standard Q for 22kW extra and some ugly carbon? I don’t get it.

The future, it seems, rests on the Tonale SUV, which is worrying. Aside from sounding like the Italian pronunciation for

“toe nail”, the Tonale hybrid is apparently so underwhelming that Alfa’s freshly installed boss, Jean-Philippe Imparato (who recently helped turn around struggling Peugeot), has pushed back its debut in order to improve it. Hardly an auspicious start, given Tonale will go head-to-head with polished rivals like the BMW X1 and Audi Q3.

Happily for those of us who think the motoring world is a better place when Alfa is firing on all cylinders, there is a silver lining. Stellantis is obviously willing to make tough and crucial decisions, and electrification is now firmly and finally part of Alfa’s future. The wider plan under Stellantis is for Alfa to share development costs and platforms with Peugeot, Citroen and DS, and there are also whispers of a Lancia return, which sounds promising. The shame is that, despite being 111 years old, it feels as though Alfa will once again be starting fresh on many fronts as it battles to shake off its current feeling of uncertainty.

Speaking of uncertainty, it seems to be a recurring theme throughout this issue. Big question marks surrounded our first comprehensive tastes of the Mach 1 Mustang (is it just a stripes and sticker pack?), the 992 GT3 (is it too big; does it move the game on?) and the G90 BMW M3 (we all have strong opinions on that one…). Then there’s the issue of Australia’s EV policy, which, as Chris Thompson’s story on p18 shows, only seems to have one concrete thought from our pollies: “How do we tax them?”

One thing that is certain, however, is that the next few issues of Wheels are shaping up nicely. I’m thrilled to occupy the editor’s chair while Dylan enjoys some long-service leave, and we have some juicy exclusives and must-read stories coming your way. Stay tuned.

@wheelsaustralia

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ENGINE

LAYOUT East-west engine orientation ditched for longitudinal installation

Flagship versions will run inline sixes, burning both petrol and diesel

Mazda rolls the dice REAR-DRIVE, INLINE-6, PHEVS AND PREMIUM PACKAGING… 2022’S CX-50 GOES FOR BMW’S JUGULAR WITH BREATHTAKING AMBITION

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T’S NO SECRET Mazda is moving upmarket, kicking off with the all-new CX-5 replacement, featuring a newly developed rear-drive platform dubbed FR Large Architecture, increased electrification

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and a level of sophisticated engineering excellence to match or exceed BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

But what might surprise you is how soon all this is happening.

To be unveiled late this year – probably to have been simultaneously

at the now-cancelled Tokyo Motor Show and the Los Angeles Auto Show in November – the hugely anticipated CX-50 will be released globally during the first half of 2022.

It showcases what we’ve all been expecting – and hoping for – including an inline six-cylinder engine in 3.0-litre petrol (possibly in turbo and eventually twin-turbo guises, we hear) and 3.3L turbo-diesel sizes, with 48-volt battery and mild-hybrid technology. All are slated to drive the rear or all four wheels via a new eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission.

An existing 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine will also serve as the basis for a plug-in EV hybrid (PHEV) version of the CX-50, to give the ultrasuccessful RAV4 hybrid and prime

DESIGN Plunging roofline of CX-50 will provide a more coupe-style profile

What about the CX-5?

DOES THE ARRIVAL of a larger, swoopier and newer CX-50 mean a fundamental change is also in store for the venerable CX-5? No, is the simple answer.

Just as Mazda continues to sell the CX-3 alongside the newer CX-30, the CX-5’s positioning will remain unchanged, with the CX-50 sold as a complementary offering. That means CX-5 will retain its current dimensions and platform, so it will miss out on the CX-50’s new engines and tech.

Nevertheless, while CX-5 will be half a step behind in development terms, a heavily updated version of the current car is expected to arrive sometime next year.

RWD/AWD Drive will be either rear or rearbiased in AWD versions

PHEV models offered elsewhere some very hot competition.

Along with being significantly more expensive, the new CX-50 will be marginally larger than today’s front-drive/AWD-based KF series, but with comparable space and packaging, despite a desirable long-

design language of traditional longbonnet/cab-rearward design.”

Seven years in development, and with a high degree of scalability to take in larger and (slightly) smaller SUVs as well as passenger cars, the FR Large Architecture will also usher in new suspension

Mazda may be gambling its entire future with such a radical departure bonnet/cab-backward shape afforded by the switch from a transverse to longitudinal powertrain layout. It will also be sleeker in overall silhouette.

As one Mazda insider put it: “Reardrive, from a styling point of view, lends itself to enhancing the Kodo

systems, including an advanced multi-link independent rear-end with potentially a degree of four-wheel steering on some grades.

Think about that for a moment. This new strategy is no hasty or foolhardy exercise. It has been part of the plan

since Mazda’s independence from Ford in the late 2000s, putting into place a component set that will see the brand’s transition into electrification moving towards the 2030s.

Mazda may be gambling its entire future with such a radical departure from what has clearly worked for the brand since the SkyActiv era of postFord models surfaced almost 10 years ago in late 2011, but the fact remains that these new-generation, upscale models break away from the massmarket white noise that is the Toyota RAV4/Honda CR-V/Hyundai Tucson/ Kia Sportage segment.

The Hiroshima brand wants to make more money by breaking into the massive premium segment with world-beating, design-focused, engineering-led, highly connected

@wheelsaustralia

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JUNE 2021 UPMARKET Mazda is chasing the Mercedes C-Class with what could be called the ‘60’

Taking the CX-50 upmarket can reap profits for Mazda beyond anything the CX-5 has managed alternatives to the BMW X3, Audi Q5 and Mercedes-Benz GLC. And why not?

Breaking the mainstream glass sealing with the CX-50 and its offshoots can reap profits beyond anything the CX-5 has managed – especially in the lucrative premium SUV-hungry American and Chinese markets. The time is now.

Offshoots? Oh yes. In quick succession from 2022 we will see the

SHARED VISION

Kissing cousins?

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PLATFORM Next-gen Mazda 6 will share FR Large Architecture with the CX-50

three-row version to replace the CX-8, possibly badged CX-70, and it will be joined by the CX-90 as Mazda’s flagship seven-seater SUV, usurping the award-winning CX-9.

Overseas reports also suggest a BMW X6-style coupe-SUV offshoot, with either the CX-40 or CX-60 nomenclature to denote a more rakish silhouette. This and others may come in time, but we understand Mazda is keen to replace the core models

WILL THE NEXT Mazda 6 and Lexus IS replacement become closely related under the skin?

With Toyota and Mazda transitioning to a shared electrification skateboard architecture starting from 2025, one scenario doing the rounds is that the nextgeneration rear-drive Mazda 6’s FR Large Architecture might be adopted by Lexus for its medium-sized sports sedan series. Sounds far-fetched? With Mazda’s move

first before it moves into the niche products. They simply are not the priority right now.

“It will be about replacing the existing line-up, making sure they are working, making sure there is a viable return on investment, and also making sure that the new models are firing in the US,” said a Mazda insider.

“Once we do that, we can then look at the niche models.”

upmarket, all-new inline-six mild-hybrid engines, rumoured plug-in compatible 2.5-litre four-cylinder SkyActiv-X powertrain and cutting-edge engineering tech, the 2023 6’s component set is shaping up to be blue-ribbon material.

Lexus might struggle to make it look as good, though, if the 2017 Mazda Vision Coupe concept is anything to go by.

Concept Vision from 2017 points to proportions and design cues that will be incorporated in the next-generation Mazda 6

SPRUNG FEVER

Gotcha! BMW M4 CS caught testing Also imminent is the long-awaited replacement for the Mazda 6, which will follow the CX-50 in migrating to the FR Large Architecture. Will it wear the Mazda 60 name? The achingly beautiful Concept Vision from late 2017 is more than just a strong pointer to what’s coming, highlighting how serious Mazda is at finally taking on the Mercedes-Benz C-Class at its own game.

So, what does all this mean for the 2, 3, CX-3 and CX-30?

Mazda will continue to evolve the transverse-engine SkyActiv architecture models, but with substantial improvements that should include eight-speed auto, hybrid, PHEV and a broader rollout of its SkyActiv-X supercharged compression-ignition tech.

It is also likely that the CX-3 will be replaced by a light SUV wearing the CX-10 badge.

And don’t forget that the company has an agreement with Toyota to co-develop an all-new electrification skateboard architecture from 2025 onwards, to ensure both brands’ future moving into the 2030s.

With the new FR Large Architecture era dawning, Mazda is certainly on the march upwards.

BY RO N MAT H I OU DA KI S

IT WAS ALWAYS going to be a case of ‘what, exactly?’ rather than ‘when’ or ‘if’ for more-hardcore variants of BMW’s G80 M3 and G82 M4.

This prototype, caught testing in Munich, gives an indiction of what we can expect when the CS version goes on sale around the middle of next year, built in limited numbers and featuring a modest power hike, more aerooptimised body parts and a weight cut via lighter carbonfibre components.

But with the current Competition variant already offered with hi-po options like carbon-ceramic brakes and Michelin Cup rubber (see our big Aussie drive on p92), BMW’s M Division has had to work harder to deliver clear differentiation for the more hardcore, limited-run variants.

It’s understood ECU software tweaks will push power clear of the 375kW of the Competition variant, taking outputs closer to 390kW and 700Nm. Some sources also hint that the oil system will be upgraded, as is the case in the current M5 CS, which features a reworked oil pan with an additional sump. Stiffer engine mounts are also likely, as is a

lighter titanium exhaust system.

The stopping side of the equation raises speculation. Will the optional carbon-ceramics from the current Competition variants be fitted as standard on the CS? Or will it score bigger steel discs? Our source suggests the former.

Visually, expect new headlights with yellow corona rings, similar to those on M8 First Edition models. The more heavily ducted front fascia will direct even greater airflow over the brakes, and allows a more optimised flow under and around the car. At the rear, a carbonfibre-reinforced plastic ‘Gurney flap’ lip spoiler headlines the upgrades, teamed with a more aggressive lower diffuser and CS badging.

Expect a carbonfibre-reinforced plastic bonnet (with dual vents) to contribute to weight loss, while the CFRP roof may feature double bubbles as per the M5 CS. Inside, carbonfibre bucket seats will trim a few kilos, there may be a lighter, simplified centre console, and potentially a move away from a bench rear seat to individual buckets.

As for pricing, we’re left to speculate based on the CS version of the previousgen F92 M4. It was around $33K more than the Competition, equating to a 21 percent increase. If the same percentage is applied to the current M4 Competition ($160K), Aussie buyers can expect to pay around $194K for the CS when it arrives Down Under late next year or early 2023.

AS H WEST ER M A N

@wheelsaustralia

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Future N-deavour H KONA N LEADS THE CHARGE AS HYUNDAI N LOOKS TO THE FUTURE

YUNDAI N IS beginning to reveal its plans to become one of the true big dogs in the performance car world.

Electrification and even hydrogen fuel cells are on the horizon, but before then the engineers at N are doubling down on what they do best: injecting well-sorted dynamics and punchy performance into cars that are genuinely affordable. Here’s how N is planning to succeed, in four simple steps.

01

KONA N IT MIGHT SHARE the same powertrain as the i30 N hatch – a 2.0-litre turbo four producing 206kW and 392Nm paired with an eight-speed DCT – but the Kona N is reportedly even faster around a racetrack than its hatch sibling. Aussie testing around Wakefield Park has shown the Kona is the quickest car yet to wear the N badge, with much of its performance gain down to weight. Or lack thereof. The Kona N weighs just 1510kg, which is a useful 90 kegs less than the equivalent i30 N. Overseas, the Nurburgring was the test bed for the SUV’s final aero tick-off, with head of research and development Albert

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Biermann using a specific corner to make sure the Kona is stable. “At Schwedenkreuz, you need to trust the aero balance, arriving at speed,” he explained.

As with Biermann’s previous work at BMW’s M Division, the letter N has been attached to several interesting names for the car’s functions and components that arguably don’t need it: the N Corner Carving Differential; the N Grin Control system to change between drive modes; and the three gearbox modes, N Grin Shift, N Power Shift and N Track Sense Shift. Grin Shift is special, acting as an overboost for a temporary 213kW peak power.

02

04 MODELS ASSAULT HYUNDAI SAYS IT will have 18 N and N Line models on sale internationally by the end of 2022, and only a handful are already available.

The i30 N hatch and fastback, i30 hatch and sedan and Kona N Line are already in Australia, and the Fiesta ST-rivalling i20 N is on the way, soon to be joined by the Kona N. Overseas, the Veloster N bolsters the range, leaving Hyundai with several more N badges to distribute.

Don’t be surprised to see a couple of milder N Lines to fill out that list of 18, and the idea of an N badge on some larger SUVs is also up in the air, but Hyundai says zeroemissions vehicles are the future of its performance brand. Which means…

03

THE IDEA OF a hotter Ioniq-based N model raised a couple of smiles in a recent N press conference, with Biermann even telling journalists, “Could you imagine we were not working on it already?”

Given Hyundai’s e-GMP platform is reportedly quite flexible, it means the Ioniq 5 might not necessarily be N’s first performance EV. However, AWD and RWD drivetrains are confirmed for the ‘standard’ Ioniq 5, the more powerful 72.6kWh allpaw version boasting a claimed 0-100km/h sprint time of 5.2sec. Expect a more focused chassis tune to add the N factor.

If Biermann’s intention is to take that a step further with an N badge slapped on the rump, bring on the future of N.

HYDROGEN HERO? HYDROGEN DEVELOPMENT IS in full swing. Hyundai’s tech testing often revolves around its RM concept platform, which despite many iterations still doesn’t look set to go into production. Biermann says the project is very experimental but could result in real-world applications.

“We’re working on a rolling lab project actually,” he revealed. “We have a high-powered battery powertrain combined with a fuel cell… the fuel cell adds to the power but also the range of the vehicle.

“This is a nice, challenging exercise for our engineers to squeeze a high-powered battery powertrain and fuel cell stack into a sports car.

“We have not decided if we want to sell this one day or not, but we are testing a lot now… we already have a few prototypes on the road.”

@wheelsaustralia

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JUNE 2021

DISPARATE AND CONFUSING POLICIES EMERGE; KEY QUESTION REMAINS: HOW TO TAX AND INCENTIVISE...

A

USTRALIA’S LACK of a coherent policy on electric vehicles has once again been put under the spotlight, with two hot-button topics – an EV road tax and government subsidies – making national headlines for all the wrong reasons.

A void in federal EV policy has prompted individual state governments to take matters into their own hands, with their focus inevitably on revenue raising.

Only in recent months has the Federal Government released its Future Fuels Strategy (yes, the FFS!) discussion paper. It suggests some incentives for businesses to transition to EVs (but no specifics) and notes the government’s previous $21 million commitment to building charging stations along major highway networks.

However, the lack of decisive action and often misguided rhetoric rolled out by politicians has drawn increasing frustration from car companies and EV organisations as

Australia lags behind other nations.

In Europe, EV uptake has surpassed one in 10 vehicles – here it is less than a tenth of that and increasing at a snail’s pace. In the US, President Joe Biden’s ambitious policy includes half a million charging stations, incentives of thousands of dollars per EV purchase, hundreds of thousands of new EVs to replace the government’s own fleet, and billions of dollars for battery research.

plan labelled “the worst EV policy in the world” by 25 car companies and EV organisations. Such backlash saw the Vic government announce modest $3000 subsidies for up to 20,000 new EVs, but the proposed road-use charge remains.

South Australia proposed a similar EV-specific road tax but is waiting to see how comparable policies played out interstate and whether the Federal Government would

Many see road taxes as a backward step to the growth of electric vehicles Australia’s states are beginning to take things into their own hands and the result is contrasting EV policies that have been heavily criticised by experts and pollies alike.

The most widely condemned state policy has been a road-use charge proposed by the Victorian Government, which would require EV drivers to pay 2.5 cents for every kilometre driven, while PHEVs would be charged 2.0 cents per kilometre – a

implement a nationwide policy.

New South Wales says it will not introduce a usage charge until around half of the new-car market consists of EVs, believing an extra charge will only serve to discourage uptake of low-emissions vehicles.

Queensland offers little incentive for private EV buyers, but has undertaken the biggest governmentled EV infrastructure project in the country: a ‘superhighway’ of fast

OUR VIEW

ONE ALREADY EXISTS...

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EV sales

Tax

charger stations spanning the east coast – presently 31 and soon to grow to 44 – as part of the government’s ‘The Future is Electric’ plan.

Many see road taxes as a backward step to EV growth, though even critics acknowledge this is a symptom of relative quiet on EVs at the federal level. Instead, states are able to take advantage of the lack of federal direction to secure replacement for potentially diminishing fuel levies.

“The idea of road-user charges has been popular in the transport world for a long time, and there are a good number of ways to do it,” Electric Vehicle Council CEO Behyad Jafari told Wheels. “The problem is that

the Victorian Government has quite uniquely found a bad way to do it and implemented that.

“The larger issue for treasurers is a long-running fight between state and federal governments about who should get what tax revenue and who then gets to control that money and spend it.”

For car companies, the frustration is less about politics and more to do with the unclear future of infrastructure and clean energy for EVs in the coming decades.

Hyundai Australia PR manager Bill Thomas says it is still unclear “whether or not EVs can thrive in the local market” under current

IF THERE’S A silver lining to Australia’s EV policies being placed under a microscope, it’s that pressure to change and progress has increased.

And the Federal Government doesn’t need to look far for guidance.

A bi-partisan report released in January 2019 by the Senate Select Committee on Electric Vehicles flagged potential concerns and solutions. It recommended a national EV strategy and concluded that “while transitioning to EVs presents challenges on a number of fronts, the Committee is of the view that the benefits of EVs substantially outweigh these challenges”.

The report said an uptake of EVs would improve fuel security by

circumstances, and a national approach is needed to fix it.

“At some stage in the future, a broader discussion about road-user charging for all vehicles – not just zero-emission vehicles – will need to happen nationally, and federal policy could form the framework for that discussion,” Thomas said.

“There is much to be learned from the experience of governments overseas, and many of the targets and policies introduced in foreign countries would also serve Australia well. In other advanced nations, government incentives have resulted in acceleration in EV demand.”

C HR I S TH OMP SON

reducing Australia’s reliance on imported fuel, provide jobs, improve the nation’s GDP and help push electricity generation to focus more on renewables. One of its 17 recommendations was even to bring a Formula E race to Australia as a way of fostering a local EV manufacturing industry.

For the sake of the economy, the environment and the type of cars that are offered to Aussie buyers (many companies don’t offer EV models here that sell in high volumes overseas), the benefits to making EVs more accessible are being spruiked by a broad number of voices.

All are calling on the commonwealth to act.

@wheelsaustralia

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JUNE 2021

Incoming T H E N E W M E TA L H E A D I N G O U R WAY

DUE Q4 DUE Q3

MAZDA MX-30 EV An initial run of only 100 units – all top-spec E35 Astina – are inbound, priced from $65,490. The E35 designation is for the powertrain, a 107kW/271Nm electric motor at the front wheels, using a 35.5kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

Mazda claims a driving range of just 200km and 20-80 percent charge in nine hours from a wall socket, or 36 minutes using a 50kWh DC charger.

TOYOTA GR 86 While Toyota hasn’t confirmed a launch date, we’re expecting to see the BRZ’s twin land by the end of 2021, given Subaru has slated a mid-late 2021 launch for its half of the pair. Now with 2.4-litre donks for 174kW/250Nm.

DUE JUNE

DUE JUNE

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MERCEDES-BENZ EQA

HYUNDAI I30 N DCT

Mercedes-Benz’s EV entry point kicks off at $76,800 with the ‘250’ variant of EQA. Outputs are quoted at 140kW and 375Nm, sent to the front axle, while range is up to 480km. A wall box can be optioned for 10-80 percent charge in just over four hours, or 30 minutes from a DC fast charger. A faster all-wheeldrive EQA 350 is on the way later this year, but with shorter range.

The long-awaited dual-clutch-equipped i30 N is set to launch in June, with a claimed 0-100km/h run of 5.9sec using the same fiesty 2.0-litre turbo as the manual, with 206kW and 392Nm.

whichcar.com.au/wheels

2 0 2 1 A R R I VA L S

JUNE & Q3 Alpina XD3

The Market

Audi e-tron GT

BUYERS CONTINUE TO HIT THE SHOWROOMS

BMW 128ti Honda Civic Type R LE Hyundai Sonata Hyundai i20 N and i30 N DCT Maserati MC20 Mazda MX-30 EV Mercedes-Benz EQA RAM TRX Skoda Octavia Subaru BRZ Toyota Kluger

Q4 BMW iX3

HIGHLIGHTS The Australian new-car market has set a new April sales record as it continues to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic and defy a global parts shortage. Last month’s 92,347 vehicle sales surpassed the country’s previous best April in 2016, when 87,571 units were sold. Sales were up 137 percent compared with the same month last year, though that was the first month to be heavily affected by the then emerging pandemic.

LOWLIGHTS Australia’s vehicle imports were affected by the global shortage of semiconductors, the essential computer chips that are the ‘brains’ of vehicle electronics, as well as the shipping blockage in the Suez canal, the FCAI said. It expects there will be a release of pent-up demand for new cars as companies find solutions, though further effects from semiconductor delays could yet be seen locally.

T O TA L S A L E S

92,347 APRIL 2021 MODEL

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

SALES

Ford Ranger 5021 Toyota RAV4 4506 Toyota Hilux 4222 Toyota Landcruiser 3177 Mitsubishi Triton 2458 Mazda CX-5 2353 Toyota Corolla 2073 Mitsubishi ASX 2028 Hyundai i30 2005 Isuzu D-Max 1999 Mazda CX-3 1779 Hyundai Kona 1529 Kia Cerato 1527 Nissan X-Trail 1522 Mazda BT-50 1443 Toyota Prado 1370 MG ZS 1350 Mitsubishi Outlander 1342 Subaru Forester 1327 Toyota Camry 1197

RANK SALES (MAR ’21) (APR‘20)

2 3 1 7 8 4 5 33 6 9 11 14 15 10 17 21 13 23 16 30

1540 1911 2339 1603 469 648 1195 348 695 760 394 379 860 469 466 947 112 459 510 675

Chevrolet Corvette Genesis GV70 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Kia Sorento hybrid Kia Niro and EV6 Land Rover Defender 90 Lexus LS and UX300e

Winning Ford’s locally engineered twins The Ford Ranger and Everest twins accounted for a remarkable 84 percent of the Blue Oval’s sales, after the ute topped the chart and the SUV achieved a record month.

Ford Australia last month sold almost 6000 units of its locally designed and engineered models, with nine other models making up the rest of the company’s 7146 April total.

Nissan Navara Pro-4X Peugeot 3008 PHEV Porsche 911 GT3 Tesla Model Y Volkswagen Golf Mk8 Volvo XC40 Recharge

Slowly, slowly EV uptake still crawling along While the first four months of 2021 have seen a mere 1255 EVs sold in Australia, accounting for less than 0.4 percent of new-car sales, hybrid sales remain comparatively strong. From January to April, 23,711 hybrids and 877 PHEVs (as well as 26 fuel-cell vehicles) brings the total electrified figure to 25,869 sales, which amounts to 7.3 percent of the overall Australian market.

@wheelsaustralia

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Y O U R S AY

Inbox

GO AHEAD, TELL US WHAT YOU REALLY THINK Keep it tight (no more than 200 words) and do include your suburb if via email: wheels@wheelsmag.com.au You can also have your say on Facebook (search for Wheels Australia), Instagram or Twitter

LETTER OF THE MONTH

“In my mind there are two reasons why electric won’t be replaced by hydrogen...”

NOT SUCH A GAS IN LAST MONTH’S Inbox, Robert Ius suggested that battery electric vehicles will eventually be replaced by hydrogen-powered vehicles. In my mind there are two reasons why this is unlikely to happen, and why it would be a backward step in terms of tackling greenhouse gas emissions if it did.

Firstly, the overall energy efficiency of a hydrogen-powered vehicle is less than an EV, as it requires energy to produce liquid hydrogen at less than 100 percent efficiency, then the energy produced by the hydrogen fuel cell is converted to motive energy via an electric motor at less than 100 percent efficiency. An EV only has to convert electrical energy to motive energy and therefore has a better overall energy-in-to-energy-out ratio.

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WIN!

LETTER OF THE MONTH PRIZE Craig’s thoughts on the best way forward mean the next 12 issues of Wheels magazine are on us

Secondly, most hydrogen is currently produced from natural gas. Natural gas production produces significant greenhouse gases during mining, processing and transportation.

The only advantages I can see of hydrogen over battery EV is faster recharge time (at the moment) and support for the continued mining of fossil fuels. I suspect the latter is the reason for the significant political support for hydrogen vehicles in Australia at the moment.

Craig Beissel, Caulfield South, Vic It’s a complex issue, Craig, and one that needs to consider the potential for low-carbon production of hydrogen,as well as the suitability of hydrogen for the heavy vehicle industry.

We reckon it’s at least likely to form part of the world’s energy mix in the future. How much?

That’s the big question...

THE SUV FARCE WHAT’S HAPPENING TO Australia’s motoring public? Why has it suddenly become necessary to become Americanised, with most people buying highly polluting diesel SUVs rather than passenger cars? Looking through the Marketplace section in Wheels, it surprises me to see that the topselling Mazda is the CX-5.

I have a late-model Mazda 6 and recently I took a trip from Perth to Albany (just over 400km), where I met up with a bloke who had taken the same trip in a CX-5 of the same age. I averaged just under 7.0L/100km; he struggled to better 10. Same engine and gearbox, similar price, smaller boot in the CX-5, but more weight and poorer aerodynamics and handling. And no, I doubt the CX-5 can go any more off-road than my Mazda 6.

Makes no sense.

Peter Tripoli, via email So how do you feel about Hiluxes and Rangers as family cars, Peter?

CHINA CRISIS YOUR REPLY TO Haydn Reynolds (Inbox, March ’21) seems to imply many of us who nowadays reject Chinese goods are doing so because of some belief that Chinese goods are shoddily made.

Sorry, wrong. Since early last year I’ve rejected Chinese goods because of the way in which China is going about its business of beating up, intimidation, blackmail and coercion of various nations who won’t kowtow. The perceived quality of Chinese products doesn’t come into consideration.

Not thought through at all!

And saying it is only rich EV owners who are going to be affected is stupid and shortsighted. skris88

“

We had better pack up our Hyundais and head west or we’ll be crushed under the over-sized intruders The problem of China is a big problem for the whole world. Its strategy is nothing less than world domination, preferably by economic or political means, perhaps militarily when other means fail.

When one starts searching for consumer goods made elsewhere, not China, one can find them... and learn a lot in the process.

Ray Atkin, via email Given Xi Jinping is a keen Wheels reader, we’ll leave that one well alone, thanks Ray...

THE EV TAX DODGE WHY SHOULDN’T EV drivers pay a road tax? They use the same roads as everyone else so should contribute to the upkeep. After all, EVs don’t float in the air.

Also, why do EV owners want everyone else to subsidise their

NO

purchase, just so they can feel good about themselves? Particularly when EV owners, statistically, are more likely to earn above-average incomes and have higher net assets than average? Like every technology, there is a high price for being an early adopter. Other (generally poorer) people shouldn’t be asked to contribute to your choices.

Glen Killen, Port Macquarie, NSW You’re not alone in that opinion, Glen, but the bigger picture is about incentivising take-up of a new technology that has the potential to reduce carbon emissions.

GET UTED I JUST READ Dylan’s Editor’s column in the April 2021 issue about why there were no utes in COTY. I agree that they would not fit the criteria; further, they won’t fit in many allotted car spaces, as I often see around Sutherland.

If Oz goes down the path of accepting these behemoths as per the news feature in the December 2019 issue (‘America TRUCK Yeah’) then we had better pack up our Hyundais and head west or we’ll be crushed under the oversized intruders – beasts like the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Ford F-150, Toyota Tundra, RAM 1500 (already here) and the appropriately named Nissan Titan.

These behemoths are no longer utes as we know them, they are mini trucks with V8 engine capacities ranging from 5.0 litres up to 6.7 litres. Heaven help us!

Don’t get me wrong; I love the RAM truck, but it belongs in the Netflix series Yellowstone.

Gabe Bresolin, via email

YES

DO YOU AGREE WITH VICTORIA’S EV ROAD USER CHARGE?

Tax them big time please. Why should we pay for them to use the roads? Besides, they are using coal to charge their cars.

Lloyd

@wheelsaustralia

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GET READY TO RIDE THE SHOWSTOPPING 2021 TOURING LINE-UP. DON’T MISS OUT, PRE-ORDER NOW AT YOUR LOCAL H-D® DEALER OR VISIT H-D.COM *Overseas model shown. ©2021 H-D or its affiliates. HARLEY-DAVIDSON, HARLEY, H-D, and the Bar and Shield Logo are among the trademarks of H-D U.S.A. LLC.

C A R WA R S

MacKenzie “IF YOU MAKE A PLATFORM AND BELIEVE YOU CAN KEEP IT THE SAME FOR 10 YEARS, YOU WILL PROBABLY BE DEAD IN 10 YEARS”

THE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM is that electric vehicles will upend the automotive establishment. Electric vehicles are cheaper to design and engineer than internal-combustion engine vehicles. They can be built using off-the-shelf components such as e-motors, inverters and battery packs readily sourced from third-party suppliers. And their simpler platforms potentially have a longer lifecycle, requiring only a new ‘top hat’ – bodywork and interior hardware – every few years to keep consumers interested, with functional improvements delivered via over-the-air software upgrades.

The conventional wisdom is that, unburdened by legacy technologies, legacy factories, legacy brands and legacy thinking, a new wave of lean and agile electric vehicle manufacturers is poised to finally break through the cost and complexity barriers that have long insulated conventional carmakers from outside competition. Want proof? Just look at Tesla, say the pundits. A Silicon Valley start-up that built its first electric vehicle in 2009, Tesla finished 2020 valued at more than industry behemoths Volkswagen, Toyota, MercedesBenz and General Motors – combined.

But the conventional wisdom is wrong, says Volvo’s chief technology officer, the aptly named Henrik Green.

Green acknowledges the technology arms race unleashed by the new electric vehicle manufacturers, and the entrance of tech companies into the sector, challenges the car industry’s traditional ways of working. But he says that doesn’t mean the electric vehicle newcomers have an inherent advantage over the old order.

The popular idea that electric vehicle powertrains mean simpler vehicle architectures that can underpin more types of vehicles and can be kept in production for longer is flawed, says Green. “It’s easy to fall into the trap that electric vehicle platforms will be simpler and have longer model cycles,” he says.

“Traditionally, whoever could do the most vehicles on the same platform would win, but in

this new world if you make a platform and believe you can keep it the same for 10 years, you will probably be dead in 10 years.”

Speed of development – the ability to get redesigned vehicles with new features to market faster than a competitor – will be the key differentiator between carmakers in the electric age, Green insists. And so far Tesla has yet to prove itself better than the automotive establishment; despite improvements in performance and range, its flagship Model S is fundamentally the same car it launched in 2012. Every single vehicle in Volvo’s current line-up is younger.

What’s more, Green believes the skateboard platform favoured by many electric vehicle start-ups is an inefficient solution in terms of both weight and packaging. Far better, he argues, to integrate battery cells directly into the vehicle’s body structure and use e-motors and inverters that are tailored to a vehicle’s performance and packaging parameters.

That’s why Volvo, which has announced it will produce nothing but electric vehicles by 2030, has established its own battery lab, and is about to start designing its own e-motors with integrated inverters.

“We gain in electrical efficiency,” Green says. “We gain in space efficiency. We gain in weight efficiency. There are so many areas where we can still optimise what from the beginning looks like a fairly simple solution.”

The point is, Volvo isn’t the only legacy manufacturer that is pivoting to focus on electric vehicles. Billions are now being splurged on electric vehicle development by all the major legacy car makers, and Green believes the electric vehicle start-ups are going to need very deep pockets to stay in the game. “Our conclusion is that doing a brand-new electric vehicle is not going to be cheaper than doing a brandnew internal-combustionengine vehicle.”

Tesla and the rest, you’re on notice: The empire is about to strike back.

@wheelsaustralia

25

All-new TUCSON. Imagine tomorrow’s car today.

Underneath the all-new Hyundai Tucson’s stunning parametric design is more advanced tech than you can imagine – from the Blind-Spot View Monitor1 to the customisable power tailgate.1 It’s as futuristic as it looks. hyundai.com/au/tucson

Highlander variant shown. 1. Available on the Highlander variant.

S Y N T H E T I C S : F U E L’ S G O L D

Carey “E-FUELS ARE CLEAN AND CARBON NEUTRAL, OR VERY CLOSE TO IT, SO THEY HAVE OBVIOUS APPEAL FOR ANYONE WHO IS FOND OF BOTH INTERNAL COMBUSTION AND OUR PLANET”

IMAGINE ELECTRICITY TRANSFORMED into pure petrol... and what you’re seeing is e-fuel. Though it might sound like alchemy, making them involves nothing more than well-proven physics, chemistry and engineering.

It’s likely you’re going to hear a lot more about e-fuels. They’re green, they’re clean and they’re carbon neutral, or very close to it, so they have immense and obvious appeal for anyone who is fond of both the internal-combustion engine and our planet.

There are only two problems: they’re not an efficient way to use precious renewable energy; and they’re not essential, at least when it comes to cars.

To understand the inefficiency thing, you need to know at least a little about the basics of e-fuel production. So let’s take a look at a specific example, one that’s been getting some attention recently.

Porsche is supporting, as lead customer, a multinational project scheduled to begin producing e-fuel next year. The Haru Oni project in Chile will use power generated by a forest of big Siemens wind turbines. Their electricity will be used to extract hydrogen from water and carbon from carbon dioxide filtered out of the air. The hydrogen and carbon will then be bonded to create methane gas, which will be converted to liquid methanol. Finally, the methanol will be processed to produce petrol.

What’s important to understand is that none of these steps is 100 percent energy efficient. Only around 50 percent of the electrical energy needed to create the e-fuel ends up stored as available chemical energy in the e-fuel. And much of this, around 70 percent, escapes as heat from the exhaust pipe and radiator when the e-fuel is burned in an internal-combustion engine.

Credible analyses of the overall efficiency of the entire chain of e-fuel production and use that I’ve found estimate that only about 15 percent of the electrical energy needed to make the stuff actually gets to the point where rubber contacts road. If the same amount of electrical energy was instead used to charge an EV, it would be able to drive four to six times farther than a vehicle powered by an internal-combustion engine burning e-fuel.

Despite this, e-fuels do have a future. In a world where there’s an abundant oversupply of renewable energy, it makes sense to do something smart with the surplus.

While e-fuel will never be the most efficient choice, it does offer a bunch of advantages; it’s easy to store and transport using infrastructure that already exists, and it can be used in vehicles that already exist.

Even assuming the day comes when more renewable energy is being produced than is required to supply immediate daily needs, pouring e-fuel into cars isn’t the most intelligent thing to do with it. Why? There are other important modern transport modes that cannot be made climate-neutral without them. The idea of running international maritime freighters or long-range commercial aircraft on battery or hydrogen fuel cell power is simply absurd. Ask an engineer...

So until some amazing innovation comes along, e-fuels will be essential to making the modern world work in a clean and green way. Everything from shipping a cheap T-shirt from China to jetting overseas for that longed-for holiday or essential business meeting will come to rely on them.

But e-fuels are not essential to keeping our earthbound wheels turning. Porsche may be supporting e-fuel production, but they also happen to have produced perhaps the most persuasive proof that cars can get along just fine without them.

It’s called Taycan.

Overrun MODERN CLASSIC

VOLKSWAGEN

Superbug THE LAST HURRAH FOR A GLOBAL AUTOMOTIVE ICON TOOK THE ORIGINAL FORMULA AND REWORKED IT FOR THE ’70s P H O T O S E L L E N D E WA R

I

F THE POINT of a ‘modern classic’ is to refocus attention away from traditional automotive icons to more modern machinery, then the Volkswagen 1303 Superbug L (1973-75) sneaks its way in via a loophole. If any VW Beetle was ever going to be deemed modern, or even remotely ‘plastic’, it’s this final development of Wolfsburg’s original Type 1 wunderkind.

With its body swollen and reconfigured to accommodate the engineering required to make it roomier, safer, better to drive and better to crash in, the super-sized Superbug was prepped to face the 1970s like freshly flared denim in an Amco jeans commercial. Except that the Volkswagen take on things was driven by pragmatism, not vanity, and a desire to defy age by keeping on moving. The Volkswagen Beetle of the mid-’70s may have remained faithful to the air-cooled, rear-engined concept, but it was almost a completely different car.

Despite a mass-production heritage stretching right back to December 1945, you might be surprised to learn that Volkswagen had long been a proponent of annual model updates – not superficial, American-style makeovers, but of continual improvement. Throughout the ’50s, the Beetle saw three dashboards, three dramatically different rear window designs, different lights and two engine capacities. And that trend continued in the ’60s while preserving the same huggable Beetle shape.

But what happened in the ’70s made those mostly evolutionary changes seem like a drawn-out practice run for the Gladiator-style fight to the death facing the 1303 Superbug.

Australia was bitten by the Beetle bug early. Sales began in 1953, local assembly started the following year, and by 1960 the Beetle was our number two behind the FB Holden, selling a record 24,388 cars.

America was late to the Volksy party, but once the Beetle earned the Yanks’ affection, the US proved integral in building its enormous sales momentum throughout the ’60s, boosting global Beetle production

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@wheelsaustralia

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Once the driver’s blood is up, the Superbug proves far removed from the quirks and dynamic foibles that blighted Beetles of old 30

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Overrun MODERN CLASSIC

beyond one million a year in 1965 and ’66, and again in ’68, ’69, ’70, ’71, ’72 and ’73 – topping out at a record 1,291,612 units (in 1971).

Kombi aside, though, Volkswagen’s other models were fading, or failing, and brand sales were shrinking (from an historic high of 1.7 million, also in 1971).

It must have been a turbulent period for those making decisions inside VW, preparing for the transition towards water-cooling and front-mounted engines while seemingly providing life support for its number-one seller. But looking back on it, Wolfsburg’s air-cooled oldstager remained strong almost to the end. Annual global production didn’t drop below a million until 1974 (the year the Golf launched), yet it would take the Golf until 2014 to crack a million in one year!

Prompted by increasingly strict US design regulations, the Beetle’s modern makeover began in 1971. The 1302 series (badged ‘Superbug S’ in Australia) hacked off the entire front end of the previous 1500 model from the windscreen forward, replacing it with a completely new design. Under the 1302’s bulgy new front lurked MacPherson strut suspension, a reshaped fuel tank to accommodate a new horizontally mounted spare wheel, an 85 percent-larger boot (well, there wasn’t much to start with) and a significantly smaller turning circle (by 1.4 metres).

At the other end, the Superbug S (which wore 1302 S badging in Europe, differentiating it from lesser 1302 models with smaller-capacity engines) scored an enlarged 1584cc flat-four and introduced proper semi-trailing-arm independent rear suspension with double-joint axles (while retaining torsion-bar springing), as opposed to the single-joint swing axles of previous manual Beetles.

Lurking beneath the Superbug S in VW’s Aussie line-up, though, was a basic 1300 Beetle (re-introduced as a price leader in 1970), which revived drum front brakes (the 1500 Beetle had debuted dual-circuit discs in ’68), the previous torsion-bar front suspension design and rear swing axles, all of which it retained until its demise in

mid-1975. So for much of the ’70s you could effectively choose from two very different Beetles – one significantly superior to the other, but each looking almost identical, badgework aside, to the untrained eye.

The Superbug S was updated in 1972 with a flat-faced four-spoke steering wheel, a column-mounted wiper stalk, an ignition lock, high-back bucket seats, extra engine-lid vents and a slightly larger rear window, but the biggest change happened in April 1973.

A massively curved windscreen with 42 percent more glass area replaced the marginally curved screen introduced in ’68, and it was joined by enormous ‘elephant’s foot’ tail-lights that could be seen from space. Dubbed Superbug L in Australia (and 1303 S in Europe), this 1303-series Beetle remains the pinnacle of Ferdinand Porsche’s original Volkswagen design.

While mechanically identical to the Superbug S, from the inside the ‘L Bug’ had transitioned into modernity. Gone was the flat metal dashboard (unless you bought the povvo 1300, in which case it was the same but cladded in plastic), replaced by an almost conventional padded dash, with side window demisters and just one prominent binnacle for a speedo with integrated fuel gauge and warning lights.

This was joined by new rocker switches on the dash, in conjunction with the twist-to-operate plastic knobs and other plastic fittings that had slowly infiltrated the Beetle’s cabin since the ’68 1500.

Unlike the build perfection of earlier all-metal Beetle interiors, though, the L Bug’s dash plastics don’t seem to resist age so gracefully, and even a pampered example like this Martini Olive ’74 model can appear slightly ill-fitting. But it only takes one stint behind the wheel to realise the Superbug L is much more determined to remain on this earth in other areas, while keeping you alive with it.

You sit quite high in the narrow L Bug, exacerbated by the huge screen ahead that diminishes any ‘poor person’s 911’ fantasies. But once the driver’s blood is up, the Superbug proves far removed from the quirks and dynamic foibles that blighted Beetles of old. Its steering

THE GOOD Character; roadholding; traction; vision; driveability; reliability; parts support; egalitarianism

NUMBER OF SUPERBUG Ls SOLD IN AUSTRALIA IN 1975

COST IN 1973

1930

$2629

YEARS THE VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE WAS FULLY MANUFACTURED IN AUSTRALIA

CLAIMED ‘MAXIMUM AND CRUISING SPEED’ FOR SUPERBUG S AND L

1961-68

130km/h

INCREASE IN GLASS AREA WITH CURVED WINDSCREEN

42%

DATA SET

THE BAD Lacks the original Beetle’s visual purity; heavier steering; haphazard switchgear; cramped rear-seat legroom

@wheelsaustralia

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Basic doortrim design didn’t change much over the decades, but the ’70s meant metal out; plastics in

Superbug’s 15-inch wheels with flat hubcaps are a pointer to ’70s ‘modernity’

Plumper guards were needed to accommodate larger brake lights

DIFFERENT STROKES FAST FACTS

Dimensional differences between the curved-screen Superbug L and the older-bodied 1300 base model were considerable. Not only did the L Bug have a much tighter turning circle (9.6m versus 11.0), it had a longer wheelbase (by 20mm), wider tracks (up 76mm front, 12mm rear), greater overall length (by 51mm) and additional weight (68kg more). It was also quicker (0-80km/h in a claimed 12.5sec versus 14.0), 6km/h faster and 1.3L/100km less economical.

feels slower and heavier (there’s a full extra turn lock-to-lock, courtesy of a much tighter turning circle), yet there’s a feeling of planted precision – both in the way the Superbug points and how it sits on the road – that encourages you to keep pushing harder.

Obviously, physics win out at the end of the day, and having an engine mounted behind the rear axle is only ever gonna end one way – the 1302/1303 is no 992 911! But compared to the often dramatic snap-oversteer of the past, the semi-trailing-arm Superbugs were responsive, predictable and safe.

To its credit, VW maintained the dynamic rage right to the end. In 1974 the Superbug L scored updated front suspension with ‘negative scrub radius’ geometry, as well as an alternator, a shorter fuel pump, paper air filter and Porsche-style clutch. Then, in June ’75, the final batch of German CKD kits arrived for the Superbug L with new rackand-pinion steering and bumper-mounted front indicators. And it’s this farewell 1303 model – the final development of a 40-year-old design – that remains both the finest to drive and one of the rarest. Five months later, the Superbug was no more.

Of course, one of the great things about Volkswagen Beetle ownership is that so many have gone before, and so many know how to make them better, or faster, or simply keep them running.

They’re a specialist design that requires specialist service, but if you’re mechanically literate you can easily perform basic maintenance yourself with the correct tools.

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A decent set of tyres, some quality shocks (like Koni Classics) and, most importantly, some extractors to let the all-alloy air-cooled engine breathe can make any good-condition Superbug an effortless, rewarding and charismatic car to drive briskly. VW’s flat-four may not be a revver (unless heavily modified!) but its torque and astounding tractability remain a breath of fresh air, so to speak, even in 2021.

In my humble opinion, you can look at the 1302/1303 Superbugs two ways. You can acknowledge the advancement of an antiquated design while perhaps dismissing the dilution of its design purity, or you can view it as arguably the world’s first post-modern car.

Not only did it take a charming, if ancient, car that was loved by millions and evolve it to the cusp of modernity, but it managed to do so with a radically different body shape that was somehow the same.

The 1303 Superbug L became the blueprint for every iconic German car to this very moment, from progressive Porsche 911 generations to Volkswagen’s now-iconic Golf, the Audi TT, Audi Quattro and particularly the Mini. Retaining the essence of the past but making it work for the present, over and over again.

You’ll never drive a Superbug L 45 years hence and think it feels modern, but it doesn’t feel like a 1930s design either. In fact, it’s very much a car of the ’70s, albeit one finessed to within an inch of its life. And while the final Beetle may not be as pretty as an unadorned original – few classic cars are – it’s by far the finest of its breed.

N ATHAN PON C HA R D

Overrun MODERN CLASSIC

Model 1973 Volkswagen Superbug L Engine 1584cc flat-4, ohv, 8v Max Power 45kW @ 4400rpm Max Torque 106Nm @ 3000rpm Transmission 4-speed manual Weight 890kg 0-100km/h 16.7sec (tested – May ’73) Economy 8.4L/100km (official claim) Price (now) $8000-$18,000

END GAME While the Superbug L was the final development of the Beetle, it wasn’t actually the final Beetle. That distinction belongs to the 1976 ‘1600 Beetle’, still assembled from a CKD kit in Clayton, Victoria but comprised of a motley collection of parts. It mixed the 1300’s flat-screen body, flat plastic dash and torsion-bar front suspension with the Superbug’s 1584cc engine, front disc brakes and semi-trailing-arm IRS.

VOLKSWAGEN

Superbug

The Superbug remains an effortless, rewarding and charismatic car to drive briskly @wheelsaustralia

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Overrun TECH EXPLAINED

GOING THE DISTANCE WILL EV BATTERIES REALLY LAST THE LIFE OF THE CAR? AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY WEAR OUT?

RANGE IS ALREADY a concern for prospective electric vehicle owners, and battery degradation will be an equally important factor – particularly as the used EV market expands.

In the same way your mobile phone’s battery may not hold as much charge as it used to, the same thing can happen to EVs. And, worryingly, that reduction in capacity means a reduction in overall range.

So let’s help you to understand the battery lifespan of an electric car, how much degradation you should expect, and how to keep battery-powered cars performing at their best.

RYAN GILMORE

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1. WHY DO BATTERIES DEGRADE? Full EVs use numerous clusters of lithium-ion batteries to store energy.

These are similar to batteries used in laptops and mobile phones, and they are ideal because they’re quick to charge, efficiently store energy and can go through thousands of charging cycles while still holding charge. But over time batteries still degrade and won’t hold the same capacity as when they’re new. However, because of advancements in battery technology and the number of battery cells in a car’s battery pack, the batteries in modern EVs should still have a good capacity even after years of use. There are plenty of older EVs still on the road that are in fine order after tens of thousands of kays and years of recharging. So while a decade-old phone will have to be perpetually plugged in to work, a decade-old EV will still offer an acceptable range.

2. WHAT ABOUT WARRANTY? The good news is that electric cars come with long battery warranties, guaranteeing an acceptable battery capacity after seven or eight years of use. Most manufacturers guarantee that your battery will retain at least 70 percent of its original capacity.

3. WHERE’S MY 30 PERCENT GONE? While a potential loss of 30 percent of range may sound devastating, this is a worst-case scenario and there are many high-mileage EVs still able to hold much more. Isobel Sheldon, chief strategy officer of UK-based battery manufacturing and development company Britishvolt, says modern EV battery packs are designed to last up to 12 years and 1500-2000 charge cycles, making them ideal for most commuters. And once these batteries do become degraded, they have a second life as storage for renewable energy.

4. RAPID CHARGING – A KILLER? Rapid charging at commercial chargers slash charging times, but the problem with fast charging is that it speeds up degradation of batteries; the greater levels of heat produced during rapid charging will eventually damage the batteries. Rapid charging is essential for road trips, but it can cost you range in the long run.

5. FULL DISCHARGE DISCLOSURE One of the quickest ways to degrade a battery’s capacity relates to charging.

Constantly draining the battery and then charging it to 100 percent can contribute to the degradation of the battery. The same is true if you allow your battery to go completely flat. The good news is that most manufacturers have designed their systems so that they will not charge to 100 percent, typically charging to 85 percent capacity to avoid degradation.

6. FAST-TRACKED TO FLATNESS How you drive can also affect how quickly your batteries degrade. EVs may have great launch-control party tricks and insane acceleration stats, but doing this too much can contribute to quicker battery degradation. So before you do Ludicrous-mode starts at every set of traffic lights, remember that not only does it drain your battery, it also shortens overall battery life.

@wheelsaustralia

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FIRST

THE NEW METAL THAT MATTERS, TRIALLED AND TESTED

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HYUNDAI TUCSON

SCREAMS FOR THE TURBO ENGINE OPTION

I

T’S REMARKABLE TO think just six years and one generation separates this striking fourth-generation Hyundai Tucson and the frumpy second-generation model known here as the ix35.

The intervening years saw the thirdgeneration Tucson offer up a more chiselled exterior that made people look twice at Hyundai’s mediumSUV offering and helped cement the brand’s top-three status in Australia.

The 2021 model has recast the aesthetic completely, and is the first Hyundai to exhibit the brand’s Sensuous Sportiness design language that brings more angles than an origami swan, including bold character lines such as a distinctive Z-shape on the back door.

FIRST AUSSIE DRIVE

The front end is even more look-atme, sporting a cascading parametric grille with imbedded daytime running lights and turn signals, and a full-length LED tail-light signature.

Inside, the Tucson has a crisp new interior and plenty of standard kit including an active safety suite that, Hyundai says, is the most comprehensive in the mainstream medium-SUV segment.

A pity the engines feel a generation behind. Australian-spec cars will run a mix of revised four-cylinder petrol and diesel ‘SmartStream’ powertrains, with the European built hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions unlikely to get here.

The petrol engines include a 115kW/192Nm 2.0-litre naturally aspirated front-driver with six-speed auto that’s available now. This will be joined by a couple of all-wheel-drive powertrains including a 132kW/265Nm 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol with a seven-speed dual-clutch auto and a 137kW/416Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel with eight-speed auto.

The 2.0-litre petrol is available across all spec-grades including, for the first time, the range-topping Highlander to provide a more affordable option for buyers who fancy all the premium trappings but aren’t too fussed about performance.

Curiously, the updated 2.0L multipoint donk produces 7kW and 13Nm less than its predecessor while seemingly bringing little by way of new technology. The power drop isn’t really Striking design; comfort; features, safety; technology

PLUS

an issue when driving around town, but plant the right foot to negotiate a hill or overtake and, to quote Shakespeare, it “doth protest too much”.

The six-speed auto is often caught napping and has trouble finding the right gear, making the engine scream around the 3500rpm mark for a few seconds before either finding the right cog or, if the pedal is still touching the floor, continuing its raucous climb up the rev range in search of peak torque.

Our drive included a couple of hundred kilometres of demanding and steep roads between Sydney and Orange where this was often an issue, but there were also times it caught me out around town, such as when entering a freeway.

The Highlander has four driving modes: Eco, Normal, Sport and Smart, with Sport helping the transmission find an appropriate ratio a little quicker. Being gentle with the throttle on flatter surfaces also helps deliver smoother acceleration, and when comfortably cruising the engine is actually rather quiet even at highway speeds, as is tyre and wind noise.

The quiet ride is complemented by ride and handling that feels well balanced, despite the Tucson’s new chassis and suspension not being subject to an Australian tuning program like most of its siblings.

The ride feels composed on most surfaces including gravel, even on the Highlander’s bigger 19-inch wheels.

The rear multi-link suspension absorbs

MINUS

Atmo 2.0 lacks torque and upperrevs refinement; auto calibration @wheelsaustralia

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Timid performance is the one blemish of this 2.0-litre petrol Highlander variant

Top shelf

TAKE IT FROM THE TOP HIGHLANDER ADDS more than $7K over the Elite spec below it (based on the 2.0-litre engine) but does bundle a generous swag of extra gear. Included is a panoramic sunroof, 10.25-inch infotainment screen and a digital gauge cluster, hidden DRLs within the dark-chrome grille, LED tail-lights across the width of the car, LED ambient lighting, heated front and rear seats, ventilated front seats, Bose sound system, powered front seats with driver’s memory settings, heated wheel, powered tailgate, 360-degree camera, multi-terrain mode, blind-spot monitor on the digital dashboard, remote parking, and parking collision avoidance assist that detects pedestrians.

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Model Engine Max power Max torque Transmission Weight 0-100km/h Economy Price On sale

Hyundai Tucson Highlander 2.0L FWD 1999cc 4cyl, dohc, 16v 115kW @ 6200rpm 192Nm @ 4500rpm 6-speed automatic 1530kg 10.2sec (estimated) 8.1L/100km $46,000 Now

Updated atmo 2.0 is actually down on power and torque; lacks direct injection. Not recommended. Go the turbo 1.6 big bumps well, but overall the chassis is a little busy on continuous smaller imperfections that are common on rural roads.

Lateral movement, meanwhile, is well contained in bends, while the column-mounted power steering system is light but direct.

The timid performance is the one blemish of this 2.0-litre petrol Highlander variant, which is otherwise a very appealing medium SUV. Standard features across the

Tucson range include an extra centre airbag between the driver and front passenger, wireless phone syncing, tyre pressure monitor, drive-mode selector, softer trim materials and auto-folding door mirrors.

New advanced driver assistance tech includes segment-first blind-spot collision avoidance, rear cross-traffic collision avoidance, intelligent speed-limit assist, leading vehicle departure alert, adaptive cruise control with ‘Stop & Go’, and a camera- and radar-based AEB system that also works to prevent or mitigate collisions at intersections.

If potential customers are drawn in by the exterior design, it’s likely the deal will be sealed the moment they slide into the cabin. The floating touchscreen look that has dominated for the past few years is gone, with the monitor part of an eye-catching glossy head unit that flows down to the centre console. This allows for the dashboard top to be totally free of clutter. Fit and finish is excellent and even the entry-level Tucson avoids any hard plastics up front higher than the door armrests.

Like the dashboard, the elevated

centre console has no protruding clutter, with the Highlander’s shift-bywire gear buttons sitting flush into the fascia; lesser variants get a good-ol’ T-bar selector.

The Tucson’s 2755mm wheelbase provides plenty of leg and knee room in the rear seats. Despite the sweptback roofline and sunroof, headroom isn’t too bad either. Back-seat passengers also get their own air vents and two USB sockets.

With the seats up, the boot holds 539 litres (1860 litres seats folded), making it one of the biggest in a medium SUV, and houses a full-size spare under the boot floor.

As with the previous model, the 2.0-litre petrol front-driver isn’t the pick of the powertrains, but in the Highlander it does offer a way to get into a premium-equipped and styled SUV for under $50,000.

If this is still out of your budget, opting for the eponymous entry-level Tucson or the mid-spec Elite still brings plenty of bang for your buck, especially if you opt for the N-Line pack due later this year. But for now, we’d wait for the 1.6 turbo.

DAVI D BO NN ICI @wheelsaustralia

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FIRST LOCAL DRIVE

Drives

TOYOTA YARIS GR RALLYE

TOUGHER BABY TRIMS THE LAPTIME, BUT AT A COST

N

EVER UNDERESTIMATE the potential for Australian car enthusiasts to get in a vocal lather when they believe they’re being denied what’s rightfully theirs.

When Toyota suggested that the regular GR Yaris delivered everything true petrol heads could want from a hot hatch, the response was unequivocal: Um, no it, actually doesn’t.

Which is how we arrive here, with this version of the pint-sized

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homologation special equipped with the Performance Pack, a model known locally as the Rallye.

The name is a nod to Toyota’s last homologation special, its last all-wheel drive turbo model and, really, its last real wholly-developed performance car, the Celica GT-Four (the 86 being a joint venture with Subaru and the Supra a partnership with BMW).

Each locally-sold GR Yaris Rallye will be individually numbered, though it’s not a limited production model per se; those numbers could go anywhere

depending on demand. As for price, Toyota has continued its unusual but successful GR Yaris pricing strategy with the Rallye, with the first 200 cars being offered at $56,200 drive-away, which were quickly snapped up, before reverting to an RRP of $54,500 before on-roads, a $5000 premium over the standard model.

Drive-away pricing will obviously depend on your state, but Toyota’s website suggests drive-away pricing of $59,173 in Sydney, (the lowest) maxing at $60,724 in Perth. You can be confident in those prices, too, as there are no options, every car being painted in the same Rallye-specific Frosted White crystal pearl.

The easiest way to differentiate a Rallye is the badge on its rear hatch, but otherwise there are 18-inch forged BBS alloy wheels, brake ducts either side of the front grille, Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tyres, and red brake calipers.

Inside there are sports front seats with red stitching and Ultrasuede inserts, as well as that numbered plaque on

the centre console.

But its underneath where arguably the most significant hardware change has occurred, with uprated suspension and a Torsen limited-slip differential at either end. These differentials allow the torque to be split left-to-right across each axle to the tyre with the most traction, in addition to the electronically controlled multi-plate clutch integrated into the rear diff which apportions the torque front to rear.

There are three drive modes that alters the basic torque split, though it’s almost constantly varying in response to driving conditions. Normal is 60:40 front-to-rear, Sport is a rear-biased 30:70 and Track an even 50:50.

Toyota laid on the Sutton Road driver training complex in Canberra for the Rallye launch with access to its tight, challenging hill course and a motorkhana-style test on its sodden skidpan. Around round the hill course, the differences between the standard car and the Rallye were slight; it’s a circuit that plays to the GR Yaris’s

Rallye version brings better rubber, smarter diffs and uprated suspension to elevate the dynamic envelope over regular GR Yaris. But it doesn’t come cheap

strengths and with ESC fully on any potential wheel slip was mopped up by the traction control before the diffs could really take over.

There was definitely greater front end purchase courtesy of the Michelin tyres – the standard GR Yaris wears Dunlop SP Sport Maxxes – and with greater familiarity and confidence quick changes of direction were dealt with more accurately by the Rallye, the standard car feeling to float momentarily as it attempted to control its weight.

Rallye’s suspension modifications include larger diameter springs, a thicker anti-roll bar and stiffer bushes at the front, plus stiffer bushes and bearings and two pillow-ball joints in the rear. Time on the road was brief, but the changes have happily had little to no effect on the GR Yaris’s ride quality.

Surprisingly, it’s the wet motorkhana where the Rallye comes alive. What was expected to be an opportunity to skid around and kill a few witches’ hats was actually an illuminating demonstration

Model Engine Max power Max torque Transmission Weight 0-100km/h Economy Price On sale

Toyota GR Yaris Rallye 1618cc 3cyl, dohc, 12v, turbo 200kW @ 6500rpm 370Nm @ 3000-4600rpm 6-speed manual 1280kg 5.2sec (claimed) 7.6L/100km $54,500 Now

@wheelsaustralia

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IT RALLYE IS QUICKER...

It takes just one corner to discover that the GR Yaris Rallye is a completely different kettle of turbocharged fish compared to the standard car.

Clearly, the stickier, more performance-oriented Michelin tyres play a major role here but it begins a virtuous cycle. Suddenly you have the confidence to enter corners harder, safe in the knowledge that there is a safety net of grip beneath you; the extra front-end purchase also brings the rear into play on a trailed brake, which further alleviates the strain on the tyres doing the steering. So not only is there more grip to lean on, but there are now options available when that grip run out.

With the diffs spreading the torque evenly across all four tyres – or, more accurately, distributing it to where it will be of most use – the

Start Finish

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vĂɌ ˊ ȔŎ GR Yaris 1:05.2

Rallye feels to sink its tread blocks tenaciously into the tarmac. No longer does a waiting game need to be played mid-corner; the superior rotation makes full throttle a possibility much earlier and while the Rallye isn’t an on-throttle oversteerer in the fashion of the old Focus RS, nor does it plough determinedly towards the edge of the road like its less-able brethren.

The stopwatch reveals the extent of the improvement. Whereas the standard car was a frustrating wrestle over seven or eight laps in an attempt to coax a tenth or two from the package, the Rallye immediately goes 3.1sec quicker on its first flyer, increases that to 3.2sec on its next two before a final, tidier lap nets a 1:01.8sec result for a total gain of 3.4sec.

in the efficacy of proper limited-slip differentials.

The standard GR Yaris was fun, no doubt, pirouetting around the cones with a dab of handbrake and plenty of throttle but, should the wheels encounter different levels of grip, the wheel on the slipperier surface – usually the unladen inside front – would spin freely and have the engine smacking into the rev limiter.

In contrast, the Rallye would spin all four wheels virtually in concert, keeping the revs hanging steady and making the slide more controllable and, crucially, more enjoyable. Not necessarily the most consumerrelevant test, but a big tick for the diffs nonetheless.

This alone makes the Rallye worth the extra. If you’re going to spend $50K plus on a GR Yaris, you might as well spend a little extra and get the ‘good’ one, for the Rallye does feel to fulfil the car’s potential to a greater extent.

The rest of the package, good and bad, is as per the standard GR Yaris. The engine remains a thing of wonder, its power, torque and response completely at odds with both its capacity and its cylinder count.

It seriously hauls and the six-speed manual is a good shift with short ratios that makes the most of the grunt, though the auto-blip function is a long way from the best around, being far too slow to rev-match on downchanges.

Inside is where the GR Yaris struggles most. It’s reasonably well

equipped, with dual-zone climate, keyless entry and start, a 7.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system, eightImproved speaker JBL stereo, a head-up display, traction and six airbags and a raft of active safety handling; equipment including active cruise more control, road sign assist, intersection exclusive; fulfils assistance, blind-spot monitoring and potential more, but a lot of the trim is made from hard, scratchy plastic.

Thankfully the bits you interact with PLUS as a driver, specifically the steering wheel and gearshift, are leatherMINUS wrapped and the seat isn’t set as high as memory serves – you do get used to Even more the elevated perch. The rear seats are all expensive; seat too high; but useless – small children would fit, practicality but getting them in there is a different issues; matter – and the 141-litre boot is drab trim hilariously small, but treat the GR Yaris as a strict two-seater by folding the rear

Below: Rallye version’s engine doesn’t differ from the standard GR Yaris; it’s the same fizzy, eager turbo three-pot making a very healthy 200kW from just 1.6-litres

seats and it turns into a miniature van with 737 litres of cargo space.

You also score all the cool bits that Tommi Makinen insisted on for the – sadly stillborn – Yaris World Rally Car, like the aerodynamicallyoptimised sloping carbon roof, aluminium doors, hatch and bonnet, stiff three-door body shell and halfYaris, half-Corolla platform.

All in all, the GR Yaris Rallye is an improvement over the standard car.

Just how much of an improvement? See our track test, left. It’s certainly the GR Yaris was always meant to be: more capable, more exclusive, more fun.

The price remains a problem, though.

I think back to the Ford Focus RS Limited Edition, a car that was as quick as the GR Yaris in a straight line, more entertaining to drive, had true five-door practicality, a Quaife limited-slip diff in the nose and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres. It lapped Winton 5.4sec quicker than the GR Yaris and that was before the circuit modifications that shaved 1-1.5sec from lap times; even the standard Focus RS was 2.9sec quicker.

Toyota deserves a lot of kudos for building such an enthusiastfocused model, but in such a fiercely competitive hot hatch market, with pint-sized heroes like the Ford Fiesta and Hyundai i20 N or more serious contenders like the Honda Civic Type R and new VW Golf R, the GR Yaris’s price/performance ratio struggles to stand out.

SCOTT N E WMA N

@wheelsaustralia

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Drives

FIRST LOCAL DRIVE

NISSAN LEAF e+

A STRONGER, LONGER-LASTING STALWART

W

HILE the unstoppable momentum of new zero-emissions vehicles builds exponentially, there are few EVs that can claim to have dipped their toe in the water earlier than the Nissan Leaf.

You can still buy the same secondgeneration model that arrived in 2017 powered by a 40kWh battery for a sniff under $50,000, but now there’s this: the Nissan Leaf e+ priced at $60,490 before on-road costs. For that 21 percent increase in price, the e+ ups battery capacity by 55 percent – to 62kWh – and that means more of everything. Power is up from 110kW to 160kW, torque

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has increased from 320Nm to 340Nm, while range is also now significantly longer, with up to 385km of driving range possible on a single charge, versus 270km from the 40kWh Leaf.

For context, the Leaf e+ will go further than a $48,970 Hyundai Ioniq, but won’t match the 449km range of a $62,000 Hyundai Kona electric.

But so much for range, what about performance? The original version would hit the benchmark 100km/h from standstill in 7.9 seconds; the e+ needs a whole second less, putting this small hatchback in a different performance class.

In more efficiency-focused modes, the Leaf e+ hides a large part of the full performance behind a step in the pedal that feels a little like a heavy kick-down.

Push through it and the Leaf has a new level of energy and eagerness that was missing from previous versions.

Punchier performance; faster recharging; improved range; e-pedal works well in urban driving

PLUS

The cruising ride is smooth and relaxing with little noise from the tyres and only slightly more wind noise from the door mirrors. Of course, there’s nothing to be heard from the drivetrain other than a satisfying whistle under hard acceleration from low speed.

Nothing significant relating to the Leaf’s chassis has changed with the introduction of the beefier battery, but the extra grunt enables the dynamics to be more fully explored and enjoyed.

The 62kWh battery is actually no physically bigger than the 40kWh unit, although it has added about another 150kg to the kerb weight. But it’s hard to tell as the weight is offset by the extra performance.

It’s as if the Leaf suspension was tuned from the start to deal with more power and arriving at corners with a little more pace doesn’t bother

MINUS

Hefty price hike over regular Leaf makes it a very expensive hatchback that feels its age

Model Nissan Leaf e+ Motor single, front axle Battery 62kWh lithium-ion Max power 160kW Max torque 340Nm Transmission single-speed reduction gear Weight 1756kg 0-100km/h 6.9sec (claimed) Economy 18kWh/100km Price: $60,490 On sale Now

grip levels or overwhelm the front end control or decent communication through the steering.

The e-pedal driving mode allows the accelerator to be used as both accelerator and brake – backing off engages aggressive regenerative braking which is effective and enjoyable in more sedate driving but is best switched to the more orthodox two-pedal arrangement when more braking power is required.

An initial prod of the left pedal is confidence-inspiring, lacking the weird soggy bounce of many EVs and hybrids, but push through for more braking force and the progressiveness falls off a cliff. And while we are bemoaning brake pedals, the Leaf is still equipped with a foot-operated parking brake.

I don’t consider this an automotive cardinal offence, especially as the often-cited safety criticism doesn’t appear to apply here, with a full fivestar rating awarded to the Leaf by ANCAP in 2018.

Top: Along with the larger battery, Leaf e+ is compatible with 100kW chargers, cutting recharging time on a roadtrip.

As for the interior (above), it’s four year old, and feels it Its decent safety rating is thanks in part to a respectable suite of Nissan’s Propilot semi-autonomous safety tech, which includes autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and, a 360-degree camera and active cruise control, and annoyingly hyperactive lane-departure warning system.

There are better examples of practical features. At the back, the Leaf e+ boot measures 405 litres in volume and hides a space-saver wheel, The cabin is generous and light, but from a design perspective, it is now showing its age. The eightinch touchscreen and cute gear-shift lever are perfectly functional but dated, especially when viewed in the context of most modern hatchbacks.

The use of some cheap plastics further dents the cabin feel and quality and while the front seats are

generally comfortable, there’s no tilt or height adjustment – presumably to accommodate the battery that hides under the floor.

As far as charging goes, the Leaf e+ takes a step up over the 40kWh version and is now compatible with up to 100kW infrastructure. While the smaller battery version has a maximum charge rate of 50kW and can receive an 80 percent fill in an hour, the e+ manages the same in 45 minutes. So that’s a greater maximum range topped up in less time.

Of course, overindulge in the heated seats, steering wheel and cabin heating, or fully exploit the extra performance, and the Leaf won’t quite return the new extended range or the 400km that our test car was claiming on departure.

But if you need the extra range and can justify the hefty price for a small hatchback, the Leaf might finally make its way onto your EV consideration list.

DAN IEL G AR DN ER @wheelsaustralia

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FIRST LOCAL DRIVE

MASERATI QP TROFEO

FERRARI-HEARTED LUXO LIMO

I

F A CAR’S ‘character’ can sometimes come bundled as a set of attributes difficult to articulate, then putting a price on that character is damn near impossible.

But that shouldn’t stop us trying.

Maserati’s newly updated four-door flagship, the Quattroporte Trofeo, is priced at $376,900 (plus ORC).

For that hefty wedge, you get a

Ferrari-developed 3.8-litre making 433kW/730Nm driving the rear wheels, an interior that smells like the inside of a Louis Vuitton handbag, and of course that famed trident badge on the grille, steeped with 104 years of rich history and motorsport pedigree.

But the QP’s German rivals also all have twin-turbo V8s (and add AWD to help harness it), aren’t exactly starved for brand equity nor motorsport success, and look like bargains by comparison.

Like Audi’s (slightly smaller) RS7, making more power and torque, and costing just $224,000. Or the BMW M8 Competition Gran Coupe, still usefully cheaper at $355,000. Even the Mercedes-AMG GT63 S, which slams the QP for pure muscle and driver focus, still undercuts it by around $18K. Okay, so let’s accept that ‘character’ of the Italian flavour in this segment is worth at least $20K, while also

Powertrain refinement; RWD chassis engagement; cabin trim; lack of complication

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PLUS

acknowledging that for buyers shopping here that’s an amount they’ve probably misplaced down the back of the lounge over the last few months What’s harder to ignore is how quaintly low-tech (maybe ‘traditional’ is a kinder term) the QP is compared to its technology-infused, screen-queen Teutonic rivals. Its instruments are conventional analogue dials, and the new 10.1-inch multimedia screen, while nicely hi-res and responsive, looks as though it could have been lifted from an up-spec Jeep. Wait, that’s because it is, along with most of the other switchgear pulled together from the FCA parts bin.

Best to not focus on that and instead admire the aromatic full-grain leather and glossy carbonfibre trim applied liberally around the cabin. And it must have lavish rear-seat accommodation for your VIP mates and family, right?

Er, not so much. Legroom is adequate

MINUS

Lack of basic equipment like HUD; lack of duality of character; feels dated inside, despite update

Model Maserati Quattroporte Trofeo Engine 3799cc V8 (90°), dohc, 32v, twin-turbo Max power 433kW @ 6750rpm Max torque 730Nm @ 2250-5250rpm Transmission 8-speed automatic Weight 2000kg 0-100km/h 4.5sec (claimed) Economy 12.5L/100km (claimed) Price $376,900 On sale Now

for adults, not vast (despite the huge 3171mm wheelbase), there’s only basic HVAC control, no screens and no real ambiance to confirm you’re a backseat baller heading out on the town.

The hero of the QP is its engine, which is a shorter-stroke variant of the 3.9-litre V8 used by Ferrari in the Portofino and Roma. Here it runs a cross-plane crank and wet-sump lubrication, hits a soft limiter at 7200rpm and is linked to an eight-speed ZF auto. Additional to its default mode, the powertrain can be wicked up via Sport and Corsa settings. The latter two bring a honed edge to the throttle response and open an exhaust flap to allow a more baritone woofle from the pipes. It’s a lovely powertrain, no question, as slick and glossy as the carbonfibre shroud that tops the red crackle-finished intake plenums under the bonnet.

But do you really want slick and glossy from an engine in a 5262mm-long Italian super sedan? I want that Corsa button to uncork eight pots of anger and

Maserati’s big range-topper delivers loads of visual drama and gains cred from its Ferrari connection, but comes with plenty of compromises compared to its German rivals deliver the equivalent of an alarming accident in a small munitions factory.

Sadly, it never happens, so that lack of raucous character is disappointing.

Out of tighter corners there’s a moment of lag as the torque builds and wages its ever-present battle with the QP’s two-tonne mass, then she lifts her skirt and the big girl shows she knows how to boogie. But it’s all very polished and undramatic, and frankly could be any twin-turbo V8 from those rivals mentioned earlier. Claimed 0-100km/h is 4.5 seconds, but the car’s 2000kg weight and boost characteristics mean that’s probably optimistic. Likewise the official combined consumption figure of 12.5L/100km. We slurped through 17L/100km without trying too hard.

It’s enjoyable enough to hustle hard, up to point, thanks to direct, slack-free steering needing only 2.6 turns lock to lock, and fine body control when the

adaptive dampers are set to their firm mode. But both Sport and Corsa modes add a gloopy weight to that otherwise agreeable steering, and there’s no setting to isolate the rack when you want max response from the powertrain. Nor can you have Corsa without the firmer damper setting, which isn’t ideal for Australia’s bumpy backroads. At least there is plenty of grip from the 21-inch P Zero rubber, and the big Brembo steel brakes will sustain a reasonable pounding before the over-assisted middle pedal starts to soften.

As much as I wanted to be seduced by a big lusty Italian with a rich pedigree and clearly defined link to Ferrari, there are just too many hurdles of logic to overcome when assessing the QP in the harsh light of reality. It’s a car in the twilight of its life – this sixth generation made its debut in 2013 – and while this Trofeo variant is the most desirable ever, there’s little doubt its EV successor, due in 2023, will be an altogether swifter, smarter, more alluring range-topper.

AS H W ESTE RM AN @wheelsaustralia

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Drives

FIRST LOCAL DRIVE

MG ZST

COMPACT SUV WITH A FRESH PEP IN ITS STEP

T

HE MG ZS bounced back from the depths of Covid-19 lockdown to hit the first quarter of 2021 running. It now outsells the likes of the Hyundai Kona and Mitsubishi ASX and is Australia’s top-selling small SUV. And now there’s a new, more sophisticated variant, called the ZST, which brings more power and equipment to take on upper-spec

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turbocharged rivals.

The ZST comes in two flavours, the Excite and Essence. The Excite retails for $28,490 and features a punchy 1.3-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, LED headlights and tail-lights, MG Pilot advanced driver assistance with AEB and adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree camera, and keyless entry and start.

For an additional $3000 you can get the ZST Essence, which adds a full-sized panoramic sunroof, digital instrument cluster, front-seat heating and powered driver’s seat adjustment.

Outside, the ZST differs from the standard ZS with a sportier front end and fancy black garnish on the grille, mirrors, side mouldings and bumper inserts, LED exterior lighting, and 17-inch alloy wheels behind which are sporty red brake calipers.

Well-equipped; spacious for its class; safety tech; long warranty

PLUS

But it’s inside where the ZST delivers the most showroom appeal to anyone on a $30K-ish budget, starting with an attractive, clutter-free interior featuring synthetic leather seats and full-grain leather steering wheel, each with contrasting stitching.

The overall quality is an improvement over the more affordable ZS versions, and it looks fresher too. A floating 10-inch touchscreen replaces the smaller one in the ZS (where it’s embedded in the dashboard). The screen is big and bright and tilted towards the driver, but is mounted a little low, meaning you have to look down while navigating.

Despite being leather, the goodlooking steering wheel feels a little hard. It is also let down by only being height adjustable, which can make finding an optimal driving position

MINUS

Firm ride; below class average for steering and chassis tuning

elusive, depending of your frame.

The ZST’s synthetic leather seats are soft and comfortable. The backrests and cushions provide good side and hip bolstering but are broad enough that anyone with wider hips will not feel squished in.

In the back you will find one of the roomiest rear-seat spaces in a small SUV. Leg and knee room is great for a small SUV, and that space between the front and rear pews helps with getting in and out or loading children into car seats.

Boot space is a handy 359 litres, which is about average for a small SUV, while folding the 60:40 split seats extends available cargo space up to 1187 litres.

The ZST is nippy around town and happy on the highway. Its 115kW/230Nm 1.3-litre turbo is 40 percent more powerful than the 1.0-litre turbo in the rest of the ZS range and is one of the more powerful three-cylinder engines found in a small SUV.

It’s coupled with a six-speed automatic transmission that sends power to the front wheels smoothly and rarely leaves you waiting for the right gear. While not as advanced as the dual-clutch autos in some of its turbocharged rivals, it performs better than the continuously variable transmissions found in others.

The damping of the strut front and torsion-beam rear suspension feels a little firm, probably to give it sporty handling characteristics, so you tend to feel every bump, despite the car being fitted with modest 17-inch alloy wheels running Michelin Primacy 3 rubber.

Steering is light and responsive once lock is wound on, but there is a little slack at straight-ahead. The gear selector also feels a little wobbly and cheap.

The MG Pilot active safety suite Top-spec Essence variant comes loaded in terms of compact SUV norms, and delivers perky performance.

Undercuts its rivals as well

is quite extensive and includes autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop-andgo function, lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist, blind-spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert and auto high-beam. It also has speed sign recognition that can be set to limit your speed to the prevailing limit.

There’s good all-round vision too, with the driver further assisted by a 360-degree parking camera.

The ZST is clearly aimed at the budget-conscious, but it’s more than just an Aldi SUV. It is well put together, drives well enough, and is backed by a seven-year warranty and seven years of roadside assistance.

It is this balance between features and affordability that makes the MG ZST quite a good value proposition that won’t have you feeling like you have compromised on quality. And, on top of that, it’s a reasonably fun little car to drive.

DAVID B O NN IC I

Model MG ZST Essence Engine 1349cc 3cyl, 12v, turbo Max power 115kW @ 5200-5600rpm Max torque 230Nm @ 1800-4400rpm Transmission 6-speed automatic Weight 1295kg 0-100km/h 10.5sec (estimated) Economy 7.1L/100km (claimed) Price $31,490 On sale Now

@wheelsaustralia

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FIRST LOCAL DRIVE

CAYMAN GT4 PDK

IS THE AUTO BETTER THAN THE MANUAL?

I

T’S FUNNY HOW time can make even the most assured comments soften like a rotting peach. Take my remark on the manual version of Porsche’s sensational Cayman GT4 from last year: “It means – and I can’t believe I’m saying this – that perhaps the GT4 to buy will be the automatic version…” Even now it reads like blasphemy. But, in my defence, the only criticism I could fairly level at the manual GT4 was that its ratios felt too long. The top of second redlined at just under 140km/h, so the prospect of a punchier, quick-shifting auto with an extra ratio didn’t sound too bad.

Now, as I prepare to drive the first PDK GT4 to arrive in Australia at Targa Tasmania, seeds of doubt creep in. “The ratios weren’t that long, were they?” a voice whispers. “Have you forgotten how sweet the manual gearbox is? It’s close to perfect!”

To quell the growing chorus of

#savethemanuals ringing in my head, I switch my attention to the one area where the PDK is unquestionably superior: speed. Opting for the PDK trims half a second from the GT4’s 0-100km/h time, meaning this is a 3.9-second car.

The seven-speed dual-clutch is paired to the same 4.0-litre atmo flat-six as the manual GT4. Power is unchanged at 309kW, although the 430Nm torque figure is 10Nm greater, which helps to offset a 30kg weight gain over the manual. The price is up too, with PDK versions adding $4580, not that it’s likely to curb demand.

Porsche Australia wouldn’t speculate on the potential sales split, but if the GT3 is any guide, expect the PDK to make up the majority of sales.

But has the PDK’s extra ratio fixed the Cayman’s primary flaw? Well, not really. Sure, the ratios are shorter, but not short enough to make a tangible difference. Second gear still tops out well beyond the national speed limit; 128km/h at redline revs.

The silver lining is that this is a gem of an automatic. Smooth and soft-edged around town, it’s also telepathically fast and intelligent when you’re driving quickly. There are two maps: Normal, which quickly shifts into the highest ratio possible, and Sport, which happily holds onto lower gears and keep the revs high.

There are paddles to play with, Grip, balance and poise; the brilliant atmo flat-six!; mega brakes

PLUS

Model: Porsche Cayman GT4 PDK Engine: 3995cc flat-six, dohc, 24v Max power: 309kW @ 7600rpm Max torque: 430Nm @ 5500prm Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch Weight: 1450kg 0-100km/h: 3.9sec (claimed) Price: $210,200

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and we did appreciate their greater control through some of Targa’s more technical sections, but leave the ’box alone and it does a stellar job of selecting the correct ratio at precisely the right time. The PDK also has no qualms about dropping back to first (with a dramatic flair of revs) for tight hairpins where a driver of the manual GT4 would likely opt to stay at the very bottom of second.

What I didn’t expect was how much the auto shifts the car’s character.

Drive the manual GT4 hard and a big chunk of its joy comes from the sensation of nailing crisp upshifts and revelling in the accuracy of the shifter as you juggle heal-and-toe downshifts.

Pedalling the PDK version yields a different kind of satisfaction. With no lever to consider, your focus moves to maximising the other elements at your disposal. You lean more on the chassis; your gratification now linked to how much speed you can carry into and out of bends. It’s a subtle but significant personality shift that brings the GT4’s sense of balance and connection even more to the fore.

The GT4 PDK is faster, but is it better? If speed and eking out every last tenth are your priorities, the PDK is superior. But if you place just as much emphasis on the experience of driving as you do outright performance, the manual still reigns.

AL EX I N WO OD

MINUS

Gear ratios still too long; soundtrack is good rather than great; not as involving as manual

You’re invited to bring your pride and joy to the second Rolling 30

HIT THE RACE TRACK AND CRUISE AT UP TO 100KM WITHOUT HELMETS OR RACE LICENCES! If your car is older than 1992, we’d love to have you involved

9AM – 4PM, JULY 4, 2021 SYDNEY MOTORSPORT PARK Entries are open at:

www.Rolling30.com.au Costs: $79 per car/entrant, additional $40 for a second driver – Additional fees will occur if you enter after May 15th. Spectators can pay at the gate: $20 each, children under 14 enter free.

FEATURE / MACH 1 MUSTANG

RETURN OF THE MACH THIS IS JUDGEMENT DAY. THE FORD MUSTANG MACH 1 IS THE BLUE OVAL’S CHANCE AT REDEMPTION FOR SHELBY-DEPRIVED AUSSIE MUSTANG ENTHUSIASTS W O R D S S C O T T N E W M A N P H O T O S A L A S TA I R B R O O K

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@wheelsaustralia

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A

FEATURE / MACH 1 MUSTANG

QUICK HISTORY LESSON. The FM Mustang, released in 2015, was very capable on both road and track (though the six-speed auto was a bit dim-witted), so when the FN was released in 2018 we rubbed our hands together in glee.

More power, an upgraded manual and new 10-speed automatic, MagneRide adaptive dampers, Racetrack and Drag Strip modes and Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres all suggested more of a good thing, but the reality didn’t quite live up to the promise.

On road all was well, the new Mustang, especially in auto guise, is quicker, more refined and more comfortable, but for those who wish to stretch their pony’s legs on track there are problems.

The automatic can barely last a lap at full noise and, while the manual has slightly more stamina (as in, two laps, maybe three), the gearing of the new Getrag gearbox is so long that you will barely get into fourth gear at most tracks, second gear stretching to 133km/h and third to some 197km/h. This dulls the punch of the engine to such a degree that on the drag strip the FN manual is actually slightly slower than its less-powerful predecessor.

In the US the obvious response to this is ‘If you want a track Mustang, buy a Shelby’, but with Ford’s hi-po ’Stangs limited to left-hand drive only, Aussies have been out of luck. Until now.

Ford has revived a famous nameplate to fill the gap between the standard GT and flagship Shelbys. Mach 1 has been synonymous with sportier, more focused Mustangs since the name was first revealed in 1969, but it has been 17 years since the badge last appeared.

This ain’t no stripes ’n’ stickers pack, though the decals adorning the bonnet and sides – along with the Magnum-style wheels, new grille and rear diffuser with 4.5-inch tailpipes – certainly do the Mach 1’s street cred no harm.

Five colours are available: black or white with a black/red stripe combo, blue or orange with a black/white stripe, and Fighter Jet Grey with black/orange stripes. An extra $1000 adds the Appearance Pack, only available with the grey, that adds orange setback accents and orange brake calipers.

There’s a smattering of Mach 1 badges outside and in, the dash badge accompanied by the chassis number. Standard equipment levels are as per the GT, including heated and cooled seats (or the optional Recaros for $3000), a 12-speaker B&O sound system, Ford Sync3 infotainment, eight airbags, lane-keep assist and AEB, but adaptive cruise control has fallen by the wayside.

It’s in the mechanicals, though, that things get really juicy.

The induction system, intake manifold and 87mm throttle bodies from the Shelby GT350 give the 5.0-litre V8 a 6kW tickle to 345kW and 556Nm; the Shelby also donates its oil cooler, which increases cooling capability by 50 percent.

The 19-inch wheels are a half-inch wider at both ends, now 9.5 inches at the front and 10 inches at the rear, but wear the same tyres as the GT, Michelin Pilot Sport 4S measuring 255/40 front and 275/40 rear.

Under the guards, MagneRide adaptive dampers are fitted as standard (a $2750 option on the GT) with the latest calibration, there is a new calibration for the power steering, a brake booster from the US-only Mustang Performance Pack 2, stiffer anti-roll bars and front springs, and bushes in the rear subframe, which also includes a toe-link from the Shelby GT500.

The biggest change, however, regards what hangs off the back of the engine. Buyers can opt for a 10-speed automatic, which has been upgraded with a new torque converter, revised calibration and second oil cooler, while the manual as fitted to our test car is a totally different gearbox.

In place of the GT’s Getrag is the Tremec TR-3160 from

With Ford’s hi-po ’Stangs limited to left-hand drive only, Aussies have been out of luck. Until now

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Mach 1 induction system is straight from the Shelby GT350

Mach 1 dash badge and chassis number set this apart from a GT

Manual gearknob is attached to a much superior Tremac gearbox

@wheelsaustralia

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FEATURE / MACH 1 MUSTANG

the Shelby GT350, which uses completely different ratios.

How different? Well, the GT manual achieves the following (theoretical) speeds at 7500pm in each gear: 82-133-197-280344-450km/h. But the Mach 1 is as follows: 86-126-174-226-280444km/h. As you can see, the Mach 1’s intermediate ratios are much more tightly stacked bar the overdrive sixth; don’t expect any improvement in 0-100km/h sprint times, as first gear is actually taller than before, but on the move the new gearing bodes well for extracting more of the V8’s potential.

The news could have been even better, but Ford Australia prioritised economy over performance by selecting the 3.55:1 diff rather than the 3.73:1 Torsen unit fitted to manual Mach 1s in the US. Nevertheless, as I roll out of the Wakefield Park pitlane – this engineering prototype is unable to be driven on public roads by non-Ford employees – two questions need answering: is this a more capable, more enjoyable Mustang, and can it complete a number of consecutive laps without stress?

The answer to both, happily, is yes.

Engaging Track Mode sharpens the throttle, stiffens the MagneRide dampers and relaxes the stability control. The benefit of the dampers is immediately apparent when I initially forget to switch to Track Mode leaving the pits and the Mach 1 pitches and rolls through the first corner – it’s not just marketing fluff.

Thus primed, the Mach 1 is relatively at home on track. It’s a

SPECS

MACH 1 MUSTANG $83,365

Drivetrain Engine Bore/stroke Compression Power Torque Gearbox

5038cc V8 (90°), dohc, 32v 93.0 x 92.7mm 12.0:1 345kW @ 7500rpm 556Nm @ 4600rpm 6-speed manual

Chassis Body L/W/H/W–B Track (F/R) Weight Luggage Suspension

Steering Front brakes

Rear brakes Wheels Tyres Tyre size

2-door, 4-seat coupe 4789/1916/1387/2702mm 1585/1654mm 1779kg 141 litres Struts, coil springs, adaptive dampers, anti-roll bar (f); multi-links, coil springs, adaptive dampers, anti-roll bar (r) electric rack-and-pinion 380mm ventilated discs, 6-piston calipers 330mm ventilated discs, single-piston calipers 19 x 9.5-inch (f); 19 x 10.0-inch (r) Michelin Pilot Sport 4tS 255/40 R19 (f); 275/40 R19 (r)

Safety ANCAP rating

Verdict

The Mach 1 is up on its toes thanks to its ability to overspeed the rear tyres

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Three stars

8.5/10 Likes: worthwhile performance upgrades; looks and sounds special; works on track Dislikes: no adaptive cruise; taller diff ratio; only a tiny power increase

big, heavy car – the Mach 1 is five kilos lighter than the GT – but at 1779kg before driver it’s still a big lump and it feels it, especially at a track as demanding on a chassis as Wakefield.

It requires smooth inputs so as not to overload the tyres.

In the US an optional Handling Pack increases wheel width by a further inch each end, installs massive Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres (305mm front; 315mm rear) and adds masses of downforce, but sadly the pack doesn’t pass ADRs. If you really need it, various aftermarket suppliers can fix you up, but even in standard guise the Mach 1 is impressive. It just needs a bit of patience. The front-end bites harder than a standard GT and some deft trail-braking can adjust the rear.

However, the biggest difference is the gearbox. It doesn’t just increase enjoyment by giving the driver more to do or improve performance by giving the engine a shorter ratio to pull; crucially, it also allows greater control over the Mach 1’s chassis.

For example, through the tight turns one and eight I can use second for ultimate speed or, if the tyres are getting a little hot and loose, select third to calm the rear without sacrificing too much acceleration by falling down the rev range.

Through faster corners like those at three, four and nine, a standard GT would be languishing in third gear, any attempt to throttle steer the car met with front-end push, whereas the Mach 1 is up on its toes thanks to its ability to overspeed the rear tyres.

In layman’s terms, it’s much more fun, and with the ESP in its sports setting it will happily allow up to a half-turn of opposite lock before intervening, though in ultimate terms the car is faster and more enjoyable with all the electronics off.

What’s more, this fun now lasts longer than a couple of minutes, with the Mach 1 displaying no apparent thermal degradation despite consecutive full-throttle laps. Over multiple sessions there isn’t one single drivetrain complaint and the brakes hold up incredibly well, the giant 380mm front discs and six-piston calipers proving their worth.

Is the Mach 1 worth a $20K premium over a standard Mustang GT manual? Tough one. I suspect that for those who have laid down money, the fact that it’s a Mach 1 and not a standard GT is a fairly juicy carrot; that it also receives some impressive upgrades is icing on the cake.

As such, the fact that the Ford Performance catalogue could almost certainly provide the parts to upgrade a standard GT to a level of capability beyond the Mach 1 is almost a moot point, as it’s still ‘just’ a GT. A road verdict will have to wait, but if anything we would expect the shorter gearing to be of even greater benefit there.

It’s a slight shame that the Mustang Mach 1 isn’t offered here in its ultimate specification, losing adaptive cruise and using the taller diff ratio, but it still survives judgement day with its head held high and is a fitting continuation of the famous badge.

Five-litre V8 gains an extra 6kW to max out at 345kW

Digital dash is unchanged, but the Mach 1 gets half-inch wider wheels (right)

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COMPARISON / STONIC v VENUE v CX-3

No

ʄȔĂǼ

ȔĂ˜ Ŏɥ THERE’S A BIG BATTLE RAGING IN THE COMPACT-SUV ARENA, AND A PAIR OF SOUTH KOREAN LATECOMERS ARE THROWING RIGHT HOOKS FROM LEFT-FIELD W O R D S D A NIE L G A R D NE R P H O T O S E L L E N D E WA R

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COMPARISON / STONIC v VENUE v CX-3

Age and size conspire against it, but CX-3 still stands tall for its depth of talent when the suburbs recede in the mirrors

S

INCE ITS LAUNCH in 2015, Mazda’s CX-3 has consistently proven itself as the mainstream compact SUV to beat, and in its whopping 15-variant line-up there’s something for everyone.

Well, everyone who happens to be looking for a reasonably priced, well-built compact SUV with good road manners and a dusting of unsealed-surface ability.

It might be six years old now, but a series of updates and range revisions have kept Mazda’s cash register ringing, and the CX-3 still offers a long list of compelling attributes that stand out whenever we jump behind the wheel.

When it arrived, Mazda’s baby SUV did well to wade into a competitive market already full of popular options such as the Mitsubishi ASX and now departed Holden Trax, making its mark with strong sales from the outset that continue today; Australians bought nearly 14,000 in 2020.

But if Mazda’s offering was regarded as a little late to the party in 2015, then more recent rivals from Hyundai and Kia have turned up after the glasses have been put away and the carpets shampooed. Or perhaps the younger South Korean couple are on their way to a different party where cooler people hang out…

The shifting consumer demand that saw the rise of the baby SUV and corresponding fall of the compact hatchback has not stopped. It’s not just at the smaller end of the spectrum where you find increasing numbers of ‘crossover’ models sneaking in with more elegant profiles, fewer off-road-focused touches and less boxy styling. This is where the new fight is emerging, and where the Kia Stonic and Hyundai Venue position themselves.

While you might argue the Hyundai Venue’s arrival in 2019 was unforgivably late and turning up in early 2021 was downright rude of the Kia Stonic, the counter-theory is that they are among the first to define a new funkier coupe-crossover market that everyone wants a piece of.

And they surely won’t be the last.

It’s not quite that simple, though. Kia’s representative may have only just rolled into Australian showrooms, but it actually launched globally nearly four years ago and is therefore on an even pegging for currency with the Venue.

Regardless, they’re the newer models here and this battle is still about the old versus the new and whether the ageing CX-3 can put up a fight against two cooler kids.

In this heavily style-driven segment, looks are vital, and it’s here the trio already start to reveal their individuality.

The CX-3 was praised for its unorthodox design at launch, and the pinched-and-pulled interpretation of Mazda’s Kodo language is still unique years later. It’s clear the design team was trying to shrink one of its larger models to fit the SUV segment, but did it work? You be the judge.

The Hyundai and Kia approaches are different. Rather than running their larger SUVs through a photocopier at 75 percent, the Venue and Stonic have looks all their own. The Venue is almost Japanese Kei-car cubic crossed with curvy bread van, and its design stands upright and confident with a cheeky face. Kia, though, uses a third styling strategy, borrowing far more from its hatchback line-up than the SUV family. As a result, the Stonic has the most pleasing proportions of the three and is arguably the most handsome. Dare we say it, but the Stonic does

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Turbo-free party of three A RARE GATHERING OF THE ATMO BREED SHIFT THRIFT

AS THE MAJOR manufacturers transition to forced induction in the name of boosted efficiency and reduced emissions, it is increasingly difficult to find a new vehicle’s engine that still relies on natural aspiration. It’s even more unlikely, therefore, to gather together three current releases and find not one of them is turbocharged. It’s not only another indication of the CX-3, Venue and Stonic’s true age, but also partly answers how manufacturers are minimising costs at the budget end of the vehicle spectrum. Only the Stonic is available with a turbo, but sitting at the top of the pack, it costs nearly $30,000.

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COMPARISON / STONIC v VENUE v CX-3

Above and below: Mid-spec Venue Active adds neat 17s and reasonable equipment, but does lack sat-nav and adaptive cruise

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Like the Hyundai, the Kia is in its comfort zone in the burbs, where it’s wieldy and alert

the best job of appealing to a younger audience, while the Venue’s appearance might be something for a, ahem, more senior crowd.

Far less subjective are the tangible and objective inclusions each car offers. All three can fit a budget of less than $27,000 and bring a decent amount of standard equipment.

The Mazda is the most expensive here but sits at the more affordable end of the CX-3 range, costing $26,890 for the Maxx Sport. The one you see here is the pricier Maxx Sport LE that gets an eye-catching interior dressed up in multicolour leather and synthetic suede for an extra $750. The Stonic is presented in mid-range Sport guise costing $25,990, while the Hyundai is the most affordable (and easily the largest of this group) as the $24,640 mid-range Active.

All three are available as manuals, which chops between $1500 and $2020 out of the prices, but we’re testing the auto versions because they constitute the vast majority of sales.

As you might expect from its bargain basement price, the Venue lacks the most gear – including navigation and adaptive cruise control, which is included in the other two – but wins back some points for offering the nicer seat upholstery, with premium-feeling fabric and some cool white flashes. Both it and the Stonic are trimmed in cloth, though the Hyundai’s feels more playful and stylish, which is strangely the inverse of their exteriors.

All three vehicles have generously sized central touchscreens, but the Mazda’s 7.0-inch version feels small compared with the 8.0-inch screens in the South Koreans.

In terms of graphics and function the Stonic is the clear leader, with cool icons and a razor-sharp display that looks

cutting edge. Along with a relatively small and primitive digital driver’s information display and incandescent lighting throughout the cabin, the Mazda can’t hide its age. By contrast, the Kia and Hyundai have vibrant colour driver’s information screens nestled between the gauges and LED lighting, although the Venue is the only one where the technology extends to the headlights.

Go for either South Korean option and you get sporty 17-inch alloy wheels, while the Mazda rolls around on comparatively skateboard-like 16s.

Cost-cutting is also evident in the second row of the Hyundai, where there are no air vents, device charging options or centre arm rest, whereas you will find these in varying combinations in the other two.

Capping off the standard equipment highlights are the emerging industry must-haves of smartphone mirroring for both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and the Hyundai is one of the first cars to introduce the feature wirelessly. AEB is offered for each of our contenders.

It’s also worth remembering that the Mazda is offered with a five-year warranty versus the class-leading seven-year deal offered for all Kias. The Hyundai would ordinarily get a five-year warranty as well but, not wanting to give its sister brand a free point in the compact market, the Venue has been given a seven-year deal.

But back to the metal bits and, even though this comparison focuses on models that are shamelessly compact, size is still a big factor and there’s no hall-pass offered for lack of room or wasted space. Here, the newcomers do very well, offering surprising volume almost everywhere you look.

It’s only after spending time behind the wheel that this collection start to show their true characters @wheelsaustralia

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COMPARISON / STONIC v VENUE v CX-3

With its tall roofline, the Venue feels the biggest, offering generous occupant spaces both front and rear. Headroom is ample in both rows, while there’s heaps of legroom in the second row, complemented by lots of toe space under the front seats. Out back it also benefits from a 355-litre boot.

The Stonic doesn’t quite match the Venue for headroom as a trade-off for its more elegant roofline but does still accommodate four adults with a surprising degree of comfort.

Five-up? That might be pushing it. It also scores well for boot space, swallowing up to 352 litres of stuff.

Hop into the Mazda and the cabin is immediately more confined. Quantitatively speaking, there’s a similar amount of legroom in the second row, but it feels compromised by an interior that narrows toward the roofline and dives toward the rear. That’s illustrated by the diminutive boot, which measures a far smaller 264 litres. If manoeuvring in tight spaces is a high priority, at least the Mazda offers the most compact dimensions on the outside.

It’s only after spending time behind the wheel that this collection start to show their true characters. While the Venue is spacious and the Stonic modern, neither can beat the quality of the CX-3’s fit and finish – even if its design is a little dated. The driving position is the most immersive too, with the snug seats holding on in all the right places compared with the flatter seats in the Korean pair.

An initial blast around built-up suburban streets reveals the Koreans’ locally tuned suspension and lively powertrains have the advantage over the CX-3, with an eagerness to change direction and speeds, while the Mazda’s chassis feels a little under-damped when negotiating imperfections in the road.

Steering in the Stonic is light, although the rack ratio could be faster for a car of this size and weight. The Venue does better with decent communication and avoids excessive weight for easy handling at low speeds, and the Mazda reflects its small, chuckable proportions in a well-balanced steering set-up.

But it’s only as the towering high-rise cityscape and stopstart traffic disappears in the rear-view mirror that the CX-3 pulls ahead – literally.

While the Korean pair share numerous family resemblances, they have significantly different engines. Producing just 74kW and 133Nm, the Stonic’s 1.4-litre naturally aspirated fourcylinder petrol becomes breathless as soon as the speed limits climb above 60km/h. It will happily rev but fails to liberate the muscle to duplicate its sprightliness about town.

The Hyundai’s bigger 1.6-litre unit does better in a straightline drag and freeway speeds with its 1.6-litre unit but still only manages a meagre 90kW/151Nm. Under the Mazda’s bonnet, however, is another atmo that significantly dwarfs the other two with 2.0 litres of capacity. Its peaks of 110kW and 195Nm are unremarkable for a non-turbo 2.0-litre, but it makes all the difference in this context.

Tip your toe in the CX-3 and its legs feel longer, with a healthier spread of power and torque across the rev range. The figures don’t lie. While the Stonic took nearly 20 seconds to get to 400 metres, the Hyundai was a little faster at 18.1sec, but the Mazda was noticeably quicker, doing the dash in 16.8sec.

And it was the same story in the benchmark 0-100km/h acceleration, with the CX-3 completing the test in 9.4sec while the Hyundai and Kia took 11.3 and 13.6 respectively.

It’s logical to expect the most powerful of our three to also have the greatest thirst, but that’s not always the case.

While the Mazda did consume the most over our variety of

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01 02

03

CABIN FEVER

Step inside the interiors SIZE OR QUALITY? IT’S YOUR CHOICE...

1. STONIC

2. VENUE

3. CX-3

Top marks for design, equipment levels and logical layout, but hard door plastics are a let-down. Lever operated backrest adjustment also fiddly. Centre screen is fast and pairing smartphones is a cinch.

Majors on equipment and space, the latter benefitting passengers and load-lugging ability. 355-litre boot just pips Stonic’s but is a whopping 30 percent larger than diminutive CX-3’s.

Smallest cabin by a mile but also the best put together. Centre screen feels tiny and is finicky to use. Excellent seats but LE variant only available in questionable white/coffee colour combo.

@wheelsaustralia

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COMPARISON / STONIC v VENUE v CX-3

It doesn’t take much digging to find a rift between this staggeringly similar trio suburban meandering and freeway blasts with an average of 8.2L/100km, the smallest-engined car was not the most frugal. Coaxing meaningful performance from the Stonic’s little 1.4 meant more time near the redline than the Venue’s larger, torquier unit, resulting in an average of 7.9L/100km for the Stonic and 7.5L/100km to the Venue.

In all cases, the engines are bolted to six-speed conventional-type automatic transmissions, and the Mazda’s comes out on top. In the South Korean cars, the gearboxes are smooth and innocuous but become disgruntled when asked to downshift with any urgency. That compares with a more willing nature of the Mazda’s set-up.

None of the three contenders offer paddle shifters for persuading more sporty gearshifts, but the CX-3’s gear mapping is the most sophisticated. It’s also worth considering that, while the Mazda and Hyundai both offer different driving modes, the Kia does not. In practice, though, neither of the systems are particularly transformative.

Instead, the Mazda CX-3 relies on an altogether more grown-up character on faster and involving roads. It isn’t the hoot that the all-wheel-drive version is despite tipping the scales with fewer kilos, but it is still the most rewarding and confident when whipped – in stark contrast to the chassis of Hyundai and Kia, which feel choppy and fidgety the higher the speeds climb.

Jumping into an AWD CX-3 would add another $2000 to the bottom line, which would put it outside the budget for this comparison, but it does highlight yet another advantage for the broader CX-3 range. For now, the Venue and Stonic are exclusively front-drive only.

Spending time in a relatively old compact SUV and a brace of newer crossovers graphically highlights how small vehicles are morphing into more hatchback-like machines.

Plot the design curve through the Kia and Venue and the end point could lie in a new generation of vehicles that

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return to something infinitely more like cars than SUVs. On face value, this trio of diminutive high-riders may appear to be staggeringly similar, with comparable dimensions, prices and even their palette, presented here in a spectrum of monochrome. But it doesn’t take much digging to find a rift between them.

With their cheeky and contemporary designs, the Stonic and Venue are trying to make waves and are doing a decent job of defining a new emerging segment with one foot in the SUV realm and the other in the future – or should that be the past? Both possess a similar manner on the road and excel in the urban environment, with a combination of space, handling and drivetrains that best suit a lifestyle akin to a cycle courier.

The CX-3, on the other hand, is simply more mature in every sense of the word. It might be older, but it continues to hit higher and punch harder than the others despite being smaller in practice and appearance. It definitely falls the shortest in terms of space and practicality, but strides ahead when put to duties away from the confines of traffic and the metropolis.

Ultimately, the verdict comes down to the application.

Both the Kia Stonic and Hyundai Venue are more at home carving up metro moguls and, combined with the more affordable price tags and disruptive styling, will appeal more to a younger or first-car audience. But the Mazda CX-3 simply offers more to those who regularly break free of city life and are prepared to pay for it. A premium of $2250 over the Kia might not seem decisive, but in this segment money talks.

Most importantly, though, these three compelling and ultimately likeable models illustrate the changing landscape in all SUV sectors. While the CX-3 is still the strongest all-rounder, it’s long in the tooth and the flow of curious coupe-crossovers that come to challenge it isn’t showing any sign of drying up.

SPECS

WHEN AGE IS NO BARRIER

No.

No.

No.

MAZDA CX-3 MAXX SPORT

KIA STONIC SPORT

HYUNDAI VENUE ACTIVE

$27,640/as tested $28,304

$26,490/as tested $27,010

$24,640 as tested

in-line 4cyl, dohc, 16v front-engine (east-west), front drive 1368cc 74kW @ 6000rpm 133Nm @ 4000rpm 6-speed automatic

in-line 4cyl, dohc, 16v front-engine (east-west), front drive 1591cc 90kW @ 6300rpm 151Nm @ 4850rpm 6-speed automatic

steel, 5 doors, 5 seats 4275/1765/1545/2570mm 1524/1521mm 1297kg 264 litres petrol/48 litres 8.2L/100km (test average)

steel, 5 doors, 5 seats 4140/1760/1520/2580mm 1532/1539mm 1192kg 352 litres petrol/45 litres 7.9L/100km (test average)

steel, 5 doors, 5 seats 4040/1770/1592/2520mm 1535/1546mm 1165kg 355 litres petrol/45 litres 7.5/100km (test average)

Front: struts, A-arms, anti-roll bar Rear: torsion beam, coil springs, anti-roll bar

Front: struts, A-arms, anti-roll bar Rear: torsion beam, coil springs, anti-roll bar

Front: struts, A-arms, anti-roll bar Rear: torsion beam, coil springs, anti-roll bar

electric rack-and-pinion ventilated discs (295mm) ventilated discs (280mm)

electric rack-and-pinion ventilated discs (280mm) solid discs (262mm)

electric rack-and-pinion ventilated discs (280mm) solid discs (262mm)

215/60 R16 (f/r)

205/55 R17 (f/r)

205/55 R17 (f/r)

Five stars

Five stars

0.50sec 1.19sec 1.89sec 2.60sec 3.44sec 4.35sec 5.39sec 6.52sec 7.82sec 9.35sec 11.04sec 12.88sec 15.47sec 18.82sec

0.55sec 1.49sec 2.40sec 3.35sec 4.55sec 5.85sec 7.40sec 9.25sec 11.37sec 13.63sec 16.5sec 20.15sec 24.92sec 31.21sec

0.53sec 1.28sec 2.09sec 2.89sec 3.90sec 5.00sec 6.18sec 7.79sec 9.45sec 11.29sec 13.51sec 16.4sec 19.81sec 25.17sec

16.78sec @ 134.3km/h

19.16sec @ 117.1km/h

17.95sec @ 125.1km/h

42.60m

42.82m

41.48m

Drivetrain Engine Layout Capacity Power Torque Gearbox

in-line 4cyl, dohc, 16v front-engine (east-west), front drive 1999cc 110kW @ 6000rpm 195Nm @ 2800rpm 6-speed automatic

Chassis

TREND SETTERS

Body L/W/H/W–B Track (F/R) Weight Boot Fuel Economy Suspension

Mazda DNA THE CX-3 MIGHT be the oldest car in this particular comparison, but Mazda is not being left behind in the general evolution of the SUV. The Japanese maker has already joined the coupe-SUV-crossover curio revolution with not one but two models in the small vehicle market. Its MX-30 and CX-30 both dial back the SUV DNA in favour of something more closely related to the Mazda 3 hatchback, but retain a little extra ride-height and cabin headroom. Whether the design direction will filter down from the small vehicles to the compact end of the family in the CX-3’s successor remains to be seen.

Steering Front brakes Rear brakes Tyre size

Safety ANCAP rating

Five stars

Performance 0-10km/h 0-20km/h 0-30km/h 0-40km/h 0-50km/h 0-60km/h 0-70km/h 0-80km/h 0-90km/h 0-100km/h 0-110km/h 0-120km/h 0-130km/h 0-140km/h 0-400m 100-0km/h Verdict

7.5/10

7.0/10

7.0/10

Warranty: 5yr/unlimited km.

Service interval: 12 months/10,000km.

Glass’s 3-year resale: NA. AAMI Insurance: $896/yr. * *Includes metallic paint ($495)

Warranty: 7yr/unlimited km.

Service interval: 12 months/15,000km.

Glass’s 3-year resale: NA. AAMI Insurance: $814/yr.

Warranty: 5yr/unlimited km.

Service interval: 12 months/15,000km.

Glass’s 3-year resale: NA. AAMI Insurance: $834/yr.

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FIRST DRIVE / PORSCHE 911 GT3

FIRST DRIVE

Sideways

move?

DON’T BELIEVE IT FOR A SECOND. DESPITE LITTLE CHANGE TO ENGINE OUTPUTS, THE 922-GENERATION GT3 BRINGS BIG CHASSIS AND AERO GAINS TO SLIDE IT FURTHER INTO THE SPORTS CAR STRATOSPHERE WORDS ANGUS MACK ENZIE

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W

admission to this pantheon of Porsche greats – the 2021 GT3.

The latest GT3 is, like every 911 here apart from the first-generation 996 GT3, an Andy Preuninger car. As director of Porsche’s GT Model Line, Preuninger has been responsible for the development of the company’s most driver-focused sports cars for almost two decades. This secret garage, this 911 heaven, carefully tucked away from the nosey beancounters in head office, therefore represents a uniquely singular vision of Porsche performance.

There’s been a lot of anxious speculation about this new GT3. Would the bigger, wider 992 platform degrade the nuggety athleticism that has long been a hallmark of the ultimate driver’s 911? Would the engine have the same crackle and snarl and instantaneous throttle response?

Could it be as pure and as exhilarating a sports car?

Preuninger gets it: “The challenge is when you have a car that is as good as the 991.2 GT3, how do you make it better?”

FIRST DRIVE / PORSCHE 911 GT3

E’RE IDLING THROUGH one of the small villages that dot the rolling hills around Stuttgart when the Porsche PR guy swings right and noses up a quiet side street. After a hundred metres or so, he turns into an empty parking lot in front of an anonymous building. It’s a warehouse of some kind. Not new, not old. Walls painted white. Drawn blinds on all the windows. No signs. One grey roller door.

We park and get out and the roller door opens. Porsche legend Andy Preuninger is standing there, grinning. “You want to have a look?” We enter a small antechamber, the roller door behind us closing and another in the wall ahead opening to reveal a space bathed in bright neon light. In it are more than 20 of the most desirable Porsche 911s ever made, at least one of every GT2 and GT3 launched since 1999. And there, at the back, is the newest candidate for

The steely snarl behind us acquires a manic edge every time the tacho needle swings past 7000.

It’s an epic, almost vintage 911 soundtrack 70

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We’re about to find out.

The GT3’s front guards, doors, roof and rear quarter panels are 992 hardware. A new front bumper features a large central air intake and slim air-curtain vents on either side that direct air through the front fender well, plus a bigger splitter. There’s a new rear bumper too, with a bigger rear diffuser, and little winglets at the corners that help keep air from bleeding out from under the car and creating unwanted turbulence. The 992’s front structure wouldn’t allow cooling intakes through the top of the bumper as in previous GT3s, so a new carbonfibre bonnet features large intakes at its leading edge.

That giant rear wing sent the Twittersphere into a frenzy of horror when prototypes were first spotted. Up close and undisguised, though, the controversial hanger mounts are works of art. Though their form subtly references the wing itself, they are all about function. The underside of

Preuninger shows MacKenzie around his amazing life’s work FIRE BREATHER

Last of the line?

WHEN PUFF COMES TO SHOVE

WITH ITS razor-sharp throttle response and soaring 9000rpm redline, the naturally aspirated 4.0-litre flat-six engine is core to the charisma of the Porsche 911 GT3. But for how much longer? Getting the GT3 engine to meet current emissions and fuel consumption regulations required a massive resource investment, and Porsche engineers say it’s virtually impossible that any naturally aspirated powerplant will be able to meet the next generation of regs. “It’s as if they want us to build nothing but turbocharged engines,” grumbles one.

There will be a next-gen GT3, but if it has a turbo, the 992 GT3’s status as a classic 911 is guaranteed.

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FIRST DRIVE / PORSCHE 911 GT3

the wing is the most critical in terms of generating downforce, says Preuninger, so the new mounts help make the wing more aerodynamically efficient and effective. With all the aero bits in their most aggressive settings, the new GT3 generates 150 percent more downforce than its predecessor.

A new engine cover features a ducktail that mirrors the underside of the wing when in the most aggressive of its three settings. It helps manage the laminar flow over the roof, to the point where the ram air scoops used on the 991.2 GT3 are not needed. Instead, air goes into the engine’s revised intake system via aero-optimised vents at the base of the rear window.

Open the door and snuggle in. The toggle switch that controls the PDK transmission in regular 992s has been replaced by a shifter that looks almost identical to the gear lever in manual 911s. “You have to check that it has three pedals to make sure,” laughs Preuninger. The dash has an analogue tacho that reads to 10,000rpm, flanked by screens that can show regular 992 info or a special GT configuration that pares back the display to the minimum a race driver wants – tyre pressures and water temperature on the left, oil temperature, oil pressure and fuel level on the right.

Curving around each side of the tacho are shift lights, thin yellow graduations that build in height then flash blue at the upshift point.

Twist the starter. The 4.0-litre flat-six snaps into life. It’s basically a slightly tweaked version of the 991 Speedster engine with a single throttle body intake to improve response, a slightly different intake cam profile, remapped engine management system and a new exhaust. Porsche quotes 375kW at a dizzying 8400rpm, but Preuninger says most engines are pumping out about 380kW. Peak torque of 470Nm arrives at 6100rpm.

Though a six-speed manual is available as a no-cost option, the standard transmission is the seven-speed PDK that is basically carried over from the previous GT3, but with slightly bigger bearings and a better oiling system, plus a different control module so it can work with 992’s new electronic architecture.

Tug the shifter into drive, enjoying a handshake you don’t get in a regular 992. We’re not even out of the parking lot but, yeah, it’s a GT3: the fast idle, edgy and mechanical; the faint metallic noises from the transmission and diff; the firm brake pedal. The alcantara-trimmed steering wheel is perfect, just the right diameter, with a rim section that is made for fingertip control.

It takes a couple of minutes to clear the village. Switch the PDK into Sport Plus and select manual mode. It’s cold today, with spots of dampness lurking in the shadows provoking the occasional twitch from the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tyres. Nothing major, just the car letting you know exactly what’s going on where the rubber meets the road. “A GT3 is like a human being,” says Preuninger. “It likes warmth. It likes operating in the same temperatures we do, 15 to 25 degrees centigrade. When the dampers and the tyres are cold it communicates that it’s not happy.”

After a few kilometres the road starts flowing through open country. Good sightlines. No traffic. Tyres and brakes and shocks nicely warmed up. The tweaked 4.0-litre flat-six, marvellously smooth and flexible at low speeds, barrels to its 9000rpm redline through the gears, the steely snarl behind us acquiring a manic edge every time the tacho needle swings past 7000. It’s an epic, almost vintage 911 soundtrack, with a digitally remastered hint

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Revised dash display brings shifts lights, and yes, you can spec the GT3 with a six-speed manual

Test car was fitted with a roll cage that is part of the track package

The most profound difference with the 992 GT3 is how brilliantly it gets into corners

LIGHT YEARS

Weighting game BIGGER DOESN’T MEAN HEAVIER

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LOOK CLOSER

Hard-working hardware GT3 IMPROVEMENT HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT THE DETAILS

FIRST DRIVE / PORSCHE 911 GT3

THE NEW GT3’s launch colour is called Shark Blue and was inspired by the colour of the hull of the superyacht Madame Gu, which GT Model Line boss Preuninger saw while on holiday on the Cote d’Azure in France.

Like all 992s, the new GT3 rolls on a staggered wheel/tyre set-up, with 20-inch rims up front and 21s at the rear. Front tyres are 255/35, the rears 315/30, making the rear contact patch the biggest yet on a GT3.

Steel rotors are standard, 408mm in diameter at the front and 380mm at the rear, and dimpled rather than cross-drilled – a racing technology that makes

them less prone to cracking. Porsche’s awesome PCCB brakes are optional.

Adjustable ride height allows serious drivers to tweak the corner weights of the new GT3 to optimise handling, but Preuninger says 99 percent of drivers are faster at the Nurburgring on the standard set-up.

Reckon the big wing is a bit too boy racer? Then stand by for the Touring version of the new GT3. Unlike the last GT3 Touring, though, the 992 version will also get a slightly relaxed suspension set-up, with softer springs and dampers and more compliant bushes.

Even if you spec the dual-clutch, you still get a selector that looks a lot like a manual

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GT3’s atmo flat-six is only marginally more powerful than that from the 991 model, but let’s call it adequate

THE SPECS

road car. Derived from the 911 RSR race of air-cooled clatter. The brilliant Model Porsche 911 GT3 Engine 3996cc flat-6, dohc, 24v car front axle, it’s unique to the new GT3, shift light system ensures you’re Max Power 375kW @ 8400rpm though it’s logical to expect the hardware able to exploit every last rev, and Max Torque 470Nm @ 6100rpm Transmission 7-speed dual-clutch will also appear under the forthcoming with no turbos to get in the way Weight (kerb) 1435kg 992-series GT2. It’s the biggest single the engine’s response to throttle 0-100km/h 3.4sec (claimed) engineering change over the old GT3, says inputs is preternaturally precise.

Economy 12.4L/100km Price $369,700 Preuninger, and it drove a lot of the chassis These roads, surprisingly rough On sale Q3 2021 development work. and ready by German standards, That’s because the new front axle is part of a holistic are regularly used by engineers from Porsche’s dynamic package that includes the quicker 992 electronic Development Centre in nearby Weissach, to shake power steering and an enhanced 992-based rear axle that has down prototypes and pre-production cars. So it’s no not only the rear-wheel steering system but also metal ball surprise, perhaps, that the GT3 rides remarkably joints for maximum stiffness and response. “Having a very well on its big wheels and low-profile tyres. It’s fast-reacting front axle only works if the rear end can cope,” never soft – you feel exactly what’s happening Preuninger insists. “If we had put the double wishbone front under every wheel – but it’s never harsh and jittery, end onto the 991.2 GT3, it wouldn’t have worked.” It’s an even at modest velocities. Preuninger nods when important point. Beyond the razor-sharp steering response is I comment. “Some people confuse stiffness with a composure and a precision – a balance – to the 992 GT3 you sportiness,” he says. “A wheel needs freedom to won’t find in any other 911. travel. Some performance cars are so stiff they feel Is it the best GT3 yet? Yep. Ponder this: It has just 7kW, dead at low speed.” This GT3 feels very much alive. maybe 12kW, more than its predecessor, yet is a staggering 17 The most profound difference between the 992 GT3 and seconds faster around the Nurburgring Nordschliefe, a track every one of its ancestors, though, is how brilliantly it gets that traditionally rewards horsepower. Preuninger reckons five into corners. Forget oversteer: driving a 911 fast has always or six seconds of that is down to tyre technology. And the rest? been about managing the understeer from corner entry That’s where the magic is. From throttle and brake to steering to mid-corner. The 997 and 991 GT3s both had much more and chassis, the GT3 communicates with a brilliant clarity, authoritative front ends than any of the 996 versions, but a crystalline authority, few other modern sports cars come the 992 makes them all feel lazy. The new GT3’s front-end close to emulating. Listen, trust, engage, and the speed comes response is almost telepathic. Move the steering wheel and effortlessly in this Porsche. it turns in, just like that. Even better, the rear end reacts “A GT3 has to be a joy to drive,” says the man who knows instantly and faithfully follows through. There’s no delay in them better than anyone. “It must be communicative, the transients. It just happens. transparent, honest, at any speed. It has to scream ‘drive me’.”

The 992 platform means wider tracks front and rear. And This one certainly does. up front is an all-new multi-link suspension, the first on a 911 @wheelsaustralia

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THE AUSSIE OUT TO ELECTRIFY GM PROFILE / TRAVIS HESTER

IT’S A LONG WAY FROM BENDIGO TO DETROIT, AND NOW TRAVIS HESTER HAS GM’S FUTURE IN HIS HANDS WORDS BRUCE NE W TON

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T

HE AUTOMOTIVE leviathan that is General Motors is stirring. A complete transition away from internal combustion to electric vehicles is its goal.

And there, right at the heart of one of the most complex, expensive and expansive industrial reformations of all time, is an Australian who started his career designing wing mirrors for the Holden Commodore.

His name is Travis Hester, and while he is far from alone in being an ex-Holden employee working for one of the world’s most identifiably American mega-corps – there are so many they’re dubbed the Aussie mafia – none are more intrinsic to this make-or-break electrified quest.

In fact, within the pantheon of responsibility at GM, perhaps the only Aussie more critical to its future survival and profitability is fellow Holden graduate Michael Simcoe, GM’s global design chief.

Given his rapid rise, you might wonder how far Hester might go. According to the man who was his first boss at Holden, legendary engineering chief Tony Hyde, he has the chops to go far.

“Travis is smart, well-prepared and genuinely likable,” says Hyde. “He knows where he wants to go and how to get there. Can he ‘do a Simcoe’? Possibly; it wouldn’t surprise me.”

From a no-bull bloke like Hyde, that’s a solid reference.

Hester’s official GM title is Chief EV Officer. EV Czar would work just as well. His newly created job and his selection for it were consecrated at the very highest levels of the company by chairman and CEO Mary Barra and president – and former Holden boss – Mark Reuss.

Barra presented Hester’s role and the new business unit he is running, EV Growth Operations, during the prestigious Barclays 2020 Global Automotive Conference last November. It all got a bit lost amid the huge amount of information presented that day and in the rush of other recent GM announcements.

After all, GM has committed to selling one million EVs per annum globally by mid-decade, attaining North American EV sales leadership and launching 30 EVs globally by 2025. It has also announced an ambition to eradicate tailpipe emissions from all light vehicles by 2035 and go carbon-neutral by 2040.

All this is wrapped up in an over-arching mission first announced in 2017 to achieve zero crashes, zero congestion and zero emissions in “the future”.

The cost? A cool US$27 billion (A$35 billion) and counting. No other legacy car maker on earth has made a commitment this startling. The outcome will define GM’s future.

Barra summed up the mission during that Barclays conference like this: “The all-electric future we are building at General Motors integrates all things we do best so we can put everyone in an EV, generate profitable growth and create shareholder value.” Note that last item; while GM has languished on Wall St, EV darling Tesla has boomed. If you can’t beat them, join them.

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PROFILE / TRAVIS HESTER

The evidence of GM’s commitment continues to mount; the Ultium EV architecture and battery tech, the new factories, the new joint-ventures, the thousands of new product development hires, the Cadillac Lyriq, the GMC Hummer EV pick-up and SUV, the Brightdrop freight business and curiosities such as the flying car previewed at digital CES by Simcoe.

Hester’s job is to make sure this new future for GM happens quickly, efficiently and with consistency across the corporation. Oh, and preferably sooner than the company has forecast.

“Absolutely,” he confirms when asked if he wants to beat the current timelines. “We’re doing everything we can to encourage adoption, promote the education, fix not just the cars but the infrastructure around the world.

“There are great reasons to do this from our business point of view, but there are also societal benefits all over the place to doing it like this. We’re pretty inspired by that as a mission as well.”

Hester speaks with passion, zeal and true belief. It’s admirable. Yet for all the bold words and big investments, for all the claims and all the ambitions, we’ve been here before with GM. The heartfelt commitment from top management does not always manage to negotiate the company’s labyrinth bureaucracy. Courses are changed, decisions are quietly shelved, business plans are butchered or actually just don’t work. Sometimes it seems GM survives in spite of itself. Sometimes, as its 2009 bankruptcy proved, it does not survive.

“I guess the proof is going to be in the vehicles we start to deliver, and people will either be early believers in our mission or late believers in our mission,” Hester tells Wheels. “But it’s coming and we are going to show you in a pretty strong way over the next four to five years.”

Hester is on the phone from his office somewhere within GM’s sprawling Warren technical campus in suburban Detroit. It has taken weeks to try and find a one-hour slot in his frantically busy schedule. We’ve finally managed it on a Friday evening Detroit time and, despite this being the end of an undoubtedly long and wearing week, he sounds full of energy. He still has more meetings after me, so I feel privileged to eke an extra four minutes from him than the allotted 60.

He and his 600 staff at EV Growth Operations are essentially everywhere within GM. They are the horizontal that spears through and links together the verticals that are GM’s Cadillac, GMC, Chevrolet and Buick brands, product development and the rest of the business.

Absolutely central to the role is a fundamental shift in GM’s relationship with its customers from a vehicle maker a buyer interacts with every few years to a service supplier that is a constant presence in their lives. That is why Hester spoke about the new Ultifi customer experience digital platform when he was introduced at the Barclays conference.

“EVs and autonomous for us is the catalyst to really bring a new way to think about activity, and a new way to think about how customers should interface with us and how dealers should interface with customers,” Hester says. “It really tightens up the ecosystem to be much better than it is today.”

Translated into plain-speak, tightening the ecosystem means things like online shopping, redesigned mobile apps with more features, over-the-air updates, home charging installation, public network investment and insurance pricing based on individual driving data.

“You’ve got to think beyond the car now,” Hester explains. “There’s a need for that in the market; there’s a need for that with our customers.”

But customer experience is just one part of Hester’s dizzyingly varied job that tries to encompass the biggest of big pictures and most granular of details. Ask him how varied a working day can be and he laughs.

“I will spend a lot of time with the heads of the brands.

Then I’ll be over in product development talking about charging and batteries and chemistry and a lot of those areas. A little bit later we are talking about over-theair technology and how that works and how we can get some great product to market. Then next minute we are talking about charging deals and how we get chargers into people’s homes and how we can influence the charging network across the county and across the globe. Then it might be off to IT and talk about phone apps and how we link that all together...”

A busy, brainy man. But it was ever this way apparently.

Born and raised in the Victorian city of Bendigo, Hester is one of three kids (his brother and sister are both teachers). He graduated with a mechanical engineering degree from Melbourne University’s Ballarat campus in 1994 and started at Holden in 1995. He has been with GM ever since.

He started in prototype builds and the first car he worked on was the VS Commodore SS. Then he became a development engineer on VT, which won the 1997 Wheels Car of the Year award and was the highest-selling Commodore of all time.

“We’re doing everything we can to encourage adoption, promote the education, fix not just the cars but the infrastructure around the world” 78

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THE ULTIUM SOLUTION Vital to GM’s electric future is its all-new Ultium modular architecture and batteries, revealed in March 2020 to 2000 employees, investors, dealers, policy makers and media in Michigan

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General’s soldiers THE OTHER KEY AUSSIES INVOLVED IN GM’S EV TRANSITION ANDREW SMITH

SHARON GAUCI

PHIL BROOK

MEGAN STOOKE

GM’s global design chief is not only the most senior Aussie in Detroit, he’s one of the most senior auto executives on the planet.

Only the seventh boss of GM Design since 1927, Simcoe is also the first non-American. In charge since 2016, his influence over GM’s profusion of EVs will be profound.

A protege of Simcoe’s, the former Holden design chief these days holds the same role at Cadillac, the GM luxury brand that is at the tip of the company’s EV spear. In fact, GM says the Caddy range will be all-electric by 2030.

We’ve already seen that with the Lyriq, while the Celestiq is coming soon.

A veteran of both Ford (BA Falcon and Territory) and Holden (VE Commodore) in Australia, the interior specialist transferred to Detroit with GM in 2013.

In her wide-ranging role as executive director of industrial design, her global influence on GM’s “visual expression” is fundamental.

The former Holden sales and marketing chief and suburban Melbourne footballer is kicking goals as vice president of marketing at GMC and Buick. Given the GMC Hummer EV is the first new Ultium-generation EV to go on sale, Brook is integral to the roll-out process for EVs in the US.

Stooke was in turn marketing, export and then sales director of Holden before heading to the United States in 2005. She has been in her current role of director, brand experience global marketing since 2019.

Her task is to redefine the traditional car ownership model in the EV age.

PROFILE / TRAVIS HESTER

MIKE SIMCOE

“I am such an EV advocate I hope to bring EVs to everyone around the world, including Australia” 80

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“My very first parts I dreamed up were on VT; I still have samples of them because when you spend so many years developing a part they become a little personal and special. I have little things like mirrors that were my very first design parts.”

From there it was on to the Holden-developed Zeta architecture that was intended to be the mainstay of global GM affordable rear-wheel-drive production. But in the end it only spawned one non-Holden stand-alone model, the fifth-generation Chevrolet Camaro. Hester was neck-deep in that as the engineering team leader responsible for closures – that’s doors, liftgate and so on.

By this time, his talent was becoming well known within Holden, as former Holden board member Ian McCleave tells Wheels: “I reckon I had a pretty good eye for talent and he was one of a very select group, maybe three or four, who absolutely blew me away the first time I saw him in action presenting to the directors. Clear, concise and logical. It’s very rare to see an act like that where you instantly know the person is going to make it to the top.”

A pivotal moment for Hester came in 2003 when Holden boss Denny Mooney recruited him as his technical assistant, essentially a right-hand man and PA rolled into one. He stayed in that role for three years and then Mooney sent him to the US. Hester, who is 49, and has two teenage daughters, always expected to return home to Holden after a few years Stateside. Of course, that is no longer possible with the brand’s axing in 2020 by GM. He is diplomatic when the inevitable question is asked.

“I grew up with the Holden brand and the Holden emblem, so of course it’s disappointing to see the retirement of such an iconic brand,” he says. “It’s one of our best brands in the company. It’s the business where I started my career, so it will always be very close to me, but GM made a very deliberate decision about how we

participate in markets all around the world including Australia to ensure we have the right business profile and a strong go-to-market activity. It’s an unfortunate part of the state of the industry. Yeah, it’s mixed feelings.”

As for Hester’s EV zeal paving a way for GM’s new generation of electrified products turning up in Australia, as rumour insists will happen, he is appropriately non-committal.

“I am such an EV advocate I hope to bring EVs to everyone, and that doesn’t mean just North America. That means all places around the world, including Australia.

“There are some practicalities there about just the size of the country. Hopefully [for now] people in Australia can just love the Silverado and the Corvette. They’re awesome vehicles.”

Hester has had a rapid-fire sequence of increasingly important jobs since landing in Detroit; program engineering manager at Cadillac working on CTS and ATS; engine design in North America and Italy; chief engineer of the Buick Regal and LaCrosse and Roewe 550 in China. From 2010 to 2015 he was chief engineer of the clean-sheet Cadillac CT6 full-size luxury car.

A plug-in hybrid model introduced him to electrification and the first iteration of SuperCruise autonomous driving capability. “I’ve been a huge advocate of EV and AV ever since,” he says.

But Hester is also an unashamed petrolhead. He owns both a C1 and C7 Corvette, although his daily driver is, appropriately enough, a Chevrolet Bolt EUV battery electric hatch. He is a qualified GM track driver licensed for the Nurburgring. He even started racing an old BMW 3 Series in club endurance events in 2020. Out of loyalty to his employer, he is set to switch to a B-Spec Chevrolet Sonic (Holden Barina) this year.

He says GM is infested with car-loving people like him.

That makes him confident it will continue to produce some

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AUSSIE BOLTER PROFILE / TRAVIS HESTER

Travis Hester with a pre-production 2022 Chevrolet Bolt, which will soon be released in the US. GM promises to launch 30 new EVs by the end of 2025

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great vehicles in the EV age, not just androgynous pods.

“You think about everything you’ve reported on and everything I’ve tried to do as a chief engineer for the last 15 years,” he says. “We try and make cars have instant torque with no turbo lag, we try and make cars quiet, we try and make them instantly accelerate to shoot a gap, we try and make them more spacious on the interior without making the exterior too big.

“All that is right there in an EV; it’s the solution to what we have been trying to do for a long time here.”

Crucially, he insists, in tandem with that, GM’s flood of EVs will bring with them mass-market affordability.

“We are working really hard to make [EVs] affordable for everyone. Unless we achieve that affordability, we can’t hit that mission we are on the path to achieve.”

Hester’s climb up the ranks accelerated after CT6. He became vice-president in charge of global chief engineers and product management, overseeing 155 product development programs in seven countries. And then in 2018-19 came a year running the Canadian market, in which GM has three manufacturing plants, 450 dealers and sells about 250,000 vehicles annually.

“And that’s when Mary [Barra] reached out and asked if I could come back and help with this huge company push we have got to move into a whole different era of EVs and AVs and customer experience.”

Initially Hester was named as global vice president of customer experience, but the whole plan became much clearer at that Barclays conference, especially when Barra spelled it out.

EV Growth Operations would combine “start-up agility with the strength of the General Motors team” and “be entirely focused on the EV business and driving mass consumer adoption”. Hester “would be empowered to minimise complexity and make decisions fast”.

It’s a long way from designing wing mirrors…

“I love product development and always have,” Hester says. “But for us to progress as a company on our mission and get as many EVs to as many people as we can … the place that needs our assistance is joining our market strategy together and getting the wider ecosystem ready.

“I’ve been very lucky in my career to have a fair bit of product development history and fortunate enough to have a fair bit of go-to-market history, so it’s lucky I’m able to help GM in the position I am.

“My focus is making sure we can get ourselves ready in the next 12 to 18 months to really come to market and help our customers in any way we can. Where it goes after that is not my focus right now.”

GM’s EV plan HERE ARE FIVE OF THE 30 ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN THE PRODUCT PIPELINE GMC HUMMER SUT AND SUV Reviving Hummer as a green EV is certainly interesting thinking. The first Ultium-based GM BEVs boast tri-motors and 200kWh batteries.

Production starts late this year.

CADILLAC LYRIQ The first of GM’s new-generation EVs to be revealed, although not the first to go on sale, the Lyriq crossover will be on US roads in early 2022.

CADILLAC CELESTIQ Teased at the 2021 Consumer Electronics Show, the Celestiq is a flagship luxury sedan that employs Ultium tech then builds on it with other new innovations.

CHEVROLET SILVERADO EV The electrified version of Chev’s iconic pick-up will be built in Detroit and have a 640km range. Expect a late 2022 start to production.

BUICK ELECTRA The Electra revives an old Buick nameplate and was revealed in China, where the focus has well and truly shifted to EVs. Expect the production version in 2024.

“We’re working really hard to make electric vehicles affordable for everyone” @wheelsaustralia

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FEATURE / MERCEDES-BENZ EQS

END OF THE ICE AGE? NOT QUITE, BUT THE MERCEDES EQS, BUILT ON A NEW DEDICATED EV PLATFORM, DOES PROVIDE A CLEAR INDICATOR OF THE DIRECTION IN WHICH THE GERMAN GIANT IS HEADED WORDS JOHN CARE Y

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FEATURE / MERCEDES-BENZ EQS

P

LANET CAR IS being impacted by a slow-motion asteroid, but this time some of the dinosaurs aim to avoid extinction.

Mercedes-Benz is one of them.

Think of the EQS as a first opportunity to discern the outlines of Stuttgart’s survival strategy. This big, battery-powered, five-seat liftback is more than just a mega-expensive status symbol for the luxury-loving EV elite.

It’s also the sprouting of a new Mercedes-Benz family tree. The company’s leadership believes it will survive and thrive, while that which grew from the roots of Karl Benz’s first internal-combustion-engined car more than 130 years ago shrivels and shrinks.

The EQS is the first Mercedes-Benz to use its first purpose-designed EV platform, known inside the company as EVA. This stands, rather obviously, for Electric Vehicle Architecture. Until now, every modernera Mercedes EV has been based on what the company likes to call ‘conversion-design’ platforms. Today’s EQC, EQA, EQB and EQV van all began life designed around the internal-combustion engine. Compromises were inevitable in the conversion to electric power.

The arrival of EVA spells a relatively swift end for these mutants. Mercedes-Benz has confirmed it plans to produce three more all-new models based on the platform: the EQE, a smaller sedan, plus SUV versions of both EQS and EQE. “Of course there could be more,” a senior Mercedes test engineer told Wheels ahead of the EQS’s official world premiere. There’s no “could” about it...

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EVA is a scalable platform; its wheelbase, length and width can be changed to fit a range of size categories and vehicle forms. The big question is whether or not it can shrink down to C-Class dimensions (see sidebar p76).

So what exactly do the EQS and EVA tell us about Mercedes-Benz’s intended direction of electric evolution as the ICE age draws to a close and the electric era arrives?

Aerodynamics will have increasing influence on design, for a start. Even before the EQS was unveiled, Stuttgart announced the car’s 0.20 coefficient of drag, a new world production car record, and its Tesla-beating up-to-770km driving range. There’s a connection...

Excellent aero adds crucial kilometres, and this is why the EQS looks the way it does. The roofline, inspired by the curve of an archer’s bow according to design boss Gorden Wagener, isn’t the basis for a beauty bullseye.

But this so-called ‘one-bow’ look is a good outline for a low-drag shape. The cab-forward proportions and long wheelbase also endow the EQS with a spacious cabin.

The other favourable aero factor isn’t so obvious; in overhead plan view the EQS is drop-shaped, with a tapering tail. Once these basics were in place, work could begin on the finer points.

“We spent countless days and hours in wind tunnels optimising every little detail,” exterior design chief Robert Lesnik explained. “There are so many things to discover.” Small spoilers on the flat underside of the EQS guide air around the wheels, he said. “That was primarily the area where we said the aero guys could do what they wanted, but they wanted smooth and seamless on top.”

He means this literally. There are aero-enhancing seals

Above: When juiced from a 200kW charger, EQS can add 300km of range in 15 minutes

What does the EQS tell us about the direction of electric evolution as the ICE age draws to a close?

Stunning new MBUX Hyperscreen stretches 141cm from edge-toedge across the dashboard

@wheelsaustralia

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“Of course it’s not an air intake any more, but we believe every Mercedes needs a face, an expression”

FEATURE / MERCEDES-BENZ EQS

DESIGNER ROBERT LESNIK

FUTURE TECH

MMA Mia! Here we go again...

WORK IS already underway on Mercedes-Benz’s second all-new dedicated electric platform. Called MMA, for Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture, it is designed for small and medium-size cars.

MMA will be the foundation for “multiple models” from 2025. Among them are sure to be the replacements for the EQA and EQB, which are what Mercedes calls “conversion design” adaptions of the designed-for-ICE MFA platform.

There are hints that MMA, rather than EVA, will provide the basis for a C-Class-sized EV. The platform “has the potential to reach into the mid-size segment”, a very senior exec said earlier this year. It should logically be called EQC, but that name is already in use.

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Full-width light bar at the rear, typical of EQ-branded models, includes 3D tail-lights

Rear-view camera is hidden behind Mercedes-Benz badge

in some of the joins of the EQS’s exterior, such as that between headlights and grille.

“Of course it’s not an air intake any more,” Lesnik said, referring to the solid panel bearing the three-pointed star, “but we believe every Mercedes needs a face, an expression.

And, by the way, there are also sensors behind.”

Aerodynamic wheels “drastically improve the drag coefficient”. Lesnik confirmed the EQS achieves the record 0.20Cd figure only when fitted with a specific 19-inch wheel design. “It is not for every possible combination,” he admitted.

“We have different lines, there will be different bumpers, different wheels, different sizes. It goes up to 22-inch wheels, and the bigger the wheel is the worse for drag coefficient.”

Batteries and electric motors are at the heart of the EV driving experience, and the EQS quietly suggests increasing diversity and specialisation in both areas.

The two versions of the EQS going on sale in Europe in June are the 450+ and 580 4matic. The first has a single electric motor delivering 245kW and 568Nm driving its rear wheels. The latter is all-wheel drive, with a motor for each axle, delivering combined maximums of 385kW and 855Nm. Mercedes-Benz has confirmed another version is being developed, with “up to 560kW”. There’s a very strong whiff of AMG to that power output.

More than one battery pack will also go into the EQS. “At launch we start with the 107.8kWh battery,” EQS head vehicle test engineer Frank Wundrak said during our recent online virtual co-drive in a 450+. “The battery is produced in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim and the software

for the battery we did on our own, so it’s an in-house developed battery. We will have another battery, with 90kWh, which will come later.”

What’s not clear is how many motor and battery-pack variants Mercedes-Benz eventually aims to offer, or when they will arrive. It’s likely the menu will have grown by the time the EQS launches in Australia, an event scheduled for December.

Wundrak was a chatty chauffeur during the virtual 450+ drive. He revealed the EQS uses the same chassis tech as the new S-Class, so it has air suspension and rear-wheel steering as standard. But the handling flavour will be more agile and engaging. “Our aim was not the floating style of an S-Class,” he said.

The engineer also made sure to mention not only the EQS’s great driving range, but also the advantage of being able to accept up to 200kW from a DC fast charger. “I’m sure your family will need a toilet stop before the EQS needs a recharging stop... Even if you need a charging stop, we have a really fast charging system on board. We can charge up to 300km in 15 minutes, so even if you need a charging stop you are quite fast back on the road.”

Since the online ride-along with Wundrak, Mercedes has revealed further details on the EQS’s battery pack and motors. And it’s interesting stuff.

The car’s 400-volt battery packs will utilise two different types of cell; pouch and prismatic (or hard-case), both with reduced-cobalt chemistry. Depending on the power output and drive system layout (rear- or all-wheel drive), the cells are assembled into either 10 or 12 modules, which are then united to form the battery pack. @wheelsaustralia

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Mercedes-Benz realises that the digital age provides profit opportunities

FEATURE / MERCEDES-BENZ EQS

What’s the point? Though still unclear, the obvious answer would be that one cell offers superior energy density, good for range, while the other has superior power density, best for high-performance variants.

Specialisation is also infiltrating motor design at Mercedes-Benz. Most dual-motor EVs such as the EQC and Jaguar I-Pace use essentially identical motors in both axles. This isn’t the case with the EQS. MercedesBenz has developed an innovative six-phase motor (see sidebar, right) specifically for the rear axle of the EQS and, presumably, for the other EVA-based models to follow.

Leading up to the reveal of the EQS, Mercedes-Benz staged a major presentation of its MBUX Hyperscreen, the pillar-to-pillar piece of curved glass that contains the car’s three screens. It is visually stunning, and it’s hard to imagine any buyer opting for the more traditional S-Class-like instrument panel that will also be offered.

Behind the shiny surfaces are new depths of software sophistication. There are two clear objectives here; one is to deliver confidence-boosting levels of EV userfriendliness, the other is revenue generation.

The EQS’s Navigation with Electric Intelligence is designed to take over the hard work of planning long journeys, which can be daunting in an EV. The system will calculate the energy needed, taking into account factors including topography, temperature, driving style, traffic conditions and more. Should charging stops be required to complete the trip, these will be planned to minimise the total travel time. It may be quicker overall to make a slight detour in order to be able to connect to a more powerful DC fast charger.

In Europe, where the ‘Plug and Charge’ function is available via the updated ‘Mercedes me Charge’ app, charging is simply a matter of connecting cable with car. Authentication to initiate charging is automated, as is payment.

Mercedes-Benz also realises that the digital age provides profit opportunities, as well as the convenience of overthe-air software updates, and they want a slice of the action. Owners will have to pay to unlock the full 10-degree potential (up from 4.5 degrees) and tight 10.9-metre turning circle of the standard rear-wheel-steering system.

Adding to the library of soundscapes included with the Burmester audio system will also cost money.

But it would be unjust to criticise Mercedes-Benz for looking to make a little money this way. The company’s ambitions are as worthy as they are lofty. Its plan is for more than 50 percent of global sales to be either EV or PHEV by 2030. Over this period the number of ICE-powered variants it produces is expected to fall by 70 percent. At the same time, the company aims to greatly reduce its own carbon emissions, and those of its suppliers.

Billions are being invested in Ambition 2039, the deadline-inclusive name Mercedes-Benz has coined for its plan to become a completely carbon-neutral car maker. But debt is preferable to death... ask any dinosaur.

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CLOSER LOOK

Just a phase...

DOUBLING DOWN ON EV POWER THREE-PHASE AC power has so far been what spins the motors in modern EVs. Mercedes-Benz will change this with the innovative new six-phase motor introduced in the EQS. The synchronous motor’s stator has two sets of three-phase windings. In internal-combustion engine terms, this is something like turning a triple into a six by bolting on extra cylinders.

Intended specifically for rear-axle duty, the design increases motor power density. The front motors of the EQS and other EVA-based EVs won’t be so powerful. To avoid overheating during multiple maximum-effort accelerations, coolant is circulated through the rotor shaft and the jacket surrounding the finned stator assembly.

@wheelsaustralia

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FIRST AUSSIE DRIVE / M3 COMPETITION

ENOUGH ABOUT THE DIVISIVE STYLING; NOW IS THE TIME TO POUND THE M3 FOR ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS THAT COUNT WORDS DYL AN CAMPBELL P H O T O S E L L E N D E WA R

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I

N THE PREVIOUS-GENERATION BMW M3, this would have been truly terrifying. A wet road, cold Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres and a spiky twin-turbocharged, rear-drive layout would create a driving experience that’s about as enjoyable as petting a hungry tiger. But right now, in the new G80 BMW M3 – the sixth generation in one of motoring’s most-loved dynasties – we wouldn’t wish the conditions were anything else.

We’re on the fairly unimaginatively named MansfieldWhitfield Road in country Victoria, 62km of some of the best winding bitumen in the state. At least that was until someone dropped the speed limit to 80km/h, presumably to make it look like things were being done in the face of an unflinching road toll, but let’s not dwell on that.

With lots of tight corners, it remains a wonderful road, linking the charming old town of Mansfield with Victoria’s King Valley. It’s old bushranger country (and of the Taungurung people long before that) but also where Italian immigrants settled after the war, growing first tobacco and then wine. Indeed, the King Valley is a must-visit for anyone with a penchant for a good drop.

Today we’re in something decidedly more German than Italian. This car is a big deal; an all-new M3 does not come along very often. Built on the new ‘Cluster Architecture’ that underpins the G20 3 Series and also future rear-drive BMW models, the latest M3 is 123mm longer and 26mm wider than the old one, with a 45mm-longer wheelbase (increasing rear legroom). But even with additional use of high-strength steel and aluminium in the 3 Series chassis, which has helped to keep weight down in other models, the M3 Competition auto is unfortunately 170kg heavier than before at 1730kg.

Some of that would have to do with the biggest philosophical mechanical change M Division has levelled at its super four-door, and that’s the ditching of the old, cantankerous but characterful seven-speed dual-clutch transmission for the eight-speed ZF torque-converter auto widely used across the BMW range. A six-speed manual – hallelujah – is also available.

All-wheel drive will be offered for the first time in both M3 and M4, slashing 0-100km/h times and significantly extending the service life of the little bulb that illuminates the traction control icon, but today our test car is rear-drive.

No complaints from me.

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EXTRA DRIVE

Grip it and rip it Want more traction? While it will be heavier again, the all-wheel-drive model will offer a transformed driving experience over its rear-drive sibling when it arrives later this year. The xDrive M3 will be quicker to 100km/h by 0.4sec.

There will also be 4WD Sport for a more ‘traction-enhanced’ rear-drive feeling, and a 2WD Mode for those with the skills to pay the tyre bills as that will exist solely in the realm of ESC Off. The all-wheel-drive xDrive model will use an electronically controlled multi-plate clutch within the transfer case for smooth, indiscernible engagement of the front axle; it will always be rear-drive until the system detects extra traction is needed.

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The steering feels more connected and precise, and the ride quality compared to the old car is much improved as well

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Between engine, chassis, steering, brake, ESC and shift modes, there are 324 possible drive setting combinations in the new M3.

And that’s excluding the new 10-stage traction control!

The new M3 and M4 also score a brand new engine. The ‘S58’ looks a lot like the previous S55 on paper – 3.0 litres in capacity, six cylinders in a row, two turbochargers – but there’s a new closed-deck block design for extra strength (and indicating seriously big power potential), a slightly longer stroke, more boost and lower compression (9.3:1 vs 10.2:1). BMW assures it’s much more efficient and lower-emitting, but also there’s a lot more power. In the Competition guise of our test car, that means 375kW at 6250rpm and 650Nm from 2750 to 5500rpm, easily eclipsing the 338kW and 600Nm of even the previous F80 M3 CS, with torque also arriving 1250rpm sooner.

A fully variably locking electronic rear differential distributes power to a pair of 285-section rear tyres, which on our Competition test car are very sticky and focused Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s.

Tamer Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber is available as standard.

With launch control, BMW claims the new rear-drive M3 Competition will hit 100km/h in 3.9 seconds from rest, matching the F80 CS. It smashes the CS from 80-120km/h, though, at 2.6sec vs 3.4sec in fourth gear.

All-wheel drive drops the M3 Competition’s 0-100km/h sprint to just 3.5sec. We ran numbers on our test car at Heathcote Dragway, but the soaking conditions were such that the results aren’t worth publishing.

We will try again in dryer and warmer times.

Now we come to that exterior styling. To some, it will look tough, a bit space-age and original. To others, it will look like a weird mish-mash of BMW, Alfa Romeo Giulia and Lexus IS. We admit that, with the metaphorical ghost of Chris Bangle jangling chains and moaning forlornly up and down the corridors of BMW Design in Munich, we were surprised BMW ported the M4 front end treatment across to the M3 as well. We guessed the M3 might look like a hotter, more aggressive M340i. Indeed, it will be interesting to see if the new gnawing-rodent nose survives the models’ first Life Cycle Impulse (BMW-speak for facelift). At least the M3 keeps a Hofmeister Kink where the M4 doesn’t.

In the metal, there is no denying this car’s presence.

Spot it in a dark alley and you will be gripping your wallet tighter, turning 180 degrees and walking off as fast you can. It strikes a menacing silhouette, those big, wide, low offset wheels filling the pumped guards perfectly, creating a mega stance. Under a street light, the mesmerising three-dimensional weave of carbonfibre, on the roof and

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Those big, wide, low offset wheels fill the pumped guards perfectly, creating a mega stance

mirror caps, draws you in for a closer look. But back in broad daylight there’s no denying the M3 is like a muscled-up boxer with a bent nose and cauliflower ears. Also, on a car with already challenging front styling, couldn’t they have integrated the front radar unit a little more elegantly?

Thankfully, you only see the side of the car in shop windows, and inside it’s a nicer story altogether. As you open the doors and slide inside, there’s no denying the impeccable BMW build quality. Everything feels solid yet precise and tactile. Apart from the dash pad, which is quite an oppressive, large chunk of soft black plastic, the material choices and finishes are exactly what you would want.

With the 12.3-inch digital instrument display (a moment’s silence for the loss of analogue dials) and 10.25-inch central infotainment display, the interior is a luxurious, intuitive and high-tech place to sit. And iDrive 7.0 is as good as ever.

Then you notice the seat… This car is fitted with BMW’s optional M Carbon seats, which, curiously, have a raised carbonfibre mound between your thighs. The idea is to hold your legs in place during high-g cornering, but they mustn’t eat much in the engineering department at BMW… I’m a small man with medium-chunky thighs and the weird mound was definitely uncomfortable. Especially as I like left-foot braking, and the right-aligned brake pedal placement means having a chunk of protruding hard plastic under my left knee. Although they do offer incredible hip support, granting a very tight connection to the rear of the car, make sure you try these seats before ordering them!

Awaken the S58 with the starter button on the transmission tunnel and, after enjoying the loud exhaust

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note at idle, within 100 metres you’re aware the engineering runs very deep below any superficial styling criticisms.

Immediately the steering feels more connected and precise, having the effect of making the car feel marginally smaller.

The old car’s steering was always a bit muted, which was annoying as it has such a mega front-end. The ride quality compared to the old car is much improved as well. No more thudding into potholes or jiggling over low-speed irregularities. Aside from quite a lot of harshness we would attribute to the Cup 2 tyres, this is a comfortable car.

The torque converter, as you would hope, has banished all the ugly driveability issues of the old DCT unit. It still feels tight, but it is a lot smoother and there’s no more creep forward or back as clutches jolt and engage. It’s completely changed the low-speed character of the car; for urban manners, the M3 is a lot more refined, more grown up. This is a very nice car to drive around town, as we find during the trip from BMW’s suburban HQ to Mansfield, where things heat up. Points are also awarded to the new active cruise control, which will steer the car even down a challenging country road, so long as you touch the steering wheel often.

Curiously, even in the vibrant San Marino blue of our test car and riding on fat 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels, our new M3 attracted hardly any attention from pedestrians or other drivers – and, to be fair, that’s just the way many owners would like it.

Having driven the 215km from Melbourne to Mansfield, it’s time to uncork the M3 on the way to Whitfield. Care is needed because the Cup 2 tyres are cold – and an ever-flickering traction-control light only reinforces that

Our choice combo of modes was Sport Plus for both engine and chassis, Sport steering, Comfort brakes and ESC Off with TC in Level Three

– although these tyres, while apparently optimised just for M3, don’t feel to be the death traps in cold and wet conditions that they used to be.

Blessedly, as we arrive on the Mansfield-Whitfield Road, the surface is dry and it’s as if we have it all to ourselves.

Flicked into Sport mode, it is immediately obvious the M3 is seriously, eye-poppingly fast, with way too much power for the rear tyres. When it hooks up, your brain will want to be wide awake.

Interestingly, the new M3 doesn’t feel enormously faster than the old one, and the S58 doesn’t feel that much different to the old S55. It’s all about torque with this engine, winding up the turbos and surfing the 650Nm then short-shifting, as hitting the soft limiter is quite the buzz-kill, but also there is nothing really to gain in the upper revs. The power delivery, from about 3000rpm and onwards, just feels like a massive slingshot of torque.

Somewhat disappointingly, there is still quite a lot of lag and it’s easy to catch the engine snoozing. It’s not quite as ‘bad’ as the old S55, but hardly the unbelievable, razor-sharp response AMG has managed to achieve from some of its latest turbocharged engines.

Fortunately, though, the power no longer arrives with a mind of its own, somewhat independent of whatever instruction you have given with the throttle pedal. The old car liked surprises; the new one at least is a little easier to predict. It was with a trembling index finger that you ever went near the ESC button in the previous M3; with the new one, it’s a button you are excited to play around with. It’s just a shame the reduced M Dynamic Mode (MDM) ESC setting is

not that different to ESC fully on.

But there is 10-stage traction control, another new toy possibly borrowing inspiration from rivals AMG – although, while AMG uses dashboard and steering-wheel dials to adjust its nine-stage TC, in the M3 you have to turn the ESC fully off and then tap between one and 10 in the new drive-modes menu (where every setting can be easily selected on the fly). And while 10-stage TC sounds cool, really you only find yourself using level three to give the slip and safety net that should have probably been MDM. In the previous-generation M3, selecting Sport mode for the adaptive dampers was a step too far on most roads, but in the G80 you find yourself reaching for Sport Plus – and more.

However, it seems there is a trade-off for that lovely new ride quality, one exacerbated by the extra weight and sticky optional tyres: body roll. While the M3 still sits acceptably flat in corners, at the ragged edge a bit of patience is now required as you turn in and wait for the body to settle. And a bit of care is needed during hard changes of direction too, particularly as the rear end now moves through a slightly larger arc. Yes, the bigger, heavier, softer new M3 is not quite as agile as the old one. The upside is that the M3 now encourages you to keep pushing even as the road gets a bit choppy, where you would be backing off in the old car.

Luckily, though, they’ve ‘fixed’ the steering. It is much better. You now find yourself carrying speed into long corners and trying to feel with your fingertips how much front purchase is left, something unheard of with the mute tiller of the F80. Big ups to M Division, as the front-end is now pure joy. @wheelsaustralia

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The overall softening of the suspension has also breathed some life into the M3’s handling it probably needed. It’s a more natural-feeling handler now, more predictable, more inspiring of confidence, more fun. And, in the dry, on the Cup 2 tyres, it’s insanely fast and grippy.

In fact, the Michelins are so good that it’s quite the task trying to judge the chassis with such incredibly feelsome and communicative rubber bolted to it. But they are both as good as each other.

The eight-speed auto also steps up to the plate in an impressive way. It has three shift speeds, but all are incredibly smooth so there’s no reason why you wouldn’t just always use the fastest one. The changes are fast, slick and responsive up the gears, even if there is a bit of a delay going back down again. And, if we’re honest, part of us does miss the highly strung, racy personality of the old dual-clutch, however flawed it was overall, but such is life. The new auto’s eight ratios are spaced well, there seemingly being a gear for every possible corner.

The brakes are interesting too. Now brake-by-wire, you can select between Comfort and Sport modes. They offer incredible stopping ability (optional carbon-ceramics were fitted to our tester) and BMW has done well to make them feel as natural as possible. Sport mode just reduces travel and increases sensitivity, but we preferred Comfort as it was somewhat easier to modulate. They did feel a tad muted, and we would be interested to push them hard on a track, where brake-by-wire on other cars (like the Alfa Romeo Giulia) has shown up some weird calibration quirks at the edge of the performance envelope. On the road, though, the carbon brakes were more than convincing enough, and completely fade-free.

BMW has also made improvements to the M3’s sound.

In an age of petrol particulate filters and anti-fun brigade oppressive European noise regulations, it’s true the active exhaust button on the M3 may as well not even be there such is the difference it makes in the G80, but BMW has improved the Active Sound Design, so the fake engine noise coming from under the dash is a lot less PlayStation and instead a lot more convincing. Put the windows down and there’s a good amount of turbo personality to be enjoyed too. Does the M3 sound good? It’s no wailing E46 CSL, but it’s okay.

As we get to the end of the road and the King Valley beckons, our mind is made up about the new M3 – it’s brilliant. Just as E30, E36, E46, E92, F80 all had very distinct characters, this one has a different personality again. While it is still plenty feral for most people and has hardly ‘gone soft’, there is a new, grown-up manner about it around town. It’s a more road-focused performance car. It’s almost like a more serious reardrive M340i, or a baby straight-six M5. And it continues a run of good form from M Division that started with the current M5 and continued into M2 Competition.

But probably the biggest compliment we can give BMW’s new M model is that it is a lot more fun. It no longer feels to be plotting to kill you when you’re not looking. Yes, there are still some surprises lurking within to keep you on your toes, but find yourself on cold Cup 2 tyres, on a wet road, and you will be giggling to yourself as you easily enjoy the car rather than just trying to survive. More of a big kitty cat, it’s no longer the pet tiger – and how the car looks will be a million miles from the front of your mind.

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SPECS

BMW M3 COMPETITION $154,900/$183,980 as tested

Drivetrain Engine Layout Capacity Power Torque Gearbox

6cyl, dohc, 24v, twin-turbo front engine (north-south) 2993cc 375kW @ 6250rpm 650Nm @ 2750-5500rpm 8-speed automatic

Chassis Body L/W/H Wheelbase Track (F/R) Weight Fuel/tank Economy

steel/aluminium, 4 doors, 5 seats 4794/1903/1437mm 2857mm 1617mm/1605mm 1730kg 98RON/59L 9.6L/100km (combined, claimed)

Suspension

Front: struts, A-arms, adaptive dampers, anti-roll bar. Rear: multi-links, coil springs, adaptive dampers, anti-roll bar

Steering Front brakes Rear brakes Wheels

electric rack-and-pinion ventilated carbon discs (380mm) ventilated carbon discs (370mm) 19.0 x 9.5-inch (f); 20.0 x 10.5-inch (r) 275/35 ZR19 (f); 285/30 ZR20 (r) Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2

Tyres

Safety ANCAP rating Verdict

Five stars

8.0/10 Warranty: 3 yrs/unlimited km Service interval: 12 months/20,000km Glass’s 3-year resale: N/A AAMI insurance: Not yet listed *Includes M forged wheels($2000); M Carbon Package ($26,000); remote start ($690)

BMW’s new M3 is a lot more fun and no longer feels to be plotting to kill you when you’re not looking

During our hard bout of testing, the M3 used 22.3L/100km of premium. Gulp, indeed

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MEGATEST / DUAL-CAB UTES

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TRAYED UNION ELEVEN POPULAR DUAL-CAB UTES COP THE PROVING GROUND PUNISHMENT; FROM TOWING TO LOAD-LUGGING TO JUST FERRYING A FAMILY. SO WHICH ONE DESERVES YOUR VOTE? W O R D S B Y R O N M AT H I O U D A K I S + S C O T T N E W M A N + E VA N S P E N C E + L O U I S C O R D O N Y + A S H W E S T E R M A N P H O T O S E L L E N D E W A R + A L A S TA I R B R O O K

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ELCOME TO THE 2021 dual-cab megatest, a comprehensive examination of Australia’s most popular vehicle segment. If you’re in the market (and plenty of people are), all your questions are answered here.

We’re testing 11 of the most popular examples, and while not all variants align on price and spec, they were as close as the manufacturers could supply within the bounds of vehicle availability, and all are fitted with automatic gearboxes.

Our test location is the former Holden, now VinFast proving ground at Lang Lang; when it comes to testing cars, you can’t beat a facility that’s purpose-built for vehicle assessment.

All 11 utes were assessed on the following criteria: performance, dynamics, interior, infotainment, running costs, towing performance, payload performance and off-road ability.

First, though, a quick overview regarding performance testing. Outright acceleration might not be a huge priority for dual-cab utes, but with many of these vehicles destined to carry or tow heavy loads, engine performance is still extremely important.

To determine the grunt of our competitors we put them through two acceleration tests: a full-throttle run from standstill to 100km/h to measure outright performance, and a 60-100km/h run designed to simulate overtaking ability.

Arguably even more important than how these utes accelerate is how they decelerate. To measure this we conducted two braking tests, both from 100km/h to

stationary, on both wet and dry surfaces, with all testing completed one-up and unladen.

To ensure consistency, each attempt took place on the same pieces of tarmac. However, while the dry braking figure is the best achieved from three runs, the wet braking figure is an average of all three runs. While every measure possible was taken to ensure a consistent surface, including re-wetting the course after each vehicle, there is inevitably some inconsistency in a wet surface over a period of time, so taking the average of the three runs is an attempt to mitigate any variation.

Towing performance is a major consideration for those looking for a dual-cab ute, which is why we tested it thoroughly. As we had the Lang Lang testing grounds at our disposal, we designed a torture test to really put each ute through its paces.

Sister magazine Street Machine loaned us their BA Falcon Turbo Taxi project, which was strapped down to a car trailer hired from the local servo, giving us a consistent load behind each vehicle. Acceleration times were measured from 20-60km/h to test each ute in the crucial acceleration phase in typical driving conditions.

Each contender was then put through a thorough road test to observe cornering ability, braking performance and how they coped with corrugations while towing a loaded trailer.

Finally, our payload testing was done with a 500kg pallet strapped in the tray and crucial 20-60km/h rolling acceleration was measured, as well as vehicle dynamics on the handling loop.

So, did this comprehensive torture test bowl up any surprises? Read on...

With Lang Lang proving ground at our disposal, we designed a torture test to really put the 11 utes through their paces

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After years moonlighting as undertakers, Scott and Louis finally get to put those skills to use

Street Machine’s BA Turbo Taxi runs 11-second quarters; didn’t manage that pace here as our official trailer-queen towing load

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GWM Cannon L GRABS OUR ATTENTION WITH LOW PRICING; DOESN’T HOLD IT FOR VALUE Along with excessive wind noise and tyre roar, it’s clear that WITH ATTRACTIVE STYLING, a showy interior, advanced safety comfort, refinement and dynamic sophistication quickly evaporate and cage-rattlingly low pricing, the flagship Cannon possesses THE the harder the Cannon L is driven. real X-factor. But there are plenty of Y-factors to also consider.

SPECS GWM rates the payload for the Cannon L at a commendable For starters, why is the L so sluggish? It might be mated to 1005kg. The tailgate features gas struts and a nifty an eight-speed auto, but the 120kW/400Nm step that falls out from the lip to aid climbing into 2.0-litre four-pot turbo-diesel feels lazy and off PRICE $37,990 (drive-away) ENGINE 1996cc 4cyl, dohc, 16v, TD the tub which can easily swallow a 500kg pallet. the pace, with tardy acceleration and laggy POWER 120kW @ 3600rpm However, the infotainment experience isn’t throttle response. Flooring the pedal also TORQUE 400Nm @ 1500-2600rpm great – it takes some time for the system, built brings its own issues, like off/on switch thrust, TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic around a 9.0-inch display, to boot up but it does accompanied by a great wall of noise.

DIMENSIONS (L/W/H/W-B) 5410/1934/1886/3230mm offer Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, two USB-A At least the truck from China boasts light WEIGHT 2175kg ports, one 12v outlet and a 360 degree camera. yet responsive steering for confident and safe PAYLOAD 1005kg ANCAP is yet to rate the GWM Cannon L but handling… but only up to a certain point.

BRAKED TOWING CAPACITY 3000kg the vehicle does feature active safety equipment Taking a corner at speed or executing evasive UNBRAKED TOWING CAPACITY 750kg such as lane-keep assist and blind-spot warning. manoeuvres can turn the 2175kg Cannon into GROUND CLEARANCE 232mm TYRES 265/60 R18 Cooper Discoverer HTS Outward visibility is hampered by thick body a lead arrow. In a couple of tests, its power FUEL CONSUMPTION 9.4L/100km (ADR) pillars and a rear sports bar. assistance couldn’t cope with sudden changes 0-100KM/H: 11.4sec Switchgear feels cheap to the touch and it of direction, resulting in the steering feeling like 60-100KM/H: 6.7sec doesn’t have voice command or digital radio, concrete. Alarming? You betcha.

100-0KM/H: 43.4m (dry) both functions that nearly all the other utes have.

Furthermore, the leaf-spring rear suspension 100-0KM/H: 58.6m (wet) Heading off-road, it is slow to engage 4x4, but bumps and thumps in protest over rougher thankfully traction control response is adequate and hill decent control roads, accompanied by excessive – and nausea-inducing – lateral body works well. It was able to get though our test course, just not as easily as shake. The GWM gains the dubious honour of being the worst-riding other utes thanks to a poor ramp-over angle. truck by some margin in this comparo.

Overall, though, for an all-new, ground-up design, the Cannon fails Unfortunately, dry braking performance is terrible, with even its best to land a resounding blow. It’s certainly a step in the right direction but effort sailing beyond 43m, and its wet braking is little better, requiring GWM has a long way to go to compete at the point end of this test. almost 60m to come to a stop.

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SsangYong Musso XLV Ult. DYNAMIC LIMITATIONS DEMAND THAT YOU BE UNDEMANDING clearance. It bottomed out more than any other ute here and was the SOMETIMES, NOT PUSHING your luck – or truck – beyond only one that didn’t make it up our steep test climb the first time. five-tenths is best practice. Case in point: the Musso.

THE Although the hard plastics throughout the Musso’s cabin Big on value for money, the Ultimate ticks a lot of safety and SPECS make it look a generation old, there’s a long list of standard specification boxes – including the fitment of a coil-sprung rear equipment and technology that bolster its value. suspension set-up.

Active safety includes AEB, lane-keep assist Equally modern is a 133kW/420Nm 2.2-litre PRICE $41,790 (drive-away) and departure warning, blind-spot warning, ENGINE 2157cc 4cyl, dohc, 16v, TD four-cylinder turbo and six-speed auto combo.

POWER 133kW @ 4000rpm rear-cross traffic alert and a rear-view camera.

A little sluggish at take-off, yes, but once on the TORQUE 420Nm @ 1400-2800rpm Six airbags also feature, but the Musso misses move the 2160kg Musso responds willingly TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic out on active cruise control. and smoothly. There’s a solid spread of grunt DIMENSIONS (L/W/H/W-B) Heated and ventilated seats are a luxurious available, even if the stopwatch reveals that 5409/1950/1855/3210mm WEIGHT 2160kg contrast to its manual climate control. The seats nothing is happening in a hurry, with the PAYLOAD 880kg themselves are well cushioned in the front and Musso’s acceleration numbers lagging behind BRAKED TOWING CAPACITY 3500kg back, but keep in mind the centre rear seat offers the GWM. An eight-speed auto would help the UNBRAKED TOWING CAPACITY 750kg a lap belt only. engine keep in the meat of its torque band and GROUND CLEARANCE 215mm SsangYong’s 8.0-inch infotainment system is improve acceleration.

TYRES 255/60 R18 108H Nexen N Priz RH7 FUEL CONSUMPTION 8.2L/100km (ADR) Apple CarPlay/Android Auto-capable, which is Unexpectedly sharp steering conveys a 0-100KM/H: 11.5sec useful because there is no DAB radio or satellite sense of sportiness, but that soon evaporates 60-100KM/H: 6.7sec navigation. It is a pretty basic system, and the as there’s precious little feel coming from the 100-0KM/H: 41.5m (dry) layout isn’t particularly intuitive, with a distinct wheel, while an overly soft suspension tune 100-0KM/H: 56.8m (wet) lack of shortcut buttons making access to certain leads to excessive leaning. Through winding settings a bit cumbersome. corners it makes for a skittish and nervous handler.

On a more positive note, bolstering the Musso’s ownership Really bad roads undermine the XLV’s dynamic cohesion even more, proposition is its strong seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, which with too much body movement compounded by excessive vibrations is one of the best in the segment. being transmitted through to inside – much to the annoyance of every Ultimately, though, this is a 4x4 crying out for a decent Australianoccupant. Sure, such a punishing ride is only evident in extreme testing specific suspension tune. A facelifted Musso is expected by year’s end, conditions, but the Musso was the only contender to behave this way. so we would wait for that and hope for a dynamic improvement.

Off-road, the Musso also struggles, due mainly to a lack of ground

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Jeep Gladiator Rubicon THE OFF-ROAD KING, BUT ITS CROWN SLIPS WHEN BACK ON BITUMEN

MEGATEST / DUAL-CAB UTES

on the centre stack, behind the gearlever. Better is the Jeep’s AS THE ONLY petrol-powered 4x4 in this test, the Gladiator 8.4-inch Uconnect infotainment system, which features a large really goes by the beat of its own drum. It’s also here in Rubicon THE amount of customisation and great functionality (including spec, the most off-road-focused model of the line-up, with solid SPECS wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto) and stocks a swathe of front and rear axles designed for extraordinary 4x4 articulation, off-road displays and accessory gauges for not Lotus-style handling prowess. The Sport is the hardcore enthusiast. Many of the car’s the more road-biased option.

PRICE $76,490 functions such as heated seats and climate are ENGINE 3598cc V6, dohc, 24v Still, the 2215kg Rubicon is what we have POWER 209kW @ 6400rpm controlled using the touchscreen. here, and in some ways the American icon TORQUE 347Nm @ 4100rpm Rubicon also scores remote entry and start, shines regardless of where it’s taken. Swift, TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic parking sensors and a rear-view camera, sweet and smooth, the 209kW/347Nm DIMENSIONS (L/W/H/W-B) auto-levelling headlights, dual-zone climate 3.6-litre V6 – tied to an eight-speed auto – 5591/1894/1909/3488mm WEIGHT 2215kg control, heated side mirrors, rear window provides muscular performance, revving freely PAYLOAD 620kg defroster and tyre-pressure monitoring, and strongly well past the 6000rpm mark.

BRAKED TOWING CAPACITY 2721kg helping to justify its hefty price among more But there’s no escaping its off-road UNBRAKED TOWING CAPACITY 750kg prosaic rivals. birthright, which – in this company – means GROUND CLEARANCE 249mm Great, but you will need to head deep into lifeless steering, ponderous handling and TYRES 255/75 R17 111/1080 BF Goodrich Mud Terrain T/A KM2 hostile terrain to really discover Rubicon’s a loose, top-heavy feeling through tight FUEL CONSUMPTION 12.4L/100km (ADR) true capability. As a pure off-roader from the turns. It leans and lurches, and is far from 0-100KM/H: 9.2sec showroom floor, you would be hard-pressed comfortable from an on-road perspective.

60-100KM/H: 5.2sec to find a more accomplished vehicle. FrontAnd, like the Ranger Raptor, the Gladiator 100-0KM/H: 44.2m (dry) 100-0KM/H: 66.0m (wet) and-rear locking differentials, tremendous Rubicon wears chunky BF Goodrich Mud low-range gearing, disconnecting front anti-roll Terrain tyres, which results in diabolical bar and mud terrain tyres make it a beast in the braking performance; stopping from rough stuff, where only the long wheelbase can occasionally hamper its 100km/h in the dry takes more than 44m, but in the wet the Jeep just otherwise unstoppable ability. sailed across the surface like it was Teflon, taking 66m to come to a The Jeep is born to conquer terrain that makes rivals turn tail and halt. That’s 10-15m more than most other dual-cab utes here. flee, but the unavoidable compromise comes everywhere else. If The Gladiator also subverts traditional ergonomics in a way that you’re serious about off-roading, it’s a trade-off you will accept. can prove novel or annoying, like locating the window switches

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Mitsubishi Triton GLS GETS ENOUGH OF THE BASICS RIGHT TO JUSTIFY ITS POPULARITY There are also various terrain modes to select, including rock, AUSTRALIA’S THIRD-FAVOURITE 4x4 pick-up after Ranger gravel, mud/snow and sand. Combined with the rear differential and Hilux is getting on against the wave of fresher metal. But THE lock and decent traction control system, the Triton went the basic recipe still works fine – unwavering consistency and SPECS everywhere we wanted it to go. competence, yet with enough engineering nous to keep it from The cabin is basic and underlines the Triton’s falling too far behind. utilitarian character. Cloth-trimmed seats both front Take the engine – a 133kW/430Nm 2.4-litre PRICE $47,490 ENGINE 2442cc 4cyl, dohc, 16v, TD and rear feel cheap to the touch and look drab, but four-cylinder turbo-diesel, mated to a six-speed POWER 133kW @ 3500rpm they’re well cushioned and surprisingly supportive. auto. Offering brisk acceleration and solid TORQUE 430Nm @ 2500rpm ANCAP rated the Triton five stars for safety back throttle response, it provides enough poke for TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic in 2015.

The GLS is fitted with seven airbags, and the 1990kg GLS to keep up with larger-capacity DIMENSIONS (L/W/H/W-B) 5305/1815/1795/3000mm its active safety list includes everything from AEB rivals, due in part to a favourable power-toWEIGHT 1990kg to rear cross-traffic alert, but it can’t be equipped weight ratio. It could be quieter, though.

PAYLOAD 900kg with adaptive cruise control.

There’s nothing intimidating about how BRAKED TOWING CAPACITY 3100kg Mitsubishi’s 7.0-inch infotainment screen does the Triton behaves either, since it seems to UNBRAKED TOWING CAPACITY 750kg service in the GLS and features both wired Apple shrink around the driver at speed thanks in GROUND CLEARANCE 220mm TYRES 265/60 R18 110H Dunlop Grandtrek CarPlay and Android Auto capability. part to confident steering, deft handling FUEL CONSUMPTION 8.6L/100km (ADR) Out the back, the GLS features six tie-down and ample grip, but again, noise intrusion is 0-100KM/H: 11.4sec points and an optional full plastic tub liner. The annoyingly evident.

60-100KM/H: 6.0sec latter eats into cargo dimensions a little and means Its ESC system intervenes early but gently, 100-0KM/H: 38.9m (dry) it measures narrowest among rivals for width especially over gravel surfaces, while the 100-0KM/H: 62.8m (wet) between the wheelarches. But do you intend to suspension (with leaf springs at the rear) does load it with a pallet of building materials? Or just bikes and camping gear? a proficient job dealing with rougher roads; it can become a bit bouncy, Warranty is class-best, at 10 years/200,000km, but the caveat is but the ride is rarely harsh or uncomfortable. That said, the GLS is you must service through the Mitsubishi-approved service network leagues behind the Ranger in this regard. throughout the vehicle’s life.

The first thing you notice off-road about the Triton is how nimble it Finally, a tight turning circle and light controls make this pick-up a is, thanks to its shorter wheelbase and narrower dimensions. It’s also more urban-friendly package than most. Despite its advancing years, the packed with clever off-road features such as Super Select, which allows Triton proves that consistency is a timeless virtue. you to run in 4x4 high range (with centre differential unlocked) on-road. @wheelsaustralia

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Nissan Navara ST-X HAS TAKEN A LONG AND LONELY ROAD TO FINALLY RISE ABOVE MEDIOCRITY well, with a competent traction control system getting power to the POOR OLD NAVARA. Ever since the D23 series surfaced in ground and the relatively soft suspension making for calmer crawling 2014, it has struggled to fulfil the promise of its costly coilTHE compared to some of the stiffer rigs here. sprung rear-end, providing neither the expected agility nor SPECS While the cabin fundamentals are showing their age, the ST-X comfort, significantly trailing the Ranger in both areas. steps it up for luxury over lower-grade variants Several engineering updates have since with part-leather seats, keyless entry and start, ensued. Does the MY21 facelift finally get it right?

PRICE $58,270 ENGINE 2298cc 4cyl, dohc, 16v, TTD dual-zone climate control, reverse parking Unaltered from before, the 2142kg ST-X’s POWER 140kW @ 3750rpm sensors, heated door mirrors, auto wipers, leather 140kW/450Nm 2.3-litre four-cylinder twinTORQUE 450Nm @ 1500-2500rpm accents on the steering and gearlever, quad-LED turbo diesel/seven-speed auto combo never TRANSMISSION 7-speed automatic headlights and a tyre-pressure monitoring system. really needed attention, pulling heartily as the DIMENSIONS (L/W/H/W-B) 5311/1850/1830/3150mm ANCAP rated the Navara five stars for crash revs rise, for significant mid-range kick, while WEIGHT 2142kg safety back in 2015. This updated version remaining respectably smooth and refined.

PAYLOAD 1024kg includes a full suite of active safety gear and seven Happily, there have been changes for BRAKED TOWING CAPACITY 3500kg airbags, which should satisfy the test’s stringent the better underneath designed to quell UNBRAKED TOWING CAPACITY 750kg requirements on such technology today. noise, vibration and harshness while GROUND CLEARANCE 224mm TYRES 255/60 R18 108H Toyo Open Country Further, the large 8.0-inch touchscreen boosting strength.

FUEL CONSUMPTION 7.9L/100km (ADR) infotainment and 7.0-inch digital display between Result? Imparting a big, wide and planted 0-100KM/H: 11.3sec instrument dials (part of the recent update) help lift feel, the Navara’s steering remains numb but is 60-100KM/H: 6.4sec the interior for a more contemporary feel. well weighted and now responds with greater 100-0KM/H: 41.4m (dry) The infotainment OS is fairly simple in its linearity and reassurance at speed for more 100-0KM/H: 55.7m (wet) functionality, though wired smartphone mirroring positive handling and roadholding. There’s also is available for both Apple and Android users who want more options. a newfound plushness – or should that be softness? – in the suspension’s Off-road information is available through the central display and bump-soaking ways, without the lumpy, thumpy ride of old. And it feels effectively repurposes the 360-degree surround-view cameras to show secure on gravel, with the ESC ensuring it stays on track. various views of the vehicle when off-roading at up to 10km/h. It’s a Dry braking is nothing special, taking well over 40 metres, though the useful feature and a clever use of existing hardware.

ST-X’s mid-50m effort in the wet is more competitive.

Without bothering the class leaders, the Navara is at last sorted. From Off-road, Navara’s 4x4 activation isn’t smooth, requiring a few attempts underachiever to ‘a good thing’. It has only taken seven years… to get it into low range, but when it’s locked in the Nissan does perform

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Ford Ranger Raptor BEING A BORN BAJA BEAST HAS SOME DOWNSIDES control on the other. But the brutish Ford feels less like a truck than CAN FORD GIVE the Ranger Raptor a real engine, please? To be the other brands’ efforts. fair, the 2.0-litre twin-turbo four-cylinder diesel is an impressive THE Like the XLT, the Raptor’s dynamic on-road tuning instils a sense unit, but it’s out of its depth here. The problem is that the SPECS of confidence that is even helpful in tight parking situations, aided Ranger Raptor doesn’t just weigh a tonne, it weighs more than by excellent vision and a large camera. At the end 2.3 of them, and despite the 10-speed auto’s of the day, both Rangers ended up being the only best efforts at keeping the engine on song – PRICE $77,690 trucks we didn’t want to stop fanging repeatedly ENGINE 1996cc, dohc, 16v, TTD evidenced by the respectable 6.2sec time from POWER 157kW @ 3750rpm around the ride and handling loop at Lang Lang.

60-100km/h – there is just too much mass.

TORQUE 500Nm @ 1750-2000rpm They feel like they’re bred to impress in such This Ford Performance product might not be TRANSMISSION 10-speed automatic demanding conditions. about outright acceleration, but it is almost two DIMENSIONS (L/W/H/W-B) Speaking of rough terrain, the Raptor’s seconds slower than the Ranger XLT with the 5398/2028/1873/3220mm WEIGHT 2342kg suspension eats washouts for breakfast. This was same engine due to that extra weight and the PAYLOAD 748kg by far the fastest vehicle through the test course, rolling resistance of those massive BF Goodrich BRAKED TOWING CAPACITY 2500kg without even trying. Traction was great thanks Mud Terrain tyres.

UNBRAKED TOWING CAPACITY 750kg to the BFG All-Terrains, but in terms of pure 4x4 Those tyres also handicap the Ranger Raptor GROUND CLEARANCE 283mm capability it’s not the most capable on test. under brakes, with a truly appalling stopping TYRES 28570 R17 116/113S BF Goodrich Mud Terrain T/A KO2 A range of select additions to the Ranger cabin distance of more than 46m in the dry and a FUEL CONSUMPTION 8.2L/100km (ADR) adds the sporting touch expected for the Raptor 61.4m effort in the wet that is little better.

0-100KM/H: 10.8sec – like the leather-wrapped sport steering wheel Dynamically, though, despite its coil-sprung 60-100KM/H: 6.2sec with a straight-ahead marker, backed by long metal rear suspension, the flagship Raptor is much like 100-0KM/H: 46.2m (dry) 100-0KM/H: 61.4m (wet) paddleshifters – and the Raptor-specific front seats its less salubrious sibling, putting the Ranger are simply superb, grasping well and with good pair head and shoulders above the rest for under-thigh support. By contrast, the rear seats are hard and flat, as they on-road dynamics. are in the regular Ranger.

So we’re literally talking relative differences here between the Blue So while the chassis set-up of the Ranger doesn’t suit heavy towing, Oval pin-up pick-ups – with the pimped-up Raptor displaying a bit or whacking big loads in the tray, it remains supremely competent in more suspension travel and road/tyre noise on one hand, a bit less the role for which it was designed. With the next-generation Rangers throttle response under hard acceleration (those extra kilos are obvious almost upon us, they have very big shoes to fill. when driven back-to-back), steering precision and higher-speed

Toyota Hilux SR5 AUSTRALIA’S FAVOURITE VEHICLE, DESPITE ITS SHORTCOMINGS

MEGATEST / DUAL-CAB UTES

Actual off-road ability, though, continues to be a strong point.

CAN’T STRETCH THE extra $10K for the boots-n-all Hilux As with the Rugged X, the traction control system found in the Rugged X that finishes third in this test? Take solace in the fact THE SR5 is excellent off-road; the moment you feel a tyre slip, it stops that unless you’re a hardcore off-roader, this SR5 version of SPECS it and sends drive to the tyre with grip. Gearing is also spot-on, Australia’s most popular ute is arguably the smarter pick. providing plenty of pulling power up hills and Tipping the scales at a relatively lithe strong engine braking down them. Engagement 2055kg, the SR5 offers stirring performance PRICE $63,725 (with steel tray) of four-wheel drive is quick and easy, with no real ENGINE 2755cc 4cyl, dohc, 16v, TD from exactly the same 2.8-litre four-cylinder POWER 150kW @ 3400rpm annoyances to mention. This eighth-generation turbo-diesel as the Rugged X which offers TORQUE 500Nm @ 1600-2400rpm model has been around for several years now, gutsy response from the moment you press TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic and with this most recent update Toyota has the accelerator and real pulling power through DIMENSIONS (L/W/H/W-B) created the most capable Hilux yet. It’s a very the mid-range. This was one of the most 5325/1855/1815/3085mm WEIGHT 2055kg adept off-roader, even in stock trim. spirited goers of the entire comparison, with PAYLOAD 920kg Back in civilisation, smoother roads help mask the SR5 enjoying the benefits of Toyota’s BRAKED TOWING CAPACITY 3500kg most of the SR5’s age-old shortcomings, and recent upgrades to the 2.8L oiler.

UNBRAKED TOWING CAPACITY 750kg it seems like a slightly more appealing overall Price wise, the SR5 dual-cab starts at GROUND CLEARANCE 279mm package than the significantly exxier Rugged X. $57,920 for the manual and $59,920 for the TYRES 265/60 R18 110H Bridgestone Dueler H/T 684 Infotainment in this mid-spec SR5 is provided automatic, though the optional steel tray of FUEL CONSUMPTION 7.9L/100km (ADR) through an 8.0-inch central touchscreen display our test example adds $3804 to that figure.

0-100KM/H: 11.1sec and a 4.2-inch driver info screen found within the Other attributes include easy, eager and 60-100KM/H: 6.0sec instrument cluster. responsive steering, surprisingly sure-footed 100-0KM/H: 39.3m (dry) 100-0KM/H: 52.7m (wet) The four-speaker stereo sounds better than a handling and more forgiving ride quality than Taiwanese telephone, but only marginally, and the Rugged X… but we’re talking degrees of unlike the high-spec Hilux Rugged X, the SR5 misses out on DAB radio differences here. and satellite navigation. Fortunately you get score Apple CarPlay and That’s because the Thai-made Toyota tray-back proved louder in terms Android Auto. of mechanical and tyre-noise intrusion, and still inflicted a dentureOf course, there are other benefits to Hilux ownership too, such as rattling ride over a course that most others managed with measurably the cost of servicing, reputed reliability reputation and strong retained greater finesse. And the ESC and traction intervention remained on high value: 56 percent after three years, according to Glass’s guide data. alert as bitumen turned to gravel.

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Mazda BT-50 Thunder EXTRA EQUIPMENT OVER ITS ISUZU TWIN TAKES A (TINY) TOLL ON PERFORMANCE The BT-50 shines under brakes, though, stopping well short of AS YOU’D EXPECT given the all-new BT-50 is now a fraternal 40m in the dry and just under 53m in the wet, the shortest distance twin to the equally fresh Isuzu D-MAX, the under-the-skin THE between the two figures of any of the utes tested. similarities between the two newest trucks from Japan (via SPECS The Mazda’s cabin in this top spec is, as you would expect, Thailand) are extensive, extending to the same wheel, tyre and luxurious in look and feel. However, it is still suspension specification, including the leafinextricably linked to the new D-Max through spring rear-end.

PRICE $68,990 (drive-away) ENGINE 2999cc 4cyl, dohc, 16v, TD things like the analogue instruments.

Unsurprisingly, then, the same comments POWER 140kW @ 3600rpm The front leather seats are short on under-thigh levelled at the Isuzu apply to the Mazda – right TORQUE 450Nm @ 1600-2600rpm support but offer excellent bolstering around your down to the way their 3.0-litre turbo-diesel TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic back. Both seats are heated, whereas only the engines become raucous above 3500rpm.

DIMENSIONS (L/W/H/W-B) 5470/1870/1790/3125mm driver’s side is powered.

Yet there is one distinct difference: this WEIGHT 2213kg The Thunder also scores auto wipers, auto ‘Thunder’ BT-50 is noticeably slower. Blame PAYLOAD 887kg headlights, side steps, keyless entry and start, goes to the addition weight of the Thunder’s BRAKED TOWING CAPACITY 3500kg dual-zone climate control and a reverse camera, various accessories, as it takes almost 11sec to UNBRAKED TOWING CAPACITY 750kg while sharing a great deal of its equipment with reach 100km/h and is slower from 60-100km/h GROUND CLEARANCE 240mm TYRES 265/60 R18 110S the GT specification. This means a 9.0-inch than the D-Max as well.

Bridgestone Dueler H/T touchscreen infotainment unit borrowed from For all their off-road practicality, the FUEL CONSUMPTION 8.0L/100km (ADR) Isuzu that has wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Thunder’s exterior modifications push the 0-100KM/H: 10.8sec Auto capabilities as well as factory satellite kerb weight to 2213kg and reduce the BT-50’s 60-100KM/H: 6.3sec navigation and DAB radio. payload rating to 887kg.

100-0KM/H: 38.8m (dry) 100-0KM/H: 52.7m (wet) The range-topping Thunder is currently Further, its suspension isn’t quite as supple available with drive-away pricing of $65,990 over lower-frequency bumps, with a slight bias (manual) or $68,990 (auto), though these will become the respective towards firmness. This would have you hope the Mazda might instead RRPs at an indeterminate point in the future. edge a little closer to the tied-down feel of the Ford Rangers than the Overall, then, both the Isuzu and Mazda are strong, consistent D-Max, but its roadholding ultimately still falls a little shy of the Fords. on-road performers, without hitting the Ranger’s heights. And On gravel, both twin trucks are hampered by overzealous stability and compared to the previous D-Max, which came dead-last in the previous traction control systems that cut power abruptly the moment they sense Wheels ute megatest in mid-2018, they’re comfortably ahead. a little bit of slide, but at least it still allows for progress to continue. @wheelsaustralia

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MEGATEST / DUAL-CAB UTES

Toyota Hilux Rugged X HEFTY PRICE PREMIUM OVER SR5 DOESN’T BRING BIG LEAP IN CAPABILITY agricultural over roads the far more sophisticated Rangers smother LIKE THE D-MAX, Navara and Triton, the Hilux’s reputation as with insouciance. Engine and tyre noise are ever-present, and the a tough and dependable workhorse is born from decades of THE ESC nannies are too intrusive over gravel surfaces. experience. But previous versions of the best-selling Toyota SPECS Inside, the facelift does address some infotainment shortfalls, seemed incapable of possessing both decent dynamics and we’re glad to see the reintroduction of volume and a comfy ride. Does the 2020 facelift knobs rather than touch controls. The Rugged X address this?

PRICE $69,990 ENGINE 2755cc 4cyl, dohc, 16v, TD adds leather accenting on the front seats, gearlever With steering modifications, the 2316kg POWER 150kW @ 3400rpm and steering wheel to push it further upmarket Rugged X is now quite the nimble handler, TORQUE 500Nm @ 1600-2800rpm over the SR5. It also adds heating to the front seats, cornering with accuracy and control, whether TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic eight-way power adjustability for the driver, black around town or out on the open road. You DIMENSIONS (L/W/H/W-B) 5350/1935/1815/3085mm door ‘chrome’ trim and an electrochromatic mirror. could almost call it fun.

WEIGHT 2316kg The front seats offer decent comfort, support and Additionally, gaining 20kW and 50Nm in PAYLOAD 920kg legroom adjustability. the process, the 150kW/500Nm 2.8-litre BRAKED TOWING CAPACITY 3500kg Like an SR5 variant, the Rugged X comes with four-pot turbo-diesel delivers robust UNBRAKED TOWING CAPACITY 750kg mod-cons including single-zone climate control, acceleration across a broad rev range, GROUND CLEARANCE 279mm TYRES 265/60 R18 110H Bridgestone power windows with an auto function on the helped out by a slick six-speed auto.

Dueler H/T 684 driver side, keyless entry and start, and auto LED The flagship Rugged X is the heaviest of all FUEL CONSUMPTION 8.4L/100km (ADR) headlights. It misses out on auto wipers.

Hilux variants, but this newly uprated engine 0-100KM/H: 10.7sec Safety? Equipped with seven airbags, it sports shrugs off the burden. Granted, 0-100km/h in 60-100KM/H: 5.9sec active safety features such as adaptive cruise a shade under 11sec isn’t going to set too many 100-0KM/H: 39.7m (dry) 100-0KM/H: 57.6m (wet) control, lane keep and assist and AEB, but forgoes hearts racing, but combined with competitive blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert. It overtaking acceleration the Hilux doesn’t seem still managed an ANCAP five-star crash safety rating in 2019. short of grunt, feeling stronger than the numbers suggest.

Overall, though, the Rugged X can’t escape the on-road limitations So far, so good. afflicting Hilux in general. There are 4x4 utes with worse ride and Away from smooth roads, though, the stiff suspension set-up refinement issues, but none command prices (or blind admiration) like the undermines Toyota’s claims of extensive improvements, which include Toyota. For the money, it’s simply outclassed in competition as fierce as longer rear leaf springs for greater comfort and performance. Simply this. An all-new Hilux worthy of the badge cannot come soon enough. put, the ride remains too stiff, too jittery and – for rear-seat occupants –

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Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain RAISES SOME BENCHMARKS, BUT NOT ALL WHERE THEY REALLY COUNT At least its dry braking performance is among the strongest of the IF YOU WANT to experience how far the 4x4 ute has group, with a consistent and confidence-inspiring sub-40m stop. progressed in the decade since the T6 Ranger’s release, then look THE Wet braking is quite poor at more than 57m, and on the final stop no further than the third-gen D-Max – or, more specifically, inside SPECS some steering correction was required to keep the D-Max straight. one. Its modern interior and generous equipment level, including Similarly, few drivers will complain about the segment-busting standard safety features, is effortless steering, which is nicely weighted for commendable.

PRICE $62,900 round-town commuting and agile enough for easy ENGINE 2999cc 4cyl, dohc, 16v, TD ANCAP rated the D-Max five stars for crash POWER 140kW @ 3600rpm tight-spot parking scenarios. Yet there isn’t even a safety in 2020, explaining why the X-Terrain ticks TORQUE 450Nm @ 1600-2600rpm hint of the Rangers’ feel and feedback. off every active safety feature under the sun, from TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic Finally, while Isuzu’s engineers should be lauded adaptive cruise control to rear cross-traffic alert DIMENSIONS (L/W/H/W-B) for quelling road and tyre noise, the chassis tune is and a rear-view camera.

5280/1880/1810/3125mm WEIGHT 2130kg firm, and it doesn’t possess anything like the same Other equipment is vast and includes keyless PAYLOAD 970 kg degree of absorption and isolation as the Aussieentry, remote start, auto locking, an eight-way BRAKED TOWING CAPACITY 3500kg developed duo once the surfaces become rough. adjustable electric driver’s seat, auto wipers, UNBRAKED TOWING CAPACITY 750kg Head off-road and you find D-Max’s 4x4 auto LED headlights with auto high beam, auto GROUND CLEARANCE 240mm engagement smooth and simple via a rotary dial, driver’s window and dual-zone climate control.

TYRES 265/60 R18 110S Bridgestone Dueler H/T and when locked in low-range, engine braking is But the clock seems to have stopped as far as FUEL CONSUMPTION 8.0L/100km (ADR) slow and controlled on descents. The fitment of engine performance and on-road dynamics are 0-100KM/H: 10.1sec a rear differential lock to this generation D-Max concerned because, while it may be the best of 60-100KM/H: 6.0sec dramatically improves the off-road capability over the rest, no boundaries have been pushed.

100-0KM/H: 38.4m (dry) 100-0KM/H: 57.4m (wet) the previous model. There’s decent (not classThe big 140kW/450Nm 3.0-litre turbo-diesel leading) wheel travel, but an ultra-firm ride over is a strong and solid performer, providing healthy undulations when unladen doesn’t make it the most endearing rig when off-the-line acceleration, and in previous testing has consumed marginally properly exploring in the bush. less fuel, but the 2130kg D-Max doesn’t feel as rapid or refined as the While the D-Max lacks the level of polish we may have expected Ranger with its bi-turbo engine. The Isuzu would benefit from more gears from a new-generation model, it leads the field for safety and convenience than its current six to exploit the engine’s relatively narrow power band, features, and provides enough of the old car’s unburstability to keep and the noise is a definite reminder of the Isuzu’s workhorse roots, with customers happy. plenty of diesel clatter at all revs.

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Ford Ranger XLT Bi-Turbo

MEGATEST / DUAL-CAB UTES

ASTONISHINGLY, THE OLDEST UTE HERE IS ALSO THE BEST DRIVING acceleration with trailer attached, taking just 6.0sec for 20-60km/h, OPTIONED WITH the 157kW/500Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder and retained fine stability with a load. twin-turbo diesel (with 10-speed auto) for a compelling saving THE The SYNC3 infotainment system is presented on an of $1500 over the old 33kg-heavier 147kW/470Nm 3.2-litre SPECS unremarkable 8.0-inch touchscreen, but does feature app five-pot/six-speed auto combo, the XLT proved to be the most integration like Spotify and AccuWeather, as well as FordPass car-like of our gathered 11 dual-cab utes. features to control items such as remote air Comparatively muted even under hard PRICE $58,990 (drive-away) conditioning priming, remote unlock and a acceleration, it doesn’t feel all that powerful ENGINE 1996cc 4cyl, dohc, 16v, TTD POWER 157kW @ 3750rpm vehicle locator function. at first, but with two turbos quickly kicking in TORQUE 500Nm @ 1750-2000rpm Ranger scored five stars for the ANCAP safety it’s soon punching along hard, offering instant TRANSMISSION 10-speed automatic rating back in 2015, but its equipment list in this and satisfying throttle flexibility. And fears of DIMENSIONS (L/W/H/W-B) area is far from comprehensive, with the XLT relentless transmission hunting are unfounded 5446/1867/1821/3220mm missing out on blind-spot warning, rear crosssince the auto slices seamlessly between the WEIGHT 2197kg PAYLOAD 1003kg traffic alert and adaptive cruise control. It does eight lower ratios, reserving the top two for BRAKED TOWING CAPACITY 3500kg provide six airbags, though. relaxed and quiet highway cruising.

UNBRAKED TOWING CAPACITY 750kg Practicality is improved for rear occupants by Like most 4x4 utes, the 2197kg XLT wears GROUND CLEARANCE 237mm leaf springs rather than the 2342kg Raptor’s TYRES 265/65 R17 112T Dunlop Grandtrek large cupholders in the doors, while the absence of either USB ports or ventilation is redeemed to a coils out back, yet the XLT’s sophistication is FUEL CONSUMPTION 7.4L/100km (ADR) 0-100KM/H: 8.9sec degree by a 12-volt power supply, 230V inverter palpable, providing beautifully fluent handling, 60-100KM/H: 5.0sec and centre armrest with two small cupholders. outstanding body control and a comparatively 100-0KM/H: 42.1m (dry) Value is also in its favour. As it nears the end isolated ride backed up by an outstandingly 100-0KM/H: 63.7m (wet) of its life, Ford is offering a number of deals on subtle yet effective ESC calibration over gravel.

Ranger models, the XLT Bi-Turbo currently listed at $58,990 drive-away, Sadly, the Ranger blots its copybook with sub-standard braking. It a significant saving over its standard retail of $60,940 plus ORCs. wears similar all-terrain tyres to its rivals – in this case Dunlop Grandtreks Despite the safety and convenience omissions, the XLT remains the – but takes more than 42m to come to a stop from 100km/h. dual-cab high watermark for driver enjoyment and passenger comfort It claws back points with strong off-road ability and was also deemed alike. A decade on, the Ranger still shows them all how it’s done. the number-one 4x4 here for towing duties. It was the strongest for

Ranger XLT remains the dual-cab high watermark for driver enjoyment and passenger comfort alike Combination of torque and 10 auto ratios help make the Ranger the towing king of this crowd

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USING THE RESULTS TABLE

Payload

Towing

Interior

Infotainment

Running Costs

4x4

Totals

RANK

Ford Ranger XLT Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain Toyota Hilux Rugged X Mazda BT-50 Thunder Toyota Hilux SR5 Ford Ranger Raptor Nissan Navara ST-X Mitsubishi Triton GLS Jeep Gladiator Rubicon Ssangyong Musso Ultimate XLV GWM Ute Cannon-L

Dynamics

Results

Performance

The table below details the eight criteria that contributed to the overall ranking of our field.

It’s there to allow you to run your own tallies, dropping any criteria not relevant to your usage. If, say, you have no intention to load the tray or tow, drop them and recalculate to see the adjusted finishing order.

7.5 7.5 7 7 7.5 6 6.5 5.5 6 5 5

9 8 6.5 8 6.5 8.5 7.5 7 5 6 5.5

8.5 7 7.5 7 7.5 6.5 7 8 5.5 5.5 6

9 8 8 7.5 8.5 7 6.5 6 6 5 0

6 7.5 7 8.5 6.5 6.5 7 6.5 7.5 7 7

9 8 8.5 8 7.5 8 8.5 7 8.5 6.5 6

7.5 8 7.5 7 7.5 7.5 7.5 8.5 6 9 6

8 7 8.5 7 8.5 8.5 7.5 7 9 5 5.5

64.5 61 60.5 60 60 58.5 58 55.5 53.5 49 41

1 2 3 4 4 6 7 8 9 10 11

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TO GET SH D AN A A Q NO Y NS TO UO .C O M EN T E .A T U/ E RA R M

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Tow, carry, move, see and enjoy more with your very own RAM 1500 Express V8 Quad Cab, finished in Granite Grey with black cab-length tubular side steps. There’s nothing quite like a full-size American pickup, and the RAM features a V8 Hemi engine with a 4.5 Tonne max braked towing capacity.

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You could win up to a massive $113,000 in prizes!

1 5 ENTRY

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Get an eligible Quote^

Take out an eligible new Motor Policy*

10

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The more quotes you get the more chances you have to win!

To enter go to shannons.com.au/ram or call 13 46 46 and obtain an eligible quote on your Car, Bike or Home Insurance^ by 29 June 2021**.

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INSURANCE FOR MOTORING ENTHUSIASTS | CALL 13 46 46 FOR A QUOTE | SHANNONS.COM.AU Shannons Ptyy Limited ABN 91 099 692 636 is an authorised representative p of AAI Limited ABN 48 005 297 807, the issuer of Shannons Car, Bike and Home/Contents insurance pproducts. Read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and consider whether it is right g for yyou before buying y g these insurance pproducts. Call us on 13 46 46 for a copy. py Competition p conducted byy Shannons Ptyy Limited, of Level 28, Brisbane Square, q 266 George g Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000. Competition p commences at 12am on 9/3/21 and closes at 11.59pm p on 29/6/21 ((Melbourne time)) ((Entryy Period). ) Prize drawn 12pm p 8/7/21 at Engage g g Interactive, 24 Washpool p Crescent, Woongarrah, g NSW 2259. Winner ppublished in The Australian 14/7/21. Entryy is onlyy open p to eligible g Australian residents aged 18 yyears or older. Eligible g Entrants must be opted p in to receive Shannons marketingg communications. Permits: ACT TP 21/00190, NSW TP/00259, SA T21/107. Images g for illustrative ppurposes p only. y Full T&Cs and entryy options p at shannons.com.au/ 1 ram. Actual pperiod mayy be less than 365 days y depending p g on the winner’s location and delivery/pick y p upp date, however, won’t be less than 11 months residual benefit. The issue of Shannons Insurance is subject j to Shannons’ normal acceptance p criteria. The inclusion of this component p of the pprize does not constitute financial pproduct advice or a recommendation to acquire q anyy Shannons Insurance pproduct. The issue of Shannons Roadside Assist is subject j to the winner beingg issued the comprehensive p car and 2 motorcycle y insurance pportion of the pprize and the Issuer’s normal acceptance p criteria. If the winner is a member of the Shannons Club with a pprofile image g and enthusiast vehicle image g at the time of the draw, theyy will receive $5,000 AUD cash. ^Apply pp y for and receive a new Shannons Motor Insurance ((excludes CTP insurance)) ((“Motor Policy”) y ) or a new Shannons Home & Contents Insurance Policyy ((includes buildingg only, y contents onlyy or buildingg and contents cover)) ((“Home Policy”) y ) qquote duringg the Entryy Period.

Limit 1 qquote pper vehicle or insured address. For the avoidance of doubt, an Eligible g Insurance Quote for a combined buildingg and contents ppolicyy constitutes one risk for the ppurposes p of this Competition. p Quotes and issue of ppolicyy are subject j to Shannons’ normal underwritingg acceptance p criteria. **Applications pp made online for qquotes must be submitted byy 24/6/21, however, telephone p applications pp will continue to be available until 11.59pm p 29/6/21. *Purchase a new Motor Policyy ((excludes existingg Motor Policy renewals)) duringg the Entryy Period. +Purchase a new Home Policyy OR hold an existingg fullyy ppaid Home Policyy ((current duringg the Entryy Period). ) Customers that do not wish to participate p p in the competition p can email enquiries@shannons.com.au. q To be entered into the draw customers must not have opted p out of Shannons marketingg communications duringg the Entryy Period. The Promoter reserves the right g to modifyy or suspend p the Competition p Website from time to time, at the Promoter’s discretion, without notice to the Eligible Entrant. The Promoter assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption or delay an Eligible Entrant may experience from the Promoter modifying or suspending the Competition Website.

Garage WE DRIVE ’EM LIKE WE OWN ’EM

JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

HYUNDAI PALISADE

GENESIS GV80

NEW CARS PUT THROUGH THE WRINGER

Two fresh faces this month while Inwood waves farewell to his big petrol V6

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DATABANK The hard numbers on every new passenger car on sale in Australia

PAGE

PAGE

118

GARAGE

PAGE

PLUS

146

DRIVEN TO EXTINCTION Pretty (and talented) Italian hatch goes the way of the dodo

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Garage

ONE

HYUNDAI PALISADE HIGHLANDER Price (MSRP) $75,000 This month 346km @ 11.6L/100km Total 346km @ 11.6L/100km

BIGGER FISH TO FRY HYUNDAI’S EIGHT-SEATER FLAGSHIP TAKES A BERTH AS WE RALLY THE TROOPS

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HAT DO YOU give the bloke who’s just handed back a large, seven-seater Korean SUV, in which he only ever managed to fill two of those seats at any one time?

Easy! Give him an even larger Korean SUV that seats eight.

Not that I’m complaining, and the transition to this top-spec Palisade Highlander diesel will be instructive in terms of how it compares to that top-spec Kia Sorento I ran for the last four months. No, the two are not eye-toeye segment rivals due to the Palisade being slightly larger and featuring a three-seat third row (versus two in the third row for the Kia), but the model line-ups of both do overlap enough on price that they’ll surely be crossshopped by some buyers for whom the third-row accommodation is not a dealer breaker either way.

In terms of price, there’s a fairly hefty premium attached to the extra size and additional rear seat of the Palisade. This range-topper, finished in Steel Graphite, is $75,000, so about $10K more expensive than the (same engine, and also AWD) Hyundai Santa Fe from the segment below, and about $13K dearer than the (again, same engine, AWD) Kia Sorento GT-Line I just vacated.

And no, you don’t get more equipment for your money in the Palisade. Straight away, I see the Palisade is missing a few features that are fitted to the Sorento, like a customisable digital dash, and controls for the front-passenger seat on the right-hand bolster.

Neither is a big deal for me, and ample compensation comes with some of the other neat details I find. As I open the sub-floor storage compartment that houses the cargo blind, I see it also contains a rolled-up

Cabin is ultra-spacious, as you’d expect from an SUV that’s 1975mm wide. By-wire transmission buttons work fine; Infinity audio system cranks

tailored floor mat that neatly unfurls to line the boot floor when the thirdrow seats are folded, stopping any boot debris from dropping through the gaps. The full-length compartment is also the ideal stash spot for an umbrella and picnic rug (if you’re me or Mary Poppins), or maybe a sawn-off shotgun (if you’re Roger Rogerson.)

Up front, the lidded centre console box is appropriately XL-sized, while ahead of this is a generous storage space that can be configured to hold two water bottles, or allows the bottle retainers to be retracted, leaving the space clear for more of your personal stuff. There’s also an under-console storage space which will probably end up as the receptacle for my partner’s handbag, or my handbag if I go back to the cross-dressing thing.

There’s no wireless CarPlay, but otherwise general functionality and user-friendliness gets a big tick, as does visibility and seating. The front seats have generous electric adjustment for under-thigh support, so instantly feel super comfortable.

Admittedly the cabin’s off-white shade of leather isn’t the most practical choice for a knuckle-dragger like me, so I’ll need bring my hygiene A-game.

Speaking of trim, the attempt at pale beechwood veneer around the dash and door trims looks as if it came straight from Faux Appliqués R US, but that’s a small, subjective gripe. Otherwise the sense of quality is overwhelmingly positive, as is the overall intuitiveness of all minor controls and menus.

So how does it drive? With a degree of cohesion and wieldiness you may not expect from something with its own postcode. More next month.

AS H WE STER MA N

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Garage

REPORT ONE

JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE Price as tested $72,950 This month 1221km @ 13.9L/100km Overall 1221km @ 13.9L/100km

STAR SPANGLED HAMMER LONG-SERVING AMERICAN ARRIVES TO PROVE AGE DOESN’T WEARY A HEMI

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ELCOMING the Jeep Grand Cherokee S-Limited to the Wheels garage is a bit like making friends in an old person’s home. The hard truth is it’s not long for this world. Over a decade has passed since Jeep debuted this generation of Grand Cherokee, and you can already register your interest online for the next all-new model.

But there are reasons why the S-Limited deserves a run in its twilight years. For starters, its 5.7-litre Hemi V8 is whispered to power the new model from the outset. And that engine is why this S-Limited even exists at all.

After the engine bowed out from the Grand Cherokee range in the nose of the Limited years earlier, it was reinstated in late 2019 when the S-Limited arrived as a limited edition.

Then, after Australia snapped up the first 100 units, Jeep decided to keep the S-Limited in its line-up full-time.

So, not ‘limited’ at all, really, but welcome all the same.

With outputs like 259kW and 520Nm, the S-Limited sits one rung

down from the (supply constrained) 6.4-litre V8 Grand Cherokee SRT making 344kW/624Nm. Meanwhile, the supercharged and slightly unhinged 6.2-litre V8 Trackhawk produces twice the power, with 522kW/868Nm. Grunt is channelled through an eight-speed transmission.

Visually, our S-Limited scores glossblack 20-inch wheels to match the darkened window trim, wing mirrors, badges and front grille. The front bumper and side skirts are a more aggressive design, too. It also comes with premium LED foggies, darker lights front and rear, darker window tinting and a pair of trapezoidal exhaust tips to round out the visual differential over the models below it.

Some features are obvious in their absence. For instance, air suspension and a more rugged Quadra-Drive II all-wheel-drive system are saved for the S-Overland – the circa-$4500 more expensive diesel variant two steps up the range.

Without them, the S-Limited can focus on value. It’s priced at $72,950 before on-roads, which is still a hefty wedge. The days when the Australian dollar had a bit of strength against the US greenback and $61,000 bought a

REPORT SIX

GENESIS GV80 3.5T AWD Price as tested: $120,600 This month: 1075km @ 11.0L/100km Overall: 7458km @ 10.9L/100km

RETURN OF SERVICE SPANNERS COME OUT; INWOOD’S WALLET STAYS PUT

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Our S-Limited model gets enough visual toughness to not look underdone next to the much more powerful (and expensive) SRT

Grand Cherokee Limited 5.7 are long gone. Even an SRT could be had for $77,000 (!) back then.

So far, during our time spent together, the S-Limited is stacking up as an SUV after our own hearts.

The 5.7 V8 has perfect manners. It’s quiet during easy driving – which is most of the time, let’s be honest – only revealing a growl when you’re up it. The engine is super-flexible, too.

There’s ample low-down grunt, but it also enjoys unfurling into the upper revs when you need a kick in the back.

But the consumption will need to be discussed – it’s already drinking above its official 13L/100km – and we’ll investigate how it behaves when asked to tow a load approaching its 3500kg braked limit.

As for other plans, that Quadra-Trac II drive mode dial, with the option to drop the transmission into low-range gearing, will get a workout once we head bush to test its off-road ability.

LOU IS CORD O N Y

E TICKED over 10,000km in the GV80 this month which threw two things into sharp focus.

Firstly, it was a pleasant reminder that buying a Genesis brings certain ownership advantages. The biggest is you don’t have to pay any servicing fees, with the first five years of dealer visits included for no charge. That’s a decent saving, with BMW and Mercedes charging $2250 and $5200 respectively to service their large SUVs through capped-priced servicing programmes. Another bonus is you don’t actually need to visit a dealer at service time. If you live within

70km of Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane, Genesis will collect your car from your house or whatever location you choose.

Fit, finish and overall quality is the other thing that clocking over 10,000km has thrown under the microscope. The good news is that NBY26G has excelled in this area, albeit with two minor mechanical niggles. Inside the cabin feels as tightly screwed together as it did on day one, with nary a squeak or rattle to report. Thick carpets and floor mats also do a decent job of absorbing dirt and grime, and the lack of piano plastic and the clever use of hot keys and brushed aluminium mean the centre console is largely free of grubby fingerprints and scuffs. The only area that requires the occasional wipe down is the silver material that surrounds the gear selector. Mechanically, what sounds like a worn rear wheel bearing and a vibration through the centre console at low rpm are issues that need checking.

Heading in for its first major service also marked the end of our time this particular GV80. Next month we’re swapping it for a diesel variant to verify our suspicion that the silky smooth oiler might just be the GV80 to buy. Stay tuned.

AL EX I NWOO D

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Data bank

+ Ȉȏȇȇ

Alfa Romeo

Aston Martin

5 years/150,000km

Drive

Issue tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

Engine type

Price

Drive

Issue tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

Engine type

Price

VEHICLE PRICES, SPECS & REVIEWS EVERY MONTH

3 years/unlimited

Vantage A return to form for Aston, helped along in no small way by borrowing that outstanding twin-turbo V8 from Mercedes-AMG. A real gem THE PICK: AdVantage: driver. V8 finally delivers

ALFA ROMEO GIULIETTA Final flourish for perky hatch Coupe Roadster

Limited to 35 units (alongside approximately 50 Giuliettas left in showrooms), Edizione Finale farewells Alfa’s charismatic hatch. Based on the Veloce, the Finale scores a raspy Magneti Marelli sports exhaust, yellow brake calipers and body trim, carbon-style highlights, yellow cabin stitching and ‘dark miron’ 18s. Comes in three colours (white, blue, matte grey). $35,950 $42,950

L4T L4T

1.4 125 250 D6 1284 7.7 4.9 95 44 1.7 177 340 D6 1299 6.0 6.8 95 46

F F

Edizione Finale

$48,950 Giulia

L4T

1.7 177 340 D6 1299 6.0 6.8 95

F

Coupe Volante AMR

L4T L4T V6TT

2.0 147 330 A8 1394 6.6 6.0 95 51 R 2.0 206 400 A8 1490 5.7 6.1 95 52 06/17 R 2.9 375 600 A8 1585 4.4 8.2 95 52 04/17 R

Styling, focused dynamics and sexy carbon tub offset by charmless four-pot, snappy handling and steep pricing. Production has ended THE PICK: Get in while stock remains in dealers

Coupe Spider

$89,000 $99,000 Stelvio

L4T L4T

Volante

$65,900 $67,900 $78,900 $149,900

DBX

L4T L4TD L4T V6TT

2.0 2.2 2.0 2.9

148 154 206 375

330 470 400 600

A8 A8 A8 A8

1619 1620 1619 1830

7.2 6.6 5.7 3.8

7.0 95 4.8 D 7.0 95 10.2 95

57 57 55 59

02/19 10/18 02/19 03/18

A A A A

V8TT V8TT

3 years/200,000km

A 4.4 447 800 A8 1894 3.5 10.5 98 50 4.4 447 800 A8 2120 3.7 11.1 98 50 10/19 A

L6TTD 3.0 245 700 A8 2015 4.6 6.4 D

Alpine

30 TFSI 35 TFSI 40 TFSI

61

A

3 years/100,000km

A clear nod to the 1960s and ’70s rally icon without resorting to retro pastiche. Extols the virtues of lightness and a well-sorted chassis THE PICK: Whatever your budget allows, you lucky thing you

124

$357,000

L4T L4T

whichcar.com.au/wheels

$32,750 $35,290 $46,450 A3

35 TFSI S Line $43,300 35 TFSI S Line sedan $44,900 35 TFSI S Line cabriolet $52,400 40 TFSI S Line $49,300 40 TFSI S Line sedan $50,900 40 TFSI S Line cabriolet $58,400 40 TFSI quattro S Line $52,900 40 TFSI qttr S Line sedan $54,500 40 TFSI qttr S Line cab $62,000 S3 $64,200 S3 Sedan $65,800 S3 Cabriolet $73,400 RS3 $83,436 RS3 sedan $86,136 A4

09/18 R R

V8TT

4.0 405 700 A9 2245 4.5 14.3 98 -

09/20 A

3 years/unlimited

L3T L4T L4T

1.0 85 200 D7 1125 9.4 5.4 95 53 F 1.5 110 250 D7 1165 7.7 5.8 95 54 02/20 F 2.0 147 320 D6 1260 6.5 6.4 95 54 13/19 F

1.8 185 320 D7 1080 4.5 6.2 95 55 05/19 R 1.8 185 320 D7 1123 4.5 6.2 95 55 R

L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T L5T L5T

1.4 1.4 1.4 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.5 2.5

110 110 110 140 140 140 140 140 140 213 213 213 294 294

250 250 250 320 320 320 320 320 320 380 380 380 480 480

D7 D7 D7 D7 D7 D7 D7 D7 D7 D7 D7 D7 D7 D7

1240 1250 1380 1315 1320 1430 1385 1390 1540 1430 1460 1620 1510 1515

8.2 8.2 8.9 6.8 6.8 7.2 6.2 6.2 6.9 4.8 4.8 5.3 4.1 4.1

5.1 5.0 5.2 6.0 5.9 6.1 6.1 6.0 6.3 6.6 6.5 6.8 8.5 8.5

95 95 95 95 95 95 95 95 95 95 95 95 98 98

54 F 55 F 55 F 55 F 55 F 55 F 56 A 56 A 56 A 57 A 57 A 57 A 62 09/20 A 62 A

The yardstick for build quality and now value-for-money, though lack of adaptive dampers undermines regular A4’s refinement THE PICK: A4 TFSI Allroad for its ride, fluency and space

A110

$98,388 $103,388

V12TT 5.2 533 900 A8 1693 3.4 12.3 95 V12TT 5.2 533 900 A8 1863 3.6 14 98 -

About to be replaced with an all-new A3, so bargains should be afoot.

Still, a recent range refresh was welcome and RS3 remains a highlight THE PICK: If your budget allows, RS3 is an evocative delight

While Australia misses out on the quad-turbo monster, diesel beast is powerful enough to make X3M nervous, but Macan is more compelling THE PICK: Alpina has made the choice very easy

Pure Legende

R R R

Audi’s second-gen baby has grown and gained a higher-tech cabin and supermodel looks, but cheapo trim and high pricing undermine it THE PICK: 40 TFSI for its slick performance – or related VW Polo GTI

Addresses our minor reservations about the latest M5. How does Alpina manage that with a staff of just over 100?

THE PICK: Touring wagon offers what no M5 sedan can

$109,900

$536,900 $570,200 DBX

Audi

1.7 177 350 D6 1025 4.5 6.8 95 55 02/15 R 1.7 177 350 D6 1035 4.6 6.8 95 55 06/15 R

B5

$210,000 $217,000 XD3

$382,495 V8TT 4.0 375 675 A8 1760 4.0 9.9 98 $406,495 V8TT 4.0 375 675 A8 1870 4.0 11.4 98 $437,400 V12TT 5.2 470 700 A8 1870 3.7 11.4 98 DBS Superleggera

A1

Alpina

B5 Sedan B5 Touring

09/18 R R

All-important Aston SUV hailed as a potential saviour for the brand.

Debuts a new platform and a more powerful tune of AMG’s V8TT THE PICK: You can buy two AMG GLC 63s for this money...

Takes Giulia’s brilliance and squanders it somewhat. Steering too fast for some, cabin quality poor. Ballistic Q the only real winner THE PICK: Stelvio impasse? Join the Q

Petrol Diesel Ti Q

4.0 375 685 A8 1530 3.6 10.3 98 4.0 375 685 A8 1590 3.8 9.4 98 -

Makes a convincing case as the world’s most beautiful super-GT. Stunning opulence and excessive torque, though it’s no Ferrari 812SF THE PICK: Aston’s beguiling flagship true to the marque

Quadrifoglio towers as an M3 terroriser while all soar dynamically, but reliability niggles and quality glitches keep Alfa’s best from greatness THE PICK: Remember: spend more and the more glorious the Giulia gets

$63,950 $71,450 $138,950 4C

V8TT V8TT

A luxo grand tourer that emits pure sex appeal from its exhaust tips.

Hefty weight hurts its dynamics, but those looks, right?

THE PICK: AMR is a beautifully sorted sports tourer

Super TCT Veloce TCT

Sport Veloce Quadrifoglio

$299,950 $315,000 DB11

35 TFSI 35TFSI S Line 45 TFSI S Line 45 TFSI S Line Avant

$55,900 $59,900 $68,500 $71,000

L4T L4T L4T L4T

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

110 110 183 183

270 270 370 370

D7 D7 D7 D7

1440 1440 1545 1590

8.6 8.6 5.8 6.0

6.1 6.1 7.1 7.3

95 95 95 95

51 51 52 52

F F A A

A L FA R OM E O – B E NT LE Y YOUR COMPLETE NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE

L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T V6T V6T V6T V6TT V6TT

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 2.9 2.9

140 140 140 183 183 183 260 260 260 331 331

320 320 320 370 370 370 500 500 500 600 600

D7 D7 D7 D7 D7 D7 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8

1455 1490 1655 1530 1570 1735 1675 1640 1840 1685 1720

7.3 7.5 7.9 5.8 6.0 6.3 4.8 4.7 5.1 3.7 3.9

6.4 6.5 6.7 7.1 7.1 7.4 8.8 8.8 9.1 8.8 8.9

95 95 95 95 95 95 95 95 95 98 98

56 56 56 64 54 – – – – 53 53

F F F A A A A A A A A

All-new, tech-laden model arrived late in 2019 ready to tackle the E-Class and 5 Series. Four-wheel steer a ‘must tick’ option THE PICK: RS6 is a ballistic missile. 45TDI Allroad the sensible choice

40 TFSI 45 TFSI quattro 45 TFSI quattro S Line 55 TFSI quattro S Line 45 TDI Allroad S6 RS6 Avant

$84,900 L4T $96,900 L4T $106,000 L4T $116,000 V6T $109,200 V6TD $149,900 V6TT $216,000 V8TT A7 Sportback

2.0 2.0 2.0 3.0 3.0 2.9 4.0

140 180 180 250 170 331 441

320 370 370 500 500 600 800

D7 D7 D7 D7 A8 A8 A8

1770 1695 1845 1945 1910 2075

6.0 6.0 5.1 6.7 4.5 3.6

7.2 7.3 7.2 5.9 8.4 11.7

95 95 95 95 D 98 98

52 F 52 A 52 02/20 A 52 A 46 A 42 08/20 A 47 09/20 A

$114,636 $133,236 $159,136 $224,000 A8

L4T V6T V6TT V8TT

2.0 3.0 2.9 4.0

180 250 331 441

370 500 600 800

D7 D7 A8 A8

1750 1920 1965 2065

6.2 5.3 4.6 3.6

7.3 7.1 8.5 11.6

98 95 98 98

45 A 45 A 48 08/20 A 47 A

$194,500 $197,036 $209,100 $212,136 $260,000 TT

V6TD V6T V6TD V6T V8TT

3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 4.0

210 250 210 250 420

600 500 600 500 800

A8 A8 A8 A8 A8

1975 1920 2000 1945 2230

5.9 5.6 5.9 5.7 3.8

5.6 D 7.9 95 5.8 D 7.9 95 10.5 98

47 02/19 A 47 A 47 A 47 02/19 A 47 A

40 TDI quattro 45 TFSI quattro 40 TDI quattro Sport 45 TFSI quattro Sport 40 TDI qttr Launch Ed. 45 TFSI qttr Launch Ed. 50 TDI quattro S-Line SQ5

$80,900 $99,300 $134,900 R8

L4T L4T L5T

45 TDI quattro 50 TDI quattro 50 TDI quattro S line 55 TFSI S-line quattro SQ7

V10 RWD V10 RWD Spyder

$295,000 $316,500

V10 V10

5.2 397 540 D7 1595 3.7 12.9 98 64 5.2 397 540 D7 1695 3.8 13.1 98 64

R R

V10 Performance V10 Perf Spyder

$395,000 $416,500

V10 V10

5.2 456 580 D7 1595 3.1 13.1 98 64 5.2 456 580 D7 1695 3.2 13.3 98 64

A A

50TDI 55 TFSI SQ8 TDI RS

50 quattro 55 quattro 50 quattro Sportback 55 quattro Sportback

L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T

1.4 1.4 2.0 2.0 2.0

110 110 140 140 221

250 250 320 320 400

D7 D7 D7 D7 D7

1405 1405 1430 1430 1535

8.5 8.5 6.7 6.7 4.9

10.6 5.6 6.5 6.5 7.7

95 95 95 95 98

55 07/17 56 56 07/18 55

F F A A A

Second-gen adopts Golf 7.5 architecture so is far more advanced, spacious and refined. Now comes in tapered Sportback guise THE PICK: Launch edition has more kit for cheap if you’ve got the dosh

35 TFSI $46,950 Sportback 35 TFSI S-line $50,450

L4T L4T

1.4 110 1.4 110

250 D6 1470 9.3 7.2 95 56 12/19 F 250 D6 1545 9.3 7.3 95 56 F

8.0 8.2 8.3 8.9 8.9

95 95 95 98 98

56 57 57 58 58

Drive

7.8 7.8 7.8 4.5 4.5

Issue tested

1620 1620 1695 1715 1700

$68,900 $69,600 $74,900 $76,600 $78,300 $80,800 $89,600 $104,900 Q7

L4TD L4T L4TD L4T L4TD L4T V6TD V6TD

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 3.0 3.0

150 183 150 183 150 183 210 251

400 370 400 370 400 370 620 700

S7 S7 S7 S7 S7 S7 A8 A8

1805 1750 1805 1750 1805 1750 1935 2010

7.6 6.3 7.6 6.3 7.6 6.3 5.7 5.1

$103,300 $114,300 $121,300 $121,300 $161,500 Q8

V6TD V6TD V6TD V6T V8TTD

3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 4.0

170 210 210 250 320

500 600 600 500 900

A8 A8 A8 A8 A8

2165 2165 2165 2140 2385

7.3 6.5 6.5 5.6 4.8

$129,600 $130,200 $166,500 $208,500 e-tron

V6T V6T V8TTD V8TT

3.0 3.0 4.0 4.0

210 250 320 441

600 500 900 800

A8 A8 A8 A8

2145 2145 2365 2240

6.3 5.7 4.8 3.8

$137,100 $146,100 $148,100 $157,100

E E E E

71 95 71 95

230 300 230 300

540 664 540 664

1R 1R 1R 1R

2370 2480 2370 2480

6.8 5.7 6.8 5.7

Bentley

A A A A A

5.4 8.0 5.4 8.0 5.4 8.0 6.8 7.0

D 95 D 95 D 95 D D

– – – – – – –

A A A A A A A A

7.0 6.8 6.8 9.0 7.6

D D D 95 D

56 A 56 A 56 07/20 A – A 63 A

6.9 D 13.3 95 7.8 D 12.1 98

63 A 63 10/19 A 63 A 63 A

23.6 22.0 23.2 22.7 -

61 61 47 47

A A A A

3 years/unlimited

Continental GT An undeniable sheen of bespoke Englishness and a focus on ride quality make this the pick of the grand touring coupes. V8 now in Oz THE PICK: W12 delivers on its promises with regal insouciance

V8 V8 Convertible W12 W12 Convertible

$400,900 V8TT $441,300 V8TT $422,000 W12TT $464,600 W12TT Flying Spur

4.0 4.0 6.0 6.0

404 404 467 467

770 770 900 900

D8 D8 D8 D8

2143 2209 2344 2414

4.0 4.1 3.7 3.7

- 98 - 98 12.2 98 12.3 98

-

A A 02/19 A 12/19 A

Third-generation debuts all-new architecture that adds 48v tech and rear-steer. Three chamber air springs offer a silken ride THE PICK: To paraphrase Holden, there’s nothing quite like a W12

$469,000 W12TT 6.0 467 900 D7 2437 3.8 14.8 98 Mulsanne

Small but near perfectly formed sub-SUV needs options to feel premium – it looks, feels and drives best near the top shelf THE PICK: From a price versus punch perspective, the raunchy SQ2

$41,950 $44,550 $49,400 $52,400 $64,400 Q3

D7 D7 D7 D7 D7

It has the COTY-winning Mercedes-Benz EQC as competition, but latearriving e-tron offers more choice than its fellow German rival THE PICK: Sportback offers extra style for your quiet arrival

Q2

35 TFSI 35 TFSI Edition #2 40 TFSI quattro sport 40 TFSI qttr Edition #2 SQ2

320 320 320 480 480

A technological powerhouse that rivals A8 for luxurious people moving. SQ8 TDI is convincing; RS is a Lambo Urus for half the cash THE PICK: Base 55 TFSI is convincing. RS defies the laws of physics

2.0 180 370 D7 1365 5.2 7.0 95 51 A 2.0 210 380 D6 1385 4.5 16.0 98 51 11/19 A 2.5 294 480 D7 1450 3.7 8.0 98 67 09/20 A

Recently updated flagship now sports even more aggressive styling and tweaked dynamics. Operatic V10 is one of the best donks on sale THE PICK: Rear-drive models are less expensive and more fun

132 132 132 294 294

Facelift has added air suspension and useful equipment upgrades as standard. Still very polished and decent dynamically to boot.

THE PICK: 50TDI offers grunt, refinement and more space than rivals

Rock-solid coupe that’s usually maligned on account of not being a Porsche. The multi-faceted TT deserves a fairer go THE PICK: S one of the most competent ‘real world’ sports cars around

45 TFSI quattro S quattro RS

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.5 2.5

Quietly handsome, Mexican-built Q5 generously equipped and arguably more well-rounded than its monotone German rivals THE PICK: Sweet 45 TFSI quattro Launch Edition is a nicely maxxed Q5

Audi pours everything it knows into the mighty A8 – it’s an indulgent experience. But the autonomous tech doesn’t quite stack up in reality THE PICK: If you can play in this league, the S8 is goals

50 TDI quattro 55 TFSI quattro L 50 TDI quattro L 55 TFSI quattro S8

L4T L4T L4T L5T L5T

Q5

Ingolstadt took a punt pitching a hatch at this price point, and the nichewithin-a-niche A7 offers little over its A6 sibling except exclusivity THE PICK: Makes far more sense than the related A8 limo

45 TFSI quattro 55 TFSI quattro S7 RS7

Resale %

40 TFSI S Line S’back $71,900 40 TFSI S Line Coupe $71,900 40 TFSI S Line Cabriolet $85,400 45 TFSI qttr S Line S’back $79,900 45 TFSI S Line Coupe $79,900 45 TFSI S Line Cabriolet $93,400 S5 Sportback quattro $106,900 S5 Coupe quattro $106,900 S5 Cabriolet quattro $120,400 RS5 Coupe $150,900 RS5 Sportback $150,900 A6

40 TFSI $54,450 40 TFSI quattro S-line $59,950 S’back 40 TFSI qttr S-line $62,350 RS $89,900 RS Sportback $92,900

RON

A quick car for those who have grown out of going quick. Now here in facelifted 2021 guise which brings fresh sheetmetal and cabin tech THE PICK: S5 is satisfying and plenty quick enough

Fuel cons.

A A A A A

0-100

52 52 46

Kerb weight

D 95 95 95 98

Trans.

4.9 7.4 8.6 8.8 8.9

Torque

Resale %

7.3 6.1 4.7 4.9 4.1

Power

RON

1645 1615 1645 1690 1790

Size

Fuel cons.

D7 D7 A8 A8 A8

Engine type

0-100

400 370 500 500 600

Price

Kerb weight

150 183 260 260 331

Drive

Trans.

2.0 2.0 3.0 3.0 2.9

Issue tested

Torque

L4TD L4T V6T V6T V6TT

Power

$70,600 $72,600 $99,500 $102,000 $147,900 A5

Size

40 TDI Allroad 45 TFSI quattro Allroad S4 quattro S4 Avant quattro RS4 Avant

Engine type

Price

WHAT IT ALL MEANS PRICE Recommended retail figure at time of publication (asterisk indicates driveaway price) ENGINE TYPE L, in-line; V, vee; F, flat. Number of cylinders. T, turbo; S, supercharged; D, diesel; H, hybrid; E, electric SIZE Litres or kWh POWER kW TORQUE Nm TRANSMISSION M, manual; A, auto; D, dual-clutch; C, CVT WEIGHT Kerb, kg 0-100 km/h, acceleration in seconds (Wheels as-tested figures in italics) FUEL CONS Consumption in litres, or kWh, per 100km RON Octane of fuel required, as numbered, or D for diesel RESALE percent, 3-year resale in Glass’s ISSUE TESTED month/year DRIVE A, all-wheel; F, front; R, rear. Any figure in bold is our own estimate.

A

Curious but intoxicating melange of tech and tradition. Feels like a throwback but delivers in all the areas that matter. In a class of its own THE PICK: You may as well do it properly, so Speed it is

Speed

$541,000 V8TT $553,600 V8TT Bentayga

6.8 377 1020 A8 2711 6.8 395 1100 A8 2711

5.3 15.0 98 4.9 15.0 98 -

R R

Bentley’s SUV effort is an expectably serene, rapid, capable and classy machine. Dropped pork pie styling not everyone’s cup of tea THE PICK: W12 will crush any critics claiming this is just a Q7 in UK drag

V8 Diesel W12 Speed

$340,400 $348,300 $441,400 $491,000

V8TT V8TTD W12TT W12TT

4.0 4.0 6.0 6.0

404 320 447 467

770 900 900 900

A8 A8 A8 A8

2395 2499 2440 2508

4.5 4.8 4.1 3.9

11.4 98 8.0 D 13.1 98 14.3 95

A A 10/16 A A

@wheelsaustralia

125

BMW

3 years/unlimited

740Li 750i xDrive M760Li xDrive

1 Series Front-drive 1 Series kills the old rear-driver for packaging but suffers from a lumpy ride and frumpy demeanour THE PICK: New 128ti seems promising, unlike the rather disjointed M135i

118i 128ti M135i xDrive Pure M135i xDrive

$47,900 L3T 1.5 103 $56,900 L4T 2.0 180 $65,900 L4T 2.0 225 $70,900 L4T 2.0 225 2 Series Gran Coupe

220 380 450 450

D7 A8 A8 A8

1320 1445 1525 1525

8.5 6.3 4.8 4.8

5.9 6.1 7.5 7.5

95 95 95 95

58 – 60 60 03/20

F F A A

At base level, cheap for a BMW ‘sedan’ though M235i Gran Coupe gets smashed by 330i for ability, style, value and cool-factor THE PICK: A 2 Series coupe – this Mini in drag is both dorky and dull

218i 220i M235i xDrive Pure GC M235i

$52,990 $55,900 $70,900 $75,900 2 Series

L3T L4T L4T L4T

1.5 2.0 2.0 2.0

103 141 225 225

220 280 450 450

D7 D7 A8 A8

1375 1430 1570 1570

8.7 7.2 4.9 4.9

5.7 7.1 7.1

95 95 95 95

55 55

F F A A

Baby rear-driver rights all the wrongs of the preceding 1 Series coupe/ convertible with sporting style and purist driving flair THE PICK: M2 Competition or CS – future classic status guaranteed!

220i 220i Convertible M240i M240i Convertible M2 Competition M2 Competition M2 CS M2 CS

$56,900 $64,900 $81,900 $91,900 $102,900 $109,900 $139,900 $147,400 i3

L4T L4T L6T L6T L6TT L6TT L6T L6T

2.0 2.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0

135 135 250 250 302 302 331 331

270 270 500 500 550 550 550 550

A8 A8 A8 A8 M6 D7 M6 D7

1373 1540 1485 1630 1550 1575 – –

7.2 7.7 4.6 4.7 4.4 4.4 4.2 4.0

5.8 95 6.1 95 7.0 95 7.4 95 9.8 98 13.4 98 – 98 – 98

57 57 62 62 51 51 11/19

R R R R R R R R

Proud winner of Wheels’ 2014 COTY, BMW’s sole full EV scores well for its drive and design, less so for its sky-high asking price THE PICK: BMW’s made the choice for you

S

$71,900 3 Series

E

42 135 270 R1 1245 6.9 16.1 -

53

R

Imposing new-gen 3 Series absolutely nails its target with superb dynamic talents, improved space, comfort and value THE PICK: 330i is a stunning piece of work and one of BMW’s finest

320i 330i 330i Touring 330e M340i xDrive Pure M340i xDrive M3

$70,900 $77,900 $81,900 $84,900 $101,900 $111,900 $144,900 4 Series

L4T L4T L4T L4TH L6T L6T L6TT

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 3.0 3.0 3.0

135 190 190 215 285 285 353

300 400 400 420 500 500 550

A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 M6

1460 1490 1575 1740 1670 1670 –

7.2 5.8 5.9 5.9 4.4 4.4 4.2

6.3 8.9 7.0 6.4 7.7 7.7 –

95 95 95 95 95 95 98

51 R 52 02/20 R 48 02/20 R 52 R 52 A 52 02/20 A – R

All-new 4 Series is smarter, quicker and bigger than its predecessor, including that grille. M4 is rear drive only for now, AWD later THE PICK: 430i for rear-drive balance and grunt, times two for M4

420i 420i Convertible 430i 430i Convertible M440i xDrive M440i xDrive Conv.

M4

$71,900 $89,900 $90,900 $107,900 $118,900 $135,900 $149,900 5 Series

L4T L4T L4T L4T L6T L6T L6TT

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 3.0 3.0 3.0

135 135 190 190 285 285 353

300 300 400 400 500 500 550

A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 M6

1525 – 1545 1740 – –

7.5 8.2 5.8 6.2 4.5 4.9 4.2

5.8 – 6.1 7.1 – –

95 95 95 95 95 95 98

57 – 57 – 57 – –

R R R R A A R

Updated 5 Series looks sharper and has better infotainment, but Touring wagon gone. M5 CS is the fastest, most powerful BMW ever!

THE PICK: Beastly 550i is a cut-price M5 that’s almost as quick, CS apart

520i 530i 530e 530d M550i xDrive Pure M550i xDrive M5 Competition M5 CS

$99,900 $119,900 $122,900 $125,900 $139,900 $154,900 $246,900 $274,900 7 Series

L4T L4T L4TH L6TD V8TT V8TT V8TT V8TT

2.0 2.0 2.0 3.0 4.4 4.4 4.4 4.4

135 185 215 195 390 390 460 467

290 350 420 620 750 750 750 750

A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8

1610 1625 1835 1760 1915 1915 1895 1825

7.9 6.4 5.9 5.6 3.8 3.8 3.3 3.0

5.5 5.5 1.8 4.6 10.0 10.0 10.6 –

95 95 95 D 95 95 98 98

36 36 36 36 55 55 42 –

R R R R A A A A

Straight-six power for most of the range will please many, but it’s the V12 you really want, as it is the last of the breed THE PICK: All impress but 745e is an intriguing eco-oddball GT

730d 740i 745e

126

$204,900 $204,900 $209,900

L6TTD 3.0 195 620 A8 1825 6.1 5.7 D 42 L6TT 3.0 250 450 A8 1760 5.5 7.7 95 42 L6TTH 3.0 290 600 A8 1995 5.2 2.4 95 42

whichcar.com.au/wheels

R R R

$234,900 $277,900 $383,900 8 Series

L6TT 3.0 250 450 A8 1805 5.6 7.9 95 42 V8TT 4.4 390 750 A8 1965 4.0 10.1 95 42 V12TT 6.6 448 850 A8 2220 3.8 13.0 98 42

Drive

Issue tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

Engine type

Price

Drive

Issue tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

Price

Engine type

Data bank

R A A

Just when you thought the market for big, style-statement coupes had all but evaporated, BMW breathes in new life – and tasty M variants THE PICK: If you can afford the price of admission, go the M8 Comp

840i Gran Coupe 840i Coupe 840i Convertible M850i xDrive G’ Coupe M850i xDrive M850i xDrive Convert M8 Comp Gran Coupe M8 Competition Coupe

$204,900 $207,900 $222,900 $277,700 $280,900 $289,900 $354,900 $357,900 Z4

L6T L6T L6T V8TT V8TT V8TT V8TT V8TT

3.0 3.0 3.0 4.4 4.4 4.4 4.4 4.4

250 250 250 390 390 390 460 460

500 500 500 750 750 750 750 750

A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8

1710 1710 1830 1995 1965 2024 1980 1885

5.2 5.0 5.3 3.9 3.7 3.9 3.2 3.2

7.4 95 7.1 95 7.3 95 9.9 95 9.8 95 9.9 95 10.7 98 10.4 98

67 R 67 R 67 R 67 A 67 06/19 A 67 A 67 A 67 A

Big engine, small car, no roof, it’s an age-old recipe that works brilliantly in the new Z4. Ignore the four-pot and go the straight-six THE PICK: M40i gains 285kW tune and a 4.1sec 0-100km/h time

sDrive20i sDrive20i sDrive30i M40i

$88,900 $88,900 $109,900 $129,900 X1

L4T L4T L4T L6T

2.0 2.0 2.0 3.0

145 145 190 285

320 320 400 500

M6 A8 A8 A8

1405 1405 1415 1535

6.6 6.6 5.4 4.1

6.5 6.5 6.5 7.4

95 95 95 95

55 R 55 02/20 R 55 R 55 02/20 R

A good-looking design hides some dynamic foibles, not least of which is the sharp and bumpy ride on the standard suspension THE PICK: Stick to the petrols, an XC40, or consider the latest Audi Q3

sDrive18i sDrive18d sDrive20i xDrive25i

$47,900 $53,900 $55,900 $66,900 X2

L3T L4TD L4T L4TD

1.5 2.0 2.0 2.0

103 110 141 170

220 350 280 350

D7 A8 D7 A8

1495 1510 1595

9.6 9.2 7.6 6.5

4.7 5.9 6.6

95 D 95 D

56 56 56 57

F F F A

A surprisingly uncompromising small SUV that is both stylish and spacious inside, despite the low-slung roofline. Clever THE PICK: Turbo triple has appeal, but 20i is an extra $9K well spent

sDrive18i sDrive20i M Sport X2 M35i Pure X2 M35i

$49,900 $60,900 $68,900 $73,900 X3

L3T L4T L4T L4T

1.5 2.0 2.0 2.0

103 141 225 225

220 280 450 450

D7 D7 A8 A8

1415 1460 1615 1615

9.6 7.2 4.9 4.9

6.3 6.1 7.4 7.4

95 95 95 95

56 F 56 07/18 F A A

Bigger, better version of one of BMW’s most important cars. Oodles of space, but the options list could bring a tear to a statue’s eye THE PICK: Mid-spec xDrive30i, unless you want M Comp ball-tearer

sDrive20i xDrive20d xDrive30i M Sport xDrive30d M Sport M40i M Competition

$71,900 $74,900 $85,900 $92,900 $113,900 $157,900 X4

L4T L4TD L4T L6TD L6T L6TT

2.0 2.0 2.0 3.0 3.0 3.0

135 140 185 190 265 375

290 400 350 620 500 600

A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8

1660 1745 1720 1820 1885 1970

8.2 8.0 6.3 5.8 4.8 4.1

9.6 5.7 7.6 6.0 8.9 11.7

95 D 95 D 95 98

63 63 63 63 58 - 10/19

F A A A A A

Oh, you’re paying $10K more than an equivalent X3 for a swoopier roofline? Can we interest you in some magic beans?

THE PICK: The X3 twin of whichever takes your fancy

xDrive20i M Sport xDrive30i M Sport M40i M Competition

$83,900 $93,900 $121,900 $164,900 X5

L4T L4T L6T L6TT

2.0 2.0 3.0 3.0

135 185 265 375

290 350 500 600

A8 A8 A8 A8

1678 1678 1783 1932

8.3 6.3 4.8 3.7

7.8 7.8 9.2 11.7

95 95 95 98

61 61 58 - 04/20

A A A A

Fourth time’s a charm for X5. Advanced tech, smartly packaged, lovely dash and fun to punt around. Likeable 30d offers lag-free diesel punch THE PICK: Tasty 40i, since a straight-six petrol is what BMW’s all about

xDrive25d xDrive30d M Sport xDrive40i M Sport xDrive45e M Sport M50i Pure M50i X5 M Competition

$104,900 $121,900 $124,900 $135,900 $142,900 $157,900 $212,900 X6

L4TD L6TTD L6T L6TH V8TT V8TT V8TT

2.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 4.4 4.4 4.4

170 195 250 290 390 390 460

450 620 450 600 750 750 750

A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8

2105 2110 2005 2435 2345 2345 2310

7.5 6.6 5.2 5.6 4.3 4.3 3.8

6.2 D 7.2 D 9.2 95 2.0 95 10.5 95 10.5 95 13.0 95

63 A 63 02/20 A 63 02/20 A 63 A 63 A 63 A - 04/20 A

If you thought the X5 could do with a little less load-carrying ability and rear headroom, and a lot more grille, the X6 was built for you THE PICK: An X5, or a V8 petrol... the M Comp if the budget can stretch

xDrive30d M Sport xDrive40i M Sport M50i Pure M50i X6 M Competition

$127,900 $130,900 $148,900 $163,900 $218,900

L6TTD L6T V8TT V8TT V8TT

3.0 3.0 4.4 4.4 4.4

195 250 390 390 460

620 450 750 750 750

A8 A8 A8 A8 A8

2110 2005 2235 2235 2295

5.5 6.5 4.3 4.3 3.8

- D - 95 10.5 95 - 95 12.7 95

63 A 63 A 63 A 63 13/19 A A

B MW – FOR D YOUR COMPLETE NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE

Drive

Issue tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb weight

Caterham

Trans.

L6TTD 3.0 195 620 A8 2370 6.7 9.7 D 63 10/19 A V8TT 4.4 390 750 A8 2460 4.7 - 95 63 A

Engine type

$135,900 $181,900

Price

xDrive30d M50i

Torque

US luxury seven-seater built for space. Value twin-turbo diesel eclipsed by stonking if exxy V8 petrol, but still outstandingly muscular THE PICK: Too big to be sporty, so the diesel makes way more sense

Power

X7

Size

Drive

Issue tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

Engine type

Price

WHAT IT ALL MEANS PRICE Recommended retail figure at time of publication (asterisk indicates driveaway price) ENGINE TYPE L, in-line; V, vee; F, flat. Number of cylinders. T, turbo; S, supercharged; D, diesel; H, hybrid; E, electric SIZE Litres or kWh POWER kW TORQUE Nm TRANSMISSION M, manual; A, auto; D, dual-clutch; C, CVT WEIGHT Kerb, kg 0-100 km/h, acceleration in seconds (Wheels as-tested figures in italics) FUEL CONS Consumption in litres, or kWh, per 100km RON Octane of fuel required, as numbered, or D for diesel RESALE percent, 3-year resale in Glass’s ISSUE TESTED month/year DRIVE A, all-wheel; F, front; R, rear. Any figure in bold is our own estimate.

2 years/50,000km

Fiat

3 years/150,000km

Seven Developed from Colin Chapman’s 1957 vision; a time when cigarettes were good for you. Ridiculously fast fun. Range now revised for 2020 THE PICK: 485 S is all the reborn Lotus 7 fun you’ll ever need

275 485 S CSR

$73,700 $114,000 $115,000

L4 L4 L4

1.6 100 160 M5 675 2.0 177 206 M6 700 2.0 177 206 M6 700

Chrysler

5.5 6.2 95 55 4.5 7.7 95 55 4.5 7.7 95 55

R R R

3 years/100,000km

300 Ballin’ on a budget, relatively speaking. Chassis’ ability begs for big-V8 grunt, and top SRT worth a stretch for its adaptive dampers THE PICK: SRT for your VF II SS or Falcon XR8 fix

C Luxury SRT Core SRT

$59,950 $65,950 $77,450

V6 V8 V8

3.6 210 340 A8 1724 7.7 9.7 91 35 R 6.4 350 637 A8 1946 4.5 13.0 98 35 09/19 R 6.4 350 637 A8 1965 4.5 13.0 98 36 R

Citroën

5 years/unlimited

C3 Likeable but invisible French hatch brings flair and individuality, however its price is too steep for any level of sales success THE PICK: Something bright and cheery, so you forget what you paid for it

Shine

$28,990 L3T C3 Aircross

1.2 81

Ageing Italian icon still an artistic, affordable runabout – but avoid robotised auto and buy a seat cushion for bonkers Abarth THE PICK: Now too old, so buy used or wait for an all-new generation

Lounge Lounge Club Abarth 595 Abarth 595 Abarth 595 Comp.

Abarth 595 Comp.

Lounge Lounge Club Abarth 595C Abarth 595C Abarth 595C Comp.

Abarth 595C Comp.

51 51 51 107 107 132 132

102 102 102 206 206 250 250

M5 S5 S5 M5 S5 M5 S5

885 935 920 1035 1035 1045 1085

12.9 12.9 12.9 7.9 8.0 6.7 6.9

$23,990 $25,250 $27,250 $29,990 $31,990 $35,990 $37,990

L4 L4 L4 L4T L4T L4T L4T

1.2 1.2 1.2 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4

51 51 51 107 107 132 132

102 102 102 206 206 250 250

M5 S5 S5 M5 S5 M5 S5

920 935 935 1075 1035 1045 1085

12.9 12.9 12.9 7.8 8.0 6.7 6.9

Ford

4.9 4.8 4.8 5.8 5.8 5.7 6.9

95 95 95 95 95 95 95

F F F 48 07/16 F 48 F 51 13/17 F 51 F

4.9 4.8 4.8 6.0 5.8 6.0 5.8

95 95 95 95 95 95 95

54 F 54 F 54 F 48 07/16 F 48 F 51 F 51 F

5 years/unlimited

$34,990 L3T C5 Aircross

It took a while to get here, but the Fiesta ST makes up for lost time by being a brilliant performance car. Some lament loss of the three-door THE PICK: There’s only one, and it ticks all the boxes. A true hot hatch

1.2 81

205 A6 1203 10.4 8.4 95 54 12/19 F

$42,990 $46,990

L4T L4T

1.6 121 1.6 121

240 A6 1402 9.9 7.9 95 56 240 A6 1402 9.9 7.9 95 57

ST

3 years/unlimited

$403,888 Roma

V8TT

3.9 441 760 D7 1664 3.5 10.7 98 -

R

Pretty and deceptively appealing, Roma is also a joy to drive thanks to its searing pace and long-legged chassis tune THE PICK: We’d take this over the heavier, less powerful Portofino

$409,888 V8TT F8 Tributo

3.9 456 760 D8 1570 3.4 11.2 98 -

10/20 R

Ravishing styling and stupendous speed as expected, but Tributo’s true triumph is just how everyday comfortable and user-friendly it is THE PICK: You can’t go wrong with either, but the wait will be agonising

$484,888 V8TT $536,888 V8TT GTC4Lusso

3.9 530 770 D7 1435 2.9 12.9 98 3.9 530 770 D7 1505 2.9 12.9 98 -

11/19

ST-Line Hatch Active ST ST

$511,888 $585,888 812

V8TT V12

3.9 442 760 D7 1840 3.5 11.6 98 6.3 507 697 D7 1920 3.5 15.3 98 -

$613,888 V12 $675,888 V12 SF90 Stradale

6.5 588 718 D7 1705 3.0 16.4 98 6.5 588 718 D7 1705 3.0 16.4 98 -

High Performance 2.3L High Performance 2.3L High Perf. 2.3L Conv GT Fastback GT Fastback GT Convertible R-Spec

R R

1.5 147 290 M6 1262 6.7 7.5 95 -

05/20 F

$30,990 $30,990 $44,890 $44,890 Mustang

L3T L3T L4T L4T

1.5 1.5 2.3 2.3

134 134 206 206

240 240 420 420

A8 A8 M6 A7

1347 1329 1508 1540

8.2 8.7 5.7 5.5

6.4 6.4 7.9 8.0

91 91 95 95

48 05/19 F 48 09/19 F - 06/20 F F

$51,490 $54,490 $51,490 $64,190 $67,190 $75,390 $99,616 Puma

L4T L4T L4T V8 V8 V8 V8S

2.3 2.3 2.3 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0

236 236 236 339 339 339 500

448 448 448 556 556 556 827

M6 1705 A10 1716 A10 1780 M6 1701 A10 1785 A10 1855 M6 1701

6.0 6.0 6.2 4.6 4.3 4.5 4.7

9.6 9.6 9.6 13.0 12.7 12.7 12.4

91 91 91 98 98 98 98

55 R 55 06/20 R 56 R 67 07/19 R 66 R 67 R 67 03/20 R

Ford’s new small SUV looks exxy compared with rivals but is bursting with standard gear. Plus, it’s a million times better than the EcoSport!

THE PICK: Trim and equipment the decider here. We’d go the ST-Line

ST-Line ST-Line V

R 02/17 A

Recipient of the greatest naturally aspirated production engine ever made. The rest of the package is almost as good. A landmark car THE PICK: A top-drawer supercar in GT clothing

L3T

Muscle range now a whole lot beefier with the inclusion of the locally assembled R-Spec and the beefed-up four-pot models. Praise be THE PICK: R-Spec for racing cred and the FOMO feel of a 500-car run

R R

This is what happens when Ferrari engineers get on the turps. It shouldn’t work, yet does so brilliantly. Sadly production has now ended THE PICK: What a ‘crossover’ from Ferrari should be. #noFerrariSUVs

$32,290 Focus

Ford has swung the axe and culled the Focus range from seven to just four variants. We’ll miss the wagon, but this remains a decent Golf rival THE PICK: ST is a very good hot hatch, though Hyundai i30 N is better...

F F

It’s taken a while, but Ferrari’s entry-level effort is finally one to be proud of. Turbo engine suits Portofino’s more supine edge THE PICK: A massive leap over the California it replaces

Superfast GTS

1.2 1.2 1.2 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4

Fiesta ST

Portofino

T

L4 L4 L4 L4T L4T L4T L4T

Six grand more than the C3 for an extra 100kg of weight and few millimetres of ride height. Value is in the eye of the beholder THE PICK: Buy the C3 hatch and save, or stretch to the C5 Aircross

Ferrari

F8 Tributo F8 Tributo Spider

$19,250 $21,200 $23,250 $26,990 $28,990 $31,990 $33,990 500 C

The least costly way to get rays on your noggin, but (like all 500s) iffy ergonomics, robotised auto and spec holes undermine a great design THE PICK: 500 too slow, 595 too hard, so try a used A3 Cabrio instead

205 A6 1090 10.7 6.6 95 52 05/18 F

The SUV for those looking for a Goldilocks pick between the Peugeot 3008 and 5008. Divisive styling, amicable in most other areas THE PICK: Plusher Shine more in keeping with Citroën’s comfort image

Feel Shine

500

$29,990 $32,340 $35,540 Escape

L3T L3T L3T

1.0 92 1.0 92 1.0 92

170 D7 1314 170 D7 1314 170 D7 1314

10.0 5.3 95 10.0 5.3 95 10.0 5.3 95 -

F F F

Underrated and worthy of attention, Ford offers an ideal, ahem, Escape from the masses. Plug-in hybrid model now delayed THE PICK: ST-Line is the sweet spot with its punchy 2.0-litre turbo

ST-Line ST-Line AWD Vignale Vignale AWD

$35,990 $37,990 $40,990 $46,590 $49,590

L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

183 183 183 183 183

387 387 387 387 387

A8 A8 A8 A8 A8

1611 1621 1690 1621 1690

-

8.6 8.6 8.6 8.6 8.6

95 95 95 95 95

-

F F A F A

The plug-in hybrid electric craze reaches Maranello. However, it isn’t for tree-hugging, the extra volts are all about adding performance THE PICK: If you’ve got the means, you won’t be disappointed

SF90 Stradale

$846,888

V8TTH 4.0 574 800 D8 1570 2.5 -

98 -

09/20 A @wheelsaustralia

127

Endura

$44,990 $48,900 $53,900 $57,900 $63,900 $67,990 Everest

L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

140 140 140 140 140 140

400 400 400 400 400 400

A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8

1933 1995 1949 2012 1999 2062

8.2 8.2 8.2 8.2 8.2 10.4

6.7 6.7 6.7 6.7 6.7 6.7

D D D D D D

60 62 62 61 62 62 04/19

F A F A F A

$50,050 $50,190 $55,090 $55,190 $57,090 $60,890 $62,390 $60,090 $62,890 $64,390 $73,190 Ranger

L5TD L5TD L5TD L5TD L4TTD L5TD L4TTD L4TTD L5TD L4TTD L4TTD

3.2 3.2 3.2 3.2 2.0 3.2 2.0 2.0 3.2 2.0 2.0

143 143 143 143 157 143 157 157 143 157 157

470 470 470 470 500 470 500 500 470 500 500

A6 2239 A6 2266 A6 2343 A6 2370 A10 2305 A6 2407 A10 2444 A10 2286 A6 2408 A10 2387 A10 2494

11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 10.5 11.0 10.5 10.5 11.0 10.5 10.5

8.4 8.4 8.5 8.5 6.9 8.5 7.1 6.9 8.5 7.0 7.1

D D D D D D D D D D D

57 57 57 57 58 58 58

58

R R A A R A A R A A A

A decade on, the Aussie-engineered Ranger remains a Blue Oval success story that keeps getting better with age THE PICK: Superb Raptor by a Baja mile, though FX4 Max comes close

XL XL XL XLS XLS XLS Sport XLS Sport XLT XLT XLT FX4 MAX Wildtrak Wildtrak Wildtrak Wildtrak X Wildtrak X Wildtrak X Raptor

$48,490 $48,790 $50,990 $50,090 $52,290 $53,340 $55,540 $57,040 $59,240 $60,740 $65,490 $61,890 $64,090 $65,590 $63,890 $66,490 $67,990 $77,190

L4TD L5TD L5TD L5TD L5TD L5TD L5TD L5TD L5TD L4TTD L4TTD L5TD L5TD L4TTD L5TD L5TD L4TTD L4TTD

2.2 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.2 2.0 2.0 3.2 3.2 2.0 3.2 3.2 2.0 2.0

118 147 147 147 147 147 147 147 147 157 157 147 147 157 147 147 157 157

385 470 470 470 470 470 470 470 470 500 500 470 470 500 470 470 500 500

A6 2034 M6 2068 A6 2068 M6 2064 A6 2064 M6 2064 A6 2064 M6 2159 A6 2159 A10 2198 A10 2219 M6 2200 A6 2200 A10 2239 M6 2200 A6 2200 A10 2239 A10 2332

10.1 10.3 10.1 10.3 10.1 10.3 10.1 10.3 10.1 9.7 9.8 10.3 10.1 9.8 10.3 10.1 9.8 9.9

Genesis

8.0 8.7 8.7 8.7 8.7 8.7 8.7 8.7 8.7 7.4 7.4 8.7 8.7 7.4 8.7 8.7 7.4 8.2

D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D

56 A 56 A 56 A 56 A 56 A 56 A 56 A 56 A 56 07/18 A 56 A A 57 A 58 A 58 A 58 A A A 58 08/19 A

5 years/unlimited

Drive

Issue tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

3 years/100,000km

Chevrolet Silverado Size dwarfs just about everything else on the road; could tow your house into a better suburb thanks to monster engine THE PICK: No diesels means V8 petrol your only choice

1500 LTZ Premium Ed.

$113,990

V8

6.2 313 624 A10 2588 6.4 13.5 95 -

GWM-Haval

Ranger-derived SUV is a gun off-road and capable on it. World’s sole Oz-designed/engineered/developed SUV. New grilles, updates for ’21 THE PICK: Sport bi-turbo for its lack of chrome chintz

Ambiente 5-seat RWD Ambiente 7-seat RWD Ambiente 5-seat 4WD Ambiente 7-seat 4WD Trend Bi-Turbo RWD Trend 4WD Trend Bi-Turbo 4WD Sport Bi-Turbo RWD Sport Bi-Turbo 4WD Sport Bi-Turbo 4WD Titanium Bi-Turbo

Size

GMSV

Canadian-made Edge is spacious and pleasant to steer, but misses the mark with only five seats, laggy diesel, comedy pricing and daft name THE PICK: The bigger the discount, the better sense Endura makes

Trend Trend AWD ST-Line ST-Line AWD Titanium Titanium AWD

Engine type

Price

Drive

Issue tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

Engine type

Price

Data bank

08/20 A

7 years/unlimited

H2 Spacious and reasonably equipped, the H2 trips due to sub-par performance, economy and steering. Better alternatives abound THE PICK: Dated Mitsubishi ASX runs rings around H2

Premium Lux

New

$22,990* $25,990*

L4T L4T

1.5 110 1.5 110

210 A6 1529 11.8 9.0 95 44 210 A6 1529 11.8 9.0 95 44

F F

HAVAL JOLION Not so small, no so unsophisticated

Hot on the heels of the all-new H6 comes Haval’s replacement for the H2, the Jolion.

Initially arriving in limited numbers (just 300) with two ‘Launch Edition’ grades, the Jolion is defined by its striking interior design, its sizeable 2700mm wheelbase and its equipment. Even the Lux LE gets LED headlamps, LCD instruments, a 360-degree camera, and lane-keep assist.

Lux LE Ultra LE

$27,990* $30,990* H6

L4T L4T

1.5 110 1.5 110

210 D7 – 210 D7 –

– –

TBC 95 – TBC 95

F F

Handsome styling, a long warranty and plenty of space and features may lure punters to the H6 like a politician to a backroom deal THE PICK: Less is best, so the Premium for $31K drive-away

Premium Lux Ultra Ultra AWD

$30,990* $33,990* $36,990* $38,990* H9

L4T L4T L4T L4T

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

150 150 150 150

320 320 320 320

D7 D7 D7 D7

1555 1555 1555 1625

– – – –

7.4 7.4 7.4 8.3

95 95 95 95

F F F A

A Mazda CX-9 or Kia Sorento costs similar money. The three-row H9’s ZF ’box isn’t bad, but beyond that we’re grasping at straws THE PICK: Family planning

Lux Ultra

$41,990* $45,990* Ute

L4T L4T

2.0 180 350 A8 2236 11.0 10.5 95 52 2.0 180 350 A8 2236 11.0 10.5 95 52

A A

If equipment sizzle matters then Great Wall’s Ute is a game-changer … until you unearth its drivetrain flaws and dynamic foibles THE PICK: As its showroom glamour is so enticing, the loaded Cannon-X

Cannon Cannon-L Cannon-X

$33,990* $37,990* $40,990*

L4TD L4TD L4TD

2.0 120 400 A8 2100 – 2.0 120 400 A8 2100 – 2.0 120 400 A8 2100 –

9.4 D 9.4 D 9.4 D

– – –

A A A

G70 Hyundai needed G70 to be a 3 Series botherer. Lucky it’s exactly that, aided by pace, handling and the right specs... cheapo m’media aside THE PICK: 3.3T Ultimate has a proper LSD diff; makes a real diff erence

2.0T 2.0T Sport 2.0T Ultimate 3.3T Sport 3.3T Ultimate 3.3T Ultimate Sport

$59,300 $63,300 $69,300 $72,450 $79,950 $79,950 G80

L4T L4T L4T V6TT V6TT V6TT

2.0 2.0 2.0 3.3 3.3 3.3

179 179 179 272 272 272

353 353 353 510 510 510

A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8

1604 1604 1604 1719 1719 1719

5.9 5.9 5.9 4.9 4.7 4.7

8.7 95 9.0 95 9.0 95 10.2 95 10.2 95 10.2 95

55 02/20 R 55 R 55 R 55 10/19 R 55 R 55 02/20 R

Korean limo with a touch of Art Deco glamour and a great big dose of individuality, along with segment-leading equipment THE PICK: Twin-turbo V6 for its AWD purchase and adaptive damping

2.5T 3.5T AWD

$84,900 $99,900 GV80

L4T V6TT

2.5 224 422 A8 1869 6.0 8.6 95 – 3.5 279 530 A8 2023 5.1 10.7 95 –

R A

This upmarket SUV should unlock market awareness for Genesis. The GV80 is pitched as a X5 rival, meaning leather/wood trim abounds THE PICK: You’ll want six cylinders, but it pushes the price past $100K

2.5T 2.5T 3.0D 3.5T

128

$90,600 $95,600 $103,600 $108,600

L4T L4T L6TD V6TT

whichcar.com.au/wheels

2.5 2.5 3.0 3.5

224 224 204 279

422 422 588 530

A8 A8 A8 A8

2073 2073 2230 2267

– – -

– – -

95 95 D 95

– – -

R A A A

Honda

5 years/unlimited

Jazz Sheer versatility and clever packaging makes most sense in bargain base VTi. However, Jazz is soon to disappear from Honda’s Oz line-up THE PICK: VTi while you can. Spending more brings diminishing returns

Final Edition VTi-L

$19,990 $24,490 Civic

L4 L4

1.5 88 1.5 88

145 C 145 C

1095 10.3 5.8 91 56 F 1130 10.3 5.8 91 57 10/14 F

A comeback of sorts, led in part by the gifted Type R, and aided by clever packaging, rorty turbo and sharp dynamics. Recently refreshed THE PICK: Avoid 1.8 atmo. And reflections of the car while driving...

VTi hatch VTi sedan VTi-S hatch VTi-S sedan VTi-L hatch VTi-L sedan RS hatch RS sedan VTi-LX hatch VTi-LX sedan Type R

$23,790 $23,590 $27,300 $26,290 $31,100 $30,090 $35,600 $34,090 $36,600 $35,590 $54,990

L4 L4 L4 L4 L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T

1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 2.0

104 104 104 104 127 127 127 127 127 127 228

174 174 174 174 220 220 220 220 220 220 400

C C C C C C C C C C M6

1262 1248 1261 1250 1322 1302 1341 1326 1344 1327 1396

9.2 9.2 9.2 9.2 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.4 7.6 7.5 6.0

6.4 6.4 6.4 6.4 6.1 6.0 6.1 6.0 6.1 6.0 9.9

91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 95

54 54 54 54 54 54 56 56 56 56 55

F 07/16 F 12/18 F 01/17 F F 07/16 F F 12/16 F 09/17 F 07/16 F F

FOR D – I S UZ U YOUR COMPLETE NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE

Drive

Issue tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

Engine type

Price

WHAT IT ALL MEANS PRICE Recommended retail figure at time of publication (asterisk indicates driveaway price) ENGINE TYPE L, in-line; V, vee; F, flat. Number of cylinders. T, turbo; S, supercharged; D, diesel; H, hybrid; E, electric SIZE Litres or kWh POWER kW TORQUE Nm TRANSMISSION M, manual; A, auto; D, dual-clutch; C, CVT WEIGHT Kerb, kg 0-100 km/h, acceleration in seconds (Wheels as-tested figures in italics) FUEL CONS Consumption in litres, or kWh, per 100km RON Octane of fuel required, as numbered, or D for diesel RESALE percent, 3-year resale in Glass’s ISSUE TESTED month/year DRIVE A, all-wheel; F, front; R, rear. Any figure in bold is our own estimate.

$25,990 $30,390 $33,690 $36,240 CR-V

L4 L4 L4 L4

1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8

105 105 105 105

172 172 172 172

C C C C

1269 1274 1294 1319

9.9 10.2 10.2 10.2

8.1 91 6.9 91 6.9 91 6.9 91

50 01/20 F 50 F 50 F 52 05/15 F

$31,300 $34,200 $36,100 $37,000 $41,100 $44,200 $48,500 Odyssey

L4 L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T

2.0 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5

113 140 140 140 140 140 140

189 240 240 240 240 240 240

C C C C C C C

1504 1536 1604 1540 1597 1642 1636

9.8 9.8 9.8 10.0 10.0 10.0

7.6 7.0 7.3 7.3 7.4 7.3 7.4

91 91 91 91 91 91 91

57 52 54 54 55 56 56

F F F F A F A

A shadow of its former excellence, the van-on-wheels Odyssey is improved for 2021 but only a wholesale reboot can save it THE PICK: The cheaper the better, so the weirdly named Vi L7

Vi L7 Vi LX7

$44,250 $51,150

L4 L4

2.4 129 225 C 2.4 129 225 C

1824 – 1854 –

Hyundai

8.0 91 8.0 91

F F

5 years/unlimited

i30 Clever interior, engaging dynamics, plenty of polish... every variant is incrementally better on the last, so buy the best one you can afford.

THE PICK: N hot hatch. But anything with a turbo, we reckon.

Active Elite N-Line N-Line N-Line Premium N-Line Premium N Fastback N

$23,420 L4 $25,420 L4 $26,920 L4 $30,220 L4 $29,420 L4T $31,420 L4T $34,220 L4T $36,220 L4T $41,400 L4T $42,910 L4T i30 Sedan

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6 2.0 2.0

120 120 120 120 150 150 150 150 202 202

203 203 203 203 265 265 265 265 353 353

M6 A6 A6 A6 M6 D7 M6 D7 M6 M6

1357 1382 1382 1382 1407 1436 1407 1436 1429 1441

– – – – – – – – 6.4 6.3

7.3 91 7.4 91 7.4 91 7.4 91 7.5 91 7.8 91 7.5 91 7.8 91 10.2 95 12.2 95

54 F 54 F 54 12/18 F 54 F 54 F 56 F 56 F 56 F 58 10/18 F 58 08/20 F

A new-gen, anti-bland Elantra-in-drag that finally pushes design boundaries in every direction, including up and down THE PICK: If you value any level of performance, you’ll need a turbo

Active Active Elite N-Line N-Line N-Line Premium

$24,790 $26,790 $30,790 $30,290 $32,290 $37,290 Ioniq

L4 L4 L4 L4T L4T L4T

2.0 2.0 2.0 1.6 1.6 1.6

117 117 117 150 150 150

191 191 191 265 265 265

M6 A6 A6 M6 D7 D7

1210 1230 1300 – – –

– – – – – –

7.0 7.0 7.0 – – –

91 91 91 – – –

– – – – – –

F F F F F F

Mid-life update cuts the gap to Nissan’s Leaf with more power, torque and range for Electric variants, but cheapest EV status at risk THE PICK: Electric Elite, to keep bragging rights on Oz EV pricing, just

Hybrid Elite Hybrid Premium PHEV Elite PHEV Premium Electric Elite Electric Premium

$35,140 $40,390 $42,410 $46,950 $48,970 $53,010 Sonata

L4H L4H L4PH L4PH E E

1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6 38 38

104 104 104 104 100 100

265 265 265 265 295 295

D6 D6 D6 D6 R1 R1

1375 1375 1495 1495 1527 1527

10.8 11.1 10.6 10.6 9.9 9.9

3.9 91 3.9 91 1.1 91 1.1 91 14.5 – 14.5 –

Active Active Elite

N-Line

$50,990

L4T

2.5 213 422 D8 1623 –

8.1 91

–

F

$20,690 $22,710 $22,620 $24,640 $26,490 Kona

L4 L4 L4 L4 L4

1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6

90 90 90 90 90

151 151 151 151 151

M6 A6 M6 A6 A6

1140 1165 1200 1225 1225

11.2 11.4 11.2 11.4 10.4

7.0 7.2 7.0 7.2 7.2

91 91 91 91 91

– – – – –

Drive

Issue tested

F F F 11/19 F 01/20 F

Revamped and refreshed model line-up looks the goods but still lacks the sophisticated refinement of the best small SUVs THE PICK: The turbo version adds much-needed panache

Active Elite Highlander N-Line N-Line Premium EV Elite EV Highlander

$26,600 $28,200 $31,600 $38,000 $36,300 $42,400 $62,000 $66,000 Tucson

L4 L4 L4 L4 L4T L4T E E

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 1.6 1.6 64 64

110 110 110 110 146 146 150 150

180 180 180 180 265 265 395 395

C C C C D7 D7 R1 R1

1280 1280 1383 1383 1395 1504 1685 1743

– – – – – – – –

6.2 6.2 6.2 6.2 6.9 6.9 7.9 7.9

91 91 91 91 91 91 13.1 13.1

– – – – – – – –

F F F F A A F F

Hyundai’s popular mid-sizer adds AEB across the range. Decent handling and attractive, spacious interior offset by terse ride THE PICK: Turbos much nicer than raucous 2.0 petrol front-drivers

Active Active Active X Active X Active CRDi Elite Elite Active X CRDi Elite CRDi Highlander Highlander CRDi

$29,640 $32,140 $32,640 $35,140 $37,440 $38,200 $41,200 $40,440 $43,500 $46,850 $49,150 Santa Fe

L4 L4 L4 L4 L4TD L4 L4T L4TD L4TD L4T L4TD

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 1.6 2.0 2.0 1.6 2.0

122 122 122 122 136 122 130 136 136 130 136

205 205 205 205 400 205 265 400 400 265 400

M6 A6 M6 A6 A8 A6 D7 A8 A8 D7 A8

1596 1620 1596 1620 1820 1620 1698 1820 1820 1698 1820

9.9 10.2 9.9 9.9 9.0 9.0 9.5 9.0 9.0 8.4 9.0

7.8 91 10.0 91 7.8 91 7.9 91 6.4 D 7.9 91 7.7 91 6.4 D 6.4 D 12.3 91 6.4 D

50 F 52 12/19 F 51 F 52 F 53 A 52 F 53 A 53 A 53 A 54 06/19 A 54 A

Along with its Kia Sorento cousin, one of the finest large SUVs you can buy, especially the beautifully presented Elite and Highlander THE PICK: The Active and Elite AWD diesels are the value sweet spot

CRDi Active Active CRDi Elite Elite CRDi Highlander Highlander CRDi

$44,700 $48,200 $48,300 $51,800 $54,300 $57,800 $61,700 $65,200 Palisade

V6 L4TD V6 L4TD V6 L4TD V6 L4TD

3.5 2.2 3.5 2.2 3.5 2.2 3.5 2.2

200 148 200 148 200 148 200 148

331 440 331 440 331 440 331 440

A8 S8 A8 S8 A8 S8 A8 S8

1735 1820 1735 1820 1858 1943 1858 1943

– – – – – – – –

10.5 91 6.1 D 10.5 91 6.1 D 10.5 91 6.1 D 10.5 91 6.1 D

– – – – – – – –

F A F A F A F A

Burly, handsome Hyundai SUV even larger than Santa Fe, with excellent refinement and the ability to seat up to eight people THE PICK: Highlander diesel with 2nd-row Captain’s chairs is proper luxe

CRDi Highlander Highlander CRDi

52 F 54 F 54 F 54 F 54 13/19 F 55 10/19 F

Perhaps a touch too much power for its front wheels to cope with but at least new Sonata has some spirit, and unique style THE PICK: Go dark-coloured - everyone thinks you’re an undercover cop

Resale %

A much, much better baby bus than people give it credit for, though those base alloys look like roller skates. Now no longer sub-$20K THE PICK: Probably the Active with its stylish 17s and added glamour

Designed for families, yet offers an able chassis and frugal turbo oomph. But Vi’s 2.0L is slow and 7-seater’s third row is kids-only THE PICK: Generously equipped VTi-X offers the best value

Vi VTi VTi 7 VTi-X VTi-L AWD VTi-L 7 VTi-LX AWD

RON

Venue

Jazz-based ‘Magic Seat’ brings vast interior packaging configurations and 1.8 is gutsy, but handsome HR-V is loud, firm riding and a dull drive THE PICK: VTi-S, since its cabin doesn’t feel quite as Bi-Lo as the base

VTi VTi-S RS VTi-LX

0-100

02/20 F F

Kerb weight

6.5 91 4.3 91 -

Trans.

1504 – 1591 –

Torque

1.5 140 260 C 2.0 158 315 C

Power

L4T L4H

Size

$51,990 $54,990 HR-V

Engine type

VTi-LX Turbo VTi-LX Hybrid

Price

With COTY wins (’77 original and ’08 Euro), every Accord arrives with high hopes. Earth Dreams chassis, turbo and hybrid sound promising THE PICK: The turbo four is demonstrably better than hybrid

Fuel cons.

Accord

$60,000 $64,000 $71,000 $75,000

V6 L4TD V6 L4TD

3.8 2.2 3.8 2.2

217 147 217 147

355 440 355 440

A8 A8 A8 A8

1897 1983 1960 2069

– – – –

Isuzu

10.7 91 7.3 D 10.7 91 7.3 D

– – – –

F A F A

6 years/150,000km

MU-X Indestructible timing chain is its prime user benefit. Tough as old Blundstones but new MU-X is just around the corner THE PICK: Lots of 4x4 for the dough, but Ford Everest is a lot better

LS-M 2WD LS-U 2WD LS-M 4WD LS-T 2WD LS-U 4WD LS-T 4WD

$42,900 $45,300 $50,200 $49,100 $52,600 $56,400

L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD

3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0

130 130 130 130 130 130

430 430 430 430 430 430

A6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6

1992 2042 2092 2062 2142 2157

– – – – – –

8.0 8.1 8.1 8.1 8.1 8.1

D D D D D D

52 52 54 53 53 54

@wheelsaustralia

R R A R A A

129

Trailhawk S-Limited

D-Max New D-Max has moved upmarket with richer spec, more grunt and heaps of safety gear. Prices have crept up as a result THE PICK: Now a genuine rival for Ranger/Hilux in any spec

SX SX LS-M LS-M LS-U LS-U X-Terrain

$48,900 $50,900 $52,000 $54,000 $55,900 $57,900 $63,900

L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD

3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0

140 140 140 140 140 140 140

450 450 450 450 450 450 450

M6 A6 M6 A6 M6 A6 A6

2025 2035 2020 2030 2035 2045 2130

-

7.7 8.0 7.7 8.0 7.7 8.0 8.0

Jaguar

D D D D D D D

47 47 49 49 49 50 49

A A A A A A A

5 years/unlimited

XE Down from 14 to two, the best of the XE powertrains remains – a slick, punchy 2.0t, blending beautifully with poised, supple, involving chassis THE PICK: Either. Facelift brings XE right back into sharp contention

P300 R-Dynamic SE P300 R-Dynamic HSE

$65,670 $71,940 XF

L4T L4T

2.0 221 400 A8 1633 5.9 6.9 95 51 10/19 R 2.0 221 400 A8 1665 5.9 6.9 95 52 R

Second-gen XF finally scores the lighting detail and interior flair to match its supple ride and driver appeal, only to see the range shrivel THE PICK: The best engine into one primo spec, now with AWD

P300 R-Dynamic HSE

$100,200 E-Pace

L4T

2.0 221 400 A8 1744 6.1 7.1 95 –

A

$63,900 $67,200 $71,300 $79,600 F-Pace

L4T L4T L4T L4T

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

184 184 184 221

365 365 365 400

A9 A9 A9 A9

1782 1782 1782 1877

7.5 7.5 7.5 6.9

7.7 7.7 7.7 8.0

98 98 98 98

– – – –

A A A A

Night Eagle Night Eagle Limited S-Limited S-Limited Trailhawk Overland Summit SRT Trackhawk

$74,990 $79,600 $94,940 $97,400 $109,150 $141,040 F-Type

L4T L4T L6TDH L6TH L6TH V8S

2.0 2.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 5.0

184 184 221 294 294 405

365 365 650 550 550 700

A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8

1897 1897 2083 2028 2028 2058

7.3 7.3 6.4 5.4 5.4 4.0

7.4 7.4 12.2

95 95 D 95 95 98

– – – – – –

A A A A A A

Now more aggressive to behold, with a larger front grille and new light signatures. Not as sharp as Cayman/Boxster but has more personality THE PICK: P575 R is monster, though supercharged sixes are great

P300 R-Dynamic P300 R-Dynamic convrt P380 R-Dynamic P380 R-Dynamic convrt P380 First Edition P575 R

$126,400 $145,100 $173,100 $191,800 $205,300 $263,300 I-Pace

L4T L4T V6S V6S V6S V8S

2.0 2.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 5.0

221 221 280 280 280 423

400 400 460 460 460 700

A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8

1520 1540 1572 1592 1572 1743

5.7 5.7 4.9 4.9 4.9 3.7

7.2 7.2 8.6 8.6 8.6 11.3

95 95 95 95 95 98

49 49 49 49 49 49

R R R R R A

Sport S 2dr Overland 2dr Unlimited Night Eagle Unlimited Overland Unlimited Rubicon

$128,860 $138,460 $152,060

E E E

90 294 696 1R 2058 4.8 22.3 90 294 696 1R 2058 4.8 22.3 90 294 696 1R 3058 4.8 22.3 -

Jeep

61 61 61

A A A

5 years/100,000km

Compass Bigger but duller than (now defunct) Renegade. Recently updated with welcome gear/safety additions but prices have jumped THE PICK: Meh, although Trailhawk 4x4 can go places a CX-5 can’t

Night Eagle Limited S-Limited Trailhawk

$36,950 L4 $42,950 L4 $45,950 L4 $49,450 L4TD Cherokee

2.4 2.4 2.4 2.0

129 129 129 125

229 229 229 350

A6 A9 A9 A9

1446 1503 1503 1621

9.3 10.1 10.1 9.7

7.9 9.7 9.7 5.7

91 91 91 D

– – – –

F A A A

Facelift brought blander nose but upgraded dash, and Cherokee is still one of the better Jeeps to drive on-road, but quality isn’t brilliant THE PICK: V6s, and again Trailhawk annihilates all rivals off-road

Sport Limited

130

$37,950 $49,950

L4 V6

whichcar.com.au/wheels

2.4 130 229 A9 1738 10.0 8.3 91 53 08/14 F 3.2 200 315 A9 1834 8.0 10.0 91 – A

Drive

Issue tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

3.6 3.0 3.6 3.0 5.7 3.0 3.0 3.0 6.4 6.2

213 184 184 184 259 184 184 184 344 522

347 570 347 570 520 570 570 570 624 868

A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8

2084 2267 2169 2281 2340 2327 2281 2289 2399

8.5 8.0 8.5 8.0 8.0 8.0 8.0 5.0 3.7

10.0 91 7.5 D 10.0 91 7.5 D 13.0 91 7.5 D 7.5 D 7.0 D 14.0 98 16.8 98

54 56 56 56 56 56 56 58 58 58 07/19

A A A A A A A A A A

$51,950 V6 $61,450 V6 $60,950 V6 $65,950 V6 $67,450 V6 Gladiator

3.6 3.6 3.6 3.6 3.6

209 209 209 209 209

347 347 347 347 347

A8 A8 A8 A8 A8

1762 1762 1900 1900 1992

7.5 7.6 7.9 7.9 7.9

9.6 91 9.6 91 9.7 91 9.7 91 10.3 91

– – – – –

A A A A A

The dual-cab for those who go off-road. Hugely capable, and looks tough. Rubicon has electronically locking differentials, but no diesels THE PICK: Rubicon affords extra off-road gear for little extra cash

Sport S Overland Rubicon

$65,450 $75,490 $76,490

V6 V6 V6

3.6 209 347 A8 2104 – 3.6 209 347 A8 2104 – 3.6 209 347 A8 2215 –

Kia

11.2 91 – 11.2 91 – 12.4 91 –

A A 03/20 A

7 years/unlimited

Picanto Scores for packaging, agility, fun (especially the GT) and industry-best warranty. Recently updated with styling tweaks and more equipment THE PICK: Manual cars are more fun, though the auto isn’t bad

S S GT-Line GT-Line GT

$15,190 $16,790 $16,640 $18,240 $19,490 Rio

L4 L4 L4 L4 L3T

1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.0

62 62 62 62 74

122 122 122 122 172

M5 A4 M5 A4 M5

976 995 995 995 1007

12.0 5.0 11.7 6.9 12.0 5.8 12.0 5.8 12.1 7.3

91 91 91 91 91

46 47 47 47 48

F F F F F

Updated Rio ditches the fun-sapping four-speed auto for muchimproved six-speed unit. Roomy cabin and warranty are key strengths THE PICK: GT-Line, even with turbo lag, hard ride and high-ish price

S S Sport Sport GT-Line

A breathtaking first electric car from Jaguar. Intriguing to behold and fun to pedal hard, it shows Tesla a thing or two about build quality THE PICK: All three grades recently updated. Trim the only difference

S SE HSE

$59,950 V6 $65,950 V6TD $63,950 V6 $72,950 V6TD $72,950 V8 $75,950 V6TD $79,450 V6TD $85,950 V6TD $92,450 V8 $139,950 V8S Wrangler

JL redesign brings room, refinement, tech and on-road control, but iffy ergonomics and high prices grate – now with increased safety kit THE PICK: Rubicon might be the most able off-roader despite diesel axing

Trademark steering crispness, handling and space finally joined by a cutting-edge interior and sparkling mild-hybrid straight sixes THE PICK: P400 with its electric supercharger, or mad-hatter SVR

R-Dynamic S P250 R-Dynamic SE P250 R-Dynamic SE D300 R-Dynamic SE P400 R-Dynamic HSE P400 SVR

$49,950 V6 3.2 200 315 A9 1862 8.0 10.0 91 55 08/14 A $52,650 V6 3.2 200 315 A9 1864 8.0 10.0 91 56 A Grand Cherokee Big and brassy, feels its weight around town; rear-seat packaging iffy; getting on but still handsome and always great off the beaten track THE PICK: Limited, unless you’re unhinged enough to handle Trackhawk

Looking far more chic now that it’s been facelifted, the latest E-Pace brings big improvements in cabin tech and luxury THE PICK: The 300 Sport with mild-hybrid system and adaptive AWD

R-Dynamic S P250 R-Dynamic SE P250 R-Dynamic HSE P250 300 Sport

Engine type

Price

Drive

Issue tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

Price

Engine type

Data bank

$18,590 $20,890 $20,090 $22,390 $24,490 Cerato

L4 L4 L4 L4 L3T

1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.0

74 74 74 74 74

133 133 133 133 172

M6 A6 M6 A6 D7

1112 1137 1112 1132 1176

12.0 12.0 12.0 12.0 11.5

5.6 6.2 5.6 6.0 5.4

91 91 91 91 91

– – – – –

F F F F F

Compelling value thanks to a leading warranty, space, practicality and spec, but lacks sophistication and polish of better rivals like Mazda 3 THE PICK: GT a little ragged dynamically but fast, fun and keenly priced

S S S hatch S hatch Sport Sport Sport hatch Sport hatch GT GT hatch

$21,490 $24,290 $21,490 $24,290 $23,490 $26,290 $23,90 $26,290 $33,490 $33,490 Stinger

L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4T L4T

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 1.6 1.6

112 112 112 112 112 112 112 112 150 150

192 192 192 192 192 192 192 192 265 265

M6 A6 M6 A6 M6 A6 M6 A6 D7 D7

1339 1362 1301 1332 1339 1362 1301 1332 1395 1370

8.0 8.0 8.0 8.0 8.0 8.0 8.0 8.0 6.9 6.9

7.1 7.1 7.1 7.1 7.1 7.1 7.1 7.1 6.8 6.8

91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91

47 47 47 47 48 48 48 48 48 48 05/19

F F F F F F F F F F

Sparkly new lights, up-to-date tech and fruity GT exhaust make the stylish, sporty rear-drive Stinger even more seductive THE PICK: They’re all fun to drive but Stinger GT has the most bite

200S GT-Line 330S GT

$49,550 $57,230 $53,330 $63,260

L4T L4T V6TT V6TT

2.0 2.0 3.3 3.3

182 182 274 274

353 353 510 510

A8 A8 A8 A8

1720 1720 1793 1793

7.1 6.9 4.9 5.1

8.8 95 8.8 95 10.2 95 10.2 95

– – – –

06/18 R 03/19 R R 03/18 R

I SUZ U – LA ND R OVER YOUR COMPLETE NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE

Drive

Issue tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

Engine type

Price

WHAT IT ALL MEANS PRICE Recommended retail figure at time of publication (asterisk indicates driveaway price) ENGINE TYPE L, in-line; V, vee; F, flat. Number of cylinders. T, turbo; S, supercharged; D, diesel; H, hybrid; E, electric SIZE Litres or kWh POWER kW TORQUE Nm TRANSMISSION M, manual; A, auto; D, dual-clutch; C, CVT WEIGHT Kerb, kg 0-100 km/h, acceleration in seconds (Wheels as-tested figures in italics) FUEL CONS Consumption in litres, or kWh, per 100km RON Octane of fuel required, as numbered, or D for diesel RESALE percent, 3-year resale in Glass’s ISSUE TESTED month/year DRIVE A, all-wheel; F, front; R, rear. Any figure in bold is our own estimate.

S S CRDi Si Si CRDi SLi SLi CRDi Platinum Platinum CRDi

$46,880 $48,880 $52,380 $54,380 $56,880 $58,880 $64,680 $66,680 Sportage

V6 L4TD V6 L4TD V6 L4TD V6 L4TD

3.5 2.2 3.5 2.2 3.5 2.2 3.5 2.2

216 148 216 148 216 148 216 148

355 440 355 440 355 440 355 440

A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8

– – – – – – – –

– – – – – – – –

9.6 6.5 9.6 6.5 9.6 6.5 9.6 6.5

91 D 91 D 91 D 91 D

– – -

F F F F F F F F

$28,690 $30,690 $36,090 $30,790 $32,790 $38,190 $37,990 $43,390 $45,290 $48,190 Stonic

L4 L4 L4TD L4 L4 L4TD L4 L4TD L4 L4TD

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.4 2.0

114 114 136 114 114 136 114 136 135 136

192 192 400 192 192 400 192 400 237 400

M6 A6 A8 M6 A6 A8 A6 A8 A6 A8

1506 1559 1590 1506 1559 1590 1532 1590 1559 1590

9.9 10.4 9.5 10.2 10.4 9.5 10.4 9.5 10.4 9.5

7.9 7.9 6.4 7.9 7.9 6.4 11.2 6.4 8.5 6.4

91 91 D 91 91 D 91 D 91 D

F 52 F 54 A F 52 F 54 A 54 06/17 F 55 A 53 A 53 A

If you’ve been craving a slightly pumped Rio hatch with a wafer-thin hint of SUV flavour, then the Stonic seems to make sense THE PICK: The turbo GT-Line because it’s the only Stonic with grunt

S S Sport

$21,490 $22,990 $24,490

L4 L4 L4

1.4 74 1.4 74 1.4 74

133 M6 – 133 A6 – 133 M6 1192

– – –

6.0 91 – 6.7 91 – 6.0 91 –

F F F

Sport GT-Line

$25,990 $29,990 Seltos

L4 L3T

1.4 74 1.0 74

133 A6 1192 – 6.7 91 – 172 D7 1227 11.7 5.4 91 –

F F

Kia’s first crossover brings turbo AWD, oodles of boot space and a price to keep honest Hyundai cousin Kona, which shares its platform THE PICK: Sport+ turbo for range-best outputs at 5K less than GT-Line

S Sport Sport+ Sport+ GT-Line

$25,990 $28,990 $32,490 $35,990 $41,400 Sorento

L4 L4 L4 L4T L4T

2.0 2.0 2.0 1.6 1.6

110 110 110 130 130

180 180 180 265 265

C C C D7 D7

1355 1355 1355 1470 1470

8.7 9.0 9.0 8.5 8.5

8.0 6.8 6.8 7.6 7.6

91 91 91 91 91

– – – – –

01/20 F F F A 03/20 A

Flash new family bus offers equipment levels and luxo-feel to rival the best from Germany. A seriously persuasive large SUV THE PICK: Gutsy V6 petrol is front-drive only, so go diesel

S S Sport Sport Sport+ Sport+ GT-Line GT-Line

$45,850 $48,850 $48,470 $51,470 $52,850 $55,850 $60,070 $63,070

V6 L4TD V6 L4TD V6 L4TD V6 L4TD

3.5 2.2 3.5 2.2 3.5 2.2 3.5 2.2

200 148 200 148 200 148 200 148

332 440 332 440 332 440 332 440

A8 D8 A8 D8 A8 D8 A8 D8

1941 1956 1941 1956 1941 1956 1941 1946

7.8 9.2 7.8 9.2 7.8 9.2 7.8 9.2

Lamborghini

9.7 6.1 9.7 6.1 9.7 6.1 9.7 6.1

91 D 91 D 91 D 91 D

– – – – – – – –

F A F A F A F A

2 years/unlimited

Huracan Sure, rear vision is rubbish and it ain’t cheap, but the engine is aural sex, it’s fantastic to drive, and the Performante is next-level wild THE PICK: We’re fans of the base rear-driver, but partial to Performante

LP 580-2 LP 580-2 Spyder LP 610-4 LP 610-4 Spyder Evo Performante Performante Spyder

$378,900 V10 $429,000 V10 $428,000 V10 $470,800 V10 $459,441 V10 $483,866 V10 $532,635 V10 Aventador

5.2 5.2 5.2 5.2 5.2 5.2 5.2

426 426 449 449 470 470 470

540 540 560 560 600 600 600

D7 D7 D7 D7 D7 D7 D7

1389 1509 1422 1524 1422 1382 1507

3.4 3.6 3.2 3.4 2.9 2.9 3.1

11.9 98 12.1 98 12.5 98 12.3 98 13.7 98 13.7 98 14.0 98

– – – – – – –

12/16 R R 08/14 A A 12/19 A 07/17 A A

Probably the last deafening roar of the atmo supercar. Updates to suspension and fabulous V12 have lifted its game. Could be collectible THE PICK: Hey, it’s only (your) money, so go set a ’Ring PB in the SVJ

S S Roadster SVJ

$788,914 $825,530 $949,640

V12 V12 V12

6.5 544 690 S7 1575 2.9 16.0 98 – 6.5 544 690 S7 1625 3.0 16.9 98 – 6.5 566 720 S7 1525 2.8 17.9 98 –

05/17 A A A

Drive

Issue tested

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0-100

Kerb weight

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Power

Urus Doesn’t look like anything else in the Lambo line-up, but retains Raging Bull in a china shop spirit. Shockingly quick for an SUV THE PICK: This, or a Cayenne Turbo and a secondhand 997 911

$391,968

V8TT

4.0 478 850 A8 2200 3.6 12.7 98 –

Land Rover

Rates for family focused cabin, easy controls, equipment, handling, warranty and design, but 2.0L petrol struggles and ride isn’t settled THE PICK: Why no turbo-petrol, Kia? Go diesel every time

S S S SX SX SX SX+ SX+ GT-Line GT-Line

Size

Price

Proving that people movers are still relevant, striking new Carnival knocks it out of the park with its space and design class THE PICK: Si for value, yet it’s hard to ignore the Platinum’s plushness

Engine type

Carnival

New

A

5 years/unlimited

LAND ROVER DISCOVERY SPORT Disco now grooves to a more R-Dynamic beat

Refreshed for ’21 with several drivetrain upgrades, the Disco Sport is now offered solely in sportier R-Dynamic guise in conjunction with ‘five-plus-two’ seating. Next-generation Ingenium turbo-diesels (with 120kW or 150kW) feature mild-hybrid technology, plus there’s Land Rover’s new infotainment system as well as rear cross-traffic and collision monitors.

P200 R-Dynamic S D165 R-Dynamic S P250 R-Dynamic SE D200 R-Dynamic SE P250 R-Dynamic HSE

$67,123 L4T $69,423 L4TD $75,946 L4T $77,048 L4TD $80,301 L4T Defender

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

147 120 184 150 184

320 380 365 430 365

A9 A9 A9 A9 A9

1904 1953 1942 1953 1942

9.2 10.6 8.1 8.9 8.1

8.1 5.7 8.1 5.7 8.1

95 D 95 D 95

A A A A A

New-gen Defender is just as capable off-road but now miles better on it. Plenty of design nods to the original, yet also thoroughly modern. Nice THE PICK: Aussie diesel allocation sold out for now. Go petrol.

D200 D240 D240 S D240 SE P400 S P400 SE P400 HSE D240 First Ed P400 X

$69,626 L4TTD $75,536 L4TTD $83,435 L4TTD $90,936 L4TTD $95,335 L6T $102,736 L6T $112,535 L6T $102,135 L4TTD $136,736 L6T Range Velar

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 2.0 3.0

147 177 177 177 294 294 294 177 294

430 430 430 430 550 550 550 430 550

A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8

2248 2248 2248 2248 2286 2286 2286 2248 2388

10.3 9.1 9.1 9.1 6.1 6.1 6.1 9.1 6.4

8.9 8.9 8.9 8.9 11.2 11.2 11.2 8.9 11.2

D D D D 95 95 95 D 95

-

A A A A A A A A A

Land Rover finally saw sense and refined the Velar range. Special, opulent, athletic. The stylish Velar is lofty in more ways than one THE PICK: Style and substance throughout the range. Take your pick.

P250 R-Dynamic S P250 R-Dynamic SE D200 R-Dynamic SE P400 R-Dynamic SE P400 R-Dynamic HSE

New

$88,531 $93,531 $97,531 $118,531 $128,531

L4T L4T L4TD L6ST L6ST

2.0 2.0 2.0 3.0 3.0

184 184 150 294 294

365 365 430 550 550

A8 A8 A8 A8 A8

1875 1875 1928 2010 2010

7.5 7.5 8.2 5.5 5.5

7.7 7.7 5.3 8.9 8.9

95 95 D 95 95

-

A A A A A

RANGE ROVER EVOQUE A more rational, smarter baby

Mirroring most of the changes to the Disco Sport, the MY21 Evoque scores the new-gen Ingenium diesel solely in D200 form, as well as R-Dynamic styling treatment. Aussie Evoques also get the ritzy Pivi Pro infotainment with integrated Spotify (if you have a premium subscription), plus a new cabin air filtration system and upgraded safety features.

P200 R-Dynamic S P250 R-Dynamic SE D200 R-Dynamic SE P250 R-Dynamic HSE

$67,415 L4T $74,973 L4T $76,685 L4TD $79,662 L4T Discovery

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

147 184 150 184

320 365 430 365

A9 A9 A9 A9

1770 1818 1866 1818

8.6 7.6 8.5 7.6

8.1 8.1 5.7 8.1

95 95 D 95

A A A A

Fresh mild-hybrid straight-sixes expand Disco’s all-terrain talents to include Prado-crushing performance and refinement THE PICK: The punchy diesel gets the nod for big trips and towing ease

D300 S D300 SE D300 HSE D300 R-Dynamic S D300 R-Dynamic SE D300 R-Dynamic HSE P360 R-Dynamic S P360 R-Dynamic SE P360R-Dynamic HSE

$99,900 $106,100 $113,700 $105,200 $111,400 $118,600 $105,200 $111,400 $118,600

L6TTD L6TTD L6TTD L6TTD L6TTD L6TTD L6ST L6ST L6ST

3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0

221 221 221 221 221 221 265 265 265

650 650 650 650 650 650 500 500 500

A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8

2362 2362 2362 2362 2362 2362 2342 2342 2342

6.8 6.8 6.8 6.8 6.8 6.8 6.5 6.5 6.5

7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5 9.2 9.2 9.2

D D D D D D 98 98 98

-

@wheelsaustralia

A A A A A A A A A

131

D250 SE D300 SE D300 HSE D300 HSE Dynamic D300 Autobio. Dyn D350 HSE D350 HSE Dynamic P300 SE P400e PHEV SE P400e PHEV HSE P525 HSE Dynamic P525 Autobio. Dyn P575 SVR P575 SVR Carbon Ed

New

$113,485 $122,985 $139,685 $146,585 $179,755 $152,813 $160,113 $106,113 $134,166 $149,696 $175,613 $205,283 $244,249 $273,906

L6TD L6TTD L6TTD L6TTD L6TTD L6TTD L6TTD L4T L4TH L4TH V8S V8S V8S V8S

3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0

183 221 221 221 221 258 258 221 297 297 386 386 423 423

600 650 650 650 650 700 700 400 640 640 625 625 700 700

A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8

2134 2178 2178 2178 2178 2203 2203 2076 2464 2464 2323 2323 2323 2323

8.5 7.3 7.3 7.3 7.3 6.9 6.9 7.3 6.3 6.3 5.3 5.3 4.5 4.5

8.0 D 8.0 D 8.0 D 8.0 D 8.0 D 8.4 D 8.4 D 9.2 95 2.8 95 2.8 95 12.8 95 12.8 95 12.8 95 12.8 95

53 53 53 53 53 53 53 53 53 53 53 53 53 53

A A A A A A A A A A A A A A

$201,000 $206,293 $216,575 $217,092 $227,039 $235,693 $266,208 $279,108 $287,950 $351,068 $276,208 $289,307 $382,068 $408,568

L6TTD L6ST L4TH L6TTD L6TTD L6TTD L6TTD V8S V8S V8S L6TTD V8S L6TTD V8S

3.0 3.0 2.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 3.0 5.0 3.0 5.0

221 294 297 258 258 258 258 386 386 416 258 386 258 416

650 550 640 700 700 700 700 625 625 700 700 625 700 700

Pro Pro Luxe Luxe Mega Tub Mega Tub Trailrider 2 Trailrider 2

2275 2267 2502 2275 2275 2275 2275 2375 2375 2516 2443 2443 2443 2598

7.4 6.3 6.4 7.1 7.1 7.1 7.1 5.4 5.4 5.4 7.2 5.5 7.2 5.5

LDV

8.4 D 9.1 95 2.8 95 8.4 D 8.4 D 8.4 D 8.4 D 12.5 95 12.5 95 12.8 95 8.4 D 12.8 95 8.4 D 12.8 95

L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD

2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.0 2.0

110 110 110 110 110 110 120 120

360 360 360 360 360 360 375 375

M6 A6 M6 A6 M6 A6 M6 A6

1895 1925 1945 2005 1970 2030 2005 2035

Lexus

-

8.8 9.6 8.8 9.6 8.8 9.6 8.5 8.5

D D D D D D D D

-

A A A A A A A A

4 years/100,000km

CT200h Previous-Corolla-based CT200h a total fail, with excessive drone, dud steering, bouncy ride, noisy cabin and tight packaging. Please avoid THE PICK: UX and latest Corolla ZR Hybrid are light-years ahead

Luxury F-Sport Sports Luxury

A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8

$30,516 $32,621 $35,253 $37,358 $36,831 $38,937 $39,990 $42,095

Drive

Issue tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

We used to snigger at Chinese-made utes. Not anymore. T60 drives well, is adequate off-road and includes Aussie-honed suspension THE PICK: Luxe brings worthwhile equipment additions

$41,750 $51,500 $58,500 IS

L4H L4H L4H

1.8 100 142 C 1.8 100 142 C 1.8 100 142 C

1465 10.3 4.1 95 51 06/11 F 1465 10.3 4.1 95 53 F 1465 10.3 4.1 95 54 F

If you want a Lexus rear-driver in the 3 Series mould then this comprehensive ‘wide-track’ makeover is probably your last chance THE PICK: The lighter IS300 F-Sport with the sweet turbo four

As big-daddy Rangie enters its twilight years (an all-new replacement arrives next year), Land Rover has spiced up its drivetrain line-up with two new mild-hybrid straight-six diesels in D300 and D350 forms – each with greater efficiency, more grunt and 80kg less weight than the old SDV8. New model variants too, including a Range Rover Fifty anniversary edition.

A A A A A A A A A A A A A A

300 Luxury 300 F-Sport 300h Luxury 300h F-Sport 350 F-Sport

$61,500 $70,000 $64,500 $73,000 $75,000 ES

L4T L4T L4H L4H V6

2.0 2.0 2.5 2.5 3.5

180 188 164 164 232

350 350 221 221 380

A8 A8 C C A8

1620 1650 1720 1720 1635

7.3 7.3 8.5 8.5 5.9

7.4 7.4 5.1 5.1 9.7

95 95 95 95 95

50 50 50 51 51

R R R R R

Old one was for retired Americans or those who’d given up on life. Allnew Mk7, with its accomplished platform, revolutionises the concept THE PICK: Heaven’s waiting room renovated for the 2020s

300h Luxury 300h F Sport 300h Sports Luxury

$62,525 $71,500 $77,000 LS

L4H L4H L4H

2.5 151 2.5 151 2.5 151

213 C 213 C 213 C

1685 8.5 5.5 95 51 1705 8.5 5.5 95 51 1705 8.5 5.5 95 51

F F F

Subtly honed Lexus flagship now befitting its status as a sporty-yetplush limousine defined by its stunning build quality THE PICK: The regular LS500 for its torque-converter automatic ’box

500 F-Sport 500h F-Sport 500 Sports Luxury 500h Sports Luxury

5 years/130,000km

$195,953 $195,953 $201,078 $201,078 RC

V6TT V6H V6TT V6H

3.4 3.5 3.4 3.5

310 264 310 264

600 n/a 600 n/a

A10 2240 C 2235 A10 2280 C 2295

5.0 5.4 5.0 5.4

9.5 6.6 9.5 6.6

95 95 95 95

– – – –

R R R R

Lots to savour, like arresting design, craftsmanship and brutal V8, though rear seat is snug and four-pot turbo is somewhat vanilla THE PICK: Go the V8-powered F and enjoy the real duality of character

D90 For those seeking a Prado-sized wagon but can’t afford the real deal.

Petrol donk is decent, as is the handling. Lots of gear and space, too.

THE PICK: All-paw Executive petrol for off-road ability and value

$35,990 $39,990 $43,990 $47,990

L4T L4T L4T L4TD

Ȋ

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

165 165 165 160

350 350 350 480

A6 A6 A6 A8

2085 2085 2285 2370

WAYS WE KEEP WHEELS TURNING

132

Size

T60

V6 diesels out, inline Ingenium sixes in for this classy and astonishingly competent luxury SUV. Ensure you spec Terrain Response THE PICK: Petrol V8 tempting, if you own an oil well. Otherwise P400e

Elder statesman proves diesel ain’t dead

Mode Executive Executive Executive

Engine type

Range Rover Sport

RANGE ROVER

D300 Vogue P400 Vogue P400e Vogue D350 Vogue D350 Westminster D350 Vogue SE D350 Autobiography P525 Autobiography P525 Fifty P565 SVAutobiography Dynamic D350 Autobiography LWB P525 Autobiography LWB D350 SVAutobiography LWB P565 SVAutobiography LWB

Price

Drive

Issue tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

Price

Engine type

Data bank

whichcar.com.au/wheels

-

10.2 95 10.2 95 10.9 95 9.1 D

-

F F A A

300 Luxury 350 Luxury 300 F-Sport 350 F-Sport F F Track Edition

$67,990 $70,736 $75,736 $78,736 $136,636 $165,117

L4T V6 L4T V6 V8 V8

2.0 3.5 2.0 3.5 5.0 5.0

180 233 180 233 351 351

350 378 350 378 530 530

A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8

1675 1680 1700 1780 1715

7.5 6.1 7.5 6.1 4.5 4.2

7.3 95 9.4 95 7.3 95 9.4 95 10.9 98 11.2 98

56 R 56 R 56 R 56 02/16 R 53 07/19 R 53 R

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LA N D R OVE R – M A ZDA YOUR COMPLETE NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE

Drive

Issue tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

Engine type

Price

WHAT IT ALL MEANS PRICE Recommended retail figure at time of publication (asterisk indicates driveaway price) ENGINE TYPE L, in-line; V, vee; F, flat. Number of cylinders. T, turbo; S, supercharged; D, diesel; H, hybrid; E, electric SIZE Litres or kWh POWER kW TORQUE Nm TRANSMISSION M, manual; A, auto; D, dual-clutch; C, CVT WEIGHT Kerb, kg 0-100 km/h, acceleration in seconds (Wheels as-tested figures in italics) FUEL CONS Consumption in litres, or kWh, per 100km RON Octane of fuel required, as numbered, or D for diesel RESALE percent, 3-year resale in Glass’s ISSUE TESTED month/year DRIVE A, all-wheel; F, front; R, rear. Any figure in bold is our own estimate.

LC

Maserati

$46,500 $55,500 $56,000 $50,000 $59,000 $59,500 $63,500 $64,000 NX

L4 L4 L4 L4H L4H L4H L4H L4H

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

126 126 126 131 131 131 131 131

205 205 205 205 205 205 205 205

C C C C C C C C

1490 1515 1540 1575 1600 1625 1635 1680

9.2 9.2 9.2 8.5 8.5 8.5 8.7 8.7

5.8 5.8 5.8 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.7 4.7

95 95 95 95 95 95 95 95

56 56 56 57 57 57 57 57

F F F F F F A A

While eye-catching and punchy with a quality interior, underneath it’s an old RAV4, with a hard ride, too much noise and little finesse THE PICK: 300’s punchy turbo is good... but a new RAV4 Hybrid is better

300 Luxury 300h Luxury 300 Luxury 300h Luxury 300 F-Sport 300h F-Sport 300 F-Sport 300h F-Sport 300 Sports Luxury 300h Sports Luxury

$55,700 $68,200 $60,200 $62,700 $61,700 $64,200 $66,152 $68,700 $73,608 $76,814 RX

L4T L4H L4T L4H L4T L4H L4T L4H L4T L4H

2.0 2.5 2.0 2.5 2.0 2.5 2.0 2.5 2.0 2.5

175 147 175 147 175 147 175 147 175 147

350 210 350 210 350 210 350 210 350 210

A6 C A6 C A6 C A6 C A6 C

1700 1740 1755 1800 1755 1800 1860 1895 1860 1895

7.3 9.1 7.1 9.1 7.1 8.9 7.1 9.1 7.1 9.1

7.7 5.6 7.9 5.7 7.9 5.7 7.9 5.7 7.9 5.7

95 95 95 95 95 95 95 95 95 95

53 F 56 F 56 A 56 A 57 F 59 08/15 F 53 A 56 A 56 A 59 A

Love or hate the design, it grabs attention, as does the lack of steering feel and busy ride. But it is spacious and leaves little on the options list THE PICK: Turbo four is a peach, so consider a 300 F-Sport. Or XC60...

300 Luxury 300 F-Sport 300 Sports Luxury 350 Luxury 350 F-Sport 350 Sports Luxury 450h Luxury 450h F-Sport 450h Sports Luxury 350L Luxury 350L Sports Luxury 450hL Luxury 450hL Sports Luxury

$73,136 $88,136 $94,836 $83,136 $95,636 $101,836 $92,388 $104,888 $111,088 $86,836 $103,836 $95,888 $113,088 LX

L4T L4T L4T V6 V6 V6 V6H V6H V6H V6 V6 V6H V6H

2.0 2.0 2.0 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5

175 175 175 221 221 221 230 230 230 221 221 230 230

350 350 350 370 370 370 335 335 335 370 370 335 335

A6 A6 A6 A8 A8 A8 C C C A8 A8 C C

1890 1890 1890 1980 1980 1980 2150 2150 2150 2105 2105 2275 2275

9.2 9.2 9.2 8.0 8.0 8.0 7.7 7.7 7.7 8.0 8.0 8.0 8.0

8.1 95 8.1 95 8.1 95 9.6 95 9.6 95 9.6 95 5.7 95 5.7 95 5.7 95 10.6 95 10.6 95 6.0 95 6.0 95

61 61 61 61 61 61 61 61 61 61 61 61 61

F F F A A A A A A A A A 12/19 A

Massive and truck-like to drive, LX can’t hide its LandCruiser bones, making it an off-road dynamo. But Land Rover has this turf covered THE PICK: Go the diesel to avoid making oil companies even richer

450d 570 570S

$137,636 $146,636 $168,767

V8TD V8 V8

4.5 200 650 A6 - 9.5 D 5.7 270 530 A8 2510 7.7 14.4 95 61 5.7 270 530 A8 2510 7.7 14.4 96 60

Lotus

A A A

GranLusso GranSport S GranLusso S GranSport Trofeo

L4S L4S

$139,500 $139,500 $169,990 $169,990 Evora

V6S V6S V6S V6S

1.8 162 250 M6 904 1.8 181 250 M6 917

4.6 7.7 95 55 4.3 7.8 95 55

R R

3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5

258 258 306 306

400 400 420 420

M6 M6 M6 M6

1125 1115 1017 1108

3.9 4.0 3.9 3.4

11.1 95 11.1 95 11.1 98 10.2 95

55 R 55 R 55 08/19 R 55 R

Felt dated a decade ago and throwing more grunt at it won’t solve that.

Fast and furious, new GT 410 Sport promises a civilised experience THE PICK: Even the chassis’ brilliance isn’t enough to convince us

GT410 Sport

$189,990

V6S

3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.8

257 257 257 316 316 433

500 500 500 580 580 730

A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8

1810 1810 1810 1810 1810 1969

Drive

Issue tested

Resale %

RON

0-100

5.5 5.5 5.5 4.9 4.9 4.3

10.5 98 10.5 98 10.5 98 10.6 98 10.6 98 12.3 98

– – – – –

R R R R R R

GranLusso GranSport S GranLusso S GranSport Trofeo

$210,990 $227,990 $227,990 $269,990 $269,990 $376,900 Levante

V6TT V6TT V6TT V6TT V6TT V8TT

3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.8

257 257 257 316 316 433

500 500 500 580 580 730

A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8

1860 1860 1860 1900 1900 2000

5.5 5.5 5.5 5.0 5.0 4.5

10.6 98 10.6 98 10.6 98 10.6 98 10.6 98 12.5 98

– – – – –

R R R R R R

Not the most refined posh SUV you can buy but makes all the right noises in the right models. Despite its age, still has presence THE PICK: Trofeo costs a bomb so we’d stick with a V8 GTS

350 GranLusso GranSport S GranLusso S GranSport GTS Trofeo

$127,000 $146,990 $146,990 $182,490 $182,490 $268,990 $336,990 MC20

V6TT V6TT V6TT V6TT V6TT V8TT V8TT

3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.8 3.8

257 257 257 316 316 390 427

500 500 500 580 580 730 730

A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8

2109 2109 2109 2109 2109 2170 2170

6.0 6.0 6.0 5.2 5.2 4.2 4.1

11.4 98 11.4 98 11.4 98 11.6 98 11.6 98 13.1 98 13.2 98

– – – – – – –

A A A A A A A

Breathtaking styling, ‘butterfly’ doors, carbonfibre chassis and bespoke engineering have made MC20 a global sensation THE PICK: Whatever you can get, including the forthcoming EV

$438,000

V6TT

3.0 470 730 D8 1500 2.9 11.6 98 –

Mazda

R

5 years/unlimited

2 Facelift brings the axe to the previous entry model, meaning an end to cheap ’n’ cheerful. Full safety suite plus engine tweaks help compensate THE PICK: Suddenly a manual Pure hatch starts to look like smart money

G15 Pure hatch G15 Pure hatch G15 Pure sedan G15 Pure sedan G15 Evolve hatch G15 GT hatch G15 GT sedan 100th Anniversary htch

$20,990 $22,990 $20,990 $22,990 $24,490 $25,990 $25,990 $27,490 3

L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4

1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5

82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82

144 144 144 144 144 144 144 144

M6 A6 M6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6

1035 1047 1045 1060 1047 1047 1060 1047

10.8 10.8 10.8 10.8 10.9 10.8 10.8 10.8

4.9 5.4 4.9 5.4 5.5 5.4 5.5 5.4

91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91

52 F 54 F 54 F 54 F 54 04/20 F 54 F 54 F – F

New 3 rushes to the top of its class. Elegant interior a highlight and now one of, if not the quietest in the segment. Skyactiv-X has finally arrived!

THE PICK: G25’s extra torque is worth it, otherwise Pure manual

Even the Sport 350 feels as if the scenery speed’s been jacked to 11.

Utterly analogue, richly rewarding, wickedly uncompromising. Brilliant THE PICK: No-cost Roadster options make weird and wonderful sense

Sport 350 Sport 350 Roadster Cup 410 Cup 410 Roadster

$144,990 V6TT $168,990 V6TT $168,990 V6TT $175,000 V6TT $175,000 V6TT $265,000 V8TT Quattroporte

Slowly shedding its Chrysler cabin bits, to match its seductive form and sensual chassis balance. Trofeo to hail the return of a V8 THE PICK: An S Gran Lusso with its silk interior is suitably Italian

2 years/unlimited

You don’t get very much for your money, but that’s the point. This or a McLaren 600LT for best steering in the business? Probably this THE PICK: Unless you’re prepping for Targa Tassie, you don’t need the Cup

$87,990 $107,990 Exige

Kerb weight

A beautiful, proper Italian alternative to the default German luxo sedans, now with up-to-date safety and multimedia tech THE PICK: The more power the better, though V8 Trofeo won’t be cheap

Elise

Sport 220 Cup 250

Trans.

Ghibli

First model to switch to advanced TNGA platform, so is Lexus’s most resolved SUV, but it’s essentially a Corolla in (effective) heels and drag THE PICK: Base Luxury is sweetest riding, the rest are far too harsh

200 Luxury 200 Sports Luxury 200 F-Sport 250h Luxury 250h Sports Luxury 250h F-Sport 250h Sports Lux. AWD 250h F-Sport AWD

3 years/unlimited Torque

R R R

Power

5.0 351 540 A10 1930 4.5 11.6 98 67 3.5 264 350 C 1980 5.0 6.7 95 67 5.0 351 540 A10 2035 - 12.7 95 -

Size

V8 V6H V8

Engine type

$194,757 $195,165 $214,000 UX

Price

500 500h 500 Convertible

Fuel cons.

V8 has the presence, power and poise - best suited to convertible whereas the hybrid is spoilt by droning CVT and uninspiring soundtrack THE PICK: The V8, no question, in either bodystyle

3.5 306 420 M6 1320 4.2 9.7 95 55

G20 Pure sedan G20 Pure sedan G20 Pure hatch G20 Pure hatch G20 Evolve sedan G20 Evolve sedan G20 Evolve hatch G20 Evolve hatch G20 Touring sedan G20 Touring sedan G20 Touring hatch G20 Touring hatch G25 Evolve sedan G25 Evolve sedan

$25,590 $26,590 $25,590 $26,590 $27,290 $28,290 $27,290 $28,290 $29,590 $30,590 $29,590 $30,590 $30,090 $31,090

L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.5 2.5

114 114 114 114 114 114 114 114 114 114 114 114 139 139

200 200 200 200 200 200 200 200 200 200 200 200 252 252

M6 A6 M6 A6 M6 A6 M6 A6 M6 A6 M6 A6 M6 A6

1316 1339 1317 1338 1316 1339 1317 1338 1316 1339 1317 1338 1350 1376

9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 8.6 8.6

6.3 6.1 6.4 6.2 6.3 6.1 6.4 6.2 6.3 6.1 6.4 6.2 6.2 6.5

91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91

51 F 52 F 52 F 52 02/20 F 52 F 52 F 52 F 52 06/19 F 52 F 52 F 52 F 52 F 52 F 52 F

R @wheelsaustralia

133

52 F 52 F 52 F 52 F 52 F 52 F 52 F 52 02/20 F 52 F 52 05/19 F 52 F 52 F 52 F 52 09/20 F

Evergreen Mazda 6 keeps getting better with age, in particular the deceptively rapid turbo-petrol in new-for-’21 GT SP form THE PICK: Wagon always trumps sedan, and turbo-petrol over diesel

Sport Sport wagon Touring Touring wagon GT SP GT SP wagon Atenza Atenza wagon

$34,590 $35,890 $38,890 $40,190 $46,690 $47,990 $50,090 $51,390 MX-5

L4 L4 L4 L4 L4T L4T L4T L4T

2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5

140 140 140 140 170 170 170 170

252 252 252 252 420 420 420 420

A6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6

1536 1553 1536 1553 1607 1613 1620 1627

8.1 8.1 8.1 8.1 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.0

7.0 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6

91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91

– – – – – – – –

F F F F F F F F

Bilstein-equipped, track-focused RS models add another layer to the multi-talented, COTY-winning, adorably petite MX-5 THE PICK: Roadster over RF, and manual over auto – especially the 1.5

Roadster Roadster Roadster GT Roadster GT Roadster GT RS RF RF RF GT RF GT RF GT RS RF GT Black Roof RF GT Black Roof

$36,090 $38,090 $44,020 $46,020 $47,020 $41,400 $43,400 $48,100 $50,100 $51,100 $49,120 $51,120 CX-3

L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4

1.5 1.5 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

97 97 135 135 135 135 135 135 135 135 135 135

152 152 205 205 205 205 205 205 205 205 205 205

M6 A6 M6 A6 M6 M6 A6 M6 A6 M6 M6 A6

1021 1038 1035 1061 1052 1107 1134 1107 1134 1101 1107 1134

8.3 8.3 6.5 6.5 6.5 6.8 6.8 6.8 6.8 6.8 6.8 6.8

6.2 6.4 6.8 7.0 6.8 6.9 7.2 6.9 7.2 6.9 6.9 7.2

95 95 95 95 95 95 95 95 95 95 95 95

– – – – – – – – – – – –

R R 09/19 R R R R R R R R R R

Yet another once-over for ’21, focusing on seat comfort and upgraded multimedia, giving the evergreen CX-3 even more life THE PICK: With flashy tan/white interior, Maxx Sport LE, or anything AWD

Neo Sport Neo Sport Maxx Sport Maxx Sport Maxx Sport LE Maxx Sport AWD sTouring sTouring sTouring AWD Akari Akari Akari AWD Akari LE Akari LE AWD 100th Anniversary

$22,890 $24,890 $24,890 $26,890 $27,640 $28,890 $29,090 $31,090 $33,090 $34,190 $36,190 $38,190 $36,690 $38,690 $37,690 CX-30

L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

110 110 110 110 110 110 110 110 110 110 110 110 110 110 110

195 195 195 195 195 195 195 195 195 195 195 195 195 195 195

M6 A6 M6 A6 A6 A6 M6 A6 A6 M6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6

1266 1297 1266 1297 1297 1360 1266 1297 1360 1278 1309 1371 1309 1371 1309

9.0 9.0 9.0 9.2 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.1 9.0 9.0

6.6 6.3 6.6 6.3 6.3 6.7 6.6 6.3 6.7 6.6 6.3 6.7 6.3 6.7 6.3

91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91

-

F F F 01/20 F F A F 02/18 F A F F A 05/17 F A F

Built in response to customer demand, the CX-30 slots between the CX-3 and CX-5. And it’s a real winner... a COTY winner, actually THE PICK: G20s pleasing, but the G25 Touring FWD is Goldilocks spec

G20 Pure FWD G20 Evolve FWD G20 Touring FWD G20 Astina FWD G25 Touring FWD G25 Touring AWD G25 Astina FWD G25 Astina AWD

134

$29,990 $31,490 $34,990 $38,990 $36,490 $38,490 $41,490 $43,490

L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4

whichcar.com.au/wheels

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5

114 114 114 114 139 139 139 139

200 200 200 200 252 252 252 252

A6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6

1339 1339 1339 1376 1376 1376 1388 1388

10.2 10.2 10.2 10.2 8.7 9.1 8.7 9.1

6.5 6.5 6.5 6.5 6.6 6.8 6.6 6.8

91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91

52 F 52 F 52 04/20 F 52 F 52 F 52 A 52 03/20 F 52 A

New

Drive

Issue tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb weight

Trans.

91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 95 95 95 95

Torque

6.3 6.6 6.2 6.5 6.3 6.6 6.2 6.5 6.2 8.8 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.3

Power

8.6 8.6 8.6 8.6 8.6 8.6 8.6 8.6 8.6 8.6 8.2 8.7 8.2 8.7

Size

RON

1339 1368 1350 1376 1339 1368 1362 1388 1351 1380 1417 1440 1416 1439

Engine type

Fuel cons.

M6 A6 M6 A6 M6 A6 M6 A6 M6 A6 M6 A6 M6 A6

Price

0-100

252 252 252 252 252 252 252 252 252 252 224 224 224 224

Drive

Kerb weight

139 139 139 139 139 139 139 139 139 139 132 132 132 132

Issue tested

Trans.

2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

Resale %

Torque

L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4T L4T L4T L4T

Power

$30,090 $31,090 $34,090 $35,090 $34,090 $35,090 $37,590 $38,590 $37,590 $38,590 $40,590 $41,590 $40,590 $41,590 6

Size

G25 Evolve hatch G25 Evolve hatch G25 GT sedan G25 GT sedan G25 GT hatch G25 GT hatch G25 Astina sedan G25 Astina sedan G25 Astina hatch G25 Astina hatch X20 Astina sedan X20 Astina sedan X20 Astina hatch X20 Astina hatch

Engine type

Price

bank

MAZDA MX-30 Quirky crossover and its doors of perception

Mazda’s ‘freestyle’ doors (ala RX-8) make a return on the unusual MX-30 – a sporty SUVof-sorts with either a hybrid drivetrain (available now) or full-electric (on its way). The ‘M Hybrid’ combines the familiar 114kW 2.0-litre petrol four with an integrated startergenerator, making it a mild hybrid rather than a full-blown one. Expect a waiting list.

G20e Evolve G20e Touring G20e Astina

$33,990 $36,490 $40,990 CX-5

L4 L4 L4

2.0 114 2.0 114 2.0 114

200 A6 1481 – 200 A6 1481 – 200 A6 1492 –

6.4 91 6.4 91 6.4 91

F F F

2017 redesign addressed refinement and rear-seat issues, enhanced by continual updates, fresh multimedia in top models THE PICK: Either Maxx AWD or the hot-looking GT SP Turbo

Maxx FWD Maxx FWD Maxx Maxx Sport FWD Maxx Sport Maxx Sport Touring Touring GT GT Turbo GT GT SP GT SP Turbo Akera Akera Turbo Akera

$31,190 $33,190 $36,190 $36,490 $39,490 $42,490 $41,280 $44,280 $46,990 $49,490 $49,990 $47,490 $49,990 $49,380 $51,880 $52,380

L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4TTD L4 L4TTD L4 L4T L4TTD L4 L4T L4 L4T L4TTD

2.0 2.0 2.5 2.0 2.5 2.2 2.5 2.2 2.5 2.5 2.2 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.2

115 115 140 115 140 140 140 140 140 170 140 140 170 140 170 140

200 200 252 200 252 450 252 450 252 420 450 252 420 252 420 450

M6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6

1510 1558 1641 1558 1641 1714 1641 1714 1681 1718 1754 1681 1718 1681 1718 1754

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

6.9 6.9 7.4 6.9 7.4 5.7 7.4 5.7 7.4 8.2 5.7 7.4 8.2 7.4 8.2 5.7

91 91 91 91 91 D 91 D 91 91 D 91 91 91 91 D

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

YB17

F F A F A A A A A A A A A A A A

CX-8 A tad dull and rather awkward but good at seating seven in comfort.

Essentially a CX-5 L, so narrower than the huge CX-9 THE PICK: Torque-rich oiler is best with all-wheel drive, so Touring SP

Sport Sport Diesel AWD Touring Touring SP Touring Diesel AWD Touring SP Diesel AWD GT Diesel GT Diesel AWD Asaki Diesel Asaki Diesel AWD Asaki LE Diesel AWD

$39,990 $46,990 $46,790 $47,790 $53,790 $54,790 $59,290 $63,290 $62,790 $66,790 $69,920 CX-9

L4 L4TTD L4 L4 L4TTD L4TTD L4TTD L4TTD L4TTD L4TTD L4TTD

2.5 2.2 2.5 2.5 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.2

140 140 140 140 140 140 140 140 140 140 140

252 450 252 252 450 450 450 450 450 450 450

A6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6

1799 1949 1799 1799 1949 1949 1906 1978 1906 1978 1977

– – – – – – – – – – –

8.1 6.0 8.1 8.1 6.0 6.0 5.9 6.0 5.9 6.0 6.0

91 D 91 91 D D D D D D D

F A F F A A F A F A A

Five years’ old this year but gamely holding station with its class-best drivetrain, excellent dynamics, voluminous space and handsome style THE PICK: The Touring is right up there but the new GT SP looks hot!

Sport Sport AWD Touring Touring AWD GT GT AWD GT SP GT SP AWD Azami Azami AWD Azami LE AWD 100th Anniversary

$45,990 $49,990 $53,490 $57,490 $62,990 $66,990 $63,490 $67,490 $66,190 $70,625 $73,875 $72,575 BT-50

L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T

2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5

170 170 170 170 170 170 170 170 170 170 170 170

420 420 420 420 420 420 420 420 420 420 420 420

A6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6

1881 1953 1881 1953 1938 2010 1938 2010 1938 2010 2010 1938

7.7 7.6 7.4 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6

8.4 9.0 8.4 9.0 8.4 9.0 8.4 9.0 8.4 9.0 9.0 8.4

91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91

-

10/16 F A 04/18 F A F A F A F A A F

Mazda’s family face largely solves the divisive styling, while Isuzu’s D-Max offers the platform replacing the Ford Rangers’. It’s a good rig THE PICK: Any – it’s all about deciding how many goodies you want

XT XT XTR XTR GT GT Thunder Thunder

$50,760 $53,260 $54,710 $57,210 $56,990 $59,990 $65,990 $68,990

L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD

3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0

140 140 140 140 140 140 140 140

450 450 450 450 450 450 450 450

M6 A6 M6 A6 M6 A6 M6 A6

2005 2010 2020 2030 2025 2035 2203 2213

– –

7.7 8.0 7.7 8.0 7.7 8.0 7.7 8.0

D D D D D D D D

-

A A A A A A A A

M A Z DA – M ER CE D ES -B E N Z YOUR COMPLETE NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE

McLaren

Drive

Issue tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

S GT S Spider

$395,000 $415,000 $435,750 600LT

V8TT V8TT V8TT

3.8 419 600 D7 1400 3.2 10.7 98 3.8 419 600 D7 1450 3.3 10.7 98 3.8 419 600 D7 1503 3.2 10.7 98 -

R R R

$455,000 $496,000 GT

V8TT V8TT

3.8 441 620 D7 1356 2.9 12.2 98 3.8 441 620 D7 1404 2.9 12.2 98 -

R 07/19 R

McLaren tries its hand at the ‘practical’ supercar genre. Same twin-turbo V8 recipe, now with added comfort and luggage space THE PICK: There’s only one, so it’s this or some business class flights

GT

$399,995 720S

V8TT

4.0 456 630 D7 1530 3.2 10.8 98 -

R

Superb steering and dynamics plus next-level performance headline what is the thinking man’s supercar. Utterly blinding speed THE PICK: We say Coupe, but Spider no less stiff and only 50kg heavier

Coupe Spider

$509,000 $567,000 Senna

V8TT V8TT

4.0 530 770 D7 1419 2.9 10.7 98 4.0 530 770 D7 1468 2.9 12.2 98 -

07/18 R 05/19 R

Furiously aggressive to look at and even more punishingly brutal to drive, the Senna is a race car masquerading as a road-legal car THE PICK: Two decisions: options and to upgrade your life insurance

$1,600,000 V8TT

4.0 597 800 D7 1374 2.8 12.4 98 -

Mercedes-Benz

A180 Hatchback A180 Sedan A200 Sedan A250 Hatchback A250 Sedan A250 4Matic Hatchback A250 4Matic Sedan A250e hatch A250e sedan A35 AMG Hatchback A35 AMG Sedan A45 S AMG 4Matic+

4.7 4.8 4.7 4.8 4.2 4.1 4.4 4.1

8.2 98 8.3 98 7.8 98 8.5 98 8.6 98 8.7 98 15.7 98 9.4 98

52 52 56 56 52 52 56 56

Drive

1615 1735 1660 1870 1865 1650 1800 1925

Issue tested

A9 A9 A9 A9 A9 A9 A9 A9

Fuel cons.

520 520 520 520 700 700 700 700

04/17 A A A A 07/19 R 10/15 R 08/19 R R

$98,700 $103,700 $117,900 $117,400 $130,900 $123,500 $127,100 $128,200 $141,300 $162,300 $164,800 $173,400 $253,900 CLS

L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T L4TH L4T L4T L4T L6TH L6TH L6TH V8TT

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 4.0

145 145 190 190 190 235 220 220 220 320 320 320 450

320 320 370 370 370 700 400 400 400 520 520 520 850

A9 A9 A9 A9 A9 A9 A9 A9 A9 A9 A9 A9 A9

1715 1725 1755 1780 1875 2025 – – – 2019 2021 2085 2094

7.5 7.6 6.2 6.4 5.7 5.9 5.9 6.1 4.5 4.4 4.5 3.4

8.0 98 7.9 98 8.0 98 8.0 98 8.2 98 2.2 98 7.7 95 7.7 95 7.8 95 9.2 98 9.3 98 9.4 98 12.3 98

42 42 43 43 43 – – – – 55 55 55 45

R R R R R R R R R A A A A

Doesn’t ride as smoothly as we’d like, and understated styling lacks the presence of prior versions. Not a vintage generation THE PICK: Doesn’t encourage the type of driving the 53 provides, so 450

CLS350 CLS450 CLS53 AMG

$142,835 $161,535 $186,435

L4T L6T L6TT

2.0 220 400 A9 1775 6.1 7.8 95 44 3.0 270 500 A9 1940 4.8 8.7 95 44 3.0 320 520 A9 1980 4.5 7.8 95 52

R A A

S-CLASS Towering tech combines with elegant styling and eye-opening dynamic prowess for superb Mercedes-Benz flagship THE PICK: Shortwheelbase S450 4Matic arguably the world’s finest sedan

$43,900 $46,200 $50,400 $50,700 $53,000 $56,900 $59,200 $63,400 $66,000 $68,935 $72,135 $93,235 CLA

L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T

1.3 1.3 1.3 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 1.3 1.3 2.0 2.0 2.0

100 100 120 165 165 165 165 160 160 225 225 310

200 200 250 350 350 350 350 450 450 400 400 500

D7 D7 D7 D7 D7 D7 D7 D8 D8 D7 D7 D8

1375 1300 1310 1505 1465 1505 1525 1480 1480 1550

8.8 8.9 8.1 6.2 6.3 6.2 6.3 6.6 6.6 4.7 4.7 3.9

5.7 5.7 5.7 6.6 6.4 6.6 6.6 1.6 1.6 7.6 7.4 8.3

95 95 95 95 95 95 95 95 95 98 98 98

50 F 50 F 51 F 51 F 51 F 51 A 51 A F - 12/20 F 52 03/20 A 53 A 53 05/20 A

$60,700 $70,200 $85,135 $110,835 B-Class

L4T L4T L4T L4T

1.3 2.0 2.0 2.0

120 165 225 310

250 350 400 500

D7 D7 D7 D8

1345 1475 1515 1675

8.2 6.3 4.7 4.0

5.7 6.7 7.5 8.3

95 95 98 98

47 48 48 48

F A A A

$47,800 C-Class

L4T

1.3 100 200 D7 1330 9.0 5.7 95 50

$68,275 $70,600 $89,842 $74,200 $76, 735 $89,800 $106,200 $81,687

L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T L4TH

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

150 150 150 190 190 190 190 235

300 300 300 370 370 370 370 700

A9 A7 A9 A9 A9 A7 A9 A9

1525 1505 1645 1530 1615 1565 1690 1740

7.1 7.1 7.1 6.2 6.1 6.0 6.4 5.4

7.0 7.0 7.0 11.1 6.7 6.6 7.2 2.1

95 95 95 95 95 95 95 95

S450 4Matic S450 L 4Matic

52 R 56 R 56 R 52 04/19 R 52 R 56 R 56 R 52 R

$240,700 $264,900 SL

L6T L6T

3.0 270 500 A9 2001 5.1 8.2 95 3.0 270 500 A9 2074 5.1 8.4 95

A A

Old stager has lost its looks a bit, but the punchy engine line-up means you’ll be gone before too many can ponder that fact THE PICK: SL500 is perfectly adequate; otherwise buy a GT Roadster

SL500 SL63 AMG

$292,500 $370,900 GT

V8TT V8TT

4.7 335 700 A9 1795 4.3 9.1 95 67 5.5 430 900 A9 1845 4.1 10.2 95 51

R R

Roadster renders SL AMG redundant. Beautiful coupe is not quite a sports car, not quite a grand tourer but close enough to both. Delicious THE PICK: GT C almost as quick as R but a million times more liveable

GT S GT C GT C Roadster GT R GT R Pro

$317,800 V8TT $336,900 V8TT $362,800 V8TT $368,700 V8TT $453,200 V8TT GT 4-Door

4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0

384 410 410 430 430

670 680 680 700 700

D7 D7 D7 D7 D7

1570 1625 1660 1555 1530

3.8 3.8 4.0 4.0 3.6

9.5 98 11.5 98 14.3 98 20.6 98 12.4 98

67 67 67 67 -

09/15 01/20 10/17 03/19

R R R R R

Much more than just a swoopier E63 or the missing CLS63. In fact, this ballistic sports-sedan/coupe may just be AMG’s most resolved model THE PICK: The $100K premium is huge, but you’d be nuts not to pay it

GT53 GT63 S

$256,235 $358,735 GLA

L6TT V8TT

3.0 320 520 A9 1970 4.5 9.4 98 67 A 4.0 470 900 A9 2045 3.2 11.3 98 67 09/19 A

Lacks the original’s taut styling, but second-gen GLA offers the same goodness as new A-Class in an SUV body. Should sell like crazy then.

THE PICK: Like all of Merc’s compact range, go the 250 4Matic

F

Crushes 3 Series and A4 in sales charts but trails both in our eyes (nonAMG models aside). Amazing AMG flagship is a future classic, though THE PICK: Failing the latter, there’s plenty to like about the C300 Estate

C200 Estate C200 Coupe C200 Cabriolet C300 C300 Estate C300 Coupe C300 Cabriolet C300e Sedan

287 287 287 287 375 375 375 375

More about its dazzling MBUX infotainment screens than actual driving sophistication unless you’re at A250 4Matic level or above THE PICK: Avoid the bland 1.3s; try the A35 AMG or blistering A45 instead

Spacious and sensible, the B-Class is essentially a blown-up A-Class with family focused packaging, but newbie’s 1.3L is retrograde step THE PICK: Downsized engine at odds with big strides made elsewhere

B180 Sports Tourer

3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0

A-Class

Swoopy, coupe-as-sedan styling now more cohesive, and it’s a decent drive. Rear headroom a bit tight, but otherwise roomy enough THE PICK: New AMGs are our preference, though 250 beats 200

200 250 4Matic 35 AMG 4Matic CLA 45 S 4Matic+

E200 Sedan E200 Coupe E300 Sedan E300 Coupe E300 Cabriolet E300e Sedan E350 Sedan E350 Coupe E350 Cabriolet E53 AMG Sedan E53 AMG Coupe E53 AMG Cabriolet E63 S AMG

08/18 R

5 years/unlimited

V6TT V6TT V6TT V6TT V8TT V8TT V8TT V8TT

A smarter, slicker, very stylish update of the evergreen E-Class proves it’s all the sedan (or coupe/cabriolet) most people could ever need tAnything with an AMG appendage is a modern classic

Malleable handling and exquisite focus with searing performance seal the Longtail as the Sport Series’ finest moment. Sublime THE PICK: Toss a coin. Spider gives epic access to top-exit exhausts

Coupe Spider

$111,935 $114,535 $116,500 $130,000 $165,835 $168,535 $171,400 $190,100 E-Class

Resale %

Intimacy, turbo torque and surprising ride quality make 570 involving, quick, flexible and capable, but flat-plane crank V8 note too tame THE PICK: We’re fans of the price and weight of the S, but Spider tasty

C43 AMG C43 AMG Estate C43 AMG Coupe C43 AMG Cabriolet C63 S AMG C63 S AMG Estate C63 S AMG Coupe C63 S AMG Cabriolet

RON

R

0-100

3.8 397 540 D7 1350 3.5 10.7 98 -

Kerb weight

V8TT

Trans.

$350,000 570

Torque

Least-expensive Macca gets a slightly lower-output twin-turbo V8 than the 570 in a brilliantly accessible and enjoyable package THE PICK: That’s done for you; now just wrestle with the options list

Power

Price

540C

Size

3 years/unlimited

Engine type

Size

Engine type

Price

WHAT IT ALL MEANS PRICE Recommended retail figure at time of publication (asterisk indicates driveaway price) ENGINE TYPE L, in-line; V, vee; F, flat. Number of cylinders. T, turbo; S, supercharged; D, diesel; H, hybrid; E, electric SIZE Litres or kWh POWER kW TORQUE Nm TRANSMISSION M, manual; A, auto; D, dual-clutch; C, CVT WEIGHT Kerb, kg 0-100 km/h, acceleration in seconds (Wheels as-tested figures in italics) FUEL CONS Consumption in litres, or kWh, per 100km RON Octane of fuel required, as numbered, or D for diesel RESALE percent, 3-year resale in Glass’s ISSUE TESTED month/year DRIVE A, all-wheel; F, front; R, rear. Any figure in bold is our own estimate.

200 250 4Matic 35 45 S

$55,100 $66,500 $82,935 $107,035 GLB

L4T L4T L4T L4T

1.3 2.0 2.0 2.0

120 165 225 310

250 350 400 500

D7 D8 D8 D8

1410 1525 1582 1690

8.7 6.7 5.1 4.3

5.7 6.9 7.4 9.3

95 95 98 98

-

F A A A

Closer to GLC in size than a GLA, Merc’s newest SUV offers smart packaging, a rich spec, and useful third-row seating as standard THE PICK: Like the A-Class, we’d avoid the 1.3. 250 is the sweet spot

200 250 4Matic 35

$59,000 $73,535 $88,535

L4T L4T L4T

1.3 120 250 D7 1480 9.1 6.2 95 2.0 165 350 D8 1595 6.9 7.4 95 2.0 225 400 D8 1680 5.2 7.6 98 -

F 08/20 A A

@wheelsaustralia

135

200 300 300e 300 Coupe 43 AMG 43 AMG Coupe 63 S AMG 63 S AMG Coupe

$67,400 $79,335 $82,890 $89,535 $112,135 $119,835 $164,235 $171,535 GLE

L4T L4T L4TH L4T V6TT V6TT V8TT V8TT

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 3.0 3.0 4.0 4.0

145 190 235 190 287 287 375 375

320 370 700 370 520 520 700 700

A9 A9 A9 A9 A9 A9 A9 A9

1760 1805 1955 1825 1870 1875 2025 2030

7.8 6.2 5.7 6.3 4.9 4.9 3.8 3.8

7.8 95 8.1 95 2.6 98 - 95 10.4 98 10.4 98 - 98 - 98

61 61 61 61 61 61 61

R 13/19 A A A A A 04/20 A A

$105,090 $117,035 $124,035 $137,000 $171,800 $222,700 $166,335 $220,600 $222,700 G-Class

L4TD L6T L6TD L6T L6T V8TT L6T V8TT V8TT

2.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 4.0 3.0 4.0 4.0

180 270 243 270 320 450 320 450 450

500 500 700 500 520 850 520 850 850

A9 A9 A9 A9 A9 D9 A9 A9 A9

2090 2145 2190 2250 2370 2175 2345 2370

7.8 5.7 5.8 5.7 5.3 3.8 5.3 3.8 3.8

10.0 D 9.1 95 7.7 D 9.2 95 9.3 95 11.5 98 9.4 95 12.4 98 12.6 98

61 09/19 A 61 A 61 A A A A 61 A A A

L6TD V8TT

2.9 243 700 A9 2414 6.4 9.5 D 4.0 430 850 A9 2485 4.5 13.1 98 54

A A

Imposing US-sized SUV that can comfortably carry tall adults in its third row, and scare them shitless in AMG form THE PICK: The head says straight-six diesel but the heart cries ’63!’

$146,135 $152,935 $255,700

L6TH L6TD V8TT

3.0 270 500 A9 2370 6.2 9.2 98 3.0 243 700 A9 2415 6.3 7.7 D 4.0 450 850 A9 2555 4.2 13.0 98 -

A 03/20 A A

Vibe Excite Essence Anfield Edition

Like a GLA with masses more tech (and weight), EQA brings batteryelectric Benz motoring closer to the masses THE PICK: If you want your leccy Merc to sparkle, you’ll need an Edition 1

$76,800 $84,100 EQC

E E

67 140 375 R1 1965 8.9 16.2 – 67 140 375 R1 1965 8.9 16.2 –

F F

$137,900 V-Class

E

80 300 760 1R 2480 4.7 21.4 -

-

V220d V250d Avantgarde

$83,130 $97,730

L4TD L4TD

2.1 120 380 D7 2135 8.5 6.3 D 2.1 140 440 D7 2135 8.0 6.7 D

MG

53 51

R R

Cooper Cooper Cooper S Cooper S JCW JCW Electric First Edition

Cooper Cooper Cooper S Cooper S

Cooper Cooper S JCW

136

$20,990 $22,990 $24,990 $29,490* $32,490* $43,990*

Drive

Issue tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb weight

Torque

Trans.

D7 D7 D7 D7

1520 1520 1520 1520

11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0

7.3 7.3 7.3 7.3

91 56 04/20 F 91 57 04/20 F 91 – F 91 – F

3 years/unlimited

$30,750 $33,250 $41,200 $44,000 $50,900 $53,850 $59,900 5-door

L3T L3T L4T L4T L4T L4T E

1.5 1.5 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 33

100 100 141 141 170 170 135

220 220 280 280 320 320 270

M6 D7 M6 D7 M6 A8 R1

1085 1115 1160 1175 1205 1220 1320

7.9 7.8 6.8 6.7 6.3 6.1 7.3

5.5 5.3 6.3 5.5 6.9 6.0 14.1

95 95 95 95 95 95 –

48 06/14 F 48 F 50 06/14 F 50 F 61 F 61 F – 09/20 F

$32,000 L3T 1.5 100 $34,500 L3T 1.5 100 $42,450 L4T 2.0 141 $45,250 L4T 2.0 141 Cooper Convertible

220 220 280 280

M6 D7 M6 D7

1145 1175 1220 1240

8.2 9.1 6.9 6.8

5.5 5.4 6.4 5.6

95 95 95 95

48 F 48 03/16 F 50 F 50 07/20 F

$41,900 L3T $49,200 L4T $58,900 L4T Clubman

1.5 100 220 D7 1230 8.7 5.6 95 63 2.0 141 280 D7 1295 7.1 5.7 95 64 2.0 170 320 A8 1435 6.5 6.3 95 51

F F F

Quirky style cloaks a practical package (due to BMW X1 wheelbase) with lively turbos and jaunty demeanour. New variants trickling in THE PICK: Any. This is our favourite of the Mini bodystyles by far

Cooper S Cooper S JCW Pure JCW

$45,900 L4T $45,900 L4T $57,900 L4T $62,900 L4T Countryman

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

141 141 225 225

280 280 450 450

M6 D7 A8 A8

1360 1390 1475 1490

7.2 7.3 4.9 4.9

7.1 6.2 7.7 7.7

98 98 98 98

53 53 53 53

F F A A

Maintains the regular Mini’s lively, fun nature in a versatile SUV-ish package, with a useful Hybrid and rapid JCW variants adding texture THE PICK: Four-pot turbos for disappointment-avoiding performance

Cooper Cooper S Hybrid JCW Pure JCW

$44,500 $52,900 $60,900 $61,915 $67,818

L3T L4T L3TH L4T L4T

1.5 2.0 1.5 2.0 2.0

100 141 165 225 225

220 280 385 450 450

D7 D7 A6 A8 A8

1390 1460 1490

Mitsubishi

9.7 7.5 6.8 5.1 5.1

6.3 6.7 2.4 7.6 7.6

95 95 95 95 95

-

F F A A A

5 years/100,000km

Mirage

L4 L4

1.5 82 1.5 82

150 A4 1170 150 A4 1170

12.5 6.7 91 46 12.5 6.7 91 47

F F

Once-proud Mirage looks dowdy and dull and has a bouncy ride, tight rear seat and wheezy power. Still, it’s well equipped for the price THE PICK: Fuhgeddaboudit. Save for a Suzuki Swift or a Kia Picanto

ES ES LS

The ZST is related to the ZS, but it’s more modern, with extra safety kit and a new turbo engine the highlights. However, it’s more expensive…

THE PICK: Balance budget and oomph with one of the turbo units

ZS Excite ZS Excite Plus ZS Essence ZST Excite ZST Essence ZST EV Essence

250 250 250 250

Karty handling equals instant gratification. Charming triple and easy-to-use fabric top make Cooper cab a summer fun machine THE PICK: Big price to pay for decapitation compared to regular hatch

7 years/unlimited

Finally gets auto-only range, but it’s a four-speed dunger. New design looks good, but do not be confused by the badge. It’s Chinese THE PICK: Have you considered a Suzuki Swift?

$16,490 $18,490 ZS/ZST

119 119 119 119

Broadens the new Mini’s rear-seat access, practicality and appeal, and still a hoot to punt around. 1.5L three-pot turbo is stirringly strong THE PICK: Cooper with choice options (including adaptive dampers)

MG3

Core Excite

1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5

Hatch

02/20 A

Transport for your VIPs just got classier, with new looks, interior and safety tech allied to a diesel donk well up for hauling groups of eight THE PICK: The Avantgarde for more pep at your pedal

L4T L4T L4T L4T

Famous kart-like responses still present, and there’s true BMW solidity and tech to go with the fun, but what’s with the Union Jack lights?

THE PICK: Cooper S – but only with optional adaptive dampers

Mercedes-Benz’s first attempt at a full electric vehicle is a masterpiece. Comfortable and familiar, yet still innovative. Top marks THE PICK: Our COTY 2020 winner. Praise doesn’t get much higher

400

$29,990 $32,990 $36,990 $37,990

Mini

EQA

250 250 Edition 1

Power

The HS progresses for the Chinese-owned British brand on safety, packaging, multimedia and design fronts. A dynamic improvement? No THE PICK: Starting to get expensive at this price point. Go for the Vibe

$233,900 $259,235 GLS

450 400d 63 AMG

Size

HS

Ride would benefit from optional air suspension, but otherwise a delight. Coupe’s reduced headroom only an issue for giants THE PICK: 300 for non-AMG, or the full-fat 63 S if the budget allows

The all-new G63 looks almost identical to the old model, but is vastly improved. Despite looking like a cereal box, it’s devilishly intoxicating THE PICK: There’s nothing on the planet like this, so dive straight in

G400d G63

Engine type

GLC

All-new model brings longer wheelbase and roomier, classier cabin with optional third row. But only up-spec models truly deliver THE PICK: As per usual, either AMG best suit the GLE’s station in life

300d 450 400d 450 Coupe 53 AMG Coupe 63 S Coupe 53 AMG 63 S AMG 63 S AMG Coupe

Price

Drive

Issue tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

Price

Engine type

bank

L4 L3T L3T L3T L3T E

whichcar.com.au/wheels

1.5 1.0 1.0 1.3 1.3 45

84 82 82 115 115 105

150 160 160 230 230 353

A4 A6 A6 A6 A6 1R

1255 1245 1245 1295 1295 1532

13.2 7.1 91 13.2 6.7 91 13.2 6.7 91 – 7.1 91 – 7.1 91 8.2 18.6 –

50 52 52 – – –

F F F F F F

$14,990 $16,490 $17,490 ASX

L3 L3 L3

1.2 57 1.2 57 1.2 57

100 M5 865 100 C 895 100 C 895

14.5 4.7 91 14.5 4.7 91 14.5 4.7 91

41 41 41

F F F

New 2.4L in upper range brings usefully more torque. Styling, safety and tech tweaks help, but the less spent the better. Now 10+ years old THE PICK: Sporty MR and GSR look good, but ES is best for value

ES ES MR ES ADAS LS GSR Exceed

$23,990 $25,990 $27,740 $27,740 $28,690 $30,740 $33,240

L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4 L4

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.4 2.4

110 110 110 110 110 123 123

197 197 197 197 197 222 222

M5 C C C C C C

1350 1380 1380 1380 1380 1390 1390

10.0 9.7 10.0 10.0 10.0 9.5 9.5

7.7 91 10.4 91 7.6 91 7.6 91 7.6 91 7.9 91 7.9 91

48 F 48 01/20 F – F 48 F 48 F – F 46 13/19 F

M E R CE D ES -B E NZ – N I SSA N YOUR COMPLETE NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE

Drive

Issue tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

Price

Engine type

WHAT IT ALL MEANS PRICE Recommended retail figure at time of publication (asterisk indicates driveaway price) ENGINE TYPE L, in-line; V, vee; F, flat. Number of cylinders. T, turbo; S, supercharged; D, diesel; H, hybrid; E, electric SIZE Litres or kWh POWER kW TORQUE Nm TRANSMISSION M, manual; A, auto; D, dual-clutch; C, CVT WEIGHT Kerb, kg 0-100 km/h, acceleration in seconds (Wheels as-tested figures in italics) FUEL CONS Consumption in litres, or kWh, per 100km RON Octane of fuel required, as numbered, or D for diesel RESALE percent, 3-year resale in Glass’s ISSUE TESTED month/year DRIVE A, all-wheel; F, front; R, rear. Any figure in bold is our own estimate.

F F A F F A

$29,490 L4 $31,790 L4 $34,690 L4 $34,590 L4 $37,190 L4 $40,690 L4TD $43,690 L4 $47,190 L4TD $47,390 L4H $52,490 L4H $56,390 L4H Pajero Sport

2.0 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.2 2.4 2.2 2.4 2.4 2.4

110 124 124 124 124 110 124 110 94 94 94

190 220 220 220 220 360 220 360 199 199 199

M5 C C C C A6 C A6 C C C

1400 1465 1525 1465 1525 1620 1525 1620 1880 1880 1880

10.0 9.5 9.5 9.5 9.5 9.5 9.5 9.5 10.5 10.5 10.5

7.0 7.2 7.2 7.2 7.2 6.2 7.2 6.2 1.9 1.9 1.9

91 91 91 91 91 D 91 D 91 91 91

48 48 48 48 48 50 51 51 – – –

F F A F A A A A A A A

ST ST+ ST-L ST-L+ Ti

$46,990 $51,490 $57,190 Pajero

L4TD L4TD L4TD

2.4 133 430 A8 2045 10.0 8.0 D 2.4 133 430 A8 2065 10.0 8.0 D 2.4 133 430 A8 2110 10.0 8.0 D

52 A 53 A 53 03/16 A

A proper off-roader that’s also a capable, very roomy family car, but is ancient inside. The last remnant of Mitsubishi’s revered past THE PICK: Haggle hard as she’s about to disappear forever

GLX GLS

$54,490 $59,990 Triton

L4TD L4TD

3.2 141 3.2 141

441 A5 2302 10.5 9.1 D 441 A5 2319 10.5 9.1 D

51 51

A A

New styling and added safety are welcome, but the old chassis and workmanlike 2.4L diesel remain unchanged. Keen pricing a real plus THE PICK: GLX ADAS upwards balances value with spec well

GLX GLX GLX ADAS GLX ADAS GLX-R GLX-R GLX+ GLX+ GLS GLS GLS Premium GSR

$37,490 $39,990 $38,540 $41,040 $41,990 $44,490 $40,990 $43,490 $45,440 $47,940 $52,790 $51,890

L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD

2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4

133 133 133 133 133 133 133 133 133 133 133 133

430 430 430 430 430 430 430 430 430 430 430 430

M6 A6 M6 A6 M6 A6 M6 A6 M6 A6 A6 A6

1950 1955 1950 1950 1961 1961 1955 1955 1985 1990 2045 2045

10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0

Nissan

7.9 8.6 7.9 8.4 7.9 8.6 7.9 8.6 7.9 8.6 8.6 8.6

D D D D D D D D D D D D

47 47 47 47 47 47 47 47 47 -

ST ST ST+ ST-L Ti

A A A A A A A A A A A A

ST ST ST 7-seat ST 4WD TS 4WD ST-L ST-L 7-seat ST-L 4WD Ti 4WD

40 110

320 1R 1580 7.9 16.5 -

ST 2WD ST 4WD ST Hybrid 2WD ST+ 2WD ST+ 4WD ST-L 2WD ST-L 4WD ST-L Hybrid 4WD Ti 2WD Ti 4WD Ti Hybrid 4WD

Roadster Roadster Nismo Nismo

V6 V6 V6 V6 V6 V6

3.7 3.7 3.7 3.7 3.7 3.7

245 245 245 245 253 253

363 363 363 363 371 371

M6 A7 M6 A7 M6 A7

1515 1526 1570 1582 1528 1538

5.6 5.7 5.7 5.7 5.3 5.3

10.6 95 10.4 95 11.2 95 10.9 95 10.6 95 10.4 95

51 R 52 R 64 01/10 R 64 R 51 R 52 R

Older than Nikki Webster but twin-turbo V6 coupe with rear-biased AWD still delivers supercar pace and unique attitude for Boxster GTS bucks THE PICK: Not the Nismo

Premium

$193,800

V6TT

3.8 419 632 D6 1765 3.2 11.7 98 55

$27,990 $30,740 $33,940 $35,140 $36,440 Qashqai

L3T L3T L3T L3T L3T

1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0

84 84 84 84 84

180 180 180 180 180

D7 D7 D7 D7 D7

1251 1251 1274 1274 1274

11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8

5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8

95 95 95 95 95

49 49 49

F F F F 49 08/20 F

$28,290 $30,290 $32,290 $34,300 $38,790 X-Trail

L4 L4 L4 L4 L4

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

106 106 106 106 106

200 200 200 200 200

M6 C C C C

1343 1375 1384 1392 1429

9.9 10.5 10.1 10.1 11.0

7.7 8.6 6.9 6.9 11.1

91 91 91 91 91

50 F 50 01/20 F 50 F 50 F 54 09/18 F

$30,665 L4 $32,665 L4 $34,265 L4 $34,665 L4 $37,465 L4TD $38,525 L4 $40,125 L4 $40,525 L4 $45,965 L4 Pathfinder

2.0 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.0 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5

106 126 126 126 130 126 126 126 126

200 226 226 226 380 226 226 226 226

M6 C C C C C C C C

1464 1497 1547 1553 1656 1532 1573 1588 1601

– – – – – – – 10.3 –

8.2 7.9 8.1 8.3 6.1 7.9 8.1 8.3 8.3

91 91 91 91 D 91 91 91 91

– – – – – – – – –

F F F A A F F 08/14 A YB17 A

$44,240 $47,740 $47,240 $45,340 $48,840 $55,640 $59,140 $62,140 $63,640 $67,140 $70,140 Patrol

V6 V6 L4SH V6 V6 V6 V6 L4SH V6 V6 L4SH

3.5 3.5 2.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 2.5 3.5 3.5 2.5

202 202 188 202 202 202 202 188 202 202 188

340 340 330 340 340 340 340 330 340 340 330

C C C C C C C C C C C

1970 2034 2151 1970 2034 2012 2075 2176 2055 2119 2219

9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0

9.9 10.1 8.6 9.9 10.1 9.9 10.1 8.7 9.9 10.1 8.7

91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91

54 F 55 A 54 F 56 F 56 A 56 F 56 A 56 A 56 09/15 F 57 A 57 A

Powerhouse engine now gets handsome looks to match the grunt.

Remains a great choice for outback tourers and heavy towers THE PICK: Cheaper model leaves more cash for fuel. You’ll need it

Ti Ti-L

$77,760 $92,790

V8 V8

5.6 298 560 A7 2815 8.5 14.4 95 5.6 298 560 A7 2850 8.5 14.4 95 -

A A

Navara

51 02/20 F

Little has changed in its eleventeen years – the 370Z’s still a coarse, hard, loud blast from the rear-drive-coupe past. We like it. A lot THE PICK: Nismo manual – the additions really enhance it

$50,490 $52,990 $61,490 $63,990 $61,990 $64,490 GT-R

A A A

US-made mid-sizer delivers space, V6 grunt and go-most-places ability, but is a bit ponderous and unrewarding for keener drivers THE PICK: Not terrible, but most rivals (like Mazda CX-9) outshine it

5 years/unlimited

One of the most affordable EVs in the country, the Leaf makes the most sense due to large battery and range. Gains five-star safety too THE PICK: This, from a series that is now the best-selling EV in history

E

3.8 419 632 D6 1765 3.2 11.7 98 55 3.8 419 632 D6 1760 3.2 11.7 98 55 3.8 441 652 D6 1706 2.7 11.7 98 53

Far from the best SUV out there, but it’s reliable and Japanese, with seven-seat availability, pleasant styling and keen pricing THE PICK: The less you spend the better, as ST represents good value

Leaf

$49,990 370Z

V6TT V6TT V6TT

Practical and sharp-priced package, which has just seen a minor update. Firm ride and lacks grunt, but fine for undemanding users THE PICK: ST is all the Qashqai you’ll ever need

Rugged, capable and now facelifted, with a squarer-jawed face, updated cabin, revised engine and improved safety THE PICK: Tough GLS the best value given its spec, or go Big Pajero

GLX GLS Exceed

$199,800 $235,000 $378,000 Juke

With a downsized engine and toned-down styling, has this more mature Juke lost its attitude? It’s undoubtedly a better but blander thing THE PICK: All are mechanically identical, ST-L expected to be top seller

Roomy, if ancient and dorky medium SUV that can squeeze in seven seats in petrol form, or plug-in hybrid efficiency in PHEV variants THE PICK: It’s no rally hero but the PHEV GSR has appeal

ES 2WD ES 2WD 7 Seat ES AWD 7 Seat LS 2WD LS AWD LS AWD Exceed AWD Exceed AWD ES PHEV PHEV GSR Exceed PHEV

Premium Luxury Track Edition Nismo

Drive

– – – – – –

Issue tested

91 91 91 91 91 91

Resale %

7.3 7.3 7.7 7.3 7.3 7.7

RON

– – – – – –

Fuel cons.

1472 1486 1550 1499 1535 1600

0-100

C C C C C C

Kerb weight

250 250 250 250 250 250

Trans.

110 110 110 110 110 110

Torque

1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5

Power

$30,290 L4T $32,590 L4T $35,090 L4T $34,990 L4T $38,290 L4T $40,790 L4T Outlander

Size

ES LS LS AWD Aspire Exceed Exceed AWD

Price

Substantial visual makeover makes Eclipse Cross appear more refined and purposeful than its ageing underpinnings might suggest THE PICK: To contain its turbocharged torque, something with AWD

Engine type

Eclipse Cross

Extensively facelifted Navara offers huge choice but we’d opt for a dual-cab over the flexy, flawed King Cab every time THE PICK: Given its high-vis sex appeal, the PRO-4X manual

SL King Cab ST-X King Cab SL SL ST ST ST-X ST-X PRO-4X PRO-4X

$47,600 $58,270 $46,600 $49,100 $52,280 $54,780 $55,770 $58,270 $58,130 $60,630

L4TTD L4TTD L4TTD L4TTD L4TTD L4TTD L4TTD L4TTD L4TTD L4TTD

2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3

140 140 140 140 140 140 140 140 140 140

450 450 450 450 450 450 450 450 450 450

A7 A7 M6 A7 M6 A7 M6 A7 M6 A7

1944 2039 2024 2033 2053 2062 2134 2142 2137 2146

– – – – – – – – – –

7.8 7.8 7.3 7.9 7.3 7.9 7.3 7.9 7.5 8.1

D D D D D D D D D D

A A A A A A A A A A

A @wheelsaustralia

137

F

Allure Touring GT-Line

$32,499 $34,990 508

L3T L3T

1.2 96 1.2 96

230 A6 1173 230 A6 1122

10.2 5.0 95 50 10.2 5.0 95 50

F F

French range-topper heralds a return to the practical, enjoyable and stylish French mid-sizer. Two bodies share same spec level THE PICK: Fastback is stylish, but you’ll really stand out with the wagon

Fastback Sportswagon

$57,490 $59,490 2008

L4T L4T

1.6 165 300 A8 1430 7.7 8.9 95 58 02/20 F 1.6 165 300 A8 1470 8.2 6.3 95 58 02/20 F

$34,990 $43,990

L3T L3T

1.2 96 1.2 114

230 A6 1247 9.3 6.5 95 240 A8 1287 8.7 6.1 95 -

F F

3008 What was already a classy, fun-to-drive medium SUV is now even more trendy thanks to a techy makeover THE PICK: Either a dead-stock Allure or the feisty GT Sport flagship

Allure GT GT HDi GT Sport

$44,990 $47,990 $50,990 $54,990

L4T L4T L4TD L4T

1.6 1.6 2.0 1.6

121 121 131 133

240 240 400 250

A6 A6 A8 A8

1371 1371 1448 1371

9.9 9.9 9.0 8.8

7.3 7.0 5.0 5.6

95 95 D 95

F F F F

S Macan GTS Turbo

Coupe E-Hybrid S S Coupe Turbo Turbo Coupe Turbo S E-Hybrid Turbo S E-Hybrid Coupe

L4T L4TD

1.6 121 2.0 131

240 A6 1473 10.5 7.0 95 400 A8 1575 10.2 5.0 D

Porsche

F4T F4T F4T F4T F4T F4T F4T F4T F4T F4T F6 F4T F4T F6 F6 F6

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 4.0 2.5 2.5 4.0 4.0 4.0

3 years/unlimited

220 220 220 220 257 257 257 257 269 269 294 269 269 294 309 309

380 380 380 380 420 420 420 420 420 420 420 420 430 420 420 420

M6 D7 M6 D7 M6 D7 M6 D7 M6 D7 M6 M6 D7 M6 M6 M6

1335 1365 1335 1365 1355 1385 1355 1385 1375 1405 1405 1375 1405 1405 1420 1420

5.1 4.7 5.1 4.9 4.6 4.3 4.6 4.4 4.6 4.3 4.5 4.6 4.3 4.5 4.4 4.4

7.4 98 10.4 98 7.4 98 6.9 98 8.1 98 10.6 98 8.1 98 7.3 98 9.0 98 8.2 98 10.8 98 9.0 98 8.2 98 10.8 98 10.9 98 10.9 98

61 61 61 61 61 61 61 61 61 61 61 61 67 67

R 08/19 R R R R 05/17 R R 06/16 R R R 04/20 R R R 04/20 R 04/20 R 06/20 R

992 generation is a triumph. Base Carrera all the sports car anyone really needs, though S and sledgehammer Turbo are all-time THE PICK: No manuals anymore, sadly. Carrera S is the sweet spot

Carrera Carrera Cabriolet Carrera 4 Carrera 4 Cabriolet Carrera S Carrera S Cabriolet Carrera 4S Carrera 4S Cabriolet Turbo S Turbo S Cabriolet

$236,300 F6TT $258,200 F6TT $253,500 F6TT $275,400 F6TT $274,600 F6TT $296,500 F6TT $291,800 F6TT $313,700 F6TT $473,500 F6TT $494,500 F6TT Panamera

3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.8 3.8

283 283 283 283 331 331 331 331 478 478

450 450 450 450 530 530 530 530 800 800

D8 D8 D8 D8 D8 D8 D8 D8 D8 D8

1505 1575 1555 1625 1515 1585 1565 1635 1640 1710

4.2 4.4 4.2 4.4 3.7 3.9 3.4 3.8 2.7 2.8

9.6 98 9.6 98 9.5 98 9.6 98 8.9 98 9.6 98 12.7 98 9.6 98 11.1 98 11.3 98

57 57 57 57 57 57 57 57 67 67

06/20 R R A A 02/20 R R 08/19 A A 07/20 A A

Big, clever and stunningly adept. Pornographically extruded Sport Turismo is brash but curiously covetable; twin-turbo V8s astonishing.

THE PICK: Any of them, but prepare yourself for the options list

$199,500

138

V6T

whichcar.com.au/wheels

3.0 243 500 D8 1860 5.6 -

98 57

R

-

57 57 57 57 57 57 57

Drive

98 98 98 98 98 98 98

Issue tested

5.3 5.3 5.4 3.7 3.9 3.9 3.1

Fuel cons.

1900 1930 2005 2225 2020 2040 2080

A A A A A A A

$84,300 $100,800 $112,300 $145,200 Cayenne

L4T V6T V6TT V6TT

2.0 3.0 2.9 2.9

185 260 280 324

370 480 520 550

D7 D7 D7 D7

1795 1865 1910 1945

6.7 5.3 4.7 4.5

8.9 8.9 9.6 9.8

95 98 98 98

63 A 63 A - 03/20 A 63 07/20 A

$121,300 $133,700 $141,200 $161,500 $172,500 $246,000 $259,000 $292,200 $297,900

V6T V6T V6TH V6TT V6TT V8TT V8TT V8TTH V8TTH

3.0 3.0 3.0 2.9 2.9 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0

250 250 340 324 324 404 404 500 500

450 450 700 550 550 770 770 900 900

A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8

1985 2030 2295 2020 2050 2175 2200 2565 2535

6.2 6.0 5.0 5.2 5.0 4.1 3.9 4.0 3.8

9.0 95 9.9 98 3.4 95 9.2 95 10.0 98 11.7 95 12.3 98 3.8 98 4.4 98

63 A A 63 07/19 A 63 A A 63 A - 02/20 A A A

3 years/100,000km

Rides the middle ground between the regular dual-cab and oversized 2500 models. Variants split by final-drive ratios THE PICK: Depends what your towing needs are, we guess

Express Warlock Laramie Ecodiesel Laramie

Stuttgart goes back to nature, shoehorning flat-six atmo donks back into its mid-engined Boxster and Cayman halo models. Brilliant THE PICK: GTS models with atmo six are epic - and now with PDK ‘box

$113,100 $115,542 $115,900 $118,342 $135,500 $140,590 $138,300 $143,390 $173,800 $179,790 $172,000 $176,600 $182,590 $174,800 $196,800 $206,600 911

D8 D8 D8 D8 D8 D8 D8

1500

F F

718

Cayman Cayman Boxster Boxster Cayman S Cayman S Boxster S Boxster S Cayman GTS Cayman GTS Cayman GTS 4.0 Boxster GTS Boxster GTS Boxster GTS 4.0 Spyder Cayman GT4

500 500 500 750 620 620 820

Ram

Rinse-and-repeat 3008 with a longer wheelbase and five-plus-two seating makes surprisingly beautiful sense THE PICK: Unless you need the diesel’s torque wallop, the base GT

$51,990 $59,990

243 243 243 412 353 353 463

The reason why Porsche is now an SUV company with a sideline in sports cars. Brilliantly executed, but no seven-seat option THE PICK: E-Hybrid is decent value given its tech (and performance)

5008

GT GT HDi

3.0 3.0 3.0 2.9 4.0 4.0 4.0

Hot hatch meets SUV. Macan remains the class benchmark for dynamics, but interior is still cramped compared to rivals THE PICK: GTS almost as quick as Turbo, is sharper through corners

A larger, more mature car than the old 2008, blending class-leading design, packaging and technology with character THE PICK: Allure for its plusher ride and still-abundant torque

Allure GT Sport

$209,700 $217,000 $219,200 $292,300 $309,500 $316,800 $409,500 Macan

Resale %

10.2 5.0 95 50

4 4 Sport Turismo 4 Executive 4S E-Hybrid GTS GTS Sport Turismo Turbo S

RON

230 A6 1122

0-100

1.2 96

Kerb weight

L3T

Trans.

$30,499

Torque

Allure

Power

Overlooked, underrated and manual-only GTi has been cut from the range, along with the GT, Active and Allure HDi diesel, which is sad THE PICK: Turbo triple is a sweetie and only option; GT-Line for spec

Size

308

V6T V6T V6T V6TH V8TT V8TT V8TT

Price

Drive

Issue tested

Resale %

5 years/unlimited

Engine type

Peugeot

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

Engine type

Price

Data bank

$89,950 $104,450 $109,950 $99,950 2500

V8 V8 V6 V8

5.7 5.7 3.0 5.7

291 291 179 291

556 556 420 556

A8 A8 A8 A8

2620 2630 2715 2650

6.8

9.9 95 12.2 95 11.9 D 14.5 95

58 58 58 58 08/20

A A A A

Torque, weight and towing ability are mind-boggling. Makes the Hilux and Ranger look and feel like kids’ toys. We miss out on next-gen model THE PICK: The biggest caravan/boat/horse float you can throw at it

$139,950

L6TD

6.7 276 1084 A6 3577 -

Renault

15.0 D

-

A

5 years/unlimited

Megane Was one of our favourite hot hatches, though this isn’t a vintage generation. Cabin finish and refinement could step up THE PICK: Sport chassis tune with paddles the pick of the bunch

RS 280 Sport RS 280 Sport RS 280 Cup RS 280 Cup RS Trophy-R

$45,990 $50,990 $48,990 $52,490 $74,625

L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T

1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8

205 205 205 205 221

390 390 390 390 400

M6 D6 M6 D6 M6

1427 1450 1427 1450 1306

5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.4

7.4 7.5 7.4 7.5 8.0

98 98 98 98 98

52 53 52 53 -

F F F F F

Captur French visual flair combines with newfound cabin class and muchneeded additional performance in second-gen Captur THE PICK: Mid-spec Zen for its extra safety kit

Life Zen Intens

$28,190 $30,790 $35,790 Koleos

L4T L4T L4T

1.3 113 1.3 113 1.3 113

270 D7 1361 8.6 6.6 95 270 D7 1370 8.6 6.6 95 270 D7 1381 8.6 6.6 95

F F F

Space and appeal on face value, but there’s little dynamic depth or polish here, or French charm. Does score a 7-year warranty, though THE PICK: Very un-Renault feel, so go for better Kadjar instead

Life Zen Intens Intens

$32,990 $36,490 $42,990 $45,490

L4 L4 L4 L4

2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5

126 126 126 126

226 226 226 226

C C C C

1552 1611 1608 1608-

9.4 9.5 9.8 9.8

8.1 8.1 8.3 8.3

91 91 91 91

50 51 52 52

F F F A

P EU G EOT – SUB A R U YOUR COMPLETE NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE

Rolls-Royce

Drive

Issue tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb weight

Trans.

Black Badge

$635,000 $735,000 Dawn

V12TT 6.6 465 820 A8 2440 4.6 14.3 95 V12TT 6.6 465 870 A8 2440 4.5 - 95 -

Black Badge

$710,000 V12TT 6.6 420 820 A8 2560 4.9 14.2 95 $802,000 V12TT 6.6 442 840 A8 2560 4.9 14.2 95 Cullinan

R R

Black Badge

132TSI 4x4 132TSI 4x4 Sportline RS

EWB

$902,000 V12TT 6.7 420 900 A8 2560 5.3 13.9 95 $1,045,000 V12TT 6.7 420 900 A8 2610 5.4 13.9 95 -

Skoda

R R

70TSI 70TSI wagon 81TSI 81TSI wagon 81TSI Monte Carlo 81TSI Monte Carlo wgn

$17,490 $18,990 $20,490 $21,990 $25,990 $27,490 Scala

L3T L3T L3T L3T L3T L3T

1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0

70 70 81 81 81 81

160 160 200 200 200 200

M5 M5 D7 D7 D7 D7

1043 1107 1097 1161 1097 1087

10.6 10.8 9.8 9.9 10.5 9.4

4.5 4.5 4.7 4.7 4.7 4.7

95 95 95 95 95 95

46 F 46 F 47 F 47 F 48 05/18 F 48 F

A larger and better equipped Golf alternative, for roughly the same spend. Drives well and standard spec is impressive.

THE PICK: Monte Carlo for keen drivers, otherwise 110TSI auto

110TSI 110TSI Monte Carlo Launch Edition

$26,990 $28,990 $33,990 $35,990 Octavia

L4T L4T L4T L4T

1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5

110 110 110 110

250 250 250 250

M6 D7 D7 D7

1190 1190 1190 1190

8.6 8.2 8.2 8.2

5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0

98 98 98 98

-

F 08/20 F F F

EX EX ELX ELX Ultimate Ultimate

$30,390 $31,690 $34,890 $36,190 $47,790 $49,090 Superb

L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T

1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4 2.0 2.0

110 110 110 110 180 180

250 250 250 250 370 370

A8 A8 A8 A8 D7 D7

1325 1355 1325 1355 1475 1505

9.0 9.1 9.0 9.1 6.7 6.7

5.7 5.9 5.7 5.9 6.8 6.8

95 95 95 95 95 95

– – – – – –

$40,690 $42,390 $60,390 $61,990 $62,090 Kamiq

L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

162 162 206 206 200

350 350 350 350 350

D6 D6 D7 D7 D7

1463 1490 1600 1600 1667

6.6 7.1 5.7 5.7 5.7

6.4 6.4 7.3 7.3 7.1

95 95 95 95 95

F F F F F F

39 09/16 F 39 F – A – A – A

Skoda’s smallest SUV is a rival for the Mazda CX-3 and Toyota C-HR. Is well equipped with adaptive cruise, 18s and digital instruments THE PICK: Monte Carlo for keen drivers; auto 85TSI for everyone else

85TSI 85TSI 110TSI Monte Carlo

$26,990 $27,990 $34,190 Karoq

L3T L3T L4T

1.0 85 1.0 85 1.5 110

200 M6 1191 9.9 5.1 95 – 200 D7 1211 10.0 5.0 95 – 250 D7 1237 8.4 5.6 95 –

$32,990 $39,990

L4T L4T

L4T L4T L4T L4TD L4T L4TD

1.5 1.5 1.5 1.6 1.5 1.6

120 120 120 100 120 100

280 280 280 324 280 324

M6 A6 A6 A6 A6 A6

1430 1435 1435 1515 1435 1515

Drive

Issue tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

– – – – – –

7.0 7.7 7.7 5.5 7.7 5.5

95 95 95 D 95 D

48 48 48 52 50 59

F F F F F F

$39,990* $46,990* $52,990* Musso

L4T L4TD L4TD

2.0 165 350 A7 2010 – 2.2 133 420 A7 2230 – 2.2 133 420 A7 2230 –

10.4 91 53 8.3 D 53 8.3 D 53

F A A

For those wanting 1262 litres of cargo space on a budget, look no further than XLV variants that add 310mm of length to the tray THE PICK: XLV for size, but a near-new Japanese ute a better bet

EX EX ELX Ultimate ELX XLV ELX XLV Ultimate XLV Ultimate Plus XLV

$30,490 $32,490 $35,990 $39,990 $33,990* $35,990* $39,990* $43,990*

L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD

2.2 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.2

133 133 133 133 133 133 133 133

420 420 420 420 420 420 420 420

M6 A6 A6 A6 M6 A6 A6 A6

– – – – – – – –

10.0 8.2 10.0 8.9 10.0 8.9 10.0 8.9 10.0 8.2 10.0 8.9 10.0 8.9 10.0 8.9

Subaru

D D D D D D D D

46 46 46 46 46 46 46 46

A A A A A A A A

5 years/unlimited

F F F

Interior, refinement, ride and handling all polished, but the flat-four is light-on for grunt and base 2.0i misses out on safety kit. Nearly there THE PICK: Not the base. Subaru, please give Impreza more grunt!

2.0i sedan 2.0i hatch 2.0i-L sedan 2.0i-L hatch 2.0i Premium sedan 2.0i Premium hatch 2.0i-S sedan 2.0i-S hatch

1.5 110 250 D7 1318 9.0 8.7 95 46 12/19 F 2.0 140 320 D7 1600 7.0 6.9 95 – A

$23,740 $23,940 $25,860 $26,060 $28,390 $28,590 $31,160 $31,360 XV

F4 F4 F4 F4 F4 F4 F4 F4

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

115 115 115 115 115 115 115 115

196 196 196 196 196 196 196 196

C C C C C C C C

1360 1359 1383 1373 1383 1373 1393 1398

10.1 10.1 10.1 10.1 10.1 10.1 10.1 10.1

6.6 6.6 6.6 6.6 6.6 6.6 7.2 7.2

91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91

54 54 54 54 54 54 54 54

A A A A A A A A

Tweaked suspension, sharper styling and a more sensible model line-up improve the XV’s all-round appeal for 2021 THE PICK: The Hybrid makes sense for inner-city living; otherwise a 2.0i-L

2.0i 2.0i-L 2.0i Premium 2.0i-S Hybrid L Hybrid S

$29,690 $31,990 $34,590 $37,290 $35,490 $40,790 WRX

F4 F4 F4 F4 F4H F4H

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

115 115 115 115 110 110

196 196 196 196 n/a n/a

C C C C C C

1422 7.0 91 – 1434 9.7 7.0 91 – 1434 7.0 91 – 1444 7.0 91 – 1536 10.7 6.5 91 – 1536 10.7 6.5 91 –

A 09/19 A A A A A

Iconic Rex brings pace, traction, handling, practicality and value as ever, but it’s a bit rough round the edges compared with Euro rivals THE PICK: Base WRX still represents outstanding-value engineering

Less quirky-cool than the Yeti it replaces, the Karoq still tempts on price and has plenty of handy features, space and efficiency on its side THE PICK: Top-spec 140TSI gains VW’s grunty EA888 engine

110TSI 140TSI Sportline

$26,990* $28,990* $30,990* $33,990* $36,990* $39,990* Rexton

Impreza

Not quite as poised as a Passat but has more personality, impressive space and quality feel. Range-topping Sportline rejoins the lineup THE PICK: Spend the least amount to justify this over superior Passat

162TSI 162TSI wagon 206TSI Sportline 206TSI Sportline wagon 200TSI Scout Wagon

7 years/unlimited

Surprisingly competent take on the 4x4 wagon. Handsome interior, inoffensive exterior and keen pricing means they should shift a few THE PICK: Enjoy the effortless torque of the diesel

Mirrors its Golf Mk8 relative in both engineering excellence and pricing, though with huge space and an intriguing Czech twist THE PICK: Anything that’s a wagon, particularly the RS

110TSI Ambition 110TSI Ambition wagon 110TSI Style 110TSI Style wagon RS RS wagon

A A A

It’s often overlooked, but the Korando deserves more attention with advances in design, safety and quality. Now with added petrol power THE PICK: The new 1.5-litre petrol is worth a look if value is a priority

EX ELX Ultimate

Packed with personality, practicality too if you’re wise enough to choose a wagon, but feels outclassed by newer-gen VW Polo THE PICK: 81TSI wagon a unique and likeable proposition

L4T 2.0 132 320 D7 1677 8.8 7.6 95 54 L4T 2.0 132 320 D7 1677 8.2 7.6 95 54 L4TTD 2.0 176 500 D7 1858 6.9 6.2 D –

Korando

5 years/unlimited

Fabia

$44,890 $48,890 $65,990

SsangYong

A A

Go on, have some artworks installed in the dash, indulge yourself.

You’ve obviously got too much money. Twin-turbo V12 a highlight THE PICK: Eww... don’t even get caught dead in the boggo model

Kerb weight

Skoda wins the space race again, with plenty of comfort, as well as surprise and delightful features, but value equation appeals the most THE PICK: Best Skoda on sale in Australia. We like the petrol Sportline

Luxury has reached a new level. May seem expensive, but it’s cheaper than a helicopter. But whatever you do, just don’t call it an SUV THE PICK: The one with the darkest possible window tinting

$659,000 V12TT 6.7 420 850 A8 2660 5.2 15.0 95 $754,000 V12TT 6.7 441 900 A8 2660 5.1 15.0 95 Phantom

Trans.

Kodiaq

R R

Feels like an actual land yacht, but less likely to sink. Vision challenging with roof up, so just drive it on sunny days. A majestic land cruiser THE PICK: Our second-favourite type of dawn service

Power

Effortless power, presence and rarity, but massive dimensions and 2.4-tonne weight take the edge off dynamic credentials THE PICK: The regular with a few bespoke ‘individualisms’ should do it

Size

Price

Wraith

Torque

4 years/unlimited

Engine type

Torque

Power

Size

Engine type

Price

WHAT IT ALL MEANS PRICE Recommended retail figure at time of publication (asterisk indicates driveaway price) ENGINE TYPE L, in-line; V, vee; F, flat. Number of cylinders. T, turbo; S, supercharged; D, diesel; H, hybrid; E, electric SIZE Litres or kWh POWER kW TORQUE Nm TRANSMISSION M, manual; A, auto; D, dual-clutch; C, CVT WEIGHT Kerb, kg 0-100 km/h, acceleration in seconds (Wheels as-tested figures in italics) FUEL CONS Consumption in litres, or kWh, per 100km RON Octane of fuel required, as numbered, or D for diesel RESALE percent, 3-year resale in Glass’s ISSUE TESTED month/year DRIVE A, all-wheel; F, front; R, rear. Any figure in bold is our own estimate.

Premium

$40,490 $43,490 $46,890

F4T F4T F4T

2.0 197 350 M6 1469 6.0 9.2 95 55 A 2.0 197 350 C 1527 6.3 8.6 95 55 08/14 A 2.0 197 350 M6 1504 6.0 9.2 95 55 04/18 A @wheelsaustralia

139

8.6 95 10.4 98 10.4 98 10.4 98

55 A 66 04/18 A 67 09/14 A 67 A

New-generation platform and 90-percent-new engine bring much improved refinement, styling and sophistication to iconic Outback THE PICK: The utilitarian new Sport with its blacked-out styling details

$39,990 $44,490 $47,790 Levorg

Sport Touring

F4 F4 F4

2.5 138 245 C 2.5 138 245 C 2.5 138 245 C

1626 7.3 TBC 91 – 1629 7.3 TBC 91 – 1661 7.3 TBC 91 –

$37,240 $44,140 $50,390 $53,240 BRZ

F4T F4T F4T F4T

1.6 1.6 2.0 2.0

125 125 197 197

250 250 350 350

C C C C

1579 1620 1631 1631

8.9 8.9 6.6 6.6

7.4 7.4 8.7 8.7

95 95 95 95

57 57 58 58

Turbo Turbo AWD

Premium Premium tS tS

F4 F4 F4 F4 F4 F4

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

147 147 147 147 147 147

205 205 205 205 205 205

M6 A6 M6 A6 M6 A6

1282 1304 1282 1304 1295 1317

7.8 8.2 7.6 8.2 7.6 8.2

9.0 7.1 7.8 7.1 7.8 7.1

95 95 95 95 95 95

50 05/17 R 51 R 51 R 51 R 51 R 51 R

Space, refinement, value, practicality and driver appeal, with decent flat-four and CVT combo. Hybrid system is disappointing – avoid THE PICK: 2.5i incredibly complete and one of the best buys out there

2.5i 2.5i-L 2.5i- Premium 2.5i Sport 2.5i-S Hybrid L AWD Hybrid S AWD

$34,690 $36,940 $39,940 $41,990 $42,990 $39,990 $45,990

F4 F4 F4 F4 F4 F4H F4H

2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.0 2.0

136 136 136 136 136 110 110

239 239 239 239 239 196 196

C C C C C C C

1563 1565 1586 1575 1617 1603 1632

9.1 9.1 9.1 9.1 9.2 10.1 10.1

Suzuki

7.4 7.4 7.4 7.4 10.1 6.7 6.7

91 91 91 91 91 95 95

Swift Appealing and effervescent tot. interior is well equipped, if a little chintzy. Sport well worth the added outlay. You can thank us later THE PICK: GL manual or Sport manual – both represent great fun

GL Navigator GL Navigator GL Navigator Plus GLX Turbo Sport Sport

$18,990* $19,990* $21,490* $25,290* $26,990 $28,990 Baleno

L4 L4 L4 L3T L4T L4T

1.2 1.2 1.2 1.0 1.4 1.4

66 66 66 82 103 103

120 120 120 160 230 230

M5 C C A6 M6 A6

870 900 900 915 970 990

10.8 10.2 7.6 -

6.5 4.8 4.8 5.1 8.1 6.1

91 91 91 91 95 95

55 F 44 F 47 F 55 F 55 07/20 F 55 F

Doesn’t offer too much to convince us that a Swift isn’t a wiser pick.

Better than you’d think, but that’s not saying much. A triumph in space THE PICK: GLX for some turbo three-pot thrills

GL GL GLX

$15,990 $16,990 $18,990 S-Cross

L4 L4 L3T

1.4 68 1.4 68 1.0 82

130 M5 895 130 A4 915 160 A6 935

-

5.1 91 45 5.4 91 44 5.2 91 46

F F F

Cut-down range seems to have only delivered Australia the S-Cross cast-offs. No AWD, no manual = no interest, though turbo is a flyer THE PICK: Easy. Go Vitara Turbo instead

Turbo Turbo Prestige

$28,490 $29,990 Jimny

L4T L4T

1.4 103 220 A6 1170 1.4 103 220 A6 1170

8.5 7.8 95 46 05/17 F - 5.9 95 46 F

Pint-size off-roader can’t be stopped by terrain, though you’ll risk your sanity on prolonged highway stints. We’re talking 20th-century tech THE PICK: Farmers, 4x4 drivers only need apply

$25,990 $27,990 Ignis

L4 L4

1.5 75 1.5 75

130 M5 1075 130 A4 1090 -

6.4 91 52 6.9 91 52

A A

Delightful baby SUV marred by the lack of a 1.0-litre turbo triple.

Pricing is sharp; steering and handling less so.

THE PICK: GL manual. Or better yet, any Swift

GL GL GLX

140

$17,990 $18,990 $19,990

L4 L4 L4

whichcar.com.au/wheels

1.2 66 1.2 66 1.2 66

120 M5 820 120 C 865 120 C 865

-

4.7 91 44 4.7 91 45 4.7 91 45

F F F

L4 L4 L4T L4T

1.6 1.6 1.4 1.4

86 86 103 103

Drive

Issue tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb weight

Trans.

Torque

156 156 220 220

M5 A6 A6 A6

1075 1120 1160 1235

10.5 8.3

5.8 9.1 5.9 6.2

91 91 95 95

49 02/16 F 50 01/20 F 50 F 52 08/16 A

4 years/80,000km

Model 3 It took an eternity to lob, but the Model 3 is upending the EV landscape.

Prices are getting up there, interior is scratchy but the thing handles THE PICK: Performance is bonkers quick with sorted dynamics

Standard Plus Long Range Performance

$73,900 $91,612 $102,012 Model S

E E E

50 211 375 R1 1611 5.6 12.0 75 307 510 R1 1847 4.6 13.2 75 353 639 R1 1847 3.4 18.0 -

57 02/20 R 57 A 58 02/20 A

Surprisingly exciting to drive, much-lauded gamechanger with mega-tablet centre stack. Tesla’s charging network a major asset THE PICK: Go for all the bells and whistles, but both feel special

Long Range Performance

$133,175 E $152,675 E Model X

100 330 660 R1 2184 3.8 18.1 100 450 931 R1 2236 2.5 19.8 -

55 55

A A

Falcon Wing doors an expensive gimmick, but the ungainly Model X is always an event. More real-world utility than you might expect THE PICK: Nobody needs a ‘slow’ Tesla, so you should go Performance

Long Range Performance

55 A 55 A 55 A 55 A 55 06/19 A – 05/20 A – A

5 years/unlimited

$22,990 $24,990 $30,490 $34,490

Tesla

Toyota 86 co-development boasts the same slick steering, fine RWD balance and powertrain, but with a dab less oversteer, more exclusivity THE PICK: tS for the upgrades, base for value, Premium if undecided

$35,270 $36,780 $37,290 $38,780 $41,190 $43,190 Forester

Power

Well packaged, but ageing. Facelift has improved interior quality, but we’d still avoid the base atmo engine if you drive over hilly terrain THE PICK: Turbo AWD, thanks to that pearler of a blown 1.4

A A A

A A A A

Size

Vitara

Levorg seems to have it all – sharp price (in low grades), practical wagon body and turbo-boxer pace. But CVT and dull dynamics THE PICK: Previous Impreza wagon in disguise, so go sub-WRX GT-S

1.6 GT 1.6 GT Premium 2.0 GT-S 2.0 STI Sport

Engine type

6.3 4.9 5.3 4.9

Price

1562 1525 1537 1537

Drive

C M6 M6 M6

Issue tested

0-100

350 407 407 407

Resale %

Kerb weight

197 221 221 221

RON

Trans.

2.0 2.5 2.5 2.5

Fuel cons.

Torque

F4T F4T F4T F4T

Power

$50,090 $52,140 $56,890 $58,940 Outback

Size

Premium STi STi Premium STI spec. R

Engine type

Price

Data bank

$165,712 $185,212

E E

100 311 660 R1 2459 4.6 20.7 100 451 931 R1 2509 2.9 22.4 -

Toyota

63 63

A A

5 years/unlimited

Yaris Crikey. Toyota’s cheap car isn’t so cheap anymore. All-new Yaris is safer and better to drive but are Aussies willing to pay this much?

THE PICK: Manual Ascent Sport makes most sense, but the GR is a riot

Ascent Sport Ascent Sport SX SX hybrid ZR ZR hybrid GR

New

$22,130 $23,630 $27,020 $29,020 $30,100 $32,100 $49,500

L3 L3 L3 L3H L3 L3H L3T

1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.6

88 88 88 85 88 85 200

145 145 145 120 145 120 370

M6 C C C C C M6

1050 1025 1025 1130 1075 1130 1280

10.1 10.1 5.2

5.4 4.9 4.9 3.3 4.9 3.3 -

91 91 91 91 91 91 98

-

F F F F F 10//20 F A

TOYOTA YARIS GR RALLYE Even harder focus for ballistic baby

If the ‘regular’ GR Yaris isn’t buff enough for you, try the new Rallye version.

Track-honed suspension, Torsen limited-slip diffs on the front and rear axles, 18-inch BBS 10-spoke forged alloys with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber and improved front brake ducting give the Rallye even more cred. Outside it wears Frosted White crystal pearl paint and red GR brake calipers.

GR Rallye

$54,500 Corolla

L3T

1.6 200 370 M6 1280 5.2 7.6 98

A

’Rolla range gets 2.0-litre sedans, modest increase in outputs for its atmo hatches, plus long-awaited tech tweaks THE PICK: Ascent Sport hybrid’s economy worth the extra up-front

Ascent Sport $23,835 Ascent Sport sedan $23,895 Ascent Sport $25,395 Ascent Sport sedan $25,395 Ascent Sport Hybrid $27,395 Ascent Sport Hybrid sed. $27,395 SX $28,795 SX sedan $28,795 SX Hybrid $30,795 SX Hybrid sedan $30,795 ZR $32,695 ZR Hybrid $34,695 ZR sedan $34,195

L4 L4 L4 L4 L4H L4H L4 L4 L4H L4H L4 L4H L4

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 1.8 1.8 2.0 2.0 1.8 1.8 2.0 1.8 1.8

125 125 125 125 90 90 125 125 90 90 125 90 103

200 200 200 200 142 142 200 200 142 142 200 142 173

M6 M6 C C C C C C C C C C C

1320 1350 1340 1390 1360 1410 1360 1285 1360 1410 1360 1360 1410

9.2 6.3 9.5 6.3 8.9 6.0 9.2 6.0 10.0 3.5 10.5 3.5 9.2 6.0 9.5 6.4 10.0 3.5 10.5 3.5 9.6 6.0 10.0 3.5 10.5 6.4

91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91

54 F 54 F 54 12/18 F 54 F 49 F 54 F 49 F 54 F 50 F 50 F 56 05/19 F 51 F 50 F

S UB AR U – TOYOTA YOUR COMPLETE NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE

$30,990 L4 $33,490 L4H $36,290 L4H $39,190 L4H $46,990 L4H Prius Hatch

2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5

152 160 160 160 160

243 n/a n/a n/a n/a

A8 C C C C

1495 1580 1580 1615 1645

– – – – –

6.8 4.2 4.2 4.7 4.5

95 95 95 95 95

$37,890 $45,350 Prius V

L4H L4H

1.8 90 1.8 90

142 C 142 C

1375 1400 -

F F F F F

3.4 91 48 07/12 F 3.4 91 50 F

V is all about maximum seating, minimum consumption and reliability, not enjoyment, especially with such low outputs. Resale is very high THE PICK: i-Tech has more desirable gear thrown in

i-Tech

$37,590 $45,380 86

L4H L4H

1.8 100 142 C 1.8 100 142 C

1505 1570 -

4.4 91 55 4.4 91 57

F F

Pure rear-drive dynamics, superb steering and a taste for oversteer.

Go the manual for involvement (and the full 152kW) THE PICK: GTS manual will bring a ray of sunshine to your life

GT GT GTS GTS

$32,180 $34,480 $37,380 $39,680 Supra

F4 F4 F4 F4

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

152 147 152 147

212 205 212 205

M6 A6 M6 A6

1234 1257 1252 1272

7.4 8.2 7.4 8.2

8.4 7.1 8.4 7.1

95 95 95 95

60 60 61 51

R R R R

A bit more power (+35kW) was only going to make the suave GR Supra even better, though we still wish it had a manual trans’ THE PICK: The less-shouty, smaller-wheeled GT in Nurburg Matte Grey

GT GTS

$87,126 L6T $97,126 L6T Yaris Cross

3.0 285 500 A8 1495 4.1 7.7 95 3.0 285 500 A8 1495 4.1 7.7 95 -

R R

GX 2.0 FWD GX 2.0 FWD GX 2.5 FWD Hybrid GX 2.5 AWD Hybrid GXL 2.0 FWD GXL 2.5 FWD Hybrid GXL 2.5 AWD Hybrid Cruiser 2.0 FWD Cruiser 2.5 FWD Hybrid Cruiser 2.5 AWD Hybrid Edge 2.5 AWD

$26,990 $28,990 $31,990 $29,990 $31,990 $34,990 $32,990 $34,990 $37,990 C-HR

L3 L3H L3H L3 L3H L3H L3 L3H L3H

1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5

88 85 85 88 85 85 88 85 85

145 n/a n/a 145 n/a n/a 145 n/a n/a

C C C C C C C C C

1140 1190 1265 1160 1210 1285 1185 1235 1305

5.4 3.8 4.0 5.4 3.8 4.0 5.4 3.8 4.0

91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91

-

F F A F F A F F A

Hybrid joins the range as near-invisible facelift finally brings modern multimedia. One of Toyota’s finest and still a slick, stylish class leader THE PICK: Koba hybrid for range-topping equipment and frugality

GLX GLX AWD Koba Koba AWD Koba Hybrid GR Sport Hybrid

$30,915 $32,915 $35,165 $37,165 $37,665 $37,665

L4T L4T L4T L4T L4H L4H

1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.8 1.8

85 85 85 85 90 90

185 185 185 185 n/a n/a

WAYS WE KEEP WHEELS TURNING

C C C C C C

1385 1460 1385 1460 1420 1420

10.3 10.9 –

8.4 6.5 8.0 6.5 4.3 4.3

95 95 95 95 91 91

52 01/20 F 52 A 54 05/17 F 54 A - 03/20 F A

$32,290 $34,290 $36,790 $39,790 $37,290 $39,790 $42,790 $40,790 $43,290 $46,290 $48,790

L4 L4 L4H L4H L4 L4H L4H L4 L4H L4H L4

2.0 2.0 2.5 2.5 2.0 2.5 2.5 2.0 2.5 2.5 2.5

Drive

Issue tested

Resale %

RON

0-100

Kerb weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

127 127 160 163 127 160 163 127 160 163 152

203 203 n/a n/a 203 n/a n/a 203 n/a n/a 243

M6 C C C C C C C C C A8

1515 1550 1650 1705 1585 1675 1730 1620 1690 1745 1705

– 9.4 – – – – 8.0 – – 8.0 –

6.8 8.2 4.7 4.8 6.5 4.7 4.8 6.5 4.7 8.7 7.3

91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91 91

50 51 51 51 52 52 52 52 53 53 54

F 02/20 F F A 07/19 F F A F F 02/20 A 02/20 A

TOYOTA KLUGER All-new generation brings petrol-electric

Toyota adds another hybrid to its arsenal with the all-new Kluger. Offered alongside the familiar 3.5-litre V6, the AWD Hybrid promises class-leading efficiency to support its new-gen platform and 60mm-longer wheelbase. Familiar styling cues blend with several RAV4 details, inside and out. Intriguingly, Grande V6 AWD scores torque vectoring on its rear axle.

GX GX AWD GX AWD Hybrid GXL GXL AWD GXL AWD Hybrid Grande Grande AWD Grande AWD Hybrid

Takes everything that makes the new-gen Yaris a breath of fresh air and introduces proper space, greater value-for-money THE PICK: The front- or all-wheel-drive Hybrid is the zeitgeist of 2021

GX GX Hybrid GX Hybrid AWD GXL GXL Hybrid GXL Hybrid AWD Urban Urban Hybrid Urban Hybrid AWD

Size

RAV4 Mk4 switches to TNGA tech, is massively better with newfound handling, ride, refinement and value. Big space too. Even base is great THE PICK: Cruiser Hybrid AWD offers intriguing engineering solutions

No longer dull. Way better to drive, with expected frugality, surprising cabin polish, and rear headroom compromised by aero teardrop profile THE PICK: i-Tech for the added tech

i-Tech

Engine type

RAV4

With the V6 accounting for just four percent of total sales, Toyota has binned the bent-six from its MY21 Camry line-up and introduced a much-stronger ‘Dynamic Force’ 2.5-litre four (up 19kW and 12Nm) from the RAV4 Edge, plus an eight-speed auto for the base Ascent. The hybrid drivetrain carries over but all models get improved multimedia and styling tweaks.

Ascent Ascent Hybrid Ascent Sport Hybrid SX Hybrid SL Hybrid

Fuel cons.

Drive

Issue tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

TOYOTA CAMRY Extermination for V6 and its killer-wasps

Price

New

Engine type

Price

WHAT IT ALL MEANS PRICE Recommended retail figure at time of publication (asterisk indicates driveaway price) ENGINE TYPE L, in-line; V, vee; F, flat. Number of cylinders. T, turbo; S, supercharged; D, diesel; H, hybrid; E, electric SIZE Litres or kWh POWER kW TORQUE Nm TRANSMISSION M, manual; A, auto; D, dual-clutch; C, CVT WEIGHT Kerb, kg 0-100 km/h, acceleration in seconds (Wheels as-tested figures in italics) FUEL CONS Consumption in litres, or kWh, per 100km RON Octane of fuel required, as numbered, or D for diesel RESALE percent, 3-year resale in Glass’s ISSUE TESTED month/year DRIVE A, all-wheel; F, front; R, rear. Any figure in bold is our own estimate.

$47,650 $51,650 $54,150 $56,850 $60,850 $63,350 $68,900 $72,900 $75,400 Fortuner

V6 V6 L4H V6 V6 L4H V6 V6 L4H

3.5 3.5 2.5 3.5 3.5 2.5 3.5 3.5 2.5

218 218 184 218 218 184 218 218 184

350 350 n/a 350 350 n/a 350 350 n/a

A8 A8 C A8 A8 C A8 A8 C

1885 1970 2045 1920 2008 2068 1955 2045 2090

– – – – – – – – –

8.7 8.8 5.6 8.7 8.9 5.6 8.7 8.9 5.6

95 95 95 95 95 95 95 95 95

F A A F A A F A A

All the rugged off-roading strengths of its Hilux basis, along with the vague steering and sluggish auto. Ride improved in recent update THE PICK: We’d still lean towards a Ford Everest

GX GXL Crusade

$49,080 $54,350 $61,410 Prado

L4TD L4TD L4TD

2.8 150 450 A6 2130 2.8 150 450 A6 2125 2.8 150 450 A6 2155 -

7.6 D 7.6 D 7.6 D

-

A A A

Genuine off-road ability, turbo-diesel torque and Toyota dependability... yep, there’s plenty to like about Prado, just not on the school run THE PICK: GXL brings extra kit, but hose-down GX base appeals

GX GX GXL GXL VX Kakadu Kakadu Horizon

$54,090 L4TD $56,990 L4TD $60,690 L4TD $63,690 L4TD $73,990 L4TD $84,590 L4TD $88,990 L4TD LandCruiser 70

2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8

130 130 130 130 130 130 130

420 450 420 450 450 450 450

M6 A6 M6 A6 A6 A6 A6

2230 2240 2315 2325 2385 2455 2455

-

7.9 D 8.0 D 7.9 D 8.0 D 8.0 D 8.0 D 8.0 D

61 61 61 61 61 61 61

A A A A A A A

Huge bush-bashing capability and monster diesel V8 make this ’80s survivor useful, but you’ve gotta get right outta town. A dated relic THE PICK: Awful to ride in, live with and drive back in civilisation

WorkMate GXL

$68,990 $72,190

V8TD V8TD

4.5 151 4.5 151

430 M5 2295 430 M5 2295 -

10.7 D 10.7 D

58 69

A A

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LandCruiser Touring comfort and go-anywhere ability make pensioner ’Cruiser great for the bush but a barge in the city. 300 Series here in 2021 THE PICK: GLX diesel seems the right balance, but the 200’s getting on

GX GXL VX Sahara

$80,996 $92,696 $103,396 $124,396 Hilux

V8TTD V8TTD V8TTD V8TTD

4.5 4.5 4.5 4.5

200 200 200 200

650 650 650 650

A6 A6 A6 A6

2635 2630 2705 2705

-

9.5 9.5 9.5 9.5

D D D D

61 69 61 61

A A A A

140TSI Business Variant

$46,790 $48,790 $50,010 $52,160 $52,010 $54,160 $57,920 $59,920 $60,420 $62,420 Granvia

L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD

2.4 2.4 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8

110 110 150 150 150 150 150 150 150 150

400 400 420 500 420 500 420 500 420 500

M6 A6 M6 A6 M6 A6 M6 A6 M6 A6

2045 2045 2080 2080 2080 2080 2075 2075 2075 2075

-

7.1 7.8 7.4 7.9 7.4 7.9 7.9 7.9

D D D D D D D D D D

-

A A A A A A A A A A

Replacing the Tarago is a tough ask, but the Granvia does a solid job. If you haul people en masse, this will do it with ease THE PICK: Fourth row makes the cabin cramped; stick to a 6-seater

6-seat 8-seat VX 6-seat VX 8-seat

$62,990 $64,990 $74,990 $74,990

L4D L4D L4D L4D

2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8

130 130 130 130

450 450 450 450

A6 A6 A6 A6

2605 2660 2605 2660

-

Volkswagen

8.0 8.0 8.0 8.0

D D D D

66 66 66 66

R R R R

5 years/unlimited

85TSI Life 85TSI Style 85TSI CityLife

70TSI Trendline 70TSI Trendline 85TSI Comfortline 85TSI Comfortline Style GTI

$19,290 $21,790 $20,890 $23,390 $25,690 $32,890

L3T L3T L3T L3T L3T 4LT

1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 2.0

70 70 85 85 85 147

175 175 200 200 200 320

M5 D7 M6 D7 D7 D6

1111 1147 1116 1152 1152 1285

10.8 10.8 9.5 9.5 9.5 6.7

4.8 5.0 5.1 5.0 5.0 5.0

95 95 95 95 95 95

47 F 46 F 47 F 46 F 47 04/20 F 54 07/20 F

110TSI Style 140TSI Sport

Life R-Line GTI

$29,350 $31,950 $34,250 $37,450 $53,100 Passat

L4T L4T L4T L4T L4T

1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4 2.0

110 110 110 110 180

250 250 250 250 370

M6 A8 A8 A8 D7

1270 1304 1304 1304 1409

8.3 8.5 8.5 8.5 6.3

6.0 5.8 5.8 5.8 7.0

95 95 95 95 95

F F F F F

Volkswagen’s quiet achiever improves with a stronger base engine, updated multimedia, more safety and revised styling, but prices jump THE PICK: Big model cull means potent 206TSI and Alltrack gone. Sad

140TSI Business sedan $46,590

L4T

2.0 140 320 D7 1511

7.9 6.4 95 49

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whichcar.com.au/wheels

F

Drive

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

Issue tested

F

$27,990 $30,990 $30,390 T-Roc

L3T L3T L3T

1.0 85 1.0 85 1.0 85

200 D7 1240 10.2 5.4 95 200 D7 1240 10.2 5.4 95 200 D7 1240 10.2 5.4 95

F 07/20 F F

$33,990 $40,490 Tiguan

L4T L4T

1.4 110 250 A8 1319 8.7 6.2 95 2.0 140 320 D7 1420 7.2 6.8 95 -

F 10/20 A

Big-selling VW SUV goes from austere to all-inclusive in 2021 with lots of new tech and a slicker cabin the range highlights THE PICK: Only 110TSI available now – other variants arriving soon

110TSI Life 132TSI Life 162TSI Elegance 147TDI Elegance 162TSI R-Line 147TDI R-Line

$39,690 L4T 1.4 $43,690 L4T 2.0 $50,790 L4T 2.0 $52,290 L4TD 2.0 $53,790 L4T 2.0 $55,290 L4TD 2.0 Tiguan Allspace

110 132 162 147 162 147

250 320 350 400 350 400

D6 D7 D7 D7 D7 D7

1612 – 1785 1839 1785 1839

– – – – – –

7.7 TBC 8.5 6.1 8.5 6.1

95 95 95 D 95 D

F A A A A A

Big boot, small third row in stretched Tiguan seven-seater, the Mexican-made Allspace is overshadowed by related Skoda Kodiaq THE PICK: 132TSI AWD for its stronger engine

110TSI Comfortline 132TSI Comfortline 162TSI Highline 140TDI Wolfsburg Edition

$40,490 $44,990 $52,490 $54,690 $59,990 Touareg

L4T L4T L4T L4TD L4T

1.4 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

110 132 162 140 162

250 320 350 400 350

D6 D7 D7 D7 D7

1735 1769 1845 –

8.2 6.8 8.6 6.8

7.9 8.3 6.0 9.0

95 95 95 D 95

58 58 58 -

F A A A A

Old 190TDI replaced with broader range and Euro6 compliant 3.0L diesel. Edges out more expensive German rivals for refinement/value THE PICK: 170 is mega value, though V8 is a ‘cheap’ Bentley Bentayga

170TDI $81,490 210TDI Elegance $99,490 210TDI R-Line $108,490 310TDI R-Line $136,490 210TDI Wolfsburg Edition $119,990 V8 TDI Wolfsburg Edition $139,990 Amarok

V6TD V6TD V6TD V8TTD V6TD V8TTD

3.0 3.0 3.0 4.0 3.0 4.0

170 210 210 310 210 310

500 600 600 900 600 900

A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8

2067 2070 2169 2305 2169 2354

7.5 6.1 6.1 4.9 6.1 4.9

6.8 6.8 6.8 7.5 6.8 7.5

D D D D D D

-

A A A A A A

The thinking person’s dual-cab, with powerhouse V6 option, eight ratios, constant AWD and unmatched refinement for the class THE PICK: Any V6TD will convert sceptics

Golf The king of mainstream hatches hits Generation 8 and has never seemed more premium, for mainstream money THE PICK: The hot-hatch icon – a GTI with tartan cloth seats

2.0 140 320 D7 1567 8.1 6.6 95 49

The larger of VW’s two ‘small SUVs’ T-Roc combines Golf underpinnings with a taller ride height. We like it. A lot.

THE PICK: Either way, this is our small SUV of choice right now

Polo Biggest-ever Polo scores with sweet and thrusty three-pot turbos and superb dynamics but base is barren inside and DSG hates hills THE PICK: Manuals are lovelier, or stretch to the excellent GTI

L4T

Polo on stilts impresses in many areas and offers extra space but interior finish not typical Volkswagen standard. Cringe-worthy badges THE PICK: Sign us up for a Life sentence

Recently updated with more power and a better ride but Hilux still isn’t class leading. Doesn’t stop you buying thousands of them each month THE PICK: Test drive a Ranger or D-Max before you commit

Workmate Workmate SR SR SR+ SR+ SR5 SR5 SR5+ SR5+

$48,590 T-Cross

Engine type

Price

Drive

Issue tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

Engine type

Price

Data bank

TDI400 Core TDI420 Core TDI420 Core Plus TDI500 Core TDI500 Core Enduro TDI550 Core Sportline 550 Highline 550 Ultimate 580 W580 W580S

$44,590 $47,590 $51,590 $49,590 $49,590 $52,590 $56,590 $61,090 $72,790 $71,990 $79,990

L4TTD L4TTD L4TTD V6TD V6TD V6TD V6TD V6TD V6TD V6TD V6TD

2.0 2.0 2.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0

132 132 132 165 165 165 165 165 190 200 200

400 420 420 500 500 550 550 550 580 580 580

M6 A8 A8 M6 M6 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8

1873 1873 1978 2091 2091 2091 2078 2169 2196 2244 2244

10.5 10.5 10.5 7.9 7.9 7.9 7.3 7.3 7.3

8.9 8.4 8.4 9.7 9.7 9.1 9.1 9.1 9.5 9.5 9.5

D D D D D D D D D D D

54 A 54 A 54 A 54 04/20 A 54 A 54 A 54 07/18 A 54 A 54 A A A

TOYOTA – VO LVO YOUR COMPLETE NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE WHAT IT ALL MEANS

Drive

Issue tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

Engine type

Price

PRICE Recommended retail figure at time of publication (asterisk indicates driveaway price) ENGINE TYPE L, in-line; V, vee; F, flat. Number of cylinders. T, turbo; S, supercharged; D, diesel; H, hybrid; E, electric SIZE Litres or kWh POWER kW TORQUE Nm TRANSMISSION M, manual; A, auto; D, dual-clutch; C, CVT WEIGHT Kerb, kg 0-100 km/h, acceleration in seconds (Wheels as-tested figures in italics) FUEL CONS Consumption in litres, or kWh, per 100km RON Octane of fuel required, as numbered, or D for diesel RESALE percent, 3-year resale in Glass’s ISSUE TESTED month/year DRIVE A, all-wheel; F, front; R, rear. Any figure in bold is our own estimate.

Transporter A comprehensive smoke-and-mirrors makeover of a circa-2003 van, but this Kombi on steroids has plenty of charm THE PICK: Basic Multivan, though nostalgia screams California Beach

Caravelle Trendline $58,990 Multivan Comfortline $61,990 Multivan Comfortline 4M $64,990 Multivan C/Line LWB $64,990 Multivan C/Line 4M LWB $67,990 Multivan Highline $84,990 Multivan Highline 4M $87,990 Multivan C/Line Exec LWB $87,990 California Beach $82,990 California Beach 4M $86,990 California Beach TDI450 $92,990

L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD L4TD

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

110 110 110 110 110 146 146 146 110 110 146

340 340 340 340 340 450 450 450 340 340 450

D7 D7 D7 D7 D7 D7 D7 D7 D7 D7 D7

2183 2267 2376 2307 2422 2294 2404 2332 2431 2457 2472

– – – – – – – – – – –

Volvo

6.6 6.6 7.6 6.6 7.6 7.1 7.9 7.0 6.6 7.5 7.8

D D D D D D D D D D D

F F A F A F A F F A A

5 years/unlimited

A true sleeper, particularly in T8 form, the S60 is Sweden’s suave C-Class and 3 Series rival, but on big wheels lacks ride quality of either THE PICK: Hybrid if you can stretch to it

$54,990 $60,990 $64,990 $84,990 V60

L4T L4T L4T L4STH

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

187 187 192 311

350 350 400 670

A8 A8 A8 A8

1802 1767 1767 2006

6.7 6.4 6.3 4.3

10.1 6.6 6.6 2.1

95 95 95 95

49 02/20 A 49 A 50 11/19 A 50 02/20 A

The Volvo for the discerning enthusiast, with size and practicality of a wagon and driving dynamics of a sedan. Avoid big alloys for ride THE PICK: A well-specced Inscription nails most key criteria

T5 Momentum T5 Inscription T5 R-Design T8 R-Design

$56,990 $62,990 $66,990 $86,990 V90

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T5 Momentum T5 Inscription T5 R-Design T8 R-Design

ACTING EDITOR Alex Inwood EDITOR Dylan Campbell ART DIRECTOR Felipe Ubilla ASSOCIATE EDITOR Ash Westerman JOURNALIST Chris Thompson

L4T L4T L4T L4STH

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

187 187 192 311

350 350 400 670

A8 A8 A8 A8

1773 1773 1773 2005

6.5 6.5 6.4 4.5

6.6 6.6 6.6 2.1

95 95 95 95

49 02/20 A 50 02/20 A 50 A 50 A

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Stands comparison with the very best of Volvo’s wagon back catalogue. Choose the smallest wheels and air suspension, though THE PICK: Minuscule sales means the model range is limited...

D5 Cross Country

$80,990 XC40

L4TTD 2.0 173 480 A8 1894 7.5 5.7 D

-

A

2019 COTY punches a long way above its small-SUV class. Peppy T5 feels like a hot hatch on stilts. Lovely, though ride can be a tad stiff THE PICK: T5 R-Design – but don’t forget to include adaptive dampers

T4 Momentum T4 Inscription T5 R-Design Recharge plug-in

$46,990 $51,990 $56,990 $64,990 XC60

L4T L4T L4T L3T

2.0 2.0 2.0 1.5

140 140 185 195

300 300 350 265

A8 A8 A8 D7

1631 1705 1710 1760

8.4 8.5 7.2 7.3

8.8 8.8 7.7 2.2

95 95 95 98

56 F 56 A 57 07/18 A - 08/20 F

2018 COTY a deserving winner, with a breadth of abilities clothed in a handsomely presented, spacious and ultra-comfy body THE PICK: T6 R-Design if we’re spending our own money

D4 Momentum T5 Momentum D4 Inscription T5 Inscription T6 R-Design T8 Polestar

$64,990 $64,990 $71,990 $71,990 $78,990 $99,990 XC90

L4TD L4T L4TD L4T L4ST L4STH

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

140 187 140 187 246 311

400 350 400 350 440 670

A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8

1865 1857 1865 1857 1911 2105

8.4 6.8 8.4 6.8 5.8 5.2

5.4 7.8 5.4 7.8 8.0 2.1

D 95 S 95 95 95

60 56 63 61 63 - 02/18

A A A A A A

The seven-seat XC90 offers a gentle, considered take on the premium large SUV. As with XC60, optional air springs are a must THE PICK: Go T8, but all models present a compelling case

D5 Momentum T6 Momentum D5 Inscription T6 Inscription T6 R-Design T8 R-Design

$89,990 $89,990 $94,990 $94,990 $96,990 $114,990

L4TTD L4ST L4TTD L4ST L4ST L4STH

2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

173 235 173 235 246 311

480 400 480 400 440 680

A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8

1970 1965 1970 1965 1965 2296

7.8 6.5 7.8 6.5 6.4 5.5

5.9 8.5 5.9 8.5 8.5 2.1

D 95 D 95 95 95

63 63 63 63 63 63

A A A A A A

Published by Are Media, part of the Mercury Capital, ABN 18 053 273 546, 54-58 Park Street, Sydney, NSW 2000. © 2020. The trademark WHEELS is the property of Are Consumer Media Limited and is used under licence.

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RETRO SERIES

ȈȐ ȋȏ TAT R A

ȍȇȇ ¹ĂˆɥĂɌǸĂȞ W O R D S MI C H A E L S TA HL

Czechs and balances AN AERO DELIGHT FROM A BRAND WITH 100 YEARS OF CAR-MAKING HISTORY IF YOU HAD to name the second-oldest continuously operating automotive brand name in the world, here’s 100 koruna that says you wouldn’t have guessed Tatra. The Czechoslovakian carriage-builder was founded in 1850 and produced cars and trucks from 1897. Passenger-car production ended a century later, but the Tatra name lives on with truck production.

Tatra’s cars left an amazing automotive legacy, mainly via genius engineer Hans Ledwinka’s pioneering designs in aerodynamics (following the principles of Zeppelin airship designer Paul Jaray), air-cooled engines, single backbone chassis and independent suspensions.

All came together in Tatra’s breathtaking T77 of 1934, a six-seater luxury sedan with a pronounced teardrop shape and stabilising dorsal fin, with a claimed Cd of around 0.25. No less attention-getting were its rear-mounted, air-cooled 3.0-litre V8 engine and swing-axle independent rear suspension.

World War II helped make the Tatra T77 and successors T77a and T87 famous – or infamous. After Germany’s 1939 invasion of Czechoslovakia, Nazi officers favoured commandeering the big Tatras, loving their size, plush ride and aero-enabled 160km/h top speed.

Many loved it to death; it’s reckoned that more high-ranking Nazis were killed in Tatras than in actual combat.

Ledwinka was already well-known to the Germans, having dined with Adolf Hitler and worked with Ferdinand Porsche.

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In 1934, Hitler commissioned Porsche’s design for a ‘people’s car’: a beetle-shaped body on a backbone chassis with a rear-mounted, air-cooled flat-four engine.

It was clearly derived from Porsche’s 1931 Type 12 design for Zundapp, but equally had much in common with the Ledwinka/Jaray Tatra V570 prototype of 1933, which evolved into the production T97 of 1936-39. Tatra launched a lawsuit, which was buried – along with T97 production – when Hitler invaded. However, Volkswagen would eventually cough up one million deutschmarks in 1965.

Which brings us (belatedly) to the Volkswagen that could have been – the Tatra T600 Tatraplan of 1948-52. Successor to the T97, the T600 had a six-seater body with an aero Cd of 0.32, and an all-alloy 1952cc engine producing more than twice the power of VW’s 1131cc unit.

So what went wrong? Communism, as always. After three years of T600 production, Tatra was assigned to making trucks, and Skoda to making cars. Commie elites would drive luxury Russian models, but these proved so unreliable and unavailable that a secretly developed new Tatra V8, the futuristic-looking T603, was pressed into production in 1956.

Of the T600 ‘people’s car’, records indicate that just 6342 examples were produced (by Tatra and Skoda) from 1948-52.

However, it’s believed that many of these chassis had been returned and rebirthed at the factory.

IN DETAIL T600s BELIEVED IMPORTED TO AUSTRALIA IN 1952

20

1936

PAUL JARAY-INSPIRED HINDENBURG AIRSHIP LIFTS OFF

FLAT-FOUR WITH MORE All-alloy 1952cc air-cooled four-cylinder engine had pushrod-operated overhead valves, with bore and stroke almost square at 85mm x 86mm. A vertical fan ducted cooling air over the finned cylinders. A Zenith (or Solex) carburettor per bank contributed to a healthy 39kW and 118Nm, driving via a four-speed manual ’box. Excellent aero allowed a 130km/h top speed, despite the portly 1200kg kerb weight (vs VW’s 750kg).

02 6342 NUMBER BUILT (AND POSSIBLY REBUILT)

SPARE WHEELS, WHICH TOOK UP MOST OF THE BOOT SPACE

SLEEK ON THE INSIDE, TOO The T600’s packaging of its drivetrain at one end allowed a true family-sized, sixseat interior. Front suicide doors opened to a broad bench seat with a spring-spoked steering wheel, column shifter and sleek, simple dash. The 4540mm-long steel body and backbone chassis were suspended by a pair of transverse leaf springs up front and independent by torsion bars at the rear, with advanced rack-and-pinion steering.

@wheelsaustralia

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DRIVEN TO EXTINCTION

ALFA ROMEO

GIULIETTA STYLISH, FINE-DRIVING ITALIAN HATCH ENDURED WHILE ITS FCA STABLEMATES STUMBLED

PEOPLE MIGHT THINK the substance of Alfa Romeo’s 111-year heritage centres around its sporting coupes, its iconic engines and its historic race cars, but they would be ignoring a huge part of its success – breadand-butter small cars.

Kicking off with the super-pretty Giulietta Berlina in 1955, it’s somewhat fitting that Alfa’s small-car lineage has ended with the death of the latter-day Giulietta (2010-21), and not just because both those cars share a name. While never quite attaining the critical highs of the Alfasud or expanding on the sales fortunes of its immediate 147 and 145/146 predecessors, the modern Giulietta hatch was a bloody good car.

Internally dubbed Tipo 940, the Giulietta was based on the C-Evo platform, a development of the architecture that underpinned Fiat’s lacklustre Stilo (2001-07) and Bravo/Ritmo (2007-14). That’s an inauspicious beginning for what the Italians hoped would be a proper premium rival for the Audi A3, BMW 1 Series, Mercedes-Benz A-Class and Volvo V40, though the Giulietta benefitted greatly from substantial improvements, including junking the Fiat’s torsion-beam tail for proper multi-link independent rear suspension.

That investment in the Giulietta’s dynamics produced a lithe, involving hatchback that truly handled – some variants better than others, though all with proper Italian brio. Some variants also rode and steered better than others, those characteristics usually inversely

AUSSIE SALES 2010 – 14 2011 – 526 2012 – 610 2013 – 1949 2014 – 2268 2015 – 1272 2016 – 639 2017 – 389 2018 – 297 2019 – 169 2020 – 120 2021 – 35* *Jan-March

proportional to each other. The same applied to the engines. The 88kW 1.4 turbo was a torquey, effortless delight – the 125kW version keener and fruitier but also laggier down low – while the 173-177kW direct-injection 1.7 turbo from the QV and later Veloce had real balls, though perhaps not quite enough induction fizz. There’s also the matter of transmissions, with Alfa’s six-speed manual proving spirited and slick, whereas the six-speed dual-clutch – the only ’box offered in Australia during the Giulietta’s final years – was nowhere near as satisfying.

But what mattered most, both at launch and well into the future, is how the Giulietta looks. Penned by Lorenzo Ramaciotti while head of design at Centro Stile in Turin, the Giulietta’s gorgeously timeless shape remains unsurpassed by any competitor. Even at 11 years of age, it’s every bit as stylish and seductive as it was on day one.

Yet, despite all that beauty and a decent level of talent, the Giulietta wasn’t a panacea for Alfa. In its last full year, the Giulietta achieved a paltry 10,718 sales across Europe, though that was 30 percent of Alfa Romeo’s total European volume, which must be slightly terrifying for the shiny bums at Stellantis.

Without a replacement player in Europe’s stilllucrative C-segment, Alfa Romeo is investing all its energy in a forthcoming small SUV called Tonale.

More’s the pity, really, because the beautiful Giulietta deserves better than that.

N ATHA N PO NCHAR D

WALKING THE LINE Giulietta’s lunge towards extinction began in 2019 when European volume fell below 20,000 (its record was 78,911 sales in 2011). But, to the Giulietta’s credit, it outlived most of its Fiat-Chrysler platform relatives, in particular the US-market Dodge Dart and Chrysler 200. That pair cost US$1 billion to develop, with production ending in late 2016 – the 200 lasting just 30 months.

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