MARCH 20 - 26 | 2019
2020 Mazda CX-30 Touring
Ŷ VALUE FOR MONEY: Part SUV, part family hatch, the new Mazda CX-30 is a neat example of the company's Kodo design.
MAZDA CX-30 is an SUV that sits neatly between Mazda CX-3 and CX-5 in size and price. These days many so-called SUVs are only driven by two wheels - the CX-30 is offered with a choice between two and allwheel drive. At the media launch of the CX-30 we spent two days and almost 500Km driving in Melbourne traffic, as well as on country roads and motorways on a roundabout trip to Cape Schanck. Now we’ve completed another 450km during our week with the Mazda in our home area on the Gold Coast. Our test car was a Touring with the 2.5-litre powerplant. STYLING The shape of the CX-30 is similar to the Mazda3 hatch and, interestingly, is no taller.
By EWAN KENNEDY However, we feel the -30 has a sportier look than the ‘3, with a silhouette that’s almost coupe like. Eight exterior colours are offered: Polymetal Grey Metallic, Soul Red Crystal Metallic, Machine Grey Metallic, Sonic Silver Metallic, Snowflake White Pearl Mica, Titanium Flash Mica, Deep Crystal Blue Mica and Jet Black Mica. INSIDE High spec interiors are offered in the Touring and Astina models; a Rich Brown colour scheme, paired with either Black leather or Pure White leather trim. Pure and Evolve have a Navy Blue and Black cloth combination.
ENGINE / TRANSMISSIONS Power is provided by either a 2.0-litre petrol, with 114 kW and 200 Nm, or a 2.5-litre petrol (139 kW/252 Nm). The smaller engine drives the front wheels, the larger either the front or all four wheels. Transmission is by a six-speed automatic. Mazda's impressive Skyactiv X engine won’t be offered in the CX-30 until the second half of year in Australia. We are really looking forward to testing it as it takes a whole new direction in petrol engine design, being a sort-of diesel at times. Low fuel consumption will be its biggest engineering feature. INFOTAINMENT The horizontal 8.8-inch screen gives access to Mazda Connect infotainment system and has satellite navigation as standard, plus
phone-mirroring technologies Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. We find the slim infotainment screen too skinny as it doesn't show far enough ahead to accurately plan ahead in your navigation. SAFETY There's a big emphasis by Mazda on keeping drivers out of trouble if they’re paying more attention to their phones than their driving. The clever Driver Monitoring system watches the driver’s face and tells them to wake up to themselves. The CX-30 has Front Cross Traffic Alert (FCTA), Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM), Smart Brake Support (SBS), Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR) and Radar Cruise Control (MRCC) with Stop & Go. Ŷ Continued page 2
E V E RY T H I N G, J U S T R I G H T. A L L- N E W M A Z DA C X-3 0 H A S A R R I V E D Now at One Mile Motors, 10-14 Templeton St, Wangaratta 03 5721 5677 Serving the community as your local Mazda dealer for over 50 years!
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March 20-26 | 2020
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Lexus IS Black Line Special Edition
Ŷ IS BEAUTIFUL: Sinister black is a feature of selected Lexus IS. By EWAN KENNEDY LEXUS IS Black Line Special Edition is offered with the IS 300 and IS 350 variants. The exterior has a distinctive black Lexus 'spindle' grille, black mirror caps and black 18-inch alloy wheels. Four exterior colours are offered: White Nova, Liquid Metal, Graphite Black and Cobalt Mica. Front-door-mounted projector lamps, which illuminate the Lexus logo onto the ground, adds a welcoming message. Inside, Black/Grey seat trim combines black broader surfacing with light-grey accents and blue-grey stitching. Indigo Wood trim ornamentation is used on the top of the F Sport perforated leather steering wheel. Matching the blue texture used on the power window switch surrounds, and passenger-side dashboard ornamentation. The Black Line Special Edition shares adaptive variable suspension, high-friction front brake pads, sports seats with driver memory settings, smart key card, blindspot monitor and rear cross-traffic alert with F Sport variants. The IS 350 Black Line Special Edition is available from $75,521 with metallic paint as standard - an increase of $1500 over
the IS 350 F Sport with metallic paint. The IS 300 Black Line Special Edition is available with an Enhancement Pack including 15-speaker Mark Levinson4 audio and moonroof for $4000. The IS 350 Black Line Special Edition includes the premium audio system as standard, with a moonroof optional ($2500). The IS 300 Black Line Special Edition is available from $69,707 with metallic paint as standard - an increase of $1500 over the IS 300 F Sport with metallic paint. There will be 105 units of the IS 300 Black Line Special Edition arriving locally, and an additional 45 units of the IS 350 Black Line Special Edition that will be available in Australia.
Motoring along: shoot, upload, earn
Ŷ SNAP HAPPY: You're already taking pics while sightseeing, now you can sell them and possibly make a quid. PEOPLE driving along scenic routes can now make money from doing what they probably would anyway - taking photos on their mobile phones. An Australian designed and developed photography app, PicTrax, has been engineered to create an Australia-wide catalogue of mobile phone shots. Motoring events and destinations are expected to be a major section of the PicTrax app giving the opportunity for creative shots, which interesting cars and motorcycles inherently have. The free PicTrax app is available on Android and Apple platforms, also geographically pins the photo to the event’s location and interfaces with directions on how to travel to it. Amateur or professional mobile phone snappers who upload the photo to the app, then earn money in direct proportion to the photo’s popularity. This is determined by the number of votes it receives from people who view it. Once the photo reaches a minimum threshold, the credits earned can be cashed in by the photographer. The person taking the photos has the choice of whether or not to remain anonymous. The app was conceived and created by
By EWAN KENNEDY Brisbane-based Obelia McCormack who selffunded its development. “The app brings a high level of individuality to the photos allowing the mobile phone photographer to use it for one-off events, to create a major social following, or any level in between,” Obelia said. “PicTrax is primarily about the impressive views, outlooks and landscapes as well as the events held there. It’s not about a photo of a meal or a 21st birthday. “We’re already building our own photographic libraries. “The app’s website, www.pictrax.com/ includes tutorials to show how it’s done, a key objective was to make the technology userfriendly and simple to use. “As well as being designed for the amateur snapper, PicTrax also provides opportunity for budding professional photographers, to publish a portfolio URL and create an avenue for image sales.” PicTrax users are required to agree to the PicTrax Terms of Service, which among other things, requires users to declare they have the legal rights to take, upload and display their photos.
2020 Mazda CX-30 Touring
Ŷ From page 1 DRIVING There’s good space for four adults in legroom and head space. The smallish centrerear seat is not unusual in this size class in that it’s hampered for footroom by the central tunnel. The boot is a reasonable size but the semicoupe roofline means it may not be able to carry items such as large boxes that can fit into conventional SUVs. Then again the Mazda CX-3 and CX-5 are on offer should you need to haul more gear. Ride quality and interior sound levels
almost rival those of big brother Mazda6. Coarse-chip surfaces do increase noise levels, but not to the same extent as in others in this class. Handling is accurate and the steering wheel provides the right amount of feedback. Cornering is accurate enough, but this is not a sports sedan, and is certainly not planned to be one. Mazda has family cars in sportier variants in the past and it will be interesting to know if there’s a MazdaSpeed CX-30 in the pipeline. Done right, we reckon it could make others in this SUV class look a bit ordinary. Fuel consumption on our test route sat in
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the nine to 10 litres per 100 kilometres in suburban and hilly-country segments. It dropped to a pretty impressive five to six litres per hundred during easy cruising and on motorways. New CX-30 has Mazda’s five-year unlimited distance warranty and five-year Mazda Premium Roadside Assistance. SUMMING UP Mazda CX-30 is a pleasant car to ride in and to drive. It’s built to Mazda’s usual high quality, looks attractive and, though not the cheapest in its class, offers good value for money.
AT A GLANCE MODEL: Mazda CX-30 five door SUV ENGINE: 2.0 litre four cylinder in ine MAX POWER: 114 kW @ 6000 rpm MAX TORQUE: 200 Nm @ 4000 rpm DRIVELINE: Six speed automatic FUEL TANK: 51 litres petrol 91 RON ECONOMY: 6.5 L/100km (combined)
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March 20-26 | 2020
> available online - www.nemedia.com.au
Cop this! Stinger slips easily into rapid response
Ŷ PREFERRED PURSUIT: The Kia Stinger 300S . . . pursuit vehicle in civvies.
THE Stinger continues to earn its stripes in the pursuit of the forces of evil as a car of choice for police, with the Northern Territory the latest recruit for Kia’s sports sedan with the ability to run down lawbreakers. Queensland police began the ball rolling, becoming the first law enforcement agency in the world to use the Stinger as an operational intercept and road command vehicle, nudging out the traditional now-extinct Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon. Western Australia followed suit, with NT recently jumping on the bandwagon, taking on the rear-wheel-drive liftback models powered by a 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine developing 272 kW of power and 510 Nm of torque. That has the vehicle sprinting from a standstill to 100 km/h in just 4.9 seconds, enough to collar most crooks. There is a Stinger 2.0 200S four-cylinder automatic, which comes to market at $47,190, followed by the 2-litre GT-Line automatic, $56,290; Stinger 3.3 V6 330S automatic, $50,190 (the test vehicle) and 3.3 V6 GT automatic, $60,790. STYLING It’s no coincidence the Stinger sings straight from the European sports sedan songbook, as Kia design chief Peter Schreyer made his name with German automaker Audi. Designers toned down any brutal characteristics, combining elegance with an athletic look, which together with rear drive, delivers a roomy passenger cabin and spacious boot, the latter to take bulky luggage or a couple of golf bags. Not that everything is soft and gentle. There’s still the Kia signature ‘tiger-nose’ grille, bold LED headlamps, two twin oval exhaust pipes. A flat underbody and rear diffuser enhance aerodynamics. INTERIOR A long wheelbase (2905 mm) and fastback rather than sedan-style rear leave plenty of front and rear leg room for passengers, plus a driving position fit for spirited action.
By DEREK OGDEN Contoured seats are available with leather-look trim, while the driver can take advantage of an optional four-way air-cell lumbar support and side bolsters for increased comfort. INFOTAINMENT Latest technology includes a head-up display, with speed, turn-by-turn navigation guidance, audio, cruise control and blindspot detection information. All Stingers boast Bluetooth connectivity through Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while smartphones can be charged via a pad in the centre console. Built-in satellite navigation comes with ten years of updates. Six speakers deliver crisp audio controlled through an 8-inch screen. ENGINES / TRANSMISSIONS The Stinger is available with a choice of two petrol engines - a single turbo 2.0-litre four-cylinder producing 182 kW and 353 Nm, or a twin-turbo 3.3-litre V6, which stumps up 272 kW and 510 Nm. Mated with Kia’s own eight-speed automatic transmission driving the rear wheels via a mechanical limited-slip differential, the latter gives the car its high-performance pedigree with a claimed sprint from zero to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds, using launch control, and a top speed of 270 km/h. SAFETY Advanced driver assistance technology includes autonomous emergency braking with forward collision warning system, front parking sensors, a lane keeping assist and driver attention alert. Standard safety equipment includes stability control and seven airbags. There are airbags directly in front of the driver and front passenger; two outside the driver and front passenger to protect their upper bodies from side impacts; a knee airbag to protect the driver’s knees and curtain airbags that protect the heads of front and rear occupants from side impacts. A reversing camera is
also standard. DRIVING With its 3.3-litre V6 there’s the promise of a fun drive - with sting, swift acceleration and more engaging. However, the V6’s muted engine and exhaust note when the test foot was flattened was something of a disappointment. An optional sports exhaust might be the go here. With official combined urban / highway fuel consumption of 10.2 litres per 100 kilometres, the test car came up with an on-target 13.5 in town and an impressively low 5.3 litres on motorways. All Stingers have an eight-speed automatic transmission transferring power to the rear wheels. Sadly, it often switches to a higher gear too soon. Using the steering wheelmounted paddles brings shifts to a more satisfying, slicker response. Brembo brakes are up to the task of reining in the ample ‘horses’. Auto-levelling and dipping headlights switch between searchlight main beam and candlepower illumination seemingly at random, regardless of the visibility ahead. A steeply-sloped rear window presents a limited view for the driver and misses out
on a rear wiper, which just about wipes out a clear view behind in wet weather. Taller passengers must bend double to slot under the low, coupe-style swoopy roofline to get into the rear seats. The boot is generous with depth but not so with height. SUMMING UP With its police presence, the fact that the Stinger is out there nickin’ villains adds a certain cachet to the sports sedan. Kia’s sevenyear warranty means the owner is in for a decent stretch too.
AT A GLANCE MODEL: Kia Stinger 330S ENGINE: 3.3 litre twin turbo V6 MAX POWER: 272 kW @ 6000 rpm MAX TORQUE: 510 Nm @ 1300 and 4500 rpm DRIVELINE: Eight speed automatic FUEL TANK: 51 litres petrol 91 RON ECONOMY: 10.2 L/100km (combined)
March 20-26 | 2020
> available online - www.nemedia.com.au
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Lexus LS 2007 - 2018 Ĺś 2007 Lexus IS460
Ĺś 2013 Lexus LS600h
IN 1989 the Lexus LS400 was the ďŹ rst Japanese car to tackle the topline versions of upmarket German and British saloon cars. It was an impressive piece of engineering from day one. Lexus tells us ‘LS’ stands for Luxury Sports, however, there’s a lot more luxury than sport. While the handling is certainly safe it doesn’t provide the semi-sporty feeling of the Europeans. The most noticeable feature of the Lexus LS series is their near-silence and impressive ride comfort. Topline materials are used throughout and they're built to an immaculate standard. Engines are whisper quiet and produce plenty of power with virtually instantaneous throttle response. They are pretty economical for vehicles in this class. Lexus boasted from day one that the LS series could remain virtually as-new for at least 10 years. We have certainly seen many gen-fours in immaculate condition. Many owners are very proud of their Lexus cars, drive them gently and have them religiously serviced by the book. It’s worth hunting them down as they make excellent used cars. We will begin our used car review with the introduction of the fourth generation, the LS460 in April 2007. It’s powered by a 4.6-litre V8 naturally-aspirated petrol engine. It drives the rear wheels through an eight-speed auto-
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Ĺś 2018 Lexus LS500 F Sport
By EWAN KENNEDY matic transmission in all but the hybrid, which has a continuously variable transmission (CVT). A hybrid Lexus LS600hL was introduced in November 2007. The ‘600’ doesn’t mean there's a 6.0-litre engine, rather that Lexus considers the hybrid has the performance that would require a conventional 6.0-litre unit. The actual engine displacement is 5.0 litres, again it's a V8. The ‘L’ in the title announces this is a limousine, with a longer wheelbase than the standard Lexus LS460. Most LS600hL models were imported with an upper-luxury layout featuring just two business-class seats in the rear, though a conventional three-seat bench was also imported. The ďŹ fth generation Lexus LS arrived in April 2018, it's longer and lower than the gen-four and is built on an all-new platform. It’s still no sports machine, but comes closer than its honourable ancestors. In the European manner, Lexus has downsized and turbocharged its engine. Rather than the V8s used in all previous models the 2018 LS has a 3.5-litre V6 with twin turbochargers. They're named the LS 500 series in recognition of their power output. An interesting model is the Lexus LS 500 F Sport which has four-wheel steering and active stabiliser bars. The aim being to provide high
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levels of stability control while maintaining ride comfort. Lexus dealers are generally only in the state capitals and major country cities. However, the widespread Toyota network can assist Lexus owners as some senior Toyota technicians are trained on Lexuses. Insurance isn't likely to be overly expensive and is generally in the same group as the upmarket British and German marques. Though we have cut off this used car review at 2018, you may also like to check out a rather special 2019 edition. The “Lexus LS Inspiration Series� celebrates the 30th year since LS was launched. Based on the Lexus LS 500 Sports Luxury, it has 20-inch Dark Vapor alloy wheel design. It introduced a Khaki Metal exterior colour. It’s also offered in Sonic Quartz, Liquid Metal and Scarlet Crimson. WHAT TO LOOK FOR Make sure the engine starts virtually immediately and accelerates without hesitation even when it is cold. The automatic transmission should operate almost imperceptibly. A gentle thud during an upchange during very hard acceleration is acceptable, anything else may indicate a problem. The Hybrid uses a continuously variable transmission that should be as smooth as silk. Arrange to have a Lexus LS inspected by a
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Lexus technician at a dealership. Some senior Toyota mechanics are trained on the car and may be able to help if you’re in an area remote from Lexus. Check for damage to the bodywork. Also look for signs of previous repairs as these are large cars and can suffer from the occasional scuff or two in tight parking situations. Interior trim should be close to immaculate in all areas unless it is one of the oldest models. Even then, we would expect the car to be in good condition inside. Test each of the numerous functions on offer, using the owner’s manual. We have seen a few of the older ones with oil seepage at the rear of the engine. CAR BUYING TIP Beware any upmarket vehicle that has been bought by someone who really wanted to move up to a high-class car - but hasn’t enough money left to have it professionally serviced. RECALLS: To browse recalls on all vehicles go to the ACCC at: www.productsafety.gov.au/ products/transport/cars/.
EXPECT TO PAY $19,000 TO $27,000: 2007 Lexus LS460 $37,000 TO $49,000: 2012 LS460 Sport $53,000 TO $71,000: 2015 LS460 F Sport $64,000 TO $85,000: 2015 LS600h $88,000 TO $117,000: 2017 LS600hL $96,000 TO $127,000: 2017 LS500 F Sport $105,000 TO $141,000: 2017 LS500h $133,000 TO $178,000: 2019 LS500h Sports Luxury.
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