CIRCULATING IN WANGARATTA, BENALLA, MYRTLEFORD, BRIGHT, MT BEAUTY, BEECHWORTH, YACKANDANDAH, RUTHERGLEN, CHILTERN AND DISTRICTS
NORTH EAST
August 22, 2014
available online - wangarattachronicle.com.au
PRINTED FORTNIGHTLY — VOLUME 455
Mazda 2: the first decade Storypage3
SOLID PERFORMER: KIA SORENTO IS A FAMILY FOCUSED PEOPLE MOVER
Kia Sorento on the road to success K
ia Sorento is offered in a number of different versions, with petrol and diesel engines, manual and automatic transmissions and a choice of two-wheel drive or 4WD. Our vehicle of choice for this week’s road test was the V6 petrol with an auto box and 2WD. In other words it’s the sort of vehicle that will appeal to buyers looking for a large station wagon rather than an off-road explorer. Sorento is built on the same platform as its Hyundai Santa Fe cousin although each takes a different styling route. With seven seats as standard Sorento is more family focused than the five-door Santa Fe and this is reflected in a more conservative styling. While it lacks the Hyundai’s flare, Sorento is neat and compact in the Ford Territory manner, with a smallish front grille that flows into curved headlights topped by LED daytime running lights.
BY ALISTAIR KENNEDY Both the grille and split air intake have an attractive honeycomb pattern. The roofline takes a gradual rearward dip that slightly infringes on third row seat headroom although unlikely to concern the children whose domain the seats will be. The rear has a bit more character than the previous model with extra angles as well as large two-piece LED taillights. Two engines are offered, a 3.5-litre V6 petrol and a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel. As is the norm the petrol unit has more power than the diesel (204 kW vs 145 kW) while the diesel has extra torque (436 Nm from 1800 rpm compared to the V6’s 335 Nm at 5000 revs). Both engines are paired to a six-speed automatic transmission with a six-speed manual available only with the diesel. The powered driver’s seat is easy to set up
and there’s excellent headroom in front and centre seats. Seven seats are standard in all Kia Sorento models. The third row is difficult to access and only suited for children. This isn’t unusual in this class so isn’t really a criticism. There is just 258 litres of storage space with all seven seats in place and there are no rear seats drink holders. The design is neat and functional for the driver, with a European style of dashboard with well-positioned, large controls that fall readily to hand. Unlike some vehicles where you need to grope around the inside of the centre console to locate the USB and Auxiliary sockets the Sorento has them in clear view at the rear of one of the dashboard storage areas. Bluetooth pairing (phone and audio
streaming) is refreshingly simple and intuitive. The reversing camera is now displayed in the centre console LCD screen rather than in the rear-vision mirror. A 4.3-inch screen is standard, 7-inch with the satellite navigation is a $1500 option. Sorento has quite a heavy feel to it and generally gives a soft, pleasant ride. Seats are comfortable and supportive with a high driving position. Steering is adjustable with Kia’s FlexSteer system providing the choice of three different steering weights (Normal, Sport and Comfort) but without changing the gear ratios. The V6 petrol engine is smooth and refined with sharp throttle response that makes for quick take-off and for a relatively bulky vehicle it’s quite easy to handle around town. On the motorway the big Kia was in its element and cruised effortlessly.
Continued page 2
NORTH EAST
2
CLASSIFIEDS
28 Foot Timber Cruiser. Displacement hull, 24hp MD11 Volvo Penta engine. Berthed at a marina in Western Port Bay. Equipped galley, twin berth, ready to ¿VK RU FUXLVH 0XVW VHOO $12,500. Phone Luke (03) 5723 0115.
MITSUBISHI Canter FE211, 4 cyl diesel, as new, 12'5" tray, 5.5 tonne gross, 236,000km, new brakes, RWC, unregistered, $5900 neg. Eng No. 4D31335039. Ph 5722 4762 or 0409 402 071.
FORD G6E turbo Falcon (WSC003), $23,950. 2008, 67,700km, luxury, high performance motoring, leather seats, tinted windows, excellent condition, reg to Dec 2014, full service history. Ph 0408 108 963.
CAMRY Hybrid (XRN370), $20,500, 2010. Reg to May 2015, leather seats, sat nav, tinted windows, excellent condition, full service history. Ph 0408 108 963.
iMIEV (ZUB732) fully electric. $27,500. 2250km, 4 yrs warranty remaining, as new condition, sat nav, tinted windows, 150km range. Ph 0408 108 963.
Selling your car has never been easier or cheaper!
SOLD
2006 Nissan Navara STR Dual Cab, rego Jan 2015, 160,000km, 3.0L diesel, 4WD, bullbar, towbar, canopy, UHF radio, rollout drawers in back, serviced by Nissan. (TXK963). $16,000 ono. Call Jeff 0438 251 733.
2008 Holden Rodeo, 4 door dual cab, auto, 58,000ks, (WOD578), 12 mths reg, RWC, towbar, excellent condition, regretful sale $17,500. Ph Grahame 0412 569 414.
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2010 Holden VEMY10 3L Berlina sedan. Automatic, tinted windows, metallic paint, climate control, cruise control, reversing sensors, towbar, one owner, full service history. 135,220 kms. Registered to June 2015 (XSM051). Selling with RWC. $15,500 ono. Ph (03) 5765 2216 or 0420 795 970.
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TOYOTA Landcruiser 1987, 6x6 tray, diesel, bullbar, winch, towbar, 182,156km, original, reg (1AM1AY), must sell, $16,500 ono. Ph 0417 511 769 or 0408 519 814.
MAZDA 3 diesel, 2007, 88,000km, 6 spd manual, many extras, Vic rego (UZA512) till October 2014. RWC, excellent condition. $13,750. Ph 0478 692 941.
August 22, 2014
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SOLD
Over two weeks your advertisment will appear in one edition of the fortnightly Motor Guide and five editions of the Wangaratta Chronicle. Together these papers are read by over 90,000 people. *Cond apply. Private advertisers only, min 20 words, extra words 50¢ each, impact heading $2 per word. No refunds given if item is sold before advert expires. 2 weeks = 5 Wangaratta Chronicle & 1 North East Motor Guide, covering all NE Victoria.
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Kia Sorento on road to success From page 1 The cabin is well insulated from road and other exterior noise. Rise and handling has been a common criticism of Kia vehicles in the past but to its credit the company has responded allocating significant resources, including leading Australian suspension engineer Graham Gambold, into local testing and tuning their underpinnings for local conditions. We took the Sorento along our favorite rural drive route to test these improvements and the ride and handling is noticeably better than before. While it doesn’t have any sporting credentials it certainly feels firmer and less spongy and so provides a much more enjoyable, and safer, drive. Even at reasonable speeds there’s plenty of stability and grip through corners. Fuel consumption is officially rated at 9.8 litres per 100 kilometres on the combined city/highway cycle. We did a number of city trips during our week behind the wheel of the Sorento with up to six occupants so the resultant 10.9 L/100 was quite acceptable for a relatively heavy V6-powered vehicle. Kia has made a clear delineation between the Sorento variants which probably makes sense. Petrol: 2WD only, auto only.
Diesel: AWD only, manual in Si. However, we are not sure though why the top-spec Platinum is only available with the diesel. Surely buyers would want the added refinement of a V6 petrol over a four-door diesel? Kia, like Hyundai, has plenty of confidence in their products and offers the industry best warranty of five years with unlimited kilometres. For those who aren’t in a rush Kia is set to unveil its third generation Sorento at the Paris Motor Show in early October.
AtaGlance MODEL RANGE, WITH PRICES (EXCLUDING DEALER AND GOVERNMENT CHARGES): SI 3.5-LITRE PETROL 2WD FIVEDOOR SEVEN-SEAT WAGON: $38,490 (AUTOMATIC) SLI 3.5-LITRE PETROL 2WD FIVEDOOR SEVEN-SEAT WAGON: $40,990 (AUTOMATIC) SI 2.2-LITRE TURBO-DIESEL 4WD FIVEDOOR SEVEN-SEAT WAGON: $39,990 (MANUAL), $41,990 (AUTOMATIC) SLI 2.2-LITRE TURBO-DIESEL 4WD FIVE-DOOR SEVEN-SEAT WAGON: $44,990 (AUTOMATIC) PLATINUM 2.2-LITRE TURBO-DIESEL 4WD FIVE-DOOR SEVEN-SEAT WAGON: $50,790 (AUTOMATIC) STANDARD FEATURES IN ALL MODELS: ABS BRAKES; CRUISE CONTROL; DUAL FRONT AIRBAGS; FRONT SIDE AIRBAGS; ELECTRONIC STABILITY PROGRAM; PARKING SENSORS (FRONT AND REAR); REVERSING CAMERA; USB/AUXILIARY AUDIO INPUTS; BLUETOOTH; STEERING WHEEL MOUNTED CONTROLS.
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PANEL REPAIRS
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On the Road
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HARRISON & SOLIMO PANELS
NORTH EAST
August 22, 2014
3
2002 Mazda2
2007 Mazda2
2010 Mazda2
Mazda 2: decade in review BY EWAN KENNEDY
Car buying tips
T
he launch of an all-new Mazda2 in a few months makes this a good time to check out older models of this quality small car from Japan. Introduced to Australia in December 2002 the Mazda2 DY Series was a replacement for the Mazda 121, the latter a car that chopped and changed in its shape over the years, but generally enjoyed sales success downunder. Smoothness and comfort in the Mazda2 are as good as in many cars that are a full size up. Meaning it can be used as a family car if you are considering downsizing your transport and the kids are in their preteen years. The ‘2 is surprisingly spacious for a small car because its relatively tall body allows good headroom in all seats. Extra space is available in the back seat as it’s adjustable fore-and-aft. It makes sense to take the whole family along on your pre-purchase test drive.
HOW MUCH? Expect to spend from $2000 to $4000 for a 2002 Mazda2 Neo; $4000 to $7000 for a 2005 Genki; $6000 to $9000 for a 2007 Genki or a 2008 Maxx; $8000 to $12,000 for a 2010 Maxx; $10,000 to $14,000 for a 2011 Genki or a 2013 Maxx; and $12,000 to $17,000 for a 2013 Genki.
Mazda2 joins the others in the Mazda range in having a well-deserved reputation, so it sits high on the tree of cars that make good sense secondhand. However, as it’s generally used as a city car you have to be sure to get one that hasn’t been thrashed around in the rush and bustle of constant traffic. The June 2005 makeover of the Mazda2 saw the push on maximising safety. Dual airbags became standard on all models, with another four fitted to the top model, the Genki, and are optional on the others in the range. It’s worth checking for the fitment of the extra airbags as they were wellpriced and are fitted to quite a few cars.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Don’t let the distance travelled by a used car overly influence your buying decision. Cars with low kilometres may have done a lot of work in tight traffic, and with an engine that was seldom running at its full temperature.
That second generation Mazda2, the DE Series, reached Australia in September 2007. Even more stylish than the first, it continued to do well in the sales race. All Mazda2 models sold in Australia have a four-cylinder 1.5-litre engine. It performs reasonably well and is economical unless pushed too hard. The 2005 facelift saw changes to the engine to fatten out its torque curve, but it’s still no powerhouse. Likewise the all-new 2007 range is aimed at the conservative driver, not the keen revhead. A five-speed manual gearbox is standard in the Mazda2, with a fourspeed automatic being optional.
The auto does a reasonable job with an engine of this size but try it for yourself to see what you think as it can struggle at times with a load on board, particularly in hilly areas. The manual overrides in the automatic help you make the best of the limited performance. Noise levels are usually low but the aforementioned rough roads can increase in-cabin sound quite noticeably at times, as can concrete surfaces on some motorways. Steering in the little Mazda2 is quick and precise, however, some say they find it a little too sensitive. Try before you buy Road grip is high and the smallest Mazda feels stable and comfortable under normal conditions. The underbonnet area is reasonably spacious and a good home handyperson can do routine servicing. We recommend leaving safety items to the professionals. Having a workshop manual on hand when you do your own work makes a lot of sense.
Heading off-road this weekend? Enjoy exploring the outback in your new off-road vehicle from One Mile Motors.
Insurance rates are generally towards the bottom end of the scale. There seems to be a bigger spread than normal between companies so it’s worth shopping around for the best deal. Don’t just look at the cost of the premiums, also ask about excesses and no-claims bonuses and make sure you’re comparing apples with apples. What to look for Look for signs of body damage or crash repairs. Look carefully at the condition of the interior trim and the lining of the luggage area for tears or stains. During your test drive feel for hesitation in the engine, particularly when it’s asked to accelerate suddenly. An engine that’s rough at idle may have problems. Call in a professional if there’s the slightest doubt. Make sure the brakes pull the car up firmly in a straight line and that the ABS system, if fitted, comes in under high pedal pressures. Listen for rattles and squeaks inside the cabin.
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MELBOURNE ROAD, WODONGA PHONE: 6051 5555 www.mcraemotors.com.au LMCT 498 Offers end 31st August 2014, while stocks last. Vehicles must be purchased and delivered between 1st and 31st August 2014. Premium paint on all vehicles at additional cost. Balance of unlimited km Warranty apples to all demonstrator vehicles. 1) Recommended drive away price MY14 Rio S 3-door manual. 2) Recommended drive away price MY14 Cerato S sedan and hatch S manual. 3) Recommended drive away price MY14 Sportage Si manual petrol. 4) Recommended drive away price, MY14 Sorento Si automatic petrol. † See your participating Kia dealer for full terms and conditions. Offer valid while vehicle stocks last and excludes government, fleet and rental buyers. Kia reserves the right to change, supersede or extend these offers. # Finance available to approved applicants only. ^UNLIMITED KM 5 YEAR WARRANTY. Note: 5 year/130,000km warranty for vehicles used for the following: rental vehicles, hire cars, taxis, courier vehicles, driving school vehicles, security vehicles, bus and tour vehicles. *Victorian Transfers Included. Images for comparison only. DMM251522/8
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