Passenger Cars

When we drove the Lexus ES 300h in Luxury and Sports Luxury trims last year, we were impressed by its frugal fuel consumption, ride and handling balance, and elegant yet stylish design. The mid-size sedan from Lexus has come a long way, with each generation a stepped improvement of the …

The Subaru Impreza has a special appeal in the saturated compact car segment, for it is the only one in class equipped with all-wheel drive as standard across all variants. Normally found only in some luxury cars, all-wheel drive offers greater traction on slippery surfaces for safer handling. Unlike luxury …

Before the SUV craze, the definition of the ultimate luxury car was a large saloon with the sveltest exterior design, the plushest cabin you could have ever imagined, and the latest technology and gizmos. It had to also have the ability to convey authority and power everywhere it goes. The …

While seven-seater SUVs are great for hauling the family plus the neighbour’s kids around town, for the ultimate people transport, nothing beats the minivan, or people mover as it’s most appropriately known. There are a few options available in Australia, with varying sizes to suit families’ needs. But if you …

What we have here, the all-new 2020 BMW 118i, is one of the most controversial BMWs to hit the market in a while, not because of its oversized grille or price increase but the 1 Series move from a unique-to-its-class rear-drive layout to the MINI derived front-drive UKL platform. Purists …

It was a brave move for Volvo to introduce the S60 sedan when the highly competitive mid-sized luxury sedan segment is being squeezed almost into oblivion by luxury SUVs. But while the numbers are down, there are still a significant number of anti-SUV buyers that prefer the good old fashion …

With no fewer than 10 players, the hatchback market is one of the hottest segments in Australia. Buyers can choose from one of the safer (or less exciting) options such as the dominant Toyota Corolla and Hyundai i30, or the more stylish but still common models like the Mazda 3 …

The Nissan Leaf is the Corolla of the electric vehicle (EV) world. It gets you from point A to point B in the most practical, sensible way. It’s not very interesting to look at. And it’s cheap to own and run. Yes, Tesla’s are cool. Yes, the Hyundai Ioniq does …

Along with the G80 we drove a couple of weeks ago, the Genesis G70 is the latest model to join the Genesis line up, adding a sporty, yet luxurious touch to the range. As its nomenclature suggests, the G70 sits below the G80 and competes with a tough crowd that …

If the Genesis G80 looks slightly familiar, that’s because it was known as the Hyundai Genesis in its previous life. It first launched in Australia in 2014, at a time when buyer’s started deserting the large sedan segment. As a result, it was sold mostly to limo operators. It also …

The Lexus ES used to have the unenviable reputation of being a tarted up Toyota Camry, and to some degree, it still is. However, that changed in 2013 as the separation became more significant and apparent, as the ES went through a growth spurt that saw it grew in size …

Remember the Volkswagen Up? The pint-size Kia Picanto reminds me a lot about Volkswagen’s delightful little micro car from six years ago. Unlike the Up which was a sales disaster, the Picanto commands nearly 81 per cent of its market segment so far this year and is by far the …

 The Mazda3 is a special car. I owned a first-generation model for 8 years and its entertaining dynamics and sharp handling always brought joy to my journeys, big or small. It was one of the most stylish small cars on the road with an equally smart interior, and it …

Volvo has enjoyed tremendous growth in the past few years thanks to a rejuvenated line up that started with the XC90. Its cars are now far sexier, more high-tech and crucially, much better to drive than ever before. Last year, the brand grew 40 per cent in Australia and is …