Car Reviews

Photos by: Dario Duno The Volkswagen Beetle is one of the brand’s oldest models. The original was launched in 1938 and has since sold more than 22 million units worldwide. It was “the people’s car” – simple, affordable and dynamically robust. Unlike its humble forebear, the latest generation Volkswagen Beetle …

The Mitsubishi ASX 1.8 Diesel Manual we tested last year was a competent little number that comes with a sprightly engine mated to a smooth shifting six-speed manual. There is technically nothing wrong with the drivetrain, except the Australian motoring public’s affinity with automatic transmission. Available only as a manual, …

Every once in awhile, we come across two different variants of the same model which, apart from sharing the name and looks, are two totally different cars. And no, we are not talking about a BMW M3 vs a BMW 320d, but a run of the mill Holden Cruze CD/CDX …

Sometimes as car testers, we seemed to forget that not everyone is as critical as we are when it comes to cars, just like food critics forget that not everyone gets annoyed if the skin on the roast potatoes isn’t the right shade of brown, or the spring onions are …

The small car segment is arguably one of the most hotly contested markets in the car industry and not without good reasons. With almost every major car maker in the game, some offering models starting at just below the $20k mark, buyers are spoilt for choice. The expectations are high …

Electric cars aren’t new. In fact, the first electric vehicle was created around 1890, when an American with the name of William Morrison installed an electric motor into a six-passenger wagon. It had a top speed of 23km/h. But with cheap oil in abundance, the electric vehicle didn’t get much …

Since the first Volkswagen Touareg was introduced in 2003, it has built up a reputation as an all-rounded SUV with proper off-road capability while retaining good road manners. It does all this without the boxy shape so common of other full size offroaders at this price range. Building on this …

Photos by: Dario Duno Australians are spoiled for choice when it comes to affordable performance. There are no less than 10 models to choose from, all costing less than fifty big ones, from the Toyota 86 to the benchmark of the current hot-hatch crop, the Renault Mégane RS265. It also …

The Peugeot RCZ coupé was released in 2009 and helped replenish the brand with some much needed sportiness since the days of the Peugeot 205 GTi back in the 80s. It was designed to be the company’s halo model, a car that is not aimed at selling in volumes but …

The Kia Cerato is one of the Korean brand’s most successful models, selling in excess of 2.5 million worldwide since its debut in 2004. Locally, although the Kia Cerato rarely appears on the top ten sales podium, it is a significant model for the company in the booming C-segment dominated …

The concept of Compact Sports Utility was first embraced by Honda back in 1995, with the introduction of the original Honda CR-V. Based on a reworked Honda Civic platform, the company’s long running soft-roader has lived a rather humdrum and ordinary life. It has never left a mark on the …

The Nissan Pulsar is back, and it couldn’t have arrived soon enough. After seven years of spiralling sales with the unloved Nissan Tiida, the Japanese manufacturer has high hopes and even higher expectations from the reinvigorated small car that used to be one of the best selling cars in the …

The official press release for the Peugeot 208 reads: Re-Generation. It is an apt description, as the previous two-generations of the little Peugeot had been rather forgettable efforts, with each generation getting heavier while at the same time, losing the driveability of their fondly remembered predecessor, the 205. So, like …

There is nothing more quintessentially American than a Jeep, with a heritage that stretches back to 1941 when the first Willys MB Jeep was produced for the US Army. It played a significant role in mobilising the troops during World World II. In 1945, it evolved into the civilian version, …