Passenger Cars

Small, stylish runabouts used to be French manufacturers’ forte. But in recent times, the Germans have been leading the way with the reborn MINI and its endlessly customisable options. Fiat followed suit with its adorable Fiat 500 and lately, Audi has been tempting buyers with its A1. Citroen, a brand …

Last year we drove the Hyundai i30 diesel automatic and loved its built quality, refinement and comfort. However, it isn’t quite there yet in terms of driving dynamics. So, here comes the Hyundai i30 SR, the first i30 in the world to be fitted with the company’s 2.0-litre direct-injected four-cylinder petrol engine. The 129 …

Like French champagne and Louise Vuitton bags, the DS brand is Citroen’s answer to luxury and style. Created in 2009 as a premium brand for the mass market double Chevron marque, the DS’ objective is not only to redirect customers with fat wallets from Mercedes and BMW, it also marks …

Fun. Agile. Exciting. We could hardly imagine using these words to describe a Lexus just a few years ago, but here they are, adequately defining the new 2013 Lexus IS. It’s the dawn of a new era for the cardigan clad and pleat trousered Japanese brand. Since taking over the …

I have always been interested in Honda’s progress for its Accord mid size sedan, as I was once the owner of a 95′ model – my first car. Since then, every time I get behind the wheel of a new generation Accord, I not only compare it with the previous …

Fast, fun, exhilarating & engaging. None of these attributes can be used to describe the Honda Jazz. Yet, it is one of the brand’s best-selling models. Perhaps it’s the car’s commitment to practicality, versatility and reliability that bring thousands of buyers into Honda’s showrooms every year. And now, Honda has …

The handsome Kia Cerato Sedan was recently joined by its remarkably stylish hatchback sibling in Australia. It’s Kia’s most successful model, with more than 2.5 million sold worldwide since its debut in 2004. Locally, the hatch accounts for as much as 70 per cent of all Cerato sales. A lot …

Like polka-dots skirts and giant, thick-rimmed sunglasses in retina-shearing colours, it seems retro is back in vogue. There are not many cars that invoke this nostalgic feeling better than the Fiat 500. What’s more, I successfully came into this world thanks to the original Fiat 500. No! I wasn’t conceived …

People movers, like Kevin Rudd and boat people, aren’t very popular in Australia. I can count with one hand the number of MPVs (multi-purpose vehicle) that are in our showrooms today. There’s the aging Honda Odyssey, the rarer than a Victorian tea-cup Peugeot 5008, the clumsy Chrysler Voyager, the everybody …

Colour Head-up Display, Blind Spot Monitor, Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Alert, Automatic Park Assistant, keyless entry and start, the list goes on. These could have come from the brochure of a Japanese or European luxury brand, but they weren’t. These, and much more, is straight out of the 2013 …

Holden’s all-new Malibu is the company’s second shot at the mid-size segment after its previous mid-sizer, the Holden Epica, disappointing sales performance. That means the Malibu has to once again take on the segment’s long time favourite, the Toyota Camry. Not an easy task but in view of how well …

Photos by: Dario Duno Having driven the latest Holden Commodore Evoke a couple of weeks back and came out mightily impressed, jumping into the VF Commodore Ute SV6 is like swapping legs with Tyson Gay – one of the world’s top sprinters. With two less doors and only a pair …

Today’s estates, tourers, wagons or whatever you like to call them, are more than just luggage carriers. Looking good is now an important selling point as crucial as space. And at first glance, the 2013 Opel Insignia Tourer looks to have both covered. But still, it faces a pool of …

How do you improve on a car that already sets the benchmark for others to follow? Load it with even more features and enhance its dynamics, safety and fuel efficiency without costing any more. Welcome to the all-new 2013 Volkswagen Golf 7. As more and more Australians are deserting large …