Passenger Cars

2019 Toyota Corolla Ascent Sport Hybrid Review

The Toyota Corolla is a bit like a set of jump leads – almost everyone has one in the garage, and if they don’t, they’ll know someone who does. I myself might not have ever owned a Corolla, but both my parents owned Corollas from the days of them being …

Read More »

2019 Kia Optima Si Review

What is it? The Kia Optima is the Korean marque’s mid-size sedan offering positioned as a rival to some of the most popular names in the Australian market – think Toyota Camry and Mazda6. It also slots conveniently between the new Cerato sedan and the flagship Stinger liftback in Kia’s …

Read More »

2019 Jaguar XF 30t R-Sport Sedan Review

 Despite the avalanche of SUVs, including sporty ones like Jaguar’s own F-Pace, I would happily take a good old sports sedan anytime of the day. Why? No matter how talented the chassis tuning team is – and they are a talented bunch – the laws of physics can never …

Read More »

2019 Kia Cerato Sport+ Sedan Review

Kia has given its top selling model, the Cerato, an almost complete overhaul for the 2019 model year, with swanky new looks, an up-to-date interior, and nearly all of the latest safety tech imaginable. However, there’s one big thing you won’t find in the new Cerato – a new engine. …

Read More »

2018 Holden Commodore Calais 2.0L Turbo Review

What is it? The new ZB generation Holden Commodore is the first fully imported model that replaces the locally produced VF Series. It represents the biggest change in the nameplate’s 40-year history, with the previous sedan body style switched to a liftback design, the rear-wheel drive layout replaced with front- …

Read More »

2018 Lexus LS 500 and LS 500h Review

The year was 1983. The top brass of Toyota Motor Corporation were gathering in the board room at the company’s global headquarters in Toyota City, Japan. In the tensed meeting room, a challenge was issued by founder Eiji Toyoda. It’s called “Flagship One” and the goal was simple – to …

Read More »

2018 Mazda6 2.5T GT Review – gets better with age

 With SUVs now becoming the vehicle of choice for most families, there’s never been a better time to get into a traditional mid-sized sedan. You see, in order to tempt increasingly rare buyers out of the urban monstrosities, carmakers are throwing everything they have into the humble sedan, which …

Read More »

2018 Jaguar XF Sportbrake S 30d Review

Despite station wagons being on the losing end of the battle with SUVs and the fact that us Aussies aren’t nearly as fond of diesel-powered passenger cars as the Europeans are, Jaguar has decided to launch a wagon variant of the XF, known in Jaguar speak as the Sportbrake, with …

Read More »

2018 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid Review

 What is it? Launched globally in 2016, the Ioniq is Hyundai’s first mainstream hybrid model and part of the brand’s push to introduce up to 15 eco-friendly cars to the market by 2020, consisting of a range of hybrids, plug-in hybrids, fully electric vehicles and even fuel cell vehicles. …

Read More »

2018 Subaru Liberty 2.5i and 3.6R Review

The Subaru Liberty has long established itself as a safe, sensible and dependable family sedan. Introduced in the 1980s, it became a household nameplate for many Australian families before the SUV boom came in and shifted things around. Nevertheless, the Liberty has retained the same formula through the generations, one …

Read More »

2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia Review

I must admit I have never been so excited about a new car coming on to market since the Subaru Impreza WRX STi Coupe 22B of the late 90s. Until now. It’s been a long wait, but it’s finally here. The Alfa Romeo Giulia heralds the return of a much-missed …

Read More »