Car Reviews

The GT-Line sits atop the Sportage tree, above the S, SX and SX+ grades, with the flagship grade getting the best of the comfort and safety equipment.

The SX+ might be the sweet spot in the Kia Sportage range, sitting below only the flagship GT-Line and above the S and SX.

The SX is the second rung on the Sportage ladder, sitting above the entry-level S and below the SX+ and GT-Line.

The S opens the four-model Kia Sportage line-up, and it’s available only with a 2.0-litre petrol or 2.0-litre diesel engine. There are turbo-petrol and hybrid powertrains offered elsewhere in the range, but the entry-level Sportage misses out.

The Jaecoo J8 Track is the entry point to the Chinese brand's new flagship five seat SUV range, and sits below the loaded J8 Ridge variant in the two-tier line-up.The J8 Track is 2WD and costs $49,990 drive-away, which is $5000 cheaper than the all-wheel-drive Ridge.The Track is absolutely rammed with luxury kit.It has 20-inch alloy wheels, heated and ventilated front seats wrapped in real leather and topped off with a massage function.There are dual 12.3-inch displays, one for the multimedia and the other for the driver. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, sat nav and a 12-speaker Sony stereo are other highlights.It also has a panoramic sunroof, dual-zone climate control, power adjustable steering wheel, a head-up display (that projects vital information such as your travelling speed on to the windscreen in front of the driver) and a wireless device charger.All J8 variants are powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, which makes 183kW and 385Nm. This is matched to an eight-speed automatic transmission driving the front wheels in the Track grade.Jaecoo claims the J8 Track drinks 8.3L/100km, and it needs pricier premium unleaded petrol.The Track variant misses out on the fancy adaptive suspension of the Ridge grade, which reads the road ahead and adjusts each wheel independently. The Ridge exerted excellent body control and soaked up bumps expertly, but the Track falls off in this department with the ride becoming more unsettled with harsher bumps felt through the cabin.The engine has enough grunt for a vehicle this size, it's not a performance car but has leisurely acceleration, and it had no problem overtaking at highway speeds.There were times when the transmission and engine work as slickly together as they should with some delay of power and then rush of grunt all at once.Jaecoo covers the J8 with an eight year/unlimited km warranty and a capped-priced servicing program of the same length that costs $2952 for the Track 2WD with visits every 15,000km or 12 months.

The CX-60 Azami is the flagship model in Mazda’s medium-to-large-sized five-seater SUV.

The R-Line sits at the top of the third-generation Tiguan range with sportier intentions.

The Inster Cross, which is $45,000, lists at the top of the Inster tree, above the entry-level model, which comes as a Standard Range for $39,000, or an Extended Range for $42,500.The Inster nabs 15- or 17-inch wheels, dual 10.25-inch screens (one for the infotainment, another for driving info, a six-speaker stereo, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, cloth seats, two V2L connectors (one inside the cabin, the other outside), a wireless charging pad and rain-sensing wipers. The equipment list for the Extended Range is the same, but it rides on 17-inch alloys.Stepping up the Inster Cross scores you a unique and off-road-inspired look, but also leather trim inside, a unique design for its 17-inch alloys, heating and ventilation for the front seats and heating for the steering wheel, some extra safety kit and practicality perks, and the option of a sunroof or an exterior roof storage box, the latter of which seriously eats into the driving range.Both the Extended Range and the Cross get a bigger 49kWh battery, increasing the range to 360kms. But, that roof box… It does look cool, but you’re going to really need to carry stuff to choose that option, given it increases energy consumption by 25 per cent, reducing the Cross’s range to just 293km. 

The CX-60 Touring is another new version of the largish, medium-sized SUV from Japan.

The Elegance is the mid-grade in the third-generation Volkswagen Tiguan range.