Car Reviews

The Hyundai Inster Extended Range ($42,500) shares mostly the same equipment list with the cheaper Standard Range, but scores a slightly more powerful motor, along with bigger battery, unlocking a better driving range. Standard Range cars get a 42kWh lithium-ion battery, producing a driving range of 327km.The Extended Range gets a bigger 49kWh battery, increasing the range to 360kms. The front-mounted motor’s outputs have been ticked up slightly, too, now producing 84kW and 147Nm.The Inster Extended Range nabs 17-inch wheels, dual 10.25-inch screens (one for the multimedia, 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 CX-60 Evolve is the mid-spec version of the longitudinal-engined, rear-drive-biased Mazda all-wheel-drive SUV, which is a bit larger than other most mainstream mid-sized SUVs.

For the third-generation Tiguan, the Life is the base variant, which ships exclusively with the base 110TSI engine.

The CX-60 Pure is the entry-level version of the larger-than-normal mid-sized Mazda SUV. It is a new addition to a range that has been upgraded to be more comfortable and smoother to drive thanks to extensive suspension and transmission calibration work.

The GTI is the Golf line-up’s fastest, most sporty variant to use front-wheel drive. It also builds on a rich tradition as the make and model that arguably invented the whole hot-hatch genre decades ago.

At the very top of the 1.4-litre Golf line-up sits the R-Line.

The mid-rung of the non-performance Golf ladder, the Style is most closely aligned with the previous Highline trim level. At $43,690, it’s quite a price step up from the Life entry-level car. But you do get extra gear like the tri-zone climate control, 18-inch alloys and a bigger multimedia screen.

At $38,690, the Golf Life opens the batting for the facelifted Volkswagen hatchback range. That’s actually $500 less than the previous entry-level Golf, but there have been equipment casualties along the way. Those include the loss of embedded sat-nav and ambient lighting and the air-conditioning system is now a single-zone deal.

To help get the new-generation Skoda Kodiaq out of the blocks with a bang an initial batch of 100 Launch Edition cars will be offered at $63,490 before on-road costs.

Offered in three grades from launch, the Sportline is the mid-tier model at $58,990, before on-road costs.