Luxury Reviews

Malcolm Flynn road tests and reviews the BMW M3 and M4, with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

Ewan Kennedy road tests and reviews the 2014 Mercedes-Benz S 300 Bluetec Hybrid.

Hyundai is keen to lift its image in Australia with an all-new upmarket model called Genesis. Though the Genesis has been sold in other countries since 2009 it has previously been built only with the steering wheel on the left. That situation has been rectified in the second generation Genesis so imports to Australia can begin.That's the good news, there's minor bad news in that the V8 models still aren't being made with the steering wheel on the Australian side. However, after driving hundreds of kilometres in the 3.8-litre V6 that is coming downunder we feel it offers more than enough performance for most drivers.Hyundai Genesis is a large car, being slightly bigger than Commodore and Falcon. It's also larger than the cars Hyundai sees as Genesis' biggest competitors - Audi A6, BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Tackling the big name Germans sounds ambitious? Yes, but Hyundai arguably has bigger ambitions than just about any other car maker. We've visited the company's head office in Seoul several times over many years, and have come away with doubts in our minds when we've heard its longterm plans – only to have been proven wrong in the past.Conservative sleekness is probably the best way to describe the Hyundai Genesis. Though it's not as radical in its looks as the smaller Hyundai models, its slightly toned down look is just right for this upmarket area. Interestingly, the body design is chiefly the work of an Australian born Korean, Casey Hyun.The body theme is based around a new single-piece grille that works nicely to our eyes. This grille theme will eventually become the face of Hyundai as it's introduced in others in the range.The side profile is nicely curved and almost comes into four-door coupe territory. However, there's good headroom in the rear, something that's not always found in this semi-coupe class.Tail treatment has a built-in spoiler lip and a wide stance that gives Genesis a powerful look from the rear.Interior style and quality are particularly impressive; there's leather with a hand-stitched look, real timber, suede and aluminium. The in-cabin feel is likely to be a major selling feature of the new Genesis.Only one engine is to be offered in Australia, a modern 3.8-litre direct-injection petrol V6 developing 235 kilowatts of power and 400 Nm of torque. Transmission is by an eight-speed automatic to the rear wheels. Rear-wheel-drive is considered mandatory in every vehicle in this upmarket class.The Hyundai Genesis is crammed with the latest in in-car entreatment, including a 17-speaker Lexicon audio system. Bluetooth, USB and Aux inputs are installed.There are numerous crash avoidance or minimisation features, including all-round electronic vision, automatic emergency braking, lane keeping, radar cruise control, and a large, coloured head-up display. The Genesis even helps to protect your licence. Using satellite navigation information it automatically slows the car as you approach fixed speed cameras, then returns to its original speed when the danger zone has been safely negotiated.Seat comfort is very good and there's enough support without the seat bolsters being overly aggressive. The rear seat provides good head and legroom. Three can be carried, but as is the norm in rear-drive cars some foot comfort is stolen by the necessary transmission tunnel. The centre armrest in the rear folds down to provide access to many functions such as the ventilation system, even the satellite navigation settings, the latter displayed by screens in the rear of the front seats. Given the upmarket feel of the rest of the interior the plastic mountings for the rear-seat screens aren't to the high standard anticipated.Hyundai's 3.8-litre V6 engine is a stunner, it is not only responsive and torquey throughout its range, but also provides the sort of intake and exhaust sounds drivers love to hear when the car is punted hard. The car may be relatively conservative, but the aural output is anything but. We love it.The body is strongly built and this helps damp noise and vibration to impressively low levels. We've obviously yet to pit the body and suspension against Australia's notoriously harsh coarse-chip surfaces, but will do so when the first shipment arrives towards the end of the third quarter this year and bring full reports then.Our test vehicles were to Korean specifications as final testing in Australia is still to be completed. Ride comfort is generally good, but some midsize potholes did catch it out at times. Generally buyers in this class put comfort ahead of sporty road grip, although most Australians do like a bit of feel and feedback as well.Road grip is safe and the car is nicely balanced. Attacking bends on winding roads brings in more body roll and understeer than we like – but see the aforementioned remarks about buyers preference for comfort in cars like this.

Volvo has made substantial changes to its most potent road car, the S60 Polestar and cut the price at the same time. It now retails for $99,950 which seriously undercuts direct all-wheel drive competitors like Audi's S4 and S5 as well as the forthcoming BMW M3/4 which will likely be around the $160-170 grand mark and is now a turbo six cylinder just like the Polestar. The Bimmers don't get all wheel drive however.Volvo would be rubbing its hands together because in the handsome Polestar they have a car that takes it right to the top of the European sports sedan segment offering performance to keep the front runners honest with safety and driver assistance functions to beat them. And the price is super sharp.We drove the first version last year in Sweden and were quite impressed particularly with the Ohlins spec' suspension and the Polestar's ride and handling. It needed better brakes, paddle shift and sports seats all of which have been delivered this time around with a substantial $10 grand price cut.ENGINE / TRANSMISSIONThe engine remains the same – a 3.0-litre straight six cylinder turbo petrol with 257kW/500Nm output. It's based on the S60 T6 unit, Polestar optimised with a bigger turbo, intercooler and engine computer remap along with a sporty exhaust. Polestar is the outfit responsible for Volvo's surprisingly effective V8 Supercar that's wreaking havoc among the established players this year.With the new fluid auto transmission comes launch control and super sharp shifts up and down the range. It helps the car click over a 0-100kmh sprint in 4.9 seconds as well as making the Polestar more engaging. DESIGNVolvo/Polestar tweaked the car's aerodynamic using a wind tunnel to refine the front splitter and rear diffuser along with underbody air flow. The chassis was beefed up with various bracings to contain the power and torque without affecting handling.FEATURESInside is typical Volvo luxury – classy and understated with goodies like a multi-function wheel, premium 10 speaker audio with multimedia connectivity and Bluetooth phone and audio. There's a 7 inch colour info screen and excellent bi-xenon headlights that have an active bending function to see around corners as well as auto high beam.There's a reverse camera. front and rear parking sonar, keyless entry and start, and sports leather front seats. Driver assist features include adaptive cruise control, collision warning, queue assist, pedestrian and cyclist detection, city safety autonomous braking and road sign recognition. They will probably make it into other makes in another decade or so…DRIVINGWe really enjoyed this car because it's sensible with a wicked twist. Nobody needs more performance than the Polestar delivers but the actual drive feel is what it's really all about. Not too firm, not too soft, not too sharp, and the car has superb acceleration across a wide engine speed range. A tad more would be even better. It's not a razor sharp sports sedan/track car though, more of your sporty road car from behind the wheel.Having all wheel drive via the latest Haldex system gives the Polestar traction advantages demonstrated when it's put through a set of tight corners at speed. It gives a well planted feel when pressed hard.Then, when the brakes are required, Polestar owners will not feel under endowed as the new Brembos, with six pistons on the front no less, make light work of stopping this weighty, luxury sports sedan. It rolls on 19-inch alloys of reasonable dimensions, could be a tad wider for our liking.The luxury interior is appreciated as are all the safety and assistance features. But it needs a more strident exhaust note to light an enthusiast's fire.

Paul Gover road tests and reviews the Volvo V60 Drive-E T5 R-Design, with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

Ambition plays a big part in determining which set of wheels we own. The better-paying jobs provide the income to dispose of our old car and aspire to a prestige brand.  Audi's A4 is customarily the entry model of choice for first-time buyers of the four-ring brand. The A3 sedan's smaller shape and smarter

Craig Duff road tests and reviews the new Hyundai Genesis sedan in South Korea. Hyundai has beaten the Japanese at their own game by building solid cars with decent features and sharp pricing, a strategy that has lifted the South Korean juggernaut to No. 2 passenger car maker in Australia to date this year.Now the company that made its name with the too-cheap-to-resist Getz is tackling the prestige car world with a $60,000 Euro-fighter, the Genesis.It heralds the arrival of a new player in the mid-sized luxury segment. It is loaded with the hi-tech driver aids and luxury materials buyers in this class expect, yet will be about $18,000 cheaper than a comparable BMW 5 Series, Lexus GS, Audi A6 and Mercedes-Benz E-Class.The car isn't due in Australia until late this year and Hyundai Australia has yet to finalise specifications or even the model range. Funnily enough, that means the company is a bit coy on pricing.Carsguide believes there will be an entry-level model about $62,000 and a fully loaded version nearer $75,000 — the entry price of the European marques against which the Genesis was benchmarked.Those base models are fitted with four-cylinder engines that lack the power of the Genesis's V6 mill, though they don't use nearly as much fuel.As far as features go, if it exists in a Benz or Beemer it's available on the Genesis. There's even an analog clock mounted in the dash — it resembles a traditional timepiece but stays true with satellite synchronicity.The techno-toy list runs from a head-up display to adaptive cruise control, lane departure warnings, blind-spot warning and adaptive suspension damping.Hyundai has even fitted a carbon dioxide sensor in the cabin. If CO2 levels rise beyond a set threshold the aircon adjusts the mix of fresh and recirculated air to stop the occupants feeling drowsy.Other smart touches include an auto-opening boot. Stand behind the Genesis for three seconds and it will pop the latch, along with a warning flash of the lights. Unlike rivals, there's no foot waving required.Who'd have thought we'd see perforated nappa leather and matt-finished timber trim as standard in a Hyundai? There are features of the cabin that are mightily impressive and overall fit and finish are a step up on the company's already high standing.Big picture stuff apart, it is the little, nuanced items, such as the way the buttons and dials feel under the fingers, that subjectively resonate as true luxury. On that basis, the Genesis isn't quite there yet. It comes close though and there's no other prestige brand with this much bling for the bucks.Interior space is impressive front or back and the car is generally well thought out. The one criticism came when the sun shone on the South Korean test drive — and reflected glare from the chrome air vent surrounds all but obscured the side mirrors.The exterior isn't radical. Few executive sedans are, but the sharp crease that runs the length of the big car at door handle height, the wide, tapering hexagonal grille and bejewelled LED headlamp surrounds give it a well-balanced look with the presence needed to make others take a second look.ANCAP hasn't smashed one yet but it's safe to assume Hyundai hasn't built a luxury limo that can't achieve the five-star rating earned by its regular vehicles.The US safety authority, NHTSA, gave it a five-star result and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded the Genesis its top ranking, though that car was fitted with the automatic emergency braking software that's an option there. Hyundai Australia can't yet say whether it will follow suit here.Nine airbags are standard and there's an active bonnet to stop pedestrians trying to imprint their cranium on the engine or vice versa.The priority in developing the new Genesis has been poise rather than outright pace. The emphasis is on ride luxury to satisfy US and Middle-East buyers who want a pillowy ride. That doesn't work Down Under and the local engineers are already working on a revised suspension tune to give the car more bite through the corners and less body roll.The 3.8-litre V6 punches along nicely but in the absence of a turbocharger giving it instant torque it needs a few seconds to wind up. External sounds are subdued — there's virtually no wind noise — and it is only when the right foot is planted to the firewall that the engine emits enough bark to be really heard.Some coarse-chip surfaces caused a decent amount of tyre rumble but we'll reserve judgment until we see what rubber the Australian-spec cars will have. An expected fuel use of about 11.0L/100km isn't great but it will take decades for the extra fuel to eat into the savings from the purchase price.The most frightening aspect of the car is that it's already good, if not yet great. Experience shows Hyundais dramatically improve with each successive generation. That means the Genesis will start attracting attention from the top end of town.

New Mercedes-Benz S-Class models aren't an everyday occurrence, so when they do come along they create a big stir throughout the global automotive industry. Obviously the designers of Merc's arch rivals Audi A8 and BMW 7 series will pay the most attention. However, lesser car makers also inspect the S-Class very

Peter Barnwell road tests and reviews the Audi A3 sedan 1.4, with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

The Citroen DS5 sits at the top of the top of the French brand’s premium lineup, above the DS3 and DS4 models.It’s not quite a replacement for the old C6 flagship though, being significantly smaller, and about half the price too.Despite its ‘5’ nomenclature, the DS5 borrows its underpinnings from the Citroen C4, not the larger C5, and the uniquely shaped DS5’s nearest rival would be the BMW 3 Series GT, but the Citroen costs significantly less.Unlike the BMW though, there’s no disputing the Citroen’s beauty, with cohesive shapes and lines throughout and exquisite detailing.The DS5’s aesthetic delights continue on the inside, with a luxuriously appointed interior that looks like it’s just rolled off a motor show stand.This automotive artform is also a practical five door hatch, with a useful 465-litre cargo area and folding seats, and it can tow up to 1500kg.There are a couple of design quirks though, including a lack of cupholders in the centre console, and the rear wiper is like watching a finger sweep the glass.On top of the leather and textured aluminium trim, the $51,990 DS5 diesel comes with heated front seats and a massaging driver’s seat, panoramic roof sections with electric blinds, a heads up display and satnav, and Xenon headlights that steer around corners.The PSA Group’s familiar 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine is the default engine choice, but this one’s the optional 2.0-litre turbodiesel which is well worth the extra 3 thousand dollars.With 120kW and 340Nm, it does a great job of moving the 1615kg DS5, and still returns a combined fuel figure of 6.1L/100km.Both engines come with a six-speed auto, which made good use of the diesel’s torque in our tester.The DS5 carries a full five star ANCAP rating, with dual frontal, side and curtain airbags, ABS, EBD and stability control.A reversing camera and front and rear parking sensors are also standard, but the DS5 does without collision alerts or blind-spot monitoring systems.On the road, the DS5 is a quiet and comfortable place to be, as long as the road is reasonably smooth.The ride is harsher than what you’d expect from a Citroen, and the steering is a bit vague and the torsion beam rear end can be skittish over mid-corner bumps.Overall, the DS5’s unique character and unquestionable style helps to mask its compromised chassis, and its relative value and load-lugging practicality score it more points again.The Citroen DS5 is an alternative choice in the premium mid-size segment, but it’s not a bad one, and it’s definitely a good looking one.