Luxury Reviews

There was a time when the idea of a hatchback as a family car would have seemed like doing hard time, but then we all downsized and today cars like Volkswagen Golfs and Mazda 3s are a common choice. We've put our test family into the latest and flashest hatch around, the new Mercedes-Benz A-Class, to see if it can cope with a typical two adults and two kids arrangement.

The Q5 is Audi’s medium-sized SUV (and the best-selling model in its Q range), but the range-topping 50 TDI Quattro Sport version is anything but middling.

The Porsche 911 Carrera S will turn heads. It did when I drove it, wherever I drove it. That's just the sort of car the new 911 is. But in 992 guise, is the new model more than just a pretty face? I spent a bit over eight hours in one to find out. Poor, poor me.

Launch pricing, before on-road costs, for the Porsche 911 Cabriolet starts at $286,500 for the rear-wheel drive Carrera S, stepping up to $302,600 for the all-wheel drive Carrera 4S versionAnd aside from the new 911’s comprehensive safety and performance packages the standard features list is an impressive roll-call.It kicks off with partial leather trim, complete with chequered flag style cloth inserts over heated 14-way electrically-adjustable sports seats (with memory package), a leather-trimmed sports steering wheel, dual-zone climate control air conditioning, ‘Porsche Communication Management’ (audio, navigation, communication and assistance systems), 12-speaker Bose Surround Sound-audio (including digital radio), Apple CarPlay (no Android Auto), keyless entry and start, rain-sensing wipers, LED auto headlights, the characteristic ‘4-point’ LED daytime running lights plus LED tail-lights, the ‘Carrera S’ alloy wheels, active cruise control, the 10.9-inch multimedia screen, and twin 7.0-inch digital instrument screens.The 911’s rear-mounted, all-alloy 3.0-litre, twin-turbo flat six-cylinder engine now features high-pressure piezo injectors and bigger turbos for more power (+22kW) and torque (+30Nm), with outputs reading 331kW (444 horsepower) at 6500rpm and 530Nm from 2300-5000rpm.Although the new 911 hasn’t been given a safety rating by ANCAP or Euro NCAP, you could argue its exceptional dynamic ability represents one giant, five-star safety feature.With the optional Sport Chrono package the roughly 1.5-tonne C4S will accelerate from 0-100kmh in just 3.4sec. Even in its ‘slowest’ non-Chrono CS form that number only drops by three tenths.In designing a modern sports car, who’d hang the engine over the back wheels? This layout just shouldn’t work in the way it does, but Porsche has continued to evolve and hone the 911 to an incredibly fine point. It’s a simply superb sports car experience.

You're never going to mistake it for anything but a Porsche 911, but this eighth-generation version of one of the world's most iconic sports car is all-new, and all-brilliant.

Launch pricing, before on-road costs, for the Porsche 911 Carrera 4S  starts at $281,800 for the Coupe, stepping up to $302,600 for the Cabriolet version.And aside from the new 911’s comprehensive safety and performance packages the standard features list is an impressive roll-call.It kicks off with partial leather trim, complete with chequered flag style cloth inserts over heated 14-way electrically-adjustable sports seats (with memory package), a leather-trimmed sports steering wheel, dual-zone climate control air conditioning, ‘Porsche Communication Management’ (audio, navigation, communication and assistance systems), 12-speaker Bose Surround Sound-audio (including digital radio), Apple CarPlay (no Android Auto), keyless entry and start, rain-sensing wipers, LED auto headlights, the characteristic ‘4-point’ LED daytime running lights plus LED tail-lights, the ‘Carrera S’ alloy wheels, active cruise control, the 10.9-inch multimedia screen, and twin 7.0-inch digital instrument screens.The 911’s rear-mounted, all-alloy 3.0-litre, twin-turbo flat six-cylinder engine now features high-pressure piezo injectors and bigger turbos for more power (+22kW) and torque (+30Nm), with outputs reading 331kW (444 horsepower) at 6500rpm and 530Nm from 2300-5000rpm.Although the new 911 hasn’t been given a safety rating by ANCAP or Euro NCAP, you could argue its exceptional dynamic ability represents one giant, five-star safety feature.With the optional Sport Chrono package the roughly 1.5-tonne C4S will accelerate from 0-100kmh in just 3.4sec. Even without it that number only drops by two tenths.In designing a modern sports car, who’d hang the engine over the back wheels? This layout just shouldn’t work in the way it does, but Porsche has continued to evolve and hone the 911 to an incredibly fine point. It’s a simply superb sports car experience.

At $70,990 before on-road costs, the 330i tops the two model 3 Series launch range.A 2.0-litre single turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine sits under the 330i’s bonnet incorporating direct-injection, as well as variable valve and cam timing. Peak outputs are 190kW from 5000-6500rpm and 400Nm between 1550-4400rpm.BMW says the 330i will accelerate from 0-100km/h in 5.8sec, yet it’s claimed to consume a handy 6.4L/100km emitting 147g/km of CO2 in the process.The 3 Series standard equipment list is long, including ‘Adaptive LED headlights’ (with ‘High-Beam Assistant’), LED fog lights and tail-lights, electrically adjustable and heated exterior mirrors (with electric fold-in function), rain-sensing wipers, three-zone climate control, electrically-adjustable sports front seats (with memory function for driver and front passenger), wireless smartphone charging, ‘Aluminium Tetragon’ interior trim finishers, 12.3-inch ‘BMW Live Cockpit Professional’ digital instrument display, ‘Navigation System Professional’ with 10.25-inch digital touchscreen display also managing a 10-speaker, 205-watt audio system, including a 20GB hard drive and DAB+ digital radio. Apple CarPlay is included.Also included are ‘BMW TeleServices’ taking in ‘ConnectedDrive’(free use of vehicle apps via ‘BMW Online’), real-time traffic info and ‘Concierge Services’. The ‘BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant’ responds to a “Hey BMW’ voice command with a range of hands-free functions like nav, calls and texts. We had mixed success in challenging this friendly PA.The 330i adds 19-inch alloys, ‘Vernasca’ leather upholstery, ‘Comfort Access’ (keyless entry to all doors), adaptive suspension, M Sport brakes, ‘Driving Assistant Professional’ (active cruise control with ‘Stop&Go’ function, front and rear cross-traffic warning, steering and lane control assist, lane keeping assistant with side collision warning, crossroads warning and ‘Evasion Aid’), and ‘Parking Assistant Plus’ (‘Parking Assistant’ with ‘Active Park Distance Control’ rear, ‘Reversing Assistant’, ‘Surround View’, ‘Panorama View’, and ‘3D View’)And the new 3 Series’ standard safety package is exactly where it needs to be, now including a swag of current active safety tech as well as eight airbags.BMW offers a three year/unlimited km warranty, which is drifting off the pace now with the majority of mainstream brands stepping up to five-year cover, with some at seven.On the upside, bodywork is covered for 12 years, the paint for three, and 24-hour roadside assistance is complimentary for three years.

At $67,900 before on-road costs, the 320d is the entry-point to the two model 3 Series launch range.It’s powered by a 2.0-litre twin-turbo four-cylinder diesel engine, featuring common-rail direct-injection and variable inlet timing. It produces 140kW at 4000rpm and 400Nm between 1750-2500rpm.BMW says the 320d will accelerate from 0-100km/h in 6.8sec, yet it’s claimed to consume a miserly 4.5L/100km, emitting 119g/km of CO2 in the process.The standard equipment list is long, including ‘Adaptive LED headlights’ (with ‘High-Beam Assistant’), LED fog lights and tail-lights, electrically adjustable and heated exterior mirrors (with electric fold-in function), rain-sensing wipers, three-zone climate control, electrically-adjustable sports front seats (with memory function for driver and front passenger), wireless smartphone charging, ‘Aluminium Tetragon’ interior trim finishers, 12.3-inch ‘BMW Live Cockpit Professional’ digital instrument display, ‘Navigation System Professional’ with 10.25-inch digital touchscreen display also managing a 10-speaker, 205-watt audio system, including a 20GB hard drive and DAB+ digital radio. Apple CarPlay is included.Also included are ‘BMW TeleServices’ taking in ‘ConnectedDrive’(free use of vehicle apps via ‘BMW Online’), real-time traffic info and ‘Concierge Services’. The ‘BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant’ responds to a “Hey BMW’ voice command with a range of hands-free functions like nav, calls and texts. We had mixed success in challenging this friendly PA.And the new 3 Series’ standard safety package is exactly where it needs to be, now including a swag of current active safety tech as well as eight airbags.BMW offers a three year/unlimited km warranty, which is drifting off the pace now with the majority of mainstream brands stepping up to five-year cover, with some at seven.On the upside, bodywork is covered for 12 years, the paint for three, and 24-hour roadside assistance is complimentary for three years.

Before the world went SUV mad BMW was best known as a maker of fast, sophisticated sedans, with sleek wagons, coupes and convertibles on the side. The new, seventh-generation 3 Series is here to remind us that BMW hasn't lost it's premium touring car mojo.

Can Infiniti's jacked-up hatchback, the QX30, pass as a family SUV? We put one to the Weekend Test to find out.