Urban Reviews

The Suzuki Vitara nameplate is edging towards 40 years in the Aussie new-car market. And as it’s grown in size and sophistication over four generations, so has the depth of competition it faces.Small SUV heavy-hitters like the Chery Tiggo 4, GWM Haval Jolion, Hyundai Kona, MG ZS and Toyota Corolla Cross outsell it by ratios of up to 60 to one (in the case of the Tiggo 4).So, this just-released Turbo Hybrid variant is an important addition to the Japanese maker’s line-up, aimed at snatching extra market share in a hotly contested segment with what Suzuki promises is “enhanced fuel efficiency, reduced emissions and refined on-road performance”.We spent a week with the top-spec ‘AllGrip’ all-wheel-drive version to see if it has what it takes to steer you away from the big guns. If you asked someone to describe a ‘typical’ small SUV, I’d argue the Suzuki Vitara would perfectly align with their response nine out of 10 times… and be pretty close on the 10th.Launched here way back in 2015, the current Vitara received a ‘Series III’ update earlier this year, which included the hybrid’s introduction, and its clean, neatly-wrapped exterior design stands up well, although it’s not as adventurous as more rugged rivals like the Subaru Crosstrek or Toyota Corolla Cross.Inside, there’s a slightly larger 9.0-inch multimedia touchscreen, but things like analogue instruments, a single USB-A socket (in the front) and a manual handbrake still date the car.And then there’s the elephant in the room... hiding behind a dollar sign. The price.This flagship Vitara Turbo Hybrid AllGrip will set you back $45,990. Okay, it’s a drive-away deal, but that’s enough for a Hyundai Kona Premium 1.6T N-Line AWD, Kia Seltos GT-Line AWD, Mazda CX-30 G25 Astina AWD or Toyota Corolla Cross Atmos Hybrid.And the Suzuki struggles to match that competitive set in terms of equipment bang for buck and perceived quality.Standard feature highlights include 17-inch alloy wheels, auto LED headlights, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, a reversing camera, panoramic sunroof, adaptive cruise control and climate control. But that bundle‘s pretty much cost-of-entry when you’re in upper-$40K territory.And the air-con is single-zone, the audio system has six speakers, and the car’s general look and feel isn’t spectacular.That old adage of kicking the tyres and slamming the doors when shopping for a car is relevant here, because the Vitara’s doors feel insubstantial, quivering slightly when opened and closed.  And while soft-touch material across the dashtop is fine, hard plastics on the doors don’t sit well with the price tag. But things pick up once you get underway. The 1.4-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine has enough oomph to get the 1275kg five-seater off the mark cleanly and allow it to keep its head above water in traffic or on the highway.Power delivery is linear and the ‘mild-hybrid’ set-up incorporates a 48-volt integrated starter generator which takes some of the ancillary load off the engine and tips in an extra 50Nm of pulling power when required. Overall outputs are 81kW and a handy 235Nm.The strut front, torsion-beam rear suspension does a great job of keeping this compact and relatively light SUV composed over bumpy urban surfaces. Electrically assisted steering is accurate and road feel qualifies as excellent. When you need to push into the upper rev range engine, exhaust noises start to make their presence felt in the cabin. But overall, the Vitara Hybrid is a surprisingly comfortable ride.At just under 4.2 metres long, the Vitara is a ‘small’ small SUV and while the front part of the cabin is reasonably roomy with plenty of storage options, the back seat ranks as okay in the context of the category. Sitting behind the driver’s seat set to my 183cm position, legroom is reasonable and headroom is generous but best not to try folding three full-size adults in there too often. There are no adjustable vents, power outlets or a fold-down armrest for back-seaters, and getting in and out is an effort.Boot volume is a reasonable 362 litres, available with the 60/40 split-folding backrest up, that figure expanding to 642 litres with it folded.And there’s a range of thoughtful bins, anchors and hooks back there, as well as a 12-volt outlet and an adjustable floor for the option of a flat load space plus a space saver spare underneath it. Bravo.When it comes to fuel efficiency the Vitara Turbo Hybrid’s official combined cycle (urban/extra-urban) figure is 5.9L/100km and over a week of mainly urban driving with some highway running thrown in we saw a real-world average of exactly that – 5.9L/100km. That’s pretty handy in the current fuel price era, but bear in mind the minimum requirement is 95 RON premium.The Vitara is currently ‘unrated’ by ANCAP but includes a decent suite of ADAS (Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems) crash-avoidance features including Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), adaptive cruise, lane departure warning, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and front and rear parking sensors. And it all behaves well in operation.The airbag count runs to six (dual front, front side and side curtain) and there are three child seat top-tether points across the second row with ISOFIX anchors on the outer positions. All to be expected in the category and at this price point.Service is recommended every 12 months/10,000km, which is relatively frequent in terms of distance, but an average of $397 per workshop visit for the first five years is far from outrageous.

Thanks to the runaway success of the models that went before it, Mazda’s take on the 3 hatch and sedan for the 2014 model year was another fine effort. Even though it was facing strong sales headwinds thanks to the then-emerging cult of the SUV, the 3 was still able to keep Mazda in the headlines for all the right reasons.Here, we’re looking at the 3s sold new from late 2013 until 2019, namely the BM and BN series cars in Mazda-speak. Like many models, the 3 had started to grow up and out by this stage. There was a new, fresh corporate look, as well as a more sophisticated range of powertrains and expanded trim options.So, starting with the BM model, the 3 could be had as a five-door hatch or a four-door sedan, with trim levels starting at Neo, then moving through Maxx, Touring, SP25, SP25 GT and SP25 Astina. The first three of those were fitted with a new 2.0-litre engine using Mazda’s then-novel 'SkyActiv' technology of direct-injection and high compression. All the SP25 variants got a 2.5-litre SkyActiv engine with 138kW (114kW for the 2.0L) and there was also a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel which, for the first time in a Mazda 3, could be had with an automatic transmission. Finally, all 3s were now available with a six-speed manual or a six-speed conventional automatic.The facelift, the BN was pretty much more of the same, arriving in 2016. Mazda fiddled with the specifications a little, turning the Neo and Maxx into the Neo Sport and Maxx Sport, respectively, adding autonomous emergency braking, improving cabin acoustics and dumping the slow-selling diesel engine option. Is Mazda 3 a good car?The short answer is yes. Quality was better than ever before with the move to the BM and BN models, and things like interior noise had been somewhat addressed (although the Mazda was still no class-leader in this area). Even better, the fuel consumption concerns of the previous models were also handled with the BM and BN. And the SkyActiv technology marked a big improvement in performance and efficiency for Mazda’s smaller cars generally.Interiors and things like paint quality were also lauded at the time, and the Mazda is one of the models that helped elevate the image of Japanese cars generally at a time when South Korean and Chinese cars were redefining buyer expectations.Safety was good, too, with a comprehensive suite of driver aids that helped make the 3 an obvious choice for new drivers.Our only quibble would be the cab-forward styling language Mazda adopted about this time. It makes for a sportier look, but it compromises the luggage space in the hatchback.Mazda 3 reliabilityThe quality image the Mazda 3 has earned has a lot do to with its mechanical reliability. Very few recurring problems seem to crop up, and while a few cars needed replacement automatic transmissions in the early days, the problem wasn’t a huge one overall. And many would-be buyers appreciate the fact that Mazda fitted a conventional torque-converter automatic rather than a dual-clutch or Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).Some owners of manual cars reported hard shifting into some gears and a tendency for the car to jump out of third gear. In those cases the transmission design was at fault and by late 2014 Mazda had redesigned the gearbox to avoid these dramas.The diesel variant of the 3 was probably the most likely to give trouble, mainly with the turbocharger. These could die young and replacing them was the only fix.Mazda 3 problemsThe major problems you’re likely to encounter with second-hand Mazda 3 now will be down to the abuse and neglect of the previous owner. These were great first cars for younger drivers with good safety and reliability built in. But that meant they were often neglected in terms of routine maintenance and repairs, as well as often driven by the inexperienced.So watch out for kerbed wheel rims and mangled bumpers. If you can see where repairs have been carried out they’ve not been done properly. Some colours seemed a bit more susceptible to fading and peeling, too, so check black and metallic coloured cars closely for signs of paint degradation.Mazda 3 recallThe Mazda 3’s track record is pretty good here, with very few recalls to worry about.Both the BM and BN models were recalled to fix a potential fault with the windscreen wipers that would see them stop working, as well as a wiring problem that could have led to dramas with the rear view camera.Beyond that, the BM was recalled to check for carbon deposits inside the turbocharger that could cause engine damage and the BN for a fuel pump problem that would see the engine shut down.You can check out the full details of these recalls by visiting: https://www.vehiclerecalls.gov.au/Mazda 3 years to avoidIt’s not really a year-specific thing, but the Mazda 3 we’d give a miss would be the turbo-diesel version. While it makes good power and torque and could finally be had in automatic form, some owners have reported a problem that has since gone on to plague many a modern diesel with a diesel particulate filter (DPF).What happens is the car decides it needs to regenerate this filter by getting it hot and burning off the soot inside. But many owners never drove fast or far enough to get the exhaust system hot enough, so the car would than take matters into its own hands, injecting extra diesel into the engine to make everything hotter and instigate the filter regen. The problem was that some of this extra diesel found its way into the engine (past the piston rings) where it diluted the engine oil, with the potential for major engine damage.Then there’s the issue of the turbocharger requiring replacement and the cost involved in that now the car is well and truly out of warranty.Aside from anything else, right now diesel is a lot more expensive than petrol, making the diesel 3 even less attractive.Mazda 3 how many kilometresHow a car fares over the longer term is entirely down to how it’s been (or hasn’t been) maintained and how it’s been driven. But based on a car with a good, solid service record, it’s not unreasonable to expect to see 200,000km on the odometer before repairs start to be required. And if you check the classifieds you’ll see 3s from this era for sale with more than 250,000km showing and still looking pretty good.The SkyActiv petrol engines are reasonably highly strung with high compression ratios, but they’re not turbocharged, so they aren’t as highly stressed as some of the competition with trendier turbo-motors and extra performance. Mazda 3 best modelIf the budget will stretch, the SP25 is the best variant to have now. The larger engine makes for more performance (a surprisingly amount, in fact) and that makes the automatic transmission work better. If you enjoy a manual gearbox, then the SP25 is the best way to do that, too.And as is the way of all second-hand cars, the price-gap between the most basic and the flashest version now, won’t be anything like it was when the car was brand-new. The only catch there is that the SP25 wasn’t the best seller at the time. Since the 3 was seen as a fairly basic, small car, many buyers opted for the cheaper variants, so there are more Neos and Maxxes out there now as a result.Regardless of the trim level, for practicality’s sake, we’d take a five-door hatchback version of the 3 over the four-door sedan, even though the styling reduces the luggage space in the hatchback.  Mazda 3 resale valueYou’ll find the odd bargain among private buyers now and then, but the car’s good overall reputation means values have held up pretty well even though the Mazda 3 is a conventional hatch or sedan rather than a trendy SUV.Cars with lots of kilometres showing start below $10,000, and things go up from there. A clean, well maintained BM SP25 is closer to $25,000, and for that, you should be getting a minty-fresh car with low kilometres and a used-car warranty. Mazda 3 partsMazda has something like 150 dealerships dotted around Australia, so service and parts should not be hard to find. There are plenty of independent workshops who can deal with a conventional car like the Mazda, too, and spare parts are available at traditional parts stores and online.The good news is that thanks to the car’s durability, you may not need much in the way of spares. Mazda 3 salesExact sales figures across the BM/BN model are hard to pin down, but most reckon Mazda easily sold more than 100,000 of them in this country. That means there are lots to choose from and, on carguide.com.au right now, there are more than 250 cars for sale from this range.

GAC may not be a brand many Aussies are familiar with yet but its newest small SUV, the Emzoom Luxury, might be set to change that.

If there’s one thing you can’t complain about in 2026 it’s a lack of affordable electric vehicles. There are now plenty of zero-emissions options and they’re not the kind of short-range hatchbacks you might be imagining either.Cars like the Leapmotor B10 we’re testing here are cleverly-sized small SUVs with all the ingredients to set them up for success (and to keep away those ever-higher fuel bills).There are also options in this class and at this price-point from BYD, Chery and Jaecoo. But what sets this Leapmotor apart? Let’s take a look.For this review we’ve got a top-spec Leapmotor B10 Design. To get into one of these, you’re looking at a before on-roads cost of $40,888, which puts it in a similar league to the BYD Atto 3, Chery E5, Jaecoo J5 and MG S5.All of these rivals land in a very close price radius, with most of them being more affordable than our top-spec Leapmotor, but one key difference is its significant driving range.At a WLTP-certified 434km from its 67.1kWh battery pack, it should out-drive the Chery E5 (430km), Atto 3 (345km), and Jaecoo J5 (402km) to the same measure, and you’ll have to spend several thousand dollars more to get into the longer range versions of the Atto 3 or MG S5, at which point you may as well buy a Geely EX5 or GAC Aion V which have more range and are in a full size-category up.So, in some ways, the B10 Design is the ideal blend of spec, price and driving range in this entry-level part of the market.Like all Chinese cars, this Leapmotor small SUV is value-packed with highlights of its spec including generous synthetic leather interior trim, heated and ventilated seats, a 12-speaker audio system, panoramic sunroof (with powered shade, no less!), a 14.6-inch central multimedia touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.Most importantly (aside from the aforementioned driving range) the brand has responded to negative feedback on the safety suite of its larger C10 SUV by adding a custom settings shortcut to the steering wheel of the B10, allowing you to pre-set a driving profile and activate it with the double-tap of a button.It’s also very much right-sized for city slickers. It’s a small SUV which is narrow enough to dart down laneways and easily fit in parking lots, with a big enough interior space for a growing family. At 182cm tall, I fit comfortably in all five seating positions.Drawbacks? There’s no key? More accurately, the brand expects you to use your phone as the key, with the only back-up being a credit card thing.You tap it on the mirror to unlock, and have to place it on the wireless phone charger to start the car. It’s weird and annoying and makes me wonder what would be so hard about having an actual remote with buttons.On the topic of buttons, the B10 hardly has any on the inside for controlling key functions. Almost everything has to be done through the central screen which is inconvenient at best and dangerous while you're trying to drive at worst.In addition, the strange flip-down cupholders are useless for holding anything which isn’t the right-sized bottle. So, get used to putting things in the armrest box or listening to them slide around in the tray below.For a car so focused on software, what’s on offer here is only just fine. It’s better than some of its rivals in that the menus and shortcuts are at least logically located, but it’s never fun scrolling through menus to find a setting which should have been a button in the first place.And the Leapmotor B10 drives surprisingly well. Like other cars in this class it’s got soft and spongy suspension, which makes it very comfortable but means it lacks body control in the corners. It’s not as overtly soft as the GAC Aion UT I drove recently, so there’s at least something to be said for it in the handling department. Doubly so, since the B10 is rear-wheel drive - an oddity in this small SUV segment.The steering is heavily electrically assisted and very light as a result, although it maintains a bit of feel to the front wheels.I’m sorry to report its rear-driven nature doesn’t exactly make it feel like a sports car. Cleverly-tuned traction systems make sure the 160kW/240Nm is strong but not wild enough to overwhelm the LingLong factory tyres.Sporty machine, this is not, but I walked away relatively impressed with how quiet, comfortable, and smooth it is. With the car set to my custom safety settings, it has no dealbreakers from behind the wheel.I drove mine in mainly commuter scenarios and beat the official energy consumption handily. My car was reporting an amazing 12.7kWh/100km in my travels. When I subtract the distance I travelled from the remaining range it landed at about 480km which is a lot more than the WLTP 434km official figure.Confusing things further, the trip computer has two methods for calculating range, static or dynamic, and both were way off. The static one reported the less accurate NEDC range pro-rata, and the dynamic computer consistently and drastically underestimated the remaining range. Very strange.This longer-range version of the B10 can charge at a maximum speed of 168kW on a fast DC charger which is plenty. Officially the charge time is around half an hour, and on a 75kW unit, mine charged from 10-90 per cent in around 40 minutes.

The Subaru Crosstrek rivals the likes of the Honda HR-V, Hyundai Kona, Mazda CX-30 and Toyota Corolla Cross, but there are areas where it's better and some where it's not. We investigate the fuel efficiency, practicality, driveability and value-for-money of this small SUV.

There’s no denying the elephants in the room here, but we’re going to recommend today’s ASX anyway, and here’s why.Bad news first.Mitsubishi’s latest small SUV has been priced out of contention in Australia, even compared to the (sadly since-discontinued locally) Renault Captur on which it is based.And the cost situation is worse than it first seems.The range starts from $37,740 (all prices are before on-road costs, or MSRP) for the LS, which we advise against, since it lacks sufficient advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS), including blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control. Perhaps that’s why it only gets a four- out of five-star ANCAP rating.For those you’ll need the Aspire from $42,690. Ours is the $46,490 Exceed (gulp), that builds on the latter’s broader safety package and features a wireless charger, heated steering wheel, privacy glass, ambient lighting, Google connectivity and 18-inch alloys with a powered driver’s seat, heated front seats, leather upholstery, sunroof, two-tonne paint and glossier trim.Note, though, there is no hybrid availability against petrol-electric rivals like the Honda HR-V, Hyundai Kona, Nissan Qashqai e-Power and Toyota’s Yaris Cross, Corolla Cross and C-HR HEVs, further hurting the ASX’s value-for-money perception. And that’s before considering one of the better, cheaper Chinese hybrids like the MG ZS Hybrid+.Plus, Mitsubishi seems to have shot itself in the foot rehashing a badge that previously bore a basic, noisy and stiff-riding battle axe from 2010 that cost 50 per cent less than the newcomer.We suspect the new ASX’s high pricing may be so to cover the available, and strongly recommended, conditional 10-year/200,000km warranty offer, activated in lieu of the standard five-year/unlimited item if serviced with Mitsubishi.Which brings us to the good news.The extended warranty is essential insurance against highly-publicised and expensive dual-clutch transmission (DCT) failures such gearboxes are prone to. Brands using them include Chery, Ford, Haval, Renault and Volkswagen.And that Captur connection also means the Spanish-built Mitsubishi is a highly engineered, quality small SUV based on what is considered to be one of the most agile and dynamic platforms currently available – that of the Renault Clio supermini.As such, and in contrast to the diamond brand’s dreary previous small SUV offering, the ASX is a pleasure to drive.Under the bonnet is a Nissan-derived 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine. Pumping out a healthy 113kW of power and above-class-average 270Nm of torque, it imbues the lightweight ASX with punchy performance – as long as the powertrain is not in 'Eco' mode. We’ll return to that in a bit.In default 'Comfort' mode and more urgent 'Sport' setting, this behaves like most turbo-engine/DCT combos in that, when the pedal is initially applied at standstill, there is an annoying moment’s hesitation, before the car then either launches or suddenly lurches forward, depending on how much of a rush you’re in.Whichever, speed comes on quickly and slickly, aided by the sinewy ASX’s superior power-to-weight ratio and snappy throttle response. Especially in Sport mode, which holds on to each ratio for longer while providing even-faster changes, especially via a set of natty paddle shifters.After that, choosing Eco mode is like disconnecting the turbo, with noticeably doughier acceleration. It feels starkly underpowered if you’re in a hurry but sufficient for pootling about and is meant to save fuel.Speaking of which, we still managed 7.2 litres per 100km (against an ADR 81/02 combined cycle average of 6.4L/100km), which isn’t bad given how much we thrashed ours about. And, remarkably, this Euro can drink from the 91 RON standard unleaded bowser.Then there’s the Mitsubishi’s dynamic character, with steering that is also pleasingly interactive, providing beautifully balanced handling and feel, backed up by nicely controlled cornering grip. Quality 18-inch Continental tyres help soften what is a quite a firm, but never harsh, ride as a result, taking the edge off most bumps. Either way, this is far comfier and quieter than the old ASX to ride in.The French are famous for their sumptuous seats, and while the Exceed’s leather isn’t as lovely as cloth, they provide excellent bracing and support. And they’re set up for a fine driving position, which isn’t always a given for European left-hand drive natives.Without the (overly) minimalist mega-screen dominance of more-modern rivals’ interiors, the ASX’s dashboard seems a little dated, reflecting the second-gen Captur’s seventh journey around the sun.Yet, it is no less functional and perhaps more so than many alternatives, with a pleasing mix of clear electronic instrumentation and touchscreen access for multimedia and vehicle settings on one hand and physical buttons for most essentials like the (effective) climate control, cruise and seating/mirror settings on the other. Literally, since everything’s within easy reach. Storage is plentiful and overall quality seems high.Fixes for any future facelift? Rear vision isn’t great, the gear-shifter is fiddly and some of the black plastic finish doesn’t align with the Exceed’s premium aspirations.Despite being classed as a small SUV, the ASX is more-compact than most, being more akin to Mazda CX-3 size. This is obviously reflected in the second-row accommodation’s tight knee room for taller travellers, though the seating is fine and the inclusion of air vents and USB ports appreciated. But the lack of rear cupholders (there’s no folding armrest) is disappointing.We’re are fans of the rear bench’s ability to slide forward and back to vary available cargo capacity, that is rated at a decent 484 litres, or 1596L with the 60/40 backrests folded down, and includes a solid removable floor for hiding stuff underneath. Below that is a handy space-saver spare wheel, which we commend Mitsubishi/Renault for.

MG already had an MG4 electric hatchback, but at a moment in time when fuel prices are soaring and demand for electric vehicles is at an all-time high, the Chinese brand is introducing a second. The MG4 Urban is an all-new small car that shares little in common with its namesake. We test drive this new small electric car to see how it performs in terms of value, space and performance.

The enduring family workhorse of the small SUV segment, the ageing Suzuki Vitara finally goes hybrid for its second facelift, adopting a mild-hybrid 48V ISG (Integrated Starter-Generator) set-up similar to the one proven on the smaller Swift supermini, to bring consumption down whilst keeping prices reasonable. But, has the Japanese engineered and European-built small SUV changed enough?

Sporty small SUVs are pretty thin on the ground lately. The criminally-underrated Ford Puma vanished years ago, the sophisticated Renault Captur is AWOL and the athletic Mazda CX-3 is 11 and counting.But three terrific little newcomers from last year are vying for a spot on the keen driver’s podium.Mahindra’s plucky XUV 3XO is a steal at $24,000, drive-away. There’s the spirited Renault Captur-cloned Mitsubishi ASX from (gulp!) $40K, drive-away. And this - the facelifted Kia Stonic. Sitting pretty in-between from $30K, drive-away, is this the Goldilocks zone of sporty small SUVs?Calling the MY26 Stonic ‘new’ is a stretch, given it’s based on the 2017 German-designed, Rio supermini-based original, with a fresh nose, tail-light and bumper treatments.While that Rio connection is central to the littlest Kia SUV’s urban appeal, the upright proportions and 165mm ground clearance promote easy access to the cabin.The Stonic’s revamped interior certainly drags it up to date, with a classy dashboard redesign that adopts the modish rectangular electronic screen look, housing a pair of varying displays for instrumentation and multimedia, according to how much you’re prepared to pay.The mid-spec Sport, from $34,490, drive-away (or $32,290 before on-road costs), seems to be the sweet spot of the Stonic ensemble.Building on the base S’s keyless entry/start, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, power folding/heated mirrors, reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors, roof rails and 16-inch alloy wheels, the Sport adds an inch-larger wheels, climate control, rain-sensing wipers, adaptive cruise control as part of a wider list of advanced driver-assist safety (ADAS) tech, extra USB-C ports, privacy glass and a larger (from 8.0-inch to 12.3-inch) multimedia screen. A worthwhile upgrade.The Sport also scores inbuilt sat-nav, but at the cost of requiring wired CarPlay, the result of a silly feud with Apple, allegedly. Still, the dash’s look and layout are as modern and slick as any rival from China.Actually, better than most, since the Stonic maintains its clear and easy-to-navigate screen presentation, but adds quality, tactile buttons, knobs and controls that are designed to not distract the driver.Other plus points include ample cabin space up front, an excellent driving position, supportive front seats, good all-around vision, lots of storage, effective climate control and decent noise-suppression abilities, endearing us to the South Korean crossover.The Stonic’s back seat is tight for larger folk, and a bit basic overall. While the boot area is decently shaped, there’s only 352 litres of cargo capacity, extending to 1155L with the 60/40 split-fold backrests dropped. Below the class average, this betrays the Rio connection.And while we’re whining, where is the spare wheel? A tyre-repair kit is inadequate for Australia. Perhaps the optimistic ‘mild-hybrid’ specification gave Kia license to lose the fifth wheel?Under the bonnet is an 88kW/172Nm 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, driving the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) only.But for one important way, this is a very modern European powertrain in the Volkswagen, Renault, Ford tradition. Petite, peaky and parsimonious.A muted thrum gives the Stonic a pleasing rasp as those sweet little revs rise. Acceleration feels adequate and nothing more in 'Eco' mode, but the engine and DCT software in 'Normal' and 'Sport' seem to extend each ratio’s lung capacity, for noticeably punchier performance and more-eager throttle response. A 10.8-second 0-100km/h claim feels conservative.But here’s where the Stonic really earns its sporty small SUV stripes, because the chassis set-up (complete with an Australian-road tuning) is slightly biased towards firmness, but not to the detriment of ride comfort.Combined with a light yet alert steering set-up, handling is precise, planted and in control, encouraging a keener driver to go faster and give it more if the conditions align. Quality Continental rubber helps here, too.It’s such a shame Kia ignores the six-speed manual version, for an even higher degree of driver interaction.Back in the urban jungle, the Stonic does a fine job traversing bumps big and small, and while there is some suppleness to the suspension (struts up front, a torsion beam out back), sometimes a bit more damper travel would be nice.Fitted with stop-start and a 48-volt mild-hybrid system that feeds regenerative brake energy back into the electrical system to help save fuel, the Kia returns an impressive 5.0 litres per 100km (combined cycle, AS 81/02) for a corresponding carbon dioxide emissions rating of just 116 grams/km. That’s about 900km between refills.All familiar European fare. Where the Stonic diverges is its tolerance for regular 91 RON petrol and E10, which is a bonus.No ANCAP rating exists, though the 2017 original scored a maximum five stars, but that would be unlikely despite autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane keep assist and blind-spot monitoring, since rear-cross traffic alert and reverse automatic braking are absent. The Sport and GT-Line have collision-mitigation tech when turning at an intersection.Finally, Kia’s seven-year, unlimited kilometre warranty applies. Better than average, not the best.

The Kia K4 was a massive shakeup for the South Korean carmaker when it launched in Australia last year as it ditched the popular Cerato nameplate.Launching initially in sedan guise only, the K4 hasn’t been the sales hit the Cerato was, at least yet. The K4 Hatch has now arrived and it could help correct the course.Measuring 27cm shorter overall than the sedan, the K4 Hatch has a shorter rear overhang. This makes the K4 look more European and contemporary than the more conventionally styled sedan.Another benefit of the shorter rear hangover is it's easier to park in tight parallel car spots. This can make a world of a difference to small car buyers.While shorter overall, the K4 Hatch’s wheelbase remains unchanged from the sedan. This means the almost tardis-like interior space carries over, especially for second-row passengers.Overall boot space (438L) is down slightly on the sedan (508L) but the boot opening is much larger and the space itself is squarer and usable for big, bulky items. It’s also great to still see a space-saver spare wheel under the boot floor.Another big shakeup that coincided with the introduction of the hatchback body style was a slight change to what powers the non-GT-Line K4 trims.It’s still a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine but produces slightly less power and torque (110kW/180Nm vs 112kW/192Nm). It’s also mated to continuously variable transmission (CVT) rather than a torque-converter automatic. The same set-up can be found in the Kia Seltos and Hyundai i30 Sedan, among others.While this engine has never been an outright performance beast, the CVT does make the most of what it has to offer. It’s happy to flare the revs when required to get up to speed, but you get that monotonous engine drone as there's no gear changes.At higher speeds the engine does run out of puff and it frequently needs to dip above 3000rpm in order to maintain highway/freeway speeds.Despite this, fuel consumption has improved dramatically thanks to the CVT. Kia claims it consumes an average of 6.1L/100km, versus 7.4L/100km for the MY25 K4 Sedan. In the real world I saw an average of 6.9L/100km across 350km of urban/highway driving, which is considerably better than what I got in previous testing of the K4 Sedan with the six-speed torque-converter auto.It’s disappointing the K4 still only has a 47L fuel tank which is small for the segment and means you’ll need to be refuelling more frequently.Another redeeming factor for the lack of engine power is how comfortable and dynamic the K4 Hatch is to drive. Like the sedan it has received a local ride and handling tune and that is evident in and around town, as well as on the open road.The car reacts to pimply urban roads with suppleness and even larger bumps at higher speeds don’t unsettle the ride.This is complimented by the steering which is direct and has a nice weight to make the car feel fun to drive on the open road but not too unwieldy in tight, urban streets.The K4 Sport+, which is the penultimate trim level in the line-up and the highest trim with the 2.0-litre non-turbo engine, is priced from $39,090 before on-road costs, regardless of the body style. This is getting up there in terms of price compared to similarly specced rivals like the Toyota Corolla Hybrid and Subaru Impreza.Standard equipment includes 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 5.0-inch climate control screen, synthetic leather upholstery and heated front seats.However, for almost $40,000 before on-road costs this K4 misses out on a wireless charger and it has a plastic steering wheel instead of a leather- or synthetic leather-wrapped unit.Beyond this, the K4 Sport+ comes with the entire active safety suite including autonomous emergency braking (AEB), blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control with lane centring and lane change assist, plus front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera. Strangely a surround-view camera isn't offered across the line-up.There are also seven airbags, an emergency SOS calling function, plus ISOFIX child-seat anchorages on the two outboard rear seats and top-tether points on all rear seats.Like all Kias, the K4 is covered by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. This is now becoming standard among mainstream carmakers.Servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first. The first seven services cost a total of $3883, which averages out to $554 per service. This isn’t cheap and you’ll pay less for servicing an equivalent Hyundai i30 or Toyota Corolla Hybrid.