Articles by Alistair Kennedy

The Santa Fe is the larger of the two models in Hyundai’s SUV range. Until recently it suffered in comparison – both in terms of sales and looks – with its stunning looking smaller sibling, the ix35. With the release of the latest model, Santa Fe no longer needs to hide behind its cute little brother.There are several specifications available: the Active 2.4-litre petrol seven-seat five-door wagon from $36,990 (manual), $38,990 (automatic), the Active 2.2-litre diesel seven-seat five-door wagon from $39,990 (manual), $41,990 (automatic), the Elite 2.2-litre diesel seven-seat five-door wagon from $45,990 (automatic) and the Highlander 2.2-litre diesel seven-seat five-door wagon from $49,990 (automatic).Hyundai’s climb up the automotive ladder started with value-for-money then stepped up with a steady improvement in quality. As we expect from Hyundai there’s plenty of other standard equipment with one-touch centre row folding, Bluetooth phone and audio streaming, auxiliary and USB sockets and mp3 audio and steering wheel mounted controls. Elite and Highlander get leather seats, satellite navigation with 7-inch screen, premium audio, push button ignition start and powered front seats (driver only in Elite).Now style is paramount in the latest batch of models that have arrived in the past few years. The latest Santa Fe is just another example and shows with its fluid design that the days of the bland and boxy 4WDs and SUVs are well and truly over.New Santa Fe has that solid, quality feel to its body that we expect from prestige European vehicles. The combination of attractive looks, functional design and flexible interior space seem sure to appeal to the typical suburban family buyer.As well as the new styling the third generation Santa Fe is longer and wider than its predecessor and now comes with seven seats as standard across the range. Although larger in other dimensions, third generation Santa Fe, sits lower to the ground than before, not only making it more convenient for its occupants but also improving its aerodynamics and so fuel efficiency.The Santa Fe’s designer’s handiwork didn’t stop on the outside of the new model. Inside the styling is just as exciting with a complex curved binnacle. Controls are conveniently large and well-placed with a large central screen on the higher grade models and inputs available through all the normal means and a good satellite navigation system with Suna traffic information.Interior space has is sensibly arranged, there is plenty of head and legroom in the front and centre seats. The third row seats are best kept for youngsters. Importantly, the third row of seats fold flat to provide plenty of storage space when in five-seat mode. Previous Santa Fe models only offered the extra pair of seats as an option.Indeed even with all seven seats in place there’s still at least 506 litres available. With both rows of rear seats folded (the centre row not quite flat) Santa Fe can be used as a quasi van with capacity up to 1615 litres.Although both petrol and diesel engines continue to be offered, Hyundai is pushing strongly in the latter direction by replacing the previous 3.5-litre V6 petrol unit with a four-cylinder 2.4-litre.As a consequence petrol power and torque drop significantly (204 to 141 kW and 335 to 242 Nm respectively).Numbers for the 2.2-litre turbo-diesel are unchanged at 145 kW and 421 Nm (manual) or 436 Nm (automatic) between 1800 and 2500 rpm. New Santa Fe comes in three model variants, Active, Elite and Highlander. The petrol engine and six-speed manual transmission are only available with the entry-level Active.The higher-specced Elite and Highlander are locked into the diesel/automatic combination. If you’re planning to use all seven seats with luggage make sure to find some hills when you take a petrol Santa Fe for your test drive and then balance off the $3000 surcharge for the diesel against your needs.The diesel engine will of course consume less fuel than the petrol, officially 6.6 litres per 100 km with the manual gearbox compared with 9.0 L/100 km. Towing capacity ranges from a useful 2000 kg with the automatic transmission to 2500 kg with manual.Standard safety features include seven airbags, ABS brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist, stability and traction control (packaged as Vehicle Stability Management), hillstart assist, downhill brake control, automatic headlights, reversing camera and rear park assist. Santa Fe Elite adds cornering lights and an automatic hold option with the parking brake. Highlander also gets HID headlamps and LED rear combination lamps.Although not quite to European SUV standard, handling is still acceptable and unless you push the Santa Fe too hard it will remain neutral and balanced. Quite a bit of suspension and steering design work was done in Australia and it shows when we used the Santa Fe on some demanding stretches of road.Despite the big drop in capacity the petrol engine is capable enough in normal suburban running although it does get found out on hilly terrain. The lesser ground clearance means the latest Santa Fe won’t be as good in off-road conditions, but very few buyers of SUVs are actually looking for an SUV these days.Off-road Santa Fe's better than average for its class and can cope with harsher conditions than those likely to be demanded by the typical owner. It really is a 4WD, not simply an SUV. But don’t mistake if for a full house off-roader or you may get yourself into stuck in awkward areas.The Santa Fe will prove a real plus for those intending to work their Santa Fe hard and keep it for a long time.

This mid-sized SUV has been one of the mainstays of the Honda range ever since its release here in 1997. Along with the Toyota RAV4, CR-V was one of the trailblazers in what was then a new class of vehicles – one that has since grown dramatically as more and more buyers appreciate their practical benefits.Where CR-V has lagged behind many of its competitors is in offering the option of a two-wheel drive variant. Ever since the tariff anomaly which, illogically, favoured the importation of 4WD vehicles over 2WDs was dropped in January 2010 Honda’s rivals have progressively added 2WDs to their SUV range. A very sensible move given that most buyers in this segment are urban-based and appreciate the lower price and running costs by deleting a feature that most didn’t need or want in the first place.The lack of a 2WD variant, together with an ageing model and, more recently, production delays because of the Thailand floods, have seen CR-V’s sales numbers drop significantly in the past couple of years from its heyday when it was consistently among the top three or four sellers in the market segment. The upcoming fourth-generation CR-V will help correct this situation and will become the first to be offered with the choice of two or four-wheel drive. We’ll be attending the CR-V launch in mid-November and will give full details, including our drive impressions, of the new model then.Next cab off the Honda rank, in the first quarter of 2013, will be a hybrid version of the company’s popular Jazz hatch. Honda was the first company to bring a mass-produced petrol/electric hybrid car on to the Australian market in March 2001, about six months ahead of the Toyota Prius. The Jazz Hybrid will be Honda’s fourth hybrid vehicle, joining the Insight, Civic Hybrid and CR-Z.The first half of 2013 will also see the upgrade of another Honda staple, with the arrival of the ninth-generation Accord. The new model went on sale recently in the United States in both sedan and coupe form with a number of powertrains including a conventional hybrid. A plug-in hybrid version will be released in the US in early 2013.Both the Accord Hybrid and Accord Plug-In Hybrid are under consideration for Australia however Mr Satoshi Matsuzawa advised there is currently no time frame.

It’s not often that the entire Australian motoring media agrees on the merits of a particular vehicle but such has been the case with the new Subaru BRZ. This exciting and affordable two-door coupe has gained rave reviews from just about everyone who’s driven it, although sadly very few members of the public, and so potential buyers, have had that opportunity and won’t have for some time.VALUEHigh global demand meant that barely BRZ 200 models made it to Australia. Of these around 50 were allocated to dealers as demonstrators meaning that demand was always going to heavily outweigh supply and all available cars were sold in just over three hours when they went on sale in July this year.BRZ is built at Subaru’s Ota plant in Japan as a joint venture with the company’s part-owner, Toyota, and it competes directly against its identical twin, the Toyota 86.The division of labour between the two companies makes a lot of sense with Toyota looking after the product planning and styling while Subaru in charge of its engineering development and production.With so few cars available Subaru adopted the unusual strategy of selling the BRZ exclusively over the internet and with national driveaway pricing – $37,150 for the manual and $39,730 for the automatic. While the entry-level Toyota 86 GT manual is priced at $29,990 that’s before on-road costs and with lower equipment levels than the Subaru so an apples-with-apples comparison brings the two models closer together in price.Standard equipment includes cruise control, leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear lever, push-button start and stop, sports seats, front and rear foglights and power folding side mirrors.Those that were lucky enough to purchase a BRZ will soon be able to dress it up with a range of performance parts and accessories that were shown with an STI concept car at the Sydney motor show and which will be on sale progressively from November.These parts include front, side and boot lip spoilers, 17-inch alloy wheels, sports muffler, push start switch, instrument panel trim, black wheel nuts, rear under diffuser and flexible tower bar.TECHNOLOGYThe BRZ breaks new ground for Subaru in that it has rear-wheel drive – all its other Australian models have all-wheel drive.Power for the BRZ comes from an all-new 2.0-litre horizontally-opposed petrol engine that generates 147 kW of power at 7000 rpm and 205 Nm of torque at 6600 revs. We’ve always loved the throaty sound of the Subaru ‘boxer’ engine and so were quite happy to sit and enjoy this aural prelude before setting out on our test drive.SAFETYEquipment levels are high with standard safety equipment that includes dual front, side and curtain airbags, ABS brakes with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and Brake Assist, Vehicle Stability Control and a retractor brake pedal. It comes with a five-star ANCAP rating.DESIGNThe Subaru coupe certainly looks the part with its low-slung styling and short overhangs. The front is dominated by a large, hexagonal grille with sweeping headlights and the rear is tall and square with an additional brake light positioned between twin large tail pipes.Too often otherwise enjoyable driving cars are spoilt by cramped interior space but although it’s necessary to hunker down into the driver’s seat, once settled in the seat is firm but comfortable and there’s plenty of leg and headroom.Although there are four seats the rear pair are basically there for emergency use rather than for long-distance travel. The boot is quite small although the rear seatbacks do fold flat for extra storage space. Surprisingly for a car where space is at a premium BRZ comes with a full-size spare wheel.Weight minimisation is paramount with performance cars and the BRZ’s combination of high tensile steel in the body and aluminium bonnet and wheels has kept its weight down to 1256 kg (manual) and 1278 kg (automatic).DRIVINGAs expected in a car of this type, the ride is firm with plenty of feel for the road yet comfortable enough for an extended trip. Steering is precise and direct with excellent driver feedback.Both the six-speed manual and six-speed automatic transmissions were specifically developed for the BRZ. Our test car had the manual, a delightful short-throw unit which is fast and smooth and just asks to be used frequently.VERDICTWe’ve left the bad news until last because, despite ongoing pleading with Subaru’s head office decision makers, the worldwide popularity of the BRZ means that there could be a wait for up to a year before the next shipload arrives in Australia.Subaru BRZPrice: from $37,150 (manual) to $39,730 (automatic)Warranty: 3 yearsEngine: 2.0-litre horizontal four-cylinder petrol, 147kW/205NmTransmission: six-speed manual or automatic, rear-wheel driveThirst: 7.8L/100Km, 181 g/km CO2

When Skoda returned to Australia in 2007 it did so with two models, the mainstream Octavia sedan and a quirky, boxy little city car called the Roomster. While the Octavia has been successful, the Roomster didn’t appeal to local buyers, partly because of its relatively high price and partly because of its awkward looks, and was dropped from the Czech carmaker’s Australian range in 2010.VALUEThe past couple of years have seen a marked change in Australian car buying habits with smaller cars growing in popularity so Skoda has decided to give Roomster a second chance. While the styling remains much as before, the price has been cut by over $4000 from the 2007 model.The 2012 Skoda Roomster sells for $22,490 with five-speed manual and $24,790 with seven-speed DSG automatic transmission. Government and dealer charges need to be added to these prices.Equipment levels are modest with standard features that include front, side and curtain airbags, ABS brakes, electronic stability control, cruise control, air conditioning, black roof rails, protective side mouldings and Bluetooth phone connectivity. The options list contains a panoramic sun roof $1690), rear parking sensors ($390), climate control air conditioning $390), front fog lights ($340), and leather trim ($1190).DESIGNStyling of the Roomster is distinctly different and likely to polarise opinions. But it will gain a tick of approval from those who bemoan the sameness of contemporary cars. We were able to talk with Skoda’s chief designer back in the 2007 and he explained the design philosophy: “We wanted to make our Roomster look like an aircraft at the front and a house at the back.” His logic being that it was possible to produce a vehicle that looked sleek at the front but which also functional.Despite its compact exterior dimensions (4214 mm long and 1684 mm wide) Roomster provides plenty of interior space. Leg and head room will only provide problems for the tallest of occupants, most contact will between shoulders and elbows.As always check it out with the broadest of potential testers on your road test before making your final decision – but make sure to check out the options provided by the clever rear seating system first.The Roomster’s rear seats are raised above the level of the front seats to allow better vision and the rear windows are large, two big plusses for young passengers. Likewise, visibility from the driver’s seat is also very good with the exception of the front side where the A-pillars are bulkier than we prefer.There are numerous interior features such as storage drawers beneath the front seats and stowage areas for sunglasses, mobile phones, diaries and suchlike. We did try it out with five adults on board for a short trip and they just managed to squeeze in. Certainly not a long distance cruiser – but it’s not intended to be one.Skoda calls this seating system Varioflex and we’ve seen it previously in the Yeti compact SUV. It offers a number of different seating and cargo variations including the ability to easily remove one or more of the rear seats and gain up to 1780 litres of storage space, effectively turning this versatile little hatch into a light commercial van. Even with all seats in place the maximum boot space is an amazing 530 litres – that’s more than many a family sedan. There are also some useful storage areas within the boot to prevent small items from rolling around.When carrying four passengers the centre rear seat (it comes with a 40/20/40 split) can be removed allowing the two remaining seats to slide towards the centre of the car and spread the available space. Alternatively the centre rear seatback can be folded down to create a small table with built-in padded armrests and holders for drink containers.TECHNOLOGYThe original Roomster came with the choice of 1.6-litre petrol or 1.9-litre turbo-diesel engines. This time around there’s just one, an all-new turbocharged 1.2-litre petrol engine with an official fuel consumption reading of just 5.9 litres per hundred kilometres. The previous diesel engine returned 5.5 L/100 km so the decision to not import it does make sense given our relatively low petrol prices.DRIVINGOn the road Skoda Roomster handles surprisingly well for such a tall, boxy vehicle with little body roll at normal cornering speeds. Steering is neutral at normal to higher-than-average cornering speeds. Even at freeway speeds, despite the small engine, it cruises comfortably.VERDICTSkoda’s decision to give Roomster a second chance in Australia is much more likely to succeed than before. While the unusual styling will polarise opinions the mini MPV’s functionality and versatility, together with a much better price, could make it a valuable addition to the Czech carmaker’s range.

Marketers are always on the lookout for new ways of grabbing the attention of the buying public and those at VW have come up with the name of Up! – the exclamation mark is an integral part of the name, we’re told – for this cute and affordable little city hatch. Also likely to rate a mention is the fact that Up! is the reigning World Car of the Year.VALUEVolkswagen has launched its all-new light car onto the Australian market with a price tag starting at a surprisingly low figure of just $13,990 for the three-door and $14,990 for the five-door. Of course, on-road costs have to be added to that. The Up! is available with just one equipment level but there are a number of option packages.There are three option packages available with the Up!. The biggest seller will almost certainly be the Maps + More Package, a portable infotainment system displayed on a five-inch touch screen monitor mounted onto a bracket above the centre console. Features include satellite navigation, Bluetooth phone and audio streaming, trip computer with a fuel-saving trainer and media player. At $500 we would expect a large take-up rate.The Comfort Drive Package ($600) provides cruise control, multi-function display and rear parking sensors while the $2500 Comfort Style Package includes 15-inch alloy wheels, front fog lights, leather trimmed steering wheel, parking brake lever and gearshift knob, heated front seats and carpet floor mats.A panoramic powered sunroof is also available for $1400, a pretty reasonable price for this popular option. There are a number of cost-saving cues in the Up! including sealed side windows in the rear of the three-door version and pop-out windows (only to about 10 degrees) in the five-door.DESIGNFirst up, and of vital importance in this market segment, it looks the part with a distinctive frontal styling with more than a hint of the iconic Beetle about it. No such likeness at the rear with its functional, near-vertical black-glass tailgate. At 3.54 metres in length the Up! is pipped by a mere 40 mm by the Suzuki Alto as the shortest four-seat car on the Australian market.While such a compact length doesn’t make much of a difference in the Australian suburbs, in tight city areas it can allow access to a parking spot nothing else with four wheels can fit into. Importantly the Up!’s wheelbase is almost half a metre longer than that of the Alto with short overhangs and extra interior space.There is seating for four, although rear seat adult passengers will need to impose on those in the front seat to get comfortable legroom. If you’re buying an Up! as a small family car make sure the kids are aware that they won’t be able to wind down the rear windows. There are no headroom problems in any seat and just the occasional elbow bumping between the two front seat occupants.Maximising the size of the passenger cabin inevitably reduces storage space and, at 251 litres maximum, the boot is relatively small. However it is quite deep and can take a single large suitcase with several soft bags squeezed in around it. The rear seatbacks fold down to greatly increase carrying capacity.TECHNOLOGYPower for the Up! comes from a three-cylinder 1.0-litre petrol engine. Peak power is 55 kW at 6200 rpm and 95 Nm of torque between 3000 and 4300 rpm. For the time being, there is no automatic transmission on offer. But for those who prefer to do their own gear changing then this smallest of all Vee Dubs could be just the car for you, as it’s sold with a five-speed manual gearbox.We were a little disappointed with the fuel consumption number during our test which we found well above the combined city/highway published figure of 4.9 litres per 100 kilometres. Having said that, it was a small engine working hard with a reasonable load on board so even consumption around 7.0 L/100km is quite acceptable.SAFETYThere are no curtain airbags to protect rear-seat occupants. Volkswagen expects the Up! to achieve a five-star ANCAP safety rating in its upcoming is test. It already does have a European NCAP five-star rating. In a logical compromise the Up! doesn’t come with cruise control as standard but does have City Emergency Braking (CEM).This uses a laser sensor mounted at the top of the windscreen to scan a space in front of the car, detect the risk of imminent collision and selectively apply the brakes depending upon the force required. It will reduce the impact of a collision at speeds up to 30 km/h.DRIVINGWe spent about three hours driving in and around Melbourne and found that it performed above our expectations. There were few hills in our drive route but those that we did encounter didn’t offer any serious challenge to the Up! despite it carrying a couple of non-anorexic occupants.By their nature lower-powered cars do require a bit more thought and planning in the driving technique needed to get best out of them. We did encounter the occasional bump and pothole but the Up!’s suspension absorbed the impact surprisingly well.VERDICTWith its combination of European branding, neat styling, a reasonable array of features and that sub-$14,000 starting price Volkswagen Up! should be a sure-fire winner with the Generation Y female market.Volkswagen UpPrice: from $13,990Engine: 1-litre 3-cyl petrol, 55kW/95NmTransmission: 5-speed manualThirst: 4.5L/100km

Rarely have we seen such keen anticipation for the arrival of a new car in Australia as we have for the Toyota-Subaru joint venture sports car, the Subaru BRZ / Toyota 86.We were one of a small number of motoring journalists that were given a sneak preview of the BRZ during a trip to Japan last year and, along with many keen Australian drivers, we’ve been counting the days till it arrived here.Well that day has now come...and gone. Because of high global demand, and an 8:1 ratio of supply in favour of Toyota, only 201 models made it here.Of these around 50 were allocated to dealers as demonstrators meaning that demand was always going to heavily outweigh supply and the remaining models were never going to be on the (virtual) showroom floor - all were sold via the internet - for very long. Even allowing for a system crash caused by the unprecedented demand it took just three hours and two minutes for all to be sold.The obvious alternative for those who missed out would normally be to switch over and buy a Toyota 86 – the two cars are virtually identical. However all 1500 of them allocated to Toyota Australia have also been sold with at least another 500 on back order.VALUESubaru opted for national driveaway pricing for the BRZ with the manual selling for $37,150 and the automatic for $39,730. While the entry-level Toyota 86 GT manual is priced at $29,990 that’s before on-road costs and with lower equipment levels than the Subaru so an apples-with-apples comparison brings the two models closer together in price.We suspect that price will not be a major issue for potential buyers as they anxiously await new stock of this outstanding little car to arrive. Standard features are cruise control, leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear lever, push-button start and stop, sports seats, front and rear foglights and power folding side mirrors.TECHNOLOGYBoth the six-speed manual and six-speed automatic transmissions were specifically developed for the BRW. Our test car had the manual, a delightful short-throw unit which is fast and smooth and just asks to be used frequently. The BRZ’s engine is also new, a 2.0-litre boxer with 147 kW of power at 7000 rpm and 205 Nm of torque at 6600 revs.DESIGNWhen the car was unveiled to us in Japan its styling brought universal approval and nothing has changed now that we’ve been able to view it on the open road. The front is dominated by a large, hexagonal grille with sweeping headlights trimmed with daytime running lights while the rear is tall and square with an additional brake light positioned between twin large tail pipes. Everything about it looks the part. Inside the BRZ there are four seats although rear seat legroom is very cramped, indeed it’s non-existent when the front seats are all the way back, but that’s to be expected in a car like this and is not a criticism.Boot space is reasonable although Subaru have gone with a full-size spare wheel which juts through the boot floor meaning that luggage has to sit on top of the wheel. If ever a car needed a space saver wheel this is it.SAFETYStandard safety equipment includes ABS brakes with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and Brake Assist, seven airbags, Vehicle Stability Control, ring-shaped reinforced passenger cabin, side intrusion bars and retractor brake pedal, and a five-star ANCAP rating.DRIVINGWith so few cars available there wasn’t the usual test drive component at Subaru’s recent BRZ launch in Sydney, however we were fortunate enough to have been one of a handful of journalists who were given a car to drive for a couple of days prior to the launch. And didn’t we make the most of it?You don’t need to wait for the BRZ’s 17-inch alloy wheels to start turning to enjoy this car. The enjoyment begins as soon as you turn on the ignition and hear the delightful throaty burble that’s characteristic of the Subaru ‘boxer’ engine. It’s not so loud as to disturb the neighbours but just enough to whet the appetite of the driving enthusiast.On the road the fun continues. This is a superb car to drive with almost perfect chassis balance thanks to its low centre of gravity and rear-wheel drive (Subaru had to bite the bullet there). The combination of high tensile steel in the body and aluminum bonnet and wheels has kept its weight down to 1256 kg (manual) and 1278 kg (automatic) adding to its agility. Steering is precise and direct with excellent driver feedback.VERDICTToo often in the past we’ve been disappointed when the pre-release hype for a new car fails to match reality. Not so in this case - if anything the BRZ is even better than we expected.Subaru BRZPrice: $37,150 (man) $39,730 (auto) drivewayEngine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder petrol 147kW/205NmTransmission: 6-speed man or auto; RWDSafety: 5 star ANCAPDimensions: 4.2m (l); 1.8 (w); 1.2 (h)Weight: 1216kg (man); 1238 (auto)Thirst: 6.4l/100km 181g/co2 km (man); 5.6l, 164g (auto)Spare: 17-inch

There’s something very Australian about the Toyota LandCruiser. Ever since 1949 when the first ever ‘Cruiser was privately imported to work on the Snowy Mountains Scheme this big rugged off-roader has been the yardstick against which all other serious 4WDs have been measured.Our distinctive local conditions make it an ideal market for the big 4WD and a considerable amount of development work and testing is carried out here. Rather than rest on its laurels as the perennial best seller in its category, Toyota gave the LC200 an upgrade in March 2012 with a facelift, extra equipment, improved off-road technology and a new more powerful V8 engine.VALUELandCruiser buyers get plenty of choices. Apart from the two engines there are four equipment levels, in ascending order GX, GXL, VX and Sahara with prices ranging from $77,990 for the diesel-only GX to $118,990 for a diesel Sahara. The new petrol V8 is available in the three higher-specced models and is priced at $5000 below the diesel.As well, Sahara has Multi-Terrain Monitor that uses four wide-angle cameras to display hidden terrain hazards on a 7.1-inch multi-function display. Standard features in all Toyota LandCruiser models include front, side and curtain airbags, stability and traction control, multi-terrain ABS brakes and luggage tie-down hooks. VX and Sahara get the added safety of driver and front passenger knee airbags.Also standard are cruise control, enhanced with the Toyota CRAWL system for heavy terrain driving, tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment, and Bluetooth/USB/Auxiliary inputs.LandCruiser GXL adds a rear spoiler, satellite navigation with a new 6.1-inch touch-screen audio system that includes a single CD and USB input and reversing camera. In addition to these features the VX model has the Multi-Terrain System mentioned previously, rain-sensing windscreen wipers, auto-retracting side mirrors and front and rear parking sensors.Standard in the flagship LandCruiser Sahara are rear seat entertainment with a 9-inch LCD display and three wireless headphones, power back door, larger (7.1-inch) LCD screen incorporating an Electro Multi Vision (EMV) system that controls a numbers of features including air conditioning, audio, Bluetooth and satellite navigationToyota LandCruiser is a big vehicle with all the advantages and disadvantages that entail. On the plus side there’s plenty of interior space (head, leg and shoulder room) for up to eight occupants. Six adults and two children can travel in comfort, a pair of adults in the third row seats would not enjoy the trip.DESIGNThe visual changes to the 2012 LandCruiser include new grille treatments that vary according to model levels and include new chrome surrounds, revised bumpers, new colour and interior trim choices.Even with all seats in place there’s a reasonable amount of storage space. This can be expanded by folding the third row seats up against the side of the luggage area.There’s plenty of in-cabin stowage space including a large, practical centre-console box, large door pockets that can take large drinks bottles and a number of other apertures for smaller items.TECHNOLOGYThe new V8 petrol engine drops from 4.7 to 4.6 litres, but as we’ve come to expect from the new generation of engines across the automotive industry, not only does it generate more power (up by 12.9 per cent to 228 kW) and torque (increased by 7.1 per cent to 439 Nm at 3500rpm), but there’s also a reduction in fuel consumption (by 6.2 per cent to 13.6 litres per 100km) and CO2 emissions (down by 8.2 per cent to 313 grams per kilometre).Adding to the attraction of the new V8 engine it now gets the impressive six-speed automatic gearbox that so impressed us when we drove the 4.5-litre twin-turbo diesel LandCruiser. The previous V8 petrol was mated to an older five-speed ‘box.Although Toyota has its LandCruiser 70 Series for serious off-road conditions the more urbane 200 Series still ventures off road more often than anything else in its class, so off-road technology in the upgraded model sees the introduction of a multi-terrain anti-skid braking system that detects and automatically adapts to off-road conditions. The existing vehicle stability control and active traction control are assisted by this new ABS system.Adding to the LC200’s already excellent off-road credentials the VX and Sahara now both have Multi-Terrain Select that regulates wheel-spin in tough off-road conditions with five driver-selectable modes: Rock, Rock and Dirt, Mogul, Loose Rock, Mud and Sand.DRIVINGIts handling is softer than the driving enthusiast would prefer but it’s a ‘Cruiser by name and a cruiser by nature and it does what it was designed to do extremely well. That includes NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness) suppression and towing, where it has a braked trailer capacity of 3500 kilograms.Long distance cruising is further enhanced by the inclusion of twin fuel tanks with a capacity of 138 litres (93 litres in the main tank and 45 litres in the back up tank).The downside to such a large vehicle is that it can be difficult to get into and out of for the less agile and it can be a handful to manoeuvre around the city and suburbs.

Although it’s one of Europe’s longest-established brands in Australia, French carmaker Peugeot has been in the doldrums recently with a limited vehicle range, supply problems and an ageing buyer base suppressing sales.The company is looking to stage a revival in 2012 led by two all-new models both aimed at younger buyers. We’ve just attended the launch of the first of this pair, the 4008 SUV. It will be joined later this year by the new 208 city hatch.The 4008 is one of three vehicles produced from a joint venture between the PSA Peugeot Citroen group and Mitsubishi, being built on the same platform as the Mitsubishi ASX.The other two are the slightly larger Peugeot 4007 / Mitsubishi Outlander and the all-electric Mitsubishi iMiEV and Peugeot iOn. Citroen variants of all three vehicles are also produced but we know of no plans for them to come to Australia at this stage.PRICE AND EQUIPMENTWith a price range of $28,990 to $38,490 the Peugeot 4008 offers excellent value for a European SUV, or more correctly a European-styled SUV. Peugeot lists its main competitors as Nissan Dualis (from $24,990), Mazda CX-5 (from $27,800), Subaru XV (from $28,490) and Volkswagen Tiguan (from $28,490). Strangely its Mitsubishi ASX twin (from $25,990) is not seen as a direct rival, supposedly because of its lower equipment levels.Adding to the Peugeot’s value equation is the Assured Service Plan that places a $330 capped price on all services during the first three years of its life. The plan applies to all buyers, be they private, business, fleet and or government and is transferable if the car is sold. Two equipment levels are offered, Peugeot 4008 Active (with 2WD and AWD, manual and CVT) and 4008 Allure (AWD and CVT only).Standard on all models are seven airbags, ABS brakes with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and Brake Assist, Electronic Stability Program, front foglights, 16-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, automatic headlights and windscreen wipers, reversing camera with a rear-vision mirror display, rear parking sensors, Bluetooth telephone and audio, USB and auxiliary sockets, climate-control air conditioning, coloured multifunction monitor and a full-sized spare wheel/tyre.For an additional $5000 the Allure provides xenon headlights, leather trim interior, 18-inch alloys, power and heated front seats.DESIGNWe found the styling of the ‘French’ SUV that much more appealing than the ‘Japanese’ one especially the large, vertical grille that gives it an imposing stance on the road.Inside is a soft texture fascia and lacquered piano-black centre console which add a gentle ambience. The controls are large and well-placed with an instrument panel that’s back-lit day and night, unlike some others that, very inconveniently, turn off when the car enters a tunnel. There’s good head and legroom in all five seats. Maximum boot space is 416 litres with the rear seatbacks in place and 1193 with them lowered.TECHNOLOGYA little surprisingly for a company with a long history of diesel engines in this country, Peugeot 4008s only come here with a 2.0-litre petrol. The problem is that diesels are not yet mated to an automatic transmission, something the local Peugeot people consider all but essential for local buyers.Incidentally, the larger Peugeot 4007 does come with a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel with manual or DSG automatic transmission but only with 4WD.The four cylinder petrol engine generates 110 kilowatts of power at 6000 rpm and 197 Newton metres of torque at 4200 revs and is mated to either a five-speed manual or continuously variable transmission (CVT).As is now the norm in the small SUV segment the 4008 comes with the choice of two or four-wheel drive. The former wasn’t available for our launch road test but we’ll report on it when we carry out our extended test in a few weeks.The Peugeot 4008’s 4WD system comes with three modes: 2WD for urban conditions and lower fuel consumption, 4WD with electronically controlled torque distribution between the front and rear axles, and 4WD Lock for conditions that require maximum grip.DRIVINGOur test drive took us on a 300 km route to the north of Sydney with an even spread of motorway, rural and dirt roads. The 4008 cruised smoothly on the freeway with the additional soundproofing above that on the ASX doing its job and providing a relaxed, comfortable trip. The next section of the route was on some enjoyable back-country roads where the Pug handled at least as well as other similarly sized SUVs that we’ve driven.On the downside we found the steering to be a little too wooden for our tastes and we had our usual issues with the irritating noise from the CVT under hard acceleration.With only AWD models available for our test, Peugeot included a moderately demanding 60 km section of dirt road between Wollombi and Wisemans Ferry to display the off-road credentials that the company feels should distinguish the 4008 from its softer competitors. Apart from a number of pot holes that send shudders through the car, it handled the conditions without any real problems.Our biggest issue came in the latter stages of our test when we had to climb up the steep slope out of Wisemans Ferry on the Hawkesbury River and the little petrol engine was really found wanting. On two occasions we needed to drop back to first gear to keep it moving.VERDICTThe Peugeot 4008 and Mitsubishi ASX share most of their mechanical components and underbody parts and have a similar styling theme, all external panels, with the exception of its doors and roof are different. 

Toyota has launched the third model in its expanded Prius petrol-electric hybrid range with the Prius V compact people mover joining the Prius C small hatch and the original Prius hatch.We must admit to having a change of perceptions about hybrids following the arrival of these new models as well as the Lexus GS450h and Honda hybrids we reported on recently.When the earliest hybrids arrived in Australia in the form of the Honda Insight (in Mar 2001) and the Toyota Prius (in October 2001) they were consistently criticised along three lines: their high price, their gawky looks and the discrepancy between their official fuel consumption figures and the ones that we were recording in real-life driving.VALUEA dozen years on and the price premium is still there although gradually reducing; the styling has become more mainstream as buyers no longer see the need to boast about their environmental credentials; and the actual fuel usage numbers now seem much closer to the theoretical ones than before.Just as the Toyota Prius C, launched earlier this year, was a breakthrough hybrid in terms of price, the all-new Prius V is the first seven-seat hybrid and arguably the most versatile, hence the ‘V’ in the name.Pricing of the Toyota Prius V is a very competitive $35,990, especially good value when compared with Toyota’s previous compact seven-seat people mover, the petrol-powered and only marginally larger Avensis Verso, originally sold for around $10,000 more than this hybrid.DESIGNAlthough there is a clear styling line between the three Prius models, the Prius V is larger in all dimensions than the standard Prius allowing three rows of seats in a two-three-two configuration. All but the driver’s seat can be folded to expand storage space from a very restrictive 180 litres with all seats in place, to 485 litres with the third row folded flat with up to 1020 litres with the centre and front passenger seats also folded.The optimised space in the Prius V is also helped significantly, firstly by the use, for the first time in a Toyota hybrid, of the more compact lithium-ion batteries, and secondly by their placement in a stacked formation underneath the centre console.Even though the interior space of the Prius v has been optimised it is still a relatively compact car and so, with all seven seats in place, seating has to be managed. As is generally the case in seven-seaters the rear pair is best left for children – not a problem for the little’uns as the further they can get away from the front seat adults the better they like it. Even then leg room is limited especially when the centre row seats are extended back. As a five-seater though, there are few problems with good headroom in all seats and good luggage space.Interestingly, Toyota anticipates around 30 per cent of Prius V sales being used as light delivery vehicles of the Volkswagen Caddy type but with the option of increasing seating one-by-one, all seven seats being of the bucket variety. Concave door trim and a wide rear hatch opening also adds to interior space.TECHNOLOGYStandard safety equipment in the new Prius hybrid includes seven airbags, stability and traction control, ABS brakes with brake assist and reversing camera. Other features include climate-control air conditioning, USB and Auxiliary sockets, Bluetooth phone and audio streaming and a 6.1-inch touch screen multimedia monitor.While Prius V does have the instrument panel in the centre of the dashboard the problem of the driver having to move his eyes away from the straight-ahead position is offset by having an adjustable head-up display that projects various functions onto the bottom of the windscreen. These can include vehicle speed, air conditioning temperature, fuel consumption and other features through Toyota’s Touch Tracer system.ENGINEPower for the Prius V comes from the combination of a 1.8-litre 73 kW/142 Nm Atkinson Cycle petrol engine and a 60 kW/207 Nm 650-volt electric motor. Combined power is up 100 kW. (The petrol and electric motors don’t generate their maximum power at the same time, so it’s not correct to simply add 73 kW to 60 kW.) The official emission figure of the Prius V is 101 grams per kilometre.DRIVINGThe biggest Prius has the solid, refined feel that we’ve come to expect from Toyota and it cruised effortlessly enough on the open road, although the route chosen did avoid any serious hills and we only had two occupants. We’ll be able to give it a more rigorous workout when we do our usual weekly test.As fuel prices rise, more and more buyers are factoring in fuel economy to their criteria. So increasingly, when we’re testing new cars, our attention is drawn to the ‘L/100km’ numbers on the instrument panel rather than the ‘km/h’ or ‘rpm’ figures. It certainly was so in our 200-kilometre test drive of the Prius V from the centre of Sydney, through the suburbs and down towards the Southern Highlands, then back to Sydney Airport.We got some real surprises with actual figures that were only marginally above the 4.4 litres per 100 kilometres of the official Australian standard test and achieved without any serious attempt at economy driving although the fact that we stopped at traffic lights about 30 times before leaving the city prevented us from gaining much momentum and using battery power frequently. But that will be a fact of life for the majority of Prius v buyers, especially those with commercial usage.This also helps explains why both the city cycle official test and our actual test showed up as lower in both cases than the highway cycle figures, the opposite of what would normally happen. On the outward leg of our 200 km round trip we recorded 5.1 L/100 km while on the return stage, predominantly on motorway running we dropped down to 4.7 litres despite the fact that we were cruising at freeway speeds of around 110 km/h.VERDICTAlthough Toyota Australia doesn’t see the Prius V as competing against the standard Prius, now priced at $33,990, we’re not so sure. For just $2000 more there are significant advantages in interior space, two extra seats with versatile seating arrangements, functionality and higher driving position, many of the attractions that are fuelling the current boom in SUV sales.

Hot on the heels of the release of its fourth-generation petrol-powered GS models, Lexus has added the GS 450h petrol/electric variant to the range.The big news with the second-generation Lexus GS 450h is a substantial drop in price from $126,800 for the outgoing single-variant model down to $99,990 for the entry-level 2012 model.In 2006 when the original GS 450h was released we commented on the good value it represented for its class. Now, despite a mid-life price rise, six years of inflation and the addition of considerably more equipment the new model is 20 per cent cheaper so the value equation has jumped even further.Lexus and parent company Toyota are both keen on promoting their petrol-electric hybrid models and have significantly reduced prices on them.Lexus has long been the leader in luxury hybrids and it’s interesting to note that both BMW and Mercedes-Benz have competitors on the way in the form of the BMW ActiveHybrid 5 (based on the 5 Series) and the Mercedes-Benz E400 Hybrid (based on the E-Class).The GS 450h shares the same V6 petrol engine as the GS 350 although with slightly less power (215 kW compared with 233 kW) and torque (352 Nm vs 378 Nm) but modified to have an Atkinson cycle for improved efficiency and lower fuel consumption. When combined with the 650-volt nickel-metal hydride battery peak power increases to 254 kW.Lexus is planning on eventually replacing the nickel-metal hydride batteries with more efficient lithium-ion units, but could not provide a time frame when this will happen. All GS 450h variants come with six-step continuously variable transmission (CVT), unlike the GS 250 and GS 350 which get six-speed sequential automatic.For the first time, the GS 450h hybrid model comes with the same three equipment levels that are available in the two petrol models. These are Luxury, F Sport and Sports Luxury. Previously only one variant was offered.Standard equipment in the entry-level GS 450h Luxury includes ten airbags, a so-called blind spot monitor in the door mirrors, parking sensors, reversing camera, moonroof, LED daytime running lights, Bluetooth telephone and audio streaming, dual-zone climate control air conditioning, 8-inch multimedia monitor and head-up display.The flagship GS 450h Sport Luxury tops up the Luxury’s features with a 12.3-inch multimedia monitor, driver fatigue monitor, enhanced Mark Levinson audio, three-zone climate control, automatic high/low beam headlights, and leather and woodgrain trim.The official combined cycle fuel consumption figure for the Lexus GS 450h is 6.3 litres per 100 kilometres, compared with 9.3 L/100km and 9.7 L/100km respectively from the GS 250 and GS 350. Likewise combined cycle CO2 emissions are 147 g/km compared to 215 and 225.Styling of the new GS 450h is much the same as that of the GS 250 and GS 350 models released in early April 2012. The most notable change from the previous GS series is the bold grille styling of the type that’s all the rage at the moment. Lexus calls it’s a ‘spindle-grille’ because of the bobbin-like pinched in section at the top. The design is attractive and distinctive.The Lexus GS 450h F Sport adds body kit, 19-inch alloy wheels, sports suspension settings, dynamic handling system and all-speed active cruise control.One feature of the outgoing GS 450h that drew justified criticism was the limited size of the boot caused by the location of the batteries behind the rear seat. Lexus has addressed the problem in the 2012 model by stacking the batteries in two rows with the battery devices laid on top. The new arrangement increases boot capacity by 45 per cent to a reasonable 465 litres, only 75 litres less than the GS 250/350.One of the barriers to the sale of any new-technology commodity is the price premium that early-adopters have to pay. However with the release of the second-generation GS hybrid, Lexus CEO Tony Cramb says, “the hybrid price premium has all-but been eliminated” by a combination of price decreases and additional equipment which cuts into the $10,000-$12,000 extra cost of the GS 450h over the GS 350We commented in the course of our recent review of the 2012 petrol GS models that the car had made the step up from being a commuter to become a true grand tourer able to match the comfort, smoothness and quietness of the big-name German marquees that have been Lexus’s target from day one.Following our extended drive of the GS 450h to the north of Melbourne we can only re-affirm that view and add that the GS 450h provides the added benefit of significantly lower fuel consumption and emissions.With significant price drops across the Lexus GS range we can see many prospective buyers stepping into one or other of the hybrid variants instead of their petrol-only siblings. There’s no loss in comfort or performance but significant gains in fuel economy and emissions.