Articles by Ewan Kennedy

The smart South Korean car makers look to Europe for inspiration on all aspects of car design and handling, and the newly revised Hyundai ix35 is an excellent example of the advantages of doing so. Times are still tough in the European car industry and the research and development money for new models is tight. So it

Having re-established Renault in the passenger car market in Australia, particularly in the high-performance field, the French marque is about to begin an onslaught on the light commercial field.

The Mercedes E-Class is a prestigious medium-large car that’s been reinvented in recent years. Once a conservative model, it has become pretty stylish as the Germans aim for a wider range of buyers.

Malaysian manufacturer Proton would like us to pronounce the name of their new compact sedan -- Preve -- to rhyme with cafe so as to ‘give the new car a European flavour’.

Sitting at the pinnacle of car image are three big name German manufactures: Audi, BMW and Mercedes.

Alfa Romeo is undergoing a major resurgence in Australia, one that began midway through 2012 when the Italian factory took control here; previously a private importer did that job.

As the introduction of the next generation Mercedes-Benz C-Class gets closer, the guys at AMG are working on a swan song for the last iteration of their most popular model.

BMW Z4 has one of the purest body shapes on the road whether it's used as a closed coupe, or a top-down roadster in which to appreciate the joys of cruising in Australia.

Holden Colorado 7 is built in Thailand to a reasonably high standard and, along with its brother the Colorado pickup, has proven to be a success in Australia. It contains a fair bit of Australian input on the engineering side, particularly in chassis dynamics, on-road and off-road, so is good to drive.And it has now been upgraded for 2014 with the fitment of an improved version of its turbodiesel engine, now tagged the Duramax 2, mated to a new six-speed manual gearbox. There's also an all-new app-enabled infotainment system and several added safety features.PRICEDespite the improvements the prices of the 2014 Holden Colorado remain the same as on the outgoing model, $46,990 for the LT and $50,490 for the LTZ, both with automatic transmission. These prices do not include government or dealer delivery charges – contact your local Holden dealer for driveaway prices.ENGINE / TRANSMISSIONSThe 2.8-litre diesel generates 147 kW of power and an impressive maximum of 500 Nm of torque. The engineers tell us that torque has been increased across the rev range.Automatic transmission calibration has been improved and now includes shift stabilisation in uphill and downhill modes. Grade braking control preventing unnecessary shifting between gears when travelling uphill, and suitable shifting when travelling downhill to minimise the need for braking by the driver. When teamed with the new six-speed manual transmission, the Duramax 2 engine still produces 147 kW of power, but torque has been derated to 440Nm.INFOTAINMENTA seven-inch colour touchscreen is now standard on all models in the Colorado 7 range. Holden's MyLink allows drivers to connect by Bluetooth and access apps for music, news, entertainment and navigation. Embedded apps include Pandora, Stitcher and TuneInTM.Bluetooth can be used to wirelessly to stream audio files for playback from a paired smartphone, as well as giving access to 1000 contacts and missed or recent call history.Holden Colorado 7 owners can also access BringGo, a navigation app that with 3D maps, turn-by-turn directions, points of interest, and emergency contacts. BringGo does not require a 3G connection unless it's performing a Google places search. Apple iPhone users can use Siri to select and play music, hear and compose text messages, read notifications and add reminders.DRIVING TECHNOLOGYHolden's new chassis control systems see Trailer Sway Control, Hill Start Assist and Descent Control System fitted across the complete Colorado 7 range. Trailer Sway control detects any towing instability and activates the brakes and reduces engine torque to try and pull the rig back under control again.SAFETYHolden Colorado 7 has a five-star ANCAP safety rating. Crash prevention and mitigation items are Electronic Stability Control, ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and Hydraulic Brake Assist.The 2014 Colorado 7 now has front side airbags as standard in all LX, LT and LTZ models. There's Rear Park Assist and a rear camera.Holden Colorado 7 is already offered with a good range of accessories. To these the 2014 range adds an Alloy SuperBar, an updated steel bullbar, black nudge bar and sports bars and a reversing camera.Importantly, the Alloy SuperBar has been certified by ANCAP to maintain the Colorado 7's maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating. It is, of course, covered by Holden's Genuine Accessories Warranty. Crew Cab to reflect the new additions to the range.Speaking of the revised Holden Colorado 7 range, Philip Brook, Holden's Executive Director of Vehicle Sales, Service and Marketing, says, "We've put a lot of time and effort in ensuring we have delivered a real contender and serious competitor in the LCV and SUV market. The latest Colorado range ensures this tough vehicle offers consumers a serious 4WD that's a workhorse and a family vehicle." 

A sensible cross between a full-on 4WD and a passenger carrying SUV, the Toyota Prado is built by the Japanese company that’s now in its sixth decade in the off-road field in Australia.