Articles by Ewan Kennedy

Ford Australia’s new Kuga is based on the Ford Focus platform and has reached us Down Under several years after its introduction in Europe. However, it has the latest facelift and still looks bang up to date.In the case of standard equipment it hints at its age with no sat nav or reversing camera. Newer rivals offer much more for the money. We will have to wait for the next Kuga generation to pick up on these missing items.Ford Kuga is available in two specification levels - Trend, costing $38,990, plus on-roads, and Titanium for $44,990. We reviewed a Titanium and although it carries a $6000 premium over the Trend variant we reckon the money would be well spent, not only in equipment levels but also in its upgraded styling.The Ford Kuga Trend is well equipped up to a point, while the Titanium adds standard extras such as Napoli leather seat trim and silver appliqué details, heated front seats with variable heating, six-way power adjustable driver’s seat, leather trimmed gear lever, rain sensing wipers, auto headlights, rear-view mirror with auto dimming, dual temperature control air-conditioning, rear privacy glass and parking sensors.In-car entertainment and infotainment features include a Sony single CD audio, Bluetooth hands-free and voice control for a mobile phone, audio and air conditioning.The Kuga is powered by the 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine from Volvo – it’s found in the Swedish carmaker’s S40 and V50 models – producing 147 kW of power at 6000 rpm and 320 Nm of torque between 1600 and 4000 revs.An added convenience is Ford’s capless refuelling system which spurns a conventional filler cap that needs to be removed before fuelling. In this case the likelihood of fingers becoming tainted with fuel is reduced.The system also features a fuel inhibitor that provides protection against misfuelling at the fuel pump by allowing only a nozzle that matches the corresponding fuel type of the car to open and enter the filler neck.Up front a tall trapezoidal radiator grille is cut in two by a horizontal slash of body-coloured metal extending from the vehicle’s flanks. On either side are swept-back headlamp clusters, which together with a steeply raked windscreen and a shoulder line sloping upwards to the rear, gives the Kuga the impression of a sprinter on the blocks.The Titanium’s 18-inch alloy wheels fill out flared wheel arches nicely, while the whole thing is topped off by brushed metal-style roof rails adding a touch of class. Plastic mudguards not only save weight but are more resistant to dents than metal ones and are cheaper to fix.At the rear a skid plate under the rear bumper incorporates sporty twin exhaust pipes and fog lamps. A LED brake light is integrated into the body coloured rear spoiler. The vertically opening tailgate has twin openings – the window itself lifts at the touch of a key fob button, while the whole door can be raised by pressing the same button twice.With the window open the Kuga can conveniently back up much closer to a loading area. A handy feature in today’s crowded carparks. Inside the cabin the Kuga’s occupants are made comfortable in leather upholstered seats beneath one of the largest panoramic sunroofs on any comparably-sized vehicle. It is fixed and has a special infra-red coating that reduces interior heat absorption.A two-piece retractable shade adds to cabin comfort but won’t ward off excessive heat from outside as well as a multi-layer insulated metal roof. Stowage includes spots for small items plus dedicated areas for drinks, sunglasses, coins, pens and three 12-volt power outlets. The cargo compartment takes an average 360 litres, which increases to 1355 litres with the rear seat backs folded.As well as keyless entry, the engine fires into life at the press of a dash-mounted button. The button must be pushed for two seconds or receive three short presses within two seconds to stop the engine. Taking nothing away from performance, the Kuga got a spurt on when it was called for, in fact at times producing a surprising ‘surge from the blocks’ on setting off.Superb steering brought the right amount of feel to the driver, making handling no chore. The ride was a bit bumpy on uneven surfaces and the brakes sharp until the driver adapts and tames the pedal. On test, the Kuga we drove came up with fuel consumption of 8.3 litres per 100 km on the motorway, while in town, almost twice that, tipping over the 15 mark quite a few times. Ford claims 10.6 litres per 100 kilometres on the combined urban/highway cycle.

Subaru's largest passenger car, the Liberty, has a well-deserved reputation for toughness and reliability with Australian buyers. The Subaru Outback is an interesting variant on the Liberty station wagon. On the market since 1996 it is intended as a halfway step between a conventional station wagon and a dedicated 4WD.In its earlier models Subaru Outback had a tougher appearance than the standard wagon because of the additional protective plastic facings on the doors. These were discontinued with the new generation of 2003 to give the vehicle a more upmarket air, though there are many Subaru advocates who preferred the tougher look of the original.Since 1995 only all-wheel drive Liberty models have been sold in Australia, prior to then there were also front-wheel drive versions, even by 1995 these were comparatively rare because buyers had already sussed out the advantages of driving all four wheels.Unusually for Japanese cars, Libertys and Outbacks, indeed all Subarus, are popular with country drivers as well as those from metro areas. Libertys and Outbacks are much loved by snow skiers because their permanent all-wheel drive system makes them safer and more capable in slippery conditions than a 2WD vehicle.Subaru Liberty first arrived in this country in 1989 and struck a chord with local buyers almost immediately. These older models are generally getting long in the tooth so may be near the end of their lives. You’re probably better off avoiding them.Liberty is sold as a four-door sedan and a five-door station wagon, with a much larger percentage of wagons being sold than in other models in the mid-size class. The combination of the traction of all-wheel drive and the practicality of a wagon rear end is a strong one.The engines have a flat ‘boxer’ layout to lower the centre of gravity for improved road holding. Engine capacities in the four-cylinder models are 2.0, 2.2 and 2.5 litres. The 2.0 actually has more performance than the 2.2 being a later design.Flat-six engines began with a 3.0-litre unit in the Outback and later the Liberty range, its capacity increased to 3.6 litres in September 2009. Subaru calls the flat-six engines the H6 - ‘H’ for horizontally opposed, but most owners tend to retain the use of flat-six or boxer for it.There are a couple of high-performance Subaru Liberty variants. The Liberty RS has a 2.0-litre turbocharged unit and was introduced here in 1992. It was on sale for less than two years, when it was upstaged by the smaller and lighter Subaru Impreza WRX, a car that went on to be a huge success.The Liberty B4 sports machine has a twin-turbo 2.0-litre. It first came here in August 2001 but was somewhat of a disappointment in Australia because the engine had to be significantly detuned from the one offered on the Japanese market to run on our lower-octane petrol.These Subarus are reasonably easy to work on and most routine jobs can be carried out by an experienced home mechanic. However, safety items and most areas of the high-performance variants are best left to the professionals.Spare parts prices are about average for a car in this class. The Subaru dealer network, though relatively small, works efficiently. Because of Subarus’ popularity in country areas there are dealers in comparatively remote areas.Insurance charges on all but the turbocharged high-performance Liberty RS and Liberty B4 are moderate. The turbo models can be really expensive to cover, especially if you are a young and/or inexperienced driver. Living in a high-risk area further increases charges. Be sure to get a quote before falling in love with a turbo Liberty as premiums can be scary.Look over the interior trim and carpets for signs of damage, though they usually hold up well to all but the most outrageous of treatment. Mud or a real buildup of dust may indicate a lot of time spent of the beaten track.Check out the luggage area for signs of harsh treatment caused by carrying big and/or sharp loads. Have a look underneath a car, particularly the Outback, for signs of damage through it coming into contact with the ground. Some owners really do treat them as though they are ‘real’ 4WDs.The undersides of the bumpers, especially on their corners, are usually the first to suffer. Be sure the engine starts quickly and immediately idles smoothly no matter how cold the conditions. The sixes are naturally smoother than the fours, but the latter should be pretty good as well. Manual gearboxes should be quiet in operation and gearchanges should be smooth and light. Automatics which tend to hunt up and down the gears, or which are slow to go into gear, could be due for an overhaul. Rust is not common in Subarus, but if one has been badly repaired after a crash it may get into the metal. Call in a professional inspector if there’s the slightest doubt.

The 4008 is French carmaker, Peugeot’s, first entry into the booming compact SUV market.It is part of a joint venture between Peugeot and Mitsubishi and comes off the same Japanese factory as the Mitsubishi ASX. The ASX was launched here in July 2010 nearly two years ahead of the Peugeot.VALUEWith 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. The value is increased when Peugeot’s new Assured Service Plan is factored in.The plan places a $330 capped price on all services during the first three years of its life and applies to all buyers, be they private, business, fleet and or government. It also transfers if the car is sold within that three-year period. Equipment levels are high and it offers excellent value for money. The Active gets 16-inch alloy wheels, reversing camera with rear vision mirror display, 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.The higher-specced Allure adds xenon headlights, leather trim interior, 18-inch alloys, powered and heated front seats.TECHNOLOGYPeugeot 4008 comes in the Active (with 2WD and AWD, manual and CVT) and Allure (AWD and CVT only). Unusually, for a company that for many years bucked the petrol-only trend in Australia by selling diesel-powered passenger cars, the 4008 is only offered with a 2.0-litre petrol engine, with power and torque peak at 110 km and 197 Nm (at 4200 rpm).Diesel engines are available for the 4008 however, in line with the European preference, only with manual transmission, a combination that Peugeot Australia believes would not attract sufficient sales in our auto-centric market to justify them being imported. By contrast, Mitsubishi, with no history of diesel passenger cars, has included a 1.8-litre manual-only diesel in the ASX range.DESIGNAlthough the two vehicles are almost identical under the skin the Peugeot 4008 and Mitsubishi ASX have their own distinctive styling. Except for the roof and doors, all external panels are different. Styling is a very personal thing but we’ve long been fans of the current Peugeot design theme especially the wide-mouthed grille that stands out as the 4008’s dominant feature.Inside is a soft texture fascia and lacquered piano-black centre console which adds 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, annoyingly, turn off when the car enters a tunnel.Interior space is about par for the course with reasonable rear headroom despite the dipping roofline. The rear seat is only really suitable for two adults or three pre-teen children with borderline rear legroom when the front seat is well back.Boot capacity is 416 litres with a relatively high loading lip partly the result of having a full-sized spare wheel under the floor. The rear seats fold to a storage space of 1193 litres, with the alternative of a ski hatch behind the folding armrest.SAFETYSafety features include seven airbags, ABS brakes with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and Brake Assist, Electronic Stability Program and front foglights.DRIVINGWe’ve just completed back-to-back tests on an automatic AWD Allure and a manual AWD Active on a mixture of suburban, motorway, rural (including gravel) roads. Although it’s among the lighter models in its class (between 1375 kg and 1470 kg) its performance, although capable enough in everyday conditions is certainly not exciting. The manual gearbox is a five-speed unit which revs a bit too high when cruising and could do with an extra gear. Otherwise it’s light and easy to use.The all-wheel drive system in the 4008 has three settings: 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.Around town the 4008 is an excellent commuter with the higher driving position that appeals to female drivers and also adds to safety. The car cruised smoothly and quietly on the freeway, offset only by the annoying CVT noise when under hard acceleration or the excess revs at motorway speeds.The suspension compromise tends more towards the firm than the soft which will attract the driving enthusiast but it’s not so harsh as to deter the average commuter. On our initial test when Peugeot launched the 4008 they did send us along on some relatively harsh roads where a number of potholes sent some body-rattling shudders through the car.The positive side to the firm suspension is that it provides safe and precise handling and steering. It’s more at home in an urban rather than a rural environment where the combination of relatively heavy weight and small engine means that it can struggle in hilly areas.VERDICTOverall the Peugeot 4008 is a neat, well-built and well-engineered compact SUV that combines the best from its two source continents.

The Ford Performance Vehicles star FPV GT R-Spec -- the hottest GT Falcon yet -- is a limited edition that’s likely to be sold out within days of going on sale in September. Only 350 units are being built. FPV says 175 will be in the hero colour scheme of Silhouette (black) with Vixen (red) accents. The remaining 175 will be made up of Winter White, Vixen (red) and Kinetic (blue) with Silhouette (black) accents. The guys and gals at FPV GT R-Spec have worked hard to give it a look inspired by the legendary 1969 Boss Mustang. Visually the GT R-Spec is reminiscent of the famous 1969 Boss Mustang. The Mustang’s famed C-stripe is replicated on the new FPV GT R-Spec and has a ‘335’ in it. The special accent package, with upper and lower grille surrounds, foglamp bezels, mirrors scalps, high performance spoiler with GT decal, and black painted exhaust tips really makes this car look stunning. Under the bonnet, the new Falcon GT R-Spec is powered by FPV’s existing all-alloy Miami Boss 335 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine. The ‘335’ in the title refers to the peak power output in kilowatts. In muscle car terms, and this is most certainly a muscle car that equates to a handy 450 horsepower. FPV has installed a launch control feature on both the manual and automatic transmissions. The system is automatically enabled when the vehicle is started and is designed to give drivers a smooth, consistent launch on typical road surfaces. FPV’s managing director, Bryan Mears says. “On the track the R-Spec’s capabilities are just awesome, it is the finest-handling GT in history. We have put 18 months into the development and are extremely proud of the results; anyone who drives it on the track will be blown away by just how complete and capable this car is.” Mears went on to say, “From the outset we wanted more agile handling with better traction, and so the suspension had to be considered holistically, unlike the aftermarket, where you might bolt on a set of wider tyres and hope for the best,” The chief engineer of Prodrive Australia, Bernie Quinn says. “The new car thus received a significant number of component changes to develop this totally integrated package. The rear suspension of the GT R-Spec contains higher spring rates, re-tuned dampers, larger anti-roll bar, and reinforced rear lower control arms, while the front suspension has stiffer upper control arm bushes, stiffer front upper suspension strut mounts, and re-tuned dampers.” Stiffer transmission mounts on the hottest-ever Falcon GT reduce powertrain and driveline movement under load. New-design nine-inch rear wheels and the 275 millimetre tyres give the GT R-Spec improved cornering grip, along with better traction during launch, and when exiting corners. A revised toe setting on the rear wheel alignment also gives improved turn-in response. Inside the new GT, shadow leather sports seats with GT logo embroidery are complemented by a piano-black finish around the ICC unit, tissue box and door spears. Each FPV Falcon GT R-Spec will come with its own new look unique build badge. The recommended manufacturer's list price of this special edition Falcon GT R-Spec is $76,990. It’s offered for sale only at participating FPV dealers. At this stage we have only managed a comprehensive briefing of the new GT R-Spec Falcon, including the opportunity to examine the engine, sit in the car – and dream about taking it around Bathurst. Failing the Bathurst drive we will have to settle on a hot lap or two on some of our favourite roads in our home territory. Roll on the day...

Volkswagen Golf, a solid and sensible German car, is a major player in the European car market and in the last decade has made its mark in Australia as well.Those who need a practical car, but who enjoy driving will find the Golf goes a long way towards meeting each of these conflicting needs. Golf is a pleasant car to drive with good handing and sharp steering feel to let you get involved in what the car is doing, and with plenty of road grip even when pushed hard.These cars remain comfortable even on rough bush roads, though they are more at home in the suburbs than the far outback. These days Golf is a medium-sized car, having grown in size over the years, mainly to provide the extra space needed for occupant crash protection.There's some more interior room as well. In Europe, Golf is often seen as a full-sized car and it’s not unusual to see them carting four large adults about.Aussies tend to regard them more as transport for a family with preteen children, but if you live in an inner city area in Melbourne of Sydney you may need nothing more than a Volkswagen Golf to fill all your motoring needs.Golf is sold as a three- or five-door door hatchback. A ‘Golf’ four-door sedan was called the Bora from 1999 until the launch of the fifth generation model in 2005, when it was renamed Jetta. Boot space is substantially better than in the hatches and the four-door models are certainly worth consideration.VW Golf Cabriolet was sold until 2003. It has good roll-over protection for an open-top car and still offers a reasonable amount of space in the back seat. Access to the boot is difficult due to the odd location of the hinges. The Cabriolet was replaced by the New Beetle Cabriolet, but in a surprise move, VW reintroduced the Golf Cabriolet in 2012.Engines come in various guises: petrol and diesel; with four-, five- and six-cylinder units. Four-cylinder petrol engines are the most common, coming in capacities of 1.4, 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0 litres. The 1.6 will suit most drivers, but those who like to drive hard may find it a bit dull. The 1.4-litre is a brilliant, relatively recent, design and the little turbo unit provides performance with economy.Volkswagen in Australia started a big push in the diesel field several years ago and these engines are now far more common than in the past. With capacities of 1.6, 1.9 and 2.0 litres they provide plenty of grunt and turbo lag isn’t too bad.Those who enjoy a really good drive should consider the VW Golf GTi. A fun machine for the keen driver, it’s rapidly becoming regarded as a classic in the Australian hot-hatch market.Then there's the Golf R range of extreme hotshots. These traditionally had a large V6 engine – 3.2 litres in a smallish car gives plenty of performance. These are tagged as Golf R32. The latest model, launched in 2011, takes a different tack, going for 2.0 litres and a high-pressure turbo. Disguising the smaller size of the engine is the change of name to simply Golf R.Six-speed manuals arrived with the fifth-generation Golfs in 2004 and are popular on the used scene. The DSG gearbox, also launched in 2004, is a self-shifting manual gearbox. It provides far better performance than the old-style four-speed automatics used until 2004.This VW is a relatively easy car to work on and spare parts are not overly expensive. The dealer network has expanded from a low point during the mid-1990s and nowadays we hear very few complaints about parts availability or servicing.Insurance charges are about average for an imported European vehicle on most Golf and Jetta models. The high-performance Golf GTi may attract higher premiums, the Golf R32 and Golf R almost certainly will.Interiors generally stand up well, but some older Golfs that have been kept in the open continuously may suffer from sun-dried dashboard tops. Feel and look for uneven tyre wear, particularly on the front wheels.Look for scrapes on the bottom edges of the front mudflaps, they will often drag on the ground if the car has been cornered hard. New mudflaps could be a suspicious sign. Engines should start quickly. Listen for untoward engine noises, especially when it’s cold.Look for smoke from the exhaust when the engine is driven hard, particularly on long uphill runs. Make sure a manual gearbox doesn’t crunch on fast downchanges.Check that dual-clutch transmissions are positive in their shifts and don't hesitate too much at very low speeds. Be sure the brakes pull the car up evenly. If ABS is fitted you should feel a pulsing through the pedal during hard stops.Rust isn’t common in Golfs and is more likely to be the result of bad crash repairs than vehicle design. If you do come across any have the car inspected professionally or pass it up for another one.If there’s a problem in a used car get it fixed before you buy it. Don’t fall for the sales persons’ trick of saying you can bring it back later and everything will be sorted out then. It can be a lot harder then...

Ford Australia is carefully promoting the fact that its new-generation Focus is designed more for European markets than Asian ones.In particular the global nature of the mid-sized Ford leans strongly in the Euro direction in style and handling dynamics.At one time there were plans to build the new Focus in Australia, but, sadly from our point of view, Ford’s head office couldn't make that work from an economic point of view, so most Australian Focus models are imported from Thailand.Interestingly, initial imports came from the Ford factory in Germany, with the switch to Thai built cars taking place midway through 2012. Our review car came from the Thai factory and build quality was pretty good.Ford Australia is struggling at the moment and must be sorry to have lost the chance of making the Focus here. Perhaps if there are problems with keeping the Falcon in Australia when the current model reaches the end of its life in 2016 there may be another attempt to bring production of the Focus Downunder.Priced from $21,990 the Focus comes as a four-door sedan and five-door hatchback. Ford is bringing in no fewer than four variants to Australia as it realises Falcon sales are continuing to slip and hopes to balance this out with increased sales of Ford Mondeo and the new Focus.The latter comes here as the entry-level Focus Ambiente, the mid-range Trend and topline Titanium. Our review car was a Focus Titanium and we appreciated its high-tech features. These include voice recognition and the ability to park itself after it recognises a suitable kerbside spot, so Ford Australia is providing features often only found in upmarket European cars.Petrol engines in the latest Ford Focus have capacities of 1.6 or 2.0 litres, the larger unit being a new design featuring the efficiency of direct petrol injection. There is also a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel. Our Focus Titanium road test car had the 2.0-litre unit.Most drivers will find the Focus’ engine using six to seven litres per hundred kilometres if they treat it gently on country and motorway trips. This consumption will increase to eight to ten litres per hundred kilometres around town. These are good figures for a petrol engine and show the advantages of developing the direct injection fuel system.At this stage Ford Australia isn’t planning to import smaller petrol units boosted by turbochargers. However, the success of such engines in competitors such as the Holden Cruze and Volkswagen Golf may lead to a change of plan on this.Styling of the new generation Ford Focus follows a familiar theme from the previous two generations, though we feel the stylists have backed off a little and this new model isn’t as radical in its shape as previously. This is probably a sensible move as Ford is keen to pull relatively conservative buyers into the showrooms.The Ford Focus Sport has a body kit to give it more dynamic looks and performance, including firmer suspension. It’s a smooth and responsive unit with good torque on hand at all revs over about 2000, even below that it has plenty of ability to hang on so that high gears can be held to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.Handling is very much in the European mould, with good feel through the steering wheel and a nicely balanced way of entering corners and maintaining the correct speed through them. Focus is happy to change direction part way through a bend should it tighten up unexpectedly. Keen drivers who no longer need a car the size of a Ford Falcon will feel comfortable behind the wheel of a Focus.Ride comfort is generally good, though some really rough stretches of road (not necessarily dirt roads) can bounce it around at times. Some tyre noise is evident on coarse-chip surfaces, though this has been improved from the roar that was evident on some older Focus models.Tyre noise is something that has been all-but engineered out of the Falcon for many years, so the aforementioned potential buyer moving down from a Falcon should try a Focus for themselves on a coarse road.

Honda Civic began as a small car but increased in size over the years to become a small-medium by the period we are considering here.Because of the expansion in body size Honda also imports a smaller model, the Honda Jazz. Those who loved the smaller Civics of old may care to check out the Jazz. The Honda Civic has long had a reputation for build quality and reliability and this has lifted it a notch or two in the image stakes in Australia.Civic is a Japanese design in sedan format, with a fair bit of European input in the hatchback. The latter is built in England, the sedans in Japan or Thailand, the Civic petrol-electric hybrids are all made in Japan.Build quality doesn’t appear to be dependent on the country the Civic is manufactured in because the Japanese head office keeps a tight rein on the output of the factories. Interior room in the Honda Civic is good without being outstanding. There is space for four adults but in reality the rear seat is probably best left to children.Boot space is fine. Sedans are longer than hatches and most of this extra body size is put into a larger luggage area. There is some loss of boot space in the hybrid due to the installation of a large battery, but it’s better than many hybrids in this area.The Honda Civic is easy to drive and park thanks to light controls and good feel for the driver. These cars are popular with suburban users, but can be used on the open road, although bumpy secondary roads in the bush can cause a rough ride at times in older Civics as they have relatively short-travel in their suspension. Later models, from 2006, are better than the older ones.On smooth and moderate roads the Civic offers the sort of relaxed noise and vibration levels that are generally only found in cars from the next size class upwards. Engine sizes in the standard Civics are 1.6 litres and 1.7 litres in the older models; rising to 1.8 and even 2.0 litres in the current versions, introduced in 2012. The 2.0-litre engines are fitted to the sportier Civics and give plenty of performance.The semi-race Civic VTi-R, sold from 1996 until 1999, is very quick and is a delightful hot four. However, its engine only has a capacity of 1.6 litres and you have to work vigorously at the gearbox to keep it high in the rev range. If you’re not a keen driver you may find it frustrating and should perhaps avoid it. But if you do love pushing a car hard all the time then a VTi-R should definitely be on your short list.Five-speed manual gearboxes are standard in most models. Four-speed automatic transmissions are offered in all except the sporting Civic VTi-R. A five-speed auto is used in the eighth-generation Civics, launched at the start of 2006.The Civic Hybrid was introduced to Australia in early 2004 and is less extreme than previous Honda hybrids. As a result it’s more favourably priced. It has significantly lower pollutants from the exhaust as it runs a small 1.3-litre petrol engine, as well as an electric motor.The automatic fitted to the Civic Hybrid is a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Repairs and servicing can be relatively expensive. Spare parts also used to fall into that category, but Honda has worked hard with its parts network in recent years and things have improved considerably on the later Civics.Civic is reasonably simple mechanically so a good amateur mechanics can do a fair bit of the work themselves. Having a workshop manual at hand makes a lot of sense. Don’t attempt to carry out repairs to safety related items unless you have top class experience.Insurance costs are generally reasonable, with few companies making any real differentiation for the sportier versions of the Civic. Which is a surprise for such a little hotshot, it probably hasn’t sold in sufficient numbers to have come up on the radar of the insurance guys, let's hope it stays that way.Bodywork should be undamaged and free from rust. A Civic that has been poorly repaired after a smash may turn rusty later. Make sure the engine starts promptly and responds quickly and positively to the throttle. If possible arrange to start it when it’s cold after an overnight stop. Any engine that hesitates when revved suddenly should be treated with suspicion.A worn engine will smoke from the exhaust when it is driven hard after a period of idling. A conventional automatic transmission should be crisp in its changes and not hold onto any gear for too long. A continuously variable automatic transmission feels different in its operation so have an expert drive it if you are not confident it’s working correctly.The clutch pedal should be smooth in its operation. All manual gear changes should be light, positive and quiet. Problems will show up first on fast down changes, usually when going from third to second. Make sure the brakes pull the car up without any pulling to one side and that no one wheel locks while the others are still rolling freely.Look for Civics with a full service history as many belong to people who are very fussy about their cars.

Jeep Wrangler is the direct descendant of the original WW2 US Army Jeep and enjoys an iconic status with those who venture off-road.The 2012 Jeep Wrangler is fitted with a 3.6-litre V6 petrol engine that produces more power and torque than the previous 3.8-litre powerplant, while also reducing fuel consumption. In addition, Jeep has finally booted out the old four-speed auto in favour of a new five-speed. The new Pentastar 3.6-litre V6 offers 209 kW of power (up by a whopping 63 kW) and 347 Nm of torque, up from 315 Nm in the old 3.8-litre.Wrangler's interior is a mix of retro design, in keeping with the Jeep philosophy, and modern technology. We like the driving position and the overall comfort of the front pews. There are some things that take some getting used to such as some important switches – traction control, hill descent control, emergency flashing lights and outside mirror – buried at the bottom of the centre stack. The power window switches are mid way down the dash centre stacker. The reason for this is simple: the doors are removable. Getting in and out of the back seat is an ordeal. With all four seats in use the Wrangler's luggage area is about large enough for two aircraft flight bags. But the rear seat does fold and tumble giving a fair swag of room for camping gear. Wrangler two-door tows 1000 kg by the way.Wrangler comes with multi-stage driver and front passenger airbags with optional seat-mounted airbags for front seat passengers. Stability control, brake assist, traction control, electronic roll mitigation, tyre pressure monitoring lamp, trailer sway control, hill start assist and brake lock differentials are all standard. The auto also gets hill descent control.Jeep claims combined fuel consumption of 11.2 litres/100 km. During our review period we found Wangler auto slurped around 15.4 litres/100 km around town, and the combined figure was around 11.9 litres/100 km. On the open road the engine was quite a bit thirstier at 110 km/h than it was cruising at 100 km/h. At the higher speed we could not get below 12.3 litres/100 km. Jeep has improved consumption by bringing in the five-speed auto, but ideally we'd like to see a six or seven speed with a taller top gear to reduce the rpm when sitting on speeds above 100 km/h.Wrangler has always been vague in the steering. The current model is leaps and bounds ahead of the previous model but it still has a long way to go, particularly on Australia's rough roads. It’s is fine on the smooth tarmac, but as soon as it gets a little lumpy the car starts to jump around and requires the driver's full attention and input. Wrangler does respond quickly and predictably to driver input. The new engine delivers the goods and is never found wanting on hills or for passing at speed without dropping back a cog. If the road is dead smooth it also handles fairly well for a high-riding 4WD.Off-road is where Wrangler gets it together. The approach, departure and ramp-over angles are excellent for the toughest of terrain. The hill descent control works well and we really like the gearing in the auto when in manual mode. Being an auto and with the engine having so much torque, grunt is never going to be an issue off-road. Wrangler Sport two-door comes with the Command-Trac transfer case, so this is the basic Wrangler package for off-road duties with the Rubicon getting all the good stuff like front and rear electronic remote locking differentials.Good as the new petrol is, we'd opt for the diesel variant for on road economy and off-road performance. If you are buying a Wrangler for occasional off-road use the Sport is probably the way to go. If you are into regular serious off-road excursions with a Jeep club, then the Rubicon is the only choice.

The Suzuki Alto may not sing as sweetly as a church choir, but when it comes to economics it hits all the right notes. VALUE With prices starting around twelve grand and petrol sipping performance the new Suzuki light passenger car is perfectly in tune with a rarely opened wallet. This fact has not escaped the notice

Even better news is the drop in price with Toyota responding to competitive pressure from Korean people movers and dropping the recommended retail of the Tarago GLi under the critical $50,000 physiological barrier. It is now listed at $48,990 – which Toyota Australia points out is the same price as six years ago, in March 2006. The value is further improved because the 2012 Tarago has substantially more standard features than that 2006 model. These include seven airbags (two in 2006), vehicle stability control, traction control and emergency brake assist. Pricing has been reduced on other models: by $2000 on four-cylinder Tarago GLX, $2300 on V6 GLi and $1300 on V6 Ultima. On the other hand, the Tarago V6 GLX variant has had a specification-related price increase of $1390. Four-cylinder Toyota Tarago GLi and GLX are now fitted with a fuel-efficient continuously variable transmission (CVT). It can be used as a normal automatic transmission or as a seven-speed sequential-shift transmission. The new transmission replaces an old-style conventional four-speed automatic. Toyota tells us the new automatic, allied with modifications to the Tarago's 2.4-litre petrol engine, lowers official fuel consumption by more than six per cent – to 8.9 litres per hundred kilometres, based on the Australian combined cycle. The biggest fuel saving is in urban driving where consumption falls 7.1 per cent to 11.7 litres per hundred kilometres. This cut in fuel usage is reflected in CO2 emissions that are down 6.75 per cent to 207 grams per kilometre. In Drive mode, the transmission control activates torque-converter lock-up at low vehicle speeds and widens the pulley ratio to keep engine revolutions low and save fuel. With the gear lever in the Manual position, the new CVT provides seven pre-selected ratios for what is virtually manual gear-shifting. MODELS AND EQUIPMENT As part of the Tarago upgrade, all models have revised interiors with new colours and ornamentation as well as new seat upholstery patterns. The four-cylinder models and the V6 Tarago GLi, gain Optitron instruments, making this feature standard across the range. All models now have push-button Smart Start; V6 GLX and Ultima also have keyless Smart Entry. Tarago V6 GLX now has a power sliding passenger-side door (already standard on Ultima) that can be operated from a switch on the dash, a button on the key fob or by moving the door handle. New on the Tarago V6 GLX are high-intensity discharge (HID) headlamps with an advanced front-lighting system (AFS) that provides better night vision by turning the lights in response to steering angle and vehicle speed. The HID headlights also come with automatic levelling and washers. Rear privacy glass is now used on the Tarago GLX. Top-grade Ultima is fitted with new-design 17-inch alloy wheels while the mid-grade Tarago GLX uses the 10-spoke, 17-inch design previously seen on the Ultima. Toyota Ultima's instrument panel, steering wheel, shift knob, centre-console and door-switch surrounds now have new-pattern woodgrain-look highlights. Tarago Ultima's rear-seat entertainment system has been upgraded to a high-resolution 9-inch VGA LCD display and is compatible with Blue-Ray discs as well as DVDs. The system also includes a single CD player, AM-FM radio. Both Tarago GLi models are fitted with an updated audio system that includes a three-line dot matrix text display, FM radio text, voice recognition for some phone and audio functions and Bluetooth phonebook access profile. There’s a single CD player, AM-FM radio. Connections on the audio systems can be made through an Auxiliary jack or USB input. Bluetooth hands-free telephone and audio streaming make life a little less dangerous for the driver and other road users.