Articles by Ewan Kennedy

As well as providing plenty of performance, the Camry Hybrid provides interior comfort and very good ride and handling.VALUEImportantly, Toyota has reduced the price of Camry Hybrid H to $34,990 - a significant $2000 under the superseded model. The upmarket Camry Hybrid HL carries a recommended retail price of $41,990. This is a $1500 increase, but includes $4500 in equipment gains over the old model.The Hybrid uses about a third less fuel than the petrol powered Camry. Let’s do some financial calculations: if it uses unleaded petrol at $1.50 a litre and is driven 20,000 km a year for three years the fuel saving would be $2340, placing the Camry Hybrid within the same economic ball park as the regular Camry petrol.TECHNOLOGYArguably the best feature of the new Camry Hybrid is that it feels like a normal car. It has lots of lovely torque right off the line due to the assistance provided by the electric motor that produces full grunt right at the bottom end of the rev range.Which is something that will appeal to Aussie drivers during their unofficial traffic light Grands Prix. OK not many Camry owners drive like that, but who knows, this Hybrid may well lift the enthusiasts’ impression of Toyota’s Camry and increase sales by a substantial amount.There’s a 10-speaker premium audio system including CD/DVD player and live traffic updates along with digital radio. Camry interior is particularly spacious for both front and rear seat passengers.More realistically, the Toyota hybrid has superb acceleration particularly in the critical passing range between 80 km/h and 120 km/h. Thus making of ease of overtaking and therefore added safety.The official combined consumption is 5.2 litres per 100 km (down by 13 per cent on the superseded Hybrid), with a city cycle of 5.7 litres/100 km and highway cycle of just 4.9 litres/100 km.At the heart of the Camry Hybrid is a new 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and high torque electric motor. Power is delivered to the front wheels via an electronic continuously variable transmission. It is a potent, yet seamless, combination.DESIGNToyota has enlarged the boot and giving the car light towing ability. Though in both of these often-important areas it does lag behind the standard petrol Camry. The outgoing Hybrid Camry (note the reversal of the words in the car’s name) had no tow rating. This new generation has been rated at a modest 300 kg tow rate, enough to get a tinny to the boat ramp or a box trailer to the tip. The Camry petrol has a tow rating of 1300 kg.Boot space has been increased by eight per cent to 421 litres as a result of the hybrid battery being moved slightly forward. There is a large hatch allowing for long items to be placed in the boot, but the seat backrests can’t be folded down.Toyota has deliberately kept styling changes to the Camry Hybrid to a minimum, again to keep the ‘normal’ appearance we spoke of a moment ago. The radiator grille has a chromed upper section and a 'hybrid blue' Toyota badge. The headlights are framed by blue accented extensions. The rear end has a hybrid blue Toyota badge and the upmarket Hybrid HL gets a boot spoiler and chrome garnish.All cars have a power operated driver's seat with lumbar adjustment, the topline HL also gets power controls for the passenger seat. The Camry Hybrid HL has a blind spot monitor in the external mirrors as well as automatically dipping high beam.SAFETYCamry Hybrid gets all the same safety equipment as the petrol model: vehicle stability control, traction control, ABS brakes with brake assist, reversing camera. There is now a driver's knee airbag, taking the SRS airbag count to seven. All five seats have seatbelt warnings. It comes as no surprise it has a five-star Australasian NCAP rating.DRIVINGAs well as the improved drivetrain, Toyota has also made significant changes to Camry Hybrid aimed at improving fuel consumption and lowering emissions. There are no belt drives on the engine for the water pump, air-conditioning and power steering. These are all now driven electrically, so only consume power when they are in use.There’s an EV button which, if the battery has sufficient charge, allows the Camry Hybrid to be an all-electric car for up to two kilometres. Handy in covered carparks, as there are no exhaust fumes. The steering is much lighter than the current model but still offers good driver feedback.VERDICTToyota believes its all-new Camry Hybrid for 2012 will make hybrid cars part of the norm in buyers’ minds. After living with one for a week we have certainly come away impressed.

Back in those dark days Australia, Britain, Germany and Japan were at each others throats in deadly combat. Today mankind has, on the whole, woken up to itself and we have other ways of engaging in combat. Such as on sporting fields and in one of the toughest arenas of all - the automotive sales race.For whatever reason, the former Axis countries are doing much better in the automotive business than the Allies - Germany, Japan and Italy now dominate the car business.Which brings us back to the British motor industry. Once a shambles caused by poor design, class conflict and over-aggressive trades unions, Britain is now doing pretty well in automotive manufacturing although the big players in car manufacturing in the Old Dart these days are mainly owned by Japan (Honda and Nissan) and Germany (Mini, Rolls-Royce, Bentley).Which brings us back to Honda Civics and the aircraft runway at Swindon. Honda’s giant plant is located about an hour’s drive west of London and we recently spent a fascinating day touring the factory, talking to the people who work there and learning about the philosophy of the giant Japanese car, motorbike and power equipment maker.Honda’s policy is to build cars in the areas where they are sold whenever this is possible. Britain has a long and glorious history of industry in many fields, not just cars, though it had faded in recent years. So Honda chose the England as a major player in its business.Honda is the world’s largest manufacturer of engines by quite a large margin, due to its major presence in bikes and power equipment. We witnessed the assembly lines in Swindon where up to 1000 engines a day, petrol and diesel, are produced for the Civic, CR-V and Jazz.One thing that fascinated me was watching men (there were very few women in the factory) setting the tappets for a Civic engine using spanners and a feeler gauge. Somehow I thought that a giant computer would have carried out this intricate task, but no, Honda says human beings can do it better. Good to see!Participants in the deadly struggles between the English upper and working classes, as well as the financially fatal fights between management and unions, would have been delighted (or horrified?) to see the way the Japanese company operates.We had talks with several levels of Honda employees, including the managing director, factory floor workers and several others in between. The fascinating thing is that they all wore the same uniform of white pants and shirts no matter what their level of in the company. A uniform with their first name on a label on the right side of the shirt.All ate in the same canteen. A far cry from the days when some English factories had as many as seven segregated levels of canteens / restaurants for employees, staff, top management and the owners of the companies.While every company of any consequence - automotive or otherwise - talks about caring for people and the environment these days, Honda is very serious about the matter, playing far more than lip service. We witnessed correct recycling of waste, not only at the industrial stages but also in the staff canteen and many other rooms where thorough recycling is very much part of the day-to-day scene. Honda in the UK is proud of the fact that nothing goes to landfill.We also saw the genuine care shown by Honda’s first aid staff when one of our number showed signs of illness after the long flights across the world from Brisbane to the United Kingdom.Talking of flights brings me back to the runway used by Spitfires and Lancasters. Though its origins are still visually obvious, these days it has been transformed into a series of test tracks with various surfaces, speed capabilities and other everyday, and not so everyday, motoring areas.Every Civic that comes off the line - not simply a selected few - is road tested on the old runway area. Honda feels that while this is time consuming and expensive it’s very important that a human driver, not a robot, makes the final decision as to whether a car should be delivered to customer in the best possible condition. 

Ewan Kennedy reviews the 1997, 1998, 2005, 2007 and 2009 Mercedes-Benz A-Class as a used buy.

Though the initial F-Type teaser photos show a heavily disguised car, there are plenty of styling cues harking back to the 50-year old shape of the revered Jaguar E-Type - just look at the big open grille and that dramatic bulge in the bonnet. Jaguar is arguably the most experienced of all car makers in the use of lightweight all-aluminium bodies. So it’s no surprise that the F-Type will build on the lessons learned in mass production work on this difficult to manage material. This will put the British sportscar on a diet to maximise its on-road nimbleness. Significantly smaller than its brother the Jaguar XK, the new Jaguar F-Type will be initially be sold as a convertible, with a closed coupe likely to follow in the not-too-distant future. It will be purely a two-seater, with the occupants sitting well back in roadster fashion. Note the use of a soft-top rather than a folding hardtop, the soft roof being regarded as purer design. Engines and transmissions are being kept secret at this stage, all Jaguar will tell us is that, “A range of petrol engines will be available – including a new powerplant family - and all will deliver stunning sports car performance,” The comment about the new powerplant family is interesting, perhaps suggesting the baby Jaguar will received an ultra-modern four-cylinder boosted unit to complement six-cylinder variants. The Jaguar F-Type will go on sale in mid 2013 in the UK. As the Brits have the sense to have their steering wheel on the same side of the car as we do there’s a good chance Australian imports will be pretty close behind the UK cars on the assembly line. Here’s hoping..  

Though it won’t be on the roads of Australia till late 2013 or early 2014, the local importer has revealed more details about the styling and design. Scheduled to be the world’s fastest road going hybrid car, the Porsche 918 hints at the frontal styling to the legendary 917 Le Mans winning machine of the early 1970s. On a racing note, it’s interesting that the German prototype is shown with Aussie Peter Brock’s racing number, 05! Forty years on and the world has changed forever. Though the Porsche 918 Spyder is aimed directly at the high-performance market, it has the sort of fuel consumption only the most frugal of small cars can dream of. “Minimal fuel consumption and maximum performance,” is the aim says Wolfgang Hatz, Member of the Executive Board Research and Development of Porsche.  A petrol-electric hybrid, the hot Porsche has two independent electric motors; one on the front axle driving the front wheels, the other set into the driveline and acting on the rear wheels. The super Porsche will also have what the company describes as a “high-performance combustion engine” though details are yet to be released.  All up the three powerplants can produce as much as 770 horsepower, or 566 kW. Fuel consumption is “in the region of three litres per hundred kilometres,” say the Porsche engineers. Obviously the car won’t be producing that maximum horsepower and minimum fuel use simultaneously, but the combination of the two extremes in one supercar is simply astonishing.  Lightweight materials – the body is a full carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) monocoque – will be used throughout the 918 as a major factor in getting high performance from this brute of a machine. Fascinatingly, all-wheel drive and electric power are far from being recent developments in the history of Porsche.  Ferdinand Porsche, the founder of the iconic marque, experimented with both forms of engineering in the early years of the 20th century. Though he died over 60 years ago we are sure he could soon grasp the technology behind the latest car to carry his name were he around today. The price? Who knows? But it’s likely to be on the wrong side of a million dollars...    

The Daytona 500-mile is the most prestigious event in Nascar Sprint Cup and Commodores – rebadged as Chevrolet SS racers – will take pride of place in the GM world when they tackle the punishing event. Well, that’s not quite right, motorsport followers are well aware that every car competing in Nascar has exactly the same body shape. Stickers with name badges, headlights and grilles are attached to make them look like the cars they are named for. The strict rules Nascar rules are aimed at making the racing close, noisy and eventful. Crowds numbering in the hundreds of thousand love the format. Holden has just announced the new VF Commodore will be exported to the USA in late 2013, being sold over there as the new Chevrolet SS high-performance sedan. As part of the promotion of the Chevrolet SS the nameplate will be used on the Nascar racers. This will be the first time in 17 years that Chevrolet will sell a rear-wheel-drive sedan in the US, the company has been promoting front-wheel-drive in the meantime. Mark Reuss, GM President of North America, and one time president of Holden in Australia, said that as a passionate race fan and performance car enthusiast he was thrilled with the announcement. “I am delighted to say that Chevrolet will deliver a true rear-wheel-drive Nascar racecar in the SS that very closely links the performance sedan that will be available for sale,” Reuss said. “The Chevrolet SS is a great example of how GM is able to leverage its global product portfolio to deliver a unique performance experience that extends well beyond the track and I am personally looking forward to driving it.” Holden’s executive director of engineering, Greg Tyus, said Chevrolet and its customers would benefit from Holden’s proven expertise in developing and manufacturing rear-wheel drive cars. Mr Tyus said, "We were responsible for the design and engineering of the Chevrolet Camaro, VE Commodore was sold as the Pontiac G8 and we are currently exporting the Chevrolet Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle – so we understand the needs of the North American market." Despite the difficulties of trading in the current economic environment, Holden vehicle exports were up 54 per cent in 2011 compared to 2010. "Today's announcement shows that we can, and will, continue to pursue targeted, profitable export programs that add value to Holden and GM. “We continue to export our engineering and design capability around the GM world and we have significant vehicle export programs to the Middle East, New Zealand and North America. Mr Tyus went on to say, “I’m incredibly proud of the talent we have here at Holden to design, engineer and build performance vehicles that appeal to both local and overseas markets and the new VF Commodore will be no different. Our expertise in this arena is second to none and highlights the flexibility of Holden’s Elizabeth manufacturing operations. It's great to have secured this new export program that will continue to support our plant." The VF Commodore won’t be an all-new car, but a major revamp of the current VE series. It had been intended for the VF to have all new sheet metal when it launch date was set as 2012, but the GFC and the severe financial problems experienced by General Motors meant the budget simply wasn’t available. Instead, the VF is likely to share the central part of its body with the VE Commodore, but have new front and rear ends. Whether this goes as far as replacement front and rear guards is simply a matter of speculation. Our feeling is that they will be, perhaps even with the use of aluminium the front guards and bonnet to reduce weight. Changes to the style, front and rear, will not only be aimed at a fresh new appearance but also at improved aerodynamics to help the VF cleave the air more cleanly. Expect heavily revised engines that have significantly lower fuel consumption and exhaust emissions. Similarly, automatic transmissions may receive taller gearing and electronics designed to chase lower engine speeds for given car speeds. Low rolling resistance tyres may be part of the package. We also anticipate an all-new interior look, or at least a heavily revised one.  

Kia Sorento has a lot to offer, especially in the topline Platinum format. Sorento has seven seats, a slick six-speed automatic transmission and bling to burn, making the Sorento Platinum a great people mover with some off-road ability when needed. Oh, and it's also great to drive.This vehicle tips the scales at almost two tonnes, yet the 2.2-litre turbo-diesel used just 7.7 litres per hundred kilometres over our test that saw a lot of suburban running as well as our usual highway and motorway testing.This engine is a modern design and produces a strong 436 Nm of torque between 1800 and 2500 rpm. Acceleration, straight-line speed and highway passing ability are simply not an issue. Across the range, the Sorento has a towing rate of 2000 kg braked and 750 kg unbraked.The six-speed auto is a nice match for the engine and is smooth across the board. This little diesel really is a great package. It is barely intrusive and simply gets the job done with a minimum of fuss. Vision is good overall, but the A-pillar can cause a slight blind spot.Sorento AWD comes in three specification levels Si, SLi and Platinum. Splashes of chrome around the Platinum edition Sorento add a touch of exterior class. In particular we like the treatment around the headlamps, grille and fog lamps.It is subtle and not overdone, yet recognising that chrome is back in fashion. Sorento's profile is fairly standard with a nice shoulder line, but has individuality thanks to a switch-back at the A-pillar. The rear end is dominated by large stop light lenses.The Sorento is classified as a large SUV, but could easily be tagged as a people-mover for adventurous families. With the first two rows of seats up there is 1047 litres of usable cargo space – enough for a family of five to go on annual holidays. If you need more seats the 50/50 split third row rises up from the floor, although this reduces the cargo area to just 285 litres.This third row of seats has a foot well, but there’s limited leg or knee space, strictly the kids domain only. Access to the third row is made possible by folding either side of the 60/40 split second row seat back, with the seat base then tumbling forward. Both the second and third rows of seats have their own air conditioning vents.We love simplicity. You should not have to scratch around in a car to find the basics, as you do with some European brands. Kia Sorento excels in this area without compromising style but adding to practicality.The seats are comfortable in a lounge-room kind of way, the driving position can be tailored to most drivers thanks to power height adjustment on the seat and height and reach on the steering wheel and there are oodles of storage spaces throughout the vehicle.The key features we use - audio and air-conditioning - are user friendly and the steering wheel has remote audio as well as cruise control functions. What we would like to see is the computer functions button also located on the steering wheel instead of in the instrument binnacle.Kia’s Sorento has a five-star ANCAP rating. For those who venture off-road there's hill descent control and hill start. The headlights have an automatic function and there's six airbags including full-length curtain.In normal driving conditions Sorento is in front wheel drive mode and when slippage is detected torque is shared between the front and back wheels. When driving off-road or on slippery surfaces there's a push-button centre diff lock switch on the lower dash to ensure all four wheels are driven.With no dual-range transmission and a moderate ground clearance of 184 mm, Kia Sorento comes clearly into the realm of large soft-roader. The fact that it has an AWD centre diff lock button means some off-roading is on the menu as long as it does not include serious rock-hopping or deep, rutted tracks or the like. Still, it probably does everything the adventurous family is likely to demand of it.On road, the suspension is a little soft and there's a fair bit of body roll on sharp corners. As a family wagon these are minor issues that will not concern the majority of drivers. We are not fans of the parking brake being foot operated, particularly when it never seems to do the job at 100 per cent, no matter how hard you kick it.The Platinum is fitted with 18-inch wheels which we think gives excessive feedback over uneven roads. It would be interesting to put an SLi Sorento over the same roads, with the SLi having 17 inch rims. What we do like is all variants have full-size matching spare wheels.If you are looking for a vehicle in this segment Kia Sorento is a must try vehicle.

Larger than average for its class, the Hyundai Santa Fe is a popular SUV that can be used as a family car provided the offshoots haven’t reached their hulking-teen stage.There's good legroom in the rear, but some of that legroom has been gained by stealing space from the front seat occupants. A third-row seat option arrived in the all-new model in 2006. As good luggage space, including side bins and hidden storage space under the floor panel. A retractable blind and luggage net combine to improve safety and security. The rear glass can be opened separately if you don’t want to lift the whole tailgate, a real convenience in cramped carparks.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 first reached Australia in 2000 and sales were moderately good from the start, though it its somewhat over-the-top styling didn’t appeal to everyone.An all-new, larger, model was launched in May 2006 with a more mainstream look that saw it pick up a lot of buyer interest. The 2006 model was offered with a third row of seats for the first time. As in any vehicle of this size, the extra row of seats steals a lot of the boot area. Ride comfort is generally good and handling is nicely sorted for Australian conditions.The Koreans really seem to have a feel for what Australian drivers like in their vehicles. In the bush the Santa Fe copes well with corrugations, in the suburbs speed-bumps seldom cause any real grief. Santa Fe originally arrived only with the power of Hyundai's 2.7-litre V6 engine, but the range was expanded in 2001 when a four-cylinder 2.4-litre unit arrived. The four-cylinder engine wasn’t all that popular and was taken off the Australian market towards the end of 2003. That’s no reflection on the four-cylinder engine itself and it should make a good used-car buy.Four-cylinder engines in a car of this size can be a bit of a compromise in performance and Hyundai was smart in only importing it with a five-speed manual version as an automatic could have taken away enough grunt to make it unacceptable for some drivers. All V6-powered Santa Fe models have a four-speed automatic transmission. The V6 auto has a sequential function to give the driver a fair degree of manual control and is useful for getting the best from the engine.From late 2006, Hyundai offered its Santa Fe with a turbo-diesel engine for the first time in Australia. The potential fuel savings make it worth hunting down. The Hyundai dealer network is large and generally widespread in Australia. Because most Santa Fe 4WDs are used in the metropolitan areas dealers aren't that common in the bush, so check in our local area to make sure spares and service are on offer close handy. Spare parts prices are about average for this class.Santa Fe is fairly traditional in its mechanical makeup and the good home mechanic will find themselves able to do much of the work. It always pays to have a good workshop manual at hand, and don’t attempt any safety related repairs unless you really know what you are doing.Insurance charges are moderate, though there does seem to be a bigger than average spread of premiums between companies. So it’s worth taking the time to shop around for the best deal for your circumstances.Hyundai Santa Fe works extremely well considering it’s the company’s first attempt at a vehicle in this class. It has since been joined by the slightly softer Tucson SUV and the tough Terracan off-roader, thus making Hyundai very much an integral part of the booming Australian 4WD/SUV scene.WHAT TO LOOK FORLook over the interior for signs of it having had a hard time at the hands of uncaring children. Build quality is generally good, but there can be the occasional rough one.Check for signs of underbody damage caused by harsh off-road use. The body corners and doors sills are often the first to suffer. Also look at the protection plates under the engine for damage.While you are under the vehicle look for white stains that may be the residue of salt water picked up during a trip to the beach. Salt water can create corrosion much faster than fresh.Look for fine scratches in the paint where the body has been squeezed past branches. Deeper scratches are likely to have been caused by trees or rocks.Check that the engine starts easily, that it pulls well and doesn’t hesitate when accelerated suddenly.Make sure the transmission operates smoothly and easily and that there are no funny noises from the driveshafts and universal joints.CAR BUYING TIPBeware the SUV that has been taken to off-road areas by people that don’t know a lot about driving on unsealed surfaces. It may have suffered body, underbody and even suspension damage. 

The Audi line-up of sports utility vehicles has just been stretched with the addition of the Q3, a versatile premium compact that joins the queue as little brother to the Q5 and Q7.VALUEPricewise, at $54,500 the Q3 TDI quattro S Tronic is at the top end of the segment, with rivals such as the Hyundai ix35 Elite T/D, Kia Sportage TDI and Skoda Yeti 103TDI up to twenty grand cheaper. The difference to a great extent is made up by the degree and standard of fit-out.The Audi is very well equipped, with Bluetooth and audio streaming, rear view camera with guidelines, information system and multifunction leather steering wheel standard on all models.DESIGNAs a small(ish) SUV the Audi Q3 makes a big first impression, especially up front where an assertive stance is reinforced by Audi’s trademark tall radiator grille. It’s flanked by headlamps (with xenon lights as an option) and distinctive LED daytime running lights.The shape of these LED strips is repeated with the rear lights, again LED, just part of a sporty sign-off enhanced by twin exhaust tailpipes. In profile the Q3 follows the present-day shape common to many of this ilk – tall sides, bold wheel arches filled out by stylish 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped in low rolling resistance tyres, and with a roof that curves coupe-style to a wraparound rear tailgate.It’s a package that gives this vehicle an aerodynamic edge, with a non-SUV like drag coefficient of just Cd 0.32 to top the class in aerodynamic efficiency. The black paint job on the outside of the test car extended to the cabin interior, which featured black leather trim with dark brown inserts, the sombre feel being reinforced by dark brown leather seat upholstery.In time, however, the funereal finish became less creepy. The surroundings were also redeemed to some extent by a soft-touch dashboard surface surmounted by a seven-inch pop-up screen presenting full-colour sat-nav map and a suite of car system infoTECHNOLOGYOne of four 2.0-litre four-cylinder engines – two petrol, two diesel – on offer in the new Q3 range, our test vehicle’s powerplant combined direct fuel injection with turbocharging. It was mated with Audi’s seven-speed S tronic automatic transmission.With up to 130 kW on call, backed by 380 Nm of torque between 1750 and 2500 revs, this Q3 TDI is capable of hitting hit 100 km/h from rest in 8.2 seconds. Two shift modes are available – Drive and Sport – in ‘D’ the engine working as hard as possible at fuel saving low revs; while in ‘S’ the gears are held, changing up at higher revs.Fuel consumption on test hovered around five litres per 100 kilometres cruising on the open road at the legal speed limit - that’s hybrid territory – while in the city, with the stop/start facility in full swing, at times it ran out to twice that, the latter, as always, depending on traffic conditions and the driver’s mood.DRIVINGAn accomplished package, whatever work the car was put to the motor responded almost instantly to pedal pressure, the gearbox shifted cogs quickly and quietly in automatic or optional manual mode via a lever on the centre console. The auto in our Audi did not feature steering wheel-mounted shift paddles, which are an option.Power is put to ground via Audi’s tried and tested quattro all-wheel drive system that delivers optimal grip on the road through slip-free acceleration and directional stability even in slippery conditions.  The command driving position, thanks to comprehensive seat adjustment, is comfortable and gives good all-round visibility through expansive windows.Occupants of the test vehicle also enjoyed the benefit of Audi’s optional drive select system, which via a button on the centre console, allows the driver to choose how the vehicle should be driven. Choices are ‘Comfort’, ‘Auto’, ‘Dynamic’ and ‘Efficiency’, the last having all systems, including air-conditioning and cruise control working to deliver maximum fuel saving.The engine incorporates the latest stop/start feature which cuts power when the car is stationary. Some people say they find this fuel-saving technology annoying – the eerie silence and then the anxiety that, in the middle of heavy traffic, maybe the engine won’t start up on releasing the foot brake. You soon become accustomed to it and enjoy the feeling you’re doing something to improve the air we all breathe.VERDICTAudi says it is aiming the Q3 at what it calls ‘Urban Navigators’, young successful professionals, middle-aged couples and families who want an urban SUV that can be used for recreation, plus empty-nesters who lead an active lifestyle. It has much to offer in this context.MODEL RANGEQ3 2.0 TDI 2WD: $44,800 (manual)Q3 2.0 TDI quattro: $54,500 (automatic)Q3 2.0 TFSI quattro: $47,000 (manual)Q3 2.0 TFSI quattro: $48,950 (automatic)Q3 2.0 TFSI quattro: $56,000 (manual)

The just launched all-new Mercedes-Benz M-Class demonstrates just how good the concept was when launched 15 years ago. No more so than in the styling.In profile the new Mercedes M-Class is instantly recognisable by the shape of the swept C-pillar and the way the D-pillar is blacked out to make it seem all but invisible. At the front the changes are more noticeable, with the new, very bold face being closely allied to the sporting look of the latest range of Benz sedans.Aimed at the American market right from the start, the German SUV is actually built in that country, the factory being situated in an area once struggling economically, but now doing very well thanks to the foresight of Mercedes. Being aimed at the Americans means the Mercedes M-Class is very much suited to Australians as well.Though similar in external size to the outgoing second generation M-Class - it’s marginally longer and wider and slightly lower - the gen-three vehicle is noticeably more spacious inside than before. Even better, it has a light and airy feel that makes it appear larger again. Again, the dash area follows the latest Mercedes’ style, with large, easy-to-read speedo and tacho directly in front of the driver and a good-sized multifunction central display screen sitting high to minimise driver distraction.A new range of control stalks gradually being introduced throughout the Mercedes range are a feature of the new M-Class. To our fingers they don’t have the same solid feel as the long-standing older units, but we will probably become used to them with practice. Another change that will be noticed by longtime drivers of M-Class, is the replacement of the somewhat awkward foot-operated parking brake with a finger operated unit near the bottom right of the steering wheel. That is, in the same position occupied by the release lever for many years - a sensible move.The complete 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class is priced between $81,400 and $177,900. Pricing of the all-new Mercedes-Benz M-Class is impressive, with drops of several thousand dollars compared with the outgoing model, and that despite the new M-Class having significantly more equipment than its predecessors.A full range of connectivity is offered in the new Mercedes SUV, with Bluetooth streaming, USB and even an SD card. A total of 40 Gb is used in the complex information and entertainment system that, among other things, provides Suna traffic management. Around 10 Gb is available for storage of music and similar files. At this stage only two engines are being imported to Australia due to high demand in other countries stretching the factory’s production output. These are both turbo-diesel units; a four-cylinder 2.1-litre producing up to 150 kilowatts of power and a stunning 500 Newton metres of torque; and a 3.0-litre V6 with an even more impressive 190 kW and 620 Nm. Fuel consumption figures of 6.4 and 7.3 litres per hundred kilometres, respectively, are quoted for the two diesel engines described below. Driven carefully on country trips the ML 250 could cover 1500 kilometres between fills. These new-design diesels, working with a stop-start system, seven-speed automatic, low rolling resistance tyres, clever body aerodynamics and numerous smaller changes have pulled the fuel consumption down by an average of 25 per cent across the new model range.These are astonishing improvements that would have been considered all-but impossible as recently as 10 years ago. These engines, called BlueTec by Mercedes, meet the tough Euro 6 emission control requirements. Making them about five to six years ahead of Australian regulations. Well done, Mercedes. Petrol powerplants with six and eight cylinders are scheduled to arrive as soon as the Australian importer can get hold of stock from the American factory. Also in the pipeline is a red-hot AMG model, we were fortunate enough to test one in the USA earlier this year - and can’t wait to see it downunder...Primary safety is provided by a host of electronic systems, many of them pioneered by Mercedes in the topline S-Class models, as well as daytime running lights (DRLs). Secondary safety sees the fitment of no fewer than nine airbags (including side units front and rear and a driver’s knee bag).Over a two-day period we sampled both new turbo-diesels - the ML 250 and ML 350 - on an extended drive program set by Mercedes-Benz out of Melbourne, along the famed Great Ocean Road and in the hills behind the coast. Even the 2.1-litre engine is likely to provide enough performance for the average owner, with strong torque, and good response from both the engine and transmission. The 3.0 is there for those who like a bit of sport from their diesels. The vehicles are smooth and quiet to ride in, though we did find the ride on vehicle fitted with the 19-inch wheels and 45-series tyres a little on the jiggly side on broken bitumen roads. The front seats are large and support well and there’s a feeling of quality and refinement in the interior that will impress all who travel within it. The thick windscreen pillars - to make the M-Class safer during a crash - blocked our view on some bends, particularly when the roads were dropping downhill and sweeping to the right. Steering is by a new electrically assisted system (part of the fuel reduction package) provides good feel and has the added advantage that the big SUV can parallel park itself should the driver so desire. Road grip is well above that likely to be demanded by the typical owner, thus providing huge levels of safety.The complete 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class range is:ML 250 BlueTEC 2.2-litre turbodiesel five-door wagonML 250 BlueTEC Exclusive 2.2-litre turbodiesel five-door wagonML 350 BlueTEC 3.0-litre turbodiesel five-door wagonML 350 BlueEFFICIENCY 3.5-litre Biturbo petrol five-door wagonML 500 4.7-litre Biturbo petrol five-door wagonML63 AMG 5.5-litre Biturbo petrol five-door wagon