Articles by Murray Hubbard

If the small SUV segment was hot before, it's now sizzling.

History will probably judge the new Range Rover Sport as a pivotal vehicle in Land Rover's 65 year career.

High performance sedans from Germany have a new leader with the arrival of the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S – a stealth weapon that packs a massive punch in a subtly-aggressive sedan body.

The big German trio of prestige car makers continue to push down into the top ends of the affordable brands in an attempt to gain market share in attracting new buyers that may not have considered the premium badges in the past. PRICE AND FEATURES Audi has just launched a new entry-level Q3 quattro diesel that puts

You may find this difficult to believe but the Land Rover Defender has quite a bit in common with the Porsche 911. Land Rover and the Porsche 356 each started life in 1948. Fast forward to 2013 and the latest Land Rover Defender and the Porsche 911 are immediately identifiable from the shapes of those 65 year-old

With no end in sight to the SUV boom GM Holden has added to the choices in the compact segment with its all-new Trax – a five-door, five-seat, high-riding and handsome wagon that is as much about media technology for savvy city slickers as it is engines and drivetrains.Trax is a global SUV sold in the US as the Chevrolet Trax and elsewhere as the Opel Mokka. Holden opted to not bring in an AWD version after market research found buyers top three priorities when buying a compact SUV were styling, cost and manufacturer.GM Holden's Australian engineers were involved in developing Trax for local conditions in South America, Africa, Australia and New Zealand with suspension and steering tuning made to suit local roads.The compact Trax SUV fills a void in Holden's line joining big brothers Captiva 5, Captiva 7 and Colorado 7. Trax is based on the Opel Corsa/Holden Barina platform with the powertrain from Cruze.Australia is getting the 2WD drive version powered by the same 1.8-litre in-line four found in the current Holden Cruze.  It comes in two specifications, LS and LTZ with prices ranging from $23,490 to $27,990. Buyers have the choice of either a five-speed manual transmission or a six-speed auto in the LS and auto-only in the LTZ.Key competitors are Nissan Dualis 2WD ($25,990) , Mitsubishi ASX 2WD ($25,990) and Hyundai ix35 2WD ($26,990) which gives the Holden a significant price advantage. Later in the year Trax will find more competition from Ford's EcoSport. Trax will be in Holden showrooms from mid-September.Trax has a distinctive shape with a bold, rising shoulder line and diving roof line, but the front of the vehicle is unashamedly brash – being designed for the US market. Those who designed the front though were from Australia. Holden's chief designer (who did not design the Trax) said the car had perhaps more road presence 'than it deserves' implying that it actually looks a lot tougher than its performance. There is nothing new in this with soft-roader Jeep and Dodge product taking the same design strategy. Having said that Trax is a handsome SUV that should appeal to buyers, young and not so young.With technology from smart phones also booming, the Trax is fitted with MyLink technology that features embedded apps for music and navigation. MyLink supports Pandora, Stitcher, Tunein and BringGo navigation as well as Siri Eyes Free Mode.In a sign of the times the centre stack does not include a CD slot with the majority of people using Smartphones as their source of music. MyLink allows audio and phone streaming via Bluetooth for Android while iPhone connectivity is via cable. As well the system allows people to view images and movies while the vehicle is parked using USB storage connected via cable.There is also USB and auxillary input and voice control via Siri eyes free integration. Also, Trax has a 240 volt three plug outlet rated to 150 watt, for charging items such as laptops while driving - the only vehicle we know of that has this convenience.On the launch we used the BringGo navigation that costs 99 cents to try and $65 to buy which uses your smartphone GPS to navigate through the car's 7-inch screen. We also used Pandora for our favourite music and listened to our preferred Gold Coast radio station on Tunein while testing the Trax in Victoria.As the Trax was being launched Holden was advised the vehicle had been given a 5-Star ANCAP safety rating with high points. Standard equipment includes a reversing camera, rear parking sensors, stability control, ABS brakes, traction control, hill start assist, electronic brakeforce distribution, six airbags, and three child seat anchors.Our Trax first drive took us through the Melbourne CBD to Berwick, down to the Mornington Peninsula in both specification levels and including one manual variant. The ride is comfortable but a little stiff over uneven surfaces causing a small amount of twitchiness.The steering is light and perhaps a little vague, but as a city car this is almost irrelevant. As a high-riding vehicle Trax has some body roll on corners – as do all the SUV's in this compact segment. One thing we liked was the low NVH (noise vibration harshness). We also like the large digital speedometer read out in these days of prolific speed cameras.It is a five seater, but with a narrow body line the car is best suited to four adults - and possibly a small child from the rear centre seat. The core strength of Trax is in the technology and the practicality along with sharp pricing. Even though Trax is relatively small, the interior does not feel cramped and the vehicle does not drive like a compact car. It feels sturdy and solid.The interior is littered with storage bins and there's a handy storage drawer under the passenger seat to hide valuables including laptops away from prying eyes. The rear seat has a 60/40 split and with a fold and tumble function folds flat to create a good size cargo bed. With all seats in use the cargo area is still impressive with 356 litres of usable space.

Just seven months after launching a refreshed ASX range Mitsubishi has added a new model to the stable. For the first time ASX will have an all-wheel-drive, turbodiesel variant with an automatic transmission. The company also confirmed at the launch of the latest ASX that the current 1.8-litre turbo diesel, only available with a manual shifter, will be phased out later in the year. The smaller diesel was a stop-gap model to introduce diesel to the small SUV range. Mitsubishi’s market research shows automatic diesels in the compact SUV segment in Australia dominate sales, well ahead of manual versions. Mitsubishi is not the first importer to have added an auto diesel to their stable. Subaru introduced a diesel auto to its Outback AWD range early this year. The research also found more women than men are buying ASX-size SUVs - indicating their dominant use as a family-friendly wagon. The ASX diesel auto drivetrain is a direct lift out of the larger Mitsubishi Outlander SUV. There are two equipment levels for the new diesel ASX, the ASX 2.2 at $31,990 and the ASX 2.2 Aspire at $36,490. The new ASX 2.2 offers combined fuel consumption of 5.8 litres/100 km - just above the 5.7 litres/100 km delivered by the current 1.8 litre ASX diesel manual. Emissions are also line ball and meet tough European standards. The new diesel has a braked towing rate of 1400 kg while the variant tips the scales at 1530 kg. The new engine is hooked up to a six-speed conventional transmission with a flick-across option to change manually. The Aspire variant also offers steering wheel paddles to change cogs. We took the both ASX 2.2 AWD auto diesel variants for a run through the Adelaide Hills towards Murray Bridge giving the opportunity to test handling and acceleration and the diesel/auto combination in a variety of road conditions. After almost 300 kilometres we can say this new variant is the pick of the bunch offering economy and performance in a neat package. The turbo-diesel and the 6-speed auto are a good match and the SUV is quick both off the mark and the vital passing range between 80 - 110 km/h range. Gear changes are slick and smooth. At 110 km/h the new ASX is ticking over at around 1800 km/h ensuring low fuel consumption for highway running. Mitsubishi ASX product planner, Ania Ciccarello, said growth in the small or compact SUV segment was strong with sales doubling between 2010 when 30,000 were sold, rising to 60,683 in 2012. It was a segment dominated by women and parents which research shows are placing high importance on reliability, safety, value and economy. The ASX comes with a 5-star ANCAP safety rating with seven airbags, reversing camera, stability control, hill start, Iso-Fix children's seat anchors. The top-of-the-line Aspire also gains Mitsubishi's Multi Communication System (MMCS) as standard and uses a bigger 7-inch colour touchscreen with satellite navigation with 3D mapping and SD car input. Aspire also gains leather trim, smart key entry with a one-touch start system, auto rain-sensing wipers, auto dusk sensing headlights, power driver's seat, front row heated seats, panoramic roof and LED lighting strip. Mitsubishi expects to sell around 150 ASX 2.2 auto AWD diesels a month. Interestingly, Mitsubishi Australia is dropping the 2WD Challenger from the line-up to concentrate on it's tough 4WD off-roader capability. The Mitsubishi ASX range is (pricing as of July 2013): ASX 2WD 5MT: from $25,990 ASX 2WD CVT: from $28,240 ASX 2WD Aspire 5MT: from $28,990 ASX 2WD Aspire CVT: from $31,240 ASX 4WD 2.2L Turbo Diesel  6AT: from $31,990 ASX 4WD Aspire 1.8L Turbo Diesel  6MT: from $34,990 ASX 4WD Aspire CVT: from $34,990 ASX 4WD Aspire 2.2 Turbo Diesel  6AT: from $36,490  

The Forester has always been a capable vehicle with well thought-out design and excellent build quality. The XT badge also tells you that it has performance. This Subaru AWD felt at home, chewing through kilometre after kilometre and providing passenger comfort on long-haul trips equal to or better than many luxury cars.Indeed, the Subaru Forester XT exhibits many traits of the highly renowned European marques: small engine with big performance, excellent handling and a solid feel. This is a vehicle that has been engineered for the driver and is extremely well suited to Australian conditions.VALUEThe Forester XT 2.0-litre is generously equipped with reverse camera, one touch folding rear seats, premium audio, full connectivity, dual zone climate control, roof rails, xenon headlights and more.The base model XT starts at $43,990 for the manualor automatic, while the XT Premium automatic variant rises to $50,490.TECHNOLOGYWe initially had doubts about Subaru's decision to make CVT the standard transmission (there's no manual shifter) in the high-performance XT Forester. Our opinions changed at the launch of the vehicle in northern Victoria in January.Those who want a sporty drive can use the paddle shifters on the steering wheel to access the eight ‘steps’ in the transmission. We found the CVT seamless in auto and exhilarating using the paddles.The CVT is linked to a new 2.0-litre Boxer engine that has Direct Injection Turbo-charging technology that Subaru claim significantly improves acceleration, fuel and environmental efficiency. The engine belts out 177 kW of power, with 350 Nm of torque between 2400 and 3600 rpm.DESIGNThe Forester XT is nothing really special to look at. It's what you can't see that makes a difference from the previous XT. The aerodynamics have improved by 11 per cent thanks to, among other things, a turbo guard under the engine bay and a rear spoiler. The lower body is also flared and the bonnet is now aluminium. The rear bumper corners have been designed with aerodynamics in mind.Subaru has not tried to re-invent the new Forester, but has made subtle changes throughout the vehicle to improve every aspect of the car. The cab is wider and has slightly more passenger space, the A-pillar has been moved forward by 200 mm which opens out the cab to feel more spacious and improve visibility.The front seats are all new and give more support, something which we found to our advantage on our long-haul trips around the WA wheat belt country. The interior is practical more than princely, but with the use of quality materials is has an all-class feel. Sound intrusion into the cabin is minimal and virtually none of it is engine/transmission generated.What we do like is the overall comfort level that meets the needs of passengers. For instance the doors have water bottle holders that mean even the driver can find the bottle and then replace is easily without taking their eyes off the road. The steering wheel controls are particularly easy to use including the cruise control, a handy feature for long distance travel.The cargo area has four metal tie-down points as well as grocery bag hooks on either side, stopping the dreaded spill of bottles and cans. Auxiliary and USB port and power sockets are all conveniently located. We also like the sun visor extensions – a small but important feature for early morning or afternoon driving in the bush. We used them often during this road test.This is really an SUV with dual personalities. By deleting the bonnet scoop that formerly adorned Forester XT models Subaru has located the new XT in the mainstream.SAFETYAll Subarus imported to Australia have a 5-star ANCAP safety rating.DRIVINGIn two weeks we have just racked up almost 2000 km in a new Subaru Forester XT in Western Australia. On long, straight outback roads with a sprinkling of city driving, gravel roads and a few windy bits thrown in this was our big test in the west. Our conclusion: the new Forester XT sets new standards for the medium SUV segment in performance, comfort and handling.The XT’s 2.0-litre is a terrific engine that is at its best when it is needed most: accelerating for high speed overtaking, particularly the B-doubles on WA's Great Eastern Highway. At times we were surprised at just how fast we were going when passing slower vehicles and the stability of the vehicle when making the manoeuvre.VERDICTWhen you combine Forester XTs long-leg performance with superb handling, along with the practical benefits of being a nicely proportioned wagon and AWD for safety and reasonable off-road ability, the Forester XT has just about created it's own niche. At 110 km/h Forester XT's engine is idling over at just 2000 rpm. We like it, a lot.MODEL RANGEForester 2.0i: $30,990 (manual)Forester 2.5i: $32,990 (automatic)Forester 2.0i-L: $33,490 (manual), $35,990 (automatic)Forester 2.5i-S: $43,990 (automatic)Forester 2.0D: $35,490 (manual)Forester 2.0D-L: $37,490 (manual)Forester 2.0D-S: $43,990 (manual)Forester 2.0XT: $43,490 (automatic)Forester 2.0XT Premium $50,490 (automatic)Subaru XT 2.0Price: from $43,490Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 177kW/350NmTransmission: CVT, AWDThirst: 8.1L/100km, 187g/km CO2Crash rating: 5-star ANCAPDimensions: 4595mm (L), 1795mm (W), 1735mm (H)Warranty: Three years/unlimited km

Subaru has spiced up its Outback range – and increased the number of potential buyers – by linking a sporty new CVT transmission to its AWD turbo-charged diesel models.The addition comes as part of an Outback facelift with external changes kept to a minimum, but a raft of mechanical improvements to enable the CVT-diesel link. This is the first time a Subaru CVT transmission has been hooked up to a high-torque boxer turbo-diesel.The long-overdue diesel/auto combination could not come at a better time for the Japanese maker. Last year SUVs accounted for 27 percent of all vehicle sales in Australia and this year that figure is running at 30.4 percent meaning that almost one in every three vehicles sold in Australia is SUV, a significant change in Australian buying patterns.The lack of a diesel boxer engine until 2012 held back Subaru Outback sales and then the lack of a diesel/auto combination meant it was not competing against rivals that had the sought-after pairing. Almost 95 percent of all SUV sales have auto transmissions.VALUEThe new Subaru Outback 2.0D CVT comes in two equipment grades, with the upper grade being called the Premium. The base model is $42,490, $2500 more than the manual 2.0D and the Premium $45,490. Premium gets an electric sunroof, leather trim, eight-way power driver's seat with memory function and electroluminescent gauges with colour information display.Both Outback 2.0D CVT models include satellite navigation, reversing camera, dual zone air conditioning and steering wheel mounted gear change paddles.TECHNOLOGYTransmission improvements include a larger torque converter with twin dampers, increased case thickness, changed primary reduction rate of 4.111 in the final gear and an added control plate to reduce noise from the oil pump. The 2.0D boxer engine has been upgraded from the 2012 model with no less than nine improvements to suit the CVT. These changes include elimination of piston spring bushes, changed valve springs, changed oil seals, changed sound proofing on the engine collector cover, changed starter motor and alternator, changed engine control unit to suit the CVT, addition of an air-cooled air cooler and turbo cover.The 1998 cc engine produces a modest 110 kW of power at 3600 rpm, but where it counts it has 350 Nm of torque between 1800 and 2400 rpm. DESIGNChanges to Outback styling include a revised grille, front bumper, foglight surrounds and wheel patterns.DRIVINGThe launch was really all about the transmission. It is no ordinary CVT (continuously variable transmission). Kick the right pedal hard and it jumps out of auto mode into one of the seven ‘steps’ that are the equivalent of gears in a traditional gearbox. In auto mode the CVT is seamlessly smooth even under hard acceleration to highway speeds. In manual mode, using the steering wheel paddles the steps have gear-like rapid changes, faster according to Subaru than conventional gearboxes. Not including we presume DSG transmissions.The real bonus in this new CVT is the lack of engine or transmission noise into the cabin. If you have a driven a CVT before and did not like the noise or sensation of a slipping clutch and/or over-revving engine you were not alone. Subaru engineers have overcome this type of issue with their CVT, a larger version of that used in the Forester XT. No doubt extra sound deadening and continual development of the transmission itself added to the improvement.Driven at normal speeds the Outback 2.0D CVT is possibly the smoothest and quietest car on the market under $50,000. Even driven hard noise intrusion into the cabin is minimal, even at high speeds on quiet country roads. The CVT has been designed to compensate for the narrow usable band of torque associated with diesel engines.Subaru Outback Diesel CVTPrice: from $42,490Warranty: 3 years/unlimited kmSafety: 7 airbags, ABS, ESC, EBD, TCCrash rating: 5-starEngine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo-diesel, 110kW/350NmTransmission: CVT auto; constant 4WDThirst: 6.5L/100km; 172g/km CO2Dimensions: 4.8m (L), 1.8m (W), 1.6m (H)Weight: 1606-1628kgSpare: Full-size

If you want a definition of the term `workhorse' look no further than Toyota's 70-Series LandCruiser. Whether it's carrying miners or carting hay bales in every farming community in Australia, the 70-Series is hard-working 4x4 that earns its keep day-in day-out, year-in, year-out.To put the 70-Series through its paces we took it to where it is most relevant: the pastures of south-east Queensland and a disused tin mining area, now known as Sundown National Park, just south of Stanthorpe, a 4WD-only park.About the first thing you notice when you leave the urban environment in south-east Queensland is the number of 70-Series single cab utes on cattle properties. These vehicles are rarely seen in major towns. Go to a mining area and the 70-Series that dominates those sites are wagons known as troopcarriers or in the vernacular `troopies'.VALUEThe LandCruiser 70 is an old-school 4WD that comes as either a wagon or a cab chassis, the latter range recently expanded to include the option of a dual cab. While the addition of the rear seats was primarily for the mining and rural sectors, we would not be surprised to see a few picked up by serious off-roaders as the family getaway vehicle.Our test vehicle was the dual-cab cab chassis in top-of-the-range (GXL) spec. This means differential locks are standard, remote locking with a new key fob and a new in-dash clock with multi functions. Just to keep owners grounded the 70-Series still has manual front locking hubs and rear suspension leaf springs.All variants are powered, and we mean powered, by a 4.5-litre V8 turbo diesel engine.TECHNOLOGYThis is where the 70-Series gets exciting. This 4.5-litre V8 turbocharged and intercooled engine develops 430 Nm of torque, on tap from just 1200 to 3200 rpm run through a five-speed manual gearbox. There is a transfer box with low range gearing and options of 2WD, 4WD high and 4WD low.The GXL also comes standard with front and rear differential locks available in 4WD high and low at the flick of a switch to the left of the steering column, firstly engaging the rear diff lock and if needed the front diff lock.DESIGNSince being introduced in 1984 as a replacement for the FJ40 series, the 70-Series has externally not changed a lot. It has an angular body that replaced the curved lines of the FJ40 line.Those original FJ40 smooth lines are now apparent on the Toyota FJ Cruiser, introduced in early 2011. The dual cab 70-Series ute is all about function and that is reflected in the basic design.Like the rest of the vehicle, the interior is designed for function not for looks. With a fair step up to get into the 70-Series there are seven grab handles to make it that bit easier for all five passengers. The front seats are comfortable, but lack a centre armrest.Also missing is cruise control, which is surprising given these are basically rural-use vehicles. The dash and instrument layout is user-friendly. We like the small rectangular mobile telephone holder just in front of the cup holder. We also liked the location of the 12V outlet that we used for our GPS.The rear seat has a fairly upright back and would test comfort levels for adults on long hauls. The rear seat has a fold and tumble ability should you need secure interior cargo space. The air conditioning worked well in hot, trying conditions.SAFETYThe bad news is this. Toyota will not be upgrading the 70-Series to modern safety standards and so the vehicle is likely to end production in around four years. In short one of the major customers for the 70-Series is the mining industry that is now, understandably, demanding 5-Star safety standards.Toyota is already developing the HiLux to these standards and is on the record as stating the 70-Series will not be upgraded with the likes of six airbags and stability control. As is stands the 70-Series has a three star rating but has just two airbags and recently gained ABS brakes. So this much loved fourby has entered the home straight in its 29th year.DRIVINGFor a vehicle that runs a pretty basic rigid live axle suspension, with leaf springs at the rear, the 70-Series handles remarkably well. Yes, the rear end can get a little twitchy on rough surfaces at speed and those same springs cause a pitching feeling on-road, which we suspect would calm down greatly with a load in the tray or a couple of passengers in the rear seat.On-road the vehicle has plenty of oomph, despite the gearing being aimed at slower, off-road conditions. In our drive out to Sundown we were rarely passed and the vehicle ate the steep Cunningham's Gap for breakfast in fifth gear. Although most of the tracks are not difficult they are rough-as-guts and it took around two hours of solid driving to travel 20 km. For most of the drive we used high range second gear, thanks to the enormous amount of torque on tap between 800 and 1200 rpm.VERDICTThe 70-Series GXL dual cab may well find a home with 4WD fanatics that like off-roading in difficult areas. They will not be disappointed. It may be old-school, but it's a hell of a truck.MODEL RANGEWorkmate 4.5-litre turbodiesel single cab chassis: $58,790 (manual)GX 4.5-litre turbodiesel single cab chassis: $60,790 (manual)GXL 4.5-litre turbodiesel single cab chassis: $62,790 (manual)Workmate 4.5-litre turbodiesel double cab chassis: $63,990 (manual)GXL 4.5-litre turbodiesel double cab chassis: $67,990(manual)Troop Carrier Workmate 4.5-litre turbodiesel five-door wagon: $65,790 (manual)Troop Carrier GXL 4.5-litre turbodiesel five-door wagon: $67,790 (manual)Workmate 4.5-litre turbodiesel five-door wagon: $59,990 (manual)GXL 4.5-litre turbodiesel five-door wagon: $64,290 (manual)Toyota LandCruiser 70-Series GXL 4.5-litre turbodiesel double cabPrice: from $67,990Engine: 4.5 litre turbodiesel, 151kW/430NmTransmission: 5-speed manual, 4WDThirst: 11.9 L/100km