Articles by Neil Dowling

The Koreans starred, the Japanese mounted a comeback, and One Ford hit the headlines with an extended family of Focus-based newcomers that it is certain to make a big hit in Australia. But it was one car and the commitment of its company chief that made the most impact as America fought back on the opening day of the 2011 North American International Motor Show. General Motors is sparring its Opel Mokka SUV against a Holden version of the Buick Encore. The Encore debuted yesterday on the GM stand at the Detroit motor show while Opel made a less dramatic announcement by press release. Both vehicles share the Corsa/Barina platform and the engines. Yet in Australia, the Opel Mokka will become a stablemate model alongside the Astra as Opel cements its local marketing program. Opel starts launching cars - the midsize Insignia sedan and wagon, Corsa small car and the Astra - from July this year. The Mokka will join the range early in 2013, probably about the same time as the Holden Encore makes its showroom debut. Opel claims it is the first German manufacturer to launch a contender in the growing sub-compact SUV segment. It says that despite its 4.28m length, the SUV can seat five adults "in a commanding position''. The Mokka will be available in either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive (AWD) layouts. Engines will be a selection from Corsa and Astra, including an 85kW normally-aspirated 1.6-litre petrol; 103kW/200Nm 1.4-litre turbo-petrol; and a 93kW/300Nm 1.7-litre turbo-diesel. All come with a six-speed manual transmission with stop-start technology, with the 1.4 and 1.7 having the option of a six-speed automatic. Opel says that the Mokka introduces new technologies to the SUV B-segment. These include driver-assistance technology like the "Opel Eye'' front camera system and a rearview camera. The Mokka carries ergonomic seating that has been certified by AGR the German healthy back expert organization Aktion Gesunder Rucken. Like other Opel wagon models, the Mokka has the option of being fitted with the fully integrated, latest generation Flex-Fix bicycle carrier. The three-bike carrier is a drawer that slides flush beneath the rear bumper when not in use. Opel Australia says the Mokka will be available at international Opel dealerships from end of 2012 onwards, with details and confirmation for Australian release to be confirmed later.

The Koreans starred, the Japanese mounted a comeback, and One Ford hit the headlines with an extended family of Focus-based newcomers that it is certain to make a big hit in Australia. But it was one car and the commitment of its company chief that made the most impact as America fought back on the opening day of the 2011 North American International Motor Show. Kia has restyled its Europe-only Cee'd hatch - the model that has featured as one of Top Gear's celebrity-thrashed "reasonably-priced cars'' - to lure more buyers. But the subtle changes won't appear on the Cee'd's clone, the Cerato, for Australia. Kia Australia spokesman Kevin Hepworth says we get a new Cerato - including the coupe version - next year and won't consider the Cee'd. "It's a different car for a different market,'' he says. "The current planning is to stay with the Cerato.'' Kia is still considering its highly-praised small car, the Picanto, for Australia but on more solid ground, is to make platform enhancements to its Sorento SUV later this year. The 2012 Cee'd will be launched in Europe from the second quarter and make its world premiere at the 82nd Geneva International Motor Show on March 6, 2012.

INDIANS are adept at packing their expansive families within the confines of their small cars.There seems to be no end to the variations on human sardines but for economical reasons, the preference of vehicles is a hatchback. Like a Hyundai i20 which is as popular in downtown Delhi as it is in central Sydney.But if you have the big family, why not treat them to a bit of space? Like the i20 times two, the i40, which is as expansive as an Aussie wagon yet almost as cheap to run as a cramped hatchback.Hyundai sells on value for money and the i40 doesn't disappoint. There's a big eight-model selection of petrol and diesel engines, manual and auto transmissions and tiers of features that will propel the wagon from $32,490 to $46,490.The Active turbo-diesel with auto trans tested here costs $36,490 which i s $5500 cheaper than the base Commodore Sportwagon. Priceless is the massive five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty. Standard kit is excellent, including nine airbags, Bluetooth, electric park brake, trip computer and front-rear airconditioning.Long and with a few bits of curved panel creases and a tapered glass profile, it looks European - it was designed there - and roomy. The shape returns a long cargo area and excellent rear leg and headroom, though the flowing lines impairs the dr iver's ability to judge its corners when parking.The cabin is generally well executed and even criticism of the complex dash shape is diluted by its distinctive lines. Some switchgear is poorly placed - the vent's fan control is on the passenger side of the console - but the electric parkbrake makes some amends.The big news is .. oh, there's no big news. The i40 gets Hyundai-Kia's strong little 1.7-litre oiler that bolts to a six-speed automatic with sequential shift. It hauls 1659 kg dry which is perhaps a big ask - and a reason why the tow rating is a low-ish 1800kg - so acceleration is leisurely until it hits strength around 2200rpm.Hyundai doesn't disappoint with a comprehensive audio set-up and safety list.Nine airbags, the full kit and kaboodle of electronic stuff - corner braking, stability and traction control, brake assist, brakeforce distribution and a hillholder - add to a five-star crash rating and a full-size spare wheel.European designed i ndicates a lean towards a sporty drive. Nup. This may be penned in Germany but the Korean-built wagon is soft underfoot and made for comfort. And in that regard, it succeeds. It is a very good tourer and settles solid on the road - though the electric steering has no feel - and returns brilliant economy.One traffic-rich city-suburban route over 120km returned a very low 6.7 L/100km. The diesel calls on all six cogs to maximise its narrow-band power delivery and even when pushed, the drivetrain is composed and fuss-free. It's only downfall in the city is its body shape that hides its corners and can make parking difficult.

Ford will make India its small-car export springboard to global markets. The head of Ford India, country NSW-bred Michael Boneham, says growth for his company will be 60-70 per cent over the next eight years on the back of new models and a $2 billion investment in new plants. India produces 3-million vehicles a year, most for domestic consumption, and Ford has a 4 per cent share to annually sell 120,000 cars. But by 2020 the nation's production is expected to hit 8-million vehicles with a ramp-up in exports and a string of new models. Ford, for one, is investing $2 billion in factories - one new plant in the north-west and upgrades to its existing engine-car plant in the south-east. It is also lifting its workforce by 50 per cent at one plant, to 15,000 people.  ``By 2020, one-third of Ford's global sales will be in Asia,'' he says. 'It's currently one-sixth. India is as critical to Ford as is China or Thailand. ``But in India cars are smaller and so profit margins are equally smaller. So we have to work smarter.'' Ford only started exporting its Indian products last year. That car was the Australian-designed and engineered Figo (a five-door hatch) and sales were recorded in some adjoining Asian countries. Ford last year added the Fiesta to its production lines at its Chennai plant in south-east India. Late this year Ford expects Figo will become swamped by its 100-plus country export program for the Fiesta-based EcoSport SUV. ``EcoSport is huge for us,'' Boneham says. ``But it's only the start. We will have eight global products by mid-decade. ``The first is the Fiesta, the second is the EcoSport and I can't tell you the rest. All are on the B-segment platform - we're not doing bigger platforms here.'' Though not qualified, Ford intends to make India its source of B-segment vehicles while Thailand will build light-commercial vehicles such as Ranger and the 2013 Everest, a Ranger-based 4WD wagon. Larger models will come out of North and South America, with C-D segment cars - Focus to Mondeo - from Europe and the US.

The Koreans starred, the Japanese mounted a comeback, and One Ford hit the headlines with an extended family of Focus-based newcomers that it is certain to make a big hit in Australia. But it was one car and the commitment of its company chief that made the most impact as America fought back on the opening day of the 2011 North American International Motor Show.Chevrolet makes toys for grown ups who believe they can act like kids, so the combination should produce an enthusiast's dream car.Chevrolet and Hot Wheels have created a life-size concept that revisits the motor show circus in Detroit this week after its first showing at last year's debut at the SEMA show in Las Vegas.The Camaro Hot Wheels concept is inspired by Hot Wheels' Custom Camaro, the finger-sized Spectraflame 1:64-scale toy that was part of the original 16 Hot Wheels cars released in 1968. The project was a collaborative effort between the General Motors Design studio in Michigan and the Hot Wheels Design studio in California. Each sketched its own ideas of a life-size Hot Wheels Camaro, compared notes and refined their visions until the concept hit the right note for each group of designers."The Camaro has been a mainstay in the Hot Wheels lineup since 1968,'' says Phil Zak, GM design director. "Several generations of car enthusiasts grews up playing with Hot Wheels Camaros, while dreaming of driving the real thing, so this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make that dream a reality.''There was a similar buzz of excitement in the Hot Wheels studio."The Hot Wheels and Camaro brands have been paired together since their inception,'' said Felix Holst, vice president of design for the Mattel Wheels Division."As part of the brand's historic sweet 16, the Camaro was the first Hot Wheels car ever produced. The Spectraflame paint and redline tires of those first Hot Wheels cars have been the dreams of guys for generations, and it was thrilling to inject these elements into a Camaro for real.''The full-size result creates a car that is instantly identifiable as a Camaro with styling cues - including flat-black graphics, red-line wheels and the metallic green paint - that are classic Hot Wheels.The original Hot Wheels cars debuted with their metallic Spectraflame paint finishes, and the Camaro Hot Wheels Concept features a chrome-style finish created in a similar manner - that is, a tinted top coat over a shiny base.The reflective finish was created using Gold Touch Inc's Cosmichrome product, starting with the application of a primer coat on an immaculately prepared surface. The primer coat was then sprayed with a liquid-metal solution to create the mirror-smooth, silver-chrome base coat. Then the green tint was applied in several layers until the right colour effect was achieved."It may sound pretty straightforward, but no one had ever tried using this process to paint a whole car,'' says Zak."The bodywork and paint team experimented with several processes before spraying the first body panel. There were so many variables that contributed to getting the finish perfect, from the drying time to the air pressure of the spray guns - none of which was known before this project - and the team absolutely nailed it perfectly."Additional features of the Camaro Hot Wheels Concept include:Over Chrome Green paint with ghosted Hot Wheels logo on the quarter panelsSatin black ground effects (splitter, rocker and rear fascia-side extensions)Satin black wheels with milled face and Torch Red stripe: 20x10-inch (front) and 20x11-inch (rear)ZL1 grille with Hot Wheels badgingHot Wheels badge on the decklidEuro-style taillamps with new inner smoked lensEuro-style rear fascia with new diffuser and exhaust bezelsZL1 rear spoilerChevrolet Accessories Modified Satin Black StripeBlack aluminum CAMARO fender badges with milled faceBlack aluminum hood insert with milled hood vent extractorsChevrolet Accessories Synergy Series gill decalsBlack leather-wrapped IP and door inserts with Torch Red accents, and cut-and-sew flamesHot Wheels sill platesHot Wheels cut-and-sew embroidered logos in the front seatbacksChevrolet Accessories pedal kitChevrolet Accessories footwell and cup holder lighting (red)Brembo brakes: six-piston front with two-piece rotors and four-piston calipers (Chevrolet Official Licensed Product)Suspension lowering kit by Pedders (Chevrolet Official Licensed Product)Chevrolet Accessories strut tower braceChevrolet Accessories black engine coverChevrolet Accessories exhaust system.Under the hood is the all-aluminum 6.2-litre LS3 V8 backed by the Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual transmission.Hot Wheels is making a collectors edition 1:64-scale model based on the full-size concept.It will be the 18th 1:64-scale Hot Wheels Camaro model produced since 1968, all with a variety of colours and configurations. During the past 44 years, literally millions of Hot Wheels Camaro models have been produced.The original Custom Camaro from 1968 remains one of the most valuable Hot Wheels toys among collectors. That year, Hot Wheels produced all the Custom Camaro models with Spectraflame paint - except for one version in white enamel.Today, examples of the Spectraflame Custom Camaro in excellent condition can sell for $150 or more. Only 15 white enamel versions are known to exist, and none are in their original packages.The value of a white enamel Custom Camaro is upwards of $3000, says Holst. But if one still existed in the package, the value could be tens of thousands of dollars.

The Koreans starred, the Japanese mounted a comeback, and One Ford hit the headlines with an extended family of Focus-based newcomers that it is certain to make a big hit in Australia. But it was one car and the commitment of its company chief that made the most impact as America fought back on the opening day of the 2011 North American International Motor Show. Bentley’s bi-turbo V8 engine sets a new, downsized standard for the company as Detroit previews two cars with its new powerplants. The Volkswagen-owned luxury car maker claims slicing off four cylinders from its W12 engine - Bentley is the UK’s biggest 12-cylinder engine manufacturer - has resulted in a 40 per cent fuel saving and emission reduction. Yet the 4-litre V8, which is related to the family’s Audi 4.2-litre engine, pumps a hot 373kW and 660Nm. The engine debuts this week at the Detroit motor show in the Continental GT and the convertible version, the GTC. The W12 engine will remain an option. Features of the V8 are direct injection, two turbochargers and intercoolers, and the ability to switch to become a V4 when coasting to reduce fuel use. It is bolted to a new close-ration eight-speed automatic transmission and drives to all wheels. Bentley says: “The arrival of the new V8 Continental models fulfils Bentley’s environmental commitment to produce a new powertrain that delivers a 40 per cent improvement in fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions.’’ “The instantly recognisable growl of the new 4.0 litre V8 engine sets it apart from its Bentley stablemates.’’ The V8 models of the Continental are distinguished by a black grille with chrome frame and centre bar, a red enamel Bentley ‘B’ badge, and a black matrix three-segment lower front bumper divided by body-coloured strakes. At the rear, the pair get chrome “figure eight’’ exhaust tailpipes, a dark lower valance and red enamel ‘B’ bootlid badge. Both models have 20-inch alloy wheels as standard with an optional 21‑inch six-spoke design which is available in dramatic Diamond Black (exclusive to the Continental V8) or Diamond Silver finishes. Inside the cabin, an Eliade cloth headlining, new contemporary Dark Fiddleback Eucalyptus veneers, optional two-tone leather colour split and short centre console continue the fresh, sporting design theme. Since the launch of the original GT in 2003, the W12-engined Continental range has recorded over 50,000 sales worldwide.

The Koreans starred, the Japanese mounted a comeback, and One Ford hit the headlines with an extended family of Focus-based newcomers that it is certain to make a big hit in Australia. But it was one car and the commitment of its company chief that made the most impact as America fought back on the opening day of the 2011 North American International Motor Show.The car follows the path of its 2005 Detroit show special, the Ragster. Like the forgotten Ragster, the Volkswagen E-Bugster Concept is a redesign of the Beetle, though the newer exercise is based on the latest Bug.E-Bugster - which has little chance of seeing a production line - is a design theme atop Volkswagen’s Blue-e-motion electric drivetrain that is planned this year to underpin a variant of the Golf.Volkswagen says the E-Bugster - slash Golf-e - uses an electric motor up front and a lithium-ion battery beneath the rear chassis. It claims a 160km range and the option of a quick charge that’ll get 80 per cent of it fired up within 30 minutes.The electric motor produces 85kW and about 270Nm of torque. That’s the inside. The outside is the new, new Beetle - in Australia in November this year - with 75mm chopped from the roof pillars and set on 20-inch wheels.There’s also slight changes to the nose and tail and LED daytime running lights. Only extra instruments - including the deletion of the tachometer and a energy-consumption meter in its place - identify the interior.The E-Bugster Concept is purely a showcase for the drivetrain - much as the Bulli was to present a new-age Kombi. Bulli is still a strong chance for production though will initially be fitted with the Up/Polo petrol and diesel drivetrain options. An electric Bulli - as shown at last year’s Geneva motor show - will come later.The same timeline is expected of the E-Bugster though the chances of it making it to showroom with a chopped roof are - zero.

The Koreans starred, the Japanese mounted a comeback, and One Ford hit the headlines with an extended family of Focus-based newcomers that it is certain to make a big hit in Australia. But it was one car and the commitment of its company chief that made the most impact as America fought back on the opening day of the 2011 North American International Motor Show.The 2013 Ford Fusion - which will also provide the platform for the next Mondeo for Europe under Ford boss Alan Mulally's "One Ford" mandate - is the vital C/D segment car that will spawn the sedan, an SUV and a sports variant.It will also become the platform for a hybrid version and one called the Energi - a plug-in hybrid with a 1.6-litre petrol engine and electric motor.Fusion picks up some design cues from the Evos concept shown at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show by Ford's style chief J Mays. Mays, interviewed also at last week's Delhi motor show, says the Fusion's lines - and especially the Territory/Falcon grille - will carry over to most Ford products within five years.The Fusion will come in three trim levels - S, SE and Titanium - and three engines. They are a 2.5-litre petrol four; 1.6-litre EcoBoost petrol four; and 2-litre EcoBoost four. The latter engine will this year be added to the Falcon powertrain lineup.There's no V6 but other markets may get a diesel in the version badged Mondeo. All are front-drive but - and this will prick up attention in Australia - there will be an all-wheel drive option.In a statement, Ford says: "Featuring a sleek silhouette and fresh face, the all-new Fusion is the latest in a series of vehicles from Ford - following the 2011 Fiesta subcompact and 2012 Focus small cars - developed to satisfy customers everywhere looking for leading fuel efficiency, helpful technologies and game-changing looks. It claims Fusion will deliver "best-in-class fuel economy"."Fusion brings the broadest selection of fuel-efficient powertrains in the midsize car segment."It offers hybrid and plug-in hybrid alternatives, a pair of EcoBoost four-cylinder engines, a normally aspirated four-cylinder engine, an automatic start stop system to shut off the engine at stationary idle, front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive applications, and a choice between automatic and manually shifted six-speed transmissions."The 1.6-litre EcoBoost is expected to deliver best-in-class four-cylinder non-hybrid fuel efficiency."The 2.0-litre EcoBoost engine - paired with a paddle-shifted six-speed SelectShift Automatic (dual-clutch) transmission, available 19-inch wheels and tires and all-wheel drive with the ability to send additional torque to the rear - is the Fusion performance option."The Fusion Hybrid gets lithium-ion batteries to save weight and generate more power than previous nickel-metal hydride batteries, while raising maximum speed under electric-only power from 75km/h to 100km/h.Fusion Hybrid has a new 2-litre Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder petrol engine, significantly downsized from the previous 2.5-litre unit, while maintaining performance standards.Ford says its hybrid will "outperform the 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid and the 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid".The Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid is planned by Ford to be the most fuel-efficient midsize car in the world.On the market in the third quarter of 2012, Fusion Energi is anticipated to deliver better economy that the Chevrolet Volt and the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid model.Fusion will be built at Ford's Hermosillo, Mexico, and then additional production will be sourced from the AutoAlliance International Plant in Flat Rock, Michigan.Fusion goes on sale later this year and Mondeo will follow early in 2013.The car will appear in Ford showrooms in North America and South America and Mondeo will follow for Europe and Asia and Australia early in 2013.

Former Prime Minister John Howard knew what it was like at the summit.Like any peak in geography or commerce, the top is lonely, cold and the footing is treacherous. Add to that the hundreds of voracious rivals biting at your ankles to prove that winning does have its price.Like John Howard, Toyota's Hilux has stood at the top of an Australia mountain for decades. The ute mountain. Almost 700,000 have been sold here since 1968 and more than half were 4WDs.Unlike John Howard, Toyota has regularly visited the make-over artist for a new look and it's this refreshment that has kept the Hilux the market winner.New for 2011 is a sheet metal exercise for the nose and extras for the cabin. Not much, really. But maybe it won't take much to stay ahead.VALUEIf there's one complaint about the Hilux it's the constant whinging by buyers about the price. Most say it's too expensive. Perhaps the rivals are too cheap. Regardless, at $53,490 the SR5 dual-cab 4WD turbo-diesel automatic doesn't look cheap but for 2011 comes with a heap of extras and a $2200 price reduction on the 2010 model.The upgraded features includes a beaut touch-screen audio and sat-nav unit; Bluetooth; auto climate aircon; six airbags; and electronic stability control. It's not cheap - though what is? - but resale is strong.DESIGNForgetting the Holden and Ford car-based utes for a moment, the Japanese-bred workhorse versions are becoming so stylish even your wife will drive one. Maybe. All look good in the driveway and the Hilux doesn't disappoint with a family grille - resembling the Kluger - prominent enough to mark it as a new model.The rest of the ute is as before though the cabin has a more  upmarket feel, the touch-screen audio looks almost luxurious; and the practicality remains. But the tail gate is still to heavy compared with many rivals and the manual operation of the low-range transfer case is old hat.TECHNOLOGYThe drivetrain is a carry over from 2010 which is actually date-stamped 2005. It will be another four years before a really new Hilux appears. But though it all sounds oldfashioned, the SR5 will easily hold its head high among the newcomers. The 126kW/343Nm 3-litre  diesel looks down on power compared with others but that doesn't transfer to on and off-road feel.The auto is a five-speed unit and together with the diesel, Toyota claims 9.3 L/100km for the 4WD. Suspension is simple wishbones at the front and leaf springs out back, with front disc brakes and rear drums.SAFETYYes, the SR5 gets ESC, traction control, brake assist and brakeforce distribution plus six airbags. But it is the only Hilux model to get these safety features as standard. They are o ptional on some other versions. The Hilux has a four-star crash rating which compares, for example, with the five-star result for the Ford Ranger and Mazda BT-50.DRIVINGLike most 4WD utes, the Hilux diesel works as an automatic. The box picks up the best shift points and that extends to working perfectly in sand. I trundled the Hilux down a distant beach and, with the tyres down to 12psi, confidently but slowly paddled around the bay's foreshore. It's still a very good engine - despite the co mpetition - and gearbox, but an electric transfer case would make life easier.The manual shift is stiff to the point of rigid, awkward and imprecise. Cabin comfort is good - but the engine isn't quiet, notably when accelerating - while room is on par with most but down on rear seat legroom on the Ranger/Mazda pair. Typical of the genre, the turning circle is wide and the steering wheel feel is vague while braking power is just adequate. Simple suspension works prfectly with excellent rear wheel  travel to maximise traction.VERDICTYes, it's just a makeover and there's a long way to go before an all-new model but the Hilux remains extremely competent and competitive.

ONLY just the other day I learnt that for the first time since 2005, a non-US band had won Chicago music critic Pitchfork Media's best track of the year award. French group M83 won it for their dreamy Midnight City single and though you probably don't give a rat's, what is interesting is that a lot of middle-aged to older music lovers actually know, and like, this song.What these oldies are doing in territory supposedly occupied only by teenagers is unusual at best, creepy at worst. But oldies are widening their tastes into zones that grandma and grandpa would never dare  to enter. They're wearing Vans, taking up extreme sports and buying girl-size city cars at such a rate that the average age of light-car buyers is just over 40 with an average household income of more than $100,000. And you youngsters thought you had it all to yourselves.On a buck for benefits ratio, the 2011 Toyota Yaris is better than before. It sits in a very tough market segment so to keep interest afloat, Toyota has expanded the feature list, changed the look, boosted cabin space and kept its reliable drivetrain. No doubt it's a good package. The YRX automatic tested is the most expensive Yaris you can buy. At $21,390 it is $400 more expensive than a manual Corolla Ascent hatch but I'd argue the former is a far better buy. Top gear includes a touch screen sat-nav with a USB/iPod compatible audio, seven airbags and alloy wheels.It follows its predecessor's stubby-wedge theme but is chunkier and the design focus has been deliberately pushed slightly towards the male buyer. I like the look but one of my daughters disagrees. She's wrong. The Yaris is purposeful and has Tardis inclinations, with its boxy dimensions and wheel-at-each-corner frame indicative of the excellent cabin space. The central instrument panel is long gone and so is the budget dash. Though hard plastic, the two-tone dash looks good and works well. The single windscreen wiper is so clever - and very European - that I had it on just to enjoy its sway.Not a lot has changed over the p redecessor when it comes to the drivetrain. Really, nothing had to. I'd argue that a six-speed auto - like its rival Ford Fiesta - would improve driveability and economy but acknowledge that the car's price would jump. So the four-speed auto remains. The YRX engine is a 80kW/141Nm 1.5-litre, while base models get a 63kW/121Nm 1.3-litre unit. Yaris is now 100mm longer but a weight-reduction program has shaved 20kg from its mass. Together with a retuned engine and friction-reducing technology, the  lighter body allows the engine to drink less. Toyota claims the 1.5 auto now gets 6.3 L/100km.Toyota expects the Yaris to get a five-star rating based on crash testing overseas. All models come standard with seven airbags, electronic stability and traction control, ABS brakes (though drums on the rear), brake assist and features such as front seats that are designed to lessen whiplash injury.What a surprise. Thoughts that the engine would be gaspy down low and screaming up hi gh because of the four-speed auto were all wrong. The car is a delight to drive thanks to a 1.5 with a broad spread of power. But even better is the solid feel of the Yaris on the road. It hustles through corners - but tends t understeer and the height enhances body roll - and does it all with high passenger comfort and minimal noise. The driving position is better than before with more side support for the body and full adjustment for the steering wheel. It will seat four adults - and has a dec ent luggage area - but performance is dulled by the extra weight.Most of the 25-plus cars in the light-car category are value but the Yaris is one of the top-five stand-outs. Basically, you can't go wrong with this car.