Articles by Paul Gover

Some models — and intending buyers — are victims of their own success. Can you wait two years?

One of the most famous in Australia was the late Peter Brock, who did plenty of wild and wicked things during his early days on the road including rolling his early-model Holden more than a couple of times. Brock was lucky because he had the talent to survive, and also began driving when the roads were far less crowded than they are in 2010.Far too many of today's beginners do not have Brock's advantages . . . The road toll among Australia's youth is rising and so is the incidence of anti-social behaviour in cars, even among young women who now show many of the same aggressive signs as boys when they get behind the wheel. Everyone is looking for a 'silver bullet' solution to the problem, but nothing about road safety is ever as simple as a single test, or a single course, or a single set of limitations on rookies.Instead, experts in road safety - Brock himself before he died, driver trainers across the country and many other experts - agree that the key is education and attitude. Personally, I only survived my first few years on the road thanks to a driver training course run by the late Peter Wherrett. He was a pioneer in the business but cracked heads and cut people down to sized, emphasising the need to treat driving as a serious business.Mark Skaife sees it the same way. He describes driving as a 'life skill' and something that everyone has a responsibility to do well. Talk to another of today's leading driver trainers, Ian Luff, and you get a clear picture of what needs to be done. He has 28 years experience in driver training, having begun with Wherrett, and is now focussed on young drivers with a program called 'Drive to Survive'. It's now being picked up at many schools in NSW and is focussed on teaching the right skills and attitudes."A thinking driver is a surviving driver," says Luff. "The whole methodology behind the program is about taking speed off the streets and teaching young kids the right attitude. It's about adaptive change, helping kids change to more pro-active behaviour on the road."Luff has some great examples. "It's like the drill that puts the hole in the wall in the wrong place. People want to blame the Makita, not the person holding it," Luff says. He is not a fan of government crackdowns and simplistic advertising campaigns with snappy slogans."Look at the sign that says 'wet paint, don't touch it'. Everyone just has to touch the paint. It's the same with 'Wipe off 5' and 'How fast are you going now?" "If you really want to make a change in behaviour, you have to have education and you have to start young. Give kids the skills they need, but also the knowledge to make the right decisions when they're behind the wheel."

One of the hottest cars of 2013, the waitlisted Range Rover Evoque, is now on special. Nissan has put a red pen through the showroom sticker of its raunchy 370Z, ripping as much as $12,000 off the bottom line.And there are $22,990 drive-away deals on the Volkswagen Golf, the early favourite for the Carsguide Car of the Year crown having set a small-car benchmark in Australia. That's the reality of dollar dealing as the clock winds down rapidly to the end of 2013 and the majority of the 60-plus car brands in Australia slash prices to clear their decks by December 31.Hyundai has even turned its i20 baby into what amounts to a $10,990 car. It normally sits just below $15,000 as a starting point but, thanks to free on-road costs and an automatic that adds nothing to the bottom line, it's now $14,990 as a drive-away automatic. Once you do the sums, that means the real price for the car is $10,990.This sort of pricing is setting new standards on value for anyone looking to buy. And it's great news for anyone who wants a new car in their Christmas stocking. So here's a few of the best to help in the bargain hunt and the countdown to Christmas.1. FIAT 500 POP $14,000There is nothing on the road that's as fun or funky as the Italian baby. Its retro styling draws directly from the good times in the 1950s, with a modern twist on things such as safety and aircon. It was overpriced in Australia for far too long but a change of importer - to a direct factory operation - means everything in the Fiat-Chrysler empire is now priced much sharper for down under distribution. The best news on the 500 front is the 1.2-litre starter car, the Pop, but there is a value boost throughout the range. Fiat has also just added the Panda to its range from $16,500 drive-away. 2. MAZDA3  from $19,990, drive-awayThe end is coming fast for the current Mazda3 but it's still the No. 2 choice in showrooms (shaded by the Toyota Corolla) so far this year. It's also a rock-solid small car that does everything well and nothing particularly badly.It's not as good as the latest Hyundai i30 or Corolla, and the all-new 3 coming before the end of the year will push it straight into the history books. It's still great buying and a car to recommend to friends. 3. HOLDEN CRUZE from $19,490The Holden baby is part of the drive-away push with prices from $20,490, a significant saving on a car that gets better and better as Holden's engineers continue their local improvement work. It's not the best in the class, or the best value, but it's a good family car with plenty of space and solid credentials as a starting-price Equipe model. It's also the best way you can vote for the Australian car industry, at a time when support for the Commodore is not as strong as it has been in the past. 4. OPEL ASTRA  NegotiateIf you're looking for a real bargain, it could be worthwhile to track down an Opel orphan. The German brand gave up on its Australian ambitions after less than a year, leaving dealers marooned and with some stocks of worthwhile cars. The Astra is the best of the bunch, and also the best buying if you can crunch the right numbers below $20,000. No need to worry about ongoing support - Opel is part of the GM family and the company still has to ensure a supply of parts for 10 years.5. TOYOTA CAMRY  from $30,490How does a $4000 discount on a Aussie-focused family carsound? That's what Toyota is delivering on its Camry Altise, which is now down to $26,990 on the road as part of a so-called clearance of 2013 cars. The Camry is no firebrand but it ticks all the boxes for a family car and is bulletproof for the long run and also as a used prospect. It's built in Melbourne. 6. HONDA CR-V  from $27,490We're not great fans of the current Honda line-up but the CR-V was on the podium at last year's Car of the Year judging and it's one that the Carsguide crew is happy to recommend. With an annual clearance now into full swing, promising sharp prices and free onroads, the CR-V is the one we'd choose as a value buy in the compact SUV class. 7. MAZDA CX-5 from $27,880The class-leading CX-5, at least by Carsguide standards, has just had a value boost that includes everything from improved suspension tuning for Australian roads through to extra equipment on the mid-level Maxx Sport. That means there will be sharper prices on pre-update cars, especially if you can find a pre-registered demonstrator in the right colour.8. MITSUBISHI TRITON  from $31,990How does a $2000 cheque for Xmas shopping sound? And you'll have a ute tray to lug your booty home for December 25. That's the promise as Mitsubishi boosts value on the Triton GLX 4WD, a solid if not class-leading member of the work-and-play ute crew. Or you can just take the $2000 as a showroom bonus, which cuts the drive-away price to $29,9909. McLAREN MP4-12C  from $398,000We all have to dream. And the supercar McLaren is a true dream machine, even if a Ferrari 458 shades it for motoring theatre and head-turning ability. It tops our Christmas list because it is so fast, so sublime and beautifully built, and it's now $100,000 cheaper than it was at the start of 2013. OK, it's not a bargain if you don't have $400,000 to splash on a Christmas treat, but it is still smart buying and a great way to prepare for 2014.This reporter is on Twitter: @paulwardgover 

Two Subaru starlets headlined a Hollywood-style LA premiere at the city’s motor show. The WRX has the leading role and the coming Liberty is playing support with a pointer to a fresh showroom contender early in 2015.The production-ready WRX is a predictable revision of a Japanese classic, still with a turbocharged engine and all-wheel-drive but in a new body with a new approach, while the Legacy Concept hints at a significantly bigger and tougher looking Liberty for Australia. There have been all sorts of heady predictions about the new WRX, but the reality is much less adventurous than it could have been - particularly in the styling. And there is no hybrid boost.There is direct fuel injection on a new-age 2.0-litre boxer engine (199kW/349Nm) and Subaru's SI drive adjusts the driveline response. A six-speed manual is standard but, as generally hated by Carsguide, the WRX now comes with a constantly variable automatic. The four-door sedan body is well watered down from the WRX concept that got hearts pounding around the globe, but Subaru says it's much more rigid and has significantly more cabin space.It has a much curvier roofline than the Impreza sedan but there are only two common body panels, the boot being one of them. Inside, it gets a flat-bottom steering wheel for the first time and lots more soft-touch plastic. Safety improvements include an airbag for the driver's knee. The WRX will hit Australia early in 2014 and the STI hot rod will follow within six months, with a likely first appearance at the Detroit motor show in January."The biggest difference for the new WRX is in the driving experience. There is a step change to the driving response," says Subaru Australia managing director Nick Senior. "From day one, the engineers have concentrated on the driving experience. It's in the chassis, the suspension, and even the body, to elevate the driving experience. And it's got the direct-injection turbo for the first time." Senior also says WRX buyers can expect more than just a $20,000 car with a lot of go-faster gear."This is, without a doubt, the biggest change since we launched the WRX back in March 1994," he says. "It has stepped away from an Impreza as a donor car. There is a dramatic uplift in the quality of the interior, which is where customers have shown the most tolerance in the past."It's been benchmarked against some top European names, in terms of earning its stripes." The new WRX is the final piece in a three-pronged small-car attack by Subaru, joining the XV compact SUV and Impreza.It will only be sold as a four-door sedan in Australia because only 16 per cent of local deliveries in the outgoing model were hatchbacks. Senior refuses to talk pricing yet but admits it could be difficult to hold the showroom sticker at the current level. "It's going to be very tough with the additional specification in the car," he says. He confirms there will be several levels of equipment in the new car."It will be late in quarter one next year. For the last 10 years we've had a basic WRX and a premium model, so that will continue," he says. "We're hopeful the STI will be a couple of months later. There won't be a huge gap. I'm reluctant to talk too much about it." But Senior is certain of the bottom line on the WRX. "It's a car, not a badge," he says bluntly.This reporter is on Twitter: @paulwardgover_______________________________________ 

Toyota’s No.1 sales place is a foregone conclusion this year - yet again. It has cranked up the buyer bait to December 31, partly to ensure that the Corolla becomes the country's top choice for the first time. Shoppers are being lured with drive-away deals for all the Toyota family, with the exception of the king-of-the-hill LandCruiser that never needs any help.A Yaris at $15,490 on the road opens the action. A dozen dollar deals run through to the seven-seater Kluger family hauler and three choices from the HiLux ute line-up. Hyundai might have begun the push for drive-away pricing in Australia but Toyota now accepts the benefits to buyers. And it means its decidedly vanilla cars get a tasty push.'Drive-away is the most transparent and simplest message for a consumer to know the value position of our products," says Toyota Australia sales and marketing chief Tony Cramb. He knows Toyota buyers are not the most adventurous group but also realises they are looking for value in addition to the rock-solid strengths of the world's favourite brand.Toyota has been No.1 for 16 years in Australia, including every year since 2003, and has set an aggressive target for this year of more than 20 per cent of total sales. 'Being No.1 is the outcome of consistently providing the consumer with products that meet their requirement, that offer excellent value and a great ownership experience.'The deals we have currently in the market are to support our annual sales target," says Cramb. 'Our -All Out' deal is a 2013 plate clearance which is also a play on words that subtly ties in with our sponsorship of the Australian cricket team." Toyota Australia has plenty of stock, as do all its rivals, so the closer it gets to December 31 the more potential there is for a deal that even undercuts the special online offers at toyota.com.au. Price: from $15,490Engine: 1.5L four-cylinder, 80kW/141NmTransmission: 5-speed manual, FWDThirst: 5.8L/100km  Some of the Carsguide crew reckon the current Yaris is not as good as the old one but it remains a rock-solid choice with bulletproof resale. Most people buy them as suburban runabouts or starter cars, not racers, so they do the job.Best choices from the Toyota drive-away deals Price: from $26,990 Engine: 2.4L four-cylinder, 133kW/231NmTransmission: 6-speed auto, FWDThirst: 7.8L/100km  It might be as exciting as a fridge - it does indeed look best in white - but it ticks all the boxes for family motoring. Local tuning means excellent suspension. It's quiet and comfortable and the aircon is fantastic. Buying a Camry also helps Australian manufacturing.  Price: from $39,990 (7-seater)Engine: 3.5L V6, 201kW/337NmTransmission: 5-speed auto, FWDThirst: 11.0L/100km  We've just seen the new Kluger in the US and ours looks a lot better, although down on cabin space. This is the smartest pick in the Kluger litter, combining a seven-seater cabin with cheaper front-wheel drive, and that works just fine for lots of families.SECOND-HANDSomebody asks every single week about the ideal choice for The Big Trip, lapping Australia with a caravan. Amid plenty of good choices, only one is right. The Toyota LandCruiser ticks every single box, from bulletproof reliability to great airconditioning and the best service backup beyond the Black Stump.You could go for a Nissan Patrol but it's lumpy and grumpy. The Toyota HiLux is strong but it's only a ute. And the Jeep Grand Cherokee is all right but only hits its best in the current model. And would you really trust a Range Rover in the outback, or be prepared to spend big on one?The LandCruiser is a proven performer and I've yet to hear of anyone complaining about the previous-generation model, the 100 Series. It has great turbo diesel pulling power and a huge range, can carry almost anything and go almost anywhere. A second-hand LandCruiser is not cheap but you get what you pay for and it's the outback icon.This reporter is on Twitter: @PaulWardGover

That means anything that was built in 2013, even if the odometer is still a line of zeros, is a bargain today. Shoppers know it, dealers know it and car companies know it. That is why there are so many "clearance" sales running during March.Anything from 2013 is now a discount deal, although there will be some people who try to disguise a car's age to protect their bottom line. The easiest way to check is to lift the bonnet and find the VIN plate, usually mounted on the firewall and indicating the date the car came down the production line.Nissan had a giant backlog of cars through much of last year and that means anything from 2013 will be even cheaper than before, from the Pulsar through to the heavyweight Patrol that has turned buyers away with its thirsty petrol V8.But Nissan is not alone. Honda and Mitsubishi also are known to be overstocked. Ford and Holden are winding back their local production rate to try to match the number of cars built each day to the genuine showroom demand.The key to finding a bargain is simple: ask. Dealers will be keen to trade on anything they regard as "aged stock", which usually means it has been in Australia for more than 60 days, and importers often provide special incentives to move cars.That's why we're also seeing the likes of the Peugeot 208 Active auto at $19,990 drive-away until the end of March.In the case of 2013 cars, which are both "aged" and superseded, the deals only get better. That means even popular cars, such as the hottie models in the Falcon line-up and the Mazda3 which rated well until the arrival of the 2014 model, can be bought more cheaply than you might expect. Price: from $39,990Star rating: 3.5/5Engine: 4.0-litre 6-cyl, 195kW/391NmTransmission: 6-speed auto; RWDThirst: 8.1L-8.5L/100km  THE LOWDOWN: $33,790 is a good time. That's a huge discount on a really fun driving car, even if people think it's more Cobb & Co than cutting edge. The Falcon is solid, the XR is a good package, and it's our second favourite model in the range after the G6E with the EcoBoost 2.0-litre four.  Price: from $25,990Star rating: 3/5Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 102kW/198NmTransmission: 6-speed man, CVT; FWDThirst: 8.1L-8.2L/100km  THE LOWDOWN: The sensible choice for people who need a wagon but want an SUV. There is an extended warranty on all 2013 models and a $32,990 drive-away deal on the Ti-L manual - that means free on-road costs. There are similar savings across the range.  Price: from $20,330Star rating: 3/5Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 108kW/182NmTransmission: 6-speed man; FWDThirst: 7.9L/100km  THE LOWDOWN: The 2014 Mazda3 is a ripper and the closest thing to a VW Golf in showrooms today. But the old car is not disgraced as a midfield runner, which means "run-out" items are a good deal. No one is talking prices but the "2013 Plate Exit" means it's worth asking about the bottom line on a Neo that's not remotely bottom-of-the-barrel.SECOND-HANDIt's not the safest or the sexiest ute in the world but the Nissan Navara is a smart choice if you're looking for a bargain.Getting into one with low kilometres, perhaps as recent as a 2013 model, means saving on the initial depreciation hit and also banking the remainder of the five-year warranty.The Ford Ranger rewrote the rules for utes last year but there are still people who are looking for a bargain and that's where the Navara comes into its own.There have been questions about some engine dramas in recent years but, long-term, the reputation of the Navara is rock-solid. It doesn't have the polarising body design of the Mitsubishi Triton, which turns some buyers off.

Once you dismiss the differences in the bodywork and the individual tuning of the suspension, it’s obvious they come from the same rootstock.It’s the same with the Kia Sportage and Hyundai ix35, and just about everything else in the two brands’ showrooms. Kia has its Soul and Grand Carnival, and Hyundai has the Veloster and coming Genesis luxury sedan but the mainstream stuff is identical.That’s no surprise. The companies are part of the same giant South Korean industrial complex, which manufactures everything up to supertankers. Hyundai and Kia began separately and the latter is actually the older company, with a history running back to 1944. When it ran into trouble in the Asian economic meltdown it was brought into the Hyundai family with a bailout package that has also included shared development and basic model plans.In Australia, Hyundai and Kia are take-no-prisoners rivals but in some countries they are bundled together. In Canada, Hyundai-Kia rates second on the sales charts and is only trumped by Chrysler. If you did the same thing in Australia, the South Korean combination would also rate second overall. Hyundai was fourth in the 2013 rankings behind Toyota, Holden and Mazda with sales of 97,006 vehicles.When you tip in the extras from Kia, the number jumps to 126,874, a total eclipsed only by the 214,630 of Toyota. Combine i30 and Cerato tallies, to 36,367, and they’re still in fourth - but they move the total further ahead of Commodore and only 3000 short of the third-placed Toyota HiLux.But don’t expect anyone at either Kia or Hyundai in Australia - the red and the blue teams, as they are known, because of their corporate colours - to push for any sort of alliance. “The two companies are set up to compete,” says Kia spokesman Kevin Hepworth.Part of that competition led Kia to push strongly for a local “personality” in its cars, something provided by engineering and suspension guru Graeme Gambold. It’s no surprise that Hyundai is now doing something similar, with a different feel.Hyundai and Kia are not alone on the South Korean front. Daewoo cars conveniently fly Holden badges and Ssangyong the country third, behind Japan and Thailand. That places Thailand as a photocopy country producing runs of cars designed somewhere else - think the excellent Ford Ranger from Australia.On the other hand, South Korea pushes hard for class and quality and now builds better Japanese cars than Japan, in terms of value, quality and reliability. Kia is also creating a reputation for great design and Hyundai is aiming for the big breakthrough, a worthy luxury car, with the Genesis that lands here later in the year.Both are also driving great value for Australian car buyers. So it’s probably a good thing for customers - and their rivals - that the red and blue teams regard themselves as deadly rivals and not just one brand with two showrooms.Kia SportagePrice: from $25,490Rating: 3.5/5Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl 122kW/197Nm, 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo diesel, 135kW/392NmTransmission: 5-speed/6-speed man/auto; FWDThirst: from 7.2L/100kmThe lowdown: One of the first Kia models to benefit from Australian suspension tuning and a Carsguide favourite as a result. It’s been overtaken by the Mazda CX-5 and Subaru Forester but is still roomy, well equipped, excellent value (on the ownership front too) and a good drive.Hyundai i30 Price: from $20,990Rating: 4/5Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl, 107kW/175NmTransmission: 6-speed man/auto; FWDThirst: from 6.8L/100km The lowdown: Recent suspension improvements mean the i30 drives even better, although its age means it rates third in class behind the VW Golf and Mazda3. The i30 has become a new-age Corolla, the car you recommend to people who just want trouble-free, cost-effective motoring. It’s better than the Toyota and a winner with its five-year warranty and service package.Hyundai Santa FePrice: from $37,990Rating: 3.5/5Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cyl, 141kW/242Nm, 2.2-litre 4-cyl turbo diesel, 145kW/421NmTransmission: 6-speed man/auto; AWDThirst: from 6.5L/100kmTHE LOWDOWN: The Santa Fe is tough to toss on the value front, with the seven-seater capacity that’s essential for a lot of families. It’s now a generation newer under the skin than its Kia Sorento rival, which means it drives better and is also quieter. It’s a reversal of the Sportage-ix35 match-up, where Carsguide prefers the Kia. Customers are the real winners.SECOND-HANDThe bland but efficient Hyundai Getz has taken over from the Toyota Corolla as the Carsguide choice for first-car buyers. The boxy little baby ticks all the right boxes, from price to economy, and we rarely hear of mechanical problems. They were sold in huge numbers and that means good value as a used car. Hyundai first made its name on the second-hand scene with the jelly bean-shaped Excel, although it was never a great car, and the Getz is building from that base. There’s a big advantage for used buyers - the five-year warranty and affordable servicing mean Getz new-car buyers have been more likely to give their cars the care and attention that pays off for subsequent owners.This reporter is on Twitter: @PaulWardGover 

The boats keep on coming. The roll-on, roll-off battleships are docking every week in Australian ports, fresh from Europe, Asia and America, and they're delivering deals just as much as unloading cars.Right now, the volume of boat business means a huge backlog of unsold cars of all sizes, prices and body styles. A Carsguide check, using confidential industry information and background from the Deloitte consultancy, reveals as many as 150,000 unsold cars are "sitting on grass".Many are in dealer stock, lots are in company compounds and no one is game to turn the boats back for fear of handing an advantage to a rival brand. "Nissan has 32,000," one senior executive tells Carsguide.Says another: 'Most brands have 30-60 days' stock. If you say the monthly industry sales rate is 85,000 cars, on average, that's an awful lot of stock." This overstocking means prices have never been better and the deals are not going to end for a long time. They can't, when some companies are holding more than two years' stock of their unpopular models.'How can companies sell cars cheaper in Australia than in Europe?" asks new Holden president Gerry Dorizas. 'It's not sustainable. I believe they (prices) will go up at some point in time. At some time this competition for prices will create a problem in the network." But that point has not arrived and car companies are rolling out new incentives with every passing week. We've gone from drive-away pricing and low-rate finance to cash incentives delivered through an Eftpos card in the latest rounds of dollar deals.Finding a cut-price package is easy but the obvious contenders are the companies with the most to win, and lose, and many of them are clustered around the critical $15,000 and $20,000 price points. So that means great buying on cars like the Nissan Pulsar and Mitsubishi Lancer, which have even sucked rivals as good as the Volkswagen Golf and Polo into the discount battle.The bottom line is simple. The days of RRP are done and the car business is more like a reverse auction - a race to the bottom - that means buyers have the power. Price: from $15,590Star rating: 3/5Engine: 1.4-litre 4-cyl, 73.5kW/136NmTransmission: 6-speed man, 4-speed auto; FWDThirst: 4.2L/100km  THE LOWDOWN A long string of sales means the i20 is now permanently parked in the $14,990 slot, usually with free on-road costs, and that makes it a good choice for a good car. It's not great, or as chic as some rivals, but the value is unbeatable with solid reliability and five-year warranty. Price: from $19,900Star rating: 3/5Engine: 1.8-litre 4-cyl, 96kW/174NmTransmission: 6-speed man, CVT auto; FWDThirst: 6.7L/100km  THE LOWDOWN The most overstocked brand in the business is doing everything it can to clear a huge backlog of Pulsars. That means the RRP is just the starting price for any negotiation, with at least a $1000 discount and some sort of incentive commonplace. The Pulsar is good, but not good enough to rattle classy rivals including the Mazda3 and VW Golf. Price: from $22,990Star rating: 3.5/5Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl, 86kW/156NmTransmission: 5-speed man, CVT auto; FWDThirst: 5.8L/100km  THE LOWDOWN The newest Suzuki is already being boosted with drive-away pricing, which is more a reflection of the showroom situation than anything missing from the car. It's the first new model from Suzuki for far too long, with classy crossover styling, but drops into a torrid small-SUV class filled with impressive contenders and dollar deals.SECOND-HANDAnything with a five-year warranty looks good for bargain hunters. Lots of companies flip their fleets after three years, which means a second-hand choice now comes with the remainder of its factory warranty. Just be careful, because some government cars running through auction houses have a shorter warranty life.Looking at the near-new choices, the Kia Rio looks smart and smart buying. It was the Carsguide Car of the Year in 2011 and that means the basics that got it the gong, from solid onroad performance to the fit-and-finish work in Korea, should also make it a handy near-new purchase.This reporter is on Twitter: @PaulWardGover 

Post Commodore and Falcon, anyone rusted on to the idea of a family five-seater with petrol six and rear-wheel drive will be looking earnestly at the Chrysler 300.

Everyone loves a sale. It could be Target or Myer or even your health-food store luring you with the promise of special prices for a limited time. In the car world, companies also like to create their own "sale" events.Sometimes it's to give a short-term boost to their results — Toyota customarily targeted the end of the final year for its biggest push. In other cases it's part of an annual branding package or a means to counter their rivals, the way Holden is doing with its "100-hour sale" this weekend. In any case, it's good news for shoppers.Renault is currently running its Diamond Event — a name chosen to reflect the shape of the brand's badge — and it's throwing everything into the mix, from drive-away pricing to free fuel vouchers. "It's the first time we've tried it. We wanted to see how it would go," says Renault Australia managing director Justin Hocevar.He reckons it's not just a short-term splash to clear 2013 stock and says it's about building more support for the French brand."We wanted to develop an annual branded event as a sale period for Renault. We're hoping to see about a 15 per cent spike in sales," Hocevar says. "A lot of our competitors do it.Mazda does its M Days, Audi has Openhaus, others have different deals. "It's so hard to build visibility for some of our cars, like the Koleos, but we think this will work. There is drive-away pricing and, depending on the model, low interest rates. There are also $500 fuel cards across the board."The sale pricing starts from the baby Clio at $16,990 drive-away and runs up the range with a variety of packages. Hocevar is touting plenty of good news but it's not so good on the Captur.It was expected in the middle of the year but strong European demand means the local on-sale date has slipped by a couple of months. Price: from $16,990 drive-awayEngine: 900cc 3-cyl, 66kW/135NmTransmission: 5-speed manual, FWDThirst: 4.5L/100km  {C}The Clio was a serious contender for last year's Car of the Year award and the latest Diamond pricing also makes it good buying from $17,000 on the road.It's composed and comfy, safe even without rear airbags, and a real looker. As for the Clio RS ...it's a belter. Price: from $25,990Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 126kW/226Nm;Transmission: 6-speed manual, FWD/AWDThirst: 9.5L/100km  This is a hidden gem, with a Nissan X-Trail mechanical package draped in Renault bodywork and riding on cushy French suspension. It is well priced as a suburban SUV and can be surprisingly good in the bush if you go for the upscale mechanical package with four-wheel drive. Price: Low-$20,000 (est)Engine: 900cc 3-cyl, 66kW/135NmTransmission: 5-speed manual, FWDThirst: N/A  It's not here yet, which means no confirmation of price or base engine or fuel economy but the Captur will be worth the wait. It's one of the funkiest of the new breed of mini SUVs and is aimed straight at gen-Y buyers with great colour SECOND-HANDRenault Megane Sport DCI 175 turbodieselThe first Megane to reach Australia in the early 2000s was nothing special. It had questionable looks and quality and came from a brand that was getting a renewed kick in Australia thanks to the global tie-up with Nissan, which meant low start-up costs here.But things changed massively, and positively, with the arrival of the mid‒decade update and its headline models, the RS and Cabriolet. The latter Meganes are the right choice for second-hand shoppers, with solid quality, pretty good performance and a shape that was dubbed the "J-Lo butt" after Jennifer Lopez's hindquarters. It is a car that still runs pretty strongly and has good packaging. It is backed by new-style Renault management that gives good support to dealers and owners.This reporter is on Twitter: @PaulWardGover