Articles by Peter Barnwell

We've had a crack at the front wheel drive petrol Renault Koleos Dynamique and the $41,000, 4x4 diesel Dynamique model and now must decide which we prefer. That's easy, the petrol "fronty" wins hands down because it costs less and is nearly as functional as the 4x4. Having said that, people still want or need a 4x4 SUV and as such, the Dynamique dCi diesel Koleos we drove could fill the bill. It's certainly different looking (but underneath pretty much the same as Nissan's X-Trail). Out of Renault/Nissan's Korean factory, Koleos is well-built and has an innocuous appearance. It won't wow you but won't offend either. GOOD STUFFWhat is really good about the Koleos dCi is the `spex' - it's jam-packed with goodies including leather, satnav, a proper six-speed auto, rear park sensors, hands free entry and ignition, auto wipers and lights, hill start assist, decent audio, Bluetooth and audio streaming, multi media connection box, climate control, cruise and more.It really is a generous package for the price. Renault's clever Easy Estate rear seat folding system is handy as is the clamshell two part tailgate. TECHNOLOGYPower comes from a 2.0-litre turbodiesel with variable geometry turbo and other technology to boost efficiency. It's good for 110kW/320Nm the latter from 2000rpm. There's a three mode drive system, with auto, lock and 2WD (front) - straight out of X-Trial. The only transmission available is a conventional six-speed auto with sequential shift mode on the selector. It's capable of sipping fuel at 7.6-litres/100km giving a big touring range. The engine features two balance shafts to quell vibes. DESIGNThere's a fairly conservatively styled dash with easy-to-use switches and a TomTom satnav in pride of place. It decided to stop working on test saying "no GPS signal." which we found annoying. The audio is pretty good and the seats are comfy being the right shape and size. But there's a fairly grey look to it all - overpowering. It's roomy for five, has a good size load space and a full size spare under the rear floor. We'd rate the interior better than Japanese but not as good as German and some Koreans. DRIVINGTurbo-lag (tardy acceleration) is a problem off idle especially when you pull out in front of oncoming traffic at an intersection expecting immediate response to get you out of the way. Leads to some white knuckle moments. On the other side of the coin, when the engine hooks up and drives it's pretty good especially on the highway. It's smooth and economical. The auto is good too and we got to use 4x4 `lock' once on a muddy road - not a problem. We like the fact that there's a particle filter in the exhaust and the Koleos passes stringent Euro 5 emissions regulations. Ground clearance is 186mm and the hill descent control would be handy off road. The ride is comfortable and overall dynamics are competent.VERDICTWe're not sold on the new look but it's an improvement. The diesel needs better off-idle launch but Koleos goes well and has plenty of kit for the money - a good, safe (five star), economical compact family wagon.

Suzuki was one of very few, if not the only carmaker to turn a profit during the GFC. It has infact been in the black every year since startup in 1950.Obviously, that's because Suzuki makes the "right" cars, the right way, at the right price. Call them conservative if you like but it seems to be the over-riding factor in Suzuki's success.Their least conservative car is the $23,990 Swift Sports - a latter-day Swift GTi for want of a better description. It's a cool, baseball cap of a car with pert looks, a dash of attitude and performance and handling that brings a smile to your dial without actually pinning back your ears.And there's a CVT auto this time around. Suzuki's formula for its hot little five-door hatch is "pare back weight, tweak the engine and suspension, fit subtle body add-ons and boost fuel economy."Sport runs a pretty straightforward 1.6-litre, twin cam, four banger up from the 1.4 in base Swift. It's good for 100kW/160Nm output and fuel consumption as low as 6.1-litres/100km.It misses out on direct injection but scores a simple variable intake system and variable valve timing and lift to optimise efficiency. The two transmissions are a six-speed manual and CVT auto with paddle shift.Sport has a strut front and simple torsion beam rear suspension system - calibrated to give a good compromise between sharp handling and response and comfort. It won't rattle your teeth on rough roads and though small in diameter, the disc brakes are up for the job. The electric steering has been calibrated to give sharper response than base Swift. Suzuki has fitted light alloy wheels to reduce unsprung weight and optimise suspension action. It weighs 1060kg.It has a five star crash rating thanks to seven air bags, stability control and the selective use of high strength steel throughout the body/chassis.Though still "sensible", the Swift Sport has a mild body aero kit with a rear roof spoiler and under bumper diffuser complete with dual wide spaced exhaust tips. Side skirts and a deeper front apron complete the picture. No LED daytime running lights though. Inside is pretty much generic Japanese with over-used hard plastics, functional controls and a decent leather-clad sports wheel with cloth sports seats.The Sport has generous spex including bixenon headlights, Bluetooth phone and audio, keyless entry and start, cruise control and climate control aircon to name just a few goodies. The audio is OK and the sports seats with red piping have side bolsters to hold you tight. The wheels are 17-inch with low profile sports rubber.This is an enjoyable car to drive in the cut and thrust of city driving, on the freeway or on a winding road. They've nailed the driveability factor brilliantly. There's a sweet shifting manual gear change with close intermediate ratios, plenty of zip higher up in the engine rev range and a supple, controlled ride with good brakes and sharpish steering.The exhaust note is too quiet and the tyres are too skinny. It goes better than the previous Swift Sport and has more goodies. But Kia's sporty three door Rio SLS has more power and torque and costs a lot less. Gives nothing away on looks either.Great little car, fun to drive, cheap to run and own, undoubtedly reliable, safe and well equipped.

And it's highly likely to arrive here before the end of the year. The new version is boosted by an extra 15 horsepower and 20Nm of torque. The extra go comes via a new 'Sport' mode in the Renaultsport Dynamic Management system that changes the exhaust note and frees up all 265 horsepower, close to 200kW.Among other changes are several new options: Renaultsport 'Red Design Pack' (red striping on front blade, rear diffuser and side protection mouldings), rear parking camera with front parking sensors and Visio System by Renault (lane departure warning and auto high/low beam). One new colour is introduced for 2012 - Arctic White.The Cup Chassis Pack, likely to be the sole Aussie 265 model, features 18-inch alloys in matt black fitted Michelin Sport 2 tyres, grooved brake discs, limited slip differential, red brake calipers, stiffer springs/dampers/anti-roll bars.The 265 boasts improved performance stats dispatching 0-100kmh in 6.0 seconds exactly (instead of 6.1 for the 250). Its 360Nm is usefully available across a broad rev band between 3,000 and 5,000rpm.Renaultsport's wizardry has seen the engine's maximum turbo pressure uprated to 2.5 bar, up by 0.2, together with the air intake being revised to take account of the higher pressure and running temperatures. Elsewhere, the new model retains the essence of the current Megane 250 Renaultsport recipe.A host of new techo features includes the Renaultsport Dynamic Management system which allows the driver to switch between two power settings.New for 2012 is carbon grey Renaultsport cloth with red stitching. The seatbelts are red, as is the stitching throughout the cabin, while the door panels have a carbon fibre effect finish. Figure hugging Recaro front seats with a Carbon grey cloth and synthetic leather edging and yellow detailing are available.

Great Wall has revised the diesel 4x4 dual cab ute (and SUV). And the work makes it a lot better.  The first Great Wall ute was rough around the edges and looked strange in the frontal area - like a duck.  That was fixed a while back and now, the six-speed manual transmission change action has been refined in the

For as little as $27,490, you can get a "small" five door hatchback that returns 4.5-litres/100km. It's a much more attractive package than any hybrid on the market in terms of performance, running costs and purchase price, to say nothing of looks.Renault's Megane DCi might have a small capacity, 1.5-litre turbodiesel under the bonnet, lifted from a light commercial vehicle, but it also has a six-speed dual clutch `manumatic' transmission and oodles of grunt from a low 1750rpm - just off idle. Two models are available and we were able to drive the up spec' $32,500 Megane Privilege. It's a good looking car offering plenty of interior room and a good size boot accessed through a large rear hatch. Easily one of Renault's best lookers, the distinctive Megane hatch is quite a large "small' car tipping the scales at 1366kg. The Privilege we drove scores premium Arkamy's audio (with inadequate bass response) Bluetooth phone and streaming, satnav, climate control, leather, a multi media connection box, full size 17-inch spare, alloys, smart key start and plenty more kit.It is a genuine competitor for VW Golf at less money and also otherpremium small cars.TECHNOLOGYIt's a single cam, eight valve, 1.5-litre four banger lifted from Kangoo van with 81kW/240Nm output. There's a particle filter in the exhaust helping achieve a Euro 5 emissions rating. On paper it's not impressive but in reality, the engine is a good'un offering plenty of response, super fuel economy, strong roll-on acceleration and clatter only at and for a short period after start-up from cold.What makes it is the six speed DSG gearbox, unusual because it is a dry clutch as opposed to a wet clutch (filled with oil). The dry clutch is better in terms of low speed operation and a reduction in friction loses.DESIGNNot as classy as a VW but neat and functional. Megane's interior is easy on the eye and comfortable for long drives. There's plenty of rear seat leg and headroom and the standard equipment in the Privilege is generous and appreciated but unnecessary except for the satnav. Some of the controls are not intuitive.DRIVINGRenault has a bit of a reputation for good handling, well, good overall dynamics and such is the case here. Megane diesel offers a high level of ride comfort from its strut and torsion beam suspension and yet corners flat with tenacity.It has strong brakes and good steering feel. Pity there's no paddle shift on the wheel. No complaints about engine performance whatsoever - it could be a 2.0-litre turbodiesel gauged on underfoot feel. An annoying creaking noise in the rear suspension blotted the scorecard.SAFETYFive star car with all that entails - six air bags, stability control, safety cell chassis, pedestrian safety.VERDICTDefinitely worth a look if you are shopping Golf, diesel Focus, Pug 308, even 1-Series and C30 diesels. Surprisingly good, better value in Dynamique grade.

Ten years is a long time to wait for a new generation Porsche 911 but the cycle has started again following the arrival of a new 911 code named 991.Thing is, it looks the same - well, to the casual observer. And the point to that is that Porsche has a philosophy of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," in terms of 911 styling. Buyers too are hard-core about the styling, they emphatically want their car to "look" like a 911 and the new one most certainly does.But underneath the familiar looking muscular skin it's all different and the outside is totally new too - bigger, more assertive, wider and stunning to look at.ENGINESThe entry level Carrera model now runs a 3.4-litre flat six with 257kW/390Nm, up on the previous 3.6-litre model while the Carrera S runs a 3.8-litre flat six with 294kW/440Nm, also up.The high compression (12.5:1) engines are naturally aspirated and have direct fuel injection and variable cam timing and lift to boost both performance and fuel efficiency which comes down to an incredible 8.2-litres/100km in the Carrera with PDK transmission.TRANSMISSIONThe rear wheel drive Carrera and Carrera S introduce the world's first seven speed manual transmission with a dual mass flywheel for more response. There's also an optional dual clutch PDK seven speed 'auto' complete with paddle shift and multi modes.A hill hold function is fitted to both models as is auto stop/start for fuel economy gains in city driving. Torque vectoring  is fitted to the PDK S models to aid cornering grip.CHASSISNew 911 has a longer wheelbase and wider front  track than before and is on a new, stiffer chassis featuring a strut front/multi-link rear suspension. Porsche's stability management system is standard and the steering moves to electro-mechanical to save weight and offer superior responses. Active roll bars are available on the S model with brakes featuring four piston front calipers on the Carrera and six pistons on the S.BODYTwo doors, four seats if you have shorties in the front and kids in the back. Or fold down the rear seats and treat it as a two seater, the sensible option. The rear spoiler "self deploys" and the underbody is flat for optimal aerodynamics.There's greater use of aluminium in the body and some chassis components that reduce weight by 98kg depending on spec'. Exterior mirrors are door mounted. The body is bigger inside than the previous model with benefits for passengers and luggage storage.INSIDEGreat advances have been made inside in terms of design, function and appearance with a cool stitched leather dash in pride of place. The touch screen info' screen is large and wide and the easy to read five dial instruments are housed in a stylish binnacle facing the driver's cockpit.The driving position has numerous adjustments and the standard Bose audio system is monumental, upgradable to a top of the range Burmester million watt system. The park assist is handy as are the bixenon headlights. Electrically adjustable sports seats, two zone climate control, leather, multi-function wheel.THE DRIVEOne word ... sensational. We got to drive the S in manual and PDK on the international launch in Santa Barbara last week on a range of roads including freeways, mountain passes and rural B roads.It was a treat to hear and feel and there were times when diplomacy was required to extract the keys from other drivers.It sounds superb, accentuated by pushing the exhaust button which gives a less restricted note. Performance is astonishing from a 3.8-litre "natmo" engine capable of putting away a 0-100kmh sprint in 4.1 seconds. Engine revs to 7800rpm.It corners hard enough to make you queasy and has brakes to pop your eyeballs.VERDICTWould have one in a blink, with PDK. Carrera S does the Nurburgring in 7.40. Prices start at $229,900.

We turn the spotlight on the car world's newest and brightest stars as we ask the questions to which you want the answers. But there's only one question that really needs answering ... would you buy one?What is it?This is the sedan version of Kia's new Rio light car though it's almost too big for that category. Kia has positioned 1.6-litre Rio Si sedan as a "fleet" car in one spec' only with a choice of auto' or manual. It's  on the same platform as the two Rio hatches and shares their underpinnings.How much?The manual is $19,690 with six-speed auto adding $2000 plus on roads.What are competitors?Almost too many to mention; Fiesta, Barina, Jazz, i20, Accent, Mazda2, Swift, Yaris, Polo.What's under the bonnet?It's the smallest capacity unit in Kia's new "Gamma" direct injection petrol range — a 1.6-litre, twin-cam with variable valve timing and variable induction that's good for 103kW/167Nm.How does it go?Pretty good for the class with adequate power, minimal noise and smooth running. Revs to 7000rpm without flinching. Better in the manual for the enthusiastic driver rather than the auto.Is it economical?Sips regular unleaded at around 6.0-litres/100km.Is it green?Ish. Low fuel consumption means low C)2 production rated at around 135g/km. Can't really tell you much about the manufacturing/recycling processes.Is it safe?Gets five stars.Is it comfortable?Has excellent suspension calibration for all round driving in Australia. Stable at speed, supple over rough surfaces, tracks straight and true on bumpy corners, no steering backlash, strong brakes. Good seats, roomy interior, large boot. Attractive interior styling with plenty of soft touch points including the dash.What's it like to drive?Great little all rounder but we prefer the manual though you'd have to go for the auto in the city. Good auto too lacks paddles and the engine sometimes falls into a torque hole as the transmission tries to rush to a higher gear to save fuel/cut emissions. Suspension is brilliant.Is it value for money?Yes. Plenty of kit, stunning styling though not as attractive as the hatches.Would we buy one?Yes, but we'd go for the five door hatch because it looks a bit better, especially around the rear quarters. Iy you've gotta have a sedan, well.

Apart from the "nana state" implications, there’s a sinister side to the proposal. If NSW does go with it, the other states will surely follow and that then means big business, big money.While using your mobile phone behind the wheel is extremely dumb and dangerous, so is the precedent of using speed cameras in the way proposed.It means these well-loved revenue-raising appliances could be harnessed to catch people for doing pretty much everything state road bureaucracies don’t like - and more.Not wearing a seat belt, eating behind the wheel, drinking (coke or similar) behind the wheel, not wearing your spectacles, smoking, rude gesticulating, nose picking, and arguing could be targeted.Anything denoted as a driving distraction could be made into a fineable offence. And that equals rivers of gold for a whole bunch of rapacious groups including the private company that owns the cameras.They would have to rename these cameras "Everything Cameras’’ which would be the ideal enforcement tool for everything. We could then get rid of the police force because everything would be monitored by Everything Cameras.They could then use face recognition technology to identify you, look up your credit card number and debit the amount required – immediately after the crime was committed.Don’t laugh people. Obviously the person or group that postulated this preposterous proposal hasn't heard of privacy laws. Wait until they nail some heavy hitter engaging in some nefarious activity who doesn't want their picture taken and goes them in court. That will sort ‘em out.

You'd be a happy little Vegemite if you bought a new Nissan Navara ute seven years ago — because it is still pretty much the current model.And better still, there's another two or three years in the old dog yet. Mind you, Nissan has tweaked Navara considerably since it was launched last decade and it scrubs up pretty well.However, there are dark clouds on the horizon with four red-hot competitors fresh on the market or coming this year. They are the new Mazda BT50 and twin-under-the-skin Ford Ranger, new Holden Colorado and the new Isuzu D-Max.Toyota performed major surgery to the look and price of Hilux in the middle of last year. But the rock-solid Navara should have it covered especially given the latest 4x4 dual cab refresh.The price of the top-of-the-range ST-X 550 4x4, V6, turbodiesel with standard seven-speed auto drops a few thousand bucks to $62,990 and there's an additional, similar V6 ST-X at $56,990. But the 550 gets leather, Bose audio, satnav, a hard drive and a reversing camera.The four cylinder ST models (from $46,800) gain a more powerful turbodiesel and vehicle dynamic control is standard across the range along with three point seat belts for all passengers.Navara ST also gains 17-inch alloys, a five channel Utili-Track load system, dual zone climate control, optional five-speed auto and six air bags. Base RX Navara retains the older powertrains but gets additional safety kit.That  sweet V6 turbodiesel in ST-X is a 3.0-litre unit with 170kW/550Nm while the four pot in ST is a 2.5-litre with 140kW/450Nm.The V6 is only available with a seven-speed auto transmission offering "manual'' sequential change mode. The four is available with a six-speed manual or a five-speed auto again with sequential manual change mode.Doesn't get the coveted five star crash rating — it's a four star vehicle. Won't get five until the next generation with a totally new superstructure. However, Nissan has put in more air bags, three point belts and stability control to elevate Navara's rating to the highest it can achieve. A reverse camera is only on the top of the range model — should be on all of them.Despite its age, Navara scrubs up pretty well with a neat dash design and easy to use controls although it's all hard, dark grey plastic. The seats lack lumbar support and even the 550 only has electric seat adjust on the driver's side.There's plenty of room for five inside and access to the rear seats is fairly easy through decent size rear doors. The high end models additional kit is impressive especially the Bose audio and satnav. But the leather is superfluous. Plenty of storage options and no issues for larger occupants.We couldn't pick the difference but there is a new face, new bonnet, new bumper, repeater lights in the exterior mirrors on some models, sundry lights and new colours.We got to tow 2.0-tonnes behind the ST-X 550 and barely noticed. Maximum towing capacity is a whopping 3000kg. The 3.0-litre turbodiesel engine is a gem — smooth and nearly silent with excellent performance spoiled by the poor throttle action which gives it a dead feeling in the mid-range.The seven-speed auto is imperceptible when changing cogs. But for the money and for general application, the 2.5 four is pick of the bunch offering plenty of performance, strong throttle response and fuel economy of 8.5-litres/100km. Mention must be made of Navara's ride quality which is arguably the best in the class offering a supple ride but retaining the ability to cope with heavy loads. The dual cabs have a large tray and the square-set styling pays dividends of a practical nature.The Navara 550 was overpriced at launch 18 months ago and nobody wanted to know. Extremely favourable exchange rates will have helped Nissan with sharper pricing that may give the higher end Navara's a leg up for 2012 but we reckon the ST four pot is the one — it ticks most of the boxes and costs a lot less.

Kia's handsome Rio five door hatch has already won the Carsguide Car of the Year award for 2011. Now there's a wider choice with the arrival of three door hatch and four door sedan variants. All have been specifically set-up dynamically to suit local driving conditions with input from Australian suspension engineers.They are essentially the same underneath with the entry level three door selling from $15,290. Sensibly, Kia has kept the three and four door lineup small with the three door available in S and SLS grades, the former with a 1.4-litre petrol engine and the latter with a 1.6. The fleet-targeted sedan is in Si grade only with a 1.6 under the bonnet selling from $19,690.The 1.4 has a six-speed manual as standard or optional four-speed auto while the SLS has six-speeds in manual and auto available, something it shares with the sedan. Auto transmission adds $2000 across the board.The 1.4 is revamped from the previous Rio uprated to 79kW/135Nm. It features double overhead cams, variable valve timing but port injection instead of the newer and more efficient direct injection system. Fuel economy is a best of 5.7-litres/100km.The 1.6 is a new engine featuring direct injection, the smallest capacity engine in Kia's range with this system. It has dual variable valve timing and double overhead cams as well as variable intake. A timing chain is used instead of the usual belt thereby skirting any longer term replacement issue. The 1.6 is good for 103kW/167Nm and can sip at a low 5.6-litres/100km.Kia has done an impressive styling job on Rio inside and out with that handsome face, striking profiles in all three variants and sporty looking tail treatment. The soft feel interior is a marked step up on just about everything else in this segment featuring a classy, upmarket look, design and materials. Kia has been generous with equipment in all Rio variants, all of which score a five star crash rating.We were able to drive automatic versions of the 1.6-litre three and four door cars and finally a manual 1.6 three door in SLS grade. The last one we drove was our favourite because it was more engaging and simply more fun. It also looks the best with 17-inch alloys and low profile Conti tyres.The Rio has a decent audio, wide multi media connectivity, leather seats and LED daytime running lights on SLS. Not what you'd call a rip snorter in performance terms, 1.6-litre engine delivers respectable performance and excellent fuel economy but the ride is an well calibrated compromise for all round driving in this country - safe and sure.Did we tell you we like the styling - particularly of the three door. The four door looks OK too but isn't anywhere near as Euro-spunky as the little hatch.A great little car that will put a smile on your dial at an affordable price. Safe, economical, fun to drive with plenty of "wow" factor. No surprise it won Car of the Year.