Articles by Richard Blackburn

A pioneering compact SUV retains off-road cred but takes a budget tack, too. Suzuki says the new Vitara "reinvents the compact SUV segment". It doesn't but it should shake it up at the lower end, given the introductory deal of $22,990 drive-away for the five-speed manual. That's cheaper than the big three in the

The humble homegrown sedan may have been gobbled up by the all-conquering SUV but car makers are not prepared to give up on the family staple just yet.

Things have been looking grim for Ford and Holden since they announced the impending closure of their local manufacturing facilities.

Audi has developed its own tablet for rear passengers.The unit, which uses the Android operating system, will be available as an option on the new A4 sedan from February.The German maker says it developed the tablet because off-the-shelf options weren't suitable for in-car use. Weighing roughly twice as much as an Apple iPad, it has a screen that is both glare-resistant and shatter-proof.Mounted on the back of the driver and front passenger seats, the tablets cost $3800 a pair and can be removed and charged via a micro USB port.The tablets are the headline act in a techno-assault by Audi on rival Mercedes-Benz, which has dominated the mid-size luxury market since the launch of the C-Class last year.In an attempt to turn the tables, Audi has packed the A4 with technology that won't be available on more expensive cars in its range — and only recently debuted on its top-of-the-range A8 limousine.The A4 will have a headlight option that uses satellite navigation to anticipate corners and adjust the beam accordingly, as well as shining high-beam on pedestrians and cyclists at the side of the road while shielding other cars.Eight "fingers" of light adjust to the road conditions to give maximum illumination without distracting other drivers.Safety technology includes a rear collision alert that can sense whether a car behind is closing too fast, flash warning lights at the driver and prepare the cabin for impact. It can also slam on the brakes if the car is turning into oncoming traffic and warn occupants if they are about to open a door into a cyclist.At up to 65km/h, the A4's "traffic jam assistant" will accelerate, brake and steer for the driver. Automated emergency braking can bring the car to a halt if it senses a potential collision with a pedestrian, cyclist or other vehicle.The technology extends to the A4's communication and infotainment. There will be built-in wi-fi, wireless smartphone charging, Apple Car Play and Android Auto connectivity.Satnav is standard but an option can show Google Earth and Street View images, as well as display turn instructions on a head-up display.Prices start from $55,500 for the 1.4-litre petrol auto, which replaces the 1.8-litre petrol auto. The 2.0-litre petrol is $60,900, while the diesel and petrol all-wheel-drive models are $66,900.Audi Australia managing director Andrew Doyle says cutting edge technology is finding its way down from top-of-the-range limousines much more quickly than in the past.It is also becoming more affordable, in turn fuelling growth."I think that's a reflection of the (competitive) market place and a reflection of advanced technologies," he says. "We're able to more efficiently and quickly filter down this technology ... It's moving much quicker than we all expected."

There are few bad cars on the road these days, which made it tougher than ever to pick a field for CarsGuide's 2015 Car of the Year award.The process started in December last year. A week after we awarded the Mercedes-Benz C-Class our gong, we were on the launch of the new Subaru Outback.It was the first of more than 300 new cars we pored over before arriving at 11 finalists. In between there were head-to-head battles and three-way shootouts between the most impressive of the newcomers and the existing benchmarks.Comparison tests are vital because it's easy to come away from a new car launch impressed by Brand X's latest and greatest. But it takes back-to-back testing — on the same stretch of bitumen, same potholes, same freeway — to sort the winners from the also-rans.This year's COTY judging threw up a few surprises. The first was the CX-3. It felt good to drive on the launch and when we tested it against the best in its class, it also came out on top. Up against our other finalists, it felt underdone and overpriced. The conclusion? The mini-SUV may be the new "must-have" automotive accessory but none of the new breed — there have been six all-new arrivals this year — is as practical or fun to drive as a humble hatchback.Next was the BMW X1, which fellow judge Joshua Dowling called "the most un-BMW BMW I've driven". An SUV from a German luxury brand for a tad over $60,000 sounds like a good deal, especially when a Toyota Kluger can cost similar money.While much improved over its predecessors in some areas, the X1 was underdone in others. The seats, usually a BMW highlight, were flat and unsupportive, while the front suspension crashed rudely over bumps.To a much lesser extent the same criticism could be levelled at our runner-up, the Mercedes-Benz GLC. It is still an impressive vehicle but not as well sorted as the C-Class. In their quest for new buyers, are the luxury brands losing their luxuriousness?The surprises weren't all bad, though. The fact that the Ford Ranger made our final five is testimony to the huge advances made in one-tonne utes in recent years. The Ranger didn't feel a million miles off the rest of the field on our road loop.A decade ago, jumping out of a Volvo into a Ford ute would have been like trading the Merc for a Massey Ferguson. Not now.Which brings us to the last — and most pleasant — COTY surprise: the winner, Kia's Sorento. Ever since the Koreans pinched Audi's head designer, Kia cabins have looked a cut above their competitors. Local suspension tuning has made them ride better, while their diesel engines are on par with some of the best for refinement. Add an industry leading seven-year warranty and there's plenty to like.If you're put off by the badge on the nose, it's your loss. 

Aiming to breathe life into its flagging Australian line-up, Alfa Romeo is reviving the Sprint name.

This year's line-up is a dream team of pace machines, heavy-hitters and all-rounders.

Richard Blackburn road tests and reviews the Toyota LandCruiser Sahara with specs, fuel consumption and verdict at its Australian launch.

They say competition improves the breed and there's no better example than the automotive industry.

VW sales dipped last month in the wake of the emissions scandal but don't expect the German maker to discount its way out of trouble.