Articles by Stuart Martin

Positive results for importers but concerning figures for local car makers are expected when the Australian new car sales figures are released today. Industry sources said the market for March was likely to be just over 96,000, up by nearly four per cent compared to the 2011 numbers for the same month, with most of the brands in the top 10 up on March 2011. Toyota remains well out in front, with Holden and Mazda close for the next two spots - the Adelaide car maker just managed to retain in second spot, hampered by sluggish Commodore sales. Holden staffers were not keen to comment beyond stating the brand had a good month for sales of the Barina, Cruze and the Captiva SUV, but official figures are expected to show Commodore sales continued tracking along similar lines to the first two months of 2012. The bad news for Ford's Falcon continues, with the big sedan's sales slide yet to abate - the Melbourne car maker will launch its EcoBoost four-cylinder turbocharged Falcon this month in an attempt to find new buyers for the iconic model. A Ford spokesperson said the bulk of the Blue Oval range had put in strong performances last month and the Falcon had not been assisted by any special sales programs. Mazda's sales growth continues with the Japanese brand reporting an all-time record sales month in March and a record first quarter tally, led by the new CX-5 SUV and the Mazda3. "The CX-5 gave us a good boost, we had 1400 sales in its first month ... a storming result for Mazda last month," he said. Volkswagen had a 30 per cent jump over its sales from March last year, with the Polo, Golf, Jetta and Amarok all contributing to the hard-charging German brand's first-quarter. Kia also had another good month and is expecting to again feature in the top 10 for March, while its Korean cousin Hyundai has also put in a strong March tally. Kia Australia spokesman Kevin Hepworth said the Korean brand has better overall supply and the new Si model Optima, as well as growing SUV sales, to boost its sales figures. Nissan sold a total of 8317 vehicles last month, its fourth consecutive month of sales growth - and executive sales and fleet general manager Ian Moreillon said the result was due to an improving product range. Glen Martin, 64, wanted to get out of his Toyota Camry and into a small SUV and the new CX-5 appealed, which will be the fourth Mazda owned by the family. "I was looking for something comfortable and reliable that we can drive across Australia, with room and the higher seating position - we really liked the CX-5, I was thinking 4WD and diesel but decided that we would get the 2WD petrol," he said. "I was looking at a Forester, XV and X-Trail but it didn't compare to this CX-5, I think we've found the right car for us," he said. Holden has appointed a new executive director of manufacturing - current director of vehicle assembly operations Richard Phillips. Mr Phillips, 41, began his career at Holden's Elizabeth factory as an apprentice fitter and machinist in 1987 and was Holden's Apprentice of the Year in 1991. Mr Phillips, now in charge of the Elizabeth plant and Holden's engine plant in Port Melbourne, has had roles at Elizabeth that included manufacturing engineering team program manager for the introduction of the VE Commodore in 2001. Current executive director of manufacturing Martyn Cray is returning to the UK to work for Vauxhall.  

There's something about Renault that is not quite getting the Australian public's attention. Although that may slowly be changing. The Clio and Megane side of the French brand's catalogue, as well as the Koleos SUV, are finding some favour but the larger vehicles have historically are yet to make a big impact. The Laguna was a low-key model in sales terms for the brand here but the car maker would be hoping the Latitude gives the sales figures more altitude.VALUEWe're in the top-spec petrol V6 model that has so far this year proven the most popular - the Luxe, priced at $42,490 (one of the few models that charges the same money for the turbodiesel), the Latitude has a features list that suggests a higher pricetag might be expected.The Luxe flagship (which represents over 90 per cent of sales since April) has a 10-speaker Bose surround sound system, filtered tri-zone climate control with ioniser and a "fragrance diffuser," TomTom satellite navigation, Bluetooth phone and audio link, the obligatory (for Renault) key card with auto-locking doors and keyless go, power-adjustable front seats with heaters, the driver gets a massaging function as well, reach and rake adjustable leather-wrapped steering wheel, a switch-operated electric parking brake, power-adjustable folding heated exterior rearvision mirrors, leather trim, 18in alloy wheels (including a full-sized spare) and a two-pane glass sunroof.TECHNOLOGYThe Latitude's petrol V6 has come from the Nissan Maxima - with the six-speed auto in place of the CVT - so not a cutting edge drivetrain, but perhaps proven might be an appropriate adjective. The Latitude does get some interesting features that are far from common - the air ioniser, fragrance diffuser and air filtering  system within the tri-zone climate control.The Luxe employs a Samsung air ioniser which Renault says produces active hydrogen atoms and negative oxygen ions to counter positive ions which can lead to stress and fatigue, according to the French car maker.The system can also produce scents (from a choice of six and in varying degrees) via the climate control system. The Latitude also has the brand's auto-locking function, which comes into effect if the driver walks away from the vehicle and doesn't use the manual lock button on the keycard.The car then locks itself and can be opened keylessly; lock it manually and it requires a button-push to unlock the car. The nicest (for the driver at least) feature is a massage function for the driver's seat, which uses five rollers within the driver's seat backrest to massage the driver - just the thing to reduce stress behind the wheel ... "cut me off, I don't care."DESIGNSomething of a Renault staple, the Latitude seems to have had a bypass on the design styling front - given that it shares plenty with the Nissan Maxima perhaps that's no surprise. It's no monstrosity but it's not going to win any design awards either, but Renault calls it generously-proportioned and elegant. The Latitude's cabin is not built for taller folk - seat adjustment range and headroom suggest occupants under 190cm would be well looked after, but above that the dimensions will start to struggle. Four adults within normal height ranges would be easily accommodated in head and leg room, with a 477-litre boot also able to swallow a decent load as well.SAFETYThis brand made a name for itself with active safety and the Korean-built Latitude follows that path - anti-lock brakes with brakeforce distribution and emergency brake assist (which kicks the hazard lights into action), stability and traction control (with an understeer control function), dual front, side and curtain airbags.Also on the list are seatbelt pretensioners and load-limiters on the front seats, lap-sash seatbelts for all seating positions, parking radar front and rear, a cruise control with speed limiter function, automatic windscreen wipers, automatic headlights, anti-dazzle rearvision mirror, a reversing camera and a tyre pressure monitoring system.DRIVINGA Maxima with a Korean dad and a French accent would be a cynic's view of the Latitude. The conservative exterior won't win any beauty contests and the interior takes the low-key line as well, but it's comfortable and well-equipped. The Nissan-sourced V6 was last experienced with a CVT directing outputs to the front wheels - the V6 is a smooth, if not overly powerful unit that requires a solid amount of force on the right pedal to get things underway with purpose.A relaxed gait is this car's forte - an attitude easily adopted with ionised air, soothing tunes on the excellent Bose sound system and the massager working nicely on the vertebrae.The serenity is ruined to a small degree by the six-speed auto, which has a tendency to roughen up the mood with sharp shifts without provocation.Nasty Australian bitumen - especially the oft-repaired roads with lots of little imperfections - don't always agree with the 18in wheel/tyre package, but aside from that the ride quality is good.The Latitude can be hustled along a little to maintain a brisk pace on a country road, turning in with more intent than first expected and able to corner with reasonable dexterity, but it's no super-tourer road-racer. Seating front and rear looks inviting and are comfortable if a little small in area (in the front), but the rear half of the cabin is a little tighter than you'd expect from the generous exterior dimensions. The highset rear bench and the falling roofline conspire to keep headroom at a premium for taller adults - children dwell easily and are fond of the door-mounted and rear window blinds. Satellite navigation is controlled by an iDrive-like set-up, which is easier to use and much better than the remote-control system offered in the smaller Renaults.VERDICTThis multi-cultural UN style Renault sedan should easily eclipse its Laguna predecessor for sales volumes, thanks to a sharp pricetag that belies an extensive features list and a smooth petrol V6 drivetrain that's only let down by the auto's sporadic clunks. With German, Japanese and French product all wading into the mid-size battleground, the medium car buyer is becoming spoilt for choice. The Latitude falls more into the cruiser category.

There's a lot to be said for the Holden engineering teams' efforts with Korean-sourced product. They've not reached the dizzying heights of silk purses from sow's ears just yet, but the Cruze tweaks were worthy. It's shame they can't do more with the Captiva.Sure, the pricepoint and features list is competitive but the new model seems to have lost its way in the dynamics stakes, with the drivetrain not compensating for it in any way other than fuel use.We're in the LX seven-seater all-wheel drive flagship - a $2000 cheaper proposition now, priced at $42,490 or you can add $1000 and get the turbodiesel.The Thai-built LX has a worthy features list - climate control air conditioning, power windows, three 12 volt power outlets, split second and third row seats, leather trim, power-adjustable driver's seat, automatic headlights (but no rain-sensing wipers), Bluetooth phone (which was temperamental at best) and audio link for the eight speaker sound system, cruise control, electrochromatic centre rearvision mirror, satellite navigation (with compass), tilt-and-reach adjustable leather-wrapped steering wheel, multifunction driver information display, rear parking sensors and rear camera and a trip computer.There's little in the way of ground-breaking gear here - the three-litre direct-injection V6 claims 190kW and 288Nm on the spec sheet but it feels short of that - with 400Nm on offer from the diesel that's ample temptation for another $1000.The V6 doesn't seem to be enamoured with the six-speed auto, which feels a little slow and confused when asked for quick action.It lays claim to a combined fuel use figure of 11.3l/100km, while we got 13.2 during our time in the car, which was not always driven for frugality - on par with its petrol competition.The all-wheel drive set-up is the on-demand system, which - like most of the systems seems eco-centric - takes a very long time to bring the rear wheels into play, despite extreme provocation. The delay is ample evidence to suggest anything other than fire trails and hard-packed beach sand would be a challenge.The descent control system does a reasonable job of bringing the big SUV down a hill at a gracious pace, but serious off-road work would probably bake the brakes. Sadly, that's an issue in any of these SUVs with electronics in lieu of a good low-range.There's a USB port within the more spacious centre console for added connectivity - the extra room comes from the inclusion of an electric park brake.The main change aesthetically comes at the front, with a sharper, sculpted snout and more air intake grilles. The bonnet and headlights have been re-designed and seem to be following a similar path to the new Ford Territory.The Captiva still rates a four-star crash performer but has dual front, side and full-length curtain airbags, anti-lock braking on four-wheel ventilated discs, emergency brake assist, a hill descent control system (which is too fast), electronic brakeforce distribution, rollover, stability and traction control.Immediately the ride was a concern, very sharp over small bumps and not much better over bigger ones. A quick check with the pressure gauge prompted five pounds of pressure out of each tyre and the ride became a little less brittle, but the wagon's ride was still too firm for the rugrats and the Speaker Of The House.Part of the problem is - regardless of the myriad seating configurations - the seats themselves are flat and not overly comfortable. The suspension's taut control does deliver flat cornering and that shows up the seating's deficiency in terms of lateral support, but the compromised ride is too hard for a family truckster.As mentioned, the six-speed auto and the petrol V6 are not the best of bed-fellows, with a dearth of low-down torque to overcome the transmission's indecision.The infotainment side of the cabin seems considerable, with Bluetooth phone and music link - but the system seems more adept at the latter than the former. The satellite navigation screen is clear and easy enough to use and read, but appears easily confused.Despite claiming signal from nine satellites, the map was telling me I was driving on the South Eastern freeway when I was still well and truly on Upper Sturt Road, more than a couple of kilometres away.

The Japanese brand has lofty goals of becoming the number one importer and taking leadership of the small car market, led by the returning Pulsar small car in early 2013, which he says will have an impact on Mazda and Hyundai.  "We are aiming to be number one importer with the launch of Pulsar - which is in early 2013."  "Pulsar will add thousands to our 2012 tally, we have every intent with Pulsar to be number one in that segment, it won't happen at launch - we will do a staggered launch, sedan, hatch and then we've lined up two or three life-cycle actions, the first two years of Pulsar will be really aggressive," he says.  Nissan will make up for lost time and is aiming to be the country's number-one importer - "We've got quite a bit of new product next FY year, with Patrol in late 2012, Leaf in June, Almera will come in August (a small sedan off the Micra platform) - they are not big volume products, that will come with Pulsar, we'll take share from Hyundai and Mazda with Pulsar," Mr Thompson says. The Japanese brand boss says there's been investments made in its dealer network and the brand has worked with the product hand it was dealt and not rested on its new-product laurels - "Dualis, in 2007 it was 150 to 1000 now, X-Trail was 600 and it's up to 1500, a lot of this growth is working with what we had first," he says. A flood of new product will be surging from Australian showrooms by 2015, something that in the last two years Nissan has managed to grow without. "The product that we have coming down the pipe for Australia is the best I've ever seen." The outgoing managing director is headed for a new job for the Nissan brand - Vice President of Finance for Nissan Europe - and will be disappointed he's not here to see the plans go into action. "I'm disappointed not to be here to see all the new cars for Nissan and Infiniti coming, I'll be watching - I'm satisfied the team is ready to do the job we set out to do four years ago, it's not easy launching four new products so by no means is the job finished - there's still a lot to do," he said. While the brand will bring in the Leaf electric car, introduce the Altera and resurrect the Patrol and Maxima models, it will be the popular Pulsar badge that will take the lion's share of responsibility for Nissan's growth, says Thompson. "In 2010 Nissan was the fastest growing brand, we set in fiscal year 2011 to do the same, but natural disasters stopped that and we have VW and Hyundai who weren't effected." "As we go into FY2012 we're aiming for 85,000 units, the FY11 result will be our best ever as a full-line importer." The Japanese brand will also have Infiniti coming into the market during August - initially only along the East coast but in petrol, diesel and hybrid guises - with the rest of the country on the agenda over the new few years, depending on sales volume and demand.

Regal, royal (by appointment to several crown-wearers) and rapid, the Range Rover Sport is a more youthful take on the long-running off-roader nameplate. Yet is is more closely related to the Discovery than it is to the Range Rover Vogue flagship, despite the aesthetic similarities.  We're driving the entry-level

GT-R - just muttering this acronym is enough to bring goosebumps to the neck of most motoring enthusiasts.Nissan has had the badge in its arsenal since the late 1960s - with brief appearances here - but the Grand Turismo Racing vehicle that goes on sale this month in Australia is by far the most venomous yet.The GT-R (which also amusingly stands for Ground Transportation Request) has more power, more torque across a wider rev range but with the ability to use less fuel.The price has gone up $2000 for the model-year 2012 GT-R to start from $170,800 - still half the price of opposition equipment with the same performance potential. The latest incarnation of the GT-R has more than 420 representatives on Australian roads - and more than 20,000 examples worldwide since the model's launch in late 2007.Changes are minimal on the surface - the instruments now have blue back-lighting inside the tacho ring, there's now a standard reversing camera. The features list also has dual-zone climate control, leather trimmed and heated front sports seats, two rear sports seats, touchscreen satnav, USB input for the sound system, Bilstein adaptive dampers, Bluetooth phone link, cruise control, keyless entry and ignition.The Bose 11-speaker sound system's woofers have been upgraded to Bose Precision Sound System woofers and the door speakers and rear woofer are now mounted on a solid aluminium die-cast panel to reduce vibration and improve sound quality. The two-door super-coupe is also wearing new nitrogen-filled Dunlop SP Sport Maxx tyres that were developed specifically for the GT-R and Nissan says the updated rubber improves response and ride comfort.The magnificent hand-built twin-turbo V6 has had work done on both the intake and exhaust sides of the engine, with the intake a new resin intake duct and more precise intake system claiming reduced airflow resistance. The exhaust side now has sodium-filled exhaust valves for better cooling and a smaller, lighter exhaust catalyser.The result is a power jump from 390 to 404kW (at 6400rpm) while torque has improved 16Nm to 628Nm between 3200 and 5800rpm (the latter a 600rpm increase). The increases have not come at the expense of fuel consumption, claims Nissan - the company says the 2012 GT-R's ADR-laboratory derived figure for fuel use has dropped from 12 to 11.7l/100km.The six-speed double-clutcher has also been improved, says Nissan, with better shift feel and quietness the result of work on the shift fork arm and the flywheel housing - the drivetrain now also gets a model-specific competition differential oil.While the exterior design hasn't changed, the design of the underpinnings have - to account for the driver's weight on the righthand side, the GT-R's suspension for RHD models has been set asymmetrically, a world-first says the Japanese carmaker.Nissan says in the outgoing car there was a 50kg bias to the right-hand side with an average-sized driver, so the spring rates are slightly altered left-to-right and some components are mounted differently, all of which means an imbalanced wheel load when the car is at a standstill, but which is equalised when underway. The new GT-R is boasting improved steering response, cornering stability and ride comfort. The engineers have also reinforced parts of the engine compartment and repositioned some sensors.Godzilla gets dual front, side and curtain airbags for the front occupants, who will be strapped into the front pews with pre-tensioner and load-limiter equipped seatbelts. There's also anti-lock brakes and the adjustable stability and traction control system (which also has an R-Mode start) and the grip of all-wheel drive, which can send all drive to the rear wheels and up to 50 per cent to the front as required.Godzilla has mutated - in a good way. Nissan’s GT-R has long-worn the movie-monster nickname and the update has given no reasons for it to fade away. The 2012 update has given more power and torque to the already-awesome twin-turbo V6, enough to suggest Nissan Japan claims of 2.8 seconds to 100km/h are feasibleThe coupe leaps away from standstill, slipping quickly between gears with minimal shift shock despite the considerable force being applied through the drivetrain. There’s still some mechanical noise, but it’s more refined, with a roar that’s not ear-splitting but it is addictive. What is also addictive is the part-throttle power delivery - you don’t need to go flat out to appreciate the engine, which has a considerable mid-range. Firing along twisty bitumen, the two-door supercar corners with disdain, both for recommended cornering speed signs and surface changes.Bumps are felt but do little to change the intended line – even dust, cow manure, gravel or other extras on the road surface barely ruffle the GT-R’s composure. Changes to the suspension - designed to compensate for weight on the right hand side, says Nissan - have also had an impact on the ride quality.While it’s far from a boulevarde ride, the sharp impact from bumps felt in previous incarnations has been smoothed over – there’s still a jolt but the cutting thump has been reduced. In comfort mode the ride quality improves noticeably and for most on-road work that’s the setting of choice.Solid body control and tenacious grip mean your internal organs are going to give in before the GT-R does - it’s not hard to see (or feel) how this car gave Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson a crook neck.There’s also a solid, meaty feeling to the steering, which is on the heavier side but feels fitting for this beast of a machine. The awkward rear vision has been offset by the addition of a reversing camera, which is new for 2012.

It says Toyota on the front, not Tonka. And no, you can't buy spare parts from Lego stores. This is a 21st century interpretation of a Toyota classic, the original FJ40 LandCruiser, and the fifth model in Toyota's 4WD line-up is no school run special.Its FJ-inspired features include angular lines, round headlights set either side of a wide, mesh grille, an upright windscreen with three wiper blades, a white roof and wrap-around rear corner windows.VALUESitting in the mid-$40,000 range puts it right in the heart of small to medium SUV terrain, but theres few within coo-ee of it in terms of 4WD ability. The four-litre V6 five-speed auto (shared with HiLux and Prado) is the only drivetrain on offer, with an equipment list that includes Bluetooth audio and phone link, power front windows, 17in alloy wheels (including a full-size spare slung on the back door), rear fog lamps, rear parking sensors, cruise control, air-conditioning and an MP3/USB eight-speaker sound system, which uses the roofliner as an active part of the sound system.TECHNOLOGYThe V6 petrol powerplant offers 200kW and 380Nm (with 310Nm spinning from 1200rpm), channelled via the five-speed automatic transmission to a part-time 4WD system that also has a rear differential lock and a switchable traction control system for extra off-road ability.Toyota claims the FJ Cruiser consumes 11.4 litres of PULP (9.3 on the highway and 14.9 around town) but its packing a small 72-litre tank, which doesnt bode well for the bush, when fuel use can sky-rocket look for the long-range fuel tank option box. The dampers were stiffened by 10 per cent and steering have been locally-tested and recalibrated to good effect, and the wheel tyre package was upped to 70-series tyres on 17in wheels.DESIGNThe look is love-it or hate-it, there seems to be no middle ground, although its easy to see the links to the LandCruiser FJ40, but the California design team threw a bit more stance and muscle inspired by one of the design team's pooches, an American pit bull. The upright windscreen with three-wipers, the white roof and the rear suicide doors, the high-waist, more than 220mm of ground clearance and old-school approach and departure angles, as well as the squared edges all suggest truck but looks can be a little deceiving.Inside, its not quite a hose-out interior but its not far off, with rubber floor coverings and tough-looking seat fabric. The clever electrochromatic rearvision mirror with built-in screen for the reversing camera contrasts with the painted metal interior panels and roughnready fixtures, but if you were into Hummers but looking for Japanese build quality, this might be your cup of billy tea.SAFETYIt might be retro but theres nothing 20th century about the safety features six airbags, traction and stability control, anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution and emergency brake assist, active front head restraints, a reversing camera and rear parking sensors.DRIVINGThe news is good, in relation to the exterior it drives far better than youd think from looking at it. Sitting on a ladder-frame chassis with front double-wishbone/coils and a five-link/coil system at the rear, the FJ is immediately a surprise for its decent ride. Its not going to corner like a Cayenne but its not a corner-roller like an old Range Rover either, making it remarkably easy to punt around town without feeling seasick.Complaints are few tilt-only steering adjustment is a little too old-school for me, the rearvision is abysmal, with massive rearward pillars making the sensors and camera compulsory. The rear doors are a quirky gimmick - remember this was originally a US-destined machine - but entry and exit for some (without sidesteps) is not their forte, particularly in carparks, with no opening window also an issue for some.Drivetrain refinement is well above average, with minimal engine noise and despite the upright windscreen - theres not a heap of wind noise either. The steering is light and not exactly sharp, but when you ditch the bitumen you get an idea of what the primary aim of the vehicle is.Theres ample ground clearance for when you want to get dirty, as well as the rear diff lock and the active traction control that operates as an electronic limited slip diff. For serious climbing, lock the rear diff (with the option of more), select low-range and hit the active traction control button and the FJ clambers over all manner of obstacles with good wheel travel and without manic wheelspin or bashing the underbody protection.VERDICTTheres plenty to like about the FJ its an honest performer and makes no bones about what it is meant for; its not perfect but it thumbs its nose at the soft SUVs as it disappears into the mud without fear of it being a one-way return trip.

Anyone think the small car class is underdone for choice? No, I didn't think so. Three and five-door small cars are running rampant in the marketplace, sourced from all four points of the compass and with petrol, diesel and hybrid drivetrains.Renault has updated its Megane with a little diesel with a six-speed double-clutcher, available in Dynamique or Privilege spec - we're in the former.VALUEThe Dynamic is priced from $27,490 - a $1500 price impost over the petrol-powered equivalent, with a features list that's really not missing much. The cabin is trimmed with cloth predominantly, with a leather-wrapped reach'n'rake adjustable steering wheel and gear shifter, 16in alloy wheels (with a full-size steel spare wheel slung under the bum), dual zone climate control with rear vents, power windows, a 60/40 splitfold rear seat backrest,  a four-speaker sound system with auxiliary and USB input as well as Bluetooth phone and audio link, power-adjustable and folding exterior mirrors.The test car was also fitted with satellite navigation - a $1490 option.TECHNOLOGYThe turbodiesel now in the hatch is an 81kW/240Nm 1.5-litre SOHC 8-valve direct-injection intercooled turbodiesel engine with a particle filter, which is not anywhere near the diesel outputs from the class leaders - Ford, Mazda and Holden all have mid300s for torque and over 100kW of power.The Renault makes up ground with a six-speed dual-clutch automated manual gearbox, which claims 4.5 litre per 100km and 117g/km. The Megane also gets the flat credit-card -like key with smart locking features and keyless ignition.It's handy to be able to walk away and have the car lock itself, or unlock by touching the handle, although a couple of times it didn't always work as you'd think and you'd have to press the unlock button on the card - a first-world problem.DESIGNGone are the angular looks of the old car's front and the rump is far less pronounced - think Sharapova instead of Williams - it is a more attractive and cohesive look than that of the previous generations. The cabin has an open feel about it, with the driver getting a digital speedo that might not be to all tastes.The sound system controls - on the dash and the stalk behind the helm - would take some getting used to. The chrome trim highlights on the front doors look good but are hard on the driver's right leg, which rests against it. Rear head room is adequate but leg room isn't.SAFETYA five-star NCAP car (Renault was the first to gain that ranking many moons ago), the Megane has stability control, anti-lock brakes with emergency brake assist, as well as dual front, front-side and full-length curtain airbags. The safety features also include automatic headlights and windscreen wipers.DRIVINGThe little French hatch is behind the eight ball for outputs and but for the lighter kerb weight would be a genuine slug. Fuel economy numbers make up for it to some extent, but for now there are more lively diesel alternatives that can acheive similar numbers.The little diesel is a chuggy powerplant but the cabin is reasonably well-insulated from it - but it's still not the quietest. The chassis compromise between ride and handling is pleasant, one of the better balanced set-ups in the segment. Cabin space is not abundant, particularly for the legs of rear passengers, but bootspace is good - the full-size spare is slung outside the car, under the more-svelte rump.Seating is comfortable for the driver, who checks speed on a digital readout that some mightn't like but I got used to; the sound system controls (on the dash or stalk) are less easy to like. The instruments and centre display have been given an effective cowling to shield from light and that's not something that is always done well by European brands (Range Rover Evoque being a prime example).It did prove frugal despite the bulk of its time being spent on suburban roads - 7 litres per 100km were taken from the 60-litre tank, so 1000km on the open road is achievable. Complaints are few - it could do with rear parking sensors as standard as vision aft isn't perfect; the trim piece on the door pull handle is quite hard and fails as a comfortable knee rest for the driver.VERDICTThe Megane hatch joins a tidal wave of small hatches hitting the top-end of the Australian small-car segment and it's in for a tough fight. The pricetag is in the ballpark but the segment leaders are offering more powerful packages without a big jump in real-world fuel use. The less-polarising looks will help the Megane's cause but the diesel engine falls short of the competition.Renaut Megane Dynamic automatic dCiPrice: from $27,490Warranty: 5 years,  unlimited kmResale: 50% Source: Glass's GuideService Interval: 10,000km or 6-monthsEconomy: 4.5 l/100km, on test 7l/100km; 117g/km CO2Safety Equipment: six airbags, ABS, EBD, stability control.Crash rating: 5 starEngine: 81kW/240Nm 1.5-litre turbodiesel four-cylinderTransmission: six-speed auto, front-wheel driveBody: 5-door, 5 seats Dimensions: 4295mm (L); 1808mm (W); 1471mm (H); 2641mm (WB)Weight: 1366kgTyre size: 205/60 R16Spare tyre: full-size steel

Which are the better drivers in Australia? Vote in our poll below.  A survey by UK company GEM Motoring Assist shows that kids in the UK prefer Mum's driving and think Dad drives too fast, is more aggressive and lose their tempers quicker when behind the wheel. The survey of 1300 also suggests 60 per cent of 5yo-16yo children in the UK were happier and more relaxed when mum is driving.  Mums were also seen by the kids to be more considerate to other motorists, less likely to suffer from road rage and did not weave impatiently in and out of traffic, but the new was not all good for women - the kiddies did admit Mum was more likely to stall the car or get into strife during basic manoeuvres like parking.  Seven out of ten children also said their mum sings while driving and had nicer cars. GEM Motoring Assist CEO David Williams says the results show a sensitive and relaxed driver has the most calming effect on young passengers.  "More than half responded that mums talk non-stop to keep the family entertained in the car. "Whereas, it seems dads are more interested in getting from A to B as quickly as possible, with 55 per cent more likely to have an accident than mums," he says. Mr Williams suggested it was important children did not see their parents driving too fast or too aggressively.  "There is a general belief that kids exposed to poor driving could mean that they copy this action when they start to drive themselves.  "It is important to make your kids feel safe in the car and, more importantly, it is vital your children are safe in the car," he says.

But the Japanese brand is getting through 2012 with some better news. Honda's Thailand plant - responsible for building about 80 per cent of the cars sold here - was inundated in the 2011 flood disaster, causing severe supply problems for the brand.However the site will officially re-open at the end of March and will be sending cars our way again the following month. Honda Australia principal adviser to the board of directors Lindsay Smalley says the company will also get its UK-sourced Civic five-door nine months earlier and at a sharper price."Our intent is to reposition that car as a volume player, we'll have to do something pretty spectacular with the price and we intend to use the currency situation to do that - we're saying a mid-$20,000s motor car," he says."By the time that's in the market we expect to be selling around 3500 a month rate by mid-year," he says.The Japanese brand has also been without proper supply of its CR-V SUV since October last year but will be launching an all-new model in the last quarter of this year. "It's a full model change in 2WD and 4WD, we believe that will lift our sales rate back to around 4000 a month, if not more," he says. With the return of the wide-bodiedAccord and the new Civic four and five-door models, the Honda beancounters are aiming for 40,000 sales this year, which is similar to its 2010 tally, and a longer-term aim of returning to its 2007 sales figures around 60,000."We repositioned our pricing in June last year on the majority of our models, back to value-for-money to get volume back, just after we did that, we had a fantastic reaction in June and July, we ordered up big and then the floods hit," he says.The private sales columns for the Accord Euro and Odyssey show Honda is heading in the right direction -  in February, the Accord Euro led private sales in its medium sub-$60,000 segment for the third consecutive month, it says.The brand's long-serving Odyssey peoplemover has also started 2012 - Honda says it is leading the private sales in the sub-$60,000 peoplemover segment.The sales bump could also be coming as a result of the family-machine being re-priced to start from $37,100, a $2000 drop, with Honda also spruiking a features upgrade to the tune of more than $2500.Honda's starts to the year was nearly 30 per cent down but February was an improvement on 2011 - 18 cars up - but the year-to-date tally is 13 per cent down.Honda Australia director and sales & marketing general manager Stephen Collins, says the sales figures are a positive start to a year of rebuilding and growth."The Accord Euro has been leading private sales in its segment since late last year and continues to gain market share. "In overall sales for its segment, it ran a close second, along with the Honda Odyssey.""Honda is firmly focused on delivering what Australian customers want in their cars value