Articles by Stuart Martin

Raise your hackles, cat people. Jaguar's ruthless F-Type Coupe has arrived, completing the mainstream F range with an emphatic note. Supercharged V6s kick the range off, matching the two specifications of the convertible sibling, but Jaguar haskindly delivered a coupe with the ability to fry tyres, warp minds and carry a little more luggage.Neither V6 could be seen as lethargic but the F-Type R - the only roofed version available for the local first drive - sprints from rest to 100km/h in under 5.0 seconds on to a governed 300km/h top speed.VALUE The 3.0-litre (250kW/450Nm) 'starter' model is $119,900, with 18-inch alloys, leather and suede interior and sports steering wheel. The mid-spec (260kW/460Nm) asks $152,300 and gets the must-have active exhaust as standard, plus adaptive dampers, limited-slip diff, 19-inch alloy wheels and brake upgrade.The 5.0-litre V8 (404kW/ 680Nm) is $219,600, with a leather-wrapped flat-bottomed steering wheel, 20-inch alloys, adaptive sports suspension, further brake upgrade (with the $20,000 option of carbon ceramic discs). It hits 100km/h in a raucous 4.2 seconds.DESIGN The coupe has more road presence than the convertible, with the same road footprint - it's a little over 1.9m wide which makes it look aggressive. Muscular yet elegant, the sloping roofline endows cleaner lines to the rear, although it's mini-me pop-up spoiler looks a little dinky compared to the droptop's version.The bodyshell feels strong and the brand's investment in aluminium construction methods seems to be bearing fruit. The coupe's body side is made from a single aluminium pressing, part of a package that is the most torsionally rigid production Jag to date.Bootspace - virtually non-existent in the convertible - improves a little in the coupe. There's up to 407L if you ditch the space-saver spare.ENGINE / TRANSMISSIONThe all-aluminium V8 tops the pops thanks to a Roots-type supercharger fed by two intercoolers. The drive to the rear is distributed by an electronic active differential. Working with torque vectoring braking to fire the big coupe out of bends in a hurry. Its adaptive dampers check body roll by adjusting damper rates up to 500 times a second.SAFETY There are front and side airbags, automatic bi-xenon headlights, rear parking sensors, rain-sensing wipers and stability control among the standard fare. However, tyre pressure and blind spot monitoring, parking sensors or reversing camera are amazingly not standard on any F-Type.DRIVING The first local drive was undertaken in the coupe line-up's headline act, the R. From the first full-throttle surge, the vocal blown V8 makes it easy to believe the 4.2-second claim for the sprint to highway speed.The active exhaust brays belligerently, in a lower tone than the supercharged V6 previously sampled, and the noise - combined with the sharp exterior - makes for an A-grade head-turner.m Steering is meaty and the helm even meatier. The snug cabin has little in the way of storage but plenty in the way of style and quality materials.The touchscreen nav and infotainment system is starting to age a little, although it can still crank out a nice noise if you tire of the engine's soundtrack, unlikely though that is. The features list is light-on, given the $200,000-plus sticker. Missing are seat heaters which, along with parking sensors and camera, are standard in much cheaper cars.Ride quality is also not great, even with adaptive damping set to less extreme efforts. The R can fidget in the bends when taken at speed if the bumps come (not dangerously) and the underpinnings still disturb the cabin excessively.Ride-handling compromise is a black art that seems better mastered in Porsche's Cayman and 911, which in price and intent sit either side of it. The pay-off for some will be the theatre of the Jag, the image of the brand and fact that there are not many on the road.

Stuart Martin road tests and reviews the Audi A3 Cabriolet, with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

Suzuki S-Cross GLX and Peugeot 2008 Allure go head-to-head in this comparative review.

Less aims to mean more with the revised Skoda Superb sedan and wagon.

If you transport children from A to B, Monday to Friday, you maintain an air of sensible auto ownership - but with these $40K sedans you can still have a weekend solo drive.Check for a pulse. If there's still a gentle thump-thump present, that's a good start. Does it rise and fall with the engine revs and surge with centrifugal force in corners?That makes you a driver, someone who enjoys a ribbon of road and the challenge of smooth, spirited progress. But now practicalities may take precedence and gone are the days of punting a two-seater sports car along inclines and hairpins. Still, the opportunity arises occasionally for taking the long way with only one seat belt in use - yours.For the school run or Saturday sport, a sedan is the bare minimum requirement for getting the offspring to their destination. The same vehicle can also be used - if equipped appropriately - for a solo drive just to clear the driver's mind. But which $40K four-door is going to get both jobs done?1. Skoda Octavia RS 162TSI DSG - see other reviews Weekday - Still dwelling under the $40,000 mark, the Skoda Octavia RS is a $38,790 proposition in its automatic petrol form and it's the only one here with standard satnav, part of the intuitive touchscreen-controlled infotainment.The Czech brand's contestant also has a spacious cabin, if not quite as wide as that of the Holden. There's still plenty of space for five and the boot expands to 568L with the split-fold function - it's enormous.Sadly it misses out on a reversing camera but gets front and rear parking sensors with a clever info-graphic, based on the front wheel angle, to predict the car's path. Daily duties are a little less comfortable in the conservatively styled Skoda - ride quality is a touch firmer than the Holden, though not to the point of discomfort.The Czech ups the airbag count to nine, adding two rear side airbags. It also has rain-sensing wipers and automatic xenon headlights for well-lit night driving.Weekend - Just because the front wheels do all the work, it doesn't mean the Skoda handles like a demented dog on lino - the VW Group's drivetrain boffins have applied electronic trickery to keep traction and torque steer in check and make the most of the engine's outputs in the bends.It's enthusiastic in cornering, with the 2.0-litre turbo four producing a useful 162kW and 350Nm (well-spread for flexibility across the rev range) but it needs 98 RON fuel to generate those numbers. Thankfully, it only drinks at a claimed rate of 6.6L/100km, helped by the least kerb weight and only marred by a touchy brake pedal.Price: from $38,790 (auto adds $2300) Warranty: 3 years/unlimited km Capped servicing: 6 years/90,000km, total $2994 Service interval: 12 months/15,000km Resale: 45 per cent Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 162kW/350Nm Transmission: 6-speed DSG; FWD Thirst: 6.6L/100km, on test 9.9L, 154g/km CO2 Tank 50L Dimensions: 4.7m (L), 1.8m (W), 1.5m (H) Weight: 1417kg  2. Subaru WRX CVT - see other reviewsWeekday - Subaru has returned its WRX to sedan form and with constantly variable transmission it comes to $40,990, just breaching our nominal price barrier. The six-speed manual is fine on the right road but for daily drudgery the CVT is a much smoother option.The Subaru's ride quality is the least suitable here for the patchwork of bitumen masquerading as main roads. If you don't mind being an extrovert then the WRX is a contender - LED headlights, body skirts and bonnet scoops make it stand out a little more than the other two.The cabin has more room than you'd expect from a first glance at the exterior, only really falling short of the others in rear headroom and the absence of rear vents. Bootspace is the smallest but not restrictive at 460L, and the Subaru also can expand on that with the 60-40 split rear backrests.The Sube gets the safety benefit of all-wheel drive, reversing camera (but no sensors), seven airbags (the usual six plus one for the driver's knees). The dearer Premium variant adds dusk-sensing lights, rain-sensing wipers and satnav.Weekend - Here's where the WRX comes firing back into contention - clever AWD and the tied-down chassis generate stupendous grip and drive out of corners, exploiting the turbo flat-four's 197kW and 350Nm. That's Commodore V6 outputs with 158kg less weight, with all that torque spread over a more useful band. The Subaru claims a combined-cycle thirst of 8.6L/100km.The CVT can smoothly marshal all that urge or the driver can switch to 'S#" (Sport Sharp) mode and use the paddles to change gears. The eight-speed auto is much sharper than previous auto efforts in the WRX - it lives up to its heritage as a very quick point-to-point car.Price: from $40,990 (CVT adds $2000) Warranty: 3 years/unlimited km Capped servicing: No Service interval: 6 months/12,500km Resale: 55 per cent Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl boxer, 197kW/350Nm Transmission: CVT; AWD Thirst: 8.6L/100km, on test 12.5L, 199g/km CO2 Tank 60L Dimensions: 4.6m (L), 1.8m (W), 1.5m (H) Weight: 1527kg 3. Holden VF Commodore SV6 auto - see other reviewsWeekday - The cheapest of this trio is also the largest - Adelaide's own VF Commodore SV6, which at $38,690 for a six-speed automatic model is plenty of metal for the money. Completing the daily grind in the Holden is an easy task - its cavernous cabin easily takes five occupants, with enough space in every direction to maintain comfort on the commute.It's not the biggest boot of this trio at 496L and can't be expanded by way of split-folding rear seats but it takes a fair load of baggage. The SV6 even has an auto start function, which has its advantages on a cold morning to fire up the dual-zone climate control, with rear vents.The V6 and conventional auto drivetrain lopes through metro mundanities. Parking sensors front and rear team with a reversing camera to assist in tight city parking. Thick windscreen pillars take some getting used to at T-junctions.Weekend - The big Aussie sedan shrinks around the driver once the other seats are unoccupied - the 3.6-litre V6 isn't the most orchestral of powerplants but power and torque - 210kW and 350Nm - suffice to get it hustling.It covers ground quickly and easily, with a light but direct connection to the front wheels and suspension that works in the bends without breaking bones - or the bank, given a claimed thirst of 9.0L/100km. The sport mode in the transmission works well enough and there is the option of a manual change for the driver, who will get accustomed to the high-set brake pedal.Price: from $38,690 Warranty: 3 years/100,000km Capped servicing: 3 years/60,000km $185 Service interval: 9 months/15,000km Resale: 41 per cent Engine: 3.6-litre V6, 210kW/350Nm Transmission: 6-speed auto; RWD Thirst: 9L/100km, on test 13.4L, 216g/km CO2 Tank 71L Dimension: 5m (L), 1.9m (W), 1.5m (H) Weight: 1685kg VERDICTThe SV6 is by no means a bad beast. A Commodore means lots of car for the money. It is light on its feet yet still has a big-car feel without feeling like a barge in the bends.Subaru's WRX is a headkicker when fired up in anger - outrageous grunt for the asking price, with a much-improved auto option and that grip - and the super-firm road manner is the sole failing.My two minions for the day choose the Skoda as the car they'd pinch if all keys were on the table and it's hard to argue with that conclusion.It lacks the width of the Commodore and the outright grip and grunt of the Subaru, nor is it as overt as the other two in the looks department. The cheeky Czech has plenty of space, pace and poise and can be driven with purpose.Common kit - All three have: Five-star ANCAP safety rating, Bluetooth phone and audio link, USB inputs, cloth trim, leather-wrapped steering wheel with ancillary controls, direct fuel injection, trip computer, power windows and mirrors and climate control, space-saver spare (Skoda and Subaru)What's unique - Skoda Octavia Front-drive, turbocharged four-cylinder, twin-clutch automated manual gearbox, satnav, tyre pressure monitor, heated mirrors Holden Commodore SV6 Rear-drive, V6, conventional automatic transmission, remote start, app-based smartphone-compatible MyLinkSubaru WRX All-wheel drive, turbocharged flat four-cylinder, continuously variable automatic

Stuart Martin road tests and reviews the Mazda 3 SP25 GT, with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

Say adieu to the Dualis and all-wheel drive and hello to the original name.Just when you might have been getting used to the Dualis badge, Nissan has the updated model coming to Australia and reverting to the original nameplate — Qashqai.On sale from next month, the Qashqai (pronounced “Cash-kigh”) replaces the Dualis — essentially the same car that was given a different name for a handful of markets including Australia.Gone is the all-wheel drive option, dropped due to marginal sales. Nissan reckons it covers the AWD options in the new X-Trail range.Qashqai is one of Nissan’s most successful models, with more than two million sold globally since the previous generation debuted in 2007.It shares the underpinnings of its larger sibling, the new Common Module Family Renault-Nissan platform.The Qashqai ST and Ti get a 2.0-litre petrol engine (106kW/200Nm) teamed with six-speed manual or constantly variable transmission.The turbo diesel TS and TL models carry over the 1.6-litre (96kW/320Nm) from the Dualis but the sole transmission will be the CVT. The outgoing diesel was manual only.Braked towing capacity is unchanged, 1200kg for petrol CVT models up to 1400kg for petrol manuals and diesel.Across the range, standard gear includes LED daytime running lights, hill start assist, adjustable steering modes, an electric park brake and the NissanConnect smartphone link to run integrated apps including Facebook, Pandora and Google. The entry-level ST manual, priced from $25,850 ($28,490 for the CVT), has 17-inch alloy wheels, five-inch display, rear roof spoiler, leather-trimmed steering wheel and gear shifter, electric park brake, front, side and curtain airbags and a space-saver spare.The TS starts from $33,200 and adds stop-start fuel saver, power folding mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, fog lights, tinted rear windows, keyless start, dual-zone climate control and an upgrade to the cloth trim and the cargo area.Stepping up to the Ti takes the asking price from $32,490 ($34,990 for CVT) but it gets 19-inch alloy wheels, seven-inch display with satnav, automatic LED headlights, panoramic sunroof, leather trim and heated front seats.The Qashqai was primarily styled by the brand’s European designers in London and engineered in Britain and Spain. It is built in Britain (as is the Australia-bound Juke SUV), and has been a sales success despite the tongue-twister name.

Carsguide reviews the best of the medium SUV pack from Jeep Cherokee, Mazda CX-5, Nissan X-Trail, Mitsubishi PHEV.

Camry tops the mid-sized sedan segment. Stuart Martin rates the other pair on the podium.

They're both Thai-built seven-seaters derived from big utes, but there are some important difference.