Ford Festiva News

Australia is regarded as one of the world’s most sophisticated and mature vehicle markets. We’re right up there with the richest.

And the VE Commodore was given just three stars. The latest Used Car Safety Ratings, taken from Monash University's Accident Research Centre (MUARC) crash survey awarded five stars to the Camry and Aurion on models built from 2006 until 2008. The results show that almost one in three vehicles have a "poor" or "very poor" crash test result. The worst result was for the 1990-96 Daihatsu Mira, while the 2004-07 VW Golf was the safest. The 1999-2002 Ford Fairlane/LTD, Holden's Statesman/Caprice and the 2003-5 Mitsubishi Magna/Verada line-ups all rated four stars.  Three-star ratings were also awarded to the 2002-08 BA/BF Ford Falcon, the Holden Statesman/Caprice range from 1994 to 1998 and the 2002-07 Holden Commodore VY/VZ range. The results also suggest smaller cars have improved in recent years, with the 1996-200 Volkswagen Polo scoring five stars and the 2005-2008 Holden Barina rating four stars. The ratings list showed that (excluding light-commercial utes) every vehicle class has at least one vehicle with an "excellent" five-star rating and of the 199 vehicles examined, more than a third scored either good or excellent. The survey rates occupant safety, as well as how other road users (cyclists, pedestrians, motorcyclists and other drivers) are affected in a crash, based on Australian and New Zealand injuries suffered by 5.4 million people from 1987-2008. FIVE STAR "excellent" Audi A4 01-08 BMW 5 Series 96-03 BMW X5 01-08 Chrysler Neon 96-99 Ford Explorer 01-05 Ford Transit 01-08 Mazda 6 02-07 Mazda MX5 Roadster 98-05 Mercedes Benz C-Class 00-07 Mercedes Benz M-Class 98-05 Mitsubishi Nimbus 99-03 Mitsubishi Pajero 00-06 Peugeot 307 01-08 Saab 900/9-3 94-02 Saab 9000 86-97 Subaru Liberty/Legacy/Outback 03-08 Subaru Forester 97-02 Toyota Aurion 06-08 Toyota Camry 06-08 Volkswagen Golf/Jetta 04-08 Volkswagen Polo 96-00 Volvo S40/V40 97-04 ONE STAR "very poor" Daewoo Espero 95-97 Daewoo Tacuma 00-04 Daihatsu Feroza/Rocky 89-97 Daihatsu Rocky/Rugger 85-98 Daihatsu Charade 93-00 Daihatsu Mira 90-96 Ford Festiva 94-01 Holden Commodore Ute VR/VS 94-00 Holden/Suzuki Scurry/Carry 82-00 Holden/Suzuki Drover/Sierra 82-99 Holden/Suzuki Barina/Swift 89-99 Hyundai Excel/Accent 95-00 Hyundai Getz/TB 02-08 Kia Ceres 92-00 Nissan Micra 95-97 Nissan NX/NX-R 91-96 Proton Wira 95-96 Subaru Impreza 93-00 Suzuki Vitara/Escudo 88-98 Toyota 4Runner/Hilux 89-97 Toyota Landcruiser 90-97

The thermometer on our Fiesta reads 120 degrees (over 50 Celsius). Four hours out of LA, this is one of the hottest places on the planet.

Amid the usual sea of hybrid, advanced diesel and fuel-cell technology that competed for attention under the looming threat of stringent carbon-dioxide limitation legislation there was a healthy swag of new production models to prove life goes on in the real world. A good deal of what was on show is Australia-bound in the next 12 months, much of it within months of going on sale in the European markets. Honda rolled out the second generation of its hugely successful Accord Euro, Ford put its baby Fiesta out for scrutiny and VW highlighted the stunning Scirocco Coupe. Skoda showed the new generation of the Superb (which has a date with Australia early next year), Peugeot unveiled the new 308 station wagon — seen first in Melbourne last week, Renault confirmed the Koleos compact SUV as a production vehicle, BMW took the covers off a pair of convertible heroes — the brutal M3 and its baby cousin the 1-Series — and Maybach stepped back in time with a nod to traditional open-top motoring in the Landaulet. Mazda took a pair of doors out of its Mazda2 to produce the stylish 3-door hatch, Mercedes-Benz unveiled its next generation of SL super sports and Dodge again thumbed its nose at sensitivity with the big and bold Journey. Honda should be the first cab off the rank with the new models, launching the Accord Euro in June into a market where the previous model was a watershed. “The original Euro was a real image builder — a hero car — for us,” Honda Australia's Mark Higgins says. “This new car is more of an evolution than a revolution, but when you have a car as definitive as the Euro, there is no real need to make major changes.” The 2008 Euro will arrive with a single 2.4-litre i-VTEC four-cylinder engine coupled with a five-speed automatic to compete head-to-head with the recently launched Mazda6 and Subaru's Liberty, as well as models such as the Toyota Camry and Hyundai Sonata. Higgins says there are no plans to add the hi-tech 2.2-litre i-DTEC diesel engine to the line-up. “We would love to have that engine but it is not available with an automatic and for our market that is a problem,” Higgins says. The story is much the same for the Tourer (station wagon) version. That is despite it being the most stylish of the range. Ford, desperate for a serious contender in the light-car market, has definite plans for the cute Fiesta but will not rush it to market. “I am not going to be specific about when the Fiesta will arrive but it will be within the next 12 months,” Ford Australia spokeswoman Sinead McAlary says. Ford Australia has also shown some interest in the Kuga crossover, but McAlary says a business plan for that car is still a work in progress. Also not confirmed but high on the desire list is VW's re-invention of the classic Scirocco sports coupe. VW Group Australia managing director Jutta Dierks says the Scirocco could be the car to give the brand in Australia the next big boost. “I love it,” Dierks said in Geneva. “It is exciting, it is practical and it will add so much to the brand. We are currently in negotiations with head office about the car.” Mercedes-Benz went at the high end of the market with the unveiling of the next generation of SL Roadsters and a stunning rendition of the old style of open-top motoring with its Landaulet. “It's amazing, but we are already getting inquires about that car,” Mercedes-Benz Australia's Peter Fedeyev says. The Landaulet is a convertible for the chauffeur-driven set, with only the rear-seat passenger segment of the roof folding away for the open air experience. But the SL Roadster is one for the driver and will top the Mercedes sportscar line here. At the other end of the cost scale, the Mazda2 3-door joins its 5-door sibling within months to provide an extra string to Mazda's light-car bow. Skoda's Superb allows the fledgling franchise in Australia a chance to compete on price against the Honda Accord Euro and the top end of the Mazda6 range.