Mazda CX-7 News

Subaru Australia managing director, Nick Senior, is close to signing off on the multi-purpose Exiga minivan.

The company has just revealed the latest in its series of swoopy concept cars, called the Kazamai, but in reality it is a clear pointer to a CX-5.

There was a time when it was quite acceptable for SUVs to handle like a beach ball full of wet porridge, but those days are gone.Outside of men who wear flannelette and fish hooks in their hats, Australian buyers of urban trucks are desperately in awe of “car-like dynamics”.This means that, essentially, they don't want an SUV at all. They just want a really big car with a high chair in it.The modern SUV, typified by Mazda's CX-7, is so much more car than off-roader that it demands a new acronym, Sports Utility Car perhaps — which would provide the plural a bunch of SUCs.Mazda folk have distilled the essence of these vehicles as “a car-like driving experience while retaining command-of-the-road driving position”.The result is something that looks, from front and rear, like a Mazda3 on stilts. Funnily, though, from side on the pinched headlights make it look like a Ford Focus writ large.But you've got to love the shape of the glasshouse, or the “unique window graphic” as they call it. Overall, it's a slick, sleek bit of SUC-ing up.The interior is roomy, rattle-free and reasonably stylish, except for the strange crocodile-skin strip down the middle of the seats, which are comfortable rather than luxurious.Mazda has attempted to create an SUV that goes, and feels, like a sports car — which is like building a snow plough that spits out ice sculptures.Or, as CX-7 program manager Shunsuke Kawasaki novelly puts it, this is a car that's more Keanu Reeves than Arnold Schwarzenegger.A cruel person would take this to mean Kawasaki's creation is a talentless but pretty dullard. He may have been in Speed, but that doesn't mean he's quick.Unfortunately, Kawasaki-san didn't explain whether he meant the Reeves of Bill And Ted fame or his later work (in The Lake House, for example), so it's one to ponder.Fortunately, the car is more convincing than the actor, with a wonderfully taut chassis, minimal body roll for a high-riding vehicle and a handy ride/handling balance, even on rough gravel.Really big impacts do upset it more than a proper off-roader — but you don't get many really big impacts in Woollahra, so that should be fine.The CX-7's steering is also pretty sharp, although it's obviously not in the league of a Mazda6 MPS, for example.It does, however, share that car's engine, a 2.3-litre DISI turbo with 175kW and 350Nm, all of which is available at just 2500rpm, meaning it surges hard — and a little noisily — off the line and accelerates meaningfully. Well, meaningfully for a SUC: the sprint to 100km/h is dismissed in 8.5 seconds.Noise, vibration and harshness are also crushed under the weight of Mazda's technological know-how, although some road noise from the tyres is evident on coarse-chip stuff.And, despite the CX-7's luxurious size and keen performance, we actually saw close to the claimed 11.5 litres per 100km economy figure.This must be because I was driving like an 80-year-old farmer with a hangover — my 11.9 litres per 100km was well and truly trumped by a colleague who recorded 14.9 litres and looked at me with a mixture of pity and disgust.My excuse is that I find driving SUVs, particularly on dirt, as exciting as The Lake House.On proper roads, however, the CX-7 turned out to be roughly seven times more fun than you would think possible.The steering is reasonably involving and it corners quite well, until the point where its size and 1745kg weight eventually push it into understeer.The six-speed auto is a typically Mazda-smooth unit, but it's disappointing that there's no manual option.This is because the CX-7 was (in case you can't guess just by looking) designed for Americans, and their arms are too fat to change gears.The Yanks are also quite happy with a skinny spare wheel — but apparently some Australians do take their SUCs out of the city, because Mazda Australia is doing a special fitting of a full-size spare, which will be available from March.As far as off-road ability goes, this is no low-range mountain-climber. The Active Torque Split AWD system automatically adjusts front-rear distribution between 100:0 and 50:50.In other words, it's a front-wheel-drive bus, but it can grip and rip — at least a little bit — when it needs to.Six airbags and a five-star crash rating from the US make it a safe investment as well.Mazda says the CX-7's competitors will include Toyota's RAV4, Nissan's X-Trail and Murano, and Honda's CRV.The car comes in two trim levels, with the base model a highly competitive $39,910.The $45,560 Luxury version throws in fruit like leather seats, a sunroof, heated power seats and a Bose stereo.Mazda may be a little late on the compact SUV scene, but keen pricing and savvy road manners will make the CX-7 an attractive proposition.It may be a SUC, but the CX-7 doesn't suck. 

Side curtain airbags and electronic stability control have helped the new Mazda CX-7 medium SUV score top marks for occupant protection in Australian crash tests.However, it scored only one point for pedestrian protection in the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP).The highest pedestrian scores so far have been four stars for the Subaru Impreza and Citroen C6. Pedestrians represented 12 per cent of the Australian road toll last year.Electronic stability control (ESC) has this year become a prerequisite by ANCAP to score five stars. This follows international research that shows a reduction of up to 66 per cent in driver injury in single vehicle crashes where ESV is fitted.About 30 per cent of new passenger vehicles sold in Australia now have stability control.In other ANCAP results, the Toyota Corolla scored four stars and Hyundai Elantra three.RACQ vehicle technologies manager Steve Spalding said the results of some of the volume-selling models were a concern.In Europe, where all Corollas have curtain airbags, it scores five stars.However, Toyota Australia makes them available only on the more expensive variants.“It is difficult to understand why Australian consumers are not provided with similar safety features as standard,” he said.Euro NCAP results for vehicles available here include the Mercedes-Benz C class and Mazda2 (with ESC) scoring five stars.Four stars were awarded to the Mazda2 (without ESC), Kia Rio with side head protecting airbags, Smart fortwo and Nissan X-TRAIL.Kia Rio without side head protecting airbags, Kia Cerato and Hyundai Elantra scored three stars. 

The CX-9 is due to hit the showrooms in December, the large SUV will boast a 3.7-litre V6 engine. In Japanese spec it produces 204kW of power at 6350rpm and 366Nm of torque at 4250rpm. The Mazda CX-7 uses a 2.3-litre four-cylinder but the turbocharged petrol engine gives 175kW of power. The CX-9 is built on a different platform, having a wheelbase of 2875mm and a total body length of 5074mm. Mazda says Australia will be the first market to get the 3.7-litre version of the CX-9. It will be available in two grades; Luxury and Classic. Prices are expected to start in the low $50,000s. The CX-9 will sit on 18 or 20-inch wheels, depending on the version, and have three rows of seats. However, reasonable luggage space will remain; even when the third seating row is in use; 480 litres, which is comparable to a decent-sized normal car boot. Fold the third seat-row away and there's 928 litres of space to play with. The second-seat row is split 40-60 and can slide forward and aft 12cm. Mazda adds a wide door opening for third-row passengers to step in behind the second-row seat. CX-9s being built for Australia have stability control, roll-stability control, touch-screen audio with reversing camera, six airbags, cruise control, power windows and three-zone, climate-control airconditioning with separate control for the rear. Mazda's 'active torque split' all-wheel-drive system is used. It will automatically adjust torque distribution to the front and rear wheels from 100 per cent front wheels to 50-50.    

Consequently, we are likely to see more of the low-riding SUVs like the Nissan Murano that combine attributes of off-roaders, people movers and station wagons.Ford believes Crossovers will account for more than 3 million sales a year in America by the end of the decade as more and more manufacturers jump on the bandwagon.They view the potential Crossover customer as aged in their 50s and 60s and are prodded by the rapid expansion of this population.However, in Australia, Crossovers such as the new Nissan Murano and Mazda CX-7 have received a soft consumer response, compared with harder-edged medium-size SUVs such as the soldiering-on Pajero.Sales of compact SUVs last year were up 4.1 per cent and bucked the national downward trend of 2.6 per cent for all new vehicles. But sales of medium SUVs were down a whopping 15.2 per cent last year.But that hasn't stopped manufacturers looking ahead to the next generation of Crossovers with several on show at this month's Detroit Motor Show.Ford unveiled a concept called the Airstream, designed to satisfy the growing wanderlust of these consumers, often retirees with time for travel. Airstream has been developed jointly with the Airstream trailer company, maker of the iconic American aluminium streamlined caravans of the 1950s. The Airstream has a hybrid powertrain, giving it a fuel consumption of 7.7l/100km and can run for 40km as a pure electric car.It features illuminated orange window surrounds and asymmetric doors.Nissan's Bevel is also aimed at ageing baby-boomers and features an asymmetric door layout, with a single offside driver's door and wide-opening double suicide doors on the nearside, plus a rear tailgate that flips over to become a loading shelf.Another feature is its overt '70s styling, elements of which could become part of Nissan's design house style in the future, especially the oblong grille incorporating the front lighting.There are no plans yet to build production models of the vehicles.

There was a time when it was quite acceptable for SUVs to handle like a beach ball full of wet porridge, but those days are gone. Outside of men who wear flannelette and fish hooks in their hats, Australian buyers of urban trucks are desperately in awe of “car-like dynamics”. This means that, essentially, they don't want an SUV at all. They just want a really big car with a high chair in it. The modern SUV, typified by Mazda's CX-7, is so much more car than off-roader that it demands a new acronym, Sports Utility Car perhaps — which would provide the plural a bunch of SUCs. Mazda folk have distilled the essence of these vehicles as “a car-like driving experience while retaining command-of-the-road driving position”. The result is something that looks, from front and rear, like a Mazda3 on stilts. Funnily, though, from side on the pinched headlights make it look like a Ford Focus writ large. But you've got to love the shape of the glasshouse, or the “unique window graphic” as they call it. Overall, it's a slick, sleek bit of SUC-ing up. The interior is roomy, rattle-free and reasonably stylish, except for the strange crocodile-skin strip down the middle of the seats, which are comfortable rather than luxurious. Mazda has attempted to create an SUV that goes, and feels, like a sports car — which is like building a snow plough that spits out ice sculptures. Or, as CX-7 program manager Shunsuke Kawasaki novelly puts it, this is a car that's more Keanu Reeves than Arnold Schwarzenegger. A cruel person would take this to mean Kawasaki's creation is a talentless but pretty dullard. He may have been in Speed, but that doesn't mean he's quick. Unfortunately, Kawasaki-san didn't explain whether he meant the Reeves of Bill And Ted fame or his later work (in The Lake House, for example), so it's one to ponder. Fortunately, the car is more convincing than the actor, with a wonderfully taut chassis, minimal body roll for a high-riding vehicle and a handy ride/handling balance, even on rough gravel. Really big impacts do upset it more than a proper off-roader — but you don't get many really big impacts in Woollahra, so that should be fine. The CX-7's steering is also pretty sharp, although it's obviously not in the league of a Mazda6 MPS, for example. It does, however, share that car's engine, a 2.3-litre DISI turbo with 175kW and 350Nm, all of which is available at just 2500rpm, meaning it surges hard — and a little noisily — off the line and accelerates meaningfully. Well, meaningfully for a SUC: the sprint to 100km/h is dismissed in 8.5 seconds. Noise, vibration and harshness are also crushed under the weight of Mazda's technological know-how, although some road noise from the tyres is evident on coarse-chip stuff. And, despite the CX-7's luxurious size and keen performance, we actually saw close to the claimed 11.5 litres per 100km economy figure. This must be because I was driving like an 80-year-old farmer with a hangover — my 11.9 litres per 100km was well and truly trumped by a colleague who recorded 14.9 litres and looked at me with a mixture of pity and disgust. My excuse is that I find driving SUVs, particularly on dirt, as exciting as The Lake House. On proper roads, however, the CX-7 turned out to be roughly seven times more fun than you would think possible. The steering is reasonably involving and it corners quite well, until the point where its size and 1745kg weight eventually push it into understeer. The six-speed auto is a typically Mazda-smooth unit, but it's disappointing that there's no manual option. This is because the CX-7 was (in case you can't guess just by looking) designed for Americans, and their arms are too fat to change gears. The Yanks are also quite happy with a skinny spare wheel — but apparently some Australians do take their SUCs out of the city, because Mazda Australia is doing a special fitting of a full-size spare, which will be available from March. As far as off-road ability goes, this is no low-range mountain-climber. The Active Torque Split AWD system automatically adjusts front-rear distribution between 100:0 and 50:50. In other words, it's a front-wheel-drive bus, but it can grip and rip — at least a little bit — when it needs to. Six airbags and a five-star crash rating from the US make it a safe investment as well. Mazda says the CX-7's competitors will include Toyota's RAV4, Nissan's X-Trail and Murano, and Honda's CRV. The car comes in two trim levels, with the base model a highly competitive $39,910. The $45,560 Luxury version throws in fruit like leather seats, a sunroof, heated power seats and a Bose stereo. Mazda may be a little late on the compact SUV scene, but keen pricing and savvy road manners will make the CX-7 an attractive proposition. It may be a SUC, but the CX-7 doesn't suck.

The compact SUVs spruiked at the show all had the same message: it’s still big enough, but it drinks less at the bowser.For the first time in a while, the show itself opened not with a futuristic technological concept car, but with an old-school ex-army urban assault vehicle.As the covers dropped on Holden’s new import, the H3 Hummer, there was absolute silence from the media, the photographers, and Holden employees.It was a heavy decision indeed, to make the ‘smaller’ H3 Hummer the opening star attraction.But it set a precedent for the rest of the show.Big is not necessarily better anymore, and even the leviathan Hummer has been shrunk to a more user-friendly size. So goes it with the SUV market, entering a mid-sized makeover with several smaller, more user-friendly five and seven seat models.A different seven-seater on the Holden stand may prove slightly more popular to both media and the environmentally and socially aware buyer.The Captiva is Holden’s new foray into the SUV market, a big moneymaking niche from which it has been excluded since the demise of Jackeroo and Frontera in the early 2000s.The newly-released five-and seven-seat Captiva, which runs a 3.2-litre six and sips 11.5L/100km, is Holden’s hopeful in the battle against arch-enemy Ford and its long-running local favourite, the Territory. But the Holden will have company.Though the SUV market has taken a dive in recent times, the mid-sized market is in a revival.Three prominent new mid-sized car based SUVs were launched at the 2006 Motor Show: the Land Rover Freelander 2; Subaru Tribeca; and Mazda CX-7.The Freelander 2 stands apart from the bunch as a premium model with more focus on off-road ability.The tired first-gen model with its lacklustre engines and major handling and safety concerns is replaced with two new models running a 171kW 3.2-litre six petrol and beefy 400Nm 2.2-litre TD4 diesel.Both are connected to a six-speed auto and full-time 4X4 system, and both the exterior and interior of the new model has had a major design overhaul. It looks tough, instead of tired.Subaru has finally brought in a model for the five-plus family to gorge on.Fears of losing the brand-loyal but expanding family have brought the Tribeca to the fore, part SUV, part MPV, Tribeca is the first all-new Subaru since the Forester in 1998.While second and third row seating in the seven-seat model looked tight, and its big hamster nose is as polarising as a pair of sunnies, the equipment levels for price of the $55K and up model line, combined with the safety of AWD, six airbags and five-stars in crash testing is a sure inducement.But the buzz surrounding the Mazda CX-7 was loudest in media circles.Looking like a Mazda3 on steroids, the CX-7 is the shapely new SUV entry that will join the recently-facelifted but still ageing Tribute, and the plain old MPV models.Just like the recently-launched MX-5 Coupe, we were the first market in the world to see the right-hand drive version of the CX-7, and also will be the first to get it on the street (in mid-November).CX-7 is definitely a challenge for Ford’s Territory Turbo; it is powered by the turbocharged 2.3-litre four-cylinder DISI engine from the Mazda Performance Series (MPS) in the 6 and 3 lineup.Slightly down on power at 175kW (compared to the sedan and hatch MPS’s 184kW) and in auto only, CX-7 should be on or under $45K for the luxury model, with a bargain basement base sitting well below the leather and BOSE specced flagship.It is five-seat only, but a proposed seven-seat CX-9 (are the numbers confusing you yet?) could be here in another one or two motor shows.Ssangyong also had a tilt at the compact SUV market with their Motor Show release of the Actyon.Dubbed a “coupe SUV”, the Actyon further demonstrated a trend for car makers to trim down the softroader end of their “4WDs”.The Actyon is driven by a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine, with 104kW and 310Nm, and also comes with a 2.3-litre four with 110kW.The Actyon will also have electronic stability control and double-wishbone front suspension with a five-link rear end.Be it sporty, off-road capable, or fitting into a small parking space while fitting the basketball team in its innards, the irony still remains. In a world crammed with oversized SUVs, the mid-sized and compact market is also eyeing off a big parking spot. It is harder to argue the negatives of these more socially friendly, eco-friendly and carpark-friendly SUVs.Thank goodness for the likes of the Hummer H3.

Read related storyPatrick Loved the yellow Hummer, I just want one !Grant The Subaru Tribeca seems an awesome car. Look at its list of standard features for $53000 - leaves an X5 or Territory for dead. OK, the front grille takes a bit of getting used to, power could be up a bit for its weight, but you do get all the usual Subie delights, 5 star safety and quality. Definitely worth a test drive on November 25!Mark Mercedes e280cdei definatly the bestDan The absolute standout was the new BMW 3 series coupe. Can't believe no one else has mentioned it. What a sexy car! Looks much better in the metal than in photos...David Rome The Mazda CX7 is very fresh and the new BT-50 ute looks the goods to take some salesMichael Volvo C70 What a Glamour!!the engineer Mitsubishi TRM 380- bring it on in AWD! Would sell double current! Should have been the original 380 GT.Audi R8 ;-)Captiva <8>-(French Body Art 8-)Bob Rona Gotta Be the Lexus RX 350 Sports Luxury!!Jay The Saab Aero X concept car looks extraordinary. I was pretty impressed with the XR5 Turbo Ford Focus - hopefully if they bring it out in diesel, there would be a lot more interest and salesDavid Lunn Mazda CX7John The Mitsui 380 supercharged - grabbed allot of attention (so did the girls in the red dresses); I also like the new Outlander V6 & Astra convertible (or at least my wife did).Lex Biggar Audi R8william yates dark 4 door mitsi I believe it's a Tommy Mac serise and also shannon's stand the rest well............Kim I must agree with Bob MX-S ROADSTER COUPE The best by far!Jim Until I hit the Mitsubishi stand the show was a let down for me. Thank you to the Mitsubishi Girls for making the show worthwhile.Julie Definetely the Honda Legend & the Audi RX8.aaron need this so i could have this to have it better then i wont be a laughting stockNick Definitely the Mitsubishi TRM 380 - because I might be able to afford it and it looks great. Can't wait to test drive it.David Lyons Peugeot 207Stephen HSV GTS is my current realistic dream carROBERT DAWSON MX-S ROADSTER COUPEKris Audi R8 looked absolutely brilliant, that will be a real winner when it lands here. The Audi TT also looked really neat.Other cars to impress were the Volvo C30 and Suzuki SX4 WRC prototype.wazza smith nonesasha The Convertible Ford Focus. I simply love it. The new Fairmont Ghia was nice too.I did not like the Camry V6 sorry Avalon, sorry again, Aurion.Now I have gone and twisted my tongue. Anyone know a good tongue doctor <8>-). .... At least I can still type.The Volvo C30 was nice too as was the Land Rover Discovery.The Holden Commodores looked pretty decent although the Captiva did not captivate.Its too tall and skinny. I saw one in a shopping centre car park right next to a Territory and boy did it look like it needed some widening.I was also quite impressed with the Audi R8.The Hummer reminded me too much of the war in Iraq (I am against senseless wars). I also thought the Citroens were cool.Sean Hickey HSV GTS a true sports car at third of the price.I enjoyed the show,love to dream but quite a few people could get a GTS

LAND ROVER FREELANDER 2The Freelander 2 is new from the ground up, and will make its local debut at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney. It hasn't always been plain sailing Down Under for the popular European model, but with outstanding on-road performance as well as the class-leading off-road ability everyone expects from Land Rover, Freelander 2 seems set to leave its mark on our wide, brown land.Freelander 2 is available with new petrol and diesel engines. The diesel is a 2.2-litre TD4 common-rail turbodiesel with peak outputs of 118kW and an impressive 400Nm, plus better fuel economy than its predecessor (as well as 43 per cent more power). A 3.2-litre i6 petrol producing a peak of 171kW represents a hike of 30 per cent in power compared with the previous V6, as well as a 10 per cent boost in fuel efficiency. Freelander 2 will be in Land Rover across Australia by mid 2007.MAZDA CX-7The Mazda CX-7 is the production version of the Mazda MX-Crossport Concept SUV, and will be built only in the company's Ujina Plant No. 2 (U2) located near Mazda's global headquarters in Hiroshima, Japan.Australia has been confirmed as second in line for production of the new generation crossover vehicle (after the North American market).It will go on sale here late this year priced below $50,000 and will be on public display at the Sydney show.The Mazda CX-7 is a clean break from the fleet of traditional SUVs currently offered. Bringing together performance and design like never before, the Mazda CX-7 – like every Mazda – was engineered to exemplify sporty driving in keeping with the company's 'Zoom-Zoom' philosophy.CX-7 promises sophisticated styling, an engaging drive, and the facilitation of fun.NEW PAJEROMitsubishi has just released its NS Pajero seven-seat 4WD with a complete makeover for the exterior design, a modern new interior, two new engines that are Euro 4 emissions compatible. The new model also heralds the reintroduction of the three-door 'shorty' short-wheelbase (SWB) models to inject additional excitement into the model range.There hasn't been a SWB Pajero on sale since 1999, so the new model represents one of the most exciting product additions to the Mitsubishi range in 2006. The three-door model is the closest product consumers can buy to the acclaimed Pajero Evo that races across the harshest terrain in Europe and Africa in the Dakar rally. (There will also be a Pajero Dakar race car on display in Sydney.)All the expected features – power steering, power windows, power exterior mirrors, cruise control, remote keyless entry with encrypted immobilisation and multiple storage compartments and cupholders – have been incorporated in to NS Pajero. All models also feature a multi-mode display, including trip computer, weather information and compass for which the 4x4 has become renowned.Two new engines also deliver significant leaps in power and torque, while being more efficient and economical. The 3.8-litre 24-valve V6 MIVEC petrol engine produces maximum power of 184kW at 6000 rpm (a massive 24 per cent increase on the previous engine) and maximum torque of 329Nm at a very low 2750 rpm (up 6 per cent). It's also LPG compatible.The new diesel engine is a common rail-version of the 3.2-litre diesel that was first seen in Australia in ML Triton when it was launched in July this year.SUBARU TRIBECAThe biggest, boldest and certainly the most distinctive Subaru in the lineup will be shown production-ready in Sydney. There's a hint of Porsche Cayenne about the Tribeca's brash design, which is sure to polarize punters into 'love it' or 'hate it' camps, but nobody's arguing with the motive power choice – Subaru's venerable 3.0-litre horizontally-opposed 'boxer' six-cylinder engine, which is both responsive and low, keeping the centre of mass close to Terra Firma.The 3.0-litre flat-six likes having its neck wrung, so this is an SUV that will appreciate a punt. It's mated to a fivespeed automatic gearbox.Like most Subarus, you can expect this one to handle well, thanks to (almost) eons of involvement of the brand at the forefront of the World Rally Championship series. A low C of G and permanent, symmetrical AWD give the Tribeca rock-solid dependability across a range of surfaces, assisted by well-sorted suspension and responsive steering.Build quality is exactly as you'd expect from the Japanese car maker that places engineering above all other concerns. High equipment levels are a given, plus three seating rows. A diesel engine is coming for Subaru but is still a way off – a boxer-style common rail turbodiesel engine currently under development by Subaru will be unveiled at next year's Geneva Auto Show.HOLDEN CAPTIVAThe sense of relief in Holden's marketing division is palpable. The smiles are back and, at least for the immediate future, likely to stay.The billion-dollar VE set the trend but it is the Koreanbuilt Captiva compact SUV that is really pushing the buzz. Holden has been staring with green-eyed envy at Ford's home-grown Territory and its runaway success in what has been one of the hot segments in the new car industry. "'It is nice to finally have an SUV that we can offer. It has been a long time coming," Holden's marketing boss John Elsworth said at the recent launch of the Captiva."It has been tough to watch the (SUV) segment grow and grow and have nothing we could play a part with." Even better news for Holden is that the Captiva, while built as a global GM model in South Korea, benefitted from a huge level of input in design and engineering from Holden staff. The result is a stylish, cleverly packaged compact or medium SUV with drive and ride quality comparable to anything else in the competitive market.VOLVO XC90 V8The new XC90 V8 represents not just an awesome performance SUV – if you visit the Volvo stand in Sydney you'll be looking at the first production V8 powertrain in Volvo's history.There's some serious engineering gone into this vehicle, with Dynamic Stability and Traction Control plus Roll Stability Control systems representing just the tip of a very substantial safety iceberg culminating in a five-star NCAP crashworthiness rating (first SUV in the world to achieve that).The 4.4-litre V8 develops 232kW and 440Nm, and features a 60-degree 'V', unlike most V8s, which are set to 90 degrees. The V8 is 16 per cent more powerful and also torquier than the outgoing T6 engine it replaces, snatching 100km/h just 7.3 seconds after a standing start. The V8's 60-degree V allows for a more compact design, allowing transverse mounting in the engine bay, which delivers superior crashworthiness. It's also the first petrol V8 to meet the demanding USA ULEVII emissions standard.Volvo calls it the world's safest SUV and there's really no basis for disagreement. For $84,950, the world's safest SUV can also be one of the world's most capable.AUDI Q7The Audi Q7 has officially earned its stripes in Australia, having just completed an epic Trans-Continental Crossing from Sydney to Broome, spanning three weeks and 7000km. Fifteen Q7 vehicles took part in the grueling expedition.In spite of very challenging terrain around areas like Innamincka and Birdsville where sharp, stony tracks are common, the notorious Mereenie Loop Road and areas of the Tanami Track in WA where the roads were characterised by huge potholes and harsh ruts, all 15 Q7s made their way to Broome unscathed.Similar expeditions are planned annually for upcoming vehicles including the new allroad quattro and Audi Q5.In the full 7000km of harsh Outback travel, the only technical requirements of the fleet were the replacement of 16 flat tyres, two broken foglights and a new pollen filter for each car. One vehicle needed minor cosmetic repairs, however only as a result of human error. All 15 vehicles completed the journey as they started – in excellent condition and free from squeaks and rattles.MERCEDES-BENZ GL-CLASSSeven seat SUV with style; Shares ML-Class platform; Constant AWD via 4Matic system; 4.6-litre V8 power with 250kW output; Air suspension optional; Off-road pack available.VW TOUAREG UPGRADETwo bold new V6s – petrol and hi-tech diesel; New 3.0- litre V6 turbodiesel with 165kW and 500Nm; New 3.6-litre V6 petrol with 206kW and 360Nm; Optional air suspension package; Constant AWD via 4XMOTION system; Frontal pedestrian/cyclist impact protection zones; Hero 5.0-litre V10 with remains storming 230kW and 750Nm remains.LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER TDV8All-new hi-tech 3.6-litre V8 turbodiesel; Replaces ageing BMW-sourced TDV6 diesel; Silky smooth runner with 200kW and 640Nm; Delivers 500+ Newton-metres between 1250 and 3750rpm; Frugal consumption: 11 litres per 100km likely; Magnificently competent ZF six-speed auto transmission.