Toyota Kluger 2008 News

The story was planned in the wake of the global safety recalls involving the Japanese brand and a crash during Car of the Year testing in 2008 when a Toyota Kluger driven by Wheels editor Ged Bulmer ended up on its roof at the Holden proving ground at Lang Lang.The article was written by freelancer Glenn Butler and included in the original version of the magazine.But Phil Scott, group publisher of Australian Consolidated Press (ACP) in Sydney, ordered the trashing and re-printing of the magazine without the story. Scott says he made the decision after legal advice about the story and its potential damage to ACP and the Wheels brand. He defends the move and says Wheels has never been afraid to publish stories that attack car companies and their products."We had to make a commercial decision whether to hit the streets or not with contentious material," Scott tells Carsguide. He says there was an "unacceptably high risk" and that it was "the prudent thing to do".But ACP insiders, who saw the story at several stages before the original printing of the magazine, believe there was nothing contentious in the story and say that it was cleared by ACP legal advisors. The crisis developed while editor Bulmer was in Scotland attending a press event with the Bentley car company and he has since declined to comment on any of the issues. But Scott says, without naming anyone involved, that there were disciplinary moves following the incident.Wheels has had a chequered history with Toyota, including several heated exchanges between the magazine's management and company chiefs, including former car czar John Conomos. Toyota accused Wheels several times of bias against its vehicles during Car of the Year judging and asked for explanations of why crucial new models - including the locallly-made Camry - were not featured on the front cover. After Wheels published a story on the Kluger COTY incident, the company withdrew its advertising.Scott is a former editor of Wheels who now heads a large division of ACP, including responsibility for its lucrative top selling womens' magazines including Womans Weekly, Cleo and Cosmopolitan and other motoring publications Top Gear, Motor and Auto Action. He reacts angrily to suggestions that the decision to reprint Wheels was made for commercial reasons."We're not called ACP brochures. The franchise rests on expert, balanced opinion," he says. He also denies any pressure from Toyota. "I will say categorically that no correspondence or communciation of any sort was made with a car company." Scott refuses to reveal the cost of the move, believed to be a first in the history of Wheels. "None of your business. We haven't missed our on-sale date," he says.Even when the magazine was hit with a legal attack by Holden over potential publication of sensitive details of an upcoming link with Nissan in the 1980s, only one section of the magazine had to be reprinted to comply with legal requirements.

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

It's one thing to get wiggy with the options list; it's quite another to chuck bucks at a top-line model when the lesser version has the same drive train and essential safety equipment.In the case of several of the most popular models we've chosen, the cheaper version also has the impertinence to be the better drive.So it can come down to deeply personal questions such as: can you live without the caress of leather? Light and easyFirst thing to know about this class of car is that you should learn to drive a manual. Small cars go better this way. They're also cheaper.But some 90 per cent of you would sooner slaughter your own meat than change gear for yourself, which means you'll need to pay $2K more for Hyundai's three-door Getz 1.4 S.Add the absolutely non-negotiable safety pack — with electronic stability program, ABS brakes and traction control — and suddenly you're at $17,280, still better value than the SXi at $18,490.Which brings us into price range of the critical and popular small car du jour. The Mazda2 comes in three-or five-door shape and three model lines, the top auto Genki a touch over $23K.Get the five-door, four-speed automatic Neo with $1100 safety pack — including stability control and extra air bags — for $19,740. Medium fareThat the generality has deserted big 'Strayan family cars for smaller but high-quality imports is no cause for wonder. But, in the lemming-like rush to downsize, they've also skipped over a car that's also more fuel-efficient, faster and safer than the one chalking up the sales.Moreover, with the recent price cut, the class-leading Mazda6 medium car now starts under the upper-echelon versions of the Mazda3. A bigger and better car for less? Oh, yes.Best of all, the base model $28,490 Mazda6 Limited manual sedan has the same 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine and active/passive safety measures as the $42K-plus Sport Luxury.For our money it also has the better ride/handling compromise.If you want a trip computer and the more popular hatch/liftback shape with its truly commodious passenger and luggage space, get the Classic with five-speed auto at $35,990. That's still $8K off the toptop dog.When Volkswagen negotiated a sub-$40K starting price for the brilliant Mark V Golf GTI it didn't anticipate it becoming the second-biggest seller in its perennial hatch's line-up. Now every thrusty tosser in a white baseball cap gets into them.Subtler, cheaper, greener and — in its way — cooler, is the Golf GT Sport TSI with its exceptional twin-charged engine.Never mind the seemingly weedy 1.4-litre capacity, the TSI teams a supercharger with a turbo charger to achieve a 125kW/250Nm output and performance not very distant from its better recognised sibling.At $37,490 you do without a hole in the roof or cowhide, but you do get the six-speed twin-clutch transmission, which is both faster and more efficient than the conventional manual. When size mattersHow Holden and Ford must curse the rise of the soft-roader.To appreciate its dominance of the family car market you need only observe any school drop-off zone.With off-road ability propping up the list of daily requirements, Toyota's Kluger KX-R seven-seat 2WD at $41,490 has the whole package for less than a top-line RAV4. It has the same 3.5 V6 and five-speed auto as the $66K top Kluger, plus all its size, utility and the whole outfit of active and passive measure. Save for all-wheel-drive, that is. But when you're at Woolies, who exactly cares?If you're of the ever-diminishing mob who must have a big sedan, Toyota's Aurion Touring SE Special is another that lacks some of the fruit of the top-line model but has all its wherewithal — not least the 3.5 V6 and excellent six-speed auto.At $34,990, not only is it $15K cheaper than the Presara, it gets by without a stupid name. Aspirational autosMuch, far too much, has been made of the varied faces of the excellent Mercedes-Benz C-Class. You can have the more traditional face of the Classic or Elegance lines or the SLK-emulating Avantgarde.You also get to pay $5K or more for the latter.The up-puffed supercharged 1.8 petrol engine of the C200K is better than before but, once you've sampled the thrust of the 125kW/400Nm diesel C220 CDI Classic ($60,500), there's no going back.It's good enough to make you wonder where the extra $35K is in the top-line C320 CDI. The 220's options list is encyclopedic, but standard kit is a good deal more than adequate.For some, though, the lure of six petrol pots is too much. In that case, the Lexus IS250 Prestige with six-speed flappy paddle auto at $58,990 is our choice.It lacks the sat-nav and phat rims of the exxier versions, but drives better almost all the time.Better yet, the Prestige comes in under the luxury car tax, so you keep Treasurer Wayne Swan's sticky fingers out of your wallet. 

SHE'S one of the most enduring stars of TV. Kerri-Anne Kennerley, known to people in the industry as KAK, first appeared on the small screen in 1963.Since then she's done almost everything in entertainment, from hosting roles to a brief acting stint in the soap The Restless Years.  She has also performed as a cabaret singer, worked behind the mike as a radio announcer and even spent time in the corporate world as chief executive of Sydney radio station 2CH.But the Brisbane-born star is now best known as host of Channel 9's Mornings with Kerri-Anne.  She has plenty of motoring experiences but she rates one of the latest, a nail-biting co-driver run with Australian rally champion Simon Evans in the Targa Tasmania road race, as her favourite motoring memory.What was your first car?A second-hand beige Torana with no heating, airconditioning or radio.What do you drive now?A Toyota Kluger four-wheel drive.Do you have a favourite drive and who would you take?From Sydney to Hope Island, in Queensland, with my husband John and Harvey, my dog.On average, how far do you drive a year?I don't drive a lot, probably only a few thousand kays.Do you have a favourite motoring memory?I loved navigating in the Targa Tasmania rally with champion Simon Evans. We did 500km in a TRD Aurion Toyota. Driving at 200km/h around the mountains and roads of Tasmania was spectacular in the safe hands of Simon.What would you buy if money was no object?An Aston Martin.What music is playing in your car?Michael Buble and Christina Aguilera.How much is too much for a new car?In reality, a car is a practical purchase to give independence . . . so do not spend more than you can afford.What should be done to make driving safer?Safety should be the key and I hope one day all cars will have anti-skid brakes, ESP and airbags.Are you sponsored by a car company?I've worked with Toyota for 10 years.

As Australia's new car juggernaut rolls on towards the magic million sales mark, the number of available models continues to swell. Already recognised as one of the most diverse and competitive car markets in the world, Australian importers continue to add to the mix.With half the year nearly gone, buyers have taken almost 500,000 new vehicles into their garages with some of the traditional biggest selling months still to come.At least three new marques will arrive in Australian showrooms in the second half of  the year; Hummer, Mahindra and Skoda,  testament to the vibrancy of what is, in world terms, a minor market.However, it is the expanding model range within existing brands that will drive the Aussie market over the million mark for the first time.Over the next six months more than 50 new or revised models will arrive in Australian new car showrooms. Here's a look at what's coming soon:ASTON MARTINDip your lid in style in September with the V8 Roadster, a gorgeous extension of the Vantage. AUDI Audi starts its end-of-year program in September with the R8, the biggest, baddest Audi in the garage The Supercar looks with enough performance to keep most on their toes. Also on the cards for October is the A5, Audi's first coupe since the TT. An all-new platform which comes as a front-wheel-drive and quattro. In November the V8 4.2 TDi may answer some questions for the Q7, including on fuel economy. BMW You'll have to wait until October for the new M3, but the latest offering from the M garage has something special. It's the first V8 for an M3. CHRYSLER A Sebring convertible, topless cousin of the sedan launched in early 2007, arrives in December. DODGE The Nitro SUV joins the Caliber for Dodge next month and the US marque backs that up with its Avenger sedan in August. FIAT The baby Ritmo, sold as the Bravo in Europe, will be Fiat's second passenger offering in Australia when it lands in October. Expect petrol and diesel. FORD The rush to oil-burners continues with the Focus getting the honour of being Ford's first passenger diesel next month before the Focus CC, the drop-top concept that set hearts aflutter at Frankfurt two years ago lands in October. The other big news for Ford is the return in November of the Mondeo for a third tilt at Australia. HOLDEN The key second-half model from the General is the VE Ute, bringing all the developments in the VE sedan to the working man's Holden. HONDA The Civic Type-R is razor-sharp styling built around a high-revving fun package. Next month. HUMMER The iconic offroader from the land of the large truck opens its Aussie account in October, a couple of months later than anticipated as a result of production delays for the H3. Surprisingly agile with real offroad ability. HYUNDAI An important second-half for the Korean marque. It starts with the popular Santa Fe SUV finally getting the 3.3-litre V6 from the Sonata to give it some extra punch. In October, the new Elantra hatch joins the sedan in the Aussie line-up after a wait of almost 12 months. JAGUAR An October styling refresh for the marque's luxury sedan, the XJ, is all from the Big Cat this year before a big 2008. JEEP The second of Jeep's non-Rubicon Trail-rated soft-roaders arrives in August to join the Compass for duty around town. KIA The Carens compact people mover has never really taken off here. The new generation is a little bigger and more stylish. It will be powered by a four-cylinder petrol or diesel engine with five- or seven-seat capacity. On sale in October. LAND ROVERThe baby Freelander gets a complete makeover for this generational change. New engines and a new family look all go on show in July. MAHINDRAIndia's workhorse ute, the Pik-Up, starts to roll out to Australia in July. MAZDA A new generation and a new look for the little Mazda2. Sharper styling is the key to this one's October debut. At the same time Mazda will add a diesel option to its top-selling Mazda3 range. MERCEDES-BENZThe key model for Mercedes this year is the meat-and-potatoes C-Class. Bigger, brighter and ready to meet the masses it is available from July. Also on Mercedes' new-model list is an upgraded ML500 and R-Class in September, both getting the 285kW V8 engine. October is a big month for the three-pointed star with the crackingCL65 AMG (a bi-turbo V12 with 450kW and 1000Nm) and the more sociable S320 CDi, which marries diesel with uber-luxury. MITSUBISHI You have to love a fighter. Australia's “other” family car, the 380, wins a minor refresh with some interior updates from next month. In August the automatic turbo diesel, traditionally the model's top seller, completes the Triton range while in October the point guard for the red-hot Evo X (due late in the year), the new Lancer, promises look-at-me-styling and more punch than the current model. NISSANThe baby Micra finally gets the green light for Australia with an October date with sales. In November the X-Trail, a core model for Nissan and the compact SUV that set the benchmark for those who actually can go off-road, gets a full generational change. The Dualis arrives in December. A softer option to the X-Trail, it sits on a similar platform but is more plush. PEUGEOT It's all about size for the French manufacturer. In July the 207CC, the previous generation of which set the standard for accessorising small cars, is back and promising to reclaim the crown. Its far more focused and athletic sibling, the GTi arrives in August with its turbocharged 1.6-litre engine. The station wagon derivative of the base 207 goes on sale in October. PORSCHEThe 911 turbo cabriolet proves Porsche's belief that if you can go fast in a sedan you should be able to go just as fast in a cabriolet. In September you can prove it for yourself. RENAULT August sees the Megane diesel join the Renault fleet, while the Clio Sport returns in November in an all-new guise. SAAB The new 9-3 will highlight Saab's first all-wheel-drive system in a completely renewed model range. All models arrive in November. SKODA Launches into Australia with a two-pronged attack in October. The Octavia medium-sized hatch and the quaintly named Roomster compact MPV will carry the flag initially. SMARTIn September the next next-generation smart ForTwo arrives, a little bigger and a little smarter. SUBARU The new Impreza is one of the most polarising styling departures of the year. In basic and WRX fettle the hatch arrives in September. A cult car heads mainstream and the jury is out. SUZUKIIf it ain't broke ... A freshen-up for the car that put punch back in Suzuki's local range, the brilliant Swift is in showrooms in October with the sedan version of the SX4 “tall hatch” joining the stable in September. TOYOTA The first product from Toyota's new “hot shop”, the Aurion TRD, arrives in August with a 3.5-litre supercharged V6 with sports manners and a load of plastic kit. Also in August is the generational change for Kluger with the SUV getting a substantial facelift and the 3.5-litre V6 from the Aurion. November brings the Landcruiser 200 Series and a TRD version of the HiLux. VOLVO The highlight for the Swedes in the second half of the year is the all-new generation of the XC70 due in November. About the same time the C30 will get the in-line five-cylinder diesel. VW A hot version of the Passat, the R36, is heading Down Under in November.