Hatchback Reviews

Alfa is keen to grab a larger slice of the pie in Australia and the updated second generation Mito is part of that plan.

Audi's five-door RS7 Sportback is top dog in Audi's RS pack selling for an eye watering $238,500.But against the competition - it undercuts both the Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG and BMW M6 Gran Coupe - the base RS7 is bargain priced.FEATURESThe RS7 rejigs the standard A7 sheetmetal with an RS-specific enhancements and add ons like the front bumper, rear diffuser, sideskirts and 21-inch wheels. Inside, Audi has gone the whole hog with honeycomb-stitching on the four sports seats, perforated leather flat-bottomed steering wheel, and hectares of carbon fibre trim.Standard features include leather upholstery and carbon fibre fascia, four-zone climate, front and rear parking sensors and cameras, heads up display, eight-inch touchscreen with satnav, 14 speaker Bose audio with digital TV and radio, electric sunroof and tailgate, LED headlights with auto high-beams, and standard adaptive air suspension. Extra carbon, driver alerts, coil suspension with adaptive dampers, ceramic brakes with a 305km/h top-speed upgrade are optional.ENGINE / TRANSMISSIONMonumental performance is unleashed by the RS7's twin turbo, petrol, 4.0-litre, V8 that achieves 412kW/700Nm. Maximum torque is available from 1750-5500rpm.It drives all four wheels through a quattro system via an eight-speed conventional automatic transmission. This is sufficient to propel the weighty fastback from 0-100kmh in a scant 3.9 seconds while combined fuel consumption is an impressive 9.8-litres/100km thanks in part to cylinder deactivation, engine stop/start and the high level of technology within the engine and around the car's body/chassis.SAFETYFive stars with all that brings, and a range of driver assist features to help you stay on top of the beast.DRIVINGIt's all you have a right to expect from a sports vehicle of this calibre and specification. The ride's impressively controlled and comfortable. There's minimal noise from engine, tyres or wind.Prod the throttle at any speed and the RS7 delivers awesome acceleration. All this to the accompaniment of a stirring exhaust soundtrack with snap crackle and pop emanating from the quad tips. Though no dual clutch transmission in terms of shift speed, the eight speed auto does a good job as it's accurately calibrated to suit the GT nature of the big Audi fastback.Braking power from the large disc and multi piston calipers is excellent. Everything is made better when the Audi Drive Select system is utilised. The price is high, so's the pleasure level of driving a sleek, sexy sports machine like this. It fully engages all your senses and gives you a feeling of superiority over lesser automobilia.VERDICTLooks the business, sounds incredible, goes like a flash.Audi RS7 SportbackPrice: from $238,500Engine: 4.0L twin turbo V8 petrol 412kW/700NmTransmission: 8-speed auto, 4WDThirst: 9.8L/100km

The DS3 goes for $29,740 and that includes plenty of standard kit like climate control air, full Bluetooth connectivity, satnav, power ancillaries and gorgeous alloy wheels.

This may look like a Fiat 500 but actually isn't at all. It's an Abarth 500 and as you can see from the Abarth badge has a sting in its tail.

VW has decided to give the Polo a little bit of a refresh. Now if you're sitting here wondering what has changed, well so where we.But rest assured, there's quite a lot going on here under the skin and some exterior changes, such as some new headlights and a re-designed front bumper.

The Volkswagen Up was launched almost a year ago, yet hasn't managed to make the splash on the Australian sale's charts that we had anticipated.

Never mind the bizarre badging, Kia’s initial warm hatch is a match for Euro rivals.

Let's get something straight. This is not just the Kia equivalent of Hyundai's quirky Veloster hatch... you know, the one with two doors one side and a single door on the other. Apart from the odd name there's a bit more to it than that.The Pro-cee'd GT might run the same engine and transmission, but it's geared differently and the rear suspension setup is also different. Together with countless hours of road-side tuning it has produced an impressive car that deserves to wear the 'hot hatch' tag.Having said that, buyers will inevitably shop the two cars against each other and some just won't care the GT offers higher levels of performance. For others, the lure will be irresistible.VALUEThere are two models: the GT priced from $29,990 and the GT Tech priced from $33,490. The latter adds a sunroof, tinted windows, push button start, a luggage net and active, HID headlights with washer function. And, before you ask, no you can't get the sunroof separately. There are four colours: white, black, red and silver  but any colour other than red will set you back another $595.Standard equipment includes body kit, 18in alloys, red brake calipers, twin exhaust outlets, dual climate air, leather trim, auto lights and wipers, cruise control with speed limiter, Recaro sports seats with electric lumbar adjustment, plus a speedometer that changes from analogue to digital at the push of a button. Bluetooth, tyre pressure monitor and six-speaker audio are also standard. Missing is satnav which is expected to be offered later in the year when it becomes available.ENGINE / TRANSMISSIONBoth models get the same engine and transmission, with the same wheel and brake package and offer exactly the same level of performance. There is no auto.The 1.6-litre turbocharged four cylinder petrol engine produces 150kW of power and 265Nm of torque, the latter from a low 1750 revs  with flat torque curve through to 4500 revs. Paired with a 6-speed manual only, this torque is readily accessible even in higher gears making it an easy car to drive in most circumstances.DESIGNThe GT is built in Slovakia and was intended originally for sale only in Europe and as such comes with left hand blinker operation. But Kia says it fought hard to get the car and has lavished quite a bit of time tuning the suspension for Australian conditions, trying to find the perfect compromise between comfort and handling.The GT is certainly an eye-catching car, especially with its lighthouse bright "ice cube" cluster of daytime LEDs at the front  but we'd draw the line at actually calling it pretty. It's not quite as powerful nor as quick off the mark as some more fancied rivals, but we'd defy any of them to lose the GT on a twisty section of road  it's that good.SAFETYGets a five-star Euro NCAP rating, but hasn't been tested here yet.  It's likely the Australian NCAP organisation will give it the same rating but you never can tell. Comes with six airbags, reverse camera, reverse parking sensors, electronic traction and stability control and a host of other driver assistance systems as standard.DRIVINGIt's sharper with a firmer ride than the Koup. The front suspension is Mac strut, but the rear setup is muli-link, unlike the Koup and Veloster which both have torsion beam rear suspension. Multi-link promises a better ride and the facility to extract greater levels of grip from the rear end and Michelin rubber. As part of the suspension tune stiffer springs and bushes have been fitted along with a larger rear anti-roll bar.Driving the car, changing gears early and changing often produces the most satisfying results. The gearing is the same as the Koup, but slightly different to the Veloster Turbo. The GT is good for 7.7 seconds from 0-100km/h (Koup does it in 8.9 and the Veloster in 7.8).Fuel consumption is a claimed 7.4 litres/100km and it takes standard unleaded (we got 9.9 on the launch in Tassie). We had a good crack at this car, both on the road and at a race track where we could really explore its potential. It's a rewarding car to drive, one that's guaranteed to leave a smile on your dial, with a sweet change, lots of lovely, low down torque and no turbo lag that we could find.As we mentioned it's not particularly quick off the mark, but mid-range performance is strong and it remains amazingly compliant even when by rights you should be in a lower gear. Turn-in is enthusiastic, with terrific balance, composure and high levels of mid corner grip.Get on the gas early in tight corners and there is no need to change down.  In longer sweeping bends you can continue to pour on the power without any negative impact. In fact, it's difficult to get this car to step out full stop, either understeer or oversteer  even when pushed to extremes.VERDICTIt will be interesting to see how this one plays out. The GT is a car that deserves respect and one that is going to be an attention getter for the brand. The lack of an auto will cost them sales, but in terms of performance it has what it takes to go head to head with more fancied offerings  dare we say the GTI?Kia Pro_cee’d GTPrice: from $29,990Engine: 1.6-litre turbo four-cylinderPower: 150kW and 265NmTransmission: Six-speed manualEconomy: 7.4L/100kmL/W/H/WB (mm): 4310/1780/1430/2650Servicing: 15,000km or 12 months, capped pricingWarranty: Five years unlimited kilometresSpare tyre: Space saver

The previous Mazda 3 wooed us with its perfect driving position and generous spec but let us down with a cramped interior and harsh ride.  This is the all new Mazda 3 and lets see how it compares.

They took back our 'long term' Citroen DS3 cabrio and gave us a three-door DS3 D Sport hatch instead.