Hatchback Reviews

There’s a lot riding on the small shoulders of the Peugeot 208. It follows in the long shadow of the iconic 205 that became the benchmark light hatch in 1983 and shone a halo bright enough to draw 15 million buyers to Peugeot 2-series cars – including the less-glowing 206 and dimmer 207 - since then. And the new baby has arrived in a cash-strapped household, forced to sell off a room full of shares to General Motors. But the 208 is dressed for success, and with the right spec and pricing should be able to help fill the family coffers.Warnings about reinventing the wheel have been dismissed with a Gallic shrug, and Peugeot has reinvented the one you steer with. It’s been shrunk to dinner plate size so the instrument panel behind it can migrate to the top of the dash. At 35cm wide and 32cm deep, the wheel feels immediately comfortable in the hands, and the new instrument position – viewed over rather than through the wheel - will probably take a couple of days to bed into the brain cells, but then start to feel natural. That idiosyncrasy aside, the 208 is the best looker in the city car field, with a chic little body and perfectly-judged amount of ‘jewelry’: a grille that floats in its surrounds, chrome accents, LED head and taillights … even the optional blue LED accents for the glass panorama roof look classy. The 208 is 110kg-173kg lighter than the 207 models. And it’s shorter, but Peugeot says there’s been no space penalty for legs or luggage – which gets 484 litres in the three-door, swelling to 811 with the rear seat down.Overseas markets get a range of 10 engines; five petrol and five diesel. We get four of those, starting with a 66kW/118Nm 1.2-litre three-cylinder manual but with a semi-automated transmission to follow shortly after launch.Above that sit the four-cylinders: a 88kW/160Nm 1.6-litre VTi in manual but with auto option, 115kW/240-260Nm 1.6-litre turbo manual and 86kW/230Nm 1.6-litre e-HDI diesel manual (with stop-start).The 208 will arrive with three- and five-door bodies in three spec levels – Active, Allure and Feline. Spec and prices will be announced closer to the October launch, but Peugeot Australia says the range will start sub-$20,000 for the 1.2-litre manual (an auto will arrive later). And while that entry level overseas is fairly stripped spec, it’s likely we’ll get some extra kit here, including the touchscreen and alloy wheels that start one level higher in other markets. And overseas, the CD player will be optional - acknowledgement that downloading is killing the silver disc - but a decision is yet to be made for our market.The base model is pitted against the VW Polo, Mazda2, Toyota Yaris, Ford Fiesta and Suzuki Swift as main rivals, with a strong second row from Hyundai’s Accent and i20, Holden Barina and Nissan Micra. But most buyers for Euro city style are in the premium light class segment – and Peugeot owns that field at 51 per cent, selling more than Fiat 500, Alfa MiTo, Citroen C2 (and all the rest) put together. The exiting 207 gets five ANCAP stars and with the 208 you can expect the same rating and similar safety equipment: six airbags, stability control and anti-skid brakes with electronic aids for panic stops and uneven loading.It might have a baby wheel but this is no Barbie car. The massive weight drop plus tweaks to suspension springs and variable-input dampers makes for much better handling than the 207. Cornering is grippy and nimble fun, and the steering speed and precision tips in for the party, but it feels remote and over-assisted - especially at higher speeds.We’ve had to ‘mangez le crow’ over our prediction that the 1.2-litre three-pot would be a dud. It’s got ample outputs to capably punt the light 208 around, although fully loading all seats will probably have it gritting its teeth for hillclimbs.That aside, the three-cylinder is sprightly and well-balanced, and there’s nothing wanting from it – except for it to come in the higher spec. It would be easy to picture it as a fully-dressed city mouse, twitching its chic little tail on the upmarket circuit.Of the three drivetrains we tested (the turbo we’re also getting wasn’t on the launch), the tiddler ended up being our clear favourite.The 1.6-litre diesel was quiet and smooth, and with the oiler ability to keep delivering torque through the range, it ate up the highway and could still overtake happily from 120km/h. The e-HDi’s six-speed manual transmission is smooth and precise, but the shift feel will be too firm for some.Following the diesel, the 1.6-litre petrol VTi up next felt underdone, but mainly suffered being undermined by a five-speed manual – we kept wishing for an extra cog on the highway. Cabins are well-trimmed across the range, and the grey plastics and fabrics of the lower spec suffer only in comparison with the premium look and feel of Feline’s top-spec fit-out.Clever packaging means there’s as much space in the 208 as in the larger 207 it’s replacing – which means still tight in the rear seat. And new sound-damping means wind rush around the A-pillar and along the seam of the panorama glass roof was the only irritant to invade the otherwise quiet cabin.It looks great inside and out, and with the right combinations of drivetrain, price and spec this is one that should be on every hatch shopper’s test drive list. 

When the New Beetle arrived, back in 1998, it elicited waves of nostalgia from Baby Boomers who had owned the old air-cooled Beetles, and loved what they had come to symbolise.At the time of the New Beetle's launch, it was exactly what they wanted—a vehicle that carried forward the iconic image but rolled on a modern front-wheel drive layout and packed plenty of comforts and conveniences.Unfortunately, that kind of intense, universal nostalgia only lasted a couple of years. After that—no matter what, it seemed—the New Beetle was a chick car. And the flower vase and soft contouring inside probably didn't help.Now for 2012, the Beetle is back, completely redesigned, and while it's still very much a niche car, it's one that a typical Australian male won't be embarrassed to drive. In fact, it's one that's quite enjoyable to drive.DESIGNYou might chuckle, but it takes only a passing glance to see that designers have tamped down the Beetle's feel-good, cute-and-cuddly side, instead focusing back to the original air-cooled Beetles and then bringing out the brawnier side of the Bug.It's roughly the same size, but all the lines are redrawn and the proportions are completely different. At first look, the new car looks a lot lower than the previous version.But the roofline is only a half-inch lower; it's the product of six inches of additional length and about three and a half inches more width.In short, this is not a tweaked version of the previous New Beetle. Volkswagen has gone back to the original air-cooled Beetle and penned a new New Beetle—only this time they're only calling it the Beetle.And it really does look a bit more like a sports car than before; we see just a little bit of Porsche 356 Speedster from some angles, and it definitely bears some likeness to the Audi TT Coupe.Throughout the exterior, we appreciate Volkswagen's use of glossy black as an accent in the Beetle Turbo—in the bold five-spoke wheels, the side mirrors, as well as in the roof, back window, and rear spoiler.And while the faux-running boards serve to rob the Beetle of some interior space, it's nice to see them also blacked out, and used as more of a unifying design cue.INTERIORInside, the same glossy black contrast is echoed in the upper door trim as well as in the steering wheel, but the execution isn't nearly as solid.The glossy carbon-fiber facing across the dash looked okay visually from some angles, but it felt unsatisfying in combination with the hard plastics of the rest of the dash.Additionally, the Beetle gets a sort of simplified, dumbed-down screen interface compared to what's offered in the GTI, and we noticed that the matte-plastic materials around the climate, nav, and audio controls seemed prone to showing greasy fingerprints.Thankfully though, in going to that upright layout, VW has gotten rid of the silly, vast expanse of plastic (the top of the dash) that would lay between the driver and the windshield in former New Beetle models.ENGINE AND TRANSMISSIONVolkswagen has rolled out what's probably the Beetle's manliest personality from the start—that's the Beetle Turbo model, with the 147kW/280Nm, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder.That engine continues to churn out the torque at low rpms (except from standstill, where there's a measured pause to gather steam) and rev pretty responsively and smoothly up the rev range—with only a hint of lag.Volkswagen's usually excellent six-speed dual-clutch (DSG), automated manual gearbox responded decisively to full-throttle acceleration, but it felt less fleet-footed in transitions, and uncertain when we suddenly went halfway into the throttle.The shifter's Sport mode seemed to introduce different shift points but didn't remedy the indecision. In the end, we couldn't tell if the difference was due to the Beetle's seemingly tall gear ratios or because VW might have dialed the unit's software-driven controls more to the conservative side.DRIVINGThe Beetle handles like what it is—a heavy but sporty and well-tuned front-wheel-drive coupe. Crisp, quick-ratio steering provides a confident, responsive feel—especially through the thick, flat-bottom steering wheel—with a firm but absorbent enough ride to match.The only surprise comes when you really push the Beetle hard into a corner and its springs prove a little softer than you might have expected; but on the bright side, the Beetle has the GTI's more sophisticated multi-link rear setup.Even though the GTI's tune still feels somewhat sharper, the Beetle does well putting on a front in this respect. It's not all that fuel-efficient, though.Official fuel figures are equal to 7.7L/100km in combined driving, and we saw about 10.2L/100km over 225 kilometres of driving in mixed conditions ranging from short-trip stop-and-go to a couple of highway blasts to the suburbs and back.In all fairness, none of it included much steady-speed cruising. Efficiency-minded shoppers should hold out for the TDI Beetle and its more frugal diesel economy.The back seat is still very much a 2+2. At 6'-6”, I started to wedge myself back there and then aborted, realizing it simply wasn't going to happen. In front though, there's much to love about the Beetle.Its driving position feels a little more upright this time around, with a good view outward in most directions—although rearward visibility is still a little challenging at times.Seats are sized to fit the 99 percent, and they include mild bolstering that should keep skinny drivers in place but not get in the way for wider proportions. Cargo space is truly a weakness of the Beetle design. The body narrows at the back, and combined with wheel-well space it really pinches the space, width-wise.What's more, the enclosure for the available Fender premium sound system cuts further into the space so that you end up with a trunk that might not fit some large suitcases, in any direction.One touch that you're probably going to like is the Beetle Turbo's exhaust note; we can tell that VW has put some effort into giving it more of a pulsating sound like that of the old air-cooled cars. That, plus the additional upper glovebox, were enough to tease out some nostalgia for a former Super Beetle owner.Our test car also had a couple of persistent rattles—one having to do with the passenger-side door panel, the other possibly around the sound-system enclosure, which didn't seem to be fitting very well or tightly in that vehicle.As for the sound of the new Fender system itself, it's clear, punchy, and well-rounded—neither the muddy, bass-heavy system that VW had gone to with its Monsoon systems years ago nor the overly crisp systems of recent years.PRICINGThe 2012 Beetle starts at just $18,995 in the US — that's with the base five-cylinder engine, and we haven't yet driven this likely less-charming variant — but the test Beetle Turbo carried a bottom-line price of US$29,685.And it did include navigation, a large panoramic sunroof, full leather, heated front seats, alloy pedals, Bluetooth, and the Fender sound system.However, landed in Australia after extra import taxes and duties, the Volkswagen Beetle is expected to hit showroom floors with prices starting at $25,000 and heading up to about $42,000 for the top-spec version.VERDICTIs still that a bargain or not? What it really amounts to is how you see the Beetle. If its styling and features, and its different, more daring look is what you want—but it doesn't matter that you don't have a full-fledged sports car, or even a car with serious performance chops—then the Beetle might be right for you.On the other hand, we see a lot of really well done interiors on inexpensive cars, and $30k seems high for the quality of the Beetle Turbo's interior trims.The gist of it is that, with this car's better alignment with the GTI, the Beetle now feels more like the previous Audi TT from behind the wheel—a confident driving machine with a lot of design flare and attitude—than as an oddly laid-out vehicle that's living off the past.There's nothing embarrassing here, and the Beetle is straightforward and sporty; if a modern take on a classic design is your thing, there's no reason not to drive it and enjoy it.

Hyundai has taken its range in a new direction with the Veloster. If the admiring looks and comments we received during our week at the wheel are any indication of admiration, then Veloster is set to be a sales success. All the more so when interested parties realise it has a starting price of only $23,990.Veloster is a coupe on the driver's side and a hatch on the other. Quirky, yes. Practical: absolutely. The bane of owning a coupe has always been getting passengers in and out of the rear seats. This simple solution overcomes this. The forward hinged rear door on Veloster has the handle cleverly integrated into the door so that it is deliberately difficult to spot.Part of Veloster's visual appeal is the diving roof line and expansive hatch lid. This gives the car its sporting lines. The front is aggressive and distinctive and the rear end is also impressive.  There are two Veloster models, Veloster and Veloster +.ENGINE AND MECHANICALAt this stage Veloster is conservative under the bonnet. The 1.6-litre petrol direct injection has peak power of 103 kW at 6300 rpm and 166 Nm of torque at 4850 rpm. It redlines at a sporting 6700 rpm. There are two transmissions, a six-speed manual (as tested) and a six-speed dual clutch gearbox (DCT) developed by Hyundai.Hyundai claims combined consumption of 6.4 litres per 100 km. We managed 7.4, but that including a lot of city driving and performance testing. The good news is that Veloster is to get a turbocharged engine later in the year.SAFETYHyundai Veloster has a 5-Star ANCAP rating. Six airbags, stability control, stability management, traction control, ABS brakes and EBD with brake assist. Veloster comes standard with a reversing camera in the tailgate handle with images relayed to the 7-inch centre console LCD screen. Veloster also comes with rear park assist with sensors built into the rear bumper.DESIGN AND EQUIPMENTThe dashboard is all curves and lights, yet still manages to be a user-friendly. Our test car was the Veloster + so we had leather sports seats with lumbar support, panoramic glass roof and what Hyundai calls its supervision instrument cluster. This has blue back-lighting and the centre display has a blue/white matrix providing trip information.While the car is stationary passengers can view movies on the 7-inch screen. The audio system provides MP3, CD and AM/FM radio via four speakers, a centre speaker, two tweeters and a subwoofer, all powered by an external amplifier.As well as USB and Auxiliary inputs, there’s connectivity with iPod and Bluetooth including audio streaming on both models. The steering wheel has an array of remote controls for audio, telephone and cruise control. There are plenty of storage bins, cup holders and bottle holders in the front doors.DRIVINGThe front seats are supportive and comfortable as are the two rear seats. Obviously access to the rear seats is easy via the kerbside second door, but it's also easy to get in or out via the driver's side door with the front seat electrically moving forward.Many will find the rear seats a little claustrophobic thanks to the diving roof line and high side windows. In fact the passengers' heads are below the top of the vast hatch window and are likely to be cooked in the sun. The rear seats have a 60/40 split and fold to create a good size luggage area of 440 litres.Veloster has a solid feel about it from the moment you close the driver's door. Our test car was fitted with the six-speed manual shifter which was smooth and direct, but not close gated like some more expensive sports cars.Our first impression was that the car is under-powered. It’s certainly not rapid off the line and seems highly geared. Yet, when we took it for a spin through some of our favourite winding roads in the Gold Coast hinterland, Veloster was more at home and lived up to its looks.Peak torque is not reached until 4850 rpm so acceleration is a little tardy. The engine revs out to a tad over 6500 rpm. So holding on to the gears above 3500 rpm Veloster actually delivers plenty of punch, particularly if you are using second, third and fourth gears on winding country roads.There is no hill-start on the manual version, so poor drivers may have to opt for the automatic, or get some more driving lessons. Hyundai Veloster handles really well, flattening out corners with little body roll. The engineers have got the suspension sorted pretty well.The interior rear view is impeded by the design of the hatch so the adjustment of the rear view mirror is important to make the most of what is available. Road noise intrusion into the cabin is not too bad, but if you’re going to be spending a lot of time cruising on coarse-chip back country roads it might be worthwhile including these in your own pre-purchase test drive.VERDICTFrom the drivers' perspective there’s not a lot to dislike. Many people will buy Veloster on looks alone, but there is so much more to this car. We can't wait to drive the turbo version later in the year...MODEL RANGEVeloster 1.6-litre three-door coupe: $23,990 (manual), $25,990 (automatic)Veloster + 1.6-litre three-door coupe: $27,990 (manual), $29,990 (automatic)Note: These prices do not include government or dealer delivery charges. Contact your local Hyundai dealer for driveaway prices.

This is the sort of car most people should be driving. The Mercedes-Benz B-Class is immensely practical, with a spaciou interior (you need a large Mercedes S-Class to get more rear legroom, and then only just), a tall seating position to provide good visibility and variable luggage space that can be tailored in many ways. Yet the Benz B-Class is too often overlooked by buyers caught up in the macho craze that sees SUVs increasingly dominating the car market.The B-Class is smaller on the outside than most compact SUVs, yet has more space inside, is easier and safer to drive and, best of all, is lighter and therefore more economical and kinder to the air we breathe.Mercedes-Benz Australia would like to see sales climb significantly for all of the above reasons.DESIGNThe local Benz branch will benefit from the complete redesign of the new-generation B-Class. It has more style than before - just look at that sensational sweep up of the lower style line on the doors and the way the D-pillars taper downwards to take the visual bulk out of them. Lowering the roof by a significant 47 millimetres hasn’t affected headroom as the floor has been dropped by more than the roof.That’s because the original Mercedes B-Class was an extension of the A-Class and both were designed to accept a future power train using electricity produced from hydrogen by fuel cells. That didn’t happen - though we did take part in an experimental around the world run when the hydrogen powered vehicles visited Australia midway through 2011.Refinement of fuel cell design in the intervening years mean that less underfloor space is now required, so what Mercedes-Benz considers to be the powerplants of the future can be installed in today’s B-Class. The lower position of the seats in the new B-Class hasn’t adversely affected the ease of sliding in and out of them, an important factor for the ageing baby boomers. Boomers who will love to be sitting behind the Mercedes three-pointed star, love the sensible design and, best of all, will find the B-Class even more affordable than the superseded model – because the price list begins at an impressively low $38,950 plus on-road costs. ENGINE AND MECHANICAL Power is provided by a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine in two stages of tune - 90 kW of power and 200 Nm of torque; and 115 kW / 250 Nm. Strong torque at low revs is a big feature of all the engines and we found them happy to hold onto high gears in the interests of lower consumption and emissions. There’s also a turbo-diesel option by way of a 1.8-litre unit with 100 kW and 300 Newton metres. If you’re considering the 90 kW petrol engine may we suggest you load it up with passengers and take it onto some hilly roads? We feel it has enough power, but there’s not a lot to spare. Our favourite powerplant during our introductory drives was the turbo-diesel. All three engines run through a double-clutch, seven-speed automatic transmission to the front wheels. We found it smooth and easy at all speeds. DRIVING The driving position is more ergonomic than in the old B-Class, which had a steering wheel that was rather too vertical for our tastes. We found the seats comfortable and supportive in the 300+ kilometre drive program at the launch of the vehicle in Australia.Comfort is everything you would expect from an upmarket German car and will prove a big selling feature. As befits a compact people mover there are numerous stowage areas including a handy centre console and sensible door pockets. Access to the rear seats through wide opening doors is excellent and there’s the ability to stretch your legs out even if those in the front are claiming lots of space. It’s great to have limo-like space in car that’s simple to drive and easy to park. Noise levels are generally well isolated, but Australian coarse-chip surfaces did create more noise than we expected. Handling is neat and tidy and there’s no real sensation that you are in a front-drive family wagon. The full suite of electronic stability aids will assist if traction looks like slipping.If something still goes wrong Mercedes-Benz’s Pre-safe system will do everything it can to minimise the effects of the crash. Finally, no fewer than nine airbags will do what they can to cushion the occupants. (There are two curtain airbags on each side due to the extended interior, hence the larger than normal number of ‘bags.) VERDICT The all-new Mercedes-Benz B-Class is an immensely practical family car that will appeal to a lot of different buyer groups. The outgoing model sold moderately well, but much bigger things are expected from this all-new one. It’s offered in several models, each with a number of option packages. Rather than crowd way too much information into this review may we suggest you call into your local dealer to look at the permutations on offer. This B-Class is only the start of a suite of all-new models based on the same platform; an A-Class that’s far most stylish than its predecessors is next, with a coupe and small SUV in the pipeline. And a secret new model is being hinted at.The complete 2012 Mercedes-Benz B-Class range is:B 180 BlueEfficiency 1.6-litre petrol five-door hatch: $38,950B 200 BlueEfficiency 1.6-litre petrol five-door hatch: $43,950B 200 CDI BlueEfficiency 1.8-litre turbo-diesel five-door hatch: $43,950Mercedes-Benz B-Class Price: from $38,950Engine: 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine; 90kW/200Nm. 1.8 litre turbo-diesel 100kW/300NmPerformance: 0-100km/h time is 10.4 seconds.Transmission: 7 speed automated manual, 6 speed manualEconomy: 6.1 litres/100km using 95RON fuel. 5.8 litres/100km diesel.

Mazda 3’s ongoing success on the new car market has resulted in a surge in interest in the small-medium model as a used car.

Over almost three decades since its introduction as a Holden-badged Suzuki, the Holden Barina has grown into a sporty small car, with impressive looks similar to both its cheap and cheeky Spark and mature mid-size Holden Cruze siblings.Ondrej Koromhaz, an Australian design team member seconded to the GM Design studio in South Korea, was given the task of reshaping the small car into a truly global car that’s sold in more than 60 countries, as the Chevrolet Aveo and Sonic.Producing a car with a more masculine look than before, Koromhaz has drawn inspiration from the motorcycle with headlamps flanking a double-decker radiator grille designed to keep under-bonnet temperatures at optimal levels.Wheels have been shifted to the four corners of the car producing not only a solid stance but a strong contribution to driving stability through ten-spoke 15-inch alloys that add to the sporty ambience.The Barina flexes its design muscles with formidable flanks and broad shoulders leading the way to rear doors that include concealed handles giving the car a hint of a sporty coupe. Rear lights also take their cues from the motorcycle.The theme extends to the cabin interior with motorcycle-inspired instruments at the centre of which is a digital speedometer incorporating an analogue tacho.The new Barina is no mere well-oiled muscle flexer. The overt masculinity is backed up by power in the form of one of the biggest powertrains in the segment.  A 1.6-litre four-cylinder DOHC petrol engine puts out 85 kW of power at 6000 rpm, plus torque of 155 Nm at 4000 rpm and is mated with a standard five-speed manual transmission or optional six-speed automatic transmission with Active Select.Holden says the manual returns a fuel economy figure of 6.8 litres per 100 kilometres on the combined urban/highway cycle with the manual and 7.3 with the auto. The best we managed was 6.1 on a mainly motorway run in a manual, with numbers in the sevens around town.Among a raft of engine upgrades a redesigned cylinder head, block and crankshaft give greater structural strength, improved heat management and an overall weight reduction of three per cent. There’s a toothed timing belt that requires change intervals every 10 years or 160,000 km, whichever comes first, while piston-cooling oil jets enhance lubrication, resulting in increased engine longevity and extended maintenance intervalsElectronic stability control is standard and incorporates anti-lock braking, traction control, electronic brake force distribution and emergency brake assist should brake pressure need to be boosted in an emergency.All this, plus six airbags – dual front, front side and side curtain – the driver and front passenger with seatbelt pretensioners, and pedal release system has led to the new Barina winning the maximum five-star safety rating from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program.Inside the Barina cabin – one of the biggest in class – there is stretch out room for the front occupants, with good legroom for those in the back, though it’s better suited to two adults than three back there.The boot takes an average load – 290 litres with the rear seat backs up but, this is doubled to 653 litres with the 60:40 backs folded flat. Storage includes pockets on both sides of the centre stack and upper instrument panel for smaller items. The double-storey glove box has two concealed areas complete with USB and auxiliary outlets, with a recessed channel to take an MP3 player cable.Though no hot hatch, the new Holden Barina is a thoroughly pleasant car to drive, with the 1.6-litre five-speed manual offering above-average performance for a car in this class. A firm but comfortable ride elicited no complaints from occupants, while favourable comments on the car’s design were forthcoming from more than one onlooker.

Buying a new Mercedes-Benz badge for Mazda prices is a reality with the launch of the Mercedes B-Class. The five-door hatch brings a new level of safety and sophistication to the small vehicle segment. The question now is how many people will pay range-topping Asian car prices for an entry level Merc.  The base B-Class is $38,950 plus on-road costs. That makes it cheaper than Mazda's range-topping petrol CX-5, the Grand Touring, which comes in at $43,200. The CX-5 is the most car-like of the compact SUVs and a realistic rival for the Merc.The B-Class is a compact people and cargo carrier with no direct rivals in Australia, meaning it will attract buyers from both the small SUV and small car ranks - at least until a genuine B-Class SUV arrives late next year.The all-wheel drive Mazda rides higher than the Merc but it also represents the latest technology from Japan. The 2.0-litre "Skyactiv-G" engine is comparable in terms of power output and the interior features are classy but Mazda can't match Mercedes in the safety stakes.Mercedes is counting on that fact - and the lure of the three-pointed star - to sign-up empty nesters, middle-class families and Gen X-ers who are climbing the corporate ladder.FEATURES Buy a and standard gear includes a powered driver's seat, adaptive xenon headlamps, front and rear parking sensors, a 10-speaker Bose sound system and 19-inch rims. Opt for the B-Class and the wheels drop back to 16 inches, muscles and not motors move the front seats and six speakers are the default setting. The flip side is a bigger satnav display with hi-res graphics set in a piano-black surround that looks like a scaled-down iPad.The dash itself has air vents borrowed from the $470,000 SLS supercar and the steering wheel is straight out of the $160,000 CLS parts bin. The seats are more comfortable and there's parking assistance software to manoeuvre into those tight spaces. Both models have enough rear leg and head room to comfortably guard basketballers, though the Mazda holds a slight edge here.COST OF OWNERSHIPThe big issue when buying your first prestige car is whether you can then afford to drive it. Legend has it that running a European-built car costs more than a comparable Japanese or South Korean vehicle. Like most legends, there's some historical truth to the tale but the European carmakers have tried hard to extend service intervals and make their vehicles the most fuel-efficient on the road.That's why the intervals on the Merc are now out to 25,000km or 12 months. That compares with 10,000km/six months before servicing is due on the Mazda range. In theory, then, the Merc can cost twice as much to service and, given those services will happen half as often, owners will be no worse off over the course of a year. The battle at the pump is just as close with both vehicles using features such as idle stop/start to improve efficiency. The official fuel use for the 90kW/200Nm 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine in the B-Class is 6.1 litres/100km using 95RON fuel.The Mazda CX-5's 2.0-litre engine uses 6.4 litres of 91RON fuel to cover the same ground on the front-wheel drive models, or 6.9 litres when matched to AWD. Assuming annual travel of 15,000km, 95RON petrol to be $1.60 and 91RON at $1.50, the B-Class will cost $1464 to fuel; the slug on the CX-5 will be $1440 for the FWD model or $1552 for the AWD.SAFETYIf keeping the family safe is a priority, the B-Class will be a no-brainer. Collision-avoidance alert and "Pre-Safe" are included in the starting price. The first will sound an alarm and pre-arm the brakes if the sensors detect the car is about to rear-end another vehicle; the second system tensions the seatbelts and closes the windows if the G-forces are high enough to convince the software a crash is imminent.Dip in to the options and the B-Class can have a safety suite to rival any car in the Mercedes range, be it adaptive cruise control and headlights, blind spot warning or software to keep the car in its lane. There are nine airbags on the Merc against six in the Mazda and both vehicles have the latest versions of stability and traction control software. The Mazda also has a reversing camera across the range, while it's an option on the B-BlassOPTIONSImitation is the greatest form of flattery and Mazda has taken a leaf from the Mercedes' manual to option software-based safety improvements as part of packaged upgrades. The "tech pack" is for now only sold with the Grand Touring model.The $1990 spend adds blind spot and lane departure warning systems and a headlight high beam control system that automatically dims the light for approaching drivers. Mercedes has six options packages for the B-Class. Load a top-spec model up with them all and the cost can top $60,000. Individually the prices run from $1490-$2990. Two of the more useful are the Comand pack at $2990 for a 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system with 10GB hard drive, a seven-inch satnav screen and reversing camera, and the Driving Assistance pack that adds lane departure and blind spot warning systems along with adaptive cruise control for $2490.DRIVINGIf the Merc earns an A for packaging, the drive is a definite B. Efficiency ahead of excitement is the motto here and the B Class feels underpowered with a chassis that can unquestionably cope with a lot more ground. And it will need to, with four more variants to be spun off the same MFA (modular front architecture) platform in the next few years, including a youth-focused A-Class range topped by a 200kW AMG model. The seven-speed automated manual transmission is so slick that the occasional glitch - it can hunt for a gear when accelerating from a near stop - really stands out. Thankfully, it doesn't occur in stop-start traffic, so most owners won't notice it. The run-flat rubber moans a bit on coarse chip surfaces but it isn't horrible and is noticeable mainly because there is zero wind noise off the bodywork at legal highway speeds. The steering has been dialled-in for families - it is light and precise without giving a huge amount of feedback. The power figures mightn't be huge but base engine is more than capable of lugging four adults, if not at breakneck speed.Claimed 0-100km/h time is 10.4 seconds, but that drops by two seconds if buyers part with another $4000 to buy the B200 petrol model with 115kW/250Nm yet still the same 6.1L/100km fuel use. The diesel engine's 300Nm of torque and 4.7L/100km fuel use  make it the pick of the litter if the B is going to cover a lot of kays.VERDICTThe last B-Class led the compact prestige segment and this is a better car in every area for less cash.  It is a hugely practical load lugger and Mercedes is already predicting short-term supply problems as it struggles to satisfy global demand.PAYING A PREMIUMAll three major prestige brands are moving to claim a bigger share of the small car market. Audi has its A3 hatch and just launched Q3 SUV, BMW has the 1 Series and X1 crossover and Mercedes has the B-Class.Merc won the sales race in this segment last year, but a two-month gap between the old model and the arrival of this one means the company will struggle to stay on top again in 2012, despite predicting at last 2500 sales. Audi's A3 starts at $41,200 while BMW's base price for a 1 Series is $39,593.Mercedes-Benz B-Class Price: from $38,950Engine: 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine. 90kW/200NmPerformance: 0-100km/h time is 10.4 seconds.Transmission: 7 speeds automated manual Economy: 6.1 litres/100km using 95RON fuel.

We turn the spotlight on the Renault Megane Renaultsport 250 Cup and ask the questions to which you want the answers. But there's only one question that really needs answering -- would you buy one?What is it?Renault's feisty 2.0-litre hot hatch. If you fancy an EVO or STI, do yourself a favour and have a good, long hard look at one of these. It's that good (without qualification).How much?The Megane Renault Sport 250 Cup is priced from $41,990 while the harder edged Trophee version is $46,990.What are competitors?Mitsubishi's Lancer Ralliart and of course Sooby's evergreen WRX, both of which are around the same price (avantgarde styling might put conservative punters off)What's under the bonnet?Motivation comes from a 2.0-litre turbocharged four cylidner engine that pumps out 184kW at 5500 revs and 340Nm at 3000 revs. 80 per cent of torque is available from 1900 revs. Drive is through a six-speed manual box, with a limited slip diff and Brembo stoppers.How does it go?0-100km/h in 6.1 secs. Don't fall into the trap of arguing this has got more power than that. This has got all the get up and go you need and is one of the finest handling fronties you'll ever experience. With 80 per cent of the torque available from 1900 revs, acceleration is smooth and responsive thanks to the twin scroll turbocharger and continuously variable intake valve timing.Is it economical?Takes premium unleaded. Rated at 8.7 litres/100km (bog standard car 8.2). We clocked up 400km at a rate of 9.0 litres/100km (even with a bit of twisty stuff thrown in).Is it green?Surprisingly, it gets 3.5 out of 5 stars from the Govt's Green Guide, producing 201g/km of CO2.Is it safe?You bet. Scores five out of five in crash tests.Is it comfortable?Fits like a glove. Short shifting manual is forward mounted and falls easily to hand. Features an independent steering axis layout at the front where the suspension and steering functions have been separated to ensure a particularly high standard of handling and traction performance.What's it like to drive?Let's just say it will put a smile on your dial. Not a lot of rear vision, but you're going to be more worried about what's in front rather than behind. Ride quality depends on the surface, but it remains suprisingly settled on bumpy country roads. Wicked turn of speed with incredible levels of grip  who needs all wheel drive?Is it value for money?For the price it's a steal. Only option metallic paint at $800. Pity it doesn't include satnav.Would we buy one?Show me where to sign. Bang for your buck, this rates up there with the best of them.

Life throws some shockers at you when you least expect. I came home from overseas a while back and Australia had a woman prime minister. Holden gave me a Barina this week and it drove really well. I wasn't prepared for either of those.The Barina has previously been an awkward hatchback in the company of some red-hot rivals. Many people bought it purely because it is a Holden and - certainly with the old 2005-2011 TK Barina - probably live without knowing that it is spectacularly bad and originally came out of the factory with a you're-gunna-get-really-hurt two-star crash rating.But relax. The new Barina is completely different. It's still made in Korea but sits on a new platform, has the maximum five-star crash rating and is even good value for money. Do we still have a woman prime minister?It sits in the light-car category alongside the smaller Barina Spark. Do not confuse the two - the Spark is one of the worse cars on the market while the Barina, by comparison, sparkles. Pricing is very good so the hatch represents value. Go for the six-speed auto for $17,990 because it is a better drive than the manual. Good feature list, reasonable economy and a Holden dealer at every street corner makes a lot of sense for low-distance owners.Basically it's a chiselled box with a distinctive four-light nose. The design successfully makes it look more expensive than the $15,990 (manual) price tag so it's not something you'd be ashamed to park in your driveway.Cabin space is very good, though C-pillars are wide. Rear seats fold down but sit awkwardly above the floor. The motorcycle-inspired instrument panel is basic, simple and has a very temporary appearance.The six-speed lock-up auto comes from the Cruze and though gearshifts can sometimes jar, is a winner. The sequential manual mode is interesting but probably worthless given the car's market and the engine noise at high revs. The 1.6 engine has been around for ages, with modest upgrades this time around. It's strong, not bad on fuel and reliable but won't win at the traffic lights and is quietest when cruising under 3000rpm. Drum rear brakes look - and are - dated.This gets a five-star crash rating - up on the previous model's four stars after it originally scored two. There's stability control, brakeforce distribution and brake assist. It has six airbags - including full-length curtain bags - and a full size spare wheel.Forget some previous Barinas because this model is more like its original Opel version, with interest again by Holden in how the car drives and feels. It feels spacious, is comfortable - with long seat cushions - and has good visibility. Steering is sharp and it doesn't fidget on the road. It's no sportscar through the bends but is confident.Suspension copes well with rough roads and the ride is well dampened and noise free. But the engine is noisy and feels a bit rough at above 3000rpm. Here it falls behind most rivals. Treat it gently and it is fuss-free, especially at cruising speeds. The instrument panel is pretty ordinary but the rest of the driving experience is very good.