Hatchback Reviews

WE turn the spotlight on automotive's newest and brightest stars, as we ask the questions to which you want the answers. Ultimately, however, there is only one question that really needs answering would you buy one?This is the five door hatchback variant of Kia's attractive Cerato which followed the sedan by about 18 months. The entry spec' test car featured Kia's excellent six-speed automatic transmission, essentially the reason we wanted to drive it.Keenly priced at $20,240 plus on roads.Too many to list really but including: Ford Focus, Mazda3, Holden Cruze, Hyundai i30, Mitsubishi Lancer, Nissan Tiida, Sooby Impreza, Suzuki SX4, Toyota Corolla and more.Has a punchy, twin cam, 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, petrol with variable valve timing that's good for 115kW/194Nm — right at the top of the class.Great — plenty of zip off the mark, smooth, relatively quiet, economical, willing to rev — ticks all the boxes. The throttle flare problem on manual variant isn't evident on the auto. No paddle shift on Si - who cares, leave it in DSips lightly at 7.7-litres/100km — not bad for a 2.0-litre auto.The manual is only a couple of points better.Green tinge, passes Euro 4 emissions regs, OK on the carbon dioxide. Don't know about the manufacturing process.Gets four starsVery — great ride/handling compromise, relatively comfy seats, minimal noise intrusion, plenty of kit to keep you happy on a drive.Impressive thanks in part to the six speed auto. We would buy the auto in preference to the manual — there's a small premium but it's worth it.Gets off the line quickly and rolls along sweetly at speed. Plenty in reserve at the push of the throttle. Impressive dynamics, looks good on the road.Excellent value all things considered though the Mitsu' Lancer at similar money makes it a hard call... Si model scores a full-size spare, six bags, cruise control with steering wheel controls, rear spoiler power windows and mirrors, Bluetooth for phone and audio streaming, six speaker audio.Yes, we'd shop it against some other contenders and base the decision on the deal. There is no cringe factor at all with buying the Cerato hatch — it's as good or better than anything else in the class. Roomy, good looking and we prefer it over the sedan.

PUTTING a 4WD system into a grand tourer isn’t new - Jensen did it 50 years ago with its FF.  Porsche and Bentley use it in their saloons and it all became a bit academic until Ferrari unveiled its interpretation, the FF.It was unexpected but, in hindsight, makes sense as the bespoke car maker broadens its market and listens to its customers.  The Ferrari FF, the replacement to the 612 Scaglietti, ups the ante in more ways than just a 4WD system.The car, here early next year with an estimated price of $625,000, has a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission mounted in the rear; a direct-injection V12 with 486kW/683Nm and a 0-100km/h time of 3.7 seconds; comes standard with carbon-ceramic disc brakes; sats four adults and their luggage; and has a multitude of drivetrain and suspension adjustments to hone the car to each driver’s whim.VALUEIt will cost about $625,000 when it gets here in February. If you can afford it, you’d probably say it has good value.  But that’s only half he story - the option list is huge and even now, Australian importers Ateco Automotive haven’t nailed down the final specifications. You’ll have to save the pennies and wait.DESIGNIt looks a lot better in the flesh and I bet you’ve also heard that about the Porsche Panamera.  But in this case it’s true. The rear end initially looks awkward - almost like a stunted panel van - but is the reason the car is so versatile with its accommodation.The cabin is beautiful in design with the best textiles and plastics - as you’d expect for the price - and even though the steering wheel controls are complex, they are styled to convince you they’re very workable.TECHNOLOGYThe FF gets a very overhauled version of the outgoing 612‘s 6-litre V12, now up to 6.3 litres and with direct petrol injection.  The big news is the extended crankshaft to which is bolted the front power transfer unit (PTU) that sends torque to the front wheels.The PTU works completely independent of the rear wheels and work on demand. The simplicity is the two gears to cope with the different speeds of the front and rear wheels.True, two gears can’t do what seven gears are doing to the rear wheels. There’s a simple answer - viscous clutches. These take up any speed differences between the front and rear wheels.The PTU is controlled by electronics that also looks after the engine and the gearbox and the rear E-Diff. So they’re all talking the same language and that allows the computer to use ABS and ESC and other sensors to allocate torque precisely to the wheel(s) with the most traction.The seven-speed - a first for Ferrari and the first model also with an overdrive gear - box is a dual-clutch unit that’s mounted with the diff at the rear of the car.There are three modes for the transmission and engine - automatic, sport and race. Each changes the response of the drivetrain and, in race, keeps the exhaust free for that glorious sound.  Road conditions can also be dialed up, for wet, ice and snow and even to turn the ESC off.The front suspension retains Ferrari’s normal double-wishbone system but the rear is an all-new multi-link arrangement that is claimed to improve ride comfort.On top of all this, the steering wheel now caries all the switches previously handled by column stalks. Gear changes are via long carbon-fibre paddles.SAFETYThe FF has four airbags because Ferrari says that’s sufficient and has done all the crash tests - including an 80km/h rollover - and come away with the maximum star rating.On top of that, there’s a brilliant traction system that introduces all-wheel drive and the ability to cope with snow and ice, and carbon-ceramic Brembo brakes with discs the size of a family pizza plate. Without fade and with virtually an unlimited disc life, the brakes will pull the FF down from 100km/h in an incredible 35m - or exactly 2.7 seconds.DRIVINGDied and gone to heaven. The FF is almost what the perfect car should be - versatile, comfortable, quiet, breathtakingly quick and capable of arousing its driver with a sound track of soaring cresendos, resonate basses and sharp, urgent barks.  It’s tactile, aural and visual experience is its magic.The massive, time-worn faces of the Dolomites on Italy’s northern border are etched with tightly-wound and narrow ribbons of road that rise and fall, twist and turn. Perhaps too tight for the 5m long car but the complexity of the route didn’t daunt the FF.Not only was it nimble enough to wind its way up to 2200m above sea level, but so comfortable that occupants were never compromised - and that was a huge surprise in a car from Ferrari.Flick the lever from “auto’’ - which is actually a very smooth and city-friendly gear mode - to “sport’‘ and the car changes, hunkers down, gets a bit noisier and feels more poised for battle.  Go to “race” and the baffles in the exhaust system are relieved so making the car bark and spit and passers-by gasp.Yes, as expected, it’s fast. Unexpected is how easy it is to drive. The engine is immensely torquey - 500Nm from 1000rpm - so it softens the feeling of urgency. It’s only the G-force on your face and the powerful swing of the tacho needle on its yellow facia that tells the real story.The engine delivers its maximum 486kW at 8000rpm and the engine has a cut out at 8200rpm, so it’s an engine that will run hard and effortlessly from idle right through to the red line and never slow its delivery.Impressive - and yes I know that goes hand-in-hand with the price tag - is the ultra-fast gear shifts, the comfort of the suspension and seats, and the tremendous power of that engine.  Against this is the initial confusion caused by the steering wheel’s switchgear - especially at speed or when fanging through the mountains - and he sheer width of the car.The rear seats will seat two adults in comfort and Ferrari claims they can both be 1.8m tall - but it also depends on the height of the front occupants.I could rant about the improved fuel economy over the previous model, but I feel that may be time wasted.VERDICTBrilliant! This car returns Ferrari to the podium of automotive technology and shows that, money aside, you can have an eminently capable high-speed grand tourer that is city-friendly.FERRARI FF ****Price: est. $625,000Warranty: 3 years, 100,000km, roadside assistResale: n/aService Interval: 10,000km or 12 monthsEconomy: 15.4 l/100km; 360g/km CO2SAFETYEquipment: four airbags, ESC, ABS, EBD, EBA, TC.Crash rating: 5 starTECHNICALEngine: 486kW/683Nm 6.3-litre V12 petrolTransmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch auto 0-100km/h: 3.7secBody: 2-door, 4 seatsDimensions: 4907 (L); 1953mm (W); 1379mm (H); 2990mm (WB)Weight: 1790kgTyre size: 245/35ZR20; 295/35ZR20Spare tyre: Aerosol kit

An all-new, bigger and better Toyota Yaris has just been unwrapped in Japan. It promises a much tougher rival in Australia to cars such as the Ford Fiesta and Mazda2, but there are still plenty of questions through the countdown to its planning arrival in September.They include doubts over production at Toyota's Miyagi assembly plant, which is still offline following the Japanese earthquake. Various sources point to a production shutdown until sometime in May because of the difficulty in re-connecting essential services - including natural gas - to the factory.Toyota Australia also says there will be tweaking to the Yaris before it comes here, most notably the replacement of the CVT transmission popular in Japan with a regular four-speed automatic gearbox. The company is also promising a full five-star NCAP ranking for the basic Yaris three-door hatch.VALUEToyota has targeted top-line European rivals including the Volkswagen Polo - the reigning Carsguide Car of the Year - but it is still built to a price and some people will find marginalised features.The price of the Yaris currently starts at $14,990, or $16,590 as an automatic, and Toyota will be aiming to hold the line with the new model. It plans also to continue with its current strategy of using three and five-door hatchback bodies with either 1.3 or 1.5-litre engines. There will be three equipment grades.TECHNOLOGYThe most impressive thing about the new Yaris is the 1.3-litre engine's Smart-Stop Package. Taking just 0.35 seconds to restart after seamlessly cutting the engine at idle, the smart-stop works to improve fuel economy to an excellent 4.59 litres/100km.But, surprisingly, the start-stop is only offered on the 1.3 litre due to its hefty $750 pricetag. And, more strikingly, VSC and TRC traction controls, which are standard on the 1.3 litre, are not even offered as options on other models, although this will not be the situation in Australia with stability control now compulsory on all cars sold here.DESIGN"We need to stand out more. That is one reason why the new Yaris has grown in size and taken on an edgier look compared to it's predecessor," says deputy chief engineer Yoshinari Toyomura.Checking out the new Yaris on Tokyo streets, we immediately see what he means. The new B-segment bigwig is 85mm longer with a wheelbase that gains 50mm. The car does feel bigger, but the company's efforts to minimize costs while improving packaging have met with mixed resultsSAFETYToyota already gets a five-star NCAP rating with the five-door Yaris including the safety pack - with front-side-head airbags - and four stars for the three-door with frontal airbags.It promises better for the new model and Australian buyers can also expect the usual ABS brakes and ESP stability control to satisfy local regulations and consumers.DRIVINGTuned for optimum fuel economy and CO2 emissions, the 1.3-litre Yaris is adequate but not quick. Mated to a revised CVT transmission, it pulls sufficiently from around 2000 revs and stays strong enough through the mid-ranges, we think, because this car did not have a tachometer.Aussie cars will get a five-speed manual, and a tacho. To keep up with rivals, the Yaris has stiffened body rigidity, a more compliant ride and better weighted, more responsive steering. Local specifications will be crucial, really, to the potential success of the car in an incredibly tough sector of the market.The new Yaris is more spacious, does handle better than the old model and looks considerably smarter, but it feels like it's been short-changed on a few interior elements and performance is middling rather than genuinely impressive. It'll need those missing toys if it's to stand out from the crowd when it arrives here later this year.VERDICTBuilt to satisfy the bottom dollar, the new Yaris generates good first impressions, but leaves question marks with its packaging and potential impact in Australia.

Shopping trolleys aren't renowned for steering, ride quality or comfort or features. Neither are the cars that share - rather unkindly - the title, but recent offerings have raised the bar.Ford and Mazda contribute models that show dynamics aren't beyond the reach of light car buyers. Hyundai's i20, the Indian-built five-door hatch model, certainly looks better than the company's previous efforts. It's teen-priced A-to-B transport - a little hatch that's all about ...VALUEThe i20 we've been piloting is the 1.4-litre five-door Active manual, the entry-level five-door priced from $16,490.For that, the features list is surprisingly good - automatic (just after take-off) remote central door locking, an alarm, two-way adjustable steering, airconditioning, a 60/40 split-fold rear seat and a four-spear sound system with 3.5mm auxiliary jack and a USB port. The sound system also offers a Bluetooth phone link, something many cars twice the price have yet to manage.TECHNOLOGYThis end of the market isn't going to offer high-end technology like night vision or active cruise control, but the safety list below and the aforementioned connectivity will appeal to the younger first-car buyers who are shopping in this segment.The i20 didn't like to have the iPhone plugged in to the USB, refusing to acknowledge the presence of a music player within the phone - it's not the only car to baulk at the double-act either.DESIGNIt's a little shopping trolley so it's not going to set new standards for exterior design, but it shows more flair than the little box that i20 is replacing - the Getz. The cabin is on the plasticky side - but we're south of $20,000 so that's to be expected - but overall it's not an unpleasant interior.There's storage pockets for all sorts of paraphernalia and - even for a driver at 191cm and broad - it's reasonably comfortable cabin, although the bar across the base of the driver's backrest made its presence known and detracted from the seat comfort. Bootspace at 295 litres is good enough to take a folded stroller and baby bag, which is something a couple of contenders in the (larger) small car market could not manage due to restricted load bay width.SAFETYSlowly this is becoming more of a selling point and Hyundai - which previously offered viable safety option packs not tied to upgraded trim or features - have put useful levels of safety in the i20, with cars since September last year getting six airbags, making it one of the cheapest five-star NCAP cars available.The safety features list now has traction and stability control (something absent from the standard features list for much of its opposition), dual front and front-side airbags, full-length curtain airbags and anti-lock brakes.DRIVINGA little prettier than the some of the reps in this segment, it falls short of knocking the Fiesta out but could match the Yaris for aesthetics. We're in the manual, which has only an average shift action and a light and dead clutch pedal - if it were our long-term test car there would be a risk of regular over-revving which would mean a short clutch lifespan.The three-door i20 was a Carsguide COTY finalist last year and impressed with its honest efforts and the four-door has carried on that theme. The engine works hard but is no sparkler - there's little to like about the noise when it's called on to work hard, or the outputs. It can be kept humming with the manual gearbox to maintain a reasonable rate of knots within traffic - but anyone looking for an automatic would definitely need to head for the 1.6.The ride quality is on the poor side, particularly on the smaller bumps and ruts, the blame for which can perhaps be attributed to the tyres. The suspension isn't heavily skewed towards handling either - the ride quality is acceptable without shining and a little more localisation is needed. The driver's seat was marred by a cross-bar that sat at near the base of the backrest, which detracted from an otherwise comfortable seat.VERDICTAs a suburban get-about, the i20 gets reasonable space, class-leading safety gear and a decent number of features for the asking price; dynamically it falls short of the class yardsticks from Ford and Mazda but as A to B transport it more than does the job.HYUNDAI i20 ACTIVE 5-DOORPrice: $16,490Warranty: 5 years, unlimited kilometre Resale: 61%Service interval: 15,000km or 12-monthsEconomy: 6 l/100km; 142g/km co2, tank 45 litresSafety: Six airbags, stability control, ABS & EBD.Crash rating: 5 starEngine: 73kw/136Nm 1.4-litre DOHC 16-valve four-cylinderTransmission: five speed manual, front-wheel driveBody: 5-door, 5 seatsDimensions: 3940mm (l); 1710mm (w); 1490mm (h); 2525m (wb)Weight: 1117kgTyre size: 185/60R15 steelSpare: tyre full size

The new Suzuki Swift has grown up. It is exactly what you expect of a major newcomer in 2011, with the same strengths as the outgoing car and enough improvements to justify a change.The styling is a letdown - more like a facelift than a true model change - but the offset is provided by a starting sticker that's the same as the basic Swift from 2005. That means pricing from $15,990 for the manual-only Swift GA, although even that car now comes with seven airbags and ESP stability control.The Swift continues as a boxy five-door hatch that's easy to drive and park, and a serious rival to a range of baby-class cars including the benchmark Volkswagen Polo, Toyota's Yaris and the ageing Honda Jazz.VALUEThe bottom line is the bottom line for bargain-basement buyers, and Suzuki has done well - helped by the strength of the Australian dollar - to hold the starting price down to $15,990. Most customers are going for the slightly upscale GL from $16,690, mostly because it is available with Suzuki's four-speed auto but also because it gets a slightly better dashboard with a revcounter and USB sound input, as well as extra paint on the basic plastic parts.The Swift now comes with a 1.4-litre engine but there is promise of more go in an upcoming Swift Sport. Suzuki Australia claims a significant influence from the mid-sized Kizashi, particularly in the dashboard design and cabin quality, while trumpeting the success of the previous model - which set a Suzuki record for hitting two-million sales.There are three models - GA, GL and GLX - with the top-line car going to $18,990 or $20,690 as an auto.TECHNOLOGYThere is nothing revolutionary in the fourth-generation Swift. The 1.4-litre engine is new and brings 70 kiloWatts and 130 Newton-metres with average economy of 5.5 litres/100km and CO2 emissions of 132 grams/kilometre, but the auto is still only a four-speeder.The car has a slightly longer wheelbase, to improve ride and add some millimetres in the cabin. Suzuki claims everything from improved braking to sharper electric steering, as well as better ride comfort from tweaked - but still rear torsion-beam - suspension."The development team's motto for the new Swift was simple - More Swift," says Tony Devers, general manager of Suzuki Australia."DESIGNYou could be forgiven for thinking that someone put the previous Swift into a 3D photocopier and set the result to 105 per cent. So it's a very, very familiar family look.The previous Swift was a revelation when it arrived, and scooped the 2005 Carsguide Car of the Year award, but not the shape is predictable and nothing special. Even so, the dashboard is more modern and user-friendly and the overall space inside is more comfortable and enjoyable.SAFETYSuzuki claims class leading safety thanks to seven airbags in the cabin and the usual ABS brakes-ESP stability control. The seventh bag is for the driver's knees. The great news is that all the protection comes on the basic car, not through an extra-cost safety package or exclusively on the flagship model. The previous Swift was a five-star car and Suzuki is expecting the same score for the new model.DRIVINGThe new Swift is like so many cars these days - bigger, smoother, nicer, better. But it is missing the surprise-and-delight of the previous model. The cabin is a bit better, and there is a touch of Kizashi in the design and controls, but it's not ... special.Suzuki has done some really great cars in recent years, most notably the previous Swift and the Kizashi, but this one is only good. If that sounds like criticism, it is.But not because of any faults in the car. It's just that Suzuki can, and should, do better and will need more to compete with its rivals in coming years. The Volkswagen Polo costs a fair bit more but is the new benchmark in the class, and the Swift must also be shopped against the impressive Ford Fiesta and even the ageing Toyota Yaris.It's hard to make direct comparisons, with so many body styles and different engines among the opposition, but the Swift is right in the five-door heartland with its 1.4-litre engine. It is a good drive, and has good space for the class, with good value.It rides better than before and is fairly sharp in its steering response, but the engine is let down in the four-speed auto. So the new Swift is a nice car and a nice drive.  The pricetag is very good. But we expected more.

The spy scandal at Renault shows it's capable of some classic Inspector Clouseau behaviour. Three former executives are now destined for huge compensation payouts after being falsely accused of flogging secrets to the Chinese. They were fired on the word of a paid informant.But Renault had been the victim of a scam. It's all going to get very messy and has tarnished the do-no-wrong reputation of chief executive Carlos Ghosn, who has sacrificed his bonus and issued a humiliating apology. Hindsight is easy, but I could have told them they were revving up the wrong engine. I offered to spill the beans on the Renault RS250 down at Emperor's Garden and didn't come away with so much as a dim sim.The RS250 is a feisty hatchback along the lines of the Volkswagen Golf GTI but a little bit pricier and French. Things get better from there. It's about the same weight but extracts more power from its 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine. With another 29kW, it's quicker to 100km/h by what is, in hatchback terms, a chasm: 0.8 seconds.At a shade over 6 seconds to the limit, the RS250 is right at the pointy end of hatchback performance. Apart from outright oomph, it has a limited slip differential to help traction and that bane of powerful front-wheel drive cars, torque steer, is largely absent.DESIGNLike the GTI, the RS250 is based on a bread-and-butter hatchback, in this case the Megane. The trick with these cars is to make them look hot and drive well without destroying the hatchback's inherently practical formula.The RS250 looks great, much better than the standard car, although there are some compromises from the two-door layout. The doors themselves are long, the rear is occasional-fit for full-size adults and the hatchback loading lip is high and narrow.The Trophee variant driven here gets 19-inch wheels and snug Recaro seats up front with a squab that lacks tilt adjustment. It took a while to find the right position. Ahead are dials, set at a difficult angle to read. I wouldn't want to rely on them to keep me legal.INTERIORMaterials are a mix of soft-textured plastic on top of the dash and hard, featureless plastics elsewhere. There are some vestiges of the left to right-hand drive conversion, including a start button and handbrake that are closer to the passenger than the driver.There's also that perennial French specialty, the multi-function wand. In its familiar place at 4 o'clock behind the wheel, it now has nine controls that allow audio and other functions to be accessed without taking your hands off the wheel. Unless you want to turn cruise control on. Then you'll spend ages looking for a switch located - absurdly - behind the gear shifter.DRIVINGAs soon as the turbo is on boost - and it doesn't need many revs - the low-down torque is there to make around-town driving less of a constant gear change. That said, it's still possible to stall it because below a certain point nothing happens and the clutch take-up is a bit high. I wasn't a huge fan of the gearshift action either, but that's being picky.The brake and throttle are nicely positioned and the steering wheel is a beauty. The car steers sweetly and with four-piston Brembos at the front, pulls up with authority. Best of all, I liked the car's overall composure, which is first rate and would not disgrace something much more expensive.It's set up with some firmness, as you would expect, and plenty of discipline so it retains contact with the tarmac over bumps. Despite this, there's enough initial cushioning to make it comfortable. This translates into tidy and accomplished dynamics, which make it quick then quicker along a windy road until you reach the - fairly distant - point where it wants to run wide.Quirks aside, the main drawback of the RS250 was a bit too much tyre noise from skinny 35 ratio tyres. On their own they can be a bit loud. Combined with the noise of the turbocharged engine, which occasionally sounds good but mostly sounds industrial, the cabin ambience alternates between a thrum and a drone.VERDICTIf I had younger ears and was after something small and feisty, the RS250 would be on a short list next to the Golf GTI.Read more about prestige motoring at The Australian.

The first four-cylinder model from Lexus piggy-backs the Toyota Prius to drive silently into new territory.  The hybrid CT200h - not only the first with four cylinders from the Toyota premium division but its first hatchback and first to slide in under $40,000 - is termed a "gateway'' model and is believed to win big sales for Lexus. Already its first shipment is sold out, even before the car this week arrives in showrooms.Chief executive for Lexus Australia, Tony Cramb, says the CT200h "challenges the established market norms" by delivering eco-friendly technology wrapped in a luxury package.The entry level's price of the four-model range starts at $39,990 which is staring at eye-level with the $39,900 Toyota Prius. No surprises then that they share more than just parents.VALUEAt $39,990 it's not exactly cheap but neither are its primarily European competitors. The trick is that the starter model is modestly equipped. You have to throw another $9000 at it to get what the luxury market expects - sat-nav, leather, heated seats, 10-speaker sound and a reverse camera - in the Luxury edition.The sports-oriented F-Sport model gets blackened alloys, body kit, sports suspension (no, no and no) and sports seats for $49,990.  Ring your banker and get $55,990 for the Sports Luxury which has additional safety like Lexus' new pre-collision system and active cruise control.TECHNOLOGYSame as Prius. The 1.8-litre engine is mated to an electric motor that also acts as a generator and starter motor.  The gearbox is a continuously-variable unit operated by a slick electronic, Playstation-style lever. An electric motor helps reduce steering effort and another electric motor runs the water pump.The battery at the back is nickel-metal hydride as Lexus says lithium-ion "wasn't available because of demand''. Rubbish - we've got Ni-MH because it's cheaper than Li-ion even though the latter is decades ahead in performance and lightness.But while this is all Prius gear, there are some interesting new bits.  Lexus has fitted four adjustable driving modes - EV (electric-only drive), Eco (petrol and electric but reduced power and airconditioning), Normal (petrol and electric but designed for smooth driving) and Sport (more responsive steering, more volts for the motor, less intrusive stability control and higher engine revs).Other handywork includes plant-derived material for the luggage floor, speaker diaphrams made from a bamboo-charcoal resin, and suspension strut bars that not only improve body rigidity but have an inbuilt absorber to reduce vibrations.DESIGNThe CT200h is the same size as the 1999-launched Lexus IS200 but is lighter, has a much bigger cabin and is one second quicker to 100km/h.  It doesn't break any new styling grounds but follows the conservative tastes of Lexus/Toyota and, therefore, its buyers.But it works well, with seating for four adults, a split-fold rear seat to boost the already accommodating boot space and reasonable visibility.  The cabin is better, with a dashboard that is both elegant and functional and - more importantly - more modern and youthful than Audi and BMW.The electronics and the displays are excellent - though you'll need the Luxury model to get the sat-nav on the big 200mm screen - but the foot-operated park brake is a jarring reminder of an archaic era.SAFETYThere's a five-star crash rating, eight airbags (the extra two are the knee airbags for the driver and front passenger) plus stability control, ABS brakes with EBD and brake assist, a hill holder - uphill or downhill - and traction control.  The seats are also designed to make the body squat while the active head restraints move forward, reducing the impact from rear-enders.DRIVINGMy head is saying Prius and it's not getting excited, but my heart's feeling that there's a lot of urge coming on from up front.  The weeny drive program included some city driving where the first hint of change was the firm-ish ride over Melbourne's battered city roads.  But the ride noise from the suspension was virtually inaudible, as was the engine given it was mostly turned off and it could travel for up to 2km on the battery.Pick a tight, winding road and the CT200h - with the Power mode engaged - is an absolute surprise. Stuff the economy, this thing will run hard through the corners and draw the huge near-zero rev torque of the motor to complement the engine to deliver instant power out of the corners.The handling is excellent, even though the electric steering can sometimes feel vague and the CVT sounds like it's spinning irrelevantly.It's also comfortable (though some may think the ride's a bit firm for oldies) and really feels taut, confident and fun to drive. Definitely not words you'd use to describe Prius.LEXUS CT200h PRICE: from $39,990WARRANTY: 4-years/unlimited kmRESALE: n/aSERVICE INTERVAL: 15,000km/12 monthsSAFETY: 5-star Euro NCAPENGINE: 1.8-litre, 4-cyl petrol engine, 73kW/142Nm; electric motor, 60kW/207NmBODY: 5-door hatchWEIGHT: from 1370kgTRANSMISSION: CVT, front driveTHIRST: 4.1L/100km, 91 RON, CO2 95g/km"Affordable luxury with a green tint''

VW Golf TSI and Mitsubishi Lancer VRX go head-to-head in this comparative review.

THE map of the human heart contains a topography of passion, pain, pride and prejudice. In fact, it outlines all the emotions of owning an Alfa Romeo. The latest map from the Italian, however, marks a different route than those previously followed.Its new car, the five-door family-sized Giulietta, details an Alfa that has less of the pain and prejudice, more of the pride and invokes almost as much passion as its predecessors. The third incarnation of the Giulietta nameplate is undoubtedly beautiful, surprisingly functional, has elements that indicate durability but in becoming a better car, had to give up some of its larrikin ways.It's more for the family - but it still goes like stink.VALUENot cheap. The Giulietta (pronounced Julietta, as if you have to be told) is tested here as the top-spec QV - Quadrifoglio Verde - is $41,990 plus on-road costs. Comparing that to its rivals (see below) shows it up as being a bit expensive. But take the feature list into account and its reasonable value for money.Standard gear includes the turbo engine, six-speed manual - sorry, no auto yet - and a really sophisticated, tight and beautifully tied down chassis.Safety is paramount, there's a Bose audio to rip your ears off, 18-inch spidery black alloys to make your eyes water and a top-notch infotainment unit. Did I mention that it also goes like stink?TECHNOLOGYThe QV gets a turbo-petrol engine but there's a cheaper Giulietta with a clever 1.4-litre with solenoids controlling the intake valves. Smart! But I digress.The QV is less technically endowed in the engine department but makes up for it with a chassis plugged into every electronic aid known to NASA, including a three-mode management nanny that acts like varying cup sizes of espresso.Called DNA, it's a console switch that acts on the engine, brakes, steering, suspension and gearbox. Flick it to Dynamic and it's a three-espresso hit with instant engine response and a firmer steering feel (done by easing off the electric assistance - while Normal is a single espresso and is still pretty enthusiastic while "all-weather" is a frontal lobotomy designed to sluggishly get through snow.There's also an electronic diff that uses the electronic stability control to mimic the actions of a conventional limited-slip differential.STYLEThis thing is beautiful. It's logical to compare this car with the Volkswagen Golf but, seriously, the Golf is crisp and functional like Kiera Knightly while the Giulietta is sensual and rounded like Monica Belluci. No contest.But that's the outside. The cabin is a tad convoluted with insufficient thought to the size and placement of switchgear. Yes, you get used to it but - back to the Golf - there's a clumsiness that could have been avoided. Note the big glovebox with a lid that will shave your partner shins; the too-small centre console holes; and the hard-to-read numbers on the gauges.Cabin room is reasonable with the claustrophobic sensation due to the high waist and narrow glass. Room in the back is good and only marred by small and awkwardly designed door openings, while the boot matches its rivals for space.SAFETYThis gets a five-star, six airbags (Alfa says you don't need a seventh for your knees because of the seat design) and every conceivable device to stop you safely and get you around corners quickly. For those who don't like clutches, it even has a hill-holder.DRIVINGForget the other switches, go straight to the Alfa DNA's Dynamic mode. It makes the QV sharp and so much fun. There's a lot of the Golf in this chassis. Punch it into a corner and the rear follows the line - there's no pushing at the nose (understeer) like you're pulling a caravan and the steering is unusually positive for an electric unit.The gearchange is pretty good, tending to work better when the car was being hurried and the ratios are a good balance between tight stuff and cruisey highways. The ride is close to superb. No noise from the suspension, even when it's working hard, and the QV will hold its line so well - better than the superseded 147 which was actually damn good.But the gem is the engine. It has so much torque that it feels ready to pounce in any gear. It makes driving tis thing so easy and makes it so much fun, specially when accelerating out of a corner.But there's no theatre. The engine noise is there - muffled but there - while the exhaust is practically inaudible. As I said, like a Camry. Shame on you Alfa - you harp on about Giulietta's history and forget the soundtrack.VERDICTCome to the front of the class, Alfa! The Giulietta - finally - strikes a superb balance of day-to-day practicality with a chassis and engine that invites enthusiastic driving. It's dulled by a bland exhaust note and a lack of an automatic option will lose punters but it's still a great car.OWNERSHIPPrice $41,990Warranty 3 years, 100,000km, roadside assistResale 65%Service Interval 20,000km or 12 monthsEconomy 7.6 l/100km; 177g/km CO2Safety six airbags, ESC, ABS, EBD, EBA, TC.Crash rating 5 starEngine 173kW/340Nm 1.75-litre turbo-petrolTransmission Six-speed manualBody 5-door, 5 seatsDimensions 4351 (L); 1798mm (W); 1465mm (H); 2634mm (WB)Weight 1320kg

THE large luxury sedan has slipped off shopping lists and everyone is climbing straight into pretend off-roaders.Everyone, that is, except for a few hold-outs who buy pseudo-coupes instead. This is a segment that used to be called Jaguar. But about the time Jaguar stopped producing low-slung, four-doors cars and began making Mercedes S-Classes, Mercedes came up with the CLS.The CLS is an E-Class in designer gear with a swing in its step. Less roomy than a real E-Class, it relied on its racy looks to sell. From the rear, it looked like a Ford AU Falcon, but no one told the rest of the world so it was a success.The CLS effectively gave Mercedes two bites at the large sedan market for the price of one. Unsurprisingly, it liked the idea so much it will launch another one later this year.Everyone else has been racing to catch up with what carmakers like to refer to as four-door coupes. That's a contradiction in terms - coupes have two doors - but it's nothing a marketing department can't live with.Two years ago, Porsche joined in with the Panamera. Last year, it was the turn of Aston Martin with the Rapide and BMW with the 5 Series GT. Even Jaguar realised it had taken a wrong turn and made its new XJ more like the 1960s original in spirit.For cars that rely so heavily on replicating the curvy appeal of a coupe but with more doors, it's astonishing that good looks are in such short supply. The Panamera is simply too big to be a pretend 911. The 5 Series GT looks good from the front but frumpy from every other angle, while the Rapide, although the slinkiest of the lot, cannot match the lovely proportions of an Aston two-door.Jaguar's solution for the XJ was radical, but it has taken a bunch of Italians to show it what could have been done. Audi, with the A7, is the latest to join this stampede.DESIGNLike the others, the A7 has top-drawer fittings and technology in an elongated shape with a hatchback instead of a boot. It sits beneath the flagship A8 in Audi's range and above the A6. Audi says it combines ''the sporty elegance of a coupe, the comfort of a sedan and the practicality of a station wagon''. So, like the others, it's trying to be a jack-of-all-trades. Give or take a millimetre, it's as long as a Panamera and the same height, although not as wide.Without seeing them side by side, it doesn't appear as bulky as the Porsche and sits towards the Aston end of the attractiveness scale. It's like a scaled-up A5 with more presence. As usual, the face is the easiest bit to get right and Audi has slightly varied its fallback headlight and grille shapes to good effect. But the designers were so committed to drawing the cabin in a single line that the tail ends up looking too long and fat. A curious single ''brow'' runs over the rear lights and defines the trailing edge.Also at the rear is a speed detector, otherwise known as an automatically deploying spoiler that's set to rise at 130km/h. Try talking your way out of that one.One benefit of the shape is an extremely long cargo area. You can even extend it by folding the rear seats. Audi says it can swallow 535 litres of luggage or 1390 litres with the seats down.It's shallow at the loading lip, though, so not as flexible and accommodating as the numbers suggest. The hatchback itself is heavy, despite being aluminium, so power is standard and the hinges are huge.INTERIORPotentially, the cabin shape could make rear headroom tight, although Audi has solved this with deep recesses in the roof. It's cosy and seating is strictly for four.The cabin follows the recent A8 by having a bit more flair than we're used to seeing in an Audi. There's a thin veneer strip that curves around the base of the windscreen, just like in an XJ. The A7 gets the A8's toys, including a touchpad control that shows Audi isn't scared of gimmicks.Debut technology includes a head-up display, unfortunately not on the cars I drove but already sampled in numerous BMWs. Despite its motto and hi-tech image, Audi is generally the last of the three Germans to adopt the latest safety or convenience systems. The A7 gets it up to speed on equipment such as night vision and the latest active cruise control, which can resume cruising from standstill.TECHNOLOGYThe car's underpinnings are shared with the new A6, which arrives in July, although many of the other mechanicals are familiar. The Quattro system debuted on the RS5 and features a rear-drive bias and the dynamic trick du jour for performance brands: torque vectoring. This redistributes power across a single axle for improved cornering. If you pay extra, there's a sports differential and adaptive air springs instead of steel. The transmission is a seven-speed double-clutch unit with stop-at-idle technology and both the engines are direct injection with forced induction: turbocharging for the diesel, supercharging for the petrol.The diesel unit is the older of the two but has been usefully upgraded and can still cut it with excellent torque and lively high-revving character. It doesn't sound as good as its BMW or Mercedes equivalents, but it's not unpleasant and largely muted here anyhow. Fuel consumption is an impressive 6.0 litres per 100km. The supercharged petrol is an alert engine with hair-trigger throttle response, making the car feel more alive and a little less weighty in the nose. It's nearly a second quicker to 100km/h, at 5.6 seconds, and not as thirsty as you may think at 8.2 litres per 100km.DRIVINGLarge Audis can be a let-down on the road and initially, at least, this one feels heavy and uncertain in its suspension movements, with the front and rear so far apart that it seems as though they're reacting to turn in at different times.However, it improves with a little more familiarity, sport mode, and a lot more speed.Before long, it has shed some of its 1.8 tonnes and is coming alive in the long-flowing corners that dominated the test route in Tasmania.This is thanks in no small part to the steering. It's a new electric system and the best I've sampled on an Audi outside of its most focused sports cars.Judging ride quality on unfamiliar roads is a trap for the unwary. Audi claims to have employed a unique ''comfort test bench'' in the A7's development to finesse this aspect of the car. I couldn't help but wonder, gratuitously of course, whether this was a euphemism on a par with ''Hollywood casting couch''. Suffice to say the ride was better on the smaller alloys and a bit suspect on the large 20-inchers.Twenty-inch wheels are the platform heels of the motoring world and cars such as the A7 are designer clothing made XXL.Despite this, it's a classy and sharply priced pitch at the executive barge market. It's also more interesting to look at and to drive than I was expecting. It would tempt me away from any SUV and, dollar for dollar, most of its rivals.AUDI A7Body: Large luxury hatchbackEngine: 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 diesel; 3.0-litre supercharged V6 petrolPower/torque: 180kW at 4000rpm and 500Nm at 1400rpm (3.0 TDI); 220kW at 5250rpm and 440Nm at 2900rpm (3.0 TFSI)Transmission: Seven-speed double-clutch automatic, all-wheel drivePrice: From $142,750 (3.0 TDI) to $147,800 (3.0 TFSI) plus on-road costs