Hatchback Reviews

The Astra CDTi, Holden's first diesel-powered passenger car in about 25 years, makes a loud racket and definitely announces its presence, especially when idling and at low speeds. You could be forgiven for thinking you were in a small truck.But while it may seem a little overpowering at first, spend a week in this little baby and you'll no longer have the noise on your mind.The 1.9-litre turbo diesel engine is one thrill of a ride, especially when pressing the "sport" button. But let's not get ahead of ourselves.The six-speed manual version tested delivers 110kW at 4000rpm and 320Nm at 2000rpm to 2750rpm, rather impressive for this size of car. The $29,990 price-tag isn't too bad either.While you experience a slight lag on take-off, it's hardly noticeable as the torque kicks in at low revs and boosts you through to your desired speed.Sitting on the centre console, the sport button is just screaming to be pushed. And as one male passenger noted, it's in a great position for your co-pilot to activate, much to their enjoyment.The button switches the car into sport mode and you instantly feel a boost on the throttle, the revs rising without having to pump the accelerator any harder. The steering also sharpens as the power steering steps up.The manual model has a firmer sports tuned suspension, making the ride slightly jolty, but suited to the sportiness of the car.So when you match the noise to that sudden burst of energy, it all seems to be at one; that growl is no longer a concern, instead a melodic tune. And after a while you come to enjoy the sound of the engine.The cabin seems to be a little compromised with a rather basic interior. But it is adequate and what you could expect for the price-tag.The storage space is very limited as there is nowhere to put wallets and mobile phones, only two very small spaces for coins or one bottle. There are also cup-holders in the doors, but it's the centre section that lacks the space and looks bare.The dash appears rather plain and basic and seems to sit very straight. Airconditioning and cruise control are standard, although the latter required some reading of the instruction manual to put into action. It's not the simplest one to use.While the environment is relatively comfortable, the seats are a tad too firm and your back tends to suffer on longer trips. Leg room in the back is impressive for the size.And while our diesel experience was in a silver car, a shiny black one was a head-turner on a busy motorway and seems like a more stylish choice.During the week, this Astra diesel averaged 6.2 litres per 100km, not far off the claimed 6.0 litres for the manual model. This included a lot of Sydney peak hour driving.The Astra turbo diesel is also available with an automatic transmission and while this wasn't tested, it seems less impressive on paper at least.While it also comes with the 1.9-litre engine, it has a single overhead camshaft as opposed to the double overhead camshaft in the manual.This results in lower output figures, with 88kW at 3500rpm to 4000rpm and 280Nm at 2000rpm to 2750rpm.It has a higher claimed fuel consumption of 7.4 litres per 100km and comes at an additional $1500.So if you can't drive a manual, it may be time to upgrade your skills.Unlike the petrol variant, the diesel comes standard with traction control and Electronic Stability Program for added safety. You'll also find six airbags, side impact protection, 16-inch alloy wheels and front fog lamps.The appearance of the new generation Astra is quite trendy. With its round backside and futuristic styling, the hatchback has all the character you could want in a small car. And don't worry, boys, the turbo diesel engine and the noise it emits ensures it's so much more than just an attractive car. Show off.

Volkswagen's answer is to lever a V6 and an all-wheel-drive system into it, stick a funky badge on it and charge a serious wedge more.Meet the Golf R32 — the R being for race technology, the 32 in honour of the 3.2-litre V6 the engineers have cleverly hidden in the TARDIS-like engine bay.The odd thing is that if you were to sit the wonderfully competent GTi and the R32 side-by-side and uncage a herd of hot-hatch tragics, most would head for the GTi, drawn like moths to a flame to the red-rimmed grill and more aggressive graphics.The R32 doesn't care. It's comfortable in its own skin and adult enough not to have to shout to the world that it can kick butt when called on. A hot hatch, then, for grown-ups ... and it comes with five doors, which makes it a hot hatch for grown-ups with children. Cool.You may be ferrying the brood to school in a dinky little five-door hatch but nobody is going to giggle if you have that R32 badge on the boot. With 184kW and 320Nm just waiting to be called on, the R32 will not be intimidated.VW says the car is a challenger for the WRX STi or Mitsubishi Evo VIII. It's not.While those road rockets enjoy similar price premiums over their "standard" siblings they are performance-focussed turbo thumpers.The R32 could stick with this pair until the going got serious, and it would do so with a refinement and comfort they know little of.While clues to the R32's sporty credentials abound inside the cabin — steel pedals, super-grippy sports seats, cool blue instrumentation backlights — the overall impression is one of steel wrapped in velvet.Standard luxury trim includes leather sports seats, sports leather steering wheel, bi-xenon headlights, cruise control, climate-control airconditioning and premium sound system with 10 speakers. The test car also had the optional satellite navigation system.To keep it all safe there are anti-skid brakes, switchable electronic stability control, six airbags, a tyre-pressure monitor and the biggest accident avoidance system of them all, VW's 4Motion constant AWD system.A firmer, and lowered, suspension calibration for the R32 gets it 20mm closer to the ground than the GTi but doesn't turn the experience into one that shatters teeth.On public roads the R32 doesn't get within shouting distance of its potential before the licence is at risk. It is quick and nimble, more so if you choose to run the trick twin-clutch DSG gearbox in the more aggressive sport mode — or better still by utilising the wheel-mounted shift buttons.You can punch the car deep into corners before braking — large discs and an aggressive pad application that can be annoying when just toodling around town — pointing the wheel at the apex and powering up earlier thanks to the 4Motion's tenacious grip.The engine revs smoothly all the way through to the red-line of 6800, belting out a rich V6 song as you work it hard. The V6's powerband is linear with lumps of torque available when needed.The R32 has the mojo to restore the most flagging of driver ego and the only penalty you are going to pay is through the chequebook. Is it worth $15,000 to be able to snub your nose at mere GTi drivers? Not really, but if it makes you feel good, why not.FAST FACTSPrice: $58,790 (5-door hatch with DSG)Engine: 3.2-litre V6, 182kW@6300rpm, 320Nm@2500rpmTransmission: 6-speed DSG automatic with manual mode, all-wheel-drive and ESPFuel: 9.8L/100km combined (claimed)Performance: 0-100km/h in 6.5secVerdict: Sophisticated grunt without the rough edges. Your choice on whether it is worth the extra cost.ALTERNATIVESVW Golf GTiPrice: $42,290 (5-door with DSG)Engine: 2.0-litre FSI Turbo 4-cylinder, 147kW@5100rpm, 280Nm@1800-5000rpmTransmission: 6-speed DSG with manual mode; front-wheel-driveFuel: 8.1L/100km combined (claimed)Performance: 0-100km/h in 7.2 secVerdict: Hot hatch of the moment. All that is good about small cars with a performance edge. Subaru Impreza WRX STiPrice: $56,990Engine: 2.5-litre turbocharged, 4-cylinder, 206kW@5600rpm, 392Nm@4000rpmTransmission: 6-speed manualFuel: 60-litre tank, 11.6L/100km combined claimedPerformance: 0-100km/h in 5.4 secVerdict: Perennial star of the affordable performance market. Has the advantage of AWD to go with lots of grunt.

It's the all new Mini, looking only slightly different to its most recent predecessor, but hiding new machinery at its heart. The new Mini Cooper S won't arrive in Australia until the first half of next year and while pricing hasn't been released, it is expected to have a "modest increase" over the current generation, which starts at $39,990 for the Cooper S manual. But the anticipated price rise can be explained through some significant changes.The new version of the car will have a BMW Group 1.6-litre turbocharged, four-cylinder engine, produced at Hams Hall plant in England. The current supercharged engine, produced in Brazil, came out of an arrangement the BMW Group had with Chrysler.This means its previous supercharged growl has disappeared. But not to fret, the new turbo still impresses.The second generation produces slightly more power with 128kW at 5500rpm and 240Nm at a low 1600rpm to 5000rpm with an overboost lifting the reading to 260Nm. The current model delivers 125kW and 220Nm.While a new version of the Mini Cooper will also be a part of the line-up, the Cooper S was the only model tested on the launch.The winding roads and motorways of Spain were a great setting to push the new Mini Cooper S to its limits. It handled well around narrow, tight corners, gripping the road comfortably, with its low centre of gravity and go-kart like performance.The steering and ride was stronger on the model fitted with sports suspension.Although this doesn't come as standard, the difference can be felt with a more sturdy drive, while the lower profile and bigger tyres also contribute to the improvement.With an ever so slight lag, the Cooper S officially shoots from 0 to 100km/h in 7.1seconds. The new Mini is slightly longer in dimensions, although you can't really tell by looking at it. The extra space provides more room in the engine bay, which has also been adjusted to accommodate future pedestrian safety standards, with more room between the body and the engine.On the outside, the new front radiator grille is now one complete unit and changes have been made to the front lights. The front end has also been given a more masculine look, with the engine compartment lid curving up.The rear and the shoulders are more powerful and sportier in design and changes to the exterior are topped off with chrome insignias.The inside feels much roomier, especially for the front passenger who enjoys considerable leg room for such a small car.Even the space in the back seems to be a little more generous than before, although long trips would still be a challenge for most adult passengers.An unusual feature on this car, boasted by the BMW Group as the only premium small car in the world, is the very large speedometer which sits on the middle of the dash. This was a feature on the previous model overseas but was changed for the Australian market to meet ADR (design rule) requirements.But as these have now merged with European regulations, Australia's new Mini will also feature this large speedometer, bigger than the previous European model to allow extra room for an optional satellite navigation system.While you can appreciate the nostalgia of mirroring the location of the speedometer from the original Mini, you do find yourself forgetting to keep an eye on your speed, as well as the fact that lead-foots will be quickly caught out by everyone else in the car.Sitting a great distance from the tachometer, it also takes some of the fun away from monitoring the speed and revs at the same time. Needless to say, it's not the most practical of locations.The dashboard styling has changed and buttons for the stereo and airconditioning are very straightforward and easy to use. The new seats also make a difference, holding your body firmly in place.The six-speed manual transmission took some getting used to, as it's a little rough in shifting and reverse was particularly hard to find at first. Fuel consumption on the new Mini comes in at a claimed 6.9-litres per 100km.The new Mini is not short on safety features. Six airbags, ABS, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, Cornering Brake Control and Automatic Stability Control and Traction are all standard on the Cooper S.The Mini was particularly a good vehicle to trial as a left-hand drive, as well as driving on what is ultimately the wrong side of the road for an Aussie girl. Apart from grabbing the driver's door to change gears a couple of times, the experience was smooth sailing.The Cooper S is a great little agile performer and there's a lot of fun to be had in the driver's seat, pumping the accelerator and letting your hair down.As mentioned, the new generation will also include the Cooper, with a 1.6-litre, four-cylinder engine, with 88kW at 6000rpm and 160Nm at 4250rpm. It has a claimed fuel consumption of 5.8-litres per 100km.The current generation of the Mini will be manufactured until December and the Cabrio will not be updated either.

The far-reaching web of the bright yellow Ferrari 360 Spider was cast in the form of a looming shadow down the straight at Oran Park.Five laps into the reverse-grid component of this CAMS licence qualifier, the little Swift Sport had clawed its way to the lead from ninth on the grid before being thwarted on the straight by a Porsche Cayman S.The next straight was upon us — but as the golden Ferrari filled my rear-view mirror, the black-and-white flag heralded the race's end.Short reverse-grid handicap though it was, the supercar had been undone by a $23,990 hatchback. It ain't called Swift for nothing.Suzuki may have abandoned the famous GTi nameplate, but a decade since the last hot Swift, it has lost none of its famous fun factor.The standard 1.5 litre Swift engine has been pumped up to 1.6, its new-found 92kW peaking at the 6800rpm limit.On song, the engine is as harmonic as a soprano on speed, and the ensuing adrenalin rush is sparked more by an aural inducement than an actual surge of power.This sweet engine produces 18kW more than the standard donor engine and 15Nm more torque, with 148Nm on tap.Power has been found with the installation of a new block, inlet and exhaust camshafts, crankshaft, pistons and rings, conrods, intake and exhaust manifolds. Add to these an electronic throttle body and a bigger muffler.The engine is matched to a smooth, close-ratio, short-throw five-speed manual. The gear whine in first sounds alarmingly like a police siren.Despite peak torque occurring at 4800rpm, 800rpm higher than in a standard Swift, the Sport responds eagerly from remarkably low revs.The gearing is an absolute joy, with even fourth pulling strongly up steep inclines.On the highway, however, the Sport could use a sixth gear; at 100km/h, it's singing away at 3300rpm.Cruise control is optional, and 98RON fuel is required.To the Sport's credit, a day driving laps around Oran Park, combined with highway stints to and from the track, produced a fuel consumption of just 9.8 litres per 100km. Normal city driving saw figures in the low sevens.But this has always been the beauty of the smaller hot hatch. The Sport weighs in at just 1100kg — only 40kg more than its Swift S sibling, despite some top-shelf specs (although it has a can of goop instead of a spare tyre.) The Sport is quick to stop, too, with the standard rear drums replaced by discs.Rubber is excellent: the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx tyres are wrapped around gorgeous 16-inch alloys that provide feel without rattling the teeth.The Sport's suspension is stiffened with new Monroe shocks, and suspension and tyres provide great feedback without compromising ride quality in the slightest.The vaguely loose feel of the slightly roly-poly standard car is all but gone. Even the seats have better side support.Extra chassis stiffness is provided by a rear floor crossmember and additional right- and left-side floor members.The body is shaped for speed, with a gaping front air dam, revised front and rear bumpers and spoiler, and colours like Courage Yellow, which is brighter than Las Vegas.Against both the exotica and the cars in its category, the Sport sure stands out.With six airbags and ABS as standard, along with sports and spec appeal, it will give the Citroen C2 VTS/VTR, Ford Fiesta Zetec and Mini Cooper a run for their money.The premium for the Swift Sport is a $6000 stretch over the similarly specced Swift S. But the go-fast goodies in a little car that can brag about beating a Ferrari are well and truly priceless. With thanks to Ian Luff Motivation Australia, Oran Park.

That might sound crazy, but by using both forms of boosting technology, Volkswagen is able to reduce the size of an engine and maintain healthy performance.The first engine to use this new system, which VW calls Twincharging, is only 1.4-litres, but produces 125kW and 240Nm.To put that into context, a non-boosted 2.5-litre four-cylinder that powers a US-specification VW Jetta generates 110kW and 230Nm. To top it off, the 1.4-litre four-cylinder TSI Twincharger as fitted to the Golf GT uses a meagre 7.2 litres of petrol per 100km of city and highway driving when tested to European standards. The less-powerful 2.5-litre engine uses considerably more.Australians should have their first chance to own a car with Twincharger technology late next year when the Golf GT is expected to arrive. Using a supercharger and a turbocharger is not new. Lancia fitted a double-boosted engine to its Delta rally car of the 1980s, but no serious production vehicles have used the technology until now.Volkswagen, which is at the forefront of diesel-engine technology, started to examine the potential of its Twincharger technology because it felt petrol engines were falling behind their oil-burning counterparts.It started by looking at turbochargers. Turbochargers work by using the force generated by exhaust gasses to force air into the engine, but they can take a while to get going. Volkswagen found that simply fitting a turbocharger to a smaller engine didn't work so well before the turbo started to wind up."At low speed, small engines don't have enough torque to work well with a regular turbo," TSI Twincharger development chief, Hermann Middendorf, says.Superchargers are driven by the engine's crankshaft, so they wind-up and provide boost quickly. So the Twincharger engine uses a supercharger for low-down grunt before the turbocharger takes over. The idea is to produce a torquey engine that punches hard all the way through the rev-range.Volkswagen chose its existing 1.4-litre four-cylinder engine as a base for the TSI powerplant, adding direct petrol-injection. The engineers also wanted to run a higher compression ratio (10:1), so instead of using a regular aluminium engine block, they designed one made of stronger cast iron.To maximise efficiency, VW also set-up the supercharger so that it only comes on if the driver needs it. If you put your foot down hard, the supercharger spins up. If you go easy with the right foot, the air intake simply bypasses the supercharger to save fuel.The same bypass valve is used when the engine switches off the supercharger as the turbo spools up. The Golf GT is available in Europe with a six-speed manual or six-speed DSG automatic driving the front wheels.Other models are expected to take up Twincharger technology and VW has already fitted a 103kW version to its Touran people mover, tuned more for economy than power.ON THE ROADA German Autobahn is a good place to test an engine. A smooth, wide road with no speed limit in many areas, minimal traffic and good weather allow us to push the Golf GT's Twincharger. The run between Wolfsburg and Dresden is an eye-opening experience.The first test is to see how it will pull in sixth gear from about 90km/h. You would expect a weeny 1.4-litre to cough and splutter, but the double-boosted engine responds quickly and pushes the speedo past 100km/h -- the needle moving easily all the way to 200km/h. That is seriously impressive. But how is that test relevant to Australia, where the only place you can legally do those speeds are the baked tarmac freeways of the Northern Territory?Well, it reveals just how much pulling power this special 1.4-litre engine has.Perhaps more practical is how the engine responds around town or on twisting roads, with a manual. With supercharger and turbo working away, you can leave the engine in a higher gear and forget about it. You don't need to keep shuffling between gears, because either one will do much of the work for you. The supercharger, if enacted, provides the boost up to about 3500 revs before the bypass valve is switched on.It is about this time that the turbo has gained enough speed. It's all pretty much seamless. You can hear the slight metallic whine of the Roots-type supercharger and some turbo woosh, but only just, and only if you are listening for it. That's not to say the engine is perfect. In some driving conditions you can re-apply the throttle and the engine takes a moment to provide some form of boost, but this doesn't happen often.The best thing about the Twincharger is the width of the powerband. A comparable diesel only gives you a burst of power in a very narrow band, but the Twincharger has impressive urge from down low to about 6000revs. Fuel consumption has not been tested to Australian conditions.That and the price will be revealed closer to launch. The figure we gain in Germany, an average of about 9L/100km, is not representative because the engine spends a lot of time at 5000 revs or more as we push it hard. Still, many people who push a boosted performance engine hard would be happy with that kind of consumption. The Golf GT test cars are all manuals, so we can't tell you what it is like with the auto. VW Australia is yet to lock in the local specifications.The European models come with a nice sprinkling of premium gear, including heated sports seats, dual-zone climate control airconditioning, leather steering-wheel cover and metal trim on the wheel, around the gearstick and across the dashboard. But whatever kit it has, Golf GT's TSI Twincharger engine will be a star, and a win for petrol lovers who want performance and economy without going to diesel.FAST FACTSVolkswagen Golf GTPrice: to be announcedEngine: 1.4-litre, 4-cylinder with supercharger and turbocharger, 125kW@6000rpm; 240Nm@1750-4500rpmTransmission: 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic

Peugeot 207 

The French carmaker, in partnership with BMW, has developed a turbocharged four-cylinder with direct injection to allow it to reduce engine size (as well as emissions and thirst) without sacrificing outputs and driveability.The 1.6-litre turbo headlines a new range of light cars for Peugeot, which has sold more than 160,000 units since being introduced to its home market in April this year. In Australia, around February or March 2007, the new 207 will be offered in both petrol and diesel, but automatic variants are a way off.Peugeot sales in Europe are 95 per cent manual, meaning automatic RHD cars will not be seen soon - especially given that Peugeot Australia took three years to convince the parent company it needed 307automatics to compete with the Golf.The final Australian model line-up and pricing has not yet been finalised, but Peugeot is aiming to replicate the existing 206model breakdown: the 1.4-litre entry-level model arrives below $20,000, with the range stretching up to just above $31,000 for the turbocharged 1.6-litre 207 (which will probably wear a GT badge) driven in France.A reduced and repositioned 206 range will remain part of the Peugeot pricelist into 2007, selling side-by-side with its replacement, but access to the superceded model will depend on its popularity in other markets, including China.The full sports model, called the RC in France but likely to wear the GTi badge in Australia (say the French model designation aloud and you'll see why) and it will be powered by the 128kW 1.6-litre turbocharged engine that is shared with BMW Mini.The GT's turbo will, however, be a Peugeot-only motor, but the rest of the range will be powered by either a 1.4 or 1.6-litre naturally aspirated engine shared with BMW's Mini.The Australian range will also launch with an 80kW turbodiesel 1.6-litre engine (with particle filter). The 1.4-litre models will be available with either five-speed manual gearbox, with 2-Tronic automatic to follow, while the 1.6-litre engine will be matched to either a five-speed manual or four-speed auto.Crash tests in Europe (NCAP) have returned results that give the 207 a five-star occupant protection rating, a four-star child protection score and a three-star pedestrian impact rating.The GT will only be available in a three-door and with a five-speed manual, and the RC/GTi model expected to offer a six-speed manual.The GT will be fitted with ESP, tyre-pressure monitoring, full-length glass roof, cloth/leather trim and 17-inch alloy wheels. A full leather trim is likely to be an option but the satnav is not available - yet.The GTi sports model seems certain to get a six-speed manual gearbox and an electronic stability control system that tolerates sportier driving and can be switched off.The car was once renowned for a great ride-handling compromise but for some it had lost its way a little. But the 207 has renewed faith that the Peugeot brand has not lost its touch.While the Peugeot reps were keen to point out that the 207 turbo was not an outright sporty (there's a full-sport GTi 180/RC to come yet), there is plenty to like about the engine and the underpinnings.Sitting on 17-inch wheels with Pirelli P-Zero Nero rubber, the low-speed ride on small bumps could be a little noisy but once into stride, the rubber's coarseness mattered less as the level of grip overtook any noise complaint. The little 1.6-litre turbo motor is flexible and punchy through the mid-range, thanks to an abundance of torque from just above idle right through to near its peak power at 5800rpm.Mated to a nice-shifting, five-speed manual, its ability to dawdle through little French villages in a high gear and then pull cleanly away was well above the norm for a small engine, turbo or otherwise.Slinging the attractive but aggressive-looking little hatchback through a series of fast bends failed to find fault, the body well-controlled and brakes providing decent bite.The electric power steering doesn't provide heaps of feel but the overall sensation from the driver's seat is one of capability in the curves. With the broad torque curve of the engine on offer, cornering can be achieved at pace without massive engine revs on board - dwell between 3000 and 5000rpm and there is plenty of urge on offer. The three-door has the glass roof and the cabin has an open, airy feel, thanks also to the distant dashboard.The driving position - something of a bugbear in the current model - has been improved, with the pedal layout in particular a much better effort. The seats (cloth centre trim with leather bolsters) are comfortable as well as being supportive.With fuel economy a major selling point at the small end of the market, the new 207 does look to have plenty on offer, with the small turbocharged direct-injection powerplant returning 10.2L/100km on the launch drive in southwestern France, despite hunting along motorways at 130km/h-plus, and pushing it hard along some windy, hilly stretches as well.Peugeot Australia plans to freight in a 207 for the Sydney motor show before its 2007 launch.

A friend bought a new car last week. That's not unusual, but the car she chose is not one you might expect. It is a Proton Savvy — red with the automated manual gearbox. The Malaysian baby car was not on her shopping list at first, then she read about it and had committed within a week.Why? Because the price is right, because it looks good and because she thought it was fun to drive. She could have gone for a Holden Barina or a Hyundai Getz or any of the other baby cars in the $15,000 price range, but decided the Savvy felt more substantial and more sporty at the wheel.That is good news for Proton, which believes it builds cars that drive to a slightly different beat. It has launched a new-model drive led by the GEN-2 hatchback and now the Savvy, with a new Satria coupe just on the road at home and heading Down Under next year.But Proton is still battling to win ground in Australia, and has lost sales and share at home as it faces tougher competition without enough ammunition to compete.The Savvy was developed specifically for Malaysia and was originally going to be called Sassy, until the former chief executive realised it would be a turn-off for the young men who might enjoy the car.So it is small — even smaller than the Getz — and only has a 1.2-litre engine. But the value deal is good and no other cars at $13,990 come with twin airbags, anti-skid brakes, air-conditioning, alloy wheels and rear parking radar.The Savvy is light on fuel and has an official rating of 5.7L/100km for the manual; an impressive figure against the 7.1L for Getz, 7.5L for Ford Fiesta and Barina's 7.8L.It is helped by having an overall weight of less than 1000kg. Proton claims it has a super-rigid body, is well-finished, tough and will be ideal for first-car buyers.But power is nothing special, with only 55kW and a claimed 0-100km/h time in the 12-second bracket. The mechanical package includes a five-speed manual gearbox, but Proton has a five-speed automated manual (no clutch, but you still have to change gears with the lever) from Renault.The first shipment of Savvys was a sellout, and Proton Cars Australia believes it will do well as more people see the trendy compact on the road. Savvy is not the best car in the class. That honour goes to the Ford Fiesta.Yet it has charm. And it looks good. And you don't have to buy much petrol. When you drive the Savvy you are conscious it is small, even in the small-car class, but it still feels solid. It is a strength that comes from the basic body structure and suspension and steering allowing good connection to the road. Lots of small cars feel light and wobbly, but not the Proton.It also has supportive front buckets, simple but effective instruments, a solid sound system and enough space for five adults.It turns well, has good grip, and always lets you know what is happening at the wheels.But the engine never feels particularly keen, even if you push to the redline, although there is reasonable torque in the midrange. But the payback comes at the pumps and we had no trouble scoring 6.L/100km economy during our road test, with much better results on the freeway, despite an engine that is spinning beyond 3000 revs at only 100km/h.The five-speed manual has well-spaced ratios, but we had a little trouble selecting first and with the one-two shift at times.But there is absolutely no drama in parking, the headlamps are good and the safety bonus of anti-skid brakes and the parking radar is a plus. Those elements will make a big difference for Proton in the showrooms.

The return of Fiat cars to Australia has been marked by something unusual: a tiny diesel engine of just 1.248 litres displacement in the Punto hatchback, the comeback model. The Punto 1.3 Dynamic is the smallest diesel you can buy and until the 1.4-litre petrol version arrives, the cheapest Fiat.However, for a small car it is by no means cheap. At $22,990, the 1.3 comes in way over the top of most cars this size, which generally start around $16,000, sometimes lower. If you can wait, the petrol 1.4 will be $2000 less. But for now the only way is up: a 1.9-litre diesel Punto comes in two guises, both for $27,990.Any fuel economy gains become academic with a starting price like this. How many kilometres would you need to drive to save the difference in purchase price between the Punto 1.3 diesel and the car which dominates the segment - the Toyota Yaris - for example? Using the maker's supplied consumption figures and diesel at $1.30 versus petrol at $1.20, say, if you bought the most expensive available Toyota Yaris 1.5 YRX hatchback at $20,590 you would need to drive the Punto nearly 180,000km before you recovered the $2400 extra cost of the car. So scratch fuel savings as a reason to buy.Quoted fuel figures are generally hard to repeat in real world conditions and depending on driving conditions and individual style, might come in higher or — occasionally — lower. We managed 6.2 litres per 100km, substantially above the 4.6l/100km quoted.Economy was not our aim and another driver might do better. But one reason for the high result is the nature of the engine, which needs revs to get off the mark. Although peak torque of 200Nm arrives early at 1750rpm, before the turbochargers begin spooling up around 2000rpm forward progress is stately and revs rise slowly.Keep the engine on the boil using the six-speed manual, though, and it will hustle with the best of them. It's particularly feisty from about 3000rpm to peak power of 66kW at 4000rpm and happily, the shifter action is fine. Just don't expect to tackle inclines or overtaking without dropping a cog or two.The tiny engine capacity is the reason, because the unit itself is up-to-the-minute diesel technology with common rail fuel injection, double overhead cams and an intercooler. Despite a reluctance to start from cold, it's smoother and more refined than the older tech 1.9 diesels in the more expensive Punto Emotion or three-door Sport.The 1.3 has a fast but endearing rhythm, like a manic metronome that can only “tick” and not “tock”. It gets louder as revs rise but not agricultural, and cruises at 100km/h in sixth with impressive quietness at 1900rpm.It all adds up to the indefinable quality of character — something you should find in an Italian engine. If you can handle filling up at truck pumps, where you queue up with huge semi-trailers and unavoidably end up with the smell of diesel on your hands, it might win you over like it did us.Apart from the unusual — for Australia — engine, the Punto has pleasing design on its side with a face that Fiat likens to the sportscars of its Maserati brand. From the front there is a likeness although from the rear the Punto blends into the hatchback crowd. Perhaps that's a giveaway for the car itself, which despite echoes of a far more prestigious brand in the headlights and grille, is essentially a conventional hatchback.Underneath, the Macpherson strut front suspension and torsion beam rear are the default settings for every small car. The Punto's engineers have finessed the formula to deliver an above-average ride for a hatch and nimble, vice-free handling.Likewise the Punto's brakes pull it up competently when required, but at this price we would like to see discs all around rather just at the front — the rears are the cheaper drum design. Likewise, the wheels should be alloys rather than steels with plastic hubcaps.The electric power steering does offer something different. A “city” mode, switched on by a centre-console button, increases the power assistance for easy parking and manoeuvrability. But the steering is already fairly light, so it's something of a gimmick.There are few surprises elsewhere in the cabin, which ticks most of the small car boxes with something to spare.For the driver, seating position and general visibility are fine despite a steeply angled windscreen, long dash, high waistline and largely useless quarter-windows in the A-pillars. The driver's seat can be raised or lowered while the steering wheel tilts and telescopes enough to achieve a comfortable position — not always a given in an Italian car. The seatbelts lack height adjustability but front headroom is good and the wing mirrors are well-positioned.Also on the plus side for the driver are a pleasingly shaped wheel with stereo controls, attractive orange-glow dials, easy-to-use cruise control and strong headlights. The centre console dials for airconditioning and stereo are straightforward while the wands work with finesse and include a button to flick through trip computer functions.Cabin negatives include an over-abundance of ho-hum plastics, including for the door handles and footrest, a lacklustre stereo and not enough useful storage. The door pockets are tiny, the various centre recesses lack lids and the coin tray spills its contents the first time you pull away with any determination.The rear is fully fitted for three and would hold two average adults over medium hauls, with excellent footroom, reasonable headroom but only acceptable knee room. However, there are no rear vents or lights, the windows must be wound manually and again, there's a shortage of useable storage.The modest 275-litre cargo area can be expanded by flipping forward the rear seat bases, split 60-40, and folding the seatbacks flat — although the front seats must be far enough forward, which was not possible when set for this driver. Child seat tethers positioned on the seatbacks means uncompromised load carrying and the cargo area has a light and full-size spare under the floor. It lacks a power outlet and there's no external release — it must be unlocked using the remote key fob or a dash button. It also raised one or two doubts about Fiat's fit and finish.Strong safety credentials enhance the Punto's value with six airbags, ABS brakes and a five-star EuroNCAP crash test result. However, as Hyundai and others begin to make stability control an option on small cars, neither of the two cheaper Puntos can be specified with it, even though both 1.9 models include it as standard equipment.The Punto offers something unique to small car buyers, especially with the smaller diesel powertrain, and arrives well-equipped in an appealing shape, with solid driving and safety credentials. It currently lacks an automatic transmission option and when it arrives, the five-speed robot-clutch sequential manual will further differentiate this car from others in the quickest growing segment this year.However, while the Punto will be attractive to someone who wants something different, it has plenty of cheaper rivals with as good — or better — claims on the attention of small car buyers. It would be easier to recommend with a more realistic sticker price.

Get past the long line of acronyms and the dirty diesel bowsers, and you will find refined oil.Diesel bowsers are still in the dark ages. Icky and slippery, froth at your feet, the smell of au-de-diesel lingering on the fingers for days, but the diesel drivetrain just gets better and better. The servos better catch up.Of the car companies pushing diesel engines onto a still-sceptical Australian market, Peugeot is one of the frontrunners. With the introduction of its long-awaited 206 replacement early next year, every Pug model, bar the big 607 saloon, will offer a diesel variant.Until the 207 in 2007, the most affordable diesel in the range is still the 307 HDi. Take-up of the diesel drivetrain has accounted for 48 per cent of all 307 sales, despite the absence of an automatic transmission.The new six-speed automatic gearbox, complete with sport function and manual sequential shifter, never felt more at home in a Peugeot.The 307 XSE HDi automatic features the 2.0-litre turbocharged engine from the 407 ST HDi, pumping out 100kW and 320Nm and containing a trick particulate filter to make the trees by the side of the road smile (and meet emissions regulations).It is one of the more refined small-capacity diesels on the market, and matched to a sweet six-speed auto, memories of antiquated smoky oilers with shifters like tractors are well and truly gone.Although the sound of the motor is definitely diesel on start up, and the engine rock is familiar, it is difficult to hear the grumble when you get going, thanks to the cabin's sound proofing.Surprisingly, the soundproofing has not been altered from the petrol powerplant (unlike the 407, which received laminated glass to block out the diesel growl).On the road, the six-speed is perfectly matched to the low-revving engine, with smooth, instant downshifts and no trace of shift-shock.The auto is eager and willing, speeding up its response in Sport mode to pull the oiler out of its cruisy lull for effortless ascents and acceleration, often dropping two gears without complaint.Manual shifting is a little for the dummies, with first gear changing up at 3500rpm automatically while the rest of the gears refuse to hold after about 4500rpm. But at least you have the choice of manual selection, which further speeds up the shifts when needed.It is a shame the steering rack is not up to speed with the shifter. Turn in is slow, and hampered by bumps that unsettle the steering.The suspension itself copes well with road-surface changes, but turns into a bit of a boat on the bends.Granted, this is not a sports car, but it misses out a little when compared to the involving dynamics of some of its contemporary diesel competitors.But when compared to a petrol of similar capacity, the diesel offers a welcome reprieve from high-revving anxiety on the wrong side of the broken white line - overtaking is never a problem.Neither is the fuel use, at a tardy 6.7L/100km claimed, and 7.6L/100km on test from the trip computer after a spirited two-hour drive.This is significantly higher than the manual, which claims 5.4L/100km, but makes up for it with an effortless drive.The auto carries a $2,200 premium over the manual at $34,790, with a touring wagon priced at $36,490.Peugeot is releasing yet another diesel next month, an “affordable” base 407SR HDi. This release corresponds with the Australian International Motor Show, where Pug will also feature its 307 CC Hybride concept car.A 1.6-litre diesel-electric hybrid with a claimed fuel use of 3.4L/100km, the concept is planned for production in 2010, once the price is worked down to a feasible level.But it may prove to be too little too late. Considering the rapid rate of refinement from small-capacity diesels, the fuel use from a regular diesel engine will probably be almost as low by then. Samantha Stevens is a roadtester on the CARSguide team. Her work appears here and in the Sunday Telegraph CARSguide. A version of this review, as well as other news, reviews will appear in the Sunday Telegraph.