Hatchback Reviews

Mazda announced plans to move further upmarket with the launch of its new-generation Mazda3 hatch and sedan... But is the new-generation car worth the extra money? We took the G25 Astina for a week to find out.

The continued success of VW's Polo proves there's a semi-premium niche to fill in the city-car segment. But is it worth the extra spend?

Richard Anthony Berry is my full name, and it’s never caused me any grief. Well, there was that time in high school when Andrew Grace discovered that my name could be shortened to Dick Berry and, like some sort out-of-control nuclear ribbing  reaction, the news spread through the entire school population.But apart from that, and the life-long, fruit-related digs, my name has never caused me any issues (plus, each summer I can enjoy saying "Yep, I'm brown as a Berry".) The same probably can’t be said for the A5 Sportback 45 TFSI quattro S tronic S Line, which came to live with the Berry family.Yup, the A5 Sportback 45 TFSI quattro S tronic S Line has an overly fussy name, so what exactly is the car that’s hiding behind all those made-up words?For the sake of this review I’m going to shorten the name to A5 Sportback 45 TFSI – kind of like Dick Berry, only not as hilarious.

It's been almost 20 years since Toyota last tried its hand at a proper performance car, but the Japanese brand is back with a bang with the GR Yaris. But is it enough to put Toyota back on the go-fast map?

The Clubman JCW is the most powerful Mini to have ever launched in Australia, but does capability come at the cost of comfort? Let's find out.

Hyundai's base Veloster shares most of its underpinnings with the i30 hatch, although it does offer a unique take on the hatchback body.

Can lightning strike twice for Hyundai? The wonderfully unique Veloster has arrived in its second-generation. It's a bit more grown-up, a bit less Frankenstein and has a bit of chassis magic allied to a turbo engine.

Think of Hyundai's Ioniq as the automotive equivalent of Goldilocks (only with less bears), with the brand putting forward three different eco options in the one vehicle, meaning all you need to do is choose the one that's just right. See, the just updated Ioniq is offered with three different powertrain options, starting with a hybrid, then a plug-in hybrid, and finally a fully electric version.And this 2020 update has seen the addition of a bigger battery in the EV, better interior tech across the board and, less happily, higher prices no matter which one you go for. So is the Ioniq truly a best of all worlds' proposition? Or is it a jack of all trades but master of none?Let’s go find out.

The Hyundai Ioniq Electric is the greenest option in the Ioniq family, ditching the petrol engine of the hybrids in favour of an battery and electric motor combo.The Ioniq Electric makes use of a 100kW and 295Nm electric motor, fed by a bigger-for-2020 38.3kWh battery.That power is fed through a single-speed gearbox. It will deliver 311km in driving range between recharging, and speaking of which, you’ll get from empty to 80 per cent full in a little under an hour using a 100kW fast charger, or a little over six hours when plugged into a wall box at home.The Ioniq Electric Elite ($48,490) arrives with LED DRLs, a 10.25-inch multimedia (the biggest that's ever appeared in a Hyundai) screen that's both Apple CarPlay and Android Equipped, and an Infinity eight-speaker stereo. You’ll din single-zone climate control, electric folding mirrors and rain sensing wipers and a seven-inch TFT screen in the driver's binnacle.The Ioniq Electric Premium ($52,490) adds leather appointed seats, smart cruise, LED headlights, heated and ventilated front seats and a sunroof.

Merc-AMG's new A 35 4Matic hot hatch fills yet another niche in the three-pointed star's compact performance range. It neatly bridges the gap between the mainstream A-Class line-up and the soon to arrive, second-gen A 45 S hyper hatch. Is it hot enough to wear the AMG badge?