Hatchback Reviews

Malcolm Flynn road tests and reviews the Toyota Corolla Levin ZR hatch, with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

Derek Ogden road tests and reviews the 2015 Kia Cerato S Premium, with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

Japanese designed and built to a high quality, Mitsubishi Lancer is at the forefront in the reliability stakes, so has long been popular on the used-car scene in Australia.The Lancer began life as a small car, then gradually morphed into a medium model. From the new model launched in October 2007 it can be used as a family car if the kids aren’t yet into their hulking teenage years.Interior space is good in the front seats in all models. Rear seat headroom can be tight in the older hatches, but is generally fine in the sedans and wagons due to their extended rooflines.Lancer comes with a big variety of bodies: two-door coupes, three-door hatches, four-door sedans, five-door hatchbacks and five-door station wagons. Not all bodies were on offer at all times.Mirage shares most of its out-of-sight parts with Lancer, the name change is simply a marketing ployThree-door hatchbacks built prior to 1996 were called Lancers, but the name was changed to Mitsubishi Mirage with the introduction of the new model of that year.Mirage shares most of its out-of-sight parts with Lancer, the name change is simply a marketing ploy to try and create a new niche for the three-door. Imports of the Lancer-based Mirage ceased in 2004 although the name was reintroduced in 2013, this time in a small five-door hatchback.Ride comfort in the standard Lancers is generally good, though rough Australian backroads can sometimes knock them about. This improved with later models, but try for yourself if you do a lot of country driving.Engines are all four-cylinder units, with a big spread of capacities; 1.5, 1.8, 2.0 and finally 2.4 litres. The marketing strategy over the years saw the largest engine at any one time being first introduced in the upmarket models then gradually making its way down the line.The ultra-hot Lancer Ralliart and Lancer Evolution (Evo) models provide stunning performanceThe 2.4-litre powerplant has plenty of torque, giving the car excellent performance and safe overtaking, yet it doesn’t use a lot more fuel than the other powerplants.Manual gearboxes are all five-speed units. Automatic transmissions from 1996 had four-speeds. The auto with the 2.4-litre engine has tiptronic functions in case the driver wants to override the computer and get more revs out of the engine.If you do want real excitement, the ultra-hot Lancer Ralliart and Lancer Evolution (Evo) models provide stunning performance, but cost big bucks. However, the Lancer MR coupe of 1997 to 2004, while tamer than the Evo is still fun thanks to its firmer suspension and sharper steering.Spare parts and repair prices are about average for this class and the Australian Mitsubishi dealer network is widespread and efficient.The Lancer is relatively easy for the home mechanic to work on, with good underbonnet space and nothing particularly tricky in its layout.Insurance charges are about average for the class in all but the sportier variants. You may need to raise a big loan to cover an Evo if you’re under the age of 25.Though Mitsubishi has pulled out of local manufacture the company continues to operate as a major player here, now exclusively with imported cars. Lancer is at the vanguard of the new Mitsubishi Australia.If possible, start the engine when it is completely cold. It should fire up within a couple of seconds and idle smoothly and quietly straight away.If the engine puffs oily smoke from the exhaust under hard acceleration it may be due for an overhaul.A manual gearbox should be slick and easy to useFeel for an automatic transmission that is slow to engage gear or is inclined to change up and down unnecessarily.A manual gearbox should be slick and easy to use. If not there could be troubles - fast changes down from third to second usually show the problem first.Rust normally only gets into the body following poor quality panel repairs, but look over the lower areas of the body and the bottom corners of the doors, tailgate or bootlid just in case. Also look at the surrounds of the front and rear windscreens.Check for panel repairs by looking for ripples in the panels; paint that doesn’t match from one panel to another; and tiny spots of paint on glass, badges, body trim and so on.Don’t even think of buying until you've had a full professional inspectionDo a complete check of all interior surfaces, in particular the tops of the dashboard and the rear parcel shelf that may have drive out and cracked.Look for rips in the seats, excess wear in the carpets and for damage in the luggage area.

Kia Cerato is a small-to-medium South Korean model that has been overshadowed in the past by its big brother Hyundai's i30 and Elantra (Kia is controlled by Hyundai these days). However, when the ultra-stylish third-generation Cerato was launched in Australia in April 2013 buyer interest increased. Sales lifted immediately and quite a few of the third generation cars are starting to appear on the used-car scene.The South Korean car makers are coming up with some excellent lines, and the Cerato is arguably up with the best of them. Interestingly, much of the design work is being done by Europeans.The Cerato first arrived in Australia in July 2004, these earlier models were the first to really benefit from Kia's determination to improve build quality and are generally trouble free if they have been driven and serviced correctly.As well as improving quality, Kia Cerato also continued the Korean marque's emphasis on the sort of good on-road behaviour that appeals to Australian drivers. The first two generations were good without being great, the third generation car is almost up with the Europeans' driving dynamics. The suspension is reasonably supple, although rough Aussie country roads can occasionally trouble it. Noise and vibration are well damped, particularly in the latest model.Kia Cerato is sold as a four-door sedan and five-door hatch. The sedans were often introduced before the hatches so there was on overlap of new and old bodies at times.Though it's technically listed as a small car in Australia, the Cerato is actually pretty large and interior space is good. There are no headroom problems front or rear. It also passes the four-adult test for rear legroom without those in the front seats having to compromise to any real extent. As is usually the way in this class in Australia, the Cerato is generally used by families with small children, something it handles with ease.Most Kia Cerato models are powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. This gives it enough power and torque for most owners, but some would like a bit more grunt to match the dynamics of the chassis, particularly on the most recent model.The Cerato from April 2013 has a new design 1.8-litre engine in place of the old 2.0. It provides more performance and uses less fuel whilst doing so. Definitely our pick of the powerplants if your budget is up to it.Five-speed manual gearboxes were used until they were replaced by a modern six-speed unit late in 2010. The latter is an excellent unit with a good feel through the lever and a wise choice of ratios.Four-speed automatic transmissions, fitted prior to March 2011, do a reasonable job, but you will find them hunting up and down for the best ratio at times. Far better is the six-speed auto, installed from 2011.Kia Ceratos have quite a simple mechanical layout and can be serviced and repaired by good amateur mechanics. Don't forget to buy a workshop manual.Spare parts and professional repair costs are reasonably priced.Kia dealers are mainly in metropolitan areas, but some of the bigger country towns now also have agents.Insurance is usually costed in the bottom third of the premium scale and we haven't seen any big variations from company to company. However, it's always worth shopping around, just make sure your making a fair comparison.While the Kia Koup, introduced in September 2009 carries Cerato badges it is generally regarded as a different model. It's an interesting car with an unusual shape and we love the fact it's called a Koup rather than a Coupe.Former crash damage usually shows up as ripples in body panels, colours that don't match correctly and even wheels out of alignment. If you're in the least bit unsure call a professional.Look for body damage in areas such as the rear bumper which often gets scarred by people carelessly resting stuff on it while loading the boot.Check that the engine starts easily and idles smoothly pretty well straight away. Ideally the engine should be started stone cold first thing in the morning.Gearboxes that are noisy and/or sticky in their changes may be due for major repairs.Automatics should go into gear almost at the moment you move the selector.Handbrakes can be over adjusted causing premature pad wear on the rear brakes. You may feel and hear the pads rubbing slightly on the discs during your test drive.Fuel remote release cables can stretch making it difficult to open the flap.Some Ceratos had audio unit failures, check the full range of modes in the system to be sure everything works correctly.Incorrectly serviced variable valve timing units can fail due to poor oil quality blocking the oil passage. As always, we suggest having a vehicle serviced by a professional, preferably one with people trained on the vehicle type.

In the words of the maker Mitsubishi, the Lancer has been 'tweaked' for the new year to include a revised model range with price cuts, more features, door mirrors with side repeater lamps, emergency stop flashers and a new style of door trims.The Lancer is now available from just $18,990, plus on-road costs. That's for the ES Sport manual sedan, powered by a 110kW 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, while the sedans are topped out by the XLS manual at $26,490. Automatic transmission adds $2000 across the range. The sporty Lancer GSR Sportback we road tested is powered by a 125kW 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine and is available with a CVT automatic for $23,990, reduced from $25,240. Ours had the automatic transmission.In keeping with its sports orientation, the Lancer GSR Sportback features 18-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels, Ralliart front grille, side skirts, rear spoiler, sports front seats and sports drilled-look pedals.The cabin offers strong protection in the event of an accidentOther standard features are a reversing camera, voice activated Bluetooth with audio streaming, climate-control air-conditioning, privacy glass, Smart Key, rain sensing wipers, dusk sensing lamps and a 6.1-inch full colour touchscreen with iPod compatibility.The sporty 2.4-litre engine, with the choice of five-speed manual or a CVT with steering wheel paddle shifts, delivers a power output of 125kW and 226Nm of torque, making it one of the best non-turbos around.Housed in Mitsubishi's innovative Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution (RISE) body, the cabin offers strong protection in the event of an accident.Coupled with a raft of electronic safety features including active stability control, active traction control, anti-lock braking system, electronic brake distribution with brake assist technology, seatbelts with pre-tensioners and force limiters on the front, child restraint anchorage points and two Isofix child seat anchor points in the rear, it all adds up to a top five-star ANCAP safety rating.One of the most instantly comfortable cars of any classPrice cuts could mean forgoing comfort and convenience, but the MY15 Mitsubishi Lancer GSR Sportback turned out to be one of the most instantly comfortable cars of any class I have come across.The sporty spruce-up is no wasted effort, for with 125kW on tap from its 2.4-litre MIVEC motor, the Sportback is one of Australia's most powerful non-turbo hatches, and skips along very nicely thank you.The automatic transmission offers infinitely variable gear ratios that allow the engine always to operate at the best of its ability, irrespective of vehicle speed.A competent, value-for-money vehicleFuel consumption isn't too bad when you take the performance of the big four-cylinder into account. Our Lancer Sportback CVT test car clocked up 6.1L/100km on the motorway, while using just north of 11.0L/100km in the urban environment.As with many so-called manual alternatives, Sports Mode allows the driver to take control of how the car performs, although there's more 'manual' than 'sport' about it here.A glaring error is the positioning of the touch screen which can be affected by bright light coming through the windscreen. It's becoming a common fault as screens spread through the ranks of even the most inexpensive vehicles.

Peter Barnwell road tests and reviews the Fiat Abarth 595 Competizione with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

The Renault Clio already has a Tick, but this one is different. Instead of the base-model starter car, it’s the full-on Renault Sport pocket rocket.The basics are same, from its four-door body to class-leading European safety score, but the mechanical package has had a significant tweak.The engine is now an RS-tuned 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol, while the brakes, tyres and wheels are bigger, there is sports suspension and a six-speed double-clutch gearbox.The car was great fun to punt around a racetrackIt sits at the top of the Clio line-up, as well as competing with a mixed bag of compact speedsters including the Fiat Abarth and Citroen DS3. These cars are popular choices in Europe, although not so much in Australia where V8s still rule.It also doesn’t help that the Abarth is well into the $30,000 bracket and the DS costs at least $28,000. The Clio RS is also relatively costly, from $29,290, but it is good value and well priced when you look at cars such as the Ford Focus ST at close to $40,000 and the Clio’s big brother Megane RS from $44,000.The Clio is officially called the 200, since it has 200 horsepower — that’s 149kW — to play with. It also has, more importantly, 240Nm of torque from around 200 revs.I come to the RS after a first drive in Europe that was masked by heavy rain, although the car was great fun to punt around a racetrack. I’m expecting a lot, particularly because the Megane RS is so sharp and enjoyable.There is way too much torque steerAt first, I like the car. It’s comfortable like the regular Clio, with a sharper edge, and a variety of engine and transmission settings that make it a great little sprinter. There’s a Race setting for extreme fun, but I avoid it for my road work.And yet, and yet.The longer I spend with the car, the more I find it is lacking. It’s good, make no mistake, but it’s missing the sharp edge of greatness I expect from a Renault Sport car.There is way too much torque steer — the wheel tugs under acceleration and the front end gets wayward — the engine is strong but not focused, and the gearbox never really snaps the shifts the way I want.

Chris Riley road tests and reviews the Volvo V40 D4 Luxury with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

There was no more crowded or competitive market in 2008 than the small car segment, which Ford contested with a new Fiesta. Despite modest engine capacity, it was rated as a driver's car and there were ample options and variants, from base CL three-door to sporty Zetec to Econetic turbo diesel.As the car market moved away from the big cars that were Ford's bread-and-butter, the company had to change as well. The reality was that smaller cars, and small cars, represented the future.Being the company's global small car the Fiesta was one chosen to help shove Ford into a new Falcon-less future. But was it the car to take on the big players in small cars? Given the raft of terrific littlies from Mazda, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Hyundai and Kia, it had to be very good.Ford had for some time tried to be funky to appeal to hip young buyers, and the WS Fiesta certainly had the looks to appeal.Older buyers who might have preferred a sedan were overlooked - Ford limited body styles to three and five-door hatches.The WS range at launch consisted of three models, the entry-level CL in both body styles, the five-door only LX and the sporty Zetec, also five-door.Two engines were available, but curiously the larger 1.6-litre was available only with the five-speed manual gearbox. If you wanted an automatic, it was coupled with a 1.4-litre.Not only did you have to accept a smaller engine, you had to contend with a four-speed auto when a five-speed would have been infinitely better for both performance and fuel economy.If performance was your priority the 1.6-litre manual was the way to go, zippy and frugal at the same time. The 1.4-litre plus auto drivetrain was sluggish and less economical.There was some relief late in the WS series when Ford released the Econetic, a five-door hatch with a 1.6-litre turbo diesel four that delivered exceptional economy.Lesser models in the range earned only four stars from ANCAP, but still had ABS and electronic brakeforce distribution. To get five stars you had to buy a Zetec, gaining extra airbags, stability control, traction control and emergency bake assist.You could have all of that in the lesser models by shelling out extra for the option pack.The good news for anyone considering a WS Fiesta is that it came from Germany. The WT that followed it was built in Thailand and build quality arguably slipped.The other good news is that the WS missed out on the sometimes troublesome double-clutch (DSG) auto that was fitted to the WT.The auto in the WS was a conventional torque converter automatic, which is largely trouble-free.The downside is the four ratios which, in tandem with the 1.4 that struggles for torque, means performance and fuel economy aren't great.Peter Smith and his wife are very pleased with the 2009 Fiesta Zetec they bought new. It's only done about 22,000km, it has always been serviced at a Ford dealership and it has never needed a warranty claim or any other attention. Peter's the main driver and says it's the best car that he's ever had.The things they dislike are the aircon's performance, which isn't up to the Queensland climate, reverse gear is hard to select and there's apparent cost cutting in some areas. On the plus side, they love the handling and the fuel economy.Tony and Aly Hicks love their 2010 Fiesta CL, which they bought new. The car has exceeded expectations - they really rate the automatic - and the road olding is excellent.It's a real driver's car despite the 1.4, and has been trouble free over the 54,000km it has done.The WS is standing up well in service. There's nothing that should be of serious concern to anyone looking to buy one.Before handing over your cash make the usual checks, ensuring there's a credible service record.Also make a thorough check of the body and paint, looking for dings and dents that might affect the value, and look closely for signs of crash repairs.Operate all ancillaries to make sure everything is in good order and functions as it should.A test drive is always recommended. Don't let the seller take the wheel; drive the car yourself. That's the only means by which you can tell if the car is right for you. It also gets around the situation of the seller driving in such a way as to conceal any issues.

Performance and luxury come in pint-sized packages these days. How does Audi's smallest hot hatch compare to the new Mini Cooper S?