Sedan Reviews

In the same way real estate agents sum up the property game as location, location, location, the car industry knows the secret to success is product, product, product. Make something people want to buy.It used to be simple because we all wanted the same thing: a large sedan. A Ford Falcon or Holden Commodore, perhaps a Toyota Camry or Mitsubishi Magna. And if a four-door didn't do the job, then the ute or the wagon or the luxury version of the same car did.Once, our appetite for them was enough to keep four factories running. After Ford bows out in 2016, only Holden and Toyota will remain. Even so, demand for the traditional Aussie family car has fallen so dramatically there will not be enough demand to sustain even them.For Toyota, the answer has been exports. In fact, exports are its raison d'etre and local demand is the sideshow, accounting for just 30 per cent of output. However, to keep its Melbourne assembly line running it desperately needs to add another car, something that sells strongly in this market. Its best bet seems to be the RAV4, which at the moment comes here from Japan.Holden got burned by a reliance on exports when its parent, General Motors, abruptly killed Pontiac during its spell in bankruptcy four years ago. Commodores, rebadged as Pontiacs, were being shipped to the US in their thousands.Its answer was to refocus on domestic sales but make another model, the Cruze small car, alongside Commodore. Holden has been explicit about its volume target to keep Adelaide running: it needs to make two cars, both top-10 sellers, so that combined output approaches 90,000 a year. That plan is working, just.However, when the VF runs its course in a few years, simply making another one is no longer an option, even if demand holds up. Rather than Holden going its own way, as it did in the past, the new car, like the Cruze, will be selected from GM's global menu. Regardless of whether it actually has a Commodore badge on the back, it will be a GM model first and a Holden second.Holden's newest arrival, the Malibu, is almost certain to be that car. Its life cycle has a similar cadence to Commodore, so when the VF expires around 2018 the Malibu can move in. As a nameplate it has more heritage than Commodore, dating back to the mid-1960s.After years as a US model, in this generation it becomes GM's global large offering, sold in other markets as a Chevrolet and built in the US, China, Uzbekistan and South Korea, where our supplies come from. There is a larger car in the GM stable called Impala, but the Commodore and Malibu are closer on size.The Malibu is slightly shorter than the Commodore, by 8cm, also narrower and slightly lower. This is reflected in the cabin space. Headroom isn't an issue, although there's less legroom front and rear than in a Commodore. Malibu compensates with a 10 per cent larger boot and tighter turning circle, making it more manoeuvrable.However, the crucial differences are in the driveline. The VF continues with six or eight cylinder engines driving the rear wheels -- the traditional format for large cars and one favoured by the private buyers who form the most lucrative seam of demand. This audience is the focus for VF, with its richer cabin and hi-tech electronics.Malibu, by contrast, adopts GM's preferred front-wheel drive layout. It's preferred for several reasons but the crucial one here is efficiency. The extra weight involved in transferring power to the rear axle makes a front-drive car inherently more frugal.Malibu is classified here as a medium car but, in reality, it could go in the large category if that were Holden's preference. Being medium marks it out as a rival for Toyota's fleet favourite, the locally built Camry. This is the task it already tackles in other markets, particularly the US, where the Camry is one of the most popular nameplates year in, year out.Its weight advantage over a Commodore ranges from 40kg to almost 100kg, depending on the variant. Even the Malibu's least frugal fully loaded 2.4-litre petrol CDX trim has the edge over the most efficient Commodore.The Malibu is sold in the Middle East with a V6 but comes here only with four-cylinder engines, a 2.4-litre petrol or 2.0-litre diesel. Thanks to the cost-conscious strategies of business and government fleets, a four-cylinder is now essential to get on their shopping lists. Standard transmission is a six-speed automatic with an awkward gearchange button on top of the shifter.The Malibu starts from $28,490 (for the 2.4 CD) and goes to $35,990 (for 2.0 CDX) plus on-road costs. It ticks the boxes: five-star safety, six airbags and the recently approved Isofix fittings that more accurately locate child seats. For the driver, there are auto headlights, power seats, button start, a rear camera and park sensors. Electronics include Bluetooth, a colour control screen, USB and app compatibility for Pandora and more.Holden believes as a value proposition it's compelling and that may be the case for fleets. But some omissions -- such as sat-nav or voice recognition -- mean there are fewer lures for private buyers than in the Commodore.The suspension, with Macpherson struts at the front and a multi-link set-up at the rear, was locally tuned, but the result makes the best of ordinary ingredients. You don't leap at the chance to get behind the wheel and point it at a corner.It's adequate dynamically, but certainly not something you feel encouraged to explore. It jiggles and fidgets on country roads, so there are more comfortable touring cars. Adequate goes for the engines, too. The diesel is more driveable, especially up hills where the petrol needs to change down. But it's also noisier and less refined.From the outside, Chevrolet design cues such as the rear lights mark Malibu out as something different in the class. The shape achieves an impressively slippery coefficient of drag figure below 0.29.There are a mixture of finishes inside, with some shiny surfaces that would be better satin, and an unusual and not wholly successful dash feature that echoes the vent louvres. The dials are most appealing. Holden's previous offering in this sector, the Epica, is something even Holden would prefer to forget.The Malibu should do better although the goal -- Holden says -- isn't to beat Camry. That would be a tall order with Toyota's track record. When the Commodore disappears things get more serious and adequate will no longer be enough. Then the Malibu-Commodore (Malidore?) must straddle both private and fleet demand; it will need broader appeal. It must be a top-10 seller. It's product, product, product.

It somehow seemed appropriate that our first extended VF Commodore test in our home area should be a station wagon, or a Sportwagon to use Holden’s title. Commodore was king of the family car market for 15 years before many buyers moved to either smaller cars or medium SUVs. So it’s likely the big VF station wagons could draw those who strayed from Commodore back into the fold again.Many external styling changes to the VF distinguish it from the VE it supersedes. The new front gives it a stockier look, partly because the bonnet has been raised to incorporate pedestrian protection, but also to fall into the global General Motors design theme.While the VF sedan is significantly different at the rear, the wagon (and ute) remain much the same as before, principally to save design dollars. Tellingly, at no time during our road test that covered over 600 kilometres did any other drivers stare at the Sportwagon’s rump and recognise it as a new Commodore.Changes to the interior are extensive and give the VF Commodore a fresh, modern look. The centrepiece is the large, easy-to-read 8-inch colour touchscreen with well-spaced controls that are big enough to avoid the dreaded push-two-buttons-at-once hassles.Visibility outwards is still marred by the huge A-pillars that we have been complaining about since the earliest VE Commodores. Some alterations have been made to the trim to try and cure this. Slimming the underlying metal was going to be expensive so we will have to live with the need to move our heads around to negate the blind spots created by the wide pillars.At least the damn-fool handbrake that was so irritating in the VE has been replaced by a small, sophisticated electric unit. Although it’s built on the same platform as the VE Commodore, around 60 per cent of chassis components have been either modified or replaced. An overall weight reduction of almost 40kg has been achieved, mainly through the use of an aluminium bonnet,  and sedan versions gain an aluminuim bootlid.The SV6 comes with a 3.6-litre six-cylinder engine with 210kW of power and 350Nm of torque and sends drive to the rear wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission (or six-speed manual on sedan and Utes).It gets a five star ANCAP crash safety rating with electronic stability control, front and rear park assist, traction control, electronic brake force distribution, hill start assist and blind spot alert.There’s something distinctly Aussie about the way the VF Commodore feels on the road, particularly in country driving. It lopes along with a minimum of fuss, makes light of coarse-chip surfaces that can rattle even the most expensive Europeans, and copes with corrugated dirt as though it’s barely there. Out onto the open road the interior of the Commodore is noticeably quieter than before and there’s a real feeling of luxury not unlike that of cars that cost tens of thousands more.The 3.6-litre V6 on our test SV6 Commodore wagon was happy to sit at minimum revs thanks to the efficiency of the six-speed automatic transmission. The engine and transmission are both responsive and communicate with one another to give pleasing amounts of torque at all times. However, the 3.6 is still not as smooth as that of similar units used in many competitors. It’s certainly not as harsh as when first introduced almost a decade ago, but it really should be better.Performance is strong, yet fuel consumption has been reduced markedly compared to that of the already good VE Commodore. Expect the 3.6 V6 to use about seven to nine litres per hundred kilometres when cruising in the country. And around nine to eleven litres when driven sensibly in suburban areas.Handling is excellent with good feedback through the steering wheel and the suspension system. The new electric power steering (EPS) gives a sharp feel that’s all but indistinguishable from that of the old hydraulic assistance used in all Commodores till now. EPS is there primarily as a fuel save because it only takes power from the engine when it’s needed, not all the time as when a hydraulic pump is running permanently.

The world's best car is new again for the first time in a decade. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class has just had a complete overhaul, from road to roof, incorporating breakthrough safety and comfort systems that will eventually be commonplace in lesser cars around the globe.At one end the new S-Class is easily capable of driving itself and at the other it provides five different cabin packages with sumptuous goose feather-filled rear headrests.The basic package for the car is still the same - it's a giant, cosseting lounge room on wheels - and it's not going to be any cheaper with starting prices on the far side of $200,000, but it shows what the world's oldest carmaker can do when it unleashes a super-skilled engineering group with a budget that probably tops $1.5 billion.The Benz flagship has been so comprehensively hyped and previewed that it's difficult to write something genuinely new, because we've seen the shape, been lectured on the technology, have trialed most of the safety systems, and are familiar with a range of short and long-wheelbase models that runs from the S 350 BlueTEC diesel up to the S 63 AMG V8 - with detours including an S 500 plug-in hybrid with claimed economy of just a tad over 3 litres/100km.So today, driving out of Toronto into the Canadian countryside, sampling the S 350 and S 500, it's all about the car and the star score for the latest S-Class. "We believe this new S-Class is the best car in the world. Promise delivered," the spokesman for Mercedes-Benz Australia, David McCarthy, tells Carsguide bluntly.There is no plan to change the starting price of $213,428 for the next S-Class. That's the showroom sticker for the current 3-litre BlueTEC diesel, and things ramp up sharply from there to just on $500,000.But there will be compensation when the first of the new cars arrive, in the final quarter of this year. "There will be more standard equipment," McCarthy says. He is not going into details but there is plenty to promise, especially on the safety front with so many active systems including a world-first stereo-camera system than can 'read' the road ahead and then set the suspension to defeat the sort of bumps and railway crossings that normally rattle cars and their occupsants.The range will start with both long and short-wheelbase cars, but the grand plan runs to petrol and diesel hybrids, a plug-in hybrid with fuel economy right down near 3 litres/100km, and then S-Class based coupes and even a six-door super-long Pullman limousine. The only definite non-starter for Australia is the twin-turbo V12-powered S65 from AMG.Where do I start and where do I finish? It would be easy to write a book on the S-Class, as Benz has done, and different people will score different things in different ways. The big emphasis is on safety technology, from that Magic Body Control system to active night vision that can pick people out of blackness - and then illuminate them with a spotlight strobe that knows not to disturb animals - and a range of anti-collision radars that cover the front, sides and even set the pre-safe safety systems for a rear impact. Back-seat passengers are also protected by inflatable airbag belts.There is also a pair of giant TFT display screens in the dashboard, all sorts of mood lighting, sound systems as good as anything you find in a home, and a lighting system - from the headlamps through the cabin to the brake lights - that is completely LED powered.The S-Class has the sort of chunky presence you expect of a high-end luxury car, but it's better resolved than the outgoing car. It's still chunky, and you won't mistake it for anything else, but it shows where Benz is going with its new family of cars and has a strong visual link down to the new A-Class.The nose is helped - ironically - by the latest pedestrian-protection rules, since the grille is now more prominent and more upright. It helps to cushion any impact but it also gives the car more impact.Inside, the design emphasis is on the sort of quality you expect - and deserve - when you pay S-Class money. The leather work is fantastic, the seat styles and shapes - from the basic bench through to the Business Class recliners - is sumptuous and everything you touch has a quality feel.The designers have also freed more space for every occupant, from front-seat head room through to back-seat knee room. And the boot is huge, unless you plan a hybrid with a big battery in the back.The new S-Class must be the world's safest car, and runs well ahead of any NCAP testing. There are airbags and ABS and ESP, of course, but it's all the active safety systems - including the amazing night vision - which make a critical difference. And which must, inevitably, migrate through the Benz family and then out to lesser brands. Mercedes-Benz wants us to call it Intelligent Drive and, for once, that's a fair concession.The new S-Class is very, very quiet. It's also cushy and comfortable. And the technology bends reality in a range of new directions. Both the S350 diesel and the V8-powered S500 get along nicely, with the bigger engine obviously giving a bigger whack away from the lights. And I know they are much more fuel efficient than ever before, rivalling cars at least two size classes smaller.A series of driving demonstrations shows how smart it is, from the anti-collision systems to the way it shines light after dark to the way it can crush a road with Active Body Control. It's absolutely brilliant to relax in the back like some sort of minor five-minute celebrity, too.And, when all the technology is working together, it's easy to see that the S-Class is very close to a car that can drive itself. It still needs line markings on either side, but it can already take the wheel for up to 10 seconds and hold its place in a lane, while keeping a radar-paced gap to the traffic and sitting ready for automatic braking in an emergency. For what it is, the S-Class is brilliant. But then there is the but.That's because it's still a giant dinosaur, even if its dimensions and derivation are cleverely disguised behind multiple layers of technology. It's an old-fashioned car that continues an old-fashioned idea of luxury motoring, and that means it cannot be best of the best.It is clearly better than anything from Audi, BMW or Jaguar, and a true rival for a Rolls-Royce at the top end of the luxury world, and it is going to be a success everywhere in the world. But, these days, we should expect more. Benz has played well, and played hard, but it has still played safe.

Ford's Falcon has slipped from the minds of many new-car buyers in recent years, resulting in the sad news that production will cease late in 2016. However, the iconic Falcon has long been a favourite with used-car buyers and there’s no sign of that changing anytime soon.To some extent we blame the demise of the Falcon on over adventurous styling. The radical shape of the AU was years ahead of its time when it was introduced in September 1998 and many conservative buyers didn’t like it.Facelifts to create the AU Falcon Series II in April 2000 and to the AU III in November 2001 lifted sales slightly. In September 2002 a major facelift to produce the BA Falcon started to put the Falcon back on track in new sales. The BA Falcon was upgraded to the BF Falcon in October 2005.The introduction of the rather conservative FG-series Falcon saw sales slip again, and history shows that Ford Australia never did recover after that.Falcons have seating for five adults, though four makes more sense because rear-wheel drive means the transmission tunnel takes up a lot of footroom in the centre-rear position. Legroom and headroom are ample for all but the largest adults. Some find the relatively steep slope of the roof in the AU to BF Falcons make it awkward to get in and out; naturally the back seat of the wagon doesn’t have this hassle.Comfort is very good and passengers can step out of a Falcon after a trip of hundreds of kilometres still feeling fresh and relaxed.The boot in the sedan is rather shallow in the older models and the slope of the bootlid on the AU reduces its practicality. It’s easy to load thanks to a good-sized opening. The BA Falcon is better, though still on the shallow side.Falcon station wagons are great load carriers as they are built on a longer wheelbase than the sedan so they have a long, wide, practical cargo area. The rear end of the BA is virtually identical to that of the older AU. Ford chose not to do an FG variant of the wagon. Instead, it created a Series III BF model to sell alongside the FG sedans. It wasn’t a success and was discontinued in 2010.Handling is surprisingly good for a car of this size and mass. You wouldn’t call it agile, but Falcons hold on when cornering at speeds far above those likely to be attempted by most drivers.Ford's six-cylinder engines all have a capacity of 4.0 litres but come in several formats, including one with a turbocharger. An interesting variant on the six-cylinder is a dedicated LPG engine. Very common in taxis, but less so in private cars (except in Victoria) this engine is all but indistinguishable from a petrol unit to drive. It’s quite a bit thirstier than the petrol so fuel range suffers.The standard AU six-cylinder unit is good enough, but the BA’s six-cylinder is noticeably smoother and offers even better performance.Ford fitted a 5.0-litre V8 to the AU, but it didn’t have a lot more performance than the six-cylinder units and was on the thirsty side. Much better were the BA bent eights: there was a choice of two, both with a capacity of 5.4 litres, one with a single-cam cylinder head, the other with a twin-cam setup.A powerful four-cylinder engine, tagged the EcoBoost gave us arguably the best Falcon ever, thanks to excellent performance and nimble handling, the latter due to the lighter weight of the smaller engine. Buyers in this market segment can be on the conservative side and they stayed away from the EcoBoost in droves.Automatics were all four-speed units until the launch of the BF, when a sophisticated six-speed ZF unit was installed. The ZF was originally only fitted in the topline variants, with the introduction of the FG Falcon all received the six-speed auto, with the exception of the LPG power models, which stuck with the old four-speed unit until the launch of the new-design LPG unit in July 2011.Manual gearboxes are rare and probably best avoided in all but the sporting XR6 and XR8 as they can affect resale value. The manual was a five-speed until the BF series, when a six-speed was installed.Prices for spare parts, servicing and repairs are very reasonable and there are Ford dealers just about everywhere in Australia. Most spare parts for the Falcons covered here are readily available, although a few bits on some older cars may have to come from a wrecker.These are very simple cars to work on, with plenty of underbonnet and undercar space. We recommend having a workshop manual at your elbow before starting the work.Insurance prices are generally very reasonable and premiums for the everyday models are invariably at the lower end of the scale. It will generally cost more to cover a V8 Falcon than a straight-six, and more expensive for a turbo six.WHAT TO LOOK FORRust is far less of a problem in these newer Falcons than old ones. To be on the safe side, check the door lower corners, door sill panels, mudguards and bootlid. If you do find serious rust the car may have been badly repaired after a crash.Many thousands of used Falcons will have been taxis at some time in their life. Be wary of one running on dedicated LPG; while these are quite common in Victoria, they are rare anywhere else in Australia. Signs of an ex-taxi are vinyl, rather than cloth, upholstery, severe wear both inside and out, holes where signs and a taximeter have been removed, and possibly a paint respray.Engine wear is indicated by a reluctance to start and by smoke from the exhaust and/or oil filler cap when the engine is revved.Four-speed automatics can cause problems on hard-driven cars, especially the older models. Check they change gears cleanly and don't hunt up and down through the ratios. Be suspicious of any automatic that’s slow at going into gear from Neutral or Park.Listen for a whining differential when driving at around 60 to 90km/h.Check the cabin for damage caused by wild kids. In station wagons have a good look at the load area for signs of commercial useCAR BUYING TIPBeware ex-taxis: they are run hard and often not driven in a sympathetic manner. 

A warning symbol has just appeared in the car I'm driving and it's one I've never seen before. It's an image of a steering wheel with a driver's hands coloured alert red. Pretty soon, a tone will sound.It's a relatively undramatic event in the singing-ringing cabins of modern luxury cars, which warn you before you've had a chance to belt-up that your pre-flight checks are incomplete or for any number of potential hazards.But this one is a landmark. I'm on a freeway heading out of Melbourne sitting on 100km/h and negotiating its gentle curves and obedient drivers. The car is steering itself.Mercedes new E-Class can, within tight limits, drive without you. The symbol is telling me that I've just exceeded the “letting go of the wheel” limit. That happens after only a few seconds. But I have another go, and another.’It's part of a system Mercedes calls Intelligent Drive and it heralds a new era of car technology that will eventually mean -- I hope -- that you won't need to take a train if you want to read The Australian on the way to work.The technology to accelerate, brake and steer a vehicle autonomously is the subject of feverish work across the industry and beyond, as the well-publicised Google project shows.Once steering and these systems are electronically assisted, as they are in almost every car now, it's not difficult to make a car that can drive itself in, say, an empty car park. We already have automatic braking, assisted counter-steering and hundreds of other software interventions when we're behind the wheel. A computer can control a car reliably and consistently in a way no human can.This E-Class, a heavy overhaul of the current model, relies on a greater array of sensors than previous Mercedes and especially two cameras mounted high on the windscreen which scan the surrounds. They build a 3D map of an area up to 50m in front and have a range 10 times that. Software adds up all these inputs and steers for you.In one sense, this is just the next step. But it's a biggy. One small beep for a car, one giant leap for vehicle-kind. The next S-Class, the model up from the E and the traditional techno flag-bearer for the brand, will take this even further. One limit to these systems is their ability to interpret complex environments, such as a busy main street. Humans are better at thinking outside the box.The other limit is regulation, although rules are already being relaxed in some US states and in Europe. The E-Class is core Mercedes, used in Europe in more rudimentary forms as taxis and as executive expresses in their performance guises. It comes as a sedan, wagon, coupe and cabriolet with a bewildering variety of engines that bear little, if any, relation to the badge on the back. An E250, for example, does not run a 2.5-litre engine or have any meaningful dimension that corresponds.The luxury market has been typified by a few trends recently, with Mercedes -- in this market at least -- often taking a lead. These include the shift to smaller capacity turbocharged engines, higher levels of standard equipment or price cuts or both, and simplified line-ups.Even a simplified E-Class line-up is complex. The rollout of this upgrade begins with the most popular four-cylinder models, which fit new generation 2.0-litre petrol and 2.1-litre diesel engines. The list of technical and luxury fitments is longer but the starting price remains at $80k minus change. All but diesel wagon begin below $100k.If you do choose to leave your hands on the wheel, then even the bottom-rung E delivers the core driving virtues of the brand. Handling is quietly assured and smoothly capable. The smallest four-cylinders are worth a look but step up to an E250 is driving enjoyment is in your DNA. For those times when you're not reading the paper.Three further variants are the way, two of which also introduce new drivelines. The E300 Hybrid combines the 150kW four-cylinder diesel with a 19kW electric motor to achieve average fuel economy of 4.3 litres per 100km. That makes it the most fuel efficient large luxury car available and Mercedes' first hybrid in this market. It arrives in July, as sedan only, for $108,900 plus on-road costs.The previous E350 V6 and E500 V8 variants have been dropped, replaced a single V6. Thanks to turbocharging, though, the E400's 245kW 3.0-litre unit is good for a 5.9 second sprint to 100km/h. In other words, it's the match of the previous V8 on performance but with much improved fuel economy of 8.0 litres per 100km, even better for the sedan. It starts below the previous E350 at $128,900 while the wagon is an additional $7800.The sole V8 offered is now the E63 from Mercedes's captive tuning operation AMG. The performance pack, previously an option, becomes standard-fit and there's an S badge to denote this. That means 430kW from its 5.5-litre turbocharged V8 and a higher price of entry, at $249,900.Even without the Intelligent Drive feature, which is standard on all but the base petrol and diesel, you won't mistake this facelifted car for the previous one. Not least of the improvements is to styling, which has been a Mercedes weakness of late. Some of the heavy-handed lines of the previous car have gone without sacrificing aggression. It's the first Benz in ages that doesn't hurt your eyeballs.The racier Avantgarde style face, which dispenses with the gunsight bonnet ornament in favour of an enormous badge on the grille, becomes standard.The cabin is more welcoming with ambient lighting, a cute clock and, in base models, acres of fake leather that seems to be harder than ever to tell from the real thing. Even the E200/E220 CDI get a large control screen with maps, apps and Google, voice recognition and other goodies such as gearshift paddles that were extra until recently. There's still plenty of options to bump up the price, of course, including a sunroof, heated seats and premium audio.

Audi is often in the vanguard of vehicle design and the A3 is a classic example. Audi was the first of the iconic German makers to make the bold move of moving down into smaller, relatively affordable cars.Prior to the Audi A3 you had to find something north of $60,000 to get into one of the big make Germans. The A3 dropped the starting price to the sub-40 grand region. There were mutterings that this would devalue the prestige rating of the larger, more expensive models in the range. That didn’t happen and soon arch rivals Mercedes and BMW joined Audi in introducing smaller, affordable cars.Though the Audi A3 is considered a small car by Australians, in Europe it’s often used as a family car. Four adults are more comfortable than you might expect given the relatively small size of the car. Rear-seat access in the three-door is better than in just about any other car of its type with front seats that move right out of the way in an ingenious fashion. Having said that, the five-door is obviously more practical if the back seat is going to get a lot of use.The Audi A3 has the solid feel that’s very much part of the marque.There’s plenty of stowage space in the cabin so this is a practical machine that suits many people living in crowded suburban regions in Australia. Two good sized suitcases can be carried in the boot together with some small bits and pieces. Tie-down clips secure the load in a crash or under heavy braking.Audi A3 sales were reasonably good from the May 1997 launch of the three-door, but didn’t really get up to full speed until the introduction of the five-door models in October 1999. Many of the earliest A3s are now on the used-car market, but they may be nearing the end of their lives - and they aren’t as cheap to repair or service as more mundane cars of this size.The Audi A3 has the solid feel that’s very much part of the marque and this has shown up in good durability as the years have gone by. Handling is very good, though there is perhaps just a little too much understeer at the limit to suit the full-on driving enthusiast.Engine choices in the original A3 were a 1.6-litre single-cam unit with two valves per cylinder and two 1.8-litre twin-cam models with the Audi trademark of five valves per cylinder (three intakes and two exhausts). The 1.8 came with or without a turbocharger, with the turbo engine tuned to give flexible torque and economy at low to mid-range engine speeds, rather than flat-out sports performance.Power in most Audi A3 models is transmitted to the front wheels.The second-generation cars retained the 1.6-litre in the entry level models, but also offer a 2.0-litre FSI petrol unit, with or without a turbo. It was also available with a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel. Best of all is a 3.2-litre V6 petrol engine that gives a huge amount of get-up-and-go in a relatively small car like this one.Power in most Audi A3 models is transmitted to the front wheels, the 2.0 turbo-petrol can be specified with Audi’s famed quattro all-wheel-drive system. It comes as no surprise that quattro is mandatory with the big V6 engine.Audi S3 is the high-performance variant. The S3 has a sporting three-door body and uses a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine driving all four wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox.Audi has been on fire in the Australian sales race over the last few years and the number of authorised dealers has increased as a result. Naturally, there’s a concentration on the major metropolitan areas, but some regional areas are starting to get into the act as well.Spare parts and servicing are reasonably priced for a prestige car but fairly expensive for a machine of this size. If you are shifting up to an Audi from an Asian or lower priced European car ask the dealer about servicing costs.Check your insurance company’s policy on turbo-petrol engines as some charge very high premiums that can add significantly to the purchase price of a used car.WHAT TO LOOK FORMake sure the engine starts quickly and idles smoothly even when it’s cold. If there’s any hesitation from the engine under hard acceleration there could be computer problems.Check that a manual gearbox changes smoothly and quietly and that an automatic transmission doesn't hunt up and down the gears when climbing moderate hills with light to medium throttle openings.Uneven front tyre wear probably means the car has been the subject of some hard driving, so is more likely in one of the high-performance models.Uneven tyre wear may also mean one of the wheels is out of alignment as the result of a crash, though that crash may have simply been a hard thump against a kerb.CAR BUYING TIPUpmarket cars almost invariably cost more to run than everyday ones, be sure to factor this into your purchasing budget.

Another high-performance car has hit the high-performance scene in Australia - Polestar. Polestar is the tuning division of Volvo and joins Mercedes AMG, BMW M cars, even Holden HSV, in offering the excitement many Australian drivers crave.In a stunning recognition of Australian drivers, Australia is the first country to receive the Volvo S60 Polestar. Just 50 have been assembled at this time and all have been allocated to our country.The Swedish high-performance guys see Australia as being the most challenging market in the world, with a huge array of hot machines being sold here to those who appreciate the pinnacle of automotive excitement.We attended the world debut in Brisbane and came away most impressed with the S60 Polestar. Putting its money where its corporate mouth is, Polestar and Volvo are going all out in the high-performance stakes by entering the V8 Supercar series in 2014.“Australian V8 Supercar racing is the best in the world,” said Hans Baath, one of Polestar’s chiefs who came Down Under to introduce their new baby, “the racing is close and exciting and Swedish car enthusiasts love the TV coverage.”Nissan and Mercedes AMG began competing against Ford and Holden in the new-generation V8 Supercars in 2013 and it will be great to see Volvo in there as well.Of course, the V8 Supercars Volvo Polestar will be a pure racing machine, but we have just had a terrific couple of days in the road-going version of the car. Our particular car was the first off the line and appropriately numbered 01/50 on the plate on the steering wheel.With a retail price of just $109,990 the S60 Polestar is powered by the turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six engine we have admired in other Volvos. In this iteration it produces 350 horsepower (257 kW in Australian numbers) and over 500 Newton metres of torque.DRIVINGTorque is the important thing in any engine. "Power sells a car, torque moves it," smiled Hans Baath. We just loved the endless stream of grunt produced by the straight-six. Throttle response is all-but instantaneous despite this being a turbo engine and the torque is at its peak all the way from 2800 to 4500 revs.The automatic transmission is modified version of the standard Volvo six-speed unit and provides fast changes to match the engine. Overtaking is ridiculously quick and safe with an engine like this. All-wheel drive with sporting settings to ensure the correct torque is sent to each wheel and finishes off the excellent powertrain package.As well as the sporting engine Volvo and Polestar have worked on the suspension, steering, brakes and body stiffening. This results in a sporting machine that will bring a smile to the face of even the most demanding of drivers.Even more impressive than the sports sedan feeling is the way it copes with day-to-day driving. Ride comfort is almost as good as that of the standard S60 sedan.Obviously the most impressive thing about the new Volvo S60 Polestar is its performance, but we were also amazed at how easy it is to drive in real life conditions. Hans Baath again, “This is a car for all seasons, all reasons, and all conditions.” He is so definitely right.VERDICTThis is no hard-riding track-day special and we would be happy to use one as a daily commuter – with dreams in our head of taking it for that famed early-morning Sunday drive and/or to the racetrack on the same day. Volvo S60 T6 PolestarPrice: from $109,950Engine: 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder turboPower: 257kW and 500NmTransmission: Six-speed auto, all-wheel-driveThirst: 10.2L/100km0 to 100km/h: 4.9 seconds

The in-dash push button engine start / stop is becoming an automotive affectation. Originally it was fitted to unique racing cars and their highly tuned road-going derivatives. These days it is increasingly finding its way into vehicles of all brands and price tags.Ironically, such a system will not work without the proximity of a computer controlled key fob, all of which requires more effort than simply slotting the key into the ignition and turning it to fire up the motor.Sundry stressful situations tracking down the key, from pocket to centre console, were put behind me with the new Subaru Liberty 2.5 sedan – keyless entry but buttonless start-up. How good is that?Not that there is anything yesterday about the car. For a start (or in this case stop) there’s an electric parking brake situated on a reworked centre console, a one-touch lane-change indicator, revised instrument panel, dashboard colour scheme and USB connection.And the one-time shrinking violet looks of the Liberty have made way for a more assertive character thanks to a new grille and front fog light surrounds, plus modern alloy wheel designs.VALUEOur test car carried an option pack which includes leather upholstery, satellite navigation and new colour info display adding $3000 to the price, the sat nav sporting a particularly clear on-screen street naming, which was most welcome for this gentleman of a certain age.Among the crop of changes to the MY13 range, the most pleasing economy for the newLiberty is a $2000 trim in price, putting the entry level model at just $32,990.ENGINE AND TRANSMISSIONThe new generation horizontally-opposed boxer engine is linked to the latest Lineartronic continuously variable transmission and a revised Subaru symmetrical all-wheel-drive system. The CVT has a six-speed manual mode with steering wheel-mounted paddles. Subaru engineers have waved a magic wand over the 2.5-litre motor to gain major improvements – power is up by three per cent (127 kW), torque by 3.3 pc (235 Nm), while fuel economy is cut by 4.8 pc (7.9 litres per 100 kilometres on the combined urban/highway cycle) and carbon dioxide emissions are down 5.7 per cent (182 g per kilometre).DRIVINGIt’s no surprise that the Liberty test car took to local conditions admirably, Australia had input here with tests being conducted Down Under.Much attention was paid to the drivability of the vehicle in the mid-to-low speed torque range, while the new Lineartronic CVT is quieter, lighter and more compact.The CVT has taken the car to a new level of fuss-free driving. The paddle-shift manual mode is competent but adds little to the overall driving experience for those wanting a little more action.Handling and stability have been given a fillip through revision of the all-wheel-drive system, stiffening of the suspension and a sharpened steering response. Noise vibration and harshness also comes in for improvement with changes in the construction of suspension systems.VERDICTThe Subaru Liberty has always maintained a spot at the heart of middle-of-the-road motoring. The latest incarnation looks to be in no mood to relinquish its position.

The relentless march of the South Korean car industry continues. A combination of style, low prices and decent dynamics is proving attractive to an ever increasing numbers of Australian buyers. The price of the entry-level Cerato S, at $19,990 plus on-road costs, gives you a lot of family car for a most modest outlay.Kia’s new Cerato sedan is a classic example. It is longer, wider, lower, with shorter overhangs than the second-generation car, all of which make for a sleeker styling with a fair touch of European in its shape.Inside the dashboard is simple, well-designed and functional. Clever design means the Cerato is lighter by around 50 kilograms, to help performance, reduce fuel consumption and trim exhaust emissions.Although it’s classified as a small car, we see the Kia Cerato as a genuine mid-sized family sedan. At 4.56 metres long it has enough legroom for two adults to sit comfortably in the rear, though the sleek styling means some may find rear headroom is marginal.Kia Cerato S now has a smaller engine than before. Its new design 1.8-litre four-cylinder produces 110 kW of power and 178 Nm of torque. The previous entry level Cerato had a 2.0-litre (115kW/194Nm) engine.If you do want the larger engine you have to buy a Cerato Si or SLi. These have the 2.0-litre engine, now with numerous upgrades to lift it to 129kW and 209Nm. All three Cerato models come with the choice of manual or automatic transmission, both with six forward speeds.As we’ve come to expect, Kia Cerato is well-equipped in the safety field. Standard on all models are Electronic Stability Control with traction control, ABS brakes, electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist; and Emergency Stop Signal that activates the hazard lights on emergency braking. Six airbags help to keep you alive if the aforementioned protection electronics can’t prevent a crash.On the luxury front, there’s cruise control, Bluetooth; Auxiliary and USB sockets; and steering wheel mounted controls in all models. Kia Cerato Si not only gets the bigger engine it also has 16-inch alloy wheels; a reversing camera; smart key with push-button start/stop; chromed highlight surrounds. There’s what Kia terms a ‘premier’ interior trim; 4.3-inch LCD computer screen; and automatic lights.The range-topping Cerato SLi scores 17-inch alloys; LED taillights; LED daytime running lights; leather trimmed seats; heated front seats; a powered driver’s seat; paddle-shifters when the automatic transmission is specified; and dual-zone climate control. A satellite navigation package including traffic information and DVD player displaying on a 7-inch LCD screen, is priced at $1000.We were most impressed with the solid feel of the gen-three Kia Cerato. It’s almost as good as many European cars. The new Cerato, like all Kias of the latest models sold in Australia, had a considerable amount of local input in the suspension and steering. While some of the early Aussie-modified Kias can be on the firm side, this new Cerato is impressively smooth in its ride, even over badly corrugated roads.This added comfort may be due to the fact that the suspension guys have backed off a little on the sportiness of the Cerato. Resulting in handling that is safe rather than exciting. Which, we revhead road testers have to admit is what typical buyers expect from a car in this class.Our road test car this week was the topline Kia Cerato SLi with an auto transmission, coming in at $29,990 plus on-roads. That’s a lot of car for a very reasonable outlay - just compare it to some Euro family sedans in the same class. However, it has to be admitted that the South Korean Kia sits a long way down the prestige scale from the iconic Europeans. Such is life.The 2.0-litre engine has plenty of punch and the transmission generally responds with a minimum of hesitation when a lower gear is required. It’s a nice combination. Fuel consumption around town was in the eight to nine litres per hundred kilometres range, which isn’t bad for a car of this size. On the open road it wasn’t difficult to get the petrol use under seven litres per hundred with careful driving.At this stage only the Kia Cerato sedan has been introduced to Australia. A five-door hatch is expected within a few months. An upgrade of the existing two-door coupe, the Kia Koup, will be released towards the end of the year. Like all Kia models the new Cerato comes with a five year, unlimited kilometre warranty.

If an M5 sedan is too mainstream but four doors are a must for your driveway, then BMW's M-division has unleashed a new flagship that will fit your bill. BMW's latest M-monster is a four-door - the M6 Gran Coupe, a svelte and muscular coupe with easy rear seat access.Anything around $300,000 that doesn't have an ensuite and off-street parking is not really going to be considered value, but it depends on what price you put on stupendous speed or a features list that could take up the rest of this page. The exclusivity of just 20 cars being on the road might well be worth the extra $70,000 - that's a top-spec 1 Series or a mid-spec 3, remember - over an M5.The Gran Coupe gets quad-zone climate control system and roller sunblinds for the rear windscreen and rear side windows to set it apart from the coupe and add to the extensive features list: ventilated and heated leather seating, insulated windscreen, model-specific 20-inch M light-alloy wheels, alcantara rooflining with a leather trim centrepiece, adaptive LED headlights, full internet and sound system integration for smartphones and electric sunblinds for the rear windscreen and rear side windows.The BMW M6 Gran Coupe also brings with it a couple of sizeable options, among them a 12-speaker $14,000 Bang & Olufsen Surround Sound System, digital radio reception, a heated steering wheel and $4500 for BMW Night Vision with pedestrian recognition.Twin-scroll turbos - two of them - puffing away atop an already-potent V8 is recipe for rapidity, even in a two-tonne Teuton. The engine has variable valve timing and lift control on both sides, as well as direct injection, to generate 412kW and 680Nm (from just 1500rpm through to 5750rpm) to send through the rear wheels. On the other side of the powerplant equation is the fuel economy, which is a claimed 9.9 litres per 100km.New to the M6 range and arriving with the new coupe is the $12,000 Competition pack, available from July which adds 11kW, Competition wheels and gives more aggressivesuspension and power steering tune.The extra grunt takes the sprint to 100km/h down from the standard car's 4.2 second claim by 0.1 of second, or 0.2 quicker to 200km/h - given the "standard" car's gusto it wouldn't really seem worth the extra moolah.The drivetrain goodies also include the double-clutch seven-speed "auto" (with stop-start and launch control) and the active rear differential, which teams with the electronics to get the grunt to ground and distributed to whichever of the rear wheels can best use it.The trend of coupe-styled four-door machinery spawned the 6 Gran Coupe and the M version adds to the imposing presence of the mainstream car.  It has the visible carbon-fibre roof, aluminium door and bonnet panels and plastic front guards - all of which help the centre of gravity and keep weight to about 1.9 tonnes.The Gran Coupe gets a carbon-fibre reinforced plastic rear under-bumper diffuser that wraps around the four exhausts. The stance is low and muscled, with wider track, flared wheel arches and larger front air intakes, the brooding and imposing "coupe" sits just 110mm off the tarmac on 20 inch wheels wrapped in liquorice instead of tyres.Cabin space is for four (although there's a fifth seatbelt, the centre console is broad) and the four occupants are generally well accommodated.At 191cm I can sit behind my own driving position with only rear headroom being an issue, while cargo space is good - not grand - at 460 litres, with a split-fold rear seat function to increase that to 1265 litres should you need it.The full arsenal of safety features as you'd expect at this level - front, front-side and curtain airbags, multi-stage stability and traction control, anti-lock brakes with six-piston front calipers, cruise control with braking function, active front head restraints, auto-dimming mirrors, several cameras, parking sensors, lane departure warning, tyre pressure monitoring,head-up display and auto high-beam function. Or if you are hell-bent on slowing the earth's rotation, you can ante up $24,000 for carbon-ceramic stoppers.Sauntering out of the pit lane and the sense of quiet refinement, the comfort of a big lazy V8 and being snug down truly behind the wheel is a relaxed place to be.Lapping the Sepang track we're testing on doesn't give any sense of ride quality - for that we'll have to wait for local roads - but the clever steering and suspension systems do great things for the Gran Coupe's body control.The front can come under pressure if you're heavy on the brakes, and the rear can slip sideways under duress without too much provocation, but the extra bit of wheelbase and the active rear differential, which teams with the electronic nursemaids to varying degrees, makes it an easy catch with the hydraulic power steering.Some time on the wet skid-pan demonstrated the clever teamwork between the electronics and the clever rear diff, as well as the playful abilities and the immense outputs that can be employed when the restrictions are lifted.With 412kW and 650Nm on offer from the right foot it is an easy game to play, belying its size to some extent - it's no M3 in being nimble in the bends on change of direction, but the torque of the twin-turbo engine makes the M3 feel slow.The brutal straight-line force, which can be unleashed using launch control, slings the big coupe away from standstill to 100km/h in around four seconds, although BMW staffers say 3.9 in the right conditions is not impossible - I'd believe it.As a German ubercar for daily use, we'll wait for a taste of the ride on our roads, but its ability to play hard on a racetrack and obliterate tyres is not in any doubt. Lavish in cabin materials, with no shortage of gear, it's more sledgehammer than scalpel, but not often is blunt force trauma so entertaining.