Sedan Reviews

Playing it safe has always been a Mercedes-Benz hallmark but the German carmaker is breaking with tradition by installing its updated mid-sized E-Class as the occupant-protection pioneer. It is part-acknowledgement that technology evolves too quickly to delay innovations for the new flagship S-Class due late this year and partly a reflection of the fact the E is now a more important vehicle for Benz as sales of large limousines continue to decline. Either way, it’s a win for E-Class buyers when the car goes on sale in Australia in August.Pricing for Australia hasn’t been confirmed but company spokesman David McCarthy says an “assertive” strategy will mean minimal changes to the existing numbers, which start at $80,000 for the petrol-powered E200 four-cylinder car.  “We’re still finalising specifications for the range,” McCarthy says. “Expect the E-Class to lead the way on pricing and features.” Holding the prices in check will be a big achievement for a car that has had 2000 new components.There will be a choice of three petrol and three diesel engines in the sedan. The highlights are a bi-turbo V6 petrol E400 that will give Mercedes a vehicle to rival BMW’s 535i and a diesel hybrid that uses just 4.1 litres over 100km. Wagon buyers will have the option of a four-cylinder diesel or the bi-turbo V6.There are 11 new or updated safety systems in the E-Class, headed by automatic braking to prevent rear-end crashes and a system that detects pedestrians or crossing traffic at an intersection and hits the stoppers to avoid them. A single windscreen-mounted camera has been replaced by dual cameras linked to radar sensors to provide a virtual 3D field of vision that constantly monitors a 50m space around the car for potential hazards.Unlike the new Volvo V40, Australian E-Classes won’t read speed signs. Put that down to rural signs often being used for target practice by gun and 4WD owners and the fact many of our major cities have such a gaggle of signs that it is almost pointless to try and monitor them. “Like all our safety features, until it works perfectly every time, we won’t implement it,” McCarthy says.The basic structure of the E-Class hasn’t changed but just about everything else has. The headlamps are now a single unit with a pair of daytime running lights in a tick layout. The lamps are housed in a new front end that still comes in two guises - the traditional “Elegance” design with a bonnet-mounted three-pointed star and three-strake grille and the sportier-looking “Avantgarde” style that uses a larger Mercedes roundel mounted in a two-band grille.The interior updates are more subtle but reflect the move to improve refinement. It’s a sum-of-the-parts equation: touches like a new “split view” seven-inch screen that can project one display for the driver and another for the passenger and an analogue clock nestled between the redesigned vents aren’t instantly obvious but in combination make a big difference to the cabin ambience.Mercedes is still assessing which features will go into which cars, but the range-topping regular model, the bi-turbo V6 E400 will pick up everything. That includes adaptive cruise control with “steering assist”, which uses the dual cameras to keep the E-Class in the centre of the lane. A lane-keeping assist function also scans the road for solid and broken lines.It automatically brakes a wheel to avoid crossing solid lines and alerts the driver with a vibration in the steering wheel if they are veering over a broken line. If the system detects oncoming traffic in that situation, it also brakes a corner to bring the Mercedes back into its lane. A five-star rating from ANCAP is pretty much guaranteed.The four-cylinder models are expected to account for the vast majority of E-Class sales and the performance from the lightweight engines is more than acceptable. The pair of 250 engines - the entry level E200petrol wasn’t available at the international launch in Spain - pull the 0-100km/h sprint in around 7.5 seconds.The E220 CDI is the diesel price-leader to take on BMW's 520d, which heads 5 Series sales. The E250 diesel is the pick, courtesy of an expected $95,000 price backed by 500Nm that gives a decent shove in the seat at any speed.Step up to the hybrid and the reward comes in even less fuel use. The diesel-electric system adds around 100kg but still uses just 4.1 litres over 100km. That weight can be felt in the wagon over badly broken roads, where there’s a muted bang over seriously big bumps. We’re reserving judgment on that until we can try the car on local roads but around town the behaviour is impeccable.The E400 is a weapon and it’s only the sound from the bi-turbo V6 that gives away you’re not in a V8. The electric steering now has more weight at speed without sacrificing feel and makes the mid-sized car a lively vehicle when the road starts to wind.

As the mist parted to reveal the road snaking away along the side of the cliffs in Spain, it was easy to believe I had died and gone to heaven. Classic roads such as these near the famous Montserrat Abbey perched in the mountains above Barcelona are tailor-made for drivers and our V8-powered AMG super car was certainly up to the task- rarely do the two intersect.The roar of the big high revving V8 cannoned off the rock face that towered above us as the car powered from corner to corner. Thank you God!Australians love their fast cars and it doesn't get much better than this. You get more power and torque than before, but unfortunately we miss out on the new all-wheel drive system. Like Benz's small GLK soft roader, the 4MATIC system was never designed for right hand drive which is kind of silly really. In this model the previous AMG Performance Pack has morphed into a fully-blown 'S' model with even more power and torque, as well as plenty of other goodies.No word on pricing yet, but these cars aren't cheap and, when you see the engineering that goes into them - you can understand why (the current model starts at $240,000). But that still leaves plenty of room for options like the amazing 1200 watt, 14 speaker Bang and Olufsen sound system.AMG is to Benz as HSV is to Holden, with AMG accounting for almost 8 per cent of Benz sales in Australia - one of the highest proportions in the world. Based on the new, facelifted E-Class, the AMG model features a single front facia design, unlike the donor car which offers two, along with the new single headlight cluster that employs LEDs to create the effect of twin lights - a hallmark of the car for three generations.It features a 48mm wider track at he front for improved handling, the front and rear bumpers have also been redesigned, with further cosmetic changes to distinguish the more powerful S model from its sibling, including larger wheels and red brake calipers.Inside there's plenty of logos and the S features contrast stitching on the leather plus contrasting silver coloured seatbelt webbing. Although the cars are limited to 250km/h the speedometer reads all the way to 320.Benz is renowned for safety and this car maintains that reputation, with a host of safety systems amalgamated under the heading of Intelligent Drive. Automatic braking is standard, to prevent rear enders as well as avoiding pedestrians and cameras/sensors provide a 360 degree view around the car looking up to 50 metres ahead, and even warning of traffic approaching from either side.Benz claims the 5.5-litre bi-turbo V8 is the most efficient series production V8 in the world. There's two models, both with the same size engine, but one with 410kW/720Nm and the other with 430kW/800Nm.In left hand drive form, it is also offered with all-wheel drive, split 33:67 front to back, potentially giving the car more grip and faster acceleration. To wit the all-wheel drive, 4MATIC S is able to dispatch the dash from 0-100km/h in a Ferrari-like 3.6 seconds.The rear-wheel drive S version that we are getting is good for 3.8-3.9 seconds - it hasn't been tested yet. While the rear-drive 410kW version is good for 4.2 seconds. Top speed of both cars is limited to 250km/h.18 inch wheels with 255/285 rubber are standard, while the S adds 19s with the same size tyres but with lower profiles, along with a rear diff lock - further aiding in putting all that power to ground.Both models are hooked up to an automatic, AMG Speedshift MCT 7-speed sports transmission, with paddle shifters, that blips the throttle on down changes, together with electro-mechanical variable speed sensitive steering.Start/stop is standard (but can be turned off) and the driver can select from a number of drive modes and the suspension is also adjustable, with air dampers holding up the rear.Despite the increase in power, the 410kW model consumes the same 9.8 litres/100km as its 386kW predecessor, while the 430kW model is expected to consume a fraction more - it too hasn't been tested.Basically, the car could still do with more grip. When you're pushing out this much power, the difference between 410 or 430kW is difficult to quantify, certainly well beyond our knowing.Suffice to say the E63 is mighty quick in either configuration, either off the line, in a straight line or through the twisty bits, as we discovered - although the latter requires some finesse. The sound and feel of the big V8 is almost tangible, especially in sport mode with the exhaust baffles fully open. The throaty roar from the quad pipes sounds like the hounds of hell themselves are approaching.We got to drive both the rear wheel drive 410kW model and top of the line all-wheel drive 430kW S model - both of them sedans. Just like previous E63 that we drove the back has a tendency to step out unless you're careful - traction control or no traction control. And the smaller 18 inch wheels on the standard car don't help matters.After a bit of trial and error we found the best way to drive the car, in fact the only way - is fast in and slow out of corners, braking deep and letting the car complete its turn and straighten up before hitting the throttle again. The beefy AMG brakes are superb but can be upgraded to ceramic discs if desired, at considerable cost however.Even with all-wheel drive to keep the car in check you need to remain watchful. At one point we pulled out to overtake, which can be accomplished in a nanosecond, and the car almost snapped sideways into the car we were trying to pass as we tromped the throttle.

Heads up because the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class touches down in Australia in six months. And, while it does not look or feel radically different from the current model, you get the feeling there has been a changing of the guard.The V8 powered E500, previously the top of the E-Class tree, has been unceremoniously dumped - consigned to an earlier time when fuel consumption and/or its detrimental effects on the environment were not the priority they are these days. To hammer home the point, the E-Class line up will also include a hybrid for the first time - and not just any old hybrid . . . but a diesel one.Benz hasn't revealed any prices yet. That won't happen until closer to the Australian launch in August. But expect prices to be "assertive'' to use their words, which in some cases might mean cheaper than the model it replaces.Benz is keen to deliver more E-Class sales and the way to do this is to kit out the car with better engines, more tech and a longer list of standard equipment. Prices for the current range start at just under $80,000 - expect the new E-Class to be close if not slightly less than this figure.Safety features are something the company is loathe to skimp on and automatic braking, to prevent costly rear-enders in traffic - is sure to be standard.One of the biggest changes has been the consolidation of the twin front lights into a single headlight cluster. It has been a hallmark of the car for three generations and was the subject of much discussion prior to its introduction.Suffice to say Benz has managed to create a twin light effect, using LED technology to separate the one light into two distinct groups instead. You wait until you see it.The other big change is the adoption of two front facias, just like Benz has done with the smaller C-Class - Elegance and Avantgarde. There's no prizes for guessing which style will be most popular with Aussies, where Avantgarde outsells the more conservative Elegance look with its raised Benz three-pointed star at a rate of almost 10 to 1.Five stars for sure. Benz wrote the safety book when it comes to technology. It doesn't get any safer than this, with the usual fare, including multiple airbags and electronic traction and stability control - plus a long list of standard/optional safety features.They include the aforementioned steering assist, high beam assist and rear ender prevention. The latter detects the presence of pedestrians up to a speed of 50km/h, at which point it will stop the car automatically and quicker than you could ever hope to do so yourself.The chance of injury continues to be lessened up to a speed of 72km/h - after which you're on your own. The high-beam assist system is so new Benz it hasn't even been seen in the S-Class yet, and the company is faced with the daunting task of having to talk the Government into it - there's just no rules to accommodate it.The system is able to dip the all-LED head lights, but only in a narrow gap around an on-coming car - not completely (maintaing the driver's view of the road ahead). Also a combination of radar/cameras and ultra-sonic sensors create a 360 degree safety envelope, 50 metres around the car which can even warn of traffic entering the path of the car from either side.We'll be getting three petrol, two diesel and one hybrid model. There's the E200 four cylinder petrol model, the entry to the range with 135kW of power, 300Nm of torque and fuel consumption of 6.0 litres/100km, the E250 four cylinder petrol with 155kW/350Nm/6.1 litres/100km, and the new E400 Bi-Turbo 3.0-litre petrol V6 with 245kW/480Nm/7.7 litres/100km.The entry level diesel is the four cylinder 250CDI, with 150kW/500Nm/5.2 litres/100km, the V6 E350 Bluetec with 185kW/620Nm/5.7 litres/100km and the four cylinder E300 Bluetec Hybrid, with 170kW/750Nm/4.4 litres/100km.The latter is basically the same engine as the E250 CDI with the addition of an electric motor to give it some extra oomph and to reduce fuel consumption. The wagon will be available withe the E250 CDI diesel, as well as the E400 Bi-Turbo V6 - but the jury is still out on whether there will be an AMG version of the wagon - Benz only sold five last year.Details of the coupe and cabriolet will not be revealed until closer to launch later in the year. All are hooked up to a 7-speed automatic in Australia and all are fitted with fuel-saving stop/start technology.We got to drive three of the models at the international launch of the E-Class this week in Spain. The E250 CDI diesel is expected to be the biggest seller in the range again and deservedly so with 500Nm of torque, for most people all you'll need.The Hybrid with its extra power and lower fuel consumption figures could be a sleeper, providing the same kind of performance, if a little smoother - depending of course on the price. The E400 Bi-Turbo petrol V6 while not quite as quick off the line as the V8, at 5.3 versus 4.9 seconds for the 0-100km/h dash is pretty damn good and will go head-to-head with BMW's twin turbo six - something that has been lacking until now.It won't be anywhere near as expensive either - but it's still a big hop, step and a jump up to an AMG for a V8. Benz says the percentage of diesels it sells is now close to 50 percent in E-Class, but drive the Bi-Turbo V6, with its satisfying snarl and rapid throttle response and you won't want to give it back - trust me.

With an attractive design and plenty of perks, Kia’s Optima Platinum looks to be a great, stylish family sedan, with plenty of creature comforts inside. But with all the attention to the appearance, has the drive been compromised? The Optima Platinum 2.4-litre petrol comes in at $38,790, with ABS, ESC, HAC, sat nav, seven-inch full touch colour LCD screen, 18-inch alloy wheels, full size alloy spare, rear view camera with mirror display and parking guidelines, smart key with push button start, leather trim seats, eight-way power driver’s seat with lumbar support, paddle shifters, panoramic sunroof, leather-wrapped steering wheel with cruise and audio controls, 12-volt power outlets, cooling glove box, iPod compatibility, Bluetooth, external amp, centre speaker, sub-woofer, and dual-zone climate control.The front-wheel drive, six-speed automatic Optima produces 148kW @6,300rpm and 250Nm@4,250rpm. The official fuel combined is 7.9L/100km, urban is 11.2L/100km. We found 6.9L/100km on the motorway, 10.6L/100km fuel combined, and a startling 14.9L/100km urban.From the black chrome Schreyer radiator grille, to the sports bumpers, dual chrome tip rear muffler, and tinted glass, the Optima looks strong and sporty. Internally alloy pedals, alloy door scuff panels with illumination, paddle shifters, and leather-trimmed seats add to that feel. The dash is tilted toward the driver, and while that may make sense in the driver’s ability to access the sat nav, it does make the dash feel lopsided, forcing front passengers to reach around to access controls.This mid-size sedan has comfortable seats all around, and the middle seat flips down to an armrest with cup holders. The boot provides a good 505 litres of storage. Folding the back seats down gives you more room, but the functionality is limited by the small opening in the back panel, making it hard to slide large objects in through the boot.The Optima looks good, and along with the Platinum’s addition of a panoramic sunroof, ventilated driver’s seat, and front seat warmers, there are plenty of perks.The Optima has an impressive five-star ANCAP safety rating, with ABS, ESC, HAC, driver and front passenger, front side, and curtain SRS airbags, side door impact beams, active front headrests, and impact sensing auto door unlocking.The Optima has plenty going for it, it has a great external design, comfortable interior, and it’s about ready to check all the boxes, but somewhere along the way they compromised drivability for comfort. Bumps are smooth, cornering is stable with good grip, but our main gripe is how poorly the Optima handles in wet weather. Even with ESC engaged, we were struggling to gain traction during an afternoon summer storm.For the look of the vehicle and the 148kW and 250Nm you’d expect a bit more oomph, but the Optima feels heavy. Paddle shifters give you that extra sports feel, and the quicker manual gear changes helps alleviate some of that sluggish feel.Blind spots in the front, sides, and back are partially reduced by the parking sensors, but without them tight parking spots would be difficult. It was a shame the driving wasn’t sharper overall. Like we said, the Optima has a lot going for it, it’s a looker, but needs some fine tuning in the drivability. For a drive that matches the level of design, you may have to wait for the Optima Turbo to hit our shores.A well-designed, comfortable sedan that unfortunately doesn’t drive quite as well as it looks.

The Toyota’s Camry and Aurion are built in Melbourne and have many changes from the original Japanese design to suit them to our local driving conditions and Australian drivers’ tastes.

Canberra is no Le Mans and the road leading to Parliament House is certainly no Mulsanne Straight. No matter, Audi used the national capital to launch its race-bred turbocharged diesel engine in Australia.Audi now features diesel power in all segments but the R8, with diesel sales last year taking up 43 per cent of the Australian market. The A6 already has a strong TDI presence in the market, with 53 per cent of buyers favouring an oil burner. The biturbo pair will be joined later this year by the SQ5 high-performance SUV.VALUEThe fuel efficiency places both models under the luxury car tax threshold of 7.0 litres per 100 kilometres, allowing Audi to gain a distinct price advantage over rivals. The A6 sedan has a manufacturer’s list price of $118,800, while the A7 Sportback carries an MLP of $148,600.Both vehicles share many features with other high-end Audis. For example, the A6 sedan includes18-inch alloy wheels in 10-spoke V design, Audi drive select with efficiency mode, Audi music interface and Audi parking system with rear-view camera.Bose surround sound leads the way for a Bluetooth interface with music streaming, electric front seats are clothed in Milano leather and have driver memory function, MMI Navigation plus features retractable screen and touch pad and Xenon plus headlights show the way at night, while an electric sunroof brings enjoyable weather outside inside.The A7 Sportback adds 19-inch alloy wheels in 10-spoke design, while four-zone deluxe air-conditioning puts occupants seated on premium quality Valcona leather upholstery at ease.TECHNOLOGYThe new 230 kW 3.0-litre TDI biturbo V6, which owes much of its high performance technology to the Le Mans 24 Hour-winning Audi engine, can now be found in the A6 sedan and A7 Sportback.‘Fast and frugal’ is the biturbo byword with both vehicles sprinting to 100 km/h from rest in a tick over five seconds – making the A6 sedan, at 5.1 seconds, the quickest diesel-powered vehicle in Australia – and fuel consumption down at 6.4 litres per 100 kilometres with carbon dioxide emissions of 169 g/km.In the process, a sound actuator in a side channel of the exhaust orchestrates a glorious symphonic note in tune with the robust performance of the cars. Essentially a loudspeaker, the instrument produces a sonorous accompaniment to engine revs rising all the way to 5200 rpm. Further ‘philharmonic’ is carried into the passenger cabin via the vibrating windscreen which dances to the deep-throated note of the motor when hurried along. Nothing ‘largo’ here.The heart and soul of the pair is the biturbo engine, which features, as its title suggests, two water cooled turbochargers connected in series. A switchover valve directs intercooled air to a small turbo at low revs, with a large charger performing pre-compression. From 2500 rpm, or thereabouts, the valve begins to open and the small charger shifts most of its workload to its big brother. Between 3500 and 4000 rpm the valve opens fully, the large charger taking on all the work.The engine itself has come in for modifications, with the cylinder head cooling, the timing and lift of the intake cam shafts, the pistons and their oil jet cooling all being improved. A special coating reduces the friction of the piston pins, while plate honing and laser exposure, are used during the fabrication of the engine block at the plant in Gyor, Hungary.The common-rail fuel system develops up to 2000 bar of pressure and injects as many as eight partial amounts of fuel into the cylinder. The regulated oil pump and the water pump have been optimised for maximum efficiency. The top-of-the-line TDI provides peak torque of 650 Nm from 1450 to 2800 rpm.DRIVINGAt idle, the ‘dieselness’ (i.e. the distinctive rattle) of the engine is indiscernible, but tramp on the pedal and the ‘orchestra’ fires up through the aforementioned exhaust sound system. Wagner would have approved. A heavy foot once or twice had the engine hesitant to respond, which we put down to the electronics of engine management rather than turbo lag.An eight-speed Tiptronic transmission and quattro all-wheel drive make sure both biturbos are model performers in either bustling city driving or on the open road, a fact that was borne out by a launch test drive between Canberra and Sydney. Parking is a breeze thanks to front and rear cameras, and electric tailgate operation makes for easy access to a generous cargo area, the latter being a welcome feature of both vehicles.VERDICTThe state-of-the-art technology results in immensely powerful performance.MODEL LINE-UPA6 3.0 TDI quattro 230 kW sedan: $118, 800A7 3.0 TDI quattro 230 kW Sportback: $148,600Audi A6 TDI QuattroPrice: from $118,800 driveawayWarranty: 3 years/unlimited kmEngine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl, 230kW/650NmTransmission: 8-speed auto, AWDBody: 4915mm (L); 1874mm (w); 1455mm (h)Weight: 1790kgThirst: 6.4L/100km 169g/km CO2Audi A7 TDI QuattroPrice: from $148,600Warranty: 3 years/unlimited kmEngine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl, 230kW/650NmTransmission: 8-speed auto, AWDBody: 4969mm (L); 191mm (w); 1420mm (h)Weight: 1850kgThirst: 6.4L/100km 169g/km CO2

I believe this is the Japanese marque's best-kept secret, a delight to drive, both hard and easy, to own and to keep. Alas, I had to return the test car, but the 350 proved to me how enticing and liveable the mid-range IS model is.It certainly is a step above the base 250 version and provides more than adequate performance without a costly move further up the ladder to the wild V8-powered IS-F. It's a convincing luxury model that is not only fast and fun on twisty roads but sharply priced too.The 350 is well worth the jump of about $5000 for the Prestige and F Sport and $8500 for the flagship Luxury Sports from the IS 250. The key is the brilliant 3.5-litre V6 engine, far stronger than the 2.5 and better suiting the car. I reckon the IS is the best looking of the Lexus range, with a very clean and sleek design.The Sports Luxury is $87,700 drive away and stacked with gear.Standard equipment on the Sports Luxury are satellite navigation, electronic stability control, eight airbags, HID head lamps with cleaners, LED daytime running lamps (DRL), multi-spoke 18-inch alloy wheels, reversing camera with sensors, Bluetooth, multi-information display, leather trim and ventilated and heated front seats. Also standard are body kit, power-adjustable IS F-style sport seats with drivers' memory function, power tilt and telescopic steering column adjustment, auto-retract and self-dimming exterior mirrors, rain-sensing windscreen wipers, Mark Levinson 14-speaker premium audio system, active cruise control, Lexus pre-collision safety system (PCS), smart start-stop and woodgrain-look trim.Many of these standard items are costly optional extras in rivals from Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.The $5000 or $8500 extra (depending on the model) for the bigger engine is well worth the extra dosh. It's a superb powerplant with 233kW of power and 378Nm of toque. It zips to 100km/h in just 5.6 seconds.It is remarkably fast and smooth. The engine note has a quiet growl that grows on you and adds to the refinement. Indeed, on smooth roads there is virtually no noise at all from the road, the engine or the wind, although coarse bitumen does transmit into the cabin.The linear power delivery helps hide the car's speed and a close eye needs to be kept on the speedo. This lovely powerplant spins smoothly all the way through to 6600rpm. There is no low-down surge of a forced induction engine and no kick at the top end of other naturally aspirated engines.This will be a big plus for some drivers who enjoy winding the engine out. The six-speed automatic is not the world's fastest shifter, but it is more than adequate. Lexus has fitted the IS 350 with steering wheel-mounted paddles that are fun to play with.Even better, the transmission has been designed to not change up until you want it too, which is not the case with rivals. On tight, incredibly twisty sections, the IS revelled in the corners, but they also emphasised that the 350 rides over bumps pretty well. The suspension was firm and yet it was quite comfortable over lumpy bits.It allows for more body movement that you might expect from a dedicated sports model. It also means the IS350 leans a little more in turns. It doesn't wallow around, but doesn't sit as flat as a comparable German, although rides a lot better.The steering is not the sharpest in the class, but it is not too bad either. The interior is similar to the previous model and is probably just what you would expect from a car in this price range, although there is more standard gear in here than is offered by competitors.Delightful touches, such as the orange rings on the inside ring of speedo and tacho that glow when you go past a certain speed or rev point are pleasing to see. The seats are great and support the upper body well, but your bottom can start to slide off the flatter seat squab that has less pronounced bolsters.The steering wheel is sporty without being overly chunky with just the right number of buttons for functions such as the phone and stereo. The cruise control system is an additional lever below the indicator stalk - a bit old-fashioned these days.One glaring anomaly is the foot-operated parking brake. Definitely a no-no when others offer simple electronic push button systems. A large and centrally located standard satellite navigation is welcome as is the rich sound of the Mark Levinson sound system.The IS 350 is a five-seater with the two outer rear seats shaped to support those occupants. There is a reasonable amount of head and legroom in the back and the IS has quite a spacious boot.The IS 350 is the pick of the Lexus range and offers good value compared to newer rivals from BMW (3 Series), Audi (A4) and Mercedes-Benz (C-Class). It's now the oldest in the class, which shows in areas such as the foot-operated parking brake and the tighter rear seat room.But the styling hasn't aged and it's a commonsense car with a lot of good value when rivals cost more, particularly when you have to pay more for the extras that are standard in the Lexus. It looks nice as well as aggressive with the mild body kit, without getting too carried away. However, the LED daytime running lights look like an afterthought and don't flow with the design.The addition of the IS 350 adds some muscle to the IS range and provides the perfect model for customers who find the IS 250 a bit underdone but cannot stump up the considerable additional cash required for the V8 IS-F.It's fast but not so furious, is still fun on the twisty bits and is quite comfortable. Given the strength of the engine and the value of all the standard features, this is a convincing version of the IS. The more I drove it, the more I liked the IS 350. 

Try as it might Volvo can't seem to shake its reputation for being boring and stodgy, even though the company is now part of the Ford empire and its cars are closely related to models carrying the blue oval.NEWUnder the Ford banner the cars carrying the Volvo slash are a far cry from the old Volvos, but still it seems the Volvo badge is enough to deter possible buyers from stopping off at its dealerships when out shopping for a prestige car.Take, for instance, the mid-sized S60 sedan, which is a well equipped, decent driving, attractive car by any measure, and yet it struggles for traction against rivals from BMW and Audi and the like that are the new aspirational makes.With the choice of front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive the S60 chassis is capable of handling any type of road that comes its way with impressive aplomb. Equipped with ABS brakes and stability control there are no situations it can't deal with safely. Show it a flowing road and it comes up trumps.Not only does it handle impressively it also rides well, soaking up all sorts of road surfaces without fuss. If it drives nicely it also looks good with its distinctively Volvo front, smooth flowing lines and athletic profile.There's a good choice of petrol and diesel engines to give you the performance or economy you want, starting with a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol four through to a turbocharged 3.0-litre V6, with a couple of five-cylinder turbo-diesels in the midst of the range. Some criticised the auto transmission, which was said to be slow reacting and was often found wanting in its gear selection.NOWThe S60 released in 2010 is still relatively new to the market having been on the road for only a couple of years or so, so it's to be expected that there will be few reports of problems and our research with Volvo service specialists suggest that there is little to report at this stage of the car's life.Even though it's early days for the S60 it's still important that any car under consideration for purchase be checked for condition. It would be unusual for a car so new to be neglected when it comes to servicing, but it's still better to check its service record rather than assuming it has been done. Check inside and out for any signs of wear and tear that might bring the value down.It's also worth mentioning at this stage that with the Volvo brand on the nose with many people, rightly or wrongly, the resale value can be adversely affected. That applies equally when you're buying and when you are selling.It also needs to be noted that the S60 doesn't have a spare wheel, and there's no provision for carrying one. The only option is to carry a can of puncture repair foam.SMITHY SAYSLook beyond the brand and you'll find a decent car in the S60. Take a look.Volvo S60Price new: $51,990 to $69,990Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo, 132 kW/240 Nm; 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo, 177 kW/320 Nm; 3.0-litre V6 turbo, 224 kW/440 Nm; 2.0-litre 5-cyl turbo-diesel, 120 kW/400 Nm; 2.4-litre 5-cyl turbo-diesel, 151 kW/420 NmTransmission: 6-speed auto, FWD, AWDEconomy: 7.4 L/100 km (T4), 8.6 L/100 km (T5), 10.2 L/100 km (T6), 5.9 L/100 km (D3), 7.1 L/100 km (D5)Body: 4-door sedanVariants: T4, T5, T6, D3, D5Safety: 5-star ANCAPCOMING UPHave you bought a Great Wall ute? If so tell us what you think of it by sending your comments to Graham Smith at grah.smith@bigpond.com or Carsguide, PO Box 4245, Sydney, NSW, 2010.

The Japanese car maker has set the sights of its flagship passenger car range at entry level BMW 3 Series, Audi's A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class models.

Where have they been hiding this little gem? The mid-range 328i replaces the previous 325i sedan and is powered by a turbocharged four instead of a six. Not only is it cheaper than the 325 it's also more powerful and uses less fuel. What's not to like? VALUE Built-in BMW sportiness. Priced from $65,900 standard