Sedan Reviews

John Travolta and Nicholas Cage turned things upside down in the action blockbuster "Face Off". Now they could easily star in an automotive re-make of the movie, if Lexus and BMW hadn't already filled their starring roles.Just as Travolta went from nasty to nice and Cage went cop to crook in Face Off, Lexus and BMW have traded places in 2012. The Germans have gone soft and cushy with the latest 3 Series and, after driving a lineup of disguised Lexus prototypes this week in the USA, I feel that the new IS is probably now the ultimate driving machine.This is my second deep dive with Lexus - after a preview drive of the GS last year - but landing in Los Angeles I'm aware that the new IS is the most important car in the history of Lexus.The original LS400 was a bigger gamble, but this is the car that must bring younger buyers to the brand and finally give Lexus a prestige starter car that's more than just nice, but... Lexus knows it too, which is why chief engineer Junichi Furuyama has only brought F Sport versions of his IS to LA and only seems interested in the way the car drives.There is nothing about comfort or quietness in his short, sharp, presentation and he only talks about the back-seat space when I raise the obvious question. "When developing the new IS, we set ourselves the target to be the best fun-to-drive car," Furuyama says. "We believe we were able to achieve that." He talks about driving harmony and fun, as well as the car's "flavour", before a brief technical rundown.The IS lineup is basically unchanged, although there is now a hybrid model - still to be confirmed for Australia - and the IS-F could change into an upcoming IS coupe. There is nothing to report on prices because the car will not be stripped of its camouflage until the Detroit motor show in January and Australian deliveries do not begin until the second half of next year.Still, based on Toyota's red-pen work this year on the showroom stickers of the all-new 86 and Corolla, it would be no surprise to see a slight drop from the current base prices of $55,800 for the IS250 and $64,300 for the IS350.Also, I cannot comment on the final finishing, or the equipment, because the various prototypes were still some way from showroom standard and almost everything in the cabins was covered with metres of black tape.A similar IS was well beaten by the Benz C and BMW 3 in my prestige comparison earlier this year and I'm reminded of the outdated cabin, cramped back seat and suspension that makes the car feel a bit skittish.But the new IS is improved in many, many areas, finally getting a useable back seat and a much bigger boot. It's two ticks there.The cabin space is a huge improvement with better-shaped front seats. The wheelbase is out by 75 millimetres but there is 90 more in the back-seat space, and even the door opening has been enlarged for easier access. The view from the back bench is also helped by front seats that are set 20 millimetres lower, although that was done to improve comfort in the front. Oh, and the boot is about 20 per cent larger.The hole in the dashboard points to a 20-centimetre display screen, the new switches and stalks feel more substantial, and Lexus promises a review-camera across the local lineup.It gets 10 airbags and a standard reversing camera with parking radar.The IS is basically new - "about 80 per cent of the parts" - but shares its mechanical package and suspension layout with the bigger GS. That means rear-wheel drive with more travel and control, but the basic body is much more rigid.It has a system that plumbs engine intake noise into the cabin during enthusiastic driving. Among the claimed improvements for driving enjoyment are lighter steering, better Bridgestone tyres, softer springs and rear suspension that separates the springs from the dampers.There is now an eight-speed automatic gearbox with various driving modes, and the gauges are a new take on the impressive TFT layout in the Lexus LF-A super car.The cars are waiting and the first job is a couple of track laps in the superseded IS, just to set the ground rules. Onto the track and the new transmission is more aggressive in its response, the front end grips better and the car sits a little flatter through the curves.So I step up to the camo 350 and find more of the same, with extra urge of course, and a bit more compliance in the rear suspension. But it's the road drive that will provide the real answers, so we hit the freeway and head for the hills. Literally.The IS250 is immediately quieter than I remember - Furuyama confirms big cuts to wind and road noise - and the eight-speed auto is great. As the road turns twisty the IS responds in the way I used to expect from a BMW. It responds eagerly to the wheel and drives confidently through turns.The IS350 is not as precise - with an extra 30 kilograms in the nose - but the extra punch makes any short straight a fun run. I also enjoy the LF-A-style instruments and the multi-mode automatic, which responds almost like a manual in the sportiest setting.So I'm convinced. These are real driving cars for people who take their motoring seriously, but they also have the sort of practical improvements that are essential for the long-flawed IS. Yes, the IS could do with more punch as both a 250 and a 350, I'm not a fan of plumbing engine noise into the cabin, and one of the suspension set-ups is significantly better for grip and comfort.But those are relatively small things. Overall it's a great drive. There was a time when the IS was really just a tweaked Toyota, but the new cars have grown up and improved in so many ways. Now I'm waiting to get the 'real' car out from under the camo and onto some home roads to ensure I have the story right. But, right now, it looks to me as if the BMW benchmark batton has been snitched by the IS.A one-day run is not enough for a final verdict, but I have rarely pushed a car as hard as I did in the California canyons - or hustled as enthusiastically as I did on a closed course at the Santa Anita raceway - without finding something big to complain about.

SIX figures mean a lot on a sales chart. Mazda has fast-tracked its new Mazda 6 to ensure the brand tallies more than 100,000 in a calendar year for the first time.

The Liberty has always stood tall in the Subaru family and now the popular sedan stands even taller – 50 mm to be precise. That’s the extra ground clearance given to the Model Year 2013 Liberty 2.5X and 3.6X.So what does the extra 50 mm do besides easing ‘driveway anxiety’ in the suburbs or giving ‘country comfort’ on bad road surfaces in the bush? It gives the Liberty X a stately bearing – a ‘chest out, shoulders back, head held high’ sort of stance.VALUEComfort extends to the interior with electrically adjustable and heated front seats – the driver’s seat with memory – McIntosh audio system, one-touch lane change indicator, electroluminescent gauges with full-colour multi-function display, auto lights and wipers, Bluetooth and USB connection.Subaru’s innovative EyeSight driver assist system puts the pair up against vehicles deep in luxury car territory far beyond the $44,490 price tag of the Liberty 2.5X, or $55,990 sticker for the Liberty 3.6X.TECHNOLOGYThe 2.5-litre engine with 123 kW on tap at 5600 rpm, connected to the continuously variable transmission, relished an easy going driving style but ran out of steam when pushed hard.DESIGNDespite the added millimeters in height, getting in and out of the Liberty 2.5X test vehicle is surprisingly easy. In fact it’s probably easier to get into the X than a standard height car if your knees are getting old and stiff.Together with a new design radiator grille and front bumper, plus sporty sills with chrome-style highlights, the Liberty X pair make a handsome statement.The 18-inch alloy wheels – silver with 2.5X, gunmetal on 3.6X – also do their bit to giving the vehicles an elevated position – 200 mm ground clearance. The resultant command driving position gives it outstanding all-round visibility.Cabin décor is up there with the latest looks from the designer’s pen with leather trim and brushed gun-metal grey featured on the centre panel, centre console and steering wheel panel.However, it was the new Liberty’s exterior lines that elicited a surprising amount of positive comment from people who came in contact with the test car. Even the most cynical found little to criticise about the looks.SAFETYSubaru’s five-star crash rating, put both Xs on a pedestal for safety.EyeSight, as the name suggests, keeps an eye out for drivers, warning of potential danger ahead and helping avoid trouble with a series of passive and active safety systems plumbed into the car.Ding! ‘Vehicle ahead has moved’. Drivers are entitled to scoff at this, arguing the ‘Blind Freddy’ point, but there are those who ‘take their eye off the ball’ when their vehicle is stationary in a line of traffic to the annoyance of others behind.Other EyeSight features include adaptive cruise control, lane departure and lane sway warning, pre-collision braking and brake assist, plus pre-collision throttle management, and electronic throttle control.A reversing camera adds a further dimension to the driver’s ability to keep out of trouble with other road users, while satellite navigation provides a measure of certainty when travelling in unknown territory.DRIVINGWith an acceleration time of 10.1 seconds to 100 kilometres per hour from rest the four-cylinder is firmly rooted in the middle ground of its segment.The 3.6X six-cylinder, at 7.3 seconds to the 100 km/h, exhibits more sporting appeal but is it worth the $11,000 premium? It’s likely that fascinating EyeSight system no doubt accounts for a big slice of that extra money for the 3.6X.Positives were the characteristic deep ‘boxer note’ coming from under the bonnet and handling stability, thanks to all-wheel drive, on urban road surfaces that left a lot to be desired.VERDICTUpright citizen; with extra ground clearance, the Liberty 2.5X stands tall in the mid-size sedan segment.

Sitting behind the wheel of BMW's revised flagship car, it occurs that I'm in the wrong seat. I should be where almost all who enter this limo and who don't own/operate one sit: in the voluminous – nay, agoraphobic -- rear compartment.I've rented apartments smaller and less luxurious than the cabin of the updated 7 Series. Yet it's BMW's fond boast that the virtues of its halo car are all within the driving of it. Which strikes one as strange.While Audi can go on about its Le Mans champion inspired R8 supercar and Mercedes-Benz will stroke itself over the exotic SL and SLS series, the brand that bangs on about “sheer driving pleasure” has for its range topper a massive sedan that is, as like as not, chauffeur driven.Still, if you happen to be in want of a $210k-plus four door and you smile rather than wince when the road goes all curvy, here's the limo you're probably looking for.Not for the first time when approaching this part of the Carsguide template does it strike one that the notion of "value" is relative. The revised 7 gets more standard kits and access to a few smart options, a new and entirely irrelevant  hybrid variant, an up-gunned petrol V8, a standard eight speed auto across the range, Start/Stop and economy mode (except 760Li), rear self-levelling air suspension and tarted up satnav and optional Bamg and Olufsen audio system.Prices start at $204,600 for the diesel 730d (and, really, this lookalike is all the 7 Series you'd need if not want). The “volume” 740i and long wheelbase 740Li are $211,500 and $226,500 respectively.The new ActiveHybrid 7 and ActiveHybrid 7L (with the engine from the recently reviewed ActiveHybrid 3) are $222,000 and $237,000. Getting a bit silly now, the V8 750i and 750Li are $281,100 and $297,800 while the sheik's special V12 760Li is all of $391,500.Given the rear seat occupants are likely to be controlling international finance, sudden untimely jolts could have grave consequences for the Dow or the Nikkei.The newly standard self-levelling air suspension for the rear axle could therefore prevent another GFC. All get electric power steering and the ConnectedDrive package of driver assistance, safety, communication and convenience package. Inevitably there's sense of staying abreast of the Joneses about this update, hence the optional parking assistant that all but auto actually parks the massive beast, your inputs confined selecting reverse and spot of accelerator pressure while affording an all-round from above on the 10-inch multimedia screen.The Jones motif continues with the addition if automatic boot opening function. When you, or more likely your man, is standing behind the car with the key fob still in the pocket or handbag, it takes the wave of a foot under the rear bumper sensor to open the lid.Nor is Jeeves, when ordered “home and don't spare the horses”, likely to go crook about the appreciably enhanced performance on offer. Inevitably all engines are claimed to be both more potent and efficient, with Auto Start/Stop shoving its nose in and the addition of the Eco Pro mode for the Driving Experience Control.The new coasting mode decouples the engine when it is overrunning at speeds between 50 and (fancifully for us) 160 km/h, so you freewheel along with minimum juice use. The hybrid drive system combines the 235kW 3.0-litre twin scroll turbo six for a combined output of 260kW/500Nm.That means 0-100km/h in just 5.7 seconds and fuel economy figure of 6.8L/100km. Yet the inline six turbo diesel 730d does better, returning 5.6L/100km - this from a 1900kg limo. The 740i/Li gets the potent turbo 3.0-litre petrol engine that does astonishing service in the M 135i coupe and hatch.If with some half a tonne more to haul the 235kW/450Nm doesn't sparkle as such it still registers a 5.7 second sprint time and fuel use that at 7.9L/100km betters a Mazda3 Neo. Significant fettling has rendered the most impressive powerplant even more so.Fuel use of the turbo boosted 4.4 V8 has been reduced by a quarter to 8.6L/100km despite putting out 330kW/650Nm to achieve a 4.8 second sprint time. Not a whole lot of point then in range topper's atmo V12, which is barely faster but massively thirstier. But it is the last of its breed - BMW's are now almost all turbo charged.Brighter and cleverer lights fore and aft (which mean you won't be taken for an Audi), a few more colours (don't panic - only monochromes and deep blues), tarted up interiors (reassuringly faux wood trimmed as ever). And ... That's about it.We're talking about a massively muscled up version of the instantly recognisable current BMW paradigm. The two heavy hitters in back have plenty of elbow room and access to Internet or television via tonal screens. Missing, totally subjectively, is the last degree of opulence, that which makes Audi's A8 the car to sit in.A saga in itself, the active and passive safety measures here prove again that while lawmakers and politicians preen themselves on reducing the road toll, it is carmakers that make it nigh on impossible to kill yourself on the road. Yet in several Australian states P-platers continue to be forbidden to drive the safest cars on the planet.The renewed 7 has safety kit of which you can bet most licensing authorities know nothing. The Active Protection Safety package includes Attentiveness Assistant which analyses driving behaviour on the basis of various signals such as steering angle and road speed. Detecting signs of fatigue, it posts a warning in the form of an illuminated coffee cup telling the driver to rest up.Automatic braking kicks in if you're slow to react to an imminent shunt. Following an impact, the car is slowed to a standstill with a maximum deceleration rate of 5 m/s² and its brakes then locked for a further 1.5 seconds to prevent a secondary impact.Optional on all but the workplace models, night vision features a Dynamic Light Spot function to improve early pedestrian detection. At the heart of the Night Vision system is an infrared thermal imaging camera integrated into the kidney grille.A cool feature of ten enhanced LED lights is High-Beam Assistant which enables you to keep full glow on but guides the lights around the car in front and shields them from oncoming  traffic, detecting the former from 400 metres and latter from all of a klick.Difficult not to be impressed by such dynamic dexterity in something that is essentially an engorged sedan, even as you wonder at the point of it. Having driven the previous day an M135i, the same engine is enough here to remove the need for anything greater. Indeed in almost all circumstances it is more than enough.Much the same can be said of the diesel. Though driven briefly, it is worth a buyer testing both sixes. But once sampled it's hard to see past that crisp V8. Turbo enhanced it has torque everywhere, and a penchant for skipping away to license shredding speeds without betraying the least effort, only the red dash glow when the Driving Experience Control is switched to sport mode.No roaring aural report here, that's not what it's about, just a business like growl and a kilometre crushing lope. Which serves only to highlight the 7's uneasy status as the self-proclaimed driving brand's halo car. There are a number of BMW's - not least the new 6 Series variant with its graceful four door coupe lines - that run the same drivetrains and shout success with a good deal more style if not as much function. I suppose some chauffeurs get all the fun.As technically accomplished as you would expect, the 7 isn't enough to make you forget there's no shortage of toys in its price point.

Slingshot. Staggering. Subtle even. The S6 prompts several adjectives - as well as a few terms a number of people consider unsuitable for publication.No wild wings, belly-scraping ride heights or straining at the leash - the fastest S6 ever launched by Audi slides in beneath five seconds for the trip to 100km/h but push a few appropriate buttons within and it might well be hard to believe that it's capable of such ferocious feats.The new Audi S6 starts at $168,900, which is a $30,000 drop from the old V10 car - just 50 will be offered here and there's plenty on the features front to make the pricetag seem a little less steep. The leather-clad interior is comfortable and a quality cabin and it has a head-up display, a Bose infotainment system, digital TV, powered bootlid, heated and power-adjustable front sports seats, quad-zone climate control, side and rear sunblind, satellite navigation, auto-dimming mirrors, parking sensors front and rear, a reversing camera, automatic headlights (with rain-sensing function), rain-sensing wipers, electric automatic park brake and power-adjustable folding exterior mirrors.It sits on 20in alloy wheels with 255/35 Pirelli P-Zero tyres, with a seven-speed auto, adaptive air suspension, LED head and tail lights, auto-dipping high-beam system and the clever quattro sports differential.The heart of this executive machine is a four-litre V8, fed by two twin-scroll turbos to produce 309kW and 550Nm, the former hanging around from 5500 to 6400rpm and the latter on offer from 1400 through to 5200rpm. The muted but monstrous V8 has a cylinder-dropout  system that shuts down cylinders 2, 3, 5 and 8 whenever the system sees a need, which allows it to lay claim to a frugal (for its performance potential) fuel use figure of 9.6 litres per 100km, a 24 per cent drop on the old 320kW/540Nm V10 (lighter yet slower) S6.Getting all that grunt to ground in the new car is a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and a rear-biased (but variable) quattro all-wheel drive system that includes the clever rear diff. The quattro sports rear differential delivers drive to both rear wheels as required, which gives the S6 phenomenal drive out of corners. The adaptive air suspension varies the damping and ride height according to driver preference (unless left to its own devices in auto mode) and delivers a much improved ride quality - not brittle and wooden like some of its Audi S-car forebears.Also on offer is a start-stop fuel-saving system, active engine mounts to counteract the vibrations developed in four-cylinder mode (it works well) and an active noise control system that cancels unwanted cabin noise (detected via tiny microphones hidden in the vehicles headlining).Sharply-cut, the A6 foundation vehicle is given a subtle tailoring to quietly suggest to those at the traffic lights that they really shouldn't bother. The S6 has a twin dual-pipe exhaust set-up either side of a small under-bumper diffuser, a tiny bootlid rear spoiler, alloy mirror housings, ample front air intakes and a wheel-tyre package that ups the styling ante just enough.Five stars from NCAP are worn by the alloy and steel A6 and have been for more than a few years, so the S version is a fair chance of doing similar things - it has the presafe accident preparation system, tyre pressure monitoring, dual front, front and rear side and full length curtain airbags. The all-wheel drive system, stability and traction control and anti-lock system for the six-piston front, single-piston rear brakes all add to the bank-vault feeling of security on the road.I slid into the comfy "tombstone" sports seats expecting two things - serious straight line speed, a haycart ride quality and no feel through the steering. The new S6 was more than happy to oblige on the first count - floor it and the melodious but far too remote V8 sings as it slings you toward the middle of next week. The Audi claim for the sprint to 100km/h is 4.6 seconds with anelectronic limit of 250km/h - so I'm told - but there's nothing in the real world to suggest that time is optimistic.The adaptive suspension has been given a whole new dose of smarts that has improved the ride quality - comfort mode is almost exactly that (it's still on the firm side) but even in the dynamic mode there's little about which to complain. The trick rear diff gives the big German an inordinate amount of exit speed - it can feel a little nose heavy on the way into a corner but fires out of them with gusto - so a A-to-B hills drive is completed in double-quick time should the need arise.Sadly, the steering remains inert, although there's better weighting but still an absence of info for the driver, something that is not a complaint when it comes to the instrumentation. The dash and centre stack offers ample functionality without too much confusion, with a top-notch sound system; the MDI cable-connected iPhone didn't want to talk to the sound system, unless it was through the Bluetooth.In cruising or commuting mode, the S6 is quiet, refined and comfortable, with little to betray when it's in four-cylinder fuel economy mode. There's decent rear space, with headroom a little tight for those north of the old six-foot mark, but four adults would have no reason to complain, with climate controls for all four and rear sunscreens for the rear occupants. Bootspace is good at 530 litres, a long but shallow load space that can swallow a solid amount of gear without issue.Extroverts might want to look elsewhere in the Audi range for vehicles that scream to be looked at, but the new S6 is a subtle machine - too demure if you like to hear the orchestral noises that emanate from an engine bay. The pricetag is sharp, there's plenty of gear and it's a seriously swift sedan - there's no excuse for late arrival at meetings in this one.

It isn't by any means lean, but it's certainly mean. The SRT8, pinnacle of the Chrysler 300 range, oozes visual menace. Cherry red paint on the test car caught many eyes and so did the darkened grille and wheels.The foreboding first impression is no illusion. Start it and the mumbling rumble may change your mind about the malevolence within.The aggressive theme continues on the price list. The muscular new 300 halo car is up by only $1000 to $66,000, an increase more than offset by the new model's engine and features upgrades.It sits on 20in wheels and has a 19 speaker (including a subwoofer and 900-watt amp) sound system, electrically adjustable steering, dual zone climate control with rear vents, heated and ventilated seats, heated and cooled front cup holders.The trim is Nappa leather/alcantara, with folding heated and driver's side auto-dimming exterior mirrors, real carbon fibre trim bits, a large sports steering wheel with paddleshifters, trip, sound system, phone and active cruise control buttons.When it comes to cutting edge technology, the bent-eight brigade isn't the first place you usually look. But the SRT8's big 6.4-litre unit up from 6.1 now has variable valve timing and electronic throttle control, as well as upgraded cylinder-dropout system to ease the thirst.The combined cycle figure for 98 RON has dropped from 14.2 to 13L/100km, although the computer showed 15.2 when we handed the car back, somewhat reluctantly, to Chrysler. The growth in cubic capacity means an extra 30kW and 62Nm, giving the SRT8 347kW at 6100rpm, as well as 631Nm about 2000rpm earlier.Unlike the petrol V6, which gets a new ZF eight-speed auto, the musclebound monster of the 300 range retains the "proven'' (their term) five-speed tranny, which delivers reasonable shift quality despite all the forces being exerted. Sport mode sharpens up the controls and the suspension to a level that makes corners more amusing.Other bits worthy of mention include the automatic bi-xenon headlights with auto high-beam dip, rain-sensing wipers, active cruise control, a limited slip diff and the touchscreen complete with performance computer from which the boffins can get all manner of trivial info.The base-car isn't easy to miss and the bodykit and trim extras on the SRT8 don't scream and shout like an overt aftermarket monstrosity, but you'll notice it.Big, square and powerful, the SRT8's xenon/LED lit snout warrants more than a glance in the mirror or from the footpath. The cabin is plush, with plenty of leather and carbon fibre, with the driver presented with a quite large and chunky sports steering wheel to direct the big sedan.High safety praise from US crash-testers for the new 300 range has not yet been endorsed with an NCAP prang, but it comes with dual front, front-side, full-length curtain and a driver's knee, switchable stability and traction control, Brembo four-pot front and rear ventilated discs brakes (that get dried when the wipers are on), a blind spot warning, a tyre pressure monitoring system, rear camera, parking sensors fore and aft.But the forward collision alert had a false starts, beeping pessimistic warnings when entering a sweeping bend carved through a small hill - it's a tight section of road but the rockface was never in danger of gaining any cherry-red paint.There's something special about the sensation of a very large car leaping away from standstill in a melodious yet maniacal way. Yet sauntering through traffic on a daily basis in the SRT8, it's quiet and almost civilised, quietly slipping through the traffic most of which is having a look at it as well.The ride in normal mode is a little on the wallowy side, particularly through the front end - I was concerned about hitting the front bumps stops on a small speed bump. Subtlety is not the brand's strong point visually or dynamically.The Sport mode tightens the suspension up nicely, not far past the point of day-to-day use it’s only the aggressive transmission mapping that would stop you using this mode all the time. The Chrysler is a rapid machine in a straight line, with the quick-spinning V8 singing sweetly. But corners, even in Sport mode, betray the kerb weight.The Yank is less remote in the steering thanks to the retention of hydraulic assistance but it still falls short of rivals from HSV and FPV. The SRT8 has plenty of good safety gear listed and the active cruise control is worthy of mention for being able to hold a set speed downhill without a car in front - yet another brand who can show Lexus how that's done.

Dropping a smaller engine under the bonnet was never going to save the Ford Falcon. It’s an unpalatable fact of life for our local carmakers that big sedan sales are slumping everywhere from Germany to Geraldton as buyers scale down and step up.What the EcoBoost mill does prove is just how good Ford’s new generation of engines are. Ironically, that’s one of the reasons why the Focus will supplant the Falcon as the Blue Oval’s biggest seller this year. But for those who can’t fit in a Focus, the Falcon’s ride and handling makes it a better option than an SUV.A proven chassis with a responsive, hi-tech engine … what’s not to like? The Falcon can carry five adults in comfort and the boot will swallow more than Matt Preston. It costs the same as the six-cylinder engine - $37,235 in XT guise, rising to $40,835 for the mid-spec G6, with the promise of better fuel use. Carsguide averaged just on 9L/100km in mainly city driving. Space aside, the EcoBoost Falcon will be shopped against everything from the Kia Optima and Mazda6 to the Skoda Superb.The Falcon is showing its age in terms of driving aids and software. The touchscreen is good but there’s no satnav or reversing camera for the XT, though it does have rear parking sensors. Operating the driver’s info displays requires taking the hands off the wheel to reach the buttons mounted either side of the instrument cluster. The rumoured 2014 facelift will bring the interior on a par with the latest Fords, so expect voice-operated control of the sound system and the latest Bluetooth connectivity.This is where the Falcon suffers. It doesn’t look as sporty as its traditional rival, the Commodore. In the past that wasn’t a huge issue, given private buyers would go for the XR models and fleets would take the conservative look. But fleets - and governments - aren’t buying big cars, locally built or otherwise. The cabin needs some highlights to offset what is large area of grey plastics … but that’s what the facelift is for.Size matters in a crash, making the Falcon one of the safer cars to run up against. It has a five-star ANCAP rating and comes with six airbags and ABS with traction and stability control and electronic brakeforce distribution.The EcoBoost makes the six-cylinder redundant, unless buyers need the extra towing capacity - 2300kg against 1600kg. The four-cylinder prefers premium leaded, in which case sub-seven second times to 100km/h are easily within reach. More impressive is the mid-range acceleration and the way the six-speed auto has been calibrated to bring out the EcoBoost’s best.It lopes along at under 2000rpm at 100km/h and a quick dab of the pedal provides instant overtaking response. It's the same at 60 and 80km/h and at any speed this car turns-in better than bigger-engined Falcons, courtesy of the 60kg weight cut over the front wheels. The ride is also near XR levels of firmness but never feels unsettled. the seats need upgrading though - bolstering support is marginal at the cornering speeds the EcoBoost is capable of.

Despite being a contradiction in terms, the four door coupe look has legs with a few manufacturers going down that path including Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai. Most notable is the arresting Benz CLS that really lit the wick for this type of car more than a decade ago.VALUENow sporting the square-set VW front and rear end styling, CC cuts a fine silhouette on the road from all angles and backs this up with a level of luxury not often seen this side of $100 grand.But the CLS spells big bucks unlike the Volkswagen CC - a similar style car but at an affordable starting price of $54,990 for the front wheel drive 2.0Tdi we drove. There's also an all wheel drive 3.6 litre V6 petrol model at ten grand more - still a bargain in the greater scheme of things.It used to be called the Passat CC but that's now been abbreviated to simply CC - just like corn chips. But there's nothing corny about the VW CC - it's the real deal and a sheer delight - to look at and to drive.FEATURESGoodies include Nappa leather upholstery, a high tech Satnav system, rear view camera, premium audio with a multi device interface, comprehensive trip computer, dual Bluetooth, auto bi-xenon headlights, paddle shift, adaptive cruise and plenty more. The test car also came with Driver Assistance Package that features lane assist, side assist with steering intervention (yes), adaptive cruise and front and rear emergency braking.We were taken aback by the level of intervention all this equipment can deliver when activated. It will actually steer you away from the sides of the road if you stray, it will stop the car if you miss a stationary object in front, it will maintain a pre-selected distance behind a leading car over  a wide variance of speeds.Where does it all end? Cars will drive themselves we reckon - and not too far into the future.TECHNOLOGYThe CC runs a 2.0-litre turbodiesel four cylinder engine we've seen in numerous other VW products, with, in this case, a six-speed (DSG) dual clutch manumatic driving the front wheels through an extended locking differential (XDL) similar to that in the Golf GTi.The transmission is well suited to the engine giving short increments between gears that are selected imperceptibly up and down. There's a sport mode if you want sharper responses.The engine is good for 125kW/350Nm and can get as good as 5.7-litres/100km thanks to extensive use of Bluemotion "eco" technology - brake energy regeneration, auto stop/start optimised aerodynamics, low rolling resistance tyres and other stuff. CC has strong performance and makes minimal noise or vibration.DRIVINGThe ride is sports/luxury, capable yet cossetting, cruisy but corner friendly. Safety is five stars with eight airbags and stability control doing its stuff. On the road it feels luxurious and sporty. You can waft along at the speed limit in a cocoon of near silence. Hit out on secondary roads and it's the same - supple and controlled.The engine delivers strong roll on response thanks in part to 350Nm being available from just 1700rpm. But we found the side assist system caused a disconnected, wandering feeling in the steering. Lucky you can turn it off.The cabin has ample seats for five, slightly compromised in rear headroom , and a large boot replete with a full size alloy spare.Park assist is handy as are the rain sensing wipers and dusk sensing headlights (bi-xenons). We really like the looks of this car - it's a class act inside and out. The interior is right up there with the heavy hitters in the luxury class. It's no sports car but is elegant and stylish from all angles.VERDICTNo need for the V6 because the turbodiesel has plenty in reserve....and the front drive system is capably controlled by that electronic diff.Volkswagen CCPrice:  from $54,990 (diesel), from $64,990 (petrol)Warranty: Three years/unlimited kmResale: 47%Service interval: 15,000km/12 monthsSafety: five starSpare: Full-sizeEngines: 2.0-litre turbodiesel, 125kW/350Nm; 3.6-litre petrol V6, 220kW/350NmTransmissions: Six-speed dual-clutch automatic, FWD (diesel) AWD  (petrol)Weight: 1526kg -1656kgThirst: 5.5 litres/100km diesel, 144g/km CO2; 9.3 litres/100km petrol, 215g/km CO2

The City was designed to meet consumer demand for a fuel efficient small car in Australia but has struggled in the sales department over its four years here.The third generation City first arrived down under in February 2009 and was received moderately by Aussie buyers with 3400 sales for the year. Sales have declined yearly dropping by over half to 1584 in 2011.This year Honda attempted to gain ground by releasing the fifth generation with a new look and a $500 price drop. It’s up against some high sales performers such as the Toyota Yaris, Hyundai i20, Holden Barina and Mazda2.But small sedan buyers still aren’t impressed, with only a dismal 517 sold so far this year -- with only three months to go until the New Year -- compared to the top seller Yaris’ 5465 sales.The price has been reduced to $18,490 manual ($20,490 auto) for the base model VTi. The top spec VTi-L tested here starts at $22,990 and is only available in a five speed auto.It’s kitted with features like 12V auxiliary sockets, CD player, four speaker stereo, iPod and MP3 connectivity, speed dependant volume stereo, remoteless central locking, leather steering wheel, steering wheel controls, electric power steering and fog lamps.The City is based on the Jazz platform and carries the same 1.5 litre four cylinder engine with 88kW of power and 135Nm of torque. The VTi-L has a five speed automatic transmission driven through the front wheels. And the official combined fuel economy is 6.6L/100Km but we got 8.0L/100km.The City has often been nicknamed the “Jazz with a boot” with a spacious 506 litre capacity but there’s more to the design than that. Honda says the City has received a number of new features and styling, such as a new chrome grille and redesigned front and rear bumpers.There’s also a new micro antenna that we found too large on the rear of the small car. However, the overall exterior look of the City is attractive and the silver 16 inch alloy wheels match the exterior chrome detailing well.The interior styling gets shiny “aluminium-look” panels/trims and chrome audio and climate controls. The speedometer is blue and there is light blue stitching on the seats. But the seat upholstery picks up a lot of hair, so if you have a pet you’ll probably have to invest in some seat covers. The inside is spacious enough for five adults and would suit a small family well in the city.It has a five star ANCAP crash rating with front, side and curtain airbags, ABS technology, electronic brake force distribution, brake assist, engine immobiliser, fog lamps and impact absorbing body coloured bumpers.As the name suggests the City is made for city driving. It’s compact enough to manoeuvre through tight laneways, turn sharp corners with ease and fit into tiny parking spots around the CBD.But the overall performance was disappointing and points to the reason behind the dwindling sales. From the first turn of the key the engine was noisy and only increased at higher speeds. The acceleration was poor and hill climbs were sluggish as the 1.5 litre engine struggled to drive the 1140kg weight.We also took the small sedan onto a freeway to test the cruise control. While it held the 110km speed well, the rev-counter flew beyond four thousand and the engine revved loudly, forcing us to drop the speed. The lack of a sixth gear also contributed to the problem, as the extra gear would have reduced the revs and countered the problem.The City isn’t a great drive but it’s practical for anyone living in the city. So if you’re looking for a small sedan that’s small enough to navigate city streets but big enough deal with your daily shopping and errands then the City is worth a look.

Mitsubishi Lancer LX and Ford Focus Ambiente go head-to-head in this comparative review.