Sedan Reviews

If you were leading a marathon at the 35km mark, you’d hardly start to skip sideways to stem the boredom, would you? The Toyota Corolla sedan adheres to a similar formula. If you’ve been winning at what you do for decades, why not keep doing it?So, the small sedan is hardly the most exciting or stylish model on the market, but together with other Corolla bodystyles, it’s led the small car segment for most of the past two decades and even topped the Australian sales charts overall for the past two years. The current Corolla sedan is more distinct than ever from the five-door hatchback version, with a longer body and completely distinct styling. The sedan’s interior is a more appealing place to be than Corollas of the past, and while the materials aren’t quite up to the semi-luxury level of the Mazda 3, they do feel as hardwearing as the Corolla’s reputation for durability suggests.The back seat is a highlight, with an extra 10cm over the hatch’s wheelbase to give it almost as much legroom as a Camry.The boot will hold an equally impressive 470 litres, which expands via a 60/40 split fold, and there’s a full size spare under the floor.The $25,240 SX tested here sits in the middle of the sedan lineup, above the Ascent and below the ZR. SX standard features include a 6.1 inch multimedia screen with embedded apps and a reversing camera, proximity keys, front foglights, extra chrome trim and 16-inch alloys.Like all current Corollas, the SX sedan comes with a 103kW/173Nm 1.8-litre petrol engine, and ours was paired with the optional CVT automatic transmission. You can also get a six speed manual for $2250 less, which is the more refined option if you don’t mind changing your own gears, but it uses nearly half a litre more petrol per hundred on the combined cycle.The Corolla's CVT auto does tend to buzz under acceleration, but extra noise insulation makes it quieter than in the hatch.A wide spread of ratios makes it quite nimble off the mark however, and helps the auto achieve a reasonably fuel efficient 6.6L/100km combined.The 1.8-litre Corolla can’t quite match the performance of the 2.0-litre in the Mazda 3 for similar money, but it does the job for general duties, and will cruise on the highway all day long.The sedan’s 35cm of extra length does make it less nimble around corners than the hatch, and a less direct steering setup requires more input when cornering. However, the extra wheelbase does help create a smoother ride, and the whole package feels more mature than the smaller hatch. All Corollas carry a maximum five star ANCAP safety rating, with dual front, side, driver’s knee and full-length curtain airbags, and the SX sedan comes with front and rear parking sensors.

Chris Riley road tests and reviews the 2015 Peugeot 508 at its Australian launch.

Paul Gover road tests and reviews the Rolls-Royce Ghost with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

Peugeot is one of those brands that go under the radar for most Australians, it's one to which they rarely give any thought of owning, but for comfort and refined road manners the French brand is hard to beat.The 407 was Peugeot's medium-sized offering and came in coupe, sedan and wagon body styles, with a choice of peppy petrol engines and economical diesels.Its lines were elegant, languidly flowing from tip to tail in a wonderful balance of form and function.The coupe was able to accommodate four in comfort, but the more family friendly sedan and wagon had the capacity to transport five.The cabin was spacious, nicely laid-out with comfortable seats and was sublimely quietThere were three equipment levels, the SR budget model, the ST and the SV.All had an impressive range of comfort and convenience features, particularly the higher spec models.The cabin was spacious, nicely laid-out with comfortable seats and was sublimely quiet. The main criticism was a blind spot created by the heavy A-pillars that at times impeded the driver's view.The 407's 2.2-litre four-cylinder petrol engine was a free-revving unit that had sufficient performance for most situations, although at times it had to work hard to get there.For those wanting more than the 2.2-litre engine could muster there was the 3.0-litre V6, which answered the call of most seeking performance.But it's the diesels that were the most popular with 407 buyers, particularly the 2.0-litre turbodiesel, which boasted strong mid-range torque for smooth, flexible driveability, impressive performance, and admirable economy.The 407's suspension was supremely comfortableWith more than 400Nm of torque, the twin-turbo V6 diesel was a powerhouse with an attractive blend of performance and driveability.While there was a six-speed manual gearbox available in the front-wheel 407, the vast majority were sold with automatic transmissions. Early models had a four-speed, but it was later updated to a six-speed across the range.On the road the 407's suspension was supremely comfortable, but at the cost of some handling precision. Anyone wanting the sportiness of a German prestige model should probably look elsewhere for their jollys.Being French the Peugeot needs some getting used to for anyone moving into the brand for the first time. Some people find it quirky, and oddly disconnected, while others find the quirkiness interesting and fun, and the driving experience comfortable and refined.Anyone stepping out of a German car would probably be very disappointed with the somewhat vague ride and handling.Being European the 407 comes with issues that affect most European brands, expensive parts and service spring immediately to mind.The 407 doesn't have any major flaws to noteAnyone thinking of buying a 407 should get on good terms with a mechanic experienced in working on Peugeots. They are usually able to service your car for significantly less than a dealer would, and they should be able to source parts at more affordable prices.For peace of mind it's also worth having a mechanic with specialist Peugeot knowledge check your chosen car for you before purchase.The 407 doesn't have any major flaws to note, but is subject to the occasional and frustrating failures of electrical components, particularly ignition coils.The 407 is relatively complex and needs the attention of someone who is familiar with the brandIt's also important to check for a service record, the 407 is relatively complex and needs the attention of someone who is familiar with the brand.The engines have timing belts, which need changing at specified intervals. On the 2.2-litre petrol engine it needs changing every 80,000km or four years, on the other engines the change interval is 180,000km or nine years.Peugeot recalled the 407 in 2011 for a fault related to the engine vacuum pump that could affect the braking performance.There was also a recall in 2010 to check the clearance between the wiring harness and the cooling fan that could result in damage to the harness.

Craig Duff road tests and reviews the 2015 Audi A6 and A7 at its Australian launch.

Volkswagen Passat is a medium-large car aimed at those looking for a solid machine that should stand the test of time. Stylish it's not, but that's the way VW does its shapes, intending them to be timeless. There's an exception in the Passat range, see the upcoming notes on the model tagged the "CC". Passat shares

Ewan Kennedy road tests and reviews the 2015 Volvo S60 Polestar with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

Peter Barnwell road tests and reviews the FG X Ford Falcon XR6 with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

Derek Ogden road tests and reviews the 2015 Hyundai Sonata, with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

Dark clouds may be amassing on the Ford Australia horizon with the approaching demise of manufacturing but there is some sunshine still in the blue oval skies. Heading the Falcon flight is the FG X XR8 sedan, with which Ford has returned a V8 engine – the 5.0-litre supercharged Boss unit – to the Falcon XR Series