Sedan Reviews

Graham Smith road tests and reviews the used 2009-2011 Mazda 3 SP25.

Volvo has made substantial changes to its most potent road car, the S60 Polestar and cut the price at the same time. It now retails for $99,950 which seriously undercuts direct all-wheel drive competitors like Audi's S4 and S5 as well as the forthcoming BMW M3/4 which will likely be around the $160-170 grand mark and is now a turbo six cylinder just like the Polestar. The Bimmers don't get all wheel drive however.Volvo would be rubbing its hands together because in the handsome Polestar they have a car that takes it right to the top of the European sports sedan segment offering performance to keep the front runners honest with safety and driver assistance functions to beat them. And the price is super sharp.We drove the first version last year in Sweden and were quite impressed particularly with the Ohlins spec' suspension and the Polestar's ride and handling. It needed better brakes, paddle shift and sports seats all of which have been delivered this time around with a substantial $10 grand price cut.ENGINE / TRANSMISSIONThe engine remains the same – a 3.0-litre straight six cylinder turbo petrol with 257kW/500Nm output. It's based on the S60 T6 unit, Polestar optimised with a bigger turbo, intercooler and engine computer remap along with a sporty exhaust. Polestar is the outfit responsible for Volvo's surprisingly effective V8 Supercar that's wreaking havoc among the established players this year.With the new fluid auto transmission comes launch control and super sharp shifts up and down the range. It helps the car click over a 0-100kmh sprint in 4.9 seconds as well as making the Polestar more engaging. DESIGNVolvo/Polestar tweaked the car's aerodynamic using a wind tunnel to refine the front splitter and rear diffuser along with underbody air flow. The chassis was beefed up with various bracings to contain the power and torque without affecting handling.FEATURESInside is typical Volvo luxury – classy and understated with goodies like a multi-function wheel, premium 10 speaker audio with multimedia connectivity and Bluetooth phone and audio. There's a 7 inch colour info screen and excellent bi-xenon headlights that have an active bending function to see around corners as well as auto high beam.There's a reverse camera. front and rear parking sonar, keyless entry and start, and sports leather front seats. Driver assist features include adaptive cruise control, collision warning, queue assist, pedestrian and cyclist detection, city safety autonomous braking and road sign recognition. They will probably make it into other makes in another decade or so…DRIVINGWe really enjoyed this car because it's sensible with a wicked twist. Nobody needs more performance than the Polestar delivers but the actual drive feel is what it's really all about. Not too firm, not too soft, not too sharp, and the car has superb acceleration across a wide engine speed range. A tad more would be even better. It's not a razor sharp sports sedan/track car though, more of your sporty road car from behind the wheel.Having all wheel drive via the latest Haldex system gives the Polestar traction advantages demonstrated when it's put through a set of tight corners at speed. It gives a well planted feel when pressed hard.Then, when the brakes are required, Polestar owners will not feel under endowed as the new Brembos, with six pistons on the front no less, make light work of stopping this weighty, luxury sports sedan. It rolls on 19-inch alloys of reasonable dimensions, could be a tad wider for our liking.The luxury interior is appreciated as are all the safety and assistance features. But it needs a more strident exhaust note to light an enthusiast's fire.

The old football, meat pies, kangaroos and Holden cars jingle is now more like Xbox, kim-chi, flat whites and imported cars. The world has changed and we're moving into an automotive future devoid of Australian-made Holdens. As part of the Commodore's last ditch at relevance, the VF scored some great new tech to

We turn the spotlight on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class 500L and ask the crucial questions, including the biggest -- would you buy one?What is it?This is third down from the top of the Mercedes-Benz tree, the S500L – a long wheelbase version of the new S-Class which underwent a generational change late last year.How much?Cost a bomb at $310,000 plus on roads – and options.What are competitors?Three possibly four - the BMW 7-Series, Jaguar XJ, Lexus LS 460/600, Maserati Quattroporte and the new Audi A8.What's under the bonnet?Copious power comes from the twin turbo, direct injection petrol V8 of 4.7-litres capacity. It's good for 335kW/700Nm output, the latter at 1800rpm. Drive goes to the rear wheels through a seven speed auto with paddle shift.How does it go?Whoosh – indecently quick for a 2.0-tonne plus limo. Puts away a 0-100kmh sprint in a mere 4.7 seconds. Has prodigious roll on acceleration, makes virtually no noise unless you are up it for the rent.Is it economical?Surprisingly economical with 9.2-litres/100km within reach, even better than that on the freeway. Is it green?Yes, has plenty of emissions technology and gets an EU6 pass. Slippery body rated at Cd0.24 helps matters. Pity it weighs so much.Is it safe?Five stars plus almost every imaginable driver assistance feature. Of particular note is Intelligent Drive which networks numerous safety systems such as Distronic radar cruise, Brake Assist, Cross Traffic Alert, Active Lane Keeping, Adaptive High Beam, Night Vision, Attention Assist.  This car couldn't be far off autonomous drive – no driverIs it comfortable?Supremely.  Has just about every luxury invented including heated and ventilated seats with heated arm rests, Magic Ride Control which uses a stereo camera to scan the road and set the suspension accordingly, large format info/control screen, Voice activated phone and audio, and even climate control with active perfume system.What's it like to drive?Sensational. smooth, silent, tactile, multi drive modes, more luxury than you can imagine. Engine performance is surprising. Bumps. what bumps? Is it value for money?Not really with this car up around the 350 grand mark – with options and on road costs. Possible appeal for billionaires.

Ambition plays a big part in determining which set of wheels we own. The better-paying jobs provide the income to dispose of our old car and aspire to a prestige brand.  Audi's A4 is customarily the entry model of choice for first-time buyers of the four-ring brand. The A3 sedan's smaller shape and smarter

Craig Duff road tests and reviews the new Hyundai Genesis sedan in South Korea. Hyundai has beaten the Japanese at their own game by building solid cars with decent features and sharp pricing, a strategy that has lifted the South Korean juggernaut to No. 2 passenger car maker in Australia to date this year.Now the company that made its name with the too-cheap-to-resist Getz is tackling the prestige car world with a $60,000 Euro-fighter, the Genesis.It heralds the arrival of a new player in the mid-sized luxury segment. It is loaded with the hi-tech driver aids and luxury materials buyers in this class expect, yet will be about $18,000 cheaper than a comparable BMW 5 Series, Lexus GS, Audi A6 and Mercedes-Benz E-Class.The car isn't due in Australia until late this year and Hyundai Australia has yet to finalise specifications or even the model range. Funnily enough, that means the company is a bit coy on pricing.Carsguide believes there will be an entry-level model about $62,000 and a fully loaded version nearer $75,000 — the entry price of the European marques against which the Genesis was benchmarked.Those base models are fitted with four-cylinder engines that lack the power of the Genesis's V6 mill, though they don't use nearly as much fuel.As far as features go, if it exists in a Benz or Beemer it's available on the Genesis. There's even an analog clock mounted in the dash — it resembles a traditional timepiece but stays true with satellite synchronicity.The techno-toy list runs from a head-up display to adaptive cruise control, lane departure warnings, blind-spot warning and adaptive suspension damping.Hyundai has even fitted a carbon dioxide sensor in the cabin. If CO2 levels rise beyond a set threshold the aircon adjusts the mix of fresh and recirculated air to stop the occupants feeling drowsy.Other smart touches include an auto-opening boot. Stand behind the Genesis for three seconds and it will pop the latch, along with a warning flash of the lights. Unlike rivals, there's no foot waving required.Who'd have thought we'd see perforated nappa leather and matt-finished timber trim as standard in a Hyundai? There are features of the cabin that are mightily impressive and overall fit and finish are a step up on the company's already high standing.Big picture stuff apart, it is the little, nuanced items, such as the way the buttons and dials feel under the fingers, that subjectively resonate as true luxury. On that basis, the Genesis isn't quite there yet. It comes close though and there's no other prestige brand with this much bling for the bucks.Interior space is impressive front or back and the car is generally well thought out. The one criticism came when the sun shone on the South Korean test drive — and reflected glare from the chrome air vent surrounds all but obscured the side mirrors.The exterior isn't radical. Few executive sedans are, but the sharp crease that runs the length of the big car at door handle height, the wide, tapering hexagonal grille and bejewelled LED headlamp surrounds give it a well-balanced look with the presence needed to make others take a second look.ANCAP hasn't smashed one yet but it's safe to assume Hyundai hasn't built a luxury limo that can't achieve the five-star rating earned by its regular vehicles.The US safety authority, NHTSA, gave it a five-star result and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded the Genesis its top ranking, though that car was fitted with the automatic emergency braking software that's an option there. Hyundai Australia can't yet say whether it will follow suit here.Nine airbags are standard and there's an active bonnet to stop pedestrians trying to imprint their cranium on the engine or vice versa.The priority in developing the new Genesis has been poise rather than outright pace. The emphasis is on ride luxury to satisfy US and Middle-East buyers who want a pillowy ride. That doesn't work Down Under and the local engineers are already working on a revised suspension tune to give the car more bite through the corners and less body roll.The 3.8-litre V6 punches along nicely but in the absence of a turbocharger giving it instant torque it needs a few seconds to wind up. External sounds are subdued — there's virtually no wind noise — and it is only when the right foot is planted to the firewall that the engine emits enough bark to be really heard.Some coarse-chip surfaces caused a decent amount of tyre rumble but we'll reserve judgment until we see what rubber the Australian-spec cars will have. An expected fuel use of about 11.0L/100km isn't great but it will take decades for the extra fuel to eat into the savings from the purchase price.The most frightening aspect of the car is that it's already good, if not yet great. Experience shows Hyundais dramatically improve with each successive generation. That means the Genesis will start attracting attention from the top end of town.

Australia's final performance car heroes pay their respects at the high temple of horsepower: Bathurst

We turn the spotlight on the Mazda 3 Neo manual ask the crucial questions, including the biggest -- would you buy one?

Ewan Kennedy road tests and reviews the used1998-2013 Volvo S80.

Derek Ogden road tests and reviews the 2014 Subaru WRX.