Wagon Reviews

Mercedes-Benz surprised the motoring world in 2003 by launching the CLS four-door coupe. People said a coupe could not have four doors and that the CLS wouldn't work.Tens of thousands of sales have proven the doubters wrong and cheekily, Mercedes has introduced what it calls a coupe-estate, a stylish five-door CLS station wagon. Or rather a CLS Shooting Brake.The name shooting brake was coined centuries back for horse-drawn wagons used to carry shooting parties to country estates. Over 100 years ago the term reached the automotive field when Rolls-Royce built what it called a shooting break. We first admired the stylish Mercedes CLS wagon at the 2010 New York Motor Show and later attended its world debut at the famed Brooklands racing oval in England. Now we have finally had the chance to drive one in Australia.Priced from $129,000 the most fascinating thing about the all-new Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake is that it exists in a field of one. Sure there are other upmarket competitors, but none of them has the style and elegance of this one.Jaguar has already shown a concept of what it calls a Sportbrake at recent European motor shows and it will be interesting to see if other topline marques try to chase Mercedes into what could become an expansive niche in the market.At the rear the roof slopes down in a similar manner to that of the CLS four-door coupe. We particularly like the way the side windows finish at their rear point and love the old-style shiny finish that surrounds them. A nice retro touch. Inside, the Shooting Brake is finished in quality materials giving a pleasant appearance and a warm ambiance. In very Mercedes’ fashion there are easy to read dials that will be familiar to all Mercedes owners.While the Shooting Brake’s shape is unashamedly sleek it doesn’t do too badly in the practicality stakes. The rear seat has good headroom and legroom and we would have no problem sitting back there for a long interstate trip. Sensibly, the rear area is set up for two individuals, however there’s also a somewhat cramped centre seat so five can be carried for short, but not particularly comfortable trips.Luggage space is surprisingly good as well, the extravagantly long tail of the Shooting Brake means substantially long objects can be transported. However, large boxy items are restricted by the slope of the roof. In a lovely touch harking back to the days of the horse drawn shooting brakes and the old motor wagons, the Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake has the option of a mahogany timber-lined floor complete with shiny cross bracing.Two versions of the CLS Shooting Brake are now on sale in Australia, the $129,000 250 CDI powered by a twin-turbo diesel engine producing up to 150 kW of power and 500 Nm of torque. Its official fuel consumption rating of just 5.5 litres per hundred kilometres means it avoids some Luxury Car Tax (LCT).Then there’s the 3.5-litre V6 petrol unit in the CLS 350 Shooting Brake comes with 225 kW and 370 Nm. Its fuel usage of 8.2 litres per hundred kilometres means it attracts the full ire of the Australian taxation people, as LCT adds a whopping $26,277 to the price, bringing it up to $173,000.On the road we only had the chance to test the four-cylinder CLS 250. It has plenty of performance, indeed we suspect the great majority of owners would never ask for more. Once minimal turbo lag has been passed the engine has strong acceleration. Overtaking speeds, typically getting as fast as possible from 80 to 120 km/h are despatched quickly to maximise safety.Road noise is well damped, though we suspect there may be slightly more intrusion into the rear of the cabin because of the wagon body. Comfort levels are high and this is the sort of car that could transport four people across vast expanses of Australian countryside, leaving them cool and relaxed at the end of a long day’s driving. Handling is neat and precise with good steering feel and the ability to get the large Shooting Brake hustled into corners with ease.

Not quite sure what to make of this car. It offers a startling level of performance in a body that is shall we say visually challenged.Quick off the mark and fast to accelerate it gives nothing away to the hatch in terms of performance. But it's too tall, too short and and too narrow with all the wrong proportions. But beauty they say is in the eye of the beholder don't let my opinion sway you.TECHNOLOGYIt's a 1.4-litre turbocharged four, the same engine as in the Polo GTI. That means it produces 132kW of power and a handy 250Nm of torque.The bad news is that it take 98 Premium unleaded - nothing else. The engine is hooked up to VW's 7-speed double clutch transmission with drive to the front wheels. Rides on sports suspension with 17 inch alloys.Rated at 6.2 litres/100km, we were getting 8.1 after more than 400km according to the trip computer. But remember that's using Premium 98 which is going to cost you another 17 cents a litre. Even though it's a 45 litre tank, at the time of writing that's $66 for a fill ouch.DESIGNThe Euro sportwagon concept is nothing new, but we haven't seen anything this small before now. Maybe it's the start of bigger things? The idea is sound but someone must have dropped the play dough before they popped this one in the oven because it's all out of whack.For two grand more than the hatch you get the same level of performance but a largish luggage space that is going to make it more pratical. It looks like the car it is, a cheapie that has been tarted up. The design is unimaginative and there is plenty of hard plastic in evidence.Glad to see a trip computer that includes a digital speedo but it disappeared after we connected a mobile phone and took ages to find again. Of course there's a trick to it, just as there is in switching between the AM and FM radio bands. Rear parking sensors are also standard.It looks like the car it is, a cheapie that has been tarted up.The design is unimaginative and there is plenty of hard plastic in evidence. Glad to see a trip computer that includes a digital speedo but it disappeared after we connected a mobile phone and took ages to find again. Of course there's a trick to it, just as there is in switching between the AM and FM radio bands. Rear parking sensors are also standard.SAFETYUnlike the Polo this one gets four stars for safety. But it comes with six airbags, electronic stability control and all the usual electronic safety aids.DRIVINGGoes like a startled rabbit. The dash from 0-100km/h takes 7.3 seconds on to a top speed of 226km/h (2km/h faster than the hatch).Peformance is no doubt helped along by the 7-speed DSG box which rips through the gears in quick succession, with sport mode or manual mode available via the shifter or steering wheel mounted change paddles. Giving it too much throttle too soon almost always elicits some wheel spin.VERDICTGoes hard but looks yuck. We're not fans of the hatch either. At $29,990 it is one of the most expensive cars in the light car segment two grand more than the hatch and one grand more than the Polo GTI.

We turn the spotlight on the car world's newest and brightest stars as we ask the questions to which you want the answers. But there's only one question that really needs answering -- would you buy one?This is the top of the range Opel Astra wagon with the diesel auto powertrain and all the fruit.Start price is $35,990 but this vehicle had options taking the price up to and over $40,000.Golf, Focus, Lancer, Mazda3, Corolla, you name it, they've got heads on them like white mice.Power comes from a 2.0-litre turbodiesel four with 121kW/350Nm output driving the front wheels through a conventional six speed automatic transmission.Remarkably well. With 350Nm of torque on tap from just 1750 revs, finding power to overtake is never a problem. Steering is tight with reasonable driver feedback and the brakes are excellent, with the auto gearbox providing nice engine braking to compliment the brakes.It's a diesel, so the answer is a big, smelly, noisy YES. That's a bit unfair, however, with the little diesel engine purring as smoothly as most petrol engines. Agricultural diesel engines appear to be a thing of the past for modern cars. Expect around 6.0 litres/100kms.In terms of fuel use, yes. Low carbon dioxide output too and the car would have a relatively green manufacturing process.Sure is. Along with a Five-Star ANCAP rating, it has six airbags, countless electronic safety devices and, for passive safety, the excellent brakes and handling keep it out of trouble.It's a tight-ish cabin, but very comfortable. Might be a little claustrophobic for those with larger frames. The load space is generous and expandable to huge. Access to the cabin is facilitated by decent size doors and the rear hatch open high and wide.Great. Certainly doesn't feel like a diesel, there's great steering feedback for a car of this kind and it has a suburb set of brakes. Steering is quite direct and the suspension tuned to give a nice balance of handling and comfort.It's a great kit, but perhaps not the greatest value for money given how many good deals are around and how cheap the near new secondhand market is.No. As enjoyable a drive as it is, at around $40,000 there's a lot of choice. If it was a little cheaper it would feature more prominently on our `wish list'. 

Audi's RS range of high performance cars occupy pride of place at the Ingolstadt feed lot but the line between them and slightly lesser models is becoming blurred if the new S4 Avant is any indication.The S cars don't cost as much as the RS cars but in this case, you'd be better off saving the (considerable) dosh and go for the penultimate model S4 Avant. It gets within a whisker of RS performance and the S cars are possibly better all rounders for everyday driving.This is the first time an Avant S4 has been available here ($123,900) and it's a cracker of a drive as well as looking the business. A sedan version is also available for a few grand less.The S4 is a repository for plenty of desirable kit from the extensive Audi equipment list but you can still inflate the price considerably by ticking the boxes. There's no need really because S4 boasts, among other things, Audi's Drive Select system that offers five modes: dynamic, auto, comfort, normal and individual. It changes calibrations for engine, throttle, transmission, steering, suspension and even the aircon' system.Should be on all prestige and performance cars. We settled for `auto' or `dynamic' modes most of the time. Other handy features include radar cruise control, lane assist and attention assist but a reverse camera is optional - on a high end Euro wagon... We love the auto wipers and headlights and electric tailgate but the space saver spare is a bummer.The interior is full-glam' in muted metallic and grey tones complete with classy leather upholstery, sports seats and a beautifully finished and integrated dash. There's a large info screen with controls for many functions and a premium audio with 20 gig music register.There isn't much lacking inside that's for sure. Exterior styling  features the new A4 mask and minor body tweaks that came when the model was revamped earlier this year. It looks better than ever, in this case accentuated by optional 19-inch titanium coloured alloys, minor body aero add-ons and brushed alloy roof rails.Exhilarating performance comes from the supercharged  3.0-litre, petrol V6 engine with direct injection and variable valve timing. It clocks a 0-100kmh sprint in 5.0 seconds and thanks to stop start and other efficiency measures, uses as little as 8.1-litres/100km. The 3.0-litre is in other Audis but they don't drive as well as this one which seems to go better and certainly sounds better - arguably the best sounding V6 currently available.A rumbling blatt on full throttle upchanges comes from the quad-tip exhaust and is a new sound dimension compared with the exhaust pop of other makes. It's good for 245kW/440Nm, the latter at around 1750rpm through to 5000 plus.Drive is to all wheels via Audi's refined quattro system after moving through a dual clutch S-tronic manumatic. The test car had the optional sports differential with torque vectoring providing a higher level of grip and traction. Sporty driving is aided by paddle shift on the fat, flat bottom, multi controller steering wheel. It's practical too with room for five and a large, expandable load space.We'll have to change our opinion of 3.0-litre V6 petrol engines after this experience. The car looks a million bucks too. 

Is the tribe becoming too big for the faithful family sedan but cannot consign it to the remainder section? Look no further than the Subaru Liberty Exiga seven-seater wagon.Based on the Liberty platform, the Exiga started life as a six-seater wagon. Now, due to popular demand says the maker Subaru, an extra place has been set for someone in the 2013 Model Year vehicle, which went on sale in July.VALUEThe seven-seater comes in two models – the Liberty Exiga 2.5i, which includes a DVD, and the top spec Liberty Exiga 2.5i Premium (our test vehicle), which adds leather trim, satellite navigation, reversing camera, Bluetooth compatibility, eight-way electric driver and front passenger seats, and a new 17-inch alloy wheel design and new-look door mirrors. The former is priced from $37,990, the latter costs from $42,490, both plus on-road costs.With a model upgrade midway through 2012 the entry-level Exiga added a reversing camera plus dusk sensing headlights and steering wheel Bluetooth controls, voice command, audio streaming, USB connectivity and AUX jack. Dusk sensing headlights were also added to the MY12 Premium model.Liberty Exiga 2.5i’s factory-fitted 4.3-inch LCD screen displays audio information and reversing camera images. A saving grace on long drawn-out journeys is the roof-mounted, fold-down remote-control DVD system with infra-red wireless headphones which can keep even the most tiresome travellers in the two rows of rear seats occupied.TECHNOLOGYThe wagon is powered by Subaru’s four-cylinder 2.5-litre horizontally opposed boxer petrol engine producing 123kW of power at 5600 rpm and 229 Nm of torque at 4000 revs. Expect to get fuel consumption of 8.6 litres per 100 km, while emitting 202 grams of carbon dioxide every kilometre in the combined urban/highway cycle.DESIGNWith all seven seats occupied, there’s not much space in the back for two people’s luggage, let alone that for more than half a dozen. With the rear two rows of seats folded there’s a reasonably flat surface to take longer and more bulky items – even a street market marquee folded. Gone is the central storage compartment of the six-seater, but that’s understandable – you can’t expect to have everything.Designers, it seems, did not spend much time on the exterior, the Exiga having a boxy, old fashioned look. The high sides, however, do make for plenty of head room – 40 mm better than the Liberty – and good visibility all round for the driver.SAFETYLiberty Exiga has 16-inch solid disc brakes with aluminium callipers for weight savings of around 1 kg backed up by the latest anti-skid braking system with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and Brake Assist. However, step into the past with an old-fashioned foot operated parking brake. Vehicle Dynamics Control, Subaru’s electronic stability program, is standard and the Exiga has a top five-star ANCAP crash rating for occupant safety and a three-star pedestrian rating. DRIVINGThere’s no arguing with the vehicle’s smooth operation, the new Subaru Lineartronic continuously variable transmission (CVT) seeing to that. An adaptive control helps select the optimum gear to suit driving style and road conditions. Driver demanded gearchanges within the CVT, at 100 milliseconds or less, are designed to be almost instantaneous to increase response.A six-speed manual mode can be engaged by tapping the gear lever across. The steering wheel paddles can then be used for manual shifting. If the speed remains unchanged, the transmission will move back to the Drive mode automatically.The tilt-and-rake adjustable steering column allows 40 mm of rake adjustment, while dual zone air-conditioning has been refined to reduce engine load and increase fuel efficiency, while double door seals and weather strips optimise window sealing and temperature insulation.VERDICTSubaru says comfort, noise, vibration and harshness were high on the designers’ list of priorities. Pity their colleagues did not attach the same importance to outward appearance. However, once you go past the dated ‘maxi taxi’ exterior the Liberty Exiga has much to offer, especially for the larger family, small sports team or groups of friends.

So you want to negotiate terrain more challenging than the driveway but can't cop being seen in an SUV? Despair not.Volkswagen has toughened up its Passat wagon so that it goes nose-to-nose with the Subaru Outback as well as its siblings from Skoda and Audi. It's called, with only slight hubris, the Alltrack.At $47,790 the all-wheel-drive Alltrack is $1800 price hike over the front-drive Passat 125TDI. That's $1000 over the diesel Outback Premium, but the VW brings a standard six speed DSG auto to Subaru's manual sole transmission choiceOther standard kit includes chrome roof rails, leather trim, dual-zone climate control with rear-seat vents, a reach and rake adjustable leather-wrapped steering wheel with sound system and phone controls, Bluetooth phone and audio link, a hard-drive equipped satnav and sound system with USB input and a powered tailgate. It rides on 17-inch alloys with self-sealing tyres and a space-saver spare.Options include pearl-effect paint ($700), sunroof ($2000) and parking assistance system ($900). The two option packs look decent value. The $3300 driver assistance and visibility Package adds intelligent bi-xenon lights, lane departure warning and blind spot warning.For $2800, the Sport package gets 18s a multi-function leather steering wheel with gearshifter paddles, Nappa full-grain leather trim and heavier rear window tint. The adaptive cruise control, that includes the auto-braking accident warning and avoidance system, is a $2000 option and the adaptive damper suspension option (with either 17in or 18in alloy wheels) is $1650.The Alltrack uses the 2.0-litre common-rail direct-injection turbodiesel four. It's a proven unit with 125kW/350Nm and a thirst of 6.3l/100km  barely more than the 150kg lighter standard Passat.  Electric stability aids are disabled by a button's push while the off-road system also quickens the reaction time of the electronic differential locks to prevent wheel spin, automatically activates hill descent control to a higher engine speed and if the manual shift mode is employed, the gear will be held and not over-ridden by the gearbox computer. The 4Motion drivetrain feeds only 10 per cent of power to the rear axle until the electro-hydraulic system sees a need for more.The staid squared-off conservative look of the Passat wagon has been beefed up with wheelarch trim and added bits on the front and rear bumpers. More importantly, the Alltrack's ground clearance has risen to 165mm. That's down on the Outback's 213mm, the VW's bootspace is at 588 litre  almost 100 litres greaters than the Soobs. It's a clever and flexible space too, with luggage net and remote release for the seat backs.The Passat scores five stars under the NCAP. A notable feature in this edition is an "extended" electronic diff lock and four-wheel drive. The driver gets an auto-dimming rearvision centre and driver's side mirror, tyre pressure monitoring and some underbody protection.First impressions of the Alltrack are not surprisingly Passat with hiking boots and a bit more swagger. The six-speed auto plays well with the turbo diesel, humming swiftly along at freeway speeds and providing more than enough punch for overtaking. The ride is on the firm side and a little jittery in the Sport package; I'd be inclined to stick with the standard wheel/tyre package.Winding back roads are not going to trip the Alltrack that height increase is not significant enough to make it lean drastically. The downside to that is 165mm of ground clearance is going to mean you'll test the model-specific underbody protection a little more than you would in a Subaru Outback once you're off the bitumen.The loose-surface dirt road is easily traversed as well, with the all-wheel drive system and driver aids working together to prevent too much wandering. The front-drive biased all-wheel drive system is not my personal preference - the more even split engaged by Subaru or the VW's cousins at Audi are better balanced. The Off Road mode brings in a clever hill descent control system that has its speed set by the driver's right foot, but given the low clearance you won't be stepping over big rocks and ruts.If you value a German badge over a Japanese one, the Alltrack is a family wagon that can complete a broad range of modern SUV tasks from fire trails to the school run.

“That’s a Skoda?” Yes, it’s true, we heard that question. It wasn’t rehearsed, just a genuine remark of surprise when a friend saw Skoda’s Superb Wagon and mistook it for a more upmarket brand. It shows that while Skoda is still an unknown to a lot of people, their first impression is pretty good. And the car backs that up by offering a lot.You have kids and need a wagon, but you also have a sense of style and a desire for some pampering? You want heated seats, without the kids in back whimpering that they’re missing out – or fighting to ride shotgun. You want a cooled glove box, plenty of space, and a suave exterior, you want -- but probably didn’t know it --  a Skoda Superb Wagon Elegance.VALUEFor $50,490 Skoda’s Superb Wagon Elegance 125 TDI comes with ESC, ABS, EBD, ASR, Hill Hold Control, heated front and rear seats, memory function electric driver seat, Park Assist, front and rear parking sensors with acoustic warning and optical display, 17 inch alloy wheels, multi-function leather steering wheel, tinted glazing, dual-zone climate control, Sat Nav, Bluetooth, MP3 auxiliary input socket, cruise control, cooled glove compartment, 12V sockets, and an umbrella . . . yes, an umbrella, because honestly, what would you do without one?TECHNOLOGYSkoda’s Superb Wagon Elegance 125 TDI, six-speed DSG has 125kW/350Nm that gets it from 0–100Km in 8.9 seconds. The official fuel combined for this front-wheel diesel is 6.5/100km. We found a close 6.9/100km combined and 9.8/100km urban.DESIGNAn attractive external design highlighted with touches of chrome add to the Superb Wagon’s sophisticated look. Tinted glazing, decorative front and rear door sill trims, and decorative double exhaust pipes, further the Superb’s aspiration to subdued classiness.The interior design is great (don’t worry we’ll get to that) but first we have to vent about one thing - tiny cup holders. We know, not exactly a life-altering feature, but they were ridiculous. The only place we could fit a bottle or a medium size coffee cup was in the folded down middle seat in back -not very convenient if you’re driving solo.  Many of Skoda’s vehicles come with the nearly pint-sized holders, but come on, in something christened Superb Elegance, we would like to have the superb elegance of fitting our coffee beside us while driving.Okay, now that we got that off our chest - other than our obsessive beverage issue, we had none. The refined interior looks great with wooden inlays and a largely leather interior.The seats are extremely comfortable, and heated front and back – which may be a more practical feature for a European winter, but will still feel great on a crisp Aussie night. Rear seat passengers have side air vents, heaps of space and storage, and a small display screen.If you flip down the middle seat you get an extra storage compartment, the envied decent size cup holders, and, if you pull down another cover, access to the boot. Back seats fold 60/40, and an array of luggage restraint systems, hooks, and side storage keeps valuables secure in the massive boot (633 litres seats up, 1865 litres seats down).It’s a smart wagon, providing just about everything you could want, to the point you grow suspicious it was fitted out by your nanna. There’s a magnetic LED flashlight in the luggage compartment incase you need to change a flat tire at night, an umbrella holder in the left rear passenger door with an included umbrella so you don’t get wet. The only things missing are a handknitted sweater in the boot’s storage compartment and a fruit cake keeping cool in the glove compartment to know nanna’s been at work.SAFETYSkoda’s Superb Wagon Elegance comes with driver, passenger, side, driver’s knee, and curtain airbags, ESC, ABS, EBD, ASR, Hill Hold Control, and the assurance of a five-star ANCAP safety rating.DRIVINGThere aren’t a lot of negatives. The wagon is responsive, cabin noise is at a minimum, there is no body roll, and the engine gives plenty of power. The driver’s seat is comfortable, controls are easily accessible (though we still prefer a dial rather than buttons to adjust the air), and MacPherson suspension on the front axle and multi-element on the rear keeps bumps to a minimum.Park Assist comes standard which helps you negotiate the blind spots to the rear and sides, but overall the Superb Wagon is just a smooth, comfortable ride.VERDICTClassy, comfortable, with plenty of perks, Skoda’s Superb Wagon Elegance is a family-friendly vehicle that breaks the Skoda mold.

By the time Skoda inveigled its Superb here the carmaker was working hard to build up its position in the market. The VW offshoot had a toehold in our highly competitive market, but it had become in effect a one-car company with the Octavia the only model doing any business to speak of and was going nowhere fast.NEWThe Superb was the first of a range of new and updated models aimed at getting some movement at its dealerships. It was based on a stretched Octavia/Passat platform, but being no wider than the smaller models it looked a little like a stretched limo, too long for its width. At launch there was just the one body style available, a wagon was added to the range later.That first body style was unusual in that it could be described as a sedan or a hatch. The trick was its "TwinDoor" boot lid cum tailgate, which could be either at the flick of a switch. It could be a normal boot, but at the flick of a switch it could be a full tailgate like that you get with a hatch. Under the hatch was a large boot that could be expanded by folding the rear seats.There was also heaps of room up front with comfortable accommodation for five adults in a quiet, refined cabin. Three engines were offered. A 1.8-litre four opened the bidding with 118 kW and 250 Nm; that was followed by a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel that offered 125 kW and 350 Nm of frugal motoring, with the range topped by a 191 kW/250 Nm V6, which was only available in the Elegance.The diesel engine and the V6 were hooked up to a 6-speed DSG gearbox, while the 1.8-litre petrol got a 7-speed DSG unit. Final drive was through the front wheels with the four-cylinder and turbo-diesel engines, but the V6 had all-wheel drive. All models were well equipped, particularly the Elegance, which had the lot.NOWDSG: three letters that should spell caution when looking at a Superb. Road testers raved about the innovative new gearbox when VW rolled it out across its range, but they only had to live with it for a few days, a week at most. They didn't have to live with it for years as an owner has had to. We've been inundated with reports from angry owners about the DSG gearbox in their cars.Not from Skoda owners, from VW owners, and the gearboxes are the same. There's no question that the gearbox is a great thing when it's working as it should, but too often that doesn't happen, and when it plays up it becomes a nightmare. Erratic shifting, choosing the wrong gear, finding neutral at the most inappropriate moments are a couple of the issues that have been reported to us here at Carsguide.If the transmission does give trouble it can be an expensive unit to repair, and dealers usually opt for replacing the transmission instead of repairing it, and that's an even more expensive outcome.So, the bottom line for anyone contemplating buying a Skoda Superb is to thoroughly test drive it in all types of driving conditions and put the gearbox through its paces, observing for any hard changes, and shuddering on take-off of gear shifting, any reluctance to change gears, indication it has selected the wrong gear, and certainly any time it selects neutral.If you have any doubts about checking it, have it checking by an independent mechanic experienced in picking problems with autos. Another innovation was a so-called rain braking system that dried the brake rotors by bringing the pads into contact with the rotors every three kays for three seconds. A recipe for brake wear if ever there was one, so be prepared for more frequent brake replacements.As always check your potential purchase for regular servicing, go over the body checking for dodgy panel gaps, poor paint finish etc that might be a giveaway to a crash. The Superb is packed with electrics and electronics, other areas that often give trouble in today's cars, so check all systems and make sure everything is working as it should.SMITHY SAYSGenerally a sound choice, but be wary of DSG gearbox, which is a known problem area on VW products.Skoda Superb - 2009-2010Price new: $42,990 to $56,990Engine: 1.8-litre 4-cylinder petrol, 118 kW/ 250 Nm; 2.0-litre 4-  cylinder turbo-diesel, 125 kW/350 Nm; 3.6-litre V6 petrol, 191 kW/250 Nm.Transmission: 6-speed DSG, 7-speed DSG, FWD (1.8, TD), AWD (V6)Economy: 8.4 L/100 km (1.8), 6.9 L/100 km (TD), 10.2 L/100 km (V6)Body: 4-door sedanVariants: Ambition, EleganceSafety: 5-star ANCAPCOMING UPDo you own a Ford Fiesta? 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 small-medium Mercedes-Benz C-Class, while costing significantly more than many cars in its class, is becoming increasingly affordable by the standards of the prestige car market.Though it has been built down to a price when compared with upper crust Mercedes models, the price trimming has been done intelligently and you still get a car that’s well built and uses good quality materials.The C-Class is sold as a three-door coupe, a four-door sedan and five-door station wagon body. Coupes from 2008 to 2011 were called the CLC-Class in an attempt to give them a sportier image. That didn’t seem to work and with the new model of 2011 the C-Class coupe name was revised.This is a rear-wheel-drive car so those travelling in the back seats of sedans and wagons will find themselves a little squeezed unless the front seats are moved forward a notch or two. This situation has improved over the years as the C-Class cars have become slightly larger, but it’s still smart to take the family along during your pre-purchase road test to make sure it suits them.Boot space is good and the big bootlid in the sedans makes it easy to load. The wagon is of the stylish school, with a sloping tailgate that robs the load area of some cubic capacity.Naturally the back seats and boots of the coupes are on the cramped side, but that’s par for the course.Few cars come with such a staggering range of engines as the Mercedes C-Class. Four, six and eight-cylinder engines are offered. The latest petrol engines have direct petrol injection and are significantly better than the older units in terms of performance consumption and emissions. Look for the letters CGI in the car’s title, indicting the new-generation engines. The name Kompressor in the car’s title means it has a supercharged engine to provide extra torque. Later units use a turbocharger rather than a supercharger.The hot AMG models use the V8s and have tremendous performance, but this comes at a cost in high fuel consumption.Mercedes-Benz C-Class with turbo-diesel engines have been sold for many years, long before they became common in other European marques. They have either four or six cylinders. The newer diesels (look for CDI on the badge) are a big advance on the older diesel in smoothness and refinement and once the car is cruising at a steady speed we defy you to pick them from petrol powerplants.The great majority of C-Class Mercedes-Benzes will have an automatic transmission, though you will find some four-cylinders cars have a five-speed manual gearbox, they may cause real hassles at resale time.Luxury levels are Classic, Elegance, Avantgarde and Sport. The latter has firmer suspension for better road feel and will make a nice car for the enthusiastic driver.Spare parts, servicing and repairs are all expensive for a car of this size, but certainly not for a machine with the high prestige rating the Benz affords you. Insurance costs are generally reasonable for a car in this class.It pays to buy a used Mercedes-Benz which has been serviced throughout its life by an authorised dealer. Their mechanics are not only trained to high standards, but are in constant touch with the factory. A car with a full service history will almost invariably command a higher price but be sure the service books are genuine.Mercedes-Benz Australia offers a good used-car scheme on cars up to five years of age. The length of the warranty varies according to the workshop’s assessment of the car.WHAT TO LOOK FORBe sure the steering is positive with no unnecessary free play in the straight-ahead position. There were some problems with the early version of the Brake Assist System (BAS). These should have been rectified by a dealer after a recall. Contact the dealer or Mercedes’ head office to see if this work has been done.Do a visual check of the car inside and out for signs of damage or worse-than-average wear. Pay particular attention to the bumper-bar corners for signs of paint scrapes. Also have a good look at the condition of the seats.Always call an expert for the final say no matter how good the Mercedes appears to be after your own inspection. Either use a mechanic formally trained on Mercedes or a senior inspector from your motoring association. Noisy engines, or units that are slow to start may be about to rack up an expensive repair.CAR BUYING TIPIf you’re considering getting an old prestige car rather than a new, but somewhat mundane, car make sure your budget is up to the task of supporting the higher running costs of the upmarket machine. 

The Opel Insignia Tourer aimed directly at the likes of Peugeot's 508, Passat wagon, Citroen C5 Tourer, Mondeo wagon, even the Hyundai i40 wagon. Not forgetting the new generation Mazda6 wagon due early next year. So what has Opel done to lure buyers?Opel's Aussie line-up tops out with this medium size car -- the diesel Insignia Select wagon called Sports Tourer. It sells for $48,990 but if you don't want all the luxury kit, there is another, same under the skin for $41,990.Select grade brings a generous level of features including a set of striking 19-inch alloys, leather upholstery with extendable front seat squabs (also heated and ventilated), adaptive bi-xenon lighting with auto dim and satnav, the latter being optional on all other Opels sold here.Inside you'll also find Bluetooth phone, seven speaker audio, cruise, dual zone climate control, electric park brake and sports pedals. Obviously, there's plenty more.Insignia scores a five star Euro NCAP rating with all that brings including six air bags and stability control. It also has seats designed to comply with the German Healthy Backs Association. They're excellent. Exterior styling is distinctive with handsome frontal treatment and really attractive rear styling featuring a large tailgate and integrated tail lights.They've even fitted supplementary safety lights at the rear for when the tailgate is up.Load carrying capacity is generous in a car that isn't quite as large externally as some of the competition. Fold the rear seats and you can chuck just about anything in there. We like the LED daytime driving lights and the dark privacy glass from the rear windows back. The space saver we don't like.They've really made it sporty with firm suspension, lower ride height and quick steering response and the turbo diesel engine has plenty of kick pretty much from idle.It's good for 118kW/350Nm output and sips fuel at the rate of 6.0-litres/100km. The engine isn't the smoothest or quietest diesel we've driven recently but it certainly delivers in the get-go department as well as passing Euro 5 emissions regulations.The six-speed auto transmission provides appropriate gearing for the engine and makes slick changes up and down the range, but there's no paddle shift.Insignia stacks up well on all counts: performance, safety, features, style, drive feel though some might think it's too stiff in the suspension.