Subaru Vortex Reviews

Mercedes-Benz C-Class wins CarsGuide 2014 Car Of The Year award as sales figures show it outsold the Ford Falcon by almost two-to-one last month.

As the exhaustive COTY drive program starts, CarsGuide covers the market segments — the focus as ever is on testing real cars for real people on real roads.The field for the 2014 Carsguide Car of the Year contest is in the starting blocks.The 10 contenders cover every corner of Australia’s new-car showroom, from baby cars to SUVs and luxury cars to people-movers. There is even a performance car.The COTY favourite is the Mercedes-Benz C-Class but there are dark horses including the updated VW Polo and Toyota Corolla sedan, as well as the classy little Mazda2 that’s a late inclusion for the contest.And then there is the Ford Falcon XR8, an Aussie hero that’s the poster car for the final FG X Falcon.The two-day COTY contest puts them head-to-head with a simple mantra: real cars for real people on real roads.So we’re looking first at value, then everything from safety to comfort, quality and efficiency. It’s the same approach that most people take to their new-car purchase but with a much sharper focus.VW has dominated the COTY results in recent years with the excellent Golf and Polo, which work so well despite unanswered questions about ownership beyond the warranty.But no one knows what will happen when we get down to voting for the biggest prize in Australia motoring.  The contenders are:Ford Falcon XR8From $52,490This is as good as the Falcon gets, as Ford Australia does all it can to make the FG X special for the time it has left as a car maker at Broadmeadows. Ford fans have been calling for the return of the XR8 for years and the best news is the car picks up the 335kW supercharged V8 engine lifted directly from the discontinued FPV GT.Honda Jazz VTiFrom $14,990Honda retreated in the global financial crisis, and has also just axed the Accord Euro that’s been so popular in Australia. Honda played smart by adding a standard rear-view camera to the new Jazz but that’s just the start for a car that’s a genuine step forward.Honda Odyssey VTiFrom $38,990Few Australians buy people-movers but the new Odyssey provides a good reason to look past an SUV. A genuine family van, it is also well equipped and well built. It’s been a long-term success in Australia, despite rivals including the Toyota Tarago and the latest classy Citroen Picasso.Mazda3 NeoFrom $20,490Australia’s favourite car for 2013 got a total makeover for 2014 that includes everything from the SkyActiv powertrain to a new body and chassis. It’s a looker that backs the style with impressive quality and driving dynamics. The Mazda3 take the fight to the Toyota Corolla for sales and the VW Golf for everything else.Mazda2 NeoFrom $15,790More like a condensed Mazda3 than any previous Mazda2, the Japanese company’s new starter car is mini but definitely not tinny. The cabin quality is impressive, it goes well with SkyActiv technology, and the value is up with a price that’s down.Mercedes-Benz C200From $60,900The world’s oldest car maker performed a magic trick with the new C-Class, creating a condensed S-Class limousine that still comes in below the LCT threshold. It’s packed with technology, takes a new approach to luxury cabin design and drives incredibly well in C200 starter form.Nissan Pathfinder hybridFrom $42,990Earlier Pathfinders were a bit rough-and-ready despite their heavyweight credentials but the new model is much more car-like and a serious alternative to a Toyota Kluger or Ford Territory for Australian families. The hybrid package is the icing on the cake.Subaru WRXFrom $38,990The long-term Subaru hero is still a performance bargain. Its user-friendly constantly variable transmission is one of the biggest changes and challenges to the turbocharged pocket rocket. This time around the emphasis has switched from the engine to the chassis in the WRX, a major departure that changes the game.Toyota Corolla sedanFrom $20,740Four-door compacts are not generally as popular as hatches but that has not stopped Toyota from creating a sedan that trumps its five-door variant. It’s a little more expensive but the pay-off comes in greater refinement in a body that works for many downsizers.VW Polo 66TSI$16,290The starter car for VW in Australia following the axing of the Up is a long way better than basic motoring. It goes surprisingly well, has a solid Golf-style feel and meets most of the needs of baby-car buyers. As always, though, we wonder about life beyond the warranty.We’re looking first at value, then everything from safety to comfort, quality and efficiency. It’s the same approach most people take to their new-car purchase but with a much sharper focus.

Special Edition BRZ sports coupe now available.Less than four months since the BRZ was refreshed for 2015, Subaru have released the BRZ Special Edition. Priced at $40,650 driveaway with a manual transmission, Subaru have raided the STI parts bin to add a healthy dose of showroom appeal for $3,500 more than the standard models’ driveaway pricing.The latest BRZ Special Edition includes 17-inch alloys and STI bodywork details such as boot lip spoiler and skirts on the front, side and rear as well as a rear diffuser. GT stripes also run the length of the body in either white or black depending on body colour.On the inside there is an STI push-button start switch, with manual Special Editions also receiving STI short-shift assembly and shifter knob for the gear shifter.The new BRZ Special Edition comes with the same 147kW/205Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder boxer engine as the standard BRZ, and can be mated to either the existing six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmissions.The Special Edition is similar to last year’s BRZ S, adding a selection of usually optional accessories to the BRZ while leaving the car’s outright performance unchanged. Unlike the BRZ S, the Special Edition does not get lowered suspension.2015 Subaru BRZ Special Edition driveaway pricingSubaru Special Edition BRZ - manual - $40,650Subaru Special Edition BRZ - automatic - $43,230

Toyota hosts the second Festival of 86 gathering for fans of Australia’s favourite sports car.Sydney’s Inner West throbbed to the tune of 2.0-litre boxer engines at the weekend, with hundreds of Toyota 86 owners converging for the second running of Toyota’s Festival of 86. Moving to Sydney’s new White Bay Cruise Terminal after last year’s event tested the capacity of Toyota’s NSW headquarters, the 2014 gathering once again encouraged owners from around the nation to gather in celebration of Toyota’s instant cult classic.Australia remains the third-largest market for the 86 behind Japan and the US, and on a per-capita basis, it’s fair to say we love the low-cost rear-driver more than anyone else. Proving his ongoing passion for his creation, 86 chief engineer Tetsuya Tada once again flew from Japan to attend. Helping to justify his trip was a hero’s welcome from the 86 devotees, queuing in their hundreds to meet the Waku Doki master.   Speaking with CarsGuide, Tada-san expressed his delight with Australia’s embrace of the 86. “When I started the 86 project, it was my dream that owners would have such passion for the car,” he said. Among the 400-plus vehicles in attendance, there was a cross-section of standard and modified examples, with a few of the 86’s Subaru BRZ twin and the 86-inspiring Corolla AE86 from the 1980s thrown in for good measure. When I started the 86 project, it was my dream that owners would have such passion for the carAsked what he thought of the many owners who’d dared to modify his pride and joy, Tada-san was surprisingly supportive. “Most manufacturers are against aftermarket modifications. I am happy that 86 owners can grow with their car as their driving improves,” he added. Toyota Australia’s sales and marketing boss Tony Cramb also used the event to confirm plans for an Australian 86 one-make race series, which could happen as soon as 2016. "The concept is a pro-am with amateur drivers from across Australia competing against selected professional drivers," Mr Cramb said.Toyota Australia also used the event to test the waters for possible factory-backed personalisation options, with four uniquely-styled show cars on display. The 2014 Festival of 86 forms part of Toyota’s Oh What a Feeling! Discovery Tour, showcasing several models at events across Australia.

EyeSight driver assistance on next Liberty will mean cheaper insurance.Lower insurance costs will be part of the package when the new Subaru Liberty arrives in Australia in January. Subaru has confirmed all versions of its mid-sized sedan will be fitted with the latest EyeSight driver assistance.The updated software includes brake light recognition, improved pedestrian detection, city-speed automated braking and steering assistance and adaptive cruise control.Insurers Allianz and IAG already reduce premiums for owners whose cars are fitted with the previous version of the EyeSight technology, which uses a pair of cameras fitted to the top of the windscreen to scan the road ahead of the vehicle and detect potential accidents.Subaru Australia boss Nick Senior says the safety enhancements will boost the appeal of the sixth-generation Liberty (pictured, US model). "Another hidden benefit of EyeSight is that, if a collision does occur, the position of the cameras helps avoid potentially costly damage to them," he says."Some competing systems have sensors and equipment right at the front of the car, including the grille, and this can be an expensive repair exercise." Pricing and specification for the new range has yet to be announced but the competition in the segment, where the Mazda6 and Toyota Camry dominate, should mean little variance on the $33,000 starting price. The car is already on sale in the US, where it is fitted with 2.5-litre four-cylinder and 3.6-litre six-cylinder engines matched to Subaru's "Lineartronic" continuously variable automatic.Subaru Australia has yet to confirm if the Outback SUV - based on the Liberty platform - will also be getting EyeSight as standard in the 4WD wagon. But given the Outback is $5000 more than the sedan and EyeSight is already fitted to the top-spec version of the current model, it's a reasonably safe bet.

Craig Duff road tests and reviews the2015 Subaru BRZ, with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

More and more small-car buyers are finding their $20,000-something budget can upgrade them from what they need into the SUV they really want.A small SUV explosion is hitting showrooms and, as Mazda teases its CX-3 this week ahead of the Los Angeles show, it looks as if every brand that's serious about winning new owners is focusing on that segment. It's much easier to get a first-car buyer hooked on your brand than to win a convert later, which is why so much advertising is now aimed at on twenty-somethings and the SUVs they crave."People like them, they're practical, they're flexible, and you can sit up high. And there is an adventure element, even if you never use it," says Mazda Australia marketing chief Alastair Doak."With these vehicles, because they're priced from the low $20,000s and up, more people are realising they can actually afford an SUV." The boom has pitched the Ford EcoSport and Holden Trax against the Subaru XV, probably the best looker but limited by lacklustre performance and an undersized boot.The two biggest sellers in the class, the Hyundai ix35 and Volkswagen Tiguan, will be punted out of the competition in 2015. They are both beyond the size limits for a 'small' SUV tag, something now recognised by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries.So the pecking order will change, even more with the arrival of the CX-3 and Renault Captur, denied to Australia for nearly a year as a result of booming worldwide demand."It's a big growth segment and we're keen to jump into that. This gives us an entry right at the sweet spot," says Doak of the CX-3.He believes the new Mazda can change the rules in the class, just as the Mazda3 and latest Mazda2 are doing, with a combination of an efficient 1.5-litre SkyActiv engine and front-wheel drive, good looks and classy finishing. As to price, he merely says the CX-3 will be very competitive when it arrives next year."We are going to treat this with the respect it deserves," he says, "and make sure we have a full line-up of models." He expects the arrival of so many baby SUVs to create much wider ripples in Australian motoring, by winning sales from the small-car class rather than the cars with which they share platforms. So that could mean fewer people will buy a Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Corolla or Mazda3.If that's true, it could tip the balance of power completely in favour of work-and-play utes in the fight for No. 1 in showrooms. The Toyota HiLux has topped the sales charts several times and, with a new model landing in 2015, it could become a longer-term leader in Australia.CHOICESHolden Trax - Three starsPrice: From $23,990Engine: 1.8-litre 4-cyl, 103kW/175NmTransmission: 5-speed man; FWDThirst: 7.0L/100kmLowdown: Not the best in the class but a very strong seller thanks to the pricing, Holden badge and recent engine upgrade. It's the benchmark but doesn't set the bar too high for comparison drives.Mercedes-Benz GLA - Four starsPrice: From $47,900Engine: 2.1-litre 4-cyl turbodiesel, 100kW/300NmTransmission: 7-speed auto; FWDThirst: 4.6L/100kmLowdown: Best of the new-generation Benz babies but also one of the dearest in the class. Works very well as a basic front-drive turbo diesel. The AMG 45 is the one to get if you have an unlimited budget.Subaru XV - Three starsPrice: From $28,490Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 110kW/196NmTransmission: CVT; AWDThirst: 7.0L/100kmLowdown: Good-looking, well-built with security of AWD. Not a great performer and small boot is a major flaw for kid-friendly motoring. Good for city singles.SECOND-HANDThe Nissan Dualis is the one for me, even though it's now called the Qashquai after the arrival of an all-new model a couple of months ago.It's the right size for most people, is well priced and drives well enough, and there is even a seven-seater if you need it.The Dualis is not as sexy as newer arrivals, because it hit before the youth drive in small SUVs, but it still does most things right. Nissan's long-term warranty and the basic quality also make sense for the longer haul.

Brett Radford is looking at a 2008 Subaru Forester sports wagon for his 17-year-old son. The asking price is $11,800, but with no trade he says he could get it for $10,000. It has had a small hit at the rear, but it has been repaired and inspected by the RTA. He wants to know if it is a good buy, and also if it has a

Subaru shows how the new Outback can rekindle your kids’ interest in the great outdoors. The new fourth-generation Subaru Outback SUV isn’t expected to arrive on our shores until early next year, but the Japanese brand’s marketing is already in full swing in the US where it’s already on sale.This new Outback television ad highlights a situation that parents have battled for generations; general disinterest from the back seat. Promising the same balance of on-road refinement and off-road durability that made the first three generations such a family favourite, Australian buyers should have no trouble spotting our own range of wildlife with the Outback – given a local Bison sighting is a bit of a stretch.

Competent off-road wagons are getting scarce. These two are among the best at taking on life's rough - and smooth - paths.