Used Car Reviews

Audi is often in the forefront of vehicle design and the A3 is a classic example. The company was the first of the upmarket German marques to make the bold, some thought foolhardy, move to smaller, relatively affordable cars.  Prior to the Audi A3 you had to spend upwards of $60,000 to get into one of the big make

It seems the Lancer has been around forever, much like the Toyota Corolla, but unlike the small Toyota it has never commanded a lot of attention from buyers. Those who know recognise it as a solid, well-built, reliable small car that makes sense, but it's a car that has blended into the background rather than stand

Ewan Kennedy reviews the first, second, third and fourth generation Renault Clio as a used buy.

When the Honda CR-V was first sold in Australia in October 1997 it was a considered to be a genuine 4WD, albeit one intended only for mild conditions. That was almost 20 years ago and the SUV situation has changed markedly in the meantime. Today so-called small SUVs are really station wagons, are frequently driven by

The Jazz arrived here in 2002 and quickly won fans with its easy driving nature and roomy and flexible cabin.

Later, the Mercedes C-Class was also in Lexus’s sights as Mercedes quietly moved it from the boring sedan into the sporty sedan segment.All Lexus are immaculately finished inside and out in a tradition that has been with the marque since day one in 1989.The quality of materials and workmanship not only makes the car a delight to look at and sit in, but also makes for high level reliability.Interior space is good for a rear-drive car, but the little Lexus has less room than a front-wheel-drive of this size would have.Try the back seat for size if adults will be frequently using it.The quality of materials and workmanship makes the car a delight to look at with high level reliability.In its earlier iterations, it’s possibly best to regard it as being a two-plus-two rather than a four-seater for adults.Later models are better but still nothing special.That’s for the sedans, the IS hardtop convertibles, launched in July 2009, are very tight in the back seat, as is generally the way in this class.The first Lexus IS generation used straight-six engines, for smoothness; and rear-wheel drive for precise handling balance.Later it changed to V6 powerplants to free up space at the front.Power for the IS200 originally came from an engine with a capacity of just 2.0 litres, hence the ‘200’.While many praised the car others said it didn’t have enough grunt to match the chassis so a 3.0-litre IS300 was introduced in 2001.Splitting the difference is the IS 250, (yes, 2.5 litres) which replaced both the 200 and 300 with the introduction of the second generation IS Series in 2005.The third generation Lexus IS retained the 2.5-litre V6 in uprated format and added a 3.5-litre V6, to the lineup.Lexus decided to tackle the German marque’s high-performance divisions with a hot model called Lexus F.Things became interesting in the powerplant field with the introduction of a hybrid powertrain, the Lexus IS300h, in the gen-three car in July 2013.This time around the engine is a four-cylinder petrol 2.5-litre assisted by an electric motor.The ‘300’ indicates the hybrid provides the sort of performance normally requiring a 3.0-litre unit.After years of competing only against the mainstream models of BMW and Merc, Lexus decided to tackle the German marque’s high-performance divisions with a hot model called Lexus F in October 2008.With a 5.0-litre V8 engine and semi-race suspension, steering, brakes and serious aerodynamic enhancements it’s something right out of the ordinary from a Lexus point of view; deliberately so, the Japanese marque really wants to make a statement.Note that the Lexus F shouldn't be confused with the Lexus F Sport, which is a far tamer model, sold from 2010, with the same engine output standard IS 250 or IS 350 on which it is based, but with uprated suspension, steering and brakes, as well as a sportier look in body details.Spare parts and servicing are reasonably priced for a car in this class.Lexus dealers are fairly limited in number, particularly in rural areas, though that situation has changed in recent years as major country cities are now being serviced.Some senior Toyota technicians are trained in most aspects of the car. Toyota is, of course, the parent company of Lexus.Insurance is generally moderate in price for a car in this price and social class and we haven't noticed any worthwhile variation between the major companies in normal premiums.Look for damage to the bodywork and the interior trim and remember the car should be close to immaculate in all areas.If not it may have been mistreated by an uncaring owner.During your test drive check for anything out of the ordinary in the way the car drives, sounds and feels.Look over the complete vehicle, preferably with the owner’s handbook in front of you, these are complex cars.At the very least, test each of the functions on the stereo, climate-control, windows and door locking.Make sure the engine starts virtually instantaneously, idles so smoothly that you can barely feel it and doesn't hesitate when accelerated.The automatic transmission should operate almost imperceptibly and not hold onto any gears unnecessarily.A manual gearbox should be smooth and light not baulk on any changes, no matter how fast you make them.Unless you’re very confident in your technical ability it’s silly not to call for a professional inspection.Don’t rush into specific details of a car when checking it out - rather do an overall walk around to get a big-picture of its condition.

Graham Smith reviews the used 2010-2013 Kia Sportage, its fine points, its flaws and what to watch for when you are buying it.

Ewan Kennedy road tests and reviews the used 1994-2014 BMW 7 Series.

Graham Smith road tests and reviews the used 2009-2013Honda Odyssey.

Toyota Avalon was a failed attempt by Toyota to get into the big six-cylinder family car market that in July 2000 was totally dominating sales in Australia. To keep costs down Avalon was based on an early-1990s design for an American Toyota so it was already dated before it was launched here. Not only did Avalon fail