No. 48

Australian New Car Buyer

The Australian New Car Encyclopedia

Australian New Car Buyer1 min readAutomotive
Welcome to Australian New Car Buyer
In this issue of Australian New Car Buyer, we say goodbye to the mighty Ford Falcon. Along with the Falconute and the Territory, the Falcon ceased production in October when Ford Australia closed its Geelong and Broadmeadows plants in Victoria, endin
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Contributors
One of Australia’s most accomplished motoring writers, over three decades, John is a long-time contributor to Wheels magazine, where he is a Car of the Year judge, and publications in the USA and UK. He lives in Bergamo, Italy, and covers new Europea
Australian New Car Buyer5 min readAutomotive
The New Model Diary January–june 2017
Alfa’s rather beautiful Giulia is due in early 2017 to spearhead the Italian brand’s hoped-for revival as a legitimate player following its near death post-GFC. Giulia goes up against BMW’s 3 Series and the Mercedes C Class. We will see a 2.2-litre t
Australian New Car Buyer2 min read
Redbook Valuations
In Australian New Car Buyer, we include trade-in values for every model in our Showroom section. These are provided to us by Redbook, Australia’s leading authority on used car values. Each model we test includes three- and five-year retained values,
Australian New Car Buyer2 min readAutomotive
The Showroom
12 Abarth 124 Spider ALFA ROMEO 13 Alfa Romeo 4C 14 Alfa Romeo Giulietta ASTON MARTIN 14 Aston Martin Vantage S 15 Aston Martin DB11 16 Audi TT 17 Audi A1 18 Audi A3 19 Audi RS3 Sportback 20 Audi A4 21 Audi A6, A7 22 Audi R8 23 Audi Q2 24 Audi Q3 25
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Abarth 124 Spider From $41,990
Abarth is a name you may not have heard of. It belongs to Karl Abarth, an Austrian engineer who, in 1955, built his first car, the 750GT, and during the 1960s had much success with his Fiat 500-based 595 rally cars. In 1971 his company was bought by
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Alfa Romeo 4c From $89,000
Alfa Romeo’s 4C is priced at $89,000 and the 4C Spider costs $99,000. With its light 1090kg kerb weight (coupe), basic appointments list, two-seat format and modest 1.75-litre engine capacity, a cursory glance at the 4C’s specifications suggests clas
Australian New Car Buyer2 min readAutomotive
Alfa Romeo Giulietta From $29,900
Alfa Romeo’s Giulietta is a fivedoor hatch similar in size to the Volkswagen Golf. At $29,900, the base Giulietta Super runs Fiat’s 110kW 1.4-litre turbopetrol engine with a six-speed manual. The 125kW 1.4-litre turbopetrol Super is $34,900 with a si
Australian New Car Buyer2 min readAutomotive
Aston Martin Vantage S From $254,200
The Aston Martin Vantage S coupe costs $254,200 and the Roadster costs $283,200. A six-speed manual is standard. The optional $15,900 seven-speed, single-clutch Sportshift robobox is Italian, which doesn’t bode well. It’s located at the rear, where
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Aston Martin Db11 From $395,000
Aston Martin’s new DB11 marks the opening of a new era for the British car maker. This big GT coupe is a truly allnew car and long overdue. It replaces the DB9, which first went into production way back in 2004, two years before Daniel Craig became t
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Audi Tt From $73,950
Modern-day icons are rare, but this is an accurate label to attach to the Audi TT. Now in its third generation with an R8 supercar-style front end and more chiselled lines, the TT kicks off at $73,950 for the 169kW 2.0-litre turbopetrol TFSI/sixspeed
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Audi A1 From $27,300
Is the Audi A1 worth around $10,000 more than its Volkswagen Polo twin? The four-ringed marque’s smallest four-door is never going to win any value for money awards — not when the People’s Car version provides essentially the same experience. Yet the
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Audi A3 From $36,500
Audi’s current A3 range, like its predecessors, shares its architecture and most of its componentry with parent brand Volkswagen’s Golf. Prices for the five-door A3 Sportback start at $36,500 for the 85kW 1.0-litre turbopetrol threecylinder/seven-spe
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Audi Rs3 Sportback From $78,900
Hot hatches are something of a numbers game, with performance figures and price tags topping the columns of key comparison points. Looked at this way, Audi’s new RS3 isn’t an obvious star. This five-door fire-breather may be the least costly car ever
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Audi A4 From $55,500
Audi’s B9 A4 sedan range opens with two front-wheeldrive models. The 1.4TFSi ($55,500) runs the same 110kW 1.4-litre turbopetrol/sevenspeed dual clutch S tronic drivetrain used in the VW Golf. The 140kW 2.0-litre turbopetrol 2.0 TFSi is $60,900 and t
Australian New Car Buyer2 min readAutomotive
Audi A6 From $80,355
Audi’s A6 sedan and wagon are serious, albeit struggling, rivals to the BMW 5 Series, Jaguar XF and the Mercedes-Benz E Class. The 1.8-litre turbopetrol TFSi seven-speed S-Tronic with 140kW of power and front-wheel drive costs $80,355. The 140kW 2.0-
Australian New Car Buyer2 min readAutomotive
Audi A7 From $115,400
Audi’s Sportback body style works beautifully on the A7, a car that’s nearly as long in the wheelbase as the A8 limo and offers comparable interior space, but comes with significantly lower pricetags. Base model is a 185kW 2.0-litre turbopetrol TFSi
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Audi R8 From $354,900
Just as the original R8 was an engineering twin with the Lamborghini Gallardo, this second-generation model shares its underpinnings with the Lambo Huracán, including its hybrid construction (aluminium alloy/Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer) space fra
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Audi Q2 From $41,400
It’s still to arrive at local dealerships, but the Audi Q2 already looks awfully close to becoming Australia’s most desirable premium small SUV. Like it says on the tin, the Q2 is one size smaller than Audi’s already-popular Q3, being engineered on t
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Audi Q3 From $42,900
The Audi Q3 range opens with the 110kW 1.4-litre turbopetrol TFSi, with a sixspeed twin-clutch S-Tronic transmission and front-wheel drive, priced at $42,900. Quattro all-wheel-drive models start with the 110kW 2.0-litre turbodiesel/seven-speed S-Tro
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Audi Q5 From $63,600
A udi’s Q5 has been a Goldilocks family-freighter choice for many parents around the world and it leads the midsize premium SUV field. The 169kW 2.0 TFSi turbopetrol quattro Q5 is $63,966. The 140kW 2.0-litre TDI turbodiesel quattro is $63,600. This
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Audi Q7 From $96,855
Audi’s second-generation Q7 is a huge improvement over the first. That model’s whalelike scale made it a daunting vehicle to drive in the city and its high weight meant it had the handling agility of a humpback. This Q7 is only slightly shorter and a
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Bentley Bentayga From $420,600
If you need proof the world has gone mad for SUVs, look no further. The Bentley Bentayga is the most extreme and expensive mutation of the breed. The base model — if “base” is the right word in this context — costs $420,600. The First Edition, a limi
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
BMW i3 FROM $63,900
Welcome to the future of sustainable urban motoring as BMW envisions it. The i3 is the Bavarian brand’s first electric vehicle. Shorter than a Mazda2, it is offered in two distinct versions dubbed BEV (code for Battery Electric Vehicle). It is priced
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
BMW 1 Series From $36,900
BMW’S 1 Series is now the only small hatchback in the world that still uses rear-wheel drive. Is this a big deal? BMW used to argue, forcefully, that rear-wheel drive produces a better-balanced car that has more neutral handling characteristics and s
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
BMW 2 Series From $51,300
Remember the 2002 of the 1960s? It’s where modern BMW began. Boxy yet sporty, the compact two-door sedan was the precursor to the first 3 Series of 1975, establishing the brand as ‘The Ultimate Driving Machine’. The Bavarian carmaker is keen to cash
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
BMW 2 Series Active Tourer From $44,400
BMW purists may need to look away now. The 2 Series Active Tourer is the company’s first BMW-branded front-wheel-drive model and is completely unrelated to the rorty coupe/convertible models also using the same 2 Series designation. Created to take o
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
BMW M2 From $89,615
BMW’s M division cars have been somewhat hit and miss in recent years — epic on a track, but not so enjoyable in day-to-day driving, where their overreliance on electronics produces a remote, uninvolving driving experience amplified by artificially w
Australian New Car Buyer2 min readAutomotive
BMW M140i FROM $64,900
BMW’s M badge used to adorn only its elite performance cars, such as the M3 and M5, but M also stands for Money and now BMW is cashing in on its badge cachet. A second tier of M models, called M Performance, now sits below the weaponsgrade hardware.
Australian New Car Buyer2 min readAutomotive
BMW M240i FROM $74,900
Priced from $74,900, the M240i is the sole six-cylinder 2 Series model. The M240i convertible is priced at $83,900. The M240i Coupe boasts the latest version of BMW’s iconic 3.0-litre in-line turbocharged six-cylinder engine, running the same 250kW/5
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
BMW 3 Series From $54,900
Since 1975, the 3 Series has set the pace at the affordable end of the premium Euro field. It defined BMW’s “Sheer Driving Pleasure” promise. Recently, though, the 3 Series has struggled against the Mercedes C Class. The F30 model, which arrived in 2
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
BMW 4 Series From $68,900
BMW’s 4 Series replaced the previous 3 Series coupe and convertible models in 2014. The 420i coupe, with a 135kW/270Nm 2.0-litre turbopetrol four, kicks off the 4 series range at $68,900. The 420d, with a 135kW/380Nm 2.0-litre turbodiesel four, is $7
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
BMW M3/m4 From $139,615
BMW’s iconic M3, now in its fifth generation, is available as a four-door sedan only. The coupe wears an M4 badge in line with a revamped naming regime. Though mechanically identical, the sedan lands in Oz starting from $139,615. The coupe commands a
Australian New Car Buyer2 min readAutomotive
BMW M5 From $184,715
The price of BMW’s F10 M5 was effectively discounted by almost $45,000 in mid-2015 with the arrival of the Pure version, which sits alongside the full fruit model at $230,615. The Pure gets “only” 412kW, just 11kW less than the more expensive model.
Australian New Car Buyer2 min readAutomotive
BMW X6 From $117,500
BMW claims its X6 created yet another niche: the Sports Activity Coupe. The xDrive30d, with the 190kW/560Nm 3.0-litre turbodiesel, is priced at $117,500. The 230kW/630Nm xDrive 40d is $130,500. The twin-turbo 4.4-litre petrol V8 xDrive50i, with 330kW
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
BMW X1 From $49,500
The second-generation BMW X1 shares much of its core technology, including its basic structure, with the latest versions of the Mini (a brand that is owned by BMW) as well as BMW’s 2 Series Active Tourer. The range opens with the sDrive 18d at $49,50
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
BMW X3 From $62,200
BMW’s X3, introduced in early 2011, is now much closer in size to the X5 and unless you need seven seats, it’s a greatvalue alternative. The X3 lineup opens with the xDrive 20i, priced at a very attractive $62,200. It runs BMW’s 2.0-litre direct-inje
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
BMW X5 From $86,200
The third generation of the world’s top-selling luxury wagon, BMW’s F15 maintains the X5’s reputation as the top drive in big SUVs. The range opens with the rearwheel- drive X5 sDrive25d 160kW four-cylinder turbodiesel, which costs $86,200. The all-w
Australian New Car Buyer2 min readAutomotive
Chrysler Srt Core From $65,000
Chrysler’s base SRT Core, tested here, is $65,000. The fully loaded SRT is $75,000. The Core badge suggests minimalism and that’s exactly what you get. It’s an industrialgrade cockpit swathed in cheap, nasty, heavily textured plastics of the kind fav
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Ferrari 488gtb From $469,888
It might not look like it, but this is Ferrari’s answer to the Toyota Prius. Well, sort of. The Italian supercar maker has been forced to join the rest of the car industry and downsize its engines to meet strict new emissions regulations in Europe. A
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Ferrari F12 From $690,745
At the pinnacle of the Ferrari road range, in power and price, sits the F12berlinetta. It’s all yours for $690,745. As you slide into the F12’s shell-like, supportive and very firm driver’s seat, upholstered in silken, fragrant leather, you naturally
Australian New Car Buyer2 min readAutomotive
Fiat 500 From $18,000
The Fiat 500 range opens with the 51kW 1.2-litre Pop, priced at $18,000 with a five-speed manual or $19,500 with the five-speed Dualogic transmission. The 74kW 1.4-litre/six-speed manual Lounge is $21,000 and the Dualogic is $22,500. Like the reincar
Australian New Car Buyer2 min readAutomotive
Ford Fiesta From $15,825
The Ford Fiesta hatch range opens with the 82kW 1.5-litre/ five-speed manual Ambiente at $15,825; a six-speed automated manual adds $2000. Trend specification (as tested) adds a further $2000. The 92kW 1.0-litre turbopetrol Fiesta Sport EcoBoost is p
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Ford Focus From $23,390
Ford’s Focus was overhauled in July 2015 with a new, more fuel-efficient EcoBoost 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbopetrol engine being the headline change. The base model is the $23,390 Trend hatch, with a six-speed manual. A six-speed automatic adds $10
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Ford Focus Rs From $50,990
The Focus RS is highly capable and one of the best fast Fords to roam our streets. But for reasons I am yet to fathom, I did not come away with the same degree of amazement about the car as have other motoring writers around the world. To get behind
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Ford Mondeo From $33,190
Falcon is now dead and buried so the European-designed and -built Mondeo is, effectively, Ford Australia’s new flagship family and fleet car. There are three spec levels (Ambiente, Trend, Titanium), available in hatch or wagon, with a choice of two t
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Ford Mustang From $45,990
Mustang prices kick off at $45,990 for the 2.3-litre turbopetrol/six-speed manual EcoBoost Fastback. A six-speed auto adds $2500 and the auto convertible is $54,990. With 233kW and 432Nm it’s hardly underdone, but it sounds like a vacuum cleaner and,
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Ford Escape From $28,490
Ford’s Kuga has just been renamed the Escape, the name it carries in most other world markets. The 2017 range range opens with the 110kW 1.5-litre turbopetrol/ six-speed manual/frontwheel- drive Ambiente, priced at $28,490. The six-speed auto is $29,
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Holden Spark From $13,990
The cheapest cars are often the hardest to make. Believe it or not, it costs just as much to design, engineer and develop a $13,990 hatchback like the Holden Spark as it does a $19,990 small car, but the profits are much slimmer. It’s a fine balance
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Holden Astra From $21,990
Holden’s Astra hatchback is sourced from General Motors’ Opel factory in Poland, although it was designed and engineered by Opel in Germany. It recently won the European Car of the Year award. Prices start at $21,990 for the 110kW 1.4-litre turbo R s
Australian New Car Buyer2 min readAutomotive
Holden Captiva From $26,490
The South Korean-built Captiva’s success is based on the fact that it’s a good-value family SUV, especially the seven-seaters. Regularly advertised drive-away offers further strengthen its appeal. The five-seater Captiva 5 LT with front-wheel drive i
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Holden Trax From $23,990
Holden’s Trax is a small SUV based on the Barina hatchback. It’s only available as a front-wheel drive, so think of it as an interesting take on the compact hatch with an SUV’s easy access and high, comfortable seating position. The base LS five-spee
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Holden Commodore From $35,490
Holden’s VFII Commodore will see the car through until its demise in October 2017, when Holden ceases manufacturing in Australia. The VFII Commodore sedan range opens with the 3.0-litre V6/six-speed automatic Evoke, priced at $35,490. The Evoke Sport
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Holden Vfii Ute From $33,490
The VFII reinforces the Holden ute’s position as the world’s most sophisticated, capable and safe pickup, a unique vehicle that, when Holden ceases local manufacture in October 2017, will surely become a collectable, as evidenced by extremely strong
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Honda Civic From $22,390
The 2017 Civic is the 10th generation since 1973 of Honda’s signature model. We’re testing the 1.8-litre VTi-S sedan which, at $24,490, sits one step above the base 1.8-litre VTi model, priced at $22,390, and below three 1.5-litre turbo variants: the
Australian New Car Buyer2 min readAutomotive
Honda Odyssey From $37,610
Honda’s Odyssey is priced from a sharp $37,610 for the base VTi. The more generously equipped but mechanically identical VTi-L is $46,040. Brandishing van-like electric sliding doors and a high roof for ultra-easy entry, the Odyssey’s floor is lower
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Hsv Gen-f2 From $76,990
Holden’s performance car division has emptied out its big guns and ramped its prices in the lead-up to the end of Commodore production in late 2017. Until the Holden Commodore VFII update, the 6.2-litre supercharged “LSA” V8 was reserved for the flag
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Hsv Gen-f2 Gts From $95,990
HSV’s Gen-F2 GTS sedan could, and probably should, ink the history books as Australia’s greatest performance car, period. The outrageous 430kW of power and 740Nm of torque generated by its supercharged “LSA” 6.2-litre V8 is a huge leap above and beyo
Australian New Car Buyer2 min readAutomotive
Hyundai Genesis From $61,500
Would you pay $60,000 for the base-model Hyundai Genesis? How about $71,000 with the Sensory Pack? Or (cue deep intake of breath …) $82,000 for the bells-and-whistles Ultimate? Sure, the Genesis is beautifully built and as luxurious and refined as an
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
HYUNDAI i30 FROM $20,990
This is the most competitive class in the market today, with some outstanding cars being offered at super-sharp prices. The Hyundai i30 five-door hatchback range opens with the 107kW 1.8-litre petrol/six-speed manual Active at $21,450; a sixspeed aut
Australian New Car Buyer2 min readAutomotive
HYUNDAI i40 FROM $32,490
Hyundai’s i40 Tourer wagon range includes a 1.7-litre turbodiesel, priced at $35,090 in Active spec with a seven-speed automated manual transmission. It’s neither fast nor especially refined, but it slugs away without ever feeling strained and averag
Australian New Car Buyer2 min readAutomotive
Hyundai Accent From $14,990
Hyundai’s Accent is cleverly designed to offer generous interior space in a compact body and comes as a sedan or hatchback. Prices start at $14,990 for the base 74kW 1.4-litre petrol Active sedan or hatch. A CVT transmission adds $2000. The 103kW dir
Australian New Car Buyer2 min readAutomotive
Infiniti Q30 From $38,900
Infiniti’s Q30 hatch is a product of the Nissan (Infiniti’s parent) and Daimler joint venture. It’s a Mercedes A Class with different sheetmetal, seats and suspension tuning. Q30 is front-wheel drive and QX30 is all-wheel drive. The range opens at $3
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Jaguar Xf From $82,755
Jaguar has priced and equipped the XF for battle with its Audi A6, BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E Class rivals. Prices start at $82,755 for the 132kW 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel Prestige 20d. An eight-speed automatic is standard with paddle shif
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Kia Carnival From $41,490
Kia’s third-generation Carnival people mover starts at $41,490 for the 206kW 3.3-litre V6 petrol/six-speed automatic S model. Si grade is $45,490, SLi is $49,990 and Platinum is $58,290. The 147kW 2.2-litre fourcylinder turbodiesel/six-speed automati
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Kia Sorento From $40,990
Kia’s Sorento is a significantly bigger wagon than its predecessor, comparable with Toyota’s Kluger and the Nissan Pathfinder, with vast interior space for seven. Petrol-powered models are front-wheel drive. The range opens with the 199kW 3.3-litre V
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Lexus Is From $58,650
The Lexus IS range opens with the 180kW 2.0-litre turbopetrol four-cylinder IS 200t, available in Luxury, F Sport and Sports Luxury grades, priced at $58,650, $66,530 and $77,750 respectively. The 233kW 3.6-litre V6 IS 350 is available in the same gr
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Lexus Rc F From $135,490
The two-door RC F coupe is priced at $135,490, or $149,770 for the RC F Carbon which adds a lightweight carbon-fibre bonnet, roof, rear wing and interior trim. It sits at the top of the Lexus RC coupe range, which opens at $65,090 for the 180kW 2.0-l
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Maserati Quattroporte From $210,000
Maserati’s 2017 Quattroporte range features two twinturbo petrol engines with an eight-speed ZF automatic. The 3.0-litre V6 Quattroporte, with 257kW/500Nm, starts at $215,000. With the same engine producing 301kW/550Nm, the S costs $240,000. GranLuss
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Mazda6 From $32,490
Mazda’s mid-size 6 is available as a sedan and wagon. Prices start at $32,490 for the 138kW 2.5-litre fourcylinder petrol/six-speed automatic Sport sedan. The Touring is $37,290, the GT is $42,690 and the top-of-therange Atenza is $45,390. Wagon vers
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Mazda Cx-9 From $42,490
Mazda’s CX-9 range starts at $42,490 for the 170kW 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbopetrol/six-speed automatic/ front-wheel-drive Sport. CX9 Touring, with the same drivetrain, is $48,490. All-wheel-drive models include the GT at $57,390 and the Azami at
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Mercedes Amg Gt S From $295,000
The GT S is the second car produced by Mercedes’ specialist performance division after the 2010–2014 SLS supercar. A lot of engineering from the SLS, which cost almost half a million dollars, carries over into the GT. It’s more compact, though, much
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Mercedes A-class From $38,400
The Mercedes-Benz A-Class starts at $38,400 for the 90kW 1.6-litre turbopetrol/ seven-speed automatic/frontwheel- drive A180. It’s then a big hike to the A200 at $44,000, with a more powerful 115kW version of the 1.6-litre engine. The A200 d 100kW 2.
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Mercedes Cla-class From $52,500
The Mercedes CLA-Class is essentially the frontwheel- drive A-Class with a different body, in this case a four-door coupe. It’s the most aerodynamically-efficient production car body in the world, a significant factor in minimising fuel use and wind
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Mercedes Gla-class From $43,600
The Mercedes GLA SUV range starts at $43,600 for the 90kW 1.6-litre turbopetrol frontwheel- drive GLA180. The 100kW 2.1-litre turbodiesel front-wheeldrive GLA200 CDI is $50,400. Opt for the sportier performance and all-wheel-drive grip of the 155kW 2
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Mercedes Amg C 63 S From $155,615
The original 6.2-litre V8 Mercedes C63 AMG, launched in 2008, quickly gained a (deserved) reputation as a fire-breathing beast of a car, largely due to its ferocious powerplant, a loud, uncompromising old-school naturally aspirated musclecar motor th
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Mercedes E-class From $89,900
The 2017 W213 Mercedes E-Class may well be the most sophisticated, complicated piece of rolling digital technology ever. Great. But as a car, is it any good? We’re in the base-model 135kW 2.0-litre turbopetrol E200, priced at $89,900. The E220d, with
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Mercedes Gle Class From $89,455
Rather than a new Mercedes- Benz, what we have here is a new Mercedes-Benz name. There’s little more than a simple badge swap involved in the transition from M-Class to GLE. The basic virtues of the line-up — comfort, capable handling, formidable saf
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Mitsubishi Mirage From $12,250
Mitsubishi’s five-door Mirage hatch starts at $12,250 for the 57kW 1.2-litre three-cylinder/ five-speed manual ES. A CVT automatic adds $2000. LS is $15,250 with CVT. The sedan opens at $14,500 for the ES, while ES with CVT is $16,500. LS sedan with
Australian New Car Buyer2 min readAutomotive
Nissan Altima From $29,990
If you’re shopping the big sedan field and looking for an alternative to Falcon/ Commodore/Camry/Aurion, the base-model Nissan Altima ST, which comes in at a sharp $29,990, is worth a drive. It runs a 127kW 2.5-litre atmo petrol/CVT drivetrain (also
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Nissan Qashqai From $25,990
Anthropologists know it refers to a nomadic people of Middle Eastern origin but Nissan hopes Qashqai (pronounced “kash-kai”) becomes the byword for compact SUVs in Australia. Like the successful Dualis it replaced, the five-seater crossover is design
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Nissan Pathfinder From $41,490
The base Pathfinder ST frontwheel drive is $41,490, the ST-L is $51,490 and the Ti is $62,190. Top-of-the-range Ti all-wheel drive, as tested, is a hefty $66,190. A 3.5-litre V6 petrol/CVT (continuously variable automatic transmission) drivetrain is
Australian New Car Buyer2 min readAutomotive
Peugeot 208 From $15,990
Peugeot’s 208 range opens with the 60kW 1.2-litre threecylinder petrol/five-speed manual Access five-door hatch at $15,990. The 81kW 1.2-litre turbopetrol/six-speed automatic Active is $21,990. This drivetrain is also fitted in Allure auto at $25,990
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Peugeot 208 Gti From $30,990
Priced at $30,990, Peugeot’s 208 GTi runs the BMW/PSA 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbopetrol engine with a solid 153kW of power and 300Nm of torque, the latter from 1700rpm. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard. Drive goes to the front wheels. The sus
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Peugeot 308 From $19,290
Priced from $19,290, the second-generation 308 shares nothing with what’s come before as a result of an all-new architecture that was unashamedly inspired by Volkswagen’s Golf. Shedding some 140kg, the new 308 is slightly shorter than before, but roo
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Porsche 718 Boxster From $112,800
Porsche’s Boxster has been around for 20 years, would you believe, and the new-fromthe- wheels-up 718 model ushers in the greatest changes in its history. The 718 moniker is used by Porsche to tie the car to the famous four-cylinder 718 racers of the
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Porsche Cayenne From $109,100
The sharper and cleaner looking 2017 Cayenne range has expanded to include base petrol and diesel versions, a high-performance S turbodiesel and GTS turbopetrol, a plug-in petrol-electric S E-Hybrid and the monstrous Turbo S flagship. The S Petrol ($
Australian New Car Buyer2 min readAutomotive
Renault Clio Rs200 Edc From $30,000
The Renault Clio RS200 EDC (which stands for Efficient Dual Clutch, as in transmission) Sport, tested here, costs $30,000, or $33,000 in Cup specification, which adds a lower, stiffer suspension and 18-inch alloys. Premium spec adds $5000 and buys le
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Renault Captur From $23,500
Renault’s stylish Captur is arguably its most competitive model for many years, fusing a number of appealing attributes into a surprisingly spacious yet fun-todrive package. That it is also one of the least expensive compact SUVs is perhaps the Frenc
Australian New Car Buyer3 min readAutomotive
Skoda Superb From $39,990
Volkswagen’s Czech brand Skoda has struggled to gain acceptance in Australia despite having a presence here for 10 years. Although Skoda cars generally offer more metal for the money — and similar if not identical technology to Volkswagen — its growt
Australian New Car Buyer2 min readAutomotive
Subaru Brz From $32,990
The 2.0-litre boxer BRZ costs $32,990 (manual) and $34,490 for the auto. It’s a twin under the skin with the Toyota 86. The drivetrain in both cars is identical. Subaru’s 2.0-litre horizontallyopposed, naturally aspirated four cylinder has been signi

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