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6

whichcar.com.au/wheels

Contents
NEXT ISSUE

UPFRONT

THE WRAP

How much is a Megazilla? And what is a
Sport Futility Vehicle? Keep up to date
with these pressing questions here

FEB
12

ON SALE

THE MIDDLE

THE REAR END

MODERN CLASSIC: LAMBORGHINI
DIABLO SV
Enright gets to revisit a car that
humbled him as a rookie

052

TOP NEW CARS OF 2024

This is set to be a huge year for new cars
launches. We’ve sifted the wheat from
the chaff and brought you our Hot 40

034
RECALLING ALL CARS!

All the details on Tesla’s supersized US
recall over Autopilot safety concerns

WHAT GSR2 MEANS TO YOU

How an arcane set of EU regulations is
changing the cars that Australia gets for
better and for worse

HYUNDAI SANTA FE

We sent Jez Spinks to a patch of waste
ground in South Korea to pose moodily
for pictures. And to drive a deeply
impressive family SUV

NEW CARS CALENDAR 2024

GWM TANK 300 HYBRID

Here’s a round-up of the best
alternatives if a Porsche 718 isn’t really
doing it for you. BMW M2, Corvette
C8, Toyota GR Supra and Lotus Emira
reviewed and rated

If the figurative curate’s egg was ever a
car, this may very well be it

TESLA MODEL 3
INBOX

It seems that some readers are not okay
with General Motors waltzing back into
Australia as if nothing ever happened

LAMBORGHINI REINVENTS
THE WHEEL

Because life is clearly too short for
indicator stalks

MITSUBISHI TRITON

Our first steer of the new Triton is on
sand but it’s enough to tell us that the
latest version has some grit

Everything that matters and when you
can see it in showrooms

SPORTS CAR COMPARISON

FERRARI FINALI MONDIALI

Alex Inwood heads to Mugello for
a Ferrari festival like no other. Well,
y’know, someone had to take one for
the team

Tech Talk investigates the withcraft that
Sant’Agata is developing with clever hubs

The greatest trick the devil ever
pulled was convincing the world
that we need to pay more
for a cheaper car

A N D T H AT ’ S N O T A L L . . .
ANDY ENRIGHT
JOHN LAW
DANIEL GARDNER
DRIVEN TO EXTINCTION Mazda MX-30

GARAGE

DATABANK
@wheelsaustralia

7

A N D Y

E N R I G H T

“IF YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED A V8 MUSTANG WITH A
MANUAL GEARBOX, GO OUT AND TREAT YOURSELF”
THIS IS, on the face of it, a truly great time to be a car enthusiast.
Compiling the list of cars that we’re most looking forward to
seeing in 2024 has only served to remind me that not only are
we seeing peak internal combustion engine, but we’re seeing
technology move apace in other areas. The Ferrari 296 GTB
showed that a hybrid V6 can be better than an atmo V8. The
Tesla Cybertruck has demonstrated that 48v electricals and 4680
battery cells are a formidable technical combination. Hyundai has
proved beyond any measure of doubt with its Ioniq 5 N that an
electric car can be involving and exciting to drive.
New car sales in Australia last year broke all records, recovering
from the one-two combo of pandemic and semiconductor
shortages. The cars for sale in 2024 are faster, smarter, cleaner,
safer and more packed with features than ever before. I
remember goggling at the performance of the Ferrari F40 back in
1987. If you’d have told me that, at some point in my professional
life, a cheapish Chinese hatchback could leave Maranello’s finest
for dead to 100km/h I’d have thought you’d need sectioning. Yet
here we are.
Because the ICE gloves have come off, be in no doubt that
some of the cars on sale now will be worth a
fortune in a few years’ time. We’ll look
back at cars like the Porsche 718
Cayman GT4 RS and wonder
why we didn’t squirrel one
away in a dehumidified garage
and retire on the proceeds. In
fact, any of the cars in the
sports car comparison in
this issue ought to stand
their owners in pretty
good stead in years to
come. They just won’t
make them like that
any more.

That doesn’t deter some online commenters though, with one
visitor to the Wheels site claiming that the EV ‘fad’ had already
passed. That ignores the fact that manufacturers like Hyundai,
the Stellantis Group, Volvo and Nissan are cutting research and
development budgets to zero on passenger vehicle internal
combustion engines. Very soon, there will be no more new engines
being unveiled. The payback period on such projects is already
becoming too short.
So enjoy this brief window while it exists. If you’ve always
wanted a brand new Ford Mustang V8 with a manual gearbox, go
out and treat yourself. You’re not going to have the opportunity
for very much longer. I can’t get bent out of shape in any way
about the minimal poofteenth of pollution that this last fling of
enthusiast ICE cars will emit from their tailpipes. In the overall
scheme of things, it’ll prove little but the most insignificant of
rounding errors.
For those of you that are rusted-on petrolheads, we understand
if the electric cars to date haven’t done much to get you
excited. That will change. Companies like Porsche, Ferrari and
Lamborghini will die if it doesn’t and that’s not going to happen.
I was recently speaking to some Porsche
engineers who were working on EV
projects and asked them whether
they miss working on more
traditional Porsche cars. Not one
of them would go back. They
all maintained that we are
only just beginning to see
the mind-bending things
the next generation of allelectric powertrains and
chassis are capable of.
So happy New Year
to one and all. It could
well be a cracker.

@wheelsaustralia

9

JANUARY 2024

FRESH
FACTS

FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED IN THE CAR WORLD THIS MONTH
1. Isuzu’s set to offer a budget 1.9-litre diesel
version of its hardy perennial, the MU:X. Great
idea, we reckon. With 110kW and 350Nm it’s
not going to be any ball of fire, but that torque
figure should give it the requisite off-road clout.
2. One small detail that we picked up on the
Ioniq 5 N launch: Hyundai has finally relented
and fitted the Ioniq 5 with a rear wiper. Pester
power clearly works.
3. The Milano name will return for Alfa Romeo
in April, in this case being applied to its first

10

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EV, a bambino SUV based on the Fiat 600e’s
underpinnings. An Aussie launch has yet to be
confirmed.
4. The latest in Tesla Cybertruck corner?
After being filmed struggling up a snowy
hill and being rescued by a Ford pickup,
#sportfutilityvehicle has begun trending.
5. Rodin might have got nowhere with its F1
entry, but the company’s FZero hypercar has
been revealed, powered by a crazed 745kW
4.0-litre V10. More from us on this soon...

MG 5’S BIG FAT ZERO
Oh dear. The MG 5 has scored zero stars from ANCAP.
It’s the first vehicle to net a blank since the Mitsubishi
Express van in 2021. ANCAP said it wasn’t able to award
any stars to the vehicle “due to a range of limitations
- in both physical crash protection and active collision
avoidance perfromance”. The Mahindra Scorpio also
scored a zero in testing. “Both brands have misjudged the
safety expectations of today’s consumers,” said ANCAP
CEO Carla Hoorweg. MG Is responding with tech updates.

‘FERRARI’ MOVIE
INCOMING
Any movie that features Adam Driver,
Patrick Dempsey and Penelope Cruz
and is directed by Michael Mann
(Heat, Last of the Mohicans, Collateral
etc) can’t be all bad. Given that
Christian Bale bailed on the project
and it’s based on Brock Yates’ rather
scurrilous hatchet job of a book,
perhaps Ferrari might be entertaining
if not particularly wedded to the
facts. It’ll be on general release
from 4th January and, for what it’s
worth, the trailer looks a good deal
more promising than the execrable
Lamborghini: The Man Behind The
Legend , launched last year.

FAREWELL TO THE TT

Audi has wheeled out the TT Final Edition, drawing a close on a quarter
of a century of TT production across three generations. Priced from
$88,479 before on-roads, the Final Edition is based on the entry
level 45 TFSI Quattro coupe. For a premium of $4479 over that car,
Audi will throw in what it claims is $14K of extra gear. That includes
an S Line Competition package (rear spoiler and dark exterior trim
with 19” anthracite or 20” black gloss alloys), while there’s custom
Alcantara trim inside and either Slate Grey or Turbo Blue coloured
interior elements. The 180kW/370Nm engine and seven-speed dual
clutch is untouched. Is there an irony for a car that struggled for
sporting credibility to bow out with an ‘optic pack’? You be the
judge of that one.

CAN I HAVE A
MEGAZILLA,
PLEASE?
Back in 2020, Ford debuted the
7.3-litre Godzilla V8 in its Super Duty
utes, releasing that powerplant as a crate
motor shortly thereafter. Now, behold the
Megazilla, with forged conrods, forged Mahle
pistons and CNC-ported cylinder heads. It’s designed
for car and light truck builds and makes 459kW and a
rippling 868Nm. But it doesn’t come cheap. FoMoCo wants
USD$22,995 for it. And while the engine is narrower than the
5.0-litre Coyote V8 in a Mustang, it’s also a good deal taller.
But someone’s certainly going to try...

“I have a pass from the wife”
Jenson Button on his return to racing. The former F1 world champ is set to join
the 2024 World Endurance Championship, racing a Hertz Team Jota Porsche
963 hypercar alongside Mick Schumacher (Alpine), Robert Kubica (Ferrari) and
Romain Grosjean and Daniil Kvyat who are signed to Lamborghini’s hypercar
entry. Look out for Valentino Rossi in LMGT3 too.

@wheelsaustralia

11

days

JANUARY 2024

Tesla’s
M
giga-recall
AUTOPILOT SAFETY CONCERNS SPARKS
MASSIVE US RECALL AND THROWS SEMIAUTONOMOUS DRIVING SAFETY UNDER THE
SPOTLIGHT ONCE AGAIN

12

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ORE THAN 2
million Teslas have
been recalled in the
US for ‘Autopilot’
safety concerns.
The recall impacts
owners of 2012-2023 Tesla Model S,
2016-2023 Model X, 2017-2023 Model
3 and 2020-2023 Model Y fitted with
the Full Self-Driving (FSD) software
including ‘Autosteer’.
“In certain circumstances when
Autosteer is engaged, the prominence
and scope of the feature’s controls
may not be sufficient to prevent
driver misuse of the SAE Level 2
advanced driver-assistance feature,”
said the recall report.
“Specifically, the investigation
found that Tesla’s unique design
of its Autopilot system can provide
inadequate driver engagement and
usage controls,” a spokesperson from
not-for-profit US safety body NHSTA

(National Highway Traffic and Safety
Administration) said.
At the time of publication, there
has not been a recall issued for Teslas
sold in Australia, with the Full Self
Driving software suite not legal on
Australian roads.
The recall comes after NHSTA
recalled 363,000 Teslas in February
2023 over issues with the Tesla FSD
software. That recall was prompted by
safety issues at intersections, while
the FSD software also ignored posted
speed limits on occasion. Tesla has
said it will rectify the latest issues
with an over-the-air software update.
NHSTA had already announced a
probe into the Tesla FSD in August
2021, with its deeper investigation
resulting into the latest recall. It
initiated a second probe in August
Tesla is co-operating fully with the NHSTA in improving the
safety of its semi-autonomous hardware and software

2022, with both pending. The
probes came in response to Teslas
with Autopilot crashing into firstresponder vehicles as well as random
sudden braking – known as ‘phantom
braking’ – from considerable speed
on highways.
The latest recall comes only weeks
after a former Tesla employee, Lukas
Krupski, was interviewed in the UK’s
BBC describing the system as unsafe.
Krupski allegedly leaked confidential
Tesla documents to a German
newspaper while he was employed by
the car maker in Norway earlier this
year, telling the BBC that the system
is not ready for use on public roads.
Tesla autonomous functions were
first introduced in 2012, although
they were not necessarily operating
immediately. Tesla’s ‘Autopilot’
function was available for ‘prepurchase’, meaning the capability
was included prior to the system

becoming functional, in late 2014.
In 2015, Version 7.0 of Tesla’s FSD
software included Autopilot for the
Tesla Model S, which combined
adaptive cruise control and Autosteer,
a lane centreing capability.
Multiple collisions as well as
several deaths have been recorded,
including 23-year-old Gao Yaning who
was killed in 2016 at the wheel of
his Model S in China while allegedly
using Autopilot.
The death of Joshua Brown, the
first person killed in the US after his
Tesla drove over a railway crossing as
it was in use, saw a software update
that required drivers to contact the
steering wheel more often while using
the system.
It also promoted NHSTA to
examine the technology more closely.
The latest Version 12 software was
launched in the US in late November
2023.
DAMI ON SMY

@wheelsaustralia

13

days

JANUARY 2024

GSR2: Why your
car is becoming
safer but
pricier
THE EUROPEAN UNION DEMANDS SAFER CARS.
BUT SAFER CARS ARE MORE EXPENSIVE CARS
AND THE NEW REGULATIONS COMING INTO FORCE
THIS YEAR WILL KILL OFF SOME FAVOURITES

14

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I

T SOUNDS innocuous
enough and it’s fair to
say that the EU’s General
Safety Regulations 2 (GSR2)
legislation isn’t exactly a
thrilling page turner. Lurking
within, however, are a number of
directives that have made at least 20
technical items standard on all new
cars sold in the EU, and by extension,
Australia.
What’s more, it has already
legislated some cars out of existence
and is making it increasingly
difficult for manufacturers to turn a
profit on cheaper cars.
None of this will have come as a
surprise to car manufacturers. GSR2
has been in the works for over a
decade, and is being implemented
in two phases. The first was rubberstamped in July of 2022 and the
second arrives in July of this year.
It’s not just cars either. The
sweeping GSR2 regulations apply to
all vehicles sold in the EU, whether
that’s buses, vans, trucks, fire tenders,
you name it.
It also presents car manufacturers
with a number of headaches that will
have knock-on effects on the cars
Aussies buy.
In short, cars launched after
the 6th July 2022 ought to comply.
Manufacturers aren’t being taken
by surprise. Those built before that
date can be modified or retrofitted
with the required technology in

features a speedometer on the centre
screen, and testers have found that
when the driver takes their eyes
off the road to check the speed, the
attention warning sounds. It’s not
alone in that department.
In addition to this technology,
GSR2 also mandates new calibration
for advanced emergency braking,
provision for an alcohol interlock,
a black box data recorder that’s

order to stay on sale. That presents
a problem and it’s why cars like the
Renault Zoe have been axed. The
safety features are just too complex
to cost-effectively integrate given the
number of units the car shifts and its
erstwhile projected lifetime.
As the name suggests, GSR2 is the
successor to 1998’s GSR1, a mandate
that originally aimed to halve road
deaths in the EU by 2020 and move

GSR2 rules also mandate, among other
things, a black box data recorder that’s
harmonised with US regulations
close to zero road deaths by 2050.
The list of GSR2 requirements is
extensive, yet many of the required
fitments, such as such as advanced
emergency braking (AEB) and the
intelligent speed assistance (ISA)
warning system that have already
become an integral part of Euro
NCAP testing.
However, ANCAP has recently
issued a statement noting that this
tech must not only be present, but
also functional, following a slew of
complaints about virtually worthless
intelligent speed assist and lane-keep
assist fitments.
Likewise, the now-mandated infrared camera-based driver drowsiness
warnings have encountered issues.
The new Volvo EX30 for example,

Here’s an
indication of
the ever more
complicated
mesh of red
tape. ADR85
did for the
Nissan GT-R
in Australia,
EU Rule
540.2014
killed it in
Europe. The
EU’s GSR
regulations
killed the
Renault Zoe

harmonised with US regulations and
an emergency lane-keeping system.
The 100+ regulations will largely
have already been integrated but,
depending on manufacturer, there are
around 25 new features that must be
built into every car in order to comply.
This clearly has cost implications
at the bottom end of the market
and it’s part of the reason why the
typically sub-$20K city cars that we
have become accustomed to in the
Australian market are thinning out to
virtually nothing.
The Kia Picanto and the base MG3
Core are now the sole ovccupants of
this price bracket and we may well
soon see no cars at theis price point
as the second phase of GSR2 bites.
AN DY E NR I G HT

@wheelsaustralia

15

Y O U R S AY

GO AHEAD, TELL US WHAT YOU REALLY THINK
Keep it tight (no more than 200 words) and do include your suburb if via email: wheels@wheelsmag.com.au
You can also have your say on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter (search for Wheels Australia)

“It did sound OK with a light burble tone but
that’s the catch, it was supposed to be an EV.”

SOUNDS FISHY...

WAS WATCHING the latest ad
for the Hyundai “EV range’. It was
a cool ad, very spacey, with an
Ioniq wired up with lights. Yep, all
very cute but the ad concluded
with the last vehicle indicated as a
‘performance vehicle vehicle,
16

whichcar.com.au/wheels

driving flashing past. It did sound
OK with a light burble tone but
that’s the catch, it was supposed
to be an EV. Then I suppose they
couldn’t end the ad in silence!
Mike Riordan, Campsie, NSW
I’m guessing that the burbling EV was
the Ioniq 5 N. If that’s the case then,

yes, it really does sound like that.
Plus it will limiter-bang, and pause
momentarily as it you pluck gears
using the paddles. It has a few tricks
like that up its sleeve. Or you can
choose to switch all that malarkey off
and proceed like most other EVs. Not
sure on which side of the fence you sit,
Mike, but choice is good, right? - Ed

ANXIETY COLUMN

WHEN ARE you going to change the New
Car Buyers Guide vacant Resale % heading
to RANGE?

People in Holden must have said “Hmmmmm.
Toyota is doing well with Landcruiser and Hilux
maybe we should develop our own.” We got
rebadged Isuzus. Or “Hmmmm this SUV thing

John William, Leopold Vic
We were only discussing this today.
That and the fact that if you watched
that Aron Ralston movie in reverse,
it’d be an uplifting story about a onearmed man who finds an arm under a
rock in the desert. Anyway...- Ed

GASSING STATION

THE 2023 Yearbook edition made for
some interesting reading. Realistically there
is a long way to play out before a long-term
sustainable replacement for ICE vehicle
is realised; be it Battery Electric (BEV) or
Hydrogen Fuel-Cell (FCEV).
Governments around the world are now
seeing the uptake in Battery Electric (BEVs) is
resulting in major infrastructure challenges,
some of which can never be overcome
especially in densely populated city areas.
One being; BEVs require land-intensive
charging lots, while FCEVs do not. A single
hydrogen station (converted petrol station)
can support more than 1,000 FCEV vehicles
a day. In addition, FCEVs require fewer
scarce and expensive materials, providing a
buffer from multiple supply chain risks.
The Japanese government and
industry are heavily promoting hydrogen
electrification strategies and subsidies,
reflected by ambitious targets of cumulative
FCEV sales and hydrogen refuelling stations
by 2030. Additionally, hydrogen features
prominently in Japan’s energy and climate
policies such as its Strategic Energy Plan.
Japan has already established a hydrogen
production plant in Victoria with fuel tankers
operating weekly to Tokyo.
In addition, Saudi Arabia is investing
heavily in hydrogen production
development industries as they see this
as part of their long-term strategy for
progressively replacing declining oil
demand and revenue.
In the end it will be the industry that gains

Wouldn’t even hesitate. At this
point it feels almost like Elon Musk
is trolling the rest of the car industry.
The Cybertruck might be oddlooking but underneath it’s packed
full of some really progressive tech.
Anil Brora, via Facebook

SIGN
ME UP

looks like a good idea, it saved Porsche!” We
got rebadged Opels. Commodore Cross
anyone? GM if you won’t invest in us we won’t
invest in you.

S. Cochrane Thornlands QLD.

I’m left thinking General
Motors will have limited PORSCHE POSER
success at best and not
from my money
the most Government investment finances
and backing that will win out.

Robert Ius, Haberfield, NSW

GENERAL MALAISE

I WAS in the newsagent looking at the ‘End
of the Line’ issue. I thought “It should read
Ford Wins.”
I couldn’t buy it. I wanted to, my heart
wouldn’t let me as I just didn’t want to
accept Holden was dead.
‘GM Strikes Back’ arrived in my post box
and after reading it I’m left thinking General
Motors will have limited success at best and
not from my money.
I had two thoughts after learning of
Holden’s demise at the hands of GM’s
axemen. Firstly, II’m glad I’m not the
Holden dealer that had just spent millions
refurbishing its showroom, only to find
out it’s over less than 12 months after the
refurbishment.
Secondly, I blame GM for Holdens
failure. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but
companies must react to demand or fail.

I’VE GOT a bit of an issue. It’s a nice one; what
you’d probably deem a first world problem,
but I thought I’d ask Wheels in any case. I
currently drive a Porsche 911, one of the very
first 3.8-litre 991.1 Carrera S coupes and I’m
looking to replace it. I had looked at a 992
Carrera as a like-for-like, but the cost to change
(about $100k all up) proved prohibitive for
what I feel is a similar car with a smaller and less
charismatic turbocharged engine. Extending
that line of reasoning, I’m not exactly hanging
out for the 992.2 hybrid either. So what would
you recommend if you had about $200k to
spend and wanted something fun and exciting?

David Barnes, Glebe, NSW
I’d offer up three cars. The first would
be the BMW M3 Competition. It’s
quick, capable and huge fun. The leftfield alternate would be the Lotus
Emira. The wildcard would be a used
Porsche 997 GT3. These start at around
$220K in today’s market, and a bit of
haggling might get it closer to budget.
It would in all likelihood be the most
depreciation-proof of the lot. - Ed

CTRL C, CTRL V

FEELS LIKE JOURNALISTS could just
prepare a template for use when reviewing
Chinese vehicles and save themselves a lot
of time: cheap, presents well, but has poor
dynamics and intrusive active safety features.
Boom. Done.

Nick Whitham, via Facebook

The question
WOULD YOU JOIN THE QUEUE
FOR A RIGHT-HAND DRIVE TESLA
CYBERTRUCK?

TRUCK
OFF

I secretly admire it, but if I’m paying
my own money, I don’t want v1.0
tech. I’d rather pay for something
that’s better suited to Aussie
conditions and which doesn’t need
to get to 100km/h in three seconds.
Andy Hughes, via Facebook

@wheelsaustralia

17

J O H N

L A W

Down by Law
INTERROGATING THE CHANGING EXCITEMENT CURVE
OF NEW CAR-BUYING
THE PROCESS of launching a new car has never been more
transparent. The days of ghillie-suited photographers having
to camp out for days on end to get a cover-worthy snap are
essentially over.
With easily leakable online documents, website input
gaffes, and dedicated testing cycles on open-to-public roads
(not to mention the proliferation of smartphones and digital
cameras), we know more about new cars before they break,
which is what’s made this issue far more accurate and detailed
than it would’ve been a decade ago.
Because there’s so much information, so many teasers
and snippets – everything from shadowy concept sketches,
early cabin reveals, and manufacturer-supplied ‘spy’ shots
that emerge before the first overseas reviews, the ‘curve of
excitement’ (as I’ve scientifically named it) now has more
small spikes over a longer, flatter anticipation period.
I was reminded of this phenomenon last month on my first
sample of the BYD Seal, the new Chinese-made sedan with
twin-motor AWD and astounding speed on tap. It gets to
100km/h in 3.8 seconds costs and is under $70K, and therefore
offers the best kilowatt/dollar ratio of any new car ($176.27
per kW, if you’re wondering).
Not directly involved with the car’s coverage, I read my
colleague’s pricing stories with great interest as the Seal
comfortably cemented itself as the cheapest among rivals.
Then came the spec battles and comparisons, with which I
began building an expected driving experience. Frequency
selective dampers and four-piston front brake calipers
clamping big ventilated and cross-drilled rotors on the
Performance piqued my interest especially.

18

whichcar.com.au/wheels

And yet when it finally came to sampling one on home
soil, the experience was less than excellent. A typical muggy
December day in the Blue Mountains where the heat lingers
in humidity like a sauna brought sharp sun rays that did their
best to flatten any interest in the design – though the Seal’s
bonnet creases and unique proportions still caught my eye.
I took a seat inside and, instead of experiencing the beauty
of the glossy marketing images promising high-quality quilted
leather seats, I was greeted with an offputting plasticky smell
and materials a notch down from what I was expecting. Then
came the drive; aside from ballistic acceleration, it followed
the cabin’s trend, and the poorly calibrated driver aids and
chassis left me disappointed.
This isn’t a review of the car by any means (next month’s
issue will feature a comparison against its main rivals)
and your Seal mileage may vary. Instead, it’s just my latest
memorable brush in a long line of the excitement curve
phenomena.
As a counter-point, I sampled a Mazda 6 GT SP briefly
earlier this year, and despite low-to-no expectations – having
launched way back in 2012 it sits well down the diminished
end of the excitement curve – it performed exceptionally well,
much to my delight.
Regular road testing means this experience is regular, yet
at the end of the week the car goes back and I’m free of any
financial burden. But we’re in a time of protracted wait times,
and as someone who doesn’t know how it feels to have this
happen when money’s on the line, I’d be intrigued to hear
about your brushes (positive or negative) with the patented
‘new car-buying excitement curve’.

The XC90.
Luxury like no other.

Overseas model shown. Australian specifications and features may differ.

D A N I E L

G A R D N E R

Squeaky Wheel
WHY THE SYSTEM FOR ISSUING FINES FOR MOBILE PHONE
USE BEHIND THE WHEEL IS BROKEN FROM THE START

20

whichcar.com.au/wheels

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Overrun
T E C H TA L K

T

HE NARDO Handling Track in southern Italy is 3.9 miles of mostly
fast or very fast turns nestled at the bottom of the Nardo Ring like a
wonky arch in a goldfish bowl. For a pro driver to lap 2.8 seconds
faster here in virtually the same car might require upgrades like
stickier tyres, stiffer suspension and upgraded brakes.
The Lamborghini Huracan Evo RWD test mule I’m driving has
none of this (even stability control is entirely inactive), but it has achieved that
same improvement with simply the flick of a switch. It’s a huge gap, one that’s
not all that far off the 3.7sec advantage Lamborghini claimed for the Evo over the
standard Huracan a few years back.
Now Lamborghini chief technical officer Rouven Mohr wants me to feel and
hopefully explain the difference before he’ll reveal the genius tech his team’s been
working on ahead of a production debut on ‘future super sports cars’ (read the
Huracan successor, due late 2024).
I head out to a slalom and steering pad with ex-racer and Lamborghini tester
Nicolo Piancastelli In the passenger seat, knowing only that the new system will
help take Lamborghini’s existing LDVI (Lamborghini Dynamic Vehicle Integration)
technology to the next level with a more driver-oriented philosophy – it’s the
electronic brain that debuted on the Huracan in 2015, made a recent leap with
the new Revuelto and predictively mediates between various chassis, powertrain
and steering systems.
Weaving down the slalom, the standard car’s front end is incredibly reactive to
steering inputs, partly because the rear is relatively unstable – you lean on what
feels like a hard, bladed edge behind you, almost like ice skating. It’s agile but
edgy. Building to a steady 70mph on the steering pad, I turn in, lift the throttle
abruptly and the Huracan arcs first into a slide, then a tankslapper requiring
multiple corrections. Yep, definitely edgy.
We pull over, Piancastelli flicks a switch near the steering wheel and seconds
later I’m struggling to compute what’s just happened.
Through the slalom the front feels exactly the same, the suspension appears
to allow just as much roll over the rear axle, but the blade-like feeling at the rear
has vanished, replaced with a more cushioned sensation. ‘I can see you are
immediately making more aggressive steering inputs,’ comments Piancastelli. I
am. On the steering pad the system makes the Huracan much more stable, but it
also pushes more into stubborn understeer, then appears to actively counter the
smaller tankslapper I eventually induce by dissipating weight transfer in a way not
dissimilar to stability control, if without the jolty braking.
Mohr grins as I feed back and – to my relief – confirms the system is exclusively
focussed on the rear and that there are no new active adjustments influencing
suspension control. ‘Well, any ideas?’ he asks. I suggest maybe rear-wheel
steering (already fitted to other Huracans, though), perhaps a new e-differential
(the old one is mechanical). ‘Hmmm, maybe…’
What I’ve actually experienced is Active Wheel Carrier, or a way to actively
control the camber and toe of the wheel and tyre. Initially conceived at Audi, it has
been developed by Lamborghini as part of a wider plan for Sant’Agata to forge
a reputation as a technology trailblazer – canny given the V12 can’t be around
forever. First, a quick refresher. Camber is how much the top of the wheels lean
towards (positive) or away (negative camber) from each other when you view
the car from straight ahead or behind. It’s a way to manipulate how much of the
tyre’s contact patch touches the road. Adjusting toe, meanwhile, makes a car
either more responsive to steering inputs or more stable – toe-in is, logically, like
standing with your toes pointed a little towards each other (more stable), toe-out
being the opposite (keener to steer).
Normally camber and toe are set from the factory as a one-size fits all
@wheelsaustralia

25

Overrun
T E C H TA L K

TECH
FOCUS

LAMBORGHINI’S ADVANCED
TAKE ON GEOMETRY 101

1
2
3
4

Active Wheel Carrier
features two wheel hubs
sandwiched between
suspension components
and each wheel

Each hub features two eccentric cylinders connected
by bearing packs and controlled electro-mechanically.
Once activated, they can adjust camber and toe
simultaneously or independently – theoretically as much
as 60 degrees in one second.
Camber can be adjusted from +2.5 to -5.5 degrees, and
toe by +/- 6.6 degrees – the latter means a rear-wheel
steering system is no longer necessary. The system is in
a prototype stage for now, but expect it to add 20-25kg
to the car.
LDVI (Lamborghini Dynamic Vehicle Integration) is key
to the system’s natural feeling – it analyses driver inputs
and the car’s dynamic state to pre-emptively adjust
camber and toe. The result is up to 25 per cent more
mechanical grip and a Nardo lap time some 2.8 seconds
faster – and that’s before new tyre compounds, active
aero and chassis tweaks cut that further.

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whichcar.com.au/wheels

compromise but it /is/ a compromise – under braking, cornering
and acceleration loads on the car change, altering how the tyre
interacts with the surface.
Active Wheel Carrier aims to remove the compromise entirely
by generating the maximum mechanical grip available at all times.
The key is a pair of new hubs sandwiched between the suspension
components and each wheel. Each hub features two eccentric
cylinders connected by bearing packs – I pick a hub up and twist
the cylinders in opposite directions like I might a Rubik’s Cube, but
when you’re driving an electro-mechanical system does the job.
The system can theoretically adjust by 60 degrees in one second,
and in practice allows adjustments of camber by +2.5 to -5.5
degrees and toe by +/- 6.6 degrees, which handily removes the
need for a separate rear-wheel steering system. No word yet on
weight, which they’re apparently working on, but Mohr doesn’t
correct me when I say each unit seems to add about 6-7kg, and the
system would be 20-25kg in total.
Benefits and potential benefits are myriad. Not only does
the driver get more confidence from up to 25 per cent more
mechanical grip from the same tyre, but tyres wear more evenly
across their tread. That means a much softer and grippier tyre
compound could be used with Active Wheel Carrier effectively
offsetting the higher wear rates. The system could also adapt to
a wearing tyre, self-correct for alignment, and be calibrated for
different modes and drivers, ranging from maximum stability to a
full drift mode. Each wheel can also be individually adjusted.
This is not a completely new idea – you might remember Lewis
Hamilton changing camber settings on the fly in his F1 car, and a
Google of ‘active camber and toe control’ turns up similar ideas.

LONG
GAME

NEXT HURACAN
Active Wheel Carrier gives us a first taste of tech that will feature on the Huracan’s successor, due late 2024. Based
on the new Revuelto V12 hybrid, it represents a big step beyond the Huracan, with a carbonfibre rather than aluminium
monocoque, and a new in-house twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 engine to replace the naturally aspirated V10. It’s also a hybrid
with a 7.2kWh lithium-ion battery pack and more than li kely a tri-motor layout (one at the rear, two at the front) – giving allwheel drive and a crucial point of differentiation to rivals the Ferrari 296 GTB and McLaren Artura. A junior Lambo that’s
on-point from the off? Let’s hope so.

But Mohr stresses the system alone would feel peculiar if not
for the predictive ‘feed-forward’ software control – this is the real
breakthrough as well as where the LDVI element comes into play.
In effect the new update is more driver-oriented, with the driver
‘in the loop’ of the electronic network, and electronics figuring
out what he or she wants micro-seconds in advance, based on
their inputs. To do this, LDVI also analyses the dynamic state of the
car and projects that ‘into time and space’ to work out what the
appropriate response would be – preparing for the weight transfer
of a drifting transition for instance. Mohr likens it to proprioception
in humans, where neurons in muscles, tendons and joints feed back
to the brain, helping us balance and co-ordinate movements.
‘If you want to decouple camber and toe and use it to its full
potential, you need this forecast, otherwise you’d only exploit only
half of it, so the control strategy is the enabler,’ Mohr says. ‘It lets the
driver achieve the limit in a way that before was not possible.’
This has taken endless hours of simulator time, because it’s only in
a virtual environment that Lamborghini can cycle through multiple
scenarios that can be exactly replicated time and again.
Cat out of the bag, I head out on the Handling Circuit, which
is a fearsomely fast place whatever you’re driving, never mind a
V10 supercar with stability control kicked into touch (Piancastelli
leads in a more powerful Huracan STO, probably because a regular
Huracan wouldn’t be quick enough!)
The track drive reinforces what I’d learnt earlier, but reveals more
nuances. When I brake deep into a mid-speed left hander with the
system off, for instance, the rear wants to sweep round and tuck
the nose into the apex – the car is alive and adjustable, but it does
keep me on my toes. Even really fast flat-out corners that aren’t grip-

limited feel heart-in-mouth.
We pit, flick the switch and head back out. With Active Wheel
Carrier engaged I have more confidence to dig deeper into the
power and push hard through the real commitment stuff, but some
of the immediacy and reactivity of the previous laps is lacking, and
on the first tighter corner I scrub into understeer – the Huracan feels
more flat-footed. If it’s frustrating, it’s also because the rear end has
more grip than the front (which now pushes wide as a result) and
the system has been primed for maximum stability.
But the fact I lap 4.41seconds faster using the Active Wheel
Carrier system is hard proof of just how effective it is. If there’s a
caveat to that, it’s that this was my first visit to Nardo, so there was
inevitably a learning process during my six total laps, but the fact
is the system /does/ let less experienced drivers shave more from
their lap time than adaptable pros.
Crucially, this is just the beginning of a process that will introduce
each element of the new LDVI system in turn, allowing the benefits
to be properly analysed in isolation. The same system, for instance,
could be applied to the front axle to hopefully combine a highly
reactive front end with the more stable rear (and/or a wider, stickier
front tyre could be fitted). A new tyre compound will also be
developed to fully exploit its benefits. And new active aerodynamics
will further tap the capability. That 2.8sec lap-time improvement will
doubtless improve a mind-boggling amount more.
As we leave, the Huracan successor drives right past us,
camouflaged but clearly differentiated with LED headlights so thin
they could be DRLs. Today gives us just a glimpse of how it will
drive, but on this basis it’s shaping up to be quite the thing.
BE N B ARRY
@wheelsaustralia

27

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Overrun
MODERN CLASSIC

LAMBORGHINI DIABLO

THE DEVIL REALLY DOES HAVE
THE BEST TUNES
P H O T O S E L L E N D E WA R

D

O YOU KNOW the secret?” asked the Lamborghini
driving instructor, conspiratorially. Given my frankly
lamentable driving in the Diablo SV around Imola, I thought
that I’d made it reasonably obvious that the secret was
manifestly lost on me.
As a twenty-something journalist with zero experience
of driving supercars on track, I’d been subjected to the ultimate indignity
of the instrcutor asking me to drive the car round the Autodromo
Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari solely in third gear so I wouldn’t shock
the driveline with my klutzy downchanges. The notes on my my braking
read “violento e impreciso” which required little in the way of translation.
I could almost feel the ghost of Ayrton Senna facepalming in horror with
each pass of Tamburello.
The Diablo SV wasn’t even supposed to be there. It was a sacrificial
beater car, its interior drilled full of holes where data gathering
equipment was once mounted, prominent because it was the only one
of the pre-facelift Diablos present. It was also the car I was given to drive,
largely because I probably looked the riskiest prospect. As it turned out,
I was one of the few who didn’t manage to bin or bend anything during
the three-day course and was glad to escape eventually becoming the
second (eventual) Wheels editor to duff a Diablo.
It turned out that the instructor’s question was a mispronounced
“do you know the circuit?” After getting comfortable with the sinuous
rhythm and surprising vertical relief of Imola’s parkland track, my driving
improved considerably and I was even permitted to use the gearbox. I
did nearly flatten a photographer who slid out of the back of a tracking
vehicle when its driver accelerated up the hill from the Tosa hairpin, but I
guess violento brake pedal applications can also yield benefits.
The Diablo SV left a lasting impression on me. It was nothing like I
expected. Perhaps I was anticipating something a bit less earthy for my
first Italian supercar experience. At the time, I had neither the confidence
nor the ability to get anything like the best from the chassis or the
drivetrain, but I was shocked at how guttural, how agricultural, even, the
V12 sounded at low revs. The bass notes punched you in the diaphragm.
It was just a difficult bastard and I was too intimidated by the car, by
the onlookers, by the track and by the whole experience. I’d adored
Lamborghini since I was a small child and here I was, not in any way
worthy of this 395kW missile. Humbling doesn’t even begin to cover it.
Perhaps that’s the way it should be. Supercars should be intimidating.
@wheelsaustralia

29

Overrun
MODERN CLASSIC
They should leach consequence from every pore. They should be
terrifying and intolerant, and their drivers should look like heroes. The
Diablo was one of the last of that ilk.
It pays to remember that the Diablo SV was never supposed to be
a collector’s special. In fact, in terms of Lamborghini’s price walk-up,
it was the entry-level model, a simpler rear-drive proposition when
compared to the more sophisticated AWD VT models. Back in 1986,
it was priced in the UK at £125,000, some £23,000 less than the
‘standard’ Diablo.
The strategy back then was to save on build costs by creating
genuine back-to-basics cars that borrowed some of the optics from
the ritzy SE30 Jota but stripped out the all-wheel drive and didn’t
initially include features such as traction control, anti-lock brakes or
some interior trim parts like leather or full-featured door cards. A lot
of soundproofing was deleted too which, in turn, meant that many SV
customers didn’t bother with a stereo system. Maybe Lamborghini
didn’t quite have Porsche’s chutzpah in removing items and then
charging customers more for the privilege.
That was largely because the company was struggling to shift
Diablos. In 2023, Lamborghini produced around 11,000 cars. Back in
1990, when the Diablo was introduced, anything over 100 cars was a
decent showing. By 1995, the Diablo line was five years old and was
no longer the freshest supercar. In the intervening years the McLaren
F1 had appeared and readjusted everybody’s idea of what a truly fast
car was. The Diablo SV needed to reset the meter and remind buyers of
traditional Lamborghini values: purity, aggression and excitement.
Before we jump too far into describing what buyers got, it’s worth
breaking down the SV into some specific sub-niches. The big division
is between the pop-up headlamp coupes and the ‘Audified’ fixedlamp SVs that appeared in 1999, of which 100 were sold that year.
Even prior to that, there were the early SVs and the 1998 build cars
that got a whole heap of upgrades and, as a result, are some of the
most prized. Then there are the low-volume specials, like the pair of SV
Roadsters (unveiled at the 1998 Geneva Show), and the 20 ‘Monterey
Edition’ cars exported to the US in 1998. These got SE30-style bladed
vents ahead of the rear wheels, faintly hideous chrome wheels, a

body coloured spoiler, leather seats and a set of SV Monterey Editionbranded fitted luggage.
For the purposes of this piece, we’re concentrating on the pre-facelift
coupes, as they make up the bulk of the current parc of SVs. The SV
was first shown at the 1995 Geneva Show, reviving the Super Veloce
badge last used on the Miura SV in 1971. There were discussions at
Sant’Agata as to whether the cheapest Lamborghini deserved to wear
such an illustrious badge, with some preferring the blander Clubsport
appellation. It was noted that Porsche had a claim on this badge.
More aggressive cams and freer breathing exhaust liberated another
13kW to deliver 380kW, with 46kg being shaved from the weight of
the stock Diablo. Back in 1996, Wheels sent Peter Robinson to the
Croft circuit in the UK in the SV and he found it suitably entertaining.
“Hugely powerful, incredibly noisy and tiring over any distance, the
Diablo SV is also immensely entertaining,” he noted. “For safety, use
the brilliant brakes only in a straight line, otherwise there’s a chance of
the tail stepping rather quickly and acutely out of line. Once mid corner,
you can take advantage of the Diablo’s inherent traction and enormous
power to rocket out. You’ll be amazed by the car’s surprisingly
economical use of road space, the steering’s communication and its
sheer speed and ability point to point. Not a car for the timid, but
thrilling to drive, if only for a couple of hours at a time.”
Rather surprisingly, the brutish Lambo aced everything else on a lap
of the circuit, which was some going when the field included cars like
the Porsche 993 Carrera RS lightweight, the Dodge Viper GTS and the
Caterham 7 Superlight. This Diablo was clearly no mere show pony.
Lamborghini wasn’t done with developing the Diablo SV. Its key
impediment was, believe it or not, emissions, which meant that it
couldn’t be sold in the US. That changed when a whole raft of updates
were introduced, starting with cars built in October 1997 for the 1998
model year. Tellingly, the 1998 Detroit Show was chosen to unveil
these revisions. The game changer was a variable valve timing system
that lifted power to 395kW at and identical 7100rpm, and torque
stepped up from 580Nm at 5900rpm to 605Nm at 5500rpm. The big
news, commercially at least, was that the VVT system got Lamborghini
past US emissions regulations.

FAST
FACTS

Unveiled at the 1996 Geneva Motor Show, the Diablo SV-R was a lightweight competition version of the SV built for the Lamborghini
Supertrophy. This race series ran for four years with its inaugural round being the as a support race at Le Mans in ‘96. The 28 Diablo SV-Rs
entered were built in four months alongside production SVs and featured a power bump to 397kW, thanks largely to an early version of
the VVT system that would later appear on production Diablos. A six-speed manual transmission was fitted, and Supertrophy cars also
featured pneumatic air jacks, a full roll cage, fixed headlamps and an uprated aero package. Weight for the race cars was 1385kg, 191kg
less than an equivalent road car. In total, 31 SV-Rs were built, with a handful being converted for road use. – AE

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For a vehicle that
looks so ostentatious,
there’s something very
unadorned about the
Diablo SV’s ethos

I was shocked at how guttural, how agricultural,
even, the V12 sounded at low revs. The bass notes
punched you in the diaphragm
@wheelsaustralia

31

Above: The facelift cars
have their merits but we’d
want one with the master’s
name on its flanks

All 1998 SVs were then treated to updated ABS software and 18-inch
front wheels to replace the old 17-inch alloys. This, in turn, allowed the
fitment of larger 355mm front brake discs, with the rears also nudging
out to 335mm (up from 330 and 310mm respectively). A four-spoke
airbagged steering wheel was fitted, and general utility was boosted
with the options of a hydraulic front axle lift system and the four-way
electronically-adjustable Koni dampers borrowed from the VT.
These changes improved the Diablo SV, but the fundamentals
remained the same. You still had a car with a 41:59 front to rear
weight distribution. It still drove through a pair of huge rear treads, it
still sported the standard satin black spoiler with manually-adjustable
gurney flap (colours or delete were available as option), the body was
still aluminium and reinforced composites and the suspension remained
unequal length wishbones all round with anti-roll bars front and rear.
The gearbox was still a slightly obstreperous gated manual dog-leg
five-speed and you still got the roof scoops (but sadly not the individual
throttle bodies) of the SE30 Jota.
The facelift brought a far slicker interior, better fit and finish,
the deletion of the lovely pop-up lamps and, notably, the excision
of any reference to design by Marcello Gandini. Even at this stage,
Lamborghini’s sales target for the facelifted Diablo was a mere 180 cars
worldwide per year.
Time has been kind to the Diablo SV; a car that Lamborghini thought
it could build cheaply and which could dig it out of a financial hole. Its
reversion to a certain charm and simplicity came right at a time when
supercars were trending in the opposite direction. While the Diablo
SV was being unveiled at Geneva in 1995, Ferrari was across the hall
whipping the hanky off the F50, a car with a 60-valve F1-derived V12
engine bolted to a full carbon-fibre tub.

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What seemed out of step then is refreshing now and an SV is worth
considerably more than a standard early Diablo, with the 40 righthand drive pop-up lamp SV coupes trading healthily. It’s still a car that
demands huge respect and one that is increasingly recognised as a
key component in Lamborghini’s transformation. It stands exactly at the
transition between cottage-industry Lamborghini and the slicker and
more commercially savvy operation we know today. A such, the Diablo
is treasured by fans of the marque as the last of its ilk; sometimes a little
rough around the edges, but that’s an integral part of the appeal.
Many years later, I was reacquainted with the car that so terrified me
as a cadet journalist. I expected to get in and wonder why I’d been so
cowed by it. Yet on those roads, on that day, it was still a handful, still
something you’d love to have the time to master in all its dimensions. I
cast my mind back to Imola and realised I’d done well just to bring the
thing back in one piece. Three other cars at that event weren’t so lucky.
Almost a quarter of a century of recrimination was banished, but my
respect for the Diablo SV hadn’t attenuated one iota. If anything, the
excitement of driving it has only become more amplified in an era of
sanitised performance.
The SV badge was reprised for the Diablo’s successor, the
Murcielago, which marked the end of the line for the iconic Bizzarrini
V12 engine. The Murci was undoubtedly a better car in virtually every
measurable metric, but did it have the unpolished charisma of the
Diablo, that tangible link to the hand-crafted Lamborghinis of yore? No.
That’s why we love the Diablo SV. Lamborghini built better, prettier and
rarer Diablos but perhaps none epitomises the company’s incredible
tale of transition better than the Super Veloce and who doesn’t love a
great car and a happy ending?
AN DY ENR IG HT

Model Lamborghini Diablo SV
Engine 5707cc V12cyl, dohc, 48v
Max power 395kW @ 7100rpm
Max torque 605Nm @ 5500rpm
Transmission 5-speed manual
Weight 1530kg
0-100km/h 3.8sec (claimed)
Price (now) from AUD $1m

The Diablo SV’s reversion to a certain
charm and simplicity came right at a
time when supercars were trending
in the opposite direction
@wheelsaustralia

33

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HYUNDAI SANTA FE

BIGGER, BOLDER,
BUT BETTER?

T

HE SANTA FE is one
of only two enduring,
continuous nameplates
since Hyundai made
things official locally in
2003 with an Australian
subsidiary. In case you haven’t
guessed, the other is Sonata; while
Tucson still exists, it was interrupted
between 2010 and 2015 by the ix35.

FIRST
OVERSEAS
DRIVE

Looking like a big SUV that’s just
escaped from Minecraft into the real
world, the rectangular, fifth-generation
Santa Fe is the latest Hyundai to
demonstrate just how far the Korean
brand’s confidence has blossomed in a
couple of decades.
The fifth-gen Santa Fe is 4.5cm
longer than the outgoing model (which
is still selling strongly), including a
5cm stretch to the wheelbase, and
height is up by 3.5cm.
It brings more interior space to
a large SUV that Hyundai says is
better equipped than ever before
for transporting families around the
suburbs and into the great outdoors.
There’s extra practicality before even
jumping inside, however.
To the side of the rear doors, a
small panel can be pushed inwards
to create a handle to lift yourself up
onto the rear tyre to better access the
roof rails or roof stowage.At the rear,
although vehicle width is unchanged
from before, the tailgate has –
through cleverly packaged, upright
struts – been widened by 12.5cm for
significantly improved boot access.
Boot space increases by a useful 91
litres with the third-row seats down.
The latest Santa Fe, now 4.83m long,
doesn’t look as large in the metal as it
may in pictures, but the Land Rover
Defender inspiration feels just as
strong (make that borderline copycat

If you’re anything like us, you’ll see a bit of
Land Rover in the detailing if not the overall
proportions of the Santa Fe
if you consider the Santa Fe XRT
concept unveiled in August).
There’s plenty of original thought,
however, to Hyundai’s second-largest
SUV after the Palisade – not least
the H-pattern LED headlights and
tail-lights.Our test car for a few days
in Korea is finished in a new bronzy
metallic hero colour called Earthy
Brass. It’s a top-spec model that
may retain the Highlander badge
in Australia but could follow the
Palisade’s switch to Calligraphy for its
flagship nomenclature.
The powertrain is a hybrid that will
return to Australia, though our market
will take it in all-wheel-drive H-trac
form rather than the more prosaic
front-drive set-up currently offered
and found on our tester.
Another key element missing from
our Korean example: it’s a five-seater
only, where all Australian Santa Fe
models will continue as seven-seaters.
That rules out assessing a claimed
improvement to third-row space, an
area where the Santa Fe certainly
trailed the rival Toyota Kluger.
Hyundai says 2024 Santa Fe legroom
has increased by 1.5cm, while
benchmark headroom is claimed
through a 6.9cm increase – helped by
@wheelsaustralia

35

Drives

36

FIRST
OVERSEAS
DRIVE

whichcar.com.au/wheels

that taller roofline as seating height
has increased by 3cm. There’s a little
extra shoulder room, too, we’re told.
The rear doors open wide for
convenient ingress/egress, and there’s
increased legroom – 2cm for the
petrol-electric Hybrid and 3.5cm for
petrol-only models.
A sliding 60-40 bench enables
tailoring of legroom/boot space.
There’s decent headroom even
with the dual-pane sunroof of our
Highlander spec, the floor is almost
flat in the middle to help comfort for
middle-seat occupants, the bench’s
under-thigh support bodes well
for long-distance comfort, and the
seatbacks recline.
Each seatback incorporates coat
hooks, an elasticated map flap, and
a USB-C port. Two cup holders are
integrated into the rear doors, above
a large bottle pocket, in addition to
the two available when lowering the
centre armrest. B-pillar vents deliver
cool/warm air, while manual window
blinds are another Highlander feature.
There’s one feature that most
obviously highlights Hyundai’s
extra consideration of middle-row
passengers: a ‘bilateral’ centre console
cubby with a lid that opens from the
rear as well as the front.
A drawer gives those behind the
front row another option for accessing
contents in the cubby.
The most distinctive front-cabin
Increased space for second and third
rows; Loads of cubbies; Curtain airbags
now fully cover third row

This is the
engine that’s
earmarked
for Australia thankfully it’s a
good ‘un

PLUS

MINUS

feature must be the upper glovebox
that doubles as a sterilisation
compartment for items such as
smartphones or wallets – which, at the
touch of a button, bombards them with
bacteria-battling UV-C light.
You can then place not just one but
two smartphones on the dual charging
and germ-eradicating pads, safe in the
knowledge that the bugs are about to
get resolutely nuked.
The flatter and more spacious
centre console, with a large storage
area beneath, is created by a more
steeply raked climate control panel
and a change from transmission dash
buttons to a shift-by-wire steering
wheel stalk.A completely horizontal
dash with a curved (or bent, more
accurately) display combining
dual 12.3-inch screens – one for
instruments, one for infotainment –
does the hard yards in giving the Santa
Significant weight gains could decrease
fuel efficiency, Hybrid’s doughy throttle
response in Eco mode; Price increases

Fe a significantly more contemporary
interior design.
Quality is a step up, too. At least in
this high-spec model.
There’s a velvety trim for the pillars
and headlining, soft sides for the
upper centre console, thin LED strips
spread across the dash, and horizontal
brushed-metal upper door sections
incorporate wood inserts, handles, and
buttons for seat memory and (in this
spec) massage functions.
Having spent a couple of days
driving the Santa Fe, including more
time than we’d like in horrendously
jammed Korean traffic, we can attest
to the comfort of the front seats.
They also borrow the fully reclining
‘Relaxation seat’ feature first seen in
the Ioniq 5.
Ride and handling assessment is
trickier as the Australian-market
Santa Fe will use a different
suspension tune to the Korean-market
setup to cope with our significantly
gnarlier bitumen. The test car also
featured relatively small 18-inch
wheels, whereas most Aussies won’t
countenenance anything other than
either 20s or 21s, which is what will
appear on on the local Highlander/
Calligraphy models.
For what it’s worth, South Korea’s
Santa Fe – already on sale with plenty
about – generally rides well, getting
jiggly only on the poorest of surfaces.
We’ll be keeping our fingers crossed
that the new hybrid retains the
smoothness of the outgoing model.
A revised steering setup seems to
have brought some extra accuracy
@wheelsaustralia

37

Drives

FIRST
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around the straight-ahead position,
while the turning circle is also
excellent – making this 4.8-metrelong vehicle an absolute doddle to
manoeuvre in tighter spaces.
Big news on the powertrains front:
the current 2.2L turbo diesel and V6
petrol engines are out.
Our test car was a hybrid, which will
be the sole drivetrain offering initially
for the local launch – again combining
Hyundai’s 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine
with an electric motor, and again parttime all-wheel drive. Total output is
169kW and 350Nm.
Throttle response is doughy in Eco
mode but can be sharpened with Sport
mode that keeps the petrol engine
permanently running. Sport might be
preferable for twistier country roads,
otherwise Eco makes sense as the
default setting for a hybrid. An Energy
Monitor is again available on the
driver display to see when the petrol
and electric motors are in action, and
remains strangely addictive.
As with a Kluger Hybrid, it’s not
difficult to keep the Santa Fe running
around town solely on its electric
motor only and, when the engine does
kick in, it’s quite seamless.
Also promising is something we
didn’t notice at all: Hyundai’s Lane
Keeping system. This has so far proven

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Step up onto the rear tyre, grab hold of this handhold and even
shorter people can access roof transportation options
at times to be an annoyingly intrusive
bit of technology on the latest
Hyundais (and Kias) in Australia, so
the hope is that the group has finally
found a fix for the calibration.
Current price trends are likely to
push the Santa Fe Hybrid’s starting
point from the existing $63,000
to nearer $70,000. If so, plenty of
Australian families will be hoping for
quick confirmation of an entry-level
powertrain to sit below the Hybrid.

The Santa Fe range currently starts
from $46,050 for the 3.5 FWD petrol
model and $49,550 for the 2.2L diesel
AWD. The smart money for a more
affordable entry model is on a 2.5-litre
turbo petrol engine borrowed from the
Sonata midsize sedan, already planned
to be available in other markets.
Producing healthy outputs of 207kW
and 422Nm, it would also, ideally, send
power to all four wheels rather than
just the front tyres. The auto is an
eight-speed dual-clutch auto, where
the hybrid utilises a six-speed torque
converter automatic.
2024 Hyundai Santa fuel economy
figures are yet to be confirmed, and
they may be one of the areas where
the big family SUV doesn’t improve.
The bigger SUV has piled on
the pounds – up by about 240kg to
2225kg for the Hybrid. Balancing
that, however, are more slippery
aerodynamics despite the Santa Fe’s
blockier shape. The coefficient of drag
is improved from 0.33Cd to 0.29Cd.
This all leaves some important
questions hanging for Australia
next year: pricing, fuel economy,
and third-row experience. But, even
without those points known, the fifthgeneration Santa Fe undoubtedly feels
like a step up over the outgoing model
in more than just size.
JEZ S PI NKS

The smart money for a more
affordable entry model is on
a 2.5-litre turbo petrol engine
borrowed from the Sonata
@wheelsaustralia

39

Drives

FIRST
LOCAL
DRIVE

GMW TANK 300 ULTRA HYBRID

258KW TANK: FLAWED
BUT FASCINATING

C

ARS FROM China are
shaking up the world of
electric vehicles, and
now they’re disrupting
segments such as the
retro-look, off-road SUV.
At $60,990 drive-away for the range
topping Ultra Hybrid, the Great Wall
Motors Tank 300 undercuts vehicles
in the same vein by tens of thousands
of dollars. To get a five-door Jeep
Wrangler, you’ll need at least $81,450
(before on-roads), while an Ineos
Grenadier starts from $97,000 and the
Mercedes-Benz G-Class, well, you know
what they say – if you have to ask.
A Suzuki Jimny, despite the

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addition of a longer wheelbase
five-door variant seems as if it could
probably fit in the Tank’s glovebox.
That’s not to mention Great Wall
has offered a hybrid, petrol-electric
powertrain before any of the above –
Jeep’s plug-in Wrangler 4xe especially
is still nowhere to be seen.
Built on a ladder chassis and with
a solid rear axle – the same platform
as the GWM Cannon dual-cab ute
– in the metal, the Tank 300 combines
ruggedness with cuteness, channelling
a bit of Giant Panda in its front
styling, as if it would be just as happy
having bamboo crammed down its fuel
filler neck as it would unleaded.

While the Tank 300 range starts
with the $49,990 (drive-away) Lux,
at $60,990 (also drive-away), today’s
range-topping new Ultra Hybrid mates
a 180kW/380Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged
inline-4 with a 78kW/268Nm electric
motor for a headline-grabbing total
combined output of 258kW/615Nm.
That’s more than an HSV Clubsport
from yesteryear, even if the Clubbie
weighed somewhat less than the
GWM’s 2313kg, itself some 158kg more
than the non-hybrid model. The figure
on the scales very much keeping true
to the vehicle’s name.
The hybrid gets a nine-speed auto
(versus the non-hybrid’s eight) with
all-wheel-drive and rear differential
lock. The range-topping Ultra Hybrid
adds a front differential lock, while all
Tanks offer 33-degree approach and
34-degree departure angles, 224mm
of ground clearance, and low range,
making for some serious off-roading
promise. We aren’t testing it off-road
today – we’ll leave that to our dirtloving comrades at 4X4 Australia.
Climbing into the Tank for the very
first time – quite a feat, as the driver

gets no grab handle, unlike all other
passengers – you sit quite high, and
find yourself in a nicely appointed
place. Aside from a quietly rattling
sunroof, build quality feels fair, while
the circular, turbine-like air-vents
are a shameless rip-off of a certain
German brand. That said, if your new
SUV had to copy someone, better
Mercedes-Benz than Lada.
Dual 12.3-inch screens comprise the
infotainment system and instrument
cluster, while curiously the Ultra
Hybrid is the only Tank to offer
wireless Apple CarPlay (Android
Auto is still wired). There’s even a
small analogue clock in the middle
of the dash, a quirky contrast to
everything else which is on a screen.
The seats themselves are merely okay
but we enjoy that the windscreen,
flat and near-vertical, isn’t too far
away, serviced by cute, stubby little
wipers, making you feel like you’re
in something a bit more special and
cooler than your usual cookie-cutter
SUV – because you are.
The back seat, meanwhile, is
reasonably spacious, offering two

The Tank looks good, both inside and out.
Does it have talent in depth though? May
need to get back to you on that one
sets of ISOFIX points and three top
tethers; while the boot is a bit small,
giving up some space to the hybrid
battery, and the rear door is the wideopening, heavy, swinging type. If you
are thinking of carting around kids –
and a pram – there are certainly easier
and more practical (if not-as-funky)
SUV options available.
Turn on the Tank – a sentence
which conjures images of an old V12
spluttering to life – and there’s no
engine noise, just like an electric

vehicle. At low speeds, the Tank moves
near silently in its automatic EV mode
(there’s no button in which to fix the
Tank into an electric-only mode) –
provided the small, onboard battery
has enough charge.
At urban speeds, the Tank is
impressively quiet, requiring you
to glance down at a graphic on the
instrument cluster to know whether
you’re being powered by petrol, or
exclusively electrons. You won’t be
able to tell through the seat-of-the-

@wheelsaustralia

41

Drives

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Model GWM Tank 300 Hybrid
Engine 2.0-litre 4cyl, dohc, 16v, turbo + e-motor
Max power 258kW (combined)
Max torque 615Nm (combined)
Transmission 9-speed automatic
L/W/H/W-B 4760/1930/1903/2750mm
Weight 2305kg
0-100km/h 7.9sec (claimed)
Economy 8.4L/100km (claimed)
Price $60,990 (drive-away)
On sale Now

Our biggest gripe concerns the Tank’s
driver assistance systems, many of
which default to ‘on’
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pants, either – it switches between
petrol and electric almost invisibly.
Very well done, GWM.
While the steering has a bit of play
off-centre – sometimes it doesn’t feel
connected to the front wheels – and
the brake pedal could use more bite,
this would be an easy vehicle to drive
everyday, assisted by an excellent
suite of parking cameras and sensors.
We also enjoy the torque-fill of the
Tank hybrid’s electric motor, giving
it a bit of additional urge at lower
revs, allowing you to punch into gaps
in traffic, quite a funny feeling when
you’re driving something that feels
such a hefty hunk. The Tank Hybrid
is rapid for such a heavy vehicle, its
258kW/615Nm offering plenty of
acceleration from the lights or during
overtaking – even if the small battery
means electric performance is limited.
On a winding road, the Tank’s
battery quickly depletes, rendering
it a very heavy 180kW vehicle with
a lot of dead weight in the form of
electric motor and battery. It’s not the
end of the world, as while there’s a
fair amount of mid-corner grip, you’ll
hardly be relishing its dynamics – a
ladder-chassis vehicle can only do
so much. Driven sportily, the ninespeed transmission also gets a bit
confused and doesn’t know what gear
to be in, while the brakes get hot and
fade surprisingly early, dramatically
extending the emergency stopping
distance. This is a Tank that prefers
rumbling around slowly.
On dirt, the Tank feels more in its
element, owing to the permanent allwheel-drive but the quality Michelin
Primacy SUV tyres are undoubtedly

Pay $2000 and your servicing is taken care
of for five years. Take that, inflation.

happier on the blacktop. While the
ABS could use better dirt calibration
– easily triggered, it can extend
the braking distances on unsealed
surfaces – the ESC works well, neither
lackadaisical nor hyperactive. The
Tank has other flaws to contend with.
The ride quality, while good most
of the time, is busy on something like
a country backroad. If you live in the
bush and spend a lot of time on classic
Australian 100km/h country roads, buy
a Tank Hybrid and you might finally
go insane, its incessantly jiggly ride
never seeming to settle.
Our biggest gripe, however, concerns
the Tank’s driver assistance systems,
many of which default to ‘on’. The
Driver Attention Monitor, the Lane
Departure Warning and the overspeed
warning are all maddeningly neurotic
and frequently distracting.
You’ll also learn early never to do
a three-point turn on a busy road, as
between drive and reverse, and back
The price – $20K cheaper than a
Wrangler; Punchy acceleration when
battery has enough juice; Impressive
level of standard equipment

to drive again, the Tank has to think
an awfully long time – while your eyes
increasingly widen as any vehicles
come barrelling towards you.
According to the trip computer,
over 7h43m of data the Tank hybrid
achieved 11.5L/100km. GWM claims
8.4L/100km on the combined cycle.
While it’s not without its
shortcomings, the Tank 300 Hybrid,
as well as being decent to drive, is an
impressive package. Having scored
five stars in 2022 ANCAP testing,
GWM also warrants the Tank for seven
years or unlimited kilometres, and
servicing is reasonably priced too.
The additional $10K outlay for
the hybrid is worth it. It’s still hardly
an expensive vehicle, and makes
a compelling case against more
expensive rivals, but with its warranty
and additional safety, also against
similarly priced second-hand vehicles
like a Toyota Prado.
DYL AN CA MPBE LL

PLUS

MINUS

Maddening driver assist systems that
default to ‘on’; Busy ride quality on
country roads; Brakes fade quickly;
Economy only so-so for a hybrid
@wheelsaustralia

43

Drives

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DRIVE

TESLA MODEL 3

TESLA TAKES A
SECOND STAB AT
ITS MODEL 3
Model Tesla Model 3 RWD
Motor Rear permanent magnet
synchronous
Battery 57.5kWh (net)
Max Power 208kW
Max Torque 420Nm
Weight 1765kg
0-100km/h 6.1sec
Range 513km (WLTP)
Price $61,990
On sale Now

T

HE TESLA MODEL 3’s
SUV spin-off, the Model
Y, has whizzed past it in
local and global sales,
but the sedan remains a
significant contributor
to the American tech company’s
automotive success.
It’s no coincidence that its number
of electric four-door rivals continues to
grow, with the BYD Seal the latest to
arrive in Australia to join the BMW i4,
Hyundai Ioniq 6, and Polestar 2.
Tesla has wisely chosen against
complacency and given its most
affordable vehicle its first major
overhaul since its 2018 Aussie debut,
with substantial and much needed
revisions both inside and out.
Although pricing has pinballed
around a fair bit over the past year or
so – $57,400 as recently as midyear – its
2024 starting point is $61,900 for the
entry-level ‘RWD’ tested here.

A mid-range Long Range costs
$71,900 before on-roads and brings
extra range plus dual motors for
faster all-wheel drive performance.
A Performance dual-motor flagship
variant will return in 2024.
If the base Model 3 could have been
described as well-equipped for its price
previously, it’s now positively generous.
Notable standard additions include
ventilated front seats (which maintain
their heating function), LED ambient
lighting, a rear-cabin touchscreen, and
acoustic rear glass.
Options involve exterior colours
unless you’re happy with white
(and many buyers evidently are), an
alternative interior colour (white), and
autonomous-drive packages that should
be scrutinised for value by shoppers
as not all features are enabled or even
useable in Australia.
Tesla’s minimalist theme doesn’t
change for the MY24 Model 3; in fact,

Left: Cloth dash
top and door
trims help excise
the old ‘plastic
dungeon’ vibes

it goes further, with the removal of
steering wheel stalks.
The cabin layout is largely the same
but there’s a complete revamp of
presentation and perceived quality.
Intriguingly, these changes have
coincided with a push for reducing the
cost of build for the Model 3.
Smart details including a large
swathe of cloth applied to a big section
of the door and the same material used
for a panel running along the top of the
dash. There are soft, yielding plastics
aplenty, and a colour-customisable LED
strip now arcs from the top of the doors
and around the dash cowl.
Tesla says its central 15.4-inch
display – again the command centre
for vehicle functions and information,
not just merely entertainment – is now
thinner, brighter, faster, and with an
enlarged active area.
Cabin storage options continue to be
plentiful, with generously sized door

pockets, dual (angled) smartphone
charging trays, a glovebox (again
opened via the touchscreen), and a new
and silvery centre console that offers
lots of hidden storage and a couple of
cupholders below its sliding covers.
Rear seat passengers receive extra
attention, not least with the addition
of an 8.0-inch touchscreen. There’s
only fan control with no temperature
adjustment, though passengers may
be too distracted to notice with the
likes of Netflix, Disney and YouTube on
offer (with headphones connectivity
including two USB-C ports, thankfully).
The rear seats are said to have been
reprofiled for improved posture and do
indeed seem more comfortable.
Longer-legged occupants are still
likely to find under-thigh support
lacking to varying degrees – and find
their heads close to the glass roof – but
the angles of both the cushion and
seatback are well judged and knee

Below:
Sleeker
headlamps
give the
Model
3 a less
surprised
look

space is reasonably generous.
The rear door pockets are almost as
large as those up front, both seatbacks
incorporate elasticated map-flaps,
and there’s a centre armrest (with
cupholders) that’s easily missed as it’s
the entire mid-section of the backrest
complete with integrated headrest.
The Model 3’s electric bootlid can
be opened via the touchscreen or Tesla
app, revealing a deep and reasonably
wide compartment that again includes
a usefully sized underfloor tub. The
seatbacks fold in a 60-40 split, though
are lowered from the rear cabin only.
With no spare wheel or even any sort
of repair kit, any punctures require
an inconvenient call to Tesla roadside
assistance (and subsequent waiting
time).
It also seems the designer behind the
new 19-inch wheel completely forgot
that tyres need to be inflated/deflated
occasionally – an air hose doesn’t fit

@wheelsaustralia

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The cabin does a great job at shutting out
on the tyre valve without a section of
the wheel being removed (and it was
sufficiently difficult that we gave up
with fear of breaking the wheel).
Indicator buttons on a steering
wheel aren’t a new idea – Ferrari did
that more than a decade ago with the
458 Italia.
With left and right indicators on
the corresponding sides of the wheel,
however, they were more intuitive to
use than the Model 3’s buttons that are
positioned together on the left side of
the new-look wheel.
While you do get used to them,
Tesla’s approach wouldn’t go into The
Book of Great Car Ergonomics.
The seats, might, though. There’s
plenty of electric adjustment including
lumbar, the cushion is long, and the
padding of the whole seat is in that
Goldilocks ‘just right’ zone.
Wider-than-average door armrests
are welcome, as is that seat ventilation
to keep front occupants cooler in a hot
Aussie summer.
There’s a change to how you get
underway in the Model 3. The driver
now scrolls up or down a ‘transmission
bar’ on the right side of the central
touchscreen – for Drive or Reverse,
respectively. Or, alternatively, there are
PRND buttons overhead between the
sun visors.

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The Model 3 can be instructed to
auto-select Drive or Reverse by figuring
out you’re likely intended direction,
though on one occasion it did select the
backwards option despite the presence
of a parked car behind. Hmmm.
Cabin refinement is perhaps the
most impressive aspect of the Model
3 driving experience, an area further
improved with the update.
MY24 changes bring double-pane
acoustic glass all round including
the rear glass, the upper edge of the
bonnet has been revised to eliminate
buffeting at the base of the windscreen,
aerodynamics are improved, and the
Model 3 now runs on Hankook’s EVfocused Ion tyres.
The result is a cabin that does a great
job of shutting out wind and tyre noise,
even at freeway speed and on coarser
country-road surfaces.
All key driver info including speed
– and Tesla’s unique traffic graphics
– remains on the touchscreen. While
you get accustomed to it, we think a
head-up display would greatly reduce
the amount of time the driver’s eyes are
averted from the road.
Even Tesla insiders have admitted
Improved refinement; cabin a bit
plusher; more range than before; sleeker
headlights and tail lamps

Tesla touch
screen is
one of the
best in the
business but
are too many
functions
assigned
to it?

PLUS

MINUS

the Model 3 previously rode a
“little firm”, and its engineers have
responded with new front knuckles and
bushes, revalved dampers, as well as
those Hankook tyres with sidewalls a
little more forgiving than the previous
Michelin Pilot Sport 4S sports rubber.
While the suspension has softened
and is better over lateral joins for
improved comfort, it’s not fully
resolved. The Model 3 still struggles
on uneven roads, with its limited
compliance highlighted by excessive
Indicators and gear shifter are a retrograde
step; eco tyres don’t handle; lack of
smartphone mirroring; tyre inflation woes

wind and tyre noise, even at freeway speed

body movement, while a tendency
to strike its bump-stops made for
a noisy suspension. The steering
remains dartier than expected for a
luxury midsized sedan, though equally
it continues to lend the Model 3
surprising agility. Some interaction has
been lost, however, in the switch from
sporty- to eco-focused rubber.
You can change the steering
weighting via the touchscreen, though
regardless of mode, the BMW i4,
Polestar 2 and Volvo C40 are all better
picks for those who enjoy satisfying
weekend drives.
The thick windscreen pillars partially
impede forward vision, while the over-

the-shoulder view is, if anytghing, even
more limited.
One of the new additions to the
touchscreen takes a leaf out of Hyundai
and Kia’s Blind Spot Assistance book,
with a video image that pops up
whenever the indicators are selected.
I still haven’t experienced a better
navigation system than Tesla’s – most
especially for the size of its map and
superbly simple and quick destination
search. As a result of this, Tesla
continues to snub Apple CarPlay and
Android Auto, which may be frustrating
for some buyers while others may
think, ‘Who cares?’
An improvement to aerodynamics

– down to a low .219 co-efficient of
drag – has increased WLTP driving
range without any technical changes to
batteries or motors.
The RWD entry model increases by
22km to 513km, and the Long Range
increases by 27km to 629km.
That compares with 429km for the
base Ioniq 6 (available with a bigger
battery and 519km range for additional
cost) and 532km for the Polestar 2
single-motor Standard Range that
increased its range (and, crucially,
switched from front- to rear-drive) with
an MY24 update.
The Model 3’s changes for 2024 may
be evolutionary rather than dramatic,
but they bring some noticeable
improvements – especially in the areas
of refinement, interior quality and
standard features.
If Tesla’s engineers could only
properly nail vehicle dynamics to give
the Model 3 a consistently smoother
ride and make it more fun to drive,
this electric sedan would truly be the
complete package.
Yet the base model remains an
intriguing package of practicality,
technology, performance, efficiency,
and value that makes it hard to beat
– even with an increasing number of
rivals trying to do just that.
JEZ S PIN KS
@wheelsaustralia

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MITSUBISHI TRITON

DIAMONDS IN
THE DUNES
Model Mitsubishi Triton GSR
Engine 2442cc, 4-cyl t/turbo dohc 16V diesel
Max Power 150kW @ 3500rpm
Max Torque 470Nm @ 1500-2750rpm
Transmission 6-speed automatic
Economy 7.7L/100km
Weight 2115kg
Price $63,840
On sale Q3 2024

J

UST AS important as the
launch of the all-new Triton
is the message Mitsubishi
Motors Australia is sending
with it, with the Japanese
marque relinquishing its
‘value’ tag and preparing itself to no
longer compete on price alone – just
take a look at the new Outlander as a
case in point.
Since the first-generation Triton
launched back in 1978, value has
always been a unique selling point for
the commercial Mitsubishi model. So
the brave move to step into the highly
competitive premium class currently
dominated by the Ford Ranger and
Toyota HiLux is not without risk, but
as MMA president and CEO Shaun
Westcott puts it, “Volume without
profit is vanity.” The fact that it’s

becoming increasingly difficult to
compete with spreadsheets from
GWM, Mahindra and LDV must also be
considered.
To enable this shift in class,
Mitsubishi has spent the better part of
seven years essentially rebuilding the
Triton from the ground up, thoroughly
reworking everything from the
dimensions, chassis, engine, interior
and driving dynamics. Most overdue
and a boon for caravanners, its towing
capacity has increased by 400kg to now
meet the industry standard of 3500kg.
While the new-gen Triton is still
in pre-production ahead of its debut
early in 2024, we managed to secure
some seat time. However, as it’s still in
pre-production, there were restrictions
in place on where we could drive the
vehicle. As such, we were limited to
a few laps of a private off-road sand
course in Peake, South Australia – but
it was enough to prove that this vehicle
is markedly improved compared to the
outgoing model.
The Triton will arrive early in 2024
in dual-cab and club-cab pick-up guise,
with Mitsubishi confirming cab-chassis
variants won’t be available when the
vehicle launches in February.
One 4x2 variant will be offered:
a GLX double-cab pick-up priced at
$43,690. The cheapest 4x4 model will
be a GLX+ club-cab pick-up priced
at $50,340, while a GLX double-cab
pick-up is fractionally more expensive
at $50,940. The range then extends to
GLX+ ($53,290), GLS ($59,090) and
GSR ($63,840) double-cab pick-up.

Immediately obvious is the increase
in price compared to the outgoing
model, with the current GSR listed at
$56,940, for example, that’s an increase
of $6900. For a vehicle utilising and
sourcing new parts, in addition to
the global hike in logistical costs, it’s
an inevitable price rise, but the new
Triton is a vastly different and far
more premium vehicle. Still, like for
like, $63,840 for the top-spec GSR
variant is cheaper than a 2.0-litre, fourcylinder Ranger Wildtrak that retails
for $68,490. The same applies when
compared to the Toyota HiLux, with
both the Rogue and GR Sport variants
commanding more than $70k.
The bold, aggressive-looking
Triton is bigger in every dimension
than the vehicle it replaces, with the
new model 15mm longer and 50mm
wider. Its wheelbase is considerably
longer (+130mm), as is the tray length
(+35mm). Because of this growth, the
new Triton is built using high-tensile
steel to minimise weight increases.
The new Triton’s ladder-frame chassis
is new from the ground up, with its
bending rigidity said to be increased
by 40 per cent, and torsional rigidity
by 60 per cent. Larger diameter front
struts are implemented and exclusive
to Australia (about 10 per cent larger
than other markets), and beefier shocks
are also unique for Australia.
A big change – and arguably the
most impressive after our day behind
the wheel – is the adoption of an
electric power-steering system for
the first time in a Triton, which has

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49

Drives

FIRST
LOCAL
DRIVE

Sitting 50mm wider than the vehicle it replaces,
radically improved the overall feel and
feedback at the tiller. In fact, the gear
ratio has gone from 3.7 to 3.3 turns
lock-to-lock.
Only the GLS (with the leather
option pack) and top-spec GSR models
were available for this pre-production
test drive, so assessment of the GLX
and GLX+ models will have to wait.
These two top-end vehicles are
equipped with Mitsubishi’s Super
Select 4WD II. The GLX and GLX+
make use of the more rudimentary
Easy Select 4WD system. A rear diff
lock has been introduced on the GLX+
model, and tyre pressure monitoring is
a welcome inclusion across the range.
All models released at launch will
be powered by a new Mitsubishibuilt 2.4-litre twin-turbo DOHC 16V
MiVEC diesel engine, which develops
a claimed 150kW at 3500rpm and
470Nm from as low as 1500rpm. That’s
an increase of 17kW and 40Nm over
the old model. All variants utilise
an updated six-speed automatic
transmission, with a six-speed manual
to be offered on some models later.
Mitsubishi is emphatic that this is a
new engine. As well as now featuring

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a twin-turbo setup, a higher-pressure
fuel delivery is partially responsible
for this increase in power and torque –
up by 10 per cent each, actually – and
that other mechanical changes such as
longer piston rods have been employed.
An “Auto Stop and Go” system is
standard across the range, and is said
to improve fuel economy. Mitsubishi
says the ADR fuel consumption of
both the GLS and GSR vehicles is
7.7L/100km.
The number of drive modes has
increased from four to seven, and now
consists of Normal, Eco, Gravel, Snow,
Mud, Sand and Rock.
To stay on the right side of the law,
our testing grounds were limited to a
private off-road track with terrain that
consisted almost entirely of sand. So
to fully test the vehicle’s capabilities
and additional drive modes, a more
comprehensive drive program is
slated for early 2024. And yes, that
will include bitumen. Until then, our
impressions are largely limited to how
Better platform; Punchier engines;
Interior now feels as if it can compete
near the top of the dual-cab class

Two turbos,
proper low
range and
a much
improved
interior: this
Triton shows
promise

the vehicles – GLS and GSR models –
fare in the dunes
Sitting 50mm wider than the vehicle
it replaces, the new Triton certainly
feels more surefooted. Combined
with the redesigned chassis and the
adoption of the electric power-steering
system, the Triton feels direct and
extremely well planted, with a feel and
feedback through the steering wheel
not experienced before in the Triton.
The double-wishbone front
suspension soaks up bumps and ruts
well, and there’s a noticeable decline

PLUS

MINUS

Styling may well divide opinions; We’ll
need a fuller test to deliver a definitive
verdict

the new Triton certainly feels more surefooted
in head-toss as a result. The rear leaf
springs are also lighter, and provide a
more compliant ride as a result.
Most striking about the new 2.4-litre
engine is the low-down delivery of
torque which, as mentioned, peaks
from as low as 1500rpm. As sand was
the only surface on the menu – and
perhaps chosen by Mitsubishi for this
reason – this early torque delivery
gives the Triton a responsive and
sprightly feel when burying the foot
from standstill, and on our drive loop it
climbed big dunes with ease.
The 50mm-wider overall dimensions
of the Triton have given it noticeably
more interior space. Combined
with a modern and elegant cabin,
Mitsubishi has definitely succeeded
in transitioning the Triton from a
purely value proposition to a premium
product. Whether this premium feel
carries over to the thriftier GLX and
GLX+ is yet to be seen.
The redesigned A-pillars highlight
Mitsubishi’s focus to not only improve
space, but also benefit those on-board.
They’re flatter and more upright, which
in effect means there’s less curvature
at the front of the vehicle, which not

only opens up the field of vision and
increases cabin space, but it makes
vehicle entry and exit easier.
Both the GLS (with $1500 leather
option pack) and GSR feature soft
leather trim and contrast stitching
– silver on GLS and orange on GSR.
On our short drive the seats felt
comfortable, supportive and appeared
to be bolstered in all the right areas
with additional lower back support,
aided by a 20mm higher hip point.
The GLS gets heated front seats
while the GSR adds GSR-specific floor
mats and extra cupholders on the front
dash. Both variants feature powered
driver’s seat adjustment. The rear
seats are comfortable and spacious
for three abreast – with 49mm more
second-row shoulder room than before
– and provide easy access to USB-A
and USB-C ports. Rather than rear air
conditioning ducts, the air-circulation
system for rear passengers has been
carried over from the previous model.
The nine-inch infotainment grows by
two inches compared to the outgoing
model and it features embedded
satellite navigation, traffic sign
recognition and wireless Apple CarPlay

(wired Android Auto). It is clear and
bright and easy to use.
Climate controls and the Super
Select 4WD II system are controlled
via dials rather than buttons, which is a
plus in our book. The dash layout is also
user-friendly and well laid out.
Mitsubishi’s brave yet inevitable
decision to break away from the value
stigma attached to its brand means it’ll
now have to compete more intimately
with the heavy hitters of the segment,
but does the Triton have the chops to
seriously contend with the big-selling
Ranger and HiLux?
Our time behind the wheel of the
new-gen Triton was rather brief and
one-dimensional (sand), but it’s clear
that the Triton has transformed into
a bigger and better vehicle. However,
until we get a more comprehensive
experience behind the wheel on all
road surfaces, it’s hard to say how
competitive it will be.
What is obvious is that the new
Triton is far better than the model it
replaces in just about every way, and
we expect it will have a place at the
table with the segment’s best.
TR I STAN TA NCR ED I
@wheelsaustralia

51

2024 SEES THE START OF THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE SUPERNOVA

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AND THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE COMES OF AGE. HOLD ONTO YOUR HORSES...

@wheelsaustralia

53

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TOP CARS OF 2024 / THE HOT 40

DUE June 2024 MODEL Prado PRICE From $80K+

IF WHEELS READER correspondence is anything to go by, the new
Prado, due in June, is Australia’s most keenly anticipated new vehicle
for 2024. With good reason too. The latest Prado has seriously
stepped up.
The ‘250 Series’ Prado rides on a TNGA-F body-on-frame chassis,
shared with the LandCruiser 300, Lexus GX and LX, and the Tacoma
and Tundra utes. It's no great surprise, then, that its wheelbase is
identical to that of the LandCruiser proper.
Some markets see two separate aesthetic treatments but Toyota
Australia has rejected the retro round headlamp front end for a more
modern grille and rectangular lights. Under the bonnet expect to
find a 48-volt mild-hybrid version of the current 2.8-litre four-cylinder
diesel with an identical 150kW and 500Nm. It will be matched to a
new eight-speed torque-converter automatic, full-time four-wheeldrive, and a starter motor-generator for better fuel economy, quieter
startup and smooth initial take-off.
Toyota claims a 50 per cent increase in frame rigidity and a 30 per
cent increase in overall rigidity compared to the current Prado, which
is based on a HiLux platform. The new Prado will naturally have a
full-time all-wheel drive system with a low-range transfer case and
a locking centre differential. We also expect the Prado to feature an
Everest and MU-X-matching 3500-kilogram capacity – up 500kg over
the Prado’s current 3000kg limit.
Measuring 4925mm long, 1980mm wide and 1870mm tall, the new
Prado is 100mm longer, 95mm wider and 20mm taller than before.
The Prado’s characteristic rear ‘barn door’ makes way for an electric
lift-up tailgate similar to the LandCruiser 300.
Inside, it features wireless Apple CarPlay, over-the-air software
updates and Connected Services. A 12.3-inch digital instrument
cluster sits ahead of the driver, replacing analogue dials and there’s
also a small 4.2-inch multi-information display. As before, there will be
seating for five or seven passengers, with a familiar line-up expected
where the entry-level GX should have five seats, and all other variants
will score seven.
Australian pricing for the new Prado has yet to be revealed, but it’s
likely to cost a lot more than the outgoing car’s $62,830 starting price.
We predict the entry version will arrive somewhere just north of $80K.

@wheelsaustralia

55

DUE Q3 2024 MODELS LR Range Single Motor, LR Dual Motor PRICE From $81,500

TOP CARS OF 2024 / THE HOT 40

“WITH POLESTAR 4, we have taken a fundamental new approach to SUV coupé design,”
said Polestar’s chief executive officer, Thomas Ingenlath. Okay, so the whole idea of an
SUV-coupe would normally be enough to make most right-minded people sick in their
mouths but, infuriatingly, Polestar might just have brought us the coolest shape of 2024.
Polestar’s fastest ever production car, the Dual Motor Long Range Performance variant
is not only capable of a 3.8-second 0-100km/h sprint courtesy of 400kW and 686Nm, but
also has support for 200kW DC fast charging. Go for the Dual Motor Long Range and it’ll
likely come with a targeted WLTP-rated 560-kilometre driving range.
A Long Range Single Motor model is available, with a 600-kilometre driving range
target. It is rear-drive only, with 200kW and 343Nm on tap. A 102kWh lithium-ion battery
pack is standard for all long-range Polestar 4 variants. It is currently unclear if Polestar will
offer a standard range variant with a smaller battery, similar to the Polestar 2 sedan.
Measuring 4839mm long, 2139mm wide (including mirrors) and 1544mm tall, with a
2999mm wheelbase, the Polestar 4 is approximately 100mm shorter in length, width and
wheelbase than a Tesla Model Y.
Inside, the Chinese-built Polestar 4 features a 15-inch Android Automotive infotainment
system powered by an automotive-focused Snapdragon system-on-a-chip as well as a
12-speaker, 1400-watt Harmon Kardon audio system.
The 2024 Polestar 4 will commence production in China in November, with a “fullscale” global launch – including Asia Pacific – due early next year. two models have been
announced, the Long Range Single Motor (from $81,500 ) and the Long Range Dual Motor
(from $92,150).

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Electric sports sedan slayer the 2024 Lotus Emeya is
due in the second half of 2024 and it has Porsche’s
Taycan in the crosshairs.
The Emeya is Lotus’s third EV, following the Eletre
SUV and Evija hypercar, and only its second-ever sedan,
the first being the twin-turbo V6 Vauxhall Lotus Carlton,
from a time when world-beating four-doors were way
cooler (1990-1992).
The booted and batteried Lotus – codenamed Type
133 – will produce 675kW and 985Nm in ‘R’ form,
which will top a three-tiered range starting from
around $250K.

The Emeya will sprint from rest to 100km/h in 2.78
seconds, says Lotus, and run to 256km/h, making it
a shade less accelerative than Tesla’s Model S Plaid
(and slower than a Lotus Carlton, which topped out at
285km/h) but that's hardly shabby.
Built on Eletre-shared 800-volt architecture, expect
Emeya to offer a range north of 550km from a 102kWh
battery pack, with the capability to add 150km of range
in five minutes plugged into a 350kW DC fast charger.
Emeya’s leather, Alcantara and cool aluminium
cabin will be headlined by a 55-inch AR HUD, 12.1in
touchscreen infotainment and KEF premium audio.

China’s BYD is set to expand its pod of EVs named after
marine mammals with the forthcoming 2024 Seal U
medium SUV.
With a sillier name – but a less comical roofline – the
4775mm long, 1890mm wide Seal U is around the size
of a Model Y, but with a 125mm shorter wheelbase, and
has the Tesla firmly in the sights.
With the Dolphin hatch and sporty Seal sedan
imminent, the Seal U is set to take the local BYD line
up to five by the end of 2024, and will play alongside
Tesla’s bestseller as well as the Ford Mustang Mach-E,
Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6 and Toyota BZ4X.

The Seal U builds battery-powered dreams on the
brand’s E-Platform 3.0, which its shares with the Seal
sedan. Expect to see two single-motor variants – a
150kW, 310Nm Comfort with a 72kWh battery, and a
160kW, 330Nm Design with an 87kWh battery.
European WLTP figures suggest ranges of 420km
and 500km respectively from its lithium-ion phosphate
batteries and 150kW charging capability is likely, for a
zap from 30 to 80 percent in less than 30min.
It’s not clear whether the Hybrid version spied testing
in Australia will form part of the 2024 Seal U range for
which launch timing is yet to be confirmed.
@wheelsaustralia

57

TOP CARS OF 2024 / THE HOT 40

They’re having a baby! Lexus, that is. The brand’s
smallest-ever offspring, the LBX SUV, is set to join the
Australian line-up in the first half of the year.
The Toyota Yaris Cross-based LBX, which is 305mm
shorter than the UX, will be powered by a 1.5-litre threecylinder hybrid powertrain with a nickel-metal hydride
battery and a choice of front- and all-wheel drive.
A 9.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, 12.3inch digital instrument cluster and ambient lighting are
expected to headline inside, and heated and ventilated
front seats, a heated steering wheel, semi-automatic

Volvo’s EX30 electric small SUV slots into the range
below the XC40 Recharge Pure Electric, priced from
$59,990 plus on-roads, which puts it squarely in Tesla
Model 3 territory.
Three grades are offered, each with a 69kWh nickelmanganese-cobalt battery – there are two rear-wheeldrive versions and an all-wheel-drive performance
variant. Rear-wheel-drives feature a 200kW, 343Nm
motor and provide a Euro WLTP range of 480km.
Dual-motor AWD versions deliver 315kW and
543Nm, sprint from 0-100km/h in a claimed 3.6sec,
and provide a 460km WLTP range.
DC charging at up to 153kW underpins the capability
for a 10 to 80 per cent fast charge in 30 minutes.

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parking assist and an array of advanced driver assistance
tech should also be part of the deal. According to
a Japanese publication, a Yaris GR-powered F Sport
flagship could join 85kW mainstream variants, packing
200kW and 370Nm, an eight-speed torque converter
automatic and all-wheel drive, to create a left-field highperformance player. We’ll see.
The Lexus LBX – it stands for Lexus Breakthrough
Crossover – is likely to be priced around $40K and will
fill the small shoes of the brand’s CT series (which was
axed in 2021).

A minimalist interior theme is centred on a Teslastyle display presenting driving info such as speed and
battery charge, in lieu of a conventional cluster.
The range-opening Plus features LED headlights, a
12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and
an array of Google apps, wireless phone charging, a
digital key, a powered tailgate, Harman Kardon audio,
and an extensive suite of advanced safety.
Up-spec Ultra adds a fixed panoramic glass roof,
360-degree camera, automatic parking, powered and
heated front seats, and a heated steering wheel, with
the Performance Ultra adding 20-inch alloys.
Volvo EX30 supply is set to start flowing locally from
early 2024.

DUE H2 2024 MODELS RWD, AWD PRICE from c.$95,000

WHEN THE CYBERSTER was first mooted, we all thought it might be a bit of a joke.
Despite the badge on the bonnet, modern MG had no track record of performance
cars. Or aspirational cars. Or a brand that could in any way support a car wearing a sixfigure price tag. Thing is, nobody’s laughing at it now.
A lot has changed in the intervening 18 months. The MG 4 has established its bona
fides as an entirely credible, well finished hatch and the dual-motor X-Power variant
combines shocking pace with a modest price tag.
The Cyberster, confirmed for the second half of the year, is MG’s first all-new sports
car since the mid-engined MG F that ran from 1995 to 2002. Measuring 4535mm long,
1913mm wide and 1329mm tall, and riding on a 2690mm wheelbase, the Cyberster is
comfortably larger than MGs of old – it’s also 20cm longer than a BMW Z4 and 15cm
longer than a Porsche 718 Boxster.
Despite increased dimensions, the Cyberster manages to evoke classic sports car
proportions with its long, low bonnet and rearward driving position. Yet its details are
decidedly futuristic with LED headlights, angular LED taillights and sharp body lines.
Then there are the Cyberster’s unmissable scissor doors, which open up and out like
a V12 Lamborghini – a rather ostentatious choice, but one sure to grab attention and
buyer interest.
The cabin features three digital screens: one for the digital driver’s display, another
for the infotainment, and a third for the HVAC controls. Specifications from the
Chinese government suggest the Cyberster will be offered in rear- or all-wheel drive
configurations. The former is likely to output 231kW, and the latter 400kW. Kerb
weights rated between 1850-1985kg are also expected, so 0-100km/h should be
dispatched in less than four seconds.

@wheelsaustralia

59

TOP CARS OF 2024 / THE HOT 40

DUE Q1 2024 MODEL 3 PRICE from $132,900

The 2024 Polestar 3 is the first SUV from the Volvo-derived EV brand, and
it’s set to land locally in the first quarter to provide an intriguing alternative
to the Audi E-Tron, BMW iX, Tesla Model X, and the Volvo EX90 on which
it’s based. It'll be offered in a single, highly equipped launch grade, and
can be optioned with a Performance Pack featuring retuned suspension
and 22-inch forged alloys.
The Performance Pack takes dual motor outputs from the standard
360kW and 840Nm to 380kW and 910Nm, trims the 107kWh nickelmanganese-cobalt battery’s 610km range by 50km, and shaves three

Hyundai
Ioniq 7
DUE Q4 2024
MODELS
single / dual motor
PRICE
from c.$90,000

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tenths from the 0-100km/h, which takes 4.7sec in ultimate form.
The ability to cop 250kW of DC grunt sees Polestar 3 fast-charge from
10 to 80 percent in 30min.
Highly-specced launch variants include a 14.5-inch touchscreen and
9.0-inch driver display, 21-inch wheels, adaptive air suspension, a glass
roof, and a powered tailgate.
Pilot and Plus option packages are also standard initially but will likely
come at extra cost down the track, and Matrix LED headlights and Nappa
leather upholstery are optional.

Hyundai’s Ioniq 7 is coming in 2024 to give Australians a
battery-powered, family-sized SUV while letting Hyundai
Australia achieve its target of offering an electrified
variant of each of its key SUVs by year’s end.
The dedicated electric Ioniq 7 draws on the company’s
Seven Concept, with a cabin featuring three seating
rows, a flat floor, high roof and innovative packaging
to provide a versatile ‘Living Space’, using a range of
recycled and sustainable materials.
Built on Hyundai’s E-GMP battery-electric architecture,
Ioniq 7 is expected to offer single-motor RWD and

potent dual-motor AWD variants, and will allow 800V
ultra-fast charging of the battery – which should offer a
maximum range of 500km or more – while underpinning
Vehicle to Load capability.
Dual large instrument and infotainment displays
are expected to headline, along with a by- wire drive
selector, digital side mirrors, and wireless vehicle
software update capability.
An extensive suite of active safety, driver assistance and
convenience tech will be part of the deal, with niceties
such as a large glass sunroof likely for the flagship.

The Mazda CX-80 will be the third of Hiroshima’s new
pricey, premium SUVs to hit Australia when it slots in
between CX-60 and CX-90 in the first quarter, as an
appealing Kluger or Palisade alternative.
The CX-80 will effectively replace the Mazda CX-9 –
which has been dropped after 15 years on sale locally –
and will sell alongside the CX-8. The seven-seat CX-80,
like CX-8, is effectively a medium SUV elongated to
accommodate a third row of seats; a slenderer CX-90
you could say.
Expect a choice of 209kW/450Nm petrol and
187kW/500Nm diesel 3.3-litre turbo inline sixes, and
a 241kW/500Nm 2.5-litre petrol/electric hybrid,

paired with all-wheel drive, with prices opening in
the low-to-mid 60s. Standard equipment will run to
large infotainment and instrument displays, heated
and ventilated Nappa leather seats, a heated steering
wheel, a panoramic sunroof, adaptive LED headlights,
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and a power tailgate.
Autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise
control, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic
alert are expected to be standard and front cross-traffic
alert, a surround-view camera, and Level 2 autonomous
driving functionality are likely to be offered. Coming
after the 2017 Wheels COTY-winning CX-9, it's fair to
say that the CX-80 has a lot to live up to.

The i30 N showed the world Hyundai could engineer a
driver’s car. Now, the Ioniq 5 N is on a mission to prove
EVs can be entertaining.
Our Korean first drive of the plus-sized hi-po
hatch suggests it’s up to the task, representing a
new paradigm in electric driver’s cars by delivering
performance and involvement similar to Porsche’s
Taycan – which was benchmarked in the development –
at one third the price.
In case you’ve been napping, the Ioniq 5 N’s dual
motor, all-wheel drive powertrain produces 448kW and

740Nm – or 478kW in a ‘boost’ mode – crushes the
0-100km/h in 3.4 seconds, and can travel 450km on a
charge of the 84kWh battery.
The five-door weighs 2200kg but doesn’t feel it,
reckons our very own Jez Spinks, and embellishes its
syrupy electric delivery with conventional cues – such as
gear shift jolts and a choice of artificial engine sounds –
and possesses a calibre of dynamic capability to make
even the staunchest petrolhead smile.
Could this be the car that finally dispatches the idea of
the EV as a soulless white good? Here's hoping.

@wheelsaustralia

61

TOP CARS OF 2024 / THE HOT 40

DUE Q1 2024 MODEL Quartermaster PRICE from $110,000

The Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster – the dual-cab ute variant of the
Grenadier 4WD wagon – is set to arrive Down Under in the first half of
2024 to give frustrated Landcruiser 70 Series buyers and Defender 110
fans something to get excited about.
Built by Ineos Automotive, which was born out of British billionaire Sir
Jim Ratcliffe’s desire to build a replacement for the Land Rover Defender
110 – after Jaguar Land Rover rejected his proposal to buy the old tooling
– the Grenadier wagon started arriving locally in 2023.
With production of the trayback underway at a French factory that
previously turned out Smart Cars, now the wait is almost over for

customers who placed orders from mid-last-year for the $110,000 to
$123,000 workhorse (excluding on-road costs).
The Quartermaster offers the same choice of BMW-sourced 3.0-litre
turbo inline six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines as the wagon, backed
by a ZF eight-speed auto and permanent four-wheel drive.
A substantial 545mm longer than its sibling, the Quartermaster’s
ladder frame is topped by a Euro pallet-accommodating 1564mm (L)
x 1619mm (W) tray, with payloads of up to 832kg (diesel) and 907kg
(petrol), an 800mm wading depth, 264mm of ground clearance, and a
robust 3500kg braked towing capacity.

Jeep’s first EV in Australia, battery-powered baby the
2024 Avenger, is due in the second half of the year.
The brand is calling for expressions of interest for
the model, which is confirmed as an electric vehicle
but likely won’t make it in ICE form, because the
petrol versions offered in Europe are manual only.
Jeep is yet to announce pricing or specifications
for the Avenger which, as a product of the Stellantis
Group, will be built on a Peugeot platform and call
Alfa’s forthcoming small SUV and the Fiat 600 its
brothers from other mothers.
With a 115kW, 260Nm electric motor driving

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the front wheels, a 54kWh battery pack providing
a 400km range (WLTP), and the capability for fast
charging from 20 to 80 per cent in 24 minutes on a
100kW charger, the 4080mm-long Avenger has the
makings of a right-sized EV for city-based buyers.
Avenger’s scaled-down butch, and a cabin
headlined by large multimedia touchscreen and
digital instrument displays, and featuring extensive
active safety, could seal the deal.
The company will certainly be hoping so, after a
year in which the number of Aussies who bought a
Jeep plunged to new lows.

DUE H2 2024 MODEL Forester PRICE From c.$42,000

WHEN IS A new car not a new car? While Subaru claims that its next-gen Forester, revealed
at the LA Auto Show in November, is an “all-new fully redesigned vehicle”, dig a little
deeper and it's apparent that it rides on much the same Global Platform underpinnings
with the familiar 2.5-litre boxer engine up front.
That said, neither of those two constituents were any great cause for complaint in the
current car. What the Forester needed was a more stylish interior and exterior treatment
and a hybrid powertrain that didn't feel like a token effort. On those counts, the new
model looks to be off to a good start.
The styling nicely fuses the latter-day SUV style of the Forester with the squared-off
boxy arches of its wagon forebear. Inside, the Forester is aligned with the Outback, WRX
and Crosstrek, featuring an available 11.6-inch portrait-oriented infotainment system,
fewer physical controls, USB-C charge ports, a wireless phone charger, and ventilated
front seats. However, unlike the Japanese-spec WRX and Outback, it does not feature a
full-digital instrument cluster, with a small central driver information display flanked by
analogue dials.
Under the bonnet, the existing 2.5-litre petrol flat-four produces 134kW and 241Nm,
down 2kW but up 2Nm. It remains paired with a “smoother and quieter” continuouslyvariable automatic transmission (CVT). Subaru has fitted a version of the WRX’s dual-pinion
electronic steering rack, torsional rigidity is up 10 per cent.
A hybrid Forester will debut for model year 2026. This will be followed by turbo-petrol
Forester XT – expected to share the Outback’s 183kW/350Nm 2.4-litre turbo – and offroad-focused Forester Wilderness variants.
The Subaru Forester is due in American showrooms between March and May 2024.
Local details – including official timing, pricing and features – will be confirmed closer to its
local launch, which is expected later in the year.

@wheelsaustralia

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DUE Q2 2024 MODEL 992.2 Carrera PRICE From c.$285,000

TOP CARS OF 2024 / THE HOT 40

We don't normally get too excited about mid-life facelifts, bit when the car in question is
the Porsche 911, we're all over every sniff of news. Spy photographers have been snapping
the update to the 992 generation of 911 for more than two years, but only very recently
have undisguised versions been seen near a certain one-way derestricted toll road.
It's no great secret that the 992 was designed from the outset to integrate a hybrid
powertrain. The 992.2 Carrera looks set to include mild-hybrid electrification with the
battery nestled between the boxer engine and the rear seats bulkhead and the motorgenerator between the engine and the eight-speed PDK transmission.
The Taycan sedan provides the inspiration for a full cabin refresh, with the 911 set to
follow the lead of the recently revised Cayenne in adopting a full glass cockpit, dashmounted gear selector and a redesigned centre console.
The projected lifespan of the 992.2 is projected to run through to 2028 and will include
a full performance hybrid version of the GT2 RS (due in 2026) that could see peak boosted
power outputs in the region of 600kW. Porsche has also been seen testing the 992.2
version of the GT3, which is expected to feature a normally-aspirated 4.2-litre engine and
will launch in 2025.
In the meantime, Porsche's quandary is how to satisfy traditionalists while still getting
past the watchful eye of Euro 7 emissions regulations. Nobody said it would be easy.

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With the Fiesta excised from Ford's line up Down Under, entry-level duties
fall on the slimmish shoulders of the Puma light SUV, due for a facelift later
in the year. We'll also see the long-awaited Puma EV, which will borrow the
underpinnings and the majority of its running gear with the European market
E-Transit Courier compact van. If that is indeed the case, expect a 54kWh
battery pack that drives an electric motor on the front axle, and it will support
100kW DC charging.
The Romanian-built EV is expected to adopt much the same blanked-off
front end aesthetic as the Mustang Mach-E with a more recognisable carryover rear treatment. It pitches into a market heavy with rivals, with the Hyundai
Kona Electric, BYD Atto 3 and MG ZS EV all sure to provide stern opposition.

There's a lot of fluff talked about electric cars, most
of it based around trying to convince you to pay a
hefty premium. Skoda doesn't tend to talk fluff.
The no-nonsense Australian range will feature
both updated Enyaq body styles (wagon and coupe)
with Skoda recently hinting that it would bring
the then-unreleased Enyaq 85 as our base model,
with new motors providing 210kW and 576km
driving range (Coupe, WLTP). Headlining the
Australian range will be the all-wheel drive RS model

developing 250kW, an improvement of 30kW. It can
sprint from rest to 100km/h in 5.5 seconds.
Skoda has improved the charging speed on the
Enyaq 85. It'll now accept DC electricity at 175kW
for a 10-80 per cent top-up in 28 minutes. Pricing
and final specifications are yet to be finalised
beyond the two-variant launch line-up. Skoda
Australia previously told Wheels to expect a circa$80K starting price, putting the Enyaq squarely in
the sights of the big-selling Tesla Model Y.

@wheelsaustralia

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DUE H2 2024 MODEL Kodiaq PRICE c.$60,000

The second-gen Kodiaq doesn't diverge too far from a winning formula. The
sole version for Australia is powered by the VW Group's venerable EA888
150kW 2.0-litre turbo four mated to a seven-speed dual clutch sending drive
to all four wheels. The seven-seat cabin gets a floating 13-inch infotainment
screen, boot size jumps by 70 litres to a claimed 340L, while a columnmounted gear shifter frees up space. A new damping system (DCC) allows
for individual tailoring of bump and rebound damping.
DUE Q2 2024 MODELS Torres, Torres EVX PRICE from c.$37K

SsangYong certainly can't be accused of rushing the Torres to the
Australian market. Its compact SUV has been in production since June
2022, powered by a 125kW 1.5-litre turbo four, but while that model may
well be the car Aussie buyers have been waiting for, later on they'll also
be treated to the front-drive Torres EVX, a EV powered by a 73.4kWh LFP
blade-type battery pack good for a range of 433km. At 4715mm long,
it's much the same size as the Hyundai Kona, Nissan Qashqai and Honda
ZR-V. Success or failure is clearly going to come down to pricing.

DUE H2 2024 MODEL Revuelto PRICE $987,000

The Lamborghini Revuelto has some heavy lifting to do. With the successor
to the Huracán likely not available before 2026, it'll be the sole super sports
car on offer from Sant'Agata, which is why the order bank is already full three
years in advance. The hybrid tech cuts emissions by 30 percent, allowing
Lamborghini to persevere with its V12, here boosted to 746kW. While the
Urus was always going to attract buyers new to the marque, and some 70
percent were, the order applications bank for the Revuelto comprises 60
percent who have never owned a Lamborghini before.

DUE Q2 2024 MODEL E Performance PHEV PRICE c.$210K

Benz’s bruising high-performance GLC variant is due in Q2 and it’s binned the twin-turbo V8 for
a plug-in hybrid powertrain packing 500kW and 1020Nm. A version of the A45 S hot hatch’s
2.0-litre featuring an electrically assisted turbo contributes 350kW and 545Nm – via a nine-speed
multi-clutch automatic – with a further 150kW from an electric motor on the rear axle, to propel the
2310kg wagon to a claimed 3.5sec 0-100km/h.
Chassis hardware is in the same league and includes adaptive suspension, an active anti-roll
control system, rear wheel steer, and six-pot front calipers with 390mm composite discs.
Inside, AMP Performance seats and a sculpted, retro-styled steering wheel are highs, along with
an AMG Track Pace lap timing and ‘Supersport’ instruments. A total of eight driving modes should
cover it. A high density, 6.1kWh battery pack featuring individually cooled cells, like the motorspooled turbo, draws on Formula 1 tech and lets the GLC 63 S E Performance drive 12km as an EV.
So, now you can fly under the radar, which is one of the few things the bent eight couldn’t do.

DUE Q2 2024 MODEL E300 PRICE from c.$145K

Mercedes’ next-gen E-Class sedan will eschew EV and V8 extremes for
a series of mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, to take on the
soon-to-be-updated BMW 5 Series while leaving the EQE to battle the
all-electric i5.
Benz is calling the new W214 ‘a bridge between tradition and
digitalisation’ so while it’s a slightly bigger and roomier three-box
sedan (with a slick 0.23 Cd), sporting turbo petrol and diesel engines,
occupants are treated to a sumptuous digital immersion. Try third-gen
MBUX Superscreens spanning the dashboard, featuring support for the
TikTok, Angry Birds, Webex and Zoom apps, an inbuilt dashtop selfie and

video camera, and AI functionality.
Then there’s a ‘Just Talk’ function for the Hey, Mercedes voice assistant
and digital key support for iPhone and Apple Watch, optional 21-speaker
Burmester 4D surround-sound audio, and four-zone climate control,
and near S-Class elbow room, says Mercedes. Whereas the old E Class
featured a myriad of specification and engine choices, the new version
takes its lead from the GLC with just a petrol E300 version confirmed for
Australia. Hard luck if you were counting on a wagon; it's just the fourdoor sedan, initially at least. And remember, Merc has merged both C
and E Class Coupe and Cabriolets into a sole CLE model, also due in '24.
@wheelsaustralia

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DUE Q4 2024 MODEL Grande PRICE from c.$145K

Toyota Australia isn't taking any chances with the 'official' right-hand re-engineering of the
Tundra monster ute. It has too much riding on it. That's why a fleet of 300 cars are on trial
with customers and Toyota staff right now in Australia. The quality of the right-hand drive
conversion, performed in partnership with Walkinshaw, must be at least as good as OE
and engineers from both the Tundra's home plant in Texas and the Japanese mothership
are closely monitoring progress.
When Toyota's 'premium towing machine' does go on sale, expect a hybridised 3.4-litre
V6 petrol powerplant good for 326kW and 790Nm and the ability to tow horse floats, big
boats, race cars, construction equipment and farming gear. Alongside maximum towing
capacity the Tundra also needed to offer space, comfort and a long driving range. The
focus was firmly on-road driving. That's why the Tundra sports a five-link coil-sprung rear
end rather than the heavy duty leafs as seen on most other dual cabs. Yes, you lose a little
in the weight it can carry in the bed, but Toyota claims the gains in comfort and control
more than offset this.
It can operate in EV mode to 30km/h and features a 288-volt Ni-Mh battery under the
rear seats while the motor-generator sits in the bell housing of the 10-speed auto. A tow/
haul mode changes gearbox shift points, electric power steering feel, throttle mapping,
alters the drop-down front spoiler, detects a trailer and optimises safety systems like blind
spot monitoring.
Thousands of kilometres of back-to-back testing at AARC in Victoria and on-road
between Altona and Darwin while towing a heavyweight trailer have convinced Toyota
that it's onto a good thing with the Tundra. It may well be right. Look for the road test right
here in Wheels next month.

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We’re expecting Volkswagen’s coupe-styled, dedicated
electric ID.5 around July, along with its ID.4 SUV
sibling (featured below) with the pair bringing some
worthwhile USPs.
Whereas most of the small electric SUV class – such as
the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, Tesla Model Y, MercedesBenz EQA and Polestar 2 – put the focus on aggressive
styling and punchy performance, the ID.5 is softer in
both image and attitude, so presents less of a leap from
the familiar ICE experience, at least based on our
overseas first drive.
The range is likely to include a 210kW rear-drive

powertrain and a 250kW dual motor allwheel drive GTX flagship, each with standard
equipment and technology in line with prices
starting around $70K.
The single-motor versions have a range of 562km
from a 77kWh battery while the dual- motor can travel
505km (WLTP figures). However, with alternatives
offering up to 350kW of fast-charging capability the
ID.5’s 135kW maximum is a bit off the pace. The ID.5
has been sold in Europe for more than two years and
will land with the benefit of a series of running changes,
with the aim of being right first time in Australia.

Volkswagen’s first locally bound electric car the ID.4
medium SUV, which has been on sale in Europe since
2021, will arrive in July in freshly updated form.
Running changes aimed at addressing overseas
criticisms should give Aussies a well-sorted package
from the outset and target improved performance,
range, comfort, cabins and tech.
Pricing for Wolfsburg’s Tesla Model Y, Hyundai Ioniq
5 and KIA EV6 rival has not been announced but expect
the range to open around $60K plus on-roads.
The line-up is likely to include a 210kW single-motor

rear-wheel-drive variant and a 250kW dual-motor
all-wheel-drive GTX performance variant that does
0-100km/h in a claimed 5.4sec.
Euro WLTP range from the 77kWh battery is 550km
and 175kW DC charging can add 178km of range in 10
minutes for all-wheel drive versions (RWD versions’ max
charge is 135kW).
Inside, there’s 12.9-inch touchscreen infotainment
with illuminated touch-sensitive sliders below for audio
and AC, along with steering wheel touch controls,
which have drawn criticism on other models.

@wheelsaustralia

69

Auto, a 7.0in instrument display, six-speaker audio, and
dual-zone climate as standard.
Up spec, there’s even more fruit including leather
and suede, bi-LED headlights, 19in alloys, powered
and heated seats, 12.3in digital instruments, and
nine-speaker JBL audio. There’s also AEB, traffic sign
recognition, lane-keep assist, lane-trace assist, adaptive
cruise and a 360-degree camera across the range.
Front-drive GXL and Koba run a 72kW, 142Nm 1.8litre four-cylinder with 70kW, 185Nm electric motor
assistance, to deliver a combined 103kW, and the allpaw GR Sport packs 112kW/190Nm 2.0-litre four with
83kW front/30kW rear for a combined 145kW.

TOP CARS OF 2024 / THE HOT 40

Toyota’s next-gen 2024 C-HR will open at $42,990
plus on roads – up from $31,715 for today’s base model
– when it lands in Q1. $43K for a baby SUV?! That’s
partly explained by the fact each of the continuing three
grades – GXL, Koba and GR Sport – will come with a
hybrid powertrain.
Also contributing to the rises – which range from
$11,275 for the GXL to $16,525 for the GR Sport AWD
flagship – is a multitude of equipment. Lash out on the
now-$54,990 (plus on-roads) GR Sport with pano roof
($1150) and two-tone premium plus paint ($1550) and
… sheesh! The outlandish second-gen C-HR brings
12.3in infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android

DUE December 2024 MODEL Ioniq 6 N PRICE $115,000

We've raved over the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N but how about that drivetrain
and tech in a lower, lighter, sleeker package? That's exactly what's set
to be delivered with the 6 N and, frankly, we can't wait to try it. We've
seen a sniff of what it'll be like in the shape of the RN22e concept, the
first of Hyundai's 'rolling concepts' that aimed to inject involvement and

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emotion into the experience of driving a performance EV. Hyundai has
dropped hints that the 6 N's performance could well eclipse that of the
478kW/770Nm Ioniq 5 N, and it could just squeak in for a late 2024
reveal. Could Hyundai deliver a more convincing electric performance
car than Porsche? Get the popcorn out...

The ideal platform for electrification? Probably the
luxury limo. Second best? That surely has to be the
cheeky urban scoot, which is why we're so excited for
the fourth-gen Mini Cooper. Incidentally, Cooper is now
the name for what were the Mini three and five-door
Hatches and the Convertible. Go figure.
Parent company BMW is, on the quiet, developing
some seriously impressive EV chops and the slickly
restyled Mini hatch, due to launch in '24 is an integral
part of sending Mini all-electric by 2025. The Chinese-

built hatch gets a 30mm stretch to the wheelbase,
and the E gets a 40.7kWh battery packs 135kW and
290Nm, which is enough for 7.3 second sprint to
100km/h.
Meanwhile the SE's 54.2kWh battery is good for
160kW/330Nm, enough to scuttle it to 100km/h in
6.7secs. The SE features a respectable 402km of range,
and 95kW rather than the E's 75kW charging rate.
This or the rather more spacious electric Countryman?
Decisions, decisions...

DUE December 2024 MODEL ID.Buzz PRICE $100,000

The coolest car of 2024 could be a van. Well, an electric people
mover at any rate. Expressions of interest have opened for the
150kW/310Nm ID.Buzz and Volkswagen is optimistic about it
making some fairly significant numbers in Australia. For those that
want to relive the spirit of the Kombi, the ID.Buzz is available in five
or seven seat configurations and, as is usual with Australian market
cars, are likely to be offered with a high level of standard equipment.
The ID.Buzz range is underpinned by Volkswagen’s dedicated
MEB electric platform, hosting a 77kWh battery pack with driving
ranges of 423 kilometres (WLTP). Fast-charging is capped at 170kW
(DC) for a 5-80 per cent rejuice time of around 30 minutes. AC
home-charging, meanwhile, maxes out at 11kW.
@wheelsaustralia

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TOP CARS OF 2024 / THE HOT 40

DUE Q1 2024 MODELS AWD, AWD Touring PRICE from $85,000 drive-away

Subaru's first electric vehicle sold in Australia will be offered in two model
grades and will start at $85K when it goes on sale near the start of the
year. The twin to Toyota's BZ4x, the Solterra, both versiuons are dualmotor platforms with a WLTP-verified range of 414km.
That compares with 533km for the Tesla Model Y Long Range, priced
at a sniff under $80K. How does Subaru aim to tempt people away from
Elon's chariot? For a start, it doesn't look like a misshapen computer
mouse, which will appeal to some. Then there's the fact that both Apple
CarPlay and Android Auto are both fully compatible, playing through the
landscape-oriented 12.3-inch infotainment system.

Its 2850mm wheelbase is shorter than the axle spans of most rivals – as
much as three metres in the case of the Ioniq 5 – yet six-footers can be
accommodated without issue in all four main seat positions.
The rear seat doesn’t feel as airy as the Ioniq 5’s and unlike its key rivals,
the Subaru forgoes a frunk up front.
The $90K drive-away Touring adds 20-inch alloys, a panoramic glass
roof, synthetic leather trim, a wireless charging pad, a 10-speaker Harman
Kardon stereo system, a heated steering wheel, memory function for the
driver's seat and mirrors, hands free park assist and the option of a $1200
two-tone roof.

Blink and you might miss this one. It's fair to say
that Porsche's design department didn't blow the
overtime budget reimagining the new Panamera's
exterior lines.
The news for 2024? The sleek Sport Turismo
has been ditched, the cabin adopts many of the
design tropes of the Taycan and the range has
been given a fairly severe haircut.
Priced from $227,000, the base 2.9-litre
car packs 260kW/500Nm, good for 5.1s to
100km/h. It features panoramic roof, 14-way
'Comfort' seats, soft-close doors, a cooled

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smartphone compartment with inductive charging
function, and what Porsche claims is an “improved
fine dust filter with GPS-supported, automatic airrecirculation function”.
Step up to the $402,300 Turbo E-Hybrid and
you get a 4.0 V8 and 500kW/930Nm, rear-wheel
steering, Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus, ioniser
including carbon fine-dust sensor, and electric
roll-up sunblinds for the rear side windows. Sink
the pedal in this one and 100km/h vanishes in 3.2
seconds. Not quite Taycan quick, but not far off.
There's life in the Panamera yet.

DUE H2 2024 MODELS Macan, Macan S, Macan Turbo PRICE from $180,000

Quick. Name another car manufacturer that's switching its most popular product line to
electric power and doing it right now. Give up? That might give you some idea as to the
massive punt Porsche is taking on the electric Macan and why this car – more than any
other that'll be launched next year – has the entire industry seeing how it'll do.
First impressions look promising. We've had our man Georg Kacher in the car and
he reckons it's everything we'd hope for from a next-gen Macan, but the proof of the
pudding comes when it finally arrives in Australia and see how real-world customers
react to it.
With an augmented-reality head-up display that “correspond to the size of an
87-inch display”, three digital displays across the dash and a 56-LED communication
light strip, the Macan's not going to want for showroom wow factor.
The driving position will feel even more Porsche too, with the front seats positioned
24mm lower than the current Macan and the option of a race bucket. Naturally, rapid
270kW charging is a given and the Macan also gets rear-wheel steering, a circa
100kWh lithium-ion battery pack with the entry-level single-motor model packing
280kW and the air-sprung Turbo expected to develop over 450kW and 1000Nm, with
a range of 500km+.
While this is the future for Porsche, the company hasn't pushed every last one of its
chips in quite yet. The existing ICE Macan will be sold alongside it, for a while at least.

@wheelsaustralia

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The Subaru Outback Wilderness – a more off-road
focused variant of a model that was born as, erm … an
off-road focused variant of the Subaru Liberty wagon
– is coming to Australia. Formerly a product of Subaru
North America – the Outback Wilderness edition has
been available in the US for two years, along with
Wilderness versions of the Forester and Crosstrek –
now Japanese production will see Wilderness models
offered in other markets, including Australia.
The 2024 Subaru Outback Wilderness features
raised suspension that brings 28mm of extra ground
clearance, an improved 20-degree approach angle

Toyota’s first foray into dedicated EVs, the bZ4X
medium SUV, will have to play catch up with the
Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6 and Tesla Model Y when it
finally arrives early in the year.
But having been slow to embrace electric vehicles
Toyota is now thinking big, with a line-up of 30 EVs
globally targeted by 2030.
The bZ4X – ‘bz’ stands for ‘beyond zero’ – shares its
e-TNGA platform with co-developed twin the Subaru
Solterra and is roughly the size of a RAV4.
Local line-up specifics have not been announced,
however the bZ4X is likely to offer a choice of 150kW,
266Nm single-motor front-wheel drive and 160kW,

and 241mm ground clearance, lightweight 17-inch
matte black alloy wheels wearing 65-profile Yokohama
Geolandar all-terrain tyres, additional matte black body
cladding, and underbody protection.
The 2.4-litre turbo petrol flat-four will feature, driving
all four wheels through a CVT automatic and a lower
4.44:1 final drive.
As well as the off-roading features, the Wilderness
will feature the full catalogue of standard equipment,
and will sit atop the Outback line-up.
It’s expected a Wilderness version of the forthcoming
sixth-generation Forester will also make its way to Oz.

337Nm (combined) dual-motor all-wheel drive
powertrain.
Both will draw from a 71.4kWh lithium-ion battery
pack for a range of 516km for the FWD and 470km for
the AWD (based on WLTP figures).
Standouts in the quirky cabin include a fabricupholstered dash, a high-mounted cluster display,
and Toyota’s latest-generation 12.3-inch touchscreen
infotainment, which features wireless Apple CarPlay and
Android Auto, and Hey Toyota voice control.
Expect pricing to be a significant whack more than an
equivalent grade RAV4 Hybrid – perhaps by as much as
25 percent.

DUE Q1 2024 MODEL Dark Horse PRICE from $99,102

The evolutionary seventh-gen Ford Mustang will continue to
bring EcoBoost four and V8 GT coupes and convertibles from
early 2024, but the one we’re jonesing for is the Dark Horse.
Wheels' Jez Spinks came from the Stateside international
launch at Charlotte Motor Speedway raving about this
mysterious hi-po Pony, which blends blacked-out menace
with hard-hitting powertrain and chassis upgrades and a dose
of exclusivity.
The spiritual successor to the previous ‘Stang’s Mach 1 –
and historic special the Bullitt – the Dark Horse is a limited
production variant that’s tipped for collectability.
Leaving aside its significance as a model, it’s a ripper drive,
says Jez, with depth of appeal beyond its 349kW naturally
aspirated V8 and Tremec six-speed manual (a 10-speed auto
is also available).
Engine mods run to GT500 conrods and a dual throttle
body, and there’s a lighter radiator, an engine oil cooler,
MagneRide® 2 adaptive suspension, underbody brake ducts,
six-piston Brembo front calipers and four-piston rear calipers,
and differential cooler. Serious stuff.
You’ll need to part with six figures to park one in your
garage.

DUE Q1 2024 MODELS Air, Earth, GT-Line PRICE from $97,000

The seven-seat, upper-large EV9 electric SUV will become
Kia’s most-expensive vehicle in Australia, priced between
$97,000 and $121,000 before on-road costs – surpassing the
$99,590 EV6 GT.
Three trim levels will be available in Australia: Air RWD, Earth
AWD and GT-Line AWD. The base rear-drive Air will feature a
76.1kWh standard-range battery, while the Earth and GT-Line
are fitted with the flagship 99.8kWh long-range battery.
The Air RWD has a 443-kilometre driving range, a 512km
range for the Earth, and a 505km range for the GT-Line.
The rear-drive 76.1kWh Air model features a single
160kW/350Nm electric motor, with an 8.2-second claimed
0-100km/h time. In dual-motor form, the EV9 has total
combined outputs of 283kW and 700Nm and a 5.3-second
0-100km/h time for the GT-Line.
Kia Connect will be standard-fit, with a new online store to
debut in Australia for the EV9. A local ride and handling tune
was also completed for the EV9. Led by suspension guru
Graeme Gambold, the program tweaked spring and damper
settings to suit local conditions and preferences, as with the
smaller EV6 and other internal-combustion Kia vehicles.
@wheelsaustralia

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BYD’s as-yet-unnamed ute is expected early in the year
in plug-in hybrid form, which will later be joined by an
electric variant.
Depending on when the latter lands, it could be the
first EV ute with a consumer – as opposed to fleet –
focus, beating more established brands to the punch.
Spy photos reveal a masculine dual-cab around the
size of a Ford Ranger, featuring broad flared arches,
an F-150-style grille treatment, and touches of Land
Rover Discovery around the turret, penned under chief
designer Wolfgang Egger, formerly of Audi.
BYD importer EV Direct says engineers have taken

extensive input on the unique demands and tastes of
the Australian market and will subject the ute to a local
evaluation program.
A line-up of well-sorted plug-in hybrid and all-electric
utes, featuring large digital cluster and infotainment
displays, and wearing an enticing price tag? That could
be worth getting excited about.
The business certainly thinks so: “The successful
launches we've had so far with products that people
didn't anticipate would go very well suggests we might
shock a few people with the ute,” EV Direct CEO Luke
Todd said.

The Lyric large electric EV will spearhead US luxury
brand Cadillac’s return to Australia when it lands in late
2024, with ambitions to take on BMW, Mercedes-Benz
and Tesla.
The arrival will make Cadillac the first standalone GM
brand in Australia since Holden was axed and comes 15
years after the Global Financial Crisis put the handbrake
on the brand’s last crack at heading to Oz.
The almost five-metre-long Lyric rolls on a 3.1m
wheelbase which, with a flat floor, lets the five-seater
comfortably accommodate three adults in the back,

with legroom to spare. Up front, a 33-inch digital
display headlines a treatment that’s restrained for a
Cadillac but not Tesla-minimalist.
The 2024 Cadillac Lyric produces 255kW and
440Nm in single-motor, rear-wheel drive form and
373kW and 610Nm as a dual-motor all-wheel drive.
Range is officially 505km for the RWD and 494km for
the AWD. With the Optiq and Escalade IQ nameplates
also trademarked in Australia, this big, battery-powered
wagon looks to be the start of even bigger things for
the brand.

DUE Q1 2024 MODEL Z06 PRICE $336,000

Decision time. Would you rather pay $336K for a new 475kW Corvette Z06 or $419K for 375kW worth
of Porsche 911 GT3? Both feature charismatic naturally aspirated engines behind the driver that send
grunt to the rear treads, both are race track optimised and both will catapult you to 100km/h in around
three seconds. Only one has a flat-plane 5.5-litre V8 though and it isn't the Porker.
In the past we've occasionally been a bit sniffy about hot Corvettes, but the Z06 is the real deal. In Car
and Driver's Lightning Lap at Virginia International Raceway, it recorded a time of 2:38.6, two seconds a
lap quicker than the current GT3 and the second fastest car in the 16 years the event has been run, just
behind the monstrous 911 GT2 RS.
Availability is limited and it'll come to Australia in 3LZ coupe guise only with the option of a Z07
Performance Pack. Please form an orderly queue.

@wheelsaustralia

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2024
New Car
Diary
TOP CARS OF 2024 / THE DIARY

THERE'S AN AVALANCHE OF
MOUTHWATERING NEW METAL
COMING TO AUSTRALIA FOR 2024.
HERE'S A PROVISIONAL CALENDAR
OF WHAT WE EXPECT AND WHEN

JANUARY
Volvo EX30
Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
Kia EV9
Kia Sportage hybrid
Range Rover Evoque MY24
Land Rover Discovery Sport
Mitsubishi Triton

FEBRUARY
Polestar 3
Corvette Z06
Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster
Toyota BZ4x
Ford Mustang Dark Horse
Audi SQ8 e-tron
Volkswagen Touareg R
Peugeot e-208
Hyundai i30 Sedan N facelift

MARCH
Toyota C-HR
Subaru Solterra

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Mazda MX-5 update

JUNE

OCTOBER

Renault Megane e-Tech

Toyota Prado

Lotus Emeya

Suzuki Fronx

Porsche Panamera

Jeep Avenger

Abarth 500e

BYD Ute

Skoda Kodiaq

Audi SQ8 e-tron

Audi Q4 e-tron

Lamborghini Revuelto

Lexus GX

Mercedes-AMG GT

Mini Cooper
Mini Countryman

McLaren GTS

JULY

APRIL

Skoda Enyaq

Tesla Model Y update

Lexus LBX

Volkswagen ID.4

NOVEMBER

Porsche 992.2

Volkswagen ID.5

MG Cyberster

SsangYong Torres

AUGUST

Subaru Forester

Polestar 4

Ford Puma EV

Skoda Kamiq facelift

Subaru Outback Wilderness

Cadillac Lyriq

Mercedes-Benz EQA/EQB facelift

Ford F-150 facelift

Mazda CX-90 PHEV

Isuzu D-MAX MY24

Mazda CX-70

Cupra Formentor facelift

MAY

SEPTEMBER

DECEMBER

Mercedes-Benz CLE

BYD Seal U
Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S
E Performance
Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Suzuki Swift

Mazda CX-80

Hyundai Ioniq 7

Volvo EX90

Toyota Tundra

Porsche Macan E

Hyundai Ioniq 6 N

Volkswagen T-Cross facelift

Volkswagen ID.Buzz

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COMPARISION / SPORTS CARS

THE NEW
OLD SCHOOL
IN AN ERA OF 'ZERO-EMISSIONS MOBILITY
SOLUTIONS' THERE'S STILL A PLACE FOR GREAT
ENGINES AND REAR-WHEEL DRIVE GOODNESS.
BUT WHICH OF THIS GANG OF FOUR IS THE GO?
W O R D S J O H N L AW

PHOTOS TED AIRE Y

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81

COMPARISION / SPORTS CARS

Only one of these
two has a Toyota
engine. And it's not
the Toyota

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I

F YOU WALK into a Porsche dealership today holding
a duffle bag full of notes that add up to $220,000,
there’s a very slim chance you’ll be heading home in a
brand-new 718 Cayman GTS. The Stuttgart sports car
specialist is all sold out for the next 18 months and
salespeople aren’t taking orders (because there’s a
new electrified version on the way in 2025). So what’s a sports
car fan to do, if not wait patiently for a Porsche?
As we’re entering the last hurrahs of combustion-engined
sports cars, that might not be so wise. Enter four left-offield options: Lotus’s Emira – the Evora replacement – with
its bonded aluminium chassis and mid-mounted 3.5-litre
supercharged V6 for $199,990, the brash mid-ship C8 Corvette
3LT (from $205,000), BMW’s new M2 manual ($136,200 as you
see it here), and the cheapest of the lot, the Toyota GR Supra
GTS manual ($99,880 with Matte White paint).
Where a Cayman is 18 months or never, these three are, by
comparison, freely available. The Corvette is available to order
at GMSV dealers in whatever flavour you like, and this year
the brand will launch a hardcore Z06 with more grunt and
sharper chassis; an electric E-Ray version is coming, too. For
the M2, it’s around a six-month wait for a new order with some
dealer stock around, and a similar story for the Supra.

was hung a little wrong, and the unopenable front bonnet was
wonky but compared to what’s come before, the Emira’s good.
Any worries that Geely has sanitised Lotus fall away pretty
fast – the Emira is no limousine. The KEF sound system with
10 speakers and a subwoofer is good up to about 80km/h, but
at higher speeds it can’t overcome the tyre roar.
There’s a distinct feeling that the Emira needs warming
up, too, unlike so many modern sports cars that are ready and
raring to go from the minute you thumb the start button. The
sexy exposed gear linkage frees up as the fluids get warm,
though at low speeds it’s still clumsy and knuckly and that
Toyota-sourced 2GR-FE V6 mounted behind your head isn’t
particularly inspiring below 4000rpm.
Once hot, you won’t want to put eggs or milk in the rear
storage compartment because, although it’s pretty spacious,
your cargo will get heat-soaked. Fast. Then there’s that silly
horizontal fuel filler that lets between 50-200ml of 98RON
unleaded dribble down a channel onto the floor.
The legacy of Lotus remains well and truly intact, then.
Luckily, it applies to the hydraulically-assisted steering which
remains in constant dialogue, nibbling and chatting away on
the motorway out to meet the rest of the team.
Day one lends time for a brief sample of each car’s

Any worries that Geely has sanitised the Lotus fall
away pretty quickly – the Emira is no limousine
In the Emira’s case, cancelled First Edition orders mean a
few of the year’s 200-strong supply are available in dealers.
Orders for V6 and four-pot versions will be met with glee (and
roughly a six-month wait time) by one of Australia’s five Lotus
dealers. Speaking of dealers, that’s where this story begins
following a 6:00 am flight to Melbourne.
The compact Simply Sports Cars location in South
Melbourne is currently packed with new Emira First Editions
in every hue imaginable, from ‘our’ Seneca Blue example to
understated but gorgeous Nimbus Grey. After a quick nose
around, it’s time to enter the Emira, a task much easier than
getting into an Elise or Evora thanks to unobtrusive door sills.
Once inside, the seats feel a little peculiar. They nip in
around the thighs and aren’t set as low as expected, likely
amplified by the extremely low scuttle that gives excellent
forward visibility. The new infotainment system is slick, with
enough personality in the fonts and graphics to be Lotus,
rather than unbranded weirdness. Wireless Apple CarPlay
and Android Auto are standard as are a wireless charging pad,
USB-A and USB-C plugs.
A slice of familiarity can be found in the Volvo indicator
stalks (thanks Geely) but parts-bin bits are nothing new to
Lotus owners, and my-oh-my is this better put together than
an Evora. There are no rattles! There are, however, tells that
the Emira was handmade in Hethel; our car’s passenger door

attributes which proves a good test for user-friendliness
and ease of familiarisation. The M2’s optional buckets are
delightfully snug to sit in (yet if you’re over 75kg, a pain to
clamber into) and form part of a $14,500 pack that includes
‘Merino’ leather upholstery, increased top speed (280km/h),
and M advanced driver training courses.
The M2 is my steed for the run home in the dark, its clever
adaptive high beams illuminating the twists of a post-sunset
Lake Mountain road. Andy’s behind me in the Corvette and
I’m hurriedly trying to find my ultimate settings combination
from 10 parameters each with between two and 10 discrete
settings, all while tackling an unfamiliar road. Not ideal,
though I settled on Sport brake, Sport suspension (Sport Plus
is too firm), Sport Plus engine response and M Dynamic mode
for the ESC. It’s a hooligan, this little coupe, obliging mini
oversteer moments on the cool evening tarmac.
As the speed drops, the conventional – by these four’s
standards – cabin feels indulgent. The 14.9-inch curved
touchscreen, wireless phone mirroring, powerful 16-speaker
Harman Kardon sound system, three-stage seat heating, ample
door pockets and centre bin storage are just like a regular 2
Series. Of all the vehicles here, this is the only one with two
jump seats in the back as well. Best used for dogs or luggage,
you can squeeze full-sized humans back there if needed.
The M2 was my last experience on day one and the first cab

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83

IN
FOCUS

Overmoded

THE TYRANNY OF CHOICE?
COMPARISION / SPORTS CARS

CUSTOMISATION is king, or is it? The M2 has 10 adjustable parameters with between two and 10 different settings
for everything including brake feel. The brake-by-wire Corvette comes close with four set modes adjusting sound to
Suspension from Tour to Track with two fully customisable configurations: My and Z modes. Comparatively, the Supra is
simple with Normal and customisable Sport button that adjusts throttle, damper, steering, and aural behaviour. The Emira
is less complex again, only adjusting the tri-modal exhaust, stability control and throttle response over its three programs.
In a world where you can adjust almost every parameter, the Emira’s simplicity is refreshing.

Moving to more open roads is
a good call in the Corvette, as
it allows you to extend the gem
that is the 2LT V8

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on the second, and the chat over coffee immediately turned
to its looks. As someone who’s spent plenty of time around
the muscular original M2, I’m not a fan; it looks like a model
from Grand Theft Auto that’s pretending to be an M car. Andy
claims he’s trying to like the M2 in the flesh, but its Zandvoort
Blue paintwork isn’t helping. Maybe a darker colour would
help mask its odd apertures. Dylan, on the other hand, really
likes the new G87 M2 so your mileage may vary.
BMW may have made a polarising-looking coupe but we’re
all on the same page with the drive – especially of the sixspeed manual. The self-shifter accounts for a quarter of sales
and slows the 0-100km/h sprint by two-tenths. It may not have
the slick, short throw of the best manuals (like the Civic Type
R’s) but it still adds involvement, matching the 3.0-litre S58’s
338kW/550Nm outputs perfectly. There’s torque everywhere
above 2500rpm, yet thanks to that second turbo it’s still worth
chasing the 7200rpm redline. The sound is great, too, partially
synthesised but with an honest metallic shriek above 5000rpm
reminiscent of the E46 M3’s ‘S54’ six-pot.
Brake-by-wire is a technology that will take off, but after the
Evora’s firm confident hydraulic feel, the M2’s middle pedal is
limp. Bite and stopping power is no problem, but modulation
is less satisfying. There’s not much clarity in the front end
either and the thick steering wheel gives the impression of
filtering granularity even though the rack is wonderfully
accurate and well-weighted.
The lack of front-end feel is hard to criticise, though,
because the M2’s turn-in grip is mega. With the least
pronounced stagger here – just 10mm difference between
its front and rear Michelins' widths – the high-set two-door
attacks apices ferociously. It’s a total hooligan, egging you into
the throttle ever earlier to play with its gorgeous balance and
the perfect amount of safety net in M Dynamic mode.
That it weighs nearly 1.8 tonnes with driver seems entirely
implausible given how capable, malleable and enjoyable

the M2 manual is. That's only emphasised after sampling it
back-to-back with the Supra. Both cars use BMW parts, boast
50:50 weight distribution, and have two doors but that’s where
similarities end.
Where you sit in the Supra is everything. That long
bonnet juts way into each bend, so much so that you need to
recalibrate your turn-in point (a mental exertion not aided
by rubbery steering). Being right over a rear axle that could
use some more rebound control – even in Sport mode – is
offputting initially, too.
The Supra demands concentration and a unique approach.
Its manual shift is tighter than the M2’s and smoother than
the Evora’s making it the best here and, once you tune into
the rear axle’s information overload and get a bit more
aggressive on turn-in and braking, the Supra GTS comes alive.
This old-school sports car doesn’t compromise for the driver,
you compromise for it.
“What did the criteria for success look like for Supra?”
Andy remarked as he emerged from the coupe, “Were they
just driving around a race track at 10/10ths?” Andy’s right, the
Supra comes alive at the limit, which is where the problem
lies. The chassis is fighter-jet responsive but thanks to the
soft bushes and rear suspension, it can be hard to trust on the
road. This becomes especially pronounced in the wet.
In Matte White ($1800), the Supra is also right up there with
the Corvette for visual drama. Kids, teens and young adults
obsessed with car culture know exactly what this car is and
love to see it on the road. For those less aware of the Supra
nameplate’s underground fame, the cab-rear proportions akin
to a 70s sneaker are also a draw. It’s a far more exotic looker
than the BMW.
That does impact its utility to a certain extent. The
cupholders, for example, are in a daft spot in automatic
Supras and even worse place in the manual, rendering them
entirely useless for anything but keys or a wallet. The door

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COMPARISION / SPORTS CARS

@wheelsaustralia

87

CABIN
FEVER

BMW M2

The most conventional here. A nicely laid-out dash with some
sporty carbon fibre. Lots of tech in the centre screen that
works brilliantly, but the driver’s display is over-designed
– there are too many choices! Thankfully, the M1 and M2
buttons on the steering wheel can be programmed to shortcut you straight to preferrred drive modes. Choice extends
to the optional buckets that are great with the auto but the
‘nutcracker’ between the knees doesn’t work with the M2’s
offset pedals.

COMPARISION / SPORTS CARS

Corvette Stingray

Designed by an aircraft-obsessed teenager after one too
many Mountain Dews? Maybe, whatever the cause the C8’s
cabin is decidedly different. Usability is okay, although the
touchscreen is dimwitted and storage is limited given the
’Vette’s size. The Quartic-style steering wheel feels better in
the hands than yopu'd imagine, but what's wrong with round?
Sheer wow factor and customisability is the Chevy’s strength,
and the seats are pretty comfy, too.

Lotus Emira

Perfect expressions of Lotus DNA for the future. The
designers have fought to keep gem-like features such as the
gorgeous exposed shifter, though it’s melded with an up-todate responsive touchscreen from the Geely arsenal. Volvo
indicators would be a negative but they’re a lot nicer than the
original Elise’s Vauxhall-sourced items. The overall execution
is near perfect insofar as the Emira retains a certain Lotus
minimalist aesthetic paired with just the right amount of
contemporary convenience.

Toyota GR Supra

After you've recovered from battering your head on the
undersized door apertures, you'll appreciate that the Supra's
cabin has an aura of familiarity about it. At first glance, the
Supra is pleasingly different, though you soon start spotting
the BMW bits inside; in this case from the previous-gen 3
Series. A bespoke digital driver’s display is the only Toyotadesigned feature, otherwise, it’s ‘just’ a BMW. Toyota has
re-engineered the dash to make space for the manual shifter,
but those with ham-like hands may find themselves thumbing
the air con controls when slotting into third or fifth.

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cards are tiny, and the boot has the least usable shape here.
This is frustrating because owing to the vibration
refinement – after the Emira it feels like someone's
drizzled honey over the Supra’s mechanical parts – it would
probably be the best grand tourer here. That under-stressed
285kW/500Nm 3.0-litre straight six has so much linear grunt
overtaking is no chore, even if there’s little point pushing
beyond 6000rpm.
The Supra experience is a little inconsistent, then. With the
manual, there’s engagement and wow-factor when cruising and
it’s a hoot to drive at the limit – at least when you have space
at your disposal. Unfortunately, the Toyota can be clumsy at
typical road speeds where the Emira and BMW impress and
delight at all times. Gazoo Racing will be able to take Supra to
another level of focus with firmer bushings, a sharper engine
(it’s got to be the M2’s S58) and some snug bucket seats.
If the Supra garners attention from those in the know then
the Corvette is the car to buy to impress the average onlooker.
In Rapid Blue with racing stripes, the C8 3LT demands
eyeballs. The baritone bellow of that dry-sumped 6.2-litre ‘2LT’
alloy-block V8, however, commands all the driver’s attention –
even next to the Mountain Dew-motivated cabin design.

The Corvette should be the quickest here, too, with the most
power (369kW) and torque (637Nm) but Chevy’s 2.8-second
0-60mph claim is unrealistic. This very car attended Motor’s
Performance Car of the Year where it was timed at 3.63
seconds to 100km/h; seven-tenths faster than the other cars
here but not sub-three fast even for the American measure.
The Corvette has a lot of luggage space, with front and rear
boots it’s able to carry two sets of golf clubs (it’s at this point
Andy points out that the Corvette looks like a ute with its
fibreglass rear hatch up). And here lies the C8’s main issue. In
regular Stingray guise without the coming Z06 package, it’s
trying to be a car for everyone – concept by committee.
Take the interior. Its touchscreen is responsive and graphics
handsome, but it’s like an executive wasn’t pleased with
having to adjust HVAC settings using it, hence the row of
switches awkwardly running up the cabin’s central ‘spine’. The
cup holders feel like an afterthought, too. It’s the same with
the door ‘handles’, the ones inside are sleek, hidden electronic
items ruined by the United States’ mandates for emergency
pull-tab releases to avoid potential lawsuits. That excess
complication is potentially the source of the C8’s rattly cabin
– and the white leather hasn’t stood up so well to the test of

For the next five kilometres, the Emira demolishes
the fantastic Lake Mountain road
This global ’Vette is Chevy’s first attempt at playing the
Euros at their own game with a mid-mounted engine (yes it
still uses pushrods but that’s no issue at wide-open throttle)
and clever multi-mode Magneride dampers. On the road, it’s
amazingly comfortable and composed, which aren’t qualities
traditionally associated with Corvettes.
Amp the 3LT by swapping from Tour to Sport or Track
and the chassis becomes stiff and limits body roll. Despite
looking by far the largest here, the C8’s 1601kg kerb weight
is relatively spry, certainly next to the flabby M2. And yet
the way it negotiates an Aussie B-road is somewhat lumpen.
Mid-corner bumps are pummelled into submission, rather than
deftly danced over as they are in the Lotus and BMW.
For safety, the Corvette’s been set up to gently understeer
through corners which is no bad thing on the road. Yet after
the other cars here, we found its steering and chassis didn’t
communicate grip levels very well. It feels spiky in slower
corners with damp patches causing surprise oversteer for two
testers – perhaps the cab-forward design that leaves so much
wheelbase behind is to blame as it’s something other Wheels
testers have found over the years.
Moving to more open roads is a good call in the Corvette,
as it allows you to extend the gem that is the 2LT. It roars
through the revs, each slick upshift and crisp downshift of
the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic a chance to delight in a
sound that won’t be around forever. Removing the roof panel
(and storing it in the frunk) allows you to revel in the sound.

time in this leggy press demonstrator. There’s a purity in the
Corvette’s design that we hope the Z06 will help to unlock.
Heading up our chosen stretch of tarmac, I switch the Emira
into Track (the most intense of four) and enjoy the fixed-rate
damping, and there are no additional settings for brake feel,
traction control or driver aids to futz with – “no drive mode
FOMO”, as Andy says. It’s fabulously freeing.
For the next five kilometres, the Lotus demolishes the
fantastic Lake Mountain road. Its eager V6 shrieks towards the
6800rpm redline in its tall second gear, then it’s time to muscle
the metal knob through the gate into third and quickly release
the clutch for a delightfully crisp change. What feels clumsy
and knuckly in traffic rewards and delights in equal measure
when hustling. Funny, that.
The Emira’s Edelbrock-supercharged V6 produces 298kW
at redline and 420Nm at 3500rpm which makes it the
slowest here on paper but there’s no lack of urgency in the
powertrain. It revs up amazingly quickly – as though it has
a lightweight flywheel – and delivers grunt in a delightfully
linear way. Andy's a little nonplussed though at the engine's
torque plateau. “It might almost have been an electric car.
Engine tech has virtually overmatched the requirements of
the gearbox. I just hear a zizzing whine and I didn’t need to
change gear once through four kilometres of twisties.”
Our car is fitted with the ‘Sport’ chassis, with stiffer springs,
dampers, and more aggressive alignment than the ‘Tour’
option. Uniquely, this blue car combines this chassis with

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89

COMPARISION / SPORTS CARS

It's the steering and chassis feel that endears
the Emira to the driver, though

the less tacky Goodyear Eagle F1 tyres instead of Michelin
Cup 2s. This seems to be a perfect match, there’s plenty of
compliance in the chassis with lots of front-end grip and just
enough power to bring the rear into play.
You end up using the Emira’s confident brake pedal to
develop attitude on the way into a corner, the way you might
in a Porsche 911. No coincidence here, the 1486kg Emira’s
weight distribution of 39:61 is closer to a rear-engined 911
than a midship Cayman (44:56). To extract the best of the
Emira you need to be deliberate but delicate at the same
time, which is immensely rewarding.
It’s the steering and chassis feel that endears the Emira to
the driver, though. The way that wheel writhes and wriggles
over cracks and surface changes yet is still accurate and fast
in ratio is delightful. Dylan remarks that the steering reminds
him of a Ferrari’s and that if this sexy sports car was wearing
a Prancing Horse badge and painted red it would make a
great new-world 246 Dino. An interesting thought.
Even more interesting is deciding a winner between these
four. Where’s the Cayman when you need one? A GTS 4.0
would’ve made this decision interesting but as Andy noted,
where a Cayman is at ease, the imperfect Emira is fizzing with
feel. As for the M2, it has a unique character all to its own,
dripping with hooligan charm. The old-school Supra makes
you feel alive, while the new-school Corvette is the pick for
boulevard posing though it can still boogie and thrill.
There has to be a winner and, despite their charms, it isn’t
going to be the Supra or the Corvette. In both cases, more
focused versions – the coming GRMN and Z06 respectively

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– will give these chassis the extra focus and crispness they
need. The Supra deserves extra praise for offering such a
special package for under $100K before on-road costs.
That means first spot is a battle between the M2 and Emira,
a tricky pair to split because they’re so different. The M2
has layers, it Dr Jekylls and Mr Hydes with equal measures
of excellence, only rarely sacrificing ultimate thrills to the
Emira. The gearshift could be better and the optional bucket
seats are a fail, but thanks to an amazing engine, daily
comfort, exciting chassis, and $80,000 lower starting price it’s
very hard to overlook the M2 – especially if it’s going to do
double-duty as a regular ride. But it’s no Cayman analogue. As
fun as it may be, the M2 doesn’t have the poise, composure or
grip of the Porsche.
There were times the Emira was draining. The wireless
Apple CarPlay made my phone malfunction, the sound system
couldn’t overcome the road noise roar on the freeway, it
wasn’t glamorous to take phone calls in and the Toyota V6 –
although great at high rpms – is workmanlike and chuntery
around town; an issue common with the Cayman GTS.
Yet the Emira has higher highs: that pure steering, the
shrill bark of the V6, and sheer poise made it a personal
favourite over two days of testing. We all laughed, sweated,
and whooped with joy behind the wheel of the Emira, and
after all, is that not the point of a sports car? The point of this
test was to find the best Cayman alternative and that’s the
Lotus. It truly would have given the Porsche a real run for its
money, but that rematch will have to wait until the new-gen
718 arrives in 2025.

No.

1 2 3 4
No.

No.

No.

LOTUS EMIRA FIRST EDITION

BMW M2 MANUAL

TOYOTA GR SUPRA GTS

CORVETTE STINGRAY 3LT

$199,900

$136,200

$99,880

$205,000

Engine

V6, dohc, 24v, supercharged

straight six, dohc, 24v, t/turbo

straight six, dohc, 24v, turbo

V8, ohv, 32v

Layout

Mid-engine, rear-wheel drive

Front engine rear-wheel drive

Front engine rear-wheel drive

Mid-engine rear-wheel drive

3456cc298kW @ 6800rpm
420Nm @ 3500rpm
6-speed manual

2993cc
338kW @ 6250rpm
550Nm @ 2650-5870rpm
6-speed manual

2997cc
285kW @ 5800-6500rpm
500Nm @ 1800-5000rpm
6-speed manual

6162cc
369kW @ 6450rpm
637Nm @ 5150rpm
8-speed dual-clutch

Two-door, two-seat coupe
4413/1896/1235/2570mm
1626/1608mm1486kg*

Two-door, four-seat coupe
4580/1887/1403/2747mm
1617/160mm5
1700kg

Two-door, two-seat coupe
4379/1854/1294/2470mm
1610/1615mm1471kg

Two-door, two-seat targa
4634/1934/1235/2722mm
1648/1585
1601kg

359 litres (f/r)

390 litres

296 litres

356 litres (f/r)

52 litres
10.2L/100km
Front: struts, A-arms, adaptive
Front: struts, A-arms, dampers, antidampers, anti-roll bar
roll bar Rear: multi-links, coil springs,
Rear: multi links, coil springs,
passive dampers, anti-roll bar
adaptive dampers, anti-roll bar

52 litres
7.9L/100km

70 litres
13.5L/100km (combined)
Front: struts, A-arms, adaptive
dampers, anti-roll bar
Rear: multi-links, coil springs,
adaptive dampers, anti=roll bat

hydraulically assisted rack and pinion electrically assisted rack and pinion
Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
245/35 ZR20 / 295/30 ZR20
273/35ZR19 / 285/30ZR20

electrically assisted rack and pinion
Michelin Pilot Siuper Sport *
255/35 ZR19 / 275/35 ZR19

electrically assisted rack and pinion
Michelin Pilot Sport 4S
245/35 ZR19 / 305/30 ZR20

Drivetrain

Capacity
Power
Torque
Gearbox

Chassis
Body
L/W/H/W–B
Track (F/R)
Weight
Boot
Fuel tank
Economy
Suspension

Steering
Tyres
Tyre size

60 litres
11.3L/100km

Front: struts, A-arms, anti-roll bar
Rear: multi links, coil springs,
adaptive dampers, anti-roll bar

Safety
ANCAP rating

Performance
0-100km/h
Verdict

BOX
CLEVER

4.3 seconds (claimed)

4.3 seconds (claimed)

4.4 seconds (claimed)

3.63 seconds (tested)

8.5/10

8.5/10

8.0/10

8.0/10

Style and substance?
CAN A 2.0-LITRE FOUR COMPETE IN THIS COMPANY?

IF YOU’RE hell-bent on getting a Cayman, Porsche has 718 Style
Editions in stock. Based on the standard Cayman, it comes with
stickers, a 220kW/380Nm turbo-petrol, flat-four, Xenon headlights,
with PDLS active high beams and the same 7.0-inch touchscreen for
$138,325. With adaptive suspension, the 718 Style Edition is capable
and balanced, yet it misses out on the steering feel of the Lotus with
its electric power steering rack. It’s still a great vehicle, but for those
chasing the sort of thrill the cars in this test can dish out, the Style's
flat-sounding 2.0-litre turbo four may prove underwhelming.

@wheelsaustralia

91

FEATURE / FERRARI FESTIVAL

Where
the Red
Machines
live
THINK FERRARI’S MOST EXCLUSIVE CARS
GET MOTHBALLED AWAY? THINK AGAIN.
WE TRAVEL TO FINALI MONDIALI, WHICH IS
LIKE GOODWOOD, BUT EVERYTHING’S RED…
WORDS ALE X INWOOD
PHOTOS ALE X INWOOD + FERR ARI

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@wheelsaustralia

93

I

FEATURE / FERRARI FESTIVAL

F YOU’VE BEEN fortunate enough to attend the
Goodwood Festival of Speed, you’ll know the magic
of that event doesn’t really lay in watching the
cars blaze up the hill. The truly gleeful part about
Goodwood, and the thing that blows the minds
of first-time visitors, is wandering through the
paddock. There you’re just as likely to trip over a Singer
911, or happen upon 12 McLaren F1s parked casually on
the lawn, as you are to accidentally graze shoulders with
Derek Bell as he slides into a Porsche 917 Longtail.
The proximity and trust afforded at Goodwood feels
alarming at first, especially for an Australian, as we’re usually
barricaded from such precious things by velvet ropes and
self-important people in high-vis vests. But at Goodwood you
could actually climb inside a priceless Le Mans winner if you
really wanted to. The thing is, you don’t, because you can get
close enough to touch, smell and hear the cars without taking
such liberties.
Even Goodwood, though, pales in comparison to what’s
unfolding in front of me now. I’m standing at the back of a
pit garage at Mugello and with the delightful sprezzatura
that only an Italian can pull off, a man is slowly twirling his
hand in the air, his index finger pointed to the sky. He’s sat in
scarlet F1 car from the early noughties — an F2004 if I had

to guess — and on his signal the single-seater fires into life,
a puff of blue smoke rising into the air as the engine catches
and the portable starter motor is withdrawn from its gizzards.
It feels slightly improper to be this close to one F1 car — I
could reach out and touch the rear tyre — but sitting next to
it is another, slightly newer example. And to the right of that
car sits another; an F2008 once driven by Kimi Raikkonen.
All up, Ferrari has 19 Formula 1 cars at Mugello — almost
an entire F1 grid — ranging from a Schumacher F1-2000
which won both world championships, to a hybrid-powered
SF79H from 2017 that took Sebastian Vettel to victory at the
Aussie GP.
They fire up in sequence, the high-frequency, sewingmachine smoothness of their V10 and V8 engines creating a
wall of sound that almost drowns out what’s happening on the
track itself. Almost…
Out there, on the other side of the pit wall, blast a fleet of
limited-edition XX cars, the scream of their V12s ranging in
and out of earshot as they navigate a circuit that’s still drying
from some morning rain.
Wait for your ears to adjust — and for the F1 cars to settle
into a lower idle — and you’ll begin to discern the different
soundtracks of the various models. Enzos, side-piped 599 XXs,
FXX-K Evos…they’re all out there, dicing and diving in front

Enzos, side-piped 599 XXs, FXX-K Evos...
they’re all out there dicing and diving

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Ferrari Challenge has
huge grids with 105
488 Challenge Evos
racing at Mugello

Both of these cars
ended up in the fence;
check the broken rear
wheel on #203

@wheelsaustralia

95

FEATURE / FERRARI FESTIVAL

Left: the thin-rimmed
wheel of a 1958 Ferrari
500 TRC. Gorgeous

Back when F1 cars
were pretty and had
V12s. This one was
driven by Gerhard
Berger in 1995

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of a crowd that should nudge 40,000 people.
Chances are you mightn’t have heard about Ferrari
Finali Mondiali. I know I hadn’t, which is what makes this
introduction to the event so surprising. Held in October
every year, Finali Mondiali has been running since 1993
— coincidentally, exactly the same amount of time as
Goodwood — and it is, first and foremost, the final round of
the various Ferrari Challenge racing series run around the
world. It also acts as a grand final of sorts (Finali Mondiali
translates as ‘world final’) for
the quickest drivers in each
championship who get the
chance to race together for
ultimate bragging rights.
The racing is hard and close
and the grids are positively
enormous. There are 105
Ferrari Challenge cars in
attendance and while the
category is clearly targeted
at wealthy gentlemen drivers,
there’s nothing gentlemanly
about how they go about their race craft — this is sheep
station stuff.
You might think having so many Ferraris in one place
could get a little dull but there’s a dizzying amount of
variety to gawk over. Club Competitzioni GT, for example,
is a melting pot of GT racers from the last 30 years where
a carbon-bodied 550 GT1 can bang doors with a box-fresh
296 GT3. The category also includes a yellow 360 Challenge
car that is so incredibly loud, it sounds like it’s fuelled by

exploding fireworks as it trundles down the pitlane.
Then there are the Corse Clienti cars, which combine the
XX program and Ferrari’s fleet of retired F1 prototypes.
Both categories are a mix of old and newer machines and it’s
intriguing to see how the XX concept has evolved from the
boxy and wonderfully raw Enzo XX to the swoopier wedge of
the 783kW hybrid-powered FXX-K Evo.
It’s the F1 cars that are the star of the show, however.
Ferrari’s UK press officer proudly proclaims that only
Ferrari could manage such an
enormous fleet of old F1 cars
“because we’re the only brand
that has always made our
chassis and the engine” and it
is satisfying to see so many of
the cars still being used.
They aren’t coddled either.
Red flags and spins are a
regular occurrence and one
poor soul had a rear tyre
explode at full noise down the
main straight. The cars look
quick, though, and some of the owners are clearly talented
drivers willing to push their ultra-expensive toys to the limit.
Exactly what it feels like to turn up at Mugello to find your
own Michael Schumacher F1 car ready and waiting, and to
then drive it on track with other famous F1 cars, is a mystery
most of us will never experience.
Happily, of all the places in the world to watch F1 cars,
Mugello has to be one of the best. Ferrari has owned the
iconic circuit since 1988 and it has hosted Finali Mondiali

Of all the places in
the world to watch
F1 cars, Mugello has
to be one of the best.
It’s a doozy of a track

@wheelsaustralia

97

FEATURE / FERRARI FESTIVAL

Odd one out? ExLambo man Horacio
Pagani’s finest ruffled
some feathers in the
paddock

16 times. It’s a doozy of a track built in the bosom of a valley,
so it’s brilliant to spectate at because the natural elevation
means you can see several sections of the circuit from one
vantage point. The valley acts as a natural amphitheatre, too,
so the sound of the F1 cars bounces off the surrounding hills.
And the best bit? Spectating at Finali Mondiali is absolutely
free, with the circuit’s outer extremities open to the public
for four days. You’ll need to be a Ferrari employee to access
the grandstands, however, and the paddock is reserved for
employees and Ferrari Club members.
That’s the best place to drool over the cars, though, and
the paddock also houses a gigantic exhibition hall that is
basically a section of the Ferrari museum. The room houses 40
significant models, ranging from a 1948 166MM through to the
reigning Le Mans winner, the 499P, which is still covered in
its racing muck from the Circuit de la Sarthe. Various F1 cars
and older Le Mans cars feature, too, as does a blue 1987 F40
LM which recently sold for €4.8 million. The most expensive
car in the room? A silver 250 GTO from 1962 that fetched €38
million a few years ago.
On Saturday night the cars fade into the background as
the same space is used for a huge gala dinner. More than
1000 people attend and the night doubles as a prize-giving
ceremony for Ferrari’s various racing categories. It also
provides an opportunity for a sneak peek at upcoming models.
This year that meant the unveiling of the 296 Challenge car
and the 499P Modificata, the latter being a version of Ferrari’s
Le Mans prototype pitched at gentlemen drivers. You could
almost hear the room scramble for its cheque books as the silk

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cover came off, despite a €5.1 million asking price.
If you can only attend one day at Finali Mondiali, make it
the Sunday. There’s plenty of on-track action and the whole
event crescendoes with the ‘Ferrari show’ which is a group
shot of all the cars on the main straight.
If that sounds a bit tame, it isn’t, because before the
cars line-up Ferrari sends them around the track for some
demonstration runs. Again, it’s the F1 cars that put on the best
show courtesy of high speed flybys and donuts in front of the
packed main grandstand.
Then, once the cars are assembled and the photographer
gets the shot, the crowd is treated to a flyover by the Tuscania
Carabinieri paratroopers. Their gigantic blue chopper hovers
over the main straight as paratroopers rappel out of it to hand
over the Italian tricolore flag, Le Mans style, before a soprano
singer belts out a rendition of the national anthem.
It’s overkill in the most spectacular way and, aside from a
worrying few moments when it looked like the chopper might
actually plough into the ground as it dipped its nose to fly
away, it perfectly encapsulated the passion Italians have for
Ferrari as a brand.
It’s easy to get a bit sniffy about Ferrari, to dismiss it as
elitist, yet despite the obvious wealth on display at Finali
Mondiali, there was also an authenticity I wasn’t expecting.
Ferrari is a brand that still places racing at its very core and at
this event, just like at Goodwood, the cars and passion weren’t
shuttered away — they were celebrated. If that sounds like
your kind of thing, the next Finali Mondiali will be held at
Imola from Oct 16-20, 2024.

The cars look quick and some
of the owners are clearly
talented drivers willing to
push their ultra-expensive
toys to the limit..
@wheelsaustralia

99

Dick Johnson’s cars have
changed. His brand of
fuels and lubricants hasn’t.
Dick Johnson and Shell have been climbing
the mountain together since 1967, just four
years after the inaugural Bathurst 1000.
For more than five decades, Dick has relied
on Shell fuels and lubricants to protect his
cars under extreme racing conditions.
Off the track, Shell V-Power helps
improve his car’s performance by
cleaning away built-up gunk from
vital engine components.
Success means getting every
detail right. For Dick Johnson,
it all starts with Shell.

WE DRIVE ’EM LIKE WE OWN ’EM

FORD
MUSTANG MACH-E

MAZDA
CX-60 PHEV

GENESIS
GV70 EV

MERCEDES-BENZ
GLC 300

Two in, one out. We
bring you two electric,
one plug-in hybrid,
and one 48v very,
very mild hybrid

110

DATABANK

The hard numbers
on every new
passenger car on
sale in Australia

130

PAGE

PAGE

102

GARAGE

PAGE

PLUS

DRIVEN TO
EXTINCTION

Mazda’s MX-30: an
ethical environmental
citizen. It left no trace

@wheelsaustralia

v

101

REPORT ENTRY
ONE

Garage

FORD MUSTANG MACH-E
Price as tested $86,990
This month 1100km
Overall 1100km

FELIZ
NAVIDAD!
A MEXICAN-BUILT ELECTRIC
MUSTANG? WE’LL HAVE ONE
TO GO. HOLD THE JALAPENOS

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I

HAVE A FEELING that
this one might be a bit
controversial. There just
don’t seem to be too many
fence-sitters when it comes
to the Mexican-built Mustang
Mach-E and that largely comes down
to the idea of the car rather than the
nuts and bolts of it. I have to say that
I don’t really buy into the Mustang
branding. The Mach-E feels as if it
has more in common with a latterday interpretation of a Mondeo than
a Mustang. It’s not cheap either. This
single-motor Mach-E Premium was,
at launch, lineball with the dual
motor Tesla Model Y Performance,
both wearing a c.$91K price tag.
That’s until Ford backtracked and
slashed almost five grand off the
asking price to make it a little more

palatable to Aussie buyers who’d
thrown their hands up in horror.
Thankfully it now comes in below
the Luxury Car Tax threshold and
is eligible for Fringe Benefits Tax
exemption when bought on a novated
lease. That’s a good deal smarter.
The ‘original’ asking price was a
backtrack in and of itself. Back in
2022, Ford’s CFO John Lawler said
that rising commodity costs had
wiped out the profit expected on the
Mach-E. It was profitable at launch
in late 2020, then lithium prices went
up by 144 percent and the whole
project went into the red.
The price of the Mach-E shot up
and, you’d have to say, the whole
project looked emblematic of a huge
company blundering into a rapidly
moving market it hasn’t really got a

firm handle on.
So it’s fair to say that this car has
had a tough genesis and it would
probably be understandable had the
Mach-E proved to be a bad vehicle.
But it’s clearly not. Aussie-spec cars
have been garnering cautiously
decent reviews and in order to wrap
my head around this intriguing
vehicle, I figured that spending three
months with one would give me the
time to form an informed opinion to
deliver to you, dear readers.
The child in me would certainly
have opted for the top-spec dualmotor GT model, a car that at least
delivers straight-line performance
worthy of the Mustang branding, but
given my unerring talent for running
out of juice in electric cars, I figured
it was probably a wiser decision to go

Above: Flip the rear seats down and the flat load floor of the
Mach-E will just about accommodate a 7ft Christmas tree

for the Premium, the model with an
extra 109km of range over the GT.
Yes, I’d do without all-wheel drive,
and the performance is brisk rather
than properly face-warping, but at
least I’d give myself a fighting chance
of demonstrating to my partner that
there was more to EV ownership than
skulking around the bins in the back
of a dimly-lit servo at night trying to
locate a charger that had long since
gone unserviceable.
The Mach-E experience takes
some keying into. At first, the cabin
seemed a bit sparse, and I still don’t
understand why it needs vast B&O
door speakers that mean you can’t
carry a bottle in the door pockets.

Likewise, it’s maddening that the
two pads for mobile phones overlap
at one corner, which means that you
can’t sit two decently sized handsets
flat on them.
Then there are the brakes.
Whether it’s the handover from regen to friction braking or something
else altogether, I found the brakes a
bit snatchy. To that end, I’ve taken
to switching the car into one-pedal
driving mode and learning to drive
it smoothly like that. It means your
pace will be more leisurely as a
result, but I’ve come to enjoy that. I
get more range from the car, I drive
in a more considered fashion and
everything feels agreeably serene.
¿Cómo está la serenidad?, as they
might say in Cuautitlán Izcalli.
AN DY ENR I G HT
@wheelsaustralia

103

REPORT
TWO

Garage

MAZDA CX-60 P50E GT Vision
Price as tested $82,900
This month 554km @ 6.5L/100km
Overall 554km @ 6.5L/100k

PLUG AND
PLAY

GOODBYE DIESEL AND
HELLO HYBRID

L

ET’S FACE IT, Mazda
hasn’t exactly been a
blazing pioneer when it
comes to electrification.
Where rival brands like
Hyundai, Kia and Toyota
have all forged ahead with multiple
hybrid and fully electric models,
Mazda has been a little slower to
dive head first into the world of
excited electrons.
And that’s entirely
understandable. Aussies tend to

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have a warped view of Mazda simply
because it’s so successful here.
Thanks to a hard-won reputation for
delivering a range of cars that are
reliable and fun to drive, Mazda is a
sales juggernaut Down Under and
has long been our country’s secondbest selling brand.
Globally, however, it’s a much
smaller player. Crunch the number
for 2022 and Mazda doesn’t even
scrape into the top 15 for worldwide
sales. And unlike lots of other
brands, Mazda isn’t nestled within
a large parent company either, so
every new model and every major
investment has to be successful. The
risks of a large money project failing
don’t bear thinking about.
All of which makes the bright red
SUV you see here fairly significant.
This is the (deep breath) Mazda
CX-60 P50E GT Vision and it’s the
Japanese brand’s first ever plug-in
hybrid. And boy, oh boy, does it make
a strong first impression.
Given the ‘green’ fuel-saving
image of hybrids, you might expect

the CX-60 PHEV to be the least
powerful and performance focused of
the range but actually the opposite
is true. Run an eye over the CX-60
spec sheet and you’ll see the PHEV
version churns out 241kW and
500Nm. That makes this one of the
most powerful vehicles Mazda has
ever made. And despite weighing
a porky 2139kg (+150kg compared
to a diesel CX-60) if you flatten the
throttle you’ll rocket from 0-100km/h
in 5.8 seconds. That’s hot hatch fast.
Be gentler with your right hoof and
EV mode will also provide 76km of
electric-only range, which is decent
although about par for the course
for PHEVs these days. A Mitsubishi
Outlander PHEV, for example, offers
84km of EV range.
So far, so good then, but how does
the PHEV compare to the dieselpowered CX-60 we ran in these
pages last month? The comparison is
intriguing given both cars are exactly
the same trim level — mid-tier
GT with the optional $2000 Vision
pack — meaning the only difference

between them is the exterior colour
and the powertrain. And sadly for the
PHEV, it’s the diesel that’s the clear
pick of the two.
The CX-60 PHEV combines
Mazda’s existing 2.5-litre petrol
engine with a single electric motor
that’s fed by a 17.8kWh battery pack.
The e-motor is wedged between the
engine and eight-speed gearbox and
even in EV mode, the CX-60 is allwheel drive.
On its own, the electric motor
makes 100kW/270Nm which is
enough to propel the CX-60 about
in fuel-saving silence. You’ll be
lucky to make it the full 76km,
however. Like most cars, the CX60’s official consumption figures
are fairly optimistic. The battery’s
claimed electrical consumption is
14.8kWh/100km but our average was
just over 20kWh. It’s the same story
Below: Inwood for fuel efficiency. Like all PHEVs,
the CX-60’s official combined figure
pines for the
simple charms is unrealistically low at 2.1L/100km.
of compression Our fuel reading saw the PHEV
ignition
drink 6.5L/100km, which is actually

fractionally more than the 6.4L we
used in the diesel.
And in terms of drivability and
performance, the PHEV has some
issues. I’d been hoping that the
injection of the e-motor’s instant,
low-down torque would help to iron
out the low-speed jerkiness and
hesitation we encountered in the
diesel CX-60 but sadly the same
issues remain. If anything, they’re
more pronounced, thanks to the
occasional clumsy handover between
electric and petrol propulsion.
And while it’s undoubtedly quick,
you need to engage Sport mode for
the PHEV to feel properly muscular.
The petrol hybrid also lacks the
refinement of the 3.3L turbo diesel.
The oiler sounds better and is better
at executing effortless overtakes on
the open road. All of which makes
the PHEV’s price premium a difficult
pill to swallow. Spec-for-spec, the
PHEV is $10,941 pricier than an
equivalent diesel. We know which
one we’d pick…
A LEX IN WOO D

@wheelsaustralia

105

REPORT
TWO

GENESIS GV70 ELECTRIFIED
Price as tested $103,370
This month 1015km
Overall 1370km

BRIGHT
AND EARLY
GENESIS GV70 HEADS FOR
THE HIGH COUNTRY

T

HE ROAD TRIP is an
integral part of Aussie
culture. It represents
freedom; horizons
unexplored. But is that
even a possibility in an
electric car?
I recently pointed the Genesis
GV70’s nose towards Bright in
the Victorian High Country; a
detsination some 320km from the
Zlotin front door.
The idea of travelling to Bright

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in an electric car initially filled me
with hesitation. I even suggested
taking my partner’s well-loved and
mud-filled 2015 Isuzu MU-X instead.
That’s how you know this princess
was desperate for an alternative
mode of transport. My concerns
centred around the uncertainties of
electric vehicle charging, especially
on what I anticipated to be a busy
weekend for road trips.
It was also a hot weekend, and I
was stressed about the idea of being
pulled over on the side of the road
with a flat battery.
However, to my surprise our
electric journey began promisingly.
The GV70 Electrified, fully charged,
indicated a range of 439km, close
to its quoted WLTP-rated 445km.
By the time we set off on Thursday
afternoon, we had 400km of range
after a couple of errand trips.
Our plan was straightforward:
drive to Euroa which is 182km away,
charge the car, and then cover the
remaining 157km to Bright. I felt
even more comfortable knowing
that on paper it looked like we had

the range to do the drive in one trip
if pushed. Unexpected traffic and
air conditioning usage meant our
191km leg consumed more juice than
anticipated, roughly 21km more to be
precise. Seeing the range dropping
faster than distance travelled did
add some angst but I was assured by
the Chargefox app that at least half
of their charging stations at Euroa
were functional.
We arrived in Euroa and nabbed
a fast-charger straight away. A
20-minute session cost us $17.98 and
restored our battery to 80% capacity
for the final leg of the trip. More
than required, but enough for peace
of mind.
The GV70 ate the miles up. It
excels in material quality and
presentation, effectively insulating
us from external noises while on
freeways. It’s not perfect though.
There’s some significant Helmholtz
rresonance if you so much as inch
open a rear window when the car’s
travelling. This can be mitigated
by slightly cracking openg another
window. Interestingly, the door

mirrors prevent this occurring when
opening the front windows.
The ergo-motion technology
which activated massage seats at
about 45-minute intervals helped to
alleviate some of the tension build
up that comes from long sessions of
fixating on the state of charge.
In anticipation of the journey
home, I visited Bright’s sole electric
charger early in the morning, only
to find a fully charged Tesla Model
X already plugged in with no driver
in sight. This experience highlighted
the potential frustrations of relying
on public EV charging stations.
Another is the amount of time
spent waiting. While at charging
stations, I observed traditional fuel
users quickly filling up and driving
off, making me slightly envious of
the speed and convenience in which
they were in and out.
A memorable aspect of the journey
were the engaging conversations I
had with fellow EV owners during
charging breaks. For instance, one
man shared his near decision to
trade in his Genesis GV60 Electrified

Above: GV70 mopped up a long road trip. Shana even claims
its safety systems are less intrusive than its Hyundai cousins

for a Mercedes-Benz SUV. However,
he ultimately chose to keep the
Genesis, a decision he described as
one of his best. He told me how it’s
the first luxury car he’s owned that
he likes everything about, and after
driving the GV70 for the last two
months I can see what he means.
He candidly spoke about the
challenges of longer trips with an
EV, such as extended charging times.
Yet, he found a silver lining in these
moments, using them to enjoy a
coffee with his wife and plan the
day’s itinerary. This perspective
highlighted just how impatient I am,
but also, I was born in a generation
of instant gratification.
The matte paint option is great to
look at, it’s been tough to keep clean.
So much so that Genesis have an
eight-page guide for matte paint care
with a comprehensive outline of all
the ways you shouldn’t wash the car.
One of which is taking the car to a

commercial car wash.
I read a comment on Facebook
recently under a post about a
facelifted Genesis– “another product
from a brand almost everyone
ignores” and I scoffed. There’s not
a single person I’ve driven in the
Genesis GV70 that hasn’t been
impressed by its finesse and luxury.
The GV70 EV excels in so many
areas that its few shortcomings are
easily overlooked. For instance,
I spent an entire week with the
passenger seatbelt fastened, even
when the seat was unoccupied
because it sensed weight and
wouldn’t stop chiming, and it didn’t
bother me in the slightest. I simply
reminded my passengers to re-buckle
at the end of each journey. As a
driver, I became so at ease with the
vehicle that minor irritations just
faded into the background.
In our last instalment I’ll talk
about the tear I shed when I had
to return the car back to Genesis,
because I’ve missed it every day
since.
SH AN A ZLOTI N
@wheelsaustralia

107

REPORT
THREE

Garage

EXIT

MERCEDES-BENZ GLC 300
Price as tested $103,370
This month 4602km @ 7.9L/100km
Overall 5942km @ 7.9L/100km

TISN’T THE
SEASON TO
BE JOLLY
IT APPEARS SANTA’S MADE
OFF IN OUR MUCH-LOVED
MERCEDES-BENZ GLC

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I

HAVEN’T SPENT as much
time in the GLC as I would
have liked this month. That’s
largely because I drove
three Porsche Cayennes
in succession and, as such,
the Mercedes has done a few
really big drives but has otherwise
spent a lot of time parked, feeling
somewhat neglected. It wasn’t totally
overlooked, however, as evidenced
by the speeding fine that arrived at
the office. After the sinking feeling
in the pit of your stomach, and the
gradual realisation that I wasn’t
anywhere near the Mercedes that
day, a bit of asking around found the
culprit and said colleague is now
sworn to being a good deal more
observant when he borrows one of
the Wheels team’s long termers for
the weekend.
Getting back into the GLC was a

helpful reminder of quite how good
it is. I’ll lift the curtain on a bit of a
guilty admission among those who
get to run long termers. We tend not
to like writing about cars like the
Mercedes-Benz GLC because they
barely put a foot wrong. It makes ‘em
great to own but writing about a very
good car is nowhere near as much
fun as writing about an utter toad.
There have only been a couple of
really tiny glitches with the GLC.
There have been the odd occasions
when my phone has failed to charge
on the wireless charging pad. This
is located so far into the bowels of
the dash that it’s very hard to see
whether it’s seated properly on the
charger. Whenever I’ve driven a
distance and know that I absolutely
need a full phone battery when I
arrive, I’ve plugged the handset in
with a USB-C cable in the double-

lidded centre bin.
The other thing that I’ve never
really got on with from day one is a
strangely flabby piece of plastic trim
that sits to the left of the footwell. It
probably won’t bother you if you’ve
got petite plates of meat, but if your
shoe size is in the teens, your toes
will constantly be pushing against
a yielding flap of trim that feels as
if it has become unattached. Closer
inspection reveals that it’s a bizarrely
intrusive speaker grille but it’s not
immediately redolent of a something
‘engineered like no other car’.
These are trivial gripes. I’ve really
appreciated the way that the GLC
just allows you to get on with life.
Fuel economy has proven better than
expected, it possesses a respectable
turn of pace, it looks good, it’s never
once failed to boot up Android Auto
for me and the stereo quality is

Below: The floppy plastic speaker grille that the flipper-footed
GLC driver will become intimately acquainted with

great. I still maintain that Mercedes’
stalk-mounted gear shifter should
have been consigned to the bin
of bad ideas many moons ago but
otherwise the whole go, stop and
steer thing is beautifully addressed.
This is a sports utility that manages
its compromises elegantly.
Unfortunately it’s also a sports
utility that’s shortly to be heading
back to Mercedes-Benz’s depot. Our
time with it has come to an end. Its
replacement is very different, a little
more controversial and it may well
prove to be a little easier to write
about than a vehicle so polished it
barely put a foot wrong over 6000
very enjoyable kilometres. The GLC
makes the BMW X3 and the Audi Q5
suddenly appear very old indeed.
Give one a try. I reckon it’s the pick
of the pack.
AN DY E NR IGHT

@wheelsaustralia

109

bank

OVER 1800 VEHICLES PRICES, SPECS & REVIEWED EVERY MONTH

Alfa Romeo

Classy detail design with roomy, well-built cabin. But 1.5 turbo suffers
driveability flaws, and steering feel isn’t a match for its tidy handling
THE PICK: Ti with the Lusso option pack for high-spec seats and audio

$49,900
$56,400
$77,500
Giulia

L4T
1.5 118 240 D7 1491
L4T
1.5 118 240 D7 1491
L4TPH 1.3 208 n/a A6 1811

8.8 5.6 95
8.8 5.6 95
6.2 1.5 95

F
F
A

Quadrifoglio towers as an M3 terroriser, though all variants soar
dynamically. Cabin tech much improved, but it’s a heart over head car
THE PICK: Glorious Quadrifoglio is as good as Giulia gets

Ti
Veloce
Quadrifoglio

$68,450
$74,950
$153,700
Stelvio

L4T
L4T
V6TT

2.0 206 400 A8 1490 5.7 6.1 95
2.0 206 400 A8 1490 5.7 6.1 95
2.9 375 600 A8 1624 3.9 8.2 95

$76,450
$82,950
$162,700

L4T
L4T
V6TT

2.0 206 400 A8 1620 5.7 7.0 95
2.0 206 400 A8 1620 5.7 7.0 95
2.9 375 600 A8 1790 3.8 10.2 95

Alpina

3 years/200,000km

Alpina’s latest take on the G20 3 Series is the most powerful B3 ever –
a surprisingly tasteful twin-turbo AWD weapon in sedan or wagon
THE PICK: Fast wagons are our bag, so B3 Touring

$142,900
L6TT 3.0 340 700 A8 1785 3.8 9.9 98
$145,900
L6TT 3.0 340 700 A8 1865 3.9 9.9 98
B8 Gran Coupe

V8TT

4.4 457 800 A8 2100 3.4 11.1 98

A

While Australia misses out on the quad-turbo monster, diesel beast is
powerful enough to make X3M nervous, but Macan is more compelling
THE PICK: Alpina has made the choice very easy

$114,900
XB7

L6TTD 3.0 261 730 A8 2080 4.9 6.8 98

A

V8TT

4.4 457 800 A8 2580 4.2 12.0 98

Aston Martin

A

3 years/unlimited

Vantage
A return to form for Aston, helped along in no small way by borrowing
that outstanding twin-turbo V8 from Mercedes-AMG. A real gem
THE PICK: AdVantage: driver. V8 finally delivers

Coupe
Coupe
Roadster

$278,900
$299,950
$315,000

V8TT
V8TT
V8TT

4.0 375 685 M7 1620 4.0 11.7 98
4.0 375 685 A8 –
3.6 10.3 98
4.0 375 685 A8 –
3.8 – 98

Volante

whichcar.com.au/wheels

$589,900
$625,200
DBX

Drive

Issue
tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb
weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

V12TT 5.2 533 900 A8 1693 3.4 12.3 95
V12TT 5.2 533 900 A8 1863 3.6 14 98

09/18 R
R

All-important Aston SUV hailed as a potential saviour for the brand.
Debuts a new platform and a more powerful tune of AMG’s V8TT
THE PICK: You can buy two AMG GLC 63s for this money...

707

$387,512
$428,400

V8TT
V8TT

4.0 405 700 A9 2245 4.5 14.3 98
4.0 520 900 A9 2245 3.3 13.5 98

Audi

09/20 A
A

5 years/unlimited

A1
Audi’s second-gen baby has grown and gained a higher-tech cabin and
supermodel looks, but cheapo trim and high pricing undermine it
THE PICK: 40 TFSI for its slick performance – or related VW Polo GTI

30 TFSI
35 TFSI
40 TFSI S Line

$33,800
$36,400
$47,800
A3

L3T
L4T
L4T

1.0 85 200 D7 1125 9.4 5.4 95
1.5 110 250 D7 1165 7.7 5.8 95
2.0 147 320 D6 1260 6.5 6.4 95

F
02/20 F
13/19 F

Packing a more interesting and functional interior than its Golf
relative, the new A3 range offers styling flair and real breadth of talent
THE PICK: Raspy S3 and boisterous RS3 both smokin’

35 TFSI Sportback
35 TFSI Sedan
40 TFSI quattro S’back
40 TFSI quattro Sedan
S3 Sportback
S3 Sedan
RS3 Sportback
RS3 Sedan

35TFSI S Line
45 TFSI S Line
45 TFSI S Line Avant
40 TDI Allroad
45 TFSI quattro Allroad
S4 quattro
S4 Avant quattro
RS4 Avant

R
09/18 R
R

$47,100
$49,600
$54,000
$56,500
$70,800
$73,426
$91,400
$93,900
A4

L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L5T
L5T

1.5
1.5
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.5
2.5

110
110
140
140
228
228
294
294

250
250
320
320
400
400
500
500

D7
D7
D7
D7
D7
D7
D7
D7

1245
1245
1385
1390
1500
1505
1495
1500

8.4
8.4
7.0
7.0
4.8
4.8
3.8
3.8

5.0
4.9
6.7
6.6
7.4
7.3
8.3
8.2

98
98
98
98
98
98
98
98

F
F
A
A
A
A
A
A

$66,300
$74,100
$76,600
$76,400
$78,100
$105,600
$108,100
$156,200
A5

L4T
L4T
L4T
L4TD
L4T
V6T
V6T
V6TT

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
3.0
3.0
2.9

110
183
183
150
183
260
260
331

270
370
370
400
370
500
500
600

D7
D7
D7
D7
D7
A8
A8
A8

1440
1545
1590
1645
1615
1645
1690
1790

8.6
5.8
6.0
7.3
6.1
4.7
4.9
4.1

6.1
7.1
7.3
4.9
7.4
8.6
8.8
9.5

95
95
95
D
95
95
95
98

F
A
A
A
A
A
A
A

A slick, quick car for those who have grown out of going quick. Indeed,
punters prefer A5 over A4 these days, and based on its style, we agree
THE PICK: S5 is satisfying and plenty quick enough

40 TFSI S Line S’back

110

R
R
R

The yardstick for build quality and now value-for-money, though
lack of standard adaptive dampers undermines A4’s slick refinement
THE PICK: A4 TFSI Allroad for its ride, fluency and space

Fitted with optional 23-inch wheels (21s are standard), Alpina’s
290km/h XB7 finally puts the beastly X7’s huge grille in proportion
THE PICK: It’s not a great seven-seater but it’s unique, and quick

$264,900

$382,495
V8TT 4.0 375 675 A8 1760 4.0 9.9 98
$406,495 V8TT 4.0 375 675 A8 1870 4.0 11.4 98
$437,400
V12TT 5.2 470 700 A8 1870 3.7 11.4 98
DBS Superleggera

Makes a convincing case as the world’s most beautiful super-GT.
Stunning opulence and excessive torque, though it’s no Ferrari 812SF
THE PICK: Aston’s beguiling flagship true to the marque

A
A

If you want the baddest big BMW sedan in the biz, then this 8 Series
Gran Coupe on steroids is a mighty fine way to move four doors fast
THE PICK: It’s only $40K more than an 850i so why not?

$322,900
XD3

Coupe
Volante
AMR

A
A
03/18 A

B3

Sedan
Touring

A luxo grand tourer that emits pure sex appeal from its exhaust tips.
Hefty weight hurts its dynamics, but those looks, right?
THE PICK: None of the above. Wait for the vastly improved DB12

R
06/17 R
04/17 R

Doesn’t quite match Giulia’s dynamic brilliance, and driving position is
flawed, though ballistic Q is a winner, and even base Stelvio has appeal
THE PICK: Stelvio impasse? Join the Q

Ti
Veloce
Quadrifoglio

Engine
type

DB11

5 years/unlimited km

Tonale

Ti
Veloce
Veloce Plug-in Hybrid

Price

Drive

Issue
tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb
weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

Engine
type

Price

PRICE Recommended retail figure at time of publication (asterisk indicates driveaway price) ENGINE TYPE L, in-line; V, vee; F, flat. Number of cylinders. T, turbo; S, supercharged; D, diesel; H, hybrid; E, electric SIZE Litres or kWh
POWER kW TORQUE Nm TRANSMISSION M, manual; A, auto; D, dual-clutch; C, CVT WEIGHT Kerb, kg 0-100 km/h, acceleration in seconds (Wheels as-tested figures in italics) FUEL CONS Consumption in litres, or kWh,
per 100km RON Octane of fuel required, as numbered, or D for diesel RESALE percent, 3-year resale in Glass’s ISSUE TESTED month/year DRIVE A, all-wheel; F, front; R, rear. Any figure in bold is our own estimate.

$77,500

L4T

2.0 140 320 D7 1455 7.3 6.5 95

F

ALFA ROMEO – BMW

A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A

All-new, tech-laden model arrived late in 2019 ready to tackle the
E-Class and 5 Series. Four-wheel steer a ‘must tick’ option
THE PICK: Updated RS6 even more ballistic. Allroad the smart choice

40 TFSI S Line
45 TFSI quattro S Line
55 TFSI quattro S Line
45 TDI Allroad
S6
RS6 Avant Performance

$94,300
L4T
$113,400
L4T
$123,400
V6T
$116,100
V6TD
$158,700
V6TT
$241,500
V8TT
A7 Sportback

2.0
2.0
3.0
3.0
2.9
4.0

140
180
250
170
331
463

320
370
500
500
600
850

D7
D7
D7
A8
A8
A8

1605
1695
1845
1945
1910
2075

7.9
6.0
5.1
6.7
4.5
3.4

6.3
7.3
7.2
6.6
8.4
11.8

95
95
95
D
98
98

A
02/20 A
A
A
08/20 A
A

Ingolstadt took a punt pitching a hatch at this price point, and the nichewithin-a-niche A7 offers little over its A6 sibling except exclusivity
THE PICK: Makes far more sense than the related A8 limo

45 TFSI quattro
55 TFSI quattro
S7
RS7 Performance

$124,000
$141,700
$169,600
$248,500
A8

L4T
V6T
V6TT
V8TT

2.0
3.0
2.9
4.0

180
250
331
463

370
500
600
850

D7
D7
A8
A8

1750
1920
1965
2065

6.2
5.3
4.6
3.4

7.3
7.3
8.5
11.6

98
95
98
98

A
A
08/20 A
A

SQ5
SQ5 Sportback

$201,700
$221,375
$271,869
TT

V6TD
V6TD
V8TT

3.0 210 600 A8 1975 5.9 5.6 D
3.0 210 600 A8 2000 5.9 5.8 D
4.0 420 800 A8 2230 3.8 10.5 98

02/19 A
A
A

45 TDI quattro
50 TDI quattro S Line
55 TFSI quattro S Line
SQ7

$84,000
$88,479
$103,000
$141,300
Q2

L4T
L4T
L4T
L5T

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.5

180
180
210
294

370
370
380
480

D7
D7
D6
D7

1365
1365
1385
1450

5.1
5.1
4.5
3.7

7.0
7.0
7.0
8.0

95
95
98
98

A
A
11/19 A
09/20 A

Small but stylishly formed sub-SUV looks foxier than ever and is now
better-equipped, though is at its best when all four wheels are driving
THE PICK: From a price versus punch perspective, the raunchy SQ2

35 TFSI
40 TFSI quattro S-Line
SQ2

$45,500
$52,500
$67,200
Q3

L4T
L4T
L4T

1.5 110 250 D7 1305 8.6 5.2 95
2.0 140 320 D7 1460 6.7 7.0 95
2.0 221 400 D7 1535 4.9 7.7 98

50 TDI S Line
55 TFSI S Line
60 TFSI e
SQ8
RS
SQ8 e-tron
SQ8 e-tron Sportback

35 TFSI
$50,600
35 TFSI S Line Sportback $54,100
40 TFSI quattro
$58,400
40 TFSI quattro S Line $64,200
40 TFSI qtr S Line S’back $66,600
RS
$96,100
RS Sportback
$99,100
Q5

L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L5T
L5T

1.4
1.4
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.5
2.5

110
110
132
132
132
294
294

250
250
320
320
320
480
480

D6
D6
D7
D7
D7
D7
D7

1470
1545
1620
1620
1695
1715
1700

9.3
9.3
7.8
7.8
7.8
4.5
4.5

7.2
7.3
8.0
8.2
8.3
8.9
8.9

95
95
95
95
95
98
98

S quattro
S quattro Sportback

RS

$66,900
$74,200
$74,500
$80,200
$82,000
$81,500
$90,600
$102,900
$110,200

L4TD
L4TD
L4T
L4TD
L4TD
L4T
L4T
L4TPH
L4TPH

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0

120
150
183
150
150
183
183
270
270

370
400
370
400
400
370
370
500
500

D7
D7
D7
D7
D7
D7
D7
D7
D7

1740
1805
1750
1805
1825
1750
1770
2075
2075

9.0
7.6
6.3
7.6
7.6
6.3
6.3
5.3
5.3

4.8
5.4
8.0
5.4
5.4
8.0
8.0
2.0
2.0

D
D
95
D
D
95
95
95
95

3.0
3.0
3.0
4.0

170
210
250
373

500
600
500
770

A8
A8
A8
A8

Drive

Issue
tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb
weight

2165
2165
2140
2190

7.3
6.5
5.6
4.1

$133,800
$135,100
$148,375
$168,800
$220,600
$173,600
$180,600
E-Tron

V6T
V6T
V6TPH
V8TT
V8TT
E
E

3.0
3.0
3.0
4.0
4.0
114
114

210
250
340
373
441
370
370

600
500
700
770
800
973
973

A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
R1
R1

2145
2145
–
2195
2240
2580
2580

6.3
5.7
5.4
4.1
3.8
4.5
4.5

$166,900
E
$173,900
E
E-Tron GT

7.0
6.8
9.4
12.1

D
D
95
98

A
07/20 A
A
A

6.9 D
9.2 95
– –
12.2 98
12.1 98
– –
– –

A
10/19 A
A
A
A
A
A

95 370 973 R1 2580 4.5 23.0
95 370 973 R1 2580 4.5 22.7

$178,700
$246,700

E
E

A
A

93 350 630 R1 2276 4.1 23.6 –
93 440 830 R1 2347 3.3 22.0 –

Bentley

A
A

3 years/unlimited

Continental GT
An undeniable sheen of bespoke Englishness and a focus on comfort
make this the pick of the grand touring coupes. W12 nearly dead
THE PICK: W12 delivers on its promises with regal insouciance

V8
V8 Convertible
Speed
Speed Convertible

$430,300 V8TT
$473,400 V8TT
$543,400 W12TT
$597,700
W12TT
Flying Spur

4.0
4.0
6.0
6.0

404
404
485
485

770
770
900
900

D8
D8
D8
D8

2090
2260
2198
2361

4.0
4.1
3.6
3.7

11.3 98
11.7 98
14.0 98
14.3 98

A
A
A
A

Third-gen Spur debuts all-new architecture with 48-volt tech, rearwheel steer and adaptive air suspension for a silken ride
THE PICK: Enjoy the throaty bent-eight before electrification buries it

$445,200 V8TT 4.0 404 770 A8 2330 4.1 11.6 95
$456,100
V6TTH 2.9 400 750 A8 2430 4.3 TBC 95
Bentayga

A
A

Bentley’s much classier facelifted Bentayga is roomy, rapid and hugely
capable, with the presence of Big Ben in a Camilla kaftan
THE PICK: The ‘base’ V8 has more than enough spunk

V8

$378,600

V8TT

4.0 404 770 A8 2340 4.5 12.2 95

A

S
Speed

$450,200
$514,200

V8TT 4.0 404 770 A8 2340 4.5 12.2 95
W12TT 6.0 467 900 A8 2433 3.9 14.3 95

A
A

BMW

Quietly handsome, Mexican-built Q5 offers a huge, well-equipped
range that’s arguably more well-rounded than its German rivals
THE PICK: Sweet 45 TFSI quattro remains the Q5 sweet spot

35 TDI
40 TDI quattro
45 TFSI quattro
40 TDI quattro Sport
40 TDI quattro S’back
45 TFSI quattro Sport
45 TFSI quattro S’back
55 TFSI e S Line
55 TFSI e S Line S’back

V6TD
V6TD
V6T
V8TT

Shares much of its core componentry with the Porsche Taycan, so
you know it’s good. Fast, stable, tech-rich and beautifully refined
THE PICK: RS GT undercuts Taycan Turbo, so is actually decent value

V8
Hybrid

12/19 F
F
A
A
A
A
A

$108,200
$127,400
$127,500
$164,100
Q8

Plush-riding E-tron offers more refinement than its COTY-winning
Mercedes EQC rival, though the E-tron S will soon transition into a Q8
THE PICK: The racier Sportback over the boring wagon

F
A
A

Second-gen adopts Golf 7.5 architecture so is far more advanced,
spacious and refined. Now comes in tapered Sportback guise
THE PICK: If you can stretch, the RS Q3 is a cracker

A
A

Facelift has added air suspension and useful equipment upgrades as
standard. Still very polished and decent dynamically to boot
THE PICK: 50TDI offers grunt, refinement and more space than rivals

Rock-solid coupe that’s usually maligned on account of not being a
Porsche. After 25 years, the multi-faceted TT is about to be farewelled
THE PICK: S one of the most competent ‘real world’ sports cars around

45 TFSI quattro
45 TFSI Final Edition
S quattro
RS

V6STD 3.0 251 700 A8 2010 5.1 7.0 D
V6STD 3.0 251 700 A8 2010 5.1 7.1 D

Facelift has added air suspension and useful equipment upgrades as
standard. Still very polished and decent dynamically to boot
THE PICK: 50TDI offers grunt, refinement and more space than rivals

Audi pours everything it knows into the mighty A8 – it’s an indulgent
experience. But the autonomous tech doesn’t quite stack up in reality
THE PICK: If you can play in this league, the S8 is goals

50 TDI quattro
L 50 TDI quattro
S8

$110,400
$116,200
Q7

Trans.

95
95
95
95
95
95
98
98

Torque

7.1
7.1
7.4
8.8
8.8
9.1
9.4
9.4

Power

RON

5.8
6.0
6.3
4.8
4.7
5.1
3.7
3.9

Size

Fuel cons.

1530
1570
1735
1675
1640
1840
1685
1720

Engine
type

0-100

D7
D7
D7
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8

Price

Kerb
weight

370
370
370
500
500
500
600
600

Drive

Trans.

183
183
183
260
260
260
331
331

Issue
tested

Torque

2.0
2.0
2.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
2.9
2.9

Resale %

Power

L4T
L4T
L4T
V6T
V6T
V6T
V6TT
V6TT

Size

45 TFSI qttr S Line S’back $84,600
45 TFSI S Line Coupe
$84,600
45 TFSI S Line Cabriolet $98,100
S5 Sportback quattro $113,000
S5 Coupe quattro
$113,000
S5 Cabriolet quattro
$126,400
RS5 Coupe
$159,600
RS5 Sportback
$159,600
A6

Engine
type

Price

YOUR COMPLETE NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE

5 years/unlimited

1 Series
F
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A

Front-drive 1 Series kills the old rear-driver for packaging efficiency
but suffers from a lumpy ride, puffy styling, frumpy demeanour
THE PICK: Perhaps the new 118i Sport, not the disjointed M135i

118i M Sport
128ti
M135i xDrive

$54,800
L3T
1.5 103 220 D7 1320 8.5 5.9 95
$61,900
L4T
2.0 180 380 A8 1445 6.3 6.1 95
$76,600
L4T
2.0 225 450 A8 1525 4.8 7.5 95
2 Series Gran Coupe

F
F
03/20 A

At base level, cheap for a BMW ‘coupe’ though M235i Gran Coupe gets
smashed by 330i for ability, style, value and cool-factor
THE PICK: A 2 Series coupe – this Mini in drag is both dorky and dull

218i
220i
M235i xDrive

$62,100
$65,200
$83,800

L3T
L4T
L4T

1.5 103 220 D7 1375 8.7 5.7 95
2.0 141 280 D7 1430 7.2 - 95
2.0 225 450 A8 1570 4.9 7.1 95
@wheelsaustralia

F
F
A

111

L4T
L4T
L6T
L6T

2.0
2.0
3.0
3.0

135
190
285
338

300
400
500
550

A8
A8
A8
A8

1490
1525
1690
1725

7.5
5.8
4.3
4.1

6.3 95
6.4 95
8.0 95
10.2 95 -

-

R
R
A
R

Imposing new-gen 3 Series absolutely nails its target with superb
dynamic talents, improved space, comfort and value
THE PICK: 330i is a stunning piece of work and one of BMW’s finest

320i M Sport
$80,200
330i M Sport
$94,700
330i M Sport Touring $98,900
330e M Sport
$98,700
M340i xDrive
$106,200
M3
$161,300
M3 Competition
$171,600
M3 Competition xDrive $177,500
M3 Comp xDrive Touring $180,100
4 Series

L4T
L4T
L4T
L4TPH
L6T
L6TT
L6TT
L6TT
L6TT

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0

135
190
190
215
285
353
375
375
375

300
400
400
420
500
550
650
650
650

A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
M6
A8
A8
A8

1460
1490
1575
1740
1670
1705
1730
1780
1865

7.2
5.8
5.9
5.9
4.4
4.2
3.9
3.5
3.6

6.3 95
7.0 95
7.0 95
2.1 95
7.7 95
10.6 98
10.2 98
10.1 98
10.4 98

R
02/20 R
02/20 R
R
02/20 A
R
R
A
A

New-gen 4 Series is bigger, quicker and smarter than before,
especially striking the Gran Coupe and ballistic AWD M4 Comp’
THE PICK: 430i for rear-drive balance and grunt, times two for M4

420i
420i Gran Coupe
430i Gran Coupe
420i Convertible
430i
430i Convertible
i4 eDrive 40 M Sport
i4 M50 xDrive
M440i xDrive GC
M440i xDrive
M440i xDrive Conv.
M4
M4 Competition xDrive
M4 Competition Conv.

$81,100
$83,500
$93,700
$100,400
$119,600
$119,600
$102,900
$133,900
$129,000
$132,100
$148,400
$166,500
$183,100
$194,600
5 Series

L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
E
E
L6T
L6T
L6T
L6TT
L6TT
L6TT

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
81
81
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0

135
135
190
135
190
190
250
400
285
285
285
353
375
375

300
300
350
300
400
400
430
795
500
500
500
550
650
650

A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
R1
R1
A8
A8
A8
M6
A8
A8

1525
1620
1645
1690
1545
1715
2050
2215
1825
1740
1890
1700
1775
1920

7.5
7.9
6.2
8.2
5.8
6.2
5.7
3.9
4.7
4.5
4.9
4.2
3.5
3.7

5.8 95
6.5 95
6.6 95
6.6 95
6.1 95
6.8 95
19.1 –
22.5 –
8.2 95
7.1 95
8.2 95
10.5 98
10.1 98
10.2 98

R
R
R
R
R
R
R
A
A
A
A
R
A
A

G60 5 Series signals the transition to predominantly electric power
with two i5 models (including ballistic M60) and a mild-hybrid 520i.
THE PICK: i5 M60 looks like decent value against an M5

520i
i5 eDrive 40
i5 M60 xDrive
M5 Competition (F90)

$114,900
$155,900
$215,900
$273,600
7 Series

L4T
E
E
V8TT

2.0
84
84
4.4

153
250
442
460

330
430
820
750

A8
R1
R1
A8

1725
2130
2305
1895

7.5
6.0
3.8
3.3

TBC 98
TBC –
TBC –
10.6 98

R
R
A
A

All-new 7 Series is a whopper, on a wheelbase 5mm longer than the old
LWB car. Choose from petrol or electric; both are excellent
THE PICK: i7 has the torque and refinement that suits perfectly

740i
i7 xDrive60
i7 M70

$272,900
$306,900
$344,900
8 Series

L6TT
E
E

3.0 280 540 A8 2090 5.4 7.7 95
106 400 745 R1 2640 4.7 19.6 106 485 1100 R1 2715 3.7 19.9 - -

-

R
A
A

sDrive 18i
xDrive 20i
xDrive 20i M Sport
iX1 xDrive 30 xLine
iX1 xDrive 30 M Sport
M35i xDrive

$194,900
$197,900
$212,900
$294,900
$298,900
$307,100
$377,000
$380,000
Z4

L6T
L6T
L6T
V8TT
V8TT
V8TT
V8TT
V8TT

3.0
3.0
3.0
4.4
4.4
4.4
4.4
4.4

250
250
250
390
390
390
460
460

500
500
500
750
750
750
750
750

A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8

1710
1710
1830
1995
1965
2024
1980
1885

5.2
5.0
5.3
3.9
3.7
3.9
3.2
3.2

7.4 95
7.1 95
7.3 95
9.9 95
9.8 95
9.9 95
10.7 98
10.4 98

R
R
R
A
06/19 A
A
A
A

Big engine, small car, no roof, it’s an age-old recipe that works
brilliantly in the new Z4. Ignore the four-pot and go the straight-six
THE PICK: M40i gains 285kW tune and a 4.1sec 0-100km/h time

sDrive 20i
M40i

$99,200
$139,00

L4T
L6T

2.0 145 320 A8 1405 6.6 6.5 95 55 02/20 R
3.0 285 500 A8 1535 4.1 7.4 95 55 02/20 R

$53,900
$65,900
$68,900
$84,900
$84,900
$90,900
X2

xDrive 20i M Sport
M35i xDrive
iX2 eDrive 20
iX2 xDrive 30

$75,900
$92,900
$82,900
$85,700
X3

whichcar.com.au/wheels

1.5
2.0
2.0
65
65
2.0

115
150
150
230
230
233

Drive

Issue
tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb
weight

Trans.

Torque

230
300
300
494
494
400

D7
D7
D7
R1
R1
D7

1505
1580
1580
–
–
–

9.0
7.4
7.4
5.6
5.6
5.4

6.5 95 56
7.2 95 56
7.2 95
TBC –
TBC –
8.5 95

F
A
A
A
A
A

L4T
L4T
E
E

2.0
2.0
67
67

150
233
150
230

300
400
247
494

D7
D7
R1
R1

1620
1695
–
2018

7.4
5.4
–
5.6

TBC 95
8.0 98
TBC –
17.7 –

A
A
F
A

Edgier, cooler update of one of BMW’s most important cars. Oodles
of space joined by decent kit, a plug-in hybrid option and an electric iX3
THE PICK: 30i or 30e, though well-stocked iX3 is quietly charming

sDrive 20i
xDrive 20d
xDrive 30i M Sport
xDrive 30d M Sport
xDrive 30e M Sport
iX3
M40i
M Competition

$83,100
$86,100
$97,900
$104,300
$111,800
$104,900
$126,800
$178,000
X4

L4T
L4TD
L4T
L6TD
L4TPH
E
L6T
L6TT

2.0
2.0
2.0
3.0
2.0
80
3.0
3.0

135
140
185
195
215
210
285
375

300
400
350
620
420
400
500
650

A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
R1
A8
A8

1710
1840
1810
1935
1990
2185
1910
2010

8.2
8.0
6.3
5.8
6.1
6.8
4.8
3.8

7.3 95
5.9 D
7.9 95
6.4 D
3.2 95
18.9 –
8.9 95
11.0 98

R
A
A
A
A
R
A
A

Paying more for an X3 with a fast roofline makes sense if you’ve
finished breeding, or have fur babies, or think an X6 is gauche
THE PICK: This active-wear X3 best suits an M40i or M

xDrive 20i
xDrive 30i
M40i
M Competition

$95,700
$106,400
$135,200
$185,200
X5

L4T
L4T
L6T
L6TT

2.0
2.0
3.0
3.0

135
185
285
375

300
350
500
650

A8
A8
A8
A8

1800
1815
1920
2010

8.3
6.3
4.8
3.8

7.7
7.9
8.9
10.8

95
95
95
98

R
A
A
A

Fourth time’s a charm for X5. Advanced tech, smartly packaged, lovely
dash and fun to punt around. Likeable 30d offers lag-free diesel punch
THE PICK: Tasty 40i, since a straight-six petrol is what BMW’s all about

xDrive 30d M Sport
xDrive 40i M Sport
xDrive 50e M Sport
M60i
M Competition

$134,900
$138,900
$149,900
$172,900
$241,900
X6

L6TTD
L6T
L6TH
V8TT
V8TT

3.0
3.0
3.0
4.4
4.4

219
250
360
390
460

670
450
700
750
750

A8
A8
A8
A8
A8

2110
2005
2435
2345
2310

6.6
5.2
5.6
4.3
3.8

7.3 D
9.2 95
2.3 95
11.5 95
12.5 95

02/20 A
02/20 A
A
A
04/20 A

If you thought the X5 could do with a little less load-carrying ability and
rear headroom, and a lot more grille, the X6 was built for you
THE PICK: An X5, or a V8 petrol... the M Comp if the budget can stretch

xDrive 30d M Sport
xDrive 40i M Sport
M60i
M Competition

$140,900
$144,900
$178,900
$247,900
X7

L6TTD
L6T
V8TT
V8TT

3.0
3.0
4.4
4.4

219
250
390
460

670
450
750
750

A8
A8
A8
A8

2110
2005
2235
2295

5.5
6.5
4.3
3.8

7.1 D
9.0 95
11.5 95
12.5 95

A
A
13/19 A
A

Luxury seven seater is built for space, with supreme comfort raised with
2022 update. Second row can now be specced as captain’s chairs
THE PICK: Petrol V8 is a belter, but muscular diesel makes more sense

xDrive 40i
xDrive 40d
M60i xDrive

$167,900
$174,900
$205,900
iX

L6T
3.0 280 540 A8 2240 5.8 9.6 95
L6TTD 3.0 260 720 A8 2370 5.9 8.0 D
V8TT 4.4 390 750 A8 2460 4.7 12.2 95

X
A
A

Polarising grille aside, the striking iX is a welcome return to form for
BMW design, as a brand-defining electric SUV should be!
THE PICK: Based on its 205km of extra range, the xDrive 50 Sport

xDrive 40
xDrive 40 Sport
xDrive 50 Sport
M60

$135,900
$149,900
$174,900
$222,900
XM

E
E
E
E

77
77
112
112

240
240
385
397

630
630
765
1100

R1
R1
R1
R1

2365
2365
2510
2670

6.1 24.5 –
6.1
–
4.6
–
3.8
–

A
A
A
A

A showcase of BMW’s current design extravagance, the XM is also the
first BMW M car with an electrified drivetrain (it’s a plug-in hybrid)
THE PICK: Only one for now, until Label Red version arrives

$302,200

112

L3T
L4T
L4T
E
E
L4T

More clearly a coupe-SUV than its predecessor, with broad drivetrain
choices including a performance flagship and an equally rapid EV iX1
THE PICK: Given their tight pricing, the best you can afford

Just when you thought the market for big, style-statement coupes had
all but evaporated, BMW breathes in new life – and tasty M variants
THE PICK: If you can afford the price of admission, go the M8 Comp

840i Gran Coupe
840i Coupe
840i Convertible
M850i xDrive GC
M850i xDrive Coupe
M850i xDrive Conv’
M8 Comp Gran Coupe
M8 Competition Coupe

Power

Price rises at entry level offset by richer spec for all-new X1, joined by
electric iX1 and first-ever M-branded version, the rapid, raunchy M35i
THE PICK: Modest premium for electric iX1 screams sensible

Raises a middle finger to the unrelated 2 Series Gran Coupe, with
traditional rear-drive ... unless you opt for the saucy AWD M240i
THE PICK: An M240i in metallic purple because grey is snoozeville

$68,800
$74,300
$96,000
$119,000
3 Series

Size

X1

2 Series

220i M Sport
230i M Sport
M240i xDrive
M2

Engine
type

Price

Drive

Issue
tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb
weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

Engine
type

Price

Data
bank

V8TPH 4.4 480 800 A8 2710 4.3 TBC 98

A

BMW – FORD

7 years/unlimited km

Dolphin

E
E
E

45 70 180 R1 1506 12.3 –
60 150 310 R1 1658 7.0 –
60 150 310 R1 1658 7.0 –

–
–
–

F
F
F

China’s ‘Build Your Dreams’ debut vehicle is medium SUV in size, with
two range variants and a striking, concept car-esque interior
THE PICK: The Extended Range for its extra 75km (up to 420km)

Standard range
Extended range

$44,990*
$47,990*

E
E

50 150 310 R1 1680 7.3 TBC –
60 150 310 R1 1750 7.3 TBC –

V
VZ
VZe
VZx

$409,888
296

1.6 100 160 M5 675
2.0 177 206 M6 700
2.0 177 206 M6 700

5.5 6.2 95
4.5 7.7 95
4.5 7.7 95

R
R
R

GTB
GTS

7 years/unlimited

Rakish compact crossover makes its case with decent equipment and
sufficiently lively performance, but intrusive driver aids get in the way
THE PICK: We’d save the $3K and skip the sunroof and power tailgate

L4T
L4T

1.5 108 210 C
1.5 108 210 C

1346 9.2 6.9 91
1393 9.2 6.9 91

1.2 81

205 A6 1090 10.7 6.6 95

$39,990
C5 X

L3T

$57,670
L4T
C5 Aircross

$54,990

L4T

1.2 114

240 A8 1237 9.2 6.1 95

1.6 133 250 A8 1467 8.1 6.0 95

1.6 133 250 A8 1402 8.2 5.7 95

Cupra

F

Dolcevita
Abarth 695 Comp’
Abarth 695 Comp’

La Prima
Abarth Turismo

L4T
L4T
L4TPH
L4T

F

5 years/unlimited

2.0
2.0
1.4
2.0

E

Drive

Issue
tested

Resale %

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb
weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

RON

95
95
95
98

A
F
F
A

3 years/unlimited

V8TT

3.9 456 760 D8 1570 3.4 11.2 98

10/20 R

$568,300 V6TT
$668,146
V6TT
SF90 Stradale

3.0 610 740 D8 1470 2.9 6.4 98
3.0 610 740 D8 1540 3.0 6.4 98

R
R

$846,888
$957,700

V8TTH 4.0 574 800 D8 1570 2.5 V8TTH 4.0 574 800 D8

98
98

09/20 A
A

3 years/150,000km

140
180
180
221

320
370
400
400

D7
D7
D6
D7

1461
1493
1634
1503

7.2
6.4
6.7
5.7

6.2
6.7
1.8
6.8

95
95
95
98

82 170 310 R1 1927 7.0 17.0 –

$27,220
$37,900
$39,900
500e

L4
L4T
L4T

1.2 51 102 S5 920 12.9 4.8 95
1.4 132 250 M5 1045 6.7 6.0 95
1.4 132 250 S5 1045 6.9 5.8 95

F
03/17 F
F

$52,500
$55,990

E
E

42 87
42 113

220 R1 1290 9.0 14.4 235 R1 1335 7.0 18.1 –

F
F
F
F

R

F
F

5 years/unlimited

Edgier, cooler comprehensive rework of previous Mustang generation
adds polish and extra panache, plus a shedload of standard equipment
THE PICK: GT Fastback manual is the heart and soul of a ’Stang

EcoBoost Fastback
GT Fastback
GT Fastback
GT Convertible
Dark Horse
Dark Horse

$64,990
$77,002
$80,902
$86,752
$99,102
$103,002
Puma

L4T
V8
V8
V8
V8
V8

2.3
5.0
5.0
5.0
5.0
5.0

232
347
347
347
349
349

475
550
550
550
548
548

A10 1746
M6 1813
A10 1841
A10 1881
M6 1822
A10 1842

–
–
–
–
–
–

9.4 98
13.6 98
12.9 98
12.9 98
15.5 98
12.9 98

R
R
R
R
R
R

Ford’s new small SUV looks exxy compared with rivals but is bursting
with standard gear. Plus, it’s a million times better than the EcoSport!
THE PICK: Trim and equipment the decider here. We’d go the ST-Line

ST-Line
ST-Line V

$30,340
$32,690
$35,890
Escape

L3T
L3T
L3T

1.0 92
1.0 92
1.0 92

170 D7 1314
170 D7 1314
170 D7 1314

10.0 5.3 95
10.0 5.3 95
10.0 5.3 95

F
F
F

Underrated but worthy of attention for its dynamics, Ford offers an
appealing, ahem, Escape from the masses. Plug-in hybrid finally here
THE PICK: ST-Line AWD the sweet spot with its punchy 2.0-litre turbo

Closely related to the VW ID.3, but with sportier chassis tune, so brings
engaging rear-drive dynamics, along with over 500km of WLTP range.
THE PICK: We get the gruntiest version, so be happy with that

$59,990

7.0
6.9
1.9
7.7

Mustang

F

The Mk8 Golf’s naughty Spanish cousin, including a plug-in hybrid with
51km of WLTP electric range and a 221kW VZx front-drive scorcher
THE PICK: VZx with matte paint and copper 19s

$45,190
$53,490
$61,690
$61,690
Born

7.1
6.8
7.0
4.9

Ford

Leon

V
VZ
VZe
VZx

1618
1569
1708
1647

Visibly derived from the combustion-engined 500 but a completely
different, slightly larger car on a new platform. WLTP range is 311km
THE PICK: At this price point, the funkier and faster Abarth 500e

The SUV for those after a Goldilocks pick between Peugeot 3008 and
5008. Handsome styling refresh, improved power and tech for MY23
THE PICK: Facelifted Sport refines Citroen’s left-field concept nicely

Sport

D7
D7
D6
D7

Ageing Italian icon still a cute, affordable runabout but robotised ‘DualLogic’ auto is flawed and you’ll need a kidney belt for bonkers Abarth
THE PICK: A second-hand 500 manual, not the pricey MY23 update

Large crossover wagon brings distinctive exterior design, but also a
welcome focus on ride comfort. A well-equipped, likeable oddball
THE PICK: There’s only one for now; PHEV not for Oz ... yet

Shine

320
370
400
400

Fiat

05/18 F

More polished than a Cactus and way better than its dull C4
predecessors, the new C4 finally combines comfort, charm and class
THE PICK: There’s only one so make it orange

Shine

Spider

5 years/unlimited

Likeable but invisible French hatch brings flair and individuality,
however its price is too steep for any level of sales success
THE PICK: Something bright and cheery, so you forget what you paid for it

L3T

140
180
180
228

The plug-in hybrid electric craze reaches Maranello. However, it isn’t
for tree-hugging, the extra volts are all about adding performance
THE PICK: If you’ve got the means, you won’t be disappointed

F
F

C3

$32,267
C4

2.0
2.0
1.4
2.0

500

Citroën

Shine

L4T
L4T
L4TPH
L4T

A masterful execution of chassis sophistication and hybrid tech,
delivering scintillating throttle response combined with 25km EV range.
THE PICK: Spyder’s extra $100K worth it for the soundtrack

Omoda 5

$29,990
$32,990

A

Pretty and deceptively appealing, Roma is also a joy to drive thanks to
its searing pace and long-legged chassis tune
THE PICK: This is it until the drop top arrives

2 years/50,000km

Chery

EX

$51,990
$56,990
$64,990
$65,790

Ferrari

F
F

Developed from Colin Chapman’s 1957 vision; a time when cigarettes
were good for you. Ridiculously fast fun. Range revised in 2023
THE PICK: 485 S is all the reborn Lotus 7 fun you’ll ever need

L4
L4
L4

2.0 221 400 D7 1652 4.9 7.8 98

Riding on the same MQB Evo platform as Leon and Golf 8, the
Formentor is the first-ever Cupra-only model and it’s a bit of a stunner
THE PICK: 228kW VZx with Akrapovic exhaust, or plush-riding V

Seven

$74,800
$128,000*
$138,000*

$63,490
L4T
Formentor

Roma

Caterham
275
485 S
485 CSR

Size

Dating from 2016, Ateca is closely related to Skoda’s Karoq but with
multi-link IRS, AWD, and a scorching 221kW 2.0-litre turbo-petrol donk
THE PICK: Optioned with Akrapovic exhaust, Brembo brakes, sunroof

VZx

Ticks budget EV boxes by providing roomy cabin and smooth, quiet
performance. Base model not quick but still fit for purpose
THE PICK: Premium worth it for range, pace and IRS

$38,890
$44,890
$49,990
Atto 3

Engine
type

Ateca

BYD
Dynamic
Premium
Sport

Price

Drive

Issue
tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb
weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

Price

Engine
type

YOUR COMPLETE NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE

ST-Line
ST-Line AWD

$37,490
$39,490
$42,490

L4T
L4T
L4T

2.0 183 387 A8 1611 2.0 183 387 A8 1621 2.0 183 387 A8 1690 -

8.6 95
8.6 95
8.6 95

@wheelsaustralia

F
F
A

113

Vignale
Vignale AWD
ST-Line PHEV

$48,090
$51,090
$54,440
Everest

L4T
L4T
L4PH

2.0 183 387 A8 1621 - 8.6 95
2.0 183 387 A8 1690 - 8.6 95
2.5 167 n/a C 1843 9.2 1.5 95

F
A
F

$53,290
$58,290
$60,590
$65,590
$69,590
$77,530
Ranger

L4TTD
L4TTD
L4TTD
L4TTD
V6TD
V6TD

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
3.0
3.0

154
154
154
154
184
184

500
500
500
500
600
600

A10 2259
A10 2367
A10 2274
A10 2383
A10 2454
A10 2492

–
–
–
–
–
–

7.1
7.2
7.1
7.2
8.5
8.5

D
D
D
D
D
D

3.5T AWD Sport
Electrified

R
A
R
A
A
A

2.5T
2.5T AWD
3.0D AWD
3.5T AWD

$51,430
$59,190
$53,430
$54,330
$61,190
$64,190
$63,690
$66,690
$67,190
$70,190
$75,990
$76,990
$85,490
F-150

$106,950
$107,945
$139,950
$140,945
Mach-E

$72,990
$86,990
$104,990

L4TTD
L4TTD
L4TTD
L4TTD
L4TTD
V6TD
L4TTD
V6TD
L4TTD
V6TD
L4TTD
V6TD
V6TT

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
3.0
2.0
3.0
2.0
3.0
2.0
3.0
3.0

V6TT
V6TT
V6TT
V6TT

3.5
3.5
3.5
3.5

E
E
E

154
154
154
154
154
184
154
184
154
184
154
184
292

500
500
500
500
500
600
500
600
500
600
500
600
583

A10 2091
A10 2145
A10 2143
A10 2151
A10 2197
A10 2256
A10 2206
A10 2264
A10 2271
A10 2329
A10 2290
A10 2345
A10 2413

–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–

7.6
7.6
7.6
7.6
7.6
8.4
7.6
8.4
7.6
8.4
7.6
8.4
11.5

298
298
298
298

678
678
678
678

A10
A10
A10
A10

2451
2471
2535
2555

–
–
–
–

D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
98

A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A

12.5 91
12.5 91
12.5 91
12.5 91

71 198 430 R1 1996 7.0 91 216 430 R1 2070 6.9 91 358 860 R1 2273 4.4 -

A
A
A
A

-

-

-

R
R
A

114

Drive

Issue
tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb
weight

Trans.

Torque

Size

Engine
type

Power

224
224
204
279

422
422
588
530

A8
A8
M6
A8

2073
2153
2267
2248

6.9
6.9
6.8
5.5

9.8 95
10.4 95
8.8 D
11.7 95

R
A
A
A

3 years/100,000km

Stingray 2LT coupe
$175,000
V8
6.2 369
Stingray 2LT convertible $190,000
V8
6.2 369
Stingray 3LT coupe
$190,000
V8
6.2 369
Stingray 3LT convertible $205,000 V8
6.2 369
Stingray Z06 3LZ coupe $336,000 V8
5.5 475
Chevrolet Silverado

637
637
637
637
550

D8
D8
D8
D8
D8

1601
1638
1601
1638
1601

–
–
–
–
–

13.5 95
13.5 95
13.5 95
13.5 95
13.5 95

R
R
R
R
R

Dwarfs just about everything else on the road, and could probably tow
your house into a better suburb. Hugely improved dashboard for MY23
THE PICK: Better-riding, off-road-focused ZR2

1500 LTZ Premium
1500 ZR2

$128,000
$133,000

V8
V8

6.2 313 624 A10 2543 6.4 12.2 91
6.2 313 624 A10 2583
12.2 91

GWM-Haval

08/20 A
A

7 years/unlimited

Ora
The cute styling grabs your attention, but delve a bit deeper and there’s
decent fitness for purpose here, with an inviting, spacious interior
THE PICK: If you can live with around 300km per charge, go Standard

Standard Range
Extended Range
Ultra
GT

$39,990
$45,990
$48,990
$51,990
Jolion

E
E
E
E

48
63
63
63

126
126
126
126

250
250
250
250

R1
R1
R1
R1

1540
1580
1580
1580

8.4
8.4
8.4
8.4

16.8 16.8 16.8 16.8 -

F
F
F
F

Much-needed H2 replacement makes its case for being maxxed in size
and spec for a small SUV, plus a load better than the previous dunger
THE PICK: Good value Lux gets all the kit you should need

Handsome styling, a long warranty and plenty of space and features
may lure punters to the H6 like a politician to -a backroom deal
THE PICK: Less is best, so the Premium for $34K drive-away

$81,000
$88,000
G80

L4T
V6TT

2.0 179 353 A8 1699 6.4 9.1 95
3.3 274 510 A8 1765 4.7 10.2 95

R
R

$85,670
$114,670
$145,000
GV60

L4T
V6TT
E

2.5 224 422 A8 1869 6.0 8.6 95
3.5 279 530 A8 2023 5.1 10.7 95
87.2 272 700 R1 2245 4.9

R
A
A

$106,375
$113,375
GV70

E
E

77 234 605 R1 2160 5.5 18.8 –
77 360 700 R1 2210 4.0 19.1 –

A
A

Premium
Lux
Lux Hybrid
Ultra
S
Ultra Hybrid

Premium
Lux
Ultra
Ultra AWD
Ultra Hybrid
GT Lux
GT Ultra AWD

$68,500
$70,900
$73,200

L4T
L4T
L4TD

whichcar.com.au/wheels

2.5 224 422 A8 1908 6.1 9.8 95
2.5 224 422 A8 1973 6.1 10.3 95
2.2 154 440 A8 1993 7.9 7.8 D

R
A
A

$33,990*
$36,990*
$39,990*
$42,990*
$45,990*
$40,990*
$46,490*
Tank 300

L4T
L4T
L4TH
L4T
L4T
L4TH

L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4TH
L4T
L4T

1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
1.5
2.0
2.0

110
110
139
110
130
139

150
150
150
150
179
150
150

210
210
375
210
260
375

320
320
320
320
530
320
320

D7
D7
C
D7
D7
C

D7
D7
D7
D7
C
D7
D7

1400
1400
1500
1400
1400
1500

1555
1555
1555
1625
1690
1570
1680

–
–
8.2
–
–
8.2

–
–
–
–
–
–
–

8.1
8.1
5.0
8.1
7.6
5.0

7.4
7.4
7.4
8.3
5.2
7.5
8.4

95
95
95
95
95
95

95
95
95
95
91
91
91

F
F
F
F
F
F

F
F
F
A
F
F
A

Medium SUV with available hybrid powertrain and serious off-road
ability; something of a bargain compared to Jeep’s Wrangler
THE PICK: Top-spec Ultra adds a decent amount of kit for $5K

Lux
Ultra
Lux Hybrid
Ultra Hybrid

If you like the G70 but need more space, the GV70 could be the answer.
Solid line-up, lusty engines , lush quality, now with an enticing EV option
THE PICK: EV worth the hefty premium if it fits your lifestyle

2.5T
2.5T AWD
2.2D AWD

2.5
2.5
3.0
3.5

Revised G70 still defined by its pace, handling and quality, but gets
styling and tech updates for MY24, new dampers for V6, simpler range
THE PICK: Fruity sounding 3.3T Sedan in tasteful Hallasan Green

First EV for the brand is, predictably, based on the EMGP platform, so
delivers honed dynamics, great packaging and ultra-fast charging
THE PICK: Can you really use all that the Performance offers?

AWD
Performance AWD

L4T
L4T
L6TD
V6TT

G70

5 years/unlimited

Limo with a touch of Art Deco glamour and a big dose of individuality,
along with segment-leading equipment, new Sport models
THE PICK: The EV, or 2.5T with Sport Line package

2.5T
3.5T AWD
Electrified

$92,200
$97,200
$105,200
$109,700

$28,490*
$30,990*
$36,990*
$33,990*
$36,990*
$40,990*
H6

Genesis

2.0T Shooting Brake
3.3T Sedan

A
A

First-ever factory RHD Corvette mid-mounts its new LT2 V8 and
mates it to a dual-clutch for supercar acceleration, cracking dynamics
THE PICK: 2LT coupe or convertible, unless you can stretch to Z06

Deserves to give the Tesla Model Y a shake thanks to excellent
refinement, decent dynamics, practical cabin, and great visibility
THE PICK: Premium is quick enough; GT bonkers and slurps charge

Select
Premium
GT

3.5 279 530 A8 2038 5.1 11.3 95
77 360 700 R1 2310 4.2 19.9 –

Corvette

Factory F-150 offers two tray lengths (5.5- or 6.5-foot) and Raptor’s
twin-turbo V6, with a 136-litre tank and 4.5-tonne towing capacity
THE PICK: Lariat gets all the fruit but XLT much cheaper, looks tougher

XLT Crew Cab
XLT Crew Cab LWB
Lariat Crew Cab
Lariat Crew Cab LWB

V6TT
E

GMSV

New-gen, Aussie-developed Ranger scores big for refinement,
sophistication and breadth of talent, topped by the searing new Raptor
THE PICK: Sport V6 for its value and punch, or Raptor coz it’s nuts

XL Super Cab
XLT Super Cab
XL
XLS
XLT
XLT V6
Sport
Sport V6
Wildtrak
Wildtrak V6
Wildtrak X
Platinum
Raptor

$84,600
$127,800
GV80

Upmarket flagship SUV for the Genesis brand, pitched as a genuine X5
rival offering lavish interiors, fine quality and strong value
THE PICK: If you can afford the fuel, the 3.5T AWD is king

COTY-winning wagon version of T6.2 Ranger dual-cab brings a new
level of sophistication for its class, plus a ballsy new diesel V6
THE PICK: V6-only Sport 4WD blends value and grunt

Ambiente
Ambiente 4WD
Trend
Trend 4WD
Sport 4WD
Platinum 4WD

Price

Drive

Issue
tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb
weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

Price

Engine
type

Data
bank

$46,990*
$50,990*
$55,990*
$60,990*
Ute

L4T
L4T
L4TH
L4TH

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0

162
162
258
258

380
380
615
615

A8
A8
A9
A9

2155
2155
2313
2313

–
–
–
–

9.5
9.5
8.4
8.4

91
91
91
91

A
A
A
A

If equipment sizzle matters then GWM’s Ute is a game-changer … until
you unearth its drivetrain and dynamic flaws, though it’s not bad
THE PICK: For showroom glamour, the loaded Cannon-X

Cannon
Cannon

$35,990
$38,990*

L4TD
L4TD

2.0 120 400 A8 1935 –
2.0 120 400 A8 2100 –

8.3 D
9.4 D

R
A

FO RD – H YU NDAI

Honda
Civic

Brilliant chassis and a terrific interior partly undermined by boring
engine, exxy price. Hybrid better; Type-R is world’s best hot hatch
THE PICK: Fun, frugality or front-drive fury? Your choice

VTi-LX
e:HEV LX
Type R

$47,200*
$55,000*
$72,600*
Accord

L4T
L4H
L4T

1.5 131 240 C 1369 7.5 6.3 91
1.5 135 315 C 1475 8.1 4.2 95
2.0 235 420 M6 1430 5.4 8.9 98

F
F
F

With COTY wins (’77 original and ’08 Euro), every Accord arrives with
high hopes. Earth Dreams chassis, turbo and hybrid deliver
THE PICK: The turbo four is demonstrably better than the hybrid

VTi-LX Turbo
VTi-LX Hybrid

$57,900*
$61,900*
HR-V

L4T
L4H

1.5 140 260 C
2.0 158 315 C

1504 –
1591 –

6.5 91
4.3 91

02/20 F
F

$36,700*
$47,000*
ZR-V

L4
L4H

1.5 89
1.5 96

145 C
253 C

1267 – 5.8 91
1382 10.6 4.3 91

F
F

Mid-size SUV that slots between the HR-V and the larger, next-gen
CR-V has a lovely interior and an agreeable, easy-driving character
THE PICK: VTi LX for blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert

VTi X
VTi L
VTi LX
e:HEV LX

$40,200*
$43,200*
$48,500*
$54,900*
CR-V

L4H
L4H
L4H
L4H

1.5
1.5
1.5
2.0

131
131
131
135

240
240
240
315

C
C
C
C

1433
1465
1512
1586

–
–
–
8.0

7.2
7.2
7.2
5.5

91
91
91
91

F
F
F
F

Much-needed new-generation CR-V channel’s the Civic’s
sophistication and finesse in a market-friendly medium SUV package
THE PICK: If its siblings are anything to go by, the flagship Hybrid

VTi X
VTi L
VTi X7
VTi L7
VTi L AWD
VTi LX AWD
e:HEV RS

$44,500*
$48,800*
$46,800*
$53,000*
$51,300*
$57,000*
$59,900*

L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4H

1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
2.0

140
140
140
140
140
140
152

240
240
240
240
240
240
335

C
C
C
C
C
C
C

1613
1623
1665
1700
1669
1719
1771

–
–
–
–
–
–
9.4

Hyundai

7.1
7.1
7.3
7.3
7.4
7.7
5.5

91
91
91
91
91
91
91

F
F
F
F
A
A
F

5 years/unlimited

i20
This hot little groover is arguably the N model to have with its
mechanical LSD, hyper agility and red-hot price. This or a small SUV?
THE PICK: Manual-only i20 N could be the perfect post-Covid tonic

N

$34,990
i30

L4T

1.6 150 275 M6 1210 6.2 6.9 95

F

Hybrid
Elite
Elite Hybrid
Premium
Premium Hybrid
N-Line
N-Line Premium
N Premium
N Premium

Active
Elite
N-Line
N-Line
N-Line Premium
N-Line Premium
N
N
N Premium
N Premium s/roof
N Drive-N Limited Ed.
N Drive-N Limited Ed.
Fastback N
Fastback N

L4
L4
L4
L4
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
1.6
1.6
1.6
1.6
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0

120
120
120
120
150
150
150
150
206
206
206
206
206
206
206
206

203
203
203
203
265
265
265
265
392
392
392
392
392
392
392
392

M6
A6
A6
A6
M6
D7
M6
D7
M6
D8
M6
D8
M6
D8
M6
D8

1357
1382
1382
1382
1407
1436
1407
1436
1447
–
1447
1541
1508
1541
–
–

–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
5.9
5.4
5.9
5.4
5.9
5.4
5.9
5.4

7.3
7.4
7.4
7.4
7.5
7.8
7.5
7.8
8.5
8.5
8.5
8.5
8.5
8.5
8.5
8.5

91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91
95
95
95
95
95
95
95
95

F
F
12/18 F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F

$29,000
$33,000
$33,500
TBC
$38,500
TBC
$36,000
$41,500
$50,200
$50,200
Sonata

L4
L4H
L4
L4H
L4
L4H
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T

2.0
1.6
2.0
1.6
2.0
1.6
1.6
1.6
2.0
2.0

110
104
110
104
110
104
150
150
206
206

180
265
180
265
180
265
265
265
392
392

C
D6
C
D6
C
D6
D7
D7
M6
D8

1260
–
1300
–
1334
–
1340
1385
1445
1480

–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
5.8
5.3

Drive

Issue
tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

6.1
3.9
6.1
3.9
6.1
3.9
6.8
6.8
8.2
8.2

91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91
95
95

F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F

Perhaps a touch too much power for its front wheels to cope with but
eighth-gen Sonata definitely has spirit, and newfound techno style
THE PICK: Make it black, to milk its four-door Knight Rider vibe

N-Line

$55,500
Venue

L4T

2.5 213 422 D8 1675 6.2 8.1 91

F

A much, much better baby bus than people give it credit for, though
those base alloys look like roller skates. Now no longer sub-$20K
THE PICK: Probably the Active with its stylish 17s and added glamour

Active
Active
Elite

$21,740
$23,760
$23,670
$25,690
$27,540
Kona

L4
L4
L4
L4
L4

1.6
1.6
1.6
1.6
1.6

90
90
90
90
90

151
151
151
151
151

M6
A6
M6
A6
A6

1140
1165
1200
1225
1225

11.2
11.4
11.2
11.4
10.4

7.0
7.2
7.0
7.2
7.2

91
91
91
91
91

F
F
F
11/19 F
01/20 F

Based on the newer i30 Sedan’s platform, second-gen Kona boasts
expanded dimensions for significant cabin gains; ample safety gear
THE PICK: 1.6T N-Line is punchy and grippy, or wait for EV

2.0
2.0 N-Line
Hybrid
Hybrid N-Line
1.6T N-Line
Premium 2.0
Premium 2.0 N Line
Premium Hybrid
Premium Hybrid N-Line
Premium 1.6T N-Line

$32,000
$36,000
$36,000
$40,000
$40,000
$39,500
$42,500
$43,500
$46,500
$46,500
Tucson

L4
L4
L4H
L4H
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4H
L4H
L4T

2.0
2.0
1.6
1.6
1.6
2.0
2.0
1.6
1.6
1.6

110
110
104
104
146
110
110
104
104
146

180
180
265
265
265
180
180
265
265
265

C
C
D6
D6
A8
C
C
D6
D6
A8

1335
1335
1410
1410
1450
1455
1455
1410
1410
1450

10.2
10.2
11.2
11.2
8.5
10.2
10.2
11.2
11.2
8.5

6.2
6.2
3.9
3.9
7.6
6.6
6.6
3.9
3.9
7.6

91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91

F
F
F
F
A
F
F
F
F
A

Its striking shape, minimalist interior design, class-leading space and
excellent handling shine, though ancient 2.0-litre is oddly out of step
THE PICK: A Highlander 1.6T/2.0D, with or without N-Line package

Elite
Elite 1.6T
Elite CRDi
Highlander
Highlander 1.6T
Highlander CRDi

Likeable, with a robust interior, decent dynamics, respectable polish ...
but outstanding N performance variants steal the show
THE PICK: N hot hatch. Or anything with a turbo

$23,720
$25,720
$27,220
$30,520
$30,220
$32,220
$35,020
$37,020
$46,200
$49,200
$49,200
$53,700
$53,200
$56,200
$49,000
$52,000

0-100

Anti-bland Elantra-in-drag finally pushes design boundaries, and gets
more kit, revised powertrains for MY24, plus a Hybrid for the first time
THE PICK: The Sedan N is an absolute rip-snorter, with updates coming

Channels the dynamic excellence of the latest Civic, and its pricing,
though base petrol is insipid and ADR rules mean it only seats four
THE PICK: The Hybrid for its equipment and efficiency

Vi-X
e-HEV L

Kerb
weight

i30 Sedan

A
A
A
A

5 years/unlimited

Trans.

D
D
D
D

Torque

9.4
9.4
9.4
9.4

Power

–
–
–
–

Size

RON

2100
2100
2100
2220

Engine
type

Fuel cons.

A8
A8
A8
A8

Price

0-100

400
400
400
400

Drive

Kerb
weight

120
120
120
120

Issue
tested

Trans.

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0

Resale %

Torque

L4TD
L4TD
L4TD
L4TD

Power

$42,490*
$45,490*
$46,490*
$52,990*

Size

Cannon-L
Cannon-X
Cannon Vanta
Cannon-XSR

Engine
type

Price

YOUR COMPLETE NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE

$34,900
$39,400
$43,400
$45,400
$46,400
$50,400
$52,400
Santa Fe

L4
L4
L4T
L4TD
L4
L4T
L4TD

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
1.6
2.0

115
115
132
137
115
132
137

192
192
265
416
192
265
416

A6
A6
D7
A8
A6
D7
A8

1428
1479
1560
1680
1530
1689
1810

–
–
–
–
–
–
–

8.1
8.1
7.2
6.3
8.1
7.2
6.3

91
91
91
D
91
91
D

F
F
A
A
F
A
A

Along with its Kia Sorento cousin, one of the finest large SUVs you can
buy, especially the beautifully presented Elite and Highlander
THE PICK: Active and Elite AWD diesels are the value sweet spot

CRDi
Active
Active CRDi
Elite
Elite CRDi
Highlander
Highlander CRDi
Elite Hybrid
Highlander Hybrid

$46,050
$49,550
$50,250
$53,750
$56,500
$60,000
$63,050
$66,550
$63,000
$69,550
Palisade

V6
L4TD
V6
L4TD
V6
L4TD
V6
L4TD
L4H
L4H

3.5
2.2
3.5
2.2
3.5
2.2
3.5
2.2
1.6
1.6

200
148
200
148
200
148
200
148
169
169

331
440
331
440
331
440
331
440
350
350

A8
D8
A8
D8
A8
D8
A8
D8
A6
A6

1735
1820
1735
1820
1858
1943
1858
1943
1945
1983

–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–

10.5 91
6.1 D
10.5 91
6.1 D
10.5 91
6.1 D
10.5 91
6.1 D
6.0 91
6.0 91

F
A
F
A
F
A
F
A
A
A

Refreshed for 2024 with extra equipment, new Calligraphy flagship
variant. If you need to move eight people, this is a fine way to do it
THE PICK: Calligraphy diesel with 2nd-row captain’s chairs is nicely luxe

Elite
Elite CRDi
Calligraphy

$66,800
$70,800
$75,900

V6
L4TD
V6

3.8 217 355 A8 1911 –
2.2 147 440 A8 1980 –
3.8 217 355 A8 1984 –

10.7 91
7.3 D
10.7 91

@wheelsaustralia

R
A
R

115

Dynamiq
Dynamiq AWD
Epiq
Epiq AWD
N

E
E
E
E
E
E
E

58
77
77
77
77
77
84

125
168
168
239
168
239
478

350
350
350
605
350
605
770

R1
R1
R1
R1
R1
R1
R1

–
–
2015
2095
–
2125
2200

8.5
7.3
7.3
5.1
7.3
5.1
3.4

– –
17.9 –
17.9 –
19.0 –
17.9 –
19.0 –
– –

R
R
R
A
R
A
A

Pitched as a ‘streamliner’ liftback alternative to Ioniq 5, with its aero
shape giving it a range advantage. New base Ioniq 6 offers 429km range
THE PICK: All three have merit, but the Dynamiq sits in the sweet spot

Dynamiq
Dynamiq AWD
Epiq
Epiq AWD

$65,500
$71,500
$77,500
$82,000
$81,000
$85,500
Staria

E
E
E
E
E
E

53
77
77
77
77
77

111
168
168
239
168
239

350
350
350
605
350
605

R1
R1
R1
R1
R1
R1

–
–
1957
2018
–
2110

8.8
7.3
7.3
5.1
7.3
5.1

– –
17.8 –
17.8 –
18.8 –
17.8 –
18.8 –

R
R
R
A
R
A

While it sounds like a bogan name for a girl, the intelligent, futuristic
Staria is a hugely roomy, highly worthy alternative to an SUV
THE PICK: The higher the spec, the closer to Buck Rogers

CRDi
Elite
Elite CRDi
Highlander
Highlander CRDi

$48,500
$51,500
$56,500
$59,500
$63,500
$66,500

V6
L4TD
V6
L4TD
V6
L4TD

3.5
2.2
3.5
2.2
3.5
2.2

200
130
200
130
200
130

331
430
331
430
331
430

A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8

2142
2255
2177
2290
2212
2325

–
–
–
–
–
–

10.5 91
8.2 D
10.5 91
8.2 D
10.5 91
8.2 D

Ineos

F
A
F
A
F
A

5 years/unlimited

Grenadier
Spiritual successor to the original Land Rover Defender is built to be
unstoppable off-road, and is loaded with pragmatic design touches
THE PICK: Diesel wagon is the most frugal and versatile

Utility Wagon

$97,000

L6T

3.0 210 450 A8 2546 8.6 15.3 95

A

Fieldmaster UW

$107,400

L6TD

3.0 183 550 A8 2745 9.9 11.8 D

A

Trialmaster UW
Station Wagon
Fieldmaster SW
Trialmaster (SW

$108,525
$98,000
$109,525
$109,525

L6T
L6T
L6TD
L6T

3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0

A
A
A
A

210
210
183
210

450
450
550
450

A8
A8
A8
A8

2745
2678
2745
2764

8.6
8.6
9.9
8.6

Isuzu

15.3 95
15.3 95
11.8 D
15.3 95

L4TD
L4TD
L4TD
L4TD
L4TD
L4TD

3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0

140
140
140
140
140
140

450
450
450
450
450
450

A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6

2035
2135
2060
2155
2085
2175

–
–
–
–
–
–

7.8
8.3
7.8
8.3
7.8
8.3

D
D
D
D
D
D

116

$50,200
$52,200
$53,300

L4TD
L4TD
L4TD

whichcar.com.au/wheels

1.9 110 350 A6 1950 –
3.0 140 450 A6 2035 –
3.0 140 450 M6 2020 –

6.9 D
8.0 D
7.7 D

–
–
–
–
–
–

8.0
8.0
7.7
8.0
8.0
8.0

D
D
D
D
D
D

Drive

2030
2060
2100
2105
2112
2165

Issue
tested

RON

A6
A6
M6
A6
A6
A6

Resale %

Fuel cons.

Engine
type

Price

450
450
450
450
450
450

A
A
A
A
A
A

5 years/unlimited

P300 Sport

$80,450
XF

L4T

2.0 221 400 A8 1665 5.9 6.9 95

R

Second-gen XF finally scores the lighting detail and interior flair to
match its supple ride and driver appeal, only to see the range shrivel
THE PICK: The best engine now in one primo spec, with AWD

P300 Sport

$114,470
E-Pace

L4T

2.0 221 400 A8 1744 6.1 7.1 95

A

Looking far more chic now that it’s been facelifted, the latest E-Pace
brings big improvements in cabin tech and luxury
THE PICK: The 300 Sport with mild-hybrid system and adaptive AWD

P250 R-Dynamic S
P250 R-Dynamic SE
P250 R-Dynamic HSE
300 Sport

$71,070
$74,263
$78,177
$87,035
F-Pace

L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0

184
184
184
221

365
365
365
400

A9
A9
A9
A9

1782
1782
1782
1877

7.5
7.5
7.5
6.9

7.7
7.7
7.7
8.1

98
98
98
98

A
A
A
A

Trademark steering crispness, handling and space finally joined by a
cutting-edge interior and sparkling mild-hybrid straight sixes
THE PICK: P400 with its electric supercharger, or mad-hatter SVR

P250 R-Dynamic S
P250 R-Dynamic SE
D300 R-Dynamic SE
P400 R-Dynamic SE
P400 R-Dynamic HSE
400 Sport
SVR

$82,200
$87,000
$103,200
$105,700
$116,800
$124,600
$149,900
F-Type

L4T
L4T
L6TTD
L6ST
L6ST
L6ST
V8S

2.0
2.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
5.0

184
184
221
294
294
294
405

365
365
650
550
550
550
700

A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8

1897
1897
2083
2028
2028
1953
2058

7.3
7.3
6.4
5.4
5.4
5.4
4.0

7.4 95
7.4 95
- D
8.7 95
8.7 95
9.5 95
12.2 98

A
A
A
A
A
A
A

More aggressive than ever, now rationalised to V8 engines only.
Not as sharp as a Cayman/Boxster but loaded with personality
THE PICK: Probably the rag-top, to hear that V8 roar

P450 R-Dynamic Coupe
P450 R-Dynamic conv’
P575 R Coupe
ZP Edition Coupe

$171,029
$176,282
$278,373
$373,547
I-Pace

V8S
V8S
V8S
V8S

5.0
5.0
5.0
5.0

331
331
423
423

580
580
700
700

A8
A8
A8
A8

1706
1718
1780
1780

4.6
4.6
3.7
3.7

11.3
11.3
11.3
11.8

98
98
98
98

R
R
A
A

A breathtaking first electric car from Jaguar. Intriguing to behold and
fun to pedal hard, it shows Tesla a thing or two about build quality
THE PICK: All grades recently updated. Trim the only difference

EV400 SE
EV400 HSE

$148,800
$165,600

E
E

90 294 696 R1 2058 4.8 22.3 90 294 696 R1 2058 4.8 22.3 -

Jeep

A
A

5 years/100,000km

Compass
Not as interesting as the (now defunct) Renegade, but new circa-2021
interior and extra equipment add some level of appeal
THE PICK: Entry-level Night Eagle is the equator for Compass

R
A
R
A
R
A

New D-Max has moved upmarket with richer spec, more grunt,
a classier cabin and heaps of safety gear. Tweaked in ’22
THE PICK: Now a genuine rival for Hilux, way better than Triton

SX Crew Cab
SX Crew Cab
LS-M Crew Cab

140
140
140
140
140
140

Down from 14 to one, the best XE powertrain remains – a slick, punchy
2.0t, blending beautifully with poised, supple, involving chassis
THE PICK: Easy choice. Facelift brings XE back into sharp contention

6 years/150,000km

Unbreakable mechanicals get a 2020s makeover in new-gen MU-X,
teamed with a massively improved interior and generous spec
THE PICK: LS-M 4x4 is the grey-nomad ripe peach

$48,900
$54,900
$55,400
$61,400
$61,400
$67,400
D-Max

3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0

XE

MU-X

LS-M
LS-M 4x4
LS-U
LS-U 4x4
LS-T
LS-T 4x4

L4TD
L4TD
L4TD
L4TD
L4TD
L4TD

Jaguar

Truly the EV of the moment, with so many performance features intended to prove
that electric motoring can be hugely involving, and even aurally satisfying. Rapid in
acceleration and rapid to charge (10-80% in 18mins), the N is expected to offer 450km
of WLTP range. Stiffer, wider (by 50mm) body to accommodate 275/35R21 Pirellis.
$64,500
$70,500
$76,000
$80,500
$79,500
$84,000
$111,000
Ioniq 6

$55,300
$58,000
$59,000
$61,000
$63,500
$67,500

0-100

IONIQ 5 N

The blueprint for our performance-car future

LS-M Crew Cab
LS-U Space Cab
LS-U Crew Cab
LS-U Crew Cab
LS-U+ Crew Cab
X-Terrain

Kerb
weight

A
R
A

Trans.

7.3 D
10.7 91
7.3 D

Drive

Issue
tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb
weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

2.2 147 440 A8 2070 –
3.8 217 355 A8 1984 –
2.2 147 440 A8 2070 –

Torque

L4TD
V6
L4TD

Power

New

$79,900
$76,900
$80,900

Size

Calligraphy CRDi
Calligraphy Black Ink
Callig’ Black Ink CRDi

Size

Price

Engine
type

Data
bank

A
A
A

Night Eagle
Limited
S-Limited
Trailhawk

$41,400
L4
2.4
$47,700
L4
2.4
$54,300
L4
2.4
$59,100
L4TD 2.0
Grand Cherokee

129
129
129
125

229
229
229
350

A6
A9
A9
A9

1446
1503
1503
1621

9.3
10.1
10.1
9.7

7.9
9.7
9.7
6.9

91
91
91
D

F
A
A
A

New platform brings improved on-road dynamics, and cabin feels
premium. But excessive road noise detracts, and petrol V6 is thirsty
THE PICK: Ltd strikes an agreeable balance between $ and equipment

Night Eagle
Limited
Overland
Summit Reserve 4xe

$77,950
$83,950
$98,450
$129,950

V6
V6
V6
L4TPH

3.6
3.6
3.6
2.0

210
210
210
280

347
347
347
637

A8
A8
A8
A8

2165
2281
2297
2536

–
–
–
–

10.4 91
10.4 91
10.4 91
3.2 91

A
A
A
A

H YU N DAI – K IA

Night Eagle
Limited
Overland
Summit Reserve

$82,250
V6
$87,950
V6
$103,250
V6
$119,450
V6
Wrangler

3.6
3.6
3.6
3.6

210
210
210
210

344
344
344
344

A8
A8
A8
A8

2190
2190
2230
2270

–
–
–
–

10.6 98
10.6 98
10.6 98
10.6 98

A
A
07/22 A
07/22 A

$83,950
V6
$81,450
V6
$86,950
V6
$90,450
V6
Gladiator

3.6
3.6
3.6
3.6

209
209
209
209

347
347
347
347

A8
A8
A8
A8

1762
1900
1900
1992

7.6
7.9
7.9
7.9

9.6 91
9.7 91
9.7 91
10.3 91

A
A
A
A

$78,250
$87,250

V6
V6

3.6 209 347 A8 2187 –
3.6 209 347 A8 2242 –

12.4 91
12.4 91

7 years/unlimited

Scores for packaging, agility, fun (especially the GT) and industry-best
warranty. Recently updated with styling tweaks and more equipment
THE PICK: Manual cars are more fun, though the auto isn’t bad

$15,990
$17,590
$17,440
$19,040
$20,490
Rio

L4
L4
L4
L4
L3T

1.2
1.2
1.2
1.2
1.0

62
62
62
62
74

122
122
122
122
172

M5
A4
M5
A4
M5

993
1011
993
1011
1012

12.5
15.7
12.5
15.7
9.9

5.0
5.8
5.0
5.8
5.2

91
91
91
91
91

F
F
F
F
F

$19,690
$21,990
$21,190
$23,490
Cerato

L4
L4
L4
L4

1.4
1.4
1.4
1.4

74
74
74
74

133
133
133
133

M6
A6
M6
A6

1112
1132
1112
1132

12.0
12.0
12.0
12.0

5.6
6.0
5.6
6.0

91
91
91
91

F
F
F
F

$25,990
$25,990
$28,090
$28,090
$31,140
$31,140
$35,790
$35,790
Stinger

L4
L4
L4
L4
L4
L4
L4T
L4T

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
1.6
1.6

112
112
112
112
112
112
150
150

192
192
192
192
192
192
265
265

A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
D7
D7

1345
1320
1345
1320
1345
1320
1395
1370

–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–

7.4
7.4
7.4
7.4
7.4
7.4
6.8
6.9

91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91

F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F

Sparkly new lights, up-to-date tech and fruity GT exhaust make the
stylish, sporty rear-drive Stinger even more seductive
THE PICK: Stinger GT has the most bite - grab it while you can

$51,250
$58,930
$55,030
$64,960
Carnival

L4T
L4T
V6TT
V6TT

2.0
2.0
3.3
3.3

182
182
274
274

353
353
510
510

A8
A8
A8
A8

1720
1720
1793
1793

7.1
6.9
4.9
5.1

8.8 95
8.8 95
10.2 95
10.2 95

06/18 R
03/19 R
R
03/18 R

Proving that people movers are still relevant, striking new Carnival
knocks it out of the park with its space and design class
THE PICK: Si for value, yet it’s hard to ignore the Platinum’s plushness

S
S CRDi
Si
Si CRDi
SLi
SLi CRDi
Platinum
Platinum CRDi

Drive

Issue
tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

L4
L4
L4

1.4 74
1.4 74
1.4 74

133 M6 –
133 A6 –
133 M6 1192

6.0 91
6.7 91
6.0 91

F
F
F

Sport
GT-Line

$26,490
$30,490
Seltos

L4
L3T

1.4 74
1.0 74

133 A6 1192 – 6.7 91
172 D7 1227 11.7 5.4 91

F
F

$47,480
$49,480
$52,980
$54,980
$57,780
$59,780
$65,580
$67,580

V6
L4TD
V6
L4TD
V6
L4TD
V6
L4TD

3.5
2.2
3.5
2.2
3.5
2.2
3.5
2.2

216
148
216
148
216
148
216
148

355
440
355
440
355
440
355
440

A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8

2090
2082
2090
2082
2090
2082
2090
2082

–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–

9.6
6.5
9.6
6.5
9.6
6.5
9.6
6.5

91
D
91
D
91
D
91
D

F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F

–
–
–

Well-sized Seltos updated for ’23 with sweeter turbo drivetrain, sharper
styling, improved kit and tech. Still offers ample space, keen handling
THE PICK: Turbo Sport+ has robust performance; new 8-speed auto

S
Sport
Sport+
GT-Line
Sport+ AWD
GT-Line AWD

$29,500
$32,700
$35,800
$41,500
$39,300
$44,900
Sportage

L4
L4
L4
L4
L4T
L4T

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
1.6
1.6

110
110
110
110
146
146

180
180
180
180
265
265

C
C
C
C
A8
A8

1375
1375
1375
1375
1495
1495

9.6
9.6
9.6
9.6
8.4
8.4

6.9
6.9
6.9
6.9
7.4
7.4

91
91
91
91
91
91

01/20 F
F
F
F
A
03/20 A

Striking styling and interior flair combines with a great ride to make
new Sportage good, though 2.0-litre is old, some plastics a bit cheap
THE PICK: For frugality and punch, top-spec diesel

S
S
S
SX
SX
SX
SX+
SX+
SX+
GT-Line
GT-Line

$32,445
$34,445
$39,845
$35,000
$37,000
$42,400
$41,500
$43,500
$46,900
$49,370
$52,370
Niro

L4
L4
L4TD
L4
L4
L4TD
L4
L4T
L4TD
L4T
L4TD

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
1.6
2.0
1.6
2.0

115
115
137
115
115
137
115
132
137
132
137

192
192
416
192
192
416
192
265
416
265
416

M6
A6
A8
M6
A6
A8
A6
D7
A8
D7
A8

1508
1538
1759
1508
1538
1759
1538
1643
1759
1643
1759

–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–

7.7
8.1
6.3
7.7
7.7
6.3
7.7
7.2
6.3
7.2
6.3

91
91
D
91
91
D
91
95
D
95
D

F
A
A
A
A
A
F
A
A
A
A

Second-gen raises the exterior wow factor, but S spec interiors are
underwhelming and price of EV GT-Line is nudging into EV6 territory
THE PICK: The EV S, but don’t over-pay. Hybrid buyers shop elsewhere

Hybrid S
Hybrid GT-Line
EV S
EV GT-Line

Compelling value thanks to a leading warranty, space and spec, though
rear seat is uncomfortable and engines lack polish
THE PICK: Stylish GT a little ragged dynamically but feisty and fun

200S
GT-Line
330S
GT

Kerb
weight

$21,990
$23,490
$24,990

Rio has ditched fun-sapping four-speed auto for much-improved sixspeed. Roomy cabin and warranty are key strengths. GT-Line deleted
THE PICK: Sport manual, despite firmer ride and high-ish price

S hatch
S sedan
Sport hatch
Sport sedan
Sport+ hatch
Sport+ sedan
GT hatch
GT sedan

Trans.

S
S
Sport

A
03/20 A

Picanto

S
S
Sport
Sport

Torque

If you’ve been craving a slightly pumped Rio hatch with a wafer-thin
hint of SUV flavour, then the Stonic seems to make sense
THE PICK: The torquey GT-Line or, better, a sweet 1.4 manual

Kia
S
S
GT-Line
GT-Line
GT

Power

Stonic

A proper ranch wagon championing American luxe and lavish kit, plus
imposing style and space. But ageing petrol V6 is only adequate
THE PICK: Pricey Summit Reserve is king, but Night Eagle still good

Dual-cab for those who go off-road. Looks tough, loves getting dirty.
Rubicon has electronically locking differentials but no diesel
THE PICK: Rubicon affords extra off-road gear for the extra spend

Night Eagle
Rubicon

Size

Grand Cherokee L

JL redesign brings room, refinement, tech and on-road control, but iffy
ergonomics and high prices grate – now with increased safety kit
THE PICK: Rubicon might be the most able off-roader despite diesel axing

Rubicon 2dr
Unlimited Night Eagle
Unlimited Overland
Unlimited Rubicon

Engine
type

Price

Drive

Issue
tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb
weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

Engine
type

Price

YOUR COMPLETE NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE

$44,380
$50,030
$65,300
$72,100
Sorento

L4H
L4H
E
E

1.6
1.6
64
64

104
104
150
150

265
265
255
255

D6
D6
R1
R1

1454
1486
1727
1747

10.4
10.8
7.8
7.8

4.0
4.0
–
–

91
91
–
–

F
F
F
F

Superb family bus offers equipment, quality and luxury to rival the
best from Germany, plus excellent dynamics. Kia’s finest SUV yet
THE PICK: Base S is stunning value, though better as a diesel

S
S
Sport
Sport
Sport+
Sport+
GT-Line
GT-Line
GT-Line Hybrid
GT-Line Hybrid AWD
GT-Line PHEV

$47,650
$50,650
$50,270
$53,270
$54,850
$57,850
$62,070
$65,070
$66,750
$69,750
$81,080
EV6

V6
L4TD
V6
L4TD
V6
L4TD
V6
L4TD
L4TH
L4TH
L4TPH

3.5
2.2
3.5
2.2
3.5
2.2
3.5
2.2
1.6
1.6
1.6

200
148
200
148
200
148
200
148
169
169
195

332
440
332
440
332
440
332
440
350
350
350

A8
D8
A8
D8
A8
D8
A8
D8
A6
A6
A6

1941
1956
1941
1956
1941
1956
1941
1946
–
–
2056

7.8
9.2
7.8
9.2
7.8
9.2
7.8
9.2
–
–
–

9.7
6.1
9.7
6.1
9.7
6.1
9.7
6.1
5.3
5.8
1.6

91
D
91
D
91
D
91
D
95
95
91

F
A
F
A
F
A
F
A
F
A
A

Kia’s take on the E-GMP platform delivers an impressively broad
range with Oz-tuned dynamics. How good? COTY winner says it all
THE PICK: GT-Line RWD for its involvement, reduced weight

Air
GT-Line
GT-Line AWD
GT

$72,590
$79,590
$87,590
$99,950
EV9

E
E
E
E

77
77
77
77

168
168
239
430

350
350
605
740

R1
R1
R1
R1

–
2000
–
2148

7.3 –
7.3 –
5.2 –
3.5

–
–
–

R
R
A
A

Dominating the landscape with its large, yet beautifully nuanced form,
EV9 is the defining electric SUV, packed with specialness and space
THE PICK: If you can afford it, the all-guns-blazing GT-Line

Air
Earth
GT-Line

$97,000
$106,500
$121,000

E
E
E

76 160 350 R1 2312 8.2 19.5 –
100 283 700 R1 2552 6.0 22.3 –
100 283 700 R1 2636 5.3 22.8 –

@wheelsaustralia

R
A
A

117

3 years/unlimited

Huracan
In its twighlight phase and it ain’t cheap, but the engine remains a
superstar, it’s fantastic to drive, and the STO is next-level wild
THE PICK: The Tecnica is the Huracan’s greatest hits album

$384,187
$422,606
$459,441
$505,385
$440,900
$596,000
$503,949
Urus

V10
V10
V10
V10
V10
V10
V10

5.2
5.2
5.2
5.2
5.2
5.2
5.2

449
449
470
470
470
470
449

560
560
600
600
565
565
560

D7
D7
D7
D7
D7
D7
D7

–
–
–
1524
1464
1422
1470

3.3
3.3
2.9
3.1
3.2
3.0
3.4

13.8 98
13.7 98
13.7 98
13.7 98
13.7 98
13.9 98
TBC 98

R
R
A
A
R
R
A

Doesn’t look like anything else in the Lambo line-up, but retains
Raging Bull in a china shop spirit. Shockingly quick for an SUV
THE PICK: This, or a Cayenne Turbo and a secondhand 997 911

$409,744

V8TT

4.0 478 850 A8 2200 3.6 12.7 98

Land Rover

A

5 years/unlimited

Perfect sizing, impressive drivetrains, a keen chassis and standard fiveplus-two seating make the aspirational Disco Sport a solid bet
THE PICK: P250 R-Dynamic SE, but tread carefully when adding options

$80,970
L4T
$85,540
L4T
Discovery

2.0 184 365 A9 1942 8.1 8.4 95
2.0 184 365 A9 1942 8.1 8.4 95

A
A

Fresh mild-hybrid straight-sixes expand Disco’s all-terrain talents to
include Prado-crushing performance and refinement
THE PICK: The punchy diesel gets the nod for big trips and towing ease

D300 S
D300 SE
D300 R-Dynamic S
D300 R-Dynamic SE
D300 R-Dynamic HSE
P360 R-Dynamic S
P360 R-Dynamic SE
P360R-Dynamic HSE

$109,350
L6TTD
$115,850
L6TTD
$116,500
L6TTD
$123,000
L6TTD
$130,550
L6TTD
$115,650
L6ST
$122,150
L6ST
$129,750
L6ST
Defender

3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0

221
221
221
221
221
265
265
265

650
650
650
650
650
500
500
500

A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8

2362
2362
2362
2362
2362
2342
2342
2342

6.8
6.8
6.8
6.8
6.8
6.5
6.5
6.5

7.5
7.5
7.5
7.5
7.5
9.2
9.2
9.2

D
D
D
D
D
98
98
98

A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A

New-gen just as capable off-road, but now miles better on it. Plenty of
design nods to the original, yet stunningly modern. And now with a V8
THE PICK: Big choice, but the 90 in blown six P400 guise is just horn

90 P300
90 P300 S
90 D250 S
90 P400 SE
90 P400 X
90 P525 V8
110 P300
110 P400 S
110 D300 SE
110 P400 SE
110 D300 X-Dynamic HSE
110 P400 X-Dynamic HSE
110 D300 X
110 P400 X
110 P525 V8
130 D300 SE
130 P400 SE

$81,950
L4T
2.0 221
$90,150
L4T
2.0 221
$97,450
L6TTD 3.0 183
$107,850
L6ST 3.0 294
$149,200
L6ST 3.0 294
$221,300
V8S
5.0 386
$84,350
L4T
2.0 221
$99,500
L6ST 3.0 294
$104,000
L6TTD 3.0 220
$111,400
L6ST 3.0 294
$123,050
L6TTD 3.0 220
$129,900
L6ST 3.0 294
$151,000
L6TTD 3.0 220
$153,200
L6ST 3.0 294
$226,500
V8S
5.0 386
$124,150
L6TTD 3.0 220
$131,650
L6ST 3.0 294
Range Rover Evoque

400
400
570
550
550
625
400
550
650
550
650
550
650
550
625
650
550

P250 R-Dynamic S
P250 R-Dynamic SE
D300 Edition
P400 R-Dynamic SE
P400 R-Dynamic HSE
P400e R-Dynamic HSE

A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8

2065
2065
2228
2170
2276
2471
2186
2286
2340
2286
2340
2286
2340
2286
2603
–
–

7.1
7.1
8.0
6.0
6.0
5.2
7.4
6.1
7.0
6.1
7.0
6.1
7.0
6.1
5.4
7.5
6.6

10.1 95
10.1 95
7.9 D
9.9 95
9.9 95
12.8 95
10.1 95
9.9 95
7.6 D
9.9 95
7.6 D
9.9 D
7.6 D
9.9 95
12.7 95
TBC D
TBC 95

A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A

$81,800
$88,100
$99,550
$108,000
$117,300

L4T
L4T
L4T
L3TPH
L3TPH

2.0
2.0
2.0
1.5
1.5

184
184
184
227
227

365
365
365
540
540

A9
A9
A9
A8
A8

1818
1818
1818
2082
2082

7.6
7.6
7.6
6.4
6.4

8.3
8.3
8.3
2.1
2.1

98
98
98
98
98

A
A
A
A
A

D250 SE
D300 Dynamic SE
D350 Dynamic HSE
D350 Autobiography
D350 First Edition
P510e Dynamic HSE
P530 First Edition

whichcar.com.au/wheels

Drive

Issue
tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb
weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

184
184
221
294
294
297

365
365
650
550
550
640

A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8

1875
1875
1928
2010
2010
2158

7.5
7.5
8.2
5.5
5.5
5.4

7.7
7.7
7.0
8.9
8.9
2.7

95
95
D
95
95
95

A
A
A
A
A
A

$139,160
L6TTD
$151,026
L6TTD
$168,638
L6TTD
$191,141
L6TTD
$196,359
L6TTD
$198,097
L6TPH
$241,021
V8TT
Range Rover

3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
4.4

183
221
258
258
258
375
530

600
650
700
700
700
700
750

A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8

2315
2315
2360
2360
2360
2735
2430

8.0
6.6
5.9
5.9
5.9
5.4
4.5

7.2 D
7.2 D
7.2 D
7.2 D
7.2 D
1.6 95
TBC 95

A
A
A
A
A
A
A

A masterclass in high-design SUV luxury with multiple body and seating
configurations, plus electrification, and a BMW twin-turbo V8
THE PICK: For its luxe, punch and efficiency, D350 First Edition

D300 SE
P400 SE
D350 HSE
D350 Autobiography
D350 First Edition
P530 HSE
P530 Autobiography
P530 First Edition
P440e SE
P510e HSE
P510e Autobiography
D350 Autobio. LWB
P530 Autobio. LWB
D350 SV
P530 SV
P530 SV LWB

$226,806
$232,265
$248,642
$287,988
$307,764
$267,285
$306,528
$321,875
$236,076
$270,272
$301,687
$293,653
$312,193
$351,539
$358,337
$403,554

L6TTD
L6ST
L6TTD
L6TTD
L6TTD
V8TT
V8TT
V8TT
L6TPH
L6TPH
L6TPH
L6TTD
V8TT
L6TTD
V8TT
V8TT

3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
4.4
4.4
4.4
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
4.4
3.0
4.4
4.4

221
294
258
258
258
390
390
390
324
375
375
258
390
258
390
390

650
550
700
700
700
750
750
750
620
700
700
700
750
700
750
750

A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8

2430
2379
2430
2430
2430
2510
2510
2510
2695
2735
2735
2494
2551
2430
2510
2551

6.9
5.8
6.1
6.1
6.1
4.6
4.6
4.6
6.0
5.5
5.5
6.3
4.7
6.1
4.6
4.7

LDV

7.2
9.1
7.2
7.2
7.2
11.8
11.8
11.8
1.6
1.6
1.6
7.2
11.8
7.2
11.8
11.8

D
98
D
D
D
98
98
98
98
98
98
D
98
D
98
98

A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A

5 years/130,000km

D90
For those seeking a Prado-sized wagon but can’t afford the real deal.
Petrol donk is decent, as is the handling. Lots of gear and space, too.
THE PICK: All-paw Executive petrol for off-road ability and value

Executive
Executive 4WD
Executive 4WD

$37,990
$41,990
$45,990
$50,990
T60

L4T
L4T
L4T
L4TD

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0

160
160
160
158

350
350
350
480

A6
A6
A6
A8

2085
2085
2285
2370

–
-

10.2 95
10.2 95
10.9 95
9.1 D

R
R
A
A

Bi-turbo boosted ‘Max’ sports a made-over cabin, a huge touchscreen,
two suspension tunes. Pricey new EV offers 330km of unladen range
THE PICK: The Pro for its value and heavy-duty suspension

Max Pro
Max Pro
Max Luxe
Max Luxe
Mega Tub
eT60 Electric

$41,042
$43,148
$45,779
$47,884
$49,463
$92,900
Mifa

L4TTD
L4TTD
L4TTD
L4TTD
L4TTD
E

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
89

160
160
160
160
160
130

500
500
500
500
500
310

M6
A8
M6
A8
A8
R1

2115
2125
2150
2150
2195
2300

–
–
–
–
–
–

9.2 D
9.3 D
9.2 D
9.3 D
9.3 D
26.9 –

A
A
A
A
A
A

Much more than just a van with seats, and much more affordable than
its EV cousin – sporting a grille with more front than Myers
THE PICK: Stay in Mode for the best size/value deal

Mode
Executive
Luxe

$53,990*
$63,990*
$72,990*
Mifa 9

L4T
L4T
L4T

2.0 160 360 A8 2040 –
2.0 160 360 A8 2130 –
2.0 160 360 A8 2230 –

9.3
9.3
9.3

F
F
F

Electric seven-seater people mover delivers a well-crafted cabin, with
middle-row captain’s chairs that offer the full business-class vibe
THE PICK: All are exxy, but you need Executive as a minimum

Mode

118

$96,600
L4T
2.0
$98,900
L4T
2.0
$122,900
L4TD 3.0
$125,200
L6ST 3.0
$136,700
L6ST 3.0
$138,800
L4TPH 2.0
Range Rover Sport

A little less stately than the Rangie on which it’s based, but offers more
for the driver, and still with ample off-road ability, if that’s important
THE PICK: Dynamic HSE is the sensible sweetspot, but P530 tempts

Like a sexier, sprightlier five-seat version of the Disco Sport, with
baby-Velar looks and high-end infotainment in its truly luxe interior
THE PICK: P250 Autobiography with full-fruit suits Evoque’s mystique

P250 Dynamic SE
P250 Dynamic HSE
P250 Autobiography
P300e Dynamic HSE
P300e Autobiography

Size

Land Rover finally saw sense and refined the Velar range. Special,
opulent and athletic, the stylish Velar is lofty in more ways than one
THE PICK: Style and substance throughout the range. Take your pick.

Discovery Sport

P250 R-Dynamic SE
P250 R-Dynamic HSE

Engine
type

Range Rover Velar

Lamborghini
Evo RWD
Evo RWD Spyder
Evo AWD
Evo Spyder AWD
Tecnica RWD
STO
Sterrato

Price

Drive

Issue
tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb
weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

Engine
type

Price

Data
bank

$106,000

E

90 180 350 R1 2310 –

21.3

F

L A M B O R GH I N I – M AS E R AT I

250 Luxury
250 F-Sport
300h Luxury
300h F-Sport
300h Sports Luxury

$62,140
$71,380
$65,540
$74,920
$80,170
LS

L4
L4
L4H
L4H
L4H

2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5

152
152
160
160
160

243
243
n/a
n/a
n/a

A8
A8
C
C
C

1680
1680
1740
1740
1740

9.1
9.1
8.9
8.9
8.9

6.6
6.6
4.8
4.8
4.8

91
91
91
91
91

F
F
F
F
F

Subtly honed Lexus flagship now befitting its status as a sporty-yetplush limousine defined by its stunning build quality
THE PICK: The regular LS500 for its torque-converter automatic ’box

500 F-Sport
500h F-Sport
500 Sports Luxury
500h Sports Luxury

$194,190
$195,920
$200,320
$199,040
LC

V6TT
V6H
V6TT
V6H

3.4
3.5
3.4
3.5

310
264
310
264

600
n/a
600
n/a

A10 2240
C 2235
A10 2280
C 2295

5.0
5.4
5.0
5.4

9.5
6.6
9.5
6.6

95
95
95
95

500
500h
500 Convertible

$193,461
$192,348
$213,068
UX

V8
V6H
V8

5.0 351 540 A10 1930 4.5 11.6 98
3.5 264 350 C 1980 5.0 6.7 95
5.0 351 540 A10 2035 - 12.7 95

Luxury
Sport Luxury

R
R
R

$46,085
$56,850
$57,495
$53,820
$60,850
$61,495
$64,100
$63,600
$79,990
$88,490
NX

L4
L4
L4
L4H
L4H
L4H
L4H
L4H
E
E

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
73
73

126
126
126
131
131
131
131
131
150
150

205
205
205
205
205
205
205
205
300
300

C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
R1
R1

1490
1515
1540
1575
1600
1625
1635
1680
1840
1840

9.2
9.2
9.2
8.5
8.5
8.5
8.7
8.7
7.5
7.5

5.8
5.8
5.8
4.5
4.5
4.5
4.7
4.7
–
–

95
95
95
95
95
95
95
95
–
–

F
F
F
F
F
F
A
A
F
F

$60,800
$77,900
$65,600
$73,100
$73,100
$70,400
$77,900
$77,900
$89,900
LX

L4
L4T
L4H
L4H
L4H
L4H
L4H
L4H
L4PH

2.5
2.4
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5

152
205
179
179
179
179
179
179
227

243
430
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a

A8
A8
C
C
C
C
C
C
C

1705
1860
1810
1810
1810
1870
1870
1870
2050

–
7.0
8.7
8.7
8.7
7.7
7.7
7.7
–

6.9
8.1
5.0
5.0
5.0
5.0
5.0
5.0
1.3

95
95
95
95
95
95
95
95
95

F
A
F
F
F
A
A
A
A

Posh-suited Land Cruiser 300 Series holds a couple of aces up its
sleeve, including a twin-turbo petrol V6 and high-end interior design
THE PICK: 500d F-Sport combines frugality and flair

500d
500d Sports Luxury
500d F-Sport
600
600 Sports Luxury
600 F-Sport
600 Ultra Luxury

$148,800
$165,800
$171,700
$152,300
$169,300
$175,300
$210,800
RX

V6TTD
V6TTD
V6TTD
V6TT
V6TT
V6TT
V6TT

3.3
3.3
3.3
3.4
3.4
3.4
3.4

227
227
227
305
305
305
305

700
700
700
650
650
650
650

A10 2690
A10 2690
A10 2685
A10 2680
A10 2640
A10 2630
A10 2660

8.0
8.0
8.0
7.0
7.0
7.0
7.0

8.9
8.9
8.9
12.1
12.1
12.1
12.1

D
D
D
95
95
95
95

A
A
A
A
A
A
A

Now with a level of chassis poise that was woefully absent in the
previous model; hybrid powertrains are (mostly) refined and frugal
THE PICK: Luxury AWD is solid value; 500h F Sport is properly rapid

RX350h Luxury FWD
RX350h Luxury AWD

$87,500
$92,000

L4H
L4H

2.5 184 239 eC 1995 8.1 5.0 95
2.5 184 239 eC 2106 7.9 5.4 95

F
A

2130
2145
2090
2160

7.6
7.6
8.1
6.2

8.7
8.7
5.4
6.5

95
95
95
95

Drive

A8
A8
eC
eC

Issue
tested

RON

430
430
239
551

Resale %

Fuel cons.

205
205
184
273

E
E

A
A
A
A

71 230 435 R1 2095 5.3 15.2 71 230 435 R1 2110 5.3 15.2 -

L4H
L4H
L4TH

2.5 184 n/a C 2305 –
2.5 184 n/a C 2355 –
2.4 273 n/a A6 2475 –

Lotus

A
A

5.5 95
5.6 95
6.6 95

F
A
A

3 years/unlimited

Emira
Final ICE model delivers hallmark chassis traits of supple suspension
and feelsome steering. At last, a liveable Lotus that can work as a daily
THE PICK: AMG-sourced turbo four is manic, but go supercharged V6

Base Edition
Base Edition V6
Base Edition V6

$155,900
$169,990
$173,990

L4T
V6S
V6S

2.0 268 430 D8 1405 4.3 11.3 98
3.5 298 420 M6 1485 3.4 11.7 98
3.5 298 420 A6 1505 3.3 11.7 98

Mahindra

R
R
R

7 years/150,000km

Scorpio
Keenly priced 4x4 from India delivers decent off-road ability and
overall refinement. But lacks key safety kit like AEB and lane-keeping
THE PICK: Keep it simple with entry-level Z8

Z8
Z8 L

$41,990*
L4TD
$44,990*
L4TD
XUV 700

2.2 129 440 A6 2100 11.0 7.2 D
2.2 129 440 A6 2145 11.0 7.2 D

-

-

A
A

It may lack the polish of Japanese rivals, but still plenty to like here,
including comfy ride, decent engine refinement, and sharp prices
THE PICK: Top spec gets surround view camera; adaptive cruise

AX7
AX7 L

$36,990*
$39,990*

L4T
L4T

2.0 149 380 A6 1829 9.8 8.3 91 2.0 149 380 A6 1835 9.8 8.3 91 -

Maserati

Adding proper luxe to its RAV4-derived underpinnings, the second-gen
NX brings a feisty 2.4 turbo-petrol; 14.0-inch touchscreen
THE PICK: Either 350 F-Sport or any Hybrid

250
350 F-Sport AWD
350h Luxury
350h Sports Luxury
350h F-Sport
350h Luxury AWD
350h Sports Lux. AWD
350h F-Sport AWD
450h+ F-Sport AWD

$123,000
$135,000
LM

350h Sports Luxury
$160,888
350h Sports Lux’ AWD $165,888
500h Ultra Luxury AWD $220,888

First Lexus to use advanced TNGA platform, so it’s nicely resolved but
essentially a gown-and-heels Corolla. Electric 300e range now 440km
THE PICK: Base Luxury is sweetest riding – the rest are too harsh

200 Luxury
200 Sports Luxury
200 F-Sport
250h Luxury
250h Sports Luxury
250h F-Sport
250h Sports Lux. AWD
250h F-Sport AWD
300e Luxury
300e Sports Luxury

2.4
2.4
2.5
2.4

Rides on Camry’s GA-K platform and shares DNA with Toyota Granvia.
Seven-seat 350h joined by four-seat 500h turbo-petrol hybrid in ’24
THE PICK: The Sports Luxury is as sporty as we’ll likely ever need

R
R
R
R

V8 has the presence, power and poise - best suited to convertible whereas the hybrid is spoilt by droning CVT and uninspiring soundtrack
THE PICK: The V8, no question, in either bodystyle

L4T
L4T
L4H
L4TH

Lexus’s first EV needed to be good and it is. A once-removed cousin to
the Toyota bZ4X, it’s a fine effort but can it counter BMW’s iX1?
THE PICK: The Luxury is as luxury as we’d likely need

ES
Old one was for retired Americans or those who’d given up on life. Allnew Mk7, with its accomplished platform, revolutionises the concept
THE PICK: A super-frugal Hybrid in racy F-Sport attire

$99,900
$105,900
$111,900
$126,000
RZ

0-100

5 years/unlimited

RX350 F Sport
RX350 Sports Luxury
RX350h Sports Luxury
RX500h F Sport

Kerb
weight

F
F

Engine
type

Price

Drive

Issue
tested

Resale %

RON

21.5
21.8

Trans.

Lexus

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb
weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

90 180 350 R1 2410 –
90 180 350 R1 2535 –

Torque

E
E

Power

$117,000
$131,000

Size

Executive
Luxe

Size

Price

Engine
type

YOUR COMPLETE NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE

-

F
F

3 years/unlimited

Ghibli
A beautiful Italian alternative to the default German luxo sedans, now
with up-to-date safety and multimedia tech, but hybrid dropped
THE PICK: Ghibli Modena for its drivetrain spunk and cabin colour

GT
Modena
Trofeo

$157,600
V6TT
$188,600
V6TT
$279,600
V8TT
Quattroporte

3.0 257 500 A8 1810 5.5 10.5 98
3.0 316 580 A8 1810 4.9 10.6 98
3.8 433 730 A8 1969 4.3 12.3 98

R
R
R

Slowly shedding its Chrysler cabin bits, to match its seductive form
and sensual chassis balance. Trofeo to hail the return of a V8
THE PICK: Anything with a silk interior looks suitably Italian

GT
Modena
Trofeo

$219,000
$280,000
$391,500
Grecale

V6TT
V6TT
V8TT

3.0 257 500 A8 1860 5.5 10.6 98
3.0 316 580 A8 1900 5.0 10.6 98
3.8 433 730 A8 2000 4.5 12.5 98

R
R
R

Mid-size SUV is a stylish, well-equipped and roomier alternative to
German rivals, although dynamic polish on Aussie roads yet to be proven
THE PICK: Trofeo is the only SUV in this class with a supercar engine

GT
Modena
Trofeo

$109,500
L4T
$128,000
L4T
$165,000
V6TT
Levante

2.0 221 450 A8 1895 5.6 8.8 98
2.0 242 450 A8 1910 5.2 8.8 98
3.0 390 620 A8 1955 3.8 9.3 98

A
A
A

Not the most refined posh SUV you can buy but makes all the right
noises in the right models. Despite its age, still has presence
THE PICK: Trofeo costs a bomb so we’d stick with a Modena

GT
Modena
Trofeo

$145,000
$200,000
$300,000

V6TT
V6TT
V8TT

3.0 257 500 A8 2109 6.0 11.4 98
3.0 316 580 A8 2109 5.2 11.6 98
3.8 427 730 A8 2170 4.1 13.2 98

@wheelsaustralia

A
A
A

119

G20 Akari

MC20
Breathtaking styling, ‘butterfly’ doors, carbonfibre chassis and bespoke
engineering have made MC20 a global sensation
THE PICK: Whatever you can get, including the forthcoming EV

Cielo Spyder

$467,000
$528,000

V6TT
V6TT

3.0 470 730 D8 1500 2.9 11.6 98
3.0 470 730 D8 1500 3.0 11.6 98

Mazda

R
R

5 years/unlimited

2
MY24 facelift amps its price even further, but extra equipment, classy
new upholstery, and efficiency/styling enhancements compensate
THE PICK: Suddenly a Pure manual hatch looks like smart money

G15 Pure hatch
G15 Pure hatch
G15 Pure sedan
G15 Pure SP hatch
G15 Evolve hatch
G15 GT hatch
G15 GT sedan

$22,410
$24,410
$24,410
$25,210
$25,910
$27,610
$27,610
3

L4
L4
L4
L4
L4
L4
L4

1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5

82
81
81
81
81
81
81

144
142
142
142
142
142
142

M6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6

1085
1109
1123
1109
1109
1109
1123

10.8
10.8
10.8
10.8
10.9
10.8
10.8

5.4
5.0
5.0
5.0
5.0
5.0
5.0

91
91
91
91
91
91
91

F
F
F
F
4/20 F
F
F

Still at the sharp end of the segment thanks to superb interior
and keen, responsive handling. Trade-off is firm ride
THE PICK: G25’s extra torque worth it, otherwise Pure hatch

G20 Pure sedan
G20 Pure hatch
G20 Evolve sedan
G20 Evolve hatch
G20e Evolve sedan
G20e Evolve hatch
G20 Touring sedan
G20 Touring hatch
G25 Evolve SP sedan
G25 Evolve SP hatch
G25 GT sedan
G25 GT hatch
G25 Astina sedan
G25 Astina hatch
X20 Astina sedan
X20 Astina hatch

$28,040
$28,040
$29,590
$29,590
$33,340
$33,340
$32,090
$32,090
$32,990
$32,990
$36,690
$36,690
$40,190
$40,190
$43,190
$43,190
6

L4
L4
L4
L4
L4
L4
L4
L4
L4
L4
L4
L4
L4
L4
L4T
L4T

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.0
2.0

114
114
114
114
114
114
114
114
139
139
139
139
139
139
132
132

200
200
200
200
200
200
200
200
252
252
252
252
252
252
224
224

A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6

1339
1338
1339
1338
1359
1361
1339
1338
1376
1368
1376
1368
1388
1380
1440
1439

9.0
9.0
9.0
9.0
–
–
9.0
9.0
–
–
8.6
8.6
8.6
8.6
8.7
8.7

6.1
6.2
6.1
6.2
5.9
6.0
6.1
6.2
6.5
6.6
6.5
6.6
6.5
6.6
5.3
5.3

91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91
95
95

02/20
06/19

02/20
05/19
09/20

F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
R
F
F
F
F
F
F

Evergreen Mazda 6 keeps getting better with age, in particular the
deceptively rapid turbo-petrol in new-for-’21 GT SP form
THE PICK: Wagon always trumps sedan, and turbo-petrol over diesel

Sport
Sport wagon
Touring
Touring wagon
GT SP
GT SP wagon
Atenza
Atenza wagon

$36,124
$37,480
$40,810
$42,820
$49,040
$50,740
$52,440
$53,740
MX-5

L4
L4
L4
L4
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T

2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5

140
140
140
140
170
170
170
170

252
252
252
252
420
420
420
420

A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6

1536
1553
1536
1553
1607
1613
1620
1627

8.1
8.1
8.1
8.1
7.0
7.0
7.0
7.0

7.0
7.0
7.0
7.0
7.6
7.6
7.6
7.6

91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91

F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F

Extensive visual/engineering tweaks for MY24 include a DSC-Track
setting for RS, asymmetric LSD for all manuals, larger 8.8-inch screen.
THE PICK: Roadster over RF, and manual over auto

Roadster
Roadster GT
Roadster GT
Roadster GT RS
RF
RF GT
RF GT
RF GT Black roof
RF GT RS

$41,370
$48,490
$49,990
$51,490
$46,100
$52,990
$54,490
$55,510
$55,990
CX-3

L4
L4
L4
L4
L4
L4
L4
L4
L4

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0

135
135
135
135
135
135
135
135
135

205
205
205
205
205
205
205
205
205

M6
M6
A6
M6
M6
M6
A6
A6
M6

–
–
1081
1052
1108
1108
1135
1135
1102

6.5
6.5
6.8
6.5
6.5
6.5
6.8
6.8
6.5

6.8
6.8
7.0
6.8
6.9
6.9
7.2
7.2
6.9

95
95
95
95
95
95
95
95
95

R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R

120

$26,800
$29,300
$31,050
$34,300

L4
L4
L4
L4

whichcar.com.au/wheels

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0

110
110
110
110

195
195
195
195

A6
A6
A6
A6

1294
1294
1294
1294

9.0
9.0
9.0
9.0

6.3
6.3
6.3
6.3

91
91
91
91

F
F
F
F

L4

195 A6 1306 9.0 6.3 91

Drive

Issue
tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb
weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

2.0 110

F

Built in response to customer demand, the CX-30 slots between the
CX-3 and CX-5. And it’s a winner – now with a GT SP in MY24 update
THE PICK: G20s pleasing, but new G25 GT SP FWD is Goldilocks spec

G20 Pure
G20 Evolve
G20 Touring
G20 Astina
G25 Touring
G25 GT SP
G25 GT SP AWD
G25 Astina
G25 Astina AWD

$32,990
$34,690
$38,690
$43,890
$40,190
$42,190
$44,190
$45,390
$47,390
MX-30

L4
L4
L4
L4
L4
L4
L4
L4
L4

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5

114
114
114
114
139
139
139
139
139

200
200
200
200
252
252
252
252
252

A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6

1465
1465
1465
1477
1466
1477
1543
1477
1543

–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–

6.3
6.3
6.3
6.3
6.6
6.6
6.8
6.6
6.8

91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91

F
F
4/20 F
F
F
F
A
3/20 F
A

With ‘freestyle’ forward-opening rear doors and a utilitarian-coupe
flavour, this oddball SUV-of-sorts adds to its appeal with an EV option
THE PICK: To be honest, the lighter, prettier, better-value CX-30

G20e Evolve
G20e Touring
G20e Astina
E35 Astina

$36,610
$39,110
$42,110
$66,410
CX-5

L4
L4
L4
E

2.0
2.0
2.0
36

114
114
114
107

200
200
200
271

A6
A6
A6
R1

1481
1481
1492
–

–
–
–
–

6.4 91
6.4 91
6.4 91
18.5 –

F
F
F
F

Mid-life makeover for ever-improving CX-5 makes a fine SUV even
better with techy new lighting, tweaked styling and colours
THE PICK: A GT SP Turbo remains the coolest (and best) CX-5

G20 Maxx
G25 Maxx Sport
G25 Maxx Sport AWD
G25 Touring
G25 Touring Active
D35 Touring Active
G25 GT SP
G35 GT SP Turbo
G25 Akera
G35 Akera Turbo
D35 Akera

$35,390
$39,190
$41,690
$43,580
$43,880
$46,880
$49,190
$51,690
$51,380
$53,880
$54,380
CX-8

L4
L4
L4
L4
L4
L4TTD
L4
L4T
L4
L4T
L4TTD

2.0
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.2
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.2

115
140
140
140
140
140
140
170
140
170
140

200
252
252
252
252
450
252
420
252
420
450

A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6

1576
1607
1659
1659
1659
1732
1693
1730
1693
1730
1765

–
–
–
–
–
–
–
7.7
–
7.7
–

6.9
7.2
7.4
7.4
7.4
5.7
7.4
8.2
7.4
8.2
5.7

91
91
91
91
91
D
91
91
91
91
D

F
F
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A

A tad dull and a little awkward, but good at seating seven in comfort.
Essentially a CX-5L, so narrower than the vast CX-9
THE PICK: Torque-rich oiler is best with all-wheel drive, so Touring SP

Sport
Sport Diesel AWD
Touring
Touring Active Diesel
GT SP
GT SP Diesel AWD
Asaki
Asaki Diesel AWD
Asaki LE Diesel AWD

$42,060
$49,060
$48,960
$56,910
$58,560
$65,560
$61,810
$68,810
$71,410
CX-9

L4
L4TTD
L4
L4TTD
L4
L4TTD
L4
L4TTD
L4TTD

2.5
2.2
2.5
2.2
2.5
2.2
2.5
2.2
2.2

140
140
140
140
140
140
140
140
140

252
450
252
450
252
450
252
450
450

A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6

1799
1949
1799
1949
1827
1978
1827
1978
1977

–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–

8.1
6.0
8.1
6.0
8.1
6.0
8.1
6.0
6.0

91
D
91
D
91
D
91
D
D

F
A
F
A
F
A
F
A
A

Six years old this year but gamely holding station with its class-best
drivetrain, excellent dynamics, voluminous space and handsome style
THE PICK: The Touring is right up there but the GT SP looks tough

Sport
Sport AWD
Touring
Touring AWD
GT
GT AWD
GT SP
GT SP AWD
Azami
Azami AWD
Azami LE AWD

$47,250
$51,250
$54,850
$58,850
$64,350
$68,350
$64,850
$68,850
$67,550
$71,550
$74,710
CX-60

L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T

2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5

170
170
170
170
170
170
170
170
170
170
170

420
420
420
420
420
420
420
420
420
420
420

A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6

1881
1953
1881
1953
1938
2010
1938
2010
1938
2010
2010

7.7
7.6
7.4
7.6
7.6
7.6
7.6
7.6
7.6
7.6
7.6

8.4
9.0
8.4
9.0
8.4
9.0
8.4
9.0
8.4
9.0
9.0

91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91

10/16 F
A
04/18 F
A
F
A
F
A
F
A
A

First premium model by Mazda in generations blends persuasive
engineering and driver appeal with properly plush interior design
THE PICK: We suspect the petrol six will be a sweetheart

Rationalised, renamed CX-3 line-up reduced to front-drive automatics
with equipment gains on all variants. Old but likeable and dependable
THE PICK: For its updated style and excellent trim quality, the Touring SP

G20 Sport
G20 Pure
G20 Evolve
G20 Touring SP

$38,620
CX-30

Engine
type

Price

Drive

Issue
tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb
weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

Engine
type

Price

Data
bank

G40e Evolve
D50e Evolve
P50e Evolve
G40e GT

$59,800
$61,800
$72,300
$67,800

L6T
L6TD
L4PH
L6T

3.3
3.3
2.5
3.3

209
187
241
209

450
550
500
450

A8
A8
A8
A8

1921
1963
2111
1949

6.9
7.3
5.8
6.9

TBC 91
4.9 D
2.1 95
TBC 91

A
A
A
A

M AS E R AT I – M E R C E D E S - BE N Z

A
A
A
A
A

Large seven-seater features a spacious, beautifully appointed
cabin and delivers strong, hushed powertrain performance
THE PICK: Diesel six is frugal, torque-rich, and nicely refined

G50e Touring
G50e GT
G50e Azami
D50e Touring Diesel
D50e GT Diesel
D50e Azami Diesel

$74,385
$86,085
$95,185
$75,800
$84,800
$93,865
BT-50

L6T
L6T
L6T
L6TD
L6TD
L6TD

3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0

254
254
254
187
187
187

500
500
500
550
550
550

A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6

2138
2195
2222
2265
2275
2285

-

8.2
8.2
8.2
5.4
5.4
5.4

95
95
95
D
D
D

A
A
A
A
A
A

Mazda’s family face decorating Isuzu’s new-gen D-Max, meaning it’ll
be tough as old boots but not as polished as a new-gen Ranger
THE PICK: Forget the crappo Thunder – stop at the XTR

XS
XT
XT
XTR
XTR
GT
GT
SP
SP
Thunder
Thunder

$51,510
$51,160
$53,660
$55,110
$57,610
$57,390
$60,390
$63,390
$66,390
$68,290
$71,290

L4TD
L4TD
L4TD
L4TD
L4TD
L4TD
L4TD
L4TD
L4TD
L4TD
L4TD

1.9
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0

110
140
140
140
140
140
140
140
140
140
140

350
450
450
450
450
450
450
450
450
450
450

A6
M6
A6
M6
A6
M6
A6
M6
A6
M6
A6

1935
2005
2010
2020
2030
2025
2035
2105
2115
2203
2213

–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–

McLaren

6.9
7.7
8.0
7.7
8.0
7.7
8.0
7.7
8.0
7.7
8.0

D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D

A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A

3 years/unlimited

GT
McLaren tries its hand at the ‘practical’ supercar genre. Same
twin-turbo V8 recipe, now with added comfort and luggage space
THE PICK: There’s only one, so it’s this or some business class flights

GT

$403,500
Artura

V8TT

4.0 456 630 D7 1530 3.2 10.8 98

R

McLaren’s new-gen hybrid supercar driving the rear wheels through
a new eight-speed ’box; offers 30km of electric range
THE PICK: ‘Eco-warrior’ Artura in green, to match onlookers’ envy

$449,550
750S

V6TTH 3.0 500 720 D8 1498 3.0 TBC 98

$585,650
$654,650

V8TT
V8TT

4.0 552 800 D7 1389 2.9 10.7 98
4.0 552 800 D7 1448 2.9 12.2 98

Mercedes-Benz

B180 Sports Tourer

A-Class

$61,900
$63,400
$71,900
$73,400
$87,900
$89,400
$119,900
CLA

L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T

1.3
1.3
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0

120
120
165
165
225
225
310

270
270
350
350
400
400
500

D7
D7
D7
D7
D7
D7
D8

1412
1420
1576
1585
1615
1622
1653

8.2
8.3
6.3
6.4
4.7
4.8
3.9

5.8
5.7
7.0
7.0
8.2
7.9
8.9

95
95
95
95
98
98
98

F
F
A
A
A
A
A

Swoopy, coupe-as-sedan styling now more cohesive, and it’s a decent
drive. Rear headroom a bit tight, but otherwise roomy enough
THE PICK: New AMGs are our preference, though 250 beats 200

CLA200
CLA250 4Matic
CLA35 AMG 4Matic
CLA45 S 4Matic+

$67,189
$76,919
$91,561
$117,687

L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T

1.3
2.0
2.0
2.0

120
165
225
310

250
350
400
500

D7
D7
D7
D8

1345
1475
1515
1675

8.2
6.3
4.7
4.0

5.7
6.7
7.5
8.3

95
95
98
98

F
A
A
A

Drive

Issue
tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb
weight

Trans.

1.3 100 200 D7 1330 9.0 5.7 95

F

The C63 that buried AMG’s twin-turbo V8 certainly wows with numbers, thanks to
it packing the world’s most powerful four-cylinder production engine. Combined
with a two-speed electric motor on the rear axle, it offers up to 15km of all-electric
range, 50:50 weight distribution, four-wheel steering, and fully variable AWD.
C200
C300
C200 Coupe
C200 Cabriolet
C300 Coupe
C300 Cabriolet
C43 AMG
C43 AMG Coupe
C43 AMG Cabriolet
C63 S AMG E-Perfor.
C63 S AMG Coupe
C63 S AMG Cabriolet

$89,900
$95,900
$79,200
$104,600
$101,900
$127,500
$138,900
$133,300
$155,100
$187,900
$190,000
$212,600
E-Class

L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4TH
V6TT
V6TT
L4TPH
V8TT
V8TT

1.5
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
3.0
3.0
2.0
4.0
4.0

150
190
150
150
190
190
300
287
287
500
375
375

300
400
300
300
370
370
500
520
520
1020
700
700

A9
A9
A7
A9
A7
A9
A9
A9
A9
A9
A9
A9

1722
1744
1505
1645
1565
1690
1833
1660
1870
2144
1800
1925

7.3
6.0
7.1
7.1
6.0
6.4
4.6
4.7
4.8
3.4
4.4
4.1

6.9
7.3
7.0
7.0
6.6
7.2
9.1
7.8
8.5
6.1
8.7
9.4

98
98
95
95
95
95
98
98
98
98
98
98

R
R
R
R
R
R
A
A
A
A
08/19 R
R

A smarter, slicker, very stylish update of the evergreen E-Class proves
it’s all the sedan (or coupe/cabriolet) most people could ever need
THE PICK: Anything with an AMG appendage is a modern classic

E200
E200 Coupe
E300e
E350
E350 Coupe
E350 Cabriolet
E53 AMG
E53 AMG Coupe
E53 AMG Cabriolet
E63 S AMG

$106,600
$114,500
$130,900
$134,900
$138,700
$153,100
$175,400
$179,200
$188,700
$272,000
CLS

L4T
L4T
L4TH
L4T
L4T
L4T
L6TH
L6TH
L6TH
V8TT

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
4.0

145
145
235
220
220
220
320
320
320
450

320
320
700
400
400
400
520
520
520
850

A9
A9
A9
A9
A9
A9
A9
A9
A9
A9

1640
1725
1950
–
–
–
2019
2021
2085
2094

7.5
7.6
5.7
5.9
5.9
6.1
4.5
4.4
4.5
3.4

8.0 98
7.9 98
2.2 98
7.7 95
7.7 95
7.8 95
9.2 98
9.3 98
9.4 98
12.3 98

R
R
R
R
R
R
A
A
A
A

No longer a stand-out, though updated CLS53 looks more assertive,
feels more expensive and is still has visual and visceral spunk
THE PICK: Only the CLS53 AMG remains, in top 4Matic+ guise

CLS53 AMG

$183,600
S-Class

L6TT

3.0 320 520 A9 1980 4.5 7.8 95

A

Towering technology combines with elegant styling and eye-opening
dynamic prowess for Mercedes-Benz’s superb new flagship
THE PICK: Shorter S450 4Matic is arguably the world’s finest sedan

S450 4Matic
S450 L 4Matic
S580 L 4Matic
Maybach S680 4Matic

Recent mid-life facelift introduces mild-hybrid tech, fresh LED
lighting, more grunt for new A200s and a lift in standard equipment.
THE PICK: A35 if you’re a sporty type; A200 if you’re not

A200
A200 Sedan
A250 4Matic
A250 4Matic Sedan
A35 AMG
A35 AMG Sedan
A45 S AMG 4Matic+

L4T

AMG C63 S E-PERFORMANCE

07/18 R
05/19 R

5 years/unlimited

$51,789

Redefines agility and acceleration for AMG

R

Superb steering and dynamics plus next-level performance headline
what is the thinking man’s supercar. Utterly blinding speed
THE PICK: We say Coupe, but Spider no less stiff and only 50kg heavier

Coupe
Spider

B-Class
Spacious and sensible, the B-Class is essentially a blown-up A-Class
with family focused packaging, but lacklustre 1.3T is a retrograde step
THE PICK: Downsized engine at odds with big strides made elsewhere

New

-

Torque

4.9 D
2.1 95
TBC 91
4.9 D
2.1 95

Power

7.3
5.8
6.9
7.3
5.8

Size

1990
2139
1949
1990
2139

Engine
type

Fuel cons.

A8
A8
A8
A8
A8

Price

0-100

550
500
450
550
500

Drive

Kerb
weight

187
241
209
187
241

Issue
tested

Trans.

3.3
2.5
3.3
3.3
2.5

Resale %

Torque

L6TD
L4PH
L6T
L6TD
L4PH

RON

Power

$69,800
$80,300
$73,345
$75,000
$85,675
CX-90

Size

D50e GT
P50e GT
G40e Azami
D50e Azami
P50e Azami

Engine
type

Price

YOUR COMPLETE NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE

$244,700
$269,300
$335,100
$573,192
SL-Class

L6T
L6T
V8TT
V12TT

3.0
3.0
4.0
6.0

270
270
370
463

500
500
700
900

A9
A9
A9
A9

2001
2074
2141
2341

5.1
5.1
4.4
4.5

8.2 95
8.4 95
10.8 98
13.6 98

A
A
A
A

Now in its seventh generation, this one ditches unwieldy folding hardtop roof and lardy chassis, and adds AWD to harness ferocious V8
THE PICK: This, or go a 911 Turbo for a much more satisfying drive

SL63 AMG 4Matic+

$374,900
V8TT 4.0 430 800 A9 1895 3.6 13.9 98
GT 4 Door Coupe

A

First ‘performance hybrid’ AMG is the most powerful vehicle in its
stable, with modest electric range of 12km, but searing acceleration
THE PICK: Coupe-mauling power and practicality, plus fuel efficiency

GT 63 S E-Performance $399,000
GT

V8TT

4.0 620 1400 D7 2498 2.9 7.7 98

R

Improving with age. Beautiful coupe is not quite a sports car, not quite
a grand tourer but close enough to both, and roadster is delicious
THE PICK: GT C almost as quick as R but a million times more liveable

GT Night Edition
GT C
GT C Roadster
GT R

$294,200
$341,200
$367,400
$373,400

V8TT
V8TT
V8TT
V8TT

4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0

390
410
410
430

670
680
680
700

D7
D7
D7
D7

1570
1625
1660
1555

3.8
3.8
4.0
4.0

11.5
11.5
11.5
11.4

98
R
98 67 01/20 R
98 67 10/17 R
98 67 03/19 R

@wheelsaustralia

121

GLA 200
GLA 250 4Matic
GLA 35 AMG 4Matic
GLA 45 S AMG 4Matic+

$63,200
$77,300
$97,800
$121,900
GLB

L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T

1.3
2.0
2.0
2.0

120
165
225
310

250
350
400
500

D7
D8
D8
D8

1410
1525
1582
1690

8.7
6.7
5.1
4.3

5.7
6.9
7.4
9.3

95
95
98
98

-

F
A
A
A

$67,000
$82,100
$104,000
GLC

L4T
L4T
L4T

1.3 120 250 D7 1480 9.1 6.2 95
2.0 165 350 D8 1595 6.9 7.4 95
2.0 225 400 D8 1680 5.2 7.6 98

F
08/20 A
A

$103,370
$113,900
GLE

L4T
L4T

2.0 190 400 A9 1850 6.2 7.7 95 2.0 190 400 A9 1870 6.3 7.7 95

09/23 A
A

$114,204
$128,372
$136,072
$150,244
$151,499
$183,041
$172,624
$240,890
$243,526
GLS

L4TD
L6T
L6TD
L6T
L6TD
L6T
L6T
V8TT
V8TT

2.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
4.0
4.0

180
270
243
270
270
320
320
450
450

500
500
700
500
750
520
520
850
850

A9
A9
A9
A9
A9
A9
A9
A9
A9

2090
2145
2190
2235
2250
2175
2345
2370

7.8
5.7
5.8
5.7
5.9
5.3
5.3
3.8
3.8

6.6 D
9.1 95
7.7 D
9.2 95
7.8 D
9.3 95
9.4 95
12.4 98
12.6 98

09/19 A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A

Imposing US-sized, US-built SUV that can comfo rtably carry tall
adults in its third row and scare them to bits in twin-turbo AMG form
THE PICK: The head says straight-six diesel but the heart cries ‘63!’

GLS 450
GLS 400d
GLS 63 AMG 4Matic+
GLS 600 Maybach

EQS 450 4Matic
EQS 53 AMG 4Matic

$171,700
$179,500
$289,800
$395,500
G-Class

L6T
L6TD
V8TT
V8TT

3.0
3.0
4.0
4.0

270
243
450
410

500
700
850
730

A9
A9
A9
A9

2370
2415
2555
2710

6.2
6.3
4.2
4.9

9.2 98
7.7 D
13.0 98
12.0 98

A
03/20 A
A
A

$246,500
$365,900
EQA

L6TD
V8TT

2.9 243 700 A9 2414 6.4 9.5 D
4.0 430 850 A9 2485 4.5 13.1 98

A
A

Like a GLA with masses more tech (and weight), EQA brings batteryelectric three-pointed-star motoring closer to the masses
THE PICK: If you want your leccy Merc to sparkle, you’ll need the 350

EQA 250
EQA 350 4Matic

$81,700
$101,800
EQB

E
E

67 140 375 R1 1965 8.9 16.2 –
67 215 520 R1 2086 6.0

EQE 300
EQE 350 4Matic
EQE 500 4Matic
EQE 53 AMG 4Matic
EQS 450 4Matic

EQB 250
EQB 350 4Matic

$87,800
$106,700
EQC

E
E

67 140 385 R1 2010 9.2
67 215 520 R1 2140 6.2

F
A

Mercedes-Benz’s first attempt at a full electric vehicle is a
masterpiece. Comfortable and familiar, yet still innovative. Top marks
THE PICK: Our COTY 2020 winner. Praise doesn’t get much higher

EQC 400
EQC 400 Sport

$128,000
$145,600
EQE

E
E

80 300 760 R1 2480 5.1 21.4 –
80 300 760 R1 2480 4.7 21.4 –

A
2/20 A

Roomier than an ICE E-Class sedan, and in another realm for refinement,
but brake feel is inconsistent, and rear visibility compromised
THE PICK: The swift 350 4matic is $20K well spent over the base 300

EQE 300
EQE 350 4Matic
EQE 53 AMG 4Matic

122

$134,900
$154,900
$214,900

E
E
E

whichcar.com.au/wheels

89 180 550 R1 2285 7.3 89 215 765 R1 2310 6.3 89 460 950 R1 2445 3.5 -

-

R
A
A

Drive

Issue
tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb
weight

Trans.

Torque

108 265 800 R1 2540 5.6 17.8 –
108 484 950 R1 2580 3.8 - -

A
A

$134,900
$144,900
$164,900
$189,900
$194,900
V-Class

E
E
E
E
E

89
89
91
91
108

180
215
300
460
265

550
765
858
950
800

R1
R1
R1
R1
R1

2355
2505
2485
2615
2843

7.3
6.3
4.7
3.7
6.0

18.9 –
18.9 –
19.6 –
22.1 –
20.5 –

R
A
A
A
A

Transport for your VIPs just got classier, with new looks, interior and
safety tech allied to a diesel donk well up for hauling groups of eight
THE PICK: The Avantgarde for more pep at your pedal

V220d
V250d Avantgarde
V250d MWB
V300d Avantgarde

$84,100
$98,860
$111,252
$132,480
EQV

L4TD
L4TD
L4TD
L4TD

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0

120
140
140
174

380
440
440
500

D7
D7
A9
A9

2135
2135
–
–

8.5
8.0
9.5
7.9

6.3
6.7
–
–

D
D
D
D

R
R
R
R

Essentially an electrified V-Class, the six- or seven-seat EQV offers up
to 363km of WLTP range and takes 45mins to charge from 10-80%.
THE PICK: There’s only one, so nominate your seat count and wait

EQV300

$155,338

E

90 150 365 R1 2827 12.1 26.3 –

MG

F

7 years/unlimited

MG3
Finally gets auto-only range, but it’s a four-speed dunger. Design still
looks good, but do not be confused by the British badge – it’s Chinese
THE PICK: Please consider a Suzuki Swift, new or second-hand

Core
Excite

$19,990*
$20,990*
MG5

L4
L4

1.5 82
1.5 82

150 A4 1170
150 A4 1170

12.5 6.7 91
12.5 6.7 91

F
F

Offers more metal for the money than any other new car – a mediumsized sedan with a light-car price (and engine). And outdated safety
THE PICK: Offers space/warranty ... but buy second-hand Mazda 6

Vibe
Essence

$24,990*
$28,990*
MG4

L4
L4T

1.5 84
1.5 119

150 C 1260 –
250 D7 1318 –

5.7 91
5.9 91

F
F

Underpinned by a bespoke new platform and offering a sensible choice
of batteries, this is MG’s most convincing model by a huge margin
THE PICK: Mid-spec Essence is well equipped and runs large battery

Excite 51
Excite 64
Essence 64
Essence 77
X-Power

F
A

Roomy and well-equipped, and really does ride and drive like a small
luxury car. But battery not big; real-world range is around 350km
THE PICK: Performance of the 250 is fine; but go the 350 if you can

$219,900
E
$327,075
E
EQE/EQS SUV

Electric SUVs essentially five-seat (EQE) and longer seven-seat (EQS)
versions of each other. EQS has best range, all-wheel steer, larger boot
THE PICK: Depends on your seating priorities, but EQE AMG is classiest

The all-new G63 looks almost identical to the old model, but is vastly
improved. Despite looking like a cereal box, it’s devilishly intoxicating
THE PICK: There’s nothing on the planet like this, so dive straight in

G400d
G63 AMG

Power

Merc’s flagship EV has performance and refinement that trounces
the similarly priced S580 L, packaged with in practical liftback body
THE PICK: 450 wins for range and price, but AMG is much more stylish

All-new model brings longer wheelbase and roomier, classier cabin,
with optional third row, But only up-spec models truly deliver
THE PICK: 300 for non-AMG, or the full-fat 63 S if the budget allows

GLE 300d
GLE 450
GLE 400d
GLE 450 Coupe
GLE 450d
GLE 53 AMG Coupe
GLE 53 AMG
GLE 63 S AMG
GLE 63 S AMG Coupe

Size

EQS

Lacks the original’s taut styling, but second-gen GLA offers the same
goodness as new A-Class in an SUV body. Should sell like crazy then
THE PICK: Like all of Merc’s compact range, go the 250 4Matic

Bigger, slicker, quicker, more efficient and comfier, the GLC range opens
with a pair of 300s, with four-cylinder 43 and 63 S AMG versions coming
THE PICK: The ultra-capable GLC 300, now offered in Coupe form

GLC 300
GLC 300 Coupe

Engine
type

GLA

Closer to GLC in size than a GLA, Merc’s newest SUV offers smart
packaging, a rich spec, and useful third-row seating as standard
THE PICK: Like A-Class, we’d avoid the 1.3 - GLB250 is the sweet spot

GLB 200
GLB 250 4Matic
GLB 35 AMG 4Matic

Price

Drive

Issue
tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb
weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

Price

Engine
type

bank

$38,990
$44,990
$47,990
$55,990
$59,990
ZS

E
E
E
E
E

51
64
64
77
64

125
150
150
180
320

250
250
250
350
600

R1
R1
R1
R1
R1

1655
1648
1672
1748
–

7.7
7.2
7.2
6.5
3.8

–
–
–
–
–

–
–
–
–
–

R
R
R
R
A

ZST is a better ZS, with a sexier dash, extra safety kit and a perky 1.3
turbo engine. But slick EV is the old ZS, though recently refreshed
THE PICK: Kia Seltos with safety pack – same warranty, way better car

ZS Excite
ZST Core
ZST Vibe
ZST Excite
ZST Essence
EV Excite
EV Essence
EV Long Range

$23,990*
$26,990*
$28,990*
$32,990*
$34,990*
$42,990
$44,990
$55,990
HS

L4
L4
L4
L3T
L3T
E
E
E

1.5
1.5
1.5
1.3
1.3
51
51
73

84
84
84
115
115
130
130
115

150
150
150
230
230
280
280
280

A4
C
C
A6
A6
R1
R1
R1

1255
1318
1318
1295
1295
1570
1610
1620

–
–
–
–
–
8.2
8.2
8.5

7.1
6.9
6.9
7.1
7.1
17.7
17.7
17.7

91
91
91
91
91
–
–
–

F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F

The HS progresses for the Chinese-owned British brand on safety,
packaging, multimedia and design fronts. A dynamic improvement? No
THE PICK: Starting to get expensive – go for the Vibe

Vibe
Excite
Essence
Anfield Edition
Excite X
Essence X
Plus EV Excite
Plus EV Essence

$32,990*
$35,990*
$39,990*
$41,690*
$38,990*
$43,990*
$49,690*
$53,690*

L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4TPH
L4TH

1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
2.0
2.0
1.5
1.5

119
119
119
119
168
168
189
189

250
250
250
250
360
360
370
370

D7 1520
D7 1520
D7 1520
D7 1520
D6 1700
D6 1700
A10 1737
A10 1775

11.0
11.0
11.0
11.0
–
–
6.9
6.9

7.3
7.3
7.3
7.3
9.5
9.5
1.7
1.7

91
91
91
91
95
95
95
95

04/20 F
04/20 F
F
F
A
A
F
F

MERCEDES-BENZ – NISSAN

$40,725
L3T
$43,050
L3T
$48,050
L3T
$49,300
L4T
$55,000
L4T
$55,400
L4T
$59,500
L4T
$62,250
L4T
$65,750
L4T
$64,975
E
$65,325
E
Cooper 5dr

1.5
1.5
1.5
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
33
33

100
100
100
141
141
141
170
170
170
135
135

220
220
220
280
280
280
320
320
320
270
270

D7
D7
D7
D7
D7
D7
A8
A8
A8
R1
R1

1115
1115
1115
1175
1175
1175
1220
1220
1220
1320
1320

8.2
8.2
8.2
6.7
6.7
6.7
6.1
6.1
6.1
7.3
7.3

5.6
5.6
5.6
5.8
5.8
5.8
6.3
6.3
6.3
14.1
14.1

95
95
95
95
95
95
95
95
95
–
–

F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F

As above but with dorkier styling and framed doors, though added
practicality as well. But you can’t buy a battery-electric Mini 5dr
THE PICK: As in the 3dr, the dark and sinister JCW Sport

Classic
Classic Plus
MINI Yours
S Classic
S MINI Yours
S JCW Sport

$42,300
L3T
1.5 100
$44,700
L3T
1.5 100
$49,600
L3T
1.5 100
$50,850
L4T
2.0 141
$56,925
L4T
2.0 141
$57,325
L4T
2.0 141
Cooper Convertible

220
220
220
280
280
280

D7
D7
D7
D7
D7
D7

1175
1175
1175
1240
1240
1240

8.2
8.2
8.2
6.7
6.7
6.7

5.7
5.7
5.7
5.8
5.8
5.8

95
95
95
95
95
95

F
F
F
F
F
F

Newly rejuvenated and more snappily dressed for 2021, the well-built
Mini Convertible blends go-kart handling with addictive top-down fun
THE PICK: A MINI Yours with its high-fashion interior

Classic
Classic Plus
MINI Yours
S Classic
S MINI Yours
S JCW Sport
JCW Essential
JCW Classic
JCW MINI Yours

$48,025
$51,000
$56,830
$53,470
$61,575
$59,530
$62,210
$67,875
$71,375
Clubman

L3T
L3T
L3T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T

1.5
1.5
1.5
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0

100
100
100
141
141
141
170
170
170

220
220
220
280
280
280
320
320
320

D7
D7
D7
D7
D7
D7
A8
A8
A8

1230
1230
1230
1295
1295
1295
–
–
–

8.8
8.8
8.8
7.1
7.1
7.1
6.5
6.5
6.5

6.0
6.0
6.0
6.3
6.3
6.3
6.5
6.5
6.5

95
95
95
95
95
95
95
95
95

F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F

Quirky style cloaks a practical package (due to BMW X1 wheelbase)
with lively turbos and jaunty demeanour. New variants trickling in
THE PICK: Any. This is our favourite of the Mini bodystyles by far

Cooper S Classic
Cooper S MINI Yours
Cooper S JCW Sport
JCW Essential
JCW Classic
JCW MINI Yours

$53,250
L4T
$59,625
L4T
$61,050
L4T
$69,200
L4T
$70,625
L4T
$74,125
L4T
Countryman

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0

141
141
141
225
225
225

280
280
280
450
450
450

D7
D7
D7
A8
A8
A8

1390
1390
1390
1475
1490
1490

7.3
7.3
7.3
4.9
4.9
4.9

6.2
6.2
6.2
7.7
7.7
7.7

95
95
95
95
95
98

F
F
F
A
A
A

Maintains the regular Mini’s lively, fun nature in a versatile SUV-ish
package, with a useful Hybrid and rapid JCW variants adding texture
THE PICK: Four-pot turbos for disappointment-avoiding performance

Cooper Classic
Cooper Classic Plus
Cooper MINI Yours
Cooper S Classic
Cooper S MINI Yours
Cooper S JCW Sport
Cooper SE Classic
Cooper SE MINI Yours
JCW Essential
JCW Classic
JCW MINI Yours

$46,405
$50,650
$57,250
$55,070
$62,050
$62,550
$64,000
$69,650
$65,745
$69,500
$74,300

L3T
L3T
L3T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L3TH
L3TH
L4T
L4T
L4T

1.5
1.5
1.5
2.0
2.0
2.0
1.5
1.5
2.0
2.0
2.0

100
100
100
141
141
141
165
165
225
225
225

Mitsubishi

220
220
220
280
280
280
385
385
450
450
450

D7
D7
D7
D7
D7
D7
A6
A6
A8
A8
A8

1390
1390
1390
1460
1460
1460
–
–
1490
1490
1490

9.7
9.7
9.7
7.5
7.5
7.5
6.8
6.8
5.1
5.1
5.1

6.3
6.3
6.3
6.7
6.7
6.7
2.4
2.4
7.6
7.6
7.6

95
95
95
95
95
95
95
95
95
95
98

F
F
F
F
F
F
A
A
A
A
A

5 years/100,000km

ASX
Larger 2.4 in upper range brings usefully more torque. Styling, safety
and tech tweaks help, but the less spent the better. Now 13 years old
THE PICK: Sporty MR and GSR look good, but GS is best value

GS

$23,990

L4

2.0 110

197 M5 1350 10.0 7.7 91

9.7
10.0
10.0
10.0
9.5
9.5

7.6
7.6
7.6
7.6
7.9
7.9

91
91
91
91
91
91

Drive

1380
1380
1380
1380
1390
1390

Issue
tested

RON

C
C
C
C
C
C

Resale %

Fuel cons.

197
197
197
197
222
222

0-100

110
110
110
110
123
123

Kerb
weight

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.4
2.4

Trans.

Engine
type

$26,240
L4
$27,490
L4
$29,240
L4
$29,990
L4
$32,240
L4
$34,740
L4
Eclipse Cross

Torque

Seven years’ young and refreshed in 2021 with more modern cabin
tech, greater personalisation and a more focused model line-up
THE PICK: S JCW Sport with adaptive dampers, leather/suede wheel

GS
ES
MR
LS
GSR
Exceed

Power

Cooper 3dr

Classic
Classic Plus
MINI Yours
S Classic
S MINI Yours
S JCW Sport
JCW Essential
JCW Classic
JCW MINI Yours
SE Yours
SE Resolute

Price

Drive

Issue
tested

Resale %

RON

3 years/unlimited

Size

Mini

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb
weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

Engine
type

Price

YOUR COMPLETE NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE

01/20 F
F
F
F
F
13/19 F

Visual trickery makes Eclipse Cross appear more refined than its
ageing underpinnings might suggest, though it beats the awful ASX
THE PICK: LS AWD or a base PHEV, if you have to

ES
LS
LS AWD
Aspire
Exceed
Exceed AWD
ES PHEV
Aspire PHEV
Exceed PHEV

$31,490
L4T
$34,240
L4T
$35,990
L4T
$36,240
L4T
$40,490
L4T
$42,990
L4T
$47,290
L4PH
$51,240
L4PH
$55,990
L4PH
Outlander

1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
2.4
2.4
2.4

110
110
110
110
110
110
138
138
138

250
250
250
250
250
250
n/a
n/a
n/a

C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C

1472
1486
1550
1499
1535
1600
1880
1890
1895

–
–
–
–
–
–
10.9
10.9
10.9

7.3
7.3
7.7
7.3
7.3
7.7
1.9
1.9
1.9

91
91
91
91
91
91
95
95
95

F
F
A
F
F
A
A
A
A

Big range for classier, roomier new-gen Outlander, now with a handful
of updates for 2024. PHEV adds useful torque and decent EV range
THE PICK: LS AWD for the best mix of comfort and safety

ES
LS
Black Edition
LS AWD
Aspire
Aspire AWD
Exceed AWD
Exceed Tourer AWD
ES PHEV
Aspire PHEV
Exceed PHEV
Exceed Tourer PHEV

$37,740
L4
$41,240
L4
$42,990
L4
$43,740
L4
$44,840
L4
$47,340
L4
$52,640
L4
$55,190
L4
$57,290
L4H
$63,790
L4H
$69,290
L4H
$71,790
L4H
Pajero Sport

2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.4
2.4
2.4
2.4

135
135
135
135
135
135
135
135
185
185
185
185

245
245
245
245
245
245
245
245
450
450
450
450

C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C

–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
2015
2030
2045
2110

–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
9.0
9.0
9.0
9.0

7.5
7.7
7.7
8.1
7.7
8.1
8.1
8.1
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5

91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91
95
95
95
95

F
F
F
A
F
A
A
A
A
A
A
A

Rugged, imposing and fairly capable, but this remains a Pajero in name
only. Two new colours, tyre-pressure monitoring debut for MY23
THE PICK: GLS for value, but a second-hand Big Pajero is way better

GLX
GLX
GLS
GLS
Exceed
GSR

$44,440
$49,440
$49,190
$54,190
$59,690
$61,440
Triton

L4TD
L4TD
L4TD
L4TD
L4TD
L4TD

2.4
2.4
2.4
2.4
2.4
2.4

133
133
133
133
133
133

430
430
430
430
430
430

A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8

1945
2045
1980
2065
2125
2125

–
–
–
–
–
–

8.0
8.0
8.0
8.0
8.0
8.0

D
D
D
D
D
D

R
A
R
A
A
A

Finally grown up in all the right places, though Triton remains a follower
– playing catch-up to its rivals – rather than leading the way forward
THE PICK: Plush GLS, unless you need the GLX’s heavy-duty rear end

GLX+ Club Cab
GLX
GLX+
GLS
GSR

$50,340
$50,940
$53,290
$59,090
$63,840

L4TTD
L4TTD
L4TTD
L4TTD
L4TTD

2.4
2.4
2.4
2.4
2.4

150
150
150
150
150

470
470
470
470
470

A6
A6
A6
A6
A6

–
–
–
–
–

–
–
–
–
–

Nissan

7.7
7.7
7.7
7.7
7.7

D
D
D
D
D

A
A
A
A
A

5 years/unlimited

Leaf
Still one of the most affordable EVs in the country, the Leaf makes the
most sense due to large battery and range. Gains five-star safety too
THE PICK: e+ demands a hefty premium; so only if you need the range

e+

$50,990
$61,490
Juke

E
E

40 110 320 R1 1594 7.9 17.1 62 160 340 R1 1736 6.9 18.0 -

02/20 F
F

With a downsized engine and toned-down styling, has this more mature
Juke lost its attitude? It’s undoubtedly a better but blander thing
THE PICK: All are mechanically identical, ST-L expected to be top seller

ST
ST+
ST-L
ST-L+

$28,390
$31,140
$34,440
$35,540

L3T
L3T
L3T
L3T

1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0

84
84
84
84

180
180
180
180

D7
D7
D7
D7

1251
1251
1274
1274

11.8
11.8
11.8
11.8

5.8
5.8
5.8
5.8

95
95
95
95

F
F
F
F

F
@wheelsaustralia

123

Ti

$36,890
Z

L3T

1.0 84

180 D7 1276 11.8 5.8 95

$73,300
V6TT
$73,300
V6TT
Qashqai

3.0 298 475 M6 1561 –
3.0 298 475 A9 1594 –

10.8 95
9.8 95

R
R

$33,890
$37,890
$42,190
$47,390
$51,590
X-Trail

L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L3TH

1.3
1.3
1.3
1.3
1.5

110
110
110
110
140

250
250
250
250
330

C
C
C
C
C

1429
1435
1460
1474
1728

10.1
10.1
10.2
10.2
7.9

6.1
6.1
6.1
6.1
5.2

95
95
95
95
95

F
F
F
F
F

Not the driver’s choice, but our pick of the segment for its focus on
ride, occupant comfort, packaging practicality and general liveability
THE PICK: Ti has everything you need, especially the punchy e-Power

ST
ST 4WD
ST-L
ST-L 4WD
Ti 4WD
Ti-L 4WD
ST-L e-Power e-4ORCE
Ti e-Power e-4ORCE
Ti-L e-Power e-4ORCE

$36,750
L4
$39,790
L4
$43,190
L4
$46,290
L4
$49,990
L4
$52,990
L4
$49,490
L3TH
$54,190
L3TH
$57,190
L3TH
Pathfinder

2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
1.5
1.5
1.5

135
135
135
135
135
135
157
157
157

244
244
244
244
244
244
n/a
n/a
n/a

C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C

1540
1643
1578
1666
1668
1672
1871
1903
1911

–
–
–
–
–
–
7.0
7.0
7.0

7.4
7.8
7.4
7.8
7.8
7.8
6.1
6.1
6.1

91
91
91
91
91
91
95
95
95

F
A
F
A
A
A
A
A
A

GT Fastback
GT Sportswagon
GT Fastback PHEV
GT Sportswagon PHEV

$63,431
$65,657
$81,610
$82,915
2008

$77,559
$88,171
Patrol

V6
V6

3.5 206 340 A9 2054 –
3.5 206 340 A9 2083 –

10.5 95
10.5 95

Allure
GT
e-2008 GT

Ti
Ti-L
Warrior

$84,900
$97,600
$101,160
Navara

V8
V8
V8

5.6 298 560 A7 2815 –
5.6 298 560 A7 2850 –
5.6 298 560 A7 2884 –

14.4 95
14.4 95
14.4 95

A
A
A

Extensively facelifted Navara offers huge choice and extra ability but
we’d opt for a dual-cab over the flexy, flawed King Cab every time
THE PICK: Given its high-vis sex appeal, a PRO-4X Warrior manual

SL King Cab
ST-X King Cab
SL
SL
ST
ST
ST-X
ST-X
SL Warrior
SL Warrior
PRO-4X
PRO-4X
PRO-4X Warrior
PRO-4X Warrior

$47,600
$57,695
$46,600
$49,100
$51,705
$54,205
$55,195
$57,695
$58,000
$60,500
$58,155
$60,655
$67,515
$70,015

L4TTD
L4TTD
L4TTD
L4TTD
L4TTD
L4TTD
L4TTD
L4TTD
L4TTD
L4TTD
L4TTD
L4TTD
L4TTD
L4TTD

2.3
2.3
2.3
2.3
2.3
2.3
2.3
2.3
2.3
2.3
2.3
2.3
2.3
2.3

140
140
140
140
140
140
140
140
140
140
140
140
140
140

450
450
450
450
450
450
450
450
450
450
450
450
450
450

A7
A7
M6
A7
M6
A7
M6
A7
M6
A7
M6
A7
M6
A7

1944
2039
2024
2033
2053
2062
2134
2142
2024
2033
2137
2146
2137
2146

–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–

Peugeot

7.8
7.8
7.3
7.9
7.3
7.9
7.3
7.9
7.3
7.9
7.5
8.1
7.5
8.1

D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D

A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A

5 years/unlimited

308
Characterful styling and a high-end interior join familiar 308 perks like
engaging dynamics and a terrific drivetrain. Servicing now cheaper
THE PICK: Base GT hatch has more than enough luxe to feel special

GT
GT Premium
GT Premium wagon
GT Sport PHEV

$43,990
$48,990
$50,490
$64,990

L3T
L3T
L3T
L4TPH

1.2
1.2
1.2
1.6

96
96
96
165

230
230
230
360

A8
A8
A8
A8

1258
1258
1314
1611

9.7
9.7
9.9
7.5

5.3
5.3
5.3
1.3

95
95
95
95

F
F
F
F

Allure
GT
GT HDi
GT Sport
GT Sport PHEV AWD

whichcar.com.au/wheels

Drive

Issue
tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb
weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

165
165
165
165

300
300
360
360

A8
A8
A8
A8

1385
1395
1695
1720

8.1
8.2
8.3
8.3

6.3
6.3
1.7
1.5

95
95
95
95

02/20 F
02/20 F
F
F

$38,945
$43,397
$59,990
3008

L3T
L3T
E

1.2 96 230 A6 1247 9.3 6.5 95
1.2 96 230 A6 1247 9.3 6.5 95
50 100 260 R1 1548 9.0 – –

F
F
F

$50,075
$53,414
$56,753
$63,431
$84,790
5008

L4T
L4T
L4TD
L4T
L4TH

1.6
1.6
2.0
1.6
1.6

121
121
131
133
222

240
240
400
250
520

A6
A6
A8
A8
A8

1371
1371
1448
1371
1840

9.9
9.9
9.0
8.8
6.1

7.3
7.0
5.0
5.6
1.7

95
95
D
95
95

F
F
F
F
A

Rinse-and-repeat 3008 with a longer wheelbase and five-plus-two
seating makes surprisingly beautiful sense, especially black-pack Sport
THE PICK: Unless you need the diesel’s torque wallop, the GT Sport

GT Sport
GT HDi

$65,657
$66,770

L4T
L4TD

1.6 133 250 A8 1521 9.4 5.6 95
2.0 131 400 A8 1524 10.2 5.0 D

Polestar

F
F

5 years/unlimited

2
Recent mechanical makeover has turned the 2 into one of the most
complete EVs in the segment, with interiors that shame Tesla Model 3
THE PICK: Either of the rear-drivers, depending on your range needs

Standard range
Long range
Long range AWD
Long range AWD Perf’

$67,400
$71,400
$76,400
$85,400
3

E
E
E
E

69
82
82
82

200
220
310
350

490
490
740
740

R1
R1
R1
R1

1944
2009
2108
2105

6.4
6.2
4.5
4.2

–
–
–
–

–
–
–
–

R
R
A
A

SUV flagship for Polestar has both range (560-610km), presence and
stacks of equipment in its favour, making it a proper luxury express
THE PICK: If you’ve already come this far, the Performance

Long range
Long range Perf’

$132,900
$141,900

E
E

111 360 840 R1 –
111 380 910 R1 –

5.0 –
4.7 –

Porsche

–
–

A
A

3 years/unlimited

718
Stuttgart goes back to nature, shoehorning epic flat-sixes back into
its brilliant mid-engined Boxster and Cayman halo models
THE PICK: GT4 RS is magical but anything with six cylinders is champ

Cayman
Cayman
Boxster
Boxster
Cayman S
Cayman S
Boxster S
Boxster S
Cayman GTS 4.0
Cayman GTS 4.0
Boxster GTS 4.0
Boxster GTS 4.0
Spyder RS
Cayman GT4 RS

$134,000
$134,695
$136,600
$137,259
$160,100
$164,680
$162,600
$167,600
$196,400
$201,790
$199,00
$204,390
$336,800
$336,800
911

F4T
F4T
F4T
F4T
F4T
F4T
F4T
F4T
F6
F6
F6
F6
F6
F6

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0

220
220
220
220
257
257
257
257
294
294
294
294
368
368

380
380
380
380
420
420
420
420
420
430
420
430
450
450

M6
D7
M6
D7
M6
D7
M6
D7
M6
D7
M6
D7
D7
D7

1335
1365
1335
1365
1355
1385
1355
1385
1405
1435
1405
1435
1405
1415

5.1
4.7
5.1
4.9
4.6
4.3
4.6
4.4
4.5
4.0
4.5
4.0
3.4
3.4

7.4 98
6.9 98
7.4 98
6.9 98
8.1 98
7.3 98
8.1 98
7.3 98
10.9 98
9.6 98
10.8 98
9.6 98
13.0 98
12.7 98

R
08/19 R
R
R
R
05/17 R
R
06/16 R
R
R
R
R
R
R

992 generation a triumph. Base Carrera all the sports car anyone
could need, though GT3 and sledgehammer Turbo are all-time
THE PICK: Probably Carrera S, or GTS manual. Or a GT3 Touring

Carrera

124

1.6
1.6
1.6
1.6

What was already a classy, fun-to-drive medium SUV is now even better
thanks to a handsome, techy makeover. Plug-in Hybrid AWD is quick
THE PICK: A dead-stock Allure is still our favourite, though not cheap

A
A

Lusty V8 makes it a great choice for outback tourers and heavy towers,
despite the thirst. Warrior literally elevates Patrol to a new level of cool
THE PICK: Base Ti leaves more cash for fuel – you’ll need it

L4T
L4T
L4TPH
L4TPH

A larger, more mature car than its predecessor, blending slick design,
packaging and technology with a touch of character, plus an EV variant
THE PICK: Base Allure for its plusher ride and abundant torque

New fifth-gen arrives with a focus on refinement and packaging, carrying
over the old V6, but with nine-speed auto replacing the CVT
THE PICK: Can you see $10K worth of equipment and value in the Ti-L

Ti 4WD
Ti-L 4WD

Size

Heralds a return to the practical, enjoyable, stylish and plush French
mid-sizer, now with an intriguing (if pricey) plug-in hybrid model
THE PICK: Sportwagon loses nothing, gains space

Third-gen is roomier, and far more perky now it has a turbo-petrol engine,
while the move to IRS has improved its ride. New Hybrid expands appeal
THE PICK: For its smoothness, slickness and grunt, the Ti e-Power

ST
ST+
ST-L
Ti
Ti e-Power

Engine
type

508

F

Strikes a fine usability balance: quick enough to entertain, rides well, with
ample chassis engagement. Some interior equipment lacking, though
THE PICK: Proto is now sold out, so the sweet manual coupe

Coupe
Coupe

Price

Drive

Issue
tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb
weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

Engine
type

Price

Data
bank

$279, 100

F6TT

3.0 283 450 D8 1505 4.2 9.6 98

06/20 R

NISSAN - ROLLS-ROYC E

R
A
A
R
02/20 R
R
08/19 A
A
R
R
A
A
A
A
A
A
R
R
R
R
R
A
A
07/20 A
A
A
R

Big, clever and stunningly adept. Pornographically extruded Sport
Turismo is brash but curiously covetable; twin-turbo V8s astonishing.
THE PICK: Any of them, but prepare yourself for the options list

4
4 Sport Turismo
4 Executive
4 E-Hybrid
4 E-Hybrid Executive
4 E-Hybrid Sport Turismo
4S E-Hybrid
GTS
GTS Sport Turismo
Turbo S
Turbo S E-Hybrid

$207,000
$217,300
$224,700
$226,700
$252,700
$262,100
$260,000
$298,800
$317,900
$325,300
$423,400
$433,500
Macan

V6T
V6T
V6T
V6T
V6TTH
V6TTH
V6TTH
V6TH
V8TT
V8TT
V8TT
V8TTH

3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
2.9
2.9
2.9
2.9
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0

243
243
243
243
340
340
340
412
353
353
463
515

500
500
500
500
700
700
700
750
620
620
820
870

D8
D8
D8
D8
D8
D8
D8
D8
D8
D8
D8
D8

1860
1900
1930
2005
2210
2300
2225
2225
2020
2040
2080
2350

5.6
5.3
5.3
5.4
4.4
4.5
4.4
3.7
3.9
3.9
3.1
3.2

2.1
2.2
2.2
2.7

98
98
98
98
98
98
98
98
98
98
98
98

R
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A

‘Stronger, sharper, sportier’ mid-life makeover gives Macan the tech
savvy and dynamic talent to keep kicking rivals’ bums
THE PICK: GTS packed with gear, comes in Python Green!

T
S
GTS

$95,300
$98,700
$119,000
$143,200
Cayenne

L4T
L4T
V6TT
V6TT

2.0
2.0
2.9
2.9

195
195
280
324

400
400
520
550

D7
D7
D7
D7

1845
1845
1930
1960

6.4
6.2
4.8
4.3

8.8
8.8
9.9
9.9

98
98
98
98

A
A
A
A

Extensive midlife revamp brings Taycan influence to front end and dash.
Smaller range, but brilliantly executed, now with hardcore Turbo GT
THE PICK: E-Hybrid is decent value given its tech (and performance)

Coupe
E-Hybrid
E-Hybrid Coupe
S
S Coupe
Turbo GT Coupe

$140,200
$148,300
$155,900
$161,600
$181,300
$190,000
$366,200
Taycan

V6T
V6T
V6TH
V6TH
V8TT
V8TT
V8TT

3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
4.0
4.0
4.0

260
260
346
346
324
324
485

500
500
700
700
550
550
850

A8
A8
A8
D8
A8
A8
A8

1985
2030
2295
2360
2020
2050
2220

6.2
6.0
5.0
5.1
5.2
5.0
3.3

9.0 98
9.9 98
3.4 98
2.5 98
9.2 95
10.0 98
11.9 98

A
A
A
A
A
A
A

This all-electric stunner combines catwalk proportion with catapult
acceleration and typical Porsche quality and dynamic excellence
THE PICK: Turbo Cross Turismo seems appropriately magnificent

4 Cross Turismo
4S
4S Cross Turismo
Turbo

$165,700
$186,500
$205,300
$217,500
$292,900

E
E
E
E
E

71
84
79
93
93

300
350
320
360
460

345
500
640
650
850

R1
R1
R1
R1
R1

2050
2245
2140
2245
2305

5.4
5.1
4.0
4.1
3.2

28.0 –
28.1 –
26.2 –
28.1 –
28.0 –

R
A
A
A
A

Turbo Cross Turismo
Turbo S

$295,200
$363,800

E
E

Drive

Issue
tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb
weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

9.6 98
9.5 98
9.6 98
9.6 98
8.9 98
9.6 98
12.7 98
9.6 98
10.3 98
9.7 98
9.7 98
9.9 98
9.8 98
9.9 98
9.9 98
9.9 98
13.3 98
12.4 98
13.3 98
12.4 98
12.5 98
11.1 98
11.3 98
11.1 98
11.3 98
11.3 98
13.4 98

Size

4.4
4.2
4.4
4.1
3.7
3.9
3.4
3.8
4.1
3.4
3.3
3.5
4.4
3.8
3.5
3.5
3.9
3.4
3.9
3.4
3.2
2.8
2.9
2.7
3.4
2.8
3.7

Engine
type

1575
1555
1625
1470
1515
1585
1565
1635
1510
1545
1595
1665
1665
1675
1685
1685
1418
1435
1418
1435
1445
1640
1710
1640
1605
1710
1380

Price

Fuel cons.

D8
D8
D8
D8
D8
D8
D8
D8
M7
D8
D8
D8
D8
D8
D8
D8
M6
D7
M6
D7
D7
D8
D8
D8
D8
D8
M6

Drive

0-100

450
450
450
450
530
530
530
530
570
570
570
570
450
530
570
570
470
470
470
470
465
750
750
800
570
800
465

Issue
tested

Kerb
weight

283
283
283
283
331
331
331
331
353
353
353
353
283
331
353
353
375
375
375
375
386
427
427
478
353
478
386

Resale %

Trans.

3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
3.7
3.7
3.7
3.0
3.7
4.0

RON

Torque

$300,200 F6TT
$296,700
F6TT
$317,900
F6TT
$300,600 F6TT
$318,500
F6TT
$339,900
F6TT
$335,900
F6TT
$357,100
F6TT
$355,200 F6TT
$355,200 F6TT
$374,200
F6TT
$408,700 F6TT
$317,900
F6TT
$357,400
F6TT
$408,100
F6TT
$426,100
F6TT
$418,900
F6
$418,900
F6
$418,900
F6
$418,900
F6
$539,100
F6
$464,700 F6TT
$485,100
F6TT
$540,200 F6TT
$491,400
F6TT
$560,900 F6TT
$660,500 F6
Panamera

Power

Carrera Cabriolet
Carrera 4
Carrera 4 Cabriolet
T
Carrera S
Carrera S Cabriolet
Carrera 4S
Carrera 4S Cabriolet
Carrera GTS
Carrera GTS
Carrera 4 GTS
Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet
Targa 4
Targa 4S
Targa 4 GTS
Targa Edition 50 Years
GT3
GT3
GT3 Touring
GT3 Touring
GT3 RS
Turbo
Turbo Cabriolet
Turbo S
Dakar
Turbo S Cabriolet
S/T

Size

Price

Engine
type

YOUR COMPLETE NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE

93 460 850 R1 2320 3.3 28.7 –
93 460 1050 R1 2295 2.8 28.5 –

Ram

A
A

3 years/100,000km

1500
’Bad to the bone’ in a good way, the locally converted RAM 1500
drives and performs way better than you may expect
THE PICK: Limited, unless you’re nuts enough for the TRX

Express Crew Cab
$98,950
Warlock Crew Cab
$109,950
Warlock Crew Cab RamBox $114,900
Big Horn
$119,950
Laramie Crew Cab RamBox $132,900
Laramie Sport Crew Cab $136,950
Limited Crew Cab RamBox $156,950
TRX
$224,950
2500

V8
V8
V8
V8
V8
V8
V8
V8S

5.7
5.7
5.7
5.7
5.7
5.7
5.7
6.2

291
291
291
291
291
291
291
523

556
556
556
556
556
556
556
882

A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
A8

2620
2620
2684
2572
2671
2671
2749
3033

–
–
–
–
–
–
–
4.5

12.2 91
12.2 91
12.2 91
12.2 91
12.2 91
12.2 91
12.2 91
19.6 91

A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A

Torque, weight and towing ability are mind-boggling, mixed with
newfound luxury. Makes Hilux and Ranger seem like kids’ toys
THE PICK: The biggest caravan/boat/horse float you can throw at it

Laramie Crew Cab
$163,950
Laramie Crew Cab RamBox $168,900

L6TD
L6TD

6.7 276 1152 A6 3660 –
6.7 276 1152 A6 3742 –

Renault

TBC D
TBC D

A
A

5 years/unlimited

Megane
Rationalised to the fittest engine in Trophy spec, the hard-charging
Megane RS has personality. Final-edition Ultime farewells this icon
THE PICK: Rasping, blurting dual-clutch with optional Recaros

RS Trophy
RS Trophy
RS Ultime
RS Ultime

$63,500
$66,500
$67,500
$70,500
Captur

L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T

1.8
1.8
1.8
1.8

221
221
221
221

400
420
400
400

M6
D6
M6
D6

1427
1450
1427
1450

5.7
5.7
5.7
5.7

8.3
8.0
8.3
8.0

98
98
98
98

F
F
F
F

French visual flair combines with newfound cabin class and muchneeded additional performance to make second-gen Captur a cracker
THE PICK: Mid-spec Zen for its extra safety kit

Life
Zen
Intens
RS-Line

$31,800
$33,800
$38,800
$41,300
Arkana

L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T

1.3
1.3
1.3
1.3

113
113
113
113

270
270
270
270

D7
D7
D7
D7

1247
1256
1267
1267

8.6
8.6
8.6
8.6

6.6
6.6
6.6
6.6

95
95
95
95

F
F
F
F

Kadjar replacement is a reasonably stylish coupe-SUV riding on a
lengthened Captur platform, with impressive kit for the coin
THE PICK: Mid-spec Intens amps Arkana’s luxe nicely

Zen
Intens
RS Line

$36,800
$40,800
$44,300
Koleos

L4T
L4T
L4T

1.3 115
1.3 115
1.3 115

262 D7 1354 9.1 6.0 95
262 D7 1358 9.1 6.0 95
262 D7 1362 9.1 6.0 95

F
F
F

Space and appeal on face value, as well as persuasive equipment, but
there’s little dynamic depth or sophistication here. Or French charm
THE PICK: Very un-Renault feel, so go for infinitely classier Captur

Life
Zen
Zen 4WD
Intens
Intens 4WD
Iconic Edition
Iconic Edition 4WD

$37,000
L4
$41,700
L4
$44,200
L4
$45,200
L4
$47,700
L4
$47,000
L4
$49,500
L4
Megane E-Tech

2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5

126
126
126
126
126
126
126

226
226
226
226
226
226
226

C
C
C
C
C
C
C

1558
1558
1626
1558
1626
1558
1626

9.5
9.5
9.8
9.5
9.8
9.5
9.8

8.1
8.1
8.3
8.1
8.3
8.1
8.3

91
91
91
91
91
91
91

F
F
A
F
A
F
A

High-tech, high-glamour fifth-gen Megane goes all-electric, complete
with 454km of range, recycled aluminium panels, premium interior
THE PICK: If you want all the trickery, the Techno hits that perfect beat

Techno EV60

$64,990

E

60 160 300 R1 1642 7.4 15.6 –

Rolls-Royce

F

4 years/unlimited

Ghost
New-generation Ghost bins its 7 Series DNA to ride on a cut-down
Phantom chassis for peerless engineering and first-class refinement.
THE PICK: The base model, to match your compound at Wategos Beach

$644,650

V12TT 6.7 420 850 A8 –

–

15.0 98

@wheelsaustralia

A

125

A
A

Luxury has reached a new level. May seem expensive, but it’s cheaper
than a helicopter. But whatever you do, just don’t call it an SUV
THE PICK: The one with the darkest possible window tint

Black Badge

$692,150
V12TT 6.7 420 850 A8 2660 5.2 15.0 95
$791,900
V12TT 6.7 441 900 A8 2660 5.1 15.0 95
Phantom

A
A

$915,400
$1,067,400

V12TT 6.7 420 900 A8 2560 5.3 13.9 95
V12TT 6.7 420 900 A8 2610 5.4 13.9 95

Skoda

R
R

7 years/unlimited

Fabia
Fourth-gen Fabia expands in both size and stature, served with the
most powerful engine available. Not cheap, but ample substance
THE PICK: There’s only one, so good thing it’s richly equipped

110TSI Monte Carlo Ed. 150 $38,590
Scala

L4T

1.5 110

250 D7 1265 8.0 4.9 95

$33,590
$42,090
Octavia

L3T
L4T

1.0 85
1.5 110

200 D7 1205 9.8 5.3 95
250 D7 1240 8.2 5.5 95

ELX
Adventure
Ultimate
Ultimate Sport

110TSI Style
110TSI Style wagon
RS
RS wagon

$40,590
$41,890
$52,590
$53,890
Superb

L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T

1.4
1.4
2.0
2.0

110
110
180
180

250
250
370
370

A8
A8
D7
D7

1325
1355
1480
1515

8.5
8.6
6.7
6.7

5.7
5.8
6.8
6.8

95
95
95
95

ELX
ELX XLV
Adventure
Adventure XLV
Ultimate
Ultimate XLV
Ultimate Luxury
Ultimate Luxury XLV

206TSI Sportline
$65,590
206TSI Sportline wagon $67,290
Kamiq

L4T
L4T

2.0 206 350 D6 1580 6.0 8.0 95
2.0 206 350 D6 1615 6.1 8.1 95

A
A

$31,790
$36,690
$41,690
$43,090
Karoq

L3T
L3T
L4T
L4T

1.0
1.0
1.5
1.5

85
85
110
110

200
200
250
250

D7
D7
D7
D7

1211
1211
1237
1237

10.0
10.0
8.3
8.3

5.4
5.4
5.6
5.6

95
95
95
95

F
F
F
F

Less quirky-cool than the Yeti it replaces, the Karoq still tempts on
price and has plenty of handy features, space and efficiency on its side
THE PICK: Top-spec 140TSI with VW’s grunty EA888 engine

110TSI Style
140TSI Sportline 4x4

$44,590
$51,290
Kodiaq

L4T
L4T

1.4 110 250 A8 9.2 1510 6.5 95
2.0 140 320 D7 1655 7.0 6.6 95

F
A

Cleverly packaged, intelligently sized medium/large seven-seat SUV
with classier finishes and detailing for ’22, plus a GTI-engined RS
THE PICK: For its grunt, gear and resale, the hot-shot RS

132TSI Style
132TSI Sportline
RS

$53,290
$57,790
$70,590

L4T
L4T
L4T

2.0 132 320 D7 1775 8.4 8.2 95
2.0 132 320 D7 1775 8.4 8.2 95
2.0 180 370 D7 1815 6.6 7.5 95

SsangYong

A
A
A

7 years/unlimited

Korando
It’s often overlooked, but the Korando deserves more attention with
advances in design, safety and quality. Rather handsome too
THE PICK: Worth a look if value is a priority, not finessed dynamics

EX
ELX
Ultimate
Ultimate AWD

126

$30,990*
$32,990*
$37,990*
$41,990*

L4T
L4T
L4T
L4TD

whichcar.com.au/wheels

1.5
1.5
1.5
1.6

120
120
120
100

280
280
280
324

A6
A6
A6
A6

1435
1435
1435
1515

–
–
–
–

7.7
7.7
7.7
5.5

95
95
95
D

F
F
F
A

148
148
148
148

Drive

Issue
tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb
weight

Trans.

Torque

441
441
441
441

A8
A8
A8
A8

2230
2230
2230
2230

–
–
–
–

8.7
8.7
8.7
8.7

D
D
D
D

A
A
A
A

$40,000*
$41,500*
$42,500*
$44,000*
$45,000*
$46,500*
$48,000*
$49,500

L4TD
L4TD
L4TD
L4TD
L4TD
L4TD
L4TD
L4TD

2.2
2.2
2.2
2.2
2.2
2.2
2.2
2.2

133
133
133
133
133
133
133
133

400
420
400
420
400
420
400
420

A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6
A6

2090
2210
2090
2210
2090
2210
2090
2210

–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–

8.6
9.0
8.6
9.0
8.6
9.0
8.6
9.0

D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D

A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A

5 years/unlimited

Mirrors what the off-roady Crosstrek offers without the North Face
aesthetic, or a hybrid (for now). Likely joined by a 2.5 RS in due course
THE PICK: Given its value, stump for the premium 2.0S

$31,490
F4
$34,990
F4
$37,990
F4
Crosstrek

2.0 115
2.0 115
2.0 115

196 C
196 C
196 C

1416 –
1435 –
1458 –

7.5 91
7.5 91
7.5 91

A
A
A

Replacement for the XV benefits from being built on SGP platform, and
cabin offers decent space for this class. Powertrain unremarkable
THE PICK: Hybrid delivers limited benefit, so go the 2.0R or S

Crosstrek 2.0L
Crosstrek 2.0R
Crosstrek 2.0S
Crosstrek Hybrid L
Crosstrek Hybrid S

$34,990
$38,490
$41,490
$38,590
$45,090
WRX

FT4
FT4
FT4
FT4H
FT4H

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0

115
115
115
110
110

196
196
196
196
196

C
C
C
C
C

1493
1532
1532
1575
1614

10.5
10.5
10.5
10.7
10.7

7.2
7.2
7.2
6.5
6.5

91
91
91
91
91

A
A
A
A
A

Broad range rebrands supple Levorg wagon as a WRX, acting as a
counterpoint to firm sedans. Top tS gets adaptive dampers, great CVT
THE PICK: For refinement, tS wagon; for fun, RS manual

Skoda’s impressive small-SUV rival is comprehensively equipped, with
smart new price leader to tempt buyers pre Kamiq’s MY24 update
THE PICK: Turbo-triple Run-Out a great buy for $33K drive-away

Run-Out
85TSI Style
110TSI Monte Carlo
110TSI Signature

2.2
2.2
2.2
2.2

Impreza

2.0L
2.0R
2.0S

Not as poised as a Passat but has more personality, massive space
and quality feel. Sportline 4x4 looks great – especially the wagon
THE PICK: Sportline wagon with adaptive dampers

L4TD
L4TD
L4TD
L4TD

Subaru

F
F

F
F
F
F

$50,000*
$54,000*
$58,000*
$60,000*
Musso

With loads of kit for minimal cash, the updated MY24 Musso has
appeal … until you start to make demands of it, especially off-road
THE PICK: ELX XLV with its 310mm-longer tray, 1025kg payload

F

Mirrors its Golf Mk8 relative in both engineering excellence and
pricing, though with huge space and an intriguing Czech twist
THE PICK: Anything that’s a wagon, particularly the fabulous RS

Power

Competent take on the 4WD wagon. Handsome refreshed interior,
inoffensive exterior, keen drive-away pricing continue in MY24 update
THE PICK: Enjoy effortless diesel torque in Ultimate Sport form

A larger and better-equipped Golf alternative, for a moderate cost
saving. Drives well, looks good and standard spec is impressive
THE PICK: Signature gets useful power/equipment hike, sport chassis

85TSI Ambition
110TSI Signature

Size

Rexton

Go on, have some artworks installed in the dash, indulge yourself.
You’re obviously rolling in it. Twin-turbo V12 a highlight
THE PICK: Shorter Phantom keeps the price under seven figures - just

EWB

Engine
type

Price

Drive

Issue
tested

15.0 98
15.0 98

Resale %

–
–

RON

Fuel cons.

Kerb
weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

$772,900
V12TT 6.7 420 850 A8 –
$744,400
V12TT 6.7 420 850 A8 –
Cullinan

0-100

Black Badge
EWB

Engine
type

Price

Data
bank

Sportswagon
RS
RS
GT Sportswagon
tS
tS Sportswagon

New

$45,990
$49,990
$49,990
$51,490
$55,490
$56,490
$56,990
$58,990

F4T
F4T
F4T
F4T
F4T
F4T
F4T
F4T

2.4
2.4
2.4
2.4
2.4
2.4
2.4
2.4

202
202
202
202
202
202
202
202

350
350
350
350
350
350
350
350

M6
C
C
M6
C
C
C
C

1479
1548
1607
1516
1585
1607
1585
1613

–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–

9.9
8.5
8.5
9.9
8.5
8.5
8.5
8.5

95
95
95
95
95
95
95
95

A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A

BRZ

Promises change, but it’s mostlythe same

Long-awaited MY24 BRZ update migrates Subaru’s vast active-safety suite to manual
versions and adds a new BRZ flagship called tS. Cue metallic grey 18s (with Michelin Pilot
4 tyres), STi-tuned dampers, larger Brembo brakes with gold calipers (four-piston front,
two-piston rear), black mirrors, loads of STi cabin highlights with Bordeaux colouring.
Coupe
Coupe
Coupe S
Coupe S
tS
tS

$43,790
$44,790
$45,090
$46,090
$48,690
$49,690
Forester

F4
F4
F4
F4
F4
F4

2.4
2.4
2.4
2.4
2.4
2.4

174
174
174
174
174
174

250
250
250
250
250
250

M6
A6
M6
A6
M6
A6

1247
1267
1250
1270
1235
1255

–
–
–
–
–
–

9.5
8.8
9.5
8.8
9.5
8.8

98
98
98
98
98
98

R
R
R
R
R
R

Space, vision, refinement, value and practicality, plus enhanced
dynamics for MY22, with a decent petrol drivetrain, better styling
THE PICK: Avoid the sluggish Hybrid – the 2.5i is a fine family SUV

2.5i
2.5i-L
2.5i Premium

$37,890
$40,290
$43,090

F4
F4
F4

2.5 136 239 C
2.5 136 239 C
2.5 136 239 C

1524 9.1 7.4 91
1526 9.1 7.4 91
1546 9.1 7.4 91

A
A
A

RO L LS - R OYC E – TOYOTA

A
06/19 A
05/20 A
A

New-gen platform gives greater dynamic sophistication and poise,
while the recent addition of a turbo engine only adds to the appeal
THE PICK: Sport XT for turbo torque with decent equipment

Sport
Touring
Sport XT
Touring XT

$42,690
$47,190
$50,990
$52,190
$55,990

F4
F4
F4
F4T
F4T

2.5
2.5
2.5
2.4
2.4

138
138
138
183
183

245
245
245
350
350

C
C
C
C
C

1626
1629
1661
1703
1730

–
–
–
–
-

7.3
7.3
7.3
9.0
9.0

Suzuki

91
91
91
95
95

A
A
A
A
A

5 years/unlimited

Swift
Charming, effervescent hatch with a huge cabin, excellent dynamics.
Sport worth the extra but GLX is also tops. You can thank us later
THE PICK: GL manual, Sport manual or GLX – they’re all great fun

GL
GL
GL S Plus
GLX Turbo
Sport
Sport

$22,490
$23,490
$25,990
$28,790
$28,990
$30,990
S-Cross

L4
L4
L4
L3T
L4T
L4T

1.2
1.2
1.2
1.0
1.4
1.4

66
66
66
82
103
103

120
120
120
160
230
230

M5
C
C
A6
M6
A6

870
900
900
915
970
990

10.8
10.2
7.6
-

4.6
4.8
4.8
5.1
6.1
6.1

91
91
91
91
95
95

F
F
F
F
07/20 F
F

Well-equipped and mostly likeable with perky 1.4 turbo, but S-Cross is
not special enough. New front-drive variants improve its value slightly
THE PICK: The loaded Prestige, or try a Mazda CX-30

$38,990
$41,490
$40,990
$44,490

Plus
AllGrip
Prestige AllGrip

New

L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T

1.4
1.4
1.4
1.4

103
103
103
103

220
220
220
220

A6
A6
A6
A6

1260
1260
1260
1260

–
–
-

5.9
5.9
6.2
6.2

91
91
95
95

F
F
A
A

JIMNY XL

Gains a growth spurt, not a grunt spurt

Four-door Jimny only took five years to launch, adding 340mm to its wheelbase, 320mm
to its length, and 90kg to its kerb weight. Seat-up boot space grows to 211L (from a
meagre 85), but the XL has a reduced 24-degree breakover angle, larger 11.4m turning
circle. Scores rear parking sensors, larger 9.0-inch touchscreen with wireless CarPlay.
Lite

XL
XL

$30,490
$31,990
$33,490
$34,990
$36,490
Ignis

L4
L4
L4
L4
L4

1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5

75
75
75
75
75

130
130
130
130
130

M5
M5
A4
M5
A4

1095
1095
1110
1185
1200

–
–
–

6.4
6.4
6.9
6.4
6.9

91
91
91
91
91

A
A
A
A
A

$20,490
$21,490
$23,490
Vitara

L4
L4
L4

1.2 66
1.2 66
1.2 66

120 M5 820
120 C 865
120 C 865

-

4.7 91
4.7 91
4.7 91

F
F
F

Well packaged, but ageing. Facelift has improved the interior, but we’d
avoid the base 1.6 if you often tackle hills. Seats aren’t great either
THE PICK: Turbo AWD, thanks to that pearler of a boosted 1.4

Turbo
Turbo AllGrip

$27,490
$28,990
$33,990
$37,990

L4
L4
L4T
L4T

Tesla

1.6
1.6
1.4
1.4

86
86
103
103

156
156
220
220

M5
A6
A6
A6

1075
1120
1160
1235

10.5
8.3

5.8
6.0
5.9
6.2

91
91
95
95

02/16 F
01/20 F
F
08/16 A

4 years/80,000km

Model 3
It took an eternity to lob, but the Model 3 is upending the EV landscape.
Prices have risen but the thing handles, while interior is scratchy
THE PICK: Performance is bonkers quick, with sorted dynamics

Rear-Wheel Drive
Long Range
Performance

$57,400
$74,300
$88,555

E
E
E

50 211 375 R1 1611 5.6 12.0 75 307 510 R1 1847 4.6 13.2 75 353 639 R1 1847 3.4 18.0 -

Drive

Issue
tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb
weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Model Y
A higher-riding 3, virtually identical in terms of dash presentation,
but with useful increase in luggage capacity and load practicality
THE PICK: Standard Range is quick enough if you’re not minted

Standard Range
Performance

$69,930
$98,850

E
E

62 220 420 S1 1909 6.9 - 75 413 660 S1 2003 3.7 18.0 -

Toyota

R
A

5 years/unlimited

Yaris
Toyota’s price leader isn’t cheap anymore, but is transformed compared
to its tinny predecessor, and topped by the superb turbo AWD GR Yaris
THE PICK: Either an Ascent Sport or a full-fat GR ... if you can get one

Ascent Sport
SX
SX hybrid
ZR
ZR hybrid
GR
GR Rallye

$24,800
$28,190
$30,190
$31,260
$33,260
$51,390
$56,390
Corolla

L3
L3
L3H
L3
L3H
L3T
L3T

1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.6
1.6

88
88
85
88
85
200
200

145
145
120
145
120
370
370

C
C
C
C
C
M6
M6

1025
1025
1130
1075
1130
1280
1280

10.1
10.1
5.2
5.2

4.9
4.9
3.3
4.9
3.3
7.6
7.6

91
91
91
91
91
98
98

F
F
F
F
10/20 F
A
A

’Rolla range gets 2.0-litre sedans, a 13kW increase in power for Hybrid
models, plus long-awaited tech tweaks. Suave dynamics carry over
THE PICK: Ascent Sport Hybrid’s economy worth the extra up-front

Ascent Sport
$29,630
Ascent Sport sedan
$28,130
Ascent Sport Hybrid
$32,110
Ascent Sport Hybrid sed. $32,320
SX
$31,280
SX sedan
$32,420
SX Hybrid
$33,780
SX Hybrid sedan
$34,780
ZR
$35,120
ZR Hybrid
$37,620
ZR sedan
$37,620
ZR Hybrid sedan
$40,620
GR GTS
$64,190
GR Morizo Edition
$76,427
Camry

L4
L4
L4H
L4H
L4
L4
L4H
L4H
L4
L4H
L4
L4H
L3T
L3T

2.0
2.0
1.8
1.8
2.0
2.0
1.8
1.8
2.0
1.8
2.0
1.8
1.6
1.6

125
126
103
103
125
126
103
103
125
103
126
103
221
221

200
203
n/a
n/a
200
203
n/a
n/a
200
n/a
203
n/a
370
400

C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
M6
M6

1340
1390
1360
1410
1360
1285
1360
1410
1360
1360
1410
1430
1475
1440

8.9
9.2
10.0
10.5
9.2
9.5
10.0
10.5
9.6
10.0
10.5
–
5.3
5.2

6.0
5.9
4.0
3.9
6.0
5.9
4.0
3.9
6.0
4.0
5.9
3.9
8.4
8.6

91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91
98
98

12/18 F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
05/19 F
F
F
F
04/23 A
A

Dynamics, refinement join value and dependability in smooth Japanesebuilt Camry. New base engine adds sparkle; V6 gone after 33 years
THE PICK: Ascent Sport Hybrid for its leather wheel, greater safety gear

Ascent
Ascent Hybrid
Ascent Sport Hybrid
SX Hybrid
SL Hybrid

$34,320
$36,820
$39,620
$43,190
$50,320
Prius

L4
L4H
L4H
L4H
L4H

2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5

152
160
160
160
160

243
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a

A8
C
C
C
C

1495
1580
1580
1615
1645

–
–
–
–
–

6.8
4.2
4.2
4.7
4.5

95
95
95
95
95

F
F
F
F
F

No longer dull. Way better to drive, with expected frugality, surprising
cabin polish, and rear headroom compromised by aero teardrop profile
THE PICK: i-Tech for the added tech

Intriguing baby SUV marred by the lack of a 1.0-litre turbo triple.
Pricing is sharp (and so is the ride); steering and handling less so.
THE PICK: GL manual. Or better yet, any Swift

GL
GL
GLX

Size

91
91
91
91

Engine
type

7.4
7.4
6.7
6.7

Price

9.1
9.2
11.8
11.8

Drive

1553
1576
1604
1645

Issue
tested

RON

C
C
C
C

Resale %

Fuel cons.

239
239
196
196

0-100

136
136
110
110

Kerb
weight

2.5
2.5
2.0
2.0

Trans.

F4
F4
F4H
F4H

Torque

$44,840
$46,340
$43,290
$49,340
Outback

Power

2.5i Sport
2.5i-S
Hybrid L
Hybrid S

Size

Price

Engine
type

YOUR COMPLETE NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE

02/20 R
A
02/20 A

i-Tech

$38,365
$45,825
GR86

L4H
L4H

1.8 90
1.8 90

142 C
142 C

1375 1400 -

3.4 91
3.4 91

F
F

A firmer car dynamically than its Subaru BRZ twin, though both
are benchmark sports coupes for pure driver engagement
THE PICK: GTS is worth it for 18s and Michelin Pilot Sport rubber

GT
GT
GTS
GTS

$43,240
$43,240
$45,390
$45,390
Supra

F4
F4
F4
F4

2.4
2.4
2.4
2.4

174
174
174
174

250
250
250
250

M6
A6
M6
A6

1287
1291
1306
1312

6.3
6.8
6.3
6.8

9.4
8.8
9.4
8.8

95
95
95
95

R
R
R
R

A bit more power (+35kW) was only going to make the suave GR Supra
even better, and the availability of a manual gearbox ups the appeal
THE PICK: The less-shouty, smaller-wheeled GT in Nurburg Matte Grey

GT
GT
GTS
GTS

$87,000
L6T
$87,000
L6T
$97,000
L6T
$97,000
L6T
Yaris Cross

3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0

285
285
285
285

500
500
500
500

A8
M6
A8
M6

1495
1465
1495
1465

4.1
4.4
4.1
4.4

7.7
7.9
7.7
7.9

95
95
95
95

R
R
R
R

Takes everything that makes the new-gen Yaris a breath of fresh air
and introduces proper space, greater value-for-money
THE PICK: The front- or all-wheel-drive Hybrid is the zeitgeist of 2021

GX

$26,990

L3

1.5 88

145 C

1140

5.4 91

@wheelsaustralia

F

127

F
A
F
F
A
F
F
F
A

Small SUV delivers class-leading chassis and strong, frugal hybrid
drivetrains. Shame about the bitsy cabin design and rear-seat comfort
THE PICK: Avoid the cheapest and dearest and you can’t go too far wrong

GX
GX Hybrid
GXL
GXL Hybrid
GXL Hybrid AWD
Atmos
Atmos Hybrid
Atmos Hybrid AWD

$33,000
$35,500
$36,750
$39,250
$42,250
$43,550
$46,050
$49,050
C-HR

L4
L4H
L4
L4H
L4H
L4
L4H
L4H

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0

126
146
126
146
146
126
146
146

202
n/a
202
n/a
n/a
202
n/a
n/a

C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C

1435
1485
1455
1495
1530
1475
1495
1550

9.0
7.5
9.1
7.6
7.6
9.2
7.6
7.7

6.0
4.3
6.0
4.3
4.4
6.0
4.3
4.4

91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91

F
F
F
F
A
F
F
A

Now all-hybrid, with a muscular GR Sport e-Four AWD. Much pricier, too,
though vaguely ’80s-retro cabin is sophisticated, far more high-tech
THE PICK: Either ‘base’ GXL or fast-and-fancy GR Sport

GXL
Koba
GR Sport

$42,990
$49,990
$54,990
RAV4

L4H
L4H
L4H

1.8 103 n/a C
1.8 103 n/a C
2.0 145 n/a C

–
–
–

9.9 TBC 91
9.9 TBC 91
7.9 TBC 91

F
F
A

RAV4 Mk4 makes a huge leap with newfound handling, ride, refinement
and value. Big space too. Much-improved multimedia in MY23 models
THE PICK: From base GX to Edge Hybrid, you can’t go wrong

GX
GX Hybrid
GX Hybrid eFour
GXL
GXL Hybrid
GXL Hybrid eFour
XSE Hybrid
XSE Hybrid eFour
Cruiser
Cruiser Hybrid
Cruiser Hybrid eFour
Edge AWD
Edge Hybrid eFour
GX
GX AWD
GX AWD Hybrid

$36,550
$39,050
$42,050
$40,100
$42,600
$45,600
$45,700
$48,700
$45,700
$48,200
$51,200
$53,020
$55,150
$49,720
$53,720
$56,220
Kluger

L4
L4H
L4H
L4
L4H
L4H
L4H
L4H
L4
L4H
L4H
L4
L4H
L4T
L4T
L4H

2.0
2.5
2.5
2.0
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.0
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.4
2.4
2.5

127
160
163
127
160
163
160
163
127
160
163
152
163
198
198
184

203
–
–
203
–
–
–
–
203
–
–
243
–
420
420
n/a

C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
A8
C
A8
A8
C

1550
1650
1705
1585
1675
1730
1690
1745
1620
1690
1745
1705
1745
–
–
2045

9.4
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
8.0
–
–
–
–
–

6.5
4.7
4.8
6.5
4.7
4.8
4.7
4.8
6.5
4.7
4.8
7.3
4.8
8.3
8.4
5.6

91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91
95

2/20 F
F
A
F
F
A
F
A
F
F
2/20 A
A
A
F
A
A

MY23 update sees the V6 binned for a turbo-petrol four, bringing a
useful torque advantage. Interior dull compared to Korean rivals
THE PICK: GLX Hybrid. Or a Kia Sorento. Or a Hyundai Santa Fe

GXL
GXL AWD
GXL AWD Hybrid
Grande
Grande AWD
Grande AWD Hybrid

$59,240
$63,240
$65,740
$71,610
$74,720
$78,160
Fortuner

L4T
L4T
L4H
L4T
L4T
L4H

2.4
2.4
2.5
2.4
2.4
2.5

198
198
184
198
198
184

420
420
n/a
420
420
n/a

A8
A8
C
A8
A8
C

–
–
2068
–
–
2090

–
–
–
–
–
–

8.3
8.5
5.6
8.3
8.5
5.6

91
91
95
91
91
95

A
A
A
A
A
A

All the rugged off-roading strengths of its Hilux basis, along with the
vague steering and sluggish auto. Ride improved in recent update
THE PICK: We’d still lean towards a Ford Everest

GX
GXL
Crusade

$49,965
$55,085
$62,945
Prado

L4TD
L4TD
L4TD

2.8 150 500 A6 2130 2.8 150 500 A6 2125 2.8 150 500 A6 2155 -

7.6 D
7.6 D
7.6 D

128

$62,830
$69,530

L4TD
L4TD

whichcar.com.au/wheels

2.8 150 500 A6 2240 2.8 150 500 A6 2325 -

8.0 D
8.0 D

VX
Kakadu

A
A

8.0 D
8.0 D

Drive

Issue
tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb
weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

Engine
type

$78,348
L4TD 2.8 150 500 A6 2385 $88,998
L4TD 2.8 150 500 A6 2455 LandCruiser 70

A
A

Huge bush-bashing capability makes this ’80s survivor an outback
winner. Update gains LEDs, new touchscreen, extra active-safety gear
THE PICK: Four-pot auto for its bigger lungs, longer legs, reduced thirst

Workmate wagon
GXL wagon
GXL wagon

$75,600
V8TD 4.5 151 430 M5 2295 –
$79,800
V8TD 4.5 151 430 M5 2295 –
$83,900
L4TD 2.8 150 500 A6 –
–
LandCruiser 300

10.7 D
10.7 D
TBC D

A
A
A

Long-awaited, completely new ’Cruiser covers every base, including an
off-roady GR Sport model. Prepare to join a lengthy waiting list
THE PICK: The tough-looking GR Sport over the gaudy Sahara ZX

GX
GXL
VX
Sahara
GR Sport
Sahara ZX

$92,681
$104,481
$116, 681
$133,881
$140,481
$141,481
Hilux

V6TTD
V6TTD
V6TTD
V6TTD
V6TTD
V6TTD

3.3
3.3
3.3
3.3
3.3
3.3

227
227
227
227
227
227

700
700
700
700
700
700

A10 2470
A10 2505
A10 2560
A10 2560
A10 2580
A10 2570

–
–
–
–
–
–

8.9
8.9
8.9
8.9
8.9
8.9

D
D
D
D
D
D

A
A
A
A
A
A

Recently updated with more power and a better ride, though Hilux still
isn’t class leading. But latest Rogue, new GR Sport expand its talents
THE PICK: With its bespoke chassis and increased grunt, the GR Sport

Workmate
Workmate
SR
SR
SR5
SR5
Rogue
GR Sport

$48,235
L4TD
$50,235
L4TD
$52,445
L4TD
$54,605
L4TD
$60,490
L4TD
$62,490
L4TD
$70,760
L4TD
$73,990
L4TD
Granvia

2.4
2.4
2.8
2.8
2.8
2.8
2.8
2.8

110
110
150
150
150
150
150
165

400
400
420
500
420
500
500
550

M6
A6
M6
A6
M6
A6
A6
A6

2045
2045
2080
2080
2075
2075
2270
2270

–
9.6

7.1
7.8
7.4
7.9
7.9
8.4
8.1

D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D

A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A

Replacing the Tarago is a tough ask, but the Granvia does a solid job. If
you haul people en masse, this will do it with ease
THE PICK: Fourth row makes the cabin cramped; stick to a 6-seater

6-seat
8-seat
VX 6-seat
VX 8-seat

$65,250
$67,250
$75,950
$75,950

L4TD
L4TD
L4TD
L4TD

2.8
2.8
2.8
2.8

130
130
130
130

450
450
450
450

A6
A6
A6
A6

2605
2660
2605
2660

-

Volkswagen

8.0
8.0
8.0
8.0

D
D
D
D

R
R
R
R

5 years/unlimited

Polo
Biggest-ever Polo blends sweet, thrusty turbo-petrols and sound
dynamics with an MY22 makeover for extra glamour, minus a base model
THE PICK: Life manual with Beats audio, or excellent GTI

Life
Life
Style
GTI

$25,990
$28,990
$31,490
$39,690
Golf

L3T
L3T
L3T
L4T

1.0
1.0
1.0
2.0

70
85
85
147

175
200
200
320

M5
D7
D7
D6

–
–
–
–

10.8
10.8
9.5
6.7

TBC 95
TBC 95
TBC 95
TBC 95

F
F
F
F

The king of mainstream hatches hits Gen 8 with a premium line-up, a
proper wagon, and a cracking R. But its control interface is flawed
THE PICK: A GTI with tartan cloth seats, or an R wagon

wagon
Life
Life wagon
R-Line
GTI
R
R wagon

A
A
A

Genuine off-road ability, turbo-diesel torque and Toyota dependability...
yep, there’s plenty to like about Prado, just not on the school run
THE PICK: GXL brings extra kit, but hose-down GX base appeals

GX
GXL

Price

Drive

91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91

Issue
tested

3.8
4.0
5.4
3.8
4.0
5.4
3.8
3.8
4.0

Resale %

1190
1265
1160
1210
1285
1185
1235
1235 –
1305

RON

C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C

Fuel cons.

n/a
n/a
145
n/a
n/a
145
n/a
n/a
n/a

0-100

85
85
88
85
85
88
85
85
85

Kerb
weight

Torque

1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5

Trans.

Power

$28,990
L3H
$31,990
L3H
$29,990
L3
$31,990
L3H
$34,990
L3H
$32,990
L3
$34,990
L3H
$35,840
L3H
$37,990
L3H
Corolla Cross

Size

GX Hybrid
GX Hybrid AWD
GXL
GXL Hybrid
GXL Hybrid AWD
Urban
Urban Hybrid
GR Sport Hybrid
Urban Hybrid AWD

Engine
type

Price

Data
bank

$36,290
$37,990
$38,590
$40,590
$41,690
$55,490
$69,990
$71,990
Passat

L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T

1.4
1.4
1.4
1.4
1.4
2.0
2.0
2.0

110
110
110
110
110
180
235
235

250
250
250
250
250
370
400
420

A8
A8
A8
A8
A8
D7
D7
D7

1304
–
1304
–
1304
1409
–
–

8.5
–
8.5
–
8.5
6.3
4.8
4.9

5.8
5.9
5.8
5.9
5.8
7.0
7.8
7.4

95
95
95
95
95
95
98
98

F
F
F
F
F
F
A
A

With loads of wagons to choose from, updated Passat broadens its
repertoire with fresh multimedia, slicker styling, strong engines
THE PICK: An AWD Alltrack wagon is the ultimate classless carry-all

162TSI
162TSI Elegance wagon
Alltrack 162 TSI Premium
206TSI R-Line wagon

$51,90
$57,790
$63,390
$68,390

L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0

162
162
162
206

350
350
350
350

D7
D7
D7
D6

1496
1549
1681
1655

–
–
–
–

6.9
7.2
8.1
8.1

95
95
95
98

F
F
A
A

TOYOTA – VO LVO

7.9
8.0
5.5
5.6

6.2
6.2
7.7
7.7

95
95
98
98

F
F
A
A

Polo on stilts impresses in many areas and is a packaging supremo but
it’s a little bland and interior finish not typical Volkswagen standard
THE PICK: Sign us up for a Life sentence

85TSI Life
85TSI Style

$30,990
$33,490
T-Roc

L3T
L3T

1.0 85
1.0 85

200 D7 1240 10.2 5.4 95
200 D7 1240 10.2 5.4 95

F
07/20 F

The larger of Volkswagen’s two small SUVs, the T-Roc combines Golf
underpinnings with a taller ride height and now a full-fat R model
THE PICK: Any way, the T-Roc is our small SUV of choice

CityLife
110TSI Style
140TSI R-Line
R Grid Edition
R

$35,990
$37,100
$45,200
$54,300
$61,990
Tiguan

L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T

1.4
1.4
2.0
2.0
2.0

110
110
140
221
221

250
250
320
400
400

A8
A8
D7
D7
D7

1345
1319
1420
1590
1590

8.7
8.7
7.2
4.9
4.9

6.2
6.2
6.8
8.3
8.3

95
95
95
98
98

F
F
10/20 A
A
A

$42,890
L4T
1.4
$46,890
L4T
2.0
$54,890
L4T
2.0
$56,390
L4TD 2.0
$58,390
L4T
2.0
$59,890
L4TD 2.0
$71,190
L4T
2.0
Tiguan Allspace

110
132
162
147
162
147
235

250
320
350
400
350
400
400

D6
D7
D7
D7
D7
D7
D7

1521
1666
1699
1724
1699
1724
1737

9.7
8.2
7.0
7.9
7.0
7.9
5.1

7.7
8.8
8.5
6.1
8.5
6.1
8.8

95
95
95
D
95
D
98

F
A
A
A
A
A
A

Big boot, small third row in stretched Tiguan seven-seater, the
Mexican-made Allspace is overshadowed by the related Skoda Kodiaq
THE PICK: 162TSI R-Line is where the people at

110TSI Life
132TSI Life
162TSI Elegance
147TDI Elegance
162TSI R-Line
147TDI R-Line

New

$44,890
$48,890
$57,390
$58,890
$80,890
$62,390

L4T
L4T
L4T
L4TD
L4T
L4TD

1.4
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0

110
132
162
147
162
147

250
320
350
400
350
400

D6
D7
D7
D7
D7
D7

1613
1750
1796
1825
1796
1825

9.5
8.2
6.8
7.8
6.8
7.8

7.7
8.9
8.6
6.2
8.6
6.2

95
95
95
D
95
D

F
A
A
A
A
A

Caravelle Trendline
$66,490
Multivan Comfortline
$66,490
Multivan Comfortline 4M $72,490
Multivan C/Line LWB
$72,490
Multivan C/Line 4M LWB $75,490
Multivan Highline
$92,890
Multivan Highline 4M $95,890
Multivan C/Line Exec LWB $95,890
California Beach
$90,990
California Beach 4M
$94,990
California Beach TDI450 $100,990

Wearing the same sticker as the Touareg R50 did way back in 2008, the plug-in hybrid
R is the most powerful production Volkswagen of all time, offering up to 47km of WLTP
electric-only range. With no options aside from paint, R brings gloss-black 22s, adaptive
air suspension, Matrix LED lights, ‘Innovision’ cockpit, Dynaudio premium sound.
V6TD
V6TD
V6TD
V6TPH

3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0

170
210
210
340

500
600
600
700

A8
A8
A8
A8

2067
2070
2169
2533

7.5
6.1
6.1
5.1

6.8
6.8
6.8
3.3

D
D
D
98

A
A
A
A

Based on the great bones of the Ranger but with added polish, the
Amarok vaults straight to the top of the class or thereabouts.
THE PICK: The V6 Style with its torque-rich diesel and relaxed ride

TDI405 Core
TDI405 Core
TDI500 Life
TDI500 Style
TDI600 Style
TDI600 PanAmericana
TDI600 Adventura
TSI452 Adventura

$50,990
$52,990
$56,990
$66,990
$70,990
$75,990
$79,990
$79,990
Caddy

L4TD
L4TD
L4TTD
L4TTD
V6TD
V6TD
V6TD
L4T

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
2.3

125
125
154
154
184
190
190
222

405
405
500
500
600
580
580
452

M6 1873
A6 1873
A10 2091
A10 2091
A10 2078
A10 2169
A10 2196
A10 -

-

7.1 D
8.0 D
7.2 D
7.21 D
8.4 D
8.4 D
8.4 D
9.9 D

A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A

Groovy, if pricey, Caddy with MQB underpinnings and coil-sprung rear
adds sophistication to the Euro staple of a sliding-door van with seats
THE PICK: A camper-friendly California in a ’70s-lurid colour

TSI220 Maxi

$48,140

L4T

1.5 84

11.8
–
11.8
–
11.8

4.9
6.2
4.9
6.2
4.9

D
95
D
95
D

Drive

1726
1651
1747
–
–

Issue
tested

D7
D7
D7
D7
D7

Resale %

Engine
type

320
220
320
220
320

L4TD
L4TD
L4TD
L4TD
L4TD
L4TTD
L4TTD
L4TTD
L4TD
L4TD
L4TTD

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0

110
110
110
110
110
146
146
146
110
110
146

340
340
340
340
340
450
450
450
340
340
450

D7
D7
D7
D7
D7
D7
D7
D7
D7
D7
D7

2183
2267
2376
2307
2422
2294
2404
2332
2431
2457
2472

–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–

Volvo

F
F
F
F
F

6.6
6.6
7.6
6.6
7.6
7.1
7.9
7.0
6.6
7.5
7.8

D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D

F
F
A
F
A
F
A
F
F
A
A

5 years/unlimited

S60
A true sleeper, the classy S60 is Sweden’s suave C-Class/3 Series
rival with unique engineering appeal, though it should ride better
THE PICK: MY22 range reduced to single, mild-hybrid B5

B5 Ultimate Bright

$66,990
V60

L4T

2.0 183 350 A8 1849 6.5 7.2 95

A

The last traditional Volvo wagon for the discerning enthusiast, packing
loads of practicality and design flair but not enough ride comfort
THE PICK: We get the lifted Cross Country over a regular V60 wagon

B5 Cross Country Bright $69,490
XC40

L4T

2.0 183 350 A8 1808 6.6 7.4 95

A

Expanded range includes an all-electric option for this fashionforward small SUV. Not as polished as an XC60 but still Scando slick
THE PICK: A tastefully optioned Ultimate B4 Bright is the best value

B4 Plus
B4 Ultimate Bright
B5 Ultimate Dark
Recharge Electric
Recharge Electric AWD

TOUAREG R

$89,240
$108,240
$117,540
$129,990
Amarok

90
84
90
84
90

$53,490
$60,490
$64,990
$76,990
$85,990
EX30

L4T
L4T
L4T
E
E

2.0
2.0
2.0
69
78

145
145
184
170
300

300
300
350
330
660

A8
A8
A8
R1
R1

1631
1705
1710
–
–

8.4
8.5
6.4
–
4.9

6.5 95
6.7 95
6.7 95
– –
18.7 –

F
A
A
F
A

The definition of Scandinavian minimalism, and instantly the coolest
affordable EV. Offers 480km range and a soundbar spanning its dash
THE PICK: A rear-drive EX30 for the sweetest grunt/grip balance

Big price but big presence, and big value

170TDI
210TDI Elegance
210TDI R-Line
R

2.0
1.5
2.0
1.5
2.0

A comprehensive smoke-and-mirrors makeover of a circa-2003 van,
but this Kombi on steroids has plenty of charm
THE PICK: Basic Multivan, though nostalgia screams California Beach

Latest Tiguan goes from austere to all-inclusive, with a slicker cabin
joining class-best agility and packaging, crowned by the scorching R
THE PICK: Polished 162TSI R-Line the most popular, but Tiguan R is king

110TSI Life
132TSI Life
162TSI Elegance
147TDI Elegance
162TSI R-Line
147TDI R-Line
R

RON

1665
1674
1690
1717

Fuel cons.

D7
D7
D7
D7

0-100

320
320
400
400

Kerb
weight

140
140
206
206

Trans.

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0

$50,140
L4TD
$52,640
L4T
$54,640
L4TD
$57,690
L4T
$59,690
L4TD
Transporter

Torque

L4T
L4T
L4T
L4T

TDI320 Maxi
TSI220 Life Maxi
TDI320 Life Maxi
TSI220 California Maxi
TDI320 California Maxi

Power

Superbly capable as either liftback or Shooting Brake, delivering classleading pace and economy, teamed with fine ride and dynamics
THE PICK: Extra output of the 206TSI is worth the spend

Size

Arteon

140TSI Elegance
$64,590
140TSI Elegance ShtngBrke $66,590
206TSI R-Line
$72,390
206TSI R-Line ShtngBrke $74,390
T-Cross

Price

Drive

Issue
tested

Resale %

RON

Fuel cons.

0-100

Kerb
weight

Trans.

Torque

Power

Size

Engine
type

Price

YOUR COMPLETE NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE

220 D7 1667 –

6.2 95

Extended Range Plus
Extended Range Ultra
Performance Ultra

$59,990
$64,990
$69,990
C40

E
E
E

69 200 343 R1 –
69 200 343 R1 –
69 315 543 R1 –

5.3 –
5.3 –
3.6 –

–
–
–

R
R
A

All-electric coupe version of XC40 commands a modest price premium
($2K) but doesn’t skimp on practicality or range (476-507km WLTP)
THE PICK: For its extra punch and EV practicality, the rapid AWD

Recharge
Recharge AWD

$78,990
$87,990
XC60

E
E

66 175 420 R1 –
79 300 670 R1 –

7.3 –
4.7 –

–
–

R
A

2018 COTY a deserving winner and still Volvo’s best car, offering a
broad skillset clothed in a handsome, spacious and ultra-comfy body
THE PICK: Ultimate B5 Bright if we’re spending our own money

B5 Plus
B5 Ultimate Bright
B6 Ultimate Dark
Recharge Ultimate Dark

$72,990
$79,990
$84,673
$99,068
XC90

L4T
L4T
L4ST
L4TPH

2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0

184
184
220
233

350
350
420
400

A8
A8
A8
A8

1857
1857
1911
2146

6.9
6.9
6.2
4.8

7.2
7.2
7.4
1.6

95
95
95
95

A
A
A
A

The seven-seat XC90 offers a gentle, considered take on the premium
large SUV. As with XC60, optional air springs are a must
THE PICK: Despite its age, all models present a compelling case

B5 Plus
B6 Ultimate Bright
B6 Ultimate Dark
Recharge Ultimate Dark

$92,990
$99,000
$100,826
$117,530

L4T
2.0
L4ST 2.0
L4ST 2.0
L4STPH 2.0

183
220
220
288

350
420
420
640

A8
A8
A8
A8

1989
1989
1989
2296

7.7
6.7
6.7
5.3

8.2
8.2
7.8
1.8

95
95
95
95

A
A
A
A

F
@wheelsaustralia

129

DRIVEN TO EXTINCTION

MAZDA
THE JOY OF MODEST ASPIRATIONS

MAZDA HAD SOME extremely modest expectations for
the MX-30. When the company’s first battery-electric
vehicle launched in Australia in 2021, a quota of 100
cars was sent to the factory. That’s it. Tesla would
expect to sell 100 Model Ys in Australia in a decent
afternoon, but Mazda hoped it could sell 100 MX-30s in
totality. It even managed to exceed that target which, I
guess, is one surefire way of declaring the project some
sort of success.
The MX-30’s issue was easy to pinpoint. Range. We ran
one as a long termer and found that it would typically
offer 168km on a full charge of the bonsai 35.5kWh
battery. At this point it’s worth mentioning that the MX30 wasn’t solely offered with purely battery power. The
E35 electric model was, in fact, the minority partner in
the range, albeit the one that hogged the headlines. The
far more versatile and far easier to forget G20e petrol
electric hybrid was, nominally, the ‘volume’ model. Yet
even that did little that the prettier and more capable
CX-30 (upon which it was based) couldn’t cover easily.
Then there was the price, which was in the midsixties which, for a car that offered decidedly modest
performance (0-100km/h in 9.3sec for the BEV version),
seemed optimistic to say the least.
What the MX-30 did, and successfully, was something
a good deal subtler. It not only prepared the Ujina

OZ
SALES
2021 - 46
2022 - 67
2023 - 27
TOTAL - 140

factory to build BEVs, but it also conditioned the
Mazda dealer network to dealing with both low volume
and electric cars, something it had little to no core
competence with. Ordering, fulfilment, charging,
customer handover, servicing – you name it, the MX-30
challenged established norms. Now this clearly meant
little to the hordes of customers who rejected the MX-30
en masse, but it positioned Mazda to be more flexible
in the cars it could import in future. Cars like the Iconic
SP, a battery/rotary hybrid that will lean on the lessons
learned through MX-30 if and when it arrives here in
production guise.
With its kooky suicide doors and odd silhouette,
the MX-30 was an odd choice of vehicle to revive
the Motoring eXperiment (MX) nameplate that first
appeared on the MX-6 in 1987 and was then followed
by the 1989 Mazda MX-5 and the 1991 MX-3. Mazda
was clearly not feeling overly experimental in the
intervening two decades and, in Australia at least, a
certain conservatism and willingness to shrewdly follow
the money has paid dividends.Thankfully there are signs
that Mazda is set to reignite its previous boldness. In
terms of sales, the MX-30 may have been the dampest of
squibs, but its contribution to creating a new Mazda may
well be significant. Here’s to the weird.
AN DY E NR I G HT

SCORES ON THE DOORS
Of course, Mazda has some form with the MX-30’s
rear doors, having used the ‘fresstyle door’ - Mazda’s
description - on its 2003 RX-8 four-door coupe.
Removing the car’s B-pillar eases access to the rear
in a relatively short wheelbase, but requires additional
body strengthening elsewhere. It’s amazing therefore
that the RX-8 tipped the scales at a featherweight
1309kg and the MX-30 from just 1481kg.

130

whichcar.com.au/wheels

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