Table of contents for April 2023 in Wheels

ALEX INWOOD WAS sceptical. I’d just written a cover feature on how the new Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio had wiped the floor with the BMW M3 and the Mercedes-AMG C63, and the then-Wheels editor clearly thought I’d taken leave of my senses. He was right to be so cautious. After all, Alfa hadn’t had much of a form line immediately prior to that point. “So you reckon it’s better than both of ’em?” he queried for the third time. I didn’t just reckon. It was. And by a margin that made the BMW and Mercedes look a bit stupid. I knew I was going out on a limb, fully aware of the fact that no matter how good the Giulia was, it was going to be utterly trounced in the sales…

MEANWHILE SSANGYONG ISN’T sitting on its hands either. It has unveiled the Torres EVX electric SUV as an alternative to the Tesla Model Y and Hyundai Kona Electric. It’s based on the petrol-powered Torres – which has been confirmed to launch later this year in Australia – but appears to gain a revised front with a segmented LED daytime running light strip and welcome animation, and some more handsome designs of alloy wheels. Inside, the teaser image depicts new dual 12-inch displays joined on a single curved panel similar to the Kia EV6, running on a new operating system, and wood trim across the dashboard – as per Tesla Model 3 or Model Y. The petrol-engined Torres makes use of the Korando’s 1.5-litre, turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, producing 125kW and…

THE 2024 Ford Explorer EV has been unveiled as the second model to apply a familiar badge to a new all-electric offering, following the more polarising decision to affix a Mustang badge to an electric SUV. As expected, the new electric Ford Explorer is built on Volkswagen’s flexible MEB electric architecture, forming part of the growing technology and platform alliance between Ford and VW, following on the heels of Ranger/Amarok. The new Explorer enters Ford’s European line-up as a mid-size SUV (smaller than the petrol model sold in North America), making it a cross-brand companion to the Volkswagen ID.4 that will launch in Australia in the coming year. Whether we’ll see this new Explorer EV in Australia is unclear; it’s a certainty, however, that the recently confirmed Mustang Mach-E will…

JUSTIN HOCEVAR is no stranger to adventure and a challenge. As if earning a living as a motorcycle courier on London’s notoriously dangerous streets in his early 20s wasn’t enough of a testament to his fortitude, the trip home to Australia after four years in the UK was completed using a Honda XRV750 Africa Twin and 12-month overland adventure. Of course, the journey would have been far simpler by air, but Hocevar tells Wheels that a year-long odyssey through countries including Iran, Pakistan and Nepal teaches you a few things that the inside of a Boeing 747 cannot. “Going out into the unknown leaves a mark on you that you can approach anything and everything, and your consideration of the possibilities is a little broader,” he said. “But also it…

CHERY HAS been absent from Australian shores since a quiet departure in 2014. Known for selling Australia’s cheapest car – the Daewoo-Matiz-look-a-like J1 – and a near-clone of a second-gen RAV4, the J11, the Chinese carmaker’s return is accompanied by an all-new car. The Omoda 5 is not just a new small SUV for Australia, it’s Chery’s flagship global vehicle. It gets a brand-spanking platform, fresh engines, and a sophisticated (on paper at least) technology package. Chery is renowned for daring to ‘copy’ mainstream manufacturers’ design details (the aforementioned J1 was embroiled in a lawsuit with General Motors China) and the new Omoda 5 upholds this tradition. It features a Tesla-inspired wireless charging pad, Kia-like infotainment system, Thor’s hammer LED lights from Volvo, and a grille that reminds us of…

OUT ON the ice, it’s apparent that what the tall, trim, grey-haired engineer told me last night is true. Like he said, the rear of the Ioniq 5 N does snap sideways “just like that” in Drift Optimiser mode. “As a kind of advice, you really have to overcome your limits in yaw angle,” the 60-something German continued. “You have to really let it go far, drifting, and then almost go to full steering lock.” Remembering this, lap after sideways lap of the large circle scraped into the surface of the frozen lake, isn’t all that hard… Albert Biermann is always worth listening to… The German veteran spent more than three decades at BMW, where he guided development of some of its greatest M models, before moving in 2015 to…

Toyota GR Corolla Corolla-on-steroids has an ergonomic synergy from the driver’s seat, with a superbly petite steering wheel, great gear-lever and pedal placement, delightfully huggy suede front seats (with all-manual adjustment) – perfect for a performance hatch. Deeper cowl, less vision than WRX, though still decent – unlike claustrophobic rear-seat and emaciated boot. All-digital 12.3-inch instrument pack looks great, works well (once you master the steering-wheel buttons), and drive-mode/drive-split controls near gearstick make logical sense. Eight-speaker JBL stereo strong, though 8.0-inch touchscreen merely adequate. Cupra Leon VZx Petrol-coloured upholstery and copper stitching instantly set the Cupra apart, which is not only the classiest inside but also the most practical. Proper door grabs, great bottle storage, an enormous boot (for a hatch), and a pervasive feeling of quality … though our…

There’s a whole bunch of tech built into the Defender that’s intriguing to delve into. The Pivi Pro infotainment system now has what3words functionality built into it so it can navigate you to any 3m square on the planet without the need for a phone signal. You’ll occasionally spot this trio of random words (we aired down for our off-road excursion at famed.verbal.falcons and, yes, there is a whole Twitter account devoted to hilarious word combos) and it’s really helpful for identifying waypoints way off road.…

IF WE’RE talking about space in the Volkswagen Tiguan 162TSI Allspace Adventure, let’s start at the (rear) end. You see, Volkswagen saved the best bit for the last row. When we first drove this variant last year, we titled our online review ‘The one with the big boot’. That was a bit of an understatement, really. As I covered in the introduction to this long-term report, deleting the third row of seats from this Tiguan’s longer ‘Allspace’ body frees up an additional 60 litres of storage, which – for some context – is another large luggage case comfortably accommodated. I had no call for carrying three or four luggage cases in my time with this Volkswagen, but where it did prove its worth was in that other iconic journey: the…

In for the long haul THE BIGGEST selling car of all time? It depends on your definition of ‘car’. As a single design, substantially unchanged throughout its entire production life, it’s got to be the Volkswagen Type 1 (aka Beetle), with 21.5 million units. However, if it’s all in the name, that name is Toyota Corolla. In August 2021, the Corolla nameplate surpassed 50 million units worldwide. The name is the only thing today’s front-wheel-drive, 12th generation Corolla has in common with the model that started it all, the KE10-series of 1966. But the name would become international shorthand for a pleasantly styled, dependable small car for first-time drivers and growing families. Toyota’s medium-sized Corona launched its third generation in 1964. Post-war Japan was experiencing a wave of motorisation, and…

IT’S BEEN A case of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’ Ford would approve sales of the Mustang Mach-E for the Australian market but, after what seemed an interminable wait, the order books have finally opened. Why so long? The usual story for 2023: a shortage of supply rather than a dearth of demand. Having first gone on sale in the US in 2020 as a 2021 model year car, the Mach-E enjoyed a stage roll out across key markets with Kiwi reservations opening in September last year. Ford Australia’s first passenger EV will arrive in a three-model line up, opening with the rear-drive 198kW/430Nm Select version, which utilises a 71kWh lithium iron phosphate battery. Ford is targeting 470km of range, pending final homologation. Step up to the Mach-E Premium and power…

DUE Q2 FORD F-150 Ford will offer two trim levels for the F-150 in Australia, with prices to start at $106,950 for the entry-level F-150 XLT SWB and stretch to $139,950 for the flagship F-150 Lariat SWB. Both models will be available in short- and long-wheelbase forms, with LWB models offering an additional 303mm between the axles for an extra $995 over the asking price of SWB versions. DUE Q4 MAZDA CX-90 It’s not due until late in the year, but when it arrives, the CX-90 will be Mazda’s largest and most expensive model in the brand’s history. Initially it will be offered with a choice of petrol or diesel 3.3-litre sixes, both with mild hybrid systems. The petrol variant delivers a hefty 254kW and 500Nm – up 45kW/50Nm on…

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) “The Everest isn’t a car I would consider, but the people involved in creating it deserve to be congratulated” WORTHY WINNER? A VERY POLARISING COTY result. What this does show is that Wheels staff assess cars objectively – so the trolls who hurl insults whenever an EV gets a good review are clearly wrong. The Everest isn’t a car I would consider, but the people involved in creating it deserve to be heartily congratulated. Perhaps they were lucky that the competition was possibly not as strong as, say, last year? Will this be the last ICE to win? Robert…

SAVE on the cover price FREE delivery to your doorstep PLUS free digital access to the Wheels archive DIGITAL ACCESS INCLUDES: Browse every issue of Wheels dating back to 1953 – that’s over 800 issues Early access to the latest issue before it goes on sale Browse from any device SELECT A PACKAGE: 3 ISSUES $29 SAVE 25% 12 ISSUES $99 SAVE 36% 24 ISSUES $179 SAVE 42% Scan the code or phone our new Australian-based call centre on or visit shop.whichcar.com.au/wheels Offer valid until 30 April 2023. Prices shown are in AUD and available for Australian delivery only. Discounts represent the percentage saving on the cover price. Digital only access valued at $59 p/a. Offer valid for new subscriptions and renewals of existing subscriptions. If you have a current print subscription, you are entitled…

AS A motoring journalist, it’s always a treat spotting a Subaru Outback in the upcoming calendar. It’s just one of those cars where you know you’re in for a pleasant experience. This is a car that rarely puts a foot wrong. The 2023 Outback update is headlined by a new-for-the-model 183kW/350Nm 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, providing some welcome power, pace and towing ability in comparison to the existing 138kW/245Nm 2.5-litre naturally aspirated unit. Elsewhere, there are useful updates, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (now full screen!) fitted as standard, complemented by a simplified multi-function steering wheel topped off by various software improvements and subtle comfort updates. The new turbo powertrain is offered in existing Sport and Touring trims, usurping the top two positions in the range. It’s…

How far will the Ioniq 5 N drive on a charge? Too early to say. Because development of the car isn’t complete, it’s not done final WLTP testing. What we do know is that the 5 N will have a next-generation battery pack, probably with a little more capacity than the 74kW (usable) unit in the current Ioniq 5. “We have a higher energy density,” said Albert Biermann. “We can get more energy in the same packaging.” Even so, the extra performance and higher aero drag of the Ioniq 5 N means its range is very unlikely to be greater than 400km. The Ioniq 5’s class-leading fast-charge ability will remain unchanged.…

LEFT OF me,” crackled the voice over the radio. The Land Rover guide was standing on the crest of a steep dune. He knew what was over the other side, but my colleague in the Land Rover Defender 130 didn’t. “Left, left, LEEEEFT,” he shrieked as the driver headed towards him and the unseen drop. So the driver turned left. His left. Which was not really the ideal sort of left. As it crested the dune, the steering was yanked all the way right. The Defender had to roll. Surely. Nobody wishes for things to go pear-shaped on a press launch but it usually enlivens proceedings when they do. We abandoned our vehicle and ran to get a look at the carnage. Amazingly, the Defender was at the bottom of…

THE GERMANS HAVE been making luxury cars for a long time, and doing a bang-up job of it, too. Any new rival is subject to extra scrutiny and dreaded badge snobbery, which makes Lexus’s break into the luxury sphere all the more impressive. And although the LS shocked the States in 1993, it was the strong-selling RX that cemented Lexus’s success. It took until 2003 and a second generation for the RX to hit Australian shores, based on Camry underpinnings for a plusher ride and smarter cabin space than Lexus’s other large SUV, the ladder-framed LX. It may not have been as sharp to drive as the ‘E53’ BMW X5 – we said as much at the time: “if you have the cash, BMW’s X5 is still the best high-end…

THE OLD ADAGE says you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression, which is technically true, I guess, but thankfully plenty of positive relationships have been built after a bit of a bumpy initial getting-to-know-each-other period. I reckon me and the Haval Jolion fall into this category. Given Jolion’s huge popularity – the six-strong model line-up regularly cracks the Top 20 best sellers – I expected GWM’s SUV to have simplicity, ease of operation and comfort pretty well nailed. Yet weirdly during my first few hours with this top-spec Ultra hybrid – priced at $40,990 drive-away, which is a $7K premium over the regular 1.5-litre turbo-petrol Ultra model – these were the key elements which were most elusive. First issue was finding a comfortable driving position. Or,…

YES, YOU may well have noticed that Driven To Extinction usually heroes a car that’s on its way out. Well, this month we’ve tweaked things a little and wave auf wiedersehen to the Volkswagen Group’s W12 engine which is now found exclusively beneath the bonnet of Bentley’s upmarket wares. Choose a flagship Continental GT or Bentayga and you’ll get six litres of 12-cylinder goodness, but you’ll need to be quick. The 12-pot engine is a rare breed now. Once the W12 bites the dust, only Aston Martin, Lamborghini and Rolls-Royce will take your order. Ferrari? Well, the order books have closed on the 812 and, at the time of writing, for the four-seat Purosangue too. Though we most readily associate the W12 with Bentley, its first run out in a…

WE’RE NOT REALLY used to this. Such is the modern cost of developing a new vehicle line, car makers want the biggest bang for their buck. They want the schedules cleared and plenty of breathing space for their shiny new thing. They don’t unleash whole swathes of new metal all at once. But then Hyundai and Kia seem to be changing the script there as well. Front and centre is Kia’s statement electric SUV, the EV9. Perhaps Kia’s hand was forced here, Instagram page Shorts_Car leaking images of what looked like a production-ready EV9, with Kia then reacting by releasing an avalanche of EV9 photos some 30 minutes later. Predictably, the technical details have yet to be released, but we get a very good look at what may well prove…

BELIEVE IT or not, car manufacturers tend not to major on introspection. The sort of excoriatingly honest appraisal process that Nissan went through in the late 1980s is rare. Ferrari undertook such an exercise in self-flagellation when it realised the Honda NSX had made its 348 look rather half-baked and Mercedes-Benz similarly realised that it needed to pull its lederhosen up when the Lexus LS400 whispered into its purview. While both of these regenerations were prompted by rivals, the impetus behind Nissan’s development of the 300ZX was, if anything, even harsher. Without much in the way of external prompting, it realised it had been selling mediocrity. It had become lazy, bloated on easy profits from undemanding buyers in boom years that would never last. So it changed. The story behind…

TESLA’S MODELY is claimed to be the US electric car brand’s biggest-selling model globally, though the SUV still plays catch-up to its sedan twin, the Model 3, in Australia. Whether it will close the gap rapidly with the arrival of the Y’s fastest variant, the Performance, remains to be seen. With the middle-order Long Range missing, the Model Y line-up still doesn’t fully mirror its sedan sibling. The Tesla Model Y Performance is priced just under $99,000 when including the luxury car tax, while on-road costs take it to about $108,000 drive-away. That’s a substantial, near-$30k jump over the rear-drive, single-motor variant that costs from $69,300. Additions are significant, though, beginning with a larger battery, estimated at 75kWh versus 57.5kWh for the base Y. This delivers a longer range, plus…

Model GWM Ora Standard Range Motor Single (front) Max power 126kW Max torque 250Nm Transmission Single-speed reduction gear Weight 1540kg 0-100km/h 8.4sec (claimed) Economy N/A Price $43,990 On sale Now YOU’VE PROBABLY heard of GWM, be it via the Ute, Haval SUVs or even the Funky/Good Cat electric cars making noise in Europe and China. But what you may not be aware of, is that GWM is a 30-year-old Chinese manufacturer that sold over one million vehicles in 2022. Of that massive number, about 900,000 GWM vehicles remained on Chinese turf. It’s no secret that China is a huge market, but GWM’s eyes are set on global expansion. Exports increased 20 percent from 2021-2022 and, being the brand’s largest single export market, Australia will play a big role in GWM’s…

WITH WIDESPREAD electrification making its inexorable advance in the motoring world, it’s a brave move on Toyota’s behalf – and perhaps a long-overdue one – to finally introduce a high-performance variant of its big-selling Corolla so late in proceedings. We’ve now had two decades’ worth of Volkswagen Golf R variants, a bunch of Honda Civic Type Rs and a barrage of other high-quality hot hatches, yet the ‘Gazoo Racing’ GR Corolla GTS is the first genuine attempt by Toyota at a red-hot ’Rolla since … um, the Celica-engined Corolla Sportivo in Australia (2002-2006) and the Corolla-based, V6-engined Blade Master in Japan (2007-2012). Yet Toyota’s loyal fanbase has remained ever-faithful, scrambling to acquire every build allocation of GR product the world over, starting with the GR Yaris in 2020 and now…

IT’S ALWAYS a risk to revisit a car that has impressed you at a launch event. The last time I drove the new-gen Ranger Raptor, for example, was in the desert where I spent a brilliant day dropping it into deep pits, sliding it around on sandy dunes and launching it over jumps at vaguely ludicrous speeds. It was huge fun and didn’t only demonstrate the benefits of giving the Raptor almost twice as much grunt as the original, courtesy of its new 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine, but showcased just how clever and capable its new adaptive Live Valve suspension was. There was, however, a sense that we were playing to the Raptor’s strengths. A tougher test, and arguably a more relevant one, is how the Raptor handles the…

YOU’D LIKE Eddy. He’s a lovely bloke who’s been at Ford for years and is in charge of the press garage. Right now, all I can think of is how Eddy is going to react when I tell him his Everest has fallen off a mountain. Earlier in the day I was wondering how Eddy would react when I told him that I’d lost his car to a lake. Or had sunk into a quagmire never to be seen again on the Dargo High Plains road. You see, I’d managed to find myself in one of those positions where I couldn’t go back down the mountain (too steep and narrow) but going further up to the summit on the far horizon was edging a little out of my comfort zone.…

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.…