Table of contents for February 2019 in Wheels

DUE JAN JEEP WRANGLER Jeep’s off-road icon is imminent in Sport, Overland and Rubicon spec, with 2.2-litre turbo-diesel power and torque allied to an eight-speed auto, a classier cabin, more refined road manners and better ride. Will potential buyers be spooked by the one-star Euro NCAP safety rating? DUE JULY NISSAN LEAF Second-gen Leaf could change the electric car game if priced right. It’s a more conventional-looking package with greater energy density and therefore battery range, as well as improved performance, and a focus on driver assistance tech that allows some self-driving functions. DUE MARCH TOYOTA RAV4 The bigger, all-new RAV4 promises to be from the ‘New Toyota’ mould, which means driver appeal and ride/handling smarts are part of the package. A petrol/ electric hybrid, torque-vectoring AWD and off-road focused…

LETTER OF THE MONTH “WHAT A THRILL! THIS “ IS THE FIRST TIME I’VE HAD AN HSV REGISTERED IN MY NAME” WINNER, WINNER, SPORTSCAT DINNER I wanted to thank Wheels and HSV for drawing me as the winner of the Colorado SportsCat+ in your recent subscriber competition. I have been reading Wheels for well over 45 years, and have been a subscriber for a lot of that time. I grew up in a Holden family watching Colin Bond and Peter Brock race the very first Monaros and Torana GTR XU-1s against Allan Moffat in Ford GTHOs, and have owned numerous Holdens over the years. This is, however, the first time I have had an HSV registered in my name. Damon Paull at HSV and Sebastian Raspass at Col Crawford HSV…

MOTORSPORT royalty doesn’t brook too much by way of argument. MotoGP has Valentino Rossi, Formula 1 has Michael Schumacher, WRC has Sebastian Loeb. For the most prestigious single event in circuit racing, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, there’s Tom Kristensen. With a total of nine outright victories to his name, the Danish driver has three more wins than his nearest rival, Jacky Ickx, making him comfortably the most dominant driver in the event’s 95 year history. Le Mans is a race which is renowned as one of the toughest on a driver’s mental ability, but the man who has won more than any other is dismissive when asked about the mental task of preparing for the assault on La Sarthe. Kristensen was called up to race just four days…

Model Mercedes-AMG A35 Engine 1991cc 4cyl, dohc, 16v, turbo Max power 225kW @ 5800rpm Max torque 400Nm @ 3000-4000rpm Transmission 7-speed dual-clutch Weight 1555kg 0-100km/h 4.7sec (claimed) Fuel economy 7.4L/100km (EU) Price $70,000 (estimated) On sale November 2019 “THE A45 CONSTANTLY NAGS ITS DRIVER TO USE ALL IT HAS, WHEREAS THIS A35 IS HAPPY TO CHILL, BUT EVER READY TO THRILL” EVERY crackling corner entry and every blaring exit is audible long before the A35 can be seen, a fleeting flash of yellow far below. We’ve parked our Mercedes-AMG at the top of the pass, just where the road makes a sharp left into a tunnel that punches arrow-straight through a rocky ridge. The view here is worth a pause. Nearby looms a bare peak called Puig Major, while in…

Model Mercedes-Benz B200 Engine 1332cc 4cyl, dohc, 16v, turbo Max power 120kW @ 5500rpm Max torque 250Nm @ 1620rpm Transmission 7-speed dual-clutch Weight 1410kg 0-100km/h 8.2sec (claimed) Economy 5.6L/100km Price $45,000 (estimated) On sale Q2 IN Europe, the place of the B-Class is obvious. It’s a premium-brand step up the mini-MPV status stairway. The Mercedes-Benz is classier and more costly than the likes of the Ford C-Max, Renault Scenic and Volkswagen Golf Sportsvan, to name but a few of its mainstream competitors. These five-seaters are a common sight from Spain to Sweden and Portugal to Poland, but no mass-market Euro-brand mini-MPV is sold in Australia. Down here, the role of the rarely seen B-Class, and BMW’s almost invisible 2 Series Active Tourer, are as non-conformist alternatives to a small SUV.…

1 MAZDA 3 Brings a slick and sexy new expression of Kodo design language, premium-feeling interior and tech-tacular SkyActiv-X 2.0-litre engine. We don’t drive the new 3 until next issue, but its longer, wider design looks the goods, and we can’t wait to try the SkyActiv engine, which promises diesel-like efficiency, more grunt and lower emissions. 2 PORSCHE 911 992 The revised platform creates space for a forthcoming hybrid and also delivers a wider front track, while both engines are revised for higher outputs. A slick, more tech-rich interior also features. Based on our ride-along (Wheels, December), we can expect sharper turn-in, increased grip, more punch; in fact, a bit more of everything that makes the 911 experience so uplifting and unique. 3 SUZUKI JIMNY The unashamedly basic Jimny meets…

“INFERIOR TO A GIULIA, YET THEY’LL SELL HEAPS MORE”ALEX INWOOD THE ALFA ROMEO Giulia finished in one of the podium positions at last year’s COTY which had cranked up expectations of the Stelvio. It’s fair to say that the presence of the Giulia Quadrifoglio helped sprinkle 375kW worth of fairy dust across the more prosaic models in the sedan’s range but the Stelvio arrived without that level of top cover, with the Stelvio Q flagship failing to make our shores in time for this year’s event. Even had that all-wheel-drive rocket been present, I’m not sure it would have influenced the judging panel to any great degree. The Stelvio adds all-wheel drive and hatchback practicality, but in the demerit column are a distinctly firm ride, poor rear-seat space, and a…

TALK ABOUT COVERING all bases. Rather than dipping a toe into the electrified segment, Hyundai has gone all out with a three-pronged attack designed to simultaneously take on the Toyota Prius and Nissan Leaf in one, low-CO2 strike. In its most basic form, the $32,990 Hybrid easily undercuts Prius on price, while pairing a 77kW 1.6-litre engine with a 32kW motor for modest performance and an official economy rating of 3.4L/100km. Step up to the Plug-in Hybrid and it’s the same 1.6 combo, but with more electrons, courtesy of a larger 8.9kWh lithium-ion battery and 45kW motor. Up to 50km of all-electric range is on offer before unleaded is burned. However accelerating with any gusto sees the Plug-in rely on its petrol engine, which detracts from its tree-hugging appeal. For…

“DOES SO MANY THINGS SO WELL. NAILS BEING A LUXURY LIMOUSINE”TOBY HAGON THE LEGACY OF late-’80s Japanese heroes, such as the COTYconquering Mazda MX-5, Honda NSX and Lexus LS400, continues. But three decades on, is this fifth-generation LS sufficiently bold, progressive and luxurious to make the perception-changing original proud? Longer and wider, yet lower and sleeker than ever before, the Lexus limo flagship returns in single-wheelbase guise, joining its LC coupe cousin in adopting the ‘GAL’ global longitudinal-drive ‘luxury’ version of the Toyota New Global Architecture. That means a switch to an all-new, far more rigid yet lighter aluminium/steel structure, offering a lower centre of gravity, better front/rear weight distribution and improved packaging. With no V8s in sight, the 310kW LS500 introduces a fresh twin-turbo V6 and 10-speed auto to…

WE ALL LOVE a COTY dark horse. You know, those cars that you don’t expect much from yet shine like diamonds during the event. The Mercedes-Benz CLS is not one of them. Perhaps our expectations had been ratcheted up by an almost unbroken string of successes from the Stuttgarters, but the CLS got short shrift from the judging panel. Perplexing, ride quality was the Benz’s bugbear. While it delivers plenty of variance, finding the sweet spot in the Air Body Control suspension settings proved elusive. In its softest mode, it was agreeably boaty and sybaritic, and that could well be the only mode much of the target market ever uses. Progressing in COTY subjects a vehicle to more searching scrutiny, though, and in its sportier modes it was, by common…

ENDURINGLY POPULAR AND reliably affordable, but not always the wisest choice, Corolla has long been the automotive equivalent of a Big Mac. But the one launched in Australia last August represents a major effort by Toyota to improve the flavour and nutritional value of its best-seller. The all-new E210 Corolla is much improved compared to the mediocre model it replaces. There’s now a touch of special sauciness to the way it drives and a class-leading focus on active safety. The new Corolla’s core is Toyota’s New Global Architecture. This is the same component set that’s the basis for other recent Toyotas that have lifted the brand’s image. TNGA works the same magic in the new Corolla, which gains independent multi-link rear suspension. The rest of the chassis is standard small-car…

All modern Volvos ride on one of two chassis set-ups. The larger models like the XC60 and XC90 sit on the Scalable Product Architecture (SPA). The XC40 and other smaller versions sit on Compact Modular Architecture (CMA). Primarily a steel monocoque with a transverse front engine, CMA can be adapted for front- or all-wheel drive and has been future-proofed with plug-in hybrid capability. Every aspect of the platform’s length is customisable except for the distance between the front axle and the heel point, the vertical location position of the pedals on the floor of the cabin. “NAILS ALMOST ALL CRITERIA. DÉJÀ VU MUCH?”NOELLE FAULKNER…

BLAME the dog. No, seriously, blame Tess the golden retriever for my doubts over the capabilities of the Mazda 6 wagon. Allow me to elaborate. Over the Christmas break we scored a house-sitting gig right next to the coast for four weeks. Simply looking after a dog and a cat, with the beach just down the road, it was more like winning a free holiday. The only downer was that I could only take the first two weeks off, and would have to commute to work for the second part of our stay. This meant that two cars would be needed. Not an issue, given we’d have plenty of space in our own 2009 Mazda 6 hatch and the trusty Atenza wagon long-termer to carry our gear down. Surprisingly, though,…

01 991-gen Porsche 911 has a 1.6:1 ratio between wheelbase and track. Toyota claims Supra’s 1.55:1 delivers even greater agility 02 Launch control fitted as standard for crisp step-off. 4.3 secs to 100km/h identical to Wheels’ figures for $150k 718 Cayman S 03 Arc of integrated rear spoiler intentionally designed to reprise the profile of much-loved A80 Supra’s high-mounted rear wing IT’S BEEN teased for what seems an eternity, but the fifth-gen Toyota Supra has finally been unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Spy photographs and leaked images of the much-anticipated A90-generation car had primed many for what to expect beneath the red, white and black dazzle camouflage, but the undisguised Supra undoubtedly espouses chief designer Nobuo Nakamura’s philosophy he terms ‘Condensed Extreme’. The wheelbase is…

2000 YEAR OF INTRODUCTION 85,744 PRODUCTION RUN 5.1 SECSONDS O - 100KM/H COUPE VALUES START AT $25K 252 KILOWATTS THE GOOD Adjustable handling, charismatic engine and compact stance make the E46 a favourite with enthusiasts. Fit a carbon airbox to the stock M3 for those CSL buzzsaw sound effects THE BAD There are a few body and engine issues to keep on top of and upkeep isn’t cheap. The 63-litre fuel tank drains pretty quickly when driven hard. It’s increasingly hard to find honest used examples…

The contenders Strictly speaking the Mazda CX-5 isn’t a ‘newcomer,’ but the force-fed petrol engine that’s just been transplanted into its snout is definitely a fresh addition to Mazda’s likeable mid-sizer. Displacing 2.5 litres and augmented by a turbocharger, it’s lifted almost wholesale from its bigger CX-9 sibling and gets us a little bit excited. After all, the formula of adding a big engine to a small car is one that’s delivered great results in the past, although this time it’s not power-to-weight that’s the attractive proposition, but a great deal more low-down tractability and everyday driveability than the carry-over atmo petrols that sit beside it in the CX-5 range. The Escape ST-Line, meanwhile, is a familiar face. Also rocking turbo power and all-paw under-bits, the Escape is a Wheels…

THERE’S NO PLEASING some COTY judges, with Carey quickly hurling words like “charmless” and “bulky” at the latest Audi A8. Character assassinations aside, by limousine standards, the all-new car oozes COTY cred. New model naming and a tech injection headline the rethink, with safety stepping up via active systems to avoid myriad crash scenarios and even prevent doorings. A whiff of mild-hybrid electric assistance beneath the bonnet cements its place on the grid. Key to the fourth-gen A8’s appeal is an entry price shaved by a few grand while the high-end-gadget count has stepped up, especially in terms of digital screens. And it’s those prominent central touchscreens – with haptic feedback – in an otherwise restrained Teutonic cabin that sparked debate. Pixels count for wow factor, but judges questioned whether…

IF PROOF PROPER is needed that Citroen is back, it’s the return of the C3. In less than two years, more than 400,000 units of the striking third generation have been sold worldwide, exceeding forecasts and putting the century-old brand back on the map. Internationally, at least. It’s easy to see why. Chunky, handsome design with ever-so-subtle crossover cues make the French supermini seem a little larger than it is (while actually shedding 75kg compared with the preceding version). Inside the spacious cabin, sofa-like seating, deep glass areas for exceptional vision, a simple yet contemporary dash layout and classy details like luggage-strap door pulls add further appeal. Backing the latter up in the sole Aussie-spec Shine variant are lofty levels of standard kit, including a 7.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay/Android…

HOLDEN’S ZB CAME to Car of the Year hauling heavy historical baggage. Commodore, after all, is the winningest name in COTY history; five times it’s been etched on our trophy. But the new one isn’t the same kind of car as the VB, VN, VR, VT or VE. Big six-cylinder and V8 engines, rear-drive and Australian-made are no longer the defining Commodore characteristics. Designed, engineered and manufactured by Opel in Germany, the new Commodore is front- or all-wheel drive, with the most affordable and popular models powered by turbocharged four-cylinder engines, including diesels. But the ZB was judged on merit, not the back-story of the badge it wears. Or, for that matter, its slumping sales, shrinking niche and uncertain future. Though smaller than the VF II Commodore, key ZB features…

TO SAY HOPES sat in the mid-highs for the CX-8 in this year’s COTY would be playing it down. Mazda has more COTY trophies in its pool room than most other manufacturers to date, having most recently taken out the gong with the MX-5 in 2016 and CX-9 in 2017, as well as landing a spot in the final five last year with the CX-5. So, being an amalgamation of the latter two CXs by blood as well as proxy, the CX-8 should have a legitimate claim for the throne, right? Alas, if we’ve learned anything, it’s that COTY is not so predictable. Think of the CX-8 as the offspring of the flagship CX-9 and the CX-5 mid-sizer, sharing the wheelbase of the former and the somewhat narrower platform of…

“PACKAGING MASTERCLASS SADDLED WITH POWERTRAIN ADEQUACY”ASH WESTERMAN WHILE CONTESTANTS LIKE the Mazda CX-8, Holden Acadia and Hyundai Santa Fe are good enough to undergo our intensive COTY scrutiny, nailing the brief for a well-heeled, affordable seven-seater that appeals to a discerningly stylish crowd has alluded all. Truly, it is no easy feat. So, with its concept-car cabin, risk-taking material choices and striking exterior, the Peugeot 5008 deserves kudos for its impressive sartorial rebranding, shedding its snubbynosed former self with sassy insouciance. Especially when considering the many uninspired rivals that the Sochaux bus competes against. It should come as no surprise then, that where the Pug really shines is under the COTY function criteria. Particularly when it comes to its sheer lifestyle-friendliness and dashboard layout (although the polarising debate over the…

“GTI MAY BE ALL THE HOT HATCH PEOPLE NEED – OR CAN USE”ASH WESTERMAN SO COMFORTABLY DID the Volkswagen Polo demolish all of its rivals in the May 2018 edition of Wheels that it was almost embarrassing. “It shouldn’t come as any great surprise that the best handling, most polished, most spacious, quickest, most economical and best value car wins this test,” we declared, underscoring the fact that the Polo performed such a slam dunk on the Suzuki Swift, Skoda Fabia, Mazda 2 and Citroen C3 that the comparison rapidly devolved into an unseemly scrabble for the minor placings. Big reputations count for little at COTY, however. With the slate wiped clean, the Polo had to reassert itself against the five criteria of function, technology, efficiency, safety and value. Unfortunately…

IT’S a strange sensation, knowing something you’re about to take delivery of is going to be put through its COTY paces. Imagine buying a new mattress, for example, and then discovering the store staff would be spending the week before delivery jumping on it. But so it was with my new Corolla, which had something of a brutal introduction to the Wheels garage. After picking it up, I had it on regular duties for just three days before it was whisked away for COTY 2019, where it was subjected to our gruelling testing process alongside its Ascent Sport manual and ZR hybrid siblings. It was odd watching what was to be ‘my’ Corolla subjected to such enthusiastic judging. Needless to say, 026-YGM was in desperate need of a good scrub…

EDITOR Inwood’s desire to revamp the look, feel and editorial direction of your favourite motoring magazine extended to every nook and cranny of this august organ. And so the edict to writers in this long-termers section was to step it up a level and ensure that every update has both a bespoke focus and an accompanying photographic record. No problem: I had a brand new Hyundai Santa Fe Highlander gleaming in the driveway, and all the requisite familial accoutrements to bring to life a moment of suburban bliss. But to properly sketch this picture of clichéd domesticity, we really needed a pooch. It occurred to me that somewhere in a long-since discarded toy box, buried beneath headless Barbies and broken fairy wings, slept Biscuit, the battery-powered pup. With a king’s…

OH, IT’S EASY TO look back and laugh. But put yourself in the position of Adelaide washing machine baron (or fridge magnate?), Harold Lightburn who, in the early 1960s, had turned his industrial efforts towards manufacturing economy cars. Eyeing the apparent acceptance of Bill Buckle’s local Goggomobil experiments, Lightburn developed the motorcycle-engined Zeta Runabout (sedan) and, to augment it, a two-seater Zeta Sports roadster. A key point was that Lightburn had landed the first Australian distributorship for exotic Alfa Romeo, with the medium-term goal of CKD assembly in Adelaide. From Alfa to Zeta, Lightburn would have the market covered. The 1959 launch (and 1961 Australian manufacturing) of the Morris Mini-Minor/Austin Seven changed everything. Undaunted, Lightburn pressed on with his fibreglass-bodied and conspicuously compromised Zeta Runabout which, although the cheapest new…

“IF YOU don’t come away frightened, then there’s something wrong with you.” That’s the warning Cosworth MD Bruce Wood gave media before his company’s 6.5-litre V12, built for the Aston Martin Valkyrie, was unleashed on an engine dyno for a huddled mass. Producing 735kW and 740Nm, with a redline of 11,100rpm, the Valkyrie’s engine is something to be both feared and celebrated. In an era when internal combustion is being threatened, Cosworth has created what could well be the greatest engine of its kind. The Valkyrie’s powerplant is the most powerful naturally aspirated V12 ever produced, including dedicated racing units. Valkyrie is a collaboration between Aston and the Red Bull F1 race team, spearheaded by Adrian Newey. The design guru’s famed attention to detail went so far as to ensure…

Model Audi A1 Sportback 35 TFSI Engine 1498cc 4cyl, dohc, 12v, turbo Max power 110kW @ 5000-6000rpm Max torque 250Nm @ 1500-3500rpm Transmission 7-speed dual-clutch Weight 1150kg 0-100km/h 7.7sec Economy 5.1L/100km Price $32,000 (estimated) On sale Q2 IT’S STILL the smallest car in Audi’s range, but the A1 has grown up for its second coming. An increase of 56mm might not sound like much, but now at 4029mm long it’s even bigger than its Mini five-door rival – a car that seems to stretch the ‘supermini’ tag to breaking point. It’s a larger, more mainstream look that lacks appeal if you choose a dowdy spec, but you can personalise to glamourise. The growth spurt is welcome inside, where the A1 feels more spacious all over, with four adults able to…

ALPE D’HUEZ IS PRO CYCLING’S MARACANA, CLIMBING OVER 1000 METRES STRAIGHT UP JUST the idea of Alpe d’Huez broke Pascal Simon. Some 35 years ago, the last Peugeot rider to ever wear the leader’s yellow jersey in the Tour de France pedalled towards the foot of the most mythical climb in this most magical bike race, pictured the 21 hairpin bends snaking up into the heavens in front of him, stepped off his little bicycle and quit. Injury and the relentless pressure from the eventual winner, Laurent Fignon, undoubtedly contributed to his withdrawal, but there’s something about Alpe d’Huez; pro cycling’s hallowed cathedral of climbs. Three and a half decades on, we’re at the Alpe with a pair of Peugeots (one of them with just two wheels) and a point…

AT FIRST glance, you’d probably pick tradie Chris Rowe as a V8 man, not an EV whisperer. His lower face sports a luxuriant pelt, his mid-section has seen a few schooners and schnitties, and he favours race-team shirts with logos, rather than pens clipped into a top pocket. But Chris knows his way around electron wrangling. It was his cheerfully volunteered skills, used to build an improvised 32-amp charger straight out of our Inverloch motel’s fuse box, that would be the lifeline – literally – thrown to the two Jaguar I-Pace EVs when the 2019 COTY show rolled into the Gippsland region of southern Victoria. Following an almost farcical series of fast-charger fails during the proving-ground stage, it was only through the ingenuity of our new mate Chris that two…

‘CULL’ IS SUCH an unkind word; essentially it means to reduce a population through ‘selective slaughter’, and that’s what Stage One is all about. The proving ground provides a superior simulacrum of the real world, where the dynamic abilities of each car can be tested up to, and even beyond, their limits. Those found wanting can be found on an early truck home. But it is also at this early culling stage that arguments between our passionate and pernickety judges over Function, Technology, Safety, Efficiency and Value get heated. Only the strongest will survive. Bring it on.…

“GREAT MID-CORNER COMPOSURE FOR A FAT BUGGER”ANDY ENRIGHT IF YOU WERE to contextualise the Bentley Continental GT in boxing terms, its ‘tale of the tape’ is so impressive you could almost imagine it being called out by a ring announcer: “In the blue corner, weighing in at 2244kg, punching out 467kW from 12 cylinders, and yours for $422,000, it’s the brawling bouncer from Brrrrr ... itaaaaain!” Those latter numbers made this easily the most powerful and expensive car in the 2019 COTY field, but the dollar figure is only the undercard to the options list, which did this super coupe no favours in terms of value. The optional Naim audio system alone is the price of a basic VW Polo; all up, this particular Conti rolled in with a tag…

LIKE DAVID HASSELHOFF’S musical career, Germany’s Ford Focus has never quite hit the big time in Australia. The bold 1998 original – with game-changing dynamic sophistication – was underpowered and over-priced when it launched here four years later; the second-gen of 2005 flirted with success but lived in the shadow of its popular Mazda 3 cousin; and the less said about this decade’s capable but Powershift problematic gen-3 the better. Willkommen, then, to Focus gen-4. Hailing from the land of the Golf, nothing bar the badge and a few bolts carry over, in a wider, lower, roomier, quieter and stronger small car, which is also up to 88kg lighter than before. Not everybody will be pleased that four cylinders have been superseded by three, or that the manual is no…

“KUDOS TO HYUNDAI FOR DELIVERING TEXTURE AND VISUAL INTERESTALEX INWOOD CAST YOUR MIND back to August of this year and you may well recall a seven-seat SUV test that included some illustrious nameplates. It was won by a Hyundai Santa Fe. Given that it got the nod over the Skoda Kodiaq – which was a podium finisher in last year’s COTY – hopes were high that the Hyundai would progress to the pointy end of this year’s proceedings. Sadly it wasn’t to be. The car that aced that group test was the range-topping Highlander diesel version, and it offered a convincing blend of all the good stuff that family buyers look for, albeit at a price. Start lowering your gaze in the Santa Fe range to a price tag that,…

ANY KEEN STUDENT of the COTY form guide and back catalogue will know that Australia’s longest-running car award hasn’t exactly been a rich hunting ground for premium German manufacturers. Mercedes-Benz has managed to hoist the trophy just three times in 56 years, while Audi, BMW – and yes, Porsche – are yet to land a single victory between them. This year would see the celebrated Stuttgart marque roll up with what seemed like a solid shot – this all-new, third-gen Cayenne; a five-seat SUV delivering major tech advancements, useful weight saving thanks in part to its MLB-Evo platform (shared with the Audi Q7, VW Touareg, and Lamborghini Urus, among others) and plenty of sophistication and efficiency in the powertrain department. Those latter virtues were best exemplified by the sole example…

“THE V6 WOULD KEEP THE GRANDPARENTS QUITE HAPPY”TOBY HAGON CAMRYS HAVE BEEN innovative (1983 original), insipid (2002), and occasionally even incognito (Holden Apollo anybody?). But mostly, Camrys have been inoffensive. For today’s eighth generation, we can also add improved. Vastly so. Replacing its Altona-built predecessor, this latest version of Toyota’s US-market-focused mid-sizer is a ground-up redesign that aims to address past foibles, mostly related to comfort and refinement. What’s surprising is how monumentally competitive the Camry remains, even though it’s now out of Japan (again), with heaps more standard safety (including AEB, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning and auto high beams), backed up by a substantially stronger body and quieter cabin. All from a staggering $27,490. For that we’d put up with a plastic wheel, hard materials and monochromatic trim.…

IT’S TIME TO GET REAL. Stage Two of the COTY marathon finds our final five taking to public roads to show us what they’re made of out in the real world, where they’ll actually be driven. While the Italians failed to make the finals, there are representatives from France, Britain, Germany and Sweden still in with a chance of grabbing the glory, while Subaru is the only non-European left in the contest. The road loop is one of the most enjoyable, and revealing, tests of the lot. Hold on...…

IT SHOULD COME AS no surprise that our Car of the Year podium finishers are all SUVs, but there is one very sleek-looking cat amongst the common pigeons. Frankly, the fact that the all-new, all-electric and undeniably adventurous Jaguar I-Pace has gone this deep into the competition will surprise people. No Jaguar has taken the coveted COTY before, so a win would be a boilover for sure, but it’s up against more conventional cars, and two previously winning brands. Stage Three’s rigorous ride assessments will decide...…

I DIDN’T really get a firm date to return the Velar to Land Rover, but the guilt of just keeping hold of it hoping the press office wouldn’t notice got to me surprisingly quickly. After sending a breezy email asking if I could keep it over Christmas, my plans were shot down in flames by the somewhat brutal response that it was due at a car auction in four days. That didn’t leave a whole lot of negotiating room. Still, my loss is set to be some bidder’s gain, because its first 10,000km have run it in rather nicely. As much as I admired the Velar, the relationship never really blossomed any further. Perhaps it was the constant niggling screen freezes or the minor annoyances like having to wait for…

LIKE a Tony Greig pitch examination, which verged on forensic in its investigation of firmness, springiness and surface moisture, I tend to pay careful attention to where I place my bottom. Hard-earned experience tells me this is an undervalued life skill, and one that is particularly useful when it comes to cars. Not because my derriere is especially sensitive, but because proper seat comfort is one of those things you never truly appreciate until it’s gone, like having a full head of hair, or a healthy set of chompers. And Volvos; well, Volvos have always had great seats. The pews in the XC60 long-termer I ran last year were especially praiseworthy, and the plush, electrically adjustable, leather-clad seats in the XC90 T6 Inscription I drove over the Christmas break were,…

TOP THREE PORSCHE CAYMAN “Number one? Porsche Cayman – the latest one,” comes the emphatic response. “ For me, Porsche represents industrial products: the best,” he adds. “Ferrari? Not so industrial, it’s like an art whereas Lotus is like a craft,” he explains. “Because I’m an industrial engineer, I see Porsche as my benchmark; my mentor.” ALFA ROMEO 4C “Dangerous, dangerous, dangerous! I like that sense of danger,” says Tada, alluding to the glamour and raciness of the marque’s image. He’s a good deal more agnostic when it comes to particular models but, in a common theme, defaults towards the lightest and simplest. “I think the Alfa Romeo 4C is pretty good.” ASTON MARTIN VANTAGE The European theme continues with another punchy performance coupe. “I like the very British feel…