Forty years on, Valiant’s very cool coupe still gets the thumbs-up. NEIL DOWLING reports Aug 2011
ONE Australian car cut through the 1970s cultural cringe of Farrah Fawcett hairstyles, tan-coloured flares and looking cool with a ciggie.
Chrysler’s Valiant Charger was a hip phenomenon, prompting colourful dancing graphics in magazine advertising, monochrome TV ads of smiling kids and a hirsute Graeme Blundell flashing the “V” sign shouting “Hey Charger”.
In retrospect, the corny — and blatantly sexist — TV ads were extremely successful in relaying the fun aspect of the car that single-handedly put Chrysler’s Australian image on a higher plane.
Despite the intervening decades, that addiction lingers.
John Urquhart caught the Charger bug at age 33, buying a new R/T in early 1972 — the build date was September 1971 — for about $3600. After 39 years, he still has it.
“I bought it because I intended it for motor racing,” says the retired lawyer, now living the quiet life in southwestern WA.
“But it became the family car right up to the 1980s and I never entered it in an event until 1991. It really lives up to its name — R/T for road and track — because it was comfortable and roomy for my two children as they grew up.”
The beige coupe, with its blacked-out bonnet panels, pressed steel wheels finished in graphite to look like alloys, the golf-club head gear knob and serious “265 R/T” badges, is as aesthetically pleasing today as it was when Chrysler Australia penned the body shape atop a chopped sedan platform.
Urquhart pressed it into service in 1991, entering hill climbs, sprints and regularity trials and campaigning it around the country venues and even using it to tow his other car, an open-wheeler, to eastern states events — among them a Mopars on the Murray show and the Shannons 2001 National Motoring Tour.
“I drove it to Adelaide for a supporting race for open-wheelers that preceded the main event at the 1985 Adelaide Grand Prix, the first one,” he says.
The Charger hasn’t avoided incidents. A bushfire in 2006 that devastated forests around Urquhart’s home left the house intact but destroyed the sheds in which the Charger was stored, damaging the car.
Later, a motorist in the city failed to stop in time and wrote off her small car on the back of the Charger. You can still see the scratch in the Charger’s chrome bumper but the minor sheetmetal damage has been repaired and the tail-light replaced.
The 265 cubic-inch (4.3-litre) “Hemi” six has a new block — Urquhart has the original — and there are extractors with 2-inch pipes, a meatier cam profile and the Carter carburettor has been replaced with a Holley 500.
The original three-speed manual gearbox has given way to a four-speeder.
Dyno testing shows it has 163kW at the flywheel and 123kW at the wheels at 4950rpm, just shy of the engine’s 5000rpm redline.
“I had power brakes fitted. It doesn’t stop any better, but the pedal pressure is a lot less,” Urquhart says.
“It has also had the steel members replaced around the steering box. It is a common problem that this area is weak and prone to rust, so it’s now reinforced.”
Urquhart is an original member of the Charger Club of WA so he knows its value and indicates the car could be for sale. “I retired from events in June,” he says, “so the car won’t be used much now.
“I estimate it’s worth $47,500 and I was analytical in arriving at that because when new it was about half the price of Bathurst-specced Chargers that are now going for $80,000-$90,000.”
Chrysler Australia built the Charger from 1971 to 1978, creating a coupe body from the windscreen-pillar back. The VH sedan platform lost 152mm from the wheelbase.
The coupe was 333mm shorter than the sedan and 54kg lighter at 1352kg.
ODDSPOT: Buddhist chant: “Om mani pade hum” (Hail the jewel in the Lotus)NEIL DOWLING tests two Lotuses in Norfolk – one with a clutchless gearbox and the other with a supercharger. Aug 2011
DISCARDING the clutch pedal isn’t new for Lotus.
In the past it dispensed with the third pedal on the Eclat, Elite and Excel. Still, when you’re told the latest Lotus has an automatic gearbox, it’s a bit of a slap from such a dyed-in-the-wool raw-edged car company that for years eschewed foam seat cushions.
But the six-speed automatic actually complements the V6 Evora, the latest and, for now, the biggest Lotus. It arrives in a month or two from new importer Ateco Automotive, which also brings in Ferrari, Maserati and Chery among others. The Evora auto joins the existing six-speed manual and the supercharged Evora S tops the range.VALUE: This is the hard bit. Ateco hasn’t yet released prices. The Evora manual has a price of $139,990 but that will be reduced.
Expect about $120,000 for the Evora, $130,000 for the auto version and about $150,000 for the supercharged manual well into Porsche Cayman territory. Indeed, the problem isn’t with the car — it’s with the rivals. Lotus is an esteemed, if niche, name for buyers seeking something distinctive. But Lotuses have a raw edge that it takes a fan to appreciate.DESIGN: Though pretty, it looks like other coupes — at least it seems that bits and pieces have been borrowed. It is made of fibreglass over a clever, glued and riveted aluminium chassis.
Ateco will bring the Evora in as a 2+2 but the rear seats are close to useless. Even getting into the front seats is very awkward, such is the shape of the door and the rearward placement of the windscreen pillar and door hanger. Rear and rear three-quarter vision is a blight.
But it is stylish and the boot is almost adequate for a weekend away. By yourself.TECHNOLOGY: The aluminium platform, beautiful forged and cast alloy suspension components and the tubular structure are invisible beneath the bodyshell but typify Lotus’s engineering prowess.
The Evora S engine starts off as the Toyota-made 3.5-litre V6 shared with the Aurion, Kluger, RAV4 V6 and so on.
The Australian-made Harrop supercharger bolted on top takes the outputs from 206kW of power and 350Nm of torque to 258kW/400Nm. Harrop says it’s not the same supercharger used on the ill-fated TRD Aurion, despite similar outputs.
The Evora gets hydraulic power steering, fat ventilated and drilled disc brakes from AP and bespoke suspension. The Evora auto — called IPS for Intelligent Precision Shift — uses Toyota’s six-speed automatic with a manual mode selected via paddle shifters.SAFETY: Lotus doesn’t give cars to independent crash testers but it does fit four airbags, electronic stability control, traction control and brake assist.
DRIVING: Not only is the Evora far from the easiest car to get into but it’s also difficult even to work out the erratic remote central locking system. Opening the door without triggering the alarm is a challenge. Once in, it’s quite comfortable with plenty of adjustment in the steering wheel and a snug seat. But visibility is poor. The treatment of the dashboard and cabin is very simple and it’s difficult here to discern where the value is despite the leather, the magnesium steering wheel and the cast-alloy push buttons — most of which are hard to see behind the wheel.
Crank the engine sitting a few centimetres behind your head and the niggles vanish. The IPS uses push-buttons on the centre console to allocate the gear pattern. On full auto it’s a sweet and simple car with plenty of poke on tap.
Flipping the paddles allows engine braking for slow corners and punching out with a mid-corner upchange.
Handling is perfect. The Evora sits flat through bends with excellent steering feedback. You can push it to understeer but only if you drive like a doofus. Road irregularities, however, jostle the wheel in your hands. It’s disconcerting at first but perfectly suits the connection between car and driver.
Ride comfort is far better than expected, capable of soaking up the big bumps while still exhibiting great tautness.
The S, with the the blower boosting bottom-end and mid-range power, is a very flexible machine, covering the 0-100km/h sprint in 4.8 seconds. It is well suited to its manual transmission but, even though it can pull so hard in the mid-range that you get tears in your eyes, the IPS version has a wider appeal.VERDICT: The two new Evoras will live or die on price. It has to tempt safe players from the Cayman and top-end Audi TTs.
The Lotus gives the buyer history, handling and individuality — but it lacks the broad appeal of its rivals.
“I recognise that convincing people to pay pound stg. 100,000 ($155,000) for a Lotus with a Toyota engine is difficult,” Lotus CEO Dany Bahar says.
“We need to have our own engine and we need to improve quality to justify the higher prices of new models and to compete with companies like Porsche.
“We are the benchmark for ride and handling.
“Now we have to deliver premium quality.”
Bahar says Lotus is working on a V8 engine that can be easily adapted to become a V6 or an inline four-cylinder.
Lotus sources a Toyota V6 engine for the Evora and a four-cylinder engine for the Elise.
“Toyota designs engines for high-volume applications in mass-market passenger cars,” he says. “Whatever you do, it is difficult to tweak that engine for a proper sports car.
“So we have to make our own. But if, for example, the four-cylinder engine we make doesn’t work, we will be prepared to go to an outside manufacturer.”
On the issue of quality, Bahar says Lotus makes very driver-oriented cars.
“We will continue to make that car for that owner,” he says.
“But though we won’t change the Lotus DNA that has existed for the past 15 years, we have to recognise that customers want a car that is more versatile and built with a higher degree of quality to justify the high price. We have to deliver premium quality.
“If we decide not to develop, design and make some components in-house — for example, the cabin for which we were never famous — we could choose the right supplier.
“We are prepared to outsource components, like dashboards, to improve quality to the same standards of others in the premium segment.”
Bahar says that while improving quality is expensive and taking risks is demanding, it isn’t “rocket science”.
The Ethos concept would surely be a best-seller, writes NEIL DOWLING in Norfolk, England. August, 2011THE slowest Lotus could prove by far its quickest off the showroom floor as the British sportscar maker prepares to launch its city car.
Following the lead of Aston Martin’s Cygnet, Lotus has designed a concept three-door hatch that is less than 3.5m long and will have an innovative electric drivetrain.
Lotus says the car, called the Ethos, could be ready for sale as early as 2013. It was the sixth car shown by Lotus at March’s Geneva auto show but, despite its sales potential, was overlooked by a public dazzled with the company’s sportscar line-up.
The Malaysian-owned English-based niche car maker could call on its parent Proton to build the city car.
It would possibly be powered by a small petrol engine for Malaysia and other markets or a Lotus-developed three-cylinder petrol generator and electric motor hybrid system for emission-sensitive markets.
Lotus Cars group PR manager Alastair Florance says it’s still a concept, though the car features significantly at the company’s head office in Norfolk, UK.
“But this is not the car shown at the show with a Proton badge — that is a completely separate car,” he says.
“The Ethos can make it to production in about 2013, but we haven’t made the final call on that.
“It is shown as a concept with a hybrid powertrain using the new Lotus-designed system of a range-extender petrol engine and an electric motor. It could have a small petrol or diesel engine instead of the hybrid.”
The Lotus 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine — made by Fagor in Spain — is specifically designed to act as a generator to charge the lithium-ion battery pack. It does not drive the wheels and so can be located anywhere in the car and in any orientation.
“The range extender is for applications where the car is driven for long periods,” Florance says. “Perhaps we would have an electric-only system, with a plug-in charger, for city purposes where it doesn’t need the extra weight and complexity and expense of the petrol engine.”
The Ethos concept has a range of 60km as a full electric car, but up to 500km with the range-extender system. The engine is designed to run on fuels including ethanol and methanol.
In electric mode, it is claimed to be as quick as most other traffic, accelerating to 100km/h from rest in 9.0 seconds, on to a top speed of 170km/h.
With the range extender, its 54kW/240Nm generator will charge the batteries to provide sufficient energy for the car to cruise at 120km/h.
CROWDED strips of sand and concrete adjoining Trieste’s dazzling Miramare castle are adorned with topless sunbathers soaking up the far-eastern Italian seaside sun.
The beauties are cause for a glance. But they’re eclipsed by a far younger topless model, the latest Maserati convertible with a more potent engine and sports-oriented body details.
Maserati has perfected the art of using subtle changes to appeal to new buyers.
Tweaks to the GranCabrio Sport, however, have turned an attractive convertible into one with more appealing driving characteristics.
VALUE: The GranCabrio Sport is expected in Australia in December and, on likely exchange rates, it will land for less than $350,000.
That’s a premium of about $20,000 on the current and ongoing GranCabrio.
What do you get? There’s a more sporty line of body gear, such as a front splitter, side sills, black grille and headlight surrounds plus 20-inch wheels. The greater value is in the slightly more powerful engine, firmer suspension and an enhancement of the world’s best exhaust note. The modest changes to the body sharpen its street cred and the engine note is certainly headturning. But is this lot worth the extra loot? Maybe not.
DESIGN: The Sport reprises the existing GranCabrio but with the additions mentioned. In honing the model and creating a new, high-priced variant of the convertible, Maserati is gilding the lily.
It seats four people — yes, adults can fit in the back for short trips — and the ride comfort is very good for a car that has been worked over in the suspension department.
It’s equally quiet and comfortable with the electrically operated fabric roof up or down. The boot is small and in the test car, was practically filled by the addition of the fold-out wind deflector.
Cabin treatment is excellent, falling over only in the placement of some switches behind the steering wheel where they are invisible to the driver, and a satnav system that isn’t up to Japanese standards.
TECHNOLOGY: Maserati makes a song and dance out of the extra 8kW and additional 20Nm. More important is the friction-reduction campaign that has reduced fuel consumption and emissions by 6 per cent to 14.5L/100km and 337g/km CO2.
The result is 331kW/510Nm for a 0-100km/h time of 5.2 seconds. That’s a mere 0.1 second faster than the 323kW/490Nm standard version.
The ZF box gets longer steering wheel paddle shifters made of carbon fibre, which is dotted around the interior as a trim material.
The box changes gears twice as fast as the existing model and blips on downshifts. Manual mode will allow the engine to run to the rev limiter.
Suspension springs are 15 per cent stiffer and the dampers are firmer, too. The brake rotors are ventilated, drilled and slotted to minimise fade.
SAFETY: Standard kit includes stability and traction control, six airbags and automatic pop-up roll bars.
DRIVING: The sport button on the dash is the most important control in this car. Press it and, at 2500rpm, baffles within the exhaust pipe twist open and immediately the heads on every passer-by twists on cue.
The sound of the exhaust is hair raising. Outside Trieste, heading north-west towards Italy, roadway tunnels became auditoriums for the moving symphony of the GranCabrio Sports. The coupe plays the same music but with the roof down you can immerse yourself in that mechanical howl.
It weighs 100kg more than the coupe — a good result given the need to stiffen the chassis — but you wouldn’t know it. This is a quick car, made even more so by using the paddle shifters to climb up and down the six-cog box.
The ride is really surprising. I ran over everything from dodgy bitumen on narrow mountain passes to beautiful freeways and never did the car buck through the bends or shake or creak, and occupants remained unfazed by the bumps.
It is excellent but at $350,000, you’d expect as much. The dashboard — in fact the whole car — is very well made and indicative of how far Maserati has come.
VERDICT: It’s clearly Italian with its showy styling, loud exhaust and ability to sprint. Despite its exotic tag, it’s a real pussycat to drive. But the value equation struggles against rivals.
specs
MASERATI GranCabrio Sport
PRICE $345,000 (est)
WARRANTY 3 years/100,00km
RESALE 57 per cent (est)
SERVICE INTERVAL 15,000km/12 months
SAFETY Not available
ENGINE 4.7-litre V8 petrol, 331kW/510Nm
TRANSMISSION 6-speed sequential auto,
rear-wheel drive
BODY:2-door coupe
WEIGHT: 1980kg
THIRST: 14.5L/100km, 98 RON, 337g/km CO2
For Australians spending their own money there’s only one choice: the Mazda3. NEIL DOWLING reports. Nov 2011
“FUN to drive” and “family car” together in the same sentence isn’t something you expect in a car test.
But then the rather conventional Mazda3 isn’t what you expect in a multitude of ways.
It’s the biggest single seller to private buyers in Australia.
In numbers, it was just pipped by the Corolla in 2010 and was soundly beaten by Commodore — but both are buoyed by hefty fleet sales. Mazda has no such fleet advantage.
So why is this seven-year-old car so successful? Because everything about it works. It is the right size, right price, looks good — even the gaping smile of the grille doesn’t dissuade buyers — and has an excellent range of must-have features.
Two of my daughters drive these and I wasn’t involved in the choice. Ask them why and they say they saw them on the road, liked the style and liked the Mazda name. Better, they paid for them without hurting my bank account.
VALUE: Excellent. This is a top car — Carsguide tested the hatch but the sedan is the same price — with an eight-model choice from the $21,300 manual Neo to the $33,575 SP25 Luxury auto. There’s a diesel and a turbocharged petrol model.
The Maxx Sport six-speed manual tested is $26,360 and is a slick drive for those who enjoy a clutch. Add $2000 if you want an auto. This model gets satnav, body kit, Bluetooth, six-disc CD player, cruise control and switches on the steering wheel.
This model is the best in the range in terms of value for money.
DESIGN: Practical, distinctive and, if I’m harsh, a bit nose-heavy. But it’s neat and attractive, especially from the rear, and is the perfect size for every buyer, from a couple and two children, to singles and retirees.
Boot space is very good with fold-down and split rear seats giving the hatch a lot of versatility. However, the spare tyre is a space-saver.
The cabin is simple, has oodles of perceived quality plus ooh-aah features such as the red dash lights at night, the little colourful satnav screen and the “hello’ and “goodbye’ messages on the audio when you switch the car on or off.
A decade or two ago that would be corny. Now it’s cute, personally bonding the little Mazda with its owner.
TECHNOLOGY: There’s not much that really comes out and hits you with a stick. But that’s because one of the Mazda3’s biggest strengths is its simplicity.
The platform goes back to a shared arrangement with Volvo (S40) and Ford (Focus) but each then tweaks suspension and steering to suit their desired markets.
The engine is all Mazda and comes from the same family that propels the Mazda6 and CX-7. It is to be superseded with the Sky-Activ engine later this year but that’s a completely different story.
SAFETY: The best news of all for you or your family is the five-star crash rating of the Mazda3.
It also comes with all the electronic acronyms to help improve your chances of avoiding an accident and, as a last resort, to protect occupants from harm in a collision.
Standard is electronic stability control, six airbags, ABS on four discs and
brake assist.
DRIVING: Behind the wheel this feels like home. Its seating position is damn near spot-on, visibility is good and it never feels cramped. There’s plenty of room for large people.
The “fun to drive” aspect is related to the very good response of the engine, the positive feel of the steering, the comfort and support of the seats and the flat cornering stance.
The engine’s performance is aided by the slick six-speed manual gearbox and the well-spread ratios. So light is the gearchange and the clutch action that drivers now accustomed to an automatic could comfortably make the transition.
Mazda has done work on this second-gen Mazda3 to correct the cabin noise of the previous model. It’s heaps better and on the Maxx Sport has been reduced to match the levels of other cars. Apparently low-profile tyres were the culprits.
VERDICT: Value for money is the theme here.
It’s been around for a while yet Mazda has cleverly refreshed the shape and will continue that in the next model due this year.
The Mazda3 is not only good value but should have strong interest on the second-hand market. It is a difficult new car to overlook.
specs
RESALE: 68 per cent
SERVICE INTERVAL: 15,000km/12 months
EQUIPMENT: 6 airbags, ESC, ABS, EBD, EBA, TC
CRASH RATING: 5 star
ENGINE: 2.0-litre petrol, 108kW/182Nm
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed manual
BODY: 5-door, 5-seat
DIMENSIONS: 4460 (L); 1755mm (W); 1470mm (H); 2640mm (WB)
WEIGHT: 1294kg
VERDICT:
WE LOATHE: Space-saver spare, ubiquity
others to consider
Hyundai i30 2.0SR
Star: 3.5/5
PRICE: $26,590
TRANS: 5-spd manual, front-wheel drive
BODY: 5-door hatch
THIRST: 7.2L/100km, 95 RON, 170g/km CO2
“Well-built hatch — deserved ’07 Carsguide Car of The Year”
Holden Cruze 1.4iTI
Star: 4/5
ENGINE: 1.4-litre, 4-cyl turbo petrol, 103kW/200Nm
TRANS: 6-spd auto, front-wheel drive
BODY: 4-door sedan
THIRST: 6.9L/100km, 95 RON, 153g/km CO2
“Hard to see how this could be better-suited to its purpose”
Golf 90TSI
Star: 4/5
TRANS: 6-spd manual, front-wheel drive
BODY: 5-door hatch
THIRST: 6.4L/100km, 95 RON, 149g/km CO2
“Eco-master 1.4-litre Golf with more than adequate performance”
THE world is catching the bug again. Volkswagen has gone viral, rebounding with a new New Beetle that, despite a silhouette dating from pre-war Germany, is fresh and very unlike its predecessor.
It’s a changed car because it is aimed at all markets, all ages and more pertinent, at both sexes. VW says 66 per cent of previous Beetle buyers were female and now expects a 50:50 split. The outgoing New Beetle was successful, but very specifically in the US market. It was coolly received in Europe in comparison to the Mini.
What is new is that it is now much closer in engineering to the Golf. That immediately makes it a better drive
and allows VW to share components and so reduce
the price.
VALUE: Clearly, VW has Mini in its sights, but the Beetle also fires at Citroen’s DS3 and intrudes into premium Euro coupes such as those from BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz. Given European pricing and that of rivals, the Beetle is likely to be $25,000 (1.2-litre) to $42,000 (2.0-litre GTI). The DS3 is about $35,000; the BMW 120i Coupe $53,000; and the Mini Cooper S about $50,000.
But — and it’s a big but — the Beetle is very well equipped (judging by Euro-spec models) and quality of the Mexican-built bubble is almost up to German standards. Letdowns include the dashboard of hard plastic.
DESIGN: Iconic. It’s a total change from the old New Beetle. It grows in length and wheelbase and width and track, but is lower and has a flatter roofline. Things reminiscent of the 20th Century Beetle are subtle but visible — protruding lower sills that look like running boards; big, round headlights (now the only VW with these); no discernible grille; and on the inside, a glovebox styled on the 1960s model (there are actually two gloveboxes) and a sling grip on the door pillars.
There is more room — four adults can fit and the boot is almost three times the size of the older model — and better access, including the now frameless glass on the doors and a wider hatch. The vase for the flower has gone but may return as an option.
TECHNOLOGY: It’s all Golf under the body, with a 50mm slice taken out of the platform. Components are shared across the VW brand and the VW Group. The front-wheel drive gets engines from 1.2-litre to the detuned GTI 2.0-litre turbo engine
with 147kW.
Carsguide only drove the 147kW with the six-speed DSG automatic transmission. Australia may get two petrols and one diesel and maybe miss out completely on a manual transmission. The rear suspension is tuned to the Beetle and is an upgraded version of the Golf unit. Steering is electric-hydraulic.
Crazy but despite all this, the most memorable feature is the subtle sound of the exhaust that has been artificially tuned — by way of a sound amplifier up against the firewall — to resemble the offbeat pulse of the old air-cooled engine.
SAFETY: Volkswagen claims a Euro-NCAP five-star crash rating, six airbags and stability and traction control, following the lead of the Golf.
DRIVING: The driving position immediately feels like the perfection of the Golf. Gone is the enormous distance from the driver to the windscreen of the outgoing model.
The controls fall to hand easier and the instruments and switches are better placed. The engine note is very quiet — better at cruising speed — and when off the throttle, that artificial air-cooled chuff-chuff becomes a muted backdrop. In 147kW guise it’s a quick car.
The six-speed DSG — not seven-speed — can be manually operated by the gearshift. Paddle shifters are optional. The most impressive change is the handling. The wide track — up 63mm at the front and 49mm at the rear — just grips the road so tightly that it feels glued to the bends.
Ride comfort tends to firm. The optional sports suspension felt equally competent through the corners as the standard set-up but choppier over mid-corner bumps.
Wheel choice is critical and the 18-inchers are probably the best for enthusiasts. City drivers wanting more comfort should go for the 17-inch wheels. Visibility is its weak point and park sensors are an advised option, unless they become standard spec.
VERDICT: TIt’s a hard car to fault because it sits in a market segment where buyers forgive function in the name of fashion. But pragmatic buyers may discard style and look at the Golf and see more flexibility and five-door convenience.
specs
PRICE: $25,000-$42,000 (est)
WARRANTY: 3 years/unlimited km
RESALE: 65 per cent (est)
SERVICE INTERVAL: 15,000km/12 months
SAFETY: 5-star Euro NCAP
ENGINE: 2.0-litre, 4-cyl turbo-petrol, 147kW/280Nm
BODY: 3-door hatch
WEIGHT: 1364kg
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed DSG, front-wheel drive
THIRST: 7.7L/100km, 95 RON, 179g/km CO2
“A stronger third breath for an icon”
fast facts
* AUSTRALIA won’t get the Beetle until at least the first half of 2012. In fact, first estimates were late 2012 as China pulls rank. Final specifications and prices listed here are based on European models.
* Australians bought 8725 examples of the previous model, including the Cabrio, since its 2000 launch. It ended production in August but dealers still have stock. The new model is expected to eclipse that figure.
others to consider
Mini Cooper S
PRICE: $43,555
TRANS: 6-speed manual, front-wheel drive
BODY: 3-door hatch
THIRST: 6.3L/100km, 95 RON, C02 146g/km C02
“Unmistakable design. Fascinating interior. Terrific handling”
Citroen DS3 DSport
PRICE: $35,990
TRANS: 6-speed manual, front-wheel drive
BODY: 3-door hatch
THIRST: 6.7L/100km, 95 RON, 155g/km C02
“Smooth French operator is alluring but carries a couple of annoying traits”
TRANS: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
BODY: 2-door coupe
THIRST: 7.9L/100km, 95 RON, 189g/km C02
“Rear-drive works better in more powerful models”
In comparison with SUVs, they are specialised and competent in the dirty world away from bitumen.
They are also comparatively expensive. The new Nissan Pathfinder Ti550 costs $75,990 – probably a lot more than you expected to pay.
VALUE: The Spanish-made Pathfinder is a sibling of the Navara dual-cab ute and now – as the Ti550 – gets the option of a Renault 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission and dual-range, part-time 4WD system. Add leather, the latest music storage unit within the extensive infotainment and navigation system, plus a sunroof, and the dollars add up.
The Pathfinder is price comparative with what true offroaders buy – Prado, Discovery and Pajero.
DESIGN: This shape has been around for about six years. It’s purposeful and functional but looks dated compared with edgier designs from most rivals. The “hidden” rear door handles follow Alfa Romeo’s concept to de-clutter the lines but can be awkward to use for adults and impossible for some children.
Cabin treatment is simple but packed with features. The seven seats, which fold flush into the cargo floor, are irreplaceable for hauling friends of the family.
The full-size spare is tucked under the chassis.
TECHNOLOGY: This V6 diesel with a single turbo has been floating around in the Nissan-Renault alliance models. Its huge 550Nm of torque kicks in at 1750rpm.
Even better is the seven-speed sequential automatic that has enough cogs for brisk acceleration and long legs for touring. The drive system is part-time-it’s a rear-drive layout-with an electric dash switch to select 4WD High and 4WD Low.
SAFETY: The Navara version of the Pathfinder Ti 550 has a three-star rating but this wagon gets four stars. It adds six airbags, electronic stability control and all the other aids.
DRIVING: A big, bulky and slow 4WD wagon? No, it is remarkably quick. The slow steering ratio – lots of turns lock to lock for the benefit of dirt driving – is about the only thing that dulls the Pathfinder’s on-road verve.
It’s also quiet and relatively comfortable, though the seats are not its strong point.
Off the road it’s as if the bitumen never ended.
The big boots, gobs of low-end torque and the effective drive system make beaches and gravel pits too easy. Fuel consumption on test was 10.6L/100km, which gives a pleasing 760km range.
VERDICT: Climb over the price and the Ti 550’s space, 3500kg towing ability, off-road competence and reasonable economy can make a strong argument against its rivals, particularly the Prado.
The V6 is arguably less stressed than the $16,000-cheaper four-cylinder Pathfinder diesel and is therefore recommended for heavy duty work.
specs
Star: 3.5/5
PRICE: $75,990
WARRANTY: 3 years/100,000km
RESALE: 58 per cent
SERVICE INTERVAL: 15,000km/12 months
ECONOMY: 9.5L/100km; 256g/km CO2
ENGINE: 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6, 170kW/550Nm
TRANSMISSION: 7-speed auto; 2-speed transfer case; part-time 4WD
BODY: 5-door, 7-seat
DIMENSIONS: 4813mm (L); 1848mm (W); 1784mm (H); 2853mm (WB)
WEIGHT: 2212kg
TYRE SIZE: 255/65R17
SPARE: Full-size
ON BALANCE:
PRICE: $28,990
VALUE: Good features but doesn’t match the Nissan for knick-knacks and family-focused ideas. Steel wheels are a bit of a let down, though six-speed automatic is a pearler. It matches the Nissan on most levels – cruise, iPod/USB audio and trip computer, but then runs out of entertainment for the kids. Star: 3.5/5
DESIGN: The ix35’s curves clash with the X-Trail’s boxy shape. While the Hyundai looks modern now, it may date quicker. Inside it’s swoopy and bright but silver plastics can scratch and fade. That said it’s all workable and easy to operate, albeit at 225mm shorter than the Nissan with less cargo area and rear seat room. Star: 4/5
SAFETY: Top shelf five-star crash rating with all the current electronic accoutrements, including six airbags, down hill brake control and hill start assist. Also has a full-size spare wheel so rates as a holiday wagon. Star: 4/5
DRIVING: Stylish lines lose some marks for visibility from the driver’s seat. Performance is good and auto really suits the engine, unless you’re in a hurry. It seems to be slightly noisier – tyres and engine – than the X-Trail and steering isn’t as confident. But keep with it and it hangs on through the corners. Comfort is good at cruising speed but suspension is prone to the jiggles over poor roads at low speeds. Star: 3/5
SCORE: 3.5/5
NISSAN X-TRAIL ST
PRICE: $30,990
VALUE: You miss out on all-wheel drive but not much else. Lots of value here with the CVT transmission, alloy wheels, four cooled cupholders and cool/heat glovebox, six-CD player with iPod/USB and Bluetooth, trip computer, cruise control and so on. Three-year warranty doesn’t match Hyundai’s five. Star: 4/5
DESIGN: The X-Trail’s boxy shape is more about space efficiency than style. There’s lots of room inside and clever splitlevel boot has handy pull-out drawers. The rear seat is a 40/20/40 split, folds flat for extra cargo space and has a six-step recline for snoozers. Clever stuff that nails it for young families. Star: 4.5/5
SAFETY: Gets a four-star crash rating and has six airbags, electronic stability control and ABS brakes with brakeforce distribution, brake assist and other aids.
A full-size spare is standard. Star: 3.5/5
DRIVING: Box shape makes for great visibility and easy parking. The X-Trail is on the mark for ease of driving but the CVT auto needs more accelerator pressure to get moving and that initially makes the engine rev disproportionately high. Ride comfort is very good and handling is reasonable for a tall, front-drive wagon. It’s no racer and that’s what appeals in its role as an efficient, suburban-based family car. Star; 3.5/5
SCORE: 4/5
VERDICT: Park these together and the prize for looks goes to the ix35.
But pragmatists will see that Nissan’s box opens to reveal more features that may be more tuned to family or leisureoriented motorists.
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