There are a few cars that I am reluctant to return after a week of test driving and the latest Renault Clio RS is one of them.
The French car maker has had an uneven history in Australia, pulling out of the market and returning a few times over the past few decades, but the company is today hitting all the high notes with a range of desirable models.
Sporty cars and motor sport are in Renault's DNA, from the Gordini/ Alpine and 16TS models of the 1960s and 70s, to today's crop, Renault still has what it takes to satisfy drivers looking for a performance edge.
The Clio RS fits that bill perfectly.
The new car is slightly larger than before, and there's a good deal of space for four occupants.
Its powered by a one point six litre turbo charged engine producing147kw and 240 nm.
With a proud history of making championship winning engines in Formula 1, that know how is on full display in the Clio.
Renault so keen to show off the RS powerplant that it's deleted the obligatory plastic cover for the motor, choosing instead to leave all the mechanical gubbins in full view, and there's a lot in there to take in!
Pleasingly, there's a gas strut to hold up the bonnet.. no cheapo do it yourself metal rod here folks.
Given its head on the open road, the RS slams you back in your seat and rockets along with an exhilarating throaty growl from beneath the bonnet. With Sport selected, the swift acceleration is accompanied by rorty pops from the exhaust with each change in the six speed dual clutch auto/manual transmission. It's a real hoot.
In fact it's just as much fun as the slightly larger 2 litre Golf Gti, but at less cost.
Average fuel consumption is just over 6 litres per 100 kilometres.
The steering is precise and pin sharp, and even though the RS rides on low profile 18 inch 40 series wheels and tyres, the ride is surprisingly compliant over most urban ruts and bumps. Yes folks, a hot hatch that's actually comfy to boot!
The heavily foam bolstered seats are among the most comfortable I have experienced, holding the driver perfectly in place along tight winding roads.
Highlights of red/orange stitching in the seats and colour accents elsewhere in the cabin including red seatbelts, let you know the Clio RS is a car that wants to play.
Finding the right driving position is easy, with the steering wheel adjustable for reach and rake. The dashboard is simple, and uncluttered, and there's keyless entry and push button start.
The main dials consist of a large digital speedo, flanked by tachometer and fuel gauge.
Gear changes are effected using the prominent steering wheel paddles, or the console lever.
However the Clio could do with brighter headlights.
They are not powerful enough. A change to halogen or bi xenon globes would be one of the first things I would do as an owner.
There are a couple of French quirks in the Clio.
The button for Sport mode is buried in between the front seats, as is the switch for the cruise/speed limiter control, and the three console cup holders and too small and shallow to be really useful.
The RS certainly looks the part...the brilliant pearlescent yellow paint job on the test car drew many admiring glances, as did the black alloys and red disc calipers. This is one car that's anything but anonymous.
I liked the twin rectangular exhaust outlets, they added to the Clio's aggressive look.
The RS is a four door car, but the rear pair are somewhat disguised by virtue of hidden door handles in the C pillar.
The test car did not have a reversing camera nor warning beepers, but they are available.
The Clio RS is fun, stylish,exciting, and comfortable, a car you could easily live with every day.
You definitely won't be able to stop yourself constantly unleashing it along your favourite challenging road.
At around 37 K it undercuts several rivals in the hot hatch market including the VW Golf Gti, while delivering similar driving thrills.
Good work Renault!
Peter Sellen
The Toyota Land Cruiser Prado has long held the mantle of the most popular SUV in its class in Australia.However the Prado's reign is coming under serious attack by rival offroader Jeep.
The Prado had an 18% market share for March 2014, but the Jeep Cherokee is fast catching up with 14.5% share, thanks to an ongoing aggressive marketing campaign.
In March, Jeep sold just under 1400 Cherokees and Prado 1700.
While the Prado has seven seats, the Cherokee has just five, but that doesn't seem to matter to a lot of buyers, who don't need the extra seats, nor the rugged Toyota's off road capabilities..
This is the Prado Kakadu, the most expensive model at around 93 K.
It's jam packed with features that justify its price tag.
For example, other SUVs with seven seats require a bit of manual fiddling with levers and straps to raise the rear pews. The Prado's are electrically operated by buttons next to the second row of seats. Another set of the same buttons can be found next to the tailgate door.
The seats raise in about 30 seconds or so, but as always, the leg room is tight and seats six and seven are suitable for small children only. You also get a sunroof, blind spot warnings in the wing mirrors, active radar cruise control, a console coolbox to keep your drinks and other chilled items in,sat nav, and headlight washers. The test Kakadu also had side steps for easier access to the cabin.
The Prado's steering is direct and quite firm, but not overly so. You'll know you're driving a fairly hefty vehicle.
Fully adjustable rear air suspension keeps the Prado ride height at the desired level and tracking truly on any surface.The bright bi- xenon headlights are automatically adjusted according to passenger and luggage loads.
I found the low beam setting quite high, bordering on the spread of a normal high beam, that seemed to almost dazzle oncoming traffic at night. I trusted they would adjust and they did, but I still had doubts they were not bothering other drivers.
In comfort mode the Prado's ride has a floaty feel to it, which I didn't find objectionable and bumps were absorbed with ease. If you need to corner a bit more enthusiastically, the sport mode stiffens everything up. Considering its bulk, the Kakadu handles most corners without drama or too much body roll.
There's plenty of power from the three litre four cylinder turbo diesel....127 kw and 410 nm. Even hauling its 2240 kg weight the Prado doesn't disgrace itself away from the traffic lights. The engine is not as quiet as some in the segment while driving around town, but on the highway it is relatively silent.
Economy is pretty good, averaging just under 9 litres per 100 kilometres, giving a range of around 1700 kilometres from its 150 litre fuel tank.
Driver and front passengers have the traditional "commanding" view over the vast bonnet.
The large and chunky central console has been redesigned and is filled with easy to access and understand buttons for traction adjustment, climate control and entertainment functions. The sound system is good and also includes, as other vehicles have in this blog, a digital radio. This one is from JBL and feeds into 17 speakers.
The front and rear seats are heated and the driver's has two position memory settings. They are very comfortable and few would complain about the multitude of adjustments available. When leaving the Prado the electronically adjustable steering wheel slides closer to the dashboard to make exit ( and entry) easier. There's also keyless entry and start and numerous other comfort, safety and convenience features.
The Prado is quite a large vehicle and care needs to be taken when selecting a parking spot. A reversing camera and warning sensors make the job a bit less fraught.
Style remains a matter of taste.
The Prado has changed very little in its model cycle.
The new model has revised headlight and taillight designs and a new grille incorporating daytime running lights. Approaching the Prado at night, with the keyless entry fob in your pocket, all the interior lights come on and the entire underside of the vehicle is also flooded with light. I've seen puddle lights before, but never as extensive as those on the Kakadu!
To keep the youngsters amused on long trips, the Kakadu has a 9 inch drop down screen in the cabin ceiling for DVDs and other games. Headphones are supplied so other passengers aren't inadvertently entertained as well.
The Prado has won numerous awards since its introduction some years ago now,and it deserves them all.
But it remains to be seen if it can hold on as the segment sales leader until a completely new version arrives and that 's some way off.
In the meantime, larger families will appreciate the extra seats and the ability to go to the "back of Bourke" and beyond in style and comfort that the Prado, especially the Kakadu model offers.
Peter Sellen.
It's been absent for a while, but Lexus has finally reintroduced the ES model range, and it's a welcome addition. The long wheelbase ES 350 is everything a luxury car should be. Big, stylish, imposing, quiet and comfortable, a marvellous interstate cruiser.
In fact you will struggle to find a car that's quieter. On the move there is no wind or road noise. Bumps and road irregularities are barely noticed, such is the poise of the suspension.
The ES 350 is not a heavy car, at just over 1600 kg, and is relatively nimble when pushed through the bends. There's not a great deal of steering feel however.
Most owners will leave the suspension adjustment in Normal, but there's also a Sport and Eco mode should you want to try those.
At 60 kmh in the suburbs and at cruising speeds you could almost hear the proverbial pin drop in the cabin.
The electric windows rise and fall rapidly with an eerie silence, and the power boot lid operates in a similarly muted fashion.
The 3.5 litre V6 is also amazingly quiet, producing 204 kw and 346 nm. Even when the throttle is floored there's barely a murmur from beneath the bonnet. The six speed automatic gearbox swaps cogs unnoticed.
There are no steering wheel paddles for manual gear shifts, just the console lever, which is fine, the ES isn't a racing car..
The boot is large but quite shallow. There's also a full sized spare in there.
I like the shape of the new car, and its distinctive front grille treatment. There's no shortage of leg room in the ES, even with the driver's seat adjusted for my 183 cm height, there's still plenty of room behind. The driver's seat moves back automatically for easier entry and exit.. a good idea.
You can really sprawl out in the rear seats in 1000 mm of space, rivalling an S class Mercedes or Skoda Superb.
Rear seat passengers get their own seat heat adjustment, access to audio controls and he rear window sunblind as well, in the central armrest. They also get their own ventilation outlets. The ES 350 has a foot operated parking brake, which owners will get used to. The system is not my favourite, I prefer the electronic auto release/engage type, or handbrake lever.
The extremely comfortable front seats are heated and ventilated, and electrically adjustable. There are three memory positions for driver and front seat occupant.
Lexus is renowned for its build quality and everywhere you look or touch in the interior has a premium feel about it.
Generously padded armrests on console and doors help you settle in for long hauls, and the 15 speaker 835 watt, Mark Levinson sound system is among the best, although the digital radio is not quite as impressive as that fitted to the recently tested BMW 5 series and X5 M.
With Lexus it's all in the detail. There are sun blinds for the rear doors and even the tiny quarter window next to the C pillar has it's own sunshade. An electrically operated blind takes care of the rear window. A sunroof is standard.
There are blind spot warning images in the wing mirrors, and a snazzy Lexus clock in the well designed dashboard.
There are numerous interior lights both overhead and in the foot wells as well as downlights in the wing mirrors. With the keyless entry system, they all light up when you approach the car at night. It's a nice welcoming touch.
There's also active radar cruise control, and Park Assist sensors as well as a reversing camera.
However there are some things left out that buyers might expect at this price point.
Self parking is a feature found on many cars these days including the VW Golf and Ford Focus. The ES 350 doesn't have it. It also doesn't have the now common idle /stop fuel saving feature.
Nor does it have auto door locking, or auto wipers, but headlight operation and rear view mirror have auto settings. The xenon headlights themselves are penetrating and dazzlingly bright on either low or high beam.
The centre console "mouse" does all the work to navigate through various car functions on the large 8 cm screen and it's easy to use.
At around 85 K the Lexus ES 350 Sports Luxury is about the same price as some C class Mercedes Benz.
In many respects it is just as good.
Peter Sellen
FirstIy, let me say I like the shape of the new Mazda 3 hatch, it has curves in all the right places and looks very modern and up to date. It's also a bit larger than the old model and in sedan form, almost rivals the bigger Mazda 6. I had to look closely at the boot badge when I saw one recently to work out which model it was.
The only drawback to such an avant-garde look, is poor rearward visibility.
The 3 is not alone here, many modern cars have this issue, and that's why reversing cameras have become so common.
Considering it's an entirely new model, the Mazda 3 is surprisingly, not all sweetness and light.
The ride is very disappointing. Like the Mazda 6 tested elsewhere in this blog, the suspension is just too firm and uncompromising.
On anything other than a billiard table smooth road surface you are jiggled and shaken about in the cabin far too much. Even the excellent supportive seats do little to diminish what should be a more comfortable experience.
Mazda says it has changed the suspension geometry and installed firmer bushes in the setup. In my view that was not a good idea.
Comfort has been thrown out the window.
There's no question the 3 corners very well with little fuss and sits nicely flat, but some buyers might not appreciate the overall harshness of the ride. It could even be a deal breaker.
Drive one down your average uneven, mildly rutted suburban street and you will quickly see what I mean.
The old Mazda 3 bugbear of tyre noise in the cabin remains in the new car. The drone from the rubber on the road is very noticeable, even at 60kph with all the windows closed. Perhaps it's the tyres themselves, I don't know, but even having the radio on fails to alleviate those aural issues. At highway speeds on course chip surfaces (most roads in Australia) the din from tyre roar is quite unpleasant.
But moving on...the 2 litre " Sky Active" engine is sweet and like Hondas, loves a good rev, becoming quite vocal in the upper rev ranges. It produces 114 kw and 200nm of torque.
Paddles on the steering wheel allow for instant manual gear changes in the six speed auto gearbox when required and they fall easily to the fingertips.
The Touring level of kit doesn't include keyless entry. The door open and lock functions remain on the key fob. Once seated, the start button works with the key in your pocket or bag.
The i- stop fuel saver that cuts the engine and automatically restarts it when stopped at intersections, is a feature found on many cars and it does help keep the economy down to an average of about 5.8 litres per 100 kilometres.
I liked the cream two tone leather seats in the test car, they are really very good and their colour, a pleasant happy change from the dark trim found in other cars.
The front doors have no pockets for storage, just a slot for a drink bottle.
The 7 centimetre central information screen is non retractable and looks a bit like an afterthought, but it's large enough and user friendly enough to be useful.
Mazda has taken a leaf out of the Audi/BMW/Mercedes control playbook. A console mounted "mouse" allows the driver to select various functions.The audio volume knob is next to it, with steering wheel audio adjustment as well.
Happily, the new 3 is loaded with kit.
This Touring model comes standard with an impressive 6 speaker sound system, reversing camera, satellite navigation, auto dimming rear view mirror, blind spot sensors in the wing mirrors and all sorts of connectivity plugs.
Up spec models get even more "fruit" including a heads up speed display for the driver, lane departure warning system, sunroof, radar cruise control, forward obstruction warning, rear cross traffic alert and a premium Bose sound system.
The 3's headlights get my tick of approval, bright and with good depth and spread, although the taillights are quite small compared to the large dazzling designs found on other vehicles.
The Mazda 3 Touring hatch is priced around 25K.
The Mazda 3 is constantly being compared to the segment's benchmark VW Golf, and in most reviews the Golf tends to edge out the 3 for overall refinement.
I would most certainly agree with that.
Still, thousands of Australian car buyers can't be wrong, can they?
In 2011/2012 the Mazda 3 was Australia's top selling car.
The 3 is today still selling well.
Almost four thousand found homes in February 2014, taking a 22% market share, about 650 more than the nearest most popular in the segment, the Toyota Corolla.
However in March the Corolla overtook the Mazda 3 by 500 sales,4086 to 3587.
Despite the abovementioned NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) shortcomings, this new model could help the 3 fight back.
Peter Sellen
