Audi S1 Sportback 2.0l TFSI quattro.

Audi now has all the bases and models firmly covered from A1 through to A8 in the sedan/hatch categories and all the Qs in the SUV arena. 
Each has it's own performance market leader.. This is the S1.. the hot version of the A1.. Audi's smallest offering.
The whole car has been tuned for performance, from the wheels and brakes, suspension and engine. And what an engine.
It will slam you back in your seat with ferocious acceleration.. Zero to 100 kmh in 5.9 seconds... accompanied by a delightful growl from its quad exhausts.First gear in the manual gearbox takes you to 60 kmh and there are five more ratios to go.
It's a slick smooth gearbox.The engine is so tractable, you can potter at urban speeds in sixth at around 60 kmh and with gentle pressure on the throttle, accelerate away without any driveline snatch.

The two litre turbo engine produces 170 kilowatts and 370 nm of torque, and thanks to Audi's all wheel drive quattro system, there's no torque steer when the go pedal is floored.

The speedometer reads up to 280 kmh but top speed is limited to 250.
Heated front seats are absent but the seats themselves are very comfortable and supportive..snug and sporty.
However there's no room in the rear if the front seat occupants are tallish. the rear of the front seats willl almost touch the squab of the rear seat...it's very tight.
A quality 10 speaker sound system caps off a generous level of equipment including bluetooth, satnav and super bright xenon headlights.

Ride comfort is quite good.. not too firm,even on 225/35/18 series tyres.
The steering in the S1 is very direct,but not twitchy and the car corners with an eager, stable and flat stance.Through twisting Adelaide hills roads, the S1 has tenacious, sensational grip.
It's great fun to drive.

The S1 on test here cost just under 55K.
In the realm of small hot hatches/light sporty cars, the S1 is right up at the top of the pack and one car I was reluctant to return. 
Peter Sellen

Volvo XC 60 D4 Drive E

The new Volvo XC60 looks pretty much the same as the first iteration of 2009 but it remains contemporary and stylish. A new engine and some tweaks elsewhere have brought it right up to date. The two litre four  cylinder turbo diesel " Drive E " is part of the upgrade and it's a marvellous powerplant..

Almost inaudible and totally silent on the move, the engine flings you down the road with astonishing speed when sport mode is selected..Zero to 100 kph,in just over seven seconds is pretty impressive for a mid sized SUV. The eight  speed gearbox perfectly complementing its 133 kw and 400 nm of torque.
While on that, the Volvo engineers have managed to do away with torque steer when the accelerator is floored.. there's no tugging at the steering wheel.

The ride is a little on the firm side but you get used to it... and that  helps when pressing on into corners.. but there's some noticeable body roll when doing so.The XC 60 is front wheel drive only.
Inside the cabin, you'll get all the usual well crafted and designed Volvo comfort and convenience features.
The seats are just right, very comfortable and hold you effectively in corners .Rear seat legroom can be tight depending on the height of those in the front seats. Built in child booster seats, a Volvo trademark, will be welcomed by parents of small children.

The City Safe auto braking system now operates up to 50- kilometres an hour should a cyclist ,pedestrian or something else appear suddenly in front of the car. It will instantly apply the brakes for you. You will also enjoy the fuel saving stop/start engine idle feature, a crisp and powerful multi speaker sound system, blind spot indicators in the A pillars, lane departure warnings and active cruise control and a power tailgate, are among the many sought after elements in a car such as this,

Quality high powered Bi xenon headlights are  excellent and there are turn into corner lights as well, up front.

 

Unsurprisingly, the XC 60 is Volvo's best selling model worldwide and here in Australia it's holding its own against string competition from similar vehicles at Audi, Range Rover and BMW.
The D4 Diesel Drive E sells for around 65K

Peter Sellen

Jeep Cherokee Limited Diesel

The first thing I noticed about the new Cherokee diesel was the ride. It's one of the most comfortable in its class and a great reason to investigate the popular model further.
Big cosseting, well bolstered Napa leather seats with heated and ventilation function, add to the initial impression of what's in store.
The new two litre diesel is as refined as they come, producing 125 kw and a hefty 350 nm of torque. At idle the engine is subdued, with just a hint of diesel rattle.On the road, in suburbia and on the highway it's virtually inaudible.

The torque gives the Cherokee some real get up and go, and impressed me with its brisk acceleration. Jeep has fitted a 9 speed automatic gearbox to the Cherokee and it can be left to its own devices or you can swap cogs yourself.. It's a seamless,smooth transmission that has all the bases covered as far as traction goes. Auto, Snow, Sport, Sand and Mud.
Jeep's off road prowess wasn't tested during my week with the car but its go anywhere credentials are impeccable considering the brand has been around since 1941.
Despite its weight the Cherokee corners well with minimum body roll and steering feel is very good. I averaged about 8 litres per hundred kilometres in mainly city driving. The official combined fuel consumption cycle is 5.8 litres per 100 ks.

The high intensity discharge headlights are just right on high or low beam.
Jeep has thrown just about everything it could into this Limited model,as far as features and equipment are concerned.
They include self parking, an audible lane departure warning, self steering( as in the Mercedes E class elsewhere in this blog) active cruise control with adjustable distance settings,power tailgate, electric park brake, a large 8.8 inch touch screen, for sat nav and other car functions, reversing camera, and a nine speaker premium Alpine sound system with subwoofer, a glass full length moonroof, with opening front section. 

The quality of the interior fit and trim is excellent...no rattles or squeaks. A sign of a well built vehicle.
Large door pockets take care of most drink bottles and the rear window glass is privacy tinted. 

My only real gripe and it's a relatively small one, is Jeeps insistence on not fitting a "dead" pedal for the driver's left foot. As in other Jeeps your foot has nowhere to comfortably rest.
Owners might get used to it but it is annoying and a simple fix.
From memory however I believe its absence is something to do with Australian Design Rules compliance.

I felt the shiny chrome wheels looked a little out of place and unnecessary bling, but that's just personal taste. 
Jeep's full on TV advertising campaign seems to be working well with the Cherokee holding its own in a sea of competitors and with a quality, good looking product to sell, little can go wrong.
The Jeep Cherokee Limited diesel retails for around 49 K, and is worth every cent.
A very impressive and competent SUV that will take you just about anywhere.
Peter Sellen