Australian Car Advice | News Blog

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The standard across the range panoramic glass roof is huge and is even bigger than its predecessor’s, and the vehicle’s extra length means there is enough space for a pair of occasional seats in the back.

This optional third row makes the 308 a seven-seater, while the trio of individual seats that make up the second row are identical in size and are all easy to remove.

This provides endless seating combinations, meaning the Touring can be a two seater load-lugger a five seater, a six seater or a seven seater, you decide.

Without the third-row and with the modular second row in place, the 308 Touring can accommodate an impressive 674 litres of cargo under the load-bay cover.

Remove the second-row seats as well, and the spacious Touring can swallow a cavernous 2149 litres all the way up to the roof.

Compared to the 308 hatch, the Touring has its wheelbase stretched 100mm and the rear overhang has been pushed out by an additional 124mm.

Particular attention has been paid to the vehicle’s modularity so that it can be adapted simply and efficiently according to the requirements of its occupants.

Also in the 7-seat configuration two occasional seats are fitted in the third row. These seats, however, when required can be folded and with the second row seats folded as well, create a flat floor which makes loading of bulky items much easier.

Seating is theatre style, meaning each row is a little higher than the one in front, which helps to provide children with a much better travelling experience.

The 308 Touring is available with a range of two petrol and two diesel engines, comprising a 1.6-litre VTi engine that produces 88kW and 160Nm and a 1.6-litre turbo engine that produces 103kW and 240Nm, both coupled to a four-speed automatic gearbox, while the diesels are the 1.6-litre Hdi producing 80kW and 260Nm coupled to the 6-speed manual or the 2.0-litre Hdi producing 100kW and 340Nm coupled to either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic gearbox.

Suspension setting and wheel size options are taken from the 308 Hatch but have been revised to suit the greater load carrying requirements of the Touring.
The electro-hydraulic power steering seems to give even better feel and precision than in the hatch, despite being the same.

Driving the Touring is an assured and pleasurable experience and the extra length in the wheelbase may account for a somewhat better feel on the road. In the past we’ve had mixed feelings about the 308 handling but the Touring definitely feels more planted and assured than its Hatch sibling.

At the front braking is taken care of by 283mm ventilated rotors, which are increased to 302mm on the 1.6-litre petrol turbo and the 2.0-litre diesel models.
The 308 Touring is equipped as standard with ABS that includes Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBFD), Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) and automatic activation of the hazard lights during emergency braking.

Peugeot continues to make ESP either standard or optional, at a cost of $450, according to the model, despite the strengthening trend towards this life saving technology being considered an essential safety item.

The 308 Touring is available in two trim levels, XS and XSE, the latter offering a high level of luxury including leather upholstery and satellite navigation.

Prices start at $30,590 for the XS petrol 1.6-litre automatic and rise to $38,390 for the XSE with 2.0-litre diesel and six-speed automatic.

Combine that with the more aggressive styling of the new range and the 308 Touring shapes up to be a compelling package for European buyers looking for some extra versatility without losing the driving dynamics and economy of a conventional small car.

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Better yet, let’s put it this way. Imagine you’re at one of those speed dating nights, and after the passing parade is done you’re down to the final two. Contestant number one is drop dead gorgeous, everything is in the right place and the proportions measure up just fine - simply stunning, but that vacant stare and cute giggle simply won’t see it past the morning. Contestant number two on the other hand has it all together, a great job, double degree, is confident, smart and makes you feel good about yourself but is a little plain when all is said and done. So, who’s it going to be?

The VE already has a tough stance, with masculine lines and an imposing wide track under those large flared guards it was what buyers wanted from Holden’s hero car, and pleasingly the wagon doesn’t detract from these values at all. It’s a handsome car from every angle and with the added practicality and versatility of an open end rear it’s sure to prove a winner among family buyers wanting car-like feel without SUV bulk.

Calais Sportwagon in Red Passion metallic.

The new tailgate design, which is hinged further forward on the roof line, allows easy access in tighter car parks and with higher entry clearance means no more bumps on the head come grocery day. The luggage space, despite being somewhat smaller than we’ve come to expect from Commodore is at 895 litres (to window height - seats up) still quite sufficient, and usable thanks to the completely flat floor. Sadly though it is 359 litres lesser than that of its nearest competitor and even with the 60:40 split fold seats down still doesn’t measure up to that of Ford’s BF III Falcon.

Our road test vehicle, the V6 Calais, sits toward the top of the Sportwagon model line up and is suitably speced for a vehicle of its price tag. Offering 17-inch alloy wheels, dusk sensing projector beam headlights, multi-function trip computer, front fog lamps, and rear parking sensors it’s certainly a looker, and is far better kitted than the base-model only Falcon equivalent.

Cabin space is benign in appearance with an alloy look centre console and dashboard being appealling to the eye as well as neatly contrasting the black plastic and leather throughout. It’s quite simple in layout and offers an appropriate feature list and generous seating proportions for your outlay, especially in the rear leg room department where many modern cars tend to be lacking.

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For this week’s adventure I decided, I’d had enough of “Fuel Prices Hit the Hip Pocket” stories and wanted to prove not only to myself, but to all of you out there, that there is still a place for big traditional Aussie V8s in today’s world of volatile fuel prices.

To do this, I first needed a V8. Holden volunteered the Commodore SS, equipped with a monstrous 6.0-litre, 270kW and 530Nm of torque engine. It seemed the ideal choice to do a reverse fuel economy story.

Next, we needed a destination, being in Brisbane, beaches are aplenty, but the Gold Coast just wasn’t going to cut it, so we headed towards the Sunshine Coast (Budrim and Mooloolaba in particular). First things first, pull over, and fill’er up all the way.

$84 got 52L of 91 RON fuel and the trip computers were reset to zero before we headed off.

Google Maps said the journey consisted of roughly 80km of inner city driving (From Brisbane’s east onto Gympie road) plus 140km of highway driving (Bruce Highway), a reasonable balance of both conditions. Peak our traffic times were picked to further emphasis the inner-city fuel consumption.

Holden says the 6-speed automatic SS Commodore (our test vehicle) will manage 14.3L/100km for a combined city and highway cycle. A little more than the Prius, sure, but a lot more fun too.

Literally as we pulled out of the service station there was an accident up ahead, which meant our first 25 minute delay. This gave me some time to get to appreciate the Commodore a little more.

The formula is still essentially unchanged, big V8 at the front driven via the rear-wheels. Lots of fun, lots of noise, great big smile on my face. Can I live with it? Why not!

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After an arduous flight from Brisbane to Birdsville on Macair’s mail run, we arrived at a pub, not only WITH beer, but COLD beer – much to the excitement of my fellow motoring journalists. Before arriving at Birdsville, the contingent of journalists eagerly discussed which vehicles Land Rover would have in attendance. We all assumed the Freelander 2 would be left at the office due to the terrain we were planning to cross.

Much to our mutual surprise, Land Rover had decided to include the Freelander 2 in the cross-Australia celebrations. The queue for the Freelander keys was surprisingly scarce to begin with, we weren’t too sure how well it would travel – let me tell you, this changed in a big way closer to the end of the first leg.

Although the Freelander has a capable constant 4WD system, its ground clearance and small engine were a slight concern from the outset. The first challenge faced by the Freelander was a sizeable river crossing which the rugged Defender scoffed at, then crossed in style.

The Freelander was lined up and away it went. Its fording depth of 500mm meant that it crossed the river with relative ease for a vehicle of its size.

Soon after the river crossing, the group of Land Rovers arrived at ‘Big Red’, one of the first sand dunes following the exit from Birdsville, and a very famous one at that. Aside from a set of Goodyear Wrangler off-road tyres, the Freelander was stock as a rock. After lowering the tyres pressures to around 18psi, we started our crossing of some 1100 sand dunes.

As long as there was a bit of momentum at the bottom of the dune, the Freelander cruised up without any concerns. The torquey 2.2-litre diesel motor was happy to rev right through to the red line, meaning that all that was required was a decent prod of the throttle on the way up the dune and constant throttle application all the way through.

It didn’t take long before the queue for the Freelander keys started to build.

Aside from being quite a quick car through the sand, it was the most enjoyable to drive through the chicanes of the dunes.

The short wheel base and responsive engine meant that a bit of oversteer was a regular – and enjoyable - experience!

The only downside to the Freelander lay with the front suspension. Undulations in the road, coupled with the Freelanders rather tightly sprung suspension meant that it bounced back with vigour and we often found the front end digging into the sand if you were to carry too much speed.

Sitting back in the Freelander’s pews couldn’t have been a more comfortable spot to be. The dual-glass sunroof and soft leather interior made the cabin a brilliant spot to be.

Fuel consumption was also on the Freelander’s side. Averaging just 12.0-litres/100km, it was the most frugal of the bunch. Considering the average speed through the dunes was some 30km/h, with half of the travelling being at full throttle to climb the dunes, this isn’t a bad effort at all.

The Freelander really was the surprise of the bunch. It tackled anything thrown at it and didn’t get stuck once (at least when I was driving).

Priced from $49,990 for the six-cylinder SE petrol it peaks at $58,550 for the HSE diesel model driven across the Simpson Desert.

Further coverage of the first leg of this epic journey is to come, along with coverage of the second and third legs which take place in the coming weeks.

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Theme park operators should listen up too! You don’t need to spend millions of dollars building the next best roller coaster ride. All you need to do, is lay five kilometres of bend-to-bend tarmac, buy a Lotus Elise S for $69,990 and start printing tickets – lots and lots of tickets.

Awesome, astonishing and mind blowing all come to mind as apt descriptions of the Lotus experience. But I’m sick to death of those worn out descriptive words, which these days, are used to describe anything from the latest Nokia handset to a new pre-school backpack by the Wiggles.

But if I could find three more descriptive words which best describe your first time experience behind the wheel of a Lotus Elise S, I would. It’s like nothing you have ever driven before, a masterpiece of mechanical symphony.

You never need to turn the leather bound race car style steering wheel more than half a turn, except maybe in a car park. Such is the accuracy and honesty of the steering set up. No power assistance whatsoever. With an all up weight of 860 kilograms, you simply don’t need any.

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Just over a year ago, General Motors Holden launched the Epica nameplate as a mid-size family sedan providing a value for money option in a growing category.

But the punters didn’t seem to warm to it, nor did many of Australia’s motoring writers. Subsequent sales of the car were anything but spectacular.

It’s true the 2007 Epica was not an attractive car. Not at all. The same cannot be said for the revised 2008 model car. From the rear, punters might even think it’s a new Saab 9-5, especially in Pearl White Metallic and Granada Black Metallic (two of seven exterior colours on offer). While I’m still not sold on the front styling, it’s more than a subtle improvement on the 2007 car.

After a decent steer in the revised car my first impressions are positive. As long as the marketing girls and boys at Fisherman’s Bend spend a few dollars on getting the name out there (and make no mistake, they are spending big) this car, especially the diesel, should find more than a few buyers here in Australia.

Nobody likes high fuel prices. They can have a catastrophic affect on your day-to-day quality of life. Essentially, you end up with less money in your pocket, and that’s never a good thing.

Filling up a large car petrol powered car or SUV these days, can be scary. With a 100-litre capacity tank, you will spend close to $7000 per year on fuel alone. That’s for those lucky enough to need only one car.

The mid size car segment will attract buyers from two markets, Holden says. Those wanting more room than in a small car, and those looking to save more than a few bucks, by coming down from a large car. Nothing wrong with that logic I say.

But midsize cars generally use a lot more fuel than your average small car, usually because of additional power and weight.

That’s where the modern day common rail turbo diesel comes to the rescue. They offer considerably more ‘go’ from low down in the rev range and allows you to travel a greater distance on one tank of fuel. This is especially true of vehicles in the mid to large size segments.

While Holden will continue to offer a refined in-line six-cylinder petrol engine, it’s all about the 2.0 litre common rail turbo diesel powered car. That is what will make this car a success story.

It’s both an efficient and smooth revving engine, which develops 110kW at 4000rpm and a strong 320Nm of torque at 2000rpm. From the relatively short time behind the wheel of the car I was pleasantly surprised just how smooth and quiet the car was.

At 110km/h on a Melbourne highway, the engine was ticking over at around 1600 rpm, or barely working. Mid range acceleration is constant and you can feel the torque even in sixth gear.

Off the mark acceleration won’t set the world on fire but employing a variable geometry turbocharger, you could never call it slow either. The steering set up is also nicely weighted, even at dead centre, so you feel well connected to the road.

What I keep coming back to with the Epica is how refined the power delivery is. There’s very little engine vibration through the cabin, which makes this car, a particularly pleasant drive.

It’s also a lot quieter than many of the 2.0-litre diesel passenger cars I have driven this year. This is a well-sorted engine in a well-sorted chassis.

Not only that. Standard equipment across the range is a six-speed automatic transmission with what Holden calls Active Select, allowing for sequential style shifts, up and down the ratios. Holden engineers are quoting a 14 percent improvement in fuel economy at a constant cruise control style speed.

Twice, I looked at the fuel consumption readout while travelling at 110km/h and was more than surprised to see 6L/100km for more than a few minutes. Testament to diesel power!

I’ll also have to praise the general ergonomics inside the Epica. Specifically, the firm but supportive seats in the top spec CDXi we were driving, were equally as comfortable as those in some of the more expensive European car brands. Very well bolstered all round, without being too narrow for the larger folk.

Instrumentation and switchgear is intuitive and easy to master. It’s also well laid out and attractive. There is a lot of plastic on the centre stack but just enough metal look accents throughout the interior, to make things interesting rather than dull.

Medium size cars are becoming larger. They must be. There’s an awful lot of cabin space inside the Epica, including that area between driver and front passenger. It almost feels like a large car. There’s also plenty of room for the rear passengers too and the boot is huge, with just on 480 litres of load space. Good size aperture too with the boot lid held open by gas struts.

Creature comforts across the range include: Steering wheel mounted audio and cruise controls, Auto on headlights, MP3 connectivity with a 6-speaker audio system with single CD in the CDX trim and an 8-speaker unit in the CDXi along with the usual array of electric windows and mirrors.

Epica has upped the ante in the safety department in this segment, with six airbags (including the all important curtain airbags) and Electronic Stability Control (ESC).

Rear Park Assist, which must be considered a mandatory safety feature these days, is fitted (audible version only) as standard on the CDXi spec cars only.

From 29,990 for the 2.0-litre diesel, with six speed auto, six airbags, Electronic Stability Control, a host of creature comforts, tonnes of space and much improved European-like styling, the Epica CDX diesel is the value for money pick.

That said, for just $2000 more, you could upgrade to the CDXi 2.0 diesel and pick up 17-inch alloys (rather than 16-inch alloys), Rear Park Assist and the 8-speaker 6 CD changer, which also represents good buying.

2008 Epica range Recommended Retail Pricing

• Epica CDX 2.5-litre petrol (6 speed auto) from $27,990
• Epica CDX 2.0-litre diesel (6 speed auto) from $29,990
• Epica CDXi 2.5-litre petrol (6 speed auto) from $30,990
• Epica CDXi 2.0-litre diesel (6 speed auto) from 32, 990
• Epica CDXi Optional leather pack $2000

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Perhaps most surprisingly, the load area doesn’t appear as small as we were first lead to believe and it’s apparent that through clever design and space utilisation is very nearly comparable to the BF III Falcon wagon tested early last week.

A full review will be ready to go early next week, so stay tuned.

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But the XR6T isn’t all about ego stroking and big grins - ah, who am I kidding, of course it is! In fact if driving it doesn’t bring a grin to your face then you’re either unwashed, hugging trees and singing Kumbayah around the commune campfire or about to have the paddles placed on your chest, just before they shout “clear”. Yes, it’s that good. In fact, it’s better than good, it’s bloody brilliant. Easily the best value for money performance sedan on the market.

Just $45,000 will see you behind the wheel of an entry model manual XR6T and when all things are considered, you’re really getting a lot of car for the coin. Not only does the new FG series have to be one of the best looking Falcons yet, it’s also the most refined in terms of power delivery and handling that I’m yet to drive, not a bad feat for a locally built sub $50K car.

Now at first a lot of people shrugged off the FG as not different enough, a quick touch up or just plain boring, but to them I say look harder. The lines are so much cleaner, it’s more aggressive, but it’s not over the top with plastic rubbish hung all over. Simply put it has a muscular appeal that makes grown men drool or grunt like Neanderthals, and how many cars can do that these days?

Inside things are basic, but handsome and well laid out and there’s certainly enough technology to make your mates at the footy club green with envy. It’s comfortable, very generous in proportion and has enough adjustment in the driving position, steering column and pedals that even someone as vertically challenged as myself can feel secure and well supported behind the wheel.

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The Type R philosophy is one of purity. That a car must be as good as it can be, and fulfill certain characteristics. To wit: “The Type R philosophy is not about building the most powerful, or fastest car in the world. It is about creating a car that provides a well-engineered, but exciting driving experience.”

You’d hope that an exciting driving experience came from good engineering, though, wouldn’t you? That aside, a Type R car is earmarked by the omission of add-ons. Things that detract from driver involvement. Apparently forced induction is one of these.

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Now its been joined by the Single Cab-chassis and King-Cab variants, both made a lot closer to home in Thailand, and both benefiting, price-wise, from Australia’s Free Trade Agreement with our Asian neighbour.
The utility market in Australia has been one of the sales strengths of our burgeoning vehicle market, with strong demand from tradesmen, industry and the mining sectors.
Despite essentially have only one model, it is available in 4×2 and 4×4 variants, the Nissan Navara Dual Cab has sold nearly 9000 units already this year and the 4×4 model is the second strongest selling utility in the market.

A trio of King Cab models is now available powered by a muscular 2.5-litre turbo-diesel engine delivering 126kW power and a superior 403Nm torque in 4×4 models.
Two transmissions are on offer, the standard six-speed manual and an optional 5-speed automatic. The six-speed manual has a ‘long’ overdrive top gear for better economy and quieter running.

At the same time Nissan is adding a Single Cab Chassis manual transmission model to the family that features a separate two-passenger bench seat and an even longer load bed for those who want the practicality of a tough, modern workhorse with the latest features.

The Nissan Navara King Cab offers seating for four, thanks to a pair of fold-down rear seats which, when folded, allow more than enough room for luggage or tools behind the front seats.

The King Cab allows easy entry to the rear of the cab thanks to a rear-hinged door on either side that opens wide. With no B pillar to impede entry or egress, occupants will find cabin entry and egress comfortably easy. Safety is also a priority with headrests and 3-point seatbelts for all four passengers.

Thanks to the longer load bed, compared with the Navara Dual Cab, the new King Cab ST-X Pick-Up can fit 1855mm long loads into its rear tub.

Three King Cab models are available; the RX King Cab Chassis, which along with the premium specification ST-X King Cab Chassis, can be fitted with a Genuine Nissan aftermarket tray; and the sportiest ST-X King Cab Pick-Up which comes with its own tub and integrated tub liner, sports bar, rear chrome step bumper and remote fuel release.
“The new Navara King Cab is destined to play an important role in tightening Nissan’s grip on the light commercial vehicle market,” said Dan Thompson, CEO of Nissan Australia.

“We see the King Cab models entering a growing market segment, where the need to balance a large load with the ability to carry four in safety and comfort, if only occasionally, will be greatly appreciated by our customers.
“Many Navara customers have something big to tow, and with a 4×4 class-topping 403Nm torque and a 3000kg towing capacity (equalling class-best) across the range, that should be no problem.”

We gave the Navara King Cab 4×4 a reasonably brief but fairly challenging drive across some forest tracks out of Canberra and the overall impression was one of considerable competence.
The vehicle, an automatic, which has a novel but quite useful side shift function between first and second gears, was able to cope with deep ruts, steep descents and some challenging climbs over rough and broke roads.

 It had more than adequate power from the very torquey diesel engine and with the added advantage of being able to carry two occasional passengers in the rear, should prove an appealing option for many tradesman who want to be able to run the kids to a sports event on the weekend, or other less work-like demands.
Equally it will appeal to businesses where the option of being able to carry more than just the two regular passengers is a worthwhile option.
Nissan Navara King Cab Range:
RX King Cab Chassis $38,160
ST-X King Cab Chassis $41,160
ST-X King Cab Ute $42,660
Five-speed automatic $2250
Nissan Navara Single Cab
RX Single Cab Chassis $33,660

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