The Redline

Tag: SUV

  • 2020 Lexus RX300 Review

    Lexus’ big SUV scores a styling and technical refresh to take it through the next few years and make it more attractive.

    I used to regard the Lexus RX as a bit of a Yank Tank, perhaps unfairly. Big and soft with a distinctly Palm Springs vibe mixed with Lexus’ signature Japanese vibe.

    It always had a brilliant interior. You may not have liked the look, but it was stunningly well-built, the whole car is.

    The sheetmetal, though, had a sharp, angular look that just never gelled with me. It didn’t seem to stop buyers, of course, because the RX sells quite well, thanks very much.

    But the 2020 update is quite appealing. A lot of the creases are gone, it’s less busy and the interior tech scores a couple of nice upgrades to get the Lexus back on the tail of the Germans.

    How much is a 2020 Lexus RX300 and what do I get?

    $71,920

    One of the most puzzling things in the Australian car market – to me, anyway – is the enduring popularity of the Toyota Kluger. It’s not cheap, the interior is practical but boring and the 3.5-litre V6 either spins the front wheels and/or drinks fuel like oil is $20 a barrel.

    Okay, that last bit might be true at the moment, but you get the picture.

    The properly-loaded RX300 is $71,920 is at the high-end of the Kluger range but is in every way a better car.

    You get a 12-speaker stereo, 18-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control,  reversing camera, sat nav, keyless entry and start, front and rear parking sensors, active cruise control, electric front seats, powered tailgate, wireless charging pad, auto LED headlights, auto wipers, fake leather interior and a space-saver spare.

    There’s a massive screen running Lexus’ largely terrible (but vastly better than the dog in the Kluger) entertainment system. It is slightly better these days but when you factor in the lovely implementation of Apple CarPlay and (I presume equally good) Android Auto, everything is alright. The 12-speaker stereo is really rather good and it’s a lovely screen. It looks terrific, has a lovely clear resolution and the hardware is fast.

    Safety – 5 Stars (ANCAP, January 2016)

    The RX300 ships with ten airbags (including knee airbags for both front passengers), ABS, stability and traction controls, blind-spot monitoring, forward and rear collision warning, forward AEB with pedestrian detection, reverse AEB, reverse cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, lane keep assist and speed-zone recognition.

    The RX300 scored five ANCAP stars in January 2016 and I reckon would breeze through another test now with all the extra gear.

    Warranty and Servicing

    4 years/100,000km
    Capped-price servicing

    Lexus buyers automatically score entry in to the Encore program. Lexus is rightfully proud of this scheme because it’s really quite good. The warranty length is suddenly under pressure from both sides, though, given parent company Toyota and premium rival Mercedes have both shifted to five years. Encore includs a pretty hefty roadside assist package, too.

    The capped-price servicing regime runs for four years but the website currently throws a page not found for the pricing. From past experience, though, it’s competitive. And when you talk to owners, nothing goes wrong.

    When you’ve booked a service, Lexus will either come and get the car from you or will give you a loan car for the day.

    You also get access to a some pretty on-brand luxury events that mostly include food and wine type stuff but there are also track days where you might score a ride in the arse-kicking LF-A.

    You also score benefits at places like Jackalope and One and Only Wolgan Valley (aka Emirates Wolgan Valley), including a free airport transfer, late checkout, that sort of thing.

    Look and Feel

    The changes aren’t huge, but I think they’re enough to soften the sometimes overbearingly sharp lines of the original. This fourth-generation RX has been around since 2015 and has always been a bit in-yer-face. I really like the new headlights and the interplay with the grille. I like the spindle grille, others don’t but yeah, whatever.

    The profile disguises its considerable bulk and I quite like the creasing in the doors, particularly along the base of the doors. Not sure I’m hugely onboard with all of the detailing, including the black piece that makes the rear part of the roof “float”. But it’s nicer than before and the fourth-gen was already much better than anything before it.

    It’s very Lexus in here, which means beautifully built and nicely finished. Even though the leather is fake it doesn’t matter because it all feels really nice. Lexus dashboards are a bit imposing and still feature that naff analogue clock, but you just know that all of it will age really well. There are still too many buttons, though.

    Storage

    It’s roomy, has plenty of space for four passengers (the base model is not a seven-seater) and can cope with five. Boot space starts at a reasonable (if conservative) 453 litres rising to – again – a very conservative-sounding 924 litres with the rear seats folded away. You get cupholders front and rear and a big centre console bin. The storage space under the centre stack also contains the wireless charging pad.

    Chassis and Drivetrain

    Under that high bonnet is the 300’s 8AR-FTS 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder. Spinning up 175kW and 350Nm, it seems an unlikely engine for such a big fella. Big in that it’s long (4.89 metres) and weighs 1995kg.

    The engine drives the front wheels via six-speed automatic, which seems perfectly suited to the job.

    The updated RX features a few tricky engineering bits – there’s a whole bunch of new body adhesive and 36 new weld points to increase body rigidity. The front suspension member features a dynamic damper to reduce vibration and there is a Friction Control Device fitted to each shock absorber to reduce high frequency vibrations.

    There are heaps of other detailed changes to the suspension and steering. The difference to the earlier versions of the car is subtle but noticeable.

    The RX 300 rolls on 18-inch wheels and Dunlop SP Sport Maxx rubber measuring 235/65.

    Driving

    When you saddle up in a Lexus, you know exactly what you’re going to get. If it doesn’t have a solitary F (as opposed to F Sport), expect super-smooth everything.

    The RX used to be a six-cylinder or hybrid proposition only and I bet I know why – Lexus customers are sticklers for the brand’s known attributes, chief among them is super-smooth progress. The RX300 absolutely delivers.

    I was quite impressed with the way the 2.0-litre turbo shifts the hefty SUV and the six-speed was more than enough for the time we had it. It was frugal, too, which you can’t always say for Toyota products without electric assistance.

    This is not a straight swap for a German SUV, though. Don’t think you’re going to get the kind of dynamic poise you get in an X5. This car is skewed heavily towards isolation and comfort. It’s deathly quiet inside, the chunky body keeping out noise from around and underneath. The steering is light and the suspension is spookily absorbent.

    You pay for it with a bit of body roll, but I’d much rather be at the wheel of this than a top-spec, wallowing Kluger Highlander. While that car is smooth and quiet, the RX brings cabin sophistication, reasonable fuel consumption and a very much more stylish exterior.

    I’d love it if Lexus could sort out the software and controls for the media system but one of my former complaints – too much obviously Toyota switchgear – is now much more muted. While I generally don’t care when big car companies share the bits around, those horrible block Toyota switches are crap in a Yaris let alone a luxury SUV.

    Competition

    It’s a large SUV, no question about it. If you were looking to Germany, you’d see the choice of X3 and X5 from BMW, the RX sitting neatly between them for size but is quite a bit cheaper on price. As I’ve already said, the dynamic nature of the other car’s might be what pushes you to the Lexus. The after-sales package and legendary reliability might keep you there. I’d still have the BMW – at this price, it’s an X3 xDrive 30i with less stuff but AWD drivetrain.

    Mercedes doesn’t have a large SUV within cooee of this price point.

    Audi’s Q5 is substantially smaller than the RX but you can have a Quattro 45 TFSI for a few grand less than the Lexus. You won’t get near the Q7, which starts at over $100,000.

    There’s a Genesis coming soon, but we don’t know enough about it yet.

    Redline Recommendation

    A Lexus on the drive is a fine thing indeed. They’re not the most dynamic cars (GS F and RC F excluded, obviously) but they’re sharply-priced, stacked full of gear and super safety-conscious to boot.

    I liked the RX300 more than I expected I would. It’s calm, cool and collected and so much nicer than its under-the-skin relative, the Kluger. Stop whining about the lack of third row – you never use it unless you forgot to stop breeding.

    The RX will serve you well for as long as you want it to, will carry you mile after mile in near-silent comfort and deliver you relaxed and fresh. It’s a lovely machine.

  • 2020 Nissan Patrol: A Real Chonker

    Nissan’s Y62 Series Patrol has a new bum, new face and a whole lot more gear to go with it. And boy is it a big boi. A real chonker.

    You are going to have to forgive me if I tell you that I give no hoots, let alone multiple hoots, about the Nissan Patrol vs The World argument. Or the sub-arguments of Patrol vs Land Cruiser. That one in particular bores me to tears.

    Now, I know people have strong feelings about it. I do not. If you’re here for strong feelings about wheel articulation and live axles and whatever else, you’ve come to the wrong place. This is a review of the 2020 Nissan Patrol for the vast majority of the people who will buy it and drive it on the road. Mostly.

    So anyway, the 2020 Nissan Patrol is a top and tail of the tried and true Y62. The Patrol name has been kicking around for the best seven decades. The Y62 has been with us for almost ten years, so it was about time it got a new look. And some safety gear. Lots of safety gear.

    How much is a 2020 Nissan Patrol and what do I get?

    Nissan Patrol Ti – $76,990 + ORC
    Nissan Patrol Ti-L – $92,790 + ORC

    Look, $92,790 is a lot of money for a Nissan, I’ll grant you that. And a nearly $16k belt over the standard Ti is a whole Kia Picanto. I was not sure what to expect when I clambered in but got a bit of a shock.

    Your money nets you 18-inch alloy wheels, a 13-speaker stereo, multi-zone climate control, cameras everywhere, reversing camera, keyless entry and start, rear entertainment screens (with headphones, dontcha know), DVD player, front and rear parking sensors, active cruise control, electric and heated/cooled front seats, power everything including tailgate, leather everywhere, sat nav, auto LED headlights, auto wipers, sunroof and a full-size alloy spare.

    The stereo is the mildly updated but still deeply sad Nissan head unit. It’s not as bad as Toyota’s, but it’s not great, either. It is better to use apart from the DAB interface which is infuriating, but plug in your phone via USB and you’ll be okay. There is no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto and, frankly, that ain’t right. Then again, arch-rivals don’t have it either, so maybe I’m the jerk here.

    Safety – no rating

    Apart from the car’s appearance, the focus of the MY20 update has been adding safety gear to the Ti and topping up the Ti-L.

    The Patrol arrives with six airbags (the curtains go all the way to the third row), ABS, stability and traction controls, blind spot monitoring with active assist, around-view cameras, forward AEB, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane keep assist and reverse cross traffic alert.

    The Ti-L has a thing called Intelligent Rear View. No, it’s doesn’t look for smart people’s bottoms – seriously, that would be creepy – but like Range Rover’s rear camera, means you can see out the back without everyone’s heads in the way.

    You get top-tether points in the second and third rows for a total of four as well as two ISOFIX points in the middle row.

    Warranty and servicing

    5 years/unlimited km
    Capped-price servicing: 3 years/$3236
    5 years roadside assist

    The warranty is a good one and befits a car of this price – you’ll struggle for a premium brand to offer you a five year warranty, with Mercedes acting as the Lone Ranger on that front.

    The capped-price servicing seems inviting, but there are several catches.

    The first is that service intervals are an irritating six months/10,000km.

    The second is that the program doesn’t run as long as the warranty.

    Third is the cost – $376, $577, $392, $860, $407 and $624. So that’s $3236 for three year’s motoring.

    Just as annoying over at Toyota is the short service interval, but each service is no more than $300 for the first two years, so that’s $1200 for two years. And the Toyota is a diesel, which generally cost more to fettle.

    Basically, the Nissan costs as much as a BMW or Mercedes of similar size. At least it’s cheaper to buy and the capped servicing regime is longer than its main rival.

    Look and feel

    2020 Nissan Patrol
    A Nissan Patrol almost blocking out the sun

    Looks big, feels big, is big. That’s no surprise or genuinely newsworthy comment, but it’s difficult to understand the scale of the Patrol unless you’re standing next to it. It’s an absolute monster and looks everyone one of its – get this – 2754 kilograms.

    It does maintain a vestigial ruggedness in profile, but the wheels are hardly go-anywhere looking. It seems to me the the designers were absolutely going for the Range Rover vibe on the Ti-L. Which is fine, but it needs a set of 22-inch rims for that.

    I am a massive fan of the new front end. I love the new headlights – 52 separate LEDs – and the way the Ti-L’s bumper frames them. It’s almost aristocratic and I like it.

    The rear is fairly inoffensive apart from being as imposing as the north face of the Eiger. Squint a bit and it looks like a full-face hemet staring back at you. Or an Imperial Stormtrooper variant.

    2020 Nissan Patrol

    The interior is massive, as the 5175mm length suggests. You can see there’s plenty of room in the back – two six-foot-three teenagers lounged about and the third row os also genuinely useful, if a bit upright and tight for taller folks.

    Each row gets a pair of cupholders for a total of six and there are air vents all the way to the back. Nice.

    The wood on the dash is pretty horrible (and also not wood), it would be much nicer if it wasn’t there. It also doesn’t fit the futuristic look of the new front end. You do get two USB ports and a 12V powerpoint up in front (and in the boot).

    Stuff worth knowing

    It’s 5175mm long, 1995mm wide and 1940mm high, so you’ll just get under those roof scrapers at shopping centres. It weighs almost three tonnes at 2812kg.

    You can tow 3500kg braked and 750kg unbraked, with a maximum towball load of 350kg.

    Gross vehicle mass (GVM) is rated at 3500kg and the gross combination mass (GCM) a staggering 7000kg. Maximum front axle load is listed at 1650kg and the rear at 2030kg.

    Ground clearance is a vertigo-inducing 272mm (which means a big climb up, thank goodness for the grab handles and steps). Wading depth is an impressive 700mm.

    For the off-road fans – and this is not an off-road review – the approach angle is 34 degrees, rampover 24.4 and departure 26.2.

    The huge wheelbase of 3075mm means a lazy 12.5 metre turning circle.

    Chassis

    Another of the key criticisms from the LandCruiser mob is the Patrol’s suspension setup. Apparently, off-road performance is dependent on horrific on-road ride and dynamics. The Patrol’s engineers didn’t think so (nor do Range Rover’s, just quietly) and have fitted double wishbones at every corner. While that does skew the Patrol to on-road performance, you have to remember that’s where all of them spend the vast majority of their working lives.

    This Patrol also has a clever hydraulic body motion control, both for ride and handling. Acting a bit like air suspension, on road it keeps the body from wallowing all over the place, which would be easy given all that height and weight. It’s uncanny.

    The balloony Bridgestone Dueler A/Ts are good for the ride, too, measuring 265/70. Not the greatest off-road tyres, no, but they don’t make a racket and mean that when you turn the wheel on tarmac, the car – by and large – follows where you want to go.

    Drivetrain

    2020 Nissan Patrol

    One of the big whinges from the Toyota side of the fence is that the Patrol doesn’t have a diesel option. I don’t care. Why don’t I care?

    Because it comes with a 5.6-litre, naturally-aspirated 90-degree V8 that loves to rev. The VK56VD (snigger) spins up 298kW at 5800rpm and 560Nm at 4000rpm.

    A seven-speed automatic shifts the gears for you and gets the power out to all four wheels. You get all the usual modes such as Sand, Snow, Rock and on-road.

    There is a selectable rear diff lock on the console and hill descent control is present and correct.

    Fuel economy – 14.4L/100km (claimed)

    I was properly confused after spending some time at the wheel of the Patrol. All this confident talk about its powerplant wasn’t as confident on my first day – the fuel economy display read “6.2”.

    It took me ages to work out the cheeky sods at Nissan display in km/L rather than L/100km. So 6.2 km/l is actually over 16.1L/100km. It fell to 19L/100km after not very long.

    Still, it does have a 140 litre fuel tank, so you’ll cover a reasonable amount of ground before having to stop for fuel. And you will claw back a lot in the cruise, the Patrol barely ticking over at highway speeds.

    Driving

    2020 Nissan Patrol
    These photos aren’t me, but they’re pretty.

    You really do know that this is a big fella at all times. It’s the first time in my life that I can remember double-checking the height measurements before heading into a shopping centre car park. And that long, flat bonnet stretches out before you, dominating your forward vision.

    What’s beside the front wheels? No idea, better stick my head out and have a look. Thank goodness for all the cameras.

    Once you have your bearings and the nosebleed from the altitude clears, it’s a damn comfy place from which to conquer worlds. The seats are definitely US-spec wide and flat but are comfortable despite that.

    The steering is super-light, more evidence of US influence, but I found that when I turned the wheel, things happened. Given that what I wanted to happen was the result, that was also pleasing.

    The hydraulic suspension is devilishly good at handling the bulk waving around more than a foot off the ground. While even a smaller LandCruiser Prado – or a Kluger for that matter – rolls around all over the place, the good ship Patrol stays quite composed. No, it’s not a McLaren 720S, but acquits itself well.

    Wanna know what’s fun, though? Flooring it. The 5.6-litre’s growl may be muted, but it gets the chonker underway like few other large SUVs. Again, it’s no RSQ8, but it gets going with a pleasing roar. The transmission shifts very smoothly and quickly, which is almost out of character for a big off-roader but fits the Patrol’s luxury brief nicely.

    Redline Recommendation

    2020 Nissan Patrol

    It’s hilarious, comfortable, quiet and a dead-set steamroller. I was very pleased I drove this thing because it was unexpectedly fun. I wouldn’t mind throwing it down a few muddy hills and across a river or two, because it feels like it could do anything.

    It may not be the ultimate off-roader, but on the road, it’s better than the tall ship that is the LandCruiser.

  • Audi Q7 2020 Australia Pricing and Spec

    The 2020 Audi Q7 might have an interesting sense of timing, but it’s here and it’s the biggest update for the big seven-seater since it arrived.

    Audi says it’s “almost unrecognisable” which is the kind of humour we need in these troubling times. When this car first launched, it split opinion – after the big presence of the first-gen Q7, the second seemed a bit more tame.

    I figured it was the first signs of the SUV cult moving back a little from being large and vulgar and it pleased me no end.

    Among a few detail changes for the 2020 model year is the assertion that the interior is bigger by 11mm, so I’m guessing the interior’s design has been tweaked to liberate a bit of space, which is impressive because it was big to begin with.

    How much is a 2020 Audi Q7 and what do I get?

    45 TDI quattro – $101,900 + ORC
    50 TDI quattro – $112,900 + ORC
    50 TDI quattro S Line – $119,900

    As you can see, it’s still an all-diesel V6 line-up, with the 45 TDI continuing with 170kW and the 50 with 210kW.

    Prices haven’t moved too much, although the 45 now breaks the hundred grand mark whereas before it sneaked under. It was a lot of car for the money and it still is, really.

    Base specification is pretty handy, with 19-inch alloys, three-zone climate control, ambient lighting, 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit, a huge MMI screen with – trumpets please – wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless charging, 10-speakers stereo with DAB, heated front seats and fake leather trim.

    The big news is that Audi has made the awesome Matrix LED headlights standard across the range. Boo and, indeed, yah. That more than covers the price rise if you take into account the cost of those bad boys.

    Step up to the 50 TDI and you get a more powerful version of the V6, head up display, electric steering column adjustment among other detail trim differences such as real leather.

    The 50 TDI S Line sports 21-inch alloys, S line bits and pieces like front and rear bumpers, spielers and badging as well as interior parts like a flat-bottomed steering wheel. The new grille comes in titanium black and the air intakes are now matte platinum grey.

    It also scores a BOSE 3D sounds system with 19-speakers and 558 watts of power, panoramic glass sunroof and Valcona leather trim.

    Safety – ANCAP 5 Stars (Sept 2017)

    There’s a fair chunk of safety gear aboard all Q7s. You get airbags everywhere, ABS, stability and traction controls, stop-and-go traffic assist, lane departure warning, active lane keep assist, forward AEB up to 250km/h with pedestrian detection up to 85km/h, blind spot warning, rear pre-sense (prepares the car for being rear-ended), around-view cameras, intersection assist (tries to stop you hitting cars at T and cross-intersections), steering assistance in an emergency situation, rear cross-traffic alert, turning assist (stops you turning across oncoming traffic) and exit assist to stop you dooring cyclists.

    The Q7 scored five ANCAP stars on its launch in 2017. I’m reasonably confident with that massive list that it will hold on to that score under the current rules.

    Warranty and Servicing

    3 years/100,000km
    Prepaid servicing ($2310/$3190)

    Audi’s warranty is starting to look anaemic next to Mercedes new five-year effort. The coverage is fine, it’s just too short, as is BMW’s. Neither of them are admitting to budging, but then, neither did Merc until the day it changed.

    You get roadside assist and most Audi dealers are pretty swanky, so are nice places to go to get your car serviced.

    You can pre-pay your servicing for three years at $2310 and five years at $3190. That’s way cheaper than an equivalent Mercedes (like, way cheaper) and about the same as an X5, give or take.

    Drivetrains

    The Q7 45 and 50 TDIs are both 3.0-litre turbocharged V6s.

    The 45 delivers 170kW and 500Nm for a 0-100km/h time of 7.3 seconds.

    The 50 TDI cars both have 210kW and 600Nm, covering the none-to-ton in 6.5 seconds. So that’s two tonnes of SUV staying with a Fiesta ST.

    Naturally, they’re all equipped with Audi’s Quattro all-wheel drive system and an eight-speed automatic.

    Redline Recommendation

    There isn’t a huge amount of difference between the 45 and 50 TDIs. Before this update, I used to push people towards what is now the 50 TDI because the 170kW was fine but there were some missing bits.

    Now with a bunch of extra stuff, it will honestly come down to whether you’re picky about fake leather and wheel sizes. You can fix the wheels for a couple of grand without dropping another ten.

    Having said that, I quite like the S Line.

    So basically, any of them.

  • 2020 Ford Puma Pricing and Spec Australia

    Ford’s funky Puma is coming to Australia and it will be here soon. We’re getting three versions, starting at $29,990 for the European built baby SUV.

    Readers of a certain age will remember – with some fondness – the original Ford Puma. A nineties icon, it was a small, two-door coupe that spawned the cult hit Ford Puma Racing. I never got to drive one, but boy did it look cool.

    And that’s probably the main link between the new baby SUV and the old baby sports car – the funky looks.

    How much is a 2020 Ford Puma and what do I get?

    Ford Puma / Ford Puma ST-Line / Ford Puma ST-Line V

    Safety – 5 Stars (EuroNCAP, not yet ANCAP tested)

    The compact SUV segment is surprisingly strong on safety. All 2020 Ford Pumas score AEB with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, rear parking sensors, traffic sign recognition and rear parking sensors. All of this is on top of the usual six airbags, ABS, traction and stability controls.

    The Park Package ($1500) replaces the standard cruise control with adaptive cruise with stop and go and lane centring, parking sensors all around and blind-spot monitoring.

    For child seats, you’ll get three top-tether anchors and two ISOFIX points.

    SYNC 3

    Once again, SYNC 3 is standard across the entire range. It comes with an 8.0-inch touchscreen, voice-activated sat nav, wireless charging, FordPass app compatibility, reversing camera, DAB and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

    The Puma and ST-Line stereo system has seven speakers, which is pretty good for the segment. The ST-Line V has a B&O-branded 10-speaker system with a sick subwoofer.

    Ford Puma – $29,990 + ORC

    The entry-level car comes with a leather steering wheel, two USB ports, cloth trim, 17-inch alloys and, keyless start and LED headlights.

    Ford Puma ST-Line – $32,340 + ORC

    The ST-Line will likely be the big seller (call me crazy) with 17-inch ST-Line machined alloys, matte black grille, body kit (including front apron, skirts and rear spoiler), ST-Line sport suspension, 12.3-inch digital dashboard, flat-bottomed steering wheel, paddle shifters, red stitching around the cabin and metallic pedals.

    That’s not a bad amount of gear for an extra $2350.

    Ford Puma ST-Line V – $35,540

    That’s V for Vignale, like the new Escape. The V scores leather accented seating (that’s fake leather to you and me), privacy glass, chrome all over the place, 18-inch wheels, keyless entry and start, climate control and a hands-free power tailgate. The steering wheel and trim feature metal grey stitching. Sounds reasonably classy, actually.

    Options

    On top of the Park Pack, you can get prestige paint ($650), hands-free power tailgate ($750, standard on the V), black roof rails ($250), black roof ($500) and a panorama sunroof ($2000).

    Chassis and Drivetrain

    Similar to the clever Peugeot 2008, the Puma ships with some clever drive mode trickery to help hide its two-wheel drive reality. The usual Normal, Sport and Eco do what they say on the tin (citation needed, obviously). Slippery sorts you out in the wet, snow and ice and Trail is supposed to help keep you moving in sand or “a powdery dirt road.”

    The 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder Ecoboost spins up 92kW and 170Nm. Like most titchy SUVs, the Puma is front-wheel drive only. Ford’s seven-speed twin-clutch changes the gears for you.

    Ford says the Puma will score 6.3L/100km on the combined cycle.

    Servicing and Warranty

    All Fords have a five year/unlimited kilometre warranty with roadside assist (via a motoring organisation membership) and free loan car when you bring your car in.

    If I read the press release right, you’ll pay $299 for servicing for the first 60,000km, so I guess that means $299 per year. If it’s $299 all up, that’s a dead-set bargain.

    Redline Recommendation

    The hybrid we don’t get is the one I’d get, but hey, we don’t get it. That thing has 114kW and uses a decent chunk less fuel (5.8L/100km WLTP).

    Failing that, the mid-spec ST-Line looks like the one to go for. I’m oddly excited about this car which will be here around the middle of the year.

  • 2020 Renault Kadjar Intens Review

    The 2020 Renault Kadjar slips in between the soon-to-be-replaced Captur and the probably-should-be-replaced Koleos. It might have a weird name, but it’s also intriguing.

    I can’t imagine how big a sigh of relief Renault dealers all over the world (okay, Europe and here) breathed when the Kadjar finally arrived. Renault had a gaping hole in its line-up – a compact SUV that can fit a family in comfort.

    Annoyingly for Renault dealers in Australia, the Kadjar first went on sale in Europe in 2015 and China in 2016. That’s aeons in the car world.

    The Kadjar is based on fellow Alliance member Nissan’s Qashqai. Another weirdly-named, the Qashqai is a compact SUV rides and handles very tidily but has a dodgy driveline (CVT – yuk) and a terrible media system. It’s also stretching the friendship to call it compact.

    So the Kadjar looks really promising because Renault flung the 2.0-litre Nissan and its crap CVT. In their place are a thoroughly modern 1.3-litre turbo and seven-speed twin-clutch. Rightio, then. Let’s get cracking.

    How much is a 2020 Renault Kadjar and what do I get?

    2020 Renault Kadjar Intens
    Wired CarPlay / Wireless charging

    Life: $29,990 plus on-roads
    Zen: $32,990 plus on-roads
    Intens: $37,990 plus on-roads

    The Intens, as you can see, is the top of the range Kadjar and starting to push the limits of pricing for a compact SUV. It’s not really all that small, sort of spilling over into the lower end of a mid-sizer. No, it’s not Mazda CX-30 pricing, but there’s something weird and ambitious going on over at Mazda at the moment.

    You get 19-inch alloy wheels with very decent Continental tyres, seven-speaker Bose stereo, auto LED headlights, auto wipers, leather seats, electric driver’s seat, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, ambient cabin lighting, keyless entry and start, reversing camera, all-around parking sensors, auto parking (steering assist), power windows and folding heated mirrors, space-saver spare, huge sunroof and tyre pressure monitoring.

    Renault’s R-Link 2 handles the multimedia duties and boy, is it feeling its age. The 7.0-inch touchscreen is at least around the right way (the Megane’s is not) but it’s really slow. As usual, it’s Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to the rescue. Intens buyers also score wireless charging. Which is nice, but kind of pointless when you need to plug in to USB for full smartphone integration.

    The Kadjar comes in six colours – Diamond Black, Iron BLue, Highland Grey, Flame Red, Pearl White and Glacier White. Only that last colour is free, the rest stinging you for $750.

    Safety – 5 stars (EuroNCAP)

    The basic safety package is pretty good but basic – six airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, low-speed AEB, blind-spot monitoring and lane departure warning.

    Is it enough for the segment? Buyers are looking for advanced safety gear and the Intens misses out. It does give you a soft beep if you’re over the speed limit and it does have speed sign recognition. But a CX-30 wallops it, with many more safety features on board.

    Despite scoring five EuroNCAP stars in 2015, ANCAP doesn’t yet list its safety rating. On current ANCAP specs, it’s possible the Kadjar won’t get the same star rating because it doesn’t have pedestrian detection AEB.

    Warranty and Servicing

    Renault’s 555 program is a good start. The three fives tell you it has a five year/unlimited kilometre warranty, five years of roadside assist and five years of capped-price servicing.

    You only have to show up to the dealer once every 12 months or 30,000km (good), with services costing $399 for the first three services, a whopping $789 for the fourth and back to $399 for the fifth.

    It’s not cheap – the Kia Seltos and Hyundai Kona are both cheaper to service – but it’s not the worst I’ve seen in the segment. I’m looking at you, Suzuki Vitara.

    If you’re thinking of keeping it for a while, the engine does have a timing chain so you won’t be doing the belts at 100,000km.

    Look and Feel

    2020 Renault Kadjar Intens

    Renault’s design studios appear to have dodged a couple of impulses. One was to fit the huge C-shaped LED driving lights from the Megane and Koleos. The other was to not do enough to hide its origins, so we’ve come out even.

    Then again, this car has been around for five years and predates Megane and the current Koleos front ends. Australia has been waiting a long time for this car. Anyway, I think it’s quite handsome without any overblown features or self-conscious individualism. Only problem with that is Renault is a bit of an individualist brand.

    2020 Renault Kadjar Intens

    Like the X-Trail-based Koleos, the Qashqai-based Kadjar has a very sensible interior. Renault has begun to err towards more conventional interiors in recent years, so it’s in keeping with that idea. It’s all fairly nice here in the Intens, with that huge sunroof filling an otherwise dark cabin with light. The fake leather is pretty good and I like the brushed alloy effect on the centre console and other places here and there.

    Storage and Usability

    The boot is a hefty 408 litres to begin with, before you drop the 60/40 split fold. You can see in the photo of the boot that there are two removable sections, covering a few extra litres where you can throw valuables or just have more space. Underneath that is another mat covering the space-saver spare tyre.

    You get two cupholders up front, a sensible tray that will fit a big phone (and wirelessly charge them if you have that kind of device), a generous centre console bin and a good-sized glovebox. Each door has a bottle holder for a modestly-sized bottle. The front cupholders aren’t the same size, with one smaller and shallower than the other.

    The rear seat is quite spacious for four people, less so for five because of the transmission tunnel. Plenty of legroom and headroom, even with the big sunroof, too. Unusually in this segment, you also get adjustable rear vents.

    Drivetrain and Chassis

    2020 Renault Kadjar engine
    It’s a bit messy under the bonnet, but obviously it works just fine (photo from a red Zen)

    This is where the Kadjar really stands out. All three levels run the same 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbo. Somewhere underneath the giant mess lurks 117kW and a very handy 260Nm of torque.

    For a bit of pub trivia, this engine appears in the Mercedes-Benz A and B Class cars. And Mercedes is entirely sensible hiding that spaghetti under a massive plastic lid.

    A seven-speed twin-clutch transmission gets the power to the road through the front wheels. No all-wheel drive for Australia, because Renault reckons nobody would buy it. I think they’re right given it would probably slap $3000 on the sticker price.

    As I keep saying, the Kadjar rides on the Qashqai platform and I reckon that’s a terrific car in search of a good engine and transmission package, so Renault has nailed that. Except for the bit where it flings the Nissan’s multi-link rear end and swaps it out for a torsion beam. That could have been bad, but the French marque is rather good at wrangling that cheaper, more compact suspension setup.

    All-wheel drive Kadjars get the multi-link, but we don’t get AWD.

    The Intens rides on 19-inch alloys wearing 225/45s front and rear. Rather generously, these are Michelin Pilot Sport tyres, which is rather promising because the Life and Zen are shod with Continental EcoContact tyres which are not great.

    Driving

    2020 Renault Kadjar Intens

    I was most keen, above all else, to see if the Kadjar’s turbo four-cylinder was all I was hoping it would be. Not surprisingly, it’s great. Smooth and powerful, the 260Nm of torque is more than enough to move things along briskly. So many compact SUV are trapped by low levels of twist coupled with lazy CVTs, but this one is almost warm.

    The seven-speed twin-clutch auto can be a bit grabby but once you’re underway, it’s a smooth as anything from the VW Group and more responsive to your right foot. I was quite fond of the Kadjar by the end of my week with it – plenty of go and the engine was more than happy to stick me in traffic.

    Renault has a flair for delivering a good mix of ride and handling and the Kadjar is no exception. The Michelin tyres offer plenty of grip with not much noise and work well with the finely-tuned suspension. The ride is quite plush and the suspension copes with the usual mess one encounters in Sydney’s suburbs.

    I had a Koleos the same week I had the Kadjar and it was very interesting to see how different they are. The Kadjar is way more Renault than the Koleos and that’s a good thing. While the Koleos is all very nice, it’s slow and heavy, two things the Kadjar isn’t.

    Competition

    2020 Kia Seltos S
    Kia Seltos S / Mazda CX-30 / Hyundai Kona

    Obviously the Nissan Qashqai is a rival, but it’s gotten very old over the years and has a terrible media system and ordinary driveline. Not a great deal actually wrong with it and it’s genuinely lovely to drive once you’re underway, but yeah, buyer beware.

    The CX-30 is the newest kid in town and is very good. Loaded with gear but with a so-so engine attached to a good transmission, you’re paying a lot of money for a similar-sized package. The CX-30 drives really well if a bit slowly and is well down on torque but has a great interior and plenty of technology, especially on safety. But Mazda is trying to punch on with BMW and Audi with its upper-end offering whereas Renault is a little bit further away from that edge.

    The Kona has been around for a while. At this level you’re looking at the top-of-the-range 2.0-litre Highlander (hmmm) or turbo Elite (better). The Kona has a smaller rear seat and boot but drives well and in turbo form is quick.

    The Kia Seltos landed with a bang late last year and is selling like crazy. It’s a very good car and again, you’re looking at the second from the top, the Sport+. It has a turbo 1.6-litre and a twin-clutch, a package I’ve not yet driven. The basic S is a terrific thing, if a bit slow, but it’s also dirt cheap. Lots of gear on the Sport+, including a comprehensive safety package.

    Redline Recommendation

    2020 Renault Kadjar Intens

    The Kadjar is getting on a bit, so it’s probably only going to be around in this form for a couple of years. And at $37,990, it’s pushing the friendship a bit. But, it is really good fun to drive for a compact SUV and does all the things that type of car should.

    I doubt anyone in their right mind is paying that kind of money for a Kadjar anyway, so if you can knock them down a few grand, do it. It’s nice to drive, rides well, looks good and has one of the best engines in the class. Can’t complain about that.

  • 2020 Ford Escape On The Way

    Ford makes it two new SUV announcements in one month, with the new Ford Escape to join the funky Puma. And this time, there’s a plug-in hybrid.

    Ford’s replacement for its mid-size SUV, the Escape is on its way to Australia and the Blue Oval is not mucking about. There will be six different versions in front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive as well as a plug-in hybrid.

    The PHEV version is Ford’s first electrified car here in Australia, too, and is the only one in its class. Before you get going, the Outlander is not a mid-size SUV, despite its small footprint.

    How much is a 2020 Ford Escape and what do I get?

    The range consists of four front-wheel drives, including the PHEV, plus two all-wheel drives. The ST-Line – one of my favourite mid-size SUVs – makes a return and you can get that in front-wheel drive, PHEV and all-wheel drive.

    The new Escape is up to 90kg lighter than previous models while also being stiffer – Ford says torsional rigidity is up by ten percent. Ford also says it’s more spacious for occupants and there is more available cargo space.

    If you’re super-keen to know, the Escape rides own Ford’s C2 platform which also spawned the new Focus, which is really rather good.

    SYNC 3 and FordPass Connect

    All Escapes score the third iteration of Ford’s in-car media system. Accessed via an 8.0-inch touchscreen, you get DAB+ radio, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and sat nav.

    FordPass Connect uses an embedded data modem to enable app connectivity to the car. You can use it to lock or unlock remotely and the app also allows you to call roadside assistance or book a service. The app also has things like service history and connectivity with a Ford Guide helpdesk person.

    PHEV owners get extra info such as navigation to the nearest charging point and the app will show you the level of charge, charging status and let you remotely activate charging (if the car is plugged in).

    Safety

    The Escape ships with all the usual airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, as well as forward AEB with pedestrian detection, forward collision warning, evasive steering assist, traffic sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, driver impairment monitor and auto 000-dialling after a big enough crash (if your phone is connected).

    You also get top-tether and ISOFIX restraints.

    Service and Warranty

    Ford offers a very handy five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty with a nifty servicing program. The first four services are capped at $299 each, up to four years or 60,000km. You’ve probably already done the maths and worked out that service intervals are set at 12 months/15,000km.

    Ford slings you a motoring association membership (NRMA, RACV etc.) which also includes roadside assist and a loan car when you’re in for a service. You have to get a Lexus for that last thing.

    Escape – $35,990 + on-roads

    2020 Ford Escape
    “I feel like an idiot” / New Escape is handsome / Optional HUD on entry-level

    The entry-level, front-wheel drive Escape lands at $35,990. You get 18-inch alloys, LED headlights, keyless start, wireless phone charging, reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors.

    The Technology Pack costs $1,300 and adds active matrix LED headlights and a heads-up display.

    Another $1,000 scores you a foot-wavey gesture opened powered tailgate and $650 buys you prestige paint.

    Escape ST-Line

    2020 Ford Escape

    ST-Line FWD: $37,990
    ST-Line AWD: $40,990
    ST-Line PHEV FWD: $52,940

    As you can see, there’s a choice of three ST-Lines. The first two run the same 2.0-litre Ecoboost as the entry-level car and the third, as you can see from the big price jump, the 2.5-litre plug-in hybrid engine.

    On to of the Escape’s list of features, Ford fits a different set of alloys, a new grille and front and rear bumpers, rear wing and side skirts. The ST-Line rides on lower sport suspension, which worked well in the car it replaces.

    You can also get the confusingly-named ST-Line Pack which adds the foot wavey electric tailgate, heated front seats and the Technology Pack, costing $2800. Escape ST-Line ST-Line Pack seems like a mouthful.

    The cabin features lots of black detailing as well as a 12.3-inch digital dash, flat-bottomed steering wheel and “metallic” sports pedals.

    The big price jump to the PHEV also includes partial leather interior, 10-way power adjustable driver’s seat and an upgrade to a 10-speaker stereo. Annoyingly, the ST-Line Pack is still an option.

    Escape Vignale

    2020 Ford Escape

    FWD: $46,590
    AWD: $49,590

    The Vignale is all about luxury rather than the ST-Line’s tauter approach. On top of ST-Line you get keyless entry, heather steering wheel, leather “accented” seats (ie fake leather), 10-way adjustable electric and heated front seats, heated outboard rear seats, panoramic sunroof, head-up display, foot-waves electric tailgate, 180-degree wide-view reversing camera and auto parking.

    Drivetrains

    The new Escape features Ford’s 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo EcoBoost in all models apart from the ST-Line PHEV.

    It’s one of the more powerful engines in the segment, with 183kW and 387Nm. Ford’s eight-speed auto is along for the ride, with paddle shifts.

    You can choose between front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.

    The intriguing – and expensive – PHEV swaps the turbo four for a 2.5-litre Atkinson cycle four-cylinder, an electric motor and a 14.4kWh lithium-ion battery for a combined power output of 167kW. Ford doesn’t give a torque figure, but it’s probably reasonably solid.

    The company also reckons you’ll get up to 50km in EV mode. Past experience with these range estimates ends up around 35km, but that’s still good going.

    You can choose between EV Auto (which is also the default), EV Now (forces EV), EV Later and EV Charge (uses the engine to charge the battery).

    Fuel Economy

    For the Ecoboost, Ford reckons both the FWD and AWD will drink 95 RON fuel at 8.6L/100km on the combined cycle.

    The PHEV, with a full charge, scored 1.6L/100km on the combined cycle, which is a dumb figure. Even so, you can expect less than half of the Ecoboost’s figure with the attendant drop in CO2. If your power supply is sourced from renewables, you can reduce your CO2 by even more.

    Charging and Battery

    2020 Ford Escape PHEV

    The charge port is in the front quarter panel. Ford doesn’t supply a charge time figure, but a few hours will do the trick. If you plug in every night and you have a short commute, it’s highly unlikely you’ll use any petrol.

    Using the app you can also plug the car in but no start charging until you decide and you can program the car to charge at specific times to take advantage of lower rates.

    The battery lies under the rear seats, so doesn’t cut into the boot.

    Competition

    This segment is a warzone. Mazda’s CX-5 is doing well, but the turbo costs a lot more than an ST-Line AWD, a GT Turbo whacking you for $48,490. It’s a good car and fun to drive.

    Volkswagen’s Tiguan 132 (as in 132kW) is $46,990 and the more comparable 162 TSI Highline hammers you for $40,990, almost at ST-Line PHEV money. Sister-brand Skoda is better value.

    Toyota’s RAV4 is compelling, but not as well-equipped and the hybrid version is good value but not a plug-in.

    Hyundai’s turbo-powered Tucson is on the way out as it’s getting a bit old and probably isn’t in the same league as the Escape.

    Redline Recommendation

    I really like the current Escape and I reckon it’s criminally underrated, just like the Focus is. Without driving it, I’d suggest the ST-Line will be the pick, maybe with the AWD but the front-wheel drive will be fine too.

    The package seems like pretty good value. I can’t see anybody buying the Vignale and the ST-Line PHEV really needs to be at least $5000 cheaper.

    The cars will be here in the third-quarter of 2020.

    I’m kind of looking forward to it, actually.

  • 2020 Mazda CX-30 Australia Pricing and Spec

    The 2020 Mazda CX-30 has landed here in Australia. We’ve got all the details on pricing, specification as well as plenty of photos.

    Mazda seems to be filling SUV niches faster than even Audi these days, with the marque’s fifth high-riding model going on sale this week. In truth, there are actually six Mazda SUVs, but we don’t get the CX-4 because it’s for the Chinese market.

    As is their wont, the company is offering a dizzying 13 versions of the CX-30, but if you knock out the fact five of the variants are really just an option package, it’s a still-impressive eight. Either way, it’s a lot to get through, so I’ll try and break it down into reasonable chunks.

    Look and Feel

    The new CX-30 fits in between the titchy CX-3 with a tiny boot and not much rear legroom and the bigger CX-5 with an okay boot and not-bad rear legroom. The CX-30 is lower than the CX-5 and shorter, making a bit more sense around town.

    It’s a fine-looking thing, but I don’t think there’s a duffer in the Mazda range at the moment. An evolution of Mazda’s Kodo design language, it sits very nicely in this size, which is about the same as the excellent Kia Seltos.

    Having spent some time with the cloth interior, it’s just fine, so don’t feel you have to push the boat out for leather. The plastic wheel in the G20 is probably the nastiest thing in the range, so if that’s an issue, squeeze the extra dollars for the Evolve.

    The rear seats are not exactly a sprawling estate and three across is going to be hard with the big transmission tunnel robbing the centre occupant of foot room. Again, the Pure misses out on rear vents, so the Evolve will be a better bet for occupants.

    The boot is a fairly marginal 317 litres. When you take into account the under-floor storage, you get a considerable jump to 422 or 430 litres depending on spec. Drop the 60/40 split-fold seats, you get a decent flat floor, but Mazda hasn’t supplied a figure.

    How much does the 2020 Mazda CX-30 cost and what do I get?

    The 2020 Mazda CX-30 comes with two engines, one automatic transmission and the option of a larger-engined all-wheel drive. Cars with the 2.0-litre, front-wheel drive combo are dubbed G20 while the 2.5-litre all-wheel drive is known as G25.

    Mazda reckons the vast majority of buyers will plump for the front-wheel drive (FWD) versus the AWD and three-quarters will stick with the 2.0-litre. Three-quarters of sales will probably be spread between 2.0-litre Pure, Evolve and Touring. That seems about right to me.

    Across the range

    Despite the zillion versions available, there are common features across the entire range. This is kind of a Mazda thing and they come in two important areas – media and communications and the big one, safety.

    MZD Connect

    Reversing camera view / Android Auto / Apple CarPlay / Spotify

    All 2020 Mazda CX-30s score Mazda’s heavily-updated and excellent MZD Connect. The big screen is controlled from the rotary dial on the console – also much bigger than before – and is familiar from the Mazda3.

    It features all the usual Bluetooth streaming capability, a pretty decent GPS system, AM/FM and DAB+ tuners and rather excellently, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

    Safety – ANCAP 5 Stars

    Like its stablemates, the CX-30 is packed with safety gear from the bottom-up.

    All 2020 Mazda CX-30s have seven airbags including driver’s knee airbag, ABS, stability and traction controls, driver attention detection, forward obstruction warning, auto high beam, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, reverse cross-traffic alert, reversing camera, forward AEB, rear AEB, rear crossing AEB, tyre pressure monitoring and traffic sign recognition.

    That’s a crap ton of safety and explains the high-ish entry point to the range.

    Mazda also offers Vision Technology on the Pure, Evolve and Touring as a $1500 option and $1300 on Touring. The pack is standard on the G20 Astina and both the FWD and AWD G25 Astinas.

    This package adds front cross-traffic alert, around-view cameras, driver monitoring and cruising and traffic support. Pure and Evolve trim levels pick up front parking sensors.

    Cruising and traffic support takes over the brake and accelerator in slow traffic and will nudge the steering wheel as long as you’re holding on. You still have to pay attention but it does help reduce fatigue in cruddy traffic.

    The CX-30 set a record for the adult pedestrian protection measurement, scoring 99 percent.

    G20 Pure – $29,990 ($31,490 with Vision Technology)

    Opening the range – and squeaking under the $30,000 mark – is the G20 Pure. Unlike the old CX-3 Neo, it’s not a bait-and-switch model with steel wheels and an interior akin to a coal mine. It’s got LED headlights, something some cars don’t have until you’re punching forty grand.

    You get 16-inch alloys, 8.8-inch media screen (not a touchscreen), keyless start, air-conditioning, eight-speaker stereo, auto high beam, radar cruise control, power windows and mirrors, reversing camera, auto LED headlights, rear parking sensors, sat nav, cloth trim and a space-saver spare.

    G20 Evolve – $31,490 ($32,990 with Vision Technology)

    The Evolve builds on the Pure spec with 18-inch alloys with a silver metallic finish, dual-zone climate control with rear vents, leather wheel and shifter, paddle shifters and an overhead storage box.

    With the new wheels comes a rather better set of Dunlop Sport Maxx tyres, replacing the low-rolling resistance rubber on the Pure.

    G20 Touring FWD – $34,990 ($36,390 with Vision Technology)

    The Touring picks up keyless entry, front parking sensors, black leather trim (probably fake leather, but who cares), illuminated vanity mirrors and powered driver’s seat with 10-way adjustment and two-position memory.

    It’s all about the rear vision mirrors which pick up auto dimming, position memory (to go with the seat memory) and reverse tilt-down function (I am a massive fan of this).

    G25 Touring AWD – $36,490 ($37,790 with Vision Technology)

    Stepping up to the 2.5-litre Touring nets you all-wheel drive and nothing else for the extra $1500. But the bigger engine and all-wheel drive is well worth it.

    G20 Astina – $38,990

    Along with the Vision Technology Package, you get different 18-inch alloys with bright finish, adaptive LED headlights, 12 Bose-branded speakers and black leather or optional Pure white leather.

    G25 Astina FWD – $41,490
    G25 Astina AWD – $43,490

    A curious spec level, the G25 Astina FWD is the quicker of the two, by nearly half a second in the 0-100km/h sprint. Not that 8.7 seconds is a scorching time compared to 9.1. I can’t see why anyone will buy it, but there you are.

    The G25 Astina gains a tilt and slide sunroof on top of the G20.

    2020 Mazda CX-30 Colours

    Get / The / Soul Red.

    Mazda has lovely paint and is offering eight colours on the CX-30 – Snowflake White Pearl Mica, Sonic Silver Metallic,  Titanium Flash Mica, Deep Crystal Blue Mica, Jet Black Mica are all freebies.

    Machine Grey Metallic, Soul Red Crystal Metallic and Polymetal Grey Metallic are optional and priced at $495.

    Warranty and Servicing

    Mazda offers a five year/unlimited kilometre warranty, which is pretty standard for a non-premium maker these days. But generous. You don’t get that long on a $250,000 BMW or Merc or Audi.

    Service intervals are a bit short – the time is fine at 12 months, but every 10,000km kind of grabs you if you’re doing average or above average miles. Fixed price servicing means you at least know what you’re up for, with $327 for G20s and $332.60 for the G25s. The service caps last for the first five services and there are little extras at various services such as brake fluid and cabin filters.

    Drivetrains

    There are two engines available, the 2.0-litre and 2.5-litre SkyActive four-cylinders. Both are naturally-aspirated.

    The 2.0-litre spins up 114kW at 6000rpm and 200Nm at 4000rpm. It’s in heaps of other Mazdas, including the 3 and it’s adequate. The CX-30’s kerb weight us under 1400kg, so it’s not a chunker. Having said that, 200Nm hardly makes the CX-3 sprightly, so the heavier 30 is going to be a slower proposition.

    The 2.5-litre offers 139kW at 6000rpm and a much more satisfactory 252Nm at 4000rpm, but really, I’d love to see the turbo 2.5 in the CX-30. I bet you would, too.

    Mazda’s six-speed automatic is in all of them and you can get all-wheel drive in the G25 Touring and Astina versions.

    Fuel Economy

    The G20 FWDs delivered 6.5L/100km on the combined cycle while the FWD 2.5 went to 6.6L/100km. Adding all-wheel drive pushed the figure to 6.8.

    The reality is, obviously, going to be higher. A big upside is that the engines drink standard unleaded. The fuel tank is 51 litres in the 2WD cars and 48 litres in the 4WD.

    Redline Recommendation

    The Touring looks like the pick of the range to me, with the little extras like front parking sensors making life a little bit easier. The small jump to the G25 is only really justifiable if you want or need all-wheel drive or have a problem (like I do) with a 10 second-plus 0-100km/h time.

    I’ve had a quick drive already of the CX-30 already in G20 Evolve form, and I like what I’ve seen. I’ll review it as soon as I can get my hands on one.

    The 2020 Mazda CX-30 is going to be a hit, I can feel it in my bones…

  • 2020 Mazda CX-9 Australian Price and Spec

    The 2020 Mazda CX-9 is the result of a mid-flight update to simplify the range and throw a few more goodies at the Japanese company’s big seven-seater SUV.

    I don’t mind telling you that the Mazda CX-9 is one of my favourite large SUVs. Strikingly pretty without sacrificing interior space and comfort, it’s also quite nice to drive when fitted with decent tyres.

    It’s no techno tour-de-force, but the usual Mazda methodology of honing details means a large SUV with a poised chassis, quiet interior and plenty of goodies for the price.

    2020 Mazda CX-9 Pricing

    Lovely, if dark, interior / Centre console

    The first thing you’ll notice about the 2020 Mazda CX-9 pricing – well, if you’re keen – is the disappearance of the top-spec Azami LE. So the second thing you’ll notice is hefty jump in the Azami prices to cover the LE’s absence.

    The entry-level Sports are both a handy $500 cheaper, while the rest of the range cop single-digit percentage price rises.

    Grade Manufacturer’s List price (before on-roads) Price difference
    Mazda CX-9 Sport FWD $45,920 -$500
    Mazda CX-9 Sport AWD $49,920 -$500
    Mazda CX-9 Touring FWD $53,310 +$620
    Mazda CX-9 Touring AWD $57,310 +$350
    Mazda CX-9 GT FWD $61,720 +$600
    Mazda CX-9 GT AWD $65,720 +600
    Mazda CX-9 Azami FWD $64,893 +$2133
    Mazda CX-9 Azami AWD $69,303 +$2543

    What’s new for 2020?

    Wholesale change.

    Ha, no, obviously. First up, the engine stays the same, the excellent 2.5-litre turbo SkyActiv four-cylinder driving through a six-speed automatic. Power is a very useful 170kW and 420Nm.

    You can choose between front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive across all models, which is mighty generous. Up until now, I have recommended skipping the front-wheel drive, but there’s some new tech which might change that.

    Mazda’s new G-Vectoring Control Plus adds brake-based torque vectoring. Basically, if you’re understeering, it will grab the inside brakes to bring the nose back into line. It’s a common trick used by several makers, including Audi.

    If you’re heading off-road in your AWD CX-9, Off-Road Traction Assist will provide a bit more security with a bit less tyre slip.

    All models now have an auto-hold function on the electric parking brake which stops the car creeping at lights if you release the brake.

    The press release isn’t clear if all models get the gesture function to the hands-free tailgate. You can wave or kick your foot at the rear of the car and the boot opens, which is handy but you do look like a lunatic. For 2019 models, the power tailgate doesn’t arrive until you reach the GT model.

    Interior

    New 9.0-inch screen / Not sure about the wood, nope. / Multi-zone climate control is standard! / New key fob is nice. / Walnut leather.

    Inside you now get a 9.0-inch screen but not the lovely one from the Mazda3. Still pretty good, though, and it comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which is as it should be.

    Third-row passengers can now trigger the middle-row seat mechanism so they can get out without drama. One imagines customers reporting siblings trapping precious Bonathan or Grandma in the third-row. Both Bonathan and Grandma score a USB port each in the third row.

    With the demise of the Azami LE, the Nappa leather in the Azami has been upgraded and you can choose Walnut Brown or Pure White. The latter sounds terrible but looks great if you can keep it clean.

    And the funny little key job is gone, replaced by the larger one from the 3. Keyless start is standard across the range and you get keyless entry as you go up the range.

    Exterior

    Get / The / Soul Red

    Not much new to look at here. There are new 20-inch darks wheels and bright 18-inchers as well. I will never not recommend one of the premium colours, the Soul Red in the CX-9 is magnificent.

    Top-spec models get Adaptive LED headlights.

    Oh, font folks will notice the change in the badging.

    Safety – 5 stars (ANCAP, July 2016)

    You get a ton of safety gear in just about every Mazda. Along with the usual airbags, ABS and traction and stability controls, you get forward and reverse AEB, reverse cross-traffic alert and blind-spot monitoring.

    The forward AEB now has pedestrian detection in low lighting conditions.

    And of course, you get three top-tether anchor points in the middle row and two in the third row. There two ISOFIX points in each of the second and third rows.

    Redline Recommendation

    I reckon the Touring AWD is the pick of the bunch at $57,310. Yep, that’s a lot of cash, but you get all-wheel drive grip (the FWD I last drove didn’t mind spinning up the fronts under mild provocation), lots of safety gear and a good spec. The GT is close, but most of the extra cash goes to niceties rather than must-haves.

    As soon as we get our hands on one, we’ll let you know how it drives.

  • 2020 Toyota RAV4 GXL FWD Review

    The 2020 Toyota RAV4 is one of those rarest of beasts – a Toyota SUV that I not only like, but will actually recommend.

    Toyota’s new-from-the-ground-up RAV4 surprised me when I first drove it six months ago. The fourth-generation RAV was an absolute duffer. Not actually a bad car – Toyota doesn’t do genuinely bad cars – but it had terrible steering, an awful transmission and was right at the back of the pack when it came to tech and safety.

    Still sold like mad. Which is mildly infuriating because while I appreciate Toyota’s reliability and longevity, it can and should offer more. The fifth-generation Toyota RAV4 rides on the all-new TNGA platform which has delivered results in every car it’s in.

    How much is a Toyota RAV4 GXL and what do I get?

    2020 Toyota RAV4
    LED headlights / CVT automatic

    Toyota RAV4 Pricing:

    GX: $30,990 – $37,140 (hybrid AWD)
    GXL: $35,640 (FWD auto) – $41,140 (hybrid AWD)
    Cruiser: $39,490 (2WD) – $44,640 (hybrid AWD)
    Edge: $47,390 (auto AWD)

    As you can see, the GXL starts at $35,640 for the front-wheel drive petrol auto. You can’t have a manual gearbox unless you stick with the entry-level GX petrol.

    Like the GX below and Cruiser above, you can have the GXL in standard petrol and hybrid versions as well as a choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive (hybrid only). All up, you have a choice of 16 Toyota RAV4 versions. Curiously, there isn’t a hybrid version of the top-of-the-range Edge.

    The GXL auto 2WD comes with 18-inch alloys, a six-speaker stereo with DAB+, dual-zone climate control, reversing camera, keyless entry and start, front and rear parking sensors, active cruise control, fog lamps, sat nav, wireless phone charging, auto LED headlights with auto high beam, auto wipers and a space-saver spare.

    2020 Toyota RAV4

    Toyota’s entertainment system comes up on a big, 8.0-inch central touchscreen which is sadly framed by very cheap buttons. The basic Toyota software is as awful as ever but conservative Toyota has finally added Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to the RAV. Any fifth-generation RAV4 made before November 1 can be retro-fitted – free of charge – with the smartphone software. Awesome.

    You have no choice of free colour – only Glacier White. The rest are $600 and take in Eclipse Black, Eclectic Blue, Satin Blue, Graphite (gunmetal grey), Atomic Rush (picture, deep maroon), Silver Sky and Crystal Pearl. The cost is a touch over the odds but given you’re already paying good money for a RAV4, it’s a bit cheeky.

    Safety: 5 Stars (ANCAP, May 2019)

    The RAV4 has a stack of safety features as standard on the GXL. Known as Safety Sense, you get lane departure warning, lane keep assist, forward AEB with pedestrian and daytime cyclist detection, road sign recognition, auto high beam and active cruise control.

    You also get seven airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, trailer sway control, blind-spot monitor and reverse cross-traffic alert.

    For baby seat fitting, there are two ISOFIX points and three top-tether anchors.

    Warranty and Servicing

    Warranty: 5 years/unlimited km

    Toyota’s warranty went from three to five years in early 2019, a very welcome change indeed. While buying a Toyota was hardly a risk, it was a bit of a no-brainer from a brand with such a stellar reputation.

    If you keep the car serviced, Toyota will cover the engine and transmission for up to seven years/unlimited kilometres. That’s a good deal.

    You also get seven years of roadside assist. It’s a belter of a package.

    Servicing: 12 months/15,000km, capped-price servicing

    Toyota wants to see you once a year or every 15,000km. The first four services cost just $210 each. That’s not me trying to sell you a car, that’s a dead-set bargain. If you’ve got 90 minutes, Toyota reckons they can get the whole thing done and dusted in that time while you hang out in the lounge. You can book in a service using the myToyota app.

    Look and Feel

    Now, I’m not going to pretend that I am in love with the RAV4’s styling. Compared to, say, the C-HR, it’s a bit sooky but I don’t mind it. I like the slimmer headlights compared to the fourth-gen but I’m not at all sure about the rear. It’s a big angular for my liking and I think this colour – Atomic Rush – doesn’t really help. Also, in the flesh, the wheels look weird because the finish is odd – it looks like a painted hubcap.

    The front end is probably the best view, with the funny double-decker grille. The RAV4 is never going to be a style-leader, it’s all about not offending anyone. I am, however, mildly offended by that little strip of black that comes out of the rear quarter window, seemingly attaching to the rear spoiler. I just reckon it looks like it was put in the wrong spot.

    2020 Toyota RAV4
    Front cupholders / Front seats / Centre console / Dash with 8.0-inch screen

    What is the interior space like?

    While I’m not a big fan of the exterior, I’m properly on board (sorry) with the interior. While it’s not stunning to look at, it’s impeccably executed. The cloth trim on the GXL is absolutely fine and I love the consistent star-shaped embossing in the cloth inserts and rubber linings. Toyota has moved on from those massive switches that used to be in everything and it now looks thoroughly modern.

    In the GXL you have a lovely big wireless charging pad under the climate controls as well as a little tray that would take the key if you didn’t have a key ring. The bin under the armrest is a good size and would take a one-litre carton of milk (don’t, it’s not cooled). Also in there are two USB ports. In front of the bin and behind the shifter you’ll find two generous cupholders. And there’s a Kluger-style shelf in the dash in front of the passenger. Clever.

    Rear vents and USB ports

    Out back you have two more cupholders, air-con vents (unusual in this class), two more USB ports and a centre armrest. The rear legroom is excellent, as is headroom, but not a match for the king of rear space, the Volkswagen Tiguan.

    The boot is huge, with between 542 litres and 580 depending on where you have the two-level floor set. Either way, it’s big and covered by a cargo blind. Toyota never tells us how big the cargo space is with all the seats down, so at best guess, I’d say somewhere between 1100 and 1500 litres. I told you it was a guess.

    You get a space-saver spare, but you can go full-size alloy for $300 but you lose the dual-position floor (and 38 litres).

    Drivetrain

    2.0-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder petrol

    The engine and transmission are perhaps the most uninspiring part of a RAV4 petrol.

    You get a 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated M20A-FKS (Toyota people love an engine code) with 127kW and just 203Nm of torque. The power figure is okay, the torque barely matches most cars from a class down.

    A continuously variable transmission (CVT) transfers the power from the engine to the front wheels. The lack of torque does play into the CVT’s hands, though, as they’re quite good when the twist is at a premium.

    For a few more grand, you can have the hybrid version which is more powerful, has more torque and uses a lot less fuel.

    Fuel figures

    Fuel figures: 6.5L/100km (claimed, ADR)
    Real world: 9.2L/100km

    Don’t panic too much about the gap between the official figure and the real world. For the week I had the car, it spent most of its time bashing around the suburbs as we were hemmed in by fires. It’s not bad but it’s not amazing either.

    Driving

    You don’t buy a RAV4 expecting fireworks and in that respect, it delivers. It is, however, vastly better than the car it replaced. I really didn’t like the fourth-generation RAV4 – slow, terrible ride and handling (compared to its competition), awful steering and a recalcitrant CVT. Yuk.

    All change, please. The steering is good – it has a bit of feel, it’s not too light and you know that when you turn it, the front will go with you. The engine is totally uninvolving and moves you from A to B. The CVT – a type of transmission I generally despise – mostly pretends it’s a ten-speed automatic so isn’t a droning horror. In fact, you get along alright despite the torque deficiency, so it turns out it’s nothing to worry about. It would be a bit of a slug with four on board, though.

    Where I was impressed – and I’m sure you will be too – was the ride. This thing can take whatever you throw at it. On my way to the gym, there is a road with a particularly irritating speed bump. I’ve taken easily a hundred different cars over that speed bump.  The RAV4 just glides over it. I’ve had big German SUVs with air suspension that made much heavier weather of that monstrosity. That means the RAV4 is a very comfortable car for everyone.

    The brakes feel good, it’s quiet both around town and in the cruise and it won’t ever throw any surprises at you.

    Competition

    It’s a war-zone in the mid-size SUV market. Let’s weed out a couple first. The Hyundai Tucson/Kia Sportage twins-under-the-skin are cheaper and both look better. They’re also pretty old and the Tucson is about to get a whole new model. The Sportage won’t be far behind. If you don’t mind that, they’ve got stacks of gear and at this price point, the Tucson has a turbo 1.6-litre.

    The Mazda CX-5 is a terrific car and again, at this price point, you’re getting into the 2.5-litre Maxx Sport AWD spec. That’s an excellent package. Great to drive, lovely interior (although not as good as the new Mazda3) and a decent after-sales package, too. The boot is small, though and the back seat isn’t as comfortable for taller people. Looks terrific, though.

    Honda’s CR-V is approaching mid-life in this generation and holds the distinction of being available with seven seats. And, sadly, a 1.5-litre turbo with a CVT. But it’s a Honda, which means an exceptionally spacious interior, some lovely interior design touches and way too much going on outside. It did very well in a big comparison test over at CarsGuide.

    And then there’s the Subaru Forester. I haven’t driven the new Forester, but hopefully it’s better than the old one which I didn’t like very much at all. It does have the 2.5-litre boxer engine and the EyeSight safety tech is supposedly less frantic these days. People love them, though, and they have a good warranty and reputation.

    And then, finally, there’s the Volkswagen Tiguan. It’s a terrific car, but really getting on now. I last drove one a few years back, the same week I was black-banned by VW’s Australian PR manager for making a joke about Dieselgate. Despite all that, I loved it. It is more expensive and you won’t get a lot of Tig for the same price as a RAV4. After-sales is pretty dire, with expensive servicing and a dealer network I have great trouble with between my VW up! and my mum’s Polo.

    Redline Recommendation

    2020 Toyota RAV4

    The RAV4’s reputation was built on that cutesy first one. People still ask if it has the tyre on the tailgate.

    This is the first RAV4 I can heartily recommend to people. I could before, but it was only for people who didn’t care about driving or fuel economy or just wanted a Toyota. Or they lived in the country.

    It’s not the best to drive – heck, the GXL isn’t even the best RAV4 – but it is packed with stuff. I didn’t feel it was missing anything (well, it didn’t have CarPlay, but it could have if I took it to the dealer), it was comfortable and drove well. It will be a solid companion and is cheap to own.

    But I reckon a hybrid would be worth the extra money. We’ll find out in a couple of weeks.

  • 2020 BMW X4 M Review: Power can be ugly

    BMW’s high-riding X4 M is a fast SUV coupe with a belter of an engine strapped into a polarising chassis to match its looks.

    Look, I’ll come clean with you. I do not like the look of the BMW X4. The great thing about driving an ugly car, though, is that you don’t have to look at it. Beauty, as ever, is on the inside. And so I was pretty excited to get my hands on the S58-powered X4.

    You see, the X4 is based on the X3, a car I drove in M40i guise and liked very much indeed. It’s fast, fun, and here in Australia, a bargain for what you get.

    There is, of course, the X3 M (review soon) and but first, we have the inexplicably popular swoopy version.

    Words: Peter Anderson
    Images: Mr Black

    How much is the X4 M and what do I get?

    Chunky M wheel / Merino leather / Adaptive LED headlights

    Price before on-roads: $164,900 (December 2019)

    We’re quite lucky here in the Antipodes. Well, more accurately, we like the full-fat version of everything, so we only get the X4 M Competition (same with the X3), priced at $164,900. For comparison, the X3 M is seven grand cheaper at $157,900.

    Overseas buyers can choose an X4 M with “only” 353kW. Slumming it, they are.

    Bear in mind, this is a full-on M-car with all the M goodies as well as a metric ton of standard equipment, something BMW is getting better at as the days go by. The recent announcement that you don’t have to subscribe for Apple CarPlay might be a small matter, but believe me, that really stuck in my craw.

    You get a mostly-digital dash, big central touchscreen, leather all over the seats, professional sat nav, Comfort Access (BMW-talk for a package of stuff including keyless entry and start and the seats remember you by the key you’re holding), adaptive LED headlights, a 16-speaker harmon kardon, stereo, wireless phone charging, multi-zone climate control, active cruise control and everything is electrically-operated including the amazing front seats with backlit M logos.

    Naturally, there are many options, including ventilated seats for $1600, heated front seats ($700) and steering wheel ($500) and most of the paint colours are a scandalous $2000 or $2350. You can also get heated rear seats (fancy!) for another $700. Apart from the paint, these seem like reasonable prices to me. Carbon interior trim is a no-cost option instead of aluminium and it actually looks pretty good. You can have woodgrain trim too, but I’m not sure we can be friends if you go for that.

    Safety – 5 stars (ANCAP, December 2017)

    The X4 has a five-star ANCAP rating based on the standard models.

    You get six airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, forward AEB (low speed), forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, auto high beams, head up display, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, speed sign recognition and reverse cross-traffic alert.

    To stop you hitting people and things when you’re manoeuvring you get front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera. The car will also steer itself into a park if you can get it to work and it will also reverse you out of a tight spot if you’ve forgotten how you got in. A bit like a black box recorder, it remembers the last 30 seconds or so of your wheel twirling and will back out exactly as you nosed in.

    Warranty and servicing (December 2019)

    Warranty: 3 years/100,000km

    Like Mercedes and Audi, BMW still has a crap warranty. On a car this expensive, it should go for a lot longer. A $15,000 Kia can manage seven years, the least BMW could do is meet in the middle at five years. I’ve owned old BMWs and they were pretty good, but the length of the warranty feels wrong.

    Capped-price Servicing: Condition-based. $3685 (Basic), $8173 (Plus), five years/80,000km.

    For at least 15 years, BMWs have told you when they need some spanners waved at them or a fresh gulp of oil. BMWs used to be famous for high servicing costs, Ms even more so. Unlike Audi Sport, BMW will sell you a capped-price servicing package for the X4 M, offering a generous five years (see? Five years) or 80,000km (whichever comes first) for $3685. That covers most things, including oil and your annual visit will average out at around $600. Not great, but not terrible.

    A couple of AMGs will cost you that for just three years.

    Now, M reckons you might want to take this on a track day every now and again and are willing to offer a higher level of cover for the same period and costing $8173 and includes brake pads and discs. If it were me, I’d probably not need that because I’m fairly easy on brakes, but some people aren’t, so think carefully.

    Look and Feel

    Swoopy goofy roof / Okay, it does look good here / The view out / Big iDrive screen

    The main differences between the X4 and its X3 sibling are behind the B-pillar. Where the X3 roof stays flat for a bigger load area and big tailgate, the X4’s swoops down like the bigger X6. It’s a bit shabby down low and the front is a bit gapey, but hey, I don’t need to tell you how it looks. You can look at the marvellous photos and make up your own mind.

    The no-cost carbon trim on this car darkened the interior, making it a bit meaner-looking. I reckon it’s very nice and doesn’t make it seem like you’ve bought some stickers from eBay seller rajidajiweewop37,

    Comfortable back seats / 525 litre boot / Wireless charging and CarPlay

    Obviously, the roofline means a smaller boot, but it’s a mere 25 litres difference, measuring a very decent 525 litres. It’s a good boot, too – wide and sensible. Push all three sections of the 40:20:40 split fold and you have a decent 1430 litres (X3 is 1600).

    That roofline also whacks some of your headroom, but I was fine and I’m just a scooch under 180cm.

    The interior feels lovely and is one of BMW’s better efforts. Be nice if it had the full Live Cockpit in the dash like the new 3, X5, Z4 and X6, but you can’t have everything.

    Those 21-inch wheels, though. Phwoar.

    Drivetrain

    S58 straight-six / Eight-speed automatic / Black-tipped exhausts

    Fascinatingly, the X3/X4 M twins host the debut of the new S58 twin-turbo straight-six that will find its way under the bonnet of the new M4 when it finally arrives with its massive krill-straining grilles.

    The 58 should remind you of something if you know your Ms – the X3/X4 M40i uses the B58, along with a bunch of other cars, including the late, lamented M140i. BMW says 90 percent of the parts in the S58 are new, which is probably pushing things, but I don’t care.

    Because it produces 375kW from just three litres and six cylinders. Ten years ago a BMW with that kind of power had ten cylinders and 5.0-litres of displacement. And a thirst for fuel rivalled only by Warnie’s thirst for botox. That’s an astonishing amount of power, a nice round 500 horsepower.

    Torque is pretty important, too, and the S58 delivers 600Nm between 2600 and 5950rpm. The redline is set at 7000rpm while peak power arrives at 6250rpm. It’s kind of nice to have a twin-turbo six that revs almost as happily as a McLaren 720S’s free-spinning V8.

    Those new parts include new single-scroll turbos, 350-bar of injection pressure (for comparison, the M5 V8’s is set at 200 bar) and electrically-operated wastegates. The M exhaust makes sure other road users can hear the car. You can tell it’s going to be loud from start-up and the four black-tips blare when you’re really on it.

    M’s of the past had the seven-speed DCT, but as with the M5, M’s engineers ditched it for the far superior eight-speed ZF automatic. What a belter of a combination.

    Want to know something else? Like the M5’s power figure, BMW is probably under-quoting – a dyno test I’ve seen has already unearthed a figure closer to 405kW or 543hp. Yowser. And the torque is probably closer to 660Nm. Lucky it has all-wheel drive…

    Floor the throttle from standstill (you might need Launch Control) and the X4 M will go from 0-100km/h in 4.1 seconds.

    Chassis

    Big wheels, tyres and brakes / M for molto bene / M-squared / Strut brace

    Two things are clear when you look at the X4 M – it’s low and it rolls on massive wheels. The 21-inch monsters are clothed in Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres, with 255/40s at the front and 265/40s on the rear.

    An Active M differential sits between the rear wheels, which means ever so much fun. You can access the fun via a variety of ways. First, there are the mode selectors for steering, engine and suspension. You can also select three different shift programs – nice, not-so-nice and extremely naughty. You can also program a combination of these settings in the M1 and M2 ears on the steering wheel. Out of the box, M1 turns everything up to Sport and M2, which requires a second push for confirmation, switches the chassis to M Dynamic Mode. Which basically means more slip, gunshot transmission shifts and throttle response faster than a Robin Williams routine.

    The dynamic dampers handle keeping the car flat in the corners and lots extra bracing – including what looks like a hefty crowbar across the engine bay – helps keep the entire chassis braced and stiff.

    Chassis changes from the standard car include different swivel bearings, torque arms and wishbones with elastomer bearings.

    The brakes are huge and you can see the big blue callipers through the spokes of the 21s. Ventilated (obviously) and drilled, BMW has fitted a set of stoppers they expect to work on a racetrack. No, really. And they’re from the M760i. I keep expecting BMW to announce carbon-ceramic options but so far the company says that they’re too expensive at this level.

    Driving

    It never ceases to amaze me how much fun M engineers can extract from an SUV. The first time I drove an X5 M50d a few years back I couldn’t believe how fast it was compared to the petrol V8. When I drove the latter, the M50d blew by me like I was parked up. Astonishing. The X5 M was in another league again.

    The X4 M is quite a machine. As I said, the M40i version is pretty good, but the M is wild. That comes at a price, though. The first time I drove an M I thought it wasn’t as stiff as everyone said. A few more drives, though, and I decided that, yes, it’s quite stiff. Your family – if you have one – will really have to get used to it. Not long before I had this car I also had the Jaguar F-Pace SVR, a car that goes really fast but also rides big bumps a lot better.

    What that car can’t do is handle the way this thing does. On a smooth road (you know, a race track) this thing would be an absolute weapon, despite riding high. While those 21-inch wheels might ruin the ride for some people, they more than make up for it with those sticky Michelins.

    The steering is too heavy in Sport+, so keep it dialled back to either Comfort or Sport and enjoy the way this car works. The all-wheel drive system is pretty much rear-wheel drive when you punch up an M-mode. Only when things get slippy will the system send help to the front wheels.

    The active diff does a ton of work in M Dynamic Mode, pointing the nose at the apex of the corner. The only thing that spoils the fun are chunky bumps. While the car won’t deviate, your backside will leave the seat if you’re not strapped down tight.

    With the eight-speed working the S58 hard, you will cover ground at an almost indecent pace. The X5 M is going to have to be damn good to attract your performance dollars.

    Competitors

    The Jaguar F-Pace SVR ($140,262) we’ve already mentioned, as well as the coupe SUV from Mercedes, the GLC63 S (from $168,100). While both of those cars pack V8s – and in the AMG, a quicker 0-100km/h time and another gear – they’re roughly the same size. You have to spend some money on the Jag to match the specification of the BMW, though. And the Jag is very loud and a hard drinker and yes, I love it, what of it?

    The AMG is also loud and has a certain…reputation attached to the badge. M is a more focussed sport brand than AMG and like the C63 S, the X4 M would probably eat the GLC63 in the corners. The GLC also has higher servicing costs ($4050 for three years, $6100 for four and $6850 for five), even more if you don’t pre-pay (three years is about $5000).

    Audi doesn’t have a dog in this hunt, which is a terrible shame.  The SQ5 doesn’t have the RS4/RS5’s 2.9-litre V6, at least not yet.

    Alfa Romeo’s Stelvio Q is a laugh but has an unconvincing interior, an even more unconvincing senior management, but it is gorgeous and sounds terrific. But it also costs too much and the options are far too expensive.

    If you must, and don’t mind a massive step back in quality, overall refinement and handling, there is the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk with its 700 horses and squidgy front seats.

    Redline Recommendation

    You’re going to have to have a think about this car, as I did. It’s hugely fast and massively capable but unlike its main rivals, it doesn’t have that everyday ride quality. That’s not to say you can’t use it every day – far from it – but it’s not as comfortable. The AMG is heavier partly because it needs air suspension to make it work every day – the GLC43 is fabulously uncomfortable, way worse than the X4 M.

    It is, though, the real driver’s car in the segment, while being absurdly practical despite the swoopy roofline. It isn’t the best-looking – that trophy belongs to the Jag – but boy oh boy, is it fast.