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.
BMW is bringing back the small sedan after the 3 Series just kept growing and growing. The M235i is, obviously, the quick one.
The 2 Series Gran Coupé – irritatingly referred to in the advertising as the Grawn Coop – is essentially a 1-Series sedan. If you were sitting in either of those things within minutes of each other, you would be extraordinarily hard-pressed to tell the two apart. It’s even difficult from the outside until you come around to the side and see the swoopy, signature four-door coupe signature roofline.
The 2 Series Gran Coupe has arrived in Australia, a late kick-start to BMW’s new model assault for 2020. We drove both of them on the local launch in Sydney but I know you’re most keen to read about the fast one, the BMW M235i.
How much is an M235i and what do I get?
218i – $47,990 M235i – $69,990 + ORC
You start with cloth trim, dual-zone climate control, auto parking, front and rear parking sensors, reversing camera, Live Cockpit digital dashboard, keyless entry and start, head up display, wireless charging pad and LED headlights.
The obvious bits are the M Sport steering, brakes and spoiler, 19-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry and start with BMW Digital Key, M Sport front seats with electric adjustment, leather trim, adaptive LED headlights and a 16-speaker harmon kardon stereo.
The second of the two 10.25-inch displays runs BMW Operating System 7.0. The touchscreen is a lovely piece of hardware and super-fast to the touch. It’s loaded with useful functionality as well as wireless Apple CarPlay to go with the wireless charging. In the second half of 2020, as part of an over-the-air update, you’ll score wireless Android Auto. BMW reckons it’s taken a while to get the development and integration right and claims wireless AA is a world-first.
You can opt for the M Performance Package for $2200. BMW says it’s lighter, with 18-inch forged light alloy wheels, blacked-out kidney grille, mirror caps and tailpipes. It knocks a tenth of the sprint to 100km/h, too.
Safety
You start with the usual six airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls and all the usual stuff like three top-tether anchors and two ISOFIX points.
Driving Assistant includes lane departure warning, lane change warning, approach control Warning with city-braking intervention (not officially AEB), rear cross-traffic alert, rear collision prevention and traffic sign recognition.
Warranty and Servicing
BMW is sticking with the three-year/unlimited kilometre warranty despite Mercedes finally shifting to five years.
Servicing is “condition-based” but I’m pretty sure you’ll be in there at least once per year. I was. You can pre-purchase three years of servicing for $1550, which isn’t bad at all. It’s not bad value because it includes spark plugs and brake fluid, which some regimes do not.
The BMW Service Inclusive Plus Package is POA and adds things like brake pads and discs and wiper blades to the coverage.
Look and Feel
Mesh grille is less imposing / X4-ish rear / Booted 1er
Obviously there is a very strong 1 Series vibe on the 2. The roofline looks a bit awkward in the photos but in person, it actually works. It may not have the cool charm of the A3 sedan but nor is it as dull. BMW left ‘dull’ in the rear vision mirror some time ago.
The usual monstrous grille has a meshy 3D effect built in and looks quite good. It’s less imposing than the 218’s usual slatted piece, so that’s good. You can see the usual M Performance bits like the silver highlights on the more aggressive front bumper and the mirror caps. The car I’ve tested here ran on some nice-looking 19-inch alloys.
Here’s a fun stat BMW was keen for you to know – it’s 56mm longer than an E46 3 Series. That’s how big the new 3 Series is and how big the 1 Series has gotten.
I very much like this interior. Bristling with tech and in the M235i, it has very cool-looking (and comfortable) seats. There are some nice practical touches like the new phone holder/wireless charger thing under the dash. It’s rubberised so your phone doesn’t slide around or get scratched but not so hidden you will leave your phone behind (and the car chimes if you do leave it, although I’d prefer the Audi voice telling me). It also fits larger phones, unlike the X2’s wireless charging pad.
The usual M Performance style brushed metal trims look terrific and it really is a great place to spend time. And of course, that lovely M wheel is chunky and nice to hold.
Rear seat space is good if not spectacular and the transmission tunnel gets in the way. Headroom is the same but without the tunnel, obviously. I’d be happy in the back and I’m 180cm tall. Boot space weighs in at 430 litres (50 more than the 1er, 50 less than the 3 Series) and there’s a 40/20/40 split-fold rear seat as standard.
You also get cupholders front and rear (four altogether) and four bottle holders.
This car also has leather interior, but I prefer the suede-ey cloth.
Drivetrain
M235i 2.0-litre turbo
The M235i really steps up from the 218i. It has an extra cylinder and a stonking 225kW and 450Nm of torque from its 2.0-litre displacement. The B54 is a cracker of an engine and is in the Mini JCW (Clubman JCW video here) with the same all-wheel drive system and eight-speed automatic.
It has a reasonably fat torque curve, with max twist available between 1750 and 4500rpm.
It’ll whip to 100km/h in 4.9 seconds
No, it’s not up there with the A45 but more than takes it to the rather more expensive Mercedes-AMG A35.
Fuel Economy
The official combined cycle figure for Australia is 7.6L/100km. As we were sharing cars on a launch and there was lots of idling during filming and things, the figure I got was inaccurate.
The official quoted figure appears to match the WLTP figure for Europe, so you should be able to get quite close to it. Having said that, the M135i (review coming) I drove for the week around the M235i returned 11.8L/100km.
Chassis
Pop the bonnet and you’ll see there’s a fair amount of intent to make this properly sporty. A big old crowbar joins the two sides of the car together to help increase torsional rigidity. It isn’t pretty, but it tells you what’s what. There is additional bracing on the front axle subframe and tunnel.
The front wheels – as with the X2 M35i – score a Torsen limited-slip differential. So it’s clear that while it’s all-wheel drive, it’s front-biased – only half the power can go to the rear wheels. So it makes sense to put the diff up the front.
Also common with other cars on this platform, if you want 19-inch wheels you can’t have the adaptive damping. There was a car with the 18-inch wheels (comically small – the calipers look like they’re off a 911 GT2) and adaptive damping but I didn’t get a drive of that, will do that as soon as possible.
On the 19s, you get Bridgestone Potenza S005s, measuring 235/35 all round and the multi-link rear end is standard. The suspension is 10mm lower and features high pre-load anti-roll bar mountings.
BMW also says it’s fitted a new traction control system that is ten times faster at making decisions. Instead of a separate unit passing information back and forth to the ECU, it’s all part of the same box so data isn’t shuttling around the car.
Driving
Mesh grille is less imposing
Like the M135i, the first thing that struck me about the M235i is how smooth and quiet it is. Even rolling on 19s, the car is really quiet. The engine is strong, of course, pulling hard after an initial hesitation as the turbo spins up.
Switch up to Sport mode and you start to get a bit of noise from the exhaust, though. Some lovely pops and crackles are nice and they won’t be waking the neighbours. Sport mode also improves the throttle response but, as I’ve already mentioned, the suspension is the same.
What the M235i isn’t is a replacement for the old six-cylinder 1s or 2s (the Gran Coupe isn’t a direct replacement for a specific car). It’s got a very different feel, obviously with a transverse engine and all-wheel drive.
It’s fun, though. It doesn’t really have the ultimate pace of the old B58-powered rear-drive platform, but it’s fast and reasonably fluid. It will understeer earlier, but the systems are there to help gather everything up and you can enjoy yourself.
The brakes are really excellent, which is just as well given the 1500kg-plus weight. They have plenty of feel and are nicely assisted so you don’t get any nasty grabbing. The transmission is lightning fast and doesn’t feel like a torque converter auto when you’re in Sport or shifting yourself.
As a day-to-day car, though, this thing is a perfect. Comfortable, snappy on the throttle and with an exceptionally good ride, it’s a cracker.
Competition
BMW isn’t mucking about here. The M235i is a bit cheaper than a CLA250 but is really going after the CLA35, which is a whopping $85,500. The BMW matches the CLA’s power figure of 225kW but wallops it with another 50Nm.
The S3 Sedan is getting really old (its days are literally numbered), but is cheaper at $65,800. It hasn’t got anything like the tech and is probably slightly off the pace for space and overall driving dynamics but quick in a straight line. It’s properly pretty, too – so restrained. It still looks fresh.
Redline Recommendation
The M235i is excellent as long as you understand it’s a whole new thing. Yes, there was a 1 Series sedan in China and Mexico, and there is a fair bit of crossover with the 2 Series Gran Coupe, but that wasn’t anything like its hatchback sibling.
And this isn’t anything like the old 2 Series. If you drop the baggage, you’ll most likely love it. If you want or need rear-wheel drive and/or six-cylinder lungs, this isn’t for you. The world has changed, though, and the M235i Gran Coupe is a result of most customers in this segment not giving a toss about rear-wheel drive.
The great thing is, BMW still gives a toss about how these cars feel, and they feel like BMWs. That’s the important thing and it makes the M235i surprising and brilliant.
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.
Lotus Cars Australia has released a series of tweaks for the entire Lotus range for the rest of 2020. New option packs roll up some options for added value.
February was a busy month for Lotus Cars Australia, culminating in the announcement of the Evora GT 410 and the Lotus Only Track Day at Bathurst.
Just so you’ve got everything straight in your head, here’s the run-down for what Lotus is calling the MY20.5 update for Elise and Exige.
Lotus Elise
Elise Sport 220: $87,990
For the MY20.5 year, the tweaks on the Sport 220 are reasonably small. The seats come in a mix of cloth and leather with contrast stitching and you can upgrade to various stitching options. You also get central locking, electric windows and air-conditioning. The steering wheel comes in leather, too, and the endlessly lovely alloy gearshift takes pride of place.
The Touring Pack is new for MY20.5, with a choice of leather or Alcantara trim, four-speaker stereo with DAB, sound insulation pack, cruise control and black carpeting. The leather comes in black, red or tan. The Alcantara comes in black or red and both packs have silver stitching.
The Sports Pack offers a full Alcantara steering wheel in black, two-piece brake discs, sports suspension with Bilstein dampers and Eibach springs and 10-spoke forged alloy wheels in black or silver.
The 220 ships with a Toyota-sourced supercharged 1.8-litre with 162kW and 250Nm.
Elise Cup 250: $107,990
The Cup 250 is a more driver-focused version of the Elise, as if the 220 wasn’t sharp enough. As the name suggests, the supercharged 1.8-litre produces more power at 181kW.
Chassis upgrades include stiffer Bilstein dampers and an adjustable front anti-roll bar. The aero package brings 158kg of downforce. Out goes the stereo, seats, battery and glass rear screen. The seats are switched with carbon fibre units, the rear screen is made from polycarbonate and a lithium-ion battery replaces the normal one. The lightweight forged alloys reduce unsprung weight. Altogether, the kerb weight drops to 931kg.
Yokohama Advan A052s up the grip, with 195/50/R16s at the front and 225/45/R17s at the rear.
You can also add the Touring Pack if you want to stack the weight back on.
Both Elises feature a ton of options, such as titanium exhaust, metallic or pearl paint options, GFRP or carbon fibre hardtops and a heap of carbon fibre parts. There are also a range of premium paints.
Sport 350 Coupe: $139,500 Sport 350 Roadster: $139,500
The Exige is a big step up, with a supercharged V6 strapped into the back of the brilliant Elise chassis. The 350 serves up 258kW and 400Nm, delivering a 3.9 second 0-100km/h time.
You also score an electronically locking differential and a three-way ESP setup. Braking is by AP Racing with 322mm discs all round. Michelin Pilot Sport 4s adorn the wheels, with 205/45/R17s at the front and 265/35/R18s at the rear.
You can choose yellow or orange from the standard palette or upgrade to metallic, premium or pearl paint options.
Standard features include central locking, rear parking sensors, air-conditioning and electric windows. A standard 12-volt battery ships as standard and you can flip it for the lightweight lithium-ion.
The Elise’s Touring Pack is available on the Exige and the Sport Pack too.
A Carbon Fibre Aero Pack replaces the standard aero parts with carbon fibre, taking in the front splitter, rear wing and rear diffuser. You can also specify a black pack.
Again, there’s a long list of options including lots of carbon fibre bits, painted brake calipers and alloys.
Yep, the 410 means even more power from the supercharged V6, climbing to 306kW and 420Nm to push its 1110kg to 100km/ in 3.4 seconds.
The 410 scores the Cup 430’s oil cooler, bigger clutch and forged four-piston AP Racing calipers with 332mm discs. Nitron dampers perform chassis magic alongside Eibach front and rear anti-roll bars. The various aero parts deliver 115kg of downforce.
The forged alloys wear Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s, with 215/45/R17s in front of you and 285/30/R18s behind.
The cabin spec is similar to the 350, but more black Alcantara. You can also spec the Touring Pack.
We drove the Exige 410 at Bathurst and it was wild.
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?
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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.
After resisting the move for a long, long time, Mercedes-Benz owners will enjoy a five year warranty that includes AMG variants and commercials.
Well. Here we go. From 1 April 2020, all new Mercedes-Benz vehicles will be covered by a five year warranty.
If it’s a private car, that means a five-year/unlimited kilometre coverage.
If it’s for a taxi or ride share car, the coverage is limited to five years/200,000km.
Roadside assist will go for the entire five years and covers you whether it’s private use or for business.
If you’re looking at a Mercedes ute (X-Class) or van (Vito, Valente, Sprinter), private buyers will also get five years/unlimited kilometres while commercial users will be restricted to 250,000km. Commercial users also get 3 years/250,000km on the 12-volt battery.
With a five-year manufacturer’s warranty across our entire Cars and Vans range supported by our existing Capped Price Servicing and Service Plan portfolio, customers can have increased flexibility and certainty throughout their journey with Mercedes-BenzHorst von Sanden, Mercedes-Benz CEO and MD, Australia
Why am I telling you this? Because in every Mercedes review I’ve done, I’ve gone in hard about the three-year warranty being too short. Five years is much more like it and matches the longest pre-purchased service plan available on most Mercs.
If you’ve already bought a Mercedes in March 2020, you’ll get the five-year warranty, which is also rather thoughtful. And it would make a lot of people very mad if they didn’t.
This hopefully means BMW and Audi will follow along shortly.
The Lotus Evora GT 410 is the softer, more daily drive friendly 2+2 and it’s now confirmed for Australia. A bit of luxury, slightly softer chassis but still fast and light.
Lotus Cars announced the 410 a few weeks and Lotus Cars Australia has not only said it’s coming, but have slapped a price tag on it.
We’re big fans of the Evora here, even if we haven’t yet driven it in manual. See our Evora 400 review here. And check out our Exige 410 and Elise Sprint 220 and Cup 250 reviews. And see how owning a Lotus can get you access to Mt Panorama for a day. And see what Lotus’ Executive Director of Asia-Pacific and China thinks the new Lotus looks like.
How much is a Lotus Evora and what do I get?
New seats! / New door cards!
GT 410 Manual: $189,990 GT 410 IPS Automatic: $193,990 410 Sport Manual: $194,990 410 Sport IPS Automatic: $198,990
The Evora GT is a slight change to the car’s philopsophy. Whereas you could – and should – cheerfully drive your Evora to a track and whizz around for the day and then drive it home, the GT is more about being a friendly daily driver.
To that end, you get new-to-Evora Sparco seats in the front, new dark cloth and leather trim throughout the cabin and black carpets. Also standard is a 7.0-inch touchscreen with a four-speaker stereo sat nav, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and a reversing camera. The camera works in tandem with rear parking sensors.
The air-con stays – obviously – and the Evora GT has cruise control, sound insulation pack and powered heated door mirrors. You can choose a two-seater or 2+2 as a no-cost option, which also includes two ISOFIX points.
As it’s slightly less focussed, a cheaper traditional battery replaces the lithium-ion unit in the Evora Sport, but that’s available as an option.
Michelin Pilot Sport 4S wrap the 19-inch front and 20-inch rears, which are a V-spoke alloy design.
You can add the Sport Pack which includes a black Alcantara-trimmed steering, wheel, sport suspension, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres and a choice of GT430-style wheels.
A pretty comprehensive options list includes a titanium exhaust, carbon roof and various other panels, various leather and Alcantara trim bits and a beefier stereo speaker set.
Drivetrain and Chassis
The 410 refers to the horsepower output of the 3.5-litre supercharged V6 from Toyota. Developing 306kW at 7000rpm and 410Nm at 3500rpm, the 1395kg GT will hit 100km/h in 4.2 seconds in both manual and auto. Top speed for the manual is 300km/h with the auto topping out at 280km/h.
The manual can manage 10.6L/100km with the auto drinking at the rate of 11L/100km. Like you care.
The GT’s chassis tune is called Touring. New Bilstein dampers and a slightly different steering tune are the headlines here. Manual versions retain the Torsen limited slip diff.
The front brakes are 370mm with four-piston AP Racing calipers and the rears 350mm, again with AP Racing calipers.
When?
The Lotus Evora GT 410 is on sale now, but no word on when the first cars might land. The Evora is already an absurdly comfortable and capable car, so knocking off a few decibels of road noise and adding a few modest comforts should make that bit more appealing.
As David McIntyre told us, Evora has driven Lotus Cars’ growth over the last two years, especially in China and the US. While Australian Lotus fans may not see the point, the company hopes to lure a few folks happy with a left-field purchase over the usual suspects.
The latest in McLaren’s even-higher-performance Longtail series was supposed to drop at Geneva, but went online instead. Kids today, sheesh.
The 765LT is part of McLaren’s Super Series and joins the slightly (but not very) tamer 720S. With more power (the last thing it needed), less weight and heaps of technical tweaks, McLaren says this is a more engaging drive.
If you’re new here, there’s one thing you need to know about the 720S – it’s one of only two cars to scare me. I think the 765LT is going to join that list.
The 765LT starts McLaren’s 2020 after 2019’s festival of fast in the Senna, Speedtail and Elva and you better get in quick. They’re making “just” 765 of them from September this year.
What is a McLaren 765LT and what do I get?
Despite the name (and the small increase in length), the Longtail isn’t like the old McLaren F1 GTR Longtails. They were F1s with extended bodywork to make them more slippery at Le Mans. These days, the LT name is all about upping the ante on an existing car, which (re)started with the 675LT.
It is lighter, though. At 1339kg (1229kg dry), it’s 80kg less than a 720S and somehow McLaren reckons it’s 50kg lighter than its closest competitor. Which is…I dunno, a 488 Pista? At that weight, the 765 has a power-to-weight ratio of 464kW.
Some of the weight saving comes with the deletion of the air-conditioning audio systems, but you can have them back as a no-cost option. In Austalia, ordering one without air-con would be resale suicide.
Lots of body panels come in carbon fibre, the glass is replaced with polycarbonate where appropriate and the titanium exhaust also saves a few kilos.
Drivetrain
Like every other McLaren, the 765 packs a twin-turbo V8 with a flat-plane crank and lots of power. The 765 number translates to a whopping 570kW and a Senna-equalling 800Nm. Peak power arrives at 7500rpm and torque at 5500rpm.
The mid-mounted V8 drives the rear wheels through a seven-speed twin-clutch transmission. McLaren says the gearing is “optimised for throttle response” with 15 percent quicker in-gear acceleration. The 0-100km/h spring is over in just 2.8 seconds and 0-200km/h in 7.2 seconds. That latter figure is about the time a Focus ST takes to find 100km/h.
The gearbox features a pinion and crown wheel in the final drive made from a nickel chrome called 20NiCh, a material McLaren says is used in Formula 1 gearboxes.
The engine mounts are stiffer. McLaren hilariously says that it increases the emotive engagement by “transferring and radiating the engine’s low-frequency sounds into the cabin. Every change in rpm is amplified, not only to occupants’ ears but also as a feeling through the seats because low-frequency sounds can be both heard and felt.” In other words, it’s loud and everything throbs. In a normal road car, that would be fabulously annoying, but this is a McLaren.
That high-mounted quad exhaust should make a decent racket, too.
Chassis
McLaren started with the already quite light 720S and started work adding and subtracting bits.
A bunch of panels are made from carbon fibre as are the new aero bits. At the front, the splitter, bumper and floor. At the rear, the bumper, rear wing and longer diffuser. The side skirts are carbon too. The new rear wing has a 20% larger surface area.
You can replace the aluminium bonnet, front and rear fenders and doors with optional carbon fibre. Tons of bits and pieces like the number plate holder and window switch surrounds knock out gram after gram. The carbon shelled seats – which look incredible, no? – are a combined 18kg lighter. Optional superlight seats are just 3.35kg each.
More weight shaving (see what I did there?) comes from helper springs in the suspension (1.5kg), lightweight centre tunnel (1.4kg) and another 1.2kg with optional carbon fibre fenders. The windscreen and windows are thinner (enjoy lots of windscreen replacements) and the glazing behind the driver is instead polycarbonate.
Underneath, there is a wider front track, LT-specific springs an dampers, lower front ride height and a remapped Proactive Chassis Control suspension. The 765LT rolls on 20-inch 10-spoke alloys fixed on with titanium bolts and Pirelli P-Zero Trofeo R tyres.
The carbon-ceramic brakes take the Senna’s calipers and have integrated caliper cooling ducts.
How much and when?
The price? Well, I don’t know, but it’s got to be north of $750,000 but I have a history of getting that wrong.
I already love it, but that’s because I’m a bit of a hopeless McLaren fan. This thing is going to be loud, most likely uncomfortable and expensive. But it’s going to be blisteringly fast, heaps of fun and a little bit rare.
If you think BMW hasn’t been serious about electric cars, you haven’t been paying attention. After a long gestation, here’s the first mainstream BMW EV– the BMW i4 Concept.
It’s pretty obvious looking at the i4, this about more than EVs. The giant new grille we’re going to see on the production 4 series, the Gran Coupe bodyshell we will also see in production on the 4 Series.
It also showcases a new cabin concept that includes the firm’s new curved display, which combines the dashboard and iDrive screens into one, long, gently curving screen.
Yes, it has a massive grille but – and this is going to be unpopular – I don’t hate it. It kind of works.
What is the BMW i4 Concept?
After the Geneva press release after-party, er, Geneva Motor Show was cancelled, BMW has chosen to drop the i4 online. This is the first mainstream BMW electric vehicle, a car that sits comfortably among its current ICE and PHEV ranges. A BMW EV that isn’t super-conscious of being an EV.
Yes, it’s very self-consciously BMW, but we’ve already covered that.
The main fun is, obviously, in the propulsion. BMW claims some serious numbers – 600km range (WLTP) for starters. The WLTP cycle aims to put consumption figures into the realm of reality and, as we’ve seen on the Hyundai Kona Electric, is very close to what you might get yourself.
To crack 0-100km/h in four seconds with its 550kg of batteries on board, you’ll need every one of the i4’s 395kW. BMW also says the i4 will keep going on to 200km/h.
The battery is an 80kWh unit and you can probably expect the usual 80 percent charge in about 45 minutes if you have the beefy chargers you can find here and there in Europe.
Look and feel
The i4’s silhouette is instantly familiar – the gorgeous 4 Series Gran Coupe looks like it’s going to stay that way. Well, from the side anyway. The rear is an evolution of the G30 3 Series lights and a very aero-centric backside with a silly concept diffuser. Expect the production car to be less overdone.
Up front, you can see that new grille. Get used to it, BMW is determined to go double Edsel on us, so just go with it. Again, the lights are an evolution of the 3er, with plenty of aero stuff, but this end is a lot closer to reality than the stern. The wheels are insanely large and out of proportion, so hopefully they don’t make the cut.
Look past the rather fetching satin gold trim and the heavily-dished steering wheel (I want that in production), this is the new direction for BMW cabins. While not a massive change, the new double-width screen, imaginatively-titled BMW Curved Display, looks terrific. The curve angles gently toward the driver and looks lovely. Whether those delicate legs survive to production I don’t know, but hey, we can dream.
There are some adventurous materials, but not as much fun as the i3’s, at least not from what we can see in the photos.
BMW makes a bit of a deal about the rear seats and there is a lot of space back there. The EV platform does seem quite roomy, so you can frighten your friends in comfort.
How much and when?
BMW says that the car will go into production in 2021. i4s will run through BMW’s main plant in Munich. The company says that 90 percent of the current production equipment can be put to work on series production of the i4, with just new tooling required for the rear section.
A new set of machinery for battery installation will be bumped into the factory hall over a period of six weeks. I imagine that will happen during the quiet summer period, but that’s a wild guess.
How much? No idea, but I’m hoping it’s reasonable. The i3 isn’t (but I’d still buy it with my own money) but an electric BMW with all that power and big claims about the sporting nature of the car, it’s a tantalising prospect.
The Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA resurrects classic Gran Turismo Alleggerita name from 1965 (and beyond) and comes in two very fast flavours.
Just when you think bonkers cars were dead at Alfa Romeo after the demise of the 4C and the 8C replacement, Alfa goes and does an Alfa. Given the death of this year’s Geneva Motor Show at the hands of COVID-19, Alfa released the car online.
Normally when you turn 110, you’re meant to take things easy, but that’s not the Italian way. The Giulia GTA takes the awesome Quadrifoglio and sends it to the fat farm. Carbon fibre replaces steel, more aluminium replaces more steel. And then you get a bunch of carbon fibre aero parts.
Alfa replaces (or adds) carbon fibre in the form of drive shafts, bonnet, roof, front bumper, front wheel arches and rear wheel flares. The seats are also carbon fibre shells.
If you want to really go crazy, go for the GTAm. It doesn’t have a rear seat but does have a roll cage and six-point harnesses for driver and passenger. You also get a set of Alpine Stars racing gear, a Bell helmet and place to store that gear where the back seat used to be. Steel door components are also replaced with aluminium and window glass goes in favour of Lexan.
All up, the GTAm is 100kg lighter. No door cards and a pull strap rather than doorhandles complete the picture.
Driveline and Chassis
The engine and transmission are fundamentally the same, but with a cheeky 27kW power boost. Tuned by AutoDelta, power is up to 402kW from 275kW. Alfa didn’t post a torque figure. In the standard car it’s a substantial 600Nm, so one imagines it will be higher. Given the weight loss and the already lively performance, it won’t matter if there isn’t more.
The ZF eight-speed is along for the ride as it is more than capable of handling all that grunt. Which delivers a 0-100km/h time of 3.6 seconds, 0.3 seconds quicker than the standard car.
If you need reminding, the 2.9-litre V6’s origins can be traced to Maranello and Ferrari’s twin-turbo V8, which helps explain the noise. The GTAs will be noisier courtesy of an Akrapovic titanium exhaust.
As well as the weight-saving, the GTA features 20-inch centre-lock alloys, a 50mm wider track front and rear. The press release goes all vague and hand-wavey about aluminium suspension components and there is nothing about any changes to the brakes.
Along with the wider track, Alfa says the GTAs have a new set of springs, shock absorbers and bushings.
The aero package was supposedly developed in conjunction with Sauber. If you’re not up with F1, the Sauber team was renamed Alfa Romeo last year. The huge wing only goes on the GTAm, while skirts and front and rear splitters made of carbon fibre add to the aggro look on both.
How much and when?
Yeah, here’s the thing. Alfa Romeo is making just 500 of them and given a few of the technical components and the scourge of luxury car tax, it’s almost entirely unlikely we’ll be getting them here, officially at least.
Shame. I’d quite like to drive one.
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