Archive for June, 2017
Private Fleet Car Review: 2017 Haval H6 Lux.
This is the second visit to Private Fleet for Chinese brand Haval. This time round, the second level H6 Lux graces the driveway, complete with poky turbo four and six speed dual clutch auto, for two weeks. Let’s see how it fared.
Style wise there’s nods towards the English and Germans, with a Range Rover Evoke-esque profile, complete with slanting window line, whilst front and rear there’s Audi in the grille and tail lights, even down to the crease line from the outer edges. The lights themselves are self levelling and there’s the almost obligatory LED driving lights in the cluster. It stands at 1700 mm tall including roof rails, 4549 mm in length and rolls on a 2720 mm wheelbase. Rubber is from Cooper, 225/55, on good looking 19 inch alloys.
It’s here the first issue arises. The tyres are of a hard compound and work fantastically well on gravel and unsettled or broken road surfaces. But take the H6 onto wet roads, nay, even damp roads, and grip limits diminish rapidly. The front driven wheels will spin far too easily, with traction control seemingly powerless to intervene straight away. It’s worth pointing out that this happens on light throttle, not a heavy application. They’ll also spin on a dry road if at an angle, not with the steering wheel straight ahead.
The dual clutch auto is from fabled German transmission maker Getrag, and when it’s under way it’s a pearler. Note the caveat: when it’s under way…from standstill it exhibits all of the worst traits of a DCT, being a far too l gap between engagement of first, the pressing of the accelerator, and forward motion happening. This particular transmission was also not a fan of cold weather, with stuttering and indecision the primary behaviour shown from start up. It also requires a fine balance between brake and go pedal on slight slopes such as those in residential roads and doing a three point turn. So combined with the overly hard rubber, lack of traction, the stutter then grip, the initial driving part is all a bit of an eyebrow raiser.
When it all works it’s crisp, super quick, and silky silky smooth. There’s even a little “phut” from the twin exhaust tips well hidden in the lower bumper. Naturally there’s a manual shift option, and that’s just as efficient whether using the transmission selector or the twin metal paddles behind the tiller. Give it some welly and it’ll slide on through as easily as a goal-sneak in a world cup level football game.
It’s a pretty decent ride too, with the rear perhaps just a little too softly sprung. On the rutted and unsettled road around Sydney Motorsport Park it’s fantastic, with minimal compression and there’s a genuine feeling of stability and agility. Take the Haval H6 out onto the freeways and it’s flat as a tack. It changes lane easily and smoothly, with no indication of mass transfer. The steering? Well…it feels like a long block of rubber, with nothing on centre and as you go further left or right it tightens but still has no feeling of anything bar…rubber.
Oddly, it’ll also cock a rear at slow speed when winding on lock and coming off a kerb. There’s no sense of instability but it’s a weird sensation given the otherwise competency of the chassis. Punt it up (or down) Sydney’s Old Bathurst Road on the fringes of the Blue Mountains and it’ll both slur through the gears and ride clean and stable from top to bottom or vice versa. Ask the question for an overtake on a flat road and it’ll whistle up the required head of steam in no time.
While you’re doing that you can enjoy the rather excellent interior. Yes, there’s a smattering of grey plastic with a woodgrain look but aside from that it’s well laid out, easy to read and use, comfortable to sit in with quick heating (front AND rear) leathers eats plus there’s a surprising amount of leg room for rear seat passengers and an indecent amount of rear cargo room. If there’s a let down, and it’s nit picky at that, it’s the look of the background for the driver’s info and centre screens. Think a crosshatched pattern in a slightly lighter blue than the rest of the screen and you’re looking at what a coloured screen from the 1980s. Having said that, the driver’s screen will show economy (and it’s far too thirsty at consistently over eleven litres of 95 RON per one hundred kilometres), tyre pressures, and more.
There’s a full glass roof with sunroof at the front and backed by a coloured coded cloth roller, LED interior lighting that varies through seven or eight different colours, truly tasteful texture to the black plastic and a pleasing contrast with white lining the lower section, plus cobalt blue backlighting to the alloy sill plates. The centre console has the tab for the colour changing, drives modes (Sports/Eco/Normal), descent control, mirror folding, park assist, and even audio. What would have been nice in the Haval H6 would be the slide out extensions in the sunshades. Far too often the sun was coming through the gap left by the shortness of the shades.
The selector is tastefully trimmed in alloy and leather and Haval have even gone back in time with a coin slot at the front of the console. It’s a push button Start/Stop and here’s another quirk. The Haval H6 test car required that, after you’d selected Park, that not one but two presses of the button were required in order to power off, in conjunction with ensuring the foot was OFF the brake. Leave the foot on and….the car would start back up.
The wide opening doors make ingress and egress simple and show off just how much rear leg room there is even with the front pews pushed back. The sills look good in daylight and simply stunning at night. Safety wise there’s six airbags, ESP from Bosch, pretensioning seat belts and confident feeling brakes with the usual assistance electronically plus Euro flashing emergency style brake lights. Overall, Haval have really done a fantastic job in packing and trimming the H6.
At The End Of The Drive.
Haval H6. Not a particularly inspiring name but logical in the sense of how Haval will position their vehicles. Somewhat derivative styling, quirky transmission, and rubber bar steering aside, it’s a delightfully packaged vehicle, well equipped, a good drive and ride on dry and gravelly roads, and at just on $30K (plus free satnav as of June 2017) a very well priced item to consider. When Haval tighten up the DCT and make the feeling of steering more accessible it will be a hard package to ignore. Here’s the link to have a look for yourself: Haval Australia H6
It's Swift For Sure As Suzuki Updates An Icon.
Suzuki‘s brand new Swift has landed in Australia and Private Fleet will be able to provide reviews of two members in the range in July. Here’s a look at what’s now available.
There will be a four model range: GL, GL Navigator, GL Navigator with Safety Pack and the top of the range GLX. There will be two engines available with the GLX receiving a 1.0 litre direct injection turbo and the other three a 1.2L DualJet multipoint injection powerplant. Power for the former is 82 kilowatts with the 1.2L rated as 66 kW. Importantly, torque for the three potter turbo is 160 Nm between 1500 and 4000 rpm, with the 1.2L receiving a peak figure of 120 torques at 4400 rpm.
The entry level GL will power down via a five speed manual, the Navigators will use a CVT, and the GLX Turbo is fitted with a six speed auto. There’s currently no word yet of a Swift Sports model. Economy, unsurprsisingly, is frugal. The GL is rated at 4.6L/100 kilometres, the GL Navigator twins at 4.8L/100 km, and the GLX is 5.1L/100 km (combined cycle). The variances come from the weights, at 870 kg, 900 kg, and 915 kg (kerb weights).
Pricing is sharp: the GL will kick off at $15990, the Navigators will be $17990 and $18990, and the top of the range GLX is $22990. The GL will roll on 15 inch steel wheels, the others will be on 16 inch alloys and the GLX will have polished alloys to boot.
Feature wise all but the GL will receive Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, digital radio, Cruise and Adaptive Cruise Control for the GL and GL Navigator & GL Navigator Safety Pack and GLX, plus the Navigator duo and GLX get satnav (hence the Navigator name). The difference in safety between the two Navigators is simple but marked. All cars will get teh standard electronic aids plus airbags, however the Safety Pack adds in Automatic Emergency Braking, Lane Departure Warning, Weaving Alert plus the non Safety Pack Swift gets Hill Hold Control as well.
The exterior has been completely refreshed and strengthens the family look with the bigger Baleno. In profile there’s some carry over with the window line, but it’s the flanks, headlight and taillight design, grille, and rear pillar that mark the difference. The headlights are more angular and sweep into the front guards plus the GLX lamps are LED. The Navigators have conventional halogens and LED driving lights are fitted to the bumper. At the rear the GLX is distinguishable from the GL range by virtue of having LED brake and tail lights and have a distinctive C shape.
Size wise the newly redesigned chassis is thirty kilos lighter and the new Swift is shorter, has a longer wheelbase, and sits lower overall, with the seating positions also lowered. There’s no compromise though in regards to overall space, with the cargo area up 32L to 242L. The redesign covers the interior as well, with a D shaped tiller, restyled dash and console, a better look and feel to the plastics, and a more ergonomic look throughout.
Outside there’s an improved colour palette, with Burning Red Pearl Metallic and Speedy Blue Metallic being added to the existing Super Black Pearl/Mineral Grey & Black Roof/Premium Silver Metallic/Pure White Pearl options. 
The new 2017 Suzuki Swift range is available for oredr and test drives now at your local Suzuki dealership. Head to Suzuki Australia for information and to book a drive.
Will the X-Class be a Tradie Favourite?
Mercedes Benz X-Class Ute
I love utes – always have – and that’s why I’ve owned my current Navara for nearly six years. It’s not brand spanking new but let’s just say it’s been a workhorse in the garden and beyond, and it has been really well looked after. Longevity is what this Nissan Navara D21 is all about; it just keeps going without anything major needing to be done. Could longevity and practicality be the key highly sort after characteristics of what a great ute should be? If you happen to be a Tradie, then these features have to be playing on your mind when you buy a new ute for work.
Toyota Hilux, Ford Falcon, Holden Rodeo and Nissan Navara are big names wheeled about amongst Tradies who have worked the hard yards with typically these utes being commonly their favoured working companions. These are the guys that know which utes last the distance, so when a new ute like the Mercedes Benz X-Class is about to make a glamourous entrance on the big stage, will it fly high or sink? The coming years will reveal whether the new X-Class will still be made mention of around smoko tables on builder’s sites, landscaper’s gardens and farmer’s markets.
No doubt, Mercedes-Benz will have done their homework. Their current new vehicles are known for being classy luxury sedans, wagons, coupes, and in more recent years, SUVs. So with the addition of the new X-Class Ute, we should be seeing plenty of luxury – particularly in the X-Class interior. Mercedes Benz V-Class vans have been around for some time now, too, and they have been pretty solid workhorses.
The new X-Class range of vehicles are expected to arrive in Australia from 2018, with the exact launch dates, specifications and pricing to be announced closer to the time. Having shown off the concept at various motor shows, the X-Class lines look sleeker than most utes I’ve seen – except for the likes of the Falcon and Commodore utes. The new X-Class ute isn’t really in the Falcon and Commodore ute class, however, and with its fulltime AWD and serious off-road capabilities the X-Class can be taken into serious off-road terrain. Sleek but aggressive and intimidating are words that come to my mind to describe the solid and bold X-Class looks.
Interestingly, the new X-Class for Australasia will be built at a Nissan plant in Barcelona, Spain in a marriage with Renault and Nissan. The X-Class will be built using the new Navara platform; however the engines, all-wheel drive systems and interiors will all come from other Mercedes-Benz sources like the C-Class and V-Class range. The top X-Class model will be powered by a very powerful V6 diesel engine which will be mated to a Mercedes-Benz’ 4MATIC permanent all-wheel drive system. The AWD system will combine an electronic traction system, a transfer case with reduction gear, and two differential locks for the serious off-road expedition. This powerful drive system in combination with a tough ladder-frame chassis will result in the X-Class achieving payloads of more than 1.1 tonnes, and a towing capacity of up to 3.5 tonnes.
Mercedes-Benz Concept X-Class Interior
Volker Mornhinweg, the head of Mercedes-Benz Vans, says “Our future X-Class will be a pickup that knows no compromise. Ladder-type frame, high-torque six cylinder engine, and permanent all-wheel drive are compulsory for us. As an added value, we will bring safety, comfort, agility and expressive design – in other words, everything that distinguishes vehicles bearing the Mercedes star.”
Did you know that in Australia, Argentina and New Zealand more than 14 per cent of new vehicle registrations are for a one-tonne ute! No wonder we’re seeing the likes of Mercedes and VW getting stuck into a slice of the pie, too.
2017 Kia Rio Si: Private Fleet Car Review
Kia’s rollout of updated and revamped cars continues, with the Rio the latest of the family to receive a makeover. Private Fleet goes one on one with the $22000 (includes metallic paint)2017 Kia Rio Si.
Straight up, gone are the goldfish goggle eyed headlights, trimmed down to slim line units from front on and sweeping back into the fenders. The grille is reduced to a mail slot and sits above a larger and restyled air intake bisecting two smaller slots fitted with driving lights that come on when cornering. In profile the window line echoes that of the Sorento as do the tail lights and overall the Rio seems to have a more upright stance than the outgoing model.That sleek new body hides a mix of modern and dinosaur style technology.
There’s a peppy and zippy 1.4L multipoint fuel injected four, good for a maximum power output of 74 kilowatts and torque of 133 Nm. That figure is reached at 4000 rpm and it’s noticeable that pull from this engine, by the seat of the paints, comes in from around 2500. The dinosaur in the room is the archaic four speed automatic transmission. This, wholly and solely, holds back any decent driveability. Under light acceleration the shift from first to second feels as if the car has hit a puddle of molasses. When pushed the drop becomes even more visible, going from 5000 rpm down to just over 2000.
Although it shifts smoothly and slickly enough, the Rio would be better equipped with a CVT. Using the manual shift option barely improves the experience. It also affects fuel economy adversely, with the official figures being quoted as 6.2L/100 km from the 45 litre tank for the combined cycle. A Wheel Thing saw a best of 7.2L/100 and that was on a freeway at constant speed after a week of urban driving.
Inside it’s a complete freshen up. A real boon for people that like variety is the addition of Digital Audio Broadcast or DAB radio. Yes, digital radio in a $22K car, plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It’s a simple and clean look to the seven inch screen, which also offers in the Si and SLi satellite navigation with traffic information, with the typically ergonomic and easy to read look that typifies Kia. The leather bound steering wheel on the tilt and reach column is home to cruise control, audio, and Bluetooth buttons, with the formerly slightly sharp edges in previous versions now of a softer and rounder design.
Air-conditioning is effective and the dials are old school by the fact they’re…dials. In the console below is the USB, 12V, and auxiliary ports for external music supply as the Rio no longer carries a CD slot. Vale the silver disc. The dash and console itself, of a semi gloss black plastic (which reflects badly in the dash, a safety distraction) on the upper section and a gunmetal look across the horizontal, flows and blends smoothly into the door trim. Oh, it’s a key start, not push button, for the driver and their passenger as they sit in cloth and leather trimmed seats.
The 4065 mm long five door sits on a handy 2580 mm wheelbase, allowing cargo space of 325 litres with the rear seats up, increasing to 980 litres folded. With an overall width of 1725 mm and height of 1450 mm there’s plenty of leg, shoulder, and head room for four adults. There’s also a USB port for the rear seat passengers, plus ISOFIX mounts, a feature virtually standard in Australian specification cars nowadays as are the six airbags, driver safety programs (bar Autonomous Emergency Braking and Blind Spot Alert).
Apart from the four speed auto, it’s a delight to drive on the road. Although the alloys are just 15 inch in diameter, with 185/65 tyres the Rio rides and handles well enough for most road conditions. It’s crisp enough in turn-in with a surprising lack of understeer. It’ll lane change quick enough, given its 1162 kg plus passenger weight and will do so with minimal body roll. The torsion beam axle stabilises the rear but the rear suspension attached is a little too soft with that rear end feeling as if it would bottom out easier. 
The brakes also need a tightening up, with again a little too much travel before a satisfactory amount of bite happens. The usual bumps, lumps, and undulations do affect the little car but it remains mostly well tied down and does allow for a comfortable enough ride in the urban environment.
At The End Of The Drive.
Bluntly, it’s a crying shame the Rio has been hamstrung with that four speed auto. The engine feels as if it wants to deliver more, the chassis is competent enough, the new look is sweet, and the trim levels across the three models provides a well appointed choice for buyers. As more and more makers with small cars with small engines move to CVTs, for all of their foibles, it’s a better option for the Rio than the current one.
For information, details on Kia’s seven year warranty and associated service plan, and to book a test drive, head over to Kia Australia here: 2017 Kia Rio range.
Level 2, 9 Help Street