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Archive for June, 2019

Private Fleet Car Review: Holden Trax LS Turbo

This Car Review Is About: the Holden Barina based SUV called the Trax. This review is on the LS spec with turbo engine. It’s part of a three trim level range (LS, LT, LTZ) with all but one the 1.4L turbo. The range starts with a LS and 1.8L and is priced at $23,990 plus on roads. At the time of writing the LS 1.4L was available at $24,490 driveaway.The Engine Produces: 103kW and 200Nm, plus a figure of 6.7L per 100 kilometres (combined) from a 53L tank filled with 91RON. Our final figure in an urban drive was 8.3L/100km. Drive is through the front wheels and a six speed auto.On The Inside It’s: a reasonably comfortable place to be. Cloth seats are snug and although fully manual are easy to adjust. The doors open wide enough to make getting onto the seats a doddle too. Because it’s a compact machine, at 4,264mm long and a 2,555mm wheelbase, leg room for the rear seat is adequate at 907mm, not startling and dependent on the front pews not being occupied by taller people. Front leg room is fine for all but the the giants, at 1037mm. Shoulder and hip room is also adequate and front seat head room is great at 1,005mm. The Trax helps the front seat passengers by not having a centre console storage bin, just a standard cup holder style.Barina origins mean the dash is the asymmetrical look found in that car. There’s a old-style looking LCD screen to the right, the speedometer dial in the centre, and the fuel and rev counter on the left. It’s a simple looking unit and as a result offers nothing more than what you see, except for the LCD’s switchable info screens operated from the right hand side of the tiller.The dash itself is Euro styled, with the current sweep around in an arch from door to door running at the base of the windscreen. It’s a finer looking plastic and visually more appealing than that found in the Arcadia. Faux alloy rims the air vents at each end, forms a U-loop for the centre display and vents, and highlights the steering wheel arms and centre stack verticals. The aircon controls in the LS are dials, meaning the temperature can be adjusted finitely but airflow isn’t as finely controlled. These sit above a small nook that has USB/3.5mm/12V sockets.

Audio is AM/FM only, with no DAB, which is increasingly seen in the Trax’s opposition. Smartphone mirroring in the form of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are here.On the Ouside: It’s a strong resemblance to the Barina, if more a breathe in and hold look. It’s ovoid in the overall design, with curves everywhere especially on the front and rear flanks. 215/60/17 tyres and wheels underpin those curves. Up front are integrated LED driving lights that curl nicely around the outsides of the clusters. Driving lights are in their own housings at each corner of the lower front bumper. Out back is a manual tail gate, with an opening to just enough room to get a week’s shopping into, with 387L expanding to 1270L with the 60/40 rear pews folded.

Tail lights are a triple layered affair and blend nicely with the bulbous rear guards. There’s also a resemblance, in a way, to the Trailblazer and Colorado up front, and nothing at all in respect to the Equinox and Acadia. There are eight colours to choose from, including the Absolute Red the test car was painted in.

On The Road It’s: Missing something. It’s not a big machine, and the 1.4L isn’t an outright powerhouse, but 200NMm comes on stream at 1,850Nm. Performance, what there is of it, is blunted, muted, initially First impressions were that the tyres were under-pressured, dragging back the LS Trax. It simply didn’t feel as lively, as exuberant, as it should have. It takes a while to feel as if there’s something living under the bonnet. Get to around 1/3rd travel of the go-pedal and once the revs are above 2,000 the hidden life of the engine is revealed.

Suspension is short travel and tight, to the point the Trax would cock a rear corner in certain situations. None of those were at anything more than 10kmh, thankfully. It’s an odd sensation but it pointed towards the ride and handling the Trax LS had. Smooth on smooth roads, jiggly and unsettled on unsettled roads, tracks straight and true otherwise. The front is a tad softer than the rear though and this helps in the front end’s tracking nicely. It’s a slightly numb steering feel, prone to understeer, but it’s predictable, controllable, telegraphing just where the pert nose will go with no chance of misinformation being sent to the driver.What also isn’t sent to the driver is the Acadia’s vibrating seat platform should the onboard sensors detect anything the system deems worthy of sending a signal to the vibrating seat. That’s a long way of saying that the driver is better equipped to deal with driving situations in front of them because they’re not momentarily distracted by a seat going crazy beneath them.

Steering is well weighted and the brakes are also well balanced, with extra bite over the 1.8L that comes with drum rears. the turbo four has discs.

What About Safety?: No AEB, and the LTZ is the only one that gets Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Blind Spot Alert. all three do get a lo-res reverse camera, six airbags, and the mandated driver aids and Hill Start Assist.

The Warranty Is: Five years/unlimited kilometres, with three years free scheduled servicing.At The End of the Drive.
The Holden Trax is apparently due for an update in 2020. It needs it and needs it badly. Not because it’s an unpleasant car, far from it. However when up against cars in the same sphere, it’s immediately dated. Holden’s Traxis available here.

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Private Fleet Car Review: 2019 Holden Acadia LTZ 2WD

This Car Review Is About: The 2019 Holden Acadia in LTZ 2WD trim. It’s the big and American styled machine that replaces the Captiva. It has four doors, fat flanks, a dropped jaw front end, and a V6/auto combination that spins the front driven tyres at the slightest hint of provocation. It’s a seven seater, by the way.This Car Costs: $53,490 is the current sticker price according to the latest pricing guide. $57,490 is for the all wheel drive version. At the time of writing, Holden is moving the LTZ 2WD for a driveaway price of $54,990 for a Summit White body, or $55,565 for one in metallic. That includes free scheduled servicing for three years and a five year warranty.

The Engine Is: a 3.6L V6 with Stop/Start tech mated to an generally super smooth nine speed auto. It’s essentially the same pair to be found in the Commodore. Economy was average, with a final figure of 10.0L/100km. Peak power is 231 kilowatts, with peak twist of 367Nm coming in at 5000rpm.On the Inside It’s: One of the most mundane looking looking interiors currently going. A dull, slabby, semi-gloss, fine-grained black plastic with no visual appeal whatsoever dominates the front seat area and it’s little better heading rearward. The driver and front seat passenger stare at a dash that has a generic a look as can be found. There are silver coloured air vent surrounds at each end, a basic looking centre dash screen and vents with a silver surround sit above a generic looking aircon control cluster, and a pair of seat heater buttons are inserted in either side of a nook for a smartphone charging pad. Front seat passengers also get a different take on heated seats in that either the bottom or back and bottom of the seat can be selected.There are vents in the roof for the centre and rear seat passengers. The rear section gets its own controls and again, they’re GM generic. They do work and well enough for the centre seat passengers to make no negative noises. Said rear seat passengers have the wonderfully simple pull strap system to raise and lower the pews, and the rear gate is powered and comes with the same height adjustable feature found in the LTZ-V. There is also rear section aircon controls which, admittedly, is a rarity seen in this class of car.The touchscreen for the radio is, at least, well laid out in regards to usage. Although it’s a typical GM look, it is easy to read, easy on the eye, and relatively easy to use. However there was a glitch with the digital tuner. After powering up the car, there were times where the screen indicated it was searching for a signal yet would play the last station. At other times it would not play a digital station at all but would be fine when selecting FM. This is the same glitch as noted in the LTZ-V, which means either it’s a glitch that can’t be fixed or Holden is unaware of the problem which is unlikely.On The Outside It’s: Possibly why it seems to not have lit up the sales charts. Take a look at the offerings from Ford, Toyota, Mitsubishi etc. None of them are as overtly apple pie as the Acadia. That’s made evident by simply driving around and keeping an eye out for them. A heavy front end, broadened flanks at the rear passenger doors, a perhaps too solid C pillar and a fussy design here too. Wheels are 6×2 spoke alloys, with Continental Cross Contact LX Sport rubber at 235/65/18.It’s a clear three box design with the bonnet, front and centre seats, then a separate section for the rear. It’s not an entirely cohesive look.

On The Road It’s: A weird mix. Off the line, from a standing start, the front driven rubber will easily chirp with no more than a gentle push of the go pedal. But thanks to its bulk, that’s about as exciting as it gets. That peak torque needs a lot of spin to really be effective in pulling the front wheel drive machine around, and as good as the gearbox is in utilising the torque, there simply needs to be either more of it, or have it come in lower. There is actually an easy fix for that, though, and it’s a one word answer. DIESEL. Yup, there is no oiler in the range and that’s thanks to the country of origin.

Underway it’s super quiet, refined, and smooth in its operation. Go for an overtake and again that dearth of torque become apparent. The same applies for anything remotely uphill, and soon the cogs are nine, eight, seven….. Although Holden’s own engineers have worked on the suspension tunes of the Acadia range, with “FlexRide” dampers on the LTZ, it’s more an American floaty, wafty, spongy ride, even with the big rubber. On the up side, it never bottomed out in the suspension travel, but the plastic strip on the chin did scrape too often on mediocre intrusions. Rebound is well controlled, it’s simply a matter of feeling the springs are too soft up and down.Handling is, well, like the interior. It’s ok. Response is not slow, and it’s not sports car rapid either. The latter isn’t surprising, of course, but the front end could do with a quicker how d’ye do when the tiller is twirled. Body roll is experienced but is also not as bad as expected.

Another weak spot is the way the brakes respond. Or, correctly, don’t respond. There’s dead air for the first inch or so, it seems, then a not spongy but not hard travel and retardation is simply too slow for a vehicle that weights around the two tonne plus mark.What About Safety? Autonomous Emergency Braking, bundled with pedestrian and cyclist detection, starts the list. The LTZ-V has a higher sensitivity when kit comes to reading the road ahead that the LT and LTZ. Blind Spot Alert is standard, Rear Cross Traffic Alert is standard, and Lane Keep Assist and Lane Departure Warning are also standard. A driver’s kneebag, along with front, side, and curtain airbags complement the five standard and two ISOFIX seat mounts. Pack in 360 degree camera views, semi assisted parking, and front sensors, and the Acadia LTZ wants for nothing in regards to keeping the internals safe.The Warranty Is: Five years or unlimited kilometres, with 5 years roadside assist if serviced at Holden dealerships. Website has a capped price quotation system.

At The End Of The Drive.
For a car that is intended to be Holden’s saviour, the Acadia range falls short. This is partly evidenced by the sheer lack of them on roads compared to their opposition from Ford, Toyota, Mitsubishi, and Korea. There is little spark and it falls short of lighting the candle. Having an interior look that is outweighed by entry level cars half its price, no diesel, a lack of genuine tech appeal, a softish ride that may not be to the liking of potential buyers and a rear cargo that simply doesn’t look as wide as Holden’s other seven seater (which comes with a diesel and is therefore more suitable for purpose), plus an exterior unrelated to anything else in the family, means the 2019 Holden Acadia LTZ has a very sharp stick with which to push stuff uphill. It does nothing bad, but it simply does nothing special.

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Genesis: Reborn.

Hyundai has relaunched its sub-brand, Genesis. There are two models, the G70 and G80, and Sydney city now has a storefront in Pitt Street where prospective customers can visit and view. The G70 comes with a choice of two engines and three model grades, the G80 in 3.8 and 3.8 Ultimate.
The G70 offers a 2.0L turbo four, and comes in 2.0T, 2.0T Sport, and the top of the line 2.0T Ultimate, with 179kW and 353Nm. There is a V6 version too, with the 3.3-litre twin-turbo powerplant in 3.3T Sport, ultra-luxurious 3.3T Ultimate, and the 3.3T Ultimate Sport, which combines the features of Ultimate with Sport styling. Transmission is an eight speed auto, spun by a 272kW/510Nm 3.3L V6.
Pricing for the G70 starts at $59,300 and there’s an astounding amount of standard equipment for the price. Along with the Australian fettled suspension, there’s the Genesis Active Safety Control driver assistance system and Genesis Connected Services, hands free boot opening and an instrument cluster with a 7.0 inch digital display. The front seats are heated and powered for 12-way adjustment, the infotainment system is accessed via an 8.0 inch screen, and features Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, plus DAB. There is also a wireless charge pad for compatible smartphones.
Level up to the Sport and Brembo comes on board for the stoppers. Up front will be four pistons and the rear has two. They’ll be inside 19 inch alloys and rubber comes from Michelin. The Ultimate has vented front seats with 16 positions, Nappa leather, memory positions for the driver’s pew, heating for the steering wheel which is on a powered column, and sections of the rear seats. Extra tech in the form of a HUD, 360 degree viewing, a powerful 15 speaker sound system from Harman Kardon, and adaptive headlights. G70 3.3T variants feature Genesis Adaptive Control Suspension, a Variable Gear Ratio steering rack, and Dynamic Torque Vectoring Control.
The bigger G80 starts at $68,900. The Genesis Adaptive Control Suspension is standard, along with nine airbags and the Genesis Active Safety Control suite. A 9.2 inch high definition touchscreen pumps sounds through a 17 speaker Lexicon by Harman system, and will have the wireless charge pad, surround view monitor, LED headlights, a driver’s seat with memory positioning and powered steering column and the Genesis Connected Services setup. 19 inch wheels are standard on the $88,900 Ultimate. Nappa leather is inside, and both front and rears seats are heated/vented. Access to the interior is via soft-close powered doors. The tiller is heated and the driver also has a HUD. Ignition is kicked off by a Smart Key card. Spend an extra $4,000 and both inside and out gains enhancements. The standard G80 also offers a panoramic sunroof as a $3,000 option.
Power for the G8 is courtesy of a 3.8L V6 pumping 232kW and 397Nm. Drive modes are Normal, Eco, Sport, and Snow. Transmission is an eight speed auto. The Genesis Adaptive Control Suspension or GACS incorporates Dynamic Stability Damping Control (DSDC) and Electronic Control Suspension (ECS) which has dampers continually reading the road and adjusting up to 100 times per second the compression and rebound settings.
Warranty is five years, unlimited kilometres, with five year 24/7 roadside assist, a complimentary service offering of five year/50,000 kilometres, five years map updates, and five years subscription to the Genesis Connected Services. There is a new offering in regards to ordering and delivery. The Genesis To You service brings: A test-drive home-delivery service, industry-first online build and order with haggle-free, fixed pricing plus a concierge pick-up and delivery for scheduled servicing, with a complimentary courtesy car. There is a personalised handover service on delivery. Head to The Genesis website for info.

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Kia Loses Its Soul, Finds Its Seltos Instead.

Kia has released more details of its compact SUV to be called Seltos. Due for sale in the second half of 2019, the Seltos replaces the Soul but has strong familial looks to the outgoing car and more than a hint of SsangYong Tivoli. To be built in both India and Korea, the Seltos is said to be a showcase car of technology. Featuring a 10.25 inch touchscreen as the centrepiece inside, it has the ability to show a split screen and customize the screen to display up to three applications simultaneously. The driver, therefore, can choose to have a single display (such as navigation) or combine different elements on-screen.

Seltos will add in new feature lighting and an optional Sound Mood Lighting system, which will emit soft light from panels in the doors. This includes a unique 3D-patterned surface on the door panels. The Sound Mood Lighting system will pulse in time to the beat of music playing through the audio system and will allow a user to program from eight customisable colours and six themes to illuminate the cabin. The Seltos will also offer the UVO CONNECT telematics system. As more and more makers move into interconnectivity, UVO CONNECT blends the usage of smartphones and the car’s touchscreen.

Part of the technology brings live data such as traffic flow and information, weather updates, and something to look at in a points of interest for a good country drive, for example. An app will back this feature up, with data from trips and news about the Seltos itself. The UVO system is free to users for the first three years, and includes stolen vehicle notification and tracking, safety alerts, auto collision notification and emergency assistance. Sounds come from a Bose 8 speaker system and the driver has an 8.0 inch HUD for instant information in the eyeline.

Power is courtesy of three engines. A naturally aspirated 110kW of 2.0L, a turbo 1.6L with 130kW, and a diesel to produce 100kW from 1.6L will be available elsewhere with the Australian market to receive the turbo petrol and standard petrol. The 2.0L will drive a CVT and will be front wheel drive, with the turbo petrol an all wheel drive and seven speed dual clutch auto. Naturally the Eco/Normal/Sport modes will be standard.
The body itself share the same stocky stance as the Soul; there’s a steeply raked windscreen sitting behind a bluff and solid looking nose with Kia’s signature “tiger nose” grille and LED lights for the front and rear. Turn signal lamps have a deep 3D design and even the fog lamps are LED. The actual design is intended to show off a sense of assertiveness. This is emphasised by a solid shoulder line and character lines on the bonnet. Depending on model, the wheels and tyres are high-grip 205/60 R16, 215/55 R17 or 235/45 R18 tyres.
Contact Kia to prebook your test drive. http://credit-n.ru/offers-zaim/zaym-na-kartu_migcredit.html