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SUV: What Is It?
SUV: Sport Utility Vehicle. Toyota can take the charm or the blame for giving Planet Earth this, thanks to the RAV4. It didn’t take long for other manufacturers to join the queue, even the luxury brands. Nowadays, if you don’t offer a SUV or three, your sales force will take a hit.
But what is a SUV? The way I see it, in simple terms, it’s a crossover between a station wagon and a four wheel drive, with the origin sometimes a sedan style vehicle that became a wagon. The RAV4, the car some call the original SUV (although the Americans will claim it was the Cherokee in 1984 that started the trend), was and remains a wagon in shape, sitting on a raised body style.
Let’s break down where we sit in 2015; there’s no longer a case of one size fits all, so, for the purposes of simplicity, I’ll go small/medium/large.
Australia’s perennial combatants, Ford and Holden, both offer entries in the small SUV size. Based on their small cars, the Fiesta and Barina, they offer up the EcoSport and Trax. They’re tiny, at just under 4300 mm in length and sitting on wheelbases of just 2600 mm. It really is as if the hatch has been perched on top of a mini four wheel drive system. Power comes from, generally, the same kind of engines found in the “donor” vehicle. The Trax offers either a 1.8L or turbo 1.4L whilst Ford has the same 1.0L three cylinder as found in the Fiesta, in its range.
Japanese company, Suzuki, well known for its niche approach, has the Swift based S-Cross in its range, the revamped and renamed SX4. 
Although not strictly a SUV, there’s not enough difference to not include the somewhat odd looking Japanese entry. Another odd looker is the controversially styled Nissan Juke; personally not a favourite of mine it still needs to be included as it fits the criteria I have set. Mitsubishi would have us believe the ASX is gorgeous….I’ll leave that to you (don’t forget the sister models from Peugeot and Citroen)
Next step up the ladder we find the Audi Q5, Porsche Macan, Ford Kuga, Jeep Cherokee, Holden’s Captiva, Kia Sportage, Hyundai ix35/Tucson, Nissan Dualis and the one that started it all, the RAV4 and they’d all be within this medium class. Most are five seaters only, a couple offer seven (albeit) cramped seats, will vary in engine capacity and fuel (diesels start to be more common here, at around the 2.0L size). Subaru’s evergreen Forester would dovetail nicely and has just been updated to slide a diesel into the engine bay as well. Features such as forward collision warning, auto tailgates and the like start to become within reach. Drivetrain options will be primarily automatic and front wheel drive only, with some makers offering some off road ability and electronic controls like Hill Descent Control, however the Cherokee will be a standout with a “proper” off road transfer case and four wheel drive capability.
Up the ladder we find the large SUV; consider the Grand Cherokee, Volvo XC60/90, Mitsubishi Outlander, Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorento, Toyota Kluger, Porsche Cayenne, Audi Q7, Ford Territory and such. Price will vary considerably between makers and individual models with a range, with features such as glass roofs, seven seats, rear seat air conditioning vents and controls. Off road capability increases, with more having a centre locking differential as standard (but not necessarily a transfer case for low range gearing) plus ride height will have increased and diesels will be more prevalent compared to petrol engines (generally around 3.0L and above) and interior trim levels and equipment will have increased to reflect the specification level.
Mazda once had the CX-9; sales decreased due to the viability of the CX-7 hence I include the CX-7 here, with the CX-3 and CX-5 slotting into the small an medium car parks.
Companies such as Nissan and Toyota do provide dedicated off road capable vehicles such as the LandCruiser and Patrol, as does Land Rover and Range Rover. As such, they tend not to come under the SUV umbrella.
This article is also not intended to be a solid and definitive coverage, rather it’s to provide a guideline and paint an idea of what a SUV may entail. For more specific details, please use the various company websites.
Volvo XC60 T5: The Review
A Wheel Thing is wrapping up a month of Volvo with the XC60 T5; the upper mid sizer is a great way to travel, comfortable and roomy and a fantastic long distance traveller.
Powersource.
It’s the now familiar 2.0L turbo petrol engine, with that 350Nm of torque from 1500 to 4500 revs. Performance is slightly dulled in the XC60 thanks to the 1766 kg dry weight (then add fuel, 
passengers and cargo) but never to the point of feeling lacklustre.
The torque is pushed out via the front wheels through a eight speed auto, geared to take advantage of that torque. Acceleration is rapid, as a result, surprisingly so for the bulk, at just a tick over seven seconds. Economy will vary, naturally, on driving style and location, however in one week it rounded out as close as dammit to 8.0L per 100 kilometres covered from the 70 litre tank. This was, admittedly, helped by a good length country drive to Kiama, on the NSW coast just 90 minutes south of Sydney.
The Suit.
She’s a good size, slotting nicely into the upper mid size bracket, alongside competitors such as 
the Hyundai Santa fe, Kia’s Sorento or Jeep’s Grand Cherokee. It sits high but not so that a five year can’t get in easily. It’s a pleasing mix of curves, both subtle and overt, especially along the rear haunches.
Sitting on a 2774 mm wheelbase, with a length of 4628 mm, there was plenty of sheetmetal to work with and throughout its design life the XC60 (first released in 2008), it’s been a bluff, upright yet handsome beast to look at.
In profile it’s a wedge shape, perhaps a touch heavy in the rear quarter, with a leaned forward tailgate, whilst seen directly from the rear, it’s a mostly squared off look, softened by the inwards tapering tail lights. The front is standard Volvo family fare and rolling stock were 18 inch alloys, clad in 235/60 Continental tyres.
On The Inside.
It’s little different to look at, dash wise, to the other members in the Volvo family with the three colour choice display, key slot (proper keyless start here however), a mix of black and off white plastics, a brushed alloy look to the steering wheel spokes, B pillar mounted air vents for the rear seat passengers plus built in child seat boosters.
The rear gate is power operated, using the key fob or buttons inside; it’s simple and effective 
access to the cargo area, which has a false floor, offering extra cargo space if needed.
The front seats are, naturally, power operated, with the driver getting a choice of three memory settings. Again, it’s a cozy, comfortable workspace, with room enough thanks to the total width of 1891 mm and height of 1715 mm.
A downlight is the offering of shifter paddles, a totally needless addition.
On The Road.
Sure, it’s close to 2000 kegs when loaded up, but that torque and gearbox work so well together it’s not really noticeable. Most of the mass is low down, so a hard turn sees the centre of gravity effect kept to a minimum. Even the brakes have no issues 
in hauling down the XC60, with a smooth and well modulated pedal feel adding to the overall luxury ambiance.
The high style is backed up by the high sidewalls offering up a compliant and plush ride, doing a great job to balance out road imperfections and handling. It’s a front driver, the T5 yet torque steer was minimal and understeer was only noticeable when ferociously pushed into a turn. The steering was well weighted, with enough pull and push feel to have a driver not wish for more or less.
The Wrap.
It’s been a great five weeks with Volvo, with one more to come soon; the XC60 is a great way to wrap up the month. There is no doubt that the Volvo XC60 T5 offers family friendly luxury at a good price, it’s both roomy and fuel efficient enough and with plenty of driving dynamics to please a driver with sporty pretensions. Head here: http://www.volvocars.com/au/all-cars/volvo-xc60/pages/default.aspx for XC60 details.
Volvo V40 T5 Cross Country: The Review
In the third (and unexpected) V40 to be parked in A Wheel Thing’s garage, due to a minor but potentially non road worthy sensor glitch in the scheduled S60 sedan, the newly released Cross Country version was offered as a replacement, with the S60 being rescheduled. As such, this review will look at the differences between the Cross Country and its stablemates, rather than a normal in depth look.
Powersource.
It’s the turbo four and six speed 
auto combination; that 180 kW top end and 350 Nm from 1500 to 4500 revs combine sweetly in the Cross Country. It provides plenty of acceleration, makes overtaking a breeze however there’s a hesitation with the gearbox engaging Drive from Reverse and some indecision on light throttle applications. Under way, the transmission responds to the engine’s demands with alacrity.
The Suit.
There’s an inch or two extra ride height, some truly good looking 18 inch charcoal and silver 
alloys, some extra body work on the Cross Country, featuring black urethane panels at the rear, along the sides and in the lower section of the front bumper, plus brushed alloy look inserts under the doors. With the review car painted white, it’s an eye catching mix of 
Stormtrooper toughness and a touch of bling.
The roof is the panoramic all glass style, with shade provided by a interior colour matched screen, that rolls in and out of its storage at the front of the window.
On The Inside.
It’s a standard V40 interior bar a copper coloured 
overlay on the upright console section, between driver and passenger. It’s a striking colour and draws the eye to the control section of the car. This vehicle was as standard as you can get, meaning very few, perhaps no options were fitted.
Colour wise, the seats and dash were black with the roof and pillar lining a shade of light grey-blue, giving an airy and comfortable feel to the office space.
On The Road.
The torque of the four banger works hand in hand with the AWD system fitted to the V40 Cross Country; with more traction comes more control and it’s subtly noticeable in the Cross Country. 
It feels more grippy, more able, yet the suspension is a touch jiggly at times. It never feels that a wheel will lose contact, there’s simply a hint of not quite enough compliance to start.
In turns the Haldex AWD system simply powers through; tight roundabouts and the torque removes doubt about how the car will power through.The steering is Goldilocks right, not heavy, not light, with a good weight and communication from all four paws 
seems there and ready to advise.
Overtaking is a thought process; like the Cross Country up, measure instinctively the gap and press the go pedal. The foreground disappears and the horizon becomes a momentary blur before warp drive is disengaged. Fun? Oh, my, yes.
The Wrap.
As mentioned, it was unexpected to sample the V40 Cross Country; in no way was this an issue as the AWD system and the torque made it, perhaps, the best drive of the three. At $52K plus, it may be a scary price for some, however…
Check with your Volvo dealer for availability and head to http://www.volvocars.com/au/all-cars/volvo-v40-cross-country/pages/default.aspx
For A Wheel Thing TV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAPwWGdFmuk&feature=em-upload_owner
2015 Tesla S 85: The Review
Elon Musk is one far seeing individual; not only does he have his fingers in the space and mass transportation pies (Space X and Hyperloop) he wants electric cars in everyone’s garage. It’s a dream that many have had and many have failed at.
Sure, there’s hybrids and almost fully electric cars such as the Volt, but the Tesla car is fully electric, meaning there’s no petrol engine to supplement or charge. There’s a single or pair of electric motors, charged up at home via a modified power point to deliver three phase power or at a growing number of “Supercharging” stations that will line the east coast of Australia in a short space of time. A Wheel Thing was granted a (too few!) number of hours with the Tesla S 85 and commenced the journey from Tesla Cars Sydney’s HQ, in St Leonards.
On arrival, I was met by the courteous and friendly staff, immediately making me feel welcome. I was introduced to Will, who gave me a pretty thorough introduction to the Tesla S 85 I would be spending a few hours with.
The centrepiece of the Tesla is the enormous 17 inch, vertically inclined, touchscreen. It’s the powerhouse for all of the controls, from the aircon to the Google Maps navigation (voice
guided, as is the audio system), information about the car to being able to select how open you wish the sun roof to be…precisely! The layout is intuitive, user friendly and follows a common sense method when a window or tile is no longer needed, by having an X in a corner to be tapped to close.
The driver gets a hi-res screen too, with crystal clear info including an on the go battery usage chart; the battery itself can be charged at home with the charger supplied by Tesla and the system can be programmed to charge during off peak periods, such is the attention to the small yet important things.
As such, there’s exceedingly few “real” buttons inside, with just a couple located on the left and right spines of the tiller, with two rotary buttons that will double as hard reset buttons, should they be required. The wheel itself is of a good size and thickness, allowing an easy, relaxed driving position to be found, along with being electrically motivated for rake (up and down) and reach (in and out). Naturally the seats are electric, heated and LED lighting provides plenty of pure white light for all passengers.
The Tesla S is a big car; it’s a touch over five 
metres long, has a wheelbase in excess of three metres and is close to two metres wide. Interior room, then, is sizeable.
Exterior panelwork evokes hints of Italian and British muscle car luxury.It’s a proper five seater, as a result, with plenty of leg, hip and shoulder room. The seats themselves are nigh on perfect in comfort and support although the pattern, seemed, to my eyes, to look a bit retro, harking back to the days of hand-stitched covers in classic cars.
The steering wheel and controls are sourced from a German automotive company; the important part is the stalk on the right hand side, with PRND set into the plastic. It’s the now typical foot on the brake, move the lever and……nothing.
No noise, except what’s outside the Tesla (and inside if the superb audio system is on) as you move off. Insulation keeps any noise from the electric motor totally at bay; what isn’t hidden away is the astonishing acceleration and the seat 
of the pants sensation of space shuttle like thrust. It’s quick off the mark (the go pedal does need more feedback) but rolling acceleration is unbelievable. The space of time between 80 and 110 is so small Dr Who would have trouble defining it. Again, it’s not neck snapping fast in the sense of the term, it’s that unrelenting wave, that ongoing surge which happens and continues oh so quickly that is the noticeable part.
The steering sometimes feels a touch heavy but never unmanageable, there’s a touch of numbness on centre however it’s communicative either side. Ride quality is superb, with no 
truly discernible dive under brakes, no roll when thrown hard into a turn and bump absorption is more than adequate. Rolling stock is simple but attractive 20 inch plus diameter alloys, in a turbine fan blade design.
Again, the only noise is what’s outside unless you turn the audio system up to 11 (yes, it is deliberately configured for that) but be prepared to bleed from the ears. It’s loud. LOUD! But there’s no distortion, the part of the sound that causes headaches. Activation of the search system is easy: you say “Play….” and it will search and then bring up a list of songs, artists etc from that command, if the rights to the songs etc have been authorised. You can’t play The Beatles, for example, from a search as they don’t show up. With only a few hours to try the Tesla, I found that I couldn’t get, for example, an album to play in order from start to finish. I would hope there’s a mechanism in the programming to do so.
Because of the flat floor, the aluminuim chassis holding the battery and engine on the single motor Tesla situated behind the rear seat, there’s ample interior room and storage space, front and rear. Tesla quotes over 740L for the boot and that’s without lifting the (subtly Tesla logoed) boot floor covering. And yes, there’s plenty of storage at the front as well.
There’s no doubt, no doubt, that this company, its founder and its products, is destined to push the boundaries of what’s acceptable in car technology further than what we expected just a few years ago. Elon Musk is a visionary, unquestionably. The Tesla S is the embodiment of his vision.
For details: http://www.teslamotors.com/en_AU/
A heartfelt thanks to Heath and Alex at Tesla HQ and to Will at Tesla Sydney.
Level 2, 9 Help Street