Buy A New Car
Not An Automatic Choice: Kia Koup Turbo.
Kia has, at the moment, one of the most fun cars around, the Pro_ceed GT. It comes with a six speed manual transmission only, bolted to a firecracker of a 1.6L turbo engine. It’s the manual transmission that makes it such fun to drive and the incredible flexibility of the powerplant, with 265 Newton metres of torque across a rev range of nearly 3000 revs, make it superbly usable. Kia have the Cerato range, a four door sedan, five door hatch or two door coupe, with the option of both manual and auto gearboxes, plus offering, for the Koup, a choice of 2.0L naturally aspirated engine or the same engine as found in the Pro_ceed. A Wheel Thing was lobbed the key to the Abyss Blue coloured Koup ($30710 on road with metalic paint), complete with turbo engine and automatic transmission (Koup is available with optional Touring Pack). Is it as much fun with a self shifter?
The Cerato is a good looker on the outside, with soft curves replacing the previous sharp 
edged version. Changing to the two door styling from a sleek looking sedan adds a touch of menace to its stance, along with the chunky 225/40/18 tyres wrapping some pretty sexy alloys. The sheetmetal is smooth, curvy, with the front sporting a well balanced look. Driving lamps at each bottom corner frame a large grille, with the headlight clusters rolling back into the fenders split yet joined by a narrow grille. In profile there’s a lightly scalloped lower section while a crease line draws the eye to the angular C pillar and “neon tube” look tail lights. Folding mirrors (black on Turbo, body colour on Si) complete the front section.
The interior is a subtle mix of black, grey, faux carbon fibre, faux leather and cloth. Seats are comfortable but lack decent lateral support, the cloth is a mix of black and grey and sits in between the faux leather bolsters. Rear seat access is typically slightly tricky, with a latch on the shoulders of the seats lifted to fold and roll forward. The seatbelts run through a pivot arm which gets in the way of anyone trying to exit when the front seats have been occupied. 
The dash plastics are hard and there’s a mix of the matt black plastic look and faux carbon fibre strips housing the air vents.
As usual the aircon controls are simple to use with a clear layout, the 5 inch touchscreen head unit and dials are easy to use and read and there’s the usual expected assortment of steering wheel mounted controls for audio and cruise control. Ahead of the gear lever is a small storage space which also houses the USB and Auxiliary inputs. The steering column is adjustable for both reach and rake (in/out and up/down). Naturally there’s plenty of safety built in, such as VSM (Vehicle Stability Management) and HSC (Hill Start Control), parking sensors front and rear, reverse camera and airbags all around. Cargo space isn’t bad considering the design, being rated at 433L capacity.
On the road the Aussie spec suspension is supple, yet firm, with the meaty tyres providing plenty of grip on both tarmac and gravel/dirt surfaces. No, it’s not its normal environment yet some backroads near Katoomba, in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney, proved that the engineering work put into the Koup certainly pays dividends and the ride on gravel was surprisingly good. Lateral grip is great, straight line handling is direct and there’s minimal float over undulations, the suspension pulling the Koup into line quickly. Feedback through the steering is artificial with Kia’s three mode electric settings adding nothing for a natural feel. Naturally there’s paddle shifts behind the tiller.
Kia quotes 265Nm from 1750 through to 4500 revs and in the manual GT that torque really works. You can sink the slipper in any gear and it simply rockets along….in the auto, it’s diminished, muted, restrained under 3000 rpm. When the go pedal is prodded hard, it drops back a 
couple of gears and makes a lot of noise. Once it reaches 3000 then that urge, felt earlier in the manual, seems to make an appearance.
The question was raised at the beginning:is it as much fun with an automatic as it is (engine and gearbox combination) with a manual? No. It’s not. The auto saps the life and performance of the engine and therefore the fun. It’s also more thirsty than the manual which that was noticeable around town and oddly, the turbo weighs more than the standard engined Si 2.0L Koup…
The Cerato Koup isn’t marketed as a hot hatch, nor a warm one. The manual transmission and turbo combination works; for me, the automatic doesn’t.
For more information on the range: www.kia.com.au/vehicles/small-vehicles/cerato-koup/koup
For pricing options: www.privatefleet.com.au or www.bidmycar.com.au
Model Range: Cerato Koup, Si and Turbo.
Engines: 2.0L petrol or 1.6L turbo petrol.
Power: 129kW @6500rpm/150kW @6000rpm.
Torque: 209Nm @4700rpm/265Nm @1750-4500rpm.
Fuel: Unleaded.
Tank: 50L.
Transmission: six speed manual (six speed auto optionable).
Driven wheels: Front.
LWH: 4530mm x 1780mm x 1410mm.
Wheelbase: 2700mm.
Wheels/Tyres: Si 17 inch, 215/45/R17. Turbo: 18 inch, 225/40/R18.
Luggage space: 433L
Consumption: 7.3L/100km 2.0L man, 7.4L/100km 2.0L auto, 7.7L/100km 1.6L man, 8.0L/100km 1.6L auto (combined).
Weight: 1284kg/2.0L man, 1307kg/2.0L auto, 1334kg/1.6L man, 1360kg/1.6L auto.
Price: RRP $30190 Koup Turbo, metallic paint $520, as tested $30710.
Warranty: Five year, unlimited kilometre.
Safety rating: ANCAP five star.
A Positive Charge: Proton Exora
People movers once ruled the roost and it was thanks to Toyota with the Tarago and LiteAce. Of more recent times, SUVs have grabbed the crown, to the detriment of driving standards. Proton offers up a slightly different alternative to A Wheel Thing with its compact 
sized people mover, the Exora. Again it’s split into two trim levels, the GX and GXR. It’s powered by the same engine (103kW/205Nm) as found in the Suprima S and Preve’ (amortising costs) and is lobbed into a car weighing just under 1500 kg. The engine is again bolted to a CVT with six programmed manual shift points. There’s an immediately noticeable lack of the noise found in the Suprima’s engine bay, replaced by a low volume, high pitched, almost turbine like buzz. It’s perceptible but not nearly as intrusive.
The Exora’s external styling is not unattractive but it is unusual. Head on, it has a semblance to a Honda Jazz, in profile a Jazz blending into a compressed Tarago, looking very much like the late and unlamented Suzuki Liana hatch. From the rear, it’s a highish looking roofline that belies the overall smaller size of the vehicle. There’s a tall pair of LED tail lights that frame the rear lift door, allowing access to the third row seats as well. The nose has driving lights pushed to the bottom corners and framed by two vertical slats, with the sloping nose providing both aerodynamic looks and a measure of pedestrian safety. The rear hatch opens up quite high, enough for most people to stand underneath comfortably.
The inside of the Exora is stylish and smart. There’s a roof mounted DVD player, roof mounted fan speed and air vents for middle and rear seats, plus the ability to fold the seats flat to allow for a bigger loading area. The seats themselves are cloth in the GX, black and red leather trimmed in the GXR, are comfortable, if lacking a measure of support and fitted for the Isofix child seats in the rear, whenever the legislation is eventually passed. Floor mats are unusual in being that shredded rubber, almost scourer style. The flexibility of the Exora is certainly family attractive; what isn’t attractive is the use of the utterly dated red dot matrix display Clarion head unit for the audio system. A Wheel Thing is all for cost savings but this detracts from the overall level of quality and presentation otherwise found in the Exora. Naturally, there’s Bluetooth and 
external media player connectivity, safety in the form of pretensioning seatbelts, airbags aplenty, stability control and more, providing a four star safety package for ANCAP. There is also a reverse camera fitted, with the image popping up in the rear vision mirror. On pressing the unlock button on the fob, the Exora emits two chirps, not unlike a reverse beep from a truck. It’s a left hand mounted indicator stalk and the click as you move up or down is….well, it doesn’t sound like there’s premium plastic inside the shroud nor is it fitted for high beam flash, it’s on or off. Aircon controls are of the old dial style; sadly, so is the heating function. Wound up to full heat on a cold winter’s day it barely felt as if it was producing any heat at all. Another oddity was the central locking, activating at speeds anywhere from 20 to 80 km/h.
On the road the Exora immediately exhibits one trait: chronic understeer. Riding on comparatively narrow 205/55/16 tyres is one thing (and
their grip level is ok) however the half turn of a steering wheel to have one third of the front end go where you think it should, especially with a vehicle designed to be a people mover, is another. In the hands of an experienced and trained driver, it wasn’t the most comfortable handler and in certain turns needed a lower than expected approach speed and rejudged approach angle. On the freeway it was also prone to wandering, requiring constant attention and correction plus there is a moderate amount of body roll. The front suspension is a touch soft, in that it easily bottomed out, at slow speed, by simply going over a kerb. Ride quality, however, is decent, with plenty of compliance and absorption of most minor bumps. Under acceleration, the Exora is seat of the pants quick, thanks to the CVT and constant linear delivery of the turbo’s torque, however a glimpse of the speedo says otherwise. It’s the conundrum that seems to be be part of the Exora, it’s a politician’s promise, saying much on one hand and not delivering a great deal on the other. Also, unlike the Suprima S, there’s no paddle shifts; not a deal breaker but with this kind of transmission, it should be offered with that option. It also means that the advertised “six step” CVT is effectively restricted to whatever the CVT and engine combine to offer.
What the Exora does well is offer a niche alternative; not everyone wants or needs a large people mover or a SUV, with the bulk and running costs associated with having such a vehicle. With a thrifty, frugal 1.6L turbo (Proton quote a combined 8.3L/100 from a 55L tank)pulling a loaded up with shopping and average family nicely, a decent turning circle, useable space and the DVD in the roof, it’s certainly family friendly. The steering and handling need tightening up though, from a driver’s point of view. Being currently rated at four stars for safety rather than five will put some people off, however the canny will know that four is plenty enough in real terms. There’s five year free servicing, five year road side assistance AND five years warranty tossed in for nix. Priced in the mid $20K range for the GX, closer to $28K for the GXR, it has price on its side however some will happily spend a few extra thousand for a SUV. They may be missing out.
For information head to www.proton.com.au and for pricing options, chat to the good people at www.privatefleet.com.au.
Journey Back To Dodge With The Journey R/T
There’s station wagons, there’s SUVs, there’s people movers. Then there’s the Dodge Journey/Fiat Freemont twins. A SUV look with people mover capability, station wagon style room and in R/T spec, rear seat DVD screen entertainment for (presumably) the kiddies. Punted along by a 206kW/342Nm 3.6L V6 engine alongside a six speed auto, there should be little to dislike. I “journeyed” to the Australian Alps and dragged the family along for the ride.
It’s a good sized veehickle, with a 4.9m length, 1.7m height and 1.8 metre overall width encasing over 1.4m of shoulder room for the front and 
mid row seats; yes, it’s a seven seater (an option) body however 
the test car came fitted with five, allowing some useful cargo space at the rear.It’s a user friendly and family oriented device, with washable storage lockers in the floor behind the front seats (ideal for canned drinks), one in the seat itself under the passenger seat cushion and where the rear seats in the seven seater would be. There’s enough here to suit some finely chopped firewood…At the front is the aforementioned 3.6L engine. Although 342 Nm sounds reasonable, it has to haul around a kerb weight of over 1900 kilos and with two adults, tow kids, luggage, it doesn’t mind a drink. The 78 litre tank was drained at a best of around 9.5L per 100 kilometres and at worst, you’d be better off towing a fuel station behind you. With such a relatively low torque figure, through just six speeds and inside a vehicle that’s not exactly a lightweight, unfortunately consumption will be in the negative. If Mitsubishi can offer a seemingly 
miniscule 2.2L diesel with 360 Nm that kicks off from around 1500 revs (peak torque from the 3.6L is high at over
4300 revs), then surely there’d be something suitable within the Chrysler/Fiat family? The transmission itself was mostly smooth, however sometimes felt, at certain rev points, that it was being strangled, holding gear and refusing to shift up or down and extra engine work was required, plus there were some clunks and shunts, almost as if something wasn’t meshing properly. There were some instances of thrashing from the engine, almost as if the revs needed to overtake weren’t being fed properly to the transmission when the loud pedal was prodded loudly.
The exterior is solid, bluff, squared off and looks somewhat masculine with the front bumper being pumped out at the corners, housing the driving lights and a integrated skid plate in the centre. The Dodge family grille bisects a squared off headlight cluster before leading into a not unattractive profile, wrapped in premium pearlescent paint, before finally finishing in a workmanlike if blocky looking rear, whilst rolling on “tuning fork” 19 inch alloys. Of note are the wide opening doors, with the second row opening up to 90 degrees and allowing superbly easy access and egress. On top was the optional sunroof, sadly not used during the cold weather however the R/T does get heated wing mirrors. The meaty and leather wrapped tiller is on a reach and rake adjustable column, and if it was heated as well, I couldn’t find the switch. All seats in the R/T are leathered up, with the second row adjustable for angle and and can be moved forward and aft as well. 
Vision from the driver’s pew (leather clad and heated, thank you kindly) is broad, obscured to the rear by the fold down DVD screen when 
in action. Perhaps rear seat passengers would be better suited with headrest screens as that’s a real safety issue. What isn’t an issue is the 8.4 inch navitainment touchscreen; it’s largely intuitive, controls most of the onboard functions and is linked, in the R/T’s case, to a thumping Alpine audio system with a decent depth and clarity. DVD playback is also visible when the car is in park however the controls didn’t seem to always work in conjunction with the disc menus. Set and forget aircon for the rear seats, LED lighting a another storage locker in the mid row centre fold down add value to the family package.
The GPS system was also largely user friendly however the search parameters seem a bit arse about when dialling in an address. For the 
driver there’s a handy info screen, operated by steering wheel mounted buttons, with info such as fuel consumption, messages from the bluetooth linked phone and tyre pressure. That last one made a lot of difference as the front left seemed well under the other three. Going from 28 psi to 36psi helped the ride, especially with the load onboard. Having said that, with the usefulness of the rear under cover cargo space coming into play, on the 
Pacific Highway on NSW’s south coast, the rear did bottom out onto the bumpstops a few times thanks to the undulations. Under normal circumstances, the meaty rubber (225/55/19s) provided grip like superglue and it’s mostly neutral handling. Feedback through the tiller is reasonable but sometimes felt isolated from the road, feeling s omewhat numb on centre although loads up nicely offcentre. Noise from the tyres and wind was fairly muted, allowing good conversation levels and, for the kids, no need to ramp up the quite nice sounding headphones. Dive and squat were well controlled under heavy braking and hard acceleration plus body roll was minimal when tossed around. The brakes themselves lacked bite, however that could be more to do with the 2000kg plus load they needed to haul in.
At $36500 (RRP + ORCs) for the R/T ($32500 for the SXT), you’ll get a three year/one hundred thousand kilometre warranty and service 
intervals at six monthly cycles. It’s extraordinarily good value with the DVD, plenty of room and trim levels, but let down, badly, by the “hole” in the fuel tank and the occasional indifference of the transmission. There’s no doubt in my mind that it’s a flexible, usable, family vehicle but one that could improve with the option of a low revving, torquey, diesel, a diet and a less restrained transmission.
For info: http://www.dodge.com.au/vehicles/journey
For pricing options, speak to your Dodge dealership, or contact Private Fleet and for video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q35Xrn_KahI&feature=youtu.be.
To The Winter Wild…
As we head towards the end of the 2013/2014 financial year and you’re all looking at new cars and contacting the friendly, knowledgeable staff at Private Fleet, it’s also the end of the first month of June. The southern part of Australia is being swept by an almost Antarctic blast of cold, high speed winds and with the Australian Alps copping snow in levels that haven’t been seen in years, it’s apt that we take a look at driving in winter.
First up, tyres. These are, criminally, the most underrated part of any car on the road. Tread depth is the first thing to have a look at; check out the outside and inside part of the tread, is it worn, looking feathered? Across the tyre, does the tread look shallow, the rubber shiny? Just about any tyre retailer can assist in giving you some idea about this even if you don’t know the first thing. Then there’s the tread pattern itself. Cheaper tyres tend to have both lesser quality construction and average tread patterns, effectively offering up a less than ideal compromise when it comes to handling. Better brands will be designed to give better grip, with the tread (or block) pattern holding on better.
Oil change time is a given; oil comes in different “weights” and oils designed for winter or cold climate usage will have a W in the code. If you were to pick up, most commonly,a five litre container of oil with something like: 10W – 30, it means that the first number is rated for the viscosity of the oil under winter conditions and the second at 100 degrees Celcius. This is called a multigrade oil and the higher the second number the THICKER the oil will be. It’s more likely that your car will already have multigrade oil in it, but a yearly (or even six monthly) change will go a long way to looking after your engine.
I’m sure we’ve all heard of spark plugs and these little fellas can be responsible for making your car run smoother when they’re new. When everything else is running as it should be, a properly set spark plug can measurably help in the overall efficiency of the fuel consumption. Sure, they may cost a bit, but it’s money well invested and, over a longer period of time, will give you more value than the equivalent once off cost of a night out with a good dinner. Part of the cost goes towards the actual material used, such as platinum or neodymium, rare earth metals that have an astonishing cost per kilo. There’s also “heat temperature” range plugs, designed to burn or ignite across a range of combustion temperatures and tend, nowadays, to be for older generation cars.
When we drive we should be looking through a nice and clean windscreen, however when it rains, even a little, we should be using the windscreen wipers. But if they’re old, they’re accumulated dirt, possibly become brittle and may scrape against the glass, which will then make it more prone to sludge and dirt not being easily washed away. Periodically you should also be checking your wiper fluid levels and putting in the proper cleansing agent (Windex is NOT considered the right one). You may have noticed, as you drive around, how many vehicles seem to have faulty indicators. When a bulb is blown the ticking noise you’ll hear inside the car will be quicker, a simple sign something’s not right. Any auto electrician can sort you out and remember, indicators are NOT fitted as an optional extra. Same goes for headlight and tail light bulbs; have someone stand a few feet from the front and rear of the car, turn on your headlights and flick between the parkers to low to high beam. Use the brakes and if any bulb is out, visit your local auto sparky.
Driving a car safely is one thing, driving a safe car is another. With weather conditions during winter so changeable, a few simple steps to check out your chosen chariot could make a lot of difference to fuel consumption and, importantly, the safety of yourself and others on the roads.
Level 2, 9 Help Street