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Private Fleet Car Review: 2015 Subaru Impreza 2.0L S CVT
Subaru’s Impreza has been a staple part of their line up for nearly two decades, with the range giving birth to the WRX, WRX STi, Forester and XV models. A refresh was given to the Impreza in 2015 which was more of a gentle overhaul of the interior than a major rethink, as a major redo is due for 2017. A Wheel Thing’s first car for 2016 was the 2015 spec Subaru Impreza-S with the 2.0L naturally aspirated engine and CVT. 
Sitting at the top of the three model range, starting at $22990 driveaway, the S is set at just under $32000 and comes loaded with sunroof, cruise control, satnav and touchscreen, Bluetooth, leather seats, dual zone aircon and the 2016 model also gets push button start/stop and heated seats.
Under the gently sloping bonnet is their tried and tested boxer engine, breathing through a single exhaust pipe, with a modest 110 kilowatts (6200 rpm), 196 Nm of twist (4200Nm) and is connected to the now famous all wheel drive system via a constant variable transmission, complete with paddle shifts and six programmed gear points. Fuel is flexible, with a minimum required octane number of 90, filling a 55 litre tank.
Subaru’s fuel figures are quoted as (for the CVT) 6.8L/8.9L/5.6L per 100 on the combined/urban/highway cycles with emissions said to be 157g/km of CO2, a EURO5 standard. A Wheel Thing’s test cycle finished on 7.8L/100km in a predominantly urban cycle. Acceleration is quoted as a somewhat leisurely 11.2 seconds to reach 100 kilometres per hour. Bluntly, it’s much easier and more efficient to use the paddle shifts if a quick getaway is needed with a low torque engine. Hit the go pedal, climb to about 3500-4000 and blip the shift…much quicker. A Wheel Thing has not been a supporter of CVT’s with low torque power plants since they first came to wider public attention in the latter half of the noughties.
Why? They caused widespread confusion amongst potential buyers for revving so high, sounding as if the engine was overworked and the gearbox was broken by sitting at around 4000 revs whilst speed climbed (this was before paddle shifts became the preferred option). They never appear to be as efficient in taking the torque and power and transferring them to the ground (think of a manual transmission with a slipping clutch) but they do have the virtue of weighing less. When added to the engine the WRX has, for example, it’s a totally different experience.
The current Impreza weighs in at just 1415 kilograms in hatchback guise (as tested) and that hatch also offers up 771 litres of space when the rear seats are folded. Otherwise, you can count on 340L, 120L less than the sedan’s and, as you open the hatch and lift the cover, you’ll find a space saver spare.
The inside gets Subaru’s Starlink navitainment system as standard, a knee airbag has been added to to the 2016 spec model to complement the curtain ‘bags and the 2015 car stays with a insertable key while the ’16 gets a push button for Start/Stop.
The exterior is unremarkable with the test car provided clad in Venetian Red which did little to highlight the hatch’s lines. The sedan and hatch have different headlights to the WRX/STi and currently lack the LED driving lights as found almost everywhere else. There’s globe lit driving lights at the bottom corners and a hazy look inside the headlights, with a slim garnish of chrome just above the lower lights. 
Wheel arches have a sharpish edge to the bulge,there’s no parking sensors front OR rear but a bonus is the very wide opening angle the doors have, allowing super easy access and departure from the cabin. The rear ‘gate is manually, not power, operated.
Shortly after picking up the car, the ride of the Impreza S was noted as being soft, spongy, wallowy. A subsequent check of the tyre pressures found that all four were at just 30 psi. A pump up to 36 certainly tightened up some of the ride but also still left A Wheel Thing with the impression the suspension was still overly soft. Body roll was noticeable and the tyre squeal from the 205/50/17 inch Dunlop tyres told the story about how they were struggling to grip even in mild turns as the car leaned over them.
Having said that, the steering itself is responsive enough to not cause undue worry, with predictable handling once you’ve spent sometime with it. It’s easy to set up into gentle turns and on a tightening radius turn, pulls the nose in nicely with a slight lift off the throttle.
Although it appears the engine is a willing performer, the CVT really does anchor the car. There’s that aforementioned get up and go issue, if letting the CVT do it itself. Use the paddleshifts on a flat road and things improve. However, neither work well with the lack of torque when meeting an uphill road such as the Old Bathurst Road zig zag at Emu Heights, just a few minutes west of Penrith at the base of the Blue Mountains.
Even using the paddle shifts, a drop down to first was sometimes required to keep the engine ticking over and the Impreza S under way, with a gear display on the dash flickering an arrow to indicate a need for an upshift. On a downhill run, there was a palpable sense of the engine/transmission braking, with a seat of the pants sensation of a gear cutting in and out, with the associated momentary slowing of the Impreza-S. Brake pedal feedback itself was sufficient to provide plenty of coverage on the Old Bathurst Road downhill run, an ideal brake test road.
The steering wheel itself has a good heft to it but, oddly, feels too wide for the car. Through the wheel the driver sees two analogue dials bracketing a small LCD screen for the speed and tacho and something not seen by A Wheel Thing since the early 1980’s…an economy gauge. Essentially, it’s a + or – gauge and the needle swings between one to the other depending on throttle position. There’s also the engine auto start/stop system that reengages the engine just 0.35 of a second after lifting the foot off the brake.
Up in top centre is Subaru’s handy double info screen setup, accessed by a small but clearly marked rocker tab near the Hazard flasher button. There’s on the fly fuel consumption, average consumption and an indication of the drive train, plus more.
The overall dash design is also one that Toyota should consider, being measureably more cohesive in look than their Corolla and GTS vehicles, plus Subaru appears to be unique in offering dual USB ports, both for the front and rear passengers. There’s also an extra touch of bling, with alloy sports pedals in the driver’s footwell brightening up the dark. Power window wise, only the driver gets an Auto (one touch) up/down switch. 
You sit on, rather than in, the someone boring to look at and slabby cushioned seats, with the machine made leather coverings lacking any surface detail. Being non ventilated (2016 model will be heated, ventilation for Australia should be mandatory…) means it doesn’t take long before the sweat factor sets in. There is plenty of body room with the electric seats allowing a decent stretch of the legs although left shoulder room for the driver is a touch cramped, with two adults putting on seatbelts simultaneously consistently banging into each other.
That’s, in part, due to the compact dimensions of the Impreza-S hatch. There’s a total of 1740 millimetres to play with side to side, whilst overall length for the hatch is 4420 mm, a tad shorter than the sedan’s 4585 mm. You lower yourself down into the hatch, too, belying the 1465 mm height. Wheelbase is proof of the wheels to the four corner design, at 2645 mm.
Safety wise, it’s well equipped, with the usual assortment of electronic aids like stability and traction control, brake assist and brake distribution plus the airbags, passenger safety cell, reverse camera, seatbelt pre-tensioning and the peace of mind of Subaru’s three year and unlimited kilometre warranty, a three year or 75000 kilometre capped price service program and 12 months of roadside assist. There’s also Subaru’s Datadot (Datadot info) to consider.
The Wrap.
The Impreza is a solid and dependable entry from the Subaru stable and is due to get a major overhaul for the 2017 model. Up against competitors such as the Corolla, Mazda 3, Hyundai i30 and Kia’s Cerato, amongst others, it’s one that probably can’t come soon enough.
On its own, it’s fine, but up against the Koreans and the bigger Japanese companies the basic structure’s age is showing. The suspension is just a bit too soft, the engine’s output stuggles to move it around when bolted to the CVT, which itself needs some refinement and the styling lacks the current design leaning towards a smoother, more organic look.
For further info on the Impreza range, go here: 2015 and 2016 Subaru Impreza range
Australian Car Icons Slide Back Whilst Sales Overall Hit The Million Again.
Although the icons of Australia’s automotive industry, Ford and Holden, went backwards in sales in 2015, overall sales hit the million mark for the fourth year in a row, with preliminary figures tipping 1.156 million.
Holden went backwards by 2.9% and was within reach of Hyundai, with less than 1000 sales between the two. The Blue Oval, meanwhile, hurt even more, with sales dropping by 11.6% and outside of the top five, beaten by Mitsubishi for the first time. The iconic Falcon, once one of the country’s favourite cars, sold less than 6000 units and was comfortably outsold by Germany’s Mercedes-Benz, with their C Class sedan.
It wasn’t all bad news for Australian made cars, however. Toyota’s Camry cracked the number one position in December, for the first time in 2015, helped by a pricing structure and finance package that made the vehicle’s value a better proposition. 5320 Camrys found new homes in December, making it just the third time the Camry has topped a monthly sales chart, with the Corolla, a perennial top seller, moving 3470, just twenty more than its persistent rival, the Mazda 3.
Toyota and Ford stood nose to nose in the workhorse stakes, with the Ranger just 290 units behind in December, with 2840 against the 2130 of the HiLux. The Commodore, also once a family favourite, shifted just 2620 in December and in series 2 guise, with Mitsubishi’s revamped Triton, with 2140 units, making inroads.
Hyundai’s i30 moved 2000 units in December just ahead of the 1920 of Mazda’s CX 5 and stablemate Tucson, at 1630.
Overall, Toyota also took the number one spot for December and for 2015, with a rise to 206237 units, an increase of 1.3%. Mazda saw a huge increase for 2015, with a huge 13.2 percent putting them into second overall, with 114024. Mazda also took the runner up position in December, albeit with half of Toyota’s 21K units, at 9700.
Third for 2015 and December was Holden, at 102951 and 9145.
Hyundai jumped by 1.9%, to 102004, to claim fourth and fifth went to Mitsubishi, at 71752. The bottom half of the top ten: Ford 70,454 — down 11.6 per cent, Nissan 66,063 — up 0.05 per cent, Volkswagen 60,225 — up 9.9 per cent, Subaru 43,600 — up 7.6 per cent, Honda 40,100 — up 21.5 per cent.
What also stood out in 2015 was the continued rise of ute sales, with the Triton, Ranger and HiLux, tradionally seen as workhorses, more and more being used as family vehicles in a dual cab configuration. Small cars continued to sell well also, ahead of the SUV category. Production volumes, month by month, were also mostly down in 2015, as Ford prepares to wind up local manufacturing this year and Holden & Toyota look to do so in 2017.
Private Fleet Car Review: 2016 Lexus IS 200t F-Sport
2015 saw Lexus and A Wheel Thing join forces for the first time, with the new to Australia (in late ’15) IS 200t finding its way to the garage for two weeks and including a return trip to the nation’s capital. How does it cope with highway and suburban driving? Let’s take a look, with the Lexus IS200t F-Sport (mid spec) spending Christmas and New Year’s at A Wheel Thing’s garage.
Under the bonnet is the raison d’etre for this car’s existence; a twin scroll, turbocharged and intercooled, 2.0L petrol engine, driving the rear wheels, with a maximum power output of 180 kW with peak power coming at 5800 rpm. 
That’s bolted up to an eight speed auto, with well spaced ratios, and possibly one of the smoothest, non intrusive, changes around. Torque is (what seems to be an industry standard) 350 Nm, at a slightly lower than normal 1650 revs.
Recommended fuel is 95 RON at a minimum, which was sipped at a best figure of 6.4L/100 km (on the Hume Highway) from the 66L tank. This was under cruise control conditions, set at 115 kmh and the tacho dead on 2000 revs. Lexus quotes a combined figure of 7.5L per 100 kays. Suburban driving saw an average of 8.9L/100 km, good for somewhere around 700 kilometres, if driven gently. And therein lies the rub…
The IS F Sport comes, as so many do now, with Sports mode; effectively this changes the engine mapping and gear change points. Because the engine is such a willing spinner, an eager performer, and the transmission such a smooth and well controlled unit (for the most part), seeking and finding the right ratio so easily, it begs to be punted hard. It’s a sweet spinning mill and responds within an eyeblink when the pedal is pushed, as do the wonderful brakes. And whether using the paddle shifters or the gear selector (use the paddles, they’re easier), it’s a crisp, quick, move from one to the other.
When left to its own devices, it is pretty damned good; sometimes, though, it would find a lower ratio at some speeds and refuse to move, either by itself or when asking it to. On downhill runs that came in handy for engine braking but in a highway situation, not so. Ratio wise, it finishes at 0.685:1, with that helping the economy figure out on the freeway.
Ride and handling were superb; the steering has some lovely weight either side of centre before the variable ratio kicks in and response becomes more rapid. Lock to lock is about 2.75 turns. On the freeways, it was firm and flat, except for some unexpected and unwelcome wallowing, a floatiness, in the rear with a certain amount of load on the return trip from Canberra.
Loaded up with shopping, packed into the 480L boot, the weight was noticeable in the drive but also in how the rear sat flatter, without the wallow. Otherwise, the suspension is tuned for, unsurprisingly, a sporting feel, meaning speedbumps really become speed bumps…The 225/40/18 (fronts) and 255/35/18 (rears) tyre and wheel combination doesn’t help either.
The F Sport sits on a 2.8 metre wheelbase, contributing to the razor sharp handling. Front and rear track are slightly different, with the front wheels 1535 mm apart whilst the rears (with the 18’s fitted) are 1540 mm , and with a balanced chassis (almost 50:50), is immense fun to throw around. It doesn’t hurt that it’s also a somewhat better looker than its predecessors, especially with the redesigned headlights, separating the LED driving lights from the main assembly.
At just 4665 mm in total length, it’s surprising in its interior room. It stands just 1430 mm high, meaning you need to lower yourself down and into the cabin before sitting on the heated and ventilated electric seats. In a rear and front view, it menaces, thanks to the 1810 mm width. 
In profile, its distinctive wedge shape gives a solid clue to the aerodynamics the engineers have worked on and it’s only up close when the small nodules give a better clue as to the distribution of airflow over its lithe body. The front end is a definition of “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, with the angular hourglass grille and swoopy lower part of the air dam with vents for the hard working front brakes. The car’s length is bracketed by similar looking “swooshes” in brilliant LED’s.
Once settled into the well bolstered and supportive seats, facing a LCD screen with a sliding dial (truly!), the driver and passenger are greeted by possibly one of the ugliest dashboards seen since the 1970’s. The utter lack of cohesiveness in the design and the colours of the plastics are at total odds with the ergonomics of the switchgear.
There’s some niggles, too, with the navitainment system. It’s operated via a mouse type device just to the front left of the centre console, itself a somewhat odd piece of work. It plain refused to default to anything other than the map system when the car was started; by using the mouse to select some other item, such as the radio, it would hold that selection for maybe thirty seconds before again reverting back to the map.
Select the Menu tab and then something else didn’t always work either. Annoying? Yes. Very much so. Audio wise, it’s a Mark Levinson system, with a DAB tuner as well, sounding clear and punchy across the range.
There’s a surprising amount of room inside but it’s definitely a more comfortable four seater than five, with two kids in the back seat squeezing a moderately sized adult.
The dash itself is interesting, with a LCD screen and that sliding dial, moved via a tiller mounted tab. There’s a wealth of info, including the gear you’re in, turbo pressure, and more, to be found. It’s a clean, simple and easy to read look but the value of a sliding bezel is questionable.
Being a mid level car doesn’t mean it’s short on tech: there’s blind sport alerts, cross traffic, a guidance system for the rearview camera and parking sensors, Auto stop/start, the choice of drive modes, hill start assist, pre-collision alert, tyre pressure warning, pedestrian safety bonnet and adaptive cruise. There’s the usual swag of safety features such as curtain airbags, pre-tensioning seatbelts and the Euro style emergency brake light system.
The Wrap.
Being the first Lexus reviewed by A Wheel Thing, there were no expectations. From that perspective, the exterior certainly grabs the eyeballs for the right reasons while the dash design grabs the eyeballs for the wrong ones. 
Thankfully, it’s not reason enough to not buy the IS, but it grates every time you get inside. The ride, handling, responsiveness of the engine more than make up for it, however. It’s taut, responsive, fun. As a sports oriented car should be. The ergonomics are spot on, the vented seats came in handy during the rare warm days and the car doesn’t weary the driver. Toss in the four year warranty (or 100,000 kays, whichever comes first) to further tempt you…
At around the mid sixty thousand mark, it’s up against some stiff competition and the exterior may not be suitable for some. But you’d be missing out on a great powerplant and transmission combo and that lovely ride. For more info on the IS 200 range, click here: Lexus IS 200t
Private Fleet Car Review: 2016 Kia Sorento Platinum
Kia’s had a good 2015 in the Australia car market, with both the Carnival and Sorento winning gongs from drive.com.au and Behind The Wheel, plus the Sorento was awarded a prize in the Good Design‘s “Transportation” category.
A Wheel Thing back to backed two Kia diesels, the family perfect Carnival and the impressive Sorento Platinum, both powered by the grunty 2.2L diesel.
The test vehicle provided was covered in the optional (and pretty) Snow White Pearl. At $595 it’s not a deal breaker, on top of the RRP of $55990. The exterior recently copped a makeover, softening some of the harder edges and, in A Wheel Thing’s opinion, makes it more feminine friendly, as the previous look definitely had a masculine attraction. It still manages to take up a reasonable amount of real estate, with a length of 4790 mm, 1890 in width and a surprising 1690 mm in height. Surprising, as it looks taller.
Donk wise, the 2.2L diesel provides 441 Nm between 1750 to 2750 rpm, with the somewhat annoying lightswitch “bam” onces it reaches around 1600. Although the Platinum is an AWD version, it’s predominantly FWD oriented with a lock mode for some off-roading, meaning the front will grip and then send torque through to the rear, with the accompanying slamming back into the seats of the passengers if launched moderately hard. Under gentle prodding, it’s a smooth and quiet progression.
Kia quotes economy as as 7.8L per 100 on a combined cycle, with the natural habitat seeing 10.1L per 100 klicks. Considering it’s lugging a dry weight of around 2000 kg, it’s reasonable from a 71 litre tank. Should Sir and Madam decide on a highway trip,there’s something in the order of 6.4L for every one hundred or, theoretically, somewhere over 1000 kilometres.
That’s helped by that smoother, more svelte looking exterior. The headlights have a less eagle eyed sharpness to them, with the top edge rolling into the bonnet, with the lower bumper exhibiting a more aerodynamic look, sporting a rolled off crease above the driving lights and flowing air more efficiently along the side. 
There’s also a somewhat more bluff and vertical look to the nose plus the traditional “tiger nose” grille looks to be enlarged. The profile is much the same whereas the rear has a strong resemblance, thanks to the lights, to the Carnival. The review vehicle came fitted with a towbar, with the Sorento able to tow up to 2000 kilograms.
Inside, A Wheel Thing suspects that Kia’s design team has taken inspiration from a certain British luxury and sports car brand. There’s a gloriously sweeping arch atop the dash, joining the driver’s and passenger side doors, with finely embossed, almost stitched leather look plastic. 
Grey wood grained plastic complements the stone coloured upper level trim and black leather seating and the (heated) steering wheel has the same off centre pivot as found in cars from the U.K. brand.
The dash and tilt/reach adjustable steering wheel interact with information shown on the logically laid out dash screen, which is accessible via tabs on the tiller. Fuel usage on the fly, average fuel, trip meter and more, all in clean and easy to read fonts. Blutooth streaming is on board, allowing great sounds via the ten speaker Infinity sound system. The tiller itself is of a good heft, however there were occasions when the plastic inlay came to hand and hand grip was minimised.
Tech wise there’s a glass roof, Hill Start Assist, Blind Spot Detection and Lane Change Assist, plus Lane Departure Warning and Rear Cross Traffic Alert, auto levelling headlights, park assist sensors and rear view camera plus tyre pressure monitoring. All standard in the Platinum.
Being a seven seater, there’s aircon controls in the rear, but oddly in the rearmost section, not where the more logical passengers would be seated, in the middle row. The stored seats are devilishly simple to operate, with a simple pull strap mechanism doing the work. The middle row are the immensely usable tilt and fold style, (with cargo going from 320L to 2066L) with the fronts naturally electrically operated, with heating and venting.
Should one need somepower for items such as a mobile phone or a fridge, there’s three 12V sockets, with two being handily placed in the front section. There’s also 2 USB charger ports along with an Auxiliary for extra sound input.
Kia’s six speed auto is a delight to use; Sports mode or manual shift was rarely used but does make gear changes just that touch crisper. There’s no real need to use it during normal driving as it simply works as expected; smooth, fast, quietly. There’s a locking centre diff should one desire to try the 235/55/19 off road…highly unlikely, however.
On road, the Sorento is well mannered, with a measure of understeer in some circumstances. Under brakes (which were, quite frankly, in dire need of of a pedal that gave feel as soon as you touched it, not an inch down in travel) there was a distinct lack of confidence in hauling up the two tonnes plus. Ride quality, however, made up for it, being just soft enough to flatten out most lumps comfortably.
It’s chuckable enough to have fun with as well, with a nimbleness at odds with its apparent bulk. There’s more than enough grunt to get it under way rapidly and when punted hard, will move with surprising alacrity. Tip in in to a turn and yes, there is that understeer but easily controlled into a touch of oversteer with a deftpiece of footwork.
The Wrap.
Kia is one of the Australian automotive markets hidden secrets; there’s the astonishingly underrated Kia Pro_ceed GT, the funky Soul and the immensely family friendly Carnival (diesel is the pick). The Sorento is a class act and worthy of the awards it has won. As far as A Wheel Thing is concerned, it’s as family usable as the Carnival with the added attraction of being soft road capable, if that’s your wont. And at under $60K, with a huge standard feature list, it takes the fight to the Europeans and is well equipped to do so.
There’s Kia’s standard seven year warranty, capped price servicing ($400 for the first service at 15000 kilometres or 12months)
For details and brochure downloads: Kia Sorento range and info
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