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Private Fleet Car Review: 2016 Ford Mondeo Titanium Wagon & Hatch.
Ford Australia is due to cease local manufacturing in 2016, which will see the end of the locally made Territory and its sibling, the venerable Falcon. Sales of the famous nameplate have slumped in recent years but the blue oval has plans, big plans….A Wheel Thing looks at two diesel powered versions of the car that’s slated to be the replacement of the Falcon.
Simply put, the Ford Mondeo Titanium is what the Australian Ford Falcon should be: elegant, economic, technologically advanced and a cracker drive.
The cars provided, the Titanium wagon and hatch, came with a torquey 2.0L diesel engine, with the slightly lower mass of the hatch seeing 6.7L per 100 km and the wagon 6.9L per 100 km with the cars driven in a purely urban environment. 
There’s some grunt to this pocket sized dynamo, with 132 kW (3500 rpm) and a stonking 400 torques on tap between 2000 to 2500 rpm, with plenty of get up and go from 1500 revs. Transmissions were six speed autos, with the wagon getting a slick shifting dual clutch version.
Ford quotes just over five litres per hundred from a 62 litre tank for a combined cycle; potentially offering a range of one thousand kilometres plus emits just 140 grams per 100 kilometres. The hatch weighs 1749 kg and just 40 kg more for the wagon. Cargo capacity with rear seats up is decent enough: 557L and 730L which increases to 1356L and 1605L respectively.
Each came with a power assisted tailgate, coupled with a fast paced musical chime to alert you the gate was lowering, operated by a button in the base of the door or by a double press on the key fob. It’s just a small example of the tech the Titanium is laden with; swivelling and self levelling headlights, active grille shutters, power operated steering column, rain sensing wipers with sensitivity adjustment and multi coloured ambient lighting.
Add in the Sync2 system, with voice activated climate control and navigation, Bluetooth with text message read out and music search with verbal commands. There’s even heating for the rear seats. Throw in adaptive suspension, parking assist, pre-collision alert, lane keeping sensors, memory seating and panoramic glass roofs and the Titanium duo come well armed and ready to fight.
Seats were leather all around, with a high level of comfort and support,plus heating for the front AND rear seats (no ventilation or cooling however) plus were memory capable for three drivers. The downside to the interior was the excessive waste of usable plastic on the centre section of the dash; the buttons themselves were clearly marked but it’s an inefficient usage of the space available.
What was appreciated was the far reaching DAB+ audio system; the sensitivity level seemed higher than a couple of other cars tested recently that were also fitted with DAB+ tuners. Operated via the touch screen, searching a storing was simple, as was using the screen itself. Split into quarters, you can select more options for the aircon, navigation, audio and settings.
The exterior is dramatic, eye catching, with Ford’s distinctive Kinetic design strategy on display. Slim line headlights with integrated LED running lights, fluted bonnet and rear bumper integrated exhaust tips add stylish subtlety. The wheel and tyre combination is causing a few eyebrows to be raised in certain circles, primarily because of the design of the alloys. A Wheel Thing can’t say they would have been the design of choice either. Size was 235/45/18 with solid grip all around.
Naturally there’s a visible difference at the rear but not as dramatic as expected. The hatch folds down into the tail lights with a fluid curve whilst the rear section of the wagon manages to look stylish without being boxy. Tailgate up and seats down, it’s clear just how roomy the wagon actually is.
There was a noticeable and somewhat odd difference between the two on the road; seat of the pants conversation told a story of the hatch feeling as if it was rolling on the top of the suspension, whilst the wagon felt more tied down on the road. It felt softer over bumps, more prone to wallowing slightly and didn’t turn in quite as tightly as the wagon. The front was also noticeable for the scarping from the nose’s overhang.
With almost the same road weight, acceleration and economy from the two was virtually identical; the torque of the diesel made around town driving and overtaking a doddle. A simple flex of the ankle was all that was required to see the numbers flicker upwards with a throaty road from the front, surprising devoid of overt diesel chatter.
As you would expect from a premium Euro car, safety is paramount and delivered in bucketloads: Adaptive Cruise Control, Blind Spot Alert, Pre-Collision Avoidance with Pedestrian Detection, rear seat belts with SRS Airbags fitted, Park Assist, Lane Departure Warning and Driver’s Knee Airbag, with most of these features standard across the three model range.
The Wrap.
The Ford Mondeo nameplate has been in Australia for close to two decades, it’s been a moderately successful seller but improvements to the quality and the look have increased its appeal. Bar the odd ride quality of the hatch, A Wheel Thing came away mightily impressed with the pair and has no qualms about recommending either to a buyer.
For specific pricing (the range kicks off at circa $36K, with the Titaniums from around $48600), warranty and service details,have a chat to the great staff at your local Ford dealer or click here: Mondeo range comparison
For A Wheel Thing TV: 2016 Ford Mondeo Titanium review on A Wheel Thing TV
The End Begins: The Final Aussie Commodore Unveiled.
Holden today took the covers off the final Australian made Commodore. The nameplate goes back to 1978 and, with Holden due to cease local manufacturing in 2017, will see the name fall a year short of forty years in the Australian motoring landscape. With thanks to Holden and their hard working PR team, here’s how the Commodore shapes up:
- Holden reveals most powerful Commodore ever built – 37 years in the making
- Commodore VFII V8 models boast new, more powerful 6.2-litre LS3 engine
- Bi-modal exhaust and mechanical sound enhancer standard on all V8 sports models
- Front and rear Brembo brakes standard for top of the range SS V Redline
- Commodore VFII developed and engineered for Australian conditions in numerous locations including Phillip Island, Alpine Ranges and the Surf Coast
Today, Holden has taken the covers off the quickest, most powerful, most advanced Commodore ever built, the Commodore VFII.
VFII introduces a new 6.2-litre LS3 engine to all V8 models, along with numerous upgrades including bi-modal exhaust, mechanical sound enhancer and all-new styling cues.
Making its debut at a special, custom-built Commodore Gallery at the brand’s headquarters in Port Melbourne, Holden today celebrated 37 years of Commodore by bringing together more than 30 Commodores, from one of the very first 1978 VB Commodores, to concepts, exports and motorsport heroes, illustrating the history and evolution of Australia’s favourite car.
The 2016 Commodore VFII is equipped with the powerful LS3 6.2-litre V8 engine and delivers 304kW of power and an exhilarating 570Nm of torque, ensuring that this is the quickest Commodore ever, posting a 0-100km/h sprint time of 4.9 seconds.
An engine of this caliber deserves a pure V8 soundtrack, so Holden engineers developed a distinct and fitting engine sound; the result of endless hours of local testing and courtesy of a newly introduced bi-modal exhaust with unique Holden designed “Baillie Tip” and mechanical sound enhancer.
Building on the performance of the LS3 V8 engine, Holden’s track focused, top of the range, SSV Redline sees the introduction of Brembo brakes on all four wheels, providing exceptional braking performance under all conditions and specifically designed to perform under closed circuit and track day conditions.
Holden’s Chairman and Managing Director, Mark Bernhard, described the Commodore VFII as the culmination of nearly four decades of design, engineering and manufacturing expertise, combined with unrivalled Australian experience.
“We made a commitment to keep this iconic car exciting and relevant for Australian motorists, and that is exactly what we have done. This is the vehicle that our Commodore customers have been asking for,” said Mr. Bernhard.
“Commodore VFII is powerful and refined, it will evoke emotion in its driver and exhibits all of the hallmarks Commodore has become renowned for over the years.
“Commodore represents 37-years of innovation, performance and technological advancements and has earned its place as Holden’s longest-standing and most successful nameplate.
“Holden’s design, engineering and manufacturing teams have produced the best Commodore ever – a vehicle that truly lives up to its reputation and one that the entire company is incredibly proud of.
“This is the reason Holden is committed to ensuring we will continue to have engineering and design input into Commodore, and every other Holden vehicle in our range, for generations to come.”
In addition to being the most powerful Commodore ever, VFII also boasts the exceptional refinement and handling that Holden has become famous for. Tuned at Holden’s Lang Lang proving ground and tested across Australia, VFII’s revised FE3 rear sports suspension increases ride comfort whilst retaining its sharp handling.
Holden’s Lead Development Engineer, Amelinda Watt, said the extensive development work combined with Holden’s Australian expertise ensured the new engine, sound and handling was unique and thrilling.
“The new 6.2-litre LS3 engine and its distinctive sound character is the result of years of hard work, testing, developing and evaluating this vehicle and I’m so proud of the end result,” said Ms. Watt.
“This is absolutely the best car we have ever engineered and we are confident we are giving all our customers a compelling reason to put the latest Commodore in their driveway. We know that they will enjoy driving VFII as much as we enjoyed creating it.”
The introduction of functional hood vents and fascia ducts were developed by Holden engineers with support from Melbourne’s Monash University wind tunnel, improving aerodynamics around the front corners of the vehicle.
Hood vents, a stunning new front fascia as well as the introduction of clear lens tail lamps on sedan models and new LED tail lamps on all Sportwagon models gives VFII a more aggressive exterior to match the LS3 V8 under the bonnet.
Commodore VFII goes on sale in October with demand for the unbridled V8 variant expected to be extremely strong. Customers wishing to register their interests can do so at their local Holden dealer or via the Holden website.
New Features to Commodore VFII Range
SV6
- Passive entry / Passive start
- New front fascia and grille
- New 18 inch alloy wheels
- New LED tail lamp (Sportwagon only)
SS
- 6.2 litre LS3 V8 engine
- Bi-modal exhaust with mechanical sound enhancer
- Passive entry / Passive start
- New front fascia and grille
- New 18 inch alloy wheels
- New LED tail lamp (Sportwagon only)
- Performance brake option
SSV
- 6.2 litre LS3 V8 engine
- Bi-modal exhaust with mechanical sound enhancer
- New front fascia and grille
- Hood vents
- Colour Head Up Display
- New 19 inch alloy wheels
- Clear lens on tail lamps (sedan only)
- New LED tail lamp (Sportwagon only)
- Performance brake option
SSV Redline
- 6.2 litre LS3 V8 engine
- Bi-modal exhaust with mechanical sound enhancer
- Rear Brembo brakes
- New front fascia and grille
- Hood vents
- Clear lens on tail lamps (sedan only)
- New 20 inch forged wheel option
- New LED tail lamp (Sportwagon only)
Calais
- Heated front seats (with memory)
- 8 way power passenger seat
- New 18 inch alloy wheels
- Clear lens on tail lamps (sedan only)
- New decklid lettering
- New LED tail lamp (Sportwagon only)
Calais V
- Optional 6.2 litre LS3 V8 engine
- New 19 inch alloy wheels
- Clear lens on tail lamps (sedan only)
- New decklid lettering
- Limited Slip Diff (V8 models only)
- New LED tail lamp (Sportwagon only)
- Performance brake option (V8 models only)
Caprice V
- 6.2 litre LS3 V8 engine
- Lip spoiler
- New 19 inch alloy wheels
- Single exhaust tips
- Performance brake option
Colour Range
- Slipstream Blue* (NEW) – available on all models (except Caprice V)
- Empire Bronze* (NEW) – available on Evoke, Calais, Calais V and Caprice V only
- Phantom Black*
- Nitrate Silver*
- Prussian Steel Grey*
- Jungle Green* – available on sports models only
- Some Like It Hot Red*
- Heron White
- Red Hot
- Regal Peacock Green*
*premium paint – $550 option (except on Caprice V – no charge)
Pricing
Recommended retail price^ of the Commodore VFII range is as follows:
Commodore VFII Sedan
- Evoke, V6 Auto $35,490
- SV6, V6 Man / Auto $37,290 / $39,490
- SS, Man / Auto $44,490 / $46,690
- SSV, V8 Man / Auto $47,990 / $50,190
- SSV Redline, V8 Man / Auto $53,990 / $56,190
- Calais, V6 Auto $41,290
- Calais V, V6 Auto $47,990
- Calais V, V8 Auto $55,490
Commodore VFII Sportwagon
- Evoke, V6 Auto $37,490
- SV6, V6 Auto $41,490
- SS, V8 Auto $48,690
- SSV, V8 Auto $52,190
- SSV Redline, V8 Auto $58,190
- Calais, V6 Auto $43,290
- Calais V, V6 Auto $49,990
- Calais V, V8 Auto $57,490
VFII Ute
- Evoke, V6 Auto $33,490
- SV6, V6 Man / Auto $33,990 / $36,190
- SS, V6 Man / Auto $40,990 / $43,190
- SSV, V6 Man / Auto $44,490 / $46,690
- SSV Redline, V8 Man / Auto $50,490 / $52,690
Caprice Sedan
- Caprice V, V8 Auto $60,490
Optional performance brakes and 20 inch wheels
- Performance brakes (V8s only) $350
- 20 inch forged alloy wheels (redline only) $1,500
Holden’s Lifetime Capped Price Servicing, the largest of its kind in Australia, will also available on the Commodore VFII range rewarding customers with complete peace of mind.
^ Recommended retail price excluding dealer delivery, on roads costs and government charges
Private Fleet Car Review: 2015 Holden Cascada Convertible.
Convertibles and Australia should go together like ham and pineapple on a pizza. It’s been tried by many. Many have failed. Holden has another go in 2015, with the Opel sourced Cascada 1.6L turbo four. A Wheel Thing runs the optics over it and likes some of what is seen.
To kick it off, there’s immediately a problem. It’s a mix of lack of torque in a heavy car and a smallish fuel tank. Think 260 Nm, a 56L tank and a 1750 kg car. A six speed auto works well enough, but the ratios just don’t seem to offer enough to take advantage of the torque and when instant fuel economy of 40L per 100 kilometres is seen under acceleration that isn’t hard….economy is quoted as 7.5L per 100 km on a combined cycle.
From the pickup point to home is near as damnit to 75 kilometres. Using a quarter of a tank to do so, in 95% freeway driving says more about this car than anything. On handover there was a quarter tank left after around 430 km covered. It ended up looking better than it could have been but part of the return journey was at speeds of twenty to thirty klicks, on a freeway. It’s fair to say that around town the economy would be something to give thought to.
Acceleration is leisurely, rather than a sprint. There’s never a feeling of all of those torques hooking up from the six speed auto and being put down, with full effectiveness, to the road, with the weight taming any pretensions of speed the Cascada might aspire to. The mass also dulls rapid changes of direction, even with a low centre of gravity, plus the brake pedal needs adjusting for travel, with it feeling like an inch before any bite on the pads could be felt.
Moving to the interior, it’s a sweet place to sit, roof up or down. Except for the centre console. It’s busy, very busy and one that a driver needs to study for some time before driving. There’s a button for every separate air conditioning function, including dials for the two zones. It’s overdone, par excellence’. Another downside is the somewhat cheap and chintzy feel the gear selector has, with a hard edged plastic feel to the button being pressed to unlock the movement.
Other than that, it’s standard GM/Opel/Holden in switchgear on the nicely sized steering wheel, a red-orange monochrome display ahead of the driver and a classy look to the dials and layout in the binnacles, with touches of chrome brightening the black plastics. There’s a seven inch screen in the upper centre console that looks just like the one found in a Commodore, except that it’s a non touchscreen setup but does come with the similar apps.
The extendable cushion in the front seats is handy, the padding and leather look is beautiful to behold however lacks ventilation (cooling) being heating only. Oh, by the way, there’s a heating function for the tiller…Another nifty touch is the mechanisms that power forward and back the holder for the seatbelts; hop in, twist the ignition and they travel forward a few inches, allaying any need to reach further back for the belts.
The selling point of the Cascada is the convertible section. It’s a sweet one, taking under forty seconds from fully up, to down and back again. It’s operated by a small chromed lever in the centre console; pull and hold and the mechanisms do their thing, swiftly, smoothly and quietly, at velocities up to 50 kmh. There’s a window switch mounted inside the roof latch, for the rear windows, however all four raise and lower along with the roof’s programming. Rear vision is an issue, with a small window incorporated into the tough triple layered fabric roof. Small also applies to the rear seat space should a driver choose to move the seats back.
The exterior is sleek, svelte, with the rise of the guards sweeping up into the A pillars in an almost unbroken sinuous curve. In profile the black fabric roof looks not at all out of place, with a view from the rear displaying a bold elegance to the look and tail lights. Bootspace is, understandably, tight, with enough room for some overnight bags and houses a space saver spare. Rolling stock is stylish 18 inch alloys with Potenza 235/50 rubber.
Cascada sits on a 2695 mm wheelbase, with an overall length of 4696 mm, somehow managing to look smaller than that. It’s low, a trim 1443 mm whilst track, front and rear,is identical at 1587 mm. Holden quotes front headroom as 960 mm and rear as 917 mm. Cargo space is quoted as 280L with the roof folded, 380L up.
Roadwise, the Cascada is a mixed bag. Steering is well weighted, precise enough but there’s a sensation of the rack being a bit loose whilst driving, with a feeling of movement from the front end being transmitted through the system to the driver. The ride quality in the Cascada was smooth but at times floaty, with the suspension absorbing bumps well but not tying down the chassis over repeated rises and falls in the road. The exhaust note is flat, uninspiring, sounding like an unwell vacuum cleaner.
Roof up, there’s more noise allowed in via the thin rear windows than the roof itself. For roof down driving, a wind blocker is found in the boot and is easily installed thanks to spring loaded locating rods. At speeds up to 120 kmh, sure there’s road and wind noise but noticeable for the lack of intrusive turbulence thanks to the car’s canny engineering and aerodynamics.
Cascada comes with a service interval of 9 months or 15000 kilometres and a new owner could be eligible for the Lifetime Capped Price Servicing. There’s also a year’s worth of Roadside Assistance included.
The Wrap.
It’s A Wheel Thing’s opinion that the Cascada will have an audience but a limited appeal. The consumption, the busy console, the (understandable) inability to house rear seat passengers and the need to compromise on boot space plus the floaty ride quality conspire to lower the overall appeal the otherwise sweet looking Cascada can offer. Prices start from $42K which is another tick against it. For details on the Cascada , click here: Holden Cascada range
Private Fleet Car Review: 2015 Volkswagen Jetta 118 TSI Trendline
The Volkswagen Jetta has long been regarded as a Golf with a boot. That may very well be the case, but there are a few other cars around that had or have sedan and hatch versions. It’s certainly no less of a vehicle for having a boot, so how does it really stack up? Dave Conole tests the Trendline 118 TSI version.
Bottom line: it’s typical VW. That’s neither an endorsement or condemnation, it’s an observation of what the car is. First up, it drives well enough, it looks nice enough on the outside and in, was economical to a T (around 6.5L per 100 klicks on standard unleaded) and that’s pretty much most people look for. Whilst the SUV onslaught continues, it’s still nice to know car companies haven’t given up on sedans. Let’s take a look at the entry to a five model range…
Under the bonnet is the VW family’s 1.4L TSI engine (There’s also a 2.0L TSI and a same sized diesel in the range, plus a six speed manual or 6 speed DSG). Turbocharging and supercharging gives it plenty of torque, 240 Nm of it, from a handy and useable 1500 revs through to 4500 revs. Peak power is decent enough, with 118 kw on board (5800 rpm) but it’s a figure few will really ever take advantage of. VW recommends that the Jetta drink at least 95 RON, (preferably) or 98 Premium Unleaded from its 55L tank to extract the best performance from the 1337 kg (plus passengers and fuel) sedan.
Transmission was the well sorted 7 speed DSG (Direct Shift Gearbox) from the VW family; it’s good, in the Jetta, really good. Smooth, crisp changes under acceleration, barely noticeable shifts in day to day driving (or, in other words, working as designed), only occasional stuttering in slow motion traffic. Naturally there’s manual shifting, (transmission selector only, no paddles) which was only called upon in certain downhill situations when the DSG would hold gear (generally third) and the preference wasn’t for the one chosen.
It’s an economical package as well, with the readout showing 6.5L of 95 RON petrol consumed for every 100 kilometres. Bearing in mind that the natural environment for the Jetta is urban, that’s a pretty damned good figure. Even better, it’s nearly the same figure VW says is a combined consumption number, with highway rated at 5.3L and urban at 7.7L…That’s potentially helped by that relatively low weight.
Styling wise, there’s a clear resemblance to the Audi A4 sedan, which is no bad thing. Apart from the Scirocco and perhaps the Golf R, it’s hard to say that any VW vehicle is truly stylish but there’s nowhere near a need for a paper bag either. It’s not especially compact with a 4659 mm length, 2651 mm wheelbase (good interior room, as a result), stands just 1453 mm tall and is 1773 wide, yet clever packaging manages to make the Jetta look a smaller car than it is.
There’s the familiar VW corporate look at the front, being uncluttered, clean, easy to look at. There’s bulb lit driving lights, no LED’s, a simple creaseline along the side drawing the eye to the rear and it’s as simple and clean and uncluttered as the nose.
The aforementioned “Golf with a boot” scenario? There’s a massive 510L with the rear seats folded up which jumps to a (cough) “decent” 1858L seats down.
A Wheel Thing presumes that’s good enough for most people. Speaking of the boot, the section (naturally) houses the tail light cluster, which is also clean and uncluttered in design.
The interior is very much along the same design philosophy; the seats were black coth,most of the plastics were simple in print style, there’s the monochrome centre of dash display, dot matrix radio screen and simple to follow aircon controls. The seats themselves were supportive, manually operated and comfortable. All controls on the steering wheel where black and white in plastic and labels, again in keeping with the overall theme.
Ride and handling is more than competent for a car this size and in its class. Acceleration is startling and gives the 205/55/16 tyres cause for concern off the line. There’s little choppiness over bumps, it sits flat and taut on the freeway and off camber turns are dispatched nonchalantly, with no hint of the chassis becoming unsettled enough to fire you off into the bushes.
Steering is precise, measured, with no sense of the front wheels not going exactly where your mind thinks they should be. In slow traffic, there’s a deftness to the steering; in freeway traffic, it’s light enough to require only a brief expenditure of thought and effort. It’s a very well weighted and sorted package. Having a nice to hold tiller helps as well.
Naturally there’s all of the safety features expected along with a well weighted pedal feel for braking. EBD (Electronic Brake Distribution) is on board to allocate braking force where required, there’s six airbags as standard, Brake Assist and Hill Start Assist (holds the brakes momentarily when in Drive, on a hill, when pressing the accelerator) whilst the body is also engineered to provide crumple zones and a you’ll get a 12 year perforation warranty, should a stone nick the paint enough to expose bare metal. There’s the ISOFIX mounts for junior occupants, reflectors inserted into the doors for night time safety and auto door locks which engage once the car is in motion.
The Wrap.
Jetta is more than just a “Golf with a boot”, it’s its own car in its own right. It’s economical (tick), comfortable to be in and has plenty of space(tick),has unconfusing controls (tick), drives well and handles well (tick), looks fine enough on the outside with true European styling (tick) and isn’t expensive to buy at around $22K starting price (tick).
Factor in the quality build and warranty/service factors and the Jetta deserves a higher spot on your cars to consider ladder. Head over here: Volkswagen Jetta range and information for all you’ll need to know.
Level 2, 9 Help Street