Buy A New Car
2015 Volvo V40 Luxury Car Review
Small car. Torquey diesel. Scintillating performance. I get personal with the 2015 Volvo V40 diesel.
Powersource.
It’s “just” two litres in size yet manages to twist out 400 torques, from 1750 revs to 2500. Peak power is 140 kilowatts, at 4250 rpm. Sipping from a 62 litre tank at just 4.5L/100 km (claimed, combined). From a standing start (the V40 also has Stop/Start technology), there’s a momentary 
hesitation before the engine comes on boost and slingshots the car away.
It’s front wheel drive, meaning that there’s torque steer, it feels heavy initially before lightening up. There’s the characteristic diesel chatter but it’s muted, unobtrusive and the Stop/Start is finely controlled by bare changes of foot pressure on the brake to have the engine ready to go instantly or ready to go inside a second.
All of that grunt is transmitted to the tarmac via a slick shifting, intelligent eight speed auto with Sports Mode, part of Volvo’s “Drive-E” marketing push, offering better fuel economy and driveability by upping the torque, power and gearbox ratios.
The Suit.
The V40 is compact to look at; it’s low (1420 mm) not particularly wide (1559 mm) and 
appropriate for its class, length wise, at just 4369 mm. The wheelbase isn’t massive, as a result, at 2647 mm and rolls on 17 inch diameter alloys, wrapped in Michelin 225/45 rubber.
Being low and comparatively long to look at, it has a slinky appearance in profile. Bi xenon teardrop shaped headlights 
(with a leveling feature and Active Bending Lights) feed into the fenders whilst a stylish look for the LED daytime running lights is added by having them set low and in a slimline case. The front end clip has Volvo’s family “inverse arrow head” look with a strong horizontal presence bracketed by inside out arrow points.
The hatch back rear appears to bend through over 45
degrees from the bumper, leaning forward at the top, whilst the tailgate itself has a medium height loading lip. A scallop draws the eye from front to rear in a pleasing line at the lower portion of the door.
On The Inside.
Being a compact body, it’s a touch cosy in the back and almost just right for the driver and passenger. There’s small storage trays at either extremity for the back seat occupants, which does take up a few vital inches. Front seats are supportive, comfortable and the driver’s seat gets three (!) memory positions.
The V40’s option list extends to heated seating at $375 (would love cooling as well for black leather during summer in Australia), plus a Driver’s Pack valued at $5k which is full of safety, bringing home Blind Spot Alert, Cross Traffic Alert, Adaptive Cruise Control/Collision 
Warning/Auto Brake and more.
Volvo’s much vaunted driver’s display with a choice of three visual settings provides personalisation, accessed via the indicator stalk (left hand side in Australia); it’s super crisp and clear across all driving conditions. Housed in the same tasteful binnacle is a display screen for radio and navigation, in high contrast black and white. Info is accessed by the messy array of 
buttons situated in the floating centre console. It’s ergonomically messy and largely user unfriendly, plus the chrome surrounds on the textured black plastic and gunmetal console (and 
around the aircon vents) reflect sunlight very easily, sometimes directly into the driving position.
There’s the now common tech such as Bluetooth streaming, Auxiliary/USB inputs plus voice control for the navigation, web access via smartphone tether, a thumping 8 speaker audio system and heated wing mirrors.
In the rear, there’s a simple yet smart touch; what looks like the 324L cargo bay floor is a lift up section that split folds to give extra room and support for items.
On The Drive.
That torque provides an ongoing wave of acceleration, seemingly unending as the push in the back is unrelenting from standstill to bye bye license velocities. There’s the typical turbo hesitancy off the line, forgotten in seconds as the speedo says nasty things with a decent right foot pressure. Even light throttle has 
the diesel, quietly chattering away, hauling the V40 away decently well. The eight speed auto shifts almost imperceptibly, with a barely registering flick of the tacho needle to say it’s changed.
Steering is precise, intuitive and well weighted; it’s enough heft to give an idea of where the front is and light enough to not feel disassociated from the tracking. Torque steer is apparent when the go pedal is used in anger, less so when asked gently.
Ride quality is biased towards, unsurprisingly, comfort however there is enough firmness to impart a sense of control when cornering. Body roll is minimal and the suspension is well and 
truly tuned for Aussie roads, with even the bigger rubber based speedbumps being reasonably flattened out.
Float, pitch and dive under brakes (good brakes too!) are also minimal, with a undulating freeway section throwing up barely a hiccup.
The Wrap.
When the biggest complaint one can find is purely to do with a perceived lack of internal room, knowing full well it’s because of a car’s compact dimensions, it says something about how well sorted the overall package is. Ergonomically, it’s almost spot on, however the centre console 
section with buttons and aircon controls is….not intuitive, politely.
The starting price of $46490 + ORC’s and options gets you into true European quality motoring at a very affordable price.
Information on the V40 range and offers are here: http://www.volvocars.com/au/all-cars/volvo-v40/page
Car Review: 2015 Volvo V40 T5 R-Design
Volvo month continues for me and we’ve moved into the V40 T5 R-Design.
Powersource.
Volvo has stayed with forced induction for the T-5, it’s also downsized to a four cylinder of two litres capacity. Peak power, a not inconsiderable 180 kW, is seen at 5500 revs whilst torque, all 350 Nm of it, 
is mesa flat from 1500 through to 4800 revs. Again, it’s the eight speed auto that’s fitted, in keeping with Volvo’s commitment to increasing economy and decreasing emissions. It’s quiet, refined and claims 6.1L of gogo juice consumed per 100 klicks on a combined cycle.
The Suit.
The test car came clad in the same distinctive blue paint that covers their top of the range S60
sedan, the Polestar. It highlights the low, slinky shape the V40 has plus showcases the satin black, diamond cut, alloy wheels fitted (clad in grippy Michelin 225/40 ZR rated tyres), named Ixion 2 R-Design. They really do look sensational and make a pleasing contrast with the Volvo blue.
Compared to the Luxury spec, there’s not too much in real exterior difference, with perhaps the most notable being a different location for the LED DRL’s, being pushed out to the corners and vertically laid in. There’s a slightly different rear valance and a glass roof to complete the picture.
On the Inside.
Not a huge difference from the Luxury; the centre console and dash have a different look, with a chrome/alloy strip on the driver’s side, different coverings on the seats (velour or alcantara) mixed in with the leather and the centre dash mounted display screen lights up with the same colours chosen for the dash display “Themes”….and Elegance is different, too, going cool blue instead of green. 
Safety, as you can expect, is a huge factor in the V40. There’s the innovative Pedestrian Airbag System (found across the V40 range, video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wH6iNQUUI8; Corner Traction Control which is a torque vectoring system,
it helps the driver avoid understeer by applying just the right amount of brake force to the inner wheels while powering the outer wheels when accelerating out of a corner; Ready Alert Brakes which move the pads closer to the discs if the car’s safety computers feel something may be about to happen that will need quick brake application; Roll Over Protection System and full length curtain airbags and more. For the category and class the V40 R-Design is in, just over $50K gets some pretty decent technology.
Then there’s the options fitted to this vehicle; the full length glass roof ($2650), heated front seats ($375) and the Driver Support Pack (Blind Spot Information System and Cross Traffic Alert, Driver Alert and Adaptive Cruise Control with Collision Alert plus Parking Assist System) to take the retail price up to $58425.
You’ll also get as standard the awesome sound system, with one of the best balanced mixes I’ve heard in a car.
On The Road.
Although there’s almost the same amount of peak torque as the D4 Luxury (350 Nms vs 400 from the diesel) and starts 250 revs lower (1500 vs 1750), there’s not the same neck snapping burst of acceleration off the line. There’s a touch of driveline vibration, no feeling of lacking any 
motivation, just not the same OMFG when the slipper is sunk. However, rolling acceleration is fantastic, with that 350 torques available at your beck and call over a 3000 rpm range, giving an educated driver plenty of safety factor. Once under way there’s a feeling of solid confidence, the electronics playing handsies with each other to keep the V40 R-Design on the tarmac, a gentle nudge of the tiller as the system reads the car moving towards a white line and centreing the car. The LCD dash will also show a red light where white would be, indicating the white lines either side of the car.
The forward collision alarm is almost perfect, but will sense, sometimes, cars or obstacles not in its direct path and will flash a warning red light from its vantage point on the top of the dash.
There’s a seat of the pants sensation of torque steer, the computers quickly dial that out and the R-Design remains surefooted and purposeful; the slightly harder, sports oriented suspension is never teeth shattering as well, giving a combination of balls and all power driving and subtly reinforcing the driver’s ability.
The eight speed auto has the Sports mode; again, in my eyes, almost superfluous, such is the smoothness and ability of the programming.
The Wrap.
Physically, the V40 will be ok for a family of four, but the R-Design, for me, is best suited for a single or couple. The level of tech it has, the driveability and the look of it in that glorious Polestar blue…..thankfully it’s in no danger of being bought by those that think a $25K hatch is too much moolah.
Should you be reasonably well cashed up and not needing a “big” car, the V40 R-Design is for you.
Pricing and tech details can be accessed here: http://www.volvocars.com/au/all-cars/volvo-v40/pages/default.aspx
Review: 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Elite
Mid sized SUV’s have corralled the Aussie car market of recent years and well in the mix are the two Korean brands, Kia and Hyundai. Hyundai’s Santa Fe started as a small mid sizer and now fits comfortably into the bigger mid sized bracket. I check out the mid range entrant, the Elite.
Powersource.
It’s a huffy and hairy chested 2.2L diesel four cylinder, with a mountainous torque figure of 436 Nm (auto, manual has 421) with a plateau like delivery between
1800 to 2500 revs.It’s a six speed auto with a torque split diff, lockable into full time four wheel drive.
Fuel consumption is quoted by Hyundai as being 7.3L per 100 kilometres on a combined cycle from the 64 litre tank, with urban and highway being 9.6L and 5.9L per 100L respectively. It’s enough for the auto to be able to tow 2000 kilograms.
The Suit.
It’s a solidly engineered look, with an upright nose housing the Hyundai corporate grille, sitting 
comfortably between the eagle eye headlights and LED rimmed driving lights. Crease lines down the side soften a somewhat heavy profile before finishing in a pair of protrusions at the rear. The black urethane plastic now commonly found on most SUVs, is used to frame the front and rear and joining them along the bottom of the doors.
The grille, on the Elite, is Hyundai’s corporate three bar look, chrome coated whilst the door wing mirrors house puddle lamps, which shine downwards brightly.
A power tailgate can be found at the rear and the roof is full glass plus s
unroof. The Elite has 18 inch alloys, in a petal design, wrapped in grippy 235/55 Hankooks.
The overall impression is one of capability and toughness with the styling definitely setting it apart from its competition. With dimensions of 4690 x 1880 x 1690 mm it looks bigger than it is.
On The Inside.
It’s typical Hyundai; it’s ergonomically smart, good looking and practical. It’s a mix of textures on the plastics, with a crosshatch design on the dash and the common crocodile look for the rest. 
There’s not a lot of give in the material though, odd for a luxury oriented vehicle.
The look of the dash, from the driver and passenger seat, is somewhat busy, with lines and angles bordering contrasting shades of black and grey trim; although buttons are logically laid out and clearly legible, it’s visually overdone and a touch fatiguing.
There’s repetition in the design, with a V-shaped spoke for the steering wheel reflected in the centre dash look, starting with the LCD touch screen as a base for an inverted pyramid with the aircon fan speed dial in the apex.
It’s a seven seater, with tilt-a-fold middle row seats and simply operated folding seats in t
he rear, with separate aircon controls plus the system operates independently of the main aircon.
It’s a full glass roof with a curtain that rolls back at the touch of a button, plus sunroof which was great in letting out hot air from the warmer days as are the vents for heating and cooling the front seats.
Safety.
There’s 4 channel ABS, with Electronic Brake Distribution, Stability Control, Traction Control, Hill Start Assist and Downward Brake Assist. High visibility LED driving lights, rear parking camera, parking sensors for Front and Rear Park Assist, Smart Parking Assist in the top of the Range Highlander, curtain airbags, a driver’s knee airbag, thorax and pelvis ‘bags plus pretensioning seatbelts provide almost everything a driver may need.
On The Drive.
The engine is a (torque drive) powerhouse; in normal drive mode there’s a hint of lag before the turbo reaches the right revs, with a lightswitch on moment as the front hooks up and launches the 2000 kilo plus Elite. Overtaking is a doddle, especially on the freeway as the gearing has the engine ticking over just below the max torque delivery starting point.
Handling is clean, predictable and with that mountain of torque, the nose will tuck in nicely when the right pedal is applied coming into a turn and sweeping corner. Ride quality (and noise quality, for that matter) is superb, with the Elite firm and flat on most surfaces, isolating noise nicely and the tyres absorbing enough of any initial jolt before the suspension takes over and disappears the rest.
Even the big speedhumps were relegated to a momentary annoyance, at any speed, whilst the dips and undulations found on the freeway barely unsettled the Elite whilst barking was superb, with just the right amount of pressure, from a light touch to a full on emergency heavy foot, having the Elite slowing or stopping in the right distances from the pressure.
Steering is mostly precise, with Hyundai’s three mode steering assist system still remaining questionable as to its worthiness and validity.
The Wrap.
It’s (the Elite) is priced at $48490 plus options like metallic paint at $595 and on roads. It competes with it’s sister company’s offering, the Sorento and matches nicely against vehicles such as the Outlander and Cherokee Trailhawk, although the latter is a dedicated off roader.
Fit and finish are of Hyundai’s typical high quality but the cushioning of the plastics needs work; it’s a comfortable ride, inside and on road, it’s quiet with the diesel chatter hardly noticeable under load. Economy settled somewhere around 8.0L per 100, reasonable given the bulk and driving the Elite covered.
Backed by Hyundai’s five year and unlimited kilometre warranty and ten years worth of roadside assist, it’s a car for the family with piece of mind built in.
Head here: http://www.hyundai.com.au/vehicles/santa-fe/specification-range for info.
Go here for A Wheel Thing TV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1UW4YcJWUM&feature=em-upload_owner
2015 Hyundai Genesis Ultimate review
In November of 2014, I was part of the dealer network launch team for the newest entry into the luxury sedan market, the Hyundai Genesis. Over three and a half days, the cars were showcased to members of the Hyundai dealerships. However, it wasn’t quite the chance to consciously evaluate the car for a good period of time….until now.
Powersource.
It’s a 397 Nm, 232 kW, 3.8L V6 between the BMW-esque front fenders. It’s a willing, smooth, but thirsty beast, even with eight automatic gears to choose from, with a Hyundai quoted 11.2L 
per 100 kilometres of driving being drained from the 77 litre tank (urban is quoted as 15.7L and highway at 8.6L). Part of the issue, well, two parts, are the weight of the Genesis (1890 kg dry) and the rev figure for maximum torque: a very high 5000 rpm. Peak kilowatts are produced just 1000 rpm up the range. My best was 8.5 with cruise set at 115 kph (indicated) on a Sydney freeway.
The Suit.
She’s a big ‘un, sitting just a centimetre shy of five metres in length, putting the Genesis into 
luxobarge territory and offering heaps of interior space. Width is 1890 mm and height 1480 mm on a 3080 mm wheelbase.
There’s a vast area of grille on the Genesis, with six horizontal bars inside a slightly odd looking hexagonal design. The nose is upright, 
with LED rimmed headlights flowing back into the fenders, whilst the rear has a mix of Japanese and German design influences. At night there’s a neon tube look to the clusters.
Rolling stock is 18 inch alloys with 245/45 rubber, providing a solid footprint on the road. It’s a full length glass roof with sunroof on top and the whole shebang is based on Hyundai’s Fluidic Sculpture design philosophy, version 2.0.
Front and rear are joined by two scalloped edges, breaking up the profile whilst providing a hint 
of slimness to the five metres of metal; a touch of luxury is added at night with the Genesis logo beamed downwards from the folding wing mirrors, which help to direct airflow along and around the sides. Underneath is a flat floor, to reduce turbulence and drag. The boot itself is cavernous (493L) and is power operated for the lid itself.
The Office.
It’s here that the Genesis is showing a touch of age; the car has been available overseas for a few years and although the basic design is ergonomic and legible (for the most part), some of the plastics and ideas used need an upgrade. At least all internal lights are LEDs.
An example is the rear of the driver and passenger seats; just about every other car has a soft material, be it cloth or leather but Genesis has a hard sheet of plastic with elastic straps to pull it away from the seat back. 
The steering wheel buttons look as if they’ve been lifted from any other Hyundai and the dash buttons lack a premium feel.
There’s a couple of niceties, with a rear window blind and an analogue clock that automatically resets to suit a GPS provided time.
Surrounding the gear lever is a range of buttons, accessing parking sensors, the 360 degree cameras (which display as a top down graphic on screen, with a range of options), drive mode (Normal, Sports, Eco) with the same, not quite as good as they should be, buttons on the dash.
The sound system is fantastic; comprising 17 speakers spread around the cabin, Lexicon have provided a great mix of punch, clarity and channel separation, with kick drums as equally clear as the shriek of a metallic string on a guitar. A 9.2 inch touchscreen takes pride of place in the centre dash, allowing a selection of audio, navigation and the like whilst the dash itself has a four 
inch or so LCD screen in full colour. The rear seat has access to a set of controls, presumably with the passenger being chauffeured; there’s audio, seat cooling/heating and more.
TechSpec.
There’s plenty of driver support in the Genesis Ultimate, which takes the level of technology you may pay more for elsewhere and combines it into one package. Naturally there’s the usual Traction Control, heaps of airbags etc, but you’ll also get Tyre Pressure monitoring, Lane Departure Warning (which beeps and shakes at the driver) Head Up Display, Smart Cruise Control (which reads the distance to the car in front and keeps Genesis at a driver selected 
distance behind, measured in seconds) with Autonomous Emergency Brake (which will bring the car to a halt automatically), the surprisingly simple Blind Spot Detection, which uses sensors at the rear to flash up on the HUD which side a potentially unseen vehicle is on and Rear Cross Traffic Alert, advising the driver of any vehicles they can’t see as they reverse from a tight car park.
On The Drive.
Sure, there’s a peak of nearly 400 Newton metres of torque to play with but at a hefty call of 5000 revs; there’s enough torque below that to move the two tonnes plus passengers off the line but it’s deceptive. The eight speed auto slurs its way through, there’s a sense of manual gear changing and it FEELS seat of the pants quick…until you look down and see the numbers. It FELT quicker than what it was.
A severe prod of the go pedal changes that, so the revs climb so do the other numbers and there’s a hint of anger from the front, a muted snarl that sounds just right, as the 3.8L V6 winds up. The three drive modes do change the subtleties of the Genesis, however the Normal mode is more than able to deliver.
Steering feel is conversational; there’s a faint sense of numbness on centre, but loads up nicely, especially with the meaty rubber strapped onto the alloys. Ride quality is, for the better part, superb, flattening out all but the bigger intrusions whilst isolating a decent amount of noise from the cabin as well.
Punted hard in turns you can feel the chassis tensing up, with a progressive change from throttle controlled understeer to a touch of lift off oversteer, with the 3.0 metre wheelbase providing a stable footprint. Lock to lock is about three and a half turns, giving good control for normal driving.
Driven hard, the Genesis easily sees plus fifteens for consumption, whilst a cruise controlled freeway stint saw a best of 8.4L/100 km.
The Wrap.
It’s a three model range, with the entry level starting in the low $60k bracket and winds up at around $82k plus on roads. The full specification list can be found here: http://www.hyundai.com.au/multimediafiles/cars/genesis/pdf/hyundai_genesis_specification_and_range.pdf and, of course, head across to Hyundai Australia’s website for more.
It’s a good car, a lovely car and aimed at medium wealthy males, luxury car hire and limousine companies. It certainly fits those bills but is already, in the eyes of A Wheel Thing, needing some subtle updates to freshen the interior, to provide more of a luxury office feel with the plastics and seatback map pockets.
The exterior is a different question; the debate about having something that identifies it as a Hyundai will rage for some time but Hyundai Australia needs a hero car. Is this it?
It was parked under the grandstand at Sydney Motorsport Park during the recent V8 Supercar test weekend; comments such as “What is it?” and “Looks nice, a Hyundai? Nahhhh.” were common, as were cameras taking snaps. The styling is inoffensive but, as a result, appears to lack cut through if public feedback is used as a yardstick.
Level 2, 9 Help Street