The WhichCar Style Award is a celebration of the automotive industry’s innovation and dedication to design and style. Our panel of experts narrows down this year’s contenders to a list of just 12 of Australia’s most stylish cars.
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The Audi A4 merges style with driver enjoyment. The luxurious mid-size sedan is not only enjoyable to drive, but one of the leaders in design and quality. Now in its ninth generation, previously under the guise of the Audi 80, the German automaker has worked hard to come up with a product as polished as the A4.
The all-new model was released earlier this year as a lighter, more dynamic sedan packed with more driver and safety technology. And while the exterior only received very minor design changes, its cabin received a stunning upgrade on the inside. A spacious cabin, exquisite textiles, and striking instrumentation all work together to create a spirited segment frontrunner.
The French stand out from the crowd and while the Spanish are known for their vociferousness, so it’s no surprise the French-designed, Spanish-made Citroen C4 Cactus is one of the wackiest designs on the Aussie new-car circuit.
The first thing most people will notice about Citroen’s small SUV is the standout AirBumps. This concept-made-reality feature basically acts as bubble wrap for your car. Gone are the days of door-to-door dents and supermarket trolley scratches.
Citroen then take the style offering a step further by presenting 10 colour options to buyers, including a bright ‘Hello Yellow’, regal ‘Deep Purple’ and cool ‘Blue Lagoon’ along with four AirBump colour choices (black, grey, chocolate and dune white).
Even without these edgy design choices, the strangely-named Cactus offers a sophisticated yet simple design inside and out. The interior is spacious and engaging; the door handles mimic luggage handles, the glovebox carries the bump theme and the materials are elegant.
There’s no doubt the Cactus is one of the most characterful and compelling cars available in Australia, which is its greatest strength and also its Achilles heel.
There’s a reason all Sally wanted to do was ride around in her Mustang. Ride, Sally, ride!
The Ford Mustang is a muscle car unlike others of its kind. It’s tough, and it’s wild, but unlike many of its competitors carries itself as a down-to-earth daily-drive option.
The pony car has continued under the same name since 1964 in the USA, but only two models officially made it to Australian shores. So the 2016 Mustang was one of the most anticipated arrivals this year. Ford designers reimagined the original design with a gloss of sophistication.
It’s not all design-wins for the Mustang, however. Its big exterior is met with a small and busy interior. But it is an icon, and alongside Sally, the classic car has appeared through Hollywood since before Steve McQueen raced a 1968 Ford Mustang GT against a Dodge Charger in the 1968 movie Bullitt. If it’s stylish enough for Hollywood, then we’re in.
The brand-new Astra has been chopped into a whole new design. By name alone, its place on the Style Award’s list is questionable. But if we step away from reputation for a moment and judge this car by its styling alone, we’ll see it’s packed with surprisingly smooth details.
Oozing quality and style, the all-new Astra feels right at home in the small hatch segment. Matched with refinement, dynamics and loaded with technology, it’s earned its place on this list.
Stand out mentions include the floating roof, and clever highlights like a slot for your smartphone. It also offers Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and digital radio.
The Honda Civic has many torn in terms of its place in the style awards, but one thing no one can argue is that it’s eye-catching.
Traditionally, the Civic has been popular with the pensioner-generations, but Honda is targeting the younger market with this new sportier design.
The interior has undergone a makeover too, with the Thai-built sedan receiving a more refined, uncluttered centre console and better quality textiles.
Buyers will also love that it comes with more gear including a seven-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, parking sensors and a reversing camera.
Infiniti, the luxury arm of Nissan, is known for its unique styling, and the Q30 delivers on this. Infiniti’s cheapest offering, the Q30 is based on a Mercedes-Benz platform and shares similarities with the Mercedes A-Class, CLA and GLA, although its skin is pure Infiniti.
The Q30’s finishes are quality, and the exterior is certainly eye-catching with its edgy, lined, angled, and creased exterior. Like anything that dares to be different, some will love it, some will not. But we’re a fan of anyone who takes the gamble.
As Jaguar’s first ever SUV, the world expected big things. Jags are known for their style, their pace and their elegance and the Jaguar F-Pace certainly delivers.
According to Wheels magazine, the Jaguar F-Pace features “Jaguar’s most accomplished interior design in recent times”. Using high quality and stylish finishes, the F-Pace may not be as flashy as some of its competitors, but it’s sporty, comfortable, and hard to fault from a design perspective.
The exterior is simple, yet eludes a type of luxury you’d expect of the British brand.
It was Coco Channel who once said “simplicity is the keynote to all true elegance”, which sums up the Mazda CX-9. The big seven-seater maintains the SUV style without giving in to bus-like proportions.
The Mazda CX-9 has no WOW factor. It’s not flashy or particularly luxurious and it doesn’t have diamond-encrusted anything. It’s a car built for families: simple, practical and efficient. And this is exactly what it does so well – less is more and the CX-9 remains stylish without being too OTT.
Unlike other people movers, the CX-9 managed to merge practicality with design flair. Mazda has paid close attention to detail to create a striking and handsome exterior, while the interior is composed of elegant and stylish textiles that makes the large Mazda feel more premium than lifeless.
Match this with a suite of technology and equipment, and it’s no surprise the Mazda CX-9 is such a popular choice.
There’s a lot that can be said about MINI, but no one can argue that style is kind of its thing. Developing such a unique design signature, there’s no other design quite like the MINI range. But the Clubman strays from MINI-esque style because it’s bigger and more practical than its brothers and sisters. It’s actually a contender for families wanting something a little different to the humdrum SUV while still holding on to the practicality.
So the Clubman continues the genetics of MINI, while also gaining its own unique characteristics such as width, space and packaging. The interiors too hold on to the circular physiognomies, while entering into a new realm of edges, like square air vents.
It’s a MINI without being too MINI and it works.
The Megane is Renault’s version of a playground for adults. It looks like it’s the type of car that should be enjoyed by unripe drivers, and yet, in its newest form, it’s got more seasoned than ever before.
The Megane is fun to drive, particularly if you get up to the GT Line and GT models, and yet, it feels surprisingly adult.
From the outside, thanks to its large backside that Renault has actually reduced in size the Megane’s exterior gets heads turning for more subtle reasons.
Inside, it feels premium as you’d expect from the French and it’s nothing short of interesting. Despite its inconsistencies, buyers will either love or hate the interface and interiors.
Forget James Bond – Skoda’s medium entrant, the Superb, is like the dorky high-school friend who shows up at the reunion in a suit and suddenly becomes Mr Suave.
From the outside, the Superb looks elegantly proportioned, but inside you walk into SUV proportions. At least in the best-selling wagon form.
The styling of the Superb is, well, superb. It’s sharper than some of its German competitors, comes with plenty of practical storage ideas and has enough space to make it a decent option as a family-car. Throw in excellent quality, refinement and an attractive price-tag, and you’ve got yourself a surprisingly striking option in the medium-to-large segment.
Volvo’s S90 is the brand’s largest and more luxurious sedan available. The Swedes aren’t traditionally known for elegant automotive style, but that changed this year thanks to the Volvo XC90 and XC60. So it’s no wonder, then, most expect the S90 to be elegant with a premium feel.
The cabin is clean and organised, even if a little sparse. Wood and metal complement each other to create an elegant and understated interior, with chic finishing touches which contribute to the overall feeling of minimalism.
From the outside, the sedan looks sporty and clean, even if the rear has polarised opinions. But the S90 is a refreshing and stunning entrant in the large sedan segment.
SUV sales in Australia continue to grow and while much of the broader segment is centred around the more affordable soft-roaders, there’s still plenty of demand for large, turbo diesel, four-wheel-drive vehicles that will do everything from daily school run to outback adventures.
Three that fit the bill well are the similarly equipped Ford Everest Titanium, LandCrusier Prado VX, Land Rover Discovery TDV6 Graphite.
PRICE AND EQUIPMENT | WINNER: EVEREST
The Prado VX diesel and Everest Titanium are similarly priced at $75,190 and $76,705 respectively, while the Discovery TDV6 Graphite comes in at $70,496. However, if you add the optional reversing camera, leather upholstery and third-row seating to the Disco, which are standard in the others, it ends up costing $75,286.
The Everest Titanium comes with more standard features not included in the others, including auto-high beam, active cruise control, curtain airbags, head up display, lane departure warning, power tailgate, parking assist and sunroof.
The Prado VX is the only one that has heated rear seats and a digital radio tuner.
INTERIOR AND VERSATILITY | WINNER: DISCOVERY
All three are very roomy. The Everest and Prado come with seven seats as standard, but while the Land Rover TDV6 Graphite has space for a third row, an extra bench is a $2780 option.
The Everest’s driver’s seat is very comfortable, but you sit lower and further back in the cabin than you do in the Prado and Discovery. This feels nice on the road, but your all-round vision off-road is not as good as the others.
The Discovery has the only second row seat that will fit three adults with ease and unlike the other two, the third row, if fitted, will comfortably seat two adults and not just kids.
The Everest has good cargo area even with the rear seat up. The Prado has a big luggage area, but third-row seats that fold down into the floor do eat into the overall cargo volume. It can’t match the Land Rover Discovery’s cavernous luggage space but it gives you as much storage room as the Everest.
The Discovery has a particularly comfortable cabin with superb seats and great vision for everyone. Its space-efficient box-like body gives it huge load-carrying ability, and the middle and third-row seats fold to provide a completely flat floor giving to turn it into a pseudo-van. The second- and third- row seats also fold individually, so that the load space can be tailored to what you are carrying.
PERFORMANCE AND ECONOMY | WINNER: PRADO
The Ford Everest has the same excellent 3.2-litre five-cylinder turbo diesel engine found in the Ford Ranger ute with an official combined-cycle fuel economy rating of 8.5L/100km – though we found this to be 11L/100km in real world conditions. Mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox the 143Kw/470Nm engine gives effortless performance for most driving but could do with more overtaking power. Towing capacity is 3000kg
The Prado’s 2.8-litre, four-cylinder turbo diesel engine produces 130kW/450Nm. It’s the smallest of the trio and it shows with modest overtaking performance. Fuel economy is a bit less than the Ford Everest – 7.9 litres/100km combined and 10.5L/100km real world. The VX only comes with a six-speed automatic transmission, and its 2500kg towing capacity is the lowest of the three.
The Land Rover Discovery 5 TDV6 has a 3.0-litre six-cylinder diesel turbo pumps out 155kW and has 520nM of torque with published fuel consumption just a little more than the Everest at 8.8 litres/100km combined and 11L/100km in our real world testing. Mated to a sophisticated eight-speed automatic transmission, it’s an effortless performer in all conditions. The Discovery also has a class-leading 3500kg tow rating.
One important factor in this category is fuel range, and it’s here where the Prado excels. The VX has an 87-litre fuel tank plus a 65-litre auxiliary tank which almost doubles the 82.3-litres and 80-litres in the Land Rover and Everest. Going by our real world fuel figures that 150-litre capacity gives it non-stop Gold Coast to Townsville capability of 1428kms, compared to the Land Rover’s 748km and the Everest’s 727kms – that’s plenty of extra peace of mind for when fuel stops are few and far between.
RIDE AND REFINEMENT | WINNER: PRADO
The Ford Everest is based on the Ford Ranger Ute, which was developed in Australia and while its ride and handling is even better than the ute it’s not as refined as most other passenger SUVs. That said it’s comfortable on good roads and very capable off road.
The Prado is very comfortable as a day-to-day family car, but it is built extra tough and is one of the best choices for long trips. Its Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS) provides a comfortable ride and it’s very quiet even on the worst roads.
The Land Rover performs smoothly in the rough stuff without compromising its comfort and handling on soft roads.
OFF-ROAD CAPABILITY | WINNER: DISCOVERY
All three are great to take off the beaten track. The Everest comes with trailer-sway control, full-time 4WD with high and low range and electronic traction control with rear differential lock to help maintain drive in very rough conditions. It is capable and competent in difficult off-road conditions, where its standard rear diff-lock will be appreciated.
As you’d expect the Prado VX IS well kitted for the rough stuff with electronic traction control and KDSS, which adjusts handling to suit on-and off-road conditions by automatically adjusting the tension on the suspension’s anti-roll bars. The Prado is a genuine off-roader that’s only matched by the other two vehicles in this comparison and its big-brother the LandCruiser 200 Series.
Meanwhile the Land Rover has height-adjustable air suspension, which lets you raise the car for off-road use and lower it more than standard for tight spots such as overhead carparks. It also has electronic traction control, active roll mitigation, hill descent control and hill-start assist, trailer sway control, and Terrain Response, which automatically adjusts to different off-road surfaces.
STEERING AND HANDLING | WINNER: DISCOVERY
The Everest handles better than most ute-based SUVs, offering sharp and responsive steering without suffering excessive body roll in corners. It’s full-time 4WD system is a bonus on wet or icy bitumen, or on loose gravel roads, and particularly when the road conditions are frequently changing from wet to dry.
The Prado is not for drivers who like a car with responsive steering and nimble handing. It’s too high-riding and heavy for that, though the KDSS eases the body roll that the soft, long travelling suspension causes in lower-spec models.
The Discovery on the other hand steers and handles like a smaller car and out on the road feels sporty and nimble compared to the other two. The height-adjustable suspension works well here. The low on-road ride height helps stability, and yet you can still jack up the car for off-road use.
VERDICT | WINNER: DISCOVERY
Make no mistake, these are each excellent vehicles to take on everything from daily driving to remote exploration. The Explorer Platinum offers great value in terms of equipment and all-round capability, and you can’t fault the Prado VX for range, comfort and off-road capability.
However, the Land Rover Discovery TDV6 Graphite has the edge because it makes no compromises between on- and off-road handling and scores higher for general refinement and practicality. While it’s the cheapest it’s not the best value, as the other two have a lot more standard features, however the $5000 price difference will buy you a few optional bells and whistles.
Substantial tech upgrades for Audi’s sporty small hatch and sedan offset a slight price rise, to give an already-sharp package a new edge.
WHAT IS IT? The Audi S3 is Audi’s accessible C-segment performance offering, and a consistently popular model within the broader Audi A3 line-up.
Now halfway through its lifespan and the recipient of a cosmetic nip n’ tuck, the 2017 S3 range – which includes manual and automatic sedan and hatch variants – gets a minor power boost and an extensive standard equipment upgrade to keep it competitive.
Prices jump up by $1800 for the S3 Sportback, and $1100 for the S3 sedan.
PLUS: Grippy performance, exceptional comfort on Magnetic Ride suspension, new safety and interior tech MINUS: Choppy ride on standard dampers, S tronic auto won’t hold onto gears
THE WHEELS VERDICT The current-generation S3 arguably had the formula right from the beginning, but new equipment for 2017 adds a sharper edge to the S3 Sportback and Sedan’s offering. Performance upgrades are relatively minor, but buyers will relish the added tech.
And that’s not exactly true of Audi’s popular all-paw hot hatch. It didn’t necessarily need to be changed, but Audi’s gone ahead and done so anyway. The A3 is entering middle age, after all – there are bound to be a few small wrinkles here and there.
Even the engine is largely untouched; gaining a paltry 3kW and precisely zero Newton metres to bring outputs to 213kW and 380Nm. Did it need more grunt? Not really, though the fact that Euro-market S3s make 228kW and 400Nm stings us a little.
On the road, though, the S3’s power levels are plentiful. It’s perfect for squirting through mountain passes, thanks to its near-lagless turbo response, quick steering ratio and exceptional grip. The quattro AWD hardware has been tweaked for 2017 too, with Audi’s boffins instructing it to send more torque to the rear axles more of the time. It feels a lot less front-biased in its power delivery as a result.
And that electronic instrument panel is no gimmick either. For the S3, Audi has bestowed a sports-oriented default layout with a large central tachometer, and clear digital speed readout in the middle. When hurtling from corner to corner, it’s ideal for keeping tabs on how close you are to shredding your licence.
The standard suspension is also relentlessly firm. It’s worth splurging extra to get the optional Magnetic Ride dampers – they iron out bumpy roads so effectively, it makes an S3 shod with 19s feel more compliant than a base model A3 on 16-inch alloys.
And specced as such, it’s a do-it-all device that’ll blast up the side of a mountain and take you to work and back without any complaint – all while packing space for four adults and their luggage. It’s as versatile as it’s ever been, and that’s why we love the S3.
SPECS Model: 2017 Audi S3 Sportback quattro S tronic Engine: 1984cc in-line 4-cyl, dohc, 16v, turbo petrol Max power: 213kW at 5400-6500rpm Max torque: 380Nm at 1850-5300rpm Transmission: 7sp dual-clutch automatic Kerb weight: 1505kg 0-100km/h: 4.8sec (claimed) Fuel economy: 6.6 l/100km (claimed) Price: $62,900 On sale: Now
The final round of the 2016 world championship, this weekend’s Rally Australia, looms as many things, including what will be an emotional farewell to one of the most successful teams in the sport’s history, Volkswagen.
While it will be unsettling to see VW depart, Australia will get one last chance to see the best combination in recent seasons – Sebastien Ogier and his co-driver Julien Ingrassia fight for a final victory aboard the championship-winning Volkswagen Polo R WRC.
There’s always a reward when you watch the very best ply their trade.
VW departs after crushing all competitors over the past four years. It’s disappointing but not the end of the world.
At the same time, the contest within a contest, the battle for the Kumho Australian Rally Championship has a tantalising conclusion in wait with three drivers separated by a mere six points.
Subaru privateer and crowd favourite Simon Evans holds the advantage but can’t be comfortable with young guns Molly Taylor (Subaru do Motorsport) and Harry Bates (Neal Bates Motorsport Corolla) well within striking distance.
The locals are obviously keen to show their credentials to the international teams, although Taylor says she is more interested in being consistent across the 23 stages.
With 36 WRC cars ahead of the 27 ARC entries on each stage, the course will take a pounding from the sheer volume of cars.
Taylor and co-driver Bill Hayes will again be sharing a Group N production class All-Wheel Drive Subaru WRX STI NR4.
“There’s a massive variety of conditions across the stages too, from nice flowing shire roads to narrow, rough, technical sections, so it’s a fantastic challenge that we’re looking forward to.”
Subaru has had historical success in Coffs Harbour, with the late Possum Bourne winning four consecutive events there from 1996-99.
Mazda believes its second generation Mazda CX-5 can remain at the top of the Australian SUV sales charts despite an influx of fresh competition and possibly price increases.
The Japanese brand says a new look and increased refinement to the CX-5 – the brand’s second biggest seller behind the Mazda3 – will maintain interest in the vehicle and encourage existing owners to trade up.
“That’s what our plan is and that’s what we’re working towards,” said Mazda Australia marketing director Alastair Doak, acknowledging that there are plenty of targets on the CX-5’s back bumper.
“It’s going to be tough. Obviously we’re on everybody’s target list, being the top seller.”
Doak hinted the company would revise the CX-5 model lineup, possibly adding another model to the existing four-tiered range that includes Maxx, Maxx Sport, GT and Akera.
“We don’t have assumptions of lineup and features … we look at it from a clean sheet of paper,” he said, adding that there may be “a few tweaks here and there”.
“We always re-evaluate what customers want … we look at the lineup with fresh eyes. We want to make sure the CX-5 segment remains fresh and relevant, if that means we have to tweak the lineup we’ll tweak the lineup.”
Mazda isn’t talking about pricing for the new CX-5 just yet – it’s still six months from going on sale in Australia and the exact numbers are still being finalised – but he conceded there could be minor increases over today’s CX-5 lineup, which starts at $27,890 for the Maxx with a six-speed manual and going all the way to $50,410 for the flagship diesel-powered Akera.
“The success of the current model has been built around value and we intend to continue that,” said Doak. “We’re certainly not going to walk away from that strategy. We’ll be very keen to make sure existing customers can see the value in the new one.”
In 2017 there are a raft of updates or new mid-sized SUVs planned from big players, including Ford (which is ditching the Kuga nameplate and reviving Escape), Holden (which is introducing the recently revealed Equinox) and Honda (which is bringing a new turbocharged engine to the CR-V).
MAZDA’S second generation CX-5 is all about refining a successful formula rather than trying to reinvent the vehicle that sits at the top of the Australian SUV sales charts.
With styling cues from its larger Mazda CX-9 sibling and a more upmarket interior, Mazda’s all-new CX-5 addresses key complaints while aiming to set a new mid-sized SUV benchmark.
At 4550mm long, 1840mm wide and 1690mm high it is almost identical dimensionally to the model it will replace in April 2017; the second generation CX-5 is 10mm longer, identical in width and 20mm lower.
“We have worked to strengthen the feeling of connection between car and driver,” he said, adding that passengers were as important as the driver when it came to enjoying the journey.
The Mazda CX-5 has also borrowed some of the cab-rearward stance of the CX-9, repositioning the A-pillars 35mm aft. Slimmer headlights and a grille that incorporates a bold chrome link between the two changes the look of the nose without dramatically altering the overall profile.
The wider footprint teams with a lower centre to sharpen the dynamics, an attribute that’s also benefited from a chassis boasting a 15.5 percent improvement in torsional rigidity thanks to the increased use of ultra-high tensile steel.
A Mazda bugbear – road noise and general refinement – has also been tackled with additional sound deadening claimed to improve conversation levels in the cabin by 10 percent.
Inside, the new CX-5 gets a more upmarket interior in keeping with the CX-9 and updated Mazda3. A 7.0-inch display with the familiar MZD Connect operating system sits higher and looks as though it’s slicing into the redesigned dashboard.
The second generation CX-5 also gets rear air vents to better direct fresh air to those in the rear.
The optional Bose 10-speaker sound system features noise cancelling for crisper sound and less interference from road and tyre noise. The new CX-5 will drop the CD player, and instead focus on digital music and the ability to stream songs or tap into a smartphone’s music library.
The show car featured 19-inch alloys, although lesser models will get smaller rims; all CX-5s will get a space saver spare tyre.
That means the choice of either a 2.0-litre four-cylinder or 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, and a 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel version.
As with the current CX-5 lineup, the second generation will exclusively pair the 2.0-litre engine to a front-wheel-drive setup with the option of a six-speed manual or six-speed auto. The two larger engines will drive all four wheels through a six-speed automatic.
Digital radio is expected to feature on all models, as well as the availability of speed sign recognition to better inform the driver of varying speed limits.
Other features on more expensive variants will include a head-up display (to project things such as the speedo and sat-nav commands on a virtual space above the bonnet) and matrix-style LED headlights that automatically block out other vehicles.
Mazda has also refined its hero colour, Soul Red, to soon be known as Soul Red Crystal. It adds depth through extra metallic elements that better capture light and showcase lines.
There are three interior options – black material, white leather or black leather.
Maybach reveals its own take on Mercedes-Benz’s fanciest drop-top convertible at the 2016 Los Angeles Motor Show.
Open-air opulence is back with the Mercedes-Maybach S650 Cabriolet – a model set to become the most expensive in three-pointed-star showrooms.
The S650 is the first Maybach-badged convertible since the ostentatious 2007 62 Landaulet that featured a slightly bizarre half-roof opening dedicated to bathing super-rich rear passengers in sunshine.
The new Benz drop-top features the more conventional retractable fabric roof of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class Cabriolet on which it’s based.
Maybach badge aside, the exterior features a flamboyantly designed front bumper, additional chrome highlights, and 20-inch “biochromatic” forged concave wheels.
Nine new interior colours – including a pastel yellow/black combination – are specific to the S650, there are bespoke trim elements, and the hand-finished leather upholstery combines cascading perforated lines and diamond quilting.
The cupholder is also inscribed with ‘1 of 300’ to remind owners of the limited number of S650s that will be built.
A travel luggage set comprising two large bags and two ‘lifestyle’ bags made from the same leather as the seat come as standard, matched to the car.
Mercedes-Benz Australia expects to secure 10 of the 300 build allocation. It has yet to confirm local pricing, but a 300,000 Euros price tag overseas suggests it will comfortably surpass the $522,000 S65 Cabriolet and exceed $600,000.
That’s still significantly cheaper than the circa-$1.5m 62 Landaulet that – somewhat thankfully – never joined the ‘regular’ million-dollar Maybach limos in Australia.
Machines that will have their own clubs in 10 years’ time – if not already
Cramming an S3’s drivetrain into the A1’s tiny body birthed a supermini like no other. At $50K, it isn’t cheap, but owners will know what they’ve scored. There’s not a huge chance Audi, or anyone else, will build something like this again.
AMG turned the hot hatch establishment on its head when its A45 dive-bombed into the segment. It proved so popular AMG couldn’t build enough to satisfy demand – and it’s so fast it will still command respect well into used-car days.
With such a strong marketing campaign behind it, there’s no wonder sales have favoured Toyota’s side in the BRZ/86 relationship. The upside to this, however, is that the BRZ will be the rarer car, and the more desirable, as the years pass.
Both revered and feared in equal measure, BMW’s 1M was steeped in cultish appeal. The M2 cashes in on its predecessor’s reputation while smoothing off its prickly nature. It promises to be just as big a hit.
Without anything to follow the 306 Rallye, people may have forgotten Peugeot can build a ripper mid-size hot hatch. The new 308 GTi 270 is a return to form. It’s fast, polished and comfortable, but will need time to earn respect from VW GTI fans.
Ford’s junior ST proved numbers don’t matter unless you’re talking price. Even with 1.6 litres and two-wheel drive, it’s won Bang For Your Bucks two times in an event that’s quite good at predicting cult heroes – namely the WRX and SS Commodore.
There was probably an owners’ club for the Model S before it even existed, but it’s the P90D’s ‘big-battery’ acceleration we’d find easiest to bond over. However, knowing-nods could too easily spark ‘ludicrous’ drag races with enthusiastic owners.
Take the Golf GTI’s 162kW/350Nm drivetrain, stuff it in a more spacious sedan package, build it in Czech Republic, and you have a cut-price Q-car, aka the Octavia RS. Not so popular as its German-built cousin, but a big hit with those who bought it.
Kia Oz has never sold a car quite like it. Styled in Europe, built in Slovakia and tuned here, the GT was about posh looks and polished performance, but was killed off after failing to sell. Set to be replaced with a sportier four-door Cerato.
Mazda has a firm stake at the top of this rapidly growing category.
Mazda CX-3 Neo
It’s not often the case that the best drives turn out to be the most cost-effective cars to own, but that’s certainly true of the Mazda CX-3 Neo.
In what is almost a clean sweep of the scoring fields, the Mazda is the least expensive to buy, with an identical 12-month service interval and three-year warranty as its nearest rivals, an equal-best three-year retained value of 50 percent, and the least costly insurance premium – just $620.
The only area in which the CX-3 doesn’t lead the pack is fuel consumption. But then the 109kW 2.0-litre four-cylinder is hardly thirsty at 6.3L/100km and it’s bigger than the engines in its rivals. In terms of aesthetics, the CX-3 strikes a cool look that transcends its size, genre and price-point, which for some could be worth $19,990 on its own.
Suzuki Vitara RT-S
Peugeot 2008 Active
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2016 BEST VALUE CARS IN AUSTRALIA
Take the hassle out of choosing the best bang for your motoring buck with our definitive guide to Australia’s best value-for-money cars in Australia.
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BEST MEDIUM SUV under $45K
If you want the space of an SUV, without the premium price tag, then check out the Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-5 and the Hyundai Tucson.
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Gone are the days when big luxury cars were all gas guzzlers.
Mercedes-Benz E200
So while it’s certainly still possible to have a hulking big engine in your executive express, each of the circa-1600kg misers here is powered by a turbo-fed engine in a size once more common in small and medium cars.
The 2.0-litre four-cylinder Benz ties with the 520i on a respectable 6.4L/100km and, like the 520i, the E200 can go for as long as 24 months between mechanical check-ups, depending on driving conditions, which earned them the full complement of points in that field.
The Merc’s 48 percent retained value isn’t great in an outright sense, but it’s the best of the top trio.
BMW 520i Luxury
Audi A6 1.8 TFSI
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WHEELS GOLD STAR VALUE AWARDS
What if someone could expose the hidden costs, crunch the numbers, present the data, and draw conclusions about how to best spend your hard-earned on a brand new car? Enter Wheels’ annual Gold Star Value Awards.
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BEST LARGE CARS $45K to $65K
Cars at this level need to tick a few boxes to deliver on value.
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BEST LARGE SUV/4WD
A large SUV or 4WD is a great solution for those with a sense of adventure.
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