Bentley Mulsanne Speed (2015) review

► We drive the new go-faster Mulsanne
► 530bhp 6.8-litre twin-turbo V8
► Full CAR magazine review

It’s hard not to think that the Bentley Mulsanne Speed is for a person a bit like Augustus Gloop, Roald Dahl’s greedy nincompoop.

For this hand-built paragon to lives filled with Golden Tickets now seems at the vanguard of gluttony: a standard 505bhp Mulsanne just not enough lavish sustenance? Then for about £23,000 more, why not tuck into a Speed version with 25bhp extra, some discreet badges on the flanks and a more oily-looking grille? On the surface, the exercise seems gratuitous.

What do you get on the Bentley Mulsanne Speed (2015)?

Like Gloop, each Speed is mollied and coddled to a degree beyond nth: 400 people take 298 hours to build it, the car is hand-polished with lamb’s wool for 12 hours before leaving the factory, there are 120 colour options to choose from (some with gold in them).

But beneath the heavily buffed surface something more is stirring. Alongside that fairly insignificant power increase, an additional swell of torque has been hubbled and bubbled into existence, so the Speed delivers 811lb ft to the rear wheels. That’s like lashing three-and-a-bit Golf GTIs together; only the Veyron offers more shove. This has been achieved with revised combustion chambers, intake ports, injectors and spark plugs, while in Sport mode snappier gear ratios, stiffer air suspension settings and heavier steering have been configured to help deal with the additional surge.

On the road: CAR magazine's Mulsanne speed review

When switching the Speed on, it just rolls away, heading in the direction you have prescribed for it as though on a river of molten chocolate. There can be few cars for which motion is inherent – often they come to a stop when you stop – but the Speed, with its twin-turbo motor plodding along, seems to create its own gravity.

This is ideal for a chauffeur spiriting occupants about without fuss but it has been created to be driven harder too. Bentley’s customers are now younger and more demanding of drama, and for those who are captain of their own ship the firm reckons this is the fastest luxury saloon on the planet and a more focused driver’s car. 

Fast, too, I guess?

Certainly pieces of the planet became very small, very quickly, including a two-mile runway, which was swallowed in the blink of an eye with unbridled 170mph avarice. That said, the three-tonne Speed and its girded loins has to doff its cap to Earth’s forces in corners, though it’s capable and swift if you adopt an old-fashioned slow-in, fast-out approach.

Thing is, such is the stately comportment in the cabin that the Speed doesn’t feel especially speedy. Even the force pushing you into the seat is more akin to a Labrador sitting on you in your favourite armchair, and while there is some distant retort from the new rifled exhausts, the 14 cows that died to cocoon the interior did not expire in vain – it’s a hide cacoon of the very highest calibre. 

Verdict

So by any common criteria the Speed struggles to make a case. Yet it sits in the pantheon of the sublime and the ridiculous. As Willy Wonka said of the man who got everything he wanted: he lived happily ever after. And he probably drives a Bentley Mulsanne Speed.

Statistics

How much?	£252,000
On sale in the UK:
Engine:	6752cc 32v twin-turbo V8, 530bhp @ 4200rpm, 811lb ft @ 1750rpm
Transmission:	Eight-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Performance:	4.9sec 0-62mph, 190mph, 19.3mpg, 342g/km CO2
How heavy / made of?	2685kg/steel, aluminium
How big (length/width/height in mm)?	5575/1926/1521

Ratings

Handling	3 out of 5
Performance	5 out of 5
Usability	4 out of 5
Feelgood factor	5 out of 5
CAR's Rating	4 out of 5

2015 Hyundai Sonata review

The Australian launch of the Hyundai Sonata turned out to be something of a homecoming for the South Korean-made sedan. For, as well as hot weather testing the seventh generation Sonata in the outback, Hyundai's local suspension development team ran the rule over the car's driving dynamics.

During thousands of kilometres of testing our boys tailored the medium-size sedan to cope with some of our worst roads and how we drive. For example, six disguised mules covered more than 50,000 kilometres in three months on roads that included sections little more than goat tracks.

Finally, last summer a durability sign-off took place in outback Australia, where a Sonata test car covered more than 100,000 km in four months, leading to modifications to underbody components, engine air intake and vehicle sensors. Also in the mix is a stiffer, lighter body made up of high-strength steel in more than half the platform, resulting in 41 per cent firmer torsional rigidity.

During a launch drive in Tasmania, in conditions not quite as testing as during development, the Sonata not once wavered from the job in hand – tackling the twists and turns of some challenging country roads with rubber at all times firmly planted on the bitumen. Thanks to firm and responsive steering, tight corners and fast bends came and went with nary a flicker of hesitation in keeping on track.

The launch vehicles sliced through the air quietly, while both engines were responsive to the throttle and answered back audibly only under hard acceleration.

With styling cues from the Genesis, the new large sedan with which Hyundai is taking on the Europeans at the high end of the market, the new Sonata takes the shape, and at Cd 0.27, good aerodynamic properties.

New Hyundai Sonata comes in three specification levels – Active, Elite and Premium – with the choice of two petrol engines, a 2.0-litre turbocharged, for Elite and Premium, and 2.4-litre naturally aspirated unit in the entry-level Active.

Both engines are mated with Hyundai's six-speed automatic transmission with sequential manual shift mode. Under-bonnet noise is kept at bay from the cabin interior, Hyundai engineers reducing the size of apertures in the bulkhead and increasing the use of sound-deadening materials in the dashboard. More sound absorption materials are used under the floor. An underbody tray helps reduce road noise while improving vehicle aerodynamics.

The launch vehicles sliced through the air quietly, while both engines were responsive to the throttle and answered back audibly only under hard acceleration.

The manufacturer's fuel consumption figures claim 8.3 litres per 100 kilometres for the 2.4-litre unit and 9.2 litres per 100 kilometres from the 2.0-litre turbo on the combined urban / highway cycle – not the most frugal for a modern four-cylinder motor.

With 25 mm more rear legroom over its predecessor, new Sonata competes with Toyota Camry and Mazda6, in most dimensions.

All three Sonata variants come standard with a Touchscreen Multimedia System. Large colour TFT LCD displays (4.3-inch on Active, 8.0-inch on Elite and Premium) offering a wide range of connectivity through USB, Aux, digital iPod, and Bluetooth, as well as six speakers, including two front tweeters.

Elite and Premium variants feature satellite navigation, incorporating Here maps, Suna live traffic updates, and a comprehensive Point of Interest database. Also included is Here MapCare, where up to three years' free map updates are included when the vehicle is serviced at participating authorised Hyundai dealers.

Each model has a rear-view camera and four-sensor rear parking assist system as standard, with Premium featuring an additional four-sensor front parking assist system. Centre-console mounted rear air-conditioning vents come across the range, while Elite and Premium also feature dual-zone climate control air-conditioning.

Sonata Premium boasts a windscreen de-fog system, which automatically adjusts the climate control system to clear the windscreen when condensation is detected.

Active's upholstery is cloth-trimmed, while Elite and Premium seats are leather-appointed. Sonata Elite and Premium each feature a 12-way electrically adjustable driver's seat, including four-way lumbar support, while Premium also comes standard with an eight-way electrically adjustable front passenger seat, along with a memory system for the driver's seat and exterior mirrors. Both front seats are heated and ventilated.

With six airbags, high strength body shell and integrated active safety systems, the new Sonata has achieved the maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating for all variants. Active safety comes courtesy of Hyundai's Vehicle Stability Management, consisting of Electronic Stability Control, Traction Control, and Anti-lock Braking with Electronic Brake-force Distribution, Brake Assist and Motor Driven Power Steering.

When emergency braking is detected, the Sonata's Emergency Stop Signal automatically flashes the brake lights to alert surrounding vehicles. When the vehicle comes to a stop, the hazard lights automatically activate to provide an ongoing warning. The system is deactivated when the vehicle starts moving again.

Daytime running lamps and automatic dusk-sensing headlights are standard across the all-new Sonata range. The stylish LED Daytime Running Lamps are located in the front bumpers.

Bi-xenon headlights with cornering lights (Premium) offer significantly brighter illumination on both low and high-beam settings than conventional halogen lighting. The Sonata's automatic levelling system reduces glare for oncoming drivers by compensating for vehicle load.

Auto-hold (Premium) automatically holds the brakes on once the vehicle has come to a stop, preventing movement should the driver take his or her foot off the brake pedal and Hill-start Assist automatically applies the brakes for up to two seconds after the brake pedal is released when the vehicle is on an incline.

An Active Collision Warning system will be added to the Sonatas later in the year. There will be no station wagon, that will be left to the corresponding Hyundai i40 range.

Active and Elite variants are shod with 17-inch alloy wheels as standard, the top-spec Premium variant features 18-inch alloys. A full-size spare wheel is standard across the range.

Prices start at $29,990 for the entry-level 2.4 Active; the 2.0 Elite adds $7000 to the price, while the 2.0 Premium tops out the range at $41,990. All prices exclude on-road costs.

VERDICT 

The new Sonata marks the return of Hyundai Australia's longest-serving nameplate after a five-year hiatus. The first-generation Sonata debuted in Australia in 1989 and, as I recall, had rubber floor covering and mats, and was as draughty as a mediaeval castle. How things have changed.

2015 Hyundai Sonata
Price from: $29,990 to $41,990 plus on-road costs
Engine: 2.4-litre four cylinder (138kW/241Nm) or 2.0-litre turbo petrol (180kW/350Nm)
Thirst: 8.3L/100km (2.4), 9.2L/100km (2.0T)
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Safety: Six airbags, rear-view camera standard on all models
Warranty: Five years/unlimited kilometres

Specifications

Price:	From $29,990

2015 Subaru Liberty review

Subaru's Liberty has now been around for 25 years, but for a variety of reasons in recent times has fallen off the radar of many buyers. One of those reasons is the success of Toyota Camry and the local duo of Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore.

Subaru's intention is to take up some of the slack left by the looming loss of the popular Australian six-cylinder cars with the just launched the sixth-generation Liberty.

The new Liberty is a refined, high-tech offering. It offers two engines and two automatic transmissions, one for four-cylinder variants and one for the six-cylinder.

Subaru has gone for the sales jugular, cutting prices on Liberty by up to $14,000. After three hours behind the wheel of a 2.5i petrol Premium and a six-cylinder 3.6R at the car's launch in East Gippsland, we came away impressed.

Liberty now starts at $29,990 for the entry level 2.5i auto and finishes at $47,990 for the Liberty 3.6R. The 3.6R is the contender for the six cylinder gap in family cars. The 2.5i and 3.6R only come with Subaru's latest incarnation of their upgraded CVT auto, there are no manuals.

The new Liberty has a lot going for it: all-wheel-drive; five-star ANCAP safety rating; thelatest generation of EyeSight, a crash avoidance/reduction system; and an all-new multimedia system that puts Liberty back in the technology race.

Liberty has always been recognised for its engineering, but in the fifth generation was let down by its interior. That too has been addressed in what Subaru describe as "fixing the weaknesses."

Subaru Australia managing director, Nick Senior, said buyers should also consider two small, but significant things, it comes with a full-size alloy spare wheel and metallic paint is a no cost option. Liberty, he said, also has a larger boot space (493 litres) than Commodore.

At present Liberty averages 75 sales a month and Subaru expects this to double to 150 a month. He said the added features over the current model represent $3000 in the 2.5i that was $39,490 and is now $35,490 in the new model.

Like the Outback that was launched at the same time, the new Liberty has a refined version of the CVT transmission that now includes 'steps'. These take away some efficiency as they act like conventional gears to suit drivers who have had difficulty adapting to CVTs. The steps only come into play when pushing the car hard. In normal driving the CVT accelerates seamlessly.

DRIVING

From the driver's seat the new Liberty hits the mark immediately with forward vision significantly improved over the outgoing model. The A-pillar has been moved forward by 50 mm placing more distance between driver and windscreen which also gives Liberty a much improved airy cabin feel.

The side mirrors are now mounted on the door which again reduces the blind spot around the slim A-pillar.

In our road testing we drove the 2.5i Premium first and came away feeling the four cylinder engine would probably satisfy most drivers and their driving needs. It's quick off the mark and quiet. With improvements to the engine, CVT and body aerodynamics it now has a combined fuel consumption of 7.3L/100km. This is down 7.6 per cent on the current model.

Subaru has done an excellent job in reducing NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) in Liberty with little drivetrain/road/wind noise entering the whisper-quiet cabin. The 2.5i features an active grille shutter in the lower grille which closes when driving to reduce resistance and also when cold to warm the engine faster.

Rivals for Liberty 2.5i sedan include Mazda6, Ford Mondeo, Hyundai i40 sedan, Nissan Altima and Skoda Octavia.

The 3.6R is even quieter and more refined than the 2.5i. This six-cylinder boxer engine has the same 3.6-litre capacity as the outgoing engine, but in reality has been rebuilt from the block up with the intention of the making it more compatible with the revised CVT transmission. 

This is where the more refined acceleration comes from, and no doubt the lack of engine noise intrusion into the cabin.

Liberty 3.6R has a braked towing capacity of 1800kg, 100kg more than the four cylinder variants. The 3.6R uses a high torque capacity variant of the CVT for efficiency and power delivery.

VERDICT 

Both variants cling to the road beautifully and, unlike Outback that exhibits some body roll and tyre squeal on tight corners, Liberty simply points into corners nicely and powers out in a no-fuss manner. Like Outback, Liberty now also has torque vectoring to reduce understeer when cornering. It works and works well.

Subaru Liberty - four stars
Warranty: 3 years/unlimited km
Capped price servicing: Yes (lifetime)
Service intervals: 6 months/12,500km
Engines: 2.5-litre 4-cyl boxer, 129kW/235Nm; 3.6-litre 6-cyl boxer, 191kW/350Nm
Transmissions: CVT; AWD
Thirst: 7.3L-9.9L/100km

Specifications

Price:	From $29,990

2015 Porsche Macan S review

Porsche purists are still whining, but the fact of the matter is that if Porsche doesn't do SUVs, the purists are unlikely to get machines like the 918 Spyder or Cayman GTS. So that argument is pretty much over for the rest of the internet, thank goodness.

Porsche's challenge now is to continue to grow its SUV line-up while maintaining the balance between sporty and utility. It's started from a good base, both technologically and financially - you can have either the diesel or petrol Macan S for a long way south of $100,000.

VALUE

The Macan's current range starts with the $84,900 six-cylinder turbodiesel and then the two twin-turbo petrol V6s, the 3.0-litre S and the strangely-named 3.6-litre $122,400 Turbo.

Our car was the mid-spec $86,700 petrol-powered S. Standard on board is an eleven-speaker stereo with Bluetooth, USB and inbuilt hard disc, dual-zone climate-control, alarm with motion sensor, rear-view camera and front and rear parking sensors, trailer sway control, hill descent control, electric front seats with memory, satnav, auto bi-xenon headlights, power mirrors, auto wipers and active ride suspension.

Added to the S, and from a substantial options list, was a panoramic sunroof ($3790), full leather ($3720), sport chrono package ($2690), handsome 20-inch wheels ($2130), side skirts ($1920), brushed aluminium interior package ($1090), front heated seats ($890), triple zone climate control ($830) and black roof rails ($750).

While this brings the price up to a whopping $104,510, it doesn't make the Macan any faster because it's all cosmetic apart from the sport chrono package. This little lot adds a stopwatch to your dashboard but also adds the Sport Plus button which brings faster, sharper shifts and throttle response. It may not make you faster, but it will feel it.

DESIGN

The Cayenne is a bit of a mess stylistically, and the Macan's front end is probably a little too close to big brother's bloated bonce. Move to the side, however, and things improve immeasurably. The falling roofline lands in a very cool homage to the 911, with slim LED lights and all the right angles to make the Macan look quick.

Naturally, this bites into the boot space and also appears to shift the rear seats a little further forward than might be ideal, rendering rear leg room marginal for anyone over about five and a half feet.

The front of the cabin is very Porsche, so you have to take the good with the bad. It does look terrific (good) but there seems to have been a nasty accident at a button factory (bad). There are buttons everywhere across the dash and down the console and it takes a while to learn what they all do and mean.

Some people like the technical feel of lots of buttons, others don't, but once you learn what they all do, it's not a bad place to be at all. The leather is smooth and soft, the big steering wheel is perfectly sized if a little flat in the face for some tastes and the seats fantastically comfortable.

The central console is high to give the impression you're sitting lower than you might expect. It makes the Macan feel low and snug. 

The three-dial dash is very clever, with a traditional speedo and tachometer and a third screen that can be changed around to suit your needs - trip computer, satnav, whatever takes your fancy.

FEATURES

A 7.8-inch screen sits in the middle of the Festival of Buttons and controls everything from your phone and music through to satnav. The eleven-speaker stereo is a good one, with great sound and was very easy to set up, despite the controls being shared between console and steering wheel.

ENGINE / TRANSMISSION

The Porsche V6 is quite a thing - from 3.0 litres and two turbos comes 250kW  and 460Nm (the Turbo ups the figures to 294kW and 550Nm). With stop-start and a seven-speed DPK (dual-clutch) transmission, the Macan S sprints to 100km/h in 5.4 seconds.

It uses a claimed 8.7L/100km. In the real world, you'll see low double figures fuel consumption.

Drive is to all four wheels through the seven-speed transmission, with a clear bias to the rear wheels.

SAFETY

The Macan is home to eight airbags, stability and traction control, load-limited and pre-tensioned seat belts, ABS, EBS and brake force distribution.

There is no ANCAP safety rating for the Macan.

DRIVING

Straight away this feels different to your average fast SUV. It doesn't have a lumpy ride or feel compromised through the steering. While its close relative, the Audi SQ5, is a great car, there are a few things about it that might not appeal, the ride in particular.

Porsche's active ride system irons everything out in Comfort mode, giving a firm but compliant urban ride quality while never stuttering on the fast or high-frequency stuff.

Switch everything up to Sport and the car's character changes considerably. The engine becomes a lot more vocal and the shifts become super-fast, almost imperceptible. What's most impressive is that free-spinning twin-turbo V6 - it cheerfully winds out to the redline without the hesitation in that last few hundred rpm many forced induction engines suffer from.

It's terrific fun in the fast stuff, too - always willing, with little understeer and a proper slingshot feel out of the bends.

VERDICT 

Nobody has a fast SUV as complete as the Macan. BMW has nothing in this size, Mercedes tries to straddle size and price with the hard-as-nails GLA 45 and the only thing that comes close is Audi's diesel-only SQ5. Japan, Korea and Britain are yet to fire their weapons.

What none of those have is Porsche's engineering prowess (Stuttgart says the Macan is 70 per cent their own, and feels it too) and for many people that badge is going to be super-important (even if total cost of ownership isn't).

As is that price - at well under $90,000 before on-roads, the petrol Macan S is a performance bargain and a cracker of an entry into Porsche ownership.

Specifications

Price:	From $86,700
Warranty:	2yr/unlimited km
Engine:	3.0-litre 6-cyl turbocharged petrol, 250kW/460Nm
Transmission:	6-spd dual-clutch automatic; AWD
Spare:	space-saver
Thirst:	8.7L/100km, 204g/km CO2 Tank 65L

2015 Mazda6 review

For those who think the current batch of mid-size sedans – Mazda6, Subaru Liberty,Volkswagen Passat – may be able to capitalise on the home grown Holden Commodore's demise, Mazda has a word of advice: that trend has already started, and it does not include the mid-size segment car in any dominant form.

The question was asked of Mazda's marketing manager, Alistair Doak at this week's launch of the 2015 Mazda6. His response came out of left field. "Besides people coming into Mazda3 from other Mazda product, Holden Commodore is easily the most popular vehicle that people are getting out of into Mazda3," he said.

With Mazda3 a major seller in the small car market, along with Toyota Corolla, the shift from large car Commodore to a car in the small car segment defies the logic buyers would come down one rung only to cars in the medium segment. No doubt former Commodore buyers have also hopped into medium and small SUVs, a segment that has been booming for almost as long as large car sales have been on the wane.

Mr Doak's comments came as Mazda launched its upgraded Mazda6, the current model of which was released here in December 2012 as the company's flagship passenger vehicle. Mazda6 is Australia's second most popular car in the medium segment, the title of most popular held by Toyota's Camry – a car that has significant fleet sales in addition to private buyers. More than 120,000 Mazda6s have found their way into Australian homes.

Mazda6 now comes in seven specification levels with a choice of petrol or diesel engines.

We will say one thing after driving the new Mazda6. Don't limit your options to Mazda3 if you are downsizing. Mazda have made vast improvements to the model launched in 2012 that includes a vast improvement in noise intrusion into the cabin, a new front where the headlights resemble the eyes of an angry Bob Hawke, replacement of the conventional handbrake with a small electric park brake and changes to the instrument panel and centre console that give the interior a fresh appearance.

While mechanical components are unaltered the suspension has been tweaked with a new structure for the front and rear dampers and optimising bushing shapes for the lower front arms.

These changes are a lot more than cosmetic improvements and have a real world impact on the old model. Mazda claim a 10 per cent reduction in NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) on rough chip roads and 25 per cent on highways.

We found on the good and not-so-good roads around Albury the Mazda6 has NVH closer to an expensive European marque than any garden-variety Japanese car (not includingLexus and Infiniti) we have driven. A dramatic improvement over the previous model.

Changes to the suspension have also changed the car's driving dynamics. It handles corners at speed with a flatter stance giving the driver more confidence in the car's capability and improved passenger comfort. Once again we thought European marque as Mazda6 lapped up the sweeping bends.

We drove two sedan variants: 2.5-litre petrol GT and 2.2-litre diesel Touring Safety. Mazda6 comes standard with six-speed auto shifters. For our money the diesel is the pick of the two engines. It is quieter under load, has more torque and is less likely to drop back a gear on steep hills. It feels effortless doing work – acceleration or climbing hills – which the petrol engine audibly lets you know it is toiling to achieve.

Mazda's MZD Connect multimedia system that includes internet connectivity has been added to Mazda6 as well as active driving display – a heads up screen that displays vital information such as speed meaning that the driver does not have to take their eyes off the road.

The new front is described by Mazda as bold, some would call it aggressive, but to us it looks intentionally angry because of the headlamps. We like it.

Mazda also added new i-Activsense technologies that include adaptive LED headlights for improved night visibility, lane assist, DAA (Driver Attention Alert) system for tired drivers and autonomous emergency braking that now includes rearward detection as well as forward.

Mazda6 wagon was launched at the same time.

At a glance 

Engines: 2.5-litre petrol 138 kW/250Nm / 2.2-litre twin turbo diesel 129 kW/420Nm
Fuel Consumption: 6.6 L/100km (petrol), 5.4 L/100 km (diesel)
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Warranty: Three years/unlimited km
Servicing: Lifetime fixed price servicing

2015 Mazda6 list pricing

Mazda6 Sedan Sport - petrol automatic - $32,540 (down $920)
Mazda6 Sedan Sport Safety - petrol automatic - $33,770
Mazda6 Sedan Touring - petrol automatic - $37,280 (down $220)
Mazda6 Sedan Touring Safety - petrol automatic - $38,540
Mazda6 Sedan GT - petrol automatic - $42,720 (down $500)
Mazda6 Sedan GT Safety - petrol automatic - $43,780
Mazda6 Sedan Atenza - petrol automatic - $46,420 (down $790)

Mazda6 Sedan Touring - turbodiesel automatic - $40,480 (up $130)
Mazda6 Sedan Touring Safety - turbodiesel automatic - $41,740
Mazda6 Sedan GT - turbodiesel automatic - $45,920 (down $150)
Mazda6 Sedan GT Safety - turbodiesel automatic - $46,980
Mazda6 Sedan Atenza - turbodiesel automatic - $49,620 (down $440)

Mazda6 Wagon Sport - petrol automatic - $33,840 (down $920)
Mazda6 Wagon Sport Safety - petrol automatic - $35,070
Mazda6 Wagon Touring - petrol automatic - $38,580 (down $220)
Mazda6 Wagon Touring Safety - petrol automatic - $39,840
Mazda6 Wagon GT - petrol automatic - $44,020 (down $500)
Mazda6 Wagon GT Safety - petrol automatic - $45,080
Mazda6 Wagon Atenza - petrol automatic - $47,720 (down $790)

Mazda6 Wagon Touring - turbodiesel automatic - $41,780 (up $130)
Mazda6 Wagon Touring Safety - turbodiesel automatic - $43,040
Mazda6 Wagon GT - turbodiesel automatic - $47,220 (down $150)
Mazda6 Wagon GT Safety - turbodiesel automatic - $48,280
Mazda6 Wagon Atenza - turbodiesel automatic - $50,920 (down $440)

source:http://www.carsguide.com.au/car-reviews/2015-mazda6-review-31043

2015 Fiat Freemont Crossroad review

Meet the Fiat Freemont Crossroad. Chances are you have no idea what the Freemont is, let alone the Crossroad version of it.

It may not help to add that it is closely related (in fact, almost identical) to the Dodge Journey, another virtual unknown.

Try this: the Freemont Crossroad is a seven-seat wagon that looks like an SUV and is loaded with features, with a V6 driving the front wheels.

It's not new — the Journey it is based on was introduced in 2008 — but the Freemont Crossroad is such good value that it is worth checking out.

DESIGN

The Freemont is not going to draw a crowd but the design is smart and muscular with clean lines. It certainly looks good for a seven-seater. Small touches such as the silver bar on the front bumper and spoiler, as well as the gloss grey 19-inch wheels and tinted glass help make the Crossroad appear more expensive than it is.

The interior is nothing spectacular, but the design is contemporary and the controls are easy to reach.

There is an 8.4-inch touch screen in the middle of the dash, which displays the satnav (standard).

The legroom in the second and third row is adequate, with a small space for feet under the second row, which can slide back or forth. The third row folds into the floor.

There is enough space for some shopping or a stroller with all seats in position. There are separate air vents in the third row and lights and cupholders back there too.

ABOUT TOWN

The standard keyless entry and start setup makes access and progress easy.

Two items that are must-haves for families, reversing camera and rear parking sensors, are also standard.

The seats are part leather and the cloth could stain as children do what they do. Two of the second-row seats have integrated boosters.

ON THE ROAD

Don't expect sharp handling, because the Crossroad is a bit of a bus. The suspension is soft, so it will wallow when pushed and you tend to slide off the non-supportive seats.

The ride is good and the vehicle absorbs bumps well. The steering is vague but also light, so it is easy to get in and out of tight spots.

The six-speed automatic can be slow to pick a gear and the changes are not all that smooth.

PERFORMANCE

What differentiates the Crossroad from other Freemont models, apart from all the extra features, is the strong V6 (206kW/342Nm). Lesser versions get four-cylinder power, turbo diesel or petrol.

The Crossroad's towing limit is 1100kg, which isn't much.

The six is on par with the strongest petrol sixes from its rivals but it's sometimes too strong, given all the power is going through the front wheels only. Under strong acceleration, the tyres can chirp and there is some tugging at the steering wheel (torque steer).

The official fuel economy figure is a reasonable 10.4L/100km but it was a little thirstier on test.

Despite the V6's outputs, the Crossroad's towing limit is 1100kg, which isn't much.

VERDICT 

It's not the sharpest or newest knife in the drawer but the Crossroad has seven seats, loads of gear and a strong engine at a good price. A four-star crash rating and Fiat's low profile might be off-putting for some.

WHAT IT'S GOT

Keyless entry and start, reversing camera, satnav, three-zone climate control aircon, integrated booster seats.

WHAT IT HASN'T

Five-star safety — it only gets four — or hi-tech options such as blind-spot assist. All-wheel-drive option also lacking.

OWNERSHIP

No capped-price servicing, which is rare these days. Warranty is 100,000km or three years. Resale is 53 per cent.

PICK OF THE RANGE

The appropriately named Base model at $27,000, with limited gear and four-cylinder petrol power, is a lot of car for that money.

Specifications

Price:	From $36,500
Warranty:	3yr/100,000km
Service Interval:	53 per cent
Safety:	4-star ANCAP
Engine:	3.6-litre 6-cyl petrol, 206kW/342Nm
Transmission:	6-spd automatic; FWD
Thirst:	10.4L/100km, 242g/km CO2 Tank 77L