North East Motor Guide

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N O R T H E AST V I C TO R I A

JANUARY 4 - 10 | 2019

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NIFTY: Nissan Navara offers affordable transport for both family and work.

Nifty Nissan Navara ST-X

By ALISTAIR KENNEDY handling caused mainly by the use of carlike rear coil springs rather than the trucklike leaf springs favoured by most brands.

Enter Nissan’s Australian engineering team who came up with a new dualpitch rear spring system incorporating an integrated lower and higher spring rate.

The result is a vehicle with a noticeable improvement in overall driving dynamics – a more comfortable unloaded ride and a more supportive one with a load in the tray.

Navara comes with three cab options: Single Cab, King Cab (with two fold-down rear seats) and Dual Cab. Bodies are cab-

MAZDA BT50 XTR DUAL CAB

chassis and pickup.

ENGINES/TRANSMISSIONS Two engines are available, both intercooled turbo-diesels with a 2.3-litre capacity. One is a single turbo with max outputs of 120 kW and 403 Nm, the other a twin-turbo with 140 kW and 450 Nm. Peak torque from both engines runs from 1500 to 2500 rpm.

Transmission options are six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic transmission.

INFOTAINMENT Touchscreen are smaller than is the norm nowadays, 5-inch in the lower spec models and 7-inch in the ST and ST-X to cater for satellite navigation. Having said that both

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are easy to navigate and quick to respond.

We’ve previously had Bluetooth pairing issues with Nissan and again it took some time to initially connect up but had no subsequent problem.

Neither Apple CarPlay nor Android Auto are available.

SAFETY Standard safety features throughout the Navara range include seven airbags; stability and traction control; ABS brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist; daytime running lights; LED high-mounted stop light; automatic headlights; and rear-seat IsoFix child seat mounting points.

Continued page 2 21d13123-v28/0119

THE big news in the Australian new car scene in recent years has been the rapid growth of SUV sales which saw them overtake conventional passenger cars for the first time in 2017. Only slightly less spectacular has been the jump in sales of pickups / utilities with Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger occupying the top two spots in overall vehicles sales last year – and certain to do so again this year.

While Nissan Navara sales lag a fair way behind HiLux and Ranger it still accounts for almost 30 per cent of the company’s total sales and as such is of vital importance.

Sales of the current Navara, which arrived here in 2015, would have been much better but for some issues with its ride and

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2

January 4 - 10 | 2019

Mitsubishi Cross Exceed

Nifty Nissan Navara From page 1

ST-X

Navara RX Pick Up has a reversing camera displayed in the rear vision mirror which also has an automatic dimming feature, other variants have the camera display in the infotainment screen.

The top-spec ST-X also gets hill start assist and hill descent control; rear parking sensors; and a 360-degree Around View Monitor.

Autonomous Emergency Braking is a notable omission.

COMPACT: The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross gives buyers a great alternative.

MITSUBISHI’S Eclipse Cross sits somewhere between the Japanese marque’s ASX and Outlander but has a personality all of its own. Its compact dimensions belie its spaciousness and complemented by generous inclusions, this SUV is punching above its weight.

The Eclipse Cross is offered here in Australia in three grades, the mid-level LS, the newly arrived entry-level ES and the top-spec Exceed. The versatile crossover is pushing hard to make its mark in a segment that surprisingly still has some wiggle room.

STYLING The Eclipse Cross may very well be one of the more stylish examples in the Mitsubishi stable featuring trademarks of the brand with a modern twist. The reserved front end with the new grille combines well with a more sculpted rear for a car that is noticeable in a busy mid-size SUV segment.

The Eclipse Cross carries this attitude inside too for an interior that is sensible and practical but an obvious step up from some of the more tired of Mitsubishi’s offerings. Drivers familiar with the brand will recognise the instrumentation with a favoured blue hue and some of the switchgear as well.

But on the whole, the designers have opted for sleeker lines, a simple mix of materials and uncomplicated dials and buttons which help add to that sense of spaciousness usually amiss in an SUV of this size.

Storage options are effective with two cupholders upfront, bottle holders in the doors and compartment for phones and keys.

Standard kit in the top-of-the-range Exceed is generous and includes others, dual-zone climate control, auto headlights and LED daytime running lights, rainsensing wipers and reverse camera.

INFOTAINMENT The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross features a dual control 7.0-inch infotainment unit that works through a touchpad in the centre console. Like those featured in luxury brands, we found the touchpad fiddly with the intuitive touchscreen more suited to changes on the run.

There is a six-speaker sound system with DAB+, Bluetooth connectivity for phone

By VANI NAIDOO calls and audio streaming. The system pairs seamlessly with your smartphone for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto which means you can happily use your favourite apps.

Navigation is through smartphone too with the Eclipse Cross going without an in-built sat-nav system.

ENGINES / TRANSMISSIONS The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross range is powered by a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol paired with a CVT automatic. The engine is good for 110kW of power and 250Nm of torque.

Despite their efficiency we are not usually mad for a CVT, but in the Eclipse Cross full torque is available low down the range which makes smooth CVT performance.

SAFETY The Eclipse Cross gets a five-star ANCAP rating thanks to a long list of active and passive features. Along with seven airbags, including one for the driver’s knees, a 360-degree camera and blind spot. It also gets rear cross traffic alert, lane change assist, active cruise control and a new forward collision warning system.

DRIVING The front seats are supportive and able to accommodate wider shoulders, with the driver’s seat electrically adjustable as you search for that optimum spot.

Passengers in the rear can travel in comfort with room under the front seat for feet and headroom not particularly disadvantaged by the sloping roof or sunroof unless you are a tall adult. More legroom is available should you wish courtesy of the 60:40 sliding rear seat which borrows space from the boot when needed.

The boot itself is quite compact, which is not unexpected in a vehicle of this size, with a higher loading lip and a space saver spare under the floor.

The raised driving position in SUVs are often an advantage in terms of visibility, and while that is the case with the Eclipse Cross, visibility is hampered somewhat by the split rear window. The lower entry point for the rear seats makes it slightly tricky for parents strapping young kids into their seats, the two IsoFix points are certainly handy.

The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross is a nifty

little unit well suited for the challenges of urban driving. The chassis is set up for a compliant ride which offers comfort over bumps and common road irregularities.

Our test car featured Mitsubishi’s allwheel-drive system which gives an added sense of surety under foot. In practical terms this equates not only to stability in wet conditions, for example, but also in confidence into corners, composure through roundabouts and a more settled drive overall.

You will find the Eclipse Cross an enthusiastic participant who gets about its job with such little fuss that you will be happy to look the other way when execution doesn’t always match the intention.

It is an easy car to navigate around the city and shopping centres, is able enough once at speed on highways and sturdy on unsealed roads.

It may need a reassuring breath when carrying a load up a hill, can be slow to start when asked for a burst of speed and the steering is lighter than you might like, but its good manners and willing nature are hard to fault.

Our Eclipse Cross used around 8.5L/100km (official figures are 7.7L/100km) but you can fill it up with 91RON which makes a nice change.

Eclipse Cross with a fiveyear/100,000km warranty – unlimited distance would have been a nicer touch.

Servicing prices are capped for the first three visits with service intervals at 15,000km or 12 months.

SUMMING UP The Eclipse Cross is a lovely surprise package from Mitsubishi. Its pleasing exterior, modern-like flexible interior and generous inclusions and safety package make it a real consideration for buyers who want more space than a small SUV but with a compact footprint. In the Eclipse Cross, Mitsubishi have found a real contender.

WHAT WE LIKED: Standard inclusions and safety; New styling; Flexibility and spaciousness.

WHAT WE DIDN’T: Fiddly touchpad; Rear air-vents under front seats; Rear visibility .

AT A GLANCE MODEL RANGE DX 4x4 Single Cab cab chassis: $31,990 (manual) RX 4x2 Single Cab cab chassis: $25,990 (manual) RX 4x4 Single Cab cab chassis: $32,990 (manual), $35,490 (automatic) RX 4x2 King Cab cab chassis: $28,490 (manual) RX 4x4 King Cab cab chassis: $35,490 (manual) RX 4x4 King Cab utility: $37,290 (manual) RX 4x2 Dual Cab utility: $33,490 (manual), $35,990 (automatic) RX 4x4 Dual Cab cab chassis: $38,490 (manual), $40,990 (automatic) RX 4x4 Dual Cab utility: $42,990 (automatic) ST 4x2 Dual Cab utility: $40,190 (manual), $42,690 (automatic) ST 4x4 Dual Cab utility: $47,190 (manual), $49,690 (automatic) ST 4x4 King Cab utility: $43,990 (manual), $46,490 (automatic) ST-X 4x4 King Cab utility: $49,990 (manual), $52,490 (automatic) ST-X 4x2 Dual Cab utility: $44,990 (manual), $47,490 (automatic) ST-X 4x4 Dual Cab pickup: $51,990 (manual), $54,490 (automatic) SL 4x4 Dual Cab utility: $43,990 (manual), $46,490 (automatic) Note: These prices do not include government or dealer delivery charges. Contact your local Nissan dealer for drive-away prices.

Navara RX Pick Up has a reversing camera displayed in the rear vision mirror which also has an automatic dimming feature, other variants have the camera display in the infotainment screen.

3

January 4 - 10 | 2019

Mazda introduces upmarket CX-3 Akari LE PREMIUM: Mazda CX-3 Akari LE is a “premium range-topper” in the small Australian SUV field.

KEEN to hold onto second place in the hard fought Australian sales race Mazda has introduced what it describes as a, “premium range-topper” to the small SUV market - the Mazda CX-3 Akari LE. The emphasis is on the interior where the seats are finished in Dark Russet Nappa leather, the centre console and armrests have colour matched synthetic

MOTORING TRADES & SERVICES

By EWAN KENNEDY leather. All are finished with white stitching, offset by Pure White synthetic leather panelling on the seats, doors and dash. Dash mounted air vents are accented with a Pure White metallic ring.

Externally the only changes are to the new-design 18-inch bright alloy wheels.

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Mazda CX-3 Akari LE is available in a choice of five body colours: Snowflake White Pearl Mica, Jet Black Mica, Machine Grey Metallic, Soul Red Crystal Metallic and Ceramic Metallic.

The only engine offered on the Akari LE is a 2.0-litre petrol four-cylinder unit, likewise the only transmission is a six-speed automatic. However, it is

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