ON FRONT PAG E N O R T H E AST V I C TO R I A , A L P S A N D H I G H CO U N T RY
JANUARY 15 - 21, 2016
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NEW MAZDA2: It’s more practical if less of a looker.
New Mazda2 sedan to keep on performing
THE ALL NEW
ROAD TEST By PETER ANDERSON It rolls on fifteen-inch steel wheels, has a four speaker stereo with USB and Bluetooth, cloth interior, air conditioning, reversing sensors, cruise control, hill holder, power mirrors and windows, keyless start and remote central locking and a space saver spare. Options are limited to $200 Soul Red paint and what Mazda calls Smart City Brake Support for $400. Mazda2 sedan is, as the name suggests, a sedan version of the ‘2 hatch. Everything is pretty much the same from
the B-pillar forward, with a quite successful lengthening of the rear section to add 26 centimetres. The boot is 440L versus 250L for the fivedoor hatchback and a very useful shape. The boot opens high and wide, meaning easy access. The sheetmetal is a smidge dumpy, but when you’re working with these proportions, it’s never easy to get it bang on. It looks a bit bare from the back, too, the lights marooned in an expanse of flat metal. The rear seats, which have good head and shoulder room for under six-footers, also split fold to increase the load space. Leg room is a bit tight, however, if you’re approaching six feet tall.
A middle passenger won’t be particularly happy no matter how tall they are unless the outboard passengers are slight of build. While the interior is trimmed with tremendously hard plastics, they all look great and the only let-down is the very silly dashboard – one single circular dial is flanked by wing-like ancillary screens that are tiny and hard to read. The Mazda2 Neo has six airbags, ABS, traction and stability control, brake force distribution and pretensioned / load-limited seatbelts up front. Being a basic car, basic is what you get. There’s a single line LCD screen attached to the dash, with big easy to read figures.
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MAZDA’S new ‘2 landed this year to almost universal acclaim, something that generally happens only when a truly impressive new car comes along. In the hard-fought small car segment, it’s doubly hard. In an SUV-mad market it’s now mildly surprising when a small car gets a sedan variant and more surprising still when a carmaker goes through the aggro of getting it ready for sale in Australia. The Mazda2 sedan doesn’t have a lot of competition but when the small sedan segment is tiny to start with, the Japanese company will want the sedan to fire. The 2 Neo sedan kicks off at a very competitive $14,990 for the six-speed manual, which was our car for the week.
Paul Davenport 0408 057 837 Michael Henderson 0418 512 531 Kylie Stevenson 0428 215 677 Noel Gilbert 0438 597 200
‘One Mile Motors has been serving the community for over 60 years’
(03) 5721 5677 10 Templeton Street, Wangaratta www.onemilemotors.com.au LMCT1060
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Jan 15 - 21 | 2016
All new 2016 Mazda2 sedan From page 1
Your four-speaker stereo does a perfectly adequate job with radio or your music and pairs easily with smartphones. Under the bonnet is a 1.5-litre naturallyaspirated four-cylinder mated to a sixspeed manual transmission. The engine spins out 79 kW and 129 Nm while using a claimed 5.4 litres per 100 kilometres. The manual misses out on stop-start, with the automatics faring slightly better on the official figure with the fuel-saving technology. Our exclusively city-driven time with the ‘2 saw us average just on 8.0L/100km. A 0-100km/h is not supplied and, if you think about it, fairly irrelevant. It came as no surprise to find that the little Mazda is great fun to drive, even in this most basic form. It won’t be winning traffic light races any time soon, but the fluid chassis and (mostly) excellent ride inherited from the hatch means this car won’t disappoint drivers or passengers. The drive-by-wire throttle is tuned to a good middle ground, giving the feeling of excellent off-the-line performance (okay, “zoomy”) where it counts around the city and suburbs. You do have to rev it to get to the torque, though, which explains our fuel average. Once you’re moving and in the zone, momentum is easy to maintain unless you’re fully loaded and pointed up a hill. The steering is more of the same, with a good progressive feel and excellent work has been done on the electric-assisted rack
MAZDA2 SEDAN: It has good interior space and is fun to drive. to give it a more natural feel. The gearshift is light and easy and it takes talent to grab the wrong gear. Often carmakers like to go with a clutch that feels like it’s attached to a super-weak rubber band leaving you wondering where the bite point is, but again there’s just the right level of weight and feel to make driving the manual a pleasure rather than a chore. Wind and road noise are present but aren’t intrusive until you get up to highway speed, leaving the four speaker stereo with a little work to do to cover what’s there.
For such a small car, it does feel a size bigger, despite its 1035kg kerb weight, another big plus and a contributor to how much fun it is to drive. If it had better tyres, it would be a proper hoot. The thing about the Mazda2 sedan is that it’s vastly better than its obvious competition from Mitsubishi and Honda. The Mirage sedan looks pretty silly and isn’t finished to anywhere near the standard of the ‘2 and as a driving experience is unforgettable for the wrong reasons.
Honda’s City is perfectly competent but pretty dull, with some suspect trim finishes. All three are built in Thailand, but the Mazda is by far the best. The ‘2 scores on all fronts – price, equipment, safety, dynamics and space. Like its hatch sibling, it’s right at the top of its class. In sedan form, it’s way ahead of anything else. Likes: Good interior space, fun drive, excellent engine and transmission. Dislikes: Plastics feel cheap in places, few options, ride a big fidgety in the back.
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Toyota freshens up RAV4 By ALISTAIR KENNEDY SINCE ODXQFKLQJ LWV ²UVW 5$9 model in 1994 Toyota has been at the forefront of the SUV revolution that has transformed the global motoring scene in the past couple of decades. Australian sales are approaching a quarter of a million while worldwide that number is in excess of six million. While most vehicles grow in size as they evolve over the years few can match the growth of the RAV4 which began as a 3715 mm long three-door wagon and, with the arrival of the latest ²YH GRRU PRGHO LQ 'HFHPEHU 2015, now measures 4605 mm in length. Exterior changes to the latest RAV4 include a bolder front design, with a larger lower grille; restyled front and rear bumpers; LED projector head and taillights; LED daytime running lights; new wheel-arch mouldings and rocker panels; VKDUN ²Q DQWHQQD DQG WKUHH QHZ colour options. 7KH KLJKHU VSHFFHG *;/ DQG &UXLVHU PRGHOV DOVR JHW QHZ wheel designs. 7KH *;/ KDV LQFK EODFN alloys with bright machined VSRNHV ZKLOH WKH &UXLVHU V KDYH
²YH SDLUV RI VSRNHV 7KH HQWU\ OHYHO *; KDV LQFK steel wheels. Effectively a mid-sized family YHKLFOH 5$9 V FDELQ KDV SOHQW\ of space in the back for three mid-sized children or two fullsized adults in comfort. Extra and thicker insulation has been added for the MY16 RAV for reduced road, tyre and exhaust noise. Engine and transmission options are unchanged from the previous model. There are three engines, 2.0-litre petrol (107 kW and 187 Nm) in the 2WD variants, 2.5-litre petrol (132 kW and 233 Nm) and 2.2-litre turbo-diesel (110 kW and 340 Nm) in the heavier AWD ones. The 2WD RAV4 gets the choice of a six-speed manual JHDUER[ RU &97 DXWRPDWLF ZLWK seven preset selectable ratios. The turbo-diesel AWD RAV4 comes with the choice of the six-speed manual or conventional six-speed automatic gearboxes while the petrol AWD variants are sixspeed automatic only. $ ²UVW HYHU K\EULG YDULDQW RI the RAV4 was shown at the 2015 New York Motor Show but Toyota Australia is not planning to add it to the local range.
„ TOYOTA RAV4: It has new frontal style and additional equipment. The AWD RAV4 models use 7R\RWD V '\QDPLF 7RUTXH &RQWURO $:' Front-to-rear torque distribution can vary from 100/0 to 50/50, with front-wheel drive iengaged under normal driving conditions to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. '\QDPLF 7RUTXH &RQWURO $:' also works with Vehicle Stability &RQWURO DQG HOHFWULF SRZHU VWHHULQJ systems to enhance handling and safety under all driving conditions – not just off road.
All models have multimedia audio units operated through a 6.1-inch full-colour touchscreen display, as well as controls on the steering-wheel. Standard safety features across the Toyota RAV4 range include seven airbags; ABS brakes with Brake Assist and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution; Vehicle Stability &RQWURO +LOOVWDUW $VVLVW UHDU parking sensors; and reversing camera. Advanced safety equipment
is available with an optional ($2500) Advanced Safety Pack in automatic variants of the midVSHF *;/ DQG VWDQGDUG LQ WKH &UXLVHU These use a forward-facing camera and radar to trigger a number of systems, including 3UH &ROOLVLRQ 6\VWHP ZLWK forward collision warning and automatic emergency brake; Lane Departure Alert; Automatic +LJK %HDP $FWLYH &UXLVH &RQWURO %OLQG 6SRW 0RQLWRU DQG 5HDU &URVV 7UDI²F $OHUW
New car sales in Australia hit new peak in 2015
By ALISTAIR KENNEDY
t/37d05393/5015
THE Australian new car sales record has been broken again with 1,155,408 new passenger cars, SUVs and commercial vehicles sold in 2015, just over 19,000 in excess of the previous mark set in 2013. For the 13th straight year Toyota was the market leader with a total of 206,236 vehicles including WZR RI WKH WRS ²YH &RUROOD and HiLux. Mazda moved into second place, the company’s highest ever with 114,024 sales. The biggest losers were Holden and Ford who each dropped one position to third and sixth respectively. Indeed Holden, with 102,951 units, just held off Hyundai with the dynamic Korean growing for the seventh straight year to record a new sales peak of 102,004. Mitsubishi also set a new high for the company with
71,743 overtaking Ford (70,454). The latter’s position could have been much worse but for almost half of Ford’s sales being for its popular Ranger pick-up which was the ²IWK KLJKHVW VHOOLQJ PRGHO overall. Falcon’s slide continued with just 5938 sales. Nissan retained seventh place with 66,062 just 37 more than in 2014. Despite its emissioncheating problems Volkswagen recorded a healthy 10 per cent growth to a best-ever 60,225; Subaru also hit a new peak of 43,600 to retain ninth place. Honda (40,100) rounded off the top ten, bouncing back from a disappointing 2014 with its EHVW VDOHV LQ ²YH \HDUV Although passenger cars remained the most popular category with 44.6 per cent of total vehicle sales, the relentless growth of SUVs saw them reduce the gap VLJQL²FDQWO\ MXPSLQJ IURP
31.7 per cent in 2014 to 35.4 per cent in 2015. Light commercial sales remained steady at around 17.2 per cent with heavy commercials making up the balance. For the third straight \HDU 7R\RWD &RUROOD ZDV Australia’s best-selling vehicle, outselling its regular rival, Mazda3, by nearly 3500 units with another close competitor, Hyundai i30, in fourth place. On either side of the i30 were two pick-ups, Toyota HiLux in third place and )RUG 5DQJHU ²IWK 0D]GD &; ZDV WKH WRS selling SUV for the third straight year. :LWK WKH ²QLVKLQJ post looming Australian manufactured vehicles dropped to 8.4 per cent of the total. Japanese-built vehicles accounted for 29 per cent of total sales; followed by Thailand (21.6 per cent); South Korea (12.1 per cent); with Germany the leading European with 7.6 per cent.
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Jan 15 - 21 | 2016
CLASSIFIEDS FALCON 2005 BF, petrol and gas injection, 265,000 kms, full service and maintenance records, very good c o n d i t i o n , RW C , (USW838), $5500. Ph 0412 130 260.
SOLD
SOLD
FORD Fairlane 1989 NA model, 168,000 genuine kilometres, 6 months rego (DUZ603), towbar, full TOYOTA Camry CSi, H.D. 1996, auto, reliable, service history, $3500. reg September 2016 Ph (03) 5721 7808. ( N R M 7 9 2 ) , RW available, $2000. Ph 0408 555 312. VISCOUNT Grand Tourer 1990, 14’6”, electric air lift fitted for pop top, good tyres, wheel bearings have been done, new DB mattress, stove, fridge, etc, all in good condition, $8000. Ph 5721 6938.
2008 Hyundai Getz. Reg. Sep. 2016 (WQO579) auto. RWC, full service history. 138,000km. New tyres, good condition. $6500, Ph (03) 5729 8414.
2013 BMW GS800. 14,000kms, excellent condition. 12 mths rego, ABS, traction control, always garaged. $13,500. Ph 0429 140 557.
3.7 metre Savage Snipe, casting deck, storage compartments, 8hp Suzuki, E.C. Boat and trailer fully refurbished, 12 months reg. $2400ono. Ph 0438 543 923.
1996 Mazda 121 “Bubble” 1.3 litre, reg (NPG148), 5 speed manual, 262,800km, serviced regularly, cheap car to run, $1800 ono. Ph 5721 5120.
2007 Holden VE Commodore, 113,000 kms, 12 months rego, excellent condition, (LEN2007 Barina Coupe, NY8), $16,000. Ph 82,000km, 2 door, 0438 572 122. automatic, new tyres and timing belt, silver - excellent paint, (UWI806), $6800 ono. Ph 0457 360 809.
NISSAN Tiida Ti. 1 owner, elderly gentleman. 38,000km, auto, roadworthy, excel. cond. (YDR 788). $11,000 ono. Ph 0400 169 321.
1977 Millard 5 berth pop-top, gas cooker, 2 way appliances in WINDSOR Seaview working order and 12 pop top, 2005, 18ft months rego, $1950 tandem, roll out awning, ono. Ph 0413 574 497. full annexe, heaps of extras, 12 months rego (VIC), $22,500 ono. Ph (03) 5721 8188.
SOLD
2001 Toyota Land Cruiser, (QSX137), 4.2 Turbo Diesel, excellent condition, bull bar, battery pack, electric brakes, tow bar, $23,000 neg. Ph 0417 423 658.
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Over two weeks your advertisement will appear in two editions of the weekly Motor Guide and six editions of the Wangaratta Chronicle. Together these papers are read by over 80,000 people. *Cond apply. Private advertisers only, min 20 words, extra words 50¢ each, impact heading $2 per word. No refunds given if item is sold before advert expires. 2 weeks = 6 Wangaratta Chronicle & 2 North East Motor Guide, covering all NE Victoria.
SOLD
COROMAL Corvair 544 poptop 2005 in e.c, includes A/C, near new awning, Hayman Reese hitch, mirrors, porta potty and many more extras included as we KDYH ¿QLVKHG FDUDYDQning, $26,500 ono. Ph 0407 240 943.
2010 Suzuki Swift. One owner, manual, low 36,300kms, AC, brand new Mastercraft tyres, RWC, registered ‘til Dec. 2016. (XYA685). Safety pack includes DLUEDJV 3HUIHFW ¿UVW car. $10,750. Ph 0409 945 375.
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