CIRCULATING IN WANGARATTA, BENALLA, MYRTLEFORD, BRIGHT, MT BEAUTY, BEECHWORTH, YACKANDANDAH, RUTHERGLEN, CHILTERN AND DISTRICTS
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May 15, 2015
available online - wangarattachronicle.com.au
PRINTED FORTNIGHTLY — VOLUME 473
Super Subaru Liberty Storypage3
UPGRADED CX-5: It has taken on a bolder look, especially up front.
Mazda CX-5 runs harder at the opposition T o be honest, at first I found the CX-5 hard to warm to. At its launch in February 2012, the Mazda sports utility vehicle showed a distinct lack of get up and go. In the intervening years, however, the maker has obviously put in the work on the vehicle’s performance, because the latest iteration has found its mojo and deservedly joins the ranks of what has become Australia’s most popular SUV, selling almost 1700 units a month, with total sales now approaching 60,000. The Mazda CX-5 GT 2.5-litre petrol AWD (our test vehicle) is but one of a long line of CX-5s; from the entry-level Maxx with six-speed manual transmission on sale from $27,190. That’s $610 less than the previous model, thanks to the new Japanese Free Trade agreement. Similar savings are to be made across
By DEREK OGDEN
all four grades – Maxx, Maxx Sport, Grand Touring and Akera. As well as internal and external styling changes, the introduction of new Mazda’s i-ActiveSense technologies takes safety to a new level, while improved dynamics add to the driving experience. The new CX-5 features MZD Connect, Mazda’s advanced next-generation car connectivity system that includes a seveninch touch screen display operated by a centre-console commander control knob. The new CX-5 puts on a bolder face with the mesh-style radiator grille replaced by five horizontal slats painted metallic grey and incorporating interesting engraving. The design is repeated in the LED fog lamp bezels.
Mazda tells us the LED headlights are designed to mimic eyes exhibiting an expressive look into the distance. At the rear the LEDs are called on to create a sharp line from the tail-lamps toward the centre of the vehicle, giving the rear view a taut look. So there you have it… Compact door mirrors incorporate LED turn signals which can be seen even from the front, making it easy for all-round identification of the CX-5. The entire 2015 upgrade is underpinned by stylish 19-inch wheels with gun metal highlights contrasting with the machining on its five twin spokes. The CX-5 cabin maintains Mazda’s ability to place instruments and controls best positioned for the driver but has spent time and effort refining how information is
presented to the person behind the wheel. Significant changes have been made to the centre stack and floor console, the latter being made taller and more defined, to bring the gear lever, commander control knob and surrounding switches closer to hand. An electric parking brake – a first in a Mazda - removes the need for a bulky handbrake lever and gives the top of the console a clean, uncluttered look. The upholstery of the test vehicle – white leather seats contrasting with black leather trim – without due care and attention, could throw up some soiling issues, especially in the presence of grubby children. Family wagon this ain’t – unless of course, you are lucky enough to have kids who clean up after themselves.
Continued page 2
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Mazda CX-5 runs harder at the opposition
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1994 Toyota Landcruiser, diesel, RWC, dual fuel/battery, 220,000km, (PSC661), manual, good condition, 6 months rego., canopy, new tyres. $9900. Ph 5722 3013.
1993 Landrover Discovery, dual fuel, tank restamped, V8, new battery, runs well. $1000. Eng#23D08172D. Ph 0427 912 121.
4.5 metre Half Cab, 2 adjustable swivel lounge seats, 70hp Johnson motor, 4hp Mercury motor, 2 marine radios, Lawrence ÂżVK ÂżQGHU OLWUH stainless steel fuel tank, complete storm cover, Brooker tilt trailer with bearing buddies, 12 months reg. on boat and trailer, excellent famLO\ ERDW VNLLQJ ÂżVKLQJ camping. $4500 or ono. Ph 0428 215 201 or 5721 3792.
Our test CX-5 GT featured Mazda’s MZD Connect, an advanced connectivity system which puts cabin occupants in touch with the ROADSTAR Daintree internet and provides access to social semi off road 2008, networking services. 20'6" dual axle, 2 spare Focus of this connectivity is via a wheels, 2 gas bottles, full-colour touchscreen display on the 3x 90 litre water tanks, central dashboard and multifunction 2 deep cycle batteries, command controller – a knob on the solar panel, queen bed, centre console surrounded by related 170 litre fridge/freezer, function switches. r/c air con., TV/DVD/ It offers Bluetooth hands-free phone RAD., separate shower, operation, reception of short text toilet, stove, oven, full messages, and internet radio such as cover, $45,000. Ph Aha with access more than 100,000 0488 731 158. broadcasters from around the world, including BBC and CNN; Stitcher ondemand, which provides more than 15,000 talk shows, music programs and podcasts; and Pandora, a radio service for subscribers to create up to 100 personalised stations and listen to continuous music, or search for similar 1996 Mazda 121, 5spd songs for automatic playback. All this is played through a Premium manual. Comes with 9 months reg (NDB377) Bose 231 watt amplifier and nine and RWC. $1600 ono. speakers. Great first car! Ph. In 2012, the CX-5 introduced Mazda’s 0422 177 129 efficient SkyActiv powertrains to the SUV world. Our CX-5 Grand Touring test car was fitted with a 2.5-litre SkyActiv petrol engine coupled with a six-speed SkyActiv automatic transmission. The two units co-operate with one VISCOUNT Caravan another well and provide relaxed travel. to be removed from The Mazda four-cylinder direct site Bright area, van injection engine, with the fuel saving 23foot, annexe ensuite, WLPEHU VWUXFWXUH À\RYHU start / stop system, puts out maximum all furnishings fridge power of 138 kW at 5700 rpm and lounge etc. $2500 ono. top torque of 250 Nm at 4000 revs, Ph 0427 195 949. with a claimed combined highway /
1995 Holden Commodore S Wagon, V6 4-speed auto, reg until August (NLJ743), 317,246km, good tyres. $1200. Ph 0414 893 965.
HYUNDAI Getz 2006, 1.6lt auto, 5 door hatch, excellent one owner car, 136,000km. Current RWC. Alloy wheels, tint, prestige paint (UGB914) $6500 ono. Ph. 5725 1969 or 0456 999 369
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FORD Ranger 2012 XLT 4x4, ARB bullbar, steel tray, excellent condition, full service history, 120,000km, RWC, Reg (ZCV234), $40,000. Ph 0419 523 587. 1993 Subaru Liberty wagon, reg (1CS4CK), 190,000 km, good condition, runs well, lady owner, $2000. Ph 0412 724 433.
Mazda CX-5’s suspension remains basically unchanged, but does have a revised structure for the front and rear dampers. Bushing shapes for the front lower arms have also been modified. Cabin noise has been cut by more than 10 per cent when driving at highway speeds using ‘path-blocking and concentrated sound absorption’, that aims to shut out the various paths by which sound penetrates the cabin and absorb the sound effectively. As mentioned previously, the initial woes with CX-5 performance have been firmly put aside and, as befits a vehicle with the Grand Touring tag, there’s now something extra to tempt the driver. The automatic transmission now has Drive Selection, which allows drivers to press a switch beside the shift lever to move into a Sport drive mode. This increases the amount of torque put out when the accelerator is pressed further to deliver powerful acceleration with minimum pedal action. Zoom-Zoom! As well as adding a measure of fun to proceedings, this is particularly useful in manoeuvres such as overtaking, or merging onto a crowded highway. Ignoring the Eco mode for the sake of saving petrol, the test CX-5 GT got close to 12 litres per 100 kilometres with a load up around town and half that (6.2) on the highway. Throwing aside early signs of weakness, the MY15 Mazda CX-5 continues to muscle up to take on some of the most competitive opponents in the mid-size SUV segment.
urban fuel consumption of 7.4 litres per 100 kilometres and carbon dioxide emissions of 172 g per kilometre. The maker claims Skyactiv-Drive is a system for all seasons, combining benefits of conventional torque converter automatics, continuously variable transmissions and dual clutch transmissions. Active and passive safety measures are paramount with automobile makers these days, and Mazda is no different. As well as the use of high tensile steel in 61 per cent of the structure, the CX-5 carries front, side and curtain airbags as standard on all models, the front seatbelts incorporating pretensioners as well as load limiters to mitigate chest impacts. Active safety includes ABS anti-skid brake system with electronic brake-force distribution and emergency brake assist. There’s also dynamic stability control. The GT has adaptive headlamps that automatically dim on the approach of a vehicle ahead, or the rear of one in front. Further i-Activsense systems are on offer in a safety pack option, which includes Blind Spot Monitoring, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Smart City Brake Support for a very reasonable $1060 Seats of the new Mazda CX-5 offer a high standard of comfort capable of making even long journeys less arduous. It’s all down to Grand Touring style with the driver’s seat having twoposition memory function and eightway power adjustment, six-way power adjustment for the front passenger), plus heating function and lumbar support adjustment for the driver.
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May 15, 2015
Super-value Subaru Liberty By ALISTAIR KENNEDY
T
he imminent departure of Australia’s previous marketleading Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore family cars is opening up opportunities for a variety of mid-sized sedans that have previously sat in their sales shadow. One of the best-known of these contenders is the Subaru Liberty which has been on sale here continuously since 1989. The latest, sixth generation, model was released late in 2014 with some styling changes, engine tweaks and extra equipment. But the biggest news is some serious price-cutting that has seen Subaru Liberty drop below the $30,000-mark for the first time in more than 15 years. That $29,990 model is the entrylevel 2.5i – down $3000 against the outgoing equivalent gen five Liberty. There are even bigger savings in the other two variants with the price of the 2.5i Premium cut by $4000 to $35,490; and the 3.6R now selling for $41,990. That’s a whopping $14,000 down on the previous model. Additionally, all variants also come with extra features that increase the value equation. Commenting on these dramatic price cuts Subaru Australia managing director, Nick Senior, explained that a number of factors had prompted the shift: “Most notably the exchange rate, the Japanese Free Trade Agreement and more efficient manufacturing, driving reduced costs.” The new Liberty range has been cut back to just three models compared to the ten of the previous model. The Liberty wagon, including the Exiga seven-seater, has now been deleted – no real surprise as most wagon buyers had already switched to either the Outback or Forester. Also gone are the Liberty GT and X. While earlier Libertys have tended to be a bit on the bland side, the more recent models have a classy look and can hold their own
SUBARU LIBERTY: It has the looks and feel of a much more expensive car. with the best of their competitors. Styling changes for the gen-six model are minor, with a new more subtle front grille and raised rear quarter panels which provide a more muscular look. Attractive 18-inch alloys are now standard on all variants. Those moving out of larger cars will be impressed with the Liberty’s interior space which has increased marginally in all directions. It also feels larger with the A-pillar now further forward, a new front quarter window and lowered dashboard. The rear seats have been raised by 10 mm to improve passenger visibility and there’s excellent rear leg and headroom. The 493-litre boot is well-shaped although the access space is relatively small. The spare wheel is full sized.
In addition to the standard range of safety features, all Liberty models now come with Subaru’s EyeSight driver assist system that provides adaptive cruise control; lane departure warning; lead vehicle start alert (a clever feature in stop/start traffic that alerts a dozy driver when the vehicle in front has moved off ); pre-collision braking and brake assist system; and pre-collision throttle management. As with almost all Subaru models the Liberty comes with all-wheel drive, hill hold and reversing camera. New Liberty has a five-star ANCAP rating with its points tally of 35.99 (out of a maximum possible 37) being the highest ever by any Subaru. Two petrol engines are offered, a 2.5-litre four-cylinder and a 3.6-litre flat six. In the Subaru tradition they are both horizontally-opposed, or Boxer, units with the four generating peaks
of 129 kW and 235 Nm (at 4000 rpm) and the six getting to 191 kW and 350 Nm (at 4400 revs). The only transmission is a continuously variable (CVT) that now includes a six-step manual override operated by shift paddles. The entry-level Liberty 2.5i uses a 6.2-inch touch screen and comes with Bluetooth (with intuitive pairing) phone and audio streaming; voice command recognition; and USB and Auxiliary sockets that are conveniently located at the front of the centre console for easy access. The two Premium models get a 7-inch screen; satellite navigation; Harman Kardon audio and a second USB jack; and a 7.0-inch screen. It also allows the Pandora music app to be controlled via the touch screen. Our test car was the $29,990 entrylevel Liberty 2.5i.
Around town and on the open road it cruised comfortably and with minimal road noise intrusion. It has the looks and the solid, reliable feel of a car from a higher price bracket. When we loaded it up with three adults and a couple of 13-year-olds and a bootfull of soccer gear and travelled to Sydney and back along the hilly F3 motorway we did find that the combination of the fourcylinder engine and CVT meant plenty of paddle shifting to maintain momentum. For that type of workload the extra investment in the 3.6R would make sense. Not surprisingly fuel consumption was around 3.0 litres per 100 km above the combined factory reading of 7.3 L/100 km during that segment of our test. Overall the week-long average sat at an acceptable 8.7 L/100 km. Back on my own and buzzing along my favourite rural drive route all that was forgiven. One of the characteristics of the boxer engine is that it provides a slightly lower centre of gravity and the handling and stability of the Liberty through tight corners is excellent. An attractive mid-sized car with all-wheel drive, high equipment levels with a starting price for a model with automatic transmission not seen since 1999 makes the new Subaru Liberty one of the best bargains going around. Subaru is one of these carmakers who attract loyal customers and they’re sure to be joined by plenty of converts with Liberty’s combination of value and quality. AT A GLANCE PRICE GUIDE Liberty 2.5i four-door sedan: $29,990 (CVT automatic) Liberty 2.5i Premium four-door sedan: $35,490 (CVT automatic) Liberty 3.6R four-door sedan: $41,990 (CVT automatic) Note: Prices do not include government or dealer charges. Contact your local Subaru dealer for driveaway pricing.
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