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
AUGUST 19 - 25, 2016
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HOLDEN COLORADO: It has the tough look many buyers want.
Major changes to Holden Colorado By EWAN KENNEDY complete vehicle. Somewhat bizarrely, pickup trucks are no longer just for the tradies, they are becoming family wagons. The current Colorado, launched here at the start of 2012 is already a good pickup, but it’s about to be superseded by an upgraded version with extensive revisions aimed at giving it a semipremium look and feel. The engine and automatic transmission are more refined. Noise and vibration levels have been improved. The dashboard and instrument panel
now have the appearance of a sedan rather than a working truck. The ride has been smoothed out and the handling is more sophisticated. Don’t think you will ever get the feeling you’re riding in a Holden Caprice, the Colorado isn’t that good, but it’s pretty impressive for the class in which it’s competing. Colorado is very much a global vehicle and there are often vigorous discussions among engineers, technicians and designers from country to country about what their specific markets require. Interestingly, the Australian guys and gals found out that our market needs are very
similar to those of Brazil and Thailand. So a group was formed between the three countries to tailor a version to their needs. Thus, new Holden Colorado is more suited to Australia than the old ‘one-sizesuits-all’ model that will be pulled off the market at the end of August. Note that there’s no longer a connection with truck maker Isuzu which did a lot of the work on the current Colorado. Accessories for the Colorado were very much part of the latest design and all meet the same crash test and quality standards as the base vehicle.
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HOLDEN’S latest Colorado is a sure sign the company is moving in the right direction. Times change - and those who don’t change with them can get left badly behind. Holden stops making cars in Australia at a date yet to be announced in 2017. Simply shutting the doors in the factory and carrying on with sales of imported cars is not enough. The mindset of all in the company, as well as the Holden dealers, has to move with the times. New Colorado does just that; starting with a redesign of the Holden lion-andstone emblem, then encompassing the
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GET THE WORKS at One Mile Motors
(03) 5721 5677 10 Templeton Street, Wangaratta www.onemilemotors.com.au LMCT1060
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Aug 19 - 25 | 2016
Major changes
to Holden Colorado From page 1
CITROEN C4 CACTUS: It’s unlike anything else on the road.
Citroen’s prickly pair designed to grow on point of difference
By DEREK OGDEN
IT’S hard to take seriously a car that’s named after a spiky plant that lives in desolate sunscorched, rock-strewn deserts. There again, to exist in such a harsh and lifeless environment shows a degree of strength and the ability to adapt. Maybe this is what Citroen had in mind when it thought up the moniker ‘Cactus’ for its compact hatchback. The Citroen C4 Cactus comes in two Exclusive versions featuring extensive standard equipment and reasonable pricing - $26,990 for a turbocharged PureTech petrol manual and $29,990 for a semi-automatic diesel variant. Both prices are plus on-road costs. Premium paint added $800 to the test car powered by a 1.2-litre turbocharged threecylinder petrol engine mated with a five-speed manual transmission A wide range of options is available at extra cost, including coloured Airbumps, roof rails and door mirrors, wheel rims, contrasting colour body highlights, interior options and a palette of vibrant exterior colours. Things have gone quite ‘Gaudian’ on the outside, with quirky architecture designed to catch the eye. Multi-shaped panels in contrasting colours appear to have been stuck on, front and back. Then there’s the Citroen patented Airbump protection on the flanks to guard against damage to bodywork from minor bumps at speeds of less than 4 km/h, for example from the dreaded shopping-centre trolleys or doors of other cars. Air encapsulated between two cushions soaks up any impacts. The outer thermoplastic panel comes in contrasting body colours such as standard black, or optional Chocolate (brown); Dune (off white), or grey. Seventeen-inch two-tone Cross alloy wheels add a further level of distinction. However, underneath the bits and pieces, the shape of the C4 Cactus is stylish, up to date and rather appealing. Forget the exterior frippery, the cabin
interior dips its cap majorly to minimalism. The simplicity of the dashboard and centre stack is pleasing, with a no-nonsense layout of controls inside the perimeter of a 7.0-inch touchscreen at a handy level. An easy-to-read digital display directly in front of the driver offers information on vehicle speed, fuel level and the odometer reading. Driver and front passenger settle into wide seats, while the passenger benefits from an airbag in the roof creating more room in front of them. There’s handy storage space. An optional panoramic glazed roof provides extensive cabin heat proofing. Windscreen washer nozzles are built into the tips of the flat wipers depositing a small quantity of fluid over the length of the blade; thus maintaining driver visibility throughout the process for greater safety and halving the amount of liquid used. In these digital days the C4 Cactus is well connected, with a fully digital interface grouping all controls and digital screen replacing an instrument cluster. Simple, clean graphics make the touchscreen easy to use with a minimum of inattention. Bluetooth offers hands-free connection, plus access to a phone directory. Music can be stored on the vehicle hard disc and devices can be connected via the USB and iPod ports. AM, FM radio and digital radio delivers good sound quality from five speakers and one subwoofer. DAB has more stations than on FM, as well as functions such as pause and rewind. An Arkamys system creates a made-tomeasure sound adapted to the vehicle interior, improving the distribution of music and vocals around the cabin. Two drivetrains are offered - a PureTech 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine, putting out 81 kW of power and 205 Nm of torque, paired to a five-speed manual transmission, or a 68 kW, 230 Nm 1.6-litre turbo-diesel mated with a six-speed semiautomatic transmission. Six airbags and ABS anti-locking brakes have electronic brake force distribution and emergency brake assist. The front passenger’s airbag is mounted in the roof. Its ‘comma-
shape’ ensures that it inflates correctly regardless of the passenger’s position. At the same time, the volume has been increased to 120 litres to cover the touch screen area. Add to this electronic stability program and hill start assist and the Cactus is up there with the best in standard safety features in this segment. There’s no doubt the C4 Cactus is a headturner, attracting attention and varied comments through my time with the visual trend-setter. The three-cylinder motor showed its shortcomings when pushed on overtaking but accelerated from rest competently, if a little noisily. Cabin comfort up front was impressive for this segment and the layout and simplicity of the instruments and touch-screen controls made the driver’s job easier than with some rivals. Gearchanges with the long-throw lever were so laidback as to be almost sleep inducing, if it weren’t for the diffident selector – not so bad when there are only five gears to choose from. A sixth cog, normally found in manual transmissions these days, and more assured lever action, would be a welcome addition. There was no argument with fuel consumption from the 1.6-litre turbo-petrol motor, with 7.1 litres per 100 kilometres on day-to-day use around the suburbs and a very pleasing 3.9 litres per 100 cruising the motorway. Steering the Cactus presented no problems thanks to the variable electric system and was particularly effective when parking the vehicle despite its almost 11-metre turning circle. Braking had to be handled with some concentrated effort, being a bit slow on responding to pedal effort. As for the Airbump, the fact of having such padding could be considered a red-rag-to-abull challenge to ram the section – the dodgem car syndrome. With Citroen claiming a total of 23,184 Cactii combinations, among the many quirks there has to be a Cactus to suit anybody. A six-year unlimited kilometre warranty is appealing too.
The 2.7-litre turbo-diesel engine has been heavily revised to improve torque across the range, making it smoother and quieter. We only drove Colorados with automatic transmissions, and all were dual-cabs. Major changes to the torque converter and better electronic communication between the engine and transmission meant Colorado was almost invariably in the right gear all the time. Electronic power steering (EPS) is rapidly evolving and dare we say is now often better than the old hydraulic assistance? Colorado is no sportscar but at the sort of speeds used in real life steers neatly, holds the road without a fuss and gives the driver a feeling of confidence. Comfort really doesn’t challenge that of a good car but is impressive for a pickup truck. Interior noise levels are pretty low for this class and will especially impress those doing long trips with a family on board in Aussie country conditions. A downside of buying a truck instead of a sedan or station wagon is that it can be harder to get in and out of. Colorado’s rear seats have good legroom but the high chassis under the vehicle mean you have a knees-up attitude that can be tiring for adults. Then again, the kids’ feet might be at just the right height. The dashboard and instrument panel is very car like and the infotainment screen will cause less inattention than is average in this class. However, taking your eyes off the road can still invite disaster. All-in-all, the latest Holden Colorado is an impressive piece of gear. Sold in Single-cab, Spacecab and Crew-cab it offers something for many types of buyer. Ranging from startup tradies looking for a low priced vehicle - the range starts at $29,490 for a 4X2 single-cab chassis, and goes up to $54,490 for the upmarket Crew-cab 4X4 with the Z71 package for family buyers keen on exploring the great Australian outback.
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Aug 19 - 25 | 2016
CLASSIFIEDS
TOYOTA RAV4, 2012, 112,000km, auto, petrol, towbar, cargo barrier, Cooper tyres, service history, economical fuel consumption, excellent condition, 12 months rego (1AC6LD), $17,000. Ph 0407 269 205, 5726 9205.
ECONOMICAL & STYLISH. 2004 Peugeot 206 XR with 80,000km on the clock, 3 doors 5 seat Hatch, black exterior, blue interior, 5 speed manual, 2 x airbags. Full service history, comes with 12 months registration June 2017 (WMX305) and D 5RDGZRUWK\ &HUWLÂżcate. This has been our second car and is a brilliant little car, It will be a shame to see it go as it offers huge value due to its low kilometres and low price of $4999. Inspections welcome. Ph 0490 049 564.
SOLD
2007 YZ85, full top end rebuild completed, VG Commodore comes with 2 x brand ute, dual fuel, unreg new rear tyres and spare (ZWP499), $2500 ono. DLU ÂżOWHU 3KRQH Ph 0490 336 891. %RE
HOLDEN Caprice, 2006 model, 6.4ltr V8, 175,000kms, rear seat dvd’s, (UNA269), excellent condition, $18,000. Ph 5722 1105.
NISSAN X-trail, 2003, (WVX031), well looked after, mechanically sound, excellent condition, current road worthy certificate, $5000 ono. Ph 5753 5335, 0417 528 160.
2001 Ford Falcon XR6 AU, auto, body kit, needs front grill, $ 1 5 0 0 . 6 F PA A A J G MAZDA 3 Neo, white SWID99811. Ph 0439 sedan, first registered 766 211. January 2007, cruise control, 5 speed manual, full service history, 162,000km, RWC, one owner, reg (UNA467), $4500 ono. Ph 0429 899 543.
Selling your car has never been easier or cheaper!
1937 Dodge, club rego 2008 Supreme Executive (40009H), good drive1660 Tourer, dual axle, able condition, $18,000 full annexe, 110AH ono. Ph 5726 9029. battery, new Projecta charger, combination shower toilet, 3 way 180 litre fridge, CD, DVD, internal and external speakers, 12v TV, 12 months registration (S55603), excellent condition, Hayman Reese hitch and level rides included, $34,000. ABOUT to retire? Ph 0417 751 534. Want to travel? JAYCO van, poptop, Then have a look at 5 m t r, s i n g l e a x l e , this! 2014 Coromal electric brakes, island 612 Element, like bed, good condition, new! $60,000 + Will well shod, $3750 or sell for $45,000. Set B.O. Ph 5721 6160 or up for off road camp0423 022 529. ing. Ph 0418 150 749.
SUPREME Executive 2010, 20ft caravan, q/ bed, ensuite, washing machine, solar panels, r/c air, awning, elect/ gas cooking, $37,500. Ph 5727 0524 or 0408 741 154.
TOYOTA Coffee van, (1FJ1WG), excellent condition, be your own H O L D E N B e r l i n a boss, fully equipped for 2 0 0 5 , ( U P F 3 2 5 ) , mobile service, $24,000. always serviced, drives Ph 0478 162 069. well, good condition, 3 3 8 , 0 0 0 k m , RW C $3400. Ph 0428 572 571.
2004 Subaru Outback, 6 cylinder, automatic, excellent condition, leather trim, 6 stacker C D p l a y e r, RW C , (WPR406), $7000 ono. Ph 0427 579 810.
2000 Ford Laser 1.8Lt, 5 door hatch, 150,000km, in good N I S S A N M u r a n o condition, (WQO506), TI 2010, (929RHA), $1000 or offer. Phone Bluetooth, full service Peter 0408 308 284. history, moving overseas, cruise control, fantastic condition, parking assist rear camera display, $20,990. Ph 0427 215 03 5723 0101 790.
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2003 Toyota Hilux, dual cab, diesel, 3ltr, 2WD, dual fuel, stretched body, low kms, (IBW5HW), $6800. Ph 0439 766 211.
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Eight ads over Two weeks with photo only
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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.
SOLD JAYCO pop-top J Series 2007 (R6597 16"11, 4) microw TV, DVD , ave, reverse D B , A/C, st excel. cond. oraged, $21 500 Extras i l
*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.
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