Bike Life
Click here to View Our Other Publication
Home
'
Drive Life : January 7th 2011
Contents
1HERSA1 F011 ◊XF -- stock vehicles only retailed and delivered between 19/11/2010 and 31/1/2011. XKR & XJ -- stock vehicles retailed and delivered, and new vehicle orders taken between 19/11/2010 and 31/1/2011. Not in conjunction with any other offer. Jaguar and its dealers reserve the right to extend these offers. †Warranty protection comprises up to 3 year/100,000km factory warranty and up to 2 year/100,000km extended warranty insurance (policy) issued by Allianz Australia Insurance Limited (Allianz) through Jaguar as its agent. See policy documentation for full details available from your retailer. Terms and conditions apply. ^Free scheduled servicing for 3 years/100,000km whichever occurs first. Excludes wear and tear items such as batteries, tyres, oils and additives. The Bluetooth word mark and logos are owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Jaguar Cars Limited is under license. JAG5630-SMH/T44 ARTARMON ALTO JAGUAR 393 PACIFIC HIGHWAY ARTARMON (02) 8817 7800 NARELLAN MACARTHUR JAGUAR 8 YARMOUTH PLACE NARELLAN (02) 4636 8400 ALEXANDRIA TRIVETT JAGUAR 75-85 O'RIORDAN STREET ALEXANDRIA (02) 8338 2197 PARRAMATTA TRIVETT JAGUAR 60-64 CHURCH STREET PARRAMATTA (02) 9841 4148 2010 DEMO & NEW VEHICLE RUN OUT » VIRTUAL INSTRUMENT DISPLAY » MEDIA HUB » 3 YEARS SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE BONUS◊ 5YEAR/ 200,000KM WARRANTY† » 375KW 5.0 LITRE V8 SUPERCHARGED ENGINE » 20" ALLOY WHEELS » 3 YEARS SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE BONUS◊ 5YEAR/ 200,000KM WARRANTY† » SATELLITE NAVIGATION / BLUETOOTH » FULL LEATHER INTERIOR » KEYLESS START BONUS◊ 5YEAR/ 200,000KM WARRANTY† EXCHANGE RATE BENEFITS 3YEAR/ 100,000KM SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE^ SECURE AN EXCLUSIVE BONUS OFFER WITH EVERY JAGUAR MODEL IN THE SHOWROOM. » JAGUAR.COM.AU OFFER EXTENDED ENDS 31 ST JANUARY 2011 The Sydney Morning Herald Friday, January 7, 2011 11 DriveLIFE what car should I buy? Below-average city road manners Frugal diesel engine is the pick Plenty of room for passengers Cheap, comfortable motoring Drive recommends Is the 308's glass roof a deal-breaker? Well, in this contest at least, it's not the decisive factor. Even without this potential issue, it can't quite match the unalloyed brilliance of the Golf. Mind you, if John just had to have the Pug and was willing to put up with the vagaries of the roof in summer, it wouldn't be a stupid decision. If it's not as good as the Golf, it's not far off and its presentation is rather more exciting. The Hyundai? Well, you won't feel as proud with it in your driveway, nor will you get the same jollies every time you drive it. However, if you value low-cost, low-impact ownership over more esoteric qualities, it's the best buy here. The dilemma John wants a small European wagon but can't decide between Peugeot's 308 Touring and Volkswagen's Golf. He likes the 308 but is worried whether the glass roof suits hot Australian summers. He also wants to know whether the Hyundai i30's quality, safety, durability and road manners stack up to those of the Europeans. The budget is $35,000 to $40,000. The shortlist Small European wagons aren't exactly thick on the ground, so it's no surprise John is focusing on the Pug and VW. Even ignoring their undoubted appeal, they're pretty much the only options; Mini's Clubman isn't in the same race for value or practicality, while Skoda's Roomster and Holden's surprisingly decent Astra wagon are no longer available. Opening things up doesn't help much, either. There are plenty of good Japanese small hatches but none go as far as offering a load-lugging version. Which makes the Korean i30 an entirely understandable prospect. Is it a better mousetrap than its Euro rivals? Not really but it's not bad, either, and has some real differences when compared with the more snooty contenders. Hyundai i30 CW, from $21,890 With its bland presentation and unremarkable road manners, the i30 wagon (or CW in Hyundai code) simply doesn't offer the same appeal as the Pug and VW. For the most part, though, it does everything they do. It's much the same size inside, similarly practical, nicely built and has a five-star NCAP rating, just like its Euro rivals. The thrifty 1.6-litre diesel (a better bet than the thrashier petrol) can't match bigger rivals for grunt but is still a good jigger. The Hyundai, too, is considerably cheaper than a 308 or Golf, competitively specified (so long as you're not seeking top-of-the-line toys offered by the Euros) and comes with a five-year warranty. Peugeot 308 Touring, from $31,990 I can't vouch for the Pug in oven-hot weather but time spent in a similarly glassy Skoda Roomster in summer was more than enough to put me off the concept. For southerners, this sin can be rationalised but it's a big question mark for those in steamy climes. Which is a pity, because the 308 has plenty of attractions. Next to the Golf, its more adventurous presentation and more versatile seven-seat cabin make it stand out. It's safe, drives well and offers a wide choice of engines, too, but can't match the VW's value, drivetrain polish, comfort or refinement. Volkswagen Golf wagon, from $26,990 We reckon the Golf is the most complete small car and the recently launched wagon meets the same high standards. Well, mostly. No Golf is wild-looking but the wagon is about as soul-lifting as a funeral. Don't expect a lot of toys on lower- level models, either, and all miss out on the driver's-knee airbag that's accorded to hatch buyers. Otherwise, you're looking at the same exceptionally polished experience as the hatch, from the beautifully sorted road manners and brilliant drivetrains (especially the 118 TSI petrol) to the up-market cabin ambience and class-leading comfort and practicality. It's class personified. Cameron McGavin For more buying advice, go to drive.com.au/what-car.
Links
Archive
December 17th 2010
January 14th 2011
Navigation
Previous Page
Next Page
