THE A8 is Audi?s uber luxurious limo, the range-topping sedan that competes with BMW?s 7 Series and the Mercedes-Benz S-class. It?s spacious, full of top-shelf materials and has all the latest and greatest technological marvels. Audi is launching the fourth-generation version of its super-luxury model, kicking off with the 4.2-litre V8 model.   Read more

THE light car class is a hive of interesting activity lately (Fiesta, Polo, i20, upcoming Swift), but the recently facelifted, newly Thai-built Mazda2 remains one of the leading baby contenders thanks to a combination of style, performance, practicality and agility. Three years on from launch, the DE series is beginning to show its age in some areas (such as cabin presentation), but the littlest offering from the ?zoom-zoom? people is a nicely formed example as to why buyers who begin with this brand so often stick with it.   Read more

TRUE to the form that wowed crowds at the 2007 Frankfurt motor show, Mitsubishi?s new ASX compact crossover has arrived in Australia with edgy styling, a classy yet flexible interior and enough drivetrain combinations to suit all tastes, including a brilliant new 1.8-litre turbo-diesel. . .   Read more

BEFORE signing a cheque for that everyday Corolla, Golf, Cruze or Mazda3, consider nipping down to your local Suzuki dealer, because you may discover all the vehicle you might ever need in one pert package. Expertly blending SUV height, 4x4 grip, light-car fuel economy, spirited performance, good looks and compact city-friendly proportions, the Italian-designed, Japanese-engineered SX4 AWD is a unique amalgam of small-car ideas that really works well.   Read more

THE Peugeot 3008 joins the 4007 as Peugeot?s only SUVs, but the new baby strays from the standard SUV fare with front-wheel-drive only. It?s no off-roader, but with its functional and well-specified interior it delivers a stylish and practical ride.   Read more

BOXER engines are a Subaru trademark, so it was no surprise that when the company built its first diesel, it had pistons firing out to the sides just like its petrol-powered range. So far, Forester diesel accounts for about 10 per cent of Forester sales ? to be expected as diesel-powered compact SUV take up is small.   Read more

PORSCHE has fired up its second-generation Cayenne, this time giving the luxury SUV a more sporty character and dispensing with some of the more rgged features, such as low range gearing. As well, it has added a petrol-electric hybrid version - the first in the Porsche range. A diesel - more fuuel efficient that the hybrid - is also offered, along with the performance variants, a V8 and V8 Turbo.   Read more

HYUNDAI has upped the ante in the entry-level light-car market with its new i20, which sits above the cheaper and older Hyundai Getz. The Indian-made i20 hatch is the first of two new light cars that Hyundai is throwing into the ring, with another to follow next year.   Read more

WITH higher technology and lower weight, the new, fourth-generation Jaguar XJ poses a more serious threat to the Teutonic luxury car establishment ? over which Jaguar claims its new Big Cat represents a sportier proposition. The supercharged XJs compete on price with Porsche?s Panamera and the Maserati Quattroporte, a car the new Jag also physically resembles from some angles.   Read more

THE market for mainstream mid-size three-door 4WDs is not large, as long-wheelbase wagons have long curried favour as the default family wagon. The Toyota Prado three-door presents a familiar if curtailed silhouette, but the new abbreviated version of the Toyota mid-size 4WD isn?t going to sell in anything like the numbers of its five-door sibling.   Read more