David McCowen – Michmutters

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2022 Mercedes Benz EQB price and specifications

2022 Mercedes Benz EQB price and specifications

This could be the best electric car option for Australian families.

Based on the Mercedes-Benz GLB, the new Mercedes EQB crossover combines green credentials with seven-seat versatility.

It’s the only seven seat electric car on sale, as Tesla is not currently accepting orders for its Model X, and Korea’s Hyundai Ioniq 7 and Kia EV9 duo are not available yet.

Which means the electric Mercedes-Benz EQB is the only option for electric car customers who need more than five seats.

Priced from $87,800 plus on-road costs as a five-seater, the new Mercedes EQB 250 is available with an extra for of seats for a further $2900.

The EQB 250 drives the front wheels with a 140kW/385Nm electric motor linked to a 66.5kWh battery delivering 371 kilometers of range.

That’s the same hardware found in the slightly smaller EQA, which costs $11,000 less. The electric EQB costs $27,900 more than a petrol-powered two-wheel-drive GLB 200, or $13,900 more than all-wheel-drive GLB 250.

Customers who want more power can pick the all-wheel-drive Mercedes-Benz EQB that uses two motors to deliver a combined 215kW and 520Nm, which delivers a 6.2-second dash to 100km/h at the cost of a slightly reduced 360 kilometers of range.

The all-wheel-drive model costs $106,700 plus on-roads and is not available with seven seats.

Both variants have twin 10.25-inch displays, artificial leather, multi-colour ambient lighting and dual-zone climate control.

A comprehensive array of driver aids includes active cruise control, auto emergency braking, lane keeping assistance and a 360-degree camera.

The EQB accepts charge at a maximum rate of 100kW, which is a little slower than rival machines sold by Tesla, Kia and Hyundai.

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Electric VW Kombi ute based on ID Buzz under consideration

Electric VW Kombi ute based on ID Buzz under consideration

Volkswagen is a step closer to selling a modern electric ute, having lodged patent applications for a new version of its ID Buzz van.

The brand has not officially confirmed plans to create a ute based on the ID Buzz, though it has previously teased fans with an illustration of how a tray-backed Buzz could look.

Such a car would build on the history of VW’s “Type 2” Transporter, commonly known as the Kombi.

The classic Type 2 was available with a variety of body styles that could be replicated by the new model.

It would give VW a point of difference to the new breed of electric pick-ups in America, where enormously powerful motors and huge batteries are core elements of the Ford F-150 Lightning and Hummer EV.

VW’s reborn Kombi recently went on sale in right-hand-drive form in the UK, giving prospective Australian customers an indication of what it might cost if the model makes it to local showrooms.

The news isn’t good.

Priced from £57,115 ($97,300) in basic “Life” trim, the ID Buzz combines a 150kW electric motor with a 77kWh battery offering 415 kilometers of range.

A better-equipped “Style” model costs about $105,500 but misses out on equipment such as a powered tailgate, wireless phone charging, heated seats or adaptive cruise control.

British owners who add those features to the Buzz will pay more than £71,000 ($120,000), pushing the model into luxury car territory.

VW’s Australian arm has expressed interest in the reborn Kombi but has not been able to wrestle supply of the car away from Europe, where the brand’s battery-powered machines are more readily available.

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Volkswagen Caddy California camper van review

Volkswagen Caddy California camper van review

Sleeping in your car is rarely a comfortable proposition.

Seats designed for driving don’t work well for much more than a short nap and the average set of wheels offers little in the way of privacy or amenities.

That’s why Volkswagen’s Caddy California has a loyal following.

Built for folks who want to take their bed on the road, the Caddy California is a compact, car-like alternative to bulky caravans and camper vans.

Based on the VW Caddy van – a model with close ties to Volkswagen’s Golf – the California is much nimbler than caravan combinations.

Rear sliding doors open to reveal a back seat that folds flat in a similar fashion to many popular wagons. But Caddy’s party piece is a flip-over double bed and mattress that unfolds forward from the parcel shelf.

The arrangement locks into place on each side of the car, providing a sturdy and flat (if not exactly decadent) space to sleep.

Like a fold-down bed mounted to the wall of a cramped apartment, this solution makes the most of a fairly small space.

Clever covers for the windows offer a degree of privacy, though there is no bathroom or sink arrangement. Local red tape prevents VW from selling the Caddy with a gas cooktop found overseas, but third party companies can sort you out. There’s space (and a power outlet) in the boot for a fridge, you can remove the rear seats to free up storage room and aftermarket providers can furnish you with impressive tents that extend the Caddy’s living space.

Priced from $54,990 plus on-road costs (about $65,500 drive-away), the California costs about $10,000 more than an equivalent Caddy Maxi people mover.

Customers used to VW’s passenger cars will find harder cabin plastics and a shorter features list than an average Golf or Tiguan.

Standard equipment includes halogen headlights, two-zone airconditioning, a digital dash and an 8.25-inch infotainment screen with smartphone mirroring.

The California has an impressive array of driver assistance features, including adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go traffic jam assistance, lane keeping assistance, auto emergency braking and a reversing camera with parking sensors.

Those who want more can pick from a long list of extras including metallic paint ($1115), LED headlights ($2000), a 10-inch touchscreen with sat nav ($1625), a panoramic sunroof ($1425), heated seats ($810) and a powered tailgate ($415).

Power comes from a 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine sending 90kW and 320Nm to the front wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. While Volkswagen’s passenger cars are largely divorced from diesel, the fuel type remains popular with VW’s commercial arm. Impressive 4.9L/100km economy works in the Caddy’s favour, as does a theoretical cruising range of more than 1000 kilometers between fuel stops.

Compact for a campervan, the Caddy’s dimensions limit its utility as a mobile home, but make it much easier to live with on the road. Accurate steering and powerful brakes work in its favour, the little van feeling more like a fleet-footed hatchback than a lumbering truck on the road.

That said, the Caddy California lacks the refinement of VW’s Golf – a benchmark in the hatchback class. The practical, tall-roofed cabin translates to more noise than you might expect at highway speeds and the combination of a slightly sluggish diesel engine with an occasionally hesitant dual-clutch automatic won’t win universal praise.

Firmer-than-expected suspension is occasionally bouncy at low speed, but as with most commercial vehicles, we suspect it would settle down with passengers or cargo in the back.

Even if it isn’t as plush as a Tiguan or Golf on the road, the California will prove far more comfortable when you arrive at a destination.

VERDICT

An intriguing option for folks who want to hit the road, the Caddy California is a flexible – if expensive – starting point for overnight travel.

3.5 stars

volkswagen caddy california

PRICE About $65,500 drive away

ENGINE 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo diesel, 90kW/320Nm

WARRANTY/SERVICING 5-year unlimited km, $2731 for 5 years

SAFETY 6 airbags, auto emergency braking, driver fatigue monitoring

THIRST 4.9L/100km

POSITION 1720 liters

SPARE full size

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Nurburgring lap record for Porsche Taycan Turbo

Nurburgring lap record for Porsche Taycan Turbo

The German manufacturer says the Porsche Taycan Turbo S completed a lap of the 20.8 kilometer track in 7min 33.3sec, making it the fastest electric car in production.

That effort, recorded by development driver Lars Kern, undercuts the 7min 35.sec mark of Tesla’s Model S Plaid by more than two seconds.

The 2023 model year Taycan Turbo S benefited from a new performance kit including lightweight 21-inch wheels, high-performance Pirelli P-Zero Corsa tyres, and a software update allowing its electronically controlled suspension to make the most of the new rubber.

The 560kW sedan reached 268km/h during the lap, benefiting from a two-speed transmission that gives it a performance advantage over most electric cars.

But it fell short of the fastest times set by petrol-powered V8 sedans, including the 7min 29.8sec mark of Porsche’s V8-powered Panamera, the 7min 29.5sec of BMW’s latest M5, or the 7min 27.8s of Mercedes-AMG’s GT 63 S .

While the Porsche runs out of puff just shy of 270km/h, the nine-speed transmission in Mercedes’ heavy hitter allows it to reach 298km/h on the Nurburgring, or 315km/h if you can find a longer straight.

Expect the electric car performance battle to heat up in the near future, powered by fresh metal such as the Tesla Roadster, Lotus Evija, Pininfarina Battista and Porsche’s electric successor to the Cayman GT4.

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Hyundai Ioniq 6 electric car first drive

Hyundai Ioniq 6 electric car first drive

Like a stone worn smooth by the sand and sea, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 is shaped by its environment.

Promising to exceed the claimed range of any sub-$100,000 electric car, the Ioniq’s distinctive silhouette helps it slide through the air with minimal resistance – and onto shortlists for electric car customers.

The arching silhouette of its roofline helps the Ioniq claim aerodynamic efficiency that is not only the best in its class, but among the best of any car on sale. Only the lowest-drag version of Mercedes’ EQS electric car can claim to be slipperier.

Drag coefficient data is rarely the subject of bar-room bragging.

But people will boast about an electric car with more than 600 kilometers of range, particularly one that does not rely on an enormous battery to do so.

The Ioniq 6 offers the same 77.4kWh battery and choice of rear-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive electric propulsion as the hatchback-shaped Ioniq 5.

While the boxy Ioniq 5 offers 481 kilometers of range, Hyundai expects the aerodynamic Ioniq 6 to claim 610 kilometers of range using the same test format.

It also expects the new car to be a sell-out success in Australia when it arrives next year.

While we don’t know exactly how much the car will cost, it’s likely to be a similar proposition to the Ioniq 5. That car is offered locally in relatively limited numbers priced from $69,900 plus on-road costs, suggesting the Ioniq 6 should start from less than $80,000 on the road. Range-topping versions will be closer to $90,000 drive-away.

We sampled the Ioniq 6 in camouflaged pre-production form at Hyundai’s Namyang proving ground in Seoul.

The banana-shaped roof is no less arresting in the metal, particularly when surrounded by conventional-shaped hatchbacks and SUVs at the Korean giant’s proving ground.

It’s much more familiar on the inside, where Hyundai’s design team has stayed in safer territory.

Though crude prototype plastics make it impossible to assess the quality of its interior, time in the back seat reveals that its slightly shorter wheelbase and dramatically swept roof result in less rear passenger room than the Ioniq 5.

Twin 12-inch screens curve across the dashboard in front of you, a familiar and effective if less-than-revolutionary combination for Hyundai fans. The brand took a note from Tesla’s book by keeping physical buttons to a minimum but dedicated climate controls are a victory for common sense.

Powered by twin electric motors with 239kW and 605Nm of combined power, the all-wheel-drive Ioniq 6 feels like it can match a claimed 0-100km/h time of 5.1 seconds.

Effortlessly brisk and near-silent when accelerating, the Ioniq 6 has no problem getting its power to the ground.

Special Pirelli tires developed for the new model trade ultimate cornering grip for reduced rolling resistance necessary to maximize its long-range potential.

We didn’t have the opportunity to assess the car’s cornering characteristics but a short drive on public roads showed that the Ioniq 5 is a refined machine, with a quiet motor, smoothly managed energy harvesting and well-controlled road noise.

We can’t say whether that slippery body reduces wind roar – low-speed running in a canvas-clad prototype isn’t the right test environment – ​​but can confirm the digital mirrors work well, even if your eyes need an extra moment to re -focus.

Accurate steering and well-modulated brakes work in its favour, and we suspect slightly tauter suspension than the comfort-focused Ioniq 5 delivers improved cornering control.

A full verdict will have to wait until we’ve had a chance to assess the car on local roads but early indications are that the Ioniq 6 backs up its intriguing looks with clever technology, giving electric car customers an impressive new option.

HYUNDAI IONIQ 6

PRICE About $90,000 drive away

ENGINE Twin electric, 239kW and 605Nm

RANGE About 600 kilometers

0-100km/h 5.1 seconds

FAST CHARGERS

Hyundai has built a high-performance Ioniq 6 pitched at enthusiasts. Powered by the same 430kW/740Nm motors found in Kia’s EV6 GT, the machine promises three-second 0-100km/h sprints, along with sideways fun made possible by clever torque vectoring. The Ioniq 5 is first in line to receive Hyundai’s go-fast “N” treatment, but we wouldn’t’ be surprised to see the sedan get special attention, too.

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MG7 luxury sedan will take on Audi A7, BMW Gran Coupe

MG7 luxury sedan will take on Audi A7, BMW Gran Coupe

MG plans to take its brand up-market with a prestige sedan to accompany its upcoming sports car.

Not content with taking on the likes of Mazda’s MX-5 and the Porsche Boxster with its new convertible based on the MG Cyberster concept, the brand has its eye on high-end European machines.

A new “Black Label” sub-brand will offer more luxurious models than MG’s usual fare.

While it won’t be a brand in its own right, like Toyota’s Lexus or Hyundai’s Genesis, MG’s Black Label will represent a step beyond its current range of affordable hatchbacks and SUVs.

Chinese customers will get first dibs on the new range, starting with the MG7 sedan revealed this week.

Wearing a four-door coupe body similar to Audi’s A7 or BMW’s Gran Coupes, the MG7’s sophisticated shape takes the brand into new territory.

We haven’t seen the interior but you can bet it will build on the high-tech features found in MG’s regular line-up – delivering crisp digital displays, impressive driver aids, multi-coloured ambient lighting and much more.

A duck-tail bootlid transforms into a pop-up rear spoiler similar to Porsche’s Panamera and enormous quad exhaust tips suggest power could come from a muscular petrol engine.

Technical details surrounding the car are slim.

Car News China suggests the model will have a four-cylinder turbo engine with 189kW and 405Nm, positioning the MG7 closer to Volkswagen’s Arteon than Audi’s RS7.

MG’s Australian arm intends to ramp up its premium appeal with the new sports car, but the first Black Label machine is unlikely to make a local debut.

A spokesman for the brand said “we are constantly listening to the needs and wants of our customers, but at this stage, we will not be bringing the MG7 into the Australian or NZ market”.

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Holden ZB Commodore brake booster recall

Holden ZB Commodore brake booster recall

Holden has recalled almost 14,000 examples of the last car to wear the Commodore badge.

Sold to customers between 2017 and 2020, Holden’s ZB Commodore was a last roll of the dice from a brand clinging to life in Australia.

A recall notice for the European-sourced machine says the car’s brake booster may fail due to a manufacturing defect.

“If this occurs the stopping distance in the un-boosted condition would exceed the distance prescribed by the Australian Design Rule (ADR) 31/03,” the notice says.

“If the brake booster does not operate as intended, it could increase the risk of an accident causing serious injury or death to vehicle occupants and/or other road users.”

Holden finished assembly of locally-built VF Commodores in Elizabeth, South Australia in 2017. The German-built ZB Commodore took its place in showrooms until it was phased out when Holden decided to retire the Commodore name in December 2019.

Holden announced plans to end sales of all new cars in Australia weeks later in February 2020, before closing its local business at the end of that year.

The manufacturer still offers maintenance, repair and warranty work through a service network.

Models affected by the latest recall will receive a free software update that should address the issue.

More info: Holden Customer Care, 1800 46 465 336

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Are utes or SUVs more dangerous than cars?

Are utes or SUVs more dangerous than cars?

A new crash test has highlighted the dangers posed by utes and SUVs to sedans and hatchbacks.

America’s Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has developed a new side-impact test with a heavier and faster impact to better reflect real-world hazards.

The IIHS, which says motorists face a “much greater risk of head injury from impacts with taller vehicles”, has introduced a tougher side-impact test that should result in safer cars in the future.

IIHS president David Harkey said vehicles that sat lower to the ground took side impacts higher on the door panel in the revised T-bone test.

“That potentially puts sedans and wagons at a disadvantage in this evaluation but reflects what happens in a real-world crash when these vehicles are struck by a higher-riding pick-up or SUV,” he said.

Crash experts increased the weight of their side impact barrier from 3300 to 4200 pounds (1497 to 1905kg) and ramped up speeds from 31 to 37 miles per hour (50 to 60km/h).

The resulting test has 82 per cent more energy than before.

Cars tested in the new program receive one of four scores – good, acceptable, marginal or poor.

Re-testing of cars that received full marks in the old test format returned alarming results.

The Toyota Camry received a “poor” rating, joining mid-sized sedans from Nissan and Chevrolet on the bottom tier for side-impact safety.

Toyota’s sedan was the only vehicle in the test that recorded a “poor” safety outcome for rear passenger injuries, though it did a better job protecting drivers than the Chevy Malibu and Nissan Altima.

Side airbags in the Camry, Malibu and Altima failed to stop the heads of crash test dummies from colliding with the cars’ window sills.

Honda’s Accord received a “marginal” overall score, falling behind “acceptable” results for the Hyundai Sonata and Volkswagen Jetta.

The only car worthy of a “good” score in the latest batch of testing was Subaru’s Outback, a car that benefits – in this test – from additional ground clearance more akin to an SUV than a conventional sedan.

But 10 out of 18 family SUVs earned good ratings, with larger and higher-riding cars such as the Mazda CX-9, Nissan Pathfinder and Toyota Kluger performing much better than conventional sedans.

No family SUV received a poor rating, though smaller SUVs were hit harder by the test.

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Only one – Mazda’s CX-5 – received a “good” rating, while popular models such as the Subaru Forester, Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V and Nissan X-Trail were deemed “acceptable”.

The Hyundai Tucson, Ford Escape, Kia Sportage and others received “marginal” ratings, while the Honda HR-V and Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross were deemed “poor”.

Honda’s HR-V – a model that has since been updated – came under fire for a pillar between the driver and passenger doors that “began to tear away from the frame, allowing the side of the vehicle to crush inward almost to the center of the drivers seat”.

IIHS research shows side-impact crashes account for 23 per cent of fatal smashes in the US.

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2023 Volkswagen Amarok details revealed

2023 Volkswagen Amarok details revealed

Volkswagen has drawn up battle plans to make the new Amarok the must-have ute of 2023.

Based on the new Ford Ranger, the new Amarok represents a significant leap beyond the previous model.

It shares core underpinnings and diesel engines with the Ranger, as well as new safety features including auto emergency braking, active cruise control and blind-spot monitoring.

Volkswagen’s best-selling model is also likely to share the Ford’s 3.0-liter V6 turbo diesel engine, a motor that sends 184kW and 600Nm to all four wheels through a 10-speed automatic transmission.

But it won’t get the 292kW/283Nm petrol V6 exclusively offered in Ford’s Ranger Raptor.

Ford elected not to offer the Australian Ranger with a 2.3-litre turbo petrol engine found in some Amarok models, one that delivers 222kW and 452Nm of performance.

But the cars are not identical.

VW’s machine wears butch styling shaped by a Melbourne-based design team.

It has the same core interior as the Ranger, though high-end Amarok models have fancier 10-way electric seat adjustment than the Ranger’s eight-way chairs.

And Volkswagen’s 12-inch digital dashboard display is larger than the 8-inch readouts fitted as standard to the Ranger.

Top-grade Amarok variants ride on 21-inch wheels that are significantly larger than the 18-inch rims of a Ranger Wildtrak, which could return more car-like precision from a steering wheel shared with VW’s passenger cars.

VW says the new machine, built in South Africa as opposed to the Thailand-sourced Ranger, benefits from shorter and more frequent shipping routes than the older model, which came from Argentina.

That “ensures steadier supply”, according to Volkswagen.

But it will also mean the Amarok is subject to a 5 per cent vehicle import tariff that does not apply to the Thai-built Ranger, a factor likely to make the VW more expensive than its Blue Oval cousin.

VW will reveal prices for the Amarok closer to its official debut in the first quarter of 2023.

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2024 MG Cyberster electric convertible emerges

2024 MG Cyberster electric convertible emerges

MG is set to embrace its classic roots with a two-seat convertible sports car.

Tipped to go on sale in time for the brand’s 100th anniversary in 2024, the machine is likely to be a battery-powered alternative to affordable sports cars such as the Mazda MX-5.

The brand flirted with a sports car comeback with the MG Cyberster concept of 2021.

MG designer Carl Gotham said at the time that “the Cyberster is a bold statement that looks strongly into MG’s future, touching on our heritage but more importantly building on our cutting edge technology and advanced design”.

“Sports cars are the lifeblood of the MG DNA and Cyberster is a hugely exciting concept for us.”

The radical styling exercise promised 800 kilometers of electric range and a sub-three-second dash to 100km/h.

A subsequent production model won’t match the Hot Wheels flair of the Cyberster.

Patent drawings show the real-world version will be a two-seater with a folding fabric roof.

A teaser video published by MG this week suggests it will be an attractive-looking machine, and one of the first convertibles of the modern electric era.

MG Australia executive Danny Lenartic said in 2021 that the roadster was “firmly in our plans” for a local debut.

Technical details for the model are scarce, though it makes sense for the compact machine to send drive to the rear wheels through a powerful electric motor.

Established sports car brands such as Porsche, Lotus and Alpine have also announced plans to build compact, battery-powered machines aimed at enthusiasts.

Those brands have recently formed outstanding sports cars such as the Porsche Boxster, Lotus Exige and Alpine A110.

While the MG brand is associated with affordable British sports cars, the reborn marque’s Chinese ownership has focused on affordable SUVs and hatchbacks such as the MG3.

But the brand looks likely to broaden its reach in the near future, branching into territory that is both new – and very old – to MG.

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