Alien face for an earthly space(ship). The Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid has landed. 2001. No, not the movie A Space Odyssey (imagine if this had been a Honda review ha ha), but the year the first Hyundai Santa Fe rolled off the production line. Now in it's fourth iteration, the facelifted Santa Fe Hybrid is definitely a sight to behold compared to the generations that came before. In its price range, the ...
Read MoreGood Likeable Bread-van. Anyone remember the Alfa Romeo 145 Quadrifoglio/Cloverleaf from the 90s, lovingly referred to as “the bread-van” by enthusiasts back in the day? This author couldn’t help but affectionately feel, while walking up to it, that GLB 35 is the modern-day ‘bread-van’ interpretation in compact SUV-guise, with two extra doors and one supposedly extra row of seats. In Singapore’s market, GLB 35 occupies a pretty unique niche. The Cupra Ateca sits ...
Read MoreHonest. Characterful. Playful. Smaller cars have featured quite regularly in this author's life. Having learned to drive in a 1980's Daihatsu Charade, and still regularly driving an original Perodua Kancil when staying with relatives in Malaysia, there is a certain simple, straightforward and unpretentious charm with how smaller cars go about doing their thing. And when setting eyes on the Q2 for the first time, those memories came flooding back. At first ...
Read MoreHigher-riding handling-machine, and also a family-hauler. Before starting the article proper, let’s get some declarations out of the way first. This author: is a handling and performance-biased automotive enthusiast;has a rather special place in-heart for Alfa Romeo - not Saab-levels of special, but special nonetheless;was extremely reluctant to return the test vehicle at the end of the drive review. One can probably already see where this article is headed, and with good reason. When it ...
Read MoreWho says transporting one’s kinship has to appear mundane? Let’s get this out of the way first — traditionally, this author has not been a fan of Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs). However, as age and corresponding physical issues start setting in, a higher-riding vehicle makes more sense in terms of ease of ingress and egress. Does that mean SUVs are only good for those with back, hip and/or leg issues? No, not ...
Read MoreReady to go beyond the tyre basics? Learn more about +1 upgrades in our tyres ‘102‘ guide below! By now, you should already know that there’s a lot more to tyres than just four innocuous black rubber things on each wheel of the car, truck, or bike. If you are an enthusiast driver, you might know a fair bit more about tyres than others. Nonetheless, it‘s good to get reacquainted with ...
Read MoreTyres are essential to every car. Here’s a cheat sheet on the tyre basics that you need to know. Tyres are like shoes for a car. They cushion the car from impacts from the road, keep the body off the ground, and most importantly, provide the traction needed to go, stop and steer. Much like shoes however, there can be a bewildering array of brands and models to choose from. Take a ...
Read MoreIn a sea of SUVs, the seldom-seen station wagon smartly stands strong. And the Skoda Octavia Combi is one of the strongest there is. Admittedly, I’ve always been favourably partial towards station wagons — aka estates — even back in the days when Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) weren't really a thing. Being able to carry the family pet, the weekend furniture shopping from IKEA, and the kitchen sink in one fell ...
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