The Honda Freed is an all-in-one compact family package for seven. Every time I approach a mini-MPV, regardless of make and model, I can't help but have one crucial thought in my head. Can this thing fit seven people in comfort? Being an owner of a full-sized MPV, I always have my doubts about smaller MPVs and their ability to deliver on their promises. Unfortunately, my scepticism is valid. For example, the ...
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The Toyota GR86 is less of a sports car and more of a love letter to car and driving enthusiasts. The automotive industry as we know it is now at an impasse. Gone are the days when screaming internal combustion engines were commonplace, now being silenced, literally, by the soulless whirrs of new-fangled electric technology. Electric cars can be extremely quick and efficient, but you just cannot replicate the mechanical symphony of ...
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The highly acclaimed family car gets a full-electric addition to its lineup. The Kia Niro Hybrid launched in Singapore last year to much fanfare. It had all of the features you wanted, a comfortable ride, and it can do all of that whilst still giving you amazing fuel economy. Building on that success, Kia has now deleted the Niro's exhaust pipes and given it an electric whirr instead. Welcome everyone, to the ...
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The Porsche Taycan is a visceral EV pill that prioritises the enjoyment of driving over anything else. And those are strong words for what is essentially the base model of the Taycan. Traditionally, car buyers would scoff at the mention of the words "base" and "model", which commonly denotes the trim level that lacks most of the upmarket or premium features, gatekept behind higher paywalls. However, that does not mean they are ...
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The RX 350h Luxury cossets while costing less at the pump. With the Corolla Cross and Sienta dynamic duo from Toyota's hybrid stable topping our fuel-economy chart, I was certainly looking forward to reviewing more hybrid vehicles to see how they'd stack up. Therefore, I jumped at the offer when the opportunity to review the Lexus RX 350h Luxury came up. Knowing it would not dethrone the smaller and lighter Toyotas, ...
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Although the Maserati Ghibli GT has a downsized heart, it doesn’t compromise on fun and enjoyment. It seems like the days of petrol are truly numbered. With pressure from government entities and eco-conscious institutions, we have started to see a massive shift within the car industry. A shift that abolishes fuel burners in favour of efficient alternative means. No matter what option we pick, the outcome will eventually be the same. The ...
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The Panamera Platinum may just surprise you with how it cossets and handles at the same time - give it a go! When Porsche introduced the first-generation Panamera to the world back in 2009, the automotive press industry collectively gasped and recoiled at the way it looked in shock and horror. The backstory, allegedly, was that Porsche’s then head-honcho Dr Wendelin Wiedeking insisted that he had sufficient headroom in the back ...
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The Mercedes-Benz EQV takes the tried and true V-class formula and gives it an electric twist. Electric offerings are all the rage these days, with more EVs popping up on the market with each new year. Mercedes-Benz doesn't want to lose out on a slice of this new electric pie, and has gone all out to introduce a new suite of EV products. This is their latest one in Singapore yet. ...
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The all-new BMW M2 with a manual gearbox reminds us of what we’ll be missing while simultaneously showing us what to expect SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA: The all-new BMW M2 may be positioned as the ‘baby’ M, the smaller, perhaps even lesser sibling to the M3 sedan and M4 coupe that it shoes its engine with. This M2 might be 50hp down from the Competition variants of the latter pair, but 460hp in ...
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The Maserati Levante GT continues to exude the Italian marque’s famed flair and mantra, now packaged in a family-friendly package. Love them or hate them, SUVs - or crossovers - are here to stay. The general public just can’t seem to get enough of them, and the industry that shifted so much to the point where producing SUVs has now become a make-or-break move necessary for keeping a brand afloat. Here’s where ...
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The 992 Generation of the 911 Carrera shows why it is still THE daily-drivable premium sports coupe. Admittedly, it’d been quite awhile since I last nestled behind the wheel of a 911, with that remarkable and enjoyable occasion being back in 2004 with a 996-generation 911 Carrera 4S. I’ll also admit rather sheepishly to 911-elitism in the past, having repeatedly thumbed my nose at anything less than a Carrera 4S. How ...
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The Jeep Wrangler has been retrofitted with modern creature comforts but still retains its old-school barbarian charm. From its inception, the Jeep Wrangler has always had unique appeal going for it. It's one of those iconic cars in automotive history that exudes a certain philosophy, and to this day it still refuses to bend its traditional formula in order to conform with the rest of the industry. A dinosaur in our strange ...
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Raised proportions and a functional demeanour make the Crosstar a viable proposition for prospective buyers. The Honda Jazz (or Fit if you parallel imported yours) has cemented its place early on as being the cheap and cheerful hatchback which could do it all. You had the standard variant for daily commuting, hybrid versions for added fuel efficiency, and even RS models for those who wanted a bit more fun and a ...
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The BMW XM is M division's take on what a go-anywhere performance plug-in hybrid should be BMW M’s first standalone model since the iconic M1 can do everything, and go everywhere, all at once. You would expect it to, for the best part of $1 million… It may be scarcely believable, but the car tested here is actually only the second time in BMW M’s history that is developed and built as ...
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A drive from Silicon Valley to Los Angeles shows why plug-in hybrids like the BMW 330e still make sense in a growing EV world. Electric Vehicles (EVs) are undoubtedly the future for the automobile – at least for the next decade anyways, until governments and manufacturers come around to e-fuels… However until then, if or when, the car industry is firmly committed to producing EVs. Like everyone else, I’m all for anything ...
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