Depending on which era you were born in Beep Beep will probably mean one of two things. Your either a baby boomer/gen x and you will probably think of the road runner from the Loony Tunes. Or you’re a gen Y and you’ll think of the beep beep Barina ad campaign from Holden. The Barina may not have the catchy slogan any more, but will the Barina be like the road runner and outsmart the competition (coyote) or will the coyote finally have his day and turn the tables.

The Barina is a car that has been in the Australian car market for several years. During its time it has undergone more major facelifts then a Hollywood actor. With ties to Suzuki in its earlier days, Opel in the middle stages, Daewoo in the later stages and finally Chevrolet in its most recent showing, it definitely has tried to keep up with its appearances. Unfortunately had the Barina continued its relationship with Opel, in my opinion, we would have a much more aesthetically pleasing car, though there are positives to the current design especially the aggressive and almost nostalgic circular headlights. It’s hard not to think back to the Barinas glory days when it seemed every second P plater had a Barina for a car. It is clear that all departments have come together and are still focusing on the young and first car owners. An example comes straight from the marketing department where the ads show young couples heading out for a road trips while another example is the motorcycle inspired instrument cluster which is one of the focal points of the interior. Other internal features include Bluetooth, multi-media audio, steering wheel controls and more which is quite a good offering for such a sharply priced car. The steering wheel is surprisingly sporty while the rest of dash has a high concentration of plastic, though it is a quiet pleasant. From a standing start the 1.6ltr DOHC 16 valve engine sprightly runs through the first and second gears of the 6 speed automatic which our test car had been coupled to. However, highway cruising is where you start to notice the short legs of the engine and that is mainly due to its capacity, although Holden have given this 1.6 high performance figures. A down side to the increased performance is the fuel efficiency which can counteract some of the appeal for city driving when trying to keep efficiency to a maximum. On more of a novelty factor is the sports shift on the automatic gearbox, instead of mimicking a sequential gearbox they have decided to use two buttons on the gear shaft. It is hard not to think of it being almost Playstation like even though you do get used to it, it is still just doesn’t feel right. For those disconcerting parents who think that all P platers are reckless drivers, yes figures may agree with you, you can put your mind at ease if your kids were to drive the Barina. With the highest possible ANCAP safety rating (5 stars) being awarded to the car it is somewhat of a reversal to some years ago when small cars had issues with the crumple zone, it has to be given to the engineers which now have created such a safe, car especially for the price of the car. With features such as Electronic Stability control, ABS Brakes, traction control and 6 airbags you can see why the Barina is still a popular choice among the younger drivers. If you have decided that the Barina is the car for you, Holden have simplified the process significantly so that there are only 3 main choices to make. What body type? Which Colour? Which Transmissions? It’s basically as easy as that, so commitment phoebes you can breathe a sigh of relief that you don’t have to make too many decisions. A small complaint I had with the car had to do with the electronic instrument cluster. While some readings are good to see in a digital form, there are still things that are better seen in an analogue form ie. Fuel levels, even though the readings are broken down to 1/12^th it can still be difficult to judge how much fuel you actually have and if you can make it to a more convenient servo. A solution to this would be to break it down into even further increments possibly 1/16^th increments would prove a more satisfying and reassuring level for the driver. ADM Opinion There is no doubt that the Barina represents excellent value, but there is also a lot of manufactures seeking your business. The small car segment is such a crowded market and you would be able to find exceptional value with a lot of manufactures these days. Refering back to my earlier comments about the road runner, there is no doubt that the coyote has caught up in some aspects but the Barina still manages to keep its head in front in other areas. If you are a fan of the design and looking for a zippy inner city car, this is an excellent choice. However, if you were to do more highway driving it may not be the best choice. Ultimately what I would like to see is a Barina designed and built in Australia, based on the success of the Cruze, this could be another popular Australian car. Likes Style Drive Price Dislikes Dash Cluster Engine Power Transmission Sports Shift Features Barina Hatch with 5-speed manual transmission - $15,990 Barina Hatch with 6-speed automatic transmission – $17,990 *Prestige Paint is a $500 option Key Features

• ·         1.6 litre, DOHC 16 valve 4-cylinder engine
• ·         4-speed automatic transmission or 5-speed manual transmission
• ·         Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
• ·         Steering wheel mounted audio controls
• ·         Air conditioning with variable temperature control
• ·         Power windows, front and rear
• ·         Front and side impact airbags for driver and front passenger
• ·         Front seatbelt force limiters
• ·         Front seatbelt pretensioners
• ·         45-litre Petrol tank capacity
• ·         Front ventilated disc brakes. Rear drum

ADM gives the Holden Barina 3 out of 5 helmets   Written by Jason Sharman

Mitsubishi have been making quality reliable cars for decades and the Lancer is just one of them. Over the years the Lancer has taken on many shapes and styles and nothing stands out more than the Sportback. The Sportback offers quality styling of a Lancer but has extra features that you can’t get with a sedan. Sportback is Mitsubishi’s wording for a hatch and being a hatch the room inside is much greater. Looking over the Lancer Sportback you see a great shape at the front but the rear seems like they were unsure how to finish it. However, the way the rear is formed allows for a lot of rear cabin space to carry all the import things. The VR does not look that different on the outside to a base model besides the alloy wheels, but once you step inside the VR is a different world. The seats are leather and in the colder months both front seats can be warmed up to make the ride that little bit better. The seats are comfy and offer lots of support and with the driver’s seat being electric getting in the right position is easy. When sitting behind the wheel you can tell it is a Lancer as the interior does have a lot of plastic, but it is well built and everything is positioned well. One issue that was noticed is the high window line and how low the door arm rest is as there is no real place to rest you arm. The Sportback VR is loaded with features. Central locking with a remote but as it is a sensor key you can leave it in your pocket and press the button on the door handle to lock and unlock. This means no stuffing around for keys anytime and leaves your hands free for well, whatever you want. The stereo, with wheel mounted controls, offers great noise and when you get the settings to your preferred liking then the sound is great. Cruise control is located on the leather wrapped steering wheel along with the voice command Bluetooth buttons. The electric windows are smooth and fast and the rears go all the way down into the doors to allow a full open window. Another excellent feature the VR offers is a reverse camera. The view comes up in the rear view mirror and offers so much more visibility behind. On the subject of visibility, the Sportback has plenty but the B-pillars are a little hard to see around when the driver’s seat is in line with it. The automatic headlights is a great feature and when set in that mode you never have to worry about turning them on or off again. The windscreen wipers can be set at a speed of your choosing but if the deluge gets heavier then the car sensors this and speeds up to take care of the extra water. The Lancer is offered with a 2.0 litre engine and is a good match to the CVT (continuously variable automatic transmission) which is so smooth and quite that you don’t even know that you have more than one gear in the six speed box. The engine offers 113kW @ 6000rpm / 198Nm
@ 4250rpm and provides all the power you could want. When driving using the sports shift the engine is more responsive but you can tend to use more fuel as it is a lot sportier in this mode. Driveability is terrific in any situation. Although the setup seems to be based on comfort, the Lancer took everything we could throw at it. The under steer was much less than previous models and the commitment the Lancer had into the corners was great. Traction control could be switched off if desired but even driving hard the mode rarely took over. ADM Opinion The Lancer is a well built car and with the experience we have had over the years Mitsubishi does build a reliable car. The Lancer can be a little nosey with road noise but this can be blocked out by cranking your favorite tune on the stereo. Mitsubishi offer a rather good warranty with the 5-10 year deal and service parts are of decent cost. With the Sportback you get that little bit more space inside but you are definitely not showing your good side from behind…. 2012 CJ Lancer Sportbak Price Range ES Sportback 2.0 MANUAL $21690 2.0 CVT AUTO 24190 Stand Alone Options V20 Metallic Paint $450 V21 Pearlescent Paint $450 Option Pack AAH Convenience Pack $970 VR Sportback 2.0 MANUAL $26390 2.0 CVT AUTO 28890 Stand Alone Options R09 Rockford Fosgate Audio $750 V20 Metallic Paint $450 V21 Pearlescent Paint $450 VRX Sportback 2.4 MANUAL $30990 2.4 CVT AUTO 33490 Stand Alone Options ABR Mitsubishi Multi Communication System $1950 V20 Metallic Paint $450 V21 Pearlescent Paint $450 Ralliart Sportback 2.0 TC-SST $44490 Stand Alone Options V20 Metallic Paint $450 V21 Pearlescent Paint $450 Option Pack AAM Luxury Pack $4000 Likes Seats Handling Room Driveability Dislikes Rear End Finish Road Noise     ADM gives the Mitsubishi VR Lancer Sportback 3.5 out of 5 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest

More respect is needed for the Kia brand as they are now producing cars at equal or better standards to some European makes. The continued success of the Kia Rio has shown all the way to the latest model on the market. The early Rio was not without its faults but the price to buy and low cost to buy replacement parts meant they were a force on the Australian roads. The third generation Rio was defiantly heading in the right direction with style, safety and pricing. But with constant market change, Australian drivers have seen the fourth generation Kia Rio which has set benchmarks in the light passenger vehicle category. The Reborn Rio has two engine variants and three trim levels. The first engine is the Gamma 1.4 MPi Petrol which offers 79kW and 135Nm and is only offered in the S, or base, model Rio. The Si and SLi include the larger engine option, the Gamma 1.6 GDi Petrol offering 103kW and 167Nm. The 1.4 is offered standard with a 6-speed manual with the option of a 4-speed manu-matic automatic. The 1.6 in the Si and SLi is also offered as a standard 6-speed manual but has the better option of a 6-speed manu-matic automatic. All models in the Rio range offer a long list of safety features. Some of these include ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) with EBD (Electronic Brake Distribution) and BA (Brake Assist), ESC (Electronic Stability Control) with TCS (Traction Control System), VSM (Vehicle Management System), HAC (Hill-start Assist Control), seatbelt reminders for all positions, rear view mirror (day & night) and a high-mounted rear stop lamp. As well as these listed safety features the driver and front passenger will be protected with front, side and curtain SRS airbags, six in total, along with front seatbelt pre-tensioners. The Rio 5-door hatch that was giving to Australian Driver Magazine is a very good looking car indeed. Offering a style that is not seen in many hatches’s, the Rio is sleek looking but offers more room inside then was expected. The drivers position is set in the perfect with head, leg and shoulder room all there for the larger driver but not too big if on the short side. The seats are supportive and no matter if you’re in the front or back the ride is a little bit firm, but nice. The suspension is firm but comfortable and offers a sporty feel when having that little bit of a play on mountain roads. With all the safety features working together, the handling and turn in corners is seamless and a little bit fun. As a city car the Reborn Rio needs to be respected as it is a big small car. There is lots of room on the inside and yet it is small and easy to park in tight spaces. The visibility is good when looking forward due to the large front door glass and quarter glass but the rear window in the hatch is a tad on the small side and offers a lack of sight backwards. When travelling along, a driver, and of course the passengers, need some tunes. The Rio offers some great features including radio CD player with MP3 compatibility plus AUX, iPod and USB connections and Bluetooth® handsfree. All Rio’s have a four speaker set up with the Si and SLi adding front tweeters to sharpen the sound. The stereo also has SDVC, Speed Dependent Volume Control. This means that the faster you go on the road the louder the music will become to compensate. But when you slow down again the sound turns down so you don’t become deaf. The starting price is a little more than first thought for a Kia Rio. Going off previous model pricing the starting price seems high, but when you realize how much you get for your dollar and how good the drive is the price makes more sense. Still being the lowest price Kia on offer in Australia, the Reborn Kia Rio starts from $16,990 drive away. ADM Opinion All the features and more we have not covered make for some exciting driving in the Reborn Rio. The starting price is good, the car is packed with features, the warranty is 5 years, some conditions apply, and the drive is more than average. Kia have done well with this new vehicle and by having respect in the name and advertising campaigns shows what Kia can really do. Not only has the company found their feet in this ever changing market but they have been Reborn with the Rio. Feature Highlights 15-inch steel wheel with 185/65 R15 tyre Full size spare MDPS (Electric Power Steering) Tilt & telescopic steering wheel adjustment 6 airbags (dual front , front side & curtain) ESC with 4-wheel disc brake Vehicle Stability Management with Hill-start Assist Control Seatbelt reminders (all positions) Body colour outside mirrors and door handles Rear spoiler Chrome signature grille Electric heated outside mirrors Driver and passenger vanity mirrors 60:40 split rear folding seat Trip computer (4 function) Front wiper – variable intermittent, with aero blade wiper Manual air conditioning Front power & rear windows Audio unit (CD, radio & USB/AUX/iPod connectivity) with 4 speakers Audio remote controls Bluetooth (remote steering wheel controls) Available Equipment 16-inch alloy wheel with 195/55 R16 Tyre 17-inch alloy wheel with 205/45 R17 Tyre (Continental) Front fog lamps Supervision cluster with dot-matrix display Auto cruise control with steering wheel remote controls LED Day-time Running Lights LED rear combination lamps Pricing Starts from $16,990 drive away . ADM give the Kia Rio Reborn 4 out of 5 Helmets