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The new face kept things pleasant, with new headlamps featuring an LED strip to keep up with the current trend that was first started by Audi. Paired to an aggressively styled front grill, surprisingly this new face somewhat grew on me after spending almost a week with the Elantra. At the rear, it gets a pair of newly designed tail lamps; taking cues from its bigger Sonata sibling, this resembles a, well, pair of eyes looking down on you especially at night...
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Ignore Me Not | Hyundai Elantra Elite

IN Hyundai, Elantra, Elite, Elantra Elite, 1.6-litre, Hyundai Elantra, Korea, Sedan, Saloon, Family sedan, Komoco Motors

Yes it’s no attention grabber but the updated Elantra still impresses in other ways


Back then Audi launched the 1.8-litre TFSI variant alongside the 3.2-litre V6 quattro first, before they decided to quietly introduce the 2.0-litre TFSI quattro.
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Periodic Table | Audi A4 2.0 TFSI quattro

IN Audi, A4, Audi A4, B9 A4, TFSI, Quattro, Audi A4 TFSI quattro, 2.0 TFSI, Audi Singapore, Premium Automobiles

This bigger-engined A4 comes with all the bells and whistles you'd need, surpassing Mercedes-Benz's and BMW's offerings


It didn’t take long for this car to garner attention. At the first bus stop after exiting the local dealer’s showroom, teenage boys were pointing at the car. Ahh… Looks like I have some celeb moments to look forward to. On top of that, taxi drivers were whipping out their smartphones, taking photos of this car whenever the light turns red at junctions.Unfortunately the fairer sex seem unimpressed, probably because of how oddly styled the i3 is. It looks like a small MPV + hatchback + mini fridge all rolled into one; so gentlemen, don’t expect to attract ladies with this car. Unless you’re Channing Tatum or Ryan Gosling…
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Living With The BMW i3

IN BMW, I3, I, BMW i3, BMW i3 Range Extender, Electric cars, Performance Motors Limited, BMW Asia Group

All that talk about electric cars got us very curious — we tried living with one over a weekend


Out on the expressway, the refinement level is definitely at an all-time high. Unwanted noises, particularly from the engine, are very well masked out of the cabin. Then to make things even better, VW slapped on a set of premium Dynaudio speaker system. If one of VW’s major intentions here were to provide an enjoyable cabin for all occupants, then it must be said they’ve done a swell job.
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More Than A 6-Pack? | Volkswagen Passat Variant R-Line

IN Volkswagen, VW, Veedub, Passat, Variant, Passat Variant, Volkswagen Passat Variant, Wagon, 2016, R-Line, 2.0-litre, TSI, DSG, Volkswagen Centre Singapore

It's cheaper than an E-Class equivalent, but delivers almost similar quality with a friendlier price tag - is the wagon Passat's job already done, and VW has nothing to worry about for this class?


Yes, you’ve probably read our previous review of the more affordable 1.5-litre Cooper version; in local context, that would outsell this Cooper S version just based on economical reasons (cheaper road tax, insurance and fuel economy).
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New Club In Town | MINI Cooper S Clubman

IN MINI, Mini, Clubman, Cooper S, Cooper S Clubman, MINI Cooper S Clubman, 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder, Turbocharged, Eurokars Habitat, BMW Asia

There's an additional door gained but with bootspace still smaller than a regular wagon, could the 2.0-litre turbocharged engine be its saving grace?


Recently - and quietly too - a nameplate that was once a local favourite has returned: The Ford Focus.
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King Of The Crop | Ford Focus Hatch 1.0 EcoBoost

IN Ford, Ford Focus, EcoBoost, Focus, Ford Focus EcoBoost 1.0, Turbocharged, 3-cylinder, Hatchback, Regent Motors

Ford returns, now with a new force-fed powerplant that should put a smile on budget-conscious buyers — but can it steal the limelight from the Golf?


But suddenly the Germans decided they wanted to be part of the party too. Along came the Mercedes-Benz ML, BMW X5, Porsche Cayenne and Volkswagen Touareg. The Japanese didn’t want to lose out too, churning out more modern versions of their ‘Jeep’ — the Mitsubishi Pajero suddenly won’t look out of place at the driveway of Marina Mandarin, the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado became a status symbol and, later on, Nissan’s Murano became the choice of soccer mums.
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Coming In Late | Mercedes-Benz GLC250 4MATIC

IN Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes, GLC250, 4MATIC, Mercedes-Benz GLC250 4MATIC, SUV, Daimler South East Asia, Cycle & Carriage

Is Mercedes-Benz's super late entry into this segment a good or bad thing? Or has the X3 and Q5 sorted it out already?


Suddenly along came this new RX, which is a definite far cry from what it began with. Lets just focus on the exterior first — a radical and ferocious face that could scare road-hogging gits. Just look at the amount of details, how the slit-eyed headlamps, one-piece spindle grill with chrome frames, creased bonnet and stylishly designed foglamps all seem to come together brilliantly; compare it to the current X5, Q7 and XC90 and I’m sure the trio look less exciting. Boring, even.
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Moving Forward | Lexus RX200t

IN Lexus, RX200t, RX, Lexus RX200t, Turbocharged, SUV, Luxury SUV, Borneo Motors

Despite being a pioneer in the luxury SUV segment, the Europeans have always given a hard fight to entice drivers - is this new RX able to lead?


With 123 bhp and 200 Nm worth of torque available courtesy of a 1.4-litre turbocharged TSI powerplant mated to a 7-speed DSG ‘box, the Golf Variant is a surprisingly eager sprinter; flooring the accelerator could still cause the front two wheels to wheelspin off the mark. Well, it’s ok to be a little juvenile every once in a while.
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Wagon Special 4: Volkswagen Golf Variant

IN Volkswagen, Golf, Variant, Wagon, VW, Veedub, Volkswagen Golf Variant, 1.4 TSI, R-Line, Volkswagen Centre Singapore

With the Golf successfully dominating the hatchback segment, can this wagon variant do the same?


Anyway out on the expressway, the Clubman behaves in a very gentlemanly manner with the engine spinning below 2,500 rpm at 100 km/h — which means engine noise is barely intruding. Heck, Mini’s engineers also ensured wind noise is kept to the barest minimal, making themselves heard only near three-figures region. Somehow this compliments the style as well — style and refinement rarely come hand in hand for cars below $150k.
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Wagon Special 3: MINI Cooper Clubman

IN MINI, Mini, Clubman, Cooper, Cooper Clubman, MINI Cooper Clubman, 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder, Turbocharged, Eurokars Habitat, BMW Asia

Into its second modern iteration, can the new Clubman break into the mainstream market and be a volume seller?


The Impreza TS had to compete with Ford’s Focus Wagon and Chevrolet’s Optra Estate, and not forgetting the parallel-imported Corolla Fielder; but it outshone all three in sales volume. It’s the same with the Legacy GT Wagon — despite having to compete directly with the Volvo V50 T5 and Saab 9-3 SportCombi, it also had to go against the SUV brigade, which at that point in time, was a burgeoning market. Then again, it was the only turbocharged wagon that offered a fine balance of brilliant drivability, ample space and most importantly, a price tag the sat comfortably below $100k with COE (oh, how we missed those times). Being Japanese also meant long-term reliability was the last issue to be concerned about.
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Wagon Special 2: Subaru Levorg GT-S

IN Subaru, Levorg, Levorg GT-S, 1.6, Wagon, Estate, Turbocharged, Boxer, MotorImage

Subaru's missing Legacy Wagon and Impreza Wagon makes a return - in this one car


Just like this new Volvo V40 T2. While the Swede calls it a hatchback, the exterior style clearly meant it deserves to be called a wagon instead. So for those of you wanting a hatchback with the general style of a sporty-looking pseudo wagon, this should be right down your alley.
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Wagon Special 1: Volvo V40 T2

IN Volvo, V40, T2, Petrol, Turbocharged, Volvo V40 T2, Wearnes Automotive

The most affordable Volvo money can buy right now, it opens the door to premium motoring — does it work like what the label says though?


In conclusion, the Subaru Forester 2.0 i-P has maintained its reputation as being both a robust and reliable family transport, but with slightly more style and even better goodies this time around. Power may not be its strongest suit, but it sure made up for it in many other positive ways.
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Feature: Subaru Forester 2.0 i-P

IN Subaru, Forester, 2.0 i-P, Subaru Forester 2.0 i-P, Natural-asprated, SUV, Family, FHI, Motor Image

We flew to Bangkok to sample the freshened Forester


And MPVs are known to be rather boring little boxes. You do not hear them clocking crazy timings in Sepang, nor of anyone spending two months’ worth of salary just to do some tuning to the engine and chassis.
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BMW 216d Gran Tourer | Singaporean Dad

IN BMW, BMW Asia, Performance Motors Ltd, 2 Series, 216d, Gran Tourer, GT, MPV, BMW 216d Gran Tourer

Family-oriented drivers looking for a ‘not too small, not too big’ MPV would find this compact MPV an appealing proposition


So, as a whole, the Audi TT Roadster is fast, refined when it needs to be and handles like nothing else in the market. Some, however, may opine it is clinical and predictable. Whatever it is, this car is brilliantly packaged and does not need too much brain cells to drive; two important aspects for a buyer looking at such cars.
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Audi TT Roadster | Adds Spice To Life

IN Audi, TT, Roadster, Audi TT Roadster, EA888, Audi Singapore, Premium Automobiles

Boring people driving boring cars in search of more excitement need to get this car


In town driving, you rarely catch the car out of breath, sprinting from one junction to the other without embarrassingly feeling underpowered or breathless. While it feels willing to go all the way to its 6,500 rpm redline, it does seem to be highly vocal anywhere past 4,500 rpm. By the way to make it more engaging, a subtle ‘Sport’ switch is also placed just below the gear-shifter; no, it won’t transform the Mazda 2 into a GTR, but what it does is hold the gears longer for you to overtake or, while being a wee bit naughty, prevents the transmission from shifting up prematurely as you throw it from one corner to the other.
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Mazda 2 Sedan (Deluxe) | When Value And Style Meets

IN Mazda, 2, 2 Sedan, Mazda 2 Sedan, Deluxe, Zoom Zoom, Kodo Soul of Motion, SkyActiv, Trans Eurokars, Compact sedan, Honda City, Suzuki Ciaz, Nissan Almera, Mitsubishi Attrage, Toyota Vios

For young drivers looking for their first, worry-free mode of transportation, the Mazda 2 Sedan has a lot going on


Maybe it’s the badge it’s wearing. Or perhaps it’s the combination of luxury and comfort it delivers. Then again, there’s no denying how grand it looks even from a distance.
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BMW 740 Li M-Sport Package | Super 7

IN BMW, 7 Series, 740 Li, 740, BMW 740 Li, Singapore, 7 er, M-Sport, Beemer, Performance Motors, BMW Asia

The latest 7 Series packs a whole lot of punch, and in this M-Sport guise, we reckon it could potentially be the limousine to have


That said, there is no denying how the completely reworked and redesigned MX-5 now has a more aggressive stance: The hood slopes forward to a narrow cross-section front end that features the car’s blacked-out grille, which is then combined to a pair of restyled headlight cluster (featuring LED running lights).
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Mazda MX-5 2.0 (A) | That Same Feeling

IN Mazda, MX-5, Mazda MX-5 2.0, Miata, Auto, Roadster, Trans Eurokars

We've sampled the well-balanced manual version previously, but we needed a second opinion - hence we got our Doc, an ex-owner himself, to give us his impression


Hence if you want something comfortable, refined and gentlemanly for the daily basis plus the asking price is not much of a bother, it’s ok to be different than the crowd and get this.
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Infiniti Q70 2.5 | Out Of The Box

IN Infiniti, Q70, 2.5, Q70 2.5, V6, Wearnes Automotive, 2016

Infiniti’s off-beat offering should appeal to those who put high emphasis on comfort


To be frank, the 991’s a fine car in every sense of the word. Besides, having driven most of the models in the range, I have to say my personal favourite has to be the GTS; it felt right despite the handling that needed some getting used to. In my books, nothing else has come close.
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Mercedes-Benz AMG GT S | Into The Frame

IN Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes AMG, AMG, Merc, GT S, AMG GT S, Daimler South East Asia, Cycle & Carriage

Priced to compete next to the 911, Mercedes-Benz’s sports car sounds rather promising — but does it have enough to steal the thunder from the more established Porsche?



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