Car news, reviews & advice

The Falcon might well be on its way out, but the four-cylinder engine in the Ford Falcon EcoBoost G6E is easily the Falcon’s best engine ever. And it’s not just in fuel saving where it scores – the EcoBoost Falcon offers an improved drive, too, says Isaac Bober.

Sadly, with its three-star ANCAP rating, Practical Motoring can’t recommend the Ssangyong Actyon Sports Ute and that’s a shame, because it’s not too bad to drive.

It looks like a Barina on steroids, but is the new Holden Trax small SUV really as good as its looks suggest, asks Tony Bosworth.

With its sharp looking design, inside and out, and its off-road ability, the D40 Navara appealed to those looking for a dual-cab that could serve the, and pardon the pun, dual purpose of being a weekday workhorse and weekend warrior. Bigger, more comfortable, and a lot more refined than its D22 sibling, and plenty of its competitors too, the D40 Navara has built up a legion of followers.

Porsche is expanding its range with what the company boldly calls, “a whole new class of vehicle” in the shape of the high-performance all-wheel-drive Macan, set for launch in Australia mid-2014.

Car air conditioning got what you might call a bit of a frosty reception when it first came out, but only because it cost so much – around $6800 in today’s money for a simple cooling system you couldn’t even turn off.