Motorama Vehicle Reviews 2018

Motorama Vehicle Reviews 2018

We reviewed a lot of cars over the past year, 19 to be precise.

To make it easy for you, we've all gathered them all together right here!

TOYOTA LANDCRUISER PRADO

The Toyota LandCruiser Prado has been on and off-road in Australia for over twenty years. We took out the first big changed Prado in nearly a decade.

TOYOTA LANDCRUISER 70

Few vehicles have a heritage and reputation that matches that of the Toyota LandCruiser 70. It’s been the go-to vehicle for the toughest of jobs for 35 years and still going strong. You don’t drive it for its comfort, high-tech options or performance, but for its functionality, capability and the fact that it won’t stop for anything.

We’ve summed up the 5 main reasons we like to Toyota LandCruiser 70 series and why we think everybody should have a go in one at least once to experience its well-deserved reputation for themselves.

TOYOTA COROLLA

​The number is hard to imagine, but, every 36 seconds somewhere in the world a Corolla is built.   It’s the worlds best-selling car and so it’s no surprise Toyota has a lot at stake when they launch an all-new version of it. Thanks to 50 years of experience innovating the model over twelve generations Toyota knows what they’re doing. That definitely shows in this latest iteration; not only does it look more flash than its predecessor, its driving abilities have also improved together with the comfort level and finish. Add that to the long list of safety features which now come standard on all grade levels and its clear Toyota most probably will have another winner on their hands.  

HOLDEN EQUINOX

The new Holden Equinox marks the end of one of the most divisive models in the Australian brands range – the Captiva. We took it out to see if it could tempt buyers back into a Holden SUV.

HOLDEN COMMODORE​

The new Commodore is here – but it faces an uphill battle to win over hearts and minds. We drove the first four-cylinder Commodore in thirty years.

HOLDEN ACADIA

he new Holden Acadia wouldn’t look out of place hauling a family cross-country from New York to Los Angeles. It definitely has the space and the comfort to do so. But it’s mainly because it looks so American. It’s long, boxy and the prominent grill aggressively pointing forward. With the chrome accents on the windows, door(handles) and around the lights it radiates class, something most other 7-seaters don’t have. Hence the slogan Holden uses to promote the Acadia: ‘Don’t just turn up. Arrive.’

HSV SPORTSCAT​

The Holden Colorado is one of Australia’s most popular utes and the brands best seller. No wonder that their Special Vehicles department would eventually get their hands on it and give it a performance treatment. In a subtle way inside, while going all-out on the exterior, they left the engine untouched, but make up for it by improving the handling. A workhorse disguised as a showpiece.

CHEVROLET SILVERADO​

There is nothing more American than doing things bigger and bolder than everyone else. So that’s exactly the case with the Chevrolet Silverado, now available in Australia through HSV. On the other side of the ocean it might be a regular size truck, but locally it dwarves many dual cab utes. If you want to feel like a bus driver – because you’ll sit eye-to-eye to them - and drive around in the superlative of a ute, then the Chevrolet Silverado is your truck of choice.

CHEVROLET CAMARO

It took what felt like forever, but Chevrolet finally brings the Camaro to Australia. Now that HSV doesn’t make their own vehicles anymore, they have taken it upon themselves to import the best of what their mother company General Motors offers over in the United States. When it comes to V8 supercars there are few that can match the Chevrolet Camaro. After 100 man hours and changing over 350 parts the left-hand drive beast is converted and ready for the roads Down Under.

KIA SORENTO​

The Kia Sorento has been a standout family sized SUV, and now comes with a punching new GT Line edition. We took it out to see if it is worth putting on your shopping list.

KIA CERATO SEDAN​

With the Cerato as one of the most popular Kia vehicles, it’s no wonder the South Korean manufacturer decided to bring out a new version of the sedan variant first. Though produced at a lower rate than its smaller Hatchback brother, the Cerato Sedan has a lot to offer and provides more space, while keeping a sharp price tag.

KIA SPORTAGE​

One of Kia’s strong points is fitting even the entry level of their vehicles with enough features to compete with higher level grades of its competitors. The feature list on the base model of the new Kia Sportage is already quite long, and only getting longer as you upgrade to the Si Premium, SLi and ultimately, the GT-Line.

KIA PICANTO AO

Kia is well knows as a major sponsor of tennis in Australia and Motorama Kia represents those interest locally in Brisbane. We drove the Kia Picanto Australian Open Edition to the Queensland Tennis Centre and experienced how fun sometimes comes in the smallest – micro – packages.

MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE CROSS

The new Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross enters the market with heavy competition – even from within its own showroom. We took the new premium SUV to test it out.

FORD MUSTANG GT

Ford knows how to do a facelift the right way. They fitted the new Mustang with new tech, a new transmission and more power. Just the way we like it. Add to the package more adaptive suspension and practically all modern safety features you can think of and the Mustang is more desirable than ever. With supercar performance for less than half the price, it’s understandable why the Mustang is such a popular car and probably will become even more with this latest iteration.

FORD RANGER WILDTRAK

There is a good reason why utes are now the top choice for Queenslanders, with the Ford Ranger on third spot in the top ten most sold cars in the state. Sales of family-friendly utilities are skyrocketing because they offer the best of both worlds: practicality and luxury, loading capacity and comfort, rough looks and refinement. The Wildtrak is a perfect example of this combination with it’s masculine and aggressive looks, coupled with a stylish interior, fitted with every luxury imaginable. It’s quiet and fuel efficient, but nonetheless powerful and boosts plenty of torque. Whether you park it on your worksite or in your garage, the Ford Ranger Wildtrak feels at home.

FORD TRANSIT CUSTOM

Perhaps you think there's very little interesting to say about a work van. They should be able to carry a load, have big doors and preferably drive well.  But imagine spending your whole day in this vehicle, every day of the week. It's almost like your home away from home; your office, lunchroom and meeting room in one.  Understandably, you want a work van that has a comfortable seat, the latest technology, handles well and makes your job easier.   That's where the new Ford Transit Custom comes in. It ticks all these boxes and many more, plus you can get in it in any form you desire.

NISSAN QASHQAI

The Nissan Qashqai has been doing family duties for over a decade (when it was called the Dualis.) We took the latest model on the road to test it out.

NISSAN NAVARA

The Nissan Navara has always been popular in Australia. So much so, the last two generations carried the torch as Nissan’s ute model for nearly two decades combined. We took the new Navara out on the road, to see how it fares in a new world where utes have to do more than just a tradies duties.

Interested in test driving any of these vehicles? Come and see the team at your local Motorama in Moorooka, Springwood or Browns Plains.