The all-new Ford Focus, powered by the same new three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine in the 2019 Ford Fiesta, is set to be available from November.
The 1.5-litre turbo triple offers 134kW/240Nm, with a compact turbo triple delivering a highly competitive blend of economy and performance. The 2019 Ford Focus line up boasts a wider model range and more standard equipment than ever before.
Featuring a contemporary new design, the 2019 Focus will include standard features such as autonomous emergency braking, an eight-speed automatic transmission, 8.0-inch touch-screen infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus SYNC 3 voice control. Other standard features include steering wheel mounted gear shift paddles and a new E-shifter dial that replaces a traditional gear knob.
The 2019 Ford Focus will be offered in three equipment grades, the entry-level Trend, the ST-Line and Titanium.
The entry-level Trend will feature 16-inch alloy wheels, front fog lights, automatic headlights, automatic windscreen wipers and a self-dimming interior mirror.
While the top trim level, the Focus Titanium, will add 18-inch alloy, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go traffic mode, leather seat trim, a 675-Watt B&O stereo with 10 speakers, cyclist and night time pedestrian detection for the AEB, blind-spot detection and rear cross-traffic alert.
Two body styles have been confirmed for local launch in November – the five-door hatchback and wagon – while the four-door sedan and wagon-based Active crossover will be available from mid-2019. Pricing for the 2019 Ford Focus has yet to be announced.
Finding the correct inflation for your tyres is important to ensuring a safe journey – but have you ever wondered what the right tyre pressure is? It actually depends on the car, its load, your nature of driving and the surface you are driving on.
Under-inflating your tyres decreases your vehicles response time, performance and safety of your car. While over-inflating your tyres decreases traction while damaging your tyres.
You can easily tell by assessing the wear – if the tyres wear on the edges, they are under-inflated. However, if they are wearing on the crown – they are over-inflated.
While tyre pressure or psi is influenced by a variety of factors, normal air loss can also occur – tyres will naturally lose about 1-2 psi per month due to regular wear and tear.
Here are some tips to keeping your tyres in top shape
- Monitor the wear rates and rotate the tyres every 5000km (but be careful if they’re directional tyres)
- Check tyre pressures fortnightly
- Take note of your car’s recommended inflation pressure, this can be found on the insider of the driver’s door frame.
- Consider where you will be driving. Dirt roads, tar roads and beach drives all require different tyre pressures for optimal driving
- If you are going to be driving with a heavy load or towing
Tyres are crucial to safe driving and provide a critical point between you and the road, so be sure to keep up maintenance.
The fourth-generation Mercedes-Benz A200 sets to arrive in August and includes some high-tech features that made the announcement especially special.
Mercedes-Benz Australia has confirmed pricing from $47,200 (plus on-road costs) for the Mercedes-Benz A200. With high tech features including an advanced dual-screen infotainment set up and Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) interface with voice recognition which can plot navigation or change audio but also even open the sunroof blinds and change the cabin temperature.
The Mercedes-Benz A200 comes with a 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, attached to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic – offering a fuel consumption rating of 5.7l/100km.
All of the A-Class models will be fitted with 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights with adaptive high-beam assist, wireless phone charging and keyless engine start. Other elements to the strong safety catalogue include active brake assist, semi-autonomous braking, active parking assist, lane-keep, blind-spot and traffic-sign assist, a reversing camera and nine airbags.
Besides the A200, the entry-level Mercedes-Benz A180 and top shelf A250 arriving in Australia by December 2018.
Toyota has confirmed plans to offer a petrol-electric powered hybrid across the new Corolla range. With an on-sale date set for August, the new Toyota Corolla will be available in a naturally aspirated 2.0-litre version with 125kW and 200 Nm outputs, or a revised 1.8-litre hybrid unit paired with a CVT automatic transmission.
The Corolla hybrid’s petrol engine will be good for 72kW and 142Nm, while the electric motor serves up 53kW and 163Nm – resulting in a combined output of 90kW and claimed fuel economy of 4.2L/100km.
Both powertrains will be available with a new continuously-variable transmission (CVT) with 10 programmed steps. While the petrol engine will also be available with a size-speed manual transmission with rev-matching function. Further contributing to the Toyota Corolla’s fuel efficiency is the lighter and shorter gearbox.
The new Corolla features autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, Lane Trace Assist, Road Sign Assist, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning assist, auto high-beam, a rear-view camera and seven airbags. Other highlights -depending on the variant – will include LED headlights, electric park brake, an 8.0-inch touchscreen with satellite navigation, eight-speaker JBL sound system, keyless entry and start.
Keeping its stylish design with increased safety features, the new Toyota Corolla is expected to remain affordable and competitive in the Australian market.
Sometimes all you need is a quick clean to get your lightly dusty car sparkling again, here are our top tips to get your car cleaned in record time without having to break out all the tools and buckets out.
The idea with this technique is to use the water pressure to remove dust and dirt without scrubbing. If the water pressure doesn’t work – then your car may be too dirty for a quick wash! Start from the top of the car using a heavy stream of water.
Wet a clean microfiber towel until wet, wring it out and use paint lubricant to wipe down your car in straight lines. Be sure to wring out your towel and reapply lubricant as you go. As soon as the towel starts to look dirty, fold it into a clean quarter – clean towels are essential to preventing scratching.
Brake dust is comprised of extremely sharp metal that can easily scratch the paint – you will notice brake dust as black dust around your rims. If reintroduced to the paint via your microfiber towel, it can scratch – so be sure to keep an eye on it.
A bottle of spray wax and a dry microfiber towel are handy to keep in your boot or behind your seat to touch up any little spots or drips.
The key to a quick clean of your car is lubrication. By rinsing your car first and wiping dry with a paint lubricant, you can safely remove dust and light dirt in about 10 to 15 minutes – saving you the time needed for a full wash!
Ever had a chip on your windscreen and wondered if you needed to repair it? Chipped windscreens can be a nuisance, but they can also be hazardous – windscreen chips reduce the structural integrity offered by windscreens, as well as have the potential to spread as a crack.
There are two types of glass that can be used for windscreens – Laminated and toughened glass. Laminated glass, which is the most common type of glass used for windscreens, contains two sheets of glass with a transparent plastic sheet in between the layers. This lamination prevents pieces of glass from shattering into sharp pieces. Toughened glass, which is no longer used in new cars, is manufactured with a heat treatment that allows the glass to crack into many granular shapes when struck – this prevents glass slinters from causing injuries.
If your windscreen is chipped or damaged, it’s important to follow a few simple do’s and don’ts
Do’s
- Measure the length of the chip or crack; chips or cracks smaller than 10 centimeters, it may be repairable.
- Placing clear tape over the chip will keep the area free of dirt, dust and moisture.
- Seek repairs if the chip or crack is in the drivers line of sight.
Don’ts
- Don’t keep your car parked in direct sunlight.
- Avoid pressure washing your car and windscreen.
- Don’t try to fix the chip or crack yourself, rather seek professional help.
The 2018 CX-8 diesel seven-seater has just gone on sale – and Mazda revealed details just days ahead of its 1st July on-sale date.
The CX-8 range includes 3 models – the Sport FWD ($42,490 before on-road costs), the Sport AWD ($46,490 before on-road costs) and the Asaki AWD ($62,490).
The base Sport FWD showcases red-and-black cloth trim, black dashboard garnish with chrome highlights. Other features include rear air vents and three-zone climate control. Safety features of this model feature blind-spot monitoring, high-beam assist, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control with stop/go, rear cross-traffic alert and autonomous emergency braking, rear-view camera and parking sensors.
Up a level, the Asaki adds nappa leather trim, heated seats – both in the front and outboard rear as standard. Rear-window sun blinds, a 10-speaker Bose audio system and a heated steering wheel round up the standards in the Asaki.
Safety features in the Asaki trim-level gain a 360-degree surround-view monitor, adaptive LED headlights and keyless entry.
The CX-8 is powered by a 2.2-litre four cylinder twin turbo diesel.
2018 Mazda CX-8 pricing (before on-road costs)
The fourth-generation Suzuki Jimny has been officially revealed and is soon to be officially released globally. The compact and rugged off-roader retains a ladder frame and dual-range 4x4 drivetrain, still making it one of the world’s only true compact off-roader.
The new generation Jimny remains faithful to the original Suzuki Jimny design of 1970 – with some calling it classically retro. Showcasing its classic boxy, two-door exterior. Available in eight new paint colours, the 2019 Jimny will be available in Kinetic Yellow hero hue, Jungle Green, Silky Silver Metallic, Brisk Blue Metallic and Chifon Ivory Metallic.
The interior of the Jimny centres around a compact four-seat cabin. Remaining simple and highly utilitarian, the 2019 Suzuki Jimny has gained modern-day features. The all-new dash incorporates a rectangular instrument binnacle, a large central touch-screen and multifunction steering wheel.
The 2019 Suzuki Jimny offers two model variants – the standard Jimny, offering a 660c turbo triple, and the wider Jimny Sierra powered by a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine and features side steps as well as wheel-arch extensions to match matt-black front and rear bumpers. Both models will be offered with either five-manual and four-speed auto transmissions.
While Suzuki Australia cannot yet confirm whether the new Jimny will be available or not, it should be confirmed soon.