Archive for Test Drive Reviews

Volvo shares something in common with Audi, the fact that their stationwagon models usually garner more excitement than the sedan models, or at least that was the norm sometime in the past. Things might have changed somewhat now.

The Volvo V50, like other stationwagons in it’s class (3 Touring?) is a somewhat peculiar offering. A stationwagon usually means utility and lots of space, however C-segment vehicles are usually too compact to have the word spacious associated with them.

Read my report on the Volvo V50 T5, courtesy of Volvo Malaysia, after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Volvo V50 T5 Test Drive Report

Rolling around in a BMW 3 Touring is certainly going to get you alot of stares. After all, how many Malaysians are used to seeing station wagons around other than the popular AD Resort workhorse? Some of my peers even commented to me they didn’t know BMW made station wagons. Apparently BMW is supposed to be making sporty driver’s cars, and it seems that station wagon can’t really fit into the typical equation. Call me weird, but I actually prefer the Touring body to the Sedan’s body!

Read my full report after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of BMW 320d Touring Test Drive

In Malaysia, Lexus is a really exclusive thing. Test drives of the press fleet are limited to an exclusive list, and for the media on that list, test drives are limited to taking the car for a spin around the headquarters – none of the usual three day test drive stuff. Shannon Teoh of NST Life & Times, one of the lucky local journalists who managed to get a feel of the Lexus LS460L shares with us his experience driving the flagship Lexus.

Click here to read the rest of Lexus LS460L Short Test Drive Report

The E93 BMW 3-Series Convertible was unveiled to the public in October last year, and has since sparked many questions. How would it handle compared to the 3 Sedan and 3 Coupe, and could it maintain the sleek shape of the 3 Coupe with the inclusion of all the necessary equipment to have a hard top folding roof? BMW gave lucky motoring journalists a try at the 3 Convertible in Arizona, USA, and though I did not manage to attend the test drive event due to work, Shannon Teoh covered the event for paultan.org readers. Read his findings after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of BMW 335i Convertible Test Drive Report

The new 2007 Mazda6 Facelift was launched late last year by Cycle and Carriage Bintang Berhad at its 3S showroom at Lot 9 today, beside the Federal Highway. This facelifted Mazda6 features 785 engineering changes that accompanies the expected exterior and interior cosmetic changes, making this more than a refreshing exercise to keep the car looking up to date since its launch in 2003. In fact, some have said that despite interior similarities, the pre-facelift and post-facelift model are two completely different animals when it comes to the driving experience.

Read my test drive report after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Mazda 6 2.0 and 2.3 Test Drive Review

After months of having to drool at this sleek smaller sibling to the Mazda6 bearing Singaporean number plates, the Mazda3 was finally launched for the Malaysian market on the 23rd of November 2006 by the Mazda Division of Cycle & Carriage Bintang Berhad at its newly refurbished showroom at Jalan Ampang. Sorry for not being able to cover the launch, but to make up for it here is my test drive report on the Mazda3 2.0 in both hatchback and sedan forms. Read my report after the jump!

Click here to read the rest of Mazda 3 2.0 Sedan and Hatchback Review

[ LATEST UPDATE: Naza has updated the Naza 206 Bestari for the 2008 model year. Click the link for more information! ]

Finally after a long wait, the press fleet for the Naza 206 Bestari is ready and I managed to get a hold of one unit to write a test drive report. The Naza 206 Bestari, codenamed the NX-02 is basically a locally assembled rebadged version of the Peugeot 206, in fact the Peugeot lion badge is still displayed proudly on the rear hatch. Look after the jump for what I think about the Naza 206 Bestari.

Click here to read the rest of Naza Bestari (Peugeot 206) Test Drive Review

The BMW X5 has enjoyed phenomenal success since its introduction in 1999, with exactly 616,867 units to be produced by the 22nd of December 2006, with 41% of orders bound for the truck-mad USA. Thats almost 100,000 units a year in a single model alone. BMW claims to have created the Sports Activity Vehicle segment with the X5, basically a SUV which doesn’t handle horribly! Sales every year have not dropped at all over the past 6 years, so in reality BMW doesn’t exactly need to replace the X5 so soon, but them Bavarian folks have done it anyway, with the new Bangle-fied E70 BMW X5. My report on the new 2007 BMW X5 after the jump. Click images for larger sizes.

Click here to read the rest of 2007 BMW X5 4.8i and 3.0d Test Drive in Athens

Ah, Skoda. You know the jokes that usually go around: how do you double the value of a Skoda? Fill the tank!

When Volkswagen AG took control of Czech automaker Skoda in 1991, it was positioned as the new budget marque of the group, with Volkswagen itself being pushed up a segment higher. Despite being a budget marque, the cheapest Skoda we can get here in Malaysia is the Skoda Fabia 1.4, with a price of RM100,948.00, putting it into direct competition with other fully imported superminis like the Jazz and the Yaris.

Check out my report on the Skoda Fabia 1.4 after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Skoda Fabia 1.4 Test Drive Review

Mercedes Benz seems adamant at filling up every niche possible with their recent slew of alphabetical soup attacks on the car industry – the new A, B, R, as well as models with multi-alphabet designations like the new CLS, one of the very few coupes around that come with four doors. Here well be having a look at the recently launched B-class, a Mercedes Benz B170 with high spec trim to be exact. Read my report after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Mercedes Benz B170 Test Drive

The Honda Accord was recently facelifted for the 2006 model earlier this year, with subtle changes in front and something more radical at the back, but if you want details on what’s changed, I’ll have to point you to my previous post on the launch. Here, I’ll be providing an account of my experience driving the car around the roads of Langkawi for 1 day, as well as 3 days in the KL city. I tested the 2.4 liter model.

Test drive report after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Honda Accord 2.4 VTi-L Facelift Test Drive

After a nice experience with the Audi A4 2.0 TFSI, I had a short encounter with the new Audi A4 1.8T which was launched just recently by Euromobil Sdn Bhd, slotted between the Audi A4 2.0 and the Audi A4 2.0 TFSI. Check out my report after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Audi A4 1.8T Short Test Drive Review

Just last month contributor Dr. S.P. Long tested the Brabus K4, somewhat of an uncle-car which just so happens to have the ability to go faster than the average E200K.

Since the tuned Mercedes-Benz E200K report drew so much of flak of still being an old mans car, Dr. S.P. Long has decided to visit this ‘old chaps garage and check out his other boring and conservative ride.

Enter the smart roadster, a small two-seater, rear engined, rear wheel drive roadster by the same people who brought you the E200K. Let’s have a look at how the smart roadster performs in an uncle’s hands.

Click here to read the rest of smart roadster Test Drive Report

Alfa Romeo drivers, who call themselves the Alfisti are very passionate about their cars. Oops, pardon me of the sacrilege I just committed calling Alfas mere cars, as the Alfisti refer to their Italian beasts as their Bellas, which is basically Italian for something curvy and sexy that you’d like to spend the whole night with, awake.

Which isn’t exactly untrue – I was dead tired after a long day which stretched to 4am, and I should have really gone back to get some shut eye – but I still wanted to take the Alfa Romeo 147 on a few spins around the empty roads of my neighbourhood. And that’s exactly what I did. The sound of the TwinSpark engine roaring in the silence of the night – you really have to experience it for yourself.

Here’s my take on the Alfa Romeo 147 2.0 Twinspark Selespeed. [UPDATED!]

Click here to read the rest of Alfa Romeo 147 2.0 Twinspark Selespeed Test Drive

The Brabus K4 is essentially a kitted up model W211 Mercedes Benz E-Class powered by the M271 4-cylinder 1.8 liter Kompresser engine tuned to 193hp and 260Nm of torque. This would put it on par with a tuned up version of the same engine in the E’s younger brother, the Mercedes Benz C230K, though the Brabus has slightly more power. paultan.org contributor Dr. S.P. Long shares with us his valuable views on the Brabus K4 from a “standard” W211 Mercedes Benz E200K owner’s perspective.

Click here to read the rest of Brabus K4 Short Test Drive