Articles by Chris Riley

Chris Riley road tests and reviews the Volvo V40 D4 Luxury with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

Chris Riley road tests and reviews the Toyota 86 GTS with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

Chris Riley road tests and reviews the 2014 Jaguar XFR-S with specs, fuel economy and verdict.

Chris Riley road tests and reviews the Hyundai Genesis with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

Chris Riley road tests and reviews the Mini Cooper D 5-door with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

Chris Riley road tests and reviews the Nissan X-Trail TL diesel with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

The Abarth badge is unfamiliar to many, but most recognise the car as some sort of Fiat.The big difference between this car and either of the previous Abarth 695 specials is not in the amount of power they produce.Rather it's the fact that this Abarth can be had with a manual transmission, a feature that makes a world of difference to the overall drive experience.Even though the Abarth 595 Turismo packs less punch, it's still the pick and the fact it's cheaper is icing on the cake.DESIGNOur test car was stunning with two-tone, grey over red paint, twin big bore exhausts, and black wheels with red brake calipers - trimmed inside with red leather.The car is equipped as standard with Xenon headlights with dipped and driving light functions for improved light emission and excellent performance in all weather conditions.ENGINEPerformance is a factor of power versus weight. The more power a car has and the less it weighs, the quicker it will be out of the blocks.With a 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, the tiny Abarth is a perfect example. The engine delivers 118kW and 230Nm, figures that are impressive for a car this size.This compares with the 695 model that develops 132kW and 250Nm from the same engine, but in a slightly higher state of tune.At the end of the day, however, there is absolutely no difference in performance as both do the dash from 0-100km/h in 7.4 seconds.TRANSMISSIONAs appealing as either the Ferrari Tributo or Edizione Maserati may be, the MTA robotised manual gearbox they come with is a deal-breaker.Gear changes are jerky, and the car is prone to nose diving even though changes can smoothed out with a bit of practice.But why bother, not when you can have a five speed manual instead, a transmission that everyone is familiar with - and one that makes the car more fun to drive?CHASSIS17-inch alloys riding on Koni shocks with lowered front and rear springs, the Abarth is more of a go-kart than a Mini.The ride is firm verging on harsh at times and the car can become flighty when pushed hard on bumpy back roads, but you won't find any complaints here about the way it goes around corners.The standard the torque transfer control enhances traction without getting in road of the fun.Fuel efficiency is rated at 5.4L/100km, however we were getting 8.1 after about 350km.DRIVINGThe 596 would be more fun to drive if it wasn't so damn uncomfortable.The seating position is awkward with small short seat squabs and a steering wheel that does not provide any reach adjustment. Combined with high floor mounted foot pedals the driver always seem to be either too close or too far away from the wheel and the prone foot position can lead to cramps after a while.The answer could be to kick back and stretch your legs, but unfortunately the car is not fitted with cruise control.The pedals themselves are slightly offset to the right and it is possible to get stuck on the footrest when working the clutch (it's not the first Italian car that has this problem).The rear vision mirror is large, sits bang smack in the middle of the windscreen and obscures vision at times.Given the car is so small it is not surprising the back seat is tiny and fit only for small children.The engine has a surprising amount of torque, but fifth gear is strictly for freeway use.A Monza exhaust system provides the accompaniment, with a baffle that opens around 3000 revs to make it louder. It buzzes like a baby Ferrari.

Chris Riley road tests and reviews the 2014 Toyota Kluger GXL AWD with specs, fuel economy and verdict.

Chris Riley road tests and reviews the Toyota HiLux with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

It took a long time for Toyota Australia to get its hands on the FJ Cruiser, and the local arm of the company is not ready to let it go just yet. Although the iconic off-road wagon has been dropped from the lineup in the United States, Toyota Australia will continue to offer the FJ here as long as it has supply. That, contrary to popular opinion, does not hinge on the States because the FJ is built in Japan.BACKGROUNDToyota Australia started talking about the possibility of getting the car soon after debut at the Detroit motor show in 2003. But it was eight long years before that the funky, five-seat off roader finally made it into local showrooms.The main stumbling block was the fact it was initially produced in left hand drive only, for the North American market. Other RHD markets to take the FJ include Japan, New Zealand and South Africa.Although the FJ received a warm welcome from Aussie buyers, it was already dated by the time it got here. The inspiration for the design was the original FJ40 four-wheel drive built from 1960 to 1984, which played a large role in the construction of the Snowy Mountains Scheme.FAST FORWARDSince its introduction in 2011, Toyota has sold more than 8700 FJs here at the rate of about 200 a month. It's priced from $47,990 ($3000 more than its launch price) and premium paint adds another $550.For those that don't know, the car sits on a separate ladder chassis and shares its engine and underpinnings with the LandCruiser Prado. There's only one model, with part-time four-wheel-drive, a V6 petrol engine and five-speed automatic. It comes in a choice of seven colours (not all with a white roof).It's off road that the FJ Cruiser comes into its ownTHE DRIVENothing much has changed. It's big and surprisingly "cushy" for an offroader, with rather soft suspension. The steering is vague and you sit in this car with a roof that shrouds the cabin like a tank turret.It's good for keeping out the glare of the summer sun, but not so good for all round vision when it comes to navigating crowded city streets. In fact, no matter how many times you look over your shoulder - you can't escape the feeling that you're surrounded by blind spots.Toyota acknowledged the lack of vision when it added a reversing camera and rear parking sensors to the updated model, as well a larger fuel tank - no doubt to compensate for the lack of a long range diesel.OFF-ROADIt's off-road that the FJ Cruiser comes into its own. It's a force to be reckoned with, and more than a match for a Jeep or Land Rover thanks to its short front and rear overhangs and 224mm of ground clearance.The FJ features selectable 4x4, an electrically activated rear diff-lock and switchable active traction control, with adjustable Crawl Control for added off-road control. The 4.0-litre petrol V6 is a lift from Prado, with 200kW of power and 380Nm of torque and is paired with a gated, five speed automatic. Weighing up to 270kg more than Prado, the FJ's economy is rated at 11.4 litres/100km. With a 163 litre tank that gives it a theoretical range of almost 1400km. It takes premium unleaded too.The bad news as we mentioned is that there's no diesel, nor a manual - the latter being the preferred option of the off road community.The design is as functional as it is stylish, with washable interior surfaces and chunky controls which are easy to use.A clutch of off-road gauges adorn the top of the dash, with compass, temperature, and inclinometer. It can tow a 2250kg trailer but oddly a snorkel is not offered for the really serious off road stuff.IDIOSYNCRASIESThere's the doors of course. The rear doors that is, because they open backwards in "suicide" fashion. It's an intriguing idea but soon loses its attraction after it becomes apparent that the rear doors can't be opened before the front doors and must be closed first too (good for keeping the kids corralled in the back).The tailgate is hinged the wrong way, too. It opens from right to left towards the pavement, exposing those trying to access the luggage area to passing traffic. Then there's the windscreen wipers. There's three of them to cover the wide but narrow windscreen. They remind me of the wipers on my 1976 VW Beetle (that's not a good thing).No trip computer either and the satnav is absolute crap. In this day and age one expects to be kept informed of distance to empty and average fuel consumption figure, but you just have to take the stated claim on faith.