Articles by Nedahl Stelio
22 February 2020 by Nedahl Stelio
Are wagons the new SUVs? Not exactly. But looking at the Volvo V60 you’d be hard pressed not to be magnetically attracted to it. It’s just so well designed. Wagons are a good fit for families because they have the interior space of an SUV without the bulk, and to be honest, I lean towards them...Read more
15 February 2020 by Nedahl Stelio
SUVs don't necessarily mean huge off-roaders anymore. With the small SUV category including cars like the Mitsubishi ASX which starts at $24,990, it's now easier to swap your city hatch for a more roomy SUV, especially if you have a family. The ASX competes with cars like the Honda HR-V and the...Read more
1 February 2020 by Nedahl Stelio
This week my family and I were heading up the north coast of NSW for our summer holiday, and I needed a big car to fit everything in. Enter the Isuzu MU-X. A large seven seat 4WD that looks as tough as it sounds. I test drove the MU-X LS-T 4x4 which is at the top of a range of three grades. It...Read more
18 January 2020 by Nedahl Stelio
A car that looks like it popped straight out of a Manga movie and is about to bounce adventurously across the country, but is actually a small SUV you can fit your family in? That’s the Toyota C-HR , and this year Toyota has revamped the entire range and added a hybrid engine to one of the line-up...Read more
11 January 2020 by Nedahl Stelio
The Toyota Corolla sedan has had a revamp. A small facelift and some deeper work done below the surface, it’s now a valid contender for a family car. Don’t think of sedans as family cars? Some have bigger boot space , which is surprising, and they also work well as second cars so you’re not driving...Read more
21 December 2019 by Nedahl Stelio
The Renault Kadjar is a small to mid-size SUV which seems to be a growing category. These cars are smaller than a mid-size SUV (think Mazda CX-5 and Toyota RAV4 ) but larger than a small SUV (think Hyundai Kona and Toyota C-HR ). So you’ll still have a higher clearance off the road, with a little...Read more
17 December 2019 by Nedahl Stelio
What you're seeing right here is a large, seven-seat SUV that comes in without the large price tag. It's the LDV D90 Executive and it's the top of the range, at just $43,990 driveaway. That price is a huge temptation for anyone in the seven-seat SUV market who wants a proper 4WD at the lower end of...Read more
8 December 2019 by Nedahl Stelio
On paper, the Kia Seltos is a small SUV, but step inside this car and you’ll soon see it has more space than expected. It’s still smaller than Kia’s mid-size offering , the Sportage , and it competes with cars like the Honda HR-V , Toyota C-HR , and Hyundai Kona . I’m in the GT Line which is the...Read more
7 December 2019 by Nedahl Stelio
The mid-size SUV is what most families will look to when they have one or two kids, and it’s a crowded market, with cars like the ever-popular Mazda CX-5 and the brand new Toyota RAV-4 fighting for attention. But Volkswagen does a good job of standing out in the crowd, and the Tiguan has enough...Read more
23 November 2019 by Nedahl Stelio
After a small SUV with a decent amount of interior space? The new Hyundai Venue Active fits that bill. It's smaller than Hyundai's other small SUV, the Kona, but doesn't feel it on the inside. It will fit a family of four with younger children comfortably. I was in the Venue Active , which is in...Read more
17 November 2019 by Nedahl Stelio
Can a luxury sedan be a family car? For this week’s family review I tested the Jaguar XF Chequered Flag edition. It’s at the top of the 30t range and looks very swish on the road. Does it work for a family of four or five or will it forever be a 'dad' car. Yes, dare I say it, I know a few dads who...Read more
16 November 2019 by Nedahl Stelio
If you’ve got three to five children, chances are you’ll be looking at seven seat SUVs to fit the whole family comfortably. And while you might be tempted to head straight for a Land Rover, Mercedes or an Audi, may we suggest another brand to put on your list? The Swedish-made Volvo XC90 is the...Read more
3 November 2019 by Nedahl Stelio
To quote Ben Stiller in Zoolander , this car is really, really good looking. This is the first Volvo I’ve test driven and I was pleasantly surprised by all it had to offer. I was in the Volvo XC60 T8 Polestar which is at the top of the range with a hybrid engine , so it immediately feels modern and...Read more
26 October 2019 by Nedahl Stelio
You wouldn't look at the size of this and think, what a great family car... we know. But whether you need a second, runaround car, or if this is going to be your family's main mode of transport, the Audi A3 Sportback is a small car done really well - and that's always an enjoyable thing to drive...Read more
19 October 2019 by Nedahl Stelio
The Suzuki Vitara brings back fond memories of teenagers piled into a convertible SUV and bouncing through the streets, and while the 2020 Suzuki Vitara is somewhat different, it still looks as fun as ever. I test drove the Vitara Turbo which is in the middle of the range and costs $29,990, before...Read more
12 October 2019 by Nedahl Stelio
Every time I review a wagon I’m reminded of how much better they look than SUVs. A personal observation, sure, but this Peugeot 508 Sportswagon is a mighty fine looking machine, and practical for families too. There’s only one spec in the range, which makes things easy, and it costs $55,990 before...Read more
12 October 2019 by Nedahl Stelio
So, you're after a big car, but you're not really the off-road type? Some people just want a sizeable car. Not everybody loves camping, but that doesn't mean you have to miss out on the generous proportions of something like the Ford Everest , does it? You're in luck. This Ford Everest Ambiente...Read more
5 October 2019 by Nedahl Stelio
This week I was test driving a Honda Civic sedan, which is bigger than the famous and long-lived hatch (only slightly on the inside, but the exterior is much longer) and thus theoretically a better bet for families. There are five sedan variants in the range and I was driving the RS, which is...Read more
27 September 2019 by Nedahl Stelio
The first-generation Range Rover Evoque set the bar for wannabe stylish SUVs across the globe. It was not only beautiful, but actually had enough space for families, as well as the much coveted height factor. Essentially it finally put SUVs on the map for those seeking excellent design as well as...Read more