Under-rated cars

[Gob]

Here, though, we look at a list assembled by the Drive team of largely mainstream models; vehicles that deserved to do better - even in the face of a roller-coaster financial climate, changes of government, pricing influences and the dictates of the fashion police.

You may even unearth a bargain or two among this cluster of underappreciated sleepers - worthy products all - that fail to sell to their potential.

Images

Alfa Romeo 159


Perhaps the most complete Alfa model, the 159's styling is distinctive with no possibility of mistaking the Italian stallion for the usual German and Japanese products in its segment.

It's Alfa's best seller in Australia by a long shot but should be even more popular.

Available in a sexy sedan or Sportwagon, the 159 drives well and has an excellent selection of two petrol and two turbo diesel engines (surprisingly perhaps for a sports sedan, the torquey 147kW 2.4-litre diesel is the most popular drivetrain).

Enthusiast drivers might note, however, that the petrol versions have less weight over the front axle, offering better-balanced cornering than the fuel-thrifty diesels, which are a little nose-heavy.

Drive also suggests buyers avoid the Selespeed gearbox and stick with the traditional six-speed manual or automatic.

With Alfa pursuing a policy of few options and lots of standard inclusions, the 159 comes loaded.

For the past 18 months, Alfa has had a special Ti edition of the 159 available with different alloys and interior features and other attractions that effectively come at no extra price.

Prices run as high as $80,000 for the sporty 191kW 3.2 V6 Ti models but the 136kW 2.2 four-cylinder JTS Ti from $55,990 (plus on-road and dealer costs) is a Drive favourite.

Citroen C4 Picasso


People-movers are not hugely popular in Australia, even with the families for which they are intended. Maybe more buyers should look beyond the image of suburbia and consider their advantages over the thirstier and often more-clumsy soft-roaders.

One that deserves to find more buyers than the mere 90 who have connected so far this year is the Citroen C4 Picasso, a thoughtful, useful and ultimately stimulating seven-seat design.

The space packaging is brilliant, with the Picasso's road footprint no bigger than that of a regular hatch. This means that when parking, manoeuvrability is a strong point - especially as the driver enjoys a command seating perch.

Functionality is a Picasso strength. The rear seats are designed to be lowered or raised by a mum carrying her baby in one arm. There's a toy locker in the floor, a picnic table in the rear and it has handy built-in sun blinds.

The only engine choice today is a modest-performing 100kW/270Nm 2.0-litre turbo diesel four, turning the front wheels through a not-always-smooth six-speed automatic.

More alluring perhaps is the price; the importers dropped the ask two months ago to a hard-to-ignore $39,900 drive-away.

Ford Mondeo

Pitched as an alternative to the Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore, which dominate the Australian fleet and family-car scene, the Mondeo is an enticing package with lots of cabin and hatch space, an excellent and economical diesel engine and impeccable European road manners. Stylish inside and out, with helpful splashes of class, the mid-sized Mondeo has no shortage of aesthetic appeal, either.

All Mondeos have a standard five-star ANCAP safety arsenal including seven airbags, stability control and anti-lock brakes.

The range has just been enhanced visually with more standard inclusions, with the premium Titanium version scoring a welter of new safety-related functions, many usually found only in expensive European brands.

The 118kW/208Nm 2.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine struggles a little with the Mondeo's weight. Our preference is for the 2.0-litre turbo diesel (120kW/340Nm) with loads of pulling power from low revs and fuel use of a mere 5.9 litres per 100 kilometres (LX model). Both engines are mated to a six-speed automatic.

Prices range from $30,990 (plus on-road and dealer costs) for the base LX hatch to $46,240 for the richly equipped Titanium TDCi hatch.

It's baffling that the Mondeo range managed only 3897 sales between January and October this year. But sales are up marginally on last year, so maybe consumers are slowly wising up.

Honda Accord


It's a former Drive Car of the Year winner, so there is no doubting the esteem in which we hold it. In awarding the 202kW V6 model our gong in 2008, we praised its refinement, spacious and comfortable cabin and advanced engine design incorporating a feature that allows the 3.5-litre V6 engine to run on either three, four or six cylinders to save fuel and limit CO2 emissions.

Drive's judges also appreciated its comprehensive safety package, five-speed auto transmission and quality levels that placed it above the opposition.

But only 3741 Australians purchased the Accord in the first 10 months of this year and it was clearly swamped by Toyota's heavily promoted Camry and others, including its Honda sibling, the more-dynamic, Accord Euro, which last week benefited from a $2000 price drop.

The plush Accord isn't quite as sharp in its handling and steering as the rival Ford Mondeo or its Euro stablemate, but its many comfort, convenience features and refinement give it added appeal, especially with the over-40s crowd of buyers.

While the V6 is the plum model, we also like the base VTi model, with its terrific 133kW four-cylinder engine.

Importantly, they'll accommodate five people, while the smaller Accord Euro is more of a four seater.

Accord pricing starts from $32,490 (plus on-road and dealer costs).

Kia soul


Dipping into urban cool with loads of fashion-savvy design inside and out, and some useful space and practicality courtesy of its boxy shape, the Soul has surprisingly struggled to just 336 sales in the first 10 months of this year. Compare this with Toyota's similarly angular Rukus, launched recently. Pricier, more powerful and with a similar funkiness, but propelled by Toyota's marketing might, it rattled up 802 sales in just six months.

Initially aimed at Gen Y, the Soul (minus the hip body artwork) should also be considered by folks of more mature years. Entry and egress is excellent, it's a snip to park and it has a helpful easy-load hatch.

Kia has just simplified the Soul range, reducing it to two levels and giving it upgrades to improve value while elevating it to a five-star ANCAP rating.

There are two engine choices, each with a choice of five-speed manual or four-speed auto.

The Soul's petrol 1.6-litre four (91kW/156Nm) is no rocket but the manual model's $20,990 starting price (plus on-road and dealer costs) is a strong consideration. Benefiting from extra torque, the frugal turbo diesel alternative, the 94kW/260Nm 1.6-litre CRDi, costs more but brings more rewarding driveability along with the convenience of fewer visits to the bowser.

Kia's five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty is another reason to become a Soul man (or woman). It's a brand going places.

Lexus LS460 Sports


Introduced in January, the LS460 Sports has some hot European competition - Mercedes-Benz's S-Class, Audi's A8, BMW's 7-Series, Jaguar's XJ and Maserati's Quattroporte - but the more driver-focused Sports version of the big Lexus should be getting more attention. Of the 50 or so LSs sold this year, just a handful were the 460 Sports models.

With sporty visuals and mechanicals, the LS460 Sports stands out with its unique body kit, black-weave grille and 19-inch alloy wheels. But the real performance lift comes with the Brembo brake package, retuned air suspension and upgraded anti-roll bars that improve poise. Revisions to the paddle-shift eight-speed transmission noticeably improve shift times, all with throttle-blipping control to aid the downshifts.

The result is improved body control, sharper reflexes and a brighter personality. And, happily, the brand's reputation for refinement and build quality isn't compromised by the Sports model's slightly more athletic focus. The Sports also gets all the equipment offered in the rest of the LS range.

The engine is unchanged with 280kW of power and 493Nm of torque from the ultra-smooth all-alloy V8. It's punchy enough, although it can't match the more brutal AMG-fettled S-Class Mercs.

From $191,164 (plus on-road and dealer costs), the LS460 Sports is undeniable value against comparable rival premium big cars.

Nissan Maxima


The Japanese-built executive sedan rival for the Holden Calais, Ford Falcon G6E and Toyota Aurion Presara has managed to preserve its unwanted anonymity for some years.

The Maxima has lured just 1500 buyers this year, way off the numbers posted by its big-car competition.

Revised in mid 2009, it trumps the Ford, Holden and Toyota on standard appointments and the quality of its materials, though it is slightly smaller than the big Aussies.

The Maxima's two V6 models - matched to a continuously variable transmission - are super slick, too, starting with the surprisingly good 134kW/228Nm 2.5-litre engine in the base 250ST-L. It has inclusions such as leather, power-adjustable front seats, remote keyless entry, dual-zone climate control, xenon headlights, six airbags (including head-protecting curtain bags), active front headrests and stability control, for its $33,990 price tag (plus on-road and dealer costs).

The 185kW/326Nm 3.5-litre engine in the premium 350 ST-S and Ti (from $37,990 and $46,990 respectively) is a real zinger - quick off the mark, yet smooth and quiet.

While the front-drive Maxima is not renowned for sporty, pinpoint handling, other attributes including value and quality - and the brilliant engines - should grab more attention from the buying public than they do.

Renault Koleos


This clever, compact, multitasking soft-roader was good enough to win its Drive Car of the Year category a few years ago and recent mid-year upgrades make it a more compelling consideration.

Standard across the range now are cruise control with speed limiter, central locking, power windows, Bluetooth connectivity, height- and reach-adjustable steering, a height-adjustable driver's seat, seven-function trip computer, airconditioning, six-speaker audio, aux input, full-size spare, 17-inch alloy wheels and cloth trim.

The Koleos earns a five-star Euro NCAP rating, thanks to a brace of airbags and crash-avoidance equipment.

French flair in the design extends to a chilled glovebox to keep drinks and chocolates cool, a centre console with a 12-volt power outlet, a discreet under-seat storage drawer and underfloor storage space in the rear.

Powertrain combinations are a 126kW/226Nm 2.5-litre petrol engine teamed with six-speed manual or constantly variable transmission (4WD version CVT only), or a 110kW/320Nm 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine in manual or auto (2WD version auto only).

Australian buyers (there have been about 750 so far this year) can make a choice of either two- or four-wheel-drive, depending on needs and budget. The 4WD versions, with Nissan-developed 4WD technology, get hill-descent control and hill-start assist. They can handle gentler off-roading.

The Koleos range starts with the front-wheel-driven petrol Expression model, priced from $29,990 drive away.

The Koleos is covered by a three-year warranty with 24-hour roadside assist.

Skoda Superb


Surely Australians don't still believe the modern Skoda has any technical links to the oddly regressive Czech company of the grim Iron Curtain era?

Now part of the Volkswagen empire, Skoda has been back in Australia for three years and is slowly expanding its range of products - all of which share at least some DNA with Volkswagen.

Pitched as an imported alternative to the Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore, the generously equipped Skoda Superb sedan was launched on the Australian market last year to a very warm reception from the motoring press. The Superb deserves way better than to have sold just 300 units so far this year.

Standout design features include classy cabin fittings, with enough rear-seat room to accommodate Willie Mason and Lance "Buddy" Franklin - and then some.

It also has a versatile boot design that can act either as a saloon or a hatchback.

There's also a remarkably thrifty 2.0-litre 125kW/350Nm turbo diesel engine that is capable of uncorking fuel-use numbers to embarrass hybrids and city cars.

A punchier, thirstier alternative is the 191kW/350Nm 3.6-litre V6 in all-wheel-drive guise.

The most affordable engine (and lively enough, too) is the 118kW/250Nm 1.8-litre turbo TSI version with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, which starts from $40,990 (plus on-road and dealer costs).

Volvo XC90


Volvo continues to be at the forefront of built-in passive safety technology and in recent times has also broadened its technical horizons to the first line of defence - active safety (cornering, steering, braking and other elements that contribute to reassuring dynamics).

The big XC90 soft-roader has been around since 2003 but remains one of the most versatile seven-seaters on the market. Volvo has made lots of running improvements during its lifetime to keep it competitive with fancy newcomers from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Land Rover, Audi and Lexus - and, of course, it has all those expected safety elements.

Airbags and head-protecting curtains extend to the third row of seats, for instance. And there's that clever rear-centre child's booster seat. The XC90 has scored five-star safety in frontal and side impacts and a four-star rating (the industry best for soft-roaders) in rollovers.

Engines range from the 175kW 3.2-litre inline six-cylinder of the base model to a 232kW 4.4-litre Yamaha-built petrol V8, or the 136kW five-cylinder turbo diesel D5 - all with six-speed automatic transmissions.

Sales of 1000 units in Australia this year makes the XC90 the second-most popular Volvo after the smaller XC60.

Its safety attributes alone make it worth more than this and to tempt buyers, Volvo has sharpened its pricing pencil - the 3.2-litre model is being offered at $69,990 drive-away in NSW and Victoria.

[Guinevere]

Hmmm, most of those are not sold here. The ones that are, are pretty popular -- Honda Accord (which I find boring, but is supposed to set the standard for reliability), the Lexus (too big and cruiser-y for my taste), and the Volvo (way too big, and I think ugly, although I adore my Volvo -- but its much prettier than this one).

[Jarlaxle]

The Accord here is US and Canada only. IIRC, the world-market Accord is sold here as the Acura TL.

And gez, the XC90 is big by Volvo standards, but not THAT big!

[Guinevere]

The Aura TLS I've seen look very different (and much sportier) than any Accord that exists.

That XC90 is big for a Volvo. And for me. Keep in mind Ive never owned anything but a 2 door car

[Jarlaxle]

Hey, my Caddy is a 2-door! (And longer than a Suburban...)

[Miles]

Ford does not build the Falcon here in the states anymore I remember my parents buying one in 1962.

[dgs49]

Speaking from the American side of the pond(s), I have long prided myself in identifying and buying cars that were meritorious but shunned by the marketplace. I generally buy them used, and always at a great price. Selling them is problematic as they are in very low demand. I often got snickers when I pulled up in these cars, but each one was exactly what I wanted at the time, and they all gave me good service.

My first new car was an AMC Gremlin, 1974. In metallic green, with a six cylinder and three-speed stick, it was about the cheapest car around - less than a comparably equipped Vega or Pinto, and performed as well as any of them. It got horrible gas mileage, handled terribly, and I still can't fathom how a 4+ liter car could have an absolute top speed of 83mph, but this one did. Crushed by a speeding pickup truck while parked in front of my apartment after two years of ownership, I had no reliability or other issues. In fact, it was exactly what I needed: cheap, reliable transportation at a bare minimum price.

I bought a new 1978 Buick Skyhawk, dark blue, 3.8L, stick. This was a nice, attractive car that combined reasonable performance and handling (for the time) with acceptable gas mileage. I owned it for 7 years and had NO issues whatsoever with it. It is in nobody's hall of fame.

Moving forward a bit, I bought a used '88 Cadillac Cimarron that was a fantastic little car. The joke at the time was that the only difference between the Cimarron and the Chevy Cavalier was the $4000 difference in price. But the 2.8L V6 in the Cadillac gave it excellent performance, it was comfortable, had all the nice gadgets that they put in a Cadillac, and it was absolutely invisible to the police. It was a dull "battleship" gray, and I swear I had a dozen incidents when I passed up police cars at the speed limit + 20, and they never batted an eye. The car gave me about four years of reliable service and was still in good condition when I sold it.

I had two Chrysler Lebaron's with the 2.2L turbo engine and loved both of them. The second was a '90 Lebaron coupe with what they called their high output "VNT" turbo, a five speed, and an incredible package of standard equipment. With the Getrag 5-speed it was a blast to drive, and it handled very well (again for the time period). The performance numbers on that car - acceleration AND fuel economy - would make it competitive with the better mid-size cars available today. As I recall 0-60 is just about 7 seconds, and highway fuel economy over 30mpg (on premium fuel, unfortunately). A couple significant issues did come up with the car (water pump, timing belt), but they were both fully-covered under the Chrysler factory warranty. The '90 coupe had sat on the dealer's lot for almost a year when I bought it. The sticker was $20 thousand and I bought it for $12k, and sold it 6 years later for $4,200 through Hemmings. For any car buffs reading this, what made the car special to drive was that it had over 220 ft-lbs of torque at a relatively low rpm - pretty incredible for a 2.2 liter engine at the time.

I bought a white 1998 Cadillac Catera off a lease, with 24 thousand miles on it. It was a great car with enormous quality problems, all of which were covered under GM's bumper to bumper warranty. I would estimate that they did more than $6,000 in engine and suspension work under warranty. I bought a non-GM extended warranty before the factory warranty ran out, and after the first significant repair the warranty company went belly-up, so I dumped the car immediately. But it was a nice, comfortable car (made in Germany by Opel) with a nice European feel to it. Very nice.

One of the best cars I ever owned was an '02 Maxima SE. With the 3.5L and five-speed, the performance was incredible for a 5-passenger sedan. But as a result of an incredible brain fart, I traded it after three years for a Saab 9-3, which was my worst automotive nightmare since I sold my Fiat 124 sedan in 1974. The Saab was a wonderful car with maintenance and repair costs that rivalled what I would have paid for a Ferrari. I had the Saab for 30,000 miles and never reset the trip computer's fuel economy calculation - it was better than 31mpg for the entire time I owned the car. It was comfortable, performed well, looked nice (once you got used to it), but the dealership basically charged me $800 every time I drove past. It was like having a beautiful, sensuous girlfriend with a gambling problem. Saab's have horrible resale values, and in fact they generally sell new (around here at least) for substantially less than their inflated sticker prices, but if you have access to a non-dealer mechanic who works on Saabs (they are actually cult cars), it can be an absolutely great car that, with proper care, will last a long, long time.

I recently bought a used '05 Element. The jury's still out.

[Gob]

Gives me an idea for a thread...

[Jarlaxle]

I bought a new 1978 Buick Skyhawk, dark blue, 3.8L, stick. This was a nice, attractive car that combined reasonable performance and handling (for the time) with acceptable gas mileage. I owned it for 7 years and had NO issues whatsoever with it. It is in nobody's hall of fame.

I had one (a 79) for a while...mine was 2-tone, bright-yellow with black lower body & hawk graphic on the hood, power brakes & steering, no A/C. It's kind of a weird car...essentially, a Buick-badged Chevy Monza. A SkyHawks were 3.8's...mine was unusual for having a 5-speed transmission. Like all H-bodies (Vega, Monza, SkyHawk, Pontiac Sunbird, Olds Starfire), they have a substantial cult following.

[dgs49]

My Skyhawk was also a stick. I couldn't remember whether it was a 4 or a 5 speed. The V-6 was a perfect engine for that car. The four cylinder in the Pontiac and Chevy was simply too lame for a car that looked that sporty, and the V8 actually didn't fit. They had to drop the engine to replace the rear spark plugs on the Monza.

It was one of the few cars for which I developed an emotional attachment.

I could not, and still cannot believe that they built that car (and the Camaro) without reclining seats. My wife and I took it across country twice and I NEVER was able to nap on the road, which made the trip seem much longer than it was.

Those cars must not have been put together very well because they are very scarce now, at least in Western Pennsylvania.

[oldr_n_wsr]

I knew a guy from high school who had a Gremlin and put in an AMX (Javelin?) 360 engine. Sick car and almost uncontrollable.

[dgs49]

AMX Tangent: I was at Fort Lee, VA for much of 1969, and one of my bosses, Sgt Juan Salgado, purchased a beautiful white AMX, which he babied famously. He refused to race other enlisted men in their hot cars because he wanted to break it in gently.

Our secretary, Mrs. Johnson, had a 15-year-old son who did some car detailing, and it was arranged that Juan would drop off his AMX for waxing & buffing. He left the keys so that Mrs. Johnson would be able to move it inside and out of the garage.

Long story short, the kid took the AMX out on I-95 south of Petersburg (where the staties never patrolled) and topped it out at about 120mph. Sgt. Salgado never found out. Kid complained to me, "What do they have a 160mph speedometer on the car for, if it will only go 120!?"

[Jarlaxle]

My Skyhawk was also a stick. I couldn't remember whether it was a 4 or a 5 speed. The V-6 was a perfect engine for that car. The four cylinder in the Pontiac and Chevy was simply too lame for a car that looked that sporty, and the V8 actually didn't fit. They had to drop the engine to replace the rear spark plugs on the Monza.

No, they didn't...it's a tight fit, but I've seen worse. The easiest access to the rear plugs is through the wheelhouse by lifting the car & removing the front tires. It's not bad on a car with no A/C. Having wrenched on a Vega (Monza is Vega-based) with a V8 conversion that DID have A/C (and headers), it's a tight fit but still no worse than any number of cars. Offhand...FWD minivans that require removing engine mounts to get to three plugs, or a V10 Ford van that has a "book rate" of NINE HOURS to change spark plugs. And for the record: a 450+HP engine in a 2600lb Vega panel is REALLY fast.

My biggest beef with the SkyHawk was the fact that an oil change ALWAYS resulted in filter removal dumping oil all over the K-member under the engine...what a God-awful mess. Geez, would a remote mount to move the filter a foot and a half have cost THAT much more?!?!

(Also, useless trivia: I THINK the H-cars were the first from GM to use electric fuel pumps.)

It was one of the few cars for which I developed an emotional attachment.

I could not, and still cannot believe that they built that car (and the Camaro) without reclining seats. My wife and I took it across country twice and I NEVER was able to nap on the road, which made the trip seem much longer than it was.

Reclining seats were uncommon (at best) in what was basically an "economy" car in the late 70's. Heck, even my Caddy (1979 de Ville, top of the line with every option except fuel injection) doesn't have reclining seats!

Those cars must not have been put together very well because they are very scarce now, at least in Western Pennsylvania.

Like most cars of that era, they tended to rust...and not being considered "desirable", people tended not to repair them when they did.

[Jarlaxle]

I knew a guy from high school who had a Gremlin and put in an AMX (Javelin?) 360 engine. Sick car and almost uncontrollable.

Just about everything got the 360, at least optionally, from Javs to Ambassadors to Jeeps. (My J-20 pickup had a 360 as did most Wagoneers.) Grems had the 304 V8 optional...mine is a factory 304 car. Now powered by a 401 (from a police Matador) fed by a pair of Holleys on a Roots blower...yeah, it's kind of a sick car. But then again, I LIKE being able to get sideways in third gear!

(This car WILL manage a 10-second 1/4 mile pass next spring!)

[oldr_n_wsr]

Was there a 390 from American Motors? I rmember the same guy having an AMX with a 390, with line lock and a 3 speed no clutch standard. Sound familiar?

[Jarlaxle]

Discounting the early oddball Rambler designs, the AMC V8's were:
290
304
343
390
401

The SC/Rambler, the Rebel Machine, and I think the early AMX had the 390 standard. Pre-72 AMC's used a weird Borg-Warner automatic (later ones used Chrysler automatics).