Car Review | Fleetcare

New diet, same Falcon - Ford Falcon EcoLPI review

Posted: 26/04/2012 By: Rory Deegan - Online Marketing Coordinator
Comments: none
Categories: | Car Review | Technology | Financial Tips | Ford

“Its an LPG (liquefied petroleum gas), but they don’t want to call it Ford Falcon LPG because they don’t want people to confuse it with their old LPG model”. True or not, this statement, along with the new Ford Falcon EcoLPI was delivered to me last week. In the past few months we have reviewed many cars which boasted low running and fuel costs. This was our first chance to give our verdict on an LPG vehicle. ... Read More

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Australia’s top ten most fuel efficient vehicles

You’ve been there before, staring at the pumps with the price going higher and higher all the while thinking to yourself; “wasn’t I here just yesterday”? Just this week warnings have rippled all around Australia on the subject of fuel prices. In this environment the statistic of litres per 100km has been getting a lot more air time at the water cooler. With this, and a healthy curiosity towards the subject, we... Read More

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Comments:

Duncan said on 26/Mar/2012 10:36 AM

The main reason that people con't buy these fuel efficient cars is cost. If you work out the price to own / run the car for 3 years (a common time period these days) then you still have not even broken even on overall cost compared to a similar "non-green" car. I'd love to be proven wrong and things may have changed since I worked it all out late last year but extra cost has to be worth while. I am looking forward to it looking better next time we buy a car. Dnx

Craig said on 03/Apr/2012 10:01 AM

Hi, Toyota about to release another prius, called prius c which will start from $23,990. The electric cars should be compared with Oz electricity prices in mind, but if owner has solar cells, this will be cheaper. Some of these cars in list are manual versions, not prefered by some drivers. Oz petrol buyer behaviour is such that we will cross the road/do a u turn to save a few cents at another bowser. The BIG cars in Oz are now $30-40K. I can see why diesel SUVs are popular. My daily commute is shared with mostly single occupant cars. The market is there for an organised car pooling scheme, and buyers wanting new $15-25K cars with low fuel use. I'm seeing more i20s, Mazda2s, Yaris, Fiestas, Polos, etc . Melbourne prices over $1.50/litre this week. Perhaps couples/famillies will adopt the one big & one little car 'policy' or we hire big cars when we need one.......but nothing new in that. I would like to see a complete list of cars less than 7litres/100kms. cheers

Alan said on 05/Apr/2012 2:38 AM

Duncan is on the money. This is little more than a novelty comment. Any fleet manager worth his money would be talking about whole of life cost. If these vehicles have a higher premium cost, higher maintenance cost, excessive downtime because of maintenance issues, and consequently a lower resale cost because of the excessive maintenance and downtime much of the fuel savings are lost and they may in fact be a financial trap. As an example I can recall a particular truck model which used less fuel than its competitors and cost about $5000 less, but required a $15,000 engine build at 80,000 km; the manufacturer had to pull it off the market.

The Big Ute Review - Mazda BT-50 4x4 Dual Cab XTR auto

Posted: 23/02/2012 By: Rory Deegan - Online Marketing Coordinator
Comments: none
Categories: | Automotive Industry News | Car Review | Mazda | Leasing

Very tall. Very, very tall. That’s the first thing that struck me about the new Mazda BT-50. The second generation BT-50 is Mazda’s latest attempt to capture their own section of the utility market. With very serious existing competition from the Toyota Hilux, Nissan Navara and others, it’s very unlikely that Mazda’s new offering will turn the market upside down. The real question here is whether this new model... Read More

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The New Toyota Camry 2012

“Same, same but different” those were the words of my colleagues from the corporate sales teamon the all new Toyota Camry. Indeed the new Camry provokes an “I’ve seen this car before” response from the uninitiated while treating the seasoned Camry buyer to subtle yet wide ranging changes. While the changes are comprehensive they cannot be perceived as bold. However, considering the year Toyota has had and... Read More

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Volkswagen fight for number 1 spot

It was 11.09am on a hot Perth morning at the VW drive day, my palms were sweaty and my heart was pounding, I was facing my first ever slalom time trial and I was nervous. As it turns out I posted an average speed and my trial went off without incident but that was just an aside. In the time waiting for my run at the course I had learned just how exciting VW and its future really is. VW progress In the past few years VW has been... Read More

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Top 10 cars series; China's top selling cars.

Posted: 03/11/2011 By: Rory Deegan - Online Marketing Coordinator
Comments: none
Categories: | Automotive Industry News | Car Review | Toyota | Novated Lease

If India is a small car nation it must be then said that China truly is a nation obsessed with the sedan. Amazingly 9 out of the top 10 are what I would class as “medium” (bigger than a large hatch but no bigger than a Holden Commodore). Admittedly the top ten only represent some 2 million of a total of 18 million cars sold in 2010 however if anyone is in any doubt as to whether or not the other 16 or so million follows the... Read More

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Top 10 cars series; India’s top selling cars.

Posted: 31/10/2011 By: Rory Deegan - Online Marketing Coordinator
Comments: (1)
Categories: | Automotive Industry News | Car Review | Fleet Management

“Oh wow, it really does look like a bumper car” those were the words of one of my esteemed colleagues on first viewing the Tata Nano (its one of the cheapest and arguably one of the ugliest cars the world has ever seen). Produced and created in India the Nano is the perfect car to show how the Indian car market is completely enamoured with the small car. Top 10 makeup With almost all of their top ten being made up of small... Read More

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The all new Holden Barina - Top ten material?

Walking into the Melbourne docklands warehouse that hosted the Holden Barina launch I was immediately confronted with two vehicles. One was Holdens first attempt at the Barina, its boxy awkward frame reminded me of my mothers old 1980’s Ford Fiesta which would break down at the most inopportune of times (once on the beach as the tide was coming in). The other was the all new Holden Barina, which despite its less aesthetically... Read More

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A new middleweight contender - Hyundai Elantra

Posted: 09/09/2011 By: Rory Deegan - Online Marketing Coordinator
Comments: none
Categories: | Car Review | Fleet Management | Novated Lease | Hyundai

"No brand has taken such a massive leap over the past decade as Hyundai" those were the words of Acting Editor for Auto Express, Graham Hope. His words carried all the more gravity as Hyundai has just topped the list for “most improved” car manufacturer of the last 10 years in a survey carried out by the UK based magazine. These are very big achievements for the motor company which has, in the past, struggled with a... Read More

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The Perth Motor Show 2011; A review

The Perth Motor Show returned to the Perth Convention Centre after a 3 year break to mixed reviews, tentative expectations and guarded optimism. The show was engaging and enjoyable but cost cautiousness on behalf of the organisers (and car manufacturers) was evident as some more fun motor show elements were absent. Highs and lows While the motor show was largely a successful venture with their event managers reporting the attendance... Read More

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Hybrid vs Diesel - a new auto competition

Like everyone who stares blankly at listings on car sales websites, I too am overcome with the sheer level of choice. From hatchback to convertible, manual to automatic and all the other choice criteria the number of options for the car seeker can become very confusing. While most of these options are fairly self explanatory there are a few which always confuse in terms of a definite winner. The choice of diesel versus hybrid is, for... Read More

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Will Holden Captivate the growing SUV market?

Posted: 01/07/2011 By: Rory Deegan - Online Marketing Coordinator
Comments: (1)
Categories: | Car Review | Holden | Environmental News

Review; Holden Captiva Series 2 (7 seater diesel) Family wagons were, at one time, the vehicle of choice for so many Australian mums and dads. Lately however, this seems to be changing. With wagons declining in popularity and manufacturers discontinuing some models it would seem that there is now a space vacant in the Australian auto market. In a previous article I noted that the SUV’s seemed to be gaining ground on all other... Read More

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An Insight into the new Honda Hybrid

Posted: 28/04/2011 By: Rory Deegan - Online Marketing Coordinator
Comments: none
Categories: | Car Review | Environmental News

Review of new Honda Insight When the Toyota Prius exploded into life back in 1997 the world watched as Toyota took the rewards for responsible fuel efficient engineering. Since then other manufacturers have drooled over the sales figures and free publicity garnered by Toyota’s bold move. Hybrid is now a household term and copycat cars are fast flooding the market with near identical copies of the original. The Honda Insight... Read More

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Holden on for a new Cruze

Posted: 07/04/2011 By: Rory Deegan - Online Marketing Coordinator
Comments: none
Categories: | Automotive Industry News | Car Review | Fleet Management | Holden

Since an emotional launch in Adelaide back in late February Australians have waited to hear the assessment of the new series 2 Holden Cruze. Would this second model build on the relative sales success of the first, or would it remind us of the disappointing Vectra range which Holden and GM would prefer to forget?The changesApart from a new grill, new bumpers and new wheels there isn’t much to distinguish the new Cruze from the one... Read More

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Hyundai i40 Targets Fleet Market

Posted: 04/03/2011 By: John Hutchison
Comments: none
Categories: | Automotive Industry News | Car Review

The new Hyundai i40 has made its world public debut in Geneva this week. In a recent news release from the BBC, Hyundai is looking to venture into the European fleet market with its new i40 series eco-friendly vehicle.FeaturesThe i40 model and has been developed specifically for the European market and maintains the signature features from the i-range. In terms of performance Hyundai has placed a 140 HP 1.6L GDI engine for the entry... Read More

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VW Polo - Car of the year 2010

Posted: 02/12/2010 By: Cindy Anthony - Marketing Assistant
Comments: (2)
Categories: | Automotive Industry News | Car Review | Volkswagen

With a vast array of contenders vying for the title of Car of the Year, the winner which superseded all other competitors is none other than the little German powerhouse, the Volkswagen Polo. Firstly it won Drive’s Best City Car and went onto win the over accolade from both Drive and Carsguide. Nonetheless, this isn’t the first time Volkswagen has tasted victory. But it looks like the bub of the family decided it wanted its... Read More

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Electric vs Petrol

Posted: 25/11/2010 By: Cindy Anthony - Marketing Assistant
Comments: (4)
Categories: | Car Review | Environmental News

There is a substantial amount of people who believe as a society, we should take care of the environment in lieu of our future generations. Okay, so I kind of agree, I don’t want my future children or children's childrento have to swim to school everyday because of the rising sea levels caused by Global Warming. And, while there may be some sceptics out there, we need to consider it may be a slight possibility. Consequently, the... Read More

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Holden Barina Spark - An ideal first car

Posted: 12/11/2010 By: Cindy Anthony - Marketing Assistant
Comments: none
Categories: | Car Review | Holden

Do you remember your first car? I imagine some people would not have many pleasant recollections of their first bought as a teenager. However, the stereotype of the first car is fast approaching a revolution. This week at Fleetcare, we have had the amazing opportunity to cruise around in the new Holden Barina Spark for a whole week. The low price is definitely the first draw card, but delving further than first glance we found many... Read More

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Sydney Motor Show Stoppers

Posted: 22/10/2010 By: Bowan Spanbroek - Marketing Co-ordinator
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Categories: | Automotive Industry News | Car Review

In a day full of elegance champagne and super models these rough edged rouges showed that the Sydney Motor Show isn’t just for super car prototypes. These exciting previews signal 2011 as a year for a shake up in the Utility and Jeep categories. Ford Ranger The new “one world, one ford” branding is doing great things across all categories and the utility is no exception. With bulky F150 styling and a payload of over... Read More

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Cruze vs Corolla

Posted: 15/10/2010 By: Laura Taylor - Marketing Assistant
Comments: none
Categories: | Car Review | Toyota | Holden

Holden, the genuine Aussie icon. Toyota, the reliable household name. Both big names, both big players in the Australian car market. So how do they compare? We take a look at the new and improved Holden Cruze CD (5 speed manual) and put it next to the sturdy Toyota Corolla Ascent Sedan (6 speed manual) to see what these competing brands have to offer in the small car segment. Starting with the first look, the Cruze is a definite... Read More

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Review: Kia Cerato Koup

Posted: 09/09/2010 By: Peter Shelley - Maintenance
Comments: none
Categories: | Car Review | Kia

I must admit the first thing that attracted me to the Kia Cerato Koup was its eye catching sporty exterior teamed with the added bonus of a reasonable price tag. When approaching the car you’ll notice its tough looking front bumper with an open air dam, supported by large fog lights either side. It also has a mesh-like radiator grille which adds to its sporty image. Once in the cabin I was just as impressed with the interior, as... Read More

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The Real Price of Safety

An article caught my eye this week - ”Safety expert: don’t buyCamry Hybrid” (drive.com.au). The reason? It’s only a 4 star safety rating. I don’t know about you, but for a car around $41,000 for the basic model, I’d probably expect 5 stars. When I mentioned this to someone in the office they said, “Most cars are actually 4 star safety – you always have to pay extra to get 5.” This... Read More

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Has Toyota Caused a Rukus?

Posted: 05/08/2010 By: Laura Taylor - Marketing Assistant
Comments: (2)
Categories: | Automotive Industry News | Car Review | Toyota

The Toyota Rukus- a car created to revive Toyota’s presence with the younger market, particularly with Gen Y. But has it succeeded as of yet?With approximately 150 of these vehicles selling each month, around 55% of the buyers have been between 20-40 years old, an age group which usually makes up less than 50% of Toyota’s customers. However, a point that is interesting to note is that when the figures are broken down, more... Read More

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Hyundai i20 a Hit with the Ladies

Posted: 29/07/2010 By: Adam Pickering - Novated Lease Consultant
Comments: none
Categories: | Car Review | Hyundai

The Hyundai i20 has recently been released in Australia and has been designed to attract busy ladies who are constantly on the go and looking for something stylish and agile to zip around in. I decided to interview two Fleetcare employees who fit the description and see their initial take on Hyundai’s latest edition. Liz: The i20 packed a punch that I wasn’t expecting. Instantly surprised by the vast amount of space for... Read More

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Toyota Ruckus: Trendy or Tacky?

Posted: 04/06/2010 By: Bowan Spanbroek - Marketing Co-ordinator (Gen-Y)
Comments: (3)
Categories: | Automotive Industry News | Car Review | Toyota

We all have that ‘trendy mate’. They are the ones whohad an i-Phone before you evenhad an i-Pod. They were twittering before you had even heard ofFacebook and they're always up with the latest fashion (to the point of irritation). In marketing terms they're called ‘innovators’. A small but powerful crowd that have been proven invaluable for influencing the general public & starting new trends. Why are we... Read More

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The Australian Camry Hybrid Distraction or Innovation?

Posted: 11/03/2010 By: Bowan Spanbroek
Comments: none
Categories: | Car Review | Technology | Toyota

The new hybrid Camry is a welcome distraction for Toyota Australia amidst the Prius media storm. With the recall extending to Australia the local confidence in their hybrid range has undoubtedly wavered. With a total of 2378 Prius vehicles being recalled early this year consumer and fleet buyers alike may be hesitant about the new hybrid Camry. However Toyota issued in its press release that ‘the locally made Hybrid Camry... Read More

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Mercedes Benz Sprinter NGT 2010: Workhorse on a green diet

Posted: 03/03/2010 By: Bowan Spanbroek
Comments: none
Categories: | Car Review | Technology | Fleet Management

The new Mercedes sprinter has been put on a greener leaner diet for 2010. Mercedes is revamping their efforts to introduce a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) version of their Sprinter to fleet customers, nine years after their previous attempt at CNG failed. The new Sprinter range comes in the traditional diesel and petrol version but now with the added option of a petrol CNG hybrid. Unlike Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) CNG is not dependant... Read More

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Holden’s Incredible Hulk

Posted: 21/10/2009 By: Bowan Spanbroek
Comments: none
Categories: | Automotive Industry News | Car Review | Technology | Holden

This year Edward Norton and Lou Farigno aren’t the only one showing off some green muscle. Holden’s new ‘MY10’ Commodore takes a progressive step away from previous gas guzzling models with a greener, more powerful 210kw engine. Who says that the environmentally friendly driver has to sip chai latte and drive a Hybrid? Holden’s new SIDI technology (Spark Ignition Direct Injection) reduces previous carbon... Read More

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