(30 Dec 03)

Daihatsu Charade

Worthy but dull, has all too often been my assessment of Daihatsus in the past. So you will understand that I was not exactly buzzing with excitement when I came face to grille with the new Charade for the first time. Especially as the little Japanese city car could pass for Postman Pat's chosen form of transport at first glance.

But the Charade turned out to be a little cracker. At its heart is a rev-happy three-cylinder 989cc twin-cam petrol engine, which delivers zippy performance and diesel-like (58.9 mpg combined) economy. Ultra-low emissions also qualify the Charade for the £75 annual road fund licence.

Despite its skinny tyres, the Daihatsu has a grippy chassis, which is very entertaining on twisty going, and a compact turning circle, which makes it a breeze to pilot around city streets.

The high-roofed body - three or five-door - is remarkably roomy but, like lots of this genre, boot space is pretty minimal. Specification, even at entry-level, is remarkably generous.

So, a smashing little city car which can comfortably hold its own on main roads and motorways.

Daihatsu Charade Launch Report

Hyundai Getz

Loads of motor for the money has long been a key element in Hyundai's success story. Let's be honest, for long enough that was the only reason for buying one of the Korean company's offerings.

No more. Yes, the value for money element is still very much there, but the cars, in terms of performance, refinement, dynamics and build quality have improved by leaps and bounds in recent years.

The Getz is an excellent example. Hyundai's first foray into the cut-throat supermini shark's pool, it can more than hold its own with any Western rival.

Of the three petrol engines on offer, the lead-in 1.1-litre unit is a delight - smooth and willing - while road-holding and ride quality both earn VG marks. Not so good is the amount of tyre noise which invades the cabin. Otherwise the interior is comfortable, well-equipped and nicely screwed together.

All of which adds up to a thoroughly enjoyable little car with lots of character. The more I drove it the more I liked it. And, oh yes, it comes, like all Hyundais, with a five-year warranty. Now there's peace of mind for you!

Hyundai Getz 1.1 GSi Five-Door Road Test

Nissan 350Z

I drove two great affordable sports cars in 2003 - both of them Made in the Land of the Rising Sun products. From a technical and design point of view, Mazda's super RX8, with its turbine-smooth rotary engine, pin-sharp handling, and four-seater cabin, with its clamshell doors, proved something of a tour de force.

And yet, I found myself drawn more to the technically less advanced Nissan 350Z. Why? Because at the end of the day I felt it was exactly what it said on the tin - "a pure sports car." It looks the bee's knees (OK, I admit the nose treatment could have been a mite better) and the performance, from a muscular 3.5-litre V6, is intoxicating.

The rear-wheel drive chassis, tweaked for European tastes, is ultra-stable at autobahn pace and superbly agile on B-class going, complemented by steering which delivers great feel. The two-seater cabin isn't as well detailed or finished as the Mazda's, but it does have whiffs of the original 1969 vintage 240Z. Ahhhh, nostalgia!

Nissan 350Z Launch Report

Volvo XC90

I was lucky enough to be invited to the international launch of the XC90 in the north of Sweden in January 2003. The idea was to provide us scribblers with an opportunity to drive Volvo's first attempt at a "soft-roader" where the going was guaranteed to be deep and crisp and even. I simply couldn't believe the Swedes had got this car so right straight from the drawing board.

No surprise that the cabin was extremely comfortable and festooned with clever detailing - the V70, after all, is a shining example of a superbly thought out estate car. But the chassis was a revelation.

No ship-at-sea heaving or rolling through corners. The Volvo proved to be taut, beautifully balanced and smooth riding. And on longer acquaintance on roads back home? I found it to be every bit as enjoyable.

Pick of the XC90 engines for me is the D5 turbo-diesel, which delivers punchy performance and impressive economy. No wonder this car has picked up a bucket load of international awards. It deserves each and every one of them.

Volvo XC90 D5 SE Road Test

BMW 645Ci

If you are one of the people who have shelled out a deposit for the new BMW 6-Series Coupé (not due in the showrooms until the spring), and wonder if you've done the right thing, let me put your mind at rest. You have! This is a tremendous car.

No question that the styling of the latest 5-Series and 7-Series saloons has attracted distinctly mixed reviews. But, for me, the new 6 looks just great. It's one of those cars which contrives to look fast, even when standing still.

It's billed as a four-seater and qualifies, even though headroom in the back is a trifle tight, and the boot is generous by coupé standards. But never mind all that. Just savour what is under the bonnet.

The high-tech 4.4-litre V8, which has been chosen as the launch engine for the 645Ci, was the International Engine of the Year in 2002, and rightly so. Never mind its performance (thundering) and its smoothness (turbine-like), just wallow in the noise it makes. I cracked open the windows just to savour that exhaust note.

And the chassis! My introduction to the 6 was on streaming South of France roads, yet the BMW never once came close to stepping out of line. After a 14-year gap the BMW 6-Series is back. And how!

BMW 645Ci Launch Report

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