MOTORING GUIDE
Motor Torque with David Berthon
David Berthon is our new automobilist enthusiast who will be road testing a different car each month keeping us up-to-date with the newest models , plus covering other motoring and car industry items of interest . David has been around radio for 41 years , starting with 2CH in 1981 and then moving to 2GB in 1994 where he started his Motor Torque segments which run every Saturday at 8:55am and 9.50am , and Sunday at 9:10am and 10:40am . You can catch his podcasts on omny . fm / shows / motor-torque .
SKODA ’ S UPDATED KODIAQ SUV HARD TO FAULT ESPECIALLY IN THE PERFORMANCE SKEWED RS MODEL
Skoda recently announced an upgrade of its large seven seat Kodiaq SUV range , now petrol-powered replacing diesel power in the outgoing models . Three grades Kodiaq Style , midspec Sportline and the flagship RS , all four-wheel drive and refreshed with new design grille , LED headlights , taillights with animated indicators and redesigned alloy wheels .
Prices now starting from $ 52,990 drive-away . The Kodiaq has long been a firm personal favourite , a perfect package size for a seven-seater . Skoda makes the point the Kodiaq is shorter to Hyundai ’ s Sante Fe , Kia ’ s Sorento and Mazda ’ s CX-8 and CX-9 yet has better front and middle seat legroom and headroom yet still with well sized boot space .
The Kodiaq is the perfect family carrier with nine airbags , importantly the head airbags extending across the three rows of seats . I tested the topspec 2.0-litre 180kW turbo seven-speed automatic RS on an extensive drive over Easter and managed 8.3L / 100km over 2100 kilometres with a fair amount of highway cruising .
The RS at $ 74,990 drive-away best described as a very polished performance skewed luxury SUV with the lot . What I really like about this model is the way its character changes in each of its six drive modes – able to adapt to your driving mood on the day - one minute a very relaxed driver the next minute in sports mode , a skyrocket with adaptive chassis control , progressive steering and changed exhaust tune .
Fitted with 20-inch alloy wheels and quality 45 series Continental tyres the Kodiaq RS is stacked with innovative features – covered with a five-year unlimited kilometre warranty and with sharply priced three and five-year service packs .
SHOULD WE ADOPT E-SCOOTERS IN NSW ?
NSW Transport Minister Rob Stokes has announced a three-month trial of E-scooters in NSW . As he put it , “ E-scooters are an affordable , convenient and sustainable method of moving and it ’ s important we harness that and recognise their increasing popularity in a safe way .”
This really is a big call given the safety record and the experience from overseas and in other states . Thankfully , only shared commercial hire E-scooters will figure in the trial as in Victoria where they are speed regulated to 20 km / hour , must not ride on footpaths , must wear a helmet , and must ride only on bicycle lanes , shared paths , and lower speed roads up to 50km / hour . Personally , I believe it ’ s a recipe for disaster – we ’ ve already seen them being used here at high speed on footpaths with the riders observed to have taken a big dose of brave pills and in some cases not wearing a helmet . A similar trial in Brisbane in 2018 saw a big spike in scooter-related injuries with the biggest concerns being two people on scooters , not wearing helmets , riding with alcohol on board and speeding .
A 2020 report by an ‘ electric scooter advisory ’ working group from the NSW
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Department of Transport said E-scooters , “ may have the potential to transform personal mobility , freeing up capacity from our congested roads but their use would also necessitate significant legislative change and would possibly need to involve a complex and costly enforcement regime ”.
I hope common sense prevails before we see a pedestrian death or a spate of injuries which has been the case in the UK and the USA .
CARWISE LDV
STAFF WANTED
Fast growing local family run car dealership in the Penrith area looking for additional friendly staff to join our team .
2 x Qualified Mechanics 1 x Apprentice 1 x New Car Salesperson
Please call Gerry or send through CV to gerry @ carwise . com . au
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4-8 MORLEY AVENUE , KINGSWOOD ( 02 ) 4736 5500 www . carwiseldv . com . au
THE HAWKESBURY INDEPENDENT theindependentmagazine . com . au ISSUE 145 // JUNE 2022 35