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About The Mitsubishi Mirage

Not all makes and car models from Japan have been as popular as the Toyota and Nissan models around the world but this does not mean the other makes are nothing short of fine cars. The Mitsubishi Mirage is one of these makes and has proved to be a very economical and affordable car for 16 years. There have been several generations of the Mitsubishi Mirage over the 16 years and the manufactures have always aimed at making the gas mileage decent, the cabins isolated from noise and all forms of ride harshness, the interior fashionable and ensure use of proper engines and tires across the various generations.

The Models of The Mitsubishi Mirage

The first generation was produced between 1978 and 1982; the second generation between 1983 and 1987; the third generation between 1987 and 1992; the fourth generation between1991 and 1996 while the fifth generation which is the current was produced between 1997 and 2002. Interestingly, some of the older rare special editions like the Sport hatchback of 1989 and most second generation Mirages are the fastest Mirages ever built. The first, third and fifth generation models have a FF layout while the others have a front engine, front-/four-wheel drive layout. The sixth generation will be officially renamed back to Mirage instead of Colt as it had been changed to and will be built in Thailand. The model will have a simpler design and will have a 1.0L 3-cylinder engine and a continuously variable transmission.

The Cons of The Mitsubishi Mirage

Most Mirages are sparsely equipped and lack even power windows and locks and are generally characterized by limited interior space over the years especially the 3 door hatchbacks. Also, the earlier models have a sound design but lack airbags and the 13th inch wheels are not effective. Another matter of concern is safety as it scored poorly in the frontal offset crash test.

The C4 Citroen Prix

The Citroen C4 is quite a remarkable car. Originally from France, it has a 5 doors, 205/55R16 Michelin tires, eight airbags, dual-zone automatic air conditioner, 5-speed gearbox (4 for 6 and automatic transmission for the HDI 138. It is available in petrol engines of 1.4l, 1.6l and 2.0l and three HDI diesel engines of 1.6l and 2 l. Furthermore, it has a braking system which is based on four disc brakes systems. The braking system is reinforced by anti lock and optional ESP which ensure stability control when cornering to improve handling. All these are to ensure the safety of its passengers. All models are also fitted with a speed limiter and cruise control. The car can go to a maximum of 188 km/ h and picks up from 0 to 100km/ h in just 13.1 seconds.

The car has optional reversing radar to offer packing assistance and has accessories which include: power-adjustable outside mirrors, small lever on the driver’s door, windshield wiper with rain sensor and automatic side lighting. Yet with all these accessories, the car is spacious and well thought-out. This is enabled by the distance of widths to the elbows of 1.44 m at the front and 1.43 m at the rear It also has an excellent suspension and the driving position is higher than usual providing better visibility. Its is 320 litres ensuring maximum space for comfortably storing goods.

With all these unique qualities, it is not strange that the C4 got an excellent rating in EuroNCAP tests. It got five stars in crash tests and 3 of 4 test “pedestrian impact”. This is no wonder it has a very huge liking evidenced by their demand in the market throughout not only across France but throughout Europe and the rest of the world. What is even more interesting is that it still is a very pleasant car even without their historical Hydractive suspension. The Citroen C4 is truly a car one can believe in considering Citroen have made a name for themselves in the industry.

The Opel insignia tourer is a dynamic car model .This car is elegant in style, has excellent and superb driving characteristics plus it has a low fuel consumption. The Opel insignia tourer is largely gaining popularity because of its many out of the ordinary features. These features include State of the art technology which includes an Opel eye camera system, head lambs; adoptive 4×4 all wheel drive and a flex ride chassis.

The Opel insignia tourer comes in different models and designs including sports tourer, hatchback tourer, notch back tourer, sedan and station wagon. The Opel insignia sports tourer is an ideal choice for active people who require the car for leisure and sporty activities. This sporty tourer is designed in a unique way for maximum efficiency. The new dynamic station wagon look offers ample space for five occupants. It also offers a highly competitive language compartment.

Drivers have many different things to say about the Opel insignia tourer. Some drivers have positive reviews on the car while others have negative reviews on the car. Some of the positive reviews from happy drivers include the positive facts about this car. These include;-
• The Opel insignia tourer is a tough car that carried the drivers safely through very bad weather.
• The driver’s seat can go back a long way. This is very efficient for tall people.
• The cars cruise control is very easy to use.
• The boot has good space

The negative reviews from unsatisfied drivers include;-
• The Opel insignia tourer is challenged by very harsh conditions. Extreme weather conditions affect the comfort of the seats and the efficiency of the air conditioner.
• Some reviews form drivers described the car has a restricted luggage space with an appalling outside view.
• The hand break is pretty close and is at a very high angle when applied.

The Seat Ibiza 2011 is effectively designed to boost its space capacity and at the same time exhibit its sporty style that elevates the Seat Ibiza 2011 as one of the super minis that is both eye-catching and is marked with dynamism. This car is created with a 430 liter carrying capacity that makes it the favorite model that accommodates larger families.

The Seat Ibiza 2011 comes with models that support a variety of engines. There’s is the turbo diesel engine that is frugal and is a latest model and also the turbo-charged petrol engines that has a sporty outlook. It has models with a manual gear box with 5 speeds or a 7 speed hi-tech DSG gearbox that enables for easy operation and engagement.

The Seat Ibiza 2011 less carbon dioxide emissions of 92g/Km and is importantly manufactured to have an effective fuel consumption of 80.7 mpg, that makes it reasonably metered to save on the fuel for the fuel conservatives. This remarkable engine attributes enable the car to reach a maximum speed of 118 mph that would be of interest to any car enthusiast that value comfort and speed.

Seat Ibiza 2011 has effortless efficiency with a flat boot and a kit that is fit in that includes a stereo radio with four speakers that supports MP3 with compatibility to AUX-in and also CD. It has got audio controls that are mounted in the steering column for convenience and easy control. There’s also air conditioning that will make any driver’s experience an unforgettable one.

This amazingly built car has electric front doors and a locking system that is central and also is inclusive of the deadlock. An important security aspect of the Seat Ibiza 2011 is that it has a volumetric alarm. Its power steering is automatically adjustable to the speed and includes hydraulics in its control mechanism.
Indeed, the Seat Ibiza 2011 is an excellent automobile that combines convenience, flexibility and great outlook.

Mitsubishi Outlander 2011 Review

Mitsubishi Outlander is more of a Sports Utility vehicle, than a crossover with smart looks, innovations and sophisticated technology in one packaged product. The 2011 Outlander has been tweaked with minor changes in its equipment with better fuel efficiency. Outlander 2011 is originally produced by the Japanese automobile giant Mitsubishi, as Mitsubishi Air trek. The Outlander is the company’s approach to the automotive world, as a wide sports utility vehicle, retaining the off-roading capabilities, which is provided by its four –wheel drive capability and high ground clearance.

The Mitsubishi Outlander 2011 will appeal to all those who seek traditional family oriented crossover sport utility vehicle. The SUV has very aggressive styling, and has a very sporty feel to it. The Outlander comes in four trim variants. The customers also have an option of four wheel drives and front wheel drive option, with two different engine choices.

The base model SE comes with all standard equipments , six speaker CD audio system, four cylinder engine,16 inch steel wheels, roof rails, cloth upholstery, leather wrapped steering wheel, cruise control, remote key-less ignition, and full power accessories. The high end GT comes with All wheel drive mode selector, active front differential, and hill start assist. Some standalone features of the Mitsubishi Outlander 2011 include hard drive based navigation system with digital music storage, rear-view camera, as well as remote engine start.

The Mitsubishi Outlander SE and ES trim levels comes with four cylinder 2.4 litre engine. The GT and XLS trim comes with a 3.0 litre V6 engine. The Outlander is stacked with all the safety features like anti-lock disc brakes, side full airbags, stability controls, and front side airbags. The Outlander has got five star rating for front and side impact protection.

The interiors of the Mitsubishi Outlander 2011 are designed very beautifully with soft touch door trim, and instrument panel. With third and second row seats folded you get ample of cabin space, which is quite spacious for this sports utility vehicle.

Overall the Mitsubishi Outlander 2011 is a fun vehicle to drive around, with agile handling, smooth gear shifts and brisk acceleration for this size of vehicle. It is the best handling crossover in its class with all the tech features inside its cabin and ample space for a large family to drive around. The configuration of this vehicle enhances the performance and stability, over the all out performance of the vehicle.

Yeti Škoda: A Crossover from Škoda

The Yeti from Škoda is a very stylish and practical purpose vehicle. It is a great alternative to hatchback cars. Yeti Škoda is a great crossover for families, with sharp steering and controls. It is also a fun vehicle to drive. This car offers lot of cabin space and 4×4 options for off- roads.

Yeti Škoda has a unique design, which provides it with a rugged feel and look. The looks are enhanced by its tall silver roof rails extending from front to back, which also compliments the silver brush guards, which protects the outer surface of the car from scratches, but also gives the car a new rugged image.

Let us see the general specifications of the car:
Yeti Škoda is available in four trims, with the choice of four engines and also option of two or four wheel drives. The DSG transmission is available in the 1.2 TSI 105bhp petrol engine variant. Yeti Škoda has Driver, passenger front, and side and curtain air bags. The steering wheel is height and reach, adjustable with four spokes. The vehicle is equipped with halogen projector headlights, Remote central locks, and Manual air conditioning with automatic regulation. It is fitted with a 2 DIN radio, with an integrated single CD player. Warning lights in the front of the door. Maxi-dot trip computer, Acoustic rear parking sensors, front fog lights, rain sensor and auto-dimming rear view mirror, full leather upholstery. Yeti Škoda is fitted with a 16 inch alloy wheels and lot of chrome on the radiator grills, air conditioning, door handles, and on the locking button of the hand brakes. For the safety of its passengers along with airbags Škoda has equipped the Yeti with ABS, EBD. The rear windows are child proof.

Along with the above and many more features in this car, one can enjoy a very good ride. Except for a few drawbacks, like the ride is jittery, with some road and wind noise. The back seats are little bit heavy to lift out and awkward to replace, but with the sharp steering and ample space inside the Yeti Škoda, it is a very fun car to drive around with large families. For those who would like to explore the rough countryside roads, the 4×4 option is the best offering. It has all the gizmos for an off roader.

Yeti Škoda is an excellent day to day car as well as a serious off roader. It has lots of options for all the different types of consumer, to choose from.

2010 SAAB 95 Review

Saab’s latest sedan has been described as the best offer for a relaxed driving experience. The new-look Saab 95 is sleeker, smarter and has more of the characteristics that users have come to associate with Saab. The current Saab 95 has been designed to offer more ample space giving a refreshingly clean, simple take on interior design.
The sedan features a heavily revised version of GM’s front-wheel-drive Epsilon II platform which is shared by Opel’s new Insignia range. For differentiation purposes, Saab’s engineers have put in a stiffer suspension set-up, a new steering rack and a different range of electronics.

Typical Saab features include joystick-controlled air vents that have multilayer grids, some new dials that have been visually-improved and displays with green needles. One setting even has an on-screen rendering of a rotating drum speedometer. The engine range starts with a 180bhp, 1.6-liter petrol turbo and is topped by a 2.8 liter, twin turbo V6 with a massive 300bhp.
One version, fitted with 4WD was used in a Swedish test track to demonstrate the ease with which the Saab 95 can negotiate crests, dips, turns and twists. Using the DriveSense controls, which alter engine response, steering weight, dumping and torque distribution between front and rear axles, the Saab 95 can be turned from a boulevard to a proper sports saloon.

The performance is impressive for a large car, achieving 0-62 miles per hour in an estimated 6.7 seconds with a top speed of up to 155 mph. It also fares well at low speeds, owing to a twin-scroll turbo and direct fuel injection which work together to reduce lagging that is a feature on older turbo engines.
A vibrant anti-freeze green is the dominant interior color. There are also touchscreen satellite-navigation buttons in addition to the ambient lighting. The trademark ignition barrel by the gear lever has been replaced by a button on the dashboard.

The new and improved Ssangyong in the name of Ssangyong Actyon

Ssangyong Actyon is a series of SUV built in rather compressed form and is new and improved when compared to Ssangyong Korando and Ssangyong Musso Sports. The engine is more fuel efficient than any other Ssangyong models. The Ssangyong Actyon Sports SUT is like a pick-up truck not just in its size but also is its capabilities. The design of this vehicle , however, is not very attractive according to me and rather looks like a shark with a gaping mouth. It has a lower ride height thus ensuring easy exit and entry in the passenger cabin. Unlike Toyota, Ford and Isuzu who made their SUVs from a truck platform, Ssangyong Actyon made its trucks from the SUVs platform thus giving them a look of almost a passenger car. The interior of the car is nice, pretty much like all the modern trucks and the seats as well as the mirror are electrically adjustable.

The rear bench has three headrests and is a little slanted for better comfort. The rear legroom is plenty but an over-sized person may have problem sitting at the back comfortably. The foot-well is quite narrow for tall people but its fine for average and great for short heighten people. Padding of the seats, especially the rear ones, is not very good. In short, a tall and/or healthy person cannot sit properly inside this vehicle. One of my friends who had a test drive in it told me that the test cars had an automatic digital air conditioning panel but the production cars have those usual three-knob manual air conditioning controls. There are 2 cup-holders almost hidden by a sliding cover, a glove-box and another storage area in the arm rest. There is also one sunglasses holder and a ticket holder. The handbrake is in a strange position. It is on the left of the gear shifter instead of being on the right. The large steering wheel has audio controls on it. The engine and the gearbox combo of Actyon has a 4-speed auto but it has a VGT engine. A VGT is short form of “Variable Geometry Turbocharger” which belong to the family of turbochargers of course. It is usually designed to allow the effective aspect ratio (air/fuel ration) to be altered according to the speed. Due to this the Actyon`s engine is amazingly smooth and vibration free. The engine is a 4-cylinder third generation direct injection turbo-diesel with inter-cooler that puts out 141 PS at 4000 rpm. The engine is controlled by a 32 bit ECU. The 4 speed automatic gearbox has normal, power and winter modes.
Testing of Ssangyong Actyon:

The top speed that can be achieved on a normal and straight road is around 190 km/h and in the downhill areas it is about 195 km/hr at around 4250 rpm. The red line is 4500 rpm. For the safety measures, there are driver and front passenger SRS airbags. The seat-belts have pee-tensioners with load limiters, i.e., they tighten up at first in a collision and then the load limiter loosens it progressively as the airbag deploys. The steel ladder frame chassis has a triple layer construction and the truck body is reinforced to work as a safety cell for collisions. The door locks automatically when the car reaches a speed of 50 km/hr but also unlocks when there is a collision. The steering wheel is collapsible and the doors have side impact beams.

The Seat Cupra is a car model that is made by the Spanish car manufacturer to target the small family car market. Since October 1998, the Seat has produced remarkable models of automobiles that have indeed exhibits amazing performance, adds on the fun and at the same time offering reasonably priced cars to the market. The various latest Seat models include: Seat Ibiza Cupra, Seat Leon Cupra and Seat Leon Cupra R.

The Seat Ibiza Cupra has the most breathtaking features that would appeal to any car enthusiast. With its great grip and amazing acceleration, this particular model is guaranteed to offer the ultimate automobile experience. This master piece has great amazing performance with a 1.8 20VT engine reaching 60mph in an unbelievable 7.1 seconds, and has a top speed of 142mph.
The Seat Ibiza Cupra comes in various colors and has 1.9 DTI fuel consumption engine and comes with features that guarantee safety to drivers having double front and air bags on the side. This model, 3953mm in length, 1441mm in height and 1698 mm in width, is amazingly compact and could fit in standard garages. Being priced at only 14,650-15,595 pounds, this is a must have for any car enthusiasts.
Seat Ibiza Cupra 2010:

The latest Seat Leon Cupra has remarkable engine performance that has a capability of reaching 60mph in just 6.1 seconds. It has traction of the line that’s excellent offering the much needed grip on the road. This master piece has a latest deal of 13,741-23,648 pounds price and 15,615-25,985 pounds on the road price, which is actually fairly priced given its awesome engine performance.
The latest Seat Leon Cupra comes in wide range of colors that offer the buyer with a choice. This model would be a must have, since it comes with a Seat’s Warranty and actively allows for monthly payment basis for those buyers cant afford to buy at once.

Indeed, the latest Seat Cupra models are built to offer effective automobile experiences.

Buying any used car can be a stressful thought for many of us. However, one question that I am always asked is “Which used car is the best? or “Which used car will give me the least trouble?” Well, the simple answer to this question is that any used car can be good as long as you do the proper checks on the vehicle. That said, there is more to buying a used car than just the checks, for example it is important to consider the car manufacturer. Buying a used Jaguar is often something that many car lovers consider, but are put off by the misconception that this maker will be out of the their price range. Jaguars are expensive when they have just run off the factory floor, but the used market will have some amazing prices that may open your eyes. Used Jaguars, can in some cases make more sense than buying a cheaper alternative like an Alfa Romeo.

Why is this?
The main reason for this is the residual value on a used Jaguar will be higher than that of an Alfa Romeo. There are many factors that affect residual values, but one of the main reasons is the reputation of the brand. Jaguars for many years have been the first choice in the luxury car market; they have led the way in innovation and style. Jaguars of recent times have made their competition sit up and take notice. The advent of the mouth watering XK8 with its powerful V12 engine is enough to make anyone stop and look. Over the last few years Jaguar has managed to re vamp and re-design their whole car range.
New or Used
New Jaguars are not cheap by anyone’s standard, so often many of us look to the used Jaguar market to get in to the car we want. The reliability of Jaguar has never been in question, so all in all we know it to be a cast iron choice in the used car market. Like with any purchase, buying ‘used’ has some major advantages. To begin with, buying used will save you the first year of depreciation so you can rest assured that the money you would have normally lost can be safely tucked away in your bank account. Buying used can also open up your car choices, as the value will be generally lower than buying new. An example could be that, you may want a 3.0 litre petrol car will all the bells and whistles, but you know that your bank balance may only stretch to a 2.0 litre base model with a standard paint finish. Sometimes, in the used car market you may have to compromise on some on the things on your wish list. The colour could be one area that you may have to bend on and in some cases you may have to lose one option in replace of another. These areas are minor when you consider that you could be driving a make and model of your dreams.
Verdict
All car makers have their good and bad points, however most luxury car makers have managed to eliminate the bad points. Buying used over new in this economic climate is viewed by many as the best way forward when considering buying a replacement car. Used cars really have now become even more popular as even the most rigid new car buyers are now following form. New cars are always a nice thought, as we all get carried away with the brand new reg aspect and the infamous new car smell, but these factors only last a week or two at best and in the long term you will end up out of pocket.