The Drive team look back on the hundreds of cars they’ve driven during the year to pick the winners – and a few losers.
Story originally published 12 December, 2002
Another year has bitten the dust and yet again we have another batch of motoring awards. Everyone seems to jump on the bandwagon, from motoring clubs to magazines and even Internet sites.
So, who are we to argue? As is becoming tradition, the Drive team of road testers locked horns to decide the best cars in each category from the hundreds we’ve driven during the year. The following are the cars we judge as leaders in their categories.
Best light car: Mazda 2
Last year the Holden Barina beat all comers to scoop this award. Twelve months down the track the Holden’s standard-setting import finds itself marginally outclassed by an impressive new entry, Mazda’s 2.
For starters, the 2’s price is right. The entry-level Neo model costs $17,790 with standard air-conditioning, which undercuts an equivalently specified Barina, Volkswagen Polo or Honda Jazz by quite some margin.
For your money, you get cheeky styling, a roomy, comfortable and practical interior, plenty of equipment and class-competitive safety gear. Best of all, you get a zesty 82kW 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine, while the Jazz, Barina and Polo make do with less powerful 1.3- and 1.4-litre jobbies.
But what really gets the 2 over the line is the way it drives. While we’ve only sampled the car briefly, its willing engine sounds good and is a delight to use, the gearbox is slick and its handling capabilities are far and above what you’d expect of a tiny hatch. Then there’s the ride, which is tautly controlled but soaks up road uglies effortlessly. All in all, it’s a class act.
Keeping the 2 on its toes are the Barina, which is still one of the best-driving and best-value options in the class, and Renault’s Clio, which is an absolute hoot to drive but loses out because it is much less efficient than its rivals in terms of interior space and packaging.
Also worthy of mention are Hyundai’s sharply priced Getz, which isn’t a class leader but ups the ante for Korean light cars, and Honda’s Jazz, which boasts an innovative and flexible interior but is somewhat less impressive on the road. Citroen’s C3 is also a worthy addition to the light-car class.
Best small car: Holden Astra
It might be only a year or so away from being replaced but Holden’s ageing Astra still has what it takes to give its small-car rivals a good thrashing about the ears.
Okay, the depressingly stodgy black interior isn’t the last word in style, nor will the prices send any of the Korean manufacturers crying home to mum. But consider the roomy and comfortable cabin, gutsy and economical engines, great ride and handling and strong value for money and the reigning small-car champ comes out on top yet again.
Running the Astra close is Toyota’s Corolla. Easily the best yet thanks to its stylish, practical and comfortable interior, perky engine and top-notch build quality, the Corolla loses points because it’s not as strong in the refinement, handling and value-for-money stakes. It’s a similar story for Peugeot’s 307, which brings unmatched safety, equipment and style to the class… but at a price.
Ford’s European-sourced Focus also misses the boat. While the Blue Oval’s latest small car boasts sharp looks, wonderfully slick handling and decent value, its soft engines and patchy interiors consign it to also-ran status.
Best medium car: Mazda 6
No arguments here. The Mazda 6’s combination of zesty performance, competitive comfort and practicality, enthusiastic handling and enviable build quality is unmatched in the class and enough for it to easily take out this year’s mid-sizer crown.
The first product of Mazda’s new corporate direction, the 6 is so much better in all respects than its dreary predecessor, it’s not funny. And, with prices starting from just below $30k for the base model, it represents good buying in a class where sassy styling and driver satisfaction are usually left behind in the search for measured competence.
Keeping the winner honest is the outgoing champ, Subaru’s Liberty. Still a gem by any measure thanks to its fail-safe all-wheel-drive handling, slick refinement and all-round class, Subaru’s mid-sizer only falls behind the Mazda when you factor in price, functionality and ultimate driving enjoyment.
Also worthy of praise is Toyota’s four-cylinder Camry. Big, roomy and comfortable, a strong performer and eminently capable out on the road, its dumpy styling and air of sobriety drop it behind the more entertaining and equally capable options in the class. But if size is your thing, the Camry deserves serious consideration.
Best large car: Ford Falcon
After the unloved AU and the spell in the doldrums that came with it, Ford Australia has come out fighting with the long-awaited and almost totally revised BA Falcon.
A much-improved beast, the BA is genuinely impressive in almost all respects, from its new multi-valve six-cylinder and V8 engines, Tiptronic-style auto gearbox and independent rear suspension to its smooth styling, comely interior and uprated equipment levels. Okay, it’s a bit heavy, so fuel consumption is only average at best, and there have been some minor quality issues, but you won’t get a better large family car for the money. Anywhere.
And that includes Holden dealers, with the updated VY Commodore showing few signs of improvement once you get past the sharper styling and revamped interior. Yes, the steering is better, but the uncouth V6 and rough-as-guts auto gearbox are from the past and, as such, way off the pace set by the impressive new Ford.
Backing up the big two are the traditional bridesmaids, Toyota’s Camry V6 and Mitsubishi’s Magna. While both of these polished performers are super-competent at carting around four adults and their gear, neither holds a candle to the locals when it comes to space, pace or outright driving entertainment. But Mitsubishi, with its Ralliart-modified and all-wheel-drive Magnas, comes closest to succeeding.
Best compact 4WD: Mazda Tribute/Ford Escape
The super-competitive compact four-wheel-drive market got even more hectic this year, with a bunch of soft-roaders making their local debuts.
But none are a match for last year’s compact 4WD champions, the all-but-identical Mazda Tribute and Ford Escape. Priced in the same ballpark as their four-cylinder rivals, the Ford/Mazda twins offer equivalent style, refinement and off-road ability but boast significantly more interior space, as well as a bigger, more powerful V6 engine. Fuel economy isn’t really their strength, but nowhere else will you get more soft-roader for your money.
The best of the four-cylinders is Nissan’s X-Trail, which doesn’t really set any amazing new standards for the class but doesn’t do anything wrong, either. Gutsy, roomy and quite capable off-road, its consistency helped it knock off Honda’s updated CR-V and Toyota’s RAV4, as well as Subaru’s new-generation Forester, in a Drive comparison earlier in the year.
Best prestige car: Mercedes-Benz C-Class
The prestige class just keeps on getting busier, with almost all the traditional players launching new or revised versions of their vital entry-level prestige vehicles this year. For the third year in a row, however, Mercedes-Benz’s C-Class gets up to take the top spot.
With more powerful supercharged engines being added across the four-cylinder range just a couple of months ago, the only real shortcoming of the outgoing C-Class – a lack of grunt – has been tackled. Add the impressive interior space, comfortable ride, predictable roadholding, classy styling, strong resale prospects and all-round driver appeal to the equation and the Mercedes comes out on top.
But only just. Keeping the baby Benz on its toes are BMW’s 3-Series, which outdoes the Mercedes for driver appeal but loses out slightly in the more practical aspects of vehicle ownership, and Audi’s ever-expanding A4 range, which boasts great looks, superb build quality and lots of equipment but fails to match Benz and BMW for driving enjoyment.
Non-German brands are also playing their hands in the prestige market. Alfa Romeo updated its 156 range, adding a sensational direct-injection petrol engine to the line-up, while Renault jumped into the pool with its well-equipped and sharply priced Laguna. Neither, however, has the qualities needed to give the Germans a real fright, despite more attractive pricing.
Best luxury car: Mercedes-Benz E-Class
There was no shortage of action in the luxury-car class this year, with BMW launching its controversially styled new 7-Series and Mercedes-Benz showing off its new-generation E-Class.
Despite looking impressive on paper, however, BMW’s latest limo simply isn’t best luxury car material. While the top-notch drivetrain ensures it’s still a great drive, the awkward styling and complex iDrive operating system are enough to knock the edge right off this technically advanced package.
It’s a different story with our winner, the EClass. Good-looking, well-equipped, packed full of safety gear and blessed with good performance and handling, the new E-Class hits the bull’s-eye in almost all the areas that matter. No, the ride quality isn’t perfect and one of our test cars had a minor quality issue that necessitated a visit to the dealership for attention, but it certainly strikes a much more satisfying balance between high technology and user-friendliness than the beefy Bavarian.
The Mercedes-Benz’s S-Class, meanwhile, boasts an awesome combination of style, performance, comfort and technology. But while last year’s champ is still good enough to give the 7-Series a real headache, its younger and smaller sibling beats it hands-down for value.
Best performance car: Ford Falcon XR6 Turbo
Yes, we know the Falcon has already been given the large car gong, but the new XR6 Turbo offers so much performance for the money we simply can’t go past it when searching for the year’s best performance car.
Priced at a competitive $43,965 in manual form, the 240kW XR6 Turbo has enough grunt on tap to scare a $50k Commodore SS into submission on the right road. But there’s more to the XR6 Turbo than just a healthy power output; it also handles like a true pro, rides like a comfy family cruiser and boasts just the right balance of gentleman and thug in the exterior styling. And if the thought of a sports car with more than two doors puts the fear of God into you, you can always buy the ute version.
Honourable mentions? Well, Subaru’s uprated and debugged (as in finally rid of its bug-eye headlights) Impreza WRX is worthy of a shout, while Holden’s Monaro gets the thumbs up for cloaking an above-average drive in a seriously sexy shape. Nissan’s soon-to-be-discontinued (sob …) 200SX also strikes gold in the driving stakes.
If money is no object: Porsche 911
This is a difficult one. Just what car would we buy if our numbers came up in the lottery and we were blessed with the enviable problem of what to do with a seriously large amount of the folding stuff? It’s probably not a scenario we’ll have to tackle soon, but that doesn’t stop us dreaming.
Mercedes-Benz’s new SL500 roadster and its potent SL55 sibling come perilously close to taking the crown with their gorgeous styling, all-weather capability, strong performance (scorching in the SL55) and Hoover-like handling. In the end, though, they lose out because their hefty kerb weights and luxury-orientated dispositions mean they’re ultimately no match for their rivals in terms of pure, unadulterated driving pleasure.
Maserati’s Coupe/Spyder duo tug at the heartstrings with their superbly powerful and melodic V8 engines but are simply too flawed to take the title. What they do excel at, though, is in offering an authentic Italian supercar experience for around half the price of your typical Ferrari or Lamborghini.
Speaking of Lamborghini, this year it launched the spectacular mid-engined Murcielago. But while the performance of the revvy V12 is magic and the handling miraculous compared to its predecessors, the fiendishly expensive Lambo is simply too big and intimidating to punt along in traffic without fear of reprisal.
So, like last year, Porsche’s eternal 911 takes the gong. Whether it’s the base Carrera, grunty Turbo or fearsome GT2, every 911 offers soul-gratifying performance, handling and braking. Even better, this single-minded discipline has no major negative ramifications for the 911’s impressive practicality and around-town driveability. Buy one and you’ll be almost as happy driving to work as you are out on the track. The only problem is you won’t be alone.
Best large 4WD: Mitsubishi Pajero
It’s been a big year for new releases in the large 4WD class, but Mitsubishi’s Pajero comes out on top for the third year in succession.
The reasons are much the same as last year. Thanks to its monocoque bodyshell (in place of the more common separate chassis/bodyshell layout) and sophisticated, all-independent suspension, the Pajero is still at the forefront of 4WD design. As a result, it’s more user-friendly and comfortable on the road than most of the competition, yet highly capable off the beaten track. It’s also impressively fuel-efficient and good value for money against its rivals. Not so good is the road noise and suspension boom fed through the cabin.
Other additions to the 4WD segment impress, but not enough to take the crown. Toyota has revamped its popular LandCruiser wagon range and the result is a more refined, better-handling and better-value package that remains almost unstoppable off the tarmac. But you pay for the privilege of owning one of the most popular off-roaders around.
Nissan, meanwhile, gave the Patrol a welcome engine boost that improved its on- and off-road performance. But ultimately the big Nissan, despite its effectiveness as an off-road tool, lacks the polish and refinement of its main rivals.
And some of our least favourite …
1 Holden Cruze
Holden’s foray into the compact off-road market got off to a shaky start with the runtish Cruze. Based on a Suzuki Ignis, the tiny 4WD has a snappy engine and funky styling. But it’s undernourishing to drive, with a top-heavy feel and sub-standard dynamics. It may be cute, but it’s not exactly up to the off-road task.
2 Subaru Impreza STi
Wickedly quick on the right road, Subaru’s soon-to-be-updated Impreza STi is cumbersome and sluggish around town. Quite simply, the massive turbo lag (the time it takes for the turbo to spin up to its operating speed) make the STi a pain in traffic. There’s almost no useable grunt below 4000rpm, at which point it lights up like the Space Shuttle. Undeniably fast but hard to live with.
3 Honda NSX
When it comes to supercars, the latest is often the greatest. Given that Honda’s NSX is into its second decade, some new headlights were not about to bring it up to date with the latest Porsches and Ferraris. Great engine but unimpressive overall and hideously overpriced.
4 Mitsubishi Ralliart Magna
Let’s get this straight, the Ralliart Magna isn’t a dog. The engine is great, it’s comfortable and refined and, apart from a touch of torque steer, it handles well. But the styling, oh dear. While we’re all for a touch of visual aggression, the Ralliart’s hysterical bodykit goes about 10 steps too far in the wrong direction. Worse still, the super-low front spoiler scrapes over anything even resembling a driveway.
5 Proton Waja
When Proton announced last year that its 1.6-litre Waja sedan would sell from about $28k, we knew it would have to be an absolutely brilliant drive to escape scathing criticism. Full testing confirmed our suspicions; this was one underdone, poorly finished and overpriced vehicle. No surprise, then, that Proton has just announced a $5000 price cut to revive interest.
6 Subaru Liberty B4 auto
Take an already average twin-turbo engine and hook it up to a clunky and indecisive automatic transmission. It’s a recipe for disaster, and the proof is in the pudding. The transmission hunts and the engine doesn’t flow through its rev range, with dull spots as one turbo hands over to the other. A great idea, but poorly executed.
7 Peugeot 607
The 607 is the flagship Peugeot but also the least impressive. It’s big and loaded with gear, but at about 80 grand it’s not a serious competitor for the BMWs and Mercedes it’s up against. While it may be comfortable, it doesn’t have the blend of ride/handling that characterise the German offerings. Perhaps if it cost less it would stand more of a chance.
8 Hyundai Terracan
Compare Hyundai’s first large off-roader with its counterparts on paper, and it starts to look pretty attractive. But looks are one thing the Terracan does not have in its favour, and the on-road behaviour is not much better. That said, it’s surprisingly capable off-road, where so few people will end up taking them.
9 Honda Insight
The Insight may be the most economical car on the market but it’s also the most compromised. Wayward handling and limited interior space make it a nightmare, especially following the arrival of Toyota’s much more practical Prius.
10 Mercedes-Benz ML55
Okay, so it’s selling like the proverbial, it goes as hard in a straight line and has all the masculinity many people love in their off-roaders. But the ML55’s sports-focused suspension doesn’t do it any favours off-road. And around corners the heavy body lurches around like a dancing hippo.
Story originally published 12 December, 2002So, what happened next?
Holden finished the year as the number car brand in Australia, boosted by sales of its ever-green Holden Commodore (88,478), and claiming bragging rights over arch-rival Ford which enjoyed sales of 54,629 of its new (and our pick of the large sedans) BA Falcon.
Total sales for the year numbered 824,309, a then record eclipsing the previous mark of 807,649 from 1998. But, 2002 would be the last time Holden enjoyed Australian sales supremacy, supplanted by Toyota in 2003 for the first time, beginning an unbroken reign at the top for the Japanese brand that continues to this day.
And further underscoring just how much the new car landscape has changed in the intervening 20 years, just two of the top 10-selling cars in Australia in 2002 were something other than a traditional ‘car’ – Toyota HiLux and Ford Falcon Ute.
Top 10 New Car Sales 2002
| Holden Commodore | 88,478 |
| Ford Falcon | 54,629 |
| Toyota Corolla | 34,948 |
| Toyota Camry | 30,592 |
| Holden Astra | 29,536 |
| Toyota HiLux | 22,515 |
| Mitsubishi Magna | 21,258 |
| Mitsubishi Lancer | 18,646 |
| Ford Falcon Ute | 17,883 |
| Nissan Pulsar | 16,258 |
The post 25 Years of Drive: The best (and worst) cars of 2002 appeared first on Drive.
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