CAR ADVICE

Ford’s staple small car looks set to gain a new jumbo-sized infotainment screen, shared with its maker’s latest electric vehicles sold overseas. The facelifted 2022 Ford Focus small car appears set for a major technology upgrade, with new spy photos pointing to the fitment of a supersized infotainment touchscreen inspired by Tesla . Two updated Focus prototypes were snapped testing by our spy photography partners overnight, a high-spec ‘standard’ Focus and the high-performance ST – but it’s the regular model that’s of most interest, as visible through the front-left side window is a large new freestanding infotainment screen that protrudes from the dashboard. While the perspective of the image makes it difficult to confirm, it appears the Focus will be the latest Ford model to gain the brand’s latest Sync 4 infotainment system housed within a Tesla -like portrait touchscreen, as employed by the latest Mustang Mach-E electric SUV and F-150 Lightning electric pick-up o...

The 2021 Range Rover Evoque is posh, premium and packed with tech, but it’s not perfect. What we love Styling is sleek and elegant New infotainment system is a winner Warranty is longer than its main rivals What we don’t The drive doesn’t inspire No ports for back seat passengers Once you start adding options it becomes very pricey Introduction The 2021 Range Rover Evoque is one of the more posh-looking cars in the luxury medium SUV segment . It’s not just its style that’s worth boasting about, though, it’s a pragmatic vehicle too.  The previous model of the Evoque offered a far more complicated line-up. Similar to when you go into a restaurant and are handed a menu with far too many choices, it can be quite the head-scratcher.  Thankfully, the new Evoque range has been refined with four versions on offer – all with the sportier-looking R-Dynamic design package fitted as standard. The fresh model also scores snazz...

The new Nissan Qashqai will ditch its predecessor’s ageing 2.0-litre petrol engine in favour of a frugal new 1.3-litre turbo unit – though an upcoming E-Power hybrid expected later in 2022 promises to sip even less fuel. The new-generation 2022 Nissan Qashqai due in showrooms early next year will debut a new 1.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine for the Nissan brand, replacing the ageing 2.0-litre ‘MR’ engine in service in various forms for nearly 15 years. Filings on the Australian government’s Road Vehicle Certification System (RVCS) website confirm the outgoing Qashqai’s 2.0-litre non-turbo four-cylinder petrol engine will be axed, instead making way for a new 1.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine offered in overseas versions of Nissan’s small SUV since 2018 , and in a number of small Renault and Mercedes-Benz vehicles locally. Australian models will develop 110kW – a minor bump over the 106kW of the 2.0-litre engine, and splitting the 103...