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Peugeot 508 RXH

4/24/2012

No driver will ever put the 508 RXH through the tough test witnessed on its launch to the media.

But it served to illustrate the benefits of a four-wheel drive system based on its diesel-electric powertrain.

It climbed short 60° inclines with no trouble, and it coped with axle-twisting one-wheel-in-the-air antics.

The 508 RXH also looks the part of a semi off-roader with suspension 50mm higher than a standard 508 SW and plastic around the wheel arches.

Volkswagen Tiguan

4/18/2012

The 2008 Tiguan was Volkswagen’s first foray into the compact SUV market.

As with the compact MPV, the company was rather slow off the mark in seeing its significance. Life has become a lot less formal.

People want a vehicle which not only makes the whole life-work thing succeed but “says” something about their take on it too (note avoidance of word “lifestyle”).

VW’s larger Touareg (and Porsche Cayenne twin) arrived in 2002. A highly credible 4x4 on/off-road SUV, it soon established itself among the longer standing front runners. Touareg II in 2010 sustained that – ‘Escape’ model at least – with high/low ratio transfer box and a broad range of 4x4 abiilty.

Kia Soul

4/3/2012

On page six of the press pack that accompanied this week’s test car is the heading ‘What is it?’

I am glad they asked this because to be honest I didn’t really know what to say when asked that very same question by a friend of mine.

Yes, for all you smart Alecs out there I know it is a Kia Soul, but what exactly is a ‘Kia Soul’?

With five doors, five seats and just over four metres in length with a hatchback rear I suppose it could be classed as a city car, but with its unusually high roofline and generous wheelbase others might claim it to be a mini SUV.

Peugeot 508 RXH

Volkswagen Tiguan

Kia Soul

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