Infiniti QX56

In today’s quest of lessening one’s carbon footprint on the automotive landscape, most manufacturers tend to shy away from the full-size SUVs and offer instead downsized and improved fuel-efficient vehicles. Infiniti on the other hand, continues to play in the premium full-size body on-frame SUV segment with its second generation QX SUV. Larger and more imposing than before, the all-new QX56 boasts loud styling, big power, lots of bright work and high-end equipment to satisfy the most discerning buyers. This niche segment is made up of players from Cadillac with its Escalade, Lincoln Navigator, Lexus LX570 and the luxuriously appointed military grade-style Mercedes G-Wagon. There’s other large SUVs, like the Mercedes GL and Audi Q7, which are more car-like thanks to their unibody type construction. Read more

Mazda3

All it takes is a drive around the parking lot to know that the Mazda3 is not your usual compact econobox. The car in question is the 2.5-litre sedan with six-speed manual transmission. The snug driver’s seat, sporty controls and direct steering give out clues that the Mazda3’s chassis is more substantial. Well, a quick banzai run through some twisty roads reveals the true nature of the Mazda3: it’s a driver’s car and it enjoys an enthusiastic drive.

The steering has just the right amount of feel and feedback from the front tires and combined with the taut suspension, allows the chassis to be entertaining and fun in the corners. There’s very good body control, which gives lots of confidence to the driver. Even the brakes have a nice feel for easy modulation when driven hard. Equally enjoyable is the smooth-revving 2.5-L four-cylinder that makes a nice racy growl at high revs. The throttle pedal Read more