Keema News - Jun 2010

Edmunds.com, a premier U.S. online resource for automotive information, has named the Hyundai Genesis* and i45 (sold as Sonata in the U.S.) in its Top 10 Best Dark-Horse Cars of 2010 list, which showcases vehicles worthy of more serious consideration by car shoppers.

The Top 10 Best Dark-Horse Cars of 2010 represent the true dark horses in the market identifying vehicles that somehow fly just below the radar when it comes to consumer awareness but nevertheless have a lot to offer shoppers on the hunt for quality and value.

Warren Clarke, Automotive Content Editor at Edmunds.com described the i45 as "a true game-changer".

For more information about the Top 10 Best Dark-Horses Cars of 2010 from Edmunds.com, visit http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/list/top10/163846/article.html.

Note: *Hyundai Genesis is not available in Australia

Suzuki's stunning new Kizashi has been named as one of the greenest mid-sized cars in the country.

The Federal Government's Green Vehicle Guide (GVG) has rated the Kizashi at four and a half stars out of a maximum five, ensuring Suzuki's first ever mid-sized car is one of the cleanest and most fuel efficient cars in the segment.

Suzuki Australia General Manager Tony Devers welcomed the GVG rating and praised the efforts of Suzuki engineers in producing a car with outstanding performance and efficiency.

"Conservation is a core value of all Suzuki products and the Kizashi's high rating is validation of the effort made by Suzuki Motor Corporation engineers.

"It means Kizashi is easier on the planet than key mid-size competitors including the Honda Accord Euro and Mazda6 and many small cars such as the Toyota Corolla and Holden Cruze.

"In fact, the Kizashi has a higher rating than numerous light cars, including the Holden Barina and Mazda 2," Devers explained.

Official economy figures for the Kizashi are 7.9 litres per 100 kilometres, while producing just 186 grams of CO2 per kilometre.

The new Nissan Pathfinder has arrived and boasts class-leading turbodiesel

torque from its enhanced 2.5-litre engine, lifting it above its immediate

competitors in the medium SUV segment.

With improved equipment levels across the three model grades, a revised interior and

freshened exterior styling, the adventure-friendly, seven-seat new Nissan Pathfinder

will be more popular than ever.

Beefier turbo-diesel torques up towing

The headline news is the update to the already well-liked YD25 turbo-diesel

powerplant. The 2.5-litre capacity is unchanged, but peak power output rises to

140kW, up 14kW or 11 per cent in the upgraded YD25 engine and maximum torque

muscles its way to 450Nm, a 12 percent improvement (up from 403Nm).

This engine will be available across the three model grade Nissan Pathfinder range,

in ST, ST-L and Ti guises, and it out-muscles most of Pathfinder's traditional rivals.

The new Nissan Pathfinder turbo-diesel engine not only boosts increased output,

making it all the more enjoyable to drive off-road, it can tow loads of up to 3,000kg

effortlessly (trailer with brakes). Furthermore, fuel consumption and emission levels

have declined, while overall refinement improves.

Fuel consumption has improved as well, with the manual transmission model achieving

a creditable 8.5-litres/100km combined (a 15 percent improvement over the former

YD25 engine), while the automatic transmission achieves 9.0-l/100km combined.

Overwhelming demand for diesel power by Pathfinder buyers sealed the fate of the

previous petrol powerplant for the Pathfinder range.

June 2, 2010

FUEL Co2

Engine Manual Automatic Manual Automatic

YD25 9.8l/100kms 10.2l/100kms 264gms/km 276gms/km

Upgraded Y25

Engine

8.5 l/100kms 9.0l/100kms 224gms/km 238gms/km

Improvement 15% 13% 18% 16%

Fresh face for Pathfinder

The revised Nissan Pathfinder has a new face thanks to a revised bonnet, grille and

a new bumper assembly. Adding 80mm to Pathfinder's length, the bumper is more

rounded and lends a more sporting and modern touch to the car.

Further enhancements include a new headlight design and Ti models now feature

Xenon headlights for improved illumination at night and in poor visibility. The Xenon

headlights also boast auto levelling and headlight washers concealed in the bumper

moulding.

New Nissan Pathfinder ST-L and Ti models add electric folding door mirrors.

The new Pathfinder also adopts a new bumper design at the rear with squared off

edges to give a larger and lower mass for a more stable, tougher appearance.

New interior impresses on sight

Changes to the Nissan Pathfinder's welcoming cabin boost the impression of quality

and include a completely revised central dash cluster. There are also revised door

trims, new seat fabric, including leather seat trim for ST-L models and chrome

highlights.

Nissan Pathfinder ST-L customers will also enjoy further features previously restricted

to the Ti models; electrically adjustable and heated front seats, as well as driver seat

and door mirror memory settings.

For Nissan Pathfinder Ti customers, previous wood grain trim is replaced by a more

modern and fresh metallic trim, complete with revised dials and all-wheel-drive

switchgear controls

User-friendly technology update

Nissan Pathfinder brings many exciting technological enhancements to the range,

giving it a competitive edge in the very busy medium SUV segment.

All new Nissan Pathfinder models are equipped with a Bluetooth handsfree phone

system (with compatible phone models), controlled via the touch of a button from the

steering wheel Bluetooth controls.

All models now also include audio controls on the steering wheel (new for ST models)

and these are now illuminated for improved visibility and ease of use.

The ST model adds a 6 CD in-dash auto-changer, while all models add an auxiliary

MP3 player input jack for plug and play functionality for iPod and iPhone.

For the up-spec ST-L and Ti models, the Nissan Intelligent Key is included, allowing

keyless entry for added convenience, while the ST-L model adds the rear parking

sensors previously fitted to Ti models.

Media Information

The top-of-the-range Pathfinder Ti gains a significant technological enhancement,

in the form of the latest Nissan IT innovation: a communication and music system

featuring a hard drive-based Satellite Navigation system complete with touch screen

control, 3D navigation guide and local points of interest information. All these

functions are displayed via a large-scale 7-inch colour screen.

This extensively featured entertainment system includes a 9.3GB "Music Box" hard

drive, which allows drivers to rip their CD collection straight onto the system's hard

drive. There is an auxiliary MP3 player input jack, as well as full iPod (or USB storage

device) connectivity via a USB connection.

When an iPod is connected to the system, it may then be controlled via the colour

display and touch screen, allowing easy selection of songs, playlists and artists.

The Ti model's entertainment system capabilities mean only a single CD slot is

required; the player is able to read DVDs, and plays vision through the centrally

mounted screen (only when the handbrake is applied for safety reasons).

A further new feature is the fitment of a reversing camera to Ti models as standard.

This camera provides Predictive Path Technology to aid reversing.

The popular rear seat DVD entertainment unit continues as part of the Ti model specification.

Safety first

The Nissan P

The all-new Honda CR-Z sport hybrid coupe has made its Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3 Expo) debut.

Evocative of many video games, the Honda CR-Z introduces a number of interactive features including a new three-mode drive system that allows the driver to select between Sport, Econ (Economy) and Normal driving models.

"E3 Expo is the perfect venue to showcase the all-new CR-Z", said Steven Center, Vice President of Marketing Operations for American Honda.

"The engaging and sporty driving experience found in the CR-Z feels like something out of the latest racing video game. Gamers will feel at home behind the wheel of the CR-Z - whether it be in front of a console or on the open road," he said.

Along with the CR-Z debut, Honda also announced that the sport hybrid coupe will appear in several video games including:

- Car Town by CIE Studios (Online, PC and Xbox Live)

- Nitto Legends 1320 by CIE Studios (Online and PC)

- Gran Turismo 5 by Sony (Sony PS3 and PSP)

The CR-Z is set to go on sale in Australia, late 2011.

Kia's light passenger vehicle the Rio has found itself in greener pastures following a recent upgrade which included meeting the requirements of a more stringent emissions standard.

From April production this year all Kia Rios will satisfy the latest emission specification, Euro IV. In doing so the pint sized passenger car has earned itself five stars and worked its way into the top 20 "green cars" according to the Green Vehicle Guide, an Australian Government initiative.

The Rio joins the list in 15^th position just a couple of spots behind the Soul in 13^th making Kia the only manufacturer to have two mainstream vehicles in the top 20 which aren't either hybrid or "green modified".

The five seat Rio with the 1.4 litre 4-cylinder petrol engine matched to a five speed manual transmission found in the S and LE Sport models, leads the charge boasting urban fuel consumption of 8.6 litres per 100km and combined urban and open road consumption of 6.6 litres per 100km.

These provided Rio with an overall rating of 158 grams of CO2 per kilometre and a 7.5 out of 10 Greenhouse Rating with one being the worst and 10 meaning the best.

The 1.4 litre petrol engine also returned an equal best Air Pollution Rating of 8.5 out of 10. This rating measures the different emissions components including carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx). It also analyses the amount of particulate matter like soot, released into the atmosphere.

Kia Motors Australia President and CEO Mr MK Kim said the Corporation has been committed to answering the global challenge for several years.

"Kia Motors Corporation is committed to designing and building cars that not only offer increased performance and safety but also offer improved eco-friendly designs and engineering," Mr Kim said.

"In 2009, we unveiled the Forte (Cerato) LPi Hybrid, the culmination of 20 years of effort aimed at

developing green vehicles with high fuel economy and low emissions. In that same year we managed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 10.8% per vehicle compared to 2008."

"This attitude also flows down through manufacturing. From 2008 all Kia production and after sales sites in Korea have maintained an inventory of greenhouse gasses and have carried out third party assurance reviews. By 2011 the scope of those reviews will include all of our plants including Slovakia, China and the USA."