Trafikjournalen (Test: 1955 TORSHALLA POESY KOMBI)

[Knugcab]

REPRINT FROM #17 1975
REVIEW OF ROSEWOOD BOVINUS

WHEN CULTURES CLASH

The Rosewood Bovinus does not scream “USA” when you first look at it. Rosewood has avoid the temptation to go for the “Brougham” look that now is so popular, and the car has clean, almost European styling.

In the United States, the Rosewood Bovinus is seen as a reasonable, sensible family sedan, sold at a reasonable, sensible price. In fact, its dimensions means that it is classed as a “compact” over there. In Sweden, things are different. It is sized somewhere between large family cars and luxury barges, seen from an european standpoint, and combined with the V8 engine, it means that it has to fight some of the top contenders on the market. So, our mission is now to see - does it stand a chance at all?

DRIVING CHARACTERISTICS
No, it does not convince us. As American as it is, it is still using relatively simple technology with a solid rear axle, albeit with a somewhat sophisticated coil sprung arrangement, and not the leaf springs still used by some manufacturers. The handling characteristics are unpredictable, with the car switching between under- and oversteering in a less than desirable manner - a relatively light tail end, heavy rear axle and powerful engine does not help, we guess. In fact, the torquey V8, combined with the weight distribution and fuel saver tyres means that taking off might be hard without spinning the rear wheels.

Brake distances are at least fair - here is where the americans has been improving lately. 41.7 metres from 100 km/h is not a bad number at all, we saw no tendency for the rear wheels to lock up before the front, however, when driven hard, we noticed a tendency for the rear drum brakes to fade - during normal conditions they should be more than enough, though.

Maneuvering in city traffic could of course not be compared to a smaller car, but power steering is standard and offers an adequate compromise between road feel and driveability.

VERDICT: **

PERFORMANCE
The fire breathing muscle cars from a few years back are dead - but nobody could accuse the Rosewood for being slow. Despite the automatic transmission eating some of the power coming from the 233 hp V8, 0-100 is done in 7.99 seconds, 80-120 in 4.8 seconds, the quartermile in 16.02 seconds and it tops out at 222 km/h. More than adequate for most people indeed.

VERDICT: ****

COMFORT
Calling the Rosewood uncomfortable would be a stretch - but it really isn’t something special either. Springs are actually a bit more firm than you would expect on a car like this, which by no means equals a harsh ride, it’s just not great. Seating comfort is rather average too - but it has bucket seats up front, at least. It could not be accused for being noisy either - we would say that it is about average on that level.

VERDICT: ***

From this angle, you could almost spot some similarities with a well known German brand, but what it does not have is the trunk space of that German.

ROOMINESS AND PRACTICALITY
The Rosewood is roomy for its passengers, which is expected for a car this size, it seats 5 without any problems. The trunk space, however, is another chapter, it is more comparable to many small cars, and with a maximum payload of 300 kg, the luggage better has to be light too.

VERDICT: ***

EQUIPMENT AND INTERIOR
As we stated earlier, this is no luxury car. You get power steering and a radio with 8 track player as the only gizmos over what could be considered standard today. Driver’s ergonomics are OK, maybe the steering wheel is placed a bit low for some drivers, decreasing the kneeroom and making for a somewhat tiresome driving position, but that’s fairly individual. It has modern steering wheel stalks for most controls instead of buttons scattered all over the dash, and the fit and finish are up to modern standards, with a molded plastic dash that is colour keyed to the rest, and cloth upholstery that seems to be of a reasonable quality.

VERDICT: ***

The recessed heater controls may be fiddly, especially when wearing gloves in the wintertime, but generally both design and finish on the inside are up to modern standards.

ENGINE AND DRIVETRAIN
A 6.3 litre V8 is highly questionable now after the oil crisis, but sure, it gives the car frisky performance. Other than that, there is nothing exciting about it. It does its job, without too many drawbacks, and the torque curve is nice and flat, but that’s only expected.

What’s a positive surprise, though, is the 4 speed automatic transmission when most competitors have 3. It works well and the gearing seems to suit the car.

VERDICT: ***

QUALITY AND RELIABILITY
Simple technology means that the Rosewood will probably hold up, and we didn’t see too much of sloppy workmanship in the car. It is by no means a bank vault, but seems to be reasonably well built. A galvanized ladder chassis will probably keep structural rust away for the whole lifecycle of the car, too.

VERDICT: ****

ECONOMY
At $17200 it is fairly cheap for what you get, but of course the large V8 takes its toll when it comes to fuel economy, 17.8 litres per 100 km. At least it runs on cheap regular fuel. Service costs are about average, $791.6 AMU. Sort of a mixed bag here, really, but it does not have to be a disaster if you don’t do too many miles per year.

VERDICT: **

SAFETY
The size of the car, combined with the american safety regulations being rather strict, means that there is a decent level of safety. Don’t expect much more than that, though. It is missing some of the latest safety equipment and has nothing more than you expect from a car today, and the primitive ladder chassis means that the crumple zones probably are less than optimal.

VERDICT: ***

FINAL VERDICT: 27/45
The Rosewood is a rather average car, and our question is, who needs this one? In the US, it still makes perfect sense, but as we said, a V8 car this size is considered a luxury in our market. Then it needs to be better than this. Which would also mean more expensive. On the other hand, most people on a tight budget will not consider the Rosewood anyway.

But if you want a decently roomy family sedan, don’t want to pay more than necessary and values performance above everything else, then…sure.

We’re just not sure how many of you that actually exists.

---

Thanks to @SheikhMansour for the car!

[interior]

Is there a waiting list for submissions?

[Knugcab]

Not really. It might be if I get too many of them.

By the way, not a requirement, but still a suggestion:
The Swedish plates that now is available as a mod is way too modern for everything except the very latest cars. I would appreciate if (at least pre-2018) cars sent in would have an euro sized plate with a plain white colour as the material, which makes it easy for me to make somewhat realistic Swedish plates for that model year, to get the most authentic pictures. Thanks!

[Knugcab]

REPRINT OF #19 2020
REVIEW OF MARA XENIA 1.2 LX

RESPECTING ITS HERITAGE

We’re careful at judging cars by their looks, but most people will probably not see the plain and somewhat blobby Mara as the winner of any beauty contests. On the other hand, why should it be?

For people that values bang-for-the-buck over brand snobbery, Mara has been the choice for many years. The Archanan company simply have nailed the right formula in how to save on the less necessary stuff to still make a competent package, for a surprisingly cheap price, time after time. The Xenia is the latest of models in a lineage that started with the classic Irena in the 60s. It is far from new, though, as you may know the model has been on the market for six years now, and was facelifted two years ago. Since it could be interesting to see if it still holds up, and gives you the traditional Mara experience of getting lots of car for your money, we decided to take a Xenia in its 1.2 litre hatchback form for a spin.

DRIVING CHARACTERISTICS
The Xenia has decently safe handling, and won’t surprise you as a driver. It may start plowing with the front end on its skinny Archanan budget tyres relatively easy, but that’s predictable, and often easily solved with stepping off the gas. With that said, “exciting” is far from the word that should be used about its dynamics, and there is a fair amount of body roll. We’re not impressed by the brakes that shows some fading, but stopping distances are adequately short at exactly 40 metres from 100 km. Part of its less exciting behaviour is probably the primitive chassis technology. A torsion beam rear axle combined with struts up front, and not even disc brakes all around. But in this price class it could be seen as adequate.

The compact outer dimensions suggests that it is more a joy in crowded city traffic than on a windy mountain road. Partly true and only slightly questionable because of the all around vision that is a bit hampered like most cars with this bodyshape, and the fact that getting anything else than a manual still costs extra. But the electric power steering is light even if the feedback from the road is limited.

VERDICT: **

Drive too fast through a corner and this happens. Looks dramatic but it should be kept in mind that the Mara is at its limits and with the ESC turned off here.

PERFORMANCE
By the standards of today, the Mara is a bit sluggish indeed, though not dangerously slow. 0-100 takes 13.1 seconds, the 80-120 sprint taking 10.4 seconds means that overtaking needs some planning, while the top speed is 196 km/h. Quartermile is done in 19.02 seconds. Far from a rocket, but that was not expected at this price either.

VERDICT: **

COMFORT
Not much to mention here. The Mara is small, on a rather short wheelbase, and the suspension is a bit firm (but not harsh). Seating comfort is fair, but not more than that, and both the engine- and road noise is at average levels. Once again, this shows that it can be hard to find the right compromise between comfort and handling with a torsion beam axle on a FWD car. But then again, the Mara is far from a torture chamber.

VERDICT: **

ROOMINESS AND PRACTICALITY
For its size, the 5 door version of the Mara is incredibly roomy both for passengers and luggage. Also, the liftback bodystyle means that the car is flexible. Need more practicality still? Buy the wagon. Can do with a little less? Buy the smaller 3 door version. We appreciate the choice but also we see the 5 door as a great compromise.

VERDICT: ****

EQUIPMENT AND INTERIOR

The interior of the Mara is minimalistic and mostly upholstered in black vinyl/plastic and black cloth (of reasonable quality). Some people complained that the steering wheel was too far from the seat, in relation to the pedals, which should be kept in mind, since it is highly individual if it will work for you or not. But overall it looks decent, especially for a budget car. It does not offer much in the way of gizmos, though. At least it has a bluetooth/CD stereo with a not too tinny sound. Seeing steel wheels on a car today is almost getting rare, but hey, they are round and you can mount tyres on them, so what’s wrong?

VERDICT: **

ENGINE AND DRIVETRAIN
We were honestly a bit surprised to see a turbo on the 1.2 litre engine, considering that it only cranks out 80 hp. Sure, it is tuned for effiency but we still question if the extra complexity of a turbocharged engine was really necessary in this case. But it should be said that it also means that the flexibility is great, it has lots of torque in the whole rev range. It’s also quiet - but a bit harsh and unrefined as the 3-cylinder it is. It also has clean emissions.

The gearbox is a 5 speed manual, and well…it is what it is. Maybe a 6 speed would have allowed for both more overdrive and a closer gearing with this little engine - but we can think of worse ways of cutting corners.

VERDICT: **

QUALITY AND RELIABILITY
At a first glance, you might not recognize the Mara as some kind of quality car. But fact is, the car has been out for some years now, and the verdict from the owners? Excellent, never any problems! The safety inspection says the same thing, Xenias often pass them with flying colours. Rust? Yeah, not as excellent there, but it is mainly found on early examples with high mileage and lacking care. We could not think of many cars in any price class that offers such a trouble free experience.

VERDICT: *****

ECONOMY
$19900 AMU for a car today - excellent. At 5.6 litres per 100 km, the fuel economy is decent too, and at $619.1 AMU, servicing is unbelievably cheap. If there is a cheaper way to get into a new car than this, we want to see it.

VERDICT: *****

SAFETY
The Mara will never come out as a champion in an Euro-NCAP test since it lacks a lot of the latest gizmos. With that said, for most people it will probably be an alternative to an older car that doesn’t have them either. On top of that, being a small and light car in an era of SUVs is probably not doing it any favours safety wise. With that said, it has most of the passive safety systems one might expect today, like 8 airbags and seatbelts with pretensioners and load limiters on all places. So, if you’re confident that you can steer and brake yourself, it’s probably not too bad. Unless your opponent carries an “Innis” or “Deer & Hunt” badge.

VERDICT: **

FINAL VERDICT: 25/45
This would have been seen as a great car in the 90s, fact is that it feels a lot like a throwback to the 90s, for the better and for the worse. On the other hand, people were driving back then, too, without too much struggle. Competitiors are sharper at everything, sure, but at what cost?

Once again, Mara proves that they can build decent cars for almost hilariously low prices. But maybe the cars are lagging a little bit more behind now than the Irena or Zvizda were back in the days. That might of course be understandable, considering all the bells and whistles in the cars of today.

But we would like to see what other car that would be better than this for an equally low price. We bet that won’t happen anytime soon.

---

Thanks to @AndiD for the car!

[AndiD]

Many thanks - and just in time for the Xenia’s rallying cousin to come second place in its debut: Tom Henks Racing Series [Season 1 - Round 1, first race results] - #37 by TheTom

Same shell (but 3-door), and same engine block!

[Knugcab]

Mara is not without a rich motorsport pedigree, indeed.

[Knugcab]

REPRINT FROM #17 1991
REVIEW OF VV ATHENA

GOOD THINGS IN A SMALL PACKAGE

The styling of the Athena is futuristic, still without being too quirky for mr Average to accept.

The VV Athena is an interesting newcomer on the market. At a first glance it might be a little bit surprising. Size-wise, at 425 cm of length it could be compared to, for example, IP:s new Warbler. Yet it is fair more expensive than even the top model of said car. The reason is that this French compact is packed with advanced technology. Worth the premium, or a waste of money?

DRIVING CHARACTERISTICS
The chassis of the Athena is very advanced, with independent suspension all around and hydropneumatic suspension. That should translate into good handling, right? Well, generally, yes. It feels nimble and quick in its reactions at lower speeds. Push it hard, though, and you get reminded of the front wheel drive by some front end plow, nothing that is remarkably bad though. Maybe it shows some more body lean than some people would like, too. The power steering is of the variable type and works reasonably well. ABS and a traction control system increases the safety in slippery conditions. At the small skidpad we managed to get values of 0.91 G, on the large one 0.87.

Brakes are very good with a short stopping distance from 100 of 39.1 metres. They are easy to dose and shows almost no fading at all.

VERDICT: ****

PERFORMANCE
At 120 hp, the Athena is no rocket, but it has a relatively low weight at 1207 kg, and does the 0-100 sprint in 9.9 seconds. A top speed of 216 km/h, a relatively low 80-120 time of 6.84 seconds and quartermile times of 17.23 seconds also feels reasonable. We would say that for regular driving, the performance figures are more than adequate.

VERDICT: ***

COMFORT
Thanks to the hydropneumatic suspension, with a comfort oriented tuning, probably unbeatable in this class. Seating comfort are wonderful in nicely contoured, high quality velour upholstered seats. The already quiet engine is almost hard to notice in the well insulated passenger area, as well as the tyre- and wind noise. If any compact car is suitable for long trips, it is this one. It gives much larger cars a run for their money.

VERDICT: *****

ROOMINESS AND PRACTICALITY
Despite having relatively restrained outer dimensions, the Athena feels roomy. The 5 door liftback body offers great practicality and flexibility, even if there is liftbacks offering more luggage space than this (to be fair, some offers less too). For most people’s needs, the Athena should be more than adequate. Maybe we could have asked for a little bit higher payload. 343 kg is not overly much.

VERDICT: ****

EQUIPMENT AND INTERIOR
The Athena is relatively well equipped, with a well appointed interior. It has a decent sound system, electric windows, air conditioning, central locking, cruise control, velour upholstery, traction control, ABS and much more. What costs extra, however, is alloy wheels. The futuristic looking saucers are only plastic hubcaps.

VERDICT: ****

ENGINE AND DRIVETRAIN
A 120 hp 2 litre 4-cylinder does not sound like something impressive, but fact is that VV has succeeded with this one. Balance shafts means that it runs silk smooth, it is quiet and has lots of other interesting tech, like VVT, EFI and a 16 valve DOHC head. The pistons are of a modern low-friction type that is supposed to increase fuel economy. Maybe, if we should complain about something, the low end grunt is somewhat lacking, it needs some revs to wake up.

It is mated to a 5 speed manual transmission, the most common choice in this class, which works well and has a quite reasonable gearing.

VERDICT: ****

QUALITY AND RELIABILITY
Advanced technology most often means questionable reliability, but VVs are better than their reputation. Reliability is no worse than for an average car. The standards of build quality are at a high level, and the finish on the bodywork and its metallic silver paint on our test car was a positive surprise. We found no rattles or squeaks, and it is very well protected against rust. If you don’t dare to buy a VV because of fear for a troublesome ownership, it is time to rethink your old beliefs.

VERDICT: ****

ECONOMY
$ 30 000 AMU is not overly cheap for a car in this class, but as stated earlier, you get a lot for your money. And don’t believe what you hear about service costs, $876.50 AMU is by no means worse than average. Also, the fuel economy is impressive at 7.7 litres per 100 km. So, if you can afford a somewhat high purchase price, the VV will offer a decently economical ownership.

VERDICT: ***

The crumple zones aren’t overly large, but safety is still top notch.

SAFETY
A strong bodyshell combined with all the latest safety equipment means that you will struggle with finding a safer car in its class. Of course, a car this size will be somewhat challenged against a land barge, but VV has done everything they can to make sure the passengers are as protected as possible. There are for example twin airbags, side impact intrusion beams, headrests and 3-point belts in the rear seat, seatbelt pretensioners and a fuel cutoff switch. We doubt that much more than this can be done today.

VERDICT: ****

FINAL VERDICT: 35/45
We are very impressed with the Athena, fact is that it could be seen as one of our favourites on the market at the moment. It is simply one of the best allrounders there is, if you’re in the market for a daily driver, and it is very hard to find any overly weak points. As stated earlier, yes, for a compact car it is not overly cheap, but on the other hand, with interior room, comfort and safety on this level, do you really need a larger car?

---

Thanks to @conan and @z2bbgr for the car!

[conan]

I love your work! I especially love how it actually reads like a proper journalistic car review.
Thank you for this glowing review as well.

[Elizipeazie]

A little question:
What is your stance (or that of Trafikjournalen) towards taking a look at one-off homebrew vehicles?

[Knugcab]

I’m not against it, but then I want LOTS of info about the car from the inside and out so I know what I am writing about.

[Knugcab]

REPRINT FROM #16 1997
REVIEW OF LAZURUS DTX 4000E

FASHION WITH FLAWS

On the road, the DTX shows some less than desirable behaviour…

Offroaders is a category that lately has undergone a bizarre transformation. From being crude workhorses to becoming an alternative as the main mode of transportation for families looking to replace their station wagons. Of course, it is kind of questionable if that is a rational decision, but sure, in a country that in some parts have snow and ice on the ground for half a year, why not?

One of the offroaders aimed at that market is the Lazurus DTX 4000E. It has been on the market since 1993, but since we actually didn’t test it when it came out, and since the market has been changing in the last 4 years, making cars like this more interesting, we decided to take a look if it still holds up.

DRIVING CHARACTERISTICS
Four words: Thank god for ESC. And that is nothing that Lazurus should be proud of in this case. Because with the ESC turned on, you can feel it grip in as soon as you try to push the vehicle the slightest. With the ESC turned off, the car was more or less a disaster on our handling course, if you have to swerve and are lucky enough to not tip this high center of gravity vehicle over, chances are that you will be sliding tail first into something. The electric power steering system, being more “dead” in its feeling and giving less road feedback than a traditional hydraulic system is absolutely not helping a lot here.

If the handling is terrible, the brakes are almost even worse. A 48.8 metre stopping distance from 100 is kind of long by modern standards, but even worse is the bad brake balance that would lock up the rear wheels immediately if it wasn’t for the ABS, not to mention that they aren’t up to the task at all with a fully loaded car.

In city traffic the car may feel clumsy to start with, but that’s actually mostly tricks played by the imagination. Fact is that it is about the same size as many regular family cars, and the high seating position, square shape and large glass areas is something you will learn to appreciate after a while.

It is clear that this is made for a completely different element - where the road ends. The four wheel drive with a real low range transfer case and the knobby tyres means that there is always grip even in the most harsh of conditions - and you can even lock the differentials manually if you still get in trouble. Ground clearance is high enough to pass most obstacles. And this is what saves it from a totally disastrous rating - yet, it should not be this way. We don’t expect an offroader to behave like a sports car - but good offroad capability should not equal downright dangerous behaviour on the road.

VERDICT: *

…that somewhat changes when the car is in its right element - which most of them probably will never ever see.

PERFORMANCE
The large, 279 hp V8 means that this heavy car is still a good performer - being faster than anyone will ever need a car like this to be. Top speed is 230 km/h, 0-100 is done in 8.47 seconds, 80-120 in 5.28 seconds and the quartermile in 16.15 seconds. For this brick, that’s more than acceptable indeed.

VERDICT: ****

COMFORT
Despite air suspension and a luxurious interior, it shows that an offroader is a compromise. The aggressive tyre thread means that there is large amounts of road noise, and the suspension is bouncier than one would expect, the heavy solid rear axle does not help at all. Now, we are not implying that the Lazurus is a torture chamber - but there is regular family cars that offers better comfort, for a lower price.

VERDICT: ***

ROOMINESS AND PRACTICALITY
A box is a box, and it shows in this case. Five passengers can ride in great comfort and there is still loads of room for luggage. Also, the maximum allowed payload is impressive, you should never worry to bottom out the suspension on this, and the air suspension means that the car is always kept level.

VERDICT: *****

EQUIPMENT AND INTERIOR
First, if you can name a single gizmo, chances are that the Lazurus has it. Leather interior, wood/leather steering wheel, navigation, a very good sound system with CD player, electronic climate control, electric windows all around, cruise control, trip computer…we’re not missing anything.

The interior feels modern and pleasant to look at, maybe with the exception for the shifter for the automatic transmission that could as well belong to a car from the 70s. Our test vehicle had an elegant tan colour on its leather, with dark wood as a contrast, looking exclusive and easy on the eyes without feeling tacky. Also, driver’s ergonomics are superb, everything is where you want it to be.

VERDICT: *****

Forget the vinyl clad benches and steel dashboards of the past. This is what an offroader looks like nowadays.

ENGINE AND DRIVETRAIN
The 4 litre V8 is relatively up to date, with one single camshaft per cylinder bank and 3 valves per cylinder. It runs smooth and quiet and seems to be well suited for the car, but maybe without the low end grunt you would expect from a V8 - it needs some revs to really wake up. Multi point injection and 3-way cat means that emissions are still kept on a sane level.

The gearbox is a 5 speed computer controlled automatic, that works well and has a reasonable gearing for what this car is supposed to be.

All in all, a harmonic, if not exciting or exceptional drivetrain.

VERDICT: ****

QUALITY AND RELIABILITY
The feeling of build quality is fair, but not exceptional. With the model being some years old, we could say that this holds true too. It has mediocre, but not terrible, reliability ratings. Though it seems to resist rust better than the average car, which it should have some credit for.

VERDICT: ***

ECONOMY
$36900 AMU for a car is of course a large amount of money - but not remarkably expensive, considering the market the Lazurus is aimed at. Service costs are high, but not insane, at $1104.4 AMU. A thirsty V8 in a big boxy car means that fuel economy takes a hit - so also here. 17 litres per 100 km, ouch!

VERDICT: *

SAFETY
It has a primitive body on frame construction which is always a compromise. On the other hand, it is not lacking any modern safety equipment, there is dual airbags, all seats have headrests and 3-point safety belts, the doors are reinforced, the seatbelts has pretensioners. Also, the sheer mass means that you are kind of protected per se - that is, until you hit something even bigger, of course.

VERDICT: ****

FINAL VERDICT: 30/45
We have mixed feelings about the Lazurus. Yes, it is very practical. Yes, it offers luxuries for a not too bloody price. Yes, it is decently fast, comfortable and safe.

The question is, who needs the compromises that comes with an offroader in this case? There are regular cars that offers all of this, without sacrificing things like fuel economy and handling. If it wasn’t for the ESC, despite the high rating, we would actually not recommend this due to the unsafe handling. Now, it somehow saves the situation. And yes, offroad capacity is better than the characteristics on the road, but on the other hand, we guess that people looking for offroad capabilities will aim for something more simple and robust.

So, this car is actually suited for a very narrow niche. Then, probably lots of people would buy it anyway, because they believe that it is what suits them.

Sometimes being hip is a struggle.

---

Thanks to @BannedByAndroid for the car!

[Knugcab]

One of the main reasons why this is dead is that I don’t know how to handle techpool in a way that is fair to everyone… suggestions?

[VanStorm]

One idea could be to make it depend on the type of car.
For example, really high techpool could be acceptable for hyper and super cars, since those often use bleeding edge technology, while a more normal techpool would be suited to modern cars.

[abg7]

Regardless of the type of car being submitted, any user who wishes to have it reviewed here should also post a screenshot of the tech pool values for each and every category.

[Knugcab]

OK, I think I have decided on this now, since I really want to open this for subs again.

1. Up to 5 default in each and every category is always going to be OK.
2. Up to 7 in one or more categories will be allowed with no questions, IF the same amount that is added is also removed in other categories.
3. If it is very important for some reason, I MAY allow for breaking rule 1 or 2, if a VERY good explanation why can be provided. “I want carbon fiber panels on my hot hatch” is not one of them.

Anyone objecting about this?

[Knugcab]

REPRINT FROM #19 1993
REVIEW OF THE SEONGU KANDO II

TEN YEARS AFTER

Car enthusiasts will not fall into trance from seeing this, but they are hardly the market Seongu is aiming for.

Tough times - and nobody can escape them. For the Seongu importer, that became quite clear last year, when it went belly up, getting a new Seongu has been out of the question. But don’t worry, Seongu fans (all three of you?), with a new importer, cars like the Kando II will make a return. But what about the cars making a return then.

Well, the Kando II was at least not an unfamiliar sight - fact is that it has been around since 1982. And at least the exterior has stood the test of time well, it doesn’t feel 10 years old when you are looking at it. So, if we choose to go in depth, under the surface, what does that reveal to us?

DRIVING CHARACTERISTICS
It feels like if we have driven this before. It behaves like the typical Mc Pherson / torsion beam equipped front wheel drive hatchback on skinny fuel-saver tyres. Secure handling with a fair touch of understeering, warning the driver early when things are starting to get overboard. Hardly exciting, absolutely not a corner carver, but safe for Mr Average. At the small skidpad we got a pretty normal value of 0.82 G, and on the large one an equally expected 0.78 G. It also feels stable at any speed you will want to drive this little runabout. The non-assisted rack and pinion steering gives great feedback from the road, and steering is still reasonably light due to the low weight of the car.

For city driving, the nimble dimensions gives the car an advantage, and the relatively large glass areas means that you can see out of the car. The chopped off tail means that it’s easy to see where the car ends, though the outside mirrors may be on the small side.

Brakes managed to stop the car in a reasonably short 42.3 metres from 100 km/h. We were surprised to see vented discs up front in this class, but strangely enough we could still notice some brake fade - no alarming amounts, though. Drum brakes in the rear could more or less be considered standard on such a light car - and they work well enough, honestly speaking. No ABS - considering the price of the car that’s hardly a surprise.

VERDICT: ***

The cone up front has started to show up in the mirror. The cone in the rear is fully visible to the driver.

PERFORMANCE
42 hp out of a 1.2 litre three banger does not sound like a performance machine - and yeah, that’s more or less the truth, the low weight is more or less what saves this car from being a slug. 17.7 seconds to 100 is not impressive by modern standards and with a 17.5 second time 80-120, overtaking has to be planned (not that we think that it will happen very often). It tops out at 152 km/h and does the quartermile in 20.85 seconds.

VERDICT: *

COMFORT
The suspension has a relatively firm setup, making for a ride that is a bit bouncy in a car with a wheelbase of only 2.2 metres. The engine runs surprisingly quiet, but insulation from engine noise and other sounds are at an about average level for its class, and the same could be said about the seating comfort. A large amount of overdrive means that driving at highway speeds could be tolerable, though.

But let’s just get things straight here - the Kando II is a vehicle best suited for short trips.

VERDICT: *

ROOMINESS AND PRACTICALITY
For its size the Kando II could not be called cramped, actually, maybe due to the upright and boxy shape. The stumpy little rear swallows a quite large amount of luggage, and the hatchback and folding rear seat means that you can get even more with you if you sacrifice rear passenger space. Load capacity is a decent for the class 329 kg.

VERDICT: ***

EQUIPMENT AND INTERIOR
On the inside, the age is showing more than on the outside. A square edged plastic dashboard looking straight out of the 80s - but true, it is doing its job. The dark vinyl upholstery seen absolutely everywhere is nothing that evokes feelings of happiness either - but like the dashboard, it’s doing its job, and is practical.

Regarding equipment, you will find what is expected in a modern car, but nothing more. No power steering, no alloy wheels, no ABS, but at least you get a radio with tape player (and a very tinny sound). But hey, corners has to be cut somewhere, right?

VERDICT: **

Vinyl upholstery. Cheap and uncomfortable, but functional.

ENGINE AND DRIVETRAIN
The engine is an 1.2 litre inline 3 cylinder. It runs reasonably smooth for its cylinder count, and surprisingly quiet, the torque curve is nice and relatively flat, but that’s about it. Technology wise it is pretty rudimentary with pushrod technology and some Korean copy of the classic British SU carburetor. The later one is questionable, since we know nowadays how cars still using a carb + catalytic converter have had problems with passing emissions testing after only some years of use.

The gearbox is a five speed manual, and gearing seems to be a well thought out compromise between economy, comfort and (reasonable) performance, considering only having 42 hp to play with. We could not find any major drawbacks in its operation during the test drive either.

VERDICT: **

QUALITY AND RELIABILITY
Not only does the Kando feel well built, it holds up well too. The model is old enough to have all its bugs ironed out, and there was not many of them to start with. As we stated earlier, we are not sure how the cat+carb combo will hold up in the long run, though, so that’s kind of a reservation. Since the structure is galvanized, finding a rusted out Kando is a kind of rare thing too. This might as well be the choice if you’re looking for trouble free motoring.

VERDICT: *****

ECONOMY
10800 AMU is very low for a car nowadays and could be what many buyers need in times like these. And known to be well built, they are kind of sought after on the used car market. At 514.2 AMU service costs are low, so are the fuel consumtion at 5.6 litres per 100 km. You will have to search a long time before you find a new car this economical.

VERDICT: *****

SAFETY
This is where the Kando feels dated. Insurance statistics have shown that the Kando has a very low level of safety - and keep in mind that the statistics mainly contains cars from the 60s, 70s and 80s then. The safety advantages that has arrived the latest years is something you don’t see anywhere in this car - compared to more modern cars, the Kando really falls behind. The low weight of 788 kg further adds to the disadvantage here - most cars on the road will be larger and heavier.

VERDICT: 0

FINAL VERDICT: 22/45
It is easy to bash the Kando for being old, small and primitive - but honestly, ain’t that a bit too harsh? Considering its price, it could almost be called a bargain. It moves, it steers, it brakes. It does everything well enough - at least if you aren’t unfortunate enough to have a crash. The fact that it still can keep up with the competition after being built for 10 years shows that it was a forward thinking design.

Of course, it could be argued that by just adding a little more money you would get more car too. That’s true. But that could be applied on more or less any car, and in the end you will end up in luxury car territory. Price fighters like this are needed on the market, especially when times are tough.

But if you buy one, being aware of its drawbacks is of course important.

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Thanks to @AndiD for the car!

NOTE: This is a pre-techpool car, reviewed with that in mind, just to get reviews going again. I would prefer new entries to be somewhere close to default TP, though.

[Knugcab]

REPRINT FROM #14 1997
REVIEW OF IVERA IMPERIUM

WHERE DID THE SOUL GO?

Could be something. Could be anything. Is an Ivera. Yeah, we’re mostly nagging now.

One thing is for sure - us automotive journalists will never ever be satisfied. A little over 10 years ago we tested the Ivera Executive and complained that it looked old-fashioned. Now we have a fully modern Ivera in front of us. It doesn’t stand out among modern cars - and it doesn’t stand out at all. It strikes us that Ivera now kind of has lost its identity - and probably we got what we deserved. Taking cues from german, japanese and british cars, the end results is not bad, but it’s rather anonymous and we would not be surprised if this had been an attempt from a Korean company to do a design that would fit european tastes.

But enough about the design, if you like it or not is up to you, and even if Ivera lost a bit of its identity, we doubt that the styling will upset anyone. As we said, we probably got what we deserved for our complaining. But what’s hiding under the shell?

DRIVING CHARACTERISTICS
Once again, it does not upset anyone. It is a bit tail happy at slow speeds which the ESC system is keeping somewhat under control though. However, it generally has predictable and safe behaviour, with no terminal oversteering, and warning the driver in time when things are starting to go overboard. Easy to drive, especially considering its size. But fun? Nah, but if you’re looking for driving excitement this might not be the class of car you’re looking into anyway. Also, for such a fast car, the high speed stability is not really excellent.

Neither were we impressed by the brakes. A 40.6 metre stopping distance from 100 is fair, but it could have been even better since now the brakes lack some bite. The fading is almost non-existant but the pedal feels a bit stiff. Vented discs all around and of course ABS is standard equipment.

The power steering is of the variable type and gives good feedback from the road. Also, it somewhat saves struggle when maneuvering a boat like this around town. Besides, Ivera has not gone to the extremes with thick pillars and a high trunk line, meaning that the all around vision is rather good.

A nice car to drive, yes, but that’s more or less expected in this class, and it lacks that “little extra” sharpness and finesse.

VERDICT: ****

PERFORMANCE
It should be said - we tested the top of the line model with a 340 hp V8. Of course the performance figures are good then - a top speed of 297 km/h, 0-100 time of 6.43 seconds and a quartermile time of 14.59 seconds should be enough for anyone - though in this class it is not alone when it comes to being fast. One of the most important figures, the 80-120 km/h sprint, for safe overtaking, is done in 3.72 seconds.

Great figures, but then again, who expected anything less?

VERDICT: *****

Prepare to see this view of the Imperium quite a lot.

COMFORT
Ivera has hydropneumatics almost as their trademark and that pays off comfort wise. Steel springs simply can’t compete with a correctly engineered hydro system. Also, the V8 runs smooth, is well muffled and the sound insulation is great, as well as the seating comfort. In the Exec…sorry, Imperium, the Princess will have a hard time finding her pea, indeed.

VERDICT: *****

ROOMINESS AND PRACTICALITY
It is roomy for its passengers, sure. It seats five, not four like some luxury cars (of course, at a little expense of the seating comfort in the back), and as a 4 door sedan it is a bit more practical than a coupé. But the trunk space is small for such a big car and the liftback practicality of some older Ivera models are lost nowadays. Being like everyone else is not only at the cost of your soul, it seems like.

VERDICT: ***

EQUIPMENT AND INTERIOR
Of course a car like this will have everything you could ask for - we could not think of anything missing, actually. On top of it all, it has a very well sounding premium sound system. This is despite the interior being almost minimalistic. It looks simple at a first glance, but nothing is lacking. Seats have a leather/alcantara combination, which is fine, but why are the seats brown while the rest of the interior is in varying shades of grey and black? The hodge-podged together look is a bit disappointing, to be honest. Buyers in this class will expect more.

VERDICT: ****

Almost minimalistic interior for a luxury car, but a nice and futuristic centre console. But brown seats? Why, Ivera?

ENGINE AND DRIVETRAIN
We found nothing wrong with the 5 litre V8. It runs smooth, has a nice, flat torque curve, is quiet and fully modern with 32 valve DOHC technology and VVT. There might be more exciting engines on the market, but in the long run we think that this engine will be a winner. It is coupled to a 5 speed computer controlled automatic, a logical and sane choice. Gearing seems to be relatively well chosen.

VERDICT: ****

QUALITY AND RELIABILITY
Much that can go wrong, sure, but the Imperium seems to be well built. We expect it to be a bit more reliable than the old Executive models, because after all, the technology has matured nowadays, computers and electronics aren’t the science fiction they were 10-15 years ago anymore. Also, great rust protection means that the car can serve you for years to come.

VERDICT: ****

ECONOMY
Prices aren’t as insane as they were in the 80s, this LXT model costs $44600 AMU. But it needs 14.9 litres of expensive and hard to find premium fuel for every 100 km, which is not a good thing nowadays. That’s a tradeoff you will have to pay for having a 2 tonne sled with 340 hp unfortunately. Service costs are no disaster for the class at $1422.30 AMU, but it’s still not like servicing a Mara.

VERDICT: *

SAFETY
One of Ivera’s cornerstone and the Imperium won’t disappoint. It has all the latest safety equipment and the size in itself makes it safe for its passengers - albeit less safe for everyone outside it. What surprises us is maybe that it doesn’t have the amount of high strength steel reinforcements that is starting to appear on some competitors. Ivera says that it can’t stand up to their requirements regarding rust protection, and fair point since a rusted out reinforcement probably won’t save you in a crash.

VERDICT: *****

FINAL VERDICT: 35/45
The Ivera Imperium is a great car - but so is every car in this class. There is absolutely nothing to bash it for - but we start to question if Ivera is losing it a little? They are no longer as far ahead of the competition in areas were they were - like safety and practicality - and otherwise, it feels like just being more of the same stuff they have been chunking out for years now. Also, where did the soul go? Well, as stated earlier, we didn’t really praise it when it existed so we can only blame ourselves for letting it disappear.

With a home market where the economy is still struggling (albeit not as badly as in 1992-93), export success is needed to survive. And the question is if this is enough for the demanding export markets where this car needs to sell? Only time will tell.

Because a great car it is, but then again, so are the tough competition it is facing.

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Thanks to @TheYugo45GV for the car!

[Knugcab]

REPRINT FROM #24 1954
ROAD TEST OF THE TORSHALLA POESY KOMBI

The Poesy Kombi has an elegant shape. It looks nothing like the old rickety wood framed american wagons, or the “panel van with windows” solution that some manufacturers have used.

Station wagons are slowly gaining in popularity. Still, many people are skeptical, since they don’t want to ride around in something “that is looking like a van”. In the United States, things are differently, they are becoming the family car of choice there. But what’s the difference?

To start with, american wagons are becoming stylish now. From being a box of wood nailed together in the back, they have turned into sleek, futuristic chariots that a space traveller would approve of. But an american wagon will be expensive both to buy and run in this country, so which alternatives does exist for us?

One of them is Torshalla. Their Poesy model is a common sight on the roads, and now they are introducing yet another variant, the Kombi. And believe it or not, the aerodynamic Torshalla shape has survived the transition into a practical, roomy station wagon from a sleek fastback without suffering, if you ask us.

Despite having sort of futuristic looks, this rear end can hold over a cubic metre of cargo.

Driving it is like driving any Torshalla. Front wheel drive gives traction and stability during bad weather conditions, but it will try to go straight in the corners if you push it any harder. The brakes are probably as good as they will get in this class, pulling straight, decent stopping distances and no noticeable fading during normal driving conditions. The explanation behind this are the full sized drums where the front ones are of the duo-servo type. Steering is of the recirculating ball type. In such a light car with futuristic looks and engineering, we’re a bit surprised that they weren’t going for the rack and pinion type that’s getting more and more popular. But there is absolutely nothing wrong with it.

46 hp is maybe average for its class, but despite Torshalla having some success in motorsports, don’t expect to take on Vizzuris or Authié et Dalliers. Overtaking will be kind of a struggle. Top speed is 114 km/h, and by then the flat four is running almost at its maximal allowed revs, giving a rather ear-deafening experience, but then again, being a small car, it’s something you have to live with. Other cars aren’t better.

Speaking of small cars, economy is the reason most people buy them, and there are better choices than the Torshalla for a really cheap car ownership. At the time of writing, there was no price (*) available for the station wagon, but the sedans are at the upper end of the price range for small cars, the engine is not overly sparse on fuel, but despite the futuristic engineering, servicing is reasonably cheap.

Elegant, modern - and safe!

The interior is modern, elegant and seems to be well bolted together. Our test car had a cream leatherette and grey nylon upholstery combination that was tasteful, almost felt a bit luxurious for its class, especially with the woodgrain paint on the door tops. Driving position is generally good - we would have wished for the steering wheel to sit a bit higher, though. Interior space is decent for its class too, of course, it is cramped for the 5 people Torshalla claims that it will fit - but at least four can ride without too much hassle. Decently comfortable seats also makes up for the somewhat firm ride you get with the reinforced rear suspension of the wagon.

If we keep looking at the interior, the dashboard has a padded top, a minimum of protruding controls and the ones that still exists are mounted on a panel recessed under the dash, made of plastic that is supposed to yield in an accident. The steering wheel has a recessed hub and there is a laminated front windshield. Seatbelts could be fitted for a reasonable cost - since there is already mounting points for them. Research made on traffic accident injuries lately more or less came to the conclusion that if all cars looked like the Torshallas on the inside, the amount of nasty injuries would be vastly reduced.

Another pleasant surprise - the six tube radio. It has a mellow and rich sound, with a minimum of interference and noise. Nothing you expect to find in a car this class.

All in all, the Torshalla Poesy Kombi is a pleasant experience, it has the usual small car drawbacks, but feels like a more exclusive car than it is, unfortunately it reflects in the price. We like it - but we are a bit less sure that the market will do. It might end up in a vacuum. Being small, slow and a station wagon, it is nothing you will buy for the prestige. On the other hand, will small car buyers or people looking into a wagon care about the superb engineering when it also is a tad on the expensive side? Its smallness also means that it is not the most capable or practical hauler around.

This is maybe the compromise that most families would need, but the risk is that it will go by unnoticed by them. That’s a pity indeed.

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Thanks to @Maverick74 for the car!

(*) = this car was made with techpool for LHC1, which bumps up the price a fair bit, but judging by the technology of the car, and by what Cake wrote there, Torshallas weren’t the most budget friendly alternative