Month: March 2013

2013 Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TSI

2013 Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TSI

The Good:
– Strong economical engine
– Cabin space and features
– Entertaining handler
The Bad:
– Less-than-average boot space
– Slightly harsh ride at times
– No low-range gearing

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First drive: 2013 Mercedes-Benz A-Class in the UAE

First drive: 2013 Mercedes-Benz A-Class in the UAE


After its dramatic birth back in the late 1990s as a 5-door Smart Car-alternative that went up on two wheels at the sight of a moose, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class went on to become rather popular in Europe, even though it was nothing more than a city runabout that shared the same badge as an S-Class. Of course, it never caught on in the UAE, where people prefer their luxury cars to look like, well, cars. But more than a decade later, the A-Class changes its ethos completely and comes back as a proper hatchback, apparently in search of buyers who don’t have white hair.

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First drive: 2013 Infiniti QX56 offroad in the UAE

First drive: 2013 Infiniti QX56 offroad in the UAE


Infiniti recently invited us to try out the 2013 QX56 at a media event. We were more than familiar with the QX56’s capabilities on the road, thanks to the long-termer we had in 2011. We didn’t explore its off-roading credentials at the time beyond mountain-driving, but since it is a reskinned Nissan Patrol after all, Infiniti wanted us to do more with it this time around.

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Comparo: 2013 Toyota RAV4 vs Honda CR-V vs Hyundai Santa Fe vs VW Tiguan

Comparo: 2013 Toyota RAV4 vs Honda CR-V vs Hyundai Santa Fe vs VW Tiguan


A comparo is the best way for an automotive publication to lose advertisers. That’s why you never see a clear winner in so-called comparos by local magazines, with lots of pretty photos to sell copies, no figures to back up any conclusions and three-way ties to make everybody happy. We’ve rarely picked a winner in our previous comparos either, but that’s because most of them were not proper straight-up comparos. We decided to do a serious comparison test this time though, if only to answer certain recurring questions once and for all. And the category we decided to tackle is the hotly-contested compact crossover segment.

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