Ghaith Madadha

Renamed but little changed since it first launched 40 years ago, Lada’s legacy model remains the brand’s defining model as it makes a comeback to Middle East markets. Formerly known as the Niva, the diminutive Lada 4×4 is both precursor to the crossover segment and a highly capable off-roader. With uni-body construction, rugged four-wheel-drive, and coil spring double wishbone and live axle suspension, it was designed as an affordable people’s car for city streets and rugged rural Russian winters alike.

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It may not be the first small, affordable or capable small SUV, the Renault Duster is however the people’s car of the crossover era. Bridging the gap between dedicated compact off-roaders like the Suzuki Jimny and small sensible saloons pitched at emerging markets, the Duster made the practical SUV an accessible option for budget-minded drivers, with 2.45 million sold since its 2010 launch as a Dacia and 2012 Middle East introduction as a Renault.

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Raising the stakes for German-dominated full-size luxury saloon rivals, the fourth generation Audi A8 is a technologically advanced tour de force. The first level-three autonomous driving production car -– of five levels –- the A8 rolls out a raft of high tech driver assistance, safety, infotainment, convenience, self-parking, mild hybrid, driveline and chassis technologies and systems. And as traditional for luxury flagships, much of its technology, and design elements, should eventually trickle down throughout the Audi model range.

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The latest in a string of recent crossover and SUV launches from Nissan, the 2018 incarnation of the ever-popular X-Trail seems an intentionally conservative mid-life refresh focusing on aesthetic, refinement and technology updates. The “world’s best-selling SUV” according to Nissan – and brand’s best-selling model with 835,000 units sold in 2016 alone – the Japanese automaker understandably doesn’t quite yet feel the need to upset such a successfully well-positioned proverbial apple cart. Unchanged mechanically, the 2018 X-Trail instead builds a winning formula of adept user-friendly driving, versatile practicality and affordability. We drove the updated model in Lebanon.

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