Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury

First drive: 2018 MG RX5 and MG ZS in Oman

First drive: 2018 MG RX5 and MG ZS in Oman

Believe it or not, China’s state-owned SAIC is actually one of the biggest carmakers in the world, as they are wildly successful in their fast-growing home market. About a decade ago, they purchased MG Rover, turning the once-British maker of family cars, sports sedans and iconic sports cars into a mainstream maker of, well, family cars. MG’s first crossover was the GS, launched in the GCC a couple of years ago. They’ve now added to the portfolio with the RX5 and the ZS, both compact crossovers roughly the same size as the existing GS.

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2017 Chevrolet Camaro SS

2017 Chevrolet Camaro SS

The Good:
– Aggressive styling
– Strong old-school V8 engine
– Excellent handling
The Bad:
– Useless back seats
– Some hard-plastic cabin bits
– Slightly firm, noisy ride

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So we got a 2018 Mazda CX-5

So we got a 2018 Mazda CX-5

The other day, as I parked this candy-red Mazda CX-5 tester, an older European couple came up to me and commented that it’s a good-looking car. They proceeded to ask me if it’s a Toyota, which is when I realised how much brand recognition Mazda has right now. Mind you, they were impressed by the car, inside and out, and they’re folks who were shopping for a Mercedes-Benz.

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2018 Honda Jazz

2018 Honda Jazz

The Good:
– Immense, practical cabin
– Competent handler
– Fairly comfortable ride
The Bad:
– A bit pricey in its class
– Lots of cabin hard plastics
– Bit noisy at highway speeds

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First drive: 2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross in the UAE

First drive: 2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross in the UAE

The Mitsubishi Eclipse has been around since 1990, until a green one with unlimited manual gears was popularised in the first The Fast and the Furious movie in 2001. While that movie franchise is still ongoing, the Eclipse sports coupe took a break in 2012. It’s back now as the 2018 Eclipse Cross, embodying Mitsubishi’s committment to become an SUV-focused carmaker. We took it for a stroll around the Dubai Autodrome at its UAE launch.

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So we got a 2018 Honda Jazz

So we got a 2018 Honda Jazz

When you think of Honda, the Jazz is the furthest thing from your mind nowadays. It was unceremoniously cancelled a few years ago in the GCC due to slow sales stemming from its high price. It’s back now in its latest form, although the price hasn’t changed from before. Does it pack more value now?

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We drove the Ferrari 812 Superfast at Dubai Autodrome (video)

We drove the Ferrari 812 Superfast at Dubai Autodrome (video)

The new Ferrari 812 Superfast is the fastest regular-production car to come out of Maranello. It is quick enough to keep up with the LaFerrari up to the 100 kph mark, and outright beat the Enzo. Our resident journosaur Gautam drove the Ferrari 812 Superfast at the global launch, so you can read about the car in detail. But while I and Arabic editor Tammam were not invited to the event in Italy, we did get to drive it at the Dubai Autodrome racetrack recently for a couple of laps. You can check out Tammam’s Arabic video review,

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2018 Audi RS3 Sedan

2018 Audi RS3 Sedan

The Good:
– Speed and handling
– Just enough practical space
– Fairly comfortable ride
The Bad:
– Pricey for its size
– Needs more exterior pizzazz
– Some hard cabin plastics

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