All Aboard
Whether you’re moving the family around or getting stuck into work, Cricks Noosa have a car for you.
Subaru Forester Review
Melanie Keding, Client Services Manager for IN Noosa Magazine
It’s clear to see why the all-new Subaru Forester was awarded the 2018 Drive Car of the Year for best small SUV. There is so much space, a range of safety features, soft leather seats and even racing pedals. They’re pretty funky!
We have two-year-old twins to fit in the back, so two car seats, plus a double pram and everything else we need to take out with us. The Subaru Forester can easily fit it all in and more. There are ample harness points providing options for the kids’ car seats, bag hooks in the boot to securely transport groceries; and lots of room. This is definitely a car designed with family in mind.
The best part is the amazing safety features. The Forester has been created with an undisputed focus on innovative and high-tech safety. I can’t believe the facial recognition technology monitors my attention and can tell when I am distracted or tired and sounds an alarm to alert me. The rear cameras and side cameras are great and the full transparency of the windows provide great visibility for what is happening outside the car.
Complete with a blind spot monitor, lane change assist and rear cross traffic alert that warns you of vehicles approaching when reversing, this is the perfect car for the ultimate in on-road safety.
There’s also the tech features we all expect from cars like this including Apple and Android car play that allows you to integrate your smart phone to the large in-car screen.
The sun roof is fantastic and takes up a significant part of the roof and the all-wheel-drive makes it easy to handle This is an exciting car!
What I liked
- The abundance of new, innovative safety features
- There is so much space for the kids and more
- A next generation 2.5l direct injection engine
- Keyless entry and a push button start
- LED steering responsive headlights
Nissan Navara ST-X Review
By Tony Harmer, Builder at Sunrise Building Services
As a builder, I need a car that can handle heavy machinery and a tray full of tools, plus get me and the family out and about on the weekend. With the new Nissan Navara, I can see that I can transport timber during work hours and then throw the surfboard on the roof. With three children, the dual cab is ideal for taking the family up the beach on the weekend. It’s good to be able to get in and out of 4WD quickly without having to stop.
The Nissan Navara is a tough work ute that drives like a passenger car. It’s very practical for work and has a lot of power. We conduct a lot of business from inside the car so it’s nice to have all the comforts of a modern car in a work ute. Lots of outlets for charging your equipment and having all the buttons on the steering wheel make it easy to answer phone calls when driving from site to site.
The tray is large and has eight tie-down points to secure all your gear. With the sports bar, robust bin liner and even power outlets in the back, it’s exactly what you need when running a business and working on the tools.
The best piece of tech in this car is the Around-View Monitor which has four cameras to give you a virtual composite 360-degree birds’ eye view of your vehicle. You can also choose split-screen close ups of the front, rear and kerbside views so you can get a better look. This will make backing in to unload tools and parking at the work site so easy; even the apprentice could do it.
When you’re accelerating up a hill from stop, it can get a little hairy when your tray is loaded but the Hill Start Assist technology can help keep you from rolling backwards. That’s good to know. There is also Hill Descent Control that can help maintain a steady speed and assist with braking as you come down a steep hill.
While the Nissan Navara is built tough, the inside is really nice. Leather seats and a mainly-black dash are pretty stylish so you can use this as an everyday car too, not just for work. It has all the things you expect like Bluetooth, navigation, It’s easy to drive, and there’s plenty of power for tackling hills and the beach.
What I liked
- The powerful 140kW twin turbo diesel engine
- Good-looking grill and bright LED headlights
- Four-wheel drive so you can tackle all terrain
- Sleek design that’s good for work and the family
