RPM TV returns this week with another 13-episode series filled to the brim with new cars, road tests, motoring features, track tests, comparisons, and more.

We’ve filled this week’s episode of RPM TV to the absolute brim with new arrivals. In addition to full first tests on the new Renault Clio 4, launched last week, and the recently unveiled Mini JCW Countryman All4, we also cover the even more recent debut of the all-new Toyota RAV4, the radical second-generation A-class, and brand-new Ford Kuga.

Lexus says some 3 000 changes were made as part of its comprehensive facelift programme for its flagship LS460 luxury sedan. This week, we find out just how much of a difference those changes make.

The fastest – and rarest – Mini of them all is the John Cooper Works GP. With only 2 000 produced, and only 30 coming to South Africa, you won’t see too many around. We drove this most elusive of Minis at the Gerotek proving ground last week.

It’s been a long time coming, but the new Isuzu KB range was launched in the Hoedspruit region recently, and we travelled to the Thornybush Private Game Reserve for a first experience of the newcomer. This week, we report back on our first impressions of the sixth-generation KB.

Hybrid cars remain a relative rarity on South African soil, which makes the arrival of the BMW ActiveHybrid 3 a noteworthy one. It joins the hybrid versions of BMW’s 5-Series and 7-Series models, and ends up being the most dynamically appealing – but at a price.

For many, the Geneva Motor Show is the highlight of the European motor show season, which this year also includes the overwhelmingly massive Frankfurt expo. And as expected, Geneva didn’t disappoint, offering a perfect mix of glamour, innovation and automotive style.

Ford’s feisty Fiesta has been a B-segment stalwart for some time, and the Blue Oval is hoping to sustain its popularity with a package of updates, including the introduction of a new, super-efficient Ecoboost 1,0-litre engine. We drive the new cars in Cape Town.

Opel and performance used to be synonymous until eco-consciousness took the reins. The all-new Astra OPC could put the lighting-bolt brand back on the performance car map. This week, we drive the exciting newcomer during its media launch at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit.

Toyota’s commitment to more imaginative cars kicked off with the superb 86 sports coupé, and judging by its styling, the all-new Auris is also part of that rejuvenation process. But does the rest of the package match the show?