Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2020 i Leisure Wheels

HERE at Leisure Wheels we have done a number of comparison tests over the years. These tests often comprise going on a trip where we will drive the competitors back to back on similar terrain. The team has years of experience testing vehicles and we are able to give an accurate opinion on vehicles by driving them in this manner, but these tests are subjective and we are only human. So, for our Bakkie of the Year test, we wanted to do things a bit differently. Bakkies are a hot topic around the water cooler or braai and we wanted to make sure we had a watertight case that could stand up to the strongest arguments by the most loyal brand supporters. We put 10 bakkies through a series of…

Thirty years ago, this was the ideal holiday destination for the adventurous traveller. But crime, the lack of infrastructure and degeneration of the region made us forget this piece of paradise. Perhaps it is time to return. Port St Johns, the unofficial capital of the region, was a bustling town a few decades ago. Today, it reminds us of a true African town. A place where there probably are more informal traders than organised shops and businesses. A place where raw meat and live chickens are sold on the sidewalks. A place where it is a challenge to avoid the potholes and taxis. Yet it is a town with a pulsating rhythm. In town you meet the Xhosas. These are the people of Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo. They are…

The pre-facelift Haval H2 played a major role in the rocket-like ascension of the brand perfectly averaging around 400 units a month. And if first impressions are anything to go by, Haval is going to sell even more of this recently revamped model. Haval made some subtle yet noticeable changes to its exterior. The style upgrades at the front are more substantial than at the rear but overall, it’s a move in the right direction. The H2 comes across as more grown-up, sacrificing some of its funkiness in the pursuit of being taken seriously. The powertrain and gearbox options have been carried over. All H2s are powered by a turbocharged 1.5-litre fourcylinder engine, developing 105kW and 202Nm of torque. Those are class-leading figures but they do come with a downside.…

Toyota SA has added even more luxury to the range-topping Land Cruiser 200 model. The VX-R has been outfitted with a 14-speaker JBL premium sound system and Rear Seat Entertainment (RSE) system. The rear-seat entertainment comprises two 11.6-inch screens (29cm) with multimedia inputs located in the rear console (along with the four-zone climate control). The other specification items remain unchanged and include a raft of comfort and convenience features along with Toyota Safety Sense. Safety Sense provides adaptive cruise control, lane departure assist and blind spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert. The advanced multi-terrain system with crawl control and surround-view cameras makes light work of any off-road terrain. The LC 200 is powered by a 4.5-litre turbodiesel V8 engine, delivering 195kW and 650Nm of torque. Six exterior colours are available,…

Toyota South Africa marked the turn of the decade with 40 years of consecutive local market leadership. “We owe our 40 years of sales success to our loyal customers, our hard-working dealers as well as our ability to read the changing market needs. This is evidenced in the success enjoyed by the Corolla, which would eventually become SA’s bestselling passenger of all times, while the Hiace is – without a doubt – the people mover of choice. Shifts in local vehicle trends have also catapulted the Hilux from being just a workhorse to becoming the popular lifestyle vehicle, thanks largely to the prolific double-cab variants,” said senior vice president of sales and marketing, Leon Theron. Toyota also ended 2019 with a 24.2% market share. It recorded a total of 130…

Land Rover has introduced a new engine for its Discovery SUV. The Discovery now includes Land Rover’s SD4 Ingenium diesel engine with 177kW and 430Nm, mated to a standard eight-speed automatic transmission. Land Rover claims a 0–100km/h sprint time of 8.7 seconds and an average fuel consumption of 6.4 litres/100km. To celebrate the launch of this new engine, Land Rover South Africa packaged 50 units with additional features to serve as a value-packed but still affordable entry to the range. The 50 units are based on the popular Discovery SE package which comes standard with LED headlights, rainsensing wipers, a 10-speaker enhanced sound system, terrain response, 12-way leather seats and InControl Touch Navigation with Apple CarPlay, but adds some useful extras. On top of the standard items is a sunroof.…

Porsche recently unveiled the facelifted Macan GTS, which is meant to fill the gap between the Macan S and the Macan Turbo. The GTS is equipped with a 2.9-litre twinturbo V6 petrol engine, good for 280kW and 520Nm of torque. With the optional Sport Chrono package in place, the Macan GTS will get to 100km/h in less than five seconds. The GTS also comes with adaptive air suspension, 20-inch alloys and larger brakes all round. On the inside, the GTS is equipped with Alcantara sports seats, a sport steering wheel and brushed aluminium trim. It retails for R1 349 000 with Porsche’s three-year Driveplan maintenance plan.…

Castrol and Jaguar Land Rover have a strong, long-standing relationship which dates back to 1988, and the strategic partnership covers both Jaguar Land Rover’s factory-fill and after-sales lubricants globally. Over the years, Castrol and Jaguar Land Rover engineers have been working to develop bespoke lubricants that optimise and enhance the performance and reduce CO2 emissions of Jaguar Land Rover’s Ingenium engines. Castrol has been Jaguar Land Rover’s global exclusive aftersales partner since 2001. Built out of a deep knowledge of Jaguar Land Rover’s engine hardware, the Castrol Edge Professional range of products has been designed to the unique requirements of Jaguar Land Rover. All new Jaguar Land Rover cars are filled with Castrol Edge Professional, codesigned as an integral part of the engine’s performance. To fight performance-robbing friction, Castrol has…

LAST year, we included a Mahindra Pik Up 2.2CRDe 4×4 Karoo in a subjective double cab bakkie shootout and the Indian lorry caused a storm when it beat some more fancied mainstream bakkies in the lower half of the field. So we included it here again, to see how it really stacked up when you add some repeatable tests to the game. A closer look at some of the segments reveals an interesting picture: the Mahindra recorded the second best fuel consumption. It was the third best performer in the ‘parts bin value’ segment. It can legally carry 940kg with a full tank and a driver, the best here. It finished sixth in the handling test, without any traction aids. Said test driver Jakes Jacobs: “The weight transfer during the…

THERE’S a sign next to the main road, near the Free State town of Frankfort. Put up by the local dealer in town, it states, inter alia: “This is Isuzu country.” Indeed, in that part of the country there are probably thousands of Isuzu farm bakkies running around. This popularity is not limited to the Free State. The Isuzu D-Max (formerly known as KB) remains as popular as a free Wi-Fi connection on a bus filled with high school kids. In 2019 it was South Africa’s third most popular bakkie, behind the Hilux and the Ranger. The test criteria highlighted some of the obvious reasons: the Isuzu boasts the second best actual payload capacity (at 850kg), again emphasizing the D-Max’s tough-as-nails, workhorse roots. Most notable though, was the Isuzu’s domination…

IMAGINE how much money some manufacturers would pay if the Toyota’s Hilux’s sales performance secrets could be bottled, and re-used as a quick-fix solution. Thing is, the Hilux’s legacy has been five decades in the making, a reputation that money can’t buy. This test again highlighted some of the Hilux’s obvious talents, as well as some lesser-known ones. And some rare weaknesses. The Hilux’s 2.8GD-6 turbodiesel engine may not be the most powerful in this test but its seamless grunt, available from virtually idle speeds, with no detectable turbo lag, really set the scene for a great all-round performance. With 190kg on the bak, and on our standardised test route, the Hilux required the least amount of fuel: 9.60 litres/100km. The remaining segments read like a Hilux curriculum vitae, the…

1 TELSLA CYBER-TRACK When Tesla’s Elon Musk revealed this truck to the world, the vast majority of people following the launch on the internet firmly believed the eccentric billionaire was playing a joke. And for good reason. Resembling something drawn by a six-year-old that had overdosed on 10 packets of Jelly Tots, the Cyber-truck did not even resemble a truck in any particular shape or form. But it was no joke. Musk explained he has always been a huge DeLorean fan – the squared-up, all-aluminiun American ‘sports car’ that failed miserably to achieve anything, except to famously star in the Back to the Future films. But it’s under the controversial, futuristic and bulletproof skin that things really get impressive. The top version gets a Tri-Motor 4WD drivetrain, a range of…

THE Volvo XC40 started racking up awards almost immediately after it was launched. It was named the Car of the Year by numerous prestigious publications, after which it won the European Car of the Year title. Armed with a blank cheque from the Geely Holding Group, Volvo easily set the benchmark for small premium SUVs. Unfortunately, a lot can happen in three years. Competitors tend to catch up quickly these days, which means it’s much easier to fall behind. SCANDINAVIAN STYLE Design is a funny thing. Something styled to be as outlandish as legislation will allow, will likely be outdated before its lifecycle is complete. On the flipside, a boring car makes less of an initial impact and is easy to forget. Volvo hit the nail on the head with…

“We were flat-out in sixth gear, and I was watching the Mini in the mirrors, coming closer, and closer… finally, it passed us, and we couldn’t do anything about it.” These words from two-time Formula One champion Fernando Alonso, driving for the Toyota Gazoo Racing SA team, after the second stage of the Dakar Rally, would ultimately play a definitive role in the outcome of the rally, after more than 7 500km, as Toyota and Mini traded blows, stage after stage. Toyota Gazoo Racing team principle Glyn Hall added some perspective: “Up to 160km/h, the Mini buggys are slightly faster than the Hilux, but above that speed the two-wheel-drive Minis really start pulling away. According to the rules, we have to run a 37mm air restrictor on our naturally aspirated…

IF you’re going to be using your vehicle in a way that it is more susceptible to scratches and impacts – you know, the kind of stuff that bakkies and SUVs are designed for – then it might be a good idea to invest in a second layer of paint protection. There are basically two options: a physical barrier or a high-tech coating. The Body Fence range, developed by Hexis R&D, is a transparent adhesive film. At the cutting edge of technology, it will protect your vehicle against external aggressions such as scratches, stone chips, abrasions and UV rays. The film is self-healing, meaning that any damage to the film by outside forces like road debris or stones, which may cause imperfections, are temporary. The film will regenerate with the…

True Price, a website aimed at providing consumers with an accurate assessment of their car’s value, recently conducted the first-ever study of annual winners in the resale value stakes. “We decided to analyse which 2018 model year vehicles achieved the best resale value (measured against original list price) during 2019. This has never been done before in South Africa,” said Darryl Jacobson, managing director of True Price. True Price is able to produce this data because its team attends bank repossession auctions throughout the year in order to document the prices achieved. These values are used to provide motorists with free vehicle evaluations. The company has data pertaining to thousands of vehicle auctions on its system and is able to provide highly scientific and extremely accurate vehicle evaluations. The data…

Jaguar Land Rover has acquired Bowler, the UK-based manufacturer of all-terrain performance cars, parts and rally raid vehicles. Founded in 1985, Bowler pioneered the production of dedicated off-road competition cars in the UK and has achieved success in international rally events. The expertise it has amassed for all-terrain vehicle dynamics, low-volume production techniques and proving the durability of components under extreme conditions, is highly sought-after. Since its inception Bowler has had a close affiliation with Land Rover, which was formalised with a brand partnership in 2012 that led to the creation of the popular Defender Challenge by Bowler rally series in 2014-2016. “For almost 35 years, the Bowler name has stood for innovation and success, with a reputation forged by its participation in the world’s toughest off-road motorsport competitions. It’s…

Drivers of fully electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles can now plan their journeys with ease using a live map to locate available public charging stations nationwide. The live map displays the entire network of Jaguar Powerway and GridCars supported public charging stations, and indicates the current status of each, including if it’s online, offline or in use. The map shows the time and date of the station’s last successful use, as well as a tally of that particular station’s total charge sessions to date. Information about each station’s location with map pin drops or GPS co-ordinates are available, too. The live map can be found on Jaguar’s website.…

JUST over 27 metres. That’s nearly the length of a basketball court. It’s also the difference in braking distance from 100km/h to standstill between two bakkies, with a 500kg load on the ‘bak.’ A crucial bit of information, you’d agree, if safety is at the sharper end of your wishlist for a new bakkie. Part of the most extensive group test we’ve ever devised, and part of our inaugural Bakkie of the Year competition, the braking test is one of a host of new independent assessments to help determine which bakkie really is best. We went more pragmatic than ever before, deciding to skip formerly populist criteria such as 0–100km/h acceleration times, top speeds, and so on. Instead, we focused on areas that make a real difference in real people’s…

THE Mitsubishi Triton is fitted with the brand’s excellent Super Select II 4WD system, and we raved about the Triton’s off-road ability on a recent extended trip to Mozambique. We liked it so much that, ahead of this test, we reckoned the Triton could possibly ruffle a few tail feathers in the overall standing. But then we started adding up all the test data and Malcolm Kinsey submitted his famous ‘parts bin’ pricing comparison data. And our independent judges spent some time behind the wheel. Let’s start with the good stuff. As expected, the unique Super Select II 4WD system (with a selection between 2H, 4H (open centre diff), 4H Lock (locked centre diff) and 4Low) helped the Triton score third place in the 4×4 test. It scored another third…

MERCEDES-BENZ’S X-Class bakkie was, as part of costsaving, based on and developed around Nissan’s Navara. Merc’s engineers took a Navara chassis and drivetrain (including the Nissan’s 2.3-litre twin-turbo diesel engine and seven-speed gearbox), updated the exterior, added a Mercedes C-Class interior to the cabin, worked in some Mercedes-specification adjustments for the suspension and added extra reinforcements and details such as a more substantial steering shaft (to add a more Mercedes like driving experience). This was all good and well but there was the issue of pricing, and a premium of around R200 000 over a similar Navara. As cool as the Benz was, this deal just didn’t add up. More recently, Mercedes introduced the X350d. It has a Merc V6 turbodiesel engine, a Merc gearbox, and a Merc Gelandewagen transfer…

KARMA has a fascinating way of completing circles. Ten years ago, when Volkswagen launched the Amarok with a two-litre turbodiesel mill, some Ford Ranger fans were quick to point out that only Coke, milk and the Amarok came in two-litre formats. In 2019, Ford announced that its bespoke Raptor would be powered by a two-litre turbodiesel engine and all those previously vocal Ranger fanatics went rather quiet, and the ‘two-litre’ jokes mostly disappeared like mist before the sun. The Raptor gets the Everest’s Watts-link rear suspension (instead of leaf springs), and the addition of Fox racing shock absorbers and other strengthened suspension and chassis bits mean you can even jump this bakkie. It even has specially developed BFGoodrich tyres (with a unique compound). Throw in a handy 240mm ground clearance…

BUSH LAPA OFF-ROAD CARAVANS We used the company’s Miskruier (dung beetle) caravan for the towing test. The stainless steel four-sleeper van has a dry weight of 910kg and a solid beam axle with a 1 800kg rating. We loaded 190kg of sand bags in the caravan’s nose section, to better simulate a loaded caravan. This increased the total weight to 1.1 tons. With 350mm of claimed ground clearance and a standard feature list as long as our former president’s rap sheet, the Miskruier is like the Leatherman of off-road vans. Compact yet sturdy, luxurious but with genuine go-anywhere ability, it comes standard with a five-year structural warranty on the chassis and main body. Bush Lapa is currently running a special on the Miskruier, fitted with several optional extras like a…

THE journey that got us to our bakkie of the year verdict was fun, daunting, memorable, eye-opening and, at times, exhausting. Watching all of these cars perform the various tests and having the opportunity to drive them back to back for more than a week was indeed a treat. What you won’t see in that feature is the Isuzu X-Rider Black, which was present at the time but not part of the competition. Coincidentally, it just happened to be scheduled for a standard road test the same week we conducted the Bakkie of the Year testing programme. It served as a reminder of ‘want’ versus ‘what you can afford’. The customer obviously wants the most bang for his buck, but if the budget doesn’t stretch further than R500 000, it…

We’ve really been looking forward to spending a wonderful evening in one of Kam’Bati River Resort’s permanent tents where you are promised fivestar treatment. Upon arrival, we were welcomed with open arms and shown to our tent. The hot tub was already on the go and the water was warm enough for us to jump straight in and relax. These hot tubs are a new addition to the facilities and really help add to the relaxation that comes with glamping. We then unpacked and put on our hiking shoes as we wanted to tackle the new route to the river. At the entrance to the hiking route is a quaint book exchange where you can grab something to read should you so desire. The route to the river is a…

JOHAN Marais is the CEO of the African Snakebite Institute (ASI). He is the former curator of both FitzSimons’ Snake Park at Durban and Transvaal Snake Park in Halfway House, has served on the Crocodile Specialist Group of IUCN, was chairman of the Herpetological Association of Africa and of SARCA (Southern African Reptile Conservation Assessment) and is the author of dozens of books on snakes and reptiles. When not running the ASI, he is happiest looking for snakes and reptiles in Africa’s most remote nooks and crannies. After a short stint in publishing, Marais became involved in snake research, partnering with the University of Villanova in Pennsylvania. He started surveying the Mulanje Massif in Malawi, the Nasser reserve in northern Mozambique and has spent the last 11 years in Namibia,…

WHENEVER one of our long-term vehicles goes for a service, we try to be as incognito as possible for obvious reasons. The whole idea behind a long-term vehicle is to experience the car like a regular owner would. An annual service plays a huge role in the ownership experience. Speaking as actual car owners (and contrary to popular belief, everyone on our editorial staff owns their own cars apart from these long-termers), a good service structure can make or break a brand. Be kind to a customer and you keep them in the family, treat them badly and the relationship will be over quicker than the average celebrity marriage. We don’t expect to be treated like royalty but the bar should be high considering a car is likely to be…

THE year 2020 will herald a new wave of activity at Mahindra’s assembly plant and its dealer network to support the model growth. This phase kicks off shortly after Mahindra was recognised as South Africa’s fastest growing brand for 2019. According to the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers (Naamsa), Mahindra grew by 28.7% in 2019, while the overall market declined by 2.8%. This performance builds on an equally impressive increase of 25.7% in 2018. The growth was no doubt supported by several accolades from the automotive industry and media. Last year, the National Automotive Dealer Association (Nada) recognised Mahindra’s efforts and growth by awarding it its first Gold Award, while the Kinsey Report on the affordability of service and repair parts singled out the KUV100 specifically and Mahindra in general…

IN the late ’70s, the quickest off-road racers were the Class 1 Unlimited Buggies that used suspension from a Volkswagen Beetle. This only afforded them around 250mm of suspension travel while propulsion was via a modified Type 1 Beetle engine, increased to 2 276cc. They were fairly lightweight, nimble and robust but this was not enough for Thompson who wanted to take the sport to the next level. He began toying with a front-mounted American V8 and up to 450mm of suspension travel. Starting with a Challenger chassis built by Smokey Allerman – who was famous for building sprint cars back then – the car looked like a sprint car but had altered suspension with custom-built A-arms and a three-link rear suspension arrangement. They dropped in a 383 stroker Chevrolet…

Keep up to date with news, videos, photos and articles, with Leisure Wheels online Like our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/LeisureWheels | Follow us on Twitter: @LeisureWheelsZA | Web: www.leisurewheels.co.za SHARED ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE We have verified, model-specific bakkie sales figures for 2019. What’s your guess? Which manufacturer sold the most double cab bakkies? Cliffy Brown: What do the Ford owners say now? Their big comeback was ‘Ford sells more double cabs’. Wrong! Stefan van den Berg: Just because they sell the most does not make them the best. Some are just after a brand. It’s like Nike tekkies. Leonard Jones: Toyota has proven itself over 50 years. What about trade value? Sorry, Toyota is the best. Michael Robertson: The new Nissan Navara is way better than Ford or Toyota. Kgomotso…

Adrian Kuiper was part of the first postisolation cricket team A that toured India in 1991, having made a name for himself as a fearsome all rounder domestically and against the touring England Rebels side in 1990 when he smashed 117 off 67 balls, his century coming off just 48 balls. These days such a knock is almost commonplace but at the time, some described this century as the best ever. He attended the 1992 World Cup in Australia when the Proteas were eliminated with the help of a dubious rain rule and played for a few more years before a shoulder injury sidelined him. Almost overnight, Kuiper put his cricket life behind him and jumped into a new adventure, managing life on his apple farm. How’s business? Elgin is…

Chinese manufacturer JAC quietly introduced its all-new T8 bakkie locally, just before the December holidays. Two models are available, both powered by the same 1.9-litre turbocharged diesel engine that delivers 100kW and 320Nm of torque. Standard trim includes a touchscreen interface, Xenon headlights, air-conditioning and central locking. The 4×2 retails for R339 900, while the 4×4 model retails for R399 900. A five-year/150 000km warranty and five-year/60 000km service plan are included in the price.…

What started as an open invite on our website for families to compete in the Isuzu Great Adventure Series (GAS) ended in 20 117 entries, six semi-final events and one grand finale hosted last month. The GAS Series came full circle. Our first semi-final went extremely well, right up to the point where the heavens opened and flooded the Lesedi Cultural Village. The weather wasn’t as severe during the finals but the constant downpour meant we had to make some last-minute changes for safety reasons. In the end, it worked out better than we anticipated thanks to a 4×4 track that was a muddy pit. This meant the competitors really had to fight for the win, which always makes for a grand day out. After some seriously sideways laps at…

Nissan South Africa recently introduced the refreshed Nissan Qashqai, featuring an all-new NissanConnect 2.0 infotainment system. Nissan says this new interface has a smooth, intuitive display; a redesigned fascia; customisable home screens and widgets; as well as single line search, a new function in the navigation system (Tekna only), which speeds up and simplifies the process of finding a location. The seven-inch touchscreen features a new button layout and a new processor for faster response that doesn’t compromise the operability of any currently active functions. NissanConnect 2.0 comes standard with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as well as a rear-view camera. Nissan is including its Nissan Intelligent Mobility (NIM) features to the rest of the range. These include intelligent forward emergency braking, intelligent forward collision warning, intelligent blind spot…

VBOX is updating its Performance-Box with the latest technology including a touchscreen lap-timer, performance meter and data-logger. Packed with many new and advanced features, it’s easier than ever to perform different acceleration and braking tests with large readable results. New, sophisticated algorithms make the results even more accurate, compensating for any changes in height during the test. Featuring a sophisticated lap timer with a built-in database of over 600 circuits, real-time delta-time, delta-speed (via LEDs), best lap time, current lap time, total session time and lap counter. The speed display shows real-time speed with Vmax and average functions. SD card logging allows performance analysis in the Vbox test suite or driver analysis in the popular Circuit Tool software. More information: Heinz@vboxafrica.co.za…

THERE are many theories about the apparent slow sales of Nissan’s supposedly game-changing Navara. One theory is that Nissan South Africa dropped the ball in delaying the local introduction of the latest generation bakkie by literally years while ostensibly sorting a load-carrying issue with the new coil-sprung rear suspension. Meanwhile, it flogged the older generation bakkie to clients while competitors introduced a raft of new models. Eventually the excitement about the ‘new’ Navara blew over, and many Nissan fans moved on to other brands with more modern offerings. Others say it is down to the fact that the much-hyped coil-sprung suspension did not quite live up to the game-changing promises. But enough of the theories, let’s talk results. The Navara’s brake system provided the best stopping power, despite the fact…

YES, there are two Ford Rangers in this test. That’s because, even though they’re both Rangers, they’re as different as night and day. The Wildtrak is all about luxury, safety and refinement. It’s also about carrying a load (of 760kg) courtesy of a workhorse-style leaf spring set-up. The Raptor, on the other hand, is a bespoke Ford Performance creation. It gets the Everest SUV’s Watt’s multi-link rear suspension, high-end Fox racing dampers and springs, and extra reinforcement so you can jump it like Ken Block. It even gets bespoke BFGoodrich all-terrain tyres with a unique compound. These were specifically developed for this vehicle, offering excellent off-road grip and still palatable on-road performance. Even though the Wildtrak and Raptor are both powered by the same engine and gearbox, the driving experience…

WE call it ‘the GTI’. That’s because this bakkie can sprint from 0–100km/h faster than most hot hatches. In-gear acceleration is another virtue. Stand on the go-faster pedal, and this Volksie shoots forward like a, well… like a GTI. So we knew it was fast. But this test was not about 0–100km/h sprint times. It was about practical, real-world ownership, like lugging a heavy load, fuel consumption, handling, and so on. Things the VW may not be so very good at. And true as toast, it wasn’t perfect. It finished second last in the 4×4 ability segment, the lack of a transfer case and limited ground clearance costing it points. On the safety front it was also found slightly lacking, with less standard supplementary restraint systems than some of its…

1 The badge (TOYOTA) No other brand enjoys the same level of reverence in Southern Africa. You can’t really go far wrong with a Toyota badge. 2 THE ENGINE (VW) The nod went to VW’s 3.0TDI V6 engine. With up to 180kW and 550Nm of torque this engine is not only able to propel the Amarok forward at hot hatch pace, it’s also refined and efficient. 3 THE SAFETY (FORD RANGER WILDTRAK) Ford’s Wildtrak comes standard with Adaptive Cruise Control, which uses a sensor behind the rear-view mirror to monitor the distance between the Ford and other cars in front of it. Autonomous braking is also standard, as is lane-keep assist. 4 THE INTERIOR (FORD RANGER RAPTOR We’ll stick with the Ranger Raptor’s interior, thanks. The sporty seats and rally-inspired…

‘BE PREPARED’ is the motto of the boy scouts but it may as well be for anyone planning a car journey of any significant distance in South Africa. You only really begin to understand how dangerous our roads are when you travel overseas and you see that fatal accidents there are so rare, it isn’t inconceivable that a car crash could make the front page of the local newspapers. Here, we slow down at accident scenes, peer out the window at the carnage and have forgotten it all by the next petrol stop. Whether you think you’re indestructible or not, it’s a good idea to have a first aid kit in your vehicle because, sadly, there’s a good chance you’re going to need it. For detailed lists of what these…

MAHINDRA South Africa kicked off 2020 on an early high by introducing a brand new flagship to the ever-popular Mahindra Pik Up range. The all new Mahindra Pik Up Automatic will be available on dealership floors as a double cab model in top-of-the-range S11 and S11 Karoo specification levels. South Africa is the first country in the world to launch this new model. TESTED FOR AFRICAN CONDITIONS Mahindra has launched the S11 Automatic model after a year of arduous testing of the new transmission and engine combination at the Gerotek Test Facilities in Pretoria as well as additional testing across almost all the provinces. Making South Africa the test bed once again confirms Mahindra South Africa’s determination to commit, grow and continuously invest in the South African market. With all…

IT has been a busy time for our Isuzu D-Max 4×4. In between Christmas shopping and taking garden refuse to the dump site, she did duty on the Trans Agulhas Inflatable Boat Race. This is no ordinary boat race, this is the world’s toughest inflatable boat challenge. The event starts in Plettenberg Bay just after Christmas and is a fast-paced watersports event with over 40 boats battling it out in the waves. The five-day race visits beaches along the coast between Nature’s Valley and Gordon’s Bay, where the race finishes. As support for the crew, the D-Max launched the boat from beaches and sketchy slipways for a week and followed the team along the coast to refuelling and service points. The easy-to-use 4×4 system ensured sure-footed handling of the delicate…

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