NamWheels Edition 33

AND...

“A true 7-seater, all-electric SUV that further raises our standardsinsafetyandamore sustainablelifestyle:thenew Volvo EX90 represents the start of a new era for our company in which we set a decisive course for a fully electricfuture” “TheVolvoEX90isastatement forwhereweare,andwhere wearegoing,”saidJimRowan, VolvoCarsChiefExecutive “It'sfullyelectricwitharange ofupto600kmonasingle charge, designed to further raiseoursafetystandards,the first Volvo car to be truly defined by its software and part of a wider ecosystem, connectingtoyourhomeand yourotherdevices TheVolvo EX90isthestartofsomething new for Volvo Cars in many ways”

GOLF GTI 8 AVAILABLE WITH PLAID FABRIC

TheVWGolf8GTIwasrecently availablewiththeiconicClark PlaidJacarafabricseatswhich featureacheckpatterndesign

Theclassiccheckeddesignwas producedbythefirstwomanto workintheVolkswagendesign department,GunhildLiljequist.

For her, black was a sporty enoughcolour,butshewasalso lookingforasecondcolourwith a powerful and sophisticated effectandthussettledonthe colour red. That marked the originof'ClarkPlaid'whichis still available in the Golf GTI eightgenerationslater

TheGolf8GTIJacaraEdition retailsforR16700lessthanthe leatherseatsoption

NB: Namibian availability and pricing could not be confirmed at the time of going to press

BETTER HYBRID TECH FOR NEW COROLLA

Launchedin2020,the12thgenCorollasedanadoptedthe strikingnewdesignlanguage and TNGA platform shared withitshatchbacksibling InSeptember2021,ahybrid variantwasaddedtothenew Corollasedanline-up,tobring Toyota'shybridtechnologyto mainstreammodels

Whilethe2021Corollamodel employed the familiar 4thgeneration 18 hybrid engine (asfoundintheCorollaCross), thelatestiterationispowered by a 5th-generation 18-litre petrol-electric hybrid powertrain which offers enhanced performance, refinement and efficiency AnewLithium-Ion batterywithenhancedcooling capacity,sitsatthecoreofthe upgrade

6 MIN 35 SECONDS: NEW NORDSCHLEIFE RECORD FOR AMG

The Mercedes-AMG ONE is thekingoftheNurburgringNordschleife:withanofficially measured time of 6:35183 minutes for rounding the 20832kmtrack,thehypercar with Formula-1™ technology setanewrecordforroad-legal productionvehiclesaswellas supersportscars

Therecord-breakingdriveson 28October2022werehardto beatintermsofexcitement:at exactly17:14:31,racingdriver andAMGbrandambassador MaroEngeltooktothetrack forthelastattemptoftheday andburnedthenew,fabulous time into the legendary and demandingEifelasphalt.

MAHINDRA KAROO EXPEDITION ENDS AFTER 21 DAYS

ThreeveryspecialMahindra PikUpKaroomodelsrecently returnedtoGauteng(ZA)toa welcoming crowd of fans, enthusiasts and Mahindra teammembers

The vehicles arrived home after completing an arduous journeyofroughandtumble terrainthroughSouthAfrica, NamibiaandLesotho Onthe route,theteamofadventurers showcasedthebestthatthe MahindraPikUphastooffer and introduced fans to the new Pik Up Karoo flagship models

CLICK ON ANY IMAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION

SUZUKI UPDATES

It’scertainlynotapleasanttop5list tocomposebutwethoughtthatsome peoplecoulduseagentlereminder thatanynaughtybehaviourmayjust landtheminhotwaterwiththelocal constabulary

So,dearestreader,pleasefollowour adviceandobeythetrafficlaws,use commonsense,andbecourteousto officialsandfellowroadusers Feelfreetosendusyourcomments orfeedback:

REASONS YOU WON’T...

There are less serious offences (like minor vehicle defects or smaller traffic infringements) whichshouldn’tgetyouarrested

Ouradviceis:alwaysbefriendly, obeytheofficer’sinstructionsand trytocooperateatalltimes

Thiswillalsohelpyourcase(and public evidence) if any matter shouldendupincourt.

DRUNK OR RECKLESS DRIVING

Anotherpunishableoffencewhichpeopletendto forgetisimproperbehaviourorverbalabuseofan officialonduty

Physicalviolencewillimmediatlygetyouarrested whilethethreat(ormereimplication)ofharming

Atrafficofficialorlawenforcementofficermay askyoutocomplywiththeirwishes.Evenifthese seemstrange(orwrong)atthetime,wehighly recommendthatyouobeytheircommand/s. Notlisteningto,ignoring,arguingorfightingwith

Anexpiredvehiclelicenseispunishablebyfine-in mostcases-butwecan’tstressenoughthatyou shouldn’tevenletanydocumentsexpire!

top5 REASONS TO GET ARRESTED NON COMPLIANCE DOCUMENT PROBLEMS

Thatobviouslygoesforyourdriver’slicense,any specialpermitsorvehicle-specificpaperwork.

Thisisanopen-and-shutcase:ifyourvehicleis markedasstolenorhasbeenflaggedaswantedby locallawenforcement,youasthedriverwillmost probablyaccompanyittoaholdingpen. Theotheronewaytickettoprisonisawarrantfor

carelesswayofmotoring,whilerecklessonesare eveneasiertoidentify

Andwithtoday’svideoevidencetechnologyor fastbreathalizertests,onceyou’reincustodyit’sa one-waytickettoaholdingcell.

apoliceofficercanalsoleadtoarrest

Verbalabuse,rudegesturesorimproperpublic conductmayalsobeconsideredreasonsforarrest or,intheveryleast,willreflectverybadlyonyour caseifyoulandupinfrontofajudge.

anofficialisapunishableoffencewhichcanlead toarrest

Intheveryleast,notcomplyingwithanyorders candelayyourdepartureorgivetheofficialplenty ofreasontosearchyourvehicle.

Arrestswouldonlyfollowifoneormoreofyour documentsarefoundtobefraudulent,tampered withormarkedwithrepeatoffences.

Notbeingabletoidentifyyourself,passengersor thevehiclemayalsoleadtotermporarydetention.

yourarrestthereasonsforwhichcanrangefrom unpaidfines,contemptofcourt,toothernon-car relatedlegalmatters.

Ifyouarebuyingorborrowingavehicleandyou aren’tsureifit’sstolen,donottaketherisk!

Trafficofficersaretrainedtolookforpotential problems;inordertoserveandprotectthebigger community So the easiest way to get yourself lockedupistodrivedrunkorrecklessly

TheinitialS-Pressomodelwaslaunchedin 2020, shortly before COVID-19, when the economic climate already made it fairly dificulttoownareputablenewcarunder R200k Forwardto2022andtheeconomic situation is even more eye-watering. Yet, SuzukiSAhasmanagedtore-launchtheirSPressowithseveralupgrades,withthemost expensiveS-PressomodelatR199900

SuzukistatesthattheS-Pressohasnotarget market.Itisacartobeenjoyedbyallagesand alltypesofindividuals.Let’scuttothechase

ThepreviousS-Pressomodelhouseda1-litre fuel-injectedengine,withaclaimedaverage fuelconsumptionof49L/100kmThanksto its27Lfueltankand750kgweight,itwas capableofa551kmrange

The new S-Presso model in turn, houses Suzuki’snew10litreDualjetengine,itted with two injectors per cylinder We irst experiencedthisengineinthenewCelerio modelandwereastonishedbyitsreal-world fueleficiencyof51litres/100km Suzuki claimthatthisengine,inthenewS-Presso, willdeliveraverageconsumptionof46litres per100km

TheAutomatedManualTransmissionmodels arecapableofanevenbetter44L/100km With this, the new S-Presso models also includeaStop/Startsystem,whichresultsin theenginesavingmorefuelduringstandstill

Is it safe?

Sofuel-eficiencygivestheS-Pressooneout ofthreemarksthusfar,andSuzukirampedup itssafetyfeaturestoaddanothertick

ThenewcomerfeaturesElectronicStability Control (ESP), ABS, childproof rear door locks,rearparksensors,twoairbags,andHill HoldControlfortheAMTmodelsLikeother Suzukis,thisS-PressousestheHEARTECT platform, which combines lighter yet strongermaterialstostrengthenthecabinAll S-Presso’sarealsoittedwithISOFIXpoints

Is it capable?

Well,yes Itmighthavethesame49kWand 89Nmasbefore,buttherefreshedS-Presso certainlyhasmoreabilitieswithaground clearanceof181mm,aswellasnew14-inch alloywheels(ontheGL+andS-Editions)

Each model also comes with a full-sized spare,whichisrareinthisvehiclecategory

Apart from the exterior, the new S-Presso (GL+ Edition) also boasts with a 7-inch infotainmenttouchscreensystem(withthe latestappconnections)ThefancierS-edition featuresalarge

TRACK EXPERIENCES

Mercedes-Benz

The more things change, the more they stay the same Mercedes’ new C-Class appeared during the messy demise of COVID-19 so we never got a proper look at what’s changed

You should know: Theirstthingwe shouldallagreeonisthatMercedesBenz played it fairly safe with the exterior design of their popular compactsedanItfollowscurrentinhousetrendsbuthappilyshiesaway from the aggressive bulges and ridiculously large air scoops so favouredbyitssportySUVcousins

Itlooksunderstatedandelegant,like aproperMercedesshould More info: Speakingofwhich,theCClasshasalwayscopiedstylingcues fromitsbigS-Classrelative;andthat is something else that hasn’t changed Especiallyontheinsideof thisnewcomeryouwillindthelarge screen,slanteddash,digitalgauges and a steering wheel with more buttonsthanaCasiocalculator

Why you shouldn’t: Ifyoustruggle withyourNetlixpasswordordon’t knowwhata2FAis,stepawayfrom thenewC-Class Afterexploringits commandcentreasbestIcould,it’s evident that Mercedes tried their besttosimplifyafewavalanchesof technology but…but…evenIhadto pullovertwicetoindafairlysimple radioorsoundsetting

Why you should: Thoseofyouwho lovegadgets,secretlycraveaTesla andadoretheconvenienceof2FA’s, you will absolutely love this new BabyBenz Ontopofthat,beinga mini-S-Class, this car doesn’t just drive Itglides Ofcoursethereare other,sportierdrivesettingsbuteven withtheseenormousEdition6(AMG Line)wheels,therideisexceptional

What else? ThisC200istheentrylevelmodelyetsportsamild-hybrid 15Lturbo-petrol,soits165kWor 300Nmareplentyforthenine-speed automaticgearboxtoworkwithOur best0-100timewas umm,noidea, actually I couldn’t locate the nowarchaic12VsocketforourRacelogic Box…whichisapparentlyhiddenin thepassengerfootwell

Text: Hanjo Stier Images:Nico Boshoff

LexusES300h

Between the mad scramble for EV’s, hordes of new bakkies and a bizarre resurgence of MPV’s, this exquisitely elegant Lexus gifted us a week of peace and tranquillity

Text: Hanjo Stier Images:Nico Boshoff

You should know: OK, maybe elegantisasubjectivetermbutI’ll defendmypositionaboutthisbeing exquisite.Lexuseshavealwaysbeen luxuriously appointed but some of them – especially the previous ES range–justfeltlikeaposhToyota Thisone,though Ohboy Thisone looksandfeelsamazing

More info: I’ll also let you be the judgeonitscrazyfrontgrillorthis daringcolourcombobutinmyjaded journoeyes,theyaddlamboyanceto a vehicle which really needed it TherearehintsofSonata,7-Seriesor LexusGSinitsdesigndetails;butall oftheminasubtleandpleasingway

What else? BesidesaregularES250, theJapanesemanufactureralsosells this ES300h (mild hybrid) here in southernAfrica

Yourchoicebetweentwotrimlevels determinestheinalpriceofeither R815000orafullmillionbucksThe non-hybrid‘250comesinataslightly moreaffordableR757000

Why you shouldn’t: Some people may be intimidated by all the technology inside this vehicle, but thatgoesforallitsrivals,too This engine is “just a 4-cylinder” so it doesn’tsoundparticularlyinspiring; which is exasperated by the onegear-its-allCVTgearbox

Why you should: However, the combinedpoweroutputof160kWis commendableandthatlittleelectric helper bridges any low-speed/rpm hesitation There’sevenadedicated electric-only mode at very low speeds, provided the battery is suficientlycharged

Ourbest0-100km/hsprinttime(at sealevel)was833seconds,almost halfasecondfasterthanthemaker’s claim.

In conclusion, with petrol prices hashtag reaching for the stars, it’s greattoseethatLexusismatching the favourite Germans by offering highly-eficient drive trains in strikingluxuryvehicles

TheSuzukiJimnybrandhasbeenwithus sincethe1970’s Alongwithmodelslikethe Swift,theJimnyisaprimeexampleofSuzuki’s mottoofcreatingquirkyandfun,yetsensible carsSincethelaunchofthefourthgeneration Jimny in 2018, I made no secret of my ambitionstoownonemyself

Fouryearsafterthatimpulsivedecisionin 2018,Idecidedtousethetestwiththenew heritage “Rhino” edition as the last fencesittingmoment,andirmupmyambitionsto purchaseaJimnyShouldIgrowtiredofthe carafterthreedays,Iwouldhaveclosure Shouldtheoppositeoccur,Iwouldcontinue mysearchinallearnest.

ThenewRhinoEdition,intheautomatic15 litreGLXvariant,arrivedinalashywhite colour,albeitwithaheritagekit,reminding onlookers of the initial SJ-series, some 50 years ago This kit included the Suzuki heritagegrille,Rhinodecals,redmudlaps, rainandwinddelectors,aswellasarhinobrandedsparewheelcoverEachofthesecan also be ordered separately from Suzuki (exceptfortheRhinodecals,whichcomes withthecompletepackage)

SimultaneouslywiththelaunchoftheRhino Edition aesthetics, the GL model was also launchedtoslotinbetweentheGAandGLX modelsWiththeexactsame4×4capabilities asboththeGAandGLX,aswellasthesame

15 litre K15B petrol engine (75kW and 130Nm),theGLwouldbeamorebudgetfriendlyversionoftheGLX

TheGLwasthereforemanufacturedforJimny fans,whodonotreallycarefortheinterior aesthetics, such as the infotainment touchscreen, cruise control, auto climate control, LED headlights, and a rear cabin

Jimny,ortosimplyindotherJimniesina

storagecompartmentorinteriorlight.Rather theGLwouldbeequippedwithaBluetooth radio,andhalogenheadlights,whilstkeeping the15-inchalloywheelsoftheGLX

InadditiontotheGAmodel,itwouldalsobe equipped with front fog lights, steeringmountedcontrols,remotecentrallockingand electricwindowsandsidemirrors

TheexteriordifferencesbetweentheGLXand GL are therefore almost unrecognisable, whilst thedifferencesmight becomemore apparentontheinside

Yet,Suzukilistenedtoitscustomers,reduced thepriceoftheGLbyR20000(comparedto theGLX),andlaunchedanequallycapable 4×4,withlessaesthetics

AllthisresultsinmoreJimniesbeingonthe road,plusanalmosttiring,yetfunactivityof lashingone ’ sheadlightsasyoupassanother

Volkswagen Polo 1.0TSi

I feel a bit sorry for Volkswagen, and so should you Although they were probably part of the culprits, our demand for ever-modernised vehicles has left us with countless premium brands and a handful of weird cheapies Guess which one “the people’s car” now belongs to?

You should know: Yup VW is a proper premium brand, which anyonewillattesttoafterspending justafewminutesbehindthewheel ofanewPolo

My local Volksie-whisperer agrees withmewhenIproclaimthattheir (mostlyinterior)qualitylevelshad some recent wobbles which no longer put this German marque aheadofthepack

More info: Thatdoesn’tmeanthis car ’ scabinisgarbage;farfromit.It’s certainlyonalevelwiththeHyundais and Kias of this world while differentiatingitselfwiththesober layoutoneexpectsfromthisnation Everything just works, nothing’s confusingand–hurray–thismodel hadaphysicalvolumeknob!

Why you shouldn’t: Thedual-clutch automated-manualgearboxisabit naffatlowspeeds;notmywords,all mycolleaguespointeditoutirst.The upside of this commuter-friendly self-shifteristhatthelively1Lengine hasanextradegreeofvoomaand, onceonthemove,thisdrivetrainis properlyimpressive

Why you should: Besides the sensiblebrandandgreatexecutionof this compact hatchback, you could also choose this for its on-board technology, funky and comfy furniture, excellent ride and headlights,generousdimensionsand greatfueleficiency

VWSAclaims54L/100kmfromthe 40Ltank

What else? I guarantee that this dearerR-Linemodel(whichcostsa whopping R52,500 more) will be everyone’s irst choice. Our press vehicle’sVibrantVioletMetallicpaint job,mostcertainlynot.Ithoughtit lookedsuperbAlmostunique

SomethingIwouldcertainlywanton suchapopularandexcellentvehicle

DaarisgeentwyfelaandieRaptorsesukses in Suider Afrika nie Aanvanklik was daar neergekykopdie20turbodiesel,watookin veleanderRangermodelle,soosdieWildtrak gevindisTerwylditvirveleniegepaswasvir hierdie voertuig nie, is dit steeds ’ n betroubare,kragtige,enseepgladdeenjin

Met157kWen500Nmtotjoubeskikkingis hierdieenjinbeslisnierustignie Mengdit saam met die egalige, dog ratse 10-spoed outomatiese ratkas en die enjin sal vinnig weesomdienodigekragtelewer,sowelasom rustigteblyonder2000opmopdieooppad

Onshetonlangshierdieeinstekombinasiein dieRangerStormtrakgetoetsopdieooppad, sowel as die stad en ’ n goeie brandstof ekonomievannetonderdie9literper100km gekryFordstelselfsvoordatmatigeritte’ n verbruikvan78liter/100kmkanlewer

Die Raptor voel ook natuurlik nie soos ’ n normale bakkie nie Terwyl daar al baie gedoenisommodernebakkiesmeer ‘stedelik vriendelik’ te maak, neem die Raptor die kersieopdiekoekMetabsolutegemakopdie ooppad,sowelasdienouerdraaieindiestad /dorp,isdieRaptorselfsmeergemaklikop

diegrondpadMetverstellingsvanafnormale rit gemak, na sport, modder oppervlaktes, klipperigeoppervlaktes,ensand,issinkplaat paaieonopmerkend

Plaasdieritverstellingoorna‘Baja’en ’ n monsterwordontplooi,metdieenjin,sowel asdiesuspensie,watwakkerderis,gereedom enigeoppervlakteteenspoedaantepak.Die SEweergawehetspesialeplakkersregoordie middelvandievoertuig,sowelasteendie lengtevandievoertuig

Binnevervangrooistikseldienormaleblou skakerings,endieuitersgemaklikesitplekke, word met leer en suede afwerkings. Hier moetditgebiegworddatdiesitplekkeuiters gemaklikiseneenvoudigomdieinsittendes “ vou ” ,gereedvirdieaksiewatwag”

Vyfvolwasseneskangemaklikindievoertuig sit, te danke aan die Raptor se breer voorkoms (150mm meer as die normale Ranger) terwyl die voorste sitplekke ook verhitbaaris

NatuurlikkomdieSEweergaweookmet17 duimallooiwieleenGeneralGrabber(285/ 70R17AT3)bande,watbewysisomdie perfektetussengangerteweesviralgehele vernufopdiegrondpad,sowelasom ’ nsagte enstilritteverskafopdieoopteerpad

DieSEmodelkryegter’ nekstrarolkajuit,wat maklik elektronies gesluit kan word saam metaldieanderdeureHierdiemaakditbaie gemaklikomgoedereagtertestoorindie besigeensomtydsonveiligestad

TerwyldieRangerRaptorsegroterbande natuurlik’ ngrootterdraaisirkelsalverseker, endiebrandstofverbruikbeinvloed,isdie Raptor eintlik baie gemaklik op enige oppervlakte In terme van algehele veriggtingeisdaargeenanderbakkie,wat tans kan kers vashou as dit by sportiewe vernufkomnie

Untilafewmonthsago,itcould'vepossibly takenmedoublethattimetoperusepress releases,downloaddatacardsorbrowsebig brochures in search of the correct model Why?BecauseitseemedlikeHyundaihad16 engines,fourtransmissionsand22trimlines foreachoftheir900SUVmodelranges

Cynicismaside,mypointisthatthisCreta (plusothercrossovertypes)wererecently updatedtokeepthecompetitionsweating, then panel-beaten into the current brand image,whilebeingrearrangedintermsof drivetrainsandspeclevelstosimplifythe mazethatisHyundai'scurrentline-up

There'slogicinthis,plusconcreteproofthat Hyundaiandtheirlocalrepresentativesare thinking on their feet Every gap in the crossover/SUVfeedingfrenzyiscateredfor

Every model has the right amount of ire powerandbestpossiblespecsfortheprice You get manuals and autos, petrols and diesels,5-or7-seaters,front-andall-wheel drives;cateringforalltastesandbudgets

Plusthey'vebeenbetterdistinguishedfrom eachother

AlthoughthecompactcrossoverCretastill hasachoiceofthreeengines(this84kW15L four pot or a 90kW 1.6L mill) and three gearboxes(Manual,AutoorthisCVT),every oneofthefourderivativesisonlyavailable withapetrolenginedrivingthefront-wheel driveThisfallsinlinewithabigGermanrival brandwhosenaughtyDieselshavemadea silentexitthroughthebackdoor

IpersonallylovedHyundai'searliertwo-tone efforts but the Saffa public quickly voiced theirdrearywishesforanall-blackaffairAnd Hyundai SA, in what has become their trademark,listenedandcomplied

Sohereweare:youcannowbuythisnew HyundaiCreta15or16inmanualorauto, probablyinwhiteorpearlwhiteoroff-white orsilver(yourebel,you),withafullblack pleathercabin MostofthemhaveABS,EBD, ESPandotherdriveraids,agoodhandfulof airbags,autothisandremote

Turbo-dieselfanswillhavetopayupforthe loosely-related Grand Creta (1.5D) or the visually-similarposterboy,Tucson,in20D guiseIt'sworthnotingthatbigbrotherTucis almostdoubletheprice,whilea7-seatGrand Creta15Disbarely50grandmorethanthis Creta15ExecEvenlessinpetrolform!

Butbacktoourgleamingmetallicredpress vehicle,whichcutsadaringigurewithallits blackandsilveraccentpanels,stylishmultispokealloysandclean-cutinterior

Forwhatyoupay,there'sadecentamountof silverhighlights,crispinstrumentsandcool backlight.Thesteeringwheelalsohassporty buttressesandpremiumstitching

Leg-andhead-roomisOKformostadultsbut keepinmindthatthisisanaffordableSUVfor youngfamiliesHavingtypedthat,youdoget plenty of storage bins and charging ports aroundtheinterior,plus60/40-splitfolding rearseatswhichextendthegenerous420L bootspacetoalmost1400LWithabitofcare, youcanpackalotofitemsintothisvehicle!

Other criteria include 200mm of ground clearance,a108mturningradius,1175kg kerb weight, about 485kg of maximum payload, 215/60R17 tyres all around, 0100km/hinabout12seconds,170km/htop speed, massive warranty and service plan, plus 63L/100km on average from the sizeable50Lfueltank

Most testers found the ride and handling perfectly acceptable for this class of car, leaningtowardsthemorecomfysideinthe wake of its competitors' huge alloys and sportysuspensionsetupsCabinnoiseiskept toapleasantminimumonallbutextremely

rough road surfaces while the drive train, umm,cangetnoisy

A few years ago, the majority of buyers would'verunamileatthethoughtofaCVT (onegearitsall)typeofgearboxbutHyundai isoneofthepioneeringmanufacturerswho spent some time with theirs and gave it elocutionlessons “Nowlistenhere,junior Whentheyrushyou,simplypretendtoshift gears!”

Andthat'sbasicallywhatthiscardoeswhen troddenon Insteadofcampingoutnearits throatyengine'sred-lineforever–whichis whatanyengineerwouldwant–thisgearbox wasretrainedbythemarketingdepartment tosimulateratiochanges Itdoesthiswith relativesuccessandconviction,whilesticking tothenaturally-breathingmotor'soptimum powerband

SotherewegoThegap-illingHyundaiCreta hasbeenshapedandmouldedintoaneven betterversionofitselfwithimprovedlooks andgadgets,plusatemptingcomboofdrive train and versatility Your only agonising choiceiswhichmodeltochoose;andwhat shadeofwhiteyoursshouldcomein?

Text: Hanjo Stier Images:Nico Boshoff

Suzuki Vitara Brezza

You should know: Accordingtothe Suzukipressrelease,thisS-Editionis anownbirthdaygifttothesuccessful Vitara Brezza range and slots in betweenthebudgetGLandfancier GLX brethren All alterations are cosmetic, and we couldn’t quite establishwhatthe“S”standsfor SforSpecial?

More info: Thiscar ’ sdrivetrainis identical to all other ‘Brezzas: a naturally-aspirated 1.5L in-line 4cylinderpetrolenginesendsupto 77kWor138Nmtothefrontwheels via either a 5-speed Manual or 4speedAutomaticgearbox Allspecs arebasedoffthehumbleGLmodel, hencethisiscalledaGLS-Edition

S forSpecs?

Yes please: Thebasespeciications include remote central locking, ISOFIXanchors,twoairbags,climate control,ABSwithEBD,16-inchalloys andamoderninfotainmentsystem S-Editionalsohasmorebumperand skirt garnish, side window visors, carbon-lookgrillinserts,shinydoor sillsandsilverinteriortrim

Aha!SoSstandsfor shiny?

No thanks: That’s a proper headscratcher. We have yet to get the (comparably) lazy but commuterfriendlyauto-boxunderfootbutcan reportthat–intrueSuzukistyle–this manual’s reverse gear loves grinding into position. The media systemlooksrelativelybasicbutdoes asit’stold;apersonalgripeisitslack ofavolumeknob

Right. What else? Pricesrangefrom R282,000(M/T)toR302,000(A/T) withagenerous5-year/200,000km warranty and a 4-year/60,000km serviceplanThisnotonlyrepresents excellentvalue,butalsoleavessome room to buy more extras for your VitaraBrezzaS-Edition.

Sforsuperb,perhaps?

Hanjo Stier

Nico Boshoff

DON’T DRINK & DRIVE

Letmeexplainthese“ onpurpose”vehicles againI’mtalkingaboutcarssospecialisedor exoticthat100%oftheirbuyersknowexactly whatthey’regetting

Nobodybuysthesethingsbecausethelocal dealerhadaspecialonthem,ortheyneededa quickstop-gapbetweenothercarsandquite fanciedthecolourofthisone

No TheguyorgalwhoyanksopenaJeep showroom door and conidently strides towardsasalespersontoorderthisGladiator, theyhaveaveryprecisepictureintheirhead ofwhatthiscarshouldlooklikeandwhat they’regoingtodowithit.Andthat’savital part of this car ’ s sales success because withoutpeoplelikethem itwouldlop

That’sright,saleswouldn’tleavetheground Because–braceyourselves–asajournalist who’s about to pass 1 000 reviews, I can conidentlytellyouthatthisJeepGladiatoris –comparatively–terribleFirstandforemost isthepriceof132millionZAR;probably14 bythetimeitgetstoNam

Thenthere’sthelengthof5591mmwhich,in allfairness,merelyputsitnearthetopof moderndouble-cabproportions

Otherdimensionsyouandyoursinglegarage shouldbewaryofareheightandwidthof about1,9m,plusaturningradiusnudging14 metres You may want to skip those tight shopping mall parking garages with this lengthybrute

Beforeyouyellatthescreen,Ishouldalso mentionalltheother4WDkityou’llindin this Jeep. Obviously it has low-range and multiplelockingdifferentialsbutyoucanalso (electronically)disconnecttheswaybaror relyonasupremelycleverelectronicstability system;whichcanbetoldwhichterrainto expect.

The controls for this device are umm, somewhere Scatteredinabuck-shotlayout dashboardwhichevenfeaturedheatedseats, selectableexteriorpower/lightoutputsand the obligatory touch-screen media system (UConnect)which can chat to your latest smartphone

Other slightly unbelievable igures include the wheelbase of almost 3.5m which unfortunatelyprovedtobeanAchillesHeel forfellowjournalistsonanoff-roadtrack

ThisAmericanoff-roadlegendisittedwith proper4×4gearlikechunkytyres,doubleFox shocks and beefy axles but none of that matters when you ’ re teetering on your tummy

Audio quality is quite impressive and, in keepingwithitsTonkaToynature,there’sa removableBluetoothspeakerhiddeninthe cabin And storage bins As for its main storage,theloadarea,it’scoveredby

BeingadirectdescendentoftheWrangler, thisnewGladiatorcomeswitharemovable hard-top(and/orconvertiblefoldingfabric roof,astestedhere),removablewindscreen and removable doors; although the side mirrorsunfortunatelyalsogoAWOLifyou ditchthedoors

HonestlyIt’slikeabigboy’stoy

Asforitson-roadmanners,prepareforsome wildanticsasthiselongatedWranglerleans intocorners,sometimesswaysinastraight linebutannihilatesroadimperfectionswhile itsrough-and-readyrubberhowlsanodeto self-cleaningtreadpatternsAtvolumelevels whichareprettymuchproportionatetothe vehicle’svelocity

Other small irritations I noted include the questionabledoorseals(andnoisyfabrictop onourtestvehicle)athighwayspeedsbutyou knowwhat…noneofthatmatters

Noteventheinsanethirstofthisgutsy36L petrolV6(209kWand347Nm)whichdoesa

fairlydecentjobofincreasingtheGladiator’s momentumthroughanicely-stacked8-speed automaticgearbox

JeepSouthAfricaclaimsaveragefueluseof 124L/100kmfromthe83Ltankwhich,tobe completelyhonest,seemsaboutright.Isaw 14intownandcloseto10onthehighway

“...it’s an enormous joke of a car. And I love it for that.”

Icouldn’tinda0-100km/htimeand,ina ratherunfortunateturnofevents,ourGPS testingequipmentmalfunctionedduringthe performancetestswiththisvehicle

Weguestimate0-100inaboutnineseconds And20L/100km

Yeah,sure,aturbo-dieselwouldbeabetter powerplantbutthisrevvysix-potmotorwas oneofmypersonalhighlightsinthisvehicle Anditsoundswonderful,too

Moreimportantly,itaddsyetanotherdegree ofabsurditytothisgagofacar

There,Itypedit.IthinkthiscarisajokeAbig, noisy,sillyAmericanjoke

But,inclosing,andcirclingbacktothatwhole “ on purpose” angle, the few days I got to spendwiththislengthyvehicleweresomeof thebrightest,happiestmotoringtimesofmy life Ihadacompleteblast,onandoff-road, whileenjoyingacrazydegreeofattention fromhard-corepetrol-heads,Jeepfansand serialcommutersalike

IwouldneverbuythisJeepGladiator,nor would I ever place it on a list of bakkie recommendations for a friend Unless that friendisslightlyloopy,ratherwell-heeledand seriously searching for adventure in their motoringlife Then,andonlythen,thisJeep Gladiator36Rubiconisperfect.Becauseit’s anenormousjokeofacar

AndIloveitforthat.

VIEW THE ACCELERATION & BRAKE TESTS HERE

Renault

Clio 1.0 Turbo

Compact French hatchbacks are supposed to be so chic and elegant that even a Parisian fashion mogul would bomb around the French capital in one Well good news!

You should know: This recently updatedRenaultClioisaseriously sexylittlenumber.I'msureallthe photosorvideosyou ' veseenhave impressedyou,butjustwaituntilyou seeoneinthelesh:it'sdelectable My only plea is that you ind this scrumptious shade called “Flame Red”becausetheremainingcolours wouldn'tlookoutofplaceinahearse brochure

More info: Clio Mark Five also shines,quiteliterally,withLEDeyes andbeautifullyswoopingrearlight clusters,inechromemake-upand concealed rear door handles. The interior also upped its game with quality materials, acres of crisp displays,interestingtextures,multihueambientlightingandadriverorientatedcockpit.

Why you should: It's not just all showandnogo,ohno Thislittle5speedmanualhatchbackfeelsnippy andagile,dartingaroundtownwith ease or blasting past 100km/h in 1165secondsWhilethatmaysound slowonpaper(oronyourscreen),I can'tstressenoughthatthe74kW and 160Nm from this turbo-petrol three-cylinderfeelmuchfaster

Why you shouldn't: Its power deliveryisn'tverylinear–aturbo three-pottrademark–anditcanalso getthirstyifyoukeeplooringit.The factory claims average fuel use of 57L/100kmand77intown,butour overall igure was closer to eight Also,Renault'sdealernetworkisn't thebiggestbuttheydoselleachClio witha5-year/150000kmwarranty and2-year/30000kmserviceplan

What else? Withcheapiestufflike KwidandKigersharingshowroom space,it'swonderfultoseesucha reined,modernandelegantproduct fromtheFrenchdiamond It'seven half-decentvalueataround350000 buckswithtwolessermodels(which usethesamepunchyturboengine) cominginataroundR325000and R310000

FULL SPEC SHEET

Text: Hanjo Stier Images:Nico Boshoff

DOCUMENTS

Didyouremembertorenewthecar ’ slicense recently?Andwhataboutyourowndriver’s license?Ifyou ’ retravelingacrossborders,be suretohavecopiesofthevehicleregistration, licenseandinsurancedocuments

ButweatNamWheelsareconfidentthatyou canfinda

Engine

2.0 i4 10A 132 / 420 10.38 3.47s / 44.47m

2020 Volkswagen Amarok 2.0 Bi-Tdi Dark Label 2.0 i4 8A 132 / 420 10.44 3.08s / 43.75m

2017 Mazda BT-50 3.2 SLE (Auto) 3.2 i5 6A 147 / 470 10.45 3.22s / 45.64m

2019 Ford Ranger Raptor 2.0 Bi-Turbo 2.0 i4 10A 157 / 500 10.51 4.28s / 48.28m

2021 Mazda BT-50 3.0TD Individual 3.0 i4 6A 140 / 450 10.56 2.69s / 39.08m

2018 Ford Ranger 3.2 TDCi XLT FX4 3.2 i5 6A 147 / 470 10.61 3.06s / 43.86m

2021 Ford Ranger 2.0 SiT XLT FX4 2.0 i4 10A 132 / 420 10.78 3.17s / 45.70m

2021 Toyota Hilux 2.8 GD6 Legend-50 150kW (Auto) 2.8 i4 6A 150 / 500 10.82 3.10s / 44.56m

2018 Nissan Navara 2.3D LE (Auto) 2.3 i4 7A 140 / 450 10.91 3.08s / 43.24m

2019 Toyota Hilux 2.8 GD6 Legend-50 2.8 i4 6M 130 / 420 10.91 2.85s / 40.76m

2018 Mercedes-Benz X250d Progressive (Manual) 2.3 i4 6M 140 / 450 11.09 3.26s / 41.40m

2020 Isuzu D-Max 3.0 TD LX (Auto) 3.0 i4 6A 130 / 380 11.28 no data

2018 Isuzu D-Max 3.0 TD LX 3.0 i4 6M 130 / 380 11.63 3.77s / 45.54m

2018 Mahindra Pik-Up 2.2 CRDe S10 2.2 i4 6M 103 / 320 12.40 3.50s / 43.98m

2022 Isuzu D-Max 1.9 TD EC HR LS 1.9 i4 6M 110 / 350 12.66 3.02s / 43.41m

2020 Mahindra Pik-Up 2.2 CRDe S11 2.2 i4 6A 103 / 320 13.10 3.48s / 47.61m

2021 Isuzu D-Max 250 X-Rider (Auto) 2.5 i4 5A 100 / 320 13.23 3.33s / 44.18m

2020 Mahindra Pik-Up 2.2 CRDe S11 Karoo 2.2 i4 6A 103 / 320 13.52 3.60s / 47.72m

2021 Peugeot Landtrek 1.9TD 4Action 1.9 i4 6A 110 / 350 13.52 3.19s / 44.78m

2018 Isuzu KB250 D-Teq D/C X Rider 2.5 i4 5M 100 / 320 13.61 3.36s / 51.22m

Gears kW / Nm 0-100 100-0 / Dist. All tests are conducted near sea level with 1/4 to half a tank of fuel and just a driver on board We publish the best of (at least) two attempts

WATCH OUT FOR PEDESTRIANS