BALLITO CAR REVIEW
FOUR
AND THEN THERE WERE
WORDS Richard Webb
Sales of 4x4s have been booming recently, but do you actually need a 4x4? Richard Webb goes all double deuce with the latest soft roaders. If you live on a farm or need to tow a caravan or horse-box, all wheel drive is the way to go. But if all you want to do is take the kids to school and go shopping, there are other choices out there. The case for 4x4’s are diminishing thanks to the growing sophistication and grip of front-wheel-drive systems. But if you must have a 4x4 on your drive, here are a few that may just tempt you. Or not.
1 PEUGEOT 4008
There’s little excentrique here, but this 4x4 comes with a host of features like cruise control, Bluetooth, glovebox chiller, automatic lights and wipers and attractive 18-inch alloys. There is no diesel on offer and you get the 110kW two-litre petrol engine, which is smooth without being particularly gutsy or frugal. To look at, it’s an attractive blend of Range Rover Evoque and, well, a Peugeot. The compromise is that it’s a little noisy over pockmarked roads, the ride is soft and the steering a little vague. For me, the overall experience is marred by the smooth but lazy CVT gearbox, which caused throttle responses to seem disconnected to my pressure on the accelerator. However, value for money, ride comfort and Peugeot’s superb five-year/100 000 km maintenance plan makes it worth a look. www.peugeot.co.za
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2 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE SRT
This heavy 6.4-litre V8 rockets from 0-100km/h in just 5.0 seconds. For sheer drama, there’s little to beat it. Straight-line performance is impressive but don’t be misled. It’s a top-heavy 4x4 in tight bends and a lot less composed than the BMW X5 or Range Rover Sport. There are raft of driver systems to reconcile raw power with the physics. Active Adaptive air suspension makes progress comfortable, dispensing the service delivery protest scarred roads with ease. The drive select system has five settings – Auto, Sport, Track, Snow and Tow. Before you cancel your Greenpeace membership, remember that this V8 Hemi will shut down four cylinders when you’re cruising along at a sensible speed. Accelerate and it reverts to all eightcylinders imperceptibly. Althgough it undercuts all of its rivals on price, in some ways it isn’t quite what you would expect from a car that costs R800,000.00. www.jeep.co.za
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AUDI Q3 2.0 TDI QUATTRO We’ve become accustomed to class leading interior quality from Audi and with that in mind the Q3 is no let down. Its businessclass all the way. You want refinement? Here it is. There’s barely any wind noise and it’s a hushed environment to be in. The S-tronic transmission is superb too. On road, it can be driven with absolute precision, even if, when
pushed hard, it does understeer in squealing protest. Off road, the Quattro provides enough traction for slippery tracks and grass bank climbs. Throttle response is almost instantaneous. Kick-down with the DSG ‘box and the diesel makes an appealing muted growl, spinning freely to its 5500rpm redline. None of the Q3’s (admittedly few) shortcomings will deter the trend conscious buyers, however, I believe, that they will also take a long look at its rival, the Range Rover Evoque. www.audi.co.za
4 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA
The Grand Vitara looks good value against the opposition and performs respectably on-road and off, and is adequately equipped, especially given the price tag. But engine refinement lags a little behind its rivals and equipment levels that , whilst adequate, are not generous. This Grand Vitara is head and shoulders better than its predecessor, but the market is well served by many other competent rivals like the Hyundai ix35 and Kia Sportage. That said, it is a clean, handsome design that updates the Suzuki design language well. The textures used by Suzuki are a little harsh, but mostly in keeping with the price-point. Build quality is extremely high and you have the sense that this car will last the course whilst still retaining its 4x4 off-roading credentials. www.suzukiauto.co.za