SATURDAY, 27 JUNE, 2015
Chery takes the cake Little Chinese SUV proves it is worthy of its price by going racing where even loggers fear to tread After six hours of bonerattling forestry roads around Mpumalanga — equal to at least a year of normal road driving — there was nary a squeak from the panels in this Chinese SUV. In fact, around the hairpin bends, the pregnant passenger, proved a lot noisier. PHOTO: ALWYN VILJOEN
ALWYN VILJOEN HAVING reported what a nice sur prise the Tiggo proved to be on dirt in this very newspaper, Chery went one better and challenged me to 350 km over 12 passes in eight hours in Mpumalanga. I only managed nine passes, but afore ye judge, bear in mind these passes were laid out by race driver Charl Wilken, who is used to klapping 200 km/h over these deeply rutted and rockstrewn foresty roads in the local rally championships. And I had a pregnant passenger. In total there were eight Chery utes racing along, most of them with fel low motoring hacks behind the wheel and all the cars got through un scathed. Seven of the passes were tarmac surfaced and five were gravel, with the main traffic on the latter roads being huge logging trucks and trailers. That our little group suffered not even a punctured tyre on the 17inch alloy wheels says more for the car than for the drivers, for journalists are known to be a little less careful with test vehi cles — all in the interest of telling you what the car is like when pushed. The Tiggo again impressed me with its poise over rough roads. The suspension soaked up the uneven sur faces and the driven front wheels maintained traction even on loose surfaces. The steering had plenty of feel without giving kickback through the steering wheel when the road sur face got really rough. The Tiggo weighs well over 1,3 tons with two people and their luggage
loaded, which does mean the 1,6litre engine (93 kW/160 Nm) will not get in trouble in a corner even when gun ning it in third gear, but less power also ensures lower consumption. Even more impressive, the cabin re mained dustfree despite several kilo metres of driving in thick clouds of powdery dust behind the extralong logging trucks. MD of Chery SA Pedro Pereira said while Chery is still a comparative newcomer to the South African pas senger car market, having arrived here in 2008, it has already made an indeli ble mark locally in several aspects of vehicle performance, including fuel economy, ruggedness and reliability. Selling for R229 900, Pereira ad mits the higher exchange rate with China means the Tiggo is no longer the bargain it was in 2011, but he points out this is not a cheap and nas ty car, but one that is worthy of the difference of up to R20 000 with oth er compeitors. “We have again prov en the reliability of the Tiggo, with eight cars completing 12 passes in one day without any problems.” He added the twowheel drive Chery Tiggo conquered the icy Sani Pass, the rugged mountain pass that is the only link between KwaZuluNa tal and Lesotho. • The eight passes: Mount Carmel (13,5 km), Wonderkloof (7,7 km), Makobulaan (19 km), Bakenkop (5,5 km) and Klipkraal (20 km); Tar mac — Sudwala (9 km), Montrose (3,8 km), Masjien Nek (11 km), Long Tom (22,5 km), Koffiehoogte (6 km), Kiepersol (5,5 km) and Bergvlei (9,5 km).
• Optional - Two-year/unlimited km warranty • 80-point mechanical check • Terms and conditions apply. E & OE • Ownership guaranteed • 7-day exchange plan • Mileage certified • Full service history PRICE MILEAGE COLOUR Polo Vivo 2014 Polo Vivo Sedan 1,4 Trendline 35 000 km Silver R129 900 2014 Polo Vivo 1,4 Trendline 5-Door 27 000 km Silver R132 900 2014 Polo Vivo Maxx 1,6 21 000 km White R149 900 2015 Polo GP 1,6 Comfortline 5-Door 5 000 km White R159 900 2015 Polo Vivo GP 1,4 Trendline 3 000 km Red R142 900 2015 Polo Vivo 1,4 Trendline 5-Door 8 000 km Beige R139 900 Polo 2011 Polo 1,6 TDi Comfortline 106 000 km Pepper Grey R149 000 2014 Polo Sedan 1,6 Comfortline 21 000 km White R175 900 2014 Polo GTi DSG 20 000 km Silver R269 900 2014 Polo 1,4 Trendline 5-Door 24 000 km Silver R149 000 2014 Polo 1,2 GP Trendline 24 000 km White R159 900 2014 Cross Polo 1,6 20 000 km Terra Beige R189 000 2015 Polo 1,2 TSi Trendline 1 500 km White R185 900 Golf 2011 Golf GTi 2.0 TSi 88 000 km White R269 900 2012 Golf 6 1,4 TSi Comfortline 60 000 km Silver R184 900 2013 Golf 7 1,4 TSi Comfortline 61 000 km Silver R219 000 2015 Golf 7 2,0 GTi DSG 4 000 km Grey R419 000 2015 Golf GTi R DSG 3 500 km Silver R589 000 Amarok 2011 Amarok Double Cab 4x2 120kW 2011 Amarok Double Cab 4x2 120kW 2014 Amarok double Cab 4x2 132kW Other VW 2010 Jetta 1,4 TSi Comfortline 2011 Touareg 3,0 TDi V6 2012 Tiguan 1.4 TSi Bluemotion 2014 Touareg 3,0 TDi BlueMotion Tiptronic 2015 Move up! 1,0 Other 2010 Ford Focus 1,8 Ambiente 2013 Ford Figo 1,4 Ambiente 2013 Audi Q5 2.0 TDi Quattro
• 2009 BMW 325i Auto leather, sunroof, m/plan
94 000 km
• 2012 Chevrolet Corsa Utility 1.4 p/steering, binliner
87 338 km
• 2013 Chevrolet Spark 1.2 LT a/c, c/d, mags, leather
24 000 km
• 2013 Ford Ecosport 1.5 TDciTrend a/c, p/s, r/cd, e/w (front)
23 322 km
• 2014 Hyundai iX35 2.0 Premium a/c, p/s, r/cd, e/w, reverse camera
43 100 km
• 2012 Hyundai Accent 1.6 GLS Fluid a/c, p/s, r/cd
85 980 km
R 149 995 R 94 995 R 99 995 R 219 995 R 249 995 R 139 995
• 2013 Hyundai Veloster 1.6 Gdi Executive 23 000 km a/c, p/s, r/cd, e/w, mags fogs
R 199 995
• 2014 Isuzu KB250D LEED p/u s/cab 56 933 km binliner, canopy
R 169 995
• 2012 Kia Sportage 2.0 crdi (M) a/c, p/s, r/cd, e/w, leather
85 990 km
R 229 995
• 2011 Mini Cooper 1.6 S a/c, p/s, r/cd, e/w
72 171 km
• 2012 Nissan Juke 1.6 DIG T Tekna a/c,p/s,r/cd,e/w
27 334 km
• 2012 Opel Astra 1.6 5dr essentia a/c, p/s, r/cd, mags
41 684 km
• 2014 Peugeot 107 Urban a/c, p/s, r/cd
104 km
R 164 995 R 179 995 R 149 995 R 94 995
115 000 km 111 000 km 22 000 km
White Grey White
R259 000 R259 000 R389 900
• 2011 Toyota Yaris Zen3 + Auto h/back 44 320 km a/c, p/s, e/w, c/locking
R 119 995
97 000 km 82 500 km 79 000 km 13 800 km 2 000 km
Silver White Silver Grey Silver
R139 900 R459 000 R229 900 R699 000 R139 900
• 2011 Volkswagen Polo Vivo 1.4 h/back 57 340 km a/c, p/s, r/cd
R 104 995
38 000 km 68 000 km 90 000 km
White Silver White
R131 500 R99 900 R319 000
• 2012 VWPolo Vivo 1.4 Trendline Sedan 98 837 km a/c, p/s, r/cd, mags
R 99 995
• 2012 VWPolo 1.6 Trendline sedan a/c, p/s, r/cd
R 129 995
Mastercars warranty not included in advertised price.
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