CARの June 2025 の目次

ETA: now Through local electric vehicle (EV) dealer Enviro Automotive, the Geely brand has returned to South Africa after an absence of around 10 years, and the car leading the charge comes in the shape of the Riddara RD6, the first battery-electric bakkie in SA. The local RD6 line-up will initially be exclusively offered with a 73 kWh lithium-iron phosphate battery and the choice of two powertrains: the RWD single motor model developing 200 kW and 348 N.m of torque, and the AWD with a combined 315 kW and 595 N.m from its two axle-mounted, permanent magnet synchronous motors. According to the company, these figures allow the RWD and AWD versions to sprint to the three-figure marker from a standstill in 7.3 and 4.5 seconds, respectively, before topping out at…

BAIC Headquarters: Beijing Founded: 1949 SA line-up: 2 models Dealerships: 48 Cheapest vehicle: Beijing X55 (from R429 900) Most expensive vehicle: B40 Plus 2.0T Champion (R699 500) BAIC (Beijing Automotive Industry Group Co. Ltd) has been operating in SA since 2016 and officially opened an assembly plant in the Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) just outside Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), Eastern Cape in 2018 as part of an R11 billion investment. The joint venture with the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) brought about mixed results as the company’s local arm ‘bragged’ in August 2024 about the 300th vehicle rolling off its production line since the factory’s opening. BAIC SA currently assembles the Beijing X55 using CKD (complete knockdown) and SKD (semi-knockdown) kits. The other model in BAIC’s local portfolio is the imported…

*Claimed figures Price: R892 000 Powertrain: single permanent magnet synchronous electric motor Transmission: single-speed automatic Power: 160 kW Torque: 330 N.m 0–100 km/h: 7.1 seconds* Top speed: 170 km/h* Energy consumption: 14.1 kWh/100 km* CO2 emissions: n/a Rivals: BYD Atto 3 Extended Range; GWM Ora 03 400 GT Ultra Luxury; Volvo EX30 Core Single Motor/EX30 Plus Single Motor Extended Range + Quirky exterior styling; interior design; fun to drive - Limited operating range; a few so-so interior trim bits The Aceman is produced by Spotlight Automotive, a joint venture established by BMW Group and Great Wall Motor (GWM). Founded in 2018, the partnership between the German and Chinese companies sees the development of battery-electric Minis, bar the Leipzig-manufactured Countryman, in China. However, following a £600 million invest-ment to revolutionise Mini’s…

Price: R739 900 0–100 km/h: 11.32 seconds Top speed: 170 km/h Power: 135 kW Torque: 480 N.m CAR fuel index: 9.24 L/100 km CO2 : 202 g/km The absence of a parcel shelf or privacy glass at the rear could be problematicIan McLaren Tank 2.4T’s throttle calibration needs work, but its fuel consumption is excellentKyle Kock The rise of the Chinese offerings in South Africa over the last decade has seen several brands go from strength to strength, consistently bringing improved and updated products to our market. Great Wall Motor Company (GWM) has undoubtedly led the Chinese motoring product charge, and is still going strong almost 18 years since its arrival here. From an initial product offering primarily comprising commercial vehicles – aside from the H5 SUV – the introduction of luxury…

6 months 7 002 km 7.53 L/100 km + Sharp new styling; impressive standard specification; pleasant road manners - CVT an acquired taste; occasionally intrusive active safety features When the Sonet SX joined our test fleet in September last year, just a couple of months after the updated range was introduced to the market, Kia’s entry-level crossover was already on a strong wicket. Its combination of sharp styling, surprisingly practical packaging for a car of its compact dimensions, decent road manners and affordability had made it a segment hit. So, understandably, Kia was never going to tamper too much with the fundamentals of such a successful formula; instead looking to add value and diversify a portfolio previously quite limited in its breadth. And while the halo SX model was perhaps…

1 194 km 7.92 L/100 km + Interior design, detailing and ergonomics; NVH suppression - Lack of front storage compartments Here’s an interesting, if somewhat disconcerting, statistic: according to TomTom’s 2024 Traffic Index, people living in South Africa’s five major cities spend between 51 and 72 hours in rush hour traffic annually. That’s nearly three days a year sitting in gridlock. Whether it’s in town or on trips further afield, where time travelling to SA’s myriad picturesque destinations is unlikely met with as much apprehension, we spend a great deal of time in our cars. So, understandably, while the vehicle’s exterior styling has significant influence on consumers’ buying decisions, the interior is arguably more important. Mini’s design department deserves praise for what it has accomplished with the marque’s modern cabins.…

Jeep Renegade Jeep’s city-slicker may not have strictly adhered to the brand’s ethos, but it found a receptive audience with style-conscious buyers looking to detach from the hatch pack. We explore this model as a second-hand purchase and list two of its rivals 5 seats, 216/994 L 6 airbags, ABS, ESC R14 384 August 2015 (1.4T Limited MT) Power: 103 kW Torque: 230 N.m 0–100 km/h: 11.41 seconds Top speed: 194 km/h Fuel consumption index: 7.20 L/100 km The Renegade’s arrival on our market back in 2015 was no doubt met with some misgivings; bringing out an FWD boutique model seemed a little out of character for a manufacturer renowned for producing a long line of hard-as-nails SUVs. But with the market for fashionable, town-friendly crossovers and compact SUVs really…

At first glance, the Renault 5 Turbo 3E could easily be mistaken for a concept car. However, this “mini-supercar”, as the French firm dubs it, has been given the green light for production. Slated for introduction in 2027, only 1 980 examples (the number of units signifying the year the original R5 Turbo was unveiled) will be made. Based on a newly developed platform, the R5 Turbo 3E features two electric motors, sited within the hubs of the 20-inch rear wheels. This setup produces combined outputs of 400 kW and a seismograph-registering 4 800 N.m of torque. This allows the 1 450 kg, super hatch to complete the 0−100 km/h dash in under 3.5 seconds, on the way to a 270 km/h top speed. The R5 Turbo 3E’s 800 V…

Family, cars, history, memories and custodianship. These were just a few of the thoughts that went through my mind as I stepped into Albert Bester’s barn. A common theme runs through the artefacts in the room. Apart from his ensemble of classics, Albert’s passion for history and tradition is evident. And, like his cars, each artefact is kept safe and in meticulous condition so that it can be enjoyed by future generations. Albert grew up among cars, with a father who, many decades ago, enjoyed the journey of finding an old car, repairing it and owning it. I took a stroll through the vehicles and walked along the walls. There are newspaper articles about the work his father did for the local town, keepsakes of the family and framed photos…

Price: R599 900 0–100 km/h: 12.54 seconds Top speed: 190 km/h Power: 85 kW Torque: 250 N.m CAR Fuel index: 7.80 L/100km CO2 : 148 g/km If the standard specifications list isn’t compelling enough, the option of a frugal turbodiesel engine should keep the Alcazar front-of-mindIan McLaren Clever packaging solutions add appeal, including the ability to slide or tumble and fold the second row in a 60:40 splitKyle Kock Sharing underpinnings, design language and a broad specification sheet with its smaller Creta sibling, it seemed obvious at the time for an extended, seven-seater version of Hyundai’s popular compact SUV to adopt the Grand Creta name in our market. Tested in our August 2022 issue, the then-new entry impressed with its build quality, well-considered interior packaging and the relatively niche ability in…

3 months 6 137 km 8.70 L/100 km + Plenty of tech; comfortable ride - Turbo lag and poor throttle calibration After having spent three months in the company of the R495 950 Jolion Pro 1.5T S Ultra Luxury, the move downwards to its less powerful sibling was one that had me both a little worried and rather intrigued. The S model’s 130 kW and its 270 N.m peak outputs make it one of the most powerful offerings in its segment; however, channelled as they are through a powertrain with some shortcomings in terms of throttle modulation and turbo lag, it frequently required such performance to be eked out rather than easily enjoyed. So, it’s fair to say I did not have high hopes for the 1.5T Ultra Luxury, with…

The Eagle Corner Group, SA’s biggest independent dealership, known for its 42 years of uncompromising customer satisfaction has now become an even greater full-service automotive hub - Eagle Motor City. Eagle Motor City is not merely a multi-franchise dealer renowned for their illustrious history with Ford, Mazda (since1989) and Mahindra (since 2019), but is now also the new Home of Suzuki Bramley. It seems fitting that the Suzuki Brand’s rapid growth in SA is now so perfectly matched to being another quality product on offer from their amazing premises. The recently launched new Swift 1.2 GL+ (winner of the coveted Budget Car (under R260 000) title by CAR Magazine) greets you as you enter their showroom. Models like ultra-capable Jimny (3-door and 5-door), the new Grand Vitara and Fronx are…

WINNING LETTER HAPPY WITH THE CHINESE With the increasing number of Chinese SUVs on our roads and the return of MG, I decided to check out the MG HS Luxury. While I was impressed by its powerplant and standard features, the dealer experience was substandard. Neither the salesman nor sales manager, who accompanied me, have followed up on my test drive. I have to disagree with your testers in the May ’25 issue who called it competitively priced. Even the list price of R535 000 is high and the quote to me was inflated to R555 000. I was, however, very impressed with the Omoda C5 1.5 Style and could not fault the CVT. At R376 645, it really is tempting. The Jetour Dashing Deluxe at R469 900 also looked…

*Claimed figures Price: POA Engine: 6.5-litre, V12, petrol Power: 610 kW @9 250 r/min Torque: 678 N.m @7 250 r/min Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch 0–100 km/h: 2.9 seconds* 0–200 km/h: <7.9 seconds * Top speed: >340 km/h Rivals: Aston Martin Vanquish; Bentley Continental GT + Striking styling; evolution of the naturally aspirated V12 engine - Styling an acquired taste Enzo Ferrari famously said, “The 12-cylinder will always be the original Ferrari,” with everything emerging from the firm’s stable thereafter deriving from this magic number. The heartbeat of the Maranello brand since Gioacchino Colombo presented his vision for a 1.5-litre 60-degree V12 engine to Enzo Ferrari himself in 1946, the amount of note-worthy Rosso Corsa-coloured creations that have since been designed around a front-mid-mounted 12-cylinder engine reads like an automotive honours list.…

Price: R1 545 477 0–100 km/h: 4.61 seconds Top speed: 250 km/h Power: 293 kW Torque: 580 N.m CAR fuel index: 9.84 L/100 km CO2 : 187 g/km Effortlessly nails that hard-to-hit sweet spot between refinement and engagementGareth Dean Perhaps a little too demure for my liking, but there’s no denying the performance on tapIan McLaren We’ve been saying it for some time now, but the margins separating BMW’s M Performance and M models have become increasingly razor-thin, potentially raising questions regarding the relevance of divvying up the performance end of each. This may go some way to explaining why BMW presently has no plans to launch a G45 X3 M (never say never, though), instead placing the M50 at the head of the range. Having spent some time in its…

1 186 km 8.78 L/100 km + Stunning looks, especially in new paint scheme; powerful yet frugal engine - Limited oddment storage up front If there was one phrase I did not plan on having to repeat seemingly ad infinitum this month, it would be: “It’s called Sakhir Gold.” The term frequently met with a dose of measured chin-scratching by those drawn to the eye-catching new colour doled out to the PI (Product Improvement – Audi parlance for updated) Q8 that has just joined our long-term test fleet. It’s certainly a departure from the demure silvers, greys and blacks that have previously made up the bulk of Audi’s colour palettes and forms part of an array of visual changes introduced in this year’s Q7 and Q8 models. Revisions include the…