Tabla de contenidos para October 2024 en CAR

Given everything that goes into CAR magazine every month, you may find it difficult to believe the editor’s letter is perhaps the most difficult piece to write. Brows furrow and brains are racked in a bid to artfully highlight everything that goes into each issue in the limited space of this page, and trying to find the magical thread that neatly brings them all together can sometimes prove nigh on impossible. Then, sometimes, the content stars align and a theme simply grabs you by the collar and confronts you, nose to nose. If there was a common thread neatly summing up this month’s issue, ‘great expectations’ would be it and nowhere does this ring truer than with our road test of Toyota’s new Land Cruiser Prado. Its predecessors always impressed…

Audi A5 On the back of a new naming convention that sees Audi’s even-numbered models becoming all-electric, and odd-numbered ones receiving electrified combustion engines, the firm has revealed the replacement for its longstanding A4 compact executive car. Underpinned by Audi’s Premium Platform Combustion – a heavily reworked version of the MLB Evo that serves this likes of A6, A8, Q7 and Q8 – the A5 is marginally larger than its forebear, available in Sportback and Avant (station wagon) body styles and plays host to styling features first introduced on the e-tron GT, including sleeker sheet metal, the latest iteration of the signature single-frame grille and OLED headlamps. The interior features a three-screen facia arrangement incorporating an 11.9-inch digital instrument cluster, 14.5-inch central infotainment system and an optional 10.9-inch passenger-side infotainment…

More often than not, the route to Ferrari ownership involves owning a succession of improving sports cars before finally ending up with what is widely considered one of the world’s finest cars. Few can claim that a 458 is their first set of wheels. Yet, living for many years in New York, Shahaf Galil seldom had use for a car. On his visits back to Europe, Ferraris were his rentals of choice for exploring the serpentine routes of the Alps. When the time came to buy his own road-trip car, he knew exactly what he wanted and skipped all of the intermediary steps. General consensus suggests Ferrari’s larger GTs, such as the 812 or the GTC4Lusso, are better suited to long hours behind the wheel and would therefore be more…

An impressive technological showcase with formidable pace and poise off-road Pricey; is it answering a question no-one asked? Attending a first-drive event where you would not actually get behind the wheel of the car in question is always somewhat bizarre. Without a direct handle on share-worthy, tactile insight – such as how the steering squirms in your hand when the limits of grip are being challenged; the interplay between engine and transmission; or whether it’s relaxing to pilot on a motorway – you’ve got your work cut out trying to convey your experience to readers … even more so when that experience is taking place in the most powerful production-series Land Rover Defender to date. Yet, there I was, sitting alongside a purpose-built off-road circuit in Hampshire’s New Forest, waiting…

Considered updates make it a strong competitor in a tough segment Charlen Raymond Although impressively polished, there’s better value further down the Seltos range Kyle Kock When it comes to automotive design, it sometimes pays dividends for a manufacturer to bide its time a little before committing. All too often, we have seen companies steal a march on their rivals when it comes to launching a product, only for said model to date prematurely; this sometimes necessitates a considerable do-over come mid-cycle facelift time. The Kia Seltos falls into the former category. Despite being launched five years ago, the original pre-facelifted versions on our roads still appear modern alongside their contemporaries. Although some of the interior elements required revision, in all other aspects, the Seltos remained right up there…

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Established in 1982 near the town of Reifnitz on the shores of Lake Wörth, Austria, the annual gathering of Volkswagen Golf GTI owners and enthusiasts – known globally as the Wörthersee Festival – had grown to become a four-day celebration of Volkswagen Automotive Group (VWAG) products. It attracted more than 200 000 visitors before its forced cancellation in 2020 as a result of COVID-19. Dubbed ‘the madness at the lake’, the event’s popularity would ultimately prove to be its undoing. Despite the obvious boost to the local economy, residents of this otherwise quaint village eventually grew weary of the festivities and party atmosphere that was associated with this festival. An announcement followed that the Wörthersee gathering was no longer welcome in the municipality and Volkswagen moved swiftly to establish an…

Generous standard specification; supple ride quality Fuel consumption; some wind noise at motorway speed The P500 is available with the choice of two engines, both of which are coupled with a 9-speed automatic transmission, replete with low-range transfer case, and a trio of trim grades. The Luxury and Super Luxury variants are powered by a 2.4-litre, four-cylinder turbodiesel that sends drive to all corners. This unit develops peak outputs of 135 kW and 480 N.m, available from 3 600 r/min and a mere 1 500 r/min, respectively. While examples employing this powertrain were not available to sample on the local launch, it’s fair to assume the diesel-powered P500s – with plentiful low-end torque and a claimed average fuel consumption of just 8.6 L/100 km – will prove sought-after. However,…

Remains an appealing choice, but there’s newer competition that’s even more keenly priced Ian McLaren Carries over much of what made the Jolion appealing, but it’s not groundbreaking Gareth Dean When we tested the Jolion 1.5T Super Luxury AT in our September 2021 issue, we stated that Haval might have a money spinner on its hands. And we weren’t wrong. Since then, the striking compact crossover has regularly featured among the most popular vehicles in our market – it was the 14th highest-selling car in 2023, with 8 604 examples rolling out of dealerships – and has accounted for more than 23 000 units sold between 2021 and 2024. Yet, even as we bolted our testing equipment to the Jolion, things were firmly afoot in Haval’s home market. This firm…

A stylish update to a noteworthy platform. Well priced, too Marius Boonzaier Strikes a neat balance between sporty and sensible in the three-pot hatch arena Kyle Kock Those familiar with Continental’s television commercial from the mid-1990s will remember a hairraising scene in which a white Opel Kadett GSi performs stoppies, J-turns and hand-brake aided parking manoeuvres on a rooftop in Johannesburg. At the time, the Kadett that starred in the ad sat just below the ultimate GSi 16V S model, known affectionately as the Superboss. And while the ‘Kadett’ name was discontinued when the Astra took over as the premium car in the Opel line-up, the soonto-be-introduced Corsa model would go on to carry the torch for the brand’s small-car legacy. Over the next three decades, the Corsa enjoyed a…

While many drivers define a vehicle’s character by its styling or engine, suspension characteristics can be just as distinguishing. Older American cars typically featured lazy but torquey V8 engines, which provided smooth and effortless driving at normal speeds. Combined with soft suspension, this was the epitome of American motoring: a large, supremely comfortable car, effortless to drive and ideally suited to long distances over good quality, often straight, roads. In contrast, most European manufacturers favoured responsive handling and roadholding over ride comfort. Today, manufacturers employ new technologies in suspension design to meet the provisos of sharp and responsive handling, along with comfort and ride refinement. Before examining these technologies, it’s important to understand the basic suspension layouts most used in current vehicles. These fall into three categories: rigid axles, semi-rigid…

Ford EcoSport For a decade, Ford’s EcoSport was a long-standing bestseller and continues to appeal to those looking for a versatile, yet compact, lifestyle vehicle. We look at how it fares as a used buy and list two rival options for comparison 5 seats, 280/1 032 L 7 airbags, ABS, ESC R8 396 EcoSport 1.0T Ecoboost Active AT (September 2022) In response to a growing demand for compact SUVs and crossovers, Ford Motor Company South Africa launched the EcoSport onto the local market in 2013. Quickly gaining popularity thanks to its versatility and pleasing driving manners owing to its B3 (Fiesta) underpinnings, the EcoSport regularly featured among the top 10 best-selling vehicles in South Africa, with dealerships frequently selling around 1 000 new units each month. However, the combination of…

Email: car@habarimedia.com Mail: CAR, PO Box 180, Howard Place, 7450 WINNING LETTER LIVING WITH A HYBRID FOR SIX YEARS I’m writing in response to Louis de Wet’s letter in the August 2024 issue of the magazine, as I feel his brief time with a Haval H6 HEV hybrid is not representative of everyone’s experience of these fuel-saving vehicles. I have had the pleasure of owning a 2005 Toyota Prius (the ‘original’ hybrid) for nearly six years. It has done 343 000 km and still runs perfectly. Our total average fuel consumption is 5.64 L/100 km, or 17.73 km/L, if you prefer. This includes a lot of cold-engine mileage, as well as motorway driving. However, it is at its happiest driving about town with a warm engine. Here, it returns around…

With a legacy of providing mobility solutions to customers of all ages, while the mandate of the proudly South African Volkswagen Polo Vivo package has expanded to include anyone simply seeking value for their hard-earned money, a large portion of Vivo drivers are young, vibrant, and will no doubt be looking for certain assurances from their first set of wheels. While social media trends and study group discussions factor in the decision-making process, the fact that so many South African families can share tales of adventure, wonder and discovery – either at the wheel or in the passenger seat of a Volkswagen product – creates a welcome sense of familiarity few other brands can match. PASSING THE BATON A marketing campaign lauded still; this year marks the Citi Golf’s 40th…

Old-school charm; built for adventure Lack of modern connectivity features Back in 2018, BAIC kicked off its journey in South Africa with the D20 family car, offered in both sedan and hatchback variants. Today, its line-up includes the Beijing X55 and the B40 Plus, both of which have made distinct impressions on the local market. Notably, the X55 snagged the title of 2023 South African Car of the Year in the 'Compact Family' category. During a visit to BAIC South Africa’s production facility in Coega, Eastern Cape, local representatives explained that the firm’s Chinese headquarters is yet to green light the local CKD (complete knock down, or kit) assembly of the X55, which is currently imported from China. Once approval has been confirmed, the locally assembled X55 will be earmarked…

A great little family car with a massive boot Kyle Kock Although not as refined as its forebear, the new C3 Aircross is still worth considering Marius Boonzaier When we tested the previous C3 Aircross (in top-spec, Shine guise) in February 2020, the CAR team lauded the French firm’s compact crossover, along with the then-Top 12 Best Buys-winning Volkswagen T-Cross, as the car to beat in the small-SUV segment. In fact, just one point separated the Citroën from its popular German rival, which we tested in Highline specification in December 2019. A great deal has changed in the compact-crossover segment since then. In a bid to increase market share in this ever-competitive segment, several established and new-to-South Africa brands have introduced an array of box-fresh options. It’s worth noting many…

3 months 4 292 km 4.9 L/100 km Spacious packaging; efficient and refined powertrain Dashboard rattle could be model-specific When the Toyota Corolla XR Hybrid sedan pulled up in our test garage three months ago, we had a feeling the experience over the coming period would be a deeply satisfying one. The Corolla has always been a front-of-mind choice when it comes to family vehicles, and the inclusion of a hatchback and a crossover to bolster the modern line-up only emphasized the value Toyota places in this nameplate. As for the sedan, it was a pleasant reacquaintance with the car that, even now in its 12th generation, paved the way for many sedans on our roads today. In fact, on several occasions, the Corolla was the best-selling passenger car in…

When the Fiat 131 2000 Racing arrived in 1978, with virtually nothing in the way of a racetrack pedigree, no one really expected this seemingly innocuous-looking, two-door sedan to make an impact on the local motorsport scene. Even the driver line-up was fairly low key. Tony Viana had yet to make his mark in a major way in local motorsport, although he had shown some form in cars like the Viva GT and Chevrolet Firenza before winning in a Mazda RX2. Cape Town’s Brian von Hage had long been rated as a very talented saloon car driver, but it was their nominated driver from Bloemfontein who had hard-core enthusiasts scratching their heads. Pop Diedericks was an oval circuit stockcar driver who competed in the likes of a V8-engined Volkswagen Beetle,…