Innehållsförteckning för April 2019 från CAR

NEW PLATFORM; BETTER PACKAGING DESPITE BEING SHORTER THAN THE OUTGOING CLIO, THE NEW MODEL’S BOOT IS 26 LITRES BIGGER ETA: early-2020 The new Clio is underpinned by the CMF-B platform; a common B-segment unit scalable across a number of Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance products. Although it’s 14 mm shorter than the previous-generation car, the new Clio’s packaging has been optimised to free up additional interior space. The load bay has been redesigned to be more “cubic” and the optional Bose speakers have been fully integrated so as to not eat into boot space. The upshot is a luggage bay up by 26 litres to a claimed 391 litres. BORROWING FROM BIGGER BROTHER Elements carried over from the Mégane are very much evident in the new Clio’s styling, including sharper bonnet creases, a…

W152 MERCEDES-BENZ G5 EVER since its conception, four-wheel-steering has remained a rare inclusion in production cars. That looks set to change with more and more modern cars incorporating the technology to make them more nimble at slow speeds with increased stability at higher velocities. The W152-series Mercedes-Benz G5 was introduced as a military vehicle in 1937 (the “G”, of course, stood for Geländewagen). However, the German army showed little interest in this off-roader and Daimler-Benz unveiled it as a civilian car at the 1938 London Motor Show. Despite being presented as a “colonial and hunting vehicle”, the G5 was highly customisable and could be specified in an array of body styles depending on a buyer’s needs. That first G5 was powered by a 2,0-litre, four-cylinder petrol mill sending 33 kW…

Criteria: this category includes city cars such as the VW Up! and Toyota Aygo, all the way up to such practical fare as the Honda Jazz and notchbacks such as the Kia Rio Sedan. Finalists: Ford Fiesta; Kia Rio; Mazda2; Suzuki Ignis; Volkswagen Polo; Volkswagen Polo Vivo Reader's choice by: 32% Volkswagen Polo (VW Polo Vivo: 9%) 1st WIN VOLKSWAGEN POLO VIVO Models: 6 Price range: R189 400-R258 100 Our favourite: 1,4 Comfortline The Vivo trades places with the newer Polo – last year’s victor – because of two crucial reasons: firstly, we were left unconvinced by the workings of the DSG transmission in tandem with the Polo’s 1,0 TSI engine; plus, further exposure to the re-engineered Vivo model has left us convinced it’s the perfect small hatch for our…

Criteria: executive and grand saloons, as well as luxury coupés and cabriolets, compete in this category. Technology, safety, comfort and luxury are crucial qualities, with price becoming secondary. Finalists: BMW 5 Series; BMW 7 Series; Mercedes-Benz E-Class; Mercedes-Benz S-Class; Porsche Panamera; Volvo S90 Reader's choice by: 17% Porsche Panamera (Mercedes-Benz S-Class: 16%) 6th WIN MERCEDES-BENZ S-CLASS Models: 13 Price range: R1 725 075-R4 044 633 Our favourite: S560 L 9G-tronic Fourteen wins in the history of Top 12 Best Buys tell you one thing above all else: Mercedes-Benz knows how to build a luxury car. This W222-generation of the S-Class scores its sixth victory and, like every other year, the decision was an easy one. No other luxury car this side of the stratospherically priced Rolls-Royce Phantom and Bentley Mulsanne…

Criteria: in one of the widest sectors, we consider distinguished, practical vehicles based on midsize platforms. Last year, we moved the premium midsize SUVs into the next category, so here the mainstream marques compete. Finalists: Ford Kuga; Hyundai Tucson; Kia Sportage; Mazda CX-5; Nissan Qashqai; Volkswagen Tiguan Reader's choice by: 30% Volkswagen Tiguan 3rd WIN VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN Models: 12 Price range: R412 000-R604 800 Our favourite: Allspace 2,0 TSI Comfortline 4Motion DSG Following its recent facelift, we were ready to reconsider the Sportage as a potential winner in this midsize class but, once we had studied the spec sheets and revisited our reviews of the Tiguan (the most recent of which in July 2018), the choice was easy. Scoring its third consecutive win, Volkswagen SA bolstered the Tiguan’s chances by…

Criteria: like the luxury saloons and two-doors, these vehicles reign supreme in terms of comfort, quality and performance. This category starts with the Q7/X5/ GLE and their rivals, and soars to the Bentayga and Urus. Finalists: Audi Q7; BMW X5; Land Rover Discovery; Range Rover Sport; Volkswagen Touareg; Volvo XC90 Reader's choice by: 19% Range Rover Sport 6th WIN RANGE ROVER SPORT Models: 20 Price range: R1 129 212-R2 351 535 Our favourite: 3,0 TDV6 SE That’s six in a row, despite a new Volkswagen Touareg and BMW X5 joining the segment. We simply can’t find much fault with Range Rover’s sophisticated Sport. Some models are curiously priced, certainly – flip to page 63 to see where the SDV8 is pegged relative to its main rivals – but, generally, the…

Price: R399 900 0-100 km/h: 10,78 sec Power/Torque: 110 kW/180 N.m Top speed: 194 km/h CAR fuel index: 8,64 L/100 km CO2: 166 g/km AFTER our first taste of the Kona in our February 2019 issue, it’s fair to say the CAR team was quite enamoured with Hyundai’s quirky little crossover, levelling particular praise at its bold styling and engaging road manners. The turbocharged 1,0-litre inline-three’s low-end peppiness and refinement was also a pleasant surprise but, with something as town-bound as the Kona, we were left hankering for a means to give the left loafer a rest in traffic. Cue the range-topping model, replete with a more powerful 2,0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and six-speed automatic transmission. It’s got all the ingredients for an ideal Kona but, as ever, the proof…

Price: R703 527 0-100 km/h: 7,75 sec Power/Torque: 135 kW/280 N.m Top speed: 245 km/h CAR fuel index: 8,16 L/100 km CO2: 155 g/km IT was less than 10 years ago Mercedes-Benz South Africa still listed three very different coupé offerings, each sharing their underpinnings with the C-Class of the day: the CLC, CLK and what would eventually supersede the latter, the W212 E-Class Coupé. The arrival in 2016 of the resolved C205 C-Class Coupé heralded not only a timely trimming of the family tree, but also a welcome return to form for a manufacturer renowned for creating some of the sleekest two-door creations in automotive history. With smooth lines intended to closely resemble those of the brand’s flagship S-Class offerings, the C205 made the most of its MRA modular…

SLOTTING in just above Honda’s entry-level Brio hatchback, the Amaze range (made up of three models) is the most affordable sedan from the Japanese importer. Our test unit for the next three months is the Comfort variant. Equipped with a five-speed manual transmission, it’s set apart from the base Trend model by body-coloured door handles and side mirrors as well as front and rear mudguards. On the inside, the Comfort sports chrome vent rings and silver door handles, while the side mirrors are both electrically adjustable and foldable. Thankfully, there is also Bluetooth connectivity and audio streaming. At first glance, the Amaze offers a somewhat unusual design with its squared-off front and rear ends. The upside is a commodious boot offering more space than Honda’s Jazz, HR-V and Civic. The…

LOOKING for a diesel-powered B-segment hatchback in South Africa? You currently have just two choices: the flagship Mazda2 and the Ford Fiesta 1,5 TDCi, offered exclusively in Trend specification. Volkswagen no longer offers a TDI-badged Polo, while Hyundai’s i20 has also long since eschewed compression ignition. A sign of the times (in Europe, at least), I guess. Unlike its self-shifting Japanese rival, the oil-burning Fiesta employs a six-speed manual transmission which requires fairly frequent stirring to keep the rather refined, four-cylinder unit in the meaty part of the rev range. Thankfully, the cog-swapper is suitably slick, while its unusually tall top ratio is best reserved for relaxed highway jaunts. With a modest 63 kW, this engine offers a little more power than its 55 kW forebear but peak torque has…

Any meticulous car owner understands the frustration when your car door slams into a foreign object. Continental has won an innovation award at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) for its door-operation systems designed to prevent damage to your pride and joy. It begins with an intelligent door-brake: a proximity sensor detects a possible impact with an object and stops the door’s movement. Furthermore, electric power assist takes the effort out of moving the door, even on inclines, while fully autonomous systems can even open the door; for example, when a passenger is picked up in a future driverless taxi, the most convenient door is opened for them. Their presence is detected via a smartphone app also used for booking the service. QUIET TYRES As powertrain technology moves towards hybrid and…

CAR magazine regularly measures and analyses the performance of production cars around a racetrack, usually with ace racing driver Deon Joubert behind the wheel. We time with a Racelogic Vbox GPS-based system. Unfortunately, this unit is too bulky and heavy to employ on an RC car. The other challenge is the sheer speed and manoeuvrability of the scale model which taxes the GPS’ accuracy on the relatively tiny circuit. We contacted an engineering-consultancy firm specialising in such projects but even they were unable to provide a feasible solution. Plan B was to employ a cellphone weighing 165 g equipped with a track analysis app called RaceChrono Pro. The cellphone was carefully strapped inside the body of the Xray T4’17 piloted by Brandon Solomon. The added mass dulled the performance but…

THIS second generation of big front-wheel-driven Audis was developed by a team headed by the famous ex-chairman of the VW Group board, Ferdinand Piëch. Although the initial entry-level C2-generation 100 models used a familiar four-cylinder 1,6-litre engine, this body was ideally suited to a larger unit in the shape of the five-cylinder (developed from the four), with a longer stroke and an extra cylinder. It was christened the 100-5E. Audi must have been ecstatic when this model was a massive sales success and the brand soon revised the range to include only five-cylinder versions. At the entry point was a less expensive five with a twin-choke carburettor in place of the injection, thereby reducing the price by 11%. You would expect the switch from fuel injection would have an adverse…

There aren’t many names in the motor industry as synonymous with service excellence as that of the Hatfield Motor Group, and even more so when it comes to the Volkswagen brand. Their uncompromising approach to complete customer satisfaction has seen them being Rated #1 in Service since 2014. As part of the Group’s continued expansion, commitment to the VW brand and their customers, they acquired a new Melrose premises in December last year. Hatfield VW Melrose was recently launched to the public with a day of fun-filled activities for the whole family including a live broadcast by POWER 98.7 FM from the dealership. Hatfield VW Melrose is a multi-million rand state-of-the-art dealership, geared to fulfil all your Volkswagen needs. Their new car showroom houses the entire range of new VWs;…

EVOLUTIONARY EXTERIOR IF IT AIN’T BROKE, DON’T TRY TO FIX IT … THAT’S THE ETHOS BEHIND THE EIGHTH-GENERATION GTI’S STYLING Volkswagen tends to make ballooning bodywork, prominent spoilers and diffusers the preserve of its R and track-focused variants but there’ll be a purposeful simplicity to the Mark 8 GTI befitting its balanced persona. As our renderings show, staples such as red pin striping, black honeycomb grille and dual-tone alloys remain part of the exterior highlights, albeit in more vestigial forms. The narrower upper grille shows the continuance of the signature thin red line, which will mirror the chromed louvers by flowing into the LED daytime-running light elements, much like in the Arteon. Out back, the subtlest of roof spoilers and dual exhaust ports are the only real telltale signs. That…

IT looks like a standard, classy Aston Martin dealership but, when I pass through the plate-glass doors and round the first corner, the scope of this operation hits me. I spot racecars aplenty, plus limited-edition models such as the One-77 and numerous classics. In one small workshop, a few craftsmen and technicians are building the last few DB4 GT Continuation models. This is only the front of the building… Paul Spires, president of Aston Martin Works, passionately explains the concept and history behind this department. “Apart from the new cars, heritage cars are being sold in Japan, the Middle East and South America. Previously, we were a European- and North America-centred company. We had to adapt the business. We call it our Global Heritage Support. We’ll fly a technician to…

JUDGING CRITERIA 01 Only vehicles that at least six of the eight-member CAR editorial team have driven We factor in the findings of road tests and driving impressions we’ve published up until this April issue. Don’t see your favourite – such as the new BMW 3 Series or Mercedes-Benz GLE – in the running? The majority of the CAR team would not have experienced it at the time this issue went to print. 02 Ranges, not individual models Except in the Budget and Performance Car segments, we consider an entire range, not merely one outstanding example. While it may appear odd to have a Volkswagen Golf and a Toyota Corolla Quest gunning for the same award, for example, remember we measure cars against their direct rivals in their classes and…

Criteria: C-segmenters; think Golf, Astra and Focus, but also premium offerings such as A3, 1 Series, A-Class and Clubman. For 2019, we’ve scrapped the Midsize Sedan award due to shrinking sales and incorporated the contenders here. Finalists: Audi A3; Mercedes-Benz A-Class; Mini Clubman; Opel Astra; Toyota Corolla Quest; Volkswagen Golf Reader's choice by: 21% Mercedes-Benz A-Class (VW Golf: 20%) 4th WIN VOLKSWAGEN GOLF Models: 6 Price range: R316 200-R667 700 Our favourite: 1,4 TSI Comfortline DSG We’ve often said new vehicles are at their best when they’re reaching the end of a model cycle, when a manufacturer would have (hopefully) sorted out all the quirks present in its early years. That wisdom appears not to apply to the VW Golf 7, which from the outset bowled us over with its…

Criteria: thrills. That’s it. Doesn’t matter the price, engine size, body shape or performance. If it excites us, it’s in with a shot. That means we look at hot hatches, sportscars and top-echelon supercars (as long as we’ve driven them). Finalists: BMW M2 Competition; Ferrari 488 Spider; Honda Civic Type R; McLaren 720S; Mercedes-AMG E63 S; Porsche 718 Cayman GTS Reader's choice by: 13% Alfa Romeo Giulia QV (McLaren 720S: 9%) 1st WIN McLAREN 720S Est price: R6 000 000 If you read this magazine religiously (can we safely assume that you do?), you would know that, in its June 2018 road test, the McLaren 720S is the quickest-accelerating car through the gears we›ve ever tested, never taking more than a second to jump 20 km/h increments. That›s not reason…

Criteria: vehicles in this category sit above the midsize SUVs in terms of price but not necessarily size. They’re premium cars from aspirational brands and, as such, offer sophistication, comfort, connectivity options and class. Finalists: Audi Q5; BMW X3; Mercedes-Benz GLC; Range Rover Velar; Volvo XC40; Volvo XC60 Reader's choice by: 16% Volvo XC60 1st WIN VOLVO XC60 Models: 12 Price range: R680 324-R807 684 Our favourite: D5 AWD Momentum Geartronic What a year Volvo’s had. First the Swedish brand launched the disarmingly charming XC40 (missing out on a gong here only because it isn’t quite spacious and practical enough) and then followed up with this XC60 which, thanks to an appealingly easy-going nature and superb driving manners, shoots straight to the top of the class. Helping its cause are…

Criteria: we consider double-cab bakkies that place family users first – space, safety features, torquey engines for towing and carrying ability take precedent over ultimate luxury features and performance. Finalists: Fiat Professional Fullback; Ford Ranger; Mercedes-Benz X-Class; Mitsubishi Triton; Toyota Hilux; Volkswagen Amarok Reader's choice by: 26% Toyota Hilux (Ford Ranger: 25%) 8th WIN FORD RANGER Models: 14 Price range: R341 900-R655 900 Our favourite: 2,2 TDCi Hi-Rider XLT Count those trophies… That’ll be eight, CAR reader. While it may seem we’re overly conservative in our voting, that’s not the case. The composition of the CAR test team has changed considerably in the years since the Ranger first claimed its crown but, despite changing preferences in voting, the Ford’s sheer appeal can’t be denied. As bakkies go, it drives in…

Price: R1 502 582 0-100 km/h: 5,01 sec Power/Torque: 294 kW/760 N.m Top speed: 250 km/h CAR fuel index: 8,64 L/100 km CO2: 190 g/km YOU can’t really miss those kidney grilles, can you? They dominate the new X5’s face, as they will the upcoming X7’s (we’ll drive that flagship SUV next month) and facelifted 7 Series. On the X5 M50d, however, they exist for a good reason: four blowers need a lot of cooling air, especially when they have enough punch to propel the vehicle in question to our quickest-ever 0-100 km/h sprint in a turbodiesel-engined test car. Despite registering a significant 2 377 kg on our scales and the engine displacing a fairly modest 3,0 litres, the flagship X5 needed a scant 5,01 seconds (beating BMW’s claim by…

Price: R2 731 500 0-100 km/h: 4,55 sec Power/Torque: 423 kW/700 N.m Top speed: 300 km/h CAR fuel index: 13,32 L/100 km CO2: 264 g/km SOME stratospherically priced things simply evade explanation. Think of the gold-plated sanitary ware in OPEC tycoons’ bathrooms, or the equivalent of the GDP of a small country paid by football clubs for the services of some unremarkable-looking bloke with a ponytail who happens to excel at kicking a ball into a net. Jaguar’s XJR 575 looks like a similar case in point; common sense would suggest the person laying down R2,7 million for a go-faster version of a car that’s very much a fringe player in its segment isn’t safe to use the streets unaccompanied. Even so, there is a place on the automotive landscape…

WHENEVER there’s a Renault or Kia in our long-term fleet, we normally take it to the nearby Imperial multifranchise dealership in Paarden Eiland for servicing, and inevitably we have something to write about… With the Clio RS 18, hoping for a more satisfying experience, I decided to try this dealer network’s alternative in Table View. My call to book the service was met with efficiency as the dealership was able to book in the Clio RS on short notice. However, this is where the smooth sailing met with a strong headwind. Upon arrival, there were fewer than 10 cars lined up. Despite this, the wait for a service agent to attend to me was an excruciating 30 minutes. I’ve been served faster at longer queues when visiting other dealerships. Then…

TEMPUS fugit (time flies) and my time with the Pik Up is drawing to a close. This has me pondering what I am going to miss most about the big double-cab bakkie from India. Surprisingly, at the top of my list is the six-speed manual gearbox. I say this because automatic transmissions are all the rage and manual vehicles seem to be slowly heading for extinction. With the majority of my driving taking place in traffic as the roads become more congested, there is no doubt an automatic is the way to go. Yet, for various reasons, including an easily modulated clutch and smooth, fuss-free shift, I have not once wished the shift was automatic, even when doing a school run. The one thing I always do when driving the…

AM standing with a controller in my hand I connected to a 1:10-scale racer on the track below. This can only end badly… To preserve the expensive toy from a rookie mistake, Francois Laubscher, the car’s owner and member of Parow Radio Control Car Club (PRCCC), has dialled down the responses to about 25%. Even so, the little racecar responds instantly as if there is a miniature version of myself behind the wheel. I lap the circuit at a snail’s pace compared to the professionals, but it is clear: this is real racing.…

BRAKE BOOSTER A vehicle’s brake pedal has a mechanical linkage to the brake master cylinder that generates the brake-fluid pressure in the system when the pedal is depressed. The function of the booster is to amplify the pedal force in order to lessen the workload on the driver’s leg. The principle of operation involves a disc diaphragm inside a vacuum chamber connected to the brake linkage. When not activated, a vacuum is present on both sides of the diaphragm resulting in a force equilibrium. When the pedal is pressed, valves allow atmospheric pressure to enter the cavity on one side of the diaphragm, resulting in a force imbalance which assists the driver. The vacuum is generated at the intake of a petrol engine but diesel engines (and electric powertrains) need…

BATTLE NO 1 HAMILTON vs. VETTEL Regardless of the usual optimistic preseason threats by leading also-rans to close the gap on the front-runners, the 2019 championship is likely to be an exclusive battleground for Mercedes and Ferrari. They have experience, engine power and, more importantly, the resources to make it happen. The prospect for close racing in 2019 hinges on Ferrari finally getting its act together. Mercedes winning its fifth title in succession concealed that the 2018 Ferrari was as competitive and, at times, quicker than the silver car. The weak link was Sebastian Vettel crumbling under the pressure created by a shockingly self-absorbed team management failing to capitalise on a package that, three-quarters of the way through the season, genuinely had Mercedes worried. But that, in turn, allowed the…

#1 RANGE ROVER VELAR SVAUTOBIOGRAPHY DYNAMIC EDITION POWER 405 kW TORQUE 700 N.m 0-100 KM/H 4,5 sec TOP SPEED 274 km/h Utilising a 405 kW supercharged 5,0-litre V8, the SVA will become the apex Velar when it arrives here later this year priced at R1 714 000. Discernable from its lesser stablemates by its model-specific body kit and suspension, 21-inch lightweight alloys and red callipers biting down on uprated brake discs (395 mm front; 396 mm rear), the SVA also features a highly configurable drivetrain system. ETA: Q3 #2 BENTLEY BENTAYGA SPEED POWER 467 kW TORQUE 900 N.m 0-100 KM/H 3,9 sec TOP SPEED 306 km/h Lamborghini Urus owners’ noses are surely out of joint with the announcement their car’s title of Fastest Production SUV has just been nabbed by…

# 1 1:18 EXOTO 1988 JAGUAR XJ-R9 #3 LE MANS (BOESEL/WATSON/ PESCAROLO) R1 795 The XJ-R9 is most famous for its successful career at Le Mans, helped by a monstrous 7,0-litre V12. sportique.co.za # 2 1:18 GT SPIRIT KOENIG-SPECIALS COUNTACH TURBO R2 999 The Lambo Countach was the most extreme supercar of its time. Believe it or not, Koenig upped the madness even further… GPmodels.co.za # 3 1:18 MINICHAMPS 2013 MCLAREN MP4-12C GT3 R2 495 McLaren’s re-entry to the supercar scene included a GT3 track variant with extreme aerodynamics to make it go even faster around corners. GPmodels.co.za # 4 1:18 CLASSIXXS 1984 MERCEDES-BENZ TRANSPORTER “BLUE WONDER” R995 The “Blue Wonder” was a famous transporter which often turned more heads than the racecar it was carrying. sportique.co.za # 5 1:18…

Criteria: any model that costs R170 000 or less, regardless of size or body shape. Value is key, which is why we’ve increased the budget over the last three years by just R10 000, but so too is safety. No ABS or at least one airbag? No chance. Finalists: Honda Brio 1,2 Trend; Hyundai Grand i10 1,0 Motion; Kia Picanto 1,0 Street; Suzuki Celerio 1,0 GA; Suzuki DZire 1,2 GA; Suzuki Swift 1,2 GA Reader's choice by: 36% Suzuki Swift 1,2 GA 1st WIN SUZUKI SWIFT 1,2 GA Price: R164 900 One Suzuki replaces another, testament to the Japanese brand’s expertise with small cars. While it may seem controversial to swap the two-time winning Celerio 1,0 GA for a R25 000 dearer Swift 1,2 GA in a category with the…

Criteria: one of the broader categories, this one encompasses the German Trio (and their respective offshoots), plus cars from other European manufacturers. Anything below A6, 5 Series and E-Class in terms of size and price, basically. Finalists: Alfa Romeo Giulia; Audi A4; Audi A5; Lexus ES; Mercedes-Benz C-Class; Volkswagen Arteon Reader's choice by: 27% Mercedes-Benz C-Class (Audi A4: 8%) 1st WIN AUDI A4 Models: 6 Price range: R531 000-R816 000 Our favourite: 35T FSI S tronic With the six-time victor BMW 3 Series in between generations as we voted for these awards and therefore out of contention, the A4 takes the top step of the podium. But don’t think it’s a consolation prize… A deserved winner, Audi’s premium midsize sedan favours refinement, ride comfort and roominess to render it the…

Criteria: to define the pool of competitors, we factor in size (anything smaller than midsize SUVs/crossovers) and price (roughly up to the R400 000 marker). Value is a key component, as are practicality and features. Finalists: Ford EcoSport; Honda BR-V; Hyundai Creta; Renault Captur; Renault Duster; Suzuki Jimny Reader's choice by: 19% Haval H2 (Renault Duster: 10%) 1st WIN RENAULT DUSTER Models: 5 Price range: R255 900-R340 900 Our favourite: 1,5 dCi Dynamique EDC The new Duster knocks the BR-V from the top step thanks to its cushioned ride, torquey but hushed turbodiesel engine and spacious cabin seating five in comfort and housing their luggage with room to spare. There’s zero pretence here, just a simple idea executed well. With a recently added 4x4 model (a previous-generation AWD variant formed…

Price: R639 995 0-100 km/h: 10,95 sec Power/Torque: 147 kW/440 N.m Top speed: 190 km/h CAR fuel index: 9,48 L/100 km CO2: 208 g/km INTRODUCED as the Carnival in 1999 before adopting the more familiar Sedona nameplate (latterly with a “Grand” suffix) through two further generations, Kia’s long-wheelbase people mover has not only become a stalwart in the Korean brand’s local line-up, but it remains one of the most underrated modes of family transport in this market. Having impressed us in every previous CAR test – including comfortably seeing off a Mercedes-Benz V-Class and VW Caravelle in a February 2016 comparative – arguably the main reason the Sedona is often overlooked is that it doesn’t conform to any particular set of segment rules. Sharing much of its platform with the…

VW AMAROK DC 3,0 TDI V6 4MOTION TIPTRONIC IT was a moment I’d been waiting for ever since the keys to the Amarok were handed to me for the remainder of its long-term test following ex-editor Steve Smith running in the vehicle for the first few months. A red Volkswagen Golf 7 GTI pulled up alongside the Amarok at the traffic lights. The youngsters had clearly recognised the V6 badge on the big bakkie and I knew what they had in mind for when the lights turned green. Despite being much heavier than the GTI, thanks to its grippy 4Motion system, the Amarok leapt off the line to easily pull ahead of the GTI … albeit only briefly. Lesson taught. And that was just one of several surprises the Amarok…

IN 2018, Audi’s Q5 range was handed the Top 12 Best Buys crown in the premium midsize SUV/crossover category, proving one of the easiest awards to call. And this year? Flick to page 54 and you’ll notice Ingolstadt’s classy crossover has been relegated to third. So, what’s changed over the past 12 months? Well, Volvo’s frankly excellent XC60 has joined the fray, while BMW has shrewdly expanded its line-up of locally built X3 derivatives, catering to a broader audience. Placing the Q5 behind these two capable competitors certainly wasn’t a unanimous decision, though, with the close vote preceded by animated debate. Indeed, once raised hands were tallied, there were a few furrowed brows around the table. And they were entirely justified. You see, the Q5 range does very little wrong.…

The criteria: Vehicles no older than three years, plus one six-year-old money-saver option. The context: Tough market conditions over the last few years have seen manufacturers launch a number of new, keenly priced entry-level vehicles in South Africa. The positive knock-on for consumers looking for used cars is that you are getting a little more bang for your buck. The advice: Following the categories of the main Top 12 Best Buys awards (page 44), here are the cars we think will make sensible second-hand buys in 2019. 01 BUDGET CAR <R110 000 SUZUKI CELERIO 1,0 GA The least expensive new cars have breached the R130 000 price point, so our used ceiling has risen to R110 000. Our best new buy for 2017 and 2018, the Suzuki Celerio, takes the…

NOTES The PRICES shown are the latest available at the time of going to press. Our deadline occurred before 22 February 2019. Readers should check with a dealer before making a decision. The HP payment calculations are based on a 10% deposit, current prime interest rate and a 60-month repayment period with no residual at the end. Under ENGINE we list the number of cylinders and the cubic capacity in cm3 . Here, V = V-shaped engine layout; H = horizontally-opposed engine layout; The absence of an initial symbol implies an in-line engine layout. FUEL SUPPLY abbreviations are P = petrol-engined; D = diesel-engined; T = turbocharged, a compressor driven by exhaust gases; S = supercharged, a compressor driven by the engine; P/H = petrol-hybrid and E = electric. POWER…

ROUND 01 AUSTRALIA DATE: 17 March TIME: 07H10 MELBOURNE GRAND PRIX CIRCUIT AREA: Albert Park, Melbourne, Australia LAP: 5 303 m/16 corners RACE DISTANCE: 307 574 m/58 laps LAP RECORD: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari – 2004) 1 min 24,125 sec 2018 WINNER: Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) 1 hr 29 min 33,283 sec 2018 POLE: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 1 min 21,164 sec 2018 FASTEST LAP: Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull Racing) 1 min 25,945 sec ROUND 02 BAHRAIN DATE: 31 March TIME: 17H10 BAHRAIN INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT AREA: Sakhir, Bahrain LAP: 5 412 m/15 corners RACE DISTANCE: 308 238 m/57 laps LAP RECORD: Pedro de la Rosa (McLaren – 2005) 1 min 31,447 sec 2018 WINNER: Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) 1 hr 32 min 01,940 sec 2018 POLE: Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) 1 min 27,958 sec 2018…