2014 BMW 2-Series Video Review

As any driving instructor will be at pains to tell you, looking in the rearview mirror is important. Car companies like to do this too; although perhaps it’s to inspire a sense of nostalgia more than anything in the engineering department.

This becomes immediately evident when driving the new BMW 2-Series and the BMW 2002, a classic that the blue and white propeller brand is keen to entrench as the newcomer’s progenitor. There is certainly a shared spirit: a small, compact sports coupe with decent power and tidy rear wheel drive handling. But my goodness, how things have moved on.

Firstly, I wouldn’t want to crash into a beach ball in the 2002. There’s barely a seatbelt to speak of and the entire frame looks and feels paper thin. In terms of passenger protection, I’m quite happy to be a car journalist in the modern era.

However, there’s a directness, a sense of immediacy in the vintage car that most modern cars lack. We’ve become very detached from the driving experience. This is bittersweet; for a long journey, detachment is a good thing. Modern cars are almost relaxing. But for a blast up a windy road, the charm of the old school is undeniable and missed.

The BMW 2-Series reviewed

However, progress we must, and it’s the new 2 that you will be buying, so let’s have that chat. BMW’s smallest coupe replaces the 1-Series coupe which was a real hoot to drive, but was perhaps less practical, especially the rear seating.

While the new series shares engines with the entire range, it is based on a cut down version of the 3-Series chassis, making this noticeably bigger than the car it replaces. In fact, a quick glance and you could be forgiven for thinking it’s a 4-Series.

There are 3 engines available, two petrol in various states of tune, a diesel and the mildly insane M235i. See the table below for a full overview of the range and power outputs.

BMW 2 Series Summary

It’s not that I don’t like the 2-Series, but I struggle to see the point. You could spend less money and have a 1-Series, which in 5-door guise is more practical. You could spend a little bit more money and have a 3 Series, which is infinitely more practical but understandably less exciting.

Or you could spend about R80 000 more and pick up a 4-Series, which I think might just be the best BMW available right now, besides the X5.

Or you could spend about R380 000 and pick up a 220i. It’s a well-sorted little package; comfortable, powerful enough, not terribly thirsty and in M Sport trim, quite good looking. It will probably make you smile every time you drive it, especially when you flick it into Sport mode.

And maybe that is the point.

BMW 2-Series prices and specs for South Africa

  220i 220d 228i M235i
Price R406 757 R436 500 R445 988 R558 079
Engine 2.0 i-4 turbo 2.0 i-4 turbo 2.0 i-4 turbo 3.0 i-6 turbo
Power 135kW 135kW 180kW 240kW
Torque 270Nm 380Nm 350Nm 450Nm
Acceleration 7.0s 7.2s 5.8s 5.0s
Fuel economy 6.1l/100km 4.5l/100km 6.6l/100km 8.1l/100km

Bentley SUV Closer to Production (Video)

Bentley has released a short teaser video of its long anticipated SUV. The initial concept, called the EXP 9 F SUV was originally shown at the Geneva motor show in 2012.

This latest clip show the Bentley SUV doing some desert testing and clearly incorporates the familiar front grille and Continental’s headlight cluster. The video also shows the painstaking work that Bentley puts into its hand-stitched leather interiors, seemingly some of the textures and colours have been picked up from their time in spent in the desert.

There are still very few features confirmed on the Bentley SUV but it’s likely to be powered by both the 4-litre twin-turbo V8 and the 6-Litre W12 that Bentley keeps in the stable.

*Bentley EXP 9 F Pictured 

Bentley SUV Teaser Video

2015 Range Rover and Range Rover Sport Introduced With More Power and New Tech (Video)

The 2015 Range Rover and Range Rover Sport have been updated with a number of upgrades including changes to the six-cylinder diesel engine.

“Range Rover and Range Rover Sport offer an unrivalled combination of performance, efficiency, design leadership and off-road capability,” says Phil Popham, Group Marketing Director for Jaguar Land Rover.

“Our latest updates capitalise on these strengths, with our ground-breaking new All Terrain Progress Control, along with extra-efficient six-cylinder engines, which underline Land Rover’s commitment to sustainability.”

Increased performance

Although output remains the same at 190 kW and 600 Nm, Land Rover’s 3.0-litre six-cylinder TDV6 engine has been enhanced with a ball-bearing single turbocharger that replaces the twin-turbocharging technology.

Along with Low Pressure Exhaust Gas Recirculation (LPEGR), a two-stage oil pump that reduces parasitic engine losses and a revised design of fuel-injector nozzle, the TDV6 has improved fuel efficiency to 8.5 percent in the Range Rover and 5.7 percent in the Range Rover Sport.

The Range Rover Sport SDV6 gets the same enhancements but maintains its twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre diesel. Power rises 10kW to 225kW and torque 100Nm to 700Nm, yet fuel consumption falls 7.0 per cent to seven-litres/100km.

The supercharged 3.0-litre V6 Range Rover and Range Rover Sport SCV6 make no more power than before, but fuel efficiency has improved by 1.9 percent. This is made possible by a new thermostat, laser-drilled injectors, revised camshaft chain guides, a two-stage oil pump, diamond-like coating for the piston and gudgeon pin, and the use of lower viscosity oil.

New and improved technology

Land Rover is also introducing a head-up display system which will offer information like speed, gear position & shift indicator, sat-nav instructions, cruise control info and traffic sign recognition.

Furthermore, both the 2015 Range Rover and Range Rover Sport can be fitted with an All-Terrain Progress Control (ATPC) system which allows the driver to select a desired speed and it will continuously monitor and adjust the vehicle settings in order to provide the best traction regardless of conditions.

The models are additionally available with an updated colour palette featuring the striking Yulong White, while the Range Rover Sport is also offered in eye-catching Kaikoura Stone.

2015 Range Rover and Range Rover Sport with All-Terrain Progress Control system

Datsun GO Zero Star Crash Rating (Video)

As part of the Global NCAP initiative, the new Datsun Go and Maruti Suzuki Swift were subjected to frontal crash tests under the Bharat New Car Assessment Program (Bharat NCAP) which they failed dismally.

A disappointing zero result for the Datsun GO

The Bharat NCAP represents the tenth New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) to be formed around the world, and was established for the Indian market – the fifth biggest passenger car market in the world.

Nissan’s recently launched sub-brand budget car, the Datsun GO,  failed the test because its structure collapsed during the frontal crash test done at 64 kph and because it lacked a front airbag, resulting the driver’s head hitting the steering wheel. The dummy readings further indicated a high probability of life-threatening injuries.

This of course raises alarms, as Global NCAP Secretary-General, David Ward explained the body structure of the vehicle is so fragile that even fitting airbags would do absolutely nothing for occupant’s safety.

The Go was commended locally for its astonishing price tag that sits below R100 000. Despite its failure to get even one star in the crash test, the little car has some quirks that buyers would be interested in such as its tiny 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine, rated at 50 kW.

For more details on the Datsun GO here.

Coming to the Maruti Suzuki Swift, this models structure showed signs of collapsing in the frontal crash test and just like the GO, its lack of standard-fit airbags meant that the driver’s head made direct contact with the steering wheel. In the same manner, the dummy readings indicated a high probability of life-threatening injuries. However, unlike the GO, the organisation maintains the Swift would improve occupant protection when fitted with airbags. South Africans are lucky though, as Swift models are fitted with standard airbags across the range.

Datsun GO fails crash test – zero star safety rating

Maruti Suzuki Swift crash test – zero star safety rating

New Ford Everest Teased Ahead of Beijing Reveal (Video)

The new Ford Everest has been teased in a video ahead of debut in Beijing next week.

New Ford Everest minor details revealed

The Everest is scheduled to be unveiled at a special media event in Beijing on November 13. While the images and video provided don’t reveal much about the car, they do show parts of the grille and headlight design.

The new Ford Everest was first unveiled in concept form in August last year, with Ford is keen to underline the high level of involvement from its local design and engineering teams.

“We can’t wait to show the world the latest example of our One Ford global product strategy in action,” said Trevor Worthington, vice president, Product Development, Ford Asia Pacific. “After five years and 4500 man-years of design and development work, we’re going to redefine what customers can expect from an SUV.”

Although Ford is being secretive on all the specifications of the model, they did confirm that it will be “rugged, refined and amazingly capable.”

Echoing the words of Worthington, the director of the Ford Design Centre in Melbourne, Todd Willing, said the Everest was the culmination of several years’ work aligning Ford’s global design language with customer insight from each of the key markets where Everest will be sold.

“This is our vision of a large, seven-seat off-road vehicle that exemplifies how Ford’s “One Ford” vehicle philosophy can apply for a vehicle created for Asia Pacific,” Willing said.

“The Everest is also further proof of the world-class design expertise here in Melbourne. Many of the talented team who worked on Everest – and continue to work on other Ford vehicles – have been educated right here in Victoria.”

New Ford Everest Teaser video

Car Prices Around The World Compared To South Africa

After we toured the globe last month looking at the price of fuel around the world, we thought we’d take a look at car prices around the world.

It’s a topic of discussion at every braai – actually, every gathering of South African motorists: why are cars in South Africa so expensive? There does seem to be a general feeling that we’re being ripped off. But do the facts back up the perception?

We’ve chosen five of the most popular cars in South Africa, and one supercar, sold in five key markets around the world to compare with South Africa’s car pricing.

It’s worth noting that affordability in each country is another matter entirely. South Africans earn less on average than each of the other countries, which roughly means that purchasing a car costs a higher percentage of the average income in South Africa. It’s also worth remembering that South Africa is a relatively small market (around 50 000 cars per month) so import costs of vehicles tends to be higher per unit. For comparison basis the USA can reach a million cars a month, Australia is our closest competitor but still sells around 90 000 units a month.

We have some top tips for you, if you want a supercar go to America, if you want a small Ford or Toyota go to Australia, if you want a German sedan stay right where you are in SA and whatever you do don’t go to Britain. It’s always raining there anyway.

Car Prices Around The World

Ford Fiesta

Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Toyota Corolla

Porsche 911 Turbo

BMW 3 Series

Jaguar F-Type All-Wheel Drive Confirmed (Video)

If rear-wheel drive is a little too intimidating and you’re wanting something a little tamer, then Jaguar has come up with a solution. There’s now an all-wheel drive option available for the Jaguar F-Type.

The all-wheel drive Jaguar F-Type is claimed to complete the 0-100kph sprint in just 3.9 seconds, which makes it fractionally faster than the rear-wheel drive Jaguar F-Type. The top-speed of the Jaguar F-Type all-wheel drive remains at an electronically-shackled 300kph. The Jaguar F-Type all-wheel drive will be showcased on the 19th November 2014 at the Los Angeles Motor Show. 2015 will see the sportscar range increase to 14 models which will also include a four-cylinder engine from the Jaguar XE.

To coincide with the launch of the all-wheel drive Jaguar F-Type, the British car company announced plans to work with the World Land Speed Record Team. The WLSRT aims to beat the current land speed record of 1 227kph with a rocket car.

Jaguar F-Type All-Wheel Drive Video

Volkswagen Polo Vivo (2014) Review

The latest generation Volkswagen Polo Vivo spent a week with us. We drove it and tried to find out why it’s still one of the best-selling vehicles in South Africa.

If you are looking to buy a used 2014 VW Polo Vivo, this review will help you make an informed buying decision!

We like:
. Build quality
. Interior space
. Volkswagen brand

We dislike:
. No standard service or maintenance plan
. Lacking in standard features
. Could have more safety features at its price point

Also consider:
Renault Sandero
Suzuki Swift
Toyota Etios
Ford Figo

You can see the head-to-head comparison between the Renault Sandero, Volkswagen Polo Vivo and Suzuki Swift here.

What’s new for the 2014 VW Polo Vivo?

The Vivo comes with new equipment lines and what we have on test here is the 63 kW Trendline. Visually, the new Vivo is differentiated by a slight redesign of the headlights and grill, while most derivatives receive colour-coded exterior mirrors and door handles. The interior gets an all-new gearknob as well as instrument cluster.  Drivers in the Trendline model and upwards now get a height-adjustable driver’s seat. All vehicles now have ABS brakes, an alarm and remote central locking.

What’s the Polo Vivo like to drive?

I’ll give credit to the Vivo as it feels tough, solid and well built. You get the feeling that it’s built to last and survive the harsh conditions in South Africa. The 2014 Vivo rides well and is competent even on the roughest of tarmac. The boot space is to be commended and there’s plenty of room for cargo.

Specification and features

Speaking of options and features, I had the 1.4  63 kW Trendline which comes with a few basic features as standard. There’s a radio with Bluetooth, Mp3, SD card functionality, air-conditioner, central locking, driver and passenger airbags, ABS brakes and that’s about it. Options fitted to this unit included the 14-inch alloy wheels (R2 900), cruise control (R 1 250) and ultrasonic alarm (R1 040).

Summary and Conclusion

I’d like to think the Vivo is not the consumer champion of SA, despite its massive sales successes. Sure, you’re getting into the legendary Volkswagen brand, but the bottom line is that you’re not getting the best value for money. There are plenty of other options out there that offer more car for less money. A car like this would have been great five years ago, but it’s simply not able to compete against the better equipped opposition of 2014/2015.

For example, a fully-equipped Renault Sandero offers loads more features as well as a service plan as standard, for R20 000 less.

Buy a used Vivo on Cars.co.za

Second Opinion

The Vivo defies the odds, it’s more expensive than its rivals and not as well equipped, yet it still tops the sales charts in SA. There’s obviously something to be said for brand loyalty and peace of mind in this segment of the market. It does feel solid and looks well built on the surface, and maybe that’s what attracts purchasers. – Ashley Oldfield

2014 Volkswagen Polo Vivo 1.4 63 kW Trendline Quick Specs

Price R157 500 (Range starts at R142 700)
Engine 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol
Power 63 kW
Torque 132 Nm
Transmission 5-speed manual
Wheels 14-inch alloys
0-100km/h 12.2 seconds (claimed)
Fuel economy 6.2L/100 km (claimed)

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Volkswagen Polo Vivo a good car to buy in South Africa?

The Volkswagen Polo Vivo has a strong reputation in South Africa and is a consistent top-seller. It is often considered a reliable, affordable, and practical choice for everyday driving, with a strong focus on build quality. Its popularity also means there is a good market for used models and parts are readily available.

Where is the Volkswagen Polo Vivo manufactured?

The Volkswagen Polo Vivo is proudly manufactured in South Africa at Volkswagen’s plant in Kariega (formerly Uitenhage), Eastern Cape.

What are the engine options for the Volkswagen Polo Vivo in South Africa?

The Polo Vivo range in South Africa is available with several engine options, including naturally aspirated 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre petrol engines. The top-of-the-range GT model features a 1.0-litre turbocharged TSI petrol engine.

What is the Volkswagen Polo Vivo’s safety rating?

The Volkswagen Polo Vivo has a 4-star Global NCAP safety rating for Adult Occupancy Protection and a 3-star rating for Child Occupancy Protection. Key safety features include driver and passenger airbags, ISOFIX mounting points, and in some models, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and side airbags.

Related Content 

VW Polo Vivo (2025) Specs & Price 

Reviews 

Volkswagen Polo Vivo (2018) Review

Volkswagen Polo Vivo GT (2018) Review

Volkswagen Polo Vivo GTS (2016) Review

Volkswagen Polo Vivo (2014) Review

Comparisons

New Polo Vivo vs Old Polo: How different are they?

VW Polo Vivo: 5 Good Alternatives to Consider

2015 Hyundai Accent Gets Styling Upgrade



Following the launch of the 2014 model in South Africa, Hyundai has released details and images of its updated 2015 Accent which, receives styling and packaging updates across its three trim levels to make it a more appealing offer in the competitive sub-compact segment.

2015 Hyundai Accent highlights

For the 2015 model year, the Accent now boasts a new radiator grille, headlights and tail-lights and 16-inch alloy and 14-inch steel wheels. The model will additionally be available with three new exterior colours, including Vitamin C, Pacific Blue, and Misty Beige, as well as new interior fabric patterns. The model also gets a revised LCD audio display that enhances readability with its high-contrast look.

Furthermore, the 2015 Hyundai Accent benefits from packaging updates such as the Popular Equipment Package to Accent GLS which includes features such as steering wheel audio controls, cruise control, Bluetooth hands-free phone system, tilt/reach adjustable wheel and a sliding armrest storage box, while the base GLS will be equipped with an automatic transmission.

2015 Accent models will be equipped with a 1.6-litre aluminium Gamma four-cylinder engine that delivers 103 kW and 166 Nm of torque and delivers up to 8.7L/100 km city and up to 6.2L/100 km highway when equipped with the 6-speed manual transmission.

Audi A9 Concept Teased (Video Update)


Audi is getting ready to show off a new concept car at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show happening towards the end of November 2014.

Preview into Audi’s new styling language

The Audi A9 concept car is said to preview the company’s new styling language, and also serve as a sneak preview for a range-topping A9 model which will ride on the MLB platform as the next-generation Audi A8.

Details are scarce at the moment, but we do know the concept was designed at Audi’s styling centre in Ingolstadt under the guidance of the company’s chief designer Marc Lichte.

Speaking to Auto & Design, Lichte said that “Audi is placing the accent even more firmly on the sporting dimension, something that will characterise the whole upcoming generation of cars.” He further mentioned that these new models will come with an evolution of the single-frame front grille, which will also represent a major step forward in terms of sportiness.

The Audi A9 concept is expected to be unveiled on November 18 during the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show, expect more details on the car then.

Audi A9 Concept Video Tease