This week’s news you need to know (November 2021, Week 2)
In this week’s news you need to know, forget the GTI – Toyota wants to take on the Big Three premium marques (as well as the Golf R) with its GR Corolla, Peugeot looks to win over some of the most brand-loyal motorists in existence – bakkie buyers, the Haval Jolion’s about to become even more formidable and do we really need yet another tarted up Polo Vivo derivative?
Apex Toyota Corolla – Putting the Grrr in GR
You see, the GR Yaris is a little superstar, but it isn’t a quick Corolla – and there have been quite a few of those on the South African market (okay, NOT recently, but still) – badges such as the Twin Cam 16, RSi, 20V and RXi (to name just a few) are revered by countless motoring enthusiasts, many of whom who weren’t even born when those cars were in their prime. What’s even more noteworthy, is that those performance-oriented Conquests (hatchback) and Corollas (sedans) were aspirational vehicles; they were bought more as status symbols as opposed to, say, their ability to trounce the competition…
> GR Corolla gets more power than Yaris superhatch
However, that looks set to change with the arrival of the upcoming all-wheel-drive GR Corolla, because, if reports (that it will produce 224 kW from its 1.6-litre 3-cylinder turbopetrol motor) are accurate, the Toyota will sail past the current crop of hot hatches – including its old foe, the Golf GTI and Hyundai i30 N – and line up against the Audi S3 quattro (213 kW), BMW M135i xDrive and Mercedes-AMG A35 (225 kW each), as well as the highly anticipated VW Golf 8 R – those models’ asking prices start at R800k and go up to well past R900k. Sure, those kinds of flashy toys are bought by tech industry professionals who seek weekend thrills, but they have the money… that’s why manufacturers love them. If Toyota could offer the GR Corolla as a more affordable alternative to the premium marques’ all-wheel-drive offerings, TMC is likely to sell many, many units of its upcoming GR model.
Peugeot Landtrek – A bold move, but worth a try
Finally, a wise move from a brand that has, unfortunately, let local consumers down a few times before. No, many consumers may never “let that one go”, but for those of us who are somewhat more open-minded (or unjilted, if there even is such a word), perhaps it’s time to forgive but not forget. Peugeot South Africa, under the new watch of Stellantis, has vowed to make amends and do things the right way. This time with a bakkie. South Africans love them and, as the sector has evolved over years to be more car-like, Peugeot seems to have the right touch to make this a success. This isn’t a bad thing.
> Peugeot Landtrek (2021) Launch Review
In a segment that represents a significant slice of the overall new-vehicle market – one that has been dominated by Toyota (and Ford, to a lesser extent) during the past decade, in which Isuzu, Mitsubishi and Nissan more or less hold their ends up and GWM is well and truly making its presence felt, it’s not the worst thing in the world to have a French option. With Peugeot winning the 2021 SA Car of the Year title with its 2008 crossover, new dealers opening and sales numbers climbing, the firm has momentum on which it must capitalise. So, how many baguettes do you think you could fit in that load bin?
Petrol-electric Haval Jolion – the next big hybrid
EV transformation. The electric revolution. Call it what you will, but Haval seems to be doing the copy-and-paste job well by following Toyota’s lead; several car brands on our market seem ill-prepared to offer products that will facilitate “the transition”. Haval, I sense, recognises that hybrids, as opposed to ruinously expensive EVs, may indeed be the only “green(er)” cars that buyers in developing markets can readily afford.
> Haval Jolion Hybrid Shown with Impressive Power
It’s no secret that Chinese manufacturers are master replicators (and, sometimes, improvers) of successful products, so this Jolion Hybrid development should not come as a surprise. Haval’s done remarkably well in South Africa since it arrived here as recently as 2017, and a petrol-electric version of the Jolion should be the ideal rival (if competitively priced) to the Corolla Cross Hybrid. The consumer wins at the end of the day – just as the H2 was a star performer, with the Jolion successfully following in its wake, a Hybrid Haval will do well in Mzansi. Is this the sleeping giant in the fuel-efficiency game?
Black Style Polo Vivo – Another ‘sticker job’
I have been giving Ford quite a bit of stick in this column because of its cynical repackaging exercises with the ageing T6 Ranger line-up, but it seems Volkswagen isn’t lagging too far behind with its range of product-extending efforts, which are otherwise known as “sticker jobs”. First, it was the Polo Beats that made an appearance, then came the Mswenko and now it’s the Polo Black Style. The first two versions added very little value to the “standard” platform. Fair game to VWSA for trying, but enough already with bringing customisation efforts in-house; they really ought to remain in the aftermarket.
> Black Style for Volkswagen Polo Vivo
We, as consumers, need more value-backed options rather than “sticker jobs” that are overpriced variants of something you could get done in the aftermarket at a fraction of the price. No matter how well the Polo Vivo has done in SA, we need better cars – not cosmetic slap-up jobs. Why not offer a service pack of some sort or a tyre replacement option down the line to add more value? It’s old school, but buyers would appreciate it more.
