Toyota's 2030 promise, means more battery power, for your bakkie.
The Shanghai auto show has brought some big reveals, but also caution, regarding electrification.
As the world attempts to ease out of lockdown and return to some semblance of normalizing production and the product introduction schedule, there has been much relief at Shanghai.
But for Toyota, despite the reveal of its new electric vehicle, the theme remains cautious.
The promise of a solid-state battery breakthrough remains largely unrealized, and Toyota has now indicated that its fleet-wide electrification targets are unreachable. A deadline of 2025 was scheduled to have every single Toyota model available with an electric or hybrid drivetrain option, but this is clearly not going to happen, especially as it appears the bakkie and van business will need more time to develop the tech.
Toyota has recommitted to a new deadline, in 2030. Realism is meeting expectation in the rush to appease policy makers and environmental campaigners with electric vehicles, and many of the pre-pandemic promises, are not deliverable.
For Toyota, its commercial fleet is a problem. Electrifying passenger and traditional luxury vehicle platforms should not be too complicated, but the profitable bakkie and van product portfolio will require a complete rethink. With new platforms and expensive technology integration.
Hilux is one of Toyota’s most popular global vehicles and a strong source of profits for the Japanese company. An electric Hilux is very unlikely, even in the medium term. But Toyota will have to bring some form of alternative energy to the bakkie’s powertrain, whether it will be hybrid or hydrogen is unclear.
The most obvious solution is to produce a diesel-electric hybrid. But this will surely inflate the price and add parts complexity for dealers, increasing the serviceability burden on what will surely be a low-volume Hilux derivative.
Engineering a hybrid vehicle to cope with rugged off-road conditions and thousands of kilometres on corrugated dirt roads, in warm and dusty conditions, are all part of the challenges for Toyota’s 2030 goal. It will probably take the best part of the 9 years left in its target before we see a hybrid Hilux on the world stage, and probably even longer before we see it come to SA.
Volkswagen has won the World Car of the Year title for a record-extending 5th time. The Wolfsburg-based firm’s ID.4 electric crossover was chosen as the 2021 WCOTY by a jury of 93 motoring journalists, including Cars.co.za's Consumer Experience Manager, Hannes Oosthuizen, from 28 countries across the globe.
The Volkswagen ID.4 was chosen ahead of the Honda-e and Toyota Yaris, the latter of which underpins the South Africa-bound Yaris GR, to take the overall honours in the 16th iterations of the World Car Awards, the winners of which were announced live on YouTube overnight.
In many ways, the Wolfsburg-based brand's battery-electric compact crossover is more significant than its ID.3 hatchback sibling, because it is the first ID model to be rolled out in the US and China (in addition to some key European markets). While Volkswagen SA is evaluating the local viability of ID models with a small ID.3 test fleet, the ID.4 is more likely to be launched in Mzansi in the near future.
This year’s winner was chosen from an initial entry list of 24 vehicles from all over the world. Vehicles eligible for the World Car of the Year award must be produced in volumes of at least 10 000 units/year, must be priced below the luxury-car level in their primary markets, and must be “on-sale” in at least 2 major markets, on at least 2 separate continents, between 1 May 2020 and 1 May 2021.
The category winners of the 2021 World Car Awards, meanwhile, are:
World Urban Car of the Year – Honda e
Honda's cute little "e" electric city car was a finalist in 3 categories and was awarded the 2021 World Urban Car trophy.
Although the Honda-e failed to win the overall 2021 WCOTY, the Japanese brand's pint-sized BEV (battery electric vehicle) was nominated in two other categories, one of which it won: World Urban Car.
World Luxury Car of the Year – Mercedes-Benz S-Class
Is the Mercedes-Benz S-Class the king of luxury once again? We'll find out soon!
The S-Class represents the pinnacle of the Mercedes-Benz product line and apart from being an important part of the brand’s history, it also serves as the spearhead, as it were, for showcasing the latest and greatest technology currently in Merc’s arsenal. Local pricing details have already been released for the new-generation Mercedes-Benz S-Class and a correspondent has already driven it overseas.
World Performance Car of the Year – Porsche 911 Turbo
The view most other road users will see – the 911 Turbo S offers unrivalled performance and dynamic capability at the price.
Whereas VW holds the record for the most number of overall WCOTY victories, Porsche has a firm grip on the World Performance Car of the Year title. Since the category was introduced in 2006, the Zuffenhausen-based brand has won it 7 times, including this year, with the 911 Turbo. We recently published a full review of the 911 Turbo S and Porsche SA announced pricing for the 2021 GT3.
Previous overall winners of the World Car of the Year programme include the Audi A6 (2005), BMW 3 Series (2006), Lexus LS 460 (2007), Mazda2 (2008), Volkswagen Golf 6 (2009), Volkswagen Polo (2010), Nissan Leaf (2011), Volkswagen Up (2012), Volkswagen Golf 7 (2013), Audi A3 (2014), Mercedes-Benz C-Class (2015), Mazda MX-5 (2016), Jaguar F-Pace (2017), Volvo XC60 (2018) and Jaguar I-Pace (2019) and Kia Telluride (2020).
Cars.co.za's Hannes Oosthuizen has served as WCOTY jury member for South Africa from 2006 to 2013 and 2016 to the present day. What's more, two of Hannes' fellow South African WCOTY judges, Brenwin Naidu and Lerato Matebese, are veteran Cars.co.za Consumer Awards – powered by WesBank judges.
Chinese SUV manufacturer, Haval, has launched the new Jolion compact SUV in South Africa! See specification and pricing details below!
Haval has taken significant strides since arriving on local soil back in 2017. The H2 compact family car was one of the first Haval models to go on sale locally (alongside the H1) and was followed by the H6, H6C and flagship H9 SUV. Considering how popular SUVs are right now, Haval has managed to attract widespread support locally by offering models that are generously equipped with features and nicely priced against rivalling products which has played a major role in the brand’s success in South Africa.
The H2 has been a particularly popular model for Haval and a facelifted H2 arrived early in 2020.
Now, Haval is introducing the new Jolion compact SUV in South Africa and it will initially slot in just above the current H2 until the current H2 model is slowly phased out of the market.
The Jolion's interior offers upmarket appeal and is expected to be crammed with nice-to-have features.
What features are offered on the Haval Jolion?
The Jolion will be produced on Haval’s new modular L.E.M.O.N platform, which is a modular platform able to cater for a variety of body shapes and powertrain options. The Jolion is bigger and wider than the current H2 and is more technologically advanced and includes features such as a 10.25-inch floating touchscreen infotainment system (12.3-inch in Super Luxury trim) and wireless charging. The Virtual Instrument Cluster has 3 visual modes that the driver can set to preference and a heads-up display projects speed and other useful information directly ahead of the driver. Push-button start and keyless entry are also standard. The centre console, on DCT derivatives, features a nifty-looking rotary dial shifter. Haval describes the Jolion's interior design as being 'premium and sporty'.
The Jolion range comprises 5 derivatives starting with the base City, Luxury, Premium and top-spec Super Luxury.
In terms of safety, the Jolion is fitted with dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability control with traction control, secondary collision, mitigation, anti-roll, hill assist, tyre pressure monitoring and rear parking sensors with a reverse camera with guidelines. The top-spec Super Luxury derivative boasts features such as adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist and blind-spot detection.
How much power does the new Haval Jolion have?
As far as engine power is concerned, the Jolion makes use of a 1.5-litre turbopetrol engine with power outputs of 105 kW and 210 Nm. However, unlike the current H2, the Jolion makes use of a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission and a 5-speed manual transmission.
How much does the new Haval Jolion Cost in South Africa?
Jolion 1.5T City Manual – R299 900
Jolion 1.5T Luxury Manual – R332 900
Jolion 1.5T Premium 7DCT – R339 900
Jolion 1.5T Luxury 7DCT – R367 900
Jolion 1.5T Super Luxury – R398 900
The Haval Jolion is sold with a 5-year/100 000 km warranty and a 5-year/60 000 km service plan.
Volkswagen has teased an updated version of its popular Polo. Here's what we know so far.
Update: With less than 24 hours to go before the official reveal, some leaked images found their way onto the Internet. We get to see the front, the rear and get a good look at the revised interior.
With a stellar sales record of around 18 million units finding homes around the world, Volkswagen knows it cannot mess what's clearly a winning recipe with its Polo.
The reveal of the updated Volkswagen Polo will take place on the 22nd April 2021 and the teaser image you see here gives us some clues as to what we can expect. We can clearly see the redesigned headlight as well as an extended LED strip that reaches to the badge. This fashionable design element is something we've seen in a few cars now, not just the Volkswagen stable. The Volkswagen Golf 8 has it and this update to the Volkswagen Polo ties the family together quite nicely. We've already seen some Volkswagen Polo spy shots, but Volkswagen has cleverly kept the good stuff well hidden.
A design update is just a small factor in the overall facelift process and given how tech-heavy vehicles are these days, it should come as no surprise that Volkswagen has given the Polo a big update under the skin. The teaser image was accompanied by the claim that 'the technologies and specification matric of the best-seller have had a comprehensive update.'
What could this mean? We reckon this means the introduction of modern semi-autonomous safety equipment as well as enhanced connectivity such as that seen in the soon-to-be-launched Volkswagen Golf 8. The updated Volkswagen Polo is important because not only is a popular model in South Africa, but its also assembled in the Eastern Cape, at Volkswagen's facility in Uitenhage.
We expect the updated model to also be built in South Africa, but as to when production will start is unclear. Set your alarms for Thursday the 22nd April 2021.
Mitsubishi is offering just 100 examples of the Pajero Legend 100 in South Africa. See specification and pricing details below.
With its roots in the gruelling Dakar Rally, where the Pajero racked up multiple wins, 12 in fact, from 1985 to 2007, this is no doubt an impressive achievement that the Minato-based firm is very proud of. Sadly though, production of the Pajero has come to an end and the model will soon be no more.
However, Mitsubishi is inviting 100 lucky buyers to join the ‘Legend 100 Club’ by purchasing a limited edition Pajero Legend 100 which features an obligatory “Legend 100” badge and owners will receive a certificate of membership to the club.
“We are down to the last 100 units and celebrating it with the Pajero ‘Legend 100’ Club, which will find new lucky homes in 2021, proving the popularity of the car that built up an unequalled Dakar record which still stands today,” says Nic Campbell, General Manager of Mitsubishi Motors South Africa.
Both the SWB (3-door) and LWB (5-door) Pajero will receive “Legend 100” certification. Engine power comes courtesy of a 3.2-litre turbodiesel engine with 140 kW and 441 Nm. Mitsubishi’s Super Select II-4WD system ensures notable offroad capability and provides 4 driving modes including 2WD High Range, 4WD, 4WD High and Low Range with a locked centre differential.
The Pajero Legend 100 is also equipped with 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, brake assist, active stability control with traction control as well as a rear view camera and rear park distance control for added reassurance.
The wave of Mercedes-Benz electric vehicles is in full flow as the brand has just revealed this EQB. It’s a 7-seater electric SUV with 420 km range.
The Shanghai motor show has seen almost every brand display some form of electric production vehicle or at least a hybridized version of a current production vehicle. Mercedes-Benz has followed suit and added the EQB to its EQC, EQE, EQA and recently launched EQS electric range.
The EQB is different in that it has 7 seats as an option where the 3rd row can accommodate passengers up to a height of 1.65 metres. Both seats can handle child seats, taking the total number of child seats you can fit in an EQB to 5 (1 in the front, 2 middle and 2 in the 3rd row).
Boot space is claimed at 495 litres in 5-seat mode and with all the seats down it copes with 1 620 litres of luggage. Overall it’s a reasonably practical SUV with similar dimensions to the current GLB.
Merc EQB Range and Power
Multiple versions of the EQB will be available including front- and all-wheel-drive versions. Different power outputs will be available too, which Merc says will produce over 200 kW in Europe. The battery onboard has a capacity of 66.5 kWh and in the EQB 350 4Matic will have a range of 419 km (WLTP cycle).
In terms of charging capability, the EQB can be charged at up to 11 kW at AC power, usually used at home or up to 100 kW with DC power, at charging stations. At 100 kW it should charge from 10%-80% in 30 minutes.
Merc EQB interior details
A basic interior by electric car standards.
The insides of the EQB are more traditional than we’ve come to expect from new EVs. The familiar skateboard screen deals with instrument dials in front of the driver and the infotainment on the other side of the split-screen.
Depending on the design and equipment line, a backlit trim piece and rose gold-coloured decorative elements on the air vents, seats and vehicle key provide clues to the electric character in the interior of the EQB. The instruments, with their electric car-specific displays, pick up on the same colour scheme with rose gold-coloured and blue highlights.
The EQB will go into production in order to be ready for the Chinese market at the end of 2021 before being made available in Europe in early 2022. It is being built in 2 Mercedes plants around the world, Hungary and Beijing.
GWM has revealed a beefed-up version of its P-Series double-cab bakkie. This is the GWM Baja Snake!
The much-talked-about Baja Snake has been revealed at the 2021 Shanghai Motor Show this week.
We know GWM is keen to enhance its bakkie offerings and its prior concepts like the GWM Black Bullet Concept underlines its intentions of making cool lifestyle offerings.
How much power does the GWM Baja Snake have?
The GWM P-Series was launched in South Africa just before the end of 2020 and impressions have been favourable thus far. We at Cars.co.za were impressed with the refinement, levels of equipment fitted and value for money. For the record, the GWM P-Series is powered by a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbodiesel engine with 120 kW and 400 Nm. This motor is paired with an 8-speed automatic gearbox, sourced from ZF.
Performance bakkie enthusiasts will feel a little deflated knowing that the Baja Snake has no more than 140 kW and 360 Nm on offer from its 4-cylinder, 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine. Despite this, the Baja Snake is equipped with Fox shock absorbers with 14-stage damping that will be particularly useful in an offroad scenario. The ride height can also be raised by a notable 50 mm. Other noteworthy features include a menacing grille with a huge GWM logo in the centre, 2 racing stripes, 'Baja Snake' lettering, air snorkel and wide and flared wheel arches which house rugged offroad Toyo tyres.
As for the interior, it hasn't changed much from the standard P-Series but GWM has used Alcantara and orange accents to liven up the cabin.
The Baja Snake looks the part but that's where this story ends…
Does it make sense for GWM to go the performance bakkie route?
The current uptick in new market introductions suggests this is indeed an avenue worth investigating. Globally, the Ford F-150 and F-150 Raptor dominate the sales figures Stateside, while locally many Ford Ranger Raptors have found homes. We know Toyota is working on GR-badged Hiluxes, and the substantially revised, locally-assembled Nissan Navara may spawn a sportier derivative down the line. Local production of the all-new Isuzu D-Max is due to kick off in late 2021 and we'd bet there'll be some form of aggressive-looking model soon enough. While it isn't inherently sporty, let's not forget the V6-powered Volkswagen Amarok – easily SA's fastest double-cab bakkie.
Initial reports suggested that GWM had partnered with Shelby to create the Baja Snake but it now appears that the model has merely drawn inspiration from products such as the Shelby Baja Raptor which is based on the Ford F-150 Raptor.
Even so, the Baja Snake does not have the engine performance to compete with its more powerful rivals and it appears to rather be an exercise in design rather than a full-blown performance bakkie, which is a bit of a disappointment if we're honest…
In its 2nd product launch in as many months, Peugeot SA has rolled out the refreshed 3008. The French family car has received much critical acclaim but has never sold well in the local market. Do the updates to this facelifted model add up to a substantial improvement? We recently drove the newcomer in Cape Town.
What’s new in the 3008?
The 3008 is one of the most distinctive designs in the family car segment.
When the Peugeot 3008 came to market in 2017, it ushered in a new era for the brand. There were distinct upticks in quality and design that immediately moved the brand into the premium league. The French contender won awards all around the globe and was a finalist in the Cars.co.za Consumer Awards – powered by Wesbank in 2018/2019.
The 2021 update has merely enhanced and updated a few key areas. The new front end lighting signature, characterised by Sabertooth-Tiger fang-inspired LEDs, is easy to spot. The frameless grille with the individual blocks is also new and reminiscent of the previous generation Mercedes-Benz A-Class' "diamond grille".
The rear lights are further inspired by felines; Peugeot claims the design displays a 3D claw when illuminated. The clusters include full LED tech and sequential style indicators add some further pizazz.
Inside, the revisions focus on adding new safety tech and improving the crispness of the instrument cluster. Red Nappa leather and a hi-performance sound system are available on the top-spec GT Line.
Is the 3008 a good family car?
The red Nappa leather is a nice premium touch, they also come with heating and massage function.
Although the facelifted 3008’s dimensions are unchanged, passenger space has always been a strong point of the 3008. The French family car features one of the biggest centre consoles of any car I have ever seen. What's more, the load bay is claimed to be one of the largest in the segment (591 litres) and, if you opt for the Allure or GT Line derivatives, it opens electrically.
The red Nappa leather seats on the GT Line are very comfortable and add an element of opulence to the cabin, but unlike most red-leather cabins, it doesn’t overwhelm you after looking at it for a while.
The range's safety equipment is comprehensive; features such as road-sign detection, lane departure warning and driver attention alert are standard, as are ABS, EBD, stability control and 6 airbags.
The GT, additionally feature radar-based forward collision detection, adaptive cruise control and blind-spot detection. Whereas the Active version has rear parking sensors, the Allure gains a 180-degree rear camera and the top-of-the-range GT Line features a 360-degree camera system.
What’s the engine like on the 3008?
The data suggest that SA buyers want petrol and automatic, Peugeot has done just that.
Peugeot has done its research on the SUV market in SA and noted that 4 out of every 5 cars in this segment is petrol powered and that 90% are automatic, so that’s exactly what the revised range offers.
There is just one engine to choose from, which is carried over unchanged from the 2017 launch line-up. The 1.6-litre turbopetrol has served Peugeot well over the years; it produces perky outputs of 121 kW and 240 Nm of torque. It’s matched with a 6-speed automatic transmission and the French firm claims an average fuel economy figure of 7.0 L/100 km.
The 3008's performance feels perfectly adequate for a family car with enough performance to deal with a fully loaded holiday trip. The gearbox quietly goes about its business and seems well-calibrated with the turbopetrol motor in this application. Automatic gearboxes are mostly excellent nowadays, so there’s almost no obvious reason to choose a manual gearbox in a car like this.
Out on the windy Cape roads, the key takeaway from the drive was that of comfort. The Peugeot’s not a sporty car – by any means – but it’s comfortable and balanced. Once you’ve found a good driving position, which can be an issue by virtue of Peugeot’s small steering wheel, the 3008 makes you feel like you’ve bought something "quite expensive" that's up there with the likes of the Audis of this world.
Does the 3008 have good in-car tech?
The GT Line model comes with a larger 10-inch infotainment screen and wireless charging bay.
The infotainment system on the 3008 can be a little tricky to get the hang of, but the metallic shortcut buttons on the fascia help you figure out where you want to be. Android Auto/Apple Carplay compatibility is standard and the GT version features a wireless charging pad, as well as an extra 2 USB ports for rear passengers.
The resolution of the reverse-camera feed is the biggest letdown; the Volkswagen Tiguan and Mazda CX-5 both have really crisp camera displays that make it easy to detect obstacles behind the vehicles.
The digital instrument cluster is beautiful and offers better contrast, so that it’s easier to see the detail of the display – even when the sun is glaring down on it.
The heated and massaging seats available on the GT (heated only the Allure) are the real standout features. The new 515W Focal sound system on the flagship really sweetens the purchasing proposition.
Peugeot 3008 pricing in SA
Peugeot 3008 Active R514 900
Peugeot 3008 Allure R574 900
Peugeot 3008 GT R644 900
Summary
The Peugeot 3008 won't top the sales charts in SA but it definitely deserves to be on your family car shortlist.
There are a lot of brands vying for your money in this segment, with the RAV4 and Tiguan being the most popular over the last few years. Peugeot stands its ground well in the family-car market; the 3008's feels sophisticated to drive and its interior has a distinct air of luxury. The powertrain is easily as good as any other in this segment of the market, while passenger and loading space are near-class-leading.
Locally, Peugeot sales have been steadily growing quarter on quarter with the hopes and the French marque's local subsidiary is hopeful that the 3008 will help continue that trend. While the 3008 isn’t a major update over the initial offering, it’s still a worthy contender in the family-car segment.
Ford has used the Shanghai motor show to showcase its new Evos!
At first glance, the new Evos looks strange. That’s because it appears to mix the body styles of an SUV-coupe with the practicality of a station wagon. The Evos was almost entirely developed in China, where it will be initially produced and sold.
However, strong rumours suggest that the Evos could make it to the European and North American markets at some point, where it will replace the Mondeo and Fusion respectively, but that remains to be seen.
Last month, Ford announced that the production of its Mondeo executive sedan, which is currently in its fifth generation, will come to an end in March 2022. Spy photographs that surfaced earlier this year revealed a new crossover-like vehicle that was touted to be a reinvented Mondeo. The popularity of crossovers and SUVs has resulted in the erosion of the business case for sedans in general and the Evos is Ford’s response to changing consumer demand.
Is this the most technologically advanced Ford Interior yet?
We can only hope that other future Ford interiors look like this!
The interior of the Evos is decisively upmarket with a notably long fully-digital display that measures 1.1 metres in length across the dashboard. The instrument cluster measures 12.3-inches while the infotainment display measures 27-inches, with both screens housed under a single pane of glass. The system features SYNC+ 2.0 as well as Baidu Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology as well as a virtual personal assistant and over-the-air updates.
At this point, exact powertrain details have yet to be revealed but a plug-in hybrid powertrain is expected. This is a developing story and more details are expected later this week.
Following on from the launch of the BMW M3 and M4 in the rear-wheel-drive application, the Munich-based outfit has rolled out its xDrive models and the good news is they'll be arriving in South Africa before the end of 2021.
For the first time in the history of the BMW M3 and M4, all-wheel drive has made an appearance. While purists may not be happy with the setup, the logical benefits are numerous. Firstly, it's faster, with a claimed 0-100 kph dash in just 3.5 seconds. In comparison, the rear-wheel-drive cars can only muster 3.9 seconds for the same sprint. Thanks to xDrive, there'll be virtually no wheelspin and the car will take off without hesitation.
The engine is exactly the same, with the twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six setup pumping out 375 kW and 650 Nm. The vehicle comes with an 8-speed torque converter gearbox and it has a limited top speed of 250 kph. Tick the box marked M Performance Package and you're good for 290 kph.
The BMW M xDrive system is rear-biased, to try retain some of that sideways driving fun, but thanks to clever electronics, it features a drift mode like the bigger BMW M5. There are different xDrive modes and settings, with the default being rear-wheel drive only until there's a loss of grip and then the front axle comes into play. 4WD Sport will send a bit more bias to the rear axle for some tail out fun, while 2WD is a pure rear-wheel drive tyre-shredding drift bonanza. The systems automatically balances torque between the two axles, while an Active M differential distributes the torque between the rear wheels.
The addition of all-wheel drive makes the segment very interesting, with fewer and fewer options remaining as rear-wheel drive. The outgoing Mercedes-AMG C63 is rear-wheel drive, but we understand the all-new version will have an electrified front axle. The Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio is likely to be the only rear-wheel drive performance offering in the coming months as we suspect that most BMW M customers would go for the xDrive model because its faster and will be more stable in wet and wintery conditions.
When is the all-wheel-drive BMW M3 and M4 coming to SA?
BMW South Africa confirmed the xDrive BMW M3 and M4 will be coming in the 4th quarter of 2021, but the family won't stop there as there's also an M4 Convertible and M3 Touring stationwagon due for reveal sometime in 2021. Recent spy shots have also suggested that work has begun on an even more potent BMW M4 CSL. We'll update this article as soon as pricing and specification details are available.
