Land Rover Defender – 3 days of dirt later

We know the new Land Rover Defender is a very capable vehicle, but what’s it like after you've hammered it over an 800-km route (of mostly gravel roads), in searing heat, for 3 days? Is the newcomer capable of taking a beating day in and day out like its predecessor… or is it now just a fancy SUV that can do a bit of weekend rock-climbing? 

There are many large SUVs to choose from nowadays. If you want to spend a million bucks, all the German premium manufacturers will happily take your money, a few Japanese nameplates offer interesting alternatives and then there’s Solihull-based Land Rover, whose entire portfolio sits around and above that mark. Many of the (what we classify as) Premium SUVs are pretty good, except the Mercedes-Benz GLE, which is a bit meh until you stick a 63 badge on it, but they all follow the same formula. They prioritise on-road handling and cornering poise, but offer a modicum of off-road ability if you need to access something down a panhandle, or traverse a gravel road to have a picnic under the trees on a wine farm.

That’s how they’re used most of the time; their drivers will hardly ever trouble the clever traction-control software of their vehicles' off-road modes. 

Now, this may sound like a bit of a rant about Premium SUVs being useless purchases and that every manufacturer should do an about-turn and bring back the station wagon. Look, if this was Europe, I'd say, "absolutely, make the motoring world pretty again with svelte estate cars." But this isn’t Europe, it’s Africa: we like to travel to hard-to-access locations just for fun; we are happy to endure hours upon hours of gravel-road driving to reach areas where mobile phones are of little or no use. We are adventurous people, and for that, you need ground clearance and 4×4 capability.

Where to and why?


The starting point in Cape Town with stock Defenders, suspension in low mode.

2020 hasn’t been great – for anyone, but particularly those with an adventurous spirit; prospective buyers who are most likely to consider a Land Rover Defender as a vehicle they might like to own. With restrictions easing slightly, it was time for a bit of adventure and Land Rover thought it a good idea to meet up with its very own adventurer and humanitarian Kingsley Holgate and his companions (mostly made up of younger Holgates).

While Kingsley has travelled to almost every country in the world in a Land Rover, his latest expedition restricts him to the confines of South Africa. Kingsley appears to have seen that as a bit of a challenge and is driving around the perimeter of the Republic to track its very border from Kosi Bay on the KZN/Mozambique boundary line anti-clockwise with the aim of being back at the start within 72 days.

It’s a round journey of about a 5 200 km, during which he plans to venture no more than 50 km from the border fence line. Along the way, he and his team are visiting schools nearby to drop off food supplies, perform eye tests and hand out prescription glasses to those who need them. Our team of Defenders would intercept Kingsley on his way to the fishing-turned-potato-factory town of Lamberts Bay on the West Coast. We did this in the least direct way possible, finding as many dirt roads, mountain passes and breathtaking vistas as we could along the way…

Defender companions


Adventure packs are specced with this outside load box, perfect for muddy shoes/clothes or smelly things.

Our Defenders for the trip were not kitted out with any particularly fancy accessories, they were all as you can order them from Landy showrooms. Even the mud tyres, which are part of a partnership with Goodyear, can be optioned when you spec your Defender (more on these a little later).

We would start in the D240 turbodiesel derivative and then finish our trip in the high-end V6 mild-hybrid turbopetrol P400. Having only sampled the D240 a few months earlier, I was keen to see how the petrol version would stack up against my favourite form of SUV propulsion. A few of the Defenders were specced with the Adventure pack, which adds a small load box on the rear side window as well as a portable hose pipe, integrated air compressor and some mud flaps. There are other option packs available, but this one makes the most sense for outdoor enthusiasts – the ability to adjust tyre pressures on site is useful, as is being able to spray down anything muddy/filthy before packing it in the back of the (luxury) vehicle.

The route


Bainskloof pass, a precarious stretch of tarmac in the smallest car never mind a 2-tonne and 2-meter wide Defender.

The conventional route from Cape Town to Lamberts Bay is a virtually straight road that hugs the western coastline of the Republic for about 230 km and, therefore, not conducive to having an adventurous journey. That's why we headed away from our eventual destination and straight for the mountains Paarl and Wellington, specifically Bainskloof Pass. If you’ve never driven on this pass, then imagine a narrow, bumpy ribbon of tarmac scythed into the side of a mountain with rocky overhangs and, should you take a wrong turn, huge drops with nothing (but fynbos) to cushion your fall. There is no Armco, just a few strategically placed bricks that a Land Rover would have no problem cresting before plummeting to its doom.

It’s the type of road you would love to drive on in a small sportscar, like a Cayman GT4 or Megane RS, not a 2-tonne and 2-metre-wide SUV. 

Taking it slow, we wound our way up and over the pass. That was where the Defender felt most out of its comfort zone during the whole trip. While it feels eminently stable on the road, it doesn’t like to be swung into a bend with any vigour/excitement; besides, its steering is on the lighter side and doesn't offer much in the way of feel. The Land Rover is much better balanced once you get it on dirt… and that’s where we were headed next.


Somewhere between Die Dorp Op Die Berg milkshakes and Kromrivier brewery in the Cederberg.

After a quick stop in Die Dorp Op Die Berg for one of their world-famous milkshakes, we swung away from all signs of civilisation in search of rough gravel and soft sand. The Defender and its air suspension setup absolutely thrive on washboard gravel. This is where the biggest difference between an off-road vehicle with a purpose-built body and one with a ladder-frame chassis comes to the fore.

Bakkie-based Adventure SUVs like the Toyota Fortuner, Ford Everest, Isuzu MU-X and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport all track to the side, bump, jolt and chatter heavily on washboard gravel – it’s symptomatic of a ladder frame/leaf spring setup. It’s good for strength and towing heavy trailers and inexpensive to build, but it does come at the cost of ride quality. The Defender, by comparison, cruises across the stuff; it feels planted and secure. The passengers benefit most from the forgiving ride quality and let's face it: being bounced and shaken about is only fun if you're on an amusement park ride. You do pay for that pleasure though. At a minimum, the difference between a top-spec Everest and a base Defender is around R200k.  

It’s the air suspension setups of Land Rovers that sets them apart from the German SUVs, they are tuned for mixed surfaces rather than optimal cornering performance and that makes them much better to drive on gravel, or rocks, or any bumpy surface really. The mud tyres specced on our test units might make the Defender look like a pukka off-roader, but they have particularly staunch sidewalls and, given the ability of the vehicle already, the standard all-terrain tyre is better suited to long stretches of dirt road. The mud tyres might be nice to have for special occasions…

Heating up


Meeting up with Kingsley Holgate on his expedition to trace the outline of South Africa in a new Defender.

As we headed towards our overnight destination at Kromrivier in the Cederberg, the ol' mercury hit 40-degrees, and for the next 3 hours, nobody was keen to step outside other than to grab a quick picture and then get back into the climate-controlled Landys. It’s eerily quiet out in those parts… you can go for long periods without seeing another car, even in October when trucks, tractors and combine harvesters are out in force. The mountains don’t offer any shade either, it’s all shrubby fynbos, which is perfect for uninterrupted views of the red sand and whacky rock formations.

Kromrivier is a bit of an oasis in the middle of nowhere, they have great accommodation and a local brewery, as well as being set up for all the hiking, biking and river activities that take place in that part of the world.

The next morning, the dial on the heat was still cranked up as we took the spectacular back road into Algeria (the Cederberg campsite, not the country). The day was spent putting miles on the Defenders, delivering food packs to schools and visiting towns only accessible via dirt roads like Aurora, which appears to be a hideout for wealthy retirees who don’t want to be bothered ever again.


The Holgates recalling some of their adventures along the way on their current expedition.

We wound up in Paternoster, where the sea breeze had mercifully managed to beat the mercury down to a level that one would expect in late October. We parted ways with the Holgate clan as they continued south along the border in their troop of old Defenders and a brand new Defender, which was the lead vehicle for the expedition.

You might think that the Holgates' new Defender would be specifically set up for expeditions off the beaten path, but no, it’s standard stuff you can buy from a Land Rover dealer. The only piece of off-road equipment I could see was the winch on the front of the vehicle. When I quizzed Ross Holgate about the performance of his new Defender he said it hasn’t put a foot wrong yet. In fact, it made it over obstacles that it had to tow the old Defenders out of and proved to be the most capable expedition vehicle yet. You would kind of expect that from a newly developed car, but if you see how hard it works (replete with myriad gear on board) and often forging a path of its own, it’s certainly not given special new-car treatment.

Homeward bound


A random boulder somewhere south of Darling turned into a 4×4 playground for the Defenders.

The final stretch from the seaside-village-turned-culinary-destination of Paterenster back to Cape Town took the least direct route possible. First Velddrif then the dirt roads through Hopefield and Darling where we stumbled across a massive rock feature, which we used as a 4×4 adventure course. Finally, we got to scroll through the drive modes beyond sand/gravel and select rocks, low range and play around with all the settings that make difficult obstacles nothing more than easy. Nothing really challenged the Defender, but it’s nice to know that the low-traction hill-start and cruise-controlled hill descent functions work perfectly well.

As we trekked our way back into the city, the 3 days of driving and taken zero physical toll on our group. The new Defender is certainly a great companion for long days on the road, it’s comfortable, capable and equipped for the adventurer. I found myself leaning towards the petrol derivative with its mild hybrid low-down torque delivery. It drinks a fair bit more fuel than the diesel (around 5.0 L/100 km more, if our 3 days is anything to go on), but its power delivery is smoother and it has quite a nice V6 howl to back it up.

The 2.0-litre turbodiesel may be a little bit highly strung for use in the Defender, it surges a bit too vigorously when the torque comes in making it trickier to drive smoothly. There is a straight-6 turbodiesel on its way in 2021, so that could be the sweet spot in the range, if you’re willing to wait. 

I have to say that in the city, the Defender looks muscular and different. It stands out from every other car with its distinctive appearance. The rear has taillights that are a modern take on the original that adds a cool factor to an already cool car. It might not be the same nuts-and-bolts pure off-roader tailor-made for the wild and untamed anymore, but it’s more capable now and fits in with the modern lifestyle so much easier than before. It’s a lot like glamping – you’re getting all the benefits of being out in the wilderness, but with modern amenities and your own ablution facilities.

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Front-wheel drive ‘baby’ Defender

Land Rover might go two-wheel drive! Industry rumours from the UK indicate the Land Rover is looking to expand its Defender portfolio, but not by adding larger variants…  

*Rendering by Dejan Hristov

British all-terrain luxury vehicle and exploration brand Land Rover desires greater sales volume and the ability to engage younger customers or, at the very least, conquer customers at a younger age by offering models at lower price points.

Land Rover’s strategy is rumoured to hinge on a new compact version of the Defender, which will be similar in its proportions and styling details. Technically, this new "baby" Defender will not have any of the reimagined Defender’s off-road ability or even share similar mechanical architecture.

As the global market for front-wheel-drive compact crossovers continues to grow and deliver handsome profits for brands that trade in its various segments, Land Rover has identified a new business opportunity.

With its storied off-road brand history, Land Rover’s marketing people are calculating that it could launch a front-wheel drive crossover vehicle, without eroding the company’s public image.

This front-wheel-drive "baby" Defender would possibly be the size of a current Suzuki Jimny, yet without any of the dedicated all-wheel-drive hardware. In many European and Asian cities, Land Rover’s current products are simply too large to easily navigate through traffic or park.

If the British brand wishes to remain relevant in many of the world’s most prosperous cities, it will need smaller crossovers. Vehicles such as the Audi Q3 and Volvo’s XC40 command a premium and have seen strong demand and customer loyalty. The absence of a Land Rover rival in this segment is an issue that has triggered the need to develop a new "baby" Land Rover.

The company has been on an aggressive engine downsizing and hybridization drive over the last few years. As such, sourcing a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine to power this "baby" Defender project should not be too much of an issue, as this capacity and configuration have become the default for front-wheel drive compact crossovers.

Preliminary scheduling for the debut of this new Land Rover crossover is 2022, according to WhatCar.

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New Hyundai i20: Likely SA line-up

The new Hyundai i20 is scheduled to go on sale in Mzansi in mid-2021. Details of the compact hatchback range in the Indian market (from where the SA-market model will be sourced) have been revealed, which provides strong clues to the new range’s local line-up…

Unveiled on the eve of the (ultimately cancelled) Geneva Show in March, the new latest i20 represents a fairly dramatic departure from its predecessor. Whereas the outgoing model was handsome, yet relatively plain-looking, this iteration is much more radical.

Hyundai's "Sensuous Sportiness" design language has introduced sharper styling, a lower roofline and a wider body to endow this new i20 with a more purposeful stance than it had before. The sportiest iteration of the new model we’ve seen is the recently-unveiled i20 N hot hatch, although it’s not a strong prospect for local introduction…

The i20 is longer now too, both nose-to-tail and between the axles, which should bode well for passenger- and luggage space. In the International Launch Review of the i20 (published in July), our correspondent found that rear passengers were afforded (relatively) generous legroom and a fair bit of headroom, so moderately-tall adults should be able to fit in the back. The load bay, meanwhile, offers up to 351 litres of luggage capacity.


As opposed to this example, the Indian market will offer the i20 in red-and-black and white-and-black dual-tone schemes.

But which derivatives of the new range are likely to be offered in South Africa? Well, the i20 will be offered in India with a choice of a 1.2-litre 4-cylinder petrol, 1.0-litre 3-cylinder turbopetrol and 1.5-litre 4-cylinder turbodiesel engines. Whereas India gets Magna, Sportz and Asta trim lines, we’ll get Motion, Fluid and, perhaps, Glide spec levels.

The 1.5-litre turbodiesel is unlikely to be offered in Mzansi, where all manufacturers (with the exception of Ford, with the Fiesta 1.5TDCi Trend) have removed "oil-burners" from their compact hatchback ranges. The 61-kW 1.2-litre petrol should again be the entry point, mated either with a 5-speed manual ‘box or a continuously-variable automatic transmission.


We don't expect the digital instrument cluster to be offered in SA, but the touchscreen and climate control console are tastefully integrated. 

The 74 kW 1.4-litre petrol motor in the current range, meanwhile, will be superseded by the 88 kW 1.0-litre turbocharged 3-pot (from the Venue compact family car), in combination with either a 6-speed Intelligent Manual (iMT) or 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. 

The newly developed iMT is quite an interesting proposition, because, like an automatic, it has only two pedals (for the accelerating and braking functions, obviously), but software and actuators control the Hyundai's clutch while you manually shift gears through the H-pattern gate. The benefit of the iMT is cost-saving, but whether it might catch on in our market is another matter. By all accounts, it's nicer to use than conventional AMTs.


Rear occupants are afforded slightly more legroom than before. We hope the contrast stitching is offered on local models too.

Autocar India reports the India-spec i20 looks largely similar to the international-spec model, but foregoes all-LED headlights for projector headlights with LED DRLs. There are 8 paint finishes, including red-and-black or white-and-black dual-tone colour schemes.

Inside, the newcomer's fascia design is sweeping (at least by Hyundai compact car standards) and characterised by a quartet of vents hidden in the expansive bank of black blades that stretch from one end of the cabin to the other. It’s a little less driver-focused than in the new Elantra (not coming to SA); the touchscreen and climate control console are angled only slightly towards the 4-spoke steering wheel.


This European-spec model features a 60/40 split seatback. Check out the Bose subwoofer on the left side of the luggage bay.

The interior can be equipped with, inter alia, a digital instrument cluster, a 10.25-inch infotainment system, keyless entry and push-button start, automatic climate control, a fast-charging USB port, a 12V power outlet, a wireless charging pad and PDC (in conjunction with a reverse-view camera), as well as an 8-speaker Bose audio system.  

We hasten to note, however, that the specification of the local i20 range has always been more prudent (value-oriented) than luxurious; the local compact hatchback market is very competitive and particularly price-sensitive… Still, Autocar India reports that their market's range-topping i20 Asta (O) will indeed feature the large 10.25-inch touchscreen, digital instrumentation, Bose audio and a sunroof (among other features)…


Stylistically, the new i20 is much more interesting than the previous generation.

It’s more likely, however, that most derivatives in our market will have analogue instruments (albeit in conjunction of a TFT driver info display) and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system… but one that’s compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

As for the safety specification, we hope that the new range will feature stability control over and above ABS with EBD (as is the case in the recently-launched Venue). Only the top-spec 1.0T Glide derivative of that compact family car range features more than 2 airbags and a 60/40 split rear seatback – hopefully, if the new i20 does the same on the former (front- and front passenger airbags) and will probably offer the latter as standard.

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Spy Shots: Mercedes-AMG S63e

Following the reveal of the new W223 Mercedes-Benz S-Class, the firm’s AMG division is busy developing the S63e and it’s been spied testing in the wild for the first time.

The latest iteration of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class was revealed in September 2020 and we recently sampled the newcomer in Germany and based on our first impressions, it really does live up to its pinnacle status in the Stuttgart-based firm’s vehicle range. More so, local buyers can expect to see S-Class arrive in South Africa in mid-2021. 

However, the S63e you see testing here will arrive later. This prototype is heavily camouflaged but the Panamericana grille, quad exhaust system and large wheels are all clues that this is an AMG model. 

As for what will power the new Mercedes-AMG S63, all indications point to a hybrid powertrain, hence the 'e' in its name, which is a first in this application, featuring an electric motor coupled with Merc’s potent bi-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 engine that’s expected to churn out at least 522 kW! But, if that’s not enough for you, Mercedes-AMG is also due to reveal the S73e, which will boast even more power expected to come in at almost 600 kW using a more powerful electric motor which is also expected to make an appearance in the forthcoming Mercedes-AMG GT73e. Furthermore, we will also see an all-electric S-Class come to market as the EQS to take on Tesla. 

The S63e will no doubt be a high-performance luxo-barge made all the more comfortable with a finely tuned air suspension and all-wheel steering that will ensure stability at high speed. 

As we’ve seen in the new S-Class, Mercedes-Benz will throw all its latest technology into the S63e and luxury levels will no doubt be top-notch. 

The S63e and S73e models are expected to be fully revealed next year before going on sale later in the same year. 

We will keep you updated as more information becomes available. 

Buy a Mercedes-Benz on Cars.co.za

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Hyundai could revive Terracan as a ‘Cruiser rival

What will Hyundai do with its new 6-cylinder turbodiesel engine… build it into a Land Cruiser-rivalling off-roader?

Rendering courtesy of Enoch Gonzales

Simple vehicle platforms, make a lot of money, and Toyota has been masterful at this. Especially in the SUV market, with its Fortuner Prado and Land Cruiser 200.

The rugged ladder-frame vehicle architecture delivers excellent durability and robustness in testing off-road conditions. Although cornering dynamics and high-speed stability are the debits, there is no question that a great many SUV customers see this as a fair trade-off.

Cheaper to engineer and assemble than a monocoque SUV, these ladder-frame vehicles from Toyota are handsomely profitable. And its rivals have taken notice…

The traditional formula has been to use a bakkie platform, for the development of robust mid-size SUVs. Fortuner is perhaps the best and most successful example of this, in its relationship with Hilux.

Hyundai is readying its Santa Cruz double-cab bakkie project for launch in 2021. With its unibody construction, this does not give the Korean brand a platform possibility to start rivalling Toyota’s ladder-frame SUV business. But the Koreans could be even more ambitious.

Market analysts at Hyundai will have done the numbers and ascertained that the large American bakkie market, is by far the most valuable segment to trade product in. An even bigger bakkie could become one of Hyundai’s product priorities in future, one which rides on a more traditional ladder-frame platform.

This would create the ideal development structure for an accompanying rugged SUV, to rival Toyota’s Prado or Land Cruiser. Hyundai also happens to have an excellent powertrain for such a vehicle.

The company’s new 3.0-litre in-line 6-cylinder turbodiesel is claimed to produce 205 kW and 588 Nm, numbers which would give any large SUV credible cruising performance – and adequate low-speed off-road crawling ability.

Whereas some other brands would struggle with the issue of launching something to rival Toyota’s Land Cruiser business, in terms of marketing legacy, Hyundai has no such issue. It can draw on an authentic ladder-frame SUV heritage.

Off-road enthusiasts will recall the original Hyundai Terracan (2001-2007). It might have featured an odd design, but the ladder-frame platform proved extremely capable as an African adventure SUV.

In time, the Terracan developed a reputation as the "poor man’s" Land Cruiser, which was a credit to its ability. Leveraging the potential development horizon of a new large bakkie platform, powered by its latest turbodiesel engines, a revived Terracan could be tellingly successful.

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Fuel Price Drop for November 2020

There's good news for SA motorists as the Automobile Association says that the fuel price is set for a solid decrease in November. Here's what you need to know. 

Fuel prices are set for more reductions in November due to a slightly firmer Rand and softer international oil prices. This is according to the Automobile Association, which was commenting on unaudited month-end fuel price data released by the Central Energy Fund.

The current data shows that petrol will be down by as much as 27 cents a litre, with diesel lower by around 11 cents.

"The only fly in the ointment is illuminating paraffin, whose basic fuel price increased while petrol and diesel were falling, meaning a 15 cents-a-litre rise for the popular lighting and heating fuel is on the cards," the Association comments.

The rand has steadily gained ground against the US Dollar, possibly due to uncertainties around the US election.

"This gradual appreciation has been mirrored by international oil prices, which softened throughout the month, with steeper reductions seen over the past ten days," the AA notes. 

The AA adds that exchange rate and oil pricing data has shown more stability over the past two months, suggesting that fuel prices have reached an equilibrium.

"We are hoping that this is the case, because fuel price stability would come as a welcome relief to individuals and corporates alike in the current economic conditions," it concludes.

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2020 AA-Kinsey Report: Which Are The Cheapest Cars to Service and Repair?

The 2020 AA-Kinsey Report was released this week which provides valuable insight into the cost for parts and servicing of popular vehicles sold in South Africa. Check out the results below…

Due to restrictions brought about by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the data for the 2020 AA-Kinsey Report was collected over September 2020 (not May/June as done previously) and most of the research was conducted in and around Durban, by Malcolm Kinsey, author of the report which is now in its 30th year (second year as the AA-Kinsey report). See the 2019 Kinsey Report here!

The 2020 AA-Kinsey Report details costing for parts and servicing on a variety of popular vehicles sold in South Africa across 9 categories, giving consumers a good idea of what to expect when taking a vehicle in for repair or servicing. 

Winners in each category are determined by costs of servicing parts (filters, spark plugs, wipers and brake pads), repair parts (cam belt, shocks, clutch plate, flywheel and fan belt) and finally crash parts (doors, fenders, bumpers, glass, lights and wheels etc.).

The winner is the cheapest in the 3 categories combined. While the report does its best to provide the consumer with accurate information, it’s advisable to shop around, as parts pricing can and does vary. The AA-Kinsey Report sources prices directly from dealers. 

See the full 2020 AA-Kinsey Report here

“Motoring has become more expensive, certainly from a parts perspective, and the results for 2020 show that. Although there may be similar alternative parts from non-franchise outlets – the durability of which cannot be vouched for – prices for original equipment are rising,” notes Malcolm Kinsey, author of the AA-Kinsey Report.

“A factor that has become evident is the increase in cost of body parts. Headlights, rear fenders and wheel rims on some models appear to be a great deal more expensive. This has a negative effect for everyone as it increases the contribution the owner pays for the insurance excess, and the write-off point for a crashed vehicle, and it ultimately increases premiums that one has to pay,” says Malcolm.

2020 AA-Kinsey Report Winners 

City Cars and Entry-Level Vehicles 

 

Renault Kwid 1.0 Expression

Ford Figo 1.5 Trend Hatch

Hyundai Atos 1.1 Motion

Service Parts 

R3 048.30

R3 168.18 

R4 056.32

Repair Parts 

R9 450.79

R6 187.15

R7 560.24

Crash Parts 

R50 490.92

R54 510.77

R54 572.63

Total Parts Basket

R62 990.01

R63 886.10

R66 189.19

 

Super Mini 

 

Hyundai i20 1.2 Fluid 

Toyota Starlet 1.4 XS

Ford Fiesta 1.0 T Trend Hatch

Service Parts 

R5 450.53

R3 150.82

R4 894.48

Repair Parts 

R12 024.81

R8 256.51

R11 681.00

Crash Parts 

R72 590.30

R79 419.38

R74 699.98

Total Parts Basket

R90 065.64

R90 826.71

R91 275.46

 

Family Favourites 

 

Toyota Corolla Quest Prestige

Nissan Almera 1.5 Acenta

Toyota Corolla 1.2T Xs Hatch

Service Parts 

R5 344.03

R2 827.20

R4 934.33

Repair Parts 

R9 088.17

R9 920.09

R10 504.70

Crash Parts 

R70 598.96

R73 741.59

R115 855.37

Total Parts Basket

R85 031.16

R86 488.88 

R131 294.40

 

Crossovers 

 

Toyota Fortuner 2.8 GD-6 Auto

Nissan X-Trail 2.5 Tekna 

VW T-Cross 1.0T Comfortline

Service Parts 

R4 883.78

R3 556.11

R6 177.81

Repair Parts 

R12 496.48

R9 367.52

R10 532.85

Crash Parts 

83 049.05

R102 997.53

R102 141.85

Total Parts Basket

R100 429.31

R115 921.16

R118 852.51

 

Compact Crossovers 

 

Mahindra KUV 100 NXT

Haval H2 1.5T Luxury

Citroen C3 Aircross 1.2 Feel

Service Parts 

R3 781.59

R3 741.81

R4 159.92

Repair Parts 

R10 012.12 

R10 321.01

R9 392.62

Crash Parts 

R67 982.91

R79 797.51

R88 696.70

Total Parts Basket

R81 776.62

R93 860.33

R102 249.24

 

Executive Crossovers

 

Volvo XC60 T5 Momentum

Audi Q5 40 TDI Off Road

Mercedes-Benz GLE

Service Parts 

R8 964.25

R9 907.83

R11 055.50

Repair Parts 

R17 964.50

R17 486.90

R73 771.91

Crash Parts 

R215 142.00

R223 894.00

R243 383.60

Total Parts Basket

R242 070.75

R251 288.73

R328.211.01

 

Double Cabs

 

Ford Ranger 2.0 XLT

GWM Steed 6 2.0 VGT Xscape

Toyota Hilux 2.8 GD-6 Legend 50 Auto

Service Parts 

R5 066.00

R3 443 04

R5 059.30

Repair Parts 

R7 274.00

R7 645.32

R8 556.67

Crash Parts 

R67 456.12

R75 016.96

R76 573.93

Total Parts Basket

R79 796.12

R86 105.32

R90 189.90

 

Single Cabs 

 

Nissan NP200

Nissan NP300 2.5D

Toyota Hilux 2.4 GD S

Service Parts 

R2 404.93

R4 326.78

R4 698.46

Repair Parts 

R10 438.65

R6 204.43

R7 562.24

Crash Parts 

R29 685.90

R38 080.07

R46 486.95

Total Parts Basket

R42 529.48

R48 611.28

R58 747.65

 

Executive Saloons

 

Alfa Romeo Giulia 2.0 Super

Audi A3 35 TFSI Sportback

Toyota Supra 3.0T Track

Service Parts 

R5 961.69

R6 406.09

R9 576.15

Repair Parts 

R6 361.69

R9 964.76

R30 094.85

Crash Parts 

R74 246.79

R162 339.75

R177 963.78

Total Parts Basket

R86 570.17

R178 710.60

R217 634.78

 

Buy a new or used car on Cars.co.za

Time-testing the new Porsche 911 Turbo S : Can it beat Porsche’s claimed times?

Just how fast is the new Porsche 911 Turbo S? Watch the video!

Quite simply, this is one of the fastest cars ever made. For the new 992 Porsche 911 Turbo S, the company beefed up the already potent 3.8-litre flat 6 with larger turbochargers and a host of other upgrades to now produce over 650hp and 800Nm of torque.

Porsche claim the new generation of the famous nameplate, or rather the car attached to it, can achieve some head-spinning acceleration times. 0-100km/h in 2.7 seconds and 0-200km/h in 8.9 seconds…but they didn't mention the quarter-mile.

And so we rented a runway outside of Cape Town to safely (and legally) put these claims to the test. Join Ciro De Siena as he avoids whiplash to bring you this important piece of consumer journalism.

Looking for the used Porsche of your dreams? We have over 230 to choose from here!

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Military spec Kia could be a Land Cruiser rival

The next Kia Mohave could be a full-on Land Cruiser killer.

Kia is best known for elevating Korean vehicle design, but the company has a tougher side to its business.

Since 2001, Kia has been producing military vehicles for the Korean government. It has delivered over 140 000 of these, to the Korean army, with 100 derivatives spread across nine model types.

That experience has never really been leveraged into the company’s civilian vehicles. Which is a shame, as Kia could make good money with a rugged 4×4 station wagon. The kind of vehicle, to compete with Toyota’s all-conquering (and highly profitable) Land Cruiser.

The possibility of Kia transferring some of its military vehicle technology to SUVs that are purchasable at your local dealer could soon become a reality.

Kia has announced a new advance military vehicle project, set to mature in 2024. The Korean military has requested an agile and modular all-terrain tactical vehicle platform and Kia’s engineers are deploying design and prototyping resources to achieve that.

What does this mean for followers of the Korean brand? The probability of a much tougher and more capable range of large Kia SUVs or even bakkies.

Hyundai proved the concept of a Korean Land Cruiser rival, many years ago, with its Terracan. Although Kia never produced a platform twin of the Terracan, its original Sorento had a low-range transfer case.

The possibility of military-grade suspension, traction control systems and robust drivetrain components being integrated into a large Kia exploration vehicle, will trigger the interest of many.

A likely candidate to benefit from the new military vehicle development budget at Kia, is its Mohave large SUV. It has the proportions and size to rival Toyota’s Land Cruiser.

Unlike many other large luxury SUVs, the Mohave retains a traditional body-on-frame design, allowing for platform flex in technical off-road terrain. And superior platform durability, when driven for huge mileages in harsh conditions.

The body on frame design could also be leveraged for its upcoming bakkie, which it will share with Hyundai. 

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9 Things You Should Know About #CarsAwards

When Cars.co.za decided to launch its Consumer Awards (#CarsAwards) in 2015, it had the luxury of starting the programme afresh; unencumbered by industry expectations. Right from the outset, the vision was clear – to create an Awards programme that services the South African public and helps motorists to make their best-informed car-buying decisions. 

We identified several goals and the mechanisms of (what would come to be known as) the #CarsAwards were devised, refined and implemented to make those goals achievable.

The critical goals were:

  1. The list of vehicles recognised by the Consumer Awards should help car buyers shortlist vehicles for consideration, in whichever category they happen to be shopping.
  2. Post-purchasing “living with” factors needed to be considered (and factored in).
  3. To broadcast the names of finalists to as many South Africans as possible throughout the awards’ 6-month process, and immediately after the winners were announced.

And so, the Cars.co.za team started building an awards programme quite unlike any this country had seen before…

1. All the cars in the market considered


The Business Class category has been replaced with a Sports Executive category.

Right from the start, it was clear that for the Consumer Awards to be of any value to car buyers, it had to include all the cars that are available as new or “out-of-the-box”, not only those launched in the past 12 months.

“There are vehicles that have been on the market for 3, sometimes 4 years, that are still worth considering,” says Hannes Oosthuizen, Cars.co.za Consumer Experience Manager and #CarsAwards project leader. “We simply had to be inclusive of everything (all models and derivatives) listed in the new vehicle market, particularly if you consider that after-sales service accounts for the scoring. In other words, a slightly older car with a lower product score from the judges, could still come out on top in its category if its brand achieves excellent after-sales service ratings.”

The deadline for inclusion was 1 October this year. This was when the Cars.co.za extended editorial team sat down and debated the categories and selected the semi-finalists. All cars available in the market on that date were included.

2. Cars are judged within the categories they fall under, against their peers


The Compact Family Car category takes into account safety, size and keen pricing.

“There’s no point telling someone a premium sedan is the best car in the country when that consumer is looking for an affordable pick-up or a budget car, for example,” explains Oosthuizen.

That’s why the #CarsAwards, which has been sponsored by financing giant WesBank from its 2nd year onward, has 13 product categories spanning from entry-level cars, through crossovers, hot hatches to premium SUVs.

“We further reconsider our categories every year and remain flexible to changes in the market,” Oosthuizen explains. “For example, the traditional family sedan market is just about dead, so there’s little point in having a category for that, as you would be speaking to a tiny percentage of car buyers.” This approach explains the rise in crossover/SUV-themed categories, as those are the segments from which many buyers are hoping to make their next vehicle purchase.

3. Back-to-back testing

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Ford's Ranger undergoing towing testing at last year's CarsAwards.

"One of the major challenges, but also arguably one of this process’ greatest strengths, is the fact that we require all 39 finalist vehicles (3 in each of the 13 categories) to be present for 2 days of back-to-back testing at Gerotek, South Africa’s only true testing facility, in early November every year,” says Oosthuizen. “This is a major logistical challenge, but it allows our judges to drive comparable vehicles back-to-back, something that the majority of motoring journalists rarely get the opportunity to do. In our view, this is the only way one can get an accurate view of a product – when its rivals are right next to it.”

4. Weighted categories


Categories are scored and then subsequently weighted in specific areas within each category.

The so-called “Filters of eligibility” and “Pillars of Success” are unique to the #CarsAwards, Oosthuizen explains.

“When the editorial team sits together on the 1st of October, after we’ve determined the categories, we need to reach agreement on what defines-, and what the minimum requirements are, for those respective segments of the market. Consider the requirement for an electronic stability programme (ESP) in the Compact Family Car segment,” Oosthuizen continues. “The team feels strongly that no compact family car should be sold without that feature. As much as we remain aware of what the market wants, we also need to educate and advise it, so it’s a tough balance to find.”

Once the filters have been applied, the cars that are left are judged against the “Pillars of Success”, which vary from 1 category to the next. “When it comes to scoring at Gerotek, judges may score everything out of 5, but in the background our auditors (PwC) will apply weightings,” Oosthuizen says. “For example, in the Family Car segment, the practicality of the load bay may be 'upweighted' as much as 3-fold, while it would carry no weighting in the Performance Car segment.” The goal is a scoring system that is in line with consumers’ different requirements in each of the respective categories.

5. Post-purchase considerations


Owners of these cars form an integral part of the final decision, they rate their experience both before and after purchase.

“This was by far the most challenging target to achieve,” says Oosthuizen. “It’s crucial to include a score that reflects each respective brand’s ability to provide good after-sales service, parts support and so on,” he explains. “After all, when you buy a car, you buy into a brand and enter a relationship that will last a few years.”

To find a solution, Cars.co.za turned to data specialists Lightstone Consumer and the firms co-developed an Ownership Satisfaction Survey that would gather this data. In the survey, actual car owners rate their own purchasing experience, after-sales service and more, and all this data is used to calculate the individual brands' scores, which account for 50% of each finalist vehicle’s score (with the other 50% coming from the results of the test days' judging).

“There are other awards programmes in which consumers can vote, which impact the results, but this is not how the Cars.co.za Consumer Awards – powered by WesBank – works. We use data from real car owners, who evaluate the cars they know best – their own – to calculate the brand scores,” says Oosthuizen. “It’s a crucial matter of distinction, because if we were just to open it to public voting, it’s essentially nothing more than a popularity contest, with the public voting for cars of which they have little to no experience.”

6. A diverse panel of judges

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Two new judges this year; Mpho Letsholonyane and Leanne Manas joins the jury.

“Motoring journalists tend to be cut from the same cloth,” says Oosthuizen. “Yes, they may have experienced a variety of new vehicles, and they are particularly valuable when it comes to evaluating vehicles in more extreme situations, such as dynamic handling or braking assessments. The reality, however, is that most of them don’t own cars, because they don’t need to. So, our panel also includes non-motoring journalists from various sectors in the media.

"We have, for example, single moms who look at a family car in a very different way to most motoring journalists, or tech journalists, who really understand the latest infotainment systems,” Oosthuizen explains. “We assign judges to the categories where they are most experienced and/or best suited.”

Another reason why a diverse panel of judges, from all types of media is a benefit, is that the #CarsAwards message is conveyed to a far greater audience than what would’ve been the case if the judging was restricted to motoring journalists and their publications only.

7. A ground-breaking presentation event


The announcement of the winners of the 2020/21 #CarsAwards will take place during early-February 2021.

Another big challenge was to create an awards event night that would a) please the motor industry and b) engage with South African consumers in a contemporary, fun way. “Working with John Vlismas, Belinda Chapman and their team at OGO Productions to create our event (typically the first annual red-carpet event in Gauteng) has been a privilege,” says Oosthuizen. “Right from the first event, the feedback from the industry was that the #CarsAwards presentation was a breath of fresh air. Yes, we hand out special trophies, and yes, there are winners and losers, but every year we try to push the boundaries.

“We have an event that would compare very favourably with most stage productions at the Frankfurt International Motor Show, for example,” Oosthuizen adds. “Keep in mind that our event is live-streamed on YouTube, so that those who cannot be there on the night, can still experience the glitz and glamour of the show… and there’s a lot of that!”

What’s in store for the 2021 announcement? “Let’s just say that it will be colourful, and we’re working hard to ensure that visually our audience is in for a real treat.”

8. An investment in broadcasting the winners


Dasen Thathiah?, a reporter for ENCA, joined the judging panel in 2019.

“Many awards programmes end with the handover of a trophy (or trophies), followed by a press release,” Oosthuizen explains. “We decided from the get-go that if our awards programme was to truly have an impact on consumers’ purchasing decisions, it would require significant post-event marketing. This is why you see #CarsAwards billboards across Johannesburg and at airports. That’s why there are ads in magazines and newspapers, as well as several online platforms: to inform consumers about which cars they ought to be considering. The brands don’t pay for those ads, it’s part of the awards roll-out and integral to our strategy.”

9. #CarsAwards has WesBank as a partner


Wesbank continues to be the headline sponsor of #CarsAwards.

“We had confidence in our recipe in 2015 and managed to host the first #CarsAwards without any sponsor,” says Oosthuizen, “but having WesBank as a partner has given #CarsAwards far greater punch. WesBank is the largest provider of vehicle finance in South Africa, and our awards programme attempts to guide consumers to better purchasing decisions. It’s a perfect fit, really, and we’ve developed a standalone website (www.carsawards.co.za), where prospective car buyers can read up on the awards, the judges, the finalists, category criteria and put through a finance application, should they wish. We work very closely with the WesBank team to further hone the #CarsAwards recipe.”

Since 2019, WesBank’s highly anticipated industry forecast has also been added to the #CarsAwards event evening, adding even more value for the media and industries present.

Oosthuizen adds that the Cars.co.za Consumer Awards – powered by WesBank, will continue to evolve and reflect the local market changes: “We want to thank everyone who has engaged with us in the past 6 years, from OEMs to every car owner that completed a survey. You’ve helped us build an awards programme that we believe will help many buyers.” 

The winners in the 13 respective categories and the recipient of coveted Brand of the Year title (entirely based on consumer data) of the Cars.co.za Consumer Awards – powered by WesBank, will be announced early in February 2021.

Visit www.carsawards.co.za to find out more about the categories, criteria, finalists, scoring system and judges.

Related content:

CarsAwards 2020/2021 Finalists