Driving Impressions

JOHANNESBURG – As a large sedan employing a hybrid powertrain, the Lexus ES300h EX represents a niche within a niche in South Africa. And with the wider market increasingly favouring crossovers, that means this saloon is facing as tough a time as ever. Indeed, if you’re looking for a front-driven ...

GAUTENG – Love them or hate them, there's no denying the convenience of baked beans as a meal. It's practical, too. Not only is preparation quick and easy, but the humble foodstuff can be taken on camping trips or hikes, not to mention the fact it remains edible some five years after being canned. ...

I remember my childhood days quite fondly. As an eight-year old, I was squished between my two big brothers, my small frame restrained only by the rudimentary lap belt provided by my mother's 190E. For hours and hours I'd sit there, acting as an armrest for my larger siblings. Sounds terrible, doesn't ...

In a new series, we track down the only known example of a model in South Africa. First up, an E34 BMW M5 Touring... The BMW M5’s history is well documented and it has come to define large, fast sedans. Arguably, the performance four-door reached its zenith in 1991 when BMW unveiled the updated ...

CAPE TOWN, Western Cape – Think Hyundai Automotive South Africa has already plugged every conceivable crossover-shaped hole in its extensive line-up? Well, think again. There’s apparently a smidgen of space at the very foot of the range and the box-fresh Venue has elbowed its way onto local ...

MARBELLA, SPAIN – Mercedes-Benz has finally plugged the long-standing gap between its GLA and GLC offerings with a funky-looking inbetweener that’s touted as a versatile combination of SUV, station wagon and urban runabout. It’s a tall order for the GLB to meet, nestled as it is among ...

Bentley is celebrating its centenary in 2019. To join in the revelry, we headed to Kroonstad to drive one of South Africa’s most extraordinary Bentleys... The 4½-litre is quite a sight. And intimidating. Its sheer size and shape appear so alien in a modern motoring world. But it also oozes ...

GEORGE, Western Cape – Introduced in 1997, the original Lexus RX was developed primarily with the US market in mind. Having established itself as a leading player in the luxury automotive stakes (led by the supremely accomplished LS400), the introduction of the first RX300 was significant in that ...

JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng – Since the introduction of the Go in 2014, Datsun South Africa has sold more than 32 000 examples of its little budget car. Interestingly, some 8 000 of those cars came from the facelifted range, introduced late in 2018. With that mid-cycle refresh came many improvements. ...