Driving Impressions

CAPE TOWN – Buyers looking for a small hatchback are currently rather spoiled for choice. There’s the ubiquitous Volkswagen Polo, the dynamic Ford Fiesta and, for those who like to stand out, the stylish Mazda2. Of course, I’m sure you can think of a few more rivals from Japan and South ...

PORT ELIZABETH – This is undoubtedly a very exciting time for bakkie enthusiasts in South Africa. Indeed, never before has there been such a wide variety of pick-up models in our market. There are turbocharged V6 derivatives (watch VW's Amarok V6 take on the Mercedes-Benz X350d in a drag race here) ...

FLORHAM PARK, NEW JERSEY – The ribbon of tarmac ahead snakes left, then right before upstate New York’s lush greenery engulfs it in the far distance. We might have found the US’ bendiest road … and the speed limit is a miserable 45 mph. That crawl speed is made more frustrating ...

CAPE TOWN – In these cash-strapped times, new-vehicle buyers often find themselves downsizing, trading in their larger vehicles for something lighter on fuel, and on their wallets. While willing to trade for a smaller car, consumers don’t want to sacrifice the benefits that come with larger ...

CAPE TOWN – Distant relatives within the Volkswagen AG family, the similarities between the Porsche 911 and VW Golf both in terms of their respective achievements to date, as well as where they find themselves within a modern motoring era, are quite pertinent. Both entering the eighth phase of ...

JOHANNESBURG – “You have arrived,” announces the driver as he parks the shuttle vehicle at the hotel ahead of the South African launch of the new BMW X7. To buyers at which the largest and most luxurious SUV from the Bavarian brand are aimed, these words have more than a mere literal ...

CAPE TOWN – In a world where the luxury SUV often proves king, the Maserati Levante hasn’t enjoyed quite as much success as one might have expected. In fact, due to a lack of demand, the Italian brand was forced to halt production shortly after its launch. When we tested the Levante 3,0 Diesel ...

JOHANNESBURG – For a manufacturer with such an ingrained sense of adventure, it’s been mission accomplished in terms of the success of the boutique Range Rover Evoque. The fastest-selling model in Land Rover’s history, I clearly remember the buzz and sense of anticipation that surrounded ...

UPINGTON, Northern Cape – Does the average South African bakkie-buyer really need the ability to blast along off-road terrain at breakneck speeds? Or string together drift after dirt-flinging drift? Or, indeed, jump the vehicle off a gravel-road crest at 120+ km/h without fear of the underpinnings ...