Road Tests

Updates to Kia’s people-mover include improved spec and overall efficiency. Is that enough to draw away buyers from a potential SUV purchase? Introduced as the Carnival in 1999 before adopting the more familiar Sedona nameplate (latterly with a “Grand” suffix) through two further generations, ...

Does a larger engine and self-shifter make the halo Kona an automatic choice? After our first taste of the Kona, it’s fair to say the CAR team was quite enamoured with Hyundai’s quirky little crossover, levelling particular praise at its bold styling and engaging road manners. The turbocharged ...

Not one, two or three… No, the new X5 M50d makes use of four turbochargers, and the results are astonishing... You can’t really miss those kidney grilles, can you? They dominate the new X5’s face, as they do the X7 and facelifted 7 Series. On the X5 M50d, however, they exist for ...

Jaguar’s top cat is a charming motoring throwback with plenty of punch... Some stratospherically priced things simply evade explanation. Think of the gold-plated sanitary ware in OPEC tycoons’ bathrooms, or the equivalent of the GDP of a small country paid by football clubs for the services ...

Recently facelifted, we test the entry-level C-Class to establish whether it matches its pricier line-up mates’ lustre... We’ve said it many times but it bears repeating: lower-end models in a range are often the best ones. Take our former long-term Peugeot 3008 1,6 THP Active, for example, ...

Is the latest update to Mahindra’s halo SUV enough to keep it competitive in a hotly contested segment? While it may not have the most covetable heritage or brand cachet in our market, you have to admire Mahindra for its sheer moxy. On our roads, there’s always a Bolero or Pik Up swimming ...

Eager to reacquaint ourselves with a Hardbody post-crash-test controversy, we got our hands on a flagship 4x4 double cab... In November 2018, jaws dropped when Global NCAP released its local crash-test data showing the SA-built Nissan Hardbody had scored zero points for adult occupant protection. Global ...

Kia has used a midlife facelift to reconsider its local Sportage line-up. Has it delivered a new entry-level sweet spot? Based on the impressive growing global sales of Sportage models since 1993, culminating in the hugely popular third generation leading Kia’s market-share charge both internationally ...

In a badge-conscious market, we investigate whether the current flagship A-Class has the substance to challenge the hot-hatch establishment... Evolving from a midsize MPV-like vehicle into a hatchback, the previous-generation W176 Mercedes-Benz A-Class was tasked with changing the profile of the typical ...