Bucket Seat: Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max All-Wheel Drive

Chery South Africa has unveiled its long-awaited new flagship, the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro MAX with all-wheel drive. The new model joins the growing Tiggo Pro line-up as the top of the range model and promises to welcome even more customers to this fast-growing family. With the addition of this model, the Tiggo 8 Pro range grows to three models, the Tiggo 8 Pro Executive with a turbocharged 1.6 litre petrol engine, the Tiggo 8 Pro MAX with a turbocharged 2.0 litre petrol engine and the new all wheel drive model. At the heart of the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro MAX AWD is the platform and specification of its two-wheel drive sibling. This means that the new flagship lacks for nothing in terms of performance, specification, or luxury fitment. What is new, is the proprietary Chery all-wheel drive system. The system has a front-wheel drive bias during normal driving. This benefits the vehicle’s average fuel consumption and everyday driveability, while also offering a familiar driving experience to existing Tiggo 8 Pro MAX owners. When drivers shift from everyday commuting to more spirited driving, or finds themselves in slippery and wet conditions, the all-wheel drive system comes into play. “Our engineers have spent a considerable amount of development and testing hours with the all-wheel drive system to ensure that it is robust enough to work in the blink of an eye, but that it also offers a long operational life,” says Tony Liu, Executive Deputy General Manager of Chery South Africa.

The result of all this development is an all-wheel drive system that can switch from two- to four-wheel drive in 100 milliseconds. This means the operation is imperceptible to the driver, while providing additional grip and stability on slippery surfaces or during high-speed dynamic driving. During its development, Chery repeatedly pushed up to ten times the expected vehicle torque through the all-wheel drive system to ensure that its operation remains faultless and fast, regardless of the conditions or the workload. “Chery completed another round of extreme weather testing in 2023. The results of these tests have been incorporated in the design of the all-wheel drive system. It means that whether the driver finds him/herself in snowy or desert conditions, the Tiggo 8 Pro MAX AWD will deliver,” says Liu. The wheels are driven by Chery’s award-winning 2.0 TDGI turbo-petrol engine. The engine has been programmed to deliver 187 kW at 5 500 rpm and 390 Nm from 2 000 rpm to 4 000 rpm, while the 7DCT dual-clutch self-shifting transmission has been mapped to smoothly deliver this power to two- or four wheels as required.

For this model, Chery has increased the fuel tank size to 57 litres (from 51 litres on the 2WD model) to allow for greater range. As with the Tiggo 8 Pro MAX, the MAX AWD model is built on Chery’s flagship platform that uses ultra-high tensile steel in over 60% of the body construction. In the Tiggo 8 Pro MAX AWD the suspension has been upgraded and tuned to fit the fact that power is delivered to all four wheels and there is a unique drive mode select system to adapt the power delivery and vehicle characteristics to the environment. Add to this a complete list of Autonomous Driver Assistant Systems (ADAS) and no-less than ten airbags and you have one of the safest vehicles in its class. The ADAS systems that come standard in this flagship model include autonomous emergency braking (AEV), adaptive cruise control with radar controls, lane keep assistance (LKA), rear cross traffic alert (RTCA), traffic congestion assistance (TJA) and even a driving view recorder (DVR) as standard. 

The MAX AWD model steps up the level of driver assistance further with a smart driver monitoring system (DMS), Emergency Lane Keeping and Lane Departure Prevention and a segment leading Intelligent Evasion System as standard. Move to luxury and the Chery is peerless. The new flagship offers quilted leather upholstery on all seven seats, the door bolsters and on the dashboard. There is ambient lighting with over 64 hues that can be matched to the music from the premium SONY sound system, the driving style or the driver’s mood.  On the topic of the SONY sound system, it offers 10 speakers and a power amplifier for a truly immersive audio experience. Add to this a fully digital cockpit with two large 12.3” screens for a large super screen that is 24.7” long. The infotainment section of the screen has full wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality, and it will show a full panoramic view of the vehicle thanks to the 360-degree camera array. The latter offers the best possible view of the vehicle in its surroundings thanks to an upgraded Around View Monitor system. The flagship Tiggo 8 Pro MAX AWD has a superior air conditioning system with two independent zones and an upgraded air quality sensor (AQS) that ensures that the air is N95 certified clean. In addition, there is a Fragrance System with 3 different scents. A host of other features too long to mention are included in the Tiggo 8 Pro MAX, including a super-fast wireless charger, electric memory seats for the front passengers that are both heated and cooled, multiple Type A and Type C chargers and a large panoramic sunroof.

Lastly, the Tiggo 8 Pro MAX AWD offers a true first-class experience after purchase.

As with all other Chery models, the Tiggo 8 Pro MAX AWD is sold with a comprehensive 7-year / 90 000 km service plan, a 5-year / 150 000 km warranty, a full 10-year / 1-million-kilometre engine warranty (linked to the first owner), 5-year unlimited distance Roadside Assistance, and Chery’s range of Value-added Services under My Chery Care. These include a range of services including scratch and dent repair, rim repair, a courtesy Chery when a vehicle is booked for service and even a free take-me-home service.

The new Chery Tiggo 8 Pro MAX AWD is available immediately from Chery dealers across South Africa. It retails for R 731 900, 00

Bucket Seat: Ford Everest Bi-Turbo Limited AWD

When it comes to SUV's in the SA market, the two heavyweights which battle for market dominance in-terms of sales figures, are the Toyota Fortuner and Ford Everest. While both are very similar in overall aspects, Toyota did have the upper hand with more engine variant offerings than Ford with them only having the 2.2L and 3.2L liter diesel options, but recently Ford South Africa have introduced their new 2.0L Bi-Turbo Diesel which is set to stir things up for them as the Everest is already a great offering and with this new engine variant it can only do good things for the brand. I had the opportunity to spend a week with the new Ford South Africa Everest 2.0L Bi-Turbo as well as take it on a cross country trip from the coast to Johannesburg to see how it goes, here are my thoughts on the car. 

DESIGN

To me the Everest has always been the best looking 7-seater SUV on the market and it still remains that with this new model receiving subtle styling enhancements but the overall looking remaining very much the same. It goes with the saying, don't fix something if it ain't broke and Ford reservedly did so. The car has that American charm to it, even though it features the Ranger front end but sporting a different grille, the way the car is sculptured with added bulk on the wheel arches, flowing lines along the side to give the side profile a very professional look before tying in perfectly at the back with the longitudinal lamps. The car is very classy and even more so in this Frozen White paint work. The model specification I had was the top of the range Limited which has 18" rims, a lot of chrome accents, ventilated brake discs up front and a whole lot of safety features. The inside also remains very similar to the previous model, pretty much the same set-up as the Ranger but more softer materials to give it that family/ luxury feel rather than that of a bakkie. 

PERFORMANCE

As mentioned, this is Ford's all-new 2.0L Bi-Turbo Diesel engine, it's teamed up with a new 10-speed automatic gearbox which combined with the performance from the engine make it a dream to drive. The old 6-speed automatic wasn't too bad and performed well with the 3.2L diesel engine but with the 2.2L it had it searched for that perfect medium but now with the 10-speed box it knows the ratios to produce the optimal performance when needed and it helps with the fuel economy. The 2.0L Bi-Turbo diesel engine produces 157kW with 500Nm of torque, with the Limited being all-wheel-drive, this torque is transferred to all four wheels and makes the car quite quick off the start on tar roads. Ford say the claimed fuel consumption to be 7.6L to the 100km, a figure that I didn't get close to on my long distance trip but then again with all the road-works on the N3 it would have been difficult to achieve this but still, keeping that figure to under 10L per 100km in a big vehicle like this, with a full load was pretty pretty impressive. 

COMFORT

So with this being the Limited model, it comes kitted out with all the nice stuff, leather seats for ALL 7 seats, my favourite party trick from this model is the automatic folding third row seating which you can control from the luggage compartment. The third row folds flat to give you even more luggage space if required. Upfront you have seat heating for driver and front passenger, the large infotainment screen with Ford's SYNC 3, this model did not have Apple Car Play or Android Auto preloaded as per  normal but there is an option for you to do that via Wi-Fi, yes you can make a Wi-Fi hotspot via the car for the entire cabin which is also pretty cool. The second row seats is as luxurious if not more than the front, they get their own zone climate control with controls at the back. Being a big vehicle you're going to need some assistance getting around so it comes with front and rear PDC's as well as a rear view parking camera. The cruise control took me a while to figure out, but once it was activated it was smooth sailing from there as it has active cruise control which slows down if it sensors the car in front of you slowing down. It has blind spot monitoring and lane departure warning as well should you stray across and not notice, which is easy to do in a big car like this. 

OFF-ROAD

Being a fully fledged off-roader, I was hoping to take it out off the beaten track but unfortunately didn't get the time to do so but you'll be pleased to know it comes with all the bells and whistles for this application.  From Hill Descent Control, Hill Launch Assist, Roll-Over Mitigation, EBD and ESP. The jog shuttle dial system for selection of road conditions make it easy for anyone to use. The front suspension is independent with coil spring and anti roll bar, while the rear being coil spring with Watt Links. The transmission is 4WD with electronic locking rear differential, with final drive 3.31. 

VERDICT

Overall this new offering from Ford which becomes the range topping model did no wrong while I had it. It's honestly still one of the best 7-seater SUV offerings on the market and while it does have stiff competition, there will be key differences which the Ford has that will win it over from the opposition. It offers a great ride, fantastic build quality and the equipment that comes as standard is great. While being a sizable car, it doesn't take you very long to get used to the size of the car when driving it around. The cabin is spacious and with the panoramic sunroof, it just gives you that illusion of it being much bigger. 

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	2L, Bi-Turbo Diesel
Gear Box	10-Speed Auto
Torque	500Nm
Power	157kW
Consumption	7.6L/100km
Price	R819,400

 

Bucket Seat: Renault Koleos AWD

The new Renault Koleos was my last test car of 2019 and while I was rather used to the budget type Renault crossovers like the Sandero Plus and the Duster, getting a premium SUV from the brand was a good change to see how it would differ from the cheaper options. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with the Duster or Sandero Plus, they all have their own charm to them, the Duster 4x4 being one of the most affordable and capable options in the current market is just one of the reasons that make it a great car but today's review is about the Koleos so let me not divulge on the others. It's the first time I've driven this model from the French motoring manufacturer and to say my week was pleasant would be an understatement. You see, I was in the midst of moving office the versatility of the Koleos really came in handy for this period as I will explain a bit later. 

DESIGN

The changes from the old to the new Koleos is quite big but at first it did take me a while since the overall shape of the vehicle still sort of looked the same. Massive revisions to the front are the key standout with the new Renault design language for the headlights and grille. While the longitudinal headlights remained but with a new sharper edgy design followed by the extension daytime running light like we've seen in the Megane. In fact the rear end light design is almost a carbon copy of the Megane as well, but obviously a bit bigger to fit the frame of this SUV. The styling you can say is very European and with the colour scheme and contrast with the chrome and silver accents gives it that luxury feel. The sort of look you want from a premium SUV. The overall shape is neat with some well balanced lines and creases in the right places. It's a great looking car from the outside and when you step inside it just gets better. The layout of the cabin is very aesthetically pleasing with a good use of materials to differentiate the various parts of the dash board. The infotainment cluster is smack bang in the center and is flush, again just like the Megane but I think the Koleos screen might be a bit bigger. The design of the shell makes the doorways have quite spacious openings so you won't find yourself hitting your head on the roof on the way in or out of the cabin. 

PERFORMANCE

The Koleos comes with one engine for the range, it's fitted with a 2.5L 16V naturally aspirated engine which delivers a decent 126kW and torques max out at 233Nm. The transmission comes in the form of a new X-Tronic CVT 7-speed gear box which works really well with the engine. Delivering optimal power when needed and really helps with the fuel consumption on a vehicle of this size. Claimed consumption of 8.3L per 100km, I managed to get below 10L per 100km in my week of mixed driving which consisted of a lot of short distance driving. I have to say, driving a car like this has it's perks because of the extra height compared to your normal sedan, your view of the road is much better and with the creature comforts offered in the Koleos, one doesn't feel tired after driving. The driving style and modes are pretty normal to every other cars on the road with each having its effect on the vehicles efficiency, I tend to keep the cars on a normal or auto setting for most of the time which works well for me. 

COMFORT

The Koleos is a very spacious car, I'd say you can fit five adults comfortably in there with ample space for luggage in the boot. Premium leather seats add to the comfort with soft touch materials for the roof and doors. Dual zone climate control for driver and passengers are sort of the norm with cars of today, I feel having the 3rd zone is still sitting at the premium luxury level even though those are coming with the 4 zone aircons. I feel with children being the predominate passengers at the rear it could become an issue with fiddling. Ride quality of the Koleos is quite great, the car came fitting with 18" rims but with the wide profile tyres and suspension it does deliver a very smooth ride. While the Koleos was all wheel drive, most buyers would be suited to urban driving with small chances of going off road but it's nice to now the vehicle has that capability. The all wheel drive also plays its part on the tar roads, in cases of slippery surfaces and rain. 

TECHNOLOGY

The Koleos has a fair bit of technology, as mentioned early the large 7" infotainment touchscreen with R-Link 2 which provides you with all the new on-board experiences that Renault has to offer. It's a complete intuitive display that's user friendly and has built in apps like Apply Carplay and Android Auto. The Koleos comes with a premium Arkamys 3D Sound System which is pretty decent in my books, not enough bass but that's just the Indian me talking. I really like the accent lighting in the cabin, not only limited to the doors but also the instrument cluster housing. The colours change per driving mode you're in. The instrument cluster itself is also digital and displays other relevant info. The audio control is still located on that weird stalk on the right side of the steering wheel even though the there is allocated buttons on the steering wheel, that one still baffles me about Renault. The Koleos comes with keyless entry, the key is that card type thing which is pretty cool but does feel a bit weird. It comes with Pure Vision LED headlights as well as the LED daytime running lights. Electronic folding mirrors and anti dazzle review mirror. 

VERDICT

Overall the Renault Koleos is certainly a worthy shout for it's segment. It has all the bells and whistles you'd associate with a premium SUV and really is a great match up for its German rivals. While and introduction of a diesel engine might be welcomed, this petrol one isn't too bad for now. I spoke about the versatility of the Koleos at the beginning of this review.  Getting the extra space required was quick and easy, dropping down the seats to accommodate larger items in the back was a breeze as well as putting it back up.  It really is a great offering from Renault and a refreshing model to see in their SUV/ Crossover stable, something to show they can compete in the premium segment.

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	2.5L 16V in-line 4 cylinder
Gear Box	7 speed X-Tronic CVT
Torque	233Nm
Power	126kW
Consumption	8.3L/100km
Price	R499,990*

*Base Price

Bucket Seat: KIA Sorento

When it comes to the Korean manufactures, there was just something about KIA that had me drawn to the brand. Their cars from the onset were different, more practical and I suppose as close to the German rivals as possible. After the arrival of Peter Schreyer, formerly of Audi as their Chief Design Officer, this just enhanced brands European styling and appeal. The models that KIA churn out slot in a various array of segments, from budget, all the way up to luxury, sporty and commercial. Late last year I got to sample the revised range topping SUV in their stable, the Sorento. Having driven the model prior to the update, I felt that while it was a great package, it was lacking quite a few elements to bring it up to speed with the competition, so it was time to find out if KIA did add these in to their latest offering.

DESIGN

With the Sorento, the shape has remained the same for many of the generations but as a newer model comes up, there are more curves and rounded edges. This latest offering remains predominantly the same in terms of design but minor changes and updates give it that refreshing look. The grille is finished in a chrome silver and there are some trimmings to match in the front. The headlights now are LED's which give it more character and detail, same goes for the rear lights. The front bumper is more edgy and gives off that menacing look. Being a 7 seater, the Sorento is a big vehicle but the design does well to not make it look bulky, the contours and flow of the windows give it that coupe like swoop on the side profile and the new diamond cut rims. Moving on in the inside, here is where you can notice the German influence, minimalistic but functional design, everything is where you expect it to be and easy to reach for the driver. 

PERFORMANCE

The model I had on test was the AWD 2.2 CRDi, Turbo charged, in-line 4 cylinder, 16 valve with the 8 speed automatic gearbox. The engine is standard across all models in the range and produces 147kW @ 3800 rpm and 440Nm of torque to haul the big body from standstill. While it may be big, the torque compensates for the size and weight propelling the Sorento from 0-100kph in 9.4 seconds which isn't bad for a 7 seater family SUV. The Sorento picks up speed well when on the open road and the light steering wheel makes it easy to maneouvre around. The car is well balanced and you don't get much body roll when taking bends at high speed, this is thanks to the MacPherson Strut & Stabiliser suspension in the front coupled with the multi-link rear suspension. While KIA doesn't make much comment on the average fuel economy, I was getting about 9.5L per 100km with mixed driving which isn't bad for a car of this size

COMFORT

Overall size of the KIA Sorento is quite big, with it measuring 4.8m in length and 1,9m wide with a height of just under 1.7m which gives it more than enough space on the inside for its occupants. The seating is a 40:20:20 split rear seat folding configuration. The driver and front passenger seats are very comfy and wide for more support, the second row of seats is pretty similar to the front and surprisingly the two fold away seats in the last row are quite spacious. The entire cabin air temperature is controlled by an automatic climate control, making sure every is comfortable in the car at all time. In terms of tech offerings, the KIA Sorento now comes with a 3.5" TFT touch screen which has built in SatNav and Bluetooth audio/ telephone. It also benefits with the Apple Car Play and Android Auto apps, so your mobile device fully integrates with the car.  The Sorento even has a wireless charging mat should your device has wireless charging capabilities, simply just place the device on the mat and it will charge as you drive. 

VERDICT

With SUV's becoming the choice of many on the roads these days, and the market growing ever so popular, it's good to see competition coming from all parts of the spectrum. While many wouldn't rank KIA as a luxury brand, I think they're doing well to convince the buyers otherwise. Their cars are built well, have offerings that can rival any of the German brands, and are a heck of a lot cheaper as well. The KIA Sorento is very well priced, coming it at R579 995 for the 2WD LX derivative and the model I had being the AWD 2.2 EX starting at R649 995 with pretty much everything standard. It's spacious, comfortable, solid drive platform and looks great. Overall if you looking for a 7 seater SUV or even a slightly larger than your medium ones, with loads of trunk space, this is the car for you. The engine is great, gives you great return on your fuel when doing urban driving and has a solid service plan of a 5 years/100 000km as well as a 5 year unlimited kilometer warranty.

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	2.2 CRDi Turbo Diesel
Gear Box	8 Speed Automatic
Power	147kW
Torque	440Nm
0-100	9.4 seconds
Top Speed	203kph
Price	R 649 995

Pictures by @YuviKPhotography

Bucket Seat: Honda CR-V 1.5T Exclusive AWD

Starting off the year with a new manufacturer is always good, and this time we would like to introduce a name that is synonymous for their reliability, strong brand reputation and undeniably great cars, it is none other than Honda. For long Honda played second fiddle to the other major motor manufacturer from Japan, but while they both maybe from the same country, there is a distinct difference in the type of motor vehicle being produced but one thing they do share is their strong reliability. Honda has prided itself on their service and after sales service, there was a point where they said the spares room at a Honda service center had a lot of dust in there since hardly any one went in there. Take from that what you may, but moving on to the car at hand, the all new CR-V, when I took delivery of it, I was quite surprised by its size. It has grown a lot from the original which started off as a mid-size SUV, now it's put on some bulk and really looking great.

STYLE

The overall design of the car is on point, keeping the uniformed shape of the front from Honda with the elongated grille tying in to the long and slanted headlights, the car does look rather intimidating from the front. With the 1.5T Exclusive which I was driving, it came with LED fog lamps which added to its character. Chrome finishing on the grille and the large Honda emblem gave the car a premium look. From the side, the car looked meticulous, with all the right lines and edges, all looked like they were ironed out and leveled, then moving to the back, the large rear lights were continue up following the length and slope of the rear window brings out the Japanese design element to the car. If you look at the back from straight on, it actually looks like the  Transformers logo.  Again, finishing on the exterior is class, with chrome in all the right places, stainless steel dual exhaust pipers, and those rims look like blender blades. Moving onto the inside, again great quality of finishes with the whole dash setup quite nicely. Steering controls gave you access to pretty much everything apart from the aircon, the digital instrumental panel allowed you to choose what you'd like displayed and the large infortainment touch screen made up for all the rest. 

PERFORMANCE

The CR-V is a big car and when I told people it has a 1.5 liter engine powering it, they were a bit skeptical and with good reason too. With big cars like this, fitted with smaller engines with turbo's, the turbo's tend to take strain over time but with the CR-V it's a bit different thanks to the DOHC setup and the CVT automatic gearbox. The engine pushes our 140kW with 240Nm of torque, while it at times feels like the car is under-powered, it's just the lag from the boost build up of the turbo. The car is a bit thirsty if you're heavy on the foot but for normal cruising, it should just fine as they boast a claimed fuel consumption of 7L/100km. I got close to that at times, but most of the time not. I blame my timing since I was always in a rush to go places. 

COMFORT

While the CR-V is big, it's still a 5 seater SUV, and not 7, plus the seats are larger than normal so cramming another 2 in the boot might be an overkill. It's suffice how it is, and boy is it roomy! From the driver and front passenger to the rear, there is more than enough space and leg room. The seats as mentioned previously are quite big and ultra comfy and fully adjustable with the driver getting memory seats as well as lumbar support. It also has heated seats for the people in the front. The CR-V comes with dual climate control as well, perfect for the Durban humidity and if you want some fresh air the full glass panoramic roof opens to allow some of that natural oxygen in. 

TECHNOLOGY

Being the top of the range model, the CR-V 1.5T Exclusive is packed with cool tech. From Bluetooth streaming to multiple USB ports for both front and rear passengers, heck its even got an HDMI port! It has integrated Satellite Navigation and is Apple CarPlay compatible. The coolest feature for me though had to be the cameras. While it had the standard reverse camera, it also came with another two more, one mounted on the spoiler so you could get an aerial view of exactly how far away you are from an object and the kicker for me was the side mirror camera mounted on the left side mirror which came on every time you indicated left, it is meant for you to use when changing lanes so you can see on the TFT screen if there isn't any cars there but it just looked so damn cool that I kept indicating left for no damn reason!

VERDICT

The Honda CR-V has certainly come a long way over the years and this current model is a stunner. With a base price of R422 900 for the 2,0 Comfort, is rather impressive for a car of this size. There are a few things I didn't like about the one I had but it is really minor, for starters, the gears, its very easy to slot the selector into Sports instead of Drive, which explains why my fuel usage was a bit high since I always put it in Sports gear, and some of the interior trimmings felt a bit too plastic but other than that, the CR-V really impressed me and being my first test car from Honda, I look forward to seeing what comes next. 

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	1.5 liter, 4 Cylinder, VTEC Turbo
Gear Box	7 Speed CVT gearbox with paddle shift
Power	140kW
Torque	240Nm
Top Speed	200km/h
Economy	7 L/100km
Price	R626,900

Pictures by YuviK Photography & Avish_Karr