Bucket Seat: Volvo EX30 Cross Country becomes the first fully electric vehicle to conquer Sani Pass

56 years after the first Volvo made the climb, the all-electric EX30 Cross Country proves that EVs can tackle South Africa’s toughest terrain—powered by the country’s highest solar-powered charger. 

Volvo Car South Africa is closing Transport Month with a historic milestone in electric mobility: the EX30 Cross Country has become the first fully electric vehicle (BEV) to successfully ascend Sani Pass, one of South Africa’s most iconic and demanding mountain routes. Stretching through the majestic Drakensberg Mountains, Sani Pass has long separated ordinary vehicles from those built to endure, testing resilience, power, and control. Now, for the first time, an electric vehicle has conquered its challenging slopes, proving that sustainable mobility can thrive in even the most extreme conditions. 

Sani Pass is more than just a road; it is a trail steeped in history. Decades before engines ever roared up its steep gradients, Basotho shepherds traversed the mountains to trade livestock and goods, navigating narrow, twisting paths that demanded courage and determination. In 1969, the first Volvo ascended the trail, showcasing the engineering and endurance that would come to define the brand for decades to come. Fast forward 56 years, and the EX30 Cross Country completes the same ascent—this time powered entirely by electricity—underscoring the progress of automotive technology. 

Small but formidable, the EX30 Cross Country’s compact size belies its capability. Combining rugged design with environmentally conscious engineering, this 315 kW electric SUV was designed to handle both urban streets and demanding mountain passes, and proves that electric vehicles do not mean sacrificing adventure. During the ascent, the EX30 Cross Country navigated steep gradients, hairpin bends, and rocky terrain with precision and composure, demonstrating that EVs can confidently tackle landscapes once considered exclusive to combustion engines. 

Adding to the significance of this milestone is the installation of South Africa’s highest solar-powered EV charger, located just below Sani Pass at 1,566 metres. Installed for Volvo at Premier Resort Sani Pass by CHARGE, the unit enabled a fully solar-to-solar journey for the EX30 Cross Country. This initiative proves that exploring remote natural landscapes can be done sustainably, with clean energy supporting mobility in some of the country’s most iconic locations.

“The ascent of Sani Pass by the EX30 Cross Country is a defining moment for electric mobility in South Africa,” said Grant Locke, Managing Director of VCSA. “It demonstrates that electric vehicles can tackle the most challenging terrain, and that clean, sustainable energy can power adventure in even the most remote and rugged locations.”

Locke added that this historic journey also marks a moment to reflect on the evolution of exploration and innovation. “From the Willys Jeep ascents of the mid-20th century to endurance tests and modern performance trials, Sani Pass has always been a stage for determination and ingenuity. The EX30 Cross Country now joins this line of milestones, demonstrating that electric power can deliver both capability and sustainability, bridging decades of motoring history while paving the way for a cleaner, more adventurous future. 

Looking ahead, “CHARGE is proud to have partnered with Volvo and the Premier Hotels & Resorts for this momentous occasion,  driving sustainability as we migrate to NEVs. The solar-powered charger at Premier Resort Sani Pass will be upgraded in Q2 of 2026 with battery backup capabilities to allow for overnight charging, and therefore enhancing its capabilities even further,” commented Joubert Roux, Founder of CHARGE.

Volvo’s ongoing commitment to innovation, sustainability, and expanding the possibilities of adventure continues to open new horizons for drivers, proving that owning an EV does not limit exploration—it redefines it.

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: 2017 MINI Countryman JCW

John Cooper Works is an English company which was founded by Michael Cooper, son of the racing car tuner John Cooper. The company was formed in the year 2000 and since been tuning parts for BMW's new Mini's, becoming the brands "M" division for Mini's. Although the car is rich in British Heritage, it's hard to ignore the German influence in the current Mini's so with JCW tuned cars, there adding some of that heritage back, and boy do they do a good job! I spent a week with the all new Mini Countryman JCW, a car which hold's a special place for me as when I first started to review cars on the blog, the very first test car I received was the older generation Countryman JCW and had a blast with it, so I was expecting much of the same from this new model, if not more.

DESIGN

Being a performance version of the regular Countryman, I'm glad that they didn't just stick a kit to the car for the JCW package, they've added a lot bulk which adds that aggressive look to the vehilce. From a low stance, large 19" wheels, flares and stripes, the Countryman JCW really looks menacing, whether it's standing still or on the road tearing up the tarmac and hunting cars down. The trademark JCW logs are prominent all over the car, so there's no mistaking it when you see one. Onto the interior, the first thing that strikes you is the seats, racing style JCW seats with a red outline, in a mixture of suede and leather, the red and black theme continues throughout the cabin as well as full glass electric sunroof. The dash and instrument cluster is much the same as the standard Countryman  with the added JCW badges here and there but the mood lighting on the dash has this awesome streak effect, different from normal. 

PERFORMANCE

The big talking point about this car comes from whats under the hood, while it does have the same 2 liter engine that comes in the Cooper S, this one has been tuned by Michael and his crew at John Cooper Works in Farnborough, Hampshire. They managed to produce 170kW from the motor and produces 350Nm of torque. Apart from that, the entire set-up is tweaked for ultimate driving pleasure. From the suspension, to the dampers and even the exhaust got some treatment with the sounds being enhanced when put into Sport mode. It's hard not to drive the car in sports mode with the pure symphony that comes from those pipes while driving around, gets the hairs on the back of your neck standing up. The snap, crackle and pop just gets your blood going, the acceleration and handling is faultless in the Mini, while it's perfect for road driving, I can only imagine how much fun this would be on a circuit. Now as usual with Mini's, they tend to be a bit thirsty, this one particularly more than the others but I decided to do something I wouldn't normally do, I switched over to the Green Mode, which is basically their equivalent of Eco Pro, I was blown away at how everything changes. The car goes silent, its clam and composed, it even gives you a reading as to how many extra km's you building up in your range! So may be there is some truth in that combined fuel economy figure.

COMFORT

Being a car built for the track in mind, you would expect all this changes and tweaks would make for quite an uncomfortable ride, its quite the opposite. The racing seats are extra cushioned and are a snug fit. The ride quality is just as a good as a normal Countryman and the space is just great. There is plenty of room in the back for the passengers and the luggage area is more than adequate with even an option for more space beneath the trunk floor. The interior has dual climate control which maintains the temperature quite well. The car came with the optional extra of the Harman/Kardon Hi-fi lound speaker system which in local terms "cranks", with the two subs located beneath the driver and front passenger seats. Other extra's that were note worthy are definitely the adaptive LED headlamps. BMW seemed to have perfected this technology and I haven't see anyone that does it better. 

VERDICT

Take all conventional thinking of a Mini and throw it out the window, why? Because this car just kills every cliche there is to it. It is big and spacious, it has immense power, and once you get your foot down, it just keeps going. It is extremely fun to drive, in fact it's addictive to drive, I found myself taking the longer routes home on purpose just so I could spend more time driving it. That doesn't bode well for your bank balance though, I suppose if you could afford one of these you can pay for the fuel as well. It's still can make for a great family car, seeing how spacious it is or for anyone for that matter, also it is has the all4 drive, which means it is capable for some light off roading ...or rally driving. This car gets a big thumbs up from me....almost didn't want to give it back. 

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	2L TwinPower Turbo, supercharged
Gear Box	8 Speed Automatic with paddle shift
Power	170kW
Torque	350Nm
Fuel Comsumption	7.4L/100km
0-100kph	6.5 Seconds
Price	R604,000.00*

*Price excludes extras

Bucket Seat: BMW M760Li xDrive - First Impressions

For those who visited the Festival of Motoring held at Kyalami last year, you would have noticed something really special parked off at the BMW stand. Tucked away at the back was the range topping model of the 7 series stable, the M760Li. It's presence was well felt, as soon as you entered the room it caught your attention, from it's large 20" rims, to the flared front bumper and grill to the various M badges and V12 badges that adorn the car. Even the paint work was something to be admired, a dark charcoal grey in matte finish. The car has the long wheel base which means extra room for the passengers at the back, visitors to the festival got to experience this first hand with the rear seats being able to recline with the optional foot rest which forms part of the front seat deploys to give you the ultimate limousine effect. 

Even though the car was on our shores last year, the official worldwide launch of this car only happened this past weekend in the US. From it we learn't more about this spectacular car. The power plant consists the most powerful engine in BMW's arsenal, a 6.6 litre V12, which develops an output of 448kW, 610bhp at 5500rpm.  It is a beat of note, the peak torque of the motor is 800Nm all of which is produced by the help of the high performance unite with leading edge M Performance TwinPower Turbo Technology. The claimed acceleration for 01-00km/h is just 3.7 seconds, the car is electronically governed to a top speed of 250kph. There is an optional M Driver's package, if specified it pushes up the limited speed to 305Km/h. With immense power as that being produced by the engine to haul the 2.2 tonne car along, BMW felt it needed something else to hold the car in place, hence the car come with xDrive. 

What is xDrive? We in SA don't get many BMW models with xDrive, especially the sedan's simply because there is no need for it. xDrive is BMW's all wheel drive system and why the M760Li needs it is quite simple, that power going to just two wheels could be a bit much so it's distributed to all four wheels to enhance the grip and efficiency of the power produced. Not to mention it also adds to a more smoother ride, after all this is a luxury sports limousine. Another cool feature of the M760Li is the rear wheel steering, yes the rear tyres also rotate when steering but just a tad bit and not as noticeable as the front. The car also has innovative Executive Drive Pro suspension, which BMW said adds to the dynamic sharpness and unbeatable ride comfort. The Active roll stabilization minimises body movements and the systems team up with performance tyres. 

We know the car goes very fast but it can also stop fast, the car is fitted with the new 19" M Sport brakes, boasting blue metallic brake calipers and M branding, set the seal on the dynamic armory of the BMW M760Li xDrive and ensure unbeatable deceleration at all times. As with the regular 7 Series, there is a lot to this car and while we didn't even cover half of what it can do here in this post, we got the important bits, for the rest of it we have to wait till this beast makes it's way to the country, yes, this one is coming to South Africa so if you're looking at getting a luxury sedan that packs enough power to rival some of the fastest cars on the roads, this one should be high up on your list. 

Bucket Seat: 2016 KIA Sportage

Not to long ago I partook in the World's Longest Test Drive record which was set by KIA Motors SA in the all new KIA Sportage. It was a great idea by KIA for not only launching the all new model of their popular SUV but also to announce it in such style with a world record! I take great pride in knowing that I was one of the test to kick off the mammoth drive around the country and last week I was given one of these great looking vehicles to test for a week. As fate would have it, the Sportage I got on test was the same car I drove during the test drive, I figured it must like me a lot to make it's way back into my life and by the time this post if over, you'd get the feeling that it was mutual.

Performance

There are five engines offered in the new KIA Sportage line up, the one I had on test was the range topping 1.6 T-GDi GT Line. Bit odd to have a smaller capacity engine as the range topper but compared to the 2.0l and 2.4, this is the only engine in the line up which is turbocharged. KIA say it is a further refined version of their original 1.6 tubrocharged GDI (Gasoline Direct Injection) engine. It develops 130kW of power and 265Nm of torque. While the engine might be impressive it has to have an equally impressive gear box to suite and KIA stepped up to the plate with their new seven-speed Dual Clutch Transmission, which ensures smooth, quick gear changes which intern offers the drive quicker acceleration and improves fuel consumption. There are three driving modes, Normal, Eco and Sport. With Eco mode, there was an evident lag in response, especially when taking off, but in Normal and Sport that lag fell away very quickly, knock the gear selector into manual mode and make use of the paddle shifts, then you will forget very very quickly that you are in a SUV! Fuel consumption on it is pretty impressive for a vehicle of it size and weight.

Style

I normally start with this aspect of the car first but that engine deserved to be up first, getting back to the looks department though, KIA got it spot on. During my time with the car, I got a lot of remarks about how it looks like other SUV's but while I do see their points here and there, the new Sportage has it's own unique charm. The prominent big front grille immediately draws your attention to the car, the high elevated, elongated headlamps with clear cover exposing the rawness and individual lamps adds great character to the front end and unique to the 1.6 GT model is the quad LED 'ice cube' front fog lights which complete and compliment the front of the car. The large 19" machined finished alloy wheels are also another unique aspect to the GT and adds to that sportiness of the car. The back end is sleek with the thin long tail lights that wrap around the back and side to enhance the side profile of the car all finished with silver trimmings and twin exhaust.

Comfort

KIA for me always has this sophisticated and luxury interior that lacked in other Korean manufacturers and that is continued in the Sportage. One would be easily fooled  to believe that the it belonged to a German counterpart but that is the quality that KIA gives it's custoemrs. The GT Line comes packed with extras, from the two tone leather electronically adjustable seats, which has both heating and cooling functions. Dual zone climate control for tempreature to suit the drive and his passengers, a large touch screen display with built in navigation, bluetooth telephone and audio streaming and the panoramic glass sun roof to allow you and your passengers to see the world around you as you travel. The ride quality is smooth and comfortable, the handling is superb and while it does feel a bit back heavy around bends it holds well. 

Tech

With all cars now, having new technology is a must and with the Sportage is does not disappoint. Starting off with the smart key, besides it looking great it really is a smart key. The car detects when you are close by and automatically unlocks the car for you. Quite a party trick when you taking your mates out for a ride around town. Also the key does have a button for the boot, which like many other SUV's opens the boot lid but with the Sportage, when the boot is open you can close it by pressing the button on the remote! I know its hardly revolutoinary but I found it damn cool! And don't worry about chopping anyone in half with it as it gives a significant warning before opening and closing. Other note worthy tech is the bluetooth telephone and audio stream which I did mention earlier but the interface is quite interactive, especially when using internet streaming music services like Apple Music or Deezer where you can skip and change playlists from the screen. While on the subject of phones, the Sportage also offers wireless charging for phones with this capabilities, perfect for when you're on the move!

Storage

The new Sportage is bigger than it's predecessor with it being 4480mm in length and 1 855mm in width, it offers both the driver and passengers ample space to sit comfortably. The boot space is plentiful, with 466L for your disposal and when the rear seats are folded down, increases this figure to 1 455L. 

Verdict

The medium size SUV is becoming a popular segment in the car industry at the moment as it offers the best of both worlds to the consumer with a decent enough price. The KIA Sportage does tick most of the boxes in what people would want in this type of vehicle, while it may not be a fully fledged 4x4, the All Wheel drive does give you the opportunity to have fun off rock in certain terrains. The ride quality is great, the features are fantastic and it is a great looking vehicle and while I did enjoy the 1.6 GT very much, I do feel it is a bit pricey one has to consider what it comes with compared to its competitors. Like I said at the beginning of this post, my time with the Sportage has only been a week but it's certainly become a favourite of mine. 

Specifications

Engine	1.6 T-GDi GTLine
Gear Box	7 Speed DCT gearbox
Power	130kW
Torque	265Nm of torque
Top Speed	201 Kph
0-100kph	9.1 seconds
Price	R599 995