Bucket Seat: VW Taigo 1.0 TSI R Line

Volkswagen still remains one of the chart toppers in the monthly NAMSA figures and it’s no surprise why. Apart from being one of the countries favourite brands, the variety of offerings in the various segments make the choices wide for the consumer. With the success of the T-Cross crossover, it was no surprise that the sportier version of the car, the Taigo would also have some fanfare with it. While sales on the T-Cross still trump the Taigo, the appeal of the sleek coupe style crossover has a younger target market but still delivering the performance of its much more mature looking sibling. I got to drive the updated version of the Taigo a few weeks ago and this is what I made of it.

DESIGN

Subtle changes from the original do make a substantial difference to the overall appearance of the Taigo. Most notable would be the solid LED light that runs above the new honeycomb grille and is illuminated at night. The car I had came fitted with the aggressive R Line package which add’s black detailing, including 17-inch blacked out split 5-spoke rims. The profile of the Taigo gives it that fast back look with the sloped roof line and hatch like rear. The design of the rear remains pretty similar and it’s probably a good thing since in my personal opinion it looks great. The rear bumper with the R Line has a very sporty finish with the twin exhaust pipes having cutouts and finished off in black as well. The interior remains mainly unchanged to the launch edition with updates to the VW infotainment OS that will be discussed later.

PERFORMANCE

Powered by that 1.0-litre TSI engine that’s been a star in most models coming out of the Volkswagen stable, its performance in the Taigo is no different with it producing 85kW and 200Nm of torque. With the 7-speed DSG automatic transmission, it makes the Taigo quite frugle with its fuel usage but can be adapted for a more sportier drive with the usage of the paddle shifts. While many think this is suited to the more aggressive driver it could also be quite the opposite as it allows you to dictate when and how the car transitions through the 7 gears. Sitting on 17-inch rims the car handles quite well on the open road and urban streets. The size of it makes it nimble and easy to manoeuvre around. Parking the Taigo doesn’t break a sweat with its PDC’s and reverse camera but one could opt for the auto park function and have the car do it for you!

COMFORT

The Taigo’s interior remains similar to the launch edition model with some extra textures and trims to choose from. The R-Line comes with patterned material seats with the R logo stitched in of the seat, black plastic dash with R-Line sports style 3-spoke multi-function steering wheel. The start/ stop button is located at the top of the center unit where the gear changer is along with the parking assist button, auto start/ stop control and pdc. In front of that you will find the wireless charging tray for mobile devices along with twin USB C charging ports. One of which being for the use of mobile car apps. Yes, unfortunately the Taigo does not have wireless car play or android auto but regardless, I still find myself plugging the device in as the wireless connection does tend to drain the phones battery. Single zone climate control cools or heats the cabin, heated seats are an optional extra that you could have. Space in the cabin is decent, many would think with the lower roof like it would affect the space at the back but it’s still pretty roomy there. Another misconception is that the luggage capacity would be compromised because of that roof but that’s not the case, as it can fill 440 litres compared to the 377 litres of the T-Cross.

VERDICT

While the Taigo might be considered the sporty, more youthful alternative of the T-Cross, it certainly warrants a lot more than that title. In a new segment it stands out as a the front runner offering not only the consumer the name tag but a brilliant car that comes along with it. I admit, the pricing is a bit stiff when compared to the T-Cross but like I said, this does offer a bit more that the other. 

SPECIFICATIONS

Motor	1.0 TSI
Gear Box	7-speed DSG
Torque	200Nm
Power	85kW
Fuel consumption	5.4 liters per 100km
Price	R537,100

Bucket Seat: Toyota Corolla Cross Xs Hybrid

It's probably the most important car that Toyota SA has produced in a long time at it's plant in Prospecton, Durban. If you're a local to the city you would know that the area is basically now a mini Toyota City with the motor manufacturing giant occupying majority of the industrial area in Durban's famous south basin. While the plant was famous for producing the Corolla and Hilux over the decades, it's now got a new golden child coming off the production line and that is the all-new Corolla Cross. Toyota, very clever with their thinking opted to make a cross-over version of the much loved Corolla making it the 3rd variant in the offering from the Corolla badge, with the Hatch and Sedan being the other two. What makes the Cross so special is that it also comes with a Hybrid engine option and it's produced locally as well, making it the first model to be locally produced with a Hybrid engine. Exciting times for the plant as they will gain major brownie points in terms of produced low emission vehicles and could pave the way for other Hybrid or EV cars to be produced in South Africa. I recently got to spend some time with the entry level Corolla Cross Hybrid, the Xs and here are my thoughts on the car. 

DESIGN

I'm a massive fan of what Toyota have done with the new Corolla, the sharp edges, sweeping design, futuristic head lights and well rounded off rear end is very attractive, so when I heard about the Cross, I thought it would be much of the same but I was wrong. The design of the Cross seems to be very conservative when compared to the corolla. No sweeping lines, not sharp edges just a no thrills, no fuss design and while it might not jump at you in the pictures, in the metal is does look a big better. I can understand the thinking behind this decision by the design team seeing that it is a brand new model and one they expect to get a lot of sales from, but personally I would have liked a bit more flair to it, I wasn't that wrong in my thinking because shortly after its introduction, Toyota released a list of styling enhancements for the Corolla Cross, to give it that certain something extra to make it stand out. The interior remains exactly the same as the rest of the Corolla range and for me that is perfect because the interior is one of the best on the market given the pricing, its stylish and form functional which is most important in a car like this. 

PERFORMANCE

So the first question I got when people saw me driving this car was, "how's the fuel economy"? And it's quite a valid question in the greater scheme of Hybrid engines. Given the ever rising fuel price, the cost of fully electric vehicles, these Hybrid vehicles are the best option for many to counter the high prices at the pump. When it came to the Corolla Cross Hybrid, from the time I got the car, the average was sitting at 5.0L per 100km, the highest it went up to was 5.5L per 100km, which for my style of driving is unheard off, I tend to be a bit heavy on the foot and even though the car was fitted with that infamous CVT gearbox that groans more than an angry mother-in-law, the car seemed composed at every opportunity and delivered the right amount of power the wheels when needed. The great thing about the Hybrid engine is the silence on start-up, you'd have to check your instrument cluster to realise the car is running, the car uses electric power until it feels that the electric motor can't deliver adequate power required and then the petrol engine kicks in. While many say it can do a max of 50km/h before the engine starts, at times I managed to get up to 80km/h on electric power. A great feature is also the coasting mode where you'd be doing a constant speed on the high-way, like 120km/h and the combustion engine switches off and the pace is maintained by the electric motor. This all aids that great average economy and saves you on your pocket without having you at the pump as you would with a normal car. 

COMFORT

Another thing people asked if the batteries had any negative impact on the car, given that they weigh a lot, people might think this would hamper the balance and even take up space. The answer to both those questions are no, you don't even know the batteries are there thanks to a great design from Toyota. Remember they've been producing Hybrid cars longer than any other manufacturer so they know all the tricks to this technology, in fact they're the brand I trust the most when it comes to Hybrids. Many tried and have failed with the power re-generation, hence they had to swap over to plug-in hybrid models but with Toyota and Lexus, this has never been the case. Coming back to the comfort factor of the Corolla Cross, it rides just as well as the hatch and sedan, its honestly one of the best in its class, being a cross-over you'd expect the ride height to be increased, I mean I did but it remains the same as the others, it might be slightly higher but its definitely not noticeable when you're behind the wheel. In saying that, you'd not going to be venturing up Sani Pass in this thing but rather around town and picking up the kids from school, and for that its perfect. There's no compromise on creature comforts in the cabin with you still getting dual-zone climate control, a big fancy touch screen infotainment center that has built in mobile applications for ease of use. A full multi-control steering wheel and premium feel leather seats, loads of safety stuff including an array of airbags. The cabin space is more than adequate for a family of five, the luggage capacity is huge as well. 

VERDICT

At the beginning of this review I said this car was going to be very important for the brand and its already proving to be, with sales hitting new highs for the brand in this segment. It's over-took the Corolla sedan sales which was a tough act to beat but with such an attractive price tag versus what you getting, its a no brainer for many to opt for this. As mentioned, with the various styling packs available now, it gives customers a chance to individualize there Corolla Cross,  I played around quite a bit on the online configurator and think I've settled on my ideal styling for it, now I got to make some money to buy one. This particular entry level model will set you back about R413,000 and truth be told its perfect for your everyday needs but then you look and see the top of the range Xr model is R440,000 so if its in your budget, it might be worthwhile paying that little extra to get the car fully loaded with everything on offer. 

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	1.8L  Hybrid Electric
Gear Box	Automatic CVT
Torque	142Nm
Power	72kW
Top Speed	170km
Price	R413,000

 

Bucket Seat: KIA Sportage

KIA Motors catch phrase in "The Power To Surprise" and to this day I can honestly say that I haven't driven a KIA model that hasn't surprised me. We've had KIA in our market for a long time now but still there's that element of doubt when it comes to a minority part of consumers with cars from Korea and for me, that needs to change. When the likes of Toyota and Honda first started to break into the country, people also had their skepticism about them but look at them now? When Toyota's president was questioned in the US about a two decades ago about the resurgent VW in the market, he was asked if he felt threatened by this and his answer was a shock to many, he said he isn't worried about the German rivals, it was the Korean ones that made him restless and if you have to look at what is on offer today from the likes of KIA, he had a very good point. 

Coming back to my test subjects, when the new Sportage was first released, I had the top of the range model on the test, the one with all the bells and whistles which was fair on them so I could tell you, my readers just what KIA has in store and that they meant business. With the recent face lift I got the opportunity to drive two of the entry level models, one the 1.6L Petrol GDI model and the 2.0L Ignite Plus Diesel model. It was nice having these two models so I could compare just what exactly you're getting with these models and how they compare to the top of the range models. 

DESIGN

The revised Sportage received some minor styling upgrades especially to the front of the car. The bottom bumper is more flared giving the Sportage a more aggressive look and accentuates the flow of front. There are elements introduced to the front to give it a more classy look as well, like high gloss details which flow from the ends of the number plate holder dissecting the area where the fog lamps are housed. The grille  remains the same apart from the inside finish which matches that of the Sorento. The Sportage comes with 16" 5 spoke alloy wheels but can be upgraded to the 17" bi-colour rims as I had on the diesel model which adds more character to the car. The rear also was handed some minor tweaks like the rear fogs and indicator split lights are the lower end of the tail. The interior remains virtually unchanged. 

PERFORMANCE

There would be a big difference between the two engines, I'm a bit biased when it comes to choosing between Petrol and Diesel, I tend to enjoy the higher torque and longer range given on diesel engines compared to the more power, less torque on the petrol engine. But with the KIA Sportage the Petrol range starts off at the 1.6L GDI Ignite which isn't too shabby, producing 97kW and 161Nm of torque. Even with the big body, the 1.6L engine was sufficient for urban driving. On the highways it did tend to lack power and with the automatic gearbox I found it dropping gears to find that surge when going up hill. Other than that, overall the car gave a decent drive in the suburbs with great fuel economy, but gets a bit high on the open road. The diesel engine is a class act and I've been a big fan of KIA's turbo diesel engines for a while now. The 2.0L turbo-diesel engine churns out 131kW and 400Nm of torque, more than enough power for both urban cruising and highway driving, this helped by the extra two gears in the box compared to the petrol. My commute to work with it was a breeze and seeing that fuel needle hardly move was a pleasure. 

COMFORT

Both vehicles cabins were more or less identical, apart from a few trimmings differences which are optional extras like leather seats and seat heating. The cabin itself is very spacious, can accommodate five adults comfortably with sufficient luggage space for them all. Being entry level models, they come with standard aircon controls and not climate controlled systems. The sound system was a normal radio system with Bluetooth connectivity for audio streaming and calls. I think with the price being what it is, they could have just had the entire range with the touch screen system, maybe cut back the navigation option but that is just me. With this normal LED type screen, if one opts to get a reverse camera, there is the option of having the screen in your rear view mirror. Both cars came with key-in ignition systems and not keyless like that range topping models. 

VERDICT

Overall, it all boils down to what type of engine you prefer, while there is a big difference in displacement with the two, I tend to side with the diesel but with a R75,000 price difference, many would opt to give the petrol a second look. There are pro's and cons to each so personal preference plays a big role on this decision. I enjoy the Sportage, I think in terms of compact SUV's on the market, this one is in my top 3 and while these entry level models didn't have all the fancy gadgets, my time spent with them was quite enjoyable. The ride comfort is brilliant for a car this size and price, the drive feels good and build quality is solid. It's an ideal car for small families or just someone who leads and active lifestyle and needs a car with some extra space. As the shift in market trends show that South Africans are leaning more towards crossover/ SUV's this is a great buy for someone looking at a medium to small sized car. 

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	1.6L GDI Ignite	2.0L Diesel Ignite Plus
Gearbox	6-Speed Auto	8-Speed Auto
Power	97kW	131kW
Torque	161Nm	400Nm
Acceleration (0-100khm/h)	12.1 seconds	9.3 seconds
Price	R389 995	R464 995

Bucket Seat: Honda HR-V

Honda is relatively the unsung hero of the car market, the quiet one which sits in the corner, minds its own business but gets along quite well. And while it might be odd for us, they're quite happy with how that's going for them and I have to agree, they doing quite well for themselves without causing much stir. Their cars are probably one of the most reliable ones on the market with excellent quality and great engines, I've had the opportunity to drive a few of their models last year and this year I got to sample the all new HR-V for a week. The hatch come crossover type car is one of the smaller models in the range but I was surprised with the amount of stuff you get in the car. It's about the same size as the Jazz, maybe just a bit bigger but my time with the car was seemingly satisfying, just like the brand, no whoo-haa, just brilliant at what its suppose to do. 

DESIGN

The HR-V's design follows design cues from the older Civic hatch with the round sculpted front and that solid grille with the Honda badge in the middle. The revised model which I had comes with LED day time running lights on the bottom part of the front headlights which enhances the car slightly. The raised ride height of the HR-V does help one differentiate it from a standard hatch back but there are other elements to it that add to this like the smaller windows and higher doors on the side profile. The back actually looks quite night, I love the way they've tied the sloping roof with the rear, to give it that sporty SUV look, then rear lights still have to grow on me, I feel like they didn't have to go with the extra portion at the bottom but thats just me. Overall from the outside, the HR-V is a stylish looking car and the colour I had it in is Brilliant Sporty Blue Metallic had a nice look to it, was nice and bright in sunlight but also blended well into the dark and not seem too over powering. 

PERFORMANCE

I had the 1.5 Comfort CVT model and while many will wonder how a small engine with an automatic gearbox will cope on a car of this size and with good reason too but I can report back to say it handled quite well. Fair enough you would get engine strain and it dropping gears on extreme circumstances when overtaking or going up a hill but other than that, whether it be urban driving or on the highway I felt it coped quite well. The engine is a SOHC i-VTEC 16V inline 4 cylinder which produces 88kW and 145NM of torque. Its an engine we're already used to as its also in the new Honda Jazz. With the increased ride height, driving the HR-V is a dream, very easy to control and doesn't have much body roll to it. It's not a car that's meant to be driven fast, more for the school run arounds and to and from the office and for that, it's perfect. 

COMFORT

The HR-V is a very spacious car, even though the is higher than normal, Honda didn't raise the seating positions as high so you're left with a lot of head room in the car. The cockpit design is interested with a raised certain console almost the same height as your arm rest so it gives off like a fighter jet feel to it. Everything is digital so it looks really cool at night. It has single zone climate control with variable fanspeed, heated seats which I found interesting in a car of this segment and everything else is virtually the same as the Jazz which I really like. The touch screen infotainment system is easy to use and navigate, I still don't know what the HDMI port is for though. Interesting to note is that the HR-V comes with an electronic hand brake. Moving into the back, it can seat three people with relative is, and the seats fold down to extend the luggage space from the boot. 

VERDICT

Like I said from the start, Honda are the quiet kids on the market that offer great value for money cars, some might interpret that to mean they're boring but trust me, its no where near that. Their reliability speaks for it self and the quality of the products they churn out is nothing short of exemplary. The HR-V being heavily based on one of their best sellers the Jazz could only spell great things for the model, while some might not be entirely happy with the 1.5L engine, there is a 1.8L offering which I would be pretty keen to get behind the wheel of to see how much difference the bigger engine makes. But overall, for what its intended purposes are for, the 1.5 is just right. 

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	1.5 SOHC i-VTEC 16V
Gear Box	5 Speed CVT
Torque	145Nm
Top Speed	179kph
Economy	6.3 L/100km
Price	R288,700