Price: R546 900 0-100 km/h: 8,71 sec Top speed: 185 km/h Power: 145 kW Torque: 290 N.m CAR fuel index: 8,4 L/100 km CO₂: 162 g/km
Despite impressive interior quality, standard features and tech, buying one will be an experiment Damian Adams
Expect Chery to continue improving and challenging the old guard Peter Palm
It's safe to say Chinese automakers have endured a chequered past in this country. Nameplates have come and gone, leaving owners in the lurch with unsellable products and nonexistent aftersales service.
It's a well-worn cautionary tale that starts with bravery and almost always culminates in tragedy. Starting locally in 2007 with the positioning statements of quality and heritage out of reach to the newcomers - all of these entered the market on a wobbly value ticket. They were quickly sunk by either fiercer than-expected fightbacks from established brands, or self-immolated through subpar product quality and associated ruthless public scrutiny.
After two abandoned forays first under the auspices of the McCarthy Group, then later Imperial (today Motus) - Chery's low point came in 2017, when its South African-spec budget subcompact QQ3 was awarded zero points in a Global NCAP safety test. Perception turned into reality and, unsurprisingly, Chery disappeared from the country in 2018. The lesson? Trust in brands can only be earned, not bought.
But the company believes it has unturned stones in the country and re-entered the market in 2021, this time as a wholly-owned subsidiary of its parent company, with a parts warehouse and a dedicated dealer network of 30 branches across the country, and committed to cure past ills.
Denne historien er fra July 2022-utgaven av CAR South Africa.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra July 2022-utgaven av CAR South Africa.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Toyota Fortuner
Considered by many as the quintessential adventure SUV, the Fortuner is about as strong a used buying proposition as you can get in this segment. We take you through the things to look out for and list two rivals for comparison.
MIND THE HURDLE
With a repaired car and a point to prove, Alex Shahini returned for Round 3 of the Toyota GR Cup at Zwartkops Raceway to achieve a career-best finish
KING OF KILLARNEY
For four decades, Denis Joubert was directly involved with the creation, development and ongoing success of Cape Town's international motorsport venue, Killarney. Having just celebrated his 90th birthday, we talk to the man whose contribution to South Africa's motor-racing heritage is priceless....
Selecting the 4WD SYSTEM for your needs
As 4WD SUVS and double cabs grow in popularity, more first-time buyers face the challenge of selecting a vehicle with a drivetrain that best meets their requirements. We explain the key differences between the all-wheel drivetrains available
Kia Picanto 1.0 LX MT
Kia's ever-popular budget hatch has recently received a range of exterior and interior updates - we test the entry-level variant to see if it remains a force to be reckoned with in this highly competitive segment
Super C
The fastest and most technologically advanced flagship C-Class to date, AMG's C63 S has evolved into an electrified uber-sedan. Has this mighty model forsaken some character in pursuing this status? We strapped our test equipment to the new shooting star.
Bentley's Brutes
A break in proceedings during an exclusive preview of the fourth-generation Bentley Continental GT afforded us an opportunity to sample the stately yet hair-raising Bentayga S
RUNNING UP THAT HILL
Now in its 14th year, the Simola Hillclimb continues to combine adrenaline-fuelled competition with showcasing some of the most appealing classics out there in a heady mix that keeps local petrolheads coming...
BAND OF BROTHERS
Complete with rugged bakkie-based underpinnings that encourage off-the-beaten-track venturing, largely proven powertrains that afford maximum range and towing capability, and brand names with enviable respective reputations for reliability, adventure SUVs remain the favourite of thousands of South Africans.
TWELVE OF THE BEST
Ferrari keeps things suitably old-school with its V12-engined 12Cilindri GT
