HYUNDAI TUCSON ETA: NOW
Price: R699 900 Engine: 2,0-litre, 4 cyl, turbodiesel Transmission: 8-speed, automatic Power: 137 kW @ 4 000 r/min Torque: 416 N.m @ 2000-2750 r/min 0-100 km/h: 9,20 seconds* Top speed: 201 km/h* Fuel consumption: 7,9 L/100 km* co,: 169 g/km* Rivals: Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-5, Peugeot 3008 Toyota RAV4, Volkswagen Tiguan
If the skyrocketing fuel and electricity prices are already disconcerting, the evolutionary shifts in new-car shopping trends make for an analysis that feels similarly frightening.
In 2021, the humble sedan once the mobility mainstay of the four-member nuclear family shrank to a mere nine percent of the South African automotive landscape. No prizes for guessing the winners here, with five-door hatches and, yes, you guessed it, SUVs and crossovers slugging it out at the opposite ends of the scale with a respective 40,5% and 41% of local market share.
Today, it's all about practicality and value as household budgets continue to wilt under below-zero salary increases and rising utility costs. As a consequence, it's been trench warfare between manufacturers as consumers relentlessly compare standard specifications to establish which models offer the tiniest iota of competitive advantage.
Few automakers seem more cognisant of this than Hyundai. Similar to Toyota, but unlike its German competitors, Hyundai sells its products straight off the showroom floor as what-you-see-is-what-you-get and (apart from maintenance plan upgrades) with no optional extras.
The manufacturer recently introduced the fourth generation of its mid-size Tucson. The new line-up spans three 2,0-litre, automatic, front-wheel-driven derivatives in petrol (graded as Premium, R519 900; Executive, R569 900 and Elite, R634 900) and one diesel (also Elite, R699 900).
Denne historien er fra June 2022-utgaven av CAR.
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 June 2022-utgaven av CAR.
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
