No Mu-xing

About Cape Road-tripping In Isuzu’s SUV

- Micky Baker

Much has been said about Isuzu’s 7-seat SUV. Locally, it’s slotted in as the direct replacement for the Chevrolet Trailblazer, but it’s widely regarded to be a far better vehicle, both inside and out. In our April 2019 issue, Andrew Middleton called it “an accomplished long-haul overlander”, and that’s exactly what Isuzu wanted to put on show on a recent media road-trip through the Western Cape.

West Coast way

After touching down at Cape Town International Airport, media from around the country met up with the local journalists, influencers and Isuzu delegation, and we began to acquaint ourselves with our transport for the weekend. Our destination for the evening lay some 135km away in Langebaan, and that would give us plenty of time on tar to get used to the 130kW, 380Nm family SUV.

The 6-speed Aisin gearbox made the cruise up the West Coast silky smooth and effortless, and we were kept entertained by that traditional convoy pastime: radio banter. Our pack was led by Khulekani Dumisa, piloting a bright red Kalahari Ferrari D-Max up front, while Sala Masindane scouted ahead for any mishaps in his silver steed.

With the R27 behind us, we settled down and sampled some local seafood at Pearly’s in Langebaan. Our overnight stop was just up the road at Club Mykonos. As a Capetonian, I grew up knowing the Santorini-styled resort as the spot where many a middle-class family spent school holidays. My parents usually opted for Montagu Springs, so I’d only been to the Langebaan gem a couple of times before.