SA Roadtests
South Africa
ctjag8
This is the home of automobile road tests in South Africa. We drive South African cars, SUVs and LCVs under South African conditions. It also just happens that most of the vehicles we drive are world cars as well, so what you read here probably applies to the models you can get at home.
*To read one of our road tests, just select from the menu on the left.
*Please remember too, that prices quoted were those ruling on the days I wrote the reports.
The engine: It's the Alliance's 1598 cc K7M engine that was previously fitted to Mègane and Clio, but presently serves in entry level vehicles like the Logan and Nissan NP200. A conventional eight-valver, it develops 64 kW at 5 500 rpm and 128 Nm of torque at 3 000 rpm. Zero to 100 km/h comes up in a claimed 11,5 seconds, going on to a maximum of about 175 km/h. Combined-cycle fuel consumption is given as 7,2 l/100 km, with a CO2 emissions rating of 183 g/km. Transmission is five-speed manual.
The body: Like the Sandero, Stepway is based on Renault's B0 platform, designed as basis for a range of products with various body styles and engines to meet differing customer needs. Although a Sandero in shape and silhouette, it's obviously intended as a lifestyle machine. Raised ground clearance, 16-inch wheels, integrated front fog lamps, SUV-style roof rails, front and rear skid plates and a chrome-tipped tailpipe highlight its urban warrior attitude. Other features include more pronounced wheel arches, a black radiator grille with satin chrome accents and black-masked headlights. The satin chrome finishes extend to exterior mirrors, roof rails, skid plates, doorsills and handles.
The experience: The office area provides a commanding driving position, with the driver's seat adjustable for height. Silver cladding on the seats and metallic-look detailing for the centre console offset charcoal cloth upholstery. Although the steering wheel is not adjustable for either height or reach, most drivers should be able to get comfortable. Headroom is good, as is visibility outward. A deep glove box, two small oddments trays and a slot, together with a pair of cup holders and door pockets for litre bottles, look after storage needs. The switches for the front windows can be found on the central tower, rather like some of the more rugged off-roaders out there. Vent controls are straightforward rotary devices while outside mirrors adjust by means of stalks on the inside. There are no remote controls on the steering wheel and the single makeup mirror on the left sun visor is unlit. A simple radio and single CD unit features both auxiliary and USB inputs. The latter is more sophisticated than one might expect, displaying full track and album information for both iPods and flash drives. An onboard computer allows users to call up distances from and to refill, trip mileage, litres used since reset and average consumption.
The back seat area offers plenty of knee room and headspace, while entry and exit is fair for those both long of leg and big of foot - the sills are fairly deep. A single cup holder is provided for those who need to put their juice cans down. There is no door storage back there and the windows wind by hand. Three belts but only two head restraints look after passengers' safety needs. The boot measures 320 litres, expanding to 1 200 litres when the 60:40 seatbacks are folded. Loading height is at about mid-thigh and the sill is shallow.
Generous ground clearance of 175 mm and 16" wheels with 55-ratio tyres promise better-than-average dirt road capability and this was borne out by a couple of trips along bumpy and rippled country roads. The spare is a full-sized steel unit, stashed pickup-style under the boot. Access is by means of a wind-down system that requires the hatch door to be open, so the spare remains safe from casual thieves.
To see our review of the 2014 Sandero Stepway 900T click here
The numbers:
Price: R149 900
Engine and performance: See text
Average fuel consumption: about 8,6 l/100 km
Tank: 50 litres
Warranty: 5 years/150 000 km with 6 years anti-corrosion cover
Service plan: 3 years/45 000 km
Intervals: 15 000 km
This is a one-man show, which means that road test cars entrusted to me are driven only by me. Some reviewers hand test cars over to their partners to use as day-to-day transport and barely experience them for themselves.
What this means to you is that every car reviewed is given my own personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.
Every car goes through real world testing; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads as well.
I am based in Pietermaritzburg, KZN, South Africa. This is the central hub of the KZN Midlands farming community; the place farmers go to to buy their supplies and equipment, truck their goods to market, send their kids to school and go to kick back and relax.
So occasionally a cow, a goat or a horse may add a little local colour by finding its way into the story or one of the pictures. It's all part of the ambience!
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This site is operated by Scarlet Pumpkin Communications in Pietermaritzburg.
Unless otherwise stated, all photographs are courtesy of www.quickpic.co.za
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SA Roadtests
South Africa
ctjag8