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It always fascinates me how divergent peoples’ opinions can be when it comes to cars. Take for instance a recent conversation in our office. There’s a good mix of petrolheads, disinterested owners and those dabbling in the market for a new vehicle and for the latter, everyone always has very different advice.
Very few vehicles generate so much excitement BEFORE they’re launched. Mercedes-Benz’s new A-Class seems to have been leaked out to all and sundry before many of us even received our invitation to the launch, but that doesn’t make it any less innovative and fresh once you get to see and drive it for yourself.
Lovers of all things motoring are frequently not as concerned about environmental impact as they ought to be – just as you won’t find a tree-hugging hippie extolling the virtues of their gas guzzling V8 Chevy, so too are hardened petrolheads unlikely to leap at the idea of an electrically powered vehicle. The Lexus GS450h (for hybrid) seems about to shake up some previous (mis)perceptions.
Most people in South Africa associate luxury vehicles with the three German manufacturers that dominate this market sector. However, I’ve recently become a fan of the latest offerings from Japan. This move was spearheaded by Toyota with Lexus now fairly established in the country but Nissan’s new Infiniti brand is no less impressive.
I’m not a huge fan of oversized, pricey SUVs. I find them a bit pointless really. And initially, I wasn’t particularly taken with the Audi Q5 either. My first impressions were very negative, I disliked its bulbous bonnet, I felt too far removed from the whole driving experience with its clever driver assist technology and I really couldn’t see the point of its existence – halfway between a Q3 (which is quite big enough for the school run in my opinion) and a Q7 (which is somehow just magnificent).
It’s always a great indication of a good product if you can boast enthusiastic brand ambassadors amongst your customers. Volvo must be doing excellent work with its cars as I had the tremendous pleasure of being accosted by a very enthusiastic Volvo owner while driving the fantastic V40 T3 Excel just the other day.
I’ve recently become very aware of how much of a selling a point a car full of gadgets is, particularly for those more outdoor-orientated types. This point was driven home recently when I test-drove Mitsubishi’s Pajero Legend – a limited edition of the popular 4th generation Pajero 3.2 Di –D GLX – complete with a rather generous supply of gear and gadgetry to tempt any 4×4 enthusiast into the bush.
I am somewhat cynical about driving supposed ‘crossover’ SUV-type cars. Too often, I have been left feeling somewhat deflated as far as their performance is concerned, especially once you leave the tar. So it was with little enthusiasm that I received the keys to Subaru’s XV to try it out. Happily, a few surprises lay in store for me.
I once participated in a casual conversation where it was said that women don’t form an attachment to the car they drive. At the time, I argued vehemently to the contrary but upon later reflection, I realised that maybe there was some truth in the statement and that women are far less inclined to lavish the same amount of love, care and attention on their cars as men do and likewise, myself certainly, will happily move on from one to the next without regret. That was until I had the privilege of driving a Lexus GS350 for a week.
I love surprises… especially in unexpected packaging and totally out of the blue. Consequently, I was delighted to get the opportunity to review a Terios Diva – the latest Daihatsu SUV catering specifically to ladies.