Namibia's content-driven motoring portal
Recently, our weekly stream of press demonstrator vehicles has been going through some phases. After a tidy run of hot hatches came a short burst of trendy SUV’s mixed with a few estate cars like this Subaru Outback. That’s not a complaint, by the way, merely an observation.
Last weekend I was invited to go camping for a bachelor’s party, two activities I thoroughly despise. Not wanting to be a spoilsport though, I accepted the double challenge and even offered free rides to some fellow attendees in my test car of the moment, Subaru’s XV crossover SUV.
Are you in the market for a small to medium SUV softroader dad’s taxi crossover MPV? It seems that almost everybody is these days and I certainly don’t envy them with seemingly every manufacturer selling or planning the next best thing since 4×4’s went soft and cars grew legs.
Dit is vanjaar sestig jaar wat koningin Elizabeth ll as Britse vorstin regeer en ons het al heelwat oor hierdie mylpaal te hore en te siene gekry; vanaf BBC televisie tot stories in Die Huisgenoot met foto’s oor hierdie merkwaardige vrou en natuurlik ook die troonopvolgers met hulle huwelike, hoogtepunte en laagtepunte.
Despite fluctuating sales the motoring industry has never offered more diversity and consumers are absolutely spoilt rotten for choice when it comes to selecting their next set of wheels. We at NamWheels have compiled a wee list of cars which we believe to be hidden gems.
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.
Once or twice a week my computer pings at me and announces the imminent arrival of a new test car. Should the electronic reminder include the word “Toyota”, my heart usually sinks in expectation of drab plastics, blunt sheet metal and, with the FJ-flavoured exception, a week of lacklustre driving.
Welcome to Galimoto’s experimental format of reviewing cars, a shortened and sweetened version of our regular reports, embellished with a small side shot of specifications. The honours of being subjected to this new formula first go to the 2011 Subaru Forester 2.5 XS.
I’m assuming that some of you have just returned from a long, hot and tiresome holiday trip ready to trade in the spouse’s ageing wheels. In your absence, most dealerships have steam-cleaned the driveway, topped up the coffee machine and are waiting (some, anxiously) for your visit.
The list of things I’m scared of has just grown; again. Right behind Tequila, cameras in bushes, spiders that are bigger than my shoe and the 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX comes the 2010 Subaru WRX.