The Kia You Will Really, Really Want.

I have always been fascinated by how my mom can turn one of my culinary disasters onto something half decent. After dousing the flames, and adding a bit of this or that, the end result is always relatively tasty.

In the same way, Peter Schreyer has taken the ‘Cup-of-Soup’ Kia of old, and turned it into ‘Sinseollo’- a traditional Royal Korean dish (it’s a glorified stew).

To be perfectly honest, after driving the Sorento, which completely blew me away, I really was itching to get behind the wheel of the new Sportage. How it didn’t disappoint.

The Sportage shares the same signature grille as the Sorento with the headlights being incorporated into the slatted, chrome accentuated grille. The daytime running LEDs add extra Grrr! – sorry I had to, Kia describes the front as a ‘tiger face’.

Inside you are greeted by an aesthetically pleasing interior, brilliantly comfortable and supportive leather seats and an array of buttons. The dash is elegantly rounded, housing a 6CD shuttle/MP3 compatible radio. On a slightly indented panel below the radio will you will find all the controls for the climate control, which I found incredibly easy to use and very effective. Below that are Auxiliary, and USB inputs for the radio.

Under the bonnet lies a 2.0 liter diesel motor, and one that has left me slightly speechless. It produces 130 kW and 392 Nm!

But more than the figures, it’s the way the engine delivers the power that shocks. Normally a diesel motor will run out of steam somewhere between 1000 – 500 RPM before the red line. The little Kia has grunt right up to the rev-limiter. The 392 Nm of Torque is spread pretty evenly through the rev range, which means grunt for overtaking and so on is always at hand when you need it. But if you are in a serious hurry, the auto box is quick to drop a gear or two, to get you into the motor’s sweet spot. Speaking of the automatic gearbox, it is a good gearbox and is very responsive when in ‘manual’ mode – where you change gears by pushing the gear lever up or down, but works best when left in ‘Drive’.

Driving the Sportage is also quite a treat. Having 18 inch wheels, my biggest fear was that the Kia might ‘crash’ a bit over uneven road surfaces, but it doesn’t. On the contrary, it absorbs and smoothes out most abnormalities in the road. And the level of grip supplied by the AWD system is superb. The brakes are good and are equipped with ABS, EBD and Brake Assist. There is also plenty of feedback from the steering. And one of the greatest things I noted is how quiet it is on the road; there is very little, if almost no road, or wind noise. Very tranquil.

Keeping with the safety, the Kia has 6 airbags, namely driver, passenger, side and curtain.

Other awesome gadgets include a rear view camera which displays its image ‘on’ the rear view mirror when you engage reverse. Smart Key and engine stop/start button, as well as a few other odds and ends.

All Sportages come with a 5 year/100 000km warranty and service plan.

P.S. Due to the set up of the fuel injectors, Diesel Sportages may only be filled with 50ppm diesel, failing to do will render your warranty void.

The new Kia Sportage is a brilliant, refined, comfortable, agile, fantastic value for money vehicle, and the honest truth is, I’m not just saying that to keep Kia happy.

Cranked Up: Confessions Of A Petrolhead

Mark Hohls - Freelance


Now, here’s the thing, I’ve never really been one for books. My idea of the perfect book report was always, ‘wait for the DVD’. Plus, I’ve always trusted Steven Spielberg to tell me everything I need to know. Until the other day, that was…

I first saw an advert for Cranked Up about two months ago and finally managed to hunt down a copy. Cranked Up has been written by the Sub-Editor of CAR Magazine, Hannes Oosthuizen. In the book Hannes relives some of his greatest motoring moments, from getting lost in Japan to watching the late Lolly Jackson’s Pagani Zonda spin off the track during an annual performance shoot-out, and everything in between.

Cranked Up has been described as a great read for both those who love cars, to those who just drive them, alike.
I agree completely, I know, I couldn’t put it down. Having said that, what really made Cranked Up such a comforting book to read is because Hannes comes from a small town very close to our hearts. Yes, dearest readers, Hannes is an old Piet Retief boy.

Hannes Oosthuizen moved to Piet Retief with his family in 1992 when his father was transferred to the Piet Retief branch of Boland Bank. At this time he started standard 7 at Piet Retief High School and stayed there up until Matric. After HPR life, Hannes went to Stellenbosch University where he completed a B.A. degree majoring in Political Science and French. (I must say, I really do like that idea. He can tell you why a politician is so useless, and why his car is so good at the same time!) He then did his B.A. Honours in Journalism, and now a couple of years later, he’s the Sub-Editor of CAR Magazine.

One of Hannes’ fondest memories of Piet Retief…he learnt how to drive here.

So next time you pick up a copy of CAR Magazine, know that we as the community of Piet Retief have bragging rights.

Follow Hannes on Facebook’s ‘Cranked Up: Confessions of a Petrolhead’ page. His book is available from CNA Piet Retief and Exclusive Books, or you can order a copy off http://www.magsathome.co.za/.

Trust me; it will make you feel proud to have a copy on your bookshelf.

Find Your Path

Ignoring my corny heading, the Pathfinder is one of the most properly rounded vehicles I have driven this year. On the outside the Pathfinder shares the same boxy profile as the Nivara, but don’t for a moment think that it is just an enclosed Nivara. Yes, they share some panels but the Pathfinder is in essence, a vehicle on its own.

So, what is it like then? The Pathfinder is an incredibly butch looking thing with its flat front and large grille. On the inside, the Pathfinder again feels very similar to the Nivara, but is laced in leather. The dashboard is home to a 6 CD shuttle radio, controls for the climate control for both the front and the rear passengers, controls for the heated seats as well as things like buttons for the stability control and so on.

There is a third row of seats hidden in the floor of the boot. The boot is probably one of the biggest I have ever seen, just so by the way. All in all, the Pathfinder is as good as a SUV gets below the R550 000 mark. The drive is great. The handling is superb. The six speed gearbox is smooth. And I could just leave it there, but the real reason why I took the Pathfinder for a spin is because the 2.5 litre diesel motor that hides under the bonnet has been given a stiff shot of espresso and a good bashing with the ‘get-more-out-of-it’ hammer.

The ‘old’ 2.5 diesel motor produced 126 kW and 403 Nm. The ‘newer’ unit after a few tweaks here and there now produces a serious 140kW and 450 Nm.

I really do love this motor. All the Torque means things like up hills and towing are a doddle. Plant your foot into the carpet and you are met by a tiny bit of turbo lag, but the low down grunt starts to push the revs up until just below the 2000 RPM mark and then the turbo comes in. It is like being hit across the back of the head with a cricket bat. There is no other way to describe the surge of power other than brutal…and slightly addictive.

The fact of the matter is the Pathfinder is an incredibly comfortable vehicle, which offers seating for 7 people, is brilliant off-road, has monstrous power, and because its engine is slightly smaller than most of the competition – 2.5 litre instead of 3.0 litre, returns good fuel economy. Nissan claim a combined fuel consumption of 8.5 litres per 100 kilometres. I managed 9.5 litres per 100 during my time behind the wheel, but please do remember I was enjoying the full brunt of the Pathfinder, so it shouldn’t be that difficult to achieve the claim figure.

If I had the money and was in the market for this calibre of SUV, this is the one I’d have in my garage.

Honey, His Legs Are In The Boot.

So, you have your beautiful family. The picture perfect kind. Each child excels at everything they do, and you are just so proud. You never miss a sports event, because you want them to know you’re there for them. But, being successful means your children are popular, and therefore have pretty big social circles…which means you are forever transporting their friends, too. So, how do you tell Jonny that Philip can come with as well, but because of a space problem, you are going to have to chop off his legs and stick them in the boot?

Well, put away those hacksaws, because I might very well have the solution. It’s called the Opel Vivaro, and I got to play taxi in it.
On the face of it, the Vivaro is a massive bus-thing, and to be brutally honest, I was slightly intimidated about leaving my post-box size car outside Auto House and driving away in the whole Post Office.

So, you open the driver’s door, and climb in – and for the first time in a long time, you will climb in, because you have to take at least two sizeable steps before you can hop onto the driver’s seat. The upside is an incredibly high and demanding driving position. You can see right around the front of the vehicle, which is pretty great.

On the inside you find three bench seats which can accommodate three people each, one in the front, middle and rear. I sat right in the back and can honestly say it felt like I was in a different time zone to the driver…there is so much flippin’ space inside.
On the gizmo front, there is the usual stuff. Electric windows for the driver and passenger, electric mirrors, satellite controls for the radio on the steering wheel, air-conditioning for both front and rear passengers and so on.

While driving the Vivaro, I was shocked to find that it isn’t much more difficult to manoeuvre than a double cab bakkie.
I found that in town the Vivaro lacked a bit of low down power, but it doesn’t take long to work your way round it. And once the turbo comes into play, it’s great. On the open road, if you keep the revs between the 2000 and 3000 range when the turbo is at its most effective, it is a treat to drive. And then came the biggest shock about the Vivaro. Sometimes I like to pick up a vehicle ‘blind’, when you don’t know a thing about the vehicle and try and work out what size engine it has and so on. Now in my mind I was playing with the idea that the Vivaro was about a 2.5 litre diesel, but only after I handed it back did I discover it was in fact a 1.9 liter diesel. The unit produces 74kW and 240Nm which doesn’t sound like much, but it’s the way it puts it down that is so astounding. The other plus point to a small diesel motor is great fuel economy, Opel claim a combined cycle of 7.7 litres per 100 kilometers.

So to keep the kids happy, tape Philip’s legs back on, and have a look at the Opel Vivaro.

Captiva The Moment

I’m lucky in the sense that I have a pretty functional relationship with my sibling. And for this reason she tags along quite a bit when it comes to taking new vehicles for a spin. So looking back at a couple of past articles I have written, I always seem to be quoting her opinion. And because of this, I fear that when that life altering phone call comes, offering me my ‘prefect’ job at some major publication, I’ll be asked to pass the phone to her.

So this week, to be different, I’ll start by telling you what she thought.

Megan has always had an eye for the Captiva, describing it as a perfect ‘mommy-mobile’. Now, I have always felt that the exterior has a ‘feminine’ feel to it, with its rounded rear end, accentuated hips and house-wife SUV front end. So, in all fairness, I took one for a spin.

I managed to get my hands on the 2.4 petrol, All-Wheel-Drive version with the five speed manual gearbox. This is the mid-range Captiva and more than likely the one most people will look at if considering one. With the new CO2 tax taken into account, this model of Captiva will have a price tag of around R350 000.

After two minutes in the car, I was already chewing the end of my tongue. It has the feminine practicality of a handbag, yes, but with regards to the way it feels, it’s about as feminine as a biltong slicer. This thing is just so macho! Highlights are the utilitarian handbrake, commanding driving position, chunky steering wheel laced with buttons for the cruise control and radio, comfortable and supportive leather seats and mechanically notchy gear change – I mean that in a good, manly, kind of way.

But then there is the Captiva’s party piece…two extra seats. See, competitors in this segment are almost strictly five-seaters. A third row of seats is available on some of them, but at a cost. On the Captiva, they are standard. Add to that, that they are in fact very good seats, with plently of leg room. Setting up, or storing the ‘spare’ seats can be done with one hand. Literally, all you do is pull a lever. Brilliant!

As for the drive, I found the Captiva’s 100kW and 220Nm ample, with a noticeably gooey blob of Torque available just after the 2300 rev mark…ideal for town.

The AWD (All Wheel Drive) system means the car feels planted. ABS, ESP and EBD are there to make sure you don’t wind up in a ditch. But if you do, there are driver, passenger, front and roof airbags!

The Captiva is a fantastic vehicle, and to close I’d like to mention one last little standout feature. You can open just the rear tailgate window without needing to open the whole tailgate. I thought you could maybe use it for fishing rods or something of that nature. My sister on the other hand decided it was for when the boot was full of shopping and other baggage. You simple open the window and place the last few items on top, that way everything else doesn’t fall out. Women, you know…

Spark…Bang!

I recently said that Chevrolet got it spot on when they named their latest four door sedan the Cruze, because it does just that, very well.

And after my tiny revelation, I thought maybe, in the future, you could judge a Chev by its name. But then they went and botched my new system by introducing the next generation Spark. You see, it isn’t really a Spark, but more of a Bang!

The thing about small cars is they generally aren’t things that dreams are made of. They’re somewhat like toothbrushes. They fill a need, not a desire. But occasionally you might find one that is different, a little mental, and breaks the conventional mould. The new Spark is a prime example…

The previous generation Spark was a fun little car, and still is. It lives on in the form of the Spark Lite, but that story can wait for another day. The thing about the old Spark is it always looked really small in comparison to its competitors. The upside was always, and still is that the old Spark remains very good value for money. The new one however is a whole lot bigger, and in every single way.

Let us start with the exterior styling. It is odd, but in a cute way. The front lights and grille are huge in comparison to the rest of the body, giving the little car a take-me-seriously look. From the side, it looks a little more ‘normal’, except for an interesting little feature. The rear door handles are incorporated into the frame of the door, which my sister described as ‘cool’.

That however is only where the ‘cool’ starts. The inside is where everything becomes really grown up. The dash has the same ‘v’ feel as the Cruze, which is nice. But it’s the stuff that’s splashed all over the dash that makes you wonder if you really are in a budget vehicle. The LS model has driver and passenger airbags, a CD player that is USB and MP3 compatible, front electric windows, a brilliant air-con, and such an upmarket feel. The instrument cluster is also an interesting bit of kit because it is made up of a round analogue dial for the Speedo, and a little digital readout for the fuel gauge, rev-counter, trip computer and clock. It’s odd, but works well with the funky feel of the car.

Then you stick the key in the ignition and fire up the all new engine. The new Spark has a 1.2 litre, four cylinder engine which manages to produce 60kW and 108Nm. What I really love about the Spark is it has a very throaty engine note which makes it sound incredibly zesty.

When it comes to stopping power, there is ABS with EBD and brake assist, and I can honestly say they work very well. They don’t feel dead. You can jump onto the breaks and feel very confident that the little car will come to a stop. The clutch pedal is incredibly light, but I reckon that will just add to the appeal when it comes to ‘dainty’ drivers. Driving, the Spark is great; it feels nimble and light on its feet.

The Spark really isn’t just a spark, but rather a small, big bang that could possibly reshape and dominate the small car market. It is a solid, well built car, and spec for spec brilliant value for money. From around the R 115 000 mark, I honestly can’t think why you wouldn’t look at it?

To My Dearest Readers (all 5 of you)

As you know, I am an aspiring Motoring Journalist. This Blog is my means of electronically saving everything I write, and it also gives other people the opportunity to read my work too.

During this process, I have needed to adapt and change my views on numerous occasions. Either because I have been proven horribly wrong, or because it is what the situation asked of me. With regard to the way I view cars, I have often needed to hold my tongue. You see, I write motoring reviews for small town newspapers, and if I were to shot down a vehicle a manufacturer was trying to sell, I’d probably cost the newspaper their advertiser…and me my job. Luckily, during this whole process I have been looking around for more ways of having my work published. And a couple of days ago I stumbled across a great opportunity. A web-based magazine, driversa.co.za has agreed to publish some of my work. They encourage their writers to be honest…

So, up to now all the articles I have published on my blog have been sugar coated, well to an extent. Okay wait, I haven’t driven any really awful vehicles, matter of fact, they’ve all been really good…until about two weeks ago when I got behind the wheel of a Mahindra Thar. This is what I really thought of it…

Mahindra Thar – I can’t think of anything horrible enough for the heading!

The Thar, Mahindra’s take on the classical Willy’s Jeep, has been named after one of the largest deserts in India. I find this incredibly fitting, because you are going to want to abandon this vehicle smack in the middle of it, and leave it to erode away.

I live in a small town in the middle of Mpumulanga, which means I am part of the stereotypical crowd which descends on the coast every time someone mentions the word ‘holiday’. To us, 4x4s and bakkies are religion, and rank as high as biltong and beer in priority. So I was really impressed when I found out about the Thar. I thought here a manufacturer has seen a niche market, and they are going to have it all to themselves. I mean the only thing that comes close is the Jeep Wrangler, and that starts at just under R300 000! Sadly though, they botched it royally!

Firstly, the dealer didn’t have the vehicle ready for collection when I got there, and had to get it off the floor. A floor that was packed to capacity, and while getting the Thar out, they managed to prank two of their brand new bakkies. What followed was a sudden case of Turrets…aimed in my direction! How was this my fault!?

Finally I was handed the keys and told to just go. So I did. I can tell you that I wanted to like this vehicle, but it was horrid. Let’s start with the roof, which comes off in a mere hour, give or take, and only needs a blowtorch to be removed. It is attached to the body by means of screws, and Velcro strapping keeps it attached to the roll cage.
When have you ever heard anyone say they love their convertible, but unscrewing the roof was a bit of a pain!
It gets worse, there are gaps everywhere which I image turns the damn thing into a great big parachute, talk about useless aerodynamics. Luckily, the one they gave me to drive already had the roof taken off.

There is no interior, and they’ve had to bend the gear lever back, so you don’t put a hole through the dash when changing into 1st, 3rd, or 5th. This also means changing into 2nd and 4th almost entails climbing through to the back just to find the gears.
The suspension set up has been stolen off an ox wagon, and makes the whole thing creek and feel really uneasy off road. On the road, it just sort of flops about. The 2.5 liter diesel engine produces 78kW and 247Nm. There’s no turbo lag, the turbo is either on or off, and if you are busy cornering, the back will spin out and send you plummeting down an embankment to your death. Oh, there is no ABS, there are no airbags, matter of fact, there is nothing…so you will die.

And the final nail in the coffin, the price. This bag of miserable, preempted death will set you back R170 000. If I were Jeremy Clarkson, I would have blown it up, and sent the bits back to Mahindra with a note that read, “Look, I made it better.”