Quick group test

MAHINDRA XUV500/JMC / TIGGO/GWM H5

East to Eden As the rand leaches all value out of European imports, South F THE IDEA is to shift numbers Africans will increasingly look to of people while riding relatively China and India for their . We high, then a soft roader is the way find out if the East can offer SUV I to go. Add a budget ceiling of salvation. R270k and you have a field of four. Chery Tiggo 1.6VVT JMC Landwind 5 Mahindra XUV500 CDRe W4 GWM H5 2.4 City

What is its pedigree? What is its pedigree? What is its pedigree? What is its pedigree? Chery is a state-owned Chinese company. The Tiggo, have a reputation for partnerships, The Mumbai-based company, big in tractors sees the Around globally since 1984, intends around since 2006, started life looking first with , more recently with , Ford and XUV as its breakthrough , an SUV that the H5 to be the company’s first truly global SUV, remarkably like a second- Changan. The Landwind 5 is, say the can play with the established having been safety rated for Europe and Australia, generation Toyota RAV4. It hasn’t company, 100 per cent original. The brands. Mahindra have some albeit with low scores. Its 2.4-litre engine is Mitsubishi strayed too far from that fact that it looks like a Hyundai form in this market – the derived, and there is more than a passing aesthetic since then. iX35 is beside the point. Scorpio is now a decent buy. resemblance to the old Isuzu Trooper.

What do I get under the What do I get under the What do I get under the What do I get under the bonnet? bonnet? bonnet? bonnet? That Mitsubishi 2.4-litre mill is A 1.6-litre VVT unit, The 1997cc turbocharged An in-house 2.2-litre strong and reliable, no problems essentially a Toyota engine, petrol is a decent little turbodiesel engine that puts there, although fuel consumption is meant to rev freely and Lots of grey hummer, at home on the out a respectable 103kW with Seven seater heavy. On the road the H5 is achieve respectable fuel plastic, plenty of highway and acceptably quiet Familiar? Toyota 330Nm of torque. That torque is folds down for composed and quiet, exhibiting an space RAV owners say serious storage consumption. It revs freely enough, and refinement is good – noise is yup the important part – plenty of unexpected level of refinement. but is lethargic and the consumption is minimal at the legal limit and the multi- pulling power and a degree of no great shakes, due mainly to the car’s weight. link suspension adds to the sense of Zen. sophistication lacking in other Indian units. And inside? Is it gruesome? Any toys at all? And inside? Is it gruesome? Any toys at all? And inside? Is it gruesome? Any toys at all? And inside? Is it gruesome? Any toys at all? Not award-winning exactly (this is the base Leatherette predominates, unconvincingly stitched Not gruesome at all. In fact you’ll think you’re in that Not at all. In fact it looks generically Korean, which is a model), but not gruesome either. Stitching is better together and the grey sea of plastic that is the dash is a Hyundai iX35, so familiar are the swoops and good thing. Quality is hugely improved and the list of than most Chinese products, there’s no horrible glue little depressing. Still, there are toys, including Bluetooth, switchgear. There’s central locking, parking sensors, standard equipment, even in base model W4 guise will smell (as per most Chinese cars) and plenty of space hill-start assistance and steering wheel controls for auto mirrors and CD audio with an auxiliary port make the Japanese and Koreans, let alone the and some toys, including an infotainment screen, sound. Air-con a little feeble. among other things. Europeans, blush. climate control, Bluetooth and alloy wheels. For R5k CONTINUED…

36 TOPCAR.CO.ZA | March 2016 March 2016 | TOPCAR.CO.ZA 37 Quick group test

CONTINUED… Chery Tiggo 1.6VVT JMC Landwind 5 Mahindra XUV500 CDRe W4 GWMH5 2.4 City So truthfully now – what are the safety issues? So truthfully now – what are the safety issues? So truthfully now – what are the safety issues? So truthfully now – what are the safety issues? Tiggo made headlines with bad marks in testing in the Not too bad here, JMC aware of global standards. Two ABS, EBD, xenon headlights, two airbags and a high rear It comes standard with ABS, EBD and a typical-for Asia previous model. No side airbags yet but you get two front airbags up front, as well as ABS and EBD. A high mounted third brake light. The side and curtain airbags are only two airbags (up front). The car managed a four-star airbags, EBD with stability control, as well as ABS. brake light helps in fog and traffic. to be had higher up the model range. rating in Australia’s ANCAP system.

Basic interior, Paradigm shift quality not up to here; quality Decent seats, the standards of Like we said, impressive, massive steering the Mahindra or don’t mention the kit equally wheel, feels old GWM Hyundai ix35 comprehensive fashioned

Do I get a warranty? Do I get a warranty? Do I get a warranty? Do I get a warranty? A 5-year/120 000km warranty and a 3-year/75 000km Yes indeed, a 3-year/100 000km warranty and a You do. A good one. A warranty of five years or A 5-year/100 000km warranty and an optional 5- service plan. Five years of roadside assistance too. 2-year/60 000km service plan. 150000km and a service plan of five years or 100000km. year/60 000km service plan (R7900).

What about servicing? Parts? What about servicing? Parts? What about servicing? Parts? What about servicing? Parts? Chery, part of the larger McCarthy Group, have 28 JMC make and sell predominantly trucks and bakkies, South African numbers are still too small for the XUV to GWM has a well-earned reputation for good service in dealerships or service centres around the country, so with the Landwind the sole ‘luxury’ passenger offering. be notable in a JD Power survey, but in 2015 data from the outlying areas, thanks to that strong bakkie backup is pretty solid. From various reports, servicing That’s good or bad, depending on the dealer. Reports India placed Mahindra top. Here, parts and servicing presence. In the city, reports are good too, with a is generally good, with pockets of excellence in Pretoria, suggest service quality varies depending on dealers – has a good rep, with a 5000sq.m parts warehouse in well-organised parts distribution service coming in for Somerset West and Kimberley. with Pietermaritzburg coming in for high praise. Gauteng and an overnight service to dealerships. most praise.

Will I be laughed at? Will I be laughed at? Will I be laughed at? Will I be laughed at? No, but you won’t be looked at either, the Tiggo being as No, but you’ll spend a lot of time explaining what it is Definitely not. The XUV is gaining a reputation for No, GWM have moved on from being an unknown generic as it’s possible to be. Its usefully higher seating you’re driving. Which is a decent, if generic soft-roader relative soiphistication and dynamically it’s good quantity. You’ll be doing the laughing if you manage to position will win it many friends. that is the sum of a whole lot of historic parts. enough to be discussed as a Korean alternative. catch the R55 000-off sticker price special (ask nicely).

Verdict Verdict Verdict Verdict It makes little sense in town because of its lethargic No it’s not a knock-off Hyundai even if it looks and feels Signals India’s intent to compete seriously in the SUV A solid workhorse, well suited to South African nature, but on the platteland, especially on dirt roads, it like it. An accomplished SUV at a very attractive price, market. Could be its game-changer and is most conditions, comfortable too. The 2.4 is a thirsty beast is a decent contender, thanks to the absorbant one that is most at home on the tar, but good enough on certainly worthy of a test drive, even if you’re but bulletproof, and interiors are decently put suspension and comfortable ride. the dirt to make it a all-round contender. considering paying substantially more for that SUV. together and acceptably kitted out.

Final verdict In a market where the most popular soft roaders start at R300k the appeal of a car that apparently does everything for considerably less, is understandable. And traditional excuses as to why buyers CHERY TIGGO 1.6VVT wouldn’t ‘go there’ are fewer than even a couple of years ago. > Price R234 900 > Engine 1 598cc, 4cyl Quality is improved across the board, vehicles are safer, better to petrol, 93kW/160Nm > Gearbox 5-speed manual, front-wheel drive drive and should last longer. On that basis the Mahindra must win > Performance 12.6secs 0-100kph, this comparison, the XUV a far better car than its price suggests. 165kph, 8.6ℓ/100km, 201g/km CO2 > Weight 1 343kg > On sale Now The GWM H5 and JMC Landwind tie for second, primarily for their space and warranty, with the JMC Landwind impressing on features too. The Tiggo, based on its ageing platform, feels sluggish and is not cheap enough to make a case for itself in this company. JMC LANDWIND 5 > Price R269 880 > Engine 1 997cc, 4cyl turbo, 140kW/250Nm > Gearbox 6-speed automatic, front-wheel drive > Performance 11secs 0-100kph, 185kph, 8.5ℓ/100km, 201g/km CO2 > Weight 1 580kg > On sale Now

MAHINDRA XUV500 CDRE W4 > Price R262 995 > Engine 2 179cc, 4cyl turbodiesel, 103kW/330Nm GWM H5 2.4 CITY > Gearbox 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive > Price R244 900 > Engine 2 378cc, 4cyl petrol, > Performance 10secs 0-100kph, 185kph, 100kW/200Nm > Gearbox 5-speed manual, 6.5ℓ/100km, 171g/km CO2 > Weight 1 840kg rear-wheel drive > Performance 12.2secs > On sale Now 0-100kph, 165kph, 10.3ℓ/100km, 242g/km CO2 > Weight 1 725kg > On sale Now

38 TOPCAR.CO.ZA | March 2016