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#Trending car expert Justus Visagie gives us the best and worst rides he tested this year. And it looks as though 4x4s were the real winners.
Best of the best
This was one of Mzansi’s most anticipated vehicles of the last three years.
It’s a fantasy come true: South Africa’s favourite body type – the double cab – with the ability to travel fast over any terrain. Some commentators were disappointed that it doesn’t get up to speed as quickly as the US’s F-150 Raptor, but the mild performance of “our” Ranger Raptor does have the advantage of lower fuel consumption. At speed in the veld or on crumbling roads, its advanced racing dampers (shock absorbers) and off-road tyres dismiss ruts, stones and potholes ... at over R25 000 per damper, you would certainly hope so.
They are standard equipment and should last for many years, though.
In second place
Mitsubishi Triton 2.4L DI-DC A/T double cab 4x4 (R599 995)
With the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger and Isuzu D-Max at each other’s throats in the monthly sales charts, the brilliant Triton gets lost in the noise sometimes.
What makes it great? It has a unique 4x4 system that’s more versatile than competitors’; a smooth, quiet engine that carefully sips diesel; a comfortable interior; a plush ride; seven airbags; and uncommon styling – all at a fairly reasonable price (the 4x2 manual is R520 000).
Highly commended
The new Toyota Quantum 2.8 GL Bus 11-S (R618 700) for its build quality, refinement and surprising dose of driving pleasure.
Worst
Nissan NP300 Hardbody 2.5TDi Double Cab 4x4 (R445 600)
There’s good and bad news about the Nissan NP300. The good news is it refuses to die. The bad news: it refuses to die.
On the one hand, it’s as tough as RuPaul’s nails, so it doesn’t break. On the other, Nissan refuses to pull the plug on its production.
Born in the previous millennium, it is now very much out of date, and not just in terms of its body style – in a collision the cabin is likely to collapse.
Said cabin also offers hardly any space for storing a cellphone or house keys anywhere within arm’s length of the driver. The engine runs way too fast in fifth gear at 120km/h, so you’ll beg the old gods and the new to send you a sixth.
Its only redeeming feature: Nissan SA exports a bunch, earning us some foreign currency.
You get all this hardship at the not insignificant purchase price of R445 600.
For heaven’s sake, buy one of these instead if you need an entry-level double cab 4x4:
- GWM Steed 5 Double Cab 2.0 VGT 4x4 SX (R274 900)
- Isuzu D-Max 2.5 TD Hi-Rider (R460 100)
- Ford Ranger 2.2 TDCi Double Cab XL 6MT 4x4 HR (R470 200)
