DieselDrive Magazine

HYUNDAI H1 2.5 CRDI PANEL VAN   It’s not often that we test commercial vehicles, but considering how highly the H1 Bus with the same engine is rated by us, it was almost a given that the Panel Van would be equally impressive. With considerably less weight to carry around, the 2.5-litre diesel engine’s 392 [...]

MITSUBISHI ASX 2.0 HIGH   With Mitsubishi Motors in South Africa changing “ownership” from Mercedes-Benz to the Imperial Group, the brand renowned for its off-road achievements will probably start to perform much better in the local market – that’s if the Imperial group can get some exciting new product and keep the pricing right, of [...]

JEEP COMPASS   After having disappeared for a year or two on the international market, JEEP re-launched its baby Compass range locally in August with great new “baby Grand” looks, touting it as the answer to everyone shopping in the “soft-roader” segment. Featuring front wheel drive instead of four (in a JEEP?) the Compass, which [...]

VOLKSWAGEN JETTA 1.6 TDI COMFORTLINE   Volkswagen’s latest Jetta might not be a dramatically designed car, but it is definitely striking in its maturity. With top-notch quality inside and out, it’s a car that’s very difficult to fault in any way. The 1.6-litre TDI engine provides a diesel entry-point for the range, combining a great [...]

FIAT PANDA YOUNG   Fiat gave it’s ageing Panda a slight refresh and repositioned it lower down the food chain to offer something for the first-time buyer. It’s a solid little car that’s really quite fun to drive, although a few minor things irritated (like the electric windows’ switches on the centre console). But while [...]

TOYOTA COROLLA 1.6 ADVANCED AT   You’d think that after the 1.3 Impact, my taste for the Toyota Corolla would have dwindled to nothing. But no, the 1.6 Advanced was handed over a few weeks later and, in this model at least, my faith was slightly restored. Much nicer to drive and with decent power [...]

SUZUKI ALTO 1.0 GLS   Arguably one of the cutest cars I drove this year, the Suzuki Alto was a heap of fun. Cheap to buy and cheap to run, and with its three-cylinder off-beat engine hum and chuckable dynamics, I enjoyed its character. It’s a little cramped for taller drivers but the bucket-looking seats [...]

CHRYSLER 300C SRT8 There aren’t many people I know who are fans of true American cars like Chryslers. Those who are swear by them, but those who hold on to their German cars wouldn’t even look at something American. In the case of the 300C SRT8, they would be making a mistake – I simply [...]

SUZUKI SWIFT SPORT Suzuki’s return to South Africa has been a success story of note, with especially the funky Swift making big inroads in its segment with its value proposition. The Swift Sport is the funkiest version of the car, and in the process loses the back doors, gets a styling tweak and some low [...]

MAZDA CX-7 2.3 TURBO INDIVIDUAL Mazda’s CX-7 strikes quite a pose on the road, combining the size and higher ride height of an SUV with the sporty lines we’ve come to appreciate from Mazda. With a plush interior and decent standard specification, it appears to be the perfect car with which to tackle suburbian bliss, [...]