Latest news with #VolkswagenSA
IOL News
12-05-2025
- Automotive
- IOL News
REVIEW: Volkswagen Touareg R-Line is brilliant, but destined to struggle at the price point
The Touareg R-Line has a punchy TDI engine, cushy air suspension and luxurious cabin. Image: Jason Woosey A genuine contender in the luxury SUV space, the Volkswagen Touareg has been around for 23 years, and is now in its third generation. In the latter half of 2024, Volkswagen SA introduced the facelifted version of this third-gen model, first released internationally in 2018, and it brings a more luxurious and tech-savvy cabin. But with pricing pegged at R1,491,300 for the Elegance variant and R1,799,200 for the flagship R-Line that we recently had on test, it is somewhat expensive, going toe-to-toe with a glut of premium-brand SUVs. For what it's worth, you can pick up a new BMW X5 3.0D M-Sport for R1,828,000 or a Mercedes GLE 300d AMG Line for R1,931,800, while the Audi Q7 and Porsche Cayenne models, which the VW shares its platform with, start at R1,958,000 and R2,049,000 respectively. Granted, the VeeDub undercuts its main rivals then, but not by a huge margin. The facelifted model doesn't look too different from its predecessor at first glance, but it has gained a number of model-specific design changes at the front end, highlighted by snazzy new high-definition Matrix LED headlights, featuring interactive LEDs that can mask the area facing oncoming traffic. Round back it gains new LED taillight clusters with dynamic turn signals, and the lights are now connected by a horizontal strip. Interior and functionality Inside there's a new dual-screen cockpit as well as improved materials and a 30-colour ambient lighting system with adjustable colour settings across three zones. The new trims and materials complement an already classy interior that can hold its own among most of its luxurious rivals, while the high-definition screens, featuring modern and crisp graphics, lend a more modern and high-tech feel. The redesigned cockpit boasts large dual screens. Image: Supplied On the downside, this 'clean' new design has eliminated most of the physical controls on the dashboard and functions like the climate control must now be operated via the screen. That being said, there are permanent shortcuts to the climate functions and overall the central screen is fairly user-friendly. The haptic touch-slider controls on the steering wheel do feel a tad finicky, though. Volkswagen has also improved the voice control system and the USB-C ports now have a charging capacity of 45 watts. Standard equipment includes electrically adjustable leather seats, but you will have to pay extra for niceties like the Travel Assist Package, which adds semi-automated driving capability, as well as the Area View Camera and Night Vision system. The Touareg is a large vehicle, with an overall length of 4,878mm and a 2,904mm wheelbase. This is enough to ensure spacious seating for five occupants as well as a huge boot, which boasts a capacity of 810 litres. What's it like to drive the new Touareg? As before, power comes from the Volkswagen Group's silky-smooth 3.0-litre TDI turbodiesel motor, paired with an eight-speed automatic gearbox. With 190kW and 600Nm on command, it provides punchy, effortless performance that's unlikely to leave many owners wanting more. But most impressive is the fuel economy. Volkswagen claims a combined average of 7.8 litres per 100km but our car's long-term trip computer showed an average of 7.5 l/100km over 2,000km. However, my week-long test drive saw a figure of 9.9 l/100km as much of the driving was on urban routes, but that is still commendable under the circumstances. The Touareg boasts a clean design, but fails to stand out in the segment. Image: Jason Woosey With a 90 litre fuel tank, including reserve, the Touareg boasts a theoretical range of over 1,100km between refuels. Out on the road, the well-insulated Touareg is really quiet, and the air suspension system, which is standard on the R-Line, dishes up a cushy ride quality despite the fitment of 21-inch alloy wheels. The latter are an option, with 20' rims featuring as standard. The Touareg R-Line also comes with rear-wheel steering, which assists with low-speed manoeuvring as well as high-speed handling, but all round it's more of a comfortable than sporty drive. Like its BMW X5 rival, there is no low-range gearing for off-road excursions, but with 4Motion all-wheel drive and a ground clearance of 215mm, the Touareg is perfectly fine for milder off-road excursions. VERDICT The Volkswagen Touareg is brilliant in almost every respect, from its luxurious interior to its refined road manners and gutsy but economical diesel engine. But with a mainstream badge on its bonnet and a price that pitches it close to a glut of premium SUV products, the underrated Touareg is likely to remain a relatively rare sight on our roads. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel IOL
IOL News
05-05-2025
- Automotive
- IOL News
Suzuki Swift leads SA car market again in April as buyers shift to more affordable models
The Suzuki Swift was South Africa's top-selling passenger car in April Image: Supplied Despite a whirlwind of uncertainty collectively spun by US President Donald Trump's trade war, and South Africa's 2025 Budget impasse, the local new vehicle market showed remarkable resilience in April. According to Naamsa, new vehicle sales totalled 42,401 units, an increase of 11.9%, versus the 37,899 units sold in April 2024. This was in spite of fewer selling days, owing to the configuration of public holidays this year. This followed a strong performance in March, which was the industry's best sales month in two years. As has become the norm, passenger vehicle sales led the growth curve, increasing by 16.9% to 30,101 units last month, while light commercial vehicles grew by 3.2% to a total of 9,654. Medium commercial vehicles, at 629 units, grew by 10.2%, while the heavies decreased by 11.1% to 1,710 units. The Suzuki Swift enjoyed a stellar sales month, surging past the 2,000 mark once again to dominate the passenger car market, ahead of the Toyota Corolla Cross (1,584) and Hyundai Grand i10 (1,425). With Volkswagen SA having temporarily shut its Kariega plant to tool up for its new compact SUV, which you can check out over here, the Polo Vivo, a regular front runner, fell to fourth place, at 1,366 units. 2024 Ford Ranger Platinum Ford's Ranger leads the double cab market. Image: Supplied On the bakkie front, the Toyota Hilux (2,780 units) led the Ford Ranger (1,728) and Isuzu D-Max (1,108). As an interesting aside, Ford SA announced recently that it led the double cab market in the first three months of 2025, with its quarter-one volume of 5,193 units outpacing the Hilux by 534 units. In that time, Ford grew its double cab volume by 1.5%. South Africa's 50 Best-Selling Vehicles: April 2025 Toyota Hilux - 2,780 Suzuki Swift - 2,053 Ford Ranger - 1,728 Toyota Corolla Cross - 1,584 Hyundai Grand i10 - 1,425 Volkswagen Polo Vivo - 1,366 Suzuki Fronx - 1,186 Chery Tiggo 4 Pro - 1,133 Isuzu D-Max - 1,108 Haval Jolion - 973 Toyota Starlet - 905 Toyota Starlet Cross - 834 Kia Sonet - 812 Suzuki Ertiga - 778 Volkswagen Polo - 768 Mahindra Scorpio Pik-Up - 654 Toyota Fortuner - 606 Omoda C5 - 588 Toyota Hi-Ace - 571 Toyota Urban Cruiser - 539 Mahindra XUV 3XO - 515 GWM P-Series - 497 Renault Kiger - 470 Nissan Magnite - 449 Toyota Rumion - 448 Toyota Vitz - 433 Chery Tiggo 7 Pro - 427 Suzuki Baleno - 420 Toyota Land Cruiser PU - 417 Hyundai Exter - 381 Volkswagen T-Cross - 362 Renault Triber - 357 Jetour Dashing - 334 Suzuki Jimny - 319 Suzuki S-Presso - 316 Ford Everest - 311 Renault Kwid - 300 Hyundai i20 - 295 Nissan Navara - 293 Hyundai Venue - 285 Ford Territory - 257 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado - 257 Volkswagen Amarok - 254 Haval H6 - 246 Jetour X70 Plus - 239 Suzuki Eeco - 233 Foton Tunland G7 - 212 Volkswagen Polo Sedan - 208 Volkswagen Tiguan - 207 Suzuki Celerio - 202 In the manufacturer's ranking, Suzuki surged to second place with an impressive 5,977 units, from Volkswagen's 3,873 units, while Toyota led the way overall with sales of 10,363 vehicles. Toyota - 10,363 Suzuki Auto - 5,977 Volkswagen - 3,973 Hyundai - 3,007 Ford - 2,398 GWM SA - 1,943 Chery Auto - 1,852 Isuzu - 1,383 Renault - 1,281 Mahindra - 1,278 'Despite global economic headwinds and a relatively short trading month, the local auto sector, once again, delivered solid numbers, a pleasant surprise to even the most avid industry observers,' said Brandon Cohen, Chairperson of the National Automobile Dealers' Association (NADA). 'The growth in the LCV segment is especially encouraging, pointing to an economy that is in better shape than one would surmise,' Cohen added.
