Youthful exuberance:  Ideal for first time buyers or someone looking for a runabout

By Ali Mphaki

Let not your hearts be troubled that four new Toyota Vitz units will buy you one base model Toyota Quantum 2.8 GL LWB which retails at R840…

Further be not dismayed that the new Toyota Vitz will cost you slightly more than the Suzuki Celerio – even though they have everything identical except the badge – a result of an innovative collaboration called the Toyota-Suzuki alliance.

Believe what the Japanese manufacturer tells you when they say the Vitz is currently the cheapest Toyota sold in South Africa.

Never quite understood why the price disparity between the Celerio and the Vitz, except my suspicion is that Toyota is pulling rank…

The Vitz is a Toyota not a Suzuki, right?

The Vitz is the latest entrant in the budget small car market and offered in three derivatives, namely the Toyota Vitz 1.0 M from R189 900, Toyota Vitz 1.0 XR from R219 900, and the Toyota Vitz 1.0 XR AMT  from R239 900.  We had the XR model in manual transmission for test recently and were smitten, both by its handling and drinking manners.

Come to think of it, unlike most of its peers in the sub-compact segment, the Vitz model in RX guise is no ugly duckling, offered in a curvier looking package with pronounced teardrop headlights and tail lights lending it that youthful exuberance.

We were pleasantly impressed by its high roofline, colour-matched door handles and side mirrors.

If its 15-inch gunmetal grey alloy wheels could be compared with anything else, it would be the shoes with the Cavela label. The wheels help accentuate the Vitz’s overall modern and fit for purpose looks as can be seen in its surprisingly spacious interior which can accomodatee five mid-sized adults, for short trips, and the boot area at 295 litres.

 A 14-inch infotainment screen welcomes you on board and for your driving comfort the steering wheel is heigh adjustable. Front window switches, four cup holders, four speakers, all conspire to make for an enjoyable driving experience as propelled by its brisk 1.0 litre, non-turbo, three-cylinder petrol engine producing 49 kW and 89 Nm.

Weighing 820 kg the Vitz makes those U-turns a breeze and you’d have no problem when it comes to parking whatever the space. The clutch felt soft and light though in heavy traffic the Vitz seem to revel at those change downs enjoying those revvs.

Living with the Vitz for seven days – try as I may – was not enough for me to finish its 37-litre petrol tank.

Lesson learnt: Frugality is the best form of mobility.

MOTORING:

Briefs

BIG THREE ENGAGE AUTO WORKERS

Talks between Chrysler parent Stellantis and the United Auto Workers were continuing late on Friday afternoon as they engage in intensive bargaining to try to reach a labor contract deal to end a six-week-old strike while more talks with General Motors are expected.

Ford Motor on Wednesday was the first of Detroit’s Big Three car manufacturers to negotiate an agreement to settle strikes joined by 45,000 Detroit Three auto workers since mid-September. The deal will likely set a pattern for new UAW contracts with GM and Stellantis.

Both GM and Stellantis have as expected agreed to match Ford on key economic terms including the 25% wage hike, but some final crucial issues including the use of temporary workers remained a key point of contention, the sources said. There was still no settlement as of 5 p.m. EDT, sources said.

EV TARGETS UNREALISTIC

With signs of growing inventory and slowing sales, auto industry executives admitted this week that their ambitious electric vehicle plans are in jeopardy, at least in the near term.

Several C-Suite leaders at some of the biggest carmakers this week voiced fresh unease about the electric car market’s growth as concerns over the viability of these vehicles put their multi-billion-dollar electrification strategies at risk. Among the surprising hand-wringing is GM’s Mary Barra, historically one of the automotive industry’s most bullish CEOs on the future of electric vehicles.

But this week Barra and GM struck a more sober tone the company announced with its quarterly results that it’s abandoning its targets to build 100,000 EVs in the second half or this year and another 400,000 by the first six months of 2024. GM doesn’t know anymore when it will hit those targets.

JAC HITS THE ROAD

JAC Motors South Africa has confirmed the local arrival of its new T9 flagship double-cab bakkie line-up. Revealed at the 2020 Beijing Auto Show, the T9 was originally scheduled to hit local roads in early 2022.

The T9 range comprises both 4×2 and 4×4 configurations, in either Lux or Super Lux trim and slots in above the current T6 and T8 portfolios. The Chinese bakkie measures 5 330 mm long, 1 965 mm wide and 1 920 mm tall, with 3 110 mm separating its axles (that makes it 80 mm shorter overall than the double-cab GWM P-Series, with a wheelbase that is 120 mm shorter). The T9 offers a maximum braked towing capacity of 3 500 kg and a payload of 1 000 kg. The new T9 is powered by a 4-cylinder, 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine that generates 125 kW and 410 Nm, and is exclusively paired with an an 8-speed automatic transmission sourced from ZF (with driving modes such as Sport, Normal, Eco and Snow).

ONE MORE THING….

More than 1.6 million UK motorists over the age of 55 have driven while over the limit, a study suggests. Research by Direct Line Motor Insurance also found that the problem could be more widespread, with a further 3.6 million drivers in the age group admitting they thought they could have been over the limit while behind the wheel. The main reason given for driving under the influence was that the trip was only over a short distance, with 1.2 million of those aged over 55 using the excuse.

The research, carried out in partnership with Opinium, suggested that many people still do not understand the impact alcohol has on their body. Just over 1 million drivers older than 55 said they believed men could drink more than women and be safe to drive, when in reality it is down to a variety of factors such as weight, medications and diet.

A further 1 million over 55s believe eating a large meal before driving would negate the effects of alcohol and 552,000 believe that older people are safer drivers and that it is therefore less dangerous if they drink and drive.

Analysis of Department for Transport (DfT) data by Direct Line has revealed 26 per cent of all road accidents in 2017 (45,500 out of 175,000) involved older drivers.   Commenting on the figures, Steve Barrett, head of motor insurance at Direct Line, said: “It is clear that younger drivers are not the only offenders when it comes to drink driving.