WeeklySA_AdminCHARMER: he head-turning five-door Suzuki embraces adventure and style both on an off the beaten path
By Ali Mphaki
Time was when Soweto sneezes the whole of South Africa catches a cold. These days the first thing to strike you as you enter South Africa’s most populiticus township is the huge Grand Pa advert adorning the twin Orlando Power towers, somewhat portending that you now entering a place where you need your head to be properly screwed up.
In this vibrant, yet brooding abode of over five million inhabitants or so, here most of life happens in the streets.
The streets, yes children of Soweto own the streets. This is where ambition and poverty collides. Aspirations and dreams clash. The stage where Kleva and bari meet in a head-on collision; History is replete with epochal events which took place in the streets of this cacophonous city, said to be the largest township in South Africa.
True, Soweto’s landscape still spots a preponderance of the original four-roomed houses dotting the township, but these are fast being fazed out due to residents’ enterprising spirit by extending their tiny homes, erecting back rooms etc.
Double-storey homes sprouting out like almonds on a Magnum ice cream stick can also be seen standing cheek by jowl with shacks, changing the face of Soweto forever.
But if anything, a common thread among Sowetans is their love of the good things in life – beautiful cars, beautiful houses, etc.
Ladies and gentleman introducing the latest Suzuki 5-door.
And when it landed in my Soweto office the other day, save to say it immediately drew the attention of both friend and foe. Sowetans know a good thing when they see one.
But first the hue. Suzuki calls it lime metal. Its a colour you cannot miss, bright and lovely, which suits this small SUV like a glove to hand. A neighbour Tokyo Nkone jokingly refers to the colour as popular children snack called Drink’O’Pop!
Now in its 4th generation, noticeable with the arrival of the Suzuki Jimny 5-Door is the primary difference over its 3-door sibling of 340 mm extension in its wheelbase.
Most pundits agree that the extension addresses its one glaring flaw: practicality or lack thereof.
This means more cabin space as well as boot space, as was practically seen when all five adult members of the family easily fitted in the small SUV on our way to church the other day. However, the vehicle is more practical with four adults in acabin space which is now rated at 211 litres, an increase of 126 litres over the 3-door version. Fold the rear seats down and you gain over 1 100 litres of cargo-carrying capacity.
It may be that Soweto does not offer a practical 4×4 driving experience, but the Suzuki Jimny 5-door seemed unfazed as it negotiated those endless speed humps on our roads. It also just glided over some of the water-logged bridges due to the recent incessant rains with alacrity, the ride made more assuredly thanks to its high ground clearance which gives that master of all you survey kinda feeling.
A part-time 4-wheel drive system with a low-range transfer case, as well as hill-descent control, adds to the vehicle’s safety features.
Coming in three trim levels,
Jimny 5-door 1.5 GLX Manual – R457 900,
Jimny 5-door 1.5 GLX Auto – R479 900, and
Jimny 5-door 1.5 GLX Auto – R479 900, all models come with the latest trappings like Automatic LED projector headlamps with washers,9-inch touchscreen infotainment, Cruise control, Automatic climate control, 6 airbags, Front fog lights, Electrically fold in mirrors, Leather covered steering wheel, etc.
Doing a sterling job under the bonnet as we criss-crossed the potholed streets of Soweto is a K15B 1.5-litre naturally aspirated motor with 75 kW and 130 Nm on offer. Our Jimny 5-Door GLX was quite frugal, consuming just 6.4 L/100 km. Suzuki says the auto is a touch thirstier at 6.7 L/100 km.
No doubt the Suzuki Jimny 5-door is a charmer, judging by so many necks and heads it turned in its wake.
It also won me many friends, notwithstanding gender, a testament of Suzuki’s proven popularity locally, with over 11 000 of their units finding homes in our market since its introduction in 2018.
In Soweto, Suzuki has a home.
Motoring: Briefs
MAN MARRIES PORSCHE
A middle-aged man has taken the bold step of marrying his Porsche 911. Despite closing off his heart to feelings after believing he could never truly find love, the man soon realised he had developed a deep well of emotion for an inanimate box of metal and oil long worshipped by the motoring community. What originally began as a mid-life crisis purchase many years ago very quickly snowballed into the most meaningful relationship the man has ever experienced.
“I’ve never before been lucky in love,” the man admitted, “so when I bought the 911 to compensate for my lack of human partnership and advancing years and fears of irrelevance, I wasn’t expecting to be whisked off into a wonderland of rear-engined affection.”
“It eventually drew me headfirst into an ocean of love I felt unable to escape from. The man later admitted the honeymoon would be a trip to a Porsche specialist where he planned on spending his retirement fund on upgrading the engine and fitting Fuchs wheels.-TopGear
BUYERS AND SELLERS
The January 2025 new passenger car market at 34,530 units had registered an increase of 5,349 cars, or a gain of 18,3%, compared to the 29,181 new cars sold in January 2024. Car rental sales accounted for a sound 19,1%, or one out of five new passenger vehicles sales during the month.
Domestic sales of new light commercial vehicles, bakkies and mini-buses at 9,901 units during January 2025 had recorded a decrease of 993 units, or a loss of 9,1%, from the 10,894 light commercial vehicles sold during January 2024.
Sales for medium and heavy truck segments of the industry reflected a mixed performance in January 2025 at 569 units and 1,398 units, respectively, recording an increase of 59 units, or 11,6%, from the 510 units sold in January 2024 in the case of medium commercial vehicles, and, in the case of heavy trucks and buses a decrease of 40 vehicles, or 2,8%, compared to the 1,438 units sold in the corresponding month last year.
A SPANNER IN THE WORKS
South Africa exports vehicles worth about R35-billion every year, many to the United States under a trade deal now in jeopardy as President Donald Trump piles pressure on the country. “
I don’t think that South Africa has got a chance of the renewal” of the African Growth and Opportunity Act, said Neil Diamond, president of the South African Chamber of Commerce in the United States.
Known as AGOA, the trade deal offers preferential access to the US market for many African countries. The arrangement means Washington charges no tariffs on cars imported from South Africa.
That deal has bolstered the South African auto industry. Vehicles account for 22% of South Africa’s exports to the United States, worth R33-billion behind only precious metals, according to government statistics. Seven big automakers operate in South Africa: BMW, Ford, Isuzu, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Toyota and Volkswagen.
HIGH DEMAND FOR BMW X3
The new BMW X3 has been met with overwhelming demand from South African customers, with all available stock either sold or on order.
Of this undisclosed figure, around 10% of sales comprise the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) BMW X3 30e xDrive, underscoring a growing interest in electrified vehicles and BMW’s leadership in the ‘New Energy Vehicles’ segment.
The popularity of the X3 30e xDrive has driven a 45% surge in monthly retail rates of PHEVs too.
The increased demand has prompted BMW Group Plant Rosslyn to reintroduce a third production shift while expanding its assembly line to include internal combustion engine (ICE) variants.
The reintroduction of a three-shift system on 8 January 2025 enables the plant to meet rising demand, with a projected output of 110 units per shift.-CAR MAG
