Road Tests |
by Tristan Wiggill
Road review roundup
some of the competition. We would
advise against specifying the cream
coloured cloth trim, especially if you
have young children or animals to
transport.
Fiat Panda 1.2
Lounge
W
e were left bamboozled
by the Fiat Panda in
Lounge trim. To put it in
black and white, a strong enough
selling point was as difficult to find
as a real Panda in its natural habitat.
The 51 kW engine is a lethargic
let-down, the R169 900 price tag
(as per the website) is too high and
the build quality is not in the same
league as many of its Korean or Japanese
rivals. Some may find the styling cute and
most should appreciate the amount of
Some relief will likely come at the
pumps, with a 5.8-litre per 100 km
- or less - return achievable without
too much ado.
interior space available. The Blue & Me
Bluetooth connectivity feature is a blessing,
although its interface is not as slick as
But while exclusivity is a precious thing, the
competition needn’t feel endangered…
suffer from turbo-lag, torque-steer or
an overly sporty and stiff ride. Rather, it
finds the middle ground between outright
performance and driving comfort.
We loved the 18-inch alloys
(a R7 000 option), attractively
styled seats and the ergonomically
sound cabin. At R337 990 it’s
not particularly cheap, but then
again what cars are? Many cars
are bought with the head these
days, which probably explains the
dominance of the Giuliettas German
rivals. While the Alfa is not a bad
car in its own right, we wonder if the
more long-term, practical issues like
servicing and maintenance, parts
pricing and availability, the size of
the dealer network and resale values, will
get in the way of matters of the heart…
Alfa Romeo
Giulietta 1.4T
Distinctive
T
he Alfa Romeo Giulietta
is an attractive alternative
to the usual suspects in
this segment (Golf, A3, 1 Series
etc) and so should appeal to the
more individualistic buyer. In this
particular guise it makes good use
of a turbocharged four-cylinder
petrol engine that delivers 125 kW
- more than enough for most. Because the
car is not a hot hatch as such, it doesn’t
The Lounge version of the Panda is
bolstered by the standard fitment of
roof-rails and it wears some pretty
attractive shoes in the form of multispoke 15-inch alloys.
underpowered though, and we feel
it’s a shame the carmaker didn’t opt
for the 1.4-litre Multijet turbo unit
instead. As a result, the six-speed
gearbox will be put to frequent use.
Fiat 500L 1.4
Lounge
T
he Fiat 500L is the
embodiment of the Italian
marques cheekier side, with
a unique take on the traditional
500. Fiat has taken a similar route
that BMW has with the MINI and
the 500L, particularly at the rear,
has more than a little Countryman
look to it as well. The car is very
spacious and has numerous storage
binnacles throughout the cabin which, like
the exterior, can be customised to ones
heart’s content. We imagine that the 500L
On the upside, the 6.0-litre per
100km consumption figure we
managed is a big plus. The 500L is a
versatile transportation option, with
the seats able to fold in myriad of
ways.
is the ideal companion for a group of young
friends out on the town, with the truly
massive panoramic glass roof a stargazer’s
delight. The 1.4-litre petrol engine is
It has all the modernities the
youthful target market desires:
Bluetooth connectivity, a touchscreen multimedia interface and electronic
everything. It cost R259 990 at the time of
going to print.
Go to www.abrmotoring.co.za fur the full reviews.
| Wheels in Action
104
AUGUST 2014