Here is a very scary illustration of how our petrol price has increased in the last 10 years. We are the 40th most expensive fuel in the world. Add the e-Toll to that and we may soon become the world largest percentage of cyclists.

Check this out for more inforomation

Petrol price in South Africa over the last 10 years

I test drive the Suzuki SX4!

Suzuki SX4 4x4

So I've heard a lot about SUV's and lately "Crossovers" and they've always sounded like a great idea. A car you can drive around normally (without bankrupting yourself in fuel costs) during the week, then get a bit wild and go off the beaten path on the weekends. Sounds fantastic right? Well It did to me so when I was given the Suzuki SX4 to review I was very excited. This was going to be fun!

First Impressions:

Suzuki sx4 cute ass

Its a lot smaller then I thought, it's basically my Fiesta... on stilts. I hope this vehicle is aimed at the female market because I can't really see it suiting the guys I know that need 4x4 vehicles. It is lovely inside, very comfortable, it has all the gadgets on the steering wheel, electric windows and all those cool new additions that are becoming standard features. It has a little button next to the gear lever to change from the weekday 2x4 car into the weekend 4x4 wild thing. Crossovers....the Jekyl and Hyde's of the car industry. Sadly I never did meet the Mr Hyde side of the SX4 as the gentleman who delivered her didn't seem to keen on us taking it off road.

Interior:

All the gadgets

I must say this car is very comfortable, which I wasn't expecting. The large wide seats don't LOOK comfortable, but they are..incredibly. The short gear lever was also a pleasant surprise and a feature I thoroughly enjoyed. It made changing gears very easy and smooth and added a certain excitement to the whole experience. The height of the vehicle certainly adds to the comfort.

Exterior:

That lovely red

When I first saw pictures of the SX4 I wasn't very impressed. It was cute enough but I thought the front end was rather dull and the rear end cute. It's a different story once I saw the car for the first time. I think colour  plays a huge part. The vehicle I was sent was in a gorgeous "Nail polish" red. In the SX4...white looks boring, red looks great. Another reason I feel its a chicks car.

Engine:

It had one.


Ok no seriously. It has a 2L , if you'd like more info on that go here. At first I was not very happy with the power. I was quite disappointed with how little it seemed to have for a 2L but by the end of the week I realised that the vehicle is so easy to drive that it doesn't feel like its trying, but the speedo is climbing even though it feels like the car barely broke a sweat. It is certainly no speed racer but that's not what it was designed to do. To be honest, I prefer my 1.4 Fiesta, it feels like its kicking ass and taking names, but that's my opinion.

about the same size as my Fiesta

General driving etc:

tiny boot

So I am not entirely sure what market this vehicle is targeted at. It is a very small hatch back that can go off road but has the price tag of some much larger sedans. I thought it might be "soccer moms" but that boot would only fit one child's sport kit and barely. Plus you couldn't really fit a months groceries in there either. I've seen a lot of rich older ladies in them but only the regular 2x4 variant...which just seems pointless. For the R247900,00 price tag on the 2x4, there are so many other, in my opinion, better options. Like the new Ford Fiesta, you could get the top of the range with all the trimmings for the same price as the entry level 2x4 SX4.....but that's just me. It is a sturdy, strong and reliable car and its fun to drive. I would recommend the 4x4 variant because for a little over 20 grand more, its a lot more fun.

The other crossovers that compete with the SX4 are the VW Cross Polo starting at R 224 800,00 , or the Chevrolet Captiva 2.2D AWD LTZ at a hefty R 443 000,00

Don't forget to check out Ciro's review of the SX4 on our site.

I've got it!!!! Horsey Mums! It's strong enough to pull a horsebox, can tackle the fields you usually have to park in and can fit a saddle in the boot. So if you are a working lady during the week but spend your weekends outdoors, the SX4 is a fantastic option and a lovely car to drive.

My passionate moment with the Ford Focus ST

Ford Focus ST- the yellow bubblebee

I am not a car critic, or a race driver. I have no formal training of any sort, I am just a regular girl who LOVES driving in any form.

I love cars, I have loved them all my life. Since watching and helping my dad fix and revamp my mother’s prized Volkswagen  Beetle and a friend’s beloved Chevrolet Nomad, I have had an unusual passion for cars.

Don’t get me wrong, I am in no way a petrol head and I have a very basic (read ‘minimal’) knowledge of how the internal combustion engine works. When you open the bonnet all I can tell you is where the water and oil go, but I love driving and am always looking for new driving experiences.

Another lifelong love is Ford.  From mum’s old Ford "bakkie" and the family Sapphire, to the two Fords I own today, I will always be a huge fan of the brand. Ford is, and always will be, my first choice.

So you can imagine my excitement when I was given the opportunity to drive the new Ford Focus ST!

Now I am not going to give you all the technical details of this vehicle. I am not going to talk about ratios and conversions. Those are the things I, as an average girl, skim over when reading other reviews. All I want to talk about is the experience. This is a stereotypical chick review of a cool car.

Looks

Ford Focus ST- yellow bumblebee

The ST we were given to play with is bright yellow. Now I am not generally a fan of yellow cars but I will admit the Sporty ST certainly suits the vivid yellow. It is a very sexy beastie with sharp lines and an almost aggressive stance.

Inside

The interior is sleek and refined. The seats hug you like a lover and everything you need is within easy reach. It is so modern, it’s almost like a cockpit and I must admit I found it a bit intimidating at first. I gave up trying to adjust my seat when I couldn’t find the lever.  I’m also a bit confused as to why the start button is to the left of the steering wheel rather than the right, as would be the natural assumption.  A good read of the manual or a crash course at the dealer is needed to truly enjoy all the luxuries.

Driving

Ford has really impressed me with this car.  Although the pedals are very sensitive, they have balanced them out, unlike other new cars I've been in where only the brakes were super sensitive. After a few jerks I got used to it and after that driving, braking and even changing gears was as smooth as silk.  My route took me through a bit of traffic, but achieving clutch control was no strain at all.

All this said, it was once I reached the highway that the ST got to truly shine.  She responded so enthusiastically it was like she read my mind. Overtaking slower vehicles, the ST responded quickly and smoothly like a Ford should. I like a car that I know will respond, so that I can confidently nip past cars and through gaps and the ST did not disappoint. I asked and she gave 110%. There was no lag at all in the power and she responded just as quickly when I eased off the accelerator, so that I could smoothly slow down once I’d gotten into the gap.

The side mirrors come with the omni-vision section which I feel should be standard with all vehicles, but especially one of this size.

The sound system is fantastic, crystal clear and powerful.

All in all, a great experience.

Ford Focus ST- the elegant white lady 

Would I buy it? Yes, just not in yellow.

Would I recommend it to friends?  My guy friends,  yes,  but to be honest, I think most of my female friends would be just as happy with the regular Focus and the ST would be wasted on them.

  

See? Much better in white.