MAHINDRA KUV100 K8 DIESEL

You don’t need much more car than this. Maybe a little bit more boot space and bigger wheels, but not too much more car. Mahindra have a knack of delivering comparable features at a far lower price. They're kind of like the Hisense of the car world.

Measured against the well-considered Ford Ecosport (which is quite clearly the model the KUV'S designers penned it to compete against), the vehicle holds up quite well. I didn't take it on a recent family trip to Robertson because it was quite windy that day and the high centre of gravity and tiny wheels would've been a chore in a stiff crosswind.

Even in top spec, the KUV100 doesn't break R200 000 and still manages to bundle in corner braking control as well as speed-sensing automatic door locks as a standard safety feature across the range. Not many manufacturers can claim that.

On the flip side it's almost impossible to dial in a perfect seating position and the lorry-like low floor and high-mounted gear lever are quite comical for a car this small. The wheels make even less sense when you consider the state of Indian and South African roads where potholes swallow 14-inch tyres whole.

The KUV100 had just enough charm to make me a fan and offered more than enough value for me to recommend it as a solid alternative to Renault's all- conquering Sandero Stepway. That said, the price is on the steep side in such a comparison.

NEED TO KNOW

ENGINE: 1,2-litre three-cylinder mfalcon D75 intercooled common rail direct injection turbodiesel POWER: 57 kw @ 3 750 r/min TORQUE: 190 N.m @1 750 r/min ECONOMY (COMBINED): 4,6 L/100 km PRICE: