PRICING
THERE’S a myriad of options for people looking to get behind the wheel of a new car and as buyers leave traditional saloon cars in droves for more SUV-type vehicles, manufacturers have obviously stepped up their variations on the theme to cover every niche within that market.
As the world’s largest automaker, Volkswagen has covered that segment well – too well according to some commentators, including the T-Roc 2.0 4Motion R line on test here.
The T-Roc sits between the hugely popular T-Cross and the Tiguan and has two engine variations with a 1.4litre turbo-petrol and the 2.0-litre turbocharged one we drove which is a “detuned” version of the one found in the GTI, delivering 140kW and 320Nm to all four wheels with VW’s 4Motion set-up via a seven-speed DSG transmission.
It’s an eye-catcher, to be sure, and a showcase for modern design and in R line guise 19-inch Suzuka alloys, “R” badges strategically placed and chrome detailing around the grille and rear bumper, a variety of paint finishings and LED daytime running lights deliver a good dollop of street cred.
Inside it’s very much the same with Vienna leather seats, optional 11.4-inch high-resolution Active info Display digital cluster, leather wrapped multi-function steering wheel, and an easy to reach and operate switchgear. The white contoured seats and pin stripes in the door panels round off a pleasant place to spend time. If there’s one criticism, though, it’s the hard plastics on the door panel and dash that don’t do the almost R600 000 price tag justice.
While the loadspace is pegged at 392 litres and 1 237 litres with the rear seats down, rear passenger space is rather limited. I had the driver’s seat set forward enough for me to be comfortable enough and asked my son, a strapping 17-year old, to sit behind me on the way home from school. A 30km drive he said was okay but any long road trip would be decidedly uncomfortable, especially if there was another passenger.
The T-Roc’s road manners are a pleasure thanks in part to a ground clearance of 158mm that does limit your ability to go too far off the black stuff, but I doubt that potential owners have much more in mind than the occasional trip to a game farm.
There’s virtually no turbo lag with a brisk take-off and the engine invites vigorous driving especially when using the paddles in its sportier mode and because of its lower centre of gravity it corners deceptively well with minimal body roll. Steering is direct and on point aided well by the all-wheel drive system and while the suspension is on the firm side it will gladly even out slight road imperfections but the 19-inch alloys with low-profile tyres make potholes and corrugation on smooth dirt rather harsh.
During highway driving the T-Roc cruises along effortlessly, the DSG transmission moving up and down without the slightest effort and thanks to the low down torque passing slower traffic is a cinch.
The list of standard features and safety specifications is what you’ve come to expect from a premium VW product including adaptive cruise control which I think is probably the best invention since the internal combustion engine.
Overall, the T-Roc 2.0 4Motion R line is an outstanding package but it’s
MOTORING CORRESPONDENT
IT’S BAD news for prospective car buyers: new vehicle prices rose by almost three times the current inflation rate in the first quarter of the year, and is expected to continue to increase in the coming months.
At the same time, the prices of used vehicles increased in real terms for the first time since 2010, which suggests ongoing hardship for consumers and a motor industry struggling to recover from the financial effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to the latest TransUnion SA Vehicle Pricing Index (VPI), total financial agreement volumes in the passenger vehicle market increased marginally (3%) in Q1 2021 over the same period in 2020, with new vehicle finance deals down 5% and used vehicles up by 7.4%.
At the same time, vehicle prices rose for a fourth successive quarter, with the VPI for new vehicles moving to 8.8% in Q1 2021 from 4% in Q1 2020.
The used vehicle VPI rose to 3.7%, from 1.4% a year ago.
The VPI measures the relationship between the increase in vehicle pricing for new and used vehicles from a basket of passenger vehicles which incorporates 15 top volume manufacturers.
The index is created using 2.5D SE 4X2 MT DC - R474 000 2.5D SE 4X2 AT DC - R498 000 2.5D SE Plus 4X2 MT DC - R505 000 2.5D SE Plus 4X2 AT DC - R528 000 2.5D LE 4X2 AT DC - R606 000 2.5D PRO-2X 4X2 AT DC - R686 000 NAVARA 4WD - DOUBLE CAB
2.5D SE 4X4 MT DC - R552 000 2.5D SE Plus 4X4 MT DC - R580 000 2.5D LE 4X4 MT DC - R660 000 2.5D LE 4X4 AT DC - R677 000 2.5D PRO-4X 4X4 AT DC - R740 000 The price includes six-year/90 000 km Service Plan and six-year/150 000km warranty
For a full price listing go to www.nissan.co.za somewhat limited by rear passenger space if you want to cart a family along and while the all-wheel-drive and 2.0litre engine add a sense of excitement and dynamic driving I wonder whether the 1.4-litre TSI front wheel drive isn’t the more sensible option.
It comes with a three-year/120 000km warranty five-year/90 000km service plan and a 12-year anti-corrosion warranty.
Pricing
T-Roc 1.4 110 kW Tiptronic Design:
T-Roc 2.0 140 kW 4Motion DSG Design:
T-Roc 2.0 140 kW 4Motion DSG R-Line: vehicle sales data from across the industry.
Kriben Reddy, vice president of auto information solutions at TransUnion Africa, said the combination of low interest rates and low inflation was not enough to lure consumers into new vehicle purchases, with demand for quality used vehicles remaining high.
As a result, the supply of quality used vehicles came under sustained pressure, which is expected to continue to push prices of used vehicles up for the foreseeable future.
“Overall, the automotive industry has had another challenging quarter, with unemployment rate increases, negative exchange impact, negative annualised GDP growth rate and further pressure on disposable income resulting in low consumer confidence.
“This is a tough time for dealers, but we do expect consumers to start re-entering the new vehicle market once the industry adopts ‘right to repair’ laws later this year,” said Reddy.
Under the new consumer rights framework (Right to Repair), the costs for service and maintenance plans and value-added products must be disclosed separately to the new list price of a vehicle, and the consumer given the opportunity to decline it if they wish.
The used-to-new vehicle ratio in Q1 2021 remained largely consistent, at 2.4. This means for every new vehicle financed, 2.4 used vehicles are financed.
The make-up of used vehicle sales shows 38% of vehicles financed are under two years old, with demo models making up 6% of used financed deals, which indicates an ongoing preference for older vehicles while pressure on disposable income remains.
The percentage of cars (new and used) being financed below R200 000, R200 000 to R300 000 and over R300000 saw a clear movement towards vehicles in the R200 000-R300 000 bracket.
This suggests while volumes have declined, consumer purchasing power is slowly increasing. The good news for the local automotive industry is that the export market has remained resilient through the pandemic, and as the global economy recovers so too will the export market.
Total exports have increased by 4% in Q1 2021, compared to the same period last year.