From the editor’s desk
There are SUVS aplenty in this issue of CAR. The three raised-ride height vehicles illustrated on the cover represent intriguing marketing propositions for their respective makers. The mandate of the all-new Volkswagen Tiguan is to build upon the global success of this best-selling package while reinforcing the German brand’s commitment towards build quality, ef ciency and innovation. The key role of the India-sourced Honda Elevate, on the other hand, is to re-establish the Japanese manufacturer’s place among the goto brands in the South African market. Each simply needs to sell well.
By contrast, and as experienced via our exclusive rst drive of the Jaecoo J7, it is a niche product tasked with complementing parent company Chery’s fast-growing local line-up of SUVS. Based on the Tiggo 7, this distinct-looking product is said to offer ‘urban warrior’ packaging with a grille inspired by the cascading waters of a waterfall.
The BMW X6 (see page 68) is one of the fastest SUVS we’ve tested to date, the Mahindra Scorpio-n (page 80) one of the most underrated in its segment, and the updated Land Cruiser 70 Series (page 54) one of the most outlandish in its disregard for modern conveniences in the pursuit of rugged, proven reliability.
Many years ago, impatient to begin creating motoring memories, the traf c of cial who stamped my successfully passed driving exam took the liberty of wishing me a happy 18th birthday. Since that day I have been in possession of a Code EB driver’s licence. Until a few years ago, I had never needed to hook up so much as a Venter trailer to the back of a vehicle. A recent informal chat with an insurance broker friend highlighted I might be in the minority of those granted this type of driver’s licence, despite the discipline of towing not forming any part of my original driving test. More pertinently, and as highlighted in our consumer feature on page 34, there are potentially serious insurance implications in the event of an accident while towing, should you not have the correct driver’s licence.