Women in business meet for networking
SISTERWOULDSA, which focuses on empowering South African women, especially those in business, recently launched a branch in Richards Bay.
Led by Richards Bay entrepreneur Suedia Niemann, the networking and business building opportunity created at their first business breakfast meeting last week achieved the goal of bringing together 100 women in business, and for them to make new connections.
The organisation provides a 'water each other's garden' approach, for women to pour out and refuel on a regular basis, to live to their full potential and overflow into their families, workplace and communities.
Niemann said planned breakfast events throughout the year will allow women to network, and will be accompanied by projects to uplift women in the community.
'The core value is to 'use what we have, to bring positive change'.
'In light of this, SisterwouldSA offers individual service items, as well as membership and partnership opportunities that include many services bundled in various packages, at reduced rates, to help align members with success,' said Niemann.
'Registered members will be challenged to pay it forward by becoming involved in outreach projects using the resources they have at their disposal, to add value and make a difference.'
She also presented the brand's first make-adifference project, and opened entries to the
'SisterSHOULD' project.
This project is designed to equip women to answer the call on their life and identify what they have 'in the season they are in', to help
them rise up and reach for their dreams. Details on this project and how to enter are available on their Facebook and Instagram pages: @sisterwouldsa
Those who need a vehicle that can carry people in luxury now have reason to smile as Kia here in SA has launched the new Carnival MPV.
The Kia Carnival replaces the Korean brand's Grand Sedona MPV and will be pulling into showrooms alongside an all-new version of Kia's flagship SUV, the Sorento.
What's the new Kia Carnival all about?
The Carnival is built on Kia’s thirdgeneration N3 platform, the same which also underpins the new Sorento.
Compared with the outgoing Grand Sedona, the Carnival is 40mm longer, 10mm wider and 35mm taller.
It was designed in Kia’s California design studio and draws inspiration from Kia’s current SUV range (Sorento, Seltos, Sonet).
The Carnival is all about space and luxury, with three rows of seating for either seven or eight passengers.
With all seats in place, load space is claimed to be 1 139 litres and, with the second row removed and the third row stowed, space increases to a very impressive 4 110 litres.
In seven seater form, the Carnival is fitted with two individual second-row seats while the eight-seater version gains ‘Slide Flex’ seating which allows for multiple configurations including a sliding second-row centre seat which can also be used as a table.
Other useful and practical features include a hands-free electric sliding side door with a Smart Key and an electronic liftgate with auto-close functionality.
Motivation
The Carnival MPV is front-wheel driven by Kia's ‘SmartStream’ 2.2 litre turbo-diesel engine which delivers 148kW and 440Nm through an eightspeed automatic transmission.
As far as driver assistance features are concerned, depending on the trim level, the Carnival offers features such as Forward Collision Avoidance Assist (FCA), Blindspot Collision Avoidance Assist (BCA), rear cross traffic alert, Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) with Lane Following Assist (LFA), Blindspot View Monitor (BVM), Smart Cruise Control (SCC) and an Around View Monitor (AVM).
'The Kia Carnival is here to disrupt a staid segment and proves once again what is possible when conventions are shattered,' said Kia SA CEO Gary Scott.
'With its SUV-like character, the Carnival delivers a combination of premium design and features, intelligent packaging, and an abundance of innovation in safety and technology at a price that packs a value punch,' Scott said.
Kia Carnival buyers can choose from four derivatives; the entry EX model, mid-spec EX+, SX Limited and the range-topping SXL.
Pricing:
• 2.2 CRDi EX 8AT 7-Seater – R799 995
• 2.2 CRDi EX+ 8AT 8-Seater – R879 995
• 2.2 CRDi SX Limited 8AT 7-Seater – R999 995
• 2.2 CRDi SXL 8AT 7-Seater –
R1 024 995
These prices include a five-year/ unlimited kilometre warranty (including roadside assistance) and a six-year/ 90 000km maintenance plan.
For more information on the new Carnival MPV, visit Kia in Empangeni.
The SA Guild of Mobility Journalists’ Car of the Year (COTY) committee announced on Friday,
21 January its semifinalists for the 2022 instalment of this 36-yearold competition.
To qualify, vehicles had to have been launched locally between 31 March and 31 December 2021.
The 39 semi-finalists include four contenders tied with identical scores among the vehicles in the 10 respective categories.
For the first time in the competition’s history, the decision was made that vehicles launched with both regular and new energy derivatives would be entered into both their relevant vehicle category and the New Energy category.
Vehicle ranges that launched only a new energy derivative were included in the ever-growing New Energy category.
The categories are: Budget, Compact, Compact Family, Midsize, Premium, Luxury, Performance, New Energy, Adventure SUV and 4x4 Double Cab.
According to the guild, this year there are no contenders in the Budget category.
Jurors will now narrow the field of semi-finalists to worthy finalists.
They are given eight weeks to assess the vehicles, after which the final scoring will commence, determining the 2022 SA Car of the Year.
Here are the vehicles that made it into the semi-finals:
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• Honda Fit
• Hyundai i20
• Kia Sonet
• Nissan Magnite
• Peugeot 208
• Toyota Urban Cruiser Compact Family
• Chery Tiggo 4 Pro
• Haval Jolion
• Hyundai Kona
• Toyota Corolla Cross
Midsize
• Audi A3
• Haval H6
• Hyundai Palisade
• Hyundai Santa-Fé
• Hyundai Staria
• Mercedes-Benz C-Class
• Subaru Outback
Luxury
• Mercedes-AMG BLE 53
Performance
• Audi RS 6
• Audi RS Q3
• Audi RS Q8
• BMW 128ti
• BMW M3 Competition
• BMW M4 Competition
• Porsche 911 Carrera
GTS
• Toyota GR Yaris
• Volkswagen Golf GTI
New Energy
• Honda Fit Hybrid
• Jaguar E-Pace
• Lexus IS
• Toyota Corolla Cross
Hybrid
• Toyota Corolla Hybrid
• Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
Adventure SUV
• Isuzu MU-X
• Land Rover Defender V8
• Land Rover Discovery
• Toyota Land Cruiser 300
4x4 Double Cab
• Nissan Navara
• Peugeot Landtrek
HYUNDAI might be best known for its i20s, Tucsons and Santa Fé, but the Korean brand also does business in the commercial vehicle sector.
Besides its popular commercial-style small bakkies, Hyundai has been selling light trucks in SA for quite some time and there are many of its Mighty HD72s and 65s working hard every day.
Hyundai recently replaced the HD72 with the EX8 Mighty, a modern workhorse which sets the light transport pace, just like the brand's passenger cars set the benchmark for family vehicles.
Here's what you need to know about the EX Mighty.
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The new Mighty EX8 stems from a long, proud and successful tradition of building competitive commercial vehicles with notable strengths in Korea, the rest of Asia and the Middle East.
It's assembled at Hyundai Automotive SA’s commercial vehicle factory in Apex, Benoni where the brand even has its own truck body builder on site, producing several standard and customised options according to customers' specifications.
Compared to its HD72 predecessor, the EX8 Mighty’s interior space has been increased from 2.9m2 to 3.5m2, and there has also been an increase in storage space for driver and passengers to 11.8 litres.
Visibility from inside the cabin has been greatly improved by increasing the windshield size – an important feature, because better visibility ensures safer driving.
The windshield height has increased by 20mm, and its width by 70mm.
Furthermore, the dash has been lowered by 80mm, allowing an increased visibility angle of 2.2 degrees.
Interior space has been enhanced by increasing the cabin height to 1 490mm.
The steering column has forwardbackward adjustment of 60mm, and height adjustment of 76mm – a new feature that enables the driver to set the most comfortable and safest driving position.
The seat slides back by a further 55mm, with increased reclining setting for maximised comfort while driving.
One of the distinct exterior features is the main rear-view mirror that is 10mm taller, and a newly-added sub-mirror below it, which is convex-shaped to ensure a much wider field of vision, thus eliminating the blind spot in traffic.
Small, yet practical and sensible changes include the door handle that was changed from a vertical type handle to a horizontal grip-type handle, and a door opening angle that increased from 68° to 80°, making access to the cab even easier.
The size of the side step, for easy entry into the cabin, has been increased for better footing.
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The longer wheelbase of the new EX8 has increased its versatility as a load carrier, and resulted in a longer deck (4 850mm), allowing it to carry more freight.
The Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) of the new EX8 is 7 800kg versus the 7 500kg of Hyundai’s main competitors, which also means you can carry more with the EX8 Mighty.
Various load-carrying options according to customers’ demands are available, including a tipper conversion, closed bodies for secure transport of goods, and the very practical dropside body that ensures easy loading and off-loading of goods.
The EX8 Mighty's D4DD 3.9 litre engine conforms to Euro 3 emission standards, with a common-rail diesel injection system that delivers greater efficiency, reliability and more power.
It boasts maximum power of 103kW at 2 800rpm and a peak torque figure of 373Nm which is delivered at a relatively low 1 600rpm.
Power is delivered to the rear wheels via a five-speed manual synchromesh gearbox.
As for upkeep, Hyundai has increased the service intervals for the EX8 Mighty from 10 000km to 20 000km, which reduces the service cost of the truck and results in less downtime for the operator.
A four-year/unlimited km warranty should give the fleet operator ample peace of mind, plus a three-year/ 200 000km roadside assistance plan.
Tangawizi Motors offers the EX8 Mighty in four guises, with a starting price of R498 500 (including VAT) and a number of body configurations available.
Visit the dealership's Hyundai team for more information on Hyundai's hardworking, reliable light truck.