Lerato Sepotokele – TWFLD

Here’s where to pre-order your Xbox Series X and S tomorrow

Lerato Sepotokele — Mon, 21 Sep 2020 16:12:37 +0000

Late last week, Microsoft confirmed precisely when Xbox Series X pre-orders will be opening. The date and time to remember is fortunately tomorrow, 22 September at 9AM CAT.

Those looking to order either an Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S will definitely want to write that down, because we’re guessing that pre-orders will sell out quickly. Microsoft has also shared a comprehensive list of retailers that will be offering Xbox Series X/S pre-orders, covering a number of regions around the world.

The list of retailers can be found below:

AVO (Nedbank)
BT Games
Esquire
Game
Game 4 U
HI
Hi-Fi Corp
Incredible Connection
Loot.co.za
Makro
Nexus Retail
PnP
Raru
Sportscene
Takealot
Total Sports
ZAPA

Watch Dogs Legion will immerse you

Lerato Sepotokele — Sun, 23 Aug 2020 21:59:11 +0000

You have to hand it to Ubisoft for launching titles that, given current situations, could almost be interpreted as social commentary. Of course, had Watch Dogs: Legion launched on time, it might have had less impact than when it launches during a time of more problematic security and privacy practices. Of course, the delay has also helped Ubisoft iron out some kinks and refine the game that will be launching in October.

There is one place some of us would like to visit once the international travel ban has been lifted…Something along those iconic destinations like the Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and London Eye to name a few. To cater to these needs in the interim, Ubisoft will be launching a game not only dedicated for us techies but those with the constant urge to see the world, so thankfully for now the closest we can get to visiting London right now is by pre-ordering their latest upcoming and long overdue offering which is known as Watch Dogs: Legion.

The Watch Dogs series was originally launched in 2014 as the video game industry’s best-selling new IP at launch. The hacker series extends to other entertainment media, including books and comics. The next opus in the franchise, Watch Dogs: Legion, will launch on October 29, 2020. If you use any of these platforms Xbox One, PlayStation®4, Stadia and Windows PC than you surely are in for a good time come October. To add more meat to the bone Ubisoft is allowing players who purchase Watch Dogs: Legion on Xbox One or PlayStation 4 an opportunity to upgrade their game to the next-gen version (Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5) at no additional cost.

This instalment of the Watch Dogs series introduces a new “Play as Anyone” feature, which is a never-before-seen gameplay innovation that allows players to choose any character they want throughout the city of London to reinforce their resistance movement by recruiting anyone in the open world with their own different backstory, personality and unique skillset. Players can recruit anyone they can see in the open world to be part of their DedSec Resistance with a peak capacity of up to 40 characters at a time.

Indeed this is one game that promises to deliver as the previous ones before it did not disappoint at all. In addition to the standard version, Ubisoft announced the game will also be made available in the Gold, Ultimate and Collector’s Editions. We’ll share more as we near the official release.

Trailer for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla gives a hint of Eivor’s fate

Lerato Sepotokele — Thu, 30 Jul 2020 19:51:27 +0000

During this cold winter season, our guess is you most probably thinking of watching another episode of Vikings or replays of Game of Thrones to complete the mood (we’re previewing Netflix’s Away ). Well, Ubisoft is known to many for their engaging antics of wall climbing and sword slashing displayed by their protagonistic characters, recently released a new thrilling trailer for their Assassin’s Creed series to warm up your mood.

The new addition to the franchise will be known as Assassin’s Creed Valhalla which the game developers certainly had the best interests of fans alike at heart. This upcoming edition promises to gives fans a new look into the series through a heroic Norwegian Viking known as Eivor who relives the previous centuries invasion of England.

Driven from her country of birth by wars and dwindling resources, Eivor is portrayed as a Norse Viking raider who gathers her clan in search of a new home. Through her quest to becoming one of the greatest forces, she is faced with strong resistance by towns and settlers she tries to conquer. As towns are burnt down in her gruesome quest, Eivor is not only faced with challenges from enemy forces but also internal conflicts from her own clan and must go through extreme measures to maintain the glory of her people.

Ask us and the general consensus is that this certainly is amongst the top games to look out for this summer. Ubisoft has certainly outdone itself with it’s premium game line-up this year with more “ACE” titles up it’s sleeves which will be announced on TWFLD together with the overall impression and gameplay upon launch.

The game release is set for the 17th November 2020 on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, as well as on Ubisoft’s very own subscription service for now. PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X versions will be made available once the consoles are released.

NBA 2K21 Preview

Lerato Sepotokele — Tue, 07 Jul 2020 15:40:17 +0000

With the end of the current console generation fast approaching, there are plenty of people wondering how publishers and developers will handle cross-generation games. On Xbox Series X, we’ll see Smart Delivery, a feature that lets customers buy a game on either Xbox One or Xbox Series X and own it on the other platform, but Microsoft isn’t forcing publishers to participate in that program.

One publisher who clearly won’t be participating in Smart Delivery is 2K Games with NBA 2K21.

Now take this, imagine a gloomy summer day with your mates at the courts shooting hoops than you experience a sudden epiphany when you see one of your boys pull a signature Anthony Davis move. Initially, NBA 2K20 comes to mind, however, you start wondering to yourself, who exactly will be featured on the cover of the upcoming 2K21.

When one thinks of gaming, particularly the dunking and high flying one, only one thing comes to mind. Get your mind out the gutter. I’m sure you smiling right now because basketball is on top of your mind…Right? Of course, there have been other imitations and almost perfect like console games, however, truth be told, one name and one name only which has been dominating for close to two decades is on top of your mind. I’m sure you sitting there rather puzzled and asking yourself which other game could be better than the current NBA 2K20 which by the way is one of the games made available at no additional cost to for PlayStation Plus members.

Throughout the years the series features some of the greatest athletes representing different eras of the basketball game. Today one could easily agree that Damian Lillard is one of the MVP’s dominating the court, however, let’s not forget the Thanos of the National College league himself, Zion Williamson who is a standard-bearer for the next generation of NBA superstars.

The next instalment of the franchise promises to pack quite a few aces up its sleeves. This year there will be a few versions of the game.

On the cover of the current-generation version which will be the initial launch edition of NBA 2K21 is five-time NBA All-Star and Portland Trail Blazers’ standout Damian Lillard. The next-generation version is set to feature, New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson who lands the cover for the PlayStation®5 and Xbox Series X version. For gurus of the franchise, the top-notch version known as the Legend edition will be replaced by what will be dubbed as the Mamba edition which will also be celebrating the life of legendary Kobe Bryant who made a major global impact both on and off the court. It also boasts very unique and never before used covers on both the current and a new next-generation cover.

What we particularly like and have come to love about the NBA franchise is their consistency and ability to improve from their previous versions. The realistic graphics are amongst the best when it comes to sports gaming, they give off a real world like and lively feel to the game.

NBA 2K21 will be available worldwide on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Windows PC from the 4th September 2020. NBA 2K21 will also be available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X as a launch title.

Be sure to tune in when the game launches for a much more detailed first impression of NBA 2K21. Everything related to game-play, features and game soundtracks will also be revealed then.

One can expect to get their hands on NBA 2K21 for R 1 149.95 on current-generation platforms; the pricing for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X version of NBA 2K21 will be available at a later date. NBA 2K21 Mamba Forever Edition will be available for R 1 649.95 for both current and next-generation platforms.

First Drive: 2018 Mercedes-Benz A Class

Lerato Sepotokele — Wed, 05 Sep 2018 09:12:59 +0000

From the most loved household family brand which is ever so popular with its striking three-pointed star, comes one of the most advanced hatchbacks one could find in the market today. The creatives and engineers from Stuttgart, Germany bring to you, the safety and technological savvy young at heart, the all-new Mercedes Benz A-Class…Still not A-moosed? Then we strongly suggest you keep your eyes glued for our First Drive impressions after the jump.

When one associates themselves with a brand such as Mercedes Benz, trust me when I say that the person considers their personal image to be of the highest standards. The general appearance and flow of the vehicle is rather sexier and a bit more modern than that of the previous model. It’s rather easier on the eyes and has striking features which would almost tempt one to place an order almost immediately after the car turns around the corner.

Though the new Mercedes Benz A-Class is longer and wider than the previous generation, it’s surprisingly much lighter and packs more muscle in that curvy design. There is practically nothing not to like about this vehicle, however, a little off-putting factor for us was the addition of those fake exhaust tips, which almost makes them looks like oversized lucky packet rings which are a bit of a turn-0ff. Thankfully due to the clever technology and autonomous driving and braking systems equipped in A-Class, that’s one minor issue one can overlook. Oh yes, if you feeling a little generous and happy which is likely to be the case after seeing this beaut, the AMG package is definitely an option to consider and is worth every penny.

The overall driving experience is much softer and refined in comfort mode with a reduction of acoustic road excitation by 30% more than it’s predecessor, as you switch to sports mode the suspension becomes stiffer and you get a much more responsive steering reaction.

The A-200 comes standard with a twist beam axle which is much smoother and has a comfortable tuning feel, whereas the A-250 offers a multi-link rear axle for performance type models which also boasts a significant improvement of tire and road noise, though sometimes travelling at higher speeds might feel a bit rocky and you can almost feel all the twists, turns and bumps on the road .

Luckily, electronic stability programme comes as a standard option in this vehicle which comes as an added bonus on top of all the tech offered in this miniature powerhouse. All in all the A-Class promises to deliver a harmonic interaction of driving dynamics and comfort by adjustable dampers which you will have to get yourself in this vehicle to experience it first hand.

One notable distinction we ought not to forget is that when coming to the interior design, only the best form of premium materials are used in all classes of the Mercedes Benz. The dash boasts high-quality gloss black trims with a two-tier look and S-Class type steering wheel with brushed aluminium finishes.

The focal point of the Mercedes A-Class certainly has to be its new continuous 10-inch screen display which can be used a touch screen or if you wouldn’t want fingerprints all over your screen, a vibrating trackpad can be used to navigate through the high-resolution screen displays. A must-have option which one must ensure they get when purchasing the A-Class is a new advancement across Mercedes Benz known as the MBUX (Mercedes Benz User Experience) which uses advanced artificial intelligence and lets you control most aspects of the vehicle from the seat warmers, air temperature and music to name a just a few. This form of new technology is designed to try understanding natural languages as well as to offer a better handling of non-native speeches and have a more natural and variable flow of the spoken language. This innovation is practically designed to create an emotional connection between the vehicle, driver and passengers. Still not convinced? well all it takes is a simple “Hey Mercedes” and a truly different world of driver/vehicle is unlocked. The manufacturer has truly rectified most of it’s error which were prevalent in their generations, they were even generous enough to offer improved luggage space offering enough space for 2 beverage crates or a full sized golf bag to go show off your new wheels in style at the local golf club.

Both models we drove on launch come standard with a 7G-DCT transmission with improved dimensions of 4.4m/1,7m/1,4m for length/width/height(m) respectively. While the specs for the A-200 are as follows: 1332cc engine, 120kW of power and 250Nm of torque, 5,2l/100km fuel consumption, 120g/km CO2 combined emissions, 0-100 acceleration in a decent 8.0 secs with a top speed of 225km/h and all these starting at a cool R499 000.

The meaner sibling, the A-250 offers a 1991cc engine which is pretty quick considering that it packs a heavier punch at 165kW and 350Nm of torque. Fuel consumption is claimed at 6,2l/100km with an efficient 141g/km CO2 combined emissions which is not at all bad. We do know that anything that is capable of doing 0-100 acceleration in a cool 6,2 secs is not really slow, so I’m sure you getting the picture of how quick this rising powerhouse is with a top speed of 250km/h. I’m pretty sure by now with all those numbers rolling in your head they should equate to a warmer figure of about R593 300 for the A-250.

With all this being said we shouldn’t forget that any Mercedes Benz is not for every Tom, Dick and Jabulani, but the select few who view their overall image as everything. This is indeed a vehicle suitable enough for only those who “dare to win”.

Red Bull Box Cart Race Returns To South Africa

Lerato Sepotokele — Sat, 11 Aug 2018 15:58:12 +0000

The Red Bull Box Cart Race is making it’s debut return on South African soil this September! This highly anticipated event promises to bring you some of the wildest legal street racing to date, and YES, it sure is safe to bring along your whole family without fearing the guys with the blue lights and breathalyzers.

This time round 80 teams have been shortlisted to compete in front of thousands of spectators from all walks of life in what should be the fifth and final event of the year. All that’s needed is a kick-ass hand-made, non-motorised machine fueled by sheer courage, the force of gravity and obviously a little Red Bull.

The Red Bull Box Cart Race is an international event taking place across five locations in 2018, including Rome Italy, Sofia Bulgaria, Cincinnati Ohio and Lisbon Portugal. Returning to Joburg after eight years, following its previous Soweto experience in 2010, this particular Red Bull Box Cart Race is the fifth edition to the series and promises to be bigger and better than ever. Our very own Sandton right here in South Africa is undoubtly the steepest and most exciting track of the event this year.

Red Bull has held more than 100 box cart races around the world since the first one in Brussels in the year 2000 – from Australia to South Africa, Helsinki to St. Louis, Jamaica to Italy.
South Africa’s most innovative and witty teams will race each other down the twists and turns of Sandton Drive in Johannesburg on the 16th of September 2018 – come and watch history being made!

With all the glitz and glamour that the event comes with, the Red Bull Box Cart Race is a free event for all participants and spectators which definitely promises fun-packed action during this gloomy month of September.

First Drive: 2018 Nissan Micra on launch

Lerato Sepotokele — Sun, 24 Jun 2018 11:29:57 +0000

From the makers of the famous Samurai sword, a vehicle just as capable and competitive as the iconic weapon is re-born. A complete transformation from a caterpillar to a butterfly has emerged. A fiery, yet sharp vehicle with a touch of French technology brings birth to a competitive contender in the hatchback segment.

With the recent launch of the Micra Active which is still available in the lower B-segment, the manufacturer has decided to turn up the heat a little bit and introduce one of their secret weapons. The all-new Nissan Micra is the 5th generational offering of the Micra range. It’s particularly aimed at the upper B-segment with rivals such as the VW Polo and Ford Fiesta, a very stiff competition this is.

Appearance

The Micra now features a two-tone interior and a more aesthetically appealing look which is much acute and has a more premium feel as opposed to it’s predecessor. Essentially the steering wheel is the command post of the entire vehicle, which is of a higher quality than some of its competitors and is quite comfortable with a discreet feel of a new sportier D-Shape steering.

Drive and Feel

It’s pretty much feels like the Renault Clio which also boasts the same 66 kW engine. Surprisingly enough the vehicle actually has a bit more leg room for taller people in front which puts it at an advantage compared to it’s rivals. The Micra is a capable car with decent handling and suspension, however, it is not as practical as most cars in its class or as engaging.

The vehicle is actually very stable on high speeds with very little wind noise. It also boasts good handling and comfort for it’s passengers and is fairly easy to drive, with a rather soft braking system. It feels really sluggish at first upon take off but becomes fairly pleasant once it reaches higher speeds. The model also has a cruise control feature which comes as a standard and can be very handy with the ever so rising fuel prices.

Interior and Exterior

Nissan has decided to incorporate premium soft-touch materials to the Micra which was becoming a bit of an issue in its previous models. The onboard infotainment screen isn’t as responsive as one would hope. Another downside to the vehicle was the lack of armrest which would’ve put the Micra at an advantage to some of its competitors.

Generally, the car is a bit interactive for front passengers with sufficient head space and a list of other standard features present in our first drive models, however with no door bins for the rear passengers and winding windows this might be a bit of a hack for this vehicle, and to add a bit more salt to the wound there really isn’t much leg room or headspace for backseat passengers.

The Micra is fitted with ISOFIX seats in the rear and surprisingly enough on the front passenger seat, which might be very useful for parents who have minors who adore that extra TLC. As an added safety feature the vehicle now comes standard with 6 passenger airbags and the new Nissan intelligent mobility system which applies automatic brakes when approaching sharper turns and also helps with understeering of the vehicle. A hill start assist also comes in very handy when the vehicle is on sloping roads and helps with easy maneuverability. The sun visors are particularly large and need to be adjusted to the desired slanted angle as they block your view of the road when they are down, with the hazard indicator button feeling a bit out of place and might require one to lean forward a bit to press it.

The interior of the vehicle is very pleasant and modern, which might dare one to drive longer distances given the sufficient level of comfort. Another design feature which was particularly amusing was the vehicles ambient lighting system which almost makes one forget they are driving a B-segment car. The boot space is pretty average which is more than sufficient for all your shopping and day to day storage needs. The high-end model comes with a 360-degree camera feature and bigger 17″ alloy wheels and gives it a sportier look from the outside.

Another let down was the absence of the android auto feature on its infotainment system, however, it does have Bluetooth connectivity and Apple Car play. The boot capacity boasts a staggering 300 litres which is enough to fit a big travel size suitcase and 3 smaller bags with an overall loading capacity of 1004 litres with the rear seats down in a 60/40 split.

Front passengers also have the luxury of adequate cup holders and cabby holder space. The exterior design now has a V-shaped grille which gives the vehicle a much meaner look, which is a bit similar to the Nissan GTR. Nissan has added 6 vibrant colour variants for the model namely, blue, red, orange, silver, white and black. To add a bit more class to the range there are a range of other personalisation perks such as custom decals and colour coding bumpers/skirts to name a few.

Model Ranges, Pricing and Maintenance

The Micra range includes the Visia, Acenta and the Acenta Plus which all come with a 0.9L turbo petrol engine. Prices range from R233 500, R257 400 and R272 400 respectively. These models come with a 66 kW/140Nm power output. Unfortunately, the models are currently available in a 5-speed manual transmission with no talks of auto variants at the moment. On the bright side, the vehicle will be sold with a 3-year/90,000km service plan, a 6-year/150,000km warranty and 24-hour roadside assist.

Launch Drive: Mercedes Benz X-Class

Lerato Sepotokele — Wed, 16 May 2018 17:18:43 +0000

Imagine there being a bakkie built tough, with the luxury of a sedan… We’re not talking about any form of luxury, but the one you get standard in most German cars. A few years ago this seemed to be an almost impossible task for the bakkie or off-road vehicle segment. Well, thanks to the outstanding research and development from one of the most trusted auto manufacturers, Mercedes Benz has come up with the perfect combination in what seems to be a promising and elite leader in the segment.

The highly anticipated X-Class will be echoed in the ears of many bakkie fanatics, farmers and city-slickers from all walks of life for years to come and, by the looks of things, it’s definitely destined to be the ultimate king of bakkies.

The bakkie market is not an easy segment to compete in, especially when you’re targeting value and durability. Certainly, Mercedes has made some compromises, though they’re few and far between. To meet the high standards of the vehicle as well as push it to the limits, there was definitely no better route than the scenic Devil’s pass which booms with a wide range of fauna and flora and breathtaking views of the great outdoors. The trail also leads to the Outeniqua mountain pass with superb views of the garden route. Surprisingly enough this vehicle handled the rocky terrain like a pro and felt rather robust with refined sophistication and unparalleled driving comfort, thanks to its multi-link rear wheel mounting with coil springs technology.

In reality, the X Class isn’t all Mercedes‘ handiwork. The X-Class is product of its partnership with Renault-Nissan and is manufactured either at Renault or Nissan plants in Spain or Argentina, depending on country of destination. According to Mercedes, the time is ripe for a midsize pickup with aspirations beyond what the current crop of options from Ford, Volkswagen, Toyota and others can offer.

As much as most critics believe the car resembles the Nissan Navara from the outside, there are slightly few similarities between the vehicles which are basically the door handles which also feature a key-less entry function in the power model and antenna on top of the vehicle, from there most of the vehicle is purely a Mercedes Benz. The door frames, panels, lights and most other elements of the vehicle are completely different from those of Nissan. The bakkie has however been built on the Nissan chassis but has been reinforced with all Mercedes Benz engineering and styling. The load area of the vehicle has also been lengthened and also has a much higher carrying capacity. Another notable feature is the fact that both the progressive and the power models come standard with LED lights and a tow bar, with of course the power models come fitted with chrome styling fog lights and bumper lining.

The interior of the vehicle still has the premium Mercedes Benz feel with the option of heated seating in some models, which we feel like the interior is where the Mercedes Benz dominates hands down in the bakkie segment and also boasts it’s superb on-board command system which is still fitted with it’s premium touchpad, something a bit fancy for a bakkie if I may add . Generally the manufacturer was very smart with the design of the dashboard as it comes with three design options and the air-vents resembles the letter “X” which goes well with the styling of the bakkie and unlike most competitors the vehicle does have sufficient leg room in both the front and rear parts of the vehicle.

The Germans didn’t want to take away the significance of a bakkie and therefore fitted the traditional gear knob and handbrake lever in order for it to still feel like a bakkie, after all this is technically still a commercial vehicle. It also is fitted with rear seats vents as well as an electrically operated rear window as opposed to the traditional manual option in most bakkies. On top of all the safety features fitted in the vehicle it also comes standard with ISOFIX functionality and is fitted with curtain airbags all the way to the rear, which could double as an outstanding family vehicle.

The Mercedes Benz X-Class offers a selection of two powerful and efficient four-cylinder engines to deliver outstanding performance. The high-torque common-rail diesel drive system with a displacement of 2.3 litres is available with a choice of two power outputs. In the X220d, the engine generates 120kW and in the X250d no less than 140kW. These models are characterised by quiet, low-vibration running and excellent power delivery coupled with low consumption figures. The X-Class twin-turbo engines come with one high pressure and one low-pressure turbocharger set in series to ensure immediate response times, unmatched pulling power and strong acceleration. The meaner V6 engine model is set for release next year during the first quarter, which promises to be like no other bakkie on offer.

Overall this is a premium bakkie which has a lot to offer in a very competitive vehicle sector. Another feature I particularly liked the most about the X Class was the 360-degree camera which for such a huge vehicle is actually very useful, something which rivals might need to pick up on, then of course there is the hill-start assist feature which grants you a grace period of about 3 seconds to control you vehicle from rolling off inclined areas. This is a very practical bakkie and performs generally well on basically all terrains, and for a diesel model in both the progressive and power models it’s actually very quiet. It’s a work vehicle which begs the driver to push it even further.

The new Mercedes-Benz X-Class comes standard with the manufacturer’s Premium Drive, which is a 100 000 km/6 year plan or whichever occurs first. Customers also have the option of extending the maintenance plan up to a maximum of 180 000km/8 years or whichever occurs first, all of this of course comes at an additional price. Pricing for the X-Class range start at R642 103.

Though it’s relatively pricier than most of its rivals, one shouldn’t forget that Mercedes Benz doesn’t compromise when it comes to quality, which has been one of its competitive advantages throughout the years. This brand has always been about setting the highest standard for those few individuals who never settle for second best.

With all this being said, Mercedes Benz has made quite an impression and definitely will be turning heads.

WIN tickets to Afropunk Battle Of The Bands courtesy of EDGE

Lerato Sepotokele — Thu, 23 Nov 2017 07:48:02 +0000

If you had to choose, would you rather be seen turning up at home or Afropunk? Tough choice, we know. Soon turning up at Afropunk will become a reality for one lucky SA Vibe reader thanks to EDGE and it’s Afrokpunk Battle of The Bands Music Experience competitions.

The Battle of The Bands competition is powered by EDGE and aims to discover local musical talent with potential to change the current status quo. In addition to sharing the stage with world class headlining acts, the winning band will walk away with a cash prize of R15 000 at the end of the events series.

So with all that being said, we’re giving one lucky reader the chance to win double tickets to the Soweto Battle of the Bands event taking place at His and Hers Picnic this Saturday, 25 November. The prize also includes exclusive EDGE hampers worth R1000.

To enter, simply tell us in the comments below; which cider category breaker is powering the Battle of the Bands events?

Additional Battle of the Bands event dates are as follows:

25 November Soweto – His and Hers picnic

26 November Pretoria – RE: Capitoli Arts Festival – Tshwane Arts Crafts and Design Hub

2 December Tembisa – Easy Saturday Street Food Festival

3 December Tsakane – Wolf & Co

15 December Newtown – The Plat4orm

Terms and Conditions:

Entries to the Afropunk Battle of the Bands tickets and EDGE hamper are handled through the comments widget only. Your email address is required so we can get in touch with you if you win.

Competition is open to all residents of South Africa, 18 or older! Sorry, we don’t make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), we really do love all of you.

Winners will be chosen randomly. One (1) winner will receive 2x Battle of the Bands tickets and 1x EDGE Hamper courtesy of EDGE and SA VIBE.

If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond twelve (12) hours of being contacted, otherwise, another winner will be chosen. Make sure that the account you use to enter the contest includes your real name and a contact email or Facebook login.

We do not track any of this information for marketing or third-party purposes. Entries can be submitted from November 23 at 07h00 AM until November 24 2017 at 08h00 AM CAT. Good luck!

Reviewed: 2017 Hyundai Creta

Lerato Sepotokele — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 18:14:24 +0000

From the fourth biggest seller of vehicles in South Africa. Hyundai is offering yet another reliable vehicle to the South African Market. It’s a compact cross-over which promises to deliver in all aspects and give it’s rivals a run for their money. Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce to you the all new Hyundai Creta.

The Elegantly curved positioning lamps are an integral part of CRETA’s light signature. The daytime running lamps help improve visibility for greater safety. They also feature static cornering lights to ensure that you see everything in your way with every turn. The structure of the body is also not too far from the much more refined Hyundai Tucson.

The Creta features two tone leather seats which are a standard feature in all models along with an 8” inch infotainment system, Standard Bluetooth hands-free and a reverse camera. As compact as it is, surprisingly the vehicle has adequate leg room even for a tall person. In regards to the loading capacity, a major positive feature I liked about the vehicle was it’s large boot space together with it’s nice cargo net to keep your luggage from rolling around, with a claimed 402L which pretty is bigger than most of it’s rivals. Another noticeable feature with I was quite fond of was the trip computer which displayed the vehicle’s crucial information, like the fuel range and when the next vehicle service is due.

With a 55-litre fuel tank and an economical petrol and turbo diesel 1.6-litre engine which boasts 96kW of power in the featured model, the Hyundai CRETA will take you a bit further than most of it’s rivals. The choice of Manual, Automatic or Diesel Automatic gives you the freedom to select your own style of driving, all with the standard thrill that comes from driving a Hyundai. The automatic model that we reviewed had an average of 8,5L/100km which I personally feel was a bit more compared to other rivals in it’s category.

Our review model featured rear parking assist system, ISOFIX child anchor system and of course comes standard with six airbags, Static bending lights for making driving a pleasure around those corners at night. ABS and EBD are fitted as standard with all models which also offer rear parking assist with a camera and a full size spare wheel.

The Hyundai Creta comes in both petrol and diesel variants which are the 1.6 Executive petrol model which starts from R 319,900, than there is the Hyundai Creta executive automatic which starts from R 339,900 and lastly the model we had for review which was the range-topping Creta 1.6 executive automatic diesel which ranges from R 369,900.

In all aspects, I think that the Hyundai Creta is a very practical family vehicle.

The Hyundai Creta sound’s a bit loud and grumbly on the road, which makes it pretty obvious that it’s a diesel car. I also noticed that the brake pedal needs you to step on it fully when you come to a complete stop as you can feel the vehicle vibrate and moves slightly. Another feature which I wasn’t too impressed with was the exclusion of the cruise control function. Like most vehicles in other categories, the Hyundai Creta faces rivals in all forms and shapes like the Renault Duster, Suzuki Vitara, Toyota CH-R, Nissan Juke and the Mazda CX-3. All of which are very ambitious and all want to prove that they are far better than the other.

However, in all aspects I think that the Hyundai Creta is a very practical family vehicle with a lot of standard features which are offered as optional extras by it’s closest rivals. Hopefully, the manufacturer improves on it’s minor errors and comes up with an even better compact crossover in the near future or maybe even a sportier and quicker model.

Reviewed: Volkswagen Move UP!

Lerato Sepotokele — Mon, 05 Jun 2017 20:42:21 +0000

Despite the fact that the Smart brand has pretty much been a flop here in the Mzansi (and understandably so) when it comes to sales, we saffas are slowly but surely warming up to intelligent little city cars.

Take for, instance, the Fiat 500, which got off to a slow start, and has gained traction locally; Opel and its push of the miniscule Corsa in all markets, and Chevrolet opening the gates on the Spark. But until widespread success in this segment is firmly on record, it’s no secret that automakers are hesitant to bring over their smallest offerings. It’s one thing to import hundred-thousand-dollar supercars, but when you’re trying to compete with a low-price-point product, additional import costs only hurt the business case.

Elsewhere around the globe, Volkswagen is enjoying success with its Up! minicar, the tiny run-about that was named 2012 World Car of the Year during the New York Auto Show. And since VW brought the Up! to the Mzansi, we’ve been wetting our lips to get a first drive in it. Volkswagen recently granted us that opportunity, and we are (to say the least) mighty impressed by this run-about.

We could litter this entire review with synonyms of “small” to describe the Up!’s stature, but we’ll put it in some better perspective for you – it’s nearly identical in size to the Fiat 500. The Up! is ever-so-slightly shorter in overall length, a tiny bit wider and 1.5 inches shorter in height, but rides on a wheelbase that’s a full 5.3 inches longer than the Fiat.

That added space between the axles not only gives the car the sort of short-overhang dimensions that we love, but aids massively in interior packaging efficiency. Attractive 15-inch alloy wheels fit snugly at all four corners, as well.

The end result is a small car that’s as cute as a button with not a single offensive styling element to our eyes. We like the way the grille forms a big grin around the painted front bumper and that same design element is mimicked at the rear. The Up! isn’t all bubbly like a Fiat 500, using more squared-off lines and a vertical glass hatch, but this lack of roundness goes the distance once you’re inside.

That interior is perhaps one of this UP’s biggest surprises, where Volkswagen decided to employ a straight-to-the-point, clean-and-simple, functional design scheme rather than some of the cheap designs found on other small cars that just turn out to be complete ergonomic messes. Directly in front of you is a flat-bottomed steering wheel with easily accessible audio controls that sits in front of a refreshingly basic instrument cluster. The only stalks and buttons within arm’s reach feature minimal amounts of functions. To your left is a small control unit for the climate and audio functions with minimal amounts of buttons and knobs. It’s all you need, and it works.

As for niceties, this Up! packs more goodies than you might think just by looking at the interior. The built-in entertainment system houses a whole host of features and wireless functionality, and those front cloth seats are even heated. They’re cushy, too, though we’d eagerly welcome some additional bolstering for our African-sized backs and thighs.

For the remainder of the interior, the theme is functionality above all else. There are plenty of storage cubbies to be found in the center stack, doors and even the sills that flank the rear bench. Speaking of which, we had no issues climbing behind the front seats, and because of the high position of the front chairs, there’s a good amount of toe room to keep you comfortable if you are forced into the back. Just don’t ask me to sit in there.

We packed four adults into the Up! at one point without a single gripe to be heard.

All in, the Up! offers a better-appointed and more spacious interior than what we find in the Fiat 500 or Chevrolet Spark, proving that while we can gripe all we want about the cost-cutting found in the Polo cabin, Volkswagen does still know how to make a premium small car interior.

The automaker has employed a 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine here in the Up!, good for 55KW of power and 95Nm of torque. Miniscule numbers, no doubt, but it’s fine for this five-door hatchback. It’s certainly not fast, this Up! – hitting 100km per hour will take you a full 13 seconds (yes, even the Nissan leaf is quicker) – but it isn’t a total slowpoke, either. Being able to row your own gears with the five-speed manual transmission helps make the most of the limited power, too.

That said, the driving experience was not quite what we expected… in a good way. The Up! may use a perol-fed inline-three, but it has diesel-like characteristics – everything from the sound it makes to the power delivery. First gear is short and you’ll want to shift sooner rather than later, but once you’ve plunked into second, there’s a good deal of low-end grunt to get you going. The same goes for third gear, and the final two cogs are merely there to keep the revs down when you’re cruising.

The transmission itself is nicely tuned, though like many other Volkswagens, the clutch is a bit vague. The gearbox itself offers solid engagement, and while we can see the argument for wanting shorter throws while shifting, they don’t feel unusually or unpleasantly long.

Even after you’ve counted to 13 and are coasting at 110 km/h, the Move Up! doesn’t tremble at the idea of being pushed farther. We had no issues cruising at 120 km/h, and while driving through one heck of a windstorm (we’re exaggerating here), the little Up! held its own with confidence and poise on the wide freeways surrounding Detroit. The upright design and low weight does mean there’s a tendency to be tossed around by strong crosswinds, and even during pleasant weather, wind noise is no stranger in the spacious cabin.

As for fuel economy, the Move Up! absolutely excels here. The Up! boasts city/highway numbers of 4.6l per 100km. During our few days of driving, we had no problem coasting just by the 4.3l mark, making that absolutely best-in-class by a long shot compared to what’s available here.

But what really sweetens this deal is just how rewarding the Move Up! is to drive. The steering is direct and linear, with good on-center feel and plenty of feedback. It’s worlds better than what the Fiat offers. You run into a few issues with the short wheelbase when driving over uneven road surfaces – the Up! will bounce around a bit – but it’s nothing unexpected for a car this size. Beyond that, the Up! offers a comfortable cruising ride for long drives on the highway. Once you’re on twisty roads, don’t be alarmed if you experience some body roll and under steer built in to the front-wheel-drive chassis, but again, it’s nothing out of the ordinary for small cars.

But here’s where this delicious piece of bite-size forbidden fruit turns bittersweet; the pricing issue. Our test Move Up! is set at a R179 900 price point, setting it higher than the recently launched Suzuki Ignis we so love. And even so, it’s better than the lot of what’s offered in this country. In fact, the li’l Move Up! could even give larger cars like the Honda Jazz, Renault Kwid or Toyota Atios a run for their money in terms of overall driver involvement.

*Co-written by Papi Mabele

In Real Life: 2016 Opel Corsa Reviewed

Lerato Sepotokele — Wed, 22 Mar 2017 08:29:49 +0000

I’ve recently become a disciple of GM. No, I’m not under spell by my General Manager, and I’m not taking to learn more about the short-lived Genetically Modified. Nope, I’ve fallen in love with the Corsa , a hot hatch built by General Motors’ Germany-based Opel division. The only GM I’ve recognised for the past 18 months – or so.

My Opel Corsa is powered by a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine that pumps out 110 kW at 5000 RPM and 220 Nm of torque at 3 000 RPM. Bolted to a quick-shifting six-speed manual transmission that spins the front wheels, the turbo four pelts the Corsa from zero to 100km/h in 9.6 seconds and, given enough tarmac, on to a top speed of 210 km/h.

It’s easy to get carried away with power figures because they get tossed around so much in the auto industry. 200, 230, 190, 210; it’s all theoretical until you have your butt in the driver’s seat and your foot buried in the throttle.

Behind the wheel, 207 is about spot on for the Corsa. Remember, it’s the size of a Toyota Etios and it tips the scale at 118kg. Any more power would make the Corsa overwhelming to drive on the street, and any less would make it feel sluggish.

The turbo is what makes the fire-breathing Corsa stand out from its rivals, including the Ford Fiesta and the Volkswagen Polo. In many pocket-sized hot hatches, the engine lacks a pulse until the turbocharger kicks in, it spins itself dizzy in the middle of the torque band, and it wheezes to the rev limiter.

The turbo is what makes the fire-breathing Corsa stand out from its rivals.

The Corsa is quick off the line because the torque comes on relatively early, the engine pulls hard and steady right through the middle of the torque band, and it becomes downright explosive once the tach needle passes the 3,000-rpm mark. It’s like if the four-banger just drank a Big Gulp’s worth of Red Bull after shooting three espressos – if that makes sense.

The Opel Corsa 1.4 T Sport will set you back R225 200