MOTORING NEWS - When GWM first debuted on the South African market 10 years ago, it comprehensively redefined the term "value for money". In spite of sceptical comments about the little-known Chinese brand, in the space of a decade GWM (now trading as Haval Motors South Africa) has sold well over 55 000 vehicles.
Along the way even its most vociferous critics have been silenced. These machines didn't just boast purchase prices that made the competition seem really expensive, they also met and exceeded the very high expectations South Africans had in terms of durability.
Today the GWM range stretches from the much-loved H5 SUV, which has just been re-introduced, to the Steed 6, a premium double-cab that plays right up there with the market leaders in this hotly contested segment - still at an unbeatable price.
GWM vehicles initially gained traction on the South African market through their vociferous appetite for hard work - on the construction site and on the farm. And these roots haven't been forgotten with the Steed 5 range of bakkies that are willing and able to roll up their sleeves and literally get down and dirty.
QUARTET
There's a quartet of hard-working Steed 5 Single Cabs to choose from, and all boast utterly unbeatable prices. The Steed 5 Single Cab 2,0 WGT 4x2 workhorse is really the one that redefines the notions of value and appetite for work.
This machine is the most affordable turbodiesel pickup on our market - but its affordability doesn't mean compromise on anything, from power to equipment. Under its bonnet lives a proven, punchy two-litre turbodiesel that delivers 78kW at 4 000rpm - and an epic 225Nm of torque between 1 400 and 2 800rpm. Useful when it comes to serious load-lugging, which is something the 2,0 WGT revels in, with a payload of over one ton and a double-insulated load bed with several handy tie-down points. The load box itself measures a generous 2 280mm by 1 520mm by 460mm.
Other kit includes fog lamps front and rear, air-conditioning, power-steering and a rake-adjustable steering wheel. Air conditioning is now accepted as a necessary aid to productivity in our climate and no longer a luxury.
GENEROUS
Comprehensive colour coding and 16" steel wheels round off the package. Interior space is generous and occupants will be comfortable with no rubbing of shoulders. After all, South Africans tend to be built on a large frame!
In the combined cycle the 2,0 WGT has a published fuel consumption figure of just
8,1 litres of diesel per 100km. This goes a long way to lowering operating costs, particularly in this current constrained economic climate where margins in business and agriculture are often slim.
PRICING AND DETAILS
But it's the 2,0 WGT workhorse's price that is the show-stopper. It's offered at a decade birthday price of only R179 900, which represents a R20 000 saving over the normal price. The package also includes a three year or 100 000km warranty, as well as an optional service plan. Service intervals are every 15 000km. The Steed 5 range starts at just R149 900 for the single cab 2,2 Mpi 4x2.
