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It has been quite a very busy time for Business Day motoring in South Africa since last month, attending many new product launches including unveiling and test drive of the new Jaguat XF in Manzini, Kingdom of Swaziland, the tour of Isuzu manufacturing facility and taking the new generation Isuzu Pick-up through its paces on and off-road in Port Elizabeth and launching of all-new Nissan Qashqai Crossover in Johannesburg respectively.
While cooling off over the weekend for the next product launch in the course of my trip to South Africa, Sokena Dudu, a friend of mine who live and work in Rosslyn, Pretoria took me out in his Tata Zenon double cabin Pick-Up. In the course of our ride in the truck, we started about different market in Africa, the different segments and the value, each of these automobile brands have to offer to buyers.
It was at that point I recalled the number of brand and models that automobile dealers have given me to take home and test drive for some weekends. Among some of the brands given to me by dealerships to take home and test drive are the Suzuki Grand Vitara, Dodge Caliber and Tata Zenon.
Hopping on the driver’s seat, driving through the highways and spending about an hour from Pretoria to Johannesburg was a not a small task. This is basically because, driving on Nigerian road, you have to stay on the right, while the steering location is on the left hand side of car.
So it has always been a strange experience doing the opposite. But having driven in some of the cities over the years including Cape Town, George, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Pretoria and Johannesburg, doing same this time around was not all that strange and I did so effortlessly with the Tata Zenon.
In segments such as family and leisure, farming, mining, construction, small businesses and municipalities, the model is capable of fulfilling set tasks. It is claimed to have good off-road capabilities, particularly in 4×4 guises.
It is so versatile in that it can be used in commercial and lifestyle roles, thanks to its tough as nails capabilities and contemporary styling. Available in four variants of single 4×2, single cab 4×4, double cab 4×2 and double cab 4×4 depending on the market, Xenon XT model comes with array of features that can compete with lifestyle Pick-up truck options currently on offer.
It has rugged looks, safety, comfort, convenience and performance features, equipped with two airbags for driver and passenger and pretensioned seats, ABS, differential lock for (double cabins) and limited slip differential (single cabs). The model uses a common rail diesel engine providing adequate performance and economy for daily use.
The 4×4 double is an apt adventure vehicle that yearns for the challenge of the roughest 4×4 terrain and the new generation 2.2/VVT DiCOR engine delivers a peak power of 110kW at 4000r/min and 320Nm between 1,500 and 3000r/min.
One can experience the wild outdoors in the cushioned comfort and safety of its cabin, while extra care has been taken to ensure driver and passenger safety with advanced features for both active and passive safety.
With the use of latest technology and computer-aided engineering systems, a maximum strength structure has been developed using the monocoque body on a chassis frame. It has a ladder frame chassis which is one of the strongest in its class. With Tata being a leader in steel used in the manufacturing of the chassis for the model to make it safer, rugged and carry any type of load irrespective of road conditions.
The suspension is designed to give it a firm road grip, excellent balance and good high speed control even when it’s heavily loaded, making Tata Xenon XT suitable for all applications on all road conditions. Offering something for both the leisure and commercial segment, it is also claimed to have one of the strongest chassis in its class, which contributes towards structural rigidity and safety.
Multiple crumple zones and side impact beams help to protect the the passenger space in the event of a collision. Also for enhanced safety,in case of a frontal impact, the steering column collapses, thereby protecting the driver from injury.
MIKE OCHONMA
