The Nissan Micra Tekna dCi is a very well engineered vehicle that offers a host of features normally found on larger vehicles.

The Nissan Micra Tekna dCi is phenomenal
DO you remember that Paul Simon album from a few years ago that was entitled Graceland? If you do you then you will probably remember a track named "Boy in the bubble", which, apart from the boy aspect, I felt a bit like when I took delivery of the new test vehicle that is the subject of this weeks column, the Nissan Micra dCi Tekna.

General Motors spog met nuwe blitse
GENERAL MOTORS vier vanjaar hul 100-jarige bestaan en om dit te vier, het hulle 'n paar nuwe blitse op die mark geplaas - en wat ook in die nabye toekoms op die mark gaan verskyn.

Nissan se luukse 4x4 beïndruk
NISSAN, saam met Toyota, het by wyse van spreke in Afrika hul 4x4 tande gewissel en reeds diep spore getrap. In sommige state noord van die Limpopo, is daar steeds hewige gevegte tussen die Nissan en Toyota ondersteuners, soos wat ons as skoolkinders destyds oor Fords en Chevs baklei het!

Renault raises the bar
THE appointment of Xavier Gobille as the managing director of Renault South Africa is a very strong indication of the company's determination to regain a share of the local market.

Die Kia Picanto is prettig pikant!
HET KIA 'n geheime agent of toekomsnavorser wat gebeure in ons land so goed ken en kan voorspel dat hulle op die regte oomblik die regte produk kan bekendstel wat in pas is met die jongste ekonomiese en politieke gebeure? Dit neem immers 'n jaar of wat voordat 'n nuwe model sy buiging op plaaslike toneel maak nadat die vervaardigers of verspreiders daarop besluit het.

Lexus SC430 - open top sheer luxury
John Floyd Since the re-launch of Lexus in South Africa eighteen months ago, the brand has achieved many of its goals and more importantly gained the confidence of many new clients.

The Spider leaves its Web
Switzerland will be the centre of attention for the next few days with the opening of the renowned Geneva Motor Show.

The Patrol Safari is back!
TO use a phrase so often said by the Monty Python team, "and now for something completely different!" Usually I give my impressions of the latest in passenger conveyance, but this week I take a look at something which has a very specialised appeal, the Nissan Patrol Safari Pick Up.

Tribeca offers best value for money
AS many of you will remember, we attended the launch and test drove the Subaru Tribeca 3.0. The Tribeca was the Japanese manufacturer's first foray into the SUV market and it was the premium end of the sector where they faced serious competition from well established competitors such as Volvo and BMW.

The Audi A3 goes topless!
TOPLESS motoring has exploded in Europe (I'm referring to open top cars not the other form of topless) and most manufacturers have produced at least one cabriolet model. Many have utilised the metal fold away roof and the rest have gone for the traditional soft top.

Nissan Livina Acenta maak die mark lewendig!
NISSAN wen vinnig veld met sy jongste toevoeging tot die plaaslike mark, in 'n segment waarin hy vroeër nie 'n mededinger gehad het nie; die mini-meerdoelige klas. Sy nuwe model is die Livina wat in beide vyf- en sewe-sitplek konfigurasie beskik-baar is en wat beslis 'n paar duike in die mark gaan maak.

Nissan launches new, affordable family vehicle
IT appears that the motorist's pleas for a compact family vehicle, with good load space and seating at a realistic price, has been heard by the manufactures. Just a short while ago we test the Toyota Avanza which met all those requirements and now Nissan have taken up the challenge with the Livina range.

Detroit debuts!
HERE we go again, the first of the vehicle manufacturer's opportunities to display their wares to the motoring press and public, last weekend was the opening of the North American International Auto Show, I think most of us know it as the Detroit Motor Show.

'n Halfjaar met die motor van die jaar!
ONS het kort ná die aankondiging dat die Honda Civic as die Suid-Afrikaanse Motor van die Jaar bekroon is, kortliks oor hierdie middelklas-sedan geskryf. Hoewel hy in die middelklas val, is hy egter nie 'n gemiddelde motor nie. Nadat ons 'n Civic as langtermyn-toetsmotor tot vroeg Desember as "ons" motor gehad het, het die tyd aangebreek om 'n oordeel oor die Civic te vel.

Honda S Type will put a smile on your face
IT has been quite some time since I have been able to test any vehicle from the Honda range, the last having been the iconic Civic Type R, so it was with interest that I spent a week with the Honda Accord Type S.

Mitsubishi is back with the new Lancer
IT has been almost four years since I test drove the previous generation Mitsubishi Lancer and I remember being impressed with the performance and build quality of this mid sized family saloon, particularly with a price tag of under R140 000.

Ford Ikon bring familiewaardes terug!
TOT in die sestigerjare was Jan Alleman se keuse 'n Ford, 'n Chev of 'n Volkswagen Kewer. Wat daarna gebeur het, is reeds geskiedenis: Dit was amper so-iets soos die Tweede Wêreldoorlog wat effens anders verloop het want die Duitse en Japanese het op die ou end die stryd gewen - ten minste op die motormark - terwyl die eens magtige Britse motorvervaardigingsektor feitlik van die toneel verdwyn het.

Look no further than the Avanza for cost effective transport
THE Toyota Avanza has been on the streets for some time now and by the numbers we see around it is proving to be a very popular alternative. Positioned as a compact class, entry-level vehicle that offers multi-purpose utility, a lot of families are finding the Avanza to be a good cost effective means of transport.

Peugeot's latest 207 CC hits the streets
IF you have ever wondered what many of motoring abbreviations actually mean, for example ABS, EBD etc I am sure you're not alone. Well here's another one, CC. It's another one of those acronyms that we all use but seldom know what the full meaning is. This one signifies a Coupe Cabriolet.

Mercedes Avantgarde is a class act
AS I have said in a previous column, its 25-year history, and six million Mercedes C Class vehicles, in various guises, has made the "baby Benz" the most successful vehicle ever from the Stuttgart plant, and the new version should continue that trend.

Powerful Lexus GS 300 is made for speed
IT appears that the arrival of Lexus in South Africa is having an effect on the local premium segment market, and that South African motorists are beginning to become more open minded on the myriad choices now available to them. We tested the Lexus IS 250 SE a few weeks ago and now have had the opportunity to experience the GS 300.

Subaru Tribeca - different to most MPV's
John Floyd It's been eight months since I attended the South African launch of the Subaru Tribeca, the Japanese manufacturer's first venture into the highly competitive MPV market.

Toyota Auris diesel is good value for money
JUST a few weeks ago Toyota South Africa released their new hatchback, the Auris. The vehicle was designed by their European design studio, ED2,and the new C segment contender is manufactured to Toyota Motor Corporation's exacting global quality standards at the Burnaston plant in the UK.

New Peugeot 207 is a real 'eye pleaser'
THE French have always held a special place in the world of fashion, most of the top couturiers have been Paris based and have always been known for their avante garde approach.

Van of the year is an outstanding performer
FIAT recently introduced the latest generation of its best selling Doblo Cargo light commercial vehicle. The changes to the Doblo Cargo so impressed judges at the European Road Transport Show in Amsterdam, that it was awarded the coveted accolade of being Van of the Year 2006.

Rally legend retires
LAST week I reported on the Toyota Dealer Rally in Gauteng and for those of you that do read the fine print, you will have noticed that it was a very significant event for a few people. Johnny Gemmell of course for winning the rally, Jannie Habig taking the 2007 title as Drivers Champion, and the retirement of one of South Africa's motor sport legends, Serge Damseaux.