It’s time for the first official Jonnie on cars review. To start off with, let me say sorry, sorry that the video is so hacked, sorry the editing is so bad, and sorry that you have to stare at me for your entire smoke break.
When I’ve contacted the dealership with a request to test drive some Geelys, Gina, the dealer principal from Gindra motors told me that those cars I wanted to test drive was not available, but she has a fantastic new SUV for R269 000. That was me. I was panicking, how am I supposed to lie if I don’t know what to lie about? Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. A mystery test drive! So off I went to the dealership to review cars, and give my opinion on them, without any research. None, nothing, nada! And sorry for that too, because it shows!
I have attached a video, so if you really want, you can watch that. If your boss does not allow you to watch YouTube videos because it’s the sole reason you are unproductive, then you can read on.
Yes folks. Today I get a taste from China, and what a pleasant taste it is. It is in fact the Landwind 5 by JMC, the newest SUV to take SA by storm, and before you stop reading, let me assure you one thing, Gina, should not have used the word “fantastic” when she told me about it. She should’ve used “awesome”.
But before I dive into it, let me say this, a big thank you to Gindra motors, the principal Gina Giani, and the sales person, aptly named Doctor!
Interior
Well, because this is the place you spend the most time in, let’s start here. The quality workmanship is staggering, better I dare say, than some better known manufacturers could produce. I did not see one loose thread, or a skew piece of leather. Nothing in fact, that brings the stigma about Chinese products in bad light.
The seating position was a bit of an issue to me, and I would have really loved if the seat could be height adjustable, but the rest, well, no problems. It has loads of legroom, even with the driver’s seat all the way to the back. The rear seats are also reclinable, which just adds to the comfort of the backseat drivers. Then, there is the boot space. It is big enough to fit an entire grade 1 class in there, provided the children are folded up neatly.
The dials are modern and very easy to read, and there are no intrusive infotainment system to speak off, no buttons on the steering wheel to fiddle with, and no funny moves needed when you want to open a window, or operate the radio. Everything is positioned perfectly, and feels good to the touch.
Exterior
On the outside it’s smooth and slick, and proudly advertises it origins from the huge badges at the back, yet is not overly aggressive on its looks. It still has the ability to look like it will run you over if you take away its food though; which is good when you want those lane hoggers to move. It’s big enough to make a statement on the road, and spot it from a mile in a parking lot, but it’s not so big that you will have to build a bigger garage, or get a measuring stick when you park under cover. What this is is a proper SUV sized, uh, SUV.
Power
One thing I cannot get over is the sound this car makes. Unashamedly powered by a 6 speed Mitsubishi 2.0 turbo, pushing 240Nm and 140Kw it does not feel like a slouch at all. Power is immediate, turbo lag is almost non-existent, and when you shift and you get the hiss of the dump valve, you will smile. You will giggle, and you will enjoy every second of it. . Watch the speed though or you might just find yourself in a pickle when you’re pulled over, or parked in someone else’s boot.
Ride quality
It’s comfortable, responsive, and immediate when you yank the wheel. Surprisingly it doesn’t feel top heavy at any stage, body roll is also almost non-existent, and its deceptively quick. Except once again for the seating position, this feels like it can be used every single day, and I doubt you will ever tire of it. I did have an issue with sluggish brakes though.
Conclusion
This is a daddy car. It makes a performance car sound, its big enough to keep baby happy with all the nappy bags needed, it’s easy enough for mommy to drive when you are not looking, and it will make you feel young every time you turn the key. The price is also decent. Yes, there are other cars for a little cheaper, but they are cross overs, this is an SUV, yes, there are other cars that gives you a big, noisy infotainment system with loads of flashy buttons, but there are very little cars that actually feels as good as this!
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