“Other buses in this class only offer 10 to 14 seats at up to R60 000 more,” says Marc Spaull, brand manager at Maxus & Maxus Commercial South Africa. The new Maxus 16-seater passenger minibus is certified to be driven by anyone with a normal (Code 08) driver’s licence.
Maxus vehicles are now manufactured in China after the British company was taken over in 2009 by the largest Chinese automaker, SAIC. It has been proven the most reliable minibus in the UK for the last four years, outperforming the likes of Iveco, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Nissan and Toyota, according to the Warranty Direct Survey in the UK this year.
The Maxus offers outstanding safety features. It has passed stringent European Safety Standards for front and side impact tests, and offers seat belts on all 16 seats, air bags for the driver and front passenger, side impact beams, anti-lock braking system (ABS), emergency brake assist (EBA), and electronic brake distribution (EBD).
Priced at R324 900, the new minibus offers value for money, thanks to a comprehensive list of standard features, including air conditioning, power steering, MP3 sound system, central locking, LED daytime running lights, electric windows in the front and anti-theft safety systems.
The new minibus is powered by a four-cylinder turbo diesel engine of 2499cc, driving the front wheels via a five-speed manual transmission. The engine delivers 100kW of power at 3 800rpm and 330Nm of torque at 1 800rpm.
Boasting an average consumption of
74 litres/100km, a three-year/100 000km service plan and a manufacturer’s warranty of 100 000km/36 months, the new minibus offers low running costs.
Locally, Maxus is distributed and sold by Mandarin Motors, part of the Combined Motor Holdings (CMH) group, a leading South African motor retailer group listed on the JSE.
Maxus currently has 12 dedicated dealers across South Africa.
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