In a country that is obsessed with bakkies, Mahindra is well poised to claim some market share.
The Pik Up, the brand’s more feature-laden double cab bakkie is now available with an automatic gearbox.
South Africa is the first country in the world to receive the auto version of the Pik Up and I travelled to Pretoria recently to sample it.
I hopped on board the latest bakkie entrant from the Indian marque at the national media launch.
Initially, things appeared strange, especially on our Karoo edition press car, which featured aftermarket alloy wheels with off-road-ready tyres and with nudge and styling bars which, despite proving popular with buyers, appears to come down to personal taste.
Apart from the rather unorthodox exterior design, the interior is also a mix of odd surfaces and plastics, despite offering an airy feel and acres of headroom.
My driving partner and I set off for a drive to a local off-road trail.
I was immediately surprised by how well the Pik Up handled urban and open road cruising, with the new gearbox seemingly well-programmed, matching what I have always considered being a good engine.
At the national limit, the Pik Up feels stable and unfussed while at lower speeds it isn’t exactly luxurious, but it is perfectly acceptable for a bakkie.
I did note that our Karoo-spec test unit had heavy steering at low speeds, likely a result of the larger wheels and tyres.
The S11 variant of the Pik Up is better specified than the S10 with a 7.0-inch colour touchscreen infotainment system with navigation and Bluetooth connectivity.
There are also niceties such as cruise control, climate control, two 12V power sockets and electric windows all round.
On the safety front, the latest Pik Up is yet to go through an official crash test, however, there is ABS, traction control and dual-front airbags.
At the price point at which Mahindra has introduced the automatic variant of its Pik Up, I feel that the model should succeed.
It offers many of the virtues that local bakkie buyers look for when shopping in this segment, including a degree of off-road ability, a respectable level of specification, a spacious cabin and a relatively compliant ride, all at a reasonable price.
Download The North Coast Courier mobile app, now available free from the Apple iStore and on Google Play, for IOS and Android phones.
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