The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic are still being felt. Before one leaves the house, they must make sure they have a clean mask that is worn at all times, while restaurants, shops and other establishments have sanitizing stations at the entrances.
This has been our reality since the pandemic hit South African shores and we soldier on, regardless.
When travelling and other restrictions were slightly eased, I breathed a sigh of relief because I really missed travelling and going on road trips.
So when the folks at Suzuki and Khulekani On Wheels invited me on a four-day road trip, I jumped at it. What a beautiful part of the world we live in, I must admit.
The trip was all about fun whilst exploring some stunning places in and around the Mpumalanga province, and our weapon of choice for the whole trip was none other than the new tyke that bestows the S-Presso nameplate.
Talking about the Suzuki S-Presso, it is the brand’s answer to the Renault Kwid and Datsun’s Go, and while there has been a huge uproar regarding its safety standards, the tyke continues to sell in impressive quantities.
For the month of March alone, Suzuki sold 527 S-Presso models in Mzansi.
It is powered by a 1.0-litre 3-cylinder petrol engine with 50 kW and 90 Nm of torque. The transmission comes courtesy of a 5-speed manual transmission.
Our test unit was bolstered with a 7-inch touchscreen that allows Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity which made the road trip enjoyable. The system also has an integrated reverse camera, Bluetooth and a USB and auxiliary port.
On the safety side, the S-Presso is fitted with dual airbags as well as ABS which is on par with what the two competitors offer in this market stable.
Back to the trip…
Day one
After a short briefing at the Suzuki SA offices, we headed out to the vehicles and what a sight it was. The S-Pressos were line-up beautifully and our unit looked the part in the blue hue it wore.
The destinations were kept a mystery and that added a bit of fun because we kept on guessing throughout the whole trip. However, me being born and bred in Mpumalanga, I knew we were going to end up somewhere in the mountains.
Anyway, we hit the road in a nicely packed convoy led by the new Brezza crossover. We headed towards Middelburg and after a brief stop to savour the moment at the Alzu Petropoort on the N4, we headed to our lunch spot.
After about 150 km worth of driving through some exciting passes, we finally arrived at Misty Mountain Lodge. The lodge is situated on the spectacular Long Tom Pass between Lydenburg and Sabie.
The lodge is a great facility should one wishes to visit places such as the God’s Window, The Pinnacle, Bourke’s Luck Potholes and Blyde River Canyon.
The activity of the day was the 1.7 km Long Tom Toboggan which is the longest toboggan run in Africa.
After lunch, the rest of the trip saw us driving down to Hazyview, Perry’s Bridge Hollow Boutique Hotel for an overnight stop.
The hotel is situated at the heart of Hazyview and is surrounded by several restaurants and it is worth looking at.
Day two
The second leg of the Suzuki S-Presso Tour wasn’t full of driving and while the destination was kept a secret, we were in for a big surprise.
We made our way to the Graskop Gorge Lift which offers the perfect point to stop along the Panorama Route.
Ziplining, hiking and sightseeing were the order of the day. We took a jaunt to walk the forest trail that is situated at the bottom of the gorge and it was indeed a worthy experience to discover the natural beauty of the land.
Lunch was had at the Lift Café. The restaurant offers some of the best views of the mountains and I was served the most delicious milkshake.
After lunch, we made our way to our mystery overnight stay which happened to be the 4-star Hoyohoyo Angels View.
It’s situated about 2 km from the Gorge Lift and offers a splendid experience. The friendly hotel staff pride themselves on speaking your language.
Day three
The first part of the morning on the third day was spent creating content outside the Angels View Hotel before making our way to the GZ Adventures for some quad biking thrills.
The adventure ride lasted for about an hour and saw us navigating through bushes, trees, declines and inclines.
Be sure to try this if you happen to visit Hazyview and surrounding places.
Before we knew it, it was time to head to Whiteriver for lunch. The R40 route saw us driving for 46 km to the Bagdad Shopping Centre.
Our overnight stay was at the Ndhula Luxury Tented Lodge situated between Whiteriver and Nelspruit. It is also a central lodge and makes getting to the Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport easier.
The lodge is also an ideal place with incredible views of the mountains as well as beautiful sunrises.
Day four
Indeed all good things come to an end. The fourth leg saw us driving from Nelspruit via the N4 and N12 national routes and before we knew it, we said our goodbyes and headed home.
The Suzuki S-Presso
On the road, the Suzuki S-Spresso came as a shock to me whilst also changing the perception I have always had of small budget cars.
My view was that they are perfect as run-around cars and not great for longish drives. Yes, they do not offer the same comfort and driving dynamics offered by other vehicles, but they took us down to Mpumalanga without any issues.
The engine, with its 50 kW and 90 Nm, delivers adequate shove when needed to do so and that is accompanied by an excellent fuel economy of 5.1l/100km. However, the 27-litre fuel tank requires constant refuelling during long hauls.
Pictures by DBN Spotter and PixelKollective
