THIS is not for the faint-hearted, so young boys and girls, this is what we call stapora loosely translated (top dog),” remarked a lady who failed to contain herself upon landing her eyes on the LDV Terron 9 2.5TD Premium 4×4.
With all windows taken down in the sunny Lichtenburg CBD, Bokone Bophirima, playing soothing sounds of the late Chikapa Phiri, congratulatory messages and whistles followed.
Couldn’t blame them: it has an imposing grille that would take one a day to handle, measuring a whopping 5 500 mm from nose to tail, with some 3 300 mm separating its axles, making it a considerable 150 mm longer than its predecessors.
Parking it under the carport was a headache as it took space-literally.
As for ground clearance it stands at 220 mm and a payload in the region of 850 kg, along with a braked towing capacity of 3 500 kg, so you could imagine yours truly alighting from this monster- ahem…?
The 20-inch alloys (275/55 R20 all terrain) off-road was like a little girl enjoyin’ her favourite yummies.
Its no wonder upon taking it for a wash- they charged me for a truck rate- bloody agents!
The interior offers premium features uncommon in this price bracket: standard sunroof, heated front seats, 7 airbags, and lane departure warning.
However, the gigantic screen and some of its features seemed cool but struggled playing radio stations for news purposes in the NW, as soon as I made my way back to Jozi, all the stations gained traction- a truck maybe that was my thought…
Sleek as it is- other stuff were a button away- from the cooling/heating of the front seats, to playing music through bluetooth like my son did with his cousins- they seemed contend fiddling with their gadgets for charging at the back seats, so did the ample space that came in handy.
Packing a 2.5L turbo-diesel engine producing 163kW and a segment-leading 520nM torque, it promises serious workhorse capability. With a claimed 7.10L/100km fuel economy and 1,014km range, it’s built for long mzansi terrain, especially the NW province that continues to be plagued by endless potholes and poor road infrastructure.
Though acceleration lags slightly (10.9s 0-100km/h its blend of brawn, tech (navigation, digital display), and warranty security makes it a compelling contender for buyers prioritising value without compromising on 4×4 capability and offroad drive.
The LDV Terron features an 8-speed automatic transmission and its a 4×4 standard.
Some of my farm workers had mistaken the LDV for LOV from a distance, of which some of the locals did allude to- and yes, they were in proper state of mind…
It retails for R779,900
LDV Terron 9 2.5TD Premium 4×4 comes with a 5-year/200 000 warranty and a 5-year/100 000 km service plan.
With learners still on school holidays- why not try it out offroad- you will thank me laterrrr!
Verdict
Diesel 1-10 (6)
Performance 1-10 (7)
Image SLM (The gigantic front grille LDV Terron 9 2.5TD Premium that left locals and alike in awe.)
