However, with brilliant marketing of bakkies designed for rugged work environment, GWM could come out of the woods, stru!
This past week, I had the pleasure of testing driving the Steed 52.0 litre, one must point out it was very economical, particularly since being a diesel.
Although the gears can be a bit of a mission, this 6-speed manual gearbox gives a kick!
Enjoyment on Steed 5’s is interior that provides a number of creature comforts and safety features without being impractical for often dirty working environments.
These include power steering, air-conditioning, leather seats for easy cleaning, dual front airbags, an anti-lock braking system and electronic brakeforce distribution, electric windows, remote central locking, and a CD/MP3 sound system with USB-capable input and steering-mounted audio controls.
Other goodies include height-adjustable headlights, front fog lamps, and electric side-view mirrors.
Although not meant for racing, try it off road you’ll be blown away.
Powered by a diesel-fuelled 2l Variable Geometry Turbo, common rail and direct injection 4-cylinder engine, fed by a 70l tank, GWM says this reduced-emissions and quieter engine is capable of generating 110kW of power at 4 000RPM, and 310Nm of torque at 1 800-2 800RPM.
Having said that, GWM has to work around the clock to compete in the already saturated bakkie market and offer what other competitors fail to provide.
The only snag is Steed has no lock to better handle slippery when on or uneven surfaces, however, careful driving should get you out of most difficult spots at a button speed of 70km/per hour as we did when we went to Sun City, covering the Sama awards, last week.
With the uncluttered dashboard, the usual suspects such as hidey-holes for bottles, cups, wallets, cellphones, a GPS , a 12V cigarette lighter power-point and a dedicated 12V power-point, meaning that a GPS can be operated and a cellphone charged at the same time. Aha!
My recommendation is if you plan having a bakkie worth a while, look no further than the Steed 5 its bravery shall entertain you!
It is available in various colours…
Steed 5 retails for R259 900 (including VAT and Environmental Levy) and comes with a 3-year/100 000km warranty and a 2-year Roadside Assist service.
For further information go to www.gwm.co.za.
Verdict:
Performance (1-10) 5
Diesel (1-10) 7
