THE Landwind is a new arrival in the Mzansi SUV market.
SunWheels wasn’t sure what to think of it so we gave it a spin to tell you about it.
Basically, it is a very simple SUV but it gets the job done. It is new so there is a strong novelty factor that turns many heads.
In terms of looks, JMC decided to focus on building a big macho machine rather than a collection of pretty curves and flowing lines. But where the Landwind impressed us was under the skin. It performed surprisingly well.
The SunWheels team invited some friends to fill the SUV’s seats and we all thought it had lots of space. It was big inside and provided lots of legroom so all the passengers could stretch their legs. Since we drove to KZN and back, we needed the comfort.
In the Free State, we hit terrible winds which made driving at 120km/h feel uncomfortable. The drop in speed kept us on the road a little longer than planned.
The SUV is pushed by a 2,0-litre, four-cylinder engine that provided all the power needed.
The road handling was quick in its responses but although the suspension was fine on the long stretches of smooth national highway, it didn’t feel as solid once we drove on bumpy roads.
The biggest draw for Mzansi customers is that JMC makes some of the most affordable vehicles in the world and this Chinese SUV is no different. The manual Landwind is priced at R241 880 and it includes a R3 000 fuel voucher for a limited time.
The automatic version costs R272 880 but it comes fitted with a free touchscreen display.
The Landwind SUV is also sold with a three-year/100 000km warranty and a five-year/100 000km service plan.
