IMOTO: LAND CRUISER PRADO
ULWESITHATHU emini, licwathile izulu ngenkathi ibhanoyi lithi cababa esikhumulweni sezindiza eMaputo, eMozambique.
“Siyabonakala ukuthi siqhamuka eNingizimu Afrika ngala majakhethi amakhulu esiwagqokile. Sibukeka njengabantu abahlanyayo,” kusho omunye wesilisa esigibele naye.
Phela sisuka eGoli lapho ubusika bungenise khona namakhaza ashubisa umnkantsha.
Uma sehla ilanga lishisa nasebukhweni bezinja sengijahe ukungena kwi-Toyota Land Cruiser Prado esize ngayo ezweni eliholwa wuMnuz Filipe Nyusi.
Akekho odinga ukuthi akuqhwebe akutshele ukuthi yi-Prado entsha le yize ihluke kakhulu kunendala. Empeleni isivele isikhona emigwaqweni yaseNingizimu Afrika njengoba iqale ukudayisa ngoJuni 3 futhi kusongwe leyo nyanga sekudayiswe angu-691.
Izishaya sabhokisana futhi uma eklelisiwe ngiyaqaphela ukuthi amalambu awafani – kukhona ayisibaca owathola kwi-TX nakwi-VX-R bese kuba nayindilinga afakwe kwi-First Edition yekhethelo esuselwe kwi-VX-R. Ukususelwa kwayo kwi-VX-R kwenza ukwazi ukufaka ayindilinga uma uwathanda.
Uma ngigudla ohlangothini ngibheke ebhuthini lapho ngiyofaka khona izikhwama ngiyaqaphela ukuthi amarimu angu-18 inch nokuyinto engihambe ngathola ukuthi nangaphansi kunesipele esiwusayizi ofanayo.
Phela ayisalitetile isondo emhlane njengakuqala. Lokhu kwenza isikhala sithi ukuthi xaxa ngaphakathi kodwa kunciphisa esethangi likadizili sona esesingu-110 litres sisuka ku-150 litres.
Indlela yethu ibheke ePonta de Ouro futhi sihamba nge-VR-X First Edition. Ngebhadi yakhiwe ngesibalo esikaliwe futhi zonke sezidayise zaphela kuleli kwazise bekulethwe ezingu-300 kuphela.
Singene sahlala ezihlalweni zesikhumba ezifudumalayo futhi ziqande uma uthanda. Mina nebengihamba naye asibanganga ukuthi sifuna amazinga okubanda abe njani phakathi ngoba yilowo nalowo unokwakhe. Okunye okungabangisi umsindo, yinqwaba yezimbobo zokushaja ezingaphakathi ngaphambili nangemuva.
Indlela ngoba asiyazi kahle, ngixhume iselula nge-Apple CarPlay ngaphandle kwentambo, isiyavela inkombandlela kwi-touchscreen infotainment system.
Indlela isithatha isihambisa ngo-N1 siwela isimanga sebhuloho elikhulukazi iKatembe Bridge.
Siqhubeka nendlela izwakala intofontofo. Bathuthukisile i-suspension ukuze ihambe kangcono emgwaqweni nasogwadule. Ngithi uma nginyusa isivinini ngizwa umsinjwana womoya ungena ngaphakathi uma ngisondela ku-120km/h nokuyinto engingayithandi.
Injini efakwe la kuseyiyo i-2.8 GD-6 kadizili enamandla angu-150kW ne-torque engu-500Nm njengasekuqaleni. Umehluko wukuthi isigaxwe u-gearbox oyi-8 speed automatic ozwakala ushintsha kamnandi.
Ngizwa ukuduma kwayo kuphezulu ingathule ngendlela ebengingalindela ngayo kodwa yinto engihamba ngiyijwayele.
Uma nginyathela umugqa ohlukanisa imizila iyangixwayisa. Lokhu kungezinye zezinto zokuphepha abazifakile kuyona kanjalo nenqwaba yama-airbag ngaphakathi.
Sisendleleni nje, sihamba sithintathinta futhi sibheka zonke izinto zale ngqovungqovu ye-SUV elayisha abagibeli abayisikhombisa. Sesibona nokuthi inesiqandisi seziphuzo phakathi nendawo, isibuko sangemuva phakathi siyikhamera, kune-head-up display kanjalo ne-sunroof. Okunye awukutholi kwi-TX okuyiyo ephansi.
Sithi uma sinyathela amabhreki athuthukisiwe afakiwe sesiphuma emgwaqweni omkhulu singena koyibhuqu ozosibhekisa eWhite Pearl Resorts okuyilapho sizogoba khona amadlangaka, isidingo sokuyifaka ku-4H asikho ngoba ivele idonsa ngawo womane amasondo ngaso sonke isikhathi.
Uvalo lokubhajwa alukho nakancane ngoba ngibona uxhaxha lwamabhathini ezinsiza zomshayeli ogwadule.
Ngibala ibhathini le-diff lock yaphakathi nendawo nangemuva, no-4L. Ngakusasa yilapho esithola khona ithuba lokusebenzisa ezinye izinsiza zayo njenge-Crawl Control esiza ukuthi ingabhajwa, kune-Stabiliser Disconnect Mechanism othi uma uyicishile isize ukuthi uhambe kahle ezindaweni ezimbi futhi ezinamatshe nokuthi uma isivinini sinyuka iphinde izikhiye yona i-anti-roll bar.
Sithola nethuba lokudlala nge-Multi-Terrain Select esiza ukumelana nanoma yiziphi izindawo ohamba kuzo ngoba uyayikhetha indawo kuyo bese izihlela ukumelana nayo njengasesihlabathini.
IPrado entsha ifikele ukuzoqoqa abathengi bezimbangi okuyiLand Rover Defender nezinye futhi bafuna nokuheha amakhasimende asemancane ngokweminyaka njengoba phambilini ibithengwa ngasebekhulile.
Intengo:
•Prado 2.8GD TX – R1 296 300
•Prado 2.8GD VX-R – R1 448 900
•Prado 2.8GD 1st Edition – R1 462 400
•Prado 2.8GD 1st Edition Bi-Tone – R1 472 600
Zonke zifika ne-service plan yamasevisi ayisishiyagalolunye noma u-90 000km ne-warranty yeminyaka emithathu noma u-100 000km.