Ten years ago, Mahindra operated in the shadows of South African motoring community, unsurprisingly so because many-a-car customer did not trust the brand. They would not even entertain the idea of purchasing a Mahindra. But the Indian car maker had a plan and they kept at it.
Firstly, they had very limited and not so attractive offering but that was to change. Fast forward to now, Mahindra is one of the fastest growing brands on our shores. Car buyers no longer look at the brand with suspicion but with some willingness to give it a try. There are still those sceptics that believe good car brands should sound German and Japanese.
I have personally been very fortunate to have driven almost every member of the Mahindra family. From the base model SUV right up to the big daddy bakkie. In my possession for the past two months I have the Mahindra Pik up S11 Karoo and so far so good.
As a farmer and journalist, I lead a “double life” and the Karoo is a perfect car for someone like me.
It can rock up in the city and intimidate the taxi drivers with its big demeanor. It can quickly go back to the farms to raid the land, go to uncharted territories with utmost ease and poise.
For two months, I have had the pleasure of delivering fresh produce to the market while I could also show up at family gatherings without any care in the world.
For a bundu basher come workhorse, the Pik Up Karoo offers a comfortable ride.
Driven by the 2.2-litre 4-cylinder turbodiesel producing 103kW of power and 320Nm of torque, the S11 Pik Up Karoo is not a sprinter but can definitely hold its own, thanks to the torque that’s nicely available on all revs. Besides, the Karoo does not pretend to be a Jamaican sprinter but rather a Kenyan endurance marathon runner.
What I’ve realised is that the Pik Up Karoo is not pretentious to be anything other than itself, a good old workhorse carrying some good old rugged charm. The thing about the Karoo is that it stands out from the crowd, it makes a statement without trying too hard, thanks to the incredibly stylish rugged design
Not the easiest of cars to park due to its big turning circle but you can slot into your parking bay after two or three attempts (lol). Having said that, the S11 Karoo feels at home on and offroad, for the most part it was driven on farm gravel roads, oh boy it delivered. I’m not a big technological fan, so there are a few things that I personally require a car to have. I am what you may call easy going. Give me aircon, USB slot, functional sound system and electronic adjustable seats then we are good to go, the Karoo ticked all those boxes.
At the end and when all is said and done, the Karoo is a bakkie for work, the type of convenience features offered are sufficient for the type of vehicle it is. For a price tag of under R450 000 you get a lot of car.
I shall update you soon as I discover more about the Karoo……and I do not intend to go to the Karoo.
Pricing:
- S11 Pik Up Karoo: R429 999
