GMW's Steed bakkie range is regarded as the best Chinese offering to date, offering reasonable quality for a good price. The double cab versions were recently updated, ditching the front end that was copied from the old VW Magellan concept for a cleaner, albeit very generic design.
Now that facelift has been passed on to the single cab, which is now also referred to as Steed 5, while the entry-level workhorse versions continue in pre-facelift form.
Buyers can choose between petrol and diesel power, the former being in the form of a 2.4-litre unit with 100kW on tap at 5200rpm and 200Nm at 4000rpm. Diesel diehards can opt for a 2.5-litre engine, which pushes 80kW at 3400rpm and 300Nm between 1800 and 2600rpm.
All models offer a good spread of features, including air conditioning, electric windows and mirrors, central locking, CD/MP3 player linked to steering wheel controls and individual bucket seats. Dual front airbags and ABS brakes are the highlights on the safety features front.
PRICING:
2.4 4x2 Luxury - R149 900
2.4 4x4 Luxury - R175 900
2.5 TCI 4x2 Luxury - R169 900
2.5 TCI 4x4 Luxury - R189 900
Prices include a three-year/100 000km warranty and two years of roadside assistance.