You’ve converted every available space on your property for the football amakwerekwere you’re expecting will pay R800 a person a night for the “rustic” room that used to be your tool shed and R1 000 a person a night for the “authentic African” tree-house experience that wouldn’t even interest your pet python.
You’re pretty good at spinning the facts and feel absolutely no skaam about forcing foreign footie fans to use the outhouse when it’s –2ºC — and you’re confident you’re going to be rolling in rands during the World Cup.
You’ve even kicked gran out of her flatlet and the gardener out of the garage. You’re expecting to have a minimum of eight “guests” on your property and you think you’ve got everything sorted.
Except for one thing.
Transport.
You convince yourself that these people are Euro Trash, so you toy with the idea of forking out a few cents for a used minibus taxi, but then you see the headline “Footie fans massacred in SA” across the New York Times front page and you begin to feel a little skittish about the standard-issue cardboard-cut-out taxi brake-pads that, in all probability, won’t bring your rust bucket to a stop when you need to eject said foreigners from the taxi.
Round about now your friends are telling you that you’re an avaricious arse and it’s because of you that tourists think all Saffas are shysters. You put it down to them being jealous just because they lack entrepreneurial spirit.
But still the issue of transport is bugging you.
Enter the Hyundai H1 diesel.
You consider the H1, but you don’t want to spend that much money on a car you’re going to sell after footie fever subsides, though you’re getting a little nervous about squashing eight or so plump aliens into your Citi Golf.
After much deliberation you haul yourself down to a Hyundai dealership to test the H1 diesel.
You’re determined not to be impressed by a minibus, but after a short drive you realise that you might just be on to something here. If you buy a really cool, comfy, safe means of transport, you’ll be able to charge your guests even more for a personalised, five-star chauffeur-driven taxi service. Ching, ching, ching! Sold to the up-and-coming mogul in the denim shorts and flip-flops.
The H1 diesel, despite its size, is pretty easy to drive. Of course, the ride height is what you need to be most wary of because the ease with which the H1 moves means you have to be extra vigilant; you will experience more body roll than in regular people carriers, which is not to say that it’s an unusual amount of body roll, just that you need to be wary of it.
The 2,5-litre engine (R359 900) develops 120kW of power and 392Nm of torque and is said to achieve about 10 litres per 100km on a combination of city and highway driving.
The H1 comes equipped with ABS, EBD, park distance control, dual airbags, split rear air conditioning and more. It also comes with a five-year/100 000km service plan, 150 000km warranty and roadside assistance, but most importantly it can seat nine people.
The five-speed automatic gearbox did feel a tad sluggish, but one has to remember that this engine is pulling quite a large vehicle and you won’t be able to indulge in any robot-to-robot racing.
Generally, the H1 proved to be a pleasure to drive while being supremely comfortable and spacious for all passengers. And it’s competitively priced to boot. All in all, a decent package and just in time for the World Cup too.