MOTORING NEWS - Over the past school holiday, I took a brave step. I took my parents and two daughters on vacation to the Addo National Elephant Park in my recently bought Hyundai i20.

I haven't been to a game reserve in years and was apprehensive about how my new demo model sedan, with only 18 000km on the clock, would handle the dirt roads. 

After doing some research on the game reserve I was relieved to find that the camp we booked did not consist of only 4x4 trails. Still, for some reason my perception was that visitors to game reserves mostly drove off-road vehicles.

The five-hour drive to the reserve in my car was fantastic. I felt good knowing that the engine benefits from running for a longer stretch of time, as we usually only drive between Great Brak River and Mossel Bay daily. It was nice to step on the accelerator to the limit of 120km per hour on the N2 without having to change gear.

I was pleasantly surprised when we entered the reserve and saw many other sedans. Sure, there were visitors with off-road vehicles, but most were families in sedans.

My car made driving on the dirt roads a breeze, taking us to all the best game watching spots. I was also pleased that it easily accommodated the whole family plus our luggage. And the five convenient cup holders ensured that our hot coffee on our early morning drives was a tidy treat.

I never thought I could fall in love with a vehicle, but a car sure is less complicated than a man!

And after our holiday in Addo I am even more impressed with my choice. It is spacious, beautiful, economical and perfect for visiting game reserves and driving on dirt roads. I can't wait for our next game park holiday.

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