Affordable motoring isn't hard to find, but reliable, long term affordable motoring is a little harder to come by. If you're needing a family SUV or a rough and dependable workhorse for your craft, the JMC brand may have come up in your search for used cars.
Related: JMC Landwind 5 review – Lost in Translation
JMC is a lesser-known brand in South Africa and has a fairly small dealer footprint. They've focussed their efforts primarily in the light commercial vehicle sector but have also dabbled in the passenger and double cab market with offerings like the Landwind 5, Boarding 4x2 and JMC Vigus.
The question you will be asking is; are these vehicles any good and moreover, how good are they for my family's needs? Let's look at their range and see what they offer the family man or woman.
Landwind 5
The Landwind 5 is a compact crossover SUV from Landwind that is sold locally through the JMC dealer network. This SUV comes in at a fraction ver 4.5-metres long and stands 1.68-metres tall, offering generous space in the interior and a colossal 855-litres of boot space. The interior trimming are not high-end but they are built in a manner that suggests that they will be hard-wearing and durable.
On the safety front, you won't find Euro NCAP stats but the Chinese NCAP gave the Landwind 5 (known as the Landwind X5 in foreign territories) four out of five stars. It is fitted with front and side airbags, ABS with EBD and it has an ESP system in place for improved road-holding. It also has ISOFIX mountings in the outer rear seats.
The Landwind 5 is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine and mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox. This combination yields 140 kW and 250 Nm but it comes at the expense of fuel consumption. The Landwind 5 returns a heavier than desirable 11.5 l/100km on the combined cycle as tested.
Verdict: The Landwind 5 is suitable as a family vehicle thanks to it's size and space but make sure that you have the vehicle comprehensively checked beforehand and enquire about the price and availability of spares.
Vigus 5
The JMC Vigus is a somewhat stylish light commercial vehicle that's available in both single and double-cab formats. While the single cab is trimmed in a more utilitarian vibe, the double cab offers a host of standard features that make it a pleasant place to pass the time. The mechanical of both are nowhere near as refined as the styling would have one believe but it trades out refinement for the impression of durability.
The double cab is fitted with dual airbags, ABS with EBD, child safety locks and park distance control. It's powered by a 2.4-litre turbodiesel engine that produces 103 kW and 310 Nm torque.
Verdict: The JMC Vigus 5 is a little more rough and tumble than one would want in a family vehicle but if you need a double cab that can serve two purposes, this may be the one. As with the Landwind, be sure to have the vehicle thoroughly inspected and check your local dealer for service and parts costs.
Boarding 4x4
The Boarding Double Luxury 4x4 is the only one that you would consider as a mode of family transport as it's the only model that has seating for four. This utilitarian double cab is powered by a 2.8-litre turbodiesel engine that produces 84 kW and 235 Nm torque. It's a rugged, no nonsense affair and is only available with a 5-speed manual gearbox. Fuel consumption is claimed to be 7.0 l/100km with a maximum speed of roughly 140 km/h.
You're not going to find ABS or airbags in the Boarding and that raises cause for concern. It's at this point that we stop reading, no matter how good the price appears.
Verdict: The Boarding Double Luxury is rather thin on the safety features and we wouldn't recommend it as a family vehicle for this reason.
