JMC Vigus S/C 4x4 Diesel Lux – The friendly workhorse

By Chad Lückhoff

The JMC Vigus surprises us with a rugged and seemingly well-built machine that we believe should be ideal for the business that has their bottom line in mind.

Expert rating

3/5

3 pros

Affordable

Rugged drivetrain

Comfortable interior

3 cons

Not as refined as others

Stiffly sprung without a load

Questions about interior durability

The Vigus comes a long way

Chinese vehicles have, for the longest time, been sniffed and sneered at, and it's easy to understand why. Their designs have been blatant copies, their engines asthmatic and their build quality best likened to a house of cards, the plastics resembling the packaging from a punnet of strawberries – and not even the Woolies kind. JMC has suffered this fate in the past, but I am pleased to report that this is no longer the case.

The latest JMC Vigus is a rather good vehicle, and left me rather pleasantly surprised – especially when one considers the price tag, which has to be done. The model I had the pleasure of testing was the diesel-powered, single cab, 4x4 Lux model, which sneaks in at under R300 000 (only just).

Styling

While the Chinese offerings are known for making direct copies of well-known models from other manufacturers, the design team at Jiangling Motors opted to just take inspiration from others, rather than walk around with a piece of tracing paper. As such, the front end draws similarities with the Mazda BT-50, while the profile and rear remind us of the Ford Ranger.

It's no pageant winner, but it doesn't look out of place or dated either. It strikes a very comfortable balance between modern and functional, and in the glacier white of our test model, it simply blended into the background. It neither drew attention nor stood out. Perfect for a company vehicle, then.

The Drive

It's once you're on the move that the low price starts to show. Anyone who has been driving 1-tonner bakkies for any amount of time will tell you that in the last ten-or-so years, the bakkie game has moved forward at a rather alarming rate. Modern luxury offerings offer up a ride that is soft, compliant, comfortable and quiet – the bakkies from a decade ago, not so much.

While only a few have retained the rugged, rough-and-tumble feel of yore, the Vigus reminded me of a time when bakkies were no-fuss machines, created to work hard and not complain about it. I know there's a millennial joke in there somewhere.

The gearbox is a manual, 5-speed unit with a long throw and rather direct notchiness to the shifts. Stepping out of a more modern offering will have you thinking that the Vigus is broken, when in actuality it is just a little more rugged and mechanical.

It's similar with the suspension. JMC has been wise and fitted the Vigus S/C 4x4 with sensible 16-inch wheels and 265/70R16 tyres that clear pavements and soak up the imperfections in the road. The rear end is rather stiffly sprung, though, and driving around without a load can be a little jarring at times, leaving the he rather comfortable seats to absorb the reverberations. Loaded up with some weight, the ride becomes considerably more compliant.

Performance

Under the hood, you will find a Ford-derived 4-cylinder, 2.4-litre turbodiesel engine that produces 90kW and 290Nm torque. While these numbers seem to fall short in this day and age, comparing it with rivals in the price bracket shows that these numbers are not that far off of the mark, with rivals delivering power in the region of 100-110kW and 300Nm.

 

Peak torque is developed at 1500rpm and unfortunately comes at you in one rather large dose, with very little to work with down low. It takes a little getting used to, but once you've adapted, the Vigus can be driven in a rather sprightly fashion.

Space and Comfort

The initial impression was certainly one of surprising comfort when I first clambered aboard the Vigus. The driver's seat appeared to well bolstered and quite comfortable. Later on, as I sampled the passenger seat, I realized that the only reason that the driver's seat was so comfortable was that it had seen more traffic. This gave me some concern over the long-term durability of the seat padding as the difference between the driver's and passenger's seat was noticeable.

Our model had a rather basic radio system fitted that was, surprisingly, devoid of Bluetooth connectivity. This may seem like a small oversight, but it certainly is one that is worth noting, especially when considering the intended use of this single cab bakkie – that being the fleet of a company.

The rear load bin is typical of what you would find on other single cab offerings, and our model was equipped with a plastic liner which seems as if it will hold up well for most loading and transport scenarios. Measuring in at 2474 x 1828 x 1710mm, the Vigus gives you more than enough room to get large items in the load bay without having to leave the tailgate down.

Safety

While many Chinese offerings skimp on the safety aspects in a bid to keep costs down, the JMC Vigus still presents most of the safety features one would want in a daily driven bakkie. There are two airbags, for driver and passenger, ABS and EBD with load compensation and inertia reel seatbelts. Central locking and rear park distance control add to the comforts that make things a little safer as well.

Fuel Consumption

JMC's information claims that the fuel consumption on the combined cycle comes in at 8l/100km. The omission of an accurate on-board computer left us having to run the tank dry to try work this out – or just trust that their figures are accurate enough.

Price

The best part of the Vigus is the price. When one considers how close the Vigus edges to the luxury market in terms of fit and finish, it's surprising to see that the 4x4 Lux, Single Cab diesel model retails for only R299 990 (I told you it was close). All models come with a 5 year / 100 000km warranty, but the service plan is reserved for the Double Cab offerings only.

The Verdict

The Vigus presents a very strong argument for Chinese motoring. The advances in build, fit, and finish leave you with an affordable workhorse that is rather pleasant to live with. While the drivetrain and engine could still do with a fair amount of refinement, some buyers may appreciate the mechanical nature of the vehicle. It requires a fair amount of driver involvement, and still has some way to go before anyone will regard the ride as being 'SUV-like'.

It's the perfect addition to a fleet, or to a company that has to cart goods to and fro, and with the single cab being tax deductible, I am sure we will be seeing more of these with branding splashed across the sides.