New vehicle sales have been on the rise for the past 18 months in a row, with a quarter of all these new vehicles sold being bakkies. And half of the bakkies sold were double cabs. Bottom line is that one in eight cars sold today in South Africa is a double cab bakkie.

South Africans are switching to bakkies when their budget allows and for good reason. Our roads are bad. Bakkies offer space, convenience and perceived safety from hijackers.

They are jam-packed with luxury and tech. And they drive more like cars now than ever before. So, having a range of bakkies in your product portfolio is vital if you want to be successful in a market which is not only growing, but also, in a market where new bakkies arrive almost every day.

The JMC Vigus is a versatile and dependable bakkie engineered for everyday comfort. Picture: Supplied Sixth generation of Vigus Not new to the motoring scene, JMC (Jiangling Motors Corporation) traces its origins all the way back to 1947. The company began as a small repair workshop in Nanchang before evolving into one of China’s major commercial‑vehicle manufacturers.

The Vigus nameplate has been around for 25 years already, believe it or not. The bakkie you see here is the all-new sixth generation version that slots in above the Vigus Pro that debuted locally in January. Not aiming to be a Ranger or Hilux It comes in with just three model derivatives – the manual transmission 4×2, the auto transmission 4×2 and the auto transmission 4×4.

Pricing is set at R399 900, R459 900, and R499 900. The JMC Vigus is here to compete on the budget side of the market. Think more Mahinda Pik-Up, JAC T8, Foton Tunland and GWM P300 as an alternative to targeting the bottom end of say Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux and Isuzu D-Max.

But this is not to say the JMC Vigus offers nothing. A six-speed manual transmission or eight-speed auto transmission is available. Picture: Supplied Power and drivability Getting to the best part first.

The drive from the all-new 2.5 litre turbodiesel powerplant, which offers 123kW of power and 430Nm of torque, combined with an eight-speed auto box, was surprisingly smooth. And the on-road urge is more than up to the task of hustling from A to B. The only criticism I had was that there was some scuttle shake from the chassis on bad roads in and around the Magaliesberg.

You could feel this come up through the steering wheel. But there were none of those annoying throttle calibration, dull throttle response and jerky gear change issues that plague so many of the vehicles from China. Which also made for an easy bakkie to take off-road too.

A BorgWarner 4WD system with 4L low-range gear boosts torque for off-road. Picture: Supplied Off-road playtime I am not a fan of hardcore off-roading. I have never seen the point of trying to buckle and bend your bakkie over obstacles to prove some or other point.

Most lifestyle bakkies these days can go almost anywhere you want them to go and the JMC Vigus was no different. Despite not having a million drive and off-road terrain modes but basic 2H, 4H and 4L with diff lock and Hill Descent Control, the bakkie handled playtime at Syringa Park without any issues. The JMC Vigus offers SUV-like comfort and control.

Picture: Supplied Decent interior The inside of the JMC Vigus is not a bad place to be for under half a million rand. Space is good with rear doors that open 75 degrees. There are hard plastics around, as to be expected, but the seating comfort and ergonomics are good.

Talking of which, the seating position is somewhat raised in a way that you look down on the bonnet and not lie back buried on the floor like in a sportscar. Many will like this, especially when paired with the light steering action. You also get a 12.8-inch large touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as a 9-inch floating instrument cluster.

The JMC Vigus is easy to drive and live with on a daily basis. And it is priced sharp enough to get your attention if you are shopping for a budget friendly double cab. The JMC Vigus combines a powerful turbodiesel engine with modern technology. Picture: Supplied Pricing Vigus MT 4×2 – R399 900 Vigus AT 4×2 – R459 900 Vigus AT 4×4 – R499 900 Pricing includes a five-year / 200 000 km factory warranty and a four-year / 65 000 km service plan.