Inside, it is still a seven-seater. The facing third row is still not the best way to travel and it is still best with one seat folded up and a dog in the back. But, hey, not everyone travels that way, and the flexibility is there for those who want it. The interior has undergone some serious changes. The driver’s seat still offers a high driving position, but the height-adjustable seat makes things easier, especially if you’re the tall kind. The information console is a combination of black background, cool blue lighting and red highlights – just the right, futuristic combination for any modern car, in my humble opinion. The controls are easy to reach and the steering-mounted controls also make life very easy. The touch-screen infotainment system uses an appreciably large screen and, thus, it’s easy to read on the move without having to squint and read fine print all the time, which basically means you can remain focused on the road. At the rear, the seats are longer and offer good thigh-support. Headroom at the rear is also very good, and the middle seat can comfortably accommodate a full-grown adult.
Get going and the ride quality is pliant. The suspension is still the non-independent kind, but the coil springs, which I’m told have been stiffened up, offer a good ride as long as the road surface is even. Dip either side at low speed and the side-to-side wallowing begins, although I don’t think it will be a bother. If you’re going over the surface, you know what to expect. It’s still better than bone-jarring thuds, something which was absent over every surface we drove it on. In our first drive last month, we spoke of the new ladder frame and the stiffer rear axle, which is now made from pressed steel.
