The introduction of the Eeco Panel Van by Suzuki Auto South Africa is altering the transport landscape by effectively cancelling out the half-ton bakkie segment.
This small triple-door urban delivery vehicle offers 615 kilograms of load space, powered by a 1,2-litre petrol engine with 59 kW and 104 Nm of torque driving the rear wheels through a five-speed manual transmission.
Suzuki Auto South Africa handing over books
The Eeco targets last-mile deliveries, the event industry, bands, florists, chemists and any other urban freight service with a large, hinged rear opening door and sliding doors on either side. The cargo box is 1 620 mm long by 1 300 mm wide and 1 070 mm tall with no intrusion from the wheel arches.
Suzuki has been an enthusiastic supporter of the Rally to Read project, which involves the sponsorship and distribution of books and other essentials to rural schools. On an 800-kilometre round trip into the Free State and the foothills of the Drakensberg to deliver desks, chairs, and reflective ‘beanies’ to three rural schools, Suzuki joined in delivering relevant reading material for the school libraries.
Suzuki Eeco Panel Van at Kwa Miya Primary School
The Eeco comes with safety features such as dual front crash bags, anti-lock braking and electronic stability control. It also has manual air-conditioning and is factory-fitted with wiring for a radio and a 12-volt power socket.
With two adults comfortably seated, the seats are not compromised by thin padding. Although the route driven is well outside the targeted ‘comfort’ zone for the Eeco, it coped well enough on the highway to maintain a steady pace even if it needed some urging through the gears to cope with long inclines.
Eeco Panel Van Fleet
The Eeco enters the market a shade under the R200 000 mark and, with VAT claimable to business users, nullifies the need for an open half-ton bakkie in many work situations.
