Features

Launched in 2018, the current “JL” generation of Jeep’s defining Wrangler model remains one of the most capable off-road vehicles to be found, but is the most sophisticated and comfortable incarnation yet.

A rugged off-road oriented SUV oozing authenticity and built using body-on-frame construction and running on live axles, the latest Wrangler, however, benefits from modern technologies, engineering and equipment levels. The most refined and convenient Wrangler yet, the “JL” is the most luxurious and family-friendly in 4-door Sahara guise.

Convenience and capability

The most recent successor to the legendary 1941 Willys Jeep of WW2, the “JL” Wrangler hits all the visual cues on the mark, with its tapered-in bonnet, protruding and low front wheel-arches, 7-slot grille, boxy rearwards cabin, exposed hinges and short front and rear overhangs for excellent off-road approach and departure angles. Using increased aluminium content and with a slightly more swept back design as concessions to improved efficiency, the “JL” Wrangler’s headlights hint at the 1944-86 “CJ” generation Jeep. 

Available in 2- or 4-door body styles and three core trim levels, the 2-door with off-road Rubicon specification may be the most capable enthusiast’s choice Wrangler. However, it is the 4-door body combined with Sahara spec that is instead the most convenient daily drive family vehicle option, with higher equipment and comfort levels. If not as well proportioned in its road stance, and somewhat long in the wheelbase from profile view, the 4-door Wrangler offers significantly improved cabin access and seating and luggage space than the 2-door.

Smooth and seamless

Offered with power-train options that include turbocharged 4-cylinder, hybrid and high performance V8 engines, the Wrangler’s staple mid-range naturally-aspirated 3.6-litre V6 ‘Pentastar’ is probably the best all-round choice, as a sensible engine with decent efficiency and power. Consistent and progressive in delivery and smooth and refined in operation, the Wrangler’s Pentastar is mated to a slick, smooth and quick shifting 8-speed automatic gearbox, notable for its near infallible knack to intuitively select the right gear for a given situation.

Producing 281BHP at 6400rpm and 256lb/ft torque at 4100rpm, the Pentastar is a comparatively high revving engine in character, but is one that is responsive from standstill, versatile in mid-range and that makes much of its torque output available across a broad rev range. Eager revving to redline and seamlessly linear, the Wrangler’s 3.6-litre V6 also allows for precise throttle control to dial in exact power increments, and carries its 2-tonne mass through 0-100km/h at a reasonably brisk rate and onto 177km/h.

Authentic off-roader

Fitted with Jeep’s Selec-Trac system, the Wrangler Sahara can shift between rear-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive at up to 72km/h, and features a 4WD ‘auto’ mode, where power is automatically re-apportioned from rear to front as necessary for efficiency and traction. Lacking the Rubicon’s three locking differentials and de-coupling anti-roll bars for extreme off-roading, the Sahara has low ratio four-wheel-drive for more demanding off-road conditions, and can be optioned with a limited-slip rear differential to prevent wheel-spin and maintain traction off-road, and for enhanced on-road cornering agility.

If not quite a Rubicon, the Sahara does receive Rubicon’s bigger, more capable brakes, and is nevertheless excellent off-road, with its ladder frame, coil sprung front and rear solid axles and low gear ratios. With terrific axle articulation and full power crawling ability over rough terrain, the Sahara delivers generous 254mm ground clearance, and 35.4° approach and 30.7° departure angles. Slightly less manoeuvrable through narrow trails than its shorter 2-door sibling, the 4-door Sahara’s longer wheelbase translates into a lower break-over angle, but at 20°, is still quite capable.

Coil sprung comfort

Marginally lower profile at 255/70R18, the Sahara’s tyres are slightly more road-oriented for improved dynamics, but are still plenty capable off-road. Seemingly more biased for slight at the limit under-steer than the nimbler 2-door, the 4-door Wrangler is nevertheless tidy into corners and delivers better body control and manoeuvrability than expected. Similarly, the 4-door Wrangler’s coil sprung suspension provides a surprisingly good level of ride refinement and comfort, handling fluency and ability, and buttoned down stability, considering its rugged live axle design.

Providing good visibility with its upright body and big glasshouse, the Wrangler is meanwhile offered with a choice of three detachable soft and hard tops, including removable doors and fold-down windscreen, for a full open air driving experience. The most luxurious Sahara specification receives body coloured wheel-arches externally, and a more up-market cabin with higher quality trim, upholstery and materials. Additionally, the Sahara is well equipped with convenience, safety and driver assistance features, including Uconnect infotainment and blind spot and rear cross-path detection systems.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 3.6-litre, in-line, V6-cylinders

Bore x Stroke: 96 x 83mm

Compression ratio: 11.3:1

Valve-train: DOHC, 24-valve, variable timing

Gearbox: 8-speed automatic, four-wheel-drive, low ratio transfer

Gear ratios: 1st 4.71:1; 2nd 3.13:1; 3rd 2.1:1; 4th 1.67:1; 5th 1.28:1; 6th 1.0:1; 7th 0.84:1; 8th 0.67:1

Reverse/final drive: 3.29:1 /3.45:1

Low ratio transfer: 2.72:1

Power, BHP (PS) [kW]: 281 (285) [209] @6,400rpm

Specific power: 77.9BHP/litre

Power-to-weight: 138.7/tonne

Torque, lb/ft (Nm): 256 (347) @4,100rpm

Specific torque: 96.2Nm/litre

Torque-to-weight: 171.3Nm/tonne

Top speed: 177km/h

Fuel consumption, urban/extra-urban/combined; 13-/7.8-/

9.7-litres/100km

CO2 emissions, combined: 225g/km

Fuel capacity: 81-liters

Length: 4,882mm

Width: 1,894mm

Height: 1,891mm

Wheelbase: 3,008mm

Track: 1598mm 

Overhang, F/R: 741/1,036

Ground clearance: 254mm

Approach/break-over/departure angles: 35.4°/20°/30.7°

Water fording: 760mm

Headroom, F/R: 1,036-1,083/1,023-1,059mm

Legroom, F/R: 1,038/974mm

Shoulder room, F/R: 1,417/1,417mm

Hip room, F/R: 1,370/1,140mm

Loading height: 756mm

Cargo volume min/max: 548-/1,059-litres

Kerb weight: 2,026kg

Weight distribution, F/R; 53 per cent/47 per cent

Payload: 537kg

Steering: Power-assisted rack & pinion

Steering ratio: 15.6:1

Lock-to-lock: 3.24-turns

Turning circle: 12.28-metres

Suspension: Solid axles, coil springs, anti-roll bars

Brakes, F/R: Ventilated disc, 330 x 28mm/disc, 342 x 14mm

Brake callipers, F/R: twin-/single-piston

Tyres: 255/70R18

Tyres: 255/65R17

By Christeen Haddadin
Certified Money Coach

FIRE, which stands for Financial Independence, Retire Early, has become a whole movement in the West. People aim to retire as early as possible to spend their time doing things they are passionate about. Doesn’t this sound like a dream?

What is FIRE and how does it work?

FIRE is to reach financial independence as early as possible; meaning, the ability to generate enough passive income to cover your expenses today. FIRE takes serious commitment and big sacrifice in your 20’s and early 30’s so you may reach financial independence in your late 30’s or early 40’s.

Building up to the FIRE needs to start as early as possible, saving 50 to 70 per cent of your income. The amount you’re saving needs to be invested to accelerate the process of building a solid asset base that will enable you to generate passive income to sustain your lifestyle.

If you don’t wish to work for money (you don’t want to exchange your time for money), you need to be in a place where your money is working for you. It would help if you have assets in stocks, bonds, real estate, or any other investment that brings in enough returns (cash inflows) to sustain your lifestyle.

People who are working towards their FIRE are actively working on building an asset base. So in their 20’s and early 30’s, you see them allocating a significant percentage of their active income, which is the income they work for, towards investing to grow their investment portfolio enough to generate the amount of cash flows they need to live off.

How to calculate your FIRE amount 

How big of an investment portfolio do you need to retire and live off of the passive income generated from the portfolio? It all depends on the lifestyle you envision after retirement. Then multiply the amount you will need yearly by 25 to arrive at your FIRE number. For example, if I estimate that I will need JD2,000 per month after retirement, then my annual needs are (JD2,000X12=JD2,4000).

Now I multiply my annual needs by 25 to arrive at my FIRE number, which would be JD600,000.

So, I need to build an asset base of JD600,00 to reach my financial independence. Once your reach your FIRE number, move your FIRE amount into low-risk low-yield investments, say 5 per cent yield. Then draw down (reduce the amount of money by using it) 4 per cent a year, which would allow your FIRE number to keep growing. 

Reprinted with permission from Family Flavours magazine

LONDON — The largest collection of watercolours by Queen Elizabeth II’s eldest son and heir, Prince Charles, have gone on display in Britain.

The 79 works feature snow-capped Scottish mountains and the Welsh countryside, French Provencal peaks, Mount Athos in Greece and the Transylvania region of Romania.

The 73-year-old Prince of Wales’ paintbrushes have also captured the Swiss alpine resorts of Klosters and Saint Moritz, as well as the French chateau of Le Barroux.

Mountains are a favourite, particularly Beinn a’Bhuird in the Cairngorms of northeast Scotland, which he has painted several times at different times of the year from several angles.

As he explained in notes accompanying the exhibition, which runs until February 14 at the 19th century Garrison Chapel at Chelsea Barracks in London, he chose watercolour because he found photography “unsatisfactory”.

“It all requires the most intense concentration and, consequently, is one of the most relaxing and therapeutic exercises I know,” he wrote. 

“In fact, in my case, I find it transports me into another dimension which, quite literally, refreshes parts of the soul which other activities can’t reach...”

“I am under no illusion that my sketches represent great art or a burgeoning talent! They represent, more than anything else, my particular form of ‘photograph album’ and, as such, mean a great deal to me.”

Artistic ‘lineage’

Charles, the most senior royal after the 95-year-old Queen, has found time in his schedule of official engagements over the last 50 years to paint some 680 watercolours.

He has sometimes signed them A.G. Carrick — a pseudonym created from the initials of his other given names Arthur and George, and one of his titles, the Earl of Carrick.

The exhibition’s curator, Rosie Alderton, said Charles came from a “lineage of artists”.

Charles’ father, Prince Philip, who died last April aged 99, was a prolific painter, as was queen Victoria, who reigned from 1837 to 1901, and until Queen Elizabeth II, was Britain’s longest-reigning monarch.

None of Charles’ original watercolours have been sold but sales of lithographs, including from his Highgrove estate in western England, have fetched huge sums for charity over the years. 

All profits from sales go to the Prince’s Foundation, which organised the Garrison Chapel exhibition, said Alderton.

Fifty of Charles’ watercolours were previously exhibited at Hampton Court Palace in 1998 to mark his 50th birthday.

Another 30 were put on display by the National Gallery of Australia in 2018 for his 70th birthday.

Since 2019, the Prince has had little time to indulge his passion for painting.

But Alderton said she hoped he will pick it up again, even when he becomes king. “His art works are really lovely and it would be a shame if he didn’t,” she told AFP. 

LOS ANGELES — Jane Campion's gothic Western "The Power of the Dog" and campy true-crime drama "House of Gucci" on Wednesday jointly topped the film nominations from Hollywood's Screen Actors Guild — usually a key indicator in the race to the Oscars.

Days after "The Power of the Dog" won the Golden Globe for best drama, the film's stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst and Kodi Smith-McPhee each received nods from the actors' union, tying the film with Ridley Scott's "House of Gucci" on three.

But offering hope to its rivals, Campion's presumed frontrunner failed to land a nomination for best cast — the top prize at the SAG ceremony on February 27.

"The Power of the Dog," a tale of two feuding brothers in 1920s Montana, first screened at September's prestigious Venice film festival, where Campion won the best director award.

It has since drawn rave reviews, and was released by Netflix with a limited theatrical run.

SAG overlooked widespread mockery of Jared Leto's exuberant Italian accent to nominate him for best supporting actor in "House of Gucci," alongside Lady Gaga and the ensemble cast, which also includes Adam Driver and Al Pacino.

Also nominated for best cast — the SAG equivalent of the best picture Oscar — were "Belfast," "CODA," "Don't Look Up" and "King Richard."

But Kenneth Branagh's "Belfast" — which depicts the violence of late-1960s Northern Ireland from a child's view and had been seen by pundits as a strong awards contender — landed only one individual nod, for Caitriona Balfe.

Other surprising snubs included Kristen Stewart's much-touted portrayal of Princess Diana in "Spencer," and "West Side Story" Golden Globe-winning star Rachel Zegler.

Voted for by actors, the SAG awards are seen as a strong indicator of Oscars glory, since actors represent the largest branch of the roughly 10,000 Oscar voters in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 

The SAG awards will be unveiled in Santa Monica, California exactly one month before the Oscars.

'Succession' and 'Ted Lasso' top TV noms

On the television side, SAG handed five nominations apiece to "Succession" and "Ted Lasso."

Netflix's South Korean smash hit "Squid Game" became the first non-English-language series nominated by SAG for best cast in a TV drama.

Stars Jung Ho-Yeon and Lee Jung-Jae also earned individual nominations. 

It comes two years after "Parasite" — also from South Korea — became the first non-English-language winner of SAG's best cast film prize, a key step on its way to Oscars success.

"Yellowstone," the hugely popular cable series about a wealthy ranch-owning family in Montana which has been largely overlooked by tastemakers on the US coasts, finally earned its first SAG nomination for best cast.

Starring Kevin Costner, its fourth season finale was watched by more than 11 million people earlier this month — numbers comparable to "Game of Thrones" in its heyday.

And Cynthia Erivo was nominated for her portrayal of Aretha Franklin in the limited TV series "Genius: Aretha" — on the same day that SAG recognized Jennifer Hudson for playing the Queen of Soul in the film "Respect."

By Issam Ahmed
Agence France-Presse

WASHINGTON — US surgeons have successfully implanted a heart from a genetically modified pig in a 57-year-old man, a medical first that could one day help solve the chronic shortage of organ donations.

The “historic” procedure took place on Friday, the University of Maryland Medical School said in a statement on Monday. While the patient’s prognosis is far from certain, it represents a major milestone for animal to human transplantation.

The patient, David Bennett, had been deemed ineligible for human transplant — a decision that is often taken when the recipient has very poor underlying health.

He is now recovering and being carefully monitored to determine how the new organ performs.

“It was either die or do this transplant. I want to live. I know it’s a shot in the dark, but it’s my last choice,” the Maryland resident said a day before the surgery.

Bennett, who has spent the last several months bedridden on a heart-lung bypass machine, added: “I look forward to getting out of bed after I recover.” 

The Food and Drug Administration granted emergency authorisation for the surgery on New Year’s Eve, as a last ditch effort for a patient who was unsuitable for conventional transplant.

“This was a breakthrough surgery and brings us one step closer to solving the organ shortage crisis,” said Bartley Griffith, who surgically transplanted the pig heart.

“We are proceeding cautiously, but we are also optimistic that this first-in-the-world surgery will provide an important new option for patients in the future.”

Muhammad Mohiuddin, who co-founded the university’s cardiac xenotransplantation program, added the surgery was the culmination of years or research, involving pig-to-baboon transplants, with survival times that exceeded nine months.

“The successful procedure provided valuable information to help the medical community improve this potentially life-saving method in future patients,” he said.

10 unique gene edits

Bennett’s donor pig belonged to a herd that had undergone genetic editing procedures.

Three genes that would have led to rejection of pig organs by humans were “knocked out”, as was a gene that would have led to excessive growth of pig heart tissue. 

Six human genes responsible for human acceptance were inserted into the genome, for a total of 10 unique gene edits.

The editing was performed by Virginia-based biotech firm Revivicor, which also supplied the pig used in a breakthrough kidney transplant on a brain dead patient in New York in October.

But while that surgery was purely a proof-of-concept experiment, and the kidney was connected outside the patient’s body, the new surgery is intended to save a person’s life.

The donated organ was kept in an organ-preservation machine ahead of the surgery, and the team also used an experimental new drug made by Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals along with conventional anti-rejection drugs to suppress the immune system.

About 110,000 Americans are currently waiting for an organ transplant, and more than 6,000 patients die each year before getting one, according to official figures.

To meet demand, doctors have long been interested in so-called xenotransplantation, or cross-species organ donation, with experiments tracing back to the 17th century.

Early research focused on harvesting organs from primates — for example, a baboon heart was transplanted into a newborn known as “Baby Fae” in 1984, but she survived only 20 days.

Today, pig heart valves are widely used in humans, and pig skin is grafted on human burn victims.

Pigs make the ideal donors because of their size, their rapid growth and large litters, and the fact they are already raised as a food source.

By Julie Jammot
Agence France-Presse

LAS VEGAS — A ring shimmers on display at the Consumer Electronics Show, but this is no mere piece of jewellery — it’s packed with sensors capable of detecting body temperature, respiration and much more.

Startups at the annual gadget extravaganza in Las Vegas touted technology-enhanced accessories designed to look fetching on the outside while scrutinising what is happening on the inside of wearers.

“We want to democratise personal health,” said Amaury Kosman, founder of the French startup that created the Circular Ring.

While that goal was shared by an array of exhibitors, some experts worried a trend of ceaselessly tracking steps, time sitting, heart rate and more could bring risks of stress and addiction.

Circular Ring provides a wearer with a daily “energy score” based on the intensity of their activity, factoring in heart rate, body temperature, blood oxygen levels and other data, according to Kosman.

“At night it continues, we track the phases of sleep, how long it takes you to fall asleep, if you are aligned with your circadian rhythm, etc,” he said of the ring, which will cost less than 300 euros ($340) when it hits the market later this year.

“And in the morning it vibrates to wake you up at the right time.”

A mobile application synced to the ring is designed to make personalised lifestyle recommendations for improving health based on data gathered, according to the founder.

High demand for wearables

Demand for body-tracking “wearables” is strong: CES organisers forecast that more than $14 billion will be spent this year in a category that includes sports tech, health-monitoring devices, fitness activity trackers, connected exercise equipment and smartwatches.

That figure is more than double what was spent in the category in 2018.

Growth has been driven by smart watches such as those made by powerhouses Apple and Samsung, as well as Internet-linked sports gear — which boomed during the pandemic — and personal tracking devices.

Companies are also moving to fill a need for instruments that provide data that can be relied on as part of a pandemic-driven trend of remote health care.

Swiss Biospectal taps into smartphone cameras to measure blood pressure when a finger is placed over a lens.

French Quantiq is developing algorithms that calculate heart rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure from “selfies”.

Meanwhile, Japanese start-up Quantum Operation has designed a prototype bracelet that continuously measures the level of glucose in the blood. Diabetic patients would be spared needle jabs for frequent blood sugar tests.

Body-minding wearables can provide valuable health data, but some fear a “quantified self” trend is blurring the line between well-being and stressful obsession.

Growing dependent?

South Korean firm Olive Healthcare displayed a “Bello” infrared scanner that analyses stomach fat and suggests how to lose it, along with a “Fitto” device that assesses muscle mass and ways to increase it.

Society needs to determine whether these kinds of tools solve problems or “give rise to new dependencies”, contended German political scientist Nils-Eyk Zimmermann.

A danger is that the “digital self” generated by such technology does not match reality, reasoned Zimmermann, who blogs on the topic.

He also saw danger in “game” features, such as rewards and peer competition that put pressure on users that may not be healthy.

Withings’s US sales director Paul Buckley was confident people can handle health data made available from devices such as the Body Scan smart scale unveiled at CES by the French company.

“I don’t think it’s too much,” Buckley said as he showed off the scale capable of performing electrocardiograms and analysing body composition.

“You’re able to be more informed about what is going on in your body.”

LAS VEGAS — Interactive comment sections and virtual reality headsets: Internet-connected fitness gear and services have boomed during the pandemic as at-home athletes seek a proxy for gym life.

While home workouts long predate the coronavirus, they have taken on a social aspect that looks set to become the standard in a world reshaped by the pandemic.

“A big part of going to the gym together is sort of suffering together... you build a camaraderie around that,” Jeremy Needham, who does customer education for US boxing fitness company Liteboxer, told AFP at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

“And now that we don’t share that space, at least in real time, we have to do it virtually,” he added.

Like other companies that sell Internet-connected fitness gear, Liteboxer offers customers access to workouts, competitions and other features for a monthly charge — on top of the roughly $1,200 wall-mounted machine. 

The market for fitness tech has been growing for years, but the industry has gotten a boost in the last couple of years, similarly to how the pandemic accelerated e-commerce and remote working trends.

“Connected equipment exploded onto the scene in a big way as consumers had to shift the way to work out during the pandemic,” CES organiser Consumer Technology Association (CTA) noted in an industry forecast.

Internet-connected exercise equipment was a nearly $3.8 billion market in 2021, and double-digit percentage growth is expected this year, CTA’s forecast said.

“[Customers] want connectivity,” said Richard Kowalski, an analyst with CTA. “They want to engage with other people online.”

Need for pandemic release

Connected rowing machine maker Hydrow allows customers to comment and like others’ workouts, and users have developed their own social media groups.

“You start talking to each other and then all of a sudden, you have a group of maybe six guys, you know, from all over the world,” Aquil Abdullah, who leads workouts on the system, told AFP.

“A guy is in London, a guy is out in California, a guy is down in Florida, and you have this community.” 

The machines, which sell for $2,295, have the usual rowing bar and seat, but also a screen that allows clients to exercise along with instructors on the water, in locales from Miami to London.

“We do these workouts, and so that’s part of building community and building those connections,” said Abdullah, who rowed for the US at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

But the connected fitness industry has shown some sensitivity to the changing conditions of the pandemic and the way it affects equipment users’ lives.

Fitness firm Peloton’s shares have been under pressure since early November, when the company cut its forecast as more consumers returned to reopening gyms. 

Credit Suisse downgraded the firm in December, saying the market shifts have forced Peloton to increase advertising and discounting.

However, as cases of Covid’s Omicron variant break records around the world, many are again hunkering down at home.

That shift could work in favour of home fitness tech companies.

CTA took a bullish perspective, saying “the growth trajectory suggests that health-conscious consumers are finding practicality and convenience in exercising at home, even as gyms and workout classes reopen”.

And exercise of any kind has offered some people a relief from the pandemic’s impacts — as work, school and travel disruptions and simmering health worries offer plenty to stress about.

“The pandemic locked us inside... we couldn’t do the things that we loved,” said Needham.

“But the human body still needs cardiovascular activity, it’s quite simple. You just need a really engaging way... to release that energy that builds up in you.”

Developed by and sold under Renault’s Romanian Dacia subsidiary in European markets and marketed as the Renault Symbol in some international markets, the Renault Logan — as it is dubbed in Jordan and elsewhere — was conceived with developing markets firmly in mind. 

A well-packaged, reliable, tough and uncomplicated compact car with a good level of useful amenities and plenty of comfort, the Renault Logan delivers an affordable and user-friendly motoring experience that is well-attuned to driver needs, driving conditions and economics in developing markets.

Defined design

Based on the same platform that underpins the Dacia and Renault Sandero hatchback and Stepway compact crossover models, the Logan is instead packaged as a saloon car, as is popular with more conservative tastes in many of the car markets it is aimed at. First launched in 2004, and followed up with a second generation model back in 2012, the long-running current Logan was discreetly face-lifted in 2016 and soldiers on in many markets even as a third generation successor was launched in other markets in recent months.

A minimalist and angular traditional three-box saloon in its first iteration, the second generation Renault Logan is, however, a more modern design with greater attention to style and aesthetics. With more assertive and heavily browed headlights, the second generation Logan features a more muscular body surfacing treatment including domed bonnet, prominent sills and more defined wheel-arches and rear haunches for a sportier and wider look, despite narrow and tall dimensions. To that end, the Logan also features a short, pert and high-set rear deck with built-in boot-lid spoiler.

Eager and efficient

Offered with a broad range of engine options including small turbo, turbo diesel and LPG and flex-fuel compatible versions for various markets, the Logan instead receives a more traditional, less complicated and naturally-aspirated 1.6-litre, 4-cylinder petrol engine for Middle East markets. A familiar and effective engine, the Logan’s 1.6-litre develops 110BHP at 5,750rpm and 109lb/ft torque at 3,750rpm, and is capable of propelling its estimated 1,081kg mass through 0-100km/h in around 11-second and onto an estimated 170km/h top speed, and returns frugal 6.5l/100km combined cycle fuel efficiency.

A better breathing double overhead camshaft 16-valve design than previous firt generation 8-valve models, the second generation Logan is livelier, and more versatile on the road. Confident and responsive to throttle input from standstill, it is progressive through revs and in power and torque delivery, and remains eager to redline. Driving the front wheels through a 4-speed automatic gearbox, the Logan’s gear ratio spread may be more limited than other Renaults fitted with continuously variable transmission, but is nevertheless more rewarding to drive.

Smooth and responsive

With defined gears rather than ever-shifting ratios, the Logan’s smooth gearbox allows for greater driver involvement in choosing what gear best works for different situations, but a fifth gear would have been a welcome addition to even better exploit available output for performance, flexibility and efficiency. That said, the Logan is well served with its smooth 4-speed auto, and is responsive to throttle input in down-shifts, and is refined at cruising speeds, where the Logan is reassuring, smooth and stable in its road manners. 

Easy to manoeuvre and responsive through back roads and in town, the Logan feels nimble and agile in tight confines, with its low weight, quick and communicative steering, independent front suspension and comparatively narrow 185/65R15 tyres providing good tactility. Meanwhile, its long wheelbase and pliant tires make it comfortable and refined for long stretches. Supple over most lumps, bumps and cracks, the Logan’s ride quality well-absorbs road imperfections, and delivers settled vertical control over crests and dips. Front disc and rear drum brakes are meanwhile effective and provide good feel.

Unpretentious comfort

Tidy turning into corners, the Logan’s light steering and relatively narrow tyres provide decent road feel, feedback, texture and grip limits before under-steer sets in if pushed too hard in or at too severe an angle. Through corners the Logan has good lateral grip, and body roll is relatively well controlled. Meanwhile, with front-wheel-drive, low weight, comfortable suspension and moderately high 145mm ground clearance, the Logan is well set-up for poorly paved developing market roads and modest, dry, out of town dirt roads, when necessary.

Tall and with a relatively big glasshouse, the Logan is well-packaged with good visibility, good front and decent rear headroom, and generous 510-litre luggage capacity. Unpretentious yet pleasant inside, it features clear and user-friendly controls and instrumentation. Materials are meanwhile of good quality and texture for a value-oriented car. 

A practical car with good driving position adjustability, the Logan features a front arm rest, split folding rear seats and useful equipment, including reversing sensors, camera and 7-inch screen, climate control, 7-inch, dual airbags, Isofix latches and emergency brake assistance.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 1.6-litre, transverse 4-cylinders

Valve-train: 16-valve, DOHC

Gearbox: 4-speed auto, front-wheel-drive

Power, BHP (PS) [kW]: 110 (111) [81] @5,750rpm

Specific power: 68.8BHP/litre

Torque, lb/ft (Nm): 109 (148) @3,750rpm

Specific torque: 92.6Nm/litre

0-100km/h: approximately 11-seconds (estimate)

Top speed: approximately 170km/h (estimate)

Fuel consumption, combined: 6.5l/100km (estimate)

Fuel capacity: 50-litres

Length: 4,354mm

Width: 1,733mm

Height: 1,529mm

Wheelbase: 2,635mm

Track, F/R: 1,496/1,486mm

Overhang, F/R: 825/894mm

Unladen weight: 1,081kg (estimate)

Ground clearance: 145mm

Headroom, F/R: 900/869mm

Shoulder room, F/R: 1,387/1,389mm

Elbow room, F/R: 1,415/1,434mm

Luggage volume: 510-litres

Suspension, F/R: MacPherson struts/torsion beam

Steering: Power-assisted rack and pinion

Brakes, F/R: Ventilated discs/drums

Tyres: 185/65R15

By Dina Halaseh
Educational Psychologist

Reading difficulties usually point to a child’s struggle with reading accuracy, speed and children. Some only struggle with speed, while others might struggle with all three. The severity or type of difficulties varies from one child to the other. 

It can be difficult for a parent to understand what is going on with their child if they can read accurately, but struggle to comprehend properly. 

Types of reading difficulties

In many cases, a child may struggle with: 

•   Slow reading speed

• Poor reading comprehension (aloud or silently)

• Word or letter reversal while reading

• Difficulty segmenting words and linking them to sounds or phonics

• Difficulty blending different sounds into word

•  Word omission while reading

Those diagnosed with a reading disorder read below their grade level even though their intelligence is at grade level and sometimes higher. So it is not the issue of being smart, but how the brain is wired.

Wiring the brain for reading

Learning to read and write requires the whole brain to rewire itself in a certain way. Many children tend to do that on their own, yet one in five students will struggle. That means, on average, we have over 1.5 billion people struggling with reading at this moment.

Children who are unable to rewire their brains to read need specific interventions and brain training to rewire their brains to read, write and comprehend at grade level.

Each child is different and thus is evaluated individually to assess and diagnose reading disorders or struggles. We can then determine whether low intelligence, educational gaps, missed opportunities or cultural differences and language barriers cause these struggles.

Reprinted with permission from Family Flavours magazine