The Car Guide

Aston Martin is celebrating 25 years of the vaunted ‘Vanquish’ nameplate with the introduction of the Vanquish 25 limited edition. Image: Aston Martin Aston Martin’s bespoke division – Q – is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Vanquish with a new special edition. Available in coupé and Volante body styles, the Vanquish 25 is limited to only 50 examples – split 25/25 between the coupé and Volante. “25 years on from the unveiling of the very first Vanquish it is only right that we mark this nameplate’s contribution to our heritage,” said Head of Q at Aston Martin, Vittorio Gabba. Inspired by the specification in which the original was launched in 2001, the Vanquish 25 is distinguished from the “standard” variant with Q Skye Silver paintwork, Q Commission exhaust finisher and side sill detailing. The front wheel arches also feature ‘Vanquish 25’ badging. Inside, ‘Vanquish 25’ logos are embroidered on the headrests and there are trim patterns un...

The Toyota Corolla is the best-selling nameplate in the world, but does the previous generation hold up well in the local market? Image: CAR magazine The automotive landscape is littered with nameplates that flared brightly and faded fast, but the Toyota Corolla remains the industry’s constant. When the eleventh-generation Corolla (internally designated E170) arrived in South Africa in early 2014, it carried the weight of 50 years of global sales dominance. Toyota recognised the sheer reliability of the outgoing tenth-generation model was no longer enough to fend off increasingly stylish Korean rivals, prompting a shift toward a sharper, more dynamic “Keen Look” aesthetic. A rundown on the Toyota Corolla The structural mandate for the eleventh-generation Corolla was to maximise internal volume without bloating the exterior footprint too much. Toyota achieved this by stretching the wheelbase by 100 mm over its predecessor, arriving at a 2 700 mm wheelbase. This resulted i...

Renault South Africa has reintroduced the Trafic Passenger people-mover to our market. See pricing and specifications below… Image: Renault The Renault Trafic was reintroduced to the local market in 2022 exclusively in panel van guise. Now, the local arm of the French automaker has launched the fourth-generation Trafic Passenger, reentering the familiy MPV segment for the first time since 2007. The Trafic Passenger is powered by a 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine producing 125 kW and 380 N.m of torque – the former and latter available from 3 500 r/min and a low 1 500 r/min, respectively. The four-cylinder unit is paired with a nine-speed torque converter automatic transmission. Renault claims an average fuel consumption of 7.2 L/100 km. The Trafic Passenger offers seating for up to nine occupants, while the second and third row can be stowed away to increase loading capacity. With all three rows upright, the Trafic offers 1 890 litres of packing space, which expands to 3 570 litr...

Nissan and Toyota have issued safety recalls for the Qashqai, Land Cruiser 300 and Lexus 300. We detail the models affected and the reason for the recall. Image: Nissan, Toyota, Lexus The local arms of Japanese automakers Nissan, Toyota and Lexus have issued safety recalls. The National Consumer Commission (NCC) says the affected vehicles are the Nissan Qashqai, Toyota Land Cruiser 300 and Lexus LX600. Nissan Qashqai recall in SA Model affected: Qashqai, built between 4 May 2021 and 17 September 2024 Reason for safety recall: Fuel pipe movement in engine bay Number of units affected in South Africa: 314 (part of 1 688 from 23 October 2025) Nissan says that, in the engine bay, the fuel pipe in its retaining clip could possibly move when the engine is operating. This could lead to wear on the fuel pipe and, in more serious cases, a hole could form, leading to a fuel leak. Also read: What You Need to Know About Vehicle Recalls Toyota Land Cruiser 300 recall in SA Model ...

The updated D23-generation Navara is en route to South Africa, with Nissan SA revealing when the Thai-built model will arrive in our market. Image: Nissan With local production of the D23-generation Navara having ceased following Chery’s acquisition of Nissan’s Rosslyn plant, where the Tiggo Cross will now be produced from 2027, South Africa will source the Navara from Thailand; the Japanese automaker’s SA arm confirming to The Citizen a 2026 market introduction. With the (D27-generation) new Nissan Navara , which shares its underpinnings with the current Mitsubishi Triton , remaining off the table for our market, the Thai-sourced SA-bound Navara is based on the D23 iteration, but will gain several exterior and interior revisions. Built at the firm’s Samut Prakan assembly facility, the updated D23 iteration will retain Nissan’s familiar 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder diesel powertrain. The 2.5-litre YD25DDTI unit employed by the current local Navara lineup is available in ...

The Q is heading to South Africa, with Chery’s local arm announcing the launch date and pricing of the value-focused EV. Image: Chery The Chery Q is en route to South Africa, with the Chinese automaker’s local arm confirming the all-electric model will launch in SA in early September 2026. While the local model lineup will likely be announced closer to market introduction, the Wuhu brand has said the Q will be priced from R350 000 to R400 000, which will place it as one of the most affordable EVs in SA . The Q employs a single, rear-mounted electric motor producing 90 kW and 115 N.m. The e-motor is coupled with a 42.7 kWh battery pack offering a claimed operating range of up to 400 km (NEDC). The Chery’s bodywork measures 4 195 mm in length, 1 811 mm in width and 1 570 mm in height – dimensions comparable to the Geely E2 . The Q’s wheelbase spans 2 700 mm. Chery claims a boot capacity of 375 litres, which expands to 1 450 litres when folding down the re...