The Car Guide

Boasting 350 kW, the BYD Shark 6 Performance has arrived in South Africa.  See pricing and specs below… Image: BYD In April 2026, BYD announced the Shark 6 Performance, a more powerful version of the Chinese automaker’s plug-in hybrid (PHEV) double-cab bakkie. However, at the time, the Shenzhen brand had yet to confirm whether the new flagship model will make its way to South Africa. Well, it’s now here, with BYD’s local arm revealing pricing and specs. The Shark 6 Performance employs BYD’s latest DMO (Dual Mode Off-road) Super Hybrid system, which comprises a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine and a duo of electric motors sited at the front and rear, respectively. As a reminder, the Shark 6 Premium’s dual electric motors are coupled with a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine. The Shark 6 Performance produces combined power and torque outputs of 350 kW and 700 N.m – increases of 29 kW and 50 N.m over the “standard” Shark 6, which we evalu...

The VW ID. Cross compact SUV has made its official global debut. We detail the T-Cross’ all-electric sibling… Image: Volkswagen Shared with the ID. Polo , the ID. Cross is based on VW’s EV-focused MEB+ platform. The ID. Cross measures 4 153 mm in length, 1 795 mm in width, and 1 581 mm in height — dimensions comparable to the T-Cross. However, the ID. Cross’ wheelbase is longer than its internal combustion (ICE) sibling’s, at 2 601 vs 2 551 mm. Despite being similar in size as the T-Cross, VW says the ID. Cross offers more space for occupants and luggage. Front and rear headroom are rated at 1 044 and 973 mm, respectively. VW claims a boot capacity of 475 litres – an increase of 20 litres over the T-Cross – which expands to 1 345 litres for utility purposes when folding down the rear seatbacks. Sited below the bonnet, the ID. Cross’ front luggage compartment offers an additional 25 litres of packing space. The ID. Cross’ interior plays host to VW’s 10.25-inch...

Chery South Africa has quietly introduced a new entry-level Tiggo 8 Pro variant, priced from below R500 000, to our market. Image: Thorp Motor Group Chery has expanded its local Tiggo 8 Pro model lineup with the introduction of a new entry-level derivative, the Tiggo 8 Pro LS. The Tiggo 8 Pro LS is powered by the Chinese automaker’s 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine developing 145 kW and 290 N.m of torque – the latter available in a broad 1 750-4 000 r/min swathe of the rev band. Power is delivered to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Chery claims the Tiggo 8 Pro LS completes the 0-100 km/h sprint in 8.9 seconds, before topping out at 190 km/h. The Tiggo 8 Pro LS returns a claimed 7.2 L/100 km; translating to a driving range of 708 km from a full, 51-litre tank of fuel. The interior features dual 12.3-inch displays (for instrumentation and infotainment, respectively), a wireless smartphone charging tray, dual-zone climate contr...

Audi’s most powerful production car to date has arrived in SA. See pricing and specs for the RS e-tron GT performance below… Image: Audi The Audi RS e-tron GT performance has officially touched down on South African shores, with the German marque’s local arm announcing pricing and specs for the most powerful series-production Audi to date. The RS e-tron GT performance’s dual electric-motor powertrain produces combined power and torque outputs of 550 kW – the latter increasing to 680 kW when engaging launch control – and 1 027 N.m. The brand with the four rings claims a 0-100 km/h sprint time of 2.5 seconds when activating launch control, or 2.9 seconds as standard. The top speed is electronically governed to 250 km/h. The RS e-tron GT performance’s electric motors are coupled with a 105 kWh (gross; 97 kWh, net) battery, which offers a claimed operating range of up to 592 km on a single, full charge. Thanks to 800 V electric architecture, the ...

Jetour South Africa has launched the updated Dashing and X70 Plus models. See full pricing and specs below… Images: Jetour Jetour launched in South Africa in 2024, with the Chinese automaker’s initial SUV portfolio comprising the Dashing and X70 Plus . Now, the local arm of the Wuhu-based brand has introduced the updated Dashing and X70 Plus. Both models now employ a more powerful 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, which develops 125 kW and 270 N.m of torque – increases of 10 kW and 40 N.m over the pre-facelifted variants. The revised Dashing and X70 Plus ditch the previous six-speed dual-clutch transmission for a seven-speed dual-clutch. The refreshed Dashing features red exterior and interior accents, an eight-speaker Sony sound system, dual-zone climate control, a panoramic glass sunroof, privacy glass, and heated and ventilated seats on the range-topping derivative. The X70 Plus adopts a redesigned front grille, brushed aluminium accents and 19-inch...

Confirmed for South Africa, Subaru SA has announced when the new, seventh-generation Outback will launch on local shores. Image: Subaru The seventh-generation Subaru Outback is en route to South Africa, with the Japanese automaker’s local arm confirming when the new iteration will arrive in our market. Revealed in 2025, the box-fresh Outback is available with the choice of two boxer powertrain options: 2.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol and 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol. The former and latter units produce 137 kW/254 N.m and 194 kW/382 N.m, respectively. Both engines are coupled with Subaru’s Lineartronic continuously variable transmission (CVT), which delivers power to the brand’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system. The Outback features X-Mode and hill descent control. The new Outback has a maximum braked towing capacity of 2 000 kg. The latest Outback measures 4 880 mm in length, 1 880 mm in width, and 1 715 mm in height. Compared to ...