The Car Guide

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...

Mercedes-Benz has lifted the wraps off the updated Mercedes-Maybach GLS 680, which boasts a revised V8 engine, updated exterior styling, and a revamped interior. Image: Mercedes-Maybach Following the global debut of the updated Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 , Mercedes-Benz has revealed the refreshed Mercedes-Maybach GLS 680. The thoroughly updated model boasts revised exterior styling, a revamped cabin, and a more powerful V8 powertrain. The Mercedes-Maybach GLS 680 employs the same (M177 EVO) 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 as the Mercedes-AMG GLS 63. The M177 EVO unit produces 450 kW and 850 N.m of torque – the latter available from 2 500-4 500 r/min. The powerplant incorporates 48 V mild-hybrid tech, which provides a 17 kW and 205 N.m boost for short durations. Power is delivered to the road via the German marque’s 4Matic+ all-wheel drivetrain, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. In addition to revised steering, the flagship Mercedes-Maybach SUV features the Three-p...

Mini South Africa has expanded its John Cooper Works (JCW) model lineup with the introduction of the Daredevil edition derivatives. See pricing and specs below… Image: Mini Equipped with the Daredevil edition package, the Mini Cooper JCW 3-Door hatch gains a Chilli Red rear spoiler extension and AC Schnitzer rear diffuser and exhaust. JCW front, side and rear winglets are also present. This model rolls on 18-inch Rallye Spoke alloy wheels. The latter items can also be found on the Daredevil edition Cooper JCW Convertible. The JCW Countryman Daredevil edition features a high-gloss black roof spoiler. The all-electric JCW Daredevil edition models (Cooper Electric and Aceman) are distinguished by unique red-and-black roof trim. All Daredevil edition models are dressed in Midnight Black exterior paintwork and feature red racing stripes. A chequered red-and-black pattern has been applied to the wing mirrors. Also read: Mini Cooper JCW test figures Mini JCW Daredevil edition price in ...