The Car Guide

We detail the confirmed price you will pay for fuel – petrol and diesel – in South Africa from Wednesday, 2 September 2026… Image: BP Fuel prices for South African motorists are now confirmed for September 2026, as the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources ( DMPR ) has announced for Wednesday. Both grades of petrol, 93 ULP/LRP and 95 ULP/LRP, will rise by R1.34 per litre. The price of diesel swung the opposite way than previously predicted , so it will now rise by R2.94 and R3.15 per litre for 0.05% sulphur (500ppm) and 0.005% sulphur (50ppm), respectively. The price of wholesale illuminating paraffin has an increase of R2.13 per litre. Fluctuating oil prices have continued from geopolitical tensions. While the number of oil ships being allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz has increased slightly, the US is still imposing sanctions on Iran. Recent Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries and ports have curbed Moscow’s crude exports, too. So, oil prices at the time of w...

Changan SA has revealed the Uni-S HEV at the 2026 Festival of Motoring. Here’s what we know so far about the hybrid Uni-S… Image: Changan Announced at the 2026 Festival of Motoring, which takes place from 28-30 August at Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit, Changan South Africa is set to expand its Uni-S lineup with the inclusion of a hybrid (HEV) derivative. The new-energy Uni-S’s powertrain comprises a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine and front-mounted electric motor, producing combined outputs of 166 kW and 290 N.m of torque. The electric motor is mated with a ternary lithium battery pack. Changan claims an average fuel consumption of 4.0 L/100 km, which translates to a driving range of 1 275 km from a full, 51-litre tank of fuel. The Uni-S HEV is distinguished from its petrol-only siblings, of which we sampled the flagship petrol-only model in April 2026, via a revised front grille. Five exterior colour options – white, black, Putty Grey, Shadow...

Revealed in 2025 as the brand’s first fully-electric model, Suzuki SA has previewed the e Vitara compact SUV at the 2026 Festival of Motoring. Image: Suzuki SA Aiming to potentially cross into the zero-emissions compact-SUV segment, Suzuki Auto South Africa has showcased the e Vitara, the Japanese marque’s first battery-electric vehicle, at the 2026 Festival of Motoring, which takes place from 28-30 August at Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit. Seen here, the model on display comes in the shape of the 4WD variant. Suzuki SA says this derivative represents the proposed local specification and shows that the brand is EV-ready for potential introduction to our market, should conditions support it. The 4WD e Vitara is equipped with two electric motors – sited front and rear, respectively – producing a combined system output of 135 kW and 307 N.m of torque. Power is delivered to the road via the carmaker’s new AllGrip-e four-wheel drivetrain. The all-paw e Vitara fea...

With the increase in local fuel prices, we’ve rounded up the five most affordable EVs currently available in SA. If you’re in the market for a value-oriented EV, especially when considering the continued rise in petrol and diesel prices, we have taken a closer look at the most affordable EVs available in South Africa as of August 2026. See the list below… 5. Dayun S5 — from R399 900 Image: Dayun Introduced to our market in July 2025, the Dayun S5 lineup is priced from a hair below R400 000. This emissions-free city car is equipped with a 31.7 kWh battery, which offers a claimed range of 330 km, and an electric motor that produces 35 kW and 105 N.m. 4. Chery Q — R349 900 Image: Peet Mocke Priced from R349 900, the Chery Q , which we sampled for a first drive in Cape Town ahead of its local launch, misses out on a podium spot on this list…by just R900! Available in Comfort (R349 900) and Elite (R389 900) specification, the Q exclusively employs a single, re...

Following receiving more than 20 000 submissions, Chery South Africa has announced a shortlist of the names its highly-anticipated KP31 bakkie could don in SA… Image: Chery Early in August 2026, Chery South Africa launched a naming campaign for its upcoming KP31 bakkie, with the Chinese automaker’s local arm inviting South Africans to submit their suggestions of what this highly-anticpated double cab should be called in our market. The Wuhu brand has now, at the 2026 Festival of Motoring, announced a shortlist of six names…from over 20 000 submitted by the public. Shortlist of names for the Chery KP31 in SA Scheduled to arrive in SA in early 2027, the KP31 could go by one of the following six names: ‘Bakkie’, ‘Grootman’, ‘Nduna’, ‘Chief’, ‘Orca’, and ‘Brahman’. The winning entrant is set to receive R100 000 towards the purchase of any new Chery vehicle and may also have the opportunity to travel to China in October (subject to final confirmation and the competition terms and condi...

Leapmotor has confirmed the B03X for SA, with the Chinese automaker’s local arm saying on its website the all-electric compact SUV is ‘coming in 2026’. Image: Leapmotor In October 2025, Leapmotor officially arrived in South Africa, with the Stellantis-backed Chinese automaker’s initial local model lineup comprising the C10 REEV . Fast forward to August 2026, and the company would expand its SA portfolio with the introduction of the B10 REEV . However, it seems the brand isn’t slowing down. Indeed, Leapmotor SA has confirmed on its website that the B03X all-electric compact SUV is ‘coming in 2026’. In terms of exterior dimensions, the B03X measures 4 270 mm in length, 1 810 mm in width, and 1 635 mm in height. The B03X’s wheelbase spans 2 605 mm. The ground clearance is rated at 175 mm. Leapmotor claims a boot capacity of 510 litres, which expands to 1 605 litres for utility purposes when folding down the 40:60-split rear seatbacks. The B03X is equipped with a single permanent magne...