The Car Guide

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...

With the all-new, ninth-generation Toyota Hilux having arrived in SA, the previous model deserves a fresh look if you’re in the market for a durable, versatile bakkie. Image: CAR magazine The launch of the eighth-generation Toyota Hilux in 2015 marked a pivotal moment in the South African light commercial vehicle (LCV) segment, especially on the bakkie side of things. As the undisputed market leader for decades, the Hilux’s evolution from the venerable seventh generation saw Toyota adopting a ‘redefining toughness’ approach, moving beyond sheer durability to make the bakkie a vehicle that even more SA consumers could turn to as their dual-purpose leisure and work vehicle. At the foundation of the eighth-generation Hilux is an evolved version of the longstanding IMV ladder-frame platform that’s been engineered for greater torsional rigidity. The side-rail cross sections were enlarged, and the number of connection points between the chassis and the cab was increased. This increas...

Following the unveiling of the next-generation Tucson, Hyundai has revealed powertrain specs for the hybrid model. Image: Hyundai Designed around Hyundai’s new ‘Art of Steel’ design language, the new Tucson was revealed in August 2026. However, at the time, the South Korean automaker remained tight-lipped about the powertrains the fifth iteration will employ. So, we could only hazard a guess that the box-fresh Tucson will at least be offered with a similar setup as the current Santa Fe – a 1.6-litre hybrid. As a reminder, the latter unit produces combined power and torque outputs of 175 kW and 367 N.m, delivered to the road via an all-wheel drivetrain. While the engine lineup remains largely unconfirmed, the company has now released details surrounding the hybrid version of the box-fresh generation. As reported by Australian publication CarExpert , Hyundai revealed the new hybrid derivative’s powertrain specs at its CEO Investor Day in South Korea. The 2027 Tucson Hybrid will...