Features / 25 April 2026 / Warren Hawkins

Every double-cab bakkie you can buy under R400,000 in South Africa

For years, South African bakkie buyers have had to choose between affordable single-cabs or expensive double-cabs, but this has now changed, thanks to the introduction of a few double-cab bakkies under R400,000.

Bakkies have historically fallen into two main categories, namely affordable workhorses, which tend to be affordable single-cabs, and family bakkies, which become versatile and often expensive passenger vehicles.

To change this narrative, Chinese brands have started to introduce double-cab options that don’t break the bank, offering South Africa’s buyers the opportunity to experience the best of both categories.

Until recently, the only options buyers could choose from in the budget double-cab segment were the Foton Tunland G7 and the JAC T8 Lux.

These two are priced identically, demanding buyers part with R399,900, meaning they barely scraped under the R400,000 threshold.

Now, however, these two bakkies have been joined by the JMC Vigus, another Chinese bakkie with a R399,900 price tag.

The trio’s reign as the cheapest double-cab bakkies in South Africa came to an end this week, when JAC introduced a new trimline for the T8, the Comfort, which now holds the distinguished title of South Africa’s cheapest double-cab.

This bakkie was introduced with a starting price that is R50,000 less than the other three, demanding R349,900, which offers bakkie buyers a more attainable entry point into double-cab ownership.

The two JAC models share a turbocharged 2.0-litre powertrain, capable of 104kW and 320Nm.

Similarly, Foton fitted the Tunland G7 with a turbocharged 2.0-litre diesel motor, with a higher power output of 120kW and 390Nm.

However, the most powerful of the sub-R400,000 bakkies in South Africa is the JMC Vigus, which is fitted with a turbocharged 2.5-litre diesel engine capable of producing 123kW and 430Nm.