It’s no secret that South Africans love their bakkies, and there’s no shortage of models to choose from, with everything from entry-level single-cab workhorses to luxurious five-seater lifestyle vehicles.
Several new pickups have entered the hyper-competitive landscape in recent years, and many of them have impressive power stats with equally noteworthy price tags.
The most powerful bakkie you can buy in South Africa right now is the recently introduced BYD Shark 6 Performance, the flagship version of the Chinese carmaker’s plug-in hybrid (PHEV) series.
The Performance achieves a staggering output of 350kW thanks to a PHEV system that combines a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine with two electric motors.
Funnily enough, the country’s second most powerful bakkie is also the Shark, as the cheaper derivative – the Premium – produces 321kW.
This version uses a smaller 1.5-litre engine and held the title of the country’s top pickup before its more potent sibling arrived on the scene.
In comparison, the third hardest-hitting high-rider is the Ford Ranger Raptor, the halo model version of one of the country’s top-sellers.
The Raptor is a high-performance variant that features an exclusive 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine, giving an impressive rating of 292kW with no electrical assistance.
Fourth place, meanwhile, is another hybrid, as GWM offers the top-spec P500 Ultra Luxury with a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) powerplant that generates 255kW.
The final spot in the top five is more complicated, as it is a tie between two Ford Ranger models, and the VW Amarok.
This is because all three vehicles are equipped with Ford’s 2.3-litre turbocharged EcoBoost petrol engine, which produces 222kW.
This drivetrain is available on the Ranger Sport and Wildtrak, as well as the Amarok PanAmericana. Since the current-gen Amarok shares a platform with the Ranger, you could argue that these are three variants of the same vehicle.
Interestingly, all “five” bakkies on this list feature a petrol engine, which highlights the trade-off between power and torque if you opt for a petrol or diesel vehicle.
Petrol is better for power, while diesel tends to provide more torque, which is why it is generally preferred for bakkies outside of these high-end cases.
South Africa’s most potent pickups
These are the five most powerful bakkie options available to South African motorists.
Click on the underlined prices for more information.
BYD Shark 6 2.0T PHEV Performance
- Starting price – R1,149,900
- Power – 350kW
- Torque – 700Nm
- Towing capacity – 3,500kg
- Load capacity – 790kg
- Fuel consumption – 1.3l/100km combined, 10.5l/100km petrol
BYD Shark 6 1.5T PHEV Premium
- Starting price – R989,900
- Power – 321kW
- Torque – 650Nm
- Towing capacity – 2,500kg
- Load capacity – 790kg
- Fuel consumption – 2.0l/100km combined, 9.6l/100km petrol
Ford Ranger 3.0T V6 Raptor
- Starting price – R1,307,300
- Power – 292kW
- Torque – 583Nm
- Towing capacity – 2,500kg
- Load capacity – 728kg
- Fuel consumption – 11.5l/100km
GWM P500 2.0T HEV Ultra Luxury
- Starting price – R999,900
- Power – 255kW
- Torque – 648Nm
- Towing capacity – 3,500kg
- Load capacity – 735kg
- Fuel consumption – 9.8l/100km
Ford Ranger 2.3T Sport, Wildtrak, and VW Amarok 2.3TSI PanAmericana
- Starting price – R844,900, R904,700, R1,099,000
- Power – 222kW
- Torque – 452Nm
- Towing capacity – 3,500kg
- Load capacity – 1,045kg
- Fuel consumption – 9.3l/100km
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