The most fuel-efficient bakkie in South Africa

The most fuel-efficient bakkie you can buy in South Africa is the BYD Shark 6, though the Ford Ranger arguably also holds the top spot if you aren’t interested in owning a hybrid.

Bakkies have been and continue to be one of the most sought-after vehicle types in South Africa, though owning one has become a lot more expensive in recent years due to rising fuel prices.

Following October’s fuel adjustments, petrol prices have risen to R32.25 per litre, while the wholesale price of diesel has climbed to R33.29 per litre.

With that in mind, many consumers have started cutting down on travel, while others are looking at more fuel-efficient cars in anticipation of future fuel price increases.

As far as bakkies are concerned, the best option on the market right now is the BYD Shark with a combined fuel consumption of 2.0l/100km, though this comes with an important caveat.

The Shark is a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) that pairs the combustion engine (a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol unit) with an electric motor and a large battery.

This allows users to travel up to 85km on nothing but electricity, which is why the combined fuel stat is so low at first glance.

The key word here is “combined,” because manufacturers that sell PHEVs provide official fuel stats based on the assumption that owners will make extensive use of the electric mode.

If you buy the Shark and never use the electric mode, your consumption will be closer to 9.6l/100km, meaning it is actually one of the thirstier models on the market.

The other catch is the BYD’s high price tag, which starts at R999,900 for the base Premium model, or R1,149,900 for the Performance, so it’s not exactly an ‘accessible’ solution for most people trying to avoid high fuel prices.

The trade-off is that you are getting something that is simultaneously one of the most efficient and most powerful double-cabs in South Africa, as the Shark produces 321kW and 650Nm (or up to 350kW and 700Nm on the Performance).

The most fuel-efficient non-hybrid bakkie in South Africa

If you are looking for something more mass-market than the Shark, your best bet is the Ford Ranger, though it depends on which model and engine you pick.

The good news is you don’t need to spring for one of the flagship models, as the base XL is the most economical option in the entire Ranger family, starting at R624,900.

This version of the pickup comes with a 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel block that produces 125kW and 405Nm.

More important for our purposes is the fact that it has an average consumption of 6.8l/100km, slightly better than the most frugal Toyota Hilux, Nissan Navara, or Peugeot Landtrek.

It’s also better than the equivalent VW Amarok 2.0TDI, which uses 7.1l/100km. This is odd, given the two vehicles share a platform and engine, so it’s best to take the official manufacturer figures with a grain of salt, as the small variations likely come down to different testing conditions.

In any case, a fuel stat of 6.8l/100km means you can travel 1,177km on an 80-litre tank.

Given that filling up a tank costs R2,663.20 this October, that works out to a fuel bill of just R2.26 per kilometre, making it the best option if you’re trying to squeeze as much value as possible out of every litre of fuel.