R140,000 pain for Ford Ranger lovers in South Africa

Prices for the Ford Ranger, one of South Africa’s best-selling cars, have increased by anywhere from R95,000 to over R200,000 in just four years.

The current-generation Ranger made its debut in late 2022 and quickly established itself as one of the nation’s most popular vehicles, selling thousands of units every month.

It is also locally produced, as Ford has a factory in Silverton in northern Gauteng that assembles the bakkie for the domestic market and for export to regions such as the European Union.

However, while it continues to dominate the sales charts, the Ranger’s price tag has increased at an alarming rate due to inflation.

TopAuto looked at the official price listings for the bakkie at the time of release in December 2022 and compared prices for the same models in October 2026.

At the time of writing, the cheapest double-cab derivative on sale is the 2.0-litre diesel single-turbo (SiT) XL 4×2, which costs R624,900.

In late 2022, the same model cost R529,900, or R95,000 less.

The difference is even more extreme if we compare the cheapest available models, as the entry-level double-cab sold for R486,000.

In other words, the starting price for the double-cab Ranger has risen by R138,900 in just under four years.

It’s a similar story for some of the other models. The Wildtrak 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel, for example, cost R953,500 at launch, which has increased to R1,076,300.

The high-performance Ranger Raptor, which launched in South Africa in early 2023, has seen its sticker climb from R1,094,900 to R1,307,300 in a little over three years.

The following table shows how prices have increased for these three Ranger models since release:

Perhaps the most concerning aspect of this comparison is the fact that the Ranger’s price increases are more or less in line with inflation.

Between 2022 and 2026, Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation cumulatively rose by around 16.68%, meaning that the Ford isn’t an outlier.

Motorists are taking out longer loans for cheaper cars

Household spending on cars in South Africa has shifted since the start of the decade, with consumers resorting to new tactics to keep pace with rising prices.

According to WesBank, applications for vehicle finance agreements have remained relatively steady despite the challenging economic landscape.

However, the average length of car repayment contracts increased, while the average value of the cars being repaid decreased.

In other words, motorists are now shopping for cheaper models while also taking out longer loans to make the monthly instalments more manageable, even if it is ultimately more expensive due to the added interest.

“The application trends suggest that customers are not simply stepping away from the market in response to affordability pressures; they are adjusting how they structure their vehicle purchases,” said Thanda Sithole, Senior Economist: FNB and WesBank. 

“For consumers, the focus is increasingly on managing the total cost of ownership and finding a finance structure that provides greater certainty over the life of the agreement.”

Vehicle ownership costs have also skyrocketed in recent months due to the record-setting petrol and diesel hikes brought on by the war in Iran.

At the start of 2026, it cost R1,481.60 to fill up the Ranger’s 80-litre tank with diesel. As of October 2026, motorists are paying R2,663.20 for the same amount of fuel.