The cheapest car from these 24 brands costs over R500,000 in South Africa

It’s no secret that cars are very expensive in South Africa, as more than 73% of all the models sold here now cost more than half a million rand.

Consequently, it’s becoming harder than ever to afford certain brands, as there are no less than 24 different vehicle makes where you will need to fork over at least R500,000 to take home their entry-level model, and potentially a lot more.

Of course, supercar companies such as Lamborghini or Ferrari have always had astronomical price tags to go along with the prestige associated with their badges, but this list has seen more and more carmakers one would typically describe as mass market joining its ranks.

Ford is arguably the best example of this, as it wasn’t that long ago that it sold affordable hatchbacks and crossovers like the Fiesta and EcoSport, but its cheapest models now consist of the Ranger single cab bakkie and Puma crossover, both of which go for more than half a million.

BMW and Mercedes-Benz have always been considered premium options, but their price tags have gone up exponentially to the point that even their base hatchbacks cost over R700,000 and R800,000, respectively.

At the same time, a few new electric automakers have entered South Africa, such as BYD, where the high asking price of these cars can be partially attributed to import duties and a lack of government incentives that other countries provide to subsidize the cost of EVs.

Cost of doing business

This is the bare minimum you’ll need to pay in this day and age to purchase a car from one of these 24 brands in South Africa.

Note that Aston Martin, Lotus, McLaren, and Rolls-Royce do not disclose their prices in South Africa, and are therefore unable to be included in the list.

Click on the underlined prices for more information.