At least six hatchbacks are expected to launch in South Africa within the next six months.
This year has already seen the introduction of a handful of new models in the compact vehicle scene, including the revamped Kia Picanto, Opel Corsa, and Honda Fit.
It also welcomed the new BYD Dolphin, which is officially the cheapest electric vehicle (EV) in South Africa at a starting price of R539,900.
There’s still plenty more to come, though, as six different brands have a new hatchback in the pipeline for this year,
First on the agenda is the facelifted Hyundai i20, which will be launching this July with subtle visual tweaks and improvements to its equipment list.
Next up, Abarth and Fiat are both planning to launch their trailblazing EVs in the country with their own take on the evergreen 500 hatch, both of which will have the “500e” badge.
The Fiat will potentially be another (relatively) affordable electric option in the local car scene competing with the Dolphin and GWM Ora, while Abarth will be offering a hot hatch version of the same car at a higher price point.
The premium segment is also getting two new entries thanks to BMW and Audi, which are wheeling out the new 1 Series and A3, respectively.
The final confirmed model is the new Mini Cooper, which will also feature an all-electric SE derivative.
Unusually, the Cooper was initially scheduled to launch in the first half of 2024 but this deadline has come and gone without an update, so expect it to pop up at some point in the near future.
A few other models could also appear on our roads this year, but have yet to be confirmed.
One of these is the BYD Dolphin Mini, as the Chinese carmaker has filed a trademark application for this name in South Africa indicating that it is considering introducing the hatchback to the domestic market.
Others include the new VW Golf 8.5 GTI and Golf 8.5 R as well as the updated Toyota GR Yaris. While their South African launch windows have yet to be announced, all three of these are already on sale globally or will hit showrooms in other markets soon.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the next-gen Suzuki Swift has made its debut in India, which bodes well for a local introduction very soon as South Africa typically receives its new Suzuki models a few months after the sub-continent does.
A varied selection
These are all of the hatchbacks that are expected to launch in South Africa in the second half of 2024.
Click on the underlined links for more information on what has been revealed about each model thus far.
Abarth 500e
- Launch window – 2nd half 2024
- Read more
Audi A3
- Launch window – 4th quarter 2024
- Read more
BMW 1 Series
- Launch window – 4th quarter 2024
- Read more
Fiat 500e
- Launch window – 2nd half 2024
- Read more
Hyundai i20
- Launch window – July 2024
- Read more
Mini Cooper
- Launch window – To be announced
- Read more
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