South Africa’s list of affordable commercial vehicles took a big hit this year with the loss of the Nissan NP200, which was scrapped in April.
The NP200 was the last compact bakkie on the market, serving a crucial niche as a practical vehicle suitable for small businesses and private contractors in need of an everyday set of wheels that can also be used as a tool of the trade.
Despite its success, Nissan elected to pull the plug on the small bakkie, citing its ageing design as the main reason for the discontinuation.
This has left a large gap in the local auto scene, and thus far no carmaker has managed to plug the hole with a compact bakkie of its own, which means South Africans may need to explore different avenues to find a model that can fill a similar role.
Hyundai, however, has risen to the call with two vehicles that are both affordable and capable of filling a commercial role – the Grand i10 Cargo and Venue Cargo.
A different option for commercial buyers
Hyundai’s Cargo units are based on their popular selection of passenger cars, namely the Grand i10 hatchback and the Venue crossover.
The company also previously offered an Atos Cargo, but this was dropped when the standard Atos hatch was delisted.
Similarly, Kia used to sell a practical version of the Picanto called the Runner, but this option disappeared when the updated model was launched with a much smaller roster of options.
In any case, the Hyundai Cargo models follow a design philosophy where the passenger car’s rear seats are removed entirely to make way for a much larger storage area.
A steel mesh frame is then installed behind the front seats to separate the occupants from the cargo area as a safety measure against loose objects.
Smaller mesh frames are also fixed behind the side and back window as a form of security to prevent smash and grabs.
Furthermore, the absence of the rear bench means there is a flat floor in the storage bay for easier cargo placements.
On the smaller Grand i10 Cargo, the load area has space for 1,210 litres or 488kg of goods.
The larger Venue, meanwhile, has a storage capacity of 1,296 litres and can take a payload of up to 500kg.
As a point of reference, the NP200 could carry up to 650kg, so the hatchback and crossover are actually not that far behind the bakkie in terms of load capacity.
There are a few advantages to the Hyundais, too, as they provide a number of nice-to-haves that are relatively rare for workhorse vehicles.
Since the front of the cabin is largely unaltered compared to the passenger variants, both the Grand i10 and the Venue come with an infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
These screens can display navigation apps like Waze or Google Maps, which is a useful addition to contractors driving all over town.
Other fittings include central locking, partial vinyl upholstery, a multifunction steering wheel, manual air conditioning, USB ports, rear parking sensors, a reverse camera, ABS, and two airbags.
As for their engines, the hatchback is equipped with a 1.0-litre, naturally-aspirated petrol block with 49kW and 94Nm, which has an average fuel consumption of 5.5l/100km.
The crossover, on the other hand, benefits from a larger 1.2-litre mill with 61kW and 115Nm, which consumes 6.5l/100km.
Both vehicles are front-wheel drive and make use of a five-speed manual gearbox.
Pricing
Prior to its cancellation, the NP200 had a price tag of between R234,000 and R253,800, depending on whether or not you had the aircon package installed.
In comparison, the Grand i10 has a starting price of R249,500, while the Venue goes for R321,500.
Both Hyundai models are sold with a 5-year/150,000km warranty with an additional 2-year/50,000km warranty for drivetrain components.
Additionally, the hatchback has a 1-year/150,000km service plan while the crossover gets a longer 3-year/45,000km plan.
One other important fact to highlight is that Hyundai’s Cargo models are homologated as commercial vehicles in South Africa, which means that businesses can reclaim the VAT on their purchases.
Hyundai Grand i10 Cargo
Hyundai Venue Cargo
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