It’s about that time of the season to take stock of what is available in the South African new-car market for buyers on a budget.
South Africa has one of the most diverse selections of new cars in the world, with over 45 brands and 1,400 models available to local consumers ranging from wallet-friendly to ultra-exclusive.
Over the past year, the country welcomed several new nameplates into the fray including Dayun, Foton, GAC Motor, Jaecoo, and LDV.
All these badges hail from China and mostly cater to the price-conscious consumer, with Foton for example entering the bakkie sphere with the generously equipped Tunland G7 at a starting point of just R319,900.
Similarly, many automakers whether new to the scene or well-established made an effort to keep their vehicles as affordable as possible over the course of 2024.
Hyundai slashed the prices of its Grand i10, Venue, and i20 in an effort to accommodate buyers squeezed by the current cost-of-living crisis.
Omoda approached the situation slightly differently by launching the new C5 Style with an asking price R88,000 lower than the previous entry-level C5 Tech.
Other brands such as VW and BAIC decided to keep the prices of their facelifted Polo Vivo and updated Beijing X55 the same as the outgoing models whilst adding a number of new features.
The barrier to entry for electric vehicles (EV) was also slashed by a considerable margin over the past 12 months, in fact, it fell thrice.
In November 2023, GWM grabbed headlines with the debut of the new Ora 03 electric hatchback for a reasonable R686,950 which was nearly R100,000 cheaper than the country’s most attainable EV at the time, the Mini Cooper SE.
BYD then made a splash with its Dolphin which went on sale in May 2024 at a starting price of R539,900, undercutting the Ora 03 by a sizeable R147,050.
A few months later, Dayun dethroned the Dolphin with its Yuehu S5 retailing for R399,900.
While the entry-level market grew over the last year, we also lost a few prominent options.
For instance, the Ford EcoSport was pulled from the market and replaced by the much pricier Puma.
The Jeep Renegade was also discontinued in the meantime, meaning if you want a Jeep vehicle in South Africa today, you’ll need to spend at least seven figures.
Most affordable car from every brand in South Africa
Detailed below are the most affordable cars from every major manufacturer you can buy in South Africa as of September 2024.
It must be noted that brands including Aston Martin, Lotus, McLaren, and Rolls-Royce do not publicize their window stickers, and were therefore not included.
Click on the underlined prices for more information.
Alfa Romeo Tonale Ti – R779,900
Audi A1 30TFSI Advanced – R523,200
BAIC Beijing X55 Plus Dynamic – R429,900
Bentley Flying Spur Hybrid – R4,520,000
BMW 118 – R713,395
BYD Dolphin Standard Range – R539,900
Chery Tiggo 4 Pro LiT – R279,900
Citroen C3 Feel – R242,900
Dayun Yuehu S5 Standard – R399,900
Ferrari Roma Spider – R6,231,600
Fiat 500 Base – R308,900
Ford Puma Titanium – R570,400
Foton Tunland G7 Single Cab Hi Rider – R319,900
GAC GS3 Emzoom Comfort – R469,900
GWM Steed 5 Single Cab S – R305,950
Haval Jolion City – R345,950
Honda Amaze Trend – R253,600
Hyundai Grand i10 Premium Hatch – R224,900
Ineos Grenadier/Quartermaster 3.0T/3.0TD – R1,717,100
Isuzu D-Max Gen 6 250c Single Cab – R368,200
JAC T6 Double Cab Lux – R379,900
Jaecoo J7 Vortex – R549,900
Jaguar E-Pace R-Dynamic SE – R1,187,900
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport – R1,034,900
Kia Picanto LX – R260,995
Lamborghini Urus S – R4,550,000
Land Rover Discovery Sport Dynamic SE – R1,305,400
LDV T60 Double Cab Elite – R480,000
Lexus ES 250 EX – R826,500
Mahindra Bolero Maxitruck Plus – R212,999
Maserati Grecale GT – R1,990,000
Mazda 2 Active – R321,500
Mercedes-Benz A200 Hatch Progressive – R826,024
Mini Cooper C 3-door – R623,252
Mitsubishi Xpander – R365,995
Nissan Magnite Visia – R240,000
Omoda C5 Style – R359,900
Opel Crossland – R359,900
Peugeot 208 Active – R349,900
Porsche Macan – R1,393,000
Proton Saga Standard – R209,900
Range Rover Evoque Dynamic SE – R1,290,900
Renault Kwid Life – R196,999
Subaru Crosstrek L – R609,000
Suzuki S-Presso GL – R178,900
Toyota Vitz – R189,900
Volvo XC40 B3 Essential – R720,000
VW Polo Vivo – R266,600
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