5 important things that happened in South Africa’s car industry this week

These were the five biggest stories in South Africa’s transport industry this week

Official petrol price increases for February

The Department of Petroleum and Mineral Resources’ official petrol price adjustments for February were implemented this Wednesday.

Petrol went up by 82c per litre, while diesel was hit with a bigger increase of R1.05 per litre.

The hikes are attributed to higher international oil prices and the rand’s poor performance against the US dollar.

VW’s new budget SUV gets reveal date

The new VW Tera is set to be revealed on 2 March 2025.

The Tera is the brand’s new entry-level SUV that will slot below the T-Cross when it eventually goes on sale.

The Tera is also likely to be produced in South Africa, as the automaker is prepping its Eastern Cape factory for a new budget SUV that will be produced from 2026 onwards.

Uber launches cheaper rides in South Africa – From R18 per trip

Uber is piloting a new, cheaper service in South Africa called Uber Moto.

Moto allows users to order a driver with a motorcycle, which they can ride on the back of for short rips.

The service is intended for high-density city centres, with rides costing as little as R18.

Good news for cheap flights in South Africa

FlySafair will be able to continue operating for the next 12 months while it deals with an ongoing case with the Air Services Licensing Council.

The air carrier is allegedly in contravention of local ownership laws, which could threaten to ground the service if it is not resolved.

The shutdown of FlySafair could deal a severe blow to the country’s aviation industry, leading to astronomical price hikes from the remaining services.

More affordable VW T-Cross launched in South Africa

VW has finally launched the more affordable entry-level models for the facelifted T-Cross.

The two units start at R400,700, marking a R70,700 reduction from the previous cheapest option.

The new models are available with a 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, which has an output of either 70kW or 85kW.