Small bakkies are dead in South Africa – Here’s what people are buying instead

South Africa has no compact bakkies, but that doesn’t mean that the demand for an affordable workhorse has disappeared.

While vehicles like the Nissan NP200, Ford Bantam, Fiat Strada, Mazda Rustler, and Chevrolet Utility used to be a common sight on our roads, the body type vanished from showrooms last year, and no automaker has stepped up with a new model.

The country’s last half-tonne pickup was the NP200, but Nissan elected to discontinue the nameplate in April 2024 on account of its ageing design.

This means that it has been well over a year since small bakkies disappeared from our market, but a different type of vehicle has taken on their role.

Nissan, Hyundai, Kia, Chery, Renault, and Mahindra all sell panel van versions of their entry-level crossovers and hatchbacks, which are meant to function as practical vehicles for business owners.

They are classified as light commercial vehicles and are modified to carry significantly more cargo than a typical boot would allow for.

While the specifics vary from model to model, they all follow the same general formula, which involves replacing the car’s rear seats to make way for a larger, flat-bottomed boot floor.

It’s also common practice to insert a steel mesh barrier behind the front seats to separate the passenger area from the cargo bay, and reinforce or replace the back windows to protect against theft.

These vehicles are growing in popularity in South Africa, though sales still pale in comparison to the numbers that compact bakkies used to bring in.

The Nissan Magnite Move Panel Van, for example, often sells a few hundred units per month, while the NP200 used to regularly hit 1,200 sales per month.

It’s fair to assume that much of the interest in these panel van crossovers and hatchbacks stems from necessity, given the lack of alternatives.

However, until a manufacturer delivers a true successor to the likes of the NP200, small panel vans will continue to be the lifeblood of small businesses in South Africa.

Filling a gap in the market

These are all of the hatchback and crossover panel van conversions you can buy in South Africa that are meant to fill a similar role to compact bakkies.

Click on the underlined prices for more information.

Nissan Magnite 1.0 Move Panel Van

• Starting price – R229,900
• Storage space – 690 litres
• Maximum payload – 250kg
• Power – 53kW/96Nm
• Fuel consumption – 5.9l/100km
• Warranty – 6-year/150,000km 
• Service plan – N/A

Hyundai Grand i10 1.0 Premium Cargo Panel Van

• Starting price – R249,500
• Storage space – 1,210 litres
• Maximum payload – 508kg
• Power – 49kW/94Nm
• Fuel consumption – 5.5l/100km
• Warranty – 5-year/150,000km + 2-year/50,000km drivetrain
• Service plan – 1-year/15,000km

Kia Picanto 1.0 LS Panel Van

• Starting price – R249,995
• Storage space – 909 litres
• Maximum payload – 350kg
• Power – 49kW/95Nm
• Fuel consumption – 5.1l/100km
• Warranty – 5-year/unlimited km 
• Service plan – 2-year/30,000km

Renault Triber 1.0 Express Panel Van

• Starting price – R249,999
• Storage space – 1,500 litres
• Maximum payload – 542kg
• Power – 52kW/96Nm
• Fuel consumption – 5.5l/100km
• Warranty – 5-year/150,000km 
• Service plan – 2-year/30,000km

Kia Sonet 1.5 LS Runner Panel Van

• Starting price – R294,995
• Storage space – 1,296 litres
• Maximum payload – 350kg
• Power – 85kW/144Nm
• Fuel consumption – 6.6l/100km
• Warranty – 5-year/unlimited km 
• Service plan – 3-year/45,000km

Mahindra XUV 3X0 1.2T MX1 Panel Van

• Starting price – R296,999
• Storage space – 364 litres
• Maximum payload – 323kg
• Power – 82kW/200Nm
• Fuel consumption – 5.3l/100km
• Warranty – 5-year/150,000km 
• Service plan – 3-year/55,000km

Chery Tiggo 4 Pro 1.5 LiT Panel Van

• Starting price – R309,900
• Storage space – 1,500 litres
• Maximum payload – 360kg
• Power – 83kW/138Nm
• Fuel consumption – 7.0l/100km
• Warranty – 5-year/150,000km vehicle + 10-year/1-million km engine
• Service plan – 3-year/30,000km

Hyundai Venue 1.2 Premium Cargo Panel Van

• Starting price – R321,500
• Storage space – 1,296 litres
• Maximum payload – 620kg
• Power – 61kW/115Nm
• Fuel consumption – 6.5l/100km
• Warranty – 5-year/150,000km + 2-year/50,000km drivetrain
• Service plan – 3-year/45,000km