Features / 24 December 2025 / Michael Taylor

15 new bakkies launched in South Africa in 2025

Bakkie fans had a great haul this year, as no less than 15 new models were launched in South Africa in 2025.

The year welcomed in a varied selection, ranging from mild updates for a few recent entries to models that have brought something entirely new to the country’s auto sphere.

Case in point is the BYD Shark 6, the first plug-in hybrid double cab in South Africa.

The Shark bears the distinction of being the nation’s most powerful bakkie, taking the crown away from the Ford Ranger Raptor.

It’s also one of the most efficient models on the market, as its electric driving mode allows it to achieve an average fuel consumption of just 2.0l/100km.

The BYD isn’t the only first-of-its-kind bakkie to hit showrooms this year, however, as Changan recently launched the new Hunter.

While the Hunter is available with a diesel engine, the attention-grabber is the new Range-Extended Electric Vehicle (REEV) flagship.

REEVs are an unusual type of hybrid where the combustion engine does not power the wheels directly.

Instead, the petrol engine functions as a generator to charge a battery that powers two electric motors – one over each axle.

The Hunter REEV can travel 145km on its 31.2kWh battery, but its 70-litre fuel tank and petrol “generator” give it a maximum range of 1,000km.

If these electrified options aren’t to your liking, the good news is there are plenty of other new models to suit your needs.

Nissan put out two new variants for the Navara called the Stealth and Warrior, the latter of which is a halo model developed in partnership with the Australian firm Premcar.

Isuzu released a limited-edition D-Max called the X-Rider Black, and JAC introduced the new T9 Hunter, which was initially meant to be a limited-run model commissioned to celebrate the brand’s achievements in South Africa.

GWM launched the new P300 to replace the older P-Series, and gave the larger P500 a minor update for the 2025 model year.

Foton grew its bakkie roster from one to three nameplates by adding the new Tunland V7 and Tunland V9, JMC relaunched in South Africa with the Vigus, and LDV debuted the new Terron 9.

Our two final entries come from Toyota and VW, as the former launched the special-edition Legend 55 to celebrate the company’s 55th anniversary in South Africa.

VW, meanwhile, has finally added the long-awaited 2.3-litre turbocharged petrol (TSI) model to the Amarok series, offering motorists something quite different from the TDI diesel engines we’re all accustomed to.