Features / 29 January 2026 / Warren Hawkins

The locally-built cars South Africans can’t afford

Many of the most popular cars on South Africa’s roads are locally built, and while that bodes well for the local economy, most of these cars are still priced beyond what the average local motorist can afford.

At the end of 2025, the average salary for non-agriculture employees rose to R29,490, and while this represents an increase of 4.3% year-on-year from 2024, the cars built in South Africa may still be unattainable.

According to financial experts, it is best not to spend more than 20% of your gross monthly salary on car repayments, meaning the average salary earner cannot afford to finance a car retailing for more than R275,000.

This will result in a monthly repayment of around R5,900 for five years, or 60 months, provided that the car is financed at the prime lending rate of 10.25%.

Other expenses like insurance, service and maintenance plans, and refuelling costs also need to be taken into account when calculating whether a new car falls within the budget.

Ignoring the additional costs and looking merely at the sticker price of a new car, the vast majority of South African-built vehicles are unaffordable to most local buyers.

In fact, the only locally-built model that falls within the budget of the average South African employee is the entry-level VW Polo Vivo, built at VW’s plant in Kariega, Eastern Cape.

The hatchback is, and has been for a very long time, one of the most popular features on South Africa’s roads, offering motorists a reliable passenger vehicle for a relatively low price.

Despite cheaper imported compact SUVs gaining popularity, the Polo Vivo continues to sell in both new and pre-owned transactions.

A brand new Polo Vivo will set buyers back R271,900, coming in just under the threshold.

For this price, drivers can expect a naturally aspirated 1.4-litre petrol hatchback with a 5-speed manual transmission producing 55kW and 130Nm.

Besides its price, another appeal of the Vivo is its fuel consumption, which comes in at 5.5l/100km.

Compared to many of the pricier options built in South Africa, the Polo Vivo does hold its own, competing with some big names with bigger price tags.

The expensive options

The variety of vehicles built locally offers South Africa’s motorists an option in nearly every segment, and at a range of prices, with one priced at over R1 million.

While not all of these vehicles are completely unaffordable, they would pose a challenge for the average South African salary earner to afford.

Click on their prices to learn more about each model and its variants.