Features / 6 March 2026 / Warren Hawkins

5 used bakkies you can buy for the price of a new hatchback

South African car buyers who are in the market for a hatchback are most likely not looking at buying a bakkie as an alternative, but for those who are open to the option, there are several options available.

However, to find a bakkie alternative to a hatchback, buyers will need to shop in the used market, where various recent models are available for the price of a new hatchback.

Bakkies are beginning to take over from hatchbacks on local roads, dominating both new and used car sales in recent years.

Despite this, hatchbacks, alongside compact SUVs, are still a staple on our roads, and none more so than the evergreen, locally built VW Polo hatch.

At the Polo’s price point of R373,800, and a few hundred rand either side of it, there are many used bakkies that can easily take its place as a family or passenger vehicle.

It must be noted that choosing to buy a used car over a new one often comes with certain sacrifices, as new car purchases include several guarantees and warranties that are not always present in the pre-owned market.

However, what shopping in this market offers budget buyers is a wider variety, especially those looking to get a bakkie at a discount.

While bakkies tend to have a higher running cost than hatchbacks, with more expensive tyres, often much less fuel efficient, and more expensive to insure, they are far more versatile.

A bakkie offers greater loading and towing capacity, ground clearance, and off-roading capabilities. Bakkies are also often sturdier and offer greater safety as a bigger vehicle.

This could be what is driving used bakkie sales figures. According to AutoTrader’s data on the best-selling used models in South Africa last year, both the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux outsold the VW Polo.

Affordable used bakkies

TopAuto looked at AutoTrader to see which used bakkies are available right around the Polo’s new price point, and was pleasantly surprised with the variety.

These are just some of the bakkies that can be bought used for the same price as a new VW Polo: