Fuel prices are on the rise in South Africa, hitting record levels and showing no sign of letting up soon, which is forcing many motorists to reevaluate the cars they drive and look to options that are cheaper to run.
With fuel prices expected to rise again next month, fuel efficiency is becoming one of the most important considerations in car-buying decisions.
This is according to Antoine Caradonna, managing director of VehicleSA, who says that consumers are increasingly paying more attention to fuel consumption than before.
“While electric vehicles are attracting interest, they remain out of reach for many budgets. Buyers are now asking a more practical question: can I afford to drive this car every day?” he says.
VehicleSA has launched a monthly fuel cost calculator that shows what motorists can expect to spend on fuel when buying a new car to help them make more informed buying decisions.
Caradonna explains that, unlike traditional comparion tools that rely on fuel consumption figures alone, the calculator converts figures into real monthly rand amounts based on current fuel prices and driving distance.
“Consumers can input their own mileage to generate a personalised estimate and compare fuel spend alongside other ownership costs, such as repayments and insurance, to confirm affordability,” he explains.
One feature the platform introduced is a ranking of the “cheapest cars to run” across major vehicle segments, based on an average monthly driving distance of 1,250 km at current fuel prices.
VehicleSA’s data highlights how fuel costs can differ, even between similar models, which can be seen when comparing the cheapest to run hatchbacks and crossover SUVs.
Caradonna notes that over time, the difference becomes substantial, with the most efficient models saving drivers more than R7,000 per year in fuel alone.
The cheapest hatchbacks and crossover SUVs to run in South Africa
VehicleSA’s calculator takes inland 95 petrol and 0.05% diesel wholesale prices into consideration, alongside an assumed monthly driving distance of 1,250km for its hatchback calculations.
According to these parameters, the Toyota Vitz and Suzuki Celerio cost around R1,398 per month to fuel, while others, such as the Renault Kwid, rise to about R1,631.
Below are the cheapest hatchbacks to run in South Africa, according to the VehicleSA Fuel Cost Calculator.
Similar to the list of hatchbacks, the cheapest crossovers to run highlight a similar pattern, with the Renault Kiger the cheapest to run at around R1,664 per month.
Compared to this, the larger and less efficient models can cost an additional R300 or more extra per month to refuel.
“Even within the same brand, moving up a model range can significantly increase your fuel spend,” says Caradonna.
Below is a list of the cheapest crossovers to run in South Africa, assuming inland petrol and diesel prices, and an average monthly driving distance of 1,250km.
VehicleSA notes that with fuel prices reaching record levels, consumers are increasingly factoring running costs into their purchasing decisions, rather than focusing solely on upfront prices or features.
The company’s data suggests that in high-volume segments such as hatchbacks and crossovers, model choice can habe a greater impact on monthly costs than buyers may realise.
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