5 important things that happened in South Africa’s car industry this week

These were the five biggest stories in South Africa’s automotive industry this week.

Official petrol price for November announced

The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) has published the official fuel prices for South Africa this November.

Following a spike in October that saw petrol peak above R25 a litre, this month’s prices have mercifully seen a drop with petrol once again falling below this mark.

Diesel users also saw relief with an appreciable decline in costs, though all motorists are still paying a high price to travel.

144 new bridges coming to South African provinces

Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Sihle Zikalala has launched the Welisizwe Bridges project, which will see the construction of 144 new bridges in South Africa.

The project has an allocated budget of R3.3 billion that will be split up to build the infrastructure over the next three years.

The new bridges will be built across six of the country’s provinces, including the Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and the North West.

Avis launches car subscription service in South Africa

Avis Fleet has launched its iLease car subscription service in South Africa, which lets consumers use a vehicle for extended periods on one monthly payment plan.

The contracts can last from 12 to 48 months with custom mileage parameters, and this fee includes insurance, vehicle maintenance, tyre replacement, roadside assistance, and yearly licensing costs.

Customers can also purchase and lease a vehicle from Avis’ fleet, provided it is either new or less than one year old.

Two new Mahindra vehicles launched in South Africa

Mahindra added two new vehicles to its catalogue this week with the release of the new Pik Up Karoo Single Cab and the XUV300 Xprez.

The bakkie is the first single cab from the automaker to feature its South African-exclusive Karoo treatment and is currently available in two specifications.

The Xprez is a commercial variation on the company’s XUV300 crossover, offering a sizeable rear storage area at the cost of its rear seats.

New Toyota Hilux Champ planned for several markets

New photos have been leaked of the upcoming Toyota Hilux Champ – a model that is near-production-ready and set to go on sale in over 180 markets.

Posted by Kurdistan Automotive Blog, the images show that the Champ resembles the Toyota IMV 0 Concept first shown off in December 2022.

Toyota South Africa previously confirmed that it would introduce a more affordable bakkie between 2025 and 2026 with similar dimensions to the Hilux, which will likely be the Champ.