Double-cab bakkies have overtaken German sedans as the most aspirational vehicle type for motorists in South Africa.
This is according to Cars.co.za’s annual industry report, which found that consumers, on average, would rather own a high-spec pickup than a traditional luxury vehicle from a brand like BMW, Audi, or Mercedes-Benz.
“Our data shows a dramatic shift away from German sedans, such as the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class, which dominated the South African luxury vehicle market less than a decade ago, in favour of flagship bakkies,” said Alan Quinn, Executive: Product and Partnerships at Cars.co.za.
Affordability is a key factor here, as premium models like the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes C-Class, and Audi A4 all retail for around R1 million these days.
Even on the used market, these sedans can still fetch prices well over R500,000, which has led to a substantial drop in their popularity over the past few years.
The report noted that luxury sedans are increasingly unaffordable and compete at problematic price points, even in their base forms before optional extras are taken into account.
The 3 Series and C-Class used to be consistent entries in AutoTrader’s monthly used car sales reports, but both cars have disappeared from the list in recent months – replaced by substantially cheaper units like the Toyota Starlet, and bakkies like the Isuzu D-Max.
Sedans in general have also waned in popularity over the past decade as consumer interest has shifted to crossovers and SUVs, which are typically seen as a more practical body type.
Cars.co.za highlighted that sedans used to hold a 21.5% market share on its platform in 2015, which dropped to 14.33% in the first half of 2025.
Over the same period, the demand for double cabs surged by a staggering 71.3%.
Bakkies as a status symbol
While it’s hardly a revelation that bakkies are popular in South Africa, there has been a notable uptick in demand for high-end models over the past decade.
In response, carmakers like Toyota, Ford, VW, and Isuzu have started to focus more on their flagship bakkie offerings, such as the Hilux Legend and GR-Sport, Ranger Wildtrak, Amarok PanAmericana, and D-Max V-Cross.
“South African consumers appear to prefer higher-specification double cabs, reinforcing their status as preferred luxury vehicles,” said the report.
Pickup trucks still have a utilitarian appeal, but premium models like the Ranger and Amarok now offer many features that you would typically associate with a German sedan.
Digital driver displays, large infotainment screens, leather upholstery, wireless phone chargers, dual-zone climate control, and heated seats are selling points you can expect to find on many double cabs nowadays, which in turn lowers the appeal of traditional luxury badges like BMW or Lexus.
The Ranger Raptor is another interesting case, as it is a bakkie that offers similar performance to a hot hatchback, courtesy of a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine.
Most high-riders are now equipped with automatic gearboxes to meet consumer expectations, which is another shift from what the market looked like 10 years ago.
In 2015, only 25% of double cabs listed on Cars.co.za were automatic, but this figure has now climbed to 70%.
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