Car Prices Around The World Compared To South Africa
After we toured the globe last month looking at the price of fuel around the world, we thought wed take a look at car prices around the world.
Its a topic of discussion at every braai actually, every gathering of South African motorists: why are cars in South Africa so expensive? There does seem to be a general feeling that were being ripped off. But do the facts back up the perception?
Weve chosen five of the most popular cars in South Africa, and one supercar, sold in five key markets around the world to compare with South Africas car pricing.
Its worth noting that affordability in each country is another matter entirely. South Africans earn less on average than each of the other countries, which roughly means that purchasing a car costs a higher percentage of the average income in South Africa. It’s also worth remembering that South Africa is a relatively small market (around 50 000 cars per month) so import costs of vehicles tends to be higher per unit. For comparison basis the USA can reach a million cars a month, Australia is our closest competitor but still sells around 90 000 units a month.
We have some top tips for you, if you want a supercar go to America, if you want a small Ford or Toyota go to Australia, if you want a German sedan stay right where you are in SA and whatever you do dont go to Britain. Its always raining there anyway.
Car Prices Around The World
Jaguar F-Type All-Wheel Drive Confirmed (Video)
If rear-wheel drive is a little too intimidating and you’re wanting something a little tamer, then Jaguar has come up with a solution. There’s now an all-wheel drive option available for the Jaguar F-Type.
The all-wheel drive Jaguar F-Type is claimed to complete the 0-100kph sprint in just 3.9 seconds, which makes it fractionally faster than the rear-wheel drive Jaguar F-Type. The top-speed of the Jaguar F-Type all-wheel drive remains at an electronically-shackled 300kph. The Jaguar F-Type all-wheel drive will be showcased on the 19th November 2014 at the Los Angeles Motor Show. 2015 will see the sportscar range increase to 14 models which will also include a four-cylinder engine from the Jaguar XE.
To coincide with the launch of the all-wheel drive Jaguar F-Type, the British car company announced plans to work with the World Land Speed Record Team. The WLSRT aims to beat the current land speed record of 1 227kph with a rocket car.
Jaguar F-Type All-Wheel Drive Video
Volkswagen Polo Vivo (2014) Review
The latest generation Volkswagen Polo Vivo spent a week with us. We drove it and tried to find out why it’s still one of the best-selling vehicles in South Africa.
If you are looking to buy a used 2014 VW Polo Vivo, this review will help you make an informed buying decision!
We like: . Build quality . Interior space . Volkswagen brand
We dislike: . No standard service or maintenance plan . Lacking in standard features . Could have more safety features at its price point
The Vivo comes with new equipment lines and what we have on test here is the 63 kW Trendline. Visually, the new Vivo is differentiated by a slight redesign of the headlights and grill, while most derivatives receive colour-coded exterior mirrors and door handles. The interior gets an all-new gearknob as well as instrument cluster. Drivers in the Trendline model and upwards now get a height-adjustable driver’s seat. All vehicles now have ABS brakes, an alarm and remote central locking.
What’s the Polo Vivo like to drive?
I’ll give credit to the Vivo as it feels tough, solid and well built. You get the feeling that it’s built to last and survive the harsh conditions in South Africa. The 2014 Vivo rides well and is competent even on the roughest of tarmac. The boot space is to be commended and there’s plenty of room for cargo.
Specification and features
Speaking of options and features, I had the 1.4 63 kW Trendline which comes with a few basic features as standard. There’s a radio with Bluetooth, Mp3, SD card functionality, air-conditioner, central locking, driver and passenger airbags, ABS brakes and that’s about it. Options fitted to this unit included the 14-inch alloy wheels (R2 900), cruise control (R 1 250) and ultrasonic alarm (R1 040).
Summary and Conclusion
I’d like to think the Vivo is not the consumer champion of SA, despite its massive sales successes. Sure, you’re getting into the legendary Volkswagen brand, but the bottom line is that you’re not getting the best value for money. There are plenty of other options out there that offer more car for less money. A car like this would have been great five years ago, but it’s simply not able to compete against the better equipped opposition of 2014/2015.
For example, a fully-equipped Renault Sandero offers loads more features as well as a service plan as standard, for R20 000 less.
The Vivo defies the odds, it’s more expensive than its rivals and not as well equipped, yet it still tops the sales charts in SA. There’s obviously something to be said for brand loyalty and peace of mind in this segment of the market. It does feel solid and looks well built on the surface, and maybe that’s what attracts purchasers. – Ashley Oldfield
2014 Volkswagen Polo Vivo 1.4 63 kW Trendline Quick Specs
Price
R157 500 (Range starts at R142 700)
Engine
1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol
Power
63 kW
Torque
132 Nm
Transmission
5-speed manual
Wheels
14-inch alloys
0-100km/h
12.2 seconds (claimed)
Fuel economy
6.2L/100 km (claimed)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Volkswagen Polo Vivo a good car to buy in South Africa?
The Volkswagen Polo Vivo has a strong reputation in South Africa and is a consistent top-seller. It is often considered a reliable, affordable, and practical choice for everyday driving, with a strong focus on build quality. Its popularity also means there is a good market for used models and parts are readily available.
Where is the Volkswagen Polo Vivo manufactured?
The Volkswagen Polo Vivo is proudly manufactured in South Africa at Volkswagen’s plant in Kariega (formerly Uitenhage), Eastern Cape.
What are the engine options for the Volkswagen Polo Vivo in South Africa?
The Polo Vivo range in South Africa is available with several engine options, including naturally aspirated 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre petrol engines. The top-of-the-range GT model features a 1.0-litre turbocharged TSI petrol engine.
What is the Volkswagen Polo Vivo’s safety rating?
The Volkswagen Polo Vivo has a 4-star Global NCAP safety rating for Adult Occupancy Protection and a 3-star rating for Child Occupancy Protection. Key safety features include driver and passenger airbags, ISOFIX mounting points, and in some models, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and side airbags.
Following the launch of the 2014 model in South Africa, Hyundai has released details and images of its updated 2015 Accent which, receives styling and packaging updates across its three trim levels to make it a more appealing offer in the competitive sub-compact segment.
2015 Hyundai Accent highlights
For the 2015 model year, the Accent now boasts a new radiator grille, headlights and tail-lights and 16-inch alloy and 14-inch steel wheels. The model will additionally be available with three new exterior colours, including Vitamin C, Pacific Blue, and Misty Beige, as well as new interior fabric patterns. The model also gets a revised LCD audio display that enhances readability with its high-contrast look.
Furthermore, the 2015 Hyundai Accent benefits from packaging updates such as the Popular Equipment Package to Accent GLS which includes features such as steering wheel audio controls, cruise control, Bluetooth hands-free phone system, tilt/reach adjustable wheel and a sliding armrest storage box, while the base GLS will be equipped with an automatic transmission.
2015 Accent models will be equipped with a 1.6-litre aluminium Gamma four-cylinder engine that delivers 103 kW and 166 Nm of torque and delivers up to 8.7L/100 km city and up to 6.2L/100 km highway when equipped with the 6-speed manual transmission.
Audi A9 Concept Teased (Video Update)
Audi is getting ready to show off a new concept car at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show happening towards the end of November 2014.
Preview into Audis new styling language
The Audi A9 concept car is said to preview the companys new styling language, and also serve as a sneak preview for a range-topping A9 model which will ride on the MLB platform as the next-generation Audi A8.
Details are scarce at the moment, but we do know the concept was designed at Audi’s styling centre in Ingolstadt under the guidance of the company’s chief designer Marc Lichte.
Speaking to Auto & Design, Lichte said that Audi is placing the accent even more firmly on the sporting dimension, something that will characterise the whole upcoming generation of cars. He further mentioned that these new models will come with an evolution of the single-frame front grille, which will also represent a major step forward in terms of sportiness.
The Audi A9 concept is expected to be unveiled on November 18 during the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show, expect more details on the car then.
Audi A9 Concept Video Tease
Porsche Cayenne GTS Revealed
The Porsche CayenneGTS has been revealed ahead of its scheduled Los Angeles Auto Show debut.
High mix of sporty features
Set to go on sale later this year, the facelifted Cayenne GTS displays sporting exuberance with its extended wheel arches and revised side skirts that come from the Sport Design package. The package further adds 20-inch alloy wheels in RS Spyder design, tinted LED rear lights, and a 24mm reduced ride height (20mm on the optional air suspension).
Other notable features include a Porsche Active Suspension Management system, a sports exhaust system, high-performance brakes, and added body-colour accents.
The interior includes special sport seats upholstered in leather and Alcantara with GTS letters stitched into the headrests.
Performance-oriented Cayenne GTS
Major changes come from under the bonnet, where the old 4.8-litre naturallyaspirated V8 engine is replaced by a smaller twin-turbo 3.6-litre V6 engine that produces 323 kW and 600 Nm of torque – an increase of 14 kW and 85Nm.
The extra power helps the vehicle accelerate from 0-100kph in 5.2 seconds – or 5.1 seconds with the optional Sport Chrono package – before reaching a top speed of 262kph.
Porsche is also set to introduce an entry level Cayenne which will be powered by a 3.6-litre V6 engine delivering 220 kW. Connection to the new eight-speed Tiptronic S transmission enables the model to complete the 0-100kph sprint in 7.7 seconds before hitting a top speed of 230kph.
Volvo V60 Cross Country Takes Shape
The Volvo V60 is in for a Cross Country model as soon as next month. This model will add to the Cross Country range thats currently consists of a V40 Cross Country. The V60 Cross Country will join the XC70 in the raised station wagon department at Volvo.
V60 Cross Country Details
The V60 Cross Country will be shown at this months (November 2014) LA motor show for the first time. It comes after Volvo has noticed increased growth in the sales of its XC70, which in some countries sells as well as its V70 station wagon base.
Its the usual sort of modifications youd expect as the V60 turns into a Cross Country. The ride height is raised by 65mm and theres a bunch of plastic bumper pieces fitted to the wheel arches and side skirts. The V60 Cross Countrys will be mostly front-wheel driven with the top spec models being offered in all-wheel drive.
Volvo has hand-picked its Drive-e, super-efficient engines for the V60 Cross Country. Four-cylinder diesel and petrol engines will power the front-wheel drive models whilst the five-cylinder D4 engine will take care of the all-wheel drive model. Outside of Drive-e variants the 186 kW five-cylinder motor is also available.
The V60 Cross Country will go on sale in the US and Canada next month with Europe having to wait until next year. We could expect the Volvo V60 Cross Country to hit our shores by August 2015.
New Car Sales in South Africa for October 2014
New Car Sales in South Africa for October 2014
New car sales in South Africa have remained strong throughout October 2014 despite slow economic growth and pressure on consumer disposable income. The National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (NAAMSA) reports strong gains in major sectors when compared to the same period last year.
Here is a new car sales summary for the month of October 2014.
New Car Sales Summary – October 2014
59 262 aggregate new vehicle sales up by 4.7% (2 654) compared to October 2013
32 165 export sales up by 33% (7 973) compared to October 2013
40 666 passenger cars up by 1.6% (646) compared to October 2013
15 827 light commercial vehicles up by 14% (1 941) compared to October 2013
Top Selling Car Brands in South Africa for October 2014
Brand
Total Sales
Market Penetration %
Toyota
12 049
20.4%
Volkswagen
9 057
15.3%
Ford Motor Company
6 674
11.3%
GMSA
5 238
8.9%
Nissan
5 047
8.5%
Top Selling New Cars in South Africa for October 2014
NAAMSA advises a cautious outlook for the remainder of 2014 going into 2015. Slow economic growth, past interest rate hikes and above inflationary new car price increases would create a tough trading environment. NAAMSA predicts similar new car sales in 2014 to that experienced in 2013. Export numbers are expected to improve for the remainder of the year and into 2015.
Mercedes-Benz GLA Instagram Car Configurator (Video)
Mercedes-Benz has once again teamed up with Instagram to promote their new GLA model among the millennial crowd.
Build your own Mercedes-Benz GLA on Instagram
Online car configurators have become quite the thing in the motoring industry as it gives potential customers the perfect way to spec and learn more about vehicles. You can choose finishes, optional extras, colours and so on and most manufacturers allow cars to be ordered this way too. Usually these online car configurators are web-based, but Mercedes-Benz has come up with a configurator using social image sharing platform Instagram.
With help from agency Razorfish, Mercedes-Benz has introduced @Build_Your_Own_GLA, which lets users create their own custom versions of the GLA. Working just like a car configurator, users are given an opportunity to choose their preferences using the tagging feature to cross link from different accounts which host the different options from paint colour, wheel size, roof and grille. At the end you are taken to your end product which you can like and share as you wish.
Instagram has been a very important platform for Mercedes-Benz and continues to grow in popularity among the younger millennial consumer that we are trying to introduce the brand to, says Mark Aikman, department manager of digital marketing and CRM at Mercedes-Benz USA.
Build Your Own GLA allows us to talk to them where they are and provide them with an interactive experience within Instagram.
Already at 2000+ followers, this campaign according to Aikman, adds to the automakers success of the Take the Wheel campaign which generated 87 million Instagram impressions, while the successive #GLAPacked campaign led to approximately 25 000 more followers on the Mercedes-Benz USA handle and a 540 percent increase in brand interest measured by the increase in site traffic to Mercedes site.
Watch how you can customise your own GLA on Instagram
Volvo XC60 D4 (2014) Review
The Volvo XC60 went through its mid-life makeover in late 2013, the facelift tweaked the styling and updated the interior gadgets in line with the rest of the range. The XC60 has been a major seller for the Swedish brand and has defied its age by increasing sales year on year globally. We spent a week behind the wheel of this medium to large-sized SUV, complete with Sport Pack.
We like:
. Good looking SUV
. Excellent diesel engine with linear acceleration
. Loads of space and interior finish
We dislike:
. Couldn’t get near claimed fuel consumption
. Multimedia system not intuitive
For 2014 the XC60 had some of its exterior modernised. The entire body is now colour coded so the plastic side sills are gone and that alone upgrades the look of the XC60. The front grille and headlights have also been updated, but the main changes take place inside the Volvo. The new digital instrument cluster has been installed along with the choice three different themes.
This digital display by Volvo is easily one of the best as its crystal clear to read, and they havent tried to squeeze so much info onto the display that it becomes distracting. The entertainment and audio system has been updated to the same spec as was first introduced on the V40 with a seven-inch screen. With the added Sport Package our model here has, it comes with an added power tailgate, special leather wrapped three-spoke steering wheel and an aluminium sill protector.
Top Notch Diesel
Volvo has placed its latest Drive-e diesel engine into this XC60. Drive-e just means the engines are super-efficient yet still powerful. This 2-Litre turbodiesel produces 133 kW combined with 400 Nm of torque. The claimed fuel consumption on this XC60 is an astonishing 4.7L/100km however, we didnt get close to that figure.
Even cruising along on the freeway at 120kph the instantaneous fuel consumption readout showed around 6L/100km. Our final figure at the end of the week read 7.7L/100km which while being quite a way off claimed, is not bad at all from a 1.7 ton SUV. That aside, the engine is beautiful to live with, the torque delivery is linear and theres enough grunt to get overtaking done with ease. The eight-speed gearbox is perfectly suited to the XC60 as it works away in the background, quietly and unnoticed. You can just sit back and enjoy the lap of luxury Volvo has supplied.
Living it Up
Volvo interiors always feel well built and this XC60 is no exception. In recent years Volvo has worked hard at adding stylish touches to its cars and the cabin of this XC60 is well thought out. Theres lots of leather and soft touch surfaces as well as brushed aluminium along the door sills, although they seem to attract fingerprints and anyone with OCD will lose their mind trying to constantly keep it free of prints.
Volvos multimedia system could definitely be a bit more user friendly as first time users will struggle to navigate the menus and figure out which buttons do what on the centre dash. There is Bluetooth and USB to keep most of the techies happy whilst dual-zone climate control takes care of the temperature. The amount of space you get in the XC60 is awesome, loads of room everywhere, including the rear seats where leg room is massive. The rear seats can be folded flat and the boot has a really nice and wide loading area meaning you can get larger width objects into the rear easier.
Handling and Ride
The XC60 in this diesel spec is just about right, I wouldnt pick the thirstier and more powerful petrol models as this model defines what the XC60 is about. I wouldnt call it a sporty SUV, its a spacious, well designed and comfortable riding cruiser. The suspension is on the firm side, but thats so it doesnt fall over to one side in the bends.
The steering feel is adequate but when it comes to trying to race it through a set of bends it lacks feedback. Youll probably never race the XC60 through a set of corners though so for what the XC60 does best comfortable cruising , it manages just fine.
Verdict
Ill admit to having a soft spot for this Volvo XC60 D4, the engine won me over first, with its smooth power delivery and plentiful torque. Then the space came in handy when I was transporting my bikes all around the Cape to races and trails. Its a really easy car to live with, the automatic tailgate is great as is the keyless entry and it all comes together in a rather stylish package inside and out.
It does come at a price however, R545 800 for a standard D4 Elite model. The Sport Package adds an extra R10 700 to the price, but the only worthwhile part of that is the power tailgate. It might sound like a hefty sum to pay until you start to weigh up the competitors. Compared to the Audi Q5 and BMW X3 it undercuts them by between R10k to R20k. All considered the XC60 is one of the best mid-large sized SUVs on the market.
Second Opinion
Volvo’s XC60 in D4 guise is perhaps one of the finest vehicles in its class. The efficient engine delivers adequate power and there’s plenty of space in the cabin and boot. It does lack all-wheel drive, but to be fair, how much offroad driving do you really want to do? In summary, this Volvo scores highly. – David Taylor
