A new diesel Defender D350 has arrived in South Africa. Take a look at what’s on offer!
The familiar Defender D300 has been replaced with a new, more powerful 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged, 6-cylinder diesel engine that produces 257 kW and 700 Nm of torque and is designated as the Defender D350.
The new diesel Defender D350 offers increases of 36 kW and 50 Nm over the outgoing engine and is said to feature lightweight construction, better fuel economy and improved performance.
The new engine is offered alongside the existing diesel D250 with 183 kW and 570 Nm while the powerful petrol-powered Defender P400 offers 294 kW and 550 Nm of torque.
Nonetheless, the most powerful Defender yet, the Defender Octa, will be launching in South Africa in January 2025 and it will be powered by a 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged mild-hybrid V8 petrol engine that produces a whopping 467 kW and 750 Nm!
Local buyers have the choice of 3 body styles including the compact Defender 90, the larger Defender 110 and the longer Defender 130.
Pricing for the new diesel Defender D350 is as follows:
The facelifted Toyota Corolla Cross has launched in South Africa. Here’s a look at pricing for the updated locally built crossover, which gains fresh exterior styling and more kit…
Almost a year ago, the facelifted Toyota Corolla Cross was revealed in Thailand. Now this updated locally built crossover has finally enjoyed its official market launch in South Africa. Here’s a look at the range and pricing.
The revised front end of the Corolla Cross, featuring a distinctive grille.
The facelifted portfolio again comprises 7 derivatives, including 4 grades – Xi, XS, XR and GR Sport (or GR-S, for short). As before, the line-up kicks off with the Corolla Cross 1.8 Xi, with this entry-level derivative now priced at R414 800 (up R6 400 compared with the pre-facelift version). The naturally aspirated 1.8-litre, 4-cylinder petrol engine remains, sending an unchanged 103 kW and 172 Nm to the front wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT).
Next comes the Corolla Cross 1.8 XS at R452 200, followed by the Corolla Cross 1.8 Hybrid XS at R494 400 (both increases of R8 300). The latter variant’s powertrain likewise carries over unchanged, with this hybrid set-up offering a combined system output of 90 kW (plus 142 Nm from the petrol motor).
Interestingly, GR-Sport derivatives are cosmetically unchanged.
The Corolla Cross 1.8 XR now comes in at R501 500, while the Corolla Cross 1.8 GR Sport is pegged at R518 200, the Corolla Cross 1.8 Hybrid XR at R545 200 and the flagship Corolla Cross 1.8 Hybrid GR Sport at R561 700. Interestingly, these 4 derivatives are each up a more significant R18 000 compared with the pre-facelift versions.
So, what’s new with the facelift? Well, though the exterior styling of the GR-Sport is unchanged, the other variants all score a revised front end, led by a redesigned grille with a body-coloured finish and honeycomb pattern. There are also new LED headlamps (with sequential indicators for XR and GR-S variants) and fresh paint colours, including the striking Desert Gold hue pictured here (plus Oxide Bronze).
All derivatives now feature an electric handbrake.
Further updates include an electric tailgate (complete with a below-bumper kick sensor for handsfree operation), a new 12.3-inch digital multi-information display and a panoramic-view monitor for XR and GR-S derivatives, along with the adoption of an electric handbrake across the range (as well as a reclining function for the rear seats). While the Xi uses an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, the other variants boast a 10.1-inch display with wireless Apple CarPlay.
The Xi derivative now features rear parking sensors, with the mid-spec XS trim upgrading to front sensors in addition to its existing rear items. Both XS and XR variants come with leather upholstery available in either a Terra Rosa or Black colour scheme.
What does the facelifted Toyota Corolla Cross cost in SA?
Toyota Corolla Cross 1.8 Xi – R414 800
Toyota Corolla Cross 1.8 XS – R452 200
Toyota Corolla Cross 1.8 Hybrid XS – R494 400
Toyota Corolla Cross 1.8 XR – R501 500
Toyota Corolla Cross 1.8 GR Sport – R518 200
Toyota Corolla Cross 1.8 Hybrid XR – R545 200
Toyota Corolla Cross 1.8 Hybrid GR Sport – R561 700
The prices above include Toyota’s 3-year/100 000 km vehicle warranty and a 6-service/90 000 km service plan (with intervals of 15 000 km).
Chinese giants in SA: 1 grew and the other shrunk in 2024
Chery and GWM (including Haval) were again the 2 dominant Chinese brands in South Africa in 2024, but 1 suffered its 2nd straight year of decline. Here are the figures…
Pop quiz: did the 2 dominant Chinese automotive brands in South Africa – Chery and GWM – both register year-on-year sales growth in 2024? Well, while we certainly wouldn’t blame you for responding in the affirmative (China’s sustained rise is a prevailing industry theme, after all), the answer is actually “no”.
Fascinatingly, as we recently discovered when collating 2024’s local sales figures to identify the best-selling automotive companies of the year, 1 of these Chinese giants recorded strong year-on-year gains while the other actually shrunk compared to 2023 – its 2nd straight year of decline, in fact.
Yes, Chery broke into Mzansi’s top 10 for the very first time (over a calendar year) thanks to a 22.4% year-on-year increase in sales – representing the strongest instance of growth inside 2024’s top 10 – climbing 3 places to seize 8th with a total of 19 971 units.
It’s worth keeping in mind this figure excludes sales from Chery Group subsidiaries such as Omoda, Jaecoo and Jetour. Were Chery to have added sales from these sub-brands to its total, it would likely have risen a further 2 rankings to 6th, above both Isuzu and Nissan (brands with a local manufacturing footprint).
Nevertheless, the Chery brand’s performance alone saw it grab a 3.9% share of the total market and – rather significantly – overtake chief rival GWM, which held onto 9th place (with its market share idling at 3.7%). Remember, the GWM stable includes sales from the Haval, P-Series, Tank and Ora sub-brands.
In the end, GWM – which has admittedly been in the country for far longer than Chery (the latter returned to SA only in 2021), so perhaps a sales plateau of sorts was to be expected – suffered its 2nd straight year of sales decline, with local registrations slipping 4.9% year on year to 18 927 units. That’s a slightly steeper drop than the overall market’s 3.0% year-on-year fall as well as down from 2023’s tally of 19 904 units, which itself was a considerable 12.1% lower than 2022’s effort.
So, which segments contributed to this fall? Well, over 90% of the automaker’s volume in 2024 was shared between its core 3 models: the Haval Jolion, Haval H6 and GWM P-Series (with the Tank, Steed and Ora nameplates making up the balance). The Jolion again led the charge, with sales of the brand’s most affordable crossover increasing 7.1% year on year to 9 213 units – almost half of GWM’s total.
Meanwhile, the H6 registered a pronounced 25.7% year-on-year decline to end 2024 on 4 218 units. Similarly, sales of the P-Series bakkie – including the super-sized P500 derivatives that launched locally in the 3rd quarter of the year – fell 18.0% year on year to 3 659 units.
With facelifted versions of both the H6 and P-Series imminent, GWM South Africa will be hoping these core nameplates will make up some lost ground in 2025. The Chinese firm’s local division will likely also look to both new and returning badges – such as the H7 and H9, respectively – as well as fresh derivatives in existing ranges (like the upcoming 2.4-litre turbodiesel version of the Tank 300) to put it firmly back on the path to growth…
#CarsAwards: Kia Seltos vs VW T-Cross vs Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid
The Compact Family category is hotly contested in the 2025 #CarsAwards with the Kia Seltos, Volkswagen T-Cross and Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid vying for the category win. In this video, judge Juliet McGuire drives all three finalists back-to-back to find out which car she thinks is a winner! Watch the video!
The 2025 Cars.co.za Awards, sponsored by Absa, is in full swing! 39 finalists have been selected and thoroughly tested by our 20 judges. Represented in 13 categories across a wide spectrum of pricing and segments, the Cars.co.za Awards are by far the most comprehensive car awards in South Africa.
In this video, legendary motoring journalist Juliet McGuire, one of our judges, takes on the Compact Family Category to decide her winner, ahead of the official announcement in February 2025.
Here we have three very popular crossovers, the Volkswagen T-Cross, the Kia Seltos and the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid. Jules takes us on an in-depth tour of each car before deciding her winner.
Most Fuel Efficient Petrol Cars in South Africa (2025)
Fuel consumption is an important factor to consider when buying a new car and if you are looking for the most fuel efficient petrol cars currently on sale in South Africa, then this list is for you…
Are you wondering what the most fuel efficient petrol cars available in South Africa are in the current new car market?
If you consider that the price of petrol has increased by almost 25% in the last 5 years then it only makes sense that fuel efficiency should be an important aspect to consider when buying a car.
If you are in the market for a new car, you’d be wise to choose a car that will consume as little fuel as possible so that you can save money over time. This list highlights the most fuel-efficient petrol cars currently available in South Africa.
It’s worth remembering that the amount of fuel you save while driving will depend on a number of critical factors including your driving style, road conditions and mechanical condition of the car, to name a few.
Note that the list below is compiled based on manufacturer claimed fuel consumption figures and figures will vary in real-world driving scenarios. The claimed figures are all established using the exact same test, which levels the playing field for every car tested. Note that hybrids have not been included in this list.
Prices are accurate as of January 2025.
Most Fuel Efficient Petrol Cars in South Africa (2025)
Suzuki Celerio and Toyota Vitz automatic – 4.2 L/100km
The automatic versions of the Suzuki Celerio and Toyota Vitz are the most fuel efficient petrol cars in South Africa, both claiming an excellent 4.2L/100km. Suzuki products are well known for returning impressive real-world fuel economy and as a result of the Suzuki-Toyota product share agreement, the Toyota-badged Vitz benefits from the same frugal engine.
The engine under the bonnet is a naturally-aspirated 1.0-litre petrol engine with 49 kW and 89 Nm on offer and mated with a 5-speed automatic transmission. Note that the manual derivatives of the Celerio and Vitz claim a fuel efficiency figure of 4.4 L/100km which is also well worth considering if you prefer to drive a manual car.
In addition to the aforementioned Celerio and Vitz, the Suzuki S-Presso is also recognised as one of the most fuel efficient petrol cars available with the S-Presso automatic derivative claiming 4.4 L/100km while the manual derivatives claim 4.6 L/100km.
The S-Presso is powered by a naturally aspirated 2.0-litre petrol engine with 49 kW and 89 Nm and is paired with a 5-speed automated manual transmission (AMT) or a 5-speed manual transmission.
Pricing for the Suzuki S-Presso starts from R178 900 and goes up to R219 900. The S-Presso 1.0 GL automatic is priced at R192 900 while the GL+ automatic is priced from R203 900.
The Audi A1 Sportback 30TFSI claims the third spot on this list with the German firm claiming 4.8 L/100km.
The Audi A1 is powered by a peppy turbocharged, 3-cylinder, 1.0-litre petrol engine with 85 kW and 200 Nm of torque and is paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
The A1 Sportback 30TFSI Advanced is priced from R523 200 while the A1 Sportback 30TFSI Black Edition is priced from R585 590.
The charming Fiat 500 is powered by a 1.2-litre, 4-cylinder petrol engine that offers 51 kW and 102 Nm of torque and is paired with a 5-speed automated manual transmission.
The VW Polo Vivo received an update in 2024 and the range-topping Polo Vivo GT is the most fuel-efficient derivative in the lineup with Volkswagen claiming an impressive 4.8 L/100km!
Under the bonnet is a 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that offers 81 kW and 200Nm and is paired with a 6-speed manual transmission.
The Renault Kwid, which was updated earlier in 2020 with ABS, is a popular choice in the budget car segment and the French hatchback claims a fuel efficiency figure of 4.9 L/100km.
The Kwid’s 3-cylinder, 1.0-litre petrol engine offers outputs of 50 kW and 91 Nm and can be had with either a 5-speed manual transmission or a 5-speed automated manual transmission.
Suzuki’s Dzire sedan is the most fuel efficient budget sedan in South Africa with the Japanese carmaker claiming 4.9 L/100km.
The Dzire is powered by Suzuki’s familiar 1.2-litre petrol engine that offers 61 kW and 113 Nm of torque and comes paired with either a 5-speed manual transmission or a 5-speed automated manual transmission.
The facelifted Kia Picanto arrived in South Africa in 2024 and the Picanto 1.2 EX+ manual is the most fuel efficient derivative in the range with a claimed fuel consumption figure of 5.0 L/100km.
Under the bonnet is Kia’s 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine that offers 62 kW and 122 Nm and paired with a 5 speed manual transmission.
Renault Triber 1.0 Turbo Zen / Intens/ Express Panel Van – 5.0 L/100km
The Renault Triber rounds out this list with themanual Triber 1.0 Turbo Zen, Intens and Express Panel Van offering a claimed fuel consumption of 5.0 L/100km.
A 3-cylinder, 1.0-litre turbopetrol engine powers the Triber with 74 kW and 160 Nm of torque available in conjunction with a 5-speed manual transmission.
Pricing for the Renault Triber starts from R249 999.
The BAIC B30 SUV will be touching down in SA this year and here are some early details about this offroader.
The BAIC B30 is a compact SUV and will be offered in both petrol and hybrid derivatives. In China the vehicle is tagged as the BJ30, but some info released by the local arm confirmed a name change as well as the hybrid B30e.
At just over 4 700 mm long and a wheelbase of 2 820 mm, the BAIC B30 is fractionally bigger than the Kia Sportage, Volkswagen Tiguan, Toyota RAV4 class of car. Given its design, its being marketed as an SUV for adventurers and is available in its domestic market in both front-wheel- and all-wheel drive configurations.
Interestingly, its a monocoque setup, as opposed to the more offroad-biased ladder-frame chassis like the Tank 300, Toyota Fortuner, Ford Everest and so on. There’s a commendable ground clearance claim too at 215 mm.
In terms of engine and transmission, a 1.5-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder petrol is offered and that makes 138 kW and 305 Nm, paired to a 7-speed automatic ‘box. The hybrid is a fascinating proposition with the 1.5-litre turbo engine paired to an electric motor, and combined they make 301 kW and 685 Nm.
Inside, the cabin looks high-tech, with a dominating 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and centrally-located 14.6-inch infotainment screen. BAIC says the car features a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip powering the systems. In terms of practicality, BAIC is claiming 1 496 litres of space with the seats folded. These fold flat, by the way, and the marketing material highlighted this by turning the cabin into beds.
Pricing Prediction
Pricing will be announced when the vehicle launches in South Africa, but if we were to hazard a guess the BAIC B30 range will start from R600k with the hybrid commanding a premium.
We’ll update this article when the vehicle touches down.
South Africa’s best-selling ladder-frame SUVs of 2024
Which ladder-frame SUVs did South Africans buy in droves in 2024 and which ones proved a tougher sell? We’ve tallied up the local sales figures for body-on-frame SUVs…
While unibody crossovers (alongside budget hatchbacks) tend to dominate South Africa’s passenger-vehicle sales charts, there’s clearly still a place for rugged ladder-frame SUVs in our market. So, which models were most popular in Mzansi in 2024?
Well, we’ve sorted through the statistics and tallied up the sales figures to see exactly how well – or otherwise – the various body-on-frame SUVs that are available in SA sold last year (as an aside, likely new entrants to this segment in 2025 include the LDV D90, the Lexus GX and the latest Haval H9).
As always, there are a few caveats. For instance, keep in mind that since Mercedes-Benz doesn’t report sales figures to Naamsa, we don’t know how many G-Class units were registered locally in 2024. And it’s a similar case with Ineos and its Grenadier.
That said, we picked out as many as 15 ladder-frame SUVs from Naamsa’s sales figures for 2024, each ostensibly offering extra ruggedness and loftier off-road abilities than the typical monocoque crossover. So, let’s see how well they sold…
It likely comes as no surprise that South Africa’s favourite body-on-frame SUV in 2024 was the Toyota Fortuner. With as many as 10 666 units registered (up 2.7%, year on year) locally, the Prospecton-built stalwart – which shares much with SA’s top-selling vehicle overall, the Hilux – was the only contender to breach the 5-figure mark in 2024, a feat that furthermore earned it 8th place on the list of Mzansi’s most popular passenger vehicles.
As the smallest and most affordable ladder-frame model here, the Suzuki Jimny – available locally in both 3- and 5-door guise – grabbed 2nd place. The diminutive Jimny ended 2024 on 3 753 units, representing an impressive year-on-year increase of 67.1%. And the vehicle to complete the podium? None other than the Thai-built Ford Everest, of which 3 109 units (down 0.1%, year on year) were sold in 2024.
Interestingly, 2 more Toyota models rounded out the top 5. The Toyota Land Cruiser Prado – which entered its latest J250 generation in mid-2024 – finished the year on 2 106 units (a 65.3% year-on-year improvement), while the Toyota Land Cruiser 300 wasn’t far behind on 1 547 units (down 34.8%, year on year).
No other ladder-frame SUVs cracked 4 figures in 2024. The Mahindra Scorpio-N, however, came close, grabbing 6th position with 977 units and finishing just ahead of the 7th-placed Isuzu MU-X on 912 units. The GWM Tank 300 – which is set to be offered in turbodiesel form this year – took 8th with 526 units, while the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport (305 units, down 9.2%) and Jeep Wrangler (290 units, down 9.7%) completed the top 10.
Local registrations of the 11th-placed Toyota Land Cruiser 76 increased 13% year to year to 244 units (a figure that likely also includes a handful of 78 “Troopy” sales), while the Lexus LX ended in 12th position on 157 units (a 3.3% year-on-year increase). The 13th-placed BAIC B40 Plus (124 units) was the final body-on-frame SUV to reach 3 figures.
With the Y63-generation model tipped to reach Mzansi only in 2026, the long-running Y62-series Nissan Patrol finished in 14th place, with sales down 29.6% year on year to 81 units. The GWM Tank 500 – which launched locally only in the 3rd quarter of last year – closed out the table on 70 units.
#CarsAwards: BMW X5 vs Merc GLE vs Lexus RX450h – Comparison Review
There’s a mega battle going down in the #CarsAwards Premium SUV category where the BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GLE and Lexus RX450h are vying for the category win. In this video, Ciro De Siena takes you on a full comparative review of these cars to help you make the best buying decision! Watch the video!
The Cars.co.za Awards is back for 2024/25 and it’s bigger than ever. With 39 cars in 13 categories, our Awards programme aims to identify the best new cars in the South African market across major segments and price points.
In this video, our video journalist Ciro De Siena compares the finalists in the Best Premium SUV category, namely the BMW X5 xDrive 30d, the Mercedes Benz GLE 300d 4Matic mild hybrid and the Lexus RX450h+ hybrid.
We conducted back-to-back testing at the incredible Gerotek vehicle testing grounds which provided a unique and thorough opportunity for the cars to prove themselves.
Do note however that the winner of this category will be announced at our gala event at the end of February 2025, so stayed tune for that. In this video, Ciro will give his personal opinion on which one appeals to him the most.
SA’s single-digit sellers: the cars hardly anyone bought in 2024
Across the whole of 2024, as many as 21 models on South Africa’s new-vehicle market each sold fewer than 10 units. Meet Mzansi’s single-digit sellers: the cars hardly anyone bought last year…
We’ve already examined South Africa’s best-selling cars and crossovers for 2024, as well as identified the country’s most popular bakkies. Now it’s time to turn our attention to the other end of the market: yes, the new-vehicle market’s single-digit sellers from last year.
Before we dive into the figures, we should point out there are several potential reasons vehicles might have ended up on this list. For instance, some had technically not yet launched (with the handful of registered units arriving for homologation purposes), while others had been completely discontinued (therefore hardly any stock was available).
The Fiat Tipo appears to have quietly left the local market.
In addition, highly exclusive, multi-million-rand supercars tend to be low volume by design. However, for relevant models mentioned on this list (which, for the record, is based on figures reported to industry representative body Naamsa), we’ll try our best to provide some sort of context. Right, let’s take a closer look, from the top down…
Last year, just 9 units of the Fiat Tipo were sold in South Africa, falling from 87 examples in 2023. The last time a Tipo was registered new in Mzansi was August 2024, which leads us to believe this C-segment model – which was offered in both hatchback and sedan guise – has been quietly discontinued locally (in fact, it’s not currently listed on Fiat SA’s website).
Jaguar SA registered 7 examples of the outgoing I-Pace in 2024.
Another discontinued model to feature on the list was the V8-powered Audi R8 (production ended in the opening quarter of 2024), which likewise attracted 9 buyers last year. Interestingly, 8 units of the Mahindra XUV500 were registered locally in 2024, despite the fact this SUV was replaced by the XUV700 as long ago as November 2022.
Next we have the fully electric Jaguar I-Pace (7 units), which is due to ride off into the sunset at some point this year (it’s currently still listed on Jaguar SA’s website), followed by the Ferrari Roma with 6 units (we believe all local allocations for this Prancing Horse have long since been filled). As many as 6 nameplates reached just 4 registrations apiece in 2024, including a trio of axed models: the Honda WR-V, Hyundai Atos and Suzuki Vitara Brezza.
4 units of the R2.9-million Audi S8 were registered locally last year.
The other models to settle on 4 units each across the entirety of 2024 were the Ferrari 812 (set to be supplanted by the incoming 12Cilindri), along with the Audi A8 (well, technically the S8 as the Audi Sport variant is the only derivative available locally) and the fully electric Audi e-tron GT (currently available only in R3.5-million RS guise).
In addition, 2 examples of the BAIC X25 (a small Chinese crossover discontinued in SA back in early 2023) were registered as new last year, along with 2 units of the Hyundai Ioniq (a fully electric model not yet confirmed for Mzansi). Other yet-to-launch models likely brought in for homologation purposes include the imminentMitsubishi Outlander Sport (2 units) and long-promised BAIC B80 (1 unit, though it was interestingly sold via the dealer channel).
The Lexus LC500h hit the local market in early 2024 but soon disappeared.
Most of the remaining single-unit sellers were discontinued models, such as the Ford EcoSport, Haval H9, Mahindra KUV100 and Lexus LC coupé. Similarly, just a solitary example of the Abarth 695 was registered in Mzansi last year, with this model having also been removed from Fiat SA’s website.
Finally, only 1 unit of the Alfa Romeo Giulia – a sedan that is interestingly still listed as available on the Italian firm’s local website – was sold new in South Africa in 2024. That sale was reported way back in January 2024 (yes, an entire year ago) as a so-called “single” registration rather than through a dealer, meaning Stellantis SA kept and licensed it for its own use…
Many car buyers who achieve reasonable success in their careers desire an Executive SUV, which combines luxury, performance, status and a degree of family-friendly practicality. These are the 3 finalists in this category of the 2025 CarsAwards.
Most premium brands offer road-biased SUVs that combine prestige and practicality in superbly refined packages. The Executive SUV category winner of the 2024/25 Cars.co.za Awards, sponsored by Absa (2025 CarsAwards) has a refined drivetrain performance and -road manners, while its cabin is comfortable, trimmed in upmarket materials and features the most up-to-date technology.
The Executive SUV category
The Executive SUV category of the 2025 CarsAwards was guided by both eligibility factors and pillars of success.
Eligibility factors for this category included a list price between R1 000 000 and R1 300 000 at the time of semi-finalist voting to ensure both exclusivity and status. Eligible vehicles in this category had to be medium-sized (Audi Q5/Mercedes-Benz GLC size), including their “coupe” variants.
Pillars of success for this category included powertrain technology, luxury, brand strength, design and quality appeal, driving dynamics, as well as space and practicality.
WINNER:
BMW X3 30e xDrive M Sport
The previous-gen BMW X3 was still a strong contender in the Executive SUV category of 2023/24 Cars.co.za Consumer Awards, in which it was narrowly pipped by the Mercedes-Benz GLC. Expectations were high that the all-new, locally-built X3 would take the win in 2024/25 and, well, it didn’t disappoint.
Powered by a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbopetrol engine with plug-in hybrid assistance, the BMW X3 30e is a powerful offering with 220 kW, enough for a claimed 0-100 kph time of 6.2 sec.
2025 BMW X3: All You Need To Know, presented by David Taylor:
It also promises good efficiency, with BMW claiming an average consumption of only 1.1 L/100 km (with the batteries fully charged) and 7.9 L/100 km with them discharged.
The X3, which achieved a combined score of 79%, is backed with a 2-year/unlimited km vehicle warranty (with an 8-year/100 000 km battery warranty) and a 5-year/100 000 km maintenance plan.
The recently launched 2nd-gen Lexus NX finished tantalisingly close to the summit of the Executive SUV category of the 2024/25 Cars.co.za Awards, sponsored by Absa. Its flagship 450h+ F Sport variant’s combined score was only 9 tenths of a per cent lower than that of the BMW X3 (78.1% versus 79%).
The strikingly styled newcomer features a plug-in petrol-electric hybrid drivetrain with a 2.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine as its base. The 450h+ F Sport’s total power output is 227 kW and Lexus claims an average consumption of 1.3 L/100 km (with the batteries charged) for this derivative.
The Lexus NX is backed with a comprehensive 7-year/105 000 km warranty and maintenance plan, as well as an 8-year/195 000km hybrid battery warranty.
The 2nd-gen Mercedes-Benz GLC underwent a facelift in 2023 to keep it competitive in the Executive SUV segment. ‘Benz’s update succeeded, as it went on to win this category of the 2023/24 CarsAwards.
Watch Ash Oldfield’s video review of the Mercedes-Benz GLC:
The GLC 300d 4Matic AMG Line, which achieved a combined score of 73.5%, has a great turbodiesel engine under the bonnet, giving the ‘Benz ample performance that doesn’t come at the expense of fuel consumption.
The variant’s 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbodiesel engine delivers 215 kW and a meaty 550 Nm of torque, plus Mercedes-Benz claims an average consumption figure of 5.5 L/100 km.
The GLC is backed with a 2-year/unlimited km warranty and a 5-year/100 000 km warranty.
The winners of the 2024/25 Cars.co.za Awards, sponsored by Absa (as well as the recipient of the prestigious Brand of the Year title) was announced on 27 February 2025.
