Nearly 70 new models were introduced to the South African market this year. Some entirely new, some minor facelifts of familiar iterations.
Some left us with a resounding woo, other elicited a boo. You may be surprised to read that our list of good apples starts with the Chinese — yes, their products are getting better each year.
That includes the 2024 off-roaders from GWM's Tank sub-brand. The smaller of the pair, the Tank 300, kicks off at R725,950. It looks like a Jeep Wrangler relative — but remember there is an entire breed of 4x4 models with a shared ethos taking cue from the 1940s Willys-MB genesis. Offering genuine off-road capability, a plush cabin and decent road manners, the Tank 300 is the real deal.
Fancy a seven-seater, family-sized SUV replete with all luxurious trappings, as well as all-wheel drive and a punchy hybrid powertrain? The Tank 500 for R1,222,900 gets the job done in impressive fashion. Consider that the same money gets you into basic versions of much smaller Teutonic SUV models.
New to the market is the GAC brand, spearheaded by the compact GS3 Emzoom. It's a spunky B-segment offering priced from R469,900. Angular styling, a zesty 1.5-litre, turbocharged-petrol motor and the modern cabin left positive impressions.
The South African bakkie market is likely to remain dominated by Japanese favourites. But Chinese firm JAC showed us that there are interesting double-cab picks to consider if you want to go against the grain. Among them is the T9. Look behind its Silence of the Lambs frontal aesthetic and you will find a bakkie that is surprisingly good.
Not quite at Ford Ranger levels of refinement or with Toyota Hilux standards of perceived durability — but for a base price of R549,900 it is darn good value. Speaking of value, how about that Jaecoo J7? It provides Range Rover Evoque tastes, from the copycat aesthetic to a screen-intensive cabin and tall ground clearance, all for a fraction of the price: from R549,900.
Moving into traditional turf now is the latest BMW 5 Series. Yes, the design will probably leave you squinting on first interaction, but it grows on you. The new 5 Series handles as a Bimmer should and delivers a cosseting ride. Go for the 520d (R1,248,731) and expect diesel consumption as low as 4.1l/100km, as we achieved testing it from Johannesburg to Durban.
Mercedes-Benz might have sunk to towards the bottom of South Africa's monthly sales charts, but well-heeled shoppers in the big sedan segment might have found a reason to walk into dealerships, with the launch of the new E-Class. It feels like a Mercedes-Benz in the traditional sense, with its regal looks, luxurious cabin and polished road manners. The only issue is that it is priced significantly higher than chief rival, the BMW 5 Series.
Toyota reinvented its Land Cruiser Prado, now styled to look more like the boxy original. R1,296,300 gets you into what could be the ultimate family-sized SUV, replete with a pedigree that is just about unmatched, thanks to that Toyota DNA. It addresses many of the gripes we had with its predecessor. The interior design and ergonomics are now from this decade. And gone is the bulky spare mounted on the tailgate. Power still comes from the brand's tried-and-tested 2.8-litre diesel.
On that note of tried, tested recipes, V8 fans will have thanked their lucky stars that Ford's new Mustang remains as loud and proud as ever. Retaining the 5.0-litre unit, the latest model stays old-school at its core, while adopting a more sophisticated cabin, sharper handling and greater digitisation. R1,300,000 gets you in.
Now onto the group that underwhelmed. It is said there is no such thing as a bad car these days. And fair enough, some of these contenders have qualities that are really exceptional (like the Volvo EX30), but were let down by glaring issues that will hopefully be addressed in subsequent versions. We will start with the Chinese Jetour X70 Plus. It is a car that did not live up to the excessive hype from its handlers. Pricing is keen, yes, with the standard version coming in at R454,900. It just feels hastily cobbled-together, with a coarse ride, lumpy powertrain and infotainment system that proved glitchy.
You may be surprised to read that our list of good apples starts with the Chinese — yes, their products are getting better each year.
Citroën launched its new, Indian-made C3 Aircross this year. At R269,900 it makes a decent statement, if you are in want of a spacious family ride. But unlike the European-sourced model it replaces, the new C3 Aircross skimps blatantly on safety, cutting airbags down to two, where previously there were six.
Volvo's EX30 has proven to be a top-seller among electric vehicles. The compact Swede costs upwards of R791,900 and delighted us with its modernist looks and scintillating performance. But it probably has one of the worst user-interfaces on the market today. Even basic side mirror adjustment is hidden in a maze of menus. Not quite the Volvo ease-of-use buyers were once accustomed to. For that, it gets a mention here.
Honda aspired to a more premium end of the market with its new CR-V, but appears to have failed miserably. Chances are you have not seen one on the roads this year. It is a perfectly reasonable option on paper - roomy cabin, good road manners and typically sober Honda aesthetics. But at R961,300 for the starter Executive grade, it was priced far too ambitiously for shoppers to take it seriously.
Ford expanded its line-up this year with a new Territory. Aside from the name, it has nothing to do with the former Australian-sourced model, which was a large, gas-guzzling V6. This is a far more sensibly-sized prospect, but not without issues, as we learned. You see, the Territory was built as a joint venture with Chinese firm JMC. So it has many of the quirks associated with certain models from China, such as a finicky infotainment system, intrusive driver aids and poor fuel economy. In addition, it plays in a segment where there is no dearth of options. The Territory is simply outclassed by its Japanese, German and South Korean rivals.
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