It was a busy year for the light commercial vehicle segment in South Africa, with a number of bakkie brands and models making their debuts. The bakkie market continues to be dominated by a trio of locally built contenders: the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger and Isuzu D-Max. While the top three remain unchallenged, a number of imported rivals from India and China have begun making inroads into the bakkie scene — most notably the Mahindra Scorpio Pik Up, the GWM P-Series and the Foton Tunland G7.
All of them are notching up healthy sales. The competition continued to heat up, with several other new bakkies entering the local market in 2025. Chinese brand Changan has returned to South Africawith an extensive model range, including the new Hunter double-cab bakkie in turbo diesel and REEV (range-extended electric vehicle) guises.
The turbo diesel models are available in 4×2 and 4×4 variants, both powered by a 2.0lengine offering 110kW/350Nm. The turbo diesels have an impressive array of comfort and safety features for prices of R449,900 (two-wheel drive) and R569,900 (four-wheel drive). The Hunter REEV packs 200kW and 470Nm, blending electric power with a 2.0lturbocharged petrol engine that acts as a generator for extended range.
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With a modern cabin that feels more like a premium SUV, the luxurious electric double cab is priced at R799,900. Chinese giant BYD entered the segment this year with its Shark 6, a plug-in hybrid launched as the country’s most powerful pickup with its outputs of 321kW and 650Nm, dethroning the Ford Ranger Raptor’s 292kW and 583Nm. Priced at R959,900, the Shark 6 is available as a double-cab model with all-wheel drive and claims a fuel consumption of 9.6l/100km.
JAC unveiled its T9 Hunter, originally a special edition model built by the Chinese marque to commemorate the bakkie’s record-breaking 24-hour endurance run at Pretoria West’s Gerotek test facility in April. Based on the T9 Super Lux and available in 4×2 and 4×4 guises, this flagship model stands out with a more powerful version of the 2.0lfour-cylinder turbo diesel engine, producing 144kW and 487Nm of torque. The motor is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and offers a maximum braked towing capacity of up to 3,500kg. The T9 Hunter 4×2 retails for R629,900, while the 4×4 version is priced at R689,900.
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