It was a busy year for the light commercial vehicle segment in South Africa, with a number of new 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 which are notching up healthy sales.
The competition continued to heat up, with several other new bakkies entering the local market in 2025: Chinese brandChanganhas returned to South Africa with 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. 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.
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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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