For most people family is everything even above money and material possessions. You are probably wondering what does family have to do with cars? Well, the two are intertwined in one way or the other. Families travel together for different reasons, being it holidays, taking kids to school, to imisebenzi, etc. South African motorists have been in recent years buying SUVs like never before. There are many reasons why South Africans are choosing these types of vehicles. Apart from the fact that we have open roads, travel longer distances but most importantly we want spacious and comfortable cars for our families. It is not surprising that some SUVs particularly small (compact) to medium-sized tend to do better than the rest of the segments.
According to Naamsa’s Automotive Business Council, October sales for new vehicles have increased 11.4% year on year to 45 966 and 30 597 of those were passenger cars while the remainder were LCVs (Light Commercial Vehicles). A milestone of 301 137 new units has been sold since the beginning which is 19.8% more than last year. This is a clear indication that South Africans are buying cars, both new and used. In all of this, compact/medium-sized SUVs have caught more eyes. Not only are they good value for money but they offer the best of both worlds, they can easily tackle a fair amount of rough terrain and offer cabin and boot space for families. Given a chance why wouldn’t you look for such a vehicle? I have made a list of the usual suspects in the space.
For those who are too scared to explore newer brands and would rather stick with the more “traditional” brands, here are what’s popular:
- Ford EcoSport
- Mazda CX-5
- VW T-Roc/Tiguan
- Kia Sportage/Seltos
- Hyundai Creta/Venue
- Renault Duster/Kiger
- Toyota Corolla Cross/Urban Cruiser
- Kia Sportage
If I were you, I’d cast my nest wide as there are more fish in the ocean.
The new kids on the block are putting up a good fight. The Chinese brands have particularly come up stronger in recent months, the likes of Chery Tiggo and Haval’s Jolion and H6 are showing strong growth. This is not at all surprising as these models are quite easy on the eye. They have also caught on a lot in terms of technological advancements. I don’t blame those who prefer SUVs as family cars. If money is tight, then why buy a sedan just so you could end up with limited movements?
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