Whether you are in the market for a bakkie, crossover, hatchback, sedan, or MPV – a budget of R200,000 will see you driving away in a new car.
Here’s what’s on offer in the new car market in this price range.
Bakkie
Bakkies tend to be quite expensive in South Africa, making this body style the most limited in our budget.
There are full-size workhorse bakkies for sale, but – all things considered – the Nissan NP200 8V Base + Safety Pack stands out in terms of brand presence, reputation, and value for money.
This model is powered by a 1.6-litre petrol engine that produces 64kW and 128Nm of torque, which allows a claimed fuel consumption of 8.1l/100km and a maximum payload of 800kg.
The rest of the vehicle is rather barebones, however, as there is only a fan system in place of an air-con, no radio, and few fancy assist systems.
This specific model is the entry-level variant at a price of R195,000 – with this you get a 6-year/150,000km warranty.
Crossover
The Renault Kwid Climber Auto is a premium crossover in our budget range, and also the range-topping model for its series.
It is fitted with an 8-inch touchscreen with smartphone mirroring, Climber-branded seats with orange patterns, and a reverse camera.
It is pushed around by a 1.0-litre petrol engine that generates 50kW and 91Nm of torque, and sports a 5-speed automatic transmission.
This combination achieves a combined fuel consumption of 4.7l/100km and a top-speed of 152km/h.
The asking price is R193,900, and with this you get a 5-year/150,000km mechanical warranty, a 2-year/unlimited kilometre service plan, and 1-year/unlimited kilometre comprehensive insurance cover.
Hatchback
The Peugeot 108 1.0 Active is a small hatchback that looks better than its competitors and has more features, too.
The dash has been fitted with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system that support smartphone mirroring; road sign recognition keeps the driver vigilant; and LED daytime running lights are installed as standard.
Under the hood there is a 1.0-litre motor that produces 53kW and 93Nm of torque, which is connected to a 5-speed manual transmission.
This allows a claimed fuel consumption of 4.1l/100km and a top speed of 160km/h.
The Peugeot 108 costs R199,900 – with this you get a 3-year/45,000km service plan, a 5-year/100,000km manufacturer’s warranty, and 5-year/100,000km roadside assistance.
MPV
The Datsun Go+ Lux is a seven-seater version of the Go hatchback.
The infotainment system supports smartphone mirroring, Google Maps, and voice recognition – while LED daytime lights and ABS are installed as standard.
A 1.2-litre motor drives the front wheels through a 5-speed manual gearbox, and generates 50kW of power and 104Nm of torque.
This achieves a claimed fuel consumption of 5.0l/100km.
The Go+ range starts at R188,500, but, if we go over our budget by R900, we can get the better-equipped Go+ Lux for R200,900 – along with a 6-year/150,000km warranty.
Sedan
The Honda Amaze 1.2 Trend Manual was the best choice out of the bunch.
It is the only vehicle on the list that has a separate and sizeable boot, which can carry up to 420 litres of cargo.
The relatively-modern interior is fitted with fabric seats, a multifunction steering wheel, and a radio system that supports Bluetooth.
Providing power is a 1.2-litre engine that pushes out 66kW and 110Nm, which is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission.
A claimed combined fuel consumption of 5.6l/100km is possible, and a top speed of 160km/h is on the books.
The Amaze range has a starting price of R198,400 – which includes a 5-year/200,000km warranty, a 2-year/30,000km service plan, and 3-year/unlimited kilometre roadside assistance.
Keyword: 5 new cars you can buy for R200,000