VW has unveiled the 2024 Saveiro, a compact bakkie that is sold in Latin and Central America.
Like previous iterations of the light-commercial VW, it is unfortunately only available in left-hand drive, so the chances of the Saveiro reaching local roads are slim to none.
A sad realisation indeed, as South Africa will soon lose access to its most affordable and only compact bakkie on the market namely the Nissan NP200, for which no replacement has been announced yet.
Renault will be introducing its similarly-sized Duster-based Oroch to local roads sometime in 2024 to fill up the segment, but it will have no competition following the removal of the NP200, thus making the omission of the Saveiro from right-hand-drive countries a missed opportunity – at least in our market.
On the bright side, VW has a few exciting launches planned for South Africa in 2024 and beyond, including the updated T-Cross and Touareg, as well as an all-new, locally-produced model that has yet to be named and is “aimed at the African continent” with an SUV body style and a petrol engine, said Martina Biene, VW South Africa managing director.
Saveiro specs
The Saveiro is driven by a naturally-aspirated, 1.6-litre petrol motor with 79kW and 151Nm at its disposal, or a higher 87kW and 158Nm when running on a petrol-ethanol blend, which links exclusively to a five-speed manual shifter that turns the front axle.
Depending on the body style, single or double cab, the bakkie offers a maximum load capacity of 638-664kg, and on the four-seater, also a set of roof rails that can support a small additional load.
Sold in three trim levels namely Robust, Trendline, and range-topping Extreme – the latter of which is a moniker borrowed from the previous-generation Amarok – the bakkie offers a respectable level of kit across the range, too.
Following the update, all versions now feature electric windows, manual airconditioning, a radio with two speakers, a USB port, rear parking sensors, electronic stability control, hill-hold control, all-round disc brakes, and 15-inch steel wheels.
The mid-range model then gets body-coloured bumpers, fabric finishes on the doors, as well as optional extras including 15-inch alloys, fog lights, and a 6.5-inch infotainment system.
At the top, the Extreme is differentiated through exclusive exterior paints, piano black “Extreme” badging, diamond-cut wheels, a brushed steel finish on the interior instrument panel, the aforementioned media system with Apple Carplay and Android Auto, four speakers, a reversing camera, a steering column with height and depth adjustment, fog lights, a tyre pressure monitor, and a leather multifunction steering wheel.
Keyword: The cool VW bakkie we can’t have