We have had a look at the 10 best-selling cars from January 2023 and will be examining the engines that power these popular products.
1. Toyota Hilux
The Hilux registered over 2 700 unit sales in January 2023, making it the best-selling vehicle in the local market. The current range features four engine options including two petrol engines in the form of the 1TR-FE 2.0-litre naturally aspirated engine that produces 102kW/183Nm of torque and the 2TR-FE naturally aspirated engine that produces 122kW and 245Nm of torque. The two diesel models include the 2.4-litre turbodiesel engine code-named 2DG-FTV which produces 110kW and 400Nm as well as the 1GD-FTV 2.8-litre turbodiesel which comes in two states of tune, a 150kW/500Nm output and a 165kW and 550Nm version.
2. Toyota Corolla Cross
With over 2 000 unit sales in January, the Corolla Cross has quickly become a local favourite. The range comes with two engine options, namely the 2ZR-FE/2ZR-FAE 1.8-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine that produces 103kW and 172Nm of torque and the 1.8-litre 2ZR-FXE petrol-electric hybrid that produces a combined 90kW and 163Nm of torque.
3. Toyota Starlet
Despite sharing its underpinnings with the Suzuki Baleno, the brand power of Toyota appears to have secured the Starlet a spot near the top of the sales chart, with over 2 000 unit sales in January! Powering the Starlet is a Suzuki-sourced K15B 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine that produces 77kW and 138Nm of torque.
4. Suzuki Swift
Suzuki has steadily claimed up the passenger car sales list over the past few years, and its Swift has spearheaded the charge, with nearly 1 500 unit sales in January alone. The Swift range is powered by a K12M petrol engine that produces 61kW and 113Nm of torque while the Swift Sport gets the turbocharged K14C Boosterjet motor with 103kW and 230Nm of torque.
5. Toyota Hiace
Transporting millions of commuters on a daily basis, the Hiace is one of the most common sights on local roads and is powered by either the 111kW/241Nm 2TR-FE 2.7-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine or the low-power version of the 2KD-FTV 2.5-litre turbodiesel engine which produces 75kW and 260Nm.
6. Isuzu D-Max
The new locally produced D-Max has been a success since its launch in 2022, with over 1 200 unit sales in January. The range is powered by either the.9 RZ4E-TC GEN2 1.9-litre turbodiesel engine that produces 110kW/350Nm of torque or the 4JJ3-TCX 3.0-litre turbodiesel engine that produces 140kW and 450Nm of torque.
7. Ford Ranger
The all-new Ranger has taken the bakkie market by storm, and sales are sure to surpass the January figure of just over 1 200 units. The range is powered by a variety of engines, most of them diesel. The entry-level is a 2.0-litre EcoBlue turbodiesel that produces 125kW and 405Nm of torque while the bi-turbo EcoBlue produces 154kW and 500Nm of torque. The flagship diesel is the 3.0-litre Power Stroke that produces 184kW and 600Nm of torque. The Ranger Raptor is the only petrol-powered model, with its monstrous 3.0-litre twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 producing 292kW and 583Nm of torque.
8. Volkswagen Polo hatch
The Polo is a massively popular product in South Africa, with tens of thousands being used on local roads each day. The current hatch range features three engine options, two 1.0-litre TSI engines with either 70kW/175Nm of torque for the manual model or 85kW and 200Nm of torque for the DSG-equipped models. The EA888 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine is found in the GTI variant, where 147kW and 320Nm of torque are available.
9. Volkswagen Polo Vivo
As a budget version of the previous-generation Polo, the latest Vivo provides South Africans with a solid hatchback package that doesn't break the bank. In January, just over 1 000 Vivos found new homes in SA. The current engine range comprises two MPI engines, namely a 55kW/130Nm 1.4-litre and a 77kW/153Nm 1.6-litre naturally aspirated petrol as well as a 1.0-litre TSI, 3-cylinder turbo petrol that produces 81kW and 200Nm of torque.
10. Nissan NP200
As the only small one-ton bakkie in the local market, the NP200 has a segment all to itself, which shows with nearly 900 unit sales in January! The current range features just one engine, a Renault-sourced 64kW/128Nm 1.6-litre naturally aspirated petrol unit.
