South Africa's best double cabs
South Africa's best double cabs
By Lawrence Minnie
It goes without saying that us South Africans have something of an obsession with our double cabs. Read on to see who comes out tops as we rate the best double cabs on sale today.
We love our double cab bakkies as much as we love braais, beer, and sunshine. You can’t really blame us though. Double cabs are perfect for our environment. You can haul building supplies or motorcycles, go off-roading, load up your diving gear or trundle in to religious service, decked out in your Sunday best without having had to wash the mud off your fenders, and no one will think worse of you. They really do fit in with our lifestyle.
The double cab is truly an SA icon and we do have quite a range of them to choose from. We are also one of the largest markets for these types of vehicles and the manufacturers know and cater for this.
Which double cabs reign supreme?
In one of our last road-trip reviews, Chad Lückhoff and I took a cross country trip in the new Navara and counted down our best and worst double cabs. That list has recently had to be updated as a few new models have been introduced. So, without further ado, Here’s our updated list of SA’s favourite utility vehicles.
Honorable mentions
JMC Vigus, Mahindra Pik Up, Foton Tunland
Not to be counted out, these marques from Eastern manufacturers are slowly beginning to break into our brand conscious market. Offering a great deal with capability and value for money, they do, however, have some way to go before they can compete with the more premium offerings.
10 . GWM Steed
GWM have done an amazing amount of work to get the Steed into the top 10. Constantly improving build quality and capability is ensuring that the Steed has become the best budget option for those looking for a good double cab that is functional, yet robust enough for our conditions.
9. Mazda BT50
Sadly, Mazda has been left sleeping at the lights. The BT50 has aged quickly and consumers have been slipping away into other brands for a while now. If sales numbers continue to decline and a new refreshed model not brought to market soon, Mazda might just find themselves off the list. Lacklustre interior refinement and an ageing exterior see that BT languishing at the bottom of the list.
Built on the current Mitsubishi Triton’s platform but (mostly) using the previous generation Triton’s engines, the Fullback is a pretty good alternative buy, but its sales were doomed from the beginning. It has its own style yet it can easily be mistaken for a Triton from a distance. The Fullback is capable but lacks the refinement that newer double cabs demand and when placed next to its newer brethren it, sadly, falls short.
The Triton received a new engine, chassis and updated design, and is proving to be a very capable vehicle. Its quirky design and odd lines are not to everyone's taste though, and it has sadly been bumped down the list by newer and somewhat more stylish offerings.
Mercedes-Benz entered the double cab market with X250d. Borrowing the Navara platform from Nissan, Merc lavished things up and made it their own. Unfortunately, trim levels not quite Mercedes standard and a few oddball interior fitment issues left us feeling that the X- Class had come up short. The pricing is also an issue for many, with the X-Class coming in close to R200k more expensive than the Navara that is was based on.
In our video, we had placed the Navara squarely at No.1, but said that new players entering the market would upset the apple cart, and that is exactly what happened. The Navara has a superb ride, and an excellent engine and drivetrain, but the interior is ageing quickly, and oddly enough, the buying public were slow on the uptake. We can only assume that they were waiting to see what would come out of the other stables before committing to the Navara.
4. VW Amarok
The Amarok arrived just after our road trip and it was everything that it promised. Stylish, powerful and with more space than any of its competitors, the Amarok is the style choice, and has been adopted in droves by those that love all things VW. We especially love the big V6 power plant and the yards of space in the cab, as well as the user-friendly infotainment system.
And now for the top 3...
Without a doubt, these are the most popular choices amongst buyers because the numbers don’t lie. Outselling all of the above entries, the top three have been waging the war of sales and consumer bias for years and will continue to do so for many more to come. While we certainly feel that both the Navara and Amarok also deserve to be in the top 3, the KB, Ranger and Hilux keep pulling in the punters.
3. Isuzu KB
The KB range is the go-to bakkie for many businesses and a fleet manager's dream come true. Robust and powerful, the KB can be seen across SA in every industry from farming to mining and everything in-between. They are bulletproof and stylish to boot. They are the epitome of the blue-collar man’s working vehicle, from hauling farm supplies or mining equipment during the week, to doing the school run in the mornings and visiting town on Sunday
2. Ford Ranger
The Ford Ranger is one of the most stylish double cabs available on our market. With an unending host of style packages and bolt on accessories, you can make any Ranger uniquely yours. Rangers are also very capable machines, and with as many engine and drivetrain options as there are styling ones, you can get a Ranger that suits your lifestyle perfectly.
1. Toyota Hilux
Ford and Toyota have been trading blows for as long as bakkies have been in South Africa.
Much the same as the Holden vs. Ford battle in Australia, double cab owners have picked sides here. Hilux wins in sales, having sold 3000 units a month recently. Ford wins by catering to the style-conscious consumer, but has some catching up to do if they ever want to pass Toyota again. Consumers voted with their money and therefore the Toyota Hilux sits at the top of the podium.