Buyers look beyond sticker price in car purchases
South African car buyers are increasingly considering the full cost of ownership rather than focusing solely on the showroom price or monthly instalment.
- Dealer News
- 12 September 2026
JLR reports growing demand for plug-in hybrid models, with global retail sales for the first half of the financial year up 29% compared to the prior year, as more customers use the technology as a stepping stone towards battery electric vehicles (BEV).
For the Range Rover brand, global plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) retail sales were up 47% in the first half of this financial year, while Defender PHEV global retail sales were up 23% compared to the previous financial year.
This builds upon accelerated growth of JLR’s global PHEV sales, which increased 59% year-on-year in FY24 vs FY23, while new Range Rover PHEV retail sales nearly doubled over the same period.
Mark Camilleri, Director of Electrification Services, says demand is growing for our plug-in electric hybrid models as clients become more accustomed to electrification. “PHEVs offer performance, fuel economy and low emissions, with zero emissions while driving in pure electric mode. They also give clients the opportunity to adapt to a new ownership experience, including home and public charging, ahead of the launch of our next generation fully electric vehicles.
“JLR is able to offer a range of fuel options to meet the energy transition dynamics of each market, and we will offer a pure electric variant of each nameplate by 2030 with the aim of reaching carbon net zero by 2039.”
With its modular longitudinal architecture (MLA) on which Range Rover and Range Rover Sport are built, JLR will offer clients internal combustion engine (ICE), plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) and soon, battery electric vehicle (BEV) options, well into the next decade.
JLR currently has over 48 000 clients on the waiting list for Range Rover Electric, which is the first in a line-up of new zero emissions luxury electric vehicles from its brands.
South African car buyers are increasingly considering the full cost of ownership rather than focusing solely on the showroom price or monthly instalment.
A striking collection of Alfa Romeo vehicles, spanning immaculate classics to the latest performance models, will gather at Modderfontein Bird & Sculpture Park on Sunday 20 September for the 2026 Concorso d’Eleganza.
Kia South Africa has launched an upgraded Sonet range, with more safety, technology, and comfort across the line-up, backed by a five-year warranty with no kilometre limit.
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