
The legend is back - VW introduces updated Golf GTI
Volkswagen will introduce the updated Golf GTI to the South African market in the last quarter of 2025. Well over 2.3 million GTIs have been sold worldwide.
- Product News
- 2 September 2025
In line with its parent company’s recent strategic realignment to new-energy vehicles (NEV), Toyota South Africa recently laid its NRV cards for SA on the table.
Although the company maintains that internal combustion engines (ICE) still have a role to play, it said it will be shifting a large part of its focus to traditional hybrid vehicles (HEV), plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV) and other engine conversions over the next few years, as far as the SA market is concerned.
The biggest news is that Toyota will be launching a new, mildly hybrid Hilux and Fortuner in early 2024 consisting of the standard ICE combined with an integrated starter generator and 12V-48V battery.
The company will also be introducing the Toyota Crown to South Africa this year. This crossover Crown variant is powered by a 2.5-litre, parallel-hybrid drivetrain with an output in the neighbourhood of 170kW and a fuel consumption of under 5.0L/100km.
Another NEV addition to the local market from Toyota will be a hybrid version of the new Urban Cruiser.
It is also rumoured that the plug-in hybrid RAV4, Lexus NX and RX are on their way.
Toyota has said that owing to the current scarcity of electricity on the African continent, that BEVs won’t be a practical solution yet for local consumers.
Camera-based technology that watches drivers' eyes and alerts them to being distracted is proving surprisingly popular, new research suggests, with nearly 90% of users keeping the system active.
Honda Motor Co is taking a major step toward its ambitious goal of eliminating traffic collision fatalities through a new multi-year collaboration with AI start-up, Helm.ai. The partnership will bring advanced artificial intelligence to Honda's vehicles, making self-driving capabilities more accessible and safer for everyday consumers.
In a groundbreaking achievement for electric mobility, Yangwang, BYD's premium automotive division, has shattered the global electric vehicle speed record at Germany's renowned Automotive Testing Papenburg (ATP) facility.