Kia’s Tasman bakkie arrives in South Africa
Kia has taken a bold step into one of South Africa’s most competitive automotive segments with the launch of the Tasman, its first-ever double cab bakkie.
- Product News
- 9 April 2026
By Monzer Tohme, Managing Director, Middle East & Africa - Keyloop
The automotive industry is holding strong in South Africa. But there is no doubt that customer expectations are changing - fast. Consumers are used to exceptional online retail experiences, highly personalised communications, and the ability to move effortlessly on and offline.
To keep pace with modern consumers, automotive retailers need to take a forensic look at their customer experience (CX) if they are to deliver what consumers want.
Keyloop has recognised that we are in an important moment of change for the industry. Fuelled by technology, we encourage retailers to unlock data silos to obtain a 360-degree view of the consumer and transform each touchpoint across the buying and ownership journey, shifting the focus from closing a sale to opening a relationship.
We call this way of thinking Experience-First, and our technology platform has been created to empower dealerships to embrace digital transformation and deliver seamless customer journeys.
Imagine a world where the consumer can self-serve how and when they interact with you; where personalised, timely communications capture customers; where digitisation minimises errors, automates processes and frees up time to care for individuals. Thanks to Experience-First, this is the future of car buying in South Africa.
To look under the hood of Experience-First, Keyloop has published a whitepaper written by our leadership team. Titled Revolutionising automotive retail through technology, the whitepaper is an A-Z of the Experience-First approach, showcasing how you can transform your CX to meet today’s demands.
If you would like to speak to us more about Experience-First, contact is via https://keyloop.com/en-za/contact.

Volkswagen Group Africa (VWGA) has reached another major milestone with the production of the 500 000th unit of the current Polo for the export market.
Nissan South Africa has agreed to sell its Rosslyn production facility after 60 years of operation. The plant, which produced models such as the 1400 ‘Champ’ bakkie, NP200 and Navara, was acquired by Chery SA. The Chinese automaker has sold over 80,000 vehicles locally since 2021 and is now strengthening its African presence.
Following an intense national selection process that pushed participants to the limit, South Africa’s representatives for the 2026 Defender Trophy global final have been decided.