New Peugeot bakkie in South Africa vs Ranger vs Hilux vs others

French motoring company Peugeot, owned by Stellantis, which also owns Citroën, Fiat, and Jeep, has unveiled its pick-up – the Peugeot LandTrek – to go on sale on the South African market.

The 1.9-litre turbodiesel develops 110kW thanks to a variable turbine geometry with 16 valves. With a torque of 350Nm, the LandTrek adapts to the prevailing terrain through Manual, Sport, or Eco modes.

Up to 235mm of ground clearance equips the vehicle with all the necessary assets of the double cab market, be it two- or four-wheel drive.

It is priced as follows:

• Allure Double Cab 4×2: R579 900
• 4Action Double Cab 4×4: R669 900

So how well will the LandTrek do in a jam-packed market that already boasts three very strong leaders?  In November, the Toyota Hilux continued its run as the best-selling bakkie in the country – with 2,558 units, while the Isuzu D-Max (1,666) has overtaken Ford Ranger (1,165) in recent months. Both Isuzu and Ford are expected to launch new Ranger and D-Max models in 2022.

It is difficult to see how Peugeot’s pickup will compete with the above-mentioned heavyweights, but it might well compete against the likes of the GWM P-Series, Nissan Navara, Mahindra Scorpio Pik-Up, and GWM Steed. Mazda recently launched its new Mazda BT-50 range, consisting of three variants, and starting at R611,900 for a 1.9L Active – boasting 110 kW and 350 Nm.

The Dynamic and Individual models offer a 3.0L DE engine (140kW / 450Nm), and are priced from R759,400, and R794,400 respectively.

The VW Amarok Double Cab 2.0 BiTDI  4Motion is in a different class, offering 132kW for a price tag of R738,800, while the Amarok Double Cab 3.0 TDI 4Motion Auto is a beast (190kW) at R953,100.

Backed by Great Wall Motors in China, the GWM P-Series has been a popular addition to the pick-up range in South Africa, with strong reviews of its latest models, and shooting up the sales rankings to be inside the top five in November, with 655 units sold, and ahead of Nissan Navara (617).

The GWM P-Series S-Cab 2.0TD SX 4×2 6MT is priced at R377,900, while the D-Cab 2.0TD DLX 4×4 8AT R is R100,000 more expensive (R477,900) – both pushing out 120 Kw and 400 Nm.

For the Nissan Navara, the 2.5 DDTi SE 4X2 MT offers 120 kW / 403 NM for R479,000, while the 2.5 DDTi PRO-4X 4X4 AT pushes out 140kW / 450 Nm for a price of R749,000.

The Ford Ranger Ranger starts at R396,700 for the 2.2 TDCi Double Cab Base 5MT 4×2 HR model, which offers 118 kW and 385 Nm of torque, while the 2.0 Bi Turbo Double Cab Wildtrak 10AT 4×2 HR starts at R791,400 and pushes out 157 kW and 500 NM of torque.

For the Toyota Hilux Double Cab, the base model, the 2.7 VVTi RB S 5MT is priced from R460,600, and delivers 122 kW and 245 Nm of torque, while the 2.8 GD6 4X4 LEGEND AT, starting from R793,000, pushes out 150 kW and 500 Nm of torque.

Isuzu D-Max Double Cab 250 HO Double Cab is priced from R416,500 and contains a slightly disappointing 100 Kw and 320 Nm of torque. The Isuzu D-Max Double Cab 300 LX 4 x 4 Auto, however, provides a more workable 130 Kw and 380 Nm of torque, but for R728,200.

Read: South Africa’s cheapest bakkies to own and repair – Ranger vs Hilux vs others