Cheapest car shootout: Audi vs BMW vs Mercedes in South Africa

Germany’s premium car manufacturers Audi, BMW, and Mercedes Benz have all dazzled in the electric vehicles (EV) space in South Africa over the past year with a fairly expansive opening range, but at a hefty price, starting at well above the R1 million rand range, moving up to as much as R3.5 million.

This is some way above the mean affordability for South Africans, who earn an average of around R23,500 per month. The general rule provided by WesBank is that you should not spend more than 20% of your gross monthly salary on vehicle repayments. This gives the average Joe around R4,700 to play with each month, which would buy a perfectly good Suzuki or Renault city runner.

To afford a million rand car would need a salary of around R85,000, and a shiny electric vehicle with all the trims would require something closer to the R150,000 mark.

All three Garman carmakers – Audi, BMW, and Mercedes Benz – do have models that start at less than half the price of an entry-level electric vehicle.

Audi 

Hatchback – Audi A1 Sportback 30TFSI –  from R 456,900

• Fuel Consumption (Average) 4.8 L/100km
• Power Maximum Total 85 kW
• Torque Maximum Total 200 Nm

Sedan – Audi A3 sedan 30TFSI – from R605,200

• Fuel Consumption (Average) 6.1 L/100km
• Power Maximum Total 110 kW
  Torque Maximum Total 250 Nm

SUV – Audi Q2 35 TFSI – from R565,300

• Fuel Consumption (Average) 6.1 L/100km
• Power Maximum Total 110 kW
• Torque Maximum Total 250 Nm

BMW

Hatchback – BMW 1 Series 118i – from R619,000

• Fuel Consumption (Average) 5.9 L/100km
• Power Maximum Total 103 kW
• Torque Maximum Total 220 Nm

Sedan – BMW 2 Series 218i Gran Coupe – from R665,000

• Fuel Consumption (Average) 5.9 L/100km
• Power Maximum Total 103 kW
• Torque Maximum Total 220 Nm

SUV – BMW X1 sDrive18i – from R745,000

• Fuel Consumption (Average) 5.1 L/100km
• Power Maximum Total 110 kW
• Torque Maximum Total 330 Nm

Mercedes-Benz 

Hatchback – A-Class A200 hatch Style – from R696,509

• Fuel Consumption (Average) 5.6 L/100km
• Power Maximum Total 120 kW
• Torque Maximum Total 250 Nm

Sedan – Mercedes-Benz A200 sedan Progressive – from R730,358

• Fuel Consumption (Average) 5.4 L/100km
• Power Maximum Total 120 kW
• Torque Maximum Total 250 Nm

SUV – Mercedes-Benz GLA200 – from R816,376

• Fuel Consumption (Average) 6.0 L/100km
• Power Maximum Total 120 kW
• Torque Maximum Total 250 Nm

Read: Major red flag for diesel prices in South Africa