The market for vehicle
owners looking to trade down but maintain their “creature comforts” is booming
in the Eastern Cape.
Where before motorists
feeling the country’s economic pinch might have sought out an older high-end brand,
their focus is now turning to a selection of out-the-box SUVs offered at the
same price.
What is significant is that
these new models come fully equipped with all the modern bells and whistles, such
as 360-degree cameras, Apple or Android operating systems and leather interiors
in some cases.
“In the Eastern Cape, it’s
very much what people can get for their money,” said Kelston Motor Group dealer
principal Robert Campbell, who overseas one of three Chery dealerships (Gqeberha,
East London and Komani) in the region.
People are doing “a lot more
research” and discovering that instead of having to buy a 2018/19 used vehicle
short on modern features they can opt for brand-new models boasting a host of
them.
Figures for new-car sales in
December, released by the National
Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa last month, paint a
telling picture of the trend.
SUV brands like Hyundai, Haval and Chery are changing opinions in a hurry.
The shift has also given rise to even more affordable models being
introduced to the motoring public. The Chery Tiggo 4 Pro LiT, for example,
retails for R279 900, bringing it in at well under the R300 000-plus
mark usually associated with this segment of the market.
Comprehensive service plans also form part of the package, while
prospective buyers of a specific brand are spoilt for choice.
“Ten years ago, you would see only one or two models in an SUV range. Now
you can see as many as nine or 10,” Campbell said.
And it was not only the “more-for-less” aspect that was drawing people to
these vehicles, he added.
For one, the poor state of many urban roads means motorists are looking
for vehicles that can withstand punishing potholes and other surface
maintenance issues.
For another, SUVs suit the lifestyle of South Africans increasingly
turning to outdoor activities.
Campbell said,
“These vehicles have more
space and are also more practical. You can put the back seat down to fit in
your sports gear or child’s kitbags.”
He said the public were now
asking themselves why they would want to buy an older car when they could have
all these benefits at the same or even better price.
While a few years ago there
might have been some scepticism around these brands, confidence in them was
growing by the day, Campbell said.
They have spent millions of
rand establishing parts warehouses in the country, an indication that they are here
to stay. This sends a powerful message to prospective buyers.
“The South African market is traditionally reserved
but that is changing. If you have quality and the extras, people will accept it.”
