It is almost impossible to know how many 4×4 vehicles there are in South Africa. The number just keeps growing because the demand is growing, not just for tourist vehicle rentals, but among the residents and locals who understand the importance if a 4×4.
Of all the brands with 4×4 models (and there are many like the USA imports Jeep and Ford, and Japan’s Honda and Nissan), two brands stand out as being the top popular choices among South Africans: Toyota and Land Rover. These two brands are chosen by many based on reliability, off road capabilities, support, practicality, and ease of use. In fact, if you check with most of the 4×4 rentals in South Africa, you will find the Land Rover and Toyota to be the most prevalent of all vehicle brands.
Why Land Rover?
Anyone who has watched a film about South Africa will automatically recognize the Land Rover models, Defender and Discovery. They’re classic icons of an African safari or a trip around the country. Granted, they are very durable. The Defender 110 TD5 is a turbo diesel, 4WD with good clearance from ground up and a spacious interior. It has been voted “the best 4×4” many times over but has never been voted as best for comfort: expect an extremely bumpy ride even on paved roads.
The Discovery III has similar features to the Defender but with better safety devices and road handling. You can’t use it as camper, unlike the Defender, and it maintains it classic bumpy ride. Another main problem with the Land Rover is availability of spare parts and the cost of these parts. Being British-made, expect to pay top price for repairs and parts.
Why Toyota?
Of all Toyota models, it’s the 4×4 Hilux and Land Cruiser which are by far the most popular Japanese vehicles. The Hilux has massive load capacities and storage space. It’s affordable especially compared to the Land Rover, and even more so if you can find a used Toyota Hilux in excellent condition. If you want comfort, space, good mileage, reliability, and durability, the Toyota Hilux with a turbo engine is hard to beat.
Another highly recommended Toyota 4×4 vehicle is the Fortuner which has a similar chassis to the Hilux but is more of a wagon/SUV than the Hilux double cab. It has a built-in GPS and is practical since it can be used as a camper. However, if you’re still inclined towards the Hilux, consider getting the Hilux Surf which is a later version and has the comfort of an SUV.
Toyota has a visible presence in South Africa which means you will always have someone to turn to if something goes wrong. Toyota parts are reasonable and long-lasting. Finally, the Toyota brand has been the backbone of the car industry for so long for many consumers because of its attractive pricing, appealing aesthetics and precise engineering.
Of course, there are other choices you may want to consider like the Ford Explorer, Honda CR-V, Nissan Pathfinder, or the Toyota RAV4, but these cars are mainly for city driving. Also, the Ford is known to be heavy on petrol (which is not something you want to be using in the middle of nowhere without a petrol station in sight!).