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In Vietnam, you are bound to see some odd things piled onto the plentiful scooters that dominate the roads.

In another country, a bicycle might be the ride of choice and necessity, carrying a strange and unlikely load.

Here in South Africa, the bakkie is the way to go.

Driving a bakkie is a way of life for many Saffas so it is a pity that the prices of popular models have skyrocketed beyond affordability.

The Citizen notes that the Mercedes-Benz X-Class became the first bakkie in South Africa to break the seven-digit ceiling, followed by the 190 kW Volkswagen Amarok V6 TDI and the Ford Ranger Raptor, which just falls short of becoming Mzansi’s third million-rand bakkie.

With the million-rand bracket becoming more the benchmark and less the exception, okes without that kind of cash lying around might start to think that driving a bakkie is no longer possible.

Enter Indian carmaker Mahindra and Chinese manufacturers GWM and JAC, which have been bringing the affordable bakkie back.

These are the three cheapest double cab bakkies on the local market right now:

Mahindra Bolero 2.5 TD double cab – R259 999 

The Bolero is more a workhorse than a luxury vehicle, equipped for the hard yards:

The two-wheel drive Bolero is powered by a 2.5-litre turbo diesel engine which sends 74 kW of power and 235 Nm of torque to the rear wheels via five-speed manual gearbox.

Mahindra claims fuel consumption of 9.5 L/100 km, which will give the Bolero a range of 579 km on its 55-litre tank. It has a payload of 885 kg.

It might seem basic but it does come with air-conditioning and central locking, two things wholly necessary in this country.

JAC T6 2.0 double cab Lux – R344 900 

The T6 petrol variant is JAC Motors’ most affordable bakkie in its local stable:

[It] is powered by a 2.0-litre mill which is mated to five-speed manual transmission and sends 108kW/190Nm to the rear wheels.

JAC’s fuel consumption claim of 10 L/ 100 km will result in a range of 760 km on its 76-litre fuel tank. This T6 has a payload of 820 kg.

It also comes packed with aircon, a multi-function steering wheel, cruise control, and Bluetooth connectivity – perfect for that spring road trip.

Mahindra Pik Up 2.2 CRDe double cab S6 – R368 999 

As a star performer for Mahindra – sales reached 896 models in August 2022 – the Pik Up is a bit more luxurious than its Bolero sibling:

The entry level Pik Up S6 draws its power from a 2.2-litre turbodiesel mill which sends 103kW/320Nm to the rear wheels via five-speed manual transmission.

Mahindra claims fuel consumption of 7.9 L/100 km, which will see the S6 get just over a 1 000 km on its 80-litre tank. It also has an impressive payload of 1 095 kg.

The Pik Up also boasts front fog lights, aircon, central locking, cruise control, electrically adjustable side mirrors, and two airbags.

Lekker does it.

Head here for two more models which come in at under R375 000.

[source:citizen]