Double cab buyers now want more than a traditional 50:50 lockup transfer case.
Luxury bakkies going all-wheeldrive
The South African family car market has experienced a profound shift in demand over the last decade. Whereas German sedans were once the luxury car of choice, most buyers with the means are now choosing double cab bakkies.
South Africa has some of the world ' s best roads, but also some of the worst. That means families who don ' t want to be stranded next to a dangerous stretch of road at night because of a pothole-strike flat tyre are choosing double cab bakkies. Why? Because these vehicles have more robust suspension and roll much larger-volume tyres with tougher casings, which are most resistant to pothole strikes.
The other reason South African buyers in the luxury vehicle market have chosen double cab bakkies is for vacationdestination needs. Most of South Africa ' s best family vacation venues and wildlife experiences are in deeply rural areas, only accessible by dirt roads. The kind of roads where a double cab bakkie ' s design and large-volume tyres perform much better, with greater confidence, than a German luxury vehicle, on low-profile high-speed rated road tyres.
But what do more double cab bakkies mean for aftermarket gearbox and transmission specialists? With more double cab bakkies being bought as family vehicles and used in traffic, the demand for advanced transmissions has changed.
Four-wheel drive limitations
As a first principle, manual gearboxes are just too heavy-shifting for daily use in a double cab bakkie. That ' s why nearly all of South Africa ' s new double cab bakkies feature automatic transmissions, creating different future service kit needs. Transfer cases are an important technical detail for South African workshops to consider as well.
Double cab bakkies with low-range have two drivetrain configurations: all-wheel and four-wheel drive. The latter is the more traditional system, in which the transfer case locks the drive system into a 50:50 split. Ideal for steep, technical off-road driving, but not usable on sealed surfaces due to drivetrain bind.
The other issue with the traditional transfer case four-wheel-drive system is that it cannot be used in a 50:50 torque split at high cruising speeds to increase grip and stability on dirt roads. South Africa has a vast network of dirt roads that double cab bakkie owners regularly travel on for vacation, where advanced all-wheel-drive systems offer real safety and control benefits.
Product planners and engineers are constantly evaluating customer driving behaviour and patterns. Discovering what real-world driving needs are. Double cab bakkies are challenging for engineering teams because they cover such varied terrain, from daily urban commuting to adventure weekend and vacation travel, across dirt roads and over off-road trails.
The benefits of all-wheel drive
Compared to four-wheel-drive double cab bakkies with lock-up transfer cases, all-wheel-drive double cab bakkies have a centre differential, which enables a third mode. This allows the systems to run in all-wheel drive with an open centre differential and can be used on sealed surfaces and at high speeds on dirt roads.
All-wheel drive creates much better steering authority and confidence when travelling on corrugated dirt roads at speed. There ' s also a huge advantage when towing with a double cab bakkie that ' s all-wheel drive, rather than fourwheel-drive. And it concerns towing and safety.
WORDS IN ACTION 14 MAY 2026