RAV4 HEV GR-S R941,800
Since the 1990s, this has been the domain model for South Africans who know they don ' t need the all-terrain ability of a body-on-frame SUV, but don ' t want to drive a standard sedan, either.
The Rav4 is breathtakingly successful, globally. It is also the mechanical twin of Toyota ' s Corolla. That means that the engineering resources available for Rava4 development are tremendous. And it shows.
You could buy a similarly sized Chinese crossover SUV that has almost twice the power, more standard features, and a proper PHEV system. But when it comes to drivability, Toyota knows what people want.
Where Chinese crossover SUVs can struggle with vague, over-assisted steering and suspension settings that are either oversprung for rough South African roads, the Rav4 doesn ' t. South African crossover SUV buyers do a lot more long-distance driving than Chinese customers do. This is the nature of South African family car ownership, where longdistance road trips occur a few times a year.
Rav4 HEV GR-S might not have the power, overtaking performance or low fuel consumption of a PHEV, but it ' s just such a coherent crossover SUV. Toyota ' s engineers and product development team have created a vehicle with steering that is perfectly weighted and a suspension that balances comfort and traction, giving drivers real confidence during those all-day drives from Gauteng to the coast.
AUDI Q3 35 TFSI S LINE R904,000
The luxury compact crossover segment has rapidly changed from a place where German legacy brands made easy profits to a space where Chinese rivals are offering comparatively more technology and performance for less money. The challenge that Audi has with the third-generation Q3.
Design updates have enhanced infotainment screen quality. It ' s still not quite as good as the best luxury Chinese infotainment screens, but among German luxury car brands, Audi ' s cabin digitisation is best.
The Q3 isn ' t big inside, but it is cleverly packaged. The rear bench seating has a slide function, which can add to the luxury space or give rear passengers more legroom. That versatility matters, especially for families with young kids, where growth spurts can shift the balance between rear legroom and luggage space.
For its price, the Q3 ' s 1.4 turbocharged engine doesn ' t make much power compared to rivals that cost much less. But where the Audi is peerless is its high-speed highway driving stability and confidence, with steering precision that Chinese rivals lack.
SEPTEMBER 2026 55 WORDS IN ACTION