VRROOM WITH A VIEW
Cars still able to give SUVs a run for their money
Have you considered buying up from your SUV, and into a car?
Since the financial crisis people such as me have been writing about the "buy-down trend" in the car market. The advent of the Zuma administration and its assault on the economy and institutions have meant that South Africans have, in automotive terms, become ever poorer. As a result of the carnage wrought on the currency, people have continued to look to more affordable brands when replacing their cars. The surging fortunes of Volkswagen and Toyota ought not to surprise anybody. But there’s an additional factor — the overall decline of market share in what I would call "cars" generally, and the movement towards sports utility vehicles (SUVs), crossovers and faux bundu-bashers. Something’s up. South Africans are slowly falling out of love with the car. As more and more of us pile into SUVs designed for the urban jungle, car manufacturers and importers are adjusting their mix to fit demand.
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