The reliable single or double cab bakkie has a seminal place in South African culture. They are unshakeable on our rugged terrains while still being embraced by city slickers looking for a bigger car as equally sturdy from sand to sea. It’s no coincidence then that these larger vehicles dominate online car searches – allowing you to sell your bakkie or SUV to the marketplace for top cash prices.
While their status as King of SA’s roads is unlikely to fade away anytime soon, sedans are rising in popularity – and for a good reason. A sedan offers superb performance and handling for its seemingly diminutive size. They are fast becoming an ideal option for daily driving in relatively smooth road conditions. (And worth selling your bakkie or SUV for.)
Last year, Weelee discussed whether you should sell your car to scale down for summer. In this article, we propose another idea; outlining a few surprising benefits of switching to a sedan, which may just entice you to sell your bakkie or SUV or even trade in your hatchback for an upgrade.
A sedan delivers on legroom & space
If you’ve ever taken an Uber Comfort ride, you will instantly notice the extra legroom available over the budget fare option, which makes for a more comfortable ride.
Popular sedans – such as the VW Polo, the Nissan Almera, and the luxurious Audi S Class – are geared towards spacious and comfortable rides, whether for short trips, weekend getaways or scenic road trips; a motivating factor for selling your bakkie. (It’s like upgrading to business class). And with surprisingly ample boot space, a sedan is the ideal family car for those frustrated hatchback drivers who crave extra space.
A sedan offers premium safety & performance
While hatchbacks are more geared towards being economical, engine power is often sacrificed. 1.5-litres engines are generally the entry point for sedans, translating to better transmission systems for optimum speed and mileage on our country’s highways.
In terms of driving safety, sedans sit closer to the ground; offering better handling and a cosier drive than their SUV or bakkie counterparts. And let’s not forget their sporty appeal! Sedans are also packed with the latest safety features such as adaptive cruise control, hazard recognition and automated emergency braking to keep you alert on the road.
And of course, in terms of manoeuvrability and ease of parking, a more compact size and better vision achieved by a lower centre of gravity mean that the sedan wins this round hands down over its bakkie and SUV rivals.
Are you ready to sell your bakkie or SUV in favour of one and drive off into the sunset?
Sell your bakkie or SUV for a sedan & better fuel efficiency
With petrol and diesel prices spiralling out of control, fuel efficiency is a major consideration on whether to hold on to a bigger car or sell it for more cost-effective motoring.
Even though sedans will never compete with turbo-charged bakkies such as the Ford Ranger or the Audi Q7, with their smaller engines comes the promise of lower fuel costs, which will certainly make a difference in the long run. And while the SUV market is slowly playing catch up with the release of hybrid and electric models, they are few and far between, and incredibly expensive to purchase.
Sedans are more affordable to purchase
When you sell your bakkie or SUV, you’re more likely to get a sedan with fewer years and miles on the clock than its larger counterparts. However, the true price of a sedan depends on the level of features and extras that you are after.
As a side-by-side comparison, South Africa’s top two selling vehicles for 2022 were the Toyota Hilux bakkie and the Polo Vivo Sedan. The starting price on the Toyota Hilux, for double-cab, 2.4-litre diesel is currently R518,000. Meanwhile, a Polo Vivo Trendline 1.6 sedan starts at R288,000, with the more feature-packed Comfortline 1.6, 6-speed Tiptronic retailing at R330,000 (Source: VW South Africa)
Whether you upgrade in style or downgrade in size, you can always ‘Weelee it!’
At Weelee, we know we can’t preach to the converted bakkie and SUV loyalists! Much like the staunch Blue Bulls or Stormers fan, the Hilux, Ranger or Land Rover driver will never swop his or her badge
However, if you are tired of your squished hatchback and craving more leg space, or pained by the escalating costs of maintaining a bigger car, you can sell your bakkie or SUV on our innovative platform for the best cash price. We connect you to more offers from serious buyers than you will find on any other online marketplace. And with free registration and no obligation to sell, you have nothing to lose.