No longer the preserve of wealthy adventurers harbouring fantasies of winching Land Rovers out the mud while out-manoeuvring piranhas and pit vipers in the Amazon Jungle, SUVs are now available in all shapes and sizes, with one to suit just about any budget or preference.

Granted most of them are not proper off-roaders, so hold onto those Camel Trophy fantasies for now, but the fact is there are now more options than ever for those seeking a high-riding vehicle at the budget end of the market.

It’s not surprising that SUVs are currently the most popular vehicle type in South Africa, accounting for 51.8% of the market so far in 2024, and they’re surely set to gobble up an even bigger slice of the pie going forward, given that a number of new models have entered the space beneath R300,000 in recent months.

Do we see a price war brewing?

Armed with that budget, you’ll also find yourself choosing between hatchbacks, sedans and SUVs, and there are some brilliant new hatch options such as the all-new Suzuki Swift and facelifted Volkswagen Polo Vivo.

But given the market’s huge magnetic pull towards SUVs, we’re taking a look at six of the best options available in this space.

Kia Sonet 1.5 LS

Kia recently put itself back into contention with the recent introduction of a 1.5 LS base version for the recently facelifted Sonet range, lowering the entry point by R67,000.

Which means you can now have a Sonet for just R299,995 in LS manual form, or R324,995 if you want the CVT.

With its chunky stature, the Sonet looks exactly the way you’d expect a real SUV to look, although you might want to upgrade the LS version’s skimpy 15-inch plastic-covered steel wheels that Kia opted for in order to sneak the price below the 300 grand mark.

The new Kia Sonet LS creeps in just below the R300,000 mark. Picture: Supplied

The Sonet is a solid and sensible stalwart of an SUV at the price, with good on-road refinement, and its normally aspirated 1.5-litre petrol engine, with 85kW and 144Nm, provides adequate performance, even at altitude.

While most options at this price point have various pros and cons to consider, the Sonet LS really just ticks most of the boxes. Granted, the interior looks a little sombre, but we’re not exactly expecting a Maybach at this level, are we?

The cabin is a little sombre, but acceptable at the price. Picture: Supplied.

Standard features include an 8.0-inch infotainment system as well as central locking, dual front airbags and stability control.

Oh, and there’s a service plan that covers you for three years or 45,000km and the five-year warranty has unlimited mileage, so go hit that highway and take advantage.

Mahindra XUV 3X0

Mahindra describes its new XUV 3X0 as a disruptive force in the compact SUV market, and with almost 600 sold during its first month on sale, the Indian manufacturer is surely onto something here.

It’s priced from R254,999 to R404,000, but the midrange MX3 version hits a sweet spot at R274,999 for the manual and R294,999 for the auto, with standard features including a 10.2-inch infotainment system with wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as cruise control, wireless phone charger and even a small sunroof.

There’s a big safety bonus too as all versions come with six airbags as standard.

The Mahindra XUV 3X0 is a turbocharged bargain. Picture: Supplied

Not only is the 3X0 packed with features, but it’s also the only turbocharged option for under R300,000, its 82kW 1.2-litre motor providing decent performance.

The self-shifting version also has a proper torque converter autobox, rather than those drony CVTs and awful AMTs that are common at the price point.

The redesigned cabin makes a good impression. Picture: Supplied

What’s more, the cabin is spacious, but the 364 litre boot is on the small side, albeit quite deep if you remove the lower parcel shelf.

The 3X0 also comes with a three-year or 55,000km service plan and five-year/150,000km warranty.

Toyota Starlet Cross and Suzuki Fronx

Apart from a few cosmetic differences at the front and back, the Suzuki Fronx and Toyota Starlet Cross are very closely related.

What you’re getting here is more of a hatchback on stilts than a tall or chunky SUV, and that could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on what you’re after.

On the one hand that tall and commanding driving position that many love so much is missing here, and headroom is a little restricted; on the other hand, they do boast the more agile handling of a hatchback, which we certainly appreciate.

Near-identical twins: Suzuki Fronx (top) and Toyota Starlet Cross (bottom). Picture: Supplied

Both model ranges offer an entry point below R300,000 in manual form, with the Suzuki Fronx 1.5 GL setting you back by R298,900 and Starlet Cross 1.5 XS commanding R299,900. The autos cost around R20,000 extra.

Base models they may be, but you’re still getting 16-inch alloy wheels, a 7.0-inch infotainment system, cruise control, automatic climate control, multi-function steering wheel and rear park distance control in both.

Inside they feel more hatch than SUV. Picture: Supplied

Power comes from the trusty and highly familiar Suzuki 1.5-litre normally aspirated motor, with 77kW and 138Nm, offering reasonably adequate performance and an agreeable driving experience all round.

You can hardly go wrong with either of these twins, hailing from Maruti Suzuki of India. Although their hatch siblings are even better value, if you can live without the crossover looks.

Ultimately you’ll need to pick your brand of choice, but keep in mind that the Suzuki’s five-year or 200,000km promotional warranty and four-year or 60,000 service plan is more generous than Toyota’s three-year/100,000km and 4-service/60,000km coverage. But then, if you prefer visiting a Toyota dealer.

Hyundai Exter

A newcomer to the market that’s also selling in reasonably good numbers, the Hyundai Exter will appeal to those that want a smaller, cheaper and more economical package. A true mini-SUV, if you will.

It’s priced from R269,900 to R334,900, with the mid-range Executive coming in at R289,900.

It’s also available as an AMT (automated manual transmission) but given our previous experiences with this gearbox type, which can be finicky to operate, you’re probably better off with a manual.

The Exter is based on the Grand i10 hatchback, and shares most of its interior bits and pieces as well as its 1.2-litre normally aspirated petrol engine that musters 61kW and 114Nm.

Spec levels are as good as you could expect at this level, with the Premium base version packing an 8.0-inch touchscreen, multi-function steering wheel and rear park assist, while the Executive adds 15-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, reverse camera and ambient cabin lighting.

Both are sold with a three-year or 45,000km service plan and five-year/150,000km warranty.

The cabin is lifted from the Grand i10: Picture: Supplied

For what it’s worth, the Exter is smaller than the aforementioned SUVs, but ideally suited to those seeking a more economical and nifty urban vehicle, and that solid build quality that Hyundai is known for is another selling point.

Chery Tiggo 4 Pro 1.5 LiT

It’s easy to see why the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro is selling up a storm, just look at how much SUV you’re getting for your money.

A case in point, the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro 1.5 LiT base version starts at R269,900 in manual form, with the CVT coming in at R314,900, and it’s bigger than the other SUVs available at this price point.

The Chery Tiggo 4 Pro gives you lots of SUV for the money. Picture: Supplied

It doesn’t skimp on specification either, with a 10.25-inch infotainment system, climate control with rear ventilation, multi-function steering wheel and 16-inch alloys all being part of the deal, although there are just two airbags.

The other downside to the base model is that it’s fitted with a 1.5-litre normally aspirated engine, with 83kW and 138Nm, which has a relatively heavy 1.3-tonnes worth of SUV to lug around.

For the turbo version you’ll have to up the budget to R359,900.

The interior is modern and well finished, but note that a higher-spec version is shown.

Either way, Chery is giving you a lot of metal and features for the money as well as a three-year or 30,000km service plan, and if you plan to keep it for 10 years, there’s also a million kilometre warranty that applies only to the first owner.

What to budget for

If you’re buying a R300,000 SUV, you’ll need to budget for a monthly instalment of around R5,300, over 72 months at prime, with a 10% deposit and no balloon, or around R5,879 with no deposit.

Depending on your circumstances, you should also budget for an insurance cost of around R1,700 and fuel costs of up to R4,000, WesBank says.

That is a large chunk of salary, but if you are shopping at this level, there are some great new options that weren’t available this time last year, serving the needs of both family buyers looking to make a sensible decision and young singles seeking something nippy.

IOL

* The above-mentioned prices were deemed correct at the time of publishing, but may be subject to change in early 2025.