A good fleet car in South Africa is any car that provides your company with relatively low fuel costs, driver safety, low maintenance, and a high resale value. Other factors that could influence your vehicle decision might include tyres, vehicle lifespan, cabin space, and other tailored needs of your company.
According to a Nasdaq.com press release, Cartrack alone has over half a million active fleet management units installed in South African fleet vehicles (not to mention competing fleet management companies). With so many fleet vehicles in the country, many business leaders are opting to start fleet-based companies.
At Cartrack, we’re all about finding ways to cut your organisation’s overheads and provide you with more efficiency and asset protection. That’s why we constructed this article to help you decide on the best fleet vehicle options for your business.
A good fleet car in South Africa is one that has a reputation for reliability, is affordable to run, and keeps its resale value. Popular options include:
These models are trusted for fuel efficiency, low maintenance, and their decent resale value.
When choosing multiple vehicles for a fleet, some factors that exceed a regular vehicle purchase should be considered. The most important is the ‘Total Cost of Ownership’ of each vehicle. This goes beyond the initial purchase cost of a car and asks the question, “What is a good fleet car in terms of the total amount of money it will cost to buy, run, and eventually sell?”
Total Cost of Ownership (aka TCO) when choosing a fleet vehicle means the full cost of running it and later selling it. (You can also include the purchase price in this calculation). It mostly includes:
Knowing your TCO helps you pick vehicles that save you money in the long run. That’s why it’s an important calculation to make before you settle on just any car brand.
Fuel efficiency is important for fleet cars because of how much time they spend on the road. Because your company will be spending a large portion of funds on fuel, any obtainable fuel savings over your entire fleet should be identified and implemented.
Although most fleets prefer to use diesel over petrol for their cars, this on its own doesn’t always provide the maximum savings you can obtain. Curbing fuel theft, discouraging idling, and finding the optimum routes for your drivers are just some ways you can make a significant difference in your fuel costs.
But one of the biggest differences in fuel savings will come from choosing a good fleet car to begin with. Cars that generally use less fuel per kilometer should be considered over ‘gas-guzzlers’. Choosing between manual and automatic can also make a difference in your fuel costs, so pick wisely.
Vehicle safety also plays an important role in your fleet vehicle selection. Safer cars generally save you in the long run, and are well worth the extra initial purchase costs for these vehicles.
How does choosing a safe car for your fleet save you in the long run? Just look:
Maintenance costs affect your fleet car selection by influencing your running expenses. If you choose cars with higher service or repair costs (like a cheaper brand over a better-known one), your fleet budget will quickly go up. Cars with affordable parts, reliable servicing, and strong dealer networks in South Africa help you cut downtime and reduce repair costs.
Resale value is a super important factor to consider when choosing fleet vehicles. Every car you buy is an investment, and you should try to get as much back as you can when you sell that investment later on. Many car brands in SA have good resale values, and choosing these over some of the emerging cheaper brands is wise—especially when the time comes to sell your vehicles.
Other factors worth considering before deciding on a good fleet car for your business include:
Here’s a more expansive overview to keep in mind:
The most popular fleet car brands in South Africa are ones that offer a mixture of fuel efficiency, robustness, low maintenance, and safety. These factors make them among the best fleet cars for SA companies. Some also come at relatively low purchase prices, whether you’re buying them new or second-hand.
The bakkies in South Africa that are considered good fleet vehicles are those that have stood the test of time in terms of durability, brand awareness, and reputation. They also have decent load capacities, allowing you to carry more per trip.
Most South African fleet vehicles tend to use diesel fuel, but that’s mainly because of how many trucks are included in thousands of South African fleets. Fleets that use sedans (or cars) for their fleets, also have some options to use diesel, but most are petrol fueled.
If you want your fleet to run on diesel fuel, you can choose from several cars and bakkies popular in South Africa. Options include those that are reliable, fuel-efficient for heavy use, and have strong dealer support across the country.
Once you’ve found the ideal vehicles for your fleet, it’s important to protect each and every one of them for as long as possible. Even though your Total Cost of Ownership is lower due to the wise choices you’ve made, you still need to protect against:
Cartrack isn’t only about saving fuel costs with world-class fuel management software. We also offer other investments that protect your vehicles and save you on fleet operation costs. Here are some other ways you can manage and protect your fleet vehicles.
Protecting your fleet against theft keeps your assets safe and lowers your insurance premiums. GPS tracking and real-time alerts tell you where every vehicle is, making managing them easier.
If a vehicle goes missing, we can act fast and recover it. This lowers your replacement costs and allows your insurance company to offer lower premiums.
Learn about Cartrack’s GPS Tracking!
Safety in any fleet is equivalent to money in your pocket. Preventing road accidents through speed monitoring, identifying harsh braking and other risky driving habits keeps your drivers safe. Addressing these also helps you coach your drivers through training.
AI-driven digital driver scorecards give you all the information you need to reward good driving and identify potentially risky driver habits. Getting alerted to these habits before accidents happen will lead to fewer repair costs.
Learn about Cartrack’s Driver Scorecard and Driver ID Tags!
In the same way, preventing bad driving will minimise vehicle wear and tear. Even though you made some good decisions in choosing good fleet cars or fleet trucks, you still need to mitigate any unnecessary damage brought on by risky driving habits:
Keep your vehicles in the best condition despite long hours on the road. Learn about Cartrack’s CANbus vehicle readings!
A good fleet car saves you on fuel by default. However, how do you prevent fuel thieves from syphoning out that fuel when your vehicles are parked? Worse still, how do you prevent your drivers from committing fuel fraud when they fill up?
Cartrack understands the value of fuel in SA. It’s not something that should EVER be wasted. With fuel sensors and AI-driven digital logbooks, you can prove fuel theft, prevent it in future, and recover your profits through smarter fuel management.
Learn about Cartrack’s fuel management solutions!
Yes, running a fleet can give your business tax benefits. You can claim on vehicle depreciation, fuel costs, vehicle maintenance, and your insurance premiums as business expenses. This lowers your taxable income and helps you save money. Make sure your vehicles are properly registered and that all records are kept for SARS compliance.
Hybrid and electric fleet cars can be practical in SA, but there are some challenges. Charging stations are limited in many areas, and the initial costs for these vehicles are higher. They suit urban fleets with predictable routes. If you manage routes and charging carefully, hybrids and EVs can cut fuel costs and reduce emissions.
The average lifespan of a fleet car in South Africa is around 5 to 7 years. The car will still run after this period (provided it’s well maintained), but the wear and tear may warrant a replacement to keep your fleet running well.
Yes, companies can lease fleet cars instead of buying them. Leasing helps businesses manage cash flow while keeping their fleet modern and reliable, and gives you the flexibility to upgrade your vehicles regularly. It often includes maintenance packages (which come with the leasing contract) and fleet management support (which can be outsourced).
Yes, fleet cars do need tracker devices in South Africa, although this isn’t a legal requirement. GPS trackers help you to monitor vehicle location, prevent theft, and manage your drivers’ driving habits on the road. They improve safety, reduce fuel waste, and give you real-time data to make better fleet management decisions.
Discover what makes a good fleet car, from fuel efficiency and safety to maintenance costs and driver comfort. Learn how to choose the best vehicles for your business fleet.
