New Volkswagen Saveiro Bakkie Revealed

author: FutureCar Staff    

Volkswagen has unveiled the latest version of its Saveiro bakkie, a half-tonne pickup truck. However, this new model will not be available in South Africa.

Previously, we reported that the Brazilian version of the Saveiro would not be available in South Africa due to its left-hand drive orientation. Volkswagen South Africa confirmed this, stating that the development costs for a right-hand drive model would be too high and the low volumes in South Africa would not make business sense for VW.

Despite not being available in South Africa, the Volkswagen Saveiro is offered in single-cab and double-cab configurations. The single cab has a payload capacity of 664 kg, while the double cab variant has a slightly lower 638 kg payload capacity. The Saveiro range consists of several models, including the Robust Single Cab, Robust Double Cab, Trendline Single Cab, and Extreme Double Cab.

The range-topping Extreme derivative of the Saveiro features 15-inch alloy wheels with a Paino Black color, leather upholstery finished in Oliver Gray, a Composition Touch multimedia system, and various exterior elements that align with its Extreme nameplate.

The 2023 iteration of the Saveiro has a redesigned frame compared to its predecessor. The front of the bakkie features a taller bonnet with marked lines leading to the front bumper. The front bumper itself has a redesigned grille with chrome trim and Tiguan-Esque headlights on each side.

The rear of the Saveiro has darkened taillights connected by a horizontal matte black stripe. The redesigned rear bumper improves the bakkie's departure angle. The Saveiro's dimensions are 4,474 mm in length, 1,521 mm in height, and 1,893 mm in width, with a wheelbase of 2,752 mm. The wheelbase is nearly 200 mm shorter than that of Nissan's NP200.

Under the hood, the Saveiro is powered by VW's petrol 1.6-liter naturally aspirated EA211 engine, delivering 85 kW and 157 N.m of torque to the front wheels through a five-speed manual transmission. The front suspension has been raised by 10 mm to improve ground clearance.

With the NP200 no longer available, the Volkswagen Saveiro could be a potential alternative for those in the half-tonne bakkie segment.

FutureCar Staff