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- The Nissan NP200 is the only available half-tonne bakkie left on the local market.
- It is priced from R234 000 and more than 1 000 units have been sold monthly for the past few years.
- Production at the Rosslyn plant will cease in March 2024.
Nissan South Africa has officially confirmed that its popular NP200 bakkie - and the only half-tonner left on the local market - will be discontinued when production comes to an end in March 2024.
South Africa's bakkie game is the strongest it's ever been, with so many models for customers to choose from. The ever-popular Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max, Nissan Navara, and VW Amarok are just some of the cherry picks, but the same can't be said for the half-tonne options.
Nissan's NP200 bakkie is the only brand-new option on sale locally. But now that too will be no more. The Japanese automaker has officially confirmed the popular half-tonne bakkie will be discontinued in SA. With that being said, the current generation Navara bakkie will be the only model produced by the Rosslyn plant once the NP200 bids farewell next year.
READ | These are the cheapest new single-cab bakkies from automakers in SA
So where does that leave everyone? Fortunately for businesses and consumers, production of the bakkie at the Rosslyn plant will only cease in March 2024, so there's still ample time to buy one and use aftersales.
The model has a starting price of R234 000 on Nissan's local website. In addition to the NP200, Nissan SA also discontinued the NP300, GT-R and Micra models over the past two years.
The reason for leaving?
We asked Nissan South Africa about the NP200 bakkie exiting the local market and if there's a potential replacement. Nissan South Africa country director Kabelo Rabotho told News24 Motoring: "After a 16-year heritage, the production of the Nissan NP200 will end in South Africa in March 2024, following the end of its extended lifecycle. No immediate replacement model is planned, although Nissan is currently evaluating other alternatives in line with the ambitions of its Africa Mid-Term plan.
"Nissan remains fully committed to South Africa and the wider continent as the last frontier of the automotive industry. The Rosslyn manufacturing plant is the light commercial vehicle (LCV) hub for Africa, and the locally produced Nissan Navara is a core model that will enable Nissan's ambition across the continent.
"The planned replacement model for NP200 was cancelled due to the exit of the Alliance from the Russian market, which severely impacted our components suppliers' competitiveness and their viability in the market."
Other options?
Take the NP200 out of the equation, and there are no other definitive offerings to choose from – brand new, anyway. And there hasn't been for quite some time.
The pre-owned market is your best bet to find a half-tonner, with models like the Chevrolet Utility and Ford Bantam still doing the rounds, the NP200's former rivals.
Nissan hasn't named a potential successor to the NP200, though a variation of the Renault Oroch bakkie is being touted and could be an option for the local market. Time will tell whether a potential product will either be built locally or imported. One of the main reasons the half-tonner sold so well was that it met most business logistical requirements – a modern version of the Champ 1400 if you will – for below R250 000. Nissan will now lose the healthy three-figure sales the half-tonner brought in for the brand every month.
Customers will most likely now shift their attention to the "next best things - the Suzuki Super Carry (priced from R166 900) or Eeco (priced from R199 900) – though they are more affordable, they don't offer the safety and versatility of the NP200. Hyundai also claims its Grand i10 and Venue Cargo models have become great alternatives for half-tonne vehicles for security companies.
Renault and Volkswagen have their eye on the almost vacant segment, and any offering will undoubtedly do well, as with the NP200. It remains to be seen if any brand will take over the half-tonne mantle that the NP200 has left behind or if it really is the end of an era.
