Chery names its first bakkie Grootman
Chery has named its first bakkie for South Africa Grootman, a name chosen by South Africans. The model is planned to make its local debut in the first quarter of 2027.
- Product News
- 2 October 2026
As families prepare for the upcoming holiday travel season, ensuring vehicle safety is more important than ever.
Nissan South Africa urges all drivers to schedule a comprehensive evaluation with an authorised dealer before hitting the road. For this reason, the company is running a dedicated summer vehicle health check campaign that runs until 31 January, in terms of which customers can get their Nissan vehicle’s key systems inspected for only R199.
“Increased travel volume, heavier vehicle loads, and long-distance driving during the holidays make professional inspections critical in order to prevent breakdowns and accidents,” says Freddie Louw, General Manager: Aftersales South Africa & Sub Sahara Africa at Nissan Motor Corporation.
“A summer holiday trip should be worry-free. That is why a safety check by a certified Nissan technician ensures essential components like brakes, tyres, suspension, battery, lights, fluids and more, are functioning optimally. This also reduces the chance of roadside breakdowns and keeps your family safe throughout the journey.”
Louw explained that authorised dealers employ factory-trained technicians who understand your Nissan vehicle inside out. Their expertise ensures that potential issues, often invisible to the untrained eye, are identified and fixed before they become hazards.
Another reliability consideration is that authorised dealers guarantee the use of genuine manufacturer-approved parts. This means that any repairs or replacements meet strict safety and performance standards, reducing the risk of component failure during long journeys.
“Many modern vehicles rely on electronics and integrated safety systems. Nissan Service Centres use specialised diagnostic equipment designed specifically for your vehicle, allowing them to detect hidden faults and calibrate safety features such as ABS, airbags and driver-assist systems,” Freddie says.
Having your vehicle inspected and serviced at an authorised dealer helps maintain your warranty and service plan coverage. Unauthorised repairs or non-genuine parts can void warranties, something travellers don’t want to discover during a holiday emergency.
With peak summer travel season approaching, appointment slots at Nissan dealers fill up quickly. Owners are encouraged to schedule their pre-trip safety inspections as early as possible.
Netcare Diagnostics (a Netcare Group business) is introducing its first fully electric vehicles to its transport fleet, starting with shorter urban routes for collecting patient pathology specimens.
South Africa’s new vehicle market recorded aggregate domestic sales of 61 645 units in September 2026, an increase of 12.7% compared with the 54 706 units sold during September 2025.
SA Auto Week 2026 is scheduled to take place in eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal, from 13 to 16 October, with the event marking five years of SA Auto Week.