All the cars that went on sale in April

The South African motor industry is evidently not slowing down anytime soon, as 10 new cars joined the ranks at local dealerships last month.

It’s already been a strong year for new vehicles launches, with 19 models going on sale between January and March – including long-awaited entries like the next-generation VW Amarok and Ford Ranger Raptor – and April was no different with the arrival of not one but two of the most hotly anticipated cars of the year.

The models in question are the Suzuki Grand Vitara and the Toyota Urban Cruiserwhich launched in the same week and are follow-ups to two of the country’s best-selling crossovers – namely the Suzuki Vitara Brezza and the old Urban Cruiser.

Another Toyota that appeared on the scene in the last 30 days is the new Vitzbased on the Suzuki Celerio, which is replacing the Agya as the brand’s cheapest offering in the catalogue.

Ford, too, is keeping up a constant flow of new content, bringing out the Raptor and Ranger single and super cabs in short order. The latest addition to the blue oval’s line-up are two new specifications for the Everest – the more affordable XLT and the SUV’s first-ever Wildtrak trim.

Moreover, we got the new Nissan X-Trailwhich is available in three specifications with a single engine between them, the most powerful Honda Civic Type R ever, and the luxurious second-generation Mercedes-Benz GLC.

The hatchback segment, meanwhile, saw the reintroduction of the fan-favourite Running Lite specification, which now slots in as the cheapest option in the line-up.

Finally, South Africa welcomed the arrival of Chery’s luxury branch Omoda and its first car – the C5 crossover – last month, bringing an impressive equipment list at a sub-R500,000 price point.