Why we don’t get all the cool cars?
It’s a moan heard around many a braai fire and in plenty of comment sections: “Why don’t we get the Ford Bronco?” or “Why is the Toyota Tacoma not available here?” Cue the sighs, the conspiracy theories, and the lamenting over the cars we’ll never get to drive. But as it turns out, there’s a very simple – and very technical – reason why some vehicles never make it to Mzansi’s shores: they drive on the wrong side.
No, not us – them. Or rather, most of the world.
South Africa is one of only about 75 countries in the world where vehicles are driven on the left-hand side of the road, which means we need right-hand drive (RHD) vehicles. That sounds like a decent number, until you realise there are over 190 countries globally. That means less than 40% of the world drives on the left, while the vast majority – over 60% – drives on the right, requiring left-hand drive (LHD) vehicles.
And when you look at it in terms of population, the imbalance becomes even more stark. Roughly a quarter of the global population lives in right-hand drive markets. The rest? Lefties. As in, left-hand drive markets. That’s where the big volumes are, and where most manufacturers understandably focus their attention.
Who are the right-hand drive rebels?
Alongside South Africa, the other notable right-hand drive countries include Australia, the UK, Japan, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, and a smattering of others like Kenya, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. Most of these are former British colonies, which is no coincidence: the British Empire spread not just cricket and queuing but also left-side driving.
Of these, Australia, Japan, and India are the big fish. Japan and India have massive populations and strong local vehicle industries, while Australia has a loyal market with very specific tastes – think bakkies, off-roaders and rugged SUVs. As a result, if a car is going to be made in RHD at all, it’s often because it’s destined for one of those three. South Africa, with our relatively small market size, is usually much lower on the pecking order.
The rise of India
India has become a powerhouse in the automotive world – and not just for its home market. It’s also a key source of right-hand drive vehicles for other countries like South Africa. Indian manufacturing has a reputation for being cost-effective, and because India also drives on the left, its factories are well set up to produce RHD cars that suit our needs and budgets.
A growing number of brands are taking advantage of this. Many Suzuki models sold in South Africa – including the Swift, Fronx, Baleno, Celerio, Dzire, and Jimny five-door – are built in India. Toyota has also tapped into Indian manufacturing for budget-friendly models like the Vitz (a rebadged Suzuki Celerio), Starlet, Urban Cruiser, and Rumion, all of which are essentially Suzuki products wearing Toyota badges thanks to the Toyota-Suzuki global alliance.
Even Hyundai and Kia source several RHD models from their Indian operations. The Hyundai Grand i10 and Venue, for instance, are built in India, while Kia’s Sonet and Seltos also roll out of Indian factories.
This strategy allows local importers to offer vehicles at competitive prices, while still meeting the needs of our RHD market. It’s a win-win, especially when budgets are tight and options are limited.
Why this matters
Vehicle development is an expensive business. Creating a new model from scratch can cost billions – yes, billions – and switching it from LHD to RHD isn’t just a matter of sticking the steering wheel on the other side. It involves major changes to the dashboard layout, wiring harnesses, pedal positions, safety systems, and even things like wiper orientation and bonnet release mechanisms. Then there’s homologation – every version needs to pass strict local safety and emissions standards.
That’s why if a manufacturer is only targeting LHD markets – like North America, much of Europe, and China – they often won’t bother with an RHD version at all. And when they do, Australia and the UK are first in line. South Africa? We’re waving from the cheap seats.
Brands we miss out on
This all explains why there are entire brands – and dozens of models – that never officially make it to South Africa. Brands like Dodge, Ram, and Chevrolet (post-Opel days) focus almost exclusively on LHD production for the US and Latin American markets. Vehicles like the Toyota Tacoma, Ford Bronco, Chevrolet Silverado, Dodge Charger, RAM 1500, Cadillac Escalade, and Honda Passport are LHD only… and thus, off the menu.
Even when there’s fan demand, the business case often just doesn’t stack up. The cost to engineer an RHD version for a tiny market like ours – especially when local volumes are unlikely to reach critical mass – makes it a no-go. Yes, there are conversion shops and parallel imports, but those are niche solutions for deep-pocketed buyers, not mass-market fixes.
But don’t we build cars here?
Yes, we do – and we do it well. South Africa has a thriving automotive manufacturing sector, with big names like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Ford, Volkswagen, Isuzu, and Toyota building vehicles for both local and international markets. In fact, many of the vehicles built here are exported as left-hand drive models to overseas buyers.
Take BMW’s Rosslyn plant, for example. It has built thousands of LHD 3 Series and X3 models for Europe and the US. Mercedes-Benz East London exports the C-Class to over 80 markets. Ford’s Silverton plant produces both LHD and RHD Rangers, and Volkswagen Uitenhage supplies Polos to more than 30 countries. It’s a bit ironic that a bakkie built in Pretoria might never see a South African road – but that’s globalisation for you.
What’s the bottom line?
Unless we suddenly grow our population to match India’s or start importing vehicles by the shipload like the Aussies, we’re always going to be a bit of an afterthought when it comes to right-hand drive development. But thanks to our own manufacturing strength, clever alliances with India, and some patient lobbying, we still get access to a decent selection of world-class wheels – many of which are tailored to our unique local needs.
So, the next time someone asks, “Why don’t we get that model here?” you can confidently say: “Because they didn’t build it for our side of the road, bru.”
