Staff Reporter.

French motoring company Peugeot, owned by Stellantis, which also owns Citroën, Fiat, and Jeep, has unveiled its pick-up – the Peugeot LandTrek – to go on sale on the South African market.

The 1.9-litre turbodiesel develops 110kW thanks to a variable turbine geometry with 16 valves. With a torque of 350Nm, the LandTrek adapts to the prevailing terrain through Manual, Sport, or Eco modes.

Safety is ensured by six airbags and an Electronic Stability Programme that includes Hill Descent Control.

Up to 235mm of ground clearance equips the vehicle with all the necessary assets of the double cab market, be it two- or four-wheel drive.

It is priced as follows:

• Allure Double Cab 4×2: R579 900
• 4Action Double Cab 4×4: R669 900

In November, the Toyota Hilux continued its run as the best-selling bakkie in the country – with 2,558 units, while the Isuzu D-Max (1,666) has overtaken Ford Ranger (1,165) in recent months. Both Isuzu and Ford are expected to launch new Ranger and D-Max models in 2022.

It is difficult to see how Peugeot’s pickup will compete with the above-mentioned heavyweights, but it might well compete against the likes of the GWM P-Series, Nissan Navara, Mahindra Scorpio Pik-Up, and GWM Steed. Mazda recently launched its new Mazda BT-50 range, consisting of three variants, and starting at R611,900 for a 1.9L Active – boasting 110 kW and 350 Nm.

The Dynamic and Individual models offer a 3.0L DE engine (140kW / 450Nm), and are priced from R759,400, and R794,400 respectively.

The VW Amarok Double Cab 2.0 BiTDI  4Motion is in a different class, offering 132kW for a price tag of R738,800, while the Amarok Double Cab 3.0 TDI 4Motion Auto is a beast (190kW) at R953,100.

Backed by Great Wall Motors in China, the GWM P-Series has been a popular addition to the pick-up range in South Africa, with strong reviews of its latest models, and shooting up the sales rankings to be inside the top five in November, with 655 units sold, and ahead of Nissan Navara (617).

The GWM P-Series S-Cab 2.0TD SX 4×2 6MT is priced at R377,900, while the D-Cab 2.0TD DLX 4×4 8AT R is R100,000 more expensive (R477,900) – both pushing out 120 Kw and 400 Nm.

The new LandTrek enters the one-ton pick-up segment with the goal of becoming a new benchmark in a market that represents around 300,000 annual sales units in the Middle East Africa region.

Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) account for more than 25% of the South African new-vehicle market, making LandTrek a key launch for Peugeot in a key market, the group said.

The Peugeot brand worked closely with the best international suppliers from Europe, Japan, and the USA, amongst others, to design this vehicle," the group said.

The Landtrek is covered by a five years/100 000 km Warranty and Service Plan with maintenance intervals every 10,000km.