Mail & Guardian
Mail & Guardian
Eyaaz Matwadia

Creator

Eyaaz Matwadia

Eyaaz Matwadia is the website editor and leads the motoring section at the Mail & Guardian

Mail & Guardian motoring editor Eyaaz Matwadia behind the wheel of the Leapmotor B10 Hybrid EV. The combination of pure-electric refinement and range-extender capability proves that spontaneous South African road trips are still very much alive.

The ultimate 30-hour leap of faith in the Leapmotor B10

An impromptu 1,200km weekend dash from Johannesburg to Durban puts the new Leapmotor B10 Hybrid EV to the test, proving that electric refinement and spontaneous road trips can…

Vehicle sales surge but buyers hit the brakes on vehicles beyond R500K

As soaring vehicle prices alienate everyday buyers, South Africa's automotive market is splitting at the R500 000 mark, fuelling a surge in used cars, Asian value brands, and…

Jozi to Durban in an EV: The iCAUR 03T road trip experience

A family embarks on an electric vehicle road trip from Johannesburg to Durban in an iCAUR 03T, navigating charging infrastructure, range management, and the realities of…

Seamless Integrated Mobility will see buses, trains and autonomous cars working in sync to reduce congestion. (Photo: Reuters/Joe White

Passenger vehicle sales for July the best since 2014

South Africa's new vehicle market experienced a significant surge in July 2026, with sales reaching 57 708 units. Passenger vehicle sales, contributing 40 912 units, marked the…

Ford Ranger Raptor: A wild dragon that refuses to be tamed

Last year, I tested the impressive BYD Shark 6, which immediately attempted to dethrone the Ford Ranger Raptor when it arrived in South Africa. I remember too clearly the massive…

The Land Rover Discovery gets the balance right

The Land Rover Discovery D350 strikes a perfect balance between the opulent Range Rover and the rugged Defender, offering a compelling blend of luxury, capability, and…

Jaecoo's first EV coming to SA finds the sweet spot in the market

Jaecoo's new J5 BEV is poised to disrupt the South African electric vehicle market, offering a compelling middle ground between basic city hatchbacks and expensive mid-size…

Changan Alsvin shocked me...at how good it is

Budget-friendly automatic cars in South Africa often mean sluggish acceleration and frustrating drives. But the new Changan Alsvin 1.5 CE Auto defies expectations, delivering a…

The red S-Class: How Madiba’s hand-built Mercedes proves that love is still our finest engineering

Step into the Apartheid Museum and discover the powerful story of Nelson Mandela's Signal Red Mercedes-Benz 500SE, a car hand-built by workers as a monument to gratitude and a…

The Ford Wildtrak Supercab just got wilder

It's turning into a bakkie year for South Africa. Ford has updated the Ranger lineup, Toyota has launched the new Hilux, Isuzu has upgraded the D-Max and smaller Chinese brands…

Lepas L6 is a milestone in Chinese refinement

Fresh off the launch of the Chery plant in Rosslyn, the Mail&Guardian got an exclusive pre-test of the Lepas L6. As a new brand under the Chery umbrella, Lepas aims to offer…

Chery launches Rosslyn manufacturing plant and commits to South Africa

Chery has officially opened its manufacturing facility in Rosslyn, Pretoria, transitioning from an importer to a local manufacturer in South Africa. This follows the acquisition…

GR Yaris: The hottest hatch around town?

The author, a self-proclaimed lover of soft, comfortable rides, gets behind the wheel of the facelifted Toyota GR Yaris with its new 8-speed GAZOO Racing Direct Automatic…

Bafana Bafana crash out of FIFA World Cup in Round of 32

Bafana Bafana's FIFA World Cup journey ends in the Round of 32 after a dramatic 90th-minute winner by Canada's Stephen Eustáquio. Despite the heartbreaking loss in Los Angeles,…

Bafana Bafana make history and advance to World Cup round of 32

Bafana Bafana have made history by advancing to the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time. South Africa secured their spot with a crucial win over Korea Republic, coupled…

JMC Vigus review: Ford DNA and a price tag that humbles the establishment

South Africans are fiercely protective of their bakkies, a market long dominated by Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger. But newcomers like GWM's P-Series have shown buyers are open to…

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The BYD storm is upon SA but a local factory depends on ‘market readiness’

BYD's entry into South Africa has dramatically reshaped the new-energy vehicle (NEV) landscape. After initially withholding sales figures, BYD's recent disclosure to Naamsa…

History: At VWSA's Auto Pavilion museum in Kariega, the very first (above) and very last Beetles sit on display.

The VW Beetle: A vessel of mercy with rich heritage

In 1968, Walt Disney released The Love Bug, starring Herbie, a sentient, pearl-white 1963 Volkswagen Beetle. The film became a massive global box-office success, transforming the…

A standout: The H7 Black Edition is a quality product that provides excellent value for money. Photo: Supplied

Haval H7 Black Edition: a reason the Chinese are winning

Haval’s flagship product is value for money and it is exactly why the Chinese manufacturers keep climbing the ranks

Worth the price tag: Built with style, power and a drive-centric experience, the MG Cyberster sits pretty up
there with the BMW Z4. Photos: Supplied
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MG Cyberster: The roadster we never knew we needed

The MG Cyberster — the only electric one on our roads — provides excitement, power and cool features, making it a head-turner