Pica Choo

Lepas L4 product highlights  The Lepas L4 is the brand’s compact SUV offering in South Africa, positioned as an accessible entry point into the Lepas range. Available in three derivatives — Amur, Javan and Pantera — the L4 combines compact SUV practicality with distinctive styling, a generous equipment list and the backing of a comprehensive aftersales package. Pricing starts at R299,900 for the L4 Amur, moving to R369,900 for the L4 Javan and R419,900 for the range-topping L4 Pantera. Exterior design The Lepas L4 brings a bold, confident look to the compact SUV segment, with design details that reflect the brand’s feline-inspired styling approach. Its proportions are clean and contemporary, with an overall length of 4 406 mm, width of 1 820 mm and height of 1 635 mm, giving it a strong road presence without compromising everyday usability. All derivatives feature LED daytime running lights, LED taillights, a high-level brake light, body-coloured door handles, a rear spoiler and electrically adjustable side mirrors with integrated turn indicators. The entry-level Amur is fitted with halogen headlights and 16-inch wheels, while the Javan and Pantera upgrade to LED headlights and 17-inch wheels. The Pantera adds further visual and lifestyle appeal with load-bearing roof rails. Performance and efficiency The L4 range is offered with two powertrain configurations, depending on the derivative. The L4 Amur is powered by a naturally aspirated 1.5-litre petrol engine paired with a five-speed manual transmission. It produces 80 kW at 6 300 r/min and 148 N.m of torque at 4,900 r/min, offering straightforward, efficient performance for daily driving. The Javan and Pantera derivatives receive a turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol engine paired with a six-speed dual-clutch transmission. This raises outputs to 108 kW at 5 500 r/min and 225 N.m of torque between 2 000 and 4 000 r/min, providing stronger mid-range performance and a more effortless …

 For all the changes taking place online, the showroom still holds one advantage technology cannot reproduce. The first time a customer sees a salesperson may no longer be across a showroom desk. It may be on Instagram or TikTok, where a quick walkaround of a newly arrived car lands in their feed between cooking videos, news clips and whatever else the algorithm has decided to serve them that day. Sometimes that person is already looking for a car. Sometimes the video simply puts a model on their radar. They save it, search for similar examples, watch a review and work out what the repayments might look like. A WhatsApp enquiry follows, and only then do they visit the dealership. The sale still ends with a car changing hands, but the work leading up to it is now scattered across listings, social media, search results, finance calculators, messages and face-to-face conversations. Buyers move between them naturally. The dealership may only become aware of the customer after much of the initial research has already been done. The amount of activity taking place online gives some idea of the scale. AutoTrader’s 2025 Industry Report recorded 649 million searches and 439 million advert views from more than 46 million users during the year. Advert views were up 13% in 2024. Not all of that attention turned into an inquiry, of course. People browse cars they cannot afford, compare models months before they plan to buy and return to the same advert several times. Even so, it is clear that the online listing is no longer a preview of what happens in the showroom. For many buyers, it is where the serious shopping starts. George Mienie, CEO of AutoTrader, has watched that change at close range, having led the business through its move from print classifieds to a fully digital marketplace over nearly two decades. “Buyers are spending longer in the research phase, comparing alternatives and testing pricing against the market before enquiring. For dealers, …

Following the arrival of the L4, Lepas South Africa is dialling up the heat with the all-new L6, a larger, sharper, and feature-packed SUV built to impress.  The L6 is available in two derivatives, Javan and Pantera, both powered by a 108 kW/225 N.m 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine and a six-speed dual-clutch transmission. Measuring 4,554 mm long and riding on a 2,700 mm wheelbase, the L6 offers 435 litres of luggage space, increasing to 1,255 litres with the second row folded. Key features include a panoramic sunroof, 13.2-inch infotainment screen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 50 W wireless charging, 19-inch alloy wheels, LED lighting and a 540-degree HD surround-view camera system. Following the successful introduction of the L4, Lepas South Africa is expanding its local range with the larger L6. The new SUV is available in two derivatives, with the Javan priced at R469,900 and the Pantera at R499,900, bringing more space, stronger road presence and a broader standard specification to the line-up. Feline-inspired design meets modern comfort The L6’s design takes cues from the fluid agility of a hunting leopard. The influence can be seen in its confident proportions and crisp exterior details, giving the SUV a distinctive appearance while retaining the clean, contemporary shape buyers expect in this segment. The result gives the L6 a little visual pounce without overplaying its feline inspiration. The five-seat cabin is spacious and well-equipped, with a panoramic sunroof, 13.2-inch infotainment display, wireless smartphone connectivity and a 540-degree HD surround-view camera system included across the range. More room to work with The L6 measures 4,554 mm long, 1,852 mm wide and 1,681 mm tall, with a 2,700 mm wheelbase. Its generous dimensions give it a substantial presence on the road and create plenty of usable room inside. With all five seats in place, the luggage compartment holds 435 litres. A separate 71-litre …

When winter brings rain, gravel, muddy shoes and school-run chaos, these used family crossovers offer plenty of practicality and traction for not much money. There is a certain kind of crossover owner who would recoil at the thought of mud on the floor mats, never mind a wet dog in the boot or a gravel road pinging stones against the underbody. For many buyers, the appeal lies less in testing the limits of four-wheel-drive capability than in the confidence and status the SUV shape suggests. But South Africa still has plenty of motorists who need their crossovers to do more than look rugged outside a coffee shop. Winter may not bring snowdrifts and frozen lakes to most parts of the country, but it does bring its own set of inconveniences: wet roads, muddy driveways, slippery gravel, standing water, potholes hiding beneath puddles, and darker commutes that make poor road surfaces feel even less forgiving. That is where an all-wheel-drive or 4x4 crossover starts to make sense. Not for heroic off-road excursions, but for the more ordinary business of getting on with life when the weather turns unpleasant. School runs, work gear, pets, smallholdings, weekend getaways and the occasional rutted farm road all become a little easier to stomach when there is some extra traction and ground clearance beneath you. For this analysis, AutoTrader data was used to determine average asking prices, mileage and registration age for used AWD or 4x4 crossovers listed below R200,000 and with less than 200,000 km on the odometer. In other words, these are not pampered garage queens. They are older, higher-mileage cars that have already lived a life, but still have the sort of mechanical reliability that appeals to buyers who need something with genuine usability.  Of course, all-wheel drive is not a miracle cure. A neglected example on tired rubber will not inspire much confidence when the road turns greasy, and a well-maintained two-wheel-drive crossover on good tyres may …

The enhanced five-year/105 000 km maintenance cover strengthens Subaru’s ownership proposition, with the option to extend cover to seven years/150 000 km.   Subaru Southern Africa has introduced an enhanced maintenance plan as standard with every new Subaru purchased through its authorised dealer network from 1 August 2026.  The new plan increases standard maintenance cover from three years/75 000 km to five years/105 000 km, adding two years and 30 000 km of cover to every new Subaru ownership package.   Introduced under the campaign theme “Love our new standard”, the enhanced plan forms part of Subaru Southern Africa’s focus on strengthening the value offered throughout the ownership experience.  Combined with the brand’s existing five-year/150 000 km vehicle warranty, the longer maintenance plan provides customers with a more comprehensive standard ownership package while strengthening Subaru’s competitiveness alongside increasingly premium product offerings.  “Moving from three years/75 000 km to five years/105 000 km represents a meaningful enhancement to the value included with every new Subaru,” says Nteo Nkoli, National Marketing Manager at Subaru Southern Africa.  “Our customers are not only investing in a vehicle; they are investing in long-term confidence and peace of mind. By extending our standard maintenance cover, we are making the Subaru ownership proposition more compelling while remaining true to the safety, quality and capability for which Subaru is known.”  Customers seeking longer-term cover will also have the option to extend the maintenance plan by a further two years/45 000 km, providing total maintenance cover of up to seven years/150 000 km.  The maintenance plan includes scheduled servicing and specified wear-and-tear items, including:  Brake pads   Wiper blades   Key batteries   Vehicle batteries   Subaru Southern Africa’s five-year/150 000 km vehicle warranty remains unchanged and …

As the official mobility partner of the Black Coffee Foundation, Lepas supported the delivery of the Gift of Sight initiative at Zenzeleni Primary School in Alexandra. The four-day programme provided learners with comprehensive eye screenings and vision assessments, while introducing oral health assessments and access to essential dental care for the first time. Through its continued partnership with the Foundation, Lepas helped bring vital healthcare services directly to learners, supporting their wellbeing, confidence and ability to learn. Lepas South Africa supported the latest phase of the Black Coffee Foundation’s Gift of Sight initiative at Zenzeleni Primary School in Alexandra between 27-30 July. As the Foundation’s official mobility partner, Lepas provided transportation for the programme team and supported the delivery of the four-day initiative, helping to ensure that essential healthcare services reached learners directly. The programme provided comprehensive eye screenings and vision assessments to identify eyesight challenges that could affect learners’ education, confidence and development. This phase also marked the first expansion of the Gift of Sight initiative beyond eye care, introducing oral health assessments and access to essential dental care for learners who required further support. “Our partnership with the Black Coffee Foundation is about more than providing transport. It is about helping meaningful programmes reach the communities they are intended to serve. Through the Gift of Sight initiative, we are proud to play a practical role in improving learners’ access to essential eye and dental care,” said Jay Jay Botes, General Manager at Lepas and Chery South Africa. Lepas formed part of a network of organisations that supported the initiative, including Tania Noach Optometrists, the South African Optometric Association, Love Maison33 and JHB VIP. Fourways Dental Studio facilitated the introduction of dental …

Every electric vehicle market tracked by OLX Group ("OLX") is still growing at double- or triple-digit rates, and Chinese automotive brands are capturing a growing share of that demand, according to new data published recently. OLX, a global online classifieds leader with nearly 60 million daily listings across seven markets, has today published The Great Acceleration: East Meets Electric, which examines consumer demand for electric vehicles across five OLX automotive marketplaces: La Centrale (France), Autovit (Romania), Standvirtual (Portugal), Otomoto (Poland), and AutoTrader (South Africa). The data shows EV adoption maturing into a structural trend rather than a short-term reaction: every market measured has now sustained double- or triple-digit year-on-year EV lead growth, even as these growth rates ease from previously seen highs. Chinese automotive brands remain central to that story, with MG and BYD now among the leading Chinese brands in four of the five markets, as manufacturers continue to expand the availability of EVs at accessible price points. Key findings Every tracked market posted double- or triple-digit year-on-year EV lead growth in June 2026: France up +206%, South Africa up +154.6%, Romania up +66.0%, Portugal up +60.0%, and Poland up +34.3%. Portugal remains Europe's most EV-mature market, with EVs accounting for 14.9% of leads, almost double the next closest market. France remains the fastest-growing EV market in the group and the one where EV prices are still climbing (+25% year-on-year). MG and BYD are now the most consistently dominant Chinese brands across the group, appearing among the leading brands in France, Romania, Portugal and Poland. Christian Gisy, CEO of OLX, said: "The story our data tells is straightforward: where EV adoption is accelerating, demand for Chinese automotive brands is accelerating with it. That is no coincidence — Chinese manufacturers are actively expanding the market, bringing …

Recent Waterfall dealership opening reflects the next phase of the brand’s national rollout, following the L4 launch and ahead of the L6’s local arrival. Lepas South Africa is continuing to strengthen its presence in the local market, with the recent opening of its Waterfall dealership marking the latest step in the brand’s national expansion. The opening provides a timely proof point for a brand that has moved quickly from introduction to establishment in just a few months. Since the Lepas L4 became available in South Africa in March, the brand has built a national retail and aftersales footprint, appointed dealerships in key areas across the country, and begun laying the foundation for a broader product portfolio. In May, Lepas South Africa confirmed 27 operational dealerships nationwide, supported by 39 appointed service stations and trained technicians across the country. That figure has since grown to 29 operational dealerships, with Waterfall marking the latest addition to the brand’s expanding footprint. In total, 42 dealerships have been appointed.  For Lepas, dealer growth is not only about opening new showroom doors. It is about building confidence in the brand by ensuring customers are supported before, during and after purchase. “Establishing a strong dealer network has been one of our most important priorities from the outset,” says Jay Jay Botes, General Manager of Lepas and Chery South Africa. “Customers want to know that the right people, the right infrastructure and the right long-term commitment back the brand they are buying into. The continued development of our network is an important part of delivering that reassurance.” Lepas forms part of Chery Group South Africa, giving the brand access to an established automotive group with growing local infrastructure, dealer experience and aftersales capability. This backing has played an important role in the pace of the rollout, while helping to ensure that the customer experience …