Nissan Navara vs Toyota Hilux
Value retention, real cost and monthly money, compared on the same 2026 South African data.
Too close to call on resale: both keep about 76% of their value over three years. Decide on the deal, not the badge.
Both curves, one chart
Head to head
| Navara | Hilux | |
|---|---|---|
| New price (from) | R 433 500 | R 379 700 |
| ±Monthly instalment | R 7 577/m | R 6 637/m |
| Retained after 1 year | 87% | 87% |
| Retained after 3 years | 75% | 76% |
| Value after 3 years | R 327 231 | R 288 289 |
| Lost to depreciation (3y) | R 106 269 | R 91 411 |
| Value after 5 years | R 277 479 | R 245 282 |
| Our tier | Workhorse bakkie & ladder-frame SUV | Workhorse bakkie & ladder-frame SUV |
Nissan Navara →
Navara has been Nissan's one-ton bakkie in SA since the D40 arrived in 2006 with car-like refinement. The current generation has been built at Rosslyn since 2021 and uses coil-sprung rear suspension on double cabs. It undercuts the Hilux and Ranger on price but trails them on resale.
Known for: coil-sprung comfort and rosslyn build
Toyota Hilux →
South Africa's best-selling vehicle for most of the past two decades, built locally in Durban. The range runs from basic single cab workhorses under R400k to the new ninth-generation double cabs approaching R1 million. Used Hilux values hold up better than almost anything else on the market, which keeps demand strong even for high-mileage examples.
Known for: unkillable reputation and rock-solid resale
Common questions
Which holds value better, the Nissan Navara or the Toyota Hilux?
They are close to inseparable: 75% vs 76% retained after three years. Buy on price, spec and the deal you can get, not on resale.
Which is cheaper to own over three years?
Depreciation is the biggest ownership cost. The Nissan Navara loses about R 106 269 over three years and the Toyota Hilux loses about R 91 411. Fuel, insurance and servicing can narrow or widen that, but the depreciation gap is the number to start from.
What do they cost per month?
On typical finance (10% deposit, 72 months, 11.75%), the Nissan Navara runs about R 7 577 per month and the Toyota Hilux about R 6 637, before fees and insurance.
Keep going
Modelled estimates on a retail basis; spec levels and real transaction prices vary.