How much MORE it costs to refuel your diesel double cab in 2026

· The South African

If South Africa had a national vehicle, it would be the diesel double-cab bakkie. Unfortunately, owners have had a brutal year, and it’s been absolutely out of their control, thanks to events 10 000 km away in the Strait of Hormuz. And while petrol prices have seen their own price increases, diesel has outpaced them by a wide margin.

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Let’s rewind to 28 February 2026, when the first sortie of US-Israeli strikes on Iran triggered what’s now dubbed the Iran war. Iran responded by declaring the Strait of Hormuz closed, a waterway that one fifth of the world’s oil passes through. Brent crude, sitting around $70 a barrel before the war, spiked immediately above $100. And that was just the beginning …

2026 DIESEL PRICE COMPARISON

So, let’s recap how much more you’re actually paying to refill your diesel double cab with 50 ppm over the course of 2026:

  • 7 January 2026 was the cheapest price before the war – R17.76/litre coast, R18.52/litre inland.
  • This week, following the latest 2 September 2026 increase – R28.79/litre coast, R30.05/litre inland.
  • It equates to an overall increase of R11.03/litre coast, R11.53/litre inland.
  • That’s what a 62% jump in both zones looks like.

WHAT IT COSTS TO FILL UP IN 2026

Many hoped for a swift resolution to the Iran conflict, however, the opposite occurred. Image: File

Most diesel double-cab bakkies on SA roads run an 80-litre tank, so here’s what that means for your wallet at the pumps:

  • Coastal fill-up in January vs September 2026: R1 420.80 vs R2 303.20 (R882.40 more).
  • Inland fill-up in January vs September 2026: R1 481.60 vs R2 404.00 (R922.40 more).

That’s nearly R900 more to fill the same tank. And depending on your mileage, motorists might average a refill every week. No wonder your bank account and fuel tank always appear to be empty at the end of the month. The latest increase, effective this week, added R3.15/litre to 50 ppm diesel alone, one of the sharpest single-month hikes in 2026.

STRONG RAND SAVES FACE

And the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources and National Treasury was unable to soften the blow with a reduction in fuel levies or any other safeguard. Plus, a weaker rand would have made it worse. Our currency’s relative strength this past month is the only reason the increase wasn’t even more devastating.

Likewise, the Strait of Hormuz situation remains unresolved. And analysts don’t expect Middle East oil production to normalise again before early 2027. So, you may have to start making serious enquires about the latest breed of petrol and new-energy double-cab alternatives out there.

But what do you think? Are you willing to take the diesel double cab pain for now, rather than investing in something else? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below …

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