Surprise prolonging of Renault Oroch still not a win for South Africa

Renault’s President for Argentina has thrown an unexpected spanner in the works by confirming that the Niagara half-ton bakkie won’t replace the aging first-generation Duster-based Oroch after all.

Co-existence

Back in September, the automaker’s CEO for Latin America, Luiz Pedrucci, approved a R6.1-billion investment into the Santa Isabel Plant in Argentina for production of the Niagara in 2026 in a capacity expected to have made it the Oroch’s outright successor.

At the same time, it was confirmed that the Niagara would also spawn a rebadged Nissan version, reportedly due in 2027, as part of an eventual four-bakkie product range currently consisting out of the Navara, known as the Frontier in South America, and the rebadged Renault Alaskan.

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Part of the alliance’s Mobilise product strategy aimed at Latin America, the approval of the Niagara will increase production to a reported 100,000 units at the Santa Isabel Plant, with the objective of eventually exporting it to other markets, according to Pedrucci.

According to motor1.com Brazil though, this won’t include the Oroch, which originates from the São José dos Pinhais facility in Brazil, and which now looks set to continue until Renault’s second bakkie below the Niagara.

This, according to Pablo Sibilla, who told the Argentine publication, La Nación, that the Niagara will co-exist with the Oroch which entered production in 2015 as a rival for the Fiat Stara and Toro, Chevrolet Montana and Volkswagen Saveiro.

The recipient of a facelift two years ago, which saw the Duster prefix being dropped and the Oroch name become a standalone nameplate, the decision wasn’t detailed further, however, speculation points to the dual purpose role providing Renault with a two-pronged segment presence.

This means that while the Oroch will continue to rival the Strada, the Niagara will face-off against the Toro as well as the Ford Maverick, Chevrolet Montana, Volkswagen’s incoming Tarok and even the Ram Rampage.

South Africa’s loss

Despite its lifecycle prolonging, the Oroch still remains off the cards for South Africa as a result of the Rand/Euro exchange rate that has continuously delayed its introduction ever since originally being mentioned for arrival in 2021.

“Everything we buy is in Euros and before the elections, [the exchange rate] was standing at just under R20. Since then, it has come down to about R19, which is favourable for us,” Renault South Africa Vice-President of Sales and Marketing, Zian van Heerden, told the media at the marque’s 2025 product business conference last week.

“At R18.50 to the Euro, we can import all the nice stuff, but above that, it becomes difficult. And that was one of the main reasons why last year, we had to make the tough call, “Are we bringing Oroch, yes or no?”

At the same time, van Heerden admitted that both prototype Orochs, shown at the Nampo Agricultural Expo in Bothaville in the Free State last year, had been destroyed despite interest having exceeded expectations as showgoers were willing to pay more than the projected R400 000 sticker price.

Fitted with the first generation Duster dashboard and not the arrangement that formed part of the 2022 facelift, the prototype Orochs used the 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol used in certain Mercedes-Benz models as a result of the 1.5-litre dCi turbodiesel not being available in South America where small capacity oil-burners are banned in favour of petrol engines being compatible with bio-ethanol.

At the time, it was reported that both front-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive would be offered, with payloads of between 650 kg and 680 kg, and respective transmission of a CVT and six-speed manual.

Besides the Oroch, Renault South Africa has also ruled the Niagara out for the local market in spite of admitting to having shown interest now that production has been approved.

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