Between R211 and R691 more to fill up your car with petrol or diesel next month

South Africans driving large diesel-powered vehicles, including some of the country’s top-selling bakkies and SUVs, could pay up to R691 more on a tank of fuel from next month.

That is based on the prices of products in South Africa’s petroleum basket and the dollar-to-rand exchange rate as of the April price review.

According to data from the Central Energy Fund (CEF), the wholesale price of a litre of 50ppm diesel was showing an under-recovery of R8.64 for the review period up to 19 March 2026.

The increase that would be necessary as a result of that under-recovery will push the wholesale prices of 50ppm diesel to new records in South Africa.

For inland stations, the cost will increase from R18.60 to R27.24, while the coastal wholesale price will jump from R17.84 to R26.48. The previous record was R25.75 in October 2022.

In percentage terms, the wholesale price of a litre of 50ppm diesel could increase by roughly 47%. Based on current trends, that figure could be even higher.

The expected increase has inched upwards as the conflict in the Middle East has dragged on, increasing the price of crude oil and imported petroleum products.

Over the last week, the price of Brent crude oil has remained above $100, roughly 30% higher than before the US and Israel began their strikes on Iran.

While there is roughly another week remaining in the review period for next month’s prices, a significant de-escalation would be needed for a meaningful drop.

Therefore, diesel drivers should prepare for steep increases in their fuel bills. Among South Africa’s best-selling diesel vehicles are the Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux, and Toyota Fortuner. 

All these vehicles have 80-litre tanks. At current estimates, it will cost retailers R691.20 more to buy the 50ppm fuel needed to fill up one of these models’ tanks.

For the fuel needed to fill the 45-litre capacity of hatchbacks and small sedans, retailers will pay R388.80 more.

Petrol drivers are also facing substantial hikes

Although fuel stations can be flexible with their diesel pricing, they won’t be able to implement increases much lower than the wholesale adjustment.

Retail margins on diesel can vary greatly from one station to the next, but are generally slim, especially in areas with a high concentration of stations and intense customer competition.

If an inland retailer currently applies the same 15% retail margin legally prescribed for petrol, they will make roughly R2.79 on every litre of diesel they sell.

Even if they are willing to cut that in half, they would still need to increase their pump price by more than R7 per litre.

The outlook is only slightly better for petrol drivers. As of 19 March 2026, the price of a litre of unleaded 95 petrol was showing an under-recovery of R5.20.

One of South Africa’s most popular vehicles that relies on this fuel is the Toyota Corolla Cross. With the current increase, it will cost R244.40 more to refill its 47-litre tank.

Owners of the more fuel-efficient hybrid model, which has 11 litres less capacity, will pay R187.20 more to fill up their tanks.

For unleaded 93 petrol, the under-recovery was R4.68. A motorist driving South Africa’s best-selling passenger car — the Volkswagen Polo Vivo — will pay R210.60 more to fill up their 45-litre tank.

It will cost over R2,000 to fill up large petrol-powered SUVs and bakkies with 80-litre tanks. Even when using more affordable unleaded 93 petrol, 45 litres will cost over R1,000, as shown in the table below.

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