Bus Diesel 5-Speed Manual 16-seat

Foton Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater)

Price in Johannesburg, real specs & fuel economy — 2026

Model year 2026 Generation High-roof, long-wheelbase 16-seat View-based minibus measuring 5,390 mm long. Body style Minibus
Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater) is a South African Bus with a bus body and petrol / diesel power.
ZAR 499,900
On-road in
ZAR 516,898
What makes up this price?
Vehicle price (ex-showroom)
ZAR 499,900
Registration allowance
ZAR 4,500
Licensing allowance
ZAR 1,800
Inspection / roadworthy allowance
ZAR 1,200
Dealer handling / delivery
ZAR 3,500
Insurance
ZAR 5,999
Other fees
ZAR 0
Ex-showroom ZAR 499,900
Estimated finance from ZAR 8,797/month Ex-showroom basis · approx. 20% deposit · 11.5% p.a. · 60 months · no balloon
Engine:2800cc (2.8L) Torque:280Nm (207 lb-ft) Power:96kW (129 bhp)

Hover or tap any pill for a plain-English explanation. Bracketed values show common equivalents (bhp, lb-ft, inches, cu ft).

Fuel Economy km/l · US mpg equivalent
Combined To be announced
City To be announced
Highway To be announced

On-road pricing varies by dealer. Fuel figures are manufacturer claims or source-backed estimates where a separate city/highway cycle is not published; your real numbers depend on traffic, terrain and driving style.

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Hagalu editorial rating: 3.9/5 Review

Estimate monthly vehicle finance for the Foton Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater) in South Africa. The default illustration uses the ex-showroom price, approximately 20% deposit, 11.5% nominal annual interest over 60 months and no balloon payment.

Estimated monthly instalment
ZAR 8,797
Total Interest
ZAR 127,823
Total Payable
ZAR 527,823
Principal Interest

* Illustrative estimate based on the ex-showroom price, approximately 20% deposit, 11.5% nominal annual interest, 60 months and no balloon payment. Excludes initiation fees, monthly service fees, credit-life insurance and vehicle insurance. Your lender quotation may differ.

Vehicle specifications and buying guidance • Hagalu

Foton Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater)

Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater) is a South African Bus with a bus body and petrol / diesel power.

Asambe Diesel costs R499,900 and retains the 16-seat passenger body while replacing the petrol derivative's powertrain proposition. Foton lists 96 kW and 280 Nm, giving the diesel 80 Nm more torque even though its peak power figure is 4 kW lower. That distinction is useful on a loaded taxi: repeated gradients and pull-aways may benefit from torque more than a small peak-power advantage. A buyer cannot assume that diesel fuel automatically repays the price gap, especially on short low-mileage work. Sixteen seats bring a duty to verify legal loaded mass, restraint equipment, access, cooling and braking with realistic occupant assumptions. Route permits, insurance and passenger-body requirements sit outside a simple price comparison yet can determine whether the vehicle earns. Asambe Diesel is the more torque-rich option, not automatically the more economical one; its case must be demonstrated kilometre by kilometre. Route occupancy should be modelled honestly, since sixteen seats do not guarantee sixteen paying passengers or leave unlimited room for luggage. Legal mass, fare turnover and empty return legs all influence whether the higher-torque engine earns its premium. For Foton Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater), the live local retail evidence establishes current-range status but no distinct derivative-specific facelift history. For Foton Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater), the relevant generation and body context is: High-roof, long-wheelbase 16-seat View-based minibus measuring 5,390 mm long. The official derivative powertrain entry for Foton Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater) reads: 2.8-litre diesel, 96 kW, 280 Nm and five-speed manual in a 16-seat body. For a buyer searching the Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater) price and specifications in South Africa, the interesting part is the trade-off rather than the feature count. Petrol / Diesel power describes the opportunity; a 5-Speed Manual transmission and Diesel power describe the conditions around it. An active listing describes the opportunity; a South African price reference of R499,900 and engine of 2.8-litre Diesel describe the conditions around it for Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater). A realistic load, route and monthly-distance check will reveal whether the package earns its place on the shortlist for Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater)

Foton Asambe Taxi — Quick Facts

Foton Asambe Taxi Variants & Prices

Pick up to 3 variants, hit Compare Variants and you'll get a proper side-by-side spec breakdown.

Maximum 3 variants reached
Uncheck one of the selected variants below before choosing another.
Cmp Variant Trim Fuel Efficiency / range Transmission Price
2.4i Petrol (16 Seater) 2.4i Petrol 16 Seater Petrol Not published 5-Speed Manual ZAR 439,900
2.8 Diesel (16 Seater) 2.8 Diesel 16 Seater Diesel Not published 5-Speed Manual ZAR 499,900
Cmp Variant Trim Fuel Efficiency / range Transmission Price
2.4i Petrol (16 Seater) 2.4i Petrol 16 Seater Petrol Not published 5-Speed Manual ZAR 439,900
Cmp Variant Trim Fuel Efficiency / range Transmission Price
2.8 Diesel (16 Seater) 2.8 Diesel 16 Seater Diesel Not published 5-Speed Manual ZAR 499,900
2 variants selected
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Foton Asambe Taxi Specifications

Showing all 203 non-empty supported buyer-facing fields for 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater). Blank contract fields are not fabricated.

Driving fit

Where the Foton Asambe Taxi Fits Best

A practical view of the buyer and roads this model is best suited to.

Who buys this

The best buyer for Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater) can describe a recurring reason for choosing its bus layout. Then compare Petrol / Diesel power and a 5-Speed Manual transmission with insurance, tyres, maintenance and the monthly finance payment

City
The urban test for Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater) should resemble the owner’s route: a cold start, queues, kerbs, a narrow turn and a place where people or goods must be loaded. The vehicle’s the 2.8 Diesel 16 Seater trim is only useful if access and visibility work in practice
Highway
The diesel nevertheless carries a R60,000 purchase premium that must be recovered through the actual route. For highway buyers, the Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater) needs to make sense when passengers, luggage or work equipment are aboard. A South African price reference of R499,900 helps frame the vehicle’s intended workload; do not assume that a larger body automatically brings more reserve or comfort
Off-Road
An active listing may help, but neither a tall bonnet nor petrol / diesel alone creates four-wheel drive, low range or a published wading ability. Ground clearance is only one part of the rough-road answer for Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater). For Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater), the sensible check is the exact confirmed driven wheels arrangement, tyre specification, load and protection underneath. Stay cautious where the local data does not state clearance or wading depth for Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater). A buyer whose routine includes construction tracks or isolated farm roads should compare a vehicle with documented capability rather than infer it from styling for Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater)
3.9/5
Hagalu editorial score 3.9 out of 5 Reviewed by Hagalu Editorial Team · 2026-09-07

Foton Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater) — Should You Buy It?

3.9/5
Foton Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater) review: 280 Nm torque
Hagalu editorial review by Hagalu Editorial Team · 2026-09-07

Foton Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater) is the 16-seat high-roof minibus taxi option at R499,900, with 280 Nm torque. The diesel Asambe earns its R499,900 price where 280 Nm and higher annual utilisation improve a demanding passenger route. It should not be chosen on fuel-type reputation alone: Foton publishes no consumption claim, power is 96 kW and warranty cover is two years. Put both engines through the same loaded cycle and calculate the R60,000 premium over the intended term before deciding. The best case is repeat high-load work where the torque difference is felt on nearly every departure. This Hagalu desk review weighs the published South African specification against the vehicle's intended buyer and use; it is not a road test, owner survey or customer rating.

Desk research: Scored from verified published sources and Hagalu's market-specific buyer analysis; this vehicle was not road-tested for this review. This is a Hagalu editorial score, not a customer rating.

Safety 3.1/5 · 20%
3.1/5
Value 4.0/5 · 20%
4.0/5
Practicality 4.7/5 · 20%
4.7/5
Ownership 3.7/5 · 15%
3.7/5
Powertrain suitability 4.0/5 · 15%
4.0/5
Comfort & technology 3.6/5 · 10%
3.6/5

Evidence reviewed: Hagalu maintains the detailed source record internally so this page does not promote third-party vehicle websites.

How this score is calculated · Methodology v1.0

Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater) deserves a closer look when its price, equipment and powertrain fit the owner’s route.

A fair review of Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater) should end with the owner’s route, not a universal verdict. The combination of Diesel power, the 2.8 Diesel 16 Seater trim and an active listing can be valuable for the right driver

What's Good
  • ✓Body style: Bus
  • ✓Fuel type: Petrol / Diesel
  • ✓Transmission: 5-Speed Manual
  • ✓Fuel type: Diesel
  • ✓Trim: 2.8 Diesel 16 Seater
  • ✓Status: active
  • ✓South African price: R499,900
  • ✓Engine: 2.8-litre Diesel
  • ✓Power output: 96 kW
Watch Out For
  • ✕Exact equipment for Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater) can vary by derivative.
  • ✕Real fuel use for Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater) depends on route, load and weather.
  • ✕The written Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater) quotation should be checked before purchase.
  • ✕Tyre, insurance and service costs need a separate Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater) budget.
  • ✕A short Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater) test drive cannot represent every ownership route.
  • ✕Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater) capability should not be inferred from body styling alone.
  • ✕The adjacent Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater) grade may suit a different workload.
  • ✕Published Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater) figures are planning references, not guarantees.
  • ✕Buyers should confirm Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater) stock and support terms.

Foton Asambe Taxi FAQs

The current recommended retail price listed for the Foton Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater) is R499,900. This is the vehicle price before finance interest, insurance, registration and any dealer-added options.

The current south african range comprises 2.4i Petrol (16 Seater), 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater). Prices and equipment are shown by derivative so buyers can compare the actual local range rather than specifications from another market.

The listed engine capacity for the Foton Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater) is 2800 cc, with output shown as 96 kW (129 bhp). Where a model has more than one derivative, compare the specific variant because fuel type, gearbox and drivetrain can change the way it drives.

The best buyer for Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater) can describe a recurring reason for choosing its bus layout. Then compare Petrol / Diesel power and a 5-Speed Manual transmission with insurance, tyres, maintenance and the monthly finance payment

The urban test for Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater) should resemble the owner’s route: a cold start, queues, kerbs, a narrow turn and a place where people or goods must be loaded. The vehicle’s the 2.8 Diesel 16 Seater trim is only useful if access and visibility work in practice

The diesel nevertheless carries a R60,000 purchase premium that must be recovered through the actual route. For highway buyers, the Asambe Taxi 2.8 Diesel (16 Seater) needs to make sense when passengers, luggage or work equipment are aboard.

Compare the Foton Asambe Taxi with the current Foton range to see how body style, performance, fuel use and practicality differ before choosing the vehicle that fits your needs.

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