The cars that rule South Africa’s roads
Following a dip in performance, the South African automotive sector experienced a strong rebound in October 2024, with notable sales growth in both the new and used car markets.
This is according to recently published data from motoring marketplace AutoTrader.
Based on the latest sales data from the company, the used car market is on an upturn, with 34,968 units sold in October 2024.
This represents a 6.5% year-on-year increase from the 32,839 used vehicles sold in October 2023, and a 22% uptick in used car sales compared to September 2024, which saw total sales reach 28,609.
According to Naamsa, new passenger vehicle sales rose to 34,228 in October 2024.
This represents a 14.5% year-on-year difference and a 12.6% increase compared to September 2024.
Used car appetite
“Used car sales saw a notable increase in October 2024, spearheaded by strong sales of budget-friendly cars,” said George Mienie, CEO of AutoTrader.
In October 2024, the total value of used car sales rose to R14.09 billion, a 21.59% increase from September’s R11.59 billion.
Year-on-year, used car sales also saw growth, up 10.84% compared to October 2023’s R12.64 billion.
“The Volkswagen Polo Vivo, for example, enjoyed a 37% month-on-month sales increase, while sales figures for the Toyota Starlet grew by 26% compared to last month,” said Mienie.
“Interestingly, the BMW 3 Series also saw a significant uptick, with month-on-month sales rising by 27% compared to September 2024,” he added.
According to data from AutoTrader, the average price of used cars has fallen slightly from September 2024’s average of R405,154 to R403,049 in October.
“Interestingly, the average mileage has decreased from 75,588 km in September to 73,757 km last month,” said Mienie.
The average registration age for used cars sold in October 2024 sits at five years old.
Looking at the most popular used passenger car models for October 2024, these include the Ford Ranger (2,081) Volkswagen Polo (1,679 units), Volkswagen Polo Vivo (1,402 units), and the Toyota Fortuner (737).
Top 10 sold used models in October 2024 (by most sold)
| # | Model | Number Sold | Avg Price (R) | Avg Mileage (km) | Avg Age |
| 1 | Ford Ranger | 2,081 | R462,930 | 82,355 km | 4 years-old |
| 2 | Volkswagen Polo | 1,679 | R257,205 | 68,117 km | 5 years-old |
| 3 | Toyota Hilux | 1,664 | R447,965 | 102,023 km | 5 years-old |
| 4 | Volkswagen Polo Vivo | 1,402 | R187,919 | 56,395 km | 4 years-old |
| 5 | Toyota Fortuner | 737 | R455,722 | 110,619 km | 6 years-old |
| 6 | Suzuki Swift | 635 | R187,633 | 35,549 km | 2 years-old |
| 7 | Nissan NP200 | 608 | R167,524 | 72,996 km | 4 years-old |
| 8 | Mercedes-Benz C-Class | 563 | R400,002 | 92,860 km | 8 years-old |
| 9 | BMW 3 Series | 561 | R366,545 | 107,458 km | 8 years-old |
| 10 | Toyota Starlet | 521 | R229,797 | 30,302 km | 2 years-old |
Regarding new passenger vehicles, the budget-friendly Volkswagen Polo Vivo has supplanted the Toyota Corolla Cross as the best-seller.
2,297 units of the Vivo were sold, with the Corolla Cross following closely at 2,104 units.
Other strong sellers include the Volkswagen Polo (1,425), the Toyota Starlet (1,358), and the Hyundai Grand i10 (1,280).
These were the top-selling brands in South Africa in October, according to Naamsa’s data.
- Toyota – 11,891 units
- VW – 6,340 units
- Suzuki – 6,006 units
- Ford – 2,965 units
- Hyundai – 2,913 units
- Isuzu – 2,251 units
- Chery – 1,831 units
- GWM – 1,796 units
- Renault – 1,734 units
- Kia – 1,508 units
- Mahindra – 1,421 units
- Nissan – 1,304 units
- BMW – 1,007 units
- Omoda & Jaecoo – 605 units
- Mercedes-Benz – 474 units
Read: Big payment changes for N3 and N4 tolls in South Africa this holiday season
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