Hatchbacks vs Crossovers in South Africa – the winner is clear

·15 Feb 2025

South Africa has cemented itself as a crossover nation, with the vehicle type shooting past hatchbacks as the passenger vehicle of choice.

The latest data from analytics group Lightstone shows that crossover/SUV vehicles were by far the most popular vehicle type purchased in South Africa in 2024, accounting for close to 40% of vehicles purchased.

Hatchbacks are the second-most popular vehicle type, but their share of new vehicle purchases has been steadily declining since 2021.

The last time hatchbacks topped the market was in 2020.

Overall, South Africa’s new vehicle sale market had a tough 2024, with overall purchases declining 3% to 515,853 sold (down from 531,557 in 2023).

Despite this, passenger vehicle sales showed some growth, with new vehicle purchases up 1% to 351,556 over 2023.

Light commercial and commercial vehicle sales accounted for the declines, down 12% and 5%, respectively, Lightstone said.

The crossover/SUV market grew from 35% to just under 40% of the Light Vehicle market in 2024, while other body shapes either held steady or declined marginally.

Best-selling cars in 2024

While crossover/SUVs are the overall top-selling body types in South Africa, the VW Polo Vivo remains the best-selling car in the country overall, scoring the top spot for hatchbacks.

According to Naamsa’s vehicle data for the overall year, the VW Polo outsold its closest competitor by more than 4,000 units, also growing its sales remarkably year-on-year.

However, second place does go to a crossover, with the Toyota Corolla Cross taking silver with 21,800 units sold.

These were the 10 best-selling vehicles in 2024:

1. Volkswagen Polo Vivo: 25,913 units