The South African new vehicle market saw a third straight month of growth in December, with Chinese-made cars continuing to gain market share in the country. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the latest stats by Naamsa, aggregate industry sales reached 41,273 units, a 2.5% increase compared to December 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although this was a welcome surge, it was not enough to give the industry the boost, it needed, as total aggregate vehicle sales for the year declined by 3% to 515,712 units. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Automotive Business Council Naamsa said that this downturn reflects the broader economic challenges faced by the country in 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Passenger car sales offered some hope, as they saw a 1.1% increase for the year. However, all commercial vehicle segments saw declines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The December growth was mainly driven by an 8.2% rise in passenger car sales, with the rental industry playing a huge role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When it comes to the economic environment, Naamsa noted that several Chinese brands are gaining market share, as they offer more affordable prices. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
These affordable prices are bringing in consumers who are battling a tough economic climate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Naamsa’s data also looked at the best-selling car brands in South Africa, with some interesting trends. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Looking at the local market, Toyota remained supreme when it came to local car sales, registering 11,442 sales in December. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Volkswagen came second with 4,832 units, while Suzuki was a close third with 4,514 units. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There was another big drop off to the fourth place Hyundai, which sold 2,826 new cars during the month. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Notably, as mentioned by Naamsa, Chinese brands climbed the rankings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Chery sold 1,867 units over the period, while GWM sold 1,686 units. The Chinese brands combined sold over 3,500 new cars in South Africa. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sector<\/strong><\/td>2020<\/strong><\/td> 2021<\/strong><\/td> 2022<\/strong><\/td> 2023<\/strong><\/td> 2024<\/strong><\/td> 2024 \/<\/strong>2023<\/strong>% Change<\/strong><\/td><\/tr> Cars<\/strong><\/td> 246,541<\/td> 304,338<\/td> 363,682<\/td> 347,379<\/td> 351,302<\/td> +1.1%<\/mark><\/td><\/tr> Light Commercials <\/strong><\/td> 110,912<\/td> 133,078<\/td> 135,711<\/td> 151,490<\/td> 133,254<\/td> -12%<\/mark><\/td><\/tr> Medium Commercials <\/strong><\/td> 6,735<\/td> 7,520<\/td> 8,308<\/td> 8,252<\/td> 7,714<\/td> -6.5%<\/mark><\/td><\/tr> Heavy Trucks, Buses<\/strong><\/td> 16,018<\/td> 19,555<\/td> 21,841<\/td> 24,654<\/td> 23,442<\/td> -4,9%<\/mark><\/td><\/tr> Total Vehicles<\/strong><\/td> 380,206<\/strong><\/td> 464,491<\/strong><\/td> 529,542<\/strong><\/td> 531,775<\/strong><\/td> 515,712<\/strong><\/td> -3,0%<\/mark><\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Top brands <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n