Features / 18 June 2026 / Warren Hawkins

70% of cars built in South Africa aren’t sold here

Car manufacturers in South Africa ship over 70% of locally built vehicles to overseas markets, 80% of which are destined for the UK and Europe.

This is according to the 2026 Automotive Trade Manual, compiled and published by the Automotive Business Council (Naamsa).

The report analysed the South African motor industry’s performance under the Automotive Production Development Programme (APDP) and APDP Phase 2 (APDP2) in 2025.

It outlined that automotive exports remained a pillar of South Africa’s automotive industry and its manufacturing sector, breaking several annual export records.

The total export value of vehicles and automotive components increased from R268.8 billion in 2024 to a record R291 billion in 2025, which comprised 15.6% of South African exports.

The number of vehicles exported last year was yet another record, increasing to 414,271 units in 2025, up from the 391,128 units shipped in 2024.

The export value of South African-built vehicles increased from R205.4 billion in 2024 to yet another record R229.8 billion in 2025.

“As an export-oriented industry, the South African automotive industry’s export performance continues to highlight both market concentration and the expanding global reach,” Naamsa said.

It noted that the long-standing free trade agreements with the European Union (EU) and the UK ensured record exports to the region valued at R182.8 billion, or 62.8%, of the total automotive export value in 2025.

Light vehicles remained the dominant export category to the region, with over 80% vehicles exported destined for Europe or the UK.

Germany was once again the top export destination, which it has been since 2023, followed by the UK, France, Belgium and Italy.

Africa was the second-largest export region, accounting for R49.5 billion, or 17.0% of the total automotive exports, with 85.1% of this export value destined for the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Overall, 70.5% of local light vehicle production was exported last year, with the VW Polo the most exported vehicle model from South Africa for the sixth consecutive year.

Every vehicle built in South African factories

South African car manufacturing plants are home to some of the most popular cars not only in our own market, but also across the rest of the world.

Below is a list of every passenger car built in South Africa right now, with some expected to leave the market soon, to be replaced with new models once Chery takes control of Nissan’s local factory.

Click on their underlined prices to learn more about each model.