Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM), the local arm of the best-selling car manufacturer in our market, recorded its best-ever sales month in September, reaching a new 65-year high.
Of the 61,645 vehicles sold in South Africa in September 2026, 15,366 were from the Toyota stable, increasing its overall market share to 24.9%.
According to the latest sales data shared by the Automotive Business Council (Naamsa), South Africa’s automotive industry remained resilient last month, increasing sales by 12.7% year-on-year from September 2025.
Toyota was a major contributor to this, maintaining its position atop the local sales rankings and improving upon the 14,146 units it sold in September 2025.
This number was achieved across both passenger and commercial vehicle segments, and underscores the strength of Toyota’s diverse product portfolio across multiple market segments.
Leon Theron, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Toyota South Africa Motors, reflected on the Japanese auto giant’s latest achievement.
“Achieving our best-ever monthly sales performance is a remarkable milestone for Toyota South Africa Motors and a reflection of the trust customers continue to place in our brands,” he said.
“Growth across passenger, commercial and fleet segments demonstrates the value of offering products that meet a broad spectrum of mobility needs, while maintaining the quality, durability and reliability for which Toyota is known.”
He added that the company is grateful to its employees and dealer network for the work they continue to deliver.
“While economic conditions remain challenging, September’s performance reflects encouraging levels of consumer and business confidence,” said Theron.
“As we enter the final quarter of the year, we remain focused on delivering exceptional value to customers, supporting our dealer network and sustaining the momentum achieved across our brands.”
The models driving Toyota’s record-breaking month
Toyota’s performance was driven by strong passenger vehicle sales numbers, led by the locally manufactured Corolla Cross, which recorded 1,964 sales during the month.
Alongside the popular crossover, the Starlet and Starlet Cross maintained their momentum, adding 1,573 and 1,578 units respectively, while the Urban Cruiser contributed 1,328 units.
Another popular Toyota SUV, the Fortuner, also played its part, selling 908 units, while the Vitz hatchback improved its sales to 949 units and the RAV4, with 290 units, also registered month-on-month improvements.
Unsurprisingly, the bulk of Toyota’s September 2026 sales were in the Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) segment, with the Hilux cementing the brand’s position as South Africa’s favourite carmaker.
The Hilux also retained its place as the country’s favourite bakkie, adding 3,769 sales to the Japanese brand’s monthly total.
The bakkie was not Toyota’s only competitor in the segment, as the Hiace contributed 617 sales and the Land Cruiser Pick-Up added 419.
Toyota’s entrants in the people-mover category, the Coaster and Quantum Bus, recorded sales of 70 and 91 units respectively.
The Quantum Panel Van improved monthly sales from 67 units in August to 76 units in September, reflecting the growing demand from small business operators.
In the premium segment, Toyota-owned Lexus sold 98 vehicles, with the NX doing the heavy lifting, thanks to its 32 units sold, followed by the GX with 26 units and the LX with 23 units.
R-branded Lexus models recorded slightly lower sales numbers, with the RX contributing 10 sales – matching its July performance – and only two customers taking delivery of the all-electric RZ.
Finally, in the commercial segment, Hino remained solid during September, recording combined sales of 406 units across the medium and heavy commercial vehicle segments.
Toyota’s Fleet division sold 2,437 units to businesses across South Africa, while its parts division distributed just under two million parts during the month and export volumes reached 339,851 units.
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