Which cars South Africa’s youth are most interested in

Crossovers are quickly becoming the most popular body type being bought by people under the age of 35 in South Africa, according to a report by Lightstone Auto.

The report tracked consumer purchase trends across the last decade, including vehicle body type and which brands are now being favoured by the country’s youth.

It revealed that over 60% of the South African population is 25 years old or younger, making for an increasingly significant portion of the country’s car market.

Popular segments

Crossovers are currently the fourth most-popular vehicle segment for those under 35, but that could soon change, said Lightstone.

This category has seen a huge jump in market share over the past decade, while many other body types have experienced a decline.

The sharpest dip has been in the sale of small vehicles, which had a 21% market share in 2011-2012 but has since decreased to just 13% in the 2021-2022 period.

Sub-small autos, meanwhile, saw a decline of their own, losing out on a roughly 4-5% market share over the course of the last 10 years.

In contrast, in the same period of time crossovers went from a 3% market share to 12%, meaning that mini-SUVs are on track to overtake the small car segment soon.

Double-cabs have also seen increased uptake and sales for larger SUVs are up as well, though not nearly to the same degree as their crossover counterparts.

Favourite brands

VW is the most popular vehicle brand for South Africans under the age of 35, said Lightstone.

This dominance is also growing, as VW tracked a 5% increase in its market share since 2011.

Other brands that are seeing an uptake in interest from South Africa’s youth are Ford and Suzuki, which both saw a 3% increase in sales this last decade.

Ford now makes up 14% of the under-35 market in the country, while Suzuki is currently sitting at 4%.

BMW, Nissan, and Audi have all maintained a roughly 5% share within the same timeframe, too.

The biggest drop in individual brand interest has been with Toyota, which went from having a near-20% hold on the market in 2012 to a 15% share as of 2022.