South Africans’ car-buying habits have dramatically transformed over the course of the last decade, with certain styles going out of fashion while others have soared in popularity.
Lightstone Auto recently published new data tracking the sale of various vehicle body types on the local market, showing that motorists are moving away from estates and sedans in favour of crossovers and SUVs.
Changing with the times
Sedans used to make up a comfortable portion of all the cars on the road in South Africa, but their appeal has waned in recent times owing to changing consumer preferences, and economic constraints that have pushed drivers towards different models.
The following line graph from Lightstone Auto depicts the sale of different vehicle body types by market share in South Africa from the start of 2009 to the end of 2023:
Certain vehicle types such as minibuses, MPVs, and light commercial vehicles enjoyed consistent demand throughout the 2010s.
However, sedans and estates saw a major dip in popularity, going from a 20% share in 2009 to just 5% by the end of 2023.
Over the same period, crossovers and SUVs climbed in interest from a 12% share to around 35%, making them the most sought-after class of vehicles by a wide margin today.
Interestingly, SUVs started their rapid ascension between 2014 and 2015, which is the same time when sedans started their downward trend.
There are, of course, a few reasons for this change in buying habits; the easiest of which to explain is that consumer preference has evolved over time and crossovers are simply the style that is in fashion at the moment.
A market-driven reason for the switch has to do with rising car prices, as sedans are generally not seen as good value for money in an environment where everyone is strapped for cash and fighting to maximise what they can get out of their set of wheels.
The issue is that this creates a self-perpetuating cycle as fewer people buy sedans, which causes automakers to stop producing the body type which then leads to even fewer sales as there are no options left for motorists to buy.
Case in point is the fact that South Africa’s affordable sedan scene has shrunk to a fraction of its former glory, as there are only six models left that retail for under R300,000.
Most of the sedan and estate market is now carried by premium brands like Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz, but these badges have also seen a drastic reduction in sales over the last 15 years as their growing price tags put them out of reach of most consumers.
Another important factor to consider is that the cost-of-living crisis is forcing many households to downgrade from two cars to a single multipurpose model.
Consequently, SUVs have surged in popularity as they ostensibly offer the practicality of something like a bakkie or estate while still being suitable for use around town, similar to a sedan.
The result is that a household that may have previously bought a Toyota Corolla Sedan and Hilux bakkie will now get something like a Corolla Cross, Rav4, or Fortuner.
SUVs typically have more boot space than your average sedan, making them a more practical choice, but estate cars fix this issue with a much bigger rear end for storing luggage.
However, both sedans and estates tend to have low ground clearance, which is a concern for motorists navigating South Africa’s poor roads, which again makes SUVs the preferable option.
In other words, SUVs have largely replaced sedans as they are seen as an all-in-one family car at a time when most people can only afford a single vehicle.
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