Hybrid cars are a great way to save money on fuel, but it’s no surprise that these models typically come at a significant premium as a result of their complicated technologies and rising demand.
However, South Africans are getting around this issue by turning to the pre-owned market, searching for a hybrid with a bargain rate.
According to AutoTrader’s Annual Car Industry Report for 2024, new-energy vehicle sales are growing at a rapid pace thanks to greater demand and lower prices.
“South Africa’s growing interest in new-energy vehicles highlights the growing appetite towards more sustainable mobility solutions,” said George Mienie, CEO of AutoTrader.
“As the market evolves, we are witnessing a notable rise in the adoption of hybrids and plug-in hybrids, with consumers increasingly seeking efficient, eco-friendly alternatives.”
By far and away the most popular model is the Toyota Corolla Cross hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), which sold 950 units over the course of 2024.
Other HEVs that did very well include the Haval H6, the Toyota Corolla hatch and sedan, and the Haval Jolion.
HEVs unsurprisingly make up the bulk of these purchases as they relatively affordable when compared to the more advanced plug-in hybrids (PHEVs).
Speaking of which, the top-seller in this category is the Volvo XC60 Recharge with 67 units.
That may not sound like a lot, but when you consider that even a pre-owned XC60 can still fetch an average price of R1,196,048, it checks out as a rather successful entry for its segment.
Interestingly, AutoTrader also included the Toyota Fortuner in its top 10 list, which only features a mild-hybrid (MHEV) setup.
There’s an ongoing debate in motoring circles as to whether MHEVs should count towards hybrid sales, as the effect of the hybrid assistance is very minor with fuel usage only dropping by about 0.5l/100km.
Regardless, a model like the Fortuner MHEV selling moderately well for its segment is still a sign that consumers are trying to purchase the most economical version of a car where possible, and buying it second-hand means they are saving even more money on a car that will use less fuel over the long term.
Fuel-efficiency on a budget
These were the top 10 best-selling hybrid vehicles in South Africa 2024, as listed by AutoTrader.
1. Toyota Corolla Cross HEV – 950 units
- Average price – R439,289
- Average mileage – 18,016km
- Average age – 1 years
2. Haval H6 HEV – 264 units
- Average price – R525,986
- Average mileage – 18,804km
- Average age – 1 years
3. Toyota Corolla HEV – 248 units
- Average price – R411,814
- Average mileage – 22,395km
- Average age – 1 years
4. Toyota Rav4 HEV – 202 units
- Average price – R673,847
- Average mileage – 16,779km
- Average age – 1 years
5. Haval Jolion HEV – 157 units
- Average price – R452,096
- Average mileage – 9,085km
- Average age – 0 years
6. Lexus UX 250h – 86 units
- Average price – R651,727
- Average mileage – 23,021km
- Average age – 1 years
7. BMW i8 – 75 units
- Average price – R1,170,921
- Average mileage – 38,933km
- Average age – 7 years
8. Volvo XC60 Recharge – 67 units
- Average price – R1,196,048
- Average mileage – 5,671km
- Average age – 0 years
9. Volvo XC90 Recharge – 66 units
- Average price – R1,255,683
- Average mileage – 34,672km
- Average age – 2 years
10. Toyota Fortuner MHEV – 63 units
- Average price – R774,630
- Average mileage – 5,846km
- Average age – 0 years
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