Suzuki is on a hot streak in South Africa, pulling in impressive sales numbers that have helped the brand to attain an important milestone.
The Japanese carmaker recently announced that it achieved its second-highest overall sales figures to date in April 2025.
According to Naamsa’s latest industry sales report, the manufacturer moved a grand total of 5,977 new vehicles last month.
This is 693 more than Suzuki shipped one month prior in March, and is only 422 units shy of the carmaker’s latest record of 6,399 units, which it achieved in January this year.
Of the 5,977 cars that found new owners in April, 5,015 examples (83.9%) were thanks to dealership sales – 481 units more than were sold in January.
Suzuki’s combined fleet, rental, and government sales then added a further 962 purchases, firmly landing the badge in the number two spot on South Africa’s list of the best-selling car brands.
The main contributor to the company’s recent success is the new fourth-generation Swift hatchback, which debuted in South Africa at the end of last year.
The small car sent a staggering 2,053 models off to new homes, a substantial improvement of 445 units from its March figures.
The jump in sales meant that the Swift was able to move up in the rankings to once again become the nation’s best-selling passenger car and the second best-selling vehicle overall behind the Toyota Hilux bakkie.
Another popular entry in Suzuki’s arsenal is the Fronx crossover, which saw 1,186 examples rolling off the showroom floor in April.
Other top picks included the Ertiga MPV, Baleno hatchback, and Jimny SUV, which ended with 778, 420, and 319 sales, respectively.
“Suzuki Auto South Africa has so far experienced a phenomenal year in terms of new car sales; an achievement that can be attributed to our portfolio of affordable, value-for-money vehicles built on Japanese quality,” said Henno Havenga, GM Auto Sales and Marketing.
What’s more, the solid numbers from April helped Suzuki to achieve a new milestone, as the automaker has now officially sold more than 300,000 cars in South Africa.
The company hit 100,000 in February 2021 and 200,000 in July 2023, conveying strong consumer interest over the last four years.
To better understand the significance of these achievements, Suzuki first opened its doors in South Africa in 2008, which means it has seen an astronomical surge in buyers since the start of the current decade.
“To achieve this latest milestone [300,000 units] just 22 months later shows how much enthusiasm and trust customers have in our product,” said Havenga.
Suzuki on a roll
Suzuki reported that it had a record-breaking 2024/2025 financial year in South Africa.
The automaker sold a considerable 62,750 cars during the period, equating to roughly 171 units per day.
These numbers translated to a 20.75% year-on-year improvement in sales, indicating strong growth for the brand.
It therefore comes as little surprise to learn that Suzuki is one of the fastest-growing car brands in the country alongside other top performers like Chery and Mahindra.
A study by Lightstone Auto previously found that Suzuki experienced a meteoric rise in popularity in the late 2010s that catapulted it into the limelight as one of the nation’s top brands.
In the span of just a few years, the Japanese manufacturer went from a fringe top 10 entry to South Africa’s second best-selling badge behind Toyota.
This is no small feat, as it meant overcoming other top players like Ford and VW, both of which have factories on local soil.
In contrast, nearly all Suzuki models are imported from India with a focus on budget-oriented nameplates like the Swift and Fronx, both of which are available for under R300,000.
It’s a strategy that has evidently paid off, as consumers are gradually moving away from long-established legacy brands towards more affordable alternatives from Asia.
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