South Africa’s car market is performing well, reporting a steady year-on-year sales improvement of 11.2% from 2024.
While this may come as a surprise considering the challenging economic environment we are all facing right now, a number of automakers have managed to defy the odds and emerge victorious with ever-growing sales.
Three companies in particularly have recently achieved this feat, namely BMW, Ford, and Suzuki – all of which are now industry leaders in three very different segments.
BMW
BMW sold a grand total of 3,200 units in the first quarter of 2025, cementing its position as the leader of South Africa’s premium segment.
According to Naamsa The Automotive Business Council, BMW secured an impressive 40.6% of the luxury market, putting it ahead of its German rivals Audi and Mercedes-Benz.
What’s more, BMW’s sub-brand Mini achieved a 6.2% market share over the same period, raising the automaker’s overall success level even further.
“This collective performance highlights the strength and breadth of BMW Group South Africa’s portfolio, exceeding internal targets across BMW, Mini, BMW Motorrad, and Customer Support,” said Peter van Binsbergen, CEO of BMW Group South Africa.
The main driver of BMW’s success this quarter was none other than the next-gen X3, which is built right here at the company’s factory in Rosslyn on the outskirts of Pretoria.
The carmaker stated that, prior to its official launch in February, order books for the new SUV were already filled to the brim.
The X3 is assembled around the clock at Rosslyn with teams working on rotation with eight hour shifts.
Thanks to this strategy, BMW is able to pump out approximately 330 units per day, which have proven to be a big hit in South Africa and export markets around the world.
While BMW has closed a handful of dealerships in South Africa over the last few years, a company representative confirmed to TopAuto that its sales have stabilized and the brand is currently performing well with two consecutive years of sales improvements.
Ford
Another brand that got off to a strong start this year is Ford, which sold an impressive 8,274 units in Q1 2025.
This is 713 units more than the Blue Oval sold over the same period in 2024, equating to a 9.4% uptick in purchases.
Like BMW, Ford’s success is primarily built on the back of its flagship product – the locally-made Ranger bakkie.
The Ranger, which was already a top-selling vehicle in South Africa, improved on its numbers by 11.7% during Q1, allowing it to secure a 31.7% share of the double cab market.
“It is encouraging that the positive results Ford achieved last year have been maintained through the first quarter of 2025, despite the continued influx of new competitor brands and models,” said Ryan Searle, Director of Sales Operations, Ford South Africa.
Of the 8,274 models sold over the monitored period, a staggering 6,205 units were thanks to the Ranger, meaning this one vehicle accounts for 74.9% of all Ford registrations.
The iconic Mustang also put in a good show in Q1, selling a total of 68 units.
While it is obviously not in the same league as the Ranger, the muscle car is a far more niche product that costs a minimum of R1.3 million, yet it’s clearly popular among those who can afford it.
In fact, the special-edition Dark Horse version is already sold out for 2025, so you’ll have to book for 2026 if you’re determined to get your hands on one.
Suzuki
Suzuki has broken multiple internal sales records in South Africa over the past few years.
Most recently, the Japanese firm announced that it achieved a new milestone with the purchase of its 300,000th vehicle.
To put this in perspective, Suzuki has been in South Africa since 2008, but it only sold its 100,000th car in February 2021.
The company then hit the 200,000 mark in July 2023, illustrating just how quickly Suzuki has climbed through the ranks to become the country’s second-best-selling brand ahead of VW, Ford, and Hyundai.
Similar to BMW and Ford, Suzuki has a secret weapon in the form of the next-gen Swift hatchback, which sold 2,053 units in March alone.
Suzuki’s identity as a budget-friendly brand has been a key driver of its success in recent years as consumers continue to shift down-market in search of affordable transport.
Models like the Swift, Baleno, and Fronx can all be bought for less than R300,000, which has proven to be a major draw for customers as all three sold incredibly well in the first quarter of 2025.
“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.
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