New data from Lightstone Auto has found that Toyota, Volkswagen, and Ford remain the most popular second-hand car brands in South Africa.
According to the report, Toyota, VW, and Ford have collectively accounted for more than half of the financed used vehicles sold in 2025 so far.
Among these second-hand vehicles, the most popular models were the Ford Ranger double-cab bakkie and the VW Polo Vivo hatchback, with both boasting a 6% share of the financed sales.
The VW Polo closely follows this at 5%, followed by the Toyota Hilux and the Suzuki Swift.
“Looking at how buyer preferences in the used vehicle space have changed over the last five years, four of the five have appeared in the top five used vehicle types consistently since 2020,” Lightstone Auto Data Analyst Andrew Hibbert said.
“The remaining spots in the top 10, however, have rotated among ten other vehicle types over the same period.”
Another key takeaway from the data is that new Chinese brands are rapidly gaining popularity in the used car market.
Brands such as Chery and GWM have risen to now be among the top 15 brands in the market segment.
Combined Motor Holdings (CMH), one of the largest dealer groups in the country, reported that local automotive companies are now under significant strain thanks to the rise of Chinese and Indian vehicle imports.
In its 2025 Integrated Annual Report, CMH CEO Jebb McIntosh outlined that this pressure was a result of a massive influx of low-priced, foreign imports.
He also noted that this has led to a decline in sales volumes of traditional, locally sourced brands.
This commentary is notable as CMH represents many leading motor vehicle brands in South Africa, including Ford, Jeep, Land Rover, Mahindra, Honda, Mazda, and Nissan.
An overview of South Africa’s used car market
The big three of the used car market are Toyota, Volkswagen, and Ford, with the first boasting an 18% share, the second just under 18%, and the third having just under 14%.
Suzuki follows this in fourth place with just under 8%, and Nissan and BMW occupy the fifth and sixth places with just under 6%.
Hyundai holds the seventh spot with just over 4%, while Audi, Isuzu, and Haval round out the top ten, with Audi and Isuzu hovering around the 3% mark and Haval at just under 2%.
The remaining brands in the top 15 are, in descending order, Mahindra, Mazda, Chery, Land Rover, and GWM, with scores below 2%.
Beyond these top fifteen, the remaining brands only contribute just over 10% of the total share when consolidated.
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