Features / 12 January 2026 / Warren Hawkins

Best-selling car brands in South Africa in 2025

Last year was marked by a massive resurgence in new vehicle sales, as the market recorded pre-pandemic numbers and achieved its best figures in nearly a decade.

Naamsa’s data for 2025 new vehicle registrations show that South Africans responded positively to improved economic conditions.

New vehicle sales figures in December stood at 48,983 units, which marks an increase of 7,882 vehicles when compared to the 41,101 units sold in December a year prior.

This performance helped the new vehicle sales figures for the entirety of 2025 reach 596,818 units sold, with 422,292 owing to passenger vehicle sales.

Additionally, 143,637 light commercial vehicles made their way onto South Africa’s roads last year.

These numbers represent 95% of the new vehicle sales that took place in 2025, marking an overall improvement of 15,7% in annual total vehicle sales.

Improved consumer spending in 2025 can be attributed to local political stability and a significant easing of vehicle inflation, which hit a record low of 1,5% last year.

This is the lowest it has been since 2008, when tracking began.

An influx of affordable models, particularly from Chinese and Indian automakers, contributed to improved annual sales figures, offering motorists value-for-money options.

Naamsa’s data shows a pent-up demand from consumers who delayed purchases between 2021 and 2024, who entered the market simultaneously to replace ageing vehicles.

Furthermore, the continued shift towards new-energy vehicles brought new buyers into the market, as year-to-date figures of these vehicles in 2025 beat out 2024’s numbers by November.

Consumer spending on durable goods, which includes new vehicle purchases, experienced the highest growth in the third quarter of 2025, with a quarter-on-quarter growth of 3,4%.

Naamsa noted that last year’s interest rate relief and lowered inflation points towards a boost in consumer disposable income for the coming year.

Further improvements, including the South African Reserve Bank’s GDP growth projection of around 1,4% and 1,6%, could lead to improved new vehicle sales figures in 2026.

South Africa’s 10 best sellers in 2025

Despite the surge in new arrivals from China and the likes, new car sales figures for last year show that local consumers still place their trust in legacy brands.

Historic best-sellers, which include the ever-present Toyota, Volkswagen, and Ford, continued to hold off the competition, while Suzuki established itself as the nation’s second-favourite.

The following list shows the best-selling brands in South Africa in 2025, according to Naamsa.

Click on the underlined names for more information.