The perfect budget for a used car in South Africa right now

The last month of 2025 represented another stellar month for pre-owned vehicle sales in South Africa, as 30,742 units were sold, proving that a large portion of local car buyers budget for used instead of new.

Cars in the pre-owned market also offer considerable quality at much lower prices, as well as a variety that fits into nearly any budget.

Drivers who aren’t scared to put in some work can easily find a new set of wheels for under R100,000, while the three-to-five-year-old segment represents a sweet spot for value.

According to AutoTrader, the average used car in South Africa sells for R419,537.

Wesbank noted that the vast majority of these are being financed and do not represent cash purchases.

The top ten-selling models last month, however, sold for an average price of R341,282.

The variety of vehicles in the top ten ranges from big double-cab bakkies to smaller passenger cars and compact city-runners.

Therefore, the ideal budget for a pre-owned vehicle in South Africa right now seems to be somewhere between R340,000 and R420,000.

For this kind of money, buyers can expect to buy around half of the most popular used cars in South Africa, with only the three best-selling bakkies, and the average Toyota Fortuner costing more than R420,000.

The three most popular pre-owned bakkies in South Africa last month were the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger, and Isuzu D-Max. These sold for an average price of around R472,000.

On average, and unsurprisingly, the average used passenger vehicle sold for significantly less than what was paid for bakkies.

The average passenger car in the top ten sold on the pre-owned market in December was sold for around R225,225, which is less than half the price of used bakkies.

Interestingly, the seventh-most sold pre-owned vehicle in South Africa, the Toyota Corolla Cross, sees its average price of R378,859, fall perfectly in the middle of the ideal budget range.

Beyond the purchase price

Considering the middle of the budget range, which is around R380,000, someone looking to purchase a pre-owned Corolla Cross will have to have substantial cash saved up or will have to rely on financing.

The reality is that most South Africans do rely on vehicle finance for new or used car purchases.

As such, a R380,000 sticker price will set a buyer back around R8,200 per month, considering no deposit or balloon payment, and a five-year term at the prime lending rate.

Financing houses will mandate that owners purchase fully comprehensive insurance cover, which not only protects the owner but also the financial institution.

Comprehensive cover on a two-to-three year old Corolla Cross will set its driver back another at least R1,100 per month, while options with lower excess payments will drive that price up another few hundred rands.

Running costs add to the monthly spend on a new or used vehicle, with fuel being one of the major running costs involved in owning a car.

WesBank estimates the average fuel spend to be as much as R4,000 per month, while Motus Select claims a number closer to half of that.

Both, however, agree on an average vehicle maintenance cost of around R6,000 per year, or R500 per month.

This brings the total monthly spend on a R380,000 used Corolla Cross up to around R12,000 per month, which may be relatively low considering a buyer with higher monthly repayments and insurance premiums.

The distance travelled also affects this number, as higher fuel usage and increased maintenance costs come into play.