South African motorists have high aspirations when it comes to car ownership, as evidenced by the type of models they search for online.
AutoTrader recently published its Mid-Year Car Industry Report for 2026, revealing new insights into the nation’s vehicle-purchasing habits.
It includes a list of the best-selling pre-owned vehicles between January and June 2026; however, it also features lists of the most-searched-for models and variants.
These lists make for a fascinating comparison, as a search shows that a consumer is curious about a particular car, yet it does not equate to an intention to buy.
Search results give an indication of what motorists are interested in if their budget wasn’t a factor, as people typically search for something exciting that they would like to own before adjusting their expectations and looking for a model that fits their means.
This is reflected in the results of AutoTrader’s industry report, as the most-searched-for variants tend to be more luxurious or performance-oriented models, while the best-sellers are comprised of more everyday vehicles.
First up, these were the top 10 best-selling used cars on AutoTrader between January and June 2026:
- Ford Ranger – 11,365 units
- Toyota Hilux – 8,809 units
- VW Polo Vivo – 7,164 units
- VW Polo – 7,149 units
- Suzuki Swift – 4,872 units
- Toyota Fortuner – 3,998 units
- Toyota Corolla Cross – 3,690 units
- Isuzu D-Max – 3,344 units
- Hyundai Grand i10 – 3,290 units
- Toyota Starlet – 2,944 units
This list likely won’t come as a surprise to many, given that these are also among the best-selling cars in South Africa, comprising bakkies, entry-level hatchbacks, and family SUVs.
One notable absence to point out is the lack of a luxury sedan like the BMW 3 Series or Mercedes-Benz C-Class, which used to regularly feature in the top 10.
However, German sedans have slowly fallen out of favour with South African buyers due to their high cost, even in the pre-owned space where models often have over 100,000km on the clock.
What South Africans would buy if money was no object
Switching focus to the most-searched-for list, it’s clear that South Africans favour particular brands and are interested in performance models.
These were the top search results on AutoTrader over a six-month period:
| Rank | Variant | Searches | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | VW Golf GTI | 3,604,859 | 0 |
| 2 | VW Polo GTI | 2,611,601 | +1 |
| 3 | VW Polo 1.0 TSI | 2,583,072 | +1 |
| 4 | VW Golf R | 2,566,314 | -2 |
| 5 | Toyota Hilux 2.8GD-6 | 2,417,635 | 0 |
| 6 | Ford Ranger Wildtrak | 2,133,214 | 0 |
| 7 | Ford Ranger Raptor | 1,796,386 | 0 |
| 8 | Audi RS3 2.5 | 1,631,816 | +2 |
| 9 | Mercedes-AMG C-Class C63 | 1,175,980 | -1 |
| 10 | Toyota Hilux 2.4GD-6 | 1,155,804 | New entrant |
The top four models all being VWs tells an interesting story, as people are evidently interested in the Golf GTI hot hatch.
However, people are likely seeing that a Golf GTI is out of their budget, and are then looking to see if the smaller Polo GTI is more feesible.
From there, searches shift to the ‘normal’ 1.0-litre TSI variants, though there are still a lot of people searching for the even more exclusive Golf R.
Fifth, sixth and seventh place are all bakkies, though it’s telling that the three models listed are all higher-spec versions of the popular Hilux and Ranger pickups, including the high-octane Raptor.
The Audi RS3 is another curious entry, as Audi is not a massive brand in South Africa, yet the RS3 has clearly caught the attention of petrolheads who want a top-of-the-line hot hatch.
In a similar vein, the Mercedes variant with the most hits wasn’t a standard C-Class; rather, it was the AMG performance model.
Lastly, the Toyota Hilux 2.4GD-6 is the only new entry in this year’s top 10, which suggests that more people are turning to this engine option because the more powerful 2.8GD-6 is out of reach.
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