Best-selling car brands in South Africa

In May 2022, 39,177 new vehicles were sold in South Africa, reflecting an 819-unit (2.1%) increase over the corresponding month in 2021.

Toyota remained steadfast as the country’s best-selling automaker, although its sales figures took a noticeable dip due to severe flooding that ravaged the company’s factory in Durban.

However, Toyota was not the only manufacturer whose numbers were down in May, as a decline in economic momentum around the globe and continued supply-chain disruptions have caused a few brands’ sales statistics to take a hit, said Naamsa.

The numbers

Out of all the new-vehicle sales in South Africa in May, 88.8% represented sales to dealerships, 7.9% represented sales to the vehicle rental industry, 2.1% represented sales to the government, and 1.2% represented sales to industry corporate fleets.

Passenger cars were responsible for the majority of sales with 27,437 models moved, while light commercial vehicles including bakkies and mini-buses sold a total of 11,912 models.

Sales of medium and heavy trucks were also reported at 614 units and 1,905 units, respectively.

At the other end of the spectrum, export sales in May experienced a huge decline when compared to last year.

A total of 25,786 vehicles were sent to foreign markets during last month, reflecting a 29.9% decrease in these types of exports.