Suzuki South Africa sold a grand total of 16,020 vehicles between January and April 2023, making it the company’s best sales quarter in its entire history.
This gives the brand a market share of over 13% in the passenger car segment, it said.
Suzuki attributes its massive success in Q1 2023 to its dedicated dealer network as well as a healthy demand from rental companies and fleets in both the public and private sectors.
The manufacturer said it does not own any of its dealerships; instead, it partners with local businesses and entrepreneurs who then sell the vehicles on its behalf.
“Our dealers are by far the most important part of our sales network,” said Henno Havenga, Manager of Dealer Sales at Suzuki Auto South Africa.
“They not only represent most of the vehicle sales for Suzuki, but they are also the first and often the only contact point between Suzuki and its customers.”
In April, the Suzuki network was responsible for 99% of all vehicle sales, translating to 3,605 of the 3,620 units sold that month. The remaining units were moved by Suzuki Auto directly to rental fleets, said Havenga.
The carmaker now has a total of 97 dealerships in South Africa, having recently opened new branches in Mossel Bay, Edenvale, and Brits.
In support of its dealers, Suzuki also delivers service and repair parts to all locations on a daily basis, and it has instated head office and regional support teams to assist dealers in maintaining the highest levels of customer service or to handle any other problems that may arise.
What’s popular
The Suzuki Swift is by far and away the most popular car that the Japanese firm makes, as 1,1216 units were sold in April alone.
“The popularity of the Suzuki Swift, and the success of the Suzuki dealer network, show that the Suzuki brand is healthy and growing,” said Havenga.
“We do not take this for granted and we invest most of our time and money to ensure that we and our dealer partners keep customers happy, while also welcoming more customers into the fold.”
Other popular entries include the Baleno, which made it into the country’s top 20 best-sellers list last month, as well as the Vitara-badged range of crossovers which recently saw the addition of the new Grand Vitara – the brand’s very first hybrid in South Africa.
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