Most popular used cars in South Africa in 2023 – Out of R146 billion in sales

While South Africa’s new-car market took a hit in 2023 with five consecutive months of declining sales, the pre-owned sector is doing better than ever.

Data from AutoTrader’s annual report showed that the number of used cars sold rose by 4.6% year-on-year, with 367,075 units purchased – 17,000 more than in 2022.

Consumers spent, on average, R399,163 on a pre-owned set of wheels last year which is 7.7% more than the previous year, which is attributed to the rise in cost of new vehicles over the same period, said AutoTrader CEO George Mienie.

In total, motorists spent an incredible R146.5 billion on second-hand vehicles in 2023, a year-on-year increase of more than R10 billion.

Toyota was the brand of choice for price-conscious South Africans, selling 60,296 units, which translates to a 16.4% market share.

VW and Ford placed second and third, with BMW and Mercedes-Benz rounding out the top five brands.

Suzuki saw the largest increase in market share with an impressive 28.8% jump in sales, while Kia also had a good year with a 16.6% growth rate.

German car brands, on the other hand, had a weaker year with BMW, Mercedes, and Audi all seeing a decline in sales. Likewise, the VW Polo’s popularity is beginning to drop with a 4.5% year-on-year decline.

While Toyota and VW had the best performances overall, the number one most-sought-after model was actually the Ford Ranger, with over 20,000 drivers picking up the Blue Oval’s bakkie in 2023.

Hot commodities of 2023

These were the 10 most popular cars on the second-hand market in South Africa in 2023, according to AutoTrader.

1. Ford Ranger – 20,156 units

• Average price – R444,020
• Average mileage – 86,206km
• Average age – 5 years old

2. Toyota Hilux – 17,555 units

• Average price – R453,621
• Average mileage – 104,125km
• Average age – 6 years old

3. VW Polo – 16,140 units

• Average price – R263,120
• Average mileage – 65,495km
• Average age – 5 years old

4. VW Polo Vivo – 10,990 units

• Average price – R192,989
• Average mileage – 63,236km
• Average age – 5 years old

5. Toyota Fortuner – 9,169 units

• Average price – R461,943
• Average mileage – 103,691km
• Average age – 6 years old

6. Mercedes-Benz C-Class – 7,850 units

• Average price – R438,692
• Average mileage – 95,956km
• Average age – 8 years old

7. BMW 3 Series – 6,855 units

• Average price – R372,799
• Average mileage – 101,209km
• Average age – 8 years old

8. Ford EcoSport – 6,032 units

• Average price – R242,056
• Average mileage – 57,116km
• Average age – 5 years old

9. Nissan NP200 – 4,506 units

• Average price – R168,833
• Average mileage – 81,542km
• Average age – 5 years old

10. Kia Picanto – 4,460 units

• Average price – R168,318
• Average mileage – 45,386km
• Average age – 4 years old