winners and losers by brand and model
India-built cars were South Africa’s top-selling light vehicles in 2025, accounting for 38% of sales. Locally built cars dropped to second place (31%) while Chinese-built vehicles rounded out the top three with 16%.
This is according to Lightstone Auto, which broke down the data after South Africa’s new vehicle sales hit a 10-year high in 2025.
“New vehicle sales in 2025 reported to Naamsa achieved 597,194 units, a 16% increase over 2024, driven by lower interest rates, low new vehicle price inflation and a wide range of brand, model and price options for customers to choose from,” said Paul Marshall, MD of Lightstone Auto.
The growth was also driven by:
- improved supply chain conditions; and
- the liquidity injection from the two-pot retirement system withdrawals.
Last year’s strong sales were partly underpinned by an influx of affordable vehicle imports, particularly from China and India, which challenged legacy brands.
The combined light vehicle market grew 17% from 2024:
- The passenger car market was the biggest driver of growth at 422,465 units, a 20% jump on 2024 and the largest annual total since 2014 (438,937 sales).
- The light commercial market grew in 2025 to 143,638 units, 8% higher than the 2024 figure.
Of the other commercial markets, three (medium, heavy and bus) posted year-on-year growth, while the extra-heavy market, the largest of the four, contracted 10% from 2024 and offset the 19% jump in heavy commercial sales. This meant the combined total sales for the other commercial markets (30,911 sales) ended 2025 1% behind the 2024 figure.
New energy vehicle (NEV) sales reached a fifth consecutive record, led by hybrids, and Lightstone anticipated continued, but slower, growth in 2026. NEVs grew to 16,577 units, made up of:
- traditional hybrids (77%);
- plug-in hybrids (17%); and
- battery-electrics (6%).
Plug-in hybrid sales surpassed 1,000 units in a calendar year for the first time, soaring past the milestone to reach 2,808 units.
Toyota retained its position as the most popular light vehicle brand, with a quarter of overall sales in 2025. Suzuki moved into second spot with a 13% share, moving Volkswagen down to third place on 10%. The Suzuki Swift was the most popular India-built car and the country’s fourth-best seller overall.
Elsewhere in the top 10 light vehicle brands, Chery continued its growth path from 10th to sixth in only two years, while Nissan and Renault dropped off the list to be replaced by Haval and Mahindra.
The Suzuki Swift, Hyundai Grand i10 and Toyota Starlet remained the most popular vehicles from India in 2025. The Chery Tiggo 4 Pro and Haval Jolion held their leading positions from China. The stylish Omoda C5, a tech-focused compact crossover SUV, entered the top three Chinese-produced vehicles, replacing the GWM P-Series.
In the rankings for the other commercial makes, FAW strengthened its position at the top of the pile, ending 2025 with an 18% share of the combined market, ahead of Isuzu (12%), which has reclaimed second position, and Mercedes-Benz (10%).
Local production has remained consistent, with combined domestic sales and exports exceeding 600,000 for the fourth time in a decade.
The Volkswagen Polo was again the most-produced vehicle in South Africa, with almost 130,000 sold locally or exported in 2025. The Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger also reported more than 100,000 vehicles produced in this category.
Looking ahead to 2026, with interest rates at a three-year low and the possibility of further cuts this year, economic conditions appear favourable for further growth, according to Lightstone Auto.
”As inflation stabilises within the Reserve Bank’s new target range and the rand continues to strengthen against major global currencies, resulting in lower vehicle price inflation, there is a strong prospect the domestic market will continue to grow. However, this is unlikely to be at the same rate witnessed in 2025 as some form of consolidation can be expected,” said Marshall.
Top 20 selling model ranges in 2025
- Toyota Hilux – 36,525
- VW Polo Vivo – 26,067
- Ford Ranger – 25,463
- Suzuki Swift – 23,921
- Toyota Corolla Cross – 22,191
- Isuzu D-Max – 21,193
- Hyundai Grand i10 – 17,201
- Toyota Starlet – 16,281
- Chery Tiggo 4 Pro – 15,098
- Suzuki Fronx – 13,662
- Haval Jolion – 13,607
- Kia Sonet -10,733
- Toyota Starlet Cross – 10,439
- Toyota Urban Cruiser -10,277
- Toyota Vitz – 9,436
- VW Polo – 9,388
- Mahindra Scorpio Pik-Up – 9,297
- Suzuki Ertiga – 9,137
- Toyota Fortuner – 9,049
- Omoda C5 – 8,456
Business Day
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