South African car sales for February 2023 showed that Toyota remains the most popular brand with 11,560 vehicles sold, dominating the market with a 25.5% share. Volkswagen and Suzuki follow with 11.7% and 9.5% shares respectively. Despite the positive numbers, Naamsa expressed concern over the decline in exports and lack of support for NEV manufacturing.
Hold on to your steering wheels, folks! The latest figures from the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa) reveal that South African consumers bought a total of 45,352 new vehicles in February 2023, representing a modest year-on-year increase of 2.5%. While this may not sound like much, it’s a positive sign for the auto industry as it continues to recover from the pandemic.
Toyota, as usual, takes the crown for most popular brand in South Africa, selling a whopping 11,560 vehicles in February. Unsurprisingly, this is largely due to the continued popularity of its flagship bakkie, the Toyota Hilux, which sold an impressive 3,335 units. Volkswagen (VW) comes in at a close second with 5,288 units sold, while Suzuki takes third place with a total of 4,309 units sold.
It’s worth noting that Toyota comprised 25.5% of all vehicles sold in February, surpassing the combined sales of VW (11.7%) and Suzuki (9.5%), which came in at 21.2% of all vehicles sold. Of the total reported industry sales, 83.6% were dealer sales, 9% were sold to the vehicle rental industry, 5.1% went to the government, and 2.3% went to corporate industry fleets.
The top 10 brands that sold the most cars locally in February 2023 were as follows: Toyota, Volkswagen Group, Suzuki, Nissan, Hyundai, Ford, Renault, Isuzu, Kia, and Haval. While these numbers are promising, it’s important to note that Naamsa has expressed concern over the decline in exports, which fell by a sizeable 11.5%. This is a worrying trend given that the automotive industry contributes 4.3% to South Africa’s GDP.
Naamsa also noted that the current inflationary environment is causing consumer spending and household discretionary income to shrink due to increases in fuel and electricity costs, among other essential expenses. This directly impacts vehicle sales decisions and could lead to a decrease in demand for new vehicles.
Despite these challenges, Naamsa remains optimistic and predicts that both domestic and export sales will grow in 2023. The organization forecasts a 6.3% increase in domestic sales and an 8.3% increase in export sales.
Now, let’s talk about the best-selling models. Unsurprisingly, the Toyota Hilux took the top spot as the best-selling car in February 2023. In fact, Toyota boasted four models in the top ten, including the Hilux (1st), Toyota Corolla Cross (4th), Toyota Hi-Ace (7th), and the Toyota Starlet (8th). The second and third most popular brands, VW and Suzuki, also featured models in the top ten: the VW Polo Vivo (5th) and the Suzuki Swift (6th).
Ford’s bakkie, the Ford Ranger, also experienced a notable move up the rankings. It moved up four places from sixth in January to the second best-selling car in February 2023. This is likely due to the popularity of its new next-gen Ranger, which received a facelift and attractive interior interactions.
All in all, it’s clear that the auto industry in South Africa is slowly but surely recovering from the pandemic. With a few tweaks and adjustments, there’s no reason why it can’t continue to thrive in the coming months and years.
TAGS: South Africa, car sales, Toyota, Volkswagen, Suzuki, Ford, Naamsa
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