The first uptick in sales since July still proved disappointing as only passenger vehicles saw an improvement from September.
In a reversal of two month’s consecutive decreases, South Africa’s new vehicle sales recorded its first positive uptake since July in spite of exports remaining on the downwards trajectory.
No change at the top but surprises galore
Despite the uptake, the country’s proverbial best-seller, the Toyota Hilux, again saw its individual figures dip below 3 000 units with a total offset 2 793.
While second and third places also remained unchanged from September with the Volkswagen Polo Vivo outranking the Ford Ranger on 2 297 versus 2 217, the Toyota Corolla Cross inched back to its customary fourth place as the only other vehicle to break through the 2 000 mark on 2 104.
Completing an otherwise locally dominated top five and indeed top 10, the Isuzu D-Max fell a notch to fifth place with sales of 1 807, while the Volkswagen Polo jumped two places from September to settle at sixth on 1 425 units sold.
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An all imported fair competed the rest of the top 10 with the Toyota Starlet ranking above its Indian countryman, the Hyundai Grand i10, new Suzuki Swift and Suzuki Fronx, with sales of 1 358 versus 1 348, 1 179 and 1 109 respectively.
Lower down the order, the Renault Kwid recorded its highest offset in recent months with 934 units finding new homes, while the likely introduction of the new sub-R300 000 base LS model has seen Kia shifting 787 Sonets compared to September’s 445.
Providing the biggest surprise, the newly launched Mahinda XUV 3X0 registered 592 sales to finish just ahead of the Hyundai Exter that saw a 101 unit improvement from last month to 544, while the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro also had one of its best months with 525 examples sold.
Month in detail
Attributing the uptake to the series of fuel price reductions and lower consumer inflation, the October figures by the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa) show an increase of 5.5% from last year’s 45 418 to 47 942.
Besides new passenger vehicle sales, the rest of the various segment all ended in the red with the former’s sizable 14.5% hike from 29 897 to 34 228 being the only other highlight.
Going the opposite way, medium-duty commercial vehicle shed 10.1% from 799 to 718, while heavy-duty trucks and busses lost 7.1% to settle at 2 187 compared to 2 355 of 12 months ago.
Largest hit, light duty commercial vehicles dropped by 12.7% to 10 791 from 12 367, with the mentioned export slump amounting to hefty 42.6% from 2023’s 23 342 to 17 324.
Naamsa happy
“The stronger performance in the new vehicle market in October 2024 bodes well for signs of the new vehicle market slowly turning. Positive indicators of further potential growth include an easing in annual consumer inflation for a fourth consecutive month to 3.8% in September, the lowest level since March 2021, when the rate was 3,2%,” Naamsa CEO Mikel Mabasa said in a statement.
“In addition, petrol prices were at the lowest point in nearly three years, creating some breathing space for households.
“Consumers and businesses could also look forward to a start of an interest cutting cycle over the next 18 months, which cumulatively would begin to positively impact some level of relief in expensive debt and provide a stimulus to market sentiment.
“Although the immediate effects of these positive signs were still relatively small, the cumulative impact and momentum going forward would hopefully translate into stronger new vehicle sales in the medium to long term”, Mabasa concluded.
Top 10 brands
Out of the country’s 10 best-selling brands, the top three remained unchanged from September with Toyota finishing October on 11 891 and ahead of Volkswagen’s 6 340 and Suzuki’s 6 006.
Having been leapfrogged by Hyundai in September, Ford retook its fourth place in October with an offset of 2 965 versus the South Korean brand’s 2 913.
While Isuzu kept its sixth place with a new of 2 251, Chery again jumped arch rival Great Wall Motors (GWM) to finish seventh with 1 831 vehicles sold.
GWM’s 1 796, therefore saw it fell to eighth place and only marginally ahead of the 1 736 recorded by Renault.
Returning to the top 10 at the expense of Nissan was Kia, whose 1 508 placed it of the Japanese brand that fell to 12th behind 11th place Mahindra.
Completing the top 10 were alliance partners Renault and Nissan with respective figures of 1 426 and 1 425.
October top 50 best-selling cars
- Toyota Hilux – 2 793
- Volkswagen Polo Vivo – 2 297
- Ford Ranger – 2 217
- Toyota Corolla Cross – 2 104
- Isuzu D-Max – 1 807
- Volkswagen Polo – 1 425
- Toyota Starlet – 1 358
- Hyundai Grand i10 – 1 348
- Suzuki Swift – 1 179
- Suzuki Fronx – 1 109
- Chery Tiggo 4 Pro – 1 079
- Renault Kwid – 934
- Toyota Fortuner – 905
- GWM Haval Jolion – 886
- Nissan Magnite – 854
- Suzuki Ertiga – 846
- Toyota Starlet Cross – 805
- Kia Sonet – 787
- Mahindra Pik Up – 709
- Toyota Vitz – 676
- Suzuki Baleno – 672
- Toyota Urban Cruiser – 629
- Toyota HiAce – 612
- Toyota Corolla Quest – 603
- Mahindra XUV 3X0 – 592
- Hyundai Exter – 544
- Suzuki Ciaz – 527
- Chery Tiggo 7 Pro – 525
- Toyota Rumion – 446
- Volkswagen T-Cross – 437
- Nissan Navara – 418
- Suzuki DZire – 412
- GWM Haval H6 – 374
- GWM P-Series – 358
- Volkswagen Polo Sedan – 357
- Omoda C5 – 356
- Renault Triber – 343
- Renault Kiger 340
- Hyundai i20 – 328
- Volkswagen Amarok – 298
- Ford Territory – 297
- Ford Everest – 291
- Suzuki S-Presso – 277
- Volkswagen Tiguan – 258
- Kia Pegas – 255
- Audi Q3 – 250
- Suzuki Jimny – 239
- Hyundai Venue – 227
- Suzuki Celerio – 210
- Kia Seltos – 200
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