Who made the cut? South Africa’s top 15 best-sellers of 2024

Having posted its highest number of vehicles sold post-pandemic in 2023, South Africa’s new vehicle index fell to its lowest level since 2022 when 529 542 units were sold.

A tale of woe

According to the figures by the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa), 2024’s 515 712 represented a three percent decrease from 2023’s record 531 775.

In addition, vehicle exports slumped to its lowest level since 2021 with a total offset of 308 380 units – 22.8% down on 2023’s record 399 594, and in arears of the 351 784 registered in 2022.

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Across the various segments, only new passenger vehicle showed a significant growth from 2023 with an uptake of 1.1% from 347 379 to 351 302.

After exports, light commercial vehicle showed the biggest drop with a downturn of 12% from 151 490 to 133 254.

Also ending 2024 in the red were medium-duty and heavy-duty commercial vehicles – the former dropping 6.5% to 7 714 from 8 252, and the latter 4.9% from 24 654 to 23 442.

Naamsa statement

“At the onset of 2024, the new vehicle market was still only 0.9% below the pre-pandemic level of 536,612 units in 2019,” Naamsa said in a statement.

“The industry anticipated a year of two halves with a taxing first half of the year and with brighter economic prospects and an upswing in new vehicle sales during the second half of the year, which unfortunately did not materialise.

“New vehicle sales remained under pressure in 2024, continuing to reflect a shift in the matrix with various new entrants in the domestic market, in particular Chinese brands, offering options at the more affordable end of the pricing spectrum as consumers battled a tough economic climate. 

“Despite a stronger year-end performance supported by strong seasonal sales to the vehicle rental industry, easing inflation and two interest rate cuts, new vehicle sales [still] decreased”.

Best-sellers: Same no.1, rise of China

The upwards swing in passenger vehicle sales, unsurprisingly, also reflected in the monthly top 10 best-sellers with no less than seven being products being present.

Still topping list though, the Toyota Hilux maintained its position as the country’s best-selling vehicle in 2024 with only November seeing it being dislodged as the nation’s favourite.

Taking second place, the Volkswagen Polo Vivo took honours as the only vehicle to top the Hilux throughout the year, while the latter’s arch rival, the Ford Ranger, finished third ahead of the Toyota Corolla Cross and Isuzu D-Max.

Completing a top five clean sweep for locally produced products, the Suzuki Swift rated as the top-selling imported product, this despite undergoing a generation change that saw sales drop in both August and September as the run-out of the now previous generation took hold.

In a year characterised by the rise of Chinese vehicles, regular top 10 finishes by the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro and Great Wall Motors (GWM) Haval Jolion saw both place within the top 15 best-selling brand of 2024 – the former going a step further by finishing the year in ninth place overall.

Based on the relative Naamsa figures, calculations done by The Citizen reveals the top 15 best-selling vehicles of 2024 as the following:

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