Cars.co.za, South Africa’s leading digital automotive marketplace, will unveil its first Industry Report at next week’s DealerCon 2025 – a landmark event designed to analyse the past decade of seismic change in the motor industry and project what lies ahead.
The report, powered by Cars.co.za’s proprietary market data and enriched with finance and consumer insights from TransUnion, will offer the most comprehensive view yet of how affordability pressures, shifting consumer preferences, and ambitious new entrants to the new-vehicle market are reshaping the country’s automotive space.
“Periods of disruption can feel daunting, but history tells us they are also when the strongest businesses emerge. With sharper strategies and stronger partnerships, our industry can seize the opportunities ahead,” says Amasi Mwela, Managing Director of Cars.co.za.
A Decade of Change: From Sedans to SUVs, Manuals to Automatics
The report tracks the remarkable evolution of South African vehicle-buyer behaviour:
- The number of SUVs and crossovers listed on Cars.co.za has more than doubled since 2015, while sedans have lost over 60% of their share.
- Double-cab demand has surged 71.3% since 2015, as these bakkies have evolved from workhorses into lifestyle vehicles and status symbols.
- The rise of automatic transmissions has been dramatic: in 2015, just 25% of double-cabs were automatics. Today, that figure stands at more than 70%.
- The Toyota Hilux remains South Africa’s top-selling new vehicle, while the Volkswagen Polo continues to dominate the used-car market – proof that some preferences endure even during times of upheaval.
The Chinese Surge: A Market Redefined
Perhaps the most dramatic change of the past decade has been the rise of Chinese brands:
- In 2015, Chinese brands’ vehicles made up just 0.76% of Cars.co.za stock. In 2025, they command 6.45%, a staggering 749% increase.
- New entrants such as Chery, Haval, Omoda, Jaecoo, and Jetour have captured market share at unprecedented speed, often leapfrogging established brands.
- Aggressive pricing, generous specifications, and sharp marketing have made Chinese brands’ models especially competitive in the compact crossover segment, where consumers are well and truly spoilt for choice.
- Contrary to expectations, perhaps, most Chinese brands’ vehicles achieve solid residuals that compare well with rival legacy brands.
Today’s Market: Crowded, Pressured, and Data-Driven
The Cars.co.za Industry Report uses its proprietary stock and lead data to identify the real hot spots in today’s market, down to specific makes and models in demand across price bands.
- At the lower end of the market, demand for perennial compact hatchback favourites such as the Volkswagen Polo/Polo Vivo, Hyundai i20/Grand i10, and Suzuki Swift remains strong. Beyond the R300 000 mark, however, the only hatchbacks that currently attract significant demand are the ones sporting Volkswagen’s iconic GTI badge.
- In the affordable seven-seater segment, Suzuki’s Ertiga and Toyota’s Rumion are emerging as consumer favourites, driven by demand from ride-hailing operators and budget-conscious family-car buyers.
- At the upper end of the market, MPVs and minibuses such as the Mercedes-Benz V-Class and Volkswagen Caravelle are proving particularly desirable, underlining the continued demand for versatile luxury people-movers.
- The report also highlights a surprising resilience in discontinued half-tonne bakkies: the Nissan NP200 and even the much older Chevrolet Utility continue to enjoy strong demand in the used market.
- Among Chinese brands’ products, the GWM Haval Jolion and Chery Tiggo 4 Pro are entrenched in the Top 10 of South Africa’s best-selling new vehicles. However, in the used-car market, the Jolion only appears just outside the Top 50. This lag highlights both the natural delay in used market penetration and the reality that aggressively priced new vehicles offered by Chinese brands continue to squeeze the used market from above.
The inclusion of cross-consideration tables in the report adds another layer of insight. These tables reveal which vehicles consumers are also looking at when submitting a lead.
The results challenge traditional assumptions – they show that consumers are increasingly considering Chinese brands’ models (across the price spectrum), and that South Africans aren’t strictly shopping within body-type silos. For example, double-cab bakkies are widely considered alternatives to not only crossovers/SUVs, but even models such as the BMW 3 Series or Volkswagen Polo. It reinforces their status as highly aspirational utility vehicles.
In short, the report shows a South African automotive market that is under severe pressure – but also one brimming with specific opportunities for dealers who know where to look.
NEVs & Powertrain Trends
The report devotes a special section to new-energy vehicles (NEVs), underscoring both progress and persistent challenges:
- The Toyota Corolla Cross petrol-electric hybrid is the standout success story, dominating NEV sales and proving that hybrids can thrive in South Africa when they combine affordability, practicality, and trusted brand equity.
- By contrast, demand for battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) is stagnant, hampered by high prices, limited (but improving) model availability, and infrastructure constraints.
- The wave of NEVs introduced by Chinese brands, including more affordable hybrid models (also of the plug-in variety) and compact BEVs, has the potential to expand the segment, particularly in the Corolla Cross’s price band, where demand is already strong.
When it comes to the used market, the data tells another important story:
- Diesel is not dead. Despite global trends, South African demand remains robust, fuelled by the enduring popularity of double-cab bakkies.
- According to Cars.co.za stock data, double-cab demand has increased more than 70% since 2015, and this segment continues to lean heavily on turbodiesel powertrains.
Buyer Personas & Finance Realities
Insights from Cars.co.za and TransUnion paint a vivid picture of how affordability is shaping the market:
- The cheapest new car on sale today, the Suzuki S-Presso (R178 900), costs nearly double what the entry-level Chery QQ3 did in 2015 (R93 900). Even accounting for inflation, new entry-level cars have become more expensive in real terms.
- To finance a base-level car on standard terms, a buyer would need a minimum net salary of R21 900 per month. South Africa’s average net salary is just R18 000, underscoring the affordability gap.
- As a result of this, as well as stricter lending controls by banks, new, first-time vehicle finance agreements have declined steadily.
“Data tells the story long before headlines do,” says Lee Naik, CEO of TransUnion Africa. “This report is not just a reflection of the past decade – it’s a compass for the journey ahead.”
A New Era of Insight for Dealers
The DealerCon 2025 theme – SHIFT: A Decade of Change – reflects both the turbulence and the opportunity of this moment. For dealers, the Cars.co.za Industry Report offers more than just numbers: it provides a roadmap for anticipating change, adapting strategies, and seizing growth in a redefined marketplace.
The Cars.co.za Industry Report will be officially launched at the inaugural Cars.co.za DealerCon, hosted at the Sandton Convention Centre on Wednesday, 17 September 2025. Dealers who want to attend can still acquire tickets at dealercon.cars.co.za.
Both the conference and the report that underpins it have been designed to equip dealers with actionable insights in these challenging times for the motor industry. The programme will feature keynote talks and panel discussions from industry leaders, including:
- Amasi Mwela (MD, Cars.co.za)
- Lee Naik (CEO, TransUnion Africa)
- Mikel Mabasa (CEO, naamsa)
- Faan van der Walt (CEO, WeBuyCars)
- Brandon Cohen (Chairperson, NADA)
- Claudine Ebrahim (Executive for Car Sales, Avis Budget SA)
- Carla Seppings (CEO, Bidvest Automotive)
- Charl Potgieter (Managing Executive, ABSA Vehicle & Asset Finance)
- Tony Liu (Executive Deputy General Manager, Chery South Africa)
- Gideon Jansen van Rensburg (CEO, Motus SA Retail)
- Lebo Rakgekola (Department Executive for Sales, Isuzu)
- Ghana Msibi (CEO, WesBank)
- Wiehahn Koch (Head, Purpose Lending Division, Capitec Bank)
And a special keynote by Vusi Thembekwayo, global business speaker and entrepreneur.
