South Africa's used vehicle market showing robust growth, but with a shift towards value

South Africa has seen a surge in demand for new vehicles, with September’s sales reaching a 10-year high of 54,700 units, but used car sales are also experiencing a healthy uptick.

Data from vehicle listing giant AutoTrader for September 2025 shows used vehicle sales increased by 16.4% year-on-year to 33,907 units.

Its sales chart for used cars shows that South Africans are prioritising aspects such as value and reliability over status as affordable models continue to grow their sales.

Interestingly, the average selling price for a used vehicle fell to R416,302 in September, down from R418,105 the previous month but up from R405,154 in September last year.

The Ford Ranger was South Africa’s most popular used vehicle last month, with 1,904 sales, followed by the Toyota Hilux, while Volkswagen’s Polo and Polo Vivo and Toyota’s Fortuner made up the top five.

A further three compact hatchbacks made the top 10, namely the Suzuki Swift, Toyota Starlet and Hyundai Grand i10, with the latter showing a remarkable year-on-year sales growth of 121.4%. The Toyota Corolla Cross saw its sales rise by 67.1% while the Suzuki Swift saw a 47% increase.

Toyota remains the top-selling used brand, with 5,638 sales, followed by Volkswagen (4,743) and Ford (3,423), with Hyundai and Suzuki rounding out the top five.

“Despite minor monthly fluctuations, the data shows a resilient used car market supported by strong underlying demand and a steady flow of quality stock,” commented George Mienie, CEO of AutoTrader South Africa. “The ongoing strength in entry-level hatch and bakkie sales reflects a pragmatic shift among local buyers. They’re prioritising value, reliability, and practicality over brand prestige.”

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