South Africa’s new-vehicle market continues to experience seismic shifts on the back of an influx of rising Asian brands.

Lightstone Auto, provider of comprehensive data, analytics and systems for the auto sector, compiled a number of top-ten lists for Engineering News Online to illustrate the shifts that have taken place in the local market since 2015.

From this data, it is clear that local manufacturers are rapidly losing ground to imports in the domestic market.

For 2016 the best-performing brands were:
1. Toyota: 112 495 units
2. Volkswagen: 74 075 units
3. Ford: 73 738 units
4. Hyundai: 36 556 units
5. Nissan: 36 275 units
6. Mercedes-Benz: 23 189 units
7. Chevrolet: 20 425 units
8. BMW: 20 335 units
9. Renault: 18 702 units
10. Kia: 16 200 units

In 2025 the best-selling brands were:
1. Toyota 142 471 units
2. Suzuki: 71 560 units (number 15 in 2016)
3. Volkswagen: 57 682 units
4. Hyundai: 36 149 units
5. Ford: 34 472 units
6. Chery: 25 222 units (number 32 in 2016)
7. Isuzu: 22 519 units (number 11 in 2016)
8. Haval: 19 082 units (not present in 2016)
9. Kia: 18 509 units
10. Mahindra: 18 097 units (number 19 in 2016)

The numbers show that China’s more affordable Chery and Haval brands have made significant inroads into the local market, along with India’s Mahindra badge.

Most of the cars Japanese brand Suzuki sells locally are also made in India, and also aimed at the more budget-conscious market.

Strengthening the notion that the South African consumer has become increasingly financially distressed over the last ten years, is the fact that the 2016 list featured two premium car makers – BMW and Mercedes-Benz – with neither of these present in the 2025 top-ten list.

Mercedes-Benz sales in South Africa have, in fact, dropped from an estimated 23 189 units in 2016, to around 5 413 units in 2025.

BMW has also seen a decline, even if less steep, from 20 355 units to 13 265 units.

It is also clear that Ford and Volkswagen have seen a strong sales drop in the face of increasing competition.

General Motors’ (GM) Chevrolet pulled out of South Africa in 2017, with GM halting both local production and sales, after more than 90 years in the country.

Nissan fell out of the top ten in 2025, with sales plummeting from 36 275 units in 2015, to 15 084 units last year. The Japanese vehicle maker will also this year cease local production in Pretoria, with Chery buying up its Rosslyn plant.

The truly bad news in terms of South Africa’s industrialisation ambitions is the fact that Nissan, Ford, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz and BMW all manufacture vehicles in South Africa.

Of the top ten brands in 2016, seven were local manufacturers.

Last year, four were local manufacturers and six were importers, with only two of the made-in-SA brands managing to grow their sales in the domestic market over the last ten years – Toyota and Isuzu.

Japan Winning, US Losing
When considering the countries of origin, Japanese brands remain number one in South Africa, with 37% of the market in 2015, growing to 46% in 2025, boosted largely by Toyota and Suzuki.

German brands have dropped from number two, at 26% of the market, in 2015, to number three, at 15%, last year.

Chinese brands have now taken second spot, also with 15% of the South African market, up from a mere 1% market share in 2015.

US brands occupied the number three spot in 2015, at 20% of the market. Now, however, they are at 6% of the market, in the fifth spot.

Korean brands have remained stable, at 10% of the market.

Top-selling Vehicles
The top-ten selling vehicles in South Africa from 2015 to 2025 echoes the narrative as spelled out above.

In 2015, the top-selling vehicles were:
1. Toyota Hilux: 35 684 units
2. Ford Ranger: 33 916 units
3. Volkswagen Polo Vivo: 24 615 units
4. Volkswagen Polo: 22 758 units
5. Nissan NP200: 18 124 units
6. Chevrolet Utility: 16 341 units
7. Isuzu KB: 16 318 units
8. Toyota Etios: 16 270 units
9. Toyota Corolla Quest: 11 975 units
10. Toyota Quantum: 11 894 units

Nine of these models were made in South Africa.

In 2025, the top-selling vehicles were:
1. Toyota Hilux: 36 525 units
2. Volkswagen Polo Vivo: 26 067 units
3. Ford Ranger: 25 463 units
4. Suzuki Swift: 23 921 units
5. Corolla Cross: 22 191 units
6. Isuzu D-Max: 21 193 units
7. Hyundai Grand i10: 17 201 units
8. Toyota Starlet: 16 281 units
9. Chery Tiggo 4 Pro: 15 098 units
10. Suzuki Fronx: 13 662 units

Five of the models were produced in South Africa.