https://newsletter.en.creamermedia.com
Africa|Automotive|Business|Export|Road|Trucks
Africa|Automotive|Business|Export|Road|Trucks
africa|automotive|business|export|road|trucks

New-vehicle market keeps on growing, but exports in the doldrums

2nd March 2026

By: Irma Venter

Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

     

Font size: - +

February new-vehicle sales, at 53 455 units, were up 11.4% compared with the same month last year, in the market’s best performance for a February since 2013.

naamsa | The Automotive Business Council says the continued growth in the market, carrying over from last year, serves as proof of “increasingly entrenched domestic economic stabilisation”.

The new-passenger-car market gained 11.3% in February, to reach 37 576 units.

Sales of new bakkies, minibuses, panel vans and small trucks increased by 11.9%, to 13 218 units.

Sales of medium trucks, at 720 units, exactly matched the number from February last year, while sales of heavy trucks and buses jumped by 13.6%, to 1 941 units.

The automotive sector’s export performance proved worrisome, however, as new-vehicle exports in February plummeted by 28.1%, to 24 221 units.

naamsa says exports were subject “to heightened protectionism across several of South Africa’s key export markets, while increasingly stringent decarbonisation requirements in destination markets continue to weigh on the competitiveness of South African vehicle exports”.

South Africa’s auto assemblers produced mostly internal combustion engine vehicles, and not hybrids, plug-in hybrids or electric vehicles, as increasingly demanded in export markets.

On the domestic front there were several positives supporting the new-vehicle market, but increased fuel, carbon and Road Accident Fund levies, as announced in last week’s National Budget, as well as rising oil prices owing to the Iran–US/Israel war, would lead to higher fuel prices, which could impact consumer spending, warns naamsa.

 

Edited by Creamer Media Reporter

Article Enquiry

Email Article

Save Article

Feedback

To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here

Latest News

RCL Foods reports decline in revenue, Ebitda
RCL Foods reports decline in revenue, Ebitda
Updated 3 hours ago By: Sabrina Jardim
New-vehicle market keeps on growing, but exports in the doldrums
New-vehicle market keeps on growing, but exports in the doldrums
Updated 2 hours 5 minutes ago By: Irma Venter

Showroom

Condra Cranes
Condra Cranes

ISO-certified Condra manufactures overhead cranes, portal cranes, cantilever cranes and crane components: hoists, drives, end-carriages, brakes and...

VISIT SHOWROOM 
MBE Minerals SA (Pty) Ltd
MBE Minerals SA (Pty) Ltd

Your global lifecycle technology & service partner for materials & minerals processing equipment for coal, iron ore, copper, manganese & other...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Magazine round up | 27 February 2026
Magazine round up | 27 February 2026
27th February 2026
Head and shoulders shot of Amanuel
Structural shift under way
27th February 2026 By: Devina Haripersad

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







301

sq:0.069 0.166s - 141pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now