In May 2025, Hyundai South Africa floored the accelerator and hit its highest monthly sales in three years – and we are not just talking about a few lucky Venues rolling off the dealership floor. With a whopping 3 251 units sold, Hyundai landed fourth overall in national new-vehicle sales, cruising ahead of several big-name rivals after lagging them for the last couple of years.

It is not just about numbers though. With crowd pleasers like the Tucson and ever reliable Grand i10 leading the charge, Hyundai is clearly striking the right chord with South African buyers.

Clearly, this minor upset by Hyundai left a big impression on our readers as this article became our most read for the month of May. But as always with Cars.co.za, our content was about so much more.

We looked at how the broader SA market didn’t take a nap either. New-vehicle sales were up a robust 22% year-on-year. Maybe it’s the interest rate cuts. Maybe it’s the “geopolitical positivity” (whatever that means). Or maybe, just maybe, South Africans are finally tired of fixing their old jalopies with duct tape and hope.

Toyota still tops the charts, because, well, it’s Toyota, but Hyundai’s performance proves there’s room in the fast lane for more than just one big name.

So, what’s driving this momentum? What does it mean for the industry? And are we in the middle of a Hyundai renaissance?

For the full breakdown – from stats and strategy to some pretty compelling market insight – check out the full article here. Spoiler alert: it’s more exciting than your uncle’s used Corolla.