Dakar 2026 tough on South African participants
The 2026 Dakar Rally delivered one of the most thrilling and competitive editions of the world’s toughest off‑road endurance race.
- Industry News
- 19 January 2026
As per usual there were no big surprises in the vehicle sales stakes for October with the usual suspects leading the pack.
The top five manufacturers of total units sold in October were Toyota (12 574), Volkswagen Group SA (4 904), Suzuki Auto (4 112), Nissan (3 011) and Hyundai Automotive South Africa (2 703); with Haval Motors SA breathing down Hyundai’s neck in sixth place with 2 602 units.
In the passenger category the roost was ruled by Toyota with its Corolla Cross in first place (2 014) followed by its Urban Cruiser (1 820), the Suzuki Swift (1 693), the VW Polo Vivo (1 583) and the Haval H6 (956).
As far as bakkies are concerned the Nissan NP-200 continues to stand its ground among the big boys. In first place was the Toyota Hillux with 3336 units sold, followed by the Ford Ranger (1 807), the Isuzu D-Max (1 802), the Nissan NP 200 (1 096) and the Mahindra Scorpio Pik-Up (624).
The year-to-date sales for these top passenger vehicle performers were VW Polo Vivo (16 121), Suzuki Swift (13 032), Toyota Urban Cruiser (12 893), Toyota Corolla Cross (9 884) and Haval H6 (2 830).
The year-to-date units sold for the top five in the bakkie category were Toyota Hilux (23 263), Isuzu D-Max (12 499), Ford Ranger (12 060), Nissan NP200 (9 881) and Mahindra Scorpio Pik-up (6 263).
The 2026 Dakar Rally delivered one of the most thrilling and competitive editions of the world’s toughest off‑road endurance race.
Volvo Cars has partnered with type specialists Dalton Maag to develop Centum, a bespoke typeface crafted specifically for the in‑car environment.
Time to enter is running out for prospective participants in the 16th Simola Hillclimb, which will be held in the Knysna region later this year from 30 April to 3 May.