Toyota continues unabated to be the king of sales in South Africa.
With 10 812 units retailed in July, Toyota was once again South Africa’s best-selling brand powered by a strong demand across its line-up.
As the only manufacturer to breach 10 000 units a month (and accomplish this six months out of seven for 2023), Toyota’s market share for July was a commanding 24.9%.
Hilux realised 2 982 sales in July, contributing to its dominance in the LCV space – YTD racking up cumulative sales numbers close to 22 000 units for a 25.2% segment market share. An improved inventory flow for this model also helped Toyota’s exports for the month, with Hilux accounting for 7 273 of the 7 437 units shipped out in July. Other LCV highlights include the HiAce, which ticked over with sales of 1 347 units, and the Land Cruiser 79 pickup, a consistent performer with a solid 312 registrations.
Mirroring its LCV performance, Toyota also leads in passenger car sales with three of its models featuring in the top ten. It was another podium finish for Corolla Cross with 1 801 units retailed, followed by the Starlet on 1 187 units, while Fortuner snuck into ninth place with 730 sales registered. Year-to-date, Corolla Cross is SA’s most popular passenger vehicle with nearly 12 500 units finding new owners – this single model reflecting a 6.1% share of the total passenger market.
Other notables for Toyota in the passenger arena include Quest (455) and Land Cruiser 300 – the latter garnering 214 sales, a remarkable achievement considering most of the sales come from the ZX and GR-S models, which retail for more than R2 million.
On the Lexus front, NX is the sales frontrunner with 28 units retailed, while the rarefied LX attained a laudable 13 sales.
Worth mentioning are the bespoke GR models, which are beginning to make a blip on the niche sports radar: the freshly launched GR Corolla notched up seven sales, followed by the GR Supra on six units, with the GR 86 and Yaris registering four and three units respectively.
Parts supply for the month came in at close to 1.4 million items distributed locally and a further 246 000 items exported to foreign markets.
The compact SUV market in South Africa has gained a new contender with the arrival of the GAC Emzoom Nova. It joins the existing Emzoom Executive and Emzoom R‑Style models, broadening the range offered by Salvador Caetano South Africa, the official distributor of GAC Motor.
Chinese vehicle brand Changan has strengthened its South African retail presence with the opening of a new flagship dealership in Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal, as the company pushes ahead with plans to establish about 45 dealerships nationally during 2026.
A South African dealership has been instructed to remove or amend an advertisement for a new Jetour T2 after the Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) ruled that the listing created the impression that a specific vehicle was immediately available for purchase when it was not.
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I have bad reflexes. I was once run over by a car being pushed by two guys
Woody Allen
A South African dealership has been instructed to remove or amend an advertisement for a new Jetour T2 after the Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) ruled that the listing created the impression that a specific vehicle was immediately available for purchase when it was not.
If you were hoping to experience the roaring streets of the Isle of Man TT in 2026, you are already too late. This event, with practice sessions starting on 25 May 2026 and racing commencing on the 30th, requires at least six to twelve months of planning, along with a substantial budget.
Pinewood.AI has added two new embedded modules to its Business Intelligence Solution, giving dealers and OEMs greater insight into financial performance and the customer journey, it says.
