The report reveals that the double-cab bakkie has arguably replaced the German premium sedan as the desired status symbol for local automotive consumers, especially in the R500 000 to R1 million bracket.

Drawing on Cars.co.za’s proprietary market data and new-vehicle sales figures, the findings highlight that most motoring consumers now consider modern double-cab bakkies (such as the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger and Isuzu D-Max) as their preferred luxury-vehicle status symbols.

“Our data shows a dramatic shift away from German sedans, such as the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class, which dominated the South African luxury vehicle market less than a decade ago, in favour of flagship bakkies,” says Alan Quinn, Executive: Product and Partnerships at Cars.co.za.

Disappearance from new sales charts: Pricier legacy luxury sedans like the 3 Series and C-Class have nearly disappeared from the top of the new-vehicle sales charts.

Shrinking lead share: In the used car market, demand for these sedans, and sedans in general, is declining. The lead share of vehicles like the 3 Series and C-Class has fallen. In 2020 (just five years ago), the 3 Series and C-Class achieved 3.9% and 3.4% of all leads (enquiries) respectively on Cars.co.za. During the first half of 2025, those percentages had shrunk to 2.4% and 2.9%; demand for the A4 declined even further.

Overall segment contraction: The overall sedan segment’s lead share on Cars.co.za has shrunk significantly over the past decade, declining from 21.5% in 2015 to 14.33% in the first half of 2025.

This decline can largely be attributed to the increasing unaffordability of new luxury sedans, which now compete at a problematic price point (even at base price, before options), driven by macroeconomic pressures like inflation, eroding purchasing power and even manufacturing location.

The increase in popularity of the crossover segment and the general decline in desirability and choice (internationally, too) of the sedan body type are also major factors. “It is also worth noting that while the Hilux, Ranger and D-Max are produced locally, only the C-Class remains in local production among the aforementioned sedans,” says Alan.

In contrast, the desirability and capability of double-cab bakkies have surged. Double-cab demand has grown substantially, increasing by 71.3% since 2015.

As is shown in Cars.co.za’s unique cross-consideration charts, the (increasingly sophisticated) double-cab bakkie is now being considered alongside almost every other body type on the market and at nearly all price points, demonstrating its widespread desirability. “Interestingly, the cross-consideration charts suggest BMW 3 Series owners or buyers prefer the Ford Ranger, while those considering a Mercedes-Benz C-Class are increasingly also considering a Toyota Hilux,” Alan adds.

Increased sophistication and specification: South African consumers appear to prefer higher-specification double cabs, reinforcing their status as preferred luxury vehicles. The bulk of double-cab stock on Cars.co.za is priced in the R500k+ price segment, which is about R100 000 higher than the average loan amount approved to finance a vehicle in South Africa, according to TransUnion data.

Market penetration of automatic transmissions: Modern double-cab bakkies are increasingly equipped with automatic transmissions to align them with luxury vehicle buyers’ and general ease-of-use expectations. The stock of automatic double-cabs on Cars.co.za has seen a near-full reversal in the past decade.

In 2015, only 25.03% of double-cab stock on Cars.co.za was automatic. Today, that figure has soared to 70.91%, representing a dramatic growth of 183.3%.

Demand (leads submitted) for automatic double cabs has followed this trend, increasing from 20.59% in 2015 to 57.31% in the first half of 2025.

The sustained popularity of flagship double-cabs from particularly the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger and Isuzu D-Max (previously KB) means they are the only "pricey" vehicles (in the used market, Top 25) that have maintained or grown their share between 2020 and 2025.