Cars.co.za report offers interesting insights
Cars.co.za recently launched Industry Report 2026 at its DealerCon summit, offers insight into the forces shaping South Africa’s vehicle market.
- Dealer News
- 22 September 2026
Mahindra & Mahindra has delivered another robust quarterly performance, supported by heightened consumer demand following India’s recent reductions in vehicle taxation.
The company’s latest financial results point to strong momentum across both its automotive and agricultural divisions.
Mahindra reported a quarterly profit of around R7 billion (₹39.31 billion), representing a rise of nearly one‑third compared with the same quarter last year. Despite the impressive gain, the figure fell just short of analyst forecasts, which had anticipated roughly R7.1 billion (₹39.92 billion).
The firm also absorbed a once‑off cost of approximately R174.8 million (₹981.9 million) linked to India’s newly introduced labour code reforms.
A key factor behind Mahindra’s growth has been the tax overhaul implemented in September, part of a broader government initiative aimed at encouraging household spending. Under these changes, the goods and services tax applicable to most passenger cars dropped to 18% from 28%, while duty on large SUVs, such as the company’s popular XUV 7X0, was reduced to around 40% from 50%. Taxes on tractors also fell sharply, decreasing to 5% from 12%.
Headquartered in Mumbai, Mahindra continues to dominate India’s tractor market and has moved into second place among the country’s carmakers for the current fiscal period. Its range, made up entirely of feature‑rich SUVs, has played a central role in this success.
The automotive division accounts for about 73% of the firm’s revenue, while the farming equipment segment, though smaller, contributes around 25% and remains the more profitable of the two.
Sales performance across Mahindra’s core products remained strong: SUV volumes increased by close to 26%, and tractor sales grew by roughly 23%. This uplift drove total quarterly revenue to about R68.7 billion (₹385.17 billion).
Following the company’s earnings release, Mahindra’s share price, initially up 2.7%, settled to a more moderate 1.5% gain by the close of trading.
Car recalls often raise concern among owners, but the National Automobile Dealers' Association (NADA) says recall campaigns show that manufacturers are accountable and committed to quality, safety and customer care.
Affordability is driving a structural shift in South Africa’s vehicle market, with SUVs gaining significant ground as consumers increasingly seek competitively priced, well-equipped vehicles.
South Africa’s used car market continued to grow during the first half of 2026, despite pressure on household budgets and a 25 basis point interest rate increase in May.