South Africa’s new vehicle market recorded aggregate domestic sales of 61 645 units in September 2026, an increase of 12.7% compared with the 54 706 units sold during September 2025.
Export sales moved in the opposite direction, with 31 473 units recorded during the month, an 18.8% decrease compared with September last year, the lates figures from The Automotive Business Council | naamsa reflects.
Of the total reported domestic industry sales, an estimated 50 171 units, or 81.4%, represented dealer sales. The vehicle rental industry accounted for 13.8%, government purchases for 2.6% and corporate fleet sales for 2.2%.
The passenger car market was a significant contributor to the September performance. New passenger car sales reached 44 291 units, up 14.7% from the 38 615 units recorded in September 2025. The car rental industry accounted for 18.4% of new passenger vehicle sales during the month.
Domestic sales of new light commercial vehicles, bakkies and minibuses also increased, reaching 14 361 units. This represented growth of 9.6% compared with the 13 099 units sold during September 2025.
Medium commercial vehicle sales reached 789 units, a 3.4% increase over the 763 units sold in September 2025. Heavy truck and bus sales, however, declined to 2 204 units from 2 229 units a year earlier.
Commenting on the performance, naamsa CEO Dr Mncane Mthunzi says the South African new vehicle market closed the third quarter of 2026 on a remarkably resilient footing, with September sales increasing by 12,7% year-on-year to 61 645 units. “This performance is particularly encouraging given the increasingly difficult operating environment facing consumers and businesses, including higher borrowing costs, renewed inflationary pressures and subdued economic growth.”
The new energy vehicle (NEV) market also continued to expand. During the first eight months of 2026, cumulative NEV sales reached 18 945 units, already exceeding the 16 703 units recorded during the whole of 2025 by 13.4%.
Traditional hybrid electric vehicles accounted for 49.6% of NEV sales year to date, followed by plug-in hybrids at 36.5% and battery electric vehicles at 13.8%.
According to naamsa, PHEVs and BEVs combined now account for just over half of NEV sales. By August, PHEV sales had reached 6 919 units, compared with 2 810 units for the whole of 2025, while BEV sales reached 2 622 units compared with 1 088 units in 2025.
View more results here: AVAF Infographic September 2026 002
With the steep rise in fuel prices since March this year leading to historic record highs following massive increases in October, the government intervention annouched this week, is widely welcomed.
The countdown to Automechanika Johannesburg 2026 has entered its final week, with thousands of automotive aftermarket professionals expected to gather in Midrand from 27 to 29 October.
African automotive policymakers, vehicle manufacturers and component suppliers are focusing on investment, local manufacturing and cross-border trade as efforts continue to develop a more integrated automotive industry across the continent.
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I have bad reflexes. I was once run over by a car being pushed by two guys
Woody Allen
With the steep rise in fuel prices since March this year leading to historic record highs following massive increases in October, the government intervention annouched this week, is widely welcomed.
The countdown to Automechanika Johannesburg 2026 has entered its final week, with thousands of automotive aftermarket professionals expected to gather in Midrand from 27 to 29 October.
African automotive policymakers, vehicle manufacturers and component suppliers are focusing on investment, local manufacturing and cross-border trade as efforts continue to develop a more integrated automotive industry across the continent.
