Young motorists put affordability ahead of status
- Industry News
- 13 August 2026
Dealer industry news from around Southern Africa
South Africa’s automotive industry continued to strengthen its position as a global export hub in 2025, with vehicle and component exports reaching record levels despite rising trade uncertainty, geopolitical tensions and shifting global demand patterns.
With the vision of shaping a centre of excellence for Eastern Cape entrepreneurs, Volkswagen Group Africa (VWGA) and Raizcorp joined hands to establish the Volkswagen Business Support Centre in Kariega.
Tata Africa, headquartered in Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa, has reinforced its presence on the continent with the official opening of a new branch in Saint‑Louis, Senegal.
Isuzu Motors South Africa has begun distributing the latest D-Max from its Gqeberha plant to dealerships across the country, with further shipments planned for more than 30 African markets.
South Africa’s fast evolving automotive industry faces an urgent challenge in ensuring technical aftersales skills keep pace with increasingly advanced vehicle technology.
The idea of buying a car once and owning every built-in feature outright is starting to look dated, according to a report in SBD Automotive.
Price, mileage and brand familiarity remain the dominant factors in most used-car enquiries, yet safety ratings are increasingly shaping the way dealers can present value.
The Jetour T2, one of seven Chinese brands and 18 vehicles competing, won this year’s title as South Africa’s Car of the Year.
Stellantis is accelerating its push into software defined vehicles through an expanded partnership with Qualcomm Technologies that will bring more advanced driver assistance, connectivity and in car digital systems to its next generation vehicles.
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.
Margins are shrinking, customers are under financial strain, and competition is intensifying across South Africa’s motor retail sector. Against this backdrop, dealerships are being forced to rethink how they remain profitable while still building customer trust and long term sustainability.
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You can't buy happiness but you can buy cars and that's kind of the same thing.
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