Passenger car sales totalled 33 447 units, reflecting a remarkable 25.3% increase compared to March 2024. This contributed to a 12.5% overall rise in total vehicle sales for the month, reaching 49 493 units. Actual sales figures for March may be higher than reported, as several Chinese brands have not yet been included in the current data.

Brandon Cohen, National Chairperson of the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), noted that this performance was particularly encouraging for the retail sales channel, following a robust 17% year-on-year increase in February.

“The resilience of new vehicle sales is evident, despite ongoing financial constraints for consumers. The growing pressure on financial institutions to approve credit is influencing purchasing behaviour, while rising electricity costs and fluctuating fuel prices continue to strain household budgets. Nevertheless, new car sales remain buoyant, particularly in the lower market segments, with medium car sales remaining stable,” Brandon says.

Commercial vehicle sales remain subdued. Light commercial vehicle sales declined by 8.4% year-on-year, while medium truck sales decreased by 1.8%, with heavy truck and bus volumes marginally down by 0.5%.

The total market for March indicated that 86.8% of vehicles were sold through franchised dealerships, 7.3% to the vehicle rental industry, 3.5% to government and 2.5% to corporate fleets.

The March 2025 export sales figure, at 24 801 units, reflect an increase of 1 642 vehicles – 7.1% compared to the 23 159 vehicles exported in March 2024, which is 15.7% higher than March 2023 exports.

"The rebound in export sales is testament to the resilience of South Africa’s automotive sector," says naamsa CEO, Mikel Mabasa. "Despite ongoing global trade uncertainties, our industry remains steadfast, demonstrating its strength in navigating complex economic landscapes. Our export-led growth model continues to drive industrial expansion and job creation.

“This export growth coincided with this week’s US presidential announcement threatening the future of South African exports, further underscoring the sector’s ability to withstand geopolitical shifts. The surge in overseas demand for locally manufactured vehicles reaffirms South Africa’s competitiveness in the global automotive market.

“At the monetary policy level, the South African Reserve Bank [SARB] maintained the repo rate at 7.5%, aligning with major global economies to keep borrowing costs stable. However, challenges such as energy constraints, rising living costs and the upcoming VAT increase in April may pose new hurdles in the months ahead,” Mikel comments.

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