These were SA’s best-selling cars in December

New-vehicle sales continued full throttle in December to lift annual sales to a 17-year high of 596,818 units last year.

The market had a strong conclusion to the year in December, with sales reaching 48,983 units, a 19.2% increase over December 2024.

The growth was driven by interest-rate cuts, low vehicle inflation, an influx of affordable model imports and the liquidity injection from the two-pot retirement system withdrawals, according to motor industry body Naamsa.

“The trend towards smaller and more affordable models reflects increasingly price-sensitive and value-focused consumers, supported by relatively strong finance approval rates,” said Brandon Cohen, chair of the National Automobile Dealers’ Association (Nada).

“Access to affordable credit remains critical, and early indicators suggest that the positive momentum in the new vehicle market is likely to carry into 2026.”

Last year’s strong sales were partly underpinned by an influx of affordable vehicle imports, particularly from China and India, which challenged legacy brands.

That said, Toyota maintained its long-held market dominance in December with 12,933 new vehicle sales, followed by Volkswagen (5,014), Suzuki Auto (4,961), Hyundai (3,068) and Ford (2,987). GWM (2,453) and Chery (2,249) were sixth and seventh, respectively, reflecting the continued growth of budget-priced Chinese brands in the local market. Other Chinese marques in the top 15 December sellers were Jetour, Omoda and Jaecoo.

The locally built Toyota Hilux remained the country’s most popular new vehicle in December, with the locally made Toyota Corolla Cross in second place overall and the most popular passenger car. In the imported car ranks the best seller was the India-built Toyota Starlet in fifth overall, just ahead of the China-built Chery Tiggo 4 Pro.