It was good news all round for the South African motor industry in April this year, with both new and used car sales showing growth.
According to used car sales data released by AutoTrader, used car sales rose by 7% year-on-year last month, while month-on-month growth was 5%. The accumulated value of used cars sold last month – at R11.7 billion – increased by 4.01% month-on-month and 9.8% year-on-year.
A total of 28,725 used cars (average price R407,849, average mileage 75,015km and average age of 6 years-old) were sold last month. This compares to 26,751 sales in April 2023 and 27,274 in March 2024. Average prices have risen over April 2023 (R398,998) but declined versus March 2024 (R413,005). The average mileage was 79,679km in April 2023 and 74,612km in March 2024. The average age was 6 years-old in both April 2023 and March 2024.
naamsa | The Automotive Business Council has revealed that aggregate domestic new vehicle sales reflected an increase of 814 units, or a gain of 2.2%, versus new vehicles sold in April 2023. Passenger car sales were even more positive. The April 2024 new passenger car market – at 25,972 units – registered an increase of 1,493 cars, or a gain of 6.1%, compared to the 24,479 new cars sold in April 2023.
The average price of new cars financed last month was R398,182. This compares to R394,330 in April 2023 and R389,637 in March 2024¹.
The top-selling used passenger cars last month were the Volkswagen Polo, Volkswagen Polo Vivo and Toyota Fortuner while the top-selling new passenger cars were the Volkswagen Polo Vivo, Suzuki Swift and Toyota Corolla Cross.
The top-selling new bakkies last month were the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger and D-Max. The same three bakkies occupy the used bakkie podium – but the Ranger is first, followed by the Hilux.
According to George Mienie, AutoTrader CEO, April was an excellent month for Suzuki. “In the used car market, while Volkswagen is the second biggest seller (with Toyota remaining in the lead), Suzuki moved from ninth position in March to seventh in April. This indicates the consumers’ increased appetite for the Japanese automaker. We shall watch the progress of this company – which also broke through the 50,000 units-a-year sales barrier for the first time in its history last month – with great interest,” he concludes.
Top 10 Sold Used Models in April 2024
| Ranked by most sold | Model | Sold Count | Price (R) Average | Mileage (km) Average | Registration year Average |
| 1 | Ford Ranger | 1,511 | R467,941 | 80 151 | 5 years-old |
| 2 | Toyota Hilux | 1,491 | R461,247 | 102 262 | 5 years-old |
| 3 | Volkswagen Polo | 1,212 | R259,878 | 73 821 | 5 years-old |
| 4 | Volkswagen Polo Vivo | 938 | R194,097 | 62 349 | 4 years-old |
| 5 | Toyota Fortuner | 704 | R468,073 | 104 575 | 6 years-old |
| 6 | BMW 3 Series | 516 | R384,217 | 101 957 | 8 years-old |
| 7 | Mercedes-Benz C-Class | 484 | R383,830 | 105 676 | 9 years-old |
| 8 | Suzuki Swift | 482 | R185,237 | 36 708 | 3 years-old |
| 9 | Isuzu D-Max | 425 | R432,999 | 53 812 | 3 years-old |
| 10 | Ford EcoSport | 391 | R227,049 | 67 316 | 5 years-old |
Source: AutoTrader Used Car Sales Data: 1 April – 30 April 2024
