During July, a total of 32,090 used cars were sold in South Africa, bringing the combined value of pre-owned vehicle sales to R12,932,363,057 for 2023, up 7.8% over 2022’s cumulative total of R12,001,698,161, according to AutoTrader Used Car Sales data.
Among these transactions, Toyota was the best-selling brand, followed by VW in second, and Ford in third.
Following the podium takers were BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, Nissan, Suzuki, Renault, and Kia, in that order.
Budget-friendly Suzuki showed the most growth during the month, recording an uptick of 24.3% in market share, with Mercedes-Benz ranking in second at 14.9% and Nissan third at 14.4%.
Regarding the best-selling models, AutoTrader had the top 10 front-runners listed as follows:
- Ford Ranger
- Toyota Hilux
- VW Polo
- VW Polo Vivo
- Toyota Fortuner
- Mercedes-Benz C-Class
- BMW 3 Series
- Ford EcoSport
- Nissan NP200
- Isuzu D-Max
The Polo Vivo 1.4 and Polo 1.0TSI were particularly popular among local passenger car patrons, with Hilux 2.8GD-6 and 2.4GD-6, as well as the Ranger XL proving to be well-liked by bakkie buyers, too.
Good news for consumers
Good news for consumers also came out of July’s used passenger car sales, as on average, buyers paid R3,471 less for a vehicle than they had to in June, revealed AutoTrader’s data.
The average purchase price of a used model in July came in at R403,003, down from R406,474 a month prior, with the vehicles clocking an average mileage of 72,721km and an average registration year of 2018.
Off the back of this lower average pricing, sales of used cars grew by 8% month-on-month.
“This drop in average price brings a measure of relief to consumers who face rising prices in just about every other sphere,” said AutoTrader CEO George Mienie.
“The continued growth in used passenger car sales and the drop in the average used car price in July bodes well for consumer affordability and the sustainability of the used car market.”
Keyword: R12.9-billion worth of used cars have been sold in South Africa in 2023 – The best sellers