South Africa’s automotive market sees constantly shifting goalposts with multiple models vying for that lucrative top spot as best seller. Well, January 2025 saw this happen, with Suzuki claiming overall honours for the first time ever. Here is a look at the Top 10.
According to Naamsa, in January 2025, the new passenger car market recorded 34 530 units sold, reflecting a whopping increase of 5 349 cars or 18.3%, compared to the 29 181 units sold in January 2024. Car rental sales contributed significantly, accounting for 19.1% of total passenger vehicle sales, or roughly one in five units sold during the month
Top 10 Best-Selling Passenger Vehicles for January 2025
- Suzuki Swift – 2 628
- Volkswagen Polo Vivo – 2 549
- Toyota Starlet – 2 180
- Toyota Corolla Cross – 1 226
- Hyundai Grand i10 – 1 163
- Volkswagen Polo – 1 129
- Chery Tiggo 4 Pro – 1 122
- Haval Jolion – 1 099
- Toyota Starlet Cross – 1 050
- Toyota Urban Cruiser – 890
Recent sales figures reveal a dynamic automotive market with some brands experiencing significant growth while others faced declines. Suzuki’s Swift led the pack with 2 628 units sold, a substantial jump from 1 566 the previous year. The VW Polo Vivo also saw positive growth, increasing from 2 043 to 2 549 units. Toyota’s Starlet similarly enjoyed increased sales, rising from 1 479 to 2 180 units.
Related: Top 10 Best-Selling Passenger Vehicles – December 2024
However, some models experienced a downturn. Toyota’s Corolla Cross saw a decrease from 1 660 to 1 226 units, and the VW Polo dropped from 1 425 to 1 129 units. Despite these declines, Toyota’s overall presence remained strong with the Starlet Cross and Urban Cruiser contributing to their sales volume. The Urban Cruiser saw growth, going from 589 to 890 units. Further down the list, Hyundai’s Grand i10 demonstrated impressive growth, nearly doubling its sales from 798 to 1,163 units. Newer entrants like the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro (from 914 to 1 122) and Haval Jolion (from 566 to 1 099) also showed significant increases, indicating growing market acceptance for Chinese-made vehicles.
Could the shift seen in January 2025 be a preview of what is to come for the rest of the year?
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