Bakkies are king of the road in South Africa
In May 2018, new vehicle sales in South Africa increased to 42,984 units sold, a 2.4% increase over May last year, reports the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (NAAMSA). These numbers were in line with industry expectations.
New-car sales remained almost stable with a small 0.7% and accounted for 26,651 units. Light commercial vehicles, including the popular pick-up truck known locally as bakkie, saw a larger increase, growing 17.6%. According to NAAMSA, this is indicative of a return to positive investment sentiment and business confidence.
“As a result of these developments, supported by improved business and consumer confidence, a modest recovery in economic growth in 2018 and 2019 is anticipated,” said a NAAMSA spokesman.
The Toyota Hilux bakkie stays firmly in the number one spot, well ahead of its rival, the Ford Ranger.
Top 20 selling vehicles in May 2018
(These numbers exclude Mercedes-Benz, which does not publish monthly sales figures.)
- Toyota Hilux: 3,338
- Ford Ranger: 2,819
- VW Polo: 1,979
- VW Polo Vivo: 1,904
- Nissan NP200: 1,825
- Toyota Quantum: 1,482
- Isuzu KB: 1,298
- Toyota Corolla/Auris/Quest: 1,228
- Toyota Fortuner: 1,102
- Hyundai Grand i10: 1,081
- Toyota Etios: 908
- Kia Picanto: 719
- Renault Kwid: 712
- Toyota Rav: 705
- Hyundai Creta: 700
- Nissan NP300: 686
- VW Tiguan: 532
- Renault Sandero: 489
- BMW 3 Series: 476
- Hyundai i20: 424
Image: Toyota Hilux (source: Toyota South Africa)
