By Otsile Kadiege

The latest new vehicle sales figures from the Automotive Business Council, NAAMSA indicate resilience in domestic sales despite a contrasting view in vehicle exports. As reflected in the Council’s monthly report, 47 978 cars were sold in February – an increase of 7.3% in comparison to February 2024 (44 749 units) and January 2025 figures (46 398 units). Total exports for Toyota registered 5968 units.

According to NAAMSA, the sustained momentum was driven largely by factors such as increased liquidity and financing appetite, and an uptake on the 2024 Q4 employment statistics. These factors supported consumer spending, thus contributing to a stronger 16.8% year-on-year increase within the passenger car segment. Notably, the market is tracking 18.6% higher YTD vs 2024 – the first promising signs of buoyancy. This is further evidenced in Toyota’s performance as the number one vehicle seller with a total of 11 743 units, a 24.5% share of the new car market.

Passenger car sales

At the helm of the Toyota sales charts is the recent Cars.co.za compact family car of the year winner, the Corolla Cross with 1435 units, followed closely with strong performances by the Starlet and Starlet Cross duo with 1279 and 1003 units respectively. Cars.co.za’s budget crossover of the year, the Urban Cruiser, finished off with high volumes totalling 875 units, whilst the Vitz continued to display great character with 551 units. With an additional 64 units sold in comparison to January sales, the Prado luxury SUV boasted an impressive 375 sales tally – a laudable achievement considering its segment size.

Exuding great resilience within the luxury premium space is the Lexus NX with 32 units – in comparison to the 20 units sold in January 2025. Having each sold 12 units in February, the Lexus ES and RX ranges deserve an honourable mention too. Lexus as a brand managed to shift a total of 68 units amidst a challenging premium market.

Light commercial vehicle sales  

Shifting gears to the LCV segment, the Hilux range returned as the best-selling model in South Africa with a total of 2683 units finding new homes. Hilux Single Cab (1187 units) reaffirmed its dominance, especially within the light commercial fleet operations. With 1120 units, the Hilux Double Cab recorded a 10% growth from February 2024 to business customers, highlighting its growing popularity for business fleets.

Medium commercial vehicle sales  

Within the MCV segment, Toyota led the charts with a segment share of 32%; split across Quantum Bus (82), Coaster (59) and Hino 300 (89), each delivering a strong performance within the public and commercial transport sectors.  On the HCV and EHCV front, the Hino 500 and 700 truck models added a total of 118 units to the overall sales figure.