South Africa's new vehicle market extended its recovery in May 2026, recording the strongest monthly sales performance since 2013
South Africa’s new vehicle market maintained its upward momentum in May 2026, recording its strongest monthly sales performance since 2013.
According to naamsa | The Automotive Business Council, aggregate new vehicle sales increased by 12.8% year-on-year to 51,071 units. The result extended the market’s run of consecutive monthly growth and kept year-to-date sales firmly in positive territory.
WesBank Senior Economist Thanda Sithole said the performance was encouraging, with growth driven primarily by the passenger vehicle segment while commercial vehicle sales also remained positive.
Passenger car sales rose 16.3% to 36,871 units. Dealer sales accounted for 90.1% of total volumes, while the vehicle rental industry contributed 5.3%, indicating demand across multiple sales channels.
