The Toyota Hilux was once again the nation's most popular vehicle.
South Africa’s new vehicle market continued on its solid growth trajectory in August 2026, with overall sales increasing by 11.4% versus the same month in 2025.
According to Naamsa, a total of 57,898 units were sold last month, with the new passenger vehicle market accounting for 41,216 units and light commercial vehicles totalling 13,727 units. These segments grew by 11.6% and 11.7%, respectively, while the medium and heavy commercial segments, with nominal sales of 805 and 2,150 units, grew by 16.3% and 10.1%, respectively.
A total of 81.8% of new vehicle sales took place through dealer channels, while the rental industry accounted for 13.4%, followed by government and industry corporate sales at 2.4% each.
New Energy Vehicles (NEVs) are also rapidly increasing their share, accounting for 4.4% of new vehicle registrations year-to-date, with sales having increased by 88% versus the corresponding period in 2025. Hybrids account for the bulk of NEVs sold in 2026, at 8,078 units, versus 5,851 plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and 2,360 battery electric vehicles (EVs).
