South African new vehicle sales slipped for the second month in a row in September, Naamsa figures showed.
According to the industry body, the overall new vehicle market - at 46,021 units - declined by 4.1% last month, versus September 2022, as economic headwinds continued to batter the local economy.
The passenger car market, which accounts for the bulk of volumes, led this decline by losing 8.4% year-on-year.
However, the light commercial and bakkie sector actually enjoyed a 4.6% gain, as did the heavy truck industry with a 10.5% increase versus the corresponding month last year, while the medium commercials declined by 5.1%.
According to Naamsa, 80.7% of vehicle sales in South Africa last month took place through the dealer channels, while the rental industry accounted for 13.6 percent, followed by corporate fleets (2.9%) and government (2.8%).
As you would have expected, Toyota led the way on the sales charts last month, almost doubling up on its nearest rival Volkswagen, with a total volume of 12,389 vehicles.
TOP 15 BRANDS: SEPTEMBER 2023
- 1. Toyota - 12,389
- 2. Volkswagen - 6,259
- 3. Suzuki Auto - 4,478
- 4. Ford - 2,737
- 5. Hyundai - 2,639
- 6. Nissan - 2,130
- 7. Isuzu - 1.716
- 8. Kia - 1,703
- 9. Renault - 1,702
- 10. Haval - 1,532
- 11. Chery - 1,240
- 12. BMW - 1,037
- 13. Mahindra - 784
- 14. Mercedes-Benz - 556
- 15. Honda - 358
In the passenger vehicle sales race, Toyota led with 7,161 units to Volkswagen’s 5,748 and Suzuki’s 4,195, with Hyundai (2,314) and Renault (1,654) rounding out the top five.
On the LCV front, Toyota topped the charts with 5,228 units, followed by Ford (2,466), Isuzu (1,639), Nissan (1,284) and Mahindra (598).
Watch this space on Tuesday for our comprehensive list of individual model sales for cars and bakkies.
Naamsa said the local vehicle market continued to be hampered by numerous factors such as high fuel prices, load shedding and ongoing challenges in transport logistics.
And while the SA Reserve Bank (SARB) held interest rates at 8.25% last month, vehicle affordability remains a significant challenge for the industry, as does household debt, which surpassed household disposable income by 62.5% in the second quarter, according to the SARB.
However, Naamsa is maintaining a positive outlook for the remainder of 2023, given that the motor industry was a key driver of GDP growth in the last quarter.
IOL Motoring