The Proton Cars Thread

5 automakers with the sharpest sales declines in Q1 2026

These are the 5 automakers that suffered the sharpest year-on-year sales declines in South Africa in Q1 2026. And, perhaps surprisingly, one is a Chinese brand…

- 10 automakers suffered sales declines in Q1 2026
- 5 of those endured double-digit percentage drops
- Proton SA registered sharpest percentage decline

In the opening quarter of 2026, South Africa’s new-vehicle market grew 12.4% year on year to a heady 161 978 units. Despite this robust performance from the broader industry, as many as 5 automakers suffered double-digit percentage sales declines in Q1 2026.

So, which automakers shrunk most in this growing market? Well, we’ve tallied up the sales figures for the first 3 months of 2026 and compared them to Q1 2025’s numbers. That allowed us to identify the manufacturers that suffered the sharpest year-on-year percentage drops.

Keep in mind we’ve focused on automakers that play in the light-vehicle segments, omitting truck- and bus-only manufacturers from this exercise. In addition, we’ve based our calculations on “manufacturer” totals, as reported to Naamsa. So, note that certain individual brands are grouped under broader manufacturer banners (for instance, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Jeep, Opel and Peugeot all fall under Stellantis).

Of the 33 automakers included in this exercise, as many as 10 endured year-on-year sales declines. For the record, Mazda (666 units; down 8.8%), Mitsubishi (528 units; down 5.0%), the Volkswagen Group (15 243 units, including Audi; down 3.8%), Renault (4 246 units; down 0.7%) and Jaguar Land Rover (802 units; down 0.4%) all lost sales, year on year. But 5 other automakers suffered even more…

Proton (20 units) – down 87.5%

Subaru (87 units) – down 37.9%

Nissan (3 824 units) – down 22.9%

Volvo Cars (250 units) – down 18.3%

BAIC (551 units) – down 17.3%

 
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Proton dropped by SA distributor (but will Geely take over?)

Proton’s local distributor looks set to off-load the struggling Malaysian brand. While Geely confirms it’s in “discussions” to take over distribution in SA, it says “no formal decisions” have yet been made…

- CMH confirms Proton distribution agreement will “terminate”
- Geely in talks to take over but says no decision has been made
- Proton sales in SA slumped 87.5% year-on-year in Q1 2026

With Proton sales in South Africa flagging, the Combined Motor Holdings (CMH) Group has confirmed its distribution agreement with the Malaysian brand with soon “terminate”. Chinese firm Geely – which owns a 49.9% stake in Proton globally – says it’s in discussions to take over local distribution, though emphasises “no formal decisions” have yet been made.

As a reminder, Proton returned to South Africa in September 2022, after the CMH Group was appointed as the brand’s local distributor. In May 2025, we reported that the marque’s future in Mzansi looked uncertain, based on comments from CMH Group CEO Jebb McIntosh. Soon thereafter, Proton SA released a statement saying it was “not exiting the South African market”.

Now, a year later – with local Proton sales having tapered to a fresh low – McIntosh confirmed in the CMH Group’s recently released 2026 integrated annual report (for the year ended 28 February 2026) that the “Proton import/distribution operation will terminate when the remaining inventory is sold”.

“The products have proven to be of good quality, with low warranty-claim rates, but the import pricing is uncompetitive. The [CMH] Group will continue to support [Proton] customers with workshop and parts facilities through its retail outlets until the local Geely operations are ready to take over,” McIntosh wrote in the report.

 
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