The SA Vehicle Industry Thread

Battle for 2nd place: Suzuki vs VW Group in Q1 2025

pushed ahead of Volkswagen Group Africa in Mzansi? Let’s examine the Q1 2025 sales figures…

In the opening quarter of the year, South Africa’s new-vehicle market registered year-on-year growth of 10.5% to move to 144 426 units. When examining the automaker sales charts, Q1 2025’s battle for 2nd place is what stands out.

Yes, while Toyota SA Motors is predictably way out front with 35 555 units sold (a year-on-year increase of 6.2% and a hefty market share of 24.6%), Suzuki Auto SA has now officially pushed ahead of Volkswagen Group Africa to secure 2nd place.

Suzuki vs VW Group: total sales in Q1 2025

After finishing ahead of its German rival in each of the 3 months of Q1 2025, Suzuki ended this reporting period on a total of 17 727 units. Our calculations suggest this figure represents a 19.8% increase compared with the Hamamatsu-based firm’s performance in the opening quarter of 2024 (when it placed 3rd).

Meanwhile, local sales from VW Group Africa – which, of course, includes the Audi brand – dipped 1.5% year on year to 15 838 units. The Wolfsburg-based automaker’s local division thus found itself 1 889 units behind Suzuki and in an unfamiliar 3rd place (so, down a ranking from Q1 2024).

SA’s 10 best-selling automakers in Q1 2025

1. Toyota SA Motors – 35 555 units (+6.2%)

2. Suzuki Auto SA – 17 727 units (+19.8%)

3. Volkswagen Group Africa – 15 838 units (-1.5%)

4. Hyundai Automotive SA – 8 937 units (+25.3%)

5. Ford Motor Company of SA – 8 274 units (+9.4%)

6. Isuzu Motors SA – 6 790 units (+7.8%)

7. Chery SA – 5 739 units (+28.7%)

8. GWM SA – 5 535 units (+18.2%)

9. Mahindra SA – 5 326 units (+71.9%)

10. Nissan SA – 4 962 units (-45.2%)

 
US tariffs could have serious implications for jobs, investment in SA auto sector, warns Naamsa

The 'Liberation Day' trade measures, announced by US President Donald Trump on April 2, could have serious implications for the South African automotive industry, says Naamsa | The Automotive Business Council.

The move imposes punitive tariffs on all products imported into the US. These differ between countries, but South Africa has been hit with a 30% import tariff on all products.

Naamsa stated that these recent announcements present another challenge for an industry already grappling with multiple headwinds.

In 2024 the US accounted for 6.5% of South African vehicle exports, making it the third-largest destination for locally produced vehicles, with an annual export value in the region of R35 billion.

However, of South Africa's seven volume vehicle manufacturers, only BMW and Mercedes export to the US. These companies have not disclosed the percentage of vehicles exported to that destination, but it is likely to be significant.

Vehicle manufacturers will not be able to absorb these proposed tariff costs, and as a result imported vehicles in the US will see significant price increases, leading to lower sales of these products.

Naamsa CEO Mikel Mabasa said the US tariffs undermine existing trade agreements and the principles of a fair, rules-based trading system.

"The SA auto industry contributes significantly to economic development, employment, and industrialisation, and these tariffs could undermine our progress,” Mabasa said.

 
7 bakkies gained sales in Q1 2025 (and 7 lost)

Which models in South Africa’s competitive bakkie segment grew their sales year on year in Q1 2025 and which ones shrunk? We’ve crunched the numbers to find out…

While South Africa’s overall new-vehicle market grew 10.5% year on year to 144 426 units in Q1 2025, the light-commercial vehicle (LCV) segment declined 10.6% to 35 047 units over the same period. So, which bakkies improved their performance and which ones shed sales?

Well, we’ve spent some time crunching the numbers, comparing the Q1 2025 sales hauls of each of the market’s traditional bakkies to their respective efforts in the opening 3 months of 2024. What we found was that 7 contenders grew their registrations, year on year, while 7 shed sales.


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Mercedes SA introduces comprehensive seven-year maintenance plan

Mercedes-Benz South Africa has introduced a new service and maintenance plan extension that aims to cover all the bases for new vehicle clients.

The new Premium Drive Exclusive Care package provides comprehensive coverage for seven years or 140,000km, whichever comes first.

The plan was designed to provide long-term peace of mind and covers a wide range of services, from regular maintenance to essential repairs.

Customers opting for this Premium Drive extension will also receive complimentary tyre and wheel insurance.

The plan also includes 24/7 roadside assistance, mobility services such as courtesy cars and even "stand-by-me" security services for customers who find themselves stranded at night or in an unfamiliar place.

The company also plans to offer an updated version of its Premium Drive Comfort Care five-year or 100,000km service and maintenance plan. This plan is included in the price of every Mercedes-Benz in South Africa, but customers can opt out of this, as per the Right To Repair bill, for a reduction in the vehicle's price. A cheaper but less comprehensive Premium Drive Comfort plan, with the same duration, is also available upon request.

 
SA’s 10 most popular Chinese cars in Q1 2025

We’ve sifted through the sales figures to identify South Africa’s 10 most popular Chinese cars in the opening quarter of 2025…

Which Chinese cars are the most popular in South Africa right now? Well, we’ve crunched the numbers from the 1st quarter of 2025 to identify Mzansi’s 10 best-selling passenger vehicles from Chinese brands.

Note that we’ve limited this exercise to the passenger-vehicle segment (though, from the Chinese contenders in the bakkie space, only the GWM P-Series would have cracked the top 10 anyway). Furthermore, keep in mind that some Chinese brands operating in SA – including BYD, GAC and MG – don’t currently report sales figures to Naamsa, so are not represented on this list.

In Q1 2025, the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro was SA’s best-selling Chinese vehicle, with local registrations increasing 18.2% year on year to 3 371 units (an average of around 1 124 units a month). In fact, that was enough for Chery’s entry-level crossover to rank 6th overall on SA’s passenger-car charts.

With a whopping 95.3% year-on-year increase, the Haval Jolion (3 183 units) was just 188 sales behind, finishing the 3-month reporting period as the 2nd most popular Chinese car on the local market. The Omoda C5 grabbed 3rd place with 1 628 units, meaning the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro (1 217 units) missed out on a podium position.

SA’s 10 most popular Chinese cars in Q1 2025

1. Chery Tiggo 4 Pro – 3 371 units

2. Haval Jolion – 3 183 units

3. Omoda C5 – 1 628 units

4. Chery Tiggo 7 Pro – 1 217 units

5. Haval H6 – 898 units

6. Jetour Dashing – 817 units

7. Jetour X70 Plus – 613 units

8. Chery Tiggo Cross – 579 units

9. Chery Tiggo 8 Pro – 572 units

10. Jaecoo J7 – 510 units

 
Mercedes-Benz SA cuts prices of ALL models except EVs

Mercedes-Benz South Africa has quietly cut the prices of all derivatives in its expansive range except the fully electric vehicles…

Mercedes-Benz South Africa has quietly cut the prices of every single derivative in its wide range of models – except its fully electric vehicles (EVs), that is – with the most drastic drop coming in at a whopping R214 684.

Yes, that means that from the start of April 2025, the German brand reduced the list prices of as many as 56 variants, including combustion-engined derivatives from the Mercedes-AMG and Mercedes-Maybach stables. Thanks to the eagle-eyed folks over at duoporta.com for alerting us to this large-scale repositioning.

We’ve asked the Stuttgart-based firm’s local division whether these price adjustments are accompanied by changes to each derivative’s list of standard equipment (as is the case in Australia, where Mercedes-Benz has likewise repositioned some models) but are still awaiting confirmation on that front.

Interestingly, these price cuts come around the same time as Mercedes-Benz SA introduces an optional 7-year/140 000 km service and maintenance plan. However, it should be noted that the previous 5-year/100 000 km plan remains standard.

So, just how drastic are these price cuts? Well, they range from R7 900 in the case of the CLA220d (which now starts at R957 326, down from R965 226) through to R214 684 in the case of the latest Mercedes-AMG G63 (which has had its base price slashed from R4 630 600 to R4 415 916).

A further 5 derivatives show a price reduction in excess of R100 000: the pre-facelift Mercedes-AMG G63 (down R198 334 to R4 196 306), the GLE300d (down R147 497 to R1 822 704), the Mercedes-Maybach S680 (down R143 245 to R5 017 983), the Mercedes-AMG S63 SE Performance (down R137 965 to R4 601 036) and the GLE450 (down R103 650 to R2 026 401).

 
Global automotive industry remains in peril as sector excluded from Trump tariff pause

The global automotive industry remains in Donald Trump’s crosshairs following the implementation of a blanket 25% import tariff implemented on April 3.

On Wednesday the US President announced a 90-day pause for most of the country-specific tariffs that had been announced on ‘Liberation Day’ last week, but this does not apply to sectors such as the auto industry.

These levies have thrown international vehicle supply chains into turmoil, further burdening traditional carmakers who are already grappling with an uneasy transition to electric vehicles and increased competition from Chinese manufacturers.

The Detroit Regional Chamber has warned of dire consequences for the sector, Reuters reported.

"Michigan's signature industry and the supply chains and employees that sustain it will continue to endure the uncertainty and disruption of these fluctuating trade policies," the organisation said.

 
The rise of Chinese car brands in South Africa: Sales growth over five years

In the past few years, Chinese vehicles have become a formidable threat to established manufacturers, particularly in the SUV space.

But just how significant are these sales figures?

We compared the first quarter sales of all Chinese brands, from 2020, 2023 and 2025, and although these brands have yet to command a lion’s share of the market, their share of the sales pie is growing rapidly.

Chinese car and light commercial vehicle sales, as reported to Naamsa, amounted to just 3,247 units in the first quarter of 2020, accounting for 2.78% of the total vehicle market.

By Q1 2023, this share had grown to 6,98% of the total vehicle market, from 9,559 unit sales, and by the first quarter of this year, the Chinese brand share was 11.81%, with 17,003 sales.

Most popular Chinese vehicles in Q1 2025

Chery Tiggo 4 Pro - 3,370
Haval Jolion - 3183
Omoda C5 - 1,628
Chery Tiggo 7 Pro - 1,217
Haval H6 - 898
Jetour Dashing - 817

It’s still a close race between the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro and Haval Jolion on the sales charts, with the pair posting average monthly sales of 1,123 and 1,061 respectively. The Omoda C5 is also gaining popularity, with just over 540 sales per month.

On the bakkie front, GWM’s P-Series is out in front with an average of 245 sales per month, followed by the Foton Tunland (218) and JAC T-Series (142).

 
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