Budget hatches and compact SUVs dominate passenger car sales
03 June 2021 - 05:09 Denis Droppa
The new Haval Jolion was the country’s second best-selling compact SUV in its first full month on sale.
Picture: SUPPLIED
SA’s new-vehicle market is in gradual recovery mode in line with a projected 3% growth rate for the economy in 2021, says the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of SA (Naamsa) Automotive Business Council.
The motor industry umbrella body was commenting on the release of the latest domestic new-vehicle statistics, which saw sales rise to 38,337 units in May compared with 35,779 the month before, albeit with April affected by fewer selling days due to a number of public holidays.
Last month’s sales were far short of the 44,217 units sold in March.
Year-to-date new-vehicle sales are 44.9% above those of the matching period last year, but hard lockdown restrictions halted vehicle production and sales for several weeks in 2020.
The Naamsa CEOs Confidence Index, a business confidence indicator in the domestic automotive industry, reflects that business condit+ions over the next six months will continue to improve, says Naamsa CEO Mikel Mabasa.
“They [CEOs] are mainly positive of a robust recovery in the domestic as well as the global new-vehicle markets over the next six months, as the domestic and international markets rebound from the low base of 2020. However, structural constraints in the economy, coupled to the growing debt of the country and the ongoing electricity capacity limitations would continue to curb a potential quick recovery to pre-Covid-19 levels.”
Toyota retained its local market leadership last month with 9,640 new cars and commercial vehicles sold, ahead of Volkswagen (5,096), Ford (2,910), Hyundai (2,836), Suzuki (2,034), Isuzu (1,818), Nissan (1,596), Kia (1,521), Renault (1,511), and Mercedes-Benz (1,205) rounding out the top 10.
The Toyota Hilux occupied its regular spot as the country’s best-selling model range and top selling bakkie, ahead of the Ford Ranger.
Budget hatchbacks continued to dominate passenger-car sales, as usual led by the VW Polo and Polo Vivo, with strong performances by the Suzuki S-Presso, Renault Kwid, Hyundai i20 and Toyota Starlet.
The new Haval Jolion made an instant impact by selling 707 units in its first full sales month to become the country’s second-most popular compact SUV behind Toyota’s Urban Cruiser, overtaking rivals such as the VW T-Cross, Ford EcoSport and Hyundai Venue. The new Kia Sonet also fared well in this burgeoning market segment, selling 440 units despite being launched only midway through the month.
TOP SELLERS — MAY 2021
Toyota Hilux — 3,700
Ford Ranger — 1,972
Volkswagen Polo — 1,748
Isuzu D-Max — 1,540
Volkswagen Polo Vivo — 1,432
Toyota Hi-Ace — 1,331
Nissan NP200 — 914
Toyota Fortuner — 872
Toyota Urban Cruiser — 717
Haval Jolion — 707
Suzuki S-Presso — 682
Renault Kwid — 681
Hyundai i20 — 658
Toyota Starlet — 651
Toyota Corolla Quest — 614
VW T-Cross — 605
Renault Triber — 552
Toyota Agya — 517
Ford EcoSport — 507
Kia Picanto — 493
Suzuki Swift — 445
Kia Sonet — 440
Hyundai Grand i10 — 439
Hyundai Atos — 430
Hyundai Venue — 378
GWM P-Series — 365
VW Polo sedan — 352
VW T-Roc — 326
Haval H2 — 325
Mahindra Scorpio Pik-Up — 318
Mazda CX-5 — 298
* List excludes BMW and Mercedes-Benz which do not report sales of individual models
NEWS
New-vehicle sales edge upwards
Budget hatches and compact SUVs dominate passenger car sales
SA’s new-vehicle market is in gradual recovery mode in line with a projected 3% growth rate for the economy in 2021, says the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of SA (Naamsa) Automotive Business Council.
The motor industry umbrella body was commenting on the release of the latest domestic new-vehicle statistics, which saw sales rise to 38,337 units in May compared with 35,779 the month before, albeit with April affected by fewer selling days due to a number of public holidays.
Last month’s sales were far short of the 44,217 units sold in March.
Year-to-date new-vehicle sales are 44.9% above those of the matching period last year, but hard lockdown restrictions halted vehicle production and sales for several weeks in 2020.
The Naamsa CEOs Confidence Index, a business confidence indicator in the domestic automotive industry, reflects that business condit+ions over the next six months will continue to improve, says Naamsa CEO Mikel Mabasa.
“They [CEOs] are mainly positive of a robust recovery in the domestic as well as the global new-vehicle markets over the next six months, as the domestic and international markets rebound from the low base of 2020. However, structural constraints in the economy, coupled to the growing debt of the country and the ongoing electricity capacity limitations would continue to curb a potential quick recovery to pre-Covid-19 levels.”
Toyota retained its local market leadership last month with 9,640 new cars and commercial vehicles sold, ahead of Volkswagen (5,096), Ford (2,910), Hyundai (2,836), Suzuki (2,034), Isuzu (1,818), Nissan (1,596), Kia (1,521), Renault (1,511), and Mercedes-Benz (1,205) rounding out the top 10.
The Toyota Hilux occupied its regular spot as the country’s best-selling model range and top selling bakkie, ahead of the Ford Ranger.
Budget hatchbacks continued to dominate passenger-car sales, as usual led by the VW Polo and Polo Vivo, with strong performances by the Suzuki S-Presso, Renault Kwid, Hyundai i20 and Toyota Starlet.
The new Haval Jolion made an instant impact by selling 707 units in its first full sales month to become the country’s second-most popular compact SUV behind Toyota’s Urban Cruiser, overtaking rivals such as the VW T-Cross, Ford EcoSport and Hyundai Venue. The new Kia Sonet also fared well in this burgeoning market segment, selling 440 units despite being launched only midway through the month.
TOP SELLERS — MAY 2021
* List excludes BMW and Mercedes-Benz which do not report sales of individual models
Public holidays soften new-vehicle sales
Viva to Vivo as SA buyers flock to budget hatches and compact SUVs
New-vehicle sales drop nearly 30% in 2020
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