It’s official: Ford Ranger claims title for SA’s best-selling used vehicle

With second-hand vehicles accounting for about 65% of all cars sold in South Africa, Ford had a lot to smile about when AutoTrader named its’ Ranger as not only one of the most searched, but ultimately the most sold vehicle between mid 2019 and mid 2020.

Ford’s good fortune with its Ranger was not the only good news for the brand, with its EcoSport and Fiesta also being placed among the top 10 best-selling used vehicles in the country during the same period.

And to improve on this, Ford has also updated its’ Ford Approved initiative towards providing its’ customers peace-of-mind in the pre-owned vehicle marketplace.

RANGER’S DOMINANCE

In commentary around its latest successes on Wednesday 12 August, the company said the Ford Ranger asserted its dominance in AutoTrader’s annual Car Industry Report, by finishing as the top-selling used vehicle model overall — and the fifth most-searched vehicle in South Africa for the period July 2019 to June 2020.

According to Ford, as a percentage, the Ranger contributed 4.7% of all used cars sold in South Africa and generated 8.3 million searches in the period reviewed.

“The Ford Ranger is consistently one of the best-selling new vehicles in South Africa and this accolade complements and completes Ranger’s overall value offering in the South African market,” said the automaker.

BENCHMARKING THE USED CAR MARKET

AutoTrader, which boasts a 28-year history,  has established itself as a trusted benchmark in the used car marketplace. The 2020 AutoTrader Car Industry Report provides insight into which makes, models and — for the first time in South Africa – which variants (including trim levels) are important to car-buying consumers.

“The top-selling used Ranger derivative is the 2.2TDCi Double Cab Hi-Rider XL. It is the most popular Ranger by far. It retails for an average selling price of R260 673, the average mileage is 90 596km and the average year of registration is 2015.

The Ranger is especially popular in Gauteng, with that province representing 55.02% of total Ranger sales while the double cab is the most popular body type, accounting for 68.86% of sales,” revealed AutoTrader chief executive George Mienie.

Trailing not to far behind the Ranger, were sales of Ford’s EcoSport and Fiesta which also featured in AutoTrader’s top 10 used car sales list. The EcoSport was the only compact sport utility vehicle (SUV) to fare this high up on the AutoTrader listing.

FORD’S VIEW

“The used car market accounts for approximately two-thirds of all vehicles sold in South Africa, making it an exceptionally important retail segment for customers and dealers alike,” said Eben Swart, who manages Ford Approved at Ford.

“Although we are often reminded and are proud of Ranger’s solid performance in the new vehicle space, seeing it come out at the top in the AutoTrader report shows the confidence that consumers have in our product.

“This is especially reassuring despite COVID-19, when sales are generally deflated compared to previous months. To prove this, very much against the trend, June 2020 reflected 174 more sales through the Ford dealership network on used cars versus June 2019,” said Swart.

KEY SUCCESS FACTORS

Swart attributed the Ranger’s success to a number of factors.

“I believe it’s a combination of the ‘vehicle loaner programme’ getting customers to drive our Rangers when their vehicle is in for repairs, and dealers doing more for their customers.

“In addition, FMCSA’s holistic consumer experience takes a cross-departmental and cross-functional approach to ensure that customers have the best vehicle ownership experience. The engineers at Ford’s Silverton plant are also committed to delivering vehicles with the highest overall quality,” he said.

FUEL ECONOMY COUNTS

According to Ford, the new Ranger is class-leading when it comes to fuel economy through its modern turbodiesel engine and 10-speed automatic gearbox.

During the 2019 WesBank Fuel Economy Tour, the Ford Ranger — powered by the new-generation 2.0 Single Turbo engine matched to the 10-speed automatic transmission — proved its status as the most economical bakkie in its segment.

The Ranger recorded an exceptional average fuel consumption of 6.81-litre/100km — in the process beating rivals from four other big-name competitors.

GREAT FOR A ‘SIDE HUSTLE’

“These exceptional figures are of renewed importance when reviewed against the recent hikes in fuel prices that are almost back to previous highs,” asserted the manufacturer, adding that its Ranger also provided opportunities for a ‘a side hustle business’ in the current challenging economic conditions.

“With a payload up to 1 135kg, as well as a towing capability of up to 3 500kg, the Ford Ranger is recognised by thousands of South Africans as an essential multi-purpose asset to driving entrepreneurship, employment and the economy at large,” concluded Ford.