These are the top-selling carm

Top-selling carmakers in SA in May. Picture: Toyota.

These are the top-selling carmakers in SA for May 2023

Despite numerous economic challenges, the South African car industry showed excellent growth for the month of May 2023.

These are the top-selling carm

Top-selling carmakers in SA in May. Picture: Toyota.

Despite the rise in interest rates, fuel prices, depreciating currency, and the the fact that household budgets are under severe pressure, new-car sales were on the rise last month. Here’s how the top-selling carmakers in SA stack up for the month of May 2023, with insight from Wesbank.

TOYOTA HILUX AND VW POLO VIVO ON TOP

Top-selling carmakers in SA. Picture: Wesbank.

With 2 798 sales, the Toyota Hilux reclaimed its a top spot by 694 units in light commercial vehicles (LCVs) after being outsold by the Ford Ranger in April. 2 798 sales for Hilux represents the best-selling vehicle in the country for the month, LCV or passenger.

The best-selling passenger car was the Volkswagen Polo Vivo, followed 232 units behind by the Toyota Corolla Cross, with the Starlet coming in third 426 units behind that.

10.1% GROWTH IN MAY

Top-selling carmakers in SA. Picture: Wesbank.

New-vehicle sales for May 2023, at 43 060 units, recorded an increase of 3 959 vehicles, or a gain of 10,1% compared to the corresponding month of May in 2022. Which is no surprise as the industry was battling after the April flooding of the Toyota plant one year ago.

The growth of new passenger vehicles year on year only accounted for just 15 units but a substantial increase in light commercial vehicles (LCVs) – 38.5% or 3 564 units is where the growth in May 2023 comes from.

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Out of the total reported Industry sales of 43 060 vehicles, 90% came from dealer sales (38 872 units), 4.9% comes from rental industry sales, and the rest shared between corporate and government fleets.

TOP-SELLING CARMAKERS IN SA

Top-selling carmakers in SA. Picture: Wesbank.

At 218 869 units for year-to-date vehicle statistics at the end of May 2023, there is an increase of 6 381 units, or 3% compared to the same period last year. In a month-on-month comparison, May 2023 new vehicle sales increased by 5 822 units – or a 15.6% compared to the April 2023 vehicle sales. The latter can be attributed to public holidays and long weekends in April.

Month-on-month passenger car sales increased by 3 042 units or 12.5%. Month-on-month light commercials improved by 2 226 units, or 21%, versus April.

EXPORTS AND NEW-ENERGY VEHICLES

May 2023 export sales recorded 31 437, a record high improvement of 12 498 vehicles, or 67.5% compared to May 2022. This can be attributed to Ford Ranger and VW Amarok production for export, and the difference in May 2022’s exports due to the knock-on effects of flooding in KwaZulu-Natal and damages to the Toyota facility in Prospecton.

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New Energy Vehicle [NEV] sales across 16 industry brands increased by 14.5% or 260 units, from 1 792 to 2 052 units year-to-date in April 2023. Electric vehicle volumes increased by 105.8% for YTD 2023, compared to the same period last year, and hybrid sales increased by 7.9%.

“Although this May presented one more selling day year-on-year, market demand as measured by WesBank’s applications for finance increased substantially compared to the same time last year. In fact, applications for new vehicle finance displayed double-digit growth and increased twice as much as for used vehicles.”

Lebogang Gaoaketse, Head of Marketing and Communications at WesBank.

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