Online sales portal AutoTrader’s midyear industry report reveals which used cars South Africans are most interested in.
With consumer interest in new SUVs and crossovers growing at an unprecedented rate, the trend has extended into the used-car sector, and AutoTrader’s data shows not only the most searched-for SUVs but also the ones that are most enquired about — in other words the ones people are most likely to buy.
It’s no surprise that the Toyota Fortuner, SA’s best-selling new SUV, is also the most popular used SUV when it comes to both searches and enquiries. Between Jan. 1 and June 30 the Fortuner attracted 193,952 total searches on AutoTrader’s website with 33,395 converted into enquiries — the latter more than double that of the second most enquired about SUV, the Ford EcoSport (15,122).
With over 319m online vehicle searches conducted over the six-month period — an all-time high — AutoTrader’s data is a useful barometer of what’s happening in SA’s used-vehicle market.
The Volkswagen Tiguan was the second most searched-for SUV but only fourth in the most enquired about list, indicating that wishlists don’t always align with people’s budgets. Other examples were the Hyundai Tucson, Mazda CX-5 and Kia Sportage, which all rated in the top ten most searched-for SUVs but didn’t make the most-enquired list.
The vehicles listed were mostly five- or six-year old models, and recently-launched SUVs like the VW T-Cross, Hyundai Venue, and Toyota Urban Cruiser — popular sellers in the new-car market — haven’t yet made their way into the pre-owned space in significant numbers.
Top 10 searched-for SUVs
1 Toyota Fortuner — 193,952
2 Volkswagen Tiguan — 170,932
3 BMW X5 — 119,903
4 Toyota RAV4 — 106,279
5 Ford Everest — 98,252
6 Hyundai Tucson — 96,698
7 Range Rover Sport — 96,209
8 BMW X3 — 94,103
9 Mazda CX-5 — 88,154
10 Kia Sportage — 70,094
Top 10 enquired-about SUVs
1 Toyota Fortuner — 33,395
2 Ford EcoSport — 15,122
3 BMW X5 — 13,044
4 Volkswagen Tiguan — 12,680
5 Toyota RAV4 — 10,196
6 Land Rover Range Rover Sport — 9,735
7 BMW X3 — 9,511
8 Ford Everest — 9,364
9 Jeep Grand Cherokee — 8,852
10 Range Rover Evoque — 8,431
* Source: AutoTrader
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