Three car brands dominating the local used car market

Chinese and Indian-built cars have made significant inroads into the South African automotive market, offering affordability and appeal.

However, local car buyers remain loyal to familiar brands. AutoTrader data shows the three best-selling OEMs in the used car market are dominated by long-standing favourites.

“While the used car market has seen an influx of new contenders in recent years, South African consumers have consistently demonstrated their preference for established brands such as Toyota, Volkswagen and Ford,” said AutoTrader CEO George Mienie.

“These marques are renowned for offering reliable, competitively priced and highly sought-after vehicles. That their best-selling models are manufactured locally is an added advantage.”

Toyota

Between January and October, Toyota led the field, selling about 50,515 used passenger vehicles. This accounts for a 17% market share and reflects South Africans' devotion to the brand. Offerings range from small hatchbacks to high-end SUVs, so there is something for everyone.

The top three models sold were the Toyota Hilux, Toyota Fortuner and Toyota Starlet, with 14,547, 7,071, and 3,688 units sold, respectively.

Overall, the average selling price for a used Toyota is R416,143, with a median mileage and registration age of 82,546km and four years. 

Volkswagen 

Volkswagen also has a large following in South Africa. As the second top-selling OEM in the used car market, 41,974 used VWs were sold in the first 10 months of 2024, or 14% of the segment. 

The average sold price for a used VW is lower than Toyota's, at R318,741, despite the lower average mileage (72,796km). The average registration age of used Volkswagen models is five years. 

The best-selling used Volkswagens include the Polo (13,036), Polo Vivo (10,555) and the T-Cross (3,218). For the first time, the T-Cross has surpassed the Golf in sales on the used car market. This could be because the Golf 8 is offered exclusively in high-performance GTI and R flavours, limiting affordability for mainstream customers.

Ford

In third place is Ford, which has retained its 11% market share in the South African used car market, with 31,674 used passenger cars sold in the first 10 months of 2024.

With an average selling price of R385,937, it sits between Toyota and Volkswagen, while the average mileage of 84,428km is the highest. Like VW, the average registration age of vehicles sold is five years.

As for the top sellers, the venerable Ranger leads the charge with 17,183 examples sold, followed by the Fiesta (2,798) and Everest (2,487). 

These three brands accounted for 42% of the South African used car market from January to October, highlighting their strength and appeal.