South Africa’s new-vehicle market reached 61,890 units in October 2026, marking a 10.4% increase compared to October 2025, according to retail figures released by Naamsa, the Automotive Business Council of South Africa.
Toyota South Africa Motors maintained its dominant position at the top of the sales charts, registering 14,495 units.
Market Leaders and Podium Placements
Suzuki Auto South Africa secured second place with 7,292 units sold, improving its standing by 624 units compared to September 2026. Volkswagen Group Africa followed closely in third position, with the German marque’s local arm moving 6,515 units—an increase of 547 units over the previous month.
Further down the rankings, Ford Motor Company took fourth place with 3,353 units sold, just ahead of Hyundai Automotive South Africa, which recorded 3,207 units. GWM climbed into sixth position with 2,919 units, edging past Chery Auto South Africa, which registered 2,754 units to take seventh place. Kia claimed eighth spot with 2,233 purchases, while Isuzu and Jetour rounded out the top ten with 2,123 and 2,102 units respectively.
Segment Performance and Economic Distribution
The overall market growth was heavily driven by the passenger car segment, which totalled 45,084 units—representing a 13.6% increase over October 2025. Light commercial vehicles, including bakkies and minibuses, reached 13,689 units, showing a modest 2.2% year-on-year increase despite dipping slightly compared to September.
naamsa RELEASES OCTOBER 2026 NEW VEHICLE SALES STATS!! “South Africa’s new vehicle market recorded continued growth in October 2026, despite persistent cost-of-living pressures affecting consumers. Aggregate domestic sales reached 61,890 units in October 2026, representing a… pic.twitter.com/IYqQTi2HU4”
Heavy commercial vehicles and buses recorded 2,347 sales, up by 175 units from the same period last year, whereas medium commercial vehicles experienced a slight decline to 770 units.
| Vehicle Brand | October 2026 Units | Monthly Movement |
|---|---|---|
| Toyota | 14,495 | Down 871 |
| Suzuki | 7,292 | Up 624 |
| Volkswagen | 6,515 | Up 547 |
| Ford | 3,353 | Up 163 |
| Hyundai | 3,207 | Up 150 |
| GWM | 2,919 | Up 219 |
| Chery | 2,754 | Down 250 |
| Kia | 2,233 | Up 393 |
| Isuzu | 2,123 | Down 899 |
| Jetour | 2,102 | Up 66 |
Dealer sales accounted for the vast majority of the month’s transactions at 78%, or roughly 58,234 units. The vehicle rental industry absorbed 16.5% of total sales volume, while government purchases and corporate fleet transactions contributed 3.3% and 2.2% respectively.
Export Volumes and Global Trade
Export sales rose to 38,117 units in October, marking a 6.3% increase compared to October 2025 and reversing previous downward trends in international shipping volumes.
Outside the top ten brand rankings, Renault placed 11th with 1,706 units sold, followed by Mahindra with 1,484 units. BMW Group recorded 1,312 units to secure 13th position ahead of Omoda & Jaecoo at 1,201 units, while Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles closed out the leading group with 1,057 units.
South Africa’s new vehicle market recorded continued growth in October 2026, despite persistent cost-of-living pressures affecting consumers.https://t.co/RCp1JXoZD6#ArriveAlive #VehicleSales #naamsa @dealerfloor pic.twitter.com/aiY7VYX4AX
