Archive · 1 Oct 2025
South Africa's Vehicle Sales Predicted to Surpass Pre-Pandemic
Imagine people in South Africa are buying lots of new cars again!
Sales are doing so well, they're expected to be better than before the pandemic in 2025.
People want cheaper cars, so they're buying more of them.
Sales went up 14% in the first half of 2025!
A big reason is that companies, especially from China and India, are selling affordable cars.
People used to care a lot about the car's brand name.
But now, with things costing more, they care more about the price.
South Africa's new vehicle sales are predicted to exceed pre-pandemic levels.
Sales in the first half of 2025 increased by 14% compared to the same period last year.
Imports rose by 30.2% during the first half of 2025.
The industry's growth is driven by demand for affordable vehicles.
Chinese and Indian car brands offer more affordable options.
- Who
- Billy Tom (NAAMSA president), Thato Magasa (NAAMSA vice president) and South African consumers.
- What
- Domestic new vehicle sales are predicted to exceed pre-pandemic levels.
- When
- Predictions were made at NAAMSA's annual auto conference.
- Where
- Gqeberha, South Africa.
- Why
- Driven by consumer demand for affordable cars, largely from China.
- Sales increase (H1 2025)
- 14% compared to the same period last year
- Imports increase (H1 2025)
- 30.2%
- Pre-pandemic sales (2019)
- 536,612 units
- 2024 sales
- 515,850 units