The National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (NAAMSA) reported a relatively slow start to the year in terms of new vehicle sales. Short to medium term prospects however, look positive on the whole.
Passenger car sales got off to an average start in January 2015 with a marginal decline of 1.2% compared to the same period in 2014. Export sales remain strong with healthy increases of 20.7% reported. The rental industry made a solid contribution towards new vehicles sales, accounting for 15.3% of new vehicles sold. Here is a new vehicle sales summary for the month of January 2015.
New Vehicle Sales Summary January 2015
- 52 306 aggregate new vehicle sales down by 1.2% (642 units) compared to January 2014.
- 16 708 export sales up by 20.7% (2 863 units) compared to January 2014.
- 36 982 passenger car sales down by 3.6% (1 392 units) compared to January 2014.
- 13 460 light commercial vehicle sales up by 6.0% (756 units) compared to January 2014.
Top Selling Car Brands in South Africa January 2015
| Brand | Total Sales | Market Penetration % |
| 1. Toyota | 11 191 (+819) | 21.4% |
| 2. Volkswagen | 8 342 (-837) | 15.9% |
| 3. Ford Motor Company | 5 672 (-982) | 10.8% |
| 4. Nissan | 4 443 (+1 632) | 8.5% |
| 5. GMSA | 4 367 (-45) | 8.3% |
Top Selling New Cars in South Africa January 2015
| Model | Total Sales |
| 1. VW Polo Vivo | 3 002 (-545) |
| 2. Toyota Hilux (LCV) | 2 605 (-738) |
| 3. Toyota Corolla | 2 464 (+544) |
| 4. Ford Ranger | 2 365 (-638) |
| 5. VW Polo | 2 153 (-258) |
New Vehicle Sales Outlook
NAAMSA predicts a positive outlook in coming months with recent developments playing a key role. These include an increase in the SA Reserve Bank leading indicator, a rise in the purchasing managers index and an increase in consumer spending as a result of decreasing fuel prices over the last six months. Interest rates are expected to remain stable in 2015 as inflationary pressure subsides. Instability in electricity supply could however have a negative impact on the overall outlook for 2015.
