Bakkie fans, we have the all-important figures! Here’s your monthly look at South Africa’s best- and worst-selling bakkies, this time for December 2023…
In December 2023, South Africa’s new-vehicle market suffered its 5th consecutive year-on-year decline, dropping 3.3% to 40 329 units. The light-commercial vehicle (LCV) segment likewise experienced a fall, with sales in this segment of the market slipping 2.9% year on year to 10 181 units.
So, what happened on the list of South Africa’s best-selling bakkies? Well, though the Prospecton-built Toyota Hilux wasn’t able to breach the 3 000-unit mark this time, it was nevertheless again at the very top of the pile, completing the year with a December total of 2 858 registrations.
The Silverton-made Ford Ranger (1 936 units) and Struandale-manufactured Isuzu D-Max (1 023 units) both likewise saw a month-on-month drop in sales, though managed to retain 2nd and 3rd place, respectively.
Sales of the Rosslyn-produced Nissan NP200 tapered off markedly to 749 units (keep in mind production of SA’s only half-tonne bakkie is scheduled to end in March 2024) but it again took a comfortable 4th position. The KwaZulu-Natal-assembled Mahindra Pik Up (473 units), meanwhile, held steady in 5th.
The Ford-built Volkswagen Amarok (358 units) climbed a place to 6th, forcing the Nissan Navara (337 units) down to 7th position. The GWM P-Series (228 units) stayed in 8th, while the Toyota Land Cruiser 79 (176 units) was again 9th. As a reminder, a refreshed version of the latter – complete with the option of the Japanese firm’s familiar 2.8-litre, 4-cylinder GD-6 turbodiesel engine and an automatic transmission – will soon launch in Mzansi.
Finally, the JAC T-Series – the Chinese automaker unfortunately reports only a combined figure for its T6, T8 and new T9 line-ups – completed the table with 80 registrations.
Best of the rest in December 2023: bakkies outside the top 10
So, which bakkies didn’t crack the top 10 in December 2023? Well, the GWM Steed was best of the rest with 50 registrations, finishing ahead of the Peugeot Landtrek (31 units). Though the latter model is currently imported from China, local production is due to start in Coega (near Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape) by “early 2026”.
Then came the under-appreciated Mitsubishi Triton (28 units), which slotted in ahead of the Mahindra Bolero (24 units). The Jeep Gladiator (a facelifted version is likely to make local landfall only towards the end of 2024) ended December 2023 on 6 units, while not a single Mazda BT-50 was registered during the month.
10 best-selling bakkies in South Africa for December 2023
1. Toyota Hilux – 2 858 units
2. Ford Ranger – 1 936 units
3. Isuzu D-Max – 1 023 units
4. Nissan NP200 – 749 units
5. Mahindra Pik Up – 473 units
6. Volkswagen Amarok – 358 units
7. Nissan Navara – 337 units
8. GWM P-Series – 228 units
9. Toyota Land Cruiser 79 – 176 units
10. JAC T-Series – 80 units
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