We’ve rummaged through February 2023’s sales figures to identify South Africa’s best- and worst-selling bakkies. Here’s what you need to know…
South Africa’s new-vehicle market registered 2.6% of year-on-year growth in February 2023 to end the month on 45 352 units. Gains in the light-commercial vehicle segment, meanwhile, were slightly higher at 5.5%, resulting in total sales of 12 972 units, mostly in the form of bakkies (along with a few minibus and panel-van units).
So, what happened on the list of SA’s best-selling bakkies? Well, the Prospecton-produced Toyota Hilux was again head and shoulders above the rest of the field, finishing February 2023 on a healthy 3 335 units. For the record, that’s an improvement of 566 units compared with its performance in January 2023. As an aside, Toyota SA Motors has just announced a specification update for the Hilux, with a focus on the Xtra Cab Legend models.
With the new generation of the Ford Ranger now very much online (though the single- and extended-cab models will technically hit the local market only at some point in March), the Silverton-built bakkie (as well as the imported Raptor) regained 2nd place, with 1 806 units registered during the month. That saw the Struandale-manufactured Isuzu D-Max (1 747 units) drop a spot to 3rd, despite improving by 474 sales, month on month.
Though the Nissan NP200 (1 292 units) broke back into 4 figures, it again placed 4th (its manufacturer is currently “evaluating” a replacement), while the Mahindra Pik Up (844 units) likewise held steady in 5th. The Nissan Navara ended February 2023 with 581 registrations, which was enough to see the Rosslyn-built bakkie jump a place to 6th.
That meant the evergreen Toyota Land Cruiser 79 (393 units) fell a position to 7th, with the GWM P-Series (245 units), GWM Steed (115 units) and Mitsubishi Triton (60 units) again closing out the table.
Best of the rest in February 2023
What about the models that failed to make the table in February 2023? Well, 58 examples of the outgoing Volkswagen Amarok were registered, putting the German bakkie just outside the top 10. As a reminder, the new (locally built and Ranger-based) Amarok is due to hit the local market on 18 March, so we should see a marked improvement in this nameplate’s sales performance over the next couple of months.
Next came the Mahindra Bolero (42 units), then the Peugeot Landtrek (29 units) and Jeep Gladiator (19 units). Yet again, the Mazda BT-50 brought up the rear, with 7 examples registered during the month. Meanwhile, JAC’s T-badged bakkies (the Chinese automaker reports a combined figure for its T6 and T8 line-ups) ended February 2023 on 43 units.
Export winners in February 2023
What about the bakkie export market? Well, the Toyota Hilux was again at the forefront, with 5 297 units sent overseas in February 2023. With shipments of the new model to international markets now underway, the Ford Ranger improved to 3 923 units, though remained in 2nd place.
The D-Max (571 units), Navara (402 units) and NP200 (2 units) again made up the numbers on the export charts. The official Naamsa report interestingly also showed a handful of imported models being exported from local shores in February 2023, in the form of the P-Series (30 units), Triton (18 units) and Steed (1 unit).
10 best-selling bakkies in South Africa for February 2023
1. Toyota Hilux – 3 335 units
2. Ford Ranger – 1 806 units
3. Isuzu D-Max – 1 747 units
4. Nissan NP200 – 1 292 units
5. Mahindra Pik Up – 844 units
6. Nissan Navara – 581 units
7. Toyota Land Cruiser 79 – 393 units
8. GWM P-Series – 245 units
9. GWM Steed – 115 units
10. Mitsubishi Triton – 60 units
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