Which models in South Africa’s competitive bakkie segment grew their sales year on year in Q1 2025 and which ones shrunk? We’ve crunched the numbers to find out…
While South Africa’s overall new-vehicle market grew 10.5% year on year to 144 426 units in Q1 2025, the light-commercial vehicle (LCV) segment declined 10.6% to 35 047 units over the same period. So, which bakkies improved their performance and which ones shed sales?
Well, we’ve spent some time crunching the numbers, comparing the Q1 2025 sales hauls of each of the market’s traditional bakkies to their respective efforts in the opening 3 months of 2024. What we found was that 7 contenders grew their registrations, year on year, while 7 shed sales.
Bakkies that gained sales year on year in Q1
The Peugeot Landtrek was the bakkie that enjoyed the most robust year-on-year sales growth in Q1 2025, even if its increase came off a low base. In the opening quarter of the year, 226 units of the Landtrek – which moved up 3 rankings but still couldn’t crack the top 10 – were registered in SA, representing a 135.4% year-on-year improvement.
Meanwhile, Q1 2025 sales of the Toyota Land Cruiser 79 surged 72.0% year on year to 1 541 units, seeing the Japanese bakkie climb 3 places to 6th. The locally assembled Mahindra Pik-Up improved 36.4% year on year to 2 779 units, in the process making 4th place very much its own.
Local registrations of the long-in-the-tooth Mahindra Bolero increased 31.4% (compared to Q1 2024), though its modest tally of 138 units meant this Indian-made bakkie nevertheless fell a ranking to 13th. The Rosslyn-built Nissan Navara moved up 2 spots to 5th, enjoying a 27.5% year-on-year increase in sales to finish on 1 545 units.
Finally, the Ford Ranger and Isuzu D-Max – which retained 2nd and 3rd, respectively – posted more muted growth. Local registrations of the Struandale-built D-Max increased 8.0% year on year to 5 587 units, while the Silverton-made Ranger (6 205 units) improved on its Q1 2024 tally by 2.5%.
Bakkies that lost sales year on year in Q1
Having placed 4th with nearly 5 000 units sold in the opening quarter of 2024, the Nissan NP200 tumbled to 14th in Q1 2025. With production having wrapped up at the Japanese firm’s Rosslyn plant in March last year, sales of what was Mzansi’s last surviving half-tonne bakkie plummeted 99.6% to just 18 units.
Interestingly, the GWM P-Series fell 2 rankings to 8th in Q1 2025, with local registrations of this Chinese contender slipping 44.3% year on year to 735 units. Again occupying the final spot on the list with just 12 examples sold, the Jeep Gladiator (which is awaiting a facelift) posted a 25.0% year-on-year sales decline.
Meanwhile, Volkswagen Amarok sales slid 17.5% year on year to 798 units, though the German firm’s Ford-built bakkie still gained a place to finish 7th. The Mitsubishi Triton – having entered a new generation late in 2024 – also suffered a year-on-year decline, with sales falling 15.3% to 160 units (seeing the Japanese bakkie slip a spot to 12th).
Despite sales of the Toyota Hilux dropping 7.8% year on year to 8 163 units, the Japanese stalwart remained the market’s most popular bakkie in Q1 2025. Finally, the GWM Steed – which clung to 10th position – ended this reporting period on 318 units, representing a 2.5% decline compared with 2024’s opening quarter.
For the record, we were not able to include the JAC T6, T8 and T9 ranges in this exercise as the Chinese automaker reported only a combined number. However, we tallied up JAC’s total T-Series sales to 426 units, an increase of 14.5%, year on year.
In addition, note that the Mazda BT-50 exited the local market towards the end of Q1 2024, so isn’t represented here. Meanwhile, the Foton Tunland G7 returned to SA only towards the middle of last year, so no year-on-year change in sales is shown.
Bakkie sales in South Africa for Q1 2025
| BAKKIE | Q1 2025 SALES | Y-O-Y CHANGE | |
| 1 | Toyota Hilux | 8 163 units | -7.8% |
| 2 | Ford Ranger | 6 205 units | +2.5% |
| 3 | Isuzu D-Max | 5 587 units | +8.0% |
| 4 | Mahindra Pik-Up | 2 779 units | +36.4% |
| 5 | Nissan Navara | 1 545 units | +27.5% |
| 6 | Toyota Land Cruiser 79 | 1 541 units | +72.0% |
| 7 | Volkswagen Amarok | 798 units | -17.5% |
| 8 | GWM P-Series | 735 units | -44.3% |
| 9 | Foton Tunland G7 | 437 units | no Q1 2024 data |
| 10 | GWM Steed | 318 units | -2.5% |
| 11 | Peugeot Landtrek | 226 units | +135.4% |
| 12 | Mitsubishi Triton | 160 units | -15.3% |
| 13 | Mahindra Bolero | 138 units | +31.4% |
| 14 | Nissan NP200 | 18 units | -99.6% |
| 15 | Jeep Gladiator | 12 units | -25.0% |
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