New Swift soars! SA's best-selling passenger cars in Nov 2024

The new Suzuki Swift rocketed back onto the passenger-car podium in November 2024 as 1 of 6 models in the top 10 to register its best sales performance of the year…

In November 2024, South Africa’s new-vehicle market grew 8.1% year on year to 48 585 units, with passenger vehicles again proving the catalyst for the industry’s overall growth. Indeed, sales in this segment increased 20.0% year on year to 35 101 units last month.

As was the case in October, the passenger-vehicle segment was aided by sales to the rental industry, which comprised a significant 19.5% of its total. But which models were the most popular overall? Let’s break down SA’s best-selling passenger vehicles for November 2024.

*VW’s recently updated Polo Vivo enjoyed its best month of the year.*

The Volkswagen Polo Vivo (2 999 units) stayed out in front in November 2024, registering its best showing of the year so far and coming ever-so-close to cracking the 3 000-unit mark. In fact, the Kariega-built hatchback – which received a facelift in August – was Mzansi’s best-selling vehicle overall last month, eclipsing even the mighty Toyota Hilux (see our list of SA’s top-selling bakkies here).

Though the Toyota Corolla Cross (2 655 units) likewise put in its best effort of 2024 thus far, the Prospecton-made crossover remained in 2nd position in the passenger-vehicle segment in November. For the record, the Polo Vivo enjoyed as many as 923 sales (or 30.8% of its tally) via the rental-industry channel, while the Corolla Cross managed 408 units in this space.

*Toyota’s Corolla Cross breached the 2 500-unit mark in a single month for the first time this year.*

Meanwhile, the Suzuki Swift – led by a new-generation model that enjoyed its first full month on the local market – rocketed back onto the podium in November, climbing 3 places to finish 3rd. As the highest-ranked imported vehicle, the Indian-sourced hatchback also enjoyed its best effort of the year, with 1 776 units sold. As many as 778 sales came via the rental market, representing a whopping 43.8% of this nameplate’s registrations.

The Hyundai Grand i10 (1 296 units) jumped a spot to 4th last month, with its tally including 265 sales to the rental industry. For the record, since we’re examining the passenger-car segment here, take note that this figure excludes light-commercial vehicle sales of the Cargo-badged panel van, which attracted a further 99 sales.

*Chery’s Tiggo 4 Pro was another model that put in its best performance of the year in November.*

The Suzuki-made Toyota Starlet (1 238 units) slipped a spot to 5th, while the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro (1 191 units) was once more the highest-ranked Chinese vehicle, recording its strongest showing of the year and moving up 2 positions to 6th in November.

The Haval Jolion (1 062 units) and Kia Sonet (1 059 units) both returned to the top 10 in November 2024, each breaching 4 figures for the very first time this year and ultimately placing 7th and 8th, respectively. That saw the Volkswagen Polo hatch (1 003 units) plummet as many as 6 rankings to end in 9th, with the recently refreshed Nissan Magnite (945 units) making a comeback to the table to snaffle 10th.

*Haval’s updated Jolion (including Pro derivatives) reached 4 figures in November.*

We should point out the 3 models that cracked the top 10 in October but fell away in November were the Suzuki Fronx (888 units), Toyota Fortuner (872 units) and Renault Kwid (692 units). Honourable mentions for November 2024 should also go to the Mahindra XUV 3XO (511 units) and Hyundai Exter (438 units), newcomers that didn’t at all rely on sales via the rental channel.