In May 2026, the outgoing Toyota Hilux retained first place on the list of SA’s best-selling bakkies, while the Peugeot Landtrek snuck into the top 10. All the details here…
- Hilux keeps 1st place but Ranger closes gap
- P-Series retains 4th position ahead of Pik Up
- Landtrek cracks top 10 at Tunland’s expense
- BYD Shark 6 reaches 136 units in May 2026
- LDV finally reports sales for T60 & Terron 9
In May 2026, sales in South Africa’s total new-vehicle market increased 12.8% year on year to 51 071 units, with the light-commercial vehicle (LCV) segment registering its 15th straight month of year-on-year growth, improving 2.5% to 11 251 units. So, what changed on the list of Mzansi’s best- and worst-selling bakkies?
Well, with the 9th-generation model set to hit the local market in the coming weeks, the outgoing version of the Toyota Hilux retained first place, even though local registrations dipped 15.8% compared to April 2026. In the end, the Prospecton-built stalwart managed 2 488 units in May.
With a total of 2 073 units (up 3.0% month on month), the Silverton-made Ford Ranger – which recently underwent a line-up revision locally – thus retained the runner-up spot, though closed the gap to the Hilux to just 415 units. Finally, amid a switch to the facelifted model, the Struandale-produced Isuzu D-Max managed 1 009 units (down 3.4% compared to April) to keep 3rd place.
Meanwhile, local registrations of the GWM P-Series (including both the P300 and P500) improved 17.2% month on month to 689 units, seeing the Chinese bakkie retain the 4th position it achieved in April. Therefore, the KwaZulu-Natal-assembled Mahindra Pik Up again had to settle for 5th, despite a 12.3% month-on-month increase in sales to 632 units.
So, the top 5 positions were unchanged from April, a theme that continued down much of the table. Yes, the Toyota Land Cruiser 79 (466 units; up 3.3%), Volkswagen Amarok (417 units; up 4.5%), Nissan Navara (288 units; down 8.6%) and JAC T-Series (261 units; down 3.3%) remained in 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th position, respectively. It’s worth noting local production of the Navara ended in May, with Chery SA having taken over Nissan’s Rosslyn plant.
In the end, there was just a single positional change in the top 10, with the Peugeot Landtrek‘s 66.7% month-on-month gain to 230 units seeing it snaffle the final spot. As a reminder, while the SA-spec Landtrek is currently imported from China, Stellantis SA hopes to start building this bakkie at its planned Coega facility in the Eastern Cape “towards the end of 2027”.
Bakkies outside the top 10 in May 2026
So, which bakkies didn’t manage to crack the top 10 in May 2026? Well, with local registrations dipping 15.1% month on month to 174 units, the Foton Tunland slipped out of the top 10, ending in 11th. Still, it remained ahead of fellow Chinese contender the BYD Shark 6, despite sales of the latter improving 25.9% month on month to 136 units.
Interestingly, the SAIC-owned LDV brand began reporting sales figures to industry-representative body Naamsa in May, with the LDV T60 slotting into 13th place on 99 units. That saw the Mahindra Bolero (75 units) and Mitsubishi Triton (43 units) forced down to 14th and 15th, respectively.
Meanwhile, the recently launched Kia Tasman finished in 16th position with 39 units, again slightly ahead of the 17th-placed Changan Hunter (36 units). The LDV Terron 9 managed 15 units to take 18th, while the since-discontinued GWM Steed (3 units) and the decidedly niche Jeep Gladiator (1 unit) both remained in single figures, taking 19th and 20th, respectively.
Bakkie sales in South Africa for May 2026
1. Toyota Hilux – 2 488 units
2. Ford Ranger – 2 073 units
3. Isuzu D-Max – 1 009 units
4. GWM P-Series – 689 units
5. Mahindra Pik Up – 632 units
6. Toyota Land Cruiser 79 – 466 units
7. Volkswagen Amarok – 417 units
8. Nissan Navara – 288 units
9. JAC T-Series – 261 units
10. Peugeot Landtrek – 230 units
11. Foton Tunland – 174 units
12. BYD Shark 6 – 136 units
13. LDV T60 – 99 units
14. Mahindra Bolero – 75 units
15. Mitsubishi Triton – 43 units
16. Kia Tasman – 39 units
17. Changan Hunter – 36 units
18. LDV Terron 9 – 15 units
19. GWM Steed – 3 units
20. Jeep Gladiator – 1 unit
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