P-Series cracks top 5! SA's best-selling bakkies in April 2025

The GWM P-Series broke into the top 5 on the list of SA’s best-selling bakkies for April 2025, while the Peugeot Landtrek returned to the top 10…

In April 2025, South Africa’s total new-vehicle market increased 11.9% year on year to 42 401 units. After a lengthy stagnant period, sales in the light-commercial vehicle (LCV) space finally grew year on year, improving 3.2% to 9 961 units last month.

So, what happened on the list of Mzansi’s best- and worst-selling bakkies in April 2025? Well, though sales of the Toyota Hilux fell 4.9% month on month to 2 780 units, the Prospecton-produced stalwart remained the nation’s most popular bakkie by quite some margin. Some 7.9% (or 221 units) of that total represented sales to the rental industry.

*Ford’s Ranger grabbed back 2nd place in April.*

After having to settle for 3rd place in March, the Ford Ranger wrestled back 2nd spot in April 2025, despite registrations of the Silverton-made contender sliding 20.7% to 1 728 units. That meant the Struandale-built Isuzu D-Max slipped a spot to 3rd, suffering a hefty 50.8% month-on-month decline to end on 1 108 units.

The KwaZulu-Natal-assembled Mahindra Pik Up also experienced a marked month-on-month drop in sales, finishing April on 654 units (down 46.2%) but nevertheless retained 4th position. The Chinese-built GWM P-Series – a range that includes the P300 and P500 – climbed 2 rankings to finish 5th, reaching 497 units (up 23.6% compared to March). Interestingly, 43.7% (or 217 units) of those registrations represented sales to government.

Despite experiencing a 12.4% month-on-month decrease in sales, the Japanese-made Toyota Land Cruiser 79 (417 units) retained 6th place. Meanwhile, the Rosslyn-built Nissan Navara fell 2 rankings to 7th, suffering a considerable 64.9% month-on-month drop in sales to finish on 293 units.

The Ford-built Volkswagen Amarok (254 units) and Chinese-made Foton Tunland G7 (212 units) held steady in 8th and 9th, respectively, while the Peugeot Landtrek – currently imported from China but due to be assembled at a new facility in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape from late in 2025 or early in 2026 – returned to the table on 100 units.

Best of the rest in April 2025: bakkies outside top 10

*The GWM Steed fell from the top 10 last month.*

So, which bakkies didn’t crack the top 10 in April 2025? Well, the JAC T-Series – the Chinese firm unfortunately reported only a combined figure for its T6, T8 and T9 line-ups, so we technically can’t rank these individual nameplates in the top 10 – ended the month on 161 units.

Meanwhile, the GWM Steed’s haul of 71 units saw it fall from the top 10 in April 2025. The Mahindra Bolero (40 units) was next, followed by the Mitsubishi Triton, which could muster just 16 sales. Finally, 5 units of the Jeep Gladiator were registered in Mzansi last month.