A trio of South Africa’s 10 best-selling cars and crossovers for 2024 achieved double-digit year-on-year growth. Here are Mzansi’s favourites in the passenger-vehicle space…
In 2024, South Africa’s new-vehicle market fell 3.0% year on year to 515 712 units. That said, the new passenger-vehicle segment experienced marginal year-on-year growth of 1.1% to finish on 351 302 units. So, which cars and crossovers were ultimately Mzansi’s favourites in 2024? We’ve done the maths to identify the 10 best-selling models.
Rather fascinatingly, every vehicle that placed on the list of SA’s 10 best-selling cars and crossovers in 2023 again achieved that feat in 2024 – though there were some positional changes. That means the list again comprises 4 models produced right here in South Africa, along with another 4 imported from India and the remaining 2 shipped over from China.
As many as 3 nameplates (all imported) in the top 10 enjoyed double-digit year-on-year growth, while a further 3 (interestingly, all inside the top 4) suffered a fall in sales compared with the preceding reporting period. Let’s take a closer look at the figures and which of SA’s favourites placed where…
Podium unchanged as Polo Vivo wins again
Yes, the Volkswagen Polo Vivo (which was facelifed in August 2024) retained its long-held title of South Africa’s best-selling passenger car in 2024, finishing the year on a heady 25 913 units – or a monthly average as high as 2 159 units. The Kariega-built hatchback’s year-on-year growth of 8.4% is all the more impressive considering it came off the back of a 14.6% increase in 2023.
Though sales of the Toyota Corolla Cross slid 3.2% year on year to 21 861 units, the Prospecton-made crossover retained 2nd position in 2024, ending 4 052 units off the pace (for the record, the gap in 2023 was just 1 312 units). Similarly, sales of the Suzuki Swift were down 1.3% year on year to 15 768 units (thanks in part to the switchover to a new generation), but the Indian-manufactured hatchback still comfortably retained 3rd place.
Grand i10 records strongest growth in top 10
The Indian-built Toyota Starlet – which was again beaten to the title of SA’s most popular imported vehicle by the Swift – held onto 4th place despite local registrations falling 10.1% year on year to 14 129 units. For the record, the Baleno – the Suzuki model on which the Starlet is based – finished 2024 in 13th place on 7 311 units.
Meanwhile, the Hyundai Grand i10 – which benefitted from a mid-year price cut – climbed 3 rankings to 5th place, registering the strongest growth in the top 10. In the end, sales of the Indian-made budget model (which is offered locally in both hatchback and sedan form) surged 38.2% year on year to 13 583 units. Note this figure excludes the 756 Cargo-badged panel-van units Hyundai also registered in the light-commercial vehicle space.
Tiggo 4 Pro climbs as Polo hatchback slips
The Chery Tiggo 4 Pro was again the highest-ranked Chinese vehicle, moving up a position to grab 6th place in 2024. Sales of the small crossover grew an impressive 25.8% year on year to 12 646 units (this after soaring a whopping 117.5% in 2023). The increasingly popular Tiggo 4 Pro cracked 4 figures as many as 7 times in 2024, a feat it failed to achieve even once in the preceding 12 months.
The year 2024 was somewhat of a mixed bag for the Volkswagen Polo hatchback, with sales increasing 4.3% year on year to 12 253 units but the Kariega-manufactured model still slipping 2 spots to end in a comparatively lowly 7th. As a reminder, the Polo hatch was SA’s 2nd best-selling passenger vehicle (behind only the Vivo) as recently as 2021, though tumbled from the podium in 2022.
Magnite sneaks into 5 figures (and past Jolion)
While sales of the Toyota Fortuner increased 2.7% year on year to 10 666 units, the locally built adventure SUV ended up dropping 2 rankings to finish in 8th. That said, the Fortuner easily remained Mzansi’s top-selling ladder-frame SUV, with its nearest rival being the Ford Everest way down in 30th on 3 109 units.
Meanwhile, the Nissan Magnite breached the 5-figure mark to climb a spot to 9th, with local registrations of this Indian-built crossover – which was facelifted in October 2024 – surging 17.2% year on year to 10 059 units. With the NP200 no more, the Magnite accounted for a whopping 45.1% of Nissan SA’s volume in 2024. Finally, the Haval Jolion fell a place to 10th position, despite sales growing 7.1% year on year to 9 213 units.
Which models were bubbling under in 2024, falling just outside the top 10? Well, the
Kia Sonet (7 425 units) was the best of the rest, placing 11th and followed closely by a trio of Suzuki models: the Fronx (7 355 units), Baleno (7 311 units) and Ertiga (7 198 units). The Celerio-based Toyota Vitz, meanwhile, took 15th position with 6 927 registrations.
South Africa’s 10 best-selling passenger vehicles in 2024
1. Volkswagen Polo Vivo – 25 913 units (+8.4%)
2. Toyota Corolla Cross – 21 861 units (-3.2%)
3. Suzuki Swift – 15 768 units (-1.3%)
4. Toyota Starlet – 14 129 units (-10.1%)
5. Hyundai Grand i10 (excluding LCV) – 13 583 units (+38.2%)
6. Chery Tiggo 4 Pro – 12 646 units (+25.8%)
7. Volkswagen Polo (hatch) – 12 253 units (+4.3%)
8. Toyota Fortuner – 10 666 units (+2.7%)
9. Nissan Magnite – 10 059 units (+17.2%)
10. Haval Jolion – 9 213 units (+7.1%)
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