Across the whole of 2024, as many as 21 models on South Africa’s new-vehicle market each sold fewer than 10 units. Meet Mzansi’s single-digit sellers: the cars hardly anyone bought last year…
We’ve already examined South Africa’s best-selling cars and crossovers for 2024, as well as identified the country’s most popular bakkies. Now it’s time to turn our attention to the other end of the market: yes, the new-vehicle market’s single-digit sellers from last year.
Before we dive into the figures, we should point out there are several potential reasons vehicles might have ended up on this list. For instance, some had technically not yet launched (with the handful of registered units arriving for homologation purposes), while others had been completely discontinued (therefore hardly any stock was available).
In addition, highly exclusive, multi-million-rand supercars tend to be low volume by design. However, for relevant models mentioned on this list (which, for the record, is based on figures reported to industry representative body Naamsa), we’ll try our best to provide some sort of context. Right, let’s take a closer look, from the top down…
Last year, just 9 units of the Fiat Tipo were sold in South Africa, falling from 87 examples in 2023. The last time a Tipo was registered new in Mzansi was August 2024, which leads us to believe this C-segment model – which was offered in both hatchback and sedan guise – has been quietly discontinued locally (in fact, it’s not currently listed on Fiat SA’s website).
Another discontinued model to feature on the list was the V8-powered Audi R8 (production ended in the opening quarter of 2024), which likewise attracted 9 buyers last year. Interestingly, 8 units of the Mahindra XUV500 were registered locally in 2024, despite the fact this SUV was replaced by the XUV700 as long ago as November 2022.
Next we have the fully electric Jaguar I-Pace (7 units), which is due to ride off into the sunset at some point this year (it’s currently still listed on Jaguar SA’s website), followed by the Ferrari Roma with 6 units (we believe all local allocations for this Prancing Horse have long since been filled). As many as 6 nameplates reached just 4 registrations apiece in 2024, including a trio of axed models: the Honda WR-V, Hyundai Atos and Suzuki Vitara Brezza.
The other models to settle on 4 units each across the entirety of 2024 were the Ferrari 812 (set to be supplanted by the incoming 12Cilindri), along with the Audi A8 (well, technically the S8 as the Audi Sport variant is the only derivative available locally) and the fully electric Audi e-tron GT (currently available only in R3.5-million RS guise).
In addition, 2 examples of the BAIC X25 (a small Chinese crossover discontinued in SA back in early 2023) were registered as new last year, along with 2 units of the Hyundai Ioniq (a fully electric model not yet confirmed for Mzansi). Other yet-to-launch models likely brought in for homologation purposes include the imminent Mitsubishi Outlander Sport (2 units) and long-promised BAIC B80 (1 unit, though it was interestingly sold via the dealer channel).
Most of the remaining single-unit sellers were discontinued models, such as the Ford EcoSport, Haval H9, Mahindra KUV100 and Lexus LC coupé. Similarly, just a solitary example of the Abarth 695 was registered in Mzansi last year, with this model having also been removed from Fiat SA’s website.
Finally, only 1 unit of the Alfa Romeo Giulia – a sedan that is interestingly still listed as available on the Italian firm’s local website – was sold new in South Africa in 2024. That sale was reported way back in January 2024 (yes, an entire year ago) as a so-called “single” registration rather than through a dealer, meaning Stellantis SA kept and licensed it for its own use…
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