D-Max edges out Ranger! SA's best-selling bakkies in September 2026

In September 2026, the D-Max grabbed 2nd place (ahead of the Ranger) on the list of South Africa’s best-selling bakkies, while the Bolero and Landtrek entered the top 10…

Toyota Hilux still comfortable out front
D-Max grabs 2nd as sales surge 27.2%
Ranger slips to 3rd despite strong sales
VW Amarok beats LC79 to 6th position
Bolero and Landtrek break into top 10
Navara and Tunland drop out of top 10

In September 2026, sales in South Africa’s total new-vehicle market grew 12.7% year on year to a hefty 61 645 units, with the light-commercial vehicle (LCV) segment improving 9.6% year on year to 14 361 units. But what happened on the list of SA’s best- and worst-selling bakkies?

Well, though local registrations of the Toyota Hilux slipped 2.9% month on month to 3 769 units in September 2026, the Prospecton-built range – which currently comprises a mix of 8th- and 9th-generation derivatives – comfortably retained its title of Mzansi’s most popular bakkie.

Meanwhile, the Isuzu D-Max enjoyed a 27.2% month-on-month surge in sales to reach a total of 2 551 units (including 516 sales to government), grabbing 2nd place from the Ford Ranger in the process. That’s the 2nd time this year – after March 2026 – that the Struandale-manufactured bakkie has edged the Ranger. In the end, the Silverton-made model had to settle for 3rd place despite hitting a multi-year high of 2 502 units (up 5.4% month on month).

Though the KwaZulu-Natal-assembled Mahindra Pik Up (521 units; down 14.9% month on month) retained 4th position in September 2026, the GWM P-Series – which includes both the P300 and P500, the latter now offered with a new 3.0-litre turbodiesel engine – was breathing down its neck in 5th, ending the month a mere 4 sales behind on 517 units (down 12.1% compared to August 2026). As such, it again ranked as the local market’s most popular Chinese bakkie.

On the back of a 22.5% month-on-month increase in registrations, the locally built Volkswagen Amarok (430 units) climbed a ranking to 6th in September, pushing ahead of the Toyota Land Cruiser 79 (419 units; down 3.5% month on month), which thus had to settle for 7th.

The JAC T-Series range – which will soon welcome a new, aggressively priced 360 kW T9 PHEV derivative – moved up a place to 8th, with sales increasing 3.7% month on month to 255 units. Meanwhile, the Mahindra Bolero (226 units; up 46.8% month on month) and Peugeot Landtrek (207 units; up 55.6% month on month) both broke into the top 10.

Bakkies outside the top 10 in September 2026

So, which bakkies didn’t crack the top 10 last month? Well, the Nissan Navara – local production of which ended in Rosslyn back in May 2026, when Chery took over the plant – dropped off the table, with local sales slipping 37.2% month on month to 184 units. The Foton Tunland (179 units) likewise lost its top-10 spot, falling to 12th in September.

Meanwhile, the BYD Shark 6 climbed a ranking to 13th with 157 units registered, finishing the month just ahead of the JMC Vigus (151 units). The next 2 spots likewise went to Chinese bakkies, with the LDV T60 (128 units) ending in 15th and the Changan Hunter (99 units) securing 16th.

Though the Mitsubishi Triton posted its highest tally of the year thus far – admittedly a modest 53 units – the Thai-built bakkie again finished down in 17th place. Next came the Kia Tasman (30 units), while the LDV Terron 9 (9 units) and Jeep Gladiator (3 unit) both failed to make double digits.