Mahindra posted the strongest sales growth in the top 10 of SA’s new-vehicle market for H1 2025, while Nissan tumbled 7 spots to 12th. Read on for this and other insights…
In the opening half of 2025, South Africa’s new-vehicle market grew an encouraging 13.6% year on year to 278 911 units. So, what happened on the list of Mzansi’s best-selling automakers for H1 2025?
Well, we’ve tallied up the figures and compared them to those from the corresponding period in 2024, allowing us to identify not only the best-selling automakers but also their year-on-year changes in sales volumes and indeed any movement up or down the rankings. Let’s get stuck in…
Toyota dominates as Suzuki secures 2nd
Toyota’s dominance of South Africa’s new-vehicle market continues unchallenged, with the Japanese giant – including its Lexus and Hino subsidiaries – posting 12.2% year-on-year growth to end H1 2025 on a whopping 67 938 units. By our maths, that represents a market share as high as 24.4% (or virtually 1 in every 4 vehicles sold new in SA).
Meanwhile, Suzuki’s rise continues, with the Hamamatsu-based brand’s local division growing its sales 22.7% year on year to 34 461 units, seeing it move up a ranking to 2nd in the opening half of 2025. As such, Suzuki enjoys a 5 095-unit buffer over the next-best contender as it heads into the latter half of the year.
Volkswagen Group slips as Hyundai climbs
Interestingly, the Volkswagen Group (including the Audi brand) was the only automaker in H1 2025’s top 10 to suffer a year-on-year decline, with sales slipping 6.1% to 29 366 units. The German firm therefore had to settle for 3rd place behind Suzuki, dropping a ranking compared to its H1 2024 showing.
In contrast, Hyundai climbed 2 positions to 4th, posting the strongest growth in the top 5. In the end, the South Korean automaker’s local arm grew its sales 31.0% year on year to 18 100 units. That saw Ford drop a place to 5th, despite the Blue Oval brand gaining 7.9% year on year to finish the reporting period on 16 662 units.
Isuzu snaffles 6th while GWM pips Chery
Relying heavily on one particular model (the D-Max bakkie built in Struandale), Isuzu sales increased 5.2% year on year to 12 221 units in H1 2025. That saw the Japanese firm’s local outfit climb a ranking to 6th. However, the close-fought Chinese battle taking place just below Isuzu was perhaps more interesting.
GWM (which, of course, also includes Haval, Tank and Ora) bounced back in the opening half of 2025, registering 36.2% year-on-year growth to reach 11 835 units. That was enough to see GWM climb 2 rankings, just sneaking into 7th ahead of fellow Chinese automaker, Chery. Though the latter remained in 8th place, its sales increased 20.1% year on year to 11 687 units – a mere 148 units behind its rival.
Mahindra posts strongest growth in top 10
With so much attention on the rise of the Chinese, it might surprise some that Mahindra was the automaker to post the strongest growth in the top 10 in H1 2025. The Indian brand’s local sales surged a considerable 60.4% year on year – the most robust improvement in the top 15 by quite some margin – to 9 611 units, seeing it soar 4 places to 9th overall.
Meanwhile, Kia made a return to the top 10, moving up 2 rankings to grab the final position. The South Korean firm’s local division enjoyed a 27.3% year-on-year improvement to end the 6-month reporting period on 8 234 units.
Nissan tumbles as more Chinese firms climb
What about the automakers that fell just outside the top 10? Well, Renault slipped a place to 11th, despite sales increasing 9.4% year on year to 8 178 units. But Nissan was the brand to suffer the most significant drop in H1 2025, with its local registrations plummeting 43.6% year on year to 7 846 units. That saw the firm – which now sells only the Magnite, Navara and X-Trail, and is clearly missing the since-departed NP200 – tumble a whopping 7 places to 12th.
Meanwhile, the BMW Group gained 16.0% year on year to reach 7 525 units but nevertheless fell 2 places to 13th. The final 2 spots in the top 15 went to Chinese newcomers: Omoda & Jaecoo (5 119 units) in 14th and Jetour (3 306 units) in 15th.
SA’s 15 best-selling automakers in H1 2025
| AUTOMAKER | H1 2025 SALES | Y-O-Y CHANGE | RANKING CHANGE | |
| 1 | Toyota | 67 938 units | +12.2% | unchanged |
| 2 | Suzuki | 34 461 units | +22.7% | +1 |
| 3 | Volkswagen Group | 29 366 units | -6.1% | -1 |
| 4 | Hyundai | 18 100 units | +31.0% | +2 |
| 5 | Ford | 16 662 units | +7.9% | -1 |
| 6 | Isuzu | 12 221 units | +5.2% | +1 |
| 7 | GWM | 11 835 units | +36.2% | +2 |
| 8 | Chery | 11 687 units | +20.1% | unchanged |
| 9 | Mahindra | 9 611 units | +60.4% | +4 |
| 10 | Kia | 8 234 units | +27.3% | +2 |
| 11 | Renault | 8 178 units | +9.4% | -1 |
| 12 | Nissan | 7 846 units | -43.6% | -7 |
| 13 | BMW Group | 7 525 units | +16.0% | -2 |
| 14 | Omoda & Jaecoo | 5 119 units | No H1 2024 data | no H1 2024 ranking |
| 15 | Jetour | 3 306 units | No H1 2024 data | no H1 2024 ranking |
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