Which ladder-frame SUVs proved most popular with South African buyers in the first half of the year? We’ve sorted through the sales figures for H1 2025 to find out…
South Africa’s passenger-vehicle sales charts are dominated by budget hatchbacks and unibody crossovers. But what about proper ladder-frame SUVs? Which examples proved most popular with local buyers in the opening half of 2025?
Well, we’ve combed through the H1 2025 sales statistics to identify the local market’s 10 best-selling body-on-frame SUVs. Before we dive in, keep in mind that since Mercedes-Benz doesn’t report sales figures to Naamsa, we don’t know how many G-Class units were registered in H1 2025. And it’s the same case with Ineos and its Grenadier.
Fortuner and Jimny are still SA’s favourites
Despite sales of the Toyota Fortuner dipping 14.7% year on year to 4 242 units, that total was more than enough to see the Prospecton-built stalwart remain Mzansi’s favourite ladder-frame SUV in H1 2025. For the record, the Fortuner ranked 15th overall in the passenger-vehicle race at the year’s midway point.
Interestingly, local registrations of the Suzuki Jimny – which is SA’s most affordable ladder-frame SUV, starting at R454 900 in 3-door form – likewise declined year on year, with the plucky little off-roader losing 11.2% to end the reporting period on 1 802 units. Still, it kept 2nd spot – just.
Prado grabs podium spot ahead of Everest
The Toyota Land Cruiser Prado registered the strongest gains in the top 5, with sales surging 57.4% year on year to 1 786 units. That put the J250-series SUV in 3rd place, a mere 16 units behind the far more affordable Jimny.
Meanwhile, the Ford Everest (+7.0% year on year to 1 728 units) grabbed 4th, finishing H1 2025 only 58 sales behind the Prado. The Toyota Land Cruiser 300 closed out the top 5, with local registrations growing 19.0% year on year to 913 units.
Isuzu MU-X builds as Tank 300 sales surge
The Isuzu MU-X – which benefitted from a facelift in May 2025 – improved its half-year tally by 38.9% compared to H1 2024, ending in 6th on 711 units. The Mahindra Scorpio-N was next in 7th place, gaining 16.5% year on year to finish this 6-month reporting period on 573 units.
However, the GWM Tank 300 posted the most robust growth in the top 10, with sales of this Chinese SUV rocketing 156.7% year on year to 516 units. Much of that improvement was likely thanks to the arrival of a turbodiesel powertrain late in the opening quarter of 2025.
New GX and LC70 Series make it 5 for Toyota
Despite hitting the market as recently as March 2025, the new Lexus GX grabbed 9th place, with 196 units sold. This Prado-based SUV (featuring a twin-turbo V6 petrol engine) has already assumed the role of the Toyota-backed luxury brand’s top seller locally, year to date.
The Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series SUV – including both the 76- and 78-badged wagons – took the final place in the top 10 as the 5th product from Toyota. In the end, sales of this model (likely dominated by the Land Cruiser 76 that is available with the Japanese firm’s 2.8-litre, 4-cylinder turbodiesel motor) increased 43.1% year on year to 181 units.
Fascinatingly, that meant there was no place in top 10 for the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport (162 units), Lexus LX (90 units), Jeep Wrangler (67 units), GWM Tank 500 (64 units), BAIC B40 Plus (41 units) and since-discontinued Nissan Patrol (11 units).
SA’s 10 best-selling ladder-frame SUVs of H1 2025
| VEHICLE | H1 2025 SALES | Y-O-Y CHANGE | |
| 1 | Toyota Fortuner | 4 242 units | -14.7% |
| 2 | Suzuki Jimny | 1 802 units | -11.2% |
| 3 | Toyota Land Cruiser Prado | 1 786 units | +57.4% |
| 4 | Ford Everest | 1 728 units | +7.0% |
| 5 | Toyota Land Cruiser 300 | 913 units | +19.0% |
| 6 | Isuzu MU-X | 711 units | +38.9% |
| 7 | Mahindra Scorpio-N | 573 units | +16.5% |
| 8 | GWM Tank 300 | 516 units | +156.7% |
| 9 | Lexus GX | 196 units | no H1 2024 data |
| 10 | Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series | 181 units | +34.1% |
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