Which ladder-frame SUVs were most popular with SA’s new-vehicle buyers in the opening half of the year? We’ve sorted through the figures for H1 2026 to find out…
- Fortuner still SA’s favourite ladder-frame SUV
- Prado grabs 2nd; Everest climbs onto podium
- Jimny slips as Tank 300 posts strong growth
- New Land Cruiser FJ already cracks the top 10
While budget hatchbacks and crossovers continue to dominate South Africa’s new passenger-vehicle sales charts, there’s still very much a market for proper ladder-frame SUVs. So, which examples proved most popular with Mzansi’s new-car buyers during the opening half of 2026?
Well, we’ve sorted through the sales figures for H1 2026 and identified SA’s 10 best-selling body-on-frame SUVs. Note that since Mercedes-Benz doesn’t report sales figures to industry-representative body Naamsa, it’s not clear how many G-Class units were registered in H1 2026. And it’s the same case with Ineos and its Grenadier.
Fortuner still the favourite but Prado climbs
Even though local registrations of the Toyota Fortuner decreased 3.5% year on year to 4 092 units, the Prospecton-built stalwart comfortably retained its title of SA’s favourite ladder-frame SUV in H1 2026.
Interestingly, the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado climbed a ranking to 2nd during this 6-month reporting period. The J250-series Prado was one of only two models in the top 10 to record year-on-year growth, with local sales increasing 30.0% to 2 322 units. Meanwhile, the Ford Everest (down 4.0% year on year to 1 659 units) moved up a place to 3rd.
Suzuki Jimny slips while Tank 300 sales surge
Having ranked 2nd in H1 2025, the Suzuki Jimny slipped 2 positions to 4th in the opening half of 2026, suffering the most significant year-on-year sales decline in the top 10, with local registrations falling 28.2% to 1 294 units.
In contrast, the GWM Tank 300 climbed 3 rankings to 5th, registering the strongest instance of growth in the top 10. In the end, local sales of the Chinese SUV surged 129.5% year on year to 1 184 units. That saw the Toyota Land Cruiser 300 drop a spot to 6th, with sales declining 13.7% year on year to 788 units.
MU-X and Scorpio-N fall; new FJ already appears
Thanks in part to the Tank 300’s impressive rise, the Isuzu MU-X (down 18.7% year on year to 578 units) and Mahindra Scorpio-N (down 19.9% year on year to 459 units) each fell a spot, ending H1 2026 in 7th and 8th, respectively.
Meanwhile, despite having hit the market only in the 2nd half of May 2026, the new Toyota Land Cruiser FJ grabbed 9th position, with 391 units registered. Finally, the Lexus GX (down 8.2% year on year to 180 units) closed out the table, meaning the Toyota group took 5 places in the top 10.
That meant there was no place in top 10 for the Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series (131 units), Lexus LX (122 units), Mitsubishi Pajero Sport (75 units), Jeep Wrangler (48 units), GWM Tank 500 (36 units), BAIC B40 Plus (14 units) and LDV D90 (10 units, though LDV started reporting sales figures only in May 2026).
SA’s 10 best-selling ladder-frame SUVs of H1 2026
| VEHICLE | H1 2026 SALES | Y-O-Y CHANGE | |
| 1 | Toyota Fortuner | 4 092 units | -3.5% |
| 2 | Toyota Land Cruiser Prado | 2 322 units | +30.0 |
| 3 | Ford Everest | 1 659 units | -4.0 |
| 4 | Suzuki Jimny | 1 294 units | -28.2% |
| 5 | GWM Tank 300 | 1 184 units | +129.5% |
| 6 | Toyota Land Cruiser 300 | 788 units | -13.7% |
| 7 | Isuzu MU-X | 578 units | -18.7% |
| 8 | Mahindra Scorpio-N | 459 units | -19.9% |
| 9 | Toyota Land Cruiser FJ | 391 units | no H1 2025 data |
| 10 | Lexus GX | 180 units | -8.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Which models were South Africa’s top three best-selling ladder-frame SUVs in the first half of 2026?
A: The Prospecton-built Toyota Fortuner comfortably retained its title as SA’s favourite body-on-frame SUV with 4 092 units sold, despite a minor 3.5% year-on-year dip. The J250-series Toyota Land Cruiser Prado claimed 2nd place with a strong 30.0% growth surge to 2 322 units, while the Ford Everest locked in the final podium spot in 3rd place with 1 659 registrations (-4.0%).
Q: Which off-road SUV models showed the most significant performance shifts and sales growth during H1 2026?
A: The GWM Tank 300 achieved the highest growth in the top 10, skyrocketing 129.5% year on year to 1 184 units and climbing to 5th place. Conversely, the Suzuki Jimny experienced the sharpest decline on the leaderboard, dropping from 2nd down to 4th place after local sales fell 28.2% to 1 294 units.
Q: Did any new-vehicle market newcomers manage to secure a spot in the top 10 rankings?
A: Yes, the new Toyota Land Cruiser FJ made a highly impressive debut. Despite only being launched locally in the second half of May 2026, it accumulated 391 registrations to instantly secure 9th place on the list. This newcomer helped the broader Toyota group (including Lexus) claim a dominant five out of the top ten positions.
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