Automark sales rise 3% as used-car market grows despite consumer pressure - IOL

There remains a massive demand for locally-produced bakkies, such as the Toyota Hilux.

South Africa's used-car market continued to expand in the first half of 2026, despite pressure on household budgets, with Toyota's Automark business reporting a 3% increase in year-to-date sales compared with the same period last year.

Automark, Toyota South Africa Motors' pre-owned vehicle business, said sales were higher than the corresponding month of 2025 in every month from January to August, with July recording its strongest monthly performance of the year at 4,912 vehicles.

The growth comes against a broader increase in used-car transactions.

AutoTrader's 2026 Mid-Year Car Industry Report found that 195,455 used vehicles changed hands during the first six months of the year, an 8% increase on the same period in 2025. The total value of those transactions rose 9% to R82.38 billion.

The average used vehicle sold for R421,499, up just 1% year on year, despite a 25-basis-point interest rate increase in May.

AutoTrader said the average vehicle sold was a 2020 model with 70,964km on the odometer.

The data suggests that affordability remains an important consideration for buyers, with smaller vehicles accounting for a growing share of completed sales. The Suzuki Swift and Hyundai Grand i10 were among the fastest-selling affordable models, while the average selling price of the 10 best-selling models was R344,354, significantly below the overall market average.

Toyota remained a major force in the used market. The Hilux was the country's best-selling used vehicle during the first half of the year, while Toyota was the most-enquired-about brand on AutoTrader.

Automark's sales data for the year to August shows the Hilux was also its top-selling model, with 6,898 units sold, followed by the Corolla Cross on 4,248 and the Starlet on 3,951.

The growth in used-car sales comes despite continued economic pressure, with consumers facing higher borrowing costs and rising living expenses.

AutoTrader CEO George Mienie said the market's growth was being driven by buyers who remained interested in vehicles but were increasingly focused on affordability and running costs.

“People are still interested in premium and performance cars, as the search data makes clear, but completed sales lean heavily towards vehicles that are affordable to buy, economical to run and easy to live with,” Mienie said.

The report also found that used new-energy vehicle sales nearly doubled in the first half of 2026, rising 92% year on year to 4,703 units. Hybrids accounted for 83% of those sales.

Chinese brands also recorded substantially faster growth than the wider used-car market, although from relatively small bases, with sales across the brands covered by AutoTrader's report increasing by 57%.

The overall picture is therefore one of a growing but increasingly selective used-car market, with buyers continuing to purchase vehicles while showing greater sensitivity to price and running costs.