Total vehicle sales in South Africa dropped by 13% year-on-year to 47,980 units in April 2026, marking the best performance for the month since 2013, mainly attributed to improved financing conditions and a firmer sentiment. However, macroeconomic headwinds emerged amid ongoing geopolitical tensions, including higher energy prices, rising inflation expectations, and a shift in the interest rate outlook. Exports decreased by 4% over a year ago to 30,939 units, weighed by geopolitical tensions and a 42.9% fall in the LCV segment amid a phased model changeover. source: NAAMSA, South Africa

Total Vehicle Sales in South Africa decreased to 47980 Units in April from 58060 Units in March of 2026. Total Vehicle Sales in South Africa averaged 40824.47 Units from 1994 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 65689.00 Units in August of 2006 and a record low of 574.00 Units in April of 2020. This page provides the latest reported value for - South Africa Total Vehicle Sales - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news. South Africa Total Vehicle Sales - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on May of 2026.

Total Vehicle Sales in South Africa decreased to 47980 Units in April from 58060 Units in March of 2026. Total Vehicle Sales in South Africa is expected to be 47100.00 Units by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the South Africa Total Vehicle Sales is projected to trend around 43500.00 Units in 2027 and 46000.00 Units in 2028, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-04-01 12:50 PM
Total New Vehicle Sales
Mar 58.06K 53.38K 48.5K
2026-05-04 12:30 PM
Total New Vehicle Sales
Apr 47.98K 58.06K 53.5K
2026-06-01 12:15 PM
Total New Vehicle Sales
May 47.98K


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Bankruptcies 146.00 135.00 Companies Mar 2026
Business Confidence 47.00 44.00 points Mar 2026
Capacity Utilization 76.90 77.80 percent Dec 2025
Car Registrations 34414.00 39370.00 Units Apr 2026
Changes in Inventories -6246.00 17267.00 ZAR Million Dec 2025
SACCI Business Confidence 131.30 134.60 points Mar 2026
Composite Leading Indicator 100.59 100.62 points Apr 2026
Corruption Index 41.00 41.00 Points Dec 2025
Corruption Rank 81.00 82.00 Dec 2025
Electricity Production 18028.00 16790.00 Gigawatt-hour Mar 2026
Gold Production YoY 17.10 12.80 percent Mar 2026
Manufacturing Production YoY 0.90 -2.30 percent Mar 2026
Manufacturing Production MoM 0.80 -1.80 percent Mar 2026
Leading Business Cycle Indicator MoM 0.50 0.60 percent Feb 2026
Mining Production YoY 2.50 9.70 percent Mar 2026
Total New Vehicle Sales 47980.00 58060.00 Units Apr 2026


South Africa Total Vehicle Sales
In South Africa, total vehicle sales measure the total number of vehicles sold including buses and heavy vehicles in the reported month.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
47980.00 58060.00 65689.00 574.00 1994 - 2026 Units Monthly
NSA

News Stream
South Africa Auto Sales See Best October Since 2014
Total vehicle sales in South Africa rose by 16% year-on-year to 55,956 units in October 2025, setting a record for the month since 2014. "South Africa’s new vehicle market continued its upward trajectory in October 2025, supported by easing inflation, a firmer rand, continued signs of improving consumer sentiment, and demand recovery in key export markets", Naamsa said. The new passenger car market reached 39,610 units in October, its strongest month since October 2014, rising 14.8% from October 2024. Medium and heavy commercial vehicle sales showed a mixed performance, with medium commercial vehicles registering 809 units, up 9.3% from the 740 units in October 2024, while heavy trucks and buses decreased to 2,176 units, or 1.0% from 2024. So far this year, the new vehicle market has grown 15.7% compared with the same period in 2024.
2025-11-03
South Africa Auto Sales See Best September Since 2015
Total vehicle sales in South Africa surged 24.3% year-on-year to 54,700 units in September 2025, the highest figure for that month since 2015. Sales of new passenger cars jumped 28% to 38,603 units, its highest level since October 2014. Domestic sales of light commercial vehicles rose 19.7% to 13,078 units, heavy trucks and buses advanced 5.9% to 2,252 units, while medium trucks slipped 1.9% to 767 units. Vehicle exports jumped 32.9% year-on-year to 38,772 units. "Year-to-date exports are 6% higher than in 2024, underscoring industry resilience despite global supply chain disruptions and US automotive tariffs.", Naamsa said. The president of the industry group noted that domestic new vehicle sales are on track to surpass pre-pandemic levels for the first time in five years, supported by strong consumer demand for affordable cars.
2025-10-02