Naamsa’s April 2025 report shows local new vehicle sales rose to 42 401 units—up nearly 12% from last year. Despite the growth, most of the high-ranking brands saw declines. Here are the 10 best-sellers for the month…
Passenger cars led the charge, making up 30 101 units of the total. That’s a 16.9% gain compared to April 2024. Around 9% of those passenger car sales went to rental companies, suggesting a seasonal bump. Most of the month’s sales—about 37 258 vehicles—came through dealerships. The rest were split between rental fleets (7%), corporate sales (2.7%), and government buyers (2.5%).
Naamsa CEO Mikel Mabasa said the industry is facing pressure from global changes, including new US tariffs, but believes the country’s export performance remains strong. “Our industry has navigated difficult global tides before, and we will do so again,” he said.
Related: Top 10 Best-Selling Car Brands — March 2025

Toyota – 10 363 (down from 11 660)
Suzuki Auto – 5 977 (up from 5 284)
Volkswagen Group SA – 3 973 (down from 4 913 )
Hyundai – 3 007 (down from 3 103)
Ford – 2 398 (down from 2 907)
GWM SA – 1 943 ( down from 2 066 )
Chery Auto – 1 852 ( down from 1 902)
Isuzu Motors – 1 383 (down from 2 759)
Renault – 1 281 (down from 1 402)
Mahindra – 1 278 ( down from  2 253 )

Most major car brands in South Africa saw a drop in sales during April 2025 compared to March. Toyota held on to the top spot with 10 363 units, but that was down from 11 660. Volkswagen dropped to 3 973 from 4 913, and Ford slipped to 2 398 from 2 907. Hyundai also saw a small dip, moving from 3 103 to 3 007 units. GWM, Chery, Renault, and Isuzu all recorded declines, with Isuzu taking the biggest hit, falling to 1 383 units from 2 759. Mahindra’s sales nearly halved, dropping from 2 253 to 1 278 units. The standout was Suzuki, which went against the trend and grew its sales from 5 284 to 5 977 units. Despite tough conditions, Suzuki’s continued growth shows strong demand for affordable and compact vehicles in the local market.
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