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

South Africa's used-car market continued growing in the first half of 2026, despite families facing tighter budgets, with Toyota's Automark reporting a 3% increase in sales year-to-date compared to the same period in 2025. Automark, Toyota South Africa's pre-owned vehicle division, recorded higher sales than the same month in 2025 in every month from January to August, with July seeing its strongest month of the year at 4,912 vehicles.

The increase in sales follows a broader rise in used-car transactions, as 195,455 used vehicles changed hands in the first six months of 2026, marking an 8% increase from the same period in 2025. The total value of these transactions rose by 9% to R82.38 billion, with the average used vehicle sold for R421,499, up just 1% from the previous year.

Despite a 25-basis-point interest rate increase in May, affordability remained a significant factor for buyers, with smaller vehicles accounting for a growing share of completed sales. Among the fastest-selling affordable models were the Suzuki Swift and Hyundai Grand i10. Toyota continued to dominate the used market, with the Hilux being the country's best-selling used vehicle during the first half of 2026, followed by the Corolla Cross and the Starlet.

AutoTrader CEO George Mienie attributed the market's growth to buyers who remain interested in vehicles but are increasingly focused on affordability, economical running costs, and ease of living. The report also noted that used new-energy vehicle sales nearly doubled in the first half of 2026, with sales increasing by 92% year on year to 4,703 units, with hybrids accounting for 83% of these sales.

Chinese brands also recorded faster growth than the wider used-car market, with overall sales increasing by 57%.