{
  "id": 11386073,
  "title": "New vehicle sales surge 12.7% in September: These were the top 15 manufacturers",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/new-vehicle-sales-surge-12-7-in-september-these-were-the-top-15",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-02T07:39:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "IOL",
    "slug": "iol",
    "url": "https://iol.co.za/business/economy/2026-10-02-new-vehicle-sales-surge-127-in-september-these-were-the-top-15-manufacturers/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In September, South Africa's new vehicle market demonstrated resilience despite economic headwinds. Naamsa reported a 12.7% increase in overall sales to 61,645 units compared to the same month last year. Passenger cars saw the largest growth, rising 14.7% year-over-year to 44,291 units, with rentals contributing 18.4% of the sales. Light commercial vehicles increased by 9.6% to 14,361 units. Medium commercial vehicles grew by 3.4% to 789 units, while heavy truck sales climbed 12.1%. Bus sales dropped significantly by 49.3% to 70 units. Dealerships led vehicle sales at 81.4%, followed by rentals at 13.8%, government at 2.6%, and corporate fleets at 2.2%. Export sales decreased by 18.8% to 31,473 units. Despite worsening affordability conditions, new vehicle sales rose at a double-digit pace, with the competitive and diversified market structure playing a crucial role in the resilience. Factors such as a wide range of brands, models, and price points, along with competitive pricing and attractive financing options, sustained demand. WesBank's senior economist, Thanda Sithole, noted that buyers are adopting a more cautious approach to vehicle finance, with smaller and longer-term deals, and a shift towards fixed-rate finance.",
  "summary": "South Africa’s new vehicle market defied economic headwinds in September, with sales surging 12.7% year-on-year. Here are the 15 top-selling manufacturers for the month.",
  "key_points": [
    "New vehicle sales in South Africa surged 12.7% in September",
    "Passenger cars experienced the largest growth at 14.7%",
    "Dealerships led sales, accounting for 81.4%"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}