New vehicle sales in July 2026 reached 57 708 units, with passenger vehicles contributing to 40 912of those.

Passenger vehicles sold in July 2026 represented the best figures since September 2014, the Automotive Business Council (Naamsa) said in a statement.

July 2026 also saw an overall increase in the number of new vehicles sold — 11.9% — from the previous year, while passenger vehicle sales increased by 12.5%.

Naamsa noted that lower fuel costs helped offset the impact of the full reinstatement of the General Fuel Levy, easing pressure on household and operating budgets and contributing to a more supportive environment for vehicle demand.

Toyota led the way by selling 14 142 units, which meant that it increased sales by 13.9% year-on year.

Toyota launched several new vehicles in June, including the latest Hilux, the Land Cruiser FJ, the new RAV4 and its all-electric bZ4X.

At the beginning of 2026, the brand recognised the impact of Chinese cars and decided that the best way to keep its standing in the country was to bring in more vehicles.

Suzuki followed Toyota, selling 5 994 vehicles while Volkswagen came in third, selling 5 799.

Chinese vehicles still showed strong sales figures. Chery, GWM and Jetour all featured in the top 10 selling brands for July.

Ford continued its momentum after refreshing the Ranger earlier this year. The brand ranked fourth in sales figures. However, Ford emerged as the top-seller of double-cab bakkies in the country for the first half of the year, selling more than 10 075 double-cab Ranger bakkies.

New-energy vehicle sales continue to rise

South Africa's transition towards electrified mobility continued to gain momentum during July 2026, with 3 045 NEVs sold, representing a 104.2% increase compared to the 1 491 units recorded during the corresponding period in 2025.

Traditional hybrid vehicles (HEV) led the way, with 1 488 units sold while plug-in hybrids (PHEV) contributed to 990 units.

Pure electric vehicles (EV) sold just 419 units, accounting for only 13.8% of new-energy vehicle sales.

On a year-to-date basis, South Africa has recorded 13 193 NEV sales, comprising 6 667 HEVs, 4 623 PHEVs and 1 903 EVs.

Naamsa said the sustained growth across all three technology categories demonstrated that consumers were increasingly embracing electrified vehicles, supported by a broader range of product offerings and growing awareness of alternative propulsion technologies.

“The continued expansion of the NEV market reinforces Naamsa's long-standing position that South Africa's automotive policy framework should remain technology neutral, enabling manufacturers and consumers to adopt the most appropriate low- and zero-emission vehicle technologies as the market evolves.

“Such an approach will support investment, consumer choice and industrial competitiveness while advancing South Africa's transition towards a lower-carbon and globally competitive automotive industry.”