Toyota Still SA’s go to car brand

Hilux still SA’s bestselling vehicle
Toyota achieves a market share of 23,7%
Leads in passenger and LCV sales

Toyota 3 Nov 1

Pic: Supplied

Toyota South Africa Motors’ market share showed a steady increase, landing at 23,7%, moving 1,3% notches up compared to the previous month.

Domestic new vehicle sales in May 2024 were at 37,105 units, reflected a substantial decrease of 6,137 units, or a loss of 14,2%, from the 43,242 vehicles sold in May the previous year. However, Toyota has once again shown its resilience by posting a leading market share which translates to 8,795 Toyotas (including affiliate brands) which found new homes in May.

Toyota took top honours in both Passenger and LCV. The rugged and timeless Hilux is still not only the bestselling bakkie, but it additionally tops the overall leader board for vehicle sales (2,367). Hiace (393) and the Land Cruiser 79 (459), also make it onto the LCV top ten, further bolstering Toyota’s good showing on the light commercial vehicle front.

Toyota passenger vehicles had an equally remarkable sales performance, securing three out of the top ten spots. The second-placed Corolla Cross (1,543) which represents the popularity of hybrid models which further entrenches Toyota’s multipath way approach to carbon neutrality - that hybrid electric vehicles are the current practical solution in Africa.

Also achieving a medal on the passenger-car podium is the sleek Starlet, this model garnered sales of 1,047 units and the stylish and more capable than ever off-road icon the Fortuner tallied 763 units. It may be a small car, but it has big personality, the Vitz retailed a punchy 423 units.

Worthy of mention is the strong showing of the automaker’s SUV model - the upmarket Land Cruiser LC300 which managed 175 units while in the luxury segment Lexus moved 24 NX, 15 LX and 12 RX vehicles.

The parts report for May saw just over 1,4 million pieces distributed locally, with 293, 669 pieces exported to foreign markets.

"Toyota's success bares testament to the faith the South African consumer has in the brand. Even when budgets are tight, they still see the value in purchasing our vehicles. At Toyota we don’t work in isolation, it is the hard work of our staff and dealers that allows us to deliver a quality product to our consumers time and time again,” says Toyota South Africa’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Leon Theron.