Local is lekker as Ford Ranger, Hilux and Polo head used car sales

Spearheaded by the Ford Ranger, no less than eight of the ten top best-selling pre-owned cars in South Africa are locally built.

According to AutoTrader’s used car sales data, the Silverton-assembled Ford Ranger held on to its crown as Mzansi’s most popular used car from 1 January to 31 May 2024. It was followed by the Toyota Hilux, VW Polo and Polo Vivo, Toyota Fortuner, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class, which are also all manufactured locally.

Only two imported models

The only two imported models on the list are the Suzuki Swift and Kia Picanto that slots in at eight and nine.

Rounding off the top 10 is another locally built model, the Nissan NP200 half-ton bakkie.

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“The latest AutoTrader used car sales data suggests that local car buyers trust vehicles from brands that have a manufacturing presence in South Africa,” says AutoTrader CEO George Mienie.

“Eight of the ten best-selling used cars are from these local brands, proving that South African consumers have confidence in the reliability, quality and robustness of these popular cars.”

Ford Ranger top of the pops

Used Ford Rangers sold for an average price of R484 631 during the first five months of the year. It featured average mileage of 77 631km with an average age of five years.

The Toyota Hilux, built alongside the Fortuner in Prospecton, Durban sold for an average price of R449 830. Their average age was also five years, with average mileage of 103 910km.

The Polo and Polo Vivo are built at VW’s plant in Kariega in the Eastern Cape. The Polo had an average price of R265 880, while the Polo Vivo’s was R196 813. Average mileage was 68 159km and 55 735km respectively.

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The Toyota Fortuner is the only SUV on the list. They sold for an average price of R464 567 with average mileage of 103 604km.

Sedans still in demand

The BMW 3 Series, that was assembled in Rosslyn, and the East London-built Mercedes-Benz C-Class remain local favourites despite the declining demand for sedans. The average year of registration for both models was 2016.

The C-Class sold for an average price of R405 891 and the 3 Series for R382 159. Their average mileage was 97 746km and 102 710km respectively.

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The Suzuki Swift hatch had an average price of R186 532 with average mileage of 37 551km. Its average age was three years.

The Kia Picanto had an average age of four years. Its average price was R177 010, with the average mileage being 45 458km.

The Rosslyn-built Nissan NP200, which has been discontinued, sold for an average price of R172 800 with average mileage of 82 865km. Its average age was five years.