Buyers flock to bakkies, budget hatches, and SUVs

After recently announcing that SA’s new vehicle market dipped 2.8% last year, the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of SA has released the full new vehicle sales statistics for 2019.

The following list shows the top sellers in selected market segments, giving a fuller picture of vehicle buyers’ habits.

While there were no surprises in the overall top sellers, with the Toyota Hilux and VW Polo Vivo taking their usual places at the top of the bakkie and car charts respectively, the segmented analysis shows where the action was in the different market sectors.

Budget cars and compact vehicles made up the lion’s share of volume in the new-car market, showing consumer appetite for well-priced wheels.

Newcomers to the 2019 list include the recently-launched Hyundai Atos small hatch which makes it into the budget-car top sellers league after being on the market less than two months.

Hyundai has several top sellers in the budget/compact category with the Grand i10 and i20 also shifting significant volumes.

Behind the perennially strong-selling Polo Vivo and the new-generation Polo, Renault’s Kwid also posted a strong performance.

SUVs and crossovers continued their relentless rise in popularity. Their perceived practicality, due to raised ground clearances, are captivating buyers who once flocked to hatchbacks and sedans.

The Hilux-based Toyota Fortuner remained the SUV to rule them all, selling three times as many units as its closest large-SUV competitor, the Ford Everest.

VW’s T-Cross and the Kia Seltos were two new contenders launched to the compact SUV segment in the last few months of 2019 and they made immediate impacts in the sales charts.

They joined a crowded sector which was ruled as usual by the Ford EcoSport, but saw a strong second-placed performance by the impressive Haval H2, indicating that local buyers are finally accepting Chinese vehicles in significant numbers if affordability is matched with decent quality.

The rampant rise of compact SUVs and crossovers helped quicken the demise of sedans like the VW Jetta and Ford Focus in recent years, but the well-priced Toyota Corolla Quest — the favourite of Uber operators — continued its popularity.

Strong performances by the VW Polo sedan and Nissan Almera also showed that the segment is far from dead.

SA's top selling new vehicles of 2019 by segment

Budget cars

VW Polo Vivo — 29,618

Renault Kwid — 11,848

Toyota Etios — 9,445

Hyundai Grand i10 — 8,520

Ford Figo — 7,984

Kia Picanto — 6,924

Datsun Go — 6,330

Suzuki Swift — 6,242

Renault Sandero — 6,077

Suzuki Ignis — 1,787

VW Up — 1,502

Nissan Micra Active — 1,480

Suzuki Celerio — 1,393

Datsun Go+ — 1,371

Honda Amaze — 993

Suzuki Dzire — 930

Toyota Aygo — 760

Hyundai Atos — 700

Compact sedans/hatches

VW Polo — 21,557

Hyundai i20 — 6,993

Toyota Yaris — 6,033

VW Polo sedan — 5,418

Toyota Avanza — 5,363

Renault Clio — 3,903

VW Golf — 3,670

Nissan Almera — 3,618

Mazda2 — 2,617

Ford Fiesta — 2,498

Hyundai Accent — 2,239

Nissan Micra — 1,584

Suzuki Ertiga — 1,388

Honda BR-V — 1,383

Honda Jazz — 997

Opel Corsa — 910

Suzuki Baleno — 779

Honda Ballade — 426

Fiat Panda — 420

Medium sedans/hatches

Toyota Corolla Quest — 10,043

Toyota Corolla — 4,492

Kia Rio — 3,794

Toyota Rush — 2,379

Mercedes A-Class — 2,272

Audi A3 Sportback — 1,827

Mazda3 — 1,511

Audi A3 sedan — 1,314

Toyota Corolla hatch — 1,260

BMW 1-Series — 1,233

Hyundai Elantra — 946

Mercedes CLA — 914

Mini hatch 3dr — 608

VW Caddy — 463

Mini hatch 5dr — 448

Compact SUVs/crossovers

Ford EcoSport — 9,802

Haval H2 — 4,534

Mazda CX-3 — 3,859

Hyundai Creta — 3,607

VW T-Cross — 3,516

Renault Duster — 3,310

Haval H1 — 3,015

Nissan Qashqai — 2,368

Mahindra KUV — 1,996

Toyota C-HR — 1,937

Renault Captur — 1,273

Mercedes GLA — 1,031

Suzuki Vitara — 990

Hyundai Kona — 939

Suzuki Jimny — 866

Honda HR-V — 849

Opel Crossland X — 728

Mahindra XUV 300 — 722

Audi Q2 — 653

Mini Countryman — 623

Midsize SUVs

Toyota Rav4 — 6,928

VW Tiguan — 6,479

Hyundai Tucson — 4,215

Mazda CX-5 — 4,205

Nissan X-Trail — 2,990

Kia Sportage — 2,419

BMW X3 — 2,071

Mercedes GLC — 1,539

Audi Q5 — 1,337

BMW X1 — 1,315

Ford Kuga — 998

Range Rover Sport — 880

Volvo XC60 — 804

Range Rover Evoque — 769

Haval H6 C — 633

Subaru Forester — 590

Mitsubishi Eclips Cross — 561

Audi Q3 — 560

BMW X4 — 533

Porsche Macan — 522

Large SUVs

Toyota Fortuner — 11,644

Ford Everest — 3,544

BMW X5 — 1,399

Toyota Land Cruiser 200 — 1,048

Toyota Prado — 1,007

Isuzu MU-X — 716

Mercedes GLE — 663

Porsche Cayenne — 508

Land Rover Discovery — 497

Volvo XC90 — 401

VW Touareg — 351

Executive cars

Mercedes C Class — 4,594

BMW 3 Series — 3,528

Audi A4 — 1,267

BMW 4 Series — 551

BMW 5 Series — 453

Mercedes E Class — 295

Audi A5 Sportback — 372

Minibuses

Toyota Quantum — 10,536

VW Kombi — 1,553

Hyundai H1 — 1,420

Mercedes V Class — 931

Mercedes Vito — 882

Luxury cars

BMW 7 series — 120

Volvo S90 — 72

Mercedes S Class — 57

Porsche Panamera — 50

Sports coupes/convertibles

Porsche 911 — 380

Ford Mustang — 305

BMW Z4 — 110

Toyota Supra — 68

Mercedes-AMG GT — 64

Mercedes-AMG E-Class — 62

Audi TT — 43

Porsche Cayman/Boxster — 32

Audi R8 — 25

Ferrari 488 Pista — 22

Bakkies (all)

Toyota Hilux — 40,934

Ford Ranger — 25,041

Nissan NP200 — 17,955

Isuzu D-Max — 15,231

Nissan NP300 — 7,918

Mahindra Scorpio Pik-Up — 2,926

Hyundai H100 Bakkie — 2,877

Toyota Land Cruiser 79 — 2,703

VW Amarok — 2,596

GWM Steed — 2,017

Nissan Navara — 1,554

Kia K2700 — 1,270

Mercedes X-Class — 973