Used car sales slump with Ford and Volkswagen hit hardest

Putting the Multichoice decline in context

Lindsey Schutters

Used car sales have fallen by -9.6% year-on-year for September and -10.3% compared to last month, while overall sales have taken a dive, several models saw growth in September 2024. This is according to data from AutoTrader.

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Overall, September used car sales totalled 28,609, with a combined value of just under R11.6bn. This represents a year-on-year decrease of -8.7% in accumulative sales value.

It’s no surprise that Toyota, Volkswagen, and Ford retained their top three positions, with 4,964, 4,134, and 2,962 units sold, respectively.

Toyota experienced a modest -2% decline year-on-year, while Volkswagen saw an -8% drop in used car sales. Ford faced the steepest challenge, contending with a -13% decrease compared to the previous year.

On a brand level, the only position changes (month-on-month) involved Nissan, Hyundai, and Suzuki. Previously in 8th place, Nissan moved up two spots, while Hyundai went from sixth to seventh. Suzuki also lost a spot, finishing up in eighth place.

The top three spots are occupied by the Ford Ranger (1,600), Toyota Hilux (1,445), and Volkswagen Polo (1,330). Among the top three, only the Hilux has seen marginal growth, with a year-on-year increase of +3.9%. The Polo Vivo (fourth overall) also saw YoY increases of +10.7% in September 2024.

It’s worth noting that the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and BMW 3 Series saw the biggest YoY decreases.