Buyers are making smart choices, with shifting trends reshaping the leaderboard. January’s sales figures highlight key movements in the market.

Used car sales are off to a good start in 2025, with the latest January sales data from AutoTrader showing strong sales, a positive indicator of what’s to come for the year. The first month of the year typically has the best performance, as dealerships provide appealing discounts and incentives to clear out inventory and reach targets. In January 2025, 30,961 used vehicles were sold, representing a minor -0.1% year-on-year (YoY) decrease but a substantial +17.2% month-on-month (MoM) increase. 

The Ford Ranger remains the undisputed leader in the used vehicle market, but the top 10 rankings have seen notable shifts. Compared to December 2024, the Toyota Hilux has overtaken the Volkswagen Polo to claim second place in January 2025. Notably, three light commercial vehicles have surged up the ranks—the Isuzu D-Max (7th) and Nissan NP200 (9th) have entered the top 10, displacing the Toyota Corolla Cross and Toyota Starlet. While the Corolla Cross has dropped off entirely, the Starlet holds onto 10th place, pushing the BMW 3 Series out and leaving the Mercedes-Benz C-Class as the only premium model on the list.

When it comes to the combined value of used vehicles sold in January 2025, the total increased both YoY and MoM, with the latter being particularly interesting given the slight sales decrease. The combined value reached R12.59 billion, +1.9% higher than January 2024 (R12.35 billion) and +16.64% higher than December 2024 (R10,79 billion). However, it’s worth noting that the average price of used cars sold in January 2025 was R406,693, higher than January 2024 (R398,775) but slightly lower than December 2024’s average of R408,516. This could be attributed to the aforementioned discounts that encourage consumers to purchase a new vehicle. 

"January’s sales performance highlights the resilience of South Africa’s used car market,” commented George Mienie, CEO of AutoTrader. “The month-on-month growth signals renewed consumer activity, while shifts in model rankings suggest evolving preferences. With strong overall demand and a healthy start to the year, it will be interesting to see how these trends develop in the coming months."

On a brand level, things remain unchanged, with Toyota, Volkswagen, and Ford dominating the used car marketplace. Toyota is at the top of the charts for January 2025, with 5,330 vehicles sold and an +18% MoM increase. Volkswagen trails by more than 1,000 units, with 4,138 sales, and the smallest MoM increase of +10%. Ford, in third place, recorded 3,338 sales last month, and the biggest monthly increase of +24%. While all top 10 brands enjoyed MoM sales increases, BMW, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Kia, and Renault saw YoY decreases, with Kia taking the biggest hit at -16%. It remains to be seen whether this trend continues, but the rising popularity and sales of Chinese brands like Chery and Haval may further this. Suzuki recorded the highest yearly increase, with sales surging by +34% compared to January 2024. 

On a model level, the Ranger retains its top spot, with 1,946 units sold in January 2025. Its closest rival, the Toyota Hilux, follows with 1,510 sales, while the Volkswagen Polo takes third place with 1,270 units. The Ranger and Polo saw year-on-year growth of +12.4% and +1.8%, respectively, while the Hilux recorded a -3.9% decline.

Several models posted notable year-on-year increases, reflecting shifting consumer preferences. The Toyota Starlet surged by +62.1%, while the Isuzu D-Max climbed from 12th to 7th place with a +35.7% sales boost. Other gainers included the Nissan NP200 (up +21.5%), Suzuki Swift (+24.7%), and Volkswagen Polo Vivo (+20.2%). Aside from the Hilux, the only models to see a decline were the Toyota Fortuner (-7.5%) and Mercedes-Benz C-Class (-3%), both positioned as more premium offerings.

Among the best-selling variants, the Polo Vivo 1.4 remains South Africa’s most popular used model, with 979 units sold in January. Its larger sibling, the Polo 1.0 TSI, follows with 774 sales, while the Ranger XL ranks third at 685. The Hilux claims both fourth and fifth spots, with the 2.8 GD-6 and 2.4 GD-6 recording 651 and 472 sales, respectively.