AutoTrader reports consistent year-on-year used car growth in April as demand remains resilient

April market data highlights continued strength in used vehicle demand, even as fewer selling days weighed on month-on-month activity across the sector.

At A Glance – April 2026 Car Sales

Used Cars Sales

30,971 (-6.6% MoM, +8.0% YoY)

Average price: R423,329 (-2.0% MoM, +0.6% YoY)

Top seller (overall): Ford Ranger (1,706 units)

Top seller (passenger car): Volkswagen Polo (1,160)

Trend: Used buyers are sticking with trusted favourites, but rising running costs are giving smaller, more efficient cars fresh momentum.

New Cars Sales

34,414 (-12.6% MoM, +14.3% YoY)

Top seller: Chery Tiggo 4 (1,871 units)

Trend: New-car buyers are leaning heavily towards affordable, practical models, with budget hatchbacks and compact crossovers leading the charge.

South Africa’s automotive industry continued its strong growth trajectory in 2025, with both new and used vehicle sales recording significant year-on-year gains.

However, despite the positive annual performance, both sectors experienced month-on-month declines.

This softening can be partly attributed to April having fewer selling days, with three public holidays reducing trading activity during the month.

The latest AutoTrader used car data shows that 30,971 used vehicles were sold in April 2026, representing a +8.0% year-on-year increase compared with April 2025, when 28,675 vehicles were sold.

However, this marks a notable downturn from March 2026, when 33,164 used vehicles were sold through the online marketplace, representing a -6.6% month-on-month decline.

Brand Performance In The Used Car Market

On a brand level, Toyota remains the leader of the used car market, with 5,148 vehicles sold in the fourth month of the year.

The automaker has remained steady, with 0% YoY activity but a -6% MoM decline.

Volkswagen, in second place with 4,037 units, has seen the same YoY and MoM activity for April.

In third place is Ford with 3,061 cumulative sales, and MoM and YoY decreases of -14% and -3%, respectively.

But while the Blue Oval sits at the bottom of the podium in terms of brand performance, the company’s evergreen Ranger remains the country’s favourite used vehicle.

The popular bakkie sits at the top of the charts with 1,706 units sold in April, accounting for more than half of the brand’s used vehicle sales.

A minor -1% YoY decline hasn’t prevented the Ranger from shielding its enviable position, though.

In second place is the Ranger’s closest rival, the Hilux, with 1,329 units and a steeper -7.4% YoY decrease.

The Volkswagen Polo continues to keep the rest of the contenders at bay, securing its third-place position with 1,160 units sold, and a +0.2% YoY sales increase.

The Polo Vivo, the more affordable hatch offering within the greater VW line-up, breathes closely down its sibling’s neck, with 1,123 sales and a -3.1% YoY decline.

Consumer Buying Behaviour Is Shifting

“April’s numbers show a market that is still healthy, but far more selective than it was a year ago,” said George Mienie, CEO of AutoTrader.

“South Africans are not only looking at the purchase price anymore. They’re looking at the full cost of ownership, from fuel and finance to maintenance and resale value. That explains why proven bakkies like the Ranger and Hilux continue to perform so well, while smaller, more efficient cars such as the Swift and Grand i10 are gaining serious momentum. Buyers are still spending, but they’re spending with a sharper pencil.”

While the top three continue to rule the roost unabated, the real growth can be seen further down the list, particularly in the case of budget hatchbacks like the Hyundai Grand i10 and Suzuki Swift.

The Swift saw significant YoY growth of +66.1% and sales of 789 units last month, while Grand i10 sales soared by +74.6% to 557 units.

What’s worth noting is that the Corolla Cross has also seen sales increase by +47.7%, with 644 sales in April 2026.

The recent spate of fuel increases, putting pressure on South African consumers, has shown in the sales of used cars, with the Toyota Fortuner, an SUV that has consistently sat in fifth position, falling two spots this month to seventh place, with just 598 sales.

Most Popular Used Car Variants

As always, the Polo Vivo 1.4 remains South Africa’s most popular used car on a variant level, with 900 sold.

The Polo 1.0 TSI trails at 706, with the compact Germans followed by the Hilux 2.8 GD-6 with 559 sales, the Ranger XL with 460, and the Hilux 2.4 GD-6 with 449.

The average price of a used car purchased through AutoTrader in April 2026 was R423,329, a decrease from the R431,879 average last month, but up from the R420,771 average recorded in April 2025.

Interestingly, the average mileage of used cars sold in April 2026 has fallen to 71,460 km, compared to the 71,669 km recorded in March 2026 and the 74,739 km average in April 2025.

New Car Market Performance

New car sales were consistent in April 2026, with naamsa | The Automotive Business Council reporting 34,414 new passenger cars sold.

While this is a notable -12.6% MoM decline compared to March 2026, sales have blossomed YoY, with a +14.3% increase from April 2025.

Per WesBank, the average value of a new car financed through the institution increased YoY by +10.1%, to R400,912.

This is a significant increase from April 2025’s average value of R363,9751.

In the new passenger car segment, the Chery Tiggo 4 was crowned the best-selling vehicle in South Africa, with 1,871 units sold, followed by the Polo Vivo with 1,847, the Suzuki Swift with 1,556, and the Hyundai Grand i10 with 1,347.

Source: AutoTrader Used Car Sales Data: 1 - 30 April 2026

Source: Wesbank Car Finance Data