Johannesburg – After a strong showing in August 2025, the South African used car market has experienced a minor decline in overall sales.
However, the numbers remain strong, indicating that consumer sentiment remains positive in the used car sector.
While there’s a minor month-on-month (MoM) decrease, there’s been a strong year-on-year (YoY) increase, with a notable sway towards practical bakkies and affordable budget hatchbacks.
Per the latest AutoTrader used car sales data, September 2025 saw a total of 33,907 used vehicles sold.
This is reflected in YoY and MoM changes of +16.4% and -3.2%, respectively, indicating steady performance throughout 2025 and a healthy uptick from the previous year.
Used passenger vehicle sales have been strong in 2025, pointing towards renewed consumer confidence in the used car market.
When it comes to the best-performing brand on the used car market, Toyota retains its enviable top spot, with 5,638 units sold in September 2025.
This strong showing is largely due to the fact that the Japanese automaker occupies four of the top 10 best-selling used vehicle models (more than any other brand).
Volkswagen is in second place, with 4,743 vehicles sold, while Ford remains in third position, selling 3,423used vehicles last month.
As was the case last month, Hyundai and Suzuki have retained their 4th and 5th positions, respectively, while BMW and Mercedes-Benz—the only luxury marques on the list—are battling to keep their 6th and 7th place spots.
They’re followed closely by Nissan (8th), Kia (9th), and Renault (10th).
While there have been no shifts in brand positioning compared to last month, there have been some notable changes in YoY and MoM.
All brands except for BMW saw a monthly decrease, with the German automaker seeing sales grow by +2%. Kia and Renault saw the most significant declines, with sales for both brands falling by -7%.
It’s a more positive story regarding YoY stats, with all brands except for Nissan and Mercedes-Benz seeing growth.
In fact, both Hyundai and Kia saw YoY sales increase by a healthy +61%, with the top three (Toyota, VW, and Ford) seeing growth of +14%, +15%, and +16%.
Renault also saw impressive YoY growth at +17%, while Mercedes remained the same, and Nissan declined by -9%.
Part of Hyundai and Suzuki’s strong showing could be due to the rising popularity of smaller, affordable hatchbacks like the Grand i10 and Swift, which are among the best-selling used cars in the new segment.
This is trickling down to the used car market, where demand is equally as strong.
On a brand level, Toyota remains undefeated.
Still, the Ford Ranger continues to reign supreme on the model level, with 1 904 used examples of the locally-built bakkie being delivered to consumers nationwide.
However, its biggest competitor, the Hilux, continues to chase after the Ranger, in second place with 1,591 units.
The remaining top five spots are occupied by the Volkswagen Polo (1 493 units), Volkswagen Polo Vivo (1 351 units), and the Toyota Fortuner (769 units).
The Fortuner has reclaimed its spot in the top five in September 2025, after being briefly ousted by the Suzuki Swift in August 2025.
The C-Class and 3 Series are nowhere to be seen once again, as more affordable hatchbacks like the Toyota Starlet (478 units) and Grand i10 (476 units) are gaining popularity with buyers.
The Corolla Cross is also a strong contender, with 580 units sold last month.
These models show the strongest YoY sales increases, with the Grand i10 showing a remarkable +121.4% uptick in sales.
The Corolla Cross enjoyed a +67.1% sales boost, while the Swift saw YoY sales rise by +47%.
“Despite minor monthly fluctuations, the data shows a resilient used car market supported by strong underlying demand and a steady flow of quality stock,” commented George Mienie, CEO of AutoTrader South Africa.
“The ongoing strength in entry-level hatch and bakkie sales reflects a pragmatic shift among local buyers. They’re prioritising value, reliability, and practicality over brand prestige.”
In September 2025, the used car market showed the following key figures:
- The cumulative value of used cars reached R13.83 billion in September 2025, representing a MoM decrease of -3.8% from August 2025 (R14.38 billion) and a YoY increase of 19.4% from September 2024 (R11.59 billion).
- The average price of a used vehicle fell slightly to R416 302 in September 2025, down from R418,105 in August 2025 and higher than the R405 154 recorded in September 2024.
- The average mileage increased to 73,447 km in September 2025, compared to 72,785 km in August 2025, and down from 75,585 km in September 2024.
On a variant level, Volkswagen continues to lead the used vehicle sales charts, with the Polo Vivo 1.4 remaining South Africa’s favourite used buy, with 1 063 examples sold last month.
It’s followed by the Polo 1.0 TSI (971 units), the Hilux 2.8 GD-6 (690 units), the Ranger XL (628), and the Hilux 2.4 GD-6 (558).
The Ford Ranger once again dominated South Africa’s used car market in September 2025, achieving 1,904 sales.
The Toyota Hilux secured second place with 1,591 units sold, while the Volkswagen Polo maintained its position in third with 1,493 sales.
AutoTrader’s data highlights the enduring popularity of reliable bakkies and affordable hatchbacks among South African consumers.
Top 10 sold used models in September 2025
