Johannesburg – The latest used car sales data from AutoTrader shows sustained year-on-year growth in June 2026, even as month-to-month sales slipped slightly.
The first half of 2026 delivered a strong showing for the used car industry, with sales consistently tracking ahead of last year.
A total of 31 363 used vehicles were sold through AutoTrader in June 2026, a year-on-year (YoY) increase of 1.1% compared with June 2025, when 31 008 used vehicles were sold.
A 2.7% month-on-month (MoM) decline was recorded compared with May 2026, when 32 224 used vehicles were sold through South Africa’s largest automotive marketplace.
With 5 352 vehicles sold, Toyota maintained its position as South Africa’s best-performing brand in the used car market.
Despite softer overall sales MoM, used Toyota sales increased from 5 275 units in May 2026 to 5 352 units in June, representing a 1% MoM increase and a 3% YoY increase.
Volkswagen came in second with 4 100 units sold, down 3% MoM and 5% YoY, while Ford followed with 3 107 units, down 2% MoM and 3% YoY.
When it comes to best-selling models, the Ford Ranger remains king.
The Silverton-produced bakkie saw 1 823 used examples sold on AutoTrader, making it the most popular used vehicle in South Africa last month, with a negligible 0.6% YoY increase.
The Ranger’s closest rival, the Toyota Hilux, sits in second place, 413 units behind the Ranger.
A total of 1 410 used examples were sold last month, and while the 2.8% YoY decrease in sales has pulled it further away from the Ranger’s crown, it has not stopped the Hilux from staying ahead of the Polo Vivo and Polo.
In June 2026, the Polo Vivo, Volkswagen’s most affordable offering, pipped its more upmarket sibling, the Polo, for a spot on the used car sales podium.
The former recorded 1,110 sales, down 12% YoY, while the latter came in at 1,091 sales, down 12.5% YoY.
“June’s used car sales data points to a market that remains resilient, even as consumers become more selective,” says George Mienie, CEO of AutoTrader.
“The strongest performers continue to be vehicles that offer a clear balance of practicality, value and manageable running costs.
“While established favourites such as the Ranger, Hilux, Polo Vivo and Polo continue to dominate, the movement further down the table shows how affordability and efficiency are playing an increasingly important role in purchase decisions.”
While the top four remain unchanged month after month, the developments occurring in the bottom half of the table are far more interesting.
The Toyota Fortuner may have climbed one place after falling from fifth to seventh last month, but the family SUV’s position remains under pressure from the frugal Hyundai Grand i10 and Suzuki Swift, as well as the Toyota Corolla Cross.
A sign of high fuel costs is that the Toyota Fortuner, a regular in fifth position, has not fully recovered, placing behind the Suzuki Swift, which now occupies fifth place.
The Fortuner, which slipped as far down as seventh earlier this month, still managed 707 sales and, surprisingly, a 2.6% YoY increase in sales.
Still, the affordable Swift managed 758 units and an impressive YoY sales bump of 29.8%.
While that is a strong performance from the little Suzuki, it is the Corolla Cross that has seen the greatest growth in a year, with sales soaring by 33.4% to 583 units in June 2026.
This could be attributed to the fact that buyers who may previously have considered a Fortuner are now looking at the more compact and affordable Corolla Cross.
The availability of a hybrid derivative may also be contributing to its appeal, particularly as the Corolla Cross remains one of South Africa’s more attainable new-energy vehicles.
When it comes to variants, the Polo Vivo 1.4 remains the most popular used car in South Africa, with 851 units sold in June 2026.
The Polo 1.0 TSI was in second place, with 683 units, followed by a trio of bakkie derivatives, namely the Hilux 2.8 GD-6 with 595 units, Ranger XL with 524 units, and Hilux 2.4 GD-6 with 491 units.
In June 2026, the average price of a used car purchased through AutoTrader was R423 080, up from R415 652 in May 2026 and R418 770 in June 2025.
This represents a 1.8% MoM increase and a 1.0% YoY increase.
The average mileage recorded in June 2026 was 71 419 km.
This compares with 70 538 km in May 2026 and 74 245 km in June 2025.
