December 2025 used car sales show strong year-on-year growth despite monthly dip

December 2025 was a positive send-off for the South African used car market, with sales easing after a very strong showing in October and November 2025. While month-on-month (MoM) declines were noted, year-on-year (YoY) sales saw a notable increase, reinforcing the overall strength of 2025’s performance.

Per AutoTrader, South Africa’s most trusted marketplace for buying new and used cars, 30,742 used vehicles were sold in the final month of the year. This followed particularly impressive performances in November (33,697) and October (36,042), translating to an MoM decline of -8.77%, but a YoY increase of +16.34% compared to December 2024, when 26,424 used vehicles were sold.

On a brand level, Toyota remains the strongest-performing brand on the used car market, with 5,039 vehicles sold in December 2025. While this is slightly down from November 2025’s figure of 5,741 units (-12.23% MoM), YoY sales increased by an impressive +11.14%. As has been the case for the last few months, Toyota holds a 40% share of the top 10 best-selling used vehicles, highlighting its dominance in the local automotive market. Volkswagen followed with 4,299 units (-9.99% MoM, +7.66% YoY), and Ford came in third (-9.78% MoM, +10.14% YoY).

Greater growth can be seen further down the list, with Hyundai (4th) and Suzuki (5th) gaining significant market share over the year, posting YoY increases of +52.59% and +48.09%, respectively. Kia (9th) and Renault (10th) grew by +16.85% and +19.44%, while premium brand Mercedes-Benz saw a YoY decrease of -7.37%. Nissan recorded a minor decline of -0.60%, and BMW saw the lowest growth among the top brands at +13.65%.

The king of the South African used vehicle market, the Ford Ranger, remains undefeated, with 1,744 units sold in December 2025. While slightly lower than November’s near-2,000 figure of 1,952 units, this still represents a YoY increase of +6.28%. The Toyota Hilux, in second place, experienced even greater YoY growth at +7.54%, yet still trailed the Ranger with 1,312 units sold.

The Polo and Polo Vivo have been vying for third place, with the models switching between third and fourth positions several times over the past year. In December 2025, the Polo Vivo narrowly beat the Polo by just 1 unit, with 1,262 Vivos sold compared to 1,261 Polos. In fifth place is the Fortuner, with 622 units sold, and the only YoY decline of -0.96%.

In the final month of the year, the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class—once stalwarts of the Top 10 used best-sellers list—are nowhere to be seen, replaced by practical crossovers and affordable budget hatchbacks. The Suzuki Swift posted a YoY increase of 39.77% in December, securing sixth place, while the Hyundai Grand i10 (8th place) saw the largest increase, with a staggering YoY growth of 95.35%.

“After two very strong months, it’s not surprising to see sales ease slightly in December,” commented George Mienie, CEO of AutoTrader. “What really stands out is the year-on-year growth. Volumes are up, the total value of used cars sold is higher, and demand for popular models like bakkies and hatchbacks remains strong. It’s a solid way to end the year and points to a used car market that stayed resilient throughout 2025.”

In December 2025, the used car market showed the following key figures:

• The cumulative value of used cars reached R12.89 billion in December 2025, representing a MoM decrease of -6.93% from November 2025 (R13.85 billion) and a YoY increase of +19.46% from December 2024 (R10.79 billion).
• The average price of a used vehicle sat at R419,537 in December 2025, up from R411,084 in November 2025 and R408,516 in December 2024.
• The average mileage increased to 72,433 km in December 2025, compared to 72,329 km in November 2025 and 75,779 km in December 2024.

By variant, the Polo Vivo 1.4 leads the used car market with 969 sales in December 2025, ahead of the Polo 1.0 TSI at 824 units. The Hilux 2.8 GD-6 (554), Ranger XL (536), and Hilux 2.4 GD-6 (449) complete the rankings.

Bakkies and compact hatchbacks dominated South Africa’s used car market in December 2025, with the Ford Ranger retaining its top position, the Toyota Hilux showing strong year-on-year growth, and the Polo Vivo narrowly edging out the Polo as urban buyers’ favourite.

Top 10 sold used models in December 2025

Source: AutoTrader Used Car Sales Data: 1 – 31 December 2025