Used car sales climb in May as affordability takes centre stage

South Africa’s used car market recorded stronger monthly sales in May, while compact and fuel-efficient models continued to gain ground.

At a Glance – May 2026 Car Sales

Used Cars

• Sales: 32,224 (+4% MoM, +1.1% YoY)
• Average price: R415,652 (-1.8% MoM, -3% YoY)
• Top seller (overall): Ford Ranger (1,800 units)
• Top seller (passenger car): Volkswagen Polo (1,216)
• Trend: Affordability and fuel efficiency are reshaping South Africa’s used car market.

New data from AutoTrader shows that South Africa’s used car industry enjoyed strong growth on both a yearly and monthly basis in May 2026. This follows four months of solid performance, including an April where sales softened somewhat after an especially strong March.

According to South Africa’s largest automotive marketplace, 32,224 used vehicles were sold through the platform in May 2026, an increase of +1.1% year-on-year (YoY) when compared with May 2025, when 31,867 used vehicles were sold. Greater growth was recorded month-to-month, with a +4% increase over April 2026, when 30,971 vehicles were sold through the online marketplace.

As expected, Toyota maintained its enviable first-place position as the top-performing brand in the used car market. Some 5,275 examples were sold last month, although the results were somewhat of a mixed bag, with a +2% month-on-month (MoM) increase and a -5% YoY decline. German automaker Volkswagen trailed by more than 1,000 units, with 4,247 sales (+5% MoM, -6% YoY), while Ford remained in third place with 3,178 units (+4% MoM, -7% YoY).

And while Ford may sit in third place in terms of brands, the Ranger continues to rule the roost when it comes to South Africa’s best-selling used vehicles. In fact, the locally produced bakkie accounted for more than half of Ford’s used vehicle sales, with 1,800 units sold last month, despite a -7.5% decline in YoY sales.

The dependable Toyota Hilux trails the Ranger, with 1,433 units sold last month. An even greater YoY decline of -9.5% has not managed to set the Hilux back, though, with the bakkie defending its second-place position with gusto from the Volkswagen Polo and Volkswagen Polo Vivo, which placed third and fourth, respectively.

While the Polo found itself on the podium, it only beat its budget sibling by a mere three units, with the Polo recording 1,216 sales and the Vivo 1,213. Both models saw YoY declines, with the former seeing a -4.9% downturn and the latter a -5.5% decline.

“While the top four models remain familiar favourites, the real movement is taking place further down the table,” remarked George Mienie, CEO of AutoTrader. “South Africans are clearly weighing up running costs more carefully, and that is reflected in the growing demand for compact, affordable and fuel-efficient vehicles. The strong performances from models such as the Hyundai Grand i10 and Suzuki Swift show that value remains a major driver in the used car market.”

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 space after falling from fifth to seventh last month, but the family SUV’s position remains threatened by the frugal Hyundai Grand i10 and Suzuki Swift, as well as the Toyota Corolla Cross.

With the cost of living increasing each month, and petrol prices continuing to climb, consumers are seeking out more affordable and fuel-efficient cars. The rise in popularity of the Grand i10 and Swift, particularly on the used car market, has been noted, with the two budget hatchbacks growing stronger. The Grand i10, in particular, saw YoY sales increase by a notable +71.4%, while Swift sales grew by +44.3% during the same period, pushing the compact hatchback to fifth position.

In comparison, sales of the Fortuner have fallen by -21.8% over the last year, the biggest model decline within the top 10, suggesting that a large, diesel-powered SUV is not the priority it once was for South African consumers.

On a variant level, the Polo Vivo 1.4 remained South Africa’s most popular used car, with 936 examples sold last month. The Polo 1.0 TSI followed with 786 units, while the remaining three spots were filled by the Ranger XL (558), Hilux 2.8 GD-6 (546), and Hilux 2.4 GD-6 (541).

In May 2026, the average price of a used car purchased through AutoTrader was R415,652, down from R423,329 in April 2026 and R428,627 in May 2025.

Even though the average used car price decreased, average mileage also came down in May 2026, with vehicles recording an average of 70,538 km. This compares with 71,460 km in April 2026 and 73,969 km in May 2025.

Top 10 Sold Used Models in May 2026

Source: AutoTrader Used Car Sales Data: 1 – 31 May 2026