Bakkies and more affordable cars dominated South Africa’s new vehicle market in 2014.

Unaudited data from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) shows that South Africa’s most popular vehicle in 2014 was the Toyota Hilux, selling 37 562 units.

Toyota also came out on top in terms of market share – doing so for the thirty-fifth year running – by selling 127 534 new vehicles, and holding 19.8% of the total domestic market (644 523 units).

This means one in every five new vehicles sold in South Africa in 2014 was a Toyota.

The Hilux is followed in the rankings by the Volkswagen Polo Vivo passenger car, at 34 662 units.

Nine of 2014’s top ten selling bakkies and cars are made locally, with the budget Toyota Etios, imported from India, the only exception.

Five vehicles in the top ten are bakkies, namely the Toyota Hilux, the Ford Ranger, the Nissan NP200, the Isuzu KB and the Chevrolet Utility.

Four are passenger vehicles, namely the Corolla/Corolla Quest/Auris, the Volkswagen Polo, Volkswagen Polo Vivo and the Etios.

The Polo Vivo, Etios and Quest are priced as more affordable vehicles in their respective segments.

The tenth spot belongs to the taxi market, with the Toyota Quantum selling 14 369 units in 2014.

Vehicle importers seemed to have had a tough year in 2014, probably owing to the weakening rand, which pushed up prices significantly.

Two South African importers, Associated Motor Holdings (AMH) and Amalgamated Automobile Distributors (AAD), saw their combined sales drop from 77 019 units in 2013, to 69 750 new vehicles in 2014, according to DTI data.

AMH imports the Kia and Hyundai brands, for example, while AAD focuses on Chinese imports.

Great Wall Motors South Africa, a large Chinese importer, sold 3 647 new vehicles in 2014. No comprehensive data is available for the brand’s local sales in 2013.

It would appear as if sports car and exotic vehicle sales also felt the punch from a stronger rand and weaker domestic economy.

Ferrari sales, according to DTI data, declined from 101 units in 2013, to 82 in 2014. Maserati sales halved from 51 to 26, while Porsche suffered the same fate, with sales dropping from 2 438 new vehicles sold in 2013, to 1 146 units in 2013.

Last year saw total new vehicle sales in South Africa decline for the first time since 2009, when the market dropped 25.9% in response to the then global economic crisis.

Unaudited data released by the DTI on Wednesday shows that South African new vehicle sales decreased by 0.7% in 2014, to 644 523 units, compared with 2013.

TOP SELLERS IN 2014:
1. Toyota Hilux 37 561 units
2. VW Polo Vivo 34 662 units
3. VW Polo 29 559 units
4. Ford Ranger 28 723 units
5. Toyota Corolla/Quest/Auris 21 265 units
6. Toyota Etios 18 661 units
7. Nissan NP200 17 430 units
8. Chevrolet Utility 15 933 units
9. Isuzu KB 15 490 units
10. Toyota Quantum 14 369 units

* All the numbers in this article were calculated using the monthly sales figures released by Lightstone Auto and the DTI. Mercedes-Benz South Africa no longer reports monthly model-specific sales. AMH and AAD delay model-specific reporting by five months.