New-vehicle sales in November declined by 5.8%, to 44 738 units, compared with the same month in 2018.
The newest sales numbers, released on Monday, indicated that November new-passenger car sales increased by a modest 1.3%, to reach 31 444 units, with strong support from the car rental industry, at 15.9% of new-vehicle sales.
Sales of new bakkies, minibuses and vans, at 10 679 units, nose-dived by 22.1%.
Sales of medium trucks, at 733 units, contracted by 7.6%.
Sales of new heavy trucks and buses fell by 1.8%, to 1 882 units.
New-vehicle exports from South Africa to the rest of the world declined by 0.9%, to 35 271 units.
However, the good news was that vehicle exports, at 374 215 units for the first eleven months of the year, had already surpassed the previous record of 351 139 vehicles exported in 2018, said the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa).
Naamsa expected conditions in the domestic new vehicle market to remain under pressure over the short to medium term.
Top-selling cars, bakkies and vans in November:
1. Toyota Hilux 2 588
2. VW Polo Vivo 2 439
3. VW Polo 2 038
4. Ford Ranger 1 894
5. Toyota Hi-Ace 1 549
6. Renault Kwid 1 508
7. Ford EcoSport 1 360
8. Isuzu D-Max 1 299
9. Ford Figo 1 002
10. Toyota Etios 858
Top Exporters in November:
1. Volkswagen Group South Africa 11 733
2. Mercedes-Benz South Africa 8 683
3. BMW Group South Africa 6 579