New-vehicle sales in the domestic market declined by 7.4% in the first month of the year, to 42 374 units, compared with January last year.
Sales numbers released by the Department of Trade and Industry on Friday showed that January new-passenger car sales dropped by 10.8%, to 29 040 units.
Sales of new bakkies, minibuses and vans, remained flat, at 11 681 units.
Sales of medium trucks, at 552 units, increased by 24.6%.
Sales of new heavy trucks and buses also delivered some good news, inching up 0.3%, to 1 101 units.
New-vehicle exports from South Africa also provided some cheer, increasing by 29.4%, to 18 289 units.
The National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa noted that the low growth environment witnessed over the past five years in South Africa was expected to continue until after the general election in May.
“Hopefully, post-election policy reforms and government’s commitment to revitalise the South African economy with the aim of achieving a substantially higher economic growth rate, should translate into improved domestic sales numbers during the second half of 2019.”
Top-selling cars, bakkies and vans in January:
1. Toyota Hilux 2 794
2. VW Polo 2 512
3. VW Polo Vivo 2 461
4. Toyota Corolla/Auris/Quest 2 202
5. Ford Ranger 2 194
6. Nissan NP200 1 483
7. Toyota Quantum 1 281
8. Toyota Fortuner 1 000
9. Hyundai Grand i10 867
10. Isuzu D-Max 821