New-vehicle sales in the domestic market inched up by 0.5% in 2023 compared with 2022, says Naamsa | The Automotive Business Council.
This follows jumps of 13.9% in 2022 and 22.2% in 2021.
The 2023 sales number of 532 098 units still sits below 2019’s prepandemic level of 536 612 units.
Naamsa says the 2023 new-vehicle market was undermined by a depressed economy, elevated cost-of-living increases, loadshedding and power outages, as well as “major logistical challenges” at the country’s ports, especially towards year-end.
When looking at the various segments, new-passenger-vehicle sales dropped by 4.4% in 2023, to 347 695 units.
Sales of bakkies, vans and minibuses, however, surged ahead by 11.6%, to 151 499 units.
Sales of medium commercial vehicles declined by 0.6%, to 8 258 units, compared with last year.
Sales in the heavy truck and bus segment jumped by 12.8%, to 24 646 units.
Meanwhile, new-vehicle exports from the country last year reached a record 396 290 units, showing a gain of 12.7% over 2022 numbers.
This exceeded the previous record of 387 092 units set in 2019.
Two of out of three vehicles produced in South Africa are now exported.