AutoTrader’s 2026 Mid-Year Report Shows Used-Car Sales Growing Despite Pressure on Buyers

Used-car sales increased by 8% during the first half of 2026, with 195,455 vehicles changing hands.

AutoTrader has released its latest Mid-Year Car Industry Report, providing an overview of the South African used-car market between January and June 2026.

The report draws on activity across more than 20 automotive brands, as well as used-car sales data from AutoTrader’s dealership network. During the six-month period, more than 19 million users visited AutoTrader, generating 82 million sessions, conducting 315 million searches and viewing 212 million vehicle adverts.

During this reporting period, AutoTrader migrated to a new advanced technology platform designed to enhance user experience and deliver more sophisticated market insights. The sales data points to continued growth in the underlying used-car market.

Between January and June 2026, 195,455 used vehicles were sold, an increase of +8% over the corresponding period in 2025. The total value of these sales rose by +9% to R82.38 billion.

The growth came despite renewed pressure on household budgets and a 25-basis-point interest-rate increase in May. The average selling price of a used vehicle increased by a comparatively modest +1% to R421,499, while the average vehicle sold was a 2020 model with 70,964 km on the odometer.

“The market grew in the first six months of the year, but the buyer behind that growth is careful,” said George Mienie, CEO of AutoTrader. “People are still interested in premium and performance cars, as the search data makes clear, but completed sales lean heavily towards vehicles that are affordable to buy, economical to run and easy to live with. That gap between browsing and buying is one of the most useful signals in this report, because it shows dealers where curiosity ends, and real demand begins.”

Search Interest and Sales Tell Different Stories

BMW reclaimed its position as the most-searched vehicle brand on AutoTrader during the first half of the year, narrowly ahead of Volkswagen. BMW models generated 36.26 million searches, compared with 36.06 million for Volkswagen and 34.95 million for Toyota.

At a model level, the Volkswagen Polo remained the most searched, recording 6.67 million searches. It was followed by the Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger. Performance cars continued to attract considerable attention, with the BMW M3 climbing three places to fifth and the BMW M4 entering the top 10.

The Volkswagen Golf GTI remained the most-searched variant, while the Polo GTI moved into second place. The Golf R, Ford Ranger Raptor, Audi RS3 and Mercedes-AMG C63 also featured among the 10 most-searched variants.

Enquiry behaviour was more closely aligned with the vehicles consumers ultimately bought. The Volkswagen Polo moved into first place with 71,588 enquiries, ahead of the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux. Toyota remained the most-enquired-about brand overall, followed by Volkswagen and BMW.

Smaller Cars Take a Larger Share of the Market

Although the Ford Ranger retained its position as South Africa’s best-selling used vehicle, the results further down the table show growing demand for smaller and more affordable cars.

The Suzuki Swift moved into fifth place, with 4,872 units sold, while the Hyundai Grand i10 entered the top 10 for the first time. The Toyota Starlet placed tenth, and the Volkswagen Polo Vivo overtook the Polo to become the country’s third-best-selling used model.

These cars were also among the quickest to leave dealership floors. The Swift took an average of 28 days to sell, while the Grand i10 averaged 29 days. The Toyota Hilux and Fortuner were the fastest-selling vehicles among the 10 leading models, each averaging 27 days.

The average selling price of the top 10 models was R344,354, considerably below the overall used-car average. This supports the report’s broader finding that buyers are increasingly concentrating on vehicles that offer manageable purchase prices and lower day-to-day running costs.

SUVs Remain the Leading Body Type

SUVs continued to account for the largest portion of used-car sales, holding 33% of the market. The Toyota Fortuner was the best-selling SUV, followed closely by the Corolla Cross and Volkswagen T-Cross.

Hatchbacks remained another important part of the market, led by the Polo Vivo, Polo and Swift. Double-cab bakkies were headed by the Ford Ranger, which sold almost twice as many units as its nearest rival in the category.

Geography also played a significant role in the market. Gauteng accounted for 55.7% of used passenger-car sales, followed by the Western Cape at 18.3% and KwaZulu-Natal at 13.3%. Together, the three provinces represented 87% of the national total.

Chinese Brands Convert Interest Into Sales

Chinese manufacturers continued to grow faster than the wider used-car market. Searches across the brands included in the report increased by +29%, while advert views rose by +61%, enquiries by +83% and sales by +57%.

BYD and Jetour each recorded a +147% increase in searches. Both also posted substantial growth in enquiries and sales, although these increases were measured from comparatively small bases. MG, GAC, Jaecoo and Omoda were among the other brands to record strong gains.

The arrival of Changan, Lepas and Dongfeng during the first half of the year also broadened the selection of Chinese vehicles available to local buyers.

While established manufacturers continue to dominate overall sales, the corresponding increases in searches, advert views, enquiries and transactions suggest Chinese brands are moving beyond initial consumer curiosity and securing a more meaningful share of the used-car market.

New-Energy Vehicle Sales Nearly Double

Used new-energy vehicle sales increased by +92% year on year, with 4,703 hybrid and battery-electric vehicles sold during the first half of 2026.

Hybrids accounted for 83% of these sales. The Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid remained the most popular new-energy vehicle, with 1,416 units sold. It was followed in the hybrid rankings by the Toyota RAV4 and Haval H6.

Battery-electric vehicle sales rose by +98%, while the number of BEV listings increased by +66%. The Volvo EX30 was the best-selling used BEV, followed by the BYD Dolphin Surf and Volvo XC40.

The average selling price of a battery-electric vehicle remained 31% higher than that of a hybrid. This price difference, together with concerns around charging time and driving range, helps explain why hybrids continue to represent the majority of used NEV sales.

A Growing Market, but a Selective One

The 2026 AutoTrader Mid-Year Car Industry Report shows a used-car market that continued to grow despite greater pressure on borrowing costs and household finances.

Traditional market leaders remain firmly established, but buyers are widening their consideration sets. Compact hatchbacks are taking a larger share of completed sales, Chinese brands are converting more interest into transactions, and new-energy vehicles are becoming an increasingly visible part of the used market.

For dealers, the findings place renewed importance on pricing and stock selection. The average used vehicle took 37 days to sell during the first half of the year, although the report found that dealers monitoring stock velocity and adjusting their inventories in response to demand achieved faster turnover.

Ultimately, the first half of 2026 was not defined by buyers leaving the market. Instead, South Africans continued to purchase used vehicles while becoming more deliberate about what they bought and how much they were prepared to spend.

AutoTrader Used Car Data – Top 10 Best-Selling Used Models H1 2026

Source: AutoTrader Used Car Sales Data: 1 January 2026 – 30 June 2026