The South African automotive industry delivered its strongest performance in a decade during 2025, with Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) firmly positioned as the market leader. The company achieved record aggregate, passenger and light commercial vehicle sales, underlining its continued dominance across key segments of the local market.
2025 Sales Performance
Industry-wide, total new vehicle sales reached approximately 596 818 units in 2025 – the highest level since 2015, when sales exceeded the 600 000-unit mark. Against this backdrop, Toyota South Africa recorded total sales of 148 124 units, representing its best annual performance since 2007 and reinforcing its leadership position within the industry.
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Toyota closed the year with an overall market share of 24.8%, translating to average monthly sales of more than 12 340 units across all segments. This performance was underpinned by a strong local manufacturing base, led by South Africa’s best-selling vehicle, the Toyota Hilux, which achieved total sales of 36 525 units for the year.
Other locally produced models also delivered standout results. The Corolla Cross recorded sales of 22 191 units, while the Fortuner contributed 9 049 units, with all three vehicles produced at Toyota’s Prospecton Plant in KwaZulu-Natal. The locally assembled Hiace Taxi further strengthened Toyota’s position in the people-mover segment, achieving annual sales of 6 815 units.
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Across the passenger and light commercial vehicle segments, Toyota maintained a commanding lead, selling 92 997 passenger vehicles and 51 005 light commercial vehicles during the year. The company also delivered solid performances in the commercial vehicle categories, with sales of 2 689 medium commercial vehicles and 1 433 heavy commercial vehicles. These results highlight Toyota’s broad and diversified mobility offering, catering to private customers, fleets and key industrial sectors.
Commenting on Toyota’s aggregate performance, Leon Theron, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Toyota South Africa Motors, described the 2025 results as a significant milestone for the company.
“Achieving total sales of 148 124 vehicles – our best annual performance since 2007 – is a significant accomplishment for Toyota South Africa. It reflects the strength of our locally produced product line-up, the trust South Africans place in the Toyota brand, and the collective effort of our dealers, employees and supply partners across the value chain,” said Theron.
According to the National Association of Automotive Manufacturers of South Africa (naamsa), the industry’s strong performance was supported by improving economic fundamentals throughout the year. Lower interest rates, easing inflation – expected to average 3.3% – and increased political stability helped sustain consumer confidence and spending.
Vehicle inflation slowed sharply to a historic low of 1.5%, while renewed credit availability, the release of pent-up demand, growing adoption of New Energy Vehicles and higher volumes of competitively priced imports contributed to a more dynamic and competitive market environment.
Looking ahead, naamsa forecasts further growth in 2026, supported by real GDP growth of between 1.4% and 1.6%, driven by ongoing structural reforms in electricity generation and transport infrastructure. New vehicle sales are expected to improve by between 9% and 11% year-on-year.
December Sales Close the Year Strongly
Toyota ended 2025 on a high note, consolidating its leadership position in December with a market share of 25.6%. The company recorded total vehicle sales of 12 933 units for the month, comprising 8 683 passenger vehicles, 4 000 light commercial vehicles, and 250 medium and heavy commercial vehicles.
The Fleet division delivered year-on-year growth of 13.2% during December, while the Parts division moved close to two million components, including 310 213 parts exported to international markets. Total vehicle exports for the month reached 8 063 units.
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Passenger car sales in December were led by the Corolla Cross, followed by the Starlet, Starlet Cross, Urban Cruiser, Vitz and Fortuner. The Land Cruiser Prado also delivered a notable rebound despite its premium positioning. In the luxury segment, Lexus posted a strong performance, with the LX, NX and GX models featuring prominently on the sales leaderboard.
In the light commercial vehicle segment, the Hilux retained its status as the undisputed market leader, supported by strong performances from the Land Cruiser 79 Pick Up, Hiace, Quantum and Coaster. While the medium and heavy commercial vehicle segment reflected year-on-year declines in line with broader industry trends, Toyota and Hino continued to support critical sectors such as construction, logistics and agriculture, playing an important role in the country’s broader economic recovery.
Reflecting on the year as a whole, Theron said 2025 had been a defining period for both Toyota and the local automotive industry.
“We thank our Toyota team and dealer network for their dedication as well as our customers for their belief in our brands. Our goal remains to deliver exceptional value and keep Toyota, Lexus, and Hino the brands of choice in our market.” he concluded.