Tiggo 4 outsells Vivo as April 2026 vehicle sales signal a shift

According to the April 2026 industry report, the South African new-vehicle market recorded 47,979 units sold locally, a 13% increase from April 2025. Here are your top 10 selling passenger and light commercial vehicles for April 2026.

Sean Nurse

5 May 2026 · 08:28Automotive News2 min read

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Top 10 Best-Selling Passenger Cars: April 2026

The passenger segment is dominated by budget-friendly hatchbacks and SUVs. Below are the top ten sellers based on individual model sales:

Rank	Model	Units Sold (RSA)
1	Chery Tiggo 4 Pro	1 871
2	VW Polo Vivo	1 847
3	Suzuki Swift	1 556
4	Hyundai Grand i10	1 347
5	GWM Haval Jolion	1 277
6	Toyota Corolla Cross	1 144
7	Suzuki Fronx	1 113
8	Jetour T2	1 004
9	Omoda C5	884
10	Suzuki Ertiga	874

In an incredible development, four of the top ten best-selling passenger cars in South Africa were Chinese, another four were Japanese, one was from South Korea, and one was from Germany. Interestingly, 8 of the top 10 are full imports, with two models, the Polo Vivo and Corolla Cross, built locally.

Top 10 Best-Selling Light Commercial Vehicles: April 2026

Light commercial vehicles (LCVs) recorded 10 966 local sales this month. The rankings are as follows:

Rank	Model	Units Sold (RSA)
1	Toyota Hilux	2 955
2	Ford Ranger	2 013
3	Isuzu D-MAX	1 045
4	Mahindra Scorpio Pik-Up	563
5	GWM P-Series	588
6	Toyota Land Cruiser PU	451
7	VW Amarok	399
8	Toyota Hi-Ace	387
9	Nissan Navara	315
10	JAC T-Series	270

There are no surprises here, with the Hilux retaining its number one position, the Ranger reclaiming second, and Isuzu losing some ground in third. With a new Hilux imminent, an updated Ranger and D-Max on our doorstep, this is set to shake up the market in the coming months.

Performance of 2026 Newcomers

The 2026 market has seen a wave of competitive new entries, particularly from Chinese and Indian manufacturers, which are quickly gaining traction. The Jetour T2 has made a massive impact, immediately entering the top 10 passenger cars with 1,004 units sold. Toyota’s Starlet Cross is also off to a strong start with 580 units, while the newly launched Mahindra XUV 3XO moved 406 units, signaling high demand for affordable compact SUVs. In the luxury and EV space, the BYD Sealion 6 (149 units) and the OMODA C7 (73 units)—already a SA Car of the Year finalist—show that local buyers are becoming increasingly open to new energy vehicles and premium tech-forward brands. Even the niche LCV segment saw a fresh entry with the Kia Tasman bakkie recording its first 31 units as it begins its local rollout.

Written by Sean Nurse

With a lifelong passion for cars, bikes, and motorsport, Sean knew that attaining a degree in journalism would allow him to pursue his passion, which was to be a motoring journalist. After graduating in 2012, Sean was awarded a bursary from the SAGMJ which allowed him to work for a variety of motoring publications. This was a dream come true for Sean, and after a year of gaining vital industry experience, he was hired as a motoring journalist at a local newspaper and worked his way up to editor. In 2020, Sean joined the AutoTrader team and counts himself lucky to wake up and genuinely love what he does for a living.Read more