SUVs peak as provinces shift gears on price trends
South Africa's automotive landscape is shifting gears and Lightstone Auto has the data to prove it. In this edition, we unpack how crossovers/SUVs have overtaken hatches as the nation's favourite, reshaping the used-car market across provinces. We spotlight where used-car prices are climbing fastest and reveal which province now tops the pricing charts. We also share an update on new-vehicle sales as they notch a six-month streak of double-digit year-on-year growth. Buckle up and see how SA is buying, selling, and driving differently.
Crossover/SUV is SA's top vehicle bodyshape choice
Crossover/SUVs have firmly overtaken Hatches as South Africa's preferred bodyshape in the used vehicle market, echoing long-standing trends in new sales. Lightstone's latest data shows Gauteng buyers switched in 2023, while KwaZulu-Natal followed in 2025, and the Western Cape is on the brink of the same shift. Double-Cab Pick Ups remain steady, but Hatches and Sedans continue to decline. The momentum confirms SUVs' dominance across provinces, reshaping South Africa's used car landscape.
Read MoreNorth West leads used-car prices, Eastern Cape records fastest growth
Lightstone's Signio data shows buyers in Gauteng paid more for used cars than in KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape from June to August 2025, but it was the North West that topped the chart with the highest provincial average at R424 000. At the other end, the Free State recorded the lowest prices below R300 000. The Eastern Cape saw the sharpest percentage increase, with average prices jumping 25% year-on-year to R391 000, outpacing national inflation.
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Double-digit new vehicle sales hit six-month milestone
South Africa's new vehicle market surged in August 2025, with 51 775 units sold - 18.5% higher than August 2024 and marking six straight months of double-digit year-on-year growth, naamsa reported. Passenger sales rose 22.3% to 36 846 units, while Light Commercial Vehicles climbed 15.1% to 12 322. Sales for the first eight months of 2025 were 14.5% higher than 2024, supported by lower interest rates, with Lightstone forecasting full-year sales growth of more than 11% to around 573 000 units.
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