Women are not simply taking a bigger share of South Africa’s vehicle market. Their choices, expectations and buying journeys are changing too, challenging traditional assumptions around brand, body shape, affordability and value. We asked women across the automotive industry what they are seeing from the customers they serve.
Lightstone’s analysis shows that women currently account for around 39% of overall vehicle purchases and almost half of all new vehicle transactions. Millennials account for half of sales to women, while women aged 26 to 45 represent 60% of the female market.
But the shift is about more than who is buying. Across the data explored in this edition of Auto Insights, a picture emerges of a buyer whose consideration set is broadening, whose vehicle preferences are changing and for whom value increasingly extends beyond the purchase price.
The buying journey starts before the showroom
One of the clearest changes is how much of the buying journey now happens before a customer reaches a dealership. For Letitia Herold, National Brand & Marketing Manager at Lepas, one of the biggest shifts is how informed buyers have become, particularly women.
That research increasingly extends beyond the sticker price to the warranty, safety and technology on offer, the cost of living with the vehicle, and whether it fits the buyer’s everyday needs. For brands, this matters because women are not a niche audience. They are a major part of the market.
Choice is broadening
The brands women are choosing are another indication of how the market is shifting. Toyota remains the most popular, but the composition of the market around it has changed significantly. Suzuki has moved into second position, while Chery has entered the top five. Mazda, BMW and Audi, all among the top 10 in 2021, no longer feature in the 2026 top 10.
The broader shift is even more pronounced. Chinese-branded vehicles accounted for just 4% of new and used vehicle sales to women in 2021. In 2026, that figure reached 25%. Wendy Havenga, Sales Director - Premium division at GWM South Africa, says buyers are increasingly value-conscious and discerning, including those in the premium segment.
For premium brands, she says, this challenges manufacturers to keep raising the bar, combining quality and innovation with a compelling value proposition and a consistent customer experience.
The SUV has become the vehicle of choice
What women are buying has changed just as dramatically. Crossovers and SUVs accounted for 51% of new vehicle purchases in 2021. By 2026, that figure had climbed to 72%. In the used market, their share increased from 30% to 49% over the same period. Bonite van der Merwe, Managing Director of Mazda Southern Africa, sees practical considerations behind this shift.
She points to spacious cabins, cargo capacity and safety features as important considerations for everyday use, from commuting to school drop-offs.
Powertrain preferences are evolving too. While petrol-powered ICE vehicles continue to dominate, the share of New Energy Vehicles among female buyers has grown to 3%. Van der Merwe says Mazda is seeing growing interest in mild hybrid technology among female buyers, offering improved fuel efficiency while retaining the convenience and flexibility of an ICE vehicle.
Value is about more than the price tag
Changing vehicle choices are taking place alongside another important shift: how buyers think about affordability and the ownership journey. The average finance term selected by women has increased to 77 months in 2026, while women are also selecting slightly larger balloon payments than men on average.
For Delrie Ferreira, Group F&I Manager at Westvaal, this makes the conversation around value much broader than the vehicle itself.
She says transparency, flexibility and appropriate finance solutions are increasingly important, particularly as longer finance periods and larger residual values can have implications later in the ownership journey.
Information builds confidence and choice
Access to better information may also be changing how confidently women navigate vehicle purchases.
Women currently show a stronger preference for new vehicles than men. While 40% of vehicles purchased by women are new, the equivalent figure for men is 27%. Women consequently account for 49% of all new vehicle transactions.
Denise Stander from WeBuyCars believes confidence and perceived risk have historically played a role in the difference between the new and used markets. New vehicles can offer greater certainty through warranties and manufacturer backing, while buying used can require consumers to navigate questions around a vehicle’s history and condition.
She believes that dynamics are changing as information becomes more accessible. Better visibility of vehicle history and condition, warranties, finance and total cost of ownership can help consumers make informed decisions without needing extensive technical knowledge.
A market that is harder to predict
Taken together, these shifts create a buyer who is increasingly difficult to define using old assumptions. She may be buying new or used. She may choose an established Japanese marque or one of the rapidly growing Chinese brands. She may be looking for the practicality of an SUV, considering a more efficient powertrain or structuring her finance around monthly affordability.
For Emmarentia Claassen, COO of Auto Investments Motor Group, the significance lies in both the scale of the shift and the unpredictability that comes with it.
Claassen argues that a model may attract attention through its features or price, but buyers increasingly want reassurance that it will remain affordable throughout the ownership cycle. For manufacturers and dealers, that means understanding the customer beyond the showroom, with affordability, efficiency and long-term value becoming increasingly central to the buying decision.
There is no single female vehicle buyer, and that may be one of the most important insights of all. For manufacturers, dealers and the wider automotive ecosystem, understanding this market requires looking beyond demographics alone. Brand, vehicle type, affordability, finance, information, technology and the ownership experience increasingly intersect in the purchasing decision.
Market intelligence helps manufacturers and dealers see these shifts more clearly, understand what is changing beneath the headline numbers, and respond to what vehicle buyers increasingly value.
