Fuel hikes fail to stall SA’s fastest car buying spree in a decade

Zuko Komisa

• South African vehicle sales have reached a ten-year peak despite the financial strain of soaring fuel prices.
• The surge is predominantly driven by younger buyers who view vehicle ownership as an essential lifestyle priority.
• Consumer trends indicate a move toward versatile, cost-effective models that balance utility with brand prestige.

South Africa is witnessing its most significant surge in car sales in ten years, defying the logic of escalating fuel costs.

In a recent conversation on Kaya Biz, Brandon de Kock, Director of BrandMapp explained why car sales have gone up despite fuel price increases.

According to Brandon de Kock, Director of BrandMapp, this trend isn’t just a fluke but a fundamental shift in consumer behaviour. While many expected the market to stall under economic pressure, the desire for personal mobility has overridden the rising cost of petrol.

“It’s this incredibly consistent pattern year on year, you know, sales go up after in April, and they come down during the rest of the year, and they get up again at the end of the year, but we’re looking at the gross number.

Here is the big story at the moment, and it’s, it’s as you said, at a time when petrol’s going up and trying some driving, you’d expect possibly there to be a little bit of caution in the market, but now we see with the figures. We sold more cars last year than we have some 2015. It’s just it’s insane, and the trend has continued. You know? March this year was 20% up on last year.” said de Kock

The data highlights a remarkable resilience in the local economy; South Africans are currently purchasing vehicles at the fastest rate seen in over a decade.

This trend persists even as petrol prices reach historic highs, suggesting that the utility of a car outweighs the operational costs for many.

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Specifically, BrandMapp’s insights reveal that the Millennial segment now represents the most active portion of the buying public, steering the market toward a significant year-on-year recovery.

Listen to the full conversation here:

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