Top 10 best-selling passenger cars in SA for January

Of the 50 073 new vehicles sold in the first month of the new year, passenger cars made up the lion's share – here are the top 10.

February 4, 2026

CAR Magazine 1 minute read

In January 2026, the South African new-car sales market gained early traction, with naamsa reporting a total of 50 073 new vehicles were sold in the first month of the new year. Of the total figure, passenger cars accounted for a commanding 74.2% share, or 37 190 units.

The Volkswagen Polo Vivo topped the passenger-car sales charts in January 2026, with the locally-built budget-oriented hatchback posting a sales figure of 2 060 units. The Suzuki Swift retained second spot on the podium, with 2 029 units sold. In the first month of 2026, 1 625 new Chery Tiggo 4 Pro units found homes in SA. Occupying fourth and fifth place are the Toyota Vitz and Starlet, respectively. The Hyundai Grand i10 placed sixth, while the Haval Jolion moved up to seventh, followed by the Suzuki Fronx in eighth. The Toyota Starlet Cross and Rumion placed ninth and tenth, respectively.