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A noteworthy increase in used car sales last month may provide a glimmer of hope for South Africa’s beleaguered automotive industry. Let’s take a look at the top ten previously-owned cars that are in demand.
There are changes on the horizon. While news reports surrounding Covid-19 have mostly been all doom and gloom, the global pandemic has also provided us with a strong indication of how several industries may evolve, innovate or improve, and this is a good thing. The automobile industry, which has long kept to a traditional face-to-face approach to sales, is no exception.
Under lockdown, car dealerships have had to embrace several new methods of selling their vehicles to customers. Make it easy, make it safe, make it reliable, and do it without having to interact with anybody.
The end of the pandemic will no-doubt see some return to normality, but this period has provided the industry with some important insight, and we may begin to see a longer-term shift away from traditional sales.
With most people confined to their homes, one of SA’s biggest motoring marketplaces, AutoTrader, reported that searches on their website amounted to over 33 million for the month of March 2020. New vehicle sales have plummeted, but, surprisingly, AutoTrader saw a noteworthy increase in used (previously-owned) car sales for the month. According to the AutoTrader website sales, around 30 000 units were sold back in March 2019, and this number increased to over 33 000 units in 2020.
According to George Minnie, CEO of AutoTrader:
The cumulative used car sales for March is impressive, amounting to over R10 billion, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 14%. There’s little positive news out there – but used car sales in South Africa during March do provide a glimmer of hope.
Top Ten Used Cars Sold During Lockdown
There are many great benefits to buying a used car. Not only is it far more affordable, but there’s also a greater variety to choose from, the bulk of the depreciation has already occurred, insurance is generally cheaper and you’re arguably getting more car for your money.
Of course, this all depends on choosing the right car.
So, which were the top ten used cars being sold during lockdown?
Volkswagen’s Polo took the top spot, followed by the Ford Ranger in second and the Volkswagen Polo Vivo in third.
The Mercedes C-Class, Toyota Hilux, BMW 3-Series, Toyota Fortuner, Volkswagen Golf, Ford Fiesta and Ford EcoSport made up the remainder of the top ten.
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