Against a backdrop of yet another interest rate hike and a Rand that’s in free fall, Toyota has once again shown its resilience by posting a leading 26,4% market share, selling more than one out of every five new vehicles. This translates to 11,395 new Toyotas (including affiliate brands) retailed in May, helping to push the total local market to 43,060 units.
The figures confirm that with 2,798 units shifted for the month, the timeless Hilux is not only the bestselling bakkie but it additionally tops the overall leader board for vehicle sales. Hiace (1,487) and the evergreen Land Cruiser 79 (371), also make it onto the LCV top ten, further bolstering Toyota’s good showing on the light commercial vehicle front.
Toyota passenger vehicles had an equally remarkable sales performance, securing three out of the ten top spots. The second-placed Corolla Cross (1,644) just keeps growing in popularity and with demand for the hybrid models at an all-time high, continues to entrench Toyota’s position as the leading purveyor of New Energy Vehicles in South Africa.
Also achieving a medal on the passenger-car podium is the value-for-money Starlet, this model garnering sales of 1,218 units. And, flushed with success following its recent re-launch, the sixth-placed Fortuner with a tally of 1,018 units, made it the most favoured, fully-fledged SUV on sale at the moment.
Narrowly missing out on a top-ten placing is the freshly minted Urban Cruiser. Sporting a bigger body, extra kit and a more mature interior, this newcomer found 713 new owners during the month of May.
Worthy of mention is the strong showing by several of the automaker’s SUV models: the upmarket Land Cruiser duo of Prado and LC300 both managed 130 units apiece while the NX, RX and LX nameplates under the Lexus stable sold 30, 22 and 18 units respectively.
Parts similarly reflect an uptick in demand compared to the short trading month of April – 1,5 million pieces were distributed locally with a further 360,00 pieces shipped to foreign markets.
Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing Leon Theron said Toyota did not take its market-leading position for granted: “Toyota’s success is not coincidental; it’s thanks to the quality of our vehicles, the commitment of our staff and dealers, as well as the loyalty of our customers.”
Content and images supplied via MotorPress
