Yes, crossovers are all the rage. But is the saloon really dead? Here’s a look at the 10 best-selling sedans in South Africa in the 1st half of 2023…
There’s no doubting the popularity of the crossover (after all, SA’s best-selling passenger vehicle in H1 2023 was such a model). Of course, this has come at the expense of other body styles, with the sedan being a prime example. So, just how well are traditional saloons selling in South Africa these days?
Well, we decided to wade through the sales figures and identify the 10 best-selling sedans in SA over the opening half of 2023. Of course, a fair number of these sales were likely to fleet operators, including for ride-hailing services. In addition, models such as the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and BMW 3 Series unfortunately can’t be included here, since neither of these German manufacturer’s regularly reports sales figures to Naamsa.
The Prospecton-built Toyota Corolla Quest was Mzansi’s strongest-selling sedan in H1 2023, with 3 152 registrations (enough for it to place 14th on the list of best-selling passenger vehicles ). The prolonged-cycle Quest’s top month was February 2023 , when 798 units were sold.
The Nissan Almera (1 563 units) – yes, the Japanese firm still sells this long-in-the-tooth saloon – placed 2nd, though it couldn’t quite reach half of the Quest’s total. Interestingly, sales of this model have tapered off markedly from a high of 785 units in January 2023 .
And the final podium spot? Well, the Volkswagen Polo Sedan (which is imported from India rather than built alongside the hatchback at Kariega) ranked 3rd, garnering 1 378 registrations over the reporting period. The Suzuki Dzire (1 361 units) was close behind in 4th, while the likewise Indian-manufactured Suzuki Ciaz ended H1 2023 in 5th with 831 sales.
The Chinese-built Kia Pegas (608 units) finished in 6th position, ahead of the Honda Amaze (454 units), which is imported from India. The German-built Audi A4 (359 units) and Audi A3 Sedan (300 units) found themselves in 8th and 9th place, respectively, while the Japanese-made Toyota Corolla Sedan closed out the table with 273 sales.
South Africa’s 10 best-selling sedans in H1 2023
1. Toyota Corolla Quest – 3 152 units
2. Nissan Almera – 1 563 units
3. Volkswagen Polo Sedan – 1 378 units
4. Suzuki Dzire – 1 361 units
5. Suzuki Ciaz – 831 units
6. Kia Pegas – 608 units
7. Honda Amaze – 454 units
8. Audi A4 – 359 units
9. Audi A3 Sedan – 300 units
10. Toyota Corolla Sedan – 273 units
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