Are SA’s car manufacturers facing a crisis as imports rise?

SOUTH Africans are buying fewer locally produced vehicles than ever before, sparking fears of deindustrialisation as the market's appetite for affordably priced imports grows.

- JASON WOOSEY

Although the growing array of Chinese brands offered locally is usually seen as the greatest threat to local manufacturers, the vast majority of South Africa's imported cars actually originate from India, according to the latest data from Lightstone. 36% of all the vehicles sold in South Africa in 2024 were imported from India, Lightstone said, while 37% were locally manufactured. Chinese imports accounted for just 11% of vehicle sales last year.

When we exclude the bakkies and light commercial vehicles, India's share grows to almost half of our market. Lightstone figures for the first five months of 2025, shared exclusively with IOL, show that 49% of all passenger vehicle sales were imports from India.

The majority of these vehicles emanate from the Maruti Suzuki operation in India, which also supplies Toyota with vehicles such as the Starlet, Starlet Cross, Vitz and Urban Cruiser. Suzuki Auto's own vehicles, such as the Swift, Baleno and Fronx, are also gaining market share, with the new-generation Swift having dominated the passenger car market on numerous occasions in 2025.