There is reason for “cautious optimism” when it comes to the used car market in South Africa. That’s according to George Mienie, CEO of AutoTrader, who points to a number of positive trends in this sector of the automotive industry.
“Prices have begun to increase – albeit slightly – while cars are
also selling faster than experienced earlier this year. Both of these factors
bode well for the used car market,” he notes.
His statements are based on AutoTrader’s Used Car Rate of Sale (ROS)
indicator, which has just been released for the period ending June 2020. As
the largest digital automotive marketplace in South Africa, AutoTrader provides
unparalleled insight into car-buying patterns in the country. ROS specifically
provides an understanding of which cars South Africans are purchasing the
fastest.
According to this data, the fastest-selling used vehicle in
South Africa at the end of June was the Volkswagen Polo Vivo, which
took a mere 25 days to sell. “This confirms the popularity of the Volkswagen
brand yet again; it was also the most sold brand last month,” notes Mienie.
Toyota was the second most sold brand last month and so it wasn’t
surprising to see two vehicles from that manufacturer complete the podium
positions. “The Fortuner was the second-fastest selling vehicle last month (26
days to sell), followed by the Hilux (26 days),” reveals Mienie.
AutoTrader’s Retail Price
Index (RPI) shows a 1,2% increase in prices in June (month-on-month). The
average selling price of a car for the month of June was R274 221. “This is a
small increase, but it is positive news for retailers indeed. It also means that
demand for used cars continues to rise” notes Mienie.
“Consumer propensity for
increased spending albeit on used cars, is always a good thing for the
automotive industry as a whole as we know the used car market is a much bigger
market than new in South Africa,” he concludes.
Fastest selling used cars,
June 2020*
No comments
Post a Comment