By South Africa’s motor trade sector rebounded in July 2026, driven primarily by robust demand for new vehicles, according to the latest data released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA).
Measured in real terms at constant 2019 prices, motor trade sales rose by 3.2% year-on-year in July 2026. This growth was spearheaded by new vehicle sales, which surged by 13.0% and added a substantial 3.6 percentage points to the overall annual increase.
On a month-on-month basis, seasonally adjusted motor trade sales bounced back significantly, climbing 4.1% in July 2026 compared to June. This recovery follows consecutive contractions in the preceding months, with month-on-month changes recording -2.9% in June 2026 and -2.0% in May 2026.
Looking at the broader three-month picture, motor trade sales increased by 1.9% for the period ending July 2026 compared to the corresponding period in 2025. The primary drivers for this quarterly growth were new vehicle sales, which jumped 14.4% and contributed 3.8 percentage points, alongside used vehicle sales, which grew 3.4% and contributed 0.7 of a percentage point.
However, the sector faced headwinds from other segments. The largest negative contributors to the three-month year-on-year growth were fuel sales, which dropped 6.9% (contributing -1.7 percentage points), and sales of accessories, which fell 3.8% (contributing -0.8 of a percentage point).
Furthermore, seasonally adjusted figures show that motor trade sales declined by 3.6% in the three months ended July 2026 compared to the previous three months. This downward trend was largely influenced by contractions in fuel sales (-7.8% and -1.8 percentage points), used vehicle sales (-3.8% and -0.8 of a percentage point), and accessories (-3.7% and -0.7 of a percentage point).
Despite localized weakness in fuel and automotive accessories, July’s strong vehicle sales highlight resilient consumer and commercial interest in upgrading fleets and private transport, providing a much-needed boost to the retail automotive landscape.
