Mauritius Passenger Car Sales : 2026 (Jan-Feb)

Registrations were down 39% in the first two months of 2026! Higher duties on cars starting in July 2025 has led to a sales slump ever since. This sort of upheaval produces drastic movements and we see that here. The percentage movements listed below are crazy, even for a smaller market which usually has more volatility.

Suzuki went to the top in 2022 and stayed there since but this year both sales volume and market share have taken a real hit. The 2025 share below is for the complete year but already its experienced a 5.6% loss of market share which is substantial. 

Data source: NLTA. Photo: Suzuki Mauritius.

South Africa Top 40 Car/LCV Models : 2024-25

Asia is the main supplier of vehicles to South Africa. Toyota and Suzuki are working together successfully with cars sourced from Suzuki India.With the arrival of Chinese brands, their being readily accepted is changing the landscape of the market. 

Data source: Naamsa. 

Photos: VW (Polo Vivo) & Chery (service department) RSA.

Morocco Passenger Car Sales : 2025

Registrations were up 33% for the year. Compared to the previous ten years, the average was up 37%. Not surprisingly, 2025 was a record year as well. Renault and its Dacia brand combined have taken 40% of the market. They assemble vehicles here which allows them that sort of dominance. Morocco is the now the largest producer of passenger cars in Africa, passing South Africa this year. 

Many of the more established brands lost share, mostly because of the proliferation of new Chinese entrants. After not doing too much for a few years, BYD suddenly took off and reached 14th. Most of the other Chinese brand only had a partial year of sales so expect more from them in 2026.

As Jaguar stopped making cars for 2025, it was surprising that they not only matched the 33% increase but exceeded it by 52%. I assume that stock will be just about exhausted by now. 

Data source: Aivam. Photos: Dacia (Jogger) & Soueast (06) Maroc.

Tunisia Passenger Passenger Car Sales : 2025

Registrations were up 11% for the year. Compared to the average for the past ten years, an increase of 14% has been achieved. Kia took top spot from its sibling brand. Kia was last top in 2021.  

Photos: Jetour (X70) & Mahindra (XUV300) Tunisie.

Israel Car/LCV Sales : 2025

Despite all the goings on in Israel, car and light commercial sales went well and ended up with an 8% increase. The 2025 total of 225,600 was also 10% up on the average over the previous ten years. 

Hyundai surrendered its top spot last year to Toyota and despite reducing the deficit, it remains the same way. Kia was the second best selling brand in 2023, but this is the fourth year of reduced market share. The number of new brands arriving is no doubt contributing to that yet not entirely. 

This is Chery's third full year in Israel and it's also the third best selling. Jaecoo (optimistically pictured above) is in its first full year and already sixth. Brands from the Asia region are the most popular. 

Data source: Israel Vehicle Importers Association. Picture: Jaecoo Israel.

Mauritius Vehicle Sales : 2025

Registrations for all vehicles were up 6% for the year. It was suspiciously buoyant in June when volume was up 124% over the equivalent month in 2024, then fell away sharply after that. 

The 2025 budget was the reason it seems. It introduced a 30% increase in registration duty for new cars while abolishing it for used ones, which of course boosted the used car market. 

Despite a poor end to the year, it still ended in positive territory. In fact, 2025 was up 60% when compared to the average for the previous ten years. 

Suzuki is a brand known for value pricing. As the cars surely come from India, then that only adds to the value equation. 27% of the total sales is a clear endorsement of their popularity. Take away commercial vehicles and it reaches 34%. 

Data source: NLTA. Pictures: Axess Mauritius.

RSA Passenger Car Sales : 2025 (Jan- June)

Volkswagen was the best selling passenger car brand in South Africa until 2022. At that time, Toyota took over the top spot. Then in 2024 Suzuki moved into second place, relegating VW another ranking down to third. 

Toyota last lost some market share so far this year, Suzuki improved very slightly and VW has dropped further, to its lowest share since well into last century. 

VW's problem is based on relying on the Polo model, both current and the one before, which is sold as the Polo Vivo. The two brands now above it have a much broader spread of models that sell well.

Chinese brands have established themselves and are proving popular. Indian sourced cars do well here, for Toyota, Suzuki, and of course, Mahindra the main ones. 

Jaguar has ceased selling cars here as is the case elsewhere, the 28 sales that were achieved through what dealer stock was left. 

Some popular models YTD were:

Suzuki Swift - 13,840

VW Polo Vivo - 11,310

Toyota Corolla Cross - 9,576 

(Top photograph)

Hyundai Grand i10 - 7,836

Suzuki Fronx - 7,683

(Lower picture)

Toyota Starlet - 7,330

Chery Tiggo 4 - 7,099

Data source: Naamsa.

Photos : Toyota & Suzuki SA.

RSA Passenger Car Sales : 2024

Sales in South Africa were about the same as the previous year. One notable difference is that premium marques didn't do so well. Another point of interest is Chinese brands moving in with two of them looking settled in the top ten. 

Toyota achieved its highest market share since 2003 and has been the best passenger car brand for the last three years. Adding light commercial vehicles would paint a very different picture, with Toyota well on top. 

VW has been the leading passenger or second best car brand going back into last century. This is the lowest market share I can find for the brand. The arrival of more brands has upped the competition so maintaining one's share of the pie is a challenge. Suzuki is also on a roll.  

The fact that Toyota has thus far been able to succeed is in its model range. VW relies heavily on the Polo Vivo, an previous generation model as a value proposition. Toyota has worked with Suzuki in securing fresh metal and it's working (see above the Urban Cruiser).  

To clarify regarding the Great Wall listing below, the two brands under it are Tank and Ora. The Haval brand that is also from GWM is listed separately. 

Picture source: Toyota SA & Suzuki SA. 

South Africa Top Car/LCV Models : 2023-24

Toyota, Volkswagen and Suzuki are the three most popular passenger car brands in the RSA. For light commercials its Toyota, Ford and Isuzu. Those brands are well represented in the list below.

Toyota and Suzuki benefit from a model collaboration. Suzuki cars made in India are sometimes badged as Toyota models. Here is a list of such models: Toyota Rumion – Suzuki Ertiga, Starlet – Baleno, Starlet Cross – Fronx, Urban Cruiser – Grand Vitara and the Vitz – Celerio.

It's cost effective and done well as it seems in this case, benefits both companies. These models can be seen in the list below and are very successful. 

Chinese models are making quite an impact, with Chery in the top 10 with the Tiggo 4 and the Haval Jolion a few places below. Brands from Asia generally are the most common. 

Data source: Naamsa.

South Africa Pick Up Sales : 2022-24

Pick ups or bakkies as they are called here are popular here as seen below. Three models are particularly popular and although newer models have made some inroads they are still somewhat peripheral as is usually the case in this segment. 

The Toyota Hilux is the top bakkie and while it has had some of its lead trimmed in recent years, it doesn't look like yielding its position anytime soon. The Ford Ranger is keeping in touch and the Isuzu D-Max is consistent if nothing else. 

Nissan has ended its NP200 model and sales dwindled toward the end of the year. Mazda has pulled the plug on the slow selling BT-50 with none sold for much of the year. Mahindra does well with its Scorpio Pik-Up (picture above) and Peugeot Landtrek (picture below) is getting some traction with a new model Landtrek giving things an uplift. It's sourced from China in case you wondered. 

Data source: Naamsa. Pictures: Manufacturers.

Tunisia Passenger Car Sales : 2024

Registrations were down 1% for the year which is a reasonably good performance. The top four all lost ground although Hyundai's was marginal. Hyundai took the lead off Kia three years ago and has retained its place at the top since then. MG and Chery pushed hard and were rewarded.

Renault doubled its sales but Peugeot was down 29%. Citroën all but disappeared in 2020 and fell from 12th to 42nd but suddenly reemerged this year and in 2024 finished up at 14th.  

Mauritius Vehicle Sales : 2024

The source of the data missed a month for passenger cars so I asked nicely if they could fix that but their reply was a stony silence. 

I did have access to total vehicle data so here it is, with trucks included. I could have tried to weed them out but in a market so small, it adds some volume.

Registrations were up 22% in December and 20% for the year so going really well. Toyota and Nissan used to scrap over the top spot but Suzuki is now well ensconced in that prime position. Value models from Suzuki India have become very popular. 

Data source: NLTA.

Morocco Passenger Car Sales : 2024

Registrations were up 10% in December and 8% for the complete year. That's a nice increase when in many places sales are not as buoyant. A few Chinese brands have arrived but there is a little way to go yet for them to make a noticeable impact. There are some luxury marques missing from the chart below but the main players are there. 

Dacia and its parent company Renault dominate proceedings here. They established that through manufacturing in the country. They currently harvest 40% of all sales between them. Dacia took the lead in 2010 and hasn't looked back. The next three brands immediately below them have lost some share to varying degrees.

Data source: AIVAM. Pics: Dacia & Renault Facebook.

Israel Car/LCV Sales : 2024

With registrations +1% for the complete year, things are holding up well despite the troubles in the region. Hyundai became the best selling brand in 2011, supplanting long time favourite Mazda. Since then Hyundai has held that spot bar one year when Kia took it. Moving on to 2024 and Toyota is leading and it looks like it will be so next year barring something unforseen. 

New entrants are arriving, making the number of brands vying for sales almost bewildering. Seven new brands arrived during 2024 with eight the year before. There are now seventy seven brands in the passenger car market. 

Hyundai and Kia have lost much of their share of the pie with Škoda and BYD closing the sizable gap above them. MG is moving up nicely as are SEAT and Nissan. 

Data source: Israel Vehicle Importers Association.

South Africa PU Model Sales : 2022-24 (Jan-July)

Pickups or Bakkies as they are called in the RSA sell well here. The data below is for complete years except 2024 which is seven months. The Toyota Hilux has been the dominant model for many years but the Ford Ranger is closing the gap. The Isuzu D-Max is having a strong year so far. 

After that comes the Nissan NP200 (pic left), for which production ceased at the end of March this year after 16 years of sales. For now, there seems to be sufficient stock to have kept sales at usual levels up to now. There are no similar half tonne bakkies available .

Mahindra is doing well with its workmanlike Pik Up model (pic right). Further down the list there are some Chinese models including the Peugeot LandTrek.The JAC T-Series has already passed its entire 2023 sales. 

Mitsubishi is a small player with its Triton but it is persisting with it. As for the BT-50 has ended its 18 year run in the Republic with no sales since March. 

Data source:Naamsa. Pictures: Manufacturers.

Egypt Vehicle Sales : 2023

Registrations were down 51% but it did rally somewhat toward the end of the year. I thought there must be a mistake but apparently there isn't otherwise I wouldn't have published the article. It is mainly down to the floating of the currency which has caused car prices to jump. Sudden shifts have that effect until pent up demand and acceptance takes over and a degree of normality returns. 

The 'Diff' column shows market share change, otherwise, the chart below would have been awash with yellow. The fact it is so green is due to the slump by Chevrolet. It went from nearly 18% market share to just over 11% in just one year. 

Nissan and Renault seem to have been major benefactors in improving market share but Suzuki has been hit hard. A few brands don't report but generally premium ones and commercial. Not a good year for car sales.

Mauritius Passenger Car Sales : 2023

A small island nation it may be but one that releases car sales data so well done for that. I wish more were as open. The data is presented in a way consistent with a government agency, efficient but not entirely easy to understand some of the categorising. I did write for a clarification but they didn't respond. The 'Diff' column shows market share change so most were actually up in volume. 

So here the statistics are presented as passenger cars only. Suzuki is the best selling brand and pulling ahead dramatically. It had 10.3% of sales in 2020 and now 26%. Kia was top a few years ago but was unable to go with them.

Five Aston Martin registrations are impressive as are the six Mclarens. I presume there are some nice roads to take advantage of their talents.  

In summary, registrations were up 15% in December and up 17% YTD. I believe it's a nice place to visit though I've never been. Daniel says it's the best place.......

Data source: NLTA.

To the right are pickup sales, led by Mazda but hunted down by Toyota. It looked an unassailable lead too. 

For the year, pickup registrations were up 10% on the 2022 figure. Green shading is up and yellow is down in sales volume.

Réunion Car/LCV Sales : 2023

Réunion is an island in the Indian Ocean to the east of Madagascar. About 860,000 people live there and it is a French overseas department. There was a 1% decrease in 2023 in registrations for the year.

In the list below, the 'Diff' column shows market share change. The data shows the top 20, then premium marques. It's the same through the four years of rankings as there are only twenty listed, then blanks. 

Two French brands are the leading ones and four of the top five are that or French owned so no surprise there. Toyota is the interloper. The Korean duo of Hyundai and Kia are next.  

Israel Top 50 Car Models : 2023

The Israeli car market is strongly Asian in preference, especially at the top end. I decided to colour Chinese brands in pale green to show their increasing presence here. Electric cars are encouraged in Israel and this helps Chinese makes which have pushed hard in that area. 

The BYD Atto 3 electric car (pictured above) leads the way from the Hyundai Elantra, Kia Niro Plus Mazda 2 and Geely Geometry C (picture below). The data came from more than one source which occasionally didn't coincide so as accurate as I could make it.