South Africa February 2013: Toyota Etios back on podium

Toyota Etios

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New car sales in South Africa are still in positive in February but less so that what we are used to: up 2% year-on-year to 53,220 registrations, bringing the year-to-date total to 108,227 units, up 8% on 2012. The Toyota Hilux holds the top spot for the third time in the last 4 months with 3,500 sales and 6.6% share but the VW Polo Vivo’s outstanding January performance enables it to stay on top year-to-date for now at 6,789 units and 6,3% vs. 6,134 and 5.7% for the Hilux.

Toyota Etios

The Toyota Etios keeps on amazing everyone: it’s back on the South African podium for the second time after last October at #3 with 2,204 sales and 4.1%, and has not ranked below #7 since its launch in the country last May!  It’s all the more fascinating to witness the Etios success in South Africa that it hasn’t convinced – and far from it – in the other two markets it launched in so far: India and Brazil. Can we explain this by the fact that South African consumers are used to a low-cost segment of the market until now occupied by the likes of the Toyota Tazz, VW Citi Golf and VW Polo Vivo which were/are outdated technology at a cut price and therefore can assimilate the Etios to this category and give it the corresponding sales? If you are from South Africa and have a view on this I would love to hear you!

Ford Ranger

Other great performers this month include the Ford Ranger up 4 spots on January to #5, its highest ranking in the country also hit last December, the VW Golf up 24 ranks to #15 thanks to the 7th generation, Nissan Qashqai up 12 to #21 and the Honda Brio holding strong at #27 with 334 sales and 0.6%.

Previous month: South Africa January 2013: VW Polo Vivo takes off to 7.4% share

One year ago: South Africa February 2012: Toyota Hilux on top, VW Amarok up

Full February 2013 Top 50 models Ranking Table below.