Yes, crossovers are all the rage. But is the saloon really dead? Here’s a look at the 10 best-selling sedans in South Africa in the 1st half of 2023…

There’s no doubting the popularity of the crossover (after all, SA’s best-selling passenger vehicle in H1 2023 was such a model). Of course, this has come at the expense of other body styles, with the sedan being a prime example. So, just how well are traditional saloons selling in South Africa these days?

Well, we decided to wade through the sales figures and identify the 10 best-selling sedans in SA over the opening half of 2023. Of course, a fair number of these sales were likely to fleet operators, including for ride-hailing services. In addition, models such as the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and BMW 3 Series unfortunately can’t be included here, since neither of these German manufacturer’s regularly reports sales figures to Naamsa.

The Prospecton-built Toyota Corolla Quest was Mzansi’s strongest-selling sedan in H1 2023, with 3152 registrations (enough for it to place 14th on the list of best-selling passenger vehicles). The prolonged-cycle Quest’s top month was February 2023, when 798 units were sold.

The Nissan Almera (1563 units) – yes, the Japanese firm still sells this long-in-the-tooth saloon – placed 2nd, though it couldn’t quite reach half of the Quest’s total. Interestingly, sales of this model have tapered off markedly from a high of 785 units in January 2023.

Toyota’s Corolla Quest was easily SA’s best-selling sedan in the 1st half of 2023.

And the final podium spot? Well, the Volkswagen Polo Sedan (which is imported from India rather than built alongside the hatchback at Kariega) ranked 3rd, garnering 1378 registrations over the reporting period. The Suzuki Dzire (1361 units) was close behind in 4th, while the likewise Indian-manufactured Suzuki Ciaz ended H1 2023 in 5th with 831 sales.

The Chinese-built Kia Pegas (608 units) finished in 6th position, ahead of the Honda Amaze (454 units), which is imported from India. The German-built Audi A4 (359 units) and Audi A3 Sedan (300 units) found themselves in 8th and 9th place, respectively, while the Japanese-made Toyota Corolla Sedan closed out the table with 273 sales.

South Africa’s 10 best-selling sedans in H1 2023

1. Toyota Corolla Quest – 3152 units

2. Nissan Almera – 1563 units

3. Volkswagen Polo Sedan – 1378 units

4. Suzuki Dzire – 1 361 units

5. Suzuki Ciaz – 831 units

6. Kia Pegas – 608 units

7. Honda Amaze – 454 units

8. Audi A4 – 359 units

9. Audi A3 Sedan – 300 units

10. Toyota Corolla Sedan – 273 units

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