Nearly half of the cars sold in South Africa in 2025 have a direct or indirect connection to India, either through Indian manufacturers such as Mahindra and Tata Motors or via vehicles and components sourced from India by global automakers, according to a report by market intelligence firm Lightstone.
The data highlights India’s growing role in South Africa’s automotive market, with Mahindra emerging as a key player, particularly in the pickup segment. Lightstone said Mahindra has taken a leading position in the country’s pickup market, driven largely by strong demand for its Pikup range.
According to a report by PTI, it noted that 84 per cent of Japanese-branded light vehicles sold in South Africa in 2024 were imported from India, while only about 10 per cent were manufactured in Japan. Many of these vehicles originate from Maruti Suzuki’s Indian operations, which supply models for Toyota, including the Starlet, Starlet Cross, Vitz and Urban Cruiser.
Chinese brands visible, but India leads import volumes
While Chinese brands such as Haval and Chery have gained visibility on South African roads over the past three years, their actual market share remains lower than perceived. Chinese imports accounted for 11 per cent of vehicle sales in 2024, compared with 36 per cent of vehicles imported from India. Locally produced vehicles made up 37 per cent of total sales during the year.
Lightstone data showed that excluding pickups and light commercial vehicles, India’s share of the South African passenger vehicle market rose to nearly 50 per cent in the first half of 2025. For the first five months of the year, 49 per cent of all passenger vehicle sales were imported from India.
“The growth in vehicle sales originating in India can be attributed to the large number of manufacturers producing vehicles there, supported by relatively lower labour and manufacturing costs,” said Andrew Hibbert, auto data analyst at Lightstone.
Analysts said the trend has helped moderate vehicle prices for consumers but raised concerns for South Africa’s domestic automotive industry. In 2009, nearly half of all light vehicles sold in the country were locally produced, while only 5 per cent were sourced from India.
