Young motorists put affordability ahead of status
- Industry News
- 13 August 2026
Dealer industry news from around Southern Africa
UD Trucks Southern Africa has received international recognition after winning the Marketing Excellence Award at the company's UD International Sales Leadership Summit.
With forecasts of snow, icy rain and stormy weather across the country, motorists are urged to drive carefully and adapt their driving style to suit the conditions.
From Fiat to Ferrari, results highlighted a growing gap between the carmakers raking in cash by selling gas-guzzling bakkies to Americans and those struggling to compete with Chinese rivals in a world that is slowly embracing electric.
Toyota is taking an unusual approach to vehicle ownership in Japan by expanding a factory-backed upgrade service that lets owners add new technology to older cars rather than replacing them.
Geely Auto South Africa has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of Greg Maruszewski as Chief Operating Officer (COO). The move comes as the company builds on its strong market entry and prepares for the next phase of expansion in the country.
South Africa’s new vehicle market entered the second half of 2026 on a resilient footing, supported by substantial fuel price reductions in July that provided much needed relief to motorists and businesses, according to The Automotive Business Council | naamsa's sales figures for July.
South Africa’s new vehicle market continued its strong run in July, with total sales reaching 57 708 units, an increase of 11.9 per cent compared with the same month last year. Almost 85 per cent of all vehicles were retailed through dealerships, underscoring the importance of retail demand in sustaining momentum.
South Africa's automotive industry has made significant strides in creating more opportunities for women over the past decade, but industry leaders agree that much more needs to be done to build a workforce that better reflects the country's population.
Hyundai Motor and Kia are putting vehicle quality under the microscope at a specialist facility designed to find tiny imperfections before they become everyday irritations for drivers.
As South Africa observes Women's Month in August, the safety of women travelling and working on e-hailing platforms remains firmly in the spotlight.
Geely Auto is building two electric sport utility vehicles (EVs) at Ford’s factory in Valencia, Spain, under a joint venture agreement. The venture is owned 66 per cent by Ford and 34 four per cent by Geely.
The Cabinet has approved a proposal to extend the validity period of South Africa's driving licence cards for light motor vehicles from five years to ten years, a move aimed at reducing the frequency of renewals and easing pressure on the country's licensing system.
BAIC South Africa, BAIC Finance, Absa Workplace Banking and EyeBrainGym have marked the conclusion of the 2026 Reading Riot national literacy campaign.
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Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?
George Carlin