Hatchbacks remain prevalent in the South African passenger car market, featuring prominently on the list of best-sellers for March, despite the emergence of crossovers and continued growth within the SUV class.
Poll data from BusinessTech shows that most car owners in South Africa drive a hatchback, followed by a sport utility vehicle (SUV). When asked What type of car do you drive? The poll attracted more than 4,000 respondents.
What type of car do you drive?
- Hatchback (35%, 1,413 votes);
- SUV (24%, 980 votes);
- Sedan (21%, 852 votes);
- Bakkie (12%, 476 votes).
The Toyota Corolla Cross sold the most units for a passenger vehicle in March 2022, according to the latest Naamsa report. However, this was followed by the Volkswagen Polo Vivo (2,117 units), Volkswagen Polo (1,430) units and Toyota Starlet (1,243 units).
The Vivo has long been a best seller in the hatch department, thanks to its affordable price tag of R235,200 for the entry-level Polo Vivo Trendline. The average price of a top-10 hatchback is roughly R224,300, with the cheapest car on this list being the Renault Kwid at R180,400. This marks hatchbacks as some of the most affordable vehicles for consumers.
Although not on this list, the Suzuki S-Presso, which claims to be a ‘baby SUV’, sold 558 units in March, making a strong impression on young consumers due to its affordability – priced from R152,900.
Here are the top 10 best-selling hatchbacks in South Africa right now, including their power, torque and fuel consumption:
Volkswagen Polo Vivo – 2117 units sold.
- R235,200
- 5.7L/100km
- 55kW, 130Nm
Volkswagen Polo – 1430 units sold.
- R265,800
- 5.9L/100km
- 63kW, 132 Nm
Toyota Starlet – 1243 units sold.
- From R225,200
- 5.7L/100km
- 68kW, 130Nm
Suzuki Swift – 1118 units sold.
- R184,900
- 4.9L/100km
- 61kW, 113Nm
Renault Kwid – 848 units sold.
- R180,400
- 4.7L/100km
- 50kW, 91Nm
Hyundai Atos – 763 units sold.
- R183,500
- 5.7L/100km
- 50kW, 99Nm
Kia Picanto – 656 units sold.
- R193,995
- 5.0L/100km
- 49kW, 95Nm
Hyundai Grand i10 – 508 units sold.
- R204,900
- 5.4L/100km
- 49kW, 94Nm
Hyundai i20 – 508 units sold.
- R285,900
- 5.9L/100km
- 61kW, 115Nm
Kia Rio – 364 units sold.
- R283,995
- 5.7L/100km
- 61kW, 120Nm
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Source: Business Tech
