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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchPrice and fuel efficiency stand out in the Cars.co.za Industry Report 2026: 70.8% of respondents cited price and 52.5% cited fuel efficiency as factors driving vehicle-purchasing decisions. Those results point to the importance of purchase cost and running costs for South African shoppers, but the published article does not disclose enough survey methodology to treat them as a nationally representative ranking—or to say exactly how brand compares.
What South African buyers said matters
In its 2026 Industry Report article, Cars.co.za reports that 70.8% of respondents cited “Price” and 52.5% cited “fuel efficiency” among factors driving vehicle-purchasing decisions. Price was cited more often in the published results, while fuel efficiency also featured prominently.
The article does not publish the survey sample size, fieldwork dates, exact question wording or rules for selecting answers. It is therefore safest to read the figures as reported survey responses, not as a confirmed national ranking or proof that every buyer weighs these factors the same way. The accessible article also gives no corresponding brand-preference percentage, so it cannot establish how brand ranked against price or fuel efficiency.
Why price and running costs matter in context
Most 2024 light-vehicle sales were below R500,000
naamsa’s Automotive Trade Manual 2025 says 61.8% of light vehicles sold in South Africa in 2024 were priced below R500,000. It reports that 47.5% were below R400,000 and 27.8% below R300,000. These are sales shares by price band, not survey answers about shoppers’ priorities and not a measure of every vehicle available to buy.
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Instalments are part of affordability
Absa reported in 2025 that average monthly vehicle instalments represented 16.1% of customer income at the time of its statement, compared with 14.3% ten years earlier. That comparison was presented by Absa and is not a universal measure of what a vehicle costs each household. The monthly payment a buyer faces also depends on the vehicle price and finance terms.
Efficiency is one part of total ownership cost
TransUnion’s Q2 2026 Mobility Insights Report describes consumers weighing affordability, financing costs, fuel efficiency and longer-term ownership expenses. That wider view matters: a low advertised price does not by itself establish an affordable monthly payment, and fuel consumption alone does not capture all costs of owning a car.
How much choice do buyers face?
naamsa counted 50 passenger-car brands and 2,203 model derivatives in South Africa in 2024. That gives a sense of the market’s breadth, but it does not mean all derivatives were on sale at the same time or within the same price range. The figure also cannot tell a buyer which brand to choose.
The Cars.co.za report landing page says the wider report covers new and used vehicle markets, NEVs, brand loyalty and average vehicle pricing; the complete report is accessed through a form. The public article’s summary is the available basis for its buyer-priority percentages. Cars.co.za Industry Report 2026
Rank #3
- Plug and Play: This automotive gauge is easy to install, requiring no complicated wiring or professional installation; it connects directly to the vehicle's system.
- Fuel Economy Monitoring: Designed to help track and optimize fuel consumption, allowing drivers to monitor vehicle efficiency and potentially reduce fuel costs.
- Portable Design: This compact and lightweight gauge can be easily moved between different vehicles or removed when not needed. This fuel economy monitor can easily fit into your armrest box.
- Universal Compatibility: Suitable for vehicles using gasoline, diesel, water, and lubricants, making it suitable for a wide range of automotive applications.
How to compare cars using these priorities
- Set a purchase-price range. Decide what you can spend upfront or borrow. The naamsa sales bands describe past purchases, not a recommended budget.
- Compare the monthly finance cost. Check the repayment under the terms actually offered to you; a vehicle’s sticker price is not the same as its monthly affordability.
- Assess fuel use against your driving. Consider how and where you drive, and compare consumption figures only when the source and test conditions are clear. The figures cited in this article do not compare particular models.
- Include other ownership expenses. Account for insurance, maintenance, fuel and financing when estimating what ownership will cost. The sources cited here do not provide comparable model-by-model totals.
- Use brand as a preference, not a proven survey ranking. The published Cars.co.za summary does not provide a brand figure that can be directly compared with its price and fuel-efficiency results.
What the fuel-efficiency result does—and does not—say about EVs
Deloitte’s South African extract of its 2024 Global Automotive Consumer Study says consumers were drawn to electric vehicles partly by the perception that they could have significantly lower fuel costs. That is a reported consumer perception, not proof that an EV will be cheaper for every buyer to run. The Cars.co.za figures do not break fuel-efficiency responses down by vehicle type, and they do not establish the total ownership cost of any model.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- Adjusts speed limiter
- Read and erase trouble codes
- See instant fuel economy
- Customize gauges and set safety warnings
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