These are SA's five top-selling and fastest-selling used SUVs

No fewer than three Toyota models are represented in the five top-selling used SUVs, according to AutoTrader data from January 1 to April 30 2024. All three are also the fastest-selling of the five. Throw a BMW and a Volkswagen into the mix and you have South Africa’s five top-selling SUVs ranked in order of the fastest-selling. 

The Toyota Fortuner 2.8GD-6 steals the sales march. The SA-built large adventure SUV has been one of the best-selling SUVs for some time. Rugged, reliable, spacious and cost-effective, the tough turbo-diesel seven-seater is a slam dunk with large families and those who enjoy adventures off the beaten track. Being well-built and one that ages well too doesn’t hurt, adding to its appeal for used-car shoppers.

Though the older, more expensive and more powerful 2.8GD-6 Fortuner is the most sold used SUV, the 2.4GD-6 variant which ranks third among the top five best sellers, sells 23% faster than its 2.8GD-6 sibling and 41% quicker than the average time to sell for used SUVs.

Then there’s the T-Cross, Volkswagen’s Polo-based compact SUV. Practical, with a well-proportioned family-sized cabin, the nippy 1.0TSI turbo-petrol engine variant is the second most sold SUV. Still, despite being the youngest among the top five, the 1.0TSI T-Cross took the longest to sell, just 12.6% faster than the average time.

The mid-size SUV BMW X3 xDrive 20d ranks fourth in sales and time to sell. The locally built premium vehicle is the most expensive of the five; a five-year-old 2.0l turbodiesel variant with average mileage of 69,297km sells for an average of R616,501.

Still, some of that money can be clawed back on fuel costs — it’s the most fuel-frugal of the group, sipping just 5.3l/100km. The German SUV has an 18% speedier time to sell than the average SUV. 

Finally, there’s the all-wheel drive Toyota RAV4 2.0l, Toyota’s third offering in the top five best-selling SUVs. The compact SUV is the oldest and cheapest in the line-up, a six year-old 2.0l petrol model with 84,460km on the clock sells on average for R346,103, and 21% faster than the norm.

“Toyota’s sales success can, in large part, be put down to having struck the right balance between reliability, practicality, longevity and cost-effectiveness,” says George Mienie, AutoTrader’s CEO. “Those traits have ensured ongoing demand for their models, whatever their age.”