South Africa's favourite vehicle body shape revealed

29 Mar 2023

According to Lightstone Auto data, the crossover/SUV is the favourite passenger vehicle body shape, while one-time leader, the hatch, is now in the second spot. In fact, the crossover/SUV was the third choice in 2013, behind the sedan in second place and the hatch, then riding high as the leader of the pack with just under 50% share of the passenger vehicle market.

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Jaco van Staden, head of sales at Lightstone Auto, says, “The hatch is down from 48% to 37% in 2022, but its decline is modest compared to the sedan, which has seen its market share plummet from 26% in 2014 to just 8% in 2022.”

The big winner has been the crossover/SUV, which has soared from 22% to 50% market share in 10 years.

The changing consumer preferences have been recognised by the OEMs – in 2013 there were around 530 available Crossover/SUV options and 440 sedan options. By 2022, the unique crossover/SUV count had jumped to 880 (growth of 66%), whilst Sedan alternatives had declined to 160 (-64%).

The rise of the crossover/SUV body shape in the passenger market has been accompanied by the double cab’s emergence as the favourite in the light commercial market, replacing the one-ton single and extended cabs. Both the crossover/SUV and the double cab were beneficiaries of growing consumer preferences for greater ride height to get a better driving perspective and additional safety.

Image supplied

Van Staden says, “In as far as the light commercial market goes, the biggest decline in market share over the last 10 years belongs to the sub-one-ton pick-up body shape. The decline can largely be attributed to the demise of Chevrolet, one of two hugely dominant OEMs which in 2013 accounted for a combined 97% of sales.”

Chevrolet’s departure left Nissan and their NP200 is now responsible for almost 95% of sales in this body shape.

Body shape share of the light commercial market (2013 - 2022)

Image supplied

“Looking ahead, we expect crossover/SUV sales to continue growing in 2023 and the sedan will likely continue to contract as there are fewer and fewer available options of this body shape,” van Staden concludes.