Revealed: Women car buyers in SA almost always go for these brands

New data from research and analytics company Lightstone has revealed which brands are attracting the most women buyers. The findings cover both new and used light vehicle sales.

The research also highlights changing buying habits since 2021, including a growing appetite for more fuel-efficient vehicles.

These are the most popular car brands among women

According to Lightstone, Toyota remains the leading choice among female car buyers in South Africa, writes Engineering News.

The Japanese manufacturer accounted for 17% of purchases in 2021. Its share climbed to 19% in 2023 before returning to 17% this year.

Suzuki currently holds second place, having overtaken Volkswagen last year. Chery and Ford complete the top five.

Interestingly, the four most popular brands account for half of all light vehicles purchased by women this year.

“The top four brands so far this year make up 50% of all light vehicles purchased by women,” Lightstone noted.

The rankings have also changed considerably over the past five years.

In 2021, Volkswagen, Ford, Hyundai and Nissan featured among the top five alongside Toyota. Suzuki, Mazda, BMW, Haval and Audi completed that year’s top ten.

However, Mazda, BMW and Audi have since fallen out of the rankings. They have been replaced by Chery, Jetour and Mahindra.

The current top ten account for 79% of vehicle purchases by women.

petrol-powered vehicles for the win

Lightstone’s research also revealed a continued preference for petrol-powered cars.

Currently, 80% of female buyers opt for petrol-powered internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. This is up from 77% in 2021.

Diesel’s share, meanwhile, has declined from 23% to 17% over the same period.

New-energy vehicles (NEVs) are also gaining ground, increasing their share from just 0.1% in 2021 to 3% in 2026.

Lightstone attributed this growth partly to rising fuel prices and a wider selection of affordable alternatives.

“Consumers are now more concerned about fuel economy when buying a car,” the company added.

The research also found that 99% of vehicle purchases by women take place in urban areas, rather than rural locations.