South Africa’s motor trade sector gained modest ground in August, buoyed by stronger new vehicle sales. This is according to the latest figures from Stats SA.

The report showed that new vehicle sales grew 9.4% compared with August 2024, while sales of vehicle accessories rose 4.8%.

Total motor trade sales rose 1.9% year-on-year in real terms to reach R56.9 billion.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, total trade increased 0.5% from July.

The three-month trend also painted a slightly stronger picture, showing total motor trade sales up 2.8% in real terms from the same three-month period last year, driven by a 10.2% increase in new vehicle purchases and a 6.4% gain in accessory sales.