Mahindra becomes South Africa’s fastest growing car brand

In 2022 Mahindra grew its sales volumes by 78% compared to the previous year, making it South Africa’s fastest-growing automotive brand.

Reacting to the 2022 new vehicle sales figures released by Naamsa earlier this week, the Indian brand said its growth is the highest of all vehicle brands that report their sales and more than five times the market average.

The Naamsa sales report shows Mahindra grew its passenger vehicle sales by 80% to 4,027 vehicles in 2022 and its light commercial sales (that of its Pik Up and Bolero ranges) by 77% to 8,885 vehicles.

Thanks to this massive growth rate, Mahindra hit an average monthly sales figure in excess of 1,000 units per month, breaking through the coveted 10,000 unit per annum mark for the first time and reaching close to 14,000 total sales for the year.

This is also the second year since 2019 that Mahindra has been crowned South Africa’s fastest growing brand and the fourth year in the past five the brand has been among the country’s fastest growing motoring marques. 

The Mahindra Pik Up was one of the fastest growing bakkie brands in the market, and for the single cab market in particular. The XUV300 was one of the fastest growing compact SUVs in its segment, with 2,079 units finding homes in 2022.

“Our sales success in 2022 and our title as South Africa’s fastest growing vehicle brand can be attributed to our entire network, including our assembly plant in Durban that had to make do with component shortages and our dealers who supported customers on our waiting list,” said Rajesh Gupta, CEO of Mahindra South Africa. 

“In the new year, we hope to repeat our performance with the recently launched XUV700, which achieved a record number of pre-order bookings for the brand, the much-anticipated Scorpio-N SUV and other new models we will reveal in due course.”

On the whole, the auto industry had a much better year than in 2021.

In 2022, the entire industry grew its sales volume to 528,963 vehicles. This is 13.9% better than the previous year, despite persistent stock shortages in electronic parts and fully built-up vehicles.

Mahindra entered the local market as an importer in 2004 and in the last few years has invested in a local assembly facility in Durban where it assembles the Pik Up single  and double cab.  It has also established a technical training centre, a local fitment centre for special edition models and a larger distribution warehouse.