Toyota SA’s big plans for 2025: Key cars and market trends to watch
28 Jan 2025
The 2025 edition and the eighth instalment of Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) State of the Motor Industry (Somi) event recently took place in Kyalami. Andrew Kirby, CEO of TSAM, delivered a presentation focused on the performance of the country’s automotive sector in the past year and a sales prediction for the new year. TSAM also unveiled the cars it will launch in 2025 and held a 2025 Dakar Rally press conference.
The new Hilux Legend 55 to arrive in South Africa sometime in 2025 | Image source: Toyota South Africa
Toyota SA CEO Andrew Kirby on stage at Somi 2025 | Image source: Toyota SA
Market performance and forecast
TSAM’s 2023 prediction for the local automotive industry’s new car sales fell short by 4.5% at 515,712, which is a negative 3% decrease on the previous year’s total. Kirby’s 2024 prediction for the new year is now an optimistic 540,000 figure.
South African vehicle sales by source
Locally produced vehicle sales have dropped by 6,5% from 46% (2018) to 43% (2023). Chinese and Indian-sourced vehicles have increased from 18% (2018) to 37% (2023). Traditional source countries like Germany, Japan, and South Korea have significantly reduced.
5 key trends by TSAM
Toyota South Africa zeroed in on five trends it feels will have an impact on the local automotive sector in 2025.
The first trend is the affordability factor, which plays a role in customers' purchasing behaviour going forward. Kirby said this is evident by the fact that customers continue to buy down as evidenced by a switch from the C and D segments to the B segment.
“According to Lightstone Auto, between 2023 and 2024, the average price of passenger cars sold in the last year declined by 2,27%,” he noted.
The next trend is the continued growth of the SUV. TSAM highlighted the big increase in SUV models in the country from 2018 to 2024. In six years the number has grown from 114 to 166, which means that SUVs account for more than 50% of passenger car sales.
Kirby mentioned in-car tech as another trend to emerge, saying that customers are demanding a more immersive experience from their mobility device that goes beyond wireless Apple Play and Android Auto.
The rise of India and China as a production hub was a focus of discussion and a trend predicted to have an impact in 2025. As previously mentioned, global Chinese and Indian production has soared in the past years, while local production has dropped by 6,5% from 2018 to 2023.
The last trend TSAM discussed was the transition to new energy vehicles globally and locally (NEV). In 2024 more than one in five cars sold was electric. In South Africa, the transition to NEV had a significant boost from 2022, largely thanks to the hybrid Corolla Cross, which accounted for 12,333 units of hybrid cars sold in the country in 2024.
New Toyota cars in South Africa
A major part of Somi was TSAM’s unveiling of the cars it plans on introducing in 2025. The new facelifted Corolla Cross has just been launched, which promises to continue on its positive sales trajectory.
Another South African favourite to launch later in the year is the Hilux Legend 55 with a wide-body kit and a promise of some performance enhancement.
The venerable Fortuner is expected to have GR-S derivative join its lineup with extra power (165kW/550Nm), and the pocket rocket GR Yaris will soon come with an eight-speed option with increased power of 210kW/400Nm.
TSAM’s luxury brand Lexus will also introduce new models in 2025, which include an LX upgrade and a new 700h hybrid variant. A Lexus GX was announced, which is positioned as a rugged yet sophisticated true on/off-roader in the mould of the LX.
New Lexus GX | Image source: Toyota South Africa
New Hilux GR-S | Image source: Toyota South Africa
New Lexus LX | Image source: Toyota South Africa
New GR Yaris | Image source: Toyota South Africa
