Tana Malinga
Cars.co.za, together with NADA, naamsa and TransUnion, hosted the DealerCon 2025 Summit on 17 September 2025 at the Sandton Convention Centre. The event gathered leaders from the motor industry, banks, dealers, and technology experts under the theme Shift Happens. The aim was to help dealers and industry players understand changes in the car market and prepare for the future.
A major highlight was the launch of Cars.co.za’s first Industry Report, called A Decade of Disruption, A Future of Opportunity. The report showed how the South African car market has changed in ten years. SUVs and crossovers have more than doubled, while sedans have lost most of their share. Demand for double-cab bakkies has grown strongly, with many buyers choosing them as lifestyle vehicles. Automatic gearboxes are now common, and hybrids are slowly rising, while electric cars face challenges like high costs and weak charging networks.
The report also showed that new entry-level cars have become less affordable, pushing many buyers to the used market. Financing has become stricter, and first-time car finance approvals are falling. Chinese brands such as Chery and Haval are growing fast, offering strong value and challenging old leaders.
Top speakers included Amasi Mwela (Cars.co.za), Lee Naik (TransUnion), Mikel Mabasa (naamsa), Brandon Cohen (NADA), Faan van der Walt (WeBuyCars) and well-known entrepreneur Vusi Thembekwayo. They discussed how dealers can stay resilient, adapt to customer needs, and use data to plan ahead.
DealerCon 2025 gave the industry fresh insights, encouraged cooperation, and set a roadmap for how South Africa’s motor sector can face the next decade with strength.
