The digital roadmap of South Africa’s automotive market

Developed by Rogerwilco, Africa’s largest B Corp-certified marketing agency, in collaboration with Martech leader YOUKNOW, the report explores the role of sentiment, search trends and consumer conversations in shaping South Africa’s automotive market. Designed with marketers and business leaders in mind, it provides insights to help refine digital engagement strategies, align messaging with consumer expectations and strengthen brand positioning.

Key findings for auto-marketers:

• Search intent predicts demand: Online search behaviour is a leading indicator of purchase intent, directly influencing showroom visits and market share.
  
• Social sentiment shapes brand perception: A strong digital presence alone isn’t enough – managing sentiment and community engagement is crucial for sustained success.
  
• Digital-first strategies work: Newcomers’ strategic digital campaigns demonstrate that product sales rely as heavily on perception as product quality.
  
• Luxury brands must redefine value: In a price-sensitive market, premium automakers must balance aspiration with perceived value to maintain relevance.
  
• Influencer marketing requires long-term strategy: While influencers can boost brand awareness, long-term partnerships, community engagement, and follow-up content are key to sustaining momentum.
  
• As digital communities continue to rise, automotive marketers must shift from passive communication to active consumer dialogue, ensuring their brands remain relevant in an increasingly digital and consumer-driven landscape.

A market in transition

The South African automotive market experienced a 3% decline in new car sales in 2024, reflecting evolving consumer priorities. While overall sales dipped, passenger vehicle sales increased by 1.1%, signalling a growing demand for affordable and fuel-efficient options. This shift aligns with broader economic pressures and changing buyer behaviour.

Mongezi Mtati, senior brand manager at Rogerwilco, says: “Digital consumer trends mirror the shifts in car sales, with a 3% decline in automotive mentions and a 3% drop in online discussions about car brands. However, search visibility continues to drive market momentum.”

The report highlights that brands like Volkswagen, Toyota, and Suzuki, that maintain strong digital engagement are converting visibility into sales. Meanwhile, challenger brands are gaining ground – Omoda and Jaecoo sold a combined 655 units in December 2024, proving that search-driven visibility and influencer engagement are key to market entry and sustained growth.

Industry leaders weigh in

Mongezi Mtati facilitated a webinar discussing the key findings of the report. He was joined by Shaun Pearson, product owner and insights analyst at YOUKNOW, Bobby Ramagwede, CEO of the Automobile Association of South Africa (AA), and Oresti Patricios, CEO of Ornico.

This is what emerged:

Affordable luxury:

Car ownership remains a milestone to which many South Africans aspire. However, the recent success of challenger brands points to the appeal of affordable luxury in a market where brands like BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche are simply out of reach for most people, and consequently see significant negative sentiment online. Newcomers like Jaecoo and Omoda are throwing off concerns about quality and offering consumers quality they can afford, as reflected in their 81% and 79% positive mentions, respectively, on social media.

“Where I see a big shift is in not so much the notion of vehicle ownership, but which cars are being bought. I think we’re going to see a lot more utilitarian use of vehicles. This is largely driven by affordability.” – Bobby Ramagwede

Sentiment mirrors sales:

While not a direct indicator of vehicle sales, social sentiment is nevertheless reflective of what’s happening in the market. The drop in brand mentions and authors discussing car brands online that accompanied the downturn in car sales during 2024 illustrates this.

“What people are saying online can forecast sales results, which is incredibly powerful data to unearth. We’re seeing that play out with disruptors and legacy brands alike.” – Shaun Pearson

Visibility alone isn’t enough:

Share of search is a key predictor of market momentum and purchase intent. By monitoring and analysing sentiment and real-time search data, brands can better anticipate shifts in the market and tailor their strategies accordingly. However, to convert that visibility into sales, brands need to create engaging content, foster consumer trust and deliver excellent customer service. Volkswagen, Toyota and Suzuki are great examples of brands doing this right.

“You can advertise as much as you like, but if your customer experience across the board isn’t good, you’ve got a problem.” – Oresti Patricios

Influencers have a part to play:

Brand collaborations with influencers, such as Subaru’s campaign with Liyema Pantsi or Omoda’s work with Khosi Twala, can drive visibility and engagement, but their long-term impact nevertheless hinges on sustained customer engagement.

“In an ideal world you’d launch with a big announcement, then nurture and sustain that engagement through influencers, ongoing community management and other touchpoints in the digital ecosystem.” – Shaun Pearson

Community is key:

Brands need to follow the consumer journey from search to social – and ideally to purchase – investing in engagement and real-time interactions. This requires a shift from passive marketing to active conversations.

“It’s not enough to build a digital presence through search alone; you need native engagement. When consumers come into the community, they need to feel an element of trust and transparency – that there’s a human behind the brand.” – Shaun Pearson

Take pole position: “The South African automotive market is evolving, with search trends and social sentiment emerging as key indicators of market strength,” said Mtati. “Brands that leverage data-driven strategies, engage proactively with communities, and embrace authentic storytelling will lead the next phase of industry growth.”

This South African Automotive Industry Report serves as a strategic playbook for automotive marketers, transforming insights into action, engagement into trust, and visibility into real-world sales and can be downloaded here: https://jo.my/auto-25.