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Cape Town - Following strong sales figures throughout 2016 and ending the year as South Africa's best-selling passenger car, the Volkswagen Polo Vivo continued its dominance in January 2017.
VW's budget car was once again the star performer, leading the charge in a month that showed year-on-year improvements for the first time in 14 months.
Vivo maintains its dominance
The Polo Vivo was also the month's best-selling vehicle overall, with 2951 owners taking delivery. The Vivo's bigger brother, the Polo, was second with 2734 units sold.
Toyota was in third place with its Corolla/Auris/Quest range (2628 units), as well as fourth with the Etios (2302). The Ford Fiesta registered another solid month with 1707 sales, beating another Toyota stalwart, the Fortuner, on 1233.
READ: SA car sales - 2017 starts with modest growth
The Chevrolet Spark (966), Ford EcoSport (828), and Toyota RAV4 (689) occupies places seven to nine.
The Renault Kwid again made the top 10 list with its budget-beating credentials. It was the French company's top-seller on 621 units.
Renault SA said: "The Kwid has been exceptionally well received since its introduction in November 2016, amassing nearly 2000 units in 2½ months. 2016 saw a decline in passenger car sales attributed to a turbulent economic climate and we see first-hand how this has negatively affected consumer affordability.
"The Kwid has proved to be the perfect foil for those who are seeking a new car that’s not only affordable, but that’s packed with features one would expect from a segment above. Starting from R1999pm, including a one-year comprehensive insurance, it’s clear to see why the car has generated such a huge buzz. The overwhelming demand has exceeded expectation and to meet this demand, production is ramping up and we’ll see the effects of the increased supply in the months to follow. As a result, we expect to see Kwid sales go from strength-to-strength."
Kuga sales drop by 50%
In what came as perhaps no surprise, the Ford Kuga registered dismal sales. Only 74 owners took delivery of the SUV. This is a drop of nearly 50% compared to the 146 units that were sold in December 2016.
This signifcant drop in sales comes after Ford South Africa issued a recall of over 4000 models in relation to several fires emenating in the car's engine bay. Over 40 incidences have been reported in South Africa.
Ford SA in January said the fire is caused by a lack of coolant circulation which can lead to a cracking in the cylinder head and, therefore, an oil leak. If the leaking oil reaches a hot engine surface, it can potentially catch fire.
Read more on the Ford Kuga saga here.
1 VW Polo Vivo - 2951 units
2 VW Polo - 2734
3 Toyota Corolla/Auris/Quest - 2628
4 Toyota Etios - 2302
5 Ford Fiesta - 1707
6 Toyota Fortuner - 1233
7 Chevrolet Spark - 966
8 Ford EcoSport - 828
9 Toyota RAV4 - 689
10 Renault Kwid - 621