South Africa’s best-selling ladder-frame SUVs

Which ladder-frame SUVs proved most popular in South Africa in 2025 and which ones struggled by comparison? We’ve rummaged through the sales figures to find out…

Highlights

• Fortuner still SA’s favourite ladder-frame SUV

• LC Prado pushes ahead of Jimny and Everest

• GWM Tank 300 registrations surge circa-200%

• MU-X retains 7th position as Scorpio-N slides

• Lexus GX breaks into top 10 in its debut year

• GWM Tank 500 climbs as Wrangler tumbles

While hatchbacks and unibody crossovers once again dominated South Africa’s best-selling passenger vehicles list for 2025, several ladder-frame SUVs still recorded strong performances. So which body-on-frame SUVs sold well, and which struggled last year?

We’ve sifted through the 2025 sales statistics to determine how each ladder-frame SUV available in Mzansi performed. Compared with the 2024 list, there was just one new entrant.

Before proceeding, note that Mercedes-Benz does not report sales figures to Naamsa, making it unclear how many G-Class units were registered locally in 2025. The same applies to Ineos and its Grenadier, as well as LDV and its D90.

In total, 16 ladder-frame SUVs appeared in Naamsa’s 2025 sales data. Below is a breakdown of how each performed, including year-on-year changes.

Fortuner retains title as Prado climbs

The seven-seater Toyota Fortuner remained South Africa’s best-selling ladder-frame SUV, despite a 15.2% year-on-year decline to 9 049 units. The Prospecton-built model, which shares its underpinnings with the Hilux, ranked 15th overall in the passenger-vehicle segment.

The Toyota Land Cruiser Prado climbed two places to secure second position, helped by the introduction of a new VX-L flagship derivative late in 2025. Sales increased by 68.3% year on year to 3 545 units.

Jimny and Everest each slip a place

Just 19 units behind the Prado, the Suzuki Jimny finished third, dropping one ranking from 2024. Sales of the compact off-roader declined 6.0% year on year to 3 526 units.

The Ford Everest slipped to fourth despite a 10.8% year-on-year increase in sales to 3 444 units. A refreshed Everest with a revised engine line-up is expected locally in the first half of 2026.

Tank 300 sales surge nearly 200%

The Toyota Land Cruiser 300 retained fifth position, recording a 12.2% year-on-year increase to 1 736 units. A hybrid version producing 341 kW may reach the local market in 2026.

The standout growth performer was the GWM Tank 300. Following the introduction of a turbodiesel derivative early in 2025, sales surged by 196.6% year on year to 1 560 units, lifting the model two places to sixth.

MU-X keeps 7th as Scorpio-N slides

The Isuzu MU-X remained in seventh place despite a strong 45.4% increase in sales to 1 326 units, making it the final ladder-frame SUV to exceed 1 000 units in 2025.

The Mahindra Scorpio-N slipped two positions to eighth after sales declined 9.7% year on year to 882 units.

The Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series climbed two places to ninth, recording a 77.9% year-on-year increase to 434 units, with the 76 Series likely accounting for most of the volume.

Lexus GX cracks top 10 in debut year

Launched locally in March 2025, the Lexus GX entered the top 10 in its first year on sale, registering 347 units. This also made it Lexus South Africa’s best-selling model for 2025.

The Mitsubishi Pajero Sport fell out of the top 10, dropping two positions to 11th following a 17.0% decline to 253 units. The Lexus LX retained 12th position, improving sales by 14.0% year on year to 179 units.

Tank 500 climbs as Wrangler tumbles

The GWM Tank 500 recorded a 118.6% year-on-year increase in sales to 153 units, climbing two spots to 13th.

The Jeep Wrangler experienced a sharp decline, with sales down 55.2% year on year to 130 units, dropping four places to 14th. The BAIC B40 Plus followed with 67 units sold, down 46.0%, while the discontinued Y62-generation Nissan Patrol rounded off the list with just 11 units sold, an 86.4% decline from 2024.

Ladder-frame SUV sales in South Africa – 2025