- 14/04/2025
- Posted by: flore.demaigret
- Categories: Automotive, SagaBrand, SagaCube, South Africa
In this article, we explore the top car brands in Africa, focusing on Toyota‘s continued leadership across the continent. We also examine car ownership trends to uncover where the largest automotive markets are emerging.
Who owns cars in Africa in 2025?
According to SagaCube African consumption tracker, fewer than 1 in 4 Africans (22%) owned a car in 2024. Given the continent’s lower purchasing power, high vehicle and fuel costs, limited infrastructure, and widespread reliance on affordable informal transport, this comes as little surprise. However, ownership levels vary significantly by region, revealing key insights into the automotive market dynamics across Africa.
Car ownership by country
South Africa, Africa’s largest automotive manufacturing hub, tops the continent with a 50% car ownership rate, significantly surpassing the regional average. Nigeria follows at 35%, Egypt at 33%, Zimbabwe at 29%, and Algeria at 28%. Other countries like Morocco, DRC, Benin, and Kenya also report figures above 20%. However, several nations in East and West Africa have much lower levels, with countries such as Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Uganda below 13%. These numbers highlight the uneven spread of vehicle ownership and suggest growth potential in less motorized markets.
Car ownership by demographics
Car ownership patterns also vary greatly by age and socio-economic status. While the gender gap is minimal — with 22% of men and 21% of women owning a vehicle — wealthier individuals are far more likely to own a car. Among the highest income group (SEC A), 45% own a vehicle, while only 11% of those in lower-income groups (SEC D/E) do. Additionally, car ownership increases significantly with age, rising from 17% for 18–25-year-olds to 36% for those aged 46 and above.
What are the top car brands in Africa?
Toyota, African consumers’ favourite car brand
Based on SagaBrand brand health tracking tool, Toyota remains the most preferred car brand across Africa, with 78% of consumers naming it their favourite (among those who have ever owned a Toyota). This preference is supported by Toyota’s strong presence across the continent, including its manufacturing operations in South Africa. As the automotive sector in Africa continues to grow, local manufacturing and assembly projects, such as Dacia in Morocco, are gaining traction. After Toyota, Mercedes (63%) and BMW (59%) rank highly, followed by other popular names like Land Rover, Volkswagen, Ford, Kia, Hyundai, Honda, Nissan, Peugeot, Suzuki, Renault, and Mitsubishi.
Toyota leads top car brands in Africa, with one notable exception
While Toyota leads in most Sub-Saharan countries, South Africa presents an interesting exception. Despite Toyota’s manufacturing base in the country, Suzuki narrowly outpaces it, with 66% of Suzuki owners favouring the brand compared to 63% for Toyota owners. In North Africa, Dacia is the leader in Morocco (produced locally by Renault), Volkswagen ranks first in Algeria, and BMW tops the list in Egypt, Mali, and Guinea.
You might also like these earlier insights on the Automotive sector in Africa.
Conclusion
These insights, powered by Sagaci Research’s tracking tools SagaBrand and SagaCube, highlight Toyota’s continued dominance in the African car market, along with regional variations in ownership. Could this suggest significant growth potential for Africa’s automotive industry particularly in these underserved markets?
For further consumer insights on the consumer equipment sector or other market data in Africa, reach out to us on contact@sagacirearch.com or click below.
Methodology
- SagaBrand, Africa’s leading online Brand Health Tracker, tracks consumer perceptions of approximately 2,000 brands daily across the continent. It monitors 40 key performance indicators (KPIs).
- Question: From the following car brands, which one is your preferred brand?
- Base: respondents who have ever purchased the brand
- Population: adults over 18 in 25 African countries
- Total sample: 16,294 respondents
- Period: December 2024
- SagaCube, Africa’s premier consumer habit tracker, leverages our extensive online panel to monitor over 150 consumer categories (including consumer equipment) and 800+ usage and attitude segmentation variables.
- Question: Which of the following types of vehicle do you currently own?
- Population: adults over 18 in 54 African countries
- Period: 2024
