Mahindra emerges as South Africa’s third-best volume brand after record 2025 sales
Mahindra attributes its sustained growth to a long-term, locally focused business strategy. The company has leveraged its two decades in South Africa to expand its dealer footprint, strengthen aftermarket support, invest in local manufacturing, and deepen its involvement in social and environmental initiatives.
- Jan 15, 2026,
- Updated Jan 15, 2026 10:29 PM IST
Mahindra has posted its strongest-ever performance in South Africa, recording an all-time sales high in 2025 and cementing its status as one of the country’s most popular automotive brands.
The Indian automaker sold a total of 18,097 vehicles during the calendar year, marking a robust 40% year-on-year growth. This far outpaced the broader South African vehicle market, which expanded by about 15% as it recovered to pre-COVID levels, aided largely by the entry of several new brands.
Mahindra’s strong showing has lifted it to the position of the third best-performing volume brand in South Africa in 2025. The company has been the top-performing brand in three of the past six years and, based on compound annual growth rate since 2017, ranks among the three fastest-growing automotive brands in the country.
Reflecting on the milestone, Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, “For us, it isn’t about ‘exports’ or ‘international operations.’ It’s about earning the right to call a market home. Thank you for that trust, South Africa.”
While Mahindra has traditionally been anchored by its locally manufactured Pik Up range, 2025 marked a breakthrough year for its passenger vehicle portfolio. Passenger vehicle sales more than doubled, surging from 3,969 units in 2024 to 8,085 units in 2025, placing Mahindra among the top two performers in the segment in terms of sales growth.
This sharp rise was driven by strong market acceptance of the XUV 3XO and the Scorpio-N. The XUV 3XO has been positioned as a technology-forward offering, providing features such as a true six-speed automatic transmission and six airbags across all variants, while the Scorpio-N has appealed to families seeking a rugged yet feature-rich adventure SUV. Both models were recognised as Motor Enthusiast’s Choice at consecutive South African Car of the Year awards.
Mahindra attributes its sustained growth to a long-term, locally focused business strategy. Unlike many newer entrants, the company has leveraged its two decades in South Africa to expand its dealer footprint, strengthen aftermarket support, invest in local manufacturing, and deepen its involvement in social and environmental initiatives.
“Mahindra is here to stay. As we enter our third decade in South Africa, we will double down on our business model of responsible investment, sustainable growth and authentic products with world-class support,” said Rajesh Gupta, CEO of Mahindra South Africa, said in an official statement. “If we continue to focus on these business fundamentals, then the sales success will continue.”
A key milestone in this strategy was the opening of Mahindra’s new assembly facility in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. The state-of-the-art plant has the capacity to assemble more than 1,000 Pik Up models per month, increase local content, and produce special editions such as the Pik Up Karoo range.
The locally assembled Pik Up single cab has emerged as one of South Africa’s three most popular workhorse vehicles, valued for its durability and low cost of ownership. Recent upgrades, including a shift to a single-mass flywheel to reduce maintenance costs, are expected to further boost its appeal.
In addition, Mahindra commissioned its largest national warehouse and distribution centre in 2025, enhancing its ability to supply parts daily to a network of more than 100 dealers across the country.
Beyond sales and infrastructure, Mahindra also focused on brand-building and community engagement. The inaugural Mahindra Fusion Fest, celebrating South African creativity and cultural diversity, attracted over 7,000 attendees, including Deputy President Paul Mashatile. The event has since set a new benchmark for automotive brand experiences in the country.
Mahindra has posted its strongest-ever performance in South Africa, recording an all-time sales high in 2025 and cementing its status as one of the country’s most popular automotive brands.
The Indian automaker sold a total of 18,097 vehicles during the calendar year, marking a robust 40% year-on-year growth. This far outpaced the broader South African vehicle market, which expanded by about 15% as it recovered to pre-COVID levels, aided largely by the entry of several new brands.
Mahindra’s strong showing has lifted it to the position of the third best-performing volume brand in South Africa in 2025. The company has been the top-performing brand in three of the past six years and, based on compound annual growth rate since 2017, ranks among the three fastest-growing automotive brands in the country.
Reflecting on the milestone, Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, “For us, it isn’t about ‘exports’ or ‘international operations.’ It’s about earning the right to call a market home. Thank you for that trust, South Africa.”
While Mahindra has traditionally been anchored by its locally manufactured Pik Up range, 2025 marked a breakthrough year for its passenger vehicle portfolio. Passenger vehicle sales more than doubled, surging from 3,969 units in 2024 to 8,085 units in 2025, placing Mahindra among the top two performers in the segment in terms of sales growth.
This sharp rise was driven by strong market acceptance of the XUV 3XO and the Scorpio-N. The XUV 3XO has been positioned as a technology-forward offering, providing features such as a true six-speed automatic transmission and six airbags across all variants, while the Scorpio-N has appealed to families seeking a rugged yet feature-rich adventure SUV. Both models were recognised as Motor Enthusiast’s Choice at consecutive South African Car of the Year awards.
Mahindra attributes its sustained growth to a long-term, locally focused business strategy. Unlike many newer entrants, the company has leveraged its two decades in South Africa to expand its dealer footprint, strengthen aftermarket support, invest in local manufacturing, and deepen its involvement in social and environmental initiatives.
“Mahindra is here to stay. As we enter our third decade in South Africa, we will double down on our business model of responsible investment, sustainable growth and authentic products with world-class support,” said Rajesh Gupta, CEO of Mahindra South Africa, said in an official statement. “If we continue to focus on these business fundamentals, then the sales success will continue.”
A key milestone in this strategy was the opening of Mahindra’s new assembly facility in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. The state-of-the-art plant has the capacity to assemble more than 1,000 Pik Up models per month, increase local content, and produce special editions such as the Pik Up Karoo range.
The locally assembled Pik Up single cab has emerged as one of South Africa’s three most popular workhorse vehicles, valued for its durability and low cost of ownership. Recent upgrades, including a shift to a single-mass flywheel to reduce maintenance costs, are expected to further boost its appeal.
In addition, Mahindra commissioned its largest national warehouse and distribution centre in 2025, enhancing its ability to supply parts daily to a network of more than 100 dealers across the country.
Beyond sales and infrastructure, Mahindra also focused on brand-building and community engagement. The inaugural Mahindra Fusion Fest, celebrating South African creativity and cultural diversity, attracted over 7,000 attendees, including Deputy President Paul Mashatile. The event has since set a new benchmark for automotive brand experiences in the country.