India's Auto Footprint Soars: Nearly Half of South Africa's Cars Linked to India by 2025

• A Lightstone study reveals nearly half of all cars sold in South Africa by 2025 will have ties to India, either through Indian manufacturers like Mahindra and Tata or components.
• In 2024, 84% of Japanese-branded light vehicles in SA were imported from India, while only 10% came from Japan.
• Despite the perception of Chinese dominance, Indian imports accounted for 36% of SA's total vehicle sales in 2024, compared to China's 11%.
• Excluding Pikups and LCVs, India's share of SA's passenger vehicle market reached 49% in the first half of 2025, largely from Maruti Suzuki and Toyota models.
• This growth is driven by India's lower manufacturing costs, offering competitive pricing but raising concerns for South Africa's local auto industry.

Why It Matters: India is rapidly becoming a dominant source for South Africa's automotive market, impacting local industry.