Hybrid electric cars are flying off pre-owned showroom floors

After years of slow growth, the record fuel prices of 2026 have finally increased the demand for hybrid electric cars among local buyers, especially in the pre-owned market.

Based on used sales data from April, hybrid electric cars took much less time than the AutoTrader average of selling within 71 days.

It’s hardly surprising for South Africa that a bakkie tops the list, which was limited to 2021 and younger models. The GWM’s P500 2.0T HEV took an average of just 14 days to sell in April. That is remarkably quick for any used vehicle.

Used GWM P500 HEV not cheap

The used GWM P500 HEVs sold in April had an average price of R869 850, average mileage of 9 984km and an average registration age of one year.

The second car on the list, the Lexus LX 700h, is even more expensive at an average price of R2 566 658. The luxurious SUV took 37 days to sell, which is still almost half of the overall average, Used models of the Lexus LX 700h sold features an average mileage of 10 500km and an average registration age of one year.

Chinese brands performed well, with the BYD Sealion 6 taking third place with an average selling time of 39 days. It had an average price of R699 742 and an average mileage of 4 856km.

More Chinese brands

Fourth on the list was another Chinese SUV in the form of the BAIC B30e 1.5T HEV. The BAIC took an average of 41 days to sell, featured an average price of R658 703 and average mileage of 1 994km.

Also taking 41 days to sell was the Alfa Romeo Tonale 1.5 Hybrid. The Alfa had average mileage of 22 018km and an average price of R521 919.

Rounding out the top 10 was the Geely E5 EM-I (45 days), GWM Tank 500 2.0T HEV (45), Lexus UX hybrid (47), BYD Sealion 5 (49) and BMW XM (54).

Used hybrid car market an interesting one

AutoTrader CEO George Mienie says the data points to a broader shift in how South Africans view hybrid electric vehicles.

“What the data shows is that hybrid demand is no longer just about saving fuel. If it were, the fastest-selling models would be small, frugal cars. Instead, we are seeing family crossovers, luxury SUVs and even performance flagships moving quickly.

“South Africans are not rejecting electrification. They are responding to hybrids because the technology now serves different needs, from lower running costs and everyday practicality to refinement, performance and status. That breadth is what makes the used hybrid market so interesting right now.”