Toyota Hilux and Fortuner hold their value best over 10 years

The 2016 Toyota Hilux has held its value in the used car market exceptionally well after 10 years. Picture: Supplied The Toyota Hilux is not only South Africa’s top-selling new car, but the bakkie does an excellent job of holding its value, the best in the pre-owned market. The Toyota Hilux and its Fortuner SUV sibling stood out in a recent price comparison by AutoTrader.

The online portal took the new price of each of the top-selling 10 cars in 2016, worked out what that amount is worth today in accordance with inflation and compared it to what the same model now sells for in the pre-owned space. It’s important to note that this comparison is not a like-for-like match between individual derivatives. The 2016 new-car pricing used here reflects base models, while the 2026 used-car values are calculated as averages across all trims, engine options, and specifications listed on AutoTrader for each model.

As a result, the used prices naturally incorporate higher-spec and more powerful variants that would have cost significantly more when new. Despite this limitation, the comparison remains useful as a broad, market-level indicator of how these vehicles have held their value over time, rather than a precise depreciation calculation for any single derivative. The entry-level Toyota Hilux 2.0-litre single cab stands apart from the rest of the field.

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It cost R239 600 when new in 2016 (about R358 000 in 2026 terms) and now averages R231 175 on the used market. The bakkie lost the race against inflation, but its real-world value erosion over a decade is minimal. The Toyota Fortuner 2.4 GD-6cost R438 000 (around R653 844 when adjusted for inflation) and now averages R348 949 on the used market.

While it does not perform as well as the Hilux, it still shows a comparatively modest decline in real terms over a decade compared to other cars on the list. The Ford Figo Hatch 1.5 Ambiente, for example, launched at R172 300 in 2016, the equivalent of roughly R257 000 in 2026. Today, the average listing price is R100 012, less than half of its inflation-adjusted launch value.

Likewise, the Honda Civic Sedan 1.8 Comfort’s 2016 entry price was R330 000, which equates to around R493 000 today. Yet the average used price in 2026 of R159 999 is less than half of what it sold for in 2016. “When you step back and adjust for inflation, the perception of value in the used-car market changes dramatically,” says AutoTrader CEO George Mienie.

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