More young women are financing cars — see which makes are their top pick

More women under the age of 35 are buying their own vehicles, despite rising costs in the new and used markets.

Their top choice over the past decade has been Volkswagen, according to Lightstone Auto, which analysed vehicle financing trends among South Africans younger than 35 from 2015 to 2025.

In 2015 men dominated vehicle financing in the under-35 age group, accounting for 65% of financed purchases, with only 35% being women. By this year, women had grown their share significantly, financing 40% of vehicle purchases.

The company said while financing trends have shifted, the top brand choice for young buyers hasn’t.

“Volkswagen’s position as the No 1 choice has been a constant, though 14 brands have held a position among the top 10 brands,” said Lightstone Auto.

Ford was the second most popular brand in 2015, but was overtaken by Toyota in 2020 and has since slipped behind Suzuki, which only entered the top 10 in 2020 but has quickly gained favour.

“Nissan has moved between positions four and seven, and is now at number five, while Haval and Chery find themselves in the top 10.”

Luxury brands still hold sway.

“There is a demand for premium brands among younger consumers as Audi and BMW have retained spots in the top 10 over the past decade, though they have slipped slightly from where they were in 2015.”

Younger buyers are also spending more.

“Since 2015 there has been a gradual increase in the average price point at which younger buyers were prepared to finance a vehicle purchase. In 2015 a buyer under 35 was prepared to finance a vehicle purchase at an average of just under R200,000, but in 2025 this has jumped to R321,500.”

The data shows the average price of a used vehicle financed for a woman rose from R172,600 in 2014 to R297,800 in 2024. For new vehicles, the jump was steeper, from R252,000 in 2014 to R440,000 in 2024.

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