With capital budgets currently under sustained pressure, Southern African truck fleets appear to be gravitating towards lower upfront purchase prices. Whether this represents a permanent realignment or a cyclical response to economic strain remains to be seen, but FAW Trucks Southern Africa’s record close to 2025 offers a strong indicator of where local procurement sentiment may be heading.
FAW Trucks Southern Africa, the regional subsidiary of China’s FAW commercial truck brand, reported exceptionally strong sales performance for December 2025, delivering 796 units and closing the year with total sales of 6 549 trucks across the Southern African market.
The December result represents the highest monthly volume in the company’s history in the region and reflects sustained demand for FAW’s locally assembled range despite ongoing economic constraints on fleet operators.
FAW Trucks SA says the strong year-end performance underscores its position as South Africa’s “fastest-growing commercial vehicle brand.”
Product focus and network depth
Several strategic milestones defined FAW’s 2025 performance. The JH6 500 and JH6 550 models received positive feedback from high-volume operators including Titan Cargo, Rubtrans, Platinum Energy, Trafalgar Logistics, Tron Logistics and Nepo Logistics.
Customers highlighted real-world fuel efficiency frequently exceeding 3 km/ℓ, along with driver comfort, safety features and low maintenance costs. The introduction of the JK6 28.310 FD tipper range in May extended FAW’s reach into agriculture, targeting farmers operating across varied terrain.
Network expansion remained central to the strategy. Five new dealerships were opened in partnership with Laubstar Holdings in Lichtenburg, Potchefstroom, Upington and Kathu, alongside Stucky Motors Durban. FAW also officially inaugurated its flagship Cape Town branch in Kraaifontein in October, strengthening 3S (sales, service and parts) capability in the Western Cape.
Regional strategy and customer loyalty
FAW’s regional ambitions were reinforced at its Export Dealer Conference in November, hosted at the Coega plant. More than 70 delegates from ten SADC and Indian Ocean countries aligned on the 2026-2028 roadmap, covering new product introductions, specification upgrades, expanded financial solutions and deeper after-sales investment.
Planned initiatives include new parts hubs in Lusaka and Maputo, expanded technician training and 24/7 multilingual breakdown support.
The brand also used 2025 to reflect on its heritage and customer relationships, marking Heritage Day by tracing its growth from three branches in 2010 to a network of 39 outlets across Southern Africa and export markets.
Market outlook
Looking ahead, FAW points to a more supportive operating environment for fleets in 2026. Freight and logistics market growth is forecast at a Compound Annual Growth Rate of approximately 6.2–6.8% through the late 2020s, underpinned by reduced load-shedding, infrastructure upgrades across ports, rail and roads, easing interest rates, lower inflation projected at around 3.3% and accelerating implementation of the AfCFTA.
These factors are expected to stimulate fleet investment across logistics, mining, agriculture and construction.
According to Xin Huang, COO of FAW Trucks Southern Africa: “2025 was a defining year for FAW in Southern Africa. Achieving 6 549 units sold while simultaneously expanding our dealer footprint, launching purpose-built products and deepening customer trust is a testament to the strength of our team, our partners and the enduring appeal of vehicles engineered and assembled for African conditions.
“The exceptional December performance provides powerful momentum as we enter 2026 with an even stronger commitment to innovation, service excellence and regional growth.”
Editor’s comment: FAW Trucks SA’s sales results and network expansion invite a more speculative question for the industry: are Southern African fleets redefining value around a lower point of entry combined with first-world levels of dealer support, or is this simply a temporary adjustment to tough trading conditions? Either way, FAW’s momentum suggests that Chinese OEMs offering disciplined networks and credible after-sales execution are increasingly being benchmarked not against other low-cost alternatives but against established European and Japanese brands.
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