South Africa’s automotive retail industry is changing — and the biggest shift may have less to do with the cars themselves and more to do with the people buying them.
Domestic vehicle sales are picking up, but the road ahead remains challenging. Affordability pressures, changing consumer behaviour, tougher competition and global uncertainty are forcing the industry to rethink how vehicles are discovered, marketed, financed and sold.
That changing landscape will take centre stage at DealerCon 2026, hosted by Cars.co.za, under the theme “Mind Over Metal.”
The summit is set to bring together dealer partners, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), finance partners and other automotive retail players for conversations around one crucial question: how does the industry adapt when the customer is changing just as quickly as the market?
The customer is changing the game
“Mind Over Metal” captures a broader shift taking place across automotive retail.
The industry is no longer simply about what sits on the showroom floor. It is increasingly about understanding the person looking at the vehicle, using data intelligently, building trust and responding to customer needs across both physical and digital spaces.
For dealers, that means navigating a market where the customer journey can begin long before someone walks into a showroom.
Consumers are searching differently. They are weighing affordability more carefully. They are considering their financing options. And their digital habits are influencing how they interact with automotive brands and dealerships.
DealerCon 2026 aims to help industry players make sense of these changes and respond with greater clarity and confidence.
Tough questions. Practical conversations.
The summit will feature panel discussions designed to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing automotive retail.
“The Used Car Squeeze” will explore the pressures surrounding the used-vehicle market, while “Value vs. The Brand” will look at the relationship between what customers receive and the brands they choose.
Meanwhile, “The Dealership Marketing Tug-of-War” will examine the competing pressures involved in reaching customers, protecting margins and building long-term loyalty.
Together, the discussions are expected to give delegates practical perspectives on how to engage customers and remain competitive in a demanding market.
The voices shaping the conversation
DealerCon 2026 will bring together senior figures from across South Africa’s automotive and financial sectors.
Confirmed speakers include:
- Amasi Mwela, Managing Director, Cars.co.za
- Charl Potgieter, Managing Executive, Absa Vehicle and Asset Finance
- Billy Tom, President of Isuzu Motors SA
- Shinny Gobiyeza, Interim CEO, Naamsa
- Robert Gwerengwe, CEO, Wesbank
- Errol Levin, CEO, Weelee
More speakers are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
Their participation reflects the breadth of the conversation ahead, bringing perspectives from automotive retail, vehicle finance, manufacturers and industry leadership to the same table.
A new industry report arrives
DealerCon 2026 will also provide the platform for the release of the latest Cars.co.za Industry Report, offering a timely look at the forces shaping South Africa’s automotive retail environment and the wider vehicle ecosystem.
The report will examine consumer sentiment, affordability, vehicle financing and changing digital habits.
It will also look at dealer performance, competition between automotive brands and the opportunities emerging as the market continues to evolve.
For industry decision-makers, the report is intended to offer more than a snapshot of the current market. It is designed to provide practical and reliable intelligence that can help dealers and other automotive stakeholders prepare for what lies ahead.
Recognising the people behind the industry
DealerCon 2026 will conclude with a Lifetime Achievement Awards ceremony, recognising individuals whose vision and leadership have helped shape South Africa’s automotive retail industry.
It adds a human element to a summit focused heavily on data, market movements and changing consumer behaviour.
Because behind every dealership, vehicle transaction and industry trend are people who have helped build the sector into what it is today.
The road ahead
South Africa’s automotive retail industry is entering a period where standing still could prove difficult.
The cars will remain important. But DealerCon 2026’s “Mind Over Metal” theme suggests that the next phase of automotive retail will be determined by something deeper: how well the industry understands its customers and how quickly it can respond to their changing needs.
With industry leaders, dealers, manufacturers and finance partners coming together, DealerCon 2026 aims to move the conversation beyond simply understanding change.
The goal is to help shape the industry’s response to it.
And in a market where affordability, competition, consumer behaviour and digital engagement are all moving at once, understanding the mind behind the purchase could become just as important as understanding the metal on the showroom floor.
