Hyundai Named Overall Manufacturer of the Year at 2026 SAVRALA MOTY Awards
Hyundai has been crowned overall Manufacturer of the Year at the 2026 Southern African Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (SAVRALA) Manufacturer of the Year (MOTY) Awards, held in Sandton, Johannesburg, on Thursday, 22 October 2026.
It’s Hyundai’s first Overall Gold Award since 2009, earned with the highest combined rental and leasing score among this year’s competitors. Isuzu took second place overall, with Toyota third.
What the MOTY Awards measure
Initiated by SAVRALA, the MOTY Awards recognise motor manufacturers for the service and support they give rental and leasing companies in South Africa. Performance is assessed in two industry-specific surveys, run twice a year, against 40 criteria. These include manufacturer communication, support, maintenance, financial considerations, electric-vehicle uptake and B-BBEE compliance.
Awards are presented in the rental and leasing categories, as well as for combined performance. They give manufacturers an independent benchmark for strengthening industry relationships and improving service.
A changing market
Paul-Roux de Kock, Chief Analytics Officer at Lightstone, says the awards matter more as competition grows:
“Lightstone Auto forecasts that South Africa’s new light-vehicle sales, comprising passenger and light commercial vehicles, will exceed 620,000 in 2026, while naamsa data for the year to September shows that imports account for more than 70% of sales in this category. The automotive landscape is changing rapidly, with greater vehicle choice, new market entrants and shifting fleet preferences creating both opportunities and challenges for rental and leasing operators. As competition intensifies, manufacturers need to differentiate themselves not only through their vehicles, but through the quality of service, support and partnerships they provide. The MOTY Awards offer an important, independent measure of this performance, helping manufacturers better understand and respond to the evolving needs of the industry.”
Lightstone Auto has been the independent research lead for the awards since 2010, providing analytics that highlight excellence in performance, service and innovation across the value chain. Industry scores are based on all evaluations submitted by participating SAVRALA rental and leasing members across both rounds.
Rental results
Isuzu was the top-scoring rental manufacturer, its first podium appearance since placing third in 2023. Toyota, last year’s top rental performer, slipped to second, narrowly ahead of BMW in third.
Toyota won the Rental Value Award, given for the highest combined score in the financial section, for the ninth year in a row. Isuzu took the Rising Star Rental Award for the greatest improvement on the previous year.
The Tutuka Award is given to a manufacturer evaluated by six different rental companies across the two rounds. MINI won it for the second consecutive year. Manufacturers evaluated by seven or more rental companies qualify for the main rental awards.
Leasing results
Hyundai won its first leasing Gold, improving on its second-place finish in 2025. Kia also climbed one place to take Silver, while last year’s winner, Toyota, dropped to third.
Hyundai also won the leasing Value Award for the best financial score, for the first time. Suzuki received the Rising Star Leasing Award for the greatest year-on-year improvement.
Overall results
The overall winner is determined by combining the rental and leasing scores of qualifying manufacturers. In 2026, Hyundai took Gold, Isuzu Silver and Toyota Bronze.
Best Representative Awards
Rental and leasing companies nominate individuals for the Best Representative Awards, based on their performance and support during the year.
- Best Account Representative (rental): Sarah Burkey of Suzuki, for the second consecutive year
- Best Account Representative (leasing): Caleb Syce of Toyota
- Best Technical Representative (rental and leasing): Lufuno Nephawe of Toyota, who won in both categories for the second consecutive year and has now won the rental category four years running
SAVRALA congratulated all the 2026 winners and thanked the participating manufacturers and rental and leasing companies for their continued commitment to the programme. The awards remain an important industry benchmark, encouraging continuous improvement, stronger partnerships and higher service standards across South Africa’s rental and leasing sectors.