Cape Town’s love affair with cars has earned it a place on the world stage. According to new research released by Autotrader, the Mother City has been ranked third globally for car culture, placing it alongside heavyweight automotive hubs such as Austin in the United States and Toronto in Canada.
The ranking forms part of a global analysis of more than 400 cities, measuring the strength of local car communities through real-world events and digital engagement.
The result is a so-called ‘car-munity’ score, reflecting how often car lovers meet, share and celebrate automotive culture in their cities.
Cape Town achieved a car-munity score of 95.2%, securing third place worldwide and confirming its status as a major destination for petrolheads.
Why Cape Town stands out
According to the Autotrader research, Cape Town’s position is driven by a dense calendar of car meets, motor shows and social gatherings, combined with strong social media activity linked to these events.
Regular fixtures such as the Cape Town Motor Show and Cars & Coffee Cape Town draw a wide spectrum of vehicles, from classic British models to modern supercars, creating a diverse and inclusive scene.
The city’s coastal roads and mountain backdrops also play a role, generating highly shareable imagery that amplifies Cape Town’s car culture far beyond its borders.
Notably, the study found that more than half of all ‘Cars & Coffee’ events hosted in South Africa take place in Cape Town, reinforcing the city’s central role in the national automotive community.
According to Autotrader, researchers assessed:
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The number of car meet-ups
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Auto events and motor shows
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Event listings on platforms such as Eventbrite and Google Events
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The volume of Instagram posts linked to city-specific car gatherings
These factors were combined to calculate each city’s overall car-munity score, allowing for comparison across continents.
At the top of the list is Austin, Texas, which scored 98.1%, driven by its strong network of car clubs and its role as host to major international events such as the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix.
Toronto followed closely in second place with a 95.4% score, bolstered by its strong digital presence, including nearly 49,000 Instagram posts under the hashtag ‘#torontocarmeets’.
Cape Town claimed third place, ahead of cities such as Turin, Munich and London, while Pretoria also featured for South Africa, ranking 15th globally.
Commenting on the findings, Rory Reid, YouTube Director at Autotrader, said the results reflect how car culture continues to thrive in a digital world.
‘In today’s digital age, it’s encouraging to see how many petrolhead communities thrive across the globe, allowing motor lovers to connect in-person and show off their wheels,’ Reid stated.
‘This shows how, for many people, their cars are more than a means of transportation and in fact, act as an expression of individuality and a source of passion.’
Beyond bragging rights, the ranking underscores Cape Town’s growing appeal as a destination for automotive tourism, events and lifestyle culture.
With its combination of active communities, scenic driving routes and consistent event hosting, the city continues to attract both local enthusiasts and international visitors.
@the_29_ Sunday’s Car Meet in 📍Seapoint, Cape Town🇿🇦 #seapointcapetown #seapointpromenade #carmeet #sunday #za 🚀@Yumesh @ash1olfgang ♬ original sound – user05368580862
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