Chinese car tops SA sales charts for first time

History was made last month when a Chinese vehicle became South Africa’s most popular passenger car for the first time.

According to figures released by motor industry association Naamsa, the imported Chery Tiggo 4 Pro sold 1,871 units to become the country’s best-selling car, outperforming long-time leaders such as the locally built Volkswagen Polo Vivo and Toyota Corolla Cross, and the imported Suzuki Swift.

Launched in South Africa in 2021, the Tiggo 4 Pro marked Chery’s return to the local market and arrived with a notable 10-year/1-million-kilometre engine warranty. The compact crossover has played a key role in the brand’s rapid rise and, with more than 18,000 units sold in 2025, the range was ranked fourth among all passenger vehicles sold in South Africa last year.

The larger Tiggo 7 was also a top 30 seller last month, helping lift Chery to seventh place overall among brands, behind Toyota, Suzuki, Volkswagen, Hyundai, Ford and GWM.

Chery Group sub-brands Jetour and Omoda also performed well in April, with the Jetour T2 taking 11th place and the Omoda C5 ranking 12th.

Chery’s recent acquisition of the Rosslyn manufacturing plant from Nissan will see the brand transition from importer to local manufacturer. By mid-2027, the company aims to produce 50,000 units annually, with the T-Series models from Jetour — launched in South Africa in October — expected to be included in local production from next year.

South Africa’s overall best-selling vehicle last month remained the Toyota Hilux, which retained its long-held top position despite a replacement due in July. The Ford Ranger placed second

The brand’s performance reflects the growing influence of affordable, highly specced Chinese imports, which are reshaping a market long dominated by legacy brands such as Toyota, Volkswagen, Ford and Hyundai. Competitive pricing is enabling many buyers to purchase a new vehicle at price points once associated with the used market.

However, the rise of lower-cost imports presents a potential threat to South Africa’s car manufacturing industry. It has sparked debate around increased import duties to protect the sector, a major employer and exporter that supports a broad ecosystem of component manufacturers, logistics providers and retail networks.

Other Chinese models in April’s top 30 included the Haval Jolion and H6, the GWM P-Series bakkie and the Omoda C5.

South Africa’s overall best-selling vehicle last month remained the Toyota Hilux, which retained its long-held top position despite a replacement due in July. The Ford Ranger placed second. Both bakkies are locally produced, while the top-selling locally built passenger car was the Corolla Cross in eighth place.