Your ultimate guide to Chinese car brands in South Africa

Some have likened it to an invasion. Most consumers are intrigued by the added variety and competitive pricing offered by the number of Chinese car brands entering the country. It seems every other month a new contender enters the fray, with further players on the horizon.

We put together an overview of passenger brands from China with a local presence — a useful guide to help you identify your JAC from GAC, Jaecoo from Jetour and BAIC from BYD.

BAIC

History: Beijing Automotive Group (BAIC) set up shop in 1958, finding its groove with a sedan based on the Soviet GAZ-21. Today it lays claim to being the sixth largest car firm in China. The brand has various subsidiaries, including joint ventures with Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai.

Local overview:  Spearheading its national introduction with a model called the D20, which looked like a Mercedes-Benz B-Class rip-off, reception towards BAIC was mixed. It enjoyed greater success with the X55 (above), which also won the top prize in the Compact Family SUV category of the 2023 South African Car of the Year competition. While the company has a plant in Gqeberha, there remain more questions than answers about the facility's output and sustainability. 

Set up in SA:  2017

Number of models offered: 2 (Beijing X55 and B40 Plus)

Number of dealers:  17

Units sold last month:  207 

BYD

History: BYD was founded on February 10 1995 as Shenzhen BYD Battery Company. Its title is derived from the initials of the Chinese name “Biyadi”, but the brand decided to apply the slogan “Build Your Dreams” to create easier brand affinity. The automotive arm of BYD came about in 2003.

Local overview: While the company staged its launch at a swanky event in Johannesburg's Melrose Arch a year ago, sightings of BYD models are rare on local roads. With a starting price of R539,900, its Dolphin is among the least expensive full-electric offerings in the country. This month BYD released the striking Seal electric sedan at a base price of R999,900.

Set up in SA: 2023

Number of models offered: 3 (Dolphin, Atto 3 and Seal)

Number of dealers: 6

Units sold last month: N/A

Chery

History: Founded in 1997, Chery is the fifth largest car manufacturer in China. Its first car was named the Fengyun, based on a chassis from the Volkswagen Group's Seat brand. The brand started exports in 2001. It also has a joint venture with Jaguar Land Rover for production of vehicles in China. Jaecoo, Jetour and Omoda are related brands.

Local overview: The Chery brand has been active in Mzansi for more than a decade. While it might have respectability now, its early days were less impressive. Cars such as the QQ3, J2 and original Tiggo were cheap but not cheerful. The baby QQ3 gained infamy for a zero-star Global NCAP crash test rating. One of Chery's big local trump cards is a 10-year/1,000,000km warranty (which carries various terms and conditions)

Set up in SA: 2008 (relaunched in 2021)

Number of models offered: 3 (Tiggo 4 Pro, Tiggo 7 Pro and Tiggo 8 Pro)

Number of dealers:  96

Units sold last month: 1,614

Dayun

History: Shanxi Dayun Automobile began operations in 1987. While it built its reputation around commercial vehicles, the passenger vehicle arm of Dayun is headlined by the all-electric Yuanhang Auto division. It also sells compact offerings for urban environments.

Local overview: Enviro Automotive is the name of the company importing the Dayun brand, in addition to electric van options from other Chinese brands such as DFSK. Its passenger Dayun offering is limited to the dainty Yuehu S5, which is billed as the cheapest electric vehicle in the country, at R399,900.

Set up in SA: 2024

Number of models offered: 1 (Yuehu S5)

Number of dealers: N/A

Units sold last month: N/A

Foton

History: Beiqi Foton Motor is a BAIC subsidiary, specialising in light and heavy commercial vehicles. Birthed in 1996, the company has ties with engine manufacturer Cummins and Italian mobility firm Piaggio. The brand has R&D operations in India, Japan, Germany, Taiwan and the Philippines.

Local overview: Marking the local introduction of Foton more than a decade ago was the Tunland range of bakkies. Facing stiff competition from established players, the brand never caught on. It hopes for better fortunes this time around with a new product offensive and renewed support from Combined Motor Holdings.

Set up in SA: 2012 (relaunched in 2024)

Number of models offered: 5 (Asambe, eTruck, eView, Tunland and View)

Number of dealers: 39

Units sold last month: N/A

GAC

History: Guangzhou Automobile Group opened its doors in 1954. Regarded as a formidable presence in the Chinese domestic market, GAC comprises brands such as Trumpchi and Gonow and has joint ventures with Honda as well as Toyota.

Local overview:  Supported by a management team formerly from brands such as Stellantis, Nissan and Renault, GAC seems well poised to capitalise on Mzansi buyers' growing need for affordable but exciting cars. Odd names aside, the GS3 Emzoom and Emkoo look the part, with decent equipment levels and competitive prices.

Set up in SA: 2024

Number of models offered: 2 (GS3 Emzoom and Emkoo)

Number of dealers: 20

Units sold last month: N/A

GWM

History: A giant, Great Wall Motor Company was founded in 1984. It began as an agricultural vehicle repair workshop and began its manufacturing journey with commercial models based on the Beijing BJ212. GWM was the first private Chinese car manufacturer to become a public company. The brand portfolio comprises various marques, specialising in SUV models, pickups, off-roaders and full-electric cars.

Local overview:  GWM was a stand-alone brand in its early South African days, best known for the Steed bakkie and Hover SUV. Some might also recall cars such as the Florid and controversially-named M4. The 2017 introduction of Haval, with the H2 SUV, elevated its stock — bolstered by the Jolion in 2021 and subsequent H6. Also in 2021, GWM released its new bakkie named P-Series. In the past two years the stable expanded with the Ora 03 electric car and more recently, Tank 300 and 500 off-roaders.

Set up in SA: 2008

Number of models offered: 10 (Steed, P-Series, P500, Tank 300, Tank 500, Ora 03, Jolion City, Jolion Pro, H6, H6 GT)

Number of dealers: Over 100 claimed

Units sold last month: 1,740

JAC

History: With operations dating to 1964, Jianghuai Automobile Group is one of the oldest carmakers in China. Though it ranks outside the top 10 brands in its domestic market by sales, the manufacturer seems to have carved a respectable niche for itself in the commercial vehicles space.

Local overview:  At a media event earlier this year, the brand's handlers said they were striving for slow, steady growth in Mzansi. JAC Motors has a target of 3,000 units for 2024 and it was reported that there are about 5,000 JAC Motors vehicles on local roads. JAC offers trucks ranging in payloads from three to nine tonnes as well as pickups. Overseas, there are extensive passenger offerings which could be in the pipeline for our market. The star of the local JAC range is the T9, with its fearsome frontal design.

Set up in SA: 2017

Number of models offered: 4 (T6, T8, T9, X200)

Number of dealers: Over 70 claimed

Units sold last month: N/A

Omoda and Jaecoo

History: The Omoda and Jaecoo brands were conceived in 2022 to assist Chery in export market expansion. With different styling executions and personalities to the parent brand, the models are targeted at younger audiences with premium aspirations.

Local overview: Reporting under a combined Omoda and Jaecoo on the monthly new car sales charts, the duo each offers unique expressions of the C-segment SUV format. The Omoda C5 has a sleek, rakish aesthetic (some call it  cut-price Lamborghini Urus); while the Jaecoo J7 seems to boast Range Rover Evoque flavours. These Chinese alternatives cost a fraction of the price of the cars they took inspiration from. Which is one reason they are such a popular sight on roads.

Set up in SA: 2023

Number of models offered: 2 (Omoda C5 and Jaecoo J7)

Number of dealers: 45

Units sold last month: 506

Jetour

History:  A combination of the words “jet” and “tour” (said to imply convenient journeys) the Chery-aligned brand was formed in 2018. It sells in various world markets and purports to have sold as many as 1.2m units globally within 70 months.

Local overview:  Instead of being grouped with the Omoda and Jaecoo offshoot, Jetour has opted to forge its own identity in the country, going so far as to have a different head office location. Though still relatively new, the brand claims a local inventory of R100m in parts and plans to sell 2,000 units by the end of the year.

Set up in SA: 2023

Number of models offered: 2 (Dashing and X70 Plus)

Number of dealers: Over 40 claimed

Units sold last month: N/A

LDV

History: Originally a British brand associated with the now defunct Rover group, LDV traces its lineage to 1987. It later became a subsidiary of Russian firm GAZ, before ending up with SAIC Motor in 2010. SAIC is said to be the largest carmaker in the Chinese automobile space, with brands such as MG in its stable.

Local overview:  “To deliver vehicles that resonate with the needs and aspirations of South Africans” is the statement LDV declares on its website. Since its primary offering is a bakkie, they are off to the right start, as our nation's love for the genre is well known. However, the LDV T60 has not been the recipient of flattering reviews and faces stiff competition not just from established stalwarts but also fellow Chinese contenders.

Set up in SA: 2024

Number of models offered: 1 (T60)

Number of dealers: 18

Units sold last month: N/A