Chery Overtakes GWM to Become SA's Top Chinese Car Brand

Chery South Africa has emerged as the leading Chinese automotive brand in the country, overtaking GWM in July. The company reported selling 2,709 units during July, representing 6.64% of the passenger vehicle market and 4.7% of the total vehicle market. This performance positioned Chery fifth in the passenger segment and sixth overall, including light commercial vehicles.

The brand experienced a 25.54% year-on-year sales increase in July, significantly outpacing the overall market's 13.8% growth. This achievement follows a robust first half of 2026 for Chery South Africa, during which it sold 14,593 vehicles. This figure marks a 24.9% increase from the 11,687 units sold in the same period of 2025, with average monthly sales rising from approximately 1,948 to over 2,432 units.

Jay Jay Botes, Chery South Africa GM, stated that the brand's sales have risen year-on-year every month in 2026, driven by consistent demand for its SUV models. The Tiggo 4 Pro and its evolution, the Tiggo Max, were the highest-volume models, accounting for 11,322 sales in the first six months of the year. The Tiggo 7 range followed with 2,173 sales, the Tiggo 8 with 816 units, and the Tiggo 9 with 282 units.

Chery's operational expansion includes its new vehicle manufacturing plant in Tshwane, which it acquired from Nissan. The company plans to begin vehicle production at this facility by mid-2027. This move will transition Chery from an importer to a manufacturer in South Africa. The first vehicles to be produced locally are expected to be the Jetour T-Series, Jaecoo J5, and Chery Tiggo Cross. The Jaecoo J5 will be available in both internal-combustion engine and new-energy variants. Future production could also include the KP31 one-tonne bakkie, depending on sales volumes. Chery is the third Chinese brand to establish vehicle manufacturing in South Africa, following BAIC and Foton.

Key Facts

• Chery South Africa sold 2,709 units in July, becoming the country's best-selling Chinese car brand.
• Chery achieved a 25.54% year-on-year sales increase in July, exceeding the market's 13.8% growth.
• From January to June 2026, Chery sold 14,593 vehicles, a 24.9% increase from the same period in 2025.
• The Tiggo 4 Pro and Tiggo Max models combined accounted for 11,322 sales in the first six months of 2026.
• Chery acquired a vehicle manufacturing plant in Tshwane from Nissan, with production planned to start by mid-2027.