Q1 sales comparison shows shifting pecking order among Chinese brands in SA’s used car market

As economic pressure mounts, local buyers are increasingly prioritising value for money in the used car space, and it’s the Chinese marques that are benefitting. A year can be a long time in a fast-moving segment, and that’s especially true in the Chinese used car market. New Q1 sales data from AutoTrader shows that between 2025 and 2026, Chinese marques not only strengthened their presence in South Africa but also began reshaping the competitive order in a far more decisive way.

Market Shift Gains Momentum

The shift is evident not just in who leads, but in how that leadership is constructed. Chinese brands are no longer fringe players locally. They are now competing directly with long-established legacy marques, largely on the back of aggressive pricing and feature-rich offerings that resonate with increasingly cost-conscious buyers. It’s important to note that this analysis is conducted at a variant level, rather than simply by model.

Haval’s Early Lead In 2025

In Q1 2025, Haval’s advantage was clear. The Jolion 1.5T Super Luxury led the pack with 151 units sold in the first three months, followed by the H2 1.5T Luxury Auto and the H6 GT 2.0T 4WD Super Luxury, with 128 and 127 units respectively. Haval’s dominance in the used market mirrored its strong positioning in the new car space, where it had already established itself as one of the most visible Chinese brands in South Africa.

Chery Overtakes In 2026

Within a year, however, the Baoding-based brand has been overtaken by its closest domestic rival, Chery. The Tiggo 4 Pro now dominates the top three positions, with the 1.5 LiT manual leading at 215 units sold in Q1 2026. The 1.5 LiT Auto follows closely with 212 units, while the 1.5T Elite Auto (CVT) records 164 units. This marks a notable shift from Q1 2025, when the highest-ranking Tiggo 4 Pro variant placed sixth, with 109 units sold.

Rapid Growth Driven By New Car Sales

Chery’s rise in the used car market closely mirrors its rapid expansion in the new car segment over the past two to three years. Since re-entering South Africa, the brand has scaled quickly, becoming one of the country’s top-selling marques overall. This matters, as strong new car sales inevitably feed into the used market pipeline. The Tiggo 4 Pro sits at the centre of this cycle, with 1,888 new units sold in the past month alone.

Competitive Pressure Across The Segment

While Haval has ceded its podium positions, it remains firmly competitive. The Jolion 1.5T City Plus and 1.5T Super Luxury rank fourth and fifth, with 147 and 144 units sold, respectively, in Q1 2026. Chery continues to apply pressure further down the rankings, with additional Tiggo 4 Pro variants in sixth and seventh, with sales figures closely trailing those of the Haval models. This points to a decline from Haval and more to a market that has become increasingly competitive, with faster product cycles, frequent updates, and tighter targeting of key price segments.

Expanding Influence Of The Chery Group

Of the top 10 in Q1 2026, only one vehicle falls outside of the Chery-Haval grouping. The Jetour Dashing ranks eighth, with 130 units sold in 1.5T Deluxe trim. Notably, Jetour, along with Omoda, Jaecoo, Lepas and iCAUR, forms part of the broader Chery stable, further underlining the group’s growing influence.

Shift Towards Value And Affordability

The data also highlights a clear shift in buyer preference towards value and affordability. Higher-priced models have fallen out of the top 10 in Q1 2026, including the Haval H6 GT, Chery Tiggo 7 Pro 1.5T Executive, and GWM P-Series 2.0TD Double Cab LT 4x4. This aligns with broader economic conditions. Rising living costs and muted economic growth are pushing buyers towards more accessible options, and Chinese brands are well-positioned to capitalise on this trend.

Industry Insight

“What's particularly telling is how quickly the used market is responding to shifts in the new vehicle space,” commented George Mienie, CEO of AutoTrader South Africa. “We're seeing a much shorter lag between new model success and used market dominance, which points to growing consumer confidence in these brands, not just as value options, but as long-term ownership propositions.”

Source

Source: AutoTrader Used Car Sales Data: 1 March - 31 March 20251 March - 31 March 2026