Chinese automobile brands have been gaining popularity in South Africa as consumers in the country are increasingly drawn to their affordability and advanced features.
South Africa has been actively promoting the import and adoption of new energy vehicles (NEVs), with several supportive policies that provide Chinese vehicles a larger space for development.
From 2023 to 2024, the market share of Chinese automobiles in South Africa increased by nearly 30 percent.
"The Chinese brands in South Africa, they came in very rapidly in the past five years, I would say. But in the past two years, there is rapid growth in market share. And I think the most important thing they do realize is that people are looking for affordability, they are looking for technology, they are looking for innovation," said Haarhoff Barnard, dealer principal at FAW Germiston, a dealership in Germiston, South Africa.
Chinese automobile brands have opened the market with their innovative technology and flexible product layout, with NEVs in particular receiving positive feedback from local customers.
"My decision to buy a Chinese brand was based on its style and the value it has given me. First of all, it's the most affordable vehicle in the market, and it has also got a lot of good reliability. The vehicle has all of my needs at once in it. And it serves me and my family very well," said a South African car buyer.
Chinese cars gain traction in South Africa as demand for affordability and innovation soars
