10 New Chinese SUVs Shaking Up The South African Market

The South African new-car market is in the midst of a seismic shift. The initial wave of budget-focused Chinese crossovers, led by best-sellers like the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro and Haval Jolion, has established a firm beachhead. Now, we are witnessing the ‘second wave’: a coordinated, multi-brand offensive targeting every single segment, from rugged 4x4s to R1,2 million luxury flagships. This is no longer just a budget-car story; this is a full-market assault. For petrolheads, it means the performance, technology, and value propositions are becoming impossible to ignore. This guide brings you 10 new models you need to know about.

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The New Luxury Flagships

These represent the most ambitious part of the Chinese incursion into the local market. GWM and Chery are raising the stakes to challenge the premium establishment (eg Land Cruiser Prado, Audi, BMW) on luxury, performance, and technology.

GWM Tank 500 Black Edition

GWM is not shy about its ambitions. The Tank 500 Black Edition is a seven-seater, R1,3 million flagship aimed directly at the Land Cruiser Prado and co. It is a massive vehicle packed with technology and luxury, including Nappa leather electrically adjustable seats and a panoramic sunroof. It features the same 255 kW/648 N.m 2,0-litre HEV powertrain as the smaller Tank 300. The claimed fuel consumption is 10,5 L/100 km, however real-world reviews report figures a tad higher than quoted by the automaker. Either way, the Tank 500 makes a serious statement, by the automaker and on the roads.

Power/Torque: 255 kW/648 N.m (2,0T HEV)
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption: 10,5L/100 km (claimed)
Price: from R1 228 950

Chery Tiggo 9

This is Chery’s new seven-seater flagship. It represents the automaker’s most luxurious and advanced offering to date. T9 debuts in SA with one of two powertrains. The first is a conventional 2,0-litre turbo-petrol (187 kW/390 N.m) available in FWD or AWD. A headline-grabbing 1,5-litre CSH plug-in hybrid is the other. Chery says this PHEV has a staggering 455 kW and 920 Nm. With pricing from just R689 900 for the 2.0T, it is a massive, high-tech statement and a ‘cherry’ on top of the brand’s impressive cake in SA.

Power/Torque: 187 kW/390 N.m (2,0T) | 455 kW/920 N.m (1,5T PHEV)
Transmission: seven-speed DCT (2,0T) | DHT (PHEV)
Fuel consumption: 9,0L/100 km (2,0T) | 6,2L/100 km (PHEV)
Price: from R689 900 (2,0T) | from R839 900 (PHEV)

The Mainstream Movers

These are the high-volume, high-stakes models competing for the C- and D-segments, where brands like Toyota, VW, Honda and Hyundai have traditionally dominated. The models provide space and standard features aplenty in a bid to attract buyers away from the legacy automotive brands.

Changan CS75 Pro

Changan is new Chinese force entering the mainstream, and the CS75 Pro is its weapon of choice in the hyper-competitive family SUV market. Offered in both five- and seven-seater configurations, it directly targets the heartland of the market with an aggressive value proposition. All models are powered by a 1,5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine developing a healthy 138 kW and 300 N.m of torque. This power is sent to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, promising a blend of efficiency and responsive performance. With pricing starting from just R429 900, it’s a significant new contender.

Power/Torque: 138 kW/300 N.m
Transmission: seven-speed DCT
Fuel consumption: 7,5L/100 km (claimed)
Price: from R429 900

Haval Jolion Pro

How does GWM improve one of its best-selling cars in South Africa? It gives it a ‘Pro’ badge. This is not just a facelift; it is a new range. The standard Pro models use a 1,5-litre turbo engine with 105 kW and 210 Nm. But the one for enthusiasts is the Pro S. This model gets a new 1.5-litre turbo with a much healthier 130 kW and 270 N.m. This finally answers the main critique of the original Jolion: that it needed more performance to match its looks.

Power/Torque: 105 kW/210 N.m (1,5T) | 130 kW/270 N.m (1,5T S)
Transmission: seven-speed DCT
Fuel consumption: 8,1L/100 km (1,5T) | 7,5L/100 km (1,5T S)
Price: from R391 150 (Pro) | R498 950 (Pro S)

Omoda C7

The Omoda C7 slots in neatly between the entry level C5 and C9, targeting models such as the Toyota RAV4 and Volkswagen Tayron. It is not just another crossover, though. First up is the ICE version with 145 kW/290 N.m. At the top of the range is the SHS (Super Hybrid System) PHEV version. This is powered by a 1,5-litre ICE with a plug-in hybrid component. The numbers are impressive for this segment: a combined output of 255 kW and 525 N.m. That is more power than a Golf R. With a claimed 1 200 km combined range (105 km battery only), the sleek-looking C7 could be a true segment-disruptor.

Power/Torque: 145 kW/290 N.m (1,6T) | 255 kW/525 N.m (combined)
Transmission: seven-speed DCT (1,6T) | Dedicated Hybrid Transmission (SHS PHEV)
Fuel consumption: 7,5L/100 km (1,6T) | 5,0L/100 km (SHS PHEV)
Price: from R539 000

BAIC B30

Geely E5 EM-i

Geely is another newcomer to the SA fold. The massive automaker makes an entry into the market with two models, a full EV and the car pictured here, called the E5 EM-i. The latter is a five-seat SUV that feels and looks premium. It has a decidedly Nordic feel in the cabin, seemingly borrowing from the likes of Volvo, which the company also owns. The E5 EM-i has a hybrid powertrain that pairs a naturally aspirated petrol engine with a plug-in electric component. As a result the quoted range is almost 950 km.

Power/Torque: 73 kW/125 N.m (petrol) | 160 kW/262 N.m (electric)
Transmission: CVT
Fuel consumption: 2,34L/100 km
Price: from R599 999

The Off-Road Contenders

This group targets the heartland of South Africa’s bakkie-based-SUV market, with both traditional and modern interpretations of the 4×4. The following models aim to take a slice of the segment occupied by the likes of the top-selling Toyota Fortuner and similar offering from Isuzu.

GWM Tank 300

The GWM Tank 300 is the model that started the ‘premium-rugged’ trend, blending G-Wagen and Bronco-inspired looks with a modern ladder-frame chassis. The big news for 2025 is the arrival of a 2,4-litre turbodiesel engine, a direct shot at the popular Toyota Fortuner 2,4. This 135 kW/480 N.m oil-burner finally gives the Tank 300 the powertrain diversity it needs to be a true segment contender. It joins the original 162 kW 2,0-litre turbo-petrol and the monstrous 255 kW 2,0-litre hybrid (HEV), creating a formidable three-pronged attack.

Power/Torque: 135 kW/480 N.m (2,4TD) | 162 kW/380 N.m (2,0T) | 255 kW/648 N.m (HEV)
Transmission: nine-speed auto (diesel/HEV) | eight-speed auto (petrol)
Fuel consumption: 7,7L/100 km (diesel) | 9,5L/100 km (petrol) | 8,4L/100 km (HEV)
Price: from R649 900 (diesel)

LDV D90

The LDV D90 is the other major ladder-frame contender, and it is not subtle about its intentions. Aimed squarely at the Ford Everest and Toyota Fortuner, this seven-seater SUV arrives with a potent 2,0-litre twin-turbo diesel engine. With 160 kW and a stump-pulling 500 N.m of torque fed through a slick eight-speed automatic transmission, it out-muscles even the Fortuner 2,8 on paper. Given its R800k starting price, its standard specification list, which includes features like front-heated and ventilated massage seats, is deeply impressive.

Power/Torque: 160 kW/500 N.m
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Fuel consumption: 1 L/100 km
Price: from R799 900

Jetour T2

Jetour, another brand from the Chery stable, enters the fray with an ‘adventure SUV’. The T2 has rugged, boxy styling that clearly evokes the new Land Rover Defender. However, do not let the looks fool you: this is a unibody crossover, not a ladder-frame 4×4. This makes it a ‘new-school’ off-roader, prioritising on-road comfort and handling over the rock-crawling articulation of the Tank 300. It lands with a 1,5-litre turbo FWD (125 kW) or a beefier 2,0-litre turbo 4WD (180 kW), both paired with a seven-speed DCT.

Power/Torque: 125 kW/270 N.m (1,5T) | 180 kW/375 N.m (2,0T 4WD)
Transmission: seven-speed DCT
Fuel consumption: 9,0L/100 km (1,5T) | 9,3 L/100 km (2,0T)
Price: from R569 900

Summary

The Chinese Wave is no longer a ripple in the budget segment; it is a 400 kW+ hybrid, 500 N.m diesel, ladder-frame tsunami. It is now impossible to ignore the performance, technology, and sheer value on offer. Badge snobbery is rapidly becoming a very expensive habit when it comes to buying new cars. The long-standing reliability question is being aggressively answered with extensive warranties and, more significantly, local investment in South African production.