Car dealer Motus is changing gears in Australia to add more Chinese cars as new brands from the world’s second-largest economy take up more market share.
This marks a significant moment for Motus, which operates across SA, the UK and Australia. Having long benefited from the local adoption of Chinese vehicles, the company said it is now extending that playbook abroad.
In a business update delivered at the AGM on Thursday, CEO Ockert Janse van Rensburg told investors Motus would diversify its Australian dealer network to include more Chinese brands in response to fast-changing consumer preferences and intensifying competition.
This comes as Chinese manufacturers from BYD and Chery to Great Wall Motors and MG continue to expand globally with competitively priced, feature-rich vehicles that have shaken up markets traditionally dominated by Japanese, German and European brands.
Janse van Rensburg said Motus’ Australian operations were slightly behind market trends as it realigned its portfolio, but the market itself remained strong, recording 4% growth in new-vehicle sales in the first quarter of its 2026 financial year.
“We are continuing to align and diversify our brand representation,” he said.
At home, brands such as Haval, Chery and BAIC have steadily eaten into the market share of traditional names such as Toyota and Volkswagen, appealing to middle-class consumers seeking value for money.
Motus’ broader performance in the first quarter showed the company’s resilience in an uneven global market. Janse van Rensburg said the business had improved operating income and reduced finance costs compared with the same period last year, driven by cost discipline, strong local demand and tight capital management.
“The upfleet cycle for our vehicle rental business is progressing and we are exploring different sources of funding to maintain a healthy financial position,” he said.
In SA, Motus benefited from a sharp rebound in new-vehicle sales, which surged about 20% during the first quarter. Janse van Rensburg said management had revised its full-year forecast, now expecting total new-vehicle sales to exceed 570,000 units.
The improvement comes as the country’s economy starts to show signs of recovery, supported by lower interest rates, with the repo rate now at 7% from the 8.25% peak it hit in the latter part of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Reserve Bank’s continued focus on reducing inflation to about 3% is expected to provide further relief for consumers and stimulate demand.
Beyond new cars, Motus sustained strong momentum in the pre-owned market, increasing volumes and margins through improved digital tools that enhance pricing and sales decisions, he said.
Its aftermarket parts business also grew volumes and margins locally, even in a slightly softer environment, while its UK parts operations were boosted by better integration between wholesale and retail networks.
In the UK conditions were more subdued, with heavy commercial vehicle sales down 14% year on year though passenger car sales rose 6% in September.
Janse van Rensburg said Motus’ workshops maintained steady activity across all its geographies, buoyed by stable demand for aftersales services and repairs, particularly in the UK’s heavy commercial vehicle segment, which remains highly regulated. The vehicle rental division maintained high utilisation levels of 65%-75%, supported by strong fleet management and steady demand.
The Mobility Solutions division, which contributes about 70% of its income through annuity-based products such as value-added services and financing solutions, also delivered stable results.
Motus said it may issue a trading update once second-quarter results are finalised while it plans to publish results for the six months to end-December on February 25.
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