Chinese car brands Omoda and Jaecoo SA sales jump nearly 150%

Omoda and Jaecoo saw sales in South Africa surge nearly 150% in 2025 as Chinese car brands continue making a forward march in the domestic market.

The brands on Tuesday said sales increased 147% year on year, rising from 5,097 units in 2024 to 12,597 units. The surge was led by the Omoda C5, with the Jaecoo J5 playing a supporting act.

Omoda C5 sales increased 157.7% in the year under review.

“This growth reflects rising brand awareness, strong consumer confidence, and sustained demand across both the Omoda and Jaecoo ranges,” said Hans Greyling, GM for Omoda & Jaecoo South Africa.

“The addition of new models such as the J5 and C7 has further strengthened our offering, while the introduction of hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants has significantly broadened our appeal.”

The sale of more than 12,500 cars presents an outperformance, as the brands initially expected to sell about 11,000 vehicles in South Africa.

“This performance reflects the strength of our product strategy and our commitment to offering vehicles that resonate with a wide variety of customers. From our stylish urban SUVs such as the C5 and J5 to advanced plug-in hybrid options like the C9 SHS, our lineup is designed to meet the needs of today’s drivers, and the sales results clearly speak for themselves.”

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The surge in Chinese and Indian brands helped CMH’s motor retail and distribution unit report a more than twofold increase in pretax profit in the six months to end-August.

The JSE-listed group, which has more than 100 dealerships across the country, said the shift from luxury vehicles to more affordable ones is gaining momentum, and the brands from the Asian giants have placed enormous pressure on the group’s traditional favourites — Nissan, Ford and Volvo — “which now struggle to match their pricing and feature-rich offerings”.

Motus, South Africa’s largest car dealership, has completed the purchase of Penta Group, increasing its exposure to the popular Chinese brands and shoring up a segment where the group had lagged.

The Competition Commission has approved the merger, saying it doesn’t raise competition issues. Penta in particular sells Chery, Omoda, Jaecoo and Suzuki brands.

Chinese brands such as Haval, Omoda, Chery and BAIC have become a regular sight on South African roads.