Chinese carmaker Changan Automobile is ramping up its expansion in South Africa, just a year after entering the market, as it positions itself at the centre of the growing influence of Chinese brands in the local automotive sector.
The state-owned company said it already covers more than two-thirds of vehicle segments and plans to expand its dealership network from 25 to more than 40 by year-end, following the launch of its new 2026 Uni-S SUV in Kempton Park.
Since entering the local market in 2025, alongside Tata Motors, which is staging a comeback after an earlier setback, Changan has introduced five models and built its local operations from the ground up, though challenges around trust, resale value and service infrastructure remain.
Its expansion comes as Chinese brands rapidly shift from budget alternatives to mainstream contenders, capturing more than 17% of South Africa’s new vehicle market by the end of 2025, driven by companies such as Chery and Great Wall Motors, including its Haval range, which has grown from just 2% market share in 2019.
Jameel Motors South Africa head Marinus Venter told Business Day that reception to the Changan brand in the past year has been “really positive”, but uptake remains gradual.
Jameel Motors is the official distributor of Changan vehicles, responsible for bringing, selling and supporting the brand locally.
“The challenge with us is South Africans are quite conservative … once they see the vehicle, they would want to see what reviews are available … and those decisions then take a bit slower.”
The Uni-S, which will be released to the market in April, is positioned as a key product for the brand, targeting the mainstream SUV segment with a starting price of R389,900.
Venter said the model would help Changan compete more aggressively on affordability and efficiency, two factors becoming increasingly important as fuel prices and living costs rise.
“Fuel consumption, which is one of the concerns … we are very well positioned there,” he said, citing customer reports of consumption as low as 4.3 litres per 100km.
Changan entered the local market in 2025 and has spent the past year building its local presence. Venter described the process as comparable to “taking off an aircraft”.
“So over the past year, we’ve done a lot of hard work. We’ve built our local team, we’ve set up our offices and we’ve introduced five models to the market,” he said.
“We have taken off.”
Despite strong initial interest, the company acknowledged that trust, resale value and service infrastructure remain barriers to wider adoption.
Jameel Motors marketing and product GM Chelsey Pinto said the company is not expecting “instant loyalty” from South African consumers.
“We know trust isn’t built overnight. We’re not expecting instant loyalty, but if you walk away thinking, OK, this was better than I expected, then it’s really a big step forward for us,” she said.
Pinto said the Uni-S is expected to play a central role in changing perceptions, with the model projected to account for more than half of the brand’s sales.
“This is not just launching a car, we’re launching a serious player in the SUV market,” she said.
Venter said the Changan’s focus on competitive pricing and product quality would be key to long-term growth.
While the company has no immediate plans for local manufacturing, it expects continued growth as awareness increases.
“The question is no longer, will this work? The question is, how fast can we scale?” Venter said.
He said Changan aims to rank among the top five Chinese automotive brands in South Africa in the coming years.
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