SA rockets up list of Chery Group's biggest markets

South Africa has fast become an important market for the Chery Group, with the local boss saying Mzansi is now the automaker’s 5th largest market outside of China…

Chery Group’s local boss says SA is 5th largest export market
Fellow RHD nations UK and Australia are also high on the list
Sub-brands iCaur and Lepas expected to launch in SA in 2026

Just how big a market is South Africa for the Chery Group? Well, according to the Chinese firm’s local boss, Mzansi has grown into the company’s 5th largest export destination in pure volume terms.

Tony Liu, Chief Executive Officer at Chery Group South Africa, was speaking during an interview conducted in Cars.co.za’s custom-built podcast booth at Naamsa’s recent South African Auto Week 2025 in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape.

“From a volume perspective, I think [South Africa] is number 5, outside of China,” Liu told us. For the record, the Chery Group – which includes not only the core Chery brand but also the likes of Omoda & Jaecoo, Jetour, Exlantix, iCaur and Lepas – sold 280 469 units across all markets (including China) in September 2025.

In South Africa last month, the Chery brand registered 2 264 units, while Omoda & Jaecoo added 1 201 units and Jetour contributed 815 units. Based on these figures, the Chery Group thus reported a considerable 4 280 units (or a significant 7.8% of the total market) in South Africa in September 2025.

“We have a very big sales volume in the UK [United Kingdom]. The UK is booming for us, especially on the Omoda & Jaecoo side,” Liu told us. In September 2025, the Chery Group reported a whopping 12 099 sales in the UK, with the bulk of those registrations coming from the Omoda & Jaecoo stable.

He also pointed to Brazil – a nation in which the Chinese firm has established a CKD (Completely Knocked Down) assembly facility – as stronghold, with well over 8 000 units registered in that country in September.

Liu described Australia (which, like the UK and South Africa, is right-hand-drive nation) as another “big-volume” market for the Chery Group. Finally, he said “we also have CKD operations in Spain”, where Chery has a joint venture with a local company called Ebro-EV Motors.

In 2026, the Chery Group plans to launch both the iCaur and Lepas sub-brands in South Africa. Furthermore, the Chinese automaker looks set to expand into the local bakkie market (with the new Himla) next year, while also seemingly having an eye on local production…

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: How significant is South Africa as an export market for the Chery Group?

A: According to the Chery Group’s local boss, South Africa has become the automaker’s 5th largest export market outside of China in pure volume terms.

Q: Which other international markets are major contributors to the Chery Group’s sales volume?

A: Other high-volume markets include the right-hand-drive nations of the UK (United Kingdom) and Australia, as well as Brazil (where the firm has a CKD assembly facility) and Spain (where they have a joint venture).

Q: What are the Chery Group’s plans for expansion in the South African market?

A: The Chery Group plans to launch both the iCaur and Lepas sub-brands in South Africa in 2026. Additionally, the automaker is set to expand into the local bakkie market with the new Himla next year.