We’ve identified South Africa’s 10 most popular Chinese vehicles for April 2026, with the Jetour T2 grabbing a podium place and a fully electric vehicle entering the top 10…
- Chery Tiggo 4 range’s domination continues
- Jetour T2 was 3rd most popular Chinese car
- Dolphin Surf enters Chinese-vehicle top 10
In a first for South Africa’s new-vehicle market, four Chinese automakers ranked in the top 10 in April 2026. But which models led the sales charge for China last month? Well, we’ve sorted through the registration figures to identify the 10 Chinese vehicles that proved most popular with local new-vehicle buyers in April.
Keep in mind we’ve included both the passenger-vehicle and the light-commercial vehicle (LCV) segments in this exercise, so the list below also features a bakkie (in addition to a bunch of crossovers and a hatchback). Furthermore, note some Chinese brands operating in SA – including the likes of JMC, GAC, Geely and LDV – currently don’t report sales figures to Naamsa, so are not represented here.
Tiggo 4 dominates as T2’s climb continues
The Chery Tiggo 4 – which includes both the Tiggo 4 Pro and the Tiggo Cross – was not just South Africa’s most popular Chinese vehicle in April 2026 but also the market’s best-selling passenger car overall (the first time a Chinese model has grabbed that title). This was despite local registrations dipping 0.9% month on month to 1 871 units.
Meanwhile, the Haval Jolion retained 2nd place on the Chinese-vehicle charts, growing its tally 1.2% month on month to 1 277 units. But it was the Jetour T2 that posted the strongest growth in the top 10, with sales surging 55.4% month on month to 1 004 units. That saw the T2 (which the Chinese firm says will be produced from 2027 at the Rosslyn factory that the Chery Group is purchasing from Nissan) grab a podium spot.
Omoda C5 drops to 4th but sales hold steady
Though April 2026 marked the first time Chery subsidiary Omoda & Jaecoo ranked on the table of South Africa’s top 10 automakers, it’s interesting to note the Omoda C5 was effectively pushed off the Chinese-car podium into 4th. Still, sales of the crossover improved 4.6% month on month to 884 units, which was enough for it to grab a place on the list of SA’s 10 best-selling passenger vehicles, too.
The GWM P-Series (including both the P300 and P500) was the only light-commercial vehicle to feature here. For the record, the P-Series climbed to a new high of 4th place on the list of Mzansi’s top-selling bakkies in April, even though sales dipped 25.1% month on month (admittedly from a record 785 units in March) to 588 units.
Fully electric Dolphin Surf breaks into top 10
Meanwhile, the Chery Tiggo 7 (425 units) enjoyed a 46.6% month-on-month increase in sales in April to grab 6th place on this list, finishing in front of the Haval H6, which in contrast endured a 4.8% month-on-month decline to 413 units. The Jetour Dashing (305 units; down 26.3% month on month) ended up in 8th position.
But the big news towards the bottom of the table was the arrival of the BYD Dolphin Surf, which ranked 9th in April. In the end, the Chinese new-energy vehicle (NEV) company registered 302 units (up 26.4% compared to March) of this fully electric hatchback, seeing it slot in just ahead of the Jetour T1 (299 units; down 31.6% month on month).
SA’s 10 most popular Chinese vehicles in April 2026
1. Chery Tiggo 4 (including Cross) – 1 871 units
2. Haval Jolion – 1 277 units
3. Jetour T2 – 1 004 units
4. Omoda C5 – 884 units
5. GWM P-Series – 588 units
6. Chery Tiggo 7 – 425 units
7. Haval H6 – 413 units
8. Jetour Dashing – 305 units
9. BYD Dolphin Surf – 302 units
10. Jetour T1 – 299 units
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Which Chinese vehicle is currently the best-seller in South Africa?
A: The Chery Tiggo 4 (which includes the Tiggo 4 Pro and Tiggo Cross) is the most popular Chinese vehicle in South Africa, with 1 871 units registered in April 2026. Notably, it also became the first Chinese model to claim the title of the country’s best-selling passenger car overall (in a single month).
Q: Are there any fully electric vehicles (EVs) in the top 10 Chinese car rankings?
A: Yes. The BYD Dolphin Surf, a fully electric hatchback, made history by breaking into the top 10 in April 2026. It ranked 9th overall with 302 units sold, representing a significant milestone for new-energy vehicles (NEVs) in the local market.
Q: What is behind the surge in Jetour T2 sales and what are the brand’s local plans?
A: The Jetour T2 experienced the strongest growth in the top 10, with sales surging 55.4% month-on-month to 1 004 units, securing a 3rd-place spot. Jetour has also confirmed that the T2 will be produced locally starting in 2027 at the Rosslyn factory.
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