Features / 30 April 2026 / Michael Taylor

Every new Chery car unveiled at the 2026 Beijing Auto Show – Photos

South Africa can expect several new cars from Chery and its sub-brands in the near future.

TopAuto recently attended the 2026 Beijing Auto Show as a guest of iCaur, where we had the opportunity to get up close with the Chery Group’s latest models.

This year’s show had quite the lineup, as the Chery presentation unveiled new vehicles across the company’s Chery, Lepas, Omoda, iCaur, and Exeed brands.

While Jaecoo was the only brand that did not unveil a brand-new vehicle, we received confirmation from the company that the flagship J8 SUV is in the pipeline for South Africa.

Additionally, Jaecoo plans to expand its new-energy vehicle roster with hybrid and electric versions of the smaller J5 and J7 SUVs

A packed lineup

Starting with Chery, the brand debuted two new vehicles that are radically different from the Tiggo Pro SUVs we are used to.

First up is the Q3 (QQ3 in China), a small car that will mark the relaunch of the company’s “Q” series.

The Q3 is an all-electric hatchback that is set to compete in South Africa’s entry-level electric vehicle (EV) segment, putting it in the ring with the BYD Dolphin Surf and the Geely E2.

Unfortunately, most of the new vehicles Chery showcased in Beijing will only be launched several months from now, so we don’t have concrete information regarding powertrain specifications at this time.

The second Chery model we can look forward to is the new Tiggo V. Note that the V stands for “Versatile” and not “5” as some might assume, given the current Tiggo range is numbered 4, 7, 8, and 9.

This new Tiggo is “versatile” because it will be offered as an SUV, MPV, and bakkie – an unusual selling point made possible by the vehicle’s configurable backend.

The default model is a typical 5-seater family SUV, but it will also be offered as a 7-seater with a 2+2+3 seating configuration, hence the MPV designation.

Alternatively, motorists can acquire a bakkie version that seals off the back behind the rear seats, replacing the boot with a modestly-sized load bed.

Next up is Omoda, where this year’s headline model was the new C4.

The C4 (originally called the C3) was unveiled last year, but the public was finally given a chance to view the model up close and learn more information about what it will offer.

A spokesperson for Omoda confirmed to TopAuto that it will be offered with an internal combustion engine (ICE), hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), and battery electric vehicle (BEV) powertrain, though the latter is unlikely to be available at launch.

The HEV and ICE versions will use the same setup as the C5, meaning they will feature a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine with and without an electric motor, respectively.

The C4 is currently expected to launch in South Africa in late 2026 or early 2027 and will serve as the brand’s new entry-level model.

However, given that the C5 is already quite affordable, with prices starting at R339,900, the two cars are expected to overlap in price.

If you’re more interested in off-road SUVs, you’ll be pleased to know that iCaur was also on full display at the Auto Show.

iCaur is scheduled to launch in South Africa this May with its first two cars, the 03T and V23 electric Adventure SUVs.

This will be followed up later this year by the new V27, which will sit as the flagship of iCaur’s local catalogue.

The V27 is considerably larger than the V23, measuring 5,045mm in length compared to the latter’s 4,220mm.

The other key difference between the two models is that the V23 is a BEV, while the V27 units confirmed for South Africa will feature a range-extender electric vehicle (REEV) drivetrain.

REEVs are a type of hybrid where the combustion engine does not power the wheels directly. Instead, it functions as a generator to charge a battery that, in turn, powers the electric motors.

The main advantage of an REEV is that it offers a much greater range than a pure electric model, hence the name “range-extender.”

Last but not least is Lepas, which showcased new, electrified versions of its L-badged SUVs.

This includes BEV versions of the L4 and L6, and a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) option for the L6.

These are in the pipeline for South Africa, but it may still be a while before local motorists get their hands on them.

Lepas launched in South Africa in March with the ICE version of the compact L4 crossover, which will soon be followed by the larger L6 and L8 SUVs, so the new-energy vehicle (NEVs) will likely come after all three of the brand’s core vehicles are introduced.

One other brand worth mentioning is Exeed, which also appeared at the Auto Show with a new model – the ES GT.

Exeed is the Chery Group’s most luxurious brand, but there are currently no plans to bring Exeed to South Africa.

An Omoda spokesperson told TopAuto that Chery wants to stick to relatively affordable models for the time being and that is wary of crossing the R1-million threshold to compete with established luxury marques.