Cheapest Chinese car in South Africa – and what you can buy for the same price

The cheapest Chinese car on sale in South Africa right now is the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro, which asks for just R269,900.

Chery has been one of the best-performing brands in the country in recent times, becoming a top 10 seller less than five years after its introduction.

A big reason for this success has been the 4 Pro, the most popular model in its Tiggo family of SUVs, which has proven to be an affordable option in a time when consumer spending is more strained than ever.

Chinese cars ostensibly offer good value for money with more powerful engines, additional features, and longer warranties than their competitors, and it’s a sales pitch that seems to be working with the rapid growth of nameplates like Chery and GWM.

Case in point, the sub-R300,000 Tiggo 4 Pro LiT comes with a 1.5-litre petrol engine with a solid-for-the-segment 83kW and 138Nm.

This is paired with a five-speed manual gearbox, leading to an average fuel consumption of 7.0l/100km.

The crossover’s equipment includes 16-inch alloy wheels, LED daytime running lights, hill assist, tyre-pressure monitoring, rear parking sensors, a reverse camera, a multifunction steering wheel, a 3.5-inch colour driver display, manual air conditioning, fabric seats, Bluetooth, four speakers, and a 10.25-inch media screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Each purchase also features a 5-year/150,000km warranty, a 3-year/30,000km service plan, a 5-year/unlimited-kilometre roadside assistance plan, and a 10-year/1-million-kilometre engine warranty.

Playing catch-up

These are the affordable cars competing in the same price bracket as the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro in South Africa.

Click on the underlined prices for more information.

Kia Picanto 1.0 LX

• Starting price – R260,995
• Power – 49kW/95Nm
• Fuel consumption – 5.1l/100km
• Warranty – 5-year/unlimited-kilometre
• Service plan – 2-year/30,000km

Suzuki Swift 1.2 GLX manual

• Starting price – R264,900
• Power – 60kW/112Nm
• Fuel consumption – 4.4l/100km
• Warranty – 5-year/200,000km
• Service plan – 2-year/30,000km

Renault Kiger 1.0 Zen

• Starting price – R264,999
• Power – 52kW/96Nm
• Fuel consumption – 5.3l/100km
• Warranty – 5-year/150,000km
• Service plan – 2-year/30,000km

VW Polo Vivo 1.4

• Starting price – R266,600
• Power – 55kW/130Nm
• Fuel consumption – 5.5l/100km
• Warranty – 3-year/120,000km, 5-year/150,000km engine
• Service plan – Optional

Hyundai Exter 1.2 Premium

• Starting price – R269,900
• Power – 61kW/114Nm
• Fuel consumption – 5.7l/100km
• Warranty – 5-year/150,000km, 7-year/200,000km engine
• Service plan – 3-year/45,000km

Honda Amaze 1.2 Comfort

• Starting price – R272,000
• Power – 66kW/110Nm
• Fuel consumption – 5.6l/100km
• Warranty – 5-year/200,000km
• Service plan – 2-year/30,000km

Toyota Starlet 1.5 XS

• Starting price – R273,500
• Power – 77kW/138Nm
• Fuel consumption – 5.4l/100km
• Warranty – 3-year/100,000km
• Service plan – 3-service/45,000km

Citroen C3 Aircross 1.2 Plus

• Starting price – R274,900
• Power – 60kW/115Nm
• Fuel consumption – 6.2l/100km
• Warranty – 5-year/100,000km
• Service plan – 4-year/60,000km

Mahindra XUV 3XO 1.2T MX3

• Starting price – R274,999
• Power – 82kW/200Nm
• Fuel consumption – 5.3l/100km
• Warranty – 5-year/150,000km
• Service plan – 3-year/55,000km

Nissan Magnite 1.0 Acenta

• Starting price – R277,300
• Power – 53kW/96Nm
• Fuel consumption – 5.9l/100km
• Warranty – 6-year/150,000km
• Service plan – 3-year/30,000km

MG ZS 1.5 Comfort

• Starting price – R289,900
• Power – 53kW/96Nm
• Fuel consumption – 5.9l/100km
• Warranty – 5-year/200,000km, 7-year/unlimited-kilometre engine
• Service plan – 5-year/60,000km