New Chinese 4×4 brand that could be coming to South Africa

South Africa may be getting a new 4×4 brand in the near future, courtesy of Jetour.

The carmaker recently launched a new sub-division in China known as Zongheng, which specializes in 4x4s.

TopAuto reached out to Jetour South Africa to ask whether this brand will be brought to our market, but did not receive a reply by the time of publication.

However, given that Jetour has very ambitious plans to become one of South Africa’s top five best-selling automakers, it’s likely only a matter of time before the company pulls out the big guns to compete with the nation’s leading brands.

What is Zongheng

Zongheng is a brand-new nameplate under the Jetour banner, which made its debut in China this January.

While Jetour itself is focused on family crossovers and SUVs such as the Dashing and X70 Plus, Zongheng is a brand that specializes in off-road vehicles, similar to GWM’s Tank division or Toyota’s Land Cruiser stable.

According to CarNewsChina, the company currently has three cars in development, which will go on sale in its home market starting in the third quarter of 2025.

Interestingly, all of the Zongheng models shown thus far are hybrids, which is likely a result of Chinese regulations pushing automakers towards new-energy powertrains.

First up is the G700 – a midsize Adventure SUV comparable to something like the Toyota Fortuner or Ford Everest.

The G700 is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine paired with a rear-mounted electric motor, which produces a combined 560kW and 795Nm, according to Australia’s CarsGuide.

It also has a ground clearance of 350mm and can perform a tank turn, meaning it can do a 360-degree rotation on the spot.

If SUVs are not your thing, the good news is that the G700 will also spawn a bakkie based on the same ladder-frame platform known as the F700, which will feature the same hybrid drivetrain.

Jetour has yet to provide the full specs of either vehicle, but a preview event in China indicated that the G700 and F700 will be rather upmarket vehicles.

The SUV has a side-hinged boot door with a full-size spare wheel, and three rows of seats in a 2+2+2 layout.

The interior features two-tone leather upholstery, as well as a large multifunction steering wheel, a floating infotainment screen with a shortcut bar for the climate control, and a centre console with a circular gear selector and a wireless charging pad.

The bakkie’s design is very similar to the G700, but it was also shown with two unique features – namely a pair of rear-hinged doors for the back row, and cameras in place of traditional side mirrors.

The final Zongheng model showcased was the G900 – a full-size SUV that will be positioned above the G700.

This means it will probably be a rival to heavy-hitters like the Nissan Patrol or the Toyota Land Cruiser 300, but first impressions indicate that the G900 should be up to the task.

The G900 is a range-extender hybrid, which means it does not use an internal combustion engine (ICE) to drive the wheels directly.

Instead, an ICE is used as a generator to power a battery linked to four electric motors – one over each wheel – to produce an impressive 1,172kW.

While Zongheng is not yet confirmed to be coming to South Africa, the fact that Jetour plans to become one of the country’s biggest automakers means its 4×4 brand will likely arrive sooner or later, especially if the brand wants to take on the top-sellers like the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger, and Toyota Fortuner.