BMW, Mercedes pushed aside by new Chinese offerings  

Since arriving on South African shores, Chinese vehicles have set the local market alight with value-for-money offerings, as well as luxurious models ready to take on the heavyweights. 

BMW and Mercedes-Benz have been the pinnacle of luxury in South Africa for decades, offering a wide range of vehicles from flashy sportbacks to premium SUVs. 

Now, Chinese brands are offering the same things at much lower price points, for what seems to be comparable value. 

Not only that, but these brands have already surpassed the big guns in the monthly sales figures. 

Naamsa’s data for November new car sales show Chery, Omoda and Jaecoo, and Jetour ahead of Mercedes, while BMW was beaten by both Chery and OJ, narrowly outselling Jetour. 

Another local market disruptor, BYD, does not have its monthly local sales figures publicly available, but it looks like the brand is making an impact on the market.  

According to BYD Auto South Africa Managing Director, Steve Chang, the brand will hit its target of around 35 dealerships in South Africa by the first quarter of 2026. 

It aims to expand that network to around 60 or 70 by the end of 2026, thanks to a growing demand for its electric vehicles. 

Other Chinese brands will continue to enter the South African market, which keeps lapping up every new offering. 

November sales indicate a record month for Chery’s sales in South Africa. 

The automaker hit 2,506 units sold, with Omoda Jaecoo shipping a total of 1,408 models, and Jetour selling 1,235. All of them outsold Mercedes, which managed 430. 

BMW did marginally better than its fellow German, seeing a total of 1,251 units roll off showroom floors throughout November. 

Shenzhen vs Stuttgart

The BYD Seal is a luxurious electric sedan that clocks in at roughly R1 million, or R1.2 million for the Performance model. 

By comparison, the German opposition for the Seal, the Mercedes-Benz EQE, offers everything one would expect from the Stuttgart-based brand. 

That being said, the EQE’s prices start from R1,642,000, making it significantly more expensive than its Chinese counterpart. 

Here’s how they measure up: 

Both the EQE and Seal come with a seemingly endless amount of driver assistance and safety features for peace of mind and driving ease. 

For an even more extreme example of the price gap between a legacy model and a newcomer, we can examine the BMW X3 and the Jaecoo J7.

These models are by no means direct competitors, as the J7 is almost half the price of the X3, but it’s telling that the former’s stats aren’t too far off considering the price gulf.

Here’s a look at how they compare: 

The BMW boasts several state-of-the-art features like self-parking and BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant. 

Yet again, both models offer a series of safety features and leading driver conveniences. 

The affordable choice 

South Africans have more choice than ever when choosing premium vehicles, and the addition of more affordable options has only made that decision harder. 

It’s easy to see why so many are opting for affordable luxury, with not too much separating the old elite from the new kids on the block.