80% of Chery’s sales in South Africa come from one car

Chery is South Africa’s sixth best-selling car brand, and roughly 80% of its sales come from one model.

The automaker recently posted its year-to-date sales for 2026, revealing how many units were sold across its family of SUVs between January and August this year.

The data showed a staggering gap between the sales of its most popular car, the Tiggo 4, and the other three mainline models it sells in South Africa, the Tiggo 7, Tiggo 8, and Tiggo 9.

Over an eight-month period, the Tiggo 4 sold a staggering 15,729 units, equating to roughly 64 cars every day.

It’s also five and a half times as many as the second-best seller, the Tiggo 7, which moved 2,818 units over the same period.

Below is a table breaking down the monthly sales for each car between January and August.

Bear in mind that Chery’s stats for the Tiggo 4 include the Tiggo Cross, which is actually the facelifted version of the crossover, but is marketed as a separate car in South Africa.

In total, Chery sold 20,065 cars in the first eight months of 2026. The Tiggo 4 accounted for 78% of its sales, while the Tiggo 7, 8, and 9 contributed 14%, 6%, and 2%, respectively.

The gap in model sales is easily explained by the vehicles’ prices, as the Tiggo 4/Cross is by far the most affordable option, while the Tiggo 9 is the brand’s flagship SUV.

The Tiggo Cross starts at R279,900, making it one of the cheapest cars in the country with a price tag comparable to something like the VW Polo Vivo, Suzuki Fronx, or Toyota Starlet Cross.

In comparison, the Tiggo 7 series starts at R389,900, while the Tiggo 8 asks for R499,900, and the Tiggo 9 is R689,900.

Chery on a roll in South Africa

Chery was the fourth-best-selling passenger car brand in South Africa in August 2026, with 2,763 units, giving it a 6.7% share of the passenger car market of 41,216 units.

“August continued the steady progress Chery has made throughout 2026. Monthly sales have risen from 2,258 units in January to 2,602 in June and 2,763 in August, an increase of 22.4% since the beginning of the year,” said the company.

“This follows a strong first half in which Chery sold 14,593 vehicles, up 24.9% from the 11,687 recorded during the same period in 2025.”

The Chinese carmaker noted that the Tiggo 4 was its largest volume contributor during this period, accounting for four out of every five sales.

Chery is now planning to enter the nation’s growing electric vehicle market segment with the new R349,900 Q hatchback, which will take on the BYD Dolphin Surf and the Geely E2.

EV adoption has accelerated in South Africa due to the spike in oil prices this year, combined with the introduction of more affordable models that have lowered the barrier to entry for motorists.