South Africa will receive two more Chinese car brands before the end of 2025 – Changan and Deepal.
Changan is one of China’s “Big Four” state-owned vehicle manufacturers, alongside SAIC, FAW, and Dongfeng.
Back in March, the automaker announced that it had signed an agreement with Jameel Motors, a subsidiary of the Saudi Arabian company Adbul Latif Jameel, which will serve as the local distributor for Changan’s products in South Africa.
This includes Deepal, which is a sub-brand of Changan specializing in new-energy vehicles.
More recently, the first shipment of Changan and Deepal models was spotted on a carrier making its way through the country, indicating that the company is on track to launch its first cars before the year is out.
The models spotted on the carrier include a new bakkie, sedan, and crossover, reported IOL.
This lines up with the products that were initially teased by the company back in March, all of which are scheduled to make their debut in the final quarter of 2025.
What to expect
The first model confirmed for South Africa is the Changan Hunter, which is a midsize bakkie comparable to the Toyota Hilux or Ford Ranger.
Interesting to note is that the Hunter actually shares a platform with the Peugeot Landtrek, as the two vehicles were jointly developed by Changan and Stellantis.
As a result, the two bakkies look rather similar in their general proportions, with the main difference coming down to the grille and badge at the front.
In China, the Hunter is offered with four different engines – a 1.9-litre turbo-diesel, a 2.4-litre turbo-petrol, a 2.5-litre turbo-diesel, and a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol range-extender hybrid.
However, the pickup will reportedly feature a 2.0-litre diesel plant when it goes on sale here.
Next up is the CS75, which is a midsize SUV on par with something like the VW Tiguan.
Overseas, it is available in both five and seven-seater configurations, though it remains to be seen if we will receive both options.
It features a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol block hooked up to the front wheels, which generates 141kW and 310Nm.
The most affordable option heading our way is the Alsvin, which is a B-segment sedan primarily intended for the Middle East.
The Alsvin has been in production since 2017 and is equipped with a 1.5-litre petrol engine good for 78kW.
Considering that South Africa’s affordable sedan market has been whittled down to a handful of models, the Alsvin may prove to be a significant entry in a niche segment.
Last but not least is the one Deepal model that has been confirmed for our market – the S07.
The S07 is an electric crossover, utilizing a rear-mounted motor that produces 160kW and 320Nm.
The e-motor is powered by an 80kWh battery, giving it a range of 650Nm.
Changan has yet to announce the pricing or model selection for any of the cars coming to South Africa, so we’ll have to wait a bit longer to find out how competitive these newcomers will be.
Loading ...
