Changan and Jameel Motors South Africa celebrate one year in the country and says it’s just getting started

The company launched its first Changan flagship dealership on this day last year with just four models, no customers and a brand name most South Africans had either forgotten or never heard of. Twelve months later, Changan is sold through 40 dealerships in eight provinces, including flagships in Pretoria and Umhlanga. That is double the 20 dealerships at launch. Changan is one of China’s largest car makers, with global sales of 2.9 million units in 2025, 1.1 million of them being new-energy vehicles. The local line-up has grown to three brands and seven models. Next year, the plan is simple: triple sales.

Since launching at Sun City, where it unveiled the Alsvin compact sedan, CS75 Pro mid-sized SUV, Hunter diesel and REEV double-cab bakkie, UNI-S mid-sized SUV and the Deepal S05 REEV and S07 SUVs, sales have grown by roughly 25% a month. That took the company from 30th to 22nd on the NAAMSA new-vehicle sales list between April and September 2026, placing it in the top half of all sales. The range now also includes the Changan Star light commercial range, launched in August 2026 at the Festival of Motoring at Kyalami.

Marinus Venter, Country Manager of Jameel Motors South Africa, says: “A year ago we started from zero. Not a small base. Zero. Today thousands of South Africans drive a Changan, and every one of them looked at a name they didn’t know and decided to trust it. We don’t take that lightly. Year one was about proving it could be done. Year two is about doing it properly, and that means doubling.” Jameel Motors are set on building upon the trust their customers have placed in them. Currently, 94% of its customers would gladly recommend Changan to others, with a customer satisfaction score of 92%. Then there’s the commendable 90% parts fill rate, indicating that nine out of every ten parts are currently in stock on a shelf in South Africa.

The company has set about putting down local roots, with locally produced TV commercials and product material, plus dealer training developed for this market. The aim is to sell products South Africans can love, and to be part of the culture rather than simply mining it for sales.

That includes community involvement. In the 2026 Seven7 Drive, a childhood cancer awareness initiative, a Changan Hunter travelled 5 000 km over seven days through seven provinces, visiting eight hospitals to deliver gifts and cheer to more than 200 children living with cancer. The company also sponsors the SA Padel Open Tour, one of the country’s fastest-growing sports, and was the headline sponsor of the 2026 Con Spirito, the national arts competition. Jameel Motors also partnered with Lindenberg Racing to participate in the Simola Hillclimb race event in Knysna in May 2026, where it sent multiple vehicles up the acclaimed hill in front of enthused crowds. The company also sponsored RADA’s MiPad initiative (combating period poverty), Landmark Rewilding (habitat restoration) as well as Mossel Bay’s fire relief efforts earlier in the year and actively seeks ways to improve the lives of South Africans.

Venter adds: “In a few years, every South African will know the name Changan, and trust it.” The path there, he says, is to keep delivering world-class vehicles at competitive prices and to serve the fast-growing base of customers, dealers and fleet managers the company has built so far.

The company’s momentum shows no signs of slowing, with an exciting line-up of new models on the horizon. Several of these vehicles, some of which were recently unveiled at the 2026 Paris Motor Show, are expected to arrive in South Africa in 2027. They include the all-electric Changan Nevo Q05 and Changan Lumin, the facelifted Changan CS75 Pro, and the updated Deepal S07, which will also introduce a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variant.