Sthembiso Lebuso
South Africa’s used-car market recorded higher average prices during the first four months of 2026, despite growing competition from Chinese brands in key SUV and crossover segments.
Data from AutoTrader, shared on Monday, shows average used-car prices increased year-on-year in every month between January and April.
The average price rose from R415 770 to R430 165 in January, from R426 836 to R439 663 in February, from R428 253 to R439 614 in March, and from R430 373 to R433 318 in April.
AutoTrader CEO George Mienie said the figures point to a market undergoing recalibration rather than broad-based price declines.
“Pricing pressure in some parts of the market is not the same as a broad decline in used-car values,” said Mienie. “The data shows that average used-car prices are still higher year-on-year, but the market is becoming more competitive.”
Mienie said changes in vehicle mix, buyer preferences, and dealer stock positioning were influencing market dynamics.
Chinese brands are becoming a larger part of the used-car market, contributing additional supply while altering price comparisons in popular SUV and crossover categories. Models such as the Haval Jolion, Chery Tiggo 4 Pro, and Omoda C5 are increasingly being compared with established rivals on price, mileage, age, and specification.
Just last week, the Jetour T2, launched in October last year, won the 2026 South African Car of the Year sponsored by Old Mutual Insure, the first Chinese automotive manufacturer to claim the title in 40 years.
AutoTrader data shows the Haval Jolion recorded an average used price of R302 782 in April, compared with R393 328 for the Toyota Corolla Cross. The Chery Tiggo 4 Pro averaged R267 234, compared with R317 779 for the Kia Sonet, while the Omoda C5 averaged R345 966 against R363 667 for the Mazda CX-30.
The data also indicates that Chinese-brand vehicles entering the used market tend to be newer and have lower mileage than many competing models. In April, the average Chinese-brand used vehicle had a registration year of 2024 and an average mileage of 28 970 km. Comparable non-Chinese vehicles had an average registration year of 2020 and average mileage of 72 624 km.
Chinese-brand used vehicle sales on AutoTrader increased from 6 314 units during the first four months of 2025 to 10 295 units over the same period in 2026. Market share rose from 4.9% to 7.2%.
Used vehicle sales on the platform also increased overall, rising from 128 309 units between January and April 2025 to 142 663 units during the same period this year.
Mienie said Chinese brands are adding choice in important segments and influencing how consumers assess value, rather than driving a broad decline in used-car prices.