Newly established urban off-road SUV brand JAECOO rocketed into the top 30 of South Africa’s best-selling automotive brands in April 2024, despite having launched its very first model midway through the month.

Though the new J7 was officially on the market from only 13 April, initial sales were high enough to see JAECOO place a phenomenal 28th out of the 54 automotive brands currently offered in South Africa’s new-vehicle market.

JAECOO’s inspiring performance – along with that of sister brand OMODA, which has just celebrated its first year in South Africa – helped the Chery Group secure its highest-ever monthly sales total of 2,009 units, which in turn resulted in a record 6th place on the overall manufacturer standings for the month and 4th position in the passenger-vehicle segment.

“Even though the J7 has only just arrived on the local market, it’s clear South Africans are excited by what this new model – not to mention the JAECOO brand as a whole, with its ‘From Classic, Beyond Classic’ philosophy – has to offer. In the end, the J7 accounted for a strong 7.4% of Chery’s record total for the month,” said Tony Liu, Executive Deputy General Manager Chery/OMODA & JAECOO South Africa.

While the three-strong J7 line-up – priced from just R549 900 and including a range-topping Inferno derivative equipped with all-wheel drive and as many as 7 driving modes – has given JAECOO a particularly robust start in South Africa, the local line-up is poised to welcome further models in the coming months.

“We’re absolutely delighted with the J7’s sales performance in what was a partial month for a new-to-market model. Though we’ve only just launched JAECOO in South Africa – with the country becoming both the first right-hand-drive market to offer this model as well as the first in Africa – we have big plans for this forward-thinking brand, including on the new-energy vehicle front,” said Shannon Gahagan, National Brand and Marketing Manager OMODA & JAECOO.

For instance, customers can expect to welcome the J8 PHEV, with the new J6 likewise in the planning for a local introduction. More details on these models will be released closer to their respective arrivals.