While many Chinese automotive brands have sought to establish a foothold in the South African market, none has been as successful to date as Great Wall Motors. Let’s take a closer look at the steady progress GWM – and notably its Haval sub-brand – has made on our shores.
The year 2017 proved to be a significant one in terms of the influence of Chinese automotive brands in South Africa. While available vehicles from the likes of Chery, Geely, BAIC, JMC and FAW served as reminders of the broadly below par early efforts of cars imported from this bourgeoning eastern market, this was also the year that Great Wall Motors introduced its Haval division of SUVs; the GWM badge living on on this manufacturer’s bakkie portfolio.
As part of this rebrand, the existing GWM M4 compact hatch would be repackaged as the Haval H1. The significant news in terms of alerting our market’s value-hungry attention would come in the form of the H2 crossover and updated H6 C SUV offerings. Complete with alluring, European market-inspired styling cues and loaded with the kind of standard specification previously only available on premium car options lists, the H2 soon took the fight to the likes of the established Ford EcoSport and Renault Captur.
With the H6 C, the brand would showcase newfound levels of perceived build quality, overall refinement and, significantly, a penchant for turbocharged engine technology – notable for those living at altitude in South Africa. While still stacked against some impressive modern rivals in the form of the Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson and Mazda CX-5 offerings of the time, the Haval H6 C quickly inherited the title among local media outlets as “the best Chinese-built automotive product, to date.”
As GWM, this brand sold more than 1.2-million cars within its home market in 2021. Based on this significant figure, it’s no surprise to learn that Haval hasn’t, to date, been in a huge hurry to refocus its attentions towards the introduction of new generation products to markets outside of China. That said and corresponding with a fresh outlook from Haval South Africa as a now wholly owned subsidiary of GWM, the introduction in late 2021 of the Jolion to replace the H2 has proved to be another pivotal moment in terms of this brand’s market influence.
While the Jolion has quickly established itself as a firm favourite within its ever-popular compact SUV segment – becoming the first Haval to sell more than 1 000 units within a calendar month in South Africa – the subsequent introduction of the all-new H6 SUV and its racy H6 GT derivative and bolstered by the arrival of the new GWM P-Series range of double-cabs, has seen Haval’s name feature regularly on the country’s top-10 list of monthly sales. This as the brand continues to grow its local dealership and after-sales support network.
With eight established assembly plants sited throughout China, GWM’s technology centre is listed as spanning 250 000 m2, while hosting more than 7 000 employees within its R&D centre. While a move into the EV space seems inevitable, local fans of both the Haval and GWM brand will be looking to this department to fine-tune the otherwise relatively unrefined (by modern standards) drivetrain technology used throughout the portfolio – average relative fuel consumption compared the respective competition being one weak point.
What’s interesting is that other Chinese manufacturers including the re-imagined Chery and BAIC brands appear to have taken lessons from the relative success of Haval. This includes alluring exterior styling that gets prospective customers interested, followed improved overall quality and notable levels of value-for-money and standard specification.
It stands to reason that with so many new Haval and GWM products prevalent on the South African market, a leading auction house like Aucor has an increasing number of these products listed.
Will your next car be Chinese?
A motoring journalist with more than 20 years’ experience, Ian McLaren will be compiling a series are articles documenting his learning curve when it comes to all things auction. Find him on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok at @IanMcLaren76.
These articles aim to offer insights only and in no way encourage reckless or hit-and-miss purchasing decisions.