When the wave of Chinese SUVs first arrived a few years ago, local buyers were understandably nervous. The spec sheets looked incredible, the pricing felt almost too good to be true, but one of the main deterrents was always depreciation. Everyone wanted to know what would happen when the honeymoon period ended and these cars actually landed up on pre-owned forecourts.
Now that early 2023 model cohorts are rolling onto used-car floors, we finally have concrete data on how well Haval and Chery are holding their value after three years. As it turns out, the panic was largely overblown, though there are some distinct differences between how compact models and larger family SUVs are performing.
Compact crossovers: everyone wants one
If you look at the bread-and-butter compact segment, models like the Haval Jolion 1.5T Super Luxury are commanding anywhere from R289,800 to R359,900 on pre-owned floors, retaining a massive slice of their original +/-R370,000 to R400,000 price tag. As Sean points out in his Haval Jolion Buyers Guide, high continuous demand in this bracket keeps pre-owned stock moving fast. If you're shopping around, you can easily find a used Haval Jolion Super Luxury for sale without taking a bath on depreciation.
A pre-loved Haval Jolion Pro could make an excellent car for a new driver. It's affordable and safe.
It’s a similar story over at Chery. The Tiggo 4 Pro 1.5T Elite is holding firm between R239,990 and R249,900, proving that budget-conscious buyers aren't afraid to snap up a pre-owned Chery Tiggo 4 Pro Elite.
Mid-sized & executive trims: Not quite as popular
Step up into the mid-size and executive tiers, however, and the picture shifts a bit. Larger models like the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro Executive and Haval H6 face steeper initial drops in the first 36 months, taking a harder hit, much like traditional mid-sized SUVs from Japan or Korea. We cover this dynamic in depth in this Chery Tiggo 7 Pro article.
The Chery Tiggo 7 Pro will depreciate faster than a smaller crossover model.
For first owners, that initial dip might sting, but for secondhand buyers, it’s a massive win. It means you can pick up a low-mileage, feature-packed pre-owned Chery Tiggo 7 Pro Executive or a Haval H6 for a fraction of their original sticker prices.
What about spare parts availability?
Parts availability has historically been the primary deterrent for prospective buyers, but the local landscape has shifted dramatically. Both Haval and Chery have invested heavily in local warehousing to ensure routine maintenance items such as brake pads and filters are readily accessible. Crucially, Chery’s high-profile takeover and official opening of its manufacturing plant in Rosslyn, Pretoria, mark a massive turning point, transitioning the brand from a pure importer to a localised powerhouse.
While routine services and minor fender-benders are generally sorted swiftly, waiting on specialised body panels or rare electrical components following a heavy shunt can still occasionally leave cars parked at panel beaters longer than owners would prefer. It remains a growing pain that these brands are actively shrinking, even if legacy heavyweights like Toyota or Volkswagen still hold the upper hand in deep-seated parts logistics.
The chairman of Chery, Mr Yin Tongyue, speaking at the opening of the Rosslyn plant earlier this year.
Attractive warranties help seal the deal
Another major factor keeping these values stable is the fact that warranties largely carry over. Buyers aren't flying completely blind; knowing there's still a chunk of factory backing, or Chery's headline-grabbing engine warranty (if purchased through the Cherished program) left on the clock, goes a long way toward calming second-owner jitters.
Ultimately, the narrative that Chinese cars lose all their value the second they leave the showroom floor is a myth. While executive trims take the expected luxury-segment hit, compact favourites are holding their ground alongside established mainstream rivals.
