If you bought a Chinese car four or five years ago, this week's news stung. Combined Motor Holdings, which runs dealerships for 31 brands, told the market that the sharp depreciation of Chinese and other Asian brands sold at discounted prices four to five years ago caught owners by surprise. Some of them are now waiting for a trade-in offer that covers what they still owe the bank.
That's bad news if you're selling. If you're buying, read on, because it's a different story.
What the numbers actually say
Everybody's taking a swipe at Chinese cars, so here are the figures instead of the noise. TransUnion's three-year book values put the two big sellers a few points behind their rivals:
| Car | Lost | Rival | Lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chery Tiggo 4 Pro | 27.1% | Kia Sonet | 20.5% |
| Haval Jolion | 25.4% | VW T-Cross | 21.7% |
A few points, not a cliff. And here's the bit nobody puts in the headline: Cars.co.za's 2025 industry report had the Tiggo 4 Pro and Jolion losing under 30% in three years, while the Opel Crossland, Peugeot 2008, Jeep Renegade and Mazda CX-30 lost more than 40%. So before you run off to buy a low-mileage European car to play it safe, check its numbers too. Some of them dropped harder.
Why that knock is your gap
A car loses the most in its first few years. Somebody else paid for that. Buy a 2 to 3 year old Chinese crossover and you're stepping in after the steepest part of the drop, often with more kit for the money than the same rand buys you elsewhere.
The catch: it keeps dropping after you buy it, like every car does. So the play is to buy it right and plan to keep it a while, not to flip it in 18 months.
Shop it properly: five checks
- Find the nearest agent for the brand and phone the parts counter. Ask how long a common part, like a headlamp or a side mirror, takes to arrive. That answer tells you more than any brochure.
- Ask whether the factory warranty is still running and whether it moves to you as the second owner. Get it in writing.
- Look for a full service history at an agent, not just stamps. Missed services can void what is left of the warranty.
- Keep the finance term short. Lightstone found 72% of car finance deals in mid-2025 ran over 72 months, and 96 months is now on the table. Stretch a fast-dropping car over eight years and you will owe more than it is worth for most of them. That is exactly the trap this week's sellers are in.
- Buy the model everybody knows. The Tiggo 4 Pro and the Jolion turn up in every one of these studies for a reason: there are lots of buyers for them when it is your turn to sell.
The bottom line
The news is real, but it's a seller's problem. For a buyer with a sharp eye and a sensible finance term, a used Chinese car is one of the better deals on a Durban floor right now. Work out your monthly first, then go and kick the tyres.