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While some brands are still busy “building awareness” and hosting polite canapé launches in Sandton, OMODA & JAECOO South Africa have quietly been doing the automotive equivalent of speed-dating the entire country… and apparently, Mzansi said yes.
Since rocking up in 2023 with big grilles and even bigger ambition, the brand has now smashed through 20,857 total sales. In under three years. That’s not momentum… that’s a turbocharged bakkie rolling downhill in neutral.
January 2026… Hold My Non-Alcoholic Beer
If you thought December sales were wild because everyone gets a bonus and suddenly thinks they’re Lewis Hamilton, think again.
January 2026 delivered 1,418 sales… the strongest month the brand has ever recorded locally. Ever.
Which means while most of us were recovering from festive season debit orders and regrettable beach haircuts, South Africans were signing finance deals like it was Black Friday at a braai shop.
It also plants OMODA & JAECOO firmly in the “fastest-growing brand” conversation… and that’s not something achieved with good vibes and Instagram reels alone. That’s volume.
The Climb… By The Numbers
Let’s break it down before Oom Koos from Facebook says, “Ja but how many really?”
- 2023: 1,750 sales
- 2024: 5,094 sales
- 2025: 12,597 sales
- January 2026 alone: 1,418 sales
That’s not growth… that’s a sales avalanche with a calculator and a grudge. Each year didn’t just improve… it practically doubled down and said, “Is that all you’ve got?”
And leading the charge? The ever-popular OMODA C5, sitting on a colossal 14,395 units since April 2023. That’s the dependable golden retriever of the lineup… stylish, loyal, and seemingly everywhere.
Then there’s the JAECOO J7 with 3,817 units since April 2024… the more rugged sibling that looks like it hikes on weekends and drinks craft beer.
The premium flag-bearer, OMODA C9, has notched up 995 units since October 2024. And before you scoff at that number… remember it starts at R999,900. That’s not entry-level money… that’s “I have opinions about wine” money.
The newer kids?
- JAECOO J5 – 1,322 units since August 2025
- OMODA C7 – 328 units since November 2025
Fresh faces… already on the board.
The Hybrid Hustle… SHS Is Not Just Alphabet Soup
Now here’s where it gets interesting. Electrification. Shocking I know…
Plug-in hybrids under the SHS… Super Hybrid System… badge are starting to flex. 590 SHS units sold to date.
The J7 SHS alone accounts for 317 units since June 2025. Not bad for a country that still debates whether hybrid means “golf cart”.
And the C9 SHS? 218 units sold… again, at nearly a million rand a pop. That’s serious buy-in for electrified motoring in a market that still side-eyes load shedding schedules before committing to anything with a plug.
Hybrids are no longer the weird cousin at the family braai… they’re pulling up with confidence and decent torque.
Dealer Muscle + Consumer Trust
Hans Greyling, General Manager, calls the 20,857 figure “more than just a number”… and in this case, he’s right.
Because you don’t climb from 1,750 to 12,597 annual sales without:
- Expanding your dealer network
- Getting pricing right
- Offering spec sheets that make competitors sweat (ala la la long…)
- And convincing South Africans that you’re not a one-hit wonder
There’s substance behind the swagger.
What’s Next?
Two hybrids are warming up in the wings:
- OMODA C5 Hybrid
- JAECOO J5 Hybrid
Which means 2026 isn’t about maintaining pace… it’s about stepping on the accelerator.
And judging by that January performance… they’ve already done exactly that.
Twenty thousand cars in three years.
A record-breaking January.
Hybrids gaining traction.
Love them, doubt them, argue in the comments if you must… but one thing’s clear.
OMODA & JAECOO didn’t come to “participate”.
They came to park in YOUR driveway.