Chinese cars, are they as bad as everyone thinks?

Geely Coolray SUV lands in South Africa with affordable price tag - but why does it look so familiar?

If you think you might have seen the new Geely Coolray before, don’t blame the generic look of SUVs these days - your eyes are not deceiving you.

The Geely Coolray is the vehicle that Proton’s X50 is closely based on, given that the Chinese auto giant owns the Malaysian carmaker that returned to our shores in 2022. Proton now faces an uncertain future in South Africa, after CMH recently terminated its distribution agreement.

The Coolray also lands at a lower price than the Proton version, with three derivatives announced for the local market this week:

Coolray 1.5TD 7DCT Nova – R369 900
Coolray 1.5TD 7DCT Vanguard – R399 900
Coolray 1.5TD 7DCT Vertex – R429 900

For the record, Proton’s X50 is currently listed at R449,900 in entry-level form.

Cool name or not, the Coolray is powered by the familiar 1.5-litre turbopetrol engine, which produces 128kW and 290Nm, pairing up with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission that drives the front wheels only.

 
FiestaST said:
Geely Coolray SUV lands in South Africa with affordable price tag - but why does it look so familiar?

If you think you might have seen the new Geely Coolray before, don’t blame the generic look of SUVs these days - your eyes are not deceiving you.

The Geely Coolray is the vehicle that Proton’s X50 is closely based on, given that the Chinese auto giant owns the Malaysian carmaker that returned to our shores in 2022. Proton now faces an uncertain future in South Africa, after CMH recently terminated its distribution agreement.

The Coolray also lands at a lower price than the Proton version, with three derivatives announced for the local market this week:

Coolray 1.5TD 7DCT Nova – R369 900
Coolray 1.5TD 7DCT Vanguard – R399 900
Coolray 1.5TD 7DCT Vertex – R429 900

For the record, Proton’s X50 is currently listed at R449,900 in entry-level form.

Cool name or not, the Coolray is powered by the familiar 1.5-litre turbopetrol engine, which produces 128kW and 290Nm, pairing up with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission that drives the front wheels only.

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So the entry level Proton is more expensive than the top of the range Geely? They really messed up, I doubt they will get another chance.
 
TheChamp said:
So the entry level Proton is more expensive than the top of the range Geely? They really messed up, I doubt they will get another chance.
Click to expand...
At least the Proton X50 is now a slightly safer used buy (can be had for less thank 250k) as the Coolray parts are likely interchangeable with it.
 
Funny thing about the emergence of Chinese cars is that they seem to have given a new lease on life to the long forgotten earlier Chinese models, seeing a lot of those earlier Chery Tiggos now on the road, and a couple of them being sold for a decent amount.

Used Chery Tiggo 2.0 TXE Auto for sale in Western Cape - Cars.co.za (ID::10874505) https://share.google/edxqmVpyRIU1XBR8g
 
One in five new vehicles now Chinese as sales surge by 75% year-on-year

South Africa’s new passenger vehicle market grew by 12.6% in the first quarter of 2026, the latest statistics show, but traditional manufacturers saw very little of this growth in their own showrooms.

According to TransUnion’s Q1 2026 Mobility Insights Report, Chinese car sales grew by 75% year-on-year in the first quarter of this year, significantly outpacing the 2% growth seen by traditional OEMs.

Chinese brands now account for 19% of all new passenger and light commercial vehicles sold in South Africa, with the Chery Group now emerging as a top-three player if one combines sales of its core brand with Jetour, Omoda and Jaecoo.

The Chinese market share is surely poised to grow further, with Chery Group recently introducing the Lepas and iCaur brands, while automakers such as Geely and BYD are rapidly expanding their local model line-ups, particularly in the new energy space.

TransUnion research director Ayesha Hatea says the shift is no longer driven by entry-level pricing, as these “disruptor” brands are increasingly competing on technology, features, fuel efficiency and warranty offerings.

“Chinese brands have moved beyond the role of price disruptors. They are becoming structural industry players, influencing dealer networks, financing ecosystems, ownership perceptions, and the wider discussion around localisation and industrial competitiveness,” Hatea said.

The TransUnion report further found that residual values are becoming an increasingly important component of vehicle affordability, particularly as finance terms are extending beyond six years for many buyers.

 
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