Chinese cars, are they as bad as everyone thinks?

2026 Chery Q vs BYD Dolphin Surf vs Geely E2

With the Q, Chery is looking to shake up the local budget EV segment. We take a closer look at how the Q stacks up against a duo of value-oriented EV rivals, the Geely E2 and BYD Dolphin Surf.

Chery Q vs Geely E2 vs BYD Dolphin Surf: pricing

The most affordable of the trio, the Geely E2 – in Aspire spec – is priced from R339 900, with pricing for the two-strong range topping out at R389 900 for the flagship, Apex model. Equipped with the smaller-capacity battery, the BYD Dolphin Surf is priced from R341 900. The range-topping Dolphin Surf is priced from R395 900. Serving as the entry point to Chery Q ownership, the Comfort model is priced from R349 900, while the Elite derivative will set you back R389 900.

Chery Q vs Geely E2 vs BYD Dolphin Surf: warranty and service plans

The Q features the most comprehensive vehicle and battery warranties here. The Q is sold with Chery’s five-year/150 000 km vehicle warranty and a battery warranty spanning 10 years or 200 000 km. The E2 package includes a four-year/150 000 km vehicle warranty and an eight-year/200 000 km battery warranty. While the BYD’s battery warranty matches the Geely’s, it ships with a three-year/100 000 km vehicle warranty. The Q and E2 are sold with five-year/100 000 km service plans, while the Dolphin Surf features a three-year/60 000 km service plan.

www.carmag.co.za

2026 Chery Q vs BYD Dolphin Surf vs Geely E2

We take a closer look at how the Chery Q stacks up against two budget-friendly EV rivals, the Geely E2 and BYD Dolphin Surf...
www.carmag.co.za www.carmag.co.za

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Would You Buy a $19,990 Chinese EV? - Auto Expert John Cadogan​

Would you buy a brand-new Chinese EV for less than $20,000? That’s the question at the centre of this episode.

I sat down for a full-length podcast with Brett Davis from Driving Enthusiast Australia to talk about the rapidly changing Australian new-car market — and, in particular, BYD’s $19,990 drive-away Atto 1.

At a time when so many new cars seem to blur into the same basic formula, the Atto 1 stands out for one very simple reason: price.

A genuinely new EV for under $20,000 is a very different proposition from the increasingly expensive SUVs, dual-cab utes and premium-priced EVs dominating the market.

So what does it mean for buyers? Is this the point where EVs become genuinely accessible to mainstream Australians? Would you trust a Chinese EV at this price? And what does a car like this do to the value equation for conventional petrol-powered small cars?

Brett and I unpack the Atto 1, the broader Chinese-car invasion, the changing competitive landscape, and what all of this could mean for Australian car buyers over the next few years.
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5 double-cab bakkies with the most torque (2026)

Which double-cab bakkies currently available in South Africa offer the most torque? We’ve sorted through the spec sheets to find out…

While power figures tend to grab the headlines, torque is ultimately what gets the job done, particularly when it comes to light-commercial vehicles. So, which double-cab bakkies currently on South Africa’s new-vehicle market boast the most torque?

Well, we’ve painstakingly sorted through the double-cab segment to pick out the torquiest contenders. Interestingly, the top 5 includes turbodiesel, turbopetrol, plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) and fully electric powertrains.

These are the 5 double-cab bakkies that currently offer the highest peak-torque figures, ranked by sheer pulling power (all pricing is correct in October 2026). Note that the JAC T9 PHEV will soon launch locally, set to slot into 2nd spot with 674 Nm.

In addition, keep in mind that the GWM P300 PHEV is in the pipeline for South Africa, potentially offering total system torque of 750 Nm – enough to grab 1st place. And the Chery Grootman (scheduled to arrive in the opening quarter of 2027) is slated to make a whopping 800 Nm from its diesel PHEV powertrain…

1. BYD Shark 6 Performance – 700 Nm

2. GWM P500 3.0TD – 620 Nm

3. Ford Ranger 3.0TD V6/VW Amarok 3.0TDI V6 – 600 Nm

4. Geely Riddara RD6 Apex AWD – 595 Nm

5. Ford Ranger Raptor 3.0T V6 – 583 Nm

 
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