BMW iX3 crowned World Car of the Year 2026 as EVs lead the way
The BMW iX3 has been named World Car of the Year 2026, with the announcement made at the New York International Auto Show on 1 April.
- Industry News
- 2 April 2026
JAECOO has officially announced the group’s entry into South Africa, making it one of the very first countries in the world to welcome the newly established urban off-road SUV brand.
JAECOO made its global debut at Auto Shanghai 2023 in China as recently as April, when it was announced as an independent brand with a focus on urban off-road SUVs and a fitting brand slogan of “From Classic, Beyond Classic”.
The brand’s uncompromising driving solution is called All Road Drive Intelligent System (ARDIS), which offers seven unique driving modes, each optimising the vehicle’s dynamics, power delivery and other aspects for specific driving scenarios. Each mode delivers a unique experience that brings out the best in the SUV for that chosen condition.
JAECOO will launch with the J7 in early 2024. Positioned as a mid-sized SUV, the J7 boasts as many as seven drive modes and comfortably seats five adults in a luxurious cabin that also features a 14.8-inch vertically positioned touchscreen.
The J7 and other upcoming JAECOO products will be sold through and supported by a dedicated network of OMODA & JAECOO dealerships, with 30 already established across South Africa.
“Earlier this year, South Africa was the first country on the African continent to offer the OMODA brand, and we are now among the first in the world to welcome JAECOO. We have big plans for JAECOO, including the expansion of our dealer network to approximately 50 dealerships by the end of 2024,” said Tony Liu, Executive Deputy General Manager for OMODA & JAECOO.
The JAECOO name is inspired by a fusion of the German word “jäger” (meaning “hunter”) and the English term “cool”, capturing two elements central to the brand’s philosophy: outdoor adventure and urbanism.
More details and local specifications will be released closer to the J7’s launch next year.
The BMW iX3 has been named World Car of the Year 2026, with the announcement made at the New York International Auto Show on 1 April.
Retail new vehicle sales continue to surge in South Africa despite global and regional conflicts, local floods and droughts.
South Africa’s new vehicle market delivered a standout performance in March 2026, extending its domestic growth trajectory to the strongest level seen in nearly two decades.
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