A side vehicle body structure ensures rigidity and shock absorption performance of the body, avoids widening of the body, and smooths the flow of exhaust gas. Embodiments include an engine, an exhaust apparatus, and a rear pillar extending upward from a rear-side portion of a side sill extending in the vehicle front-rear direction. The exhaust apparatus is disposed along the vehicle front-rear direction on the vehicle-width-direction outer side relative to the side sill. An exhaust system member is located at a going-around portion, with respect to the rear pillar, from the front side to the rear side and from the outer side to the inner side in the vehicle width direction. The rear pillar has a cross section orthogonal to the vehicle up-down direction having a shape in which a portion between front and rear ends is located on the vehicle-width-direction outer side relative to these front and rear ends.