Chinese cars: all the brands you need to know about
Nearly one in 10 new cars sold in 2025 were made in China, with more brands set to launch this year. We reveal all...
Chinese cars have already become part of the furniture on UK roads. According to official figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), nearly one in 10 new cars sold were made in China last year.
That’s about twice what it was in 2024, – and the figure is expected to rise further, not least because of the increasing number of Chinese brands selling cars in the UK. In many cases, the cars these brands sell offer an extensive list of standard equipment at a price that matches or undercuts key rivals.
However, which Chinese car companies are on the way, and are their cars any good? In this guide, we share the Chinese car brands that are selling their models in the UK, the ones that are on their way, and those that already have a foothold on the car market by owning or part-owning European brands. Most of the models you’ll see here are Chinese electric cars, but there are a number of petrol, regular hybrid and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) models, too.
Why are so many Chinese car companies launching in the UK?
Compared with most other car-producing nations, China was late to the party, only building its first passenger car in the 1950s. However, partnerships with established Western car makers and prolonged research into developing electric vehicles means the country now makes more cars than any other – nearly 35 million during 2025 alone according to some estimates.
As cars made in China become more capable and sophisticated, a growing number of companies are exporting their models to other countries. The reception these brands received has been varied: Canada, the USA and countries in the European Commission have all introduced tariffs on Chinese cars in a bid to protect their domestic automotive industries. These tariffs drive up the cost of a Chinese-made vehicle by as much as 100%.
The UK Government has no confirmed plans to introduce its own tariff on Chinese cars, which has encouraged some Chinese brands to prioritise selling their cars in Britain, along with other non-EU European countries, such as Norway.
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