Chinese car brands are gaining an increasing stronghold on Britain’s car market – but older drivers remain sceptical over concerns about privacy risk, market research says.
Registrations figures for 2024 show a 14 per cent increase in sales of models from the four major Chinese brands now available in the UK: BYD, MG, Omoda and Ora.
These made up 5 per cent of all new cars bought in Britain last year, representing almost 100,000 motors entering the road.
Many of these are electric vehicles as China continues to reap the benefit of investing heavily in battery car development ahead of European rivals – a move experts predict will bring these Far East brands huge success in the next decade.
By the time the UK’s ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars comes into force in 2030, Chinese brands could account for a quarter of the UK’s EV market or 400,000 cars on the road, according to Auto Trader’s Road to 2030 Report.
The study found an increasing acceptance of Chinese cars among the nation’s car buyers, with two in five buyers now willing to consider one.
However, older drivers are still suspicious and harbouring major concerns about data security, quality and pricing, the report says.
Chinese car brands saw a 14% increase in UK registrations in 2024. One in four Britons say they’d consider buying one but older motorists are still sceptical over privacy concerns
The 81,536 MGs sold last year put the Shanghai-owned manufacturer 10th in the standings for most popular brands of 2024.
Its selection of affordable combustion and electric cars has seen it climb up the order in recent years.
To put its popularity into perspective, more MGs were bought in the UK than Vauxhalls (78,895), Skodas (78,601), Peugeots (68,905), Volvos (66,408), Land Rovers (61,290), Renaults (57,967), Teslas (50,334), Minis (46,975), Seats (36,782), Dacias (31,457) and Hondas (30,636).
BYD and Omoda – both relative newcomers emerging on the UK market in 2023 and 2024 – amassed 8,788 and 3,629 sales respectively last year, while Great Wall Motors’ Ora brand upped its registrations to 1,162 in the previous 12 months.
Jaecoo – which is a marque belonging to the Chinese Chery brand – and Skywell amassed 215 registrations in their debut years in the UK.
The total market share of Chinese-built vehicles entering the road will be higher too, with brands including Polestar, Volvo, Tesla and even Mini now producing models in the country.
Auto Trader, the nation’s biggest online car platform, carried out its annual study into changing appetite for motors from China – the latest based on a poll of 3,985 UK adults.
It found the greatest support for Chinese brands comes from the 17-to-34 age group, with 57 per cent of those surveyed attracted by factors including innovative technology and affordability compared to a quarter of over 55s.
And older drivers are generally a lot less accepting of the idea of driving a Chinese car.
The research found two fifths of motorists aged 55 and over are concerned by data security and privacy risks when buying Chinese products, with 43 per cent of the same age group mistrusting the quality of goods.
By far the most popular Chinese brand in the UK is MG Motor. It sold 81,536 cars last year – that’s more than Vauxhall, Skoda, Peugeot and Volvo – to make it the 10th manufacturer in order of registrations. The MG4 EV (pictured) is one of its biggest sellers
BYD amassed 8,788 sales in 2024 in its first full year in the UK – though still with a relatively small range of EVs, including the Dolphin (pictured)
Omoda is one of the latest Chinese newcomers to arrive in Britain. It racked up over 3,600 registrations in 2024
Dr Andy Palmer, former chief executive of Aston Martin and operating chief of Nissan, says Britons are wrong to be suspicious of Chinese brands, certainly when it comes to them being fitted with covert spyware.
‘Smart electronics and AI software are a phenomena of our time, and proliferate into almost everything we own. For some, this has raised concern about the growth in Chinese EVs and the risk of spying,’ the founder Palmer Energy, supplier of home, commercial and grid scale batteries, said.
‘We should be cognisant of the risk but not attribute this only to China and only to EVs.
‘The same functions can exist on internal combustion cars, and the risk from phones is probably greater.’
Chinese brands driving EV prices down for motorists
The report comes as figures show the UK overtaking Germany to become the biggest EV market in Europe – and the third biggest worldwide.
The UK also remains tariff free to Chinese manufacturers, in contrast with EU markets, while new US President Donald Trump has scrapped EV sales targets altogether.
Chinese brands have largely been credited for making EVs more affordable to Britons in recent years.
They generally occupy the sub-£30,000 market, offering 29 EVs in this segment in 2025 – up from just nine at the beginning of last year.
Among these ‘cheap’ electric cars is the Leapmotor T03 (£15,164) and Ora 03 (£24,995).
However, Auto Trader believes Chinese manufacturers have ‘not yet fully flexed their pricing power’ in the UK, with many RRP prices lower in their domestic market.
For example, the BYD Dolphin RRP in China can be as much as £10,000 less than the UK.
The Leapmotor T03 is the second cheapest electric car on sale in the UK, priced from just over £15,000
Great Wall Motor’s Ora 03 is another budget-friendly Chinese EV starting from £24,995 in the UK
It also claimed that searches for Chinese brands on its own website doubled last year, up from 1.3 per cent in 2023 to 3.4 per cent.
Last year also saw a ‘mammoth jump’ in the number of retailer sites stocking a Chinese new entrant car according to Auto Trader data – up from 34 in January to 173 by the end of the year.
Across all price bands, lower production and battery costs are bridging the price gap between EVs and traditionally fuelled vehicles.
Since the beginning of 2024, the price premium on the average recommended retail price of a new EV over the equivalent ICE model has fallen from 35 per cent to 24 cent, equivalent to a £3,600 drop.
Auto Trader says affordable Chinese EVs are winning over the younger drivers who will play a vital role in driving the widespread adoption of battery vehicles as we head towards the 2030 ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars
Ian Plummer, commercial director at Auto Trader, said: ‘Chinese brands are increasingly pivotal players in the UK’s electric transition.
‘Their ability to offer affordable, high-quality electric vehicles is winning over the younger drivers who will play a vital role in driving the widespread adoption of electric vehicles.
‘But the rise of Chinese brands comes with challenges.
‘Consumers’ trust in the quality and safety of these new entrants remains mixed, particularly among older buyers.
‘To succeed, Chinese brands will need to focus on reassuring consumers – through strong safety ratings, data security, expert reviews and customer service – that they are as good as the more trusted traditional manufacturers.’
Affordable Chinese models are expected to play a part in driving down new EV prices for UK buyers further in 2025, as manufacturers strive to meet an EV sales target of 28 per cent under the Zero Emissions Vehicles mandate by offering discounts.
In January, the average discount on a new EV was 11.5 per cent off the retail price – compared with 4.8 per cent two years ago – with discounts as high as 28 per cent for some brands.
Plummer added: ‘The intense competition in China has closed the price gap between EVs and ICE, a trend we expect to see here soon. These new entrants are setting new standards in car design, technology, and production, forcing all brands to work harder to attract buyers.
“In the long term, this will lead to more sustainable and affordable EV production, essential for a successful transition and cleaner air.
‘These new players have the products and confidence to challenge established brands, sharpening competition and benefiting consumers.’
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