The rise of Chinese cars: What’s available on the UK market?
In the last few years, the UK market has been dominated by the arrival of Chinese car manufacturers. So, what do Chinese cars have to offer?
The Cazoo editorial team
Published on 23 January 2026 | 1 min read
Over the last few years, Britain’s new and used car market has become dominated by the arrival of Chinese car manufacturers.
Chinese cars make a lot of sense for those looking for an affordable, practical and well-equipped vehicle, who are not worried about brand snobbery.
Chinese brands are focusing heavily on SUVs and electrified powertrains and there are several available on the market.
So, if you’re tempted by a Chinese car, what brands are there, and what do they sell?
What is BYD?
You may have come across the acronym ‘BYD’, and that’s because BYD is one of the fastest-growing Chinese brands in Europe.
BYD stands for ‘Build Your Dreams’ and is a technology company that produces electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
It arrived in the UK in 2023, and since then, the firm has grown to extend its model line-up to nine vehicles.
These include the Dolphin Surf, Dolphin, Seal, Seal U, Sealion 5, Seal 6, Sealion 7, Atto 2 and Atto 3.
The Dolphin Surf, Dolphin, Seal, Sealion 7, Atto 2 and Atto 3 are the firm’s electric models, while the Seal U, Sealion 5, Seal 6 come as standard with BYD’s ‘Dual Mode Intelligent’, or DM-i for short, plug-in hybrid powertrain.
The firm has even bigger plans for the future, with 2026 being the year that it installs 300 of its 1,000kW ultra-rapid flash chargers across the UK, which the firm claims can add 250 miles of range in five minutes. Plus, it will introduce its ‘Denza’ premium sub-brand to the UK market.
The Denza brand will kickstart off in April with the launch of the Z9GT, which is a four-door shooting brake, rivalling the Porsche Panamera and will be available with plug-in hybrid and electric power.
Search for used cars on Cazoo
How many Chinese car brands are in the UK?
You may have lost count with the amount of Chinese brands that have come to the UK in the last three years, but there are currently 17 on offer.
With the likes of BYD and its new Denza brand arriving within the next few months, there is also Chery, which is one of China’s largest automobile makers, and sells the likes of the Tiggo 7, Tiggo 8 and Tiggo 9 SUVs, all of which are available with petrol and plug-in hybrid power.
Chery also has its own ‘export strategy’ programme, where it owns bespoke brands sold for European markets with the likes of Omoda and Jaecoo.
Omoda is the sporty sub-brand of Chery, offering coupe-esque SUVs with the petrol-powered 5 and electric E5 models. Jaecoo focuses more towards the luxurious end of the market with the 5 and 7 SUVs.
Other growing brands include Leapmotor, which has a 51:49 joint venture with the European giant, Stellantis. Leapmotor mainly sells affordable electric city cars and SUVs, with the T03, B10 and C10 models, although the C10 is now available with a plug-in hybrid setup.
MG is another renowned brand in the UK, after being bought out by the Chinese in 2007. Since MG’s return in 2011 with the MG6, it has gone on to be one of the go-to brands for those looking for affordable petrol, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles. It also sells the only two-seater electric sports cars with the Cyberster, while the MG3 hybrid is Britain’s cheapest hybrid on sale.
The brands that are also worth a mention are Geely, which owns Volvo, Polestar and Lotus and now offers the EX5 electric SUV for the UK.
Furthermore, Great Wall Motors have been selling commercial vehicles in the UK since the early 2010s and now, it offers a range of combustion, hybrid and electric vehicles with the Ora 03 electric hatch, the Haval Jolion Pro hybrid SUV and the diesel-powered Poer300 pick-up truck.
Search for used cars on Cazoo
What are the main benefits for buying a Chinese car?
Value for money is the main reason why Chinese cars have grown in popularity over the last couple of years, undercutting the competition on price.
Chinese models also come with lots of standard kit, and they come with long warranties, usually lasting seven years or 100,000 miles, and eight years or 100,000 miles if they have batteries with electric motors.
They also come with some of the latest on-board technology, which makes them feel bang up to date and a lot more modern than the competition from Japan and Europe.
Search for used cars on Cazoo
Do Chinese cars make good second-hand buys?
It depends on which Chinese car you’re looking at, as some models are much more appealing than others.
Models from BYD and MG have the best reputation for quality and electrified technology, and now with their increase in popularity, they are much more affordable.
Cars from BYD provide lots of standard kit, while the ‘DM-i’ plug-in hybrid setup fitted to certain models is smooth, efficient, quiet and restrained.
MGs come with a lot more badge prestige, due to the brand’s heritage, but thankfully, its cars are just as impressive with models such as the HS SUV providing a premium-feeling interior, a comfortable driving experience, and the option of a plug-in hybrid setup that can take the car a claimed 75 miles on electric power.
Meanwhile, brands such as Omoda and Jaecoo are also increasing in popularity with British buyers, thanks to their rock-bottom running costs and attractive second-hand values.
Continuing the theme of value for money, used examples of Chinese cars speak for themselves on the second-hand market.
For example, an 18-month-old Omoda 5 that’s covered 17,000 miles is priced at £16,990, which is £3,000 less than the equivalent Kia Sportage.
If you want a BYD, then something like a Dolphin Surf electric city car with 5,000 miles on the clock is up for just £15,650, which is more than £3,300 cheaper than a Hyundai Inster with the same mileage.
A 2024 MG3 with a hybrid powertrain and 14,000 miles on the clock is on the market for £13,400, compared to £16,800 for a low-mileage Toyota Yaris hybrid, making the MG look like bargain.
Search for used cars on Cazoo