Almost half of motorists in the United Kingdom would consider a Chinese brand for their next vehicle, according to the buying and selling platform Carwow.
A survey of 1,270 active car buyers found that 49 per cent are open to owning a Chinese vehicle. The figure represents a significant increase from 35 per cent in 2025 and 24 per cent when the poll began in 2023.
Carwow data shows customer enquiries for Chinese manufacturers have doubled, rising from 14 per cent in the first half of 2025 to 30 per cent between January and June of 2026. Interest in non-Chinese brands fell from 86 per cent to 70 per cent over the same period.
The company said lower pricing and higher equipment levels are driving the shift in consumer attitudes. More than two in five drivers willing to buy a Chinese car point to value for money as their primary reason, an increase from 36 per cent six months ago.
Rising brand recognition
Awareness of specific Chinese manufacturers has risen sharply alongside their sales figures. Jaecoo, which has been on the market alongside sister brand Omoda for around 24 months, is now recognised by 69 per cent of buyers, up from 46 per cent last year.
The Jaecoo 7 SUV, sometimes dubbed the 'Temu Range Rover', is currently the third best selling new car in Britain. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders recorded 26,549 orders for the vehicle between January and July 2026, placing it behind only the Ford Puma, which recorded 33,173 deliveries, and the Kia Sportage with 29,033.
Awareness of BYD has grown from 28 per cent in 2023 to 71 per cent today, making it one of the most recognised Chinese vehicle makers in the country. Chery jumped from 16 per cent to 50 per cent recognition in a single year despite only launching in 2025, while Omoda grew from 42 per cent to 57 per cent.
Xpeng saw its awareness more than double from 8 per cent three years ago to 20 per cent today. Overall, the proportion of surveyed drivers who could not name any Chinese car brands has dropped to 16 per cent from 23 per cent in 2025.
Other major Chinese companies have also entered the UK market, including Geely, which trails only BYD, Volkswagen and Toyota in its domestic sales.
Local manufacturing plans
"Buyers are leaving badge loyalty behind and looking for impressive tech and great value," Carwow chief customer and marketing officer Ben Carter said. He said the figures reflect a shift in how people think about their cars, rather than just cost of living pressures.
Chinese brands account for more than 15 per cent of all new cars sold in Britain. Chery Group vehicles alone make up 6.4 per cent of new registrations in 2026.
Following this market growth, Chery announced plans to build vehicles for the UK market using spare capacity at the Nissan assembly plant in Sunderland. The manufacturer confirmed last week that it will also establish a research and development centre in Bedfordshire to tune its cars for British roads.
UK sales chart rankings
According to SMMT data covering January to July 2026, Volkswagen leads the UK market with 104,204 sales, followed by Kia with 71,931 and BMW with 71,135. Audi and Ford complete the top five.
Among the Chinese manufacturers, BYD ranks highest in 14th place with 44,398 sales. Jaecoo follows in 17th with 39,569 registrations, while Omoda and Chery sit in 22nd and 23rd place with 22,164 and 21,191 respectively.
Further down the chart, Leapmotor recorded 8,375 sales to place 33rd, just ahead of Geely with 8,160. Other Chinese brands registering sales include Changan, Xpeng, Aion, Skywell and Maxus. Jaguar, which paused production of new cars in December 2025, recorded eight sales over the same period.
