Chinese brands are helping to reshape the UK car market, according to one expert, who suggested that these manufacturers could soon overtake established Western brands.
Several popular Chinese brands have seen their popularity explode in recent months as British drivers opt for cheaper and technologically advanced vehicles.
BYD has become one of the best-selling brands in the country, with an impressive 51,422 new registrations last year, capturing more than 2.5 per cent of the total market.
Despite launching in the UK around 18 months ago, the Shenzhen-based manufacturer has seen sales soar by more than 485 per cent with its popular range of hybrids and electric cars.
Other manufacturers like Jaecoo, Omoda, Changan, Chery, GWM, Skywell and Xpeng also sold well last year, with other companies unveiling plans to launch in the UK in 2026.
Stuart Masson, editorial director of The Car Expert, highlighted how BYD UK and Chery Group brands had sold more vehicles than Volkswagen UK, which is the UK’s best-selling individual brand.
Data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) found that 144,127 new cars were sold in January 2026, a slight 3.43 per cent increase year-on-year.
He said: “The overall market only grew by fewer than 5,000 cars year-on-year, which means that the rest of the market went down, not up, as the figures suggest.
Chinese brands like BYD and Jaecoo have seen vehicle sales grow massively over the last year
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BYD/JAECOO
“In fact, if you remove BYD, Chery Group and the other recent Chinese arrivals such as Leapmotor, Changan and Geely, the rest of the market was actually down around four per cent compared to the same month last year.”
The expert said this showed “rapid displacement”, rather than traditional growth in sales.
Jaecoo and Omoda, which come under the Chery Group umbrella, have impressed particularly over the last six months, with the Jaecoo 7 becoming one of the best-selling vehicles.
In the first month of the year, the Jaecoo 7 placed second among the most-registered models, with 4,059 sales, falling only behind the Kia Sportage (4,675).
The Jaecoo 7 was the second-best-selling vehicle in January 2026 | JAECOO
Jaecoo saw its registrations jump 13,408 per cent year-on-year in December 2025, ending the year with 28,232 total sales.
Mr Masson emphasised that the Jaecoo 7 outsold more than half of the car brands operating in the UK, despite being one of the youngest automakers on the market.
He continued, saying: “These same brands are also driving the continued surge in plug-in hybrid sales. The Jaecoo 7, BYD Seal U and MG HS all feature in the month’s top 10 and are predominantly plug-in hybrid models.
“This reinforces a point that has been clear for months: watering down the UK’s EV plans will not ‘save’ UK car manufacturing. China will simply continue sending more cars, powered by whatever fuel the Government requires.”
Chery International will launch a new sister brand called Lepas later this year
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CHERYBYD has hinted that it will introduce its premium Denza sub-brand in the UK this year, while Chery will launch Lepas as its fourth marque.
Chery Commercial Vehicle has also confirmed plans to open its European headquarters in the UK, with a new centre dedicated to research and engineering.
Liverpool City Council described the move as “one of the most significant projects” for the city’s manufacturing base.
Gong Yueqiong, General Manager of Chery Commercial Vehicle, said: “We are not just bringing products to the UK – we are building a British business. Our ‘In UK, For UK, Be UK’ strategy reflects our belief that true globalisation comes from deep localisation.”